But if he, or any of his Helpers, do see cause to reply, they must answer such Persons who have wrote upon this Truth, like Men, and Men too of great Parts, Learning and Piety, or let them not trouble me nor the World any more. As touching his Epistle to the Churches, I shall take but little notice of it, nor of that he hath writ to my self, ⟨p. 5⟩sith in my Judgment, neither of them signify much; you are Men of greater Wisdom than to be frightened out of an Ordinance, or deterred from seeking after the Knowledge of it, with these scurrilous Names of Error, Apostasy, Human Tradition, prelimited Forms, mischievous Error, Carnal Forms, Carnal Worship, &c. These are hard Words, and do not bespeak a trembling Heart, nor a humble Spirit, and better becomes a Man that pretends to Infallibility. But what some Men want of sound Arguments, they think to make up by hard Words and Confidence; but this will never do with you. How hath our Practice of baptizing Believers, &c. been branded with the reproachful Name of Error? and 'tis very observable how some Men of far greater Parts and Ability than my Brothers or mine, either have cried out against the Reign of Christ, Conversion of the Gentiles, and calling of the Jews, as a gross Error, as witness Mr. Richard Baxter particularly of late. 'Tis Arguments I know you look for, and if you find those of Mr. Marlow's to prevail against what I have said, do not regard what I have wrote in the least; for I would have your Faith (as the Apostle speaks) to stand in the Power of God, and not in the Wisdom of Men. The smallness of the Number of our Churches who are in the Practice of this Ordinance, I also know will signify nothing with you, provided it be proved to be a Truth of Jesus Christ: What tho there was not one of our Churches that had Light in it, ⟨p. 6⟩it would certainly the more concern them to enquire after it. And tho he hath so coarsely saluted me, &c. yet I am not concerned at it further, than to bewail his Confidence and Ignorance, to say no worse, I know no Men in any Age, who appeared first to vindicate a Truth, which others call an Error, but have met with the same Usage I meet withal from our Brother; who, I hope, is a good Man, and means well, yet is he strangely beclouded. As I have been a Preacher up of Spiritual Worship (as he says) and that too more than thirty Years (tho a poor and unworthy one;)
But if he, or any of his Helpers, do see cause to reply, they must answer such Persons who have wrote upon this Truth, like Men, and Men too of great Parts, Learning and Piety, or let them not trouble me nor the World any more. As touching his Epistle to the Churches, I shall take but little notice of it, nor of that he hath writ to my self, ⟨p. 5⟩sith in my Judgment, neither of them signify much; you are Men of greater Wisdom than to be frightn̄ed out of an Ordinance, or deterred from seeking after the Knowledg of it, with these scurrilous Names of Error, Apostacy, Human Tradition, prelimited Forms, mischievous Error, Carnal Forms, Carnal Worship, &c. These are hard Words, and do not bespeak a trembling Heart, nor a humble Spirit, and better becomes a Man that pretends to Infallibility. But what some Men want of sound Arguments, they think to make up by hard Words and Confidence; but this will never do with you. How hath our Practice of baptizing Believers, &c. been branded with the reproachful Name of Error? and 'tis very observable how some Men of far greater Parts and Ability than my Brothers or mine, either have cried out against the Reign of Christ, Conversion of the Gentiles, and calling of the Jews, as a gross Error, as witness Mr. Richard Baxter particularly of late. 'Tis Arguments I know you look for, and if you find those of Mr. Marlow's to prevail against what I have said, do not regard what I have wrote in the least; for I would have your Faith (as the Apostle speaks) to stand in the Power of God, and not in the Wisdom of Men. The smallness of the Number of our Churches who are in the Practice of this Ordinance, I also know will signify nothing with you, provided it be proved to be a Truth of Jesus Christ: What tho there was not one of our Churches that had Light in it, ⟨p. 6⟩it would certainly the more concern them to enquire after it. And tho he hath so coursly saluted me, &c. yet I am not concerned at it further, than to bewail his Confidence and Ignorance, to say no worse, I know no Men in any Age, who appeared first to vindicate a Truth, which others call an Error, but have met with the same Usage I meet withal from our Brother; who, I hope, is a good Man, and means well, yet is he strangely beclouded. As I have been a Preacher up of Spiritual Worship (as he says) and that too more than thirty Years (tho a poor and unworthy one;)
