QUESTION IX. 93 SECT. IV. An enquiry may arise.here, " Whether a con- fession of faith in writing may. not serve the same purposes, as a conference ? "' It is my judgment that no confessions of faith, delivered is writing,'can.be sufficient to give evidence of christian knowledge, except there has been some personal conference before or after the writing of this confession, whereby it may appear that the person well understands what he has written ;. or at least, unless there be some other very evident and convincing proofs that the person who writes it is truly sincere, and would not dare to im- pose upon a church, by,any written confession, that which is not the real belief and sense both of head and heart. And by, this means that scandal and reproach will be taken away from the churches, of receiving members merely 'upon a written confes- sion of faith and hope, which perhaps was drawn up by some other hand, and which has neither been the work of the head, nor heart of the person who desires communion. QUEST. IX-Where the Seclusion from Christian Communion carries temporal Inconveniences with it, hath a particular Church the power to seclude a Person merelyfor want of Orthodoxy SECT. I. Since I have put the test of knowledge sufficient for christian communion upon the final judgment of the church, and their satisfaction in the orthodoxyof a communicant, it is necessary I should answer this great objection, viz. Suppose a socinian, a professed pelagian, or an antinomian of the grossest kind, should declare that he has been very sincere in searching' the.scriptures to find the truth, should he be secluded from com- munion, because he doth not appear in his confession orthodox enough to satisfy the church ? And is it not somewhat like perse- cution, when being rejected by the church he shall lie under some reproach, and sustain temporal damage in his reputation among his neighbours. ANSw. I. It is certain that persons who give not just evi- dence of true christianity, ought not to be received to the special ordinances of christian worship, and enjoy christian communion : Now those who believe . not the necessary, fundamental, and es- sential doctrines of the christian religion cannot properly be called true Christians, whatsoever general profession they may make Of believing the bible, or being the disciples of Christ: Therefore such are not to be received. Aman may profess to be very sincere in searching the scriptures to find out truth; but of real inward sincerity, as well as inward christianity, God only is the judge; and how valuable a qualification soever sincerity may
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