Chap. XXIV. tery after marriage, it is lawful for the innocent party to fue out a divorce", and, after the divorce, to marry another, as if the offending party were dead". VI. Although the corruption of man be fuch as is apt to ftudy arguments, unduly to put asunder those whom God hath joined together in marriage; yet nothing but adultery, or fuch wilful defertion as can no way be remedied by the church or civil magiftrate, is caufe fufficient of diffolving the bond of marriage: wherein a publick and orderly courfe of proceeding is to be obferved, and the perfons concerned in it not left to their own wills and difcretion in their own cafe, CHAP.. m Mat. v. 31. It hath been faid, Whofoever thall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: V. 32. But I fay unto you, That whofoever fhall put away his wife, faving for the caufe of fornication, caufeth her to commit adultery: and whofoever fhall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. " Mat. xix. 9. And I fay unto you, Whofoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and fhall marry another, committeth adultery: and who, fo marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. Rom. vii. 2. For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband fo long as he liveth: but if the husband be dead, The is loofed from the law of her hufband. V. So then, if while her husband liveth fhe be married to another man, the fhall be called an adulterefs: but if her husband be dead, the is free from that law; fo that fhe is no adulterefs tho' the be married to another man. VI. Mat. xix. 8. He faith unto them, Mofes, because of the bardness of your hearts, fuffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not fo. V. 9. [See letter ] 1 Cor. vii. 15. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. Abrother or a fifteris not under bondage in fuch cafès: but God hath called us to peace. Mat. xix. 6. Wherefore they are no more twain, but one fefh. What, therefore, God hathjoined together, letnot man put afander. Deut. xxiv. 1. When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that the find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found fome uncleannefs in her; then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and fend her out of his house. V. z. And, when the is departed out of his houfe, the may go and be another man's wife. V. 3. And if the latter husband hate her, and write her a bill of divorcement, and giveth it in her hand, and fendeth her out of his houfe; or if the latter husband die, which took her to be his wife; V. 4. Her former husband which fent her away may not take her again to be his wife after that fhe is defiled; for that is abomination before the Lord: and thou fhalt not caufe the land to fin, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. L.' Eph. THE CHAP. XXV. Of the Church. HE catholick or univerfal church, which is invifible, confifts of the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or fhall be gathered into one, under Chrift the head thereof; and is the fpoufe, the body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all". II. The visible church, which is alfo catholick or univerfal under the gospel, (not confined to one nation, as before under the law,) confifts of all thofe throughout the world that profefs the true religion, together with their 1.Eph. i. 1o. That in the difpenfation of the fulnefs of times he might gather together in one all things in Chrift, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth, even in him. V. 22. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, V. 23. Which is his body, the fulnefs of him that filleth all in all. Eph. v. 23. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Chrift is the head of the church: and he is the faviour of the body. V. 27. That he night present it to himself a glorious church, not having fpot, or wrinkle, or any fuch thing; But that it fhould be holy and without blemish. V. 32. This is a great mystery: but I fpeak concerning Chrift and the church. Col. i. 18. And he is the head of the body the church; who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence. II. b 1 Cor. i. 2. Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are fanctified in Chrift Jefus, called to be faints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jefus Chrift our Lord, both theirs and ours. 1 Cor. Xii. 12. For as the body is one, chil. and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: fo alfo is Chrift. V. 13. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. Pfal. ii. 8. Afk of me, and I fhall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermoft parts of the earth for thy poffeffion. Rev.vii.9. After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, ftood before the throne, and be fore the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. Rom. xv. 9. And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this caufe I will confefs to thee among the Gentiles, and fing unto thy name. V. 1o. And again he faith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people. V. 11. And again, Praife the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people. V. 12. And again Efaias faith, There fhall be a root of Jeffe, and he that fhall rife to reign over_the Gentiles, in im fhall the Gentiles truft. G 3 CI Cor. children; and is the kingdom of the Lord Jefus Christ', the house and family of God, out of which there is no ordinary poffibility of falvation. III. Unto this catholick vifible church Chrift hath given the miniftry, oracles, and ordinances of God, for the gathering and perfecting of the faints in this life to the end of the world; and doth, by his own prefence and Spirit, according to his promife, make them effectual thereunto. I Cor. vii. 14. For the unbe lieving hufbandis fanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is fanctified by the husband: elfe were your children unclean; but now are they holy. Acts ii. 39. For the promife is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God fhall call. Ezek. xvi. 20. Moreover, thou haft taken thy fons and thy daughters, whom thou haft born unto me, and these haft thou facrificed unto them to be devoured: is this of thy whoredoms a small matter, V. 21. That thou haft flain my children, and delivered them to caufethem to pass through the fire for them? Rom. xi. 16. For if the firft-fruit be holy, the lump is alfo holy; and if the root be holy, fo are the branches. Gen. iii. 15. And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy feed and her feed: it fhall bruife thy head, and thou fhalt bruife his heel. Gen. xvii. 7. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy feed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant; to be a God unto thee, and to thy feed after thee. d Mat.xiii. 47. Again, the king dom of heaven is like unto a net that was caft into the fea, and gathered of every kind. Ifa. ix. 7. IV. This Of the increafe of his government and peace there fhall be no end; upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with juftice, from henceforth even for ever: the zeal ofthe Lord of hofts will perform this. e Eph. ii. 19. Now, therefore, ye are no more frangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the faints, and of the household of God. Eph. iii. 15. Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named. f Acts ii. 47. Praifing God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily fuch as should be faved. g III. & 1 Cor. xii. 28. And God hath fet fome in the church; firft, apoftles; fecondarily, prophets; thirdly, teachers; after that mi racles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diverfities of tongues. Eph. iv. 11. And he gave fome apoftles, and some prophets, and fome evangelifts, and fome paftors and teachers; V. 12. For the perfecting of the faints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Chrift: V. 13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the mea fure of the ftature of the fulness of Chrift. Mat. xxvii. 19. Go ye IV. This catholick church hath been fometimes more fometimes lefs vifible. And particular churches, which are members thereof, are more or lefs pure, according as the doctrine of the gofpel is taught and embraced, ordinances adminiftered, and publick worthip performed more or lefs purely in themi. V. The pureft churches under heaven are fubject both to mixture and error*; and fome have fo degenerated as to become no churches of Chrift, but fynagogues of Satan'. Nevertheless ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft: V. 20. Teaching them to obferve all things whatfoever I have com-, manded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Ifa. lix. 21. As for me, this is my covenant with them, faith the Lord, My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy feed, nor out of the mouth of thy feed's feed, faith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever. IV. Rom. xi. 3. Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they feek my life. V. 4. But what faith the answer of God unto him? I have referved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. Rev. xii. 6. And the woman fled into the wil. derness, where the hath a place prepared of God, that they fhould feed her there a thousand two hundred and threefcore days. V. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that the might fly into the wildernefs, into her place; where the is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the ferpent. i [Rev. Chapters ii. and iii. throughout.] 1 Cor. v. 6. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? V. 7. Purge out, therefore, the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Chrift qur paffover is facrificed for us. V,ki Cor. xiii. 12. For now we fee through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then fhall I know even as alfo I am known. [Rev. Chapters ii. and iii.] Mat. xiii. 24.-30. Another parable puthe forth unto them, faying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a inan which fowed good feed in his field: but while men flept his enemy came and fowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was fprung up, and brought forth fruit, then.appeared the tares alfo, &c. V. 47. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was caft into the fea, and gathered ofevery kind. 1 Rev. xviii. 2. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, faying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habita tion of devils, and the hold of every foul fpirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. G4 Rom. Chap. XXV. Nevertheless there fhall be always a church on earth, to worship God according to his will ». VI. There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jefus Chrift: nor can the Pope of Rome in any fense be head thereof, but is that antichrift, that man of fin, and fon of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Chrift, and all that is called God". Rom. xi. 18. Boaft not against the branches; but if thou boast, thou beareft not the root; but the root thee. V. 19. Thou wilt fay then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. V. 20. Well; Becaufe of unbelief they were broken off, and thouftandeft by faith. Be not high minded, but fear. V. 21. For if God fpared not the natural branches,' take heed left he alfo fpare not thee. V. 22. Behold, therefore, the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, feverity; but to ward thee goodness, if thou continue in his goodnels: otherwife thou alfo fhalt be cut off. Mat. xvi. 18. And I fay alfo unto thee, That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell thall not prevail against it. Pfal. lxxii. 17. His name fhall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the fun and men fhall be bleffed in him; all nations fhall call him bleffed. Pfal. cii. 28. The children of thy fervants thall continue, and their feed fhall be established before thee. Mat. xxviii. 19, 20. [See in letter &.] VI. Col. i. 18. And he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the firftborn from the dead; that in all СНАР.. things he might have the preeminence. Eph. i. 22. And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church. o Mat. xxiii. 8, But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Mafter, even Chrift, and all ye are brethren. V. 9. And call no man your father upon earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. V. 10. Neither be ye called mafters: for one is your Mafter, even Chrift. 2 Theff. ii. 3. Let no man deceiveycuby any means: for that day fhall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of fin be revealed, the fon of perdition: V. 4. Who oppofeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped; fo that he as God fitteth in the temple of God, fhewing himself that he is God. V. 8. And then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord fhall confume with the fpirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightnefs of his coming: V. 9. Even him, whofe coming is after the working of Satan, with all power, and signs, and lying wonders. Rev. xiii. 6. And he opened his mouth in blafphemy against God, to blafpheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. 1. John |