to their Edification.

in Cafes extraordinary.

I Cor. x. 23. except

Another very obvious Question arises here, (viz.) Whether a Church, or religious Society, may refuse a Person who offers himfelf to become a fixed Member of that Church in conftant and complete Communion, and makes a visible and credible Profeffion of his Faith? Whether a Church can lawfully forbid fuch a Person to become a complete Member, and restrain him only to a fort of occafional or incomplete Communion?

Anfw. Though it is certain that without fuch fixed Societies or Churches, publick Christianity could not be well maintained, and therefore far the greatest Part of Christians are certainly obliged to become Members of fome particular Chriftian Society; yet as there may be fome peculiar Cafes which may excufe a Perfon from fixed Communion and Membership, fo there may be peculiar Cafes alfo which may excufe a Church from receiving fome Perfons to complete Membership with them, though they may admit them to occafional Com

munion.

Let it be confidered, that by admitting a Perfon to fixed Communion, and making him a Member of that particular Society, he not only acquires a Right to join with the Society in all the Ordinances of the Gof

pel

pel and special Communion, in publick on the Lord's Days, but he hath a Right to be with them at any more private Meetings of the whole Church, and to confult and act in their special Affairs: He has a Right to attend on fuch Meetings for confidering of the Circumstances and State of the Church, for regulating Things that are amifs, for altering any of their Customs, for distributing Monies to the Poor, for chufing a Paftor or other Officers, for admitting Members, and for exercifing the Discipline of the Church, &c. He acquires alfo a Right in JointPartnership to the temporal Poffeffions of the Society, fuppofe it be a Meeting-House for publick Worship, Veffels of Plate for Church Communion, or any Houses, or temporal Goods, or Donatives, which may belong to that particular Society.

Now though the Laws of Chrift require us to receive every visible Chriftian, who defires it, to Communion in publick Worship, and in fpecial Ordinances of the Gospel, because he is fit for it, yet those Laws do not require that every fuch Perfon should be admitted to the peculiar Counfels and Affairs of any particular Society, because perhaps he is really unfit for it. Perhaps they know, or have abundant Reafon to believe, that his different Opinions, or his unhappy Temper, or his peculiar Circumftances, would render him a very troublesome Member of

it, that he would raise Parties in the Choice of Officers, or in Admiffion of Members, or in diftributing to the Poor, or in the Regulation of other Church-Affairs; and therefore they allow him only occafional Communion with them, which is all that seems to be his Duty with Regard to that particular Church, and which is all the Duty which the Laws of Reason, or of Religion, seem to demand of them toward him.

Befides, let it be further confidered, that whatsoever Inftances of Chriftian Fellowfhip in facred Things the Laws of Chrift may demand for such a Person, yet it is certain the Laws of Chrift do not demand for him any Share in the temporal Poffeffions of that religious Society, nor in the Distribution of their temporal Things, unless it be perhaps to relieve him in fome Degree, if he be neceflitous. Therefore the Laws of Chrift do not require that Society to receive fuch a Perfon to complete Communion and Membership, to introduce him into their Councils and Affairs, or to veft him in any of their temporal Poffeffions, fince it is evident he will become a very troublesome Member, and endanger, if not destroy, the Edification and Peace of the particular Society or Church. Let all Things be done to Edification: Follow thofe Things which make for Peace, and Things whereby one may edify another.

QUESTION

QUESTION VII. What Knowledge is necessary for Chriftian Communion?

U

SECTION I.

NDER the Third Question I have shewn that the Know

ledge neceffary to Communion, includes in it both a Knowledge of what is neceffary to Salvation, and a Knowledge of what is further neceffary to maintain and enjoy this holy Communion: The very Nature of Things requires this.

First, let us confider the Things neceffary to Salvation. How many Articles of the Chriftian Faith or Practice, are necessary to our Salvation; or in other Words, how many Fundamentals are there, is not exprefly determined in any Part of the Scripture. It is a Question that has troubled the Chriftian Churches almost two hundred Years, ever fince the Reformation began, but has never yet been decided to the common Satisfaction

even of those that held the Scripture to be the only and perfect Rule of Faith and Practice. Therefore as every Man muft judge for himfelf, concerning the Fundamentals of Chriftianity, in Order to examine his own Heart, and evidence to himself his Hopes of Salvation; fo every particular Church muft judge for itself, which are the Fundamentals, or neceffary Articles of Chriftianity, to examine those that propose themselves to Communion, and evidence their Right to it.

I grant this, that in determining the Nature or Number of neceffary Articles, the Churches of Christ ought to govern their Sentiments by the Rules of Scripture, as near as they can find them, by comparing one Place with another, and form their Judgement in this Matter by a large and extenfive Charity. A general Love to Mankind, the dutiful Imitation of God our Saviour, and the exemplary Practice of the bleffed Apoftles, oblige us to make as few Articles neceffary as is confiftent with the great Ends of the Christian Religion, and to impofe nothing more upon the Confciences of Men in this Respect, than we folemnly believe our Lord Jefus Chrift himfelf impofes in his Word, as we will answer it at the great Day of his Appearance. Yet it is certain, and without Controverfy, that there are several Articles both of Doctrine and Duty, of fuch Importance, that a Man cannot be a true Chriftian without them, nor have any just