The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Introduction
• Of the Nature and Qualification of Religion, In Reference to Civil Society, &c.
• §i.
• §2.
• §3.
• §4.
• §5.
• §6.
• §7.
• §8.
• §9.
• §10.
• §11.
• §12.
• §13.
• §14.
• §15.
• §16.
• §17.
• §18.
• §19.
• §20.
• §21.
• §22.
• §23.
• §24.
• §25.
• §26.
• §27.
• §28.
• §29.
• §30.
• §31.
• §32.
• §33.
• §34.
• §35.
• §37.
• §38.
• §39.
• §40.
• §41.
• §42.
• §43.
• §44.
• §45.
• §46.
• §47.
• §48.
• §49.
• §50.
• §51.
• §52.
• §53.
• §54.

§34.

Whether the whole Christian Church ought to be considered as a State. It being then evident, that there is a great difference betwixt the condition of particular Churches, and that of a State or Commonwealth: It may further be enquired into, whether perhaps those Churches united don’t make up a Body like to that of a great State? For it is certain, that the Word Church is in the Scriptures attributed to the whole Body of the Believers wheresoever dispersed throughout the World; yet so, that there is not the least appearance (if a due regard be had to our Saviour’s Intention) of a Design to erect a State. Go you into all the World, and Preach the Gospel to every Creature, are the Words of our Saviour to his Disciples.178 Here is no mention made of any Persons, who should be the supream Governours over the rest (as is usual, and absolutely necessary in a State) nor any certain Place of Residence appointed for these Governours, from whence the rest should receive their Orders. Neither is the least care taken by what means they should maintain a Correspondency with their capital City: And truly, considering the vast Extent of the World, and the prodigious Distance of those Countries, where the Apostles Preach’d the Gospel: (besides, that there was a mortal Enmity betwixt some of these States) these were unsurmountable Obstacles for the settling and maintaining a Correspondency betwixt them. So that it does not appear, by what means all the Christians could be united under one State. It is not denied but that there is often mention made in the Scripture, of the Union of the Christians; as in the 1 Cor. c. 12:12, 13. As the body is one, and had many members, and all the members of that one body being many, are one body: So also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. Christ says in the 10. Chap. of S. John, ver. 16, My Sheep hear my voice, and there shall be one fold and one shepherd. Which shews, that all the Sheep are brought into one Flock by hearing the Voice of their Pastour, who is Christ. So it is said in the Epistle to the Ephesians, ch. 4: ver. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Forbearing one another in love, endeavouring the Unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling: One Lord, one Faith, one Baptism, one God and Father of all. And Christ, in his farewel Sermon, does chiefly recommend to his Disciples Charity and Unity, as the true Badges of Christianity; And the Name of Brother which particularly belongs to the Christians, seems to imply a general union betwixt them.179 But if we consider the Nature of these holy Tyes, we may easily observe them to have been in no ways adapted to the Constitution of a temporal Government; but properly belonging to the Establishment and Union of a mystical Body. For, as none of them requires or implies any dependency from a Temporal Power, so they may belong in common to all Christians, tho’ living in far distant Countries, and several Jurisdictions.

[178.]Mark 16:15.

[179.]John 13:34; 1 Cor. 13; Coloss. 3:14; Gal. 6:10.