Chapter: CHAPTER XXXIX. OF THE SIGNIFICATION IN SCRIPTURE OF THE WORD CHURCH





Church The Lords House

The word Church, (Ecclesia) signifieth in the Books of Holy Scripture
divers things. Sometimes (though not often) it is taken for Gods House,
that is to say, for a Temple, wherein Christians assemble to perform
holy duties publiquely; as, 1 Cor. 14. ver. 34. "Let your women keep
silence in the Churches:" but this is Metaphorically put, for the
Congregation there assembled; and hath been since used for the
Edifice it self, to distinguish between the Temples of Christians, and
Idolaters. The Temple of Jerusalem was Gods House, and the House of
Prayer; and so is any Edifice dedicated by Christians to the worship of
Christ, Christs House: and therefore the Greek Fathers call it Kuriake,
The Lords House; and thence, in our language it came to be called Kyrke,
and Church.




Ecclesia Properly What

Church (when not taken for a House) signifieth the same that Ecclesia
signified in the Grecian Common-wealths; that is to say, a Congregation,
or an Assembly of Citizens, called forth, to hear the Magistrate speak
unto them; and which in the Common-wealth of Rome was called Concio, as
he that spake was called Ecclesiastes, and Concionator. And when they
were called forth by lawfull Authority, (Acts 19.39.) it was Ecclesia
Legitima, a Lawfull Church, Ennomos Ecclesia. But when they were excited
by tumultuous, and seditious clamor, then it was a confused Church,
Ecclesia Sugkechumene.

It is taken also sometimes for the men that have right to be of the
Congregation, though not actually assembled; that is to say, for the
whole multitude of Christian men, how far soever they be dispersed: as
(Act. 8.3.) where it is said, that "Saul made havock of the Church:" And
in this sense is Christ said to be Head of the Church. And sometimes for
a certain part of Christians, as (Col. 4.15.) "Salute the Church that is
in his house." Sometimes also for the Elect onely; as (Ephes. 5.27.) "A
Glorious Church, without spot, or wrinkle, holy, and without blemish;"
which is meant of the Church Triumphant, or, Church To Come. Sometimes,
for a Congregation assembled, of professors of Christianity, whether
their profession be true, or counterfeit, as it is understood, Mat.
18.17. where it is said, "Tell it to the Church, and if hee neglect to
hear the Church, let him be to thee as a Gentile, or Publican."




In What Sense The Church Is One Person Church Defined

And in this last sense only it is that the Church can be taken for one
Person; that is to say, that it can be said to have power to will, to
pronounce, to command, to be obeyed, to make laws, or to doe any other
action whatsoever; For without authority from a lawfull Congregation,
whatsoever act be done in a concourse of people, it is the particular
act of every one of those that were present, and gave their aid to the
performance of it; and not the act of them all in grosse, as of one
body; much lesse that act of them that were absent, or that being
present, were not willing it should be done. According to this sense, I
define a CHURCH to be, "A company of men professing Christian Religion,
united in the person of one Soveraign; at whose command they ought to
assemble, and without whose authority they ought not to assemble." And
because in all Common-wealths, that Assembly, which is without warrant
from the Civil Soveraign, is unlawful; that Church also, which is
assembled in any Common-wealth, that hath forbidden them to assemble, is
an unlawfull Assembly.




A Christian Common-wealth, And A Church All One

It followeth also, that there is on Earth, no such universall Church as
all Christians are bound to obey; because there is no power on Earth, to
which all other Common-wealths are subject: There are Christians, in
the Dominions of severall Princes and States; but every one of them
is subject to that Common-wealth, whereof he is himself a member; and
consequently, cannot be subject to the commands of any other Person.
And therefore a Church, such as one as is capable to Command, to Judge,
Absolve, Condemn, or do any other act, is the same thing with a Civil
Common-wealth, consisting of Christian men; and is called a Civill
State, for that the subjects of it are Men; and a Church, for that the
subjects thereof are Christians. Temporall and Spirituall Government,
are but two words brought into the world, to make men see double, and
mistake their Lawfull Soveraign. It is true, that the bodies of the
faithfull, after the Resurrection shall be not onely Spirituall, but
Eternall; but in this life they are grosse, and corruptible. There
is therefore no other Government in this life, neither of State, nor
Religion, but Temporall; nor teaching of any doctrine, lawfull to any
Subject, which the Governour both of the State, and of the Religion,
forbiddeth to be taught: And that Governor must be one; or else there
must needs follow Faction, and Civil war in the Common-wealth, between
the Church and State; between Spiritualists, and Temporalists; between
the Sword Of Justice, and the Shield Of Faith; and (which is more) in
every Christian mans own brest, between the Christian, and the Man.
The Doctors of the Church, are called Pastors; so also are Civill
Soveraignes: But if Pastors be not subordinate one to another, so
as that there may bee one chief Pastor, men will be taught contrary
Doctrines, whereof both may be, and one must be false. Who that one
chief Pastor is, according to the law of Nature, hath been already
shewn; namely, that it is the Civill Soveraign; And to whom the
Scripture hath assigned that Office, we shall see in the Chapters
following.

 Deryn and Newkirk are back on the spine, working with the bats again; below, they see the German machines waiting for the Leviathan to come within range. Deryn realizes the whale is adapting to the new Clanker engines, using them to evolve. The all-hands-aft signal sounds, and everyone runs to the tail to try to pitch the nose of the ship up. She feels the airship become suddenly lighter , which means it just misses being hit by the German guns. The ship flies out of range, and Deryn tells Newkirk the Germans won't be able to catch them now: Clanker engines on Darwinist fabrications are more powerful than either one alone. Ha.

