A Defense of the Antidote Against Baxters Cure of Church Divisions, To the reader
An Advertiſement to the Chriſtian Reader.
IT will I believe eaſily paſs for a Commendation of Mr. Baxter's Wit (though but little of his Honesty) that after he hath writ ſo much againſt both the King and Biſhops, he hath yet ſuch eaſie acceſs now to the Licenſers and Preſs, that he can Print Two books, before another can Publiſh a few Sheets in anſwer to One; but his laſt book about the Sabbath, (beſides that it might have wholly been ſpared (Dr. Owen having judiciouſly, and accurately handled that Queſtion before him) doth make ſo full a diſcovery of Mr. Baxters ſpirit, in pleading for Saints-days, (that is, for Will-worſhip) and in Atheiſtically arguing againſt the Divine and Self-evidencing Authority of the Holy Scripture, (which he doth for many Pages together ap. 60. to 69.) that, henceforth I hope he will no longer be a Snare, but juſtly be Rejected of all, as one of the worſt ſort of Hereticks; ſince under the Notion of being a Chriſtian, and a Proteſtant, he doth with his utmoſt Induſtry and Cunning labour to overthrow our Foundation, in that he, puts the Credit of Scripture, upon the Truth of Hiſtory, and denyes any Certainty, but what may be gathered from that; which dangerous Doctrine I could not but warn thee, Chriſtian Reader, as thou loveſt thy Peace and Comfort, as well as the Truth of Chriſt, that thou wilt diligently beware of; and I muſt leave it to thee to judge, whether that Conformity, which ſuch a Perſon pleads for, is not juſtly to be ſuſpected.
Edw. Bagſhaw. 3d. Month, or May 15, 1671.
End of the text · Edward Bagshaw, A Defense of the Antidote Against Baxters Cure of Church Divisions (1671)