Mike Davenport's sermon on the 1689 SLBC 26:1-4 delves into the nature of the church, distinguishing between the universal (Catholic) and local church. The universal church is described as invisible, consisting solely of the elect united under Christ, and is contrasted with the local church, which is visible and made up of professing believers. Davenport emphasizes the continuity of the church through history, connecting believers with biblical figures and past elect. The sermon highlights Christ's headship over the church, granted by God the Father, and discusses the dangers of error and mixture within local congregations. Despite these challenges, the perpetuity of Christ's kingdom is assured. The sermon also critiques the Roman Catholic Church's claim to headship under the Pope, affirming Christ as the sole head of the church. Davenport concludes with a call to love and serve the church as Christ's bride.

Well, this evening we continue our study in the confession as has been announced, dealing with the chapter of the church. It's a long chapter. I think there's fifteen paragraphs in it, and we're not going to do all 15 tonight, so you can all breathe a collective sigh of thankfulness that we won't be covering all of them tonight. You know, when you think about the church, I remember one Puritan put it such that as he was thinking about the bride that was given to the first man Adam, that while Adam slept a rib was taken from His side from which God fashioned the church. And one Puritan put it like this, something along the lines of, while Christ was sleeping after His death, God brought forth a bride, as it were, from His side.

And so we see the beauty and the glory of the church. If you would, before we begin, turn to Ephesians chapter 4. Ephesians chapter 4. I just want our eyes to kind of look at this passage as we begin tonight, and hopefully it will set the stage for us. Ephesians 4 beginning in verse 7, But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.

Therefore he says, when he ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts to men. Now this, he ascended. What does it mean but that he also first descended into the lowest parts of the earth? He who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things. And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.

But speaking the truth in love may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body joined and knit together by what every joint supplies according to the effect of working by which every part does its share causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. So when Christ descended first but then ascended, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men, and this is why it was for His bride, for the good of His bride and the glory of His own name. So in writing about the church, paragraph 1, the writers of the Confession say, the Catholic or universal church which, with respect to the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace may be called invisible, consists of the whole number of the elect that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head thereof, and is the spouse, the body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all." So they start out with this term, the Catholic Church. And because of the realities of the uses of this word in our day and time, there may be some uneasiness in this use of the word among Protestants.

These days that word Catholic is almost solely used to describe the Roman Catholic Church. But this little word, or, indicates the meaning of the word. They put in here the Catholic or universal. That's what they're speaking of. It's a universal or general church.

The next paragraph that we'll look at will introduce a different and yet no less real aspect of the Church of Christ, that is, its local and specific as compared to universal or general. Now, those within this universal general church are those who have been recipients, it says, of the internal work of the Spirit and truth of grace. That's what it consists of. That's what it consists of. There are none, absolutely none within this number who are unconverted.

They tell us that this church consists of the whole number of the elect. None besides the elect of Christ are among this number that make up this Catholic or universal church. The universal church does not consist of sheep and goats, wheat and tares, the universal church. Now, we just sung a song that talked about there are false sons in her pale. What it's speaking of is the local church.

So we have to draw this distinction between what is the universal church and the local church. Now, the writers say that the universal church may be called invisible. Do you get a sense of the care and caution that they use when they say that? Well, it's with due cause. It may be called invisible.

In his collected writings, John Murray writes, there is no evidence for the notion of the church as an invisible entity distinct from the church visible." Let me say that again. There is no evidence for the notion of the church as an invisible entity distinct from the church visible. Sam Waldron adds the following thoughts, the universal church is always visible even if it is not perfectly or completely visible. One may not credibly profess to be a member of the invisible church while despising membership and fellowship in the visible church. In what sense then is the church invisible?

It is invisible because we cannot directly see the work of the Spirit, which joins a person to Christ. It is invisible because we cannot perfectly judge the truth of another person's grace. And it is invisible because the church as a whole is not yet a perfected earthly reality. Visible churches are only imperfect and partial manifestations of it. So that's why they say it may be called invisible, may be called.

Note next the continuity of the universal church, the continuity. It consists of the whole number of the elect that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one under Christ the head thereof. And it's important to grasp the distinction between the church as an institution and as the people of God. This is an important distinction even as you approach the writings of the New Testament. So here, as the people of God, distinct from the institution, the church consists of elect that have been gathered, what tense is that?

Past, Are being gathered, the present tense, and shall be gathered in the future. And so Herein we see this continuity of the church. Under Christ our head, we are one, as they said, under Christ our head, we are one with Adam and Eve. One with Noah, one with Moses, with Joshua, one with David, one with the prophets, and we are also one with each of the elect here in this place. That's both the have been gathered, are gathered presently, and we are one with those who have yet to be called by God's Spirit.

The reality of the continuity of the church really jumped out to me today in the message from Nehemiah 12. The leaders did not want to drift far from those men, their forefathers, who had come with Zerubbabel and Jeshua, and they name them again. They don't want to lose that connection that they had with them. They did not want to drift far from the pattern that was left for them by Moses, right? When they were rebuilding the temple, when they were setting the altar again, rebuilding the altar, they looked back to what was given in the law.

And today we saw as they were gathering to worship together, they wanted to do it like David said to do it. There was a continuity that was running with all of the elect that had gone before them. Do we live with such a continuity of spirit and vision with those who have gone before us? Well, the universal church as it says is the spouse of Christ. It is His bride.

And we read in Ephesians 5 that Christ loved this bride and He gave Himself for her. The universal church as well is the body of Jesus Christ who is its head. The universal church is the fullness of Christ who fills all in all. This wording is lifted right from the last verse of Ephesians chapter 1. Listen to John Calvin describing the connection between the catholicity of the church, this universal nature of the church, and it's consisting of the elect.

Calvin says in his Institutes of the Christian Relief and Religion, the church is called Catholic or universal because there could not be two or three churches unless Christ be torn asunder, which cannot happen. But all the elect are so united in Christ that as they are dependent on one head, they also grow together into one body, being joined and knit together as are the limbs of a body. They are made truly one since they live together in one faith, hope, and love, and in the same Spirit of God. For they have been called not only into the same inheritance of eternal life, but also to participate in one God and Christ." And so there you see Calvin talking about the connection between this catholicity as we see here in this paragraph and the fact that this universal church is made up of God's elect. So that is the church as the people of God, distinct from the institution.

So having considered the universal and general church, the writers of the confession turn in the second paragraph to the local church, a specific church. All persons throughout the world professing the faith of the gospel and obedience unto God by Christ according unto it, not destroying their own profession by any errors, averting the foundation or unholiness of conversation. These persons are and may be called visible saints, and of such all particular congregations to be constituted or made up. Well here the writers take the work of the Spirit that they referred to in the previous chapter, that work of the Spirit that befalls all of God's elect, and they take that work, and that work is not visible, yet it's real, and they take it and the truth of grace that comes with it and they bring it down to the local and specific. There before us is a man, is a woman, professing the faith of the gospel.

Professing the faith of the gospel. We hear it with our own ears. Though the universal church is made up of all the elect, when it comes to this work of the Spirit in the visible church, we see it in the profession of faith. We hear it with our own ears. There before us is a man, a woman demonstrating obedience unto God by Christ according to that gospel.

We see it with our own eyes. And there before us is a testimony that does not – is not destroyed by any errors in what they believe or in how they live. There's a real live testimony that doesn't undo everything that they say. Such are called and may be called visible saints. We see it.

And those such persons, as it says, exist throughout the world. The visibility of that internal work of the Spirit and the truth of grace demonstrated before our eyes brings the reality of the church as the people of God down to the church at an actual – as an actual institution that can be seen, heard, and touched. And I think that's what John Murray was talking about earlier, that there is not that distinction of the visible or the invisible church, it makes itself, but it makes itself known in the visible church. So it doesn't remain invisible. In that sense, it's not just out there somewhere.

It's seen at the local level where believers are gathered together and at a local level become a real functioning body that grows together in unity. And it's a picture of what God's doing throughout the entire world from beginning of time all the way till the end of time. Of such people, demonstrating such fruit, ought all particular congregations to be constituted. Note the word ought. This word is used in light of the reality of the teaching of Christ that there in the local church there will be false sons and are pale.

There will be tears that are scattered among the wheat. What we should strive for as a congregation is held out before us. The membership of our congregation should be constituted of persons described here in this paragraph. For there cannot be one faith, one hope, one love, one baptism in the Spirit among those who really aren't in Christ. He's the head.

And if a person is not attached to the head, how could they really be attached to the body? They may be in the membership, but if there's no attachment to the head, they can't say that they're truly in the true body of Christ. Now the question will no doubt be rising in someone's mind, maybe not here, but the question will say, well, if I am part of the universal church, what difference does it make if I'm part of or not part of the local church, the visible church. Well, let me share with you once again the wisdom of Calvin in such a matter. Calvin says this, but because it is now our intention to discuss the visible church, let us learn even from the simple title, Mother, how useful indeed, how necessary it is that we should know her, the church.

For there is no other way to enter into life unless this mother conceive us in her womb, give us birth, nourish us at her breast, and lastly unless she keep us under her care and guidance until, putting off mortal flesh, we become like the angels. Our weakness does not allow us to be dismissed from her school until we have been pupils all our lives." Those who turn to the cultivation of true godliness are said to inscribe their names among the citizens of Jerusalem. For this reason it is said in the Psalms, remember me, O Jehovah, with favor toward Thy people. Visit me with salvation that I may see the well-doing of Thy chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the joy of Thy nation, that I may be glad with thine inheritance." By these words, God's fatherly favor and the especial witness of spiritual life are limited to His flock so that it is always disastrous to leave the church. Well, that's the words of John Calvin as he brings it down to the local level.

Along to paragraph three, the purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error, And some have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ, but synagogues of Satan. Nevertheless, Christ always hath had and ever shall have a kingdom in this world, to the end thereof of such as believe in Him, and make profession of His name." Well having seen the continuity of the Church of Christ in paragraph 1, here the writers point out the perpetuity of His Church, the lasting nature of His Church. But before a discussion about this perpetuity, however, the writers faithfully and honestly reflect the reality of life, even church life, in a fallen world. Is that the purest churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error. Hope Baptist Church, regardless of any level of purity that we may have achieved or may yet still achieve, we are yet still subject to mixture and error.

Subject to mixture and error. If that reality truly gripped our hearts and minds, what humility, what carefulness, what What carefulness, what zeal, and what dependence on Christ would there be amongst us as a result? Do we live with that reality that the purest, the purest of churches under heaven are subject to mixture and error? Well, the reality revealed here is the more chilling when we read what comes next. Some churches have so degenerated as to become no churches of Christ but synagogues of Satan.

That doesn't happen overnight. It's a little compromise here, a little laxness there. It's a slippery road, a road described clearly by the Apostle John as he writes to the seven churches of Asia as he writes that last book, Revelation. But as dark as these realities are, they are but the backdrop against which the promise of Christ shines even brighter. Nevertheless, even though this is the case, and even the purest churches are full or can be full of a mixture of error, or mixture and error rather, against that backdrop it says nevertheless Christ always hath had and ever shall have a kingdom in this world to the end thereof of such as believe in Him and make profession of His name.

So we see that local representations of the church of Christ may come and go. Local churches may come and they may go. And they may go. But the reality is that the universal church is ever growing and ever expanding. And may God grant us grace here in this place to prosper in this present time of noonday, Son.

God's given us a season here in this place, a season of noonday. Let's make the most of it while it's here. We don't know if there will be Hope Baptist Church here in Wake Forest ten years from now, twenty years from now. We don't know. But let's work for the kingdom of God while this local church is still in existence and pray that God would keep us pure and yet humble, knowing that the purest of churches can have such mixture and error.

Christ still stands at the door of our church, desiring to dine, to fellowship with us. If we don't open up that door and commune with Him, He may remove the light of His glory and His presence. And if that happens, dear brother and sister, we may as well close the doors and write Ichabod over the doors of this building, the glory has departed. Paragraph four, the Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the church in whom by the appointment of the Father, all power for the calling, institution, order, or government of the church is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner. Neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense behead thereof, but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ and all that is called God, whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of His coming." Well, the Word of God cannot be any clearer regarding the headship of Jesus Christ over His church.

It can't be any clearer. This headship was granted to Jesus Christ by His Father. God the Father His Father. God the Father appointed Jesus Christ head of the church. We see what that headship entails here.

All power for the calling of the church. All power for the instituting of the church. And all power for the ordering and governing of that church. That's what it means for Christ to be head of the church. All power in calling, instituting, ordering, governing.

Such headship should not be surprising. The reference of the church as the spouse and the body clearly intimate that there is a bridegroom, that there is a head, there's authority. And this headship is real. It's not simply given for show. We are told that this power is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner.

It resides in Christ in a supreme, none others above, and sovereign, he dictates as he wishes manner. And think about it. If Jesus said to his disciples after his resurrection, all authority in heaven and in earth has been given to me, why should we be surprised that Christ has the authority and the headship in His church? All authority in heaven and earth belong to Him. It shouldn't surprise us that Christ is the head of the church.

Cyprian, In his work on the unity of the Catholic Church, and there again he's not talking about the Roman Catholic Church, on the unity of the Catholic, the universal church, he describes the indivisible connection that all members of Christ have with one another. It's a connection that flows from the headship of Christ. From that headship, we all have a connectivity that cannot be divided. And Calvin quotes this and says, it can't be said any better. For Calvin to say that means a lot.

Cyprian said, the church is one which is spread abroad far and wide into a multitude by an increase of fruitfulness. As there are many rays of the sun, but one light, and many branches of the tree, but one strong trunk grounded in its tenacious root. And since from one spring flow many streams, although a goodly number seem outpoured from their bounty and superabundance, still at the source unity abides. Take a ray from the body of the sun, its unity undergoes division. Break a branch from a tree, The severed branch cannot sprout.

Cut off a stream from its source. Cut off. It dries up. So also the church bathed in the light of the Lord extends over the whole earth, yet there is one light diffused everywhere." Well set opposite this biblical teaching of the headship of Christ is the teaching of the Church of Rome. Thus the necessity of the writers of the confession to include the remaining portion of the paragraph, "'The Pope of Rome cannot in any sense be head of the Church, But is that antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition that exalted himself in the church against Christ and all that is called God, whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of His coming?

And one cannot look realistically, cannot look accurately at church history regarding the Protestant faith and the true church of Christ, and then stare in wonder or confusion at the position of the Reformers in declaring the Pope of Rome that Antichrist, that man of sin, and that son of perdition." And lest you think that those are days of the past, I don't think they are. There may not be the type of battles that we saw in the past, but even such things as ECT, evangelicals and Christians together, even such things as the big gathering in D.C. Last year that some of our men attended in order to preach the gospel and reach those in attendance. They're seeking a unity with Protestants that's unhealthy, And this is why, because they hold to doctrines such as this. Christ isn't the head of the church, the pope is.

Well, I just want to close with a final comment from John Calvin from his Institutes of the Christian Religion. And I close with it, he starts with it. So he says, I shall start then with the church into whose bosom God is pleased to gather His sons, not only that they may be nourished by her help and ministry as long as they are infants and children, but also that they may be guided by her motherly care until they mature and at last reach the goal of faith. For what God has joined together it is not lawful to put us under so that for those to whom God is Father, the church may also be mother. And this was so not only under the law, but also after Christ coming, as Paul testifies when he teaches that we are the children of the new and heavenly Jerusalem, Galatians 4.26.

Well, may God give us an ever-growing love for the spouse of Him who we say is our husband. May we love the church. May we desire to give ourselves to the church and to our Lord and Savior for His glory and the church is good. Let's pray. Father, we thank you for this wonderful teaching of the confession.

Lord, we ask that as We camp here for several weeks following, Lord, that You would give us grace to learn what we should of this bride for whom Your Son died and help us to love her and to give ourselves in serving her knowing that in so doing we honor the church's head, Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, amen.