N00045:203
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 and their seed after them, in their generations: cleared up in a letter, sent unto a worthy friend of the author, and many years ago written touching that subject; / by Thomas Shepard, sometimes Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridge in New-England. ; Published at the earnest request of many: for the consolidation and encouragement [sic], both of parents and children in the Lord. ; [Twelve lines of Scripture texts]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 and their seed after them, in their generations: cleared up in a letter, sent unto a worthy friend of the author, and many yeares agoe written touching that subject; / by Thomas Shepard, sometimes Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridg in New-England. ; Published at the earnest request of many: for the consolidation and encouragemenr [sic], both of parents and children in the Lord. ; [Twelve lines of Scripture texts]
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.
1. That Children of Godly Parents come to the fruition of their Membership by their Parents Covenant, but that which give's them their right, and interest in this Membership is Gods Covenant, whereby he engageth himself equally to be a God to them, and to their Seed. This I suppose is clear.
1. That Children of Godly Parents come to the fruition of their Membership by their Parents Covenant, but that which give's them their right, and interest in this Membership is Gods Covenant, whereby he engageth himselfe equally to be a God to them, and to their Seed. This I suppose is clear.
2. That according to the double Seed, viz. 1. Elect Seed. 2. Church-Seed; So there is a double Covenant, 1. External and outward: 2. Internal and inward. And because the Covenant makes the Church, hence there is an inward, and outward Membership, and Church estate: there is an outward Jew, & an inward Jew, Rom. 2. 28, 29. All are not Israel (i. e. the elect Seed) that are of Israel (i. e. the Church-Seed or in outward Covenant) to whom the Apostle saith belong's the Adoption, the Covenants, and the promises, that is, the external Adoption whereby God account's them his Children, or the Children of his house, an family, the Children of the Church; and accordingly have the promises belonging to them in respect of outward dispensation although they be not Children by internal Adoption, to whom belongs the promises by effectual and special communication of saving Grace: It is clearer then the day, that many who are inwardly, or in respect of inward Covenant, the Children ⟨p. 2⟩of the Devil, are outwardly, or in respect of outward Covenant, the Children of God, Isay. 1. 2. I have brought up Children, and yet Rebellious; and in the next verse they are called [my People] (i. e. by outward Covenant) and yet worse then the Ox, or Ass: