I am a Chriftian, in the Face of Death and Martyrdom.

Anfw. 5. I might add alfo in the laft Place, that a great Number of the Converfions of the primitive Chriftians, were fo fudden and furprizing by the extraordinary Effufion of the holy Spirit, that the very Miracle of their Converfion did fufficiently answer the End of a large and particular Confeffion. The Work of God on the Souls of Men was fometimes in an Inftant, and they were made Believers, out of Unbelievers, at once; the Spirit fell on them while they heard the Word; and when they who just before profeffed Judaifm or Heathenifm, and neither knew nor loved Jefus Chrift, confeffed his Name and his Religion at once; the wonderful Change was evident to all, and they had no long Accounts to give either of their Faith or Converfion, their Knowledge or Converfation; nor was it required, because the Miracle itself made their Profeffion fuffi

ciently credible. Befides, fpiritual Gifts were conferred on Multitudes in that Day as foon as they were converted, and gave fufficient Evidence for Acceptance unto Baptism, as Acts x. 44, 46, 47. While Peter yet fpake thefe Words, the Holy Ghoft fell on all them which heard the Word. For they heard them fpeak with Tongues and magnify God. Then anfwered Peter, Can any Man forbid

Water,

Water, that thefe fhould not be baptized, which bave received the Holy Ghoft, as well as we ?

He that well confiders all thefe Things, and fets the Affairs of the primitive Times in a due Light, and thus compares them with our own, will fee plainly that fomething more is neceffary to make a Profeffion of Christianity credible in our Day, than was needful in the first Age of the Church. And yet still we may be faid to follow the Rules and Examples of Scripture, while we require nothing more in order to Communion than what is neceffary to make our profeffion credible; for fo much as this has been always required even in ScriptureTimes, and the Word of God, and the very Nature of Things feem to demand it.

QUESTION

QUESTION IV.

What is a Church Covenant? And whether it be necessary to Chriftian

Communion?

B

ESIDES the Things that have been already mentioned, as included in a credible Profeffion of Christianity, it is worth our Enquiry, whether any folemn Covenant be needful in order to Communion. Now to answer this Queftion we must diftinguish between that Communion which is fixed and conftant in one Church, or that which is only Occafional.

By fixed, conftant, and compleat Communion, I mean the joining myfelf to a particular Church, fo as to become a compleat Member of that religious Society, engaging to perform at appointed Times and Places, my most usual publick Worship with that Society rather than with others, to affift in all Services neceffary to fupport that Society, and partake of all Privileges of it for mutual Edification and Comfort, and to

maintain the publick Honour of Chrift in the World.

By Occafional Communion, I understand a mere Participation of the general and special Ordinances of the Gospel with a particular Church for a Time, under the general Character and Claim of Christianity, and fo far as Occafions of Providence may make it convenient or defirable. But not to become properly a Member of that particular Society, nor be interested in the Affairs, Regulation or Management of it.

Now for this Occafional Communion, there is no Neceffity that every fuch Communicant should enter folemnly into a Covenant or Agreement with that particular Church, any farther than only to partake of those fpecial Ordinances for a Seafon in a decent and regular Way. It is fufficient for this Sort of Communion, that a Perfon make fuch a credible Profeffion of Christianity as has been before defcribed, or that he be recommended by fome other Church, or the Elders thereof, before whom he has made fuch a credible Profeffion; or that it be fome Way afcertained to the Church whofe Communion he defires, that he has done it.

But where fixed and compleat Fellowship with a particular Society is defired, the very Nature of Things feems to require it, that there fhould be fuch a mutual Agreement among the Perfons that intend to practife

this conftant Communion. This is part of the fecond Thing requifite to make our Profeffion credible, (viz.) a professed Subjection to all the necessary Duties of Chriftianity, as will plainly appear by what follows.

A Church is compofed of fuch Perfons as agree to worship and walk together in all the Ordinances of Christ, (viz.) to attend on the Ministry or preaching of the Word, on praying to God together, on fpeaking or finging the Praises of God, and celebrating all the Institutions of Chrift, especially that great one, the Supper of the Lord, which is called Communion.

They devote themselves first to the Lord in publick by their Profeffion, as they have done before in Secret; covenanting to walk with him in all his Ordinances; then they give up themselves to one another, and they receive one another in the Lord, which is the Word used most frequently in the New Teftament for Admiffion into the Communion of Saints, or being folemnly acknowledged as Fellow-Christians, and confequently as having a Right to fpecial Ordinances. They profefs their Agreement or Consent to worship usually together, to attend usually on the Ordinances of Communion as administered in that Church, and to fulfil all neceffary Duties of Christian-Fellowship in a fpecial Manner towards one another for mutual Edification, as far as God shall inftruct

and