heart only and that but dimly and not apprehended by all in all the parts thereof alike through ignorance rudenesse barbarism or evil customes Secondly There are no Officers of the whole world as it is a society directed by the internal Law of nature but so there are of the visible Church and Therefore the visible Church is more then a society it is Christs external political Kingdom Thirdly There are several chief governours over the several Kingdoms of the world which are Gods vicegerents and Gods annointed ones in their Kingdoms and written municipal laws belonging to every Kingdom distinct from other Kingdoms and priviledges proper to the several Kingdoms wherein the subjects of other Kingdoms partake not But Christ hath set no such several supream annointed ones over the several Churches nor permitted the several Churches to make any different laws from his nor from those laws which are common to the whole Church And the priviledges of the Church are common to all the members of the several Churches and they have freedom to communicate together in the holy Ordinances whereever they dwell Fourthly The Law of nature is given by God as an invisible Creator the Laws of the Church are given by Christ a God man as a Mediator As he is God he hath an essential right to be governour of angels and men and all other creatures but as Mediatour he hath a donative Kingdom of grace and is a political head of an external visible Kingdom which is but one Fifthly All mankinde are not entred into one body by one external instituted sign badge enrowlment and initial seal not are entred into one explicit actual Covenant nor make an explicit actual profession of subjection to the same God or to the same systeme of written Laws And therefore that parallel which these two reverend Ministers M. Allen and M. Shepard whom I love and reverence much in the Lord endeavour to draw between mankinde and the Oecumenical Church in their Defence unto the nine questions or positions p. 79. will not suit and agree in all things 6. Yet as all men are one society though they want Officers as such yet are they bound to combine even from that internal union to preserve themselves and maintain the Law of nature Suppose there were some circumcelliones or some conjurers that sought to destroy mankinde in general not because they are of this or that Kingdom upon some particular quarrel but because they are men or that endeavoured to poison and infect the air or let in the sea to drown the earth or take away the light of the Sun if such things were possible or any kinde of wilde beast should multiply that would destroy all mankinde then all mankinde setting aside their particular immunities combinations Laws yea and quarrels ought and would unite themselves as men to preserve mankinde and oppose such common enemies of mankinde Forreign Nations will combine to vindicate Jus Gentium if it be violated All Nations combine against Pirates notwithstanding particular distinctions and oppositions yea so far as mens positive laws are general as the civil Law reacheth far over many Kingdoms if there be any oppositions or obstructions that hinder the exercise thereof for common good all that submit themselves thereunto would notwithstanding their particular distinctions joyn together to remove the same Much more then ought there to be an union and combination between the several parts of the Church which hath the same head and King over the whole of our own nature who hath given us one systeme of written laws and but one charter for the whole and made Officers for the good of the whole enduing them with an habitual power of office to administer all his Ordinances in any part of the Church upon a call And if they could meet together they might actually teach and rule the whole Church as one Congregation as M Ellis granteth and because they cannot so meet yet by the same reason if a great part of them meet together the Elders set over them may teach and rule them joyntly together as well as severally asunder For the greater number of Churches being considered as combined and consociated parts of the whole bear the same relation in a proportion to the lesse that the greater number in the same Congregation do to the lesse and therefore if the major part in the Congregational Eldership shall overrule the lesse by their votes so by proportion shall the greater number of any greater Presbytery whether Classical Provincial or National c. being in actual consociation and combination overrule the lesse if they dissent But because there are so many superstitions errours and heresies in the Asian African European and American Churches as M. A. and M. S. in their defence p 92. do take notice of which book I confesse it was mine unhappinesse not to hear of until this tractate of mine was transcribed for the presse and who have dealt exceeding candidly upon this question and seem to yield the fairest concessions toward the universality unity integrality and priority of the whole Church in some respects of reason pag. 77. though not so much as is contended for yet I say for these things sake I should be very tender in defining as the case now standeth what Churches or how farre the visible Churches may with convenience or safety enter into actual combination Quest 2. lest the truths of God or the liberties of the more sound and pure Churches should be prejudiced thereby The second Question I come now to handle the predicate of my Question which I may well call a second Question and that is Which of these two Churches is Prima or first and which Secundaria or secondary Sect. 1. BEfore I answer I desire it may be remembred that the comparison is not between the invisible and the visible Church but between the visible Catholike Church and the particular visible Churches And then I answer I conceive the Church-Catholike visible is priâ—â—a and the particular Churches are secundariae and in that sense orâ—ae as being ministerially converted and admitted by it But for our better understanding of this priority I shall first set down what kinde of priority this is and what not I doe not mean a priority of time as if the Church-Catholike should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 antiquius quid and yet the Evangelical Church was first set up in time before there were any divisions into particular Churches but now it is divided the members that are born in the several Congregations enter into the general and particular Churches simul tempore though not ratione naturei As a freeman in London takes up his freedom of the City 〈◊〉 of such a â—all or company at once But those that are born in it and converted to it finde the Church-Catholike already constituted before them even in time Also I do not mean in regard of constitution of the whole political Kingdom of Christ by
vipers and yet addeth I indeed baptize you with water Matth. 3.7 11. Indeed they confessed their sins and it is like promised amendment and so will the worst in our Congregations doe though they never perform it The ground therefore upon which this supposal is to be must not be any mans personal particular judgement built upon such evidence as may convince the understanding of a judicious experienced Minister or Christian that the persons are truly godly but an Ecclesiastical judgement in foro Ecclesiae raised upon such grounds as the Ministers of God directed by God have formerly gone upon which conditions if they finde they are not to deny administration of the seals unto which are the seals of the visible not invisible Church The same causes and rules are of admission that are of ejection vice versâ and as no man is to be censured and cast out of the visible Church because the Elders particular judgement makes them think the man hath not the true power of godlinesse and grace of God in sincerity except he commit that which deserves an Ecclesiastical censure so neither is admission to be denyed to any man that desires to dedicate himself unto God and will promise and professe subjection to Christ in all his Ordinances though it be suspected by judicious Christians that he hath not the true work of grace in his heart The Church of God in their Ecclesiastical judgement censureth only ignorance errour and scandal A Scholar that is admitted into a school is not admitted because he is doctus but ut fit doctus and if he will submit to the rules of the school and apply himself to learn it is enough for his admission the like may be said of the Church visible which is Christs school Iohn Baptist did not in his conscience think they had all actually really and compleatly repented and reformed themselves whom he baptized but he baptized them unto repentance Mat. 3.11 and they by receiving the same bound themselves to endeavour the practice thereof It were a sad case for Ministers if they were bound to admit none or administer the Lords Supper to none but such as were truly godly or that they judged in their conscience to be so or were bound to eject all that they judged were not so I fear the Elders in New-England do not in their consciences judge so of all their members It is not confederation that can give right to Ordinances if by Gods laws they ought not to have them There is a great difference between the visible and invisible Church the rules of the one will not serve for the other No Minister could ever administer the Sacrament without sin if he ought not to administer it to any but such as are truly godly neither hath God given us any rules to judge certainly of the truth of grace in any man but the most judicious Divine in the world may be deceived by a cunning hypocrite And to salve this by saying we ought to think in our conscience that they are godly is vain for as we have no such rule to go by in Gods word so it is very harsh to passe an Ecclesiastical censure upon that ground and the like may be said of denying admission thereupon and it is also a very doubtful rule for a Minister to go by for some men judge very well of him that others judge but slieghtly of and there will be a division among people in their communicating together according to their several judgements one of another still suspecting that they have fellowship with unbeleevers and both Ministers and peoples judgement very very much concerning the same man according to the variety of his carriage there will sometimes be hopes and sometimes fears but Ecclesiastical judgement is not guided by such uncertain variable rules neither in admission nor ejection but upon clear evidence and palpable grounds which must reach all and may be clearly known and proved There are some I finde that distinguish between the qualifications of the members of the Church-Catholike visible and of the members of particular instituted Churches For the former viz. the general membership they acknowledge that these forenamed qualifications will be sufficient and therefore will admit such and their children to baptism which say they is an Ordinance of the Church-Catholike visible and every Minister being a Minister of the Church-Catholike visible besides his particular relation to his particular Congregation may say they administer baptism to them though they be members of no instituted Churches but to make a member of a particular instituted Congregation they require evident signs of true grace and a consent and submission to the Ordinances of Discipline dispensed by the particular Officers But this distinction of qualifications I finde not grounded upon the word of God nor that any should be fit to be members of the Church-Catholike visible and not to be members of a particular visible Congregation If they be brought into Christs sheepfold they are fit to have some of Christs shepheards to take inspection of them if they be admitted into Christs Kingdom City Family they are fit to be under the regiment of some of his Officers If the Ordinances of worship yea the seal of the Covenant be administred to them I see no ground that these should be freed from the Ordinances of Discipline who in all likelihood will stand in most need thereof The great Objection which M. Hooker urgeth against this assertion that the particular Churches are ortae and whereby he would prove the Church-Catholike to be Orta is because if the Church-Catholike be an integral it is made up of the aggregation of the particulars oritur ex illis And every Integrum is in respect of the parts Symbolum effecti And the parts must have a being before the whole can result out of them Answ My main intention in the Question was to prove the Church-Catholike to be the prime Church in those respects which are enumerated in the explication of this part or the predicate of the Question to which I referre you and that the particular Churches are secondary in the same senses also And for the particular Churches being Orta I have already both in the explication of the terms of the Question Chap. 1. Sect. 4. and in this second part expressed my meaning thereof Sect. 1. c. My meaning is not in regard of the aggregation and combination of the particular Churches to make one aggregated combined integral for so indeed the Church-Catholike puts on the notion of orta But I meant it first in regard the particular Congregations are made up of and arise out of the members of the Church-Entitive or of visible beleevers which are the matter thereof And whereas it is objected against this that that Church is no political body haply never had the sight or knowledge one of another never entred into agreement of government one with another and are wholly destitute according to reason and
if that holy men of God M. Hooker were alive I doubt not but he would passe the same judgement upon this Book which he did upon the former The truth is The Question is full of difficulty and intricacy the path in which he walks is an untrodden path and the pains which he hath taken in the compiling of this work and the learning which he hath discovered herein is so great as I am very confident That whosoever reades the Book will commend the Authour and his abilities though he should not in every thing resent his opinion The Scope of the Book is to contend for the extents and rights of Christs political Kingdom in his Church upon earth and to demonstrate the unity of it and thereby to lay a foundation of unity between particular Churches which is as necessary for the preservation of them as purity and verity For a Church divided against it self cannot stand Sad it is to consider That whereas Jesus Christ hath left two waies for the uniting of Christians in faith and love the devil should make use of both of them to disunite and divide us The first is The Sacrament of the Lords Supper which was instituted to be a Feast of Love and a Band of Vnion between Christians but by Satans cunning it hath proved an apple of strife and of great contention not only between the Papists and the Protestants the Lutherans and the Calvinists but between us also and our dissenting brethren The second is The Government of the Church which was ordained by Christ to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as a golden chain to link them together in purity verity and unity to heal breaches and to make us minde the same things and to be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and in the same judgement But by the devils policy whose property it is to bring evil out of good it is become the great bone of contention and a middle wall of partition between Christians and Christians This is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation But my comfort is That Jesus Christ came into the world to remove the wall of partition that was between Jew and Gentile and to make both one and he is not only a foundation 〈…〉 his people to build their faith and hope upon but also a corner stone to unite beleevers one to another He it is that will shortly remove all these Wals of partition between brethren and will become not only our Redeemer but our Peace-maker For he hath praied for all those that should beleeve in him That they may be one as thou Father art in me Joh. 17.21 22 and I in thee that they also may be one with us that the â—â—â—â—ld may beleeve that thou hast sent me And the glory which thou hast given me I have given them that they may be one even as we are one This Praier will in due time be fulfilled together with those three soul-comforting Prophecies concerning the times of the New Testament Ier. 32.39 Zeph. 3.9 Zach. 14.9 In the mean time it is our duty to study unity as well as purity To this the Apostle exhorts us with great earnestnesse and affection 1 Cor. 1.10 Phil. 2.1.2 3. Eph. 4.3 4 5 6. This the present times call for with a loud voice And this shall be the care and praier of Your unworthy servant in the work of the Ministry EDMUND CALAMY Errata PAge 10. line 16. for priatively reade privatively p. 14. l. 36. for vale e quantums valeat quantum p. 1â— l. 24. for Foance r. France p. 18. l. 5. for Catechism r. Doctrine of the Church correct the like fault p. 7. l. 10. p. 18. l. 37. put a â—â—ddlepoint after these words Members for your part p. 29. l. 5. blot 〈…〉 â—at aliquid significat p 545 l. 34. for or r. for p. 59. l. 31. for visibly r. visible p. 7â— l. 5. blot out not p. 73. l. 32. blot out there p. 74. l. 11. is consisted r. consisteth p. 87. l. 13. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 91. l 4. for for a particular r. of a particular p. 103. l. 34. for set p. 107. l. 18. for chough r. though p. 127. l. 5. for it r. is l. 16. for integrals r. integral p. 136. l. 17. for as well as r. as well as p. 144. l. 20. for to what r. in what p 163. l. 31. for presbyterio r. presbyterio p. 168. l. 5. for no more it is r. no more then it is p. 176. l. 6. for pâ—stors r. pastors p. 191. l. 16. for and Israel r. in Israel p. 194. l. 1â— for diutâ—s r. diuitâ—s p. 201. l. 14. for good r. goods p. 231. l. 1. for Christ r. Christian p. 238. l. 13. for primally r. primarily p. 260. l. 2. for folds r. fields p. 262. l. 5. for two men r. two women This Leaf being forgotten to be inserted in the former part of this Thesis it was thought fit to adde it here M. Norton a reverend Minister in N. E. in his Treatise of the Doctrine of Godlinesse printed since his answer to Apollonius defineth the Church-Catholike to be the number of the elect and redeemed whom God hath called out of the world unto a supernatural estate and communion of grace and glory with himself in Jesus Christ And affirms that there is but one Catholike Church because there is but one faith And then comes to distinguish this Catholike Church in respect of its adjuncts into invisible and visible And then defines a visible Church to be a similar part of the Catholike Church consisting of a competent number knit together by way of visible Covenant to exercise an holy communion with God in Christ and so one with another according to the order of the Gospel And then distinguisheth this visible Church into pure and impure impure into 3. branches viz. Simply erring Schismatical Heretical And then makes the matter of this visible Church to be Saints i. e. visible beleevers From whence we have these concessions 1. That there is a Church-Catholike which is but one 2. That this Church Catholike is visible yea let me adde further out of his answer to Apollonius Politica visibilitas est adjunctum respectu Ecclesiae Catholicae pag. 87. i. e. political visibility is an adjunct in respect of the Church-Catholike 3. That this Church-Catholike is an integral 4. That the particular Churches are similar parts of that integral 5. That these particular Churches consist of visible beleevers which as himself in his answer to Apollonius confesseth are not all Saints in truth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but many of them only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in appearance 6. That some of these visible Churches may be impure not only simply erring but schismatical yea heretical But saving my honourable respect to so worthy a man I cannot see how these things are consistent with his definition of the Church-Catholike for how can the
Church-Catholike consist only of the elect redeemed ones called out of the world into a supernatural estate and yet the particular Churches which are similar and constituent parts of it consist of members that are 〈◊〉 of them only Saints in appearance and not in truth yea some whole Churches erring schismatical 〈…〉 maâ—tâ—â— as the particular visible Churches which are the members of the Catholike consist of such must the Church Catholike consist of which is the similar integral And though such as are only Saints in appearance and not in truth are said by M. Norton in his answer to Apollonius p. 87. to be equivocal members of particular Churches yet are they as truly members of the whole as they are of the parts and they are so for true as that their external communion and administrations if any such be Officers are true and valid both in respect of the particular Churches and the Catholike quond 〈◊〉 â—â—â—station And it is his own rule Resp p. 88. Quicquid inest parti inest toti that which is in the part is in the whole And again he saith Ecclesiae Catholica Ecclesiae particulares communicant essentiâ nomine Ecclesiae particulares pro varijs earum rationibus habent se ut partes ut adjuncta Ecclesiae Catholicae Ex naturâ ex ratione sunt ut res 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. similares ut mare appellatur aqua ita qualibet gutta maris appellatur aqua Resp pag. 87. therefore they must needs consist of the same kinde of matter as they are both visible A TABLE Of the chief things contained in this Tractate CHAPTER 1. The explication of the terms of the Question Page 1. Section 1. WHat is meant by Ecclesia or Church It is taken in a civil and theological sense In a theological sense 1 Primarily and properly for the whole company of the elect which is called the Invisible Church 2 2 For the company of visible beleevers 3 For the members as distinct from the Officers of the Church 4 For the Elders or governours of the Church as distinct from the body 3 5 For the faithful in some one family 4 Section 2. What is meant by visible The distinction of the visible and invisible Church opened The difference between visible visum The Churches mentioned in the N. T. were visible Churches 6 An Objection of the absurdity of wicked mens being members of the body of Christ answered by a distinction of Christs body The distinction of the Church into visible and invisible is not exact 8 The invisible members of the Church are also visible What a Church visible is 9 The description vindicated from some objections against it 10 Section 3. What is meant by Catholike universal or oecumenical 11 Four acceptations of the word Catholike and which of them suit the question What the universal visible Church is 12 Diverse descriptions of it and quotations out of Divines both ancient and modern about it 13 What a National Church is 15 Diverse proofs from Scripture for a National Church under the Gospel The description of a particular visible Church given by Gersom Bucerus scanned 17 Mr Cottons description of a visible 18 Four Quaeries about it propounded 1. Whether the matter of it consisteth only of Saints called out of the world 2. Whether every particular visible Church be a mystical body of Christ or but only a part of it seeing Christ hath but one mystical body in the same sense 3. Whether the form of a particular visible Church be a particular Covenant 19 4. Whether all the Ordinances of God can be enjoyed in a particular visible Church 20 Which for some of them seemeth very inconvenient And for others impossible M. Nortons description of a particular Church 22 A Congregational Church standing alone hardly found in the New Testament Section 4. What is meant by prima vel secundaria orta 23 The primity of the Church-Catholike in a threefold respect 24 The difference between this question and M. Parkers Chapter 2. Proofs by Scripture for a Church-Catholike visible 25 Section 1. Our Divines in answer to the Papists mean by Church-Catholike the invisible Church only 26 Yet is there also an external visible Kingdom of Christ as well as an internal and invisible M. Hookers acknowledgement of a political body or Kingdom of Christ on earth 27 D. Ames testimony of a Church-Catholike visible 28 Section 2. Diverse proofs out of the Old Testament for a Church-Catholike visible 29 Section 3. Diverse proofs out of the New Testament for a Church-Catholike visible 31 Act. 8.3 and Gal. 1.13 vindicated Act. 2.47 vindicated 33 1 Cor. 10.32 vindicated 35 Gal. 4.26 opened 37 Eph. 3.10 vindicated 38 Section 4. 1 Cor. 12.28 vindicated 39 Two answers of M. Hookers concerning this text considered 40 Diverse answers to this text by M. Ellis refuted 41 An Objection of M. Hookers about Deacons set in the same Church where Apostles were set answered 51 Section 5. 1 Tim. 3.15 vindicated 53 Diverse texts vindicated where the Church-Catholike is called the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of heaven 55 Mr Hookers answer to those texts considered 1 Cor. 15.24 vindicated 56 Heb. 12.28 vindicated 57 Section 6. 1 Cor. 5.12 vindicated 58 Eph. 4.4 5. vindicated 59 Mat. 16.18 vindicated 60 M. Hookers acknowledgement that this text is meant of the visible Church 61 3. Ep. of John ver 10. vindicated 62 Chapter 3. Proofs by arguments and reason that there is a Church-Catholike visible 64 Section 1. 1 From Gods donation unto Christ of an universal Kingdom 2 From Gods intention in sending Christ and the tenour of Gods exhibition of Christ in his word to the whole world 65 3 From the general preaching and receiving of the Gospel 66 4 From the general Charter whereby the Church is constituted Section 2. 5 From the generality of the Officers of the Church and general donation of the Ministry 67 6 From the general vocation wherewith and general Covenant whereinto all Christians are called 68 7 From the generality of the initial seal admittance and enrowlment 69 8 From the external catholike union between all visible Christians 70 Section 3. 9 From the individual system or body of laws proceeding frrm the same authority whereby the whole is governed 10 From the general external communion intercourse and communication between all Christians 71 11 From the general extension of excommunication 73 12 If there be parts of the Church-Catholike there is a whole Section 4. Many metaphors in Scripture setting forth the whole Church under an unity 74 Chapter 4. That the Church-Catholike visible is one Integral or Totum integrale Section 1. First Negatively that it is not a Genus 77 1 Because a Genus is drawn by mental abstraction of species but the Catholike visible is made up by conjunction or apposition of the several members 2 A Genus hath no existence of its own which the Church-Catholike visible
whole There is one Objection which M. Hooker in Surv. c. 15. p. 273. hath against this proof in this text which is of some difficulty vix That Church where Deacons are set is not an unlimited Church But ordinary Deacons were set in the same Church wherein the Apostles were set as in the place 1 Corinth 12. it is affirmed jointly and indifferently of them both Therefore that Church doth not argue an unlimited power Answ It is not affirmed that the Church-Catholike hath an unlimited power but unlimited extent of the power given them by Christ in regard of place within the compasse of the Christian world and so I conceive M. Hookers meaning is But to the Objection itself First I premise that Deacons were not primarily set in a particular Congregational Church but 7 of them were at the first institution of the office set in the Church of Jerusalem over Jews and Grecians where there were many Congregations and therefore a Classical Presbyterial Church divided into many Congregations necessarily at least for some Ordinances as the Lords Supper c. yet governed by one common Presbytery and yet alwaies called one Church But whether their Officers were fixed in the several Congregations or no I know not neither do I think it can be proved Secondly The subject about which their office was exercised was not the Ordinances of worship or discipline as the other offices were but about alm◠which in their own nature are or ought to be and were then voluntary And in regard those alms come not by divine dispensation as the immediate gift of Christ to the Church though they be commanded indeed by Christ but out of mens purses by contribution being a money matter in which the Congregation hath or had propriety there may be something said for the limitation of that office in their act of ordinary distribution to the members of that single or combined Church contributing that it may be performed according to the will of the donors to whom also the Deacons are to render an account Thirdly I desire the manner of the Apostles speech in setting down Deacons and governours may be considered not adding an ordinal numeral unto it as to Apostles Prophets and Teachers but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deinde and 2ly interposing 2 extraordinary endowments of miracles and gifts of healing and 3. the change of speech from the concrete to the abstract helps governments Which though they imply men by whom they are to be exercised viz. helpers and governours yet are not so set down what the meaning of the holy Ghost is herein I cannot affirm but I conceive that the office of Apostles Prophets Teachers is of somewhat more large extent then the other two because they were executed as well without the Church though set in it as within it viz. among heathens for their conversion And in Ecclesia constituendâ the other in constitutâ only and the exerting of the Deacons office not so usually and frequently out of the limits of their particular Churches as theirs that are intrusted with the preaching of the word nor yet their call thereunto so facil as the others for to the exerting of government there is required a voluntary combination of many instituted Churches and for distribution to other Churches there is required a more then ordinary necessity and the consent of the particular Church contributing but no such solemn call is required to the preaching the word in any other Church or Churches But fourthly more directly to the Objection Though alms which is the subject of the Deacons office be not reckoned among the Ordinances given by Christ but are the gift of particular men in particular Congregations as the rest of them yet the necessity command and distribution of them may extend further then the particular Church and in that regard the office of Deacons which is to collect and distribute extends it self equally We are bidden to do good to all but especially to the houshold of faith i. e. as we have occasion and ability which is as extensive as the Church-Catholike Any forreign Church may stand in need of our contribution and distribution And even the Law of our land enjoyneth that if any Congregation cannot maintain their poor there should be help by collections from other neighbouring Congregations And the maimed souldiers of the whole County are maintained by constant collection from every town in the County and there are County Treasurers that receive it which are as it were County-Deacons And if a great Town be visited with the plague or suffer losses by fire c. it is frequent to make collections for them in many Countries Yea for whole Counties as the whole Kingdom hath lately done for Lancashire yea for a whole Kingdom as for our own Kingdom under war yea for forreign Kingdoms as England yea and the Netherlands though under another civil regiment have done for Ireland And we reade what the Churches of Asia did for the Churches of Jerusalem And we have had contribution to redeem captivated Christians under the Turk and not only of our own Nation but other Nations sometimes Grecians Now though these contributions and collections run among us in another channel viz. through the hands of Church-wardens Overseers Constables Collectors yet this is the proper work of the Deacons and therefore that office in regard of the extent of their possible object may well be said to be habitually Catholike or given to the Church-Catholike though their constant distribution should be limited to their own Congregations Another proof is from 1 Tim. 3.15 Sect. 5. These things I write unto thee that thou maist know how thou oughtest to behave thy self in the house of God which is the Church of the living God the pillar and ground of the truth This Church must be the visible Church where he and others must exist and converse together and carry themselves in mutual duties Also it must be an organical Church for the Epistle containeth directions about Bishops and Deacons yea even in the context Neither can the directions be solely concerning Ephesus for they are written to Timothy an Evangelist the limits of whose office are commensurable to the Apostles though under them Neither do they concern Ephesus in any especially manner but all Churches where ever Timothy should come Therefore not to it particularly For he prescribeth canons concerning publike praier and the habit and carriage of women in the Church concerning the office of Bishops and Deacons concerning the censuring and reproof of all degrees the Ordination and maintenance of Elders the choice and provision for widows concerning the duties of servants and a charge to rich men not of Ephesus particularly or only but every where Neither did they concern Ephesus primarily for the Officers were already set in that Church Paul found Elders there Act. 20.17 in his visitation of them and had lived there three years vers 31. as himself
met for and not severally and did both ordain Bishops and also actually excommunicate many hereticks For what several distinct Churches did the convention Act. 1. act seeing there were none then in being 5. It was saith he a voluntary association by right of fraternity and not onenesse of corporation which appears by astringing and confining in after times the power of Bishops and Ministers to and within Dioceses and Churches Ans Though it were voluntary yet might it be necessary and not arbitrary as was shewed before The onenesse of Corporation was not actual but habitual The astringing of them by canon to avoid confusion took not away their habitual power for by leave they might act any where as hath been shewed before But if they had not been endued with habitual power by office their voluntary association could not have enabled them to exert their power jointly when they were met Sect. 5. Let us now hear what witnesses he produceth against the unity and integrality of the Church and the habitual power of the Ministers beyond the limits of their Congregations or their joint acting together as Ministers upon a call First Chrysostome in Serm. 1. de Pash saith The Sacrifice or Passeover was to be eaten in one house and not to be conveyed out i. e. the house is one that hath Christ and the many houses of the Hebrews have but only one power nature and condition as the Churches throughout the whole world and in several Provinces being many in number are but one Church But wherein doth he differ from the Presbyterians herein They grant the Churches are many in number divisim and yet make but one conjunctim habitually But he is expresly against M. Ellis for he grants Provincial Churches and that all the Churches throughout the whole world are one and this must be one integral for a Genus is not made by aggregation of Provinces And all these though organized are similar parts of the whole having but one only power nature and condition 2. Clemens Alexandr lib. 7. Strom. There is absolutely but one ancient and Catholike Church in the unity of one faith And say not the Presbyterians the same also and it appears he held the Catholike Church to be an Integral because he saith it is ancient but a Genus â—ever groweth ancient He might haâ—e gone higher foâ— another Clemens in his constitutions who if he be of any credit speaks more home Nos Apostoli scripsimus vobis Catholicam hanc doctrinam ad fulciendum confirmandum vos quibus universalis Episcopatus creditus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Constit. 6. c. 14. But Basil in Ep. ad Neo-Caesarienses will be of more credit Interrogate patres vestros annunciabunt vobis etiamsi loci situ divisae sunt paraeciae tumen veluti coronamento quodam unitae unâque sententiâ gubernatae fuerint Assidua quidem populi fuit inter se commixtio ipsi pastores verò tantâ praediti fuerunt mutuâ charitate ut alius alio praeceptore ac duce usi sunt And Cyprians testimony de unitate Ecclesiae is direct against him for he defineth the unity of the Church by doctrine and discipline As there is one God one Christ one faith so there is one Church one discipline in it one Bishoprick c. Episcopatus unus est cujus a singulis in solidum pars tenetur Now Bishoprick argueth the Church to be one politically though but habitually and as many that are bound in a bond pro toto in solido are every one liable to be arrested for the whole so many that have a joint interest in a thing in solidum have all a joint right to the whole Upon which words of Cyprian M Parker in Polit. Eccles lib. 3. pag. 122. hath this inference Quid ni unitas Ecclesiae in uno Petro primitùs designata unitatem idest aequalitatem authoritatis in singulis Ecclesijs quibusque denotet sic ut Ecclesia una sit Ecclesiastica potestas una cujus ab Ecclesijs singulis pars in solidum tenetur Cyprian is abundant in this point Episcopatus unus est Episcoporum multorum concordi numerositate diffusus Cypr. Ep. 53. Etsi pastores multi sumus unum tamen gregem pascimus oves universas c. colligere foâ—ere debemus Ep. 67. Cyprian gathered together an authoritative Synod He stoutly opposed Steven Bishop of Rome for receiving some Bishops that were justly deposed pro suâ quam gerebar universalis Ecclesiae curâ Cyp. lib. 1. Ep. 4. Vt unitatem Dominus manefestaret unam Cathedram constituit unitatis ejusdem originem ab uno incipientem sua authoritas disposuit Cyp. de unitate Upon which words Salmasius hath this Comment Omnes Ecclesiae una sunt unitatem conspirantes faciunt omnes Cathedrae unam Cathedram De Prim. pag. 87. Ecclesiae nomine non tantum una sed multorum unitas designatur Bernard in Cant. Serm. 61. Augustine in Tract in Joh. 1.14 is more against him then for him And whereas he saith universa Ecclesia ligat solvitque peccam He cannot mean thereby that the Church is only one in nature and kinde but not in number because he speaks of Priesthood and what one Minister doth binde is bound to all so that he violates saith he the rights of holy Priesthood that joins him to himself that is cast out by another Neither doth Eucherius by his own relation for I have not seen him say any other thing then the Presbyterians in that he saith the Church dispersed throughout the whole world consisteth in one and the same faith and fellowship of Catholike truth And whereas there is an innumerable multitude of the faithful yet they are rightly said to have one heart and one soul in respect of their society in the common faith and love For he grants in these words an universal visible Church and that to be a society now every society of men is one external visible integral And M. Ellis granteth that there doth flow an external communion from the internal and that the mystical union doth imply an union visible also vind paâ— 34. His quotation out of the Councel of Trent might well have been spared for it crosseth himself most Therein is confest a general Councel and that with authority and the major part to binde the rest Indeed they contend that a Councel bindeth not the absent Churches which have no delegates there and who saith the contrary But as those Churches who had delegates there are concerned in their decrees so they be agreeable to the word and that formally because they are their decrees so should the Church-Catholike if the whole had delegates there But this we gain by this quotation that a general Councel is confessed by him to have doctrinal authority and are not the 〈◊〉 equally extensible Have they power to decide points of doctrine as iâ— there confest by M. Ellis and not to exercise discipline who cut
in answer to M. Ball. It grieved me much that I saw them no sooner I have only inserted a few annotations upon those tractates because I was loth to make a Postscript and because I found that most of the material passages in them concerning this subject were already spoken unto in this book I have now shewed mine opinion on this question and submit it to your sage and mature judgements and should be glad that my betters would shew me theirs and either correct what I have erred or failed in or make more clear what I have endeavoured to prove and defend If I have herein erred I would not willingly be an heretick but shall be willing upon conviction and proof to retract the same but if I have defended a truth as I conceive I have I should be glad to be confirmed in it and gladder to have the truth confirmed that it may appear so to others Now God the Father who is the God of truth and Jesus Christ who is the way the truth and the life and the holy Ghost who is the Spirit of truth guide you and us into all truth So prayeth Your unworthy fellow-labourer in the Lord SAMUEL HUDSON Septemb. 8. 1649. AN EPISTLE TO THE READER THe Reverend Authour of this learned Tractate some few years ago did put forth a Book about the Essence and Vnity of the Church-Catholike visible and the priority thereof in regard of particular Churches This Book was written with so much ingenuity perspicuity and learning that Reverend and godly M. Hooker is pleased to passe his judgement upon the Authour and his Book in these words Survey of Church-discipline pag. 15. While I was enquiring and writing touching this Ecclesia Catholica visibilis an especial providence brought a book to my view which did purposely entreat of this particular subject The Author M. Hudson a learned man and a faithful Minister of the Gospel when I had considered his writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I found his judgement sharp and scholasticall his spirit Christian and moderate his expression succinct and pregnantly plain to expresse his own apprehensions So that my heart was much contented with the acumen and judicious diligence of the Authour though I could not consent to what he writ yet I could not but unfainedly prize the learning perspicuity and painfulnesse expressed in his writing To this Book by him so much commended he returns an answer and before him one M. John Ellis junior And it seems there are two other Tractates about the same subject written from N. E. The one by M. Norton in answer to Apollonius the other by M. Allâ—â— and M. Shepherd in answer to M. Ball. For the truth is the â—â—â—tion there held forth if granted would utterly overthrow the grounds and pillars of the Congregational government For 〈◊〉 there be a Church-Catholike visible and this Church be not only a Church-Entitive but a Church-Organical and a Totum integrale having all Church-power habitually seated in the Officers of it which they have commission from Christ to exert and put into act upon a lawful call And if particular Congregations are integral parts and members of the Church-Catholike as the Jewish Synagogues weâ—â—f the Jewish Church And if the Ministry Ordinances and censures were given by Christ first to the Church-general-visible and secondarily to the Church-particular Then it will necessarily follow That the particular Congregation is not the first receptacle of Church-power And that all Church-power is not intirely and independently in a particular Congregation which are two of the chief foundations of the Congregational government I shall not at all speak to the first but as for this last That all Church-power is solely and independently in a particular Congregation it seems to me not only to be contrary to the Scripture a Act. 15. Mat. 18.17 Deut. 17.8 9 10 11 12. 1 Tim. 4.14 but to the very light of nature and to carry many great absurdities with it For 1. It takes away all authoritative appeals and all authoritative waies of uniting particular Churches one with another 2. Then the Churches of Jesus Christ should have no Church-communion in discipline one with another They may have Christian-communion but no Church-communion 3. Then no Minister could preach as an Officer out of his own Congregation but only as a gifted brother and as a private Christian 4. Then no Minister could administer the Sacraments which is an act of office out of his own Congregation nor as I conceive give the Sacrament to a member of another Congregation 5. Then when his particular Church is dissolved he ceaseth to be a Minister and must receive a New Ordination 6. Then a Minister baptizing a childe baptizeth him only into his own Congregation For if he be not an Officer of the Catholike Church he cannot baptize into the Catholike Church which is directly contrary to 1 Cor. 12.13 7. Then when the Officers excommunicate a person he should only be excommunicated out of that particular Congregation c. 8. Then Christ should have as many intire bodies as particular Congregations Christ should not only have one Body whereof particular Congregations are part but every Congregation should be a Body of Christ by it self 9. It would make way for toleration of heresies and blasphemies and let in as many religions as there are particular Congregations 10. It would make the Churches of Christ stand divided one from another in respect of government and thereby bring ruine upon one another Even as in a civil State if particular Corporations should be independent from the whole in point of government it would quickly bring destruction upon the whole For the removing of these and such like absurdities This learned and iudicious Authour in the Book fore-mentioned laid down a quite contrary Thesis That there is a Catholike visible organical Church to which Ordinances and censures are firstly given by Iesus Christ And that every Minister is seated by God in this Catholike visible Church and hath a virtual and habitual power to preach as a Minister in any place where he shall be lawfully called Indeed he is not an actual Minister of the Church-Catholike nor hath actually the charge of the whole Church as the Apostles had but habitually only by reason of the indefinitenesse of his office He hath power in actu primo by vertue of his office though not in actu secundo sive exercito he hath jus ad rem every where but not in re any where without a call He is a Minister of Jesus Christ and thereby hath right and power to perform the acts belonging to his office but for the execution of it there is required a call thereunto This position is opposed and confuted by the fore-named Authours And in answer to them but especially to M. Hooker and M. Ellis This Reverend Minister hath here written a Vindication which he hath done with so much meeknesse moderation ingenuity perspicuity and learning that
acknowledgeth Primarily therefore these canons concern the whole Church The manner also of the Apostles speech is to be attended he doth not say the Churches houses pillars grounds to be ordered pari rattoni but in the singular number house church pillar ground 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if there were but one Church one house whereof Ephesus was but one room and that already furnished one seat one large pillar that hath the same truth written on every side of it which holdeth it forth unto others both Jews and Gentiles within the Church and without more forensi And as Timothy being an Evangelist conversed with many Churches so it is like did the members of the Church of Ephesus The English Annotations on this place are these As the Catholike Church is as it were the whole house of God so every particular Church as this of Ephesus was in which Timothy resided was a part thereof and by a Synecdoche totius may be called the house of God c. The words also of the following verse will lend us some light Great is the mystery of goâ—linesse God manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world received up into glory This is the truth supported by this seat and holden forth by this pillar Doth this concern Ephesus solely or particularly or primarily Is there not a larger subject expressed viz. Gentiles and the believing world All these are the family and houshold of God Eph. 2.19 and 3.15 Again it is the Catholike visible Church that is so often in Scripture called the Kingdom of God Mat. 4.26 30. And the Kingdom of heaven Mat. 13.24 31 33 47. Christ cals them not Kingdoms but the Kingdom And compares this Kingdom to a field of wheat mingled with tares This must be the Church visible in this world because it is where the sower ordinarily soweth his seed visibly and audibly vers 8. which is the preaching of the word And because here are good and bad wheat and tares and the tares visibly discerned after the wheat And it is the Catholike Church for Christ himself expounds it so the field is the world not of the Jews only but of the Gentiles also Joh. 3.16 and 17.11 15. And this must be the Christian world for the other is a field of tares only where there could be no danger of plucking up of wheat because none grew there They shall fever the wicked from among the just And in this field particular Churches are but as particular ridges enjoying the same tillage seed fencing watering It is a barn floor with wheat and chaffe It is a draw net gathering together good and bad It is a marriage where wise and foolish virgins some had oil and some only lamps of profession It is a feast where some had wedding garments some had none Now these things cannot be spoken solely or primarily of any particular Congregation but they agree to the Church-Catholike visible this Kingdom is here spoken of as one and to particular Churches as parts thereof and this is also an organical body therefore called a Kingdom Here are servants sowing and viewing this field proffering to weed it And this weeding must be by Ecclesiastical censures not the civil sword they were not so void of reason as to go ask whether they should kill all the world besides the godly with a civil sword then these tares must be members of the Church else they were not capable to be cast out if never in Here were fishermen officers that cast this net and servants that invited these guests every where in high waies and hedges Luk. 14.23 indefinitely without respect of Countrey or Town That which is objected against this by M. Hooker is that the Kingdom of heaven beside other significations as the Kingdom of glory c. it doth by a metonymy imply the word of the Kingdom and the dispensation and administration of the Gospel in the Churches and the special things appertaining thereunto And citeth these parables for that sense Answ I deny not the several significations of those words the Kingdom of heaven in â—everal places But they cannot signifie so in the fore-ceited places For it is said the Angels shall gather out of his Christs Kingdom all things that offend and them which do iniquity and shall cast them c. can this be meant of the word or Gospel Is there any thing that offends therein or doth iniquity that shall be cast c. Is there any tares any chaff any rubbish there Or can it be meant of the dispensation thereof Should sinful or erroneous dispensations of Gods Ordinances be suffered to the end of the world for fear of plucking up good dispensations Why do we then endeavour a reformation Doth not Paul say false teachers mouths must be stopped and wisheth such cut off It is clear the texts speak of a Kingdom consisting of persons the tares chaffe rubbish foolish virgins and evil guests are the children of the wicked one man that offend and doe iniquity that shall be gathered out of Christs Kingdom therefore they were in it And the wheat good fish wise virgins and good guests are the children of the Kingdom without respect to any particularities of Town or Countrey much lesse of any Congregation And when we say Thy Kingdom come we pray not only for the conversion of the elect nor only for the coming of the Kingdom of glory but also for the Church-Catholike visible that it might be enlarged and have freedom and purity of Ordinances which are things that concern it as a visible organical Kingdom because the dispensations thereof are by Officers Again in 1 Cor. 15.24 it is said Then shall Christ deliver up the Kingdom to God his Father This is not the natural or essential Kingdom which he hath with the Father and holy Ghost as God for that he shall never deliver up Neither is it the Kingdom of grace which he by his Spirit exerciseth in the hearts of the Elect for that shall continue for ever and be more perfect in heaven For the Kingdom of grace here and of glory afterward differ only gradis communionis as Ames tels us here the degree is imperfect then it shall be perfect both in graces and joyes But it is the Kingdom exercised in the visible Church-Catholike in the Ordinances of worship and discipline wherein our communion is mediate with God which shall then cease For as the Evangelical external service and manner of communion with God thrust out the legal and ceremonial so shall the heavenly immediate thrust out the Evangelical But this Kingdom saith M. Hooker cannot be the Catholike visible Church because that consisting of sound-hearted Christians and false-hearted hypocrites these are not delivered up into the hand of the Father that he might be all in all to them Surv. p. 276. Answ I do not conceive by Kingdom to be meant the children of the Kingdom but the
external donative regiment of Christ over his visible Church-Catholike dispensed by Ordinances and Officers here below which shall then cease And though the Ordinances as he alledgeth are distinct from the Kingdom in sense and signification Yet they strongly argue a Kingdom constituted and governed by them as the Kings laws argue a King and Kingdom As from helps and governments 1 Cor. 12.28 we gather the consequence of helpers and governours as officers in the Church so from the external laws of this Kingdom we necessarily conclude there is such a Kingdom commensurable to the extent of these laws and that external Organical and Catholike which is spoken of Isa 9.6 And the 25. ver makes it plain for he must reign until he hath put all enemies under his feet which reigning relates to professed Subjects as well as professed enemies and these Subjects comprehended in a Kingdom Again Heb. 12.28 Wherefore we receiving a Kingdom which cannot be moved let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear This Kingdom cannot be meant of the internal Kingdom of grace in the heart for that was also exercised by Christ in his peoples hearts under the old Testament but it is meant of the external unalterable perpetual Ordinances of worship and government which differed from those under the Law else the Apostles antithesis of the Church under the Law and the Church under the Gospel had not been good which are the things he compares in that place Externals under the Law are opposed to externals under the Gospel It cannot be meant of the Kingdom of glory for they had not yet received that And it is plain he speaks of a Kingdom wherein we may now serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear Now these Ordinances of worship and discipline being Catholike or universal and relating to a Kingdom and therefore set down under the name of a kingdom by a Metonymy of the subject for the adjunct the Kingdom for the Ordinances of the Kingdom do strongly argue the being of the Kingdom Can we conceive that the holy Ghost would chuse to use such a metonymy of the subject where there is no such subject It is true as is alledged the unalterablenesse lyeth in the adjunct Ordinances i. e. in regard of God who will not alter them and that the subject or kingdom may be moved and shaken by persecutions or heresies and so may the Ordinances also and have been we know but that kinde of alteration moving or shaking is not meant in the text neither was intended by me I have the rather mentioned this text because I finde one of our brethren for Congregational Churches viz. M. William Sedgwick giving this Exposition of it in a Sermon of his in print which was preached before divers members of the House of Commons Sect. 6. Again 1 Cor. 5.12 The Apostle saith what have I to doe to judge those that are without The preposition or adverb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I desire to know what it doth relate unto Is it not meant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the Church And can we think that that Church was the Church of Corinth only Had Paul nothing to do 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 do to censure any but invisible members Why did he then excommunicate Hymenaeus Philetus Phigellus Hermogenes and Alexander And saith I would they were cut off that trouble you Also it must be meant of an Organical body because here are censures mentioned as belonging to all within And therefore it must be meant of the Church-Catholike visible Organical What have I to do to judge those that are not brought into the Church They are not under my power or cognizance but belong only to the civil Magistrate And we usually speak of the Countreys 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 Extra ejus gremium non est speranda peccatorum remissio Calv. Inst l. 4 c. 1. S. 4. Again Eph. 4.4 5. The Apostle proveth the Church to be but one by divers Arguments First saith he There is one body of Christ which is therefore called Eph. 3.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both of Jews and Gentiles i. e. the same body And this an Organical body because Paul addeth ver 7. whereof I was made a Minister Secondly there is but one spirit in that whole body which is as one soul 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 Baptism to admit into this Church Now if the whole world were under one King and governed by one Law and all one body and all capable of the same priviledges and all made Denizons by the same way of enrowlment it would make but one Empire yet so it is with all the Christians and 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 visibly Church Upon this text ver 12. Beza in his large Annotations hath this note Being the Church is to be considered either as a Communalty of a sacred Common-wealth or as a spiritual Temple or as a mystical body the ministery of the word ought likewise to be referred to these three heads c. All which 3. considerations shew the unity and integrality of the whole And that this is meant of the visible Church and not invisible or Triumphant as M. Ellis conceiveth appeareth because it is the Church to whom Officers are given ver 11. to be edified ver 12 13. compacted together by joints ver 16. of whom mutual duties both religious and civil are required for such are set down in that Chapter and the following And so M. Hooker understands it Surv. p. 3 where he cites this text for the political body or Church visible of Christ ruled by the donative delegated power of Christ and that visibly by his Ordinances and officers It is therefore the militant visible Church which holdeth forth the truth Phil. 2.16 contending for it Jude 3. Into which the thief may possibly enter Joh. 10. Act. 20.29 30. Again Christ saith Mat. 16.18 On this rock will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it Was this a particular Congregation No surely but the Church Catholike for any particular Church may
Spirit on his part and only these shall be saved yet that is not the Church that is meant in this question but the external Church of Christ consisting of true beleevers and hypocrites in which sense the Scripture oft takes the word Church I say the external political body and kingdom of Christ as M. Hooker cals it The same Church which Valle Messalinus or Salmasius Apollonius Spanhemius and Cameron de regimine Ecclesiae and Polanus de Ecclesia visibili universili and M. Rutherford M. Richard Hooker and M. Parker and divers others mean â—n their tractates of this nature wherein hypocrites as well as true beleevers are partakers of external Ordinances of worship and discipline And of this Church it in that Cameron saith Non negamus simpliciter Ecclesiam esse visibisâ—m quaestio est quomodo sit visibilis quatenus quando quibus Cam. de conspic Ec. p. 248. And he addeth that this visibility rather sheweth Quid sit Ecclesia quà m quae sit Now visible is that which may be seen Visibile est quod videri potest i. e. that which hath a capablenesse in it self to be seen herein it differs from visum for that is that which is actually seen Now as Cameron and others of this subject do distinguish things may be said to be visible either per se primariò and so only light and colour are visible or else per accidens and so figure magnitude motion and all other things which we say are visible are seen a man is not seen per se but per accidens The second kinde of visibility is meant in this question viz. per accidens per effecta as all other societies are visible Secondly a thing may be said to he visible either distinctè or confutè The Church-Catholike is visible in the second sense which Cameron also granteth p. 246. And aliquatenus aliquando aliquo modo aliquibus p. 247. Thirdly a thing may be said to be visible either uno intuitu simul or secundum partes at several aspects The first way only one side of a thing can be seen viz. one plain and small superficies The same man cannot be seen at the same view in all his external parts nor yet the Sun which is most visible The Church-Catholike cannot be seen uno intuitu but secundum partes sive membra Fourthly some things are visible only by the eye and judged of by the common sense but some other things require an act of the understanding to put those visible parts together to apprehend the unity thereof The unity of a man or a tree the very beast can discern but the unity of a society or Kingdom though it be visible they cannot discern because they want understanding to put the parts together And in this last sense the Church-Catholike is said to be visible as a Kingdom or Empire is the eye and common sense alone cannot discern the unity of it but there is requisite an act of the understanding to put the visible parts together in apprehension No man will deny an Empire to be visible because he cannot see the union of it with his eyes Again I did not take visible in the strictest sense visibile est quod radiat per medium ut luminosum coloratum but for that which is perceptible by any of the senses yea to the perceiving of which there is required an act of the understanding also to conceive of it and put the parts together yet not by logical abstraction but mental apposition and conjunction as we must do to perceive the unity of a Kingdom The nearer the parts lie the more is the visibility and the further off the lesse A Congregation is more visible in this sense then a National Church and a National then the Oecumenical The more visible the copula or bond is the more visible the thing is Having shewed you what Church-Catholike is visible and how the Church-Catholike may be said to be visible I come to prove by arguments that it is visible or perceptible But indeed the difficulty lyeth not here but in the integrality for if the Church-Catholike be an integral it will easily appear to be a visible one First If the subject matter Sect. 2. the persons of whom the Church-Catholike doth consist be visible the whole Church is visible also But they are all visible Therefore so is the whole Church That the whole Church consisteth of men and women who are visible beleevers not visible as men but as beleevers also none will deny That the visibility of the whole will necessarily follow is as undeniably true for what makes a thing visible but the visibility of the materials The essential forms of the most visible things are not visible as of a stone or a man Nothing can be said to be invisible whose materials are visible Secondly If the conversion into the whole Church be visible then the whole Church is visible But the conversion is visible Therefore c. That conversion into the visible Church is visible none can deny The Apostles made a visible conquest of the world by their preaching They were charged by Demetrius to have turned the world upside down Act. 17.6 They turn'd men from Idols to serve the living and true God 1 Thes 1.9 That this conversion was not into a particular Congregation but into the external visible body and kingdom of Christ is as clear and the gathering them into particular Congregations and setting Elders over them was a second work Chap. 5. And the consequence will follow for such as the conversion is such is the Church into which they are converted visible conversion makes no man a member of the invisible body but of the visible only invisible grace is required for that Thirdly If the profession subjection obedience and conversation of the members of the whole Church be visible then the whole Church is visible But they are visible Therefore c. The assumption none will deny It is called a professed subjection 2 Cor. 9.13 And Rom. 16.19 Your obedience is come abroad unto all Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works Mat. 5.16 It is toward God in duties of the first table and towards men in duties of the second in charity chastity equity truth humility meeknesse Phil. 1.27 2 Pet. 3.17 yea visible to them that are without 2 Pet. 3.11 Now what reference hath this profession subjection obedience conversation to the particular Congregations Do they professe subject themselves to the laws of Christ and yield obedience thereunto in a godly conversation because they are members of this or that particular Congregation or because they are entred into the general Covenant whereby they are made subjects and members of Christs Kingdom Is the particular confederation the ground and cause of their profession subjection obedience and godly conversation Were not these found in them before they were thought meet to be entred into the particular
friend patron or purse to make one and so come into the Ministery and a living which saith he is the Kings road in some Churches the Presbyterians abhor it as much as he But such an one saith he shall become a Parliament-man and joynt governour of the whole Church on earth by whose one vote all the liberties and truth of religion in them may be destroyed This is another scoff in calling every Minister though unworthily crept in a parliament man and joint governour of the whole Church on earth But Sir your passions make you forget your self much It is not to be actually such a Parliament-man and joynt governour but habitually â—â—pable to be occasionally chosen pro tempore into a Provincial National or Oecumenical Councel And is â—â— not as great danger in a kingdom that any man though of never so mean brâ—eding or vicious life if he get wealth or honour by hook or crook shall be capable to be chosen a Parliamen-man and by his vote only as it may be all the civil libeâ—â—â—â— of a kingdom may be destroyed Any Gentleman or â—â—â—ght though he hath not an habituality yet hath a potenâ—â—â—â—ty to be a Parliament-man which is reducible into act as well as if it were an habituality And proportionably there are fourty nay five hundred Gentlemen chosen to be members of Parliaments for one Minister chosen to be a member of an Oecumenical Councel A glimpse whereof saith he we have seen in the Convocations or Synods in our own Nations But when did M. Ellis see a Presbyterial Convocation or Synod in our own Nation Prelatical Convocations and Synods indeed we have seen and felt but no Presbyterial ones And therefore his second sadnesse might have been spured O but none saith he attains the honour of being an universal Officer a Parliament man but by the consent formal or vertual of all or the major part of them And therefore the condition of the Church is more sad then the condition of men in their civil liberties in this kingdom Answ I pray wherein For as the free-holders in the kingdom choose Parliament men for themselves their wives children and servants and all the copâ—holders and meaner poor people in their several Counties which are farre the greater number so the Ministers and Elders whom the Congregations have chosen and entrusted over them in the Lord doe formally or â—eâ—â—ally choose all the members of Provincial National and Oecumenical Synods and Councels And if the Laws of the Kingdom would bear it haply it would be as commodious if not more if a prime man or two in every Town had the power to 〈◊〉 and elect a Parliament man or two for the whole County O but no such agreement hath been made no not tacitely by the Church-Catholike nor no such institution of Christ hath appeared yet Answ We finde a patern of a Synod in Act. 15. consisting of delegated members with formal disputes and decrees not of the Apostles only but the Elders also And if one Church may delegate and send to a Synod then may another yea twenty And we finde that the Churches did then submit unto them to their great profit Act. 15.31 And the Churches formerly have agreed unto honoured and submitted unto Councels and received much good by them especially the first and general Councel of Nice c. And indeed the choice and sending of members to make up Synods is more then a tacite agreement to them as well as the choice of Parliament men is a vertual agreement and promise of submission to the Parliament Object But if the Ministers be Pastors to the whole Church Sect. 8. then the whole is to honour them and contribute towards their maintenance because they serve the whole ordinarily in their own Congregations and occasionally by preaching and ruling in Classes and Synods for it is due from them that are taught and ruled Gal. 6.6 1 Tim. 5.17 Answ That all men are bound to honour all the Ministers for their office and works sake is true though they cannot actually apply and give testimonies of that honour but to such as they know But for maintenance the people over whom the Minister hath the particular inspection and among whom he doth assidiously labour are ordinarily to afford it being the persons that actually partake of his continual labours and it is the most convenient way of certain and speedy raising of it as the Levites had maintenance from the several places where they dwelt both cities and gleabs and other comings in Micah giveth a stipend to Jonathan the Levite his diet and apparel Judg. 17.10 It is like the Elders of Jerusalem were maintained by the Church of Jerusalem but whether it was collected in the particular meeting-houses for such as did labour there particularly or put into one stock for the maintenance of their whole Eldership I know not But suppose one able man will maintain a Minister for the whole Congregation or a Lecturer or Minister in another Congregation or the State shall maintain a Minister in a Congregation iâ— that Congregation bound to afford him a second honourable maintenance Or suppose a Combination of Ministers having sufficient maintenance from their several Congregations will joyn together and maintain a Lecture freely may not the people hear them because they doe not maintain them I fear you will finde but few Congregations will make that scruple Obj. But the Ministers perform not their whole office to the Congregation that maintains them but part of it to the Classis and part to the Provincial or National Churches and part to the Catholike Church Answ A particular Eldership perform their whole office to their own Congregation which concerneth their Congregation only as farre as they are able But in some things the particular Congregation stands in need of the help of other Elders as in male-administration and matters of more weight and there be matters of more general concernment then can be transacted in one single Eldership and other Congregations likewise may stand in need of the help of their Eldership in the like cases and so the particular Congregation is not hindred but helped by combination And even in their greater Presbyteries they serve their own Congregations also as well as in their own Congregations they serve the Church-Catholike in admitting members in and casting them out that are scandalous and in feeding nourishing and governing the members thereof in their own Congregations Ob. But this will be too great a burthen for Ministers to meddle in the affairs of many Congregations who will have work enough in their own Answ As they shall afford help to others so they shall receive help for their own Congregation from others with whom they are combined But what greater burthen will it be to doe it in an authoritation way more then in a charitative and yet that our brethren will allow Object But then the Ministers exercise rule where they doe not ordinarily preach and so the keys
aggregation and combination as M. Hooker understands me for the particular Congregations must exist before they can be combined and aggregated Neither do I 〈◊〉 in regard of operation for now the Church is constituted and divided into particular combinations the particular Churches are first in their ordinary operations And yet the Evangelical Church did put forth operations at first before any such divisions and without any reference to them But positively I mean the Church-Catholike is before the particular 1. Intentione divinâ in Gods intention as Nature intends first the whole man and not any part of man although the parts are in some sense before the whole in consideration for the whole is made up of them 2. Institutione divinâ in regard of Gods institution God did first institute the whole by one Charter Covenant and systeme of Laws and the particular Congregations secondarily for convenient communication of persons and transactions of businesse Go teach all Nations was the first Commission after Christs resurrection 3. Donatione divinâ for the Ordinances and priviledges of the Church were first given to the whole and secondarily to the particular Congregations as the priviledges of any Kingdom and Corporation are 4. The Church-Catholike is prior dignitate in dignity a Kingdom is of more dignity and honour then any particular town and a city then any street or ward The whole hath more dignity then any part Yea and I may say also in authority for the authority of the whole is greater in divers respects then of the parts 5. Perfectione for the perfection of the whole is made up of the perfection of the parts a whole Kingdom of the parts of it and any whole comprizeth the perfection of the parts of it a particular street or ward is an imperfect incompleat thing and not consistent alone but as a part in reference to the whole and as a member in reference to the whole body The particulars may have the perfection of parts and some be more perfect then others but the whole is most perfect and the perfections of the parts concurre in the perfection of the whole 6. Entitivè or essentialiter the Church-Entitive is before the Organical for the organical is made up of the members of the Church Entitive and the Church-Entitive affords materials to the Church-organical And in this respect the particular Churches are properly ortae arising out of the Entitive and so also is the whole Church-organical for it ariseth out of the combination of the particular Congregations and both it and they consist only of members of the Church Entitive And herein I consent unto M. Parker in this sense but not that the habitual power of Elders should arise from the particular Congregations to act in Synods but only in regard of their evocation and exciting of their power to act in reference to them pro hic nunc 7. Causalitate efficientis Ministerialis For the Church-Catholike already converted is a means of converting more unto them as opportunity is afforded and of admitting ministerially into the Church-Catholike both entitive first and then organical both private members and also Officers into their habitual office 8. Cognitione sive noscibilitate perfectâ For though this or that Congregation be proprior ad sensum and so notior respectu nostri which is cognitione confusâ yet the Church-Catholike is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noscibilior simpliciter Distincta enim cognitio sequitur ordinem naturae in se in mente benè dispositâ As universalia sunt notiora minus universalibus species infima individâ—â—â— The Kingdom of England as a Kingdom is propius ad 〈◊〉 and so noscibilius distinctâ ratione but particular towns are propiora ad sensum The notion of an English man comes first upon a subject of this Kingdom before of a Suffolk man A man may have knowledge of England as a Kingdom and be well skilled in the polity laws and priviledges thereof and yet by sense have but little or no knowledge of particular Towns so a man may know much of the Church as Christs Kingdom and be well skilled in the Laws Ordinances and priviledges thereof and yet know but few particular Churches So that the priority of the Church-Catholike visible in respect of the particulars is like the priority of a Kingdom to the parts of it or of a Corporation in respect of the parts of it which is not meant in a mathematical or techtonical consideration for so the particular buildings are prima and the whole city ortae yet so M. Hooker understood me in his acute arguing about integrale Surv. pag. 255. But in regard of intention institution donation of priviledges dignity perfection essence instrumental efficiency and perfect cognition of it There is also a difference between ortum secundarium for every ortum is secundarium but every secundarium is not ortum But I principally meant secundarium or secundary yet in regard the particular Churches arise and spring out of the Church-Entitive and are converted and admitted ministerially by the Church-Catholike already in being they may truly be said to be ortae and the Catholike prima First Sect. 2. All the names that are in the Scripture given unto the Church-visible agree primarily to the Church-Catholike and secondarily to particular Congregations As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are first considered as called out from Idols and devoted to be the Lords people before we can be considered of this or that Congregation We know they were given even to the Jews before ever any Congregational Evangelical Churches had existence Act. 7.38 The Church in the wildernesse And the Jews are frequently called the Lords people So the Church is called the house of the living God 1 Tim. 3.15 And the ground and pillar of truth Gods vineyard Joh. 15.1 Wherein branches in Christ bearing no fruit are cut off Christs sheepfold Joh. 10.16 Barn-floor Mat. 3.12 Drag-net Wheat-field Kingdom of heaven Mat. 13.37 38. A great house wherein are vessels even of dishonour 2 Tim. 2.20 These names cannot be limited or appropriated to any particular Congregation but are first true of the whole Church and of every particular Church as a part thereof Congregationes particulares sunt quasi partes similares Ecclesiae Catholicae atque adeò nomen naturam ejus participant Ames med l. 1. c. 32. s 4. 2. That is the primary Church to which the Covenant Promises Laws and Priviledges of the Church do primarily belong but the Covenant Promises Laws and Priviledges do primarily belong to the Church-Catholike Therefore c. The minor I prove because the Covenant of grace and salvation by Christ and the first Evangelical promise that ever was made in the world was to Adam and Eve representing all mankinde and therefore consequently the whole Church of God This was before there was any division or distinction made of Churches into Jew and Gentile National or Congregational Again the main commission for gathering
or ought to be a member of the particular Church wherein and among whom he dwelleth 10. The being in the general Covenant gives right to the Ordinances and not any particular Covenant neither do we finde any mention in Scripture of any particular Covenant either urged or used at admission of members into a particular Congregation or at the constitution thereof 11. The invisible members of the Church which have internal communion with Christ are also visible members and have external communion in external Ordinances 12. The departure of a member from a particular Congregation and removal to another for convenience or by necessity is no sin but departing from the Church-Catholike and ceasing to be a member thereof is a sin Sect. 8. I know it is not usual to make uses and applications to Theses of this nature and should I enter thereinto I might drown my self in sorrow to bewail the rents not in Christs seamlesse coat but in his body the Church which Christ preferred in some regards before his natural body for he assumed his natural body for their sakes and was willing to be crucified for their sakes The divisions of the Church are of three sorts in judgement in affection and in way or practice 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 and a memento set 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 wholly dead and uselesse to Christians then come the Socinians and they quench the Deity of Christ and the holy Ghost and deny our redemption by the bloud of Christ and so consequently would deprive us of the benefit of the New Testament then come the Anabaptists and they deny and deride our Baptism and render us and our children no better then heathens then come the Separatists and they would pluck up our Church by the roots and call us Rome Aegypt Sodom Babylon and so consequently call their mother whore for if they have had any conversion they had it in the bosome of our Church Of whom that is too true which the Psalmist saith Psa 50.20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother and hast slandered thine own mothers son Then come the Antiscripturists and they cashier both Old and New Testament And then come the Ante-Trinitarians and they blaspheme rhe whole Trinity And then come the Familists and they leave the sure rule of the word and trust to Satanical delusions and revelations Yea there be others of our honoured and beloved brethren whom I forbear to name among the former who though they acknowledge us true Churches yet deny us to be one Church and would have us rent into a thousand pieces and parcels and these to stand as so many entire compleat bodies without any coordination as so meny Spouses of Christ as so many Queens appointing their own orders and Officers with liberty to censure both Officers and members within themselves by the votes of the whole body and not to be except arbitrarily Not endeavouring with us to reform our Churches but to gather Churches out of our Churches by gathering our best members out of our Churches and uniting them into several bodies by a particular Covenant though distant far in habitation But if the cream of our Congregations be fleeted off our wheat transplanted by it self into other mens folds who sowed it not our fattest sheep gathered into mens folds it will be very sad for Gods Ministers to have none but the tares and goats and lees and dregs of men left them to look after Others would wrest the keys of the Church out of the hands of the Church-Officers and hang them at the girdle of the civil Magistrate but seeing God made civil and Ecclesiastical Officers differing in kinde the one entrusted with a civil Magistracy the other with an Ecclesiastical Ministry as it is an usurpation for the Church-Officers as such to claim the power of the Magistrate so I fear it will prove but sacriledge for the civil Magistrate as such to claim the power of the Ministry If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was so great a fault I fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will be as great Others there are who plead for liberty of judgement conscience and practice that every one may hold and hold forth what opinions he please and be of what religion and sect he pleaserh because judgement and conscience cannot be forced but must be left to God only as they say and thereby they would make England another Amsterdam of all sects and religions and some flown so high already as to name that City for an example and pattern of the model they would have in England but I must clear our brethren in New-England from this and commend them for banishing the Familists c. from amongst them who would otherwise have utterly overthrown the peace and truth in their Churches Yea generally men cover new opinions and account it their glory to differ from others in judgement and he is no body that hath none but old truths and so men under the colour of new light and new truths rake up a multitude of old errors Secondly Our divisions are in heart and affections for difference in judgement causeth alienation of affections and great thoughts of heart so that if there prove once a clashing and crossing in opinions though they were never so neer allied or well acquainted and familiar yet then they grow strange and fall out and oppose and censure each other deeply then they are superstitious or Antichristian or enemies to Christs kingly office and hence come so many invectives in Pulpit and Presse Thirdly Our divisions and differences are in way for as mens judgements differ so do their waies Some are for one way of worship some for another some for one way of discipline some another some for one way of constituting Churches some another some are for gathering of new Churches out of old and yet let the oâ—d ones stand as mock-Churches when they have gleaned all that are good out of them they would take all the golden and silver vessels vessels of honour and leave none but of wood and stone vessels of dishonour And some are for separation wholly and so turn all the rest over to Antechrist yea some so violent as that they would pluck down our very meeting-houses tropically called Churches which they deride by the name of Steeple-houses And all are in waies of contention so that we are like Sampsons foxes tyed together by the tayls with firebrands between them to burn up the standing corn I shall conclude with an earnest desire of and exhortation to unity and peace The unity of the Church should be a strong motive to unity in judgement heart and way