A. He saith this is the plainest description he can give: That is not the fault of his Auditors or Readers. 1. As to the Genus, a Community of equals without Rulers is a body: but I suppose he meaneth not such. 2. Is it enough that it be of Men? sure now they should be Christians? 3. Many are separated from the rest of the World, secundum quid, that are no Christians; some in one respect and some in another, and none in all respects. 4. United to God, is an ambiguous word, no Creature is United to him perfectly so as to be thereby what he is, God, in the created Nature. Only Christ is united to him Hypostatically in his created Nature. All are so far united to him in natural being, as that in him they live and move and have their being: And the Nature of man is one sort of his Image: All things are united to him as effects to their constant efficient. The Church should not be defined without any mention of Christ: The Churches Union with God is by Christ. 5. Christ himself as Head is an essential part of the Church, and should not be left out of a Definition, though the mere Body may in common speech be called the Church, as the People may be called a Kingdom. 6. Will any Divine Covenant serve? or must it not be only the Baptismal Covenant? 7. Is it called Divine only as made by God, or as commanded by God and made by Man, or as mutual? Certainly Gods Law and offered or Conditional Promise is most frequently called His Covenant in Scripture; and this uniteth not men to God, till they consent and Covenant with him. Their own Covenant Act is necessary hereto: And that is a Divine Covenant, only as commanded, and accepted and done by Gods assisting Grace. 8. The form of a Church is Relative, and the Terminus is essential to a Relation. It is no definition that hath not the End ⟨p. 2⟩of the Association: Therefore this is none at all; and so the beginning tells us what to expect.
A. He saith this is the plainest description he can give: That is not the fault of his Auditors or Readers. 1. As to the Genus, a Community of equals without Rulers is a body: but I suppose he meaneth not such. 2. Is it enough that it be of Men? sure now they should be Christians? 3. Many are separated from the rest of the World, secundum quid, that are no Christians; some in one respect and some in another, and none in all respects. 4. Vnited to God, is an ambiguous word, no Creature is Vnited to him perfectly so as to be thereby what he is, God, in the created Nature. Only Christ is united to him Hypostatically in his created Nature. All are so far united to him in natural being, as that in him they live and move and have their being: And the Nature of man is one sort of his Image: All things are united to him as effects to their constant efficient. The Church should not be defined without any mention of Christ: The Churches Union with God is by Christ. 5. Christ himself as Head is an essential part of the Church, and should not be left out of a Definition, thô the meer Body may in common speech be called the Church, as the People may be called a Kingdom. 6. Will any Divine Covenant serve? or must it not be only the Baptismal Covenant? 7. Is it called Divine only as made by God, or as commanded by God and made by Man, or as mutual? Certainly Gods Law and offered or Conditional Promise is most frequently called His Covenant in Scripture; and this uniteth not men to God, till they consent and Covenant with him. Their own Covenant Act is necessary hereto: And that is a Divine Covenant, only as commanded, and accepted and done by Gods assisting Grace. 8. The form of a Church is Relative, and the Terminus is essential to a Relation. It is no definition that hath not the End ⟨p. 2⟩of the Association: Therefore this is none at all; and so the beginning tells us what to expect.
