CHAPTER II.

Of the nature of the Catholick Church in Generall, & in speciall, of a particular visible Church.

     THe Catholick Church, (1) is the whole company of those that are elected, redeemed, & in time effectually called from the state of sin& death vnto a state of Grace, & salvation in Iesus Christ.
     2 This church (2) is either Triumphant, or Militant. Triumphant, the number of them who are Gloryfied in heaven: Militant, the numberof them who are conflicting with their enemies vpon earth.
     3 This Militant Church (3) is to bee considered as Invisible, & Visible. Invisible, in respect of their relation wherin they stand to Christ,as a body unto the head, being united unto him, by the spirit of God, & faith in their hearts: Visible, in respect of the profession oftheir faith, in their persons, & in particular Churches: & so there may be acknowledged an universall visible Church.
     4 The members of the Militant visible Church, (4) considered either as not yet in church-order, or as walking according to the church-order of the Gospel. In order, & so besides the spiritual union, & communion, common to all believers, they injoy more over anunion & communion ecclesiasticall-Political: So wee deny an universall visible church.
     5 The state the members of the militant visible church (5) [3] walking in order, was either before the law, Oeconomical, that is infamilies; or under the law, National: or, since the comming of Christ, only congregational:. (The term Independent, wee approve not:) Therfore neither national, provincial, nor classical.
     6 A Congregational-church, (6) is by the institution of Christ a part of the Militant-visible-church, consisting of a company of Saints bycalling, united into one body, by a holy covenant, for the publick worship of God, & the mutuall edification one of another, in theFellowship of the Lord Iesus.

Notes

1. Eph 1 22 23 & 5 25 26 30. Heb 12 23.
2. Rom 8 17. 2 Tim 2 12 c 4 8 Eph 6 12 13.
3. 2 Tim 2 19. Rev 2 17 I Cor 6 17. Eph 3 17. Rom 1, 8 I Thes 1 8 Isay 2, 2 I Tim 6 12.
4. Acts 19 1 Colos 2, 5. Matt 18 17.
5. Gen 18 19 Exod: 19 6.
6. I Cor: 14 23 I Cor: 14, 36 I Cor: 1 2. I Cor: 12 27 Exo: 19 5 6 Deut: 29: 1. & 9 to 15 Acts. 2. 42, I Cor 14 26.

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