N00045:240
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.
Answ. It is very true; For 'tis herein just as 'tis in admitting professing believers, they may prove profane, and continue so in Churchmembership, until they are cast out; but is this therefore any ground to keep out those who are personally holy by their own profession? no verily, why then should such as are parentally, and federally holy be kept out from Church-Membership because they may prove profane me, and being profane must […] Church-Members till they be cast out.
Answ. It is very true; For 'tis herein just as 'tis in admitting professing believers, they may prove prophane, and continue so in Churchmembership, untill they are cast out; but is this therefore any ground to keep out those who are personally holy by their own profession? no verily, why then should such as are parentally, and federally holy be kept out from Church-Membership because they may prove prophone me, and being prophane must 〈…〉 Church-Members till they be cast out.
Reply 2 But then (you say) they must be Church-Members though their Parents themselves, and the whole Church be unwilling thereunto, ⟨p. 14⟩even as (say you) a man that marrieth a woman, her children must be his, and he be a Father to them, though he and she, and they should say be shall not be a father in law to them.
Answ. This similitude of marriage doth neither prove, nor illustrate the thing; For the relation between father and such children is absolute & natural, and hence continues though they say he shall not be their father, and though he profess he will not; but the relation founded upon Church-covenant, between member and member, is not natural, nor only, and alway absolute; but also conditional, which condition not being kept, the relation may be, and is usually broken; for look as the Jews were not so absolutely God's people, but if they did in time reject the Gospel, they were to be cast off, and indeed are so at this day,