Here he hath authority from the chief Priests to binde all that call on thy name And vers 2. If he found any that way Not all of Ierusalem or if he found any of Ierusalem that were fled thither but any Jews for the Gentiles had not yet received the Gospel For Chap. 10. Peter was charged for eating with Cornelius and his company that were Gentiles And they that were scattered abroad by Saul preached the Gospel to none but to the Iews only Act. 11.19 And some of those whom Saul persecuted were men of Cyprus and Cyrene Act. 11.20 But it was all that call on thy name not all that had forsaken the ceremonial Law for that very few Jews as yet had done if any at all And this was the reason as I conceive that the commission given to Saul by the chief Priests teached the Jews at Damascus and other cities because they were not fallen off from the ceremonial Law but kept fellowship with the Jewish Church at Ierusalem and came up to the feasts still and so were under their Ecclesiastical jurisdiction and liable to their censure and they could write to the rulers of those Synagogues to see them punished Also it is said upon the conversion of Saul Act. 9.31 Then had the Churches rest in all Iudea and Galilee and Samaria which yet were but some parts of the Church in the singular number which he persecuted Now if Saul had persecuted only the members of the Church of Ierusalem which had forsaken Moses law then they might have had rest before for all him for they should not have been within his commission but he persecuted them also So our brethren themselves expound it Except p. 17. Also it is said Act. 12.1 that Herod stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church and he killed Iames and attached Peter Now this was a visible Church because a Church liable to visible persecution and an Organical Church because the persecution was against the Officers and the Catholike Church for it is not said Certain of the Church of Ierusalem but indefinitely The Church and the two persons named were not Officers or members of the Church of Ierusalem but Officers of the whole Church being Apostles Also it is said Act. 2.47 God added to the Church daily such as should be saved Or saved men as some render it Not that all should be saved or were saved men that were added unto it for there were many hypocrites added but those that should be saved or were sanctified were added Which Church was not a particular Congregational Church but the Catholike Reverend M. Hooker excepteth against this and saith that it was not the Catholike Church but the Apostolical Christian Church now erected and not the whole company of beleevers in the whole world for such a company they never saw nor knew and therefore could not be added to them Surv. c. 15. p. 270. Answ It is true indeed it wa◠to the Apostolical Christian Church but not to any particular Congregational Church For first no man by conversion is added unto or made a member of a or the particular Church where he was converted but is made a member of the Catholike society of Christians by conversion and then joins himself unto some particular society of them Secondly This Apostolical Christian Church was not a Congregational Church for those 120 suppose them the 12 and 70 and some others were many of them men of Galilee and resided at Ierusalem but for a time per accidens by command until they were further endued with the holy Ghost And those 3000 that were added to them Act. 2.41 were men out of every nation under heaven ve 5. and their particular countries named ver 9 10 11. And this is our brethrens own exposition in their exceptions to the proofs from the Church of Ierusalem p. 16. Where they say they were not setled dwellers at Ierusalem but strangers commorants of the 10 Tribes which were dispersed and were but sojourners at Ierusalem coming up to the feast having their wives and children and families at home to whom they used after a time to return And that this continuing stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship was but only while they were there at Ierusalem Yea some of them were of Iudea ver 9. and so of the countrey round about and that of them might be Churches erected in their proper dwellings is rationally supposeable And the proof M. Hooker giveth to shew it was not the Church-Catholike from Act. 2.42 They continued stedfastly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship makes much against a Congregational Church as I conceive For the Apostles were not Congregational Elders to Jerusalem but general Officers of the Church-Catholike by their Commission So that this communion of theirs with the Apostles was not a particular Church-communion but a Catholike communion of Catholike members not reduced into particular Congregations with Catholike Officers Neither might the Apostles joyn as particular Elders of the Church of Jerusalem For how could they binde themselves by an holy Covenant to the constant performance or enjoyment of all the Ordinances of God to or with them seeing their charge was to go over all the world yet such a Covenant our Brethren say is requisite in a particular Congregation Neither as yet were there any particular Elders of the particular Church of Jerusalem constituted nor do we finde it expressed how long after If it had been said that they continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship with the Elders of Jerusalem it had carried some probability Moreover it could not be the communion of a particular Church because they had the Lords Supper in several companies Breaking bread from house to house Gods providence ordered it so that the Christian Church should be as I may say at the very birth of it Catholike in regard of Officers and members before any reduction into particular societies under particular Officers It was so potentially from the giving of the Apostles commission and now it is actually in the members as well as Officers before their number could make up Congregations in several countries Yea but saith he it is not to the whole company of beleevers in the whole world for such a company they never saw nor knew and therefore could not be added to them p. 270. Answ It is not requisite they should see or know them all by face but know that there was or was to be such a company which was already begun It is like every member of the Church of Ierusalem did never see or know all the myriads that were of that Church nor do every member of the greatest Congregation in London know all the members thereof A forreigner that is naturalized by Parliament and so added to this Kingdom did never see nor know all the whole Kingdom Again 1 Cor. 10.32 Give no offence to the Iews nor to the Gentiles nor to the Church of God
confederation were they not judged to be subjects to Christ and visible members of his body and in external Covenant before their admittance How then could that be the ground thereof Indeed there are some particular duties and priviledges which relate in an especial manner to the particular Congregation and a particular unity of a particular Church as a member of the whole body resulteth therefrom but not the general duties priviledges or membership Suppose a man be a freeman of some Corporation as Ipswich though thereby he hath the priviledges of the particular Corporation belonging to him and particular duties belonging to the Corporation are required of him and he requires and receiveth the priviledge of a subject the execution of the laws of the Kingdom there yet he must be conceived a member of the Kingdom before he can be admitted a free man of the Corporation and he receives the general priviledges and performs the general duties in reference to that and not in reference to the particular Corporation and his membership thereof though he hath the opportunity of enjoying the one and performance of the other in that particular society And yet this doth not make the kingdom a Genus and the Corporation a species thereof but the kingdom an integral and the Corporation a member thereof So is the case between the whole Church and the particular Yet with this difference all the particular Churches are similar patts of the whole Church so are not all Corporations nor all villages they differ sometimes in kindes of Officers sometimes in particular immunities Also the similarity of the parts of the whole Church gives the same denomination to the particular Churches with the whole the particular Congregation is called a Church as well as the whole whereas no particular Corporation is called a Kingdom and this is the cause why the particular Churches are deemed to be species whereas indeed they are members of the whole viz. because of the identity of denomination but identity of denomination or similarity of parts are not sufficient to make a genus and species especially where the whole is constituted by an external Covenant 4. If the Officers which Christ hath given to the whole Church be visible then so is the Church But the Officers are visible Therefore c. That the Officers are visible none will deny because they are visibly called ordained and execute their office visibly That visible Officers argue a visible polity is as clear such as the Officers are in respect of visibility or invisibility such is the Kingdom That the ministry is given to the whole Church as the Levites were to all Israel and that they are all Officers of the whole habitual and habitually have power to dispense the Ordinances of Christ in any part of the whole Church upon a call shall be proved c. 6. s 4. 5. If the admittance into the whole Church and ejection out of it be visible then the whole Church is visible But admittance by Baptism ejection by excommunication are visible Therefore c. That admittance and ejection being publike acts before the whole Congregation are visible none will deny That such as the admittance or ejection is in regard of visibility such is the society or polity is as clear That the admittance is into the whole and ejection out of it hath been proved already and shall more fully afterward Either by Baptism men are admitted into the particular Church or the whole Church or no Church but not into the particular Congregation no man is baptized into the particular Congregation it is not the seal of the particular Covenant therefore it is into the whole or none If a heathen be converted in a Congregation first he receives baptism afterward is admitted a member of the particular confederation Sect. 3. 6. If the Doctrine Laws Ordinances Charter and Covenant of the whole Church be visible then so is the whole Church But they are visible Therefore c. That the Doctrine Laws Ordinances Charter and Covenant of the whole Church are visible none will deny for they may be seen read preached and heard That they belong to and constitute the whole is as undeniable Of the same nature that the laws and charter of a kingdom is in respect of visibility of the same nature is the kingdom Now it is not the invisible law of nature written in the heart that constitutes the visible Church for the heathens have that Rom. 2.15 nor is it the invisible law of grace promised to be written in Gods peoples hearts Jer. 31.33 for many members of the visible Church have not that but it is the visible systeme of laws and Covenant given by Christ to his visible Church And these Laws Charter and Covenant are the very copula or bond of the external body and kingdom of Christ and thereby they are bound to worship and discipline Now where the copula or bond uniting visible parts together is visible there the whole is visible But the copula or bond is visible Therefore so is the whole A visible bond cannot unite invisible members Against this it is objected by M. Hooker That divers several kingdoms may be governed by the same laws and yet remain several kingdoms Answ It is true it is possible that all the kingdoms of the earth may submit to and be governed by the same systeme of laws and many now are by the civil law and yet remain several But they arise not from the same fountain the same King or Governours nor binde not in subjection and obedience unto the same King nor to mutual duties of subjects between themselves as fellow-subjects but are embraced vi materiae or formae because found convenient and receive a several stamp of authority from the several States or Governours whereby they are obliging in the several kingdoms But these laws proceed from the same fountain the same Lord Jesus the king of the whole and are obliging from the same authority to all Christians in the whole world therefore they are one visible Church or kingdom mystical If the whole Church be a Genus it is constituted and united together by a visible external Covenant and Laws which is not consistent with the nature of a Genus as a Genus 7. If all the administrations and dispensations and operations of the whole Church be visible so is the whole Church But they are all visible Therefore c. That they are all visible being publikely done none will deny Obj. But these administrations dispensations and operations are acted in the several Congregations and are not actions of the whole Church Ans So is justice administred at Assizes and Sessions in several Counties and Corporations but is it the justice of the whole because it is administred by the same laws and by the same authority and is common to all the subjects of the kingdom A man dwelling in any part of the kingdom being tried at Suffolk Assizes may receive his sentence and
to obtain an admission into a particular Congregation or haply though visible Christians under the seal of the Covenant yet have not the inward true work of grace in them yet are neither ignorant nor scandalous but live inoffensively and willing to joyn in and submit unto all Gods Ordinances I say what shall become of them and their seed Shall they all be left without the Church in Satans visible Kingdom because they are no particular members and there is no extension of the Ministerial office beyond the particular Congregations Sect. 8. Object If every Minister be a Minister of the Church Catholike visible then what do they differ from Apostles and Evangelists for that was their especial priviledge that their commission extended it self to all Churches This Objection M. Bartlet hath in Model p. 69. Answ There is this difference Every minister hath by his Ordination power in actu primo to administer the Ordinances of God in all the Churches of the Saints yet not in actu secundo without a special call But the Apostles and Evangelists which were vicarij Apostolorum had both and the Evangelists power was called forth by the Apostles for they exercised their function where the Apostles appointed them The Apostles received their office immediatly from and by Christ The Evangelists theirs from Christ by the Apostles ordinary Ministers theirs from Christ indeed but ministerially by the Presbytery The Apostles and Evangelists were not fixed officers in any particular Congregation but itinerant from place to place ordinary Ministers are fixed in their own Congregations They served the Church-Catholike actually wheresoever they became and could draw forth the exercise of their offices without any mediate consent or call of the particular Churches or places but so cannot particular ordinary Ministers So that ordinary Ministers they are Ministers of the Church Catholike though not Catholike Ministers actually But if Ministers be Ministers only in their particular Congregations where they are fixed and to which they were called by the Congregation I marvel that our brethren of the Congregational way here in England are so desirous to have itenerant Ministers to be sent into all parts of the land that shall be fastned to no particular Congregations yea and also to have gifted men not ordained at all to be suffered to preach publikely and constantly in Congregations surely these things are not consistent with their principles CHAP. VII About Combinations of particular Congregations in Classes and of them in Synods A further question is about the combination of Congregations and Elderships in Classes and Synods Sect. 1. For though it cannot be denied but that particular Ministers in their particular Congregations do serve the Church-Catholike in their admissions ejections and other Ordinances as preaching to praying with and administring Sacraments to members of other Churches in their own meeting-houses and upon occasion in other meeting houses for the case is the same whether they come to him or he go to them yet it may be doubted whether the Ministers and Elders may combine together and jointly exercise acts of government c. And though this doth not necessarily belong to my question yet because it hath some reference to the integrality of the Church-Catholike I shall speak something of it Now there is a double Integrality of the Church-Catholike the first is Entitive whereby they are all bound together in the visible embracing profession of and subjection unto the visible doctrine covenant and laws of Christ whereby they become Christians in the genera◠whereby all Christians are bound as opportunity is offered to perform Christian duties one to another as fellow-members ex officio charitatis generali not only by vertue of the moral law but by the law of Christ and to Christ as the King and head of his Church As all dwelling within the kingdom of England are members of the Kingdom and bound to carry themselves as subjects to the governours and laws and as fellow-subjects one to another though they be fixed members of no Corporations nor Townships And this integrality is alwaies actual The second is as it is organical by combination as all the Counties and Corporations and Towns by combination make one kingdom so all the particular Christian Congregations Provinces and Kingdoms by combination make one Church-Catholike visible under Christ Chap. 7. and this is an habitual integrality Of this it is that Ames speaks the Church-Catholike in regard of the external state thereof Per combinationem habet suam integralitutem Am. med l. 1. c. 33. f. 18. There is likewise a double combination one habitual whereby all Churches and Christians are united and habitually combined into one political Kingdom under Christ and are obliged to be mutually helpful one to another as need requires as becometh fellow-subjects and fellow-members secondly there is actual combination whereby any particular Churches shall actually agree and so unite together for mutual help of each other and for transactions of businesses of common concernment And this is either a constant combination of vicinities in a Classis because there will be constant cause or occasional and more seldome as of a whole Province or Nation and may be of the whole Church-Catholike if convenible by their delegates This latter combination is fundamentum exercitij by the former they have jus adrem by this latter they have jus in re to act conjunctim for the good of those Churches so actually combined And of this second kinde of integrality and combination it is that we are now speaking which necessarily ariseth from the former as the organical integrality of a Kingdom ariseth from the Entitive For seeing all are fellow-subjects under the same Soveraign and Laws though they have particular Counties Corporations and Towns wherein they live and actually enjoy constantly the general priviledges of subjects under the King and Laws yet there will necessarily result a community and habitual integrality of the whole by coordinate combination The civil and Ecclesiastical combinations as they proceed from a parallel ground viz. subjection to the same laws and Soveraign I mean respectively so they must necessarily run parallel in things that are general and essential to combination Our brethren make them run parallel in the two first steps viz. in combining particular persons into families and particular families into Congregations of them that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dwellers together in some vicinity which is nothing else in English but Parishioners the English word comes of the greek The Christians dwelling together made one Church at Jerusalem Ephesus Corinth c. by Ecclesiastical combination as well as one city by civil combination respectively And I doubt not but if all the Inhabitants of any one Town in New-England were judged fit to be members of the Church they would combine them as members of the Church in that Town and that Town would give denomination to them all as the Church in or of such a Town And seeing
managing their own affairs and such affairs as are of general concernment and of greater weight then can be transacted in a particular Eldership or Classis or Provincial or National Assembly fall out very seldom The Apostles themselves after their dispersion kept no such general standing Court much lesse is it needful now Cogi Optimates non semper est necesse Chamier tom 2. lib. 10. cap. 8. sect 15 16. where he answers this objection fully A general Councel ought to be saith Salmas only Quoties exigit causa communis c. Apparat. 273. It is not ad esse Ecclesia nec ad benè esse Ecclesiae sed ad optimum esse Ecclesiae saith M. Rutherford The Church of Antioch had once an occasion of appeal to a Synod at Ierusalem but no such cause of constant recourse thither This Objection may be made as well about the Christian Magistrate seeing he is to be a nursing father to the Church and such were promised by God it may be marvelled that God should let the Evangelical Church want them in the infancy of it for above 300. years and many of the Emperours after they proved Christians were wasters of the Church and promoters of Arianism and Popery and not nourishers of the Church But we must not undertake to prescribe God what is best Times and seasons are in his hand Obj. If general Councels be the supream Ecclesiastical Judicatories then how dare any particular Churches at most but if National abrogate and swear against the Ordinances and government established by the Catholike Church And this Objection he bids me minde vin p. 56. I suppose he meant the Objection in reference to the National Oath and Covenant against Arch-bishops Bishops c. Answ Although Councels are very reverend and to be submitted unto in the Lord yet are they not infallible but may erre they are not regularegulans but regulata regulanda and to be tried by the word of God and if they speak not according to that they are not to be obeyed Clavis errans non ligat Yet it is safer to be guided by a multitude of Counsellors in a great yea general Assembly if it were rightly gathered which the Popish Councels were not then to stand bound by two or three Elders in a particular Congregation without relief The doctrine of that famous Councel of Nice and some others following was found and we have not departed from them therein And we know that although many Councels were corrupt and not rightly chosen nor acting uprightly according to the word but guided by factions and swayed by the Pope and the best not infallible yet the Scriptures are a constant infallible rule to walk by Nec ego Nicenam Synodum tibi nec tu mihi Ariminensem debes â—anquam praejudicaturus objicere Nec ego hujus authoritate nec tu illius detineris August advers Maximin lib. 3. Chap. 8. CHAP. VIII An answer to M. Ellis's Prejudices Probabilities and Demonstrations against an universal visible and as he cals it governing but should have said Organical Church And his wrong stating of the question rectified MR Ellis hath set down divers just prejudices as he cals them and strong probabilities vind chap. 3. pag. 10. and Demonstrations vind ch 4. p. 19. against this position or rather against an opinion of his own stating and framing for I know none that own it as he hath stated it But it is an easie thing to set up a man of straw and then beat it down at pleasure Sect. 1. Before I answer these prejudices probabilities and demonstrations it will be requisite to view what M. Ellis denyeth and what he granteth and how he stateth the question and what is the true state of it and where in the difference lyeth between him and his opponents and then we shall the better see how his prejudices probabilities and demonstrations will lie against the question in hand First he denyeth the question to be meant of the essential onenesse of the Church whereby all the Christians in the world divisins and in their several places doe visibly outwardly and openly professe for substance the same faith seals worship and government and so may be said to be one company one society one Congregation in nature and essence vind p. 7. But indeed this onenesse is included in the question and is the very foundation and ground of all we desire no other unity then will necessarily flow from this This Entitive visible unity of the whole as one society under one head in one visible Covenant under the same seal under the same laws from the same authority is enough to denominate a Church-Catholike visible and one visible kingdom of Christ here on earth And to this Church as one integral society were the Ordinances and priviledges primarily given and for their enjoyment thereof was the organicalnesse and politicalness added and it was made one habitual organical visible Kingdom of Christ on earth because all these visible subjects have one common right to and communion in the same Ordinances and priviledges indefinitely in this whole visible kingdom But I fear this will not suâ—e our brethren who make not the general Covenant which giveth the essence and entitivenesse to the Church but the particular Covenant compact and confederation to give the right to the Ordinances Their tenet as far as I can collect from their books is that a company of visible beleevers being joyned together in a particular holy Covenant have thereby right to the enjoyment of all Gods Ordinances and hence flow their right of choosing and ordaining Officers over themselves the Ordination in their sense being nothing else as I conceive but a designation or assignation of those chosen men by the imposition of hands of some men appointed by them in their name and behalf to be their particular Officers to dispense the Ordinances of Jesus Christ unto them And hence also floweth their right of censuring and ejecting those Officers again if they miscarry themselves Ejusdem est instituere destituere and if the Congregation can appoint men to lay hands on their Officers in their behalf and set them up then also if they see cause they can appoint men to lay hands on them by censures and pluck them down again or else they must go out of their Congregation to neighbour Elders for that censure which is contrary to their own tenet if it be an Ordinance of God Yea they must go out of their Congregation for discipline which is most contrary to their principles and that indeed where the greatest pinch lyeth for they do not so much startle at a Ministers dispensing the word or Sacraments to other Congregations for that is done frequently by them or at the exercise of the key of discipline and as I conceive that it is that which breedeth this difference between us And if they must go out of their Congregation for the censure of their Elders why not by
Church-Catholike visible But excommunication doth so c. Therefore c. The consequence appears because the ejection being a casting out of the body cannot extend it self beyond the body but ejection is general therefore so â—s the body The privation cannot extend it self beyond the habit if therefore the extent of the depriving censure be Catholike the habitual body is so also There is not only a potentiality of right to communicate every where while a man is a member but an habitual right not rising from courtesie but from membership not particular membership for then none could communicate but particular members but from a general habitual membership to which the communion belongeth So farre as the expulsion or disfranchisement reach so far the Corporation reacheth and as the particular ward or street where such a man dwelt loseth a particular member so the whoâ—e Corporation loseth a member of the whole So is it in this spiritual Corporation of the Church-Catholike visible There is not only an habitual fitnesse and capacity lost but an habitual general right lost during the censure The man is said to lose a member when the hand loseth a finger therefore the finger was a member of the whole man as well as of the hanâ— in particular So is this case of excommunication 12. If there be parts and members of the Church-Catholike visible there then there is a whole Church Catholike visible but there are parts and members c. Therefore c. The consequence is undeniable for whole and parts are relata Pars est quae continetur a tâ—to membrum ab integro The minor is proved also because particular Congregations and particular Christian families and persons are parts and members of the Church-Catholike visible Either they are parts and members or they are none and so out of the body and without in the Apostles sense If no members then no right to Ordinances for right ariseth from membership membership from qualifications The same relation that particular believing persons bear to a Christian family and which Christian families bear to a Congregation the same relation by proportion doe particular Congregations bear to the whole Church-Catholike or any great part thereof But particular persons are members of families and particular families of Congregations and therefore Congregations are members of the whole body of the Church Catholike visible The family is consisted of the persons the Congregation of the families and the Church-Catholike visible or any great part thereof of the particular Congregations A Genus cannot be said to consist of species but to give essence to species Animal rationale or humanity doth not consist of particular men but exist in particular men But whether the Church-Catholike be a genus or an integrum or both I shall handle in the next Chapter Sect. 4. I might urge also the several metaphors whereby the Scripture setteth out the whole number of visible believers under an unity As Rev. 12.1 by a woman cloathed with the Sun the righteousnesse of Christ and the Moon all terrestrial things under her feet or cloathed with the Sun the purity of doctrine and the moon as some interpret it discipline under her feet or as some others expound it Idolatry whereof Diana the Moon was chief and most general or by Moon some understand the legal ceremonial service which was guided much by the Moon under her feet i.e. now abolished So M. Mede Now this was a visible Church because it is said to be seen and is opposed either to the Jewish Church that had these ceremonies formerly on her back or to the Jewish Christian Church which could not for a long time cast them off but this Christian Church did Surely it was not a particular Congregation that John saw nor is it meant of divers particular Congregations for then it should have been women not a woman therefore it was the Church-Catholike visible bound up in an unity Also Joh. 10.16 It is set out by one sheep-fold Other sheep I have which are not of this fold them also I must bring and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd Which is by all interpreted of the union of Jew and Gentile which are the two integrant parts of the Church-Catholike And though by sheep should be meant the elect yet they are considered as visible because brought into a fold in this world and such a fold as the thief may enter possibly into as it is in the former verses yea and the wolf also Act. 20.19 Beza noteth upon that place in John that by sheepfold is not meant the flock it self but something that holds them together and makes them one flock Camerarius on the place Est Indicium Ecclesiae sanctae Catholicae in toto Orbe terrarum c. And Salmasius Vt una est Ecclesia ita unus est grex Christi vel unum Ovile Portiones gregis illius sunt greges civitatum particulareâ— Hinc grex Ecclesia idem sunt tam in generali quam speciali notione Salmas apparat 263. Also it is called the body of Christ 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 was not meant of the particular Church of Rome for the Apostle puts in himself into this body who had as then never come at Rome therefore it is the Church-Catholike there spoken of whereof Paul was both a member and a Minister And this body is a visible body because it is Organical and organical because the Apostle thereupon reckons up the several offices in the Church as teaching exhorting giving ruling shewing mercy which some compute to be an exact distribution of Church-Offices So called also 1 Cor 10.17 1 Cor. 12.12 13. Eph. 4 4. Also the house of God as I shewed before 1 Tim. 3.15 And a great house 2 Tim. 2.20 which sets out the Church-Catholike Now had these places been meant of particular Congregations then they should have been called bodies houses sheep-folds But as many members in a body hinder not the unity of the whole and many Towns in a Kingdome and many houses in a city and many rooms in a house or in the Ark hinder not the unity thereof so many particular Congregations hinder not the unity of the Church-Catholike Est una sola Christi Ecclesia quae ob idetiam dicitur Catholica Particulares Ecclesiae non sunt impedimento quin una sit Ecclesia Zanch. de Ecclesia Chap. 4. My Dove my undefiled is but one she is the only one of her mother Can. 6.9 She is the Lilly among the thorns Can. 2.2 which is the Church militant She is called the Spouse of Christ Cant. 4.8 9 10. Again Cant. 6.4 Thou art beautiful O my love as Tirzah comely as Jerusalem terrible as an army with banners These things are spoken of the Church militant and though some things here mentioned
That the Church-Catholike may by persecutions wars c. be brought into a narrow room and haply to one Congregation Answ It is possible yet all the essence and priviledges of the Church-Catholike visible are contracted and reserved therein and from them conveyed and derived ministerially to those whom they shall convert and so shall dilate it self again To this M. Ellis replyeth first with little better then a scoff We see saith he what straights this large conceit of the universal visible Church doth drive unto Vind. pag. 58. But I let that passe He answers secondly that this answer implyeth that the Church-Catholike is a species and the particular Churches the severals of it this confoundeth universal and particular But how doth this imply it Suppose a city should by pestilence or fire c. be brought to the tenth of the buildings and men that sometime it had yet retaining the same Charter and Officers and priviledges it is still the same city though not so great as before and must this imply that the city as a genus or universal and the particular streets the species or particulars under it no but the city was the integral and they the parts it is now mutilated and maimed but it may be reedifyed and grow populous again and so may the Church though much wasted Nay it implyeth that it is not a genus for that cannot be contracted nor dilated for it is a notion not existing as M. Ellis himself confesseth Vind. pag. 58. M. Hooker also Surv. â—60 261. hath an Objection much to the same purpose and to that the same answer shall serve But he further objects That this contracted Church extends not it self to all persons and places as was said of the Church-Catholike before Answ Actually the Church-Catholike did never so extend it self when at largest but potentially in regard there is liberty for all to accept it and enjoy those priviledges and so there is still left O but this Congregation may fail the Catholike cannot Answ The whole may in it self but is kept by Gods power and promise at least some remnants of it For it cannot wholly fail O but an Integrum cannot be reserved in a member of it Answ It cannot be so large an Integrum nor every way the same yet the whole being similar though great part be taken away yet the remainer is an integral to the parts that are left though but a member to what was formerly I shall here also consider a little that notion whereby he would seem to untie the knot of this difficulty p. 259. and 260. That only saith he which put fair colours upon this false conceit is the misapprehension of some particular examples viz. when they say that any portion of water divided every part of it is water and hath the name and nature of it The answer is that the predication or affirmation of it is not by vertue of that division of a portion of water that is made as Integri in membra but because the nature is preserved in the least portion of it and thence this predication this water is water is made good because a Genus and Species are there preserved and attended going along with the division of Integri in membra For when we say Haec aqua est aqua the Arguments are Genus and Species Answ That it is an essential predication it cannot be denied but this doth not necessarily make them genus and species for there is an essential predication of species infima on all the Individuals as well as of the genus on the species but there is a great difference between the species and Individuals for the species exist not and therefore cannot be brought into an integral but the individuals may as we see many great integrals of water in the sea and rivers c. which contain many individuals in one integral but not many species as may be shewed both in natural and political bodies It is true the predication is not by vertue of that division of Integri in membra but because the form of water to which the properties of water do belong is retained in the particular parts or members And so every visible beleever is called a Christian and a member of Christs visible Kingdom because the form viz. visible beleeving common to all Christians and all members is found in him and every particular Church is called a Church because the form common to all Churches is found in it to which forms all the priviledges and properties and promises of a Christian or of a Church as members of the whole body do belong Now hence ariseth another Question more likely to decide the controversie viz. whence this right in this common nature doth arise whether from its self or by vertue of a Covenant If by vertue of a Covenant then whether by a Covenant between man and man or between God and man If by vertue of a Covenant between man and man such as is the Covenant of particular Congregations which our brethren make the form thereof which the particular members enter into then none that want particular membership or are not invested thereinto by that particular Covenant can have any right to any priviledges or promises of the Church Then the Apostles Evangelists c. either wanted right to the Ordinances priviledges and promises or had their right by vertue of some particular membership of and covenant with the Church of Jerusalem or some other particular Churches but we reade of no such thing Then how can a man converted from heathenism have right to Baptism which is a priviledge of the Church and an Ordinance of God seeing he is no member of nor in Covenant with any Congregation neither can be until baptized as I conceive See Qu. 2. S. 4. If this right come by the general visible covenant between God and all visible beleevers and all these visible beleevers by this general visible Covenant are made an external body and kingdom of Christ then all these priviledges and promises belonging to visible beleevers are given first to the whole body and secondarily to the members thereof The being a member for a particular Congregation giveth only opportunity of enjoying the priviledges of the external body but not the actual immediate right thereunto for that they had before any such admittance or combination by vertue of their being visible beleevers and so being members of the body in the general external Covenant No man will say that this particular drop of water is cold and moist because it is a part or member of this particular pond or river but because it is a part of the element of water unto which primarily those properties do belong and yet the element of water is not united into one body by any Covenant as the whole Church is But if this be true that haec aqua est aqua be genus and species then it followeth that there are so many species of water as there