Mr. BAXTER Baptised in Blood, OR, A SAD HISTORY OF THE UNPARALLELLED CRUELTY OF THE ANABAPTISTS In NEW-ENGLAND.  
Faithfully Relating the Cruel, Barbarous, and Bloody Murder of Mr. Baxter an Orthodox Minister, who was killed by the Anabaptists, and his Skin most cruelly flayed off from his Body.  
WITH An Exact Account of all the Circumstances and Particularities of this barbarous Murder.  
Published by his mournful Brother Benjamin Baxter Living in Fen-Church-Street, London.  
With Allowance.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1673.   

A Sad History of M. Baxters' Bloody and Cruel Death by the Anabaptists.  
COuld any man believe that Fanatic Fury had such power to impel and force any that pretend to that Sacred Name of Christians, to perpetrate such villainies which the Myrmidons and Scythians in the midst of Barbarism itself 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 Author 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 instanced 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 Villainies 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 Christening, deride Christ's Institution of Baptism, and scoffingly call it Baby-sprinkling, and in place thereof substitute their profane Booby-dipping? But what need words be multiplied when deeds cry out so loud? And are not such unparallelled Villainies enough to un-Christian the stoutest Professors in the world?  
Mr. Josiah Baxter in the year 1661. was solicited with much importunity by some Virginia Merchants to leave England, and embark 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 proposed 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 Air of that Country 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 settled himself in a solitary house about a mile and half distant from Boston: The Merchants and good people of Boston and the circum-jacent Country received 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 Months in New-England but he understood there was a notorious Sectarian by name Richard Batt (who formerly had been a Tailor 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 Bat 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 informed that he had already seduced many well-meaning people; He thought it was now high time to oppose this Son of Belial, to discover from God's Word the falsity of his Tenets, the wickedness of his principles, and the danger of his practices, and also to confirm good Christians in the Truth: He therefore omitted no pains, but constantly in all his Sermons evidently declared and proved 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 itself, 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 dipped again in their profane waters: He told them also, that the waters wherein Batt dipped his followers, were not (as he falsely told them) the pure waters of Jordan wherein the holy sons and daughters of Zion were baptised, but the stinking and profane waters of Egypt wherein none but Babylon's children were dipped and profaned: He also charged and conjured all good Christians if they had any care or regard for their souls, not to associate with those profane and Sacrilegious persons the Anabaptists, but to consider their personal vices, their scandalous lives, and their bloody and dangerous practices in foreign Countries, 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 confirmed in the Truth: But this good man thought it was not enough to edify 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 public dispute and conference, all things should be managed with Christian lenity and brotherly love; but in case he should refuse such Christianlike Proposals of a public 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 moved to it by his Antagonist: Batt and his Partisans used all the Artifices imaginable to avoid the conference; and when M. Baxter's friends urged him to it, he would reply, that Disputes and Debates were altogether unprofitable; that he could find no Warrant or Example in Scripture of any public 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 Country 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 public, and his friends in private continually pressed them to admit a conference, where both parties might make out their Tenets to prevent all miss-understandings, and that the truth might be confirmed 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 Bat and his Partisans were most learnedly confuted, and by unanswerable Arguments deduced from Holy Scripture fully convicted, and Infant-Baptism confirmed: 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 outcry, that M. Batt was confuted. When the Dispute was ended, every man went to his own home.  
In this Conference the Anabaptists received 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 baptised, 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 resolved 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 persuade his Auditors to detest that party as being men of wicked principles and worse 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 forenoon 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 entered, they severely charged 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. baxter's family.) When they had done this, they went to Mr. Baxter, and rudely tore the clothes from his back, when he was stripped they most cruelly whipped 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 denied, and told him that 'twas 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 destined 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 endeavoured to persecute good men with fire and saggot; you have been a most bitter persecuter of God's 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 yourself to Justice. When they had said these words, like so many Hellhounds, 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 cried out in a most dreadful manner, they said, 'twas excellent Music. One of them said, now the Rascal is urging the point against the baptists. When they had perpetrated this most execrable villainy they fled. Oh! what a sad house is here? The Good man is flayed alive, bleeding and crying out in the midst of his anguish and pain, the house swimming in blood, the wife and children bound, and roaring out to see this poor Martyr wallowing in his blood, 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 horror, that she fell into Convulsion-fits, and died the next day, About six of the clock at night this holy Martyr died, and was carried to Abraham's bosom. And this is a full sad Account of this man's sufferings and martyrdom for his Zeal for the true Religion.  
The Murderers are not yet found, but we hope that heaven will not let such horrid villainies go unpunished long. The Anabaptists were examined, but did deny the Fact, and have since published a Writing, endeavouring thereby to persuade the world of their Innocence, and that this Fact was done by the Indians. But 'tis utterly improbable, that these Assassins were Indians, for had they been strangers, what needed any disguise? And 'tis more than 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 Widow and her daughters were forthwith removed, and kindly entertained at the Minister's house, until further care is taken of them.  
I have penned and published 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.