give assent 3. they give assent to the Covenant of Grace 4. They are perswaded in a general maÌ„ner that God will perform his promises to the members of his Church Ep. to his declar of a man estate And ads Mark here is a true faith wrought by the holy Ghost yet not saving faith either First that the calling whereby men are brought to leave the world to renounce Idols to embrace the true religion Hystorically to believe the Gospel to see a necessity of depending on Christ repentance and obedience to salvation are no real works but this would be against common sense for we see the contrary with our eyes Or secondly that these common works are also saving works but this would be against experience which sadly tells us that men may go so farre and yet no further in the way to heaven or else against the doctrine of perseverance Or Thirdly that these common graces do not really constitute a visible Church but this would be against what we have formerly proved Or Fourthly and lastly that God is not the worker of these common effects by his Word which would indeed be against Religion I shall therefore conclude this Argument with those known and pertinent words of Amesius hence saith he even visible Hinc ecclesiae etiam visibiles particulares ratione fidei quam profiteutur rect è dicun tur esse in Deo paTre in domino Jesu Christo 1 Thes 1. 1. 2 Thes 1. 1. Medul p. 168. and particular Churches by reason of the faith which they professe as also I might adde by reason of the grace which they have received from God are rightly said to be in God he doth not say ratione fidei qua but ratione fidei quam profitentur that being the faith of God which they professe through the work of the common grace of God upon them they are rectè or truely said to be in God without any further consideration of any saving grace by which they believe received from him CHAP. VII The Argument from Christ as the head of the visible Church THe second Argument from the efficient is taken from Christ as the cause efficient of the visible Church according to dispensation or as he is the head thereof Thus Christ may be considered to be truely the head of the visible Church without respect to saving influence therefore the visible Church may be considered to be truely his body without respect to saving grace The reason of the connexion here is most evident but I must needs confesse that the antecedent requires as well a modest inquisition as strong demonstration seeing it is easily noted to crosse many plain expressions of eminent Divines In this antecedent there are two distinct branches First that Christ is the head of the visible Church this passeth Secondly that he may be so considered without necessary respect to saving influence this is my task which I shall humbly undertake after I have gotten a faire understanding with my reader therein For I desire it may be heeded that I do not affirm that Jesus Christ doth performe the office of a head fully without saving influence but as it is expressed truely i. e. in some measure truely 2. It may be also observed that truely here stands not in opposition to mystically but to falsly or to seemingly onely for though our Divines do usually mean by the mystical body the Church invisible yet doubtlesse Master Cotton as is well noted of him by others also doth not speak improperly when he termes a particular visible Church a mysticall body and if that be granted the visible Church though not particular may also challenge the same title and if the visible Church be granted to be the mystical body of Christ then Christ may be said to be its mystical head Besides if Christ be indeed the head of the visible Church as none do doubt and if he be not the head thereof as it is Physically or Mathematically taken which none will affirme who can deny but that he is so Mystically 3. Further may it be noted that it is not said that Christ doth performe the office of an head to the Church truely without saving influence in any other consideration but as it is the visible Church for if any will assert a Church invisible I am not bound at all to follow him and say that this Church invisible also hath true influence from its head Christ which is not saving a thing not to be imagined 4. Lastly neither do I offer to say that Christ is the head of his body visible without saving influence but that he may be so considered without respect thereunto seeing there are influences not saving which yet descend from Christ as the head upon his body the Church and upon many of the members thereof that shall never be saved and this is enough for my present purpose because in whatsoever sense Christ may be said to leave the influence of a head upon his Church the Church may in the same sense be said to be his body and if it shall truely be made to appear that Christ doth really performe the office of the head when he doth not give saving grace it will thence easily follow of it selfe that the Church may be consideâ—ed to be truely his body without respect thereunto Now that Christ may be considered to be thus truely the head of the visible Church without respect to saving grace I think appeareth thus Arg. 1. Christ truely dispenseth gifts and graces not saving to the visible Church and to many particular members thereof Arg. 1 that shall never be saved as he is a head therefore he may be considered to be truely the head of the visible Church without respect to saving influence The Antecedent which is alone to be proved hath three parts 1. That Christ doth truely dispense gifts and graces not saving to the visible Church which none that know what the gifts of prayer preaching healing c. or what the graces of illumination conviction common faith and common love are will offer to deny 2. That Christ bestoweth these both gifts and graces upon some particular members of the visible Church which shall never be saved this also will be easily granted me 1. Concerngifts in Judas and in those that are reserved to cry out another day we have prophecied in thy Name and in thy Name we have Mat. 7. 22 cast out devils and Secondly concerning graces if we but once shall think upon that sad catalogue the Apostle recordeth Heb. 6 4 5 6. 3. That Christ bestoweth these gifts and graces not saving Profession of saith before a visible Church uniteth to Christ as head of the visible Church whether the person be sincere or no cobbet of Inf. Bapt. p. 57. as a head which is also very evident 1. Because they are gifts and graces abound in the Church alone 2. Because they are conveyed to the Church by the dispensation of Ordinances which
so but though the Church may be sometimes obscured it never loseth its visibility or ceaseth to be visible So Ames ecclesia nunquam planè desinit esse visibilis Med. p. 166. 39 quamvis enim aliquando viz usquam appareat ecclesia tam pura c. ecclesia tamen aliquo modo visibilis exist it in illa ipsa impuritate cultus professionis which we may take in English in those pertinent words of Master Fox the right His protestation before his Acts and Monuments Church saith he is not so invisible in the world as none can see it The Scripture-Church is most properly the Church of Christ this none can well deny But now the visible Church is the Scripture-Church as appeares from the Doctrine of Scripture about the Church the examples the parts the Ordinances and number of Scripture-Churches First the Doctrine of the Scripture about the Church is generally such as agreeth onely with the Church-visible viz. as made up of tares and wheat good and bad Elect and reprobate c. Yea the very word Church in Scripture as some affirme is not more then once taken for the Church-invisible which is Heb. 12. 23. though that very place is by some Reverend Divines understood of the Church-visible also for it was already come into by persons then alive ye are come therefore the Church on earth and it was a Church that had Ordinances in it v. 25. therefore the visible But if it should be granted as Master Blake observes that in this place and in two or three more the Scripture meaneth the Church invisible which is as much as can be pretended unto yet doubtlesse that which is the ordinary language of the holy Ghost which he useth most often and almost always is that which is most proper 2. It also appears from the examples of Scripture-Churches De quâ solâ ecclefiâ praesumptivâ c. Dav. Detern p. 218. ex spalatensi for have not even all these a mixture of corrupt and wicked members and is such a mixture compatible with the Church invisible or what Churches can such be but visible therefore saith Davenant all such Scriptures and assertions of the fathers as speak of this mixture of good and bad in the Church are to be understood of the presumptive or visible Church 3. It further appeares by the parts of the Scripture-Church which are generally such as are onely to be found in the visile Church that the Scripture-Church is the visible Church The parts of the Scripture-Church are generally Priest and people Pastors and flock the Rulers and the ruled the Catechisers and the catechized and the like as both the Old and New Testament abundantly testifie Now in the Church invisible there are no such parts no such relations no such officers but all are members but Christ the head therefore the Scripture-Church wherein these parts and officers as such are viz. Priests Prophets Apostles Bishops Pastors Elders Deacons Rulers Cetechizers c. must needs be the visible Church Fourthly that the Scripture-churche is the visible Church appears moreover by the dispensation of Ordinances fixed therein which is proper and peculiar to the visible Church in all the Scripture-Churches we finde a dispensation of the Word Sacraments discipline the dispensation whereof is in the hands of men who are onely capable of dealing with the Church as visible yea the dispensation it self is visible and all will readily grant that these Ordinances are all of them peculiar to the visible Church the attendance of the Church upon them being the most eminent and remarkable meanes of rendring the Church her self to be visible Lastly this yet farther appears from the number of the Scripture-churches they are many the Church at Rome Corinth Galatia Ephesus Colosse Philippi Thessalonica Pergamus Thyatira c. Whereas the invisible Church is also indivisible 't is but one and not to be divided into any more therefore the Scripture-church which is thus actually divided must needs be the visible Church Arg. 5. My last Argument is taken from the Name Church and may be this The visible Church in its nature doth not properly answer to the name Church therefore it is most properly the Church for that thing which doth in its nature most properly answer to such a name must needs be the thing most properly which that name doth signifie Now the nature of the visible Church may be observed to answer to the name Church in a most proper signification both in English Latine Greek and Hebrew 1. In English the word Church doth in a true and direct propriety of speech signifie nothing but that which is the Lords and may be conceived to imply the Lords people or the Lords house Die Kyrchen nuxcupant ipsum Dei populum Domum in quo hic congregatur ad cultum Dei Vid. Bul. Dec. p. 135. it seemes to be taken from the German word Kurch which also alludeth haply to the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dominica which as Bullinger observes they used to understand both of the people and the house of the Lord where the people of the Lord used to assemble and indeed of both as they have relation one to the other Now if the name Church intend the people of the Lord meeting together in one place to attend on the worship of God we need not much trouble our selves for its proper application to the visible Church 2. In Lattine the Church is called Congregatio the Congregation or the people gathered together answering haply to the Hebrew which may also be here taken notice of Katial 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Congregavit Now doth not this name also most properly agree with the nature and reason of the visible Church is it not a local gathering together that most properly constitutes a Congregation and is not this most proper to the particular and consequently to the visisible Church therefore is she also called an Assembly a body a City a Kingdom none of which but most properly resemble the Church as visible 3. Lastly the Church in Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which most directly imports a people called out of the world as anon more largely Indeed the term from or out of which the Church is called is not expressed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet all agree that it is as necessarily implied in it Now this sense of the word Church most properly and exactly intendeth the Church-visible this being most apparently and properly called out of the world as easily appeareth For the world here must be understood to be either the world of the ungodly or the world of infidels but it cannot be understood of the world of the ungodly because there is still a mixture of the Church and the world in this sense according to that of our Saviour I pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world then if the world out of which the Church is called be
is the dispensation of Christ as head 3. Because the Scripture it self hath noted them to be the proper work of the spirit of Christ which is peculiarly designed and sent to do the work of Christ as head gifts are so there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit that giveth them all graces are so too for the spirit is to convince the world of sinne c. and those that were enlightened and had tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come by common grace they as the text addes were made partakers of the holy Ghost 4. Because these gifts and graces are most properly reducible to the work of Christs offices which he dispenseth as head gifts to his prophetical and graces to his Priestly and Kingly office Arg. 2. The members of the visible Church may be considered Arg. 2 to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace therefore Christ may be also considered to be truely the head of the visible Church without respect thereunto the consequence is obvious The Antecedent viz. that members of the visible Church may be considered to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace appears 1. Because the members of the visible Church may be considered to be truely objâ—cts of discipline truely called to the Ministry and truely baptized without respect to saving grace 1. The members of the visible Church may be considered to be truely objects of discipline without respect to saving grace 1 Cor. 5. unlesse fornication railing drunkennesse covetousnesse malice wickednesse or scandal as such for which discipline is properly appointed carry respect to saving grace or those that are about dispense the rod should first consider whether the fault may consist with grace or a saving condition and otherwise not to lash therewith Therefore it will follow that the members of the visible Church may be considered to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace For 1. All discipline is truely a part of the administration of Christ as Head of the Church it being truely appointed by himself to be dispensed by such as stand in his stead in the Church Quia vero tam efficaciter urget obedientiam er ga Christum idcirco non sâ—ne ratione singulari magna pars regni Christi preut visibiliter ecclesiam regit ab optimis theologis in ista disciplina colocatur Medul p. 202 to be dispensed by them in his Name alone to be made effectual by his power alone and lastly it being so urgent a meanes of obedience to his Gospel Wherefore as Amesius addeth is not without singular reason according to the method of our best Divines reputed a great and special part of the Kingdome of Christ which all will grant belongeth to him as Head of the Church 2. The objects on whom discipline is to be exercised or granted by all to be members of the Church and consequently of Christ for as we have said discipline is part of his dispensation as head and the influence of the head is not beyond the body Certainly Christ judgeth none with discipline but such as the Church ought to judge now the Church ought to judge none but those that are within for those that are without God 1 Cor. 5. 12 13 judgeth Within and without what but the Church and what is the Church but the body of Christ therefore Amesius exactly Personae circa quas exerceri debet sunt membra ecclesiarum visibilium insti tutarum 1 Cor. 5 11. non a lii v. 12. Med. p 201. John 6. 70. saith that persons about whom discipline ought to be exercised are members of visible instituted Churches and none other 2. Persons may be considered to be truely called to the work of the Ministry without respect to saving grace for Judas was truely called to the work of the Ministry as is undeniable insinuated by that question of our Saviour have not I chosen you twelve i. e. have not I my self put you twelve into my Ministry yet 't is known that Judas was not savingly called to be a member of Christ as the next words added by our Saviour note and one of you is a Devil which our Saviour doubtlesse knew when he first chose him and would never have chose him had saving grace been essential to a true and lawful call to the Ministry Therefore it hence also follows that persons may be considered to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace for can any one possibly think that Christ would choose an infidel remaining such to rule his Church or make him an officer over that is not one of his people or put him into the place of the steward of his house whom he yet hath not and whom he never intends to put into his house who doubts but that he that is a Ruler Officer or Steward over the Church people or house of Christ is also a member thereof and much more and that he that is a member of the Church people and house of Christ is also a member of Christ himselfe 3. Persons may be considered to be truely baptized without respect unto saving grace for persons are truely because lawfully baptized in their infant state unto the consideration of their Covenant-holinesse and not the supposition of their personal Si ullius gratiae sunt participes fit illud vi faederis gratiae atque adeo foedus primum foederis sigillum adipsos etiam pertinet saving grace for as Ames teacheth us if they are partakers of any grace it is done by force of the Covenant of grace and thus both the Covenant and the first seal of the Covenant belongs also to them not as having true grace but as borne to God and in Covenant with him by their parents and if it be so with us when infants I shall humbly ask anone why not so afterwards and in our adult estate if born Christians and if we do not renounce Christianity Then hence it also follows that persons may be considered to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace for into what are persons baptized but into the body of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 13. yea and though afterwards they prove ungodly yet are they dealt with both here and hereafter as within and as children of the Kingdome here they have punishment peculiar to the subjects and members of Christ viz. to be cast out as before if after admonition they remaine obstinate then if they repent and are re-accepted into communion with the Church they are still dealt with as within and are not required to be re-baptized and if they shall die in their wickednesse they shall be judged hereafter and proceeded against not as the children of this world but as the children of the kingdome but of this more largely hereafter as we shall have abundant occasion now accept of this short touch Arg. 3. Christ is considered under all those many
by persons who possibly never shall be saved and therefore who have not any saving grace The visible Church consisteth of good and bad as at the beginning we see it did in Cain and Abel whereupon our Saviour compareth the Church to a net in which are fishes good and bad But I shall conclude the matter out of doubt with the observation made for us by the industrious exposition of the English Articles The members of the visible Church it saith are some of them for God and some against God all of them not withstanding deemed parts of the Church so long as they make no manifest and open rebellion against the Gospel which also addes that the Churches bear witnesse hereunto referring us to confes l. Hel. v. 1. Art 14. and 2. c. 17. Bohem. c. 8. Gal. Art 11. Wittimb Art 32. Survic Art 15. whereunto I also refer my Reader CHAP. XXIII The judgement of the Brownists and of our Church against them herein THe third more special occasion exacting the judgement of the Church herein was given by the Brownists whereupon we shall briefly note two things to serve us in our passage 1. That it was the opinion of the Brownists that the essence of the visible Church consisted in saving grace contrary to what I am labouring to prove 2. That this was judged an errour and a great part of the errour of Brownisme as such by the eminent patrons of our Church and truth in that generation going onely before as in the present designe 1. That this was the opinion of the Brownists indeed viz. that the essence of the visible Church carrieth in it saving grace most plentifully appears by their asserting owning and pleading for the same in all their writings witnesse Smith Barrow Ainsworth Robinson Johnson and Cann c who tell us Defence of the churches p. 17 their Apol. p. 44 counterpoison p. 115. and 200 Barrows true description of the visible church p. 2 Principles and infer p. 8. 10 that the Church is a separated company of righteous men from the open wicked men of the world and that it cannot consist of all sorts good and bad in which no unclean thing or person entreth that keepeth the unity of faith in the bond of peace and love unseigned that is a company of faithful people that truely worship Christ and readily obey him a company of Converts a visible communion of Saints that is such as are separate from all known sinne practising the whole will of God known growing in grace and knowledge and continuing to the end And more fully and accurately let Smith be heard once more in the name of the rest the true forme of a true visible Church saith he is partly inward and partly outward the inward Princ. inf p. 11 part of the forme consisteth in three things 1. The Spirit 2. Faith 3. Love The Spirit is the soul animating the whole body faith uniteth the members of the body to the head Christ Jesus love uniteth the members of the body each to other the outward part thereof is a vow promise oath or Covenant betwixt God and the Saints 2. Now that this was held the errour of the Brownist and a part of their Brownisme and that it was not the allowed opinion of the true Church especially in England appeares abundantly in the disputations of all our Divines against them wherein we find these two propositions irrefragably proved 1. That an Assembly may be a true visible Church though its worship be very corrupt 2. That persons may be members of the visible Church by professing the true Religion though without sincere grace or holy life the latter of which is directly for us and in defence whereof Dayrel so smartly replied to Mr. Ainsworth you speak saith he you know not what for herby you imply a true visible Dayr p. 36 37 Church is a company of people professing and practicing such things as will bring them to salvation Whereupon it follows that there is no hypocrite in the visible Church for whose practice is answerable to his holy profession he is no hypocrite nor reprobate or any that shall be damned and thus you unawares confound the visible and the invisible Church Johnson himself testifieth thus much on our behalf even while he His defence of the churches and Ministry of England p. 71. saieth his accusation against us the forward preachers of England as he pleaseth to call them teach saith he that the true visible Church of Christ is not a separated company of righteous men from the open wicked of the world but may consist of people good and bad Neither may we think that that this was the doctrine of the Episcopal A book by sundry godly and learned Ministers standing out suffering in the cause of non conformity party alone for the very non-conformists have a book extant intended purposely against the separation and therein neere the beginning of that book they openly acquit themselves of and charge Barrow and the old Separatists with this errour that they held the visible Church to be a company of faithful people that truely worship Christ and readily obey him CHAP. XXIV Seven Arguments yet further proving that the judgement of the Church hath alwayes been on our side introduced by two Objections THere is a twofold distinction by some made use of to evade or weaken the authority aforesaid 1. It is urged that some eminent Divines assert that hypocrites are onely equivocè and not verè of the visible Church But hereunto we need only remember what hath formerly been I think truely observed that such Divines understand by Church in the proposition the Church of the saved which they themselves usually called the Church Catholick or the Church inviand none can doubt but such Church-membership is predicable of hypocrite onely nominally or equivocally and not really 2. It is also pleaded that some as eminent affirme and teach that hypocrites are onely in the Church not of the Church But * This tenent may seeme to cross many of our own Dâ—vines in their writings against the Papists but indeed it doth onely seem so for it is manifest that the Church which they intend is not the same with this which I have to deal withal for they speak of the Chuâ—ch catholick consisting only of the Elect. Hudson his Epistle Here we may fairly understand our Divines to meane the visible Church in the former and the invisible Church in the latter branch of this distinction q. d. they are in the visible When Willet had let fall that expression that wicked men are in but not of the Church he presently corrected himself adding yea they wicked men may be members of the visible church for a time Gen. 2. contro of the church p 62 Church but not of the Church invisible as the number of the saved Or as before we received from Doctor Field We are to take them as intending onely when
upon a strict examination shall not give signes of true faith and inward holinesse which may convince the conscience touching the sincerity of their faith c. Master Cobbet also of N. E. more plainly saith that albeit a mans own personal faith uniteth to Christ in respect Hisbook of Infant baptism p. 57. of saving and invisible union yet the profession of faith before a visible Church uniteth to Christ as Head of the visible Church whether the party be sincere or not and those that are so admitted being unregenerate or destitute of saving grace continue so to be viz. members of the visible Church notwitstanding until they justly deprive Cottons holines of Church-members p. 1. themselves of the priviledge of that fellowship as Mr. Cotton affirmeth I know not why I may not here adde those penitent words of our most Reverend and Learned Master Baxter This saith he is the other cause of the Schismatical Disputations p. 38 39. inclination of some godly people viz. the great mistake of too many in confining all the fruits of Christs dead and the mercies and graces of God to the Elect and so not considering the difference that ever was and will be between the visible Church of Professors and the invisible Church of true beleevers Now if there be indeed a difference the visible Church of Professors is larger then the invisible Church of true beleevers and consequently there are some in the visible that are not in the invisible i. e. the unregenerate to whom those fruits of Christ death and the mercies and grace of God belong that are not to be confined to the Elect. 5. Therefore it follows that to be truely regenerate is onely a necessary duty of Church-members but Though we acknowledge such onâ—ly to be sincere Christians who serve God with upright hearts yet those are not to be denied to be Christians who make so much as a general profession of Christ Mr. Ho. Catech. p. 75. Holinesse of members p. 1. not a condition of their membership I meane visible that is all Church-members ought to be inwardly holy but yet men may be and doubtlesse thousands are truely members of the visible Church that are destitute of such holinesse this is so happily and fully expressed by Mr. Cotton that I shall make bold to give you my full sense of it in his most clear and excellent words Christians saith he truely regenerete are the members of the invisible Church it is the duty of the members of the visible Church to be truely regenerate such are members of the visible that are destitute of spiritual grace plainly intending that to be regenerate is the condition without which men cannot be members of the Church in invisible 2. To be regenerate is the duty of all the members of the visible Church also 3. But to be regenerate is onely the duty and not the condition of visible Church-members for they may be such without it And truely those that do affirme these two Propositions 1. That we ought to expect a profession of saving faith in all we admit 2. That the visible Church hath some hypocrites that are its members must needs allow the distinction viz. that saving grace is the duty because themselves require the profession of it but not the necessary condition of visible membership seeing they also acknowledge that persons may be members thereof without it 6. Further I affirme that no person being once Holiness of the Churches of N. E. p. 89 admitted is to be ejected or cast out for any thing but scandal for we saith Master Cotton proceed not to censure but in case of known offence and such offence as cannot be healed without censure Yea scandal qua tale or as it is offence to others and not as it is a signe of unregeneracy therefore Ametius saith proprium adequatum objectum de consc p. 252 hujus censurae est scandalum viz. fratris from Matth. 18. 15. Si peccaverit in te frater 't is the sinne that offends not unregeneracy 't is the offence that is admonish'd for and not unregeneracy satisfaction is required for the offence and not for unregeneracy the offence indulg'd is the leaven that would spread and sowre the lump of the Church and lastly 't is the offence that is onely to be known and proved and not the want of grace or unregeneracy for as Reverend Master Baxter 'T is a matter of such exceeding difficulty Disp 3. 340 341 to conclude another to be certainly gracelesse that it is not one of the multitudes nay 't is but few of the commonly scandalous grosse sinners that we should be able to prove it by Yet 1. We must censure all the scandalous if scandal be the adequate object of censure 2. We must censure for none but known and proved scandal for the other is not properly or legally scandal Known offence as Master Cotton before 3. Therefore we are not to censure for unregeneracy which we can prove or know by but very few of the scandalous and grossest sinners as Master Baxter notes for how unreasonable is it to punish men with so great and certain a penalty for an uncertain and presumed crime or as the same Reverend man hath it be so heavily Disp p. 34 35 punish'd before they be judg'd and heard I shall put an end to this in those apt and full words of Reverend Master Hooker of N. E. If any saith he Survey p. 42. after they be received shall be found not to be added of God because they be not regenerated yet we are not to cast them out for non-regeneration even known 7. But with your favour I must now needs note that all that hath been said hath not punctually expressed our own case our common concernment in England who generally come into the Church in our Infancy and are not admitted thereinto upon our personal profession at yeares of discretion as Heathens are to be and of which most of our controversies about the way of admission now are For my part I humbly conceive there are but two maine questions about Church-membership that need much trouble us 1. Whether the Infants of Church-members are borne in the Church and to be baptized 2. What is that which unchurcheth them afterterwards It cannot but be heartily wish'd that any heat that is or may be spent about the conditions of admitting Heathens into the Church might be saved till a practical occasion requires it viz. till such a Heathen shall sue for baptisme whose profession or right is truely disputable I must freely professe I cannot like that way of reasoning The parent if he were not baptized should not be baptized himself therefore his childe should not be baptized for in all cases that will keep out that cannot cast out whether Civil Military or Ecclesiastical Positive consent is required upon admission but a negative a non-rejecting the Gospel is sufficient to retaine in the Church distraction of
it is a genus or a compositum of Heresie and Schisme 203 204 The onely ebjection Artificially framed against my main conclusion answered 105 c. Augustines judgement about the point discovered 151 152 Authour of the Church viz. God may be so considered without the bestowing of saving grace p. 43. Amesius asserts both the Catholick and particular Church to be integral p. 6. his difference 'twixt ecclesia in genere and ecclesia Catholica 5 B Baptisme the right of some gracelesse parents children p. 212 213. as also of the openly profane p. 213 to 217. as also of the excommunicate and such as receive not the Supper 217. Baptisme enters into some kinde of right unto all other Ordinances proved 257 258 259 Beleeving is Virtual Actual p. 29 30 Bound some are passively whom they do not actively binde themselves 97. The Brownists held that saving grace was essential to the visible Church which our Church adjudged an error in them 156 157 The Brownist objection against our Churches answered p. 208 209 210 C What Censures are 284 Censure are two Admonition and Excommunication 285 Before Censures are past we may not account the scandalous to be without 289 290 We are bound to proceed against the scandalous in a way of Censure 291 292 Members are froward to censure 292 The great hindrance of reformation 293 The Called and the Church are of equal latitude The Elect are members of the Church onely as called 36 Some non-Elect yet called in Christs account 36 and 38 Calling is Active direct Passive reflex Partialis this Totalis 65 How the common call is effectual with an Apology for the terme 36 37 38 The common call a true call proved 38 The Causes of the Church have no necessary respect to saving grace 42 c. The summe of the Argument from the causes 97 The Church is an individual integrum p. 4. and totum aggregativum The Churches being consisteth not in consideration onely 20 The onely true Church the reformed sense about it 105 c. The excommunicate are of the Church and have both habitual and actual communion with it 194 Communion in Ordinances fitter to define the Church by then personal qualifications 87 to 92. shewn by seven considerations Community yet more necessary 93 94 95 96. proved by six Reasons Conference why desired with all our people 279. and why before the Sacrament rather then at any other time 280. why not before every administration 280 Consent is given by seeming dissenters that the command to receive is mediate 236 237 Consent how far necessary to ones being in Covenant 187 Consent negative keeps men in Covenant 188 What is constitutive of visible membership Mr. Cottons and Mr. Hudsons answer to this considered The Covenant of the Church considered 96 97 98. little reason to dispute much about it 98 Covenant is implicite or actual an actual Covenant is mental or vâ—cal called expresse 98 Knowledge dark and general consistent with being in Covenant 188 189 Church is taken strictly largely the Church largely taken is so comparative and absolute by the Reformed Divines 109 111 Confirmation not used as a new admission into the Church 138 Ours are true Churches and rightly constitute 204 c. In what Court is self-examination to be held Our Churches are made up of three sorts of people a middle and two extreams 296 D Denying the Supper to some the negative and positive grounds of it 259 to 271 Definitions of the visible Church given us by the reformed Divines take not in saving grace 100 c. One definition may be given to the Church as largely taken and another as strictly taken and yet there may be but one Church 116 117 118 Divorce is given by God to men either mediately or immediately and both two wayes 196 197 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 1 Cor. 11. 28. largely examined 241 to 249 Dogmatical faith meerly is not sufficient to entitle to membership 118 Dogmatical faith is the proper principle of profession of faith yet none ever really professed the Doctrine of faith but he hath something of an Applicative faith common or saving 62 We may not proceed against wicked members but by discipline 283 E Ecclesia aequivoca shut out of this controversie 21 22 The Efficient of the visible Church may be considered without respect to saving grace 42 c. The proper end of the Visible Church is cultus gloriae Dei and is attainably without saving grace 46 47 48 49 Evidence of Church-membership what giveth it to others 181 182 226 Evidence of saving grace not necessary upon the examining our selves to warrant our coming to the Supper proved 245 to 249 The Excommunicate are members more then potentia or conditionaliter 192. they have both habitual and actual coÌ„munion with the Church 194 They may be known to be Church-members 182 183 Self-Examination what it is not p. 240 241. What it is p. 241 In what court it is held p. 242 243 244 245. What is the necessary issue of it p. 246 247 248 Who are to be judged not to examine themselves 268 269 270 Saving grace not of the Essence yet of the excellency of the visible Church 32 33 F Faith is True and saving True and not saving p. 28 Faith true and not saving proved 81 to 86 Faith is Virtual Actual p. 29 Some do not actually beleeve others renounce the faith 29 30 Some do formally and some onely by consequence deny the faith 31 32 Faith is Relative Qualitative p. 83 Relative or foederal faith is seated in the childe and not in the parent 83 84 The visible Church hath a real constitutive form not depending upon saving grace 65 1. This forme is not external vocation 65 66. 2. Nor external profession pag 66 67 3. Nor faith 70 But community respecting communion in Gods worship 70 to 74 That which partakes of the accidental Forme of any thing must needs partake also of the essential forme of that thing 68 69 G God himself is pleased to give many titles to wicked men equivalent to Church-member 126 to 133 God the Authour of the Church may be considered to be so without the bestowing of saving grace 43 44 H Heresie cutteth off from the Church and when 198 199 200 Heresie how it differs from Apostasie 200 201 Hildershams Reasons pretended against the Baptizing of the children of wicked men examined and he found to hold that such children have a right to baptism 214 215 216 The Head of the visible Church viz. Christ may be considered to be such without respect to saving influence proved 45 c. and explained and Objections to it answered 51 52 53 54 Hypocrite what he is 32 We may not say that wicked men are hypocrites further then they are so 33 No Hypocrite as such can be a member of the Church either visible and invisible 33 Holinesse of life is a separable accidental note of a true visible Church 78 Foederal holinesse
quid 108 the truth of the Church consisteth not in consideration only 20 Mr. Timpsons abuse of Mr. Humphrys distinction of do not and cannot examine our selves and his own distinction of natural and rational incapacity c. examined 239 Truth of Word and Sacraments is the one only true note of the true Church 77 V Visibility opposed to reality and to invisibility 2. but given to the Church in the question as opposed to invisibility onely and not reality and that by a metaphor 2 3 To assert a visible Church doth not suppose a Church invisible 3 4. three exceptions against the distinction of the Church into visible and invisible 10 11 Visible Church most properly the Church of Christ argued p. 12 to 19. though the stresse of the controversie resteth not here 18 The grounds of the distinction of the Church into visible and invisible enquired for 8 'T is not properly distinctio but discrimen inter totum partem 9 10 W God calls and ownes a wicked people for his p. 120 c. and giveth many titles equivalent to Church-members to wicked men 126 to 134 Wicked men not excused from though not permitted to receive the Supper as Church-members they are obliged as wicked they are prohibited if they receive not they sin twice if they do receive they sin thrice 226 We may proceed against wicked members but by discipline 373. viz. first admonition and then excommunication ibid. Truth of the Word revealed and communicated is the onely true note of the true Church to which truth of Sacraments are inseparably annexed 76 The World is the terme from which the Church is called 40 41. this may be considered without respect to saving grace 40 The Reader is desired to excuse some litteral errors not noted and to correct these following BEfore the Epistle to the Ministers and over the head of it for Dedicatory read Presatory Ep. â— 7. l. antipen penitent r. pertinent Book Pag. 7. Line 1. for constitue and by read constitute by p 9. l 5. Church visible r was visible and l 22 p 10 l 24 other r. otherwise p 22 l 4 longer r. larger p 25. l 27 word r. work p 28. l. 20. object beleeving r. beleeved and l. ult on r. or and l 20. passions r. professions p 31. l 25. none visi r. non visi and l 30 add onely to after not p 37. l. ult câ—lled r. calling and l. 18. add God before doth p 46 l 20. leave r. have p. 59 l. 19 we r. who p. 60 l. 18 add Church after visible p. 61 l. 8 blot out should p. 65 l 11. add Church after visible p. 69 blot out from these to same in l. 7 8 9 10 p 78 l. 14 blot out not and add grace after the first saving p 80 l. 7 definition r. definitum p. 82 l 17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and l. penult add Faith after in the p. 86 l. 22 and r. as p 105 l. 28. visible r. true p. 107 l ansep thought r. though p. 111. l. 25. their r. this p. 122. l. 18. change r. charge and add this before for p. 140. l. 3. add ouâ— after with p. 209. l. 5. Rable r. rubble and l. 9. the first for r. forth p 217 l. 11. add not before upon p. 267 l. 12. or r. but p. 289 l. 25. deserve r. desire for Mr. Morris always r. Mr. Morrice Note that by Copula in the Analisis of the question is not intended for an exact Logical Copula but onely that which fitly serves to joyn the subject and the main thing questioned together in the question and if the Reader would be more accurate he may take may be considered in to the predicate questioned and if he had rather the words abstractly and concrâ—â—â—â—â— p. 2 l. 15 16. may change places though as it is it best liketh the Authour Quest Whether the visible Church may be considered to be truely a Church of Christ without respect to saving grace CHAP. I. Of the subject of the question the visible Church SECT I. The Analasis of the question WE must have leave to speak something largely of the termes before we venture to resolve this intricate and famous question The termes are three First the subject of the question Secondly the predicate questioned Thirdly the copula or that which joyneth the subject and the predicate in this question together The subject of the question is the visible Church the predicate questioned is contained in the words truely a Church of Christ without respect to saving grace wherein we may further observe the thing which is more directly questioned in these words truely a Church of Christ together with the condition or limitation thereof in the words annex'd without respect to saving grace Lastly that which coupleth this predicate questioned with this subject of the question is to be noted in the words may be considered to be c. SECT II. Visibility explained and distinguished The subject of the question then is the Church as it is specified with the quality of visiblensse for we do not consider it here in any other capacity either an entitive or organical as catholick or institute as universal-visible or particular-visible nor yet abstractly as a Church or concretely as visible but in a conjunct compounded and united sense as it is the visible Church or the Church which is visible For the better opening of this terme three things may be undertaken First to explaine the attribute visible Secondly to apply it to the Church and then to make my Notion of this visible Church as plain as I can so far as may concern the question in general To begin with the first Visibility seemeth familiarly to be used Visible is 1. that which seemeth what it is not in two distinct significations 1. Visibility is somtimes taken for that â—ffection of a thing wheâ—by the thing seemeth to be what indeed it is not as one that seemeth to be a sincere member of Christ when in truth he is not so may yet be said to be so visibly or as we more ordinarily use to say to seeme to be so Thus Visibility stands opposed to Reality 2. Visibility is also sometimes taken for that affection of a thing 2. What it is whereby the thing seemeth to be what indeed it is and shewes it self ad extra to be such Now here visible is nothing else but that which may be seen Whether it be actually visum seen or not as a regenerate person evidencing the truth of his grace by a sound profession is truely said to be so visibly i. e. appearingly or a visible Saint Thus visible stands opposed not to real but to invisible that is that which may not or cannot be seen a man is said to be visible not because he seems to be a man and is not but because he may be seene thus likewise God is said to be invisible not because he is
their opinions with those that directly and in very termes renounce it so neither savours it of much charity or indeed justice that wicked men that directly professe the faith both vocally with their mouth and really by attending on the Ordinances of God be equally condemned with Apostates and Hereticks that rase the very foundation of all religion though in works they deny him Therefore such as stand baptized into the faith of Christ and yet remaine in visible Communion with the Church and do not renounce the faith of Christ either with their mouths or in the intent and purpose of their hearts cannot onely by their disobedience or wicked lives as I shall anon labour to prove unchurch themselves or declare themselves as some would rather say to be no true members of the visible Church There are in the Church such as 1. Seem and are not 2. Are and seem not 3. Are and seeme and Distinct 6 are none visi not seen 4. Are and seem and are seene also He that is and seemes not is a David in desertion he that seemes and is not is a Judas betraying with a kisse he that is and seemes and is not seen is a Saint in a cave he that is and seems and is seen also is I presume not onely the man savingly qualified professing the same before men but our ordinary professour and Church-member that usually attends upon visible communion with the Church though wanting saving grace The same persons in divers respects may seem to be what They are Distinct. 7 They are not Or the same persons may be said in one respect to be hypocrites and in another respect true beleevers so that though we are wont to condemn all for hypocrites that professe Religion without real holinesse yet I suppose I shall not erre if I say we ought to do it not without caution and limitation I confesse that if not all that thus professe Religion without saving grace yet most of them are hypocrites in that they pretend if not seem to be what they are not viz. savingly qualified and I humbly offer whether it be not in this sense that Divines generally charge such professours as have no saving grace with the sin of Hypocrisie even because they pretend to have that Mr. Perkins speaking of temporary beleevers on Luk. 8. 13. saith these though they are not sound yet they are void of that grosse kind of hypocrisie Their mindes are enlightned their hearts are endued with such faith as may bring forth these fruits for a time and therefore herein they dissemble not but rather shew that which they have His Ep. to the Reader before his Treatise tending unto a declaration of a mans estate grace and interest in Christ or as they would say in the true mysticall invisible Church which indeed they have not But let us seriously consider can either they or we with any colour of reason or justice adjudge men to be hypocrites farther then they are so or for professing themselves to be what indeed they are though also they should professe themselves to be what they are not may not men be so far illightened as to know and beleeve the Scriptures really and yet not be so far sanctified as to believe effectually to salvation and may he not professe this faith which he truely hath though he also professe and pretend to more and is he not a true beleever and a true professour so far as he hath though false and hypocritical in professing more and to be accounted a true Beleever as to the Church visible though a hypocrite as to the Church invisible A hypocrite is one that pretendeth or seemeth to be what he is not but when men that have no saving grace pretend or seeme to be visible Church-members relatively holy Gods Covenant-people common believers c. they pretend and seeme to be what in truth they are therefore thus farre they are no hypocrites but true beleevers so far as they truely beleeve and true men so far as they professe But what they thus truely believe and what they truely are The devil is an hypocrite while he professeth himself an Angel of light but when he acknowledgeth what he truely believeth that there is a God and that he is a fearful avenger of wicked spirits and that Christ is the Sonne of God c. in this the devil is no hypocrite so what is good in wicked men is still good and what is true in them is still true notwithstanding all the evil and falshood that they are guilty of Their hypocrisie in one respect cannot destroy their reality and truth in any other In a word a hypocrite as such cannot possibly be truely a member of any Church whether it be visible or invisible for that which is false as such can never be true so he that pretends to saving grace and interest in the Church invisible if his pretence to that saving grace be false his interest in this invisible Church cannot be true and likewise he that pretends to the common faith and yet doth really renounce it cannot possibly be a true member of the visible Church yet one that is an hypocrite as to the Church invisible may in another sense be a true beleever and have a real interest in the visible Church accordingly CHAP. IV. Arg. 1. From the Etymology or the Name of the Church HItherto of the Termes of the question and the sense thereof by what I have already intimated I am bound to adhere unto the affirmative part which turneth it selfe into this Thesis The visibly Church may be considered to be truely a Church of Christ without respect to saving grace Thus I shall now proceed as the Lord shall assist me to prove from these five considerable places or heads of Argument viz. the Etymology of the Church visible Causes of the Church visible Definition of the Church visible Testimony on my side Absurdity on the contrary First then as method requires we shall set down the Etymology of the Church and argue from it The name or word signifying Church in the Greek original which is generally allowed to be argued from is known to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which primitively derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and more immediately from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contained in it both Calling and calling out a right improvement of each of these I presume wil help us with its Argument SECT I. My first Argument then ariseth from the calling that we find Arg. 1 included in the name and is indeed inseparable from the nature Primum illud quod actu eccle siam constituit est vocatio unde nomen definitionem suam accepit ecclesia enim est coetus hominum vocatorum Med. 161 162 Inter Orthodoxos qui ecclesiam definium coetum electorum vel per electos intelligunt secundum electionem vocatos vel non ecclesiam quae actu existit Medul 161 of the Church thus Arg. 1. The Church
Scholastical Divine Reverend Master Norton of New England These things thus premised the Argument hence is this As the visible Church may be considered to be called out of the world so it may be considered to be a Church of Christ. What hath beene said hath put this out of doubt But the visible Church may be considered to be truely called out of the world without any respect to saving grace Therefore the visible Church may be considered to be truely a Church of Christ without respect to saving grace The minor here which is all that is left questionable is easily evident if we distinguish of the world as we are wont to distinguish of the Church viz. to be visible and invisible the visible world is the world of infidels and such as openly detest the true Messias the invisible world is the world of ungodly which being as tares amidst the what of the godly cannot be discerned by men The first is opposed to the visible Church the latter to the invisible out of the visible world the visible Church is called and out of the invisible world the invisible Church or the Church of the saved is called Againe the visible Church is as truely called out of the visible world of Pagans and Infidels and such as live without the pale of the Church as the Church of the saved is called out of the world of the vngodly doth not the eye of the whole world see this and bear witnesse to it viz. that the visible Church is by the calling of God in this sense effectually in that it is really separated Vocatio communis ab infide litate ad fidem evocat Trel ut supra from and stands in distinction and opposition unto the whole world of Infidels Pagans Turks and Jews and all other societies and parties of men in the world as the called of God his lot and portion and peculiar people all which and a great deale more Master Baxter as well as many others is pleased to acknowledge that the Scriptures attribute to the visible Church CHAP. VI. Arg. From the visible Church in its causes and first as it is of God HItherto of the quid nominis proceed we now to the quid Rei and to seek for that thing and nature and truth of being in the Church which the name we have found doth import I shall put my self and reader into the way of this search by an offer of this general Argument taken from the causes of the visible Church As we may consider the causes of any thing so we may consider the thing it self But we may consider the causes of this Church to be real causes without respect to saving grace Therefore the Church to be truely a Church without respect to saving grace I think the major will not be question'd by any seeing whatsoever any thing is in it self it is the same first in its causes Quicquid est in effectu prae existit in causis Causatum quod ex causa suum esse habet yea the very definition of the effect is that it is but the result or that which hath its very selfe of the cause and depends by its cause and therefore it is called effectum or a thing done or standing as it is by it cause and causalum that is a thing caused that is such a thing as is Causalitas sive causatio est influxus ille seu concursus quo unaquaequc causa in suo genere actu influit in effectum Suarâ—z no more a thing then what it hath from its cause or as it is caused and causality or causation which is but the formal reason of the cause is nothing else but that Influx or concurrence whereby every cause in its own kinde doth actually flow into the effect The minor onely then resteth upon proof viz. That the visible Church may be considered to have its true and real causes without respect to saving grace which I shall labour to maintaine by a particular induction and examination of the several causes of the visible Church in order the efficient the end the matter and form thereof Here now are two things to be joyntly enquired after First what these causes are Secondly whether they may be considered to be real causes of the visible Church without respect to saving grace Let us first then begin to consider the efficient cause of the visible Church thus namely what it is and what kinde of effects it worketh without respect to saving grace 1. The efficient cause of the visible Church is Principal Instrumental The principal efficient of the visible Church is secundum Efficient Constitutionem Ordinationem The principal efficient in the constitution of the Church is God Rom. 2. 29. in the administration or ordination of it is Christ thus God Rom. 12. 5 1 Cor. 3. 11 Col. 1. 18. is properly the authour and Christ is properly the head of the Church The instrumental cause of the Church especially in its constitution Acts 2. 41 2 Pet. 2 23 1 Tim. 2. 15 is the preaching of the word for how can they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how can they hear without a preacher this distribution needeth no proof seeing it is generally allowed 2. Let us now come to our task and examine whether these efficient causes may not be considered to have a real influence into the visible Church which yet doth not include saving grace As for the instrument the preaching of the word we need not insist particularly thereupon partly because the instrument is but subordinate to its principal efficient in the same operation and therefore if the work of principal efficient be real so is doubtlesse the same work relating to the instrument of it and partly because the influence of this instrumental cause the preaching of the word into the constitution of the visible Church is reserved to be largely handled in answer to a great objection against cur Churches in England at the latter end of this discourse Therefore we have but two things here before us whether God may be considered to be truely the Authour or Christ to be truely the head of the visible Church without respect to saving grace and of these in order I shall humbly signifie my opinion by forming the same into Arguments The Argument from God as the Authour of the visible Church If God in the constitution of the visible Church by the preaching of the Word may be considered really to effect the same without the bestowing of saving grace then he may without doubt be considered to be the real Authour of the visible Church without respect to saving grace But now God in the constitution of the Church by the preaching of the word may be considered really to effect the same without the bestowing of saving grace Here is nothing to be interposed but these foure things Mr. Perk. speaking of temporal beleevers saith 1. They have knowledg 2. they
other metaphors given him in Scripture to stand in relation to the visible Church without respect to saving grace therefore also under this of a Head The consequence cannot be denied seeing he is still but the same thing the same mediatour and represented under the same offices by all those various metaphors which the Scripture giveth him and therefore there is the same reason for one and all and an equal extent in the meaning and application of them all Now that Christ is considered under all those many other Metaphors given him in Scripture to stand in relation to the visible Church without respect to saving grace appears by induction 1. As he is a King he hath subjects bad and good some to be blessed but some to be cursed at the great day yet both children of the Kingdom 2. As he is a Master he hath some faithful and some slothful yet both his servants 3. An Husbandman that hath tares as well as corne and both in his field chaffe as well a wheat and both in the barne 4. A Fisher that hath fish that is bad as well as good yet both in the net 5. A Vine that hath some branches that bring forth much fruit and yet others that bring forth no fruit and yet both in him John 15. 2 6. A Father that hath rebellicus as well as dutiful children yet both children Isa 1. 2. 7. A House-keeper that hath vessels some to honour some to dishonour yet both vessels and within the house 8. A bride-groom that hath Vrgins to attend him some with oyle in their Lamps and some with none yet both Virgins therefore why not such a head as hath some members sound and others rotten and yet both related that is mystically united to him There are two special objections against this relation of wicked men to Christ which I hold my self bound to labour to salve before I passe on Object 1. The first is taken from the metaphorical termes of body and head and may be formed thus That member which hath not life in it self though it be yet united to the body is not truely a member of that body unde equivocè agunt membra tribui cadaveribus as Shibler saith But wicked men have no life in themselves therefore they are not truely but onely aequivocally members of the body of Christ Answ 1. To the proposition which hath first its proper and secondly its metaphorical sense I allow it in its proper but I deny it in its metaphorical sense or in this rigid application In omni parabola Hoc tenendum est ut utamur parabolis tanquam picta tabella Itaque reprehendenda est illa anxiet as sollicitudoeorum qui in parabolis Christi omnia student resccare ad vivum quod est non interpretari sed vexant Camero praelect in Mat. 18. 8. of it It is a general complaint by those that see how much it is abused That men are apt to receive apprehensions about the mystical union betwixt Christ and his members from the natural union betwixt the natural head and body Certainly a metaphor may be press'd to death so farre as the Scriptures apply this metaphor of head and members to Christ and his Church we may safely venture but further though it may be true it will not bear an argument That I have good ground thus to except against the proposition I leave in one word to the determination of all but Anabaptists for if this be a true proposition that none can be truely a member of the body of Christ that hath not spiritual life in himself then of necessity it followeth that the children of the holiest parents in the world are not to be accounted truely members of the body of Christ from their parents holinesse seeing that is the life that is in the parent and is not inhering in the childe but onely relative to it the childe hath not this life in its self but in another and therefore according to this proposition 't is not a true but onely an aequivocal member of Christ if we but once grant in the sense intended that it is an essential requisite to every member ut vitam habeat in se that it Infantes nati in ecclesia sunt etiam de ecclesia contra anabaplistas Ursin have life in it self and yet we know that it is the general opinion that châ—ldren born in the Church are also of the Church against the Anabaptists Answ 2. But we may let the Metaphor hold if we distinguish of life in the minor which may with favour of my reader be conceived to be such as is a necessary requisite to visible Church-membership or such as is a necessary requisite to saving or if you had rather invisible Church-membership if you please you may call the first an ecclesiastical or political life the last a saving or a spiritual life If the objection meaning in the minor the first of these then I deny it viz. that wicked men have no life in themselves for it is very evident that wicked men have so much life in themselves if any be requisite as is essential to visible Church membership I confesse life is somewhat unusually attributed to wicked men and to ascribe it to them as such is a contradiction seeing quatenus wicked they are dead yet seeing they are to be considered in a double respect 1. As wicked men in nature 2. As holy men in state and condition wicked men inherently holy men adherently wicked men habitually holy men relatively holy by Covenant by separation dedication obligation and profession though they be dead indeed in the first sense why may not they be truely said to be alive in the second if holinesse and life be equivolent here as must needs be granted and this holinesse of separation to God by Covenant and Baptisme and continued profession be a real thing as Camero saith and I think hitherto hath hardly been denied in terminis Such are doubtlesse Christians and not so far alienated from the life of God as the Gentiles or Heathens are they are not now Ephes 4. 18. without Christ or aliens to the Common-wealth of Israel or strangers to the Covenants of promise having no hope or without God Ephes â— 12. in the world which is the Scripture-description of such as are in a Gentile condition viz. out of the verge and pale of the visible Church Yea I have one and he an authour not to be contemned considering what paines he took in the controversie that saith expressely that wicked men are not onely members of the Church in the general but as the Church is the body of Christ and that they have the life of true members in them his words are these Such may be and and are of the visible Church who onely outwardly submit themselves to the true worship of God though they be not true worshippers this profession of the true religion and submission I speak of is all in
can judge onely according to appearance in his visible worship saving grace is an invisible thing then what necessary use can there be thereof in such visible effects as may be done without it and such as in their present consideration respect only such creatures as cannot discern things invisible I grant that saving conversion of visible Church-members is one great end of the visible Church and that therefore the promises of first grace do most especially belong unto them but this if well heeded rather helps then hinders my designe for it evidently supposeth the visible Church and visible Church membership to have its being before his conversion or saving grace of Finis est postorior medio in executione which the visible Church is said to be a means for the Rule is that the end is after the means in execution CHAP. IX The Argument from the Matter of the visible Church HItherto of the external causes of the visible Church and the Arguments thence arising let us now consider the causes thereof remaining which are called internal viz. the matter and forme From matter of the visible Church in general I argue thus The visible Church may be considered truely to have the matter of the Church of Christ without respect to saving grace Therefore to be truely a Church of Christ without respect thereunto This consequence simply taken I confesse is not so warrantable because the matter doth prae-exist before and remaine sometimes after the forme yet take it respectively to the forme afterwards to be maintained and to the question in controversie which is chiefly concerning the matter of the Church and especially to the opinion of my present Opponents we readily affirm that all the question is about the matter of the Church that if this be fained so is our Church and if this be real so is our Church and I doubt not but it will passe without interruption However the thing that I am dispatching doth not engage me for the consequence though the other causes have been found so pregnant as to bear such a particular improvement onely to assigne and maintain to the visible Church all its causes and therefore its existence truely so in our consideration without respect to saving grace which I presume hath been done already as to the Authour the Head and the End of the Church to which I now proceed to add the matter thereof affirming as before in the antecedent that the visible Church may be considered to have the true matter of the Church of Christ without respect to saving grace The matter of the Church habet rationem Partium Subjecti 1. The matter of the visible Church having the reason of the parts is the Ministers and the people the pastors and the flock ecclesia utens and ecclesia docens as some speak and as we read 1 Cor. 12. both making up the compositum the Church and this Church must needs be the visible Church for there are no such organical parts no Minister but Christ himself in the Church invisible Now may we consider both these parts of the matter of the Church as truely such without respect to saving grace did not Judas truely teach and do not thousands truely professe in the Church of Christ being truely called though not savingly chosen without any measure of saving grace but this will more fitly meet us in the next consideration of the matter of the Church viz. as having the reason the subject matter Next we enquire what the subject matter of the visible is and whether it also may be considered without respect to saving grace 1. What is rhen the subject matter of the visible Church Trelcatius tells us that it is all such as are called out and externally professe the faith which I think none can choose but approve of when they consider that faith is a thing invisible and therefore not any way fitted to commend the matter of the Church to us as visible and though it be granted that faith doth unite men to the Church yet it must still be yeelded that profession thereof doth render them members of the Church as visible 2. But here seeing most do consent that professors of the faith are the subject matter of the visible Church it will I presume be worth our enquirie what is meant by the faith so professed Certainly it must be either the doctrine or the grace of faith and which of these is properly or usual said to be professed 1. Is it the grace of faith which men professe certainly no for that is the faith by which and not the faith which we profess 2. How incongruous a speech would it be to say I professe that I believe while it is good and sound and relishing upon the minde of the hearer to say I professe what or that doctrine which I do beleeve 3. If the meaning was that we do professe the grace of faith then the Epithite true which Divines do generally annex to faith should be put to profession and whereas they usually speak of the profession of the true faith they should should say the true profession of the faith 4. This appeares in its contrary out of doubt for such as fall away from the faith are not said to deny their own faith but the faith or doctrine of Christ 2. Then it is doctrine of faith which we professe as members of the visible Church and if this be the note or character of the matter of the visible Church it can in the most strict and rigid sense that can possibly be put upon it onely require two things truth in the object professed and truth in the subject professing i. e. that he professe the true doctrine of faith and that he believe what he professeth i. e. that he have a good profession and that he have a good principle answering to it such a faith as such a profession doth require to make it not dissembled but true and real and thus though we do not professe the grace of faith yet the grace of faith so farre is consented to as is requisite to a true profession seeing thereby we truely beleeve what we so professe 3. Yet though this faith is supposed to be true where the matter of the Church is true the matter of the Church doth not receive its denomination of being true from the truth of this grace of faith but from the truth of its object or doctrine beleeved and accordingly professed which as also what was before asserted viz. that the doctrine of faith is the object of proper profession or the faith properly professed appears by abundant example in Scripture The Eunuch being being demanded dost thou beleeve answered not my faith is sincere but I beleeve that Jesus Acts 8. 37. is the Sonne of God The like did they Matth. 14. 33. when reproved for their unbeleef they professed saying of a truth thou art the Sonne of God John also bare record and what was it that is the Son of
Churches in England that have at present I know not for what cause laid aside that practice are therefore not visible true Churches Though I highly approve of such a solemn declaration of the faith if possible in the same sound forme of words to be universally made yet I humbly conceive that this is but a prudential humane Ordinance and therefore not so necessary or so neer the essence or so essential a mark of the Church as sound doctrine and pure Sacraments both which are undoubtedly of immediate divine institution and without which the Church cannot exist Which thing Trelcatius doth thus most accurately and fully open the proper and essential note of the visible Church which flows immediately from the very forme of it is but one viz. the Nota propria essentialis ecclesiae visibilis proximeque fluens ex forma illius unica est veritas scilicet verbi Dei Revelati ac communicati cui veritas Sacramentorum tanquam connexum inseperabile conjuncta est Utriusque enim veritas ita proprium essentiale est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ecclesiae ut veritas haec ecclesia convertantur Instit Theol. p. 224. truth of the Word of God revealed and communicated to which the truth of the Sacraments is inseparably joyned for which he quotes Heb. 4. 12. John 10. 27. Matth. 28. 10. Rom. 4. 11. for as he addes the truth of both is such a proper and essential mark of the Church that this truth of both Word and Sacraments and the Church are convertible But of this I shall have more occasion in the next Chapter therefore I have onely this to do here namely to set this profession of the faith before you to consider whether it doth necessarily suppose saving grace or not in any of these senses 1. May not personal vocal profession be made without saving We are to acknowledge a Church of Christ more or lesse corrupt according to the greater or lesse abuse of Gods Word and worship Bp. Usher p. 39. his sum of Rel. grace and the truth be professed as well as beleeved where saving grace is wanting 2. May not ecclesiastical profession whether more formally by a solemn Creed read and silently consented unto by the people be also done and considered without any respect to saving grace in the declarer or consenters 3. Or that other real profession consisting in attendance upon the Ordinances of God be considered to have truth for its object both in Word and Sacraments and yet without respect to saving graces Againe the accidental notes of the Church are also generally acknowledged to be of two sorts inseparable or proper and separable or common The separable and proper notes of a true Church are said to be the pure preaching of the Word and the lawful administration of the Sacraments which are but the meanes or actions of conveyance and application of the foresaid truth of both unto the Church and so near unto the profession thereof which was said before to be the essential mark of the Church that I have already reduced it thither and need not repeat it here againe The separable notes of the Church whatsoever they be cannot conclude any thing against me because they are such I meane separable and therefore not necessary in our consideration of the being of the Church However that we leave not them onely untoucht they are usually reduced unto two heads 1. Ecclesiastical power 2. And holiness of life Ecclesiastical power hath three branches the power of Ministry the power of Order the power of Discipline all which may easily be considered without the least respect to saving grace 1. Judas may truely exercise his Ministry And 2. Outward Order may be fix'd and observed And 3. Discipline may be erected and dispensed without any necessary supposition of saving grace either in the parties so dispensing or in the objects openly scandalous on which the Discipline is dispensed as hath beene touched before and will be more fully handled hereafter I confesse holiness of life cometh neerest to shew its respect to saving grace but this also shewes as much respect to my cause as easily appeares by this concluding argument If holiness of life be separable from a true Church then saving grace is separable from a true Church for if a holy life doth not alwayes suppose saving yet saving grace doth not always produce a holy life But it is still confessed by those which write most accurately on the Church that holinesse of life is a separable accidental note which is onely necessary to the order and welfare of the Church and not to the being or truth thereof Now if saving grace be separable from a true Church then it may be considered to be truely such without respect thereunto The summe of the general Argument from the causes is this The Summe of the Argument from the causes in general All the causes of the visible Church may really exist without the work of saving grace viz. The efficient as Authour God Head Christ The end of the Glory of God on earth before men Worship The matter whether it be Professors of the faith The outwardly called Outward worshippers The form whether it be Constituting Distinguishing he forme constituting whether it be Faith Calling Society or community The form distinguishing whether it be Essential Profession of the faith or truth of word Sacraments ccidental inseperable Pure preaching of the word and administration of Sacraments Therefore the visible Church may be considered to be truely a Church of Christ without respect to saving grace CHAP. XII The Argument from the definition of the visible Church first from its special quality HAving done with the causes we proceed to the definition whence we thus argue The definition of the visible Church doth not suppose saving 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace therefore the definition the visible Church it self may be considered to be truely such without respect to saving grace for the definition of a thing is but that whereby the nature of that thing is declared or explicated and is plainly convertible with the thing defined Now whether the definition of the visible Church be inclusive of saving grace or not may appear First from the parts thereof severally considered And Secondly by a view of such definitions of the Church as are already given us by approved Authours 1. The parts are three 1. The special quality of the visible Church 2. Or the special work and employment thereof Or lastly the state and condition wherein the Church so qualified is rendred capable of that employment First let us look upon the special quality of the visible Church which may be conceived to be either the faith calling or profession thereof Whence by some the visible Church is in short defined to be a company or society of Beleevers or a company of men called by external vocation or a company professing the Christian and true Religion where the weight and emphasis rests upon
sometimes fit and sometimes not fit when the Church is an actual meeting and not fit when she hath adjourned to another time Therefore this definition a society called out of the world to the worship of the true God being fit to expresse the nature both of the universal and the particular visible Church and that at all times and states thereof it may I think be yeelded to be a proper definition thereof Now to draw up this discourse I shall onely further intimate that the definition of the visible Church may be truely considered to be such and truely applicable to the visible Church without any respect to saving grace as appears to the very first glance of our observation from the definition fix'd upon viz. that it is a society of men called â—ut of the world to the worship of God who will be so ventrous as to question either the fitness of this definition or its applicablenesse to the visible Church without respect to saving grace For 1. All the parts that are either essential or necessary or fit for this definition of the Church have appeared before to be thus truely applicable thereunto without respect to saving grace therefore the whole is so likewise 2. All particular definitions now mentioned except one are to be truely considered without respect to saving grace without any colour of question much lesse controversie and that one viz of Ames is nothing against us seeing Ames his judgement is for us and himself alloweth such persons a place in the Church as he will not allow if we understand him any place in the definition of the Church as before is noted 3. Therefore these very Authours take occasion to acquaint us that the Church which they thus define containeth Hypocrites as well as the Elect and that with the joint consent of the reformed Divines which I doubt not abundantly to make to appear when we speak upon the head of humane Testimony CHAP. XVI Objections answered and the true sense of the reformed Divines considered who say the invisible Church is onely the true Church BEfore we passe on to that way of arguing termed inartificial namely from authority we think fit to consider a few objections which may be called artificial and leave the other Objections which arise from Scripture and the judgement of the Church to be handled I think more methodically after my arguments thence The first and indeed the onely considerable objection against me is this Object 'T is confest that there is but one true Church 't is also confest that the invisible Church is one true Church but now the Church invisible cannot be considered to be truely such without respect to saving grace therefore neither the Church visible Answ I answer that in general this argument is justly exceptible against because before it reacheth the conclusion of my opponent it evidently concludeth that which I presume himself renounceth viz. that the visible Church is in no respect at all either with or without saving grace to be truely a Church of Christ that this is the first conclusion of the argument is most obvious from the two first propositions 1. 'T is said there is but one true 2. The invisible is one true Church What now doth force it self from hence but therefore the visible is no visible Church somewhat a strange conclusion unknown I think to all the ages of the Church before us and such as imposed upon the providence of God to have entrusted this whole worship and Ordinances in the hands of a false Church 2. Hereby also we have a quick dispatch of the present controversie for what need we reach any further after the thing before us viz. whether the visible Church may be considered to be truely a Church of Christ without this respect to saving grace if it be first concluded that there is no visible Church at all 3. But more directly I answer by denying at least one of these things either 1. That the one true Church is the Church invisible Or 2. That though the one true Church be invisible yea and this invisible Church cannot be considered to be truely such without respect to saving grace yet it followeth not that the visible Church may not be considered to be truely a Church of Christ without respect to saving grace 1. I might deny with fairnesse enough that the one true Church is properly the Church invisible until my arguments above for the contrary are answered till when the present objection can challenge no answer 2. But here I shall rather deny the consequence and that though I grant the invisible Church to be the onely true Church and that this cannot be truely considered as such without respect to saving grace yet the visible Church is a true Church and may be considered to be truely such without respect to saving grace the reason is because these attributes of visible and invisible though they are given to the same subject the Church yet in diverse respects which appears by this argument if they are to be taken in the same respect and visibility be as none will deny an inseperable adjunct of the Church then there is no invisible Church for to say as Ames saith the Church never ceaseth to be visible and there is an invisible Church if visible and invisible here be to be taken in the same respect is a plaine contradiction now the consideration of the divers respect wherein the same Church is said to be visible and invisible detects the fallacy of the former Argument thus the Church with respect to its saving faith and to those persons that have this saving faith is said to be invisible this faith being not seen and these persons not to be certainly known And againe the same Church with respect to its profession and the persons therein that own the same in the eyes of the world is truely said to be visible So that though there be but one Church there is a Church invisible and a Church visible And again though this Church as invisible cannot be considered to be truely such without respect to saving grace seeing it is therefore said to be invisible because of its saving grace and the subjects thereof cannot be seen or certainly known by men yet this Church in its visible consideration or as it is the visible Church may be considered to be truely such without respect to saving grace seeing that which renders it thus visible hath no necessary dependance upon saving grace as Reverend Hudson saith well the Church is considered to be visible and invisible à duplici modo communionis externae internae visible with respect to its external way of communion which doth not suppose saving grace and invisible with regard to its internal way of communion which doth suppose saving grace This is doubtlesse the plaine sense of the reformed Protestant Churches as is clearly stated by that eminent patron thereof Med. p. 165 Dr. Ames his words are known The Militant Church
whether there be a Church invisible i. e. such in the Church as are in a higher sense the children of God the members of Christ and in a state of salvation then others who may also be called a Church in a distinct consideration to the rest of visible professors which the Church of Rome denieth and the reformed assert and maintain against them Neither indeed is the controversie so much about the nature of the visible as about the being of the invisible Church every one knows that there is a vast difference about the head about the succession and about the visibility of pomp and multitude and about the infallibility of the visible Church betwixt us and them yet about the nature and definition of the visible Church the difference is but small the whole burthen thereof resting upon the nature being and definition of the Church invisible I shall presume to give my reader one famous instance of this from the great late controversie of the present point in France betwixt Mons Mestrezate and Cardinal Perron as is to read at large in an excellent Treatise written in French by that Learned Monsieur whereof please yet to take this short account He begins his book with a necessity of distinguishing â—he Church before he cometh to the definition of it his distinction is founded in divers respects viz. 1. â—he internal 2. The external state of the Church he gives us the notion of the Church in Scripture viz. 1. For a visible society of Christians 2. The invisible condition of Christians The first he builds on these places Col. 4. 16. 1 Cor. 14. 12 19 23. Acts 14. 22. Gal. 1. 13. Act. 8. 3. 2 Cor. 8. 1. Gal. 1. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 1. 2 Thes 1. 1. Apoc. 1. 4. and 2. 23. The second he builds upon Eph. 5. 25 23. Eph. 1. 22 23. Eph. 5. 29 30. Heb. 12. 23. According to this distinct acceptation of the word Church in Scripture he proceeds to distinguish of the Church more properly which he saith is the nuptial body of Christ and the Church lesse properly is the outward communions visible societies of Christians then he addresseth to his definitions of the Church thus diversly considered The first saith he is the body or multitude of those whom God according Lib. 1. cap. 4 to the eternal counsel of his election hath drawn out of their natural corruption and perdition by the Minstery of his word and the power of his Spirit incorporating them into Jesus Christ by true faith and sanctification unto life eternal now upon this rests the dispute for the last viz. the visible Church he agrees in most part with the Cardinal in this definition The Church is a society of those whom God hath called unto salvation Lib. 2. cap. 1 by the profession of the true faith and a sincere administration of the Sacraments by lawful Ministers Whence we conclude that the difference betwixt us and the Papists is not much about the nature of the visible Church both are agreed that it is a Church and that it is such a Church for the most part as the Monsieur hath here defined but chiefly about the Church invisible But before I close here methinks I am tempted to cry 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that I have now hit the very sense of the reformed Divines touching the nature of the Church invisible and visible they clearly hold that there is but one Church and yet they do so distinctly consider this one Church in its strict and large acceptation For the militant and Catholick Churches are not all one in state by reason whereof they may be in one which are not in the other Whites way to the true Church or as visible and invisible that any one that gives the lightest observation thereunto must needs confesse that their definitions thereof do more then accidentally differ and therefore essentially which two things are reconciled onely by granting that when they define the Church strictly taken they define but one part of the Church when largely taken and when they define the Church largely taken they conclude the Church strictly taken under some general attribution which equally or at least joyntly admits both of the Elect and reprobate which are Heterogeneous matter yet united in one society the visible Church as before is explicated Yet would I with all modesty submit this and what else I have or shall conceive and write to the judgement of my abler brethren knowing that the spirit of the Prophets is subject to the Prophets CHAP. XVII The first Argument from Scripture God calls a wicked people his people and his Church THe arguments usually termed artificiall with their objections have been hitherto insisted on we shall therefore descend in the next place to take the evidence of testimony both divine and humane of God and the Church The records of divine authority and testimony are the holy Scriptures Whence our first argument is offered thus God is pleased in the Old Testament to own such a people for his people and Christ in the new for his Church which at the very same time he himself universally brands as wicked rebellious evil-doers back-sliders c. and taketh no notice at all of any good thing in them therefore surely a people may be considered to be truely a people of God and a Church of Christ without respect unto and upon other terms besides saving grace Here now what I have writ I read over againe and againe yet must I seriously professe that I cannot foresee any colourable answer that is to be given to this Argument He that hath but a slight knowledge in the holy Scripture must needs confesse the antecedent and he that hath but a very slight reason me thinks cannot but yeeld the consequence 1. For the antecedent viz. that God and Christ do thus acknowledge a wicked people at the very same time when such their wickednesse is charged upon them for their own people and Church is so legible in the whole course of the Scripture that truely to heap instances and proof upon it would be to weaken it I shall onely therefore fix my reader upon one undeniable instance in each Testament according to the parts of my proposition That in V. T. is Isa 1. 2 3 4 5 6. where the Lord himselfe doth very eminently and above all kinde of contradiction both charge and acknowledge a people as before is asserted 1. Then observe how he is pleased to charge them And 2. To own and acknowledge them The charge is observable In 1. The matter of it 2. The extent of it the charge in the matter of it is that they are ignorant and inconsiderate ver 3. rebellious against the Lord that nourished 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 them and brought them up v. 2. or magnified and exalted them as the Interlineary translates it or brought up and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Arabick exalted as the vulgar Lattine
yet ought to be denied the use of that thing wherein he hath right a man that is not compos mentis is not sui juris reason saith he may not command himself much lesse any thing else whereby he would hurt himself or others we do not put a knife into a madmans hand though it be his own who will not say that a man in a feavour hath not right to his own beer yet reason forbids him the use of it or to his blood in his veines yet reason commands that to save his life some of it be violently taken from him and against hâ—â— Will. 2. 'T is establish'd also by the Law of Nations in civil rights 2. Of Nations where we know possession and actual personal manegery of estates is denied when the title is not questioned and this especially in two cases of insufficiency and delinquency 1. When persons are by apparent insufficiency either through In case of insufficiency minority of years or wit to manage that to which they have a right as children and fools and madmen we know the Law provideth that others shall possesse what these have a legal right unto 2. When persons by delinquency have abused their estates against the government that is over them then also the Law seazeth upon such estates and taketh the possession out of the owners hands and sometimes when it doth not change the property or remove the delinquent out of his right Therefore as there is a case of treason wherein the Law prosecutes the Traiter both out of possession and title for ever by confiscation or proscription so there is a case of sequestration which turnes men out of their present possessions but not wholly out of their title which possession is upon condition of such satisfaction as the Law in the case demands to be re-entred and however though the person offending should not performe this said condition yet the penalty may not extend to the utter dis-inheriting the offenders posterity I shall leave the application of these several particulars to the case of communion in priviledges of the Church as most obvious to my Readers Meditations This is also apparently agreeable with the law and judgment 3. Of the Church of the Church in every generation as appears by her constant and universal proceeding accordingly for she hath ever suspended some persons from the Sacrament of the Supper whom yet she did not judge to be without all title and right thereunto as might be unquestionably instanced not only in children c. in most ages but in the penitents in all The penitents were suspended from the Supper until the Church was fully satisfied But the penitents had a right in the communion of the Church as the hottest sticklers against suspension grant us Some say indeed that there were none juridically suspended from the Supper alone that were not first excommunicate and cast out of Communion with the Church in all Ordinances but these also say that the last degree of their pennance admits them unto fellowship with the Church in all Ordinances but the Supper neither will they deny this Proposition That a person that hath lawful actual fellowship with the Church in any one Ordinance hath some kinde of right to all the rest which right these men themselves cannot urge to be next and immediate seeing they allow the Church in denying such penitents actual admission to the Supper until further satisfaction But I shall have a fairer opportunity to speak of this kind of suspension upon the head of censure And indeed I need the lesse to trouble it here seeing there is one kind of suspension viz. not Juridical which is so far allowed by all parties as will fully serve my present turne namely that whereby persons naturally and rationalsy uncapable of emproving the Supper as some men speak are withheld from it which those who are likeliest to my opponents here do not only grant but make the ground of the present distinction of Jus ad rem and Jus in re as it stands applied to the case of the Sacrament as is most evident in their writings upon this subject This distinction is grounded lastly upon the Law of 4. Of Scripture God 1. In the old Levitical Law where we find that the Leper Lev. 13. 46. whom the Priest had pronounced unclean was to dwell alone without the Camp and out of his own house until he was re-cleansed yet none can doubt but this Leper had title to his own house still and therefore upon his cleansing he was without the procuring a new title to take possession of his house again yea thus it was then also in the case of Church-priviledges if we reade Numb 9. 6 7. We finde that certain men were defiled c. that they could not keep the Passeover on that day these men say to Moses and Aaron wherefore are we kept back to whom the Lord answers v. 10 11. that if any that were unclean or in a journey afar off yet these should keep the Passeover not now but on the fourteenth day of the second moneth Whence Mr. Blake solidly concludeth that their right is thus confessed by the Lord himself and their present barre also acknowledged not only a physical barre upon those that were in their journey and could not come but a legal barre on others that were unclean and must not be admitted 2. This hath been already made to appear to be allowed by the New Law of Christ in the Gospel Christ saith to his Church in general Do this in remembrance of me herein is the right the Jus ad rem founded for all Church-members yet the Apostle addes this Comment Let a man examine himself and so let him eat and herein as anon more largely is the denial of actual possession to some Church-members founded Such persons as do not examine themselves ought not to communicate in the Supper Some persons that do not examine themselves as children c. are members of the Church and in some kinde of communion with the Church and consequently have some kinde of riâ—ht to all kind of communion therewith Therefore some persons may have some kinde of right to the Supper that have not Jus in re that may not be admitted to present communion therein These things stand upon general principles and cannot well be questioned by any particular persons that understand themselves Digression 3. The Grounds of a baptized persons right to the Supper But let us draw a little nearer to our businesse and apply the former general distinction a little more closely to our present particular point of right to the Supper which will appear according to the grounds already laid to be twofold by presenting the grounds or reasons of these two notable positions Prop. 1. First that every person lawfully baptized hath a right to the Lords Supper Prop. 2. Secondly that such persons as are lawfully baptized have not by vertue thereof an immediate or present
same ground viz. without a censure may it not Answ I must have leave to speak my minde and to say it doth not follow indeed there seemes to be the same reason for both had not God in Scripture otherwise disposed I affirme that persons found ignorant may be deniedt his communion without a Church censure upon the foresaid grounds and I grant that so also might the scandalous but that God hath provided a heavier punishment for them Mat. 18. 17. 1 Cor. 5. by the censure of the Church If it be Gods will that scandalous persons must be excommunicated and thus denied this Sacrament what are our reasons to the contrary Therefore the consideration of such as will not examine themselves as appeareth by their obstinacy in scandal is to be referred to the next head viz. of censure and the case of ignorance alone is to be tried here Quest 4. But who are those that appear by ignorance not able to examine themselves Answ Certainly not onely children fools and madmen nor these properly indeed these are reduced under the rank of the ignorant but even thereby 't is evident that ignorance is more properly attributed to persons of years and in the use of reason then unto these However children c. are debarred quia ignorant the ignorant as such and not as children or as in any other consideration are immediately incapable of performing the condition of self-examination and therefore as such are not to be admitted and 't is all as proper to say that growns affectedly ignorant persons cannot examine themselves as children fools if we know they cannot by reason of ignorance The duty to be performed is such as necessarily requireth knowledge and where there is want of knowledge whether naturally or morally there we are sure the condition of right is wanting and consequently admission is to be denied when all is done This Text is conditional or not if not then none for want of self-examination are to be suspended no not so much as children c. but if then all that appear not to be able to examine themselves are to be suspended equally with them and I despair of seeing any reason to the contrary for if persons quia non-self-examining are forbidden then all persons non-self-examining are forbidden and consequently all ignorant persons whatsoever Quest 5. But what degree of ignorance is sufficient to ground suspension upon Answ This must be left in the hands of prudence and charity but it may be measured by its influence upon this duty of self-examination if a person hath not so much knowledge as in any good measure to see his sinnes and to discerne the Lords body aright in the Sacrament of which he is to examine himselfe this is a sufficient â—ause of denying the Sacrament to such a person in my opinion Digression 5. The grounds of denying the Sacrament to some Church-members formally considered We have last considered the Object about which this is conversant or to be exercised we proceed to the ground or principle of it formally considered the authority whence it is derived 1. Negatively 2. Positively The power of the Church to keep back the ignorant from the The ground of denying the Sacrament negatively considered 1. Not Reason Lords Table is not founded in reason as if because that through ignorance men have no rational capacity of improving this Sacrament therefore reason discovering this should warrant the Church in denying the Sacrament to them this is but a being wiser for God then he is for himself 't is but bad reasoning against Gods Will if God will have such in Covenant as cannot express consent and such sealed in Covenant as in reason cannot improve it what is that to us God may do what he will with his own this would reason children out of the Church and Covenant out of Baptisme and Circumcision as well as the Supper who are all as capable of acting at a few years old in eating and drinking bread and wine as of suffering at a few dayes old in Circumcision or Baptisme or in their Church and Covenant-relation as soon as they are borne and as able to improve that as these 2. Neither is this power grounded in prudence or a prudential Nor prudence care and caution for the good of our peoples soules who not discerning the Lords body may eat and drink judgement to themselves prudence is a good assistant but a bad principle of Church power Interest in priviledges especiully this of the Supper falls under the head of spiritual property and right which prudence serveth well to discerne but not to make or alter prudence ought indeed to labour to the utmost that persons come not to the Supper unworthily but doubtlesse she goeth beyond her laste if she once ventures to deny those whom God doth not or whom he doth deny if she hath no call thereunto matters of property are matters of necessity and justice as before but prudence hath to do onely with things in themselves indifferent 3. Neither is mutual consent in ecclesia consederata by a Nor mutual confederation or consent Church-Covenant a sufficient ground of thâ—s power as if because a company of people do agree together not to give the Sacrament to the ignorant c. therefore they may deny it to such 't is known that upon this ground a learned man of late hath L. M. fixed all Church-power but I verily beleeve that the confederated Churches dare not trust themselves upon this foundation or venture their power or government to stand or fall upon this bottome Doubtlesse mutual consent is of great power in all societies and may dispose even of all indifferent things for order and decency in Christian societies or Churches but are denying Sacracraments casting out Churches c. things indifferent The persons under Church power are allowed this dommunion in the Word of God or not if they be allowed it by the word how can mutual consent warrant the Church to disallow it if not then it is determined before by the word that such persons should not be admitted that wicked persons should be put away from among us and then the power in the Church to do this is plainly derived thence I mean from those Scriptures and not from mutual consent though this be very useful quoad exercitium for the putting of this power in execution according to those Scriptures To me this seems nothing but a pretty device to make the confederated Churches fall to the ground between two extreams They have hitherto pleaded much for Scripture for every circumstance of Church-government but thus they should stride too large from hence upon the sole ground of prudence and mutual consent for the very substance of it as if the former Basis would bear neither any longer 4. Neither is this power grounded on Mat. 7. 6. or such like Scriptures for we here treat of that power to suspend such persons as are not censured but dogs and swine