The True Catholic and Catholic Church Described, Table of contents
THE CONTENTS.
THe Occasion and Explication of the Text, to p. 10
Doct. The Ʋniversal Church being the body of Christ, is but One; and all true Christians are the Members, of which it doth consist, 10
Whether Hereticks are true Members of the Catholick Church. 14
Fundamentals, what. 16, 17, 18, 19
A Diversity among the Members of the Church in ten particulars, 20. to 34
A Ʋnity among all the Members of the Church (at age and use of reason) in twenty particulars, 34. to 53
Use 1. Convincing, 1. The Seekers. 54
2. The solicitous enquirers, which of the pretending parties is the true Church. 65
Objections answered. to 70
3. To the Quakers. ibid.
4. To the more rigid sort of Anabaptists. 81
5. Chiefly to the Papists. 84
Many Arguments proving the Papists are not the onelyonly Christians or Catholicks, nor is it essential to Christianity or Catholicism to believe in the Pope of Rome, or be his Subject. 87. to 109
Aggravations of the sinne of all those Sects that appropriate the Catholick Church to themselves only. 109. to 133
An Answer to the Papists Question, Where was your Church before Luther? And to their demand of a Catalogue of Professors of our Religion. 134
The Causes of Division, and Hinderances of the Churches Ʋnity and Peace (whence the Remedies may be gathered.) 145. to 212
The true Catholick Rule. 213
The true Catholick Governour and Judge. 226
Ten dividing uncatholick principles instane't in, to be avoided. 242
A true Catholick spirit, 1. Catholick Love. 249
2. Catholick Compassion. 261
3. Catholick Care. 262
4. Catholick Endeavours. 264
THE True Catholick AND Catholick Church Described.
1 COR. 12. 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.
IT is a pitifull case with the poor afflicted Church of Christ, that almost all her Members cry out against Division, and yet cause and increase it, while they speak against it. And that all cry up Unity, and yet very few do any thing that's very considerable to promote it; but multitudes are destroying Unity, while they commend it: And those few that would heal and close the wounds, are not able by the clearest reasons, and most importunate requests, to hold the hands of others from opposing it; and to get leave of the rest to do that work, which they will not do themselves while they extoll it. You would think this were rather the description of a Bedlam, than of a Christian! to set all on fire, and furiously to rail at all that would quench it, and at the same time to rail as much at incendiaries, and cry out for Concord, and against Division, and call other men all that's naught, for doing that which they do themselves, and will not be perswaded from? But to the injurious dishonour of Christianity it self, it is thus with millions of professed Christians! Thus is the Church used: The sinne and shame is made so publick, that no Charity can much excuse it, and no shift can cover it from the reproachfull observation of those that are without. Alas our flames do rise so high, that Turks, and Jews, and Heathens stand looking on them, and ask, What is the matter that these Christians thus irreconcilably worry one another! Do we need any proof, when we feel the smart! when we see the blood! when we hear the noise of revilers at home, and see the scornfull laughters of those abroad! when almost all Christendom is up in armes! when the Churches are of so many by-names, and broken into so many odious fractions; and so many volumes flie abroad, containing the reproaches and condemnations of each other! And (which is enough to break an honest heart to think or speak of) that all this hath continued so long a time! and they be not so wise as the passionate, or the drunken, that in time will come to themselves again; and that it hath continued notwithstanding the greatest means that are used for the cure: Mediation prevaileth not: pacificatory endeavours have done almost nothing: Nay sinne gets advantage in point of Reputation, and Dividing is counted a work of Zeal, and Ministers themselves are the principal leaders of it; yea and Ministers of eminent parts and piety; and piety it self is pretended for this, which is the poison of piety: and pacification is become a suspected or derided work; and the Peacemakers are presently suspected of some heresie; and perhaps call'd Dividers for seeking Reconciliation. It made my heart ake with grief, the other day, to read over the Narrative of the endeavours of one man (M. John Dury) to heal the Protestant Churches themselves, and to think that so much ado should be necessary to make even the leaders of the Christian flocks to be willing, to cease so odious a sinne, and come out of so long and dolefull a misery; yea; and that all should do so little good, and get from men but a few good words, while they sit still and suffer the flames to consume the deplorate remnant: Yea such havock hath division made, and cut the Church into so many pieces, that it is become one of the commonest Questions among us, which of these pieces it is that is the Church: One saith, We are the Catholick Church; and another saith, No, but it is we! and a third contendeth, that it is onelyonly they: And thus men seem to be at a losse, and when they believe the holy Catholick Church, they know not what it is, which they say, they believe. Though I dare not presume to hope of much success, in any attempts against this distraction, after the frustration of the farre greater endeavours of multitudes that have attempted it with farre greater advantage, yet I have resolved by the help of Christ, to bear witness against the sinne of the Dividers, and leave my testimony on record to posterity, that if it may not excite some others to the work, yet at east it may let them know, that all were not void of Desires for Peace in this contentious age. To which purpose I intend, 1. To speak of the Unity and Concord of the Catholick Church. 2. Of the Unity and Concord of Christians in their particular Churches, and in their individual state. And the first Discourse I shall ground upon this Text, which from the similitude of a Natural Body, doth assert, 1. The multiplicity of the members: And, 2. The Unity of the Body or Church of Christ, notwithstanding the multiplicity of the members. The members are here said to be many for number, and it's intimated (which after is more fully expressed) that they are divers for Office, and Use, and Gifts. The Church here spoken of is the Universal Church, as it is both in its visible and mystical state: It is not onelyonly a particular Church that is here meant: Nor is it the Catholick Church only as mystical, or only as visible, but as it containeth Professours and Believers, the body and soul, which make up the man, having both Ordinances, and Spirit in their Possession. That it is the Catholick Church is apparent: 1. In that it is denominated in the Text from Christ himself, [So also is Christ.] And the Ʋniversal Church is more fitly denominated from Christ as the Head, then a particular Church. It's not easie to find any Text of Scripture that calleth Christ the Head of a particular Congregation (as we use not to call the King, the Head of this, or that Corporation, but of the Commonwealth) though he may be so called as a Head hath respect to the several members: but he is oft call'd the Head of the Chtholick Church, Ephes. 1. 22. & 4. 15. Colos. 1. 18. & 2. 19. Ephes. 5. 23. The Head of such a Body, is a commoner phrase, than the Head of the hand or foot. 2. Because it is expressely called [the Body of Christ] which title is not given to any particular Church, it being but part of the Body, vers. 27. 3. It is such a Church that's here spoken of, to which was given [Apostles, Prophets, Teachers, Miracles, Healings, Helps, Governments, Tongues, &c.] vers. 28. 8, 9, 10. But all particular Churches had not all these; and it's doubtfull whether Corinth had all that's here mentioned. 4. It is that Church which all are Baptized into, Jews and Gentiles, bond and free: But that is onelyonly into the Universal Church. The Spirit doth not baptize, or enter men first, or directly into a particular Church; no nor the Baptisme of water neither alwayes, nor primarily. The scope of the Chapter, and of the like discourse of the same Apostle Ephes. 4. do shew, that it's the Catholick Church that is here spoken of.
The sense of the Text then lieth in this Doctrine.
Doct. The Ʋniversal Church being the Body of Christ is but One, and all true Christians are the Members of which it doth consist.
Here are two Propositions: First, That the Catholick Church is but One. Secondly, That all Christians are Members of it, even all that by the One Spirit are Baptized into it. These are both so plain in the Text, that were not men perverse or very blind, it were superfluous to say any more to prove them. And for the former Propositions, [That the Catholick Church is but One] we are all agreed in it. And therefore I will not needlesly trouble you with answering such Objections as trouble not the Church, which are fetcht from the difference of the Jewish Church, and the Gentile Church, (or strictly Catholick) or between the called (the true members) and the Elect uncalled; or between the Church militant and triumphant.
And as for the second Proposition, [That the Catholick Church consisteth of all Christians, as its Members] it is plain in this Text, and many more. It is all that (heartily) say Jesus is the Lord, vers. 3. and all that are baptized by one Spirit into the Body, vers. 13. and all that Paul wrote to, and such as they: And yet some of them were guilty of division, or schism it self, and many errours and crimes, which Paul at large reprehendeth them for. The Galatians were members of this Church (Gal. 3. 26, 27, 28, 29.) for all their legal conceits and errours, and for all that they dealt with Paul as an enemy for telling them the truth. This Church consisteth of all that have the [One Spirit, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all, &c.] and of all that [have so learned Christ, as to put off the old man, and to be renewed in the Spirit of their minds, and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse, Ephes: 4. 4, 5, 6, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.] This Church consisteth of all that Christ is a Saviour of, and that are Subject unto Christ, and for whom he gave himself, that he might sanctifie and cleanse them by the washing of water by the Word,] Ephes. 5. 23, 24, 25, 26. It containeth all such as the Romans then were to whom Paul wrote, Rom. 12. 4, 5. however differing among themselves to the censuring of each other. It containeth in it all such as shall be saved, Act. 2. 47. These things are beyond all just dispute.
When I say, that [All Christians are members of the Catholick Church.] I must further tell you, that men are called Christians, either because they are truly and heartily the Disciples of Christ; or else because they seem so to be by their Profession. The first are such Christians as are justified and sanctified, and these constitute the mystical Body of Christ, or the Church as invisible: Professours of this inward true Christianity, do constitute the Church as visible to men. Professors of some pieces only of Christianity, leaving out or denying any Essential part of it, are not Professors of Christianity truly, and therefore are no members of the visible Church: And therefore we justly exclude the Mahometans.
And whereas it is a great Question, Whether Hereticks are Members of the Catholick Church? The answer is easie: Contend not about a word. If by a Heretick, you mean a man that denieth, or leaves out any essential part of Christianity, he is no member of the Church: But if you extend the word so farre as to apply it to those that deny not, or leave not out any essential part of Christianity, then such Hereticks are members of the Church. It is but the perversness of mens spirits exasperated by disputation, that makes the Papists so much oppose our distinction of the Fundamentals of Religion, from the rest: when at other times they confesse the thing in other words themselves. By the Fundamentals we mean the Essentials of the Christian Faith, or Religion: And do they think indeed that Christianity hath not its essential parts? Sure they dare not deny it, till they say, it hath no Essence, and so is nothing, which an Infidel will not say? Or do they think, that every revealed truth, which we are bound to believe, is essential to our Christianity? Sure they dare not say so, till they either think that no Christian is bound to believe any more than he doth believe, or that he is a Christian that wants an essential part of Christianity, or that Christianity is as many several things, as there be persons that have several degrees of faith or knowledge in all the world. For shame therefore lay by this senslesse cavil: and quarrel not with the light by partial zeal, lest you prove your cause thereby to be darknesse. But if you perceive a difficulty (as who doth not, though it be not so great as some would make it) in discerning the Essential parts from the Integrals, do not therefore deny the unquestionable distinction, but joyn with us for a fuller discovery of the difference.
In a few words [Every man that doth heartily Believe in God the Father, Sonne and holy Ghost, by a faith that worketh by love, is a true Christian. Or [Every one that taketh God for his onelyonly God, that is, his Creator, Lord, Ruler, and felicity, or end, and Jesus Christ for his only Redeemer, that is, God and man; that hath fulfilled all righteousnesse, and given up himself to death on the crosse, in sacrifice for our sinnes, and hath purchased and promised us pardon, and grace, and everlasting life; and hath risen from the dead, ascended into Heaven, where he is Lord of the Church, and Intercessour with the Father, whose laws we must obey, and who will come again at last to raise and judge the world, the righteous to everlasting life, and the rest to everlasting punishment: and that taketh the holy Ghost for his sanctifier, and believeth the Scriptures given by his inspiration, and sealed by his works, to be the certain Word of God.] This man is a true Christian, and a member of the Catholick Church; which will be manifested, when he adjoyneth a holy, sober and righteous life, using all known means and duties, especially Baptisme at first, the Lords Supper afterward, Prayer, confession, praise, meditation, and hearing the word of God, with a desire to know more, that his obedience may be full: living under Christs Ministers, and in Communion of Saints, denying himself, mortifying the flesh and world: living in Charity and Justice to man: He that doth this is a true Christian, and shall be saved, and therefore a member of the Catholick Church as invisible: And he that professeth all this, doth professe himself a true Christian, and if he null not that profession, is a member of the Catholick Church as visible. These things are plain, and in better dayes were thought sufficient.
He that hath all that is contained but in the ancient Creed, the Lords Prayer and ten Commandments, with Baptisme and the Lords Supper, in his head, and heart, and life, is certainly a member of the Catholick Church. In a word, it is no harder to know, who is a member of this Church, then it is to know, who is a Christian. Tell me but what Christinity is, and I will soon tell you how a Church member may be known.