A Survey of the Sum of Church Discipline, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Of the Church Ʋniversall, as it is Totum Integrale.
ANd to deale candidly in this as in the former course of our dispute, we professe our ayme in this inquiry is, onelyonly to give in what evidence we can, to the clearer discovery of the Truth. For I cannot find any expressions in Master Rutherford that fully fasten this sense upon any passage of his dispute, and it is not in my thoughts to father any thing upon him, beside what he fully expresseth.
For our more cleere and direct proceeding, I shall take leave to inquire. 1. What is meant by a Catholike visible Church taken in this sense, as Totum integrale.
2. Whether such a Church is to be found in the New Testament.
3. Whether the Lord Christ hath set Officers here, as in their first subject; and to them so set, the power of the keyes doth firstly appertaine.
To the first.
That the Catholike Church hath some time such a respect, as Totum integrale, I now and then find amongst Authors. Ames Medull. lib. 1. c. 32. par. 5.
Ecclesia particularis respectu Ecclesiae Catholicae, quae habet rationem integri, est membrum.
His meaning is, if we look at particular members and particular Churches as aggregated together, that which results and ariseth from the confluence and concurrence of them all, we put the respect of Totum integrale upon it, and so it is called ecclesia Catholica.
And for the right discerning of this, and differencing of some considerations about it, The Reader must take notice that three things are to be attended for the distinct understanding of this Totum, that he may sever it from former respects, unto which we have spoken and discerne the nature of it from the generall nature of a Church, between which there is an exceeding vast difference.
1. Then, the particular persons and Congregations, the members of this Church Catholike taken in this notion and consideration, containe in them the essentiall causes of it, out of which it ariseth, and is constituted: Whereas Totum universale contrariwise containes and communicates causes to particular Churches.
2. Hence, these particular persons and Churches are, and must be in nature before this Totum integrale i. e. This Catholike Church thus aggregated: and this followes from the former, in so much as the causes are in nature before the effect.
3. Hence this totum in proper and precise consideration, though it be ever with its members, yet is distinct from them, as that which ariseth out of them. As a man is neither body nor soule, but an integrum, a third rising out of them both.
The Reader must carry these along with him, because haply we shall have recourse to them, as occasion shall require.
The second things to be inquired, is,
Whether this Church is to be found in the New Testament.
When this Quaere was presented unto Master Rutherford by way of Objection, thus, You cannot demonstrate out of the Scripture, that there is such a thing in the New Testament as a Catholike visible Church.
He answers in these words, Lib. 2.418.
I conceive the subject of 1 Cor. 12. is a Catholike visible Church; we do not understand a politicall visible body, with ordinary visible government from one man, who maketh himselfe the Vicar of Christ, the Pope, whose members are Cardinals, Bishops, and such like, but the Catholike body mysticall of Christ, and that as visible.
We see here Master Rutherf. his expressions presented before us; but what his meaning is, I confesse, I cannot cleerely perceive, as,
1. What is the meaning of that phrase, mysticall as visible.
2. What is the thing intended by it.
1. I do not readily conceive his mind in such an expression; we understand the body mysticall of Christ as invisible. For the mysticall body of Christ, in common and current sense is constantly taken for the invisible body of our Saviour. Now to consider an invisible body as visible doth implicate plainely; and is, as if a man should say, I will consider whitenesse as it is black, and therefore this seemes not to be his mind: but it may be he takes mysticall in another figurative meaning: or haply the expression is mis-printed. It sufficeth to point at it, to occasion further explication.
2. What is the thing here intended, is as hard to find out fully.
When I observed that he puts visible in a kind of equal breadth and latitude with mysticall: That being Totum integrale of all the parts aggregated, I could not but imagine, his intendment was to take visible in the same sense. Beside Lib. 2 pag. 222. I find him distinguishing the Pastors of particular Congregations from the Pastors of the Catholike Church, whereas had he taken Catholike for universall, then the Pastors of one must be the Pastors of the other. For genus is only existing in its species, and there only can be seene, and so consequently attended.
These are probabilities which sway my judgement that way. But I find also that sometimes he puts in the word universall to expresse his meaning of the place. And this casts the ballance the other way. So that I cannot say, he meaneth by Catholike Church visible, a totum integrale. And therefore I shall not oppose it as his sense, but onelyonly dispute against it, as not the sense of the place; and that these Reasons following perswade me for the present.
1. Arg.
That Church is meant in 1 Cor. 12. in which God sets Teachers, Helps, Governments as ordinary Officers firstly, vers. 28.
But he sets not these firstly in the Catholike Church visible, as totum aggregatum, (before explicated.)
The Assumption, where onelyonly the doubt lies, is thus proved. Because the setting of the officers in the Church (I speak now of those which are ordinary) is by the Election of the people, and therefore this setting and officers set must be there, where the election is: this election or call being the foundation, whence the relation between Pastors and people results, and so become in relation one to another, gives mutuall being each to other, are together one with another.
But clear it is that election is in the particular Churches, Act. 14.23. Act. 6.5. Tit. 1.5. and therefore there these ordinary officers are firstly set by God.
Argum. II.
In what Church Pastors are firstly set, over them they have firstly and primarily Pastorlike power in preaching, ruling, and dispensing the acts of their office. The nature of the office, Gods charge and command, the end at which they must aim, and for which sent, evinceth this. Act. 20.21. 1 Pet. 5.2.
But ordinary Teachers hatve not this pastorall and officiall power over the Catholick Church, as will thus appear.
Those whose power by the Law and order of Christ may be refused in all congregations, but in their own particular; They by no law of Christ have right of pastorall power in any, but in their own particular charges and Churches; otherwise the Lord Christ should set a man in his office, and by rule and law others may for ever refuse the exercise and power of his office over whom he is set.
But the power of ordinary Pastors may by law and order of Christ, be justly refused in all congregations beside their own. As suppose all congregations have Pastors of their own, they may justly refuse any to preach, or exercise any Jurisdiction amongst them.
Whereas he that hath power to preach as a Pastor, he hath authority to enjoin those, who are his flock, to attend him, though they should refuse it: yea to exercise his office, though they do not desire it. For it is not read in any Gospell, that the Lord Christ hangs the performance of a Teachers office upon others desires, but upon his own duty, with which he stands charged with by vertue of his place.
For I might lastly here adde (though many other reasons are at hand, yet I will not multiply, because I know not Mr. Rutherford his minde in this behalfe, and I would not trouble the Reader without cause) I say, I may here adde; If a man be a Pastor to all Churches beside his own particular: Then he is either the same Pastor to both, or another and diverse. This last none will own; therefore he must be the same to both; and he that hath the same pastorall office, he hath the same power and jurisdiction in both, stands in the same manner bound to both, because right of Jurisdiction issues from his office-call.
These mists then being removed, the meaning of the Apostle is this; God hath set in his Church, i. e. in a Congregation existing in its particulars, and so in all particular congregations, the extraordinary and ordinary officers, according to the extraordinary and ordinary occasions thereof; and this sense suits with that, which we explicated in the first part of this dispute, touching a Catholick visible Church as Totum universale; and hence that quaere which carries the only difficulty with it receives a full satisfaction, l. 2. p. 401.
This indefinite speech (sayes Mr. Rutherford) must by good logick have the vertue either of one universall, or a particular proposition: If they say the first, we have what we crave: if they say the second, they fall into the former absurdity, for God hath placed Apostles in the whole Christian world.
Answ. If Mr. Rutherford crave no more but this, that every particular congregation should be the species of a Congregation, we willingly grant him his desire: but to affirme, that the reason is the same of Totum aggregatum, is as far wide, as east is from the west. And that his cause gains nothing by this grant, is plain: for thus the nature of a Church exists only, acts only, is to be seen only in the particulars, doth equally and firstly communicate his nature to the particulars, so that no Church hath more power then another, nor yet power over another, having upon this ground and grant an independent power of its owne: As each species hath firstly and independently the nature of the genus, which so existing in it, comes to be confined to it, and wholly to be ordered by it. As we shall give in evidence, by instance of many particulars, that we may relieve the Reader thereby.
Thus the common nature of a Corporation exists in all particular congregations, and so its common to all to have Major and Common-councell, (I speak ex supposito) which government and Governours existing in and determined by the particulars, have only power in their own place: The Major and councell can exercise no authority in another corporation. To reason therefore thus, if the nature of a corporation be common to all, and the King hath set Major and common-councell in all and every one of them, therefore the Major of one, may rule in another corporation; I say such an inference, will in no wise follow.
The like may be said of like example. All states set Generals, Colonels, Captains in their Armies: The king sets constables in all Towns; Sheriffes in all Countyes. If any shall reason thus, If this be common to all Towns to have Constables, Sheriffs in all Countyes; therefore a Constable may exercise his office in another Towne, or a Sheriffe in another County: each mans experience will give in evidence to the contrary. And the ground of the Argument taken from the community of the nature of such things, will not inforce it, but inferre the contrary, if seriously considered.
The sense of the Text thus opened, the Arguments gathered out of the severall verses will easily receive their answer: This then is the sense, as hath been proved A congregation or Church existing in his particulars is the Church here meant, and therefore all particular congregations are here intended.
And its true, that in all particular congregations (those extraordinary gifts and miracles being now ceased) there be the ordinary officers of Teachers, Helps, Governments, &c.
2. Its true of all particular congregations, that they are one body in themselves, and are one in the common nature of the Church, and these take in all visibly baptized into one Spirit.
3. Its true that in all these particular congregations all Jews and Gentiles are comprehended, that come within the pale of the visible Church. For the whole nature of the generall exists in the particulars.
4. Its true, that the members of each particular congregation have need each of other, and one particular Church of the help of another, as occasion shall require.
5. Its true of all particular congregations, that their members should not make a schisme one from another.
6. Its true of all particular congregations, that the members do and should especially care one for another, and suffer one with another.
7. Its true of all particular congregations, that by immediate commission God set Apostles, whose power of rule reacheth to them all, but ordinary officers he hath fixed to their particular places and stations, each one in the individuall congregation by the which he was called, and over whom he is appointed.
We have now done with our inquiry touching the Catholick visible Church: we shall remind the Reader of two things, which may be of speciall use, and so we shall put an end to this dispute.
I.
1. From the foregoing discourse he may discerne, wherein especially the opinion of Mr. Rutherford appears, touching this Catholick visible Church, with any certainty. As namely, Its certain that Mr. Rutherford holds the power af the keyes belongs firstly to the Catholick Representative Church; for to this purpose his words are most expresse. l. 2. p. 305. The power of the keyes by order of nature, is onelyonly in the Catholick representative Church, as in the first subject.
2. Its not to me certain, what he holds touching the Catholike visible Church, considered either as Totum universale, or Integrale: what probabilities his expressions carry either way, we have formerly intimated out of severall places: and therefore I think it most faire, to fasten nothing upon him, unlesse his words were fully and conclusively clear.
Lastly its certain, that if the power of the keyes be in the Catholike representative Church, as the first subject, they cannot belong firstly to the Catholick Church, either as Totum universale or integrale: The distance and difference betwixt these three according to former explication is so great and vast.
II.
Againe let me remind the Reader, what light the truth hath gained, if we look at it, as laid forth in the right frame of it. As thus.
1. The common nature of a Church, and so the nature of officers in that proportion, are only existing, acting, and become visible in the particulars, as their species.
2. Hence all officers and office-power, as the nature of the Church, so their nature, is equally, firstly, independently, communicated to all particular congregations: so that they do not receive office nor office power, one particular from another, or more particulars, because all particulars share in all equally and firstly, as species pertake of the nature of a Genus.
3. Hence it is not lawfull for the Churches to give away this their power unto others, nor lawfull for others to take it away from them. And therefore they should not, by combining themselves with others lose this, nor should other Churches, by combination take this power from them, in whole or in part.