And because Mr. Blake tells me pag. 14•. how well I know that he hath proved his assertion, I shall peruse all those Texts which he citeth to that end, in his Book of the Covenants, p•g. 207 208. And first we must observe, that the persons that he there himself speaketh of, are [Visible Professors] as distinct from the [Elect and Regenerate,] yea from those that [are really Saints, and shall be for heaven:] And he calleth them [men separate for God and Dedicated to him.] But this is unedifying slippery dealing to confound two distinct causes together. He that is professedly Dedicated to God, is a Professor of saving Faith. He that is really and heartily Dedicated to •od, shall certainly be saved. Here Mr. Blake pleadeth the cause that I do maintain, and not that which he hath undertaken against me and the common truth. I confess as well as he, that Profession maketh Saints visible, or by profession, as hearty Dedication to God by faith maketh real or heart-Saints. But how angry is he himself afterwards at this distinction of [Real and Professed ⟨p. 102⟩Saints] as if that none but the justified were real Saints. But what is all this to a Saint-ship consisting in the Profession of a faith short of that which is Justifying? I shall take these last to be Mr. Blake's Saints, and no Scripture Saints, (I mean Saints of his denomination.) till he have better proved that ever Scripture so calleth them. The Texts cited by him are these: First, Psal. 16.3. [Saints on earth.] And I yield to him that there are Saints on earth. Then 1 Cor. 16.1. & Heb. 16.10. where we read of [Collections for the Saints,] and [Administration to the Saints] By these (I doubt not) but he may prove that more than the heart-Saints are called Saints▪ but that is because they profess and seem to be heart-Saints. These Texts are far from proving that there are any Saints that profess not saving sanctity. I shall anon tell Mr. Blake who they were that Calvin and other Protestants do expound the word [Saints] of, in such Passages as these; though he hath already told us, that he [abhorreth] the Doctrine which they maintain.
And because Mr. Blake tells me pag. 14•. how well I know that he hath proved his assertion, I shall peruse all those Texts which he citeth to that end, in his Book of the Covenants, p•g. 207 208. And first we must observe, that the persons that he there himself speaketh of, are [Visible Professors] as distinct from the [Elect and Regenerate,] yea from those that [are really Saints, and shall be for heaven:] And he calleth them [men separate for God and Dedicated to him.] But this is unedifying slippery dealing to confound two distinct causes to••ther. He that is professedly Dedicated to God, is a Professor of saving Faith. He that is really and heartily Dedicated to •od, shall certainly be saved. Here Mr. Blake pleadeth the cause that I do maintain, and not that which he hath undertaken against me and the common truth. I confess as well as he, that Profession maketh Saints visible, or by profession, as hearty Dedication to God by faith maketh real or heart-Saints. But how angry is he himself afterwards at this distinction of [Real and Professed ⟨p. 102⟩Saints] as if that none but the justified were real Saints. But what is all this to a Saint-ship consisting in the Profession of a faith short of that which is Justifying? I shall take these last to be Mr. Blake's Saints, and no Scripture Saints, (I mean Saints of his denomination.) till he have better proved that ever Scripture so calleth them. The Texts cited by him are these: Frst, Psal. 16.3. [Saints on earth.] And I yield to him that there are Saints on earth. Then 1 Cor. 16.1. & Heb. 16.10. where we read of [Collections for the Saints,] and [Administration to the Saints] By these (I doubt not) but he may prove that more than the heart-Saints are called Saints▪ but that is because they profess and seem to be heart-Saints. These Texts are far from proving that there are any Saints that profess not saving sanctity. I shall anon tell Mr. Blake who they were that Calvin and other Protestants do expound the word [Saints] of, in such Passages as these; though he hath already told us, that he [abhorreth] the Doctrine which they maintain.
