N00045:211
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.
3. The Lord promiseth, that the seed of his people (indefinitely considered) shall have this heart ( viz: which would refuse special grace, and mercy) taken away, as well as means used for that end: this is evident ⟨p. 5⟩from Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God r•ill Circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord: he will cut off the uncircumcision, and sin, and resistance of the heart against God; he will take away the stony heart: not indeed from all, in outward Covenant particularly; but from these indefinitely; so that there is no promise to do this for any out of the visible Church, (though God of his Sovereignty, and free mercy sometimes doth so) but the pr•mise of this belongs indefinitely to those of his Church, among whom usually, and ordinarily he work's this great work, leaving him to his own freeness of secret mercy, to work thus on whom he will, and when he will: in the mean while no man can exclude himself, or any others within this Covenant from hope of this mercy, and grace, but may with comfort look and pray for it; for this is Gods Covenant that the Redeemer shall come out of S•on, and turn away ungodliness from Jacob, Rom. 11. 26, 27. for the Covenant of God doth not only run thus; If thou believe and receive grace thou shalt have it; but thus also, I will Circumcise your heart, I will take away the stony heart, I will turn away ungodliness from you, I will enable to believe: And hence these three things follow from these things thus opened.
3. The Lord promiseth, that the seed of his people (indefinitely considered) shall have this heart ( viz: which would refuse special grace, and mercy) taken away, as well as meanes used for that end: this is evident ⟨p. 5⟩from Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God r•ill Circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord: he will cut off the uncircumcision, and sin, and resistance of the heart against God; he will take away the stony heart: not indeed from all, in outward Covenant particularly; but from these indefinitely; so that there is no promise to do this for any out of the visible Church, (though God of his Soveraignty, and free mercy somtimes doth so) but the prmise of this belongs indefinitely to those of his Church, among whom usually, and ordinarily he worke's this great work, leaving him to his own freeness of secret mercy, to work thus on whom he will, and when he will: in the mean while no man can exclude himself, or any others within this Covenant from hope of this mercy, and grace, but may with comfort look and pray for it; for this is Gods Covenant that the Redeemer shall come out of Son, and turn away ungodlyness from Jacob,