Selected quad for the lemma: duty_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	apostle_n	child_n	parent_n	1,952	5	8.8211	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50249	A disputation concerning church-members and their children in answer to XXI questions wherein the state of such children when adult, together with their duty towards the church, and the churches duty towards them is discussed by an assembly of divines meeting at Boston in New England, June 4th, 1657 / now published by a lover of truth.	Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.	1659 (1659)	Wing M1271A; ESTC R3585	21,931	42

Parents and are Members with them Dout 29. 14 15. 3. Children born before their Parents covenanting yet if in their minority when their Parents enter into covenant do covenant with them and are Church-members Gen. 17. 25. The whole houshold of Lydia the Jailor and others were baptized therefore some children in minority which were born before except we shall deny so much as one child in minority then alive in all those houses 4. There is no sufficient reason at least ordinarily to conclude a child of seven ten or twelve years old to be incorrigible because a child at the ages mentioned is infans in foro Ecclesie i. e. He hath no voice nor is capable of being heard in a Church way therefore not incorrigible as to the Church Their obstinacy at the years mentioned is not capital By Gods Law Deut. 21. 18. There is still place for hope Prov. 19. 18. 22. 15. 5. Their desiring or not desiring in their own persons during the ages forementioned is not to be attended as the ground of proceeding in this case because the ground thereof is the covenant founded upon Divine Institution and in-depending upon such childrens desires Quest 3. Till what age shall they enter into Covenant with their Parents whether sixteen twenty one or sixty Ans. As long as in respect of age or capacity they cannot according to ordinary account be supposed able to act in a matter of this nature for themselves so long they shall enter in by means of their Parents covenant because whilst they are children and in their minority they are not otherwise capable of covenanting When adult they are to covenant in their own persons If a precise and certain age may here be prescribed surely it is safe to go at least so far as may answer the example Gen. 17. 25. Where Ishmael is admitted to the Seal by his Fathers covenant at thirteen years of age Howbeit the bounding of adult and in-adult age depending upon the judgment of prudence much is to be left unto the discretion of Officers and Churches in this case Quest 4. What Discipline a child is subject to from seven to sixteen years old Ans 1. Church Discipline is taken either more largely for the act of a Church-member dispensed to a Church-member as such by way of Spiritual watch rebuke c. Luke 17. 3 4. Mat. 18. 15. Or more strictly for the act of the whole Church dispensed by a Member thereof as in case of publick rebuke admonition excommunication Mat. 18. 17. 2 Cor. 2. 3. 1 Tim. 1. 20. In the first sense children in their minority are subject to Church Discipline immediately but not in the second 2. It is the Duty of the Elders and Church to call upon Parents to bring up their children in the narture and admonition of the Lord and to see as much as in them lieth that it be effectually done Eph. 6. 4. Officers and Churches respectively succeed Apostles in matters of ordinary practise 3. Besides their subjection to Ecclesiastical Discipline they are also subject to civil Discipline respectively according to their capacity whether Domesticall Scholasticall or Magistraticall Quest 5. Whether a Father may twice Covenant for his Children in Minority in several Churches Ans. 1. When a Parent is called to remove from one Church to another he is also called to enter into covenant in that Church to which he removes Paul was first baptized and in communion at Damascus Act. 9. 29. Afterwards removed unto Ierusalem and joyned to the Church there v. 26. This the very nature of order calleth for because otherwise he can neither do all the duties nor enjoy all the priviledges of a Member in the one Church or in the other not in the former because now he dwelleth not with them nor in the other because though dwelling amongst them he joyneth not with them in covenant 2. When the Parent thus removing entreth into covenant his children then in minority covenant in him The child and the power of Government over the child must go together Prov. 29. 15. 3. Hence it is the duty of Churches when they give Letters dimissory unto Parents to insert the dismission of the children then in minority with them 4. Adult children yet under the power of the Parents and removing with them are to give their personal consent unto this translation of their Membership and so to be orderly dismissed and received with their Parents otherwise they remain Members of the Church of which they were before Quest 6. Whether the end of a Deputy Covenant be not to supply personall incapacity or whether Children ripe for personall Covenanting in regard of age should Covenant by a Deputy as others that are unable thereunto Ans. 1. Children in their minority whose immediate Parents are in Church-Covenant do covenant in their Parents see the proof hereof in answer to Question 1. 2. Children adult ought to covenant in their own Persons To covenant in our own persons according to the sense of this Question is nothing else but an orderly and Church profession of our Faith or a personall publick and solemn avouching of God in an Ecclesiasticall way to be our God according to the covenant of his Grace the great duty of the people of God throughout all generations both in the times of the Law and Gospel Pregnant and Illustrious examples whereof we have in the time of Moses Deut. 26. 17 18 19. 29. 10 11 c. And of Ioshua Iosh. 24. 18 27. Of Asa 2 Chron. 15. 12. Of Iosiah 2 Chron. 34. 31 32. So Ier. 50 5. A considerable part of which Prophesie for it extends it self also to the ages after Christ we have accomplished Nehem 9. ult. 10. 28 29. The Priests and Levites and many others there named and their wives and their sons and their daughters every one that had knowledge and that had understanding did cleave unto their Brethren their Nobles and entred into a covenant and an Oath to walk in Gods Law so of the times under the Law Concerning the times under the Gospel in Isa. 62. 5. 41. 3 4 5. We read of the seed and off-spring of Iacob and Israel that when they should be sprung and grown up h. e. become adults they should both by word and writing by saying and subscribing with their hands engage themselves unto the Lord It is a part of instituted Gospel Worship The same reason which called the Fathers to confession before calleth the son also when adult It went for good reason among the Iews He is of age he shall speak for himself Ioh. 9. 21. What more meet than that the confession of our Faith should be made with our own mouths when we are able God avoucheth them in the same day when they avouch him It is a special engagement of the adult person to perform his covenant Psal. 119. 106. I have sworn and will perform Lastly It is a duty compared with others especially commended in the

Scriptures from the subject thereof viz. A Believer Rom. 10. 10. Every believer is a confessor From the matter the greatest Truth i. e. The Doctrine of Christ Jesus Heb. 3. 1. The Apostle of our confession From the manner others not being excluded as we are called thereunto 1 Pet. 3. 15. In a Church way Mat. 16. 16 19. Paul 2 Cor. 9. 13. in a special manner commends the subjection of the obedience of the Church astipulation of the Corinthians From its excellency a good Profession 1 Tim. 6. 12. A good confession v. 13. It s giving glory unto God 2 Cor. 9. 13. It s victorious exemplarinesse in respect of men Rev. 12. 11. The blessing upon the sincere performance thereof Heb. 11. 13 16. Mat. 10. 32. With the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation Quest 7. Whether as large Qualifications be not required of a Members child to the participation of the Lords Supper and the priviledges of votes and censures as were requirable of his Parents at their first entrance Ans. The holding forth of Faith and Repentance with an ability to examine themselves by way of confession to the judgment of Charity were all requirable in the Parent for admission into the Church to full communion and the same is requisite for the regular admission of the Parents child being grown adult unto his full communion with the Church For the clearing of this Proposition two things are to be proved 1. That they are to have Faith and Repentance 2. That this Faith and Repentance must appear to others First They are to have Faith Repentance 1. Because Examination is the duty and Faith and Repentance are the matter of their Examination without both the being and exercise of which they cannot come worthily to the Lords Supper which is the end of their examination 2. From the end of the Lords Supper which is instituted not for regeneration but for nourishment and confirmation 'T is a Supper and a Seal That their Faith and Repentance ought to appear to others is manifest thus The Officers ought to be wise and faithful stewards now to such it belongs not only to dispense a portion in reason but to see also that those to whom it is dispensed are meet to receive their portion Luke 12. 42. 1 Cor. 4. 2. The Lords Supper cannot regularly be administred to any receiver concerning whom personally according to Truth in the judgment of charity the Minister cannot say Take and eat this is the body of the Lord Jesus which was given for you But this the Minister cannot say with good Conscience to any one upon his meer having of Faith and Repentance without a visible holding forth of the same to others in their own persons because both the exercise of reason and the exercise of Grace are requisite to the taking and eating here required As this proves the assertion concerning the Officers so 1 Cor. 10. 15 16 17. proveth the same concerning the whole body because in a regular celebration of the Lords Supper the whole Church doth judge all the partakers thereof to have spiritual communion with Christ crucified and one with another as one body in him It is the duty of the Church and Officers respectively as the keepers of the holy things so to discern between the holy and prophane the clean and the unclean as that the Sacrament may onely be administred unto worthy receivers Ezek. 44. 7 8 23. But this cannot be except the premised essentiall requisites be made appear to them in judgment of Charity Concerning the power of voting it is not rational that they should exercise a Church-power as to the administration of Church-Ordinances which voting implies who themselves are unfit for all Ordinances They who are thus unfit will abuse the Ordinances themselves and admit and retain unworthy Officers and Members and discourage the worthy and therefore power in the hands of such is not for edification but for destruction contrary to the mind of Christ 2 Cor. 10. 8. Quest 8. Whether by Covenant seed is meant the seed of immediate Parents onely or of remote also Ans. The Gospel by Covenant seed intends only the seed of immediate Parents in Church Covenant as appears from 1 Cor. 7. 14. The Parents there spoken of are immediate Parents their Progenitors were Heathens The Gospel extends not the external Covenant beyond the immediate Parents If neither of the immediate Parents be in Covenant their children are unclean see the Text The next Parent may bring in his seed though his Progenitors be unbelievers and the next Parents may cut off their seed though the progenitors be believers witnesse the instances of Ishmael and Esau Ier. 9. 25 26. Ezek. 32. 29. Psal. 83. 6. Mal. 1. 4. Gen. 21. 10. Otherwise there can no generation be given where the Covenant Interest of posterity can expediently be bounded Depinge ubi sistam Shew us where we shall make our stand The contrary exposeth the Churches to inevitable and intollerable impurities Quest 9. Whether adopted Children and bond servants be Covenant-seed Ans. Adopted children and Infant-servants regularly and absolutely subjected to the Government and dispose of such heads of Families as are in Church-covenant though they cannot be said to be their natural seed yet in regard the Scriptures according to the judgment of many Godly Learned extend to them the same Covenant priviledges with their natural seed we judge not any Churches who are like-minded with them for their practise herein All which notwithstanding yet we desire at present to leave this Question without all prejudice on our parts to after free disquisition Quest 10. Whether the child admitted by his Fathers Covenant be also a Deputy for his seed without or before personal Covenanting or without before like personal qualifications in kind as his Father was to enjoy when he became a Deputy Ans. The meaning of this Question in other terms we conceive to be this whether the child of a person joyned in Church-Covenant by means of his or her immediate Parents Covenant though such a Parent be not admitted to nor qualified for full communion nor have covenanted in their own person whether we say the child of such a person is to be baptized Whereunto we answer in these following propositions Propos. 1. Infants either of whose immediate Parents are in Church-Covenant do confaederate with their Parents and are therefore Church-members with them See Ans. to Quest 1. Propos. 2. It is the duty of those Infants when grown up to years of discretion though not yet fit for the Lords Supper to own the Covenant they made with their Parents by entring thereinto in their own persons and it is the duty of the Church to call upon them for the performance thereof as appeareth by Scripture examples of persons both called to and entring into Covenant many of whom could not be looked upon as personally Gracious and therefore not fit for