This study explores the use of the doctrine of the offices of Christ (prophet, priest, and king) in the literature of the English separatists Henry Barrow (c.1550-1593) and Henry Ainsworth (1569-1622). No study to date explores the English separatists’ use of the doctrine in ecclesiological debates. During the period 1580 to 1620 the doctrine was more commonly referenced when discussing soteriology. Barrow and Ainsworth provide some of the clearest expressions of the doctrine of the offices of Christ in separatist works and their steadfastness in those beliefs in light of opposition make them good candidates for this research. This study sets out to answer the question: what was the significance of participation by the elect in the offices of Christ as used in Barrow and Ainsworth’s writings? This research focuses on the theology of Barrow and Ainsworth and does not consider the social or experiential aspects of their professed beliefs. This study provides a detailed analysis of the writings of Barrow and Ainsworth particularly noting their use of the offices of Christ in discussions of the visible church. It then examines the relationship of Barrow and Ainsworth’s Christology and ecclesiology, expressed through the offices of Christ, in their understanding of the visible church. Finally, this research compares their usage with works published in England from 1580 to 1620, considering whether their usage was distinct. Its findings challenge the traditional historiographical suggestions that purity, polity, discipline, and covenant were the central themes of Barrow and Ainsworth’s ecclesiology. This research suggests that, for Barrow and Ainsworth, the visible church was the visible expression of Christ on earth and the continuation of his earthly ministry begun at the incarnation. They believed that the visible church was the result of union with Christ, not the means of it. Through union with Christ, all the elect participated in Christ’s offices. Barrow and Ainsworth’s understanding of the visible church incorporated their understanding of Christ’s continuing work expressed in his offices of prophecy, priesthood, and kingship. Christ was immediately present in his visible church, working in the elect and through the elect as prophets, priests, and kings. The visible elect, when gathered, became the body of Christ on earth and as his body they continued the work of prophecy, priesthood, and kingship that he had begun.

This study concluded that the Three Forms of Unity does not give the same meaning to the word “church” all the way through, since the word is used to describe both the visible and invisible sides of the church. When these different uses of the word “church” are left out of consideration in discussions concerning the church and only one of the two sides of the church is emphasised, it leads to the large degree of confusion and indistiction which these days is experienced in ecclesiastical debates. Before there can be any meaningful progress in these discussions, it is therefore necessary to establish which view of the Bible as well as concept of the church, is being taken as starting point of the discussion. Reformed academics have already done many studies concerning the Biblical usage of the word “church”. This study has taken the research a step further and shown that the use of the word “church” in the Three Forms of Unity agrees with the Biblical usage of the word. The Bible and the Three Forms of Unity mean, with the word “church”, both sides of the church of Christ. This church is on the one side invisible, seeing that is spans time and place and in doing so is the sum total of all the elect. On the other side, this church is made visible in a defined place and time and bears the stamp of its own time and culture in which it took its shape. Confusion arises when it is assumed that whatever the Bible and confessions state as indicative of the invisible church is necessarily indicative of the church`s visible side also. This is particularly valid, for example, in the doctrine concerning the attributes and characteristics of the church. This study has brought the old truths about the church from the Bible and confessions freshly to the fore in a time when very little attention is being paid to them. Yet it is precisely these truths concerning the concept of the church that can bring progress in ecclesiastical discussion. It was further demonstrated that the concept of the church held by the Afrikaans Protestant Churches stands on solid Biblical and confessional grounds. / Dissertation (MA (Research in Practical Theology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Practical Theology / MA / unrestricted