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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85045	A discourse of the visible church. In a large debate of this famous question, viz. whether the visible church may be considered to be truely a church of Christ without respect to saving grace? Affirm. Whereunto is added a brief discussion of these three questions. viz. 1. What doth constitute visible church-membership. 2. What doth distinguish it, or render it visible. 3. What doth destroy it, or render it null? Together with a large application of the whole, by way of inference to our churches, sacraments, and censures. Also an appendix touching confirmation, occasioned by the Reverend Mr. Hanmore his pious and learned exercitation of confirmation. By Francis Fulwood minister of the gospel at West-Alvington in Devon.	Fullwood, Francis, d. 1693.	1658 (1658)	Wing F2500; Thomason E947_3; ESTC R207619	279,090	362

the very ground of the question is gone Indeed here is practice contrary to profession but not profession contrary to profession and practice contrary to profession may consist with profession for they professe to know God though in works they deny him If it be replied that a scandalous life is contrary to the faith professed and so the profession appears counterfeit I crave leave to ask once more whether faith here be taken objectivè or subjectivè if objectivè for the doctrine professed or the Will of God revealed to be beleeved then it may still be affirmed that the profession of the Scripture or an outward owning of the Will and Word of God is not inconsistent with a conversation contrary thereunto then why may not such whose practice is contrary either to their profession or to the Scripture which they yet professe be received by the Church if no other reason but this be assignable If it be said that a scandalous life is contrary to the faith in sensu formali vel subjectivo and that a wicked conversation declareth that the Professor doth not believe as he professeth and is to be rejected therefore as a counterfeit Once more I demand whether this faith professed be considered as saving or as common if as saving then Mr. Wood his cause is yeelded who is now opposing Reverend Master Baxter with this assertion that wicked men are not to be rejected formally because their wickednesse is a signe of unregeneracy but materially because it is contrary to the profession of the faith if as common or as other historical or dogmatical then though I grant that all those whose wickednesse is such as cannot consist with a real common or historical faith ought not to be admitted yet I deny the hypothesis that all wickednesse is such as is inconsistent with such a real common faith that common faith is in its kinde a true faith and that this true common faith is consistent with a wicked heart and life are two Propositions as little doubted by most Divines as much confirmed by sad experience and largely discoursed in the Treatise following Sunt in eo coetu viz. ecclesiae visibilis multi electi alii non Sancti sed tamen de verâ doctrinâ consentientes Phil. Melanct. part Sept. p. 33. Others may have leave to think that such scandalous persons ought not to be admitted into the Church because of the scandal that would come to Religion thereby and because that in this sense scandal is contrary to the profession of the faith the Church thus drawing a blot and disparagement upon her selfe as if she was ready to open her bosome to any vile unclean unreformed persons and truely I humbly conceive there is very much in this for if the Church ought to have a care that those already within cause not the wayes of God to be evil spoken of why ought she not to have the like care touching those she is about to let in or why should those be admitted into the community that now appear to be such as are presently to be cast out of communion but I presume this is not all For 3. From the premises it seemes at least probable to me that the Church is to have some kinde of respect unto the saving condition of the person she is about to admit into communion though I donbt not to assert with our brethren N. E. and Reverend Master Baxter that a sober and humble profession of faith and repentance with a desire of Baptisme is as much evidence of this saving condition as the Church is bound to expect without any farther positive proofs of conversion 4. Yet I humbly conceive that more then a bare outward profession is requisite to give real interest in the visible Church and the previledges thereof before God though no more is requisite to give visible interest before men and that there is sufficient ground for the trite distinction of right here Coram Deo eccl●sia for the Churches judgement of mens right must passe with her administrations upon visible or appearing signes by their outward profession but Gods upon real for the visible Church is really a Church with God as well as the invisible though the Church is bound to believe a profession that is made upon designe as the Jews at New Castle was yet God knows his wickednesse and count him a dogg eating the childrens bread out of the hand of Church deceived by his falsnesse but not erring because profession is her onely rule in the case If it be demanded what is more required besides profession to give real interest in the visible Church I Multi enim sunt non rena●i vel hypocritae consentientes tamen de doctrina ritibus extcrnis sen est coetus consentientium de doctrina habens multa membra mortua sen non regeneratos Ma● 7. 21. Mat. 13. 24. par in Urs cat 343. have at large answered in the Treatise that in Adult persons about to be admitted a real actual and not fained consent but in persons borne in the Church and baptised in their Infancy and now at the adult estate a non-dissent a not dissenting from or a not rejecting of the truth and wayes of the Lord at least for all that are of the visible Church must be one of these ways either negatively or positively consentientes to true doctrine as Melancton before as wel as outward professors of it 4. Yet I must still hold my maine Proposition till I see more reason to let it go that unregenerate persons once received into the Church are notwithstanding their unregeneracy or their want of evidences of saving grace really or truely members of the visible Church till they cut themselves off by Heresie Schisme or the perfection of both Apostasie or at least are cast out by Church-censure what reasons what authorities from the Scriptures and the Church I shew for it and what absurdities I alledge against the contrary opinion must be left to your censure in the reading of the Treatise Onely that it may passe here a little the more freely I cannot but adde the remembrance of one or two late most eminent and full Testimonies Mr. Hooker of New England saith Survey of Church discipline p. 36. that externally those are within the Covenant and consequently the Church who expressing their repentance with their profession of the truth engage themselves to walk in the wayes of God and the truth of his worship though they have not for the present that sound work of faith in their hearts and may be never shall have it wrought by Gods Spirit in them Master Norton also a Minister of N. E. to this very question whether truth Against Apol. p. 3. of grace be required to visible Church-membership answereth one may be admitted into the Church-communion of the external or visible Church that is not endowed with the real inward holinesse of regeneration and justifying faith in Christ or that

is the dispensation of Christ as head 3. Because the Scripture it self hath noted them to be the proper work of the spirit of Christ which is peculiarly designed and sent to do the work of Christ as head gifts are so there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit that giveth them all graces are so too for the spirit is to convince the world of sinne c. and those that were enlightened and had tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come by common grace they as the text addes were made partakers of the holy Ghost 4. Because these gifts and graces are most properly reducible to the work of Christs offices which he dispenseth as head gifts to his prophetical and graces to his Priestly and Kingly office Arg. 2. The members of the visible Church may be considered Arg. 2 to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace therefore Christ may be also considered to be truely the head of the visible Church without respect thereunto the consequence is obvious The Antecedent viz. that members of the visible Church may be considered to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace appears 1. Because the members of the visible Church may be considered to be truely obj●cts of discipline truely called to the Ministry and truely baptized without respect to saving grace 1. The members of the visible Church may be considered to be truely objects of discipline without respect to saving grace 1 Cor. 5. unlesse fornication railing drunkennesse covetousnesse malice wickednesse or scandal as such for which discipline is properly appointed carry respect to saving grace or those that are about dispense the rod should first consider whether the fault may consist with grace or a saving condition and otherwise not to lash therewith Therefore it will follow that the members of the visible Church may be considered to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace For 1. All discipline is truely a part of the administration of Christ as Head of the Church it being truely appointed by himself to be dispensed by such as stand in his stead in the Church Quia vero tam efficaciter urget obedientiam er ga Christum idcirco non s●ne ratione singulari magna pars regni Christi preut visibiliter ecclesiam regit ab optimis theologis in ista disciplina colocatur Medul p. 202 to be dispensed by them in his Name alone to be made effectual by his power alone and lastly it being so urgent a meanes of obedience to his Gospel Wherefore as Amesius addeth is not without singular reason according to the method of our best Divines reputed a great and special part of the Kingdome of Christ which all will grant belongeth to him as Head of the Church 2. The objects on whom discipline is to be exercised or granted by all to be members of the Church and consequently of Christ for as we have said discipline is part of his dispensation as head and the influence of the head is not beyond the body Certainly Christ judgeth none with discipline but such as the Church ought to judge now the Church ought to judge none but those that are within for those that are without God 1 Cor. 5. 12 13 judgeth Within and without what but the Church and what is the Church but the body of Christ therefore Amesius exactly Personae circa quas exerceri debet sunt membra ecclesiarum visibilium insti tutarum 1 Cor. 5 11. non a lii v. 12. Med. p 201. John 6. 70. saith that persons about whom discipline ought to be exercised are members of visible instituted Churches and none other 2. Persons may be considered to be truely called to the work of the Ministry without respect to saving grace for Judas was truely called to the work of the Ministry as is undeniable insinuated by that question of our Saviour have not I chosen you twelve i. e. have not I my self put you twelve into my Ministry yet 't is known that Judas was not savingly called to be a member of Christ as the next words added by our Saviour note and one of you is a Devil which our Saviour doubtlesse knew when he first chose him and would never have chose him had saving grace been essential to a true and lawful call to the Ministry Therefore it hence also follows that persons may be considered to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace for can any one possibly think that Christ would choose an infidel remaining such to rule his Church or make him an officer over that is not one of his people or put him into the place of the steward of his house whom he yet hath not and whom he never intends to put into his house who doubts but that he that is a Ruler Officer or Steward over the Church people or house of Christ is also a member thereof and much more and that he that is a member of the Church people and house of Christ is also a member of Christ himselfe 3. Persons may be considered to be truely baptized without respect unto saving grace for persons are truely because lawfully baptized in their infant state unto the consideration of their Covenant-holinesse and not the supposition of their personal Si ullius gratiae sunt participes fit illud vi faederis gratiae atque adeo foedus primum foederis sigillum adipsos etiam pertinet saving grace for as Ames teacheth us if they are partakers of any grace it is done by force of the Covenant of grace and thus both the Covenant and the first seal of the Covenant belongs also to them not as having true grace but as borne to God and in Covenant with him by their parents and if it be so with us when infants I shall humbly ask anone why not so afterwards and in our adult estate if born Christians and if we do not renounce Christianity Then hence it also follows that persons may be considered to be truely members of Christ without respect to saving grace for into what are persons baptized but into the body of Christ 1 Cor. 12. 13. yea and though afterwards they prove ungodly yet are they dealt with both here and hereafter as within and as children of the Kingdome here they have punishment peculiar to the subjects and members of Christ viz. to be cast out as before if after admonition they remaine obstinate then if they repent and are re-accepted into communion with the Church they are still dealt with as within and are not required to be re-baptized and if they shall die in their wickednesse they shall be judged hereafter and proceeded against not as the children of this world but as the children of the kingdome but of this more largely hereafter as we shall have abundant occasion now accept of this short touch Arg. 3. Christ is considered under all those many

great meanes of the former viz. his glory as Szegedine exactly teacheth the end of the Church is the true Finalis causa ecclesiae est verus Dei cultus ordinata enim est ecclesia ad verum Dei cultum ad glorificandum Deum Szeged p. 2●6 Theol. Instit p. 215. Quae causa finalis ecclesiae verus Dei cultus Bucan de eccl lo. 441. p. 477. worship of God for the Church is ordained for the true worship of God that he might be glorified which Trelcatius hath handsomely couched together saying that the visible Church is instituted ad cultum gloria Dei for the worship of the glory of God now as that which is suborainate hereunto the visible Church is made the seat and subject of all visible administrations whereby also the wicked in the Church may be left without excuse the Elect converted the converted edified the visible Kingdom of the Devil vanquished Christs visible Kingdom advanced and the Nations of the earth openly gained to a visible subjection thereunto in due season Secondly these are the real uses and proper ends of the visible Church For 1. The visible Church as such hath a neer aptnesse and kindlinesse Medium est aptum utile fini in it and is per se and sua natura useful hereunto viz. for the keeping and upholding the glory and worship of God in the world as none will deny seeing God is herein truely owned visibly professed submitted unto obeyed and worshipped according to his will and that with such a smooth and easie tendency as naturally Quod sua natura utile est ad aliquid efficiendum propter illud esse videtur ●ows from the visible Church as such Now it is a maxime that that which is apt of it selfe and according to its own free nature for the effecting of any thing seemeth to have its being for that very thing and by consequence that thing is truely and properly the end thereof 2. The visible Church as such is necessary for the obtaining of these ends without it what glory would redound to God in the world or what worship where else would visible Ordinances be fixt and dispens'd how would the visible Kingdome of Christ be advanc'd the visible Kingdome of Satan subverted How would hypocrites in the Church be inexcusably judged or the Elect be ordinarily saved if there were no visible Church Quod alio quo piam indiget vt acquiratur hujus finis est Sin● quo quicquam existere non potest in naturâ id est illi necessarium atque propter illud factum Now the Rule is that that which wants another thing for its own attaining is the end of that other thing but these particulars want the visible Church for their obtaining therefore they are the ends thereof which is evidently grounded by Scaliger upon that necessity that there is of the means in order to the end which is the thing I am urging for saith he that thing is necessary for another when that other cannot exist in nature without it and therefore this was made for that other and consequently that other thing for which this was made is the end thereof Here is a double necessity of the visible Church for the ends specified Necessitas ● Of the means i. e. without which these ends cannot 1. Medii be attained this hath been now spoken to 2. Of the ends i. e. where this means of the visible Church is there these in some true 2. Finis measure do of necessity follow which might serve us another evidence that the ends before are true and proper ends of the visible Church for quo existente necessario pr●ducitur aliquod bonum hoc est aut videtur esse illius finis 3. God himself hat ordained the visible Church for the ends specified Praecepti vel institutionis therefore 't is yet further necessary for them viz. with a necessity of divine ordination and institution and then there is no ground of doubting left but that they are true and proper ends thereof Hath not God ordained the visible Church to put his name there to be the ground and pillar of his truth that he might have a praise and a name in the Earth and in one word that those that worship him might glorifie his Name Psalme 89. Finis rei est sua operatio Operatio est usus vel actus ad qu●m ordinatur now if so are not these the ends for which God hath ordained the visible Church the end of a thing is but its operation and operation in this logical sense is but that use or act for which any thing is ordained by God in nature or by God in Scripture the latter of which we are now upon and therefore I shall rather choose to expresse i● in the wor●ds of a Divine lately cited the Church is ordained by God for his true worship that he might Sz●gid p. 226 be gl●rified and therefore the end of the Church is the worship of God Thirdly as these are proper ends of the visible Church so the visible Church is truely a means of them and may be so considered without respect unto saving grace for what necessity of saving grace can we imagine to the attaining of the foresaid end● the glory of God in his visible worship before the eyes of men much lesse what possible necessity is the●e for our having respect unto saving grace when we truely consider thereof doth mens attending upon publick Ordinances essentially depend upon their saving grace or cannot we truely consider thereof but we must suppose the men savingly gracious do not the common effects of the spirit in illuminating conviacing of sinne and of necessity of attending on the means of grace for peace and salvation work men out of conscience to a constant and solemn dependance thereupon and yet none will say that any particular thus expressed doth necessarily suppose a saving work yea the end which is neerest and most generally allowed to the visible Church viz. the worship of the glory of God may doubtlesse be obtained by a great deal lesse viz. by a visible profession of and submission to that way of worship that the Lord hath ordained which doth not of necessity require such a great degree of common grace as before was specified True grace is indeed necessary to work out our own salvation But we are wont to say that gifts which do not necessarily suppose true grace are onely necessary to work on others especially in the way of the worship of God for the advancing of his name and glory thereby to the world 'T is also true that saving grace is necessary to the acceptance of our worship before God I mean to a plenary acceptance for some we read of that found some measure of true acceptance in their serving of the Lord though without saving grace But yet not necessary for the effecting of Gods glory before men that

is invisible and visible this distinction is a distribution of the adjuncts of the same subject in divers respects the one internal the other external I confesse the reformed Divines I mean many of them do affirme that the invisible Church is onely revera ecclesia the true Church but their meaning I humbly conceive must be taken with a great deal of caution which with all humility I shall labour to unfold in a few distinctions as neere their owne sense and with as much of their spirit as I am able The Distinctions which may help us herein may be either of the Epithete true or the subject the Church 1. Truth as applicable to the Church is taken Respectu Naturali Vel Entitatis Morali Vel Status Vel Finis Now I humbly offer whether the reformed Divines asserting the invisible Church to be the onely true Church can possibly be though to exclude the visible Church from being true in the first branch of this division viz. in that natural sense whereby a thing is said to have the truth of being and existence why then do they still define the visible Church and give it all its Profession and preaching of the true doctrine is the only proper and certain note of the true Church Hildersham on Joh. 4. p. 161 This was the meaning of Wickliff Husse and others who therefore define the Church to be the multitude of the elect not for that they think them onely to pertain to the Church and no others but because they only pertain unto it principally fully effectually and finally Field on the Church p. 13. Distinct 2. real causes why do they tell us of the marks of the true visible Church why do none of them assert that the visible is not truely a Church or that the invisible Church is alone the Church truely so called yea in that they assert it to be visible they conclude it to be real seeing we cannot see that that is not Therefore they may be granted to meane onely that the invisible Church is onely true with respect to her state in the favour of God and to her end salvation that is the members of the invisible Church alone are certainly and infallible instated in the love of God and to be saved their controversie with the Papist engaged them to both these in their defence of the invisible Church and perseverance but no further for though the question was whether all in the visible Church were in a state of grace or whether all that were in a state of grace should persevere therein to the end yet we never read that they ever came to question whether the visible Church might be truely said to be a Church of Christ or not the centrary being indeed acknowledged on both sides The Church invisible then is the onely true Church in this moral sense it onely being truely in the love and favour of God and sure of salvation but the visible Church is also true in a natural sense it being really and truely a Church of God Or 2. Truth as applied to the Church is so Simpliciter Secundum quid Truth as taken in general large or simple acceptation may be easily conceived to be granted by the reformed Divines even to the visible Church 't is true in its kinde with such a truth as is agreeable to the nature of a visible Church I think none will deny this nor affirm the invisible Church to be the onely true Church in this sense Yet there is a restrained sense of truth in order to some particular determination of it which belongs onely to the Church invisible and which our Divines must needes meane whatever it be yet generally they explaine themselves as Bullinger doth himselfe revera ecclesia saith he viz. fideles Electi Dei viva membra connexa Christo non modo vinculis externis notis sed spiritu fide In which words he plainly expresseth that there is a double way of being knit to Christ 1. Fide spiritu 2. Vinculis externis notis The first of which he intends when he speaks of the true Church viz. that the invisible Church is the onely true Church in this respect of being knit unto Christ by faith and the spirit leaving room for any to conclude besides that such as are knit unto Christ by outward bonds alone are yet so farre truely knit as to be truely members of the visible though not of the Church invisible Vnion with Christ is true outwardly externis vinculis by which the visible Church is truely his Church and true savingly whereby the invisible Church is the onely true Church in that respect The subject of this questioned truth may also be distinguished for the better discovery of the minde of these Divines herein The Church is taken Strictly Largely Consisting of the Elect regenerate Distinct 1. Hac autem ecclesia latius accepta quatenus bonos malos continet Zanch. de eccl p. 65. Militans ecclesia rursus consideratur dupliciter vel enim strictius considerata vel latius malos complexa Bul. Dec. 350. Vox ecclesia ambigui stricte latissime minus late in quo electi hypocrite Ravanel c. Objicis sat scio hypocritas me numerasse c. Dec. p. 347 Good and bad This we may the bolder insist upon because it is of so frequent use amongst the reformed Divines themselves upon the same occasion and as they themselves explaine it the Church strictly taken is the Church invisible consisting onely of the Elect as Trelcatius Bullinger c. or of the Elect-regenerate and called as Ames and others and the Church largely taken consisting of the Elect and reprobate Beleevers and hypocrites good and bad as their general language is To apply it when these Divines affirme that the invisible Church is the onely true Church can they be understood in any other sense then this viz. that they onely are the true Church in this close strict and saving sense as the Church is taken strictly and is it not as evident as any thing in the world that they intend only to shut hypocrites out of the Church in this strict and saving sense and as plaine that they allow them a place in the Church as it is largely taken which large acceptation of the Church is by themselves generally expressed to be ecclesia bonos malos amplexa Bullinger frames an objection on purpose that he may have an occasion to declare his minde to this point his objection is How can hypocrites being members of Satan be members of the Church He answers by distinguishing of hypocrites Some saith he confide in their own righteousnesse as the Pharisees did these are not others do not so but neither hating nor flying from nor persecuting the Church do outwardly joyne with it and professe the same faith a while with it c. these are members of the Church till they fall away and much more those that continue in

by persons who possibly never shall be saved and therefore who have not any saving grace The visible Church consisteth of good and bad as at the beginning we see it did in Cain and Abel whereupon our Saviour compareth the Church to a net in which are fishes good and bad But I shall conclude the matter out of doubt with the observation made for us by the industrious exposition of the English Articles The members of the visible Church it saith are some of them for God and some against God all of them not withstanding deemed parts of the Church so long as they make no manifest and open rebellion against the Gospel which also addes that the Churches bear witnesse hereunto referring us to confes l. Hel. v. 1. Art 14. and 2. c. 17. Bohem. c. 8. Gal. Art 11. Wittimb Art 32. Survic Art 15. whereunto I also refer my Reader CHAP. XXIII The judgement of the Brownists and of our Church against them herein THe third more special occasion exacting the judgement of the Church herein was given by the Brownists whereupon we shall briefly note two things to serve us in our passage 1. That it was the opinion of the Brownists that the essence of the visible Church consisted in saving grace contrary to what I am labouring to prove 2. That this was judged an errour and a great part of the errour of Brownisme as such by the eminent patrons of our Church and truth in that generation going onely before as in the present designe 1. That this was the opinion of the Brownists indeed viz. that the essence of the visible Church carrieth in it saving grace most plentifully appears by their asserting owning and pleading for the same in all their writings witnesse Smith Barrow Ainsworth Robinson Johnson and Cann c who tell us Defence of the churches p. 17 their Apol. p. 44 counterpoison p. 115. and 200 Barrows true description of the visible church p. 2 Principles and infer p. 8. 10 that the Church is a separated company of righteous men from the open wicked men of the world and that it cannot consist of all sorts good and bad in which no unclean thing or person entreth that keepeth the unity of faith in the bond of peace and love unseigned that is a company of faithful people that truely worship Christ and readily obey him a company of Converts a visible communion of Saints that is such as are separate from all known sinne practising the whole will of God known growing in grace and knowledge and continuing to the end And more fully and accurately let Smith be heard once more in the name of the rest the true forme of a true visible Church saith he is partly inward and partly outward the inward Princ. inf p. 11 part of the forme consisteth in three things 1. The Spirit 2. Faith 3. Love The Spirit is the soul animating the whole body faith uniteth the members of the body to the head Christ Jesus love uniteth the members of the body each to other the outward part thereof is a vow promise oath or Covenant betwixt God and the Saints 2. Now that this was held the errour of the Brownist and a part of their Brownisme and that it was not the allowed opinion of the true Church especially in England appeares abundantly in the disputations of all our Divines against them wherein we find these two propositions irrefragably proved 1. That an Assembly may be a true visible Church though its worship be very corrupt 2. That persons may be members of the visible Church by professing the true Religion though without sincere grace or holy life the latter of which is directly for us and in defence whereof Dayrel so smartly replied to Mr. Ainsworth you speak saith he you know not what for herby you imply a true visible Dayr p. 36 37 Church is a company of people professing and practicing such things as will bring them to salvation Whereupon it follows that there is no hypocrite in the visible Church for whose practice is answerable to his holy profession he is no hypocrite nor reprobate or any that shall be damned and thus you unawares confound the visible and the invisible Church Johnson himself testifieth thus much on our behalf even while he His defence of the churches and Ministry of England p. 71. saieth his accusation against us the forward preachers of England as he pleaseth to call them teach saith he that the true visible Church of Christ is not a separated company of righteous men from the open wicked of the world but may consist of people good and bad Neither may we think that that this was the doctrine of the Episcopal A book by sundry godly and learned Ministers standing out suffering in the cause of non conformity party alone for the very non-conformists have a book extant intended purposely against the separation and therein neere the beginning of that book they openly acquit themselves of and charge Barrow and the old Separatists with this errour that they held the visible Church to be a company of faithful people that truely worship Christ and readily obey him CHAP. XXIV Seven Arguments yet further proving that the judgement of the Church hath alwayes been on our side introduced by two Objections THere is a twofold distinction by some made use of to evade or weaken the authority aforesaid 1. It is urged that some eminent Divines assert that hypocrites are onely equivocè and not verè of the visible Church But hereunto we need only remember what hath formerly been I think truely observed that such Divines understand by Church in the proposition the Church of the saved which they themselves usually called the Church Catholick or the Church inviand none can doubt but such Church-membership is predicable of hypocrite onely nominally or equivocally and not really 2. It is also pleaded that some as eminent affirme and teach that hypocrites are onely in the Church not of the Church But * This tenent may seeme to cross many of our own D●vines in their writings against the Papists but indeed it doth onely seem so for it is manifest that the Church which they intend is not the same with this which I have to deal withal for they speak of the Chu●ch catholick consisting only of the Elect. Hudson his Epistle Here we may fairly understand our Divines to meane the visible Church in the former and the invisible Church in the latter branch of this distinction q. d. they are in the visible When Willet had let fall that expression that wicked men are in but not of the Church he presently corrected himself adding yea they wicked men may be members of the visible church for a time Gen. 2. contro of the church p 62 Church but not of the Church invisible as the number of the saved Or as before we received from Doctor Field We are to take them as intending onely when