TheTruth is, I had much rather, that all fuch Diftinctions were taken away, and true Chriftians were but one People, called by that one name, all the World over, united in Opinion, Affection and Intereft, according to our Lords Petition, John 17.21. That fo the World may believe that the Father fent him; but that bleffed time is not yet come. In the mean time, to be called People of the Primitive Chriftian Beligion. This is the properest Character by which we can be diftinguished from others ! for that's the cause we have fincerelv efpoufed, and if we are mistaken we cannot help it, it is our unhappiness, but no Damning Sin.Thus much for the Name Anabaptift,tho' as for fuch a People, I know not of any in the World. The next thing to be Confidered, is the Original or Fountain head of this Sect, to which we fhall fpeak, Firft Negatively, 2ly. Affimatively: First fhewing when it did not begin, 2ly, when it did begin. Firft, Negatively, we fhall make it plainly appear, that Mr. Eratt is mistaken in his Account. He has told his Neighbours, and Published to the World, as we Obferv. ed before, that this Sect, which he calls Anabaptifts, was broached in Germany about the Year of our Lord 1533. And was Founded in Blood, by John Matthias, John of Leyden, and the reft of their Lewd Companions, this is matter of Fact he fays P. 22.) and if it be denyed, he can bring in a Cloud of writers of that time to witness it, P. 5. Now what is the matter of Fact he speaks of? Even, no more than this, that I know of, namely that there were fuch Men, amongst others, at the City of Munfter in Germany, whofe names were John Matthias, John Buckbold alias Fohn of Leyden, and the reft which he has named, and that these Men by name did act very Wickedly a mongst the reft, and were called Anabaptifts. But what of all this, to other men that are called Anabaptifts, baptifts, who were not there, nor abetted with them,nor knew any thing of the bufinefs till above a Hundred Years after it was over,and when they did hear of it,diflik'd it, and utterly abhorr'd fach doings? I must confels my intellectuals are too weak toconceive how thefe latter can be found guilty of the faults of the former. Tho there might a bin fome Colour for it,if the name Anabaptifts had been given them upon the account of that wickedness then and there committed, but that is given them upon another account as you heard before. The villanies acted, (or pretended to be acted,) at Munfter, did not give name to this Sect, but only, (and thats the worst that can be faid )fome of this Sect that are generally very honeft men, proved Villains at that time. But fure this muft not be imputed to all that are called by that name ¿ for if to becalled by fuch or fuch a Name be a crime, tho' the name it felf do not fhew the nature of the crime, only fome of that name have been great offenders, then I fuppofe there are no men living but one way or other may be found Guilty. Then all Ifraelites had been Criminals from the time that Corah, Dathan, and Abiram turned Rebells, for they were Iraelites. Then all Chris Difciples must be counted Traytors for the fake of Judas, who was one of Chrifts Difciples and proved a Traytor; yea, a Devil incarnate. Then Palebaptifts may be charged with heynous Crimes, as Murders, Maffacres, Treafons, Rebellions, Thefts, Adulteries, and all the Villanies and Rogueries that are acted from Age to Age, by all that are called by that Name. And then Mr. Eratt himself cannot escape, or if he could, he might be fetcht in fome other way, ef pecially if he should be charg'd with all the Offences that have been committed at any time by bad Priefts, and particularly if he fhould be charg'd with the aberrations of fome Non-jurors and others fince the happy Revoluti on. But I do not delight to aggravate these things: As I faid in the Preface, I abhor Difingenuity, only I thought it needfull to fhew the unreasonableness of this way of fixing of Crimes and making Men hatefull, meerly because fome of that name have been grea Offenders And hence it appears, that if thofe Men at Munster were as bad as Authors report them to be, or if it were poffible ten times wofe than fo; yet that nothing concerns innocent Men that are called by the fame name. Tho' I muft needs fay, There is juft caufe to Queftion the truth of thofe Reports, because they come from their Enemies, who would not favour them in telling the ftory we may be fure. The malicious Papifts, that had a long time been mortall Enemies to this Sort of People,are fome of the Writers Mr. Eratt fpeaks of, and they have Reported as vile things of Luther, Calvin, and B-a, whom Protestants count honeft Men. And fome envicus Proteftants, might very probably, endeavour to improve fuch reports to the difadvantage of all that were called Anabaptis, that their Perfons and Principles might be held in difgrace with the people. We have had frequent experience in our own time(befides what is faid by Mr. Eratt that even fome of them called Proteftants,have not stuck to speak all manner of evil against us falfly for the fake of our holy Profeffion, and for no other caufe in the World, without the least Colour or ground of Truth. Witness a Pamphlet that was Published in the Reign of King Charles the Second, in the Year 1673. Entituled Mr. Baxter Baptized in Blood, which gave an account of a Barbarous Murder committed by four Anabaptists at Bef ton in New-England, upon the Body of a Godly Minifter called Mr. Jofiah Baxter,for no other reafon but because he had worsted them in Difputation; which was fet forth with all the Circumflances and Formalities of Names, Speeches, Actions, Time and Place, to make it look the more Authentick; Orderly and moft Pathetically defcribing the moft Execrable Murder that ever was known, viz. of first Stripping and cruelly Whipping, then Unbowelling and Fleying alive, a Reverend godly Minifter in his own Houfe in the midft of the Howling Grones and Scritchings 'of his dear relations lying bound before him. And the better. to to create belief,This fad Story is pretended to be published by the mournful Brother of the faid murdered Minifter, named Benjamin Baxter, living in Fen Church-Street London. Moreover the Authors had dealt fo Cunningiy, that they had prevailed with Dr. Samuel Parker to License it. Now this was enough to perfwade any Body that the Report was true, efpecially being Published with allowance, and might make men not only afhamed to be Anabaptifts, but to abhor the name and Sect for ever. Nevertheless, by Divine Providince, this was foon difcovered to be all Falfe and Forged, not a tittle of truth in it; for a Ship coming from Boston in New England, Twenty days after this Murder was faid to be committed, two of the men, the Mafter of the Veffel and a Merchant that was with him, attefted upon Oath before the Lord Mayor of London, that they never knew fuch a man as Mr. Jofiah Baxter, that they had heard of no fuch Report, nor knew any occafion of such a thing, but did believe it was a very great Falfhood. The Officers of the two Wards, of Aldgate and Langburn, in which Fen-Church Street is Scituate, gave a Certificate under their Hands, that within their Memories no fuch man as Benjamin Bax ter, the pretended Rrother that Fublifhed the ftory, had lived in Fen Church-Street. The Kings Privy Council ex amin'd the cafe,and detected the Forgery and accordingly Ordered the Publishing the fame in the Gazette, And Dr. Parker that had been too Credulous and hafty in Licenfing this Tragical Story, he Confeffed his Errour, and gave a Teftimonial under his Hand, acknowledging the fime. For the greater Certainty of the thing,I fhall infert the Order of Council, and Dr. Parkers Teftimonial, take them as followeth. The Order of Council. Whereas there is a Pamphlet lately publifhed, Entiruled Mr. Baxter Baptized in Blood, containing a horrible Mur. der committed by four Anabaptifts, upon the Person of Mr. Jofiah Baxter near Bofton in New England. The whole matter having been inquired into, and examined at the Council-Board, is found altogether Falfe and Ficti tious, Edward Walker. Dr. Parkers Teftimonial. Whereas there was a certain Pamphlet lately published under the Title of Mr. Baxter Baptized in Blood, containing a Narrative of a Murder committed on the Person of one Jofiah Baxter a Minifter near Bolton in New England, which Narrative was allowed of, Licenfed,and publickly expofed to Sale. These are to certify, that the Allowance and License thereof was obtained at the defire and fuggeftion of one Lawrence Savil, who in order to pro. cure the fame, did really produce to the Licenfer, Letters and Teftimonials under the hands, (as he pretended) of feveral Perfons in New England, containing the particular Circumftances of the faid Relation,and afferting the truth of the fame, as in the printed Copy is expreffed. All which upon further enquiry and Examination, the faid Licenser hath fince evidently found to be Fictitious and untrue, contrived and invented here in England, without any Warrant or Atteftation from beyond the Seas. And fo much he hath thought fit to publish, to the end that no Berfon may be abufed orimpofed upon by a Report, which, as he is now fufficiently convinced, is both falfe and groundless. Read in Council Samuel Parker. Thus |