The Divine Institution of Congregational Churches, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of the Catholick Church.
A Church defined: A Spiritual Corporation how diſtinguiſht: Corporation what: How belonging to Chriſt: What Perſons a Church is made up of: How Memberſhip comes: Communion: Diſtribution of Church: The Catholick Church: Catholick Ʋnion: Communion: Its not the Subject of Ordinances: No Catholick Viſible Church.
§. 1. FROM what hath bin ſaid in the former Chapter, it appears that a Church is thus defined, viz.
That it is a Spiritual Corporation or Body of Chriſt aEph. 1.23 Col. 1.24. 1 Pet. 2.9.the Head, to which many ſelect perſons bTit. 2.14., ſeparated from the World c2 Cor. 6.16, 17.are gathered d2 The. 2.1, and united eEph. 5.23, 30.; and accordingly fitly joined one to another fch. 4.16.for holy Communion in the Lord g1 John 1.3..
§. 2. Corporation, or a Political Body, is the next common Nature to a Church, and not Congregation or Aſſembly; for Congregation is either occaſional aAct 19.39, 41., or fixed and ſtated by incorporation, and this either civil or ſpiritual; a civil is nothing appertaining to our preſent concern, but the ſpiritual is; for a Civil is that which belongs to a Secular or Republican State; but ſpiritual is that that belongs to a Spiritual or Eccleſiaſtick State b1 Cor. 10 4. Gal. 6.1. Matth. 7.6. 1 Cor. 7.32, 33.; hence ſpiritual here is not confin'd to the ſence of inviſibility, but is meant of that which is of a heavenly, ſacred, and ſupernatural Nature c1 Cor. 15.40. Heb. 8.5. & 9.23. 1. Pet. 2.5.; wherefore a ſpiritual Corporation, or Body Politick, is either myſtical and inviſible, or viſible, profeſſed and manifeſt to the World.
§. 3. A Corporation is a Community conſtituted by Law, or Charter granted by a Supream Power, whereby it is inveſted with Priviledges, and a Governing Power, regulated by, and ſubordinated to, the Honour and Intereſt of the ſaid ſupream Power, ſuch are Kingdoms, Cities, Houſholds or Families, or any number of perſons bound together in any ſociable Bond (is a Society of this Nature) whether implicite or explicite; of theſe the Conjugal is the leaſt, though the firſt and moſt ancient, yea the moſt honourable of all Civil Societies, being the Root from whence they ſpring, wherefore the Relation between Chriſt and his Church is repreſented thus to us, by the Spirit of God in a moſt lively manner aEph. 5.31, 32..
§. 4. The Government, Liberties and Priviledges of the Church are given, as by Charter, to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, by the Father aPſa. 2.6. Mat. 28.18 & ch. 2.6.; the adminiſtration of which Power by him, is either internal and immediate by his Spirit in the hearts of his People, and according to the meaſure of Grace given to every one, and of the ſame nature in the whole Body bCol. 3.15 Rom. 8.9. 2 Cor. 3.8, 17. Gal. 5.16.18.25 1 Pet. 1.2.22.of Chriſt cRom. 12.3. 1 John 3.24., and is univerſal and inviſible: or Chriſt adminiſters more externally, viſibly and mediately in particular, viſible Bodies Politick by his Word, inſtituted Officers and Ordinances, for the ſake and edifying of his Univerſal Church dEph. 4.12..
§. 5. Every Church of Chriſt is made of ſelect Perſons, and ſeparated from the World a1 Pet. 2.9 Tit. 2.14. 2 Cor. 6.16.17., either by Effectual Calling, and thereby become Members of the Myſtical Body of Chriſt bEph. 4.4. 1 Cor. 12.12., or by a viſible Profeſſion and Confederation, and thereby become Members of the viſible particular Churches c2 Cor. 7.13..
§. 6. A People may be gathered together, yea to Chriſt, ſo as to hear him or his Meſſengers aAct 13.43 Matt. 13.2, and not thereby become Members of the Body of Chriſt under any conſideration: But they muſt be ſo gathered to Chriſt the Head, as to come into the bond of the Covenant bEze. 20.37. Col. 2.19. 1 Cor. 6.17., either by receiving Chriſt by Faith, and thereby reſtipulating perſonally to the Covenant of Grace, and ſo joining to the Lord. Or it is when a Perſon doth upon his Profeſſion, actually covenant with a particular Church; by the firſt he becomes a Member of the Myſtical Body cCol. 3.11, and by the ſecond of a particular Congregation dAct. 2.41.
§. 7. The end of Church-Union is Communion, which is with Chriſt the Head and one another a1 Joh. 1.3.: This is in the Spirit bPhil. 2.1., and belongs to the whole Catholick Body; or it is expreſſed by a viſible communion in the Ordinances adminiſtred in particular Bodies, and is the Communion of particular Churches cAct. 2.43. 1 Cor. 10.16..
§. 8 According therefore to the Diſpenſation of the Fulneſs of Chriſts Headſhip aJoh. 1.16 Eph. 1.19. & 3.7. Col. 1.19, 20.internally and myſtically by his Spirit bJohn 14.26. & 16.13, 14, 15., or externally and miniſterially, as the Apoſtle and High-Prieſt of our Profeſſion cHeb. 3.1. & 8.6. & 10.1. & 12.23. Eph. 4.12.. The Church and Body of Chriſt hath its ſtanding myſtical and inviſible, or inſtituted and viſible.
§. 9. The Catholick Church is the Myſtical Body of Chriſt made up of all ſaved ones, Militant and Triumphant aHeb. 12.23, 24. Eph. 3.15., united together in one Spirit b1 Cor. 6.17., for communion therein accordingly cPhil. 2.1.. Or, It is all the Company of ſaved ones, Militant and Triumphant, embodied in Chriſt Jeſus dRo. 12.5 1 Cor. 12.12.. It is called the Myſtical Body from that hidden ſtanding which it hath in Chriſt eCol. 3.3. 1 Pet. 3.4. Pſal. 83.3., every Member being undiſcernably (as to Men) united to Chriſt and one another f1 Cor. 12 13. Eph. 4.3., and have communion in the Myſtery of God, of the Father, and of Chriſt, they all eat and drink the ſame ſpiritual Meat and Drink g1 Cor. 10 3, 4., whence, the matter, and form of this Body being not infallibly known to any on Earth h2 Tim. 2.19., either the particular Members Militant or Triumphant, or their bond of Union, or their Heavenly communion in the Spirit, this Church is fitly called the Myſtical Body of Chriſt, to diſtinguiſh it from all other conſiderations of a Church; and hence it hath theſe diſtinguiſhing Properties. 1. Inviſibility as to Men aHeb. 12.22, 23.. 2. Univerſality, as containing all ſaved ones on Earth, and in Heaven bEph. 1.10 & 3.15.. 3. Perpetuity as to particular Members union and communion, their Names being all written in Heaven cHeb. 12.22, 23. Luk. 10.20.
§. 10. The Catholick Union is that whereby a perſon being cut off from his corrupt ſtanding in the old Adam, aRo. 11.24he is created, bEph. 2.10and implanted in Chriſt Jeſus cRo. 11.24for righteouſneſs and life d1 Cor. 1.30. Eph. 4.24., perſonally reſtipulating by Faith, to the Covenant of Grace made in Chriſt Jeſus eGal. 3.22 26.29., ſuch an one becomes vitally fGal. 2.20, conjugally and federally united to Chriſt the Head gEph. 4.23. & 5.23 Jer. 31.33 & 32.40. Rom. 12.5., and therefore conſequentially, and really is a Member of the whole Body of Chriſt, and of every part being ſo united to the Head hEph. 1.23.
§. 11. Catholick Communion of Saints, is that which is alſo inviſible aPhil. 2.1, and is not only of the Saints Militant one with another, but of the Militant and Triumphant in one body bHeb. 12.22, 23., and conſiſts in a coparticipation of the fulneſs of the Grace of God in Chriſt cJoh. 1.16, being all Elected, Redeemed, and Sanctified in him dEph. 1.4, 5, 6., gradually here ePhi. 3.13, and perfectly conformed to him hereafter fHeb. 12.23., all partakers of the ſame Spirit in the meaſure of each one g1 Cor. 12 4.11., bleſſed with the ſame ſpiritual Bleſſings for kind hEph. 1.3., growing up under the ſame means of Grace, for ſubſtance iEph. 4.15. As likewiſe it conſiſts in the exerciſe of the ſame Faith towards the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and Love towards one another kEph. 6.23 2 Cor. 4.13. 1 Joh. 4.7, 11, 12 2 Tim. 1 13 Coloſſ. 2.2, with all the fruits of both, as the matter may require, whereby there is always a mutual, Heart-Communion at leaſt, between all the Saints on Earth lCol. 1.4.; and they are come to an actual Communion (as well as Union) with the glorified Spirits of Juſt Men made Perfect mHeb. 12.22, &c., according to their reſpective degrees of attainment nRo. 12.3.more or leſs, whereby they arrive at laſt, in due ſeaſon, to ſuch a determined degree of Sanctity, which is their prepared fitneſs and ſtature in Chriſt, for the inheritance of the Saints in Light oCol. 1.12 Eph. 4.13., being changed into the ſame Image from Glory to Glory, by the Spirit of the Lord p2 Cor. 3.18..
§. 12. The Catholick Church, as ſuch, is not the ſubject of Officers or Ordinances, nor (it being not viſible) can be, Chriſt never inſtituted any Officers whoſe Power was of an univerſal extent, except the Apoſtles, and them only in viſible Churches, nor any Ordinances for a Catholick, viſible Communion, in which all the Saints living in the ſame Age were to aſſemble and meet together a1 Cor. 11 20.; for the viſibility of a Church is always in ſome Aſſembly. But the Catholick Church, tho it be not (as hath been ſaid) hath many things peculiar to it, wherein it hath its preheminence above all viſible Churches: In that, therein the Adminiſtration of Grace, and Diſpenſation of the Rule and Government of Chriſt is immediately by his Spirit b2 Cor. 3.3.8. Gal. 5.25. Eph. 3.16. Gal. 6.18. 2 Tim. 4.22 1 Pet. 1.2.22. 1 Joh. 3.24.. 2. In that there are many ſaved ones in this Church that were never Members of any viſible Church c1 Pet. 1.1. 3. That all the ſaved ones of any viſible Church, belong to this Church dRev. 13.8. Heb. 12.27. 4. That the Inſtitution of viſible Churches and Ordinances is for the ſake of this Church eEph. 4.11 12.. 5. All adult Perſons that are admitted to Memberſhip in a particular, viſible Church, ought to be ſuch as are ſuppoſed by their Profeſſion to be Members of this Myſtical Body f1 Theſ. 1.1. 2 ep. 2.1 Col. 1.2.. 6. That of all Churches this ſhall never be diſſolved, or one perſon loſt out of it gMat. 16.18. Pſalm 125.1. John 10.28, 29.. 7. That as this Church is ſometimes preſerved and fed without inſtituted Miniſtry and Ordinances, as the Jewiſh Church in Babylon, and the Goſpel-Church in the ſpiritual, Babyloniſh Wilderneſs hRev. 12.6., ſo it ſhall be moſt Glorious without them, when it hath arrived at its perfect fulneſs iRev. 19.8, 9.. 8. There is no falſe or ſuperfluous Member in this Church, tho many in others, ſome it may be in the beſt kEph. 5.27 Col. 1.21, 22. Rev. 14.4.. 9. Death ſeparates from other Churches, but not from this lRom. 8.35, 38.. 10. The Glorified Saints belong to this, and not to other mHeb. 12.23..
§. 13. The Catholick Church is but one onelyonly aEph. 4.4.5. 1 Cor. 12.12., and it cannot be viſible as Catholick, for the greateſt part are not ſeen by us, being Saints in Heaven bEph. 1.10 & 3.15., Elect Infants, and many not known by Profeſſion; and if Men apply Catholick to the Profeſſors of Chriſtianity living at the ſame time upon the Earth, and call them the Catholick, Viſible Church; it is a miſtaken Appellation, for they are neither a Viſible Church nor Catholick; Not a Viſible Church, becauſe, 1. Chriſt hath inſtituted none ſuch. 2. They are never ſeen in coetu or in a Congregation (as a Viſible Church is) nor can be till the laſt Day cMat. 13.41.. 3. Chriſt never gave Ordinances for ſuch a Communion. 4. All theſe are not under any viſible bond of Confederation together, which is the form of a Viſible Church; Profeſſion is no Bond, but a proper requiſite only thereto. 5. Chriſt never inſtituted ſuch a Church Miniſtry, but what were ſet in a particular Church, and exerciſed in ſuch. The Apoſtles Chriſt's extraordinary Miniſters were firſt ſet in the Church at Jeruſalem dEph. 4.11. 1 Cor. 12.28., and were firſt Officers there, and tho their Commiſſion reached to the Planting and Governing other Churches that ſhould ſucceed, yet they exerciſed not their Miniſtry, or Apoſtolick Power, to any ſuppoſed Catholick Church Viſible, nor wrote to ſuch, but gathered particular Churches out of the World, and in them ſettled a diſtinct Miniſtry and Ordinances peculiar to each, wherein they exerciſed their own power, as far as neceſſary, for their Settlement and Edification. Again, there is no Catholick, Viſible Church, for 1. If there be, there is two Catholick Churches, which is a contradiction, and contrary to that Creed called the Apoſtles. 2. All viſible Profeſſors (if a Church) cannot be Catholick, becauſe they are not all the Members of Chriſt on Earth, and they that profeſs (at large at leaſt) are not Members of Chriſt; many, if not moſt of them. 3. It is not a Catholick Church, becauſe it's not a Body-Corporate, in any viſible manner, nor are capable of anſwering the ends of ſuch in Government, Order or Priviledges. 4. If there be a Catholick, viſible Church, it's rational, there ſhould be a Catholick, viſible Paſtor; and from theſe Principles aroſe the Pope, and the Papal Juriſdiction, eſtabliſhed throughout the profeſſing World.
In the firſt Ages after Chriſt, each particular Church called it ſelf Catholick, from the Profeſſion of that Doctrine which was called the Catholick Faith, becauſe received by all the Churches. Afterward the Word Catholick was applied to a ſuppoſed Univerſal Viſible Church, and became not only ſerviceable to the riſing of the Myſtery of Iniquity, but a great Foundation of the Antichriſtian Fabrick which was afterward built thereon, with all the Eccleſiaſtical Tyranny, and Papal Superſtitious Pomp imaginable. The Proteſtants that have caſt off the Univerſal Paſtorſhip of one, and will not endure a Catholick, ſingle Paſtor, do moſt of them retain the Notion of an Univerſal Viſible Church, as alſo of divers Catholick Paſtors, dividing that Catholocy, which they will not allow the Pope, among themſelves, each one exerciſing the Office and Power of a Catholick viſible Paſtor, where-ever he comes, having bin ordained by a Presbytery of a Catholick Conſtitution, to a Catholick Paſtorſhip, to the Catholick Church.
To conclude, Our beſt Proteſtants, in oppoſition to the Papists, have ſtill denied the being of a Catholick, Viſible Church, amongſt whom was Famous Dr. Whitaker, whoſe Arguments upon this Queſtion againſt Duraeus are Quoted by Mr. Hooker in his Survey, ch. 15. p. 265. Our Savoy Confeſſion allows the Name, but denies the Nature, Ch. 26. §. 2. Inſtitution of Churches, §. 6. for it ſaith, its not entruſted with the Adminiſtration of any Ordinances, nor hath any Officers to Rule and Govern, as ſuch; and what a kind of Viſible Church is that, that is neither the ſubject of Ordinances or Officers? Mr. Hooker ſaith, Church is the Genus of all particular Churches; but a Viſible Church in the generical conſideration, can no more be found exiſting out of individual particular Churches, than a Man can be found exiſting under the generical conſideration of Man, out of individual Men. But that a totum aggregatum of all Churches in this World can be made, and be a viſible Church, he denies upon Learned and convincing Reaſons, which will ſtand their Ground againſt all contradiction. To whom, for brevity ſake, we refer the Reader, where alſo he evinceth that there's no Catholick Viſible Church, conſidered as a totum Repreſentativum, i. e. as a Repreſentative Church in all the Paſtors; that there cannot be a Catholick, Viſible, Repreſentative Church; and that there is no ſuch thing as a Repreſentative Church of any kind, of greater or leſſer extent.
§. 14. What the Scripture ſpeaks of a Church, is either of a Church in general, and indefinitely belongs to any, or of a Church in Specie, either Catholick and inviſible, or particular and viſible, but ſaith nothing of a Catholick Viſible.