9. He that being baptized in infancy, doth no way at full age own his baptismal covenant, is to be taken for an apostate: 1. Because his infant title ceaseth. 2. And he notoriously violateth his covenant. 3. Because he can be no adult christian that no way owneth Christ.
10. But this is to be understood of those that have opportunity; for one in a wilderness among heathens only, cannot join in public worship, nor give testimony of his christianity to the church.
11. Though the sacrament of the Lord's supper be appointed for the renewing of our covenant at age, yet is it not the first owning of the covenant, by the aged: for that sacrament belongeth neither to infants nor infidels; and he that claimeth it, must be an adult church member or christian; which those are not, who at full age no way ever owned their baptismal covenant, nor made any personal profession of christianity.
But of this I have written purposely in a "Treatise of Confirmation" long ago.
[302] See the proofs of all in my "Treatise of Confirmation."
Quest. LII. _Whether the universal church consist only of particular churches and their members?_
_Answ._ No: particular churches are the most regular parts of the universal church, but not the whole; no more than cities and corporations be all the kingdom. 1. Some may be, as the eunuch, baptized before they can come to any particular church; or as Paul, before they can be received.[303]
2. Some may live where church tyranny hindereth them, by sinful impositions; as all that live among the papists.
3. Some may live in times of doubting, distraction, and confusion, and not know what church ordinarily to join with, and may providently go promiscuously to many, and keep in an unfixed state for a time.
4. Some may be wives, children, or servants, who may be violently hindered.
5. Some may live where no particular churches are; as merchants and ambassadors among Mahometans and heathens.
[303] Acts viii. 37, &c.; ix. 17-20, 26-28.
Quest. LIII. _Must the pastor first call the church, and aggregate them to himself, or the church first congregate themselves, and then choose the pastor?_
_Answ._ 1. The pastors are in order of nature, if not in time, first ministers of Christ in general, before they are related to a particular charge.
2. As such ministers, they first make men fit to be congregate, and tell them their duty therein.
3. But it is a matter variable and indifferent, whether the minister first say, All that will join with me, and submit to me as their pastor, shall be my particular charge; or the people before congregated do call a man to be their pastor.
Quest. LIV. _Wherein doth a particular church of Christ's institution differ from a consociation of many churches?_
_Answ._ 1. In that such particular church is a company of christians associated for personal immediate communion in God's worship and in holy living; whereas consociations of churches are combined for mediate distinct communion, or by delegates, or representatives (as in synods).[304]
2. Such a particular church is constituted of one or more pastors with the people, officiating in the sacred ministry among them, in doctrine, worship, and discipline, in order to the said personal communion. But a consociation of churches hath no particular head as such, of divine institution, to constitute and govern them as one. In Ignatius's time every particular church was characterized or known by two marks of unity: 1. One altar (that is, one place of assembling for holy communion). 2. One bishop with the presbyters and deacons: and two altars and two bishops proved two churches.
3. A particular church under one bishop or the same pastors, is a political, holy society; but a combination of many churches consociate, is not so, but only, 1. Either a community agreeing to live in concord, as neighbour kingdoms may. 2. Or else a human policy or society, and not of divine immediate institution. So that if this consociation of churches be called a church, it must be either equivocally or in a human sense.
[304] Acts ii. 1, 24, 44, 46; iv. 32; v. 12; 1 Thess. v. 12, 13; 1 Cor. xiv. 19, 23, 24, 28, 35; Acts xiv. 23; Titus i. 5; Acts xi. 26; James ii. 2.
Quest. LV. _Whether a particular church may consist of more assemblies than one? or must needs meet all in one place?_
_Answ._ 1. The true distinguishing note of a particular church is, that they be associated for holy communion in worship and holy living, not by delegates, nor distantly only, by owning the same faith, and loving one another, as we may do with those at the antipodes; but personally in presence.
2. Therefore they must necessarily be so near, as to be capable of personal, present communion.[305]
3. And it is most convenient that they be no more than can ordinarily meet in the same assembly, at least for sacramental communion.