N00045:229
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.
Argum. 4. Rom. 11. 17. The Jews are cut off from the fatness of the Olive tree, and the Gentiles put in, or ingraffea in their room: Now this Engrafting is not into Christ by saving faith, for it is impossible that such should ever be broken off, who are once in; it must therefore be meant of their engrafting into the external state of the visible Church, and the fatness and privileges thereof; of which Church Christ is the external and political head, into whom (in this respect) they are engrafted by external visible Faith and Covenant. Hence thus I reason; That if the Jews and their Children were engrafted members of the Church, then the Gentile Churches engrafted into the same state, and coming in their room, are, together with their Children, members of the Church: when the Jews hereafter shall be called, they shall be engrafted in as they were before; them and their seed, verse 23. In the mean while, the Apostle put's no difference between the present engrafting of the Gentiles now, and of theirs past, or to come, and therefore they, and their seed are engrafted Members now.
Argum. 4. Rom. 11. 17. The Jews are cut off from the fatness of the Olive tree, and the Gentiles put in, or ingraffea in their room: Now this Ingraffing is not into Christ by saving faith, for it is impossible that such should ever be broken off, who are once in; it must therefore be meant of their ingraffing into the external state of the visible Church, and the fatness and priviledges thereof; of which Church Christ is the external and political head, into whom (in this respect) they are ingraffed by external visible Faith and Covenant. Hence thus I reason; That if the Iews and their Children were ingraffed members of the Church, then the Gentile Churches ingraffed into the same state, and comming in their room, are, together with their Children, members of the Church: when the Jews hereafter shall be called, they shall be ingraffed in as they were before; them and their seed, verse 23. In the mean while, the Apostle put's no difference between the present ingraffing of the Gentiles now, and of theirs past, or to come, and therfore they, and their seed are ingraffed Members now.