all ministerial authority and ability for the dispensation of gospel ordinances must fail also, and consequently the state of the church. And those who plead for the continuation of a successive ministry, without respect unto these things, without resolving both the authority and office of it unto them, do but erect a dead image, or embrace a dead carcase, instead of the living and life-giving institutions of Christ. They take away the living creature, and set up a skin stuffed with straw. But if these things do unalterably continue; if the law of Christ can neither be changed, abrogated, or disannulled; if his dispensation of spiritual gifts according unto his promise cannot be impeded; if believers through his grace will continue in obedience unto his commands, it is not possible there should be an utter failure in this office, and office-power of this ministry. It may fail in this or that place, in this or that church, when the Lord Christ will remove his candlestick. But it hath a living root whence it will spring again in other places and churches, whilst this world doth endure. Neither,

4. Do they cease, because they have been all of them corrupted, abused, and defiled in the apostacy which fell out among all the churches in the latter ages, as it was fully foretold in the Scripture. For, (1.) This supposition would make the whole kingdom of Christ in the world to depend on the corrupt lusts and wills of men, which have got by any means the outward possession of the administration of his laws and ordinances. This is all one as if we should. say, that if a pack of wicked judges should for a season pervert justice, righteousness, and judgment, that the being of the kingdom is so overthrown thereby, as that it can never be restored. (2.) It would make all the duties and all the privileges of all true believers to depend on the wills of wicked apostates. For if they may not make use of what they have abused, they can never yield obedience to the commands of Christ, nor enjoy the privileges which he hath annexed unto his church and worship. (3.) On this supposition, all reformation of an apostatized church is utterly impossible. But it is our duty to heal even Babylon itself, by a reduction of all things unto their first institution, if it would be healed; Jer. li. 9. and if not, we are to forsake her, and reform ourselves. Rev. xviii. 4.

There is nothing, therefore, in all these pretences, that should in the least impeach the infallible continuation of the evangelical churches and worship, as to their right, unto the end of the world. And the heads of those arguments whereby the truth is invincibly confirmed, may be briefly touched on.

1. There are express testimonies of the will of Christ, and his promise for its accomplishment, that the church and all its ordinances of worship should be continued always unto the end of the world. So as to the church itself, Matt. xvi. 18. Rev. xxi. 3. the ministry, Matt. xxviii. 20. Eph. iv. 13. baptism, Matt. xxviii. 18-20. the Lord's supper, 1 Cor. xi. 26. As for other institutions, public prayer, preaching the word, the Lord's day, singing of God's praises, the exercise of discipline with what belongs thereunto, they have their foundation in the law and light of nature, being only directed and applied unto the gospel church-state and worship, by rules of especial institution ; and they can no more cease than the original obligation of that law can so do.

If it be said, that notwithstanding what may be thus pleaded, yet de facto;' the true state of gospel churches, and their whole worship as unto its original institution did fail under the papal apostacy, and therefore may do so again: I answer, 1. We do not plead that this state of things must be always visible and conspicuous, wherein all Protestant writers do agree. It is acknowledged, that as unto public view, observation, and notoriety, all these things were lost under the papacy, and may be so again under a renewed apostacy. 2. I do not plead it to be necessary 'de facto,' that there should be really at all times, a true visible church, as the seat of all ordinances and administrations in the world; but all such churches may fail, not only as unto visibility, but as unto their existence. But this supposition of a failure of all instituted churches and worship, I grant only with these limitations: (1.) That it is of necessity from innumerable divine promises, and the nature of Christ's kingly office, that there be always in the world a number greater or lesser of sincere believers, that openly profess subjection and obedience unto him. (2.) That in these persons there resides an indefeasible right always

to gather themselves into a church-state, and to administer all gospel ordinances, which all the world cannot deprive them of; which is the whole of what I now plead for. And let it be observed, that all the ensuing arguments depend on this right, and not on any matter of fact. [3.] I do not know how far God may accept of churches in a very corrupt state, and of worship much depraved, until they have new means for their reformation. Nor will I make any judgment of persons as unto their eternal condition, who walk in churches so corrupted, and in the performance of worship so depraved. But as unto them who know them to be so corrupted and depraved, it is a damnable sin to join with them, or not to separate from them. Rev. xviii. 4.

2. The nature and use of the gospel church-state require and prove the uninterrupted continuance of the right of its existence, and the observance of all ordinances of divine worship therein, with a power in them, in whom that right doth indefeasibly reside, that is, all true believers, to bring it forth into exercise and practice, notwithstanding the external impediments which in some places at some times may interrupt its exercise. In the observation of Christ's institutions, and celebration of the ordinances of divine worship, doth the church-state of the gospel, as professing, consist. It doth so in opposition, (1.) Unto the world and the kingdom of Satan. For hereby do men call Jesus Lord, as 1 Cor. xii. 3. and avow their subjection unto his kingly power. (2.) Unto the church-state of the Old Testament, as the apostle disputes at large in his Epistle unto the Hebrews. And this state of the professing church in this world is unalterable, because it is the best state that the believing church is capable of. For so the apostleplainly proves, that hereby the believing church is brought Eiç TEλElwow, which it was not under the law; that is, unto its consummation, in the most complete perfection that God hath designed unto it on this side glory. Heb. vii. 11. 19. For Christ in all his offices, is the immediate head of it its constitution, and the revelation of the ways of its worship, are an effect of his wisdom; and from thence is it eminently suited unto all the ends of the covenant, both on the part of God and man, and is therefore liable to no intercision or alteration.

3. The visible administration of the kingdom of Christ in this world, consists in this church-state, with the administration of his institutions and laws therein. A kingdom the Lord Jesus Christ hath in this world; and though it be not of the world, yet in the world it must be, until the world shall be no more. The truth of all God's promises in the Scripture depends on this one assertion. We need not here concern ourselves what notions some men have about the exercise of this kingdom in the world, with respect unto the outward affairs and concerns of it; but this is certain, that this kingdom of Christ in the world, so far as it is external and visible, consists in the laws he hath given, the institutions he hath appointed, the rule of polity he hath prescribed, with the due observance of them. Now all these things do make, constitute, and are the church-state and worship inquired after. Wherefore, as Christ always hath and ever will have an invisible kingdom in this world, in the souls of elect believers, led, guided, ruled by his Spirit; so he will have a visible kingdom also, consisting in a professed avowed subjection unto the laws of his word. Rom. x. 10. And although this kingdom, or his kingdom in this sense, may, as unto the essence of it, be preserved in the external profession of individual persons, and it may be, so exist in the world for a season; yet the honour of it, and its complete establishment, consists in the visible profession of churches, which he will therefore maintain unto the end. But by visible in this discourse, I understand not that which is conspicuous and eminent unto all, though the church hath been so, and shall yet be so again; nor yet that which is actually seen or known by others; but only that which may be so, or is capable of being so known. Nor do I assert a necessity hereof, as unto a constant preservation of purity and regularity in order and ordinances, according to the original institution of them in any place; but only of an unalterable right and power in believers to render them visible; which it becomes their indispensable duty to do, when outward impediments are not absolutely insuperable. But of these things thus far, wc iv Tapádw.

CHAP. X.

What sort of churches the disciples of Christ may, and ought, to join themselves unto as unto entire communion.

We have proved before that it is the duty of all individual Christians to give themselves up unto the conduct, fellowship, and communion of some particular church or congregation. Our present inquiry hereon is, that whereas there is a great diversity among professing societies in the world, concerning each whereof it is said, 'Lo here is Christ, and lo there is Christ,' what church, of what constitution and order, any one that takes care of his own edification and salvation, ought to join himself unto. This I shall speak unto first in general, and then in the examination of one particular case or instance, wherein many at this day are concerned. And some things must be premised unto the right stating of the subject of our inquiry.

1. The diversities and divisions among churches which respect is to be had unto, in the choice of any which we will or ought to join unto, are of two sorts.

(1.) Such as are occasioned by the remaining weaknesses, infirmities, and ignorance of the best of men, whereby they know but in part, and prophesy only in part, wherein our edification is concerned, but our salvation not endangered.

(2.) Such as are in and about things fundamental in faith, worship, and obedience. We shall speak to both of them.

2. All Christians were originally of one mind in all things needful unto joint communion, so as that there might be among them all, love without dissimulation. Howbeit there was great variety not only in the measure of their ap prehensions of the doctrines of truth, but in some doctrines themselves, as about the continuance of the observations of the law, or at least of some of them; as also oppositions from without unto the truth, by heretics and apostates; neither of which hindered the church communion of true believers. But the diversity, difference, and divisions that are now among