An humble inquiry into the rules of the Word of God, concerning the qualifications…

These Things evidently show, how all the Christian Churches through the World were constituted in those Days; and what Sort of Holiness or Saintship it was, that all visible Christians in good Standing had a Visibility and Profession of, in that Apostolic Age; and also what Sort of Visibility of this they had, viz. not only that which gave 'em Right to a Kind of Negative Charity, or freedom from Censure, but that which might justly induce a positive Judgment in their Favour. The Churches that these Epistles were written to, were all the principal Churches in the World; some of them very large, as the Churches of Corinth and Ephesus; some of the Epistles were directed to all the Churches through large Countries where the Gospel had had great Success, as the Epistle to the Galatians. The Epistle to the Hebrews was written to all the Jewish Christians in the Land of Canaan, in Distinction from the Jews that lived in other Countries, who were called Hellenists or Grecians, because they generally spake the Greek Tongue. The Epistles of Peter were written to all the Christian Jews through many Countries, Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia; where were great Numbers of Jews beyond any other Gentile Countries. The Epistle of James was directed to all Christian Jews, scattered abroad through' the whole World. The Epistles of John and Jude, for ought appears in those Epistles, were directed to all visible Christians through the whole World. And the Apostle Paul directs the first Epistle to the Corinthians, not only to the Members of that Church, but to all professing Christians through the Face of the Earth. 1 Cor. i. 2. and Chap. 14. 33. Speaking of the Churches in general, he calls them all Churches of the Saints. And by what Christ says to the Churches of Sardis and Laodicea in the Apocalypse, of whom more ⟨p. 66⟩Evil is said than of any Christian Churches spoken of in the New-Testament, It appears that even the Members of those Churches looked on themselves as in a State of Salvation, and had such a Name with others.

These Things evidently shew, how all the Christian Churches through the World were constituted in those Days; and what Sort of Holiness or Saintship it was, that all visible Christians in good Standing had a Visibility and Profession of, in that Apostolick Age; and also what Sort of Visibility of this they had, viz. not only that which gave 'em Right to a Kind of Negative Charity, or freedom from Censure, but that which might justly induce a positive Judgment in their Favour. The Churches that these Epistles were written to, were all the principal Churches in the World; some of them very large, as the Churches of Corinth and Ephesus; some of the Epistles were directed to all the Churches through large Countries where the Gospel had had great Success, as the Epistle to the Galatians. The Epistle to the Hebrews was written to all the Jewish Christians in the Land of Canaan, in Distinction from the Jews that lived in other Countries, who were called Hellenists or Grecians, because they generally spake the Greek Tongue. The Epistles of Peter were written to all the Christian Jews through many Countries, Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia; where were great Numbers of Jews beyond any other Gentile Countries. The Epistle of James was directed to all Christian Jews, scattered abroad thro' the whole World. The Epistles of John and Jude, for ought appears in those Epistles, were directed to all visible Christians through the whole World. And the Apostle Paul directs the first Epistle to the Corinibians, not only to the Members of that Church, but to all professing Christians through the Face of the Earth.