The first principles of New-England concerning the subject of baptism & communion of churchesThe first principles of New-England concerning the subject of baptisme & communion of churches

To our Reverend and Beloved Brethren the Elders with the rest of the Church of Dorchester. Grace and peace. from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour. The Case of Conscience which you propounded to our Consideration, [to wit, whether a Grand Father being a member of a Christian Church, might claim Baptism to his Grand-Child, whose next Parents be not received into Church Covenant] ha's been deliberately treated of in our Church Assembled together publicly in the name of Christ. And upon due and serious discourse about the point, it seemed good unto us all with one accord, and agreeable (as we believe) to the word of the Lord, that the Grand-Father may lawfully claim that privilege to his Grand-child baptized by right of the Grand-fathers Covenant, be Committed to the Grand fathers education; for as God in the Covenant of Grace undertaketh to be a God, unto the Believer and his seed, so by the Rule of Relatives, the Tenor of the Covenant requireth that the Believer, do undertake that himself and his Seed do give up themselves to become the people of the Lord, which he cannot undertake, in behalf of his Seed, unless they be committed to his education. 2. This other Caution also we conceive to be requisite, that the Parents of the Child, do ⟨p. 3⟩not thereby take occasion to neglect the due and seasonable preparation of themselves for entrance into Covenant with God and his Church: these Cautions premised and observed, the Baptism of the Grand-child by right of his Grand-fathers Covenant, we believe to be warranted from the nature and tenor of the Covenant of Grace by this Reason, where there is a Stipulation of the Covenant on Gods part, and restipulation of the Covenant on mans part, there may be an obsignation of the Covenant on both parts, or in plainer words, where there is an offer of the Covenant on Gods part, and a receiving and undertaking of the Covenant on mans part, there may be a sealing of it on both parts? But here is an offer of the Covenant on Gods part, Gen. 17.7. where God says, that he will be a God to Abraham, that is, to the Believer and his Seed, and by Seed is not there meant the next Seed only, but Seeds Seed also to many Generations, Isai. 59.21.

To our Reverend and Beloved Brethren the Elders with the rest of the Church of Dorchester. Grace and peace. from God our Father and from the Lord Iesus Christ our Saviour. The Case of Conscience which you propounded to our Consideration, [to wit, whether a Grand Father being a member of a Christian Church, might claim Baptism to his Grand-Child, whose next Parents be not received into Church Covenant] ha's been deliberately treated of in our Church Assembled together publickly in the name of Christ. And upon due and serious discourse about the point, it seemed good unto us all with one accord, and agreeable (as we believe) to the word of the Lord, that the Grand-Father may lawfully claim that priviledge to his Grand-child baptized by right of the Grand-fathers Covenant, be Committed to the Grand fathers education; for as God in the Covenant of Grace undertaketh to be a God, unto the Believer and his seed, so by the Rule of Relatives, the Tenour of the Covenant requireth that the Believer, do undertake that himself and his Seed do give up themselves to become the people of the Lord, which he cannot undertake, in behalf of his Seed, unless they be committed to his education. 2. This other Caution also we conceive to be requisite, that the Parents of the Child, do