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(b) a Mat. 3.2, and 4. 17. and to 7. Mar. 1.14.

ciety or Corporation of Men. Thus in the Gofpels it is ufually called the Kingdom of Heaven. (b) So both John Baptist and our Blessed Saviour and his Apoftles began their Preaching with an Exhortation to Repentance, because the Meffias was coming to Erect a Church amongst them, faying, Repent ye, for the King(c) Ma.. 4. 23. dom of Heaven is at Hand. (c) The Gospel which was Published for the Benefit of the

(e) Mat. 13.24. 31, 44, 45, 47.

Church is called the Gospel of the Kingdom. When the Jews were threatned with having the (4) Mat. 2143. Church taken from them, our Saviour faid, (d) the Kingdom of God fhall be taken from you. And generally in thofe Parables wherein our Saviour compares the State of his Church with any thing here on Earth, He calls it the Kingdom of God, or the Kingdom of Heaven. (e) Thus the Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto a Man which fowed good Seed in his Field: And to a Grain of Mustard Seed: And to Treasure hid in a Field: And to a Merchant-Man feeking goodly Pearls: And to a Net that was Caft into the (f) Mat. 20. 1. Sea, and gathered of every kind. (f) So again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a Man that is an Houfholder, which went out early in the Morning to hire Labourers into his Vineyard. (g) The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a certain King which made a () M., 25.1. Marriage for his Son. (b) Then fhall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten Virgins, which took their Lamps and went forth to meet the Bridegroom. In all thefe Places, and many more, it is apparent that by the Kingdom of Heaven, our Saviour meant the State of the Church on Earth, and not that triumphant Kingdom where the Saints fhall Reign with him in Glory. For the Enemy the Devil cannot come into Heaven it felf to fow the Tares of pernicious Herefies,

(g) Mat. 22 2.

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Herefies, but he does fo in the Church. The Glorious Kingdom of Christ above, confisting of innumerable Hofts of Angels, and Just Men made perfect, is not raised from fo finall a Beginning as to be compared to a Grain of Mustard-Seed: But the Church was fo raised from a very fmall Beginning, confifting of Twelve poor Fishermen; from whence it encreased to that Degree as to comprehend many great Nations, States, and Kingdoms. So alfo all the other Parables here cited are very applicable to the State of the Christian Church upon Earth, but not at all to the future State. If the Church then be a Kingdom, as the Scriptures in fo many places affert it to be, then must it be a Society or Corporation, as other Kingdoms are; it must have its proper Head and Governour as they have, and Laws and Ordinances agreeable to its Polity, which is not Earthly but Heavenly, tho' it be yet upon the Earth, for it is the Kingdom of Heaven, the Rewards and Punishments being of a Spiritual Nature, and Judgment to pafs upon all Of fenders in a future State.

Another name to denote a Society or Corporation of Men living under the fame Laws and Government, and enjoying the fame Privileges and Immunities is City. The Members of the Chriftian Church are therefore (a) faid (4) Heb. 12, 22.] to be come unto Mount Sion, and unto the City of the living God, that Heavenly Jerufalem; for that Apoftle writes these words to Men that were at that time still living in this World, and were only Members of the visible Church: (b) Therefore, fays St. Paul, ye are no more Stran (1) Eph, 2, 29. gers and Foreigners, but Fellow-Citizens with the

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Saints,

(c) Phil. 3.20.

Saints, and of the Houshold of God. (c) And that our Citizenship is in Heaven.

The common Tranflation has it, Our Converfation is in Heaven; but in the Original it is noλíTevua, Citizenship. And those that are πολίτευμα,

(4) Eph. 2. 12. not of Chrift's Church are faid to be (a) Aliens, and Tus Tas, from the Polity, Citizenship, or Commonwealth of Ifrael.

But nothing can be a plainer Proof to demonftrate the Church to be a Society, Corporation, or Body Politick, than that the Scriptures exprefly call it fo, and tell us that the Church is a Body whereof Christ is the Head. Thus it is (6) Eph 1. 22,23. Written, (b) He gave him to be the Head over all (c) Eph. 4. 12. things to the Church, which is his Body. (c) And thofe who are fet apart for the Work of the Miniftry, are faid to be fo appointed for the Edifying the Body of Christ. (d) And he is the Head of that Body, the Church. (e) And St. Paul rejoyced in the Sufferings which he endured for Chrift's Bodies fake, which is the Church.

(d) Col. 1. 18.

(e) Col. 1. 24.

Having thus fhewn that the Church is a Society or Corporation, in the next place I am to fhew that it is not a particular, but Catholick or Univerfal Society, extending to all People, Nations, and Languages. And this is no lefs evident from the Scriptures. For when our Saviour just before his Afcenfion gave a Commission to his Apostles to admit Perfons into his Church, Mat. 28. 19. (f) he exprefly commanded them to Difciple all & Mat. 16. 15. Nations, Baptizing them, and to Preach the Gofpel to every Creature. And before Chrift came, it was prophefied of him (g) that God would give him the Heathen for his Inheritance, and the utmost parts of the Earth for his Poffeffion. And (b) Eph, 2.14. accordingly (b) He has broke down the middle wall of Partition between Jews and Gentiles; fo

(g) Pfal. 2. 8.

that

that in (a) every Nation he that feareth him and (4) A&s 10. 35. worketh Righteousness is accepted of him. The Church of Christ therefore is not confined to any one People as the Jewish Church was, but extends to all Nations whatfoever, that fhall hear and receive his Holy Gospel, as might be manifefted from many more Texts of Scripture if it were needful. It remains therefore that I fhew the Church to be but one and the fame, notwithstanding it be thus diffufive and dispersed over all the Earth,

The unity of the Church is no less manifest from the Scriptures than it is that there is any Church at all: (b) For,says St. Paul, as we have (6) Rom. 12.4. many Members in one Body, and all Members have not the fame Office; fo we being many are one Body

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in Christ, and every one Members one of another. (c) (c) 1 Cor. 12.12. For as the Body is one, and hath many Members, and all the Members of that one Body, being many are one Body; fo alfo is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all Baptized into one Body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be Bond or Free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (d) There is (4) Eph. 4. 4. one Body and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one Hope of your calling; one Lord, one Faith, one Baptifm, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. If then the Church be the Body of Chrift, as I have already proved, and the Body of Chrift be but one, as thefe Texts exprefly affert, then the Church it felf is but one, tho' it confift of never fo many Members or Parts. Therefore the union of Christ and his Church is compared to that of the Husband and Wife; (e) for the Husband is the (e) Eph. 5. 23. Head of the Wife, even as Christ is the Head of the Church; wherefore, as by the Chriftian Law, a Man can be but the Husband of one Wife,

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Christ

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Eph. 4. 15,16 Body, the Church, (c) The Head from whom the whole Body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every Joint Supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every Part, maketh encrease in the Body, unto the edifying of it felf in Love.

II. As the Church has one only Supreme Head or Governor, so it is also guided or directed by one only Spirit, which is the Holy (d) John. 16. 13: Ghost the Comforter, (d) the Spirit of Truth, who will guide the Faithful Servants of Chrift into all (e) 1 Cor. 12. 4, Truth. (e) Now, as the Apostle fays, there

13, 7, II.

are diverfities of Gifts, but the fame Spirit: For by one Spirit we are all Baptized into one Body, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. And the manifeftation of the Spirit is given to every Man to profit withal: For to one is given by the Spirit the word of Wisdom; to another the word of Knowlege by the fame Spirit, &c. But all these worketh that one and the fame Spirit, dividing to every Man (f) Eph. 4. 4. Severally as he will. (f) And as there is but one Body, fo there is alfo but one Spirit which communicates Life to it.

III. The Catholick Church is one, as it has but one Foundation on which it is Built, and (g) 1 Cor. 3.11. that is Chrift. (g) For other Foundation can no Man lay than that which is laid, which is Jefus (4) Mat. 16. 18. Chrift. (b) And upon this Rock is the Church built, that is, upon the Confeffion which St. Peter made when he faid, Thou art Chrift, the fon of the living God. And tho' the Apostles and Prophets are alfo called the Foundation, the Unity is nevertheless the fame, because, as they are Stones in the Foundation, fo are they united by one Corner Stone, whereby it comes to pafs, that fuch Perfons as are of the 6) Eph. 2. 19. Church,being (i) Fellow-Citizens with the Saints, and

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