Mr. Baxter baptiz'd in bloud, or, A sad history of the unparallel'd cruelty of the Anabaptists in New-England faithfully relating the cruel, barbarous and bloudy murther of Mr. Baxter, an Orthodox minister, who was kill'd by the Anabaptists, and his skin most cruelly flead from his body : with an exact account of all the circumstances and particularities of this barbarous murther / published by his mournfull brother Benjamin Baxter. Baxter, Benjamin. 1673 Approx. 16 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2007-01 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A26844 Wing B1170 ESTC R92 12304556 ocm 12304556 59208 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A26844) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 59208) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 200:4) Mr. Baxter baptiz'd in bloud, or, A sad history of the unparallel'd cruelty of the Anabaptists in New-England faithfully relating the cruel, barbarous and bloudy murther of Mr. Baxter, an Orthodox minister, who was kill'd by the Anabaptists, and his skin most cruelly flead from his body : with an exact account of all the circumstances and particularities of this barbarous murther / published by his mournfull brother Benjamin Baxter. Baxter, Benjamin. Parker, Samuel, 1640-1688. Savill, Laurance. [2], 6 p. [s.n.], London : 1673. "This fictitious narrative of cruelty in New England, designed to do harm to the Baptist cause, had its origin in England. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Anabaptists -- New England -- Controversial literature. 2004-02 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2005-12 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2006-06 Elspeth Healey Sampled and proofread 2006-06 Elspeth Healey Text and markup reviewed and edited 2006-09 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Mr. BAXTER Baptiz'd in Bloud , OR , A SAD HISTORY OF THE UNPARALLEL'D CRUELTY OF THE ANABAPTISTS In NEW-ENGLAND . Faithfully Relating the Cruel , Barbarous , and Bloudy Murther of Mr. Baxter an Orthodox Minister , who was kill'd by the Anabaptists , and his Skin most cruelly flead off from his Body . WITH An Exact Account of all the Circumstances and Particularities of this barbarous Murther . Published by his mournfull Brother Benjamin Baxter Living in Fen-Church-Street , London . With Allowance . LONDON , Printed in the Year , 1673. A Sad History of M. Baxters Bloudy and Cruel Death by the Anabaptists . COuld any man believe that Phanatick Fury had such power to impell and force any that pretend to that Sacred Name of Christians , to perpetrate such villanies which the Myrmidons and Scythians in the midst of Barbarism it self never heard of ? But it s a Maxim in Philosophy , Corruptio optimi est pessima , The best things corrupted are the worst ; So as the profession of Christianity is a most sacred thing , the doctrine of the Gospel a most holy Rule , the Authour of our Religion an exemplar and pattern of meekness ; so when Christians renounce this sacred profession , lay aside this Holy Gospel , and abrenuntiate Christ the pattern of meekness , they soon become the most desperate villains in the world ; as may be instanc'd in Julian the Apostate , and Sergius the Associate of Mahomet , and compiler of the Alcoran . And we daily see that among the Turks none are such implacable persecutors of Captive-Christians as Renegade-Protestants . When I seriously consider these things , I forbear to wonder at the great and desperate Villanies perpetrated by the Anabaptists those Renegade-Christians , who deny Baptism that initiating Ordinance and first Sacrament of Christianity . Dares any man affirm the Anabaptists to be Christians ? For how can they be Christians who deny Christning , deride Christs Institution of Baptism , and scoffingly call it Baby-sprinkling , and in place thereof substitute their prophane Booby-dipping ? But what need words be multiplyed when deeds cry out so loud ? And are not such unparallel'd Villanies enough to un-Christian the stoutest Professors in the world ? Mr. Josiah Baxter in the year 1661. was sollicited with much importunity by some Virginia Merchants to leave England , and imbarque for Virginia ; He condescended to their requests , not upon the account of any earthly concern , but because he thought in those New Plantations they might not be so well provided of Labourers in the Lord's Vineyard , and in this Nation ( God be thanked ) there was good store both of able and painful Ministers : He also propos'd to himself the effecting some good upon the Indians , as he often intimated to me before his departure . He lived many years in Virginia , and did much good among those people ; But seeing that his health was much impaired by his Studies and Labours , and that the Ayr of that Countrey did not at all agree with his body , he began to think of removing , and especially seeing he had such a fair opportunity as the most courteous and loving Invitation of M. T. M. G. and M. O. very considerable Merchants in New-England , and his ancient and intimate Friends and Acquaintance ; He therefore in the year 1672. with his Wife and Family left Virginia and setled himself in a solitary house about a mile and half distant from Boston : The Merchants and good people of Boston and the circum-jacent Countrey receiv'd him with all the kindness and tenderness imaginable . He had not been long in these parts but all good Christians had him in great veneration , for his great learning , his diligent preaching , and for his great zeal ; He had not been many Moneths in New-England but he understood there was a notorious Sectarian by name Richard Batt ( who formerly had been a Taylor in Coventry , but some two years after the happy Restauration of his Majesty , under pretence of a tender Conscience he left Coventry , and came to New-England . ) This Batt was a fellow of a prodigious confidence , a good wit , a voluble tongue , and an insinuating carriage and comportment : M. Baxter therefore quickly found out this Fox , and was very apprehensive of his designs against Christian Religion for the advancement of his unchristian Sect , and was also inform'd that he had already seduc'd many well-meaning people ; He thought it was now high time to oppose this Son of Belial , to discover from Gods Word the falsity of his Tenets , the wickedness of his principles , and the danger of his practises , and also to confirm good Christians in the Truth : He therefore omitted no pains , but constantly in all his Sermons evidently declared and prov'd from God's Word the Divine Institution of Baptism : he answered all Objections , and most solidly proved , that the Anabaptists were most sacrilegious persons , who endeavoured to rob Christ's Church of that Holy Sacrament which Christ her Spouse had left her ; and that the very denying of Infant-Baptism was a denying and renouncing of Christianity it self , because Christ had instituted Baptism to be an initiating Sacrament whereby such as embrace Christian Religion were to be admitted within the Communion of his Church , ; but these wicked Sectarians deny this Sacrament , and compel their adherents to renounce their Baptism , and to be dipt again in their prophane waters : He told them also , that the waters wherein Batt dipt his followers , were not ( as he falsly told them ) the pure waters of Jordan wherein the holy sons and daughters of Sion were baptiz'd , but the stinking and prophane waters of Egypt wherein none but Babylons children were dip't and prophan'd : He also charg'd and conjur'd all good Christians if they had any care or regard for their souls , not to associate with those prophane and Sacrilegious persons the Anabaptists , but to consider their personal vices , their scandalous lives , and their bloudy and dangerous practices in forreign Countreys , but especially in Germany , Holland , Poland and Switzerland ; and he would often instance many of their high misdemeanours in several places in England , and pressingly urge his hearers not to have any commerce or society with men of such bad principles and detestable lives . Thus did this zealous Minister of the Gospel like a good Shepherd diligently watch over the Flock which Christ had committed to his charge . Good men were much edified by his zeal , and the weaker and wavering Christians were most solidly confirm'd in the Truth : But this good man thought it was not enough to edifie the orthodox , and confirm the doubtful , but he did most earnestly thirst after the conversion of misbelievers ; he was resolved to try all means for the conviction and conversion of the Anabaptists themselves ; He did endeavour to bring M. Batt to a personal conference ; He openly challenged him in the Church , and openly protested that if he would come to a publike dispute and conference , all things should be manag'd with Christian lenity and brotherly love ; but in case he should refuse such Christian-like Proposals of a publike conference and dispute , the whole world would conclude he was conscious to himself both of the badness of his Cause , and also of his own disabilities to manage and maintain it , especially seeing he was so openly , so often , and so pressingly mov'd to it by his Antagonist : Batt and his Partizans us'd all the Artifices imaginable to avoid the conference ; and when M. Baxter's friends urg'd him to it , he would reply , that Disputes and Debates were altogether unprofitable ; that he could finde no Warrant or Example in Scripture of any publike Dispute between parties ; that Disputes in Religion did but incense Christians one against the other , and heighten animosities ; that they did no ways conduce to the conviction of Dissenters ; and that tender Consciences who had left their Native Countrey for Religion , should endeavour for peace and mutual love , and not by disputes to divide themselves in parties , but every man sit quietly under his own Vine , and enjoy the Liberty of his Conscience . These were the specious pretences that M. Batt used to avoid the dispute ; But M. Baxter was not at all satisfied with these excuses , but himself in publick , and his friends in private continually press'd them to admit a conference , where both parties might make out their Tenets to prevent all miss-understandings , and that the truth might be confirm'd by the Word of God. When the Anabaptists saw they could shift off the business no longer , and that their own party were unsatisfied with this constant declining of the dispute , they began now to see the necessity of admitting a conference , and resolved upon the time and place . The day appointed for this solemn dispute , was Jan. 10. the place was M. Smith's House , the two Disputants were M. Baxter and M. Batt : When the Company were met , M. Baxter desired they would all make their humble Addresses to Heaven , that God would grant a happy success to the whole business : When prayer was ended , they began the Dispute . But not to trouble you with a tedious rehearsal of circumstances , Mr. Baxter managed the dispute with so much Prudence , Learning , and Zeal , that Batt and his Partizans were most learnedly confuted , and by unanswerable Arguments deduced from Holy Scripture fully convicted , and Infant-Baptism confirm'd : M. Batt did desire that the further prosecution of the whole matter might be left for another day , for now his spirits were spent , night was drawing on , and many of the company had a great way home . Hereupon the company concluded the Anabaptists were worsted , and signified as much by a general out-cry , that M. Batt was confuted . When the Dispute was ended , every man went to his own home . In this Conference the Anabaptists receiv'd such a deadly blow , that many of their followers began to open their eyes , and upon the next Lord's Day brought their Children to be baptized , which was a very pleasing sight to all good men , but a heart-breaking business to these Sons of Belial . M. Baxter was extremely glad of this happy success , and was resolv'd to prosecute the business to the utmost , hoping now that a full conversion of that wicked Party might easily be obtained . He omitted therefore no pains , but ever after made it his whole business to preach against that ungodly Sect , to lay open their dangerous Tenets , and also to perswade his Auditors to detest that party as being men of wicked principles and worser lives . The Anabaptists could by no means digest this disgrace , they now therefore consult the Prince of darkness , and are resolved to , put in execution the hellish counsels that he suggests to their malicious and wicked hearts . On Feb. the 4th about 11. of the clock in the fore-noon there came four Ruffians to Mr. Baxters house ( the solitariness of the house gave too much opportunity to these hellish Designs ; ) They had vizors upon their faces ; as soon as they were entred , they severely charg'd them under pain of death not to cry out , or cause any disturbance : hereupon they bound Mrs. Baxter and her three daughters ( for this was all Mr. Baxters family . ) When they had done this , they went to Mr. Baxter , and rudely tore the cloths from his back , when he was stript they most cruelly whipt him . Then they told him he must die . He desired some time for prayer , and also that he might be permitted the liberty to speak to his wife and children before he died . All which they deny'd , and told him that 't was in vain for him to pray , or think on heaven , for that was a place appointed for the Elect , but he was a vile Reprobate , and from eternity destin'd to damnation . You are , said they , a most wicked villain and have done much hurt in these parts , your sins cry to heaven for vengeance , & God has sent us to punish you ; you have been an Incendiary , you have endeavour'd to persecute good men with fire and saggot ; you have been a most bitter persecuter of Gods servants , who have left their native Country for their Conscience , these poor souls you have persecuted to death , you must therefore for these ungodly practices submit your self to Justice . When they had said these words , like so many Hell-hounds , they most barbarously fell upon this innocent Lamb , and with knives cut open his belly , and violently tore off his skin from his body . And when this holy Martyr by reason of his torments cryed out in a most dreadful manner , they said , 't was excellent Musick . One of them said , now the Rascal is urging the point against the baptists . When they had perpetrated this most execrable villany they fled . Oh! what a sad house is here ? The Good man is flead alive , bleeding and crying out in the midst of his anguish and pain , the house swimming in bloud , the wife and children bound , and roaring out to see this poor Martyr wallowing in his bloud , and they not able to afford him any assistance . Things continued in this doleful posture until three of the clock in in the evening : and then by a signal providence one Thomas Smith of Boston came to the house , he unbound Mrs. Baxter and her three daughters . The youngest of the three was so consternated with horrour , that she fell into Convulsion-fits , and dyed the next day , About six of the clock at night this holy Martyr dyed , and was carried to Abrahams bosome . And this is a full sad Account of this mans sufferings and martyrdom for his Zeal for the true Religion . The Murtherers are not yet found , but we hope that heaven will not let such horrid villanies goe unpunish'd long . The Anabaptists were examin'd , but did deny the Fact , and have since publisht a Writing , endeavouring thereby to perswade the world of their Innocence , and that this Fact was done by the Indians . But 't is utterly improbable , that these Assassines were Indians , for had they been strangers , what needed any disguise ? And 't is more then probable , that they were some of M. Batts party by their reproachful words to M. Baxter : And this is the general opinion of New-England . The Widdow and her daughters were forthwith removed , and kindly entertain'd at the Ministers house , until further care is taken of them . I have penn'd and publisht this Narrative in perpetuam rei memoriam , that the world may see the Spirit and temper of these men , and that it may stand as an Eternal Memorial of their cruelty and hatred to all Orthodox Ministers . FINIS .