Church Membership of Children and their Right to Baptism, Poem 2 – Poem 4
II. THOMAS SHEPARD. Anagr: ô a map's thresh'd.
LOe her's a map, where we may see
Well thresh'd an heap of corn to be
By Thomas Shepard's happy hand
Which from the chaffe pure wheat hath fan'd:
The wheat is the Church-members right
(Both great and little ones) to witt
Unto the seal of Baptisme, all
That are within the Gospel call;
I mean Believers and their seed;
To whom the Lord hath Promised,
To be their God; and doth reveal
Their right to's Covenant and the seal:
On whom through Grace the Blessing came
Of his dear servant Abraham.
Be they or Iewes or Gentiles, now
No difference the Lord doth know.
The promise is to us and ours.
As large, or larger: and God pour's
His Spirit now as much, or more
Then e're he did on them before.
And if that they were Circumcis'd.
Then we are now to be Baptiz'd:
Our Babes must now no less then theirs
Be seal'd (as of his Kingdome heires)
Christ calleth them his little ones,
And as his darlings He them owne's▪
Denouncing against them a woe,
That are despisers of them, who▪
Offe…d the least of them, and such
As do their interest in him grutch.
Crispus, with Gaius, Stephanas,
With others, were not all through Grace
Baptis'd that of their Houshold were?
And Children who will doubt were there?
Then let us not to them deny,
Nor seem as if we did envy
The priviledge which God from heaven
Hath through his grace and favour given.
Nor let us limit his good Spirit
In applycation of Christ's merrit:
Whose bloud was shed for them, as well
As those who them in age excell:
If such be taught of God, who dare
Deny, they his Disciples are?
III. THOMAS SHEPARD Anagr: More hath po…s'd.
MOre from this holy pen d…th …ast'd
The Baptisme to defend
… Infants … at Church members are
(If well you do attend)
Then any Anti-baptists can
with solidness confute.
I wish with all my heart that God
will grant these labours fruit,
As good or better then the paines
by other Godly taken.
That thereby all his precious Saints
be would please to awaken.
That none may any more oppose,
with Zeal preposterous,
The Truth which Gods most holy word
commendeth unto us;
That who were less convinced by
this holy Shepards voice,
Yet in his Letter left behind
they may …e more rejoyce.
He was a shining Light indeed,
few other such are left,
The Lord vouchsafe we be not by
our Sinns of them bereft.
And poure down of his Spirit more
upon his Sons surviving;
That will be more and more unto
Truth's lovers a reviving.
IIII. THOMAS SHEPARD Anagr: Arm'd as the Shop.
ARm'd (at the shop of God's good word
…oth weapons unto him afford)
…nd's the right of little ones,
Whom God in the Church Covenant ownes
The Child…e… of …is Church among,
To whom … Kingdome doth belong,
And there withall the Seal thereof,
Through his free Mercy, Grace, and Love.
Yet are there some which them forbid
(As once his weak Disciples did)
To come to Christ, and …cruple make,
Whether therof they should partake?
But Christ was very angry for it,
As for such Zeale he did abhor it;
Oh come, said he, and welcom'd such,
With tokens of affection much:
As if that they and scarcely …hy
But such as they might chalenge any
Or part, or portion in his grace,
(So did his favour th…m embrace)
His Babes, his Lambs, his little creatures
He call's them. As for such d…features,
Christ they defeat as well as them
Whom they presume so to contemn.
This holy Shepard is like David,
From Ly…s mouth, and Beare's who saved
That Little Kid; whom God did crown
With great and singular renown:
And so this Shepard hath (no doubt)
A glorious crown his head about.
For all his lab…urs, (and for this;)
In high and everlasting bli…s.
And as the Lord doth honour him
(For Christ his sake) so his esteem
Both is, and ought to be most rare,
'Mongst them who Christ hi… followers are▪
And oh how should we bless his Name
That o… …is Son he pour's the same
Good Spirit that was in the Father
Or doubles it upon him rather:
LORD▪ these Epistles do thou bless!
And as thy Truth they do confess
So make them precious in the eyes
Of all that do thy Gospel prize.
Amen
IOHN WILSON Senior