A80622:482
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.
It is no unwonted thing with God,1 to give that for a sign of a thing, which shall not be accomplished of many days or years after. God gave the Rainbow for a sign, that he would no more destroy the world with water. The performance whereof remaineth still to be accomplished to the end of the world. God gave two sticks joined together in Ezekiels hand, to be a sign of the joining together of Judah and Joseph in one state, Ezek. 37.16. to 22. which is not yet accomplished, nor will be till their last conversion. God gave Circumcision to the Israelites, as a sign that he would circumcise their hearts, and the hearts of their seed, Deut. 29.6. And yet sometimes their own hearts, sometimes the hearts of their seed were not circumcised of many years after. It is enough that as in Circumcision, so in Baptism, God sealeth up that promise and Covenant, which he hath made to believers to be a God to them and to their seed. For the present, according to Covenant God preserveth and nourisheth the seed of the faithful, by his Fatherly providence; God the Son as he undertook to the Israelites, so he hath already performed it to us, to shed his blood for us and our children; The holy Ghost (to whom it belongeth to work Regeneration) he may take his own good time, sooner ⟨p. 140⟩or later to perform that work in our Children, which he hath wrought in our selves. God is as faithful in the New Testament, as in the Old: and Baptism which succeedeth Circumcision in sealing the same Covenant, will undoubtedly be accomplished in applying all the blessings of the Covenant to us and our seed, as ever Circumcision found accomplishment to the Israelites and their seed.
It is no unwonted thing with God,1 to give that for a signe of a thing, which shall not bee accomplished of many dayes or yeers after. God gave the Rainbow for a sign, that hee would no more destroy the world with water. The performance whereof remaineth still to bee accomplished to the end of the world. God gave two sticks joyned together in Ezekiels hand, to bee a signe of the joyning together of Judah and Joseph in one state,