transgress against the rules and laws of this holy calling above described See more Cat. p. 210. in the Answ to Q. 47. to cast them out of their society and communion 1 Cor. 5.13 By all which it plainly appears to be the Catechist's doctrine That none may be admitted as members of particular Churches but true believers real Saints effectually called i. e. as he explains it regenerated converted vivified illuminated justified and adopted ones persons savingly quickned from the death in sin and vitally united to Christ the Head and That these Churches are to be separate in their communions from all men in their worldly state and condition A dangerous encouragement to all that are admitted into their Societies to presume themselves of God's elected ones but a sure proof if granted That true believers may fall awâ—y from grace and so perish it being certain that some of the members of particular Churches have so done But if this be so I fear we must be forced to un-church all the Churches of Christ on earth and go out of this world that we may have no fellowship with masked hypocrites I design not here a laborious confutation intending a positive confirmation of the truth to follow in the close it shall suffice therefore to note That the Catechist hath forgotten his own distinction between the Catholick Church of God's elect and particular Churches or societies of Christians when he thus makes the qualification of the former whereof yet he warned us to take notice that he did not treat as necessary unto the later and I will only set him against himself it being the property of falshood usually to confute it self His words are these The members of the Catholick Church are not known to one another merely he should say Cat. p. 90.91 not at all on the account of that faith and union with Christ which makes them so whence the whole Society of them is as such invisible to the world and themselves visible only on the account of their profession Whence I thus argue None are admitted members of particular Churches but as they are known now they are not known on the account of that faith and union with Christ the head which bespeaks them true and sincere Christians and of the number of God's elect Therefore they are not admitted members of particular Churches on that account Again None are admitted Church-members so far as they are invisible but as to this qualification required of true grace and conversion so they are Again Church-members are admitted only so farr as they are visible but they are visible only on the account of their profession That only therefore is required to their admission Hear we him speak once more where he treats of that covenant which formally constitutes a particular Church Cat. p. 111. In this obedience saith he they do these two things which alone he i. e. Christ requires in any persons for the obtaining of an interest in these Church priviledges First they confess Him his person his authority his law his grace Secondly they take upon themselves the observance of all his commands Now from hence I thus argue If these two things which alone are required by Christ to invest a person with an interest in Church-priviledges may be done without real grace and true conversion then real grace and true conversion are not a qualification indispensibly necessary to Church-membership But these two particulars of confessing Christ and promising obedience which saith the Catechist alone Christ requires c. may certainly be done without real grace and true conversion Ergo. And now I leave him to answer these his own arguments his own arguments I justly call them being so evidently deduced from his own words This therefore for the first particular the subject matter of churches Nor will it be necessary to insist much upon the second which depends wholly upon this first as it 's foundation viz. The means whereby these persons are brought into a condition capable of their Church-state or qualified for it These both in the answer and explication Cat. p. 19.107 are said to be The administration of the word and spirit of Christ The Word 't is true is the ordinary means whereby it pleaseth God to convert and call home sinners to himself but yet not the only means It is not fit that we limit the operations of the Holy Spirit unto the word only sometimes a cross and affliction may reduce the prodigal unto himself and so to his Father's house Sometimes a parent's good example and prudent education works indiscernably And oftentimes the special and particular account is not to be given i. S. John 3. The wind bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth So is every one that is born of the Spirit But I proceed rather to the third and last point to be observed namely the especial means whereby these persons so fitly qualified for Church-fellowship are made a Church and that we have also set down both in the Answers and in the Explication In the Answers joyned together in an holy band Cat. p. 89. or by special agreement upon their own voluntary consent p. 108. and engagement to walk together In the Explication thus being made willing and ready in the day of his power p. 111. Psalm 110.3 they consent choose and agree to walk together in the observation of all his commands and hereby do they become a Church And that we may know what this voluntary consent is opposed unto how shall these living stones become an house p 114.115 a temple Can it be by occasional occurrences civil cohabitation in political precincts usage or custom of assembling for some parts of worship in any place These things will never frame them into an house or temple This can be no otherwise done than by their own voluntary consent and disposition So afterwards to this Question Wherein doth the especial form of a particular Church consist p 220. The Answer is In the special consent and agreement of all the members of it to walk together in the observation of the same ordinances numerically A text of Scripture by the way would do well for that word numerically And in the Explication p. 221. This cannot consist in any thing that is accidental occasional or extrinsecal unto it such as is cohabitation which yet the Church may have respect unto for conveniency and farthering of it's edification Let us mark that nor in any civil p. 222. or political disposal of its members into civil societies for civil ends which is extrinsecal to all its concernments as a Church The plain English is These particular Churches are not Parish-Churches or societies of Christians of the same Neighbourhood but cull'd out here and there and embodyed together by an holy league or covenant to walk together in the same ordinances Well now It is
and that together in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers They persevered in hearing the Apostles teach in observing the orders of their society and all mutual offices of charity in eating the Lord's Supper and praying together So that here we are sufficiently resolved about the Christian Church namely That it is a visible company of persons thus admitted and thus continuing being once admitted And this is the Church which was daily encreased afterwards and is to be preserved and encreased to the end of the world by the continued addition and accessions of other persons received into it upon the same terms by the same door of entrance and demeaning themselves being entred after the same manner Of these 3000 it is said they were added to the Apostles and Disciples left by Christ ver 41. And To this Church the Lord added daily such as should be saved verse 47. And this is the Church which our B. Saviour promised to set up and uphold for ever in the world and that the gates of Hell should not prevail against it St. Matth. 16.18 viz. The Society of professing penitents and believers baptized into the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and communicating together in the Apostolical Doctrine Discipline Sacraments and Devotions Now this Society afterwards increasing by the great multitude of believers was of necessity to be sub-divided into certain particulars for the performing of joynt-service to God in an orderly communion as accordingly it was by the Apostles authority and direction And that is the ground why we sometimes read of Church in the singular number as of one and sometimes again of Churches as of many I will declare this matter somewhat more distinctly Sometimes we read of Churches as many They went through the Cities Act. 16.4 5. and deliver'd the decrees of the Apostles to be kept and so were the Churches established in the faith and increased in number daily Rom. 16 14. All the Churches of the Gentiles 1 Cor. 14 33. All the Churches of the Saints The brother 2 Cor. 8.18 19. whose praise is in the Gospel through all the Churches And Chosen of the Churches to travel with us I robbed other Churches ch 11.8 28. to do you service On me daily Act. 9.31 the care of all the Churches Gal. 1.21 22. The Churches throughout Judea Galilee and Samaria c. These Countries through the successful preaching of the Gospel had many particular Churches or congregations of the faithful united under some Minister or Bishop the lesser congregations under some inferiour minister And thus we read of a few believers convened together in the house of one single person as a Church Rom. 16.5 Greet Priscilla and Aquila likewise greet the Church in their house The Churches of Asia salute you 1 Cor. 16.19 Aquila and Priscilla salute you with the Church that is in their house Salute Nymphas Col. 4.15 and the Church in his house To Philemon Philem. 1. ver 2. our dearly beloved and fellow-labourer and to the Church in thy house This Church in their house was the baptized believers of the family with such other neighbour Christians as were admitted and received to joyn in Gods worship and service with them there Now many of these lesser congregations were united under a superiour Minister or Bishop For in and about great and populous cities there were many such little and particular Churches and yet we may observe that the Scripture speaks of such particulars as united together in one Church A pertinent instance we have in the Epistle to the Corinthians Let your women keep silence in the Churches 2 Cor. 14.34 saith St. Paul that is all the particular congregations belonging unto Corinth and yet the same Apostle dedicates this Epistle not to the Churches at Corinth in the plural 1 Cor. 1.1 but in the singular number To the Church of God which is at Corinth And thus in like manner we read of other great Cities though there were many particular and lesser Churches in them and the adjacent parts belonging to them yet are they mention'd still but as one Church So the Church of Jerusalem of Antioch of Caesarea of Ephesus of Laodicea of Smyrna c. The reason this already intimated All the particular Churches belonging to those great Cities were united under the care and circumspection of one superiour Minister or Bishop and were therefore accounted as one Church There were many particular or Parish-churches as we speak and yet all but one Diocess united under one Bishop The case is plain if we look but to the seven Churches of Asia in the Revelations They are numbred all of them according to their single Governours and Overseers according to their seven Angels though each of them was certainly subdivided into many particular Churches or Congregations Every congregation of the Saints with a Minister among them Cat. p. 117. without which it is not organically compleat that I may borrow the Catechist's phrase nor as he well calls it a Spiritual corporation attended with rule and government was a little Church and many of these doubtless there were belonging severally to Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Revel chap. 2.3 Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicea and yet are all these reckon'd but as seven Churches of Asia because of those seven Angels or Bishops presiding over them A collection then of several congregations every one of which may be called a Church is yet in the Scripture-propriety one Church by vertue of their subordination in government under one chief guide and ruler There are many lesser Churches which are but members of one greater Church And so in like manner many of those greater Churches united under single Bishops may be no more than members of one Provincial or National Church united under some common superiour for order sake whom we call Arch-Bishop and Metropolitan And there may be many Provincial and National churches which are yet but members of the universal church of Christ derived from the Apostles which however consisting of so many homogeneous parts and members call'd churches is yet but one Church because under one supreme governour and ruler namely Christ himself the Great Shepheard and Bishop of our Souls That whole body whereof he only is the Head Now the necessary badge of every member of Christ's visible Church or any particular Churches thereto appertaining is the profession of faith and obedience with Baptism in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost whether that profession be true and in reality or no God alone judgeth For the visible Church of Christ is a communion of professors wherein good and bad sincere and hypocrites are mingled together There was a Judas a Traitor and false Apostle among the twelve and there will be false disciples mixed with the true whilst this world stands Earth is no place for unmixed communions We are here in a
20 21. As the Father gave judgment to the Son so the Son gave judgment to the Apostles As the Father gave the Son power on earth to remit sins so the Son gave the Apostles power to remit sins on earth also As the Father gave the Son the Keys of the house of David so the Son gave the Keys to the Apostles As the Father gave the Son to sit on his Throne so the Son gave the Apostles also to sit on twelve Thrones c. As the Father gave the Son to be the Foundation or corner-stone of his Church so the Son gave the Apostles to be the Foundations upon the Foundation And lastly As the Father sent the Son so the Son also sent the Apostles And hence it is that the Angel sent from Heaven to St. John who was one of this number calls himself the Fellow-servant of Him Rev. 19 20. and of those that have the testimony of Jesus i. e. of the Apostles adding this reason of it because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the testification of the Resurrection of Christ and the Christian Faith the Apostolical Office Acts 1.22 was the spirit of prophesie i. e. a succeeding of Christ in his great Prophetick office This power wherein the Apostles succeeded Christ being thus entirely conferr'd on each of them a several Throne for every one and being of so visible use not only for the first planting but propagating and conservation of the Church it cannot be imagined that it should be temporary and determine in the persons of those Twelve The necessity of order and rules both for the supply of those things which should be found wanting for the well-being and preservation of each Church Tit. 1.5 and also for the securing of the flock from the wolves Act. 20.29 the hereticks which it was fore-seen would so early infest them and the plantation and propagation of the Christian faith without any assistance of the Rulers among the Jews and the Emperours and Princes among other parts of the Heathen world nay when it was so opposed and persecuted by them is a competent collection of reasons to assure us That the power which Christ gave the Apostles who were but short-lived and should many of them be put to death by those persecutors was designed to endure longer than their time But Reason is not a commodious medium to inferr or conclude a matter of fact and therefore that must of necessity be done either 1. By affirmations and promises of Christ touching this matter or if those be not so clear as to convince the gain-sayers then 2. By supplying that want of light from the Histories and relations of those times by which it will as clearly appear as any thing in story can that the office of power in the Church bestowed by Christ on the Apostles was not to determine in their persons but to continue in their successors to future ages For the former of these we may discern somewhat perhaps from the passage in Christ's prayer to his Father where St. John 17. 18 20. having spoken of his Apostles whom he had sent as his Father sent him into the world verse 18. i. e. given them in designation Commissions for the Government of his Church and then to his prayer for them verse 17. that God would sanctifie them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in or for his truth i. e. consecrate them for the preaching of the Gospel as St. Chrysostome expounds it Adding farther verse 19. That for their sakes he sanctifies himself i. e. offers up himself a sacrifice for the consecrating of them that they also may be sanctified for the truth i. e. consecrated and set apart for this function and after his example venture their lives in their preaching God's Will as he hath done at length he concludes verse 20. but I pray not for these alone Which being in all reason to be interpreted of the same matter concerning which he had prayed for the Apostles before it follows that this Prayer of his for the consecrating of Officers in his Church is not confined to his Apostles alone which then attended him but the same prayer he offers up for those also that shall believe through their word i. e. for others that by these Apostles preaching should be brought to the Faith and as the event demonstrates ordained by them to be Bishops and Deacons in several Churches But then consider farther Christ's promise to his Apostles at his parting from them Behold St. Matt. 28.20 I am with you all the dayes untill the end of the world 'T is certain that this presence of Christ with them referrs to his Authority derived and assistance made over to them in order to the discharge of their office of gathering disciples baptizing and teaching verse 19. and as certain that the Apostles should not personally live to execute that office till the period there named the end of the world and then it is not imaginable how Christ's presence should be continued with them till the end of the world unless they be considered in complexo in conjunction with their posterity or successors in that office as the promises made to Abraham are performed to his posterity though not to his person to whom therefore this promised assistance belongs all the dayes i. e. for the whole term of this new age And this is the more demonstrative because this was said by Christ after his Resurrection immediately before his Ascending to Heaven which being the beginning of the last age of the world the Kingdom of Christ when all power was given unto him verse 18 It necessarily follows that what was to be continued till the consummation or conclusion of that age should last till the end of the world in the largest sense that those words can signifie And this may be supposed also to be meant by the promise of Christ Rev 1.26 27. Rev. 2. to those of the Church of Thyatira which should overcome and keep i. e. adhere constantly to the Faith in spight of all temptations verse 26. That he will give them power over the Nations as he received of his Father verse 27. Where in the very same manner that S. John 20. 21. Power is instated on the Apostles As my Father sendeth me so send I you sending and giving power being sent and receiving power being phrases of the same importance The like power is by Christ promised to be instated on these faithful Confessors afterward and that belonging to the planting and propagating of the Faith among the Gentiles bringing them in to repentance which is the breaking them to shivers there and ruling them with a rod of iron i. e. the Scepter of Christ's spiritual Kingdom his Gospel and Power and Pastoral authority committed to them But if this being by the prophetick stile wherein it is veiled somewhat obscure bring not that evidence with it which is expected let it pass for a conjecture which pretends only to be considerable