A Public Dispute Touching Infant Baptism, Frontispiece – To the reader
The Anabaptists ANOTAMIZED and SILENCED in a PUBLIQUE Dispute
The Man̄er of the Anabaptists Dipping
Their Laying on of Hands
Their Washing of Feete
The Disputation
A PUBLICK DISPUTE Betwixt
JOHN TOMBS, B. D. Respondent.
JOHN CRAGGE, and HENRY VAUGHAN, M. A. Opponents,
Touching INFANT-BAPTISM, The fifth of September, 1653. in the Church of St. Maries in Abergavenie in Monmothshire. Occasioned by a Sermon Preached the day before, by Mr. Tombs, upon St. Mark. 16.16. He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved, but he that believeth not, shall be damned. Also a Sermon preached by Mr. Cragge, the next Lords day following, upon the same Text: Wherein the necessity of Dipping is refuted, and Infant-Baptism asserted.
LONDON, Printed for H. Twyford, N. Brook, J. Place, and are to be sold in Vine-Court Middle Temple, the Angel in Cornhill, and at Furnivals-Inn-Gate in Holborn. 1654.
To his Reverend Friend, I. T. P. Grace, Mercy, and Peace be multiplyed.
SIR,
I Received your Letter, full of Zeal, and Christian Piety, the Contents whereof may be reduced to these six heads, wherein you desire resolution; first, what my sense is of the Anabaptists; secondly, when was the spring and rise of them; thirdly, what is the cause of this present growth, and increase of them; fourthly, why they are permitted; fifthly, what I think of Disputes and Conferences had with them; sixthly, a true Relation of that had with us of late, (which you say is variously reported) of all which briefly I'le endeavour to give satisfaction. For the first, I referr you to the Sermon, and Conference here following, to the Harmonies and Confessions of the Reformed Churches, of all Churches since the Apostles, especially the Western, where you shall find Universalitie, Antiquity, and Succession (besides many pregnant places of Scripture) pleading for Infant-baptism; And that (as Austin saies) which the whole Church holds, was never begun by any Councel, but alwaies observed, cannot otherwise be believed, but that it came from the Apostles. For the second, the spring and rise of Anabaptism, as all Errours, so it had its beginning after Truth, the Husbandman first sowed good Corn, then the Enemy Tares; No Age was free: In the first hundred years arose the Ebionites, Chiliasts, and Gnosticks; In the second, the Marcionites, Valentinians, and Montanists; In the third, the Novatians, Sabellians, and Manichees; In the fourth, the Arrians, Donatists, and Eunomians; In the fifth, Nestorians, Eutychians, and Patripassians; In the sixth, Jacobites, Armenians, and Monothelites; in which time the Mysterie of Iniquity began more fully to work, which was first nascent, then crescent, then regnant, then triumphant.
And no sooner appeared a Reformation in Luther's time, but there were Herods that sought the life of this Babe, Dragons watching while the Woman was travelling, to devour the Child; Amongst whom the Anabaptists of Germany were most venemous; The first Author whereof was one Nicholas Stock, then Phipher, Knipperdoling, Munster, with their Tayler-King John Beccold of Leyden, who gave out that he had a Commission from Heaven to destroy all Nations that would not submit to his Gospel, and be rebaptized; raging with sword and persecution, till he was taken, and being examined by exquisite tortures, confessed he received his Doctrine from an impure spirit; there you have the spring and rise of it.
Now for the third, the present growth, and increase of it, the reasons may be many; 1. Times of division, wherein the hedge of Discipline is broken down; Liberty in Religion is like free conversing without restraint, or watch in time of pestilence, one house easily infects a whole City. 2. Satan's malice, like a River, the further it goes, the deeper, and fiercer. 3. The corruption of man's nature, more inclinable to errour than truth. 4. The fitness of the engin for devastation, and ruinating all former Churches, under colour of first-baptisms nullity, gathering of new ones (after their own mould) out of the old ruins, by re-baptizing. 5. The pretence that Children are uncapable of Church-membership, or Communion of Saints,And that by washing, as the Proselytes and Jews Children were initiated. as if there were not the same capacity under the Gospel, which was under the Law. 6. False allegation that Infant-baptism is occasion of loose living, as if the native Jews that were sealed when Infants, were more dissolute than the Proselytes. 7. To limit it to ripe years, increases Piety, as if Jews, and Turks, and their own rebaptized converts, were not more frequently guilty of Apostasie and Hyprocrisie. 8. Not understanding that Infants Church-membership in the Old Testament, is not repealed, but confirmed in the New. 9. A carnal estimation that the Covenant made with Abraham was partly carnal, of which Circumcision is a part, as if Godliness in both Testaments had not the promise of this life, and of the life to come 10. That Circumcision was the seal of righteousness of Faith to Abraham, and not his Posterity. 11. That the Covenant was made with Abraham, and his Spiritual Seed onelyonly, and not with visible Professors. 12. That there is no such thing as National Churches, though Christ saies, Make Disciples of all Nations, and Isaiah saies, All Nations shall flow in, &c. yet (they say) all Churches must be gathered by actual profession, as well in Christian Nations, as amongst Turks and Pagans. 13. Because we have no particular instance in terminis, that any Infants were baptized, and because they are not expresly named in the precept, as if generals did not include particulars, as well for Infants as Old Men. 14. Denying equivalencies, and necessary consequences from Scripture. 15. A vilifying of the judgement and persons of all godly and learned men of this present, and former ages, building up their rotten foundations upon their ruins. 16. Temporal interests of the lowest of the people, which while they dream its countenanced by men in power, cry Hosanna to day, and perhaps Crucifie to morrow. 17. A pretending to the Spirit of God; Numa Pompilius feigned that he conversed with the Goddess Egeria, Minos with Jupiter in the Cave, Solon with the Delphian Apollo, Mahomet with the Angel Gabriel; Montanus, and the Shakers, with the Holy Ghost; the white Witches, with the Spirit in the shape of a Dove, and all but to palliate their unfound opinions and practises. Let not his Soul prosper that does not acknowledge and thirst after the true Spirit of God, yet let us try the Spirits, and not believe every lying Spirit. 18. The learning, subtilty, and industry, of some Anabaptists, to gain Proselytes; Arrius, Pelagius, Marcion, were not wiser in their generation than they, to inveagle the poor simple people, especially Women and inferiour Tradesemen, which in seven years can scarce learn the Mysterie of the lowest profession, think half seven years enough (gain'd from their worldly imployments) to understand the Mysterie of Divinity, and thereupon meddle with Controversies, which they have no more capacity to pry into, than a Batt to look up into the third Heaven. These, and many more, are the causes of the increase of Anabaptism. Now, for the Fourth, you enquire why they are permitted, and their Books printed, and published, seeing those of Arrius of old, Dr. Pocklington's, and Mr. Archer's of late (more innocent) were burned? To satisfie you in this, something is to be imputed to the Providence of God, something to the Wisdome of the State. The Providence of God, who suffers Errours, 1. That Truth by opposition may more diligently be searched out. 2. That the sincerity and constancy of the Faithfull may be tryed. 3. That the impenitent, and proud in spirit, may be blinded and hardned. The wisdome of State, who like wise Chirurgions, will not launce a turgid Ulcer, till it be ripe; a skilfull Physician, that will not purge some floating humours, till they be setled. Therefore the late Parliament declared, that they would not have them cudgell'd, but perswaded out of their Errours. The two Lights of our Goshen (though they differ in judgment from them) endeavour not to force them,Mr. Cradock, and Mr. Walter. Monmothshire. but by sweet insinuations and arguments to win them; Besides, some of them have been esteemed Godly, amongst which Mr. Tombs may be ranked; who knows but that may be verified of him, that was of Cyprian, Non videt haec, ut videat meliora, he sees not these things, that he may see better things? God, it may be, suffers him to fall, with Peter, that his rise may be more glorious, Tu conversus, confirma Fratres, that being converted, he may strengthen his Brethren; will burn his Stubble, Hay, Wood, with the Spiritual Fire of the Word, or affliction, that his Gold may be the purer. Fifthly, you enquire whether it may be fit to dispute, and conferr with them, seeing their Doctrine eats as a Canker, for which cause the Empress would not suffer her Son Theodosius to discourse with the Heretick Eunomius. To which I answer; the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, is the onelyonly Weapon to wound the hairy scalp of False Teachers; with this, Christ confounded the Sadduces; St. Peter, Simon Magus; Athanasius, the Arrians; Austin the Pelagians, and Manichees. There are none that speak against seasonable Disputes, but either those that understand them not, or with spiritual pride storm against those that are gifted with that faculty above them, or they that cannot endure that their Errours be unmasked, and their Soars galled; Camels, conscious of their deformity, trouble the water, Foul Faces love not the Looking-glass. True it is, we ought to receive the weak in faith, not to doubtfull disputations; but when False Teachers have infused Poyson, may we not apply an Antidote? when they have sowed Darnel, and Cockle, may not we weed them out? This is to set Towns and Cities on fire, and to deny Buckets to quench them; to suffer Invasions, and to permit none to rally together an Army to resist them. The Disputes at Bewdly, Hereford, and Ross, have been successfull to astonishment; and in this last at Abergavenie (though tumultuary, and on a sudden) hath appeared the Finger of God; he that with Spittle, and Clay, opened the Eyes of the Blind, overthrew the Walls of Jericho with the sound of Ramms-horns, with these weak means hath wrought strong effects, that no Creature may glory in the Arm of Flesh.
To the relation whereof (in the last place) and the occasion of it, I come now; which was thus; Mr. Tombs for several months together being importuned by Letters and Messengers, came at length to water that, which Mr, Miles, Prosser, and others had planted, or (as some think) to confirm a Child lately baptized in London; when he entred the Pulpit, great expectation was, what Mountains would bring forth; his Text was Mark. 16.16. whence he concluded, that Infant-baptism was a nullity, a mockery; no Baptism but by Dipping, or Plunging, was lawfull; all that would be saved must be re-baptized, or baptized after profession; that there was no such thing as Infant-baptism in the Primitive times, but that it came in with other corruptions, upon unsound grounds; and challenged the whole Congregation to speak, if they had any thing to say to the contrary. There were many well learned that heard him, especially two, Mr. Bonner a neighbouring Minister, and Mr. Vaughan Schoolmaster of the Town, formerly a Fellow of Jesus College in Oxford, who both for the present kept silence, onelyonly Mr. Bonner closed with him in the way to his Lodging, and told him, that he had delivered some things contrary to that he had read in the Antients, and other things that grieved his spirit to hear, and desired therefore to conferr with him thereabout the next morning: He slighted the grave old Gentleman, with as much contempt, as Austin the Monk did the British Commissioners at Bangor, yet told him, that he would tarry in the Town till such an hour; In the mean time, the greatest part of the People were offended, stagger'd, or scrupled, some not knowing what to think of their own, their Children, and their Ancestours salvation. The Anabaptists that night, and especially the next morning, triumphed, saying, where are your Champions now? some of them are struck dumb, others dare not shew their faces, whil'st Master Tombs is in the Town, naming Mr. Cragge, another neighbouring Minister; the report whereof being brought unto him, he repaired instantly to the Town, and meeting with Mr. Bonner; and Mr. Vaughan, they went all together to Mr. Tombs, where he was at a private house; little was said there, by reason of the throng of people pressing in; but it was agreed upon, that they should meet in the Church, or Publick Meeting place, at one a Clock, which was done accordingly; Mr: Tombs took the Pulpit, the Opponents a Seat over against it: Mr. Bonner was preparing to give the On…et, but a Gentleman disswaded him, by reason of his age, and bodily infirmities, lest it should impair his health; Mr. Vaughan began, Mr. Cragge succeeded, continuing the opposition betwixt them for almost five hours. When the Dispute was ended, Mr. Cragge was desired by many Godly Persons to preach upon the same Text Mr. Tombs had done, the Lords Day following, which he did accordingly; I send you here enclosed the sum of all; a Copy of Mr. Vaughan's Conference, which a Friend procured me from his own hand, Mr. Cragge's Sermon and Dispute, I took from his own mouth by Short-writing; you have the Disputations first, then the Sermon; the Lord bless them to you, and you to his glory, which shall be the prayer of him, who is
Yours to serve you in the Lord Jesus, J. W.
To the Reader.
Courteous Reader,
TO please my self, and perhaps thee, I shall displease many; First, my Friend, for making his private token a publick frolick. Secondly, Mr. Tombs, for bringing him in this last Catastrophe wounded in the heel by Troilus and Paris, who vaunts that in former Scenes, (like Achilles, so far as he was dipped in the River by his Mother Thetis) he hath been unpierced by the Weapons of the stoutest Hectors. Thirdly, Mr. Cragge, and Mr. Vaughan, for exposing their Disputes, conceived in an hour and an half, and the Sermon contrived in a day and a half, to long censure. Fourthly, the Anabaptists (as they will deem) for too uncourteously galling their soars. Fiftly, their Adversaries the Paedobaptists, for too courteously, or (as they will fancy) partially concealing Mr. Tombs harsh language, and his Favourites Incivilities. Sixtly, the Learned in general, for bringing these Nilus-like hatched Births in a moment into the open Amphitheater with those Elephants that have been ten years in conception. My Apologie for the whole is as followeth; The bulk of this Manual is small, some may reach to the price of it, that cannot of those larger Volumes; may have time to read it, that cannot them. The method of this is facile, the language plain, some will understand this, that cannot them. Besides, we naturally love the transactions of those, whose persons we know; Some heard them transiently as they were delivered, and would be glad deliberately to read them; Some heard them not, but at the second hand, as they were variously reported (according to the judgement and affection of the Relator) who would be willing to know the business truly stated. If any of the Parties cencerned find themselves aggrieved, and intend to bend their stile against me, I'le answer them at the Day of Judgement, when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed: In the mean time, if Truth may be advanced, Errour discouraged, Godliness countenanced, Hypocrisie unmasked, thou edified, God glorified, I have mine ends. Farewell.
Yours in the Lord, I. T. P.