WCF 25.4

25.4. Of the Church

This catholic Church hath been sometimes more, sometimes less visible. And particular Churches, which are members thereof, are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the Gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them.

Proof texts

• Rom. 11:3, 4 — [3] “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” [4] But what is God's reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
• Rev. 12:6, 14 — [6] and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. [14] But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time.
• Rev. 2, 3
• 1 Cor. 5:6, 7 — [6] Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? [7] Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

For discussion

1. The Assembly cited Rom. 11:3, 4 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
2. 4 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
3. WLC Q64 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
4. BC 7.1 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?

Read alongside

WLC Q64 · BC 7.1 · HC Q54 · HC Q55 · BC 7.4 · BC 7.5 · BC 7.6 · HC Q83 · HC Q84 · HC Q85 · 1689 26.1 · SD 26.1 · IAR 7.1 · SC60 6.1 · SC60 6.2 · SC60 6.3 · SC60 6.4 · SC60 6.5 · SHC 6.1 · SHC 6.2