The True Nature of a Gospel Church and its Government, Title page – Preface
THE TRUE NATURE OF A Gospel Church AND ITS GOVERNMENT: WHEREIN These following particulars are distinctly handled.
I. The subject Matter of the Church.
II. The formal Cause of a particular Church.
III. Of the Polity, Rule or Discipline of the Church in general.
IV. The Officers of the Church.
V. The Duty of Pastors of Churches.
VI. The Office of Teachers in the Church.
VII. Of the Rule of the Church, or of Ruling Elders.
VIII. The nature of Church Polity or Rule, with the Duty of Elders.
IX. Of Deacons.
X. Of Excommunication.
XI. Of the Communion of Churches.
The Publishing whereof was mentioned by the Author in his Answer to the Vnreasonableness of Separation.
By the late Pious and Learned Minister of the Gospel, JOHN OWEN, .D. D.
LICENSED, June 10. 1688.
LONDON, Printed for William Marshall, at the Bible in Newgate street, MDCLXXXIX.
THE PREFACE TO THE READER.
THE Church of Christ, according as it is represented unto us, or described by the holy Spirit of God, in the Old and New Testament, hath but a twofold Consideration, as Catholick and Mystical; or as Visible and Organized in particular Congregations. The Catholick Church is the whole Mystical Body of Christ, consisting of all the Elect which are purchased and redeemed by his Blood, whether already called or uncalled, Militant or Triumphant; and this is the Church that God gave him to be head unto, which is his Body and his Fullness, and by union with him Christ Mystical, Ephes. 1.22, 23. and this is that foreign (the only word most fully expressing the Catholick Church, used in Scripture) the Church of the First-born, whose Names are written in Heaven, Heb. 12.23. i. e. in the Lamb's Book of Life, and shall all appear one Day gathered together to their Head, in the perfection and fullness of the New Jerusalem-state; where they will make a glorious Church, not having Spot or Wrincle or any such thing; but Holy and without Blemish. The day of Grace which the Saints have passed in the respective Ages of the Church was but the days of its Espousals, wherein the Bride hath made her self ready; but then will be her full married state unto Christ, then will be the perfection not only of every particular Member of Christ, but of the whole Body of Christ, called a perfect Man, and the measure of the Stature of the Fullness of Christ, to which we are called, Edifying and building up, by the Ministry and Ordinances of Christ, whilst we are in Via, in our passage unto this Country, a City with a more durable fixed Foundation which we seek.
In order therefore unto the compleating this great and mystical Body, Christ hath his particular Visible Churches and Assemblies in this World, wherein he hath ordained Ordinances, and appointed Officers, for the glorious forementioned Ends and Purposes.
There is no other sort of Visible Church of Christ Organized, the subject of the aforesaid Institutions spoken of, but a particular Church or Congregation (either in the Old or New Testament) where all the Members thereof do ordinarily meet together in one place to hold Communion one with another, in some one or more great Ordinances of Christ. The first Churches were Oeconomick when the Worship of God was solemnly performed in the large Families of the Antidiluvian and Postdiluvian Patriarchs, where, no doubt, all frequently assembled to the Sacrifices as then offered, and other parts of Worship then in use.
After the descent of a numerous Progeny from Abraham's Loins, God takes them to himself in one Visible Body, a National but Congregational Church, to which he forms them Four hundred and thirty Years after the Promise in the Wilderness; and although all Abraham's Natural Posterity, according to the External part of the Promise made to him, were taken into visible Church-Fellowship, so that it became a National Church; yet it was such a National Church always, in the Wilderness, and in the Holy Land, as was Congregational; for it was but one Congregation during the Tabernacle, or Temple-state, first or second; they were always bound to assemble to the Tabernacle, or Temple, thrice at least every Year; hence the Tabernacle was still called the Tabernacle of the Congregation. They were to have but one Altar for Burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices; what others were at any time elsewhere called High-Places, were condemned by God as Sin.
Lastly, when Christ had Divorced this People, Abolished their Mosaical Constitution, by breaking their Staff of Beauty and their Staff of Bonds, he erects his Gospel Church, calls in Disciples by his Ministry, forms them into a Body, furnisheth them with Officers and Ordinances; and after he had suffered, rose again, and continued here Forty days; in which time he frequently appeared to them, and acquainted them with his Will, ascends unto his Father, sends his Spirit in a plentiful manner at Pentecost, whereby most of them were furnished with all necessary miraculous Gifts, to the promoting the Glory and Interest of Christ among Jews and Gentiles.
Hence the whole Evangelical Ministry was first placed in the Church of Jerusalem (so far as extraordinary, or such a part of it as was to descend to Churches of after Ages) neither were they placed as abiding or standing Officers in any other Church as we find. In this Church they acted as the Elders thereof, and from this Church they were, it's very likely, solemnly sent by Fasting and Prayer to the Exercise of their Apostolick Function, in Preaching, Healing and working Miracles, gathering Churches, and setling Officers in them; even so as Barnabas and Paul were sent forth by the Church of Antioch.
Their distinguishing Apostolick Office and Charge (from which the Evangelist differed but little) was to take care of all the Churches, not to sit down as standing Pastors to all, or any particular Congregation, but at the first planting, to gather, to direct, and confirm them, in practice of their Doctrine, Fellowship, breaking Bread, and in Prayer. Wherefore, this Apostolick Care committed to them proves nothing either of the Catholick Authority, claimed by an Oecumenick Pastor; or that charge of many Congregations, claimed by Diocesan Bishops.
Whence it's most evident, That all Church Officers, so far as they had any Pastoral or Episcopal Office, was given to a particular Congregation, as the foreign. We read of no Pastors of many Congregations, nor of no Church made up of many Congregations, to which Officers were annexed, nor of any representative Church, as some would have.
That Apostolick Power did descend to Successors we utterly deny, it being not derivable; for none after them could say, They had been Eye Witnesses of our Lord, before or after his Resurrection; none since so qualified by an extraordinary measure of the Spirit for Preaching and working Miracles; and none but the Pope challenges such an extensive Care for, and Power over all Churches. That which descends from them to the ordinary Ministry, is a Commission to Preach and Baptize; and why not to Head, it being always in the Commission that Christ gave, a Pastoral Relation, or Presbytership which was included in their Apostleship, and Exercised toward the Church of Jerusalem. Such Presbyter-ship John and Peter both had. Hence there remains no other Successors jure to the Apostles, but ordinary Pastors and Teachers.
These are relative Officers, and are always in, and to some particular Congregations; we know of no Catholick visible Church that any Pastors are ordained to. 1. The Scripture speaks of no Church as Catholick visible. 2. The thing it self is but a Chimaera of some Men's Brains; it's not in rerum naturâ; for if a Catholick visible Church be all the Churches that I see at a time, I am not capable of seeing much more than what can Assemble in one place. And if it be meant of all the Churches actually in being, how are they visible to me? where can they be seen in one place? I may as well call all the Cities and Corporations in the World the Catholick visible City or Corporation; which all rational Men would call Nonsence. Besides, if all Organized Churches could be got together, it's not Catholick in respect of Saints Militant, much less of Triumphant; for many are no Church Members that are Christs Members, and many visible Members are no true Members of Christ Jesus. Where is any such Church capable of Communion in all Ordinances in one place? and the Scripture speaks of no other Organized visible Church.
Again, to a Catholick visible Church constituted, should be a Catholick visible Pastor or Pastors; for as the Church is, such is the Pastor and Officers; to the Mystical Church Christ is the mystical Head and Pastor; he is called the chief Bishop and Shepherd of our Souls, 1 Pet. 2.25. hence the uncalled are his Sheep, as John 10.16. but to all visible Churches Christ hath appointed a visible Pastor or Pastors; and where is the Pastor of the Catholick visible Church? he is not to be found, unless it please us to take him from Rome. To say that all individual Pastors are Pastors to the Catholick Church, is either to say that they are invested with as much Pastoral Power and Charge in one Church as in another, and then they are indefinite Pastors; and therefore all Pastors have mutual Power in each others Churches; and so John may come into Thomas his Church, and exercise all parts of Jurisdiction there, and Thomas into John's; or a Minister to the Catholick Church hath an universal Catholick Power over the Catholick Church; if so, the Power and Charge which every ordinary Pastor hath, is Apostolick. Or, lastly, he is invested with an Arbitrary Power, at least, as to the taking up a particular Charge where he pleaseth, with a non obstante to the Suffrages of the People; for if he hath an Office whereby he is equally and indisputably related to all Churches, it's at his liberty, by virtue of this Office, to take where he pleaseth.
But every Church-Officer, under Christ, is a visible relate, and the correlate must be such, whence the Church must be visible to which he is an Officer. It's absurd to say a Man is a visible Husband to an invisible Wife, the relate and correlate must be ejusdem naturae. It's true, Christ is related to the Church as mystical Head, but it's in respect of the Church in its mystical Nature, for Christ hath substituted no mystical Officers in his Church.
There is a great deal of difference between the mystical and external visible Church, though the latter is founded upon it, and for the sake of it. It's founded upon it as taking its true spiritual Original from it, deriving vital Spirits from it by a mystical Vnion to, and Communion with Christ and his Members; and it's for the Sake of it, all external visible Assemblies, Ministers, Ordinances are for the sake of the mystical Body of Christ, for calling in the Elect, and the Edifying of them to that full measure of Stature they are designed unto.
But the different consideration lies in these Things,
1. That the mystical Church doth never fail, neither is diminished by any Shocks of Temptation or Suffering, that in their visible Profession any of them undergo, whereas visible Churches are often broken, scattered, yea unchurched, and many Members fail of the Grace of God by final Apostasy. Likewise Christ's mystical Church is many times preserved in that State only, or mostly, when Christ hath not a visible organized Church according to Institution to be found on the Face of the Earth, so it was with his Church often under the Old Testament-Dispensation, as in Aegypt, in the Days of the Judges when the Ark was carried away by the Philistins, in the Days of Manasseh, and other wicked Kings, and especially in Babylon. In such times the Faithful Ones were preserved without the true Sacrifices, the teaching Priest, and the Law. So hath it been in the days of the New Testament, in divers places; under the Draconick Heathen Persecutions, and afterward in the Wilderness-state of the Church, under the Anti-Christian Vsurpations, and false Worship. Which mystical State is the place prepared of God to hide the Seed of the Woman in, from the Dragons Rage, for the space of One thousand two hundred and sixty Days.
Again, VntoUnto this Mystical Church is only essentially necessary, a mystical Vnion unto the Lord Jesus Christ, by the Gift of the Father, Acceptation, and Covenant-undertaking of the Son, the powerful and efficacious Work of the Spirit of the Father, and the Son, working true saving Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and sincere Love to him and all his True Members. Whereby as they have a firm and unshaken Vnion, so they have a spiritual Communion, though without those desirable Enjoyments of external Church Privileges, and means of Grace, which they are providentially often hindred from. Visible Churches being but Christ's Tents and Tabernacles, which he sometimes setteth up, and sometimes takes down and removes at his Pleasure, as he sees best for his Glory in the World.
But of these he hath a special regard as to their Foundadation, Matter, Constitution and Order, he gives forth an exact pattern from Mount Zion, as of that Typical Tabernacle from Mount Sinai of Old.
The Foundation part of a visible Church is the credible Profession of Faith and Holiness, wherein the Lord Jesus Christ is the Corner Stone, Eph. ij.20. Matth. xvi.18. This Profession is the Foundation, but not the Church it self. It's not Articles of Faith, or Profession of them in particular individual Persons that make an organized visible Church. We are the Houshold of Faith built upon the Foundation, &c. 2. It's Men and Women, not Doctrine, that are the Matter of a Church; and these professing the Faith, and practising Holiness. The Members of Churches are always called in the New Testament Saints, Faithful, Believers: They was such that were added to the Churches; neither is every Believer so as such, but as a professing Believer, for a Man must appear to be fit Matter of a visible Church before he can challenge Church Privileges, or they can be allowed him. 3. It's not many professing Believers that make a particular Church. For though they are fit Matter for a Church, yet they have not the Form of a Church, without a mutual Agreement and Combination (explicite or at least, implicite) whereby they become, by vertue of Christs Charter, a spiritual Corporation, and are called a City, Houshold, House, being united together by Joints and Bonds, not only by internal Bonds of the Spirit, but external; the Bonds of Vnion must be visible as the House is, by profession.
This is a Society that Christ hath given Power to, to choose a Pastor, and other Officers of Christ's Institution, and enjoy all Ordinances: The words Sacrament and Prayer as Christ hath appointed.
Hence a visible Church must needs be a separate Congregation; Separation is a proper and inseparable adjunct thereof; the Apostle speaks of Church Membership, 2 Cor. vi.14. Be not unequally yoked together [foreign, yoked with those of another kind, the Plowing with an Ox and Ass together, being forbidden under the Law] with Vnbelievers, foreign, i. e. Visible Vnbelievers of any sort or kind; for what participation, foreign, hath Righteousness with Vnrighteousness? what foreign, Communion or Fellowship hath Light with Darkness? Vers. 13. foreign, what harmony hath Christ with Belial, Men of corrupt Lives and Conversation, or what part, foreign, hath a Believer, i. e. a visible Believer with an Vnbeliever? it ought not to be rendred Infidel; but it was done by our Translaters, to put a blind upon this place, as to its true intention, and to countenance Parish Communion; for why did they not here, Vers. 14. and every where else render, foreign, an Infidel? Vers. 16. foreign, what consistency hath the Temple of God (i. e. the Gospel Church) with Idols? &c. I take this place to be a full Proof of what is before spoken, That a Gospel Church is a Company of Faithful professing People, walking together by mutual Consent, or Confederation to the Lord Jesus Christ and one to another, in Subjection to and Practice of all his Gospel-Precepts and Commands, whereby they are separate from all Persons and Things manifestly contrary or disagreeing thereunto.
Hence▪ as it's separate from all such impurities that are without, so Christ hath furnished it with sufficient Power and means to keep it self Pure; and therefore hath provided Ordinances and Ministers for that end and purpose; for the great end of Church-Edification cannot be obtained without Purity be also maintained in Doctrine and Fellowship.
Purity cannot be maintained without Order; a disorderly Society will corrupt within it self; for by Disorder it's divided, by divisions the joints and bands are broken, not only of Love and Affection, but of visible Conjunction; so that roots of bitterness, and sensual Separation arising, many are defiled.
It's true, there may be a kind of Peace and Agreement in a Society that is a stranger to Gospel-Order, when Men agree together, to walk according to a false Rule, or in a supine and negligent Observation of the True Rule. There may be a common Connivance at each one to walk as he list, but this is not Order but Disorder by Consent: Besides a Church may, for the most part, walk in Order, when there is Breaches and Divisions. Some do agree to walk according to the Rule, when others will deviate from it. It's orderly to endeavour to reduce those that walk not orderly; though such just Vndertakings seem sometimes grounds of Disturbance, and causes of Convulsion in the whole Body, threatning even its breaking in pieces; but yet this must be done to preserve the whole.
The Word Translated Order, Colos. ij. 5. foreign, is a Military Word; it's the Order of Souldiers in a Band, keeping Rank and File, where every one keeps his place, follows his Leader, observes the Word of Command, and his Right-hand Man. Hence the Apostle joys to see their close Order, and Stedfastness in the Faith, their Firmness, Valour, and Resolution in fighting the good Fight of Faith, and the Order in so doing; not only in watching as single Professors, but in Marching Orderly together as an Army with Banners. There is nothing more comly than a Church walking in Order when every one keeps his place, knows and practiseth his Duty according to the Rule, each submitting to the other in the performance of Duty. When the Elders know their places, and the People theirs. Christ hath been more Faithful than Moses, and therefore hath not left his Churches without sufficient Rules to walk by.
That Order may be in a Church of Christ, the Rules of the Gospel must be known, and that by Officers and People. They that are altogether Ignorant of the Rule, or negligent in attending it, or doubtful, and therefore always contending about it, will never walk according to it. Hence it's the great Duty of Ministers to study Order well, and acquaint the People with it. It's greatly to be bewailed, that so few Divines bend their Studies that way. They content themselves only with Studying and Preaching the Truths that concern Faith in the Lord Jesus, and the meer Moral part of Holiness; but as to Gospel-Churches or Instituted Worship, they generally in their Doctrine and Practice let it alone, and administer Sacraments as indefinitely as they Preach; care not to stand related to one People more than another, any further than Maintained by them. Likewise many good People are as great Strangers to Gospel Churches and Order, and as their Ministers have a great Adversness to both, and look upon it as Schism and Faction; and this is the great reason of the readiness of both to comply with Rules of Men for making Churches, Canons established by humane Laws, being carried away (if they would speak the Truth) by corrupt Erastian Principles, That Christ hath left the Church to be altogether Guided and Governed by Laws of Magistratick Sanction. Reformation from the gross Idolatrous part of Antichristianism was engaged in with some Heroick Courage and Resolution, but the coldness and indifference of Protestants to any further progress, almost ever since is not a little to be lamented. Many think it enough that the Foundation of the House is laid in Purity of Doctrine, (and it's well if that were not rather written in the Books than preached in Pulpits at this Day) but how little do they care to set their Hands to Building the House. Sure a great matter is from that Spiritual Sloathfulness that many are fallen under, as likewise being ready to sink under the great Discouragements laid before them by the Adversaries of Judah, when they find the Children of the Spiritual Captivity are about to Build a Gospel Church unto the Lord. And how long hath this great Work ceased? And will the Lord's Ministers and People yet say, The Time is not come, the Time that the Lord's House should be Built? Is it time to Build our own Houses, and not the House of the Lord? Surely it's time to Build, for we understand by Books the number of Years whereof the Word of the Lord came to Daniel the Prophet, and to John the beloved Disciple and New Testament Prophet, that he would accomplish 1260. Years in the Desolation of our Jerusalem, and the Court which is without the Temple, viz. The generality of Visible Professors, and the external part of Worship, which hath been so long trod down by Gentilism; wherefore consider your Ways, Go up to the Mountain, and bring Wood, build the House, saith the Lord, and I will take pleasure in it, (Hag. i.8.) and I will be glorified. Men, it may be, have thought they have got, or, at least, saved by not troubling themselves with the Care, Charge, and Trouble of gathering Churches, and walking in Gospel Order; but God saith, Ye looked for much and lo it came to little, and when ye brought it Home I did blow upon it. Why, saith the Lord, because of my House that is waste, and ye run every Man to his own House. I doubt not but the time is nigh at Hand that the Gospel-Temple must be built with greater Splendor and Glory than ever Soloman's or Zerubbabel's was; and though it seems to be a great Mountain of Difficulties, yet it shall become a Plain before him that is exalted far above all Principalities and Powers, and as he hath laid the Foundation thereof in the Oppressed state of his People, so his Hands shall finish it, and bring forth the Head-stone thereof with shouting in the New Jerusalem-State, crying, now Grace, Grace, but then Glory, Glory to it.
This hastening Glory we should endeavour to meet, and fetch in by earnest Prayers and faithful Endeavours, to promote the great Work of our Day. The Pattern is of late Years given forth with much clearness, by Models, such as God hath set up in this latter Age in the Wilderness, and sheltered by Cloud and Smoke by Day, and the shining of a flaming Fire by Night; for upon all its Glory hath been a Defence, yea, and it hath been a Tabernacle for a Shadow in the Day time from the Heat, and for a place of Refuge and Covert from the Storm and from the Rain. Neither have we been left to Act by the Examples or Traditions of Men, we have had a full Manifestation of the revealed Mind and Will of Christ, with the greatest Evidence and Conviction; God having in these latter Times raised up many most Eminent Instruments for Direction and Encouragement unto his People, which he furnished accordingly with great Qualifications to this End and Purpose, That the true Original, Nature, Institution and Order of Evangelical Churches might be known, distinguished, prized and adhered to, by all that know the Name of Christ, and would be followers of him as his Disciples, in Obedience to all his revealed Mind and Will. Amongst which faithful and renowned Servants of Christ, the late Author of this most useful and practical Treatise, hath approved himself to be one of the chief. I need say nothing of his stedfast Piety, universal Learning, indefatigable Labours in incessant Vindication of the Doctrines of the Gospel (of greatest weight) against all Opposition made thereto, by Men of corrupt Minds. His surviving Works will always be bespeaking his honourable Remembrance, amongst all impartial Lovers of the Truth. They that were acquainted with him, knew how much the state and standing of the Churches of Christ, under the late Sufferings and Strugglings for Reformation, was laid to heart by him. And therefore how he put forth his utmost strength to Assist, Aid, Comfort and Support the sinking Spirits of the poor Saints and People of God, even wearied out with long and repeated Persecutions. It is to be observed, That this ensuing Treatise was occasioned by one of the last and most vigorous Assaults made upon Separate and Congregational-Churches, by a Pen dipt in the Gall of that persecuting Spirit, under which God's People groaned throughout this Land. He then wrote an elaborate account of Evangelical Churches, their Original, Institution, &c. with a Vindication of them from the Charges laid in against them, by the Author of The Unreasonableness of Separation ▪ This he lived to Print, and promised to handle the Subject more particularly, which is here performed. He lived to finish it under his great bodily Infirmities; whereby he saw himself hastening to the end of his Race; yet so great was his Love to Christ, that whilst he had Life and Breath he drew not back his Hand from his Service. This Work he finished (with others) through the gracious support and assistance of Divine Power, and Corrected the Copy before his departure. So that, Reader, thou maist be assured, That what thou hast here, was his, (Errata's of the Press only excepted) and likewise that it ought to be esteemed as his Legacy to the Church of Christ, being a great part of his dying Labours; and therefore it's most uncharitable to suppose, That the things here wrote, were penned with any other Design, than to advance the Glory and Interest of Christ in the World; and that they were not matters of great weight on his own Spirit. And upon the perusal that I have had of these Papers, I cannot but recommend them to all diligent Enquirers after the true Nature, Way, Order and Practice of Evangelical Churches, as a true and faithful Account, according to what Vnderstanding the Professors thereof, for the most part have had and practised. Who ever is otherwise Minded, he hath the liberty of his own Light and Conscience. Lastly, whereas many serious Professors of the Faith of the Lord Jesus (it may be) well grounded in the main saving Truths of the Gospel, are yet much to seek of these necessary Truths, for want of good Information therein, and therefore walk not up to all the revealed Mind of Christ, as they sincerely desire. Let such, with unprejudiced Minds, Read, and Consider what is here offered to them, and receive nothing upon humane Authority; follow no Man in Judgment or Practice any further than he is a follower of Christ. And this is all the Request of him that is a lover of all them that Love the Lord Jesus Christ.
J. C.