The Unreasonableness of Separation, Part 3 · Section 5
Sect. 5. (2.) Dr. O. answers as to the matter of fact concerning the Institution of Congregational Churches, that it seems to him evidently exemplified in the Scripture. Vindic. p. 39.The matter of fact is, that when Churches grew too big for one single Congregation in a City, then a new Congregational Church was set up under new Officers, with a separate Power of Government. Let us now see Dr. O.'s proof of it. For although it may be there is not express mention made that these or those particular Churches did divide themselves into more Congregations with new Officers: i. e. Although the matter of fact be not evident in Scripture: yet, saith he, there are Instances of the erection of new particular Congregations in the same Province. But what is this to the proof of the Congregational way? The thing I desired was, that when the Christians in one City multiplied into more Congregations, they would prove, that they did make new and distinct Churches; and to exemplifie this he mentions new Congregations in the same Province. Who ever denied or disputed that? On the contrary, the proof of this, is a great advantage to our Cause; for since, where the Scripture speaks of the Churches of a Province, it speaks of them as of different Churches; but when it mentions the Christians of one City, it calls them the Church of that City (as the Church of Ierusalem, the Church of Ephesus; Act. 9. 31.but the Churches of Iudea, Galilee and Samaria) what can be more evident, than that the Christians of one City, though never so numerous, made but one Church? If one observe the language of the New Testament, one may find this observation not once to fail: that where Churches are spoken of in the plural number, 1 Thess. 2. 14.they are the Churches of a Province, as the Churches of Iudea, 1 Cor. 16. 19.the Churches of Asia; the Churches of Syria and Cilicia; Act. 15. 41.the Churches of Galatia; the Churches of Macedonia; 1 Cor. 16. 1.but where all the Christians of one City are spoken of,Gal. 1. 2. it is still c…lled the Church of that City; 2 Cor. 8. 1.as the Church at Antioch; the Church at Corinth; and when the 7 Churches are spoken of together, they are the 7 Churches; but when spoken to single, it is the Church of Ephesus, the Church of Smyrna, &c. Which being spoken, without any discrimination, as to the difference of these places, in greatness and capacity, or the number of Believers in them, doth evidently discover that what number soever they were, they were all but the Church of that City. For it is not to be supposed that the number of Christians was no greater in Ephesus, Sardis, Pergamus and Laodicea, which were great and populous Cities, than in Thyatira and Philadelphia, which were much less; especially, considering the time Saint Paul staid at Ephes…s; Act. 20. 19. 31.and the mighty success which he had in preaching there; which will amount to no great matter,1 Cor. 16. 9. if in three years time, he converted no more, than made up one single Congregation. And thus men to serve an Hypothesis take off from the mighty Power, and prevalency of the Gospel. I cannot but wonder, what Dr. O. means when after he hath produced the evidence of distinct Churches in the same Province, Vindic. p. 40.as Galatia and Macedonia, he calls this plain Scripture evidence and practice for the erecting particular distinct Congregations: who denies that? but I see nothing like a proof of distinct Churches in the same City which was the thing to be proved, but because it could not be proved was prudently let alone: whereas we have plain Scripture evidence that all the Christians of a City, though never so great, made but one Church; and uncontroulable evidence from Antiquity, that the neighbouring Christians were laid to the Church of the City. All that he saith further to this matter,p. 4…. is, that such Churches had power to rule and govern themselves, because in every one of them Elders were ordained, Act. 14. 22. which is again an argument on our side: for if we compare Act. 14. 22. with Titus 1. 5. we shall find that ordaining Elders foreign hath the same importance with ordaining them foreign; so that by the Church is understood the Body of Christians inhabiting in one City, as the 'foreign at Athens was the whole Corporation here; and particular Congregations are but like the several Companies, all which together make up but one City.