N00779:64
The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in…
The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in New England, justified, by the Scripture, and by the writings of many learned men, both ancient and modern divines; in answer to several questions, relating to church discipline / by Increase Mather, president of Harvard College in Cambridge, and teacher of a church at Boston in New England. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]The order of the Gospel, professed and practised by the churches of Christ in New England, justified, by the Scripture, and by the writings of many learned men, both ancient and modern divines; in answer to several questions, relating to church discipline / by Increase Mather, president of Harvard Colledge in Cambridge, and teacher of a church at Boston in New England. ; [Five lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Benjamin Eliot, 1700
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Answ. 2. The practice of the Churches in New England as to this particular, is Lawful, Laudable, and Edifying. It is Lawful for Churches to desire those that offer themselves to their Holy Fellowship, to give an account of their Faith and Repentance: And when a Church desires it, no capable person ought to refuse it▪ For,
1. There is Scripture warrant for this practice David says, I have not hid thy Righteousness within my heart, I have declared thy Faithfulness and thy Salvation, I have not concealed thy ⟨p. 33⟩loving kindness and thy Truth from the great Congregation. Psal. 40.10 And in another place, he says, Come and hear all you that fear God, and I will declare what he has done for my Soul. Psal 66.16. These Expressions show that a Christian should be willing upon just occasion, to declare the Goodness and Gracious workings of God upon his Soul, and this too in the Assembly and Congregation of his People. Now if a Church does desire it, that's a just occasion for the doing of it: and therefore it then ought to be done. Moreover, the Scripture says, that Christians should be ready to give a reason of the hope that is in them to every one that asketh. 1 Pet. 3.15. This Expression of A reason of their hope shows that they must not only declare what good things they hoped for in this or in another world, but also upon what grounds they did so hope. For else they might show their hope, but not the Reason of their hope. Now if a man has Experienced a work of Saving Conversion, causing him to accept of Christ on the •erms of the Gospel, he has sufficient Ground and Reason for Hope. Eph. 1.18. Heb. 11.1. But without that he has no reason to hope but the contrary.