A of the Authority and Merits of Chrift, was accounted enough in the Apostles days for the admiffion of People unto Baptifm, which is the Initiating Mystery, at which God and Men do interchangeably =Seal Indentures first of all. In Act. 8. we find Philip Preaching to the Ethiopian 1 Eunuch, and requiring a Confeffion of his Creed, that he might be Baptized; I and when the Eunuch made this fhort Confeffion, I believe that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God, it was thought enough to give him a right to the Seal of the Covenant; and fo ftraightway Philip went down into the Water, and Baptized him, v. 38. The like we Read of Paul and Silas, how they directed the frighted Jayler, to beIlieve on the Lord Jefus, Act. 16. 33. and inftantly upon that Confeffion, Baptized him. Now we do not any where read, or find any Reason to conjecture, that the Apostles demanded any other Faith of their Converts before the Communion, than what they had delivered unto them to prepare them for Baptifm. The fame Belief which qualified them for that, did allo Qualifie them for this other Sacrament; for in Act. 2. where we meet with the first Converts, and a great number of them, even three Thousand Souls, St. Luke relates, that they were Baptized, and continued G tinued fedfaft in the Apostles Doctrine, and in breaking of Bread, v. 42. And by the Story it feems to be intimated, that in a very fhort time after they were Baptized, they were all admitted to the Lord's Table. I add to this, in the last place, that the Primitive Church of Chrift required this of Communicants, that they should believe thofe things to be True, which were taught them by their Paftours; for fo Juftin Martyr exprefly tells us; and those things were no other, than the common Faith of all true Chriftians in all Ages, and which in the Athanafian Creed is called, the Catholick Faith; confifting of the Fundamental Articles of our Religion, which were antiently drawn up into thort Summaries. And by a paffage in St. Am. brofe it doth appear, that Baptifed Perfons were not prohibited from coming to the Communion, but for the fpace of a few days after their Baptifm: And this Prohibition was intended, not that they might in that time learn a New Creed; but only gain fome further Knowledge, touching the Nature and Ends of this Religious Mystery; ftill the Faith was one and the fame, even a comfortable belief in Fefus Chrift, and him Crucified. TO all which, I fhall only add the Judgment of the Church, as to the Na ture ture of that Faith, which is neceffary. for Baptism, &c. as it appears in the Office of Publick and Private Baptifm, in the Vifitation of the Sick, in the Expofition of the Creed, in the Catechism; as alfo in that old useful Book, called the Inftitution of a Christian Man: In all which, no more is lookt upon as neceffary, but an hearty affent to the Truth of those common Doctrines of Christianity contained in the Apoftolical Symbol. BY what then hath been thus particularly fhew'd, any ordinary Communicant may easily discern, whether his Faith be genuine, and right, and approved, and fuch as the Gospel doth require. In short, do you believe that the Holy Jefus was the Son of God? That he came into the World, by the Appointment of his Father? That his great Errand, was to Redeem an undone and (without him) a loft World? That he Dyed upon the Crofs for this pur pofe? That his Blood was fhed as a Ranfom for all? That he paid a Price even for thy poor Soul? And that for his fake thou may't find Mercy at the hands of God If this be thy Faith, thou may'st be affured, that thy Faith is as right and true, as ever was the Faith of an Apostle, tho' thou canst not Remove Mountains, nor Heal the Sick with thy fhadow. And there G 2 therefore thou art thus far well Prepared to be a Receiver, because this is the proper Object of every Chriftian's Faith, That Jefus Chrift is the Saviour of the World; and to believe thus much, with a particular application of Chrift's Merits to thine own Soul, fo that thou canst believe it with Joy, and caft thy felf on him with an Humble Confidence, and truft to him for thy present Pardon and future Felicity, this is the proper Act of a Worthy Communicant. CHA P. V. TReligion, which not only every HERE is another Special Act of Communicant, but indeed every Chriftian ought to employ the utmost of his Care about, and that is, Repentance from dead works, the Natural Fruit of Faith towards God. In difcourfing of this, 'tis requifite for me to fhew, 1. First, the true Nature of Repentance, wherein it doth confift. 2dly, Upon what Special Grounds and Reasons it is neceffary, before we go to the Communion. And 3dly, how far, and in what Degree it is neceffary. . 1. FOR the right understanding of the Nature of Repentance, we must not rely upon the groundless, nay Superftitious Conceits of the School-men, who place the whole Work of Repentance, in Contrition, Confeffion, and Satisfaction; meaning, that though a Man be never fo broken in Heart, yet he is not a right Penitent, nor fit for the Communion, till he hath privately made an enumeration of his Sins to a Priest, and doth undergo, at leaft doth Vow, and Promise to undergo fome Ritual Penance, to Expiate his Offences. At the bottom of this Doctrine there is a great deal of Trick and Artifice, which is quite Foreign to the defign and business of Christianity. For Chrift's Religion is a plain and admirable Method, to make Men univerfally Good; and to bring us to the Love of folid and substantial Vertue, that we may Live the Life of Angels (Pure and Holy) as far as it is confiftent with the Nature and Condition of Mortal Men. Accordingly Repentance, means a Zealous and Paffionate Abhorrence of every thing that is Evil in the Eye of God. The common Notion of Repentance implyeth thus much, that what a Man hath done, he wifheth were undone, and refolves to do fo no more. And this is the Notion, which the Chriftian Doctors G3 |