A JUDGEMENT OR A DEFINITION OF THE VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE CHURCH OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.  
By J. D.  CANTICLES 1.5. 
I am black, but comely (O ye Daughters of Jerusalem.  CANT. 4.7. 
Thou art fair, my Love; there is no spot in thee.  PSAL. 45.13. 
The King's Daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is of wrought Gold.  
Printed in the Year, 1641.   

THE CHURCHES OUTWARD BEING AND INWARD GLORY LAID OPEN.  
A Church is of none but those which are called of God, (to Define it) It is a company of Believers, and regenerate persons, which God gathereth together in Christ, by the Word in the holy Ghost, and the Ministers governing the same, with pureness of Doctrine, with lawful use of the Sacraments, and with Discipline; and it is called the body of Christ; these members have him for their Head, from whom by their joints and sinews, they take their growing, and attain unto life by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost; for these members are so thoroughly joined, as they are called Flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, Ephes. 5.30.  
It is true, in assemblies there be those that mingle among the Saints of God, nay, very many which be strangers from Christ, and these in show only, not indeed, do belong unto the Church. Wherefore of them the Apostle john saith, They went out from us, but were not of us. The Apostle Paul in the first Chapter of the Corinthians, the first Epistle, after he had saluted the Church of God, added by exposition unto them which are sanctified by jesus Christ, called to be Saints. That we may understand in very deed that the wicked appertain not to the Church, although they be always conversant therein. And this we may confess to be a true Church, which are called the Communion of Saints. There be some of our times, nay, questionless many of God's Children conclude, that the true Church is not to be known as they are mixed together; but we may deny it to be a firm conclusion. There be proper marks assigned, by which the same may be very well known, without the separate Assemblies, for whereby the pureness of doctrine flourisheth, the Sacraments are purely ministered, and Discipline exercised, that is a Congregation whereby we may safely join ourselves, although the honesty of every particular man, is not sufficiently known unto thee.  
Neither is it of necessity required, that the godly should be discerned of men, what manner of persons they be while they live here. Christ while he lived here, was not known among mortal men: and we, as the Apostle doth declare unto the Colossians, Chapter 3. vers. 3.4. We have our life hidden with God, and when Christ which is our life shall appear, than we also shall be made manifest with him in glory.  
We read in the first Book of Samuel. 16.7. It is God that looketh into the heart; therefore it is but an unadvised thought, that because the wicked do frequent in place with the godly, that they should be the members of Christ. We may as well say, a dead man, is a man. I do confess indeed, by Christ, and by the Holy Ghost, he may be restored unto life, but in the mean time, while that is not done, we will not grant him to be the member of Christ, unless we should judge by the form and outward show. Some may perhaps say, how Paul might truly call the Church of the Corinthians, and Church of God; the which was so infected with so many vices. But it may be understood, that all they which were there, were not utterly corrupted, many good men remained.  
Further, they were instructed with pure doctrine, and they retained the Sacraments holy and purely; and the godly laboured much about the converting of them; for we know that Paul was admonished by them of Cloas, That he should prevent the evils that were then breaking forth, 1 Corinth. 1.11. Besides, Paul had a respect to the testimony of God, who had said unto him, that in the same City he had much people. Moreover, by this you may understand, that the Church of God, doth not so fall away for every blemish, as that it should no more be called the Church of God.  
And because now adays, the Prelates of our times, have opposed the rules of Christ, which he hath laid down by his Word, how his members should be governed. But this precious Word, the Gospel of our Lord jesus Christ, these Prelates, I mean, these Primate Metropolitans, and the rest of that function, those that have made nothing of the blood of Christ, in persecuting his members, and trampling the Lord of life under foot. The Lord furnish his Saints, with an infinite power in their Spirits, that by the Spirit of the Lord, they may cry mightily, that he hearing them, this work of Reformation, may be to the Saints happiness, and Gods great glory. And the people of God by that light which may and hath been discovered by the glorious Gospel, do see how they have laboured to seduce the Church, in fashioning Christ according to their Idolatrous Will-worship. But blessed be the Lord Christ; I say, blessed be Michael and his Angels, which have overcome the Dragon and his Angels. And doth appear to us as a glorious Christ, showing himself, how willing he is to reform us, if we by sin do not cause him to turn away his face, and carry away all the hopes we have of our Reformation. I beseech the Lord, it may not be said of us, as it was of those people of the jews, Jeremiah 5.31. The Prophets prophesy falsely, and the Priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so; love to have no reformation; But what will become of us in the end thereof?  
O that the Lord would take away that great hindrance of our Reformation in this Land, which is sin, and daily discover unto us the truth of the Gospel, which is the greatest means of our salvation, that the Lord Christ's bodily members may behold his glory more and more; which is not yet without spot or wrinkle, but in that day when the great Bishop of our souls, the Lord Christ, our Mediator shall appear, we beholding his glorious person, standing ready to reward every man according to his works; and at that day his Church shall be a glorious Church, without spot or wrinkle, Ephes. 5.27. Then shall we behold Christ overcoming all his enemies.  
But dissensions in this outward estate of the Churches being here on earth were never rooted out yet, and many Christians we have now adays wand'ring from the Church of England, as if there were never dissension in the Church of God. Consider, the people of Israel, which was the Church of God, oftentimes would have killed Moses, Exod. 7.4. Numb. 14.10. 16. 1. divers other places I could express.  
And in the New Testament of Christ, upon that Church of the Corinthians, 1.5. The which is very much commended by Paul, saying that they were instructers of Wisdom, and in the Word. Were they quiet among themselves? No; there were schisms among them; Some held of Paul, some of Apollo, some of Peter. But you may say, they disagreed not touching matters of weight: many were of that point, that they thought simple fornication was no sin: so that it behoved Paul, to instruct them concerning the same, 1 Cor. 6.12.  
Wherein then appears the Church's glory? It is more inwardly glorious; her glory is more Internal, than Externall. As there is a twofold state of the Church, the outward I have discovered to you already, standing in visible Assemblies, in the public Ministry of the Word and Sacraments, in external Discipline, & Government. So now I pitch upon the Inward, the Invisible estate of the Church; this estate stands in the true knowledge of God in Christ; in comforts touching remission of sins, and life everlasting, in the gifts of grace, and of the Spirit, and of God's protection. And in this respect, she is right glorious, yea, a most glorious Church; for what glory is it to have a painted outside, and a most deformed inside. Take a Tomb gilded outwardly, but within full of dead men's bones, Math. 23.27. It is the inward virtue which God requires; My son give me thy heart, Prov. 23.26. He desires truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden parts thou shalt make me to know wisdom, Psal. 51.1.6. It is this Inward glory which the Lord requireth, and doth respect; The inward ornament of a meek and quiet spirit in the sight of God, is of great price, 1 Pet. 3.4. This inward beauty of the Church, what tongue of man can sufficiently express it, it is but a glimpse hereof. All that I can say, or express to you, we may note in these seven degrees.  
First, The Churches inward glory, it hath the possesson of God's word, and the acknowledgement of the true God, Deut. 4.7.8. What Nation is so great, that hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is unto us; What Nation is so great and glorious, that hath statutes so righteous, as all these Laws, Psal. 147.19, 20. He hath showed his Word unto Jacob, his statutes, and his judgements unto Israel; he hath not dealt so with any Nation.  
Secondly, The confidence in prayer, and his assured love, in hearing her prayers, Rom. 5.15. We have received the spirit of Adoption, whereby we cry Abba, Father; Whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, Joh. 3.22.  
Thirdly, Perpetual Preservation in the midst of all affliction: Mat. 16.18. The gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Isa. 43.2. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and when thou walkest through the fire, the fire shall not hurt thee.  
Fourthly, To it belongeth the Covenant of promise; Rom. 9.4. It hath a more sure word of promise, 2 Pet. 1.19.  
Fifthly, It is adorned with the gracious gifts of the Spirit; as, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, Gal. 5.22. The world is not worthy of them, Heb. 11.38.  
Sixthly, It is secure and void of fear, We will not fear though the earth be moved, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the Sea, Psal. 46.2. They have the peace of conscience, which passeth all understanding, Phil. 4.7.  
Seventhly, It hath inheritance of life everlasting, and the promise of endless glory; They are heirs according to the hope of eternal glory, of a better life, 2 Cor. 4.17.  
This is the Churches Inward glory; Let us strive to make as great show as we will of perfection in this world, if we are not members of this glorious Church, we are lost, and must abide in a gall of bitterness for ever; but those that are of this glorious Church, shall obtain this pureness. Now because of the Inward glory, notwithstanding the outward blemish and defects, it is esteemed glorious; as the Prophet saith, Psal. 45.13. She is all glorious within: and so in Canticles fourth Chapter, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Behold, thou art fair, my Love, and so forward, you may read sweet expressions of uniting Love, that passeth between the Lord Christ, and his Espoused Bride, the Church; As in the seventh verse, he concludes, Thou art fair, my Love, and there is no spot in thee. No spot, how can that be, seeing the Church itself acknowledgeth its own blackness, Cant. 1.8. and her own drowsiness, Cant. 5.2.  
But she is all glorious;  
First, in regard of Christ's imputation, he gave himself for her, that he might sanctify her and cleanse her with the washing of water by the Word, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such defect, but that it should be holy, and without blemish, Ephes. 5.26.27.  
Secondly, In respect of God's acceptation, Seeing thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honoured, and I have loved thee, Isa. 43.4.  
Thirdly, In regard of the future glorification of it, it shall be full of glory, Revel. 21.23.  
Now we see this point of the Churches glory discovered; and we see the Church what it is, and so by consequence, a particular Church is a glorious Church, if it hath Inward soundness, although it be not wholly freed from outward blemishes. Therefore this doth condemn some spirits of the times, that do rail too much, not looking upon GOD'S great Work, which do not labour with their prayers, to cry to the Lord, to finish his own Work. Would they would discern between the substance and the circumstance, between doctrine and manners, between the outward hue, and the inward beauty, but it cannot be, because of many evils, therefore no true Church. If that blackness of the tyranny of these Prelates, as we hope they shall not mar the Church's foundation, nay, if they do it, it shall be a glorious Church in God's estimation. You see as before the Church of Corinth was a true Church, notwithstanding her manifold disorders. The Church of Ephesus was a true Church notwithstanding her declining, Rev. 2.4. The Church of Pergamus was a true Church, notwithstanding she was sealed even In Satan's circuit, and pestered with the devilish sect of Balaamites and Nicholaitans, Revel. 2.13, 14, 15. So was Thyatira, notwithstanding her Jezabelising, Revel. 2.20. So was Sardis, notwithstanding her lukewarmness, poverty, and nakedness, Revel. 3.16, 17. Hath not the brightest day his Cloud, the finest  his brack, the purest gold his dross. Is there or was there ever any Church in the world, that might not be tainted with some imperfection. Deny as well they may, there is no Sun in the Firmament, because it is sometimes overclouded, (and no soul within that body, which outwardly is deformed.) And let this be our comfort, although we are fare from perfection in this life. Sanctification in any thing else, all sinning, james 3.7. Having the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, Gal. 5.17. Though here we cannot wholly be freed from spot and blot, yet so long as we delight in the Laws of God, concerning the Inward man, Rom. 7.22. and strive forward towards the mark of the price of the high calling of God in Christ, Phil. 3.14. We have a gracious Father, who will spare us as a man spareth his own son that serveth him, Mala. 3.17. We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just, who is the reconciliation for our sins, 1 Joh. 2.12. In him we are presented to God without spot or wrinkle, Ephes. 5.27. and for his sake in God's sight we are all glorious. Which I beseech the LORD, that all the Saints of God, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life or death, or things present, or things to come, all may be ours, and we Christ's, as Christ is Gods.  
FINIS.