religion-第12部分

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Gospell；　or　the　word　concerning　God；　or　the　word　of　the　Kingdome
of　God　by　CHRIST：　as　where　it　is　said　that　CHRIST　preach't　the
Gospell　of　the　Kingdome；　Mat。　4。　vers。　23。　Where　the　Apostles　are
said　to　preach　the　word　of　God；　Acts　13。　vers。　46。　Where　the　word
of　God　is　called　the　word　of　life；　Acts　5。　vers。　20。　The　word　of
the　Gospell；　Acts　15。　vers。　7。　The　word　of　faith；　Rom。　10。　vers。
8。　The　word　of　truth；　that　is　to　say；　（adding　an　interpretation）
The　Gospel　of　salvation；　Eph。　1。　13。　And　where　it　is　called　the
word　of　the　Apostles；　For　Saint　Paul　sayes；　If　any　man　obey　not
our　word；　&c。　2。　Thess。　3。　vers。　14。　which　places　cannot　be
otherwise　meant　then　of　the　doctrine　Evangelicall。　In　like　manner
where　the　word　of　God　is　said　to　be　sowen；　to　encrease；　and　to　be
multiplied；　Acts　12。　vers。　24。　and　Chap。　13。　vers。　49。　it　is　very
hard　to　conceive　this　to　be　spoken　of　the　voyce　of　God；　or　of　his
Apostles；　but　of　their　doctrine；　easie。　And　in　this　third
acception　is　all　that　doctrine　of　the　Christian　faith　which　at
this　day　is　preacht　in　Pulpits；　and　contained　in　the　books　of
divines；　the　word　of　God。
　　　　XVI。　Now　the　sacred　Scripture　is　intirely　the　word　of　God　in
this　second　acception；　as　being　that　which　we　acknowledge　to　be
inspired　from　God。　And　innumerable　places　of　it；　in　the　first。
And　seeing　the　greatest　part　of　it　is　conversant　either　in　the
prediction　of　the　Kingdome　of　Heaven；　or　in　prefigurations　before
the　incarnation　of　CHRIST；　or　in　Evangelization；　and　explication
after；　The　sacred　Scripture　is　also　the　word　of　God；　and
therefore　the　Canon　and　Rule　of　all　Evangelicall　Doctrine；　in
this　third　signification；　where　the　word　of　God　is　taken　for　the
word　concerning　God；　that　is　to　say；　for　the　Gospel。　But　because
in　the　same　Scriptures　we　read　many　things　Politicall；
Historicall；　Morall；　Physicall；　and　others　which　nothing　at　all
concern　the　Mysteries　of　our　faith；　those　places　although　they
contain　true　doctrine；　and　are　the　Canon　of　such　kind　of
doctrines；　yet　can　they　not　be　the　Canon　of　the　Mysteries　of
Christian　Religion。
　　　　XVII。　And　truly　it　is　not　the　dead　voyce；　or　letter　of　the
word　of　God；　which　is　the　Canon　of　Christian　doctrine；　but　a　true
and　genuine　determination；　For　the　minde　is　not　governed　by
Scriptures；　unlesse　they　be　understood。　There　is　need　therefore
of　an　Interpreter　to　make　the　Scriptures　Canon。　And　hence
followes　one　of　these　two　things；　that　either　the　word　of　the
Interpreter　is　the　word　of　God；　or　that　the　Canon　of　Christian
doctrin　is　not　the　word　of　God。　The　last　of　these　must
necessarily　be　false；　for　the　rule　of　that　doctrine　which　cannot
be　knowne　by　any　humane　reason；　but　by　divine　revelation　only；
cannot　be　lesse　then　divine；　for　whom　we　acknowledge　not　to　be
able　to　discern　whether　some　doctrin　be　true　or　not；　its
impossible　to　account　his　opinion　for　a　rule　in　the　same
doctrine。　The　first　therefore　is　true；　That　the　word　of　an
Interpreter　of　Scriptures；　is　the　word　of　God。
　　　　XVIII。　Now　that　Interpreter　whose　determination　hath　the
honour　to　be　held　for　the　word　of　God；　is　not　every　one　that
translates　the　Scriptures　out　of　the　Hebrew；　and　Greek　tongue；　to
his　Latine　Auditors　in　Latine；　to　his　French；　in　French；　and　to
other　Nations　in　their　mother　tongue；　for　this　is　not　to
interpret。　For　such　is　the　nature　of　speech　in　generall；　that
although　it　deserve　the　chiefe　place　among　those　signes　whereby
we　declare　our　conceptions　to　others；　yet　cannot　it　perform　that
office　alone　without　the　help　of　many　circumstances；　For　the
living　voice　hath　its　interpreters　present；　to　wit；　time；　place；
countenance；　gesture；　the　Counsell　of　the　Speaker；　and　himselfe
unfolding　his　own　meaning　in　other　words　as　oft　as　need　is。　To
recall　these　aids　of　interpretation；　so　much　desired　in　the
writings　of　old　time；　is　neither　the　part　of　an　ordinary　wit；　nor
yet　of　the　quaintest；　without　great　learning；　and　very　much　skill
in　antiquity。　It　sufficeth　not　therefore　for　interpretation　of
Scriptures；　that　a　man　understand　the　language　wherein　they
speak。　Neither　is　every　one　an　authentique　Interpreter　of
Scriptures；　who　writes　Comments　upon　them：　For　men　may　erre；　they
may　also　either　bend　them　to　serve　their　own　ambition；　or　even
resisting；　draw　them　into　bondage　by　their　forestallings；　whence
it　will　follow　that　an　erroneous　sentence　must　be　held　for　the
word　of　God。　But　although　this　could　not　happen；　yet　as　soon　as
these　Commentators　are　departed；　their　Commentaries　will　need
explications；　and　in　processe　of　time；　those　explications；
expositions；　those　expositions　new　Commentaries　without　any　end：
so　as　there　cannot　in　any　written　Interpretation　whatsoever　be　a
Canon；　or　Rule　of　Christian　doctrine；　whereby　the　Controversies
of　Religion　may　be　determined。　It　remains；　that　there　must　bee
some　Canonicall　Interpreter　whose　legitimate　Office　it　is　to　end
Controversies　begun；　by　explaining　the　word　of　God　in　the
judgements　themselves；　and　whose　authority　therefore　must　be　no
lesse　obeyed；　then　theirs　who　first　recommended　the　Scripture　it
selfe　to　us　for　a　Canon　of　faith；　and　that　one；　and　the　same
Person　be　an　Interpreter　of　Scripture；　and　a　supreme　Judge　of　all
manner　of　doctrines。
　　　　XIX。　What　concerns　the　word　Ecclesia；　or　Church：　originally
it　signifies　the　same　thing　that　Concio；　or　a　congregation　does
in　Latin；　even　as　Ecclesiastes；　or　Church　man；　the　same　that
concionator；　or　Preacher；　that　is　to　say；　He　who　speaks　to　the
Congregation。　In　which　sense　wee　read　in　the　Acts　of　the
Apostles；　of　a　Church　confused；　and　of　a　Lawfull　Church；　Acts　19。
vers。　32；　39。　that；　taken　for　a　Concourse　of　people　meeting　in
way　of　tumult；　this；　for　a　convocated　Assembly。　But　in　holy　writ
by　a　Church　of　Christians；　is　sometimes　understood　the　Assembly；
and　sometimes　the　Christians　themselves；　although　not　actually
assembled；　if　they　be　permitted　to　enter　into　the　Congregation；
and　to　communicate　with　them。　For　example。　Tell　it　to　the　Church；
Mat。　18。　vers。　17。　is　meant　of　a　Church　assembled；　for　otherwise
it　is　impossible　to　tell　any　thing　to　the　Church：　But；　Hee　laid
waste　the　Church；　Acts　8。　vers。　3。　is　understood　of　a　Church　not
assembled。　Sometimes　a　Church　is　taken　for　those　who　are
baptized；　or　for　the　professors　of　the　Christian　faith；　whether
they　be　Christians　inwardly；　or　feignedly；　as　when　we　reade　of
somewhat　said　or　written　to　the　Church；　or　said　or　decreed；　or
done　by　the　Church；　sometimes　for　the　Elect　onely；　as　when　it　is
called　holy；　and　without　blemish；　Ephes。　5。　vers。　27。　But　the
Elect；　as　they　are　militant；　are　not　properly　called　a　Church；
for　they　know　not　how　to　assemble；　but　they　are　a　future　Church；
namely　in　that　day　when　sever'd　from　the　reprobate；　they　shall
bee　triumphant。　Againe　a　Church　may　bee　sometimes　taken　（for　all
Christians　collectively；）　as　when　Christ　is　called　the　head　of
his　Church；　and　the　head　of　his　body　the　Church；　Eph。　5。　vers。
23。　Colos。　1。　vers。　18。　sometimes　for　its　parts；　as　the　Church　of
Ephesus；　The　Church　which　is　in　his　house；　the　seven　Churches；　&
c。　Lastly；　a　Church　as　it　is　taken　for　a　Company　actually
assembled；　according　to　the　divers　ends　of　their　meeting；
signifies　sometimes　those　who　are　met　together　to　deliberate；　and
judge；　in　which　sense　it　is　also　called　a　Councell；　&　a　Synod；
sometimes　those　who　meet　together　in　the　house　of　prayer　to
worship　God；　in　which　signification　it　is　taken　in　the　1　Cor。　14。
vers。　4；　5。　23。　28。　&c。
　　　　XX。　Now　a　Church　which　hath　personall　Rights；　and　proper
actions　attributed　to　it；　and　of　which　that　same　must　necessarily
be　understood；　Tell　it　to　the　church；　and；　he　that　obeys　not　the
church；　and　all　such　like　formes　of　speech；　is　to　be　defin'd　so；
as　by　that　word　may　be　understood；　A　Multitude　of　men　who　have
made　a　new　Covenant　with　God　in　Christ；　（that　is　to　say；　a
multitude　of　them　who　have　taken　upon　them　the　Sacrament　of
Baptisme）　which　multitude；　may　both　lawfully　be　call'd　together
by　some　one　into　one　place；　and　he　so　calling　them；　are　bound　to
be　present　either　in　Person；　or　by　others。　For　a　multitude　of
men；　if　they　cannot　meet　in　assembly；　when　need　requires；　is　not
to　be　call'd　a　Person；　For　a　Church　can　neither　speak；　nor
discerne；　nor　heare；　but　as　it　is　a　congregation。　Whatsoever　is
spoken　by　particular　men；　（to　wit；　as　many　opinions　almost　as
heads）　that's　the　speech　of　one　man；　not　of　the　Church；
farthermore；　if　an　assembly　be　made；　and　it　be　unlawfull；　it
shall　be　considered　as　null。　Not　any　one　of　these　therefore　who
are　present　in　a　tumult　shall　be　tyed　to　the　decree　of　the　rest；
but　specially　if　he　dissent；　and　therefore　neither　can　such　a
Church　make　any　decree；　for　then　a　multitude　is　sayd　to　decree
somewhat；　when　every　man　is　oblig'd　by　the　decree　of　the　major
part。　We　must　therefore　grant　to　the　definition　of　a　Church　（to
which　we　attribute　things　belonging　to　a　Person）　not　onely　a
possibility　of　assembling；　but　also　of　doing　it　lawfully。
Besides；　although　there　be　some　one　who　may　lawfully　call　the
rest　together；　yet　if　they　who　are　called　may　lawfully　not
appeare　（which　may　happen　among　men　who　are　not　subject　one　to
another）　that　same　Church　is　not　one　Person。　For　by　what　Right
they；　who　being　call'd　to　a　certaine　time；　and　place；　doe　meet
together；　are　one　Church；　by　the　same；　others　flocking　to　another
place　appointed　by　them；　are　another　Church。　And　every　number　of
men　of　one　opinion　is　a　Church；　and　by　Consequence　there　will　be
as　many　Churches　as　there　are　divers　opinions；　that　is　to　say；
the　same　multitude　of　men　will　at　once　prove　to　be　one；　and　many
Churches。　Wherefore　a　Church　is　not　one；　except　there　be　a
certaine；　and　known；　that　is　to　say；　a　lawfull　power；　by　meanes
whereof　every　man　may　be　oblig'd　to　be　present　in　the
Congregation；　either　himselfe　in　person；　or　by　Proxie。　And　that
becomes　One；　and　is　capable　of　personall　functions；　by　the　union
of　a　lawfull　power　of　convocating　Synods；　and　assemblies　of
Christians；　not　by　uniformity　of　Doctrine：　and　otherwise；　it　is　a
multitude；　and　Persons　in　the　plurall；　howsoever　agreeing　in
opinions。
　　　　XXI。　It　followes　what　hath　beene　already　said　by　necessary
connexion；　that　a　City　of　Christian　men；　an