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his commiffion of apostleship was not forfeited; -drew him to a folemn public vow of his love to the mafter whom he had lately denied; yea, to a confirming his vow by fwearing, as he had, on that occafion, denied him with CURSES and OATHS. "Simeon, fon of Jonas, lovest thou me more than thefe? He faith unto him, Yea, Lord! thou knoweft that I love thee," &c. Here is both a formal public vow, and a formal public appeal to the ommifcience of Chrift, with regard to his fincerity in his vow. It is true, though it be a public vow it is not focial: But the reafon is obvious. The other apoftles were not affociates with him in the act of denying his Lord: But, had they been in the fame cafe with Peter, the fame reafon would have pleaded for extending the question to them all; in order to their jointly profeffing their love to Chrift, in a focial as well as a public vow*."

*See Mr GRAHAM'S Difcourfes on Covenanting.

DISSER

O N

COVENANTING

IN THE

APOSTOLIC

THE

CHURCHES.

2 COR. viii. 5. HEB. iv. 14. and x. 23.

'HE Gospel Church, conftituted by Chrift immediately after his refurrection, was propagated by his infpired Apoftles, according to the model he fhewed them by his Spirit; and particular churches were formed according to that original pattern. The Church of Macedonia, was formed on that of Jerufalem, which last was the first particular church under the better economy. These focieties, how

ever, were not MOLES ABSQUE NERVIS; but. firmly bound together by ligaments, flowing from the will of their original founder. Το afcertain the truth in this matter, we may,I. Confider the Terms on which perfons were * Aaaa admitted

admitted to special fellowflip in these focieties. II. The Solemnities they used to teftify their acceptance of thefe terms.-III. Then enquire If thefe engagements, on particular occafions, were renewed by the members of the Apoftolic Churches, and that with divine approbation.

FIRST, I fall attend unto the TERMS on which persons were admitted into the Apoftolic Churches; and, as far as we know, they were,

1. A PROFESSION of faith in the Apoftolic doctrine. How many articles were explicitly profeffed is not eafily afcertained; yet we may eafily form a judgment of them from fuch particular inftances as are to be found in the facred hiftory. The first time the Church exercifed this power was on the day of Pentecoft; but the terms of their affent are not recorded at length. The facred hiftorian only obferves, in the general, that young converts "received the word, and that they continued in the apoftles DOCTRINE:" But it is probable they laid the foundation in doctrines concerning the perfon of Chrift; faith in him; converfion to God through him; baptifm with water, as the fign of internal baptifm with the Holy Ghost: For the facred hiftorian affures us, that Peter preached on thefe fubjects unto the people; " and

with many other words did he testify and exhort, faying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation." When he TESTIFIED, he declared the extent of his creed; and left a teftimony against the dreadful evils of that untoward generation: And that testimony was received by the multitude which was added to the Church. This was the bafis of their communion; otherways, they could not be faid to have continued in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." Another inftance is, the erection of the Church of Samaria. When the Evangelift Philip preached Chrift unto them, they believed concerning the kingdom of God, and in the name of Jefus Chrift; and, upon their profeffion of this faith to him, they were bap tized by him. Though it is prefumeable, that many of them believed unto the faving of the foul; yet it is plain, that the faith mentioned cannot be confined unto this fpecies: For Simon Magus BELIEVED; but the fequel proved the infufficiency of his faith unto falvation. The truth is, neither the Apoftles nor Evangelifts, when admitting perfons into the Gospel Church, acted according to their extraordinary gifts-difcerning the fpirits; but they acted as ordinary officers-fatisfying themfelves with a judgment of charity, without a judgment of certainty as to the internal state of the perfons received; and this part of their conduct affords a rule of procedure in every fucceeding

Аааа 2

ceeding age.The cafe of the Ethiopian Eunuch likeways, ought by no means to be omitted. Prior to his admiffion to the facrament of baptifm, Philip demanded a confeffion of his faith: He complied with that demand, -he confeffed that fpecial article for which Chrift died a martyr; and this was no other than that of his Sonfhip. The Jewish Church accounted that doctrine blafphemy; and the high-prieft rent his clothes, in token of detestation, when Jefus Christ made a confession of it, This oppofition to that doctrine made it the WORD OF CHRIST'S PATIENCE, and the PRESENT TRUTH. Hence, the officers of the Church demanded an explicit confeffion of this, and other truths of the fame kind; and an implicit confeffion of all other truths included in them: For there is an inviolable connection between every part of the facred system,

2 THOSE who were ftewards of the mysteries of God, required also a profeffion of Repentance, in order unto membership in the Gofpel Church. While While perfons were in an outcast ftate, they were drenched in wickednefs, as well as mifled by error: Hence, it became them to renounce the former as well as the latter; as a pure heart and practice are of equal importance in facred fociety with a found mind. Thus, Peter exhorted the converts, on the day of Pentecoft, to REPENT and be baptized; and, on another occafion, to REPENT and be converted.

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