An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

First, Let us consider, how much this Church-Saintship doth comprehend, ¹what degrees and steps it hath. And

1. 1What is comprehended under Church Saintship.

1. It doth imply, Their being under the external dispensation of Gods Covenant of Grace. All that are under the Covenant administration, are thereby Saints, and holy, though all are not regenerated. Upon this account it is, that the children of one, or more believing Parents are called holy, 1 Cor. 7. 14. where to be under the Covenant is enough to give this denomination of holy. And hence it is, that all the people of the Jews among whom there were many profane and unholy persons, in respect of inward Sanctity, are yet called all of them Saints, because the Covenant-dispensation was towards them. Psal. 77. 2. The Psalmist complaineth, That the enemies had given the flesh of his Saints to the beasts of the earth, where the Nation of the Jews, destroyed by their enemies, are all called Saints. So Psal. 89. 5, 7. the assembly of the Israelites, wherein also David did meet to praise God, is called, the Assembly of the Saints. Now we cannot think, that every Israelite who came to sacrifice and serve God was truly holy. Yea Psal. 50. God complaineth of such, Who came and took his name into their mouth, and yet hated to be reformed. Therefore they are called Saints, because they are all under the Covenant of Grace.

1. It doth imply, Their being under the external dispensation of Gods Covenant of Grace. All that are under the Covenant administration, are thereby Saints, and holy, though all are not regenerated. Upon this account it is, that the children of one, or more believing Parents are called holy,