CHAPTER XXXIX.
OF THE SIGNIFICATION IN SCRIPTURE OF
THE WORD CHURCH.
Church the Lord’s house.
The word Church, (Ecclesia) signifieth in the books of Holy Scripture divers things. Sometimes, though not often, it is taken for God’s house, that is to say, for a temple, wherein Christians assembled to perform holy duties, publicly, as (1 Cor. xiv. 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 itself, to distinguish between the temples of Christians and idolaters. The Temple of Jerusalem was God’s house, and the house of prayer; and so is any edifice dedicated by Christians to the worship of Christ, Christ’s house: and therefore the Greek fathers call it Κυριακὴ, the Lord’s 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 commonwealth, that is to say, a congregation, or an assembly of citizens, called forth to hear the magistrate speak unto them; and which in the commonwealth of Rome was called concio: as he that spake was called ecclesiastes, and concionator. And when they were called forth by lawful authority, (Acts xix. 39) it was Ecclesia legitima, a lawful Church, ἔννομος ἐκκλησία. But when they were excited by tumultuous and seditious clamour, then it was a Confused Church, ἐκκλησία συγκεχυμένη.
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 (Acts viii. 3) where it is said, that Saul made havoc of the Church: and in this sense is Christ said to be the head of the Church. And sometimes for a certain part of Christians, as (Col. iv. 15) Salute the Church that is in his house. Sometimes also for the elect only; as (Eph. v. 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, (Matth. xviii. 17) where it is said, Tell it to the Church; and if he 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 do any other action whatsoever. For without authority from a lawful 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 gross, as of one body; much less the 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 sovereign, at whose command they ought to assemble, and without whose authority they ought not to assemble. And because in all commonwealths, that assembly, which is without warrant from the civil sovereign, is unlawful; that Church also, which is assembled in any commonwealth that hath forbidden them to assemble, is an unlawful assembly.
A Christian commonwealth and a church all one.