with the Church of Chrift should fatisfy his own Conscience with nothing short of real Christianity: But Chriftians and Churches not being able to fearch the Heart as Chrift and Confcience can, the Term of our visible Communion with Chriftians is a credible Profeffion of real Chriftianity, or a professed Subjection to the Gospel of Chrift, as the Apostle expreffes it, 2 Cor. ix. 13. that is, such an outward Profeffion of inward and hearty Christianity, as gives juft and credible Evidence that this Profeffion is fincere, and that the Person thus profeffing is a hearty Chriftian: Rom. x. 9, 10. If thou shalt confefs with thy Mouth the Lord Jefus, and fhalt believe in thine Heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be faved. For with the Heart Man believeth unto Righteousness, and with the Mouth Confeffion is made unto Salvation. If a Man profefs Chriftianity in any Manner or Form of Profeffion foever, and yet make it plainly and openly appear by other Parts of his Conduct, that his Profeffion is not fincere and hearty, he has no Right to Salvation according to this Text, and has always been deemed unworthy of Christian Communion in all the Scripture History, and in the best and pureft Ages of the Church. Those that profefs they know God, but in Works deny him are to be counted abominable amongst all Christians. Tit. i. 17.

It is not therefore real and inward Chriftianity in the Heart that can give any Man a Right to Communion in outward Ordinan ces, unless it be profeffed in a credible Manner to the World; nor can the Want of fuch real and inward Religion exclude any Perfon from Communion while he makes fuch a credible Profeffion, for God only is the Judge of Hearts and not Man, we must act according to outward Appearances: There will be Hypocrites in the Church of Chrift in this World, and there is no Help for it: The Wheat and Tares will grow together in the fame Field till the Time of Harvest. The Day of Judgement is the only Time to decide the Matter completely, and diftinguish Hypocrites for ever from real Christians; and therefore all that have the credible Form and Appearance of Chriftianity must be admitted into the Church of Chrift on Earth.

This is the common Sentiment and Practice of all the reformed Churches, that a credible Profeffion is the general Term of Communion, though they differ about fome particular Circumftances of this Profeffion that

go to make up the Credibility of it. These Things are fo generally acknowledged by the most and best of the Writers of our Day, that I fhall not stay here to prove them, and my Bufinefs in this Difcourfe is with those Christians that allow and acknowledge what I have already said.

Now

Now a credible Profeffion of Chriftianity implies these two Things. First, that the Matter profeffed be of fuch a Nature, and declared in such a Manner, as may render the Profeffion credible; and Secondly, there must also be fome Perfon or Perfons to whom that Profeffion muft appear credible, and who must be Judges of the Credibility of it.

2

I shall begin with the last of these and dispatch it foon, because I mention it only as a needful Introduction to the chief Queftions relating to the particular Terms of Chriftian Communion.

I 2 QUESTION

QUESTION II. Who are the proper Judges of the Credibility of our Profeffion.

SECTION I.

ESUS Chrift in his Word is the fupreme Judge of what is Truth, and what is Duty; what Sort of Perfons ought to be admitted to Christian Communion, and who should be forbid. But as he is abfent from us, and speaks not but by his Word, and his Word does not apply its own Rules to particular Perfons, John, Thomas, William, &c. In every Age and Nation, there is a Neceffity that fome Perfons muft judge and determine whether John, Thomas, William, &c. have these Characters of worthy Communicants, which Chrift hath appointed in his Word.

Every Man for himself must use his own best Judgment in searching his Heart, and trying himself by the Word of God, whether he has complied with the Terms of Salva

tion, and he muft judge for himself too whether it be his Duty to propofe himself to Chriftian Communion: But no Man must determine for himself whether he fhall be received to Communion with others, and partake of their Sacreds. No Man can impofe himself upon a Church, meerly because he thinks himself qualified: This would lay all the Garden of Chrift waft again, throw down all the Fences, and reduce it to a meer Wilderness: This Suppofition is too wild to be admitted.

If therefore a credible Profeffion of Chriftianity be the Term of Communion appointed by Chrift in his Word, there must be fome prefent and living Judges of the Credibility of this Profeffion; and I know not who can be fo proper to judge as those Perfons with whom Communion is defired. This is not a Matter tranfacted meerly between a Minifter and a fingle Chriftian, for the Lord's Supper is not to be administered but in a Community; as I Cor. xi. 20, 21, 33. The Church must come together to one Place, and they must tarry for one another. There must be therefore the Confent of the Community or Society, to admit a Person to share in and partake of the facred Things in Communion. with them. This Ordinance of Chrift reprefents the Communion of his Members in one Body, by the one Bread and one Cup, 1 Cor. x. 16, 17. And the Duties of