also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will," Heb. ii. 8, 4: by which means it was spread very widely among the nations of the world, and became a witness unto them.
When thus much was accomplished, as there is a wonderful uniformity in the conduct of Providence, Christianity was left with Christians, to be transmitted down pore and genuine, or to be corrupted and sunk; in like manner as the religion of nature had been left with mankind in general There was however this difference, that by an institution of external religion fitted for all men, (consisting in a common form of Christian, worship, together with a standing ministry of instruction and discipline,) it pleased God to unite Christians in communities or visible churches, and all along to preserve them, over a great part of the world; and thus perpetuate a general publication of the gospel. For these communities, which together make up the catholic visible church, are, First, The repositories of the written oracles of God: and in every age have preserved and published them in every country, where the profession of Christianity has obtained. Hence it has come to pass, and it is a thing very much to be observed in the appointment of Providence, that even such of these communities as, in a long succession of years, have corrupted Christianity the most, have yet continually carried, together with their corruptions, the confutation of them; for they have everywhere preserved the pure original standard of it, the Scripture, to which recourse might have been had, both by the deceivers and the deceived, in every successive age. Secondly, Any particular church, in whatever place established, is like "a city that is set on a hill, which cannot be hid," Matt. v. 14, inviting all who pass by to enter into it. All persons to whom any notices of it come, have, in Scripture language, the "kingdom of God come nigh unto them." They are reminded of that religion which natural conscience attests the
