4. He therefore that will intrude into their communion and privileges without expressing his consent beforehand to be a member, and to submit to the pastoral oversight, is to be taken for an invader.
5. But no other personal qualification is to be exacted of him as necessary, but that he be a member of the church universal. As he is not to be baptized again, so neither to give again all that account of his faith and repentance particularly which he gave at baptism; much less any higher proofs of his sincerity; but if he continue in the covenant and church state which he was baptized into, he is capable thereby of reception into any particular church upon particular consent. Nor is there any Scripture proof of any new examinations about their conversion or sincerity, at their removals or entrance into a particular church.
6. But yet because he is not now looked on only as a covenant maker, as he was at baptism, but also as a covenant keeper or performer, therefore if any can prove that he is false to his baptismal covenant, by apostasy, heresy, or a wicked life, he is to be refused till he be absolved upon his renewed repentance.
7. He that oft professeth to repent, and by oft revolting into mortal sin, (that is, sin which showeth a state of death,) doth show that he was not sincere, must afterward show his repentance by actual amendment, before he can say, it is his due to be believed.
8. Whether you will call this consent to particular church relation and duty, by the name of a covenant or not, is but _lis de nomine_: it is more than mutual consent that is necessary to be expressed; and mutual consent expressed may be called a covenant.
9. _Ad melius esse_, the more express the consent or covenant is, the better: for in so great matters men should know what they do, and deal above-board: especially when experience telleth us, that ignorance and imagery is ready to eat out the heart of religion in almost all the churches in the world. But yet _ad esse_ churches must see that they feign or make no more covenants necessary than God hath made; because human, unnecessary inventions have so long distracted and laid waste the churches of Christ.
10. The pastor's consent must concur with the persons to be received: for it must be mutual consent; and as none can be a member, so none may be a pastor, against his will.[250] And though he be under Christ's laws what persons to receive, and is not arbitrary to do what he list, yet he is the guide of the church, and the discerner of his own duty. And a pastor may have reasons to refuse to take a man into his particular charge, without rejecting him as unworthy. Perhaps he may already have more in number than he can well take care of. And other such reasons may fall out.
11. In those countries where the magistrate's laws and common consent, do take every qualified person for a member of that church where his habitation is, (called a parish,) and to which he ordinarily resorteth, the pastor that undertaketh that charge, doth thereby seem to consent to be pastor to all such persons in that parish. And there cohabitation and ordinary conjunction with the church, may go for a signification of consent, and instead of more particular contract or covenant, by virtue of the exposition of the said laws and customs. Yet so, that a man is not therefore to be taken for a member of the church merely because he liveth in the parish; for so atheists, infidels, heretics, and papists may do; but because he is, 1. A parishioner, 2. Qualified, 3. Joining with the church, and actually submitting to the ministry.
12. Where there is this much only, it is a sinful slander to say that such a parish is no true church of Christ; however there may be many desirable orders wanting to its better being. Who hath the power of trying and receiving we shall show anon.
[250] Matt. xxviii. 19, 20; Heb. xiii. 7, 17; 1 Thess. v. 12, 13; 1 Tim. v. 17.
Quest. XVII. _Wherein doth the ministerial office essentially consist?_