The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

Belarmine de Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 2. gives an account out of Augustine, and that truly, from Brevec. Collat. Col. 3. of the state of the Church. It doth, saith he, consist of a Soul and Body. The Soul is the internal Graces of the Spirit; The Body is the Profession of them, with the Sacraments. All true Believers making Profession, belong to the Soul and Body of the Church. Some, (as believing Catechumens) belong to the Soul, but not to the Body: Others are of the Body, but not of the Soul; namely, such as have no internal Grace or true Faith; and they are like the Hair or the Nails, or evil Humours in the Body. And thereunto adds, That his Definition of the Church compriseth this last sort only; which is all one, as if we should define a Man to be a Thing constituted ⟨p. 11⟩and made up of Hair, Nails, and ill Humours; and let others take heed that they have not such Churches.

Belarmine de Eccles. lib. 3. cap. 2. gives an account out of Augustine, and that truly, from Brevec. Collat. Col. 3. of the state of the Church. It doth, saith he, consist of a Soul and Body. The Soul is the internal Graces of the Spirit; The Body is the Profession of them, with the Sacraments. All true Believers making Profession, belong to the Soul and Body of the Church. Some, (as believing Catechumens) belong to the Soul, but not to the Body: Others are of the Body, but not of the Soul; namely, such as have no internal Grace or true Faith; and they are like the Hair or the Nails, or evil Humours in the Body. And thereunto adds, That his Definition of the Church comprizeth this last sort only; which is all one, as if we should define a Man to be a Thing constituted ⟨p. 11⟩and made up of Hair, Nails, and ill Humours; and let others take heed that they have not such Churches.

There is nothing more certain in matter of Fact, than that Evangelical Churches at their first constitution, were made up, and did consist of such Members as we have described, and no other. Nor is there one Word in the whole Scripture intimating any Concession or Permission of Christ, to receive into his Church those who are not so Qualified. Others have nothing to plead for themselves but Possession; which being malae fidei, ill obtained, and ill continued, will afford them no real advantage, when the time of trial shall come. Wherefore, it is certain that such they ought to be. No Man, as I suppose, is come unto that profligate sense of Spiritual things, as to deny, That the Members of the Church ought to be visibly Holy. For if so, they may affirm, that all the promises and privileges made and granted to the Church, do belong unto them who visibly live and die in their Sins; which is to overthrow the Gospel. And if they ought so to be, and were so at first, when they are not so, openly and visibly, there is a declension from the Original Constitution of Churches, and a Sinful Deviation in them from the Rule of Christ.