8 An Expofition of the Epi11le ~ • wicked and Unbelievers, either !he would never admit them, or bemg by chance ~trm.l. 'admitted, would exclude them. Now furely there are many rules in the Word, ~whereby it is meet 10r us to judge who are SaintS (as 'Pht!.r.7.) and alfo where– by the moll of the ChriHian World may be dlfcerned to lze m wtcked1lejs,though profelling to know God, their works ar.,fo abominable, and themfelves to every good work reprobate; by which rules thofe who are berru!\ed to receive men to Ordinances 10 Churches, are to be guided and fo to feparate between the preci– ous and unclean, as the Prie!\s of old were enabled and commanded by Ceremo– nial differences, "hieh God then made to Ty pifie the like difcrimi nation of )Jet– fans either by v,[,b)e manife!\ !ins are found tliat men are in; or vr!ible profellion of Graces, to Jar as it is meet to judge of other men by: jome metts fins are open afore·hand and ,if;zr off, as toTtmothy; fo that the common light of true Chri– fiianity is ea!ily able to difference them from Saints, We know we are of God, and that tht whole Wo>·ld litth mwichdnefs, as 'Jolm fpeaks. And we need not travel toRomeorTurkey to find the World. And though drfaC!" other than fuch be received into Churches, yet the Churclte$ are true Churches confi– dercd as to their Admini(\ration; for to beaCh urch and fixed feat of Worlhip, is an Ordinance of Divine In!\itution. A11d f,mbfut] the word '"'" Tran!lated faithful,is both of a pailive and adive lignification; it tignifies one that is rcolly and truly faithful in what he profef– feth, or undertakcth. So, according to the language of the Old Te!\amenr, Godly men are called, as 'Prov. 20. 6. Muny will boa]/ of their OWII goodtJe(s, b11t wbo ca11 fiud a faithfttl matt? Thus likewife in the New, The thmgs tbat thou 1J,,f1 beard of me, commit to faitbfitl men, :>. Tim. 2. 2. with many other tlte like places. Src01Jdly, Jt ligniftes Bdieving, or one that is a lJetievrr, Job. 20• 2 7. B~ 11ot faithlefs bm believittg.; in the Original it is the fame word that is here; yea, in the Phrafe of the New Te!\ament it is an ordinary Title given Believers to exprefs t\Jeic very Qelieving, and having F~ith in them, IC:e AC!s 10. 4)· r Tim. 4· r 2. there is nothing againfr it to take in boih thefe here, fo as the Apo– filcs meaning ihould be To them at Epheftt< that are Believers, and alfo conf/mtt ar.d fattb{ttl, or true Beluvers, which the Apo(\\e elfewhere calls Faith ttn– jrlgtted, and Heb. ro. A true Heart. Obferv: Wh,,t God htz.s joi11ed, as here Paul faith, let no ma11 pttt ajimder, Saints and Betievrrs, 11either rrally in ottr owll Hearts m1d Lives, 11or jn ottr jttdg– meltts, either of our [rlves or others. Do not think this enough, that they are true Believers, that is, that they make a profellion of the 'Doflrj11e of Foith; but fee that further they hold forth a work of Faith wrought by that Dodrine, and not only fo, but do •pprove themfelves faithful (as here) in that Profef– lion ( a• Lydia [aid, Ifye bavt judged me faithful) and that they add evi– dences of Saintfi1ip, they mu!\ be Saints too, faith he, were Saints and Faithful. It is not a Profeilion of Faith joined with Morality,and no grand fcandal:but a Pro– feillon offuch a!\ridnefs as will rife to Holinefs, that you are to judge men Saints by; neither ought any other than fuch tobe Members of Churches, which are the Body ofChri!\; this word Saint and Faithjitl added to that, dailies a formal, an outward, and a meer Orthodox Profeilion, Thefe very words we love not; to fay men arc Believers or Chri!\ian', they can bear it; but to add, and re– quire beiog Saints, and true Believers, or faithful in believing thefe kind of de– nominations men think found too high to be applied to the ordinary common fort of Profeffors, whom yet they own. But much more, if you would judge of your felves, do not look upon legal holinefs in your felves, as a fign or mark of a good e!\ate, be fure you have a work of Faith too (from whence that Holinefs flows) di!\indly working toward the Lord Jefus Chri!\, and your Hearts drawn out to him, as much and more than ever, after Holinefs, 2 Thej. I)· God, faith he, bath chofm U< to Salvatio11 through Saneiificatiotl of the Spirit and belief of the Truth; there's Faith and Sandification joined both together, and both made neceffary to Salvation; it is in effed one with what he faies here, Saints an4 Faithful i11 Chrif1. 111
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