A Treatise of Christian Religion, Chapter 52
CHAP. 52.
Of the Church Militant.
The perſons, which are the ſecond ſort of outward meanes appertaining to the kingdome of Chriſt, are the Church militant,
Before the comming of Chriſt.
After the comming of Chriſt
Vniuerſall.
Particular.
MATTH. chap. 28. verſ. 15. to the end.
15. So they tooke the money, and did as they were taught: And this ſaying is commonly reported among the Iewes vntill this day.
16. Then the eleuen Diſciples went away into Galilee, into a mountaine where Ieſus had appointed them.
17. And when they ſaw him, they worſhipped him: but ſome doubted.
18. And Ieſus came, and ſpake vntounto them, ſaying, all power is giuen vntounto me in heauen and in earth.
19. Goe ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoſt:
20. Teaching them to obſerue all things, whatſoeuer I hauehave commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, euen vntounto the end of the world. Amen.
1. Cor. chap. 12. verſ. 6. to the 28.
6. And there are diuerſities of operations, but it is the ſame God, which worketh all in all.
7. But the manifeſtation of the ſpirit, is giuen to eueryevery man to profit withall.
8. For to one is giuen by the ſpirit, the word of wiſedome, to another the word of knowledge, by the ſame ſpirit.
9. To another faith, by the ſame ſpirit: to another the gifts of healing, by the ſame ſpirit.
10. To another the working of miracles, to another prophecie, to another diſcerning of ſpirits, to another diuers kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11. But all theſe worketh that one and the ſelfe ſame ſpirit, diuiding to eueryevery man ſeuerally as he will.
12. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: ſo alſo is Chriſt.
13. For by one ſpirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Iewes or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free: and hauehave been all made to drinke into one ſpirit.
14. For the body is not one member, but many.
15. If the foot ſhall ſay, Becauſe I am not the hand, I am not of the body: is it therefore not of the body?
16. And if the eare ſhall ſay, Becauſe I am not the eye, I am not of the body: is it therefore not of the body?
17. If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the ſmelling?
18. But now hath God ſet the members, eueryevery one of them in the body, as it hath pleaſed him.
19. And if they were all one member where were the body?
20. But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21. And the eye cannot ſay vntounto the hand, I hauehave no need of thee: nor againe, the head to the feet, I hauehave no need of you.
22. Nay, much more thoſe members of the body, which ſeeme to be more feeble, are neceſſarie.
23. And thoſe members of the body, which we thinke to bee leſſe honourable, vponupon theſe we beſtow more abundant honour, and our vncomely parts hauehave more abundant comelineſſe.
24. For our comely parts hauehave no need: but God hath tempered the body together, hauing giuen more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
25. That there ſhould bee no ſchiſme in the body: but that the members ſhould hauehave the ſame care one for another.
26. And whether one member ſuffer, all the members ſuffer with it: or one member bee honoured, all the members reioyce with it.
27. Now ye are the body of Chriſt, & members in particular.
28. And God hath ſet ſome in the Church, firſt Apoſtles, ſecondarily Prophets thirdly Teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helpes in gouernments, diuerſities of tongues.
Q. HItherto amongſt the outward things appertaining to the Kingdome of Chriſt, we hauehave ſpoken of the things, ſuch as God giueth to vsus, and wee to him: it remaineth now to ſpeake of the perſons. What are they?
A. The Church Militant.
Q. VVhat is the Militant Church?
A. A companie aAct. 20. 17. 28. 1. Tim. 3. 15. 1. Cor. 11. 16. 22of Saints vponupon earth, who from all parts of the world being gathered together in one ſpirit of Chriſt, ſtand in ſpirituall fight againſt the enemies of Chriſts Kingdome: for the teaching & gouerning wherof he hath alwaies giuē officers & Miniſters.
Q. VVhat is common to theſe Officers?
A. That they be lawfully called, and that eueryevery one of them doe faithfully execute the office, whereunto he is called.
Q. How is the Militant Church diuided?
A. Into the Church before the comming of Chriſt, or after his comming.
Q. VVhat is the Church before the comming of Chriſt?
A. That Church which being called before the Incarnation & ſuffering of Chriſt, beleeued in Chriſt to come in the fleſh.
Q. What is the Church after the comming of Christ?
A. That Church which after the Incarnation of Chriſt, being called by the Goſpell, beleeueth in Chriſt already come in the fleſh.
Q. How is the Militant Church after the comming of Chriſt diuided?
A. Into vniuerſall, or particular.
Q. VVhat is the vniuerſall Church?
A. It is the ſociety of thoſe who being ſcattered thorough all the corners of the world, are by one faith in Chriſt conioyned to him.
Q. VVhat officers are annexed to this Church?
A. Such onelyonly as were extraordinarie, and endured but for a time.
Q. VVhat are they?
A. Such as were firſt called and inabled of God, for the ſpreading of the Goſpell throughout the world, and for the conquering and ſubduing of the ſame to the obedience thereof; of whom there was no ſuch vſe after the firſt building or planting of the Church, no more then of the Generall of a field, or of a Coronell, when the conqueſt is made; or of maſter-builders after the platforme of a houſe is ſet downe.
Q. VVho are theſe extraordinarie Officers?
A. They are either thoſe that are called immediately of God, as Apoſtles, and Prophets; or thoſe that were called by meanes of men alſo, as Euangeliſts.
Q. VVho are Apoſtles?
A. Such as were for the planting of the firſt Churches ſet apart immediately by Chriſt himſelfe; aAct. 1. 21. John 15. 27.which hauing both ſeene and heard him, bMat. 28. 19. Act. 1. 8.had the charge of the whole world committed vntounto thē, cAct. 8. 14. 15. & 19. 6. &c.with power to diſtribute ſome extraordinarie graces of the ſpirit.
Q. HaueHave the Apoſtles any ſucceſſors?
A. To ſpeake properly, they hauehave none to ſucceed them in the degree and dignity of Apoſtleſhip; and therefore when Iames was beheaded, none was choſen Act. 12. 3.into his place? otherwiſe all Paſtors and Miniſters of the Goſpell, who are lawfully called to the diſpenſation of the Word, Sacraments, and Keyes, are the true and vndoubted ſucceſſors of the Apoſtles: and hauehave the ſame commiſſion in the miniſtration of the Goſpell which they had, though not in the ſame degree or dignitie.
Q. VVho is the head of this vniuerſall Church?
A. OnelyOnly Chriſt, who is the higheſt, and who alone conueyeth the powers of ſpirituall life and ſenſe into it: for as the naturall members take ſpirit & ſenſe from the head; ſo the Church hath her ſpirituall life and feeling from Chriſt; who is onelyonly able to quicken and giuegive life. Whom by this title of the head of Eph. 1. 21-23. Col. 1. 16-18.the Church Paul lifteth vp aboue all Angels, principalities and powers. And therefore if the Pope were the ſucceſſor of Peter and Paul, yet ſhould he not be therefore the head of the Church; which agreeth to none in heauen, or vnderunder heauen that is meerely a creature.
Q. VVhat then ſhall we ſay to the words of Chriſt, Thou art Peter, and vponupon this rocke will I build my Church? Mat. 16. 18.may it not therby be inferred, that Peter was ruler of the Apoſtles, and conſequently of the Church in all the world; and therefore that the Popes, as Peters ſucceſſors, ſhould bee rulers ouer all?
A. No: for the rocke whereupon Chriſt wil build his Church, is not Peter himſelfe, but the effectuall confeſsion and faith of Peter, as appeareth by the word the Euangeliſt vſeth for the rocke [viz. foreign] diuers from that whereby Peter is called, [viz. foreign.] And if it bee vnderſtood of Peter, yet it muſt be eſteemed, that to auoid confuſion, Peter gaue anſwere in the name of all the reſt of the Apoſtles, vponupon whom (in reſpect of their miniſterie, the Church is as well builded as vponupon Reuel. 21. 14.Peter.
Q. How may it be ſhewed that Peter anſwered for all?
A. Becauſe all were asked: otherwiſe our Sauiour Mat. 16. 15.Chriſt receiued no anſwere; which to thinke, is a charge of diſobedience vponupon the other Apoſtles, and vponupon our Sauiour Chriſt, of negligence: who ſeeking by this queſtion to ſtrengthen all the Apoſtles in the faith towards himſelfe, ſhould hauehave giuen them no ſtrength; neither by experience of the worke of God within themſelues, nor by the glorious promiſes which he annexed to this confeſſion, vnleſſe hee had in Peters anſwere receiued the anſwere of others. Secondly, when it appeareth other where, by Peters own confeſſion, that the reſt knew that Chriſt was the ſon of the liuing God, as well as he himſelfe; what ſhould John 6. 69.hinder them not to make confeſſion of it, as well as did Peter, and in regard thereof to bee as much reſpected as he?
Q. If Peter were chiefe of all, doth it follow that the Pope of Rome ſhould be ſo?
A. No verily: for howſoeuer they ſay Peter was Biſhop of Rome, yet indeed that cannot bee proued by Scripture, but rather the contrary: for if Peter had been at Rome, when Paul was there, amongſt many others, he would not hauehave forgotten to make mention of him, hauing diuers occaſions thereof. a2. Tim. 4. 16.Eſpecially hee would not hauehave wrapped him in the common charge, that all had forſaken him. Alſo Peters proper charge bGalath. 2. 7.being amongſt the Iewes, who were neuer frequent, or many in Rome: and cAct. 18. 2.after the few that were there, being baniſhed from thence, what likelihood is there, that hee would moſt reſide there, where he had leaſt to doe? And if he had been there, yet there is no colourable probation that hee was Biſhop there; d1. Cor. 12. 2… ▪ Epheſ. 4. 11.the Biſhopricke being farre vnderunder the Apoſtleſhip whereunto he was called.
Q. But grant he had been biſhop of Rome; doth it follow thereof, that the Biſhop of Rome muſt be his ſucceſſor?
A. No: for firſt it ſhould hauehave been but a perſonal right. And ſecondly, if it belonged to his ſucceſſors, Antioch, where he is ſaid to hauehave ſate before he is ſuppoſed to ſit at Rome, might challenge it as well. Neither can his death, which they ſuppoſe to hauehave been at Rome, giuegive that priuiledge to Rome aboue Antioch, or any other place, more then the death of Chriſt priuiledged Ieruſalem, which by the iuſt iudgement of God, for the ſame cauſe was made an heape of ſtones. And thirdly, if it did belong to his ſucceſſors at Rome; yet it belongeth to his ſucceſſors in doctrine, and not in place onelyonly; conſidering that if the Church were builded vponupon Peter, it was in reſpect of the doctrine he taught, not in reſpect of his perſon.
Q. Hitherto of the Apoſtles. Now what were the Prophets?
A. Such as beſides an extraordinarie gift of preaching, Act. 11. 28. & 21. 10. 11.had a ſpeciall gift of prophecying and foretelling things to come.
Q. Hitherto of thoſe immediately called. Who are thoſe that were called alſo by the meanes of men?
A. The Euangeliſts.
Q. What were the Euangeliſts?
A. Such as were a1. Tim. 1. 6.ordained, and bAct. 17. 15. & 19. 22. 1 Cor. 4. 17.directed by the Apoſtles, for c…. Cor. 3 6.watering thoſe Churches which they had planted, and confirming thoſe whom they had conuerted.
Q. Hitherto we hauehave heard of the vniuerſall Church: What is a particular Church?
A. It is that which beſides the fellowſhip in one Rom. 12. 3.—8.ſpirit, hath ſome other outward knot wherein they are more neerely tyed then the reſt of the vniuerſall is: and it is either of one nation, or of a narrower compaſſe.
Q. What is a Church of one nation?
A. It is that which is gathered vnderunder one politicke or ciuill gouernment.
Q. What is that of a more narrow compaſſe?
A. It is ſuch a particular Church or Pariſh, that dwelling in one place, may bee conueniently at one time taught, by the mouth of one Miniſter.
Q. What is common to all the members of this Church?
A. That eueryevery one be wife vntounto ſobriety, behauing Rom. 12. 3.himſelfe according to the meaſure of grace that is beſtowed vponupon him.
Q. What perſons make default againſt this rule?
A. Two ſorts eſpecially: the one, ſuch as ouerweene and thinke better of themſelues then is fitting, taking a greater ſtate vponupon them then they are worthy of: The other, of ſuch as abaſing themſelues too much, doe thinke themſelues vnfit to ſuch duties as they are called vntounto.
Q. How is the truth of this doctrine cleared?
A. The Apoſtle declareth it by comparing the Rom. 12. 3-8.Church, which is the myſticall body of Chriſt, vntounto the naturall body of a man.
Q. How many waies doth this compariſon hold?
A. Sundry waies: Firſt, as in the perfect body of a natural man, there is ful furniture of al members needful to the diſcharge of their ſeuerall duties; which are knowne both how many they are, and what they are: ſo it is in the Church of God.
Q. What gather you of this?
A. Firſt, that as a ſuperfluous member in a mans body, as two thumbs, or a finger more then ordinarie in one hand, is a blemiſh and deformity in the body: euen ſo ſuperfluous members muſt needs be accounted a blemiſh and deformity in the Church of Chriſt.
Q. What further?
A. As the want of any naturall member breeds griefe in the body: ſo the want of any the appointed members in the Church, muſt needs bee faultie and grieuous.
Q. Proceed to the other points of the compariſon?
A. As in the body to hauehave a member miſplaced, as to hauehave an eye where the noſe ſhould be, or a foot for the hand, cauſeth both horror and griefe: ſo the like diſorder in the Church of Chriſt muſt needs bee grieuous and horrible.
Q. Wherein doth this compariſon further hold?
A. That as in the body of a man, eueryevery member hath his owne ſeuerall function to diſcharge, and no member can well and fitly diſcharge the dutie of another: So it muſt be in the Church of God. And as all the ſeuerall members of the body are knit and vnited to their head: ſo are all the members of the Church vntounto their head Chriſt. Further, as in the naturall body eueryevery ſeuerall member, is (as it were) the member of eueryevery other in ſeruing to their good; as the eye doth ſee, the hand doth take, the mouth doth ſpeake for the good of any other member. So it is in the Church of God.
Q. What are the parts of a particular Church?
A. Such as hauehave preeminence, and ſuch as are inferiour vntounto them.
Q. Who are thoſe that hauehave preeminence?
A. Thoſe whom Chriſt hath appointed for the continuance of the Churches (which were builded by the extraordinarie officers) to the worlds end.
Q. What things are common to all theſe ordinarie officers?
A. Firſt, that they bee vnblameable of life, which being required of all Chriſtians, is in greater meaſure required of them, as being the lights of the Church. Secondly, examination, whether they hauehave gifts, for the diſcharge of that ſpeciall office they are called vntounto. Thirdly, a calling, conſiſting partly in the election of the Church, directed by the gouernours thereof; and partly in ordination by the ſaid gouernours, which by prayer and laying on of hands, are to conſecrate and ſeparate them to that function, with aſſurance of the aſſiſtance of God, in doing their dutie faithfully.
Q. What fourthly?
A. That eueryevery one of theſe ordinarie officers are tied Act. 20. 28. & 14. 23. Tit. 1. 5.to one flocke.
Q. So much of the generall properties of the ordinary officers: what are the kinds of them?
A. They are either ſuch as deale in the miniſtery of the word, viz. Paſtors and teachers, or aſſiſtants vntounto them.
Q. What is the miniſtery of the word?
A. A holy and ſpirituall calling, wherein men are Rom. 12. 6. 1. Cor. 14. 3.ſet apart to the interpretatiō of the Scriptures of God, for the edification of the Church, which is called alſo by the Apoſtle, Prophecie: vntounto which alſo belongeth the adminiſtration of the Sacraments.
Q. How proue you, that by prophecy is meant there the office of interpreting the word, rather then of foretelling things to come?
A. Firſt, becauſe prophecy is ſet downe there, as a perpetuall office in the Church, wherof Salomon ſaith, When prophecie faileth, the people periſh. Secōdly, the prophet Prou. 29. 18.is charged to continue in prophecying, whereas no Prophet continued alwaies in foretelling. Thirdly, For that this prophecie conſiſteth in teaching and exhorting.
Q. Why is it added, that he muſt doe it to the edification of the Church?
A. To teach, that a Miniſter in his ſermons ſhould 1. Cor. 1. 4. 5.not vſe profound ſpeculations of Philoſophie, ſtrange languages, and ſuch like oſtentation of learning; but that he ſhould ſo labour to ſpeake, that as well hee that cleaueth wood, as he that ſitteth on the throne, euen the ſimpleſt ſhould vnderſtand, and learne what is the good will of God.
Q. Is it ſufficient, that the Miniſter of the word bee able to teach?
A. No; there is further required of them, that they 1. Tim. 3. 6.be no new and greene plants in the Church of God, but ſuch as by a long abode in the Church, may bee as timber well ſeaſoned; and therefore fit to beare the ſtreſſe and waight of the miniſterie in the Church of God.
Q. What further?
A. That (as in other reſpects) ſo in regard of the waight of their charge, they are to be ſeuered (as much as may bee) from all other offices and charges in the Common-wealth. And certainly if a man were neuer ſo well graced of God, yet the miniſtery of the word d2. Cor. 2. 16.alone (if faithfully diſcharged) would be imployment enough for him, which requireth the whole ſtrength of a man: and if the eAct. 6. 2. 4.Apoſtles would not attend vponupon the Deaconſhip being ſo neare to the miniſtery, much leſſe is it fitting for any other to intangle themſelues with other offices.
Q. What other things are generall to them?
A. That as they are Gods mouth in preaching the word to the people; ſo they are the peoples mouth to God in prayer.
Q. What is the Teachers dutie?
A. To interpret the Schriptures, teaching the people Epheſ. 4. 14. Tit. 1. 9. 11. Neh. 4. 17.committed vntounto him, for the eſtabliſhing of their mindes in the truth of the doctrine of God: confuting the contrary errours; like to them that reedified the walles of Ieruſalem, who wrought with one hand, and held their ſwords in the other.
Q. What is the Paſtors dutie?
A. Out of ſound doctrine, to exhort and feed his Tit. 1. 9. 2. Tim. 4. 2.people by applying the doctrine to the preſent vſe and neceſſity of his flocke, and ſo to bring them to the obedience of God.
Q. How is doctrine applied to the preſent vſe and neceſſity of the flocke?
A. aLuk. 12. 42. 1. Cor. 12. 8. & 14. 3.By applying it according to their ſeuerall eſtates and occaſions preſent: and this is that wiſedome which ought to bee in the Paſtor, to comfort the afflicted, ſtrengthen the weake, beat downe the proud, lift vp the humbled, heale the broken, and b1. Tim. 5. 1.to know that, Magiſtrates muſt bee otherwiſe exhorted then the ſubiects; maſters otherwiſe then ſeruants; and ſo of the reſt.
Q. What are the other aſsiſtants?
A. Such as a1. Tim. 5. 17. Act. 14. 23. 1 Cor. 12. 38. Rom. 12. 8.helpe the Miniſters, either in the ouerſight of the behauiours of the ſeuerall members of the Church, and in the adminiſtration of diſcipline, or ſuch bRom. 12. 8.as attend vponupon the poore, collecting for them, and diſtributing vntounto them, according to their ſeuerall conditions and neceſſities, with ſimplicity of minde without partiall affection.