Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/187

SWANSEA CHUECH PROPOSALS. 143 to the other, as bowing the knee, or body, etc., or else to deny the office, use, or authority of the ministry, or the comfortable maintenance to be due them from such as par- take of their teaching, or to speak reproachfully of any of the churches of Christ in the country, or of any such other churches as are of the same common faith with us and them. " We desire also that it may be understood and declared that this is not understood of any holding any opinion dif- ferent from others on many disputable points yet in contro- versy among the godly learned, the belief of these not essen- tially necessary to salvation, such as pedo-baptism, anti- pedo-baptism, church discipline or the like ; but that the minister or ministers of the said town may take their liberty to baptize infants or grown persons as the Lord shall per- suade their consciences, and so also the inhabitants to take the liberty to bring their children to baptism or forbear. " That the second proposal, relating to the non-reception of any of evil behavior, such as contentious persons, &c., may be only understood of those truly so called, and not of those who are different in judgment of the particulars last men- tioned, and may be therefore accounted contentious by some though they are in all fundamentals of faith, orthodox in judgment, and excepting common infirmities blameless in conversation. " That the proposal relating to the non-admission of such as may become a charge to the town, be only understood so that it may not hinder any godly man from coming amongst us whilst there is accommodation that may satisfy him, if some responsible townsman will be bound to save the town harmless. "These humble tenders of our desires we hope you will without offence receive, excusing us therein, considering that God's glory, the future peace and well-being, not only of us and our posterity who shall settle here, but also of those several good and peaceably minded men whom you already know are liked, though with very inconsiderable out-