Q. 63. What are the special privileges of the visible church?
A. The visible church hath the privilege of being under God’s special care and government; of being protected and preserved in all ages, notwithstanding the opposition of all enemies; and of enjoying the communion of saints, the ordinary means of salvation, 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, and excluding none that will come unto him.
Ps. 115:1-2 Isa 31:4-5 Zech 12:2-9 – The visible church is protected and preserved by God in all ages, in spite of the opposition of enemies.
Commentary by Johannes G. Vos
What is meant by saying that the visible church is “under God’s special care and government”? By this we mean that in addition to God’s ordinary providence whereby he controls all things that come to pass, God provides for the safety and welfare of his church in a special way, making various circumstances and acts of men work together for the benefit of his church.