Chapter 2: The Subject Matter of the Church

The Church may be considered either as to his essence, constitution and being; or as to its power and order, when it is organized. As to its essence and being, its constituent parts are its matter and form. These we must enquire into.

By the matter of the Church, we understand the persons whereof the Church does consist, with their qualifications: And by its form, the reason, cause and way of that kind of relation among them, which gives them the being of a Church, and therewithal an interest in all that belongs to a Church, either privilege, or power, as such.

Our first enquiry being concerning what sort of persons our Lord Jesus Christ requireth and admitteth to be the visible subjects of his Kingdom, we are to be regulated in our determination by respect to his honor, glory, and the holiness of his rule. To reckon such persons to be subjects of Christ, members of his body, such as he requires and owns, (for others are not so) who would not be tolerated, at least not approved, in a well governed kingdom or commonwealth of the world, is highly dishonourable to him. But it is so come to pass, that let men be never so notoriously and flagitiously wicked, until they become pests of the earth, yet are they esteemed to belong to the Church of Christ. And not only so, but it is thought little less than schism to forbid them the communion of the Church in all its sacred privileges. Howbeit, the Scripture does in general represent the kingdom or Church of Christ, to consist of persons called saints, separated from the world, with many other things of alike nature, as we shall see immediately. And if the honor of Christ were of such weight with us as it ought to be, if we understood aright the nature and ends of his Kingdom, and that the peculiar glory of it, above all the kingdoms in the world, consists in the holiness of its subjects, such a holiness as the world in its wisdom knoweth not, we would duly consider whom we avow to belong thereunto. Those who know ought of these things, will not profess that persons openly prophane, vicious, sensual, wicked and ignorant, are approved and owned of Christ as the subjects of his Kingdom, or that it is his will that we should receive them into the communion of the Church. But an old opinion of the unlawfulness of separation from a Church, on the account of the mixture of wicked men in it, is made a scare-crow to frighten men from attempting the reformation of the greatest evils, and a covert for the composing churches of such members only.

Some things therefore are to be premised to what shall be offered to the right stating of this enquiry: As,

1. That if there be no more required of any as to personal qualifications in a visible uncontroulable profession, to constitute them subjects of Christ's Kingdom, and members of his Church, but what is required by the most righteous and severe laws of men to constitute a good subject or citizen, the distinction between his visible Kingdom and the kingdoms of the world, as to the principal causes of it, is utterly lost. Now all negative qualifications, as that men are not oppressors, drunkards, revilers, swearers, adulterers, &c. are required hereunto. But yet it is so fallen out, that generally more is required to constitute such a citizen as shall represent the righteous laws he liveth under, than to constitute a member of the Church of Christ.

2. That whereas regeneration is expresly required in the Gospel, to give a right and privilege to an entrance into the Church or Kingdom of Christ, whereby that kingdom of his is distinguished from all other kingdoms in and of the world, to an interest wherein never any such thing was required; it must of necessity be something better, more excellent and sublime than any thing the laws and polities of men pretend to or prescribe. Therefore it cannot consist in any outward rites, easie to be observed by the worst and vilest of men, besides the Scripture gives us a description of it, in opposition to its consisting in any such rite (1 Peter 3:21). And many things required to good citizens, are far better than the meer observation of such a rite.

Of this regeneration baptism is the symbol, the sign, expression and representation. Therefore to those who are in a due manner partakers of it, it giveth all the external rights and privileges which belong to them that are regenerate, until they come to such seasons, wherein the personal performance of those duties whereon the continuation of the estate of visible regeneration does depend, is required of them. Herein if they fail, they lose all privilege and benefit by their baptism.

So speaks the Apostle in the case of circumcision under the law (Romans 2:25): For circumcision verily profiteth, if you keep the law; but if you be a breaker of the law, your circumcision is made uncircumcision. It is so in the case of baptism. Verily it profiteth, if a man stand to the terms of the covenant which is tendered therein between God and his soul; for it will give him right to all the outward privileges of a regenerate state; but if he do not, as in the sight of God his baptism is no baptism, as to the real communication of grace and acceptance with him, so in the sight of the Church, it is no baptism, as to a participation of the external rights and privileges of a regenerate state.

4. God alone is judge concerning this regeneration, as to its internal, real principle and state in the souls of men whereon the participation of all the spiritual advantages of the Covenant of Grace does depend: The Church is judge of its evidences and fruits in their external demonstration, as to a participation of the outward privileges of a regenerate state, and no farther. And we shall hereon briefly declare what belongs to the forming of a right judgment herein, and who are to be esteemed fit members of any gospel church state, or have a right so to be.

Such as from whom we are obliged to withdraw or withhold communion, can be no part of the matter constituent of a church, or are not mere members for the first constitution of it. But such are all habitual sinners; those who having prevalent habits and inclinations to sins of any kind unmortified, do walk according to them. Such are profane swearers, drunkards, fornicators, covetous, oppressors, and the like, who shall not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10, 11; Philippians 3:18, 19; 2 Thessalonians 3:6; 2 Timothy 3:5). As a man living and dying in any known sin, that is habitually, without repentance cannot be saved; so a man known to live in sin, cannot regularly be received into any church. To compose churches of habitual sinners, and that either as to sins of commission, or sins of omission, is not to erect temples to Christ, but chapels to the Devil.

Such as being in the fellowship of the church, are to be admonished of any scandalous sin, which if they repent not of, they are to be cast out of the church, are not mere members for the original constitution of a church. This is the state of them who abide obstinate in any known sin, whereby they have given offence to others, without a professed repentance thereof, although they have not lived in it habitually.

They are to be such as visibly answer the description given of gospel churches in the Scripture, so as the titles assigned therein to the members of such churches, may on good grounds be appropriated to them. To compose churches of such persons as do not visibly answer the character given of what they were of old, and what they were always to be by virtue of the law of Christ or gospel-constitution, is not church edification, but destruction. And those who look on the things spoken of all church members of old, as that they were saints by calling, lively stones in the house of God, justified and sanctified, separate from the world, etc., as those which were in them, and did indeed belong to them, but even deride the necessity of the same things in present church members, or the application of them to those who are so, are themselves no small part of that woful degeneracy which Christian religion is fallen under. Let it then be considered what is spoken of the church of the Jews in their dedication to God, as to their typical holiness, with the application of it to Christian churches in real holiness (1 Peter 2:5, 9), with the description given of them constantly in the Scripture, as faithful, holy, believing, as the house of God, as his temple wherein he dwells by his Spirit, as the body of Christ united and compacted by the communication of the Spirit to them; as also what is said concerning their ways, walkings and duties; and it will be uncontrollably evident of what sort our church members ought to be. Nor are those of any other sort able to discharge the duties which are incumbent on all church-members, nor to use the privileges they are intrusted withal. Therefore, I say, to suppose churches regularly to consist of such persons for the greater part of them, as no way answer the description given of church-members in their original institution, nor capable to discharge the duties prescribed to them, but giving evidence of habits and actions inconsistent therewithal, is not only to disturb all church order, but utterly to overthrow the ends and being of churches. Nor is there any thing more scandalous to Christian religion, than what Bellarmine affirms to be the judgment of the Papists in opposition to all others; namely, that no internal virtue or grace is required to the constitution of a church in its members (Lib. 3. de Eccles. cap. 2).

They must be such as do make an open profession of the subjection of their souls and consciences to the authority of Christ in the Gospel, and their readiness to yield obedience to all his commands. This I suppose will not be denied; for not only does the Scripture make this profession necessary to the participation of any benefit or privilege of the Gospel; but the nature of the things themselves requires indispensably that so it should be. For nothing can be more unreasonable than, that men should be taken into the privileges attending obedience to the laws and commands of Christ, without avowing or professing that obedience. Therefore, our enquiry is only what is required to such a profession, as may render men meet to be members of a church, and give them a right thereunto. For to suppose such a confession of Christian religion to be compliant with the Gospel, which is made by many who openly live in sin, being disobedient, and to every good work reprobate, is to renounce the Gospel itself. Christ is not the High Priest of such a profession. I shall therefore declare briefly what is necessary to this profession, that all may know what it is which is required to the entrance of any into our churches, wherein our practice has been sufficiently traduced.

There is required to it a competent knowledge of doctrines and mystery of the Gospel, especially concerning the Person and Offices of Christ. The confession hereof was the ground whereon he granted the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven, or all Church Power to Believers (Matthew 16:17, 18, 19). The first instruction which he gave to his Apostles was, that they should teach men by the preaching of the Gospel, in the knowledge of the Truth revealed by him. The knowledge required in the members of the Judaical Church, that they might be translated into the Christian, was principally, if not solely, that of his Person, and the acknowledgment of him to be the true Messiah, the Son of God. For as on their unbelief thereof their eternal ruin did depend, as he told them, if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins; so the confession of him was sufficient on their part to their admission into the Gospel Church State. And the reasons of it are apparent. With others, an instruction in all the mysteries of religion, especially in those that are fundamental, is necessary to the profession we enquire after. So Justin Martyr tells us what pains they took in those primitive times, to instruct those in the mysteries of religion, who upon a general conviction of its truth, were willing to adhere to the profession of it. And what was their judgment herein, is sufficiently known, from the keeping a multitude in the state of Catecumens, before they would admit them into the fellowship of the Church. They are not therefore to be blamed, they do but discharge their duty, who refuse to receive into Church communion such as are ignorant of the fundamental doctrines and mysteries of the Gospel; or if they have learned any thing of them from a form of words, yet really understand nothing of them. The promiscuous driving of all sorts of persons who have been baptized in their infancy, to a participation of all Church privileges, is a profanation of the holy institutions of Christ. This knowledge therefore belonging to profession is itself to be professed.

There is required to it a professed subjection of soul and conscience to the authority of Christ in the Church (Matthew 28:18, 19, 20; 2 Corinthians 8:5). This in general is performed by all that are baptized when they are adult, as being by their own actual consent baptized in the Name of Christ. And it is required of all them who are baptized in their infancy, when they are able with faith and understanding to profess their consent to, and abiding in that covenant whereinto they were initiated.

An instruction in, and consent to the doctrine of self-denial and bearing of the cross, in a particular manner: for this is made indispensably necessary by our Savior himself, to all that will be his disciples. And it has been a great disadvantage to the glory of Christian religion, that men have not been more and better instructed therein. It is commonly thought, that whoever will, may be a Christian at an easy rate, it will cost him nothing. But the Gospel gives us another account of these things. For it not only warns us, that reproaches, hatred, sufferings of all sorts, oft-times to death itself, are the common lot of all its professors, who will live godly in Christ Jesus; but also requires, that at our initiation into the profession of it, we consider aright the dread of them all, and engage cheerfully to undergo them. Hence, in the primitive times, while all sorts of miseries were continually presented to them who embraced the Christian religion, their willing engagement to undergo them, who were converted, was a firm evidence of the sincerity of their faith, as it ought to be to us also in times of difficulty and persecution. Some may suppose that the faith and confession of this doctrine of self-denial and readiness for the cross, is of use only in time of persecution, and so does not belong to them who have continually the countenance and favor of public authority. I say, it is, at least as they judge, well for them; with others it is not so, whose outward state makes the public avowing of this duty indispensably necessary to them: and I may add it as my own thoughts, (though they are not my own alone) that notwithstanding all the countenance that is given to any Church by the public magistracy, yet while we are in this world, those who will faithfully discharge their duty, as ministers of the Gospel especially, shall have need to be prepared for sufferings. To escape sufferings, and enjoy worldly advantages by sinful compliances, or bearing with men in their sins, is no Gospel direction.

Conviction and confession of sin, with the way of deliverance by Jesus Christ, is that answer of a good conscience, that is required in the baptism of them that are adult (1 Peter 3).

To this profession is required the constant performance of all known duties of religion, both of piety in the public and private worship of God, as also of charity with respect to others. Shew me your faith by your works.

A careful abstinence from all known sins, giving scandal or offence, either to the world, or to the Church of God. And the Gospel requires, that this confession be made (with the mouth confession is made to salvation) against (1.) fear, (2.) shame, (3.) the course of the world, (4.) the opposition of all enemies whatever.

Hence it appears, that there are none excluded from an entrance into the Church State, but such as are either, (1.) grossly ignorant, or, (2.) persecutors, or reproachers of those that are good, or of the ways of God wherein they walk; or, (3.) idolaters; or, (4.) men scandalous in their lives in the commission of sins, or omission of duties, through vicious habits or inclinations; or, (5.) such as would partake of Gospel privileges and ordinances, yet openly avow that they will not submit to the law and commands of Christ in the Gospel, concerning whom, and the like, the Scripture rule is peremptory; From such turn away.

And herein we are remote from exceeding the example and care of the primitive Churches. Yes, there are but few, if any, that arrive to it. Their endeavour was to preach to all they could, and rejoiced in the multitudes that came to hear the Word. But if any did essay to join themselves to the Church, their diligence in their examination and instruction, their severe enquiries into their conversation, their disposing of them for a long time into a state of expectation for their trial, before their admittance, were remarkable. And some of the ancients complain, that their promiscuous admittance of all sorts of persons that would profess the Christian religion, into Church membership, which took place afterwards, ruined all the beauty, order and discipline of the Church.

The things ascribed to those who are to be esteemed the proper subject matter of a visible church, are such as in the judgment of charity entitles them to all the appellations of saints, called, sanctified, that is visibly and by profession, which are given to the members of all the churches in the New Testament, and which must be answered in those who are admitted into that privilege, if we do not wholly neglect our only patterns. By these things, although they should any of them, not be real living members of the mystical body of Christ, to whom he is an head of spiritual and vital influence; yet are they mere members of that body of Christ to which he is an head of rule and government; as also mere to be esteemed subjects of his kingdom. And none are excluded but such, as concerning whom rules are given, either to withdraw from them, or to cast them out of church society, or are expressly excluded by God himself from any share in the privileges of his covenant (Psalm 50:16, 17). But to the wicked God says, What have you to do to declare my statutes, or that you should take my covenant in your mouth? Seeing you hate instruction, and cast my words behind you.