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…

2. Church-Saintship consists in a dedication, and consecrating our selves unto God. For our Baptism is the initial Sacrament, and by it we are externally sanctified and set apart to God from the Devil, sin and the world. For as in the Old Testament, there were by certain ceremonial Rites, dedicating of persons and things to God, which thereby had a relative holiness, and so were called holy, because dedicated; Thus though with some dissimilitude, by the Sacrament of Baptism, we are baptized into the Name of the Father, the Son, and the holy Ghost; which amongst other things, signifieth this also, that we are given up to God from the world and the Devil, to be no more theirs, not to live according to their course and way. And for this reason it is that those who are not of the Church, are said to be without, 1 Cor. 5. and the world is distinct to the Church, when therefore of the Church, we are not of the world; we are not without under the kingdom of Satan, but we are of the body of Christ, of his house; and our Baptism doth sacramentally denote our communion with Christ. Now although all that are baptized do not in deed and in truth put on Jesus Christ, yet as long as they do not renounce their Baptism, so long by that there is an outward dedication of them to God. And thus that Apostate spoken of, Heb. 10. 29. who never had true grace, yet is said to be sanctified by the blood of the Covenant, whereof the Sacraments are seals. So that our sacramental relation doth give an outward denomination of a Saint, or an holy person, though if there be no inward holiness, the condemnation of such will be far more dreadful and intolerable, than of the vilest and worst of Heathens.

2. Church-Saintship consists in a dedication, and consecrating our selves unto God. For our Baptism is the initial Sacrament, and by it we are externally sanctified and set apart to God from the Devil, sinne and the world. For as in the Old Testament, there were by certain ceremonial Rites, dedicating of persons and things to God, which thereby had a relative holiness, and so were called holy, because dedicated; Thus though with some dissimilitude, by the Sacrament of Baptism, we are baptized into the Name of the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost; which amongst other things, signifieth this also, that we are given up to God from the world and the Devil, to be no more theirs, not to live according to their course and way. And for this reason it is that those who are not of the Church, are said to be without,