R. B. THE second proposition to be proved is, […] Israelites children were […] of •he universal visible Church of Christ as well •s •• the Congregation of Israel] But this you did heretofore acknowledge, and therefore I suppose will not now deny. I suppose it past controversy between us; 1. That Christ had then a Church on earth. As Abraham saw Christs day and rejoiced, and Moses suffered the reproach of Christ, Heb. 11.26. and the Prophets enquired of the salvation by Christ, and searched diligently, and prophesied of the grace to come; and it was the spirit of Christ which was in those Prophets signifying the time, and testifying beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow, 1 Pet. 1.10, 11. So were they part of the Church of Christ, and members of the body of Christ, and given for the edification of that body: Though it was revealed to them that the higher ⟨p. 27⟩privileges of the Church after the coming of Christ, were not for them but for us, 1 Pet. 1.12.2. I suppose it agreed on also between us, that there was no true Church or Ecclesiastical worshipping society appointed by God in all the world since the fall, but the Church of Christ, and therefore either Infants were members of Christs Church, or of no Church of Gods institution. Moses Church and Christs Church according to Gods institution were not two, but one Church. For Moses was Christs Usher, and his ceremonies were an obscurer Gospel to lead men to Christ: And though the foolish Jews by mis-understanding them made a separation, and made Moses Disciples to be separate from Christs Disciples, and so set up the alone [shadows of things to come, yet the body is all of Christ] Col. 2.17. and by so doing they violated Gods institution, and unchurched themselves. 3. I suppose it agreed also, that Christs Church is but one, and that even those of all ages that are not at once visible, yet make up one body. 4. And that therefore whoever is a member of any particular Church is a member of the universal. (Though the Church was more eminently called Catholic, when the wall of separation was taken down.) But I remember I have proved this in my Book, part. 1. chap. 20. and therefore shall say no more now.
R. B. THE second proposition to be proved is, 〈…〉 Israelites children were 〈…〉 of •he u••versal visible Church of Christ as well •s •• the Congregation of Israel] But this you did heretofore acknowledge, and therefore I suppose will not now deny. I suppose it past controversie between us; 1. That Christ had then a Church on earth. As Abraham saw Christs day and rejoyced, and Moses suffered the reproach of Christ, Heb. 11.26. and the Prophets enquired of the salvation by Christ, and searched diligently, and prophesied of the grace to come; and it was the spirit of Christ which was in those Prophets signifying the time, and testifying beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow, 1 Pet. 1.10, 11. So were they part of the Church of Christ, and members of the body of Christ, and given for the edification of that body: Though it was revealed to them that the higher ⟨p. 27⟩priviledges of the Church after the coming of Christ, were not for them but for us, 1 Pet. 1.12.2. I suppose it agreed on also between us, that there was no true Church or Ecclesiastical worshipping society appointed by God in all the world since the fall, but the Church of Christ, and therefore either Infants were members of Christs Church, or of no Church of Gods institution. Moses Church and Christs Church according to Gods institution were not two, but one Church. For Moses was Christs Ʋsher, and his ceremonies were an obscurer Gospel to lead men to Christ: And though the foolish Jews by mis-understanding them made a separation, and made Moses Disciples to be separate from Christs Disciples, and so set up the alone [shadows of things to come, yet the body is all of Christ] Col. 2.17. and by so doing they violated Gods institution, and unchurcht themselves. 3. I suppose it agreed also, that Christs Church is but one, and that even those of all ages that are not at once visible, yet make up one body. 4. And that therefore whoever is a member of any particular Church is a member of the universal. (Though the Church was more eminently called Catholick, when the wall of separation was taken down.) But I remember I have proved this in my Book, part. 1. chap. 20. and therefore shall say no more now.
