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
see are in some respect absolute and if the Covenant was only conditionall then the Lord was no more in Covenant with Church-Members than with pagans and infidels for it may be propounded conditionally to all such that if they believe they shall be saved but assuredly God's grace is a little more extensive to the one then to the other 3 Hence you may see what Circumcision once did and Baptism◠now seal's unto even to Infants the seal is to confirm the Covenant the Covenant is that God outwardly at least owne's them and reckon's them among his people and Children within his visible Church and Kingdome and that here upon he will prune and cutt and dresse and water them and improve the means of their eternal good upon them which good they shall have unless they refuse in resisting the means nay that he will take away this refuseing heart from among them indefinitely so that though every one cannot assure himself that he will do it particularly for this or that person yet every one through this promise may hope and pray for the communication of this grace and so feel it in time These things thus premised to clear up the ensuing discourse I shall now do two things 1. Leave a few grounds and reasons to prove that Children are in Church-Covenant and so enjoy Church-Membership by their parents 2. I shall then Answer your scruples To the first The truth of it is manifest by clearing up this proposition viz That one and the same Covenant which was made to Abraham in the old Testament is for substance the same with that in the New and this under the new-Testament the very same with that of Abraham's under the old I say for Substance the same for it is acknowledged that there was somthing proper and personal in Abraham's Covenāt as to be a Father of many Nations but this was not of the Substance of the Covenant which belong's to all the Covenanters and unto which the Seal of Circumcision was set for all Abraham's seed neither in those nor these dayes are the fathers of many nations nor did Circumcision seal it Again it is confessed that the external administrations of this one the same covenant are diverse but still the Covenant for substance is the same For that old covenant was dispensed with other external signes sacrifices types prophesies then this under the new There was something Typical in Abraham's covenāt concerning Canaan a type of heaven but yet the same Covenant remaine's now with a more naked manner of dispensation or promise of heaven And hence it follow 's that if it may appear that the Covenant it self is one and the same now as then then as now then it will undeniably follow that if the New Covenant under the Gospel be not a carnal Covenant no more was that if the new-Covenant be not proper to Abraham's natural seed no more was that which was made with Abraham if the substance of that Covenant was I will be a God to thee and thy seed then this very Covenant remaine's still under the Gospel it being one and the same with that if by vertue of that Covenant the Children were made Members of the Church and hence had a Church priviledge and seal administred then the same Covenant remaining the same and in the same force and benefit our Children also are taken into the like Membership It remaine's therfore to prove that which all our Divines have long since made good against the Papists that the Covenant then and now is for substance one and the same or that the Covenāt made with Abraham was a Gospel-Covenant and this Gospel-Covenant the same that was made with Abraham 1. The Covenant made with Abraham is renewed in the Gospel as to the main thing in it viz I will be their God and they shall be my people Heb. 8.10 Ier. 31.33 and though the seed be not exprest yet it s understood as 't is Gen. 17.8 if need be shall be proved hereafter 2. Because Abraham's Covenant is of Gospel eternal priviledges Not proper therefore to him and his fleshly posterity For righteousness by Faith was sealed up by Circumcision Rom. 4.11 which is a Gospel priviledge and is the ground of all other priviledges and yet in Gen. 17.7 there is no expression of this righteousness by Faith but it is understood therefore in this I will be their God So the promise of eternal life and resurrection therunto is wrapt up in this I am the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob 3. Because there was never any Covenant but it was either of Grace or workes that of workes on mount Sinai that of Grace which was made with Abraham and hence Gal. 3.17 The Covenant which was confirmed afore by Christ the Law 430 years after cannot disanull and what was that Covenant before surely it was the Covenant of Grace becaus it was confirmed by Christ and what was this Covenant confirmed by Christ but the Covenant made with Abraham for of this the Apostle speakes verses 14 16. And he cal's it expressly by the Name of Gospel or the Gospel-Covenant verse 8 9. 4. Because when God reneweth his promise and Covenant made with Abraham with his people at the plaines of Moab Deut. 30.6 it run's in these words viz I will Circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed now this is a Gospel priviledg and a Gospel-Covenant as appeares by comparing this text with Rom. 10.8 wherin the righteousness of faith or the Gospel is brought in speaking the words of this Covenant saying the word is nigh thee in thy heart mouth Deut. 30.11 12 13 14. Now if that place Gen. 17.7 should be said to be obscure concerning the promise I will be a God to thy seed yet here in this place God speak's plainly which by comparing the scriptures is a Gospel promise and of a Gospel priviledge and therefore to be preach't by Ministers of the Gospel and to be believed by the professors of it 5. Because this promise I will be a God to thee and thy seed doth not belong to Abraham his seed as after the flesh or as lineally descended of Abraham but as believers and this is most evident Rom. 11. wherein 't is said of the Jews 1. That they were broken off made no people no Church by unbeliefe verse 20. 2. That by Faith they shall be graffed in again verse 23. If therefore they were broken off the Church by unbeliefe then they stood as members of the Church by Faith and if by faith they should be graffed in then they stood by faith at first Again it is said in this Rom 11.28 that they are loved for the Fathers sakes surely not as natural fathers but as spiritual by faith and hence Nehem. 9.8 it is expressly said that God found Abraham faithfull before him and made a Covenant with him Again if the posterity of Abraham were Members upon this ground only or chiefly viz. because
they can hold forth visible faith would not many of these things be more clear Answ. In these words there is a threefold mistake 1. That all of the family nation in former times were of the Church this 〈…〉 for God never took â—â—y to be his Church but 〈◊〉 they were Believers at 〈◊〉 eâ—ternally In that Nation I say Believers which either are professed believers or promised believers such as by outward Covenant shall have the meanes to be made believers in y â— Nation and hence you have heard that the Nation of the Jews stood by Faith and were broken of by unbeliefe and if any rejected the Covenant as Ishmael and Esau they were not of that Church though they did and might dwell in y t nation as doubtless thousands did 2. You think that Visible pâ—â—sonal Faith only makes the Church and members of it which â—s an errour as may appear from many thingâ— already said for Children may be in Gods account professors of y â— Faith parentally as well as personally i. e. in the profession of their parents as well as in their own And hence you shall find that the Covenant God entered into with the Parents of Church-members personally the Children are said to have that Covenant made with them many hundred yeares 〈◊〉 See for this purpose among hundreds these few Scriptures Haggaâ— 2.5 In Haggal's time God is said to make a Covenant with them then when they came out of Egypt which was not personally but parentally so Hosea 12.4 5. when God entred into Covenant with Jacob at Bethel God is said to speak with US who lived many yeares after and hence the Children many yeares after challenge Gods Covenant with them which was made with their Fathers for them Micah 7.19 20. Hence also those Children are said to Come to Christ who were not able to come themselves but only were brought in the armes of others to Christ. It 's a known thing among men that a Father may receive a giâ—â— or Legacy given to him and his heires and he and his heires are bound to perform the condition of the Covenant and promise by which it is conveyed and that the Child doth this in his Father 3. You think that if men only grown up and able to profess Faith should be of the Church then all things would be more clear aboâ—â— Children Truly I believe the quite contrary upon y â— grounds before laid dowâ— For 1. Hereby pollution of Church shall not be avoyded but rather introduced to excluâ—â— Children from an holy-making Covenant as we have proved 2. Hereby that good and benefit of their Covenant should be lost not gain'd by excluding them out of Covenant untill they can personally profess and make use of the Covenant The wisdome of man furthers not the Righteousness of God And here let me conclude with the naked profession oâ— my Faith to you in this point which is â— Bulwark of defence against all that is said by Anabaptists against baptising of Infants 1. That the Children of professing Believers are in the same Covenant God made with Abraham Abraham was a Father of many nations and not of one nation only and hence the same Covenant made with him and the believing Israel in that nation the saâ—â— Covenant is made with all his believing seed in all other nations 2. That Baptisme is a seal of our first entrance and admission into Covenant and therfore is to be immediately applyed to children of believeing parent as soon as evâ—â—â—hiâ— be in Covenant and that is as soon as they become the visible seed 〈…〉 faithfull for so the Covenant to Abraham run's I will be thy God and the God of thy seed not only his elect-seed but Church-seed as hath been shew'd not only of his seed in that one nation but in all Nations These two things I cannâ—â—â—ell how to avoid the light of they are so clear and the ignorance of these makes so many Anabaptists as they are called and I never yet met with any thiâ—â— written by them and much I have read that was of any considerable weight to overthrow these But I forget my selfe and trouble you My prayer is and shall be That the Lord would gâ—ve you understanding in all these things FINIS Errata Preface Page 4. Linâ— 20. read wonted p. 6. l. 7. r. y t have fought p. 7. l. 28. r. spiritâ—â—â— page 18. liâ—â— 29. for 〈◊〉 r. anâ— In y e Book page 11. line 34. for now r. were Instances hereof see in the pâ—eface to â—â—e act of the Synod held aâ— Boston 16â—2 Touching Bâ—ptism Consociation of Churches Cap. 4. Pag. 14. Keyes Cha. 4 Pag. 15. Act. mon. vol 3. Pag. 606 610. s. m. Argum 1.