Quest. LXI., LXII., LXIII., LXIV.
Quest. LXI. Are all they saved who hear the gospel, and live in the church?
Answ. All that hear the gospel, and live in the visible church, are not saved, but they only who are true members of the church invisible.
Quest. LXII. What is the visible church?
Answ. The visible church is a society made up of all such as, in all ages, and places of the world, do profess the true religion, and of their children.
Quest. LXIII. What are the special privileges of the visible church?
Answ. The visible church hath the privilege of being under God’s special care and government, of being protected and preserved in all ages, notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies, and of enjoying the communion of saints, the ordinary means of salvation, offers of grace by Christ to all the members of it in the ministry of the gospel, testifying, that whosoever believes in him shall be saved, and excluding none that will come unto him.
Quest. LXIV. What is the invisible church?
Answ. The invisible church is the whole number of the elect, that have been, are, or shall be gathered into one, under Christ the Head.
They who are made partakers of Christ’s redemption, and are brought into a state of salvation, have been before described, as members of Christ’s body the church; and we are now led to consider them as brought into this relation to him, and accordingly are to enquire in what sense they are members of Christ’s church, and so to speak of this church as to its nature, constitution, subjects, and privileges. And,