What are the special privileges of the visible church?

The visible church hath the privilege of being under God’s special care and government;[1] of being protected and preserved in all ages, not withstanding the opposition of all enemies;[2] and of enjoying the communion of saints, the ordinary means of salvation,[3] and 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,[4] and excluding none that will come unto him.[5]

1. Isa. 4:5-6

   Then the Lord will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over her assemblies a cloud by day, and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory there will be a canopy. There will be a booth for shade by day from the heat, and for a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.

   I Tim. 4:10

   For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.

2. Isa. 31:4-5

   For thus the Lord said to me,
   “As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey,
   and when a band of shepherds is called out against him
   he is not terrified by their shouting
   or daunted at their noise,
   so the Lord of hosts will come down
   to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill.
   Like birds hovering, so the Lord of hosts
   will protect Jerusalem,
   he will protect and deliver it;
   he will spare and rescue it.

   Zech. 12:2-4, 8-9

   Behold, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of staggering to all the surrounding peoples. The siege of Jerusalem will also be against Judah. On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples. All who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it. On that day, declares the Lord, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But for the sake of the house of Judah I will keep my eyes open, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness.

   On that day the Lord will protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the Lord, going before them. And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

3. Acts 2:39, 42

   For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.

   And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

4. Psa. 147:19-20

   He declares his word to Jacob,
   his statutes and rules to Israel.
   He has not dealt thus with any other nation;
   they do not know his rules.
   Praise the Lord!

   Rom. 9:4

   They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises.

   Eph. 4:11-12

   And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

   Mark 16:15-16

   And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”

5. John 6:37

   All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

Question 63, Westminster Larger Catechism

[Although I agree with everything in the answer to this catechism question, I’m a little uncomfortable with the prooftexts referring to the nation Israel being applied directly to the visible church, since, although I think there may be  continuity  between the two, I don’t think they are exactly the same thing.  However, since what I’m doing is posting a historic church document, I’m including all the traditional proof texts as well.  There will be other spots in the catechism where I disagree even more strongly.]