Apology of Certain Christians, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of the largenes of Churches.
AND first, it is evident, that the most, especially cittie-churches, are so great and populous, as that two or three dive… temples are not sufficient for one, and the same Church to meet… at once. We on the contrarie, so judg, that no particular churc… under the New Testament, ought to consist of more members, the… can meet together in one place; because,
1. The Holy Scriptures speaking definitely of the politicall, or ministeriall, commonly called, visible church, instituted by Christ and his Apostles, by his power, understand none other then on… congregation convening, and comming together, ordinarie at least in one place. Math. 18, 17, 20. gathered together in my name: wi… 1 Corinth. 5, 4. when you are come together. Act. 2, 44. Al… that beleeved were together: and chap. 5, 12. They were all with one accord in Salomons porch. Also chap. 6, 2, 5. and chap. 13, 1, 2. with …4, 27. and 14, 23. with Tit. 1, 5. Act. 15, 4, 22, 25. and 21, 22. So 1 Corinth. 11, 20. when yee therefore come together in one, to wit place, not minde, as some conceipt, for from that the Corinthians were to far: and lastly chap. 14, 23. If the whole church come together into some place.
2. There is then had the most full, and perfit communion of the body in the holy things of God, which is the next and immediate end of the visible Church,Act. 2, 42. when all the members thereof do convene, and assemble together in some one place. And if nature,Heb. 10, 25. as Philosophers teach, ever intend that which is most persit, much more grace. Now that the church (commonly called visible) is then most truely visible indeed, when it is assembled in one place; and the communion thereof then most full, and intire, when all its members inspired, as it were, with the same presence of the holy ghost, do from the same Pastor, rec…av the same provocations of grace, at the same time, and in the same place: when they all by the same voice, (banding as it were together) do with one accord pour out their prayers unto God:Te…tul Apol. ch. 37. when they all participate of one, and the same holy bread; and lastly, when they all together consent unanimously,1 Cor. 10. 17 either in the choice of the same officer, or censuring of the same offender, no man admitting a due thought of things, can make doubt of.
3. We have the Apostle Paul giving it in charge to the Elders of everie particular Church (as was that of Ephesus) that they take heed unto al the flock, whereof the holy ghost made them Bishops, Act. 20, 17, 28.or overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. But surely, as that flock is verie inordinate, if not monstrous, which for the largenes thereof, neither ever doth, nor possibly can feed together; so that sheepheard of the Lords flock seemeth not aright, and as he ought, to fulfill his charge, which doth not at the least, everie Lords day, minister unto the same, the wholesom food of Gods word. Ad hereunto, that in these huge and vast flocks, the governers cannot take knowledg of the manners of the people private, or publick; no nor so much, as of their presence at, or absence from the church assemblies: whereby what domage cometh unto true pietie, any man may easily conjecture, and miserable experience makes too too manifest in the reformed Churches. I conclude therefore, since (as Iunius sayth) it concerneth the Pastour throughly to know the church committed unto him, the persons, their works and courses, Iunius …. lib. 1, cap. 2.without the knowledg of which things, he shall profit them no more then a tincking cymball, &c. that it were a point of good provision both for the conscience of the officers, and edification of the people, that a division were made of the cittie-churches, which by continuall accession of members, are thus grown out of kinde, into different, and distinct congregations, under their certain, and distinct Pastours, and Elders.
If any object, that there is one visible, and catholick Church, comprehending as the parts thereof,Object. all the particular Churches, and severall congregations of divers places; as there is one Ocean, or Sea, dive…sly called, according to the divers regions by whose shores it passeth; and that therefore this matter is not worth labour spending about it,Answ. I answer, First, that the Catholick church neither is, nor can be called visible: since onelyonly things singular are visible, and discerned by sence: whereas universals, or things catholick, are either onelyonly in the understanding,See Sadell against Tur. in solut. 2. sylog on Math. 1…. Scalig de subul. ex…. …07. as some are of minde, or as others think better, are made such, to wit universals, by the understanding, abstracting from them all circumstanstiall accidents, considering that the kindes intelligible have their existence in nature, that is in the Individuals.
2. The Catholick church, with due reverence unto learned ned men be it spoken, is verie unskilfully said to be one, as the sea is one. For, first, it is expressedly said Gen. 1, 9, 10. that the waters which were under the heauens, were gathered into one place, or conceptacle, which God called Sea, or seas. But the Catholick church, which is said to comprehend al particular congregations in her bosom, is not gathered together into one place, nor ever shall be, before the glorious coming of Christ. 2. The Ocean is a body so continued, as that all, and everie part thereof is continually fluent, so as the self same waters, which in their flux do make one sea, do in their reflux by contrarie windes, make another, and so contrariewise. But thus to affirm of particular churches, and their materiall constitutive cause, were most absurd. 3. If some one particular sea were drawn drie, or should fail his course, a disturbance of all the rest would necessarily follow; But and if the sea should in divers places at once happen to be exhausted, or drawn drie, there would then be a fayling of the Ocean: neither were the waters now gathered into one place, neither made they one sea, and body of water, either continued, or conjoyned. But now, on the other side, upon the defection, or dissipation of this or that particular church, no such impediment should come in the way, but that the rest might hould their full course, as before. Yea, I adde moreover, if all, and everie particular assembly in the world should languish, and fall away, (one onelyonly excepted) that (onelyonly) one did still remain the true, & entire Church of Christ, without any either subordination, or coordination, or dependencie spirituall, save unto Christ alone. The reason is plain, because this singular, and sole assembly may under Christ the head, use, and enjoy everie one of his institutions: the communion of Saints combyned together in solemn, and sacred covenant, the word of God, Sacraments, Censures, and ministrations whatsoever by Christ appointed, and therewith the same Christs most gratious presence.
And upon this ground it is, that the Apostle Paul doth intitle the particular congregation, which was at Corinth, and which properly, and immediately he did instruct, and admonish,1 Cor. 12, 27. 2 Cor. 6, 10… & 11, 2. to the body of Christ, the temple of God, and one virgin espoused to one housband Christ. We may not therefore under pretence of antiquitie, unitie, humain prudence, or any colour whatsoever, remove the auncient bounds of the visible and ministeriall church, which our right fathers, to wit, the Apostles, have set, in compar…son of whom, the most ancient of those, which are so called, are but infants,…. …n Prov. and beardlesse, as one truely, and wittily sayth.
There is indeed one church, and as the Apostle speaketh, one bodie, as one spirit, one hope of our calling, one sayth, one baptism; Eph. 4, 4, 5.that is, of one kinde, and nature; not one in number, as one Ocean. Neither was the church at Rome in the Apostles dayes, more one with the Church of Corinth, then was the baptism of Peter one with Pauls baptism, or then Peter, and Paul were one. Neither was Peter or Paul more one, whole, intire, and perfit man (consisting of their parts essentiall, and integrall) without relation unto other men; then is a particular congregation (rightly instituted, and ordered) a whole, intire, and perfit Church immediately, and independently, in respect of other Churches, under Christ.
To conclude, since the Pastor is not a minister of some part of a Church, but of the whole particular Church, Act. 20, 28. Attend to the whole Flock, or Church, whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops &c. if the ministers office be to be confined within the circle of a particular congregation, then also the ministeriall church it self. Now the Pastors office is either circumscribed within these bounds, or els the Angell of the Church of Ephesus was also the Angell of the Church of S…rna; and so the Pastour of this Church is also the Pastour of that; and by consequence, of all; that is, everie Pastour is an universall Bishop, or Pope by office, if not for exeq…ution, yet for power; according to which power, we are to judg of the office.
What then? will some man say. Is it not lawfull for a Pastour to exequute his pastorall office but in the congregation over which he is set? I answer with the Apostle No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that… is called of God, as Aaron, Hebr. 5, 3, 4. It is not lawfull for thee (reverend brother) to do the work of a Pastour where thou art no Pastour, lest thou arrogate to thy self that honour, which apperteyns not unto thee. Thou art called, that is elected, and ordeyned a Pastour of some particular Church, and not of all churches. It is not onelyonly lawfull, but requisite, that the Pastour of one Church (or …aither he that is the Pastour) and so any other member, imparte the gift either spirituall, or bodily, which he hath receaved, to other churches, out of the common bond of charitie, in which he is obliged: not so, to exequute a publique office over them by the prerogative of authoritie, which he hath not but onelyonly over his owne. We will illustrate this by a similitude. Any citizen of Leyd…n may enjoy certain priveledges in the cittie of Delph, by vertue of the politick combination of the united provinces, and cittie, under the supream heads thereof the States generall; which he is bound also to help and assist with all his power if necessitie require; but that the ordinarie magistrate of Leyden should presume to exequute his publique office in the cittie of Delph, were an insolent, and unheard of usurpation. The verie same, and not otherwise, is to be said of Pastors, and particular Churches, in respect of that spirituall combination mutuall under their chief, and sole Lord Iesus Christ.