Baxter - BV669 B3 1681

Css cónfented and approved it, and are meant in the word [the whole church.] I grant him that (Rom. 16. 1.) the word fignifieth the Churchof a Vil- lage or Town But he will never prove that it is not meant of a Church of the fame Species asCity Churches were. And as to the Houle or Fami- ly Churches which hementioneth, Rom. 16. s. i Cor. 16. to. Cû1.4. 1$. Phil, 2, Dr. Hammond expoundeth, Col. 4. 15. of the Church that did meet in his houle, and foTome do all the reft : But that we and not for, nor doth it concern us. But when headdeth a Multitude of Texts, as ufing the word`Church indefinitely, not defining theplace, Society of a Nation or City, quantity, &c. molt of the inftances brought are of Churches definite, as to place, and of the fame Species as the Apoftles Inftituted ; though when- the Church of -filch a place is Paid to doa thing,. it's no determination what number of the members did it. His firft inftance is Ails 4.-31. and next AFIs 15. 3,9, &c. The Churches hadreft through al'Yudeea, and Gallile, and Samaria : Alls i j. 3. Speaks ofthe Church, of Antioch, whichv. 27. it's Paid theygathered together: v..}.- mentioneth the Church at Yerufalerm, v. it. mentioneth the Churchesof Syria and Cilicia. A£ls 18.22. Speak- eth ofthe Churchat Cafarea, Rein. 16. 16. Speaks of the Churcheswhere Paul'lately travelled. v. 2 ;. Gainswas theHoff ofa definite whole Church, atCorinth. And when I Cor.-4. 17. he fpeaketh of his,teaching in every Church, itis an Univerfal enunciation, butofChurches-of acertainor de. finite fpecies, and fo of the reft. Then p. 5. he tellethus what it truly and properly a Church on Earth ; and faith, Every company of men profefng the true faith ofChrifi is both tru= ly aChurch anda true Church, Anf. Yes, As Canis caleflis is truly a Dog, anda true Dog : but notproperly, but equivocally : AChurch in itsmolt famous fignification is a Society conftituted of the,Pàffor and Flock , as a School of the Schoolmafter and Schollars: And an accidental meeting of Chriftians in a Market or Ship, is nomore properly called-aChurch, .,. than School-boys meeting in fuchplaces are a School : No noroccafional lypraying together neither. Sop. S. He concludeth that the Chrif Tian People ofone City, andConn- try adjoyning, whether Province or Diocefs are one Church ; yea of any Nation or part of the World, not becaufe under one Spiritual Govern- ment or Prieft-hood; but becaufe one People or Commonwealth ruled by the fame Laws, profef ling the fameReligion. All this is-di nomine only. But are we not likely to difputewell,- when we never agree of the Sub., jeut, or terms of the Qteftion? We have no mind to- contend about Names : Let him call the World, ora-Corporation, or-Kingdom; or Ecd cI fiam illalignantiium by the nameof -a Church if hewill, -fo that wefirft a- greewhat Church we difpute of. We talk not of any accidental meeting or Community, but a Society before defined, conflatuted ofthe' pars gubera áfitAl and pars fitbdita.- And of this fort we know ofDivine lnítitution at

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