ABSTRACT
The visible Church of Christ, is a congregation of faithful men, in the which the pure word of God is preached, and the sacraments be duly ministered, according to Christ’s ordinance in all those things that of necessity are requisite to the same. The true Church is an universal congregation or fellowship of God’s faithful and elect people, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the head corner-stone. This “visible Church” is described as a congregation of faithful men. Stress may fairly be laid on the word “congregation” as implying that the Church is in some way united so as to be a definite body with an organism and a life of its own, for, as has been truly pointed out, a congregation is more than an aggregation. The English word “Church” is ordinarily said to come from the Greek.
