CHAPTER III. On the Ecclesiastical Supremacy and acts of the civil power during the reigns of Henry VIII. and Edward VI. 454 465 CHAPTER VI. On the Principles of the English Reformation CHAPTER VII. On the Variations of the English Church TREATISE ON THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. PART I. THE NOTES OF THE CHURCH APPLIED TO THE EXISTING COMMUNITIES OF PROFESSING CHRISTIANS. VOL. I. 44 A TREATISE ON THE CHURCH OF PART I. CHAPTER I. DEFINITIONS. THE PERPETUITY OF THE CHURCH.-SALVATION SECTION I. DEFINITIONS. 4.12 THE term EKKAHEIA which we translate "Church," is t occasionally employed by the sacred writers in senses different from those which we connect with it; as for instance, to designate the people of God under the former dispensation, or even to express any public assembly: with these meanings I am not at present concerned. Its ordinary application in Scripture is to a society of Christians, or of those who believe in Christ. God himself according to Scripture has "called" all such "out of darkness into his marvellous light;"a so that, as it is said elsewhere, "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy."b Thus the church of Christ is not formed by the mere voluntary association of individuals, but by divine grace, operating either by miracle, or by ordinary means of divine institution. And this seems implied in the very word EKKAHEIA, derived from EKKAAEIN, "to call forth." The applications of this term to the Christian society are various. 1. It sometimes means the whole Christian body or society, considered as composed of its vital and essential members, the elect and sanctified children of God, and as distinguished from those who are only externally and temporarily united to Christ. In this sense we may understand the apostle speaking of a 'glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing." And again: "the general assembly and church of the first-born, which are written in heaven." It is generally allowed that the wicked belong only externally to the church. 2. The church means the whole society of Christians throughout the world, including all who profess their belief in Christ, and who are subject to lawful pastors; as in these passages: "Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God."f "God hath set some in the church; first Apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers," &c. In this universal church are many lesser societies or churches. 3. It is applied to the whole Christian community of a city and its neighbourhood; thus we read, "Unto the church of God which is at Corinth" (1 Cor. i. 2.) the church of Jerusalem is mentioned (Acts viii. 1), Antioch (Acts xiii. 1), Ephesus (xx. 17), Laodicea (Col. v. 16), Smyrna, Pergamus, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia (Rev. ii. iii.) 4. It sometimes means a Christian family or a very small community meeting in one house for worship, as in the following passages: "Greet Priscilla and Aquila, .... likewise greet the church that is in their house" (Rom. xvi. 35); Field on the Church, b. i. ch. 7, 8. The Romish Theologians generally concur in the same doctrine. Tournely says, "solos electos ac justos ad nobiliorem ecclesiæ partem, quæ anima ipsius dicitur et in virtutibus consistit, reprobos vero et malos ad illius dumtaxat corpus, hoc est externam fidei professionem ac eorundem sacramentorum participationem pertinere." De Eccl. qu. i. art. 2. See also Bailly, Tract. de Ecclesia, prænotata : Delahogue, c. 1; Collet, Prælect. de Eccl. qu. 1; Bouvier, part iii. c. 2. See Chapter VI. of this Part. |