Of the matter of the Visible Church Both in respect of Quality and Quantity.

      THe matter of a visible church are Saints by calling. (1)
      2 By Saints, wee understand,
      1 Such, as haue not only attained the knowledge of the principles of Religion, & are free from gros & open scandals, but also do together with the profession of their faith & Repentance, walk in blameles obedience to the word, so as that in charitable discretion they may be accounted Saints by calling, (2) (though perhaps some or more of them be unsound, & hypocrites inwardly:) because the members of such particular churches are commonly by the holy ghost called Saints & faithfull brethren in Christ, and sundry churches haue been reproued for receiving, & suffering such persons to continu in fellowship amongst them, as have been offensive & scandalous: (3) the name of God also by this means is Blasphemed: & the holy things of God defiled & Profaned. the hearts of godly grieved: & the wicked themselves hardned: & holpen forward to damnation. the example of such doeth endanger the sancity of others. A litle Leaven Leaventh the whole lump.
      2 The children of such, who are also holy. (4)
      3 The members of churches though orderly constituted, may in time degenerate, & grow corrupt & scandalous, which though they ought bot to be tolerated in the church, yet their continuance therein, through the defect of the execution of discipline & Just censures, doth not immediately dissolv the being of the churches of Galatia & Corinth, Pergamus & Thyatira.
      [4] 4 The matter of the Church (5) in respect of it's quantity ought not to be of gteater number them may ordinarily meet together conveniently in one place: (6) nor ordinarily meet togetherly fewer, then may conveniently carry on Church-work. Hence when the holy Scripture maketh mention of the Saints combined into a church-estate, (7) in a Town or Citty, where was but one Congregation, it usually calleth those Saints [the church] in the singular number, as the church of the Thessalonians the church of Smyrna, Philadelphia, & the like: But when it speaketh of the Saints in a Nation, or Province, wherein there were sundry Congregations, It frequently & usually calleth them by the name of churches, in the plurall number, (8) as the [churches] of Asia, Galatia, Macedonia, & the like: which is further confirmed by what is written of sundry of those churches in particular, how they were Assembled & met together the whole church in one place, as the church at Jerusalem, the church at Antioch, the church at Corinth, & Cenchrea, though it were more neer to Corinth, it being the port thereof, answerable to a Village, yet being a distinct Congregation from Corinth, it had a church of its owne as well as Corinth had. (9)
      5 Nor can it with reason be thought but that every church appointed & ordained by Christ, had a ministrie ordained & appointed for the same: & yet plain it is, that there were no ordinary officers appointed by Christ for any other, then Congregational churches: Elders being appointed to feed, not all flocks, but the particular flock of God (10) over which the holy Ghost had made them the over-seers, & that flock they must attend, even the whole flock: & one Congregation being as much as any ordinary Elders can attend, therfore there is no greater Church then a Congregation, which may ordinarily meet in one place.

1. I Cor: 1 2 Ephe 1 1. Hebr: 6 1. I Cor 1 5. Rom. 15 14. Psal: 50 16-17. Act 8 37. Matt: 3 6. Rom. 6 17
2. I Cor. 1 2. Phillip. 1 1, Collos 1 2.
3. Ephes. 1. 1. I Cor 5 2 13 Rev. 1 14 15 & 20. Ezek. 44. 7 & 9. & chp. 23 38 39. Num 29 & 20. Hagg. 2 13 14. I Cor 11 27 29. Psal 37 21: I Cor 5 6. I Cor. 7: & 14.
4. Ier. 2 21, I Cor. 5 12 Ier. 14. Gal. 5 4. 2 Cor. 12 21. Rev. 2 14 15, & 21 21.
5. I Cor 14 21
6. Matt 18 17
7. Rom 16 1 I Thes 1 1 Rev 2 8 c 3 7
8. I Cor 16 1 19 Gal 1, 2 2 Cor 8 1. I Thes 2, 14
9. Acts 2 46 c 5 12. c 6 2. Acts 14, 27 c 15 38 I Cor 5. 4. c 14, 23. Rom 16, 1.
10. Acts 20 28.