This Communion in the Holy Ghost runs through the whole Catholick Church in all Ages and Countries for where the common Bond of Union is this Communion must be 3. To make Communion in the Body compleat there must not only be this Participation in a common good by all the Members but a Communication of all good to each other mutually as they are capable and fellow-feeling with each other in all Sufferings The Spirit of Christ thus influencing all the Members appears and manifests it self in Graces and Gifts variously working towards this mutual fellowship of Parts both in good and evil of each other which are called the Operations of the Spirit as for Graces the Principal wherein the Catholick Communion doth consist are Faith and Love and by these they Communicate with Christ the Head receiving from him and making return to him as it were in a reciprocation as also a mutual communication to and with each other for Faith is the leading Grace of Communion for our present state by it we receive of the fulness of Christ for Justification and Sanctification John 1. and by Faith the Saints have communion one with another for as it is the foundation of the love of God in the heart so it is of our love to our Brethren believing them to be Justified in Christ Jesus and Members of his Body for Love founded on the Faith of the good estate of another is properly Charity the credibility of anothers Profession gives ground of Faith that he is what he professeth and this joyned with Love makes Charity wherefore the Apostle takes it in this sence when he saith Philemon 5. Hearing of thy Love and Faith which thou hast toward our Lord Jesus Christ and all Saints Moreover by Faith the Saints visible have a kind of Communion with those that went before and who are to come after it being the substance of things or persons in futurition hoped for and the evidence or demonstration of the Truth of things not seen i. e. removed from sence by timen parterition or place in absence so thereby we see the Saints and those Truths attested by them in Ages past 4. As for Love it 's not only the most eminent Grace of actual communion between Christ and his Members and of them with each other in the state that we are in here but it 's almost the only remaining when we go hence 1 Cor. 13.13 John treats much of the transcendent excellency of this Grace throughout his Epistle c. 1 John 4.11 If God so loved us we ought to love one another 12. If we love one another God dwelleth in us and his love is made perfect in us by this Grace we have communion with all Saints Militant and Triumphant 1 John 5.1 Every one that loveth him that is begot loveth him that is begotten of him 5. Now by Communion in these two Graces the Church grows up to its full perfection the Apostle saying Ephes 4.12 That the Ministry and Ministration is for the Building up of the Body of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 agreement in all points of Faith and Profession of it and to the knowledge of the Son of God the Head to the perfect man to the measure of the Stature of the fullness of Christ Mystical filling up his Body and receiving influentially of his Fulness by Faith and v. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do grow more and more sincere in Love this Love shews it self in its fellow-feeling also that it works in us whereby we communicate in each others Sufferings and supply each others wants for the good of the whole this part of Communion is fully discoursed by the Apostle 1 Cor. 12.13 14 c. yea in the most part of the Chapter 6. Thus far Communion belongs to the Church under its Catholick consideration in its Mystical State there must be some external actions and things that are visible whereby the Communion of these Graces must be manifest in Ministry Offices Gifts Ordinances but all for and from the Spirit and these eminent Graces of Faith and Love 7. Communion then of particular Congregations must be by Christ's Ordination visible in those sacred Means and Ordinances appointed by Christ for its growth confirmation and building up in Grace and Truth God having made his Church in its visible state the Nursery of Grace and the Knowledge of the Truth Eph. 4.12 For the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying the Body of Christ i. e. in the militanting visible part 13. till we all come in the Vnity of the Faith and the Knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Verse 14. That we should be henceforth no more Children 8. The Edification of the Church being appointed by Christ in a way of Communion we are to consider 1. wherein this visible communion doth consist 2. what is the ground and end of it 3. where and between whom it is 1. Wherein doth it consist It doth consist first in participation of some common benefit and advantages which a particular Congregation are capable of and have frequent fellowship together in and these are Church-Gifts and Church-Ordinances Acts 2.42 They continued stedfast in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship in Breaking Bread and in Prayers and for this end hath Christ furnished his Church with Ministry and Ordinances Ephes 4. Ministry by erecting extraordinary and ordinary for the planting of his Church our Saviour thought meet to send them with extraordinary Commission and qualifications those that were such were especially Apostles Prophets Evangelists 1 Cor. 12.28 First Apostles secondarily Prophets Eph. 4.11 These were all to be Witnesses of the Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord Jesus and confirm their Doctrine by Miracles had their inspiration of the Holy Ghost special Presence of God and power in the Churches wherever they came especially the Apostles 9. The Apostles were XII which waited upon our Lord during his Ministry on earth before his Sufferings Judas then falling from his Ministry when our Lord Ascended he left eleven to which Matthias was added by Lot and Election of the Church Act. 1. to these two more were added afterwards by special command of the Holy Ghost to the Prophets in the Church at Antioch Act. 13.1 2 3. compared with chap. 14.14 Which when the Apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of and before that Ordination Barnabas was but a Prophet sent from the Church at Jerusalem to assist them that were there before as appears chap. 11.22 23. and chap. 13.1 10. The Prophets I apprehend to be such who were furnished with Gifts and Graces and extraordinary inspiration their Call and Commission being such for the calling of the Gentiles and gathering the Churches And I suppose them to be those Brethren of the 120 that waited together at Jerusalem till they were baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire being all equally with the
gavest me that is the charge of as a visible Pastor and that I took upon their visible Profession I have lost none but the Son of Perdition So John 15.2 Every branch in me in the Church by a visible Profession that beareth not fruit he taketh away verse 6. If a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a branch and withered So 1 John 2.19 They went out from us as a visible Church but were not of us as part of the Catholick Body 11. Churches of Christ are and may be in Nations Provinces Diocesses Parishes though those limits of co-habitation are not so as such Jerusalem Corinth Antioch Ephesus Smyrna Coloss c. were not Churches as such though there was a Church or Churches in each of those Towns or Cities therefore we read of the Church in Corinth and when he speaks of Provinces or larger Tracts he saith the Churches of such a place in the plural number viz. Churches of Galatia Macedonia Judea c. and therefore the Language of the Spirit of God now if he spake as then would be to say The Churches of England France Spain and not the Church supposing all the Churches in such a Province or Nation to be Organized into one Body under one visible Pastor according to our corrupt Dialect and Understanding 12. Hence lastly it is manifest that however it came to pass that by the subtile insinuation of the Mystery of Iniquity several Antichristian Fabricks have had the Reputation of the Churches of Christ yet it appearing that they are nothing so indeed by Christs constitution They are justly separated from by all truely informed in the mind and will of Christ And that this Separation is so far from being any thing of Schism or culpable Separation that it is a high and Eminent Duty that all they that are growing up to the Stature of the Fulness of Christ should be ambitious of and they need not fear the Unchurching of them that Christ never made Churches CHAP. IX Of the Bond of Vnion in the Church 1. WE have shewed that the Church of Christ is of the Nature of a Body-corporate whether considered in its mystical â—r visible State and therefore must â—ave a Bond of Union there being â—o body Physical or Politick but â—ath some peculiar Bond that uâ—ites all the parts whether simuâ—r or dissimular into one Body â—e Integrum or whole being made â—p of all parts brought into muâ—al conjunction and communion â—y the said common Nexus which 〈◊〉 the Principle of the Life Office Motion and Action of each part in its due Respect to the whole 2. The Church of Christ coming under this twofold consideration of Catholick and Visible in particular Congregations and Polities we must look upon the Bond or Nexus to be agreeable to each consideration the Spirit of God having so adjusted it 3. Hence the Spirit of Christ is the real true fundamental and indissoluble Bond of Union in this Catholick Body between Christ and his Church and every part and member thereof in Heaven and in Earth in all Ages and Nations of the World so that this whether visible or invisible is all but one Body though as for the visible part in all Ages attended with various Manifestations Dispensations and Regiments according aâ— Christ in his infinite Wisdom waâ— pleased to carry on and reveal the Glory of his Gospel-mysteries in the World Three States of the Church for its Oeconomy hath appeared First In Families as it continued from the beginning of the world till the increase of Abrahams Family into a Nation and then arose by some steps to a National Typical Church by Christs own constitution furnished with a higher Degree of Glory then the former State and inferiour to what was to follow The third and last was of all most clear perfect and glorious which was the Gospel Establishment freed from Vails Types Figures Shadows both in respect of the true Doctrine leading to Life and Salvation the Sun of Righteousness shining forth in his full Brightness no way overshadowed and in respect of Worship and Order of his House wherein he excell'd all that Moses or any before him could do in right Ordinances and Statutes for the managing the Form and Regiment thereof 4. This Bond of Union is purely mystical and no more visible than the Vital or rather Animal Spirits that vivifies the whole man in uniting the Soul and Body together whereby every part conjoined is quickned and inabled to Act in its due place and kind this we say is the Spirit of Christ as it will appear from the express words of the Scripture 1 Cor. 12.3 I give you to understand that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed and that no man caâ— say Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost Verse 4. Now there be diversitâ— of Gifts but the same Spirit Verse 5. And there are difference of Administrations under the Oâ— and New Testament but the same Lord and Head of the Church therefore the same Church Essential Verse 6. There are Diversities of Operations as in distinct Members which operate according to their particular Forms and Measures but it is the same God that worketh all in all i. e. God by the same Spirit Verse 7. To another Faith by the same Spirit to be understood of Faith of Miracles or more then ordinary measures of Saving Faith exerting it self in an eminent manner as Abrahams did in particular trying cases To another the gift of healing by the same Spirit he goes on to enumerate not only the extraordinary but ordinary gifts and graces of the Spirit those given forth in the Primitive Times and those that are since continued and saith vers 11. All these worketh that one and the self same Spirit dividing to every man severally as he will and then he goes on to tell us that the Spirit doth not only diffuse it self throughout and influence all the Members from the Head with every Gift and Grace but that it ties all the Members together to Christ the Head and one to another vers 12. For as the Body i. e the Natural Body is one and hath many Members and all the Members of that one Body being many are one Body i. e. Mystical vers 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one Body whether we be Jews or Gentiles the Jews before Christs coming were baptized spiritually into this Mystical Body whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit i. e. all partakers of the operations and influences of one Spirit in Regeneration and Justification Now having shewed that the Spirit unites the many Members into one Body and is the common Nexus he goes on to shew from whence the diversity of parts in form shape use and office doth arise and the harmony and agreement yea the necessity of this variety in kinds and degrees for the good of the whole vers 14. For the
Body is not one Member but many c. and vers 24. God hath tempered the Body together viz. with this diversity of Gifts of Parts of Knowledg For what end To make a Schism No but that the deficient parts should have the more honour verse 24. and not be trampled upon abused and exposed to shame and verse 25. That there should be no Schism in the Body but that the Members should have the same care one of another yea a sympathy and fellow-feeling should be established among all Parts verse 26. much less any hatred detestation and enmity betwixt them We argue then That which works all Gifts and Graces and knits together all the Members diversifyes all the Parts and brings them into an harmonious office and agreement for the good of the whole Mystical Body of Christ under the Old and New Testament is the Bond of Union of that Body but it appears the Spirit of Christ doth this Ergo it's the Catholick Bond. I might mention many other places I 'll only name two or three more Eph. 4.1 The Apostle exhorts to walk worthy of their vocation and mentioning many Christian Graces he tells them in the exercise of them they should keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this Unity notwithstanding all diversities is the ground-work of all Uniformity among Christians There is one Body one Spirit even as ye are called in one hope of your calling c. and remarkable is Ephes 2. from the 13th verse to the end where he tells us that Christ having abolished in his Flesh all enmity between God and us and between Jews and Gentiles those that were a far off are made nigh he hath made in himself being the common Head of twain i. e. Jew and Gentile one new man i. e. Christ Mystical so making Peace c. see verse 17. and ver 18. For through him we both Jews and Gentiles have access by one Spirit unto the Father and then he goes on to tell them that they are no more Strangers c. but made a Spiritual Building upon the best Foundation fitly framed together growing up into an holy Temple in the Lord in whom also ye are builded together i. e. the whole Catholick Body for a habitation of God through the Spirit which is the great Cement of this Spiritual Building that unites all the parts together and every particular part to the Head 5. The eminent uniting Graces which are wrought by the Spirit is Faith and Love Faith to our Lord Jesus Christ and Love to one another Love indeed is the most extensive union-Union-Grace because it reacheth the whole Mystical Body both the Church Militant and Triumphant Faith is an Eminent Grace of unspeakable use to Saints but it 's only for their Militant State 1 Cor. 13. But by Love both Saints Militant and Triumphant dwell in God and God in them 1 John 4.7 16. And hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit verse 13. But whilst we are here Faith must be primum movens as to our Love we must see him some way or other that we love nay we must be made nigh reconciled in our minds and embrace him and this closing yea first tasting of Christ is by Faith hence the Gospel Ministry and Ministration Eph. 4.12 is for the building up the Body of Christ further and further till all that do belong to him do come verse 13. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the one-ness of Faith or full agreement in the Faith of Jesus to the knowledge of the Son of God the Head to a perfect man i. e. to make up the perfection of the Mystical Manhood of Christ as Paul speaks elsewhere of filling up in his Body the Sufferings of Christ that remain the calling in the Elect is the perfecting the Mystical Body of Christ that henceforth ye be no more Children c. But speaking the Truth in love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truthing it away in love or walking sincerely in love doth grow up towards him or upon him in all things who is the Head even Christ verse 16. From whom i. e. from the indwelling of whose Spirit the whole Body is fitly articulated conjoyned and compacted together so the words signify by the supply of every Member receiving of the distributions of the Spirit for the particular Shape Use Dignity and Office of each part determined according to the effectual working 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Energy or in-operation viz. of the Spirit in every part We have also here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the same word Philip. 1.19 This shall turn to my Salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the influence or supply of the Spirit this influential supply is the cause of that excellency and beauty that appears in every part for the good of the whole 6. Having proved the Spirit of Christ to be the common Nexus or Bond of Union in the Mystical Body or Catholick Church it is not hard to evince a bond of Union also in every particular Church As the totum contains all the parts and the parts make up the whole So the Catholick Church contains all particular Churches and the same Bond that tyes the whole together tyes and limits each part but as the Catholick Church is yet Mystical and not Visible because its Bond of Union is such so when ever any part of this Church becomes visible there must be a manifestation and discovery as much as is possible of this Bond of the Spirit working by Faith and Love 7. For conveniency of edification Christ hath instituted several Congregations or Apartments in his Church with a power of choosing their own Officers and enjoyment of all Ordinances according to Christs Will and Appointment These particular Congregations must each of them as they are parts of the Catholick have a manifestation of the Bond of the Spirit uniting them to Christ and to his Body which manifestation is the visible form of a particular Church and Church Membership 8. This manifestation if it proceed so far as to be a Bond of Union in a particular Spiritual Body Politick it must be first A probable Profession of this inward Bond of the Spirit working by Faith and Love that the person or persons so professing may rationally according to the Rules of Charity be esteemed of the number of the Faithful which Professing Faithful Ones are the only matter of a Particular Church of Christ this is doing as Christians in the same manner as Paul did as a Minister 2 Cor. 4.2 Renouncing the hidden things of darkness c. by manifestation of the Truth commending our selves to every mans Conscience in the sight of God but of this before viz. That the true matter of a Particular Visible Church is visible Saints 2. There must be something or other to determine a man a Member of this or that Congregation more