coming in, shall still see their wonted teachers, with [the1] In the name and by the order of the What acceptance this address found with his Majesty, may be gathered from the letters which he ordered to be sent to the country, on the 15th of February following, a true copy of which here followeth : CHARLES R. Trusty and wellbeloved, We greet you well. It having pleased Almighty God, after long trial, both of us and our people, to touch their hearts at last with a just sense of our right, and by their assistance to restore us, peaceably and without blood, to the exercise of our regal authority, for the good and welfare of the nations committed to our charge; we have made it our care to settle our lately distracted Kingdoms at home, and to extend our thoughts to increase the trade and advantage of our Colonies and Plantations abroad; amongst which, as we consider that of New England to be one of the chiefest, having enjoyed and grown up under [a long and'] orderly establishment, so we shall not come behind any of our Royal predecessors, in a just encouragement and protection of all şours loving subjects there, whose application unto us, since our late happy restoration, hath been very acceptable, and shall not want its due remembrance upon all seasonable occasions. Neither shall we forget to make you, and all our good people in those parts, equal par 'Supplied from Hazard.-H. Substituted, from Hazard, for the in the MS.-H. 3 Accompanying this Address was one to the Parliament, together with instructions to their agent, John Leveret "or in his absence Richard Saltonstall and Henry Ashurst, Esqrs." See Hazard, ii. 579-86; Hutch. Coll. Papers, pp. 325-33.-н. Supplied from Hutch. Coll. Papers, p. 333.-H. takers of those promises of liberty and moderation to tender consciences, expressed in our gracious declarations, which, though some persons in this our Kingdom, of desperate, disloyal, and unchristian principles, have lately abused, to the public disturbance and their own destruction, yet we are confident our good subjects in New England will make a right use of it, to the glory of God, their own spiritual comfort and edification; and so we bid you farewell. Given at our Court at Whitehall, the 15th [day'] of February, 1660, in the thirteenth year of our reign. CHAP. LXIV.2 WILL: MORrice. Ecclesiastical affairs in New England, from the year 1656 to the year 1661. THE affairs of the church in New England continued in the same state as before, and were hitherto ordered according to the Platform of Discipline, set forth in the year 1648; but in the beginning of this lustre some difficulties began to arise about the enlarging the subject of Baptism, which, unto this time, had been administered unto those children only, whose immediate parents were admitted into full communion in the churches where they live. But now the country came to be increased, and sundry families were found that had many children born in them, whose immediate parents had never attempted to join to any of the churches, to which they belonged, and yet were very much unsatisfied that they could not obtain Baptism for their children, although themselves made no way to be admitted to the Lord's Supper. The case was generally apprehended to be difficultly circumstanced, as things had hitherto been carried on amongst those churches, and did occasion many debates between the ministers of the country, many of which were willing to have Baptism enlarged to those in that capacity, but knew not well how to bring the matter about with the peace of their churches, where many of their people were very scrupulous about any innovation. Questions of this nature were first started in the Colony of Con 1 Supplied from Hutchinson's Coll. Papers, p. 333.-н. • LXIII in the MS.-H. necticut, the magistrates of which jurisdiction did, about the year 1656, send down several of them about this subject to the magistrates of the Massachusetts, and they mutually called together sui.dry of the ablest ministers of each Colony, and recommended to their search and consideration some inquiries (about twenty, or one and twenty in all,) concerning that business, stated and framed by themselves; and they met at Boston in New England, June 4th, 1657. The result of their disputation and debate about those matters, being agreed upon by all, or the greatest part of them, was presented to the magistrates of each jurisdiction, that so, according to the first intendments thereof, it might be improved for the service of the churches, that belonged to their respective jurisdictions. Those pious and careful nursing fathers of the churches, foreseeing many differences like to arise to the disquieting of them, took this prudent course for the clearing up the truth in controversy, unto universal satisfaction, lest otherwise differences in judgment should beget or occasion uncomfortable animosities, if not paroxysms of contention, that might more easily in this way be prevented than healed, if once they should break out, which the event made appear too evident afterwards. Some papers, that contained the product of those consultations and debates, being sent into England, were by him to whom they were committed afterwards made public, though not till the year 1659, finding that none had taken care for the printing of them in New England, as was by him and others at first expected. The sum and substance of that disputation, which was entitled A Disputation concerning Church Members and their children, in answer to twenty-one questions, is as followeth : Question 1. Whether any children of confederate parents be under their parents' covenant, and members with them? But why the question was so limitedly expressed, 'whether any,' and not whether all children of confederate parents,' will not be hard to conceive, when the next questions are made; however, the answer given was in the same particular term. || these || Answer. Some children of confederate parents are, by means of their parents' covenanting, in covenant also, and so members of the church by divine institution. This answer was confirmed by sundry arguments, viz. 1. Because they are in that covenant, for substance, which was made with Abraham, Gen. xvii. 7, compared with Deut. xxix. 12, 13, etc. 2. Because such children are by Christ affirmed to have a place and portion in the Kingdom of Heaven, &c. Matth. xix. 14. Mark x. 14. Luke xviii. 16. 3. Else no children could be baptized, Baptism being a church ordinance, and a seal of the covenant of grace, &c., with many others. Qu. 2. Whether all children, of whatever year or conditions, were so, as 1. Absent children never brought to the church. 2. Born before their parents' covenanting. 3. Incorrigible, or seven, ten, or twelve years old. 4. Such as desire not to be admitted with their parents of such an age? Ans. Only such children, as are in their minority, covenant with their parents, for adult children are to covenant in their own persons. The whole household of Lydia, the jailer and others, were baptized, and a child at the ages mentioned is infans in foro ecclesiæ. Qu. 3. Till what age shall they enter into covenant with their parents, whether sixteen, twenty-one, &c.? Ans. As long as in respect of age or capacity they cannot, according to ordinary account, be supposed able to act for themselves, so long they shall enter in by means of their parents' covenant; because, whilst they are children, and in their minority, they are not otherwise capable of covenanting. Ishmael was admitted to the seal by his father's covenant, at thirteen years of age. Gen. xvii. 25. Qu. 4. What discipline a child is subject to, from seven to sixteen years old? Reply 1. Church discipline is taken either more largely, for the act of a church member, dispensed to a church member as such by way of rebuke, &c., Luke xvii. 3, 4, Matth. xviii. 15, or more strictly for the act of the whole church, dispensed to a member thereof, as in case of pub lic rebuke, &c. Matth. xviii. 17. 2 Cor. ii. 3. 1 Tim. i. 20. In the first sense, children in their minority are subject to church discipline immediately, but not in the second. 2. It is the duty of the elders and church to call upon parents to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephe. vi. 4. 3. Besides their subjection to ecclesiastical discipline, they are also subject to civil discipline, whether domestical, scholastical, or magistratical. Qu. 5. Whether a father may twice covenant for his children in minority in several churches? Rep. 1. When a parent is called to remove from one church to another, he is also called to enter into covenant in that church to which he removes. 2. When the parent, thus removing, entereth into covenant, his children then in minority covenant in him; the child, and the power of government over him, must go together. Qu. 6. Whether the end of a deputy covenant be not to supply personal incapacity, or whether children, ripe for personal covenanting in respect of age, should covenant by a deputy, as others that are unable thereunto? Ans. 1. Children in minority, whose immediate parents are in church covenant, do covenant in their parents, as in answer to quest. 1. 2. Children adult ought to covenant in their own persons, as may be gathered from Deut. xxvi. 17, 18, 19, and xxix. 10, and Joshua xxiv. 18, 27, Nehem. ix. ult., and x. 28. Qu. 7. Whether as large qualifications be not required of a member's child to the participation of the Lord's Supper and other privileges, as were requirable of his parents at their first entrance? Rep. The holding forth of faith and repentance with an ability to examine themselves by way of confession to the judgment of charity, were all requirable in the parent for admission into the church to full communion, and the same is requisite to the regular admission of the pa |