Certain disputations of right to sacraments, and the true nature of visible Christianity defending…

And in Page 150, speaking of my self he saith, [1. The Learned Author and I, are fully agreed upon the matter concerning the outward ground, upon which persons are to be admitted and acknowledged members of the visible Church; viz, A serious Profession of the faith, including a Profession of subjection to the commands and Ordinances of Christ, is sufficient for this, and that persons, making this Profession are without delay, or searching for trial and Discoveries of their heart-conversion to be admitted. — I do heartily approve his weighty Exhortation subjoined. But I cannot yet agree with him in this, that men are not to be received into the visible Church but under the notion of true Believers, and positively judged to be such, though but probably.] ⟨p. 23⟩And Pag. 151. [I confess also, that were a mans outward carriage and way such, as did discover him to be an unregenerate man — he were not to be received into the fellowship of the visible Church: but withal I say, He were not to be debarred, or not received, not upon the account of non-Regeneration; or upon that carriage, considered under this formality and reduplication, as a ••gn and discovery of non Regeneration, but materially, as being contrary to the very outward profession of Faith: — My reason is, because I conceive it is Gods revealed Will in his Word, that men be received into the visible Church, that they may be regenerate and converted, and that the Ministerial dispensation of the Ordinances are by Gods revealed will set up in the Church to be means of Regeneration and Conversion, as well as Edification of such as are Regenerate.] [3. I conceive, that between such as are in a course discovering certainly non-regeneration — there are a middle sort, of whom there is no sufficient ground probably to judge them regenerate. —] My reason is, because to ground a positive act of Judgement that a man is regenerate in foro exteriori, there is requisite some seemingness of a spiritual sincerity in a mans profession: i. e, that he doth it from a spiritual principle, upon spiritual motives, to a spiritual End: But a mere sober, not mocking serious Profession, without more, is not a positive appearance of spiritual supernatural sincerity.

And in Page 150, speaking of my self he saith, [1. The Learned Author and I, are fully agreed upon the mater concerning the outward ground, upon which persons are to be admitted and acknowledged members of the visible Church; viz, A serious Profession of the faith, including a Profession of subjection to the commands and Ordinances of Christ, is sufficient for this, and that persons, making this Profession are without delay, or searching for tryal and Discoveries of their heart-conversion to be admitted. — I do heartily approve his weighty Exhortation subjoyned. But I cannot yet agree with him in this, that men are not to be received into the visible Church but under the notion of true Believers, and positively judged to be such, though but probably.]