Chapter 29: Of Instituted and Particular Churches

Q. What is the matter of particular or visible churches?

A. By the appointment of Christ all churches ought to consist only of true believers and all that are true believers ought to join themselves to some church.

Q. If the matter of particular churches for the quality of it ought to be true believers in Christ, what ought to be the quantity thereof?

Q. No more in number in the days of the new Testament, but only so many as may ordinarily meet together in one congregation (Acts 2:46; 5:12; 3:2; 14:27; 15:25; 1 Corinthians 5:4; 11:17, 18; 14:23).

Q. Is anything else needful to the being of a visible church but only the matter above mentioned?

A. Timber and stones are not a house until they be compacted and joined together; and as the human soul and body are not man, unless they be united; so believers are not a visible church, without some visible bond and union.

Q. And what is that bond that does unite them?

A. A holy agreement and covenant, with God and one another, to walk together in such duties of worship to God and edification of one another as the Gospel of Christ requires of all churches and the members thereof.

Q. How many kinds of churches are there?

A. The visible church (if we speak of that which is truly so called) is one and the same in essence, from the beginning of the world to the end thereof; namely a company of people united together in the profession of the true religion.

Q. But may not the true church be some way distinguished?

A. Yes; for there is the church of the old Testament, and the churches of the new: there are pure churches and churches that are corrupt; and besides these that are true, there are also some that are false churches.

Q. What is the church of the old Testament?

A. A company of people united together in the profession of such a religion, or faith, whereby men believed on Christ then to come.

Q. What is a church of the new Testament?

A. A company of people united together in the profession of such a religion or faith whereby men believe on Christ already come.

Q. What are pure churches and churches that are corrupt?

A. A pure church is such a church whose matter, form, doctrine, worship, and ministry is according to the appointment of Christ in the word.

Q. And what is a corrupt church?

A. Such a one as in the things last mentioned or in some of them does swerve from the appointment of Christ, yet still holding the foundation of salvation.

Q. How if their swerving be such as overthrows the foundation?

A. Then they cease to be a true church, and become either no church, or at the best a false church.

Q. What is a false church?

A. One that is so exceedingly corrupt in regard of their constitution, doctrine, worship, ministry, that if men believe and walk according thereunto, they cannot be saved.

Q. And may not thus much befall a true church?

A. No; a true church is either pure in these things, or if corrupt, yet not so corrupt as to overthrow salvation.