Our Churches do Ordinarily Expect from those whom they Admit unto Constant and Complete Communion with them, some few savoury Expressions [Written, if not, Oral] of what Regenerating Influences the Ordinances, or the Providences of God, have had upon their Souls. There are some, who demand This, as a Thing required by the Word of God, When, A Confession with the Mouth, and, A Profession of Repentance as well as Faith, and, A Giving a Reason of the Hope that is in us, is required; And they look upon this as a Justifying Circumstance, which a Reasonable Charity is to seek, before it pronounce upon the Credibility of that Confession and Profession, whereupon men lay Claim to Privileges. Others can't see through this; they rather decry it as, An Humane Invention. Yet rather than Church-Work should be at any Stay, both sides may Grant, That it is but a piece of Reasonable Civility, for any that would be accepted as Members of any Society whatsoever, to Address that Society for that Acceptance; and that ⟨p. 60⟩whoever do's Address a Church of […] Lord Jesus for their Fellowship, should Endeavour to do it with such Language and Matter as may be like that of, On Returning of God. If there be any further Contest, whether the Brethren, […] Right are to have any Acquaintan•• with, or Interest in, the management […] this matter, I am Confident, That […] the Pastors who are the Porters to the House of our God, will generally Examine what Experiences their Communicants have attained unto, so the Pasto•• will as generally grant, it is not Unlawful •or them to Communicate unto the Brethren of the Church, the •ast which they have had of the Graces in such a• they now propound unto them, to b• •eceiv'd as Brethren: Yea, That i• is many ways Comfortable and Profitable, if not altogether Necessary. Behold then, a Temper, wherein we may, as hitherto we do, in this thing Unite I have been Concerned with some Godly People of the Scotch Nation, who have at first shown much and hot Antipathy against This Way of our Church, and yet ⟨p. 61⟩••k'd Admittance to the Table of the Lord. These have Consented unto me, That I should put what Questions I pleased in my Trials of them; That I should herewithal take in Writing what Minutes I pleased of their Answers to me;
Our Churches do Ordinarily Expect from those whom they Admit unto Constant and Compleat Communion with them, some few savoury Expressions [Written, if not, Oral] of what Regenerating Influences the Ordinances, or the Providenoes of God, have had upon their Souls. There are some, who demand This, as a Thing required by the Word of God, When, A Confession with the Mouth, and, A Profession of Repentance as well as Faith, and, A Giving a Reason of the Hope that is in us, is required; And they look upon this as a Justifying Circumstance, which a R•sonable Charity is to seek, before it pronounce upon the Credibility of that Confession and Profession, whereupon men lay Claim to Priviledges. Others can't see through this; they rather decry it as, An Humane Invention. Yet rather than Church-Work should be at any Stay, both sides may Grant, That it is but a piece of Reasonable Civility, for any that would be accepted as Members of any Society whatsoever, to Address that Society for that Acceptance; and that ⟨p. 60⟩whoever do's Address a Church of 〈…〉 Lord Jesus for their Fellowship, should Endeavour to do it with such Languag• and Matter as may be like that of, On Returning of God. If there be any further Contest, whether the Brethren, 〈…〉 Right are to have any Acquaintan•• with, or Interest in, the management 〈…〉 this matter, I am Confident, That 〈…〉 the Pastors who are the Porters to the House of our God, will generally Examine what Experiences their Communicants have attain'd unto, so the Pasto•• will as generally grant, it is not Unlawful •or them to Communicate unto the Brethren of the Church, the •ast which they have had of the Graces in such a• they now propound unto them, to b• •eceiv'd as Brethren: Yea, That i• is many wayes Comfortable and Profitable, if not altogether Necessary. Behold then, a Temper, wherein we may, as hitherto we do, in this thing Unite I have been Concern'd with some Godly People of the Scotch Nation, who have at first shown much and hot Antipathy against This Way of our Church, and yet ⟨p. 61⟩
