The Marrow of Sacred Divinity - William Ames (1642)

Thus much of the application of Redemption considered in it selfe: The subject to which, and the manner by which this application is made, doth follow.

1. THE Subject is the Church. Eph. 5. 25. 26. 27. Christ loved the Church, and gave himselfe for it: that he might sanctifie it being purified by him with the washing of water through the Word: that he might make it to himselfe glorious, that is, a Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that it might be holy and unblameable: whence Election, Redemption, Vocation, Iustification, Adoption, Sanctification, and Glorification doe in their propriety belong to the same subject, that is, to the same singular men, which make the Church. John 17. 9. 10. & 11. I pray for them; I pray not for the World, but for them whom thou hast given mee, because they are thine, Rom. 8. 29. 30. For whom hee hath fore-knowne, them hee did predestinate, &c.

2. Yet the Church hath so the consideration of a subject in respect of his application, that it is also an effect of the same application: for it is not first actually a Church, and afterward made partaker of Union and communion with Christ; but because it is united to Christ, therefore it is the Church of Christ.

3. And this is the reason why we can neither explaine nor understand the nature of the Church, unlesse those things which pertaine to the application of Christ, be first explained and perceived.

4. The elect before they be grafted into Christ are in themselves no otherwise of the Church, then that power which in its owne time shall certainly come into act, by reason of Gods intention and his transaction with Christ: because that remote power which is common to all men, in respect of the elect, is certainly determined in God.

5. Therefore those orthodox Divines, which define the Church a company of elect ones, doe either by elect ones understand, those that are called according to election; or, they define the Church not only as it doth actually exist, but also as it is to be hereafter.¹⁰⁹

6. That first thing which doth make actually a Church is calling: whence also it hath taken both its name and definition.

7. For the Church is a company of men that are called. 1 Cor. 1. 24. With 10. 32. Called both Iewes and Greekes. To the Iewes, to the Greekes, and to the Church of God. But because the end of calling is Faith, and the worke of Faith is ingrafting into Christ, and this Union with Christ, doth bring with it communion with Christ, hence it is defined, in the very same sence, a company of believers, a company of those who are in Christ; and a company of those that have communion with Christ.

8. But as Faith doth so respect Christ, as that by Christ also it respects God; so this Church, which doth exist by Faith is both referred to Christ as to the head, and by Christ unto God: whence the Church is called the body of Christ. Col. 1. 24. And also the Church of God. 1 Cor. 10. 32. The Kingdome of Christ. Colos. 1. 13. And the Kingdome of God, Rom. 14. 17.

9. It is called a company: because it doth consist properly in a multitude joyned in fellowship together, or a community of many, not in some certaine one that is called: whence Eph. 4. 16. It is called a body fitly joyned and compacted together,¹¹⁰ of divers members, and by the same reason it is often called in Scripture an House, a Family, a City, a Kingdome, a Flock, &c.

10. This company is restrained to men: because the good Angels, although in some respect they pertaine to the Church, by reason of that Union they have with Christ, and the grace of conversation communicated by him, yet they are not homogeneall members of the Church redeemed.

11. The forme or constituting cause of this Church must needs be such a thing which is found alike in all the called: but this can be nothing else then a relation neither hath any relation that force besides that that consists in a chiefe and intimate affection to Christ: but there is no such in man besides Faith: Faith therefore is the forme of the Church.

12. For Faith as it is in every believer, distributively, is the forme of those that are called: but as it is considered in all collectively, it is the forme of the company of those that are called, that is the Church.

13. For the same, believing men, who being in severall distributively, considered are the called of God, are also the Church of God, as they are joyntly or collectively considered in a company.

14. Hence all those promises of God which are made to the Church in the Scriptures, and doe containe in themselves essentiall blessings, doe also pertaine to every believer.

15. This relation is so neere, that in respect of it, not only Christ is the Churches, and the Church Christs, Cant. 2. Verse 26. But also Christ is in the Church, and the Church in him. John 15. Verse 4. 1 John 3. Verse 24. So that the Church is mystically called Christ. 1 Cor. 12. 12. And the fulnesse of Christ. Eph. 23.

16. Hence the Church by a metaphor is called the bride, and Christ the Bride-groome: the Church a City, and Christ the King; the Church an House, and Christ the House-holder; the Church the branches, and Christ the Vine: finally the Church a body, and Christ the head.

17. But by these comparisons, there is signified not onely the Union and Communion which is betweene Christ and the Church, but also the way of order whereby Christ is the beginning of all dignity, life, power, and perfection, to the Church.

18. This Church is mystically one, not generally, but as it were the Species Specialissima, or Individuan: because it hath no kind properly so called.¹¹¹

19. It is therefore called catholique, not as catholique signifies a Genus or some generall thing, but as it sets forth something integrally¹¹² universall, (as when we say the universall world) because it containes the faithfull of all Nations, of all places, and of all times.

20. Therefore no part of the Church can truly be called catholick, but as it doth professe that Faith which is the Faith of the catholick Church, in which sence the Ancients, did not onely call that part of the Church which was at Rome, but other Churches also. As our Church at Francken, may be rightly called catholick, as it doth professe that Faith which belongs to the catholick Church.

21. The Church is devided into members according to the degrees of communion which it hath with Christ, in which respect it is called either Militant, or Triumphant.

22. The Church militant is that which is partaker onely of communion begun: and so doth wrastle as yet with enemies in the field of this World. 1 Cor. 13. 9. 12. We know in part, and prophesie in part: for we see now through a Glasse and darkly. 2 Cor. 10. 3. The weapons of our warfare. Eph. 6. 12. 13. Wee wrastle, therefore take to you the whole Armour of God.

23. The Church triumphant is that which is already perfitted. Eph. 4. 13. Untill we all come to a perfect man, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. 1 Cor. 15. After commeth that which is perfect.

24. The militant Church is both invisible and visible, namely with outward sight or sence.

25. But this distinction is not a distribution of the Genus into the Species,¹¹³ as if so be there were one Church visible, and another invisible; nor of the whole into the members, as if one part of the Church were visible, and another invisible: but a distinction of the adjuncts of the same subject, because invisibility is an affection or manner of the Church, in respect of the essentiall, and internall forme: visibility is an affection or manner of the Church in respect of the accidentall, and outward forme.

26. The essentiall forme is invisible: because it is both a relation, which doth not come into the sence, and also spirituall, and so removed more from sence then in many other relations.

27. The accidentiall forme is visible, because it is nothing else then an outward profession of inward Faith, which may be easily perceived by sence.

28. This visible profession is that visible communion of the Saints which they have with Christ, and among themselves.

29. The acts of communion with Christ are those visible acts, by which they present themselves to God in Christ to receive his blessings, and to give the glory of them to him.

30. The acts of communion among themselves are all those acts, by which they study to doe good each to other: but especially those which directly make to further their communion with God in Christ.

31. Many acts of this latter kind are to be exercised also toward those who as yet are not members of the Church: because by a certaine power they are to be judged to belong to it.

32. This Church as it is visible in it selfe, is in respect of others and comparatively also distinguished into the Church lying hid, and manifest.

33. That which is manifest is when the number is greater, and the profession more free and more publick.

34. That which is hidden is when the number is lesse, and profession lesse open: which is wont to come to passe by reason of heresies, persecutions, or prophane manners abounding abroad.

35. In the same respect also the Church is purer and impurer, as the profession is more or lesse perfect.

36. But this profession doth not depend upon confession only and preaching of the Word, but also upon the receiving of it and religious obedience to it.

37. But although the Church be subject to such changes, and may leave any part of the World, yet it hath never totally falled, or shall faile from the beginning of the gathering it to the end of the World.

38. For Christ must alwayes have his Kingdome in the mids of his enemies, untill hee shall make his enemies his foote-stoole.

39. Yea the Church doth never wholly cease to be visible, for although sometime there scarse appeare a Church any where so pure, that one may fly unto it in communion of the same worship in all things: yet the Church doth in some sort abide visible in that very impurity of worship and profession.