Sermon of the Baptizing of Infants, Title page – Dedication
A SERMON OF THE BAPTIZING of INFANTS.
PREACHED In the Abbey-Church at Westminster, at the Morning Lecture, appointed by the Honorable House of Commons.
By STEPHEN MARSHALL B D. Minister of the Gospel, at Finchingfield in Essex.
ACT. 2.39.
The Promise is unto you and to your Children, and to all that are afarre off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
ROM. 11.16.
If the roote bee holy, so are the branches.
1 COR. 7.14.
The unbeleeving husband is sanctifyed by the wife, and the unbeleeving wife is sanctifyed by the husband, else were your children unclean, but now they are holy.
LONDON, Printed by Richard Cotes for Stephen Bowtell, at the signe of the Bible in Popes-head-Alley. 1644.
TO The Reverend and Learned the Prolocutor, Assessors, the Commissioners of the Church of Scotland, and the rest of the Assembly of Divines, now sitting in Westminster.
SOme few of us who are of your number, freely bestowing our Labours in the Abbey-Church, every Morning; we agreed among our selves to instruct our Auditors in all the necessary Truths of that Doctrine, which is according to godlinesse; One taking for his Subject, the Articles of Faith; Another the Ten Commandements; Another the Lords Prayer, &c. My lot of late hath been to handle the Doctrine of the Sacraments, and comming in order to this Point, I indevoured to cleere it as fully as I could in one Sermon, and was thereby compelled to borrow a little more time then is usually allotted to that Exercise.
Importunity of many Friends, who conceived it might give some light to that which is now made a great controversy, and might through the blessing of God, be a meanes to reclaime some deceived Soules, or prevent the deceiving of others, hath brought it thus into Publick view.
And although I know my selfe the unworthyest, and unablest of many, yet because I am assured that it is Gods Truth which I have Preached, and which hee will blesse, I was the more easily overcome by that importunity; if it may contribute any thing to the helping forward of the great Work now under your hands, and may ease you of any part of that Labour which so exceedingly presseth you, therein I shall rejoyce; And in the opportunity I have by Dedicating this to your Names, to testify that I am
Your unworthy Brother and Servant in the Lords Work, STEPHEN MARSHALL.