But Mr. B. came to reinforce his faltering brother.
"Here," said he, "is the Cambridge Platform. You will all be willing to
hear from that source."
"Let us hear," said two or three voices.
Mr. B. read as follows:
"The like trial (examination) is to be required from such members of the
church as were born in the same, or received their membership, and were
baptized in their infancy or minority, by virtue of the covenant of
their parents, when, being grown up unto years of discretion, they shall
desire to be made partakers of the Lord's Supper; unto which, because
holy things must not be given to the unworthy, therefore it is requisite
that these, as well as others, should come to their trial and
examination, and manifest their faith and repentance by an open
profession thereof before they are received to the Lord's Supper, and
otherwise not to be admitted thereunto. Yet those church-members that
were so born, or received in their childhood, before they are capable of
being made partakers of full communion, have many privileges which
others, not church-members, have not; they are in covenant with God,
have the seal thereof upon them, namely, baptism; and so, if not
regenerated, yet are in a more hopeful way of attaining regenerating
grace, and all the spiritual blessings both of the covenant and seal;
they are also under church-watch, and consequently subject to the
reprehensions, admonitions, and censures thereof, for their healing and
amendment, as need shall require."[9]
[Footnote 9: Cambridge Platform, chap. iii. 7.]
_Mr. R._ Now, please, Br. B., what does all that prove?
_Mr. B._ Why, it proves that, in the judgment of the Cambridge Platform,
the children of church-members are members of the churches.
_Mr. R._ It shows that the Cambridge Platform calls them members; but it
gives us no proof that they are properly called members. A great deal in
that extract, I undertake to say, will command the cordial assent of all
who practise infant baptism, if we except the use of the term members.
It shows that, as to coming into the company of true believers, and
being one of them, the only way is through repentance and faith,--a way
common to the unbaptized. The only advantage, but one which is
exceedingly great and precious on the part of the believer's children,
being, that they "have many privileges," and "are in a more hopeful way
of attaining regenerating grace." But the term membership does not
express their relation to the church before they are converted.
_Mr. B._ (After a pause.) I do not know but you are right.
Mr. C., the remaining advocate of the sermon, said, "Let me refresh
your memories with the famous case quoted in Morton's New England
Memorial. He says:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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