long-sufferance for a pattern 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that 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 this truth because their conversion shall come from the head root and fountain it self of the Church as Abrahams call was And no question but Christ did convert many in the daies of his flesh when he was actually and visibly a member of the Church here below And if any be converted by secret inspiration or revelation and neither converted nor fed by any external Ordinances as haply some infants of heathens or any Philosophers as Plato if haply there were any so converted they are not to be accounted of the visible Church and so not belonging to this question There is a double rise of the particular Churches out of the general First All Congregations are made up of the members of the Church Entitive or of persons that are visible beleevers and their children which are holy being born in the Covenant Secondly Consider the Church-Catholike as Christs Kingdom or Corporation already invested with Evangelical Ordinances and Priviledges and it affords a twofold rise to those that are added to them First They are instrumental by their preaching godly conversation and sometimes by their sufferings to convert those that are aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel Secondly They give them ministerially their admittance entrance and as I may say freedom in the Church both as private members and if any of them be ordained Officers it is by such as are Officers before and not quâ Officers of the particular Churches for it is an extrinsecal act to them as so considered but of the general And in the erecting of a new Congregation in New-England there is to be the consent advice and help of the Elders of neighbour-Churches they are not only to allow thereof but also to ordain them Elders which cannot be an act of particular Officers for it is no act toward their own flocks it is extraneous to them but it is as they are are habitually general Officers and this occasion draws forth their power for the good and encrease of the whole Sect. 6. If it be asked What is sufficient to make a man a member of the visible Church I answer knowledge and belief of the main points of the Christian faith and professed subjection thereunto And this is as much as the Apostles required as in the case of the Eunuch and Simon Magus c. and if it were sufficient then it is so still for those were the purest Churches erected by infallible men and yet they went upon no other grounds So many as gladly received the word were baptized Act 2 41. And yet this is no more then may be found in an hypocrite out of novelty sudden flashes admiration at the extraordinary gifts and miracles and was found in the stony ground which received the word with joy And we have no other rule to go by in gathering Churches or receiving members into a Church then they had neither may we presume to make any other Sic omnes ferè Reformati Theologi celebres materiam visibilis Ecclesiae 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 Apol. p. 8. Vide etiam utrumque Trelcatium in locis com Loc. de Ecclesia Professores Lâ—idenses Disp 40. Thes 3. It is true God commands true piety and no man shall see Gods face in blisse nor be of the invisible company without it But I speak what is requisite in fora Ecclesiae and what matter must be for a visible Church and then I conceive it is not absolutely requisite that the persons should be truly godly to make them members thereof For if it were otherwise no man could tell when he is in a true Church or who are true members or whose childe ought to be baptized And if the living members of Christ were the only or essential members of a visible Church then none are true essential members but they and a truly godly Minister is a more essential Minister then another and the Ordinances administred by him are more essentially administred then by another and then the vertue of the Ordinance should depend not on Christs Institution but on the worthinesse of the person administring And haply after many years living under a Minister that seemed godly that Minister by falling away shews himself that he was not so and then all those Ordinances were null being administred by one that was not only no Minister but no true member of the Church I therefore conclude with that saying of Ames in his Bellarm. Enervat Falsum est internas virtutes requiri a nobis ut aliquis sit in Ecclesia quo ad visibilem ejus statum And this M. Norton in Resp ad Apollon p. 3. acknowledgeth Potest aliquis in externa Ecclesiae communionem admitti qui reali sanctitate regenerationis justificante fide non est praeditus seu qui rigido examine exploratus signa verae fidei sanctitatis internae realis tam evidenâ—ia non dederit quae omnem conscientiam hominum convincere possint aâ— sincer á ejus fide c. Neque necessariò quaerendum an articulatim possint demonstrare evidentiae verae gratiae salutaris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but only they must be fideles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he expresseth himself in divers places they must be Ecclesiastice fidelos apparenter c. non semper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 11. In casibus Ecclesiasticis Iudas reverâ non fidelis ita aestimandus a co-Apostolis ut se gerant erga illum ac si esset fidelis p. 12. There may be a holinesse of dedication and consecration where there is no true holinesse of regeneration and sanctification Object But holinesse of dedication and consecration is founded upon holinesse of sanctification at least supposed and therefore all the Church-members ought to have supposed sanctification Answ That sanctification is commanded by God to every one that will dedicate himself unto God is clear But for the supposition of it in all it will be hard to prove God enjoyned his people of Israel to consecrate themselves unto him to be his people yet he did not suppose them all to be godly for he expresseth the contrary of them neither did Moses and Aaron suppose so of them not the Prophets for they expresse the quite contrary And if we come to the New Testament it cannot be conceived that Iohn Baptist or Christs Apostles did in their personal judgements apprehend all those to be truly godly whom they baptized and dedicated to God For Iohn called the Scribes and Pharisees a generation of
A VINDICATION OF THE ESSENCE AND UNITY OF THE CHVRCH CATHOLIKE VISIBLE AND The Priority thereof in regard of Particular CHURCHES In answer to the Objections made against it both by Mr John Ellis junior and by that Reverend and worthy Divine Mr Hooker in his Survey of Church Discipline By SAMUEL HUDSON Minister of the Gospel at Capell in Suff. LONDON Printed by A. M. for Christopher Meredith at the Signe of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard 1650. TO THE Reverend Assembly of DIVINES assembled at Westminster REverend and much honoured Fathers and Brethren it is a received Maxime that publike rights and interests are to be preferred before private and particular spiritual before secular divine before humane Now as the internal spiritual goverment of Christ in the invisible Church is farre more excellent then any other so also his external visible government of the visible Church hath the preheminence above all visible civil governments and Kingdoms of this world And if it be lawful even for private persons to vindicate by humane Laws the extents and rights of their particular civil inheritances and possessions and if it be accounted the duty of good subjects to vindicate the extents and rights of their civil Soveraigns Dominions with their Estates and Lives even by the Sword then much more is it the duty of Christs Subjects by disputes and argumentations to vindicate the extents and rights of Christs external political Kingdom the one being but of civil concernment the other divine the one tending but to a civil end the other a spiritual And therefore I hope none will blame me for appearing in publike to contend for the extent and rights of Christs political Kingdom in his Church here on earth My first Thesis on this Subject was composed for the private use of my self and some few neighbour Ministers in a monethly private meeting according to our custome But being made publike at the desires of others it met with opposition from two reverend Brethren first by M. John Ellis junior who undertook to confute it with other Tractates of divers of my betters that were 〈…〉 the same subject and secondly by Reverend Mr. Hooker who is since departed out of the visible militant Church into the invisible Triumphant the losse of which burning and shining light the Church of God cannot sufficiently lament Now because some things therein set down were by them mistaken and other things not so fully cleared as I desired I thought good to set it out again more enlarged and vindicated from the mistakes and oppositions that it met withall The reasons of my so long delay herein were First because I was the least and least concerned therein though the most tartly dealt withall by M Ellis And secondly because I desired to see some of my betters go before me in vindication of their own Tractates of the same subject And thirdly because I understood by M. Ellis's book and by common fame that there was an answer to M. Rutherford coming out wherein I should finde my question discussed by that eminent and worthy Divine M. Hooker which was indeed sent over but perished in the sea and so was retarded one year longer until it could be transcribed and sent over again And since that was printed the seat of the warre by the siege of Colchester coming so near us we were all in a fear and danger so that I thought it no fit time to attend to controversies and I had indeed almost laid it quite aside but that the importunities of some and the insultings of others excited me again to take it in hand And now I finde a fourfold unhappinesse hath betided me herein First The darknesse and sublimity of the Subject which I could no way make plain so as to be understood by vulgar apprehensions because the handling thereof put me necessarily upon the use of so many latine words and logical terms of art which are not usually understood by common people And therefore despairing to be understood but by those that had some skill in the Latine tongue and in Logick I have set down the words of such Authors as I have had occasion to cite in their own languages in which I found them lest otherwise this Tractate should swell too great A second unhappinesse is that this Tenet seemeth to crosse so many of our own Divines in their writings against the Papists But indeed it doth only seem so for it is manifest that the Church Catholike which they intend is not the same with this that I have to deal about For they speak of the Church Catholike consisting only of the Elect and I consent unto them that thâ—â— Church is 〈◊〉 â—â—le but my question is about the external state of the Church containing hypocrites as well as those that are truly godly in which Church the Ordinances of worship and discipline were set A third is that I am fallen upon a subject wherein I can finde so few going before me and therefore could have the lesse help from Authours A fourth is that I being a mean Countrey-Minister want both those abilities and opportunities to enable me to write of controversies having constant employment of preaching in mine own Congregation and frequently abroad lying upon me so that I cannot attend polemical Divinity as they must that undertake such a work My principal scope in this and the former Thesis is to prove that there is one Church Catholike visible on earth and that Gods intention and donation of the Ordinances of worship and discipline was first to the whole Church and secondarily to the particular Churches as parts thereof And yet I acknowledge the ordinary and constant exercise of those Ordinances is primarily in the particular Churches and a secondary and only occasional exercise of them in greater parts thereof and a very rare exercise of them in the whole conjunctim upon some general extraordinary occasion and that can be no otherwise then by delegated Commissioners from the several parts of the whole when convenible If it be conceived by any that some of the Arguments in this Tractate are multiplied more then is needfull and are laid down more singly then was meet I will not deny it Be pleased in the reading of them to consider them together and I hope they will prove conclusive I finde also by the review of this Tractate that some things are ofter touched upon then I was aware of be pleased to impute it partly to my forgetfulnesse and partly to mine endeavour to follow the method of my former Thesis and yet to answer what was objected against it by others who followed their own methods which occasioned some coincidency And since the transcribing of it for the Presse there came to my hands two other Tractates about the same subject written from N. E. the one in Latine by that reverend and worthy M. Norton Minister at Ipswich there in answer to Apollonius the other by two reverend Ministers viz. M. Allen and M. Shepard
Church-Catholike consist only of the elect redeemed ones called out of the world into a supernatural estate and yet the particular Churches which are similar and constituent parts of it consist of members that are 〈◊〉 of them only Saints in appearance and not in truth yea some whole Churches erring schismatical 〈…〉 maâ—tâ—â— as the particular visible Churches which are the members of the Catholike consist of such must the Church Catholike consist of which is the similar integral And though such as are only Saints in appearance and not in truth are said by M. Norton in his answer to Apollonius p. 87. to be equivocal members of particular Churches yet are they as truly members of the whole as they are of the parts and they are so for true as that their external communion and administrations if any such be Officers are true and valid both in respect of the particular Churches and the Catholike quond 〈◊〉 â—â—â—station And it is his own rule Resp p. 88. Quicquid inest parti inest toti that which is in the part is in the whole And again he saith Ecclesiae Catholica Ecclesiae particulares communicant essentiâ nomine Ecclesiae particulares pro varijs earum rationibus habent se ut partes ut adjuncta Ecclesiae Catholicae Ex naturâ ex ratione sunt ut res 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. similares ut mare appellatur aqua ita qualibet gutta maris appellatur aqua Resp pag. 87. therefore they must needs consist of the same kinde of matter as they are both visible A TABLE Of the chief things contained in this Tractate CHAPTER 1. The explication of the terms of the Question Page 1. Section 1. WHat is meant by Ecclesia or Church It is taken in a civil and theological sense In a theological sense 1 Primarily and properly for the whole company of the elect which is called the Invisible Church 2 2 For the company of visible beleevers 3 For the members as distinct from the Officers of the Church 4 For the Elders or governours of the Church as distinct from the body 3 5 For the faithful in some one family 4 Section 2. What is meant by visible The distinction of the visible and invisible Church opened The difference between visible visum The Churches mentioned in the N. T. were visible Churches 6 An Objection of the absurdity of wicked mens being members of the body of Christ answered by a distinction of Christs body The distinction of the Church into visible and invisible is not exact 8 The invisible members of the Church are also visible What a Church visible is 9 The description vindicated from some objections against it 10 Section 3. What is meant by Catholike universal or oecumenical 11 Four acceptations of the word Catholike and which of them suit the question What the universal visible Church is 12 Diverse descriptions of it and quotations out of Divines both ancient and modern about it 13 What a National Church is 15 Diverse proofs from Scripture for a National Church under the Gospel The description of a particular visible Church given by Gersom Bucerus scanned 17 Mr Cottons description of a visible 18 Four Quaeries about it propounded 1. Whether the matter of it consisteth only of Saints called out of the world 2. Whether every particular visible Church be a mystical body of Christ or but only a part of it seeing Christ hath but one mystical body in the same sense 3. Whether the form of a particular visible Church be a particular Covenant 19 4. Whether all the Ordinances of God can be enjoyed in a particular visible Church 20 Which for some of them seemeth very inconvenient And for others impossible M. Nortons description of a particular Church 22 A Congregational Church standing alone hardly found in the New Testament Section 4. What is meant by prima vel secundaria orta 23 The primity of the Church-Catholike in a threefold respect 24 The difference between this question and M. Parkers Chapter 2. Proofs by Scripture for a Church-Catholike visible 25 Section 1. Our Divines in answer to the Papists mean by Church-Catholike the invisible Church only 26 Yet is there also an external visible Kingdom of Christ as well as an internal and invisible M. Hookers acknowledgement of a political body or Kingdom of Christ on earth 27 D. Ames testimony of a Church-Catholike visible 28 Section 2. Diverse proofs out of the Old Testament for a Church-Catholike visible 29 Section 3. Diverse proofs out of the New Testament for a Church-Catholike visible 31 Act. 8.3 and Gal. 1.13 vindicated Act. 2.47 vindicated 33 1 Cor. 10.32 vindicated 35 Gal. 4.26 opened 37 Eph. 3.10 vindicated 38 Section 4. 1 Cor. 12.28 vindicated 39 Two answers of M. Hookers concerning this text considered 40 Diverse answers to this text by M. Ellis refuted 41 An Objection of M. Hookers about Deacons set in the same Church where Apostles were set answered 51 Section 5. 1 Tim. 3.15 vindicated 53 Diverse texts vindicated where the Church-Catholike is called the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of heaven 55 Mr Hookers answer to those texts considered 1 Cor. 15.24 vindicated 56 Heb. 12.28 vindicated 57 Section 6. 1 Cor. 5.12 vindicated 58 Eph. 4.4 5. vindicated 59 Mat. 16.18 vindicated 60 M. Hookers acknowledgement that this text is meant of the visible Church 61 3. Ep. of John ver 10. vindicated 62 Chapter 3. Proofs by arguments and reason that there is a Church-Catholike visible 64 Section 1. 1 From Gods donation unto Christ of an universal Kingdom 2 From Gods intention in sending Christ and the tenour of Gods exhibition of Christ in his word to the whole world 65 3 From the general preaching and receiving of the Gospel 66 4 From the general Charter whereby the Church is constituted Section 2. 5 From the generality of the Officers of the Church and general donation of the Ministry 67 6 From the general vocation wherewith and general Covenant whereinto all Christians are called 68 7 From the generality of the initial seal admittance and enrowlment 69 8 From the external catholike union between all visible Christians 70 Section 3. 9 From the individual system or body of laws proceeding frrm the same authority whereby the whole is governed 10 From the general external communion intercourse and communication between all Christians 71 11 From the general extension of excommunication 73 12 If there be parts of the Church-Catholike there is a whole Section 4. Many metaphors in Scripture setting forth the whole Church under an unity 74 Chapter 4. That the Church-Catholike visible is one Integral or Totum integrale Section 1. First Negatively that it is not a Genus 77 1 Because a Genus is drawn by mental abstraction of species but the Catholike visible is made up by conjunction or apposition of the several members 2 A Genus hath no existence of its own which the Church-Catholike visible
a quovis impio nec pio videri potest saith Whitaker And if the word Church be taken in that sense it is most certainly true it must needs be invisible But there is also an external communion as hath been shewed before which the visible members have both with Christ and one with another which is visible and makes the enjoyers thereof visible one to another and to all others also viz. their praying one with another and for another and their hearing the Word and receiving the Lords-Supper together as occasion is offered and their receiving all those as visible members of the visible mystical Kingdom and body of Christ that are admitted in any part of the Church by baptism and the avoiding of such as are any where excommunicated and the receiving again into communion those that are any where absolved So that there is an external visible Kingdom of Christ as well as an internal and invisible and the elect are of the visible Kingdom as well as of the invisible they are as Ezechiels wheels a wheel in the midst of a wheel It is true which reverend M. Hooker puts me in minde of that these 4. Questions between the Pontificians and our Divines are distinct Vtrum Ecclesia sit visibilis Vtrum Ecclesia visibilis potest deficere An sit semper frequenâ— gloriosa Vtrum Ecclesia opus habet visibili monarchâ summo Judice But they are rather marshalled so by our Divines in their answers then distinguished by themselves for they often confound visible conspicuous glorious manifest specious splendid magnifical and flourishing together yet the Church is visible when latent under persecutions and is deprived of the other properties for all the members even then are not invisible members of Christ Cameron granteth that these properties may betide the visible Church but not alwaies and so say some of the Papists also and that when they do betide the Church they rather shew Quid sit Ecclesia quam quae sit that it cannot be discerned which is the true Church by these accidents of perpetual clarity Cameron de Conspic Eccl. The Pontificians notion of the Church Catholike is very absurd for they hold the name Church-Catholike to belong to one Church viz. the Church of Rome and that being the Church-Catholike and comprizing the universality of the Church in it self all that will be members of the Church-Catholike must submit unto them and be members of that Of which Tylen in Synâ—â—g saith well Orbem urbi includunt And the necessity which they make that this one visible Church should be under one visible universal head on earth viz. the Pope as Christs vicar general is as absurd and therefore they are worthily confuted by our Divines But to deny an external Kingdome or Church of Christ upon earth or to deny the visibility or perceptibility of it or the unity of it or the univesality of it under the Gospel is as I conceive as absurd on the other side To the particulars I shall speak more fully in following Chapters I finde reverend M. Hooker in his Survey of Church-Discipline par 1. pag. 3. acknowledging Christ a political head by his especial guidance in means and dispensations of his Ordinances as well as a mystical by spiritual influence and the Church a political body as well as a mystical The political body or church-Church-visible saith he results out of that relation which is betwixt the professors of the faith when by voluntary consent they yeeld outward subjection to that government of Christ which in his word he hath prescribed and as an external head exerciseth by his Word Spirit and Discipline by his Ordinances and Officers over them who have yeelded themselves subjects to his headship and supream authority And pag. 25. The visible Church is truly stiled and judged by Scripture light to be the visible body of Christ over whom he is a head by political government and guidance which he lends thereunto 1 Cor. 12.12 And that it is a visible politick body appears quite through the whole Chapter but especially ver 27 28. Because in that Church God set Orders and Officers Some Apostles Teachers Helpers Governments The like to this Eph. 4.12.13 Again p. 16. The Church is the visible Kingdom in which Christ reigns by the scepter of his word and Ordinances and execution of Discipline The testimony cited out of Ames by me was this Congregationes ille particulares sunt quasi partes simulares Ecclesiae Catholica atque adeò nomen naturam ejus participanâ— And further he saith Illi qui proâ—essione â—â—ntum sunt fideles dum remaâ—ene in illa societâ—â—â— sunt membra illius Ecclesia sicut etiam Ecclesia Catholice quo ad statum exterâ—â—m Ames medul l. 1. c. 22. Sect. 11. And in his Bellarminus euerâ—atus he saith Nos fotemur Ecclesiam militantem visibilem esse quo ad formam accidentalem exteruam insuit partibus singulatim conjunctim c. Here I am taxed by M. Ellis vind p 53. for citing this authour for me who is known to be against me But I answer I dealt candidly with D. Ames acknowledging him to be against a Church-Catholike visible in some sense and yet not against it in some other sense 〈◊〉 expresse words declare Neither doth he reject iâ— terminis an universal visible Church in my sense as M. Ellis affirme but my position stands good for ought that I finde in D. Aâ—â—â— though I 〈◊〉 consent to his judgement in all things But let M. Ellis observe that Ames doth not hold the Church which is mystically one to be a genus or one generically sed quasi species specialissima vel Individuum quia nullas habet species propriè dictas Dicitur igitur Catâ—olica non ut 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 genus aut generale aliquid significat sed ut denotat aliquid significat sed ut denotut aliquid integraliter universale ut quum dicimus Orbis universus quia complectitur fideles omnium gentium omnium locorum omnium temporum Med. l. 1. c. 31. n. 18 19. Again cap. 32. n. 5. he saith Ecclesia particularis respectu communis illius naturae qua in omnibus particularibus Ecclesijâ— reperitur est species Ecclesiae in genere sed respectu Ecclesia Catholicae quae habet rationem integri est membrum ex aggregatione variorum membrorum singularium compositum atque respectu ipsorum est etiam integrum Which is as much as in this part of the question I contended for viz. that the Church-Catholike in regard of the external and accidental form is an integral and not a genus But M. Ellis makes the Church-Catholike one only in regard of the internal essential form and not in regard of any external form wherein he expresly crosseth Ames And therefore I retort it upon him again that he citeth a man for him which is expresly against him The external form is that which is visible and if the
Church-Catholike be one in the external accidental form it must needs be integrally and visibly one But I come to Scripture proofs which are the most sure Sect. 2. because they are a divine testimony And first I shall shew you that an Occumenical universal Church was frequently foretold in Scripture Psa 22.27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship be fore him Which comprehends all places all the ends of the earth and all persons that should be converted all the kindreds of the Nations and by worshipping is meant embracing the true religion and performance of religious duties So Psa 72.8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth It is a prophecy concerning Christ in the times of the Gospel where he is set forth by his Kingly office and the extent of his Kingdom is set out to be to the ends of the earth This is his external political Kingdom because it is set out by the external prayers and prayses and gifts that should be tendred unto him by his Subjects and by the judgement peace and flourishing estate that he shall bestow upon them So Psa 86.9 All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy name This is a prophecy like the former So Isa 2.2 3 4. It shall come to passe in the last daies that the mountain of the Lords house shall be established on the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hils and all Nations shall flow unto it and many people shall go and say Come ye let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us his waies and we will walk in his paths For out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and he shall judge among the Nations and rebuke many people c. Where is set down Christs call of all the Nations and the time of this call in the last daies i. e. the times under the Gospel as the Apostle Act. 2.17 expounds the like phrase in Joel 2.28 And here is the means of the call by the Law out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and the answer to this call All Nations shall flow unto it and there is Christs executing his prophetical office by publike teaching them in his house by his Ambassadours and his Kingly office in judging and rebuking So Isa 25.6 So Daniel 7.14 There was given unto him Christ Dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him And in the New Testament Matt. 28.9 Go teach all Nations baptizing them c. Rom. 15.11 12. Rev. 14.6 But because these places will be turned off with this answer that some of all Nations should embrace the Gospel and be turned unto the Lord not the whole Nations I answer that experience hath proved it true of multitudes of great Nations that wholly did embrace the Gospel and submitted unto it Neither can any of these places be avoided as some plead by the general Kingdom of Christ which is given him over all Nations whereby he is head over all things to the Church Eph. 1.2 For it is clear they are meant of that Kingdom wherein are prayers praises gifts worship service and attendance upon Gods Ordinances flowing unto Christ worshipping before him and glorifying his name as the several texts expresse and these things are proper to the visible Church So also Zech. 14.9 And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one which is clearly meant of one religion and way of worship of God in Christ But secondly Sect. 3. I will give you places of Scripture where the word Church is applied both indefinitely and generally which cannot be understood of any particular Churches See first Act. 8.3 Saul made havock of the Church To which may be added that of Gal. 1.13 I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it I shewed before that this must needs be a visible Church for they could not else have been persecuted persecution is a visible opposition of a visible Church And certainly Saul could not discern who were of the invisible company but persecuted promiscuously all that were that way Neither was it a particular Church for this persecution was in Jerusalem and in every Synagogue and it reached to Damascus and even to strange cities Act. 26.11 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 general which axiome although it should not be stretched according to the old rule Omne indefinitum potest esse infinitum it being without limits yet it is true in suo genere it is as large as a general But this we may safely say that by the same reason that the word Church would reach all those Churches it would reach all the Churches in the world Reverend M. Hooker excepteth against these two places and affirms that the word Church is taken here by a Synechdoche for the particular Church of Ierusalem and not all that neither but only such Christians as forsook Moses ceremonial Law and not the Christian Jewish Church Surv. c. 15. p. 269. Because saith he his Commission was to pursue such as he found of that way The answer to this exception will lie in the meaning of these words all that he found of that way whether by that way be meant the forsaking the ceremonial Law or confessing Christ to be the Messiah If the former then Paul would have found but little work in Ierusalem for the Jewish Christians did generally cleave to the ceremonial Law As the Elders told Paul Act. 21.20 Thou seest how many myriads of the Jews do believe and they are all zealous of the Law and therefore he needed not persecute them for neglect thereof for they were zealous therein yea the Apostles themselves observed that in Ierusalem a long time But the persecution was such as that they were all scattered abroad except the Apostles and therefore it was for Christianism that he persecuted them It was to cause them to blaspheme as Paul himself expounds it now though reducing of them to the ceremonial Law had been an errour yet it was not a blasphemy for then the Apostles themselves should have lived in blasphemy Surely it was to cause them to blaspheme the Lord Iesus Christ and deny him to be the Messiah It is most likely that Sauls Commission was according the former decree of the chief Priests Ioh. 9.22 That if any did confesse that he was Christ he should be put out of the Synagogue And this appears by what Ananias saith to Christ concerning Paul Act. 9.14
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 Evangelical Catholike Church consisting of Jews and Gentiles as one body and not Catholike as some take it for the Church past present and to come for those already in heaven are out of gunne-shot of assault but it is meant de Ecclesia vivorum de militante de Ecclesia quam Christus erat aedificaturus Object O but this place is meant only of the Church invisible for they that are only visible may be prevailed against Answ It is true that any particular meerly visible member may be prevailed against yet all shall not and even the invisible members which cannot be prevailed against so many as are left in any though never so general and fierce persecution shall remain as visible For Ecclesia nunquam definit esse visibilis Therefore Satan or men shall never so far prevail as to cut off all visible members And though heresies should come that deceive all but the elect which is not supposable yet as long as the Elect are not deceived there remaineth a Church Catholike visible still in their visibility But it cannot be affirmed that all are invisible members that are left or hold out in the hottest persecutions or subtlest heresies strong enlightnings and covictions and struglings of conscience and other by-ends may do much Latent members may not be invisible But the reasons which induce me to think that this text is meant of the Church visible are these two I finde in the context First because this Church is built upon this visible or audible profession that Christ is the sonne of God which Peter made The rock there spoken of is not an indefinite Messiah to come for so the Church from the beginning of the world was built on that work but the profession and doctrine that the Messiah is already come that this Jesus is the Messiah and this Jesus the Messiah is the sonne of God It is the confessing that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh 1 Joh. 4.2 3. And the beleeving that I am he saith Christ Joh. 8.24 And therefore the Jews that believed before in an indefinite Messiah to come were upon their conversion to the Christian faith built upon this rock and by a new Sacrament admitted into this Christian Church as well as the Gentiles Secondly Because Christ immediatly in the next verse affixeth officers to this Church by promising the keys of the Kingdom of heaven unto Peter and not to him only but to the rest also as appears in other places which keys are an Ensign of office in that Church which Christ would build Thirdly Because the admission into this Evangelical Church was upon a visible profession of their belief of this doctrine and a visible receiving of a visible external badg of baptisme Fourthly Because this Church is assaulted by visible adversaries viz. persecutors and hereticks and that visibly and though they shall never wholly prevail against it yet visibly waste great part of it many times And M. Hooker himself acknowledgeth that he doth incline to this judgement of this text viz. that it is the visible Church that is there meant Surv. c. 15. p. 278. Only he objecteth against a reason which I brought of it which was to this purpose If all the visible members should fail then all the invisible must needs fail also for none are invisible in the Church I mean but must be visible also His Objection against this is because an invisible member may be justly excommunicated and so cast out of all the visible Churches in the world and so be no visible member and yet remain an invisible member still for that membership cannot be lost Answ It is very doubtful to me how far excommunication casteth a man out of the visible Church it debars him indeed from the Lords Supper because it is a seal and from familiar intimate society with Gods people because he is an infected member and so doth a notorious sinne though the man be not excommunicated But I conceive it cuts him not off totally from the visible Church For first the seal of baptism remaineth on him and therefore is not iterated at his readmission Secondly he is admitted to hearing the word and prayer and conference with Gods people He is a diseased leprous member under censure shut from the most intimate actual communion until he be cured and cleansed That which is done to him is under consideration of discipline as to a member now diseased in order to cure not as to one that is damned or to one that is under the sinne against the holy Ghost as Julian the Apostate was And if any godly person through weaknesse of judgement concerning Churches not rightly gathered refuse to be baptized as M. Hooker suggesteth he is indeed no compleat member in that regard but he being converted by visible means and making visible profession he is an incompleat visible member of the Church-Catholike Entitive Again Excommunication in 3 Ep. Joh. ver 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 Then I would know whether a man truly excommunicated in one Church or Congregation is not thereby excommunicated from brotherly fellowship with all Congregations yea and Christians not gathered yet into Congregations Or whether the delivering up to Satan by the Officers of a particular Congregation be only within the bounds of one Congregation or in reference to their members only so that if he remove out of such a circle or circuit of ground to another or from those members to others he be out of Satans bonds again and may communicate there de jure This M. Hooker saith is per Synecdochen generis pro Specie that particular Church where Diotrephes usurped preheminence is understood For when a person is justly excommunicated from the Congregation in which he was it follows of necessity that all that fellowship he might enjoy by vertue of communion of Churches must of that necessity be denied unto him and he justly deprived thereof because in the vertue of his fellowship with one he gained fellowship with others Answ Whether the word Church be there properly or per Synecdochen generis or Synecdochen Integri I shall not now enquire but refer it to a Chapter by it self in which shall be enquired whether the Church-Catholike be a genus or integrum But I question much whether a mans fellowship with one Congregation be the ground whereby he gaineth fellowship and communion with others For then how came the Apostles and Evangelists by right of communion with any Churches seeing they were fixed members of none And how could the 120. and 3000. converted by Peter have right of communion and breaking bread together before
any Congregations were set up or setled Therefore I conceive the primary right to communion is gained by being of the visible body not by being of this or that Congregation By being within the general Covenant not by any particular Covenant And I conceive that Baptism and Excommunication run parallel herein for as by Baptism a man is admitted externally into the whole visible body and then may have fellowship with any part of the body so by Excommunication a man is cast out from communion with the whole and therefore may communicate with no part This is Apollonius his assertion Sicut per Excommunicationem legitimam excommunicatus non tantum ex hac vel illa particulari Ecclesia ejicitur sed ubicunque terrarum ligatur ex communione fraeternâ universalis Ecclesiae exeluditur Mat. 18.17 18. Ita per Sacramentum Baptismi sacrae Eucharistiae homini communio Ecclesiastica Chap. 3. non tantùm in particulari sed universali Ecclesiâ obsignatur Confid quarund contro c. 2. Art 3. And though the power of Excommunication lyeth in the particular Congregation where a person enjoies his membership under the Kingdom of Jesus Christ as M. Hooker saith yet the Officers of that particular Church dispense that censure in reference to the whole body whereof he that is so censured was a member as well as of that Congregation for being cast out of that let him be or go where he will he is under the Kingdom of Satan and all Churches should look at him as a Traitour against Christ and so deal with him as one uncapable of Church-communion Surv. c. 15. So on the contrary though Baptism be administred in a particular Congregation yet a man so admitted in any Congregation ought to be counted a subject to Christ and not to be denied fellowship in any other Congregation being a member of the visible body except he some way forfeit his right So that both admission into and ejection out of the Church though performed by Officers in a particular Congregation yet relate first to the whole body CHAP. III. Proofs by Arguments and Reason that there is a Church-Catholike visible Sect. 1. THe first Argument is from Gods donation unto Christ and it stands thus If the donation of a Kingdom by God the Father unto Jesus Christ be universal and Oecumenical then his Kingdom which is his Church is also universal and Oecumenical But the donation was of an universal Oecumenical Kingdom Therefore there is such an universal Oecumenical Kingdom or Church The major proposition is clear for whatsoever God the Father gave or promised unto Jesus Christ that he performed The minor or assumption is proved out of divers places of Scripture As Psa 2.8 Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession Which is spoken of the donative Kingdome of Christ given to him at his asking and not the essential or natural Kingdom as God Psal 72.8 He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth Where is mentioned the external worship and offerings given unto him The like promise we finde Isa 49.6 It is a light thing that thou shouldest raise up the Tribes of Iacob I will give thee for a light unto the Gentiles that thou maist be my salvation to the ends of the earth Also Dan. 7 14. And there was given unto him Christ dominion and glory and a kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed Which is meant of the donative Kingdom given to Christ incarnate at his ascention answering to Eph. 4.8 where the officers of his Kingdom are set down And to Phil. 2 9. This is not only the internal Kingdom in the heart for that he exercised from the beginning but also an external Kingdom or Church politie over all nations after the ruine of the four Monarchies which should be exercised over those Kingdoms which formerly were subject to those Monarchies which Kingdom is that little stone cut out of the mountain without hands which became a great mountain and filled the whole earth which the God of heaven should set up visibly in the stead of those Monarchies Dan. 2.44 not in a civil power of this world but in spiritual and divine Ordinances which all Kingdoms that should be converted to the Christian faith should submit themselves unto And this one mountain filling the whole earth must needs be one Church-Catholike visible submitting visibly to Christ 2. If Gods intention in sending Christ and the tenour of Gods donation and exhibition of Christ and redemption by Christ in his revealed will be general to the whole world then the visible Church is to be Catholike But the former is true and therefore so is the latter I mean by general Generibus singulorum non singulis generum The donation of Christ and redemption by him was not to the Jews only as the Jews conceived but to the whole world Ioh. 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world not the Jews only that he gave his only begotten sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life i. e. that whosoever in any part of the world of what nation soever should beleeve should have everlasting life That the world through him might be saved vers 17. The Antithesis is not between the elect and reprobate that whosoever of the elect beleeve as the Arminians make our sense of the words to runne ridiculously though I confesse the elect only do truly beleeve but it is between the Iew and the rest of the world So Ioh. 4.42 Ioh. 6.33.51 2 Cor. 5.19 1 Ioh. 2.2 a propitiation for the sins of the whole world 1 Ioh. 4.14 The Saviour of the world Now though many of the benefits purchased by Christ for his elect be spiritual and invisible and obtained only by the invisible company yet Christ himself and his death were visible his righteousnesse visibly performed his active and passive obedience were visible and multitude of benefits that the external Catholike Church receive thereby are visible 3. If the Gospel of the Kingdom the seed and means of converting and bringing in not only of the invisible company but the visible Church be Catholike and universally preached and received then the Church so converted and visibly brought in is Catholike also But the Gospel is a general gift and is scattered like seed indefinitely in all the world and worketh a visible conversion of the whole world in Scripture phrase Therefore the Church is Catholike also The major is clear of it self The minor is proved Mat. 24.14 This Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witnesse unto all Nations Mar. 14.9 Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached
throughout the whole world c. Rom. 10.18 Col. 1.6 The Gospel is come unto you as it is to all the world and bringeth forth fruit Also Tit. 2.11 appeared unto all men 4. If the Charter whereby the Church is constituted be Catholike then the Church constituted thereby is one Catholike body But the Charter constituting the Church is Catholike Therefore c. The major is clear of it self One charter makes one polity The minor will appear by those places of Scripture wherein the right of all Nations indefinitely is set down Mat. 28.19 Go teach all Nations baptizing them c. Mar. 16.15 Ioh. 3.16 Eph. 3.6 That the Gentiles should be fellow-heirs and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the same body and partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospel whereof I was made a Minister When the partition wall was broken down between Jew and Gentile and then the Church began to be Catholike what second limits did God set unto his Church none except men would sever themselves by rejection of the Gospel but external vocation and submission gave right in foro Ecclesiae to be admitted members of the Church and that was universal If there be any particular Charter by which any particular Church was constituted beside the general let that be produced I know none For if there were then that particular visible Church could never fail or else a Gospel Charter must be lost But all particular Churches hold their priviledges by the general Covenant applied to themselves as all the twelve Tribes did theirs by the Covenant made with Abraham and his seed And all the several promises which are as appendices to the Covenant are made to the whole Church-Catholike and commensurable therewith respectively without any respect to any particular Congregation or membership therein 5. If there be Officers of a Church-Catholike visible Sect. 2. then there is a Church-Catholike visible But there are Officers of a Church-Catholike visible Therefore c. The major cannot be denied The minor appears by the donation of the Ministery to the Church-Catholike visible Maâ— 28.19 Go teach all Natons baptizing them c. They are not circumscribed or limited to any one place but are sent into the whole world to all Nations 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secundarily Prophets thirdly Teachers Eph. 4.11 He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastours and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ These two last places M. Hooker himself confesseth to be meant of the external political body and Kingdom of Christ Now these extraordinary Officers Prophets Evangelists were Officers of the Church-Catholike visible for they had no limits of place but were over all the Churches and yet are said not to be set in the Churches but in the Church And this is granted by some of our brethren for Congregational Churches that they were Catholike Officers and therefore did not baptize in reference unto particular Congregations And this M. Cartwright also in his Catechism acknowledgeth The Apostles are usually called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 universal Judges M. Hooker in answer to this argument Surv. c. 15. pag. 272. First mistakes my words and meaning for whereas I proved the universality of their office from the unlimitednesse of it he conceives it of having no limits in their works and so set down but I meant no limits in regard of places And then he saith the reason of their unlimitednesse arose from their commission because it was general being immediatly called by God to preach to all nations and they had vertually all Church-power in them but this did not issue nextly from the Church in which they were firstly set Answ I confesse it did arise from their commission which commission being general made them general Officers for what more can be required to make a general Officer but a general commission it did not issue nextly from the Church I confesse neither doth the power of any particular Minister but his power is given him by Christ and not from the people but is annexed unto his office only the exercise thereof is drawn forth by the people pro hic nunc and so the necessity of the whole Church drew forth their Apostolical Office into execution and the necessity of a greater part of the Church may draw forth the exercise of any particular Ministers office beyond the limits of his Congregation occasionally 6. If there be a general external vocation wherewith all Christians are called and a general external Covenant whereinto all Christians voluntarily and externally enter and are therein bound up in an unity then there is a general external Catholike Church But there is such an external general visible vocation and external individual visible general Covenant c. Therefore c. I mean by general Catholike Universal Oecumenical in regard not only of kinde but of places The major appears by evidence of reason and experience for one Covenant with one King in any extent of compasse makes it one Kingdom So c. The minor appears as evidently For first there is but one external general vocation divine distinct from all other particular vocations not only civil buâ— Ecclesiastical which is usually called our general calling and this is external else none but invisible beleevers were members of the visible Church which is that we speak of And there is one individual expresse external Covenant not only on Gods part Act. 2.39 The promise is to you and to your children and to as many as the Lord our God shall call Which is an external Covenant and call relating to baptism which they were invited to in the former verse yet not excluding the inward Covenant or call but oft separated from the inward and yet the right to baptism remain in forâ— Ecclesiae But also it is one external visible Covenant on mens part which all Christians as Christians enter into by their professed acceptance and expresse restipulation and promised subjection and obedience though not altogether in one place or at one time 7. If the initial visible seal admittance and enrowlment be Catholike and Oâ—cumenical then so as the Kingdom into which members are so initiated But the initial seal admission and enrowlment by baptism is Catholike Therefore c. The major is clear without control be that takes up his freedom into a whole Corporation or Kingdom is free of the whole and in every part thereof and hath right to all the general priviledges and immunities thereof The minor also appears both by â—he patent for Baptism Go baptize all Nations And by the consequences and priviledges thereof they that are baptized in any Church are accounted visible subjects of Christs Kingdom in all places of the Christian world no new baptism is required of them upon any removal and also by the tenor thereof for they are not baptized into
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
together by laws under one government it is otherwise the distance of place hinders not the integrality of the whole and though it cannot be seen uno intuitu by the same man at once unlesse by way of representation as in a Parliament or Common-Councel as M. Ellis saith nor yet be perceived to be one without some act of the understanding yet this maketh not the City or Empire invisible He confesseth the Church-Catholike to be visible in respect of the several parts and places where they dwell but this saith he is to prevaricate and to prove that which is not in question But he might remember that I took visible in the explication of the terms of the question to be meant in regard of visible communion in holy Ordinances â—hough the persons never congregate into one place to be seen with one mans eye but in opposition to inward invisible communion Let him grant but such a visibility of the Church-Catholike as was in any of the four Monarchies or a civil kingdom which yet are seen but in their several parts and places and I contend for no more I suppose no particular Congregation was ever seen together in all the members thereof uno inâ—uitu and yet is visibly one in regard of the particular confederation and usual meeting of most of the members Is not England a visible Kingdom though seen but in the parts of it was it not visible before there was a Parliament to represent it or doth it cease to be visible in the intervals of Parliaments The visibility of it consisteth in the visibility of the Persons Corporations Places Laws Government So is the case of the Church-Catholike whose Persons Places Laws which are the visible bond and government are as external and visible as those of the Kingdom i. e. lyable to sense and perceivable by sense though not actually seen by the same man at once I desire it might be noted that the Church-Catholike which our Divines speak of in their disputes against the Papists is not this Church-Catholike which we have now in hand but that is the whole Church or company of the elect both past present and to come It is the Church taken in the first sense in the explication of the terms of the Question not the external political mixed Church or kingdom of Christ Neither doth that Church agree with this but only nominally and equivocally in that it is called by the same name but it is not the same in nature or sense and therefore should that and this be used in a syllogism there would be 4 terms For that Church is neither external nor visible nor existent nor organical it hath no Officers it is no polity it is not that which M. Hooker cals Tâ—tum genericum existens for many of them are already in heaven and the spirits of just men made perfect many not yet born many not yet converted Now to make that the Genus of the visible external political Churches of Christ were as absurd as to make the vessels of gold to be the Genus of the silver brazen pewter wooden stony and earthen vessels of a house or a marble building to be the Genus of all the buildings of other stones brick and timber And therefore to dispute from that to this is not ad idem I suppose that neither M. Hooker nor M. Ellis meant that Church no more then I. If the genus comprehend only invisible members the species should be only of invisible members also The genus is of the same nature or predicament with the species and all that is common to all the species is found in the genus and fetched from thence There is nothing in man but it is in animal except the specifical form whereby he differs from a brute and nothing in animal but it is in man except its totality or generality whereby it comprehends man and brute If homo and brutum be visible living substances they received it from animal The genus giveth essence to the species and is symbolum causae materialis but the Church of the Elect giveth not essence nor matter to the visible Church for there are many members of this which are not invisible neither are the elect members of this quà invisible but quà existent and visible The visible and invisible Church are contra distinct branches of a distribution ex adjunctis vel 〈◊〉 communionis therefore the one cannot be the genus of the other for then genus and species should not be of the same general predication or denomination but the invisible should be genus of the visible one branch be genus of the other which is contrary to all Logick The invisibility of this genus ariseth not from a separation of the invisible members from the visible or the sheep from the goats but ariseth from a mental abstraction it is the invisibility of a notion not of the persons It is not by culling out such as have invisible grace and leaving the rest for that which is so culled out is not comprehensive of them both The Genus drawn by logical mental abstraction from the most corporeal visible substances is as invisible quà genus as a genus of incorporeal invisible substances Either that Church-Catholike which our Divines speak of is the Genus of particular visible Churches or it is not If it be then it must be an external visible polity in general notion which must comprehend all the external visible Ecclesiastical Polities on earth and so hypocrites as well as the elect The species consist of such matter and therefore so must the genus in the notion I mean but that they deny of their Church-Catholike visible If it be not then it is not the Church-Catholike which M. Hooker and M. Ellis intend for they intend a general Church which comprehends in notion all the visible Churches under it And therefore they differ from our Divines in their meaning of the Church-Catholike as much as I do And so joyn not nor concur with our Divines in the same subject neither is it adidem Now if we make the Church-Catholike an abstract general notion comprehending all particular Churches under it as a genus then we make Christs visible external Kingdom on earth only a logical non-existing notion and the particular Congregations to be the several species of the kingdom of Jesus Christ all comprehended under one logical comprehensive notion and the particular Covenant or confederation of such or such a company between themselves should constitute a kingdom of Jesus Christ And so when a man removes from one Congregation into another he should remove out of one species into another and in the interim be quite out of the kingdom of Christ because he is out of all the species of Christs kingdom and a particular member cannot exist under this genus for it is a genus of Congregations quà Congregations and not of single persons And then it will follow that many a visible beleever
I answer it is not true that that which is in it self visible cannot be the object of faith Indeed that which is actually seen is the object of that mans sense and knowledge that seeth it but that which is visible i. e. which may be seen may be the object of faith to him that seeth it not actually I believe there is Orbis universus a whole world but I never saw it and yet it is visible I believe that there is a kingdom of Spain and Empire of Germany and they are visible but I never saw them nor am ever likely to see them I believe there are constellations about the South-pole but I never saw them and yet they are as visible as those about the North pole So I believe that the Church visible is now no longer included in the land of Canaan but is spread over many kingdoms and may be into all but I never saw it in the extent thereof and yet it is visible in it self The extent of place though it lessens the visibility yet it takes it not away I know this was an argument of an eminent Divine of ours against a Jesuite and it holds strongly against the visibility of the Church-Catholike taken in the first sense but not in our sense Yea grant the Church-Catholike to be a Genus yet the argument reacheth it not for a Genus is not the object of faith but of knowledge because the assurance thereof ariseth not from the credit of any ones word but from our own understanding CHAP. VI. That the Church-Catholike visible is an Organical yet similar body Yea one Organical body THat the particular Churches are or ought to be organized Sect. 1. It is Organical is not a thing questioned by M. Ellis or M. Hooker nor any one that I know of And therefore I shall neither trouble my self nor my reader about that It may not only be drawn from Mat. 18. Tell the Church which cannot be referred only or chiefly to the Church-Catholike for that even in a general Councel ministerially is seldom convened and cannot be informed by every one that it scandalized But also from Tit. 1.5 I left thee in Crete that thou shouldest ordain Elders in every city And Heb. 13.6 17 24. Remember obey and salute them that have the rule over you Of the Elders of Ephesus we reade Act. 20.17 And of the Angels of the seven Churches of Asia Rev. 2. and 3. Chapt. And yet many of these were combined Churches of many Congregations and might be so all for ought I know And we reade of the Elders of the Church of Jerusalem in the Acts but whether fixed to particular Congregations or no I know not to be sure they ruled in common Only we finde Rom. 16.1 Of Phaebe a servant of the Church at Cenchraea which is the most probable example of a Congregational Church as I said before but not certainly But I shall take that for granted that particular Churches ought to be organized But with what Officers whether with a Pastor and a Teacher or with preaching and meer ruling-Elders Or by whom these ought to be elected or ordained or how maintained Or whether their power be from Christ immediatly or from the Congregation the Officers being as their stewards and servants Or whether the Congregation hath votes and suffrages in the dispensing of censures and the Elders but their mouth to pronounce and execute their censures as he that sits for judge and gives the charge at a Sessions or a chair-man at a Committee is in regard of the rest of the Justices or whole Committee to propound gather their votes and passe sentence accordingly whether their work in such Ecclesiastical meetings be only to convene and dissolve Chap. 6. and to bring things into order for the hearing of the rest are different questions which are not to my purpose and therefore I will not meddle with them Now seeing every part is or ought to be organized the whole may be said to be Organical in that sense Sect. 2. It is similar If all the species be be organized supposing they were species the genus in a logical consideration must be said to be organized because it is the common nature of the species so to be Much more if we consider the several Congregations as members as indeed they are Now because I said that these particular Congregations thus organized are similar integral parts of the whole M. Ellis chargeth me with a contradiction to mine own end and scope and disagreeing with Apollonius vind 54. First he thinketh he hath caught me upon the hip of such a contradiction against my self and scope and that I can come off no otherwise then with a Veniamque damus petimusque vicissim nor any otherwise be relieved but by the charitable benevolence of my readers ingenuity But if there had been such a palpable contradiction it is a marvel that reverend judicious M. Hooker should not finde it and shew it as well as he If all the countries in the world had the same kinde of civil government both officers and laws respectively though not dependent were it a contradiction to say they were similar integral parts of the world And if all the Corporations in a Kingdom though organical bodies were of the same constitution and had the same Officers as Maiors c. would they not be similar integral parts of the kingdom yea even in physical mixed bodies as medicinal potions compounded of several ingredients yet because the mixture is alike in all parts they may be said to be similar parts of the whole Materialia componentia sunt dissimilaria partes integrales compositi constituti sunt similares So the Church-Catholike in regard of the constituent materials or essential parts viz. Officers and private Christians is dissimilar but in regard of the several Congregations constituted which are integral parts of the whole it is similar because they are similar I did not mean by similar quarto modo similare as I may say in the strictest sense as haply the pure element of fire is but such a similarity as is consistent with a mixture of ingredient materials Every Congregation in reference to other Congregation is similar being of a like constitution but in reference to it self it is dissimilar consisting of Officers and private Christians This assertion need not seem so harsh seeing D. Ames as I shewed before asserteth the same And M. Bartlet in his model p. 45. confesseth the particular Churches to be similar parts of the Church-Catholike and saith the Independents have left it upon record that they are so and for that cites Ames medul c. 32. And M. William Sedgewick in his Sermon before divers of the Parliament pag. 4. And chargeth the London-Ministers for an untruth in affirming in the preface of Jus divinum that they deny it But the charge is unjust they only set down the difference between the Presbyterians and Independents there to be in this
not considered as their particular Officers yet Officers in general And such persons as receive the doctrine of Christ which denominates them to be beleevers are bound to receive his commands also to submit themselves to his Ministers for their edification And though they have no particular Officers yet as they look upon the Church as a society of men and fellow-members to whom they joyn themselves in the general though not as yet in any particular membership so they look upon the Ministers as Christs Ministers to whom they are to be subject in the Lord to receive their doctrine exhortations and reproofs and from whom also if they prove scandalous heretical infectious or apostates they must expect disciplinary censures though they be no particular members under a particular Minister There is a question whether the Church or the Ministers be first because the Ministers are the instrumental cause of the conversion of the Church and the Church of the choice of the Ministers which is something like that Philosophical question Whether the hen or the egge were first for as the egge comes of a hen so the hen comes of an egge And as that is resolved by the consideration of the creation and then God made the hen first so is this question by consideration of the first institution and setting up of the Evangelical Catholike Church and then we finde that Christ set up the Officers first to convert men to be beleevers and they being converted to the faith of Christ are bound to submit themselves to Christs Ministers in the Lord. And because they will stand in need of constant inspection teaching and ruling which they cannot enjoy from Ministers in general as so considered because they are dispersed into several places for habitation and take particular parts of Christs Church to watch over therefore they are to desire and endeavour to have some of Christs Ministers to take the particular inspection of them But we know that at first they receive Baptism not from their own particular Minister or not as so considered for being newly converted into the Church and not baptized they cannot as I conceive be members of a particular Congregation until after baptism but they receive it as from one of Christs Ministers in general and are by him admitted into the visible body the Church and after this have liberty to choose under the inspection of what Ministers they will put themselves See more of this Qu. 2. S. 2. 4. Now before the proof of this assertion it will be needful to explain a little what I mean by one Organical body I doe not mean that there is one universal visible actual society consisting of all such as are accounted or to be esteemed Christians subjected actually to one or many universal general actual Pastors or guides from whom subordinates must derive their office and power and with whom they must communicate in some general sacred things which may make them one Church as the Jews were And which general sacred services or duties can be performed by that universal head or heads and that Church only Such an universal Christian Church Christ never ordained no not in the daies of the Apostles to whom the extraordinary care of all the Churches was committed Nor that all the whole Church should be subjected to one supream Tribunal of Officers constantly erected and continued among them Nor yet to communicate with Christ himself though in some sense he may be said to be a visible head in some worship to be performed by all joyntly assembled at some especial solemnity as the Jews at the Passeover But an habitual Politico-Ecclesiastical society body flock in one sheepfold of the militant Church in uniform subjection to the same Lord the same Laws in the same faith and under the same visible seal of Baptism performing the same worship and service in kinde and though the members be dispersed far and wide yea divided into several particular places and secondary combinations of vicinities for actual constant enjoyment of Ordinances as particular Corporations in a Kingdom which is an accidental not essential relation to them as subjects of the Kingdom yet still those Ordinances admissions ejections have influence into the whole body as it is a polity and the members indefinitely may of right communicate one with another in any place or any company of Christians though every person so meeting but occasionally may be of a several particular Church and the Minister dispensing a particular Pastor to none of them all yea though none of them all be fixed members of any particular Congregation nor the Minister dispensing fixed to no particular Congregation neither by vertue of their general membership in the visible body and kingdom of Christ and of the habitual indefinitenesse of the Ministers office and the common donation of the Ordinances by Christ to his whole visible Kingdom and to all the subjects and members thereof which have a common freedom therein And in this sense the word Church is taken in Scripture His bodies sake which is the Church whereof I Paul am made a Minister The house of God which is the Church Now because there is no such civil society or kingdom that will in every thing parallel this but there use to be some general offices and officers and some inferiour subordinate receiving power and authority by descention derivation or subordination and the inferiour Officers of lesse extent of place and power then the superiour As the Lord chief Justice of England is above inferiour Justices and his warrant can reach all persons in all the Counties of the Kingdom and there be constant Courts of Kings bench and Common Pleas for judicature for all the Subjects of the whole Kingdom though haply it was not so in the four Monarchies this make men stumble at the name and notion of a Church-Catholike visible But as in other things Christs Kingdom is neither of this world not like unto worldly polities so neither in this But every Minister of the Church in his particular place serveth the Church-Catholike visible in admitting members to general freedom in it and ejecting out from general communion prayeth publikely for the whole body and manageth his particular charge in reference to and so as may stand with the good of the whole body whereof his Congregation is but a member And the Ordinances therein administred are the Ordinances given to the whole not as to a genus which is but a notion and can have no Ordinances but as to a spiritual kinde of an habitual organical body and polity as to a sort of men so and so qualified bound up in an union and unity of the same head laws seals worship and communion Now the same arguments which prove the Church-Catholike an Integral will serve to prove it one organical body also Sect. 4. and therefore I shall take some of them into consideration again under this head and in this notion 1. It will appear by the names
and metaphors whereby the Church-Catholike is called and set out in Scripture which are taken from things which are not only each of them an Integral but each of them one Organical body and in eâ formali ratione lyeth the analogy between them and the Church It is compared unto a natural body which is an organical integral having many members and Organs which though they lie indeed in the several members yet are Organs of the whole and the several members members of the whole and doe their several actions and perform their several offices for the good of the whole and sympathize together 1 Cor. 12.12 For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ This is not meant of the Church of Corinth only but of the Catholike Church because it is the whole body to which Christ is the head and Christs person as the head of the whole and this whole body is called Christ i. e. mystically the whole receiving denomination from the better part the head And so M. Bartlet takes it in his Model pag. 35. for the whole Church And so all Expositors that I have met with except some few of late who to avoid the dint of this argument would have it meant of the Church of Corinth as a particular Church But it will sound very harsh to make Christ and the Church of Corinth to be called Christ when they are but the head and a part of Christs body It is the body whereof Paul was a member v. 13. We are all baptized where Paul puts in himself and all beleevers Object But this is meant of the invisible company of beleevers Answ It is true but it is spoken of them as visible because it is brought in there to shew the diversities of gifts offices operations and administrations in the visible Church there is an eye and an ear c. mentioned and the Officers of the Church named now there are no Officers of the invisible Church as invisible nor different administrations as they are members of the invisible body they are all similar and have the same standing and operations of their general calling as Christians not as Apostles Prophets Evangelists c. And many that have these common gifts of the holy Ghost which are by the Spirit of Christ and the Offices there mentioned were not invisible members of Christ yet were not only members but Officers in this body there spoken of It is also the visible body there meant because the 2. external seals viz. Baptism and the Lords Supper are specified in v. 1◠as means and signs of this union in one body and they are visibly administred There is an invisible body of Christ and a visible the invisible is in organical the visible organical the invisible while they are in the visible Church are visible members thereof and so put on the relation of Officer and private member It is true some things are spoken of the whole in reference to the better part the invisible number and as they 〈◊〉 professed themselves to be of the invisible body so the Apostle speaks of them and to them as if they were as they ought to be and at least made a shew as if they were But that the place is meant of an organical body as one is out of question and that the analogy between the Church and such a body lay in the unity and organicalnesse is as clear The like is spoken Rom. 12.4 5. For 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 It is the Church-Catholike not Roman particular Church Paul puts in himself yet had never been at Rome then It is organical for the Officers are there enumerated It is one for there is a sympathy of members spoken of To this purpose is that of Salmas Retinebitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicativa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter omnia membra Dominici corporis i. e. Ecclesiae quae nisi una sit non potest esse vera Appar p. 281. Also it is set out by a political body Sometimes it is called a kingdom and the kingdom of heaven as I shewed before out of many places of Scripture Now a Kingdom is one Organical body for so many men living together within the same limits make not a Kingdom but as it is combined by the same Laws under one Governour or Government In the Heptarchy this one Kingdom since under one King and body of laws were seven Kingdoms Now if the Church-Catholike bears such an analogy to one Kingdom as to be called a Kingdom it is from this that it is one organized Integral It is also called a city and sometimes Jerusalem and as it is reformed it is called new Jerusalem and the members both of Jews and Gentiles are called fellow-citizens Eph. 2.19 Now a City is one Organical body under one common government otherwise so many houses or streets and inhabitants being together would not make them a City Sometimes the buildings and inhabitants which if under one government would make one city and Corporation being great and near and haply contiguous yet wanting a charter to make them a Corporation are none yea by difference of Charter Government and chief Governours are two Cities as London and Westminster The Church-Catholike therefore being one city is one organical body Also it is set out sometimes by one martial or military body and is called an Army terrible with banners Cant. 6. 10. which by some is interpreted Church-censures M. Cotton indeed expounds it of the Church of the Jews when they shall be called home by conversion to the Christian faith to be sure it is the Church-militant Now an Army is one organical body under one General and the same Laws martial though quartered in divers places therefore so is the Church-Catholike It is also set out by an Oeconomical body a family or houshold Eph. 2.19 Now a family is one Organical body wherein are Governours or a Governour and governed an husband father or master and therefore so is the Church-Catholike else the analogy should not hold All these metaphors and many more whereby the Church-Catholike is set out shew it one visible organical body Secondly That the Church-Catholike visible is one society virtually and habitually appears because by Baptism where-ever administred the baptized visible beleever is admitted a member not of the particular Church among whom he was baptized nor to bear any special relation to the Minister baptizing him that he must take a special inspection over him as one of his particular flock and charge but into the whole general body of Christs kingdom visible For as I shewed before there was Baptism administred as the seal of the general covenant before particular Congregations were set up See more of this Qu. 2. S. 2.
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
suasive that is no more then a few private men may do yea one man or woman may counsel advise and perswade By M. Ellis's opinion Councels and Synods being void of all authority are but as a company of private Christians met together to advise one with another how to act in their own Congregations where only saith he they are in office it may be an act of those that are in office but not as Officers so that in that act they are to be considered as private members who by such consultation take or give private advice how to act as officers where they are Officers Which is no otherwise then if in these times of trouble and danger a company of peti-constables should meet occasionally or by appointment together at a market-town and there consult together how to act most commodiously and uniformly in their several Parishes in the pressing of Souldiers or gathering Assessements or a company of Mayors of several Corparations should meet by appointment at London and there advise together how to order their several Corporations So that a Synod whether Provincial National or Oecumenical can have no power to summon any heretick or scandalous person and if any such should voluntarily come before them or be brought before them by the civil Magistrate that should before their faces blaspheme the whole Trinity or be convicted of Sodomy yea though any of their own members should curse God himself or be convicted of a present act of whoredom or of sorcery they have no power to censure him Ecclesiastically but fraternally admonish him and send him back to his own Congregation to be censured and they themselves only go thither as witnesses against him because they are there by this opinion out of office and all censures belong to the particular Elderships as particular But suppose now this heretick or scandalous person being departed haply from the Congregation where formerly he lived or that Congregation being dissolved be a fixed member of no Congregation as ten thousands of visible Christians i. e. that have received the doctrine of Christ and are under the seal of Baptism may be if particular Churches consist only of such as can give evidence of the work of true grace in themselves shall he remain an entitive member of Christs visible kingdom a gangreened limb a rebel and traitour under the name and notion of a subject and infect the rest of the body and there be no remedy Sect. 4. But as the subject matters that Synods have to deal with are of three sorts so their power and the acts of it which they put forth are of three 〈◊〉 likewise First they are to act in reference to matters of faith i. e. doctrines to be beleeved and embraced and of divine worship i. e. duties of worship to be performed unto God not to coin or frame or adde any new articles of faith or new acts of worship or alter any that God hath instituted but to explain prove and apply those Articles of faith and rules of worship laid down in the word and to confute and declare against the contrary errours heresies and corruptions and the power they exert herein is called dogmatical Secondly they are to act in reference to external order and polity in matters prudential and circumstantial which are determinable by the true light of nature right reason and general rules in the Scripture ◠to set things in order that all things may be done uniformly decently and in order and the power they exert herein is called diatactical Thirdly they are to act in reference to errour heresie schism obstinacy contempt and scandal and to represse them and to censure such persons as are guilty of any of them and are referred over to them and the power they exert herein is called critical This is none other power then the particular Elderships in their several Congregations or Classes may exert in their sphear and precincts with submission to the superiour assemblies and all must be according to the word of God As in the natural body God hath set several senses to act upon the several sensible objects visible audible tactile c. and several faculties in reference to truth and falshood good and evil to discern and embrace the one and avoid the other so in the body Ecclesiastical hath he set several powers in the organs thereof to act diversly according to the occurrent objects and incidents in the Church both in the particular Congregations for the good of them and in greater parts of the body for the good of them and in the whole if convenible for the good of that but because remote parts cannot meet personally and generally in all their Officers therefore that trouble and confusion is avoided by delegation of particular elected choice officers and is but occasionally and pro tempore A ground and pattern of a Synod is laid down Act. 15. and 16. which is acknowledged to be a Synod and warrant for a Synod by reverend M. Cotton in his keys of the kingdom of heaven cha 6. And is called an Oecumenical Councel by Chamier in Panstrat Tom. 2. lib. 10. cap. 8. sect 2. and Whitak cont qu. 6. And generally by our Protestant Divines And is abundantly proved and explained by the London Ministers in their Jus Divinum par 2. chap 14. and 15. to which I referre the reader for satisfaction The occasion of that Synod was an errour broached at Antioch and neighbour-Churches to enforce the observation of the ceremonial Law by all Christians and this was promoted by lying as if they were sent by the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem to preach this doctrine Hereby the Churches were much troubled and in danger to be subverted in their souls This could not be suppressed by the disputes of Barnabas and Paul hereupon the Elders of Antioch decreed and ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Paul and Barnabas and some others should go up to the Apostles and Elders at Ierusalem about this question and they submitted to this order there was an authoritative mission and probably members were also sent from Syria and Cilicia for they were involved in the same danger by the same persons Act. 15.23 24 41. But if there were delegates but from two Churches it will justifie delegates from ten or twenty And as the Church of Antioch did not send Paul and Barnabas as extraordinary and infallible and authentical Oracles of God as M. Cotton noteth for then what need the advice and help of Elders that were below them being but ordinary and particular Officers of Ierusalem But as wise and holy guides of the Church who might not only relieve them by some wise counsel and holy order but also set a precedent to succeeding ages how errours and dissentions in Churches might be removed and healed And with Paul and Barnabas they joyned others messengers in the same commission So when this Synod was met the Apostles acted not by their Apostolical infallible transcendent
power or by immediate inspiration as in the penning of the Scripture but the matters were carried on in an ordinary Synodal way by disputes and discourses they deliberated about the true state of the question and the remedy thereof and after deliberation and disputes they decisively conclude and determine the matter and put forth all the three fore-named power First they exert their dogmatick power in confuting of the heresie and in vindication of the truth of justification by faith without the works of the law and their critical power in branding the false teachers with the infamous brand of troublers of the Church and subverters of souls and of belyâ—rs of the Apostles and Elders of Ierusalem and their diamctick power in ordering and framing practical rules or constitutions for the healing of the scandal They passed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 16.4 they imposed them for they are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 15.28 29. yet were not all the things they imposed necessary in themselves as abstaining from things strangled and from bloud they are called necessary not intrinsecally for then they are so to us but for that time because those things were so odious to the Jews who could not be so suddenly brought from all ceremonies It is true our Divines in their writings against the Papists do cry down the infallibility of Councels and the over-high esteem they had of them and the injurious and sinful decrees of their Popish Councels but they honour the general Councels and account Synods an Ordinance of God Calv. Inst lib. 4. cap. 9. sect 13. saith Nos certè libenter concedimus siqua de dogmate incidat disceptatio nullum esse nec melius nec certius remedium quà m si verorum Episcoporum Synodus conveniat ubi controversum dogma excutiatur Multò enim plus ponderis habebit ejusmodi definitio in quam communiter Ecclesiarum pastores invocato Christi Spiritu consenserint quà m c. Whitak de consilijs cap. 2. not only alloweth but commendeth Synods and Councels from the necessity and utility of them and marvelleth that Nazianzâ—n should say he never saw a good end of a Synod alledging the good end and profit of the Councel of Nice And citeth Augustine in Ep. 118. Conciliorum in Ecclesia Dei saluberrimam authoritatem esse And addeth further Etsi Concilia non sunt simpliciter absolutè necessaria tamen multùm conferunâ— valdè utilia sunt idque propter multas causas And then reckons up the causes And divideth Synods in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And bringeth Act. 15. for an example and warrant of them And Chamier in his Panstrat tom 2. lib. 10. cap. 8. De omnium toto orbe Ecclesiarum politia sheweth the lawfulnesse and use of Synods And lib. 5. saith Ad Synodos convocatos fuisse atque admissos omnes Episcopos nemo dubitat sedisseque judices suo jure prout fieri solet in Aristocratia And M. Parker in Polit. Eccl. l. 3. p. 355. saith Fundatur haec progressio a Presbyerio ad Classem a Classi ad Synodum in instituto Christi Mat. 18.17 ex proportione And p. 123. he foundeth them upon the same Scripture Per gradationem ratiocinandi a little after he saith they follow from that place per sequelam ratiocinandi per consequentiam Innumerable might be the citations of Protestant Divines in this kinde It is confest Sect. 5. that particular Churches are endued with the power of discipline within themselves if the matter doth particularly and peculiarly concern themselves and none others or if there be no others that can joyn with them they may do much alone but that case is extraordinary It is confest also that every single Congregation is equal in power to any other single Congregation considered as a Church only one may be greater and purer then another and furnished with more and more able officers And therefore how one sister Church by its single power can non-communion another that is of equal power with it I know not for it is a censure and no lesse then a vertuâ—â— excommunication and the other Church hath as much power to non-communion them and so there is a principle laid of perpetual and frequent division and splitting asunder of Christâ— political body and kingdom Such a principle in a Common-wealth between Town and Town in civil affairs would be very dangerous and bring deadly feuds and civil wars and at last ruine to the whole And though there be a subordination of particular Churches to greater Assemblies yet it is not absolute and arbitrary but in the Lord also it is a coordination because the Officers of the particular Congregations are there and help to constitute the â—lasses or if it be a Synod they are vertually there by their delegates or Commissioners as the Counties and Corporations are in a Parliament The subordination of particular Congregations to greater Assemblies consisting so of members taken out of the particular Congregations and the authoritative power and Ecclesiastical jurisdiction of those greater Assemblies over them appears because we see the Church of Antioch was subordinate to the Synod at Jerusalem Act. 15. Also Christs direction to deal with an offending brother Mat. 18. ascends by degrees from private adâ—onition to admonition before two or three and from them if he amend not to the Church but what if the greater number of a Church or suppose a whole Church offend by the same rule of proportion they are to be brought before a higher Assembly else no remedy can be had for offending Congregations as well as offending persons But neighbour-Congregations or particular persons may be offended by a neighbour Church and there is no reason that that Church should be partee and judge also in their own case and therefore it is requisite that there should be a greater combined Assembly to complain unto And as the unity of the whole visible Church and political Kingdom of Christ requires this as the London-Ministers have well noted wherein all things are to be managed as between members and fellow-subjects and the greater part in coordination to rule the lesse in the Lord and the whole the parts so also there is the same necessity of Synods as of Classical combinations and otherwise there will be irremediable difficulties Also we may observe the like subordination and appeals in the Jewish Church the several Synagogues were subordinate to the great Assembly at Ierusalem and had their appeals thither in greater causes Deut. 17.8 12. 2. Chron. 19.8 11. Exo. 18.22 26. And this could not be a ceremonial Law for it did typifie nothing The appeals were not to the high Priest typifying Christ but to their highest Court and though it were judicial to them yet the equity of it remains and so far as it was grounded on common right it is moral Now the like difficulties and dangers that occasioned that Law then remain still as great among
us and ever will And it is observable that this thing was not learned by Moses in the pattern shewed him in the Mount but was taught by the light of nature to Iethro and by him was given in advice to Moses Exo. 18.22 and afterward was approved by God as being according to right reason and a thing common to all societies as societies not Ecclesiastical only and not a positive law only but dictated by the light of nature right reason and necessity and therefore is practised in all ages nations armies and societies though not in every particular circumstance And therefore except it were forbidden or some other way instituted to avoid those difficulties and dangers that will arise it ought to be in use also in the Church under the Gospel as well as summoning convening in fitting times and places and a moderatour or chair-man and silence obedience and respect and due order in proceedings according to allegation and probation which are things common to all Judicatories as Judicatories And surely God would not have Christians under the Gospel under a more grievous yoke and irremediable inconveniences then the Jewish Church that if any of them be oppressed by the ignorance or ill will of their Elders they should have no relief Sect. 6. Obj. If their be appeals from one Presbytery to another that is higher then must there be two kindes of Presbyteries and two kindes of Presbyters but the Scripture speaks but of one and giveth no rules for any Presbyteries but one Indeed in Universities the same men may be heads of the Colleges respectively and heads of the Universitie also but there are differing and distinguishing names relations and Statutes but it is not so for Elders of particular Congregations to be Elders of Classes and Synods c. Answ The Church is but one visible political Kingdom of Christ made up by the collection and aggregation of all visible beleevers who are called into an unity of Covenant and laws and way and all the Ministers and Officers of the Church are given to the whole primarily for the gathering and edifying of it and they are all to teach and rule and perform all their administrations respectively with reference to and the best advantage of the whole And they did serve the whole as one actually when they were convenible but their number encreasing they divided into several companies for their better ordering edification and encrease and therefore the instance is not parallel for the office of the Ministers is first to the whole and the Charter and Statutes of the whole and of every particular Church are but one and therefore the Ministers though they ordinarily act in their particular Congregations as it were in their particular Colleges being called by them to take the immediate constant particular inspection of them yet can they exercise their general office when and wheresoever they have a call thereunto Now this call is not that which giveth them their office but is proximum fundamentum exercitij only Neither is the particular Congregation the adequate correlate to an Elder for it doth not mutu◠ponere tollere but the Church-Catholike only But of this see more in the 2d question S. 4. But against this M. Ellis vind 40. brings an Objection which he ushers in with a Let it be observed by all sorts By this means saith he the power being given not to any one Church but to the whole Church as one body and not to the members with the Officers but to the Officers only there is derived a very transcendent power and authority upon every particular Minister more then any Parliament man hath yea more then a King who is limited to his dominion But I answer that the Presbyterians acknowledge that power of government is given immediatly to every Congregational Eldership or at least to such a College of Elders as may frequently and constantly meet and rule in common as they did at Jerusalem and it is not derived unto them by any superiour authority on earth by way of descention except by a Ministerial investment by Ordination And this power is to be constantly exerted for the actual Ecclesiastical regiment of that Congregation or those Congregations over whom those Elders are set in the Lord yet with reference to the rest of the body whereof they are but a parcel and they may stand in need of the help of more Elders then their own upon occasion It is true government is not given to the members with the Officers but to the Officers only not to the body of the Congregation as the subject of it either in whole or in part as they are private members distinct from the Officers much lesse are they the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first receptacle thereof And for the inference hence of such a transcendent power and authority upon every particular Minister more then a Parliament man or a King I suppose M. Ellis is not ignorant that the office of every particular Minister in his Congregation giveth him authority to do more in administring Gods Ordinances as authoritative preaching and administring the seals of the Covenant and the Officers in administring spiritual censures then a Parliament man or a King can do Remember Vzziahs example And yet in all civil affairs they are as dutiful subjects as any else and as much subject to civil authority Because the Priests and Levites were in the matters of God set over all Israel will it therefore follow that the meanest Levite was greater then the Nobles Princes and Kings of Israel Indeed the meanest Priest might offer sacrifice which the King could not do but this was no disparagement to the Nobles or to the King No more it is to them that the meanest Physician may administer physick virtute officij and the meanest Pilot guide the Ship which the greatest Princes may not doe The office and power and honour that belong thereto is of another kinde then Parliaments and Kings it is not civil but spiritual You know Gods Ministers have power to baptize Parliament men Nobles and Kings and their children and to give them the Lords Supper and to teach admonish reprove and from God to threaten and denounce judgements against them even eternal destruction if they go on in sinful courses They do doctrinally binde and loose Princes and their whole Kingdoms and the whole world as occasion serveth And can any man say that the greatest men are by their greatnesse free from Church-censures if they be notoriously vile and yet none can impose them but Ecclesiastical Officers Suppose divers Parliament men or Noble men yea a King himself were members of a Congregational Independent Church would not the Officers of that Congregation account it their duty to administer all Gods Ordinances to them as occasion requires yea the Ordinances of discipline and censures if there be just cause Sir would you now be willing to have a retortion of your own kinde with a Let it be
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
heart only and that but dimly and not apprehended by all in all the parts thereof alike through ignorance rudenesse barbarism or evil customes Secondly There are no Officers of the whole world as it is a society directed by the internal Law of nature but so there are of the visible Church and Therefore the visible Church is more then a society it is Christs external political Kingdom Thirdly There are several chief governours over the several Kingdoms of the world which are Gods vicegerents and Gods annointed ones in their Kingdoms and written municipal laws belonging to every Kingdom distinct from other Kingdoms and priviledges proper to the several Kingdoms wherein the subjects of other Kingdoms partake not But Christ hath set no such several supream annointed ones over the several Churches nor permitted the several Churches to make any different laws from his nor from those laws which are common to the whole Church And the priviledges of the Church are common to all the members of the several Churches and they have freedom to communicate together in the holy Ordinances whereever they dwell Fourthly The Law of nature is given by God as an invisible Creator the Laws of the Church are given by Christ a God man as a Mediator As he is God he hath an essential right to be governour of angels and men and all other creatures but as Mediatour he hath a donative Kingdom of grace and is a political head of an external visible Kingdom which is but one Fifthly All mankinde are not entred into one body by one external instituted sign badge enrowlment and initial seal not are entred into one explicit actual Covenant nor make an explicit actual profession of subjection to the same God or to the same systeme of written Laws And therefore that parallel which these two reverend Ministers M. Allen and M. Shepard whom I love and reverence much in the Lord endeavour to draw between mankinde and the Oecumenical Church in their Defence unto the nine questions or positions p. 79. will not suit and agree in all things 6. Yet as all men are one society though they want Officers as such yet are they bound to combine even from that internal union to preserve themselves and maintain the Law of nature Suppose there were some circumcelliones or some conjurers that sought to destroy mankinde in general not because they are of this or that Kingdom upon some particular quarrel but because they are men or that endeavoured to poison and infect the air or let in the sea to drown the earth or take away the light of the Sun if such things were possible or any kinde of wilde beast should multiply that would destroy all mankinde then all mankinde setting aside their particular immunities combinations Laws yea and quarrels ought and would unite themselves as men to preserve mankinde and oppose such common enemies of mankinde Forreign Nations will combine to vindicate Jus Gentium if it be violated All Nations combine against Pirates notwithstanding particular distinctions and oppositions yea so far as mens positive laws are general as the civil Law reacheth far over many Kingdoms if there be any oppositions or obstructions that hinder the exercise thereof for common good all that submit themselves thereunto would notwithstanding their particular distinctions joyn together to remove the same Much more then ought there to be an union and combination between the several parts of the Church which hath the same head and King over the whole of our own nature who hath given us one systeme of written laws and but one charter for the whole and made Officers for the good of the whole enduing them with an habitual power of office to administer all his Ordinances in any part of the Church upon a call And if they could meet together they might actually teach and rule the whole Church as one Congregation as M Ellis granteth and because they cannot so meet yet by the same reason if a great part of them meet together the Elders set over them may teach and rule them joyntly together as well as severally asunder For the greater number of Churches being considered as combined and consociated parts of the whole bear the same relation in a proportion to the lesse that the greater number in the same Congregation do to the lesse and therefore if the major part in the Congregational Eldership shall overrule the lesse by their votes so by proportion shall the greater number of any greater Presbytery whether Classical Provincial or National c. being in actual consociation and combination overrule the lesse if they dissent But because there are so many superstitions errours and heresies in the Asian African European and American Churches as M. A. and M. S. in their defence p 92. do take notice of which book I confesse it was mine unhappinesse not to hear of until this tractate of mine was transcribed for the presse and who have dealt exceeding candidly upon this question and seem to yield the fairest concessions toward the universality unity integrality and priority of the whole Church in some respects of reason pag. 77. though not so much as is contended for yet I say for these things sake I should be very tender in defining as the case now standeth what Churches or how farre the visible Churches may with convenience or safety enter into actual combination Quest 2. lest the truths of God or the liberties of the more sound and pure Churches should be prejudiced thereby The 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 or first and which Secundaria or secondary Sect. 1. BEfore I answer I desire it may be remembred that the comparison is not between the invisible and the visible Church but between the visible Catholike Church and the particular visible Churches And then I answer I conceive the Church-Catholike visible is priâ—â—a and the particular Churches are secundariae and in that sense orâ—ae as being ministerially converted and admitted by it But for our better understanding of this priority I shall first set down what kinde of priority this is and what not I doe not mean a priority of time as if the Church-Catholike should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 antiquius quid and yet the Evangelical Church was first set up in time before there were any divisions into particular Churches but now it is divided the members that are born in the several Congregations enter into the general and particular Churches simul tempore though not ratione naturei As a freeman in London takes up his freedom of the City 〈◊〉 of such a â—all or company at once But those that are born in it and converted to it finde the Church-Catholike already constituted before them even in time Also I do not mean in regard of constitution of the whole political Kingdom of Christ by
aggregation and combination as M. Hooker understands me for the particular Congregations must exist before they can be combined and aggregated Neither do I 〈◊〉 in regard of operation for now the Church is constituted and divided into particular combinations the particular Churches are first in their ordinary operations And yet the Evangelical Church did put forth operations at first before any such divisions and without any reference to them But positively I mean the Church-Catholike is before the particular 1. Intentione divinâ in Gods intention as Nature intends first the whole man and not any part of man although the parts are in some sense before the whole in consideration for the whole is made up of them 2. Institutione divinâ in regard of Gods institution God did first institute the whole by one Charter Covenant and systeme of Laws and the particular Congregations secondarily for convenient communication of persons and transactions of businesse Go teach all Nations was the first Commission after Christs resurrection 3. Donatione divinâ for the Ordinances and priviledges of the Church were first given to the whole and secondarily to the particular Congregations as the priviledges of any Kingdom and Corporation are 4. The Church-Catholike is prior dignitate in dignity a Kingdom is of more dignity and honour then any particular town and a city then any street or ward The whole hath more dignity then any part Yea and I may say also in authority for the authority of the whole is greater in divers respects then of the parts 5. Perfectione for the perfection of the whole is made up of the perfection of the parts a whole Kingdom of the parts of it and any whole comprizeth the perfection of the parts of it a particular street or ward is an imperfect incompleat thing and not consistent alone but as a part in reference to the whole and as a member in reference to the whole body The particulars may have the perfection of parts and some be more perfect then others but the whole is most perfect and the perfections of the parts concurre in the perfection of the whole 6. Entitivè or essentialiter the Church-Entitive is before the Organical for the organical is made up of the members of the Church Entitive and the Church-Entitive affords materials to the Church-organical And in this respect the particular Churches are properly ortae arising out of the Entitive and so also is the whole Church-organical for it ariseth out of the combination of the particular Congregations and both it and they consist only of members of the Church Entitive And herein I consent unto M. Parker in this sense but not that the habitual power of Elders should arise from the particular Congregations to act in Synods but only in regard of their evocation and exciting of their power to act in reference to them pro hic nunc 7. Causalitate efficientis Ministerialis For the Church-Catholike already converted is a means of converting more unto them as opportunity is afforded and of admitting ministerially into the Church-Catholike both entitive first and then organical both private members and also Officers into their habitual office 8. Cognitione sive noscibilitate perfectâ For though this or that Congregation be proprior ad sensum and so notior respectu nostri which is cognitione confusâ yet the Church-Catholike is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noscibilior simpliciter Distincta enim cognitio sequitur ordinem naturae in se in mente benè dispositâ As universalia sunt notiora minus universalibus species infima individâ—â—â— The Kingdom of England as a Kingdom is propius ad 〈◊〉 and so noscibilius distinctâ ratione but particular towns are propiora ad sensum The notion of an English man comes first upon a subject of this Kingdom before of a Suffolk man A man may have knowledge of England as a Kingdom and be well skilled in the polity laws and priviledges thereof and yet by sense have but little or no knowledge of particular Towns so a man may know much of the Church as Christs Kingdom and be well skilled in the Laws Ordinances and priviledges thereof and yet know but few particular Churches So that the priority of the Church-Catholike visible in respect of the particulars is like the priority of a Kingdom to the parts of it or of a Corporation in respect of the parts of it which is not meant in a mathematical or techtonical consideration for so the particular buildings are prima and the whole city ortae yet so M. Hooker understood me in his acute arguing about integrale Surv. pag. 255. But in regard of intention institution donation of priviledges dignity perfection essence instrumental efficiency and perfect cognition of it There is also a difference between ortum secundarium for every ortum is secundarium but every secundarium is not ortum But I principally meant secundarium or secundary yet in regard the particular Churches arise and spring out of the Church-Entitive and are converted and admitted ministerially by the Church-Catholike already in being they may truly be said to be ortae and the Catholike prima First Sect. 2. All the names that are in the Scripture given unto the Church-visible agree primarily to the Church-Catholike and 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 We know they were given even to the Jews before ever any Congregational Evangelical Churches had existence Act. 7.38 The Church in the wildernesse And the Jews 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 Gods vineyard Joh. 15.1 Wherein branches in Christ bearing no fruit are cut off Christs sheepfold Joh. 10.16 Barn-floor Mat. 3.12 Drag-net Wheat-field Kingdom of heaven Mat. 13.37 38. A great house wherein are vessels even of dishonour 2 Tim. 2.20 These names cannot be limited or appropriated to any particular Congregation but are first true of the whole Church and of every particular Church as a part thereof Congregationes particulares sunt quasi partes similares Ecclesiae Catholicae atque adeò nomen naturam ejus participant Ames med l. 1. c. 32. s 4. 2. That is the primary Church to which the Covenant Promises Laws and Priviledges of the Church do primarily belong but the Covenant Promises Laws and Priviledges do primarily belong to the Church-Catholike Therefore c. The minor I prove because the Covenant of grace and salvation by Christ and the first Evangelical 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 National or Congregational Again the main commission for gathering
the Evangelical Church was Go teach all Nations and baptize them in the name of the Father Son and holy Ghost Mat. 28. And this was before any divisions or subdivisions were appointed and they were secondarily brought in for order and convenient administration of Ordinances and communication of members and transaction of businesse and they being similar parts of the whole receive their particular distinctions from external accidental and adventitious particularities as the places where they exist the particular Officers set over them their purity or impurity eminency or obscurity multitude or paucity zeal or remisnesse antiquity or late constitution c. They all retain the general essential form and difference from heathens and among themselves as parts of a similar body are distinguished but by accidental differences And that promise that the gates of hell shall never prevail against the Church is primarily given to the Church-Catholike visible have 〈◊〉 For that in heaven is not assailed by the gates of hell but only that on earth And though it may seem to be applicable to the invisible only yet to those as visible for so they are assailed by persecutions and heresies Again He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved Mar. 16. This doth primarily belong to the Church Catholike and that a visible Church because capable of Baptism and though it be applicable to every member of any particular Congregation yet not as being a member of that particular society or confederation but as being in the general Covenant and so a member 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 under in general without the least respect or reference to the particular confederations or Congregations wherein the beleevers lived In any similar body as water the accidents doe not primarily pertain 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 promises and priviledges of the Church do not primarily belong to this or that particular Church and secondarily to the Catholike but first to the Catholike and secondarily to this or that particular Congregation or person as being a member thereof The Laws also are given to the whole Church primarily as the Laws of England are to the whole Kingdom primarily and to the particular divisionâ— secondarily and all are bound to obedience not as Suffolk or Essex men but as Subjects of this Kingdom So the Laws of Christ binde every particular Church but not because in such a particular Covenant or confederation but because Subjects of Christs visible Kingdom The like may be said of the priviledges of the Church Two main priviledges of the Church are federal holinesse of the children of visible beleevers and right to the Ordinances on for â—â—llcclesia Now neither of both these betide any primarily as a member of a particular Congregation but as a member of the Church-Catholike For federal or covenant-holinesse whereby the children of visible beleevers are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it betideth no mans children because the parents are of this or that or any Congregation but because of the Church-Catholike yea though but entitive if under the seal of Baptism This I prove thus That which should have been though the particular relation to a particular Congregation had never been and which continueth when the particular relation ceaseth that is not a proper priviledge of that relation but such is federal-holinesse in regard of relation to any particular Congregation Therefore c. Suppose those baptized by John Baptist or by Christs Disciples before there were any particular distinctions should have had any children or the Eunuch if he were an Eunuck by office only and not in body baptized by Philip who went immediatly home into his own countrey or Cornelius and his friends baptized in Peters command should not their children 〈◊〉 Suppose â— Church dissolved by war the Minister and people slaiâ—â—ick dying by some raging pestilence and some women left with childe and haply they carried away captive should not their children be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the particular relation is extinct Do not those women remain members of the Church But they cease to remain members of that particular Church or Integral for that inceased Therefore of the Church-Catholike or of none Are thereto he accounted without in the Apostles sense Are visible be leevest not yet joined in Church-order or fellowship by a particular Covenant to be accounted without Or is a Congregation deprived of Elders by death land in that interval 〈◊〉 of Word Sacraments and discipline to be accounted 〈…〉 joyning of a company of private Christians together without Officers before they be organized that gives them their right primarily to the Ordinances I fear too 〈…〉 to that particular conjunction and covenient 〈…〉 weight laid upon it which is a very accidental 〈…〉 to Ordinances and enters not into it 〈…〉 and extinguishible without the least impeaching of the right to Ordinances If the reason whereupon the Apostle saith the Church of Corinth was not to judge them that were without was because they were not within the Church of Corinth and so not under their particular 〈…〉 or judgement this holdeth true of them that be of another society or Congregation desiring to be admitted to the Sacrament as well as of such as are no set members desires to be received to the Lords Supper And so all 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 society are without unto another See M. 〈…〉 But by fornicators of this world whom the Apostle pointeth into by the title of being without 1 Cor. 10.11 he means such as had not received the Covenant of grace such as 〈…〉 the Common-wealth of Israel strangers from the 〈…〉 of promise having no hope and without God in the world 〈◊〉 And 〈◊〉 right to the Ordinances it ariseth from the general Covenant 〈…〉 priviledge primarily belonging to visible beleevers though in no particular consociation the admission into the particular Congregation only affords an opportunity because thereby a particular Minister hath taken the charge of him and must administer the Ordinances to him which any other Minister may do upon occasion For Baptism it cannot be a priviledge of the particular Covenant for if a Pagan be converted he must be baptized before he can be admitted a member of the particular Congregation and this must be by some Minister Therefore baptism is a priviledge of the Church-Entitive and a Minister can yea and must sometimes exert his power of office not only beyond his own Congregation even into others but beyond the Church organical into the Church-Entitive to set Christs seal there And for the children of visible beleevers though born never so farre from the place where the particular Minister liveth which hath the actual care of his parents be it by sea or by land any Minister may administer Baptism to them because they are
all rules of the Gospel of all Church-priviledges Surv. p. â—37 I answer the Church indeed so considered is no actual polity yet it is an integral and it is visible in regard of the persons covenant laws and profession As all the subjects of the Kingdom of England are an integral in reference to the King and Laws though they should for a time want inferiour Officers And though they be not in particular combination and so are destitute of the particular priviledges and have no particular Officers to dispense Gods Ordinances to them constantly yet have they right by reason and Scripture rules to all the Ordinances of God as well as baptism and they covenant to submit to all Gods Ordinances even those of discipline and are habitually under the habitual power of the Ministers office and are capable of censures as hath been shewed before only they want the opportunity of enjoying them constantly by particular Officers of their own The right of an English man to the priviledges of the Laws doth not arise by being actually under such and such particular Officers in a Corporation c. but by being members of the Kingdom So is the right of visible beleevers to Church-priviledges by being Christs visible subjects Secondly the particular converts are brought into Christs Kingdom by the Church-Catholike visible already in being and spiritually conquered and subdued by them to Christ they are the fruits and successe of their Ministry as Organical Christs Ministers are their spiritual fathers and they are children born to the Church and are added to the Church Thirdly The Church doth initiate them and ministerially convey the priviledges to the converts by enrowling them as free-men of the Church by baptism and ministerially ordaining officers over them and so maketh them organical also and adding them into combination with themselves and this cannot be done as they are particular Officers for so they are not to them Therefore as general and it is to be accounted an act of the Church-Catholike as hath been shewed before Ch. 1. Sect. 4. And though in a constant permanent or continuous integral whose particular members rise and fall together with the whole so that it cannot consist but of so many necessary integral individual parts whereof it is constituted There the whole and the parts whereof it doth consist as they stand in relation unto one another must be simul yet the Church-Catholike being as I may say a kinde of discreet successive indefinite integral alwaies transient and in flux some members being alwaies in their adding and some alwaies in departing so that in respect of the particular parts it is not one hour every way the same it was the former I say that in reference to the members that are to be added the whole must needs be accounted first because it is constituted and hath a being entitive and organical before the addition and the members born or converted must needs be first added to the whole before they can bear the relation of parts unto it And herein the Church is like unto a Corporation whose first members whereof it was constituted were simul natura tempore with the whole yet all the members that are added successively finde it a Corporation before their addition and so it is with the successive members of the Church-Catholike Object That which belongs to a similar body or integral quà tale it doth not arise from the integrality but from the nature which is common to the whole and so it agreeth to it primarily quâ tale nun quâ totum sive integrum so though such and such priviledges and Ordinances belong to the whole Church Catholike yet it is not primarily quà Catholike or quà an Integral but quà tale and so they may belong to the parts primarily and to the whole secondarily Answ Though the properties of a similar body do belong to it quà tale as such yet the whole being tale they agree to the whole primarily though they be found immediatly in the particular parts Secondly The priviledges and Ordinances of the Church do not belong to the Church primarily quâ tale for it might possibly have had such a nature and yet wanted such Priviledges and Ordinances but they arise ex institutione donatione divinâ and from the Covenant between Christ and his Church and flow from thence and that institution donation and covenant being first intended and given to the whole the priviledges and Ordinances belong first to the whole and secondarily to the parts though they be set immediatly in the parts also Now then seeing it is evident by the former Scriptures and Arguments that there is a Church-Catholike visible both Entitive and Organical and seeing the Names Nature and Priviledges of the Church the Promises and Ordinances of God the Offices of Christ the Signs of the true Church the Members of of the Church and Ministry of the word belong first to the Church-Catholike visible and that every particular Christian bears first and last relation thereunto which relation cannot be broken off by any removal or without sinne and that the particular Churches spring out of the members of the Church-Catholike I therefore conclude according to the light God hath given me That the Church-Catholike visible is Prima in Gods intention and by Gods institution and by Gods donation of Ordinances and Priviledges and in dignity and authority and in perfection and in nature and essence and in ministerial instrumental causality and in perfect cognition and nostibility and the particular Churches secondary or posterior in all the forenamed respects and likewise are Ortae in regard they are made up of the members of the Church-Entitive and are converted instrumentally by the Church-Catholike Organical and initiaâ—â—d and organized by them and added to them and combined with them Sect. 7. 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 general 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 alwaies transient and in flux by addition and substraction of the members thereof yet it shall never cease to be visible 5. That if the Church-Catholike be contracted into narrow limits yet the remaining part thereof conserves both the nature and priviledges of the Church-Catholike and puts on the notion thereof more properly then of a particular Church as a City burnt down or wasted into a few streets reserves the Charter and Priviledges of the whole and that which was accounted but a part of it before now puts on the notion of the whole 6. That the Church-Catholike is mixt of good and bad as well as particular Congregations are 7. That the Church-Catholike may be considered either as Entitive or Organical 8. That the Church-Catholike is one habitual organical body
in answer to M. Ball. It grieved me much that I saw them no sooner I have only inserted a few annotations upon those tractates because I was loth to make a Postscript and because I found that most of the material passages in them concerning this subject were already spoken unto in this book I have now shewed mine opinion on this question and submit it to your sage and mature judgements and should be glad that my betters would shew me theirs and either correct what I have erred or failed in or make more clear what I have endeavoured to prove and defend If I have herein erred I would not willingly be an heretick but shall be willing upon conviction and proof to retract the same but if I have defended a truth as I conceive I have I should be glad to be confirmed in it and gladder to have the truth confirmed that it may appear so to others Now God the Father who is the God of truth and Jesus Christ who is the way the truth and the life and the holy Ghost who is the Spirit of truth guide you and us into all truth So prayeth Your unworthy fellow-labourer in the Lord SAMUEL HUDSON Septemb. 8. 1649. AN EPISTLE TO THE READER THe Reverend Authour of this learned Tractate some few years ago did put forth a Book about the Essence and Vnity of the Church-Catholike visible and the priority thereof in regard of particular Churches This Book was written with so much ingenuity perspicuity and learning that Reverend and godly M. Hooker is pleased to passe his judgement upon the Authour and his Book in these words Survey of Church-discipline pag. 15. While I was enquiring and writing touching this Ecclesia Catholica visibilis an especial providence brought a book to my view which did purposely entreat of this particular subject The Author M. Hudson a learned man and a faithful Minister of the Gospel when I had considered his writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I found his judgement sharp and scholasticall his spirit Christian and moderate his expression succinct and pregnantly plain to expresse his own apprehensions So that my heart was much contented with the acumen and judicious diligence of the Authour though I could not consent to what he writ yet I could not but unfainedly prize the learning perspicuity and painfulnesse expressed in his writing To this Book by him so much commended he returns an answer and before him one M. John Ellis junior And it seems there are two other Tractates about the same subject written from N. E. The one by M. Norton in answer to Apollonius the other by M. Allâ—â— and M. Shepherd in answer to M. Ball. For the truth is the â—â—â—tion there held forth if granted would utterly overthrow the grounds and pillars of the Congregational government For 〈◊〉 there be a Church-Catholike visible and this Church be not only a Church-Entitive but a Church-Organical and a Totum integrale having all Church-power habitually seated in the Officers of it which they have commission from Christ to exert and put into act upon a lawful call And if particular Congregations are integral parts and members of the Church-Catholike as the Jewish Synagogues weâ—â—f the Jewish Church And if the Ministry Ordinances and censures were given by Christ first to the church-general-Church-general-visible and secondarily to the Church-particular Then it will necessarily follow That the particular Congregation is not the first receptacle of Church-power And that all Church-power is not intirely and independently in a particular Congregation which are two of the chief foundations of the Congregational government I shall not at all speak to the first but as for this last That all Church-power is solely and independently in a particular Congregation it seems to me not only to be contrary to the Scripture a Act. 15. Mat. 18.17 Deut. 17.8 9 10 11 12. 1 Tim. 4.14 but to the very light of nature and to carry many great absurdities with it For 1. It takes away all authoritative appeals and all authoritative waies of uniting particular Churches one with another 2. Then the Churches of Jesus Christ should have no Church-communion in discipline one with another They may have Christian-communion but no Church-communion 3. Then no Minister could preach as an Officer out of his own Congregation but only as a gifted brother and as a private Christian 4. Then no Minister could administer the Sacraments which is an act of office out of his own Congregation nor as I conceive give the Sacrament to a member of another Congregation 5. Then when his particular Church is dissolved he ceaseth to be a Minister and must receive a New Ordination 6. Then a Minister baptizing a childe baptizeth him only into his own Congregation For if he be not an Officer of the Catholike Church he cannot baptize into the Catholike Church which is directly contrary to 1 Cor. 12.13 7. Then when the Officers excommunicate a person he should only be excommunicated out of that particular Congregation c. 8. Then Christ should have as many intire bodies as particular Congregations Christ should not only have one Body whereof particular Congregations are part but every Congregation should be a Body of Christ by it self 9. It would make way for toleration of heresies and blasphemies and let in as many religions as there are particular Congregations 10. It would make the Churches of Christ stand divided one from another in respect of government and thereby bring ruine upon one another Even as in a civil State if particular Corporations should be independent from the whole in point of government it would quickly bring destruction upon the whole For the removing of these and such like absurdities This learned and iudicious Authour in the Book fore-mentioned laid down a quite contrary Thesis That there is a Catholike visible organical Church to which Ordinances and censures are firstly given by Iesus Christ And that every Minister is seated by God in this Catholike visible Church and hath a virtual and habitual power to preach as a Minister in any place where he shall be lawfully called Indeed he is not an actual Minister of the Church-Catholike nor hath actually the charge of the whole Church as the Apostles had but habitually only by reason of the indefinitenesse of his office He hath power in actu primo by vertue of his office though not in actu secundo sive exercito he hath jus ad rem every where but not in re any where without a call He is a Minister of Jesus Christ and thereby hath right and power to perform the acts belonging to his office but for the execution of it there is required a call thereunto This position is opposed and confuted by the fore-named Authours And in answer to them but especially to M. Hooker and M. Ellis This Reverend Minister hath here written a Vindication which he hath done with so much meeknesse moderation ingenuity perspicuity and learning that
if that holy men of God M. Hooker were alive I doubt not but he would passe the same judgement upon this Book which he did upon the former The truth is The Question is full of difficulty and intricacy the path in which he walks is an untrodden path and the pains which he hath taken in the compiling of this work and the learning which he hath discovered herein is so great as I am very confident That whosoever reades the Book will commend the Authour and his abilities though he should not in every thing resent his opinion The Scope of the Book is to contend for the extents and rights of Christs political Kingdom in his Church upon earth and to demonstrate the unity of it and thereby to lay a foundation of unity between particular Churches which is as necessary for the preservation of them as purity and verity For a Church divided against it self cannot stand Sad it is to consider That whereas Jesus Christ hath left two waies for the uniting of Christians in faith and love the devil should make use of both of them to disunite and divide us The first is The Sacrament of the Lords Supper which was instituted to be a Feast of Love and a Band of Vnion between Christians but by Satans cunning it hath proved an apple of strife and of great contention not only between the Papists and the Protestants the Lutherans and the Calvinists but between us also and our dissenting brethren The second is The Government of the Church which was ordained by Christ to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as a golden chain to link them together in purity verity and unity to heal breaches and to make us minde the same things and to be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement But by the devils policy whose property it is to bring evil out of good it is become the great bone of contention and a middle wall of partition between Christians and Christians This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation But my comfort is That Jesus Christ came into the world to remove the wall of partition that was between Jew and Gentile and to make both one and he is not only a foundation 〈…〉 his people to build their faith and hope upon but also a corner stone to unite beleevers one to another He it is that will shortly remove all these Wals of partition between brethren and will become not only our Redeemer but our Peace-maker For he hath praied for all those that should beleeve in him That they may be one as thou Father art in me Joh. 17.21 22 and I in thee that they also may be one with us that the â—â—â—â—ld may beleeve that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou hast given me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one This Praier will in due time be fulfilled together with those three soul-comforting Prophecies concerning the times of the New Testament Ier. 32.39 Zeph. 3.9 Zach. 14.9 In the mean time it is our duty to study unity as well as purity To this the Apostle exhorts us with great earnestnesse and affection 1 Cor. 1.10 Phil. 2.1.2 3. Eph. 4.3 4 5 6. This the present times call for with a loud voice And this shall be the care and praier of Your unworthy servant in the work of the Ministry EDMUND CALAMY Errata PAge 10. line 16. for priatively reade privatively p. 14. l. 36. for vale e quantums valeat quantum p. 1â— l. 24. for Foance r. France p. 18. l. 5. for Catechism r. Doctrine of the Church correct the like fault p. 7. l. 10. p. 18. l. 37. put a â—â—ddlepoint after these words Members for your part p. 29. l. 5. blot 〈…〉 â—at aliquid significat p 545 l. 34. for or r. for p. 59. l. 31. for visibly r. visible p. 7â— l. 5. blot out not p. 73. l. 32. blot out there p. 74. l. 11. is consisted r. consisteth p. 87. l. 13. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 91. l 4. for for a particular r. of a particular p. 103. l. 34. for set p. 107. l. 18. for chough r. though p. 127. l. 5. for it r. is l. 16. for integrals r. integral p. 136. l. 17. for as well as r. as well as p. 144. l. 20. for to what r. in what p 163. l. 31. for presbyterio r. presbyterio p. 168. l. 5. for no more it is r. no more then it is p. 176. l. 6. for pâ—stors r. pastors p. 191. l. 16. for and Israel r. in Israel p. 194. l. 1â— for diutâ—s r. diuitâ—s p. 201. l. 14. for good r. goods p. 231. l. 1. for Christ r. Christian p. 238. l. 13. for primally r. primarily p. 260. l. 2. for folds r. fields p. 262. l. 5. for two men r. two women This Leaf being forgotten to be inserted in the former part of this Thesis it was thought fit to adde it here M. Norton a reverend Minister in N. E. in his Treatise of the Doctrine of Godlinesse printed since his answer to Apollonius defineth the Church-Catholike to be the number of the elect and redeemed whom God hath called out of the world unto a supernatural estate and communion of grace and glory with himself in Jesus Christ And affirms that there is but one Catholike Church because there is but one faith And then comes to distinguish this Catholike Church in respect of its adjuncts into invisible and visible And then defines a visible Church to be a similar part of the Catholike Church consisting of a competent number knit together by way of visible Covenant to exercise an holy communion with God in Christ and so one with another according to the order of the Gospel And then distinguisheth this visible Church into pure and impure impure into 3. branches viz. Simply erring Schismatical Heretical And then makes the matter of this visible Church to be Saints i. e. visible beleevers From whence we have these concessions 1. That there is a Church-Catholike which is but one 2. That this Church Catholike is visible yea let me adde further out of his answer to Apollonius Politica visibilitas est adjunctum respectu Ecclesiae Catholicae pag. 87. i. e. political visibility is an adjunct in respect of the Church-Catholike 3. That this Church-Catholike is an integral 4. That the particular Churches are similar parts of that integral 5. That these particular Churches consist of visible beleevers which as himself in his answer to Apollonius confesseth are not all Saints in truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but many of them only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in appearance 6. That some of these visible Churches may be impure not only simply erring but schismatical yea heretical But saving my honourable respect to so worthy a man I cannot see how these things are consistent with his definition of the Church-Catholike for how can the
hath 3 It appears by the definition of a Genus both according to the Ramists and Aristotelians neither of which can agree to the Church-Catholike Section 2. Secondly Affirmatively that it is an Integral 79 1 Because it hath an existence of its own which no Genus hath 2 Because the particular Churches constitute the Oecumenical which hath partes extra partes 3 Because it is made up not only of particular Churches but of particular beleevers also 4 Because it hath accidents and adjuncts of its own existing in it 80 It is capable of being greater or lesse It is mutable and fluxile 81 It is measured by time and place Section 3. 5 Because it hath admission into it nutrition and edification in it and ejection out of it 6 Because it hath a head and Governour of the same nature as man and Officers on earth that are habitually indefinite Officers to the whole 82 7 Because it hath actions and operations of the whole 8 It appears by the several appellations given to it in the Scripture 84 9 It appears by the Scripture-expressions of the union of the members of the whole Church 86 10 Because the invisible Church may in some sense be called an integral therefore much more the visible 87 Section 4. An Objection from the possible contraction of the Church-Catholike into narrow limits answered Whether every essential predication will make the arguments to be Genus and Species 89 Whether the right to the Ordinances and priviledges of the Church arise from the common nature and qualifications in beleevers or from a Covenant 90 If from a Covenant whether from a particular Covenant between man and man or the general Covenant between God and man The variation of situation or accidents vary not the species 91 The method of conveyance of the right of Church-priviledges asserted 94 The particular Churches are similar parts and parcels of the Church-Catholike 95 As the several Synagogues were of the Jewish Church Meer cohabitation makes not a man a member of a Church Yet for a visible beleever to inhabit within the limits of any particular Church and not to be a member of it implyeth it either to be no Church or a very corrupt one 96 Chapter 5. That the Church-Catholike is visible 97 Section 1. There is an invisible company or Church of Christ But that is not meant in this Question Four distinctions of visible 98 What kinde of visibility is here meant Section 2. Arguments to prove the Church-Catholike to be visible 1 Because the matter thereof is visible 99 2 Their conversion is visible 4 Because their profession subjection obedience and conversations are visible 100 4 Because the Officers of the whole Church are visible 101 5 Because the admittance into and ejection out of the whole are visible 102 Section 3. 6. Because the Doctrine Laws Ordinances and Covenant of the whole are visible An Objection of M. Hookers against this answered 103 7. Because all the administrations dispensations and operations of the whole are visible An Objection against this answered 8. Because it is our duty to joyn our selves visibly thereto 104 9. Because the accidents of the whole Church are visible 10. Because the several parts of the whole Church are visible 105 Section 4. Some Objections of M. Ellis answered The Church-Catholike which our Divines in opposition to the Papists speak of is not the same with this which is meant in this question 107 Neither can that Church-Catholike be considered as a Genus which this is affirmed by our brethren to be 109 Section 5. An Objection against the visibility of the Church-Catholike because it wants an existence of its own answered 111 Another Objection from the necessity of the whole to meet together sometimes answered 113 Some exceptions of M. Ellis answered About general Councels and their power 116 Section 6. Another Objection from the necessity of a visible head of the Church-Catholike visible answered 117 How Christ may be said to be a visible head 118 Some exceptions against Christs visible headship answered 119 Another Objection viz. that the Church-Catholike is an article of our faith and therefore cannot be visible answered 121 Chapter 6. That the Church-Catholike visible is an Organical yet similar body Yea one Organical body 123 Section 1. That particular Churches are or ought to be organized Section 2. That particular Churches thus organized are similar integral parts of the whole 124 This assertion vindicated from M. Ellis's charge of a contradiction The similarity of the Churches asserted by D. Ames and M. Bartlet c. 125 It neither crosseth mine own scope nor Apollonius as is suggested 126 Section 3. The Church-Catholike is one Organical body 127 The distinction of the Church into Entitive and Organical Whether the Church or the ministry be first 128 An explication how the Church-Catholike may he said to be one Organical body and how not 129 Section 4. Arguments to prove the Church-Catholike one Organical body 131 1. From the metaphors whereby it is set out in Scripture It is set out by a natural body 133 By a political body as a Kingdom City Army By an Oeconomical body 134 2. Because a baptized person is admitted a member of the whole Also because excommunication ejecteth out of the whole Certificates indeed were sent from one Church to another to signifie the inflicting of the censure but no new act passed 3. It appears by the Identity of the Covenant Charter Promises and Laws of the whole 135 4. By the general communion that all the members of the Church-Catholike have indefinitely with other members or Churches whereever providence cast them 136 5. From the opposition which the adversaries of the Church make against it as one organical body 137 Section 5. 6. By the indefinitenesse of the Office of Ministers This Indefinitenesse appears 1. From the generality of the Donation Institution and Commission of the Evangelical Ministry 138 They bear a double relation one to the whole Church another to the particular 139 M. Rutherford M. Balls Crakenthorp and Salmasius cited 140 Section 6. 2. From the subject matter whereabout their office is exercised which is common to all 141 3. From the end of the ministerial function which cannot otherwise be attained 142 4. From the actions which every Minister doth perform by vertue of his office indefinitely 143 Section 7. 5. From the double relation which private members bear one to whole another to the particular Church 147 6. From the great absurdities which otherwise will follow 148 Section 8. Obj. Then ordinary Ministers differ nothing from Apostles and Evangelists answered 150 Chapter 7. About Combinations of particular Congregations in Classes and of them in Synods 151 Section 1. A double integrality of the Church First Entitive Secondly Organical A double combination one habitual another actual 152 Section 2. The combining of particular Congregations into a Classis 153 Scripture-proofs and Instances thereof 154 Reasons to prove the necessity of it 156
Section 3. Concerning Synods 158 The authours that handle this subject The nature kindes and authority of Synods 159 Section 4. A threefold power of Synods Dogmatical Diatactical Critical 160 A ground of a Synod in Scripture acknowledged by our Protestant Divines 161 The Synod Act. 15. exerted all those three kindes of power 162 Section 5. About the equality of power of single Congregations 163 Their subordination to the combined 164 This subordination is also a coordination Scripture-proofs for this subordination And reasons for it 165 The like subordination found in the Jewish Church And is dictated by light of nature and common to all societies Section 6. Divers Objections answered As 166 Obj. Then there must be 2. kindes of Presbyteries Then every particular Minister hath a very transcendent power and authority 167 Then they are standing-Officers of the Christian world 168 Then they are Christs Vicars general 169 Section 7. Then the Church of the whole world should choose every Officer 170 Divers exceptions of M. Ellis's 171 Section 8. Then the whole is to honour and contribute to the maintenance of of every Minister 173 Then the Ministers perform not their whole office to the Congregation that maintains them 174 This will be too great a burthen for Ministers to meddle in the affairs of many Congregations Then Ministers exercise rule where they do not ordinarily preach so the keys should not be commensurable 175 Section 9. This was a grand objection formerly against the Bishops that they ruled where they preached not 176 Then great and stubborn persons will never be brought to censure This will occasion much trouble and charge to the partie grieved Synods are in danger of erring as well as particular memberships 177 Section 10. The liberty of appeals proved But why then should Christ let his Church want general Councels so long 178 But how then dare particular Churches abrogate the decrees of general Councels 179 Chapter 8. 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 180. Section 1. What M. Ellis denyeth to be the question 1. He saith it is not meant of the essential onenesse Answ But this is meant and is the foundation of the other 2 It is not saith he meant of engagement to mutual care one of another 182 Answ Not amicitial or fraternal only but authoritative the greater part to regulate the lesse 3 Nor is it meant saith he of a voluntary association as occasion requires for mutual assistance Answ Their association though it be necessary yet it is voluntary but not arbitrary 4 Nor is it meant saith he whether all or most Churches may occasionally become one by messenger in a general Councel 183 Answ This is the highest effect this unity produceth Section 2. What M. Ellis grants in this question 1 An authoritative power from Christ to make directions and rules to which the conscience is bound to submit and which are to be obeyed not only because materially good but because formally theirs Answ This is even as much as the Presbyterians desire But this he denies to be done by Church-Officers as Officers 184 2 If the universal Church were convenible he grants what is contended for Answ The parts may rule themselves being similar as well as the whole the whole 185 Section 3. M. Ellis's corrupt stating of the question in divers places 186 Apollonius and the London-Ministers vindicated 187 The particular Churches act not by commission from the general 188 The whole company of Christians on earth are not in their ordinary setled Church-constitution one single actual Corporation but habitual 189 Yet there may be causes to draw the Officers of many Congregations together yea haply some Officers from the whole Church if it could be occasionally 190 The Ministers are not actually Ministers of the whole Church but habitually They are given to the whole Church as the Levites to the whole house of Israel 191 Section 4. Answers to M. Ellis's prejudices probabilities and demonstrations 192 His Objection of novelty answered That the Church is one habitually and that the particular Churches bear the relation of members to it is not novel That the Ministers are Ministers beyond their own Congregations and can perform duties authoritatively is not novel Divers instances given thereof out of Scripture Divers Canons regulate Ministers in the exercise of their functions abroad but none deny them power 193 Divers instances out of antiquity 194 Frequent coventions of Synods and Councels anciently and their acting authoritatively 196 Five answers of M. Ellis's hereunto considered of 197 Section 5. M. Ellis's witnesses against the unity and integrality of the Church considered viz Chrysostome Clemens Alexandrinus Cyprian Augustine Eucherius and the Councel of Trent 198 That it is not novel in respect of Protestant Divines 201 Some quotations out of Calvin c. 202 Section 6. M. Ellis's prejudice from the dangerous consequences of this opinion answered 203 Section 7. Another prejudice that it is Papal and Antiprotestant answered 205 Section 8. M. Ellis's arguments answered 206 His first argument from the silence of the Scripture herein 2 From the institution of Christ 207 3 From the first execution of the greatest act of intire power exerciseâ— in a particular Congregation 1 Cor. 5. 208 4 Because entire power was committed to particular men viz. the Apostles severally and to all joyntly 5 From the reproofs given by Christ to the 7. Churches of Asia in the Revelation Section 9. His second sort of arguments from the matter and members of the Church answered 209 Section 10. A third sort of arguments is from the form and nature of all bodies and corporations which consist of superiour and inferiour answered 210 Six pretended inconveniences answered 211 Section 11. A fourth sort of arguments from the authours of this opinion answered 212 An objection That the whole world is one humane society and yet this makes them not one Kingdom politically answered 213 The second Question Whether the Church-Catholike visible or the particular Churches be first Section 1. What kinde of priority is meant here 216 First Negatively not a priority of time 2 Not in regard of constitution by aggregation and combination 3 Not in regard of ordinary operation But positively the visible Church-Catholike is prime 1 In Gods intention 217 2 In regard of Gods institution 3 In regard of Gods donation of Ordinances and priviledges 4 In regard of dignity 5 In regard of perfection 6 In regard of the essence or entitivenesse 7 In regard of efficient ministerial causality 218 8 In regard of distinct and perfect knowledge or noscibility The difference between ortum and secundarium Section 2. The first argument for the priority of the visible Church-Catholike from the names that are given to the Church in Scripture 219 The second argument is because the Covenant Promises Laws and
Priviledges primarily belong to the Catholike Church The Covenant commission for gathering the Evangelical Church the promises made to it and Laws of it proved to be universal 220 The Priviledges are also catholike First Federal holinesse is a priviledge of the Catholike Church 221 Secondly Right to the Ordinances of Christ 222 Proved in regard of Baptism 223 And the Lords Supper 224 Hearing of the word and joyning in Praier 225 The query about the Ordinances of Discipline discussed 226 1 Every member of the Church though but entitive is bound to submit thereto 2 Every Minister hath an habitual indefinite power annexed to his office to administer them 3 The Ordinances of discipline were first given to general Pastors 227 4 The censures dispensed have influence into the whole Church 5 Otherwise great inconvenience will follow 6 All polities administer justice to strangers offending within their limits And the like power must be allowed to Ecclesiastical polities Section 3. The third argument is because Christs Offices are first intended for and executed on the Church-Catholike 228 The fourth argument is because the signs to difference the true Church from a false belong primarily to the whole 229 The fifth argument is because all the members are members of the Church-Catholike primarily 230 Both those that are born members and those converted This illustrated by three similitudes 231 Section 4. The sixth argument is because the Ministers are primarily Ministers of the Church-Catholike 232 Diverse proofs hereof The absurd consequences of binding the Ministers office to his particular Congregation only 233 The Ministers office and power ceaseth not by the dissolution of his particular flock 235 An Objection against this by M. A. and M. S. taken from the ceasing of the ruling Elder or Deacons office at such dissolution answered 236 It appears because the censure of excommunication inflicted by particular Officers reacheth the whole Church-visible 237 The distinctions of formally and virtually and of antecedenter consequenter discussed 238 It appears also because particular Officers admit into the Church-Catholike by baptism 239 Baptizing is an act of the ministerial office All are baptized into one body Many examples of persons baptized without relation to any particular Congregations Though it be objected that this was done by extraordinary Officers yet this salves it not because if it be an Ordinance belonging to particular congregational members these being not so they could have no right to receive it no jus in re 240 Some are called Ministers in Scripture in regard of more Congregations then one 241 And ruled in common over more Congregations then one Section 5. The seventh argument is because every Christian bears his first relation to the Church Catholike and that relation continueth last and cannot be broken off without sin 242 Hence strangers tried where they reside for the present Ephesus commended for trying strangers Rev 2.2 Non communion is a sentence denounced against strangers Hereticks and false teachers not fixed must not be suffered It is no sin to remove from one Congregation to another 243 The eighth argument is because particular Churches spring from the Church-Catholike and are an additament thereto 244 The Church-Catholike is as the main Ocean and the particular as the arms thereof A double rise of particular Churches out of the Catholike 245 First They are made up of members of the Church-Catholike i. e. of visible beleevers Secondly They finde the Church-Catholike constituted and invested before their addition 1 The Church-Catholike is instrumental to their conversion 2 And gives them ministerially their admittance both into the Church entitive and organical Section 6. What is sufficient in foro externo to make a man a member of the Church-Catholike visible 246 The absurdities of accounting true beleevers only members of the visible Church Apollonius and Mr Norton cited Obj. Holinesse of dedication is founded on holiness of sanctification answered 247 Instances out of the Old and New Testament for the contrary Personal and Ecclesiastical judgement differ 248 The rules of the invisible Church serve not for the visible There are the same qualifications for the members of the Church-Catholike visible as for the particular Churches 249 Two Objections against the priority of the Church-Catholike answered 250 The conclusion of the premises 253 Section 7. Corollaries from the former Thesis 254 24 Corollaries concerning the Church-Catholike 12 Concerning particular Churches 255 7 Concerning the publike Officers of the Church 256 12 Concerning private members 257 Section 8. An application of the Thesis bewailing our division 258 First in judgement 259 Diverse errours reckoned up that are broached Secondly in heart and affections 260 Thirdly in way or practice 261 An exhortation to unity in all these 3. respects 262 THE ESSENCE AND VNITY OF THE Church Catholike visible c. QUEST Vtrum Ecclesia visibilis universalis sive Oecumenica sit prima vel secundaria orta a particularibus Whether the vis Ch. Cath. or the particular Churches be first CHAPTER I. The Explication of the Tearms FOR the handling of this Question here are these four tearms to be opened First What is meant by Ecclesia or Church Secondly What by visibilis or visible Thirdly What is meant by universalis sive oecumenica or universal and oecumenical Fourthly What by prima and orta or the first Church and that which riseth of it or secondary 1. First What a Church is SECT 1. The word Church is taken in a civil or theological sense In a civil sense for a company of people summon'd or gathered together for some civil affairs Acts 19.39 It shall be determined in a lawfull assembly the word in the Original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Church Yea even the rout met together Acts 19.41 is called Ecclesia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He dismissed the assembly or the Church as the word is in the Original Secondly In a theological sense it signifieth a company of people that are called or to be called and joyned together standing in some spiritual relation to God And so the word is taken diversly First and most properly for the whole company of the elect as they are opposed to the reprobates whether Jew or Gentile and in this sense it is taken Ephes 5.25 26. As Christ loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word So vers 23 27. and 32. Again Col. 1.18 His body the Church Interdum cum Ecclesiam nominant eam intelligunt quae rever à est coram Deo in quam nulli recipiantur nisi adoptionis gratiâ filij Dei sunt spiritus sanctificatione vera Christi membra Ac tunc quidem non tantum sanctor 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 and in Gods decree the second sort are militant warring with principalities and powers with flesh world and devil being actually justified and sanctified persons the third sort are triumphant in Heaven having finished their course and are now the spirits of just men made perfect For the fourth which the Papists make viz. Ecclesia dormiens in Purgatory we acknowledge not Secondly The word Church sometimes signifyeth more then the elect viz. the multitude of beleevers whether truly or in shew only So Act. 8.3 Saul made havock of the Church Act. 12.1 Herod stretched out his hands to vex certain of the Church Now it is certain that neither Herod nor Saul knew who were elect but as himself expounded it He persecuted this way unto the death And he desired letters to Damascus that if he found any of that way he might binde them Act. 9.2 So Act. 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 widows indeed Now we cannot conceive that only the elect gave collection but the whole number of professors which yet are called the Church In Ecclesia plurimi sunt permixti hypocritae qui nihil Christi habent praeter titulum speciem Calvin Institut lib. 4. cap. 1. sect 7. Thirdly The word Church is sometimes taken for the members of the Church as distinct from the officers Act. 15.22 Then pleased it the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church And ver 4. They were received of the Church and of the Apostles and Elders And this was before their convention in the Synod And Act. 14.23 Fourthly The word Church sometimes signifyeth the Governours of the Church to whom of right it belongeth to administer and dispense the censures of the Church Matt. 18.17 If he will not hear them tell it to the Church i. e. the Ministerial Church where Christ seemeth to me to speak of a Church that was in present being among the Jews because he applies his speech to the capacity of the Jews present Let him be to thee as an heathen and Publican who might not have communion with Heathens and would not with Publicans but Christians might eat and drink with both and the same course by analogy was to be taken by Christians when they had Churches set up as it followeth ver 18 19. Whatsoever ye shall binde on earth c. Now we know that matters of complaint were not among the Jews brought unto the Assembly or body of the people but to their Elders and Rulers And the word Kahal which signifieth Ecclesia or Church is frequently used in the Old Testament for a Court of Elders not only Ecclesiastical but even civil See 1 Chron. 13.1 2 4. And 1 Chron. 29.1 10 20. And 2 Chron. 29.28 31 32. And 2 Chron. 30.2 4. called Psal 82.1 The Congregation of the Gods Compare also Num. 35.12 24 25. and Deut. 19.12 with Iosh 20.4 6. By Congregation in one place is expounded Elders in the other Also Exod. 12.3 with v. 21. Deut. 31 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gather me the Elders or make a Church of Elders The same word we finde 1 Kin 8.1 of Solomons assembling the Elders of Israel And 1 Chr. 28.1 of Davids assembling the Elders The Septuagint translate Kahal Ecclesia or Church by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 26.26 His wickednesse shall be shewed before the whole Congregation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Compare also Deu. 23.1 2 3 8. No bastard Ammonite Moabite c. might enter into Kahal the Congregation which is rendred by the best Divines to be Consessus Iudicum the Congregation of Iudges For by Exo. 12.48 49. and Num. 15.14 15. and 9.14 and Lev. 22.18 All strangers upon circumcision were admitted into the Congregation of the people to offer to God as well as Israelites Chap. 1. Demosthenes useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro concione maguntum saith Pasor It is very frequent in the Scripture to speak of executing of judgement and justice and putting away of evil from the Congregation indefinitely by ye and thou as if it were spoken to the whole Congregation which was done by the Elders and Judges only judicially Levit 19.15 35. Deut. 16.19 Ier. 7.5 Amos 5.15 24. Zach. 7.9 16. 1 Câ—â— 5.4 7 12. Fifthly The word Church is sometimes used to signifie the faithful in some one family Philem. 2. c. To the Church in thy house Unlesse those families were the meeting places for the Christians that dwelt about to enjoy the Ordinances of God in because there were no publike meeting-houses built And to this I confesse I incline The second acceptation of the word Church sutes best with this question Sect. 2. The second 〈◊〉 to be opened is what is meant by Visible The Church is distinguished into visible and invisible which yet are not two distinct Churches or species of Churches but it is a distribution of the Subject by the Adjunct viz. a duplici modo communion is externo interno Such as have spiritual communion with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inwardly are said to be invisible members which are only known to God and not to men having this seal The Lord knoweth who are his Such as have external communion in outward Ordinances 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are called visible members because their communion is visible and apparent I grant the internal communion is invisible but the external is as visible as of any civil society and Gods Ordinances are as visibly administred as justice at the Sessions or Assizes and the profession of Christianity is as visible as the profession of any tratle the general calling to be Christians by profession is as visible as the particular calling and trade of life The inward grace is indeed invisible but the outward administration of the Ordinances and communion in them is visible i. e. perceptible by the senses And this external communion in the Ordinances though it were distributively in the several places where men live which is confessed by all would serve my turn for this question which I have in hâ—â—â— But visible taken in the sense which M. Ellis takes it in in his Vindiciae Catholicae for that which Vno intuitu videtur is seen with one view was not my meaning and therefore to expound it so which he knows I did not is to prevaricate as he chargeth me pag. 59. If visible i. e. that which may be seen and visum that which is seen actually be the same then is not the world visible But when we say the whole world is visible there is required an act of the minde we conceive that all countries are visible as well as our own and if we were there we might see them They cannot be said to be invisible because we see them not actually
Nam visibile est quod videri potest licet nunquam videtur Visible is that which may be seen though it be never actually seen Videri potest or may be seen is referred to the capability of the object to be seen not to the particular act of every agent at all times But take visible in his sense Quod uâ—o intuitu videri potest as a Kingdom representative in a Parliament Is a Parliament only visible â—o such as do actually see it and invisible to all others Is it not visible because not visum Men know it may be seen though they see it not though they exercise their knowledge only about it and not their senses yet that makes it not a genus or secunda notio It is visible though not actually seen Cameron de Ecclesiae conspicuitate pag. 245. saith the Church is visible as the world is we cannot see the whole world together but secundum partes successivè non uno obtutu attamen nulla est pars terra habitabilis quae non possit cerni Now only the invisible company have internal spiritual communion and are elect many of those that have external communion and are visible members shall perish And yet by reason of their profession are said 2 Thes 1.1 to be in God the Father and the Lord Iesus Christ as Ames also confesseth Ames med lib. 1. cap. 32. art 9. Such was the Church of Corinth and Ephesus c. wherein all were not in communion for life And of such Christ speaketh Ioh 15. â— Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he takes away And vers 6. If a man abides not in me he is cast forth as a branch and is withered and men gather them and cast them into the fire and they are burned These are said to be redeemed 2 Pet. 2.1 denying the Lord that bought them And sanctified Heb. 10.29 And hath accounted the bloud of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing And in Pauls exordiums to his Epistles To the Church of God to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 These are called the sonnes of God Gen. 6.2 And Deut. 14.1 It is spoken of Israel in general ye are the children of the Lord your God And Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus Now it is not to be conceived that all the members of the Churches in Galatia were true beleevers They are called the children of the Kingdom Mat. 8.12 i. e. reputed so but yet many of them were cast out into utter darknesse And Act. 3.25 Ye are the children of the Covenant which God made with our fathers Their advantage by being of the visible body was great every manner of way Rom. 3.1 2. To them pertained the adoption Rom. 9.4 and the glory and the Covenant and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises Which adoption is not internal adoption proper only to true beleevers for it is a priviledge belonging to the body of that people but it is the honour of being separated and reputed the children of God and so to live under the external Covenant and service of God and promises though they had not grace to improve them They are called Ro. 11.17 branches of the true olive partaking of the root and fatnesse of the Olive which were broken off and others ingraffed in their room which cannot be meant of the invisible company of elect but the visible Church God did not blot some out of his book of election and put others in or break off any true beleevers and graff others in but only out of their visible Church standing and partaking in outward Ordinances Object But is not this absurd that Christ should have wicked men who are limbs of Satan to be of his mystical body Carnal wicked men to be members of such a gracious glorious head Answ If by mystical body be meant the company of elect faithful ones that are knit to Christ by the Spirit on his part and by faith on their part and receive spiritual sap and vertue and grace from Christ internally it were altogether absurd to suppose any limb of Satan were so but mystical body is taken in opposition to a natural and civil body Now draw a word as suppose head from its natural and proper signification to a civil use and head will signifie a King who is called a civil head and then draw it to a theological use and it is called a mystical use of that word and so Christ is called a spiritual or mystical head and the Church a mystical body And in this sense mystical and organical are competible for both visible and invisible members may be said to be of the mystical body of Christ though in a different respect in regard of their communion the one visibly only the other not only vâ—sibly but also invisibly And in this sense M. Cotton in his Catechism cals a particular Church a mystical body of Christ wherein all are not of the invisible company And as the body admits of such a distinction so doth the head also for Christ affordeth spiritual communion to some inwardly as well as outwardly by Ordinances even saving graces and comforts by the Spirit of grace to others only outwardly by Ordinances and by common works of his Spirit In the same sense that a visible Church may be called a mystical body of Christ Christ may also be called a mystical head thereof As Christ terms himself a Master so he hath evil slothful unfaithful servants and stewards as a King he hath rebels that will not have him to rule over them even in his Church Mat. 25.26 Luk. 19.14 as a shepherd he hath goats as well as sheep Mat. 25.32 as a housholder he hath vessels of dishonour as well as honour 2 Tim. 2.20 Mat. 25.2 as a bridegroom he hath foolish virgins as well as wise invited to the wedding as a husbandman he hath tares among his wheat Matth. 13.25 as a fisherman he hath rubbish in his net as well as good fish Mat. 13.47 as a vine he hath unfruitful branches as well as fruitful Joh 15.6 Christ saith my people are foolish they have not known me sottish children that have no understanding that are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge Ier 4.22 yea stubborn and rebellious people In the N.T. there were some in the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 11. that had not the knowledge of God denying the resurrection guilty of drunkennesse at the Lords table guilty of fornication and uncleannesse and lasciviousnesse and had not repented And Tit. 1.16 Paul speaks of some in the Church that professed they knew God but in works denied him being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate And 2 Tim. 3.5 Having a form of godlinesse and denying the power thereof And Phil. 3.18 19. Enemies to the crosse of Christ whose end is destruction whose God
is their belly whose glory is in their shame who minde earthly things See what manner of persons Iude speaks of in 12 13 and 16. verses Spots in their feasts of charity feeding themselves without fear clouds without water carried about with windes trees whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots raging waves of the sea foming out their own shame wandering stars to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever murmurers complainers walking after their own lusts c. Yet these were Gods people by dedication and consecration and God owneth them so And is it not as absurd for Christ to have such branches as such members But though the Metaphor taken from the natural head and members seem to imply such a strict union and communion as to set forth only the elect yet we know that many of them are not called and so in their natural condition as vile as any and even the best on earth are but sinful men yet as it is borrowed from a civil head and political body it is no absurdity at all For God himself is head and Governour of all the world and thereby of devils as well as angels beasts as well as men wicked men as well as good for he is the soveraign ruler over all And Christ Eph. 1.22 is said to be head over all things to the Church his body There is therefore a visible Ecclesiastical body which may also in some sense be called mystical and there is also an invisible spiritual body of the elect only which is most properly called mystical There are two sievs or garbles which God useth the first is to fift the world into a visible Ecclesiastical body over which Christ is a mystical political governing head and ruler and this sieve is managed by the hands of the Ministers the second is to sift the visible Ecclesiastical body into a spiritual invisible body and that is in Gods hand only Now we are to know that this distinction of visible and invisible is a very lame one and the lamenesse thereof deceiveth many For whereas all distributions should have their parts distinct and different and the more opposite the members be the better the distribution is these two branches of this distinction interfier one with another and the one comprehends the other the visible comprehend the invisible here in this world I mean the persons though not the notions For though indeed every visible member is not invisible yet every invisible member in the Church is also visible Ad Catholicam Ecclesiam visibilem in terris se recipere debent quot quot invisibilis illius cives esse cupiunt Polani Syntag. l. 7. c. 9. Invisibilis Ecclesia latet in Ecclesia visibili ut pars in toto frutramque consideres ut coetum vocatorum externa vocatione quae communis est invisibili visibili Ecclesiae Ibid. They that have inward communion with Christ for life are not taught and nourished only by an inward unction or inspiration but are fain to have external communion also in the outward Ordinances of God De Ecclesia vivorum modò agitur cui Symbolum Apostolicum praescriptum est non decoelesti Ram. in Symb. So that this distinction is like the old distinction of Gratia gratis data gratia gratum facient whereas Omnis gratia gratum faciens est etiam gratia gratis data If invisible had been taken for Saints in heaven and visible for Saints on earth it had been a compleat distinction Or if visible had been taken for a Church conspicuous flourishing with liberty of Ordinances and invisible for a Church latent as under persecutions and general heresies then it had been compleat but the terms are not used in either of those senses and therefore the distinction halteth So that in what is to be said we must take heed that by visible we mean not only such as are hypocrites and reprobates but those that are also truly godly not only such as make external profession of faith whereby they are differenced from heathens but such as have inward sincerity also whereby they are differenced from hypocrites The Church visible I said is a company of people called or separated by God from Idols to the true religion What a Church visible is and yeelding professed subjection to that call which is true of the godly as well as of the hypocrites This description is excepted against by some because it is said to be a separation from Idols whereas many Athiests and Jews c. which worship no Idols may be converted and therefore say they it had better have been said called out of the world But I answer that that expression would have admitted of as much exception for there is much of the world in the Church I pray not for the world saith Christ Ioh. 17.9 which was meant of the reprobate Jews which yet were in the visible Church If I had made a description of the invisible Church it had been right to have said called out of the world but speaking of the visible Church Idols are the most proper contradistinct term to the living God and Idolatry that which onely causeth a divorce between God and a visible Church and obstinate prophanenesse which is opposite to the professed subjection mentioned in the description And though some converted should have been Jews or Athiests c. that never were Idolaters yet my description takes them in for I mean a separation or call both privatively and negatively priatively if they have been Idolaters negatively though they never were i. e. there must be a disclaiming of Idols negatively though there never were a positive worshipping of them As if a neuter who never struck in of any side shall side with one opposite there must be a disclaiming of the other opposite An Objection much to this purpose reverend M. Norton hath In Respons ad totum Quaestionum Syllogem p. 115. whereby he would inferre That a Synod is not a Church his words are these Nâ—sâ—â— catus cujus membrorum vocatio non habet â—mundum terminum immediatum a â—pâ—o Christum terminum immediatum ad quem habet sanctè vocatos pro proximâ materiâ At omnis Synodus est talis 〈◊〉 cujus membrorum vocatio non habet terminum iâ—â—e â—â—â—tum a quo c. Materia Synodi sunt pij docti viri membrae Ecclesiae But with due respect unto him I conceive he little considered how much this argument strikes at all the Churches in New-England which are made up of members not immediatly called out of the world but of members of our Churches in Old England and by Gods Ministers here converted and sealed with the seal of the Covenant A second exception against it is Because a Church may be a Church though they fall to some Idolatry as the ten Tribes were owned by God as his people though Idolaters I answer there were 7000. in Israel in the worst times that lived
latent among the Idolaters who never bowed the knee to Baal nor kissed him and God might own the people for their sakes being the better part though the lesse Secondly though God doth not divorce a Church for all Idolatry yet they deserve it And at last came forth the sentence of Lo-ammi and Lo-ruhamah against the ten Tribes for it Hos 1.6.9 Thirdly I answer it may be verè Ecclesia as is said of the Church of Rome by some but not vera pura and it was needful for me as near as I could to give a description of a true Church But I will not contend with any about this description you may take a more comprehensive description A visible Church may be described to be a company of those that own or do professe the doctrine of Christ Or such as professe the true Religion The third term to be opened is Sect. 3. Catholike universal or Oecumenical The word Catholike is frequently given to such Churches as hold the true doctrine of the Apostles and in that sense it is the same with Apostolical as it is opposed to heretical and so we finde it frequently used in Eusebius Socrates and Sâ—zomen So Damasus is called Bishop of the Catholike Church at Rome and Aurelius of the Catholike Church at Carthage and Callinicus of the Catholike Church at Peleusium And the Councel of Nice cals the Bishops of the Orthodox Churches Bishops of the Catholike and Apostolical Church And in that sense I suppose M. Ellis intends it in the title of his book which he cals Vindiciae Catholicae a found or Orthodox vindication For if he means by it A general vindication against all that assert a Church-Catholike visible he is mistaken therein also for M. Rutherford hath written professedly of my question in both the branches of it that there is a Church-Catholike visible and that it is the prime Church though I confesse I knew not of it when I printed my Thesis But this signification doth not fully comprehend my meaning of the word Secondly Catholike is taken for an office in the Church next under a Patriarch that was as his Vicar general and is called in Latine Rationalis See Salmas de primat Pap. p 21â— Thirdly Catholike universal or general is taken for a logical second notion abstracted by the minde of man comprehending divers different species under it Fourthly It is taken in the same sense that we use to take Oecumenical that which is or may be all over the world The first and last sense are only pertinent to this Question viz. the Orthodox Church over all the earth and especially this latter and therefore now I have inserted the word Oecumenical into the question And in both these senses Augustine takes it who saith the Church is called Catholike Quia universaliter perfecta est in nullo claudicat per totum orbem diffusa est Aug. de Gen. ad lâ—t cap. 1. We are to know that the Church of God admits of several distinctions from several accidents As in reference to the times wherein the Church hath existed or doth exist it is distributed into the Church under the Old Testament and the Church under the New And this again is distributed into the primitive and successive So in regard of the places where the Church doth exist or persons of whom it consisteth it receiveth the distinction of universal and particular Now in this question universal is meant principally in regard of persons and places and not in regard of time The Church Catholike existing on earth at the same time is compared with particular Churches existing at the same time also What the universal visible Church is The Vniversal visible Church is the whole company of visible beleevers throughout the whole world Now whereas M. Ellis vind p. 52. saith this definition of the Church Catholike reacheth not the subject of my question but contains what is of all hands confessed I answer I aimed at no more in the first part of my question but to prove that there is a Church Catholike visible which he saith is of all hands confessed and then I have as much as I desired namely the subject of my question granted But I will further adde that which M. Ellis thinketh wanting to make it pertinent to this question viz. That this company is one visible Kingdom of Christ on earth The Evangelical Church which is so often called by Christ the Kingdom of heaven several men give several descriptions thereof I shall set down some of their sentences Ecclesia Dei vivi est columna firmamentum veritatis toto orbe terrarum diffâ—â—sa prâ—pter Evangelium quod praedicatur sicut dicit Apostolus in omni creatura quae sub coelo est Aug. Sancta Ecclesia nos sumus sed non sic dico nos quasi ecce qui hic sumus qui me modo auditis sed quot quot sunt Christiani fideles in universo terrarunt orbe quoniam a solis ortu usque ad occasum laudatur nomen Domini Sic se habet Ecclesia Catholica mater nostra Aug. Serm. 99. Adhuc habet Ecclesia quo crescat donec illud impleatur Dominabitur a mari usque ad mare Aug. in Matth. Disseminaâ—a est Ecclesia super omnem terram Iren. lib. 3. cap. 11. Non altera Romana urbis Ecclesia altera totius orbis aestimanda Gallia Bithinia Persis Oriens India omnes barbarae geâ—tes nationes unum Christum adorant unam observant regulam veritatis Si authoritas quaeritur Orbis major est urbe Jerom. ad Evanâ—r Distincti per Orbem Ecclesiarum conventus unam Catholicam faciunt Ecclesiam Beda in 1 Pet. 2. Catholica Ecclesia est illa quae diffusa est per universum orbem Cyril Hierosol Catech. 18. Quum unus sit Deus una fides unus Dei hominum mediator Jesus Christus unicum Ecclesiae caput consequitur necessariò unam quoque esse Ecclesiam Bezae conf fid cap. 5. art 2. Saepe Ecclesiae nomine universam hominum multitudinem in orbe diffusam designamus quae unum se Deum Christum colere profitetur Calv. Iustit l. 4. c. 1. s 7. Est Congregatio omnium per orbem universum qui consentifide Evangelica Bulling Est caetus hominum Christum suum regem sacerdotem prophetum profitentium Keckerm In novo Testamento vocamus Ecclesiam pro omnibus qui Christo nomen dederunt Zuingl Vniversa multitudo Christianorum quae se fidelem censet simul num fidelis populus una Ecclesia dicitur Idem Ecclesia significat totam illam omnium multitudinem qua generatim ex vocatione professione externa astimatur Trelc Ecclesia Catholica ex hominibus unius temporis est Caetus eorum omnium qui doctrinam Evangelij de Jesu Christo in carne jam manifestato per universum mundum profitentur Dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2.5 i. e. mundus ille
futurus quem praedixerant prophetae priore adventu Christi inchoatus c. Polani Syntag. l. 7. c. 7. Statuimus Ecclesiam quandam vniversalem externam per totum orbem dispersam nobis in sacris literis describi quae visibili quadam politia unicum Ecclesiasticum Organicum corpus constituit sub quo omnes Ecclesiae particulares Classicales Provinciales Nationales tanquam partes totius continentur Apollon p. 29. Vbicunque quandocunque fuerint homines Apostolicâ fide informati Christianam Electorum rem-publicam constituunt etiam fi dispersi in omnes orbis partes Sic Antoninus Philosophus civem Romanum dixit esse quicunque Romanis legibus viveret Ita quicunque Christiani◠legibus moribusque vivis ubicunque sit nihil interest civis est Christianus ad publicum de regendâ civitate Dei consilium adhibendus ut Ecclesiae Catholicae disciplina Catholica sit Ram de Eccles Against these testimonies M. E. saith pag. 5. that I bring the description of the visible Church out of several Authours none of which except Apollonius and Ramus take it in my sense Ans They all imply a Church Catholike and that to be visible and this Church Catholike visible to be one which is all I brought them for And whereas he seeks to blast Apollonius because he was pre-engaged I answer It is more then I know he is still alive and may answer for himself And against Pet. Ramus he alledgeth a clause out of Beza's ep before Aristotles Organ But I could cite much more in his commendation out of others but I write not to commend men valere quantum valere potest I am sure I have cause to blesse God for him Sometimes saith Bifield Church signifieth a company of men in one city or 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. Catholike in the most evident sense agreeth to the Church now under the Gospel since the partition wall between Jews 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 National Provincial Classical or Congregational it is not belonging to this question to discusse the Queries 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 National Church is where all the visible publike What a National Church is religious Assemblies of a Nation being parts of the Church Catholike living under one politick civil government are by the profossion of the same faith and communion in the same worship and government united into one body Ecclesiastick or Ecclesiastical Re-publike Two things as I conceive are required to make a National Church First National agreement in the same faith and worship Secondly National union in one Ecclesiastical body in the same community of Ecclesiastical government The Churches in Foance and the Netherlands have the same faith and worship and kinde of government but they are not in the same National community thereof See Apollonius consid cap. 3. Assert 2. Asserimus Ecclesiam visibilem in sacra Scriptura descriptam non tantum fuisse Parochialem seu particularem sed esse etiam Ecclesiam quandam Nationalem unius gentis aut regni quae constat ex diversis multis Ecclesijs Parochialibus uno regimine Ecclesiastico junctis mutuâ quadam communione societate Ecclesiasticâ visibili inter se devinctis See clear proofs for National Churches under the Gospel Isa 55.5 Thou shalt call a Nation which thou knewest not and Nations which knew not thee shall run 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 these two things are sufficient to make a Church Also Isa 19.24 25. In that day shall Israel be a third with Egypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the land whom the Lord of hosts shall blesse saying Blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands and Israel mine inheritance It is a prophecy of the times under the Gospel where Aegypt and Assyria are promised to be called in to be Churches as well as Israel and are preferred in order before Israel however it is clear those three Nations are owned and blessed by God as three sister Churches Also Psa 72.11 17. All Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him All Nations shall call him blessed i. e. Christ Mat. 21.43 The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Rom. 10.19 I will provoke you to jealousie by them that are no people and by a foolish Nation will I anger you i. e. God choosing the Gentile Nations and giving them the priviledges of the Jews it should anger the Jews and provoke them to jealousie Isa 65.1 I said behold me behold me to a nation that was not called by my name The Commission of the Apostles was to go teach and baptize all Nations not Congregations only i. e. some of all Nations if they received the Christian faith and the whole Nations if the whole received it Mic. 4.2 Many Nations shall come and say Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and he will teach us his waies and we will walk in his paths Isa 52.15 He shall sprinkle many Nations i. e. with his grace Jer. 4.2 The Nations shall blesse themselves in him and in him shall they glory And Rom. 4.17 Abraham is said to be a father of many Nations in a spiritual sense as well as a carnal In thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed He is said to be the father of us all Rev. 11.15 The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ The Ecclesiastical polities in converted kingdoms are said to be commensurable to the civil Rev. 21.24 The Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it i. e. of the new Jerusalem Zac. 2.11 Many Nations shall be joyned unto the Lord in that day and shall be my people Whereby we see the current of the Scripture runs that God not only would convert Congregations out of several Nations but the whole Nations which also he performed and many whole Nations joyned themselves to the Lord and made Christian Kingdoms or Common-wealths though they proceeded not from the loins of one man as the Israelites did which some make the ground of the National Church of the Jews yet we know there were proselytes of all Nations that were members of that Church and had right to all the Ordinances as well as the Israelites and servants that came not out of Abrahams
loins And by the same reason when a part of a National Church shall joyn 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 Catholike being a similar body retains the name Church in what parts parcels or quantities soever it be divided into for convenient community until 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 The division of the Church Catholike into particular Congregations seemeth to me to be no further of divine institution then as it fitly serveth for order and edification by cohabitation for enjoyment of Gods Ordinances together publikely as the Jewish Church was divided by Synagogues for their constant enjoyment of word praier and discipline which they could not constantly enjoy as a National Church by their National worship thrice in the year and the same reason will by proportion carry it for Classical Provincial and National divisions for community of a greater part of the Church Gersom Bucerus in dissert de Gub. Eccles p. 11. hath this description of a particular Church Nos particularem Ecclesiam intelligimus quem libet 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 paraeciarum in quibus convenitur numerus accidentaria res est nihil ad Ecclesia particularis essentiam pertinens Now this seemeth to me to be a description of a Presbyterial or Classical Church and so not to divide the Church Catholike into any lesse parts for the enjoyment of all the usual publike Ordinances then a Presbyterial Classical Church and so though it be a description of a particular Church indeed yet not of the least particular Church M. Cotton a reverend Minister in N. E. in his Catechism tels us that a visible Church is a mystical 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 much of this description seems to me to belong to an invisible Church and not to a visible First because the matter thereof is the mystical body of Christ consisting only of Saints called not only from Idols but out of the world and therefore truly godly but much of the world is in the visible Church Secondly Every Congregation though it be in some sense of the mystical body of Christ yet is not the or a mysticall body of Christ for Christ hath but one mystical body it behooveth therefore a particular Church to be defined with reference to the rest of the body and not to the head only it being but a part of the body It would seem strange to define the little toe to be a body made up of flesh bloud and bone of such a figure enformed by the head without declaring the reference of it to the rest of the body Or a Corporation in England to be a body politick whereof the King is the head or Soveraign without mentioning its reference to the rest of the Kingdom whereof it is but a part and so the King the head or governour thereof but secondarily it being a part of that Kingdom whereof he was Soveraign It is true the Apostle saith the head of every man is Christ. 1 Cor. 11.3 i. e. they are of the body of Christ So it may be said of every Congregation Christ is the head thereof and that it is of his body or kingdom visible Ecclesiastical but then we must adde that which the Apostle doth of the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 12.27 Now ye are the body of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. members of a part rendred in the old English Translation Members for the part in the new Members in particular On which words saith Beza in his large notes upon the place Nam omnes Ecclesiae per orbem dispersae diversa sunt unius corporis membra And the English Annotations upon the Bible paraphrase it thus That is members of this Church of Corinth which is but a part of the Catholike Christian Church for all the faithfull wheresoever they are make the whole body you Corinthians are not the whole body but members only neither all the members but a part only of them Paraeus renders it partiatim Peter Martyr Vosestis pars membrorum Thirdly I dare not make a particular explicite holy covenant to be the form of a particular Church as this definition seemeth to do because I finde no mention of any such Covenant besides the general imposed on Churches nor example or warrant for it in all the Scriptures and therefore cannot account it an Ordinance of God but a prudential humane device to keep 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 inthral any and abridge them of liberty of removal into other places and Congregations for their convenience or urged as the form of a Church I deny not but mutual consent of persons within such a vicinity to joyn together constantly in the Ordinances of God under the inspection of such and such officers is requisite to a particular Congregation But it is the general preceding Covenant sealed by baptism and not this that makes them of the body of Christ they must be conceived to be of the visible body of Christ before they can be fit members to constitute a particular Congregation neither is it this particular Covenant that giveth right to the Ordinances of God but the general and therefore they must be judged to have right thereto before they be admitted as members of the Congregation Only this mutual joyning together and choice of such and such a Pastor or Teacher or ruling Elders giveth such Officers a call to take immediate inspection over them and administer the Ordinances of God belonging to their offices unto them to which they had right before their particular consociation which is but an accidentary thing and may many waies be dissolved and yet they not lose their right to Gods Ordinances by that dissolution Such a consent joyning and call of or submitting to a Presbytery giveth to those Elders right of exercising of their offices over or towards them rather then over others and to them to expect or require the Ordinances of God from those particular Officers rather then from others Fourthly For the enjoyment of all the Ordinances of God in one Congregation it seemeth to me very incovenient for some of the Ordinances and altogether impossible for others
First It is inconvenient that a Church consisting of 7.10.20 or 30. should inflict 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 and 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 â—ase for inflicting of a just censure and may be in danger to bear particular favour or ill will unto their persons and so apt to be swayed by love pity or hopes from them or to be overâ—wed by fears or threatnings being poor men servants children workmen tenants and therefore our brethren for Congregational Churches have of late seeing this inconvenience debarred the people from votes and put it into the hâ—â—dâ— of the Elders only See M. Cottons keys of the Church 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 Angels from â—â—â—gâ—tations or infirmities which they are not yet the weight masse and solemnity of the censure would require to be performed by a Colledge of Elders of a combined Pâ—â—â—bytery that so it being not passed by the votes of 3. or 4. only but by the joint advice consent and authority of a combined Presbytery may be the more dreadful to the party and be the better accepted and submitted unto without beâ—â—â— burning and grudge against the particular Elders or fears of revenge Yet I 〈◊〉 not power in the Elders of the particular Congregation with the consent of the Congregation to exercise even that sentence upon an offendor if there be a notorious clear cause but I speak in regard of conveniency in respect of the Elders or the cause or the person on whom it is to be inflicted who may be of civil eminency and degree c. It is worthy of note which Zanchy saith in this case In praecept 4. p. 388. Si Ecclesia aliqua exigua sit non multis eruditis hominibus constans non debâ—t excommunicationem ferre nisi vicinioribus consultis Ecclesijs Profectò neque Chirurgus si sit timens Dei prudens scindit alicui manum ant brachium nisi audiat prius vicinorum etiam periorum medicorum judicium atque sententiam Secondly It is impossible for one Congregation to enjoy all the Ordinances of God within themselves First Synods and Councels are acknowledged to be an Ordinance of God and particularly by that reverend Divine M. Cotton himself and he groundeth it on Act. 15. And though some of our brethren for Congregational Churches wave that place yet grant the thing and are members of one at this time and this Ordinance all men will grant cannot be had in one Congregation but sometimes requires the help of a whole Province Kingdom yea many Kingdoms Yea secondly The Ordinances that more nearly and particularly concern a particular Congregation cannot be performed by that alone For how can a Congregation of private Christians try the sufficiency of an Elder to be elected over them to labour in word and doctrine and if they have a tried man among them who shall give him imposition of hands which belongeth only unto Elders of the same kinde to perform Neither have our brethren of Congregational Churches whatever their judgement is herein ever dared as far as I have heard to permit private members to impose hands on their Elders but alwaies desired Elders of other Congregations to do it and therefore they cannot have this Ordinance within themselves And though this seemeth to some a thing of small moment yea but a complement yet it is an Ordinance of God The truth is election is but a nomination of a man which they think fit to be invested with and put into such an office and to whom so invested they are willing to submit themselves in the Lord but that giveth no power at all to execute the office nor doth it invest him with it for that is given and done by Ordination and imposition of hands which they cannot give because they are but private Christians out of office and the lesse ought to be blessed of the greater And the Apostle Heb. 6.12 reckoneth it up amongst the principles of Religion and part of the foundation Which place Hen. Jacob urgeth vehemently to overthrow the lawfulnesse and essence of all the Ministers of the Church of England because saith he they have erred in the foundation not having right and due imposition of hands of the Presbytery though by his leave he was mistaken for all those that imposed their hands on them were Presbyters But this dealing is not fair to hold imposition of hands a part of the foundation that so they may overthrow the Ministery of the Church of England and then make it but a complement that they may establish their own Now this impossibility befals a Church either in the beginning of it and first constitution or may at other times by mortality of Elders and will be frequent yea constant in small Congregations where there is but one or two preaching Elders as is the case of most if not all Congregations M. Norton a reverend Minister in N. E. in his answer to Apollonius hath a description of a particular Church much like this Ecclesia particularis est caeius fidelium visibili vinculo mutui consensus politicè unitus ad incedendum in fide observantiâ Evangelij juxta ordinem seu politiam Evangelij p. 22. But I see nothing in the description but is applicable to the Church-Catholike For they are the company of beleevers and they are politically united together under Christ a political head and they are united together by a visible bond of voluntary consent to yeeld outward subjection to the government of Christ See all these particulars yeelded by M. Hooker Survey p. 3. His own words I shall cite Chap. 2. Sect. 1. And M. Norton himself Resp p. 50. acknowledgeth thus much Omnes Ecclesiae uniuntur politicè sub eodem capite 2. Vniuntur eâdem formâ Politias cultus 3. Vniuntur relatione sororum politicarum hac unione communi sâ—â—â—datur communio Ecclesiarum inter se And because it is not rationally probable that the Churches of Jerusalem Rome Corinth Philippi Thessalonica or the seven Churches of Asia were meerly Congregational but rather Presbyterial as hath been by the Reverend Assembly the London Ministers and divers others abundantly evidenced it seemeth difficult to me to finde in the New Testament an expresse Instance or example of a Congregational Church standing and continuing so by it self The Church of Cenchrea mentioned Rom. 16 1. is the most
probable because of the conceived smalnesse of the place yet it is not certain for it was a port Town 8. miles from Corinth as Hâ—lyoke tels us and Gualter in Rom. 16. saith it was Oppidum Corinthiorum navium statione celeberrimum ideò frequens valdè populosum The clearest evidence is from 1 Cor. 14.14 for a particular Congregational Church Let your women keep silence in the CHURCHES which word Churches seems to import several Congregations meeting in several places to enjoy publike Ordinances by the Corinthians your women and these Congregations are called Churches and yet were all one combined Church of Corinth often spoken of in the singular number But this dispute belongs noâ— to this question yet the present difference of opinions and practices have caused me a little to dilate upon this subject beyond the explication of the term And I understand by particular Churches any or all the forementioned Churches whether National Provincial Presbyterial Classical or Congregational and this last principally for those that have first moved this question mean principally if not solely the Congregational Church because as I suppose they hold no other particular Churches but such The fourth term to be opened is What is meant by Prima Sect. 4. vel Secundaria Orta This distinction or at least in these terms is not ancient for M. Parker in his Politeia Eccles was the first that sprung it as far as I know Primum in Logick is defined to be Quod est suae Originis Ortum quod oritur a primo Secundarium is properly that which is next after the first in order for it is an ordinal I do not mean strictly next immediatly but in the largest sense for that which hath not the first right or first consideration but a Posterior In the Question Primum or first is meant that which hath the priority in consideration Whether in our apprehension of Churches we are to begin at the Church-Catholike and descend to particular Churches or begin at the particular and ascend to the Church Chatholike which notion is first in distinct knowledge whether Ecclesia Vniversalis aut Particularis Whether the nature priviledges and Ordinances belong first to the Church Catholike and secondarily to the particular Churches I do not mean as M. Ellis supposeth that the power of Ordinances go by way of discention or derivation of power from the Church-Catholike indispensation of Ordinances but in consideration for I acknowledge power to be given immediatly to every particular Church therein yet under regulation of a greater part of Church-Officers in case of male-administration The properties and power of water is primarily given to the whole element of water but is immediatly yet secondarily in the particular parcels thereof But the Catholike Church is the primary in a threefold respect First as the Orthodox Catholike Church is a means or instrument by the Ordinances Ministery and members thereof in the several parts and places thereof to convert adde and bring in more new members thereunto and in continually conquering out of Satans and Antichrists Kingdom and leavening the world with the doctrine of Christ Secondly as the Church-Catholike affords matters and members to make up or constitute the particular Congregations which consist only of the members of the Catholike Church gathered up from any place of the world into particular vicinities Thirdly in regard the Ordinances and priviledges of the Church are primarily intended and given by Christ by one Charter unto the whole Church and to particular Churches secondarily as parts thereof And so they partake of the benefits and priviledges of the Church not because they are members of the particular Churches though there they have the immediate opportunity but of the Church-Catholike As a Corporation already constituted by Charter receiveth in free men continually and giveth freedome to new members which come any way to have right thereto and those members have right to the priviledges of the City not because they are of such a street or ward or company but because they are tree of the City So that though I have retained the terms of M. Parkers distinction prima and Orta sive secundaria yet my question differs much from his For he compares the particular Churches who delegate and send members or commissioners to constitute a Classis or Synod with such a ministerial Church a Church of Officers so constituted for some especial ends pro tempore which some call a representative Church and I confesse with him that such a Church may well put on the notion of Ecclesia Orta and the particular Churches out of which these members are delegated may in some sense in reference unto them put on the notion of Ecclesiae prima Yet I do not conceive that those particular Churches give either the office or the power in actu primo whereby those delegated Commissioners do act when they are met but by such delegation they do evocate and call forth the exercise of that power which Christ hath annexed to their office habitually in actum secundum to act pro hic nunc for the good of all those Churches so sending which acts of theirs binde the delegating Churches to submission in the Lord. But in my Question the whole Church Catholike visible is compared with the particular Churches and they are considered as parts thereof CHAP. II. Proofs by Scripture that there is a Church-Catholike visible NOw I have opened the terms of my Question I finde two Questions in stead of one and whether of them is the most difficult I cannot tell Whereas the subject of every Question useth to be taken for granted and the predicate only to be proved I finde the subject of my Question exceedingly questioned and opposed Chap. 2. and that by some of our own Divines and therefore though my first aim in undertaking the Question was to clear the Predicate yet I must crave leave to confirm the subject or else whatsoever I shall say of the Predicate will be as a house built on the sand or a Castle in the air for if there be no universal visible Church then it is not capable of being either Prima or secundaria In handling both these Questions I shall follow my wonted method I preferre one Divine Testimony before ten arguments and one good argument before ten humane testimonies Sect. 1. First then Whether there be a Church-Catholike visible I know that our Divines in answer to the Pontificians do deny the Church-Catholike to be visible as Zanchy Gerard Whitakers Chamier and Ames against Bellarmine and Sadeel against Turrianus and against the Monks Confession of faith and D. Willet in his Synops For they restraining the signification of the word Church to the better part of the Church the Elect only and considering them in respect of their internal communion with Christ their head and not their external communion one with another by Ordinances did deny the Church-Catholike to be visible Nec
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
Where the word Church cannot signifie the Elect only nor any particular Congregation or Kingdom but indefinitely it reacheth the whole body though in never so remote parts M. Hooker excepteth against this proof because saith he the Church here spoken of is contra-distinct to the Jews and therefore cannot comprehend the whole company of beleevers through the whole world because some beleevers were of the Jews Surv. c. 15. p. 270. Answ It is true I finde Beza in his large notes upon the place interpreting the Jews here spoken of to be the beleeving Jews and the Gentiles to be the beleeving Gentiles Partibus subijcit totum But then he crosseth M. Hooker in making the Church an integrum and Jews and Gentiles to be the integrant parts Yet he adds as the more probable meaning Nisi malimus istud Iudais Graecis de extrancis intelligere quorum etiam nobis sit habenda ratio c. And all others that I have met withall interpret the words of the unbeleeving Jews and Gentiles in opposition to Christians Or else of the beleeving Jews and Gentiles making one Church but most in the first sense So Calvin Iudaeos Gentes nominat non tantum quia duobus illis generibus constabat Dei Ecclesia sed ut doceat nos omnibus etiam alionis esse debitores ut eos si fieri potest lucrifaciamus So Paraeus on the vers Also Amb. Thomas Aqu. Goran and the English Annotations on the place And the reason divers of them render is because the unbeleeving Jews abhorting Idols might be beat off from Christ by seeing Christians eating things sacrificed to Idols which is the particular offence here mentioned by the Apostle and the unbeleeving Gentiles might be confirmed in their Idolatry thereby and the beleevers both of Jews and Gentiles take offence at it Again saith M. Hooker that Church is here meant whom a man may offend by his practice in the particulars mentioned but he cannot offend the whole company of believers through the whole world because a scandal must be seen or known certainly c. Answ All indefinite negative precepts as against murder adultery theft c. as they are general for the time binding semper ad semper so concerning place and persons though no one man is ever like to have opportunity or possibility to commit them in every place and upon every person So is this prohibition Some might give offence in one place some in another and some one in many places in those travelling times and the whole was liable to offence though haply not by one man and therefore the object is set down indefinitely to comprehend the whole Yea the word comprizeth not the Church Entitive but Organical and combined for they may so be offended and we are not to affront or offend them the greater the part of the whole body is and the more compleated the greater respect is to be had to it that we give no offence thereunto Also Gal. 4.26 But Ierusalem which is above is free which is the mother of us all By Ierusalem is meant a Church because it is that which brings forth children to God which sometime may be desolate and in sorrow because of the paucity and dispersion of them sometime is bidden to rejoyce for the multitude and prosperity of them as vers 27. It â—s also an Evangelical Church freed from the ceremonies of the Law because it is called Ierusalem answering to Ierusalem that was in Pauls time and was in bondage with her children vers 25. i. e. to the Church of the Jews that were under the ceremonial Law and would not forsake it which was soon after destroied The Apostle changeth the manner of this speech from the person of Sarah who was the type of the Evangelical Covenant to Ierusalem which is the Church wherein the Evangelical doctrine and Covenant is preached and this Ierusalem is the seed of Sarah i. e. the Evangelical Church is the seed and offspring of the Evangelical Covenant This Evangelical Church is called Ierusalem and Sion in Heb. 12.22 which text is parallel to this and Rev. 21.1 2. the New Ierusalem The legal ceremonial service did beget all under it to an external bondage and brought them up under bondage especially hypocrites which were not led by the Law to Christ but rather hindred from him they were in external and internal bondage It cannot be the Church Triumphant for that is not the mother of the Church militant that hath no Orrdinances to beget children And though it be called Ierusalem which is above yet that is meant because it hath its Original from heaven as Rev. 21. the New Jerusalem is said to come down from heaven and we are said to be begotten from above 2. Because their conversation is in heaven Phil. 3.20 3. Because they shall in the end be brought thither It cannot be the invisible Church as so considered but must be a visible organical Church because it doth no otherwise become a mother of children but by the use of Ordinances and keys committed to her It is by the preaching of the word that children are begotten in her womb the seed is the word and by the same word as milk and the use of the Sacraments they are nourished in their mothers house and as a mother she educates and rules them by discipline And this cannot be a particular Church but must be the general because the Apostle saith it is the mother of us all the Apostle puts in himself and all beleevers And the 27 vers makes it more plain because the Apostle confirms and explains himself by a quotation out of Isa 54. f. 2 3. which sheweth the calling in of the Gentiles to be of this Church And thus all the protestant Expositours that I have met with expound it Calvin on the place saith Caelestem vocat non qua calo sit inclusa non quae sit quaerenda extra mundum est enim diffusa Ecclesia per totum orbem in terra peregrinatur Luther also saith This heavenly Ierusalem which is above is the Church i. e. the faithful dispersed throughout the whole world which have one and the same Gospel faith Christ holy Ghost and Sacraments It is the Church which is now in the world and not the Triumphant Church To be the mother of us all it is necessary that this our mother should be on earth among men as also her generation is This spiritual Jerusalem which took her beginning in corporeal Jerusalem hath not any certain place but is dispersed throughout the whole world This free mother is the Church it self the spouse of Christ of whom we are all gendred So Musculus Perkins Baldwin and Bullinger Loquitur de Ecclesia in terris ex omnibus gentibus collecta It is another body which is correspondent to Sarah viz. the Christian Church Beza and Calvin on Hebr. 12.22 a text parallel to this hath these words Caelestem Ierusalem intelligit
quae per totum mundum extruenda erat quemadmodum Angelus apud Zachariam funiculum ejus ab Oriente usque in Occidentem extendit Again Eph. 3.10 To the intent that unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisedom of God This Church was not a particular Congregatian neither was it the Church of the elect neither doth Beza so expound it as is alledged for he speaks hereupon of the government of it sub variatâ Oeconomiâ neither was the Church of the Gentiles only which yet is more then one Congregation neither can the circumstances carry it so beyond control as is alledged because of the mysteries here spoken of that were kept secret since the beginning of the world and the multifarious wisedom which was now made known by the Churches but were before made known to the Church of the Jews as M. Hooker conceives p. 271. For the mysteries revealed in the New Testament were never known to the Jews before Eye never saw them nor ear heard them nor entred it into the heart of man to conceive of them But he that is least in the kingdom of the Gospel knows more then Iohn the Baptist But it was the Church-Catholike under the Gospel whereof Paul was made a Minister as it is vers 7. It is that body of Christ the Church whereof Paul was made a Minister as himself saith more fully Col. 1.24 25. which must needs be the external visible organical Catholike Church of Christ consisting of Jew and Gentile Again it is said in 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in the Church Sect. 4. first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers The Church here spoken of is not the Church Triumphant for that hath no officers but Christ the head there shall be no Pastors and Teachers quà such yet such are in this Church vers 8. neither shall there be any gifts of healing tongues miracles Deacons or ruling Elders Neither is it the Church as invisible consisting of the elect only for the invisible Church quâ invisible hath no Officers neither For though intentionally they are indeed given for the good of the Elect yet they are set in the visible Church For both the ordinary and extraordinary Officers were visible messengers and some of them but visible beleevers only for Iudas 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 c. 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 homogeneal body every member as a member being equal and of the same capacity but it is meant of the Church Organical an heterogeneal dissimilar body because here are set down the Officers I mean dissimilar and heterogeneal in regard of the integral parts viz. the several Congregations because they all have or ought to have the same kinde of Officers and members as so many flocks of sheep under several shepherds Therefore the several particular Churches are called by some an Epitome of the great body now the Epitome hath no other parts then the great body hath 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 Go teach all nations c. and all the Churches which have teachers over them which all Churches in the world have or ought to have and yet all these are called but one Church one body vers 20. And this whole is one Organical body v. 12. 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 Rom. 12.4 5. M. Hooker hath two Expositions of or answers to this place First that the Church here meant is totum universale existing and determinined in its actings by the particulars Answ That cannot be for genus quâ genus can have no officers seeing it is a second notion abstracted only in the minde therefore the Church quâ totum universale is no existing politie if it hath Officers it must be considered as an integrum existens And as for totum genenericum existens it is nothing else as I conceive but integrum similare For genus existeth not as genus but only under distinct specifical forms and is abstracted from the species or individuals by the understanding Now that which hath no existence of its own can have no existing Officers Omne conporeum existens vel est integrum vel membrum Neither will it help the cause at all to say that Apostles Prophets Evangelists were extraordinary temporary officers First here are ordinary Officers inserted also given to the same Church as Teachers ruling-Elders Deacons Secondly a genus admits of no variations in regard of time or place or any other accidents nothing extraordinary can betide a genus but an integrum or existing being Genus ut est aeternae veritatis sic est aeternae identitatis Genus is abstractum quid non concretum but the Church-Catholike is concretum quid constatum aggregatum ex membris non ex speciebus as shall be shewed more fully afterwards His second Exposition is that the Apostle points at one particular but includeth all particulars by a parity and proportion of reason Answ This cannot be for this Church here meant is the political body of Christ as M. Hooker himself expounds it as I shewed before Now all the members of a particular Church as suppose Corinth are but members of a part of that body as I shewed before Secondly God did not set all these in every particular Church Had every particular Congregation Apostles Prophets miracles gifts of healing diversities of tongues yea take the constant Officer the teacher and ordinarily one Congregation hath not teachers but only one teacher therefore this parity of reason cannot hold except all these Officers were in the plural number in every Congregation And if the Apostles Prophets Evangelists were Officers of every particular Congregation quâ particular then all those incongruities which our brethren bring against Presbyterial government of choice ordination maintenance honour from the particular Congregations to them and their constant teaching watching over and ruling of them fall directly upon these Officers I suppose many Congregations never had all these kindes of Officers among them If it be meant distributively some to one some to another then it should have been said Churches not Church This place being a main fort that stood in M. Ellis's way he laies his main battety against it and gives many answers thereunto which yet are not subordinate or subservient one to another nor yet consistent one with another but if
any one will serve the turn to batter it down it matters not it seems what become of the rest He parallels this place with Eph. 4.4 5. And saith that one body or Church here and there spoken of is meant in the same sense that One faith One Baptism is viz. one in kinde and as there are many single faiths hopes baptisms though one in kinde so there is one body in kinde but many singular bodies vind p. 34. But M. Ellis might have seen that if he had run his parallel a little further he had run over shoes and boots too For there it is said that there is One Spirit one Lord Jesus one God and Father not in kinde but in number and why may not the Church in which there is one individual doctrine of faith and body of laws and into which there is one manner of inrowlment by baptism and in which only there is hope of salvation be one numerically also especially considering that as the head the Lord Jesus Christ is one in number so his body the Church can be but one in number also For Christ hath not more bodies in the same respect then one But even his granting of a mystical onenesse in Essence drives him to grant willingly that this doth imply an union visible also as much as may stand with the institution of Christ and the edification of the Church p. 34. And I think the Presbyterians desire no more Also he saith the Church is one as the worship and government is one viz. for nature and kinde in the substantials of it or that general platform of it Mat. 18. c. but as the Church is not one visible policy or corporation in number so neither in outward government of it vind 35. Answ The Presbyterians do acknowledge many distinct particular corporations of particular Churches exercising government actually and constantly by their own Officers But as this onenesse in kinde of worship and government giveth every private Christian whose constant actual exercise of publike worship is in one Congregation an habitual right to worship God and communicate in any though never so far remote Congregation if occasion serve and makes him liable to reproofs and suspension there if there be known cause why shall not the Officers also whose constant actual exercise is but in one Congregation have the like priviledge to exercise their office in any remote Congregation upon an occasion or call to it But there were two Objections vind p. 35. which played so hard upon him that they beat him from that battery and therefore he betakes himself to another mounted much higher I grant saith he the Apostle speaks of the Church whether visible or invisible universal or particular but not of it in these respects but mystically and totally as comprehending those in heaven also and this sense I will stick unto pag. 35. Now in this body or this Church as Eph. 36. or in this family in heaven and earth as vers 15 He hath set some Apostles some Pastors Though they have exercise of their functions only in that part which is on earth and in that part of it on earth which is visibles yet they are placed in the whole pag. 36. But here M. Ellis grants more then was desired I fear this opinion will prove but a novel opinion and he will have but few fellows to stand by him in managing this piece of battery For as it expresly crosseth D. Ames before-cited who saith the Church-Catholike is one in regard of its external and accidental state and not internal and essential so it crosseth himself who holdeth that the Officers of a particular Church are Officers only in their severall Churches vind p. 8. therefore not set in the Church Triumphant Certainly there they are where they were set but they are in the Church visible militant only the Church Triumphant hath no Officers This opinion will make all the Ministers notable Non-residents who never come at the place where they were set all their life time It were a happy turn for the Ministers if they were all placed in the Church Triumphant as well as militant I am sure many of them will never come there The Saints in heaven have no hand in the election of Officers here below which by his arguing they ought to have as well as the Church-Catholike in the election of every particular Officer vind p. 40. The Church in heaven have neither word Sacraments nor discipline which are counted the notes of the Church where the Ministery is placed The Ministers preach not to them pray not with them have no external communion with them watch not over them neither admonish nor censure them not perform any part of their ministerial office to them Nay the Officers are not so much as placed in the invisible Church on earth for as invisible it hath no Officers but as visible only It is true they are set for the good of the invisible Church and for the perfecting of the Triumphant but they are set only in the visible and they are altogether visible and many of them only visible and yet are true Ministers Are the gifts of tongues and of healing and Deacons set in the whole Church Triumphant as well as Militant Are all that are baptized into one body baptized into the Triumphant as well as militant I think you will not say so But how are we flown from a particular visible congregational Church to the Triumphant on a sudden from one extream to another Remember that of the Poet Ne si dimissior ibis Vnda graves pennas si celsior ignis adurat Inter utrumque vola Medio tutissimus ibis It is clear the Apostle speaks of that body wherein is suffering and rejoycing one with another But Abraham is ignorant of us and Israel acknowledgeth us not It is contrary to reâ—â—on it self that the Officers reckoned up in 1 Cor. 12.28 and Eph. 4.11 should be set in the Church essentially taken for discipline is not essential to the Church but for the â—inâ—esse or well being of it Considering also that by those Officers the Church becometh political It were a paradox to say that a King Judges Justices and Sherifs and Laws c. are given to a Kingdom essentially and not as it is a poâ—â—â—iâ— for they are the very formalis ratio and sinews of the politie thereof without which it might indeed have an essence but no politie Our brethren for Congregational Churches hold that there may be a Church entitive or essential before they choose any Officer else they were in no capacity to choose them how then can Officers aggree to them essentially But it is contrary to sense to say they are set in the Church Triumphant But fearing that he cannot keep this battery he retreats to a third and that is a double one In the general he saith should I grant which I do not that the Apostle is to be understood of the Church on earth yet
he speaks as well of in particular Church as of the general And to avoid the dirt of this Fort or Aâ—bâ—â—â—â—â— is he taâ—â— it viz. 1 Cor. 12.28 He brings in two significations of the word Apostle which worth alone saith he is the ground of the Objection And saith if we take the word for such Officers as were sent out with commission from any Church upon special occasion which is the literal signification of the word and is so taken 1 Cor. 8.23 of Barnabas and Phil. 2.25 of Epapbroditum so the Argument hence were voided Answ But there is not the least probability that the Apostle in setting down the Officers of the Church both extraordinary and ordinary should set down occasional messengers first before Prophets and Teachers And in Ephes 4.11 keeping the same Order should preferre them before Prophets Evangelists Pastours and Teachers And leave out in both places the highest office in the Church viz. Apostleship especially considering that the Apostle there doth not set down the Officers â—aptim promiscously but addeth an ordinal numeral with them first Apostles secundarily Prophets But again If it be taken properly in that he applieth his speech particularly though not exclusively to the Corinthians ye are the body of Christ to wit ye are a particular body and members in particular and so Chap. 3.21 22. All are yours whether Paul or Apollos or Cephar or life or death all are yours and ye Corinthians Christs Where all are the whole Churches and each Churches in particular as their occasions require each in their order He might also have said and each particular member So that the sense is saith he he hath given or set in the Church i. e. in this Church of Corinth and so in that of Ephesus c. Some Apostles c. as their need shall require yet not therefore making them one external society among themselves As some general Officers make not England and Scotland one Kingdom Answ M Ellis goes upon a mistake in all his book The Presbyterians say not that the Church-Catholike visible is one external constant actual society but habitual or in actu primo or constantly and actually in actu secundo sive exercite the regiment is exercised in the particular Churches or vicinities yet hath the whole Church or some great parts of it some common interests that may require to be handled in Synods and Councels by their combined or delegated Officers occasionally and those Officers therein act not as private men but as Officers and may exert their indefinite habitual power annexed to their office for the good of the whole or of so great a part of the Church-Catholike as did delegate them And as for the parallelling Apostles and Prophets in this case with life and death it is not equal for God did not set life and death as Officers in the Church but they are general accidents to the whole world over-ruled by God for the good of his people All things work together for the good of them that love him But in that he grants the word Church to extend to Corinthians and Ephesians c. he must grant it to comprehend all the Churches as well as them and that they all are one Church habitually having then some general Officers over them viz. Apostles Prophets Evangelists and Teachers and the same Apostle the same Prophet and the same Teacher if need required in any of them But fearing he could not keep that battery he retreats to a fourth and saith that though by Church were meant the Church-Catholike visible yet it follows not that because it was so then and in respect of the Apostles that therefore it was to be so to the end of the world and in it self pag. 37. Answ it is true it was not Christs minde that the extraordinary office of Apostleship should continue there were to be no more such men of extraordinary gifts and divine immediate mission of an infallible spirit that had actual regiment over the Churches of the whole world without any delegation from others but by immediate commission from Christ But how comes that which was an integrum in the Apostles daies to be now sublimated into it genus and lose the integrality and so prove a second notion existing only in intellectu nostro Did it cease to be one body as soon as the Apostles were all dead seeing the same doctrine worship laws discipline enrowlment by baptism confirmation and communion in the Lords Supper continued still and the liberty of all the members of the whole Church to communicate in these in any place of the world where they become though but occasionally continue still And by the same reason the habitual power in actu primo which the Officers have to dispense the Ordinances of God may be drawn forth in any part of the Church in actum secundum upon an occasion and call according to their measure which the Apostles had habitually and actually every where both in actu primo secundo extraordinarily Yea but saith he the Churches were not one in themselves but one in the Apostles and that by accident as England and Scotland were one in the King because he governed both Israel and Judah in David the whole world one in Nebuchadnezzar But they are not therefore one considered in themselves Vind. p. 37. Answ I grant the Church was but accidentally and temporarily one in regard of the Apostles but integrally one in it self It was not one because that they were set over it but it was one in it self integrally because Christ is set over it and therefore they by commission from Christ were set over it extraordinarily for the present good and necessity thereof An Empire being made one under one Emperour hath imperial laws and constitutions which being divided under divers governours it loseth again and ceaseth to be an Empire but the Church hath the same laws under the same head that it had then and ever shall have The world was one Empire under Darius by imperial laws not because the three Presidents were set over it neither did it cease to be so by their death or ceasing So c. But fifthly saith he though we grant that while the Apostles were living there was one body of Officers over the whole Church and so in respect of them the Church might be said to be one governed body yet it was never one governing body for whilest the Apostles lived the universal governing power was committed to the Apostles only and not with them to any other Officers or Churches no not to all the Churches together but they with their Officers were all in subjection to them Answ I acknowledge the Church-Catholike was never one governing body although M. Ellis is pleased to set down that expression in capital letters in the frontispiece of his book and upon the top of every page and in divers other places as the opinion of the Presbyterians But where doth he finde any such expression in
their writings It may more truly be affirmed to be the opinion of some of our brethren of the Congregational way who put government into the body of the Congregation whether M. Ellis be of that opinion or no I cannot say and so they are a particular governing body and if all the Churches in the world were of that way as certainly they desire and these Churches might in any sense be called one Church as is confest by all that they may then they must needs be one governing body But as they are now they not only govern their own body but passe the censure of Non-communion against all persons nay whole Churches if they judge there be cause But the Presbyterians hold that governments belong to the Organs i. e. the Officers of the Church not to the body It is for good of the body but belongs not to the body to exercise The Church-Catholike is the subject in quo exercetur or cui datur non ad utendum sed ad fruendum Neither are the Officers of the Church-Catholike one constant collective governing body actually but habitually for constantly and actually they are distributed into several Congregations for the exercise of government there But if the necessity of the whole when it could be or of any great part of the body call the Officers of many particular Churches together which may be by themselves or their Commissioners then can they exercise their office collectively conjunctim yet only according to the word of God And this M. Ellis granteth in effect p. 7.8 only he saith their power being met is only consultatory and suasory not obligatory it is the acting of officers but not as Officers but I suppose he cannot think that consultatory and suasory power is sufficient to cure the Church of the malady of obstinate hereticks whose mouths saith the Apostle must be stopped And though the universal constant actual power of government was given to the Apostles only yet we see they did joyn with the particular Elders in the government of their Churches when they were among them and did also joyn them with themselves in making decrees to binde the Churches Act. 15.6 and Act. 16.4 But fearing lest he had granted something too much in his former answer he plucks away part of it in his sixt and saith that the Apostles were not one joint Ministery For besides that each had intire power some had one part committed to them and some another Thomas sortitus est Parthiam Andreas Scythiam Johannes Asiam c. Answ The Apostles did first act in Jerusalem as one joint combined ministery and did afterward disperse themselves into several parts of the world according to their commission yet retained their power of uniting and acting together jointly without any delegation or commission from any Churches and this power of their 's no ordinary Ministers lay claim to And though the planting and watering of Churches required this dispersion and several lots voluntarily yet were they fixed in no Congregation as Elders are Seventhly He denyeth the consequence of a Church-Catholike visible from that place and that he proves by a parallel supposing such like words had been said of the whole world for civil government his words are these If it follow not when we say God hath set in the world some Emperors some Kings some Princes some inferiour Officers and Magistrates therefore the world is but one governing Kingdom and all particular Kingdoms do but govern in the right of the Kingdom of the world in common the Officers whereof are the Kings of the several Kingdoms c. Neither doth it follow that because the Scripture saith God hath set some in the Church Apostles c. therefore the Church throughout the world is but one Congregation to whose Officers first as the general Officers of the whole Church not by way of distribution but as a notionally at least collected body of Officers the power of government is committed c. Answ He hath not paralleled the question rightly but it should run thus Suppose there were one Emperour over all the Kingdoms of the earth and he should set down one form of government and enrowlment for freedom in the whole world for such as will be his subjects and should first set 12 Presidents over the whole world to abide so for their life time as extaordinary Officers and for ordinary standing Officers should set in the several Provinces or Kingdoms several Officers that should rule under him or them in their several places and yet appoint that as every free member of the whole though his fixed habitation be in one place yet is free of the whole habitually and upon occasion can make use of it to trade freely in any place so the several governours though ordinarily fixedly and actually they constantly govern their own Provinces yet upon occasion of difference danger or for the good of the whole or any great part of the same they shall have power to convene either all if it may be or some of them by way of delegation to act for the good of the whole or so many Provinces as the matter concerns and their delegation is for Whether would not this prove the world one intire Empire and body politick habitually And so is the case of the Church-Catholike But take earthly monarchies as they have been on earth and we finde that the several kingdoms of the Empires did enjoy their several liberties with respect had to the whole that nothing should be prejudicial to the Empire that the Emperour should have no damage Dan. 6.2 And yet in reference to the Emperour and some certain common laws they were one monarchy Because the Emperour could send messengers and Officers of any countrey and commands to them all and all were to take care in their places for the whole though haply there was no general convention of all Officers and to keep as much as lay in them neighbour Kingdoms from rebelling even where they had no ordinary jurisdiction and to subdue them to the Emperour if they did rebel and yet not retain ordinary power over them Now these things agree to this spiritual monarchy the Church yea and much more For they are all one in the head one in all the laws and in one form of government and ought all to do what they do in reference to the whole as to admit every where into the whole by baptism to eject out of the whole by excommunication to keep any neighbour Church from defection and to reduce them if fallen off though they have no ordinary jurisdiction over them Christ can send a Minister out of any Kingdom into any not only occasionally pro tempore as a messenger but settle him there as an Officer and call back or remove him any whither else And therefore the Church-Catholike is one Kingdom in general and yet particular rights and liberties of particular Churches be preserved so far as may stand with the good of the
whole There is one Objection which M. Hooker in Surv. c. 15. p. 273. hath against this proof in this text which is of some difficulty vix That Church where Deacons are set is not an unlimited Church But ordinary Deacons were set in the same Church wherein the Apostles were set as in the place 1 Corinth 12. it is affirmed jointly and indifferently of them both Therefore that Church doth not argue an unlimited power Answ It is not affirmed that the Church-Catholike hath an unlimited power but unlimited extent of the power given them by Christ in regard of place within the compasse of the Christian world and so I conceive M. Hookers meaning is But to the Objection itself First I premise that Deacons were not primarily set in a particular Congregational Church but 7 of them were at the first institution of the office set in the Church of Jerusalem over Jews and Grecians where there were many Congregations and therefore a Classical Presbyterial Church divided into many Congregations necessarily at least for some Ordinances as the Lords Supper c. yet governed by one common Presbytery and yet alwaies called one Church But whether their Officers were fixed in the several Congregations or no I know not neither do I think it can be proved Secondly The subject about which their office was exercised was not the Ordinances of worship or discipline as the other offices were but about alm◠which in their own nature are or ought to be and were then voluntary And in regard those alms come not by divine dispensation as the immediate gift of Christ to the Church though they be commanded indeed by Christ but out of mens purses by contribution being a money matter in which the Congregation hath or had propriety there may be something said for the limitation of that office in their act of ordinary distribution to the members of that single or combined Church contributing that it may be performed according to the will of the donors to whom also the Deacons are to render an account Thirdly I desire the manner of the Apostles speech in setting down Deacons and governours may be considered not adding an ordinal numeral unto it as to Apostles Prophets and Teachers but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deinde and 2ly interposing 2 extraordinary endowments of miracles and gifts of healing and 3. the change of speech from the concrete to the abstract helps governments Which though they imply men by whom they are to be exercised viz. helpers and governours yet are not so set down what the meaning of the holy Ghost is herein I cannot affirm but I conceive that the office of Apostles Prophets Teachers is of somewhat more large extent then the other two because they were executed as well without the Church though set in it as within it viz. among heathens for their conversion And in Ecclesia constituendâ the other in constitutâ only and the exerting of the Deacons office not so usually and frequently out of the limits of their particular Churches as theirs that are intrusted with the preaching of the word nor yet their call thereunto so facil as the others for to the exerting of government there is required a voluntary combination of many instituted Churches and for distribution to other Churches there is required a more then ordinary necessity and the consent of the particular Church contributing but no such solemn call is required to the preaching the word in any other Church or Churches But fourthly more directly to the Objection Though alms which is the subject of the Deacons office be not reckoned among the Ordinances given by Christ but are the gift of particular men in particular Congregations as the rest of them yet the necessity command and distribution of them may extend further then the particular Church and in that regard the office of Deacons which is to collect and distribute extends it self equally We are bidden to do good to all but especially to the houshold of faith i. e. as we have occasion and ability which is as extensive as the Church-Catholike Any forreign Church may stand in need of our contribution and distribution And even the Law of our land enjoyneth that if any Congregation cannot maintain their poor there should be help by collections from other neighbouring Congregations And the maimed souldiers of the whole County are maintained by constant collection from every town in the County and there are County Treasurers that receive it which are as it were County-Deacons And if a great Town be visited with the plague or suffer losses by fire c. it is frequent to make collections for them in many Countries Yea for whole Counties as the whole Kingdom hath lately done for Lancashire yea for a whole Kingdom as for our own Kingdom under war yea for forreign Kingdoms as England yea and the Netherlands though under another civil regiment have done for Ireland And we reade what the Churches of Asia did for the Churches of Jerusalem And we have had contribution to redeem captivated Christians under the Turk and not only of our own Nation but other Nations sometimes Grecians Now though these contributions and collections run among us in another channel viz. through the hands of Church-wardens Overseers Constables Collectors yet this is the proper work of the Deacons and therefore that office in regard of the extent of their possible object may well be said to be habitually Catholike or given to the Church-Catholike though their constant distribution should be limited to their own Congregations Another proof is from 1 Tim. 3.15 Sect. 5. These things I write unto thee that thou maist know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth This Church must be the visible Church where he and others must exist and converse together and carry themselves in mutual duties Also it must be an organical Church for the Epistle containeth directions about Bishops and Deacons yea even in the context Neither can the directions be solely concerning Ephesus for they are written to Timothy an Evangelist the limits of whose office are commensurable to the Apostles though under them Neither do they concern Ephesus in any especially manner but all Churches where ever Timothy should come Therefore not to it particularly For he prescribeth canons concerning publike praier and the habit and carriage of women in the Church concerning the office of Bishops and Deacons concerning the censuring and reproof of all degrees the Ordination and maintenance of Elders the choice and provision for widows concerning the duties of servants and a charge to rich men not of Ephesus particularly or only but every where Neither did they concern Ephesus primarily for the Officers were already set in that Church Paul found Elders there Act. 20.17 in his visitation of them and had lived there three years vers 31. as himself
acknowledgeth Primarily therefore these canons concern the whole Church The manner also of the Apostles speech is to be attended he doth not say the Churches houses pillars grounds to be ordered pari rattoni but in the singular number house church pillar ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if there were but one Church one house whereof Ephesus was but one room and that already furnished one seat one large pillar that hath the same truth written on every side of it which holdeth it forth unto others both Jews and Gentiles within the Church and without more forensi And as Timothy being an Evangelist conversed with many Churches so it is like did the members of the Church of Ephesus The English Annotations on this place are these As the Catholike Church is as it were the whole house of God so every particular Church as this of Ephesus was in which Timothy resided was a part thereof and by a Synecdoche totius may be called the house of God c. The words also of the following verse will lend us some light Great is the mystery of goâ—linesse God manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world received up into glory This is the truth supported by this seat and holden forth by this pillar Doth this concern Ephesus solely or particularly or primarily Is there not a larger subject expressed viz. Gentiles and the believing world All these are the family and houshold of God Eph. 2.19 and 3.15 Again it is the Catholike visible Church that is so often in Scripture called the Kingdom of God Mat. 4.26 30. And the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 13.24 31 33 47. Christ cals them not Kingdoms but the Kingdom And compares this Kingdom to a field of wheat mingled with tares This must be the Church visible in this world because it is where the sower ordinarily soweth his seed visibly and audibly vers 8. which is the preaching of the word And because here are good and bad wheat and tares and the tares visibly discerned after the wheat And it is the Catholike Church for Christ himself expounds it so the field is the world not of the Jews only but of the Gentiles also Joh. 3.16 and 17.11 15. And this must be the Christian world for the other is a field of tares only where there could be no danger of plucking up of wheat because none grew there They shall fever the wicked from among the just And in this field particular Churches are but as particular ridges enjoying the same tillage seed fencing watering It is a barn floor with wheat and chaffe It is a draw net gathering together good and bad It is a marriage where wise and foolish virgins some had oil and some only lamps of profession It is a feast where some had wedding garments some had none Now these things cannot be spoken solely or primarily of any particular Congregation but they agree to the Church-Catholike visible this Kingdom is here spoken of as one and to particular Churches as parts thereof and this is also an organical body therefore called a Kingdom Here are servants sowing and viewing this field proffering to weed it And this weeding must be by Ecclesiastical censures not the civil sword they were not so void of reason as to go ask whether they should kill all the world besides the godly with a civil sword then these tares must be members of the Church else they were not capable to be cast out if never in Here were fishermen officers that cast this net and servants that invited these guests every where in high waies and hedges Luk. 14.23 indefinitely without respect of Countrey or Town That which is objected against this by M. Hooker is that the Kingdom of heaven beside other significations as the Kingdom of glory c. it doth by a metonymy imply the word of the Kingdom and the dispensation and administration of the Gospel in the Churches and the special things appertaining thereunto And citeth these parables for that sense Answ I deny not the several significations of those words the Kingdom of heaven in â—everal places But they cannot signifie so in the fore-ceited places For it is said the Angels shall gather out of his Christs Kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them c. can this be meant of the word or Gospel Is there any thing that offends therein or doth iniquity that shall be cast c. Is there any tares any chaff any rubbish there Or can it be meant of the dispensation thereof Should sinful or erroneous dispensations of Gods Ordinances be suffered to the end of the world for fear of plucking up good dispensations Why do we then endeavour a reformation Doth not Paul say false teachers mouths must be stopped and wisheth such cut off It is clear the texts speak of a Kingdom consisting of persons the tares chaffe rubbish foolish virgins and evil guests are the children of the wicked one man that offend and doe iniquity that shall be gathered out of Christs Kingdom therefore they were in it And the wheat good fish wise virgins and good guests are the children of the Kingdom without respect to any particularities of Town or Countrey much lesse of any Congregation And when we say Thy Kingdom come we pray not only for the conversion of the elect nor only for the coming of the Kingdom of glory but also for the Church-Catholike visible that it might be enlarged and have freedom and purity of Ordinances which are things that concern it as a visible organical Kingdom because the dispensations thereof are by Officers Again in 1 Cor. 15.24 it is said Then shall Christ deliver up the Kingdom to God his Father This is not the natural or essential Kingdom which he hath with the Father and holy Ghost as God for that he shall never deliver up Neither is it the Kingdom of grace which he by his Spirit exerciseth in the hearts of the Elect for that shall continue for ever and be more perfect in heaven For the Kingdom of grace here and of glory afterward differ only gradis communionis as Ames tels us here the degree is imperfect then it shall be perfect both in graces and joyes But it is the Kingdom exercised in the visible Church-Catholike in the Ordinances of worship and discipline wherein our communion is mediate with God which shall then cease For as the Evangelical external service and manner of communion with God thrust out the legal and ceremonial so shall the heavenly immediate thrust out the Evangelical But this Kingdom saith M. Hooker cannot be the Catholike visible Church because that consisting of sound-hearted Christians and false-hearted hypocrites these are not delivered up into the hand of the Father that he might be all in all to them Surv. p. 276. Answ I do not conceive by Kingdom to be meant the children of the Kingdom but the
external donative regiment of Christ over his visible Church-Catholike dispensed by Ordinances and Officers here below which shall then cease And though the Ordinances as he alledgeth are distinct from the Kingdom in sense and signification Yet they strongly argue a Kingdom constituted and governed by them as the Kings laws argue a King and Kingdom As from helps and governments 1 Cor. 12.28 we gather the consequence of helpers and governours as officers in the Church so from the external laws of this Kingdom we necessarily conclude there is such a Kingdom commensurable to the extent of these laws and that external Organical and Catholike which is spoken of Isa 9.6 And the 25. ver makes it plain for he must reign until he hath put all enemies under his feet which reigning relates to professed Subjects as well as professed enemies and these Subjects comprehended in a Kingdom Again Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear This Kingdom cannot be meant of the internal Kingdom of grace in the heart for that was also exercised by Christ in his peoples hearts under the old Testament but it is meant of the external unalterable perpetual Ordinances of worship and government which differed from those under the Law else the Apostles antithesis of the Church under the Law and the Church under the Gospel had not been good which are the things he compares in that place Externals under the Law are opposed to externals under the Gospel It cannot be meant of the Kingdom of glory for they had not yet received that And it is plain he speaks of a Kingdom wherein we may now serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Now these Ordinances of worship and discipline being Catholike or universal and relating to a Kingdom and therefore set down under the name of a kingdom by a Metonymy of the subject for the adjunct the Kingdom for the Ordinances of the Kingdom do strongly argue the being of the Kingdom Can we conceive that the holy Ghost would chuse to use such a metonymy of the subject where there is no such subject It is true as is alledged the unalterablenesse lyeth in the adjunct Ordinances i. e. in regard of God who will not alter them and that the subject or kingdom may be moved and shaken by persecutions or heresies and so may the Ordinances also and have been we know but that kinde of alteration moving or shaking is not meant in the text neither was intended by me I have the rather mentioned this text because I finde one of our brethren for Congregational Churches viz. M. William Sedgwick giving this Exposition of it in a Sermon of his in print which was preached before divers members of the House of Commons Sect. 6. Again 1 Cor. 5.12 The Apostle saith what have I to doe to judge those that are without The preposition or adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I desire to know what it doth relate unto Is it not meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Church And can we think that that Church was the Church of Corinth only Had Paul nothing to do 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 do to censure any but invisible members Why did he then excommunicate Hymenaeus Philetus Phigellus Hermogenes and Alexander And saith I would they were cut off that trouble you Also it must be meant of an Organical body because here are censures mentioned as belonging to all within And therefore it must be meant of the Church-Catholike visible Organical What have I to do to judge those that are not brought into the Church They are not under my power or cognizance but belong only to the civil Magistrate And we usually speak of the Countreys 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 Extra ejus gremium non est speranda peccatorum remissio Calv. Inst l. 4 c. 1. S. 4. Again Eph. 4.4 5. The Apostle proveth the Church to be but one by divers Arguments First saith he There is one body of Christ which is therefore called Eph. 3.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both of Jews and Gentiles i. e. the same body And this an Organical body because Paul addeth ver 7. whereof I was made a Minister Secondly there is but one spirit in that whole body which is as one soul 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 Baptism to admit into this Church Now if the whole world were under one King and governed by one Law and all one body and all capable of the same priviledges and all made Denizons by the same way of enrowlment it would make but one Empire yet so it is with all the Christians and 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 visibly Church Upon this text ver 12. Beza in his large Annotations hath this note Being the Church is to be considered either as a Communalty of a sacred Common-wealth or as a spiritual Temple or as a mystical body the ministery of the word ought likewise to be referred to these three heads c. All which 3. considerations shew the unity and integrality of the whole And that this is meant of the visible Church and not invisible or Triumphant as M. Ellis conceiveth appeareth because it is the Church to whom Officers are given ver 11. to be edified ver 12 13. compacted together by joints ver 16. of whom mutual duties both religious and civil are required for such are set down in that Chapter and the following And so M. Hooker understands it Surv. p. 3 where he cites this text for the political body or Church visible of Christ ruled by the donative delegated power of Christ and that visibly by his Ordinances and officers It is therefore the militant visible Church which holdeth forth the truth Phil. 2.16 contending for it Jude 3. Into which the thief may possibly enter Joh. 10. Act. 20.29 30. Again Christ saith Mat. 16.18 On this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Was this a particular Congregation No surely but the Church Catholike for any particular Church may
the particular Congregation but into the whole visible body and into the general Covenant not into any particular Covenant 8. If there be an external Catholike union of fraternity between all visible Christians in the whole world there is one external visible Catholike Church But there is one external Catholike union of fraternity between all visible Christians in the whole world Therefore c. The consequence of the major appears because this fraternal union ariseth from the unity of the Church which is constituted by one Covenant into which they are all entred visibly They are not made brethren by being invisible believers only or in the same respect for then only invisible believers were brethren in the Scripture sense If any one that is called a brother be a drunkard railer extortioner c. 1 Corinth 5.11 Now few true believers are fornicators idolaters drunkards therefore this brotherhood is in regard of a visible profession and membership The minor appears because whereever the Apostles came if they found any visible believers they are said to finde brethren Act. 28.14 And it is the most usual term that the Christians were called by both in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Epistles not because they were of one particular Congregation but because of the Church-Catholike which are also called the houshold of faith Doe good unto all i. e. though heathens but especially to the houshold of faith Gal. 6.10 The houshold is commmensurable to the entertainment of the faith Not the invisible members only for they could not be known as such but all the visible members 9. If the same individual systeme or body of external laws under one command whereby all Churches equally should walk and be governed be Catholike then the Church is Catholike But there is the same individual systeme or body of external laws under one command whereby c. Therefore c. The major is proved by evidence of reason and experience of all bodies politick The minor is undeniable For the same individual systeme expressed in the Gospel totidem verbis governs and guides the whole Catholike Church It cannot be said the same in kinde only but the same for matter manner end method and expresse words unlesse we can say the several copies are several species and then we in England have so many species of laws as there be copies printed of our laws Neither is it the law written in the heart and put in the inward parts but the external systeme given to the Church as a body politick Neither is it the moral law quâ moral but that in the hand of a Mediatour with other positive laws added thereto Neither is this subjection unto these external laws arbitrary by the concurrent consent of divers Churches out of custome or because of the equity and conveniency of them vi materiae as divers Kingdoms now use the civil laws or for intercourse with forreign Churches but by vertue of the command of the authour of them Neither have particular Churches any municipal laws divine of their own superadded to distinguish them as England and Scotland have but are wholly ruled by this Catholike systeme 10. If there be a Catholike external communion intercourse and communication between all the members and in all the particular Churches in the world in worship doctrine and sign or seal of confirmation nutrition or commemoration of the same redemption visibly wrought by the same visible Saviour then all those members or Churches having this external communion intercourse and communication are one Catholike Church But there is such a communion c. Therefore c. The consequence appears because communion ariseth from membership there is an union presumed before there can be a communion admitted especially in the Lords Supâ—er which is a seal and if an union then a membership for thereby they are made of the body and if the communion be visible and external then so is the union from whence it floweth for qualis effectus talis est causa And though there may be an admittance of a heathen to be present at the word singing praier yet it is not an admittance into fellowship for then we should have spiritual fellowship with idolaters they may come and see what fellowship Christians enjoy with Christ and one with another but they are not admitted into that fellowship while heathens and idolaters but after conversion professed subjection and believing After the 3000. were converted by Peter and were baptized they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and praier Act. 2.41 42. And yet were not of one particular Church not as our brethren themselves tell us as I shewed before therefore as members in general And nothing is more usual then for members of one Congregation to joyn in the fellowship of the word read and preached in singing and prayer with members of divers Congregations together as at lectures or other occasions and frequently also at the Lords table even among our brethren in New-England members of far distant Congregations do communicate occasionally Also all the visible Churches on earth pray publikely and give thanks and on occasion may fast for the welfare of the whole Church on earth As for the evasion which some of our brethren have that this communion of strangers with them is by vertue of a particular present transient membership with them I conceive it of no force nor warranted in the word of God Then should those men be members of two Churches at once then ought they to contribute to that Minister then ought that Minister to take the charge of them then by some of our brethrens positions should the whole Congregation have a hand in their admission Also if there be any Ecclesiastical admissions or censures or transactions or contributions that concern that particular Congregation they also ought being members to have their vote and consent and hand therein And then by the same reason all that came to a lecture which is a Church-fellowship in divine Ordinances of singing praier preaching and blessing the people must so many times turn members of that Congregation where such a meeting is And then is it a dangerous thing to hear a lecture in a Congregation where the Minister or people are corrupt for we thereby make our selves members of that Congregation and so put our selves under that Pastour and those Elders for the present and thereby give our allowance of them It is not a subâ—tane occasional meeting that can make a person a member of a Congregation but constancy quoad intentionem saltem saith Ames in medulâ—a lib. 1. cap. 32. Sect. 21. And for communion of Churches I shall speak of it afterward And by this that hath been said I suppose the minor is cleared also 11. If the censure of excommunication of a person in one Congregation cuts him off from the Church-Catholike visible in regard of communion which formerly he had right unto then is there a
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
be spoken in regard of the invisible company only the better part yet to them as visible and as terrible by discipline And 2 Thes 2.4 It is said of Antichrist that he as God sitteth in the temple of God By Temple is meant the Church of God and this a visible Church yet no particular Congregation but the general Church-Catholike or at least the greatest part of it for it is said Rev. 13.3 All the world wondred after the beast And Rev. 17.1 She is said to sit upon many waters which are as is expounded vers 15. Peoples and multitudes and Nations and tongues And Rev. 18.3 It is said that All Nations have drunk of the wine of her fornication and the Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her Yea the holy Ghost chooseth to joyn many particular Churches together by Nouns collective Nouns of multitude in the singular number Remarkable is that 1 Pet. 5.2 where writing to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia he cals them all one flock Feed the flock of God which is among you And from this place M. Bayns granteth that all the Churches of the world may be called Oecumenical Bayns Diocles Tryal p. 12. conclus 1. And so Act. 20. To the Elders of Ephesus The Churches of Galatia are compared to one lump Gal. 5.5 CHAP. IV. That the Church-Catholike visible is one Integral or totum Integrale NOw because I see it is much stumbled at that I made the Church-Catholike to be Totum integrale and because it will let much light into the Question in hand I shall endeavour to prove that the Church-Catholike visible is an integral or totum integrale And first negatively that it is not a Genus First Sect. 1. a Genus is made or drawn per abstractionem Logicam vel metaphysicam as M. Ellis conceiveth but an Integral is made or constituted per conjunctionem sive appositionem physicam vel politicam Now the Church-Catholike visible is not made or drawn by logical or metaphysical abstraction but by political conjunction combination or apposition of the parts and members thereof So Ames medul lib. 1. cap. 33. Sect. â—8 Sicut per fidem Ecclesia habet statum essentialem per combinationem integralem sic etiam per ministerium habet Organicum quendam statum 2. A Genus hath no existence of its own but so hath the Church-Catholike visible viz. Per combinationem sive aggregationem No genus can be capable of combination or aggregation for that is an accident belonging to an integral 3. It appears by the definition of a genus both according to the Ramists and Aristotelians The Ramists say Genus est totum partibus essentiale The genus is essential to its parts i. e. species But Integrum est totum cui partes sunt essentiales vel integrales Now the several Churches are integrant to the Church-Catholike visible they make and constitute the Oecumenical by aggregation And according to the Aristotelians Genus est totum quod de pluribus specie differentibus potest praedicari in quid Now this cannot agree to the Church-Catholike or Oecumenical for the particular Churches do not differ specieâ— by any specifical forms but only by accidental and numerical differences Unlesse you will say that Individua sunt species which as it is generally denied so it is most unlikely in similar bodies of all others And if the single Churches be Individua then at the most the Oecumenical can be but a species yea species insima So Ames med c. 31. s 18. Ecclesia haec viz. Caâ—h est mystica ratione una non genericè sed quasi species specialissima vel individuum quia nullas habet species propriè dictas And yet I acknowledge he saith c. 32. s 5. Ecclesia particularis respectu communis illius naturae quae in omnibus Ecclesiâ—s particularibus reperitur est species Ecclesiae in genere sed respectu Ecclesiae Catholicae quae habet rationem integri est membrum ex aggregatione variorum membrâ—rum singularium compositum atque adeo respectu ipsorum est etiam integrum A similar totum differs much from an universal similarity of parts doth not at all hinder integrality but universality is of another nature being an abstract second notion Society or polity is a Genus and is divided or rather distinguished into civil and Ecclesiastical now indeed civil polity hath distinct species viz. monarchical aristocratical democratical and mixed but Ecclesiastical polity hath none of Gods appointment Indeed there is Papal Prelatical and Presbyterial but the former are humane the last as I conceive divine I confesse also this last is in dispute whether it be combined or independent but this distinction our ignorance hath brought forth there is but one by Gods institution It is true also that some members are invisible and some visible only but the invisible have their external communion in Ordinances quà visible as they are under Ecclesiastical polity they are all considered as visible but this distinction makes not two species of Churches or polities for as invisible members they have no officers but as visible I acknowledge there may by the minde of man a community of nature be abstracted from any similar bodies and so consequently from the similarity of Congregations but whether that be sufficient to make a genus where there are no distinct specifical differences under it I shall leave to the Logicians to dispute it out And to make this totum genericum existens is beyond my apprehension seeing genus being a second notion existeth not but in intellectu nostro habet fundamentum in rebus non existentiam For as it doth exist it is an integral and loseth its abstract nature wherein the universality doth consist That which existeth in the Individual is not totum but pars essentialis individui As it is abstracted by the minde and relateth to the Genus it is but symbolum causae materialis as it is existing in the Individual it is ipsa causa materialis Individui And therefore though it be said that tota natura Generis conservatur in una specie and by this rule in uno individuo it must be fundamentaliter only non formaliter for there is no such universality formally in specie multò minus in Individuo As the nature of a flock is not reserved in one sheep or a corporation in one man to use M. Hookers own words Sur. cap. 15. pag. 261. One Church also may be more pure then another and larger then another but these accidents vary not the species But 2. I shall prove the Oecumenical Church is an Integral Sect. 2. First because it hath an existence of its own which no Genus hath And this existence appears because it hath an external form and state which no Genus can have This Ames confesseth as I shewed before yea the Church Catholike visible had an existence before it was divided into particular
societies in the beginning of it in the Apostles daies as I shewed before and that not as Entitive only but under the general Officers with whom they did communicate in doctrine fellowship breaking of bread and praier 2. Because the several and singular Churches do constitute and make up the Oecumenical as members of it now membrum integrum sunt relata A genus hath no members The particular Churches are integrant to the whole and the whole results out of them Hence Salmasius hath this passage Vniversum Ecclesiae corpus in majora membra divisum Apparat. 285. Every particular Congragation contains part of the matter and part of the form of the whole I mean with Ames in respect of the external state of it But a Genus hath no external state Quod habet partes extra partes est Tetum integrale sed Ecclesia universalis visibilis habet partes extra partes Ergo. The mayor is the very definition of totum integrale The minor is clear for the particular Churches are different one from another sitis ordine singulae suâ praediâ—ae sunt quantitate non se invicem permeant They are not only distinct in consideration but in existence and exist one besides another as Towns in a Kingdom 3. Nay it appears further to be an integral because it is made up not only of the particular Congregations but of individual Christians not only such as are particular members of particular Congregations but such as are not members of any particular Congregation as I suppose all Christians are not fixed members nor can be as I could give divers instances as in regard of habitation perigrination banishment want of opportunity scrupulosity If such be not members of the Church-Catholike because not fixed then the Apostles themselves and Evangelists were none for they were not fixed but we finde that they were not only members but officers and so related to the body as organical A Corporation or City consisteth not only of streets wards and companies but of persons within their liberties though dwelling alone Now if the Church-Catholike be a genus it cannot be abstracted from them both if it be abstracted from particular Congregations and so be a genus of societies and polities then it doth not contain such as are not in any societies or polities if it be abstracted from them as particular unfixed members then it is no genus of particular Churches for they are none nor of any But as the Church is an integrum it may be made up of both and result out of both 4. That which hath inherent accidents and adjuncts existing in it as its own that is an integral for a genus is not capable of them But the Church-Catholike visible hath accidents inhaering adhaering and betiding unto it and existing in it Therefore it is an integral The major is undeniable The minor appeareth by instance Beauty strength offensive defensive purity terriblenesse with banners viz. of discipline conspicuity order visibility c. are accidents that may and sometimes have been and some of them are still existing in the whole Church as belonging to the whole therefore it is an integral Again That which is capable of being majus and minus i. e. is sometimes greater and sometimes lesse in extent that is an integral but so is the Church-Catholike or Oecumenical The consequence is clear because a Genus can neither be greater or lesse then it ever was Animal was as great a Genus when there were but two men and a few beasts in the world as it is now there are many millions for the greatnesse of the genus is not measured by continuous or discreet quantity but the nearer Ens it is and the further from Individuals the greater the Genus is i. e. the more comprehensive and the further remote from Ens and the nearer the Individuals the lesse the Genus is i. e. the lesse comprehensive But the Oecumenical Church is measured by quantity continuous in regard of place wherein it is and discrete in regard of number of the Churches and members thereof sometimes the bounds thereof are enlarged and sometimes streightned There is an augmentation by addition of members a diminution by substraction and the whole resulteth out of the aggregation of the parts not by local contiguity alwaies but by political Ecclesiastical habitual consociation and union in the same external profession subjection and fraternity Again that totum which is mutable and fluxile is an integral for a Genus is immutable constant permanent aeternae veritatis But the Church Oecumenical is very mutable and fluxile sometime flourishing sometime under persecution sometimes conspicuous sometimes it may be latenâ— sometimes more pure sometimes more corrupt sometimes it hath more beauty and strength and sometimes lesse and though this be in the parts and members the particular Churches yet it may be in the whole and the beauty and strength of the parts of a natural or civil body is the beauty and strength of the whole man City Kingdom every member hath his own beauty and strength and out of them all resulteth the beauty and strength of the whole Again That totum which is measured by time and place is an integral for Genus which is a notion is capable of neither of them but so is the Church Oecumenical Hence we divide the Church into primitive and successive From the time of John the Baptist the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence Mat. 11.12 Sometime the Church hath been planted in the Eastern parts of the world and now is more Westerly and is in likelihood still going more Westward We use to limit the Church within the pale thereof though potentially in regard of permission and haply promise it may be actually over the whole earth Amplitudo vetustas sunt accidentia Ecclesiae visibilis See Cameron de conspic Ecclesiae 5. That Totum whereinto there is admission Sect. 3. wherein there is nutrition and edification and out of which there is ejection that is an integral But there is admission into the Church-Catholike visible by Baptism nutrition and edification by the other external Ordinances and ejection out of it by excommunication Therefore it is an Integral For a Genus is capable of none of these Indeed if you consider this society in reference to other societies or religions it is a distinct kinde in regard of the Authour laws qualifications of members but in reference unto its members it is an integral If this be all that is meant by totum genericum existens it may passe without any dammage to this question So the several companies in London are distinct from other companies yet in reference to their own members they are integrals and in reference to the whole they are parts 6. That society which hath not only a head or governour in heaven of the same nature as man but Officers on earth which are indefinitely and habitually Officers to the whole that is an integral
but so hath the Oecumenical Church therefore it is an integral A Genus is not capable of Officers But the Church-Catholike had once by M. Ellis's own confession actual universal Officers and was then one governed body and still the Officers are indefinitely and habitually Officers to the whole as shall be proved in Chap. 7. And the visibility of the head in Chap. 5. Sect 6. 7. That which hath actions and operations of its own that is an integral for a Genus is not capable thereof but the Church-Catholike or Oecumenical hath or may have actions operations and effects of its own Therefore c. The minor upon which all the weight of this argument lyeth is proved thus The Church-Catholike visible may by their delegates meet in a general Councel about the affairs that concern the whole and though their power therein were but only consultative and suasive as M. Ellis grants yet it is an act of the whole as the acts of a Kingdom represented in Parliament are said to be national acts but I conceive they may do more even make decrees as well as the Synod Act. 15. They may confute and suppresse general heresies and disorders Yea and the whole Church-Catholike may yield consent submission and obedience thereunto as their acts finding them agreeable to the word of God Sect. 4. There may be a general humiliation of the whole Church-Catholike visible or a general thanksgiving as occasion may be offered There may be a general contestation with the same hereticks and renouncing of their errours a general suffering under and conflict with and conquest over the same adversaries as suppose Antichrist and Triumphing over them See Rev. 19. the 7. first verses All Gods servants both small and great are called to it I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thundrings saying Allelujah This was not the act of a particular Congregation but of the Church Catholike and yet all these are vers 8. bound up in an unity and they are called the Lambs wife and unto her was granted c. The Church-Catholike visible also conquereth and subdueth spiritually the rest of the world and bringeth them into external subjection to Christ and leaveneth them with the doctrine of Christ and uniteth them to themselves in this spiritual society so that they become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one body And though this be done by particular members and Churches yet that hinders it not from being the act of the whole as when an army of souldiers of one Kingdom conquer neighbour Kingdoms and adde them to their own as the Romans did all the world it is accounted the action of the whole nation or a national act so is this case though the conquest differ in kinde And this may serve for an answer to M. Hookers query Surv. c. 16. p. 256. 259. Whether the Church-Catholike can be considered as distinct from the particular Churches not by separation of the whole from the parts but in apprehension by presenting some distinct Officer act or operation which do not pertain to the particular Churches For as there is a head and King of the whole as visible and one systeme of laws and habitual indefinite Officers of the whole so you see there are acts and operations of the whole both by their delegates and by themselves which though they be performed by particular persons belonging haply to particular Churches as the souldiers making up an army belong to several Towns yet do not perform them as particular members of the particular Churches but of the whole neither do they convert into the particular Churches but into the whole as such souldiers fight not as members of such a Town but of such a Kingdom and conquer not to enlarge their several Towns but the Kingdom in general And for constant actual Officers and distinct services such as the national Church of the Jews had because they could meet together three times every year and oftner upon occasion they cannot be expected in the Oecumenical body it being too large for such constant meetings If the Church-Catholike can bring forth sons then it can perform operations But it can bring forth sons This M. Ellis himself confesseth by consequence for in the close of his Epistle Dedicatory before his vindiciae Catholicae he subscribes himself a sonne of the Church What other Church can he mean but the Catholike If he meaneth the particular Church whereof he is Pastour he is not a son but a father and governour of that and then he should more properly have said Sonne of a Church not Sonne of the Church for there be more Churches then this unlesse he meant the by way of eminency He cannot mean of the Church of England for he denies all National Churches therefore it must be of the Church-Catholike and yet he denies that there is any such thing visible and that which he doth acknowledge he makes a Genus which is a second notion without existence and then as himself confesseth Non existentis nulla sunt operationes The species or Individuals cannot be sonnes of the Genus And therefore he should more safely have subscribed himself a member or Minister of the Church and yet that must have proved the Church-Catholike or of a Church and then he might have meant his own 8. It will appear by the several appellations which are given to the Church-Catholike in Scripture For in Scripture it is called a Body yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one and the same body which hath one head or governour which hath constant influence into that body even into those that are only visible members in common works and into the invisible members in saving works and governs both by external laws Now a Genus though it hath subordinate species yet is no body nor hath any head or governour nor any influence given unto it neither is it governed by any external laws for then it must exist Yea the Church-Catholike visible is called a body fitly joyned together and compacted Sect. 3. by that which every joint supplyeth Eph. 4.16 which appears to be the external political Kingdom of Christ as M. Hooker cals it and applyeth this Chapter because here are the Officers reckoned up yea the extraordinary general Officers Vbi omnes partes existunt simul compactae ibi totum integrale existit Sed omnes partes Ecclesiae Catholicae visibilis existunt simul compactae Ergo totum integrale totius Ecclesiae Catholicae visibilis existit This M. Hooker saith is true of a Totum genericum existens but not that all particular Congregations do exist aggregated together as members of the Catholike p. 268. But how a Genus can be a body and the particular species fitly joyned together and compacted by that which every joint supplyeth I cannot understand The relation between a Genus and species cannot be compared to joynts compacting and joyning a body together
but most properly relateth to the union of an integrum Also it is called a Kingdom as I shewed before The Kingdom of his dear sonne Col. 1.13 The Gospel is called the Gospel of the Kingdom Mat. 4.23 And the word of the Kingdom Mat. 13.19 And such as are only visible members are called the children of the Kingdom Mat. 8.12 And this Kingdom hath a King and Laws and Officers in it now a Kingdom or society is no Genus but an Integral It is also called a Tabernacle Revel 21.3 which was a thing coupled together with tenons sockets loops and taches and so an integral no Genus nor could signifie any It is called also an house or building 1 Tim. 3.15 The Church which is the house of God 1 Cor. 3.9 Ye are Gods building Eph. 2.21 In whom all the building fitly framed together c. which is the Catholike Church visible consisting of Jews and Gentiles built on the visible foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the chief corner-stone And a houshold Gal. 6.10 Also it is called a Temple in the fore-cited Eph. 2.21 1 Cor. 3.17 2 Cor. 6.16 Now the Temple was an Integral Also it is called a city and the members thereof Jews and Gentiles are called fellow-citizens Eph. 2.29 Also an army terrible with banners Cant. 6.10 Also it is called a sheepfold a wheat-field a barn-floor a dragge-net a loaf of bread made up of divers grains 1 Cor. 10.17 Now all these and many more appellations have no analogy to a Genus but to an Integrum Therefore the Church-Catholike visible is an Integrum 9. It appears to be an Integral from the words which the Scripture useth to expresse the Church and union of the members of the Church-Catholike together As Act. 2.41 There were added about 3000. souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They were put unto them as an encrease now a Genus is not capable of addition by numbers but an Integral only Also Eph. 4.12 The Officers general as well as particular are given to the whole external political body of Christ to use M. Hookers own words for the perfecting of the Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad coagmentationem sanctorum It signifyeth properly to make a thing perfect by filling of it up omnibus numeru absolutum reddere or as some render it to set in joint again All the significations agree only to an Integral And for the edifying of the body of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the building up of the body relating to the whole Church This is proper only to an Integral A word also much like this and more significant for the purpose in hand we have Eph. 2.22 In whom also ye are builded together for an habitation of God c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifyeth a knitting together in a building Also vers 21. In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple Here are three words note Integrality First the whole building 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. fitly framed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. groweth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Eph. 4.16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplyeth according to the effectual working in the measure of every part maketh encrease of the body unto the edfying of it self in love Here are divers words which properly notifie an Integral 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole body 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fitly joyned congruente proportione constructum vel connexum 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compactum compacted 4. by that which every joynt suupplyeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per omnem commissuram suppeditationis vel juncturum subministrationis 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in mensura uninscujusque membri 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 augmentum corporis facit 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in aedificationem sui The like we finde Col. 2.19 From whom all the body by joints and hands having nourishment ministred and knit together encreaseth with the encrease of God The words are most of them the same with the former in the Original There is 1. a whole body 2. joints 3. bands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and nourishment ministred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. knit together 5. encreaseth with encrease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though much spoken in these places seem to be applicable to the invisible company yet to them as visible receiving edification from their Officers and having visible communion one with another and the Apostle speaks indefinitely of the Church under their Officers without making any difference of kindes of believers Also Act. 17.34 certain men clave unto him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were glued unto him i e. Paul And in the Old Testament Isa 14 1. The strangers shall be joyned with them Israel and they shall cleave unto the house of Jacob. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 copulabit se 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adhaerebunt All which and many more words in Scripture about the Church shew it to be an integral 10. If the invisible Church be one body of Christ as in the primary sense they are then by the same reason the visible also as visible are one body for the only difference between them as to this purpose is in regard of the manner of communion the one invisibly and inwardly the other visibly in outward Ordinances The invisible are called Christs body in allusion to a natural body more properly the visible in allusion to a political body The invisible Church are only in reference to Christ their head and fellow-invisible members but have no Officers under Christ quà invisible the visible are one in reference to Christ their professed King and his written laws and fellow-visible members and indefinite Officers under Christ The invisible body might with better reason be called a Genus because their unity is only in the head and in one kinde of nature and in spiritual relation to invisible brethren and therefore if they be called one body then much more the visible Church whole union is in King laws the same qualifications and external relation to visible brethren under indefinite Officers M. Hooker takes much pains in Surv. c. 15. to prove that the Church-Catholike visible cannot be an Integral To which I shall answer under the several heads as they come in the Thesis His main Argument is because that an Integrum resulting out of the members is Symbolum effecti and so is in consideration after the members whereof it is constituted and out of which it doth result and so that crosseth the second part or predicate of the Question This I shall refer to the second part of the Question Secondly That it will then require one visible head over it This I shall refer to that Objection in Chap. 5. Sect. 6. Sect. 4. Thirdly That which he objects against the visibility of the Church-Catholike I shall refer to the next Chapter Cha. 5. An Objection may be raised here
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
be drops in the whole element of water and so by consequence a hundred thousand species of water in every pail-full and as many species of wine as there are drops of wine and so many species of milk as there are drops of milk for it may be said of every drop of water wine or milk they are water wine or milk Can the variation only of situation or accidents vary the species This man is a man there is genus and species 2. This man is an English man there should be another subalternal species 3. This English is a Suffolk man there should be another inferiour species 4. This Suffolk man is of such a particular hundred there should be another inferiour species 5. This man is of such a Town in that hundred as suppose Ipswich there is another inferiour species 6. This Ipswich man is of such a Parish there is another species 7. This man of such a Parish is of such a street in the Parish there is another inferiour species 8. This man is of such a Family in such a street there in another inferiour species The like descention may be made of particular Churches By this reason man will prove a very large Genus that hath so many subalternal species under him and many more may be made by the same reason Yea the same man will vary his species as oft as he varieth his place I conceive this proposition Haec aqua est aqua will at best be but species infima individuum and the like of hic homo est homo but the predication of this man by the several particular divisions and subdivisions of the Kingdom will prove denominatio adjunctae personae à subjectis and this division of a Kingdom into more particular parts will rather prove a division of integri in membra then generis in species But suppose this should be granted which Logicians will not yet it must also be granted that as there may be such second notions of this man or this Church raised by logical abstraction so there must needs be an integrality resulting out of physical contiguity or political conjunction and aggregation of places persons and Churches But let it be supposed that by logical abstraction we may draw a notion of a genus from the similarity of all Churches or community of nature in all Churches though the Churches differ not from each other by any essential different specifical forms but only accidentally as individuals yet also it must be granted that by the unity of the Covenant and Charter wherein they are all bound up in an unity and by political combination which necessarily followeth thereupon we may raise an integrality for they are all members of the Church-militant of Christs external Kingdom on earth and so they become really and necessarily members of a political integrum And on this Integral were the priviledges of the Church bestowed primarily and on particular visible Churches but secondarily as members of the whole body Let it be granted that these priviledges are bestowed by God upon such a sort of men so and so qualified viz. visible beleevers and from their similarity of disposition may be drawn a community of nature or disposition yet the priviledges of the Church do not accrue unto them because so and so qualified but by vertue of that one external individual Covenant of God made unto such qualified persons by which external Covenant they are made externally one habitual external visible body And if the same company of men so qualified can make a Genus by abstraction though there be no specifical distinct subalternal forms and yet be an Integral because of the external visible Covenant under one head into which they are all entred which is the fountain of all their priviledges I shall yield the Church Catholike visible to be a Genus as well as an Integrum and call it with Ames Vniversaliter Integrale But if such an use can be made of that logical tenet that Individuals are species which yet most Logicians do deny that those individuals cannot be political members of one greater body I fear it will prove more prejudicial to policy then beneficial to Logick Again that which M. Hooker makes peculiar to an Integral from that which we call totum universale is that what belongs to this doth not belong to all its members Sur. c. 15. p. 256. Is true only of Integrum dissimilâ—re for it is not true of Integrum similare for as a whole pinte of water doth moisten and cool so doth every drop in its measure and proportion And so it is peculiar only to a dissimilar Integral I shall note also two things in that Chapter wherein M. Sect. 5. Hooker mistaketh my meaning First in the seventh proposition which he collects out of my Thesis set down pâ— 52 Every particular Church partaketh of part of the matter and part of the form of the whole Which p. 261. he makes use of againâ— and renders it thus Ecclesia Catholica gives part of the matter and part of the form to all particular Churches But my meaning was it doth consist of part of the matter and part of the form of the whole as a room in an house consisteth of and so in that sense may be said to partake of part of the matter and part of the form of the whole not as a species but as a member of the house A second mistake of my meaning is that he conceiveth I accounted the Jewish Church the Catholike Church because I defined the Church-Catholike to be the Whole company of beleevers in the whole world p. 263. And thereupon undertakes to prove that the Church was in populo Israelitioâ— and not in populo Catholìco But this never came into my thoughts but I acknowledge the Jews to be a national Church But my description of the Church-Catholike was of the Church as it is now since the partition wall is broken down for then it became Catholike I conceive there were beleevers of the sonnes of Keturah that did not partake of all the priviledges of the Jewish Church except they became proselytes It is the Evangelâ—cal Catholike Church which my Question is about into which the Jews themselves being converted were admitted by a new initial seal viz. Baptism and did not stand in it by their former national membership but received a Catholike membership by baptism And hereupon he undertakes to make out my method of conveyance of the right of Church-priviledges to crosse Gods method He sets down my method thus First when a man is converted to the profession of the Gospel and so becomes a visible beleever he is then a member of the Church-Catholike 2. He hath by this profession and membership with the Church-Catholike right unto all Church-priviledges 3. He then becomes a member of a particular Church but hath no right to Church-priviledges because of that but because of his former membership with the Church-Catholike I shall own
this method rightly understood though they were not my words but only collected out of them I conceive that a man of any Nation converted to be a visible beleever is a member of the Church-Catholike entitive being within the general external Covenant and hereby hath right to all Church-priviledges that belong to the whole Church and that his particular membership which he comes to next doth not afford him his right but opportunity only But when M. Hooker comes to shew how this crosseth Gods method he only sheweth that it crosseth the method that God used in the national Church of the Jews which being in populo Israelitico must needs differ from the method in populo Catholico A person being a visible beleever must join himself to the Jewish Church before he can partake of their priviledges because the priviledges by Gods Covenant were so given but now the Covenant is Catholike it is sufficient to be in the general Covenant to make a man have right to the priviledges of the Covenant opporunity indeed cometh by joyning himself with some particular Congregations where the Ordinances are administred or some particular priviledges but not the general For my part therefore I conceive and conclude that the Church-Catholike visible is Totumintegrale and the particular Churches are partes similares or members thereof and parcels thereof As the Jewish Synagogues were of the Jewish Church though with some more priviledge for both Sacaaments And therefore Jam. 2.2 the Apostle calleth a Christian Assembly a Synagogue in the Greek If there come into your Synagogue a man with a gold ring And Heb. 10.23 The Apostle cals their assembling in Christian Congregations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a coming together into a Synagogue So Tylenus in Syntag. de Eccl. dis 1 Thes 3. Quamvis Ecclesiae nomen usitatius sit pro Christiano caetu quà m Synagogae tamen ne hanc quidâ—m appellationem respuit Scriptura Cum enim utriusque Testamenti Ecclesia una eademque sit secundum essentiam uno eodemque nomine utrumque populum indigitare nihil vetat Neither am I averse from the opinion of such who make the several Synagogues of the Jews several depending Churches for they had there the word read and preached and praier and there they kept daies of humiliation and there they had their Officers of the Synagogue and the dispensation of discipline even of excommunication Joh. 9.22 Only the censures were with liberty of appeals in case of male administration And they are called by the Psalmist the houses of God Psal 83.12 And the Apostles separated not from them any where until they persecuted them Totum essentiale sive genericum doth not comprise the form of the species in it self but giveth the matter or common nature to the species but the Church-Catholike is made up of the matter and form of the particular Churches conjoined as a whole house of the particular rooms in it and the particular Churches have in them and consist of part of the matter and part of the form of the whole quâ—ad statum exteruum And these parts are limited and distinguished from others by prudential limits for convenience of meeting and maintenance and transacting of businesse and every Christian is or ought to be a member of the Church in whose limits he dwels being already in the general Covenant by baptism I do not hold as M. Hooker conceives from my words that meer cohabitation divolveth a Church-membership upon a man for then a Heathen Turk or Jew should be a Church member if cohabiting with a Church but I expressed the condition of being baptized and so in the general Covenant and then he ought to associate with the Church where God layeth out his habitation and they ought not to refuse him except there be sufficient cause of censure For of any Christians dwelling in any city or Town where there was a Church and he 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 distinguish hath neither example nor warrant in the Scripture And must imply either that he holdeth them not to be a Church and so not of the Kingdom of Christ or else such a corrupt part that he dares not joyn himself with them And as a man that comes to dwell in a Town ought not to refuse to be a member of that town but shall be ruled by the Officers thereof in civil affairs and if he like not he may yea must remove from them if he will not submit himself and if he continue with them he will be liable to punishment or restraint by those civil Officers if there be just cause so I conceive If any professed subject of Christs Kingdom shall sit down and cohabit with a Church within the civil limits allotted for such a Congregation he not only ought to associate with them but the Officers of that Church ought to take the inspection of him and if he be dangerously hererical or prophane and thereby dangerous and offensive they ought to take care of his cure and the preservation of the rest of their members by censuring of him whether he will or no in regard of his habitual general membership and their habitual indefinite office And though civil prudential limits wherein a Congregation dwels give no formality to the Church being heterogeneal yet as the limits of the particular seas and their names are from the shoars and lands they are bounded by though heterogeneal so may particular Churches well be bounded and denominated by their civil limits We finde frequently in Scripture the Church which was at Jerusalem Antioch Corinth Ephesus and Cenchrea And so it is in New-Englaad the several Churches are limited and named by the precincts and names of the civil divisions of Towns The Christians of Boston associated together make the Church of Boston if there be any not associated yet it is their duty to joyn and they ought to be received except as I said before CHAP. V. That the Church-Catholike is visible I now proceed to prove the Church-Catholike to be visible Sect. 1. which is the thing so much denied by many Divines There is indeed an invisible Church of Christ and that Catholike but if you take Catholike for Orthodoxal and also for universal and that in the largest sense of all comprehending all places and all times both past present and to come some militant some triumphant for whose sakes principally Christ died and the Ordinances were given and the visible Church was instituted Which invisible company are only known to God and are given by the Father to Christ to redeem and save And these persons though they be visible in their generations and enjoy visible communion in the visible Church whereof they are ordinarily visible members yet besides that they have invisible grace and invisible communion with Christ their head by faith on their parts and the
Spirit on his part and only these shall be saved yet that is not the Church that is meant in this question but the external Church of Christ consisting of true beleevers and hypocrites in which sense the Scripture oft takes the word Church I say the external political body and kingdom of Christ as M. Hooker cals it The same Church which Valle Messalinus or Salmasius Apollonius Spanhemius and Cameron de regimine Ecclesiae and Polanus de Ecclesia visibili universili and M. Rutherford M. Richard Hooker and M. Parker and divers others mean â—n their tractates of this nature wherein hypocrites as well as true beleevers are partakers of external Ordinances of worship and discipline And of this Church it in that Cameron saith Non negamus simpliciter Ecclesiam esse visibisâ—m quaestio est quomodo sit visibilis quatenus quando quibus Cam. de conspic Ec. p. 248. And he addeth that this visibility rather sheweth Quid sit Ecclesia quà m quae sit Now visible is that which may be seen Visibile est quod videri potest i. e. that which hath a capablenesse in it self to be seen herein it differs from visum for that is that which is actually seen Now as Cameron and others of this subject do distinguish things may be said to be visible either per se primariò and so only light and colour are visible or else per accidens and so figure magnitude motion and all other things which we say are visible are seen a man is not seen per se but per accidens The second kinde of visibility is meant in this question viz. per accidens per effecta as all other societies are visible Secondly a thing may be said to he visible either distinctè or confutè The Church-Catholike is visible in the second sense which Cameron also granteth p. 246. And aliquatenus aliquando aliquo modo aliquibus p. 247. Thirdly a thing may be said to be visible either uno intuitu simul or secundum partes at several aspects The first way only one side of a thing can be seen viz. one plain and small superficies The same man cannot be seen at the same view in all his external parts nor yet the Sun which is most visible The Church-Catholike cannot be seen uno intuitu but secundum partes sive membra Fourthly some things are visible only by the eye and judged of by the common sense but some other things require an act of the understanding to put those visible parts together to apprehend the unity thereof The unity of a man or a tree the very beast can discern but the unity of a society or Kingdom though it be visible they cannot discern because they want understanding to put the parts together And in this last sense the Church-Catholike is said to be visible as a Kingdom or Empire is the eye and common sense alone cannot discern the unity of it but there is requisite an act of the understanding to put the visible parts together in apprehension No man will deny an Empire to be visible because he cannot see the union of it with his eyes Again I did not take visible in the strictest sense visibile est quod radiat per medium ut luminosum coloratum but for that which is perceptible by any of the senses yea to the perceiving of which there is required an act of the understanding also to conceive of it and put the parts together yet not by logical abstraction but mental apposition and conjunction as we must do to perceive the unity of a Kingdom The nearer the parts lie the more is the visibility and the further off the lesse A Congregation is more visible in this sense then a National Church and a National then the Oecumenical The more visible the copula or bond is the more visible the thing is Having shewed you what Church-Catholike is visible and how the Church-Catholike may be said to be visible I come to prove by arguments that it is visible or perceptible But indeed the difficulty lyeth not here but in the integrality for if the Church-Catholike be an integral it will easily appear to be a visible one First If the subject matter Sect. 2. the persons of whom the Church-Catholike doth consist be visible the whole Church is visible also But they are all visible Therefore so is the whole Church That the whole Church consisteth of men and women who are visible beleevers not visible as men but as beleevers also none will deny That the visibility of the whole will necessarily follow is as undeniably true for what makes a thing visible but the visibility of the materials The essential forms of the most visible things are not visible as of a stone or a man Nothing can be said to be invisible whose materials are visible Secondly If the conversion into the whole Church be visible then the whole Church is visible But the conversion is visible Therefore c. That conversion into the visible Church is visible none can deny The Apostles made a visible conquest of the world by their preaching They were charged by Demetrius to have turned the world upside down Act. 17.6 They turn'd men from Idols to serve the living and true God 1 Thes 1.9 That this conversion was not into a particular Congregation but into the external visible body and kingdom of Christ is as clear and the gathering them into particular Congregations and setting Elders over them was a second work Chap. 5. And the consequence will follow for such as the conversion is such is the Church into which they are converted visible conversion makes no man a member of the invisible body but of the visible only invisible grace is required for that Thirdly If the profession subjection obedience and conversation of the members of the whole Church be visible then the whole Church is visible But they are visible Therefore c. The assumption none will deny It is called a professed subjection 2 Cor. 9.13 And Rom. 16.19 Your obedience is come abroad unto all Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works Mat. 5.16 It is toward God in duties of the first table and towards men in duties of the second in charity chastity equity truth humility meeknesse Phil. 1.27 2 Pet. 3.17 yea visible to them that are without 2 Pet. 3.11 Now what reference hath this profession subjection obedience conversation to the particular Congregations Do they professe subject themselves to the laws of Christ and yield obedience thereunto in a godly conversation because they are members of this or that particular Congregation or because they are entred into the general Covenant whereby they are made subjects and members of Christs Kingdom Is the particular confederation the ground and cause of their profession subjection obedience and godly conversation Were not these found in them before they were thought meet to be entred into the particular
execution there if guilty So all Church-administrations are by the same laws and upon the same command and persons of any Church in the world may hear sing pray and communicate any where indefinitely upon occasion though constantly the particular members only enjoy those particular administrations from those particular Officers I answer further that the Church-Catholike may act visibly by their delegates as a Kingdom in a Parliament in a general Councel if they can convene though their power were wholly consultatory and suasory as some pleade but it is more All their debates arguings pro con all their advice and decrees are visible therefore the whole whose delegates they are is visible also The invisible Church as invisible send none 8. If it be our duty to joyn our selves visibly to the Church-Catholike then it is visible But we ought to joyn our selves to the Church-Catholike Therefore c. The Assumption none will deny As soon as the 3000. were converted by Peter they were added to the Church Christians may not stand alone independently Now that must be a visible Church that we must joyn unto for the invisible is within the visible and cannot be known God commands no impossibilities It is true indeed we must joyn to some particular Congregation as a forreigner coming over into England to inhabit being naturalized must dwell in some particular Town but to that Congregation as a member of the whole wherein we may enjoy the general priviledges of subjects of Christ first and the particular priviledges of that Congregation secondarily There is no particular command to joyn to this or that particular Congregation but the whole necessity compelleth to choose one Our particular joyning to this or that Congregation is not in obedience to the command for then had we joyned to another we had broken a command therefore that is arbitrary and limited by civil habitation necessarily 9. If the accidents of the whole Church be visible then so is the whole Church But there be visible accidents of the whole Church Therefore c. An invisible subject hath not visible accidents But so hath the whole Church as beauty strength order amplitude which may encrease or decrease and these are accidents of the whole arising and resulting from all the parts conjoyned and made up of the beauty strength order and amplitude of all the parts Also there may be general visible opposition against the whole Church not because in particular confederation but the general These persecutors are visible their actions are visibly managed by attachments prisons fire and faggot their effects visible fines imprisonments confiscation banishment and death and therefore the object hereof the whole Church must needs be visible also And all this meerly because they belong to Christ and have given up their names to him And because they will not visibly run to the same excesse of riot or worship the same Idols that they do 10. If the parts of the whole Church be visible so is the whole But the parts of the whole Church are visible Therefore c. By parts I mean not the particular persons only but particular Congregations Now none deny the particular Churches to be visible neither our brethren for Congregational Churches nor yet the separation And Gerard though he will not grant the Church Catholike to be visible yet saith Ecclesias particulares visibiles esse concedimus The consequence will necessarily follow for the visibility of the whole results out of the visibility of the parts An innumerable number of visible parts cannot make an invisible whole Against this M. Ellis vind 59. alledgeth that it is too lax a medium in so weighty a subject as this is Sect. 4. There is saith he great difference between natural and metaphysical or civil and politick bodies For in a natural body all whose parts and members are actually and naturally joyned together the whole is visible because the parts are visible but in a metaphysical body or totum or whole that is in Generals that are by the reason of man drawn from particulars the case is far otherwise Peter James and John are visible but manhood which is the universal agreeing to them all is not visible This being the same with my first Objection I set down in my Thesis one answer shall serve for both Answ M. Ellis knows I took not the Church-Catholike for a Genus but an Integral But let it be supposed a Genus for argument sake or as M. Hooker cals it Totum genericum existens which is something fairer then M. Ellis's grant for by M. Ellis's reasoning the Church-Catholike should be a Genus drawn by the reason of man and so existing only in intellectu nostro I say suppose the Church-Catholike to be a Genus and the particular Churches Species yet this is not sufficient to make the Church-Catholike to be invisible Will any man say that Animal est substantia invisibilis because it existeth only in homine bruto Indeed animality in the abstract is invisible but not animal in concreto so Ecclesietas as I may say is invisible but Ecclesia is visible Visibility is an accident belonging primarily to a higher Genus then animal viz. Corpus celoratum and though every Individual animal is visible as John and James yet not quà John or James but as coloured bodies and if a higher Genus be visible which is nearer Ens and further from Individuals then much more animal So in this case the Church-Catholike is a society of men and that M. Ellis denyeth not now every society of men is visible and therefore the Church which is a species of society must needs be so also for the visibility doth not betide it because it is a particular Congregation but because it is a society of men which is a higher Genus I mean this in a logical consideration Then he proceeds to deny a civil body or Corporation if great as an Empire Kingdom or large city to be seen in it self but in the parts Answ Here he confounds visibile and visum uno intuitu and by this reasoning he should deny the visibility of the world or any particular man for all his parts cannot be seen uno intuitu Attamen insaniat qui neget se videre hominem saith Cameron Yea the sun it self should not be visible by this reasoning because we can see but the surface of it He could not be ignorant that I did not mean that the Church-Catholike was actually seen uno intuitu And whereas I had said the whole is visible because the parts are so He saith it is untrue even in the smallest bodies but where the parts are actually united together not where they are thousands of miles asunder Answ It is true indeed in natural and artificial bodies whose being or integrality consisteth in a corporeal continuity or contiguity of parts for if that continuity or contiguity ceaseth the integral also ceaseth except in potentiâ But in political bodies joyned
shall be no member of Christs visible external kingdom or else that after he is a visible existing subject of Christs kingdom he may choose which species of Christs kingdom he will exist in and that is as absurd as if there should be an existing animal that will choose whether he will be a man or a brute who seeth not that there is a visible existence of many a visible beleever who is a subject of Christs visible kingdom before he be admitted into any of those Congregations which are by this opinion accounted species Now if we account the particular Churches members of Christs Kingdom it is not absurd for any subject of Christ to choose which part of Christs kingdom or which Ecclesiastical Corporation he will dwell in or adhere unto for the actual enjoyment of the Priviledges Laws and Ordinances of Christs Kingdom no more then for a subject of a King to choose in what part of the Kingdom he will dwell The Kingdom of England though a political body yet containeth under or in it not only all Corporations and villages but all single persons that are subject to the King and Laws though they be not fixed and though they want by their unfixednesse the particular priviledges of the particular Towns they might have inhabited and so the actual opportunity of enjoyment of the benefit of the Laws administred in such Corporations or Counties yet have an habitual right to the general priviledges by being subjects so have unfixed members of Christs external Kingdom which reacheth single visible subjects as well as combined Nay a man may better make the kingdom of England a Genus and all the Corporations and villages species thereof because they are many of them distinct and different in their constitutions then the Church-Catholike a Genus and the particular Congregations species which are of one constitution And if totum genericum existens can have any sense put upon it it will agree to the Kingdom of England or any other kingdom for it consisteth of a sort of men viz. English-men existing in several Counties and Towns but as that notion hinders not the integrality of the Kingdom so no more it will the Church-Catholike visible Obj. Yea Sect. 5. but the Church-Catholike cannot be visible because it wants an existence of its own and existeth only in the existence of the particular Churches the members thereof Answ Where there are existing visible members there must be an existing visible Integral Omne membrum habet suum integrum The same Objection lyeth as well against any aggregative body A heap of stones may as well be said to exist only in the existence of the particular stones and a particular Congregation exist in the existence of the particular families and particular families exist in the particular persons But if the members exist quà members the existence of the integral results out of their conjoyned existence and so doth the visibility An army existeth in the several brigades and regiments and they are billeted or quartered in distant places and yet having the same General the same Laws martial the same cause the same enemies although they should never be drawn up together in one body at one place yet are they one visible Army So is the Church-Catholike one and that visibly as I shewed in the beginning of this Chapter though there goeth an act of the minde to the perceivance of the unity It is a political union by the same visible Charter and laws and way under one Commander in chief and therefore visible i. e. perceivable by sense though not by sense only the very uniting bond the laws are visible yea the existence of it will more appear because it hath priviledges belonging thereunto which particulars have not or but in part and at second hand as hath been shewed in the former Chapt. and shall more fully in the second Question This Objection M. Ellis vind p. 56. undertakes to set down and marks it in the margin as if he had cited my words but misseth both my words and sense And then fals upon the Answer and saith that it amounts not to an answer for no collected body that is made up of several things hath its being in these things severally considered and apart but as united altogether it is not an heap of stones if one lie at York some at London others in France Spain c. I answer It is true in bodies made up by physical or artificial aggregation there must indeed be some contiguity or nearnesse of parts but in political aggregation and such M. Ellis acknowledgeth vind p. 5. l. 38. it is not necessary M. Ellis makes the Empire of Germany one by aggregation and yet hath not I suppose cast those several territories one upon another as the Giants are feigned to throw Pelion upon Ossa but they ly further distant then at M. Calamies door and M. Hudsons as he is pleased to make the allusion or illusion rather vin p. 35. One Kingdom may consist of divers Ilands if under the same King and laws c. and so may all the Churches in the world be one Church though farre distant and visible though not actually seen because the persons and places are visible and the things wherein and whereby they are conjoyned as Profession Laws Doctrine Seals Worship c. are external and so visible And though an aggregative body is not made up of the several parts considered severally and apart yet out of the existence and visibility of them conjoyned either physically or politically c. according as the thing is the existence and visibility of the whole will result as I said before And Sir I cannot but right my self from an injury which in your answer to this Objection vind p. 24. you offered me by intimating bitingly to delude your reader and wrong M. Calamy the licenser of that Thesis as if he were the Authour of it or partly the Authour or at the fairest the inciter thereto What other construction can these words of you bear A man-midwife may be father also And another jerk you give to the same purpose vind p. 80. in these words Moses mother was his nurse also But Sir that which is mine I am not willing should be charged upon any other I owned it in print and to put you and others out of doubt I assure you that neither M. Calamy nor any other incited me thereto neither so much as made or altered one sentence in the whole Thesis Neither was it of such a texture as that you or any man else should suppose it had any other Authour or Authours then a mean Countrey-Minister such as I acknowledge my self to be You might have known who was the Authour thereof if you would have been pleased to have come to our company at the reading of it as you were lovingly invited out of desire to enjoy your society for the learning and piety we conceived to be in you Obj. If the Church-Catholike or
Oecumenical be one visible Church it is necessary that they should all meet together at some times Answ It is not at all necessary neither to the unity nor yet to the visibility of the Church It is sufficient that the persons be visible in their several places and that they be combined together under the same head by visible laws and profession under the same visible seal and enrowlment walk visibly in the same godly conversation before men pray one for another as fellow-members rejoyce in the wel-fare and mourn for the ill-fare one of another and contribute assistance one to another as occasion is offered As therefore it is not needful to the unity or visibility of a kingdom or Empire that they should meet together sometimes so is it not needful for the whole Church indeed there may be some conveniency in both ad benè vel optimum esse sed non ad esse simpliciter This M. Ellis excepteth against vin p. 55. First he asketh whether ever there were such a kingdom in the world that the members did not meet sometimes if it be not a meer visible monarchy as under Popery If there be any liberty left to the Subjects c. Answ Let him shew that ever the four Monarchies did meet together respectively either in their persons or deputies or delegates from every Province yet that hindered not their unity nor visibility And his answer implyeth that the Ecclesiastical Monarchy under Popery did never meet He makes it but a sign of liberty to meet not a sign of visibility And for the point of liberty inherent in the subjects as their proper right distinct from what is derived and given by Christ as their head there was never any Monarchy so meerly depending on the will of the Monarch as the Church-visible on Christ for the Church deriveth all its power from Christ and hath all its laws given and imposed only by Christ without any vote of the Churches in the making of them It is probable that the kingdoms under the four Monarchies had some enjoyment of their municipal laws only might have some imperial general laws superadded but it is not so in this for the whole Church as a Church hath no laws but of Christs arbitrary donation Christians are not subdued by Christ as Englishmen were by William the Conquerour viz. on condition that he would suffer them to enjoy their former rights and the Laws of Edward the Confessor but absolutely to receive Laws from him And yet this can neither be thought tyranny in Christ nor yet slavery in us for Christs Laws are more beneficial to us then any of our own making and his service is perfect freedom And yet we reade of general Councels of the Church by their delegates which were as it were a ministerial Church-Catholike which in former times of the Church under Christian Emperours were frequent and there is no intrinsecal let in the Church that they do not meet so still but only extrinsecal and extraneous by reason of the divisions among the civil Governours but even in our daies a great part of that great body hath met as in the Synod of Dort c. by Commissioners D. Whitakers and Apollonius acknowledge the meeting Act. 1. to be a general Councel The members were the Apostles who were Pastours of the Church-Catholike and brethren out of Galilee and Jerusalem The work was to elect an Apostle who was to be a Pastor of the universal Church and they that undertake and dispatch such a businesse which concerns the extraordinary teaching and government of the whole Church should represent the whole Church-Catholike M. Ellis vin p. 25. utterly denyeth that ever there was any general Councel which might be said to be the Church-Catholike viz. ministerially But I took general in the usual sense of it and not precisely considered He knows the four Councels are known by the name of The four general Councels And so himself cals them vind p. 15. l. 37. I took the term general in the sense that we cal the four Monarchies the Monarchies of the whole world and yet we know there were many countries that were never under them And as Luke Act. 2.5 saith there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews devout men out of every nation under heaven and yet there were many Nations where Jews never dwelt some of which were discovered lately But let him look into Euseb de vita Constantini lib. 3. and Socrates Scholast lib. 1. cap. 8. and he shall finde from how many Countries the first Councel of Nice was gathered There were gathered saith he together into one the chief Ministers of God inhabiting all the Churches throughout all Europe Africk and Asia That sacred Synod framed as it were by the handy-work of God received also both Syrians and Cilicians and such as came from Phoenicia Aegypt Arabia Palaestina Thebais Lybia and Mesopotamia There was also in this Synod the Bishop of Persis of Pontus Galaâ—ia Pamphilia Cappadocia Asia and Phrygia Moreover the Thracians Macedonians Achaians Epirotes Also of the Spaniards there was an eminent man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bishop of the imperial city 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. Rome by reason of his old age absented himself yet there were present of his Presbyters which supplyed his room Divers things M. Ellis excepteth against that Councel as some extraordinarinesse in the summoning of the members of it without election and delegation of the particular Churches And that Constantine was the visible head of it and that he called for Bishops chiefly if not only which will not be pertinent here to answer Something there might be extraordinary in the summons for the civil and Ecclesiastical State not concurring together until Constantine haply there could not be a regular election In extraordinary times and cases our brethren will grant something may be done extraordinarily as there is in the calling of this present Assembly as is acknowledged by M. Gillespy There were also others besides Bishops and Ministers Neither did Constantine either sit as President of it nor presume to be head but confesseth himself to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by his civil sanction he did confirm their decrees and send them abroad Neither is there any ground that in that or any other Councel the members acted only each for his own particular Church that sent him as M. Ellis suggesterh but the whole for the whole as far as their delegation was I acknowledge there is power given to every particular Church to rule it self 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 whole Church into which also the censures there passed have influence And on some great occasions there may be cause to ferch help further as Cranmer appealed to a general Councel But if that extensive power cannot be had as now it is very difficult then must the particular
national provincial classical or congregational Church rest in that intensive power that remains within its own limits or also if they stand so as that they cannot combine with neighbours or have recourse unto them Extraordinary cases cannot be regulated by ordinary rules And this I conceive is the reason why the Scripture hath not determined more particularly the Synodical Assemblies but only giveth general rules that may be drawn to particulars because all Churches and seasons are not capable of national or provincial Synods in regard of many things that may be incident In some cases also all civil power must rest in one Congregation as if it were in a wildernesse where there were no neighbour Towns or cities to which it might be joyned Yet it followeth not that it must be so in England or any other kingdom where there are Counties Shires Cities great Towns or a Parliament Yea I know not but a particular family may yea must be independent in such an extraordinary case both in Ecclesiastical and civil matters also yet it follows not that there is such an inherent right in every town or family all over the world and that therefore particular Towns and families 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 Here M. Ellis chargeth me to say that the power of a general Councel or of a Church-Catholike visible is but extensive and only extensive and not intensive and the power of the particular Churches is intensive But Sir do as you would be done by It is not fair dealing to note them as my words which were none of mine nor my sense For first I never conceived a general Councel to be the whole Church-Catholike visible but only an oecumenical ministerial or representative body of Officers or Organs of the Church much lesse the prime Church to which the Ordinances and priviledges of the Church were first given of which I spake as appears in my second part Secondly I never said the power of a general Councel was only extensive for as the particular Officers have intensive power over their particular Congregations so hath a general Councel intensive power also but their power is larger in extension actually then the particular Officers is being Officers sent from a larger part of the Church-Catholike and intrusted by more and acting for more then one Congregation or one Eldership This distinction M. Parker de polit Eccl. lib. 3. p. 121. setteth down in these words Distinguo de potestate clavium quae intensiva aut extensiva est Intensivâ potestate caret nulla Ecclesia prima viz. particularis ne minima quidem extensivâ verò eâ—â— caret quam habet Synodus cum potestas ad plures Ecclesias extenditur And so it neither overthroweth my first nor second tenet as he inferreth Sect. 6. Obj. If there be a Church-Catholike visible here on earth it is fit it should have a visible head over them that so the body and head may be of the same nature Answ This was indeed used as a main argument by the Ponficians for the supremacy of the Pope The avoiding whereof made our Divines so shy of granting a Church-Catholike visible but it was not necessary that they should deny upon this ground as M. Hooker conceives Surv. p. 251. I say it is not necessary to grant a visible head to the Church-Catholike visible no more then to a particular visible Congregation which our brethren hold to be a body of Christ And though they call it a mystical and spiritual body yet that doth not imply it to be invisible The Sacraments are called mysteries and mystical and the Ordinances are called spiritual and yet are visible though the grace signified or conveyed by them to the Elect is invisible They are spiritual in respect of the authour God and the divine subject about which they are in opposition to natural and civil and so our Ecclesiastical Courts were called spiritual though indeed as they managed them they made them carnal and sinful The members of the particular Congregations are visible members and their union and confederation is visible and they are a visible body mixed of true beleevers and hypocrites as Gerard Whitakers Cameron and even M. Bartlet in his model confesseth And their communion is visible and yet there is no visible head on earth required for them and why then should there be for the Church-Catholike Such a head therefore whether visible or invisible present or absent as will serve a particular mystical body of Christ as M. Cotton cals a particular visible Congregation will serve the Church-Catholike visible I answer further that the Church-Catholike visible hath a head of the same nature consisting of body and soul who sometimes lived in this visible kingdom of grace in the daies of his flesh and did visibly partake in external Ordinances though indeed now he be ascended into his kingdom of glory yet ceaseth not to be a man and so visible in his humanity as we are though glorified and glorious yet not lesse visible in himself for that but rather more and ceaseth not to rule and govern his Church here below for it is an everlasting Kingdom Esay 9.7 As when King James 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 and ascended to his other kingdom the kingdom of glory And as for a Vicar or Deputy here below it is not needful We confesse the government of the Church in regard of the head is absolutely Monarchical but in regard of the Officers it is Aristocratical This second answer is excepted against both by M. Ellis vind p. 56. and M. Hooker Sur. p. 258. It is insufficient saith M. Ellis for Christ is head invisible and thence our Divines affirm his body the Church to be mystical also and invisible taken properly I answer That Christ is not only head of the invisible company which headship and body allude to the natural head and body which is indeed the Church in the most proper and prime sense but he is head also of the visible company or Ecclesiastical body in allusion to a civil head or governour Christ not only affordeth invisible communion to his invisible members but externally by Ordinances to both invisible and visible members of the Church yet to both visibly For Christ by his Ambassadours and in his written word speaks externally to their senses and they speak externally to him in praier and singing And as he was once visibly on earth in our nature a visible head of his Church so also if the millenary opinion be true which some of this way hold he shall come again and shall sit and reign a thousand years visibly But whether that opinion be true or no
which I much doubt yet he shall come again visibly as the Sonne of man at the end of the world and take account of the managing of these Ordinances and of the carriage both of Officers and private Christians and the elect shall be gathered together into heaven and enioy him visibly to all eternity and he shall visibly condemn the reprobates and every eye shall see him So that this is but an interval wherein Christ though he be now visible in himself yet appears not to us visibly ordinarily though he did to Paul and Steven even after his ascension Yet now he affords visible communion to his people by his Ordinances and they do visible service unto him though he resideth not with them If the absence of the King make the kingdom invisible then Ireland is an invisible kingdom M Hooker affirms this opinion to be not only untrue but very dangerous to hold that Christ as meer man consisting of body and soul is a visible head of his Church And thereupon citeth Whitakers words that Christ did not reside in the Church as a visible Monarch nor came into the world to set up a visible Monarchy Answ I do not conceive that Christ as meer man consisting of body and soul is the head of the Church either invisible or political but as God-man yet that person was visible though but in one of his natures and in but half of that neither viz. his body The visibility of one nature makes visibility to be predicated of the whole person else no man is visible for his soul is invisible It is the meanest half of him that is visible and so no earthly King should be visible Christ is called God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3.16 And the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father Joh 1.14 We were eye-witnesses of his majesty 1 Pet. 1.16 That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life 1 Joh. 1.1 I hope these speeches are neither untrue nor dangerous And for his donative power and authority Christ saith of himself Joh. 5.27 that the Father hath given authority to execute judgement because he is the son of man The Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sinnes and that was a kingly action And the Apostle saith Act. 17.31 God hath appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in righteousnesse by that man whom he hath ordained It is true indeed all the vertue and power come from the deity to gather and perfect the Saints forgive sinnes raise the dead judge the world and by his deity only he is present with us now yet as man also he is head of his Church and not as God only for had he been only God he could not have been a sutable head or second Adam but that he became by becoming man and taking our nature upon him The seed of the woman must break the Serpents head The governing power and wisedom of a King is in his invisible soul yet he is a visible King It is true also that Christ came not in the daies of his flesh as a visible temporal Monarch in Davids civil throne yet Christ confesseth then unto Pilate that he was a king though his kingdom was not of this world i. e. civil to oppose Caesars yet it is in this world and external in this world also God over-ruled Pilate to set a true title over Christ on the Crosse Jesus of Nazareth king of the Jews As a King he had all power in heaven and earth given hem Mat. 28.10 19 and immediatly thereupon as a King he issues out his Commission to his Apostles Go ye therefore and teach all Nations c. It is not because Christ died for all as a Priest that this commission is so general but because all power in heaven and earth was given to him therefore as a King he summons in all even the very rebels to yield obedience to his lawful authority but only such as yield obedience and come in are saved by him He set Officers and offices and gave commandment to his Apostles Act. 1.2 And appointed the form of Ecclesiastical proceedings in discipline in case of scandal Mat. 18. And this is no other doctrine then our reverend Assembly hath set out both in their larger and shorter Catechism That Christ our redeemer executeth the offices of a Prophet a Priest and a King both in his estate of humiliation and exaltation Neither can I see any reason why Christ should be denied to execute his kingly office while he was here below any more then his Priestly or Prophetical If he was then a King and had all power given him he did not suspend the execution of it while he was on earth Joh. 5.17 neither doth Beza in conf fid ob 5. art 5. cited by M. Hooker deny Christ to be head as man though he acknowledge him to be head as God also And though he saith that he communicates that degree of dignity to none else He by those words excludeth the Pope c. but not Christs own humane nature by which it is indeed that we come to our union with God All that can truly be alledged in this case is that Christ is not now visibly seen as King with our bodily eyes nor can we come to him bodily nor receive any verbal commands from his mouth as we may from an earthly King But how few subjects have that priviledge in regard of their earthly Soveraigns The legal commands are counted the Kings commands and not his verbal only nor chiefly Yet we finde that Christ after his ascention did in Rev. 2. and 3. Chapt. write a letter by John unto the 7. Churches of Asia and reproves or commends and exhorts them particularly and in the inditing of it appears as a man to John and useth arguments therein from things betiding him as man as that he was dead and is alive again and washed us from our sins in his own bloud c. Object Though there be a Church-Catholike yet it is not visible because it is the object of our faith it being an Article of our faith I beleeve the holy Church-Catholike Now faith is the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 Things seen are the object of sense and knowledge not of faith For what a man seeth how can he be said to believe faith and sense are opposed each to other by the Apostle Answ If indeed we take the Catholike Church in the largest sense for the elect past present and to come as some do the Church-Catholike is invisible Also the grace of such as are invisible members is invisible but that is not the Church we are speaking of The Church we have in hand is the whole company of visible believers in the world considered as visible Secondly
that the Presbyterians hold that there is one general Church of Christ on earth and that all particular Churches and single Congregations are but as similar parts of the whole and the Independents say they hold that there is no other visible Church of Christ but only a single Congregation meeting in one place to partake of all Ordinances The London-Ministers affirm only that the Independents deny one general Church of Christ on earth not the similarity of particular Congregations But it will necessarily follow that they deny them to be similar parts if they deny the whole to which the parts must relate And if they make the whole Church a genus as they do then must they make the particular Churches similar species which is little lesse then a contradiction for the formality of a species lieth in dissimilarity and difference from the opposite species Now to shew that this assertion of the similarity of particular Churches crosseth mine own scope M Ellis sets down mine opinion with a mark as if the words were mine own which neither are my words nor my sense viz. That the Church visible Catholike is an Organical ministerial governing body i. e. saith he not such a body as is the element of water and air every part whereof is of the same nature vertue and power in it self considered but such a body as a man hath which is distinguished by several members c. And such a body as all Corporations are Now this saith he contradicts plainly the former both opinion and expression for if the Church-Catholike be a similar body and all Congregations alike and the whole nothing differing in nature or constitution from the parts then the Catholike visible Church is no more the governing Church then a particular Ans To let passe his unfair dealing with my self and others in misreciting my words I said indeed the Church-Catholike was an Organical body but not a ministerial governing body For the scope of my Thesis was and is to prove the Church-Catholike as it consists of Officers and private Christians to be the prime Church to which the Ordinances are given respectively as the Officers or private members are capable and to particular Churches secondarily I spake not of the Organs or Governours only The body of Officers is indeed a governing body called a ministerial Church but the whole Church either particular or general is no governing body no more then a whole Corporation or kingdom can be said to be a governing body but they are governed bodies and so is the Church both particular and general Indeed I finde the words ministerial governing Church in M. Rutherford in his due right of Presbyt 177 178 179. c. but it is clear that he takes it not in M Ellis's sense but for a Church furnished with Officers and having discipline and government exercised in it for he was farre from making the body of the Church to be the receptacle of the keys and having power of governing He saith the keys were given for the Church but not to the Church It is only a Scottish expression not to be so expounded and strained as M. Ellis doth who bendeth his whole reply against a sense of it which I beleeve was not M. Rutherfords meaning Neither did I make the whole to differ any thing in nature constitution or power from the parts but said they have the same kinde of intensive power but in the Church-Catholike it is of larger extension Similar bodies conjoyned exert their power more intensely and extensively then when single All the water of the Sea will cool and moisten more and further then one drop a great fire will warm yea burn more and further then a spark a great heap of stones extends further and will weigh more then a little one So all Churches if they could meet have no other power when met together then a single Church but being combined the power both reacheth further in extension of places and it more august and solemn and to be the rather respected and submitted unto But this he saith crosseth Apollonius whom saith he I follow but indeed I never saw his book nor heard of it until a good while after I had composed my Thesis and then inserted I think but 2. or 3. sentences of his Apollonius saith he saith that Eph. 4.16 is meant of an organical ministerial body differing in members which M. Hudson expounds to be meant of a similar body whose parts are all alike Answ They are alike in the integrals as I said before but not in the essentials But where doth Apollonius deny the particular Congregations to be similar integrals parts of the Catholike There is therefore no disagreement among the Presbyterians in this point as M. Ellis suggesteth vin 54. that one of them would have one thing another another But the main question comes now to be discussed Sect. 3. It is one Organical body viz Whether the whole Church-Catholike visible be one Organical body which if it can be made appear will end the whole controversie The Church is distinguished into Entitive and Organical The Church visible is called Entitive not because of the inward grace which is essential to an invisible member but from the reception and embracing the Christian Catholike faith which is essential to a visible beleever And it is called Organical in reference to the Officers thereof which are the Organs of the Church or in regard of the Offices which Christ hath instituted to be in his visible Church This distinction halteth as much as that of the church-Church-visible and invisible for the Organical Church is also Entitive viz. it is of such as have received and embraced the Christian faith and is made up of such and only of such yet there is a difference in notion but not in persons Indeed in some sense a company of visible beleevers may be said to be a Church-Entitive and not Organical because they are not actually under any particular Officers as a company of visible Christians in New England inhabiting together to make a Congregation but as yet have chosen no Officers may in reference to other organized Congregations be said to be inorganical and entitive only but this sense is not the most proper sense of the word For if they be then but a Church-entitive then also after they have Officers if those particular Officers die they should return to be a Church-Entitive only again in the interim before they have chosen any new ones Now though in consideration we may distinguish between the essence of beleevers as beleevers embracing the Christian faith and their existence under Officers especially under particular Officers yet the existence of visible beleevers members of the Church-Catholike can hardly be without reference to Officers For the ministery of the Officers is the usual means of their conversion and to be sure they cannot be admitted to be actual members of the Church-Catholike by baptism but by some of the Officers though
and S. 8. And also because by excommunication a person is not cast out of that Congregation only where the censure was past but out of general communion with all other Churches in the world even the whole visible body of Christ Certificates indeed we finde in Scripture to others of their excommunication that so others might avoid communion with them As of the excommunication of Hymeneus and Alexander 1 Tim. 1.20 And so we reade also of certificates of Apostates who it is like were excommunicated As of Phigellus and Hermogenes 2. Tim. 1.15 And of Hyntentus and Philetus a Tim. 2.17 The former of which was encommunicated and it is probable the latter also by the same reason The like certificate we finde again of Alexander 2 Tim. 4.14 15. But no new act of excommunication past upon them any where else Alexander Bishop of Alexandria having excommunicated Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia an Arian writes an Epistle to certifie it to all other Ministers Charissimis honoratissimisque fratribus qui ubique gentium sunt nobiscum in Ecclesiae ministerio conjuncti 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum in sacris literis sit unum corpus Ecclesiae Catholicae nobis traditum c. therefore he signifyeth by letters what he had done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. lib. 1. cap. 3. Nine Bishops excommunicated Jovius and Maximus and that excommunication by Cyprian and others was approved as valid The like we finde of Novatus excommunicated at Rome by Cornelius and a Councel there and it was certified to Fabius Bishop of Antioch and approved by him and by Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria to whom the Epistles came Euseb lib. 6. cap. 35. And Santo satenus excommunicated at Antioch was so accounted of the whole world Niceph. 6.28 The Novatians excommunicated in Africk are so held at Rome Cyp. l. 1. Ep. 3. and 13. Thirdly It appears to be one organical body by the identity of the external Covenant charter promises and laws of the whole Church The Covenant charter and promises are but one grant not one Covenant in kinde and many species thereof but one individual Covenant of grace granted to the whole Church This is not the Covenant whereby particular Congregations are said to be constituted but the whole body The Churches constituted by particular Covenants are alterable divisible extinguishible as M. Norton confesseth p. 30. which this is not they are many and particular Covenants this one and general they are accidental humane arbitrary and superadded this essential divine necessary and prime And though this Covenant may seem but to belong to the Church as Entitive yet the Laws which are also one visible systeme argue it to be organical because they relate to Officers and discipline and they binde all not only vimateriae but as proceeding from the same fountain and authour the King of the whole Church not quà particular members but quà members of the whole Fourthly It appears by the general right of communion that all the members have habitually and indefinitely to joyn in as providence offereth opportunity though not cast into a Congregational combination as all cannot be Any visible beleever under the seal of Baptism only hath an inherent right to worship with any other visible Christians in confession petition thanksgiving and praise and to prophecy with them in the Apostles sense i. e. joyn with them in partaking of that Ordinance to sing with them and receive the Lords Supper with them and to be entreated by any Minister as an Ambassadour of Christ to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5.20 and is bound to submit to the doctrinal admonitions and reproofs of any Minister according to the word and the reason why any Minister may not passe a judicial censure also if there be cause seeing the keys are commensurable is not because he wants habitual power in discipline at well as doctrine but because that is to be performed in a Court of Elders and a strange Minister wants a call to joyn with any such Court to bring his habitual power into act yet our brethren will non-communion or deny communion with a stranger if they have any thing against him which is virtually a suspension of him yea if they have not positive assurance by testimony not of his being in the general Covenant for that is requisite but of his being a fixed member of some other Congregation which they approve of not only for having the essentials of a Church but as a pure Church for upon that ground they deny the communion to some members of our Churches that go over with certificates though not to members of their own Churches because they judge us as impure Indeed certificates are requisite from strangers to notifie their general right by being in the general Covenant and to notifie their personal innocency from errour or scandal which might debar them But they only declare a right they give none neither doth their right proceed from the membership of the particular Congregation from whence they come but from the general which is implyed in their particular membership because Congregations consist only of such and they are witnesses of his godly conversation he having lived with them As for judicial Ecclesiastical censures I confesse it is most orderly to turn the accused person and his accusations to his own Congregation where an Eldership hath taken the particular inspection of him and have power in actu secundo already called forth to deal with him but suppose they will not or neglect it or he will not return but abide still in another place or suppose he be not a fixed member in any Congregation but a wandring star and yet is a baptized person and is very scandalous or very erroneous and fit to infect the persons among whom he converseth shall there be no remedy for that Congregation For ought I know they may put their general habitual power into act and upon sufficient witnesse proceed against him and finding him obstinate may excommunicate him as well as a civil Officer will keep the kings peace in his own Town by clapping an unruly riotous or traiterous stranger by the heels if he take him within his limits Fifthly I might argue also from the opposition of the adversaries of the Church both Satan and persecutours who oppose it not essentially only but politically their spite being against the Officers and Organs of the Church not only quà Christians but quà Ministers not quà Ministers of this or that particular Congregation but quà the Ministers of the Church and not only as dispensers of Word and Sacraments but as dispensers of censures especially for they do most usually gaul men and move their anger They look upon the Church as one body and upon Ministers as Officers of the Church in a general consideration and so may we Sixthly Sect. 5. It appears by the indefinitenesse of the office of Ministers which I reserved for the last because I shall dilate a little more upon it then
the former And indeed upon this hinge hangeth the whole question of the Organical integrality of the Church Catholike visible And turn the question which way you will it will rest on this center viz. Whether a Minister be a Minister to any but his own Congregation I finde M. Ellis affirming that a Minister is an Officer only to his own Congregation vind p. 8. And the answer of the Elders of several Churches in New-England unto 9. Positions p. 8. Their words are these If you mean by Ministerial act such an act of authority and power in dispensing of Gods Ordinances as a Minister doth perform to the Church whereunto he is called to be a Minister then we deny that he can so perform any Ministerial act to any other Church but his own because his office extends no further then his call So M. Best in his Church-Plea p. 30 saith Officers of Churches may be helpful to other Churches as Christians but not as Ministers To the same purpose M. Bartlet in his model p. 69. Hereby it appears they suppose the Ordination of a Minister to his office is limited to the particular Congregation that call him Indeed the call of the people exerts or cals forth the exercise of his office unto them in particular constantly but his Ordination to his office is more general and giveth him habitual power in actu primo to exercise and perform the acts belonging to his office elsewhere upon a call Christ giveth the office and hath annexed power of dispensing his Ordinances the Presbytery ministerially admit this or that man into it not as a Presbytery of that particular Congregation for they may none of them belong unto it but as a Presbytery of Christs Ministers having a call to give that Ordination in a regular way and the particular Congregation by desire and election give a call to the exercise of this power among them pro his nunc Habitu potestate omnes Episcopi sunt Episcopi cujusvis in orbo vel paraecia vel provinciae quia in quavis apti sunt habiles idonei exercere Episcopalia sua munera quando illuc legitimè vocantur ac mittamtur Actu verò quoad legitimum exercitium ibi solummodò Episcopi sunt ubi per missionem vocationem illam modiatam Dei c. huic illive Paraeciae c. praeficiuntur Crakenthorp Def. Eccl. Aug. c. 28. Now that a Minister is a Minister and so habitually in office to more then his own Congregation and therefore indefinitely to all the whole Church will appear by these proofs First because the donation of the keys and the institution and commission of the Evangelical Ministery was in reference to the whole Go teach all Nations and baptize them Whenas yet there was no distinction of Congregations God set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers 1 Cor. 12.28 So Eph. 4.12 As God gave the Levites to the whole house of Israel and they did at first in the wildernesse serve all the Tribes conjunctim as one body of Officers over one combined large Congregation but afterwards when the Tribes were dispersed in Canaan the Levites were dispersed among all the Tribes and exercised their office of teaching and judging in the several places where they dwelt yet this divested them not of their general habitual power this made not their office to stand in relation to the particular city or Synagogue vvhere they did constantly exercise and when they removed from place to place as the wandring Levite Jud. 17.8 did they still retained their habitual office and power and needed no new consecration but by vertue of their office did exercise the acts belonging to it where they had their particular station and call So is it with the Evangelical Ministery of the New Testament a Minister of the Gospel bears a double relation one to the Church-Catholike indefinitely another to that particular Congregation over which he is set for the constant exercise of his office And if he removes to another place he needs no new Ordination for that continueth and abideth still upon him it being to the essence of his office and not in reference either to the place from whence he cometh or to which he goeth only A Physician or Lawyer needeth no new license or call to the Bar though they remove to other places and have other patients and clients The Justice of peace who is in commission for the whole County though he exercised it in one part of the County while he lived there yet if he removes to the other end of the County he needeth no new commission to execute his office there where he never did before because it was habitual to the whole County though actually exercised where he lived so though a Minister removes he needeth no new Ordination but a new call to the exercise of his office there no more then a private Christian by removing into another Congregation needeth a new Baptism because neither Ordination nor Baptism stand in relation to the particular Congregation but the Church-Catholike As he that is admitted a freeman in any Hall of any Company in London is admitted a freeman of the whole City as well as of that Company and he that by reason of his birth hath right to be baptized in any Congregation is admitted a member of the whole society of the Church-Catholike visible as well as of that Congregation so he that is ordained a Minister as by the occasion of the call of a particular Congregation he is ordained their particular Minister so also is he ordained a Minister of Christ and the Gospel and Church in general Ordination saith M. Rutherford maketh a man a Pastor under Christ formally and essentially the peoples consent and choice do not make him a Minister but their Minister the Minister of such a Church he is indefinitely made a Pastor for the Church Ruth peaceab plea. 263. And to the same purpose it is that M. Ball saith A Minister chosen and set over one society is to look unto that people committed to his charge c. but he is a Minister in the Church universal for as the Church is one so is the Ministery one of which every Minister sound and Orthodox doth hold his part And though he is a Minister over that flock which he is to attend yet he is a Minister in the Church-universal The function or power of exercising that function in the abstract must be distinguished from the power of exercising it concretely according to the divers circumstances of places The first belongeth to a Minister every where in the Church the latter is proper to the place and people where he doth minister The lawful use of the power is limited to that Congregation ordinarily the power it self is not so bounded In ordination Presbyters are not restrained to one or other certain place as if they were to be deemed Ministers there only though they be set over a
And should such private man passe the censure against a scandalous brother that the Elders would do yet it is not Ecclesiastical binding yea though such a scandalous person should referre himself to them as arbitrators and promise to submit to their censure yet they cannot Ecclesiastically excommunicate him or restore him no more then private men in an arbitration can condemn and execute a malefactor or absolve him though he be innocent if indited Many times private men standing by and hearing the evidence at the Assizes against a malefactour will say he is but a dead man yet that is no judicial condemnation of him though it be materially according to the law of the land yet it is not formally for so is the act of the Judge only who is in office for that purpose Fifthly If private Christians bear a double relation Sect. 7. one to the Church Catholike visible as members thereof and another to the particular Congregation where they are particular members then so do the Ministers also The universality of private Christians membership necessarily requires an universality of the ministerial office for dispensing the Ordinances to them though but occasionally As particular members agree with other particular members in Christianity so particular Ministers agree with other particular Ministers in the ministerial office If particular private members can joyn with any Congregations in the Word Sacraments and praier and are bound to contribute to them as members of the same general body if there be need though in forreign countries then may also particular Ministers dispense the Ordinances of Jesus Christ as generally if there be necessity or occasion Epiphanius Bishop of Cyprus ordained a Deacon and Presbyter at Bethlehem in monasterio Bethlemitico in the jurisdiction of John Bishop of Jerusalem when they were almost destitute of spiritual food and defended his action thus Oh Dei timorem hoc facere compulsi sumus maximè quum nulla sit diversitas in sacerdotio Dei ubi utilitati Ecclesia providetur Nam et si singuli Ecclesiarum Episcopi habent sub se Ecclesias quibus curam videntur impendere nemo super alienam mensuram extendatur tamen praeponitur omnibus charitas Christi It seems he accounted his office habitually generaâ— and though the order of the Church required him to keep within his own bounds ordinarily yet necessity the profit of the Church and the love of Christ might draw forth the execution of his office further He addeth further Non considerandum quid factum sit sed quo tempore quo modo in quibus quare factum sit i. e. if it be not done to make a schism in the Church as he expresseth himself afterward ne que feci quicquam ut Ecclesiam scinderem Afterwards he adds Multi Episcopi communionis nostrae presbyteros in nostrâ ordinaverunt Provincia Ipse cohortatus sum beata memoriae Philonem Episcopum S m Theopropum ut in Ecclesiis Cypri quae juxta se erant ad meae autem paraeciae Ecclesiam vide bantur pertinere ordinarent presbyteros Christi Ecclesiae providerent Epiph. Epist ad Johan Hierosol quam Hieronymus lutinam fecit Extat in Hieron Ep. T. 2. in Ep. Hieron ad Paumachum T. 2. Vide Baronium Anno Christi 392. Sect. 42. c. The universal pastoral care which lieth on all Bishops as Bishops saith Crakanthorp puts forth it self both in general Councels yea and out of Councels this universal care of the Church lyeth upon all Ministers that they provide for the safety of the Church as much as lieth in them consulendo hortando monendo arguendo increpando scriptis simul voce alios omnes instruendo cum vel hâ—resis ulla vel schismain Ecclesia grassari caeperit velut incendium publicum illud restinguendo ne latiùs serpat providendo Def. Eccl. Angl. c. 28. Sixthly There will follow divers great absurdities if the office of a Minister stands only in relation to his own Congregation For then he cannot preach any where as a Minister but in his own Congregation nor yet to any that come to his own Congregation occasionally much lesse administer the seals of the Covenant to them though they come never so well approved by testimonials or by their own knowledge of them which yet hath been the ancient custom of the Church and is practised still among our brethren in New-England by vertue of communion of Churches as they say but this being an act of office cannot be done except there be an habitual indefinite power of the ministerial office which by this desire of strangers and their testimonial is drawn forth into act Also hereby a Minister is rendred but as a private Christian to all the Christian world except his own Congregation and if his Congregation be any way dissolved he is but a private man again Also the censore of excommunication which hath been inflicted by such Officers in such a Congregation can never be taken off by any other Officers in any other Congregation after the dissolution of that for no Congregation can receive an excommunicated person to be a member before absolution and absolve him they cannot because he is none of their members Ejusdem est ligare solvere yea and if he be wronged by censures in any particular Congregation no Church in the world can relieve him except there be an indefinite habitual power of office which by such occasions can be drawn forth into act It maketh way also for any private man to preach publikely if he be able for Ministers themselves by this opinion should preach but as private men if they preach out of their own Congregation Also it necessarily implyeth that a Minister cannot remove from his particular Congregation though for the great advantage of the Church unlesse he will divest himself of his former Ordination which was in reference only to his particular Congregation by this opinion and take a new Ordination to his Ministerial office again as if he had never been ordained before And all acting in Councels must be the actings of private Christians And all the Lectures that are kept by neighbour-Ministers in combination or singly except by the particular Ministers of that Congregation where the Lecture is kept are performed by private men for so by this opinion they are to all the world except their own Congregations And so if any of their own members come and hear them preach at any such Lectures Funerals Marriages or Baptizings it is authoritative preaching indeed to them because of their particular relation to him but only a charitative exercising of gifts as a private man out of office to all men else And if this opinion be true what shall become of all the unfixed visible Christians in New-England who by reason of their unresolvednesse where yet to fix their civil habitations or of scrupulosity or want of ability utterance and boldnesse to expresse themselves so as
the subjects of Christs Ecclesiastical Kingdom â—unne parallel further with the subjects of a civil Kingdom they all being Christians Why may not the combination also run parallel and the denomination be parallel for transaction of common Ecclesiastical affairs as well as civil if prudence so dictate it and the Churches in a hundred if they lie convenient combine â—to a Classis as well as into a hundred for civil transaction And the Classes into a Province as well as hundreds into a County or Shire and the Provinces into a national Church as well as the Counties into a civil Kingdom and seeing Christs Ecclesiastical Kingdom reacheth over many Kingdoms why may they not make one habitual Church-Catholike as well as many Kingdoms under the same laws and head make one Empire The actuality indeed may cease where the constant or frequent community of acting ceaseth whether at the Congregation or Classis where all the Officers are combined in frequent common acting or at the National Church where the civil community ceaseth and so the frequent occasion of common acting by delegates cease I determine not but the habituality ceaseth not in the whole Church-Catholike visible I shall first speak of the combination of particular Congregations into a Presbyterial Church Sect. 2. commonly called for distinction sake a Classis That there may be a college or body of Elders that can act conjunction as well as divisim appears from 1 Tim. 4.14 where the Presbytery are said to lay their hands on Timothy There is the name and thing and their acting conjunctim in Ordination which was not the Presbytery of a single Church or at least not so considered in their Ordination of an Evangelist an itinerant universal actual officer under the Apostles Our brethren also in New-England joyn the Elders of divers Congregations together in ordaining Elders for a new-erected Congregation and not only the erecting of new Congregations will require it necessarily but the supplying of other Congregations vacant by death for there are but few Congregations so well stored with preaching Presbyters as can ordain new ones if one or two of them die Also we finde an Eldership acting together Act. 15.6 The Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this matter Also Act. 11.30 and Act. 21.18 Christ gave the keys to the Apostles together Mat. 28.19 Go ye and teach and baptize c. who though they received their extraordinary calling of Apostleship for themselves only yet they received the ministerial office for all succeeding Ministers and we finde no other especial donation of the keys and this appears by the following words Lo I am with you alway even to the end of the world which must needs be meant of the succeeding Ministers for the Apostles were not to last to the end of the world neither their persons nor their office Therefore as the Apostles could from that donation exercise the keys conjunctim divisim in their extraordinary function so may the Presbyters exercise theirs also and some keys cannot be used but conjunctim as in Ordination and dispensing censures and if Elders of several Congregations can act together as Elders in ordination even in New-England and in censures much more thâ—â— in a greater body And if our brethren in New-England dared admit private men to lay on their hands in ordination of their Ministers doubtlesse they would appoint some of their own private members to do it that so according to their tenet they might enjoy all Gods Ordinances independently in their particular Congregations and not admit of a forreign Officer to come and act as an Officer among them That divers Congregations may combine and make one Presbyterial Church appears by divers instances in the New Testament The Congregations in Jerusalem are called one Church Act. 8.1 Act. 11.22 Act. 15.4 The Congregations in Antioch are called one Church Act. 1â— 1 and Act. 11.26 The Congregations in Ephesus are called one Church Act. 20.17 Rev. 2.1 And the Congregations in Corinth mentioned in the plural number 1 Cor. 14.34 are called one Church 1 Cor. 1.2 and 2 Cor. 1.1 Now that there were several Congregations in each of these cities appears because there were in each of them so great a multitude of beleevers as that they could not meet together to partake of all Gods Ordinances especially if we consider that they had no publike eminent buildings for meeting-houses but met privately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 2.46 in an upper room Act. 1.13 and in the house of Mary Act. 12.12 in the school of Tyrannus Act. 19.9 in the house of Aquila and Priscilla 1 Cor. 16.19 in Pauls hiâ—ed house at Rome Act. 28.30 in the house of Nymphas Colos 4.15 c. therefore called the Church in their houses And this manner of meeting continued in the times of persecution in that age and some succeeding Also it appears by the multitude of Church-Officers Elders Prophets and Teachers that were in each of them which could not busie themselves in one Congregation and sure they were not idle in those daies Also by the variety of languages especially at Jerusalem Act. 2.5 8. c. See these and other arguments of this nature more fully explained and more particularly proved and applied in Jus Div. part 2. chap. 13. And if these Churches were such as in all rational probability they were then that position That there are no other Ecclesiastical societies instituted by Christ but particular Congregational-Churches will not hold good and the Basis of the Congregational way will fail and the partition wall that seemeth thereby to be between them and the Presbyterians must fall down And this unity of these Churches was not a spiritual unity in regard of saving grace for all the members had not that nor in regard of judgement belief heart and way for that was common to all the Christianâ— in the world but a political union by an especial Ecclesiastical obligation together though we finde no mention of any explicit Covenant as the constituent form of the particular Churches nor only in regard of the administration of Word Sacraments and Praier for these were dispersed in their several Congregations and could not be jointly together in regard of their multitudes Neither were they one in reference to the Apostles general power and office only they being universal Pastors for so the universal Church over the whole world was one but in regard of the common Presbytery whereby they were governed constantly and the Apostles themselves being in these several Churches did act as co-Presbyters with their Elders and so they call themselves Elders 1 Pet. 5. â— and Joh. 2. And though indeed it cannot be peremptorily affirmed that these Presbyterial Churches had their several Elders fixed to their several Congregations yet that as I conceive varies not the question at all And yet it is very probable that the Elders in those cities did divide those cities between them for particular teaching and inspection of
observed by all sorts that by the Independent way power is given to 2. or 3. Officers in a Congregation or as others of them say if the particular Congregation joyn to censure yea excommunicate Parliament men Nobles and Kings if they judge there be cause and all the Churches in the world shall have no power to relieve them except that Congregation or those Elders please It makes saith M. Ellis every Minister one of the standing Officers of the Christian world to whom with his collegues not severally and by distribution but jointly and as one body is committed the government of the whole Christian world and managing the affairs of the son of God throughout the face of the earth And this is marked with as if these were the very words of the Presbyterians which are but his own paraphrase and collection and not their sense much lesse their words But I answer Every Ministers office is habitually indefinite but he is not actually a standing Officer of the Christian world But as a Physician by this calling profession and license is a Physician to the whole world habitually and may act upon the bodies and about the lives of men of what nation soever where and when he hath a call And as a Lawyer is a Lawyer to the whole Kingdom and hath power by his call to the bar to deal about any mans case or estate so far as the Law alloweth and his calling serveth where and when he is required and yet these are but professions not offices which would make the habitual power haply more reducible into act upon a lawful cal but Christs Ministers have an indefinite habitual office beyond their particular Congregations yet in regard of exerting and constant exercise thereof it is distributively over their own flocks which are as their constant Patients and Clients but if there be necessity just occasion and a call to be helpful to any others joyntly with them that have the same office they may exercise their power in any part of the whole body And so saith M. Ellis he is one of Christs vicars general and not particular only which I acknowledge every Minister to be in his place magnum surely memorabile nomen But this is but magnum memorabile scomma and so I passe it by M. Ellis knows that thâ—s power though habitually it belongeth to the office and so to the person that hath that office yet is not drawn forth in a general Councel for the actual immediate service of the whole Church once in many hundred years and divers generations of Ministers die and it is not called forth in their ages and when it is they are usually the most able and eminent persons that have that call and not one of many hundreds of them neither therefore that scoff might well have been spared But he confesseth every particular Minister in his place to be Christs Vicar as he terms him i. e. to act vice Christi and all distributively to be Christs Vicars general I see he is not sublimated so high as some are as to make the Ministers to be the Vicars or Stewards of the Congregation and to carry their keys for them But can they act vice Christi no where else in whose name doe they preach baptize administer the Lords Supper and blesse the people when they act abroad occasionally This ariseth from that principle disclaimed in all former ages of the Church that a Minister is a Minister but in his own Congregation and out of office to all the Church besides Sect. 7. But M. Ellis hath another Objection against it viz. If it be so saith he great reason it is that the Church of the whole world should choose these universal Officers and so the Church of a Nation the National Officers c. by whom they are to be governed in that which is dearest and of highest moment viz. the precious soul or else their condition is most sad Answ Is there not the same reason that the whole world should have a hand in the choice of every Physician and the whole Kingdom of every Lawyer And by the same reason it will follow that the whole Christian world should have a consent in the admitting of every member of the Church seeing they be members not of the particular Congregation only into which by particular association they are admitted but of the whole Church-Catholike visible But as every Minister is entrusted with the admitting of members into the whole and every Eldership with casting out of the whole so may every conjoyned Presbytery be also with the admittance of an Officer It is impossible that the whole Church should meet about admittance either of members or Officers but the particular parts are entrusted in the places where they live and if any man or woman can give in any just exception against either member or Minister that is to be admitted it shall debar their admission or procure an ejection The new Jerusalem Rev. 21. it said to have 12. gates and there was an admission into the whole city by every gate so is there admission into the whole Church by baptism in every Congregation The Temple spoken of in Ezek. 40. c. is conceived to typifie the Evangelical Church in general and the several chambers the particular Congregations now as those that were admitted into any chamber had thereby admission into the whole house so they that are admitted in any Congregation are admitted into the whole Church And though the admission of particular Officers or members is not done interventu totius Ecclesiae yet it is done intuitu totius Ecclesiae with reference and respect had to the whole But secondly I answer That when that habitual power is drawn into act in a partâ—cular Congregation as their particular Minister then that Congregation meets to give him a call and if an unworthy unskilful man get into the profession of Physick or Law for all his habitual power by license he may have patients and clients few enough to call his power into act the like may be said of an unworthy Minister if Churches have their right of calling or approving their Ministers Or if there be a call to act in a Synod so great a part of the Church as the Synod extends unto have a hand to call to that action Indeed in a Classis the whole vicinity of Officers may meet personally by their actual combination but if it be a provincial Synod every Classis in the Province chooseth the members thereof severally if in a National Synod every Province chooseth and calleth the members thereof and so there is a call of the whole Kingdom and if it be a general Councel of the whole Church all the Christian Nations elect and call the members thereof respectively and so this sadnesse he speaks of is salved And for unworthy persons intruding into the Church by a little learning to live idlely on the sweat and cost of others or that shall have a
met for and not severally and did both ordain Bishops and also actually excommunicate many hereticks For what several distinct Churches did the convention Act. 1. act seeing there were none then in being 5. It was saith he a voluntary association by right of fraternity and not onenesse of corporation which appears by astringing and confining in after times the power of Bishops and Ministers to and within Dioceses and Churches Ans Though it were voluntary yet might it be necessary and not arbitrary as was shewed before The onenesse of Corporation was not actual but habitual The astringing of them by canon to avoid confusion took not away their habitual power for by leave they might act any where as hath been shewed before But if they had not been endued with habitual power by office their voluntary association could not have enabled them to exert their power jointly when they were met Sect. 5. Let us now hear what witnesses he produceth against the unity and integrality of the Church and the habitual power of the Ministers beyond the limits of their Congregations or their joint acting together as Ministers upon a call First Chrysostome in Serm. 1. de Pash saith The Sacrifice or Passeover was to be eaten in one house and not to be conveyed out i. e. the house is one that hath Christ and the many houses of the Hebrews have but only one power nature and condition as the Churches throughout the whole world and in several Provinces being many in number are but one Church But wherein doth he differ from the Presbyterians herein They grant the Churches are many in number divisim and yet make but one conjunctim habitually But he is expresly against M. Ellis for he grants Provincial Churches and that all the Churches throughout the whole world are one and this must be one integral for a Genus is not made by aggregation of Provinces And all these though organized are similar parts of the whole having but one only power nature and condition 2. Clemens Alexandr lib. 7. Strom. There is absolutely but one ancient and Catholike Church in the unity of one faith And say not the Presbyterians the same also and it appears he held the Catholike Church to be an Integral because he saith it is ancient but a Genus â—ever groweth ancient He might haâ—e gone higher foâ— another Clemens in his constitutions who if he be of any credit speaks more home Nos Apostoli scripsimus vobis Catholicam hanc doctrinam ad fulciendum confirmandum vos quibus universalis Episcopatus creditus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constit. 6. c. 14. But Basil in Ep. ad Neo-Caesarienses will be of more credit Interrogate patres vestros annunciabunt vobis etiamsi loci situ divisae sunt paraeciae tumen veluti coronamento quodam unitae unâque sententiâ gubernatae fuerint Assidua quidem populi fuit inter se commixtio ipsi pastores verò tantâ praediti fuerunt mutuâ charitate ut alius alio praeceptore ac duce usi sunt And Cyprians testimony de unitate Ecclesiae is direct against him for he defineth the unity of the Church by doctrine and discipline As there is one God one Christ one faith so there is one Church one discipline in it one Bishoprick c. Episcopatus unus est cujus a singulis in solidum pars tenetur Now Bishoprick argueth the Church to be one politically though but habitually and as many that are bound in a bond pro toto in solido are every one liable to be arrested for the whole so many that have a joint interest in a thing in solidum have all a joint right to the whole Upon which words of Cyprian M Parker in Polit. Eccles lib. 3. pag. 122. hath this inference Quid ni unitas Ecclesiae in uno Petro primitùs designata unitatem idest aequalitatem authoritatis in singulis Ecclesijs quibusque denotet sic ut Ecclesia una sit Ecclesiastica potestas una cujus ab Ecclesijs singulis pars in solidum tenetur Cyprian is abundant in this point Episcopatus unus est Episcoporum multorum concordi numerositate diffusus Cypr. Ep. 53. Etsi pastores multi sumus unum tamen gregem pascimus oves universas c. colligere foâ—ere debemus Ep. 67. Cyprian gathered together an authoritative Synod He stoutly opposed Steven Bishop of Rome for receiving some Bishops that were justly deposed pro suâ quam gerebar universalis Ecclesiae curâ Cyp. lib. 1. Ep. 4. Vt unitatem Dominus manefestaret unam Cathedram constituit unitatis ejusdem originem ab uno incipientem sua authoritas disposuit Cyp. de unitate Upon which words Salmasius hath this Comment Omnes Ecclesiae una sunt unitatem conspirantes faciunt omnes Cathedrae unam Cathedram De Prim. pag. 87. Ecclesiae nomine non tantum una sed multorum unitas designatur Bernard in Cant. Serm. 61. Augustine in Tract in Joh. 1.14 is more against him then for him And whereas he saith universa Ecclesia ligat solvitque peccam He cannot mean thereby that the Church is only one in nature and kinde but not in number because he speaks of Priesthood and what one Minister doth binde is bound to all so that he violates saith he the rights of holy Priesthood that joins him to himself that is cast out by another Neither doth Eucherius by his own relation for I have not seen him say any other thing then the Presbyterians in that he saith the Church dispersed throughout the whole world consisteth in one and the same faith and fellowship of Catholike truth And whereas there is an innumerable multitude of the faithful yet they are rightly said to have one heart and one soul in respect of their society in the common faith and love For he grants in these words an universal visible Church and that to be a society now every society of men is one external visible integral And M. Ellis granteth that there doth flow an external communion from the internal and that the mystical union doth imply an union visible also vind paâ— 34. His quotation out of the Councel of Trent might well have been spared for it crosseth himself most Therein is confest a general Councel and that with authority and the major part to binde the rest Indeed they contend that a Councel bindeth not the absent Churches which have no delegates there and who saith the contrary But as those Churches who had delegates there are concerned in their decrees so they be agreeable to the word and that formally because they are their decrees so should the Church-Catholike if the whole had delegates there But this we gain by this quotation that a general Councel is confessed by him to have doctrinal authority and are not the 〈◊〉 equally extensible Have they power to decide points of doctrine as iâ— there confest by M. Ellis and not to exercise discipline who cut
one key shorter then the other It is granted also here that Councels have to do with matters of common right and joint concernment And thereby the necessity of Synods and Councels will follow seeing there are things of common right to many Churches and may be to all And this will necessarily require that they should be furnished with authority to transact those affairs of common concernment and that is as much as the Presbyterians contend for in the behalf of Synods No State saith he can take my wife from me or dispose of my children in marriage this is of peculiar right so in Churches Answ No more can the Elders of the particular Congregation nor the civil Officers of the particular Town But the civil Officers or State can dispose of mens children and good according to Law for the good and defence of the whole notwithstanding a mans peculiar right So the peculiar rights of persons and Congregations must be subservient and give way to the good of the whole or the greater part And though a master of a family ought not to yield up his family-government over wife children and servants to rule them in common with other Masters of families as M. A. and M. S. note in their Def. p. 110. yet if he abuse his government over them the wronged persons either wife children or servants may be relieved by the Magistrate who yet hath no constant actual hand in the family-government And whereas he saith all the Christians in England would be loth to stand bound to the determinations of 2. or 3. sent in their names to a general Councel I answer by retortion so would a Congregation or our Nobility and Gentry be loth to stand bound by the censures of two or three Elders in a particular Congregation without relief But it is pretended by M. Ellis to be new also relatively in reference to the Protestant Divines Calvin is brought in here vind p. 13 It is true Calvin saith Instit lib 4. cap. 1. sect 3. Ad amplexandam Ecclesiae unitatem nihil opus est Ecclesiam ipsam oculis cernere vel manibus palpare quin potius eo quod in fide sit◠est But his meaning i◠we cannot distinguish the elect from the reprobate by sense referring it to what he had spoken in the former Section Soli Deo permittenda est cognitio suae Ecclesia sect 2. Deus mirabiliter Ecclesiam suam quasi in latebris servat But here M. Ellis cites a man for him who is directly against him For Calvin makes the Ministry of man which God useth in governing the Church to be the chief sinew whereby the faithful cohere together in one body Inst l. 4. c. 3. s 2. where also he dilates upon Eph. 4.4 c. and saith it is meant of the Church militant only And in sect 7. he saith though the Minister be tied to the particular Congregation yet he may not only help other Churches but may be removed to other Churches of the publike utility require it And for Councels he saith l. 4. c. 9. s 1. That he reverenced the ancient Councels ex animo and wisheth all other men did so And saith the promise in Mat. 18.20 where two or three are gathered together in my name c. as it reacheth to particular Assemblies so also to a general Councel Sect. 2. And he giveth to Councels power dogmatical and saith there is no better remedy against errours as I cited the words upon the like occasion before Nullum est melius remedium c. and also Dialactick power c. 10. s 27. in making constitutions according to the general rules 1 Cor. 14.40 and jurisdiction c. 11. not only doctrinal binding and loosing but disciplinary by inflicting censures s 2. and c. 12. s 22. sheweth the ancient manner of yearly Synods and of appeals if any were wronged by their Bishops and not only the relief of the wronged person but the deposition of the Bishop or suspension for a time from communion And he saith that alwaies before one Synod ended the time and place for another was set and then complains that these things were now out of date So that Calvin was not against an habitual unity of the whole Church nor against the exerting of the Ministerial power beyond the particular Congregation or exerting it conjunctim in Synods and Councels Chamier also hath been alledged for it before And the difference is vast between the Church-Catholike visible which our Divines deny 〈◊〉 this as hath been shewed before Chap. 5. Sect. 4. M. Ellis's second just or rather unjust prejudice is from the dangerous consequences of this opinion But indeed they flow from his ill stating of the Question and not from the Tenet it self To the first viz. a necessity of universal and general Officers and some one above the rest to whom the particular Churches may have continual recourse hath been answered before Cha. 7. Sect. 6. To the second viz. the necessity of a continual standing Court Sect. 6. hath been already answered Cha. 7. Sect. 10. The suiting of the Church too much to worldly policy occasioneth this scruple And yet we see that Parliaments and Diets civil are not standing continual Courts no more need Councels Ecclesiastical be And whereas he saith it were notably vain to imagine that Christ hath committed the government of his Church first and chiefly to that body that should not meet six times in sixteen hundred years nay never I answer that I never affirmed a general Councel to be the first subject of the keys nor the London-Ministers that I can finde nor Apollonius that I remember But the Church-Officers in general in opposition to the caetus fidelium or the civil Magistrate c. A general Councel is but occasional yet is it Reverend and August and of more large extent by reason of the general delegation then any other meeting and is full of authority for the exerting of all Ecclesiastical power of the keys as I conceive The gift of the keys was primarily to the whole body of Officers or Organs of the Church respectively as their Offices were capable of them and as they were given to the Apostles together so they may he exercised together And secondarily to the particular Ministers or Officers as being a part of that body And though the power habitually considered be indefinite yet the constant actual exercise thereof is in their particular Congregations or Classes The Ordinances of God for the enjoyment and use of them were given to the whole visible Church for the conversion and edification of the Elect and if they could meet together as the Israelites did in the wildernesse and the Saints for ought I know shall in heaven they might partake of them together as their rightful portion but because they cannot meet but in parcels therefore they have right to enjoy them divisim by vertue of that general gift to the whole which every Congregation or parcel appropriates to
it self as being a member of the whole and yet it is not notably vain to say The gift of them by God and his intention in giving them was to the whole though they never meet nor can meet together in this world So is the case of the Ministers also the Ministry is primarily given to the whole body of them and if they could meet together they might exercise the keys together conjunctim a representation or an epitome whereof is in a general councel but because they cannot meet but in parcels where they are seated and have a particular call to give especial attendance therefore they exercise them divisim yet as parts of the whole body of Organs of the Church and there they serve the whole Church and their dispensations have influence into the whole The third danger viz. the trouble and charge of appeals and the tryal of causes by them that can have no personal knowledge of the cause or persons to be tried but by information hath been answered before c. 7. s 9. Sect. 7. His third prejudice is that this opinion is Papal and Anti-Protestant And to prove this he bringeth in Bellarmines description of the Church-Catholike viz. That it is one visible Church or Congregation of men bound together by the profession of the same faith and participation of the same Sacraments under the government of lawful Pastors and especially of that only Vicar of Christ on earth the Pontiffe or Bishop of Rome This latter clause indeed is papal properly and therefore justly rejected by the Protestants But the former part if it be understood of one habitual body or Congregation is not to be accounted Papal because set down by a Papist for then all the Articles of the Creed which they hold as well as we though not on the same ground should be accounted Papal also Where they differ from the Scripture therein they erre and therein only we dissent from them Neither is it Anti-protestant unlesse as he hath stated it Calvins judgement whom he citeth here again I have shewed before and it is opposite to M. Ellis in point of the power of the ministerial office beyond one Congregation which is the very hinge of the question and in the power and use of Synods Chamier indeed makes the Church to be one general or universal yet he makes it to be aggregated of many particular Churches which strongly argues an integrality for no Genus is made by aggregation and he saith it is compounded of infinite particular Churches but no genus is made by composition Omne aggregatum compositum est integrale He makes it also to consist of many parts yea to have partes extra partes which is the Logicians definition of an integral But how all the Kingdoms in the world as he saith to make a parallel with the universal Church may be called one Kingdom in the general except by logical abstraction I understand not Certainly it cannot be by aggregation and composition and by apposition of them as parts of that general Kingdome he speaks of which yet he yieldeth in the Church-Catholike They have not all the same systeme of written Laws authorized by the same authority neither have they indefinite habitual Officers as the Church hath And for Bishop Iewel in his answer to Harding he disputes against the headship of the Pope but denyeth not Christ to be head of the visible Church And though indeed he rightly cals it a new fancy to prove the Pope to be head of the Church from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if there were therefore but one King to rule over the whole world yet he denieth not that Christ rules over the whole Church but cals the Church One Kingdom One body One sheepfold And he citeth for the unity of the Church many sentences out of Cyprian viz. Vna est Ecclesia a Christo per totum mundum in plura membra divisa Item Episcopatus unus Episcoporum concords numerositate diffusus Cyp. l. 4. Ep. 2. Also Ecclesia una est connexa cohaerentium sibi invicem Sacerdotum glutine copulaeta Ep. 9. Quandoâ—oramus non pro uno oramus sed pro toâ—o populo quia totus populus unum sumus Cyp. in Orat. Dominic Again Hanc unitatem firmiter tenere vendicare debemus maximè Episcopi qui in Ecclesia praesidemus ut Episcopatum quoque ipsum unum indivisum probemus Cyp. l. 3. Ep. 13. Et si pastores multi sumus unum tamen gregem pascimus c. Copiosum est Corpus Sacerdotum concordiae mutua glutine atque unitatis vinculo copulatum ut si quis ex collegio nostro haeresim facere gregem Christi lacerare ac vastare tentaverit subveniant caeteri Ibid. So that Jewel was far from restraining the Ministers office or power to one Congregation or from denying the authority of Synods and Councels And for M. Rutherford in his Due right of Presbytery I marvel M. Ellis should cite him who is professedly point black against him and hath handled both parts of my question and concludes them affirmatively Due Right of Presbyteries p. 55. c. and 418. Now whose fault is it to cite authors for him that are known to be against him Sect. 8. I come now to view his greater Artillery as he cals it and his first argument is because saith he the Scriptures Christ and his Apostles are silent and speak nothing of one Catholike visible Church yea I may adde and all men else as he hath stated it But for Scripture-proofs I referre the Reader to what I said formerly and now have added Chap. 2. But my proofs from Scripture he was pleased to runne over in vind pag. 42. in 7. lines without any answer to the particulars His second argument is from the institution of Christ because saith he the keys of government were given first and fully entirely and immediatly to the particular Congregation and this he proves from the Church of the Jews to which all Church-power was given first and fully but this was saith he a particular Church not the universal unlesse by accident because there was no other Church-state in the world at that time And though he grants it to be a Type of the Church of the New Testament yet not as Catholike but as Congregational as it self was or else as mystical Vind. pag. 21. Answ It cannot be denied but there were some things peculiar to the Church of the Jews as typical Ordinances and a typical high Priest and that it was bounded within certain limits and they were bound to meet in their males three times yearly which pertain not to the Evangelical Church But in that one Church there were particular Assemblies for ordinary worship and extraordinary also and for acts of government and they had particular Officers and Ecclesiastical rulers over them and there were appeaâ—s reserved to the great Councel at Jerusalem and so it could not be a type of a
Congregational Church for there can be no appeals to that it being the lowest Church that can be The particular Synagogues were rather Types of the Congregational Churches for they are called by the same name Jam. 1.2 And the Ministers under the Gospel are called by the same names that the indefinite Officers of the Jewish Church were viz. Priests and Levites Isa 66.21 which place is spoken of the time under the Gospel And if it be granted that the Ministers of the Gospel be given to the whole Church as the Priests and Levites were indefinitely to the whole Church of the Jews notwithstanding any particular relation to the particular Synagogues and places they resided in and taught or judged in it is as much as I contend for And if by mystical he meaneth the elect only or entitively only it could not be a type of the Church-Catholike so for the Jewish Church was visible and organical His second proof is from Mat. 18. Tell the Church which saith he was a particular Congregation which was endued with entire power even to excommunication Whatsoever ye shall binde c. Answ This was not the Institution neither was there any donation of the keys but a supposal of the keys in the particular Churches which is a thing confessed by all and this power was also in the Jewish Synagogues But this is not spoken exclusively that this power is no where else If the rulers of the Synagogue had power to excommunicate to which it is like Christ alluded in that speech then much more the Sanedrim or highest Court and so I conceive it is in the Church of the New Testament If the least combination of Elders have this power given them for matters that concern that Congregation only then much more a greater company and combination for matters that concern a greater part of the Church under their combination and for matters of greater moment then can be transacted by the smaller company But the donation of the keys was to the Apostles together and they were general Officers and stood in relation to no particular Church and therefore the keys come to the particular Congregation or Ministry there as to parts of the whole company of Organs yet immediatly and not by commission from any Catholike Court. His third proof is because the first execution of the greatest act of entire power was exercised in a particular Church without consulting with the universal Church though the Apostles were then surviving 1 Cor. 5. Answ For ought that I know the Church of Corinth was a Classical Church and not a meer Congregational one for there were Churches in it 1 Cor. 14.34 Besides the probability that Cenchrea was a member thereof But Sir who requires the consulting with the Church-Catholike in admitting or ejecting members Or did the particular Synagogues consult with the Sanedrim or the whole Church of the Jews when they excommunicated any man Surely they had work enough to do then His fourth proof or argument is Because entire power was committed to particular men viz. the Apostles severally and to all jointly and therefore not to one visible governing Church Vind. p. 23. Answ By this argument it appears the power is given not to the Congregation but to the Ministers whose representatives the Apostles were in receiving the keys severally and jointly which is as much as the Presbyterians require viz. that the Ministers have power to exercise their ordinary power jointly together upon a call as well as severally in their particular Congregations as the Apostles did their extraordinary Their receiving the keys together signifyed their representation of the Ministers not multiplyed only as M. Ellis would evade it but conjoyned His fifth argument is from the reproofs given by Christ to the 7. several Churches in the Revelation and not to the combination of them though near one another Answ For ought appears they might be all Presbyterial Churches and not Congregational only The Church of Ephesus was one and that was of more Congregations then one as hath been shewed before But how doth this prove these Churches were nor or might not actually have been in combination if civil authority would have permited Were not the Elders of the several Churches worthy of blame for not doing their duty in their several Churches Or will combinations of Congregations now in Classes or Provinces free their Ministers from blame in neglecting their duâ—â—es in their particular Congregations A Classis or Synod is not to be blamed for the faults in a particular Congregation which ought to be censured in the particular and not there neither indeed can be except they had been brought before them The several Churches there had their several faults and therefore though the Epistle is written to the seven yet it was needful the reproofs should be applied to rhem severally And yet some think that the whole Epistle was writeen and sent to all the 7. Churches from Rev. 1.4 11. His second sort of Arguments are from the matter and members of the Church Sect. 9. and he makes it necessary that the whole Church should be gathered together into one place as the Jewish Church was and Corporations in their hals and Kingdoms in their Parliaments And this he saith I deny against all experience and reason Vind. p. 24. Answ This hath been answered before among the Objections I adde further that though usually it is so that there are some general meetings in worldly polities that are several actual governments yet it is not alwaies so as hath been shewed and where it is so it is a fruit and effect and token of liberty but ariseth not meerly from unity because there have been polities that had them not for this Kingdom was one a good while before there were any Parliaments and after they were granted they were but occasional and so there may be occasional meetings in general Councels only the vastnes of the Church and diversity of civil governments and governours render them very difficult in our daies But he saith that such an oneness as is in regard of kinde and nature in all the Churches and in relation to the same head and in order to and dependance upon one rule or Law the word of God is no actual or real onenesse but in imagination and conceit Ans It is not actual indeed but habitual as hath been said many times over yet it is real as well as the four monarchies were real monarchies and not in imagination only and conciet He might as well make the head of the Church and the Laws of the Church and the Covenant of grace and the seals of the Covenant to be but imaginary and in conceit as the Church-Catholike for they are the bonds of the unity and real visible bonds make not an imaginary integral but a real And where I pray is this onenesse denyed by the brethren as you alledge Vin. p. 24. The enlargement and confirmation of this argument A non existentiâ
holy Infantes baptizandi sunt non ut sancti sint sed quia sancti sunt Whitak The promise is to you and to your children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call saith Peter Act. 2.39 This promise is that external Covenant to which Baptism doth belong for it is brought in as an argument to move them to repentance and receiving of Baptism and declareth their right and their childrens right which is nothing else but the call of God and their answer thereunto The Sacraments are not seals of the particular Covenant but the general and therefore all that are in the general Covenant have right thereto as they are capable The 5. Apologists acknowledge that some of them had children born after they were actually in this way of communion which were baptized by some of our Ministers in our Parishional Congregations Apol Narr p. 6. And some of our brethren and none of the meanest falling hence to New-England after their departure from then particular Congregations here and before their particular combination there had sea-born children which were baptized on ship-board and I my self was desired to baptize one of them before the Ship could put forth out of the channel And for the Lords Supper it is a priviledge not springing from the particular Covenant but the general and as all that were circumcised were bound to keep the Passeover whereever they dwelt so every baptized person being of age and otherwise fir is bound to receive the Lords Supper and therefore hath a right thereto though his condition of calling or other accidents hinder him from a fixed membership And in Congregational Churches the brethren of one Congregation communicate at the Lords table in other Congregations as occasion is offered but surely it cannot be by vertue of a particular Covenant entred into with their own members for that can give right no where else but it is by vertue of a Covenant that is common to all visible beleevers which is the general Covenant Can we conceive that a visible beleever having visible right to Christ and living holily should want right to the seals Can any man forbid water that these should not be be baptized that have received the holy Ghost as well as we saith Peter of Cornelius and his company So may I say can any man forbid the Lords Supper to be administred to such as have received Christ and his Spirit and are baptized as well as we See more of this Que. 2. Sect. 4. M. Norton in his answer to Apollonius p. 32 acknowledgeth the Sacraments are not signs or seals of the Ecclesiastical Covenant as he cals it but signs and seals of the Covenant of grace and yet the Sacraments are to be administred only to such as are entred into the Ecclesiastical Covenant explicitly or implicity his reason is because the Sacraments are to be administred only â—â—deratis i. e. to such as are in Covenant and so members first If M. Norton meaneth by Covenant the Covenant of grace it is true they must be in the Covenant of grace externally at least by professed yeelding themselves to the Lord or by federal holinesse 〈◊〉 they be capable of baptism but then it is nothing to his purpose but if he mean a particular Ecclesiastical Covenant whereby he is â—ade a member of a particular Congregation 〈…〉 is no way requisite unto baptism It is against the order of nature that the particular Covenant which is but humane arbitrary mutable extinguishible and accidental should precede the general which is divine necessary immutable perpetual and essential to a Christian it is as if a man should first be made a freeman of London and then a Denizon of England Indeed he is not capable of the priviledges that are peculiar to that Congregation except he be a member of it but baptism is a general priviledge of every subject of Christs Kingdom Neither have we any precept in the Scripture for the precedency of the particular Covenant before the general nor any example or intimation of any such practice in Scripture but of the contrary What particular Congregational Covenant did those that were baptized by John Baptist or Christs Disciples enter into before baptism or the Eunuch the Jaylor and his houshold or Lydia or Paul or Cornelius or the 3000. converted by Peter that were inhabitants of so many several countries True indeed some of them were members of the Jewish Church and so in the general Covenant but what is that to the making of them members of a particular Evangelical Congregational Church Infants are acknowledged to be members of the Church before baptism p. 25. and Bucer Loc. 47. cited for it yet they enter into no such Covenant before baptism M. Norton confesseth p. 25. that the Protobaptizatus could not be a member of a Church unlesse one man might be a Church or a member be without an integral It is a marvel that seeing so much weight lyeth on this particular Church-Covenant viz. the interest in the seals of the Covenant of grace the Scripture should never give any intimation of it or directions about it The like may be said of hearing the word any visible beleever may hear it whereever God giveth him opportunity not as a heathen or man without but as his rightful portion And any Christian may joyn in prayer and say Our Father c. with any Christians in the furthest parts of the world if he should come into their company in the performance of such duties The greatest Query is about the Ordinances of Discipline because they cannot be dispensed by a single Elder but in a College or Presbytery of Elders in combination and require a joynt power to be exercised in the inflicting of censures and this power it not so facil to be drawn into act as the power to administer Ordinances of worship which may be by entreaty of any single Minister in any place But first every one even as a member of the Church-Catholike yea though but entitive is bound to submit therunto by his entring by the general Covenant into the Kingdom of Christ that being one of his Ordinances and is needful and beneficial to all Christians And every Elder as he is given to the Church-Catholike as every Levite was to all Israel hath right in actu primo to dispense the Ordinances of Discipline every where if he hath a sufficient call And in consideration this Ordinance is given in the same method that the others are viz. first to the whole body and Kingdom of Christ and secondarily to the particular parts and yet as in other Ordinances the particular Churches which are last in intention are first in execution and operation so it is likewise in this and so it is in administration of justice in a Kingdom the Laws are made for the whole Kingdom and come secondarily to particular Counties and Corporations are executed primarily and immediatly in those particular Counties and
Corporations and yet this hinders not the power of Parliaments or Officers called thereto to dispense justice to divers Counties yea to the whole Kingdom and to relieve such as are wronged in their particular associations Suppose an Apostle should have preached in a city and converted but a few haply most or all of them women as it was Pauls lot to preach to a company of women Act. 16.13 so that they could not be brought into an Organical 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 practices had Paul nothing to doe to censure them because they were not congregated and combined by a particular Covenant in a Church-way as some term it but remain unfixed members of the Church-Catholike If they be liable to censure then doth discipline belong to the Church-Catholike primarily Nay let that be supposed for illustration sake which Paul Gal. 1.8 supposeth of himself that he or any of the Apostles should have apostatized and either preached another Messias or lived scandalously or proved a persecutour had Christ left the Church no key to binde him because he was a general Officer and a fixed member of no particular Congregation might not the rest of the Apostles excommunicate him then that censure would be Catholike without respect to any particular Congregation The Ordinances of Discipline were first given to the Church-Catholike because the keys were first given to the Apostles who were general Pastours and therefore the keys are Catholike Also the censures past in one Congregation reach the whole Church-Catholike visible and are binding to the whole and their absolution reacheth as far and â—ets the person into an habitual right to communicate any where again as hath been shewed before That which belongeth to every part of a similar body that primarily belongs to the whole but Discipline belongeth to every part of the Church-Catholike which is a similar body and therefore it primarily belongs to the whole If the keys be not Catholike then this inconvenience will follow that a visible beleever obtaining baptism before he be a fixed member may either through pretence of scrupulosity or perigrination factorship or frequent removing or refusal to joyn with any particular Congregation though never so heretical or scandalous shall thereby escape all censures because the keys are only particular and no body can inflict any censure upon him and yet being a visible member under the seal of the covenant shall converse with other Christians and haply upon his habitual right hear the Word or haply be admitted to the Lords table Which is as if a Subject of England because he will be a fixed inhabitant in no Town but wandring up and down drinking thieving and whoring thereby should escape all civil censures It is common to all polities that every County Corporation or division that have power to administer justice according to the â—ane of the policy shall apprehend malefactors within their 〈◊〉 whereever the malefactor hath his constant dwelling and either punish them themselves or turn them over to such aâ— are called to administer justice to the whole and otherwise outrages cannot be avoided or punished which are committed by men in places remote from their dwellings The like power must be allowed in Christs Ecclesiastical policy that the visible members of Christs Church may either be censured by the particular Church in whose limits they offend or be sent to the Church to which they belong which the offended Church hath no power by civil compulsion to do or that Church i◠〈◊〉 the off haply in another Countrey or haply they belong to none or else there must be a combined Eldership that may censure such persons Though civil limits be appointed for cohabitation of the members of particular Congregations and for maintenance of their Ministers and providing for the poor and 〈◊〉 essential to the Church but the members are to be accounted as members of that Congregation every where and the 〈…〉 in travel with any of their Congregation ought to watch over them and admonish them as their Elders and they to obey there whereever they become which sheweth that external limits bound not the Ministerial power as it doth the civil power of a Maâ—or or Constable yet there must be some kinde of proportion holden with civil polities for the censuring of wandring Christians else may hereticks and scandalous Christians come from forreign parts and do much hurt and yet avoid all censures Sect. 3. Thirdly Christs Offices are first intended for and executed on the Church-Catholike here below He is a King Priest and 〈◊〉 primarily in respect of the whole and but secondarily in respect of a particular Congregation or member Gods aim in redemnation was to redeem the whole primarily and secondarily the particulars God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne c. i. e. not the Jew only but the Gentile also And so in the application of that redemption as Christ is a Priest be reconcileth and intercedeth for all the elect as a Prophet he teacheth all as a King he ruleth all primarily and particulars secondarily So is it also in Christs external Kingdom as well as his internal As an earthly King is indeed King of Thomas and John c. but not primarily but secondarily as they are members of his Kingdom And the natural head is indeed head to the little finger and toe but not primarily but as they are parts of the whole body whereof it is head so Christ is a mystical head of the whole Church primarily and secondarily of the particular parts contained in and under the whole Fourthly The signs that difference the true Church from a false do not primarily belong to a particular Congregation but to the Church-Catholike visible viz. Profession of the true faith administration of Gods true Ordinances for therein the whole Church agree and is thereby distinguished from those that are without not from those that are within These are no notes to know this or that particular Church by from another for they are common to the universal Church they distinguish them not among themselves but from the general common opposite the heathen or the grosse heretick A man being led into a vault where were the skuls of many dead men and understanding that Alexanders skull was there desired his guide to shew him that his guide told him it was that skull with the hollow eye-holes and grisly nose and futures crossing the brampan and when the man replyed that they had all so yea saith his guide there is no difference between Kings and other mens skuls when they are dead So if any man should ask which is the Church of Ipswich Deâ—ham c. it were a folly to say it is the Church where the word of God is preached and Sacraments administred and that professe Jesus to be crucified
the Deacons office may cease at the dissolution of the Church that chose them because the subject of their office viz. contributions cease with the contributers and so it may be said of the ruling Elders also because the particular object of their office ceaseth and yet both of them while they are in their offices may extend the execution of their offices beyond the particular Church that chose them to a greater part of the Church and possibly to the whole 4. There is a great difference between the Minister of the word and the ruling-Elder the first hath two keys viz. of doctrine and discipline the other hath but one viz. of discipline The superiour order is conceived to comprehend the power of the inferiour and so the Apostles had all the power of the inferiour even of Deacons the like may be said of the rest 5. The key of discipline cannot be exercised but in a combination and therefore must cease when that ceaseth which must be at the dissolution of the particular Church whether Congregational or Presbyterial which chose them but the key of doctrine with which the Minister of the word is invested may be exercised by a single person out of combination and therefore that ceaseth not at such dissolution Indeed the exercise of his key of discipline is suspended by such dissolution yet is reserved in him habitually in actu primo because it is annexed to if not comprehended under his key of doctrine And if there can be any use made of that position of dispensing Ordinances to other Churches mediantibus candelabris it is more proper to this key then the other because his particular relation to the particular Church lets him into the particular combination and so into a greater upon occasion of a call 6. And for ought I know this might be the reason why the Apostle changed the manner of speech from the concrete to the abstract 1 Cor. 12.28 from teachers to helps governments to intimate that they that have those offices cease to be Officers when they cease to be helps or to be emploied in government but the others are affixed indelebly unto their persons and may be exercised more at large in the Church and out of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and singly without actual combination Suppose a part of a County wherein a Justice of peace formerly dwelt and executed his office should sink yet if he be preserved he remaineth still in his office and may execute it in any other place in the County where he shall dwell because his office stood in reference to the whole County though he exercised it actually but in one place So is the Ministers office as a Minister of the Gospel general though they take but particular divisions and parcels of the Church to feed and watch over actually and particularly and do not ordinarily stretch themselves within anothers particular line and limits without a call by permittance or entreaty or combination And that a Minister is a Minister of the Church Catholike visible appears thus He that can ministerially admit or eject a member into or out of the Church-Catholike visible is a Minister and Officer of the Church-Catholike visible But every Minister by Baptism or Excommunication admitteth or ejecteth members into or out of the Church-Catholike visible Therefore c. This Argument I finde more fully laid down by Apollonius Pastor ut Pastor exercet multos actus ministeriales non tantum erga Ecclesiam suam particularem cui ordinario ministerio est affixus sed erga Ecclesias alias particulares Provinciales Nationales imò erga Ecclesiam universalem Nam per Baptismum membra in Ecclesiam universalem admittir per excommunicationem membra non tantum ex sua particulari sed etiam Provinciali Nationali Vniversali Ecclesia eijcit Matth. 18.18 19. Ex â—ffiâ—â—â—o pastorali preces Deo offert pro omnibus alijs Ecclesijs labo antibus verbum Dei in alia Ecclesia particulari praedicare potest non tantum virtute ratione donorum sed cum pastorali authoritate ita ut verbo suo liget solvat peccatores vomittat retineat peccata ut legatus mâ—ssus a Deo obsecreâ— homines ut reconcilientur Deo Of excommunication I spake before proving that it ejecteth a man from communion with the whole Church-Catholike visible This M Ellis saith is not formally but virtually done But I answer then it will follow that by Baptism they are not formally admitted into the Church-Catholike but virtually But into what Church were they baptized that were baptized by John Baptist and the Apostles before particular Congregations were constituted And now they are constituted it cannot be said they are formally baptized into them for haply the person baptized in a particular Congregation will never be a member thereof but of some other Our brethren hold that it is entring into their particular Covenant that makes them actually members of their Congregation and that the children of their own Church-members are by baptism but incompleat members of that Congregation Our brethren will not say I suppose that those persons that go from hence to them being already baptized are heathens and without though they have lost their particular membership Surely they account them subjects of Christ and under his seal why else doe they admit any of them members of their Congregations into which they may admit only Christs Subjects and set no new seal of Baptism upon them And as Baptism admitteth primally formally and antecedenter into the Church-Catholike and secondarily and consequenter into that particular Congregation so the same order is in ejection by excommunication If a finger were added to a mans hand the primary consideration is that there is a limb given to that man such a man we say hath recovered his sight or hearing though it be seated in the eye or ear And if a hand could be conceived to cut nip or sear off a gangreened finger it would not be conceived as an act of the hand only but as an act of the man and the man would be said to loose a limb primarily and the secondary consideration is that the particular hand hath lost a finger When D. Cranmer burnt off his right hand it was not the act of the arm only but of the whole man primarily And if this be so of members that are fixed and have their particular place and office in the body and cannot be removed and set any where else then much more of the members of the Church which were members of the Church-Entitive before they received their particular membership in any Congregation and may be removed from one Congregation to another as oft as occasion or conveniency serveth But because excommunication is an act of many 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.6 I will therefore insist more particularly upon Baptism which is an act of a single Pastor or Minister though passed with the knowledge and consent of
the Congregation That by Baptism we are admitted into the Church I think is without doubt for if persons baptized be not members of the visible Church then the seal of the Covenant is administred to those that are and remain oâ—â— of the Church and so were no initial seal which were absurd to say M. Ball in his Catechism hath this passage Baptism is a Sacrament of our ingrafting into Christ communion with him and entrance into the Church for which he citeth Mat 28.19 Act. 8.38 And afterwards explains himself It doth saith he solemnly signifie and seal their ingrafting into Christ and confirm that they are acknowledged members of the Church and entred into it And that we are thereby admitted members not of a particular Congregation but the Church-Catholike appears because we are baptized into one body 1 Cor. 12.13 And this appears further because he that is baptized in one Congregation is baptized all over the world and is not to be re-baptized but is taken as a member of the Church whereever he becomes See before Chap. 6. Now that baptizing is an act of office appears Joh. 1.33 He that sent me to baptize And Go teach all Nations and baptize them c. Mat. 28. 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 Gospel yet that is meant not principally for he was sent also to baptize else he might not have done it which we reade he did And that by an act of this office we are baptized into the Church-Catholike appears because John Baptist baptized all Jerusalem Judea and all the region round about Iordan And the Disciples of Christ made and baptized more Disciples then Iohn and that without any relation to any particular Congregations which had it been necessary or had baptism been ordained in reference to particular Congregations 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 but not into any particular Congregation Into what Congregation did Ananias baptize Paul Act. 9.18 Or how can it appear that Ananias was an Evangelist or any extraordinary Officer he is called a Disciple at Damascus it is probable he was one of the Elders there but that Paul was ever a fixed member of any particular Congregation it appears not That which is answered to this is that they which administred Baptism so indefinitely were extraordinary general Officers which are now ceased But this salves it not for if the immediate right to Baptism c. comes to the receiver by being a member of a particular instituted Congregation as M. Norton and M. A. and M. S. in Def. Ch. 4. pag. 73. tels us then John Baptist Christs Disciples Philip and Ananias though he had been an Evangelist administred it to such as had no actual and immediate right to receive it Indeed the answer implyeth a more large actual extensive power in the administrers either to have constituted new Churches or to administer in any constituted Churches but it gives not them power to administer any Ordinance of God to such as had no right thereto nor power to the receivers to receive it without actual right in an undue order It gives them not jus in re who had in themselves only jus ad rem as their distinction is And the proof brought p. 76. out of Act. 5.14 is as I conceive mistaken Their words are these Beleevers were added first they were beleevers standing in that spiritual relation to Christ and his whole body and then added to the Church by visible combination But it is not said they were added to the Church but added to the Lord and it were incongruous to gather thence that they were first beleevers and after that were added to the Lord by a second act seeing their adding to the Lord was by beleeving and that which added them to the Lord the head and King added them to the body and Kingdom And whereas they say that Justification and Adoption c. flow immediatly from internal union with Christ but instituted Ordinances and Priviledges mediatly and in such an order as Christ hath in wisedom ordained and the nature of visible government and Ordinances of Christ necessarily require pag. 76. If they mean by it being members of particular Congregations then would I know whether hearing the word publikely preached or read or joyning in publike singing or in keeping a day of publike thanksgiving or fasting or making rows or taking oaths which are instituted Ordinances may not be permitted to any but such as are members of particular Congregations The Apostles carried about one with them whom they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Minister Act. 13.5 who was no Apostle and he baptized for them into the Church-Catholike and when a sufficient number were converted and baptized then followed the particular relation of a particular Congregation by ordaining Officers to take the particular care over them So Tychicus Col. 4.7 is called a beloved brother and faithful Minister and fellow-servant in the Lord. And Eph. 6.21 he hath the same stile given him Certainly he could not be a peculiar Minister to both those distant Churches and haply he was so to neither of them if we may give any credit to Dorotheus who saith he was Bishop of Chalcedon in Bithynia Apollos baptized at Corinth 1 Cor. 3.4 and yet was no Apostle but a Minister and steward of the mysteries of God as well as they 1 Cor. 4.1 Hence is that distinction of Iunius in his Animadversions on Bellarm. c. 7. nor 7. Alia est electio sive vocatio communis quâ vir bonus pius doctus aptus absolutè eligitur ad ministerium verbi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alia particularis sive singularis quâ ad ministerium singulariter huic vel illi Ecclesiae praeficiendus eligitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Scripture alwaies calling the beleevers in one city one Church even Ierusalem though there were many thousands yea myriads i. e. many ten thousands of beleeving Jews therein as Iames tels Paul Act. 21.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which were all probably of Ierusalem as appears first because they were not such as could bear any witnesse against Paul but by hearsay they are informed of thee But the Jews disperst amongst the Gentiles 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 or Ierusalem could receive satisfaction by Pauls conformity to the Law at Ierusalem at that time and not the others Also the holy Ghost calling the Elders of those cities the Elders of the Church in communi it leaveth it uncertain to me whether the several Elders were fixed over the 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 think they were until the contrary shall be proved but however they ruled in common in the exercise of discipline which is the Ordinance which our brethren are most unwilling to grant should be exercised out of the particular Congregation Sect. 5. Seventhly That Church to which every Christian first bears 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 Therefore c. The major is undenyable The minor appears because none can be admitted into a particular Congregation except he be judged first of the Church-Catholike and that not meerly Entitive but under the seal of the Covenant administred by some Officer and so stands bound to submit himself to all Christs Ordinances and Officers by one of which he receives his admission So again though he change his habitation never so often bear relation to never so many particular Congregations one after another yet in all those the general relation holdeth stil he is still a baptized visible member of the Church-Catholike and therefore to be received whereever he cometh into any particular Congregation Yea in the interim after his breaking off from one Congregation and placing in another he retains the general relation and baptism and is not an heathen or infidel he is not one without in the Apostles phrase Yea suppose a man should be a Traveller Merchant or Factor and setled in no particular Congregation yet being a Christian he is a member of the Church-Catholike yea and if he breach any errours or live inordinately he shall be accountable to the Church where he for the present resides or such crimes are committed and be liable to their censure as being a member of the Church-Catholike And this appears because the Church of Ephesus is commended Rev. 2.2 for trying strangers that came among them under the notion of Apostles and found them lyars and so would not receive them And our brethren undertake to inflict the sentence of Non-communion for so they call it a sentence of Non-communion denounced Apollog Nar. pag. 18. and 19. against strangers yea whole Churches but how it will stand with some other principles of theirs I know nor if it be a sentence denounced it is a censure and so an act of discipline exercised against those out of their particular confederation which in my apprehension is but changing an old warranted censure of the Church into a new and doubtful one but both seem to agree in the general nature of a sentence or censure Surely hereticks and false teachers are not to be left to the Magistrate only but to be referred to Ecclesiastical trial for those things come not under the cognizance of the civil Magistrate properly or he may be an heathen and will not regard an heretick nor can judge of him Act. 18.15 And if every kingdom will try murther treason or any foul crime committed in the same though by a stranger or alien because the crimes are against their laws and sovereign though their Laws pertain not to the countrey where the forreigner was born and dwelleth then much more shall every Church try those members of the Church-Catholike residing among them for their crimes or false doctrines seeing they have all the same sovereign head the same Laws and are all one habitual body Again It is no sinne for a man to remove from one Congregation to another as oft as occasion or conveniency require but for a man to remove out of the Church-Catholike either Entitive by disclaiming the doctrine and faith of Christ or organical by refusing to joyn to any Christian society or to be under and submit unto any Church-discipline is a great sinne and apostacy No man is accounted a schismatick for removing from one Congregation to another but he that shall separate himself from all Church-communion and shall rend himself from the Church-Catholike he is a schismatick he is an Apostate And therefore the several 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 means because they know that were a sin Eightly That Church from which the particular Churches spring and to which they are as an additament and encrease that is the prime Church but that is the Church-Catholike Therefore c. The major is clear of it self The minor appears because they are the instrument to convert the rest and bring them into the same kingdom of Christ with themselves Act. 2.47 God added to the Church daily such as should be saved That little handful to which the Catholike charter was first given leavened the whole world and brought them in as an addition to themselves They were to be witnesses in Jerusalem and then in Iudaea and to the ends of the earth Act. 1.8 For the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem Isa 2.3 The Lord shall send the red of his strength out of Zion Psal 110.2 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 into four heads So the water of life flowed from Zion into the four quarters of the world As there is no creek but hath its rise from and continuity with the Main and receives influence from it so there is no particular Church but hath his first rise and ministerial influence from the Church-Catholike and received the Gospel and priviledges of it from thence ministerially God cals no Evangelical Churches by inspiration only but by the ministry of those that are members of the Church-Catholike or some part of it God would not have Cornelius instructed by an Angel though he could have done it but by Peter a Minister of the Church-Evangelical and likewise the Eunuch by Philip. So that the Church-Catholike is as the Sea and particular Churches as so many creeks or arms receiving a tincture and season of her waters The Church-Catholike is as the tree Christ as the root the particular Churches as branches as Cyprian makes the comparison Shee is the mother and they as daughters born of her and receiving from her ministerially both nature and priviledges Gal. 4.26 Paul indeed was called extraordinarily from heaven by Christ himself the head of the Church and not by an Angel that he might be or some conceive a type of the second call of the Jews who as some hold shall be so called as he was by the appearing of the sign of the Son of man and therefore that Church is said to come down from God out of heaven Rev. 21.2 10. And the ground of 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
vipers and yet addeth I indeed baptize you with water Matth. 3.7 11. Indeed they confessed their sins and it is like promised amendment and so will the worst in our Congregations doe though they never perform it The ground therefore upon which this supposal is to be must not be any mans personal particular judgement built upon such evidence as may convince the understanding of a judicious experienced Minister or Christian that the persons are truly godly but an Ecclesiastical judgement in foro Ecclesiae raised upon such grounds as the Ministers of God directed by God have formerly gone upon which conditions if they finde they are not to deny administration of the seals unto which are the seals of the visible not invisible Church The same causes and rules are of admission that are of ejection vice versâ and as no man is to be censured and cast out of the visible Church because the Elders particular judgement makes them think the man hath not the true power of godlinesse and grace of God in sincerity except he commit that which deserves an Ecclesiastical censure so neither is admission to be denyed to any man that desires to dedicate himself unto God and will promise and professe subjection to Christ in all his Ordinances though it be suspected by judicious Christians that he hath not the true work of grace in his heart The Church of God in their Ecclesiastical judgement censureth only ignorance errour and scandal A Scholar that is admitted into a school is not admitted because he is doctus but ut fit doctus and if he will submit to the rules of the school and apply himself to learn it is enough for his admission the like may be said of the Church visible which is Christs school Iohn Baptist did not in his conscience think they had all actually really and compleatly repented and reformed themselves whom he baptized but he baptized them unto repentance Mat. 3.11 and they by receiving the same bound themselves to endeavour the practice thereof It were a sad case for Ministers if they were bound to admit none or administer the Lords Supper to none but such as were truly godly or that they judged in their conscience to be so or were bound to eject all that they judged were not so I fear the Elders in New-England do not in their consciences judge so of all their members It is not confederation that can give right to Ordinances if by Gods laws they ought not to have them There is a great difference between the visible and invisible Church the rules of the one will not serve for the other No Minister could ever administer the Sacrament without sin if he ought not to administer it to any but such as are truly godly neither hath God given us any rules to judge certainly of the truth of grace in any man but the most judicious Divine in the world may be deceived by a cunning hypocrite And to salve this by saying we ought to think in our conscience that they are godly is vain for as we have no such rule to go by in Gods word so it is very harsh to passe an Ecclesiastical censure upon that ground and the like may be said of denying admission thereupon and it is also a very doubtful rule for a Minister to go by for some men judge very well of him that others judge but slieghtly of and there will be a division among people in their communicating together according to their several judgements one of another still suspecting that they have fellowship with unbeleevers and both Ministers and peoples judgement very very much concerning the same man according to the variety of his carriage there will sometimes be hopes and sometimes fears but Ecclesiastical judgement is not guided by such uncertain variable rules neither in admission nor ejection but upon clear evidence and palpable grounds which must reach all and may be clearly known and proved There are some I finde that distinguish between the qualifications of the members of the Church-Catholike visible and of the members of particular instituted Churches For the former viz. the general membership they acknowledge that these forenamed qualifications will be sufficient and therefore will admit such and their children to baptism which say they is an Ordinance of the Church-Catholike visible and every Minister being a Minister of the Church-Catholike visible besides his particular relation to his particular Congregation may say they administer baptism to them though they be members of no instituted Churches but to make a member of a particular instituted Congregation they require evident signs of true grace and a consent and submission to the Ordinances of Discipline dispensed by the particular Officers But this distinction of qualifications I finde not grounded upon the word of God nor that any should be fit to be members of the Church-Catholike visible and not to be members of a particular visible Congregation If they be brought into Christs sheepfold they are fit to have some of Christs shepheards to take inspection of them if they be admitted into Christs Kingdom City Family they are fit to be under the regiment of some of his Officers If the Ordinances of worship yea the seal of the Covenant be administred to them I see no ground that these should be freed from the Ordinances of Discipline who in all likelihood will stand in most need thereof The great Objection which M. Hooker urgeth against this assertion that the particular Churches are ortae and whereby he would prove the Church-Catholike to be Orta is because if the Church-Catholike be an integral it is made up of the aggregation of the particulars oritur ex illis And every Integrum is in respect of the parts Symbolum effecti And the parts must have a being before the whole can result out of them Answ My main intention in the Question was to prove the Church-Catholike to be the prime Church in those respects which are enumerated in the explication of this part or the predicate of the Question to which I referre you and that the particular Churches are secondary in the same senses also And for the particular Churches being Orta I have already both in the explication of the terms of the Question Chap. 1. Sect. 4. and in this second part expressed my meaning thereof Sect. 1. c. My meaning is not in regard of the aggregation and combination of the particular Churches to make one aggregated combined integral for so indeed the Church-Catholike puts on the notion of orta But I meant it first in regard the particular Congregations are made up of and arise out of the members of the Church-Entitive or of visible beleevers which are the matter thereof And whereas it is objected against this that that Church is no political body haply never had the sight or knowledge one of another never entred into agreement of government one with another and are wholly destitute according to reason and
or Integral 9. That the keys of Discipline are Catholike as well as of Doctrine 10. That the Church-Catholike is one similar body if considered as Entitive the members are similar parts of it if as organical the particular Churches are similar parts of it 11. The Promises Priviledges and Ordinances of worship and discipline belong primarily to the Church-Catholike 12. That the Church-Catholike is constituted by one Covenant Charter and Systeme of Divine Laws 13. That the Priviledges and Ordinances of the Church arise not from the Nature of it but from the covenant donation and institution of Christ 14. That the Church-Catholike is the prime Church 15. That the Church-Catholike visible is of greater dignity then the particular Churches 16. That the Church-Catholike visible is more august and of more large authority then the particular though the authority differs not in kinde 17. That the Church-Catholike is of greater perfection then the particular Churches 18. That the Church-Catholike visible is ministerially an instrument to convey the Nature Priviledges and Ordinances of the Church to such as are added thereunto 19. That the whole Church-Catholike is the primary and adequate object suo genere of Christs Offices and the particular Churches but as parts thereof Joh. 3.16 20. That the Notes and Signs of the true Church belong first to the Church-Catholike visible and therefore are distinctive to that only 21. That the Church-Catholike visible hath an existence accidents and operations of its own as it is Catholike 22. That the Church-Catholike visible hath an head or governour over it and but one head even Jesus Christ who is very Man as well as God 23. That though Christ be the only supream head and ruler of his Church yet hath it immediate rulers over it under Christ 24. That the unity of the Church-Catholike requireth not a meeting of the whole body together at any time Concerning particular Churches 1. That the particular Churches are made up of the members of the Church-Catholike Entitive 2. That the particular Churches organized and all visible beleevers make up the Church-Catholike Organical by aggregation and the particulars are inferiour thereunto 3. That the particular divisions of the Church-Catholike visible for convenient enjoyment of publike Ordinances have the name Church and the Priviledges and Ordinances as far as they are capable of them secondarily in consideration 4. That the particular Churches being similar parts of the whole Church having no essential specifical differences are to be distinguished by accidental differences and circumstances as their limits of place c. though they be heterogeneal to them 5. Many Congregations may be in the same community of discipline and be ruled by their Elders in communi by coordination and so be called one Church National Provincial or Presbyterial 6. If the particular Churches claim power of dispensing all the Ordinances of Christ by vertue of the general Charter Covenant and donation they being parts of the Church then much more may the whole Church-Catholike for which they were primarily intended and made 7. The greater the parts of the Church-Catholike be and the more united by combitation and coordination the stronger they be and the smaller the divisions be the weaker 8. The division of the Church Catholike into small parcels to stand alone by themselves without coordination is dangerous 9. Yet necessity in regard of distance of place c. may cause a particular Church to be Independent and stand alone in regard of actual external consociation or combination 10. The necessity of an explicit Covenant as the essential form whereby the particular Church is constituted implyeth a denial of all other Churches to be true that are not so constituted because they must want the essential form 11. The ordinary and constant operations of the Officers of the Church in dispensation of Christs Ordinances are in the particular Churches primarily 12. Any particular Congregation may fail apostatize or be dissolved and cease but should the Church-Catholike be reduced into so narrow limits and the being thereof be reserved therein and it sustain the notion of the Church-Catholike God would not suffer it in such a case to fail or cease for then the whole must cease also Concerning the publike Officers of the Church 1. Every Minister is an Officer of the Church-Catholike visible and that relation is primary to him yet the particular relation he stands in to a particular Congregation giveth him a more immediate especial call and charge to administer the Ordinances of God constantly to them 2. Any single Minister by vertue of his office hath power ministerially to admit a member into the Church-Catholike visible if he be fit 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 as the servant of Christ As a Mayor 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 And the like may be said of their dispensation of Ordinances to members of other Congregations that come to their Congregations 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 7. The Elders of several particular Congregations as they may exercise the keys of their office divisim in their several Congregations so they may exercise them conjunctim in combinations if they be called thereunto Concerning private members 1. Particular converts are first converted into the Church-Catholike Entitive and secondarily conjoyned into particular consociations for the more oppurtune enjoyment of Ordinances actually and constantly 2. Every member of a particular Congregation is a member of the Church-Catholike Entitive and that relation doth primarily belong unto him 3. External profession of the true faith and subjection to Gods Ordinances is enough to make a man capable of being a member of the Church-Catholike visible and so also of a particular Congregation quoad externam formam 4. By Baptism 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. Federal holinesse belongs to none primarily because born 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 Baptism though their parents were not members of any particular Congregation and are debarred from their due if denyed it 9. Every visible beleever is
or ought to be a member of the particular Church wherein and among whom he dwelleth 10. The being in the general Covenant gives right to the Ordinances and not any particular Covenant neither do we finde any mention in Scripture of any particular Covenant either urged or used at admission of members into a particular Congregation or at the constitution thereof 11. The invisible members of the Church which have internal communion with Christ are also visible members and have external communion in external Ordinances 12. The departure of a member from a particular Congregation and removal to another for convenience or by necessity is no sin but departing from the Church-Catholike and ceasing to be a member thereof is a sin Sect. 8. I know it is not usual to make uses and applications to Theses of this nature and should I enter thereinto I might drown my self in sorrow to bewail the rents not in Christs seamlesse coat but in his body the Church which Christ preferred in some regards before his natural body for he assumed his natural body for their sakes and was willing to be crucified for their sakes The divisions of the Church are of three sorts in judgement in affection and in way or practice 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 and a memento set 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 wholly dead and uselesse to Christians then come the Socinians and they quench the Deity of Christ and the holy Ghost and deny our redemption by the bloud 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 Baptism 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 Rome Aegypt Sodom Babylon and so consequently call their mother whore for if they have had any conversion they had it in the bosome of our Church Of whom that is too true which the Psalmist saith Psa 50.20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and hast slandered thine own mothers son Then come the Antiscripturists and they cashier both Old and New Testament And then come the Ante-Trinitarians and they blaspheme rhe whole Trinity And then come the Familists and they leave the sure rule of the word and trust to Satanical delusions and revelations Yea there be others of our honoured and beloved brethren whom I forbear to name among the former 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 coordination as so meny Spouses of Christ as so many Queens appointing their own orders and Officers with liberty to censure both Officers and members within themselves by the votes of the whole body and not to be except arbitrarily Not endeavouring with us to reform our Churches but to gather Churches out of our Churches by gathering our best members out of our Churches and uniting them into several bodies by a particular Covenant though distant far in habitation But if the cream of our Congregations be fleeted off our wheat transplanted by it self into other mens folds who sowed it not our fattest sheep gathered into mens folds it will be very sad for Gods Ministers to have none but the tares and goats and lees and dregs of men left them to look after Others would wrest the keys of the Church out of the hands of the Church-Officers and hang them at the girdle of the civil Magistrate but seeing God made civil and Ecclesiastical Officers differing in kinde the one entrusted with a civil Magistracy the other with an Ecclesiastical Ministry as it is an usurpation for the Church-Officers as such to claim the power of the Magistrate so I fear it will prove but sacriledge for the civil Magistrate as such to claim the power of the Ministry If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was so great a fault I fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be as great Others there are who plead for liberty of judgement conscience and practice that every one may hold and hold forth what opinions he please and be of what religion and sect he pleaserh because judgement and conscience cannot be forced but must be left to God only as they say and thereby they would make England another Amsterdam of all sects and religions and some flown so high already as to name that City for an example and pattern of the model they would have in England but I must clear our brethren in New-England from this and commend them for banishing the Familists c. from amongst them who would otherwise have utterly overthrown the peace and truth in their Churches Yea generally men cover new opinions and account it their glory to differ from others in judgement and he is no body that hath none but old truths and so men under the colour of new light and new truths rake up a multitude of old errors Secondly Our divisions are in heart and affections for difference in judgement causeth 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 allied 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 Our divisions and differences are in way for as mens judgements differ so do their waies Some are for one way of worship some for another some for one way of discipline some another some for one way of constituting Churches some another some are for gathering of new Churches out of old and yet let the oâ—d ones stand as mock-Churches when they have gleaned all that are good out of them they would take all the golden and silver vessels vessels of honour and leave none but of wood and stone vessels of dishonour And some are for separation wholly and so turn all the rest over to Antechrist yea some so violent as that they would pluck down our very meeting-houses tropically called Churches which they deride by the name of Steeple-houses And all are in waies of contention so that we are like Sampsons foxes tyed together by the tayls 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