a particular convert brought in and nourished by the word of God preached in a visible congregation before he be admitted a member of that congregation or any other by publike consent remaining in no Church but the Church Catholike visible and haply scarce being a compleat member of that being as yet not baptized Fourthly the signes that difference a true Church from a false do Argument 4 not primarily belong to a particular congregation but to the Church Catholike visible viz profession of the true faith the administration of the true ordinances of God the Word and Sacraments for therein all the whole Church agree and is thereby distinguished from those that are without not from those that are within This is no note to know this or that particular Church by from another for it is common to the universall Church it distinguisheth not among themselves but from the generall common opposite the heathen or the grosse heretick A man being lead into a vault where were the sculls of many dead men and understanding that Alexanders scull was there desired his guide to shew him that his guide told him it was that scull with the hollow eye holes and with the gristly nose and with futures crossing the brain pann and when the man replyed that they had all so yea saith his guide there is no difference between Kings and other mens sculls when they are dead So if any man should ask you or me which is the Church of Ipswich Dedham or Colchester it were a folly to say it is the Church where the word of God is preached and sacraments administred and that professe Iesus Christ to be crucifyed dead and buryed risen again and ascended into Heaven for so do all the Church Catholike but I must give some other notes to distinguish any of them for these are not distinctive because common Therefore the signes of the true Church belong primarily to the whole secondarily to particular parts thereof and are therfore not distinctive to the parts That which is primary to any thing is distinctive to that thing but that which is secondary and common is not distinctive from other particulars of the like kind Fiftly all the members of particular Churches are members of the Church Catholike yea that relation belongs first to them If they be born within the pale of the Church they have federall holines and are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not because members of this or that congregation but because born of parents within the generall covenant externally and so within the Church Catholike If they be converted from heathens they are not first converted into this or that particular Church but converted first into the Church Catholike and then secondarily admitted members of this or that particular congregation A man may dwell in one City and heare the word of God by accident in another city and thereby be converted but he is not converted to be a member of the Church where he was converted but into the Church Catholike So that particular congregations are made up of members of the Church Catholike therfore most properly are said to be Ortae for such a cōvert may joine himselfe after his conversion to what congregation he pleaseth to inhabit among If a man come into a parish that is a heathen he is not a member of that particular Church because not a member of the Church Catholike but if he be a Christian then is he a member of that particular congregation where he resideth or fit so to be and ought not to be denyed admission or communion though he had never bin member of any other The particular companies in London are made up only of free men that are joyned together in some particular body or society belonging to such or such a hall now the first notion that comes upon any of these persons or companies is that they are freemen of London and secondarily that they are distinct from other free men by being of this or that particular society belonging to such a hall So it is for all Churches First all the members are conceived to be free of the Church Catholike and secondarily distinct by their societies in this or that particular assembly And though haply this similitude holdeth not in every thing as the not removing from one company to another and being received in there because he is a freeman yet is it free for any Christian to change his particular relation from one congregation to another because he is a Christian and takes not up his first freedome into a particular congregation or company but in to the Catholik They are made members of the whole by conversion to the faith and initiated by the sacrament of baptisme externally but are secondarily made members of a particular congregation by cohabitation or consociation Suppose a man had abundance of sheep as Abraham Isaack Jacob and Job who had 14000. and these sheep had all one brand of the owners upon them and these sheep were divided into severall flocks under severall shepheards in severall sheep-walks of the same owners according to his appointment the primary consideration of any of these sheep or flocks is not that they are under such a keeper in such a sheep walk but the first consideration of them is that they are such a mans sheep either bought or bred c. bearing his brand and fed by his servants on his ground and then the more particular and secondary consideration and notion is that they are under such a particular shepheard in such a particular walke And so the first consideration of any part of Gods flock whether person or Congregation is that they are Gods people borne or converted to him fed and nourished by his Ordinances and Ministers and then the particular secondary notion is that they are fed by such a Pastour in such a place It is an usuall similitude on all hands to compare the Church to the Sea or Ocean which though it be one yet as it washeth upon this or that countrey receiveth the name and distinction of the Germane Spanish Irish Brittish Seas And so when it puts in at any creeke because it is continuous with the Sea we call it the Sea And we say the sea comes up at Harwich Ipswich Manitree Colchester now it were an absurd thing for any man to think that the particular seas were the prime seas and the maine is mare ortum Or because the name sea is indulged to this or that arme or creeke that therefore that should either monopolize the name Sea that there should be no sea but such creekes or that any such creekes should arrogate the name and priviledges of the sea first to themselves and leave them but secondarily to the maine So it is for particular Congregations which have the name and Priviledges of the Church indulged to them at second or third hand because they are members and similar parts of the whole to usurp and challenge the name and
Magistrate only but to the Church tryall for those crimes come not alwayes under the cognizance of the civill Magistrates and if they do he may be a heathen and will not regard an haeretick nor can judge of him And if every kingdome will try murder or treason or any other foule crime committed in the same though by a stranger or alien because the crimes are against their lawes and soveraigne though their lawes pertain not to the country where the forrainer was borne and dwelleth then much more shall every Church try those members of the Church Catholike residing among them for their crimes seeing they have all the same soveraigne head the same lawes and are all one body Againe it is no sinne for a man to remove from one congregation to another as oft as occasion requireth but for a man to remove out of the Church Catholike is a sinne and apostacy No man is a schismatick for removing from one congregation to another but he that shall separate himselfe from all Church communion and shall rend himselfe from the Church Catholike he is a schismatick he is an apostate And therfore your severall sects though they pretend because of wants or blemishes to rend from the Church of England or Scotland c. Yet not from the Church Catholike by no meanes because they know that were a sinne Argument 8 Eighthly that Church from which the particular Churches spring and to which they are as an additament and increase that is the prime Church but that is the Church Catholike * Act. 2.47 therfore c. The minor appeares because first the whole essence of the Church Catholike was in Adam and Eve and from them spread to his seed by their federall right from them and their actuall taking up that freedome and continuance therein And so againe from Noahs Arke And for the Church under the Gospell that little handfull which Christ left leavened the whole world and brought them in as an addition unto them They were to be witnesses first in Jerusalem them in Iudea and then to the ends of the earth For the Law shall go forth of Zion and the word of God from Jerusalem Isa 2.3 It was with the Church then as was said of the river of Eden Gen. 2.10 A river went out of Eden to water the garden and from thence it was parted and became into 4. heads so the water of life flowed from Zion into the 4. quarters of all the world So that as there is no Sea but hath influence and continuity with the maine Sea and receives name from thence so no particular Church but hath his first rise and spirituall ministeriall influence from the Church Catholike and received the Gospell and priviledges of it from thence God cals no Evangelicall Churches by inspiration but by the ministry of those that are members of the Church Catholike or some part thereof and therfore God would not have Cornelius instructed by an Angell though he could have done it but by Peter a member of the Church Evangelicall So that the Church is as the Sea and particular Churches as so many creeks or armes and rivers not running into the sea but running from the sea and receiving a tincture and season of her waters The Church Catholike is as the tree Christ as the root and particular Churches as branches She is the mother and they as daughters born of her and receiving from her ministerially both nature name and priviledges Paul indeed was called extraordinarily from Heaven by Christ himselfe the head of the Church and not by an Angell that he might be as some conceive a type of the second call of the Jewes who as some bold shall be so called as he was by the appearing of the signe of the son of man and therfore that Church is said to come downe from God out of Heaven Rev. 21.2 10. And the ground for this type they take from 1 Tim. 1.16 For this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long sufferance for a patterne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them which should or shall hereafter beleeve on him but these things are mysteries and I dare not be too confident in them yet should they come to passe they infringe not the present truth because their conversion shall come from the head root and fountaine it selfe of the Church as Abrahams call was and no question but Christ did convert many in the dayes of his flesh when he was actually and visibly a member of the Church here below And if any be converted by secret revelation or inspiration and neither converted nor fed by any externall ordinances nor joyned to any visible Church as infants of heathens or any of the Philosophers as Plato if possibly they may be such these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not within the compasse of the generall rule for the visible Church and so not of the question Quest If it be asked what it is that is sufficient to make a man a member of the Church Catholike visible Answ I answer Beliefe of the maine points of the Christian faith professed subjection thereunto And this is as much as the Apostles required as in the case of the Eunuch and Simon Magus and if it were sufficient then it is sufficient still for those were the purest Churches So many as gladly received the Word were baptized Acts 2.41 And yet this is no more then may be found in an hypocrite for the stony ground received the Word with joy And we have no other rule to goe by in gathering Churches or receiving members into a Church then they had then neither may we presume to make any other to our selves Sic omnes ferè Reformati Theologi celebres materiam visibilis Ecclesia asserunt esse homines externè vocatos fidem Christi profitentes namque definiunt caetum hominum vocatione externa seu praedicatione Verbi Sacramentorum communicatione evocatorum ad cultum Dei societatem Ecclesiasticam inter se celebrandam Apolon pag. 8. Vide etiam utrumque Trelcatium in locis communibus Loc. de Ecclesia Professores Leidenses Disp. 40. Thes 3. Neither is it requisite that they should be truly godly to make them members of a visible Church for then no man could tell whose child were to be baptized or who are members of a Church or when he is in a true Church And if the living members of Jesus Christ were the only or essentiall members of a visible Church then none are true essentiall members of the Church visible but they and then a truly godly Minister is a more essentiall Minister then another and the Ordinances administred by him are more essentially administred then by another and the vertue of the Ordinance should depend not on Christs Institution but the worthinesse of the person administring And haply after twenty or thirty yeares living under a Minister that seemed religious that Minister by falling away
transient and in flux by the addition and subtraction of the members thereof yet it shall never cease to be visible 5. That if the Church Catholike be contracted into the limits of a particular Congregation yet that hath the notion of the Church Catholike more properly then of a particular Congregation 6. That the Church Catholike is mixt of good and bad as well as particular Congregations are 7. That the Church Catholike is Organicall 8. That the Keyes of Discipline are Catholike as well as of Doctrine 9. That the Promises Priviledges and Ordinances of Worship and Discipline belong primarily to the Church Catholike 10. That the notes and signes of the true Church belong first to the Church Catholike visible and therefore are distinctive to that only 11. That the whole Church Catholike is the primary object of Christs Offices and particulars but as parts thereof Joh. 3.16 12. Though Christ be the only Supreme head and Ruler of his Church yet must it have immediate subordinate rulers over it Ephes 4.11 13. That the Unity of the Church Catholike requireth not a meeting of the whole body together at any time Concerning particular Churches 1. That particular Churches are made up of the members of the Church Catholike 2. That the particular Divisions of the Church Catholike visible for convenient enjoyment of publike Ordinances have the Name Church and the Priviledges thereof by participation as farre as they are capable indulged unto them 3. That particular Churches must be distinguished by particular accidentall limits and circumstances though they be heterogeneall to the Church 4. Many Congregations may be in the same community of Discipline and be ruled by their Elders in communi by co-ordination though not subordination and so be called One Church Nationall Provinciall or Presbyteriall 5. That which belongs primarily to the whole Church as Totum similare and to the least part of the whole as a part thereof belongs much more to a greater part thereof Or thus That which belongs to a little part of a similar body quâ talis belongs to a greater part much more 6. The greater the parts of the Church Catholike be and the more united by co-ordination the stronger they be and the smaller the Divisions be the weaker 7. The Division of the Church Catholike into small parcels to stand alone by themselves without co-ordination is dangerous 8. Yet necessity in regard of distance of place c. may cause a particular Church to be Independent in regard of actuall externall consociation 9. The constituting a particular Church by an explicite Covenant as the essentiall forme thereof implyeth a deniall of all other Churches to be true that are not so constituted because they must want the essentiall forme Concerning the publike Officers of the Church 1. Every Minister is an Officer of the Church Catholike and that relation is primary to him yet the particular relation he stands in to a particular congregation giveth him by the politic of the Church a more immediate charge to administer the Ordinances of God unto them 2. Any single Minister by vertue of his office hath power ministerially to admit a member into the Church Catholike visible 3. Although the Election of a Minister to a particular congregation be an act of liberty in the people yet his mission is from Christ primarily and ministerially by the Presbytery 4. He doth not administer the Ordinances of God in the name of the congregation as their servant but of Christ As a Major in a corporation though chosen by the people yet executeth his office in the Kings name 5. If he administreth any Ordinances out of his own congregation he doth it not as a gifted brother but by vertue of his office 2 Cor. 5.20 6. Although the particular flock over which a Minister was set be dissolved yet he ceaseth not to be a Minister because the Church to which he bare first relation is not dissolved which is the Catholike Concerning private members 1. Particular Converts are first converted into the Church Catholike and secondarily conjoyn'd into particular consociations 2. Every member of a particular Church is a member of the Church Catholike and that relation doth primarily belong unto him 3. Externall profession of the true Faith and subjection to Gods Ordinances is enough to make a man capable of being a member of a visible Church quoad externam formum 4. By Baptisme members are visibly and ministerially admitted into the Church Catholike visible 5. By Excommunication rightly administred an offender is cast out of the Church Catholike visible as much as out of a particular congregation 6. Federall Holinesse belongs to none primarily because borne of members of a particular congregation but of the Church Catholike 7. They that are only in the Church Catholike visible are not Without in the Apostles sense 8. Children of beleeving parents have right to Baptisme though their parents were not members of any particular congregation and are debarred of their due if denyed it 9. Every member of the Church Catholike is or ought to be a member of the particular Church wherein he dwells 10. The being in the generall Covenant gives right to the Ordinances and not any particular neither do we find any mention in Scripture of any particular explicit Covenant either urged or used at the admission of members into a particular congregation or at the constitution of the same 11. The Invisible members of the Church which have internall communion with Christ are also visible members and have externall communion in externall ordinances 12. The departure of a member from a particular congregation and removall to another for convenience or by necessity is no sinne but departing from the Church Catholike and ceasing to be a member thereof is a sinne I know it is not usuall to make uses and application to Theses of this nature and should I enter thereinto I might drowne my selfe in sorrow to bewayle the rents not in Christs seamelesse coate but in his body the Church which Christ preferred in some regards before his naturall body for he assumed his naturall body for their sakes and was willing to suffer that to be buffeted spit on whipped crowned with thornes crucifyed peirced slaine for their sakes yea he was willing to be made sinne yea a curse and to beare his fathers wrath in his humanity for his Churches sake that they might escape and be saved The divisions in the Church are of three sorts in judgement in affection and in way or practise For judgement first come the Romists and they rend away the second commandment then come the Antisabbatarians and they rend away the fourth though placed in the heart of the Decalogue and so extraordinarily fenced by God with a memento before it and so many arguments after it then come the Antinomians and they pluck away the whole law from us denying it both punitive coactive and directive power and so render it wholy dead and useles to Christians
proves himselfe not to be truly godly and so all those Ordinances were null being administred by one that was not only no Minister but no true member of the Church I conclude this answer with that saying in Ames in his Bellar. enervat Falsum est internas virtutes requiri à nobis ut aliquis sit in Ecclesia quoad visibilem ejus statum Object The Church Catholike is Integrum and the particular Churches are membra and therefore neither of them can be Prima or Orta in reference of one to another because being Relata they are simul naturâ and both Integrum membra are both of them Orta argumenta Vide Rami Dialecticam Indeed we finde in Logick that both Genus and Species Answ Integrum membra are Orta Argumenta and that it is not meant in reference one to another but to those arguments which are called Prima as Cause Effect Subject Adjunct and Contraries And it would be a Logicall dispute not Theologicall to define whether Integrum or membra have the primary consideration seeing they are Relata Quorum alterum constat è mutuâ alterius affectione Ergo dicuntur simul esse naturâ For Totum est quod habet partes Pars est quae continetur à toto So that a thing cannot be said to be a whole but in reference to the parts nor can any thing be said to be a part but in reference to the whole for though it may have a being before the whole yet it is not a part of the whole untill the whole be Yet for the clearing of this Objection we must consider that Integrum membra admit of divers kinds and considerations and though in a constant permanent or continuous body whose particular individuall parts rise and fall together with the whole so that it cannot consist but of so many essentiall individuall parts whereof it is constituted there the whole and the parts whereof it is constituted as they stand in relation unto one another must be simul naturâ yet the Church Catholike being as I may say a kinde of discreet successive indefinite body alwayes transient and in flux some members being alwayes in their adding and some alwayes in taking away so that even in respect of the particular parts it is not one houre every way the same it was the last I say that in reference to the members that are to be added the whole must needs be accounted first because it hath a being before the addition and after the substraction and the members must needs be first added to the whole before they can beare the relation of parts unto it And herein it is like a Corporation whose first members whereof it is constituted are simul naturâ with the whole yet all the members that are added successively finde it a Corporation before their addition and so are not simul naturâ with the whole Object The Church Catholike is made up of the particular Churches and therefore it is Orta and they are Prima Answ To let passe Logicall disputes consider we the universall and particular Churches in a theologicall notion and we shall find as hath been already proved that the particular Churches or congregations do rise out of the Church Catholike and not contrary For the members of a particular congregation are first members of the Church Catholike and admitted thereinto before they come to be capable of being members of a particular Congregation for no Congregation takes a heathen in first and makes him a member and then a Christian but he is first made a Christian and then made a member Yea I conceive that there may be many belonging to the Church Catholike that belong to no particular Congregation whose conversion hath been by accidentall providence as by reading or discourse or haply hearing a disputation or Sermon and yet their habitation or imprisonment slavery banishment travell or other occasions may not suffer them to joyne themselves to any particular Congregation and yet are visible Christians yeelding professed subjection to the Gospell in their lives and conversations And are by being of the Church Catholike fit to be members of any Congregation but are actually none Suppose a man by transplanting into America suffering shipwrack should swimme to some unknowne land and there live among the natives is that man without or if he should convert a native to the faith in Christ is he without is he not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of what Congregation was the Eunuch that was baptized by Philip and yet we doubt not to say he was a Christian and one of the Church members but it must be the Church Catholike So that we see the Church Catholike consisteth not of particular Congregations only but particular members that may not haply be drawne into congregations As not only all Cities Towns and Parishes in a Kingdome belong to that Kingdome but all particular Persons living under and by the same lawes though haply there should be some that live not in any township or village but in some Island forrest or in ships as the manner is of many families in the Netherlands or as I have heard of some house that stands so that no Parish in their Perambulation did over fetch it in And if we must account the particular Churches to be primae because the Church Catholike is made up of them then we must account particular families to be the prime Churches because the Congregations are made up of them and they are called Churches in the Scripture Rom. 16.5 1 Cor. 16.19 Col. 4.15 Philem. 2. And we know God had his Church in families in the Patriarchs times before it was either Nationall or Congregationall But it is plaine that particular Congregations are made up of a certain number or parcell of the members of the Church Catholike and not contrary And so were the Churches in families also Now then seeing it is evident by the former Scriptures and Arguments that there is a Church Catholike visible And seeing that the Names Nature and Priviledges of the Church the Promises and Ordinances of God the Offices of Christ and Signes of the true Church the Members of the Church and Ministry of the Word belong first to the Church Catholike visible and that every particular Christian beare first and last relation thereunto which relation cannot be broken off by any removall or without sinne and that particular Churches spring out of the Church Catholike I therefore conclude according to the light God hath given me That the Church Catholike visible is Prima and the particular Churches are Ortae From this Thesis give me leave to propound to your further consideration these Corollaries or Conclusions Concerning Churches Catholike Particular Persons Publike viz. the Officers Private viz. the members Concerning the Church in generall 1. That there is a Church Catholike 2. That the Church Catholike is but one 3. That the Church Catholike is visible 4. That though the Church Catholike be alwayes
The second tearme 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. à duplici modo communionis externo interno Such as have spirituall communion with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inwardly are said to be invisible members which are only known to God and not men having this seale the Lord knoweth who are his Such as have externall communion in outward ordinance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are called visible members because their communion is visible and apparent Now only the invisible company have communion for life and are elect many of those that have externall 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 Jesus Christ as Ames also confesseth Such was the Church of Corinth and Ephesus c wherein all were not in communion for life And of such Christ speaketh Joh. 15.2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he takes away 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 of his Epistles To the Church of God to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 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 distinctions or distributions should have their parts distinct and different and the more opposite the members thereof be the better the distribution is these two branches of this distinction interfere one with another and the one comprehends the other the visible comprehend the invisible here in this world I meane the persons though not the notions For though indeed every visible member is not invisible yet every invisible member is also visible They that have inward communion with Christ for life are not taught and nourished only by an inward unction or inspiration but are faine to have externall communion also in the outward ordinances of God De Ecclesia vivorum modò agitur cui Symbolum Apostolicum praescriptum est non de coelesti Ramus in Symb. So that this distinction is like the old distinction of gratia gratis data gratia gratum faciens 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 generall heresies then it had been compleat but the tearmes are not used in either of those sences and therefore the distinction halteth So that in what is to be said we must take heed that by visible we meane not only such as are hypocrites and reprobates but those that are also truly godly not only such as make externall profession of faith whereby they are differenced from heathens What a Church visible is but such as have inward sincerity also whereby they are differenced from hypocrites The Church visible is a company of people called by God from Idols to the true Religion and professing subjection to that call which is true of the godly as well as the hypocrites 3d Tearme The third tearme to be opened is universall We are to know that the Church of God admits of severall distinctions from severall accidents As in reference to the time wherein the Church hath or doth exist it is distributed into the Church under the old Testament and the Church under the New And this is distributed againe 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 universall and particular Now in this question universall is meant principally in regard of Persons Places and not in regard of time The Church Catholick existing on earth at the same time is compared with particular Churches existing at the same time also Universality is applied to places and persons in the Church at the same time What the universall visible Church is The Vniversall visible Church is the whole company of visible beleevers throughout the whole world Severall men give severall descriptions thereof I shall set down some of them Ecclesia Dei vivi est columna firmamentum veritatis toto orbe terrarum diffusa propter 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 modò auditis sed quotquot sunt Christiani fideles in universo terrarum orbe quoniam à solis Ortu usque ad occasum laudatur nomen Domini Sic se habet Ecclesia Catholica mater noster Aug. Serm. 99. Ecclesia est congregatio sanctorum in quâ Evangelium rectè docetur rectè administrantur Sacramenta Aug. conf Saepè Ecclesiae nomine universam hominum multitudinem in orbe diffusam designamus quae unuâ—se Deum Christum colere profitetur Calv. Instit l. 4. c. 1. Sect. 7. Est Congregatio omnium per orbem universum qui consentiunâ— in fide Evangelica Bulling Est coetus hominum Christum suum negem sacerdotem prophetam profitentium Keckerman In novo Testamento vocamus Ecclesiam pro omnibus qui Christo nomen dederunt Zuinglius Vniversa multitudo Christianorum quae se fidelem censet simul â—nus fidelis populus una Ecclesia dicitur Idem Ecclesia significat totam illam omnium multitudinem quae generatim exvocatione professsione externa aestimatur Trelc Ecclesia est visibilis coetus amplectentium Evangelium Christi rectè utentium Sacramentis Gerard. Statuimus Ecclesiam quandam universalem externam per totum orbem dispersans nobis in sacris literis describi quae visibili quadam politia unicum Ecclesiasticum Organicum corpus constituit sub quo omnes Ecclesia particulares Classicales Provinciales Nationales tanquam partes totius continentur Apollon 29. pag. Vbicunque quandocunque fuerint homines Apostolicâ fide informati Christianam Electorum rempublicam constituunt etiamsi dispersi in omnes Orbis partes Sic Antoninus Philosophus Civem Romanum dixit esse quicunque Romanis legibus viveret Ita quicunque Christianis legibus moribusque vivit ubicunque sit nihil interest civis est Christianus ad publicum de regendâ civitate Dei consilium adhibendus ut Ecclesiae Catholicae disciplina Catholica sit P. Ramus de Eccl. Cathol 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. Catholick in the most evident sense agreeth to the Church now under the Gospell since the partition wall betweene Jewes and Gentiles was broken down and yet in some sense it may agree to the Church from the beginning Idem For particular Churches either single or combined either Nationall Provinciall Classicall or Congregationall it is not belonging to this Question to discusse the Quaeries about them and therefore I shall only set down some descriptions of them positively as they are usually taken by others and give you my present apprehensions of them A Nationall Church A Nationall Church is where all the visible publike religious Assemblies of a Nation being parts of the Church Catholike living under one politick civill Government are by the profession of the same faith and communion in the same worship and Government united into one body Ecclesiastick or Ecclesiasticall Republike Two things as I conceive are required to make a Nationall Church First Nationall agreement in the same faith and worship Secondly Nationall Union in one Ecclesiasticall body in the same community of Ecclesiastical Government The Churches in France and the Netherlands have the same faith and worship and kind of Government but they are not in the same Nationall community thereof * Vide Apollō p. 29. See proofes for Nationall Churches under the Gospel Isai 55.5 Thou shalt call a Nation which thou knewest not and Nations which knew not thee shall runne unto thee It is spoken of Christ under the Gospel and there is set down both Gods call of a Nation and a Nations answer to that call and there can be no more required to make a Church Also Isai 19.25 Aegypt my people Assyria the worke of my hands and Israel mine Inheritance Where all those three Nations are called three sister Churches in effect if you marke the coherence It is a prophecy of Gospell times Psal 22.27 All the ends of the world shall turn unto the Lord and all the kinreds of the Nations shall worship before thee Revel 11.15 The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ Also Psal 72.11 and 86.9 And by the same reason when a part of a Nationall Church shall joyne in particular consociation and community in a City or Province or Classis they may receive denomination from thence the one containing a greater part of the Church Catholike the other a lesse For the Church Catholick being a similar body retaines the name Church in what parts parcels or quantities soever it be divided into for convenient community untill it be brought in minimum quod sic as the Philosophers say i. e. into the least parts that can enjoy publike communion in ordinances which is a particular congregation Gersom Bucerus in dissert de gub Eccles p. 11. hath this description of a particular Church Nos particularem Ecclesium intelligimus quemlibet credentium caetum in unam vocationem Divinam Evangelij praedicatione sacrarumque institutionum observatione adunatum ac uni Presbyterio subjunctum sacros verò conventus uno aut pluribus locis agitantem Nam paroeciarum in quibus convenitur numerus accidenturia res est nihil ad Ecclesiae particularis essentiam pertinons Now this seemeth to me to be a description of a Presbyteriall or classicall Church and so not to divide the Church Catholick into any lesse parts for enjoyment of all the usuall publike ordinances especially of some parts of discipline and ordination then a Presbyteriall Church Mr Cotton tels us that a visible Church is a mysticall body whereof Christ is the head the Members Saints called out of the world and united together into one Congregation by an holy Covenant to worship the Lord and to edifie one another in all his holy Ordinances But with due respect to so grave and worthy a man this seemes to me to belong to an invisible Church not a visible because the matter thereof is the mysticall body of Christ consisting only of Saints called not only from Idols but out of the world and therefore truly godly Neither dare I make a particular explicit holy Covenant to be the forme of a particular Church as this definition doth because I find no mention of any such covenant besides the generall covenant imposed on Churches nor example or warrant for it in all the Scriptures and therefore cannot account it an ordinance of God but a humane politick device to keepe the members together which in some places and cases may haply be of good use so it be not urged as an ordinance of God and so it be not used to inthrall any and abridge them of liberty of removall into other places and congregations for their convenience Or urged as the forme of the Church And for the enjoyment of all the Ordinances of God in one congregation it seemeth to me very inconvenient for some of the Ordinances and altogether impossible for others First It is inconvenient and of dangerous consequence that a Church consisting of 7 10 20 or 30. should passe the formidable sentence of Excommunication against any person to cast him out of communion not only with themselves but the whole Church Catholike visible and deliver him up to Satan For if it be inflicted by the votes of the whole congregation as some would have it many of the Members being private men and haply altogether illiterate or unexperienced through want of age education or parts are not able to understand the nature of the allegations and probations they may be so intricate or not able to apply the rule unto the case for inflicting of a just censure and may be in danger to beare particular favour or ill will unto their persons and so apt to be swayed by love pity or hopes from them or to be over-awed by feare or threatnings being poore men servants children work-men tenants and therefore our brethren for congregationall Churches have of late seeing this inconvenience debarred the people from votes and put it into the hand of the Elders onely * See M Cottons book set out by M. Goodwin M. Nie. Yea even the Elders of one congregation may be in danger of the same temptations because of particular relations and their dependance on them for maintenance but suppose they were as free as Angels from temptations or infirmities which they are not yet the weightinesse and solemnity of the censure require to be performed by a colledge of Elders of a combined Presbytery that so it being passed not by the votes of 3 or 4. onely and they lyable to so many temptations also but by the joynt consent of a greater Presbytery free from any such temptations or exceptions may be done with the more advice and combined authority and be more dreadfull to the party
then Whether there be a Church Catholike visible Quest 1. I know that our Divines in answer to the Pontificians doe deny the Church Catholike to be visible as Zanchy Gerard Whitakers Chamier and Ames against Bellarmine and Sadeel against Turrianus But the Pontificians state not the question as I state it and I confesse their assertions of the Church Catholike to be false For First They take visible for conspicuous glorious and manifest specious and flourishing Secondly They hold that the name Catholike Church belongs to one Church viz. The Church of Rome and that being the Church Catholike and comprizing the universality of the Church in it selfe all that will be members of the Church Catholike must submit to them and be members of that Church Thirdly They hold that it is necessary that this visible Catholike Church should be under one visible universall head which they make to be the Pope Christs Vicar Generall and in these regards our Divines doe contradict and confute them But there are passages enough in our Divines writings that may be brought to allow and approve visibility aspectability and unity in all the Churches of the Saints throughout the whole world I will give you a taste but of one of the fore-mentioned for brevity sake and he the most rigid in discipline and exact in Logicall divisions and deductions of any of them and that is Dr Ames who in his Medulla saith Ecclesia nunquam de sinit esse visibilis Which cannot be meant of any particular Church for that may faile Again he saith Congregationes illae particulares sunt quasi partes similares Ecclesiae Catholicae atque adeo nomen naturam ejus participant And further saith Illi qui professione tantum sunt fideles dum remanent in illa societate sunt membra illius Ecclesiae sicut etiam Ecclesiae Catholicae quoad statum externum And in his Bellarminus enervatus he saith Nos fatemur Ecclesiam militantem visibilem esse quoad formam accidentalem externam in suis partibus singulatim conjunctim c. Now though I have set downe these humane testimonies first yet it is not that I meane to leane upon these as my maine proofes but only to shew that our Divines in denying the Popish tenet of a Church Catholike visible in their sence yet all of the fore-mentioned deny it not in my sense if any doe But for proofe that there is a Church Catholike visible I will first give you Scripture and secondly demonstration For Scripture see Acts 8.3 Saul made havock of the Church I shewed you before that this must needs be a visible Church for they could not else be persecuted and certainly Saul could not discerne the invisible company but persecuted promiscuously all that were of that way neither was it a particular Church for this persecution was in Jerusalem and in every Synagogue and to Damascus and even to strange Cities So that by Church here is meant an indefinite number of visible Churches or Congregations which were in no other community but profession of the same faith and an indefinite is equivalent to a generall and by the same reason that the word Church would reach all these Churches it would reach all the Churches in the world The same word there is Galat. 1.13 I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it and yet it is said when he was converted then had the Churches rest throughout all Judea and Galileo and Samaria which yet were but some parts of the Church in the singular number which he persecuted Againe See 1 Cor. 10.32 Give no offence to the Jew nor Gentile nor to the Church of God Where the word Church cannot signifie the elect only nor any one particular Congregation or Kingdome but indefinitely See also 1 Cor. 12.28 God hath set some in the Church first Apostles secondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers The Church there spoken of is not the triumphant Church nor the Invisible Church only for they were visible messengers and some of them but only visible for Judas had obtained part in the Apostleship and Ministry and was sent to preach and work miracles and many Prophets were not of the invisible number for many shall say Lord Lord we have prophecied in thy name and yet shall not be saved But to be sure they were sent to afford the Saints visible communion in ordinances Again This is not meant of the Church Entitive which is a similar and as I may say an homogeniall body every member being equall and of the same capacity as a member but of the Church organicall a Heterogeniall Dissimilar body because here are set downe the officers Neither is here meant a particular Church but all collectively that were within the bounds of the Apostles commission which was the Church in the whole world Goe teach all Nations c. and all the Churches that have Pastors and Teachers over them which all the Churches in the world have or ought to have and yet all these are called but one Church one body vers 20. Now if there be officers of the Church Catholike visible then there is a Church Catholike visible but the Apostles Prophets and Evangelists were officers of the Church Catholike visible for they had no limits and yet are said to be set not in the Churches but in the Church And this is granted by our brethren for Congregationall Churches that they were officers of the Church Catholike and therefore did not baptize into particular Congregations or in refernce to them but into the generall And this Cartwright in his Catechisme granteth concerning the Church Catholike Now certainly they were not officers to the true beleevers only seeing they censured others also Also 1 Tim. 3.15 These things I write unto thee that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thy selfe in the house of God which is the Church of the living God This Church must be a visible Church where he and others must exist and converse together and carry themselves in mutuall duties Now these directions concerned not Ephesus alone or in any speciall manner but all the Churches where ever he should come It is that Church which is the ground and pillar of truth which holdeth it forth unto others more forensi which is the Church Catholike unto which Timothy was an Evangelist Againe It is the Church visible that is so often in the Scripture called the Kingdome * Mark 4 2◠30. Luk. 7.28 of God and the Kingdome †Mat. 13.24 31 33 44 45 47. of Heaven Christ calls them not Kingdomes but the Kingdome and compares this Kingdome to a field of wheate mingled with tares and himselfe expounds it that the field is the world and this must be the Christian world for the other is a field of tares only for vers 41. Mat. 13.41 49. it is said they shall gather out of the Kingdome c. In this field particular Churches are but particular ridges enjoying the
same tillage Sever the wicked from among the just seed fencing watering It is a barn floore with wheate and chaffe It is a draw net gathering together good and bad It is a marriage where were wise and foolish virgins some with wedding garments some without some had oyle and some had none but lamps of profession Now these metaphors cannot be limited to any particular Congregation but agree to the Church Catholike not as invisible but visible And when we say Thy kingdome come we pray for the good of the Church Catholike visible that it might be enlarged and have freedome and purity of ordinances which are things that concerne it as visible In 1 Cor. 15.24 it is said Then shall Christ deliver up the Kingdome to God his Father This is not the essentiall Kingdome which he hath with the Father and Holy Ghost as God for that he shall never deliver up Neither is it the kingdome of grace which he exerciseth in the hearts of the elect for that shall continue for ever and be more perfect in Heaven For the kingdome of grace here and glory afterward differ only gradu communionis as Ames tells us here the degree is imperfect then it shall be perfect both in graces and joyes But it is the kingdome exercised in the visible Church in ordinances of worship and discipline which shall then cease for as the Evangelicall externall service thrust out the legall and ceremoniall so shall the heavenly thrust out the evangelicall And Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdome which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare This kingdome cannot be meant of the internall kingdome of grace in the heart for that was also exercised by Christ in his peoples hearts in the old Testament but it is meant of the externall ordinances of worship and discipline which differed from that under the Law else the Apostles antithesis of the Church under the Law and the Church under the Gospell had not been good which are the things he compares in that place Now nothing is opposite to externall under the Law but externall under the Gospell It cannot be meant of the kingdome of glory for they had not yet received it and it is plaine he speakes of a Kingdome wherein we may now serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare Repent for the Kingdome * Mat. 3.2 Mat. 4.17 of Heaven is at hand He that is least in the Kingdome †Mat. 1.11 of Heaven is greater then John Now if these things were spoken of a particular congregation only which particular congregation in the world shall impropriate these things to it selfe But if true of everyone in particular and all in generall and these all be continually called one kingdome then there is a Church Catholike visible Againe 1 Cor. 5.12 The Apostle saith What have I to doe to judge those that are without The preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extra I desire to know what Noune shall be understood or supplied unto it Is it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Church And can we think that that Church was the Church of Corinth only Had Paul nothing to doe to judge any that were out of the Church of Corinth when he was an Apostle all over the Christian world This could not be meant of the invisible company only What had Paul nothing to doe to censure any but invisible memmbers Why did he then excommunicate Hymineus Philetus Phygellus Hermogines and Alexander And saith I would they were cut off that trouble you and therefore it must be meant of the Church Catholike visible What have I to do to judge those that are without the pale of the Church they are not under my power or cognizance but belong only to the civill Magistrate And we usually speake of the countries that are within the pale of the Church and those that are without And we have an axiome Extra Ecclesiam non est salus which cannot be meant of any particular congregation in the world but is true of the Church Catholike visible typified by the Ark of Noah without which ordinarily and visibly there is no hope of salvation Also it is said Acts 2.47 God added to the Church daily such as should be saved which was not a particular congregationall Church but the Catholike For it is not probable that those hundred and twenty that were together at Pentecost were one congregationall Church for many of them were men of Galilee which by their habitation could not pertaine to the Church in Jerusalem and yet the rest were added to them Againe Ephes 3.10 To the intent that unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God This Church here spoken of was not a particular Congregation but the whole Church Catholike whereof Paul was made a Minister as he saith in the same chapter And this proficiency of the Angels for ought I know was by the truths which it pleased God by the ministry of the word to make knowne audibly to the Church And Ephes 3.21 To him be glory in the Church throughout all ages c. This place speakes of the Church Catholike visible in the largest sence that can be possible both in respect of place for it is the whole Church by which God hath glory which is universall and time for it is the Church in all ages but no particular congregation nor nationall Church can be sure to last to all ages no not by succession but the Church Catholike shall Againe Ephes 4.4 5. The Apostle proveth the Church to be but one by divers arguments First he saith There is but one body of Christ which is therefore called Eph. 3.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both of Jewes and Gentiles i. e. the same body Secondly there is but one Spirit in that whole body which is as one soule in one body Thirdly there is but one hope of their calling Fourthly there is but one Lord or King over the whole Church Fifthly there is but one Faith i. e. one Religion Doctrine Worship the same Commands and Statutes for all Sixthly There is but one Baptisme to admit into this Church Now if the whole world were under one King and governed by one Law and all capable of the same Priviledges and all made Denizons by the same way of inrowlement it would make but one Empire yet so it is with all the Churches in the world they have the same King Law Word Sacraments of admission and nutrition which they visibly subject themselves unto and receive therefore they are all one visible Church Againe Christ saith on this rock * Matth. 16.18 will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Was this a particular Congregation No surely but the Church Catholike for any particular Church may be prevailed against but the whole shall not The place is meant
offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoide them For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and blessed or faire speeches deceive the hearts of the simple And Eph. 4.14 That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftinesse or after the method of errour whereby they lie in wait to deceive Christ himselfe tels us that false Prophets shall come that shall deceive if it were possible the very elect Behold I have told you before Matth. â—4 24 25. And Paul tels us Of your selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them Therefore watch Acts 20.30 31. Therefore Hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me 2 Tim. 1.13 They that coine new words and new high strange expressions to amaze the people it is a signe as Calvin tels us that they have some new opinion upon the Anvill O let us labour to be of one heart seeing we are all but one body and have but one head and one spirit and because we are all brethren of the same heavenly Father This is that which God hath promised his people Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you And we find Christ inculcating this exhortation John 13.34 A new Commandment I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if you have love one to another John 13.34 35. Againe This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you John 15.12 And ver 17. These things I command you that you love one another Acts 2.46 And this we find practised Acts 4.32 And the multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart and one soule And this Paul exhorteth to Rom. 12.10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another And we find the unity both of judgement and heart exhorted unto 1 Pet. 3.8 Finally be ye all of one mind having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitifull be courteus Divisions is the Devils musick but that which makes the Devill laugh should make us cry O what a solemne obsecration is that of Paul Phil. 2. â— 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfill ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind O that we might labour to be of one way also This is that which God hath promised his people Jer. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way that they may feare me for ever for the good of them and of their Children after them And Zeph. 3.9 Then will I turne to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord with one consent or one shoulder And this was the blessing to Hezekiah in his people 2 Chron. 30.12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to doe the Commandement of the King and of the Princes by the word of the Lord. Certainly there is but one rule for Doctrine Worship Discipline And as many as walke according to this rule peace be on them and on the Israell of God Gal. 6.16 And this is the Apostles exhortation Rom. 15.6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God Yea though we be not of the same judgement in every thing yet as it is Phil. 3.16 whereto we have already attained Let us walke by the same rule let us mind the same things And this unity in way is that which we have sworn unto and covenanted in our late Nationall League and Covenant in the first branch of it That we shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland to the neerest conjunction and uniformity in Religion Confession of faith Form of Church Government Directory for Worship and Catechising That we and our posterity after us may as brethren live in faith and love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us And we shall be forsworne if we endeavour it not All the members of the same body naturall agree to go the same way Yea the strength health and beauty of the body naturall consisteth in the fast knitting of all the meÌ„bers together to each other and to the head and the luxation therof is dangerous so and much more it is in a body Politike or Ecclesiasticall And though the divisions in our civill estate be very sad and might deserve teares of bloud to bewaile them yet I looke upon divisions in the Church as a matter of more fad and dolefull consequence and I feare but wish I might be mistaken that when the breaches of the common wealth shall be closed the breaches in the Church may grow wider and the differences rise higher which having seazed upon the understandings and consciences of men cannot be composed by commands nor clubbed down by force Only here is my hope herein that he which found a way to reconcile God and man when they were at enmity can find a way to reconcile man and man though they be at difference Now the God of peace that brought againe from the dead our Lord Iesus Christ Heb. 13.20 21. that great Shepheard of the sheep through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant make us perfect in every good worke to do his will working in us that which is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen FINIS