gates of hell but onely that on earth And though it be applicable to the invisible onely yet to those as visible for so they are assailed by persecutions and heresies Againe He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved This doth primarily belong to the Church Catholike and that a visible Church because capable of Baptisme and though it be applicable to every member of any particular Congregation yet not as being a member thereof but of the Church Catholike to which that Promise was made yea look over all the Promises in the New Testament and you shall finde them made in generall without the least respect or reference to the particular Congregations wherein the Beleevers lived In any similar body as water the accidents doe not primarily pertaine to this or that particular drop and secondarily to the whole but first to the whole and secondarily to this or that drop So the Priviledges of the Church doe not primarily belong to this or that particular Church and secondarily to the generall but first to the generall and secondarily to this particular being a part of it The maine Priviledges of the Church visible are first Federall Holinesse to the children secondly right to the Ordinances quoad nos saltem now neither of both these betide any man primarily as a member of a particular Congregation but as a member of the Church Catholike For Federall or Covenant Holinesse whereby the children are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betideth no mans children because the parents are of this or that particular Congregation but because of the Church Catholike and this appeares by divers demonstrations I will give you but one That which should have been though the particular relation had never been and which continueth when the particular relation ceaseth that is not a proper Priviledge of that relation but such is federall Holinesse in regard of relation to any particular Church Suppose those baptized by John Baptist or by Christs Disciples before there was any particular distinction should have any children or the Eunuch if he were an Eunuch by office only and not in body baptized by Philip and went immediately home into his own country should not their children be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suppose a Church dissolved by warre the Minister and people slaine and some women left with childe should be carryed away captive should not those children be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the particular relation is extinct Doe not those women remaine members of the Church Are they to be counted without in the Apostles sence Secondly for Ordinances either of Worship or Discipline they are both Priviledges of the Church Catholike primarily For Worship a man or a childe hath right to Baptisme as a member of the Church Catholike and not of the particular Congregation for they had right before Congregations were distinguished as in John Baptists and Christs time and the Eunuchs case and have right after that relation ceaseth as children born in captivity as in the former instances such children being holy are capable of Baptisme Infantes baptizandi sunt non ut sancti sint sed quia sancti sunt Whitak And therefore no question but any Minister might baptize those children if he could come by them And for hearing the Word of God let a Christian dwell where he will and have opportunity to heare the Word where he can he hath right to it and doth heare it not as a heathen that is without but as his rightfull portion And even in Congregationall Churches the brethren in one Congregation communicate at the Lords Table in other Congregations as occasion is offered And no question but any Christian may joyne in prayer and say Our Father c. with any Christians in the furthest parts of the world And for the Ordinances of Discipline every one as a member of the Church Catholike is bound to submit thereunto and every officer of the Church Catholike visible hath right to power in the Ordinances of Discipline in actu primo every where as shall be shewed more afterward And certainly the Church Catholike even in their representative ministeriall body have more extensive authoritative power then particular Classes or Congregations though haply not more intensive Neither can it be imagined that all the other Priviledges should belong first to the Church Catholike and so descend to particulars and this of Discipline should belong first to the particular congregation and so ascend to the Catholike that some should go in a geneticall method as it were and others in an analyticall Suppose an Apostle should have preached in a citie and converted at first but two or three or converted a company of women as it was Pauls lot to preach to a company of women Acts 16.13 So that they could not be brought in to an organicall congregation could it be conceived that they though baptized were still without and were not their children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if any of them should miscarry in their judgements or practises had Paul nothing to doe to censure them because they were not in a Church way as some terme it or in a particular Congregation though they were in the Church Catholike visible If they were lyable to censure or capable thereof not being in a particular congregation but the Church Catholike only then Discipline belongs to the Church Catholike and that primarily The Keyes of Discipline were first given to the Church Catholike because first given to the Apostles who were generall Pastours and therefore the Keyes are Catholike Also censures past in one Congregation reach the whole Church Catholike visible as shall be shewed more afterward That which belongeth to all and every part of a similar body as parts of that body that primarily belongeth to the whole but so doth Discipline Therefore c. Argument 3 Thirdly Christs Offices are first intended for and executed on the Church Catholike here below He is King Priest and Prophet primarily in respect of the whole and but secondarily in respect of a particular congregation or member Gods aime in Redemption was to redeeme the whole firstly and secondarily particulars God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son c. And so is the application of that redemption by Christ As a Priest he reconcileth cleanseth and intercedeth for all of the elect and proffers it to the whole Church Catholike visible As a Prophet he teacheth all As a King he ruleth all primarily and particulars secondarily As an earthly King is indeed King of Thomas and John c. but not primarily but secondarily as they are members of his kingdome And the naturall head is indeed head to the little finger and little toe but not primarily but as they are parts of the whole body whereof it is head so is Christ a mysticall King and head first of the whole and secondarily of the particular parts contained in and under the whole Yea Christ may be King Priest and Prophet to
same tillage Sever the wicked from among the just seed fencing watering It is a barn floore with wheate and chaffe It is a draw net gathering together good and bad It is a marriage where were wise and foolish virgins some with wedding garments some without some had oyle and some had none but lamps of profession Now these metaphors cannot be limited to any particular Congregation but agree to the Church Catholike not as invisible but visible And when we say Thy kingdome come we pray for the good of the Church Catholike visible that it might be enlarged and have freedome and purity of ordinances which are things that concerne it as visible In 1 Cor. 15.24 it is said Then shall Christ deliver up the Kingdome to God his Father This is not the essentiall Kingdome which he hath with the Father and Holy Ghost as God for that he shall never deliver up Neither is it the kingdome of grace which he exerciseth in the hearts of the elect for that shall continue for ever and be more perfect in Heaven For the kingdome of grace here and glory afterward differ only gradu communionis as Ames tells us here the degree is imperfect then it shall be perfect both in graces and joyes But it is the kingdome exercised in the visible Church in ordinances of worship and discipline which shall then cease for as the Evangelicall externall service thrust out the legall and ceremoniall so shall the heavenly thrust out the evangelicall And Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdome which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare This kingdome cannot be meant of the internall kingdome of grace in the heart for that was also exercised by Christ in his peoples hearts in the old Testament but it is meant of the externall ordinances of worship and discipline which differed from that under the Law else the Apostles antithesis of the Church under the Law and the Church under the Gospell had not been good which are the things he compares in that place Now nothing is opposite to externall under the Law but externall under the Gospell It cannot be meant of the kingdome of glory for they had not yet received it and it is plaine he speakes of a Kingdome wherein we may now serve God acceptably with reverence and godly feare Repent for the Kingdome * Mat. 3.2 Mat. 4.17 of Heaven is at hand He that is least in the Kingdome †Mat. 1.11 of Heaven is greater then John Now if these things were spoken of a particular congregation only which particular congregation in the world shall impropriate these things to it selfe But if true of everyone in particular and all in generall and these all be continually called one kingdome then there is a Church Catholike visible Againe 1 Cor. 5.12 The Apostle saith What have I to doe to judge those that are without The preposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extra I desire to know what Noune shall be understood or supplied unto it Is it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Church And can we think that that Church was the Church of Corinth only Had Paul nothing to doe to judge any that were out of the Church of Corinth when he was an Apostle all over the Christian world This could not be meant of the invisible company only What had Paul nothing to doe to censure any but invisible memmbers Why did he then excommunicate Hymineus Philetus Phygellus Hermogines and Alexander And saith I would they were cut off that trouble you and therefore it must be meant of the Church Catholike visible What have I to do to judge those that are without the pale of the Church they are not under my power or cognizance but belong only to the civill Magistrate And we usually speake of the countries that are within the pale of the Church and those that are without And we have an axiome Extra Ecclesiam non est salus which cannot be meant of any particular congregation in the world but is true of the Church Catholike visible typified by the Ark of Noah without which ordinarily and visibly there is no hope of salvation Also it is said Acts 2.47 God added to the Church daily such as should be saved which was not a particular congregationall Church but the Catholike For it is not probable that those hundred and twenty that were together at Pentecost were one congregationall Church for many of them were men of Galilee which by their habitation could not pertaine to the Church in Jerusalem and yet the rest were added to them Againe Ephes 3.10 To the intent that unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdome of God This Church here spoken of was not a particular Congregation but the whole Church Catholike whereof Paul was made a Minister as he saith in the same chapter And this proficiency of the Angels for ought I know was by the truths which it pleased God by the ministry of the word to make knowne audibly to the Church And Ephes 3.21 To him be glory in the Church throughout all ages c. This place speakes of the Church Catholike visible in the largest sence that can be possible both in respect of place for it is the whole Church by which God hath glory which is universall and time for it is the Church in all ages but no particular congregation nor nationall Church can be sure to last to all ages no not by succession but the Church Catholike shall Againe Ephes 4.4 5. The Apostle proveth the Church to be but one by divers arguments First he saith There is but one body of Christ which is therefore called Eph. 3.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both of Jewes and Gentiles i. e. the same body Secondly there is but one Spirit in that whole body which is as one soule in one body Thirdly there is but one hope of their calling Fourthly there is but one Lord or King over the whole Church Fifthly there is but one Faith i. e. one Religion Doctrine Worship the same Commands and Statutes for all Sixthly There is but one Baptisme to admit into this Church Now if the whole world were under one King and governed by one Law and all capable of the same Priviledges and all made Denizons by the same way of inrowlement it would make but one Empire yet so it is with all the Churches in the world they have the same King Law Word Sacraments of admission and nutrition which they visibly subject themselves unto and receive therefore they are all one visible Church Againe Christ saith on this rock * Matth. 16.18 will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevaile against it Was this a particular Congregation No surely but the Church Catholike for any particular Church may be prevailed against but the whole shall not The place is meant
transient and in flux by the addition and subtraction of the members thereof yet it shall never cease to be visible 5. That if the Church Catholike be contracted into the limits of a particular Congregation yet that hath the notion of the Church Catholike more properly then of a particular Congregation 6. That the Church Catholike is mixt of good and bad as well as particular Congregations are 7. That the Church Catholike is Organicall 8. That the Keyes of Discipline are Catholike as well as of Doctrine 9. That the Promises Priviledges and Ordinances of Worship and Discipline belong primarily to the Church Catholike 10. That the notes and signes of the true Church belong first to the Church Catholike visible and therefore are distinctive to that only 11. That the whole Church Catholike is the primary object of Christs Offices and particulars but as parts thereof Joh. 3.16 12. Though Christ be the only Supreme head and Ruler of his Church yet must it have immediate subordinate rulers over it Ephes 4.11 13. That the Unity of the Church Catholike requireth not a meeting of the whole body together at any time Concerning particular Churches 1. That particular Churches are made up of the members of the Church Catholike 2. That the particular Divisions of the Church Catholike visible for convenient enjoyment of publike Ordinances have the Name Church and the Priviledges thereof by participation as farre as they are capable indulged unto them 3. That particular Churches must be distinguished by particular accidentall limits and circumstances though they be heterogeneall to the Church 4. Many Congregations may be in the same community of Discipline and be ruled by their Elders in communi by co-ordination though not subordination and so be called One Church Nationall Provinciall or Presbyteriall 5. That which belongs primarily to the whole Church as Totum similare and to the least part of the whole as a part thereof belongs much more to a greater part thereof Or thus That which belongs to a little part of a similar body quâ talis belongs to a greater part much more 6. The greater the parts of the Church Catholike be and the more united by co-ordination the stronger they be and the smaller the Divisions be the weaker 7. The Division of the Church Catholike into small parcels to stand alone by themselves without co-ordination is dangerous 8. Yet necessity in regard of distance of place c. may cause a particular Church to be Independent in regard of actuall externall consociation 9. The constituting a particular Church by an explicite Covenant as the essentiall forme thereof implyeth a deniall of all other Churches to be true that are not so constituted because they must want the essentiall forme Concerning the publike Officers of the Church 1. Every Minister is an Officer of the Church Catholike and that relation is primary to him yet the particular relation he stands in to a particular congregation giveth him by the politic of the Church a more immediate charge to administer the Ordinances of God unto them 2. Any single Minister by vertue of his office hath power ministerially to admit a member into the Church Catholike visible 3. Although the Election of a Minister to a particular congregation be an act of liberty in the people yet his mission is from Christ primarily and ministerially by the Presbytery 4. He doth not administer the Ordinances of God in the name of the congregation as their servant but of Christ As a Major in a corporation though chosen by the people yet executeth his office in the Kings name 5. If he administreth any Ordinances out of his own congregation he doth it not as a gifted brother but by vertue of his office 2 Cor. 5.20 6. Although the particular flock over which a Minister was set be dissolved yet he ceaseth not to be a Minister because the Church to which he bare first relation is not dissolved which is the Catholike Concerning private members 1. Particular Converts are first converted into the Church Catholike and secondarily conjoyn'd into particular consociations 2. Every member of a particular Church is a member of the Church Catholike and that relation doth primarily belong unto him 3. Externall profession of the true Faith and subjection to Gods Ordinances is enough to make a man capable of being a member of a visible Church quoad externam formum 4. By Baptisme members are visibly and ministerially admitted into the Church Catholike visible 5. By Excommunication rightly administred an offender is cast out of the Church Catholike visible as much as out of a particular congregation 6. Federall Holinesse belongs to none primarily because borne of members of a particular congregation but of the Church Catholike 7. They that are only in the Church Catholike visible are not Without in the Apostles sense 8. Children of beleeving parents have right to Baptisme though their parents were not members of any particular congregation and are debarred of their due if denyed it 9. Every member of the Church Catholike is or ought to be a member of the particular Church wherein he dwells 10. The being in the generall Covenant gives right to the Ordinances and not any particular neither do we find any mention in Scripture of any particular explicit Covenant either urged or used at the admission of members into a particular congregation or at the constitution of the same 11. The Invisible members of the Church which have internall communion with Christ are also visible members and have externall communion in externall ordinances 12. The departure of a member from a particular congregation and removall to another for convenience or by necessity is no sinne but departing from the Church Catholike and ceasing to be a member thereof is a sinne I know it is not usuall to make uses and application to Theses of this nature and should I enter thereinto I might drowne my selfe in sorrow to bewayle the rents not in Christs seamelesse coate but in his body the Church which Christ preferred in some regards before his naturall body for he assumed his naturall body for their sakes and was willing to suffer that to be buffeted spit on whipped crowned with thornes crucifyed peirced slaine for their sakes yea he was willing to be made sinne yea a curse and to beare his fathers wrath in his humanity for his Churches sake that they might escape and be saved The divisions in the Church are of three sorts in judgement in affection and in way or practise For judgement first come the Romists and they rend away the second commandment then come the Antisabbatarians and they rend away the fourth though placed in the heart of the Decalogue and so extraordinarily fenced by God with a memento before it and so many arguments after it then come the Antinomians and they pluck away the whole law from us denying it both punitive coactive and directive power and so render it wholy dead and useles to Christians