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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
reason_n	church_n	member_n	visible_a	3,184	5	9.3025	5	false

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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

would have reduced under the yoke of circumcision they were some of those whom the Apostles accounted Disciples or whom the Apostles had Discipled But some children were some of those whom the false Teachers would have reduced under the yoke of circumcision for they would have had both Gentile Parents and children circumcised after the manner of Moses v. 1 5. with Exod. 12. 48 49. Acts 21. 21. And that the Apostles took in children with Parents when they were conversant in the work of Discipling further appears from Acts 2. 39. 16. 15 31 33. 1 Cor. 7. 14. 2. Some children are under the promised teaching of God Isa. 54. 13. And the Word there used is rendred Disciples Isa 8. 16. 3. Some children do visibly belong to Christ Mark 10. 14. Iosh. 22. 24 25. Therefore are Disciples Compare Mat. 10. 42. with Mark 9. 41. 4. When Christ saith Disciple all Nations he bids gather the Gentiles into like covenant and Church-estate for the substance thereof which had been the portion of the Iews Therefore he bids Disciple some children Arg. 6. They that are subjects of the Lords visible Spiritual Kingdom servants and children of the Lords Family they are Members of the Church which is called the Lords Kingdom and House and Family in the Scripture But so are some children Ezek. 37. 25 26 27. It is Davids i. e. Christs Spiritual-Gospel-Kingdom that he there speaks of and that in reference unto visible Sanctuary or Church-estate That some children are the Lords Servants see Lev. 25. 39 41 42. And that not by common right of Creation onely or designment unto some particular service but of special Redemption and conservation there spoken of And surely both childrens capacity so to be and the Lords Grace and Favour so to accept them was not greater then than now That they are children sons and daughters of God see Rom. 9. 4 26. Gen. 6. 2. Ezek. 16. 20 21. 23. 37. And how were these children the Lords children properly and meerly upon the account of internal and spiritual regeneration For that was not found in many of the children spoken of in the places mentioned nor yet only by Creation for so others were Gods children as well as the children of the Iews and so the daughters of men were his daughters as well as the other were his sons Gen. 6. 2. Therefore they are said to be Gods children because of their Covenant and Church relation unto him which was common to all the children of the Church and to none other and so Ezek. 16 8. shews being compared with verse 20 21. Arg. 7. If no children be members of the visible Church then we have no well-grounded hope according to ordinary course of dispensation of the salvation of any dying Infants And the reason is because salvation pertains to the Church Isa. 45. 17. Eph. 2. 12. 5. 23 26. Ioh. 4. 22. Act. 2. 27. Luke 19. 9. Those that are without the visible Kingdom of God are visibly in the Kingdom of Satan for he is the God of the world 2 Cor. 4. 4. And to him are men delivered when they are cast out of the Church 1 Cor. 5. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 20. So if children live and die out of the visible Church they live and die out of Gods visible Kingdom and visibly in the Kingdom of Satan And then what visible ground of hope according to ordinary course of their salvation But to account the estate of all that die children so hopelesse and forlorn is contrary to the tender and rich mercy of the Lord and to the Doctrine of the Scriptures and to Godly Parents most uncomfortable Arg. 8. If some children were Members of the Church of God in the old Testament then some children are Members of the Church of God in the daies of the new Testament But some children were Members of the Church in the time of the old Testament which though a Truth that we know not how any can deny yet we may briefly evince and confirm thus That children then were in Covenant is expresly witnessed Gen. 17. 7. Deut. 29. 11 12 15. And that they were in such a Covenant or so in Covenant as to be Members of the Church that then was appears because 1. They were in the same Covenant that their Parents or elder persons were in and whereby they were constituted Members of the Church Gen. 17. 7. Deut. 29. 10 11 12 14 15. 27. 9. 26. 18. Ier. 23. 11. Acts 7. 38. 2. They were subjects of a Church-Ordinance never regularly applied to any out of the Church viz. Circumcision Rom. 3. 1 2. They were Israelites i. e. In other words Members of the Church of Israel to whom pertained Church priviledges Rom 9. 4. They were children of the Kingdom and such as were capable of being cast out of Church estate therefore in it Mat. 8. 12. Rom. 11. 20. Ier. 7. 15. 2 King 17. 20. 5. They were visibly the Lords people by Covenant even as the rest of the people were the Lords people Ezek. 16. 8 20 21. 6. They were children of the House of Israel as opposed to dogs i. e. Persons out of the Church Mat. 15. 24 26. In a word as oft as they are said or implied to be a part of the holy seed of the holy people of the Lords people of Israel of the Circumcision of those whom God redeemed out of the Land of Egypt to make them his peculiar treasure of the inheritance and congregati of the Lord c. So often are they shewed to be Members of the Church But all the Question will be about the consequence of the Proposition and that may be cleared thus 1. If the Church of the old Testament and the Church of the Gentiles under the new Testament be for kind essentially the same then if children were Members of that Church they are also Members of these For if they be the same essentially and the same for kind then they have the same Covenant or general From Therefore that Covenant which takes in the seed or children Gen. 17. 7. Therefore the seed or children are in and of the one Church as well as the other But that the Church State then and now was and is essentially the same is evident because it is the same Kingdom of God and not another which is taken from them and given to us Mat. 21. 43. 8. 11 12. One and the same sheepfold for kind under one and the same shepheard in which were the Iews first and the Gentiles afterwards Iohn 10. 16. The Gentiles are fellow heirs with the Iews of the same body and partakers of the same promise Eph. 3 6. We are in the same root and Olive from which some of them were broken off in which the Godly Iews not broken off did still continue and into which the rest shall be grafted in again in time Rom. 11. 17 18 24. The conversion of the Gentiles is expressed in such

Because the foundation of the covenant membership of the child is Divine Institution which imputes the Covenant Act only and not any other Act of the Parents to the child Quest 13. Whether a Members Childs unfitness for seals disableth not his seed for Membership or Baptism Ans. This question agreeing in scope with Quest 10. We refer thither for Answer thereunto Quest 14. Whether a Members Child be censurable for any thing but scandalous actions and not also for ignorance and inexperience Ans. A Members child like as it is with all other members is censurable only for scandalous sins Mat. 18. 15 18. 1 Cor. 5. 11. Consequently for ignorance and inexperience when scandalous for all ignorance and inexperience though blameable is not scandalous Rom. 14. 1. Heb 5. 12. Luke 9. 55. Quest 15. Whether a Members Child must only examine himself and may not be examined by others of his fitnesse for seals Ans. It is a duty of a Members child to examine himself and yet he is also subject to the examination of others 1. Because the Elders are to give an account which necessarily presupposeth that God hath given them power in some respects to take an account Heb. 13. 17. Acts 8. 37. 2. It pertaineth to them to see that the holy things be not defiled by the accesse of any unclean and unworthy person Ezek. 44. 23. Mal. 1. 6 7 9. 2. 1. 3. To teach by question and answer in the most profitable way for the instruction and edification of the younger sort and is commended occasionally to the practise of the Churches Gal. 6. 6. Quest 16. Whether only Officers must examine in private or else publike before the Church Ans. Concerning their examination by the Elders in private the former reasons conclude affirmatively whereunto may be added occasionally that Iames and the Elders contrive and prepare in private for the more orderly and quiet transactions of things in publick Acts 21. 22 23. 'T is spiritual wisdom by preparing the stones beforehand to prevent after noise in the building 1 Kin. 7. 6. Publick examination we also conceive to be regular edification or due satisfaction of the Church calling thereunto yet alwaies orderly that is by approbation of the Presbytery and the immediate proposal of the questions by them to the examinate Rev. 2. 2. 1 Cor. 14. 40. Quest 17. Whether the same grown Members Child must not be examined of his Charitable experience before Baptism as well as before the Lords Supper Ans. We think the Elders do well to take an account of children concerning the Principles of Religion according to their capacity before they be baptized If the children spoken of in the question be yet in their minority their right unto Baptism being founded consequently upon the Covenant made in their Parents this Examination is to be looked at as conducing to the better application but not to the being of their Baptism But if they be adult they are to give an account of their Faith and Repentance in their own persons before they be baptized Acts 8. 36 37. Mat 3. 6. See Ans. to Quest 6th Quest 18. Whether baptized Children sent away from the Church for settlement and not intending return are continually to be accounted Members Ans. Baptized children though locally removed from the Church unto which they belong are to be accounted Members until dismission death or censure dissolve that Relation because Christ the Institutor of this Relation onely by these waies dissolveth the same Quest 19. Whether Historical Faith and a blamelesse life fit a Members Child for all Ordinances and Priviledges and he must be examined only about them Ans. Not only historical Faith i. e. The meer knowledge of the fundamental Doctrine of Faith and a blamelesse life but also such an holding forth of Faith and Repentance as unto judgment of Charity sheweth an ability to examine themselves and to discern the Lords body is requisite to fit a Members child for all Ordinances and Priviledges and his blamelesse life notwithstanding a Members child is to be examined concerning the other qualifications That both the having and holding forth of Faith and Repentance are requisite to fit for all Ordinances see Ans. to Quest 7th That a meer Historical Faith and every blamelesse life is not sufficient to hold forth these qualifications appears 1. An Historical Faith as meerly such is insufficient Iam. 2. 19. 2. A blamelesse life is either taken for such a conformity of the external man to the Letter as exempts from censure Mat. 19. 20. Phil. 3. 6. Or for such a conformity of the whole man as in judgment of Charity commends a person to the Conscience of the beholder as in measure spiritual Phil. 1. 10. 2. 15. A blamelesse life in the first sense is not sufficient to qualifie for all Ordinances but for our fitnesse thereunto the Rule calleth for a blamelesse life in the second sense Matth. 3. 8 9. Iames 2. 21. Besides the holding forth of Faith and Repentance according to the Premises Quest 20. Whether if a Church-Member barely say it repents me though seventy times seven times following he relapse into the same gross evils as lying slander oppression c. He be to be forgiven and not censured Ans. Though we alwaies acknowledge that the Holy One of Israel is not to be limited by man or Angel as to the dispensation of his Grace yet so far as we remember the Scriptures seventy times seven times i. e. 490 relapses into the same grosse sin and repentance is an instance not extant there Without the fruits meet for repentance we are not called to forgive Mat. 3. 8. Luk. 17. 3. Notwithstanding a Brother offends seventy times seven times that is many times a definite number being put for an indefinite yet whilst God enables him to repent it is our duty to forgive 'T is not the number of offences but the holding forth of repentance in the offender that is the measure of our forgivenesse Mat. 18. 22. As God for Christs sake forgave us so ought we to forgive one another Ephes. 4. 32. To say in words I repent and to gainsay it in deeds is according to Scripture not to repent yea rather to continue in impenitency Tit. 1. 16. Iam. 2. 18 26. An ingenuous and solemn profession of repentance nothing appearing to the contrary is to be accepted as true repentance in the judgment of Charity Luk. 17. 3. 1 Cor. 13. 7. Quest 21. Whether a Member under offence and not censured or not with the highest Censure can authoritatively be denied the Lords Supper or other Church-priviledges Ans. 1. None but the Church can Authoritatively deny to the Member his accesse unto the Lords Supper because the power thereof is only delegated to that subject Mat. 18. 17. 2. The Church cannot deny unto a Member his accesse unto the Lords Supper untill she hath regularly judged him to be an offender 3. The censure of admonition is the first act whereby a Church doth judicially declare a Member to be an offender therefore till the censure of admonition be past a Member cannot Authoritatively be denied communion in the Lords Supper or other Church-priviledges because of offence 4. After the sentence of Admonition is past the offender now admonished may be yea thereby is Authoritatively denied to come unto the Lords Supper and to vote in the Church because he is judicially unclean Lev. 22. 3 4. 7. 20 21. Mat. 5. 23 24. Though he be not yet Censured with the Censure of Excommunication 5. All which notwithstanding there are cases wherein a Brother apparently discerned to be in a condition rendring him should he so proceed to the Lords Supper an unworthy Communicant may and ought regularly to be advised to forbear and it is his duty to hearken thereunto 6. Yet two things are here carefully to be attended 1. That Brethren be not many Masters taking upon them to advise and to admonish others to abstain without cause or before the time Iam. 3. 1. 2. That none forbear to come worthily which is their duty because to their private apprehension another is supposed at least to come unworthily which is their sin 7. In case the Church shall see cause to advise a Member to forbear and he shall refuse to hearken thereunto his refusal being also a violation of Church Order addeth contumacy to his offence and thereby ripens the Offender for Censure 19 4th 1657. Boston N. E. ERRATA PAg. 5. l. 1. read Act. 15. 10. p. 6. l. 23. r. Act. 2. 47. p. 14. l. 7. r. 2 Cor. 2. 6. l. 26. r. Act. 9. 19. p. 18. l. 5. for reason r. season p. 23. l. 30. for Church-act r. Covenant-act p. 24. l. 19 20. r. would have so p. 26. l. 20. for in r. is See the platform of Church Discipline cap 12. §. 7. See the platform of Discipline cap. 12. §. 7.