The Temple Opened, Tract · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. Of a National and Provincial CHURCH.
CHriſt never inſtituted any ſuch Church under the Goſpel Adminiſtration, as a National and Provincial, or Dioceſan: there is as much for one as for the other, there's no ſeeming pretence can be made for any of them, from any Goſpel Expreſſion: when I ſay this, I mean not a Church in a Nation, Province or Dioceſs, nor all the particular Churches in ſuch place, collectively and co-ordinately conſidered. But I mean in the uſual acceptation of ſuch Churches in our day, as of France, of Spain, of Denmark, &c. and in the ſence that a National Church was taken in under the Old Teſtament, viz. an Organized National, Provincial, or Dioceſan Church, that have Officers or Members ſuited to their reſpective Natures and Conſtitution, as Paſtors, and other Officers, Exerciſing National, Provincial, or Dioceſan Juriſdiction in Eccleſiaſtical Courts, or elſewhere; and Members, quatenus Natives of ſuch places, being therefore ſaid to be born within the Pale of the Church, or by vertue of ſuch Nativity have immediate right to baptiſm, and made ſo.
I ſay, that that word foreign no where ſignifies ſuch a Church in the New Teſtament, except when there is mention made of the Church of the Jews, and the word is but once uſed in Application to them, Act. 7.38. This was he who was in the Church in the Wilderneſs; this we own was a National Church: but elſewhere in the New Teſtament, I know not of one place where foreign can with any fair pretence be underſtood of a National Church.
Beſides it may be argued from undeniable reaſons, that Chriſt inſtituted or intended not ſuch a Church for the days of the Goſpel.
If it be duely weighed, that Chriſt by his Death put a full Period to the whole Jewiſh Ceconomy, Nationality being the form of its conſtitution; Having Officers, Members, Aſſemblies and Ordinances ſuited to its Nature. The Aaronick Prieſthood was National, a Type of Chriſts Prieſthood, relating to his univerſal Church; this Prieſthood with all the appertaining Sacrifices, Ordinances, Ceremonies, the Manifeſtation of the Antitype aboliſhed; yea that kind of Church Memberſhip was utterly aboliſhed, (viz. that none could be a Member of that Church but a Jew born, or one Proſelyted to that Nation) it being the only Nation in the Earth that God had choſen, with Excluſion of all other, till Chriſt came and brake down the Partition-Wall between Jew and Gentile, after which no man was any longer to be reckoned ever the more a Church-member, becauſe he was a Native of this or that Country; Col. 3.11 But in the conforming to Chriſts likeneſs, There is neither Greek nor Jew, Circumciſion nor Ʋncircumciſion, Barbarian, Scythian, Bond or Free; but Chriſt is all in all: and therefore of whatever Nation a man be of, if he believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt he ſhall be ſaved, and becomes a capable Member of the viſible Church; and where-ever he is born, without Faith in Chriſt, he cannot be ſaved; neither is without a viſible credible Profeſſion thereof, capable of communion with the Viſible Church in all Ordinances.
Moreover Chriſt Jeſus aboliſhed all the National Church Aſſemblies and Ordinances; for the Jews as they were one Organized Church, ſo they were to be but one Congregation; (which is not known now of any one Nation) aſſembling together for the Worſhip of God in one place, where their Ark of the Covenant was, and therefore the Tabernacle of Publick Worſhip was called the Tabernacle of the Congregation; where all the Males were required to appear before the Lord thrice a year, Exod. 14.23, 24. whereby they ſhewed themſelves aſſembled and a Congregated Nation, all in actual communion in the ſame Church-Adminiſtrations, and in one place, all which was duly to be obſerved during the time of the Tabernacle and ſtanding of the Temple; and though they corruptly retained their high places for offering ſome Sacrifices during moſt of that time, till the full Reformation in Hezekiahs and Joſiahs days; yet the Lord ſtill charged it on them as their great ſin, and witneſſed againſt it by his Meſſengers the Prophets as ſuch. And though they had their ſeveral Synagogues, they were but for reading of the Law, not for Sacrifice or Burnt-offering, which were National Services, and were to be diſpenſed only at the Tabernacle of the Congregation, or at the Temple; yea, all Sacrifices & Expiations, Purifications, &c. appertaining to particular Levitical Uncleanneſſes, or moral tranſgreſſions, were there to be performed.
Now our Lord Jeſus Chriſt never erected ſuch a Goſpel-worſhip after this was aboliſhed, either for matter or form; neither a National Congregation, nor a National Paſtor, as Aaron; nor Ordinances adapted to a National communion, as the Sacrifices of old were, he never intended in this way or manner to edify his Goſpel-Church.
Beſides, As Chriſt eſtabliſhed the Church of the Goſpel, it was not capable of ſuch a conſtitution, ſuch being impoſſible to be ſuſtained without the countenance, if not the compulſive power of civil powers; and we ſee that de facto it came into the ruines, when ever in the Jewiſh Nation, Wicked Kings ſwayed the Scepter; we well enough are aſſured that our Saviour and his Apoſtles formed the Goſpel-Churches every where under Heathen Princes and Governours, who were for the moſt part ſevere Perſecutors of them, witneſs their Sufferings in the Apoſtles days, and during the Chriſtians bloody Perſecutions, till Constantines time, for 300 years, at which time of proſperity, this National or then rather Provincial corrupt grandeur of Church-conſtitution began to enter, proceeding from the corrupted minds of Church Officers, aſpiring to the accumulation of riches & honours. Soon after they fell under the Arrian Hereſy, under which the ſame Church pomp continued, and proceeded to grow with much Perſecution, and confuſion, and diſtraction in the world; with the daily increaſe of all manner of corruptions in doctrine and worſhip, even to the introduction of Heatheniſh Abominations in the worſhip of God, till the mortal wound was given to one of the ſeven heads of the Romiſh Empire, and was healed by the eighth, which was the falſe Prophet the Grand Church Impoſter; under which the great Apoſtacy hath ſo manifeſtly prevailed, and during whoſe Uſurpation the true Church of Chriſt hath been in the Wilderneſs, and the Witneſſes Propheſying in Sackcloth. So that our Bleſſed Lord and Saviour ſeeing the preſent ſtate of his little Flock when he aſcended, and foreſeeing their future Suffering State for ſo many Ages to come, under Rome Heathen, and after pretendedly Chriſtian, conſtituted ſuch a frame of Goſpel churches, that were capable of being Spiritual Polities under Heathen and Antichriſtian Princes and Governours, and fitted Officers and Ordinances for their communion and edification ſuited to ſuch a ſtate; which conſtitution was to laſt by his commiſſion to the end of the world, not alterable to another kind by the will of man in the enſuing proſperous eſtate that the Church might he bleſſed withal in after ages; (which hath been very rare hitherto) nor much to be prejudiced as to its truly intended Oeconomy by the afflictions and ſufferings that it was deſtined by faith and patience to encounter withal.
Hence it will appear, there being a Politick Impoſſibility, that the Church-conſtitution Eſtabliſhed by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, could be National, becauſe of the Power of the Dragon raging ſo much againſt it in Governours, and Rulers of the Earth; during the time of the firſt Ages of it, and afterward for the moſt part, by reaſon of the Tyranny and Uſurpation of the falſe Prophet. And when that any time in any Nations, it was favoured with the countenance of Chriſtian Kings and Princes, had it been National, it muſt have been ſubject to all the Alterations, Additions, and Diminutions in Form and Worſhip, which the corrupt and changeable minds of men in Power would invent and impoſe, eſpecially upon change of Governours and Governments, though Chriſtian, yet divers in their Tempers, Underſtandings, and Opinions concerning Gods true Worſhip, as alſo, in their Intereſts and carriages towards the Church, that it would be the moſt difficult thing in the World to have known the manner and Faſhion of Chriſts houſe. Wherefore (the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 3.1.) Holy Brethren, Partakers of the Heavenly calling, Conſider the Apoſtle and High Prieſt of our Profeſſion, Chriſt Jeſus; verſ. 2. Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as alſo Moſes was faithful in all his houſe, [i. e. in all things appertaining to the Worſhip of God in his Church,] verſ. 3. For this man was counted worthy of more Glory then Moſes, in as much as he who builded the houſe, hath more Honour then the houſe; verſ. 5. Moſes verily was faithful in all his houſe as a Servant, for a Teſtimony of thoſe things that were to be ſpoken after; verſ. 6. But Christ as a Son over his own houſe, [in which he is a chief corner ſtone, and hath a greater Propriety then Moſes had upon all reſpects] whoſe houſe are we, &c. i. e. The faithful in the times of the Goſpel are the houſe and Church of Chriſt, and not this or that Nation or Province, lying continually at the mercy and diſpoſitions of the wills of Princes, guided by carnal intereſts, and acted by corrupt minds, to the modelling of it, by mutable Laws, as they ſhall correſpond moſt with their State-deſigns and purpoſes, which had been a great ground to have ſuſpected the faithfulneſs of Chriſt, if he had left his Church under ſuch a Proteus-like form and conſtitution, as to be lyable to all the models, changes and alterations of future ages, that the powers of the world would form them into; under a pretence of profeſſion of Chriſtianity, when as very few of them, if they were duely weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary, will prove to be much more then almoſt Chriſtians.
Laſtly, The purpoſe and deſign of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt by his Incarnation, Sufferings, Miracles wrought, and Doctrine Preached by himſelf and Apoſtles, was the gathering both Jews and Gentiles Elect into one Body, his Church, where-ever ſcattered or diſperſed, not reſpecting one Nation or people more then another, any further then in reſpect of the Elect Ones among them, nor deſigning any Kingdom as yet in this world with External Pomp and Grandeur, but rather a continuation of a Suffering State, with very little intermiſſion, under the powers of the Earth, exerciſing the rage and cruelty of the Dragon againſt the Church; and afterward the Tyranny and Uſurpation of the Seven Headed Romiſh Beast and Falſe Prophet; neither deſigned he the calling of many wife men after the Fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble, 1 Cor. 1.26. otherwiſe then which he would certainly have done, had he deſigned National & Provincial Churches; he would have ſaid, I deſign a Church that may top, at leaſt give check to earthly Kings & Princes; I will turn their heart & make them mine, both they, and their Subjects: Therefore I will call many wiſe men after the Fleſh, many mighty and many noble perſons, who ſhall rule, manage, and defend my Church, which may be in after-ages, but we ſee it quite contrary yet. Ver. 27. God hath choſen the fooliſh things of this world, to confound the wiſe; and God hath choſen the weak things of this world to confound the things that are mighty, and baſe things of this world, and things that are deſpiſ'd, to cary on his ſpiritual rule. Believe it this matter cannot conſtitute a National Church it muſt be another ſort of men. Whatever men therefore may confidently aſſert, and however they make a boaſt, and vaunt themſelves of National Churches, Officers, Members, yea, and National Juriſdiction and Judicature, exerted in Spiritual Courts, ſo called, none of which were of Chriſt's Appointment and Inſtitution; but were the meer products of Humane Policies, and meer Antichristian Shams put upon the poor carnal blind world, whereby that Wicked One endeavours to carry away the eyes and hearts of the children of men from the true, plain and Spiritual Spouſe of Chriſt; and go a whoring after Harlots that are agreeable to the faſhions of this world, in Pride, Pomp, Pleaſures, Covetouſneſs, &c.
And I ſay, though ſuch Eccleſiaſtical Powers, as alſo Civil, may deal very hardly upon this account with the true Followers of the Lamb, and Deluding Pulpiteers may terrify and fright ſome more weak and leſs grounded Christians, with ambiguous words, miſ-interpretation and falſe application of the Scriptures of Truth; calling light darkneſs, and darkneſs light; calling what they pleaſe, Church, Charity, Communion, Uniformity, Schiſm, Separation, Rebellion, Diſobedience to Laws, Governments, &c. Yet through the mercy of the moſt High, there are ſome that have bought the Truth in theſe latter dayes of light at dear rates of Sufferings, with expence of Eſtates, Liberties and Lives under the Antichriſtian Tyranny, and taſted ſo much of the ſweetneſs and excellency of it, that they will not ſell it, ſo as to part with it for worldly intereſt, or be affrighted from it, by the open mouths of Roaring Lyons, nor jugaled out of it by the Sham-Divinity of the ſlie Foxes that ſpoil the Vines.
We have nothing to ſay to ſuch men, but as Hannah ſpake, 1 Sam. 2.3. Talk no more ſo proudly, let not arrogancy come out of your mouth, for the Lord is a God of Knowledge, and by him Actions are weighed. And as for ſome good old Ely's who are too much blinded with prejudice, paſſion and intereſt, keep a great ſputter againſt Schiſm, Separation from the Church, &c. and do not ſeldom grieve the hearts of Chriſts Members, by their unwarrantable doctrines and practices in the great concerns of Gods Worſhip, and but gently rebuke Hophni and Phineas, we are very well aſſured, that however they may have laid a a good foundation in ſome people, yet their ſuperſtructure is but hay and rubbiſh, which ſhall certainly be burnt, and the day ſhall make it manifeſt what it is.
The only Plea that is made for a National Church, that is worth our Obſervation, is from the Propheſies of Old, of calling in the Nations, Sprinkling many Nations, &c. Iſa. 5.26. chap. 52.15. chap. 45.1.
This Argument hath little in it to prove a Goſpel National Church, for theſe and ſuch like Propheſies, reſer to the calling of the Gentiles; the word foreign is indifferently rendred Gentiles and Nations, and it intends no more then the Converſion of the elect Gentiles, ſcattered up and down in all Nations; and if it be to be underſtood of ſome whole Nations becoming Chriſtian, it argues nothing of the neceſſity that the Nation ſhould become one Church Organized; but that the Goſpel-Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, and the Goſpel-churches, ſhould overſpread the moſt of a Nation, or prevail upon the ruling part of it (though very ſeldom) to be brought in Subjection to the Crown, Scepter, and Laws of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; Erected in viſible Churches, planted there.
And its no hinderance, but that chriſtian and religious Magiſtrates have Scope enough to Exert that power which Chriſt hath entruſted them withal, as ſuch, for his Honour and Intereſt, in making and Executing Laws for Reſtraint of Sin, and Encouragement of Vertue, in all matters touching Natural Religion; as likewiſe, in taking care for the effectual Propagation, as much as may be, in a due way and manner, of the Revealed Religion, and by being Nurſing Fathers to the Churches, countenancing and encouraging them in all ſtrict Obſervation of the commands of Chriſt, and Exemplary converſation, both as Churches and particular Chriſtians, defending them from the the Rage, Malice, and Perſecution of the Profeſſed Enemies of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
But know that a chriſtian Magiſtrate rightly informed in his Duty as Chriſtian and Magiſtrate, hath a Heart and Opportunity to uſe both thoſe capacities for the Honour and Intereſt of Chriſt, more then a Heathen Magiſtrate; yet his being a Chriſtian, adds not unto his Authority as Magiſtrate, neither doth Chriſtianity de jure, extend his Legiſlative Power further then it was before: And therefore if the Magiſtrate, as ſuch, hath a Legiſlative Power in matters of Religion, then all have, and Heathen as well as Chriſtian; and that power which the Magiſtrate hath Jure divino, we are bound Jure divino to obey. Ergo required to be of that Religion the Magiſtrate by Law impoſeth of one kind or another. This is an undeniable conſequence.