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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A51037	Propositions concerning the subject of baptism and consociation of churches collected and confirmed out of the word of God, by a synod of elders and messengers of the churches in Massachusets-Colony in New-England ; assembled at Boston, according to appointment of the honoured General Court, in the year 1662, at a General Court held at Boston in New-England the 8th of October, 1662.	Mitchel, Jonathan, 1624-1668.	1662 (1662)	Wing M2292; ESTC R380	36,245	49

ought to be received by us for our children in another true Church where Providence so casts us as that we cannot have it in our own as doubtless it may and ought to be then also we may and ought in like case to dispense Baptism when desired to a man and lawfull subject being a member of another Church To deny or refuse either of these would be an unjustifiable refusing of Communion of Churches and tending to sinful separation 2. Such as remove their habitation ought orderly to covenant and subject themselves to the Government of Christ in the Church where they setlle their abode and so their children to be baptized 1. Because the regularly baptized are disciples and under the Discipline and Government of Christ But they that are absolutely removed from the Church whereof they were so as to be uncapable of being under Discipline there shall be under it no where if not in the Church where they inhabit They that would have Church-priviledges ought to be under Church-power But these will be under no Church-power but as lambs in a large place if not under it there where their setled abode is 2. Every Christian ought to covenant for himself and his children or professedly to give up himself and his to the Lord and than in the way of his Ordinances Deut. 26 17. 12.5 and explicite covenanting is a duty especially where we are called to it and have opportunity for it nor can they well be said to covenant implicitely that do explicitely refuse a professed covenanting when called thereunto And especially this covenanting is a duty when we would partake of such a Church-priviledge as Baptism for our children is But the parents in question will now be professed covenanters no where if not in the Church where their fixed habitation is Therefore they ought orderly to covenant there and so their children to be baptized 3. To refuse covenanting and subjection to Christ's Government in the Church where they live being so removed as to be utterly uncapable of it elswhere would be a walking disorderly and would too much favour of profaneness and separation and hence to administer Baptism to the children of such as stand in that way would be to administer Christ's Ordinances to such as are in a way of sin and disorder which ought not to be 2 Thess 3.6 1 Chron. 15.13 and would be contrary to that Rule 1 Cor. 14.40 Let all things be done decently and in order Quest II. VVHether according to the Word of God there ought to be a Consociation of Churches and what should be the manner of it Answ The Answer may be briefly given in the Propositions following 1. Every Church or particular Congregation of visible Saints in Gospel-order being furnished with a Presbytery at least with a Teaching Elder and walking together in truth and peace hath received from the Lord Jesus full power and authority Ecclesiastical within it self regularly to administer all the Ordinances of Christ and is not under any other Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction whatsoever For to such a Church Christ hath given the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven that what they binde or loose on earth shall be bound or loosed in heaven Matt. 16.19 18.17 18. Elders are ordained in every Church Acts 14.23 Tit. 1.5 and are therein authorized officially to administer in the Word Prayer Sacraments and Censures Mat. 28 19 20. Acts 6.4 1 Cor. 4.1 5.4 12. Acts 20.28 1 Tim. 5.17 3.5 The reproving of the Church of Corinth and of the Asian Churches severally imports they had power each of them within themselves to reform the abuses that were amongst them 1 Cor. 5. Rev. 2 14 20. Hence it follows that Consociation of Churches is not to hinder the exercise of this power but by counsel from the Word of God to direct and strengthen the same upon all just occasions 2. The Churches of Christ do stand in a sisterly relation each to other Cant. 8.8 being united in the same Faith and Order Eph. 4.5 Col. 2.5 to walk by the same Rule Phil. 3.16 in the exercise of the same Ordinances for the same ends Eph. 4 11 12 13. 1 Cor. 16.1 under one and the same political Head the Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 1.22 23. 4.5 Rev. 2.1 Which Union infers a Communion sutable thereunto 3. Communion of Churches is the faithfull improvement of the gifts of Christ bestowed upon them for his service and glory and their mutuall good and edification according to capacity and opportunity 1 Pet. 4.10 11. 1 Cor. 12.4 7. 10.24 1 Cor. 3.21 22. Cantic 8.9 Rom 1.15 Gal. 6.10 4. Acts of Communion of Churches are such as these 1. Hearty Care and Prayer one for another 2 Cor. 11.28 Cant. 8.8 Rom. 1.9 Coloss 1.9 Eph. 6.18 2. To afford Relief by communication of their Gifts in Temporal or Spiritual necessities Rom. 15.26 27. Acts 11.22 29. 2 Cor. 8.1 4 14. 3. To maintain Vnity and Peace by giving account one to another of their publick actions when it is orderly desired Acts 11.2 3 4-18 Josh 22.13 21 30. 1 Cor. 10 32. and to strengthen one another in their regular Administrations as in special by a concurrent testimony against persons justly censured Acts 15.41 16.4 5. 2 Tim. 4.15 2 Thess 3.14 4. To seek and accept Help from and give Help unto each other 1. In case of Divisions and Contentions whereby the peace of any Church is disturbed Acts 15.2 2. In matters of more then ordinary importance Prov. 24.6 15.22 as Ordination Translation and Deposition of Elders and such like 1 Tim. 5.22 3 In doubtful and difficult Questions and Controversies Doctrinal or Practical that may arise Acts 15 2 6. 4. For the rectifying of mal-Administrations and healing of Errours and Scandals that are unhealed among themselves 3 John ver 9 10. 2 Cor. 2 6-11 1 Cor. 15. Rev 2 14 15 16. 2 Cor. 12.20 21. 13 2. Churches now have need of help in like cases as well as Churches then Christ's care is still for whole Churches as well as for particular persons and Apostles being now ceased there remains the duty of brotherly love and mutual care and helpfulness incumbent upon Churches especially Elders for that end 5. In love and faithfulness to take notice of the Troubles and Difficulties Errours and Scandals of another Church and to administer help when the case manifestly calls for it though they should so neglect their own good and duty as not to seek it Exod. 23.4 5. Prov. 24.11 12. 6. To Admonish one another when there is need and cause for it and ofter due means with patience used to withdraw from a Church or peccant party therein obstinately persisting in Errour or Scandal as in the Platform of Discipline chap. 15. sect 2. partic 3. is more at large declared Gal. 2 11-14 2 Thess 3.6 Rom. 16.17 5. Consociation of Churches is their mutual and solemn Agreement to exercise communion in such acts as aforesaid amongst themselves with special reference to those Churches which by providence are planted in a convenient vicinity though with liberty reserved without offence to make use of others as the nature of the case or the advantage of opportunity may lead thereunto 6. The Churches of Christ in this Countrey having so good opportunity for it it is meet to be commended to them as their duty thus to consociate For 1. Communion of Churches being commanded and Consociation being but an Agreement to practise it this must needs be a duty also Psal 119.106 Nehem. ●0 28 29. 2. Paul an Apostle sought with much labour the conference concurrence and right hand of fellowship of other Apostles and ordinary Elders and Churches have not less need each of other to prevent their running in vain Gal. 2.2 6 9. 3. Those general Scripture-rules touching the need and use of counsel and help in weighty cases concern all Societies and Polities Ecclesiastical as well as Civil Prov. 11.14 15.22 20 18. 24.6 Eccles 4.9 10 12. 4. The pattern in Acts 15 holds forth a warrant for Councils which may be greater or lesser as the matter shall require 5. Concurrence and Communion of Churches in Gospel times is not obscurely held forth in Isa 19.23 24 25. Zeph 3.9 1 Cor. 11.16 14.32 36. 6. There hath constantly been in these Churches a profession of Communion in giving the right hand of fellowship at the gathering of Churches and Ordination of Elders Which importeth a Consociation and obligeth to the practice thereof Without which we should also want an expedient and sufficient Cure for emergent Church-difficulties and Differences with the want whereof our Way is charged but unjustly if this part of the Doctrine thereof were duely practised 7. The manner of the Churches agreement herein or entring into this Consociation may be by each Church's open consenting unto the things here declared in Answer to this 2 d. Question as also to what is said thereabout in chap. 15. 16. of the Platform of Discipline with reference to other Churches in this Colony Countrey as in Propos 5 th is before expressed 8. The manner of exercising and practising that Communion which this consent or agreement specially tendeth unto may be by making use occasionally of Elders or able Brethren of other Churches or by the more solemn Meetings of both Elders and Messengers in lesser or greater Councils as the matter shall require FINIS

exclude the least in age from the good of that promise Heb 8 11 they being sometimes pointed to by that phrase from the least to the greatest Jer. 44.12 with verse 7. no more then the least in other respects compare Isa 54.13 In Acts 2.39 at the passing of those Jews into New Testament Church estate the Lord is so far from repealing the Covenant-interest that was granted unto children in the former Testament or from making the children there losers by their Parents faith that he doth expresly renew the old grant and tells them that the promise or covenant for the promise and the covenant are terms that do mutually infer each other compare Acts 3.25 Gal. 3.16 17 18 29. Rom. 4.16 Heb. 6 17 is to them and to their children and the same is asserted to be the appointed portion of the far off Gentiles when they should be called By all which it appeareth that the covenant of Abraham Gen. 17.7 whereby God is the God of the faithfull and their seed continues under the Gospel Now if the seed of the faithful be still in the covenant of Abraham then they are members of the visible Church 1. Because that covenant of Abraham Gen. 17.7 was properly church-covenant or the covenant which God makes with his visible church i. e. the covenant of grace considered in the external dispensation of it and in the promises and priviledges that belong to that dispensation For many were taken into that covenant that were never of the invisible church and by that covenant the family of Abraham as also by the renewing thereof the house of Israel afterward were established the visible church of God Gen. 17. and Deut. 29 12 13. and from that covenant men might be broken off Gen. 17 14. Rom. 11.17 19. and to that covenant Circumcision the badg of church-membership was annexed Therefore the covenantees therein were are church-members 2. Because in that covenant the seed are spoken of in terms describing or inferring church-membership as well as their parents for they have God for their God and are his people as well as the parents Gen. 17 7 8. with Deut 29 11 13. They have the covenant made with them Deut 29 14 15. and the covenant is said to be between God them between me thee and between thy seed after thee so the Hebrew runs Gen 17 7. They are also in that covenant appointed to be the subjects of the initiatory seal of the covenant the seal of membership Gen. 17 9 10 11. Therefore the seed are according to that covenant members of the visible church as well as their parents Such seed or children are federally holy 1 Cor. 7.14 Argum 2 The word holy as applied to any sort of persons is never in Scripture used in a lower sense than for federal or covenant-holiness the covenant-holiness of the visible Church but very often in that sense Ezra 9 2. Deut 7 6. 14 2 21 26 19 28 9 Exod 19 6 Dan 8 24 12 7 Rom 11 16 So that to say they are holy in this sense viz. by covenant-relation and separation to God in his Church is as much as to say they are in the covenant of the visible church or members of it From Mark 10 14 15 16 Mat 19 14 Argum 3 childrens membership in the visible Church is either the next and immediate sense of those words of Christ Of such is the kingdome of heaven and so the kingdome of heaver or of God is not rarely used in other Scriptures to express the visible church or church-estate Mat. 25 1 21 43 8.11 12 or it evidently follows from any other sense that can rationally be given of the words For those may not be denied a place and portion in the visible church whom Christ affirms to have a portion in the kingdome either of invisible grace or of eternal glory Nor do any in ordinary course pass into the Kingdome of Glory hereafter but through the Kingdome of Grace in the visible Church here Adde also that Christ there graciously invites and calls little children to him is greatly displeased with those that would hinder them asserts them notwithstanding their infancy to be exemplary in receiving the kingdome of God embraceth them in his arms and blesseth them all which shews Christ's dear affection to and owning of the children of the Church as a part of his kingdome whom we therefore may not disown lest we incurre his displeasure as the Disciples did Such seed or children are disciples according to Mat 28 19 Argum 4 as appears 1. Because subjects of Christ's Kingdome are equivalent with disciples there as the frame of that Text shews verse 18 19 20. but such children are subjects of Christ's Kingdome or of the kingdome of heaven Mat 19 14 In the discipling of all Nations intended in Mat. 28.19 the kingdome of God which had been the portion of the Jews was communicated to the Gentiles according to Mat. 21.43 But in the kingdome of God these children have an interest or portion Mark 10.14 2. The Apostles in accomplishing that commission Mat. 28.19 did disciple some children viz. the children of discipled parents Acts 2.39 15.10 They are there called and accounted disciples whom the false teachers would have brought under the yoke of circumcision after the manner of Moses verse 1 5. But many of those were children Exod. 12.48 Acts 21.21 Lydia and her houshold the Jaylor and all his were discipled and baptized Acts 16.15 31 33. Paul at Corinth took in the children into the holy school of Christ 1 Cor 7.14 3. Such children belong to Christ for he calls them to him as his to receive his blessing Mark 10 13-16 They are to be received in his Name Mark 9.37 Luke 9 48. They have a part in the Lord Jost 22.24.25 therefore they are disciples for to belong to Christ is to be a disciple of Christ Mark 9.41 with Mat. 10.42 Now if they be disciples then they are members of the visible church as from the equivalency of those terms was before shewed The whole current and harmony of Scripture shews Argum 5 that ever since there was a visible church on earth the children thereof have by the Lords appointment been a part of it So it was in the Old and it is and shall be so in the New Testament Eve the mother of all living hath a promise made Gen. 3.15 not only of Christ the head-seed but through him also of a Church-seed to proceed from her in a continued lineal succession which should continually be at visible enmity with and stand at a distance or be separated from the seed of the Serpent Under that promise made to Eve and her seed the children of Adam are born and are a part of the Church in Adam's family even Cain was so Gen. 4.1 3. till cast out of the presence of God therein verse 14. being now manifestly one of the seed of the Serpent 1