The Catechizing of Families, Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. The Holy Catholick Church.
Qu. 1. HOw is this Article joyned to the former?
A. This Article hath not been alwayes in the Creed, in the same order and words as now. But the belief of [a Holy Church] was long before it was called [Catholick.] And it is joyned as part of our Belief of the Work of the Holy Ghost, and the Redemption wrought by Christ: Christ by his death purchaseth, and the Holy Ghost gathereth the Holy Catholick Church: It were defective to believe Christs Purchase, and the Holy Ghost's Sanctification; and not know for whom and on whom it is done. To Sanctifie, is to Sanctifie some Persons: and so to make them the Holy Society, or Christian Church.
Q. 2. What is a Church?
A. The Name is applied to many sorts of Assemblies which we need not name to you. But here it signifieth, The Christian Society.
Q. 3. Why is it called Catholick?
A. Catholick is a Greek word and signifieth Universal: It is called Catholick because, 1. It is not as the Iews Church confined to one Nation, but comprehendeth all true Christians in the World. And▪ 2. Because it consisteth of Persons that have every where in the World, the same Essentiating qualifications, summed up Eph. 4. 3, 4, 5, 6. One Body, one Spirit, one hope of our Calling, one Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all, though i… various Measures of Grace. And so the Concordan… Churches of Christ through the World, were called The Catholick Church, as distinct from the Sects and Heresies that broke from it.
Q. 4. How comes the Pope of Rome to call only his Subjects Catholicks?
A. The greatest part of the Church on Earth by far, was long in the Roman Empire, and when Emperors turned Christians they gave the Churches Power for the Honour of Christianity, to form the Churches much like the Civil State: And so a General Council of all the Churches in that Empire was their Supream Church Power. And three Patriarchs first, and five after were in their several Provinces, over all the rest of the Archbishops and Bishops. And so the Orthodox Party at First were called, The Catholicks, because they were the greater Concordant part: But quickly the Arrians became far greater, and carryed it in Councils, and then they called themselves, The Catholicks: After that the Orthodox under wiser Emperors got up again, and then they were the greater part called Catholicks: Then the Nostorians a little while, and the Eutychians after, and the Monothelites after them, got the Major Vote in Councils, and called themselves the Catholick Church: And so since then, they that had the greatest countenance from Princes, and the greatest number of Bishops in Councils, claimed the Name of the Catholick Church: And the Pope that was the first Patriarch in the Empire first called himself the Head of the Catholick Church in that Empire; and when the Empire was broke, extended his claim to the whole Christian World, partly by the abuse of the word [Catholick Church] and partly by abuse of the Name [General Councils;] falsly pretending to Men that what was called [Catholick and General] as to the Empire, had been so called as to all the World: And thus His Church was called Catholick.
Q. 5. Why is the Catholick Church called Holy?
A. 1. To notifie the work of our Saviour, who came to save us from our sins, and gather a peculiar People, a holy Society, who are separated from the unbelieving, ungodly World.
2. To notifie the Work of the Holy Ghost, who is given to make such an Holy People.
3. Yea, to notifie the Holiness of God the Father, who will be Sanctified in all that draw near him, and hateth the impure and unholy, and will have all his Children Holy as he is Holy.
4. And to tell us the fitness of all Gods Children for his favour and Salvation.
Q. 6. Wherein consisteth the Holiness of the Church?
A. 1. Christ their Head is perfectly Holy: 2. The Gospel and Law of Christ which is our objective Faith and Rule are Holy. 3. The Founders of the Church were eminently Holy. 4. All sincere Christians are truly Holy, and marked out as such for Salvation. 5. The common Ministers have an Holy Office. 6. The Church Worship as Gods Ordinances are Holy works. 7. All that are Baptized and profess Christianity, are Holy as to Profession, and so far separated from the Infidel World, though not sincerely to Salvation.
Q. 7. What is it now that you call, The Holy Catholick Church?
A. It is The Universality of Christians Headed by Iesus Christ.
Or, It is a Holy Kingdom consisting of Iesus Christ aEph. 1. 22, 23. & 5. 23, 24. Col. 1. 18, 19▪ 24▪ Mat. 16. 18. 1 Cor. 12. 28, 29, 30. Act. 2. 47.the Head, and all sincere Christians the sincere Members▪ and all professed Christians the professing Members; first founded and gathered by the Holy Ghost eminently working in the Apostles and Evangelists, Recording the Doctrine and Laws of Christ for their Government to the End; and guided by his Ministers, and Sanctifying Spirit according to those Laws and Doctrine, in various degrees of Grace and Gifts.
Q. 8. What is it that makes all Churches to be One?
A. 1. Materially, their concord in the same qualifications: which is called, Eph. 4. 3. The Unity of the Spirit: They are all, that are sincere, Sanctified by the same Spirit, and have the same Essentials of Faith, Hope, Baptismal Covenant, and Love: bIo. 17. 21, 23. 1 Cor. 8. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 5, 27, 28, 29. Eph. 4. 5, 6, 7. Mat. 28. 19.And the Hypocrites profess the same.
2. Formally their common Union with and Relation to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, that is, to Iesus Christ their Head, bringing them home to God the Father by the Spirit.
Q. 9. Is there no one Ministerial Head of all the Church on Earth?
A. No: neither One Man, nor one Council or Collection of Men: For, 1. None are naturally capable of being One Supream Pastor, Teacher, Priest and Ruler over all the Nations of the Earth, nor can so much as know them, or have hum…ne converse with them. And a Council gathered equally out of all the World as One such Supream, is a more gross Fiction of impossibles than that of a Pope.
2. And Christ that never so qualified any, never gave any such power. But all Pastors are like the Judges, Justices and Mayors that rule subordinately under one King, in their several Precincts; and not like an Universal Viceroy, Lieutenant, or Aristocracy or Parliament.
Q. 10. But is not Monarchy the best Form of Government, and should not the Church have the best?
A. 1. Yes: and therefore Christ is its Monarch, who is capable of it.
2. But a Humane Universal Monarchy of all the World is not best: nor was ever an Alexander, a Caesar, or any Man so mad, as soberly to pretend to it, or plead for it. Who is the Man that you would have to be King at the Antipodes, and over all the Kings on Earth.
3. Yea, the case of the Church is liker that of Schools and Colledges, that rule Volunteers in order to Teaching them. And did ever Papist think that all the Schools on Earth of Grammarians, Philosophers, Physicians, &c. should have one humane Supream Schoolmaster, or a Council or Colledge of such to Rule them?
Q. 11. But Christ is not a Visible Head; and the Church is Visible.
A. We deny not the Visibility of the Church, but we must not feign it to be more visible than it is. c1 Cor. 11. 3. Eph. 5. 23. Col. 2. 10, 18. & 2. 19. Act. 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5. Eph. 2. 20. Act. 8. 36. Act. 9. & 22. 14. Rev. 1. 7. Mat. 25. 40.1. It consisteth of visible Subjects: 2. Their Profession is visible and their Worship. 3. They have visible Pastors in all the particular Churches, as every School hath its Schoolmaster. 4. Christ was visible in the Flesh on Earth. 5. He was after seen of Stephen and Paul. 6. He is now visible in Heaven, … the King is in his Court. 7. And he will come in glorious Visibility shortly to judge the World. 8. And his Laws are visible by which he ruleth us and will judg us: If all this Visibility will not satisfie Men, Christ will not approve of Usurpation for more Visibility.
Q. 12. Of what use is this Article to us?
A. 1. To tell us that Christ dyed not in vain, but will certainly have a Holy Church which he will save.dEph. 5. 27. Act. 2. 47. Act. 20. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 32. Eph. 3. 10. Col. 1. 18, 24. Eph. 3. 21. Heb. 2. 12. 1 Thes. 5. 12, 13. Eph. 4. 16. 1 Tim. 3. 15.
2. To shew us in the blessed effect that the Sanctification of the Spirit is not a Fancy; but a Holy Church is renewed and saved by it.
3. To tell us that God forsaketh not the Earth, though he permit Ignorance, Infidelity and Wickedness to abound, and Malice to persecute the Truth: still God hath a Holy Church which he will preserve and save. And though this or that Church may apostatize and cease, there shall be still a Catholick Church on Earth.
4. To mind us of the wonderful Providence of God, which so continueth and preserveth a Holy People, hated by open Enemies and wicked Hypocrites, by Satan and all his Instrments on Earth.
5. To teach us to love the Unity of Christians, and carefully maintain it, and not to tear the Church by the Engins of proud Mens needless Snares, nor to be rashly censorious of any, or excommunicate them unjustly, nor to separate from any, further than they separte from Christ; but to rejoice in our common Union in Christian Faith and Love, and not let wrongs, or infirmities of Christians or Carnal Interests, or Pride or Passion, nor different Opinions about things not necessary to our Unity, destroy our Love or Peace, or break this holy bond.