are not guilty of schisme and demolishing the Church by division and contempt and reproach of the godly Ministery and disobedience to those in government further then they please them and covenant-breaking and neglect of the Lords day c. you would credit the particular society if you make it good In the meane time I see them rolling down the hill so fast that I think many have but one step lower to go Answ. Schisme was imputed to Protestants by Papists for their not joining in their corruptions with them by Prelatists to non-conformists for not yielding to ceremonies of Bishops Covel in his preface to his answer to Burges accused the most moderate of them as making a rent in the Church and breaking from the Bishops even in that where in they were very passive choosing rather to for sake their function and calling then to yield conformity to the ceremonies of the Church Allen and Shepherd answer to Mr. Ball page 27. Advert to the Read say truly Scarce truth or error can now adaies be received but it is maintained in a way of schism I confesse it is too true that it is hard to name any society of Anabaptists or Infant-baptists that are not in a schisme and commonly both parties guilty of making the breach I am conscious to my selfe of using what meanes I could for reformation without schisme if possible but I find it as mens spirits are impossible yet Mr. B. is not ashamed to tell the world in print that he hath as good evidence that I am a Sect-Master as that I am a Christian. I made to Mr. M. in the Epilogue of my Examen as faire notions as I could devise yea such as a holy sweet-spirited man and understanding did much rejoice to reade and blessed God for it afore I sent it to Mr. M. Yet Mr. M. and Mr. Ley interpreted them as the challenge of a braving Goliath I was desirous to see Mr. Bs. arguments in writing He would not but prints in a way that proclaimes to the world that he loo es on me and all the societies of Antipaedobaptists as persons intolerable Infant-baptisme we see to be a manifest corruption we know it hath no precept or example expresse or virtual in Scripture that it with infant-communion began some ages from Christs birth upon the conceit of necessity to save an infant from perishing we know it is a duty to be baptized yea by Christ made a concurring requisite to salvation with believing Marke 16. 16. and so a fundamental by Mr. Bs. rule in his addition to the preface of the second part of his Saints everlasting rest where he defines Fundamentals Those things which God hath made the conditions of salvation Infant-baptizers will not baptize believers yea they inveigh abhorre both the opinion and practise we conceive a necessary important duty We can scarce come to their meetings but we must heare the truth bitterly declaimed against persons that hold it reviled error published infant-baptisme practised if we be silent we are judged to consent if we speake it makes an uproare we are painted out so deformed as that men are almost afraid to have speech with us or to hear us or to joine in communion with us Magistrates are by writings and Sermons incited against us I know not what we can do lesse then be baptized as Christ appoints and receive the Lords Supper Mr. B. page 341. counts the error of the old and new Socinians denying the continuance of baptisme as a standing ordinance in the Church nothing so bad as my opinion upon a frivolous pretence as if I made void the end of baptisme in that where in the true end of baptisme is preserved which is that the baptized engageth himself to be Christs disciple So that even as the rigid Lutherans for their Consubstantiation had rather joine with Papists then Calvinists Mr. B. is more willing to comply with that Antichristian and I had almost said Atheistical way of living above ordinances then favour Anabaptists In this case if there be schisme in our practise let all the world judge whether we be not passive rather then active and whether the true cause of it be in us or Mr. Bs. and others invectives and actings against us We make not schisme but suffer it Mr. B. by this last book hath done more to promote it then any Anabaptist I know and how farre the wayes of other Antagonists have been from peace the intelligent will perceive though I be silent Contempt and reproach of Godly Ministers by men of opposite parties is very frequent and mutual I have often endeavoured but cannot expresse it yet that societies of Anabaptists as they are a body do so I do not find As for obedience to Governours further then they please them the moderne so called Anabaptists in England and Holland may vye with their adversaries The accidents of this year in England which I am unwilling to mention may serve to wipe away the reproach of Anabaptists in this respect Covenant-breaking till instance be given wherein is so general a charge that an answer cannot be given I know men are taken to break Covenant who conceive they keep it Neglect of the Lords day I think cannot be charged on the societies of Anabaptists however it may be on some members Some of the leaders of them appear sound in this point Mr. Blackwood Apostol bapt The Jewish Sabbath being put to an end Col. 2. 16. we observe the Lords day from the Apostles example and the morality of the fourth Com. which requires one day in seven Mr. Edward Harrison Paedobapt oppugned page 4. makes the rule for one day in seven moral and natural and the altering the day simply Evangelical from Apostolical example which having not meerly temporary reason is enough to prove an institution from Christ which sort of proof we have Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. Mr. B. knowes the Protestant Churches beyond-sea more guilty of loosenesse in opinion and practise about the Lords day then English Anabaptists When Mr. B. speaks of their rolling down the hill so fast in placing their religion in full mouth'd oathes and blasphemies c. it is very hard for Mr. B. to charge that upon them which is the act of some particular persons whom they condemne and warne others of and whereof not a few have been of other societies then theirs My second instance 500. years ago I have vindicated before My third instance is of societies at this day in the Low Countreys and Mr. B. answers about them of whom Bullinger and others wrote who were dead afore they were borne which is not to the businesse Yet Mr. B. might consider that it is confessed that even then Menno Simonis detested Muncer Becold as Becman Exercit. Theol. 21. page 359 362. acknowledgeth that even then there were aliqui innocentiâ vitae commendabiles commendable for their innocency of life as Heresbachius relates Histor. Anabapt monast c. 8. and
this could not have happened if they had been wont to receive it from a Minister that distributed to all and when the Apostle to rectifie the abuse sets down what he received of the Lord ver 23. he speaks not a word of a Ministers duty to regulate them or of Christs appointing it as a part of his office to distribute it nor gives any direction to that end but only ver 33. that they tarry one for another and not eat till they came together whereas if it did then belong to the Minister to distribute the direction should have been given to him not to distribute till they came together If it be said as Saravia against Beza that there were then Presbyters at Corinth though I conceive it not likely but the contrary rather manifest from 1 Cor. 1. 7. 6. 4. 12. 28. 14. 29. Yet it serves the more to confirme my opinion that then it was not counted the Ministers office to deliver the Lords Supper and that it might be without a Minister ordained sith they did receive it then 1 Cor. 10. 16. yet I acknowledge that it is very antient that the Minister called the President did order the Lords Supper as I gather from Justin Martyrs Apolog. 2. ad Antoninum where he sets down the order of the Christian service in his time And I am against the altering it because of the antiquity of the use and the confusion likely to follow on the alteration But being urged by Mr. B. and others in the manner abovesaid it is necessary that the point be examined Mr. B. argues thus 1. He that administreth the Lords Supper in breaking the bread delivering it to all bidding them take eate c. must represent the Lord Jesus who did all this at the institution But onely Ministers and no private men are persons who should represent the Lord Jesus in Church-administrations Therefore onely Ministers and no private men may administer the Lords Supper To which I answer 1. in Church-administrations in the Minor is added which was not in the Major and so there are four termes and the argument faulty 2. But waving that exception because it may be quickly rectified I deny the Minor understanding as Mr. B. doth by a Minister a Presbytery ordained by laying on of hands For to speak of the Ruling elders Church-administrations or the preaching of persons not in office of which anon It is certain that Deacons have Church-administration who are not Presbyters yea it is manifest out of antiquity that the Deacons did deliver the Elements in the Lords Supper and Rogers on Article 23. of the Church of England prop. 3. saith at Geneva the elder a lay-man ministreth the cup ordinarily at the Communion and therefore Ministers did and might represent Christ at least in that part of Church-administration But Mr. B. goes about to prove the Minor thus Ministers onely are called his Embassadors Stewards of his mysteries and beseech in his stead c. Answer 1. I think that those mentioned Act. 8. 4 5. of whom Philip was then onely a Deacon as many of the Antients hold not onely Apollos but also Aquila and Priscilla Acts 18. 26. Frumentius that converted the Indians and the captive maid that brought the Iberians to the faith were Embassadours of Christ and Stewards of his mysteries and might beseech in his stead 2. But were it granted that Ministers only are called Christs Embassadours c. how is it proved that they onely should represent Christs person in breaking the bread delivering it to all bidding them take eate c. Doth the Embassage of Christ dispensing of his mysteries beseeching in his stead c. consist in breaking bread delivering it bidding take eate c If it do then a non-preaching Minister who doth these things may yet be an Embassadour of Christ and Steward of his mysteries then the breaking bread c. is a converting ordinance as Mr. Pryn held which Mr. Gillespy and Mr. Rutherford deny For my part I think to be an Embassadour of Christ and to beseech in his stead 2 Cor. 5. 20. to be a Steward of the mysteries of God 1 Cor. 4. 1. are all one as to preach the Gospel and that the Assembly did misallege the text 1 Cor. 4. 1. as they have done the other to prove that neither Sacrament may be dispensed by any but a Minister of the word lawfully ordained Confession of faith chap. 27. sect 4. For mysteries of God never signifie Sacraments in Scripture but the Gospel Ephes. 6. 19. Rom. 16. 25. Chamier panstrat Cath. tom 4. l. 1. c. 4. sect 9. in Scripturis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usurpari pro ipso rei sacrae signo profectò imposturaest But Mr. B. tells me It is a silly answer of Mr. T. that Sacraments are not called mysteries of God For the word preached neither is not the mystery it self but a revealing and exhibiting that mystery and so are the Sacraments The one revealeth them to the eare and the other to the eye Answ. Sure if the answer be silly the refutation is no better For if the word preached be not the mystery it self then neither is the Sacrament much lesse the breaking the bread and delivering it and so to be Steward of the mysteries of God is not to be breaker and deliverer of the bread and wine in the Lords Supper But however Mr. B. grants that though the word preached be not the mystery it self yet it is the revealing and exhibiting of the mystery and that the sense undoubted of 1 Cor. 4. 1. Stewards of the mysteries of God is revealers of the mystery of God by preaching the word But then saith Mr. B. the Sacrament revealeth the mystery of God to the eye I reply Mr. B. saith so but not one text of Scripture saith so nor is it true The mystery containes not onely the thing done by Christ but the end use reason of it but this is perceivable onely by the understanding and the Sacrament abstractively from the word declares it not no not so much as a picture and therefore the Sacramental actions of themselves are not revelations of the mystery of Christ nor ever so called in Scripture and therefore I conclude that the text 1 Cor. 4. 1. doth not prove that it is the peculiar office of an ordained Presbyter to Minister the Lords Supper by breaking bread delivering it to all bidding take eat c. And though the title of Minister of the Gospel be used in the New Testament yet the title of Minister of the Sacraments is a made title 2. Saith Mr. B. If there be no command or example in Scripture of any but Ministers administring the Lords Supper then no other may do it But there is no command or example in Scripture of any other doing it they that say there is let them shew it Answ. I find this command 1 Cor. 11. 28. Let a man examine himself and so let him eat of that bread and
which I moved to be considered whether it were not near Mr. Bs. doctrine Aphorisme 73. of Justific and in my Antidote sect 8. page 24. said it is near to it Hereupon Mr. B. adjudgeth this dealing so grosse as he never found in any Jesuite a shamlesse charge and page 190. the vile ebullition of rancor and malice in a most evident falshood that hath left no roome for blushing And then cleares himself from the sense in which the Antinomists held it and then addes Now what doth Mr. T. but bring this as the same tenet with mine when it is even directly contrary To which I answer Mr. B. page 189. in these words Your language about the absolutenesse of the Covenant is too like many of the tenets of the Antinomists in N. E. useth the same dealing with me which he chargeth me with towards himself For he doth or might know when I say with many Divines the Covenant is absolute I meane it as they do in respect of the first promise Heb. 8. 10. I will write my lawes in their hearts which Doctor Twisse and many other prove must be absolute or else the grace of God must be given according to mans desert as the Pelagians held which thing I expresse plainly in my Examen page 164. whereas the Antinomians make it absolute in respect of justification in which I am assured that Mr. B. knew by conferences with me that I was against them and yet he chargeth me with symbolizing with them But recrimination is no purgation 2. It is not true that I bring it as the same tenet with Mr. Bs. but neare it which is so true that however their in tent and his were contrary yet their words are the same For Mr. B. Aph. 76. and in the first edition of the Saints everlasting rest page 11. saith Doubtlesse the Gospel takes faith for obedience to all Gospel-precepts of which the workes James 2. 16. of giving food or clothing to a brother are a part which if true he that is justified by faith is justified by works and so Mr. Bs. proposition is the same with the Antinominians however he used it to a contrary end it 's the same medium though Mr. B. prove one conclusion by it and the Antinomians another and I think is condemned by the censure of them of N. E. in Mr. Bs. sense as well as the Antinomians But Mr. B. goes about to clear himself from error in it and singularly and then saith How can Mr. T. have ground to think that no Minister in England is of my judgement and then challengeth me to confute the doctrine of his book or leaves to judge whether I be not a meere empty calumniator And addes that these words of mine I am sure in his letter to me he saith he was hissed at from all parts of the Kingdome are a relation like the rest from a bitter roote so most falsely when I had his letters which might have directed me to speak truth that the words from all parts of the Kingdome are my addition which is become ordinary with me Then mentions the occasion of the passage in his letters my offer of help to him for dividing ends but he thought he had no need of my help and was resolved not to engage with a renter of the Church To which I answer 1. My exceptions against his doctrine in his Aphorismes have been sent to him afore his death though not to answer his challenge yet at the motion of his Postscript I conceive he erres 1. in making justification by faith to be onely in law title 2. In making a first and after continued justification 3. In making it a continued not instantaneous act 4. In making obedience to all Gospel-precepts an essentiall part of justifying faith and not a fruite onely 2. I did no where say that I thought no Minister in England is of his judgement though I said I thought he had not made one Minister of his judgement 3. to the crimination of my speaking falsely I will set down his own-words in his letter to me That pamphlet of justification I well knew was likely to blast my reputation with most Divines and the issue hath answered my expectation I am now so hissed at by them that I feele temptation enough to schisme in my discontents I had hot his letter by me when I spake those words not out of a bitter roote but to answer the prejudice against me as conceived singular But there was no falshood in my speech by most Divines and from all parts of the Kingdome being equipollent And if this be to adde falsely our Lord Christ will be found to adde falsely Mat. 15. 8 9. c. my offer of helpe to him in what we agreed was not for dividing ends but because of his complaint of weaknesse of body and want of time for study It seemes he accounted me a renter of the Church afore my preaching at Bewdley the many Sermons on Mat. 28. 19. against Infant-baptisme for discovering of the error of it in my bookes without other practises It appeares thereby that even then when he seemed to be most friendly he had hard thoughts of me and however he protest of his love yet his misinterpreting so many of the things I have done or said to him and at last casting up his accusations in his book in charging me with frequent untruths schisme pride worse then the Devil in accusing my own children with bitter scoffes and insulting tauntes with other aggravations and expressions beyond brotherly and neighbourly respects yea I may I think say a sober minde are undeniable evidences of want of love to me and candour towards me if we may judge what is in a man by his deedes rather then by his words As for his pretence of zeale for God the peace of the Church and the duty of brotherly reproof were he never so much in the right and I never so much in the wrong for my judgement yet these could not justifie his carriage to me And if other Ministers deale with me as Mr. B. Mr. M. Mr. Baillee Mr. Geree have done without doing me right after their false criminations of me I shall have temptation to think that they have learned a principle like the Jesuites to think it no sin to say as bad as may be against a supposed Anabaptist for the Paedobaptists cause SECT X. That Mr. Bs. charge of accusing and disputing my children out of the Covenant of Christ is vaine and some inquiry is made how they are in the Covenant I Have now gone through Mr. Bs. Epistles and History vindicated my self and the truth from many objections There are many other things which are scattered in his answer to my Valedictory Oration and Corrective of my Antidote which are somewhat besides the dispute it self which I shall rather point at then insist on because many are scarce worth the taking notice of but for the esteem Mr. B. and his book have gotten
to judge who dies wicked who not The wisest Divines do advise caution in judging the final estate even of selfe-murtherers that have died with horrible speeches in their mouthes not long before their death I thinke God onely fit to judge of mens final estate and therefore think him fit onely to resolve Mr. Bs. question If I should aske Mr. B. where hath there been known a society of Antiprelatists that have not in the end proved wicked I think it would be as hard a thing for Mr. B. to give answer to it as for me to give answer to his question When men speak of men they speak as they are affected some magnifying whom others debase some counting that wicked which others count pious he 's canonized as a Saint a Martyr by some who is judged a Traitor Malefactor by others They that passe such a censure must trust much to informations which whether they be partial or impartial true or false who can tell Nor is it necessary to answer Mr. Bs. question For to what end Is it thereby to conclude against me the doctrine they held But what may be known by the certain rule of Scripture without this uncertain sign And therefore I conceive of this question not unlike the artifice of the Jesuites to deterre people from the plain doctrine the Protestants hold by calling for Catalogues of Protestants in all ages demanding where was your Church before Luther As if we must not own a manifest truth we find in Scripture unlesse we can produce teachers of it in former dayes and societies of professors of it that were not wicked Yet I gave for answer some instances of some societies now in Londor 500. years ago in France and some later in Germany As for those now in London Mr. B. saies 1. They are not yet come to the proof when they have reached to the end of what they are tending to then it will be seen what they will prove if they do not return and repent Answ. What he meanes by the end of what the societies in London under baptisme I mean are tending to I know not If he mean Levelling or Ranting or universal grace they have as much for their number and quality opposed them as any other in London if he know any other dangerous end they aime at it were fit it should be named that their designe may be prevented if not who can interpret this speech of Mr. B. but as from a man out of a settled hatred to the opinion unwilling to hope well of the persons against the rule of charity 1 Cor. 13. 7. which hopeth all things in them for the future whom he knows not for present to be desperately bad which he wil not say of the Churches of Anabaptists in Germany Holland England of whom Mr. B. in his book against Mr. Bedford page 310. saith thus Yea what will you say to all the Churches of the Anabaptists in Germany Holland England c. Have none of them grace till baptized Are you sure so many thousands are all unpardoned or that God is not wont to pardon them and give them grace I dare not think so uncharitably of them And after Who dare think that it is of the Anabaptists such an error as excludeth them from grace There have been societies of them for a great while though somewhat latent afore these times and of them many of the leaders are fallen asleep in the Lord many remain unblameable in respect of their faith and life And therefore why Mr. B. should so forebode as he doth the wicked end of the societies remaining I know no reason but his ill opinion of them But should God in his just judgement let it fall out so that they should prove wicked as some Churches yea the most famous as the seven in Asia have done which have begun well and ended ill it is no certain evidence against their doctrine sith their miscarriages may come from other causes whereof here and Examen part 2. sect 5. some are assigned by me and are such as have befallen others as well as they 2. Saith Mr. B. It is hard with your cause when you cannot name one society of them that ever lived in the world that proved not wicked except those now alive whose ends we yet see not Answ. 1. It were not hard with our cause though we name no society or person before our selves that were Antipaedo baptists as long as we have the Scripture for it 2. If I could not name one society yet there may be many we have but obscure intelligence of many Churches in the East and other places The Georgians children or the Christians children of Cholcis say Heylin in his Geography in the description of Armenia out of Brerewood Alex. Rosse in his censure of religio medici c. are not baptized till they be eight years old How they live what they be we have no clear intelligence probably honest though poore Christians The certain state of them in London is not known to many much lesse the state of those farre off 3. We have seen the ends of many of the societies to have been blessed and how otherwise we now alive should see the end of a successive society I do not well conceive until is be quite dissolved Mr. B. addes 3. If I were never so able to answer this yet as the world goes it is not safe to speak all or half the wickednesse of the Anabaptists now living which the history of this age will speak to posterity Answ. 1. Why it should not be safe for Mr. B. to speak half the wickednesse of the Anabaptists now living I cannot divine except it be because if he or others speak of them while they live they may be convinced of lying as Beza did the tale of his dying a Papist They are not so many nor so formidable in power or so spiteful in spirit that it should be unsafe for Mr. B. to tell the worst he knowes of them However me thinks of any man Mr. B. being according to his declaration of himself in such expectations of death as neare and so resolute to speak truth should not be moved by the unsafenesse of speaking truth Yea if Mr. B. should speak all he could I think he should not more exasperate them then he hath done part 2. chap. 14. Those that sit at the sterne I cannot yet learne have such hard thoughts of them as Mr. B. And he that reades Mr. Edwards Gangraena Mr. Baillee his Anabaptism and other writings may imagine that if there were worse matters to charge them with they would not be spared in this age especially by those that are out of their reach After-Historians may relate as partially as the present and therefore I shall not think it lawful to condemne them upon such dark intimations as this but think the better of them till their wickednesse be laid open 4. Saith Mr. B. Yet if you had named that society that
page 54. where he confesseth ingenuously thus Anabaptistas Paedobaptismo oblainantes apertis testimoniis ferire non possumus vesaniam his teles comprimimus 1. ex parallelo praecepto de Circumci sione 2. ex praxi Apostalica quae quum aliquanda fit obscurior consuetudinem totius Ecclesiae à primaevis historicis temporibus adjicimus juae licet praefractos Anaboptistas non movebunt apud prudentes morigeros aejuos renum aestimatores valebunt So that according to him the main weight lies on the custome of the Church which is falsely imagined to have been from the Apostles as in some measure is proved in my Examen part of the first not yet shaken by Mr. Ms. friend with all his insight Antiquity From which I inferre that the Antients and learned afore Zuinglius did account Infant-baptism to have been an unwritten tradition having reason from Scripture not evident of it self but to be received for the determination of the Church and that because it was not fully perfect therefore Confirmation was added which was retained in the English Liturgy as necessarily previous to the Lords Supper nor do many of the best learned Protestants speak much otherwise out of the heat of dispute against Anabaptists They are farre from Mr. Bs. audaciousnesse to assert it as having plain Scripture proof for it The very hesitant resolution of the most learned and considerate is enough to represse his vain attempt and to awaken those that depend on his proofes and rest on their Infant-sprinkling and neglect the practise of being baptized after profession of faith being so expressely enjoyned in Scripture as a prime important duty for their salvation SECT XXI Many things are cleered about my conformity Anabaptists necessity to be baptized the manner of dipping used by them their standing to their confession of faith c. Page 241. he saith I begin with a complaint of my sufferings whereas my words were a gratulation for the change of my condition and for my sad complaints Mr B. makes them more then they were and misrepresents me in the time and reason of them I let passe his jerkes about my health and my grievance of removing from Bewdley his way to heaven and mine Mr. B. page 242 would vindicate his passages I cite in the Epistle to the people of Bewdley but he passeth over that which goeth before in my Epistle and makes no answer to any of these three things 1. That he assignes no sufficient note whereby to discerne the visible Church-membership of Infanrs of which he speaks 2. That there is no connexion between his visible Church-membership of Infants and the initial seal without institution of the rite to be so used 3. that in the positive rites of the New Testament there 's no reason to be a rule to us but the appointers will in some precept or practise And to shew the precept to be against him his own words are alleged and that rightly however he interpret or interlace them His interpretation agrees not with his own passage Appendix page 56. which saith neither are the seals usefull till the accepting and entring of the Covenant where he placeth accepting before entering the Covenant and in both his passages speakes of accepting and entering with consent which Infants cannot do page 243. he saith I seem to speak as if I had some of my old Episcopal ceremonious spirit though he hoped and believed verily that I did not turn meerly to the times though with the times To which I answer Mr. B. was a stranger to me till a little afore these times and therefore is not fit to charge me with an Episcopal ceremonious spirit Were it worth while to trouble the world with it I could shew how I examined as well as at those years I could the points in difference about which I was to subscribe and conforme and however I was carried away with the stream yet my subscription was according to Doctor Burges his explication and my conformity upon Mr. Spruits grounds I was no promoter of either and in the worst time I think none can say but I stuck fast to the main the propagating the Gospel and Conjunction with the Godly And my opposing the Bishops began with the soonest afore this Parliament began as soon as ever I deprehended the Bishops to be wholly for their own rule and adversaries to the preaching of the Gospel And for my non-conformity reasons were given with some of the first in a Sermon at a visitation at Lemster November 24. 1641 since printed And what I said the ceremonies were more excusable then Paedobaptism is true 1. They were not at first urged otherwise then as indifferent things Paedobaptism is urged as of Divine appointment and yet the chief principle of non-conformists doth more strongly plead against it then the ceremonies 2. Paedobaptism not withstanding the palliating salves of Mr. M. Mr. B. I find farre more pernicious then the ceremonies it being 1. The great occasion of the soul-destroying presumption whereby a great part of men perish and the genuine hinderance of the reformation of the Lords Supper and Church-communion 2. it quite perverts the end and use of baptism which the ceremonies did onely in some sort disorder I justifie not the ceremonies and therefore I need not answer the men he names but their writings yield strong arguments for me against Paedobaptism and better for me then for themselves Mr. Bs. questions page 243. are upon a mistake as if I counted all Pedobaptists meer formal teachers whereas what I speak was in tendernesse to Bewdley lest they out of averseness to my doctrine should rest in a meer formal teacher which I had reason to fear was the aime of some whom perhaps Mr. B. may find though I wish he may not he hath mistaken for godly men Who perhaps might tell him what was not true that the power of godliness is much diminished since my comming to them and their profitable converse turned into heart-burnings jealousies and fruitlesse contendings His argument pag. 244. is vain for were it supposed that Infants of believers were Church-members which his whole book proves not and it were true that baptizers cannot otherwise have knowledge when those that are piously educated begin to be Church-members yet the practise of baptizing the children of Christians ordinarily at years of discretion overturnes not the true end of Baptism For whether the true to which he addes principal in a parenthesis as if true and principal were all one end of Baptism be to be Christs sign for solemn admission of Church-members or Disciples or to be an engaging seal as elsewhere yet both these ends are preserved if they be baptized many years after their being Disciples It is untrue that it is my usual artifice to work on the affections of people when I mistrust my strength to work on mens understandings it may be more truly said of himself who usually fills up the vacuity of proofs with childish