Answer to a Treatise Entitled The Vanity of Childish Baptism, Title page – To the reader
A LEARNED AND FULL ANSVVER TO A TREATISE INTITVLED; THE VANITY OF CHILDISH BAPTISME. Wherein the ſeverall Arguments brought to overthrow the lawfulneſſe of Infants Baptiſme, together with the Anſwers to thoſe Arguments maintaining its lawfulneſſe, are duly examined. As alſo The queſtion concerning the neceſſitie of dipping in Baptiſme is fully diſcuſſed: By William Cooke Miniſter of the Word of God at Wroxall in Warwickeſhire.
Printed and entred according to Order.
Matth. 19.14.
But Jeſus ſaid, Suffer little children and forbid them not to come unto me, for of ſuch is the kingdome of heaven.
LONDON, Printed by I. L. for Chriſtopher Meredith, at the ſign of the Crane in Pauls Church-yard. 1644.
TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL AND MVCH honoured Sr. JOHN BURGOYNE Knight and Baronet.
Sir,
THe reaſon prevailing with my deare friend, this Authour, to deſire me in his abſence, to direct this Treatiſe to your patronage, was partly to teſtifie his gratitude; as for many other favours, ſo eſpecially that you were the chiefe meane in opening a doore to him for the exerciſe of his Miniſterie: partly becauſe he could find in your ſelfe and faimily a great inſtance of that truth in this book aſſerted; I meane a gracious covenant made, and made good in your family, from parents to children, to ſeverall generations. And could any dedication fall out more happily then this, when you are not more a Patron to, then a Patterne of the truth herein publiſhed? As concerning the book it ſelf, I ſhall ſay no more to you of it then this; when your leiſure ſhall reſpite you ſo as to read it, you will not repent that you holpe the Authour of it into the worke of the Miniſtery. To others, who am I that I ſhould take upon me to adde any thing to its valew? nay it ſelfe will be its owne abundant commendation; I doubt not but it will find acceptance with all that love this truth, from ſome great Patrons whereof, it had, when a Manuſcript, an ample and full teſtimony: and for others, however it doe not find them ſuch, yet if they will read it impartially, I doubt not, but by Gods bleſsing, it will make them ſuch. Sir, all I have to doe in this buſineſſe is in the abſence of, and at the deſire of my deare friend to offer theſe his firſt labours to your favour, and patronage, being not a little glad I have this opportunitie to acknowledge the many great favours you have ſometime heaped upon my ſelfe, as alſo becauſe of them to teſtifie I am
Your faithfull honourer and ſervant, FRA: WOOD COCKE.
TO THE READER.
WE ſhould not be ignorant of the wiles and methods of Satan,2 Cor. 2.11. who being a lyar and murderer from the beginning,Joh. 8.44. hath made it his perpetuall practiſe by lies to ſeeke the deſtruction of ſoules. His lies are of two ſorts; one ſort whereby he indevours to perſwade men to embrace falſhood as truth, to call evill good, and ſwallow down deadly poyſon as wholeſome food. The other, whereby he labours to perſwade men to reiect truth as falſhood, and call good evill, that ſo mens ſoules may be famiſhed for want of neceſſary nouriſhment. This he doth in matters of eſtate, practiſe, faith, and worſhip; and the more errour he can entangle us in, the ſtronger hold he hath of us. His principall endeavour therefore is to keep us in diſlike and deteſtation of all good, and love and delight in all evill. If he cannot prevaile ſo farre, he labours at leaſt to intangle the ſoule in one or two dangerous errours, that will bring certaine perdition. Many he detaineth in ſottiſh ignorance, groſſe profaneneſſe, and heatheniſh impiety; perſwading them that their eſtate, practiſe, faith, and worſhip is good enough, ſo that they can ſay, God is mercifull; Chriſt died for ſinners; they profeſſe the true religion, and plead that all forwardneſſe in religion, which exceeds their lazie ſtraine, is but curious preciſeneſſe, and needleſſe now fangled ſingularitie. Thus he prevailed with many, (to the grievous ſcandall of religion, and danger of their own ſoules) even in the Apoſtles times, as may appeare by the lamentable profanneſſe, errour, and ignorance in ſome Churches,See 1 Cor. Chap. 5. & 6.8. & 10. & 15. & 2 Ep. &c. …. eſpecially that of the Corinthians. If he cannot thus prevaile with ſome who leave their ſinfull courſes, and deſire in all things to pleaſe God, and to make their calling and election ſure; and in maters of faith, worſhip, and practiſe, to be guided by the truth; he will raiſe in them ſcruples that they may ever be queſtioning Gods love unto them, the truth of their grace, and the ſoundneſſe of their religion: ſo farre as to hold them downe with deſperate diſcouragements, and deepe perplexities, and cauſe them to denie Gods gratious worke in them. How many doth Satan in our dayes abuſe, by leading them to miſ-iudge of their eſtates? One partie ſitting ſecurely without queſtioning the condition of their ſoules in reſpect of God; as if all things were ſo well with them that they need nothing more. Another party on whom God hath ſhewed much mercy, yet ever doubting and queſtioning. So for matters of faith, practiſe, and worſhip; a great part is held in ſuch careleſneſſe that any religion will content them, that ſuites with their carnall ends, and they take up their religion without examining the grounds thereof. Others as much be abuſed on the other hand, who becauſe they ſee ſome things queſtioned and proved unſound that havs gone for currant: therefore will make bold not onelyonly to queſtion, but alſo in their manner to declaime and diſpute againſt many lawfull, warrantable, well grounded, yea, and neceſſary truths, and practiſes, taught, enioyned, or approved in the Scripture. As for example, the moralitie of the Sabbath, yea the uſe of the whole Morall Law, ſubiection to the civill Magiſtrate; the lawfulneſſe of an oath, preſence and communion in Gods worſhip, where all things are not performed punctually according to their humour; yea humane learning (and what not?) have been cried down as Antichriſtian. Amongſt the reſt the baptizing of infants of Chriſtian parents is condemned. Concerning which they doe not make ſober inquiſition, as deſirous to try all things, and hold faſt that which is good; but earneſtly diſpute, uſe vehement aſſeverations, and carry on the matter with ſo great confidence and boldneſſe, together with citation of many Scriptures, and pretence of ſincere love and zeale to the truth; that poſſibly the hearts of ſimple and upright Chriſtians may be troubled, if not enſnared; which hath been the ancient practiſe of Satan by his inſtruments, (whether they were ignorant of what they did, or knowing, I ſay not) Act. 15. See the magiſteriall peremptorineſſe of thoſe falſe teachers. And how apt Gods people are to be troubled with words, or writings of this kind appeareth. In the ſame place, Act. 15. verſ. 2. & 2.4. & 2 Theſſ. 2.2. Our darke mindes and corrupt wils being farre more prone to errour and vice, then to truth and vertue. And how Satan will beſtirre himſelfe by his inſtruments, and make uſe of the ignorance, pragmaticalneſſe, pride and malice of ſome men this way, we may ſee, Gal. 3.1, 2, 3. Which things I having had ſome experience of, and meeting with a Pamphlet intituled, The vanitie of Childiſh Baptiſme, &c. by A. R. and hearing that ſome are drawn away to admire and imbrace the opinions therein maintained, and that others were unſatisfied concerning ſome things that are therein delivered: I was troubled to ſee that ſuch ſtumbling blocks ſhould be laid before Gods people; but not ſeeing a ſpeedy remedie procured, by that ſo much wiſhed and prayed for way of a Synod of Gods faithfull Miniſters, to conſider of thoſe things that trouble the Church according to that example, Act. 15. Neither having ſeene any thing purpoſely written upon this ſubiect; (Though of many the unfitteſt, in regard of want of abilitie, helps, and time, wherewith others abound) I inclined my thoughts to anſwer the maine Arguments that the Authour brings againſt the baptiſme of infants, and to vindicate our Arguments againſt the Obiections here made. Though I confeſſe, conſidering the groſſe and manifeſt errours, the fantaſticall conceits, the taunts, ſcoffes, and raylings, and evident abſurdities, wherewith the Booke is ſtuffed, (which ſhew with what a ſpirit the Authour was led) it may ſeeme unworthy an anſwer: yet becauſe there are ſome truths ſcattered therein, many Scriptures alledged, (though impudently perverted) and much zeale and confidence pretended; many iniudicious people may conceive there is ſome matter of weight and moment in it. Therefore untill God ſhall be pleaſed to ſtirre up ſome fitter more fully to handle this ſubiect (if this controverſie be not rather to be buried in ſilence for the abſurdneſſe of the Adverſaries opinions) I have undertaken by the aſſiſtance of God and rule of the Scripture to examine this Authour. In which examination I will not follow him in his extravagancies, and impertinencies; neither ſhall I (I hope) imitate him in his bold and confident, yet groundleſſe aſſertions; much leſſe in bitter taunts and reproachfull ſpeaches which he uſeth towards our Miniſters and Church: (If I ſometime ſet forth the ridiculouſneſſe and weakneſſe of his reaſoning; or retort on him his own language, to ſhew how much fitlier it agrees to himſelfe then thoſe on whom he beſtowes it; I conceive I have warrant in Gods word, Prov. 26.5. 1 King. 18.27.) But in the feare and as in the preſence of God, I will make triall of his principall reaſons and grounds, ſo farre as God ſhall enable me by the light of his holy word; not intending to defend all the Arguments which he undertakes to anſwer; nor to reply to all his Anſwers of Obiections, whereof ſome (whether invented of himſelfe, or obiected by others) I owne not, ſeeing ſometime the truth may be pleaded for upon unſound grounds. The truth I ſtand for; not the weake grounds. But I hope that whatſoever he obiecteth with any ſhew of reaſon or weight I ſhall ſufficiently anſwer; and lay down grounds for the defending of the truth that may ſatisfie any intelligent Reader that ſeeks the truth: So I come to his Preface to the Reader.