A59660:82
The church-membership of children, and their right to baptism according to that holy and…The church-membership of children, and their right to baptisme according to that holy and…
The church-membership of children, and their right to baptism according to that holy and everlasting covenant of God, established between Himself and the faithful ... cleared up in a letter, sent unto a worthy friend of the author ... / by Thomas Shepard ...The church-membership of children, and their right to baptisme according to that holy and everlasting covenant of God, established between Himself and the faithfull ... cleared up in a letter, sent unto a worthy friend of the author ... / by Thomas Shepard ...
Cambridge: printed by Samuel Green, 1663Cambridg: printed by Samuel Green, 1663
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Again if the posterity of Abraham were Members upon this ground only or chiefly, viz. because they were lineally descended of Abraham, then Esau, Ishmael, the Jews Rom. 11.20. could never have been cast off from being Members of the Church, because they were alway the natural off-spring & posterity of Abraham. Hence therefore it follow's that if they were engrafted in the Church as Believers (the Fathers as actually believing the Children as set apart by promise of God to be made to believe and in their Parents Faith accounted believers) then all believers at this day have the same privilege, and the Covenant then being made only in respect of Faith, must needs be Gospel Covenant, the same with God's Covenant at this day. And ⟨p. 9⟩hence also it follow's that if they were Members as Believers, then not as Members of that nation. They were not therefore members of the Church, because they were descended of Abraham, and were in a national Church, and were by generation Jews. Circumcision was a Seal of Righteousness by Faith, Rom. 4. 11. therefore they were sealed as believers.
Again if the posterity of Abraham were Members upon this ground only or chiefly, viz. because they were lineally descended of Abraham, then Esau, Ishmael, the Iewes Rom. 11.20. could never have been cast off from being Members of the Church, because they were alway the natural off-spring & posterity of Abraham. Hence therfore it follow's that if they were ingraffed in the Church as Believers (the Fathers as actually believing the Children as sett apart by promise of God to be made to believe and in their Parents Faith accounted believers) then all believers at this day have the same priviledg, and the Covenant then being made only in respect of Faith, must needs be Gospel Covenant, the same with God's Covenant at this day. And ⟨p. 9⟩hence also it follow's that if they were Members as Believers, then not as Members of that nation. They were not therefore members of the Church, because they were descended of Abraham, and were in a national Church, and were by generation Jews. Circumcision was a Seal of Righteousness by Faith,