Wherefore in the Platform of Discipline it is said,1 The like Trial is to be Required of such Members of the Church as were born in the same, or Received their Membership, and were Baptised in their Infancy, or Minority, by virtue of the Covenant of their Parents, when being grown up to years of Discretion, they shall desire to be ⟨p. 9⟩made Partakers of the Lords Table, unto which, because Holy Things are not to be given to the Unworthy, therefore it is Requisite, that those as well as others should come to their Trial and Examination, and manifest their Faith and Repentance by an open Profession thereof, before they are Received to the Lord's Supper, and otherwise not to be Admitted thereunto; These are the words, in the Platform of Discipline agreed unto by the Elders and […] the Churches in the Synod at Cambrid•• ▪ […] which Synod, were Mr. Cotton, Mr. ••gers, Mr. […], Learned and Aged Divines, b•••des many others of Great Eminency. It is […] the Opinion of men, but the Scripture which […] decide the Controversy. Nevertheless, the judgment of those Eminent Divines who had d••ply searched into these Matters, is not to be slighted. Nor is the Private Sentiment of this on that person, to be laid in the Balance, with the judgment of a Synod, consisting of Persons, of far •reater Authority than any younger ones pretend•d to be of a contrary Opinion. Nor is there weight in that Allegation, that when a man declares hi• own Experiences, he Testifies concerning himself, and therefore his Testimony is of no validity. By […] same reason it may be said, Churches are not to Examine those, that Essay to Join themselves to them, about the soundness of their Faith. For they may (as Arius did) profess, that they Believe Articles of Faith, which God knows, they do not Believe, nor is there any thing but their own Testimony to prove that they ⟨p. 10⟩do believe as they profess. But above all, their Notion is to be Rejected, as a Church corrupting Principle, who Assert that the Sacrament is a Converting Ordinance. Papists, Erastians, and some others, whom I forbear to mention have so taught; but their Heterodoxy has been abundantly Refuted, not only by Congregational Writers, such as Mr. John Beverly against Timpson, but by Worthy Authors of […] Persuasion, particularly by Mr. […] his Aprons Rod, Dr. Drake in his Answer to Mr. Humps, and Mr.
Wherefore in the P••tform of Discipline it is said,1 The like Trial is to be Required of such Members of the Church as were born in the same, or Received their Membership, and were Baptised in their Infancy, or Minority, by virtue of the Covenant of their Parents, when being grown up to years of Discretion, they shall desire to be ⟨p. 9⟩made Partakers of the Lords Table, unto which, because Holy Things are not to be given to the Unworthy, therefore it is Requisite, that those as well as others should come to their Trial and Examination, and manifest their Faith and Repentance by an open Profession thereof, before they are Received to the Lord's Supper, and otherwise not to be Admitted thereunto; These are the words, in the Platform of Discipline agreed unto by the Elders and 〈…〉 the Churches in the Synod at Cambrid•• ▪ 〈…〉 which Synod, were Mr. Cotton, Mr. ••gers, Mr. 〈…〉, Learned and Aged Divines, b•••des many others of Great Eminency. It is 〈…〉 the Opinion of men, but the Scripture which 〈…〉 decide the Controversy. Nevertheless, the ••dgment of those Eminent Divines who had d••ply searched into these Matters, is not to be slighted. Nor is the Private Sentiment of this on that person, to be laid in the Ballance, with the •udgment of a Synod, consisting of Persons, of far •reater Authority than any younger ones pretend•d to be of a contrary Opinion. Nor is there wei•ht in that Allegation, that when a man declares hi• own Experiences, he Testifies concerning himself, and therefore his Testimony is of no validity. By 〈…〉 same reason it may be said, Churches are not to Examine those, that Essay to Joyn themselves to them, about the soundness of their Faith. For they may (as Arius did) profess, that they Believe Articles of Faith, which God knows, they do not Believe, nor is there any thing but their own Testimony to prove that they
- 1Capt. 12. § 7.
