CHURCH bas different significations, according to the different subjects to which it is applied.

It is understood of the collective body of Christians, or of all those on the face of the earth who profess to believe in Christ, and to acknowledge him as the Saviour of mankind. This is what the ancient writers call the Catholic or Universal Church. Sometimes the word Church is considered in a sense still more extensive, and divided into several branches; as the church militant, which is the assembly of the faithful on the earth; and the church triumphant, which is that of the faithful already in glory; to which the Catholics add the church patient, which, according to their doctrines, is that of the faithful in purgatory.

Church is applied to any particular congregation of Christians who associate together and concur in the participation of all the institutions of Jesus Christ, with their proper pastors and ministers. Thus we read of the church of Antioch, the church of Alexandria, the church of Thessalonica, and the like.

Church denotes a particular sect of Christians, distinguished by particular doctrines and ceremonies. In thia sense we speak of the Roman Catholic Church, the Greek Church, the Reformed Church, the Church of England, the Church of Scotland, and the like.

The Latin or Western Church comprehends all the churches of Italy, France, Spain, Africa, the north, and all other countries whither the Romans carried their language. Great Britain, part of the Netherlands, part of Germany, and part of the north, have been separated from this church ever since the time of Henry VIII., and constitute what we call the Reformed Church, and what the Catholics denominate the Western Schism.

The Greek or Eastern Church comprehends the churches of all the countries anciently subject to the Greek or Eastern empire, and through which their language was carried; that is, all the space extending from Greece to Mesopotamia and Persia, and thence into Egypt. This church has been divided from the Roman Catholic ever since the time of the emperor Phocas.

The Gallican Church denotes the Church of France under the government and direction of their respective bishops and pastors. This church has always enjoyed certain franchises and immunities, not as grants from popes, but as derived from her origin or foundation, and which she has taken care never to relinquish. These liberties depend upon two maxims; the first of which is, that the pope has no authority or right to command or order any thing, either in general or in particular, in which the temporalities and civil rights of the kingdom are concerned; and the second, that notwithstanding the pope’s supremacy is acknowledged in cases purely'spiritual, yet in France his power is limited and regulated by the decrees and canons of ancient councils received in that realm.

The word Church is used to signify the body of ecclesiastics, or the clergy, in contradistinction to the laity.

Church is used for the place where a particular congregation or society of Christians assemble for the celebration of divine service. In this sense churches are variously denominated, according to their rank, degree, discipline, and the like, as the metropolitan church, the patriarchal church, cathedral church, parochial church, collegiate church, and so on.

In ecclesiastical writers we meet with Grand Church, which is used to signify the chief church of a place. Thus, in the Greek liturgy, the church of St Sophia at Constantinople, the see of the patriarch, founded by Constantine, and consecrated under Justinian, is denominated Grand Church.

The first church publicly built by the Christians is supposed by some to have been that of St Saviour at Rome, founded by Constantine; while others contend that several churches abroad, called by the name of St Peter Vivus, were built in honour of that apostle during his life-time.

High Church was a denomination originally given to those otherwise called Nonjurors, who refused to acknowledge the title of William III. Prince of Orange, to the [7:6:687]crown of Great Britain, under a notion that James II. though excluded, was still their rightful sovereign. This appellation was given them because they entertained high notions of the dignity and power of the church, and the extent of its prerogatives and jurisdiction. And those, on the contrary, who disapproved of the succession and obstinacy of the nonjurors, were called Low Churchmen, being distinguished by their moderation towards dissenters, and less ardent in extending the limits of church authority. The denomination of High Churchmen is now more generally applied to all who form lofty and ambitious conceptions of the authority and jurisdiction of the church, and who would raise it to an absolute independence of all human power.

Church-Wardens Çecclesiae guardiam) in the English ecclesiastical polity, are the guardians or keepers of the church, and the representatives of the body of the parish. They are sometimes appointed by the minister, sometimes by the parish, sometimes by both together, as custom directs.