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
latent among the Idolaters who never bowed the knee to Baal nor kissed him and God might own the people for their sakes being the better part though the lesse Secondly though God doth not divorce a Church for all Idolatry yet they deserve it And at last came forth the sentence of Lo-ammi and Lo-ruhamah against the ten Tribes for it Hos 1.6.9 Thirdly I answer it may be verè Ecclesia as is said of the Church of Rome by some but not vera pura and it was needful for me as near as I could to give a description of a true Church But I will not contend with any about this description you may take a more comprehensive description A visible Church may be described to be a company of those that own or do professe the doctrine of Christ Or such as professe the true Religion The third term to be opened is Sect. 3. Catholike universal or Oecumenical The word Catholike is frequently given to such Churches as hold the true doctrine of the Apostles and in that sense it is the same with Apostolical as it is opposed to heretical and so we finde it frequently used in Eusebius Socrates and Sâ—zomen So Damasus is called Bishop of the Catholike Church at Rome and Aurelius of the Catholike Church at Carthage and Callinicus of the Catholike Church at Peleusium And the Councel of Nice cals the Bishops of the Orthodox Churches Bishops of the Catholike and Apostolical Church And in that sense I suppose M. Ellis intends it in the title of his book which he cals Vindiciae Catholicae a found or Orthodox vindication For if he means by it A general vindication against all that assert a Church-Catholike visible he is mistaken therein also for M. Rutherford hath written professedly of my question in both the branches of it that there is a Church-Catholike visible and that it is the prime Church though I confesse I knew not of it when I printed my Thesis But this signification doth not fully comprehend my meaning of the word Secondly Catholike is taken for an office in the Church next under a Patriarch that was as his Vicar general and is called in Latine Rationalis See Salmas de primat Pap. p 21â— Thirdly Catholike universal or general is taken for a logical second notion abstracted by the minde of man comprehending divers different species under it Fourthly It is taken in the same sense that we use to take Oecumenical that which is or may be all over the world The first and last sense are only pertinent to this Question viz. the Orthodox Church over all the earth and especially this latter and therefore now I have inserted the word Oecumenical into the question And in both these senses Augustine takes it who saith the Church is called Catholike Quia universaliter perfecta est in nullo claudicat per totum orbem diffusa est Aug. de Gen. ad lâ—t cap. 1. We are to know that the Church of God admits of several distinctions from several accidents As in reference to the times wherein the Church hath existed or doth exist it is distributed into the Church under the Old Testament and the Church under the New And this again is distributed into the primitive and successive So in regard of the places where the Church doth exist or persons of whom it consisteth it receiveth the distinction of universal and particular Now in this question universal is meant principally in regard of persons and places and not in regard of time The Church Catholike existing on earth at the same time is compared with particular Churches existing at the same time also What the universal visible Church is The Vniversal visible Church is the whole company of visible beleevers throughout the whole world Now whereas M. Ellis vind p. 52. saith this definition of the Church Catholike reacheth not the subject of my question but contains what is of all hands confessed I answer I aimed at no more in the first part of my question but to prove that there is a Church Catholike visible which he saith is of all hands confessed and then I have as much as I desired namely the subject of my question granted But I will further adde that which M. Ellis thinketh wanting to make it pertinent to this question viz. That this company is one visible Kingdom of Christ on earth The Evangelical Church which is so often called by Christ the Kingdom of heaven several men give several descriptions thereof I shall set down some of their sentences Ecclesia Dei vivi est columna firmamentum veritatis toto orbe terrarum diffâ—â—sa prâ—pter Evangelium quod praedicatur sicut dicit Apostolus in omni creatura quae sub coelo est Aug. Sancta Ecclesia nos sumus sed non sic dico nos quasi ecce qui hic sumus qui me modo auditis sed quot quot sunt Christiani fideles in universo terrarunt orbe quoniam a solis ortu usque ad occasum laudatur nomen Domini Sic se habet Ecclesia Catholica mater nostra Aug. Serm. 99. Adhuc habet Ecclesia quo crescat donec illud impleatur Dominabitur a mari usque ad mare Aug. in Matth. Disseminaâ—a est Ecclesia super omnem terram Iren. lib. 3. cap. 11. Non altera Romana urbis Ecclesia altera totius orbis aestimanda Gallia Bithinia Persis Oriens India omnes barbarae geâ—tes nationes unum Christum adorant unam observant regulam veritatis Si authoritas quaeritur Orbis major est urbe Jerom. ad Evanâ—r Distincti per Orbem Ecclesiarum conventus unam Catholicam faciunt Ecclesiam Beda in 1 Pet. 2. Catholica Ecclesia est illa quae diffusa est per universum orbem Cyril Hierosol Catech. 18. Quum unus sit Deus una fides unus Dei hominum mediator Jesus Christus unicum Ecclesiae caput consequitur necessariò unam quoque esse Ecclesiam Bezae conf fid cap. 5. art 2. Saepe Ecclesiae nomine universam hominum multitudinem in orbe diffusam designamus quae unum se Deum Christum colere profitetur Calv. Iustit l. 4. c. 1. s 7. Est Congregatio omnium per orbem universum qui consentifide Evangelica Bulling Est caetus hominum Christum suum regem sacerdotem prophetum profitentium Keckerm In novo Testamento vocamus Ecclesiam pro omnibus qui Christo nomen dederunt Zuingl Vniversa multitudo Christianorum quae se fidelem censet simul num fidelis populus una Ecclesia dicitur Idem Ecclesia significat totam illam omnium multitudinem qua generatim ex vocatione professione externa astimatur Trelc Ecclesia Catholica ex hominibus unius temporis est Caetus eorum omnium qui doctrinam Evangelij de Jesu Christo in carne jam manifestato per universum mundum profitentur Dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 2.5 i. e. mundus ille
Church-Catholike be one in the external accidental form it must needs be integrally and visibly one But I come to Scripture proofs which are the most sure Sect. 2. because they are a divine testimony And first I shall shew you that an Occumenical universal Church was frequently foretold in Scripture Psa 22.27 All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the Lord and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship be fore him Which comprehends all places all the ends of the earth and all persons that should be converted all the kindreds of the Nations and by worshipping is meant embracing the true religion and performance of religious duties So Psa 72.8 He shall have dominion also from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth It is a prophecy concerning Christ in the times of the Gospel where he is set forth by his Kingly office and the extent of his Kingdom is set out to be to the ends of the earth This is his external political Kingdom because it is set out by the external prayers and prayses and gifts that should be tendred unto him by his Subjects and by the judgement peace and flourishing estate that he shall bestow upon them So Psa 86.9 All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee O Lord and shall glorifie thy name This is a prophecy like the former So Isa 2.2 3 4. It shall come to passe in the last daies that the mountain of the Lords house shall be established on the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hils and all Nations shall flow unto it and many people shall go and say Come ye let us go up to the mountain of the Lord to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us his waies and we will walk in his paths For out of Zion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and he shall judge among the Nations and rebuke many people c. Where is set down Christs call of all the Nations and the time of this call in the last daies i. e. the times under the Gospel as the Apostle Act. 2.17 expounds the like phrase in Joel 2.28 And here is the means of the call by the Law out of Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and the answer to this call All Nations shall flow unto it and there is Christs executing his prophetical office by publike teaching them in his house by his Ambassadours and his Kingly office in judging and rebuking So Isa 25.6 So Daniel 7.14 There was given unto him Christ Dominion and glory and a Kingdom that all people nations and languages should serve him And in the New Testament Matt. 28.9 Go teach all Nations baptizing them c. Rom. 15.11 12. Rev. 14.6 But because these places will be turned off with this answer that some of all Nations should embrace the Gospel and be turned unto the Lord not the whole Nations I answer that experience hath proved it true of multitudes of great Nations that wholly did embrace the Gospel and submitted unto it Neither can any of these places be avoided as some plead by the general Kingdom of Christ which is given him over all Nations whereby he is head over all things to the Church Eph. 1.2 For it is clear they are meant of that Kingdom wherein are prayers praises gifts worship service and attendance upon Gods Ordinances flowing unto Christ worshipping before him and glorifying his name as the several texts expresse and these things are proper to the visible Church So also Zech. 14.9 And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day shall there be one Lord and his name one which is clearly meant of one religion and way of worship of God in Christ But secondly Sect. 3. I will give you places of Scripture where the word Church is applied both indefinitely and generally which cannot be understood of any particular Churches See first Act. 8.3 Saul made havock of the Church To which may be added that of Gal. 1.13 I persecuted the Church of God and wasted it I shewed before that this must needs be a visible Church for they could not else have been persecuted persecution is a visible opposition of a visible Church And certainly Saul could not discern who were of the invisible company but persecuted promiscuously all that were that way Neither was it a particular Church for this persecution was in Jerusalem and in every Synagogue and it reached to Damascus and even to strange cities Act. 26.11 So that by Church here is meant an indefinite number of visible Churches or Congregations which were in no other community but profession of the same faith and an indefinite is equivalent to a general which axiome although it should not be stretched according to the old rule Omne indefinitum potest esse infinitum it being without limits yet it is true in suo genere it is as large as a general But this we may safely say that by the same reason that the word Church would reach all those Churches it would reach all the Churches in the world Reverend M. Hooker excepteth against these two places and affirms that the word Church is taken here by a Synechdoche for the particular Church of Ierusalem and not all that neither but only such Christians as forsook Moses ceremonial Law and not the Christian Jewish Church Surv. c. 15. p. 269. Because saith he his Commission was to pursue such as he found of that way The answer to this exception will lie in the meaning of these words all that he found of that way whether by that way be meant the forsaking the ceremonial Law or confessing Christ to be the Messiah If the former then Paul would have found but little work in Ierusalem for the Jewish Christians did generally cleave to the ceremonial Law As the Elders told Paul Act. 21.20 Thou seest how many myriads of the Jews do believe and they are all zealous of the Law and therefore he needed not persecute them for neglect thereof for they were zealous therein yea the Apostles themselves observed that in Ierusalem a long time But the persecution was such as that they were all scattered abroad except the Apostles and therefore it was for Christianism that he persecuted them It was to cause them to blaspheme as Paul himself expounds it now though reducing of them to the ceremonial Law had been an errour yet it was not a blasphemy for then the Apostles themselves should have lived in blasphemy Surely it was to cause them to blaspheme the Lord Iesus Christ and deny him to be the Messiah It is most likely that Sauls Commission was according the former decree of the chief Priests Ioh. 9.22 That if any did confesse that he was Christ he should be put out of the Synagogue And this appears by what Ananias saith to Christ concerning Paul Act. 9.14
It is that the Apostle presseth Eph. 4.3 4. Endeavouring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace for there is one body and one spirit c. This spiritual unity is that which Christ so earnestly and often prayed for in that short praier Joh. 17.21 23. That they may be one as we are one that they all may be one that they also may be one in us that they may be made perfect in one And this was Pauls prayer Rom 15.5 6. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like minded one towards another according to Christ Jesus that ye may with one minde and one mouth glorifie God c. And this was Pauls earnest request 1 Cor. 1.10 Now I beseech you brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you but that you be perfectly joyned together in the same minde and the same judgement And again 2 Cor. 13.11 It is one of the last things he concludes his Epistle with Finally brethren farewel be perfect be of good comfort be of one minde live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you And Phil. 1.27 He presseth it as the only thing he desired of them Only let your conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ that whether I come and see you or else be absent I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one minde striving together for the faith of the Gospel Certainly unity of judgement is of more importance then we are aware of else the Apostle would not presse it with such solemn adjurations and entreaties so often as he doth Yea when there were but two men that differed in opinion as it is conceived the Apostle thought it beseeming Apostolical gravity and the holy Ghost judged it meet for a piece of canonical Scripture to take notice of it and compose it Phil. 4.2 I beseech Evodias and beseech Syntiche that they be of the same minde in the Lord Though it might seem but womens brabbles yet we know how great a matter a little fire kindleth a little strife and errour will encrease to more ungodlinesse Consider we that there is but one truth and that is of God and God is truth and error is of the devil Consider that the understanding is the highest and foremost faculty of the soul it is as the forehorse in the teem the leading faculty and as that is enformed so the will and conscience and affections must needs work and follow that and if that be led into errour it must necessarily misleade the whole man Consider that a chief part of the image of God in man consisteth in knowledge and so is upon the understanding which by errour is defaced Remember the solemn caveats given by the Apostle Rom. 16.17 I beseech you brethren mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned and avoid them For they that are such serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly and by good words and blessed or fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple And Eph. 4.14 That we henceforth be no more children tossed to and fro and carried about with every winde of doctrine by the slieght of men and cunning craftinesse or after the methods of errour whereby they lie in wait to deceive Christ himself tels us that false Prophets shall come that shall deceive if it were possible the very elect Behold I have told you before Mat. 20.30 31. And Paul tels us Of your selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them Therefore watch Act. 20.30 31. Therefore hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me saith Paul 2 Tim. 1.13 They that coin new words and new strange expressions to amaze the people it is a sign as Calvin tels us that they have some new opinion upon the Anvil O let us labour to be of one heart seeing we are all but one body and have but one head and one spirit and because we are all brethren children of the same heavenly Father This is that which God hath promised his people Ezek. 11.19 I will give them one heart and I will put a new spirit within you And we finde Christ inculcating this exhortation Joh. 13.34 A new Commandement I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love another By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another Joh. 13.34 35. Again This is my commandment that ye love one another as I have loved you Joh. 15.12 and vers 17. These things I command you that you love one another And this I finde practised Act. 4.31 And the multitude of them that beleeved were of one heart and one soul And this Paul exhorteth to Rom. 12.10 Be kindely affectioned one to another with brotherly love in honour preferring one another And we finde the unity both of judgement and heart exhorted unto 1 Pet. 3.8 Finally be ye all of one minde having compassion one of another love as brethren be pitiful be courteous Division is the devils musick but that which makes the devil laugh should make us cry O what a solemn obsecration is that of Paul Phil. 2.1 2. If there be any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye may be like minded having the same love bring of one accord of one minde O that we might labour to be of one way also This is that which God promised his people Jer. 32.39 I will give them one heart and one way that they may fear me for ever for the good of them and of their children after them And Zep. 3.9 Then will I turn to the people a pure language that they may all call upon the name of the Lord with one consent or one shoulder And this was the blessing that God gave Hezekiah in his people 2 Chron. 30.12 Also in Judah the hand of God was to give them one heart to doe the commandment of the King and of the Princes by the word of the Lord. Certainly there is but one rule for doctrine worship discipline And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and on all the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 And this is the Apostles exhortation Roman 15.6 That ye may with one minde and one mouth glorifie God Yea though we be not of the same judgement in every thing yet as it is Philip. 3.16 Whereto we have already attained let us walk by the same rule let us minde the same things And this unity in way is that which we have sworn unto and covenanted in our late National League and Covenant in the first branch of it That we shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church-government Directory for Worship and Catechizing That we and our posterity after us may as brethren live together in faith and love and that the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us And we shall all be forsworn if we endeavour it not All the members of the same body natural agree to goe the same way Yea the strength health and beauty of the body natural consisteth in the fast knitting of all the members together to each other and to the head and the luxation thereof is dangerous so and much more it is in a body politick or Ecclesiastical And though the divisions in our civil estate be very sad and might deserve tears of bloud to bewail them yet I look upon the divisions in the Church as a matter of more sad and doleful consequence and I fear but wish I might be mistaken that when the breaches of the Common-wealth shall be closed the breaches in the Church may grow wider and the differences rise higher and such errours are sown among us as will not be plucked up again in our age which having seized upon the understandings and consciences of men cannot be composed by commands nor clubbed down by force Only here is my comfort that though our condition is such that we know not what to ask yet God is wise and knows what to bestow And this is my hope herein that he which found a way to reconcile God and man when they were at enmity can finde way to reconcile man and man though they be at difference Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ that great shepheard of the sheep through the bloud of the everlasting Covenant make us perfect in every good work to doe his will working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom be glory for ever and ever Amen * ⎠* FINIS
is their belly whose glory is in their shame who minde earthly things See what manner of persons Iude speaks of in 12 13 and 16. verses Spots in their feasts of charity feeding themselves without fear clouds without water carried about with windes trees whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots raging waves of the sea foming out their own shame wandering stars to whom is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever murmurers complainers walking after their own lusts c. Yet these were Gods people by dedication and consecration and God owneth them so And is it not as absurd for Christ to have such branches as such members But though the Metaphor taken from the natural head and members seem to imply such a strict union and communion as to set forth only the elect yet we know that many of them are not called and so in their natural condition as vile as any and even the best on earth are but sinful men yet as it is borrowed from a civil head and political body it is no absurdity at all For God himself is head and Governour of all the world and thereby of devils as well as angels beasts as well as men wicked men as well as good for he is the soveraign ruler over all And Christ Eph. 1.22 is said to be head over all things to the Church his body There is therefore a visible Ecclesiastical body which may also in some sense be called mystical and there is also an invisible spiritual body of the elect only which is most properly called mystical There are two sievs or garbles which God useth the first is to fift the world into a visible Ecclesiastical body over which Christ is a mystical political governing head and ruler and this sieve is managed by the hands of the Ministers the second is to sift the visible Ecclesiastical body into a spiritual invisible body and that is in Gods hand only Now we are to know that this distinction of visible and invisible is a very lame one and the lamenesse thereof deceiveth many For whereas all distributions should have their parts distinct and different and the more opposite the members be the better the distribution is these two branches of this distinction interfier one with another and the one comprehends the other the visible comprehend the invisible here in this world I mean the persons though not the notions For though indeed every visible member is not invisible yet every invisible member in the Church is also visible Ad Catholicam Ecclesiam visibilem in terris se recipere debent quot quot invisibilis illius cives esse cupiunt Polani Syntag. l. 7. c. 9. Invisibilis Ecclesia latet in Ecclesia visibili ut pars in toto frutramque consideres ut coetum vocatorum externa vocatione quae communis est invisibili visibili Ecclesiae Ibid. They that have inward communion with Christ for life are not taught and nourished only by an inward unction or inspiration but are fain to have external communion also in the outward Ordinances of God De Ecclesia vivorum modò agitur cui Symbolum Apostolicum praescriptum est non decoelesti Ram. in Symb. So that this distinction is like the old distinction of Gratia gratis data gratia gratum facient whereas Omnis gratia gratum faciens est etiam gratia gratis data If invisible had been taken for Saints in heaven and visible for Saints on earth it had been a compleat distinction Or if visible had been taken for a Church conspicuous flourishing with liberty of Ordinances and invisible for a Church latent as under persecutions and general heresies then it had been compleat but the terms are not used in either of those senses and therefore the distinction halteth So that in what is to be said we must take heed that by visible we mean not only such as are hypocrites and reprobates but those that are also truly godly not only such as make external profession of faith whereby they are differenced from heathens but such as have inward sincerity also whereby they are differenced from hypocrites The Church visible I said is a company of people called or separated by God from Idols to the true religion What a Church visible is and yeelding professed subjection to that call which is true of the godly as well as of the hypocrites This description is excepted against by some because it is said to be a separation from Idols whereas many Athiests and Jews c. which worship no Idols may be converted and therefore say they it had better have been said called out of the world But I answer that that expression would have admitted of as much exception for there is much of the world in the Church I pray not for the world saith Christ Ioh. 17.9 which was meant of the reprobate Jews which yet were in the visible Church If I had made a description of the invisible Church it had been right to have said called out of the world but speaking of the visible Church Idols are the most proper contradistinct term to the living God and Idolatry that which onely causeth a divorce between God and a visible Church and obstinate prophanenesse which is opposite to the professed subjection mentioned in the description And though some converted should have been Jews or Athiests c. that never were Idolaters yet my description takes them in for I mean a separation or call both privatively and negatively priatively if they have been Idolaters negatively though they never were i. e. there must be a disclaiming of Idols negatively though there never were a positive worshipping of them As if a neuter who never struck in of any side shall side with one opposite there must be a disclaiming of the other opposite An Objection much to this purpose reverend M. Norton hath In Respons ad totum Quaestionum Syllogem p. 115. whereby he would inferre That a Synod is not a Church his words are these Nâ—sâ—â— catus cujus membrorum vocatio non habet â—mundum terminum immediatum a â—pâ—o Christum terminum immediatum ad quem habet sanctè vocatos pro proximâ materiâ At omnis Synodus est talis 〈◊〉 cujus membrorum vocatio non habet terminum iâ—â—e â—â—â—tum a quo c. Materia Synodi sunt pij docti viri membrae Ecclesiae But with due respect unto him I conceive he little considered how much this argument strikes at all the Churches in New-England which are made up of members not immediatly called out of the world but of members of our Churches in Old England and by Gods Ministers here converted and sealed with the seal of the Covenant A second exception against it is Because a Church may be a Church though they fall to some Idolatry as the ten Tribes were owned by God as his people though Idolaters I answer there were 7000. in Israel in the worst times that lived
futurus quem praedixerant prophetae priore adventu Christi inchoatus c. Polani Syntag. l. 7. c. 7. Statuimus Ecclesiam quandam vniversalem externam per totum orbem dispersam nobis in sacris literis describi quae visibili quadam politia unicum Ecclesiasticum Organicum corpus constituit sub quo omnes Ecclesiae particulares Classicales Provinciales Nationales tanquam partes totius continentur Apollon p. 29. Vbicunque quandocunque fuerint homines Apostolicâ fide informati Christianam Electorum rem-publicam constituunt etiam fi dispersi in omnes orbis partes Sic Antoninus Philosophus civem Romanum dixit esse quicunque Romanis legibus viveret Ita quicunque Christiani◠legibus moribusque vivis ubicunque sit nihil interest civis est Christianus ad publicum de regendâ civitate Dei consilium adhibendus ut Ecclesiae Catholicae disciplina Catholica sit Ram de Eccles Against these testimonies M. E. saith pag. 5. that I bring the description of the visible Church out of several Authours none of which except Apollonius and Ramus take it in my sense Ans They all imply a Church Catholike and that to be visible and this Church Catholike visible to be one which is all I brought them for And whereas he seeks to blast Apollonius because he was pre-engaged I answer It is more then I know he is still alive and may answer for himself And against Pet. Ramus he alledgeth a clause out of Beza's ep before Aristotles Organ But I could cite much more in his commendation out of others but I write not to commend men valere quantum valere potest I am sure I have cause to blesse God for him Sometimes saith Bifield Church signifieth a company of men in one city or Province that did outwardly professe the true religion 1 Cor. 11.18 22. And so usually in the writings of Divines the company throughout the world so professing is called the visible Church Bifield on Art 9. Catholike in the most evident sense agreeth to the Church now under the Gospel since the partition wall between Jews and Gentiles was broken down and yet in some sense it may agree to the Church from the beginning Idem For particular Churches either single or combined either National Provincial Classical or Congregational it is not belonging to this question to discusse the Queries about them and therefore I shall only set down some descriptions of them positively as they are usually taken by others and give you my present apprehensions of them A National Church is where all the visible publike What a National Church is religious Assemblies of a Nation being parts of the Church Catholike living under one politick civil government are by the profossion of the same faith and communion in the same worship and government united into one body Ecclesiastick or Ecclesiastical Re-publike Two things as I conceive are required to make a National Church First National agreement in the same faith and worship Secondly National union in one Ecclesiastical body in the same community of Ecclesiastical government The Churches in Foance and the Netherlands have the same faith and worship and kinde of government but they are not in the same National community thereof See Apollonius consid cap. 3. Assert 2. Asserimus Ecclesiam visibilem in sacra Scriptura descriptam non tantum fuisse Parochialem seu particularem sed esse etiam Ecclesiam quandam Nationalem unius gentis aut regni quae constat ex diversis multis Ecclesijs Parochialibus uno regimine Ecclesiastico junctis mutuâ quadam communione societate Ecclesiasticâ visibili inter se devinctis See clear proofs for National Churches under the Gospel Isa 55.5 Thou shalt call a Nation which thou knewest not and Nations which knew not thee shall run unto thee It is spoken of Christ under the Gospel And there is set down both Gods call of a Nation and a Nations answer to that call And these two things are sufficient to make a Church Also Isa 19.24 25. In that day shall Israel be a third with Egypt and with Assyria even a blessing in the midst of the land whom the Lord of hosts shall blesse saying Blessed be Egypt my people and Assyria the work of my hands and Israel mine inheritance It is a prophecy of the times under the Gospel where Aegypt and Assyria are promised to be called in to be Churches as well as Israel and are preferred in order before Israel however it is clear those three Nations are owned and blessed by God as three sister Churches Also Psa 72.11 17. All Kings shall fall down before him all Nations shall serve him All Nations shall call him blessed i. e. Christ Mat. 21.43 The kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof Rom. 10.19 I will provoke you to jealousie by them that are no people and by a foolish Nation will I anger you i. e. God choosing the Gentile Nations and giving them the priviledges of the Jews it should anger the Jews and provoke them to jealousie Isa 65.1 I said behold me behold me to a nation that was not called by my name The Commission of the Apostles was to go teach and baptize all Nations not Congregations only i. e. some of all Nations if they received the Christian faith and the whole Nations if the whole received it Mic. 4.2 Many Nations shall come and say Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and he will teach us his waies and we will walk in his paths Isa 52.15 He shall sprinkle many Nations i. e. with his grace Jer. 4.2 The Nations shall blesse themselves in him and in him shall they glory And Rom. 4.17 Abraham is said to be a father of many Nations in a spiritual sense as well as a carnal In thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed He is said to be the father of us all Rev. 11.15 The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ The Ecclesiastical polities in converted kingdoms are said to be commensurable to the civil Rev. 21.24 The Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it i. e. of the new Jerusalem Zac. 2.11 Many Nations shall be joyned unto the Lord in that day and shall be my people Whereby we see the current of the Scripture runs that God not only would convert Congregations out of several Nations but the whole Nations which also he performed and many whole Nations joyned themselves to the Lord and made Christian Kingdoms or Common-wealths though they proceeded not from the loins of one man as the Israelites did which some make the ground of the National Church of the Jews yet we know there were proselytes of all Nations that were members of that Church and had right to all the Ordinances as well as the Israelites and servants that came not out of Abrahams
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