The Temple Opened, Tract · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Of the Catholick Viſible Church.
THoſe that ſpeak of a Catholick Viſible Church, ſpeak ſome at one rate, and ſome at another.
If they mean that the Catholick Church is Viſible in the largeſt ſence, as ſuch, we deny it; for it is not viſible to us, nor can be, till all the Elect are called in, and ſo muſt be onelyonly at the General Aſſembly and Church of the Firſt-born; for at preſent the moſt eminent part of it is triumphant; many true Believers that are militant, not ſeen or known to us: And ſo to ſay the Catholick Church is Viſible, is to ſet our words and ſences at variance.
By Catholick Viſible, ſome will ſay they mean not the whole Univerſal Church, but ſo much of it as is viſible; but this cannot, for that reaſon, have the denomination of Catholick Church, becauſe its but a very ſmall part of it, and part cannot be called the whole; beſides if it be limited to the Viſible Saints militant, I ſay the univerſality of them are never viſible; either in any congregation, or in communion of any Ordinance, or under any Viſible Paſtoral Juriſdiction; neither are the particular Members of the Church militant viſible at the ſame time, there being no ſuch time when all true Believers are known by their viſible Profeſſion.
Some underſtand by the Catholick Viſible Church, an Organized Church with a viſible Paſtoral Head, and furniſhed with Officers ſuiting a Catholick Ruling Power over all Churches and Saints on Earth; and this is the meaning alwayes of the Papiſts when they ſpeak of the Catholick Church, calling themſelves Catholicks as Members of it, which Church they ſay, Rome is, wherein this univerſal Paſtor and Juriſdiction is placed.
But it is by a cloud of Witneſſes aſſerted that Chriſt never Ordained any univerſal viſible Paſtor, nor ever promoted Peter above the reſt of the Apoſtles, neither did ever the greateſt contender for the Popes Headſhip, and Supremacy over all other Paſtors and Churches, ever make ſeeming fair proof of it, for though he ſent ſorth his Apoſtles as extraordinary Officers, with an extraordinary preſence for working Miracles, and healing, in order to the firſt propagating the Goſpel, and Plantation of Churches, yet they had but a co-ordinate power, neither were they fixed as ſtanding and laſting Officers in the Church, neither was their Apoſtolick power conveyed to any Succeſſors, but dyed with them, leaving only ordinary Officers in the Church. Laſtly, can you read the word foreign any where to import in the New Teſtament, a Church of this nature, viz. a Catholick Viſible Organized Church. Chriſt rather pofitively forbad it, and reproved that ſpirit of Ambition; that was one thing that our Saviour ſaw working in them, labouring to be Dignitaries; But he that will be chief among you, let him be your Servant, Mat. 20.17. & 23.11.10.24, 25. Which Reprimand the Mother of Zebedee's children received, when ſhe enquired who ſhould be greateſt among her children.
There are ſix or ſeven ſorts of Churches in the latter dayes that entitle themſelves the Churches of Chriſt, which the Goſpel makes no mention of, viz. Catholick Organized Viſible, ſuch the Church of Rome, Patriarchal, National, Provincial, Dioceſan, Archdeconary, Parochial. Theſe ſeem to be the ſeven women ſpoken of, Iſa. 4.1. that ſhall take hold of one man [The Lord Jeſus Chriſt] Saying we will eat our own bread, and wear our own Apparel, only let us be called by thy name to take away our reproach. They will have the name of Chriſt, that they may not be Reproached as the Churches of Antichriſt, and yet will be at their own proviſion for Worſhip and Ordinances by humane inventions. But for all this, tho' theſe whoriſh women make a ſhift by a common vogue to carry the name of the True Goſpel Churches throughout the world, his True Spouſe, though ſmall and contemptible as to outward appearance, ſhall be glorious, ver. 2. In that day the branch of the Lord ſhall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth ſhall be excellent and comely for them that are eſcaped of Iſrael, ver. 3. And it ſhall come to paſs, that he that is left in Zion [in that great Apostacy] and he that remaineth in Jeruſalem ſhall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jeruſalem. See what follows from ver. 4. to the end.
This I take to be the true meaning of that place; for 1. Women in the Prophetick phraſe are Churches, as frequent inſtances may be given. 2. The number may be definite for an indefinite. 3. The Prophecy is manifeſtly of the latter dayes, and the Churches ſtate therein, which none will deny.