The triumphs of the reformed religion, in America. The life of the renowned John…

But for the Subjects to be admitted by Churches unto all the privileges of this Fellowship ⟨p. 67⟩with them he thought, they ought to be such as a trying Charity, or a charitable Trial, should pronounce, Regenerate. He found the first Churches of the Gospel mentioned in the Scripture, to be Churches of Saints, and that the Apostles writing to them, still acknowledge them to be Holy Brethren, and such as were made meet for to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light; and that a main end of Church-fellowship, is to represent unto the world, the Qualifications of those that shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord, and Stand in his Holy Place forever. He would therefore have, Bona Mens, and Purum pectus, and Vita Innocens, required, as Lact entius tells us, they were in his Days, of all Communicants at the Table of the Lord; and with Holy Chrysostom, he would sooner have given his Heart-blood, than the Cup of the Lord, unto such as had not the hopeful Marks of our Lord's Disciples on them. The Churches of New-England still retain a Custom which the great Justin Martyr in the second Century assures us to have been in the Primitive Churches of his Time; namely, To Examine those they Receive, not only about their persuasion▪ but also whether they have attained unto a work of Grace upon their Souls. In the prosecution hereof, besides the Enquiries of the Elders into the Knowledge and Belief and Conversation of them that offer themselves unto Church-fellowship, in i• expected, tho' I hope not with any severity ⟨p. 68⟩of imposition, that in the Addresses which they make to the Churches, they give some written, if not oral Account, of what impressions the Regenerating Word of God has had upon their Souls. This was a Custom which this holy man had a marvellous esteem and value for; and I have taken from his Mouth such as these Expressions very publicly delivered thereabouts.

But for the Subjects to be admitted by Churches unto all the priviledges of this Fellowship ⟨p. 67⟩with them he thought, they ought to be such as a trying Charity, or a charitable Tryal, should pronounce, Regenerate. He found the first Churches of the Gospel mentioned in the Scripture, to be Churches of Saints, and that the Aposties writing to them, still acknowledge them to be Holy Brethren, and such as were made meet for to be partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light; and that a main end of Church-fellowship, is to represent unto the world, the Qualifications of those that shall Ascend into the Hill of the Lord, and Stand in his Holy Place forever. He would therefore have, Bona Mens, and Purum pectus, and Vita Innocens, required, as Lact entius tells us, they were in his Dayes, of all Communicants at the Table of the Lord; and with Holy Chrysstom, he would sooner have given his Heart-blood, than the Cup of the Lord, unto such as had not the hopeful Marks of our Lord's Disciples on them. The Churches of New-England still retain a Custom which the great Justin Martyr in the second Century assures us to have been in the Primitive Churches of his Time; namely, To Examine those they Receive, not only about their perswasion but also whether they have attained unto a work of Grace upon their Souls. In the prosecution hereof, besides the Enquiries of the Elders into the Knowledge and Belief and Conversation of them that offer themselves unto Church-fellowship, in i expected, tho' I hope not with any severity