John Gill’s remarks concerning the Church as the total number of the redeemed. [From
The Body of Divinity. Gill also wrote a commentary on every verse of Scripture in the Bible in the 18th century.]
Secondly, the word ekklhsia, always used for
church, signifies an
assembly called and met together , and sometimes it is used for an assembly, whether lawfully or unlawfully convened; so the people who got together, upon the uproar made by the craftsmen at Ephesus, is called,
a confused assembly, and suggested to be an unlawful one; since the town clerk told them the matter should be determined in
a lawful assembly; and when he had thus spoken,
dismissed the assembly [Acts 19:32,39,41] in which passages the same word is used which commonly is for a "church"; and which may be considered either as a general, or as a particular assembly of persons.
First, as a general assembly, called,
The general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, [Hebrews 12:23] and which include all the elect of God, that have been, are, or shall be in the world; and who will form the pure, holy, and undefiled Jerusalem church state, in which none will be but those who are written in the Lamb's book of life; and this consists of the redeemed of the Lamb, and is the
church which Christ has
purchased with his blood; and who make up his spouse, the
church he has
loved, and given himself for, to wash, and cleanse, and present to himself a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle; this is the
body, the church, of which Christ is the
head; and in which he is the sole officer, being Prophet, Priest, and King of it; it being, not the seat of human government, as a particular church is: and this church is but
one, though particular churches are many: to this may be applied the words of Christ;
My dove, my undefiled, is but one [Song of Solomon 6:9], and this is what sometimes is called by divines, the
invisible church; not but that the whole number of God's elect is visible to him, and known by him;
The Lord knows them that are his; and the election of particular persons may be known by themselves, by the grace be stowed upon them; and, in a judgment of charity, may be concluded of others, that they are the chosen of God, and written in the book of life: but all the particular persons, and the number of them, were never yet seen and known; John had a sight of them in a visionary way, and they will be all really and actually seen, when the new Jerusalem shall descend from God out of heaven, as a bride adorned for her husband; which will be at the second coming of Christ, and not before; till that time comes, this church will be invisible. It is sometimes distinguished into the church "triumphant and militant", the whole family named of God in heaven and earth. The church triumphant consists of the saints in glory, whom Christ has taken to himself, to be with him where he is; and this is continually increasing. The church militant consists of persons in the present state, which is said to be,
as an army with banners [Song of Solomon 6:4], this is made up of such who become volunteers in the day of Christ's power; who put on the whole armour of God, and fight the good fight of faith; and in this state it will continue to the end of the world.
Ref:
http://www.gracesermons.com/hisbygrace/pbk2-ch1.html
