reason of his remove And that this is so de facto see Can. 28. entituled Strangers not to be admitted to the Communion Church-wardens c. shall observe Whether any Strangers come often and commonly from other Parishes to their Church and shall shew their Ministers of them least perhaps they be admitted to the Lords Tahle amongst others which they shall forbid and remit such home to their own Parish-Churches and Ministers there to receive the Communion with their rest of their Neighbours Just as one Neighbour doth with the others Dogs when they run into each other houses a munching Home you Cur you c Here 's no admission of Members of another Parish therefore our conclusion holds good That by this bond of Communion Christians are cut off from the free Election of their Minister and Society in holy things whereas he is not enthralled so in worldly matters he can go out of the Parish to choose his Physician Chirurgion Wife Nurse Apprentice Taylor Trade and deal for any Commodities where he will excepting Spiritual and in those he must take no better will he nill he then his own Parish-shop affords Is not this so far from a Gospel constitution of a Church that it 's a miserable wretched and damnable device of the Devil to destroy the very nature of Gospel-Churches and ruine poor Souls to all intents and purposes I know what will be still pleaded for a Parish Church without respect some will it may be say to the bond of Cohabitation and that is this That where-ever the Word and Sacraments are Administred that is a true Church To which I answer these things 1. There is no politick Society but hath a bond of Union and if that be proved null void and of no effect as we have done the whole Society or Corporation falls to the ground 2. That which is Sawce for a Goose is for a Gander also if the Preaching the Word and Administring the Sacraments make a Church without any more why do the Assertors of Parish-Churches deny Separate Congregations where the Word and Sacraments are Administred to be such 3. There may be a Church in a Parish where the VVord is Preached and Sacraments Administred but it follows not thence the Parish is the Church It 's possible there may be a Church of Christ in Algiers but then it follows not that the City of Algiers is a Church 4. The 19th Can. of the Church of England saith There should be a Congregation of faithful men and a due Administration and the Word of God Purely Preached Implying that where the Majority at least which carries the denomination of the whole in all body politicks are not visibly faithful men but otherwise there 's not a Church of Christ likewise where the word of God is corruptly Preached and the Sacraments unduely administred 5. A Ministers Preaching by a meer Parish-relation makes him no more a Pastor then cohabitation makes the Parishioners Members for a Ministers Parish-relation is only a humane institution and indeed a matter of Civil Right which may be well improved in Reformed Christian Nations in order to Spiritual Advantage for the interest of Christ and his true constituted Churches by the countenance of good Magistrates but that it is a Church-relation setled on gospel-Gospel-grounds it would be absurdly insolent to pretend That the establishment of a Ruling Preaching Officer in the Church of Christ should be 1. by the Presentation of a Forreigner or a Tyrannical Gentleman or Landlord in the Parish it may be the most profest Enemy to Christ and his Church and if of the first sort by one that knows not the temper and disposition of the people nor the Abilities Parts and Honesty of him he Presents never regarding so much those qualifications whereby he might edify the people but only some carnal ends and advantages or particular regard to the Person of the Parish-Rector to prefer him or provide a competency for his Subsistance This man being presented is instituted and inducted takes to the profits for his life unless he forfeit them by some Puritan or Phanatick faults performs Parish-duties as the Law of some people requires this is his Parish-relation but not in the least grounded upon the Gospel 6. A Minister may Preach a great while in any place to any sort of people before there is a Church as for Conversion or for tryal of his Gifts and Parts but none can be so absurd as to affirm that that constant Preaching renders the Parish a Church for we know by woful experience that the word may be powerfully Preached in Parishes for a great while and great part most or it may be all be scarcely civilized but remain in Professed Atheism or manifest Prophaneness it may be open Persecuting Enmity to Godliness And if any say it must be constant Preaching that must denominate the Parish a Church I would know how long And what time is required If it be said till some are brought home to Christ and by a visible Profession to submit to his Gospel-Rules and Government then the limits of the Church is no further then the effects of the Gospel and it comprehends not those Inhabitants that still remain Professed Rebels against Christ So that if the Preaching the Gospel in a Parish renders it a Church of Christ as such one Sermon will do it as well as a hundred I say if all the Parishioners as such are to be the Church-members without exception upon the Gospel Preached 7. A Minister is often sent by Christian Magistrates for Conversion of People shall they presently be a Church whether they receive or own his Doctrine or no And it may be none of them or at least most of the Parishioners capable of judging of him or his Doctrine or a Minister sometimes is imposed by a Patron or Bishops c. upon a capable people shall they presently fall into a Church-Relation whether they approve him and choose him or no Such things carry the greatest absurdities with them 8. As Preaching may be in a Parish and no Constituted Church of Christ there so there may be the Administration of Sacraments and no Church of Christ there and if there be in the Parish it makes not the Parish a Church Suppose a pretended Minister imposed on a people that evidently enough declares himself by his life and Doctrine never to have been sent of Christ and challengeth the Parish by vertue of Humane Laws to be his Church as they call it which in general own no other Church-Relation but by Cohabitation this man goes on to Preach the Sentiments of his own Brain abuse Scripture Reproach Godliness rail at Persecute and devour the Sheep of Christ if there be any joyn in with the wicked ignorant lewd and debaucht part of the Parish and do all he can to infect the rest with the Scab or Rot This man Baptizeth and Administers the Lords Supper to his Infected Flock calls the soundest Schismaticks and Separatists Doth
the New Testament in the most general consideration or more particularly referring to it in the mystical part of it or to the Visible Externally Organized parts of it which are the particular Churches I shall briefly go through the places of the New Testament where it 's used for the Readers satisfaction It is taken for the Body of Christ under the most general and comprehensive signification and so it 's to be understood of a Body consisting of Head and Members made up of visible and invisible real and professing only The places carrying it in this sence are Mat. 16.18 Vpon this Rock will I build my Church i. e. my whole Spiritual Fabrick shall be built upon that Person and Doctrine which thou hast born witness to in this Profession Ephes 1.22 23. Hath put all things under his feet and gave him to be Head over all things to his Church which is his Body the fullness of him that filleth all in all Col. 1.24 Who now rejoyce in my Sufferings for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ mystical in my Flesh for his Bodies sake which is the Church Note that where the Church is called the Body of Christ it is meant of the Universal Church for the most part Eph. 3.10 To the intent that now unto Principalities and Powers in Heavenly Places might be made known by the Church the manifold Wisdom of God i. e. by the whole Church both militant and triumphant by the eminent Grace and Glory shinning forth in them even to the admiration of Angels even to see ver 9. The Fellowship of the Mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God c. And ver 21. Vnto him be Glory in the Church by Jesus Christ throughout all Ages world without end Ephes 5.25 He hath loved his Church and given himself for it ver 27. to make it a glorious Church 29. No man hateth his own flesh but nourisheth it and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church i. e. the whole Church for we are Members of his body of his flesh and his bones ver 32. This is a great Mystery but I speak of Christ and his Church Heb. 12.23 To the General Assembly and Church of the first born which must be understood of the Universal Church in its purest and most glorious state both militant and triumphant to which every true Believer comes when he is united by Faith to Christ the Head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is the only word in the New Testament can be rendred Catholick Assembly 2. Church is taken in the New Testament for the visible part of the Catholick Church 1 Cor. 12.27 28. Ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular and God hath set some in the Church first Apostles then Prophets c. In this and such like places Church is taken primarily for the Universal Church though there be many things applyed thereto which more immediately belong to the visible parts of it in particular simular Congregations and differing Members in respect of Office Grace or Gifts And so i 's to be understood in the place last quoted as also Eph. 4.11 12 13. a Parallel Place and such is Rom. 12.4 5 6 7. Lastly 1 Tim. 3.15 That thou may'st know how to behave thy self in the house of God which is the Church of God i. e. in a particular part of the Universal Church which is the pillar and ground of truth i. e. the Universal Church is the pillar and ground of Truth in the world to defend and maintain it and hold forth the light of it but every particular Church is a Candlestick to hold the Candle of the Gospel-Light and Profession and Ordinances among which Christ walks These are all the places so near as I can find which have reference to the Catholick Church where Ecclesia or Church is mentioned unless those that speak of Pauls Persecuting the Church which may be understood not only actual Persecuting the Particular Church of Jerusalem but of the whole Body of Christ because 1. that Church was all as yet Planted and 2. because Christ takes his rage and enmity to be levyed and managed against his mystical Body Acts 9. Saul Saul why Persecutest thou me The places are these 1 Cor. 15.9 Gal. 1.13 Phil. 3.6 Acts 8.3 CHAP. VII Of a Particular Church I come in the next place to shew what the word Church importeth in all other Texts of the New Testament were it is used not yet mentioned which is far the greater part And to make it evident that no other Church is by them intended then such an one which is described in the 19th Article of the Church of England viz. A Church is a Congregation of Faithful Men where the pure Word of God is Preached and the Sacraments duly Administred according to Gods holy Ordinances which can have no other understanding then that of a Particular Church I need not descant upon it it carryes so much plainness and correspondency to the genuine sence of a Church in all places of the Gospel where a particular Church is intended that there is no room for exception The first Text is Mat. 18.17 Tell the Church which is the particular Congregation of faithful men c. It s nonsence to suppose that a National or Provincial Church is here meant that upon every offence between brother and brother an address must be made to a Council Synod Archbishop or Bishop and where have we Counsels or Synods or Pastors called Churches in any place of the New Testament If any man preâ—end to object that our Saviour here â—ntended the Church of the Jews â—nd that to tell the Church was to tell the Sanhedrim Let such an one give one instance that the Sanhedrim is called the Church in Old or New Testament I am sure not in the New neither is it rational to suppose that our Saviour gave here Rules for the Oeconomy of the Jewish Church which was so soon after to be dissolved as to its whole constitution our Saviour never intending the erection of a National Church more 2. The next Texts are Acts 2.47 Of the Church of Jerusalem And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved This was without dispute a particular Congregation for there was as yet but that one which was that CXX which Christ left together at his Ascention This was the Congregation of the Faithful which was added to which is the same Church that was spoken of Acts 5.11 Fear fell upon all the Church or Congregation of the Faithful The first multiplying of Churches was occasioned by Sauls Persecution after the stoning of Stephen scattering a great part of this Congregation now grown too big for one Acts 8.1 3. There was a great Persecution against the Church which was at Jerusalem against this Church in particular Sauls Persecution was breathed which he mentions afterward 1 Cor. 15.9 Gal. 1.13 Phil.
upon grounds more evident believed then any reasons brought to prove the contrary by that worthy person wherein he acknowledgeth himself almost singular in this undertaking and lays his first and greatest stress on that expression 1 Cor. 11.22 Here saith he I take the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church to note not the Assembly but the place appointed for sacred duties and that from the opposition thereof to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their own houses these are places proper for common and ordinary repast and not the Church or housâ— of God This is the only argument which he brings besides some obscure passages of some Fathers whose opinions will not sway here but as in other things so far as we see them consonant to the truth manifest in Scriptures compared together and it seems strange that the word should have a tropical meaning in this place and every where else a proper one and besides the reason from the opposition will not hold especially if we consider what Mr. Mede understands those Oratories or Churches of theirs to be It is not to be imagined that in the first three hundred years before Constantines time that they were such goodly and stately structures as the Church had after the Empire became Christian At the first some capable and convenient Room within the walls or dwelling of some pious Disciple dedicated by the religious bounty of the owner to the use of the Church and that usually an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upper room or Caenaculum It 's very probable that all the Disciples houses were at the service of the Churches but that any one house or room in a house was dedicated so to that religious use as to be separated for it from common uses when the Church met not is not probable at all for in times and places of Persecution if Churches meet in any certain house or place though in a private house they shall be sure to be interrupted and broken in upon by Persecuting Officers and Informers The only place met in for some time considerable that we read of was Pauls own hired house at Rome but we find not that it was consecrated or called a Church I am sure consecrated Barns Garrets Cellars or Dining Rooms would be esteemed by our devout Ecclesiasticks a great Abomination But how will the Opposition hold if the Room called the Church was in the same house they eat and drank ordinarily in He should have rather said Have ye not Kitchens or Parlours of common use to eat and drink in but you must despise or put a Prophanation on the Garret which is the Church of God Besides if that Addition had not been made to the Church I should much rather have enclined to Mr. Mâ—des sence if he had said only despise ye the Church But I take it that it would be a very audacious and highly abusive Expression to say Tâ—at a Meeting-house is a Church of God or a Church of Christ And why is not the Opposition as full thus Have you not houses to eat and drink in or Families for so the word is used But you must do it in the Church-Assemblies for they made their Love-feasts in their Assemblies It is evident enough that the Apostle takes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the Assembling of the Church together as vers 18. where its used when you meet together in Assembly i. e. when you are Congregated together I hear that there have been Divisions or Schisms among you and those he means had the Divisions who were the Church for the Gospel ascribes culpable Schismes no where but to Body Politicks or Assemblies not to Houses But if we grant Mr. Mede all that he so industriously labours to squeeze out of the Text only to favour the Relative Holiness of such places it s not to be supposed that he intended that they were real and proper Churches but only Metonymical Churches by a Trope and improperly so named no otherwise allowable names putting the Continens pro contento to distinguish places allotted to convenient assembling in Religious Worship from Town-halls and other houses of meeting together for publick concerns or more private Society and Conversation And so we lose nothing by it if such a place be called improperly a Church it s not the Church of Christ intended in the Gospel which Christ purchased with his blood nor built of living stones nor such as Christ is the Head of nor such as Paul wrote his Epistles too nor the Church of Corinth which he exhorts rebukes and commends in the Epistles that he wrote And therefore we may with the greatest assurance conclude that no place where Religious Assemblies frequently use to be is a Church of Christ or may properly be so called They that plead the Expression in the Ephesian Town-Clerks Speech Act. 19.37 Ye have brought hither these which are neither Robbers of Churches Shew their little skill in the Original Text the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Robbers of Temples such as were dedicated to the Heathen Gods and Godesses to which they ascribed not only Relative but inherent Holiness and therefore adapted that name to them CHAP. III. Of a National and Provincial CHURCH CHrist never instituted any such Church under the Gospel Administration as a National and Provincial or Diocesan there is as much for one as for the other there 's no seeming pretence can be made for any of them from any Gospel Expression when I say this I mean not a Church in a Nation Province or Diocess nor all the particular Churches in such place collectively and co-ordinately considered But I mean in the usual acceptation of such Churches in our day as of France of Spain of Denmark c. and in the sence that a National Church was taken in under the Old Testament viz. an Organized National Provincial or Diocesan Church that have Officers or Members suited to their respective Natures and Constitution as Pastors and other Officers Exercising National Provincial or Diocesan Jurisdiction in Ecclesiastical Courts or elsewhere and Members quatenus Natives of such places being therefore said to be born within the Pale of the Church or by vertue of such Nativity have immediate right to baptism and made so I say that that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no where signifies such a Church in the New Testament except when there is mention made of the Church of the Jews and the word is but once used in Application to them Act. 7.38 This was he who was in the Church in the Wilderness this we own was a National Church but elsewhere in the New Testament I know not of one place where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can with any fair pretence be understood of a National Church Besides it may be argued from undeniable reasons that Christ instituted or intended not such a Church for the days of the Gospel If it be duely weighed that Christ by his Death put a full Period to the whole Jewish
capacities for the Honour and Interest of Christ more then a Heathen Magistrate yet his being a Christian adds not unto his Authority as Magistrate neither doth Christianity de jure extend his Legislative Power further then it was before And therefore if the Magistrate as such hath a Legislative Power in matters of Religion then all have and Heathen as well as Christian and that power which the Magistrate hath Jure divino we are bound Jure divino to obey Ergo required to be of that Religion the Magistrate by Law imposeth of one kind or another This is an undeniable consequence CHAP. IV. Of Parochial Churches THere is no such things as a Parochial Church deducible from Rules of the Gospel neither can it be shewed that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the New Testament doth any where import such a meaning from any Application of it there made by the Spirit of God What Pleas able and learned men have made for such Churches you must give us leave to reject unless they carry Scripture light and demonstration along with them without which our minds and consciences cannot be bound to Faith and Submission A Parochial Church we take in the most common and candid Acceptation without binding our selves to the Term Parochial or Parish that being but of latter times That all Persons cohabiting within such Bounds Limitations or Divisions of Ground becoming a Parish Township Village or going under any other Denomination by the Customs or Laws of the Land where they are I say such Divisions and Limitations of ground doth not set out the bounds of a Gospel-Church but that it may extend further then such Land-marks or be of lesser Extent according to the Number or Situation of the Professing Believers in those parts for conveniency of their assembling together and Communion for mutual Edification neither is it necessary that all co-inhabitants within such limits should be Members of one and the same Congregation yea that all should be reputed fit matter for any seeing nothing is more evident and every where experiencd than that there is the greatest mixture of all sorts of men in such limits and neighbourhoods common and natural Justice allowing every one that habitation that he can claim a civil right and title to let him be good or bad it s not Religion that makes men members of this or that Parish or Irreligion that excludes them Now if co-habitation in such a Precinct makes a man a member of the Church of Christ there if there be any it is either because it makes him necessarily so or gives him a due claim if the first he must be one whether he be willing or no and so long as he dwells in those limits they can enforce him to be so and then the Church must be supposed to have a compulsive Power not only internal by moral Perswasions but a Spiritual as to the exercise of Censures towards them that are without which is Nonsence and ridiculous yea an external compulsive power on mens Persons and Actions to be exerted by themselves or some by and under them in order to make men Church-members and this is so great a contradiction not only to the Tenure of the Gospel yea wholly without any President under the old or new Testament-constitutions and to the most common Understanding of the Nature of Religion that to assert it is most grosly absurd to any understanding Christian Ear and therefore not worth insisting upon Or it gives him a right and claim but co-habitation gives not a man a right and claim Ergo For then he may come and challenge his right and they cannot hinder him pleading that he hath what is necessary to Church-membership viz. Cohabitation Hence no Church would have Power to maintain any Purity of Ordinances and defend them from corrupt communicants according to the Rules of the Gospel and therefore there would be no need of Officers and Discipline to this end Besides Excommunication must be the Removal of men out of the Parish and nothing else for it is the cutting a man off from the bond of communion Now if the Parish limits be the bond of Fellowship then Excommunication must be the cutting a man off from it but Christ never intended that Church Discipline should cut off any one from civil Rights and Properties and banish men Yea there is nothing makes the Ordinances of Christ so cheap and contemptible as such Church work as this when there is no other Qualification required to adult Church-membership then cohabitation in the Precinct where such pretended Church is and this is so necessary an enforcing reason that the Inhabitant cannot avoid it without the hazard of the greatest Penalties from Church and State neither can the Church refuse him making a Profession of christianity at large though he be otherwise the greatest known Debauchee in all manner of Wickedness nor when he is admitted to communion be rid of him according to the true Nature of this Rule but by removing him out of the Parish And therefore I suppose this is the Reason of the Proceeding of such that assert Parish-churches that after Excommunication upon non-return Offenders are committed to a Goal a Severity that Christ and his Apostles never thought of but in a Spirit of Prophecy when they foresaw the cruelty and tyranny that would be exercised under the Antichristian Kingdom Forcible and impos'd communion is nauseous to all generous minded men in natural or civil Societies no man will be forced to be of a Family by way of Affinity nor of a Society by incorporation Nay there 's no such Society Oeconomy or Body corporate but look upon it much beneath them to prostitute their Rights and Priviledges to every Paultry Townsman or Inhabitant much less will impose them upon unwilling Persons though accounted never so worthy Lastly by this Bond of Church fellowship viz. Cohabitation a man is totally deprived of the use of his own Reason Judgment and Conscience in Spirituals whereas all Laws leaves us to the use of them in temporal and civil affairs for if a man is immediately of such a Church as soon as he hath rented a house or took Lodgings in such a Parish the whilst he inhabits there he cannot upon any terms but of culpable Separation joyn himself to another Church where he may be more edifyed tho' but a stones cast from him And if he was of the other Parish before where he enjoyed God under an able Godly Minister and in the communion of a faithful people and doth upon family-necessity or conveniency of trade or dwelling remove but into the next street over the Parish-bounds where it may be in the next is an ignorant scandalous persecuting and rayling Minister and haply a people not unlike him which is no new thing the Prophets tells us Like Priests like People he is necessitated to be a Professed Member of this Synagogue of Satan and cann't remain a Church-member of the former by
by the Ministry first of the Prophets i. e. the scattered Brethren from Jerusalem were setled and confirmed by the Apostles who Ordained Officers respectively among them I proceed in the next place to the Churches to whom the several Epistles were wrote We read not the word Church in any part of the Epistles to the Romans but in the 16th chapter and there referring to other Churches The Church of the Romans as verse 1. he speaks of Phebe a Deaconess of the Church at Cenchrea and verse 4 mentions all the Churches of the Gentiles verse 5. salutes the Church in Aquila's house vers 16. The Churches of Christ salute you Though we have reason enough to believe that there was at this time a constituted Church at Rome because first he writes to them as beloved of God and called to be Saints chap. 1. verse 7. Secondly because he gives Rules to them for walking towards each other as those in Fellowship chap. 14. Thirdly Phebe is recommended to them from the Church at Cenchrea which would not have been had they not been a Church In the Epistle to the Corinthians we have more mention made of the word Church then in any Epistle The Church of Corinth importing a Particular Congregation and we may begin with that description the Apostle gives of it 1 Cor. 1.2 Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints c. he writes not to all the Inhabitants of Corinth but to the Church which he tells you what they are sanctified in Christ Jesus called to be Saints which words are exegetical of Church so he directs his second Epistle 2 Cor. 1.1 Vnto the Church of God which is at Corinth with all the Saints which are in all Achaia Corinth was a City of the Province of Achaia and he writes primarily to the Church at Corinth and likewise to all the Saints which were in that Province whether they were actually in Church Fellowship or no. I shall briefly mention all the other Texts where Church is taken plainly for such a Particular Congregation as is described in the first Epistle chap. 1. 1 Cor. 4.17 I have sent unto you Timotheus who shall bring you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ as I teach every where in every Church i. e. every particular Congregation 1 Cor. 6.4 If then you have judgment of things appertaining to this life set them to judge who are least esteemed in the Church i. e. in the Church of the Corinths of them it s primarily intended and as a rule for other particular Churches where no such thing as Christian civil Magistrates was in those times 1 Cor. 7.17 As the Lord hath called every one so let him walk and so ordain I in all the Churches i. e. as a Rule for every particular member of each Church 1 Cor. 11.16 If any man sâ—emeth to be contentious we have no such Custom nor the Churches of God Verse 18. When you come together in the Church i. e. the Assembly not meant of the meeting place as before noted the same sence as in verse 22. Chap. 14.4 He that Prophesieth Edifieth the Church i. e. the Congregation that heareth him And verse 5. his reason of prefering Prophecying is given viz. That the Church may receive Edifying therefore saith verse 12. Seek that ye may excel that the Church may receive Edifying and verse 19. In the Church I had rather speak five words with my Vnderstanding that I might teach others Verse 23. If the whole Church be come together in one place Verse 28. If there be no Interpreter let him keep silence in the Church c. Verse 33. God is not the Author of Confusion but of Peace as in all the Churches of the Saints Verse 34. Let your Women keep silence in the Churches Verse 35. For it is a shame for Women to speak in the Church Chap. 16.1 Concerning the Collection for the Saints as I have given Order to the Churches such as are in the Province of Galatia even so do ye Where should Collections be made but in particular Congregations Verse 19. The Churches of Asia i. e. of that Region salute you Aquila and Prescilla salute you and the Church in their House it may be that frequently assembled there or that was for the most part belonging to their Family there might be enough for a competent Congregation in such times as those that Church is mentioned more times 2 Cor. 8.1 We do you to wit of the Grace of God bestowed on the Churches of Macedonia the word is always used in the plural Number when it s applyed to Nations Provinces Macedonia was a Province Regions as of Galatia Macedonia Asia Judea Verse 18 19. We have sent with him the Brother whose praise is in the Gospel throughout all the Churches verse 19. And not that only but who were also chosen of the Churches to travel with us the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and might be rendred ordained as well as in other places Verse 23. They are Messengers of the Churches Verse 24. Wherefore shew to them and before the Churches the proof of your Love Chap. 11.8 I robbed other Churches to serve you 2 Cor. 11.28 That which cometh upon me daily the care of all the Churches viz. as to his Apostolical Office 2 Cor. 12 13. What is it wherein you are inferiour to other Churches It seems there 's no superiority of one particlar Church above another but are all co-ordinate The word is thrice used in the Epistle to the Gallatians Chap. 2.1 2. Paul an Apostle and all the Brethren which are with me unto the Churches of Galatia a Province Verse 13. You have heard of my Conversation how that beyond measure I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it i. e. the Church of Jerusalem which was only extant when he began his Persecution and for ought I know while it lasted for that was a principal occasional cause of scattering the Jerusalem Church in order to Propagation but he tells them of more Churches in the Province of Judea after his Conversion Verse 21 22. Afterwards I came into the Regions of Syria and Cilicia and was unknown by face unto the Churches of Judea which were in Christ. The Apostle directs the Epistle to the Ephâ—sians thus To the Saints which are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus which terms have a synonymous acceptation most times with a Church and we have ground enough to believe there was an Established Church there when Paul wrote he writing of such high mysteries concerning Christ and his Church but we are fully assured of it afterward when John wrote Rev. 2.1 where he directs his Epistle to the Ephesian Church as if to the Dutch or French Church in England or the Ephesian Congregation at Ephesus but in all places where Church is mentioned in this Epistle he treats only of the Catholick Church
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
and obscure and so will be until such time as this Babylonish cheat be perfectly discovered to the minds of men and that whole fabrick destroyed Among all the Mists and Foggs that this Mistress of Sorceries hath raised to lose the true Spouse of Christ in it there 's not many hath been greater then the confusion of Languages and especially about the word Church and Schism that all Enquirers spake of the Church but no two meant the same thing men generally agreed there was a Church and a true one excluding Rome but could not tell what a kind of thing it should be and great contentions have been and are to this day about it Some say Here is the Church and others that it is there and every one cries up his Church and calls others Schismaticks and they that get power into their hands deal with others as such Now it would be worth our while to search after many who have found for confirmation of those that will be perswaded of the Truth and to examine every Church that pretends to that Name by the Test of the Gospel that we may be fully resolved what metal each is made of I know all Christians of what mould or size whatever do pretend to lay no other Foundation then Jesus Christ and it s well if it were true of all professing themselves Protestants for that Foundadation is a Rock and they are so far wise that lay Christ as such in their writings and doctrine but yet that will not bear an ill Superstructure as a good one will not long stand on a bad foundation so a good foundation will not long bear up an ill Superstructure 1 Cor. 3.11 12. Other Foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this Foundation Gold Silver Precious-stones Wood Hay Stubble Every mans work shall be manifest for the day shall declare it because it shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is verse 14. If any mans work abide which he hath â—uilt thereupon he shall receive a reward verse 15. If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved provided he lay a good foundation yet so as by fire I doubt not but many good mens and Ministers Church-works will be burnt and they will suffer loss it will be manifest one day to be the great blemish of the Reformation that so many good men that have Preached Christ clearly as to his Sonship Natures Offices Merits and Satisfaction for Justification and Sanctifâ—cation have from interest prejudice or ignorance extreamly fumbled in most of the concerns of his Gospel-Church I have much admired to hear some mens Pulpit-zeal against sin in general and for the advancement of holiness even to a justifying condition and when we come to enquire of the particular cases for the practice of it in Gospel and revealed Religion in duties toward God they can tell you of nothing but moral natural Religion and reduce all the Service of God under the Gospel thereto saying they have no other Rule to direct us there but such as this Let every soul be subject to the Higher Powers Rom. 13.1 So as for revealed Religion under the Gospel our judgments and practice must be wholly regulated by and resolved into the wills laws and commands of men But to come to the matter we intend seeing the word Church is cloathed with so great ambiguity and so much dust raised about it to the perplexing of mens minds and Consciences we shall principally fix our Enquiries for the true sence and notion of the word upon the tenure of the Gospel and the meaning of the Spirit of God there knowing that it is That hath the greatest power upon the Consciences of men when it comes with evidence and demonstration to convince us of Truth and whereas fire and sword yea mens great words and looks may terrify flesh and blood yea Pulpit Thunder-Claps discharged on the behalf of Error and Nonsense do keep many weak judgments and consciences in bondage and thraldom afrighting them from an impartial search for truth by hard names equivocating words passionate and zealous ways of expression yet a Conscience truly enlightened by Divine Testimony is very little concern'd at such things any more than to pity such passionate Soul-confounding blind guides and much more their poor deluded enslaved Followers I shall handle this word Church two ways for our more distinct understanding its true Gospel meaning 1. Shew in what sence it is not usually taken 2. In what sence it is CHAP. II. Shewing that a place of Meeting is no where taken in the New Testament for a Church of Christ IT 's necessary to intimate concerning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in General that tho' it be taken for a Congregation or Assembly of people yet it 's not alwayes limited to a religious one but is used by Classick Authors for any Assembly prophane civil or religious and so it 's used expresly Acts 19. for a prophane and tumultuous assembly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for a civil lawful Court or Assembly ver 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first of which was dismissed ver 40. But in the proper and usual sence of the Spirit of God in the New Testament it 's every where except in the place above mentioned taken for a Church of Christ in one sence or another and therefore that we may be assured in what sences it is understood it 's necessary to winnow the Chaff from the Wheat and set aside such things as through the mistakes of men error custom and carnal interest are usually called so and imposed as such upon erring or unthinking judgments when Christ and his Gospel never called them so First there is nothing more frequent among us then to call a place of meeting for Publick-Worship a Church I affirm there is no just reason of understanding it so in the New Testament no not in a Metonymy-sence though Learned Mr. Joseph Mede takes a great deal of pains to prove that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 11.22 Have ye not houses to eat and drink in but despise you the Church of God is there to be understood for the material place of ordinary assembling together for the Worship of God and saith that their Oratories where they frequently met were called Churches and yet in the begining of his discourse he saith It is taken for granted in a manner by the most of our Reformed Writers and affirmed by some of the other side that in the Apostles times and ages next after them whilst the Church lived under Pagan and Persecuting Emperours Christians had no Oratories or places set apart for Divine Worship but that they assembled here and there promiscuously and uncertainly as they pleased or the occasion served in places of common use and not otherwise which thing undoubtedly is justly enough and