N00045:275
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.
And although many do not believe, and will not be turned, yet this Covenant is an high privilege, and great favour, fit in it self, to draw to God, though many believe not▪ and hence the Apostle saith, that the privilege of the Jew is great, in having God's Oracles (which contain God's Covenant) committed to them, though some believe not, which unbelief make's not (he saith) the faith of God, i. e. God's promise or Covenant of none effect, or an uneffectual, and fruitless Covenant: for this word of God's Covenant shall take some effect among some such as are in it; which therefore is a privilege, though many perish, as is evident, Rom. 9. 4, 6. 4. 'Tis a special means of binding them fast to God, when they are turned: Jer. 13. 11. as the girdle […] unto a man, so have I caused the whole house of Israel; to cleave unto me, that they may be for a name, and glory, Deut. 30. 20. thou shalt cleave unto him, because he is thy life, and the length of thy days: he was not their life spiritually, ⟨p. 25⟩and savingly, (for many thus exhorted, […] dead, and in their sins) but federally, or in outward Covenant. 5. If they shall forsake, and break loose from God, and from t•e bond of his Covenant, and have (as much as in them lies) cast themselves out of Covenant, by their own perfidiousness, & breach of Covenant, that one would think now there is no more hope; yet it is a special means, to encourage their hearts to return again: even when they seem to be utterly cast off, and therefore it's said Jer. 3 1. though thou hast committed whoredom with many •overs (whereby the covenant was broken) yet return unto me: so Deut. 4. If when you are scattered among the nations, and shall serve wood & stone, and be in great tribulation, if from thence thou seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, he wi•• not forsake thee; and what is the reason of it? viz. his remembrance of the Covenant with their fathers, for so 'tis