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fidence concerning one, whofe profeffion and life expreffes purity of heart, than one in whom federal holiness only can be discerned. But it is the reality of vifible faintship, in how low a degree foever, which gives a right of admiffion; though higher degrees carry ftronger evidence of inward fanctification. However, the higher degrees are no infallible evidence; and the loweft are a fufficient ground for charity.

But a credible profeffion of the chriftian religion is ordinarily neceffary to give the denomination of a vifible faint, and a right of admiffion, to an adult perfon who is not an actual member: Yea, it is by abiding in, and holding faft their profeffion, that chriftians maintain the character of vifible faints, and a right to continue members, and use the privileges of fuch. This, I conceive, is the qualification which brings one under the bond of the covenant, and entitles to admiffion to the privileges of its external administration. To this, external federal holiness is annexed. This is the evidence upon which charity reputes profeffors to be true difciples of Chrift. Nor do I find any thing neceffary to give one a right to be admitted as a member of an instituted church, besides a credible profeffion of affent and confent to the gofpel. A converfation answerable to our profeffion is indeed necessary to maintain the credit of it, after we have taken it upon us. Repentance of former miscarriages, and refolutions of future obedience, are alfo to be profeffed as effential branches of christianity. But it appears not that the admiffion of any profeffior was held in fufpenfe by the Apostles for one hour, that he might prove the fincerity of his faith by a course of obedience. So that though external holiness, if described in those more eminent and advanced degrees in which it sometimes appears in chriftians, would include all thofe expreffions of faith, and of the graces and virtues of the christian temper in the life, by which they fhine as lights in the world; yet if we confider it in the degree in which it is neceffary to conflitute an adult vifible faint, and qualify for admiffion into the church, it confifts, I think, as was faid, merely in a profeffion of christianity.

If this be admitted, which perhaps will scarce be denied by any, the great point to be attended to is, what is a credible profeffion of chriftianity? Or what profeffion appears to be neceffary and sufficient, according to the rule of the gospel, to denominate one a visible faint, to give him a right of admiffion, and the church a warrant to receive him as a member, and a proper object of chriftian charity. And our care fhould be to avoid extremes on each hand; and ftate the rule fo as that it be not too ftrait, nor too loose.

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It will, I think, be granted by all, that it is not fufficient for a man to say, in a general indefinite way, that he profeffes to be a chriftian, and to believe that the fcriptures are given by God, to inftru&t mankind in the concerns of religion. There have been some who have called themselves chriftians, who yet were vifibly of a religion as different from that which is plainly taught by Chrift and his Apoftles, as can well be imagined. It is needlefs to confirm this by inftances. And though we need not judge the spiritual state of thofe who appear to be grofsly and fcandaloufly corrupt in their principles, yet we may judge them unfit for church communion.

Again. A particular and exprefs profeffion of affent and confent to every article of the chriftian religion, as contained in the New Testament, is not neceffary. Chriftians in general have not sufficient knowledge to understand the whole system of chriftianity. There are many points in which they have not yet been inftructed, or concerning which they may be in doubt. From the accounts we have of the profeffions, upon which the Apostles received perfons into the church, it would feem that a very brief and general confeffion of faith might be fufficient. It fhould however be understood to imply the capital, or most fundamental articles of chriftianity, faith in Chrift, repentance towards God, with resolutions and engagements of obedience to his commandments and ordinances. But, however, I think it appears not from the New Testament that an explicit and formal profeffion of all the fundamental articles of the chriftian religion is neceffary. We may charitably prefume, as the Apostles seems to have done, that men do in a good measure understand and believe fuch points as are not called in queftion, but are commonly owned by fober men; and that they will readily receive instruction in other articles, when it shall be propofed to them from the word of God. Now it is doubtless fafe to conform to the rules and example of the Apostles.

But a profeffion of chriftianity is not credible, if fuch errors are profeffed along with it, as utterly and evidently overthrow the truth of the gospel, and render the laws of Chrift of none effect; which fruftrate the grace of God, or make void his laws.

And there must also be evidence that a profeffor has a competent understanding of the import of what he profeffes, and that he fpeaks in ferious earnest, in integrity and veracity, without deceit or defigned equivocation. But I think it is not neceffary, and ought not to be required as a term of church communion, that any profefs, affent to any creed, or confent to any church covenants of human compofition, in the terms in which they may be drawn up. Not but that a church has a right to be informed

formed of the religious fentiments and refolutions of thofe who defire to become members. And our joining with an instituted church purports a confederation, or mutual covenanting to walk together in the order and ordinances of the gospel. Nor is it any ways improper that churches, as well as particular chriftians, fhould, as there is occafion, exhibit a confeffion of their faith, and an account of their order, in fuch terms as they judge beft, to exprefs their understanding of the gofpel; but not as making it a term of communion that others profefs their faith in the fame words. On the contrary, every one fhould be at liberty to exprefs his chriftian fentiments as he thinks moft proper; nothing more being required than that he fpeak conformably to the oracles of God. We have neither rule nor example in the New Teftament, for churches making any formularies, or canons, expreffed in terms different from the words of infpiration, a term of chriftian communion. And our churches have always difclaimed any fuch pretence.

Again. A relation of the time and manner in which we have been turned from darkness to light, and from the power of fatan to God, is not requifite to our being visible faints, credible profeffors, and having a right of admiffion into the church. For to ufe the words of another, "There is no footstep of any fuch way of the Apostles, or primitive minifters and chriftians requiring any fuch relation, in order to their receiving, and treating others as christian brethren to all intents and purposes; or of their firft examining them concerning the particular method and order of their experiences. They required of them a profeffion of the things wrought, but no account of the manner of working was required of them. Nor is there the leaft fhadow in the fcripture of any fuch cuftom in the church of God, from Adam to the death of the Apoftle John." Thus Mr. Edwards. And I think we might fay further, that of all thofe good men, whofe names are recorded in the fcriptures, we fhall fcarce find three instances, of the manner of whofe first converfion we have any account. And indeed I know not how it can be known that they ever were conscious of being enemies to God; but might, for any thing we know, be under the influence of fanctifying grace from their carlieft remembrance. And how many chriftians may have been fanctified in like manner from their infancy none can say. even in those whofe converfion to God first commences in adult age, how often is the divine life ingenerated in the manner expreffed by our Saviour? "So is the kingdom of God, as if a man fhould caft feed into the ground, and fhould fleep and rife night and day, and the feed fhould fpring and grow up he knoweth not how."

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how." And as many who could punctually tell the time and manner of their converfion have given great reasons to think they never were foundly converted at all, so there are many for whom we are bound to have charity, who will fay with that eminent chriftian, Mr. Baxter, "I know neither the day nor the year when I began to be fincere."

Thus far, I think, chriftians are generally agreed. But it may be asked further, whether any ought to be confidered as credible profeffors, or admitted as members of an inftituted church, but thofe who profefs faving faith and repentance, and that they confent to the covenant in gedly fincerity, and are faints in heart?

This point needs to be carefully enquired into. Chriftians feem to have different fentiments upon it. Perhaps they have misunderstood each other, and are not really fo wide in their meaning, as fome of their expreffions would feem to import.

It may be observed, that profeffion of faving faith, is an ambiguous phrafe. It may be taken in two fenfes. If by it we understand a man's declaring his perfuafion that his faith and repentance are faving, this I think is not neceffary to give credibility to the chriftian profeffion, to render one a visible faint, a proper object of charity.

But if, by a profeffion of faving faith, we mean fuch a profeffion as appears truly to exprefs the religion taught in the gofpel, which has the promise of falvation; in this fenfe it may be admitted that there should be a profeffion of faving faith. So that if a man's faith or religion be fuch as his profeffion properly holds forth, he must be judged to be a true chriftian who will be faved, how much foever he may doubt, or fufpect that his faith, repentance, and religious experiences may be but the effect of common illumination and grace.

Firft. It is not neceffary for a man to profefs that his faith is faving, that his repentance and confent to the covenant is in godly fincerity, that he has a confident, or comfortable, or preponderating perfuafion of his faving intereft in Chrift.

Some have thought, a profeffion of chriftianity muft imply a profeffion that we are perfons of fincere chriftian piety, true faints in heart And that none are to be accounted vifible faints or difciples, vifible members of the chriftian church, unless they at leaft pretend to be gracious perfons. But this, I think, is a manifest mistake.

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For I find no rule in the New Teftament, requiring profeffors to declare their certain or fatisfactory perfuafion that their faith and repentance are faving, or that they are inwardly fanctified, as the neceffary qualification for their being admitted as members of an inftituted church. I find no inftance or example, proving cr intimating

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intimating that a profeffion of fuch a perfuafion concerning themfelves was required of any whom the Apostles admitted, or was exhibited by any upon their joining to the church. Nothing more than a fimple profeffion of repentance, and believing in Chrift, and in the word of faith, appears to have been ever required, or offered on any fuch occafion.

It has been argued, that profeffing Chrift according to the feripture notion, is profeffing a faving intereft in him; and that all visible members of the chriftian church are those who profess to be gracious perfons, as looking on themselves, and feeming, or at least pretending to be fuch; because many, who have had a confident perfuafion of their intereft in him, and raised expectations of being acknowledged by him, will be rejected by him. But this proves not that all members of the church are fo confident of their being the fubjects of fanctifying grace, and standing in a faving relation to Chrift; which is doubtlefs far from being true. Many true faints, as well as other profeffors, have not this confidence in their own title to a lot in the kingdom of glory. Much lefs does this prove, that a profeffion of having fuch a confident perfuafion of our own godlinefs, and faving intereft in Chrift, is neceffary to our being vifible faints, and admiffible into the visible church. And indeed who fees not how inconclufive and illogical it is to draw a univerfal conclufion from a particular propofition? To argue that all visible faints must profess a perfuafion of a faving intereft in Chrift, because many who have fuch a perfuafion will be difowned by him. Matth. vii. 21-23.

Again. If a perfuafion that our faith is faving, that we are true faints, and interested in Christ, is not the faith or religion of a chriftian, by which he hopes to be faved; then a man's profeffing that his faith is saving, that he is a true faint, interested in Chrift, is no profeffion of the chriftian faith or religion. Every article of the chriftian religion is contained in the gospel; and is to be believed upon the teftimony of God: And men's profeffions are to be compared with this rule, and examined by it, that we may judge whether what they profefs gives us fufficient grounds of charity. But when men profefs that they have faving faith, repent in godly fincerity, are true faints; that they have a confident, or prevailing perfuafion of this, they profess something which is not afferted in the fcriptures. If our religion be conformable to that which the gospel teaches, it will fave us, whatever our perfuafion may be concerning our own fpiritual ftate and character. And if what we profefs is found to agree with this rule, we muft, according to the rule of charity, which prefumes that men profefs agreeably to their belief, be reputed

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