A Catechism, Chapter 28 – Chapter 29
CHAP. 28. Of the Church Catholike or Mysticall, and the Difference between it and particular instituted Churches.
Q. WHo is the subject of Redemption, or of all that deliverance obtained by Christ?
A. Not the blessed Angels, because having never fallen they needed no Redeemer, nor all the race of mankind, for Christ would not pray for the world, Iohn 17. 9.
Q. Who then were redeemed by Christ?
A. He gave himselfe for none others but only for his Church, Eph. 5. 25. Acts 20. 28. Iohn 10. 15. & 11. 52.
Q. What is meant by the Church in the holy Scriptures?
A. It is usually taken in Scripture, either for the Catholique Church aCol. 1. 18. Eph. 1. 22, 23. Heb. 12. 23.which is called the Church mysticall, or else it is taken for the Church instituted, or particular Churches b1 Cor. 11. 16. & 14. 23, 33. & 7. 17. Rev. 1. 4. & 2. 23..
Q. What is the difference between the catholike, universall and mysticall Church, and the instituted or particular churches?
A. They differ in their number; for the catholike Church is but one Church, one body cEph. 1. 22, 23. and 4. 4.but of the other sort in the dayes of the new Testament there are many Churches dRom. 16. 4. 1 Cor. 14. 33. & 7. 17. Rev. 1. 4. and 2. 23:.
Q Wherein do they differ in respect of the matter?
A. The Catholike Church hath none in it but Saints, and all true beleevers are in it e: but particular Churches have some times many wolves within fMat. 13. 25, 27. Iude. 4. Act. 20. 29, 30. Rev. 2. 14, 15, 20., and many sheepe without gIsa. 56. 3. Ioh. 10. 16., though it ought not so to be: Eph. 5. 23, 25, 26, 27. Heb. 12. 23.
Q. What is a third defference betweene them?
A. The forme which constitutes the Catholike Church is their union which Christ by faith hEph. 1. 10. 2 Pet. 1. 1.but the forme of the other is the bond of an holy covenant iDeut. 29. 10, 11, 12, 13. Ezek 20. 37. Ier. 50. 4, 5., to walk together in all the waies of Christ.
Q. Is there not some difference between them in regard of place?
A. Yes, for some parts and members of the Catholike Church are now in heaven, and the rest shall all come thither in Gods appointed time kEph. 1. 10. and 3. 15. Col. 1. 20.; but the members of particular or instituted Churches are all of them upon the earth for the present, and some of them must never come in heaven lMat. 22. 14..
Q. What may be a fifth difference?
A. Whereas particular churches are visible to themselves and others also, especially in times of peare mMat. 18. 17. Isa. 2. 2, 3. Rev. 11. 19., the Catholike church is properly a Church invisible.
Q How is that proved, that the Catholike Church is invisible?
A. Because some parts thereof are now in heaven: and those that are on earth never were nor will be all together that they might be seen.
Q. What may be a further proofe hereof?
A. Their union whith Christ wich is the form of that Church, is knowne onelyonly unto God.
Q Name a sixth difference?
A. The Catholike Church and all the members of it continue for ever nPsal. 125. 1 Ioh. 10. 28. and 1 Ioh. 2. 19.; but particular churches! by persecutions and corruptions may come to be utterly dissolved and extinct oRev. 2. 5. Rom. 11. 22..
Q. What is a last difference betweene them?
A. The ordinary ministery appointed by christ is for the instituted and particular churches, but not for the church catholike as such, because that church hath no Pastor nor Bishop but Christ.
Q. How may this appeare that ministers are not ministers of the universall Church, but only of some particular congregation?
A. The church to whom the ministery belong is to chuse her owne ministers pAct 1. 23. and 14. 23. and 6. 3, 5.but the unversall church never comes together to make any such choice:
Q. How else may this appeare?
A. There is no part of the church to which the ministery belongs, but it stands in need of ministers qEph. 4. 12, 13.. but a good part of the catholike Church is glorious in heaven with Christ, and therefore hath no such need
Q. What may be a third ground hereof?
A. The flock of God over which the Holy ghost: doth make men overseers, is such as may be attended and watched over; even the whole flocke and ministers thereof rActs 20. 28. 1 Peter 5. 2, 3.:
Q. And why may not the same be said of the Catholike Church?
A. Because that Church is so large that it is not possible for any man to attend it or watch over it.
Q. Is there any evill in it for one man to be a Bishop or minister to all Christians, where ever they be disposed of, and not onelyonly to one congregation?
A. Besides that such a man must needs neglect the greatest part of his charge, it is a great part of the usurpation of the Bishop of Rome, for which he is truely called Antichrist, that he will take upon him to be universall Bishop s1 Thes. 2. 4. Rev. 13. 16, 17.over all the Christians in the world
Q Who is the head of the catholike church?
A. OnelyOnly Iesus Christ tEph. 1. 22. and 4. 15, 16. and 5. 23. Col. 1. 18., as giving influence of life, sense and motion to the same, as the head doth unto the body:
Q Who are the members of that church?
A. Only they and all they that are effectually called to be true beleevers in Christ: Rev. 17. 14. Iohn 15. 19.
Q. What are the parts of the Catholike church?
A. According to the degrees of communion which they have with Christ, so that church may be distinguished into that which is militant and that which is triumphant.
Q. VVhat is the church militant?
A. It is that part of the catholike Church which is warring and fighting here on earth against spirituall enemies, the divell, the world and the flesh. Eph. 6. 12. Phil. 1. 30. & 2 Cor. 10. 4. 1 Tim. 1. 18.
Q. And what is the Church Triumphant?
A. It is that part of the Catholike church which are now in heaven, gloriously triumphing over all those enemies which in this world they did conflict and combate withall. Eph. 4. 13. Heb. 12. 23. Eph. 5. 27.
CHAP. 29. Of the instituted Church, or perticular churches.
Q. WHat is the matter of particular or visible churches?
A. By the appointment of Christ all churches ought to consist onelyonly of true beleevers aIsay 52. 1. and 60. 21. Ioel 3. 17. Rev. 21. 27. & 22. 15. Eph. 1. 1. Phil. 1. 1.and all that are true beleevers ought to joyn themselves unto some church bMat. 28. 20. and 6. 33. Cant. 1. 7, 8. Isay 2. 2, 3. Zech. 8. 23. Acts 2. 41, 42, and, 9. 26..
Q. If the matter of particular churches for the quality of it ought to be true beleevers in Christ, what ought to be the quantity thereof?
Q No more in number in the dayes of the new Testament, but onelyonly so many as may ordinarily meet together in one congregation, Acts 2. 46. & 5. 12. & 3. 2. & 14. 27. & 15. 25. 1 Cor. 5. 4. and 11. 17, 18. and 14. 23.
Q. Is any thing else needfull to the being of a visible church but onelyonly the matter above mentioned?
A. Timber and stones are not an house untill they be compacted and joyned together; and as the humane soule and body are not man, unlesse they be united; so beleevers are not a visible church, without some visible bond and union.
Q. And what is that bond that doth unite them?
A. An holy agreement and covenant cDeut. 29. 10, 11, 12, 13. Ezek. 20. 37. Ier. 50. 4, 5. zech. 11. 10, 14., with God and one another, to walke together in such duties of worship to God and edification of one another as the Gospell of Christ requireth of all Churches and the members thereof:
Q. How many kinds of Churches are there?
A. The visible Church (if we speake of that which is truely so called) is one and the same in essence, from the beginning of the world to the end thereof; namely a company of people united together in the profession of the true religion.
Q. But may not the true church be some way distinguished?
A Yes; for there is the church of the old Testament, and the churches of the new: there are pure churches and churches that are corrupt; and besides these that are true, there are also some that are false Churches.
Q. What is the Church of the old Testament?
A A company of people united together in the profession of such a Religion, or faith, whereby men beleeved on Christ then to come.
Q. What is a Church of the new Testement?
A. A company of people united together in the profession of such a religion or faith whereby men beleeve on Christ already come.
Q What are pure churches and churches that are corrupt?
A. A pure Church is such a church whose matter forme, doctrine, worship, and ministery is accordding to the appointment of Christ in the word.
Q. And what is a corrupt Church?
A. Such an one as in the things last mentioned or in some of them doth swerve from the appointment of Christ, yet still holding the foundation of salvation.
Q. How if their swerving be such as overthroweth the foundation?
A. Then they cease to be a true church, and become either no church, or at the best a false church.
Q. What is a false church?
A. One that is so exceedingly corrupt in regard of their constitution, doctrine, worship, ministery, that if men beleeve and walke according thereunto, they cannot be saved.
Q. And may not thus much befall a true church?
A. No; a true Church is either pure in these things, or if corrupt, yet not so corrupt as to overthrow salvation.