A Gospel Church Described, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. T… … consider'd in its Names. 2. It …ture. 3. Whether the Church or M… stry be first in order of Nature. 4. Of Church Invisible and Visible, &c.
First. LET us first consider the Ch… in those Names, Titles and E… thets that are given to it in Holy Scriptu… It is called by our Saviour, Mat. 16.… foreign, On this Rock I will build my Ch… According to the Notation of the Greek wo… it signifies an Assembly called together, a… comes from the Hebrew, Kahal, which sign… fies to be Congregated, or Gather'd togethe… The Word signifies, 1. Any Multitude g… thered together into one place, for any Cause as Acts 19.32. The Assembly was confused foreign, the Church was confused. 2. Ye… its put for a Company of Malignant Wicke… Men, as here; and, Psal. 26.5. The Congregation of evil doers, Heb. Kahal. 2. For Christians Assembled together to Worship God 1 Cor. 14.34. 3. For the Glorified Saints i… Heaven, Heb. 12.23. 4. For the Rulers and Pastors of the Church, as distinct from the Flock, Mat. 18.17. Tell the Church, i. e. the Pastors and Rulers of the Church, in whose Hands the Governing-Power is Lodged. 5. For the Faithful in one Family, Rom. 16.5. 6. For … Particular Church, Rev. 2.1. both Rulers …d Ruled Pastor and People. The Word …hurch is now Peculiarly Appropriated to …gnifie a Society standing Related to God, … his Covenant People, and that both, … their Assemblies together, and when they …re apart; and that whether they be the U…iversal Society of God's People, the Whole …hurch, or Particular Societies, as Parts of …e Whole.
Farthermore, This Church hath other Ti…es and Epithets given it in Scripture: 1. The …hurch is called the People of God, 1 Pet. 2.…0. 2. The Sons of God, Gen. 6. 1 John … 1, 2. 3. A Righteous Nation, which keep …e Truth, Isa. 26.2. 4. The Saints of the …ost High, Dan. 7.8. 5. A Chast Virgin, the …ouse of Christ, 2 Cor. 11.2. The Wife … the Lamb, i. e. of Christ, Rev. 19.7.
The House of the Living God. 7. The …llar and Ground of Truth, 1 Tim. 3.15.
A Chosen Generation, a Royal Priesthood, … Holy Nation, a Peculiar People, with ma… other.
II. Let us now consider the Nature of this …urch; It is not a Worldly, but Spiritual Socie…, united together, not by Human, or Civil, but …cred Bonds; not for Worldly Ends, but …e Glory of God, and their own Spiritual …ification, and Eternal Salvation. But, the …ter to consider the Nature of this Heavenly Society the Church, we must consider… under those Various Notions, whereby it… usually Represented to us, i. e. as Invisible o… Visible, Triumphant or Militant, Catholick… Universal, or Particular.
III. But before we come to these Distinct… ons of the Church, let us give some Light… that Question so often put, whether the Ch… or Ministry, as Related to each other, are fir… in Order of Nature; some have fancy'd, the he that is Pastor of a Church, should first be a Member of that Church; and, according to that Notion, the Church must be before the Ministry: but, if so, How came that to be… Church? The Preaching of the Gospels… the Means appointed by God, to Con… Persons to Christ, and so Plant Church… Faith comes by Hearing, Rom. 10.17.… there been no Ministry, we cannot, accord… to this Order, see, how there could be… Churches. Christ first set up a Gospel Mini… before any Church was Planted; the Apo… and Seventy Disciples, Luke 9.1, 2, 3.… Luke 10.1. These went up and down Prea… ing the Gospel, and Converted many to Ch… which were afterwards gather'd into Chur… So that though the Church be the end of… Ministry, and in Design before it, yet t… may be a Ministry whereas yet there is… Church; and, as the Church is to be Gath… and Planted by the Ministry of the Word, … that Ministers may, and sometimes must,… …t apart by Solemn Ordination, when as yet …hey may have no Particular Church to fix in; …ut, to Preach the Gospel, in order to Con…ert Men to Christ: But, of the Nature of a Gospel-Ministry I shall speak afterwards.
IV. Now let us consider the Church as it is Invisible or Visible.
1. Let us consider the Nature of the Invisible Church.
The Church, as Invisible, is the Whole Number of the Elect, effectually Called by God out of a state of Sin, to Faith in Christ, by the Word and Spirit of God, according to his own Good Pleasure, Uniting them to Christ their Spiritual Head, whereby they partake of Grace here, and Glory hereafter, to the Praise and Glory of God's Free Grace.
Now, in this Description of the Church Invisible, you may observe, 1. The Author, 2. The Matter, 3. Form, 4. The Head, 5. The End of the Church.
1. The Author, is God, Father, Son and Spirit. God the Father Elects and Ordains to Eternal Life, as the End; and to Holiness, as the Means conducing to that end, Eph. 1.4. He hath chosen us in him, before the Foundation of the World, that we should be holy and without blame before him in Love.
The Lord Jesus Christ he Redeems us from Sin and Hell, by his Precious Blood, Ephes. 1.7. In whom we have Redemption by his precious Blood, the Remission of Sins: The Holy Spirit he Sanctifies us, Unites us to Christ, and fi… for Heaven.
2. The Matter of the Invisible Church, … that is, Elected and truly Regenerated Be… vers: Tho' a Credible Profession of Religi… be sufficient to make one a Member of t… Church Visible, yet nothing short of Real U… on with Christ will make one a Member of… Church Invisible. The Elect themselves,… fore they Believe, are no otherwise Membe… but in God's Decree, 2 Thes. 2.13, 14. C… hath from the beginning chosen you to Salva… through Sanctification of the Spirit, and… of the Truth. 1 Pet. 2.5. Ye also as li… Stones, are built up a Spiritual House, an… Priesthood, to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices, … Thus none but Elect Converted Believers… the Matter of the Invisible Church.
3. The Form of this Invisible Church is… whereby the Elect Believing Members of… Church are United to Christ their Head;… that which is the Bands of our Union… Christ, is also the Form of the Invisible Chu… And what can that be but the Holy Spirit … Faith? By the Holy Spirit God immediate… takes us by the Heart, Ezek. 36.27. I will… my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in… ways, Ephes. 2.22. In whom also you are b… ed together, for an Habitation of God by the Sp… And, by Faith, which is the Believer's Inv… ble Hand, whereby the Believer takes hold… Christ, and is United to him, John 17.21.… … united to Christ by Faith, Epes. 3.17. Christ …ells in our heart by Faith, and by Love we are …ted one to another, John 13.35.
4. The Head of this Church is Christ, Eph. … 10. That he might gather together all things Christ, Vers. 22. hath given him to be Head …er all things to his Church. Ephes. 5.23. …rist is the Head of the Church. The End of …e Church is either Supream or Subordinate.
The Supream End is the Glory of God's …ee Grace and Mercy, Eph. 1.5. Who hath …edestinated us to the Adoption of Children by …sus Christ to himself, according to the good …asure of his Will, Vers. 6. to the Praise of …e Glory of his Grace.
The Subordinate End is the Salvation and …ernal Blessedness of the Church, and every …ember of it, 2 Thes. 2.13, 14. God hath … the beginning chosen us to Salvation, through …u…tification of the Spirit, and Belief of the …th.
Note the Church, thus consider'd, is said to … Invisible, not as Men, but as Elect, and cho… of God; for, though their Persons are vi…e, yet their Effectual Calling, their Grace, …liness and Union to Christ is Invisible; as they … Men, they are Visible to Men; but, as Saints, … they are only Visible to the Lord Christ, Tim. 2.19. The foundation of God standeth …e, having this seal, the Lord knoweth who are … The Church is, in this Respect, a Garden …osed, a Spring shut up, a Fountain sealed, …at. 4.12.
But the Church, thus consider'd, is not t… Rule we ought to go by in Gathering a… Planting Churches, nor in Admitting Me… bers; for, if we are to joyn with no Chur… but such as we are sure are all Real Saints,… nited to Christ by a Living Faith, we must th… never joyn with any; or Separate from… Churches on Earth, because the Church, as th… consider'd, ever hath been, still is, and… will be in this World Invisible.
Now this Invisible Church may yet be co… der'd as Triumphant or Militant; as Unive… sal or Catholick; or Particular,
1. The Invisible Church is called Tri… phant, as part of it is got to Heaven, and there Triumphing with Christ, having obta… ed a compleat Victory over the World, t… Flesh and the Devil.
This Triumphant Church consists of t… Spirits of Just Men made Perfect, toget… with the Blessed Angels, Heb. 12.22, 23,… Ye are come unto the Mount Zion, and unto the… of the living God; the Heavenly Jerusalem;… to an Innumerable Company of Angels. To… General Assembly and Church of the First-b… which are written in Heaven, to God the Ju… all, and to the Spirits of Just Men made p… &c. And Rev. 7.9— 15. I beheld, and… great Multitude, which no Man could number… all Nations, Kindreds and People, and Tong… stood before the Throne, and before the L… Cloathed with White Robes, and Palms in… h…s; and cryed with a loud voice, saying, Sal…on to our God. And if you would know … these are, the Question is Asked, Vers. 13. … Answer'd, Vers. 14. These are they which …e out of great Tribulation, and have washed … Robes, and made them White in the Blood of … Lamb.
…. It is said to be Militant, as part of it is … in this World, in a Suffering condition, …hting under the Cross of Christ, against … VVorld, the Flesh, and the Devil: Suffer…s being the usual Lot of God's Church in …s Vail of Misery; for Christ saith, If any …n will come after me, let him take up his …ss and follow me, Luke 9.23. and through …y Tribulations we must enter into the …gdom of God: With the Church thus con…er'd, God is Graciously Present, Isa. 43.1, …3. But now, thus saith the Lord, that created …e, O Jacob, and that formed thee, O Israel, fear …: for I have Redeemed thee, I have called …e by thy Name, thou art mine. VVhen thou …est through the VVaters, I will be with thee: …d through the Rivers, they shall not overflow …e: VVhen thou walkest through the Fire, thou …lt not be burnt; neither shall the Flame kindle …n thee: For I am the Lord thy God; the Holy …e of Israel, thy Saviour, &c.
3. The Church is called Catholick, because it …ot confined to one Family, Kingdom, or …tion; and tho' a Particular Church or …or may be term'd Catholick in respect of Soundness of Doctrin, but here the term … tholick Signifies the Church, as taking all… very Nation in the whole World; that… longs to Christ, as Acts 17.30. He comm… all Men every where to Repent. Acts 10.… 35. God is no respecter of Persons, but in… Nation him that fears God and worketh Righ… ness is accepted of him. The Church thus… sider'd, is extended to all Times and P… and is but one Church, which is the My… or Spiritual Body of Christ, having but… Faith, one Hope, one Baptism, one Rule, and… joying one and the same Salvation, 1 Cor.… 17. Eph 4.4, 5, 6, 7.
4. Or the Church is Particular; as the … versal Catholick Church is divided in s… lesser Societies: so many as can conveni… meet together in one Place, and Uni… Worship God; such were the Churches… tion'd in the New Testament, as the Ch… Corinth, Ephesus, Philippians, &c. But I… first speak of the Church as Visible, bef… proceed any further in the Discription of… ticular Churches. Let us therefore com… the Second remarkable distinction of… Church, Namely, as it is,
II. Visible: Now when we say the C… is Invisible or Visible, it must not be im… that there are two Churches, the one In… and the other Visible; but it's the same C… diversly consider'd, that in one respect is… ble, and in another respect is Invisible,… … a Remarkable Saying of the Lord Plessis …ntleman of France, in his Treatise of the …ch. "We will (saith he) commit unto …od, the Searcher of Hearts, the Know…dge of the Invisible Church, and will con…nt our selves to Search for the Visible in …od's Word; into which all must in this …ife retire themselves, which desire to be …ather'd into the Invisible Church in the …orld to come. Notwithstanding, by the …ay, we will note the difference between …hese two, the Invisible Church, contains …one but the Good, the Visible Church con…ains both the Good and the Bad; the In…isible Church contains none but the Elect, …e Visible Church all those indifferently …at are brought into her by the Preaching … the Gospel.
…ow let us consider what this Visible Church …
…ffinition. The Visible Church is the So… of all those, who do Profess Christianity, …egeneration, and are Joyn'd Externally …rist, and one to another by the Profession …aith and Love, together with their Chil…
…d here, as before, consider the Author, …atter, the Form, the Head and the End, … Visible Church.
We are to consider as before, That the … of the Church, both Invisible and Visi… the same Holy God, who hath Instituted and Appointed it; and who hath gath… by the Preaching of the Word; the… Christ, by a Saving Union; and others… outward and Visible Profession.
2. The Matter of the Visible Chur… that is, All who Profess Christianity,… generation; tho' all of them may not… stians indeed, nor truly Regenerate… but all that make such a Credible Pr… together with their Children, are the… of the Visible Church.
Now here are Three Things to… sider'd.
1. That all true Christians are Perso… generated by the Word and Spirit,… by Faith, united to Christ, are, in p… Matter of the Visible Church; That… the Matter of the Invisible Church, … prov'd; and therefore, that they are… Matter in part of the Visible Church … think, none will deny.
2. But the question may perhaps… some, whether such as Profess the… ligion, Profess Regeneration, and to… and Believe in Christ; when, it may… have no real Regeneration, nor Vita… with Christ; Whether these may be… in part the Matter, and Members of … ble Church.
Now, to Answer this; indeed, Vita… Members they are not, but yet Memb… are, and are to be esteemed so. The… …ch has always had such in it, of whom, … there has been Reason to suspect Insin…, yet still they have been looked on, and …ed, both by God and the Church; and to …m outward Church-Priviledges are not to …eny'd. And this I prove by these Arguments. …. A Visible Profession of Christianity, and …eneration, is all that we are capable of dis…ing; we may have Good hopes of such … such, that they truly love God, are Re…erated, and United to Christ. But, alas; …w oft are we mistaken, and, to our Grief, … such, of whom we had Good hope, make …pwrack of that, which, in them, looked … Faith and a good Conscience? 1 Joh. 2. … They went out from us, but they were not of … for if they had been of us, no doubt they would …e continued with us. As to a Profession, … Church is Judge; but as to Saving Grace, … Union to Christ; the Lord Christ is …ge alone: Hence Mr. Corbet Notes, "That …any Profess Christianity, or Dedication to … God in Christ, that are not really, that is …eartily and intirely so Dedicated. And …resently adds, "That those, who, by such … External Profession, are of this Society, …ough but Anologically, and as to the Ex…rnal form only, have Just Right and Title … it's External Priviledges, according to …eir disposedness before them that can dis…rn of things that only appear outwardly; So that if Men debar them of those… ledges, they do them wrong.
2. Whoever in the Apostles days,… such an outward Profession, were pre… taken into the Church, and admitted t… Communion: This is beyond all dispute… Acts 2.41, 42. Then they that gladly… the Word were Baptized, and the same da… was added to the Church Three thousand… and they continued stedfast in the Apostles… and in fellowship, and in breaking Brea… Prayer. In which Place 'tis Evident,… soon as they did Profess to Believe, eve… in a few hours after they were Conve… i. e. Professed Repentance for their S… to Believe in Jesus Christ; they were… tiz'd, without waiting to see whether… Repentance was Sincere or no: And… soon after admitted to the Lords Supper … here Breaking of Bread; and this was… Single and Singular Instance, but it was… postles constant Practice, as may be sec… 8.13. Acts 16.29, 30, 31.
Objection: Some will perhaps say, T… Apostles, by Immediate Inspiration, kne… those they Baptiz'd were truly Conve… United by Faith to Christ.
Answ. They acted as Ministers of th… pel, by a Gospel Rule, to be Imitate… thers in after Ages; And though Saving… version was what they much desir'd to… their Hearers, yet it was a Visible Pro… …ey look at, and that was the Ground on …hich they Baptiz'd: All they Baptiz'd were …t Sincere Believers; as is more then Evi…nt by many Examples, as of Ananias and …phirah, Acts 5.1, 2. and Simon Magus, Acts … 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. and many more Bap…z'd by the Apostles themselves, or by some …nt out by them, who Enjoy all the External …iviledges of Church-Members; and yet …me of them proved very Hetrodox, and un…und in their Judgments, and others very un…ly in Life and Conversation: But more of …is hereafter.
But before we leave this Point, the Matter … the Visible Church, we must take notice of …e Third thing Promised, viz. to prove that …e Infants of Believing Parents are in part …e Matter of the Visible Church: But they shall … the Subject of the Second Chapter.