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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
doctrine_n	church_n	faith_n	protestant_a	2,183	5	9.3322	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

to a brother Vers 16. offering Isaac on the Altar which is rather a work of the Law then the Gospell Ver. 21. Rahabs receiving the Messengers and sending them out another way SECT. 9. Of the Anabaptists evill Lives MAster Baxter proceeds Christ hath told you by their Fruits yee shall know them we mis-interpret when we say he means by Fruit their fals Doctrine that were but idem per idem Hereticks may seem holy for a little while but at last all false Doctrines likely end in wicked lives Where hath there been known a Society of Anabaptists since the World first knew them that have not proved wicked How many of these or Antinomians c. have you known who have not proved palpably guilty of lying perfidivusnesse covetousness malice contempt of their godly brethren licentiousness or seared consciences Answ. Interpreters differ about the fruits Mat. 7. 16. some by Fruits understand evill life some false doctrine some both some adde their want of calling I for my part think both an evill life and a false Doctrine do discover false Prophets but chiefly their false Doctrine and so do Piscator Pareus Perkins c. because that seemes to be Gods note Deut. 13. 2. And in reason sith a false Prophet is so named from his false Doctrine the false-hood of his Doctrines best discovers that he is a false Prophet As for evill life by it self which M. Baxter seems to hold it cannot be the note whereby to know a false Prophet as such both because evill Men may be true Prophets as Judas for example who was a true Apostle yet a Theif and on the other side Mr. Baxter confesseth Heretikes may seem holy for a little while and therefore during that time they cannot be known by their evill life yea many erroneous Persons have continued in appearance holy to their end Mr. Baxter dares say no more but that all false Doctrine likely end in wicked lives Augustin commends Pelagius Epist. 120. Bertius Arminius yea many of those who have bin reputed Heretiques have been eminent for holinesse in appearance even to their end and thereby have prevailed And indeed it is the common Tenent of Protestant Divines answering Bellarmine and other Papists who deny Profession of the true Faith to be a note of the true Church and among other notes make the holinesse of their Teachers one note that true Faith is a sufficient note of a visible Church and true Teacher and that holinesse of life is not the note of a true Prophet or the want of it of a false Prophet If it were it would follow no true Ministers who are vitious in life nor to be heard nor to be owned as Pastors And therefore Mr. Baxter unadvisedly perhaps in heate or spleen directs his Neighbours to know false Prophets by this note which would if retorted prove Presbyterians Heretiques as well as Anabaptists But to say by their false Doctrine yee shall know false Prophets were idem per idem the same by the same Answ In Mr. Baxters Logick then false Doctrine and false Prophet are the same It is true false Doctrine is the form denominating a false Teacher or false Prophet but to make the forme denominating and the subject denominated the same is to Me false Doctrine in Logick Are the whitenesse and the thing white the heate and thing hot all one or doth a Man that knows hot water by heate cold water by its cold know idem per idem the same by the same But Mr. Baxter applies his rule generally against Anabaptists and saith where hath there been known a Society of Anabaptists since the World first knew them that proved not wicked Answ Were this question propounded dubitatively it would the lesse move but no Man will I think take his interrogation for any other then a most peremptory determination wherein like a right English Mastive he flies in the face not of one or two Men or one or two Societies of Men but on all the Societies of Anabaptists since the World first knew them and asserts them to have proved wicked An accusation that I should not have dared to make against the Papists themselves And for it if there were no other thing I may boldly say Mr. Baxter hath plaid the Devills part with a witnesse But you 'l say is it not true Answ. Were not Cyprian and his Colleagues Hemerobaptists in Epiphanius the Picards who re-baptized as the Preface to the Bohemian Confession of the year 1535 shewes Anabaptists that is baptizers againe And yet who doubts but they had many Societies who proved not wicked But you 'l say they were rebaptists on another ground then the Anabaptists Mr. Baxter means who deny Infant-baptism Be it so yet it is a most bold calumny to damne all their societies as in conclusion wicked But that Mr. Baxter may learne to order his pen better hereafter he may take notice that besides the probabilities that Berengarius opposed the Baptizing of little ones notwithstanding what Mr. Marshall alledgeth it is more then probable by Bernards 204 Epistle his 66. Sermon on the Canticles Petrus Cluniacensis his Epistle against Peter de Bruis and Henricus Eckbertus Schonaugiensis his Sermon 7. adversus Catharos in the Auctarium of the Biblioth Patxum Tom. 2. and others that there were many hundreds of years sithence a very great number of godly Societies that did deny Infant-baptisme and in Gaule and Germany were Baptized after Infant-baptisme But perhaps Mr. Baxter imagines no Anabaptists as he calls them till Luthers dayes There have been many of those Societies in high and low Germany Will Mr. Baxter a yong Man that I believe never travailed out of England fall into such exorbitant censoriousnesse as to condemne them all as in fine proving wicked sure I am Alstedius in his sapplement to Chamier de Eccl. l. 2. c. 13. Sect. 3. puts the Anabaptists among those that had the garment of a good life Cassander in his Epistle to the Duke of Gulick and Cleve cited by me in my Examen part 2. Sect. 6. saith in quibus magna ex parte pii cujusdam animi argumenta cernas Sundry other writings I have read even of those that have written against them who either by their ingenuous Confessions of some of them or their readinesse to except against them for small infirmities give me occasion to conceive there have been in the Low Countries and elsewhere godly Societies of them and not such as in conclusion proved wicked But perhaps Mr. Baxter pronounceth so of all those in England that have been called Anabaptists If so let him know that there have been in London Churches of those called Anabaptists and are still whose Confession of Faith may compare either with Mr. Baxter or perhaps the Assembly for soundnesse of Doctrine and not a few of whose Teachers and Members have lead a godly life to the end and whose living members yet hold forth the Faith in a godly life And

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

among Hereticks even then when I made earnest suite to him to have his Arguments in writing that I might examine them which I cannot any way obtaine as yet hath more manifestly shewed himself resolved to break with Me and to renounce Me as one unfit for communion with him then any action I ever did shewed the like disposition in Me towards him Mr. Baxter sayth I cannot digresse to fortifie you against these Sects I confesse a Discourse against those Sects as he calls them had been a Digression from the subject of his Treatise but not from the matter of his Epistle and the fifth Direction he gives to his Neighbours of Kederminster But why can he not digresse I can ghesse no other reason but his haste willing he was in his Epistle before that Book which was likely to sell to blast my reputation by Name and other dissenters from him without naming them whether to ease his stomack or to what other end he knowes best though he little considered what he wrote He goes on you have seen God speake against them by judgements from Heaven what were the two monsters in New England but miracles I Answer what judgements from heaven by wch God spak against the Sects he mentions they had seen I could never yet learn of his Neighbours though I have lived very near them have often conversed with them and had them my auditors till I imagin M. Baxters opposition to Me took them off Nor doe I think if Mr. Baxter were put to name the judgements by which God spake from Heaven against the Sects he names would he mention any other then the two Monsters in New England which I am confident neither Mr. Baxter nor any of his Neighbours of Kederminster saw These two Monsters are mentioned in the Margin of his book Pag. 232. to be the most hideous monstrous births of Mistris Hutchinson and Mistris Dier In Mr. Welds story of the Antinomians I finde mention in the Preface of thirty monstrous births or thereabouts brought forth by Mistris Hutchinson at once some of them bigger some of them lesser some of one shape some of another few of any perfect shape none at all of them so far as he could learne of humane shape And of Mistris Dyer that she brought forth her birth of a woeman child a Fish a beast and a foule all woven together in one and without an head which he describes pag. 44. of his Story The truth of the Relation I question not but that they were Miracles as Mr. Baxter takes the word Miracle in his second part Ch. 4. Sect. 1. c. in which he distinguisheth between Wonders and Miracles I think cannot be made good If we finde not the like story in every point yet we reade of many monstrous births as that of the Earle of Hollands daughter and many other yet neither Divines nor Philosophers nor Physicians that I know do reckon them among Miracles Nor do I think it a very safe way to take such Accidents as Arguments for or against any Tenet Camden in his Britannia describing Wiltshire makes mention of a Synod in Calne whereat upon the falling of the roome and preservation of Dunstan it was judged that God had determined for Monkery Many more such strange accidents doe both Heathen and Ecclesiasticall Histories mention for confirmation of superstition and errors which Mr. Baxter himself takes notice of Pag. 240. by which People have been lead to errors And therefore I think Mr. Baxter doth ill to direct his Neigbhours of Kederminster to such accidents to fortifie them against Sects And I have ever judged it a very unsafe and I thinke an evill course that many Preachers have taken to affright their People with relations of accidents befalling Men whom they judge erroneous thereby to deter them from so much as examining their Tenet as being contrary to Pauls admonition of trying all things 1 Thess. 5. 21. and directing to another way of discerning between truth and error then the holy Scripture contrary to John 5. 39. Mark 12. 24. 2 Tim. 3. 16. Deut. 13. 1 2. and Isai. 8. 20. c. which is derogatory to the Scriptures use and directing them by judgements from heaven to judge of Doctrines of which many Relations are not true as I am sure for one instance in the relations of Gods Judgement upon Sabbath breakers to which Mr. Baxter referrs Pag. 230. concerning Mr. Powle of Lemster in my time of being there and not far off from the place when it happened in the relation of which there are sundry mistakes and untruths nor did the circumstances shew the accident to be Gods Voyce to that end the compiler of that Book applies it But if the relations of the accidents be true yet it is uncertaine whether the Devill do not speak by them untill it appear first that the Tenet they are applied to confirme be of God which may be known by the Scriptures without relying on such accidents And it is well known that Papists use them as well as the Orthodox and make them a note of their Church and Doctrine which is rejected by Protestants But were it granted a safe way to judge of Doctrines by such judgements of God yet in all the story of Mr. Weld forementioned I finde not a word of Mistris Hutchinson or Mistris Dyer or any other of these whose errors are taken to be condemned by those accidents as holding Antipaedobaptisme I finde Mistris Dyer and her Husband to have been taken for Familists Pag. 44. Mistris Hutchinson to have held 29 errors Pag. 60. but none of them against Infant baptisme Mr. Baxter himself in the Margin of his book Pag. 232. bids aske them in New England whether they were not convincing providences against their Antinomian Antiscripturall heresies Why then doth Mr. Baxter tell his Neigbours of these judgements speaking against the Sects he mentions indefinitely when it was but against one of them in his own construction and place his speech where it might be and is commonly taken and was alledged upon Mr. Baxters credit in Pulpit in the Parish in which I taught as spoken against Antipaedobaptists but that it is most likely Mr. Baxter in that passage chiefly intended to make Me in particular and other opposers of Infant-baptisme odious and the truth we hold though he did thereby misleade Men for which the Lord forgive Him Yet I will adde thus much that I finde among the 82 errors condemned in New England in that story the 21 to be this To be justified by Faith is to be justified by Workes which how near it is to Mr. Baxters Doctrine in his Aphorisms of justification Thes. 20. 70. 72 73 74 75 76. in this Treatise Pag. 11. Doubtlesse the Gospel takes Faith for our obedience to all Gospell Precepts which he teacheth in his Aphorismes Thes. 76. and expounds James 2. 24. of justification before God by works in a proper sense and those were giving food or cloathing