2. If the corruption of a church, as to the matter of it, be such as that, —
(1.) It is inconsistent with and overthroweth all that communion that ought to be among the members of the same church, in love without dissimulation (whereof we shall treat afterward) ;
(2.) If the scandals and offences which must of necessity abound in such churches be really obstructive of edification ;
(3.) If the luays and walking of the generality of their members be dishonourable unto the gospel and the profession of it, giving no representation of the holiness of Christ or his doctrine ;
22 TEUE NATURE OF A GOSPEL CHURCH.
(4.) If such churches do not, can not, will not reform themselves: then, —
It is the duty of every man who takes care of his own present edi- fication and the future salvation of his soul 2^^<^ceahly to luithdraw from the communion of such churches, and to join in such others where all the ends of church-societies may in some measure be ob- tained. Men may not only do so, because all obligation unto the use of means for the attaining of such an end doth cease when the means are not suited thereunto, but obstructive of its attainment, but also because the giving of a testimony hereby against the declension from the rule of Christ in the institution of churches, and the dishonour that by this means is inflicted on the gospel, is necessary unto all that desire to acquit themselves as loyal subjects unto their Lord and King. And it cannot be questioned, by any who understand the nature, use, and end of evangelical churches, but that a relinquish- ment of the rule of the gospel in any of them, as unto the practice of holiness, is as just a cause of withdrawing commrmion from them as their forsaking the same rule in doctrine and worship.
It may be some will judge that sundry inconveniencies will ensue on this assertion, when any have a mind to practise according unto it ; but when the matter of fact supposed is such as is capable of an uncontrollable evidence, no inconvenience can ensue on the practice directed unto, any way to be compared unto the mischief of obliging believers to abide always in such societies, to the ruin of their souls.
Two things may be yet inquired into, that relate unto this part of the state of evangelical churches ; as, —
1. Whether a church may not, ought not, to take under its con- duct, inspection, and rule, such as are not yet meet to be received into full communion, such as are the children and servants of those who are complete members of the church? Ans. No doubt the church, in its officers, may and ought so to do, and it is a great evil when it is neglected. For, — (1.) They are to take care oi parents and mas- ters as such, and as unto the discharge of their duty in their families ; which without an inspection into the condition of their children and servants, they cannot do. (2.) Households were constantly reckoned unto the church when the heads of the families were entered into covenant, Luke xix. 9 ; Acts xvi. 15; Eom. xvi. 10, 11 ; 1 Cor. i. 16; 2 Tim. iv. 19. (3.) Children do belong unto and have an interest in their parents covenant; not only in the promise of it, which gives them right unto baptism, but in the profession of it in the church covenant, which gives them a right unto all the privileges of the church whereof they are capable, until they voluntarily relinquish their claim unto them. (4.) Baptizing the children of church mem- bers, giving them thereby an admission into the visible catholic church, puts an obligation on the officers of the church to take care,
THE SUBJECT-MATTER OF THE CHUECH. 23
what in them lieth, that they maybe kept and preserved meet mem- bers of it, by a due watch over them and instruction of them. (5.) Though neither the church nor its privileges be continued and pre- served, as of old, by carnal generation, yet, because of the nature of the dispensation of God's covenant, wherein he hath promised to be a God unto believers and their seed, the advantage of the means of a gracious education in such families, and of conversion and edifi- cation in the ministry of the church, ordinarily the continuation of the church is to depend on the addition of members out of the families already incorporated in it. The church is not to be like the kingdom of the Mamalukes, wherein there was no regard unto natu- ral successors, but it was continually made up of strangers and foreigners incorporated into it; nor like the beginning of the Roman commonwealth, which, consisting of men only, was like to have been the matter of one age alone.
The duty of the church towards this sort of persons consists, — (1.) In prayer for them ; (2.) Catechetical instruction of them, ac- cording unto their capacities; (3.) Advice to their parents concern- ing them; (4.) Visiting of them in the families whereunto they do belong; (5.) Encouragement of them, or admonition, according as there is occasion; (6.) Direction [of them] for a due preparation unto the joining themselves unto the church in full communion; (7.) Exclusion of them from a claim unto the participation of the especial privileges of the church, where they render themselves visibly unmeet for them and unworthy of them.