An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

There are indeed some of late, as the Remonstrants Episcopius, &c. ¹who say, This dispute and enquiry about the marks of a Church, is wholly useless and needless. For (say they) either we have to do with an Infidel, or a Believer; if with an Infidel, it is absurd to tell him of the Notes of a Church, who doth not believe there is any such thing as a Church at all. And for a Believer, he is in the Church already, and so they are useless to him. But this is merely frivolous. For

There are indeed some of late, as the Remonstrants Episcopius, &c. ¹who say, This dispute and enquiry about the marks of a Church, is wholly uselesse and needlesse. For (say they) either we have to do with an Infidel, or a Believer; if with an Infidel, it is absurd to tell him of the Notes of a Church, who doth not believe there is any such thing as a Church at all. And for a Believer, he is in the Church already, and so they are uselesse to him. But this is meerly frivolous. For

1. 1Object.

1. When we have to do with an unbeliever, we must not in the first place ¹deal with him about a Church, to prove that we are the true Church, but that there is a God, who is to be worshipped, as natural light will convince of this. Then, that this God hath made known how he will be worshipped. Next, that the Scriptures do contain this revealed will of God. And when this foundation is •aid, then out of Gods Word we are to inform ⟨p. 59⟩him of a Church. So that in order, there is, first, The Word of God to be discovered: 2. What is the true sense and meaning of it. Lastly, That what society hath this, there is a true Church. And