Ivimey on Beddome

In his History of the English Baptists (1830) Joseph Ivimey [1773-1834] writes in connection with Bourton on the Water:

Mr Benjamin Beddome was a most useful pastor of this church. He was a son of Mr John Beddome [1674-1757], one of the pastors of the church in the Pithay, Bristol, and was born at Henley, Satruday, January 23, 1717. He was baptised in London by Mr Samuel Wilson [1702-1750], of Prescott Street, in the year 1739; and by that church he was called to the work of the ministry. He spent some time as a student under Mr Bernard Foskett [c 1684-1758], of Bristol, and afterward was a student at the Independent Academy, Mile End, London. He went to Bourton in July, 1740, and was ordained September 23, 1743. Mr Foskett, his former tutor, gave the charge, founded upon 1 Tim iv 12 "Let no man despise thy youth" and Dr Joseph Stennett [1663-1713] preached to the church from Heb xiii 17 "Obey them that have the rule over you." Messrs Hayden, Cook and Fuller of Abingdon [ie John Haydon then of Tewkesbury 1714-1782, Edward Cooke of Pershore fl 1730-1770 and William Fuller 1671-1745] prayed; and Mr Foskett offered up the ordination prayer, with the laying on of hands by the pastors.
After the death of Mr Samuel Wilson he received some very pressing invitations to become his successor as pastor of that flourishing community. It was to his honour that his respect for his people led him to refuse this application. "If my people," said he, "would have consented to my removal (though I should have had much to sacrifice on account of the great affection I, bear to them, yet), I should then have made no scruple in accepting of your call; but as they absolutely refuse it, the will of the Lord be done. I am determined I will not violently rend myself from them; for I would rather honour God in a station much inferior to that in which he hath placed me, than to intrude myself into a higher without his direction."

Ivimey then quotes the baptist Register and adds

The selections from his manuscript sermons have been, within the few last years, printed in three volumes, as also a volume of excellent hymns. Mr Beddome was succeeded by the present pastor, Mr Thomas Coles [1779-1840], who was a member of the church.