A80622:376
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.
A second thing which I would put you in mind of (which also hath been mentioned above) is that we do not stand upon National Jewish privileges, but upon the Covenant of Abraham, which was given with the Seal thereof to him and his seed before any of the Jews and Israelites were borne, when Abraham and his seed were considered rather as a Domesticall Church, then a as national. And then the Covenant was given to him as walking before God in uprightness of heart, Gen. 17.1.7. which cannot be without faith; and the sign of the Covenant was given him as a sign and seal of the righteousness of Faith, Rom. 4.11. and both Covenant and seal were given to his infant seed for his faith sake, Gen. 17.7. And in case his infant seed should grow up to riper years, and then not take hold of the Covenant of Abraham, but profanely reject, they were cast out of their Church Estate, as was Ismael, and Esau. And so the seed of Abraham could never grow up to a National Church, unless when they grew up to years, they should continue in a visible Profession of the Faith of Abraham: or unless god should afterwards enlarge the wings of his Covenant to reach over the whole Nation, as he began to do in the Testament of Jacob, Gen. 49.26. and more fully and solemnly declared the same, Exod. 19.3. to 8. and Deut. 29.10. to 13. But it is not the Covenant of Jacob to him, and to all his Posterity, during their lives, that we plead for: But the Covenant and blessing of Abraham: which the Apostle saith is cove upon us Gentiles, Gal. 3.14. which only admitteth the faithful and their infant seed, not during their lives, in case their lives should grow up to Apostasy, or open scandal: but during their infancy, and so long after as they shall continue in a visible profession of the Covenant, and faith, and the religion of their fathers; Otherwise if the children of the faithful grow up to Apostasy or to any open scandal, (as Ismael and Esau did) as they were then, so such like now, are to be cast out of the fellowship of the Covenant, and of the seals thereof. But you willingly take no notice here of the Covenant of Abraham to him and to his seed.