A Plain and Familiar Christian Conference, Chapter 1
Chap. I. Of the Church Catholick.
CASE II.
Phil.
I Pray Sir, what doth the word Church import?
Chriſt.
Church or Kirk is but an abreviation of foreign; according to the proper idioms of Languages Engliſh and Scotch, it ſignifies the Houſe of God; and hence our places of publick aſſembling are called Churches in Conformity to the Jews of old, who called the Temple, the Houſe of God, according to which Chriſt ſpeaks, Mat. 21.13. there being a Levitical Holineſs aſcribed to it, which Holineſs of places hath ceaſed with it, and the Goſpel Church is made only of living ſtones, Heb. 3.8. 1 Pet. 2.4. though when we in England ſpeak of a place for publick aſſembly, we call it a Church, not that any wiſe Proteſtants do take it ſo, in a proper ſence, but Metonymically only; as for others they think and ſpeak after the Papiſts.
Phil.
What do the Greek and Hebrew words import?
Chriſt.
They always ſignifie an Aſſembly or Congregation, there was two words uſed for it in the old Teſtament foreign and foreign both ſignifie Coetus or Congregatio, foreign is from foreign condixit, ſo that it's taken for the ſolemn aſſembly gathered together at Gods appointed time, or for the aſſembly at the appointed place, viz. the Tabernacle, and therefore the Tabernacle of the Congregation, which Congregation was the Church of old, Act. 7.38. Eccleſia in the New Teſtament is taken for any aſſembly, though rude and riotous, Act. 19.32. [foreign is not uſed, v. 37. where our Interpreters uſe our Engliſh word, foreign ought to be rendred robbers of Temples,] Heatheniſh and Jewiſh, but it is moſtly uſed for, and appropriated to a ſacred aſſembly, as Mat 18.17. Act. 2.47. Ch. 8.1. Ch. 11.26. 1 Cor. 1.2. &c.
Phil.
What do you ſay then is a Church of Chriſt in the moſt comprehenſive ſence?
Chriſt.
A Church of Chriſt is a Congregation of Saints aſſociated in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord, Eph. 3.21. In the Church in Chriſt Jeſus.
Phil.
Why do you ſay aſſociated?
Chriſt.
Becauſe a Church is not a tranſient and occaſional Congregation but fixed, and a joyned Society by Union and Communion with Chriſt and one another, 1 John 1.3. and becauſe the Saints are the members of Chriſt, and he is the Head, they are ſaid to be gathered together always in Chriſt Jeſus really, or profeſſedly, they are gathered unto him by way of inſertion, myſtically, or Politically, they are gathered together in his Name or Authority.
Phil.
Then a Church comes under various conſiderations?
Chriſt.
Yes, Sir, it doth, but the Church of Chriſt is properly but one, as he is the one Head and only ſo, the Body is but one, 1 Cor. 12.12. For as the Body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the one Body, being many, are one body, ſo alſo is Chriſt, i. e. Myſtical.
Phil.
I pray be as diſtinct as you can upon the ſeveral conſiderations of this one Church of Chriſt?
Chriſt.
I will, you know the moſt comprehenſive conſideration of the Church of Chriſt is under the name of Catholick, and there are two Articles in the Creed called the Apoſtles, that expreſs our Faith therein; 1. I believe the Holy Catholick Church; 2. I believe the Communion of. Saints, which two words Holy and Saints denote the Matter and Form of this Church, that it is Saints in Chriſt Jeſus, it is a Holy Church made up of Saints; and then that it is comprehenſive of all Saints. And laſtly, That the formal nature of this Church conſiſts in a certain Union and Communion, for the latter always implys the former.
Phil.
But is there not particular Churches? do you not call every ſingle Congregation a Church?
Christ.
Yes, we do ſo; but that you may have the right and diſtinct notion of it, we muſt duly weigh the Catholick Church as to its Relation, to Chriſt its Head. The Catholick Church is to be conſidered as to its myſtical, and political ſtanding in Chriſt. In reſpect of its myſtical ſtanding theſe things belong unto it; 1. That it is the general aſſembly or collection of real Saints, Heb. 12.23. ye are come, foreign to the Catholick aſſembly and Church or Congregation of firſt born, whoſe names are written in Heaven. This is the Heavenly Church to which he ſaith Believers in the Goſpel days are come, to which Church, Jeſus the Mediator of the New Covenant is the Head of influence, and to which all Saints as ſuch are ſpiritually knit, and with whom they have Communion, and in him one with another. 2. The Church in this ſence is it, which Chriſt hath purchaſed, and are effectually partakers of all his benefits, Eph. 5.25, 26, 27. to it belongs, Election, Redemption, Effectual Vocation, Juſtification, Adoption, Sanctification, and Glorification, John 17.9, 10, 11. Rom. 8.29, 30. 3. Here in this reſpect the Church is ſaid to be Catholick in relation to individual Saints only, it's not Catholick as a genus comprehending many ſpecies of Churches, but as a totum integrale comprizing many parts, and all have a coordinate ſtanding in ſubordination only to Chriſt their Head; yea they all conduce to the making up of Chriſt Myſtical one body, being members in particular. 4. This Myſtical Body is to be conſidered according to its manner of exiſting (ſecundum modum exiſtendi) and that two ways. 1. In its Militant State or Standing, or in its Triumphant, in Viâ or in Patriâ. In its Militant State it comprehends all the true believers in the world exiſting at the ſame time, whether they are viſible by profeſſing or not, the complement whereof are all the Saints actually glorified, or the Spirits of juſt men made perfect. And this diſtinction is only of the Church, in reſpect of the different ſtate in the enjoyment of Chriſt in the way of Communion, in Grace and Glory; the difference is only gradual, and no more, the Union is the ſame. 2. It is to be conſidered in its Inviſible and Viſible ſtanding. The Church's Inviſible ſtanding is wholly in reſpect of that inward ſpiritual Relation, which the Saints have to Chriſt, and one another. Its Viſible ſtanding is in profeſſing Saints that are real members of Jeſus Chriſt.
Phil.
I Pray Sir, give a right underſtanding of the Church in its relation to Chriſt as a Political Head.
Chriſt.
Thus Chriſt is to be conſidered as King and Law-giver to his Church and People, and he governs his Church either immediately by his ruling Spirit in the heart of every Member of his Body, whereby they are influenced, Eph. 4.4. There is one Spirit, one Body, one Lord, &c. Or he governs mediately as a Politick Head, and that is only ſo far as the Church is viſible and profeſſing, and as ſuch he hath given Immunities, Laws, Officers, Ordinances, for eſtabliſhment of Viſible Polities, Societies, or ſpiritual Corporations. And here we are to obſerve diligently theſe things; 1. That under this conſideration the Catholick Church is moſt large and extenſive, for it comprehends all credible Profeſſors, though not real, and all actual Church-Members, though ſecret Hypocrites, Epheſ. 3.15. Of him the whole family is named in Heaven and in Earth, i.e. real and profeſſing. 2. That the Church, ſo far as it's capable of Viſible Communion and Fellowſhip, is the ſubject of Chriſt's mediate Political Rule and Government, and that is only in particular Congregations, to them he hath given his Word, Ordinances and Officers, and to no other, for he ſuited them to particular Societies, neither hath he ſubſtituted any Officers or Ordinances to the meer myſtical ſtanding of the Church. 3. All the Inſtituted External Worſhip, though it be given to the Church in its viſible ſtanding, which it hath in particular Churches, yet it is for the ſake of the Myſtical Body, for the edifying and building it up by the Means of Grace, Eph. 4.12, 13 and for the multiplying it by calling in the Elect. 4. In this ſenſe and acceptation as the Catholick Church being a Political Body of all Saints myſtically and immediately under Chriſt their Head; ſo this Political Body ſhews it ſelf, and becomes viſible in ſome particular parts there-only, which are called Viſible Churches, and are under a mediate Rule and Government of Chriſt, and in this reſpect the Catholick Church comprehends particular Churches as ſome diſtinct parts and parcels thereof.
Phil.
Then I ſuppoſe your apprehenſions are, that there is a Catholick Viſible Church, which is the next and immediate ſubject of all Officers and Ordinances.
Chriſt.
Miſtake me not, I have not ſaid ſo as yet; I ſay the Catholick Church becomes in part viſible in particular Congregation…s and they are the immediate ſubjects of viſible Ordinances and Officers, which are inſtituted and placed therein for the edification of the Myſtical Body of Chriſt.
Phil.
But is not the univerſality of Saints Militant the Catholick Viſible Church of Chriſt on Earth?
Chriſt.
The univerſality of Saints on Earth doth not conſtitute a Church in a viſible ſtanding; for many are Believers that as yet make not themſelves viſible by profeſſion. 2. They are not, nor can be bound together in viſible Union and Communion. That which makes a Catholick Church is a Catholick Bond of Union and Catholick Communion, which is only myſtical and inviſible; but there is not, nor cannot be a Catholick viſible Bond; for as they cannot appear in one viſible Congregation, ſo they cannot be bound to walk together in Fellowſhip, nor can have viſible Communion as one Church in the ſame individual Adminiſtration, if they profeſs the ſame Faith, preach the ſame Word, pray alike, &c. yet this makes not one particular Church. 3. If there be a Catholick Viſible Church, then it muſt have Catholick Viſible Officers, every Officer muſt relate to the whole Church; every ordinary Officer muſt be Officer to the whole Catholick Viſible Church, and there had need be a Viſible Paſtor Paſtorum over them all. 4. All Viſible Members of the Catholick Church are not therefore Members of any Viſible Church with Ordinances; for they muſt be ſuppoſed to be Members of the Catholick Church, before they can be made Members of a Viſible Church with Ordinances. 5. A Viſible Church is Organized with Officers to the whole Church, and not to a part of it: A Paſtor, Elder, Deacon, are Officers to the whole; and who will ſay a Deacon hath as much power in all the Churches on Earth, as in the Church to which he is conſtituted? he may as well ſay ſo, as ſay a Paſtor hath. 6. If Chriſt inſtituted a Catholick Viſible Church, it was under the Old Teſtament, or under the New, but he did neither, for there was but one Particular Congregation under the Old, and Chriſt left but one when he aſcended.