A Third Reply

p. 1A 3d. Reply; Or a short Return to Mr. Baxters Brief Answer to my 2d. Reply, in his Postscript to a late Treatise of Justification, &c.

MR. Baxter having, as he saith, perused my 2d. Reply, and being, as I conceive much concerned thereat, (notwithstanding his promised silence) doth, for the better easing of his disturbed mind, and galled conscience, give a very angry return in a curr, but costly, Postscript, which he has ordered to be annexed to his late Treatise of Justification, in answer to Dr. Tully, (since the publication thereof:) I say costly, because by that Artifice, though it be but 7 Pages, is not usually to be Purchased under 5 s. The which may be briefly considered under these following Heads, comprehending the whole, viz.

First, the generall Confutation he gives the Book. 2dly. His general reference to the Books themselves. 3dly. The 2 particular Instances he insists on for his own Vindication, and my Reproof. 4ly His quibbling reflections upon me and my Back.

[1. The general Confutation.] In the first place, you'l find he is pleased in his old Reviling way (which he cannot forbear) to confute me by whole-sale (with a Bellarmine thou lyest) telling us in so many words, That he judges it useless to give the World a particular detection of the evils (themselves) and that if he had so little to do with his time to write ie, he supposes, few would find leasure to read it: And therefore instead of any other confutation, we must upon his word take it to be a bundle of mistakes, fierceness, and confidence set off with the greatest Audacity, &c. p. 74.

And if this be not an excellent way of Information and Conviction, and a very exemplary piece of Justice, to be thus Judge and Executioner in his own Case, (without the least Demonstration, and that against the fullest proof and evidence) is submitted to better Judgment. As though a Dictators Ipso Dixit, big Hectoring words, and contemptuous ill-Language, instead of Proof, sound Arguments, and meek Instruction, was the best way to stop the mouths of Gain-sayers, to silence Opposers, and inform the World.

p. 1[2. His Reference 〈◊〉 the Books.] ◊ut 2dly growing a little cooler, and better bethinking him◊◊◊◊, he is content to allow the Reader some share in the Judgment, and to that end gives him leave to peruse his Book with mine; to examine the Authors about whose words or sense we differ, p. 74. which is indeed something like. And therefore to so fair a Motion (since his Ingenuity leads him not to a confession of so many things so palpably proved against him) I heartily joyn p. 2Issue with him: Not doubting to meet with a more impartial Decision from a Candid Reader.

And therefore to that end I do most earnestly recommend to his diligent search, having Mr. Baxters Book (and Mr. Barrots Quaeri◊s he also mentions and refers to) in one hand, and my Book in the other) the following Particulars wherein the greatest difference his betwixt us, viz.

1. Whether Mr. Baxter hath not fully justified my Book, he so scor◊◊◊◊, ◊◊◊tes against in all the parts thereof, as maintained in the first Chapter. And not only the Doctrinal part, [his Cavils being so fu◊y replyed to, and removed, p 22, &c.] but the Historical part also having so fully given up the thing, he and his Partners so shamefully wrangle about, as p. 18, &c.

2. Whether my Witnesses against Infants Baptism are not substantially justified against all his Cavils, and freed from his hainous charge of Forgery and Prevarication, viz. The Donatists, Ancient Brittains, Waldenses and Wickliffians, as p. 33. to ◊53.

3. Whether Mr. B's notorious slanders of the Anabaptists and Vanists, are not substantially evidenced, as p. 154, to 175.

4. Whether his shameful broad-fac'd contradictions are not manifestly detecte◊ from his own Writings, particularly as being for and against Episcopacy, p. 175. for and against Non-conformity, p. 222. for and against Arminianisme, p. 204. for and against Tradition, p 207. for and against Popery, p 218, &c.

5. Whether it doth not evidently appear by undeniable demonstration, that Mr. B. is notoriously guilty of Forgery, Prevarication, and falsifying Authorities. Particularly 1st. in Fathering that Popish confession on the Waldenses, leaving out what should discover the same, p. 98, &c. 2dly. Denying Bede to mention any thing of Birinus, as I affirmed, or that the Isle of Weight was in lower Saxony, the truth of both being so fully made appear, p. 75. 3dly. His notorious falsifications about Beringarius, 263. 4ly. His egregious abusing Dr. Prideux, the 2d. Lateran Council. Otto Frisingenses and Binius, about Peter Bruis and Arnoldus Testimonies, p. 263, &c. 5ly. His most notorious abuse of Wickliff in many particulars, p 263. &c. 6ly. His strange assertions and monstrous contradictions about the Creed, p. 209 And 7ly. His very evil dealing about the Revelations, p. 230. But especially about the Scriptures themselves, p. 243.

p. 26. Whether there is not a faithful Collection of some of his shameful Billings-gate Language, so unbecoming either a Man or a Christian, p. 259.

Wherein if I am found tardy, I shall willingly submit to the just censure of the faithful Examiner. If not, I hope it will be judged but reasonable, that Mr. B. should hear the blame and shame of such Temerity and Injustice.

p. 3[3. The 2 I • stances insisted on.] 3dly. As to these 2 Particulars, he is pleased to pick out of the bundle, and to give his exceptions against, notwithstanding the uselesness (as he pleased to tell us) of enumerating Particulars, I shall punctually and particularly reply to, and the rather because it must be supposed since he vouchsafes to mention any, that they are of the greatest moment, and by which he would have the rest judged he doth not mention.

[1. About Baptizing naked.] The first, and that upon which he lays the greatest stress, is that about Baptizing naked,, telling us in these words p. 74. That he finds but one thing in the Book that needeth any other Answer than to peruse what is already written, and that is about Baptizing naked. And therefore he is pleased in 2 Pages to give us several new shifts to avoid the dint of the evidence that seems to gall his Conscience, instead of such an honest owning of his guilt, and taking the shame that such notorious slanders, and opprobrious evil-dealing calls for, tending, as you'l find, rather to heighten and aggravate, than to lessen or extenuate his crimes.