of a vifzble church of Chrifl. 89, Body themfelves, yet they were unclean by touching him that did, (3.) There is relative Guilt contrafted by the Whole, in not exerting that Power Christ hath put into their Hands, either to reclaim or purge out loch as are guilty. Thof Immoralities will become the Evils of the Whole, though committed but by a Part, becaufe indulged by the Whole ; this Leaven will in this refpea Leaven the whole Lump. Fourthly, Churches had need beware that they do not receive Children into the Church, nor own them to be Members in an Infant State. i. Confider there are many who I hope fear the Lord, that are perfwaded, and do highly plead for it, that Chil- dren are Church - Members in an Infant State; this hath been a Bone of Contention among the People of God a great while, though thofe that maintain it are not yet agreed on the verdiét, nor who shall fpeak for them. Some look on all Children to be Church- Members, whole Parents do ver- bally own JefusChrift, though they give noTokensofaWork of Grace on their Hearts, but the contrary. Others will put by Baftards : And a third Sort look on thofeonly to be Church - Members, that are the Children ofone or both Pa- rents, who are in the Judgment of Charity true Believers. A fourth Sort look on thofe only to be Church - Members, whofe Parents one or both are Members of an Inftituted Church, that they and their Children are Members toge- ther ; and they are fo declared by the Independents and the Presbyterians, in the late uniting that was amongft them. Here are four Opinions, arid but one Truth, therefore three of them are miffaken ; and I doubt not but the fourth is miftaken alto, and that this one Truth is not to be found among these four Opinions. z. Some are hardly come to a Refolution, whether they are born Members, or whether they are made fo by Bap- tifm. Sometimes they biefs God when a Child is fprinkled, . that now there is another Member added to the Church; and fometimes they plead, that they are Church-Members, and therefore have a right to Baptifm. I fhall not now offer 411 that may be Paid again ít it, becaufe it might be a repetition of what bath been written already ; and there- fG.re I refer the Reader to the third Chapter, and only H 3 mention.
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