A41329:100
The plea of the children of believing-parents for their interest in Abraham's covenant, their…
The plea of the children of believing-parents for their interest in Abraham's covenant, their right to church-member-ship with their parents, and consequently their title to baptism. The cause of publishing this discourse after so many learned men have laboured in this province, is declared in the preface to the reader. By Giles Firmin.
London: printed for Tho. Simons, 1683
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
One man I knew (though I had no inward acquaintance with him) about fifty years since, a Mechanic, and Head of a separate Company in those days; he had none but his Mother-tongue, but a very good head in Polemical Divinity. This Doctrine of Anti-paedobaptism then being propounded to him, he rejected, though he had other Arguments against it, yet I took notice of this: I observe (saith he) ever since God had a people upon the earth, he made a ⟨p. 32⟩difference between the families of his servants, and of wicked men, even before the flood, Gen. 6.2. There is not only truth, but strength in it, what-ever the Anabaptists scribble against it.
One man I knew (though I had no inward acquaintance with him) about fifty years since, a Mechanick, and Head of a separate Company in those days; he had none but his Mother-tongue, but a very good head in Polemical Divinity. This Doctrine of Anti-paedobaptism then being propounded to him, he rejected, though he had other Arguments against it, yet I took notice of this: I observe (saith he) ever since God had a people upon the earth, he made a ⟨p. 32⟩difference between the families of his servants, and of wicked men, even before the flood, Gen. 6.2. There is not only truth, but strength in it, what-ever the Anabaptists scribble against it.
Two Texts especially my Author pitch upon, because he thinks we build much upon them; Gen. 17.7. & 1 Cor. 7.14. and so we do: these he labours to take from us. That the children of the Jews were Church-members with their Parents, the Anabaptists acknowledge: Then they were made so, by this Covenant of God with Abraham and with his Seed, and the Commandment to Circumcise them; here then we must begin.