when in Fury only was God known,

his Name was great in Ifracl, Je- Pfal.76.1,2. rufalem was his Tabernacle, and

Acts 10.

34, 35.

his Dwelling-place in Sion. Whereas now the Partition-wall being broken down, there is no refpect of Perfons, Jews or Gentiles with God*, but in every Nation he that feareth God, and worketh Righteoufness is accepted with him. For these twain, Jews and Gentiles throughout the whole Earth are become one Body, one myftical Body in Chrift, who is the Head †, and this the Apoftle celebrates as the Mystery of Chrift not made known to former Ages, as it is now revealed by the Spirit. What? that the Gentiles fhould be Heirs of the fame Body, and partakers of the Promife of Chrift by the Gospel. In one word, the Congregation of all in all Națions that profefs Faith in, and Obedience to Chrift, and his Gofpel, being baptized, are the one Body, the Catholick Church."

Ephef. 2. 14, 15, 16. 18. 20..

* Ep. 3.4.6.

Queft. V. How is this Catholick Church of Christ visible, and how is it invifible?

Anf. It is partly vifible, and fo it confifts of Men that make outward Profeffion of that Faith and Obedience throughout the whole Earth; and partly invifible, being the Company of all that ever have been, are or fhall be inwardly fincere in that Profeffion to the World's End; and this invifible Church includes as well the Saints

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Saints triumphant in Heaven, as them that are yet militant upon Earth, and thefe latter are faid to be invifible, not as if they were not to be feen in their times; but becaule their Hearts cannot be difcerned by any human Eye, the Lord alone knoweth them that are his in truth and fincerity. The diftinction is truly fcriptural, and I hall only remark two things here. Firft, that all thofe glorious things fpoken of the Church in Scripture, as that it is Chrift's Spouse, a Spiritual Haufe or Temple, the Family or Houthold of God, the City of God, the Ifrael of God, the Kingdom of God, the New Jer falem, a Holy Nation, the peculiar People, the cholen Generation, the Royal Priesthood, the one Elock, the one Sheepfold, the Sion wherein God hath his Refidence for ever, the Mountain of the Lord exalted above all Mountains, into which all Nations fhould flow, that Church which God purchaled with his own B.ood; they all, and whatever elfe do primarily, and in their firft and chief Intention belong to the Church invifible, confifting of fincere Chriftians, as the one Body, into which all are upon Covenant-terms, baptized by one Spirit, being thereby affociated with a Spiritual Knot, under one Spiritual Head, even Jefus, Chrift, by the Holy Ghoft; and yet to the Church vifible of all Ages in all Countries, confifting of Tares and Wheat, good and bad Chriftians, the fincere, godly, and wretched Hypocrites, they do be Jong by Analogy and Participation; and that for this great Reafon, because every one, that profeffeth Christianity is in judgment of charity

pre

prefumed to be fincere in his profeffion, untill he be convicted of, fcandalous Sin, or untill the Harveft of the World, when there fhall be a final Separation, and the Tares fhall be gathered together, and bound in Bundles to be caft into the Fire, but the Wheat fhall be

gathered into God's Barn Now Mat.13.20. fecondly, that there is this unavoid

心

able Mixture of good and bad Members at prefent in Chrift's vifible Church, it fhews fome Men's Plea for feparation from our Church, to be very weak, viz. that of mixt Communions therein, of which more hereafter. Mean while, because there are falfe, Idolatrous and Heretical Churches, or Aflemblies, of them that profefs the Chriftian Name, which have once been faithful Spouses of Chrift, but are now apoftarized, and become Harlots, unto which no Man that hath a care of his Soul can fafely unite or incorporate himself; let that therefore be pur next question.

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Queft. VI. How may a True and Orthodox visible particular Church, unto which a Christian may, fafely, and in duty is bound to join himself, as being a found Member of the Cat holick Church of Chrift (the one Body) be known from a falfe Church from which he ought to feparate?

Anf. Not to mention here the many falfe Notes, or Marks given of a Church by them of ile Roman Communion; it may yet be proper

to

to inftruct them for whofe fake I write, what is generally faid concerning two of them, as what cannot well be waved in a Difcourfe of Catholick Unity, and Church - Communion. They are the firft and the feventh of those fif teen Notes given by Bellarmine: All which are throughly and particularly examined, and dif. proved by the London Divines, in their fhort and learned Difcourfes against Popery, in the late Reign of King James the IId. Those I fhall fpeak briefly of here, are the Name of Catho lick, and the Union of Members with the Head.

1. For the Name of Catholick, it is most ridiculous in the Papifts firft to appropriate it to themselves, calling themfelves Roman Catholicks, and then to argue from the Name to the thing. The Roman Church is at beft but a particular Church, and fo but a part of the Catholick Church, and a very corrupt part, if any at all: So that to call themselves Roman Catholicks, is as improper as to fay, particular Univerfal, which to join to any one Subject, Perfon, or Nation, is no better than Non-fence, and to reftrain them to any one is a manifeft Contradiction. The Catholick Charch which we in our Creed profefs to believe, is the whole Church all the World over; which, as it is but one, even as Noah's Ark was but one, the one Flock, the one Fold, the one Bride and *Cant. 6.9. Spouse, and the one Body *, fo is Mat.13.14. it in all refpects truly Catholick. Luk. 13.24. Catholick in time, comprehending Ephef. 4.4. all the faithful from the beginning

unta

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unto the End of the World. Catholick in place, comprehending of all Nations, Jews and Gentiles at the fartheft diftance; fo that, every true Church, and all Chriftians in it, are all Members of the one Catholick Church, of the one Body, whether called Catholicks, or no.

2. Nor is there any neceffity of any other Churches being united to, or depending on, ei ther the Church of Rome, or any other Perfon, or Society of Perfons, that will prefume to ufurp the Title of the Churches Head, as the Pope doth; the moft effential part of that definition the Popish Doctors give of a true vifible Church is this, that it is united to, and depends upon, 0 and yields an unlimited Obedience unto the Pope, as St. Peter's Succeffor, and even the Churches vifible Head, the Universal Paftor, and Christ's Vicar upon Earth: And all are Hereticks that are not united to, and under the Pope's Regiment as fuch. But it is not they, that can produce any Authority for this proud Claim, either from Chrift's Inftitution, or the Apoftle's Practice, in either planting or fettling any of the Churches. Let the Scriptures be fearch'd from firft to laft, and who can find any claufe or paffage, that either directly or indirectly, teacheth any thing of other National Churches, or the Chriftians in them, owing Obedience to, or dependance upon Rome, or the. Bishop there. Not one of those thousands whom the Apostles converted had any fuch thing taught them upon their being converted and baptized, and added to the Church, that they muft of neceffity obey any one Universal vifi

ble