N01347:81
A sermon preached by the Reverend, Mr. John Cotton, teacher of the First Church…
A sermon preached by the Reverend, Mr. John Cotton, teacher of the First Church in Boston in New-England. Delivered at Salem, 1636. : To which is prefixed, a retraction of his former opinion concerning baptism, uttered by him immediately preceding the sermon emitted. He dyed on the 23. day of December, 1652. Entering [sic] on the 68 year of his age. : [Seven lines from I Corinthians]A sermon preached by the Reverend, Mr. John Cotton, teacher of the First Church in Boston in New-England. Deliver'd at Salem, 1636. : To which is prefixed, a retraction of his former opinion concerning baptism, utter'd by him immediately preceeding the sermon emitted. He dyed on the 23. day of December, 1652. Entring [sic] on the 68 year of his age. : [Seven lines from I Corithians]
Boston: : s.n., Printed in the year, 1713
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Object. But some will say, This would indeed much comfort me, that hath been delivered, but if a man touch any Unclean things be is defiled, and if I touch him that hath touched any Unclean thing, I am defiled also, Numb, 19.13, 14. Therefore sadness is upon me night and day for the Sins of the Church, and this doth eat up all my Comfort?
Answ. I Pray you consider it. I will but Interpret what it is to touch a dead man, and to touch dead Ordinances. I cannot give you a better Interpretation, than by that expression, which the Apostle useth: 2 Cor. 7.1. It is good for a Man not to touch a Woman. If so be a Man touch ⟨p. 38⟩a strange Woman, so as to be familiar to plead for her, and to connive with her, this Man is defiled; and if I now touch this Man so as to be familiar with him, and to keep fellowship with him, I am also defiled. So in case the Church do tolerate these, that do defile themselves with any Sinful Pollution, do not I make my self Unclean now by touching this Church? God forbid, unless it be by touching them with familiar connivance. But if I do now touch them, with a sharp reproof, this doth indeed touch the Church, but it is so far from defiling, as that it doth hold forth the Purity of his heart that toucheth them; and if you do forbear Communion with the Church when you know the Church hath defiled her self, if you shall not come home to the Church, and bewail your Separation, your not touching the Church hath defiled you, Lev. 19.17. You see the Church lye in Sin, you will not touch her, then you Sin against her, and have broken your Covenant, Will you suffer your Brother's Ox to lye in the Mire? and will not pluck it out? And are not Brethren more than Oxen And I beseech you consider another Place of Scripture, (and the Lord be Merciful to those that have perverted the sense of it;) in Hag. •.12, 13. where it is said, They were all Unclean, as by the touch of a dead man, both Prince and Priest, and People more Unclean Very Godly men they were, yet so busy with the World, that Temple work was