A80622:24
The grounds and ends of the baptism of the children of the faithful. Opened…The grounds and ends of the baptisme of the children of the faithfull. Opened…
The grounds and ends of the baptism of the children of the faithful. Opened in a familiar discourse by way of a dialogue, or brotherly conference. / By the learned and faithful minister of Christ, John Cotton, teacher of the Church of Boston in New-England.The grounds and ends of the baptisme of the children of the faithfull. Opened in a familiar discourse by way of a dialogue, or brotherly conference. / By the learned and faithfull minister of Christ, John Cotton, teacher of the Church of Boston in New-England.
London: printed by R.C. for Andrew Crooke, 1646
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
PREFACE: Showing the occasion of the Conference.
PREFACE: Shewing the occasion of the Conference.
Brother Sylvester, I feel your loss at my heart, for the love I bear to you, as to your godly Parents before you; I hear God hath lately burnt your house over your head, and most part of your goods with it. And it troubleth me the more for your sake, because I fear this hand of God is gone out against you, to visit upon you and your family, your breach of Covenant with the Lord and his People. For though I know that all outward things fall alike to all (the Sheep and Servants of Job were burnt as well as your house: and many a godly man hath been struck with sickness for his trial, as well as Moses for neglect of an Ordinance) yet whilst Moses lay under the neglect of an Ordinance, in suffering his child to lye by him uncircumcised,1 it had been no rash judgement in others, nor want of holy wisdom in himself to think, that God by making a breach upon his health, did visit upon him his breach of Covenant with the Lord, in delaying and neglecting, (though it may be for his wives sake) to bring his child under the Seal of the Covenant. We may in brotherly love well conceive, that God hath made this B•each in your estate, to try your faith and patience, as ⟨p. 2⟩he did Jobs. But surely it will be your wisest and safest course so to construe Gods meaning, That your breach of Covenant with God, did kindle a fire in his wrath, which brake forth upon your house, and burnt up so great a part of your Estate. For even our God (the God of the New Testament) is a Consuming fire, as well to Christians now, as to Jews of old. And when doth the Jealousy of God most kindle, but against the Violation of his Ordinances? which being delivered to us in the 2. Commandment, are ratified by a Sanction from the Jealousy of the Lord our God. Exod. 20.5