are in true Union with Christ the Head, when they do perceive this Grace. For this is confiderable in this matter, that we are not first one with the Church, and then after one with Chrift: But we are first one with Chrift, and then one with the Church; and our Union with the Church, flows from our Union with Chrift, and not our Union with Chrift, from our Union with the Church: Chrift, Joh. 17. prays, That they all, that is, Believers, may be one in us: So that our Union is not first among our felves, and then with the Son, and with the Father; but it is firft with the Son, and with the Father, and then with one another in them: And Chrift is the door through which we enter into the Church, and not the Church the door, through which we enter into Chrift; For men may joyn themselves to Belie vers in the use of all outward Ordinances, and yet never be joined to Christ, nor to that Communion which Believers have in Chrift; but a man cannot be joined to Christ, but he is joined to all Believers in the world, in the Communion they have with Chrift, and with one another in him; which upon all occafions he enjoys with them, wherever he meets with them. So that the true Church is knit up together into one Body and Society, by one Faith and Spirit; the Churches of Men by an outward Covenant or Agreement only.

10. The Churches of men have humane Officers, who act in the ftrength of natural or acquifite parts, who do all by the help of Study, learning, and the like: But in the true Church, Chrift and the Spirit are the only Officers, and men only, fo far, as Chrift and the Spirit dwell and manifest themselves in them; and fo when they do any thing in the Church, it is not they that do it, but Chrift and his Spirit in them, and by them: And

therefore

therefore faith Paul, feek ye a proof of Chrift Speaking in me? which to you wards is not weak, but mighty; who ever is the Inftrument, Chrift is the only Preacher of the New Testament; and that which is the true Gospel, is the ministration of the Spirit; for holy men spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit; and were first anointed with the Spirit, before they preached; Judas who preached the word, and was not anointed with the Spirit, proved a Traitor to Chrift; and whoever preach the word without the Spirit, are the Succellors of Judas, and alfo Traitors to Christ.

11. The Churches of men have the government of them laid upon mens fhoulders, whether fingle Perfons, as Pope, or Archbishop; or combined, as the General Councel, or a National Af fembly; but the true Church hath its Government laid only on Chrifts fhoulders, as the Prophet foretold, Ifa. 9. Unto us a Child is born, a Son is given, and the government shall lie on his fhoulders: and Zech. 6. 12. He fhall build the temple of the Lord, &c. and he shall fit and rule upon his throne; for none can rule the true Church, but he that built it. For if the Church be gathered together in Chrift, as the true Church is, Chrift is always in the midst of them; and if Chrift is ever prefent with them his own felf, how cometh it to pafs that Chrift may not reign immediately over them? Wherefore the true Church reckons it fufficient Authority, that they have Chrift and his Word, for the ground of their practice; and whatever they find in the word, they presently

fet upon the practice of it, and never ask leave either of Civil or Ecclefiaftical Powers; but the Churches of men will do nothing without the Authority of the Magiftrate or Affembly, though it be never fo clear in the word of God: For in their

N 4.

their Religion, they regard the Authority of Men, more than the Authority of God.

12. The Churches of Men, are still setting themselves one above another; but the Affemblies of the true Church are all equal, having Chrift and the Spirit, equally prefent with them, and in them; and therefore the Believers of one Congregation cannot fay, they have power over the Believers of another Congregation, feeing all Congregations have Chrift and his Spirit alike among them, and Christ hath not any where promised, that he will be more with one, than with another. And fo Chrift and the Spirit in one Congregation, do not fubject, nelther are subjected to Chrift and the Spirit in another Congregation; as if Chrift and the Spirit in several places, fhould be above and under themfelves. But Chrift in each Aflembly of the Faithful is their Head, and this Head they dare not leave, and fet up a fleshly Head to themfelve, whether it confift of one or many Men; feeing Antichrift doth as ftrongly invade Chrifts Headship in many, as in one man; in a Councel, as in a Pope.

Lastly, The Churches of Men, the gates of Hell (which are Sin and Death) fhall certainly prevail again; but the true Church of Chrift, though the gates of hell do always fight against it, yet they fhall never prevail against it; as Chrift hath promifed, Mat. 16. 18. Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell (hall not prevail against

it.

In these things aniong other, the true Church of Chrift differs from the Churches of Men: By which we may clearly fee, that the true Church is not an outward and visible Society or Corporation, neither can it be pointed out by the finger, lo bere, or lo there, feeing it is not confined to any certain place, time, or perfon, but it is wholly a Spiritual

Spiritual and invisible Society (as I have faid) that is affembled in the Son and in the Father, who are the true pale and circumference of this Church, and out of whom, no part of it is to be found.

Now hereupon it will presently be faid, if the True Church be invisible, as you have affirmed, then,

SI. How we shall know it?

}

2. How can we joyn onr felves to it? To both which, I hope, I fhall return a clear answer: And firft to this Question,

How shall we know the true Church, feeing it is invisible?

I answer; Juft fo as Chrift the Head is known, is the Church his Body known, and no other way; now Chrift is known.

1. By the Revelation of the Father; when Peter confeffed Chrift to be the Son of the living God, Chrift told him, that flesh and blood had not revealed it to him, but his Father: Now the Members of Chrift can no more be known, without this Revelation of the Father, than Chrift the Head of thefe Members, feeing the Apostle hath faid, that as he is, fo are we in this world; fo that he had need of other eyes than the world fees withal, that would difcern the true Church, and of another Revelation than any that flesh and blood can make.

2. Chrift was known by the Spirits refting on him, Joh. 1. 33. And I knew him not (faid John Baptift) but he that fent me to baptize with water, the fame faid unto me, Upon whom thou shalt fee the Spirit defcending, and remaining on him, the fame is be which baptizeth with the Holy Spirit; and I faw and bare record, that this is the Son of God. After the fame manner the Church of Christ is known, to wit, by the Spirits coming and remaining on

How the

true Church may be known, tho Spiritual, and invifi

ble.

it: So that whatever People have received the Spirit of Christ, of what fort or condition foever they be, they are the Church of Chrift; and they that are deftitute of this Spirit, are not of the Church.

3. Chrift was known by the works he did, Joh. 10. 37. If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not; but if I do, though you believe not me, believe the works; that ye may know that the Father is in me, and I in him. And thus alfo is the true Church known, by doing the works of Christ; feeing Corift hath faid, He that believes in me, the works that I do, shall be do, &c. And thus the Body of Christ is known, by its living the life of the Head, which is the life of Faith and Love; and the Members of Chrift are known, by their doing the works of the Head.

Thus then you fee, that though the true Church he Spiritual, and cannot be known by our out. ward fenfes, yet we have certain tokens of her Spiritual prefence; whereby we may reckon, that in this or that place, there be certain of her members. As by a natural Example; though the Soul of Man in it felf be Spiritual and invifible, and cannot be difcerned by any of our Senfes, yet may we have fure tokens of its prefence, by the effects and operations of the Soul, in that Body wherein it dwells; as the exercise of Reason, Understanding, Difcourfe, &c. So likewife the true Church, which is invifible in it felf, may yet be known by fome certain figns, as by the word of Faith, which founds no where but in the Courch, through the infpiration of the Holy Spirit; as alfo by the Life of Chrift, and prefence and operations of his Spirit, &c. And thus you fee how the Church, though it be Spiritual, may be known.

Well,