IV. This catholic church hath been fometimes more, fometimes lefs, visible". And particular churches, which are members thereof, are more or lefs pure, according as the doctrine of the gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public 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

out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy feed, nor out of the mouth of thy feed's feed, faith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever. Mat. 28. 19, 20.

IV. h Rom. 11. 3, 4. Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they feek my life. But what faith the anfwer of God unto him? I have referved unto myself feven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Rev. 12. 6, 14. And the woman fled into the wdernefs, where the hath a place prepared of God, that they fhould feed her there a thousand two hundred and threefcore days. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that the might fee into the wilderness into her place: where he is nourished for time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the ferpent. Acts

9. 31.

i1 Cor. 5. 6, 7. Your glo rying is not good; know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?-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. Rev. 2d and 3d chapters throughout.

For

V. k I Cor. 13. 12. now we fee through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then fhall I know even as alfo I am known. (Rev. 2d and 3d chapters.) Mat. 13. 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 47. Another parable put he forth unto them, faying, The kingdom of hea ven 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.

of Chrift, but fynagogues of Satan'.

Neverthe

less, there shall be always a 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 fin, and fon of perdition, that exalteth himfelf, in the church, againit Christ, and all that is called God".

verfe 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was caft into the fea, and gathered of every kind.

I Rev. 18. 2. And he cried mightily, with a trong 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. II. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.

m Mat. 16. 18. And I lay alfo 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. Pfal. 102, 28. The children of thy fervants fhall continue, and their feed fhall be eftablished before thee. Mat. 28. 19, 20.

the firft-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, 9. 10. But te not ye called Rabbi: for one is your master, even Chrift, and all ye are brethren.-And tall no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father which is in heaven.-Neither be ye called mafters: for one is your mafter, even Christ. 2 Theff. 1.2, 3, 4, 8, 9. Grace unto you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jefas Chrift. We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, becaufe that your faith groweth exteedingly, and the charity of every one of you all towards each other aboundeth. M 3

Vi. n Col. 1. 18. And he is the head of the body, the church; ■.ho is the beginning,

CHAP. XXVI.

Of the Communion of Saints.

A

LL faints that are united to Jefus Chrift their head, by his Spirit and by faith, have fellowship with him in his graces, fufferings, 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, public and private, as do conduce to their mutual good, both in the inward and outward man.

1. a 1 John 1. 3. That which we have feen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye alfo may have fellow fhip with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jefus Chrift. Eph. 3. 16, 17, 18, 19. That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be ftrengthened with might, by his Spirit in the inner-man; that Chrift may dwell in your hearts by faith. John I. 16.

And of his fulnefs have all we received, and grace for grace. 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.

b Eph. 4. 15, 16. But fpeaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Chrift-From whom the whole body fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint fupplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body, unto the edifying itfelf in love.

CI Theff. 5. II, 14. Where. fore comfort yourselves toge ther, and edify one another, even as alfo ye do. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, fupport the weak, be patient toward all men. Gal. 7. 10. As we have

II. Saints, by profeffion, are bound to maintain an holy fellowship and communion in the worship of God, and in performing fuch other fpiritual fervices 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 those who, in every place, call upon the name of the Lord Jefus.

III. This communion which the faints have with Chrift, doth not make them in any wife partakers of the fubftance of his godhead, or to be equal with Chrift in any respect: either of

therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, efpecially unto them who are of the household of faith, 1 John 3. 16, 17, 18.

11. d Heb. 10. 24, 25. And let us confider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works-Not forfaking the affembling of ourselves toge. ther, as the manner of fome is; but exhorting one another; and fo much the more, as you fee the day approach ing. Acts 2. 42, 46. And they continued ftedfaftly in the apofties' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer.-And they continued daily with one accord in the temple, and

breaking of bread, from houfe to houfe, did eat their meat with gladness and singlenefs of heart. Ifa. 2. 3. 1 Cor.

II. 20.

e 1 John 3. 17. But whofo hath this world's goods, and feeth his brother have need, and fhutteth up his bowels of compaffion from him; how dwelleth the love of God in him? Acts 11. 29, 30. Then the difciples, every man according to his ability, determined to fend relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea. Which alfo they did, and fent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul. 2 Cor. 8 and 9 chapters

which to affirm, is impious and blafphemous. 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".

CHAP. XXVII.

Of the Sacraments.

ACRAMENTS are holy figns and feals of the covenant of grace", immediately infti