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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
act_n	church_n	member_n	visible_a	3,063	5	9.7114	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94730	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 county.	Tombes, John, 1603?-1676.	1650 (1650)	Wing T1797; Thomason E602_20; ESTC R206421	26,378	40

Sermon and elsewhere that I do say as much concerning their interest in them as Mr. Marshall speaking consideratly will avouch I thank God by my preaching and disputing Sundry have beene brought into the Church and Covenant of Christ none do I know that have been kept or cast out by my disputing and therefore in this accusation of me Mr. Baxter may be more truly said to play the Divils part then my selfe SECT. 3. Of Anabaptists affirming their Children to be no Disciples no servants of God nor holy as separated to God BUt however perhaps I play the Divels part in the third thing Mr. Baxter sayes Anabaptists do affiirming them to be no Disciples no Servants of God nor holy as separated to God This I am sure alludes to the dispute between me and Mr. Baxter in which Mr. Baxter would have proved Infants might be baptized because Disci●les of Christ which he would prove out of Acts. 15. 10. And because they are called servants of God which he would prove from Levit. 25 41. 42. and holy as separated to God from 1 Cor. 7. 14. And members of the visible Church because of their entring into Covenant Deut. 29. 10. 11 12. And this was the maine of his dispute of which he so much crakes in this passage of his preface to his book in which he urged no more Texts that I remember out of which he concluded Infant Baptisme excepting that of Rom. 11. 19. 20. The thing that I affirmed in the dispute was that Infants are not servants of God as it is equipolent to Disciples of Christ for one that actively and willingly serves God such service of God alwayes requiring the use of reason which Infants have not In which sense also I denyed them to be Disciples that is such as being taught the Gospell of Christ by preaching of it do embrace it which sort of Disciples only are appointed to be baptized Math. 28. 19. compared with Mark 16. 15. Mr. Baxter The Saints everl rest Page 549. He gave them authority to send forth others on the same message and to baptize and gather Churches As for the terme holy as separated to God the thing I said in the dispute was conc●rning the Text 1 Cor. 7. 14. whether there holy be as much as separated to God which I denied But for the thing it selfe could I have had liberty to expresse my selfe without checking which all that were present know I could not have in the disputation I would have distinguished of a state of separation unto God either by election as separation is taken Gal. 1. 13. or by calling in the former sense I deny not but our children are or may be holy as the Jewes yet unborne are said to be Rom. 11. 16. which thing I also in my Exercitation pag. 10. had heretofore shewed in my answer to the argument for Infants baptisme out of 1 Cor. 7. 14. but in the latter I deny it If Mr. Baxter understand it in a third sense I shall give an answer about it when I understand what way he affirmes our children are separated to God SECT. 4. Of the Text Levit. 25. 41. 42. alleaged to prove our Children Gods servants BUt Mr. Baxter sayes God saith the contrary to my affirmation Levit. 25. 41. 42. Deut. 29. 10. 11. 12. act 15. 10. 1 Cor. 7. 14. The text Lev. 25. 41. 42. saith the Hebrew servant shall not be held in bondage but till the year of Iubilee then he shall depart both he and his Children for they are Gods servants But this Text speaks only of the Israelites Children whom God brought out of the Land of Egypt and the reason of their being his servants is taken meerly from that and to shew the priviledge they had above other servants and their Children and distinguishingly v 55. unto me the Children of Israel are servants what is this to our Children God saith the children of the Israelites are Gods servants I say our Children are not is there any contrariety in these speeches where the subjects of the propofitions are not the same Besides when I said our Children that is our Infant Children are not Gods servants I meant actually but that which God saith Levit. 25. 42 that they are his servants is meant only of what they are de jure of right and then the predicates of the Propositions are different and therefore no contrariety yet again servants of God are either actively such or passively as the Heavens Psal. 119. 91. are called Gods servants Nebuchadnez●zer is called Gods servant Ierem. 43. 10. were the Heavens and Nebuchadnezar Disciples of Christ and to be baptized SECT. 5. Of the Text Deut. 29. 10. 11. 12. Alleaged to prove our Infants to be visible Church-members THe next Text Deut. 29. 10 11. 12. was alleaged to prove that our Children are visible Church members because the little ones of the Israelites entered into Covenant with God that he might establish them to be his people and this a Gospell Covenant Deut. 30. 6. 11. 12 13. 14. To this I answered 1 that thou v. 12. doth not necessarly comprehend the little ones This Mr. Baxter in the disputation turning himselfe to the people told them was to contradict the Text expressely and he sought to suggest to them as if it were my impudence and said that if it the Papists had as plaine express Scripture as Deut. 29. 12. was to prove that all even little ones did enter into Covenant he would turne Papist But for all Mr. Baxters hast I presume he would be better advised if he did consider v. 14. you are distinguished from them that stand there before the Lord c. v. 12. thou only is said to enter into Covenant and therefore though all v. 10. are said to stand yet it is not without some likely hood that thou v. 12. notes only some that entred into Covenant in the behalfe of the rest And if the passing into Covenant were as Piscator in his Scholie that thou mayest passe through the parts of the divided living creatures in testimony of the Covenant to which Ainsworth notes the phrase to allude surely neither the little ones nor all the rest did passe between the parts of the beasts divided but some instead of the rest 2. But were it granted that the little ones are said to enter into Covenant yet this doth not prove them to be visible members For. v. 15. it is said that Moses made that Covenant and Oath with him that was not there with them that day that is their posterity not yee borne as lackson Piscator Ainsworth Grotius the new Annot c shall it therefore be said that the posterity unborne were visible members of the Jewish Church in the wildernesse 3. It must be and was granted by Mr. Baxter in the dispute that this entring into Covenant was not by their owne act but by their Parents for them But such an entring into Covenant doth not make a viable Church member in

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 AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST Mr. BAXTERS Invective against Anabaptists SECT. 1. Of Anabaptists accusing their own Children THere came newly to my hands this following passage which because it doth mainly reflect on my selfe I conceive my selfe necessitated to answer it Anabaptists saith Mr. Baxter play the Divells part in accusing their own Children and disputing them out of the Church and Covenant of Christ and affirming them to be no Disciples no servants of God nor holy as separated to him when God saith the contrary Levit. 25. 41. 42. Deut. 29. 10. 11. 12. c. Acts 15. 10. 1 Cor. 7. 14. Answ. Though Mr. Baxter speaks of Anabaptists in the plurall yet the passage it selfe and the circumstances of it well known in these partes evidence it to be directed either solely or mainly against my selfe The terme Anabaptists I own not any more then my Infant sprinkling The Faith I owne but not the Ceremony They are unjustly called Anabaptists who have beene Baptized after their own profession of the faith of Christ though they had water sprinkled or poured on their faces by an Officiating Priest when they were Infants Sprinkling is not Baptizing nor Infants the Subjects of the Baptisme of Water appointed by Christ or practised by the Apostles Mr. Baxter offered to prove In the beginning of the Dispute after mentioned that dipping in cold water is murder and Adultery It seems he dare undertake to prove the snow black he is so confident of his nimble wit and ready tongue Thousands in the primitive times in which Baptizing was by dipping until Hieroms time at least in the 4th Century Thousands in these dayes are so baptized without murder or adultery And therefore Mr. Baxters assertion is contrary to sense and experience He may do much I believe but will never be able to prove Infant Baptisme or sprinkling instead of it to be the duty ordained by Christ Math. 28. 19. Mark 16. 16. The seven Churches under Baptisme about London disclaime the Title of Anabaptists in the Preface to their Confession of faith under that terme all the Pelagian and Arminian errours all those pestilent errours of Community of Goods denying civill Magistracy lawfullnesse of taking an Oath to end strife and sundry other are charged on them that deny Infant Baptisme I may well say in a Divelish manner by many Preachers to make them odious to the people that they might drive them away out of the Land if not destroy them and therefore if Mr. Baxter who knowes how odious the terme is had minded equity or peace he had chosen rather to stile us Antipaedobaptists then Anabaptists But what sayes he of us Anabaptists play the Devils part in accusing their own Children A most virulent charge which shews Mr. Baxter kept no moderation of spirit nor heeded what he wrote The Devils part in accusing is either by himselfe or his Instruments before God or before men or in their own conscience Mr. Baxter may as soone bring water out of a pumice stone as prove we do any of these wayes play the Devills part But perhaps it will be said we accuse them however To accuse is to charge with a fault or crime I know no fault or crime we charge our Children with meaning our infant Children but their birth sin of which Mr. Baxter hath been heard to charge them as deep as any of us But it is unnaturall in us to accuse our own Children perhaps I blesse God he hath given me Children to whom I bear a naturall affection as tender as another If Mr. Baxter meane denying Baptisme to belong to them in infancy to be the playing the Devils part in accusing them he must give me leave to think that he himselfe playes the Devills part in asserting that it belongs to them till he prove it appointed by Christ or used by his Apostles which I expect to be done by him ad Graecas Calendas and so much the rather do I think he playes the Devills part therein because experience proves that Thousands are hardned in carnal presumption to their perdition by conceiving their Infant Baptisme to make them Christians and so heires of heaven SECT. 2. Of Anabaptists disputing their Children out of the Church and Covenant of Christ ANother thing wherein Mr. Baxter sayes we play the Divels part is in disputing our Children out of the Church and Covenant of Christ I answer The Church of Christ is either visible or invisible the Covenant of Christ may be meant either of Christs Covenant to them or theirs to Christ by disputing them out of the Church may be meant either that by our disputing we keep them out of the Church and Covenant of Christ or cast them out being admitted It is true I have asserted in disputation that according to the constitution of the visible Church of Christians Infants are not visible Church Members and I still assert it For the visible Church of Christians is a company of believers art 19 of the Church of England and therefore till a person is a believer he is not a visible Church member according to the frame of the Christian Church which is not a whole Nation joyned together in one Community by the civill Magistrate as the Jewish Church was but a company of believers made such by the preaching of the Gospel And this definition of the visible Church was formerly received among Protestants without the addition which the Assembly lately put to it in their Confession of Faith ch. 25 is avouched in disputes against Papists concerning the notes of the Church As for the invisible Church or Covenant of Christ to them I have often shewed in my examen of Mr. Marshalls