Ecclesia enucleata: The temple opened: Or, A clear demonstration of the true gospel-church in its nature and consitution, according to the true doctrine and practice of Christ and his apostles. By I.C.

THE PREFACE TO THE READER.

Candid Reader,

TRue Religion, and the Church of Christ, are Twins; they were conceived and born together, and have grown up together in the World; and I may say of them, as of all the Sons of God in particular, That they are born, not of Blood, nor of the will of the Flesh, nor of the will of Man, but of God: John 1.13. They are only from God, and for God, and his revealed mind and will. In his Word is the great

prescribing Rule of both, and the on∣ly Touch-stone for an unerring Tryal of the Truth of either. All Preten∣tions of humane Wisdom, Law, and Authority, must here vail their Bon∣net; for if these could justly claim a binding Power in matters of this Na∣ture, I know no Reason why the Great Turk hath not as strong Ar∣guments for his Religion in all his Dominions, as Christians have any where for theirs; We find (what∣ever Prerogative Secular Powers lay claim to) that they are fully assured that Religion never takes place upon mens minds by their Authority only, they must pretend to at least a Di∣vine, as we see. The Turk must have his false Prophet Mahomet, and his Mufti; and the Ten-horn∣ed

secular Beast must have his two-horned Ecclesiastical Brute. So the Heathen Kingdoms and Pagan, have always had their Diabolick Priests, to influence the Minds, and sham the Consciences of Men, by the awe of some Divinity, or supposed Di∣vine Authority, into a Reverend e∣steem of that Religion they designed to establish, suitable to their own car∣nal designs and advantages.

Since the knowledge of the True God, and the breaking forth of the light of the Gospel in the Kingdoms of the darkness of this world, the De∣vills Mask hath b••en much removed, he is found to be what he is: His wiles and deceits, whereby he hath so long imposed upon the minds of men, are very much discovered, in so much

that it may be said of him in these latter days, that he is fallen as light∣ning from heaven, since the Re∣forming Angels mentioned Rev. 14. have been employed in the Wilderness, the three Gospel flying Angels to bring in that glorious light, and the two Si∣cle Angels that cut down the Harvest and Vintage, the Thick••ts and sha∣ding poysonsome Antichristian Trees have been in a great measure in many places cut down; yea Reformation hath been carried on to such degrees, that the Angels have been seen, having the seven last Plagues, and those that have got the Vi∣ctory ovcr the Beast, over his Image, and over his Mark, and over the number of his name, standing on the Sea of Glass, ha∣ving

the Harps of God, and sing∣ing the Song of Moses the Servant of God, and the Song of the Lamb, &c. Yea, the Temple of the Tabernacle of the Testi∣mony hath been open: and I doubt not but the seven Vial-Angels are coming out of the Temple, though Smoak fill it at present, from the glo∣ry of God, and his power. In answer to the old enquiry, Where was your Church (according to Article 19. of the Church of England) before Luther? We say, It hath been for above 1200 years in the Wilder∣ness; it was before that, ever since the Apostles tim••s, under the Draconick Tyranny and Persecution, till it fell under the Beast and False Prophet, in the midst of Spiritual Egypt, Sodom

and Babylon, out of which it hath been bringing under the conduct of the Angel that was with the Church in the Wilderness; by several removes, steps and degrees of Reformation, sometimes too wofully lusting and tur∣ning back again. But God will be a Refiners Fire to all the Sons of Levi, he will throughly purge away all the Churches dross, and take away all her Tin; he will wash away the Filth of the Daughters of Zion, and purge the Blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof, by the Spirit of Judgment, and Spirit of Burn∣ing; by his trying Providences, and bright shining searching Light of the Gospel. In order to the last, I have presumed to cast in some fire from the

Altar, have run to and fro a little, ••hat knowledge may encrease, and ••hat many may be purified and made ••hite. Reader, what thou seest of ••arkness and ignorance of the Mind ••nd Will of Christ concerning a Sub∣••••ct of so great concern, overlook it of, but lend thy Light also, as thou ••ast received from the Lord Jesus ••hrist; and remember partiality is to ••e laid aside, and who ever decrea∣••eth, Christ must encrease. If thou ••st no other Argument to resist the ••ght offerd, then that the Cross attends ••ruth, deny thy self, and take up ••e Cross and Truth, and follow ••••rist; this Life & World is but for a ••tle while; take heed of b••ggling ••th Conscience, and sophisticating •• Word of God, by shifting Glosses,

to make it serve thy own corrupt de¦signs and ends; the Word of God •• pure and consonant to it self: Christ is, and will make it manifest and con¦fest at last, notwithstanding all oppo¦sition, that he is the only Lawgiver his Church; he seeks such Wo••¦shippers as shall serve him i•• Spirit and in Truth: he hates a•• abhors all Whorish Babylonish Dr••¦ses of his Worship and Ordinance Let Christ be found and embrace•• his Church sought out in the place ••¦che Wilderness where it hath ho¦nourished: Get true Union to Cbr•• the Head, becoming a Member of •• Mystical Body, and maintain t•• Gospel-communion of Saints, •• none can harm you.

The noise that some men make

••e World of Schism and Separation, •• nothing but some of Antichrists ••ust, that he throws into the eyes of ••ose that he cannot quite blind; for ••ere was never any Schism in the Mystical Body of Christ, his Vesture ••as never divided, and there was ne∣••••r any true constituted Gospel-Church ••t by Separation; and as for Schism, it concerns Visible Churches, there none spoken of in the New Testa∣••ent, but such as was found in a ••••rticular Congregational Church, and ••••ey but superficial Divisions that ••re soon healed. He that walks in ••e bond of peaceable communion with •• particular Gospel-Church of Christ, ••ll never be hurt by all the Nick-••••mes of Schismatick or Dividing-••eparatist, that any of the Worship∣pers

of the Beast or his Image, or o•• any carrying the mark or number o•• his name, can cast upon him. It's a•• easy thing for men of corrupt minds t•• call what they please by the name o•• Church, and then to stigmatize th•• Servants of Christ in not holding communion with it, by all reproachf•• names of the Devils invention: It •• the greatest interest of every true Fo••¦lower of Christ, to count the cost of h•• Profession, and resolve that he must •• through good report and evil, an•• must take a share in the Sufferings •• Christ, who is now crowned wi•• Glory and Honour, as all his Fait••¦ful Members shall be, for he hath sa•• that where he is, they shall b•• also: and doubtless there is a rewa•••• for the Righteous, there is a Go••

that Judgeth in the Earth. And ••is is the Faith and Patience •• the Saints, and of him who shall ••eem it honour enough to be found ••e of the least, and am,

Thy Servant for Christs sake I. C.