N00045:210
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.
thou art externally sanctified, and set apart by special means of holiness, to be a special people unto God. And therefore Isay 5. 7. the men of Judah are called Gods pleasant plant: i. e. planted into the root and fatness of the Church, and therefore had all means used for their further special good, verse 4. What could be done to my vineyard, that hath not been done? And hence it is, that though the word may come to heathens as well as Church-members, yet it comes not to them by way of Covenant, as it doth to Church-members; nor have they any promise of mercy aforehand, as Church-members have; nor is it chiefly belonging to such, but unto the children of the Covenant & the promise, as hath been said. And hence also it follow's that God never cut's off the seed of his Servants from the special benefits of the Covenant, until they have had the means thereunto, and they have positively rejected those means: and hence the Jews (who are made the Pattern of what God will do toward all Gentile-churches, Rom. II.) were never cast off till by positive unbelief they provoked the Lord to break them off, by rejecting and refusing the means of their eternal peace
thou art externally sanctified, and set apart by special meanes of holiness, to be a special people unto God. And therefore Isay 5. 7. the men of Judah are called Gods pleasant plant: i. e. planted into the root and fatness of the Church, and therefore had all meanes used for their further special good, verse 4. What could bee done to my vineyard, that hath not been done? And hence it is, that though the word may come to heathens as well as Church-members, yet it comes not to them by way of Covenant, as it doth to Church-members; nor have they any promise of mercy aforehand, as Church-members have; nor is it chiefly belonging to such, but unto the children of the Covenant & the promise, as hath been said. And hence also it follow's that God never cutt's off the seed of his Servants from the special benefits of the Covenant, untill they have had the meanes thereunto, and they have positively rejected those meanes: and hence the Jewes (who are made the Pattern of what God will do toward all Gentile-churches, Rom. II.) were never cast off till by positive unbelief they provoked the Lord to break them off, by rejecting and refusing the meanes of their eternal peace