A80622:574
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.
Yea, let me demand a further Question, What if a man were baptized at as ripe years as the Treasurer of Candace, Acts 8. who saw himself baptized by Philip? What hath such a man to build the faith of his Baptism upon, and to satisfy himself and others therein, but only the testimony of his own eyes, and sense of f•eling? but neither a mans eyes, nor his sense of feeling are any •hitmore the Divine testimony of the Word of God, then the ⟨p. 167⟩testimony by word of mouth of many score• of witnesse•: yea, put the case a little further, (and no more then possible) what if a man of grown years (suppose a Pagan) were converted to the faith by the hearing of the Word, and yet had been blind from his mothers womb? If he shall come to be baptized, he will want the testimony of his eyes to see himself baptized. And though he may hear the words of him that baptizeth them, yet he hath it only by the words of men, that he that baptizeth him i• a Minister. For himself did neither see him elected nor ordained; which is also the case of any man, though of grown years, that cometh to be baptized of such a Minister who was ordained to his Office before himself was borne; must such a mans faith think you be built upon the word of man for the truth of his baptism? But be willing to call to mind, the Lord Jesus upbraided his eleven Apostles with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen from the dead, Mar. 6 14. And yet some of them mentioned in the former part of the Chapter were but women▪ and others of them were private disciples, neither sort of them were Apostles. The truth is, if one Proposition in a Syllogism be found in the Word of God, and the other Proposition be found certain and evident by sense or reason, the conclusion is a conclusion of faith. As for example, it is a proposition found in Scriptur•; That the City which reigned over the Kings of the earth •n Johns time, is that woman, the great Whore Babylon, which shall be destroyed,