N00497:92
Blessed unions. An union with the son of God by faith. And, an union…
Blessed unions. An union with the son of God by faith. And, an union in the church of God by love, importunately pressed; in a discourse which makes divers offers, for those unions; together with a copy of those articles, where-upon a most happy union, has been lately made between those two eminent parties in England, which have now changed the names of Presbyterians, and Congregationals, for that of United Brethren. / By Cotton Mather ; [Six lines from Mead]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1692
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.
That a Particular Church, thus in their Officers betrusted with the Institutions of our Lord Jesus Christ, is to be ⟨p. 70⟩concerned for Applying some of those Institutions, unto Subjects that have no• yet arrived so far in Visible Christian•• as to be the Constituent Parts of tha• Holy Society.
That a Particular Church, thus in their Officers betrusted with the Institutions of our Lord Jesus Christ, is to be ⟨p. 70⟩concerned for Applying some of those Institutions, unto Subjects that have no• yet arriv'd so far in Visible Christian•• as to be the Constituent Parts of tha• Holy Society.
That Baptism is One Ordinance to be Administered, unto them that are in the Visible Catholic Church, while the said Christians have not yet Joined themselves to a Particular Church, but are only in a state of Initiation and Preparation for it. In the Scripture, we do not read (at least, I have not yet found) of any that were Baptised after their Joining to full Communion in a Particular Church; but many that were so Before. Wherefore, if any Person of a blameless Conversation, come to us, Professing his Belief of the Christian Religion, and Seriously Enter into Covenant with God in Christ, Submitting therewithal to the Ecclesiastical Government of our Lord Jesus, & Engaging to labour Continually for those more Positive Evidences of Regeneration, which may Embolden him shortly to seek an Admission unto the Table of the Lord; surely such a ⟨p. 71⟩person may say as the Eunuch did, What ••'s hinder me (and Mine) to be Baptised? Persons may be Disciples, while they are not yet Risen to the more Experienced state of Brethren; and there may be Subjects in the Kingdom, which have not yet all the Privileges that the Members of the Corporations lay claim unto: now Baptism should belong sure, to all the Disciples and Subjects of our Lord. From a Nursery thus Watered with Baptism, our Churches may be supplied, from time to time, and multitudes of well-disposed People who by doubts and Fears are for a while discouraged from the Lords Table, may thus be kept under Engagements to be the Lords.