yet though this be wickedness and disorder yet the Church may proceed against them and so it may against their Children who are bound to own the Covenant made with God and of God with them in their Parents as well as any Church-Members are to own their own Covenant by their own personal profession What disorder therfore will come in as you conceive this way will come in by your own way and what course you should take to heal the one by the same you may heal the other Object 3. If Children say you be members then their seed successively untill they be either dissolved or excommunicated and if so then what Churches shall we have Answ. 1. What Churches shall we have Truely not allway Churches of Angels and faints but mixt with many chaffy hypocrites and oft times prophane persons But still I say this objection holds as firm against gathering Churches of visible professing believers For God knowe's what Churches we may have of them even heaps of hypocrites and prophane persons for I know not what can give us hope of their not apostatizing but only Gods promise to be a God to them and to preserve them and truly the same promise being made to their seed gives me as much ground of faith to hope well of Churches râ—sing out of the seed of the godly as of the professing Parents themselves I know one may have more experimental charity concerning some few professing the fear of God but my Church-charity is equal about them especially considering that those whom God receiv's into Church Covenant he doth not only take them to be a people to him but to â—stablish them to be such viz for time to come And hence God is said to establish his Covenant with Isaac not Ishmael who was to be rejected Gen. 17.19 and God is said to gather them into CovenaÌ„t to establish them to be a people both young old present posterity and that which was to come Deut. 29.11 15. 2. God was as Holy and as exactly requiring holiness from the Jewish Church as well as from Christian Churches now do you think that the Covenant which then wrapt up the Iews children into Church-membership was an high-way of prophaness and unholyness in the members thereof of defiling polluting Gods Church or was it a way and meanes of holiness and to keep them from being prophane to affirm the first is somthing Blaphemous and very false for 't is expressly said Ier. 13.11 that as the girdle cleaveth to the loynes of a man so he caused the whole house of Israel not grown men only to cleave to him that they might be to him a people which was by Covenant and for a name for a praise and for a glory Gods name Glory praise was the end and the Covenant was the meanes hereunto and therefore it was no way or meanes of unholyness in that Church but if you say it was a meanes of holiness why then should we fear the polluting of Churches by the same Covenant which we have proved wraps in our seed also indeed they did prove universally prophane in the Jewish Church so they may in ours but shall man's wickedness in abuseing God's grace and forsaking hâ—s Covenant tye the hands or heart of God's free grace from taking such into Covenant what â—â—oâ—gh some did not Believe saith thâ— Apostle Rom. 3.3 4. â—â—all their unbelief make the Faith of God without effect God forbid 3. Suppose they do prove prophane and corrupt Churches yet even then when they are corrupt they are such Churches where ordinarily God gathers out his Elect and out of which till purer are gathered or these wholly rejected there cannot be expected ordinarily any salvation for so saith our Saviour salvaâ—ion is of the Iews Iohn 4.22 even in that very corrupt and worst estate of the Church that ever it was in Object 4. If children be members then they must come to the Lords Supper for you know no difference between member and member in point of priviledge unless they be under some sin Answ. 1. Yes verily there is a plain difference between member and member though professing believers in point of priviledge though they lie under no sin for a man may speak and prophesy in the Church not Women A company of Men may make a Church and so receive in and cast out of the Church but not Women though professing Saints 2. All grown men are not to be admitted though professing Believers to the Lords Supper my reason is A man may Believe in Christ and yet be very ignorant of the nature use and ends of the Lords Supper now such may be Baptized as soon as ever faith appeares Mark 16.16 but they may not be admitted to the Lords Supper because they will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord if they through their ignorance cannot discern the Lord body I know no reason but ignorant persons may be as well suspended from the use of this priviledge though they be true believers for faith may consist with much ignorance as well as distracted persons who notwithstanding may be believers also 3. If therefore children be able to examine themselves and discern the Lords body they may then eat and herein there is no difference in this priviledge between member and member 4. Children not being usually able to examine themselves nor discern the Lords body hence they are not to be admitted to the use of â—â—is priviledge and yet they may be such members as may enjoy the benefit of other priviledges even that of Baptisme for baptisme seales up our first entrance into the Covenant This first entrance is not allway by peâ—sonal profession of Faith but by Gods promise of working or of vouchsafeing the meanes of working of it now Children as is proved being under this Covenant as we see all the posterity also of Abraham was hence though children cannot profess faith nor actually examine themselves yet they may receive and must receive baptisme being allready under Godâ— Covenant but because the Lords Supper doth not seal up this first entrance and first right to the Covenant but our growth and fruition of the Covenant hence this act on our part is required to participate in this which the Apostle calls self-examination and the act of takeing and eating Christ and of discerning the Lords body and of doing this in remembrance of Christ which every baptised person and Church-member is not allway able to do A child may receive a promise aforehand of a rich estate given him and this promise sealed up to him his father receiving it for him but it is not fit that he should be put to the actual improvement and fruition of that estate untill he is grown up understands himselfe and knows how to do it so 't is here the Sacrament of the Lords Supper requires ability 1. To take Christ as our own 2. To eat Christ that is to take fruition of him the which acts of saith
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 AVTHOR and many Yeares agoe written touching that subject By THOMAS SHEPARD somtimes Pastor of the Church of Christ at Cambridg in New-England Published 〈◊〉 the earnest request of many for the Consolation and Encouragement both of Parents and Children in the Lord. Genesis 17.7 And I will establish my Covenant between Me and theâ— and thy 〈…〉 Generations for an Everlasting â—â—venant to be a GOD unto thee and to thy seed after thee Mark 16.16 He that Believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Acts. 2.39 For the Promise is unto you and to your Children and to all that are aâ—â—râ— off even as many as the Lord our God shall call 1 Cor. 7.14 Else were your Children unclean but now are they Holy CAMBRIDG Printed by Samuel Green 1663. CHEMNITIVS that eminent light in the Church of God in those elaborate workes of his against the Papists Exam part 2. can 14. de Baptismo hath this memorable saying viz. IT is not to be left free to the choice of those who have been Baptized in Infancy when they come to be Adult whether or no they will have that confirmed which was done in their Baptisme as though the Covenant of grace Testament of peace which is offered and sealed up to little Children in Baptisme should then first begin to be established when the consent of their will when Adult is added thereunto for from this wicked foundation the Anabaptists simply have taken away and Condemned Paedobaptisme but such Baptized little ones are to be admonished as they grow up what a Covenant of Grace and Testament of peace it is which God hath entred into with them in Baptisme and by what promise of gratitude they have likewise obliged themselve 〈◊〉 Obedience to God with the renouncing of the Devil and they are 〈◊〉 to be exhorted that they render thanks to God for that wonderful great Benefit that they abide in that Covenant of peace and endeavour to fullfil that obligation by mortifying sin and setting upon newness of life and that they do this freely and sincerely or if they shall through unthankfullness depart from that Covenant and ingagement that then they repent and return to the Covenant and subject themselves again to that stipulated Obedience But us for them that shall do otherwise the most severe comminations of the wrath and Indignation of God are to be heap't up and set before them unto which saith he excommunication is to be added for these are the weapons of our warfare 2. Cor. 10. A PREFACE TO THE READER Christian Reader Mâ—ght I have had mine own choice and desires granted some other should have performed the task of a Preface to the following Treatise of my precious and much Honoured Father but being put upon it by divers worthy friends whom I knew not how to deny I shall therefore humbly premise a word or two in tenderness to the Truth and out of unfained love to those especially of Christ's poor sheep how ever feeble or diseased that either have been or may be in danger of going astray from so great a Truth as is the subject of the ensuing discourse being sincerely desirous that they may be restored and from thence returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of our Soules and may in nothing be made a prey to him who is our great adversary the Devil who walketh about seeking whom he may devour For we should not be ignorant of his devices The enmity put by the Lord between the seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent Gen. 3.15 soon began to work even in the infancy of the Church in the family of our first Parents as we see Gen. 4.8 by the Martyrdome of righteous Abel No small portion of that fixed hatred and hostility of the old Serpent hath ever since been discovered against the young ones of Christs little flock The multiplication of the Children of Israel is the occasion why Pharaoh deals so wisely as we read endeavouring first by the Midwives secretly to destroy the male Children and after that more openly by an Edict to drown them in his Egyptian waters for which what ever his pretence might be alleadged Exod. 1.10 yet no doubt as Calvin on the place somewhat that way hint's Satan had a design therein to cut of the name and posteriâ—y of Abraham who is the Father of all them that beleive even of US all the Father of many nation Rom. 4.11 16 17. and so to evacuate and annihilate the promise of God even that great promise of his everlasting Covenant to be a God to him and to his seed for ever in their Generations Hence also afterward we find this spite of the great accuser of the brethren vented against these poor little ones in the forbidding them Communion with the Church of God in that Worship which God had instituted and which he had Commanded his People by the hand of Moses and Aaron to observe Exod. 10.3 let my People goe that they may serve me saith the Lord but hardhearted Pharaoh seemes to scruple whether the young Children are a part of the Lordâ— People as appears by his question verse 8. But who are they that shall goâ— Moses pleads for the young as well as the old for the Sons and the Daughters verse 9. but Pharaoh is of another apprehension and resolution verse 10 11. he will let the men goe and serve the Lord but not the little ones Again Haman the Agagite we find is not satisfied with the destruction of the old Generation of the Iewes but the little Children of the Church also are expresly mentioned and designed to the same condemnation and Massacre with their Fathers Estâ— 3.13 And much more of the like nature might be alledged out of many records both ecclesiastical and other were it needfull the satanicall delusions of those heretical Cataphrygians and Pepâ—zâ—ans of oâ—d who were wont to mingle the Eucharist with the blood of an Infant of a year old of whom Austin speaks Tom. 6. do haeresibus ad Quodvultdeâ—m are not unknown Not here to insist on that Instance of Herods Infanticide Mat. 2.16 17. We need not so much wonder at Hazaels cruelty against the Children of Israel in slâ—ying their young men with thâ— sword and dashing their Children and râ—pping up their Women with Child 2 King 8.12 seing Satan hath many times prevailed with those who were Church-Members and of long standing in the house of God even the pareâ—â— themselves to murder and sacrifice their Infants and little ones which were the Lords Children and born unto the Lord Ezek. 16 20 21. c. Such an evil eye doth that great adversary of our comfort and Salvation seing himselfe shut out of the Kingdom of
Old-Testament was the same for substance with what is now confirmed with us under the New-Testament c. which t is known the Anabaptists also generally assert Let me therefore propound a few instances this way wherby we may see what Patrons of Anabaptisme the Papists are in regard of those Principles I mean and radicall errours wherin the Papists and Anâ—baptists although by divers of them upon the account of a diverse interest Symbolize and unite against the Orthodox and speak herein in a manner the same thing distinguishing alwaies between the Opinion and the person and between some that are deceived in other points Orthodox and precious Christians and others that are Deceivers The main pillars of Anabaptisme being no better then some of the Old rotten slâ—â—ds and principles of Popery fetcht at first from thence in all likelyhood and so inclining thitherward again The Dâ—â—lect of the Anabaptist is generally and too much by some understood and therefore I forbear quotations out of their own writings possibly some may not have so much taken notice of the lâ—kâ— from the Papist and therefore I shall briefly manifest the â—aâ—e by shewing where we shall find some of the chief of those Worthies that fought the Lords Battles against Antichrist opposing and confuting them both therein I will cite a few Particulars this way among many the like which mâ—ght be produced from severall other eminent Authorâ— Holy burning and shining lights in the churches of Christ who have been the Lords Witnesses against the darkness of that Spirituall Egypt and whose Testimonie in this matter concludes as strongly against the Anabaptists having espoused those Antichristian notions so neerly to themselves 1. In those words of the Covenant I will be a God to thee and thy seed after thee neither life eternall is promised nor remission of sins but onely a certain peculiar temporall protection saith Bâ—llâ—rmine agreeing therein with the Anaâ—aptist against whom herein we find â—bamâ—er pleading for us Panstrat tom 4. Liâ— 3 Cap. 3. Parag. 9 10. c. and â—ive on Gen. 17.11 Again we read saith Bellarmine the great Gâ—â—ah of the Papists that God promised unto Abraham when he enjoyned him circumcision earthly matters only according to the letter that is the propagation of a posterity and the Land of Palestine read Ames opposing him Bellarm. 〈◊〉 Tom. 3. Lib. 1 Chap. 4. Thes. 9. 2. Touching the perverse and Caâ—abaptisticâ—ll intent and meaning of that expression of the Papists viz. That Spirituall promises dâ—scend to us not by carnall generation as they call it the very Phrase of many Anabaptists used in a way of deâ—ision of the Grace of God but by Spirituall Râ—generation c. they are the wâ—rds of Bellarmine and other Pâ—pists câ—ted confuted by Amâ—s others read Ames his Answer thereto Bâ—â— Ener â—om 3. Lib. 2. cap. 1. Thes. 5. consonant to the Judgment of the Oâ—thoacâ— viz. we acknowledg indeed Spirituall regeneration to be necessary to the solid participation of the promises but that that Regeneration is part of the Promises and belongs in a singular manner to the Children of Believers the very forme of the Covenant manifestly declares See likewise Chamier largely replying for us against Bellarmine Stapleton and others of the Papists Paâ—straâ— tom 4 lib. 5. cap. 10. parag 24 25 26 27 c 3. The Sacraments of the old Law or Testament saith Bellarmineâ— had no absolute promise of Grace annexed the promises annexed to thosâ— old Sacraments were fulfilled although men did not believe Read Ames against him ibid. l. 1. cap. 4. the. 5 7. Again the Papists saith Chemnit hold that God by the Sacraments of the old Testament which had eveâ— the word of promise annexed did exhibite conferr no grace to Believers which saith he is maifestly false Circumcision alone which as he sheweth from Scripture is called the Sâ—al of the righteousness of Faith demonstrateth as much And thereupon he sheweth the reason why the Papists so much urge that difference between the Sacraments of the old new Testament viz. because they endeavour by any manner of meanes to defend and stablish the opinion they have of their opus operatum Chemnitij Exam. par 2. de Sacram. sub canon 2. What a forcible engine of the man of sin this is and of what vast concernment as to his interest I need not here express and what arrows of Anabaptisme drawn out of this very quiver have been shot against the Orthodox in this point is known unto not a few Moreover as to the comparison in Scripture made between the Sacraments of the old and new Testament that in 1 Cor. 10.1 4. among several other Scriptures is cited by Ames against Bellarmine where the Apostle speake's of our Fathers being Baptized in the Sea c thereby intimating our Sacraments to be the same for substance with theirs or Sacramental signes and seales of one and the same sqiritual grace so that the Covenant-mercies or promises of spiritual good are the same to us as to them Bellarmine opposeth this as doth the Anabaptist The Fathers saith he are said to eat the same meat not because ours and theirs was the same but because they themselves all of them did eat the same but that meat and drinke were not sacraments they had no promise anexed c Bellâ— enerv tom 3. l. 1. c. 4. th 10. and Cham. panstrat tom 4. l. 3. c. 2. 4. The scripture no where call's Circumcision a seal saith Bellarmine to Rom. 4. unless it be in this place where Abraham is spoken of which is a manifest argument that Circumcision was a seal unto Abraham alone Ames ibid. c. 1. th 12. By this weapon also fetcht out of the armory of Antichrist hath the Anabaptist not a little gratifyed the common adversary 5. The Papists generally assert That the Baptisme of John was not the same for substance with the Baptisme of Christ nor had the same efficacy as the Baptisme of Christ hath Which tenet see confuted by Cartwright on the new Testament Mat. 3.11 and by Ames Beller 〈◊〉 t. 3. l. 2. c. 5. th 1 2. c and Rivet Cathol orthod tractat 3. qu. a. and Chemnir exam part 2. de baptismo sub canon 1. and Chamier panstrat t. 4. l. 5. c. 12. still we see the harmony between the Papist and the Anabaptist And hence we find likewise the Papist pleading for the rebaptizing of those who had received the Baptisme of John Chamier ibid. cap. 13. paragr 35. c 6. The Papists assert that Laicks as they call them i. e. those that are not in Office in the Church may in case administer Baptisme yea that not onely men but women may do it Read Ames his confutation thereof Bell. enerv tom 3. l. 2. cap. 2. and Rivet against Baily the Jesuit Cathol orthod tractat 3. qu. 7. add thereto Chamiers Panstr tom 4. l. 5. cap. 14. de legitimo Baptismi ministro where among other
of them and such As do their interest in him grutch Crispus with Gaius Stephanas With others were not all through Grace Baptis'd that of their Houshold were And Children who will doubt were there Then let us not to them deny Nor seem as if we did envy The priviledge which God from heaven Hath through his grace and favour given Nor let us limit his good Spirit In applycation of Christ's merrit Whose bloud was shed for them as well As those who them in age excell If such be taught of God who dare Deny they his Disciples are III. THOMAS SHEPARD Anagr More hath poâ—s'd MOre from this holy pen dâ—th â—ast'd The Baptisme to defend 〈◊〉 Infants 〈◊〉 at Church members are If well you do attend Then any Anti-baptists can with solidness confute I wish with all my heart that God will grant these labours fruit As good or better then the paines by other Godly taken That thereby all his precious Saints be would please to awaken That none may any more oppose with Zeal preposterous The Truth which Gods most holy word commendeth unto us That who were less convinced by this holy Shepards voice Yet in his Letter left behind they may â—â—e more rejoyce He was a shining Light indeed few other such are left The Lord vouchsafe we be not by our Sinns of them bereft And poure down of his Spirit more upon his Sons surviving That will be more and more unto Truth 's lovers a reviving IIII. THOMAS SHEPARD Anagr Arm'd as the Shop ARm'd at the shop of God's good word â—oth weapons unto him afford â—â—â—â—nd's the right of little ones Whom God in the Church Covenant ownes The Childâ—eâ— of â—is Church among To whom 〈◊〉 Kingdome doth belong And there withall the Seal thereof Through his free Mercy Grace and Love Yet are there some which them forbid As once his weak Disciples did To come to Christ and â—cruple make Whether therof they should partake But Christ was very angry for it As for such Zeale he did abhor it Oh come said he and welcom'd such With tokens of affection much As if that they and scarcely â—hy But such as they might chalenge any Or part or portion in his grace So did his favour thâ—m embrace His Babes his Lambs his little creatures He call's them As for such dâ—features Christ they defeat as well as them Whom they presume so to contemn This holy Shepard is like David From Lyâ—â—s mouth and Beare 's who saved That Little Kid whom God did crown With great and singular renown And so this Shepard hath no doubt A glorious crown his head about For all his labâ—urs and for this In high and everlasting bliâ—s And as the Lord doth honour him For Christ his sake so his esteem Both is and ought to be most rare 'Mongst them who Christ hiâ— followers are And oh how should we bless his Name That oâ—â—is Son he pour's the same Good Spirit that was in the Father Or doubles it upon him rather LORD these Epistles do thou bless And as thy Truth they do confess So make them precious in the eyes Of all that do thy Gospel prize Amen IOHN WILSON Senior THE CHURCH-MEMBERSHIP OF CHILDREN CLEARED VP IN A LETTER IN ANSWER To the Doubts of a Friend WHen we say That Children are Members by their Parents Covenant I would premise three things for Explication 1. That Children of Godly Parents come to the fruition of their Membership by their Parents Covenant but that which give 's them their right and interest in this Membership is Gods Covenant whereby he engageth himselfe equally to be a God to them and to their Seed This I suppose is clear 2. That according to the double Seed viz. 1. Elect Seed 2. Church-Seed So there is a double Covenant 1. Exernal and outward 2. Internall and inward And because the Covenant makes the Church hence there is an inward and outward Membership and Church estate there is an outward Iew an inward Iew Rom. 2.28 29. All are not Israel i. e. the elect Seed that are of Israel i. e. the Church-Seed of in outward Covenant to whom the Apostle saith belong's the Adoption the Covenants and the promises that is the externall Adoption whereby God account's them his Children or the Children of his house and family the Children of the Church and accordingly have the promises belonging to them in respect of outward dispensation although they be not Children by internall Adoption to whom belongs the promises by effectuall and speciall communication of saving Grace It is clearer then the day that many who are inwardly or in respect of inward Covenant the Children of the Devil are outwardly or in respect of outward Covenant the Children of God Isay. 1.2 I have brought up Children and yet Rebellions and in the next verse they are called my People i. e. by outward Covenant and yet worse then the Ox or Asse Deut. 32.19 20. they are called Sons and yet provokeing God to revengefull Wrath and Children and yet without Faith And look as some may be externally Dogs and yet internally Believers as the woman of Canaan whom in respect of outward Covenant Christ calls a Dog and the Iewes who yet rejected him Children Mat. 15.26 so many may be externally Children in respect of external Covenant and yet internally Dogs and evil men and we see that the purest Churches of Christ are called Saints and faithful Children of God and yet many among them Hypocrites and unbelievers because they that in respect of Church estate and outward Covenant and profession are outwardly or federally Saints are many times inwardly and really unsound Hence therefore it is that when we say that Children are in Covenant and so Church-Members the meaning is not that they are alwaies in inward Covenant and inward Church-Members who enjoy the inward and saveing benefits of the Covenant but that they are in external and outward Covenant and therefore outwardly Church Members to whom belongs some outward priviledges of the Covenant for their inward and eternall good These things being clear I the rather make mention of them to undermine divers usual objections againts the Membership and Covenant-Interest of Children as that they have no saving Grace many times and that they make no actuall profession of any grace and that many of them degenerate and prove corrupt and wicked c. for suppose all these yet God may take them into outward Covenant which is sufficient to make them the Church-Seed or Members of the Church although he doth not receive them into inward Covenant in bestowing upon them saving Grace or Power to profess it nay though they degenerate and grow very corrupt afterward 3. Because you may question what this outward Covenant is to which the seales are annexed and under which we shall prove Children are comprehended and because the Knowledg of it is exceeding usefull and very pleasant I shall therefore give a short taste of it as a light to
they were lineally descended of Abraham then Esau Ishmael the Iewes Rom. 11.20 could never have been cast off from being Members of the Church because they were alway the natural off-spring posterity of Abraham Hence therfore it follow 's that if they were ingraffed in the Church as Believers the Fathers as actually believing the Children as sett apart by promise of God to be made to believe and in their Parents Faith accounted believers then all believers at this day have the same priviledg and the Covenant then being made only in respect of Faith must needs be Gospel Covenant the same with God's Covenant at this day And hence also it follow 's that if they were Members as Believers then not as Members of that nation They were not therefore members of the Church because they were descended of Abraham and were in a national Church and were by generation Jews Circumcision was a Seal of Righteousness by Faith Rom. 4. 11. therefore they were sealed as believers Thus much for the first argument wherein I have been the larger because much light is let in by it to answer divers mistakes I shall name the rest with morerbrevity Argum 2. If it was the curse of Gentiles to be strangers to the Covenants of promise made with the Iews before they became the Churches of God then by being Churches this Curse is removed and hence Ephe. 2.12 13. The Apostle saith they were strangers to the Covenant and Common-wealth of Israel but are not so now If you lay that the Ephesians were in Covenant but not their seed and so they were not strangers I Answer that the Apostle doth not set out their cursed estate meerly because they were without any Covenant but because they were strangers to that Covenant of promise which the Israelites had for if their children had it not they were then as without Covenant so without God and without hope as Pagans are which is notoriously cross to the current of all Scripture as may afterward appear Argum 3. The Apostle expresly saith Your children are holy 1 Cor. 7.14 and if federally holy then of the Church for reall holyness cannot be here meant and in the Covenant of it even as 't is said Deut. 7.6 thou art an Holy people unto the Lord thy God few of which number were really and savingly holy but they were all so fedâ—rally or by Covenant and so became Gods special Church or people If you say That this holiness is meant of matrimonial holiness viz. that your children are not bastards but legitimate The answer is easy for upon this interpretation the Apostle's Answer should be false for then if one of the parents had not been a Believer and so by his Believing Sanctifyed his unbelieving Wife their Children must have been Bastards whereas you know that their Children had not been in that sence unclean or illegitimate although neither of them were Believers for the Apostle's dispute is plain viz. that if the Believing Husband did not Sanctify his unbelieving Wife then were your Children unclean â—â—e say you Bastards but it 's evident tâ—at Children may be in this sense clean and yet no Faith in either Parent to Sanctify one another to their particular use unless you will say that all Children of heathens are Bastards because neither of the parents Believe Argum. 4. Rom. 11.17 The Iews are cut off from the fatness of the Olive tree and the Gentiles put in or ingraffed in their room Now this Ingraffing is not into Christ by saving faith for it is impossible that such should ever be broken off who are once in it must therefore he meant of their ingraffing into the external state of the visible Church and the fatness and priviledges thereof of which Church Christ is the external and political head into whom in this respect they are ingraffed by external visible Faâ—â—h 〈◊〉 Covenant Hence thus I reason That if the Iews and their 〈◊〉 were ingraffed members of the Church then the Gentile 〈…〉 into the same state and comming in their 〈…〉 with their Children members of the Church when the Jews hereafter shall be 〈◊〉 they shall be ingraffâ—d in as they were before them and their 〈◊〉 verse 23. In 〈◊〉 mean while the Apostle put 's no difference between the present ingraffing of the Gentiles now and of tâ—eâ—s past or to come and therfore they and their seed are ingraffed Members now Argum. 5. Because there is â—he same inward cause moving God to take in the Children 〈◊〉 believing Church-members into the Church and Covenant now to be of the number of his people as there was for â—aking the Iews and their children for the only cause why the Lord took in the Jews and their Children thus was 〈◊〉 Love and fâ—â—e gracâ— and mercy Deâ— 4.37 becaus◠〈◊〉 Lâ—ved thy fathers tâ—erfore â—â— crose tâ—â—ir seed which choosing is not by eternal Election or choosing to glâ—â—y for many of their â—â—ed never came to Glory but unto this priviledg to be his people above all others in outward Covenant with him which is exceeding great Love if you Remember what hath been said of the bâ—anches of this outward Covenant and visible Church estate And hence â—eu 10.15 â—e uâ— the Lord had â—â—â—light in thy fathers hence he chose their seed above all people as at that day viz. to be his people â—â— so that I do from hence fully believe that either God's love is in these dayes of his Gospel less unto his people and servants then in the dayes of the old Testament or if it be as great that then the same Love respects the seed of his people now as then it did And therefore if then because he loved them he chose their seed to be of his Church so in these dayes because he loveth us he chooseth our seed to be of his Church also Argum 6. Because our Saviour speak's plainely of all Children who are brought to him that of such is the Kingdom of heaven and none are ordinarily heires of the Kingdom of Glory but such as are of God's visible Church and Kingdom here The objections against this place I think not worth confuting because I hope enough is said to clear up this first particular to prove the children of confederate believers to be in Covenant and Church-members I now proceed to the second thing viz to answer your objectioÌ„s Object 1. If Children say you be members as it was in Abraham's Covenant then wives and servants and all the houshold are to be taken in for so it was Gen. 17. Gen. 3â— 2.3 and then what Churches shall we have but such as you fear God will be weary of angry waâ— Answ. Churches at first by your own confession were in families where therfoâ—e God's grace did the more abound by how much the less it did abound abroadâ— And hence Abraham's family and houshold was a Church of God but yet consider withall that all were not of this Family church meerly
God doth not require of all those immediately who are wrapt up in Covenant with him Object 1. But here you say that that examination 1 Cor 1â— is required of all that be members and that at all times as well as their first comming to the Lords Supper Answ. This examination is indeed required of all those members who should partake of the Lords Supper but it is not required as you seem to say of every one to make him a member so that none can be a member but him that is able to examine himselfe for Gods Covenant to work faith and to give power to examine one's selfe afterward may make some as truely members as those who are able to act express their faith Now I have proved that Gods Covenant is a forehand given to children and to give them the seal of their first entrance into it many yeares after is as vile a thing as for them that are able and fit to examine themselves to have this Sacrament of the Lords Supper denied or delaied till many yeares after Object 2. But you say It 's left to every ones conscience to examine himself not that others should examine them and consequently if children be members thou it must be left upon their conscience Answ. We know in our own consciences that Children usually cannot examine themselves now if the Elders the Church are bouÌ„d to see Christs rules observed by others and if this examination be the rule that all must walk by who participate here then they must not suffer such yong ones no nor persons grown up and entred in by personal profession to receive this seal as they know are unable thus to do I think if Churches should degenerate in these dayes this course of Discipline should be attended especially by the Elders toward any of their members which way soever they have entred whether by their own or by their parents covenant And I have oft feared that there is some need already of it even toward some who enter by their own covenant and may have faith but are miserably to seek in the nature use and ends of the Lords Supper and consequently unfit to dâ—scern of Christ's body and so to come to that Sacrament Object 5. If Children may be members yet not come to the Lords Supper then it may come to pass that a whole Church may be a Church and yet not have the Lords Supper or ought not to have it Answ. 1. So there may for a Church may be a true Church yet want the benefit of some one or more of Gods Ordinances sometime Pastors sometime Elders sometime Seales 2. A Church of professing Believers may degenerate and turn prophane and sottish and so have no just right to the Seales and their Officers may leave them and so have no use of the Seales yet I suppose it is a Church of Christ still though degenerate though unfit to enjoy Seales will you therfore think the way of their Membership unlawfull viz. by professing their Faith Because such a rare thing as this may happen why then should you think the way of Childrens Membership unlawfull because of the like rarity in such a dark and gloomy state of them as you mention Object 6. If Children be Members then there will be many in the Church who are not Saints by calling nor faithfull in Christ Iesus which ought not to be if the Church could see â—t but these may be too plainly seen Answ. 1. I do think it 's true that poor Children may be and are look't upon with too too many dejected thoughts of unbelief â—espising of them as Children of wrath by nature and not with such high thoughts of Faith as Children and Sons of God by promise as I have shewn And I think herein is our great sin as it was in Christ's own disciples who were the first that we read of that would not have little Children brought unto him for which he rebuked them shewing their priviledge and for want of which faith in Gods promise about our children certainly God smites and forsakes many of our children 2. If therefore you think that Church-members must consist only of saints by calling so that your meaning is such saints as are so by outward and personal profession from the call of the Gospel are only to be Church-members this is an errour For 1. You know that they who define a Church to be a number of visible saints they usually put this phrase in and their sâ—ed who may not profess faith perhaps as their Fathers do and you shall find that the Israel of God under the old Testament are all of them said to be adopted Rom. 9.4 chosen and called Isay 41.8 9. and faithfull Isai. 1.21 and yet we know they were not all so by personal profession but in respect of their joynt federation and the outward Covenant of God with them 2. The outward Covenant is not all way first entred into by personal profession of faith but by Gods Covenant of promise to work or to use the meanes to work faith Hence it undeniably follows that as many may be in Church-covenant before they profess faith personally so many may be members of the Church without this profession of faith for this Covenant of working faith as hath been formerly explained doth not only belong to the Jews but to Gentile Churches also and Believers as hath been proved and might further be confirmed Object But say you If we saw hypocrites we were to cast them out as well as prophane persons and we see no grace in many children and therefore they must not be received in Answ. 1. If you see children of whom you cannot say that they are faithfull personally yet they may be faithfull federally as hath been shewed for they may lie under Gods Covenant of begetting faith by some meanes in them and then you are not to cast them out but accept them as God doth 2. The children of godly parents though they do not manifest faith in the Gospel yet they are to be accounted of Gods Church untill they positively reject the Gospel either in themselves or in their Parents and therefore God did never goe about to cast off â—he Iews and their seed untill they put forth positive unbelief the Lord promised to give them the means of Faith and did so and when Christ was come and the Gospel sent first unto them for their good the Lord herein fullfill'd his Covenant-Mercy as toward his Beloved people but when they rejected these meanes and cast off Christ and his Gospel then Rom. 11. they were broken off and not before Now hypocrites are such as profess Christ in words and yet deny Christ in deed Titus 1.16 2 Tim. 3.5 Hence they are such as positively refuse Christ hence the case of children in whom no positive unbeliefe appeares is not the same with this of hypocrites or prophane persons and when young Châ—ldren shall grow positively such I know not