Blessed unions. An union with the son of God by faith. And, an union…

Once more; There has been a Controversy, What is the Watch which our Churches owe to the Adult Children; that were in their Infancy Baptised among us? Or, indeed, whether any at all? Some do conceive, That the Church Membership which any have in their Infancy does not •ease when they come to ⟨p. 66⟩of Discretion, until Censurable Evils are found upon them; and that therefore the Churches are so to watch over them, as to use the Process prescribed in the Eighteenth Chapter of Matthew upon them, when they fall into Scandals▪ Others cannot be of that persuasion, but judge that the Church-Membership of Infancy is not Personal and Immediate, and that it so vanishes when they come to the Age of acting for themselves, as to dismiss them from any proper Watch of the Churches about them. How shall these two parties now come together? Perhaps hardly enough; Nevertheless, Let it be Considered▪ Whether some cannot come to do that as a point of pure Morality, which others choose to do as a point of Institution. If one that feeds and sleeps in my Family do commit any gross Iniquity, I would Admonish him for it, in the hearing of those that have heard of his Offence; and if he don't Reform, I would openly fix upon him the Character of, One that walks Disorderly. This would I do, as a a piece of Righteous Charity, although there were never ⟨p. 67⟩a Text in Matthew, or although there were nothing after the Fourth of Genesis, to warrant this proceeding. Why then may not Churches count the Common Law of Reproving, to be Warrant enough, in thus dealing with such as have been Baptised in their Bosoms, although the Statute-Law of Discipline should be silent in it? Another thing• that may be Considered is, Whether both sides might not agree in Reviving the Ancient Ordinance of CONFIRMATION; I mean, For the Elders of the Churches to send for, their Children as they come to Mens and Women's Estate, and Examine them strictly about their Conversion to God, and their Inclinations to Renew and Observe their Baptismal Covenant. Upon this Examination, They that are found Fit for it, may be Regularly Confirmed in Church-privileges. They that are not so, may with suitable Instructions and Awakenings, be Detained, for a while from some special Ordinances. Both sides can do This, and if this were well done, it would go far towards the Removing