I have something to say to thee of the number of these cases, somewhat of the order, and somewhat of the manner of handling and resolving them. I. That they are so many is because there are really so many difficulties which all men are not able to resolve. That they are no more, is partly because I could not remember then any more that were necessarily to be handled, and I was not willing to increase so great a book with things unnecessary.
II. As to the order, I have some reasons for the order of most of them, which would be too tedious to open to you. But some of them are placed out of order, because, 1. I could not remember them in due place. 2. And great haste allowed me not time to transpose them. If you say that in such a work I should take time, I answer, You are no competent judges, unless you knew me and the rest of my work, and the likelihood that my time will be but short. They that had rather take my writings with such defects which are the effects of haste, than have none of them, may use them, and the rest are free to despise them and neglect them. Two or three questions about the Scripture, I would have put nearer the beginning if I could have time; but seeing I cannot, it is easy for you to transpose them in the reading.
III. The resolution of these cases so much avoideth all the extremes, that I look they should be displeasing to all that vast number of christians, who involve themselves in the opinions and interests of their several sects as such, and that hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons. But there will be still a certain number of truly catholic, impartial readers, whose favourable acceptance I confidently prognosticate; and who, being out of the dust, and noise, and passions of contending sides and parties, and their interests, will see a self-evidencing light in those solutions, which are put off here briefly, without the pomp of formal argumentation, or persuading oratory. The Eternal Light revealeth himself to us, by Christ who is the Light of the world, and by the illumination of the Spirit and word of light; that we may walk in the light, as the children of light, till we come to the world of glorious everlasting light. And what other defect soever our knowledge have, if any man hath knowledge enough to kindle in him the love of God, the same is known of him, and therefore is beloved by him, and shall be blessed with and in him for ever, 1 Cor. viii. 1-3.
Quest. I. _How to know which is the true church, among all pretenders, that a christian's conscience may be quiet in his relation and communion._
I have written so much of this already in four books, (viz. one called, "The Safe Religion," another called, "A Key for Catholics," another called, "The Visibility of the Church," another called, "A true Catholic, and the Catholic Church described,") that I shall say now but a little, and yet enough to an impartial, considerate reader.
The terms must first be opened. 1. By a church is meant a society of christians as such. And it is sometimes taken narrowly, for the body or members as distinct from the head, as the word kingdom is taken for the subjects only as distinct from the king; and sometimes more fully and properly for the whole political society, as constituted of its head and body, or the _pars imperans et pars subdita_.
2. The word church thus taken, signifieth sometimes the universal church called catholic, which consisteth of Christ and his body politic, or mystical; and sometimes some part only of the universal church. And so it is taken either for a subordinate, political part, or for a community, or a part considered as consociate, but not political; or as many particular, political churches agreeing and holding concord and communion without any common head, save the universal Head.
3. Such political churches are either of divine constitution and policy, or only of human.
2. By christians, I mean such as profess the essentials of the christian religion. For we speak of the church as visible.
3. By true, may be meant, either reality of essence, opposite to that which is not really a church in this univocal acception; or else sound and orthodox, in the integrals, as opposite to erroneous and defiled with much enormity. And now I thus decide that question.
_Prop._ I. The true catholic church consisteth of Christ the Head, and all christians as his body, or the members. As the kingdom consisteth of the king and his subjects.[206]
_Prop._ II. As all the sincere heart-covenanters make up the church as regenerate, and mystical or invisible; so all that are christened, that is, baptized, and profess consent to all the essentials of the baptismal covenant, not having apostatized, nor being by lawful power excommunicated, are christians, and make up the church as visible.[207]
_Prop._ III. Therefore there is but one universal church, because it containeth all christians; and so leaveth out none to be the matter of another.[208]