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Chrift d, the house and family of God e, out of which there is no ordinary po Tibility of Salvation f.

III. Unto this catholic vifible church, Chrift hath given the ministry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the faints, in this life, to the end of the world and doth by his own pre ence and fpirit, according to his promife, make them effectual thereunto g.

:

IV. This catholic church hath been fometimes more, fometimes les visible h. And particular churches, which are

this of thy whoredoms a small matter, 7.2. That thou haft flain my children, and delivered them to cause them to pals through the fire for them? Rom. 11. 16. For if the firft 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 thou shalt bruife his heel. Gen.17.7. And I will eftablish 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, I s. 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was caft into the fea, and gathered of every kind. Ifa. 9.7.Of the increafe of his government and peace there fhall be no end, upon the throne of David,andup on his kingdom, to order it, and to eltablish it with judgment and with juftice, from henceforth even for ever: the zeal of the Lord of hofts will perform this.

e Eph, 2 19. Now therefore ye are no more Itrangers & foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the faints, and of the houfhold of God. Eph.3. 15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. f Acts 2. 47. Praifing God, and having favour with all the people And the Lord added to church daily fuch as fhould be faved.

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III.g Cor.12.28. And God hath fet fome in the church, first apoftles,fecondarily, prophets,thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments,diverfities of tongues. Eph. 4. 11. And he gave fome, apoftles: and fome, prophets; and fome, evangelifts; and fome, paftors and teachers. v. 12. For the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the miniftry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift; 7. 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the me fure of the ftature of the fulnefs 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

hoft. v, 20. Teaching them to obferve all things whatsoever I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Ifa, 59. 21. As for me, this is my covenant with them, faith the Lord,My fpirit that is upon thee,and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out ofthy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy feed, nor out of the mouth of thy feeds feed, faith the Lord, from hence. forth and for ever.

IV, h Rom. 11. 3, Lord, they have killed thy prophets,& digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they feek my life. ".4. But what faith the answer of God

unto

members thereof, are more lefs pure, according as the do. Etrine of the gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances adminiftred,and public worship performed more or less purely

in them i.

V. The pureft churches under heaven are fubject both to mixture and error k: and fome have fo degenerated, as to become no churches of Chrift, but fynagogues of Satan l. Nevertheless, there fhall be always a church on earth, to worship God according to his will m. VI. There

unto him? I have referved to my felf feven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to the image of Raal. Rev. 12.6. And the woman fled into the wildernefs, 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 the might flee into the wildernefs, 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 and3.chaptersthroughOut.) Cor5.6. Yourgloryingisnot 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 Christ our paflover is facrificedfor

us.

V. k 1 Cor. 13. 12. For now we fee through a glafs, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then fhall I know evenas alfo I am known.(Rev. 2.3. chapters.)Mat. 13. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29,30. Anotherparableput he forth unto them, faying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which fowed good feed in hisfield; But while men flept, his enemy came and fowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was fprong up,and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tears alfo, &c. v. 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like un

to a net that was caft into the fea, and gathered of every kind.

1 Rev 18.2. And he criedmigh tily with a ftrong voice,faying, Babylon the great is fallen,is fallen, and is become the habitationofdevils,and the hold of every foul fpirit,and a cage of every unclean & hateful bird,Rom. 11.18. Boaft not against the branches but if thou boast, thou beareft not the root, but the root thee. v. 19.Thou wilt lay then, the branches were broken off,that I might be graffed in, v. 20. Well; becaufe of unbelief they were broken off, and thou ftandeft by faith. Be not highminded, but fear. v. 21. For if God fpared not the natural branches, take heed left he alfo ipare not thes, v. 22. Behold therefore the goodness,and feverity of God: on them which fell, feverity; but towards thee, goodnefs, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwife thou shalt be cut off.

my

mMat 16.18 And I fay alfo unto thee,That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build church: and the gates of hell fhall not prevail againft it. Pfal. 72. 17.His name thall endure for ever: hisname fhall be continued as long as the fun: and men fhall be biefled in him: all nations fhall call him bleffed. Pfalm 101. 28. The children of thylervants fhall continue, and their feed fhall be eftabithed before thee. Mat.28. 19. 20. (See in letter g.)

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VI. There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jefus Chrift n, nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof; but is that antichrift, that man of fin, and fon of perdition, that exalteth himself in the chrurch against Chrift, and all that is called God o.

CHAP. XXVI. Of the communion of faints.

LL Saints that are united to Jefus Chrift their head, by his fpirit and by faith, have fellowship with him in his graces, fufferings, death, refurrection and glory a:

VI.n Col. I. 18. And he is the head of the body, the church; whois the beginning,the first-born from the dead: that in all things he might have the pre eminence, Eph.1.22.And hath put all things under his feet,and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.

o Mat. 23.8. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your master, evenChrift, and all ye are brethren. v.9. And call no man your father upon earth: for one is your Father which is in heaven. v, 10. Neither be ye called masters; for one is your malter, even Chrift.2.Theff. 2. 3. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day fhall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of fin be revealed, the fon of perdition: v.4. Who oppofeth and exalteth himfelf 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. 8. And then fhall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord fhall confume with the fpirit of his mouth, and fhall deftroy with the brightness 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 o pened his mouth, in blafphemy a

And

gainst God, to blafpheme his name and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

I. a1 John 1.3. That which we have feen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye alfo 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 hisglory, to be ftrengthned with might, by his fpirit in the inner-man; v. 17. That Chrift may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded in love, v. 18. May be able to comprehend with all faints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; v. 19. And to know the love of Chrift, which paffeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. John 1. 16. And . of his fulness have all we received, & grace for grace. Eph. 2.5.Even when we were dead in fins, hath quickned us together with Chrift, (by grace ye are faved,) v. 6. And hath railed us up together, and made us fit together in heavenly places in Chrift Jefus. Phil. 3. 10. That I may know him, and the power of his refurrection, and the fellow(hip of his fufferings, being made conformable unto his death. Rom.6.5.For if we havebeen plan ted together in the likeness of his

death;

and, being united to one another in love, they have commu nion in each others gifts and graces b; and are obliged to the performance of fuch duties, public and private, as do con duce 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 perfoming fuch other spiritual 'ervices as tend to their mu tual edification d, as also in relieving each other in outward things,

1

death: we shall be alfo in the like nefsof his refurrection. .6.Know ing thisthat our old man is crucified with him, that the body of fin might be deftroyed, that henceforthwefhould notserve fin 2 Tim. 2,12.If we fuffer,we fhallalfo reign with him: if we deny him,he alfo will deny us.

b Eph. 4. 15. But fpeaking the truth in love, may grow up into him inallthings,which is the head, even Chrift. 16. From whom the whole body fitly joined together, andcompactedbythat which every joint fupplieth, according to the effectualworking in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of it felf in love 1 Cor.12.7.But the manifeftation of the fpirit is given to every man to profit withal. 1 Cor. 3. 21.Therefore let no manglory in men: for all things are yours: v.zz.Whether Paul, or Arpollos, or Cephas,or the world,or life,or death,or things prefent, or things to come, all are yours; v. 22. And ye areChrifts; and (hrift is Gods, Col.2 19.Andnot holding thehead from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishmentminiftred and knit together, increafeth with the increase of God.

c 1Theff.5.11. Wherefore comfort your 'elves together,and edi. fy one another.even as alfo ye do, v.14.Nowwe exhort youbrethren, warn them that are untuly, com fort thefeeble minded, fupport the

weak,be patient toward all men,
Rom.1. 1. 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 7'. 4. I am debtor
both to the Greeks, and to the
Barbarians, both to the wife, and
to the unwife John 3. 16. Here
by perceive we the love of God,
becaufe 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 good, and
feeth his brother have need, and
fhutteth up his bowels of compaf-
fion from him, how dwelleth the
love of God in him?. 18. My
little children, let us not love in
word,neither intongue,butin deed
and in truth. Gal 6. o. As we have
therefore opportunity, let us do
good unto all men, especially un-
to them who are of the houshold
of faith,

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II d Heb.10.24.And let uscon❤ fider one another, to provoke unto love, andto good works. v. 25. Not forlaking the affembling of our felves together, as the manner of fome is; but exhorting one ano ther: and fo much themore,asyou fee the dayapproaching.Acts 2.42. And they continued itedfaftly in the apoftles doctrine & fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer. . 46. And they continu ing daily with one accord in the

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things, according to their feveral abilities and neceffities. Which communion, as God offereth opportunity, is to be extended unto all those who in every place call upon the name of the Lord Jefus e,

III. This communion which the faints have with Chrift, doth not make them in any ways partakers of the fubftance of his Godhead, or to be equal with Chrif in any refpe&t ; either of which to affirm, is impious and blafphemous f, Nor doth their communion one with another, as faints, take away or infringe the title or property which each man hath in his goods and poffeffions g.

temple,and breakingof bread from houfe to houfe, did eat their meat with gladenels and fingleness of heart. Ifa. 2. 3. And many people fhall go and fay, Come ye, 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 ways,and we willwalkin his paths: for out of Zion fhall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerufalem. I Cor. 11. 20. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lords fupper.

e Acts 2. 44. And all that believed, were together, and had all things common. v. 45. And fold their poffeffions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. 1 John 3.17. (See in letter c.) (2 Cor. 8. and9. chapters.) Acts 11. 29. Then the difciples, every man according to his ability, determined to fend relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea. . 30. Which alfothey did, and fent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul.

HI. f Col. 1. 18. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. v. 19. For it pleafed the Father that in him fhouldall fulness dwell. 1 Cor. 8.6 But to us there is but one God, the father of whom are

all things, and we in him, and one Lord Jefus Chrift, by whom areall things, and we by him. Ifa. 42.8. I am the Lord, that is my name, & my glory will Inot givetoanother, neithermy praifetograven images. 1 Tim.6.15. Whichin his times he fhall fhew, who is the bleffed and only potentate,the King of kings, and Lord of lords. v, 16. Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath feen, nor can fee: to whom be honourand power everlasting. Amen. Pfal. 45.5.Thou loveft righteoufnefs,and hateft wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee withthe oil ofgladenefs above thy fellows. With Heb. 1. 8, But unto the Son hefaith,Thy throne, O God,is for ever and ever:afceptre of righteoufnefs is the fceptre of thy kingdom: v. 9. Thou haft loved righteoutnefs, and hatediniquity; therefore God, even thy God hath annointed thee with the oil of gladenefs above thy fellows.

g Exod. 20. 15. Thou shalt not fteal. Eph. 4. 28. Lethim thatitole, fteal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Acts 5. 4. Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was fold,wasit not in thineownpower? why haftthou conceivedthisthing

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