Now as there is this twofold Dedication or Separation, fo there is also a twofold Sanctification.

First, There is an External, Relative, or Ecclefiaftical Sanctification, which is nothing else but the devoting or giving up of a Thing, or Perfon, unto God, by those who have a Power fo to do.

Secondly, There is an Internal, Real and Spiritual Sanctification: And in this Senfe a Man is faid to be fanctified, when the Holy Ghost doth infuse into his Soul the Habits of Divine Grace, and makes him Partaker of the Divine Nature, whereby he is inwardly qualified to glorify God in an holy Life. I fuppofe by this which hath been faid, the meanest Capacity may well apprehend the Difference between thefe Two Kinds of Sanctification or Separation unto God.

Now in applying this Diftinction to Baptifm, and to fhew you how it is that Baptifm doth fanctify, I fhall lay down these following Propofitions.

First, Baptifm is the immediate Means of our external and relative Sanctification unto God. By this Holy Sacrament, all that are Pártakers of it are dedicated and separated unto him. There are (if I may fo exprefs it) but Two Regiments of Men, the one is of the World, the other is of D 2 the

gion, without which there is no Salvation attainable: So that they do vifibly belong to the Church and Kingdom of Satan, who are either trained up in Heathenish Idolatry, Mahomet an Stupidity, or Jewish Obstinacy; or else those who revolt from the Chriftian Profeflion to embrace any of these. Those who are of the World, but yet more invifibly, are all fuch Perfons, who, though they make a Profeffion of the Name and Do&trine of Chrift, yet through Hypocrify, or other Sins, reject that Christ whom they profess, denying him in their Works whom they own in their Words, maintaining no vital nor fpiritual Communion with him.

From this Distinction it follows, 1ft,That all that are of the vifible Church of Christ Jefus, are taken out of the World fo that it may truly be faid of them, that they are not of the World. I cannot indeed deny but that too many, yea, poffibly the major part of the Church vifible of Jefus Chrift, may ftill appertain invisibly to the Kingdom of the Devil, which is the World: And if any of those who profefs the Name of Chrift, fall into any publick and notorious Sin, they ought to be cut off by the Cenfure of of Excommunication, and 'till they give

Satisfaction by Repentance, are to be reputed as Heathens and Publicans. But yet this is certain, that 'till Sentence pafs upon them they are to be look'd upon as Members of the vifible Church, and not vifibly of the World: Yea farther, Excommunication it self doth not abfolutely and fimply cut Men off from being Members of the Church of Chrift. For they who are under an Ordinance of the Church for their Edification, are certainly ftill Members of the Church. But as those who are outlawed are debarr'd of the Benefits and Privileges of the State in which they live, and of which they are Subjects; fo Excommunication, being a Spiritual Outlawry, deprives Perfons who lye under it, of the Privileges of the Church, and renders them as uncapable of the visible Communion of Chriftians, as if they did visibly appertain to the malignant Church and the Kingdom of Satan.

Secondly, Hence it follows, that all thofe who are Members of the vifible Church may truly be called Saints, and Members of Chrift, and the Children and People of God; because, by being taken into the Church, they are taken out of the World, and fo become God's Portion, and the Lot of his Inheritance. D 4 Deut.

Deut. 32. 9. The Lord's Portion is his People, Jacob is the Lot of his Inheritance. Not that they are all so in an Internal, Spiritual, and Saving Manner; would to God they were, and that all that are of Ifrael were Ifrael, as the Apostle fpeaks, Rom. 9. 6. but only because though many of them are Hypocrites, and many more profane, yet they may bear thefe Titles from the external Relation wherein they now stand to Chrift, by making Profeffion of his Name and Religion. I look upon the Christian Church, now under the Times of the Goffel, to be in the fame Capacity, and to stand in the fame Relation towards God, as the Jewish Church did under the Law. But now clear it is, that in the most corrupt State of the Jewish Church, God ftill owned them for his People; Jer, 4. 22. My People is foolish, they have not known me. And, Ifaiah 1. 3, 4. My People doth not confider; ab finful Nation, People laden with Iniquities, a Seed of Evil Doers: And yet notwithstanding these great Complaints of their univerfal Wickedness,as you find throughout that whole Chapter, yet are they God's People. My People, and yet a People laden with Iniquity; My Children, and yet a Seed of Evil Doers, Children that are Corrupters: Yea, and in the New Teftament we find

Sancti

Sanctification and Holiness afcribed to thofe who were never otherwife fanctified than by their external Separation from the World, and Profeffion of the Doctrine of Chrift. St. Paul directs his Epistle to the whole Church of Corinth as to Saints; to them that are fanctified in Chrift Jefus, and called to be Saints, 1 Cor.1.2. and it was the common Beginning of all his Epistles: Yet were there fome in this Church of Corinth that had not the Knowledge of God, that denied the Refurre&tion, and were grofly guilty of foul and flagitious Crimes, as he himself witneffeth against them, and for which he fharply reproves them in that Epiftle. Saints they are called only because they were visible Church-Members, and made a Profeffion of the Chriftian Faith and Name.

Neither is it easy to be conceived that all those Saints, whofe Bowels Philemon refreshed, whofe Feet the Widows or Deaconeffes washed, who had Share of the Collections and Contributions of the Church, that they were all fuch as were internally united unto Chrift by a Saving Faith: Or, that when Saul perfecuted the Church, and fhut up the Saints in Prison, his Rage and Madness look'd no farther how to find them out, than merely