A80622:467
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.
3. It is one thing to enter into the Church as an abiding member; another thing so to enter, as for some notorious scandal to be cast out of it. Such shall be the purity of the Government of that new Jerusalem, as that no profane person shall enter into it, nor any hypocrite: or if any hypocrite should creep in (as there did in the most pure and discerning times, even in the Apostles days) yet they will in time be discerned, and then cast out: Otherwise there would be no use of excommunication in those pure Jewish Churches; which is not probable. Yea, infants themselves, though borne in the Church; yet if when they grow up to years they shall degenerate into a profane or scandalous course, they shall not be tolerated to abide in the Church: yea, if they shall not take hold of the Covenant of their Fathers, but content themselves in an ignorant, or civill, or worldly course of life, they shall not be allowed to enter into holy communion with the sincere members of the Church at the Lords Table.
3. It is one thing to enter into the Church as an abiding member; another thing so to enter, as for some notorious scandall to be cast out of it. Such shall be the purity of the Government of that new Hierusalem, as that no prophane person shall enter into it, nor any hypocrite: or if any hypocrite should creepe in (as there did in the most pure and discerning times, even in the Apostles dayes) yet they will in time be discerned, and then cast out: Otherwise there would be no use of excommunication in those pure Iewish Churches; which is not probable. Yea, infants themselves, though borne in the Church; yet if when they grow up to yeares they shall degenerate into a prophane or scandalous course, they shall not be tolerated to abide in the Church: yea, if they shall not take hold of the Covenant of their Fathers, but content themselves in an ignorant, or civill, or worldly course of life, they shall not bee allowed to enter into holy communion with the sincere members of the Church at the Lords Table.
4. It is one thing to prophecy of the transcendent glorious happiness of an exact pure Church in some age of it: another thing to command and foretell the perpetual continuance of it in the same degree of purity. Sure I am, that when Christ cometh to judgement, he shall find in those pure Churches of the Jews some foolish Virgins, as well as some wise. And the foolish Virgins shall be shut out from the presence of Christ (