Thomas Hobbes · Complete work
Part III, Chapter XXXIX
Part III, Chapter XXXIX of 101. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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OF THE SIGNIFICATION IN SCRIPTURE OF THE WORD CHURCH
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.
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.”
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.
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.
CHAPTER XL. OF THE RIGHTS OF THE KINGDOME OF GOD, IN ABRAHAM, MOSES, HIGH PRIESTS, AND THE KINGS OF JUDAH
Musean translation
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the complete 1651 English text (introduction, forty-seven chapters, review and conclusion) for fidelity, the author’s force and cadence, and modern clarity. Hobbes’s marginal summaries are omitted.
ON THE MEANING IN SCRIPTURE OF THE WORD CHURCH
The word Church (Ecclesia) has several meanings in the books of Holy Scripture. Sometimes, though seldom, it means God's House: a temple where Christians assemble to perform holy duties in public, as in 1 Cor. 14. ver. 34., “Let your women keep silence in the Churches.” Here, however, it is used metaphorically for the congregation assembled there, and has since come to be used for the building itself, to distinguish Christian temples from those of idolaters. The Temple of Jerusalem was God's House and the House of Prayer; in the same way, any building Christians dedicate to the worship of Christ is Christ's House. The Greek Fathers accordingly call it Kuriake, the Lord's House; hence in our language it came to be called Kyrke, and Church.
When Church does not mean a building, it means the same as Ecclesia did in the Greek Common-wealths: a congregation or assembly of citizens summoned to hear a magistrate address them. In the Roman Common-wealth this was called Concio, just as the speaker was called Ecclesiastes and Concionator. When summoned by lawful authority (Acts 19.39.), it was Ecclesia Legitima, a lawful Church, Ennomos Ecclesia. But when stirred up by tumultuous and seditious cries, it was a confused Church, Ecclesia Sugkechumene.
Sometimes the word also means those who have the right to be part of the congregation, though they are not actually assembled: the entire multitude of Christians, however widely dispersed, as in Act. 8.3., where it is said that “Saul made havoc of the Church.” It is in this sense that Christ is called Head of the Church. Sometimes it means a particular group of Christians, as in Col. 4.15., “Greet the Church that is in his house”; sometimes only the elect, as in Ephes. 5.27., “A glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish”—meaning the Church Triumphant, or the Church to Come. And sometimes it means an assembled congregation of people professing Christianity, whether their profession is genuine or false, as in Mat. 18.17.: “Tell it to the Church, and if he refuses to hear the Church, let him be to you as a Gentile or a publican.”
Only in this last sense can the Church be taken as one person: that is, be said to have the power to will, pronounce, command, receive obedience, make laws, or perform any other act. For unless authorized by a lawful congregation, any action performed by a crowd is the particular action of each person present who helped to perform it, not the action of them all collectively as one body, still less of those who were absent or, though present, did not want it done. In this sense I define a CHURCH as “A company of people professing the 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 every Common-wealth an assembly held without the civil Sovereign's warrant is unlawful, any Church assembling in a Common-wealth that has forbidden its assembly is likewise an unlawful assembly.
It also follows that on earth there is no universal Church which all Christians are bound to obey, because there is no earthly power to which all other Common-wealths are subject. Christians live under various princes and states, but each is subject to the Common-wealth of which he is a member, and consequently cannot be subject to the commands of another person. A Church capable of commanding, judging, absolving, condemning, or performing any other act is therefore identical with a civil Common-wealth consisting of Christians. It is called a civil state because its subjects are human beings, and a Church because its subjects are Christians. Temporal and Spiritual Government are merely two terms introduced into the world to make men see double and mistake their lawful Sovereign. It is true that the bodies of the faithful after the Resurrection shall be not only spiritual but eternal; in this life, however, they are material and perishable. There is therefore no government in this life, whether of state or religion, except temporal government; nor may any subject lawfully teach doctrine which the governor of both state and religion forbids to be taught. And that governor must be one, or faction and civil war must follow in the Common-wealth: between Church and State, Spiritualists and Temporalists, the Sword of Justice and the Shield of Faith; and, more than this, within every Christian's own breast, between the Christian and the human being. The teachers of the Church are called pastors; so too are civil Sovereigns. But unless pastors are subordinate to one another, with one chief pastor, people will be taught contrary doctrines, of which both may be false and one must be. Who that one chief pastor is according to the Law of Nature has already been shown: namely, the civil Sovereign. To whom Scripture assigns that office we shall see in the following chapters.
CHAPTER XL. ON THE RIGHTS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN ABRAHAM, MOSES, HIGH PRIESTS, AND THE KINGS OF JUDAH
Plain English translation
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from the complete 1651 English text (introduction, forty-seven chapters, review and conclusion). Hobbes’s marginal summaries are omitted.
What the Word Church Means in Scripture
The word church (Ecclesia) has several meanings in Scripture. Sometimes, though not often, it means God's house: a building where Christians gather for public worship. For example, 1 Cor. 14. ver. 34. says, “Let your women keep silent in the churches.” There the word stands for the congregation assembled in the building. Since then it has also been used for the building itself, to distinguish Christian places of worship from those of idol worshipers. The Temple of Jerusalem was God's house and a house of prayer. Any building Christians dedicate to the worship of Christ is likewise Christ's house. The Greek Fathers therefore called it Kuriake, the Lord's house. From this came the words Kyrke and church in our language.
When church does not mean a building, it has the meaning that Ecclesia had in the Greek Common-wealths: a gathering of citizens called together to hear a magistrate speak. In the Roman Common-wealth this gathering was called Concio, while a speaker was called Ecclesiastes or Concionator. If lawful authority called the gathering (Acts 19.39.), it was an Ecclesia Legitima, a lawful church, or Ennomos Ecclesia. But if uproar and rebellious shouting brought the people together, it was a disorderly church, an Ecclesia Sugkechumene.
Sometimes the word means people entitled to belong to the congregation even when they are not assembled. It then means all Christians, however widely scattered. Thus Act. 8.3. says that “Saul ravaged the church.” It is in this sense that Christ is called head of the church. Sometimes it means a particular group of Christians, as in Col. 4.15.: “Greet the church in his house.” Sometimes it means only those whom God has chosen, as in Ephes. 5.27.: “A glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish.” This means the triumphant church, or the church to come. Sometimes it means an assembly of people who profess Christianity, whether their profession is sincere or false. This is its meaning in Mat. 18.17.: “Tell it to the church; and if he refuses to hear the church, treat him as a Gentile or tax collector.”
Only in this last sense can a church count as one person. Only then can we say that it has the power to decide, speak, command, receive obedience, make laws, or perform any other action. Without authority from a lawful congregation, anything done by a crowd is the individual act of each person who was present and helped do it. It is not an act of everyone together as a single body, much less of those who were absent or present but unwilling. In this sense I define a church as “a group of people professing Christianity, united in the person of one Sovereign. They must assemble when he commands, and must not assemble without his authority.” In every Common-wealth an assembly without the civil Sovereign's authorization is unlawful. So a church assembly is also unlawful in any Common-wealth whose Sovereign has forbidden it to assemble.
It also follows that no universal church exists on Earth which all Christians are bound to obey. No power on Earth has authority over every other Common-wealth. Christians live under different princes and states, but each is subject to the Common-wealth of which that Christian is a member. None can therefore be subject to another person's commands. A church that can command, judge, absolve, condemn, or perform any other act is therefore the same thing as a civil Common-wealth of Christians. It is called a civil state because its subjects are human beings, and a church because its subjects are Christians. Temporal government and spiritual government are just two expressions introduced to make people see double and mistake who their lawful Sovereign is. It is true that after the Resurrection the bodies of the faithful will be spiritual as well as eternal. But in this life their bodies are solid and subject to decay. So in this life there is no kind of government, of either state or religion, other than temporal government. Nor may any subject lawfully teach a doctrine that the ruler of both state and religion forbids. That ruler must be one person. Otherwise factions and civil war will inevitably arise in the Common-wealth: between church and state, spiritualists and temporalists, the Sword of Justice and the Shield of Faith. Worse, the Christian and the human being will be at war in each Christian's own heart. The church's teachers are called pastors, and so are civil Sovereigns. But if pastors are not ranked under one another with one chief pastor, people will be taught conflicting doctrines. Both doctrines might be false, and at least one must be. I have already shown who the chief pastor is under the law of Nature: the civil Sovereign. In the following chapters we will see to whom Scripture gives that office.
Chapter XL. The Rights of the Kingdom of God Under Abraham, Moses, the High Priests, and the Kings of Judah