A Forerunner to a Large Review of the Dispute Concerning Infant Baptism, Treatise · Section 5
SECT. V. Mr. B. unduely suggests many things in his Epistles.
AS for the Epistle to the people of Kederminster, I rejoice with him in their unity, excepting wherein they agree against the truth; I think if they will use their understandings, as they should, they will find more reason to be unsettled in the point of infant-baptism, by Mr. Bs. book then to be settled by it, and that they had little cause of a solemne thanksgiving for Mr. Bs. mannaging the dispute. My exceptions against his Aphorismes of Justification are communicated to him. I wish his life may continue to Gods glory, and the good of his people, and particularly that he may undeceive whom he hath deceived by his dispute and this book. In his Epistle to the people of Bewdley he mentions a flame of error and discord at Bewdley blown by my breath, and that he came to quench it by the importunity of their Magistrate, Minister, and many of their people. And his words are often enforced with such aggravating expressions, as make people specially afarre off imagine, that at Bewdley there is a great schisme and discord made by my preaching; whereas there was no such discord as I know of: yea I think afore the dispute the godly did walk together in publique hearing, publique and private prayer, and conference while I was with them and since, as lovingly as in any other places. And though all do not joine in breaking of bread, some going to the Parson, others declining him as a stranger to the private meetings of the godly, and an adversary to such godly preachers as from time to time they had gotten for the Chappel, and a temporizer with the kings party while the Town was under their power went to Mr. B. to Kederminster, others being baptized have joined with me: yet all of them meet together for repetition and conference, and when I am with them I think in greater number then in my absence, and do embrace my doctrine with lesse breaking out into Antinomian, Familistical, Ranting errors or practises then at Kederminster. The discord of most note hath been between two men and their wives, who were by consent or connivence of their husbands baptized, and brake bread with us, till Mr. Bs. book came forth: which charging us with schism for reforming our selves, and affrighting people with the danger of our way as leading to error they are kept from our society; which is a manifest separation to avoid an imaginary, of which Mr. B. is the chief author; and I may truly say if there be any such flame of discord at Bewdley, as Mr. B. meanes, it is blown by Mr. Bs. breath, not mine, who am conscious to my self of being as studious of unity (as I can, with preservation of truth. As for my kindling errour) I fear I have done lesse then I should have done, not meddling with the point of Antipaedobaptisme, but as it fell in my way in my cursory exposition on Gen. 17. wherein I only vindicated my self from Mr. Robert Bayly his false Criminations of me about the Covenant there, and overthrew the suppositions of Paedobaptists from thence about the Covenant and initial seale, and once or twice more on the by, till by occasion of the motioned dispute between me and Mr. B. I saw it was fit I should in some sermons open the controversy, which was not till Decemb. 1649. presently after which my return to Lemster was concluded. The Magistrate a stranger to the meetings of the Godly in their houses, the Minister (such as he is) for his credit, and others of somewhat a like stamp it is likely did invite Mr. B. to oppose me as they had done their Schoole master to make use of their abilities to uphold their Dagon of Infant-sprinking: but Mr. Bs. abuse of Scriptures so palpably impertinent, his mannaging the dispute with reasonings of wit, and other camal waies do assure me he had no call from God. His alleadging Gal. 2. 11, 14. to justifie his sharpnesse in dealing with me is invalid to that end there being no such dissimulation used by me, nor error maintained by me; Mr. Bs. opinion comes neerer Peters Judaizing then mine.