N00045:278
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.
Quest. 2. You say▪ when families were Churches, all of the family were of he Church, and when a Nation was a Church, all that were of that nation were of that Church; But now Believers being matter of the Church, what of […] were admitted, till they can hold forth visible faith, would not many of […] things be more clear?
Quest. 2. You say▪ when families were Churches, all of the family were of he Church, and when a Nation was a Church, all that were of that nation were of that Church; But now Believers being matter of the Church, what of 〈…〉 were admitted, till they can hold forth visible faith, would not many of 〈…〉 things be more clear?
Answ. In these words there is a threefold mistake.
That all of the family & nation in former times, were of the Church: ⟨p. 26⟩this is false, for God never took any […] his Church, but as they were Believers, at le•• […], in that Nation; I say Believers: which either are practised believers: or promised believers; such as by outward Covenant shall have the means to be made believers in […]; and hence you have heard, that the Nation of the Jews […] by Faith, and were broken […] by unbelief, and if any rejected the Covenant: as […] and […], they were […] of that Church, though they did, and might dwell in […] nation, as […].
That all of the family & nation in former times, were of the Church: ⟨p. 26⟩