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…

3. This Church-Saintship goeth a further step, and that is, An external profession of our faith in Christ, and submission unto his will. For a Church being a visible Society, there must be some external and visible sign, whereby we may demonstrate our selves to be of the Church. Hence Rom. 10. it's said, That with the mouth confession is made to salvation. There may be many secret and hidden Atheists in the Church of God, yet because they do externally profess the Christian Religion, therefore it is that they are of the Church, in respect of the external and visible state of it. Thus Simon Magus, and others, while they did profess their faith in Christ, they were under the name of a Church, and believers, and so of Saints.

4. There is yet a further degree in this Church-Saintship, and that is, When besides this sacramental and external holiness, there are some workings of Gods Spirit upon their souls. So that the Christian Religion hath some kind of influence upon them. They are not only titular Saints, but they have some kind of inchoate and imperfect workings of Gods Spirit upon their souls, which have a tendency to godliness, or at least a resemblance and show of it. So that in the opinion of others, and many times in their own persuasions likewise, they are true Saints. Now these may well enough be styled Saints, because the Scripture attributes to them such acts as have the name of holiness▪ So Mat. 13. the temporary believer likened to the thorny ground, is said to have faith, and to receive the Word with joy. Some are said in 2 Pet. 2. To escape the pollutions of the world. Yea Heb. 6. some are said to be enlightened, to have tasted the good Word of God, to partake of the holy Ghost, &c. and yet for all that, such were never true Saints. For such that are so, can no more finally apostatize than true stars can fall from the Heavens. Comets and blazing Stars may have a great lustre for a while, but being composed of terrestrial exhalations, at last they fall into the womb of that Earth from whence they sprang. Thus those, who have only some imperfect, common works of Gods Spirit, abounding in gifts, and many admirable abilities, these may seem in Saintship to exceed many that are truly so; but because there was never true and deep rooting, when the storms and tempests shall arise, this glorious building will not have so much as a stone left upon a stone. Those uncomfortable Teachers, injurious to the grace of God, that do so peremptorily dogmatize the Apostasy of the Saints, do yet never bring such Texts of Scripture or instances, that do necessarily prove those to be true Saints that are spoken of. Saul was never a true Saint, Judas was never a true Saint, and so no wonder of hopeful beginnings, degenerated into such tragical and horrid beginnings. Now whereas the former mentioned, viz.