Containing the Testimony of Rev. Messrs. HIGGINSON, and HUBBARD, to the order the Churches, and other minor and valuable documents. BOSTON, PRINTED. REPRINTED FOR A. LYMAN & CO. BOOKSELLERS, PORTLAND. ...... 1812 THE ANSWER OF THE ELDERS and other MESSENGERS of the Churches, assembled at Boston, in the year 1662. To the QUESTIONS propounded to them by order of the honorable General Court. Question 1. WHO are the subjects of Baptism? Anfwer. The answer may be given in the following Propositions, briefly confirmed from the Scriptures. 1. They that according to scripture, are members of the visible church, are the subjects of baptism. 2. The members of the visible church according to scripture, are confederate visible believers, in particular churches, and their infant seed, i e. children in minority, whose next parents, one or both, are in covenant. 3. The infant-seed of confederate visible believers, are members of the same church with their parents, and when grown up, are personally under the watch, discipline and government of that church. 4. These adult persons, are not therefore to be admitted to full communion, merely because they are and continue members, without such further qualifications, as the word of God requireth thereunto. 5. Church members who were admitted in minority, understanding the doctrine of faith, and publicly professing their assent thereto; not scandalous in life, and solemnly owning the covenant before the church, wherein they give up themselves and their children to the Lord, and subject themselves to the government of Christ in the church, their children are to be baptised. 6. Such church members, who either by death, or some other extraordinary providence, have been inevitably hindered from public acting as aforesaid, yet have given the church cause in judgment of charity, to look at them as so qualified, and such, as had they been called thereunto, would have so acted; their children are to be baptised. 7. The members of orthodox churches being sound in the faith, and not scandalous in life, and presenting due testimony thereof; these occasionally coming from one church to another, may have their children baptised in the church whither they come, by virtue of communion of churches: But if they remove their habitation, they ought orderly to covenant and subject themselves to the government of Christ in the church where they settle their abode, and so their children to be baptised. It being the churches duty to receive such into communion, so far as they are regularly fit for the same. The confirmation of these Propositions from the scripture followeth. |