Question 49 — What is the duty of the elders of the church towards persons desiring to be admitted unto the fellowship of the church?

Answer — [1] To discern and judge by the rule of truth, applied in love, between sincere professors and hypocritical pretenders;

[2] to influence, direct, comfort, and encourage in the way, such as they judge to love the Lord Jesus in sincerity;

[3] to propose and recommend them unto the whole church, with prayers and supplications to God for them;

[4] to admit them, being approved, into the order and fellowship of the gospel in the church.

[1] Acts 8:20,23; Tit. 1:10; Rev. 2:2; Jer. 15:19. [2] Acts 18:26; 1 Thess. 2:7,8,11. [3] Acts 9:27,28. [4] Rom. 14:1.

The Life and Works of John Owen Vol.15