Chapter 28: Of the Catholic Church and Particular Churches

Q. Who is the subject of redemption, or of all that deliverance obtained by Christ?

A. Not the blessed angels, because having never fallen they needed no Redeemer, nor all the race of mankind, for Christ would not pray for the world (John 17:9).

Q. Who then were redeemed by Christ?

A. He gave himself for none others but only for his Church (Ephesians 5:25; Acts 20:28; John 10:15; 11:52).

Q. What is meant by the Church in the holy Scriptures?

A. It is usually taken in Scripture, either for the Catholic Church which is called the Church mystical, or else it is taken for the Church instituted, or particular churches.

Q. What is the difference between the catholic, universal and mystical Church, and the instituted or particular churches?

A. They differ in their number; for the catholic Church is but one Church, one body, but of the other sort in the days of the New Testament there are many churches.

Q. Wherein do they differ in respect of the matter?

A. The catholic Church has none in it but saints, and all true believers are in it; but particular churches have sometimes many wolves within, and many sheep without, though it ought not so to be (Ephesians 5:23, 25, 26, 27; Hebrews 12:23).

Q. What is a third difference between them?

A. The form which constitutes the catholic Church is their union with Christ by faith, but the form of the other is the bond of a holy covenant, to walk together in all the ways of Christ.

Q. Is there not some difference between them in regard of place?

A. Yes, for some parts and members of the catholic Church are now in heaven, and the rest shall all come there in God's appointed time; but the members of particular or instituted churches are all of them upon the earth for the present, and some of them must never come in heaven.

Q. What may be a fifth difference?

A. Whereas particular churches are visible to themselves and others also, especially in times of peace, the catholic Church is properly a Church invisible.

Q. How is that proved, that the catholic Church is invisible?

A. Because some parts thereof are now in heaven; and those that are on earth never were nor will be all together that they might be seen.

Q. What may be a further proof hereof?

A. Their union with Christ, which is the form of that Church, is known only to God.

Q. Name a sixth difference?

A. The catholic Church and all the members of it continue for ever; but particular churches, by persecutions and corruptions, may come to be utterly dissolved and extinct.

Q. What is a last difference between them?

A. The ordinary ministry appointed by Christ is for the instituted and particular churches, but not for the Church catholic as such, because that Church has no Pastor nor Bishop but Christ.

Q. How may this appear that ministers are not ministers of the universal Church, but only of some particular congregation?

A. The church to whom the ministry belongs is to choose her own ministers, but the universal church never comes together to make any such choice.

Q. How else may this appear?

A. There is no part of the church to which the ministry belongs, but it stands in need of ministers; but a good part of the catholic Church is glorious in heaven with Christ, and therefore has no such need.

Q. What may be a third ground hereof?

A. The flock of God over which the Holy Ghost does make men overseers, is such as may be attended and watched over; even the whole flock and ministers thereof.

Q. And why may not the same be said of the catholic Church?

A. Because that Church is so large that it is not possible for any man to attend it or watch over it.

Q. Is there any evil in it for one man to be a Bishop or minister to all Christians, wherever they be disposed of, and not only to one congregation?

A. Besides that such a man must needs neglect the greatest part of his charge, it is a great part of the usurpation of the Bishop of Rome, for which he is truly called Antichrist, that he will take upon him to be universal Bishop over all the Christians in the world.

Q. Who is the head of the catholic Church?

A. Only Jesus Christ, as giving influence of life, sense and motion to the same, as the head does to the body.

Q. Who are the members of that Church?

A. Only they and all they that are effectually called to be true believers in Christ (Revelation 17:14; John 15:19).

Q. What are the parts of the catholic Church?

A. According to the degrees of communion which they have with Christ, so that Church may be distinguished into that which is militant and that which is triumphant.

Q. What is the Church militant?

A. It is that part of the catholic Church which is warring and fighting here on earth against spiritual enemies, the devil, the world and the flesh (Ephesians 6:12; Philippians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 10:4; 1 Timothy 1:18).

Q. And what is the Church Triumphant?

A. It is that part of the catholic Church which are now in heaven, gloriously triumphing over all those enemies which in this world they did conflict and combat withal (Ephesians 4:13; Hebrews 12:23; Ephesians 5:27).