The Cry of a Stone, Section 1
Of the eſſentiall marks and notes of the viſible Church.
THere is nothing that can rightly be deſcribed by any SECT. 1.ſpeciall Ornaments or priviledges thereof, but hee that will make a true and proper definition of any thing, muſt deſcribe it by ſuch properties as are ſo eſſentiall to the thing, as that being there, they make it to be that it is, and being abſent, it ceaſeth to be any more the ſame.
The Church is often compared to a houſe, yea, called Gods 1. Tim. 3. 15.Houſe: Now, no man can deſcribe a houſe by the ornaments and furniture thereof, but onelyonly by the matter and forme; both which being together, there is indeed a houſe, but if either be abſent, the houſe cannot be.
Indeed, when materials are framed, wee ſometimes ſay, there is a houſe, though no forme appeare; but ſuch ſpeaking is improper, and it may rather be ſaid, there is ſtuffe for a houſe, then a houſe indeed: ſo in regard of the true materials of the Church, the people of God. whoſe hearts are framed to holineſſe and ſanctitie, dwelling here and there in the world, and never combining into a body, nor, perhaps, knowing they ſhould ſo doe, may yet be ſaid in an improper kind of ſpeaking, to be the Church of God; but this cannot be ſaid, but of the Church in generall and univerſall, combined and knit together by one ſpirit, partakers of one hope, and expecters of one glory.
For touching the viſible Church, which preſents it ſelfe to the outward eye, the caſe is otherwiſe; and we may not account all viſible Chriſtians a viſible Church; for by a viſible Church▪ wee meane a company or congregation aſſembling together. Now, a man may be a viſible Chriſtian▪ and never come at ſuch an aſſembly, much leſſe be a joyned member in the policie thereof.
Neither doe we meane that every aſſembly or congregation is the Church of God, though the word be indifferently uſed; for there is Pſal. 26. 5. Act. 19. 41.the Church of evill doers, and there is a Church of tumultuous railers.
In a word, the viſible Church of Chriſt, is a company of people externally The viſible Church deſcribed.holy, or called Saints which combine and meet together, intending to performe the whole will and worſhip of God, according as it is or ſhall be revealed to them.
I ſay they are a company; for one man cannot be a Church, but there muſt be two or three at leaſt, and not above ſuch a number, as Matth. 18. 20.may ordinarily meet together, and theſe muſt be externally holy, that is, ſuch as by their faith and converſation appeare unto men to be Gods children and his elect; for of the heart onelyonly God muſt be the judge; and if the profeſſion be ſound and the converſation honeſt in the outward appearance and manifeſtation, wee have not to doe to 1 Cor. 1. 2. Phil. 1. 7. 1 Theſ. 1. 4.examine any further, but ought in charitie to judge men to be ſuch as outwardly they appeare, leaving ſecret things to God.
I ſay further, that theſe Saints muſt combine and aſſemble together, and that not by compulſion or accident, but voluntarily covenant and 1 Cor. 14. 26. Pſal. 110. 3. Heb. 10. 25. 1 Theſ. 5. 14. Tit. 1. 9. 10.gather together to performe with heart and tongue the whole will and worſhip of God for the building up of themſelves in all the knowne wayes of God, comforting the feeble minded, helping the weake, rectify the ſtragler, and convince the oppoſite.
I ſay (intending to performe the whole will of God) for they may at the firſt be ignorant of many things appertaining to the ſervice Mat. 20. 22.of God, and yet be the Church of God: for it is with a Church in her minority, as with a Chriſtian at his firſt converſion, who hath onelyonly a generall reſolution to doe the whole will of God, but the particulars Acts 9. 6. & 10. 33.of that obedience, hee performeth by ſteps and degrees, as hee commeth to learne and underſtand them: ſo a company of godly men may become a Church, and performe with ſinceritie and modeſtie, ſuch things as they know and underſtand at the firſt, and when God giveth them further knowledge and meanes, to proceed to other practiſes, as the Chriſtian women in Philippi, who at the firſt aſſembled together, having (as it ſeemeth) no other exerciſe but Prayer, and yet afterward there was a very compleate and famous Church of Acts 16. 13. Phil. 1. 2.Saints, having both Biſhops and Deacons.
Whereſoever therefore there is an aſſembly of godly men knit together, and performing the worſhip of God (though but in part) it may truly be ſaid of them, as Iacob ſaid of the ſervants of God, when he ſaw them marching ſo diligently, this is none other then Beth-el, Gen. 28. 12. 17.the houſe of God, this is a proper viſible Church.
And whereſoever other aſſemblies are, then of faithfull Chriſtians, whatſoever ordinances of God they have, yet they ſtand them in no more ſtead then circumciſion did the Sichemites, but ſo often as they Gen. 34. 25.take up the name of God, and performe any religious ſervice unto him, whileſt they hate to be reformed, ſo often they are guilty of uſurpation Pſal. 50. 16, 17.and intruſion upon that which appertaineth not to them, and are manifeſt takers of Gods name in vaine, whom he will not hold guiltleſſe.Exod. 20. 7.
They therefore are much miſtaken, who deſcribe and marke out the Church by the Ordinances; for as circumciſion availed not the Sichemites, nor the Arke of God the Philiſtims, even ſo the moſt glorious 1 Sam. 5. 4, 9.Ordinances of God being uſed by ſuch as are not his children, are as a Parable in the mouth of a foole, and ſo farre they are from making wicked men Gods Church, as that the more they uſe them before they Prov. 15. 8.have faith and grace, the greater is their ſinne, and the further off they are from being either Gods Church or children.
The preaching of the Word can be no mark of the viſible Church, otherwiſe than as it is an effectual inſtrument to prepare men therunto; 1 King. 18. 19. 25. and 22. 19. Acts 17. 22, Io…. 3. 4, 5. 1 Pet. 3. 19, 20.for it was preached amongſt Baals Prophets, and amongſt the Athenians, Ninivites, Babylonians, &c. yet were neither of theſe Gods Church or people. Noah preached powerfully to the old world, yet were they not Gods Church. The Turks and Indians have had the Word preached to them, yet no man will ſay they are the viſible Church of Chriſt, neither can the Sacraments be any marke of the Church at all, ſince they make nothing to be which was not the ſame before, but onelyonly The Word and Sacraments no markes of the viſible Church.confirme ſomething which before was. A Spaniſh Frier with a ſcoupe baptized a thouſand ſilly Indians at one time, which were drawne together by a ſtratagem, were theſe now any thing the more Gods Church; and if he ſhould have given them the other Sacrament alſo, had it availed any thing the more, or if in ſtead of this Frier there had been one of the moſt godlieſt Miniſters in all Europe, had it not beene all one, ſo long as the people had not faith nor grace? ſo that it is plain, that holy people, and not holy ordinances give the being to the viſible Church, & it is no more an argument to prove a company of carnall and irreligious people to be Gods Church, becauſe they have amongſt them his ſacred ordinances, then a true mans purſe in the hand of a thiefe is an argument to prove a thiefe a true man.