N01201:54
An appeal to the learned. Being a vindication of the right of visible saints…
An appeal to the learned. Being a vindication of the right of visible saints to the Lords Supper, though they be destitute of a saving work of God's spirit on their hearts: against the exceptions of Mr. Increase Mather. / By Solomon Stoddard, Pastor of Northampton. ; [Two lines from Daniel]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1709
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.
2. That because they have no right to the blessings of the New Covenant, therefore they have no right to the Seal. That the Sacrament may not be given to them because their Sins are not pardoned: they have no right to Salvation, therefore not to the Seal of Salvation, if the Seal be given to them, it is the setting of the Lords Seal to a blank: Sealing a Pardon to those ⟨p. 22⟩whom the Lord hath not pardoned.
Answ. To this I make answer in three particulars,
1. That tho' Unregenerate men have no right to pardon of Sin & Salvation, yet they may have a right before God unto the Seals of the Covenant; they had a right to Circumcision: Josh. 5.2. yet that was a Seal of the righteousness of Christ, Rom. 4.11. So they had right to the Passover, and so they have to Baptism. It is unreasonable to think that all Baptised Children are Regenerate: and so they may have a right to the Lords Supper.