The Grounds and Ends of the Baptism of the Children of the Faithful, Title page – To the reader 1
THE GROVNDS and ENDS OF THE BAPTISME OF THE CHILDREN OF THE FAITHFƲLL.
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 at the ſign of the Green Dragon in Pauls-churchyard, 1647.
To the READER.
THe compiling of the enſuing diſcourſe, and in this familiar ſtyle, was put upon mee by a more then morall inevitable neceſſity. Paul acknowledgeth there is a conſtraining power in the love of Chriſt, 2 Cor. 5.14. And ſurely the love which through Chriſt I bare to ſome gracious Saints in Lincolnſhire, (now with Chriſt) conſtrained mee to reſerve a tender affection to their ſurviving children. One of them being formerly well affected to the wayes of Chriſt, and accordingly reſpected of the godly where he lived, Hee comming over into theſe parts, was received into fellowſhip in a Neighbour Church, and well approved. But falling into acquaintance with ſome who ſtood aloofe to the Baptiſme of Children, and receiving ſome Bookes from them againſt the ſame, He withheld his child from Baptiſme (as others had done theirs) to the offence both of the Lord, and the Church, whereof he was a member. The Elders of that Church tooke much paines with him to convince him of the error of his way: and I ſuppoſe ſome of their learned and elaborate diſcourſes are ſent over by this Ship, for more publike ſatisfaction. Withall they adviſed him to conferre with other friends, and acquaintance in other Churches. To mee therefore he came, and acquainting me with ſome of his Scruples, I thought what I ſaid to him, might have ſatisfied; and ſo it ſeemed to me, it did for the preſent. But he told me, other ſcruples he had, which were all compriſed in a printed booke: the Author I forbeare to name: but he was then reputed one of the chiefeſt note of that way, for moderation and freedome, from the leaven of other corrupt opinions, which are wont to accompany the denyall of Infants Baptiſme. Since then other Bookes have beene publiſhed, of the ſame argument, but with more learning and better method. But this Booke which hee brought me, containing all his ſcruples, he deſired, that it might bee anſwered, and he ſhould ſo reſt ſatisfied. I was then full of other buſineſſe, and could not poſſibly (though I much deſired it) gratifie his deſire. In this ſtrait, a young Schollar, (but of pregnant gifts and parts) Mr. Benjamin Woodbridge, dwelling then in my houſe, ſeeing me ſolicitous for the young man, undertooke the anſwer of the Booke: which God helped him ſpeedily and acutely to perform. But the young man tooke not that ſatisfaction from it he well might have done: but excuſed himſelf, it was ſo full of Scholarſhip and termes of Art, that he could not well underſtand it, and ſo could not ſatisfie his conſcience with it.
Whereupon I was forced, either to ſuffer an hopefull Sonne of gracious Parents (and my deare friends) to fall and lye under that burden, or elſe I muſt Anſwer the booke my ſelf, and that in ſuch a familiar language, as might beſt ſuite with his capacity. Which by the helpe of Chriſt having done, other friends peruſing it, preſſed mee to give way to let it paſſe to more publike uſe of other, as well as of him. I was very loth to hearken to them, the Booke (whereto I give anſwer) being ſo immethodicall and confuſed, and my ſelf being forced to follow him in like confuſion, that the young man might not complaine (as he did before) of too much Art or of Omiſſion of Anſwer to any thing materiall in his Booke.
Thus have you a ſhort and plaine account of this preſent labour of Love. You will receive I hope by other hands from hence, more Elaborate Anſwers to more Elaborate diſcourſes in the ſame and other Arguments.
Now the God of Truth and Peace accompany all the Labours of his Servants (which beare witneſſe to his Truth) with a Spirit of Power to caſt downe all falſe Imaginations, and to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Chriſt Ieſus.
John Cotton.