The True Catholic and Catholic Church Described, Application 1
Ʋse. 1. The truth being thus plain and certain as it is, That the Catholick Church is One, and consisteth of true Christians, as its real living Members, and of all Professors of true Christianity, as its Visible Members; we have here too great occasion of sad lamentation, for the common ignorance of the contenders of the world, about this matter, and the great inconsiderateness and abuse of this unquestionable verity. To four sorts of people I shall direct my expostulations: 1. To the Seekers, or whoever else deny the very Being of the Catholick Church. 2. To the blind contending parties of these times, and the offended ignorant people, that are much perplexed among so many pretenders, to know, which is the Church. 3. To the several Sects that would appropriate the Church to themselves only. 4. To the Papists that ask us for a proof of the continued visibility of our Church, and where it was before Luther. To these in order. And
First, For the Seekers, because it is not their persons that I have to speak against, but the errors which they are said to hold, and because they purposely hide their opinions, and because I meet with them of so many minds, I shall therefore deal only with the Opinions commonly supposed to be theirs, not determining whether indeed they are theirs, or no: for I care not who maintains them, so I do but effectually confute them. And here are four degrees of this errour supposed to be held by the Seekers. 1. Some of them are said to deny the Ʋniversal mystical Church it self. 2. Some are said to deny only the Ʋniversal visible Church as such. 3. Some yeelding both these, deny the Ʋniversal Church as Political onelyonly. 4. Some onelyonly deny the truth of particular Churches, as Political, that is, the truth of the Ministry. Of these in order.
1. Let that man that questioneth the being of the Catholick mystical Church, and yet pretends to believe in Christ, read but these three or four Arguments and blush.
Argum. 1. If there be no such Universal Church, then there are no Christians: For what is the Church but all the Christians of the world? And I pray enquire better, whether there be any Christians in the world or not? Read the Church History, and the books of the Infidels, and see whether there have been Christians in the world since the Apostles? He that believeth not that there are Christians in the world, when he dwels among them, and daily converseth with them, deserveth to be otherwise disputed with then by argument. He hath only cause to doubt, whether there be any Christian Magistrate in this part of the world, that such as he are suffered to rave against Christianity.
And certainly he that thinks there are no Christians in the world, is none himself, nor would not be thought one.
Argum. 2. If there be no Church, there is no Christ; no Body, no Head: no Kingdome, no King: no Wife, no Husband: no redeemed ones, no Redeemer or Mediator. Though the Person of Christ should be the same; yet the Office and Relation must cease, if the Church cease. This is beyond all dispute. And if this be your meaning, that there is no Christ, no Mediator, no Head, or Teacher, or King of the Church, speak out and call your selves Infidels as you are.
Argum. 3. If there be no Church or Christians, then there's no Salvation: For Salvation is promised to none but Christians, or members of Christ. He is the Saviour of his Body, Eph. 5. 23. And he that thinks there's none on earth that shall be saved, it seems expecteth no salvation himself: And how much the world is beholden to him for his Doctrine, and how ready they will be to receive it, if they be in their wits, is easie to be conjectured.
Argum. 4. If there be no Church, there is no pardon of sinne, or adoption, nor any fruit of the promise. For the Church only are the heirs of promise, pardoned, adopted (I would heap up plain Scriptures for these things, if I thought it to any purpose.) And he that thinks the promises are ceased, and the pardon of sinne, and Adoption ceased, doth sure think the Gospel and Christianity are ceased, or never were.
2. As to the second Opinion, let them that deny the Church as visible, consider of the same Arguments again with the necessary addition, and be ashamed.
Argum. 1. If there be no Visible Church, there are no Visible Christians. For Christians are the Church: And if there are no visible Christians, then no man can say, that there are any Christians at all: For how do you know it, if they are not visible?
Argum. 2. And consequently no man can tell that there is a Christ, the Head and King of the Church: For who can judge of that which is inevident? And if you know not that there's a Church, you cannot know that there's a Christ.
Argum. 3. And thus you must be uncert. in of any to be saved; because they are not visible.
Argum. 4. And you must be uncertain of the continuance of the force of the promise, and of pardon, and sanctification.
Argum. 5. Experience and sense it self confutes you. Open your eyes and ears: Do you not see Christians in holy exercises? Do you not hear them make profession of their faith? It's a fine world, when we must be fain to dispute, whether there be such a people whom we every day converse and talk with? You may better question, Whether there be any Turkes or Jewes in the world? and as well question, Whether there be any men in the world? And how should such be disputed with?
3. For the third Opinion, which yields a Ʋniversal visible Church, but not a Political, it is a gross contradiction.
Argum. Where there is a Sovereign, and Subjects, and Ruler, and such as are under his Rule, there is a Political body or Society. For the Pars imperans, and Pars subdita, do constitute every Commonwealth: And the Relations of these two parties, the Ruling part, and the Ruled part, is the form of the Republick. This is undeniable. But here are these two parts: For Christ is the Ruling part, and the Church or Christians are the Ruled part: and therefore you must either deny, that there is a Christ to be King, or that there are Christians his Subjects, or else you must confesse a Political Church.
But some of this Opinion say, [We confesse there is a visible Body headed by Christ, who is to us invisible, though visible in the Heavens; but this makes not the Church to be visibly Political, unlesse secundum quid; but here is no visible Ʋniversal Head.]
Answ. 1. We perceive now whereabout you are, and from whom, and for whom you fetch your Arguments. You must have a Pope it seems, or else no Visible Politicàl Church: We deny that either Pope or General Councel are the visible Heads of the Church. We maintain that the Church is no otherwise visisible in its Policy, then in these respects. 1. As the Body is visible, and their obedience. 2. As the Laws are visible by which they are governed. 3. As the inferiour Officers or Ministers are visible. And, 4. As Christ the Head is visible in Heaven. There is no other visibility of Polity to be here expected.
4. The next Opinion denieth only, That there are any true particular Political Churches. Against this I argue thus:
Argum. 1. If there be no particular Churches there is no Ʋniversal Church: For there can be no whole, if there be no parts: And Political particular Churches are those principal constitutive parts of the Universal, which the Scripture mentioneth. But I have proved, that there is an Universal Church, which is the whole: Therefore there are particular political Churches, which are the parts.
Argum. 2. If there be particular Christian Societies with Overseers, then there are particular Political Churches: For a Church hath but two Essential parts; the Guiding or Ruling part, which is the Elders or Overseers, and the Guided and Ruled part, which are the people. Now here are both these: Therfore there are particular Political Churches. That here are Christian Assemblies me thinks I should not need to prove, to men that see them day by day, and plead against them. The only Question therefore remaining is, Whether the Elders or Teachers be true Officers or Elders, or not? And in the upshot, this is all the Question, and you can stick on no other (nor well on this) without declaring your selves to be Infidels: And this is a Question that belongs not to this place, but I purposely refer you to what I have already published hereupon.