The Peace then I feek by this Discourse, is the Peace of the true Church: Wherefore I fhall first declare the Church it felf, whofe peace I feek; and then after declare, wherein this Churches true Peace and Unity lies; and alfo how it may be preferved among themselves, it being first wrought by Jefus Chrift.

For the Church it felf; what I have learned touching it, I fhall fpeak plainly, and fomething largely, because the right understanding hereof is fo abfolutely neceffary to our present business, and yet there are very many, and very great mistakes and mif-apprehenfions touching it, even a mong the Faithful.

rightChurch

The Right Church then is not the whole mul- What the titude of the People, whether good or bad, that is not. joyn together in an outward Form or Way of Worship; for in this Church there are Whoremongers, Idolaters, Thieves, Murderers, and all forts of wicked and unbelieving Perfons, which are fo far from being the Church of Christ, that they are the very Synagogue of Satan, and Children of the Devil, and therefore I fhall not speak of this Church. But the Church I fhall fpeak of, is the true Church of the New Teftament, which I fay is not any outward or visible Society, ga- What it is. thered together into the confent or use of outward things, Forms, Ceremonies, Worship, as the Churches of Men are; neither is it known by feeing, or feeling, or the help of any outward Senfe, as the Society of Mercers, or Drapers, or the like; but it is a Spiritual and Invifible Fellowship, gathered together in the unity of Faith, Hope, and Love, and fo into the unity of the Son, and of the Father by the Spirit; wherefore it is wholly hid from carnal eyes, neither hath the World any knowledge or judgment of it.

How the

Church of
God differs

from the
Churches of

Men.

This true Church is the Communion of Saints, which is the Communion Believers have with one another; not in the things of the World, or in the things of Men, but in the things of God; for as Believers have their union in the Son, and in the Father, fo in them also they have their Communion; and the Communion they have with one another in God, cannot be in their own things, but in Gods things, even in his Light, Life, Righteoufnefs, Wisdom, Truth, Love, Power, Peace, Joy, &c. This is the true Communion of Saints, and this Communion of Saints is the true Church of God.

Now this true Church of God, differs from the Churches of Men, in very many particulars, as follows.

1. Members come unto the Churches of men, either of their own minds, or else by the perfwafion, or by the forcing of others; and so, but after the will of man; but none come to this true Church but from the drawing of God the Father, and his own calling, according to his own purpose.

2. In the Churches of men; members are admitted through an outward confeffion of doctrine; but none are admitted into this true Church, but through a new birth from God and his Spirit, Joh. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God (which is the right Church of the New Testament) For that which is born of the flefl is flesh, and fo remains without in the world; but that which is born of the fpirit is fpirit, and fo hath entrance into the true Church.

3. In the Churches of men there are more wicked than righteous;but in this true Church of Christ the people are all righteous, not one excepted, as it is writen, Thy people fhall be all righteous, Ifa. 60. For they all have their iniquities forgiven them, and

they

they are all redeemed and washed with the blood of the Lamb.

4. In the Churches of men, the people for the most part, are only taught of men, who are their heads and leaders, and whofe Judgments they de pend on, and follow in all things; but in the right Church, the people are all taught of God, as Ifaiah faith, Thy children fhall be all taught of the Lord: and Christ faith, They fhall hear and learn from the Father and John faith, The anointing they have received, teacheth them all things.

5. In the Churches of men, the greatest part are hated and rejected of God, as being strangers and ene mies to Chrift; but in the true Church all the members are dear; to God, as Chrift is dear; and loved of God, as Chrift is loved, as being one flesh and spirit with him.

6. The Churches of men are of mens building, contriving, framing, fashioning beautifying: but the true Church is built only by Christ, as it is written, Zach. 6. 12. The man whofe name is the Branch, he fhall build the Temple of the Lord, even be fhall build it: And again, Math. 16 18. Upon this rock I will build my Church: The true Church is fuch a building, which neither Men nor Angels can frame, but Chrift alone.

7. The Churches of men are all of them more or lefs the habitation of Antichrift, who (as Paul faith, 2 Thef. 2.4.) as God fitteth in the Temple of God, that is, not in the true Temple of God, but in the Churches of Men, which arrogate to themfelves that name and title, fhewing himself that he is God: For Antichrift always dwells there, where men have a form of Godliness, denying the power; but the true Church is built together, to be the habitation of God in the Spirit, Ephef. 2. 22. And again, 2 Cor. 6. 16. Te are the Temples of the living N 2 God,

God, as God hath faid, I will dwell in them, and walk in them.

8. The Churches of men are as large as men will make them; for they that have chief power in thefe Churches, interefting themfelves in worldly Magistrates, through their favour and help, make their Churches as large as the Magiftrates Dominions; thus the Church of Rome was made of as large extent as the Dominions of the Emperor, and of other Princes, in whom the Pope had interest. And so likewife, the Church in other Kingdoms, was made as large as the Dominions of the Temporal Magiftrate; and all under their power, must be forced to be of their Church. But the true Church, which is the Kingdom of the Son, is only the preparation of the Fathers Kingdom, and fo will admit no more into it, than the Fathers Kingdom will admit into it; the Sons Kingdom and the Fathers being of a like latitude and extent; and fo the Sons Kingdom is no larger than the Fathers, nor the Fathers than the Sons: The Fathers Kingdom will not receive any into it, that have not first been of the Sons Kingdom; and the Sons Kingdom will not admit into it, what the Fathers Kingdom will not after receive; but the Son delivers up his whole Kingdom to the Father, and the Father receives it all, without any exception.

Now from hence thefe three things are evident.

1. That the Kingdoms of England, Scotland,&c. are not the Church, but the World, as well as the Kingdoms of France, Spain, Hungary, &c. but in all these, and all other Kingdoms, the Faithful who are taken into union and communion with Chrift, and with one another in him, they are the Church, and not the Kingdoms themselves:

2. In particular Aflemblies, whether Parochial,or Congregational,all the Company that meet together Bodily, and have outward Communion in outward Ordinances, are not the Church; but thofe among all thefe, that meet together in one Faith and Spirit, in one Christ and God; for herein only ftands the true Communion of Saints, and the true Church of the New Teftament is to be judged hereby, and by no outward things whatsoever.

3. That it belongs not to Magistrates and Worldly Powers, to fay, which is che Church, and which is not the Church; who do belong to it, and who do not; but it belongs to Christ only to point out his own Church, feeing he only knows it, and it only ftands by his Election and Collection, and not by mans.

9. The Churches of men knit themselves together into fuch Societies, by fome outward Covenant or Agreement among themselves: But the true Church is knit into their Society among themselves, by being first knit unto Chrift their Head; and as foon as ever they are one with him, they are also one with one another in him; and are not first one among themselves, and then after one with Chrift: So that the true Church is a Spiritual Society, knit unto Chrift by Faith, and knit to one another in Christ, by the Spirit and Love; and this makes them infinitely more one, than any outward Covenant they can engage themselves in; the Union wherein God makes us one, paffing all the Unions, wherein we can make our felves one. And fo when fome Believers perceive the Grace that is given to others, they prefently fall into one Communion, without any more ado. Wherefore they that are of the Church, the Body, cannot deny Communion to them that

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are