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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62871	A publick dispute betwixt John Tombs ... respondent, John Cragge, and Henry Vaughan ... opponents, touching infant-baptism, the fifth of September, 1653 ... occasioned by a sermon preached the day before, by Mr. Tombs, upon St. Mark 16.16 ... : 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.	Tombes, John, 1603?-1676.; Cragge, John, Gent.; Vaughan, Henry, Sir, 1587?-1659?	1654 (1654)	Wing T1813; ESTC R9749	45,440	168

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 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 onely 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 it s 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

Gentiles shall be graffed in Parent with Children But the Jews were broken off Parents with Children Therefore the Gentiles shall be graffed in Parents with Children 9. Arg. If Infants should be out of Covenant under the Gospel many dangerous absurdities would follow First Infants would be losers by the comming of Christ and be put in a worse condition than the Jewish Infants were they with the Parents were admitted to the Seal of the Covenant which was Circumcision and not Children with Parents to Baptism Secondly if Infants should be in Covenant then and not now Grace would be larger under the Law than under the Gospel Thirdly there would be no difference betwixt the Child of a Christian and of a Pagan but all the Infants of Christians would be as vile as the Children of Turks Tartars or Cannibals Fourthly they would be without God without Christ without hope in the world not the Children of God but of the Devil would all be damned for out of Covenant and visible Church ordinarily there is no salvation 10. Arg. Lastly that which hath continued since the Apostles times with blessed success must needs be lawful But Infant-Baptism hath continued with blessed success since the Apostles times Therefore Infant Baptism is lawful Wee l begin with the first Centurie or hundred years after Christ Dionysius the Areopagite whom the Apostles converted at Athens says Holy men have received a tradition from the Fathers that is the Apostles to Baptise Infants Clemens who is recorded by some of the antients to succeed Peter in his Ministry at Rome says {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Baptise your Infants Ireneus who lived in the second Century says Christus pro parvulis parvulus factus est Christ became a little one for little ones sake that little ones might be received into Covenant Origen that lived in the begining of the third Century says The Church received a tradition from the Apostles to Baptize Infants and gives a reason because they are born in impurity of sin nay Pelagius a great Scholar who lived in the latter end of this Century though he denyed Original sin yet confessed Infant-Baptism for when they pressed him with this Argument if Infants had not Original sin what need they Baptism he answered that Christ appointed and the Church practised Infant-Baptism not to purge sin by past but to prevent it for the time to come Cyprian in the fourth Century confirms it in his Epistle to Fidus and gives an account of a Council of sixty six Bishops that decreed that Infants should be Baptized Ambrose says because every age is lyable to sin therefore every age is fit for the Sacrament of Baptism Nazianzene says it is better to Seal Infants with Baptism though they know it not then to leave them unsealed Austen is conceived to go too far who denyed possibility of salvation to them that dyed un-baptized pressing that place John 3.5 Except a Man be Born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God The Millevitan Counsel in the fifth Century decreed That whosoever should deny that Infants even taken from their Mothers wombs might not be Baptized should be accursed All Churches all ages since agree in this the Harmonies of confessions of all Reformed Churches the Church of England in the Apologie the old Catechism The twenty seventh Article the Directory the greater and lesser Catechism composed by the Assembly of Divines the late Parliament by a further Declaration all confirm it The Canons of our Church did not only in former times declare but the Lawes of our Land did punish Anabaptists as hereticks Mr. Fox in his Acts and Monuments approves of the Albigenses Waldenses Wickliffists Lollards Poor men of Lyons Brownists Barrowists as members of the Reformed Churches but wholly excludes the Anabaptists as erring fundamentally I 'le say no more for confirmation of this polemicall discourse but wind up all with a word of exhortation I beseech you brethren consider what a dangerous errour this is that robbs the Scripture of its truth Infants of their right parents of their comforts the Church of its members Christ of his merits God of his glory That is the mother of many other errours hence sprung the Ranters Socinians Antitrinitarians Shakers Levellers they that are above Ordinances Antiscripturians An errour that God hath expressed many signall judgments against as Sleiden and Gastius in Germany and some of our worthies in England have declared As reverend Mr. Cotton tells one of his Aposta●ed flock that had his house burned and his children in it No wonder that fire seised upon his house and God denyed water to quench it who denyed that water should be brought to Baptize his Infants Secondly consider that much benefit redounds both to parents and children by Infant-Baptism First much comfort comes hereby to the parents when they consider Gods free grace to them and theirs that he is not ashamed to be called their God and the God of their seed after them Hebr. 11.16 Secondly much benefit comes to Infants by Baptism which the Devill knowes well when he causes witches to renounce their Baptism when they enter into Covenant with him for they are thereby admitted into the bosome of the Church devoted and consecrated unto God his Name is put upon them they wear his Royall badge and by it they are distinguished from Heathens And this so clear from Scriptures truly and spiritually understood That the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Now the God of Peace and Truth by his Spirit lead us into all truth keep us pure and unspotted in this houre of Englands temptation and triall keep us faithfull to the death that so we may receive a crown of life {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} FINIS And that by washing as the Proselytes and Jews Children were initiated Mr. Cradock and Mr. Walter Monmothshire {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} or to the water

in your sermon yesterday That our Baptism meaning of Infants and by sprinkling was but a nullitie and Mockery which concludes our selves and all our Auncestours even all in the western Church for 1500. years under damnation For the Church hath power upon the sight of any inconvenience and for order and decencies sake to alter the circumstantials and externalls of any Ordinance T. What have they to doe to alter any thing from the form of Christs institution V. That they have such a power is confessed by all divines and he is none that denies it yea I believe it is acknowledged by your own practice T. Wherein V. In the administration of the Lords supper which was done by Christ in the Evening and also then by his Apostles after their Love-feastes The whole Church of God and your self I suppose take it in the morning which custome hath taken place and obtained every where for very many ages even from their dayes who immediatly succeeded the Apostles Thus advising him to be wise to Sobriety and cease to imbroyl the Church of God so infinitly torn already and to submit to the judgment and scarce-interrupted practise of the Western Churches even for 1500. years To which Gods providence could not be so far wanting as to suffer them to fall into such an Errour of admitting and retaining a Baptism which in his account was none we broke off A relation of the dispute had between Mr. John Tombs B. D. respondent and John Cragge Mr. A. opponent in St. Maries Church in Abergevennie Septemb. 5. 1653. touching Infant-Baptism Mr. Cragge having briefly expressed that he was forced to undertake this task on a sudden and unprovided against so experienced a champion desired first if he should fail the cause might not suffer prejudice in mens opinions for his sake 2. That libertie might be granted of a premeditate and treatable dispute hereafter not doubting that if he should but study the Question so many hours as Mr. Tombs hath done dayes so many dayes as he hath done weeks so many weeks as he months or so many months as the years the truth was so evident on his side he would not fear Maugre all opposition to make it clear In the mean time trusting to Gods assistance whose cause it was he would attempt it beginning with this Enthymema C. Some Infants may not be Baptized therefore some Infants may be Baptized T. Having repeated he denyed the consequence C. Which he proved thus Subcontrary propositions in a Contingent matter may be both true But these viz some infants may not be Baptised some infants may be Baptized are Subcontrary propositions in a Contingent matter Therefore they may be both true T. Having repeated the Syllogism he said there were four terms in it C. He enquired where T. He answered in these words may be both true in the Premisses and are both true in the Conclusion C. He returned that was Mr. Tombs Syllogism none of his reciting that distick of Martial Quem recitas meus est ô Fidentine logismus Sed male dum recitas incipit esse tuus T. Repeating it over again after him said that C. Which he took thus away That which proves the thing denied is sufficient But that Subcontrary propositions in a Contingent matter may be both true proves the thing denied that some infants may not be Baptized some infants may be Baptized Therefore it is sufficient T. He denyed the Minor tho it be an Axiom Subcontrary propositions in a Contingent matter may be both true yet it was not consequent that these subcontrary contingent propositions some Infants may not be baptized some Infants may be baptized may be both true C. Which was proved thus That which is affirmed and predicated of the Species may and is affirmed of every Individuum and particular under that Species But it is affirmed of the Species that Subcontrary Propositions in a Contingent matter may be both true therefore it may be affirmed of these particular Propositions some Infants may not be baptized some Infants may be baptized that they may be both true T. He said it was a fallacy he went about to entrappe him in confessing that subcontrary Propositions may be both true where the subject is capable but here the subject to wit infants are not capable of Baptism C. Then replyes he they are not Contingent which is here required but Necessary Propositions in materiâ necessaria if the subject be not capable but we speak of Contingent Propositions the Predicate whereof may be affirmed or denied of the subject without contradiction which while he was framing into a Syllogism T. Mr. T. interrupted him saying what would the man say if he could speak C. You love not to hear truth speak but would strangle it in the birth like the Egyptian Midwives but to give you further Satisfaction I will prove that they are actually both true especially that some infants may be baptized for of the other there is no controversie Which he did thus To whom belongs the Essence of Baptism they may be Baptized But to some infants belongs the Essence of Baptism therefore some infants may be Baptized T. He denyed the Minor that the Essence of Baptism did belong to some Infants C. Which was proved thus To whom belongs the definition of Baptism to them belongs the Essence But to some infants belongs the definition of Baptism Therefore to some infants belongs the Essence of Baptism T. He answered first to the Major to whom belongs the definition of Baptism to them belongs the Essence it was idem per idem proving of the same thing by the same C. To which was replyed why then sayes Aristotle that {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the definition is a manifestation of the Essence and Logicians describe a definition to be explicatio rei Essentiae the expression of the Essence of a thing now that which expresses a thing and which is expressed are two distinct things Then he denied the Minor which was proved thus C The definition of Baptism as of all other Relations is made up of the fundament correlative and termini But all these three fundamentum correlatum terminus belong to Infants Therefore the definition of Baptism belongs to Infants T. He denied the Major that Baptism was a Relation or was made up of those ingredients C. He replyed that seemed strange to him seeing all the Divines and Logicians that he had read affirmed Baptism to be a Relation and it was evident it could be put in no other Predicament as might be proved by Induction but that the people understood it not seeing the whole nature of Baptism is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in Relation to another T. He said he cared not for authorities but bid him prove it C. Which he did thus Every Sacrament is a Relation But Baptism is a Sacrament Therefore Baptism is a Relation T. He said he might deny both Propositions first The Major for