An Antidote Against the Venom Regarding Richard Baxter, Title page – Errata
AN ANTIDOTE Againſt the Venome of a Paſſage, in the 5th. direction of the Epiſtle Dedicatory to the whole Book of Mr. Richard Baxter Teacher at KEDERMINSTER in Worceſterſhire, intituled, The Saints everlaſting Reſt, containing a Satyricall invective againſt Anabaptiſts
By IOHN TOMBES B. D.
Lately Teacher at BEWDLEY in the ſame COVNTY.
LONDON, Printed by Charles Sumptner for Thomas Brewſter and Greg. Moule at the three Bibles neer the Weſt-end of Pauls, 1650.
To my dearly beloved Auditors, Magiſtrates, and People of the Borough of BEWDLEY in WORCESTER-SHIRE.
BELOVED,
IT was not a little refreſhing to mee after my frequent flittings, and much toyle, through which my bodily ſtrength and outward eſtate were impaired, that being hindred from returning to my former ſtation, I was invited to ſit down in the place of my nativity, and to imploy my talent among my kindred and acquaintance, who have known mee from my Child-hood, with hope to be there gathered to my Fathers, where they yielded their ſpirits to God. Nor was it a little content to mee, that J ſhould ſpeak to ſo well affected an Auditory, and enjoy the neighbourhood and aſſiſtance in the Lords work of ſo precious a man as Mr. Baxter was, and is ſtill accounted by mee. Jt is therefore a grievance to mee that I remove from you and that jarres have happened between me and Mr. Baxter, the occaſion whereof was this, Mr. Baxters diſſent from mee about infant-Baptiſme being known, there was an endeavour to gaine his arguments in writing, which he declining and provoking me to a publique diſpute, notwithſtanding many reaſons given of the inconveniences thereof, yet it beeing deemed my declining of it to have comen from diſtruſt of my cauſe, after an anſwer made to the arguments, I knew urged by any for infant baptiſme in certaine Sermons, I yeelded to the diſpute with him Ian. 1. A fortnight after or leſſe, even while I earneſtly ſollicited him to let mee have his arguments in writing, that I might examin them, he writes the Epiſtle, in which the paſſage is, to which I here anſwer. It's told me he intends a larger Treatiſe of this matter, though before and ſince the diſpute he ſeemed to be very averſe from writing. I conceive by his diſpute, that he averres a viſible Church-member-ſhip in infants of godly parents before circumciſion was inſtituted, and from thence he would inferre infant baptiſme. What is viſible is diſcernible by ſome note; a purpoſe or promiſe of God makes not a viſible Church-member, if it did many infidels elect ſhould be viſible members, while infidels: the birth and actings of believers infants is like to other infants; what then ſhould make or ſhew them viſible members circumciſion ſet apart, I know not. If it be only to live in a holy family, this viſibility (if it may be ſo called) may be granted to remaine, yet as no initial ſeale (as it's called) did belong to them till Abrahams time, ſo neither doth it now by vertue of ſuch viſibility without inſtitution. If baptiſme be a new Teſtament Ordinance and a mere poſitive rite no good proofe can be made for it, but from precept or practiſe in the New Teſtament, poſitive rites having no reaſon, but the appointers will, as a rule to us. And for the inſtitution of Chriſt Math. 28. 19. Mr. Baxter in his Treatiſe of the Saints reſt pag. 222. 549. paraphraſeth Chriſts words as J do, and in his Appendix. pag. 104. he ſpeaks thus, Doth not the Scripture bid us repent, believe and be baptized for the remiſsion of ſinnes? The inſtitution then is plaine according to my judgement, and ſo is the practiſe, yea Mr. Baxter in his Appendix pag. 32. ſpeaks as if he diſliked it, that Perſons are baptized into they know not what; which muſt needs be true of infants when baptized, and pag. 56. he hath theſe words; neither are the ſeales uſefull till the accepting, and entring of the Covenant, how then can they be uſefull to infants? One thing more J deſire you to take notice of, that in his Treatiſs of the Saints reſt pag. 651. He hath theſe words. And their being baptized perſons, or members of the univerſall viſible Church (into which it is that they are baptized) is ſufficient evidence of their intereſt to the ſupper, till they by Hereſie or ſcandal blot that evidence. J aſſume by Mr. Baxters Doctrine, Infants are rightly baptized and are viſible members of the univerſall Church, therefore by his Doctrine there is ſufficient evidence of their intereſt to the ſupper. Beſides if theſe reaſons be good, infants of believers are in the Covenant, they are federally holy, therefore are to have the ſeale of the Covenant, it will follow they are to have the Communion as wel as baptiſme. And if it be good arguing infants were circumciſed, our Children a…e to have no leſſe priviledge then the Jewes Children, baptiſme comes in the roome of circumcition, the Lords Supper of the Paſſeover, it being certaine that little ones among the Jewes had the paſſover, it will follow according to theſe ſuppoſitions of paedobaptiſts, little ones of Chriſtians muſt have the Lords Supper, as they had in former ages for 600. years together from Cyprians time to Charles the Great For denying which Mr. Baxter others may as wel be termed unthankfull, as Anabaptiſts ſo called are by him inconſideratly ſtyled in his Treatiſe of the ſaints reſt, pag. 534. As for him and others of his judgement, I pray the Lord to open their eyes to ſee how they have profaned and perverted holy Baptiſme, by changing it into ſprinkling contrary to the uſe in Scripture, and ages after, and adminiſtring it to infants, whereby is occaſioned abundance of ignorance and carnall preſumption in the generality of reputed Chriſtians, and is more neceſſarily to be reformed then Epiſcopall Ceremonies, againſt which though much more excuſable there have been ſo great contendings. As for your ſelves, my love to you continues the ſame in my abſence as in my preſence, and my jealouſie over you is, leaſt your averſeneſſe from the Doctrine, J taught you occaſion your adhering to meer formall teachers, who may extinguiſh that power of godlineſſe that is among you. I never moved you to entertaine my tenet for my ſake: but if it be according to Chriſts inſtitution, and the Apoſtles practiſe (as if I underſtand any thing it is) beware, that diſobedience to Chriſt the great Prophet you be not cut off from his people. Now the God of peace, who brought from the dead the Lord Chriſt, the great Shepheerd of the ſheep, by the blood of the everlaſting Covenant, make you perfect to do his will, and ſtabliſh and comfort you therein. Thus prayeth
Your truly loving Country man and late Teacher John Tombes. London May 22. 1650.
The CONTENTS.
SEct. 1. pag. 1. Of Anabaptiſts accuſing their owne Children
Sect. 2. pag. 3. Of Auabaptiſts diſputing their Children out of the Church and covenant of Chriſt.
Sect. 3. pag. 4. Of Anabaptiſts affirming their children to be no Diſciples, no ſervants of God, nor holy as ſeparated to God.
Sect. 4. pag. 6. Of the Text Levit. 25. 41. 42. Alleaged to prove our children Gods ſervants.
Sect. 5. pag. 7. Of the Text Deut. 29. 10. 11. 12. Alleaged to prove our Infants to be viſible church-members.
Sect. 6. pag. 9. Of the Text Acts 15, 10. Alleaged to prove our Infants Diſciples of Chriſt.
Sect. 7. pag. 11. Of the Text 1 Cor. 7. 14. Alleaged to prove our Infants holy as ſeperated to God.
Sect. 8. pag. 20. Of Gods ſpeaking by judgements from Heaven againſt Anabaptiſts.
Sect. 9. pag. 24. Of the Anabaptiſts evill lives.
Sect. 10. pag. 28. Of the Anabaptiſts confident expreſſions, weakneſſe upon triall and diſpute at Bewdley: Jan. 1. 1649.
ERRATA.
ADde to the margin page 2 at line 15. theſe words. See Salmaſ. apparat. ad libr de primatu Papae page 192. Voſs. Theſ. 6 de Baptiſmo page 4 l. 14 r & in page 7 l 14 blot out (it) page 7 l 34 yee r yet, page 8 l 21 r on v 15 in the margin r before Chriſts comming page 9 l 29 tencher r teacher page 10 l 1 if r is, l 11 buſineſſe r buſineſſe l 15 circumtion r circumciſion page 13 l 34 thu r thus page 16 l 18 mani r manifeſtly page 24 l 6 7 how near it is, r is neare.