A congregational church is a catholike visible church, or, An examination of M. Hudson his vindication concerning the integrality of the catholike visible church wherein also satisfaction is given to what M. Cawdrey writes touching that subject, in his review of M. Hooker's Survey of church discipline / by Samuel Stone ...

DIFFERENCE VI.

Genus est 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 prius speci••bus, & membra int••gro priora: the genus is before his species in priority of nature, and the member before the in••corum. The reason is, because genus is a note of the causes, integrum of the effect: the causes are in order of nature before the effect, and the effect after the causes. The genus is essentiall to his parts, giving causes to the species; the members are essential to the integral, communicating essence to it▪ the more universal,

general, or common any thing is, the more priority of nature it hath. Ani∣mal est prius homine (est e••im termiais comm••nior quàm homo homo before Socrates.

As genus is prius so it is notius naturâ. Claritas generis non dependet à clari∣tate specici, sed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 s••se commnni••at; singulars may be better known to us, but universais are by nature be••ter known then specials: Homo is better known then Socrates, or Plato; Animal better known then any of them; and substance better then that: ens à primo is better known then any of them all: because it drawes neerer to ens primum which is notissimum, & ma∣ximè intelligibil••. Prius & notius naturâ eadem sunt. But the members are be∣fore the integral in order of nature, for that is made up of the members; and therefore cannot be before them. A house cannot be before the foundation and superstruction: A tree cannot be before the root, body, and branches. Mr Hooker p. 255. in his rational discourse about the nature of integrum, made it appear as clear as the Sun, that the members which make up, and constitute the whole, are in order of nature before it. Yet Mr Hudson p. 219. seemeth to plead for the priority of an integral; affirming, that the nature of the Church Catholike, visible in respect of the particulars, is like to the priority of a Kingdom, to the parts of it; or of a corporation, in respect of the parts of it Which is not meant (saith Mr Hudson) in a mathematical or techtonical consideration: for so the particular buildings are prima, and the whole city Orta. Yet, (saith he) so M. Hooker understands me.

Answ. Mr Hooker speaks not of a city only in respect of the artificial buildings: but he speaketh of a civil body or corporation, and a politicial Kingdom: which bodies politick, and corporations hold correspondence with a city, having many houses and buildings in it; which houses and build∣ings are in nature before the whole city; which is the effect arising from those causes: So likewise the members of every body politick, are in nature before the entire body it self, which is made up of those causes. A city in a techtonical consideration may be first in intention, perfection and dignity, as well as a civil, or ecclesiastical corporation.

Mr Hudson speaks, as if a city attended in a techtonical consideration, could not be first intended. For Mr Hudson opposeth these; which is not meant (saith Mr Hudson) in a techtonical consideration, but in regard of in∣tentions, &c.

But it is a common rule, that which is first in intention, is last in execution, & contrà. The finishing and compleating the whole city is last in execution in a techtonical consideration; why may it not be first in intention? but no in∣tegral body is first in essence. Mr Hudson p. 219. affirms, that the integral Church is first in ess••nce; which I confess is above the reach of my shallow

reason; for the members give essence to the whole; that is, matter and form▪ and the integrum receives essence from them▪ being a symbol of the effect. And how is it possible to conceive that that should be first in essence, that is last in essence, receiving his essence from the essence of the parts?

Neither can any integrum be first cognitione distinctâ & noscibilitate per∣fectâ: it may be notius nobis analytically, but not notius naturâ genetically. When we analyse the frame and workmanship of god, we meet with the effects, and go from them to the causes, which we perceive by their effects: but the causes are better knowne by nature: because as Res sese habent in esse, ita in cognosci, the intelligibility and Cognoscibility of things, followeth their Entity and being.

Mr Hudson p. 278 speaks well and truly, cognitio sequitur ordinem natu∣rae in se, But how the Kingdom of England can be known without or before the knowledge of the distinct parts, I am not able to conceive. A man may indeed know the Policy, Laws, and Priviledges; and not know all the severall Towns: but the Towns are not the members of the Laws and Pri∣viledges. A man cannot know the body of Laws distinctly, before he knows any of the particular Laws; For it is certain, that as the essence of a thing consists in his causes, so the knowledge of the essence of a thing consists in the knowledge of the Causes. The common place of causes, is the fountain of all Science; Scirique demum creditur, cujus Causa teneatur: ut merito dica∣tur à Poëtâ. Foelix qui potuit rerum cognoscere Causas. It is a speculative hap∣piness, and the ••oelicity of the understanding, to know the Causes of things. But there is but small happiness to see the outside of the thing, not understand∣ing the essentiall Causes, and ingredients into the essence, and being of it: A man may as well know the nature and essence of a thing distinctly, with∣out the knowledge of his distinct nature and essence; as know a thing di∣stinctly, without knowledge of his Causes.

We have heard of some consectaries, from the definition of Genus; I shall observe two things from the definition of species specialissima (which is that which cannot be divided into other species.) The first is that individuum est species. The second is that though species specialissima cannot be divided into other species, yet it may be divided into members.

1. Individuum est species

Every singular, or individuall thing is a sp••cies.

Touching this question I shall first explicate, secondly confirm the Truth.

1. The explication may be given in these following theses, or positions.