Chap. ri about Baptiftnè. I a 9 Quell. How are they not? Anfa.Fidl, in that they are cut offfrom the company. of Beleevers by the I. I fchtence ofexcommunication ; ndfohave no participationwiththere inpray- . , l er, Nearing' the Word, or receiving the Sacraments : and that becaufe the a- 1 &ion of the Church (lands in force , God ratifying that which his Church hash done. Secondly , becaufeby their finne theyhave (as much as in them lies ) and govern the. XI. deprived then-delves of the effectual power of Gods Spirit , which fhould rulthem. Quef(. How are they members ? Artily. Firfl, force are members, nor acluaily, and in prefent, but in theeter- 7. nal counrel ofGod, and fo ihall be in time, when they are called. Hence Gal.'. tN. Paulfaith, God had f parared him from the womb , and called him by hu grace. So Rom. 5. zo. when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by Chrif. Secondly; force are members onely in Phew, and appearance ; as hy- II. poirites. Thirdly, force are lively members which are united to Chrifl by faith, &c. III. Ran;. S. 1 . Fourthly, force are decayed members, who though they belong to Gods E- Iv. legion, and are truly iiv-aff:d into Chrifl, yet for . the prefent have not a lively fenfe thereof : like a member in the body that bath the dead palfae: fuch arc exco.nmunicaeed perfons : For in regard of their ingraffine , they are true members , and cannot be quite cut off from the body of Chrifl,' fohn io. z8. Yet they are not holden fo to be in three re- fpegs. a. In regard ofmen, becaufe they are excluded from communion with the faithful by the cenCure of the Church. 2. In regard ofGod, becaufe what the Church rightly binds on earth, he binds in heaven. 3. Ia regardof thernfelves , becaufe for a time they want the power and ef- ficacy of the Spirit, till by true repentance theyrecove- lifea ain. Now though in there refpe&s they be not elleemed members, yet in truth they arenot wholly cutoff from the fociety'of the faithful: For the feed of faith remains in them that knits them to Chria , though the fenfe thereof be loa, until they repent : Hence the anrwer to the queflion is, That the childrenof fuch perfons as are excommunicated , are to be bap- tized ; becaufe they are indeed, and in the judgement of charity true members of the bodyof Chrifl, though in Come regards they arcnot for the prefent e- fleemed fo tobe. Quef}. k4hat reafons may berendredfor this ? Anfw. Children of Parents that are profeffed members of the Church I. (though cut off for a time, for force offence ) hive right to Baptifme; Firfl,be- caufe it's not in mans power to cut them off froth Chrift , though they are ex- communicated. Seconly , the perfonal fin of the Parent may not keep the blelling from II. the childe ; and therefore it may not deprive him from partaking ofthe Or- dinance ofGod. Thirdly, difference muff be made between them which do not make III. feparation from the Church, and yet' are great cffenders, and openApoflates that joyn themfelveswith the enemies ofthe Church,to ehe ruine of the truthof the Gofpel. Fourthly , we muff put a difference between thofe that have given up Iv. their names toChrift, though fallen .gtievoufly, and Turks, and Iapelf Z chit
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