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Chapter 13—On Communion, Answering The Charge Of Inconsistency
Mr. Bridgman: "That your sect goes too far, much too far, or to be thoroughly consistent with a bad principle, not far enough." My Reply: 1. We go too far for you and for your opinion it seems, and too far for the confederating, accommodating, faithless, fleshly spirit of the age; and consequently too far for our own carnal interest, but not far enough to establish a bad principle, and so not too far for the word of God, and not far enough for you to condemn us, except by your own opinion. This is just were we wish to be, out-running all supineness in regard to the sacred text as our only standard and our rule, without going into extravagance by any unhallowed constructions…
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Chapter 12—On Communion, Answering The Charge Of Extremism
Mr. Bridgman: "In this matter I have always been of opinion that your sect goes too far, much too far, or else to be thoroughly consistent with a bad principle, not far enough." My Reply: 1. You are not the first person that has had a bad opinion of our sect; for a great long while ago, it was hated of all men, even of brothers too, for Christ's sake; Mat 10:22; it was everywhere spoken against, Acts 28:22. and made as the filth of the earth, and the off scouring of all things unto this day. 1 Cor. 4:13. And it has been the opinion of many religious folk, that service has been done to God when we have been cast out of the…
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Chapter 11—On Communion, Answering The Charge Of Schismatic Communion
On this subject I shall say but little in reply to your letter, compared to what I have said on baptism; because the very same authority required of you for infant sprinkling, is now required of you for any other communion whatever at the Lord's table, than that of persons previously baptized, on their own personal profession of repentance towards God, and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; namely, the New Testament word of God, in either precept or precedent, and One single text in the evident mind of the Spirit direct to the point, or from which it may be justly and honestly concluded, shall determine the point in your favor. In the name of the Lord, I will agree with and hold…
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Chapter 10—On Baptism, Answering The Charge Of Doubtful Disputations
Mr. Bridgman: "However, to be serious, the preacher was conscience that what he required of others he could not give himself, and that if we cannot (as we think we can) produce instances from the New Testament of infant baptism, neither can you produce one plain command, or one evident instance, for and of believers only to be immersed; you are well aware it is not a matter of certainty, but of doubtful disputation; were it a matter of certainty, and a thing so plain that he who runs may read, it would be as evident to one man of common understanding as another." My Reply: 1. You say, To be serious. If you have not been serious, you ought to have been, my brother,…
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Chapter 9—On Baptism, Answering The Proof For Infant Baptism Recorded In 1 Corinthians 10:2
Mr. Bridgman: “The preacher offered to pay the national debt, if we from the Holy Scripture produced baptized infants. He offered a real impossibility, for a supposed impossibility, and in that he was not wise nor honest neither; for no honest man will, at least ought, to put his hand to a bill he cannot pay when due. The 1 Cor. 10:2. tells me that many infants were baptized in, or rather by the sprinkling of the cloud and by the spray of the sea; you will be so kind as to forward the national debt by return of post." My Reply: 1. I said I would pay the national debt of England in four instalments within twelve months, if infant sprinkling, as a New…
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Chapter 8—On Baptism, Answering The Challenge Of Proving From Scripture Believer’s Baptism
Mr. Bridgman: "The Baptist minister who will shew me the plain unequivocal command for the immersion in water of a believer, as constituting water baptism, either as commanded by Christ, or his apostles under his authority, I tell him this, that in my own chapel, at my own expense I will have a pool made, and he shall be my baptizer—will you accept the challenge?" My Reply: In reply to this paragraph, I shall state some things that appear quite plain to me on the subject of believers' baptism, but I shall not pretend to a successful execution of the challenge, because that which may be laid down as a truth and proved so beyond any fair disputation by one person, may not be at…
