A80622:629
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.
5. From the false subject of Baptism; which being only Infants, it cometh to pass, that now in England the Baptism of believers (which the Gospel acknowledgeth) is worn out of use, and instead thereof the Baptism of Infants, is come in place: of whom it may be, not one of a thousand at that age is a believer. But of this subject of Baptism, we have had much speech already.
5. From the false subject of Baptisme; which being onely Infants, it commeth to passe, that now in England the Baptisme of beleevers (which the Gospell acknowledgeth) is worne out of use, and instead thereof the Baptisme of Infants, is come in place: of whom it may bee, not one of a thousand at that age is a beleever. But of this subject of Baptisme, wee have had much speech already.
Now for the first of these, the power whereby the Ministers of England do exercise their office, and so baptize, It is derived from the Bishop, and the Bishop is not ordained by Christ but by Antichrist, at least, by humane power, and such is all the power derived from him, Antichristian, or at best, Humane.
Now for the first of these, the power whereby the Ministers of England doe exercise their office, and so baptize, It is derived from the Bishop, and the Bishop is not ordained by Christ but by Antichrist, at least, by humane power, and such is all the prower derived from him, Antichristian, or at best, Humane.
Such as hold the Bishops to be of divine Institution (as many English Ministers have done) they will easily avoid your Argument,1 if they could as easily make good their own Tenet of the divine right of Episcopacy. But let them pass, and every plantation which our heavenly father hath not planted, let it be rooted out. Take it therefore thus rather the powers, whereby the Ministers in England do administer the word and Baptism, it is either spiritual and proper, &c. essential to their calling, or adventitious, or accidental. The former they have received from Christ by a double Act of his.