The Government of the Churches of Christ, Book 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
That the Institution of Particular Churches is not virtual only, or Secondary, and Dependent on the Charter given to the Church Universal, but immediate and proper to them, as Particular Churches.
THEY, who assert the General Church to be a Political Body, seem to be divided into those two several ways of explaining it. 1. That it cometh to be a Political Body Ascendendo, so making a Congregation to be Ecclesia prima, a Church first designed in the Institution, and which the Institution falleth upon; but yet, that by the vertue of the same Commission, that Saints make up a particular Church, many Churches may make up one Church, and more of those Churches may make up a greater Church, for Appeals, &c. And so by the like reason, the Universal Church cometh to be a Political Body, the National, or Provincial Churches, being but Ecclesiae ortae, removes from and representations of those that are Ecclesiae primae, the first Churches which are Congregations. This opinion, I shall consider, when I come to discourse of the Nature of Synods, and their Subordination.
2. Others form the Institution to be descendendo, as asserting the first principal Charter, to be given to the Church Universal, so as that is by Institution first a Church, and particular Congregations have it but by a derived right, as lesser Leases have their's out of a greater Charter. And the reason that is given, is this, that when the Church Universal was but so many (or if it were again reduced to so small a number) as might meet in one place, they met by vertue of being the Church Universal; but that it afterwards was multiplied to so many, as that they must meet in several places, which is the occasion of forming particular Churches, this is accidental and occasional, and so they are to be regarded as one Church still, and so that first fundamental Institution goes on. For number or multiplication of Churches, is not the object of God's Institution; for God ordained not first that Churches should be many. If these many particular Churches are fram'd, it is with Proviso, and Sub conditione; namely, only when they are so far multiplied. Nor did Christ give such command, that when they did arise to such a number, they should make several Churches, only necessity doth that, which yet still proceeds by vertue of the general grant.
But to refute this, consider, 1. That if there had been a time in which the Universal Church was so small under the New Testament, living also together as they might have met in one place, they had not met by vertue of their being the Universal Church, or being a Mystical body to Christ, as the Church Universal is: For they had been a Church Mystical unto Christ, tho' they had not so met, even as the Church Mystical now is a Body to Christ, though it never doth thus meet. Yea, those Saints who then made this Church Universal, might have Worshipped apart, and singly, and God might have ordered it so; therefore that they should meet, and meet together fixedly for supernatural Ends, and Ordinances, this dependeth over and above, upon a special Will of God superadded to this Universal Church as such. If therefore when the Universal Church was no more than could meet in one place, it must have had for those fixed Meetings, and the priviledges of them, a Divine appointment, and if it met then, it must be by vertue of a special Institution: Then afterward, when it was divided into many Congregations, they must meet by a special Divine Institution too. If the Universal Church was no more than could meet in one, yet they must then have, for those fixed meetings, met by a special Institution and Priviledges, and afterward when they are many, they met by the same special Institution also; and so what at first suited their condition, when they were no more than could meet in one place, suiteth their condition afterward, when they are multiplied.
2. They could not then meet Qua Universal Catholick Church, for the Universal Catholick Church, is called such in respect of it's being in all Nations, both Jews and Gentiles. Whereas the Institution of a particular Church is the same, whether there be no more Saints, than can meet in one place at once, or whether there be more. When they are many, those many do set up several Congregations upon the same special ground that the Universal Church did set up a Meeting. And the Universal Church did so meet in a Congregation, by a special superadded ground over and above their being a Church Universal, for it further depended upon God's Will, that they should all meet thus together fixedly, for they might have met but occasionally some times, and they might have met in several companies, or they might have Worshipped privately, and God's Ordinance might only have been so administred; for if they meet for these Ordinances qua Church Universal, then in Heaven they should meet for them too. So then that they should meet in one fixed Society for publick Worship, is by Institution. And
2. This Institution of meeting together, was rather made, and suited for the Saints when multiplied, than in respect of their being one body, as an Universal Church.
For 1. Under the New Testament there was never a time (that we know of) after the Jewish Law came to be dissolved, that this Universal Church could meet in one, for although not at Hierusalem, yet surely in whole Judea there were more scatter'd up and down, than could have met in one place.
2. Under the New, Testament, when the Church Universal is multiplied to all Nations, (in respect of which it is called the Church Catholick, by way of distinction from the Jews) then it is so scattered, as that they cannot meet together, no not by way of Representation. So as indeed this pretended principle, that Institutions should mainly fall upon the Church Universal, is such as was never practised, nor extant de facto, neither at first nor at last.
Then 3. We may observe that God did frame the Institution of his Churches, according to what, in the Wisdom of his Counsel, he hath determined, and foresaw would fall out. His Institutions are such, as he in Wisdom knew would best suit the condition of Saints in all Ages to come, under the Gospel. He therefore ordered particular Congregations, as the most commodious Seat of publick Worship, Government, and Order, and as the best, and fittest security to preserve the Saints from Scandal, and also the means of maintaining among them, the most intire kind of Communion, which could be attained.
That particular Congregations do not meet as Assemblies for publick Worship and Ordinances, by vertue of a Charter given first to the Church Ʋniversal, is evident from these Reasons.
1. If they do meet by vertue of the general Charter of the Church Universal, and they needed no other Warrant than that: Then if they meet occasionally only, some Saints together at one time, and others at another, and not fixedly, whether for Government or Worship, they do thereby satisfie the Obligation they have, by vertue of the general Warrant. And indeed, to make running Churches, and Societies of Saints, up and down in the World, would more satisfie the obligation of the general Charter, and come up more nearly to it: Therefore for them to have a fixed special Tye to particular Churches in a constant way, when the Churches are many, must needs be by a further special Institution.
2. If they thus meet by vertue of their being the Church Universal, then they met by vertue of it only in all times, and then afore the Law was given; and so the same Government, that is now pleaded for, from the Notion of the Church Universal, should have been then. And then likewise after the Law, the Jews should have met by the Law of the Church-Catholick; And if so, there should be now the like meeting for publick Worship of the whole Church, as was then, viz. three times a year. Was their meeting by vertue of their Catholick Communion, or as they were a Nation? As they were a Nation surely: For if multitudes out of other Nations had been converted, they had not been, (as the Ninevites, and the like, where they had not been bound to the Ceremonial Law, neither were the Jews themselves, that lived out of the Land dispersed) bound to come up to the Synedrim. And suppose that they had been the Church Universal, yet that they were cast into a National way, was by Institution, over and above that universal consideration, as they were the Seed of Abraham.
3. If the Institution of a particular Church, depend on the Charter first given to the Church Universal, then where there are more of Believers, and more of Elders, there would be more of the keys, if they had them by vertue of the Universal Church; for why? there would be more of the Universal Church in such a Body. The Institution therefore must fall primarily upon their being a particular Body to Christ, meeting in his Name, by his special Commission, though the Persons be but two or three, that is a few in number, which argues, that he doth not put his Institution barely upon their Membership, or Station in the Church Universal, but upon the Formality of their being his Body thus united; his Blessing is given to them, as formed up by Institution, whether they be Saints more or fewer, as among the Jews also it was in their Cities and Towns, as well as they were a Commonwealth in their Nation.
According to this Asserted Charter of the Church Universal, when as he saith, tell the Church, Matth. 18. 19. it should be meant primarily, of the Church Universal, for the Institution and Rule for Church proceedings, would fall first upon it. But he speaks plainly of a particular Church, (and the Christian Church, being as then to be gathered, when he uttered it; if he would have made a Charter to the Universal, then had been the fittest time to have exprest it) for he declareth his Institution there, when he had but a few Disciples about him, and those with him, and yet declareth his Institution for all Ages, to tell it to that next Church, whereof a Man is a Brother. And if the Church Universal had been intended here, then the Church of the Jews had not been intended as the pattern; which would overthrow the main Assertion of our Presbyterian Brethren.
5. The truth is, that the meeting of the Universal, is but occasional, for in all the Ages, that the Church was to run through, it hath seldom been, yea, could never be: And when that which we call General Councils have been, they were rather for matter of Doctrine, than for Government, or for Appeals about persons, and that the Institution could not fall upon. It's true in Matth. 16. 18. the word Church is taken indefinitely, and for the Church Universal; but yet not as an Institution Political, therefore he doth not say, he will give the keys to it, but unto Peter, as Representing both Saints and Ministers, to be divided into several Bodies, as afterwards Christ should appoint it.