QVESTION tI. ttl church. A person of a true christian temper would not willingly admit a new member nor be admitted, to the real offence and grief of any persons that were therebefore. I say, in the next place, H. That ifthis method ofpeace cannot obtain, but admis- sion of the persons still pressed and pursued, it is the duty of the minister to endeavour, by all proper arguments, to convince and persuade the people, and lead them to practise what he esteems the mind ofChrist in this case; and with much gentleness to instruct them that oppose themselves; 2 Tim. ii. 21. If this will not do, then he should lay the laws of Christ before the people, with great and awful solemnity, and acquaint them with the terms of communion whichChrist has appointed, according to his own best understanding of the gospel : Ile may charge them, in thename of Christ, to receive or exclude such persons only whom Christ appoints to be received or excluded ; and that as theywill answer it at the bar of Christ. But if the peo- ple persist in their own judgmentstill, in opposition to the minis- ter, they must be left to answer it to Christ their Judge ; for Christ has left no infallible vicegerent here on earth, to govern his churches contrary to their own sense and interpretation of his written word. It may be proper on such an occasion, that some friendly methods of private conference should be tried, and the recon- ciling assistance of other prudent ministers and christians desired. But if these attempts prove vain and ineffectual, and the differ- ence still remains, there is no power on earth, that I know, which can authoritatively determine any minister to give the sacred ordinances of Christ contrary to his conscience; noncan any power on earth command and constrain a christian church to receive a person to their communion, whom they in their con- sciences judge unworthy of it ; therefore rather than dwell together in endless contentions, the minister must peacefully re- sign his office in that church. And the same rule must be followed in many other cases, wherein a minister and people resolve to disagree, besides in this point of admission to their communion, or exclusion from it. For it is better that the ministershould leave himself to the pro- vidence of God for further service, than that achurch of Christ should be rent in pieces by a minister's resolved continuance among them, and making parties and wars inso sacred a society. There is nothing perfect in human affairs on earth, where know- ledge and grace are so imperfect.. We must not expect com- plete purity and peace, till we arrive at the blessed communion of the church in heaven : Yet I may venture to affirm, that things would scarce ever arise to this extreme height of dif- ference, if christian charity and love, humility and mutual
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