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…

Fifthly, These then being the visible Marks of a visible Church, we must not confound them with the properties of the Church invisible. The Church of God hath as it were a two-fold Form; one Internal and Essential, which consists in their Union with Christ, and communion with his benefits. Now none but those that are truly godly are of the Church in this invisible manner, he must be regenerated and grafted into Christ, that can have any saving benefit by Christ. But then,

Fifthly, These then being the visible Marks of a visible Church, we must not confound them with the properties of the Church invisible. The Church of God hath as it were a two-fold Form; one Internal and Essential, which consists in their Union with Christ, and communion with his benefits. Now none but those that are truly godly are of the Church in this invisible manner, he must be regenerated and graffed into Christ, that can have any saving benefit by Christ. But then,

2. The Church of God hath an External and outward Form, which consists in the external profession of faith, and observance of Christs Ordinances. Now a man may be of the Church in respect of this outward standing, though he be not truly godly. Therefore Dr Ames said well, That it was a false thing, which Bellarmine objected to us, about the constitution of a Church; as if we required internal graces, to the making of a man a member of the Church, in respect of the visible state of it. We read in the New Testament, that upon the outward profession of their faith, they were baptized, and received into the Church, though it's plain all of them had not true internal grace. So then, when the Question is put, Whether may a man that is not truly godly, be of the Church or no? You must distinguish between the inward form of the Church, which is union with Christ the Head, and so he is not, no more than a wooden leg is a member of the body, that is not animated by the soul, and the External visible state of it, and so he is of the Church, till by his obstinacy in wickedness, he be cast out as unworthy. We must not therefore give those Notes of the Church as visible, which belong to it only as invisible, viz. Election, Vocation, and Justification, &c.