signifie an organical Body though that the Church on Earth is also by Christ's own institution of which more hereafter but it is so called for mystical reasons which I shall briefly explain to you 1. Now I first observe that the Relation between Man and Wife is but an Emblem and Figure of that Union which is between Christ and his Church Hence the Apostle exhorts Husbands to love their Wives even as Christ loved his Church and tells us of Marriage It is a great mystery but I speak concerning Christ and his Church 5 Ephes. 25. 32. 2. That to be the Body and the Spouse of Christ signifies the same thing Hence the Apostle argues That men ought to love their Wives as their own bodies 28 v. For no man ever hated his own flesh but nourisheth and cherisheth it even as the Lord the Church 29. For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones 30. So that the Wife is the Body the very Flesh of the Husband and so is the Church of Christ. 3. To understand this matter why the Church is called the Body and Spouse of Christ we must enquire why the Wife is called the Body of the Man Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone and the reason of that is because the Woman was formed out of the Man. God at first formed Man with an entire humane Body of the Dust of the Earth and out of Man while he slept he formed the Woman who though a distinct separate Person yet was part of the Man Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone And this was a natural Marriage for two were by nature one Flesh and this was the natural and fundamental reason of the Matrimonial Union For this cause shall a man leave his Father and Mother and cleave to his Wife and they two shall be one Flesh. For though other Women are not made as Eve was no more than other Men are made as Adam was yet the Woman being originally of the Man the reason holds as to the whole kind and in subsequent Marriages a legal Ceremony and Contract does what a natural Formation did at first that is unites two into one Flesh. Thus the blessed Jesus out of great pity and compassion to fallen man intending to marry us unto himself and thereby to recover us out of a state of sin and misery first marries our Nature to himself by an hypostatical Union as Man was created first and then the Woman formed out of him Christ took a humane Body of the substance of a pure Virgin which signifies that it was an Espousable Nature which he took and was a Pledge and Earnest and Medium of our Marriage to him For though we cannot be married immediately to the Divinity yet to a God Incarnate we may For Marriage requires that Husband and Wife be of the same nature But this is not enough that the Husband and Wife partake of the same Nature but the Woman must be formed out of the Man which makes her Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone. And thus accordingly the Church is formed out of the Body of Christ and is in a mystical sense his very Flesh and Bones as St. Paul speaks We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones For the Sufferings of Christ in the flesh gave life and being to the Church he purchast to himself a Church by his own Bloud that is he formed to himself a Church out of his broken Body as Adam's Body was broken and a Rib taken out of him to form the Woman And therefore as the Woman was made of the same Flesh with Adam so the Sufferings of Christ in his humane nature purchased a Church not of Angels but of Men of the same nature with himself as the Apostle observes 2 Heb. 16 For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the Seed of Abraham and therefore is not the Saviour of Angels but of men is not married to the Angelical but to the humane nature And to make the Analogie still more compleat as the Woman was formed out of Adam's side so was the Church out of Christ's side for when he was pierced with the Souldiers Spear there came out of his side both Water and Bloud 19 John 34. and the Evangelist sets a peculiar remark upon it He that saw it bare record and we know that his record is true and he knoweth that he saith true that ye might believe 35 v. and this is especially observed and great weight laid on it 1 John 5. 6. This is he that came by water and bloud even Jesus Christ not by water only but by water and bloud This some think signifies no more but that it was a demonstration that he was truly dead in that his heart was wounded where there is a Capsula called the Pericardium which contains water which being pierced water came out together with bloud but the water and bloud came out distinct though from the same wound which was never known before and cannot be done again by the greatest Artist and though this might be a reason why St. John might take notice of it in his Gospel where he gave an account of his death yet it does not seem a sufficient reason why he should lay such weight on it in his Epistles This is he who came by water and bloud not by water only but by water and bloud and therefore I doubt not but the ancient Fathers were in the right who tell us that the two Sacraments of the new Covenant flowed out of his side which are the formation of this spiritual Spouse his Church the birth and the nourishment of it Baptism and the Lords Supper which came from his wounded body and have both of them a peculiar respect to his Death and Passion Thus we see the Church is called Christ's Body and Spouse for mystical reasons because it is formed out of his broken Body his Death and Sufferings giving life and being to the Church and therefore it is but one Body because all those who are redeemed by his Bloud and united to him by Covenant which is a kind of Marriage-Vow and Contract are his Body and Spouse And therefore the Sacraments of the new Covenant Baptism and the Lords Supper do no otherwise unite us to each other than they unite us all to Christ which makes us all one Body or as the Apostle speaks with respect to the Lords Supper For we being many are one bread and one body for we are all partakers of that one bread We all partake of the same Body of Christ which is therefore called the Communion of his Body and Bloud and therefore we all are but one Body so that it is a vain thing to inquire after any other Principle of Unity for the whole Church but the Union of all Christians to Christ who are one Body by their Union to one Head. But it may be
not explain how the whole Church is but One must be false because the Unity of the Church properly belongs to the whole and not to a part Now as this Unity respects the whole Church it is impossible there should be any other Head of Unity but Christ any other medium of Unity but the Gospel-Covenant nor any other kind of Unity but the Unity of one Spiritual Body Communion or Society that we are all united by the Gospel-Covenant in One Body to Christ the one and Onely Head of the Universal Church 1. The Unity of the Church must consist in its Union to some one Head. This is acknowledged by all Christians and therefore I need not prove it and it is as evident that none can be the Head of the Universal Church but only Christ and that for this plain reason because it is Union to Christ alone which makes the Christian Church The Church is the Church of Christ and therefore he alone is the Head of his own Church This the Romanists themselves grant that Christ alone is the Head of his Church and that the Bishop of Rome is only a vicarious Head Christ's Vicar on Earth But when we speak of the Unity of the Universal Church part of which is translated to Heaven and part still militant on Earth it must be united in Christ alone for as he needs no Vicar in Heaven where he himself is immediately present so there can be no Vicar on Earth as a common Head of Unity for the Church on Earth and in Heaven and therefore the Unity of the whole Church cannot consist in its Union to such a vicarious Head as I observed before and then there can be no other Head of Unity but only Christ. 2. It is as evident also that the only Medium or Bond of this Union between Christ and the Church is the Gospel-Covenant for that is the Foundation of our relation to Christ He is our Head and Husband our Lord and Saviour we his Subjects Disciples Spouse and Body by Covenant And therefore the Sacraments of the New Covenant Baptism and the Lord's Supper are the Federal Rites of our Union to Christ Baptism is our Regeneration or New Birth whereby we are incorporated into his Body in the Lord's Supper we spiritually eat his Flesh and drink his Blood which signifies and effects as intimate an Union to him as there is of our Bodies and the Food we eat and this proves that there can be no other Head of Unity but only Christ because the Gospel Covenant unites us to none else which I take to be St. Paul's meaning when he reproves the Corinthian Schism 1 Cor. 1. 12 13. Now this I say that every one of you saith I am of Paul and I of Apollos and I of Cephas and I of Christ. Is Christ divided was Paul crucified for you or were ye baptized in the name of Paul That is that there is no other Head to whom we can be united but only Christ who purchased the Gospel-Covenant by his Death and into whose Name we are baptized His alone we are to whom we are united by Baptism we are in Covenant with none else and therefore belong to him alone if they might have owned any other Head besides him who died for them and into whose Name they were baptized if Christ had made Peter the vicarious Head of Unity as the Romanists pretend St. Paul's Argument against these Sidings and Factions that one said he was of Paul another of Apollos a third of Cephas or Peter had not been good for at least those who were united to Peter were in the right but St. Paul knew no other Head of Unity but only Christ because the Gospel-Covenant which is the only Medium and Bond of Union unites us to no other Head and therefore those who said they were of Peter or belonged to him as their Head and Center of Unity which is the case of the Church of Rome at this day were as great Schismaticks as those who said they were of Paul. Now this Covenant extends to the whole Church and therefore unites the whole Church to Christ. For those who are translated into Heaven are still united to Christ by the same Covenant with the Church on Earth There are several Duties indeed of this Covenant which the Saints in Heaven are exempted from because their state and condition there is above them Their Faith and Hope is turned into Sight and Enjoyment their Spiritual Warfare is accomplished for there is no Devil nor Flesh nor World to tempt them the Mystical Supper of our Lord is celebrated by them not in external Symbols and Figures but in a more divine manner in the immediate presence of the Lamb but thô the Duties of the Covenant change with their state and condition of life yet the Covenant is the same still by this Covenant it is that they are in Heaven and still expect the completion of their happiness in the Resurrection of their Bodies immortal and glorious and by the same Covenant it is that we hope when our Warfare is accomplished also to get to Heaven and to rise together with them at the sound of the last Trumpet And therefore the whole Church in Heaven and Earth is One by being united to the same Head by the same Covenant 3. The Unity then of the Universal Church can consist in nothing but this that the whole Church both in Heaven and Earth is united in One Body to Christ. For since there is no other Head of Unity for the Church but Christ the formal reason of this Unity must consist in the Union of the whole Church to Christ which makes the Universal Church the One Body of Christ and this is the Unity of the Church For I think it is no less than a demonstration that the Unity of the Universal Church which is part in Heaven and part on Earth cannot be the Unity of an organized Body which must consist in a regular Subordination of different Ranks and Degrees of men as the Church on Earth does For the Church on Earth and in Heaven which is the One Church of Christ is no such one common governed Society and therefore the Unity of the Church cannot consist in the Unity of one External Government But how then is the whole Church but one Body Truly I know no other way but that they are all united to Christ in the same Covenant and all who are thus united to him Christ accounts his One Body Thus Christ as bearing his Church is compared to a Vine all whose Branches we know are united only in the Stock or Root 15 John 1. and to an Olive-Tree 11 Rom. 17. and to a Sheepfold which consists of single and individual Sheep which are one Fold only because they are under one Shepherd 10 John 16. It is true indeed the Church is called also the Body and the Spouse of Christ but as that relates to the Universal Church it does not
objected against this that this confines the Church to the company of the Elect who are the mystical Body of Christ that according to this Notion there can be no visible Church upon Earth for no man can tell who belongs to the mystical Body of Christ which is made up only of true and sincere Christians and no man can see who they are without seeing their hearts Now this is a mighty prejudice against any Notion if it destroys the visibility of the Church which is so plainly taught in Scripture and does for ought we know unchurch the greatest Member of visible Church-Members if the Church consist only of those who were elected from all eternity and are in time called by the Grace of God to a state of real Holiness and Sanctification and made the living Members of Christ's Body I cannot possibly see how there can be a visible Church on Earth for this internal Grace which makes a Church-Member is invisible and therefore Church-Members are invisible too and then I fear the Church it self must be invisible if all the Members of it are invisible for invisible Members cannot make a visible Society and to say that the Field in which the Corn and the Tares grow together is visible will not make the Church visible unless this visible Field as visible be the Church and then the Tares as well as the Corn must be Church-Members for to see where the Corn grows if we cannot see the Corn does not make the Corn visible and if the Corn only be the Church invisible Corn cannot make a visible Church Which has made me often wonder that some learned Protestants and that of late too have so much insisted on this Notion which gives manifest advantage to their Adversaries and serves no end that I know of but what may better be served without it But the Union of the Church to Christ which I have now explained is a visible Union for we are united to Christ by the Gospel-Covenant and the Covenant is visible the Sacraments of the Covenant Baptism and the Lords Supper are visible the profession of Faith and obedience to Christ made by these visible Sacraments is visible also and therefore the Church which is united to Christ by a visible Covenant visible Sacraments and a visible Profession is visible also But you 'll say can wicked men then be Members of Christ's mystical Body yes no doubt but they may in this World if they can be in Covenant with him We are united by Covenant and those who are thus united are Members of his Body and Christ has but one Body which is his Church and mystical Spouse And what absurdity is there in saying that men may be in Covenant with Christ and not perform the conditions of the Covenant nor obtain the rewards of it This no man will deny but that bad men who live in visible Communion with the Church who are baptized in the name of Christ and feast at his Table are visibly in coveâ—ant with him for if the Sacraments of the Covenant do not prove that we are in covenant no man can tell whether he be in covenant or not Now all that are in covenant with Christ are his Body and unless we can find two Covenants and two Bodies for Christ we must grant that good and bad men in this World are in the same Covenant and Members of the same Body Our Saviour tells us that there are some branches in him which bear no fruit but they are in him for all that though they shall be taken away and separated from him 15 John 2. St. Paul disswades the Corinthians from Fornication by this Argument that they are the Members of Christ Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot God forbid 1 Cor. 6. 15. Which supposes that such a thing may be done that the Members of Christ may be made Members of a Harlot and that supposes that very bad men may be Members of Christ's Body But are not all the Members of Christ mystically united to him and can there be such a mystical Union between Christ and bad men I answer if by mystical Union be meant being united in the same Life and Spirit it is plain that bad men are not thus mystically united to Christ for they are not living but dead Members of his Body they are branches that are in the Vine but bear no fruit and yet may be Members of his mystical Body which is so called not upon account of any mystical Union which some men â—alk of of but no man could ever explain but for mystical reasons as I have already shewed you Now if those mystical reasons for which the Church is called the Body of Christ include wicked Professors and concealed Hypocrites as well as truly good Men then I hope bad Men may be said to be the Members of Christ's Mystical Body without such a Mystical Union to him Now I observed before the Mystical Reason why the Church is called the Body of Christ Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone is because he purchas'd the Church with his own Blood the Church is formed out of his broken Body as Eve was formed out of the Body of Adam And therefore if bad Men who are in Covenant with Christ are the purchase of his Blood and have a Covenant-right to the expiation of it and all the benefits procured by it then they are the Members of his Mystical Body Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone. And methinks no man should deny that those who are in Covenant with Christ should have a Covenant right to the Expiation of his Death and all the Blessings purchas'd by his Blood for otherwise we cannot tell what it is to be in Covenant if it confer no right to the Priviledges of it and yet no man has a right to the Purchase of Christ's Blood but those who are his Body and therefore if bad men may have such a Covenant-right as certainly they have if they be in Covenant then they are by Covenant united to his Mystical Body If you object that by this reason all Mankind are Christ's mystical Body for He died for all Men and therefore they are all the Purchase of his Blood and consequently they are his Mystical Body which is formed out of his broken Body I answer it is true indeed that in some sense Christ died for all because none are excluded from the Benefits of his Death who unite themselves to his Body by Faith and Baptism but yet he died for none so as to give them an immediate Right and Title to the Purchase of his Blood for his Purchase is confined to his Church which is his Body He is the Saviour of the Body He loved his Church and gave himself for it And therefore his Church only is his Mystical Body Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone and
but kept them in the state of Catechumens a great while till they were instructed in the Principles of Christian Faith and had given proof of a holy and vertuous life which is to expect that men should become new creatures before they are born again that they should walk in the Spirit before they have received the Spirit in Baptism that they should bring forth Fruit before they are implanted into this Spiritual Vine Now if Men who have lived very wicked Lives may be admitted to Baptism upon their profession of Faith and Repentance that in this Laver of Regeneration they may wash away all their Sins and become new creatures and receive the Spirit of Grace and Sanctification to reform their Lives this shews that the very Constitution of the Church on Earth is such that there may be very bad Men in it unless all who are baptized should infallibly prove good Men For bad Men who profess the Faith of Christ and Repentance of their Sins have a right to Baptism where they must receive Grace to mortifie and subdue their Lusts and renew their Natures and yet if after Baptism they resist the Grace and Spirit of God they will continue bad Men still and this the Ministers of the Church can never know whether they will or not Nay the Gospel-Covenant admits the Children of Christian-Parents to Baptism and it is impossible to know how those who are baptized in their Infancy will prove when they are Men and yet these are all Members of the Church and the Mystical Body of Christ at least till they are cut off by the Censures of the Church and there is no inconvenience in this if the Governours of the Church were but so strict in their Discipline as to prevent all Publick Scandals for since the Church on Earth is the School and Nursery of Vertue where bad Men may be reformed and become Saints since Christ is that Spiritual Vine from whom alone we can receive the communications of a Divine Life it is very fitting that all believers should be received into the Church and incorporated into Christ's Body for it cannot be known whether they will prove good or bad Men fruitful or barren Branches till they partake of the sap and fatness of the Root till they receive such communications of Grace as my renew them into a Divine Nature And therefore to say that none but real Saints are Members of the Church on Earth is to make no difference between a School of Tryal Exercise and Discipline and the state of perfect and consummate Souls between a state of Warfare where the Victory is doubtful and the triumphant company of Conquerors between those who run in a Race and those who have won the Prize for such a difference there is between the state of the Church on Earth and in Heaven We cannot run this Spiritual Race unless we be in the Church for there is no Prize no Crown to run for out of it And therefore those who lose as well as those who win the Prize must be in the Church and Members of it They are all in the same Covenant that if they overcome they shall receive the Crown good men conquer in this World and triumph in Heaven bad men are conquered and they lose their Crown and this makes the separation and difference between the Church in Heaven and Earth in Heaven there are none but those who have conquered on Earth all who run in the same Race and are engaged in the same Warfare are mixt together in the same Body and Society those who conquer and those who are conquered are of the same Company on Earth but none but Conquerors are crowned in Heaven Thus I have shewed wherein the Unity of the Church consists that the whole Church both in Heaven and Earth are united to Christ in the same Covenant which makes it his One Mystical Body and it was necessary to lay the foundation here for without this it is impossible to understand what the Unity of the Church on Earth means most of the mistakes in this matter being plainly owing to that first and fundamental mistake about the true Notion of Catholick Unity as that includes the Unity of the Universal Church part of which is translated to Heaven and part still militant on Earth Those who have been aware of this that the Church in Heaven and Earth is but one Church have hence concluded that the Catholick Church is only the number of the Elect that none but truly good men who are renewed and sanctified by the holy Spirit are Members of Christ's mystical Body which makes the Church on Earth as invisible to us as the Church in Heaven Others when they talk of the Unity of the Church never think of the Church in Heaven and therefore advance such a Notion of Church-unity as excludes the Church in Heaven as if the Church on Earth were the whole Church of Christ or that the Church in Heaven and Earth were not one Church or that the Notion of Church-unity must not relate to the whole Church but only to one part of it Thus as I observed before the Romanists do who place the Unity of the Church in its Union and Subjection to the Bishop of Rome which can concern only that part of the Church which is on Earth for the Church in Heaven is not under his government Others considering that the Unity of the Church consists in the Union of all the parts and members of it to Christ have no regard at all to the Unity of the Church on Earth as that also is one Body and Communion and therefore it will be time now to apply this Notion of Church-unity to the Unity of the Church on Earth CHAP. II. Concerning the Vnity of the Catholick Church on Earth IF the whole Church be one to be sure every part of it must be one with the whole and therefore one with it self with that same kind of Unity which belongs to the whole So that the Essential Unity of the Church on Earth that which makes a Church and makes it one is that all true Churches are Members of the One mystical Body of Christ as being all united to him as to their Head by the same Covenant So that whatever makes a Church a true Church makes it a Member of the One Catholick Church or of the One Body of Christ. And here comes in what the Apostle makes essential to this One Body One Lord One Faith One Baptism 4 Eph. 5. which signifies what I said before being united to Christ in the same Covenant For Christ is the One Lord to whom we are united the One Faith is the condition of this Covenant and the One Baptism is the faederal Rite of it or the Sacrament of our Union to Christ. Where this is not there is no Church and where this is there is but one Church how many particular Churches or distinct Communions soever this Church is divided into From whence