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some dead form in their room; and this was a universal subjection unto the pope, according unto all the rides, orders, and canons which they should invent. Uniformity herein, and cano7iical obedience, is all the end which they will allow unto their church discipline; and these things hang well together, for nothing but outward force by law and penalties is fit to attain this end. So was there an image composed and erected of the holy discipline of Christ, and its blessed ends, consisting of these two joarts, outward force and feigned sub- jection. For hardly can an instance be given in the world of any man who ever bowed down to this image, or submitted unto any ecclesiastical censure, out of a conscientious respect unto it. Force and fear rule all.
This is that discipline in whose execution the blood of an innu- merable company of hobj martyrs hath been shed, — that Avherein all the vital spirits of the Papacy do act themselves, and whereby it doth subsist; and although it be the image of jealousy, or the image of the first beast, set up by the dragon, yet it cannot be denied, but that it is very wisely accommodated unto the present state of the generality of them that are called Christians amongst them. For being both blind and carnal, and having thereby lost all sense and experience of the spiritual jiower of the rule of Christ in their con- sciences, they are become a herd not fit to be governed or ruled any other way. Under the bondage of it, therefore, they must abide, till the vail of blindness be taken away, and they are turned unto God by his word and Spirit ; for " where the Spirit of the Lord is, there," and there alone, " is liberty."
Sect. VII. Unto the foregoing particular instances, with respect unto the church, I shall yet add one more general; which is indeed comprehensive of them all, or the root from whence they spring, — a root bearing gall and wormwood: and this is concerning the catholic church.
What belongs unto this catholic church, what is compiised in its communion, the apostle declares, Heb. xii. 22-24. It is the recapitu- lation of all things in heaven and earth in Christ Jesus, EjdIi. i. 10; — his body, his spouse or bride, the Lamb's wife, the gloiious temple wherein God doth dwell by his Spirit; — a holy mystical society, pur- chased and purified by the blood of Christ, and united unto him by his Spirit, or the inhabitation of the same Spirit in him and those whereof it doth consist. Hence they with him, as the body with its head, are mystically called Christ, 1 Cor. xii. 12. And there are two parts of it, the one Avhereof is already perfected in heaven, as unto their spirits; and the other yet continued in tlic way of faith and obedience in this world. Both these constitute " one family in heaven and earth," Eph. iii. 15; — in conjunction witli the lioly angels,
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one mystical body, one catholic church. And although there is a great diiference, in their present state and condition, between these two branches of the same family, yet are they both equally purchased by Christ, and united unto him as their head, having both of them effectually the same principle of the life of God in them. Of a thwd part of this church, neither in hea\^en nor in earth, in a temporary state, participant somewhat of heaven, and somewhat of hell, called purgatory, the Scripture knoweth nothing at all; neither is it con- sistent with the analogy of faith, or the promises of God unto them that do ])elieve, as we shall see immediately. This church, even as imto that part of it which is in this -world, as it is adorned with all the graces of the Holy Spirit, is the most beautiful and glorious effect, — next unto the forming and production of its Head, in the in- carnation of the Son of God — which divine wisdom, power, and grace will extend themselves unto here below. But these things — the glory of this state — is visible only unto the eye of faith; yea, it is perfectly seen and known only to Christ himself We see it obscurely in the light of faith and revelation, and are sensible of it according unto our participating of the graces and privileges wherein it doth consist.
But that spiritual light which is necessary to the discerning of this glory was lost among those of whom we treat. They could see no reality nor beauty in these things, nor any thing that should be of advantage unto them. For upon theu- principle, of the utter uncer- tainty of men's spiritual estate and condition in this world, it is evi- dent that they could have no satisfactory persuasion of any concern- ment in it. But they had possessed themselves of the notion of a catholic church; which, with mysterious artifices, they have turned unto their OAvn incredible secular advantage. This is that whereof they boast, appropriating it unto themselves, and making it a pre- tence of destroying others, what lies in them, both temporally and eternally. Unto this end they have formed the most deformed and detestable image of it that ever the world beheld ; for the catholic church which they own, and which they boast that they are, instead of that of Christ, is a company or society of men, unto whom, in order unto the constitution of that whole society, there is no one reed Christian grace required, nor spiritual union unto Christ, the head, but only an outside profession of these things, as they expressly con- tend ; — a society united unto the Pope of Rome, as its head, by a subjection unto him and his rule, according to the laws and canons whereby he will guide them. This is the fonual reason and cause constituting that catholic church which they are, which is compacted in itself by horrid bonds and ligaments, for the ends of ambition, worldly domination, and avarice; — a catholic church openly luicked