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that are able, should rather in public make their own profession.

Object. But what if one part of the congregation approve of the person and profession, and the other disallow it?'

Answ. 1. They are to be governed by the pastors. 2. And consult with the pastors of neighbour-churches, in cases of great weight and danger. 3. And the lesser part of the church, in doubtful cases, and tolerable differences, is to yield to the greater part: not as if a major vote had the government of the rest, much less of their governors; but in order to unity the fewer must submit.

Quest. But what if the people would have the pastor baptize, confirm, or introduce an open heretic, or wicked person in his impenitency?'

Answ. The pastor must obey God, and refuse to obey them.

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Quest. And what if the people think a man unfit, whom the pastor would approve and introduce?"

Answ. 1. He may admit him into the Universal Church, notwithstanding their unjust refusal: 2. He hath power to admit him into that particular church, against their unjust dissent, as he is the ruler of the church, and the administrator of the ordinances: 3. He hath authority to persuade and command them from Christ, to hold communion with the person, and to do their duty to him; which if they do not, they commit a double sin; one of injustice and uncharitableness, in a causeless rejecting of a member of Christ; and another of disobedience, against the fifth commandment: 4. But yet the pastors cannot force the people to obey their advice and command, nor effectually procure it perhaps : 5. And therefore their forementioned power is not always to be exercised. For it is in vain to use a means, that will rather hinder the end than attain to it; and so is at that time, no means. Sometimes the pastor may see just cause to exercise all this power, and execute his part of church-communion with the person, in administering the ordinances to him, and leave the people answerable to God, for refusing their part; but this is not an usual case: usually, if he see the people resolve against communion with that person, how fit soever, he is publicly to clear himself by disallowing them in their sin, and reproving them for it, and leaving the blame on them; and then in prudence to forbear the introducing of

the person; because no duty is at all times a duty to be performed; and especially when the hurt that will follow upon it, in the divisions of the church, is like to be far greater than the good, if it be done: 6. But if the church should be so corrupted, as that the major vote doth set against faith and godliness as such, and so will not admit a sound member to be added to them, the pastor, with the minor part, may after due admonition and patience, as justly reject the guilty and obstinate, as if they were but one man, and not a major part.

What is said of this case of admission, holds also of rejection by excommunication, and of other antecedent acts of discipline.

(4.) Lastly, If excommunication must usually be done in public, before the whole church, that they may know whom to avoid, and know the reason of it; then admission must usually be done in public, the person or the pastor opening the case to the people, that they may know whom to have communion with; and know the reason of it: but the antecedent is confessed by almost all. And it is proved plainly by Paul's practice and direction, 1 Cor. v, throughout: and it was the custom of the Christian churches in Tertullian's days, Apolog. cap. 39. There also (in the Christian meeting for worship) are exercised exhortations, castigations, and the Divine censure: for judgment is passed with great deliberation, or weight, as with men that are assured of the presence, or sight of God and it is the highest representation of the judgment to come, if any one so offend, as that he be discharged, or banished from communion of prayer, and of the assembly, and of all holy commerce, or fellowship.'

Abundance more out of Cyprian, and others, might be easily produced, to prove that this which I have spoken, was the ancient history of the people in these church-affairs, yea in the choice of their pastors; yea, and in rejecting unworthy pastors, Cyprian saith, they had a chief interest: not by ruling power, but by a prudent exercise of obedience, choosing the good, and refusing the evil. Self-preservation is natural to every body, where it is not by evil means, and to the hurt of the public state. It is hard if a natural body may not lawfully refuse, or cast up poison, if a governor should give it them. God bindeth none to the perdition of their souls; nor any holy society to destroy itself, or suffer

itself to be destroyed, or corrupted by others, without the use of all just means to resist the bane. But of this I shall desire the reader, that would know the judgment and prac-tice of the ancient church, to peruse Dr. Blondel's " de Jure plebis in Regimine Ecclesiast." adjoined to that excellent piece of Grotius" de Imperio summarum Potestatum circa Sacra."

This much may satisfy you, that it should not be usually a secret, but a solemn transition from an infant-state of membership, into an adult-state; and that by a public profession or notification of it, the particular church should have satisfaction herein.

PROP. 17. It is convenient, though not of necessity, that every Church do keep a Register of all that are admitted thus into the Number of the Adult-Members.

As we were wont to keep a register of the infants baptized, so have we as much reason of the adult, approved and confirmed, or restored. Corporations of old, were wont to keep a book of the names of their burgesses or citizens; in respect to which, God is said to have a Book of Life, wherein he writes men's names out of which he blots them, speaking after the manner of men. The church hath great reason for this practice, the business being of so great weight; that we forget not who are of our communion, which without register, in great congregations, must needs be done. If any be so vain, as to demand a Scripture-proof of this; let him first bring me a Scripture-proof, that he may read with spectacles, or write a sermon from the preacher's mouth, or use notes in the pulpit, or print, &c., and then I will give him proof of this in the meantime if this do not satisfy him, he shall have liberty to disuse it.

PROP. 18. Those that were never thus ministerially and explicitly approved, confirmed or absolved (after an ungodly life,) but have been permitted without it to join ordinarily with the Church in Prayer and Praises, and have been admitted to the Communion of the Church, in the Lord's-supper, are approved and confirmed, eminently though not formally; though in so

a To recite more after all those of Blondel, is but to do a needless work. There is enough to satisfy all that are moderate for popular interest.

doing, both the Pastors and themselves did sin against God, by the Violation of his holy Order. So that such may be a true Church, though much corrupted or disordered.

THIS I add for two reasons: 1. To confute them that say our churches are no true churches, for want of an explicit profession: 2. And to acquaint you who it is among us, that are, or are not to be called to confirmation.

1. It is not the degree of clearness and openness in our profession, or in the ministerial approbation or admission, that is essential to a church-member. An obscure profession may be truly a profession. Some obscure profession, hath been ordinarily made by our people in this land heretofore, by their ordinary hearing the word, and standing up at the recital of the creed; and joining with the church in prayer and praise, and confessing the Scriptures to be the word of God, and acknowledging the ministry: and a further profession they made, by actual receiving the Lord's-supper, which is a silent profession of their faith in Christ. And though they were not solemnly approved and confirmed, (except that one of many, had a ceremonious confirmation from the bishop in their childhood,) yet were they actually admitted to daily communion with the church, and the special part of communion in the Lord's-supper. And though this profession and admission was lamentably defective, (of which more anon,) yet it is such as may prove our ordinary assemblies to have been true churches.

2. And I do not think it fit, that any that have been already admitted to church-communion in the Lord's-supper, should be now called out to confirmation, by imposition of hands; though where there is just cause to question their knowledge, faith, or lives, they may by the pastor be called to give an account of them and put upon a clearer profession than they have yet made: but surely when they have been admitted, to the Lord's-supper, by any regular ministry and church, they are to be taken for adult-members, till they are justly cast out, or do cast out themselves. For the more perfect doth include the less perfect in it. If a man be ordained a presbyter, that was never ordained deacon, he is not to be called back again and made a deacon. If you make a man free of your trade, before he was ever bound apprentice, you cannot call him back again, and

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bind him apprentice after this. If the University give a man the degree of Doctor of Divinity, or Master of Arts, that never took degree of Bachelor of Divinity, or of Arts, they cannot afterwards call him back to take his Bachelor's degree. If you have irregularly admitted the untried, unapproved, unconfirmed to the Lord's-supper, you have eminenter' though not 'formaliter' confirmed and approved him though irregularly. Of this more anon.

PROP. 19. So exceeding great and many are the Mischiefs that have befallen us, by the neglect of a solemn, meet Transition from an Infant, into the Adult Church-state, and which undoubtedly will continue, till this be remedied, that all Magistrates, Ministers, and People, that dissemble not, in professing themselves to be Christians, should with speed and diligence attempt the Cure.

LET us here take a view of the case of our nation, and congregation, and then consider the effects and consequents.

All the people of our parishes, except Anabaptists, do bring their children to be baptized; which, if it were faithfully done, were a happy means of an early engagement unto Christ, and a happy entrance upon further mercy. Multitudes of those know not what baptism is, nor to what use and end it is appointed, nor what benefit their children may receive by it. I speak upon too sure and large experience; nor do they know what Christianity is, nor who Jesus Christ is, nor what it is they are to do in baptism; but there they make a promise customarily, as they are bid, in words not understood, that they will acquaint their children at age with the covenant there made, which they never understood themselves, and that they will educate them in godliness, when they hate godliness at the heart. And when they come home, they perform their promise accordingly: they teach them nothing of the doctrine of Christianity, and the life to come, but they give them up to the flesh and the world, there in words they did renounce; and they teach them by their daily examples to curse, and swear, and rail, and to be proud and covetous, and voluptuous, serving their bellies instead of God; and hatefully reproaching a godly life, instead of teaching it their children. These children are customarily brought to the assemblies, where they hear the plainest teaching, without understanding, or regarding

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