is the Kingdom of the Lord Jefus Chrift, the House and Family of God, out of which there is no ordinary Poffibility of Salvation.

III. Unto this Catholick Visible Church, Chrift hath given the Miniftry, Oracles, and Ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the Saints in this Life to the End of the World; and doth by his own Prefence and Spirit, according to his Promife, make them effectual thereunto o. IV. This

first fruit be holy, the lump is alfo holy and if the root be holy, fo are the branches. Gen. 3. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy feed and her feed it fhall bruife thy head, and thoufhalt bruise his heel. Gen. 17.7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy feed after thee, in their generations, for an everlafting covenant; to be a God unto thee, and to thy feed after thee.

d Mat. 13.47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was caft into the fea, and gathered of every kind. Isai, 9.7. Of the increase of his government and peace there fhall be no end, upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice, from henceforth even for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hofts will perform this.

III. I Cor. 12, 28. And God hath fet fome in the church, firt apoftles, fecondarily prophets, third, ly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, govern ments, diverfities of tongues. Eph 4. 11. And he gave fome, apostles: and fome, prophets and fome evangelifts: and fome, pastors and teachers; v. 12. For the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the miniftry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift: v. 13 Till weall come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the meature of the ftature of the ful nefs of Chrift. Mat. 28. 19. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghoft v. 20. Teaching them to obferve all things what foever I have commanded you and lo, 1 am with you alway even unto the end of the world. Amen. ai. 59. 21. As for me, this is my covenant with them, faith the Lord, My Spi rit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, fhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor our of the mouth of thy feed, nonout of the mouth of thy feeds feed, faith the Lord,from henceforth and for ever. IV. Ram,

IV. This Catholick Church hath been sometimes

more, fometimes lefs vifible. And particular Churches, which are Members thereof, are more or lefs pure, according as the Do&rine of the Gofpel is taught and embraced, Ordinances adminifired, and publick Worship performed more or less purely in them.

V. The pureft Churches under Heaven are fubject both to Mixture and Error: and fome have fo degenerated as to become no Churches of Chrift, but fynagogues of Satan'. Nevertheless there fhall

h

IV. Rom. 11.3. Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they feek my life. v, 4. But what faith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to my felf feven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Rev. 12.6. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where the hath a place prepared of God, that they fhould feed her there a thoufand two hundred and threefcore days. v. 14. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that he might flee into the wilderness, into her place: where fhe is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the ferpent.

i

[Rev. 2. and 3. chapters throughout.] 1 Cor. 5. 6. Your glorying is not good: Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? v. 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Chrift Our paffover is facrificed for us.

V. k 1 Cor. 13. 12. For now we fee thorow a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then fhall I know even as also Į

be

am known. [Rev. 2. 3. chapters. Ţ Mat. 13. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, Another parable put he forth unto them, faying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which fowed good feed in his field: But while men flept, his enemy came and fowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was fprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares alfo, &c. v. 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was caft into the sea, and gathered of every kind.

Rev. 18. 2. And he cried mightily with a ftrong voice, faying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul fpirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. Rom. 11. 18, Boaft not against the branches: but if thou boaft, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. v, 19. Thou wilt fay then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. v. 20. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou ftandeft by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear. v. 21. For if God fpared not the

K

be always à Church on Earth, to worship God according to his Will.".

VI. There is no other Head of the Church but the Lord Jefus Chrift ". Nor can the Pope of Rome in any fenfe be Head thereof; but is that Antichrift, that Man of Sin, and Son of Perdition, that exalteth himself in the Church against Christ, and all that is called God o,

the natural branches, take heed left he alfo fpare not thee. v. 22. Behold therefore the goodness, and feverity of God: on them which fell, feverity; but towards thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness otherwise thou shalt be cut off.

Mat, 16. 18. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell fhall not prevail against it, Pfalm 72. 17. His name fhall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the fun and men fhall be bleffed in him; all nations fhall call him bieffed. Pfalm 102. 28. The children of thy fervants fhall continue, and their feed fhall be eftablifhed before thee, Mat, 28. 19, 20. [See in letter B.]

:

VI. Col. 1. 18. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firft-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. Eph. 1. 22. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.

CHAP

V. 10. Nei

Mat. 23. 8. But be not ye cal led Rabbi: for one is your Mafter, even Chrift, and all ye are brethren. v. 9. And call no man your father upon earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. ther be ye called mafters: for one is your Mafter, even Chrift, 2 The 2. 3. Let no man deceive you by any means; for that day jhall not come except there come a falling away firft, and that man of fin be revealed, the fon of perdition: v.4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; fo that he as God fitteth in the temple of God, fhewing himself that he is God, v. §. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord fhall confume with the fpirit of his mouth, and thall destroy with the brightnefs of his coming; v. 9. Even him whofe coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and figns, and lying wonders, Rev. 13. 6. And he opened his mouth in blafphemy against God, to blafpheme his name and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

Of Communion of Saints.

LL Saints that are united to Jefus Chrift their

A Head by his Spirit and by Faith, have Fel

lowinip with him in his Graces, Sufferings, Death, Refurrection and Glory: And being united to one another in Love, they have Communion in each others Gifts and Graces; and are obliged to the Performance of fuch Duties, publick and private,

as

ed together in the likeness of his death; we shall be alfo in the likeness of his resurrection. v. 6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of fin might be deftroyed, that henceforth we should not ferve fin. 2 Tim. 2. 12. If we fuffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.

1.1 John 1. 3. That which we have feen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift. Eph. 3. 16. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory, to be ftrengthned with might, by his Spirit in the innerman; v. 17. That Chrift may dwell in your b Eph. 4. 15. But speaking the hearts by faith; that ye being root- truth in love, may grow up into ed and grounded in love, v.18. May him in all things, which is the head, be able to comprehend with all even Chrift, v. 16. From whom the faints, what is the breadth, and whole body fitly joined together, length, and depth, and height; and compacted by that which every v. 19. And to know the love of joint supplieth, according to the Chrift, which paffeth knowledge, effectual working in the measure of that ye might be filled with all the every part, maketh increase of the fulness of God. John 1. 16. And body, unto the edifying of its self in of his fulness have all we received, love. I Cor. 12. 7. But the maniand grace for grace. Eph.2. s. Even feftation of the Spirit is given to when we were dead in fins, hath every man to profit withal. 1 Cor. quickned us together with Chrift, 3.21. Therefore let no man glory (by grace ye are saved.) v. 6. And in men: for all things are yours: hath raifed us up together, and v. 22. Whether Paul, or Apollos, made us fit together in heavenly or Cephas, or the world, or life, or places in Christ Jesus. Phil. 3. 10. That I may know him, and the power of his refurrection, and the fellowship of his fufferings, being made conformable unto his death. Rom, 6.5. For if we have been plant

death, or things.present, or things to come; all are yours: v. 23. And ye are Chrifts; and Chrift is Gods, Col.2.19. And not holding the head, from which all the body by joints

and

as do conduce to their mutual Good, both in the inward and outward Man c.

II. Saints by Profeffion are bound to maintain an holy Fellowship and Communion in the Worship of God; and in performing fuch other fpiritual Services, as tend to their mutual Edification ; as alfo in relieving each other in outward Things, according to their feveral Abilities and Neceffities. Which Communion, as God offereth Opportunity, is to be extended unto all thofe, who in every Place call upon the Name of the Lord Jefus .

III. This

unto all men, especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith.

II. Heb. 10. 24. And let us confider one another to provoke unto love, and to goodworks: v. 25. Not forfaking the affembling of our felves together, as the manner of fome is; but exhorting one another and fo much the more, as you fee the day approaching. Acts 2. 42. And they continued stedfaftly in the apoftles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer. v. 46. And they continu ing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking of bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and fingleness of

1 Thef. 5. 11. Wherefore comfort your felves together, and edify one another, even as alfo ye do. 7.14. Now we exhort you,brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, fupport the weak, be patient toward all men. Rom. 1. 11. For I long to fee you, that I may impart unto you fome fpiritual gift, to the end ye may be eftablished; v. 12. That is, that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith both of you and me. v. 14. Iam debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians, both to the wife, and to the unwife. John heart. Ifa. 2. 3. And many peo3. 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. v. 17. But whofo hath this worlds ways, and we will walk in his paths, good, and feeth his brother have need, and fhutteth up his bowels of compaffion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? v. 18, My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. Gal. 6. 10. As we have therefore opportunity,let us do good

ple fhall go and fay, Comeye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his

for out ofZion fhall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerufalem. 1 Cor. 11. 20. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lords fupper.

• Acts 2. 44. And all that be lieved were together, and had all

things