Coral∣lary. 4 Then the Children of the Church, notwithstanding their membership, which they had, during their minority, by their Parents covenant; yet they must, when they are grown up, join themselves to the Church by their voluntary taking hold of the Covenant publicly with the Church, in their own personal right, before they may be admitted to exercise all acts of Church-communion, and to partake of all Church-privileges for themselves, and before their Children may be Baptized. 1. I say, before they may be admitted to exercise all acts of Church-communion, and to partake of all Church-privileges, for themselves.] For, in their minority, they were Members in their Parents, and were Baptized, to seal the Covenant made with them in their Parents, or, with the Parents, for themselves and their children. But when they come to years, they must take hold of the Covenant with the Church, for themselves, because now they are capable of Church-privileges, in that way which they were not before. If any oppose against this, that Church-membership non recipit magis et minus; that argueth only, that one of the confederates is ⟨p. 46⟩no more engaged to the other, than the other to him: But otherwise, in Confederacies, some are allowed greater liberties than others be, according to the diversity of the subjects, and their capacities. So it is in Civil Societies and Corporations; the Child of the free-man of London, hath all the benefit of a free-mans Child, under age; he may trade for himself with and under his Father, in his Fathers right: But being of years, he may not set up shop, nor trade in his own right, till he first take up his freedom, and, by oath, voluntarily submit himself to all the orders of that Society, and duty of a Citizen. Some think, that the Children of Confederates are so complete members, that they should be excommunicated, in case of demerit. I cannot easily assent thereunto: for that would imply, that they have an immediate right in all Church-privileges, which I do not grant, nor believe; but that, as the Church looks upon them tanquam in lumbis parentum; so also, if the grown Members of the Church observe vicious qualities and practises in them, they do not deal with them immediately in those steps of proceeding, required in Mat. 18.
Coral∣lary. 4 Then the Children of the Church, notwithstanding their membership, which they had, during their menority, by their Parents covenant; yet they must, when they are grown up, joyn themselves to the Church by their voluntary taking hold of the Covenant publickly with the Church, in their own personal right, before they may be admitted to exercise all acts of Church-communion, and to partake of all Church-priviledges for themselves, and before their Children may be Baptized. 1. I say, before they may be admitted to exercise all acts of Church-communion, and to partake of all Church-priviledges, for themselves.] For, in their minority, they were Members in their Parents, and were Baptized, to seal the Covenant made with them in their Parents, or, with the Parents, for themselves and their children. But when they come to years, they must take hold of the Covenant with the Church, for themselves, because now they are capable of Church-priviledges, in that way which they were not before. If any oppose against this, that Church-membership non recipit magis et minus; that argueth only, that one of the confederates is ⟨p. 46⟩no more engaged to the other, than the other to him: But otherwise, in Confederacies, some are allowed greater liberties than others be, according to the diversity of the subjects, and their capacities. So it is in Civil Societies and Corporations; the Child of the free-man of London, hath all the benefit of a free-mans Child, under age; he may trade for himself with and under his Father, in his Fathers right: But being of years, he may not set up shop, nor trade in his own right, till he first take up his freedom, and, by oath, voluntarily submit himself to all the orders of that Society, and duty of a Citizen. Some think, that the Children of Confederates are so compleat members, that they should be excommunicated, in case of demerit. I cannot easily assent thereunto: for that would imply, that they have an immediate right in all Church-priviledges, which I do not grant, nor believe; but that, as the Church looks upon them tanquam in lumbis parentum; so also, if the grown Members of the Church observe vicious qualities and practises in them, they do not deal with them immediately in those steps of proceeding, required in Mat. 18.
