A80622:291
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.
The force of this Argument dependeth upon the force of the Covenant of grace, and the continuance thereof from parents to their natural children, even now in the days of the New Testament, as well as of the Old. For by the tenor of the Covenant God is a God to holy Fathers, and to their seed after them. And if God be a God to their seed, it reacheth forth a twofold blessing to their seed, that all their seed are holy by Gods adoption (Rom. 9.4.) and so by their appropriation and relation unto God, till themselves do reject him.
The force of this Argument dependeth upon the force of the Covenant of grace, and the continuance thereof from parents to their naturall children, even now in the dayes of the New Testament, as well as of the Old. For by the tenor of the Covenant God is a God to holy Fathers, and to their seed after them. And if God be a God to their seed, it reacheth forth a twofold blessing to their seed, that all their seed are holy by Gods adoption (Rom. 9.4.) and so by their appropriation and relation unto God, till themselves doe reject him.
Secondly, that some or other of them God will ever reserve (to wit, all the elect seed) to be called effectually to the fellowship of his holiness, and to the holiness of their holy Ancestors. And these blessings being presupposed and granted by Covenant, the Apostles argument is plain and strong: That if the Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob be holy, (who were the first fruits, and the root of the house of Israel) then, as all the house of Israel were an holy people till they obstinately rejected the Lord Jesus. So will God reserve an elect seed of them to be called and received to the fellowship of his holiness, and the holiness of their Ancestors in his due time. But if you abrogate the continuance of the Covenant of grace from holy Parents to their natural children now in the days of the New Testament, it will be a difficulty (in my weak judgement) past all resolution, how the Apostles Argument can be of any force to prove the conversion of the Jews unto holiness from the holiness of their Ancestors, seeing their Ancestors are no first fruits and root unto them, till they come to be converted, and being converted, do believe as well as their Ancestors. And whether ever they will come to be converted or no, is as uncertain (for all their relation to their holy Ancestors, and for all their Ancestors Covenant with God) as is the conversion of any other Infidels.