Now rare. [f. CHILD sb. + -SHIP; cf. sonship. (App. formed to render St. Paul’s υἱοθεσία.)]

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  1.  The relationship of child to parent; the attainment of this status, filiation, adoption.

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1535.  Coverdale, Rom. viii. 23. We … grone within in oure selues for the Childshippe.

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1613.  T. Adams, Pract. Wks. (1862), III. 101. God’s actual choice, and our potential childship.

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1662.  J. Sparrow, trans. Behmen’s Rem. Wks., Def. agst. Rickter, 19. It attaineth not the divine Childship, or Filiation.

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1765.  Law, trans. Behmen’s Myst. Magnum, xl. (1772), 232. The inherited Adoption or Childship.

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1886.  Westcott, St. John’s Ep., 17. Love is the sign of divine childship.

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  † 2.  Second childship: = ‘second childhood.’ Obs.

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1691.  Wood, Ath. Oxon., II. 646. Reduced to his second childship … his memory was quite decayed.

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