yea, he required a renovation of these engagements, and they confirmed them with a folemn appeal unto his own omniscience. Hence, fays a late writer of distinguished merit, “In the days of Chrift's humiliation we have an example of it, (viz. of focial vowing). At a certain time, when many who profeffed fteadfastnefs in their attachment to Chrift's perfon and miniftrations had gone back,-He put a queftion to the twelve,"-" Will ye alfo go away Peter fpake the fentiments of the whole, in a PUBLIC VOW," Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou haft the words of eternal life: And we believe and are fure, That thou art that Chrift, the Son of the living God." This declaration hath not only the effentials of a vow, but even the very form of it. It is made not merely concerning Chrift, but to him; it contains a dedication of themfelves to him for time and eternity, as the Lord of eternal life; and it is attended with a folemn profeffion of their faith concerning the character of Chrift, on whom they believed. In fhort, Peter faid all that can be expreffed in the moft prolix form of words used in any folemn vow. We have another example of folemn vows from the lips of the fame confeffor, after Chrift's refurrection. Peter had fhamefully deferted, and wickedly denied his Lord. His divine mafter, in order to restore him to the other difciples, whom, no doubt, he had scandalized by his conduct; and to give the other Apoftles affurance, that

his commiffion of apoftleflip was not forfeited; -drew him to a folemn public vow of his love to the mafter whom he had lately denied; yea, to a confirming his vow by fwearing, as he had, on that occafion, denied him with CURSES and OATHS." Simeon, fon of Jonas, loveft thou me more than thefe? He faith unto him, Yea, Lord! thou knoweft that I love thee," &c. Here is both a formal public vow, and a formal public appeal to the omnifcience of Christ, with regard to his fincerity in his vow. It is true, though it be a public vow it is not focial: But the reafon is obvious. The other apostles were not affociates with him in the act of denying his Lord: But, had they been in the fame cafe with Peter, the fame reafon would have pleaded for extending the question to them all; in order to their jointly profeffing their love to Chrift, in a focial as well as a public vow *."

*See Mr GRAHAM'S Difcourfes on Covenanting.

DISSER

O N

COVENANTING

I N T HE

APOSTOLIC

CHURCHES.

2 COR. viii. 5. HEB. iv. 14. and x. 23.

THE Gofpel Church, conflituted by Chrift immediately after his refurrection, was propagated by his infpired Apoftles, according to the model he fhewed them by his Spirit; and particular churches were formed according to that original pattern. The Church of Macedonia, was formed on that of Jerufalem, which last was the first particular church under the better economy. Thefe focieties, however, were not MOLES ABSQUE NERVIS; but firmly bound together by ligaments, flowing from the will of their original founder. To afcertain the truth in this matter, we may,1. Confider the Terms on which perfons were + Aaaa

admitted

admitted to special fellowship in thefe focie tics.-I. The Solemnities they used to teftify their acceptance of thefe terms.-III. Then enquire If thefe engagements, on particular occafions, were renewed by the members of the Apoftolic Churches, and that with divine approbation.

FIRST, I fhall attend unto the TERMS on which perfons were admitted into the Apoftolic Churches; and, as far as we know, they

were,

I. A PROFESSION of faith in the Apostolic doctrine. How many articles were explicitly profeffed is not easily afcertained; yet we may eafily form a judgment of them from fuch particular inftances as are to be found in the facred hiftory. The first time the Church exercifed this power was on the day of Pentecoft; but the terms of their affent are not recorded at length. The facred hiftorian only obferves, in the general, that young converts "received the word, and that they continued in the apoftles DOCTRINE:" But it is probable they laid the foundation in doctrines concerning the perfon of Chrift; faith in him; converfion to God through him; baptifm with water, as the fign of internal baptifm with the Holy Ghost: For the facred hiftorian affures us, that Peter preached on thefe fubjects unto the people; " and

with

with many other words did he teftify and exhort, faying, Save yourfelves from this untoward generation." When he TESTIFIED, he declared the extent of his creed; and left a teftimony against the dreadful evils of that untoward generation: And that teflimony was received by the multitude which was added to the Church. This was the bafis of their communion; otherways, they could not be faid to have continued in the apoftles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." Another inftance is, the erection of the Church of Samaria. When the Evangelift Philip preached Chrift unto them, they believed concerning the kingdom of God, and in the name of Jefus Chrift; and, upon their profeffion of this faith to him, they were baptized by him. Though it is prefumeable, that many of them believed unto the faving of the foul; yet it is plain, that the faith mention ed cannot be confined unto this fpecies: For Simon Magus BELIEVED; but the fequel proved the infufficiency of his faith unto falvation. The truth is, neither the Apoftles nor Evangelifts, when admitting perfons into the Gospel Church, acted according to their extraordinary gifts-difcerning the fpirits; but they acted as ordinary officers-fatisfying themfelves with a judgment of charity, without a judgment of certainty as to the internal state of the perfons received; and this part of their conduct affords a rule of procedure in every fucceeding

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