The doctrine of instituted churches explained and proved from the word of God

Answ. This Question hath been matter of great debate, and an occasion of great contention in the Church; we may not count those only to be Saints, who after the strictest Examination, give considerable evidence that they are Saints: We have no such Rule, the practice of the Apostles in admitting Members into the Christian Church doth not Countenance any such Opinion, neither are we to make Baptized Persons and Visible Saints to be the same; for Persons must be Visible Saints before they are Baptized; and some that are Baptized, may cease to be Visible Saints; neither are they only Visible Saints, that make a profession of the true Religion joined with an Holy Conversation: Some Men may behave themselves so as to deserve a sentence of Excommunication, and yet be Visible Saints: Visible Saintship and real Saintship, may consist with a great deal of iniquity in the Conversation for a time.

Answ. This Question hath been matter of great debate, and an occasion of great contention in the Church; we may not count those only to be Saints, who after the strictest Examination, give considerable evidence that they are Saints: We have no such Rule, the practice of the Apostles in admitting Members into the Christian Church doth not Countenance any such Opinion, neither are we to make Baptized Persons and Visible Saints to be the same; for Persons must be Visible Saints before they are Baptized; and some that are Baptized, may cease to be Visible Saints; neither are they only Visible Saints, that make a profession of the true Religion joyned with an Holy Conversation: Some Men may behave themselves so as to deserve a sentence of Excommunication, and yet be Visible Saints: Visible Saintship and real Saintship, may consist with a great deal of iniquity in the Conversation for a time.

Visible Saints are such as make a serious profession of the true Religion, together with those that do descend from them, till rejected of God.