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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44866	A vindication of the essence and unity of the church catholike visible, and the priority thereof in regard of particular churches in answer to the objections made against it, both by Mr. John Ellis, Junior, and by that reverend and worthy divine, Mr. Hooker, in his Survey of church discipline / by Samuel Hudson ...	Hudson, Samuel, 17th cent.	1650 (1650)	Wing H3266; ESTC R11558	216,698	296

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. All●● and M. Shepherd in answer to M. Ball. For the truth is the ●●●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 we●●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 go●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 ●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

and metaphors whereby the Church-Catholike is called and set out in Scripture which are taken from things which are not only each of them an Integral but each of them one Organical body and in eâ formali ratione lyeth the analogy between them and the Church It is compared unto a natural body which is an organical integral having many members and Organs which though they lie indeed in the several members yet are Organs of the whole and the several members members of the whole and doe their several actions and perform their several offices for the good of the whole and sympathize together 1 Cor. 12.12 For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of that one body being many are one body so also is Christ This is not meant of the Church of Corinth only but of the Catholike Church because it is the whole body to which Christ is the head and Christs person as the head of the whole and this whole body is called Christ i. e. mystically the whole receiving denomination from the better part the head And so M. Bartlet takes it in his Model pag. 35. for the whole Church And so all Expositors that I have met with except some few of late who to avoid the dint of this argument would have it meant of the Church of Corinth as a particular Church But it will sound very harsh to make Christ and the Church of Corinth to be called Christ when they are but the head and a part of Christs body It is the body whereof Paul was a member v. 13. We are all baptized where Paul puts in himself and all beleevers Object But this is meant of the invisible company of beleevers Answ It is true but it is spoken of them as visible because it is brought in there to shew the diversities of gifts offices operations and administrations in the visible Church there is an eye and an ear c. mentioned and the Officers of the Church named now there are no Officers of the invisible Church as invisible nor different administrations as they are members of the invisible body they are all similar and have the same standing and operations of their general calling as Christians not as Apostles Prophets Evangelists c. And many that have these common gifts of the holy Ghost which are by the Spirit of Christ and the Offices there mentioned were not invisible members of Christ yet were not only members but Officers in this body there spoken of It is also the visible body there meant because the 2. external seals viz. Baptism and the Lords Supper are specified in v. 1● as means and signs of this union in one body and they are visibly administred There is an invisible body of Christ and a visible the invisible is in organical the visible organical the invisible while they are in the visible Church are visible members thereof and so put on the relation of Officer and private member It is true some things are spoken of the whole in reference to the better part the invisible number and as they 〈◊〉 professed themselves to be of the invisible body so the Apostle speaks of them and to them as if they were as they ought to be and at least made a shew as if they were But that the place is meant of an organical body as one is out of question and that the analogy between the Church and such a body lay in the unity and organicalnesse is as clear The like is spoken Rom. 12.4 5. For as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office so we being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of another It is the Church-Catholike not Roman particular Church Paul puts in himself yet had never been at Rome then It is organical for the Officers are there enumerated It is one for there is a sympathy of members spoken of To this purpose is that of Salmas Retinebitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicativa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inter omnia membra Dominici corporis i. e. Ecclesiae quae nisi una sit non potest esse vera Appar p. 281. Also it is set out by a political body Sometimes it is called a kingdom and the kingdom of heaven as I shewed before out of many places of Scripture Now a Kingdom is one Organical body for so many men living together within the same limits make not a Kingdom but as it is combined by the same Laws under one Governour or Government In the Heptarchy this one Kingdom since under one King and body of laws were seven Kingdoms Now if the Church-Catholike bears such an analogy to one Kingdom as to be called a Kingdom it is from this that it is one organized Integral It is also called a city and sometimes Jerusalem and as it is reformed it is called new Jerusalem and the members both of Jews and Gentiles are called fellow-citizens Eph. 2.19 Now a City is one Organical body under one common government otherwise so many houses or streets and inhabitants being together would not make them a City Sometimes the buildings and inhabitants which if under one government would make one city and Corporation being great and near and haply contiguous yet wanting a charter to make them a Corporation are none yea by difference of Charter Government and chief Governours are two Cities as London and Westminster The Church-Catholike therefore being one city is one organical body Also it is set out sometimes by one martial or military body and is called an Army terrible with banners Cant. 6. 10. which by some is interpreted Church-censures M. Cotton indeed expounds it of the Church of the Jews when they shall be called home by conversion to the Christian faith to be sure it is the Church-militant Now an Army is one organical body under one General and the same Laws martial though quartered in divers places therefore so is the Church-Catholike It is also set out by an Oeconomical body a family or houshold Eph. 2.19 Now a family is one Organical body wherein are Governours or a Governour and governed an husband father or master and therefore so is the Church-Catholike else the analogy should not hold All these metaphors and many more whereby the Church-Catholike is set out shew it one visible organical body Secondly That the Church-Catholike visible is one society virtually and habitually appears because by Baptism where-ever administred the baptized visible beleever is admitted a member not of the particular Church among whom he was baptized nor to bear any special relation to the Minister baptizing him that he must take a special inspection over him as one of his particular flock and charge but into the whole general body of Christs kingdom visible For as I shewed before there was Baptism administred as the seal of the general covenant before particular Congregations were set up See more of this Qu. 2. S. 2.

holy Infantes baptizandi sunt non ut sancti sint sed quia sancti sunt Whitak The promise is to you and to your children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call saith Peter Act. 2.39 This promise is that external Covenant to which Baptism doth belong for it is brought in as an argument to move them to repentance and receiving of Baptism and declareth their right and their childrens right which is nothing else but the call of God and their answer thereunto The Sacraments are not seals of the particular Covenant but the general and therefore all that are in the general Covenant have right thereto as they are capable The 5. Apologists acknowledge that some of them had children born after they were actually in this way of communion which were baptized by some of our Ministers in our Parishional Congregations Apol Narr p. 6. And some of our brethren and none of the meanest falling hence to New-England after their departure from then particular Congregations here and before their particular combination there had sea-born children which were baptized on ship-board and I my self was desired to baptize one of them before the Ship could put forth out of the channel And for the Lords Supper it is a priviledge not springing from the particular Covenant but the general and as all that were circumcised were bound to keep the Passeover whereever they dwelt so every baptized person being of age and otherwise fir is bound to receive the Lords Supper and therefore hath a right thereto though his condition of calling or other accidents hinder him from a fixed membership And in Congregational Churches the brethren of one Congregation communicate at the Lords table in other Congregations as occasion is offered but surely it cannot be by vertue of a particular Covenant entred into with their own members for that can give right no where else but it is by vertue of a Covenant that is common to all visible beleevers which is the general Covenant Can we conceive that a visible beleever having visible right to Christ and living holily should want right to the seals Can any man forbid water that these should not be be baptized that have received the holy Ghost as well as we saith Peter of Cornelius and his company So may I say can any man forbid the Lords Supper to be administred to such as have received Christ and his Spirit and are baptized as well as we See more of this Que. 2. Sect. 4. M. Norton in his answer to Apollonius p. 32 acknowledgeth the Sacraments are not signs or seals of the Ecclesiastical Covenant as he cals it but signs and seals of the Covenant of grace and yet the Sacraments are to be administred only to such as are entred into the Ecclesiastical Covenant explicitly or implicity his reason is because the Sacraments are to be administred only ●●deratis i. e. to such as are in Covenant and so members first If M. Norton meaneth by Covenant the Covenant of grace it is true they must be in the Covenant of grace externally at least by professed yeelding themselves to the Lord or by federal holinesse 〈◊〉 they be capable of baptism but then it is nothing to his purpose but if he mean a particular Ecclesiastical Covenant whereby he is ●ade a member of a particular Congregation 〈…〉 is no way requisite unto baptism It is against the order of nature that the particular Covenant which is but humane arbitrary mutable extinguishible and accidental should precede the general which is divine necessary immutable perpetual and essential to a Christian it is as if a man should first be made a freeman of London and then a Denizon of England Indeed he is not capable of the priviledges that are peculiar to that Congregation except he be a member of it but baptism is a general priviledge of every subject of Christs Kingdom Neither have we any precept in the Scripture for the precedency of the particular Covenant before the general nor any example or intimation of any such practice in Scripture but of the contrary What particular Congregational Covenant did those that were baptized by John Baptist or Christs Disciples enter into before baptism or the Eunuch the Jaylor and his houshold or Lydia or Paul or Cornelius or the 3000. converted by Peter that were inhabitants of so many several countries True indeed some of them were members of the Jewish Church and so in the general Covenant but what is that to the making of them members of a particular Evangelical Congregational Church Infants are acknowledged to be members of the Church before baptism p. 25. and Bucer Loc. 47. cited for it yet they enter into no such Covenant before baptism M. Norton confesseth p. 25. that the Protobaptizatus could not be a member of a Church unlesse one man might be a Church or a member be without an integral It is a marvel that seeing so much weight lyeth on this particular Church-Covenant viz. the interest in the seals of the Covenant of grace the Scripture should never give any intimation of it or directions about it The like may be said of hearing the word any visible beleever may hear it whereever God giveth him opportunity not as a heathen or man without but as his rightful portion And any Christian may joyn in prayer and say Our Father c. with any Christians in the furthest parts of the world if he should come into their company in the performance of such duties The greatest Query is about the Ordinances of Discipline because they cannot be dispensed by a single Elder but in a College or Presbytery of Elders in combination and require a joynt power to be exercised in the inflicting of censures and this power it not so facil to be drawn into act as the power to administer Ordinances of worship which may be by entreaty of any single Minister in any place But first every one even as a member of the Church-Catholike yea though but entitive is bound to submit therunto by his entring by the general Covenant into the Kingdom of Christ that being one of his Ordinances and is needful and beneficial to all Christians And every Elder as he is given to the Church-Catholike as every Levite was to all Israel hath right in actu primo to dispense the Ordinances of Discipline every where if he hath a sufficient call And in consideration this Ordinance is given in the same method that the others are viz. first to the whole body and Kingdom of Christ and secondarily to the particular parts and yet as in other Ordinances the particular Churches which are last in intention are first in execution and operation so it is likewise in this and so it is in administration of justice in a Kingdom the Laws are made for the whole Kingdom and come secondarily to particular Counties and Corporations are executed primarily and immediatly in those particular Counties and