The one relating to the Unity of the Church, the other to the Communion of Saints or Members of it. I begin with the first, viz. the Holy Catholick Church; which being exprefs'd in the fingular Number, fignifies the Unity of it, and may therefore be fitly difcours'd of from these words There is one Body, and one Spirit.

In treating whereof, with relation to the Creed, I must fhew,

First, How the Church is faid to be One.

Secondly, Why it is ftyl'd Holy. And,

Thirdly, In what fenfe it is faid to be Catholick. And clofe up with fome practical Leffons to be learnt from each.

For the Nature and Notion of the Chriftian Church, I muft refer the Reader to the Seventh Difcourfe of the First Part; where 'tis defin'd to be a Spiritual Society of all Christian People, call'd out of the World, and united to Chrift as the Head, and to one another as the Members. Each part whereof being there diftinctly handled, I fhall proceed here to confider,

First, The Unity of it; There is one Body, and one Spirit. The Body (we know) tho confifting of many Members, having divers Offices and Functions, is yet but one; in like manner the Church, tho confifting of many Congregations for the Convenience of Worship and Difcipline, is yet but one in Chrift Jefus: fo the Apoftle tells the Ro mans, Chap. 12. 4, 5. and the Corinthians, 1 Cor. 12. 12. The Jewish Church and Temple of old was but one Body, tho of a leffer fize and extent, being confin'd only to one Nation; and the Chriftian Church is ftill but one and the fame with that, enlarg'd by the Acceffion of the Gentiles, and diffus'd over the face of the whole Earth: which Acceffion makes indeed an alteration in the largeness of its Extent and Dimenfions, but none in the Nature and Subftance of the Thing. For as a Perfon is faid to be the ame when grown up to the Stature of a Man, that he was in his Infancy or Childhood; even fo the Church, when arriv'd to the Fulnefs of the Stature of Chrift, is one and the fame it was under its weaker and more infant ftate. So the fame Apoftle tells the Corinthians, ver. 13. We are all baptiz'd into one Body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be Bond or Free, Male or Female, we are all one

in Chrift Fefus; Gal. 3. 28. The enlarging the Chriftian Church by the coming in of the Gentiles, did not make more Churches divided into feparate and independent Societies, but only added more Parts to the fame Church; the Acceffion of which new and fimilar Parts may make it bigger, but not another Body than it was before: so that still there is but one Body. Now this Unity of the Church is made and preferv'd by many Bonds of Union, which are particularly mention'd in this Chapter.

The firit and great Bond that keeps all the Parts together, is the Unity of the Spirit; There is one Body, and one Spirit: by which is meant, that One Holy Spirit of God, treated of in the foregoing Article; which is vitally united to the Church, as the Soul is to the Body. For as the Soul animates and enlivens all the Parts of the Body, without which it would be but a dead heavy Carcafe; even fo all the Members of the Church are quicken'd and actuated by this Holy Spirit, without which they are void of all fpiritual Life, and no better than dead in Trefpaffes and Sins. And as one Body can have but one Soul to actuate and enliven it, fo the one myftical Body of Chrift is only animated and quicken'd by one Spirit: fo the Apoftle tells us, 1 Cor. 12. 13. By one Spirit we are all baptiz'd into one Body, and are all made to drink into one Spirit.

2. Another Bond of Union that holds the Parts of this Body together, is their being called into one Hope of their Calling; that is, all the Members of Chrift's Church are call'd to one Chriftian Profeffion, and likewife to one Hope of that Calling, viz. that common Salvation purchas'd by Chrift, and promis'd to all good Chriftians. For tho Mens particular Callings and Courfe of Life in this World are various, according as their private Inclinations, and the Intereft of the Publick require; yet their general Calling as Chriftians is but one, in which they are all requir'd to walk: and tho they have different Ends and Expectations from their worldly Callings, yet there is but one Hope of the Chriftian Calling, even the Salvation of our Souls ; which we fhould therefore jointly agree to promote, and go hand in hand together in the way to it.

3. Another Bond of Union in this Body, is the Unity of the Head, imply'd in those words, there is one Lord; meaning, that there is but one Head of this Body, and that is Chrift, who is the fole Lord and Mafter of his Church, Col. 1. 18. Eph. 5. 23. This is the Unity of Dif

cipline,

cipline, to preferve Order and Decency in the Church of Chrift, that all things in it may be done to edifying; to which end, Chrift as Head of the Church erected a standing Government in it, appointing the Apoftles and Difciples to teach and to rule it: As my Father (faith he) hath Jent me, fo fend I you; withal commiffioning them to ordain and fend others to the end of the World.

4. The Church is one by the Unity of Faith, there is one Faith; which being fum'd up in our Creed, is the Bond of Union in the weighty matters of Religion: for by believing that the Members of the Church preferve a Harmony and Confent in Doctrine, they agree in the fame Faith, and are thereby kept from being distracted with Errors and Herefies; for which reafon they are commanded to hold fast this Form of found Words.

5. The Church is united into one Body by the Bond of the Holy Sacraments; for there is one Baptifm, the only Door of entrance into it: and we being many, are one Bread (faith the Apoftle) by partaking whereof we become one Body; 1 Cor. 10. 17. So that all believing Christians being wash'd in the fame Laver of Regeneration, eating all the fame Spiritual Meat, and drinking all the fame Spiritual Drink, become one fpiritual Society by the Unity of the Sacraments. For as all the Members by Nerves and Sinews are fasten'd together into one natural Body; fo all Chriftians being knit together by the Bonds and Ligaments of the Holy Sacraments, make up the one mystical Body of Christ.

Laftly, To complete this Union, the Apostle adds, There is one God and Father of all, who is above all by his Power, in all by his Prefence, and thro' all by his Providence. From all which Bonds of Union we may fafely conclude the Unity of the Church; to which I fhall only add the Unity of the Foundation: for as a House built upon one Foundation, tho it may have many Rooms and Apartments, is but one Houfe; even fo the Church being built upon one Foundation (for other Foundation can no Man lay than that is laid, which is fefus Chrift) can be but one Church. Which is the first thing we here profefs to believe concerning the Church, to wit, its Unity; There is one Body.

The Second is the Holiness of it; I believe in the Holy Catholick Church, acted and animated by one Holy Spirit.

Part II. This Epithet or Title we find given to it in Holy Scripture, and the antient Fathers; in both which 'tis generally ftyl'd the Holy Church. For the better understanding whereof, we must confider the Church, as Militant here on Earth, and likewife as Triumphant in Heaven; in both which fenfes 'tis faid to be holy, tho in different meafures and degrees.

The one by an imperfect, the other by a more perfect Holinefs. The Militant Church here on Earth must again be confider'd as it is Vifible, and likewife as 'tis Invifible.

The former confifts of all thofe who are admitted by Baptifm to be vifible Members of it, the latter only. of fuch as are found and fincere Members of it: The former are in Scripture frequently ftyl'd the Called, the latter the Chofen or Elect; according to that of our Saviour, Many are called, but few are chofen. Both these are likewife faid to be Holy, tho in different kinds and refpects; the one by a relative, the other by an inherent Holiness.

Ift, For the vifible Members of the Church militant, they are faid to be Holy.

1. In refpect of that Holy Calling and Profeffion they have taken upon them; Te are called unto Holiness (faith the Apoftle) i Theff. 4. 7. And God hath called us with a Holy Calling, 2 Tim. 1. 9. By this Vocation they are call'd and feparated from the rest of the World, and dedicated unto God; which Separation is in Scripture term'd Holinefs: and the whole Body thus feparated and dedicated, is faid to be holy; for if the Sabbath and the Temple are call'd holy, by being fet apart from common Ufes, how much more may the Body of Chriftians be fo ftyl'd, who are feparated from the rest of the World, and folemnly dedicated unto God?

2. The Church may be term'd Holy in refpect to the Offices that are appointed, and the Powers that are exercis'd in it; which being by Inftitution and Operation holy, denominate the whole Church holy, in which these things are inftituted and perform'd.

3. The Church may be ftyl'd Holy, in refpect of the Obligation lying upon all the Members of it, which is to lead holy and virtuous Lives; for every one that nameth the Name of Chrift is to depart from Iniquity; and every Member of his Church ftands engag'd to the greateft Holiness; he is a Difciple and Follower of the Holy Jefus, who hath given the ftricteft Rules, and the best Examples to walk by and both these are back'd with the highest Motives

་

and

305 and Encouragements to walk in these ways, and likewife with the foreft Threats and Affrightments from all ftraying and abberration from them. Befides which, every baptiz'd Chriftian hath vow'd and promis'd to be Chrift's faithful Follower and Servant, and to walk in all Holinefs and Purity of Life to the laft; which Obligation lying upon every Member of the Church, 'tis for that reafon juitly fyl'a Holy.

Laftly, The Church is farther fo call'd, in refpect of the End and Defign of its Conftitution; which is the begetting and increafing Holinefs in all the Members of it. For Chrift purchas'd to himself a Church, that he might (as the Apostle tells us) purify to himself a peculiar People, zealous of good Works; that is, that he might have fome to have fellowfhip with by his Grace here, and by Holinefs fit them for Glory hereafter; for without Holiness no Man can see the Lord.

Upon thefe accounts chiefly all the Vifible Members of the Church militant arc and may be truly term'd Holy. But then,

2dly, The Invifible Members of this Church are so styl'd upon a farther and better account, viz. not barely by a relative, but by a perfonal and inherent Holinefs wrought in them by the Holy Spirit of God: for they have not only their Souls wafh'd from the Guilt of Sin in the Waters of Baptifm, but their Natures renew'd by the Holy Ghost, and their Hearts purify'd from the Pollution of it by the Power of Divine Grace: by which means, from the Slaves of Sin and Satan, they become the Servants of Chrift, having their Fruit unto Holiness, and in the end receiving for Wages Eternal Life.

Now these are call'd Invifible Members of the Holy Church, because they are not eafily known and difcern'á from others; for here in this World good Men, by reafon of the Difguifes of Hypocrify, and promifcuous Event of things, are hardly diftinguifh'd from bad: and therefore we find the Church compar'd fometimes to Noah's Ark, that receiv'd all forts of Creatures, both clean and unclean Beafts; fometimes to a Field, where Tares and Wheat grow together, between which no Separation is to be made till the Harvest

Sometimes again, 'tis compar'd to a Net that inclofes good Fish and bad; at other times to a great House, in which there are not only Veffels of Gold and Silver, but alfo of VOL. I.

X

Wood