Province that did outwardly professe the true Religion 1 Cor. 11.18 22. And so usually in the writings of Divines the company throughout the world so professing is called the visible Church Bifield on Art 9. Catholick in the most evident sense agreeth to the Church now under the Gospell since the partition wall betweene Jewes and Gentiles was broken down and yet in some sense it may agree to the Church from the beginning Idem For particular Churches either single or combined either Nationall Provinciall Classicall or Congregationall it is not belonging to this Question to discusse the Quaeries about them and therefore I shall only set down some descriptions of them positively as they are usually taken by others and give you my present apprehensions of them A Nationall Church A Nationall Church is where all the visible publike religious Assemblies of a Nation being parts of the Church Catholike living under one politick civill Government are by the profession of the same faith and communion in the same worship and Government united into one body Ecclesiastick or Ecclesiasticall Republike Two things as I conceive are required to make a Nationall Church First Nationall agreement in the same faith and worship Secondly Nationall Union in one Ecclesiasticall body in the same community of Ecclesiastical Government The Churches in France and the Netherlands have the same faith and worship and kind of Government but they are not in the same Nationall community thereof * Vide Apollō p. 29. See proofes for Nationall Churches under the Gospel Isai 55.5 Thou shalt call a Nation which thou knewest not and Nations which knew not thee shall runne unto thee It is spoken of Christ under the Gospel and there is set down both Gods call of a Nation and a Nations answer to that call and there can be no more required to make a Church Also Isai 19.25 Aegypt my people Assyria the worke of my hands and Israel mine Inheritance Where all those three Nations are called three sister Churches in effect if you marke the coherence It is a prophecy of Gospell times Psal 22.27 All the ends of the world shall turn unto the Lord and all the kinreds of the Nations shall worship before thee Revel 11.15 The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ Also Psal 72.11 and 86.9 And by the same reason when a part of a Nationall Church shall joyne in particular consociation and community in a City or Province or Classis they may receive denomination from thence the one containing a greater part of the Church Catholike the other a lesse For the Church Catholick being a similar body retaines the name Church in what parts parcels or quantities soever it be divided into for convenient community untill it be brought in minimum quod sic as the Philosophers say i. e. into the least parts that can enjoy publike communion in ordinances which is a particular congregation Gersom Bucerus in dissert de gub Eccles p. 11. hath this description of a particular Church Nos particularem Ecclesium intelligimus quemlibet credentium caetum in unam vocationem Divinam Evangelij praedicatione sacrarumque institutionum observatione adunatum ac uni Presbyterio subjunctum sacros verò conventus uno aut pluribus locis agitantem Nam paroeciarum in quibus convenitur numerus accidenturia res est nihil ad Ecclesiae particularis essentiam pertinons Now this seemeth to me to be a description of a Presbyteriall or classicall Church and so not to divide the Church Catholick into any lesse parts for enjoyment of all the usuall publike ordinances especially of some parts of discipline and ordination then a Presbyteriall Church Mr Cotton tels us that a visible Church is a mysticall body whereof Christ is the head the Members Saints called out of the world and united together into one Congregation by an holy Covenant to worship the Lord and to edifie one another in all his holy Ordinances But with due respect to so grave and worthy a man this seemes to me to belong to an invisible Church not a visible because the matter thereof is the mysticall body of Christ consisting only of Saints called not only from Idols but out of the world and therefore truly godly Neither dare I make a particular explicit holy Covenant to be the forme of a particular Church as this definition doth because I find no mention of any such covenant besides the generall covenant imposed on Churches nor example or warrant for it in all the Scriptures and therefore cannot account it an ordinance of God but a humane politick device to keepe the members together which in some places and cases may haply be of good use so it be not urged as an ordinance of God and so it be not used to inthrall any and abridge them of liberty of removall into other places and congregations for their convenience Or urged as the forme of the Church And for the enjoyment of all the Ordinances of God in one congregation it seemeth to me very inconvenient for some of the Ordinances and altogether impossible for others First It is inconvenient and of dangerous consequence that a Church consisting of 7 10 20 or 30. should passe the formidable sentence of Excommunication against any person to cast him out of communion not only with themselves but the whole Church Catholike visible and deliver him up to Satan For if it be inflicted by the votes of the whole congregation as some would have it many of the Members being private men and haply altogether illiterate or unexperienced through want of age education or parts are not able to understand the nature of the allegations and probations they may be so intricate or not able to apply the rule unto the case for inflicting of a just censure and may be in danger to beare particular favour or ill will unto their persons and so apt to be swayed by love pity or hopes from them or to be over-awed by feare or threatnings being poore men servants children work-men tenants and therefore our brethren for congregationall Churches have of late seeing this inconvenience debarred the people from votes and put it into the hand of the Elders onely * See M Cottons book set out by M. Goodwin M. Nie. Yea even the Elders of one congregation may be in danger of the same temptations because of particular relations and their dependance on them for maintenance but suppose they were as free as Angels from temptations or infirmities which they are not yet the weightinesse and solemnity of the censure require to be performed by a colledge of Elders of a combined Presbytery that so it being passed not by the votes of 3 or 4. onely and they lyable to so many temptations also but by the joynt consent of a greater Presbytery free from any such temptations or exceptions may be done with the more advice and combined authority and be more dreadfull to the party
gates of hell but onely that on earth And though it be applicable to the invisible onely yet to those as visible for so they are assailed by persecutions and heresies Againe He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved This doth primarily belong to the Church Catholike and that a visible Church because capable of Baptisme and though it be applicable to every member of any particular Congregation yet not as being a member thereof but of the Church Catholike to which that Promise was made yea look over all the Promises in the New Testament and you shall finde them made in generall without the least respect or reference to the particular Congregations wherein the Beleevers lived In any similar body as water the accidents doe not primarily pertaine to this or that particular drop and secondarily to the whole but first to the whole and secondarily to this or that drop So the Priviledges of the Church doe not primarily belong to this or that particular Church and secondarily to the generall but first to the generall and secondarily to this particular being a part of it The maine Priviledges of the Church visible are first Federall Holinesse to the children secondly right to the Ordinances quoad nos saltem now neither of both these betide any man primarily as a member of a particular Congregation but as a member of the Church Catholike For Federall or Covenant Holinesse whereby the children are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betideth no mans children because the parents are of this or that particular Congregation but because of the Church Catholike and this appeares by divers demonstrations I will give you but one That which should have been though the particular relation had never been and which continueth when the particular relation ceaseth that is not a proper Priviledge of that relation but such is federall Holinesse in regard of relation to any particular Church Suppose those baptized by John Baptist or by Christs Disciples before there was any particular distinction should have any children or the Eunuch if he were an Eunuch by office only and not in body baptized by Philip and went immediately home into his own country should not their children be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suppose a Church dissolved by warre the Minister and people slaine and some women left with childe should be carryed away captive should not those children be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the particular relation is extinct Doe not those women remaine members of the Church Are they to be counted without in the Apostles sence Secondly for Ordinances either of Worship or Discipline they are both Priviledges of the Church Catholike primarily For Worship a man or a childe hath right to Baptisme as a member of the Church Catholike and not of the particular Congregation for they had right before Congregations were distinguished as in John Baptists and Christs time and the Eunuchs case and have right after that relation ceaseth as children born in captivity as in the former instances such children being holy are capable of Baptisme Infantes baptizandi sunt non ut sancti sint sed quia sancti sunt Whitak And therefore no question but any Minister might baptize those children if he could come by them And for hearing the Word of God let a Christian dwell where he will and have opportunity to heare the Word where he can he hath right to it and doth heare it not as a heathen that is without but as his rightfull portion And even in Congregationall Churches the brethren in one Congregation communicate at the Lords Table in other Congregations as occasion is offered And no question but any Christian may joyne in prayer and say Our Father c. with any Christians in the furthest parts of the world And for the Ordinances of Discipline every one as a member of the Church Catholike is bound to submit thereunto and every officer of the Church Catholike visible hath right to power in the Ordinances of Discipline in actu primo every where as shall be shewed more afterward And certainly the Church Catholike even in their representative ministeriall body have more extensive authoritative power then particular Classes or Congregations though haply not more intensive Neither can it be imagined that all the other Priviledges should belong first to the Church Catholike and so descend to particulars and this of Discipline should belong first to the particular congregation and so ascend to the Catholike that some should go in a geneticall method as it were and others in an analyticall Suppose an Apostle should have preached in a citie and converted at first but two or three or converted a company of women as it was Pauls lot to preach to a company of women Acts 16.13 So that they could not be brought in to an organicall congregation could it be conceived that they though baptized were still without and were not their children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if any of them should miscarry in their judgements or practises had Paul nothing to doe to censure them because they were not in a Church way as some terme it or in a particular Congregation though they were in the Church Catholike visible If they were lyable to censure or capable thereof not being in a particular congregation but the Church Catholike only then Discipline belongs to the Church Catholike and that primarily The Keyes of Discipline were first given to the Church Catholike because first given to the Apostles who were generall Pastours and therefore the Keyes are Catholike Also censures past in one Congregation reach the whole Church Catholike visible as shall be shewed more afterward That which belongeth to all and every part of a similar body as parts of that body that primarily belongeth to the whole but so doth Discipline Therefore c. Argument 3 Thirdly Christs Offices are first intended for and executed on the Church Catholike here below He is King Priest and Prophet primarily in respect of the whole and but secondarily in respect of a particular congregation or member Gods aime in Redemption was to redeeme the whole firstly and secondarily particulars God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. And so is the application of that redemption by Christ As a Priest he reconcileth cleanseth and intercedeth for all of the elect and proffers it to the whole Church Catholike visible As a Prophet he teacheth all As a King he ruleth all primarily and particulars secondarily As an earthly King is indeed King of Thomas and John c. but not primarily but secondarily as they are members of his kingdome And the naturall head is indeed head to the little finger and little toe but not primarily but as they are parts of the whole body whereof it is head so is Christ a mysticall King and head first of the whole and secondarily of the particular parts contained in and under the whole Yea Christ may be King Priest and Prophet to
also yet it followes not that there is any such inherent right in every town or family all over the world and that therefore particular towns and familyes in England are debarred of an inherent priviledge belonging to them because necessity may put such an independency on some in an extraordinary case As by Shipwrack or being cast into some Iland not inhabited It is fit that a visible Church Catholike here on earth should Object 3 have a visible head over them that so the body and head may be of the same nature This is the maine argument of the Pontificians for the supremacy of the Pope Answ and that wich made our Divines deny them a Church Catholike visible But to the argument I answer that the Church hath a head of the same nature consisting of body and soule who sometimes lived in this kingdome of grace in the dayes of his flesh and did visibly partake in externall ordinances though indeed now he be ascended into his kingdome of glory yet ceaseth not to be a man as we are though glorifyed and ceaseth not to rule and govern his Church here below for it is an everlasting kingdome Isa 9.7 As when King Iames was translated from Scotland to England and lived here he did not cease to be King of Scotland so neither doth Christ cease to be the head of his Church though he be translated to his other kingdome of glory and as for a vicar or deputy here below it is not needfull We confesse the government of the Church in regard of the head is absolutely monarchicall but in regard of the officers it is Aristocraticall Object 4 Yea but the Church-Catholike cannot be visible because it wanteth a proper existence of its own and existeth only in the existence of particular Churches on the members thereof this objection is somewhat like a former onely there the existence was said to be in the Species here in the members Answ So we may say of every aggregative body A heape of stones existeth only in the existence of particular stones the whole element of water existeth only in particular dropps By this objection you may deny particular visible Churches because they exist not but in particular families and particular families exist not but in particular members but as I said before if the parts do exist the existence of the whole resulteth thereof An army existeth not but in the severall brigades and regiments and they are billeted in distant places and yet having one Generall the same lawes martial the same cause the same enemies though they should never be drawn up together into one body yet are one army So is the Church Catholike one though it never meet bodily because the union is not corporeall but an unity of profession of chief governour of lawes Spirit way and hope Yea the existence of it will the more appeare because it hath priviledges belonging thereunto which particulars have not or but in part and at second hand as shall be shewed in the second question Object 5 But that which you call the Church Catholike visible may by persecutions warres heresies be brought into a very little roome and haply to one congregation or a few persons Answ It is possible yet all the essence Priviledges of the Church Catholike visible are contracted and reserved therein and from them conveyed and derived to those whom they shall convert and so shal dilate it self again And while the Church is but one cōgregation that hath the notion of the Church Catholike more properly then of a particular Church Yea though it be but in one family as it was in the Arke in the dayes of Noah Second Question I come now to handle the predicate of my Question which I may well call a second question and that is Which of these two Churches is Prima and which Orta Before I answer I desire you to remember that the comparison is not between the Invisible and the visible Church but between Churches of the same kinde viz. The Catholike visible and the particular visible Churches And then I answer I conceive the Church Catholike is Prima and the particular Churches are Ortae For First all the names that are in Scripture given unto the Argument 1 Church visible agree primarily to the Church Catholike secondarily to particular Congregations As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are first considered as called out from Idols and devoted to be the Lords people before we can be considered of this or that Congregation And for priority of time we know they were given to the people of the Jewes before ever any Congregationall Churches had existence Acts 7.38 The Church in the wildernesse And the Jewes are frequently called the Lords people So the Church is called the House of the Living God 1 Tim. 3.15 And the ground and pillar of truth The Citie of God Isai 1.21 Gods vineyard John 15.1 wherein branches in Christ bearing no fruit are cut off * John 10.16 Christs Sheepfold a Matth. 3.12 Barn-floore b Matth. 13.37 38. Drag not Wheat-field Kingdome of Heaven a great house wherein were vessels even of dishonour 2 Tim. 2.20 These names cannot be limited to or impropriated by any particular Congregation but are first true of the whole Church and of every particular Church as a part thereof I must here remember you againe of that saying of Dr Ames in his Medulla Congregationes particulares sunt quasi partes similares Ecclesiae Catholicae atque adeo nomen naturam ejus participant Where he grants the Church Catholike to have the first right to the name and nature of a Church and the particulars only by participation Secondly that is the primary Church to which the Promises Argument 2 and Priviledges of the Church doe primarily belong but the Promises and Priviledges of the Church doe primarily belong to the Church Catholike Therefore c. The minor I prove because the first Evangelicall Promise that ever was made in the world was to Adam and Eve representing all mankinde and therefore consequently the whole Church of God This was before there was any division or distinction made of Churches into Jew and Gentile Nationall or Congregationall Againe the maine commission for gathering the Evangelicall Church was generall Goe teach all nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost And this was before any divisions or subdivisions were appointed and they were secondarily brought in for order and better edification and being parts of the whole receive particular distinction from the places where they lived and other particularities They all retaine the generall forme and essentiall difference from heathens and among themselves as parts of a similar body are distinguished but by accidentall differences And that Promise that the gates of hell shall never prevaile against the Church is primarily given to the Church Catholike visible here on earth for that in Heaven is not assailed by the
Magistrate only but to the Church tryall for those crimes come not alwayes under the cognizance of the civill Magistrates and if they do he may be a heathen and will not regard an haeretick nor can judge of him And if every kingdome will try murder or treason or any other foule crime committed in the same though by a stranger or alien because the crimes are against their lawes and soveraigne though their lawes pertain not to the country where the forrainer was borne and dwelleth then much more shall every Church try those members of the Church Catholike residing among them for their crimes seeing they have all the same soveraigne head the same lawes and are all one body Againe it is no sinne for a man to remove from one congregation to another as oft as occasion requireth but for a man to remove out of the Church Catholike is a sinne and apostacy No man is a schismatick for removing from one congregation to another but he that shall separate himselfe from all Church communion and shall rend himselfe from the Church Catholike he is a schismatick he is an apostate And therfore your severall sects though they pretend because of wants or blemishes to rend from the Church of England or Scotland c. Yet not from the Church Catholike by no meanes because they know that were a sinne Argument 8 Eighthly that Church from which the particular Churches spring and to which they are as an additament and increase that is the prime Church but that is the Church Catholike * Act. 2.47 therfore c. The minor appeares because first the whole essence of the Church Catholike was in Adam and Eve and from them spread to his seed by their federall right from them and their actuall taking up that freedome and continuance therein And so againe from Noahs Arke And for the Church under the Gospell that little handfull which Christ left leavened the whole world and brought them in as an addition unto them They were to be witnesses first in Jerusalem them in Iudea and then to the ends of the earth For the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of God from Jerusalem Isa 2.3 It was with the Church then as was said of the river of Eden Gen. 2.10 A river went out of Eden to water the garden and from thence it was parted and became into 4. heads so the water of life flowed from Zion into the 4. quarters of all the world So that as there is no Sea but hath influence and continuity with the maine Sea and receives name from thence so no particular Church but hath his first rise and spirituall ministeriall influence from the Church Catholike and received the Gospell and priviledges of it from thence God cals no Evangelicall Churches by inspiration but by the ministry of those that are members of the Church Catholike or some part thereof and therfore God would not have Cornelius instructed by an Angell though he could have done it but by Peter a member of the Church Evangelicall So that the Church is as the Sea and particular Churches as so many creeks or armes and rivers not running into the sea but running from the sea and receiving a tincture and season of her waters The Church Catholike is as the tree Christ as the root and particular Churches as branches She is the mother and they as daughters born of her and receiving from her ministerially both nature name and priviledges Paul indeed was called extraordinarily from Heaven by Christ himselfe the head of the Church and not by an Angell that he might be as some conceive a type of the second call of the Jewes who as some bold shall be so called as he was by the appearing of the signe of the son of man and therfore that Church is said to come downe from God out of Heaven Rev. 21.2 10. And the ground for this type they take from 1 Tim. 1.16 For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long sufferance for a patterne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them which should or shall hereafter beleeve on him but these things are mysteries and I dare not be too confident in them yet should they come to passe they infringe not the present truth because their conversion shall come from the head root and fountaine it selfe of the Church as Abrahams call was and no question but Christ did convert many in the dayes of his flesh when he was actually and visibly a member of the Church here below And if any be converted by secret revelation or inspiration and neither converted nor fed by any externall ordinances nor joyned to any visible Church as infants of heathens or any of the Philosophers as Plato if possibly they may be such these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not within the compasse of the generall rule for the visible Church and so not of the question Quest If it be asked what it is that is sufficient to make a man a member of the Church Catholike visible Answ I answer Beliefe of the maine points of the Christian faith professed subjection thereunto And this is as much as the Apostles required as in the case of the Eunuch and Simon Magus and if it were sufficient then it is sufficient still for those were the purest Churches So many as gladly received the Word were baptized Acts 2.41 And yet this is no more then may be found in an hypocrite for the stony ground received the Word with joy And we have no other rule to goe by in gathering Churches or receiving members into a Church then they had then neither may we presume to make any other to our selves Sic omnes ferè Reformati Theologi celebres materiam visibilis Ecclesia asserunt esse homines externè vocatos fidem Christi profitentes namque definiunt caetum hominum vocatione externa seu praedicatione Verbi Sacramentorum communicatione evocatorum ad cultum Dei societatem Ecclesiasticam inter se celebrandam Apolon pag. 8. Vide etiam utrumque Trelcatium in locis communibus Loc. de Ecclesia Professores Leidenses Disp. 40. Thes 3. Neither is it requisite that they should be truly godly to make them members of a visible Church for then no man could tell whose child were to be baptized or who are members of a Church or when he is in a true Church And if the living members of Jesus Christ were the only or essentiall members of a visible Church then none are true essentiall members of the Church visible but they and then a truly godly Minister is a more essentiall Minister then another and the Ordinances administred by him are more essentially administred then by another and the vertue of the Ordinance should depend not on Christs Institution but the worthinesse of the person administring And haply after twenty or thirty yeares living under a Minister that seemed religious that Minister by falling away
transient and in flux by the addition and subtraction of the members thereof yet it shall never cease to be visible 5. That if the Church Catholike be contracted into the limits of a particular Congregation yet that hath the notion of the Church Catholike more properly then of a particular Congregation 6. That the Church Catholike is mixt of good and bad as well as particular Congregations are 7. That the Church Catholike is Organicall 8. That the Keyes of Discipline are Catholike as well as of Doctrine 9. That the Promises Priviledges and Ordinances of Worship and Discipline belong primarily to the Church Catholike 10. That the notes and signes of the true Church belong first to the Church Catholike visible and therefore are distinctive to that only 11. That the whole Church Catholike is the primary object of Christs Offices and particulars but as parts thereof Joh. 3.16 12. Though Christ be the only Supreme head and Ruler of his Church yet must it have immediate subordinate rulers over it Ephes 4.11 13. That the Unity of the Church Catholike requireth not a meeting of the whole body together at any time Concerning particular Churches 1. That particular Churches are made up of the members of the Church Catholike 2. That the particular Divisions of the Church Catholike visible for convenient enjoyment of publike Ordinances have the Name Church and the Priviledges thereof by participation as farre as they are capable indulged unto them 3. That particular Churches must be distinguished by particular accidentall limits and circumstances though they be heterogeneall to the Church 4. Many Congregations may be in the same community of Discipline and be ruled by their Elders in communi by co-ordination though not subordination and so be called One Church Nationall Provinciall or Presbyteriall 5. That which belongs primarily to the whole Church as Totum similare and to the least part of the whole as a part thereof belongs much more to a greater part thereof Or thus That which belongs to a little part of a similar body quâ talis belongs to a greater part much more 6. The greater the parts of the Church Catholike be and the more united by co-ordination the stronger they be and the smaller the Divisions be the weaker 7. The Division of the Church Catholike into small parcels to stand alone by themselves without co-ordination is dangerous 8. Yet necessity in regard of distance of place c. may cause a particular Church to be Independent in regard of actuall externall consociation 9. The constituting a particular Church by an explicite Covenant as the essentiall forme thereof implyeth a deniall of all other Churches to be true that are not so constituted because they must want the essentiall forme Concerning the publike Officers of the Church 1. Every Minister is an Officer of the Church Catholike and that relation is primary to him yet the particular relation he stands in to a particular congregation giveth him by the politic of the Church a more immediate charge to administer the Ordinances of God unto them 2. Any single Minister by vertue of his office hath power ministerially to admit a member into the Church Catholike visible 3. Although the Election of a Minister to a particular congregation be an act of liberty in the people yet his mission is from Christ primarily and ministerially by the Presbytery 4. He doth not administer the Ordinances of God in the name of the congregation as their servant but of Christ As a Major in a corporation though chosen by the people yet executeth his office in the Kings name 5. If he administreth any Ordinances out of his own congregation he doth it not as a gifted brother but by vertue of his office 2 Cor. 5.20 6. Although the particular flock over which a Minister was set be dissolved yet he ceaseth not to be a Minister because the Church to which he bare first relation is not dissolved which is the Catholike Concerning private members 1. Particular Converts are first converted into the Church Catholike and secondarily conjoyn'd into particular consociations 2. Every member of a particular Church is a member of the Church Catholike and that relation doth primarily belong unto him 3. Externall profession of the true Faith and subjection to Gods Ordinances is enough to make a man capable of being a member of a visible Church quoad externam formum 4. By Baptisme members are visibly and ministerially admitted into the Church Catholike visible 5. By Excommunication rightly administred an offender is cast out of the Church Catholike visible as much as out of a particular congregation 6. Federall Holinesse belongs to none primarily because borne of members of a particular congregation but of the Church Catholike 7. They that are only in the Church Catholike visible are not Without in the Apostles sense 8. Children of beleeving parents have right to Baptisme though their parents were not members of any particular congregation and are debarred of their due if denyed it 9. Every member of the Church Catholike is or ought to be a member of the particular Church wherein he dwells 10. The being in the generall Covenant gives right to the Ordinances and not any particular neither do we find any mention in Scripture of any particular explicit Covenant either urged or used at the admission of members into a particular congregation or at the constitution of the same 11. The Invisible members of the Church which have internall communion with Christ are also visible members and have externall communion in externall ordinances 12. The departure of a member from a particular congregation and removall to another for convenience or by necessity is no sinne but departing from the Church Catholike and ceasing to be a member thereof is a sinne I know it is not usuall to make uses and application to Theses of this nature and should I enter thereinto I might drowne my selfe in sorrow to bewayle the rents not in Christs seamelesse coate but in his body the Church which Christ preferred in some regards before his naturall body for he assumed his naturall body for their sakes and was willing to suffer that to be buffeted spit on whipped crowned with thornes crucifyed peirced slaine for their sakes yea he was willing to be made sinne yea a curse and to beare his fathers wrath in his humanity for his Churches sake that they might escape and be saved The divisions in the Church are of three sorts in judgement in affection and in way or practise For judgement first come the Romists and they rend away the second commandment then come the Antisabbatarians and they rend away the fourth though placed in the heart of the Decalogue and so extraordinarily fenced by God with a memento before it and so many arguments after it then come the Antinomians and they pluck away the whole law from us denying it both punitive coactive and directive power and so render it wholy dead and useles to Christians
THE ESSENCE AND UNITIE OF THE Church Catholike VISIBLE And the Prioritie thereof in regard of Particular Churches Discussed By Samuel Hudson Minister of the Gospell LONDON Printed by George Miller for Christopher Meredith at the Signe of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1645. To the Reader REader this Thesis was compiled about a yeare agoe for the accommodation of private friends and was not intended by me for publike view yet since at the desire and by the approbation of some whom I much respect I am induced to consent to the publishing of it I confesse the texture of it is more homely and the stile more incompt then will please the tender eyes and delicate eares of this dainty criticall age But they that handle controversies must endeavour to speake in proper and significant words and deale by strength of proofes and arguments and not stand upon neatnesse or labour to deck their lines with flowers of Rhetorick I acknowledge this question is an unusuall subject and therefore but little trodden before me and hath many paths that crosse it more frequently beaten which did somewhat blunt mine intention and disswade me from making of it publike even after I had yeelded thereunto For first I finde the subject of my question much questioned yea flatly denied by many Divines of great worth both English French and Germane who affirme that there is no Church Catholike visible but that the Church Catholike is the invisible Church only But there having come divers tractates out lately which have touched that subject and prove a Church Catholike visible especially Gulielmi Apollonii Consideratio quarundam Controversiarum c. by command and allowance of the Walacrian Churches some few sentences whereof I have added hereto and Mr Prinn his truth triumphing over Falshood c. I was the more confirmed that this is no private opinion or strange heterodoxie but a firm truth and therefore I was the more encouraged to divulge it And for the predicate of the question it is seldome met withall especially stated in these termes and those that state it so make the particular Churches to be the prime Churches which I have endeavoured to refute according to my light And because the question lyeth at the root of divers controversies and differences that are now abroad I was willing to lend what light I could to the same Mine intention is not to provoke or exasperate any but if any shall receive any benefit hereby I have mine aime and let God have the Glory But if any seem contentious about it I cannot answer in Paul's words * 1 Cor. 11.16 We have no such custome nor the Churches of God For the custome is every where now to contend and quarrell about every part of Divinity and he is no body that cannot carp at and wrangle against one truth or other so that all our practicall Divinity is turn'd into Polemicall and the power of godlinesse runs out into disputes and those truths which formerly seemed most firme plaine and smooth are now by the crotchets of mens braines runne into such division and become so knotty and prickly that a man knowes not where to fasten on them or how to hold them but he shall prick his fingers with one thorny objection or other For my part I am not so inamoured on or wedded to mine owne opinion but if any can convince me of errour I shall be willing to retract it and embrace the Truth of God or if any can afford any further light into this subject I shall be glad to see it and blesse God for it I Have perused this Discourse and finding that it handles a question of great importance and discusseth it with Judgement and Moderation I doe commend it to the Presse hoping that the intelligent and impartiall Reader may receive Benefit and Peace and Unitie in the Church be furthered by it Edm. Calamy THE ESSENCE AND VNITY OF THE CHURCH CATHOLIKE Visible c. QUEST Vtrum Ecclesia visibilis universalis sit prima vel orta FOR the handling of this question here are these foure tearmes to be opened First What is meant by Church Secondly What by Visible Thirdly What is meant by Vniversall Fourthly What by prima and orta First What a Church is The word Church is taken in a civill or a theologicall sense In a civill sense for a company of people summon'd or gathered together for some civill affaires so even the rout met together Acts 19. is called Ecclesia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Secondly in a theologicall sense it signifieth a company of people that are called or to be called and joyned together standing in some spirituall relation to God And so the word is taken diversly First and most properly for the whole company of the elect as they are opposite to reprobates whether Jew or Gentile and in this sense it is taken Ephes 5.25 26. As Christ loved the Church and gave himselfe for it that he might cleanse it with the washing of water by the word So Coloss 1.18 His body the Church Interdum cum Ecclesiam nominant eam intelligunt quae reverâ est coram Deo in quam nulli recipiantur nisi adoptionis gratiâ filij Dei sunt Spiritus sanctificatione vera Christi membra Ac tunc quidem non tantum sanctos qui in terra habitant comprehendit sed electos omnes qui ab origine mundi fuerunt Calvin Instit lib. 4. cap. 1. sect 7. where you may see more of this subject Of these there are three sorts The first are elect uncalled which are not actually the Church but in potentiâ the second part are militant warring with principalities and powers with the flesh world and Devill being justified and sanctified persons the third part are triumphant in Heaven having finished their course and are now the spirits of just men made perfect For the fourth sort which the Papists make viz. Ecclesia dormiens in Purgatory we acknowledge not Secondly The word Church sometimes signifieth more then the elect viz. the multitude of beleevers whether truly or in shew only So Acts 8.3 Saul made havock of the Church Acts 12.1 Herod stretched out his hand to vex certain of the Church Now it is certain that neither Herod nor Saul knew who were elect but as himselfe expounded it He persecuted this way unto the death And he desired letters to Damascus that if he found any that way he might bind them So Acts 5.11 Fear came upon all the Church Now it cannot be conceived that they were all elect that feared that judgement of God So 1 Tim. 5.16 Let not the Church be charged with them that it may relieve widdowes indeed Now we cannot conceive that only the elect gave collection but the whole number of professours which yet are called the Church In Ecclesia plurimi sunt permixti hypocritae qui nihil Christi habent praeter titulum speciem Calv. Inst li. 4. c. 1. s 7. 2d Tearme
then Whether there be a Church Catholike visible Quest 1. I know that our Divines in answer to the Pontificians doe deny the Church Catholike to be visible as Zanchy Gerard Whitakers Chamier and Ames against Bellarmine and Sadeel against Turrianus But the Pontificians state not the question as I state it and I confesse their assertions of the Church Catholike to be false For First They take visible for conspicuous glorious and manifest specious and flourishing Secondly They hold that the name Catholike Church belongs to one Church viz. The Church of Rome and that being the Church Catholike and comprizing the universality of the Church in it selfe all that will be members of the Church Catholike must submit to them and be members of that Church Thirdly They hold that it is necessary that this visible Catholike Church should be under one visible universall head which they make to be the Pope Christs Vicar Generall and in these regards our Divines doe contradict and confute them But there are passages enough in our Divines writings that may be brought to allow and approve visibility aspectability and unity in all the Churches of the Saints throughout the whole world I will give you a taste but of one of the fore-mentioned for brevity sake and he the most rigid in discipline and exact in Logicall divisions and deductions of any of them and that is Dr Ames who in his Medulla saith Ecclesia nunquam de sinit esse visibilis Which cannot be meant of any particular Church for that may faile Again he saith Congregationes illae particulares sunt quasi partes similares Ecclesiae Catholicae atque adeo nomen naturam ejus participant And further saith Illi qui professione tantum sunt fideles dum remanent in illa societate sunt membra illius Ecclesiae sicut etiam Ecclesiae Catholicae quoad statum externum And in his Bellarminus enervatus he saith Nos fatemur Ecclesiam militantem visibilem esse quoad formam accidentalem externam in suis partibus singulatim conjunctim c. Now though I have set downe these humane testimonies first yet it is not that I meane to leane upon these as my maine proofes but only to shew that our Divines in denying the Popish tenet of a Church Catholike visible in their sence yet all of the fore-mentioned deny it not in my sense if any doe But for proofe that there is a Church Catholike visible I will first give you Scripture and secondly demonstration For Scripture see Acts 8.3 Saul made havock of the Church I shewed you before that this must needs be a visible Church for they could not else be persecuted and certainly Saul could not discerne the invisible company but persecuted promiscuously all that were of that way neither was it a particular Church for this persecution was in Jerusalem and in every Synagogue and to Damascus and even to strange Cities So that by Church here is meant an indefinite number of visible Churches or Congregations which were in no other community but profession of the same faith and an indefinite is equivalent to a generall and by the same reason that the word Church would reach all these Churches it would reach all the Churches in the world The same word there is Galat. 1.13 I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it and yet it is said when he was converted then had the Churches rest throughout all Judea and Galileo and Samaria which yet were but some parts of the Church in the singular number which he persecuted Againe See 1 Cor. 10.32 Give no offence to the Jew nor Gentile nor to the Church of God Where the word Church cannot signifie the elect only nor any one particular Congregation or Kingdome but indefinitely See also 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers The Church there spoken of is not the triumphant Church nor the Invisible Church only for they were visible messengers and some of them but only visible for Judas had obtained part in the Apostleship and Ministry and was sent to preach and work miracles and many Prophets were not of the invisible number for many shall say Lord Lord we have prophecied in thy name and yet shall not be saved But to be sure they were sent to afford the Saints visible communion in ordinances Again This is not meant of the Church Entitive which is a similar and as I may say an homogeniall body every member being equall and of the same capacity as a member but of the Church organicall a Heterogeniall Dissimilar body because here are set downe the officers Neither is here meant a particular Church but all collectively that were within the bounds of the Apostles commission which was the Church in the whole world Goe teach all Nations c. and all the Churches that have Pastors and Teachers over them which all the Churches in the world have or ought to have and yet all these are called but one Church one body vers 20. Now if there be officers of the Church Catholike visible then there is a Church Catholike visible but the Apostles Prophets and Evangelists were officers of the Church Catholike visible for they had no limits and yet are said to be set not in the Churches but in the Church And this is granted by our brethren for Congregationall Churches that they were officers of the Church Catholike and therefore did not baptize into particular Congregations or in refernce to them but into the generall And this Cartwright in his Catechisme granteth concerning the Church Catholike Now certainly they were not officers to the true beleevers only seeing they censured others also Also 1 Tim. 3.15 These things I write unto thee that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the house of God which is the Church of the living God This Church must be a visible Church where he and others must exist and converse together and carry themselves in mutuall duties Now these directions concerned not Ephesus alone or in any speciall manner but all the Churches where ever he should come It is that Church which is the ground and pillar of truth which holdeth it forth unto others more forensi which is the Church Catholike unto which Timothy was an Evangelist Againe It is the Church visible that is so often in the Scripture called the Kingdome * Mark 4 2◠30. Luk. 7.28 of God and the Kingdome †Mat. 13.24 31 33 44 45 47. of Heaven Christ calls them not Kingdomes but the Kingdome and compares this Kingdome to a field of wheate mingled with tares and himselfe expounds it that the field is the world and this must be the Christian world for the other is a field of tares only for vers 41. Mat. 13.41 49. it is said they shall gather out of the Kingdome c. In this field particular Churches are but particular ridges enjoying the
same tillage Sever the wicked from among the just seed fencing watering It is a barn floore with wheate and chaffe It is a draw net gathering together good and bad It is a marriage where were wise and foolish virgins some with wedding garments some without some had oyle and some had none but lamps of profession Now these metaphors cannot be limited to any particular Congregation but agree to the Church Catholike not as invisible but visible And when we say Thy kingdome come we pray for the good of the Church Catholike visible that it might be enlarged and have freedome and purity of ordinances which are things that concerne it as visible In 1 Cor. 15.24 it is said Then shall Christ deliver up the Kingdome to God his Father This is not the essentiall Kingdome which he hath with the Father and Holy Ghost as God for that he shall never deliver up Neither is it the kingdome of grace which he exerciseth in the hearts of the elect for that shall continue for ever and be more perfect in Heaven For the kingdome of grace here and glory afterward differ only gradu communionis as Ames tells us here the degree is imperfect then it shall be perfect both in graces and joyes But it is the kingdome exercised in the visible Church in ordinances of worship and discipline which shall then cease for as the Evangelicall externall service thrust out the legall and ceremoniall so shall the heavenly thrust out the evangelicall And Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdome which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare This kingdome cannot be meant of the internall kingdome of grace in the heart for that was also exercised by Christ in his peoples hearts in the old Testament but it is meant of the externall ordinances of worship and discipline which differed from that under the Law else the Apostles antithesis of the Church under the Law and the Church under the Gospell had not been good which are the things he compares in that place Now nothing is opposite to externall under the Law but externall under the Gospell It cannot be meant of the kingdome of glory for they had not yet received it and it is plaine he speakes of a Kingdome wherein we may now serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare Repent for the Kingdome * Mat. 3.2 Mat. 4.17 of Heaven is at hand He that is least in the Kingdome †Mat. 1.11 of Heaven is greater then John Now if these things were spoken of a particular congregation only which particular congregation in the world shall impropriate these things to it selfe But if true of everyone in particular and all in generall and these all be continually called one kingdome then there is a Church Catholike visible Againe 1 Cor. 5.12 The Apostle saith What have I to doe to judge those that are without The preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extra I desire to know what Noune shall be understood or supplied unto it Is it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Church And can we think that that Church was the Church of Corinth only Had Paul nothing to doe to judge any that were out of the Church of Corinth when he was an Apostle all over the Christian world This could not be meant of the invisible company only What had Paul nothing to doe to censure any but invisible memmbers Why did he then excommunicate Hymineus Philetus Phygellus Hermogines and Alexander And saith I would they were cut off that trouble you and therefore it must be meant of the Church Catholike visible What have I to do to judge those that are without the pale of the Church they are not under my power or cognizance but belong only to the civill Magistrate And we usually speake of the countries that are within the pale of the Church and those that are without And we have an axiome Extra Ecclesiam non est salus which cannot be meant of any particular congregation in the world but is true of the Church Catholike visible typified by the Ark of Noah without which ordinarily and visibly there is no hope of salvation Also it is said Acts 2.47 God added to the Church daily such as should be saved which was not a particular congregationall Church but the Catholike For it is not probable that those hundred and twenty that were together at Pentecost were one congregationall Church for many of them were men of Galilee which by their habitation could not pertaine to the Church in Jerusalem and yet the rest were added to them Againe Ephes 3.10 To the intent that unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God This Church here spoken of was not a particular Congregation but the whole Church Catholike whereof Paul was made a Minister as he saith in the same chapter And this proficiency of the Angels for ought I know was by the truths which it pleased God by the ministry of the word to make knowne audibly to the Church And Ephes 3.21 To him be glory in the Church throughout all ages c. This place speakes of the Church Catholike visible in the largest sence that can be possible both in respect of place for it is the whole Church by which God hath glory which is universall and time for it is the Church in all ages but no particular congregation nor nationall Church can be sure to last to all ages no not by succession but the Church Catholike shall Againe Ephes 4.4 5. The Apostle proveth the Church to be but one by divers arguments First he saith There is but one body of Christ which is therefore called Eph. 3.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both of Jewes and Gentiles i. e. the same body Secondly there is but one Spirit in that whole body which is as one soule in one body Thirdly there is but one hope of their calling Fourthly there is but one Lord or King over the whole Church Fifthly there is but one Faith i. e. one Religion Doctrine Worship the same Commands and Statutes for all Sixthly There is but one Baptisme to admit into this Church Now if the whole world were under one King and governed by one Law and all capable of the same Priviledges and all made Denizons by the same way of inrowlement it would make but one Empire yet so it is with all the Churches in the world they have the same King Law Word Sacraments of admission and nutrition which they visibly subject themselves unto and receive therefore they are all one visible Church Againe Christ saith on this rock * Matth. 16.18 will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Was this a particular Congregation No surely but the Church Catholike for any particular Church may be prevailed against but the whole shall not The place is meant
of a Church future to be built which Christ then intended to set up which was the Evangelicall Catholike Church and not Catholike as some take it for the Church past present and to come for those past were already built and were in Heaven out of Gunshot of assault but it is meant de Ecclesia vivorum de militante de Ecclesia quam Christus erat aedificaturus Object O but this place is meant of the Church invisible for they that are only visible may be prevailed against Answ It is true but those invisible are also visible and they shall never be prevailed against as visible Ecclesia nunquam desinit esse visibilis Satan or persecutours shall never so far prevaile as to cut off all the visible members And though such heresies come that shall deceive all but the Elect yet as long as the Elect are not deceived there remaines a Church Catholike visible still in their visibility If all the visible members should faile then all the invisible must needs faile also for none are invisible in this world but be must be visible also except any be converted and fed only by inspiration which we have no ground for in the Scripture Again Excommunication in 2 Ep. John 10. is called casting out of the Church What Church is that It cannot be the Invisible Church for all the censures in the world cannot cast a man out of that if once he be in therefore it is the visible Church and if it be the visible Church then I would know whether a man truly excommunicated in one Church or Congregation is not thereby excommunicated from brotherly fellowship with all Congregations Or whether the delivering up to Satan be only within the bounds of one Congregation so that if he remove out of such a circle or circuit of ground to another he is out of Satans bonds againe and may communicate there safely I deny not but that through ignorance such a thing may be admitted but certainly if the censure be past against him he needeth no other Excommunication but his first sentence will binde him in all the Christian world if it can be known I am not ignorant that I have Dr Whitakers and many Protestant Divines against me herein and therefore I onely propose what my light guideth me to judge herein Herein I agree with Apollonius Sicut per excommunicationem legitimam excommunicatus non tantum ex hac vel illa particulari Ecclesia ejicitur sed ubicunque terrarum ligatur excommunione fraterna universalis Ecclesiae excluditur Matth. 18.17 18. Ita per Sacramentum Baptismi sacrae Eucharistiae homini communio Ecclesiastica non tantum in particulari sed universali Ecclesia obsignatur Apollon p. 26. If any one that is called a * 1 Cor. 5.11 brother be a drunkard railer extortioner c. What makes him to be called a brother Is it because he is of that particular Congregation or the Church Catholike Is it because he is an invisible member or a visible by Profession Few Fornicators Idolaters Drunkards c. are invisible members Againe all those Metaphors which set out the Church in Scripture shew the unity of the Church Catholike This is the woman clothed with the Sunne Rev. 12.1 the Righteousnesse of Christ and the Moon all terrestriall mutable things under her feet or clothed with the Sunne the purity of Doctrine and the Moon i. e. as some will have it Discipline under her feet Surely this woman was not a particular Congregation but the Church Catholike for were it meant of particular Congregations it should have been women not a woman There shall be one Shepherd saith Christ and one Sheep-fold Joh. 10.16 which is meant of the Church Catholike and that visible consisting of Jew and Gentile The Church is called the Body of Christ and that is the Church Catholike for Christ hath but one body Rom. 12.5 As we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office so we being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another This the Apostle speakes of the visible Organicall Church for thereupon he fals to reckon up the severall offices in the Church as Prophecying Teaching Exhorting Giving Ruling Shewing mercy which some compute to be an exact distribution of the Church Offices So Eph. 4.4 * 1 Cor. 10.17 1 Cor. 12 1â— 13 20. Eph. 2.16 It is called the a 1 Tim. 3.15 House of God How thou shouldest behave thy selfe in the House of God And the City of God b Eph. 2.19 Heb. 12 22. Rev. 3.12 Now these things had they been meant of particular Congregations should have been Bodies Houses Cities Sheepfolds But as many members in a body hinder not the unity of the whole and many townes in a Kingdome and many houses in a Citie and many roomes in an house or in the Arke hinder not the unity thereof so many particular Congregations hinder not the unity of the Church Catholike Cant. 6.9 My Dove my undefiled is but one she is the only one of her mother She is the Lilly c Cant. 2.2 among the thorns which is the Church militant She is called the Spouse of Christ d Cant. 4.8 9 10 11 12. Yea the Holy Ghost chooseth to joyn many particular Churches together by Nounes collective Nounes of multitude in the singular number where it can be with convenience Remarkeable is that 1 Peter 5.2 where writing to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia he cals them all one flock not flocks Feed the flock of God which is among you The same word Paul useth Acts 20. to the Elders of Ephesus Est una sola Christi Ecclesia â—â—ae ob id etiam dicitur Catholica Particulares Ecclesia non sunt impedimento quin una sit Ecclesia Zanch. de Ecclesia A second kinde of proofe hereof is by argument or demonstration If particular Churches be visible there is a visible Catholike Church but particular Churches are visible therefore The consequence will follow whether you consider the particular Churches as Species or as Partes Omne particulare habet suum generale sive universale omne membrum habet suum integrum omnis pars habet suum totum If therefore there be particular Churches there is a generall and if the particular be visible so is the generall if the particulars be mingled wheat and tares together so is the generall Genus Species pars totum similare presertim sunt ejusdem praedicamenti Ten thousand particular corporeall substances cannot make one generall incorporeall Ten thousand visible particular Churches cannot make one invisible generall Church But all Divines yea our brethren for Congregationall Churches yea the Separation hold that particular Churches are visible as consisting indeed of visible members And Gerard though he will not grant a Church Catholike visible yet saith Ecclesias particulares visibiles esse
concedimus and therefore he must grant the generall Church to which those particulars belong to be of the same kinde Object 1 All that can be said against the former consequence as I guesse is that though the particular Churches have existence yet the generall hath none but only a notionall essence and exist only in the particulars as Animalitie existeth not by it selfe but in homine Bruto Answ Answer here were some colour in this objection if you consider the Church Catholike onely as a genus and the particular as species yet not enough to amount to a deniall of a Church Catholike visible no more then any Logician denyeth Animal because there is no such creature but in homine bruto But the proper notion of the Church Catholike and particular is of integrum membra And so as I said before Ames in his medulla taketh it Congregationes illae particulares sunt quasi partes similares Ecclesiae Catholicae atque adeo nomen naturam ejus participant And then the argument standeth thus Vbi omnes partes existunt simul compacta ibi totum existit sed omnes partes Ecclesiae Catholicae visibilis existunt simul compacta Therefore The minor 〈◊〉 proved Eph. 4.16 From whom the whole body fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joynt supplyeth c. This place is spoken of the Church militant because organicall and organicall because the officers are there reckoned up and Catholike because it is the Church to which Apostles Prophets and Evangelists are given They have the same Lord the same law the same spirit and have influence by love sympathy and prayer into the wellfare one of another For my part I conceive the Church Catholike to be Totum integrale and the particular Churches to be similares partes and so members thereof and parcels thereof as the Jewish Synagogues * Jam. 2 2. 2 Thes 2.1 Heb. 10.25 Tilenus in thes part 1. disp 14. Theft 3. were of the Jewish Church though with some more priviledge for both Sacraments c. and that every particular Church partaketh of part of the matter and part of the form of the whole And these parts are limited and distinguished from others by civill and prudentiall limits for convenience of meeting and maintenance and transacting of businesse and that every Christian is a member of the Church in whose limits he dwels being only in the generall Covenant of Baptisme And this membership is either divolved on him by Gods disposing providence by reason of his birth or cohabitation there or voluntarily assumed by his voluntary removall into that place allotted out by civill prudence for such a particular society to enjoy the Ordinances of God conveniently together For he knew the Minister and members before he came in or might have done at least if he had pleased and it is at his choice to remove out again if he dislike either officers or members But of any Christian mans or womans dwelling in any City or Towne where there was a Church and not to be a member of that Church or to be a member of another Church in another town or city and reside in his own but per accidens as some doe distinguish hath neither example nor warrant in the Scripture But seemeth to me to imply an unchurching those places from whence they are gathered As a man that comes to dwell in a towne shall thereby be a member of it and ruled by the officers thereof in civill affaires and if he like it not he may remove and if they have any thing justly against him they may punish or restraine remove him so it is in the administration of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction And as the limits of the particular seas and their names are from the shoares and lands they are bounded by though a heterogeneall body so may particular Churches well be bounded by civill prudentiall limits though they seeme heterogeneall We find frequently in Scripture The Church which was in Jerusalem Antioch Corinth Ephesus Yea Cenchrea a port town some 8. miles from Corinth gave name to the Church therein Object 2 If they be all one Church it is necessary they should all meet sometimes together Answ It is no more necessary then that all in a kingdome or empire should meet sometimes it is enough that they are under the same King and governed by the same lawes and inspired by the same Spirit and walke in the same wayes and tend to the same end and fare the better for one anothers prayers and rejoyce in the welfare and mourne for the ill fare one of another and help one another as they have opportunity And yet we reade that many times the Church Catholike visible hath met in generall Councels by their delegates or commissioners as a ministeriall Church Catholike which in former times of the Church under Christian Emperours was frequent and there is no intrinfical let in the Church that they do not meet so still but only extrinsicall and extraneous by reason of the divisions among the civill Governors but even in our dayes a great part of this great body hath met in the Synod of Dort by commissioners Dr Whitakers and Apollonius acknowledge the meeting Act. 1. to be a generall Councell The members were the Apostles who were Pastours of the Church Catholike and Brethren out of Galilee and Jerusalem The worke was to elect an Apostle who was to be a Pastour of the universall Church and they that undertake and dispatch a busines which concernes the teaching and government of the whole Church must represent the whole Church Catholike Yet there is so much power given to every Presbyteriall Church at least as may uphold it selfe and exercise the discipline of the Church for the being and well being of it ordinarily Yet so as it is a part of the Church Catholike into which also the censures there past have influence as shall be shewed more afterwards And on some great occasions there may be cause to fetch help further as Cranmer appeald to a generall councell But if that extensive power cannot be had as now it is very difficult then must that particular nationall provinciall or Presbyteriall Church rest in that intensive power that remaines within its owne limits Yea even in a congregationall Church if it stand so as it cannot combine with neighbours or have recourse unto them it must be so but that is an extraordinary case and so not to be regulated by ordinary rules And in such cases also all civill power must rest in one congregation as if it were in a wildernes where there were no neighbour townes or cities to which it might be joined yet it followeth not that it must be so in England or any other kingdome where there are counties shires cities great townes or a Parliament Yea I know not but a particular family may yea must be in such an extraordinary case Independent both in Ecclesiasticall and civill matters
Nam per Baptismum membra in Ecclesiam universalem admittit Per Excommunicationem membra non tantum ex sua particulari sed etiam Provinciali Nationali Vniversali Ecclesia ejicit Matth. 18.18 19. Ex officio pastorali preces Deo offert pro omnibus aliis Ecclesiis laborantibus Verbum Dei in alia Ecclesia particulari praedicare potest non tantum virtute ratione donorum sed cum pastorali authoritate ita ut verbo suo liget solvat peccatores remittat retineat peccata ut legatus missus à Deo obsecret homines ut reconcilientur Deo Gul. Apollon consideratio quarundam c. pag. 86. Of Excommunication I spake before proving that it ejecteth a man out of the whole Church Catholike visible which though it be passed with the knowledge and consent of the Congregation as also is Baptisme yet it is an act of the Presbyters But because it is an act of many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 2 Cor. 2.6 I will therefore insist more largely and particularly upon Baptisme which is the act of a single Pastour or Minister That by Baptisme we are admitted into the Church I thinke is without doubt for if persons baptized be not members of a visible Church then the Seale of the Covenant yea the initiall Seale thereof is administred to those that are and remain out of the Church which were absurd to say Mr Ball in his Catechisme hath this passage Baptisme is a Sacrament of our ingrafting into Christ Communion with him and entrance into the Church for which he citeth Matth. 28.19 Acts 8.38 And afterward explaines himselfe It doth saith he solemnely signifie and seale their engrafting into Christ and confirme that they are acknowledged members of the Church and entred into it though it doth not make us Christian soules And that we are thereby admitted members not of a particular Congregation but the Church Catholike appeares because we are baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 And this appeares further because he that is baptized in one Congregation is baptized all over the world and is not to be rebaptized but is taken as a member where-ever he becomes Now that baptizing is an act of office appeares John 1.33 He that sent me to baptize And goe teach all nations and baptize them was the substance of the Apostles Commission And though Paul 1 Cor. 1.17 saith Christ sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospell yet that is meant not principally for he was sent also to baptize else he might not have done it And that by vertue of this office we are baptized into the Church Catholike appeares because John Baptist baptized all Jerusalem Judea and the Region round about Jordan And the Disciples of Christ made and baptized more Disciples then John and that without relation to any particular Congregations which had it been necessary they could have combined them into So Peter caused Cornelius and his friends to be baptized Act. 10.48 but no mention is made of any Congregation into which they were baptized And Philip baptized the Eunuch not into any particular Congregation And the Apostles carryed about one with them whom they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister Acts 13.5 who was no Apostle and he baptized for them So Tychicus Col. 4.7 is called a beloved brother and faithfull Minister and fellow-servant in the Lord yet he was none of their Minister and Ephes 6.21 he hath the same stile given him againe certainly he could not be a peculiar Minister to both those distant Churches and I suppose he was of neither Appollos baptized at Corinth 1 Cor. 3.4 and yet was no Apostle but as a Minister and steward of the Mysteries of God as well as they 1 Cor. 4.1 Hence is this distinction of Junius in his Animadversions on Bellaerm cap. 7. nota 7. Alia est electio sive vocatio communis qua vir bonus pius doctus aptus absòlutè eligitur ad ministerium verbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Alia particularis sive singularis quâ ad ministerium singulariter huic vel illi Ecclesiae praeficiendus eligitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the truth is the Scripture alwayes calling the Beleevers in one Citie one Church even Jerusalem though there were many thousands yea myriads that is many times ten thousands of beleeving Jewes therein as James tels Paul Act. 21.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were all probably of Jerusalem as appeares first because they were not such as could beare any witnesse against Paul but by hear-say they are informed of thee but the Jewes amongst the Gentiles disperst having seen and heard Paul could have testified of their own knowledge and would not be blinded with Pauls present conformity And secondly because they only of Jerusalem could receive satisfaction by Pauls conformity to the Law at Jerusalem at that time and not the others And also the Holy Ghost calling the Elders in those Cities the Elders of the Church in communi it leaveth it uncertaine to me whether the severall Elders were fixed over particular congregations or taught and ruled in communi as the Ministers do now in Middleburgh and Strasburgh and other places yet because it maketh most for edification and order to have them fixed I shall thinke they were untill the contrary shall be proved And I verily beleeve they ruled in communi though haply they did not teach so Seventhly that Church to which every Christian bears first relation and which relation continueth last and cannot be broken by him without sin is the first Church but such is the Church Catholike visible therfore Them nor appeares because none can be admitted into a particular congregation except he be judged first of the Church Catholike so againe though he change his habitation never so often and beare relation to never so many particular congregations one after another yet in all those the generall relation holdeth still he is a baptized visible member of the Church Catholike and therfore to be received where ever he becometh into any particular congregation Yea in the Interim between his breaking off from one congregation and placing in another congregation he retaines the generall relation and baptisme and is not a heathen or infidell he is not one without in the Apostles phrase Yea suppose a man should be a Traveller Merchant or Factour and setled in no particular congregation yet being a Christian he is a member of the Church Catholike yea and if he broach any errours or live inordinately he shall be accountable to the Church wherein he for the present resides or such crimes are committed and be lyable to their censure as being a member of the Church Catholike which appeares in that the Church of Ephesus is commended Rev. 1.2 ☜ for trying strangers that came among them under the notion of Apostles And finding them lyars did not suffer them now prohibition is a censure They are not to be left to the
proves himselfe not to be truly godly and so all those Ordinances were null being administred by one that was not only no Minister but no true member of the Church I conclude this answer with that saying in Ames in his Bellar. enervat Falsum est internas virtutes requiri à nobis ut aliquis sit in Ecclesia quoad visibilem ejus statum Object The Church Catholike is Integrum and the particular Churches are membra and therefore neither of them can be Prima or Orta in reference of one to another because being Relata they are simul naturâ and both Integrum membra are both of them Orta argumenta Vide Rami Dialecticam Indeed we finde in Logick that both Genus and Species Answ Integrum membra are Orta Argumenta and that it is not meant in reference one to another but to those arguments which are called Prima as Cause Effect Subject Adjunct and Contraries And it would be a Logicall dispute not Theologicall to define whether Integrum or membra have the primary consideration seeing they are Relata Quorum alterum constat è mutuâ alterius affectione Ergo dicuntur simul esse naturâ For Totum est quod habet partes Pars est quae continetur à toto So that a thing cannot be said to be a whole but in reference to the parts nor can any thing be said to be a part but in reference to the whole for though it may have a being before the whole yet it is not a part of the whole untill the whole be Yet for the clearing of this Objection we must consider that Integrum membra admit of divers kinds and considerations and though in a constant permanent or continuous body whose particular individuall parts rise and fall together with the whole so that it cannot consist but of so many essentiall individuall parts whereof it is constituted there the whole and the parts whereof it is constituted as they stand in relation unto one another must be simul naturâ yet the Church Catholike being as I may say a kinde of discreet successive indefinite body alwayes transient and in flux some members being alwayes in their adding and some alwayes in taking away so that even in respect of the particular parts it is not one houre every way the same it was the last I say that in reference to the members that are to be added the whole must needs be accounted first because it hath a being before the addition and after the substraction and the members must needs be first added to the whole before they can beare the relation of parts unto it And herein it is like a Corporation whose first members whereof it is constituted are simul naturâ with the whole yet all the members that are added successively finde it a Corporation before their addition and so are not simul naturâ with the whole Object The Church Catholike is made up of the particular Churches and therefore it is Orta and they are Prima Answ To let passe Logicall disputes consider we the universall and particular Churches in a theologicall notion and we shall find as hath been already proved that the particular Churches or congregations do rise out of the Church Catholike and not contrary For the members of a particular congregation are first members of the Church Catholike and admitted thereinto before they come to be capable of being members of a particular Congregation for no Congregation takes a heathen in first and makes him a member and then a Christian but he is first made a Christian and then made a member Yea I conceive that there may be many belonging to the Church Catholike that belong to no particular Congregation whose conversion hath been by accidentall providence as by reading or discourse or haply hearing a disputation or Sermon and yet their habitation or imprisonment slavery banishment travell or other occasions may not suffer them to joyne themselves to any particular Congregation and yet are visible Christians yeelding professed subjection to the Gospell in their lives and conversations And are by being of the Church Catholike fit to be members of any Congregation but are actually none Suppose a man by transplanting into America suffering shipwrack should swimme to some unknowne land and there live among the natives is that man without or if he should convert a native to the faith in Christ is he without is he not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of what Congregation was the Eunuch that was baptized by Philip and yet we doubt not to say he was a Christian and one of the Church members but it must be the Church Catholike So that we see the Church Catholike consisteth not of particular Congregations only but particular members that may not haply be drawne into congregations As not only all Cities Towns and Parishes in a Kingdome belong to that Kingdome but all particular Persons living under and by the same lawes though haply there should be some that live not in any township or village but in some Island forrest or in ships as the manner is of many families in the Netherlands or as I have heard of some house that stands so that no Parish in their Perambulation did over fetch it in And if we must account the particular Churches to be primae because the Church Catholike is made up of them then we must account particular families to be the prime Churches because the Congregations are made up of them and they are called Churches in the Scripture Rom. 16.5 1 Cor. 16.19 Col. 4.15 Philem. 2. And we know God had his Church in families in the Patriarchs times before it was either Nationall or Congregationall But it is plaine that particular Congregations are made up of a certain number or parcell of the members of the Church Catholike and not contrary And so were the Churches in families also Now then seeing it is evident by the former Scriptures and Arguments that there is a Church Catholike visible And seeing that the Names Nature and Priviledges of the Church the Promises and Ordinances of God the Offices of Christ and Signes of the true Church the Members of the Church and Ministry of the Word belong first to the Church Catholike visible and that every particular Christian beare first and last relation thereunto which relation cannot be broken off by any removall or without sinne and that particular Churches spring out of the Church Catholike I therefore conclude according to the light God hath given me That the Church Catholike visible is Prima and the particular Churches are Ortae From this Thesis give me leave to propound to your further consideration these Corollaries or Conclusions Concerning Churches Catholike Particular Persons Publike viz. the Officers Private viz. the members Concerning the Church in generall 1. That there is a Church Catholike 2. That the Church Catholike is but one 3. That the Church Catholike is visible 4. That though the Church Catholike be alwayes
then come the Socinians and they quench the Deity of Christ and the Holy Ghost and deny our redemption by the blood of Christ and so consequently would deprive us of the benefit of the New Testament then come the Anabaptists and they deny and deride our Baptisme and render us and our children no better then heathens then come the Separatists and they would pluck up our Church by the roots and call us Antichristian Rome Egypt Sodome Babylon and so consequently call their owne mother whore for if they have any conversion they had it in the bosome of our Church Of whom that of the Psalmist is too true Psal 50.20 Thou fittest and speakest against thy brother and hast slandered thine own mothers sonne Yea there be others of our honoured and beloved brethren whom I forbeare to name among the former rabble who though they acknowledge us true Churches yet deny us to be one Church and would have us rent into a thousand pieces and parcels and these to stand as so many entire compleat bodies without any co-ordination as so many Spouses of Christ as so many Queens appointing their own orders and officers as their servants to officiate in their names with liberty to censure both officers and members within themselves by the votes of the whole body and not to be accountable unto any other Church or Churches as co-ordinate members except arbitrarily at their pleasure Not endeavouring with us to reforme our Churches but to gather Churches out of Churches by calling our best members out of our congregations and uniting them into severall bodies by a particular explicit covenant urged as an ordinance of God and forme of the Church and as the only Church way and way of God and so having fleeted off for themselves the creame of our congregations and transplanted all our wheat by it selfe into their field would leave us none but the tares the lees and dreggs of men But I forbeare Dolor ora repressit Others there are and I wish I could say they were others who pleade for liberty of judgement that every one may hold what opinions and be of what religion and sect he pleaseth because judgement and conscience cannot be forced but must be left to God only and thereby would make England another Amsterdam of all sects and religions whereas our brethren in New-England have banished the Familists c. from amongst them Yea and generally men covet new opinions and count it their glory to differ from others in judgement and he is no body that hath none but old truths and so men under colour of new light and new truths rake up a multitude of old errours Secondly our divisions are in heart and affections for difference in judgement cause alienation of affections and great thoughts of heart so that if there prove once a clashing and crossing in opinions though they were never so neer allyed or well acquainted and familiar yet then they grow strange and fall out and oppose and censure each other deeply then they are superstitious or antichristian or enemies to Christs kingly office and hence come so many invectives in Pulpit and Presse Thirdly in way for as mens judgements differ so doe their wayes Some are for one way of Worship some another some for one way of Discipline some another some for one way of constituting of Churches some another some for gathering of new Churches out of the old and yet let the old ones stand as mock-churches when they have gleaned out all that are good out of them they would take all the golden and silver vessels vessels of honour and leave us none but wooden and stone vessels of dishonour and some are for separation wholly and so turne all the rest over to Antichrist yea some so violent as that they would pluck downe our very meeting houses tropically called Churches which they deride by the name of Steeple houses and all are in wayes of contention so that we are like Sampsons foxes tyed together by the tayles with firebrands between them to burn up the standing corn I shall conclude with an earnest desire of and exhortation to unity and peace The unity of the Church should be a strong motive to unity in judgement heart and way It is that the Apostle presseth Eph. 4.3 4. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace for there is one body and one spirit c. This spirituall unity it is that Christ so earnestly and often prayed for in that short prayer John 17.11 21 23. That they may be one as we are one That they all may be one that they also may be one in us That they may be made perfect in one And this was Pauls earnest request 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speake the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same mind and in the same judgement And again 2 Cor. 13.11 it is one of the last things he concludes his Epistle with Finally brethren farewell be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you And Phil. 1.27 He presseth it as the only thing he desired of them Only let your conversation be as it becommeth the Gospell of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may heare of your affaires that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospell Certainly unity of judgement is of more importance then we are aware of else the Apostle would not presse it with such solemne adjurations and intreaties so often as he doth Yea when there were but two women that differed in opinion as it is conceived the Apostle thought it beseeming apostolicall gravity and the holy Ghost judged it meet for a piece of canonicall Scripture to take notice of it and compose it Phil. 4.2 I beseech Enodias and beseech Syntiche that they be of the same mind in the Lord. Though it might seeme but womens brabbles yet we know how great a matter a little fire kindleth a little strife and errour will encrease to more ungodlinesse Consider we that there is but one truth and that is of God and God is truth and errour is of the Devill Consider that the understanding is the highest and foremost faculty of the soule it is as the fore-horse in the teame the leading faculty and as that is informed so the will and conscience and affections must needs worke and follow that and if that be lead into errour it must necessarily mis-leade the whole man Consider that a chiefe part of the image of God in man consisteth in knowledge and so is upon the understanding which by errour is defaced Remember the solemne caveats given by the Apostle Rom. 16.17 I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and
offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoide them For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and blessed or faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple And Eph. 4.14 That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse or after the method of errour whereby they lie in wait to deceive Christ himselfe tels us that false Prophets shall come that shall deceive if it were possible the very elect Behold I have told you before Matth. â—4 24 25. And Paul tels us Of your selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Therefore watch Acts 20.30 31. Therefore Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me 2 Tim. 1.13 They that coine new words and new high strange expressions to amaze the people it is a signe as Calvin tels us that they have some new opinion upon the Anvill O let us labour to be of one heart seeing we are all but one body and have but one head and one spirit and because we are all brethren of the same heavenly Father This is that which God hath promised his people Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you And we find Christ inculcating this exhortation John 13.34 A new Commandment I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if you have love one to another John 13.34 35. Againe This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you John 15.12 And ver 17. These things I command you that you love one another Acts 2.46 And this we find practised Acts 4.32 And the multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart and one soule And this Paul exhorteth to Rom. 12.10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another And we find the unity both of judgement and heart exhorted unto 1 Pet. 3.8 Finally be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitifull be courteus Divisions is the Devils musick but that which makes the Devill laugh should make us cry O what a solemne obsecration is that of Paul Phil. 2. â— 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind O that we might labour to be of one way also This is that which God hath promised his people Jer. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever for the good of them and of their Children after them And Zeph. 3.9 Then will I turne to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord with one consent or one shoulder And this was the blessing to Hezekiah in his people 2 Chron. 30.12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to doe the Commandement of the King and of the Princes by the word of the Lord. Certainly there is but one rule for Doctrine Worship Discipline And as many as walke according to this rule peace be on them and on the Israell of God Gal. 6.16 And this is the Apostles exhortation Rom. 15.6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God Yea though we be not of the same judgement in every thing yet as it is Phil. 3.16 whereto we have already attained Let us walke by the same rule let us mind the same things And this unity in way is that which we have sworn unto and covenanted in our late Nationall League and Covenant in the first branch of it That we shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland to the neerest conjunction and uniformity in Religion Confession of faith Form of Church Government Directory for Worship and Catechising That we and our posterity after us may as brethren live in faith and love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us And we shall be forsworne if we endeavour it not All the members of the same body naturall agree to go the same way Yea the strength health and beauty of the body naturall consisteth in the fast knitting of all the meÌ„bers together to each other and to the head and the luxation therof is dangerous so and much more it is in a body Politike or Ecclesiasticall And though the divisions in our civill estate be very sad and might deserve teares of bloud to bewaile them yet I looke upon divisions in the Church as a matter of more fad and dolefull consequence and I feare but wish I might be mistaken that when the breaches of the common wealth shall be closed the breaches in the Church may grow wider and the differences rise higher which having seazed upon the understandings and consciences of men cannot be composed by commands nor clubbed down by force Only here is my hope herein that he which found a way to reconcile God and man when they were at enmity can find a way to reconcile man and man though they be at difference Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ Heb. 13.20 21. that great Shepheard of the sheep through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant make us perfect in every good worke to do his will working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS