IN the yeare 1594.By their excommu­nications ād vrgings to print they force me to relate these things fore against my wil: so that if things (vn­meete to be repeated or named) be related let the vrgers rather then the vrged be blamed. 1. Cor. 5.1 Rev. 3.18 there being reporte that M. Francis Iohnson prisoner in the Clink at London, was a suiter to m. Tomison Boys, a widow / and divers speaches being in the mouthes of the brethrē about it / some thinking that shee was no meete match for him: it fel out that he wrote to his brother George Iohnson then also prisoner in the Fleete, (and not suffered to come the one to the other) to know his iudgment and minde whether the said M. T. B. was not a fitt match for him: Wherevnto he answered him / that though he were very lothe to contrary him (having heard how farr the matter was proceeded in / ād knowing howThat ha­ve I alwai­es found / that my brother could never endure to be contrari­ed by me / though I had never so iust a cause / and that him­self after­ward came to practise the same as in the dis­course befo­re and in that which followeth doth / and wil appear. hardly he could endure to be contraried) that yet he durst not but tel him his minde / and shewed him in the letter / that the reasons were many why he ought (in his iudgment) to leave of his desier in that behalfe and not to proceed / he being prisoner for the Ghospel / striving for sincerity in the eies of all men and she being much noted for pride / which would give great offēce / if he should marie such a one / and it should not be reformed: adding other reasons also / which I thinke not meete to be named or printed (except he force me further in his boasted answer / and wil have his nakednes more discovered) This of pride I onely name / as having beene the ground and cause of all these trobles: vpon the said reasons I exhorted and requested him rather to enquire / and think of some other / the marijng of whom might be without iust offence.

He returned answer againe / some of the reasons he answered / others he did not / but with sharpe and hoate wordes (in stead of āswers) sought toIsa. 29.20.21. make G.I. yield vnto him: Herevpon some letters passed betweene them: but at length / it appeared / that he was soThe wor­de inveigled may seame harsh / but I cā prove it / if they vrge it and some grounds thereof I dave tolde him privately / if he think thē not sound / let him name / and take them away in his answer. inveigled / and overca­ried with the said M. T. B. that no reasons or requests (howsoever he pretended to aske iudgment) could persuade him to the contrary neither would he minde any other / though he were tolde and much vrged / that if he maried her / many offences would follow / which all of vs by lamen­table experience have found / and what offences wil yet follow / who knoweth?

And here (by the way) let all pastors teachers / and brethren (especially being vnder the crosse) be exhorted admonished / how and with whom they ioine themselves in thatHeb. 13.4. honorable estate of mariage that God theGen. 2.20. to 25. ordeiner and first celebratour thereof be not dishonoure: the truth reproched the hearts of brethren grieved and the mouthes of men without iustly opened against them: all which have fallen out by the pride of this Pastors wife.

In the same yeare / about the moneths called August / or Septemb. (so far as I remember) the said M. Tomyson Bois comming to visit G.I. prisoner in the Fleete / after some speaches had / G I. desiered her / that / if his Brother should proceede to mariage with her (as it seamed he would) s [...]ee then would reforme her self in her apparel according to his estate and calling: she then promised / that if they maried / she would do / as became his estate: at which answer G.I. much reioiced / ād thanked [Page 95] her / that shee tooke his request in such good part / as she then in wordes seamed.

Within few weekes after / the Pastor M. Fran. Iohnson, (having liberty to go abrode with a keeper) came to his brother in the Fleete / and tolde him / that he purposed to mary the said Mris. Bois: demaunding / if he could shew any cause / why he should not. G.I. answered / that he had written vnto him his minde / and shewed him reasons / as also noted of­fences / that might arise therevpō: so that he thoght he ought not to pro­ceede therein: then they fel into conference about the reasons: at length the Pastor waxed so short / and hoate / that he said he might do it without G.I. his consent: true (said G.I) you may / ād I tel you but my minde / you demaunding it of me: and in conclusion he said he would proceede: to which G.I. said / that he then would pray God to passe over the offen­ces / and to give a blessing if it were his will: and so they parted.

Shortly after they proceded in mariage secretly: she againe comming to visit G I. was in more garish / and proud apparel / then before he had seene her: he againe dealt with her / that she would reforme it: she againe gave him good wordes: yet comming afterward he saw no amendment / wherevpon he was now the more earnest with her / they being now ma­ried. But she now changed her answer (taught I fear by her husband) and said / that if G.I. could prove them to be vnlawful by the word of God / she would leave them: he perceiving this dealing in her / so to chāge her former wordes / toIer. 2.5.6.20 dissemble / and not keepe promise (like the Math. 21.30. sonne, who said he would go, but did not) was much grieved / and yet he proce­ded to prove vnto her by theRom 12.2 1. Tim. 2.9.10. 1. Pet. 3.2.3 4.5. scriptures / that such apparel became not a Pastors wife / specially he being vnder persecution: in prison: and often looking for death / but she would not be persuaded: and so for that time shee parted: the next time she came / G.I. stil dealt with her / and shewed her now fromIsah. 3.16 17.18. to 24. Isah the Prophet, that the daughters of Zion were rebuked for such like things in their age: but she shifted it of / that hers were decent / and that all the creatures of God were lawfull to the children of God: which G.I. hearing / and perceiving that she had now learned moe shifts to cover these things / he was very sory / ād much greved / being also ear­nest with her / he shewed her that proud apparel and fashions of worldly dames were not decent in a Pastors wife: that the creatures / though1. Cor. 6.12 and 10.23. lawful to be vsed / yet not to be abused: and that she pleaded not any thing for hers / which might not be pleaded for any pride whatsoever: at this time she parted discontented / and ceased afterward to come as she was woont.

At length it comming to be known / that they were maried / the Pastor was clapt vp close prisoner againe by the Archprelat of Canterbury for marijng in prison / and not after their vnlawful / superstitious / and popish maner: the keepers also were commaunded not to suffer her to come at him. It comming thus to be knowne vnto all / that they were maried / ād she being mett in her apparel vnreformed / it was most grievous / and la­mentable to heare what reportes and speaches were given out about M. Fran. Iohnson the pastor wifes pride, apparel, and behaviour, and great offēce [Page 96] was given thereby to all sortes of people. G.I. his brother hearing here­of / and knowing what had passed betweene them about her apparel / so as she came no more to him / he wrote letters to her about the same / but no a­mendment could be gotten at her hands: the reproches and offēces sprea­ding abrode / divers were greved: G.I. desiered some of them to deal with M. Fr. Iohns. about it / but they were loth and would not / thē he wrote aThe ori­ginal of this letter came to hand / since G.I. was excommunicated: he not kno­wing otherwise / but that it had beene made away with al the other writings / which were about this matter. leteer to his brother and her / shewing thē the grevous reportes / ād re­proches / which were reported / ād spoken exhorting / admonishing / ād re­questing thē in love / that things might be reformed. It was as foloweth

This was the letter / which was sent and delivered vnto her / but pre­vailed not / as was desiered / wherevpon shee conveied it to him. He tooke the letter in so ill parte / that he returned taunts / and revilings / calling his brother fantastical / fond / ignorant, anabaptistical / and such like / boasting also of the modesty / and wisdome of his wife: yea so far came he and she / that (though such offences arose by her pride / yet) they boasted that she was innocent / and righteous. Wherevpon G.I. seing him and her so overcaried / so far from amendment / so putting of admonitions and re­quests with scoffs and reproches: also so1. Cor. 5.2. boasting (when such grosse of­fences were given by her and her fashions ād apparel shewed to be brea­ches of theRom. 12.2 1. Ti. 2.9.10 1. Pet. 5.3 etc. Apostles exhortations and rules) he wrote / that he feared he might say to her / as IeremyConfer. Ierem. 3.3 with 2.35 said to the people in his time (having boasted after the like maner) Thou hast an whores forehead / thou cāst not (or wilst not) be ashamed. But neither with admonitions / requests or sharpe writing would they he be wonne to reforme / but perverted my wordes / as if I had charged her with whoredome / and taking things in the evil parte sought to catch me in myIsa. 22.20 21. wordes / and to bring aProv. 9.7.8.9. blot vpon me: recompensingPsal. 109.3.4.5. etc. Iere. 18.19.20 / etc. me evil for the good I soght vnto them / and hatred for my frendship.

If the Pastor denie that he tooke the letters in so il part, or that he so perverted thē, let his crying out against this letter, (which was thought would never have come to light) that it was the abhominablest written letter, that ever was written: by his (Dan. Stud. also witnessing the same and Prov. 16.5 ioyning with him) exaggerating, and enlarging speaches against the same, that it was the vilest, vngodliest letter: and that they could not expresse the wickednes threof, evē thereby drawing the people to forsa­ke G.I. so afterward by litel ād litel to draw thē to their wil: yea at length to excommunicate him.) Let I say his dealing against this letter witnes to his face, and let godly wise Christians iudg, whether G.I. deserved to be so handled, and the letter, with the maner of writing to be iudged ab­hominable, ād whether he ought so to take it, and recompense his bro­ther as he hath: as also let iudgment be given of the other letters accor­ding to this, it being (even mine Deut. 32.31. enemies being witnesses and iudges) the abhonablest of al the rest: as also let them weigh and iudg, if G I. ra­ther have not found true the compleint of Amo. 5.10 Amos. They hated him that rebuked in the gate, and abhorred him that speaketh vprightly. Yea, they that could, imagine, devise, and sett a face vpon it that this letter was so abhominable, ād hereby draw the people from their constancy to excommunicate the admonisher of them, do they not witnes that they could not suffer the Heb. 13.22 Isa. 59.14, 15. wordes of exhortation? that they tooke things in the evil part, that what wil they not pervert to sett a shine vpon their matter, who so account, iudg and pervert the dueties of declaring vnto [Page 100] thē what was reported abrode, of exhortation, ād of request in the best maner I could? The 1. Cor. 5.1, etc. Corinths so perverted not the Apostles wordes whē he wrote vnto them what was reported and heard: but of this letter, and of their dealings about the same, these things wil more appear in the particular accusations, which they grounded and drew therefrom, and in the answers to the same, both which follow in this discourse. Onely here in the beginning I thought needful to relate thus much if the Pa­stor should deny that he so perverted things, or tooke the letter in so ill parte.

When G.I. saw that he could not prevaile by private admonition he wrote vnto two brethrē / M. Settel a preacher / then prisoner in the Gate­house / and to M. Studley / one of the elders of the Church / prisoner al­so in Newgate / requesting them / that they would some with him accor­ding to the1. Cor. 5.1, etc. rule / to admonish the Pastor and his wife of the greevous offences / which arose by her pride / seing he had long dealt with them pri­vatelyMat. 18.16.17. etc. alone / and they would not hearken:Pe [...]. 15. they promised to ioine with him therein / and so they writing letters to the Pastor hereabout sent thē first to G.I. to reade: M. Studley writing to him (I wel remember) to be admonished by Salomons example / who was blinded with wo­men: M. Settel also wrote earnestly against the apparel: what ans­wer he gave to the letters I know not: and to my remembrance I ne­ver heard / that he answered them: but afterward (having got againe the same liberty / which he had before / to go abrode with a keper) he came to their several prisons / and how he dealth with them the Lord knoweth / but so he dealt / as they relented: and M. Settel having the like liberty / which the Pastor had / they twoo with the Pastors wife came to the Fleete / and would have had G.I. to relent also: pleading that the fa­shions and apparel which she vsed / were things indifferent: that they were in her liberty to vse or not to vse / with such like reasons of decency / ability / etc. Which G.I. hearing / and marking / that her apparel in some things was become modest / the excessive late vpon her sleeves ha­ving a cover drawen over it / the fashion of her brest being not so garish / so low / and so spits fashioned as it was woont to be / as also her hat and band not so youthful and toyish as they were woont to be / he was glad to see that change / hoping more would follow and asked if M. Studley were of the same minde with thē / as they had related: they āswered that he was: and the Pastor and shee said to M. Settel that the apparel was now as it was woont to be: I shewed them that there was great diffe­rente in going with the lace vncovered so youthful as yong Marchants wives / and having that drawen over which covered the youthfulnes and excesse: the fashion also of the band (from a twined fashion which yong dames vsed) changed to a sober fashion the hart also not so toyishly set as it was woont to be / and the brest also now modest in comparison of that was before: the Pastor begun to be very hote / calling G.I. fantastical / that he should see that he enclined not to Anabaptistry: and so about these [Page 101] things some words passed betweene them / till at lēgth G.I. said that the things being amended he would not strive further: but the pastor being very hote would have G.I. to acknowledg that he miscaried himselfe in writing the letters / and to yeeld that the things were indifferent and in her power / to vse / or not to vse: M. Settel labouring to pacify him / vrged me to relent. When G.I. saw M. Settel so changed / and heard that M. Stud. had also flinched / he was much moved / ād told them he could not relent to be of their minde therein and begun to vrge the Pastors / ād M. Settels consciences / if such fashions and things as he had written / and admonished her of in private were lawful in a Pastors Wife / specially in her / he being in such estate ād conditiō as he was / to wit / in prison for the Ghospel as a [...] light vpon an hil in the eies of all men?Mat. 5.14 eph. 5.8. etc. Phili. 2.15.16. Hereat M. S [...]el stoode mute but the Pastor stormed / ād very hote wordes passed betwene the brothers / so as the Pastor and his wife went away much [...] con­tented and displeased M. Settel following thē also. G.I. accomputting them thorow the court of the prison to bring them to the doore: while they staied for the porter to let them forth he talked with M. Settel / stir­ring him vp / ād telling him / that he wōdered that he was so caried away with the Pastors suttelty: to which he replied / that the Pastor was so cunning in disputing as he would not stand against him / neither was he able to do it except the matter were so plaine / and evident / as no man could say ought against it: at which reply G.I. halfe amazed yet āswered him / that he who would defend a iust cause mustAccount / and recko­ning must be made of the adversaries strēgth cunnings etc. also of our own in­ability / yet not to dis­courage or to make to leave of but to seeke the more strength ād sufficiency from God. Luke 14.28. to 35. Act. 9.21.22 2. Cor. 3.5 Phil. 4.13 2. Tim. 2.1 to 15. Rev. 2. ād 3 not be discouraged by the cunning of the qainsa [...]ers / or his owne inability / but looke to the strēth of truth which defendeth it selfe and the defenders of it / as also vnto the power and wisdome of God / whose weaknes is stronger then mā: while they thus spake together / the porter opened the gate / and so he wēt away with the Pastor / and his Wife: state which time I know not / whether I ever saw him or no / but such (to my rememberance) was his reply / and so excused he himselfe / ād his flinching. Within a litel while after getting forth of pr [...]on vpon odd conditions he was not long faithful but he also flinched / and left the truth it selfe: and (for any thing I know) continueth so vnto this day: the Lord (if he belong vnto him give him true and vn­feined repentance / that he may againe returne / and be found faithful.

The Pastor and M. Settel having thus dealt with G.I. and not ob­teining their purpose Dan. Stud. wrote to him / pretēding sundry things to make him yeeld: which he answering: in the next letters M. Stud. fell frō reasoning to threatning the cēsures of the Church: Which his threat­ning seamed in deede more strange then all the other dealings / that the censures of the Church should be drawē forth ād threatned against him / who by requests exhortations and admonitions according to the rules prescrived sought the reformation of things: yea so much the stranger was it / that he who had ioined in the duety of admonition / being not con­stant himselfe should so bePsa. 55.12 13.14 Obad. v. [...], changed as to be angry with another being constant / and to seeke to dismay and discourage him by threatning the censures.

And here I desier that parte of M. Stud. maner of dealing may be ob­serued, who having himselfe failed ād flinched, would have other do the like, and when he could not prevaile, then to abuse the censure to bring his enterprise to passe: and surely since those daies he hath much abused the holy censures in his owne, his vvifes, and her daughters case, against Mr Ony. ād B.W. and likewise in his brother Martins case against Mris. Gr vvhich the Lord hath in parte iudged, and required at his hands, and wil further requier, if he repent not.

At that time G.I. not much acquainted with such threats / and being yet but a1 tim. 4.12 with 2. tim. 2.3. etc. yong souldier was somewhat afraid / and trobled herewith: where vpon he much thinking / and meditating the Lord brought to his minde the storyIn the Hi­story of M. Calvins life. of the dealing against M. Calvin for standing forth a­gainst some special persons / they driving him from Geneva for the same: but so the Lord wroght as he was wel provided for: the evil dealers God iudged / and afterward he was againe called to that citie: with this exā­ple was G.I. comforted / and wrote the summe thereof to M. Stud. with which letter he was much stirred saying to others that G.I. was the vnreasonablestIn like maner said Amaziah / Amos cap. 7.10. But hard wor­des must not make vs leave of good due­ties. Acts. 22.22 and 25.22. with 24.5 to 16. man that ever he dealt withal. but no answer sent he to the letter: pretending that he would have no more dealing with G.I.

If such dealing be overcariage in what ca­se were the Prophets ād Apostles and what advātages might the people then have had against thē if they had dealt / as these do. Ier. 1. and 3. and 7. and 15. etc. Act. 7. and 13 ād 28 / 1. Cor. 1. and 3. ād 11 1. Pet. 3. ād 5 / 2. Pet. 2. Iude the whole epist. Rev. 2. ād 3.The matter for a time sleping M. Bishop / and David Bristor labou­red to compound it / and at length effected it / G.I. through their many faire entreaties / through the Pastors cunning reasoning / and specially beingRō 12.18 desierous of peace / yeelding much vnto them / yea to acknowledg overcariage in admonishing the Pastors wife: and yet she was not dra­wen to confesse any one thing. Agrement and peace thus made / and cer­tified to M. Stud. he seamed glad / but yet craftely (as alwaies in his dealings I have found him) sought to cast blockes in the way / ād would have G.I. to subscribe to a writing which they had made / yea he vrged it very hotely: by which vrging (not vnlike the prelates vrging their sub­scription) he made him the more to loke into their dealing they being not contented with a foote or some yeelding but would have all in / ād quēch all zeal and godlines: which he minding / and considering / feared that he had failed in yeelding to confesse that he was overcaried / seing his ma­ner of dealing was. 1. as by way of request. 2. by advise / and relating things reported. 3. by exhortation. 4. by admonition both milde ād severe and in al these finding examples of the like in the scriptures: and yet theI now directly pronounce her offender because since those times by a faithful stan­ding forth against her / she hath so confessed / as afterward wil appear. offender would not yeelde / but contrarily boasted innocency / and righ­teuousnes scoffing and reviling the admonisher instead of repentance: so as the admonisher to confesse overcariage in such dealing / and where the offender wared worse and worse / he thought he was by them decei­ved / and ought not to haveIsah. 58. 1. Mica. 3.8. Gall. 6.9 / 1. Thess 5.19. ceased til the offences had beene acknow­ledged / left / and amended: and therefore / though he were desierous (if it [Page 103] were possible) to have peace with them / yet he durst not with his hand subscribe / seing his conscience (vpon their vrging subscription) begun to doubt that his mouth had beene to hasty: and in deede he would not yeeld vnto Dan. Stud. herein: desiering / that if they brake the agreement for want thereof / he might then be the more wary and wise not to cease / til the offended yeelded.

When Dan. Stud. could not get his wil herein / he was more angry then before: and wrote to the Pastor hereabout / seekingThis ap­peareth by their owne relation. to stir him vp in this matter / but he dealt more wisely (oh that he had alwaies beene so) and would not then be seduced by him / but sought continuance of peace / not wringingPro. 31.33 the nose to cause bloode to come.

So agreement continued a long time betwene the brothers / and many tokens of frendship passed betweene them / and al frindes were glad: one­ly Dan Stud grumbled / and (as appearedBy kee­ping notes against a day. afterward) watched to catch occasions / and yetPro. 26.24 25.26 Iere. 9.8 Obad. v. 7. pretended frendship to G.I. howsoever he intēded to entrap him. Yea peace so continued betwene the brothers / that / it being though and reported they should both be called forth / and put to death for the faith / which they witnessed in bonds / it was thought best / and a­greed / that the writings aforesaid / which passed betwene thē about these things should be made away / that so no occasion might be left / whereby it might be known after their death that such contētiō had beene betwene them about such matters: and so indeede they which I had were made away / and the rest also / so far as I knew: I the rather being most willing thereto / remembering that the adversaries tookeAs in the story of M. Carlel the reader may see. occasion of offence ād accusation in Q. Maries daies against the godly brethrē / because of some controversy or contention that was among them.

The adversaries being frustrated in their devises / and getting not their purposes and desiers to put the brothers to death / they stil continued prisoners. About a yeare or twoo after (to my rememberance) it fell out / that offence againe was taken at the Pastors wifes pride / and his vanity thereabout: which was signified to G.I. The party that was of­fended / and the teller being a brother / G.I. desiered him to deal with the Pastor and her / shewing him that it was his duetyLev. 19.17 Psal. 141.5. 1. thes. 5.11. Mat. 18.15 Heb. 10.24 to deal therein. His answer was / that he durst not or that he was not able: and though G.I. much desiered / and vrged him not to speak to him thereof (remembering what stirs he had about such matters) but to performe the duety himselfe / yet could he not obteine it of him: onely he greeved / mourned / and said it was great offēce in a Pastors wife making such holy profession / her hus­band being in such case / and suffering as he did for so glorious a truth: and desiering G.I. to write to his brother thereof parted from him for that time. Herevpon he considering how heavilyIt gave him such offence / he being weak ād not able to bear it / that it afterward was feared to be such an occasion of stumbling to him / as that he fel flat down from the cause it selfe 1. Cor. 8.12 / Mat. 18.6.7 / etc. the yong gentleman (the Pa­stor I take it / hath not forgotten who it was / and how he) tooke it / and how troblesome it was to him being very strict / and newly come to the cause / he wrote to the Pastor his brother so lovingly as he could (and la­bouring what he might / to prevēt offences because of the former trobles) that if he would take it in good parte / keepe it to himselfe / ād make a good [Page 104] vse of it / he would write vnto him what he had heard: The Pastor wrote againe / and some letters passing betweene them about dueties of secrecy / Mica 7.5 jere. 9.4.5 keeping things tolde to ourselves / and making a right ād wise vse of thē at length the Pastor being cunning / and suttel (by āswers to his questions propounded) gessed ād perceived whereabout it was / wherevpō he would not promise secrecy to his brother / who then (remembering the former broiles) wrote to him / that he would not deal therein least olde contentiōs should be raked / ād new also arise: the Pastor made Dā. Stud. acquainted therewith / who (watching occasions as before is said threw one in the fire / and lett the Pastor on such a flame / as his next letter to G.I. thun­dered apace / he perceiving to what these things would grow / wrote to his brother directly that he would not contend with him / writing vnto him the sentences of Salomon.Pro. 18.19 with 17.14. 1. Ti. 6.4 2. Tim. 2.14.23 A brother offēded is harder to winne thē a strong city / and their contentions are like the bart of a palace ād there­fore or the contentions be medled with to leave of: but he would not he­arken / writing againe bitterly ād sharpely as in the formerSee here­of pag. 4. in the preface or exhorta­tion to M Frā. Iohn­son the pa­stor. contentions his maner was: Which G.I. seeing requested the bringer of them first to reade them / and if they were brotherly / and Christian / to deliver them to him / if not to read them / because if it were possible he would avoid con­tending with him: stil in stead of answer writing and returning vnto him the former sentences: afterward the Pastor and Dan. Stud. sent the Pa­stors wife / M. Bellot / and Lewis Ienkins to demaund certaine questiōs of him: to which G.I. said he would give no answerRō. 12.18. seing he saw them tend to contention / and engendering of strife: the Pastors wife being very peert / and coppet / (much changed from the time before her mariage / whē she promised to reforme her selfe according to his estate) having now got what she desieredI say de­sired / and sought / if he or she deny it / and call for proofe I shal shew such reasōs as they think not of. and sought and having (belike) learned of her husbād cunning to cavil / begun much to vrge G.I. to answer: ādLet men that stand against sin be wary / circūspect / and wise how they yeeld: for it not onely trobleth the good con­sciēce quēcheth the spi­rit etc. but embolde­neth the sinner. jere. 20.8.9 10. Ezec. 24 12.13.14 vpraided him with his former acknowledgment / to which he answered / that modesty would become her better / that shee should rather seeke meanes to make peace / having beene the roote of the former contentiōs / then by such que­stions to raise it againe: that touching his acknowledgment he feared he had offended / and if it were to do / he would not do it / before she should confesse her offence: Herevpon passed many wordes / M. Bellot / and Le­wis Ienkins taking her part / by which she wared the more bolde: G.I. stil desired her to be silent / telling her that he hoped God would prevēt her husbands and her suttelty / as in his providence he had prevented their policy in sending her brother with the Pastors letter thinking to draw him to reade it / whether he would or no. Hereat she smiling feoffed / and said in a deriding maner / Gods providence / Gods providence.

Now that the reader may knovv what was their suttelty, ād their po­licy, (so far as I perceived) it was thus. G.I. having written to the pastor, when he saw him so impatient and bitter in his letters, that he vvolde request his Father (who vsually in al their trobles helped them as in all things wherein he could, so also with letters one from the other) to read [Page 105] them first, and if they vvere brotherly to deliver them to him, if not to make them away, desiering to avoide contention: so the Pastor vvrote againe. G.I, requested his Father to take it with him to his lodging, there to read it, and to certify him thereof as before he requested him, vvhich his Father doing, told him the next day, that it was vvritten as the other: vvherevpō it was made away, ād G.I stil returned answer that he would not contend, grounding his letter vpon those sentences of Salomon, re­questing and exhorting the Pastor and his vvife to cease contention: they perceiving that G I. had done as before he said he vvould, sent the next letter (not by their Father, and yet he vvas there the same day, and a litle before they sēt) by a litel youth her brother, of vvhō G.I. receiued it, ād laid it down vpon his deske, vvilling him to salute his brother, ād sister, the youth asked if he vvould not reade it, G.I. marking the boies saucy­nes in so demaunding, ād suspecting that somewhat lurked, vvilled him to go about his busines if he had done his message, as touching the letter he vvould do therevvith as he saw good, ād so he let it lie til his F. came, (who vsually visited thē in their prisons ōce if not twise a day) at evening he cōming, G.I. delivered him the letter, requested him to read it, as he had done the other, and to deale therevvith as before is mentioned, tel­ling him also the maner of the boies demaunding if he vvould read it: which he hearing, and shewing that he had beene there the same day, before the boy came, so as they might have sent it by him if they plea­sed, vve both of vs thought their policy was not to send it by him, but by the youth, they (it may be) imagining that G, I. vvould be so So is he in deed by nature / but afflictions / tribulati­ons / prisōs and trobles sanctified / are blessed instructiōs / and have taught pa­tience. Psa. 119.67 Prov. 6.23. Rom. 5.3.4 hasty, as presently to read it, and not to wait til his F. came, but they were frustra­ted: for he read it not, but kept it, ād delivered it to his Father, requesting him to deal as before with the other; the next day he returning shevved him that it was as sharpe as the other, if not sharper: So G.I. answered it as the for­mer, evē by the same sētēces, ād to the same effect: after which time they sēt no mo letters: but the persons before named. Now he shewing her that by gods His provi­dence is in the least things / evē in the fal­ling of a bird / in the preserving of the hea­res of our heads and in directing our sceps. [...] Mat. 10.29 30. Luke 21 18. ād 12.6. 1. Cor. 9.9 Pro. 20.24 Iere. 10.23. providēce, they were prevēted in thinking to make him read their letter she (as before is said) scoffingly gibed ād said, Gods providēce, Gods providēc.

Herevpon he rebuked her scoffing: and willed M.B. and L.I. to ad­monish her / but they would seame to excuse her: which he seeing / tolde them / they ought not to dealeLev. 19.15.16.17. 1. tim. 5.21. Mal. 2.9 Iohn 7.24. job 13.13.14 partially / but they shifted it of / and fel to speak of other things / he stil vrged thē / specially M. Bellot / seing he knew how great offence was givē by her / ād how the brethren beyond the seas were greeved about the same / but he could not get him to tel her to her face thereof: she hearing this / turned it also of with a scoffe / that they were a silly sleight people: G.I. wished her to leave of that maner ofPro. 31.26 31 / 1. Tim. 2.11.12. Titi 2.3. 1. pet. 3.2.4. ieasting / telling her that modesty and godly gesture became her: she waying more and more displeased / hoate wordes passed betweene them / she calling G.I. impudent / and he telling her she was to boldeIsa. 48.4 [Page 106] faced: M. B. and L. I. laboured to cover her dealing: he w [...]hed them to deal more vprightly: whereat M. B. was silent / but L. I. waxed angry: and vrged G.I. to answer the questions: he said he had given his āswer / that seing they2. Tim. 2 14 16.23. Titus. 3.9. tēded to strife / he was persuaded it was better to be silent then to answer: so they went away: and going away G.I. spake to them both privately / that as they had behinde her back spoken against the of­fences that arose about her so rhey should do it to her face / and labour to suppresse contentions / and the causes thereof: so for that time they parted.

Some time after / M. Leigh. M. Bellot / Davy Bristow / and Lewis Ienkins with the Pastors wife (to my remembrance) also / were againe sent to the Fleete by the Pastor and Dan. Stud. to deal with G.I. about these things / and about recalling his acknowledgmēt: he answ. them first concerning the questions as before namely that seing they demaunded to know the thing that was tolde him / also the parties name that tolde it: ād the telling thereof would (as he feared and saw) but breade controversy / he thought it rather better to be silent / and soPro. 17.14. stopp contention / then by telling to open the gap againe / which was stopped. 2ly cōcerning the re­calling of the acknowledgmēt he said / he did it not simply / but that he saw he had failed therein and thought that if it were to do / he should not do it as also / if the Pastor and M. Stud. would so interpret his wordes / and draw matter out of the same to raise againe the contentions / he must be content / and howsoever he was lothe they should be raised / and to be dra­wen therevnto / yet was he not altogether vnwilling because his consciēce had beene trobled / ād was not pacified about the same: hoping if againe they begun he should not yeelde / norIsah. 58.1 Iere. 1.17 18.19. cease til she was brought to acknow­ledgment / and thatRom 8.28 psal. 58.1. etc God would worke it for the best: herevpon much conferēce passed among them / both sides propounding their reasons very peaceably / but could not agre / because they would not deal otherwise then they had in commission from the Pastor and M. Stud. and no reasons would satisfy them / except they might have answer to the questions pro­pounded by the Pastor / and M. Stud. They preparing to depart G.I. requested M. Leigh / who called the Pastors wife cosen / to deal with him and her about these things / also to deal about her giving ād scoffing con­cerning Gods providence / and the people beyond the seas: but Lewis Ienkins taking her parte / and seeking to daub vp her dealing / she would not be brought to acknowledgment: and so for that time they also parted.

Shortly after / they being delivered out of prison / and appointed to be banished / M. Stud. the bellowes in thisPro. 22.10 and 26.20 / contention / so blew as the mat­ter was more kindled / and brought to the Church: the brethren being to meete to hear the matter / while they came together / the Pastor and M. Stud. stoode in a window consulting together / and G.I. talked with some of the brethren that were come / about the cause of the meeting / and the proceedings thereabout:They also talked with some of the same bre­thrē / enqui­ring (as af­terward appeared whereof we talked see­king occa­sion there­out of accu­sation a­gainst G.I. as pre­sētly after appeared. at length being come together / M. Stud. shewed the meeting to be about the cōtroversy betweene Mistres Iohn­son / and G.I. and so spake to G.I. that now they brought the matter [Page 107] before the Church. He standing vp requested the Church wel to consider of the matter / and shewed / that seing the Pastor and M. Stud. were par­ties / accusers / and bringers of the controversy / they ought not to sit as judges / but to stand forth / aswel as he / and so the cause to be equally heard. Hereabout was much controversy / ād they would not yeelde but would continue and sit as judges: and the rather to blinde the Churches eies they would have G.I. also not to stand / but to sit downe / which / though he showed ought not to be / yet they brought the Church to their bent: which done / they propounded not the matters in controversy about the questions / and about recalling the acknowledgment / but accused G. I. of a matter / which he never imagined / namely of fore stalling the bre­threns mindes: at which accusation he wondering (having not in the least measure thought thereof) denied it / they said he had there talked with the brethren of the matter to be handled / and so asked them / with whom they had spoken before / ād enquired whereof we talked (as afore is noted) if we talked not thereof? they affirmed yea: wherevpon they would conclude that it was forestalling. G.I. answered / that it was one thing to speake in the open place together of matters to be handled / for which they were to meete / and another to forestall their mindes / shewing even from civil proceedings / that in civil controversies / or affaires men might freely speak and tell their cause one to another: as also from the scripture that a man mightpro. 24.3.4 5.6.27. and 20.18. Luk. 14.28.29.30.31.32. Search the scriptures quoted / ād weigh wel the counsel there given. prepare his house without / make al things redy in the fielde / and afterward buyld the house / as also enterprise his things with counsel: and that not to be accounted a vice / or accused as forestalling / but they would not be satisfied either with reason or scrip­ture / but it must be as they said / and they so winded and wrested the rea­sons and Scriptures alledged (commaunding G.I. silence) that they broght the Church to be of their minde and to condemne him as a fore­staller he desiered the Church to consider their maner of dealing / ād that they being parties in the controversy / and the Pastor comming to plead his wifes case / ought not to commaunde him silence / and requested that he might have free liberty to speak / as also that if his speaking with the brethren in that place of the matter were a fault / it might be handled in order / and not begin with that first / which was last done: the Pastor begun to be hoate and said that G.I. was ignorant / and spake without vnderstanding / as also that the Church ought not to suffer him so to speak: M. Stud. also added that if he would not acknowledg his fault therein / they wold proceede with him for the same. G.I. seeing their dea­ling / ād drawing of the Church to vrge him therewith according as they pleased / was halfe trobled / and at length drawen by thē to confesse / that if it were a fault he was sory / and if it were to do / he would not do it: this done / and having thus got their wil of the Church / and of G.I. herein / they proceeded to other matters.

Now before I procede therto, let me here (as also in some other pla­ces of the discourse) crave leave of the Christian reader to set dovvne, what I have observed in their dealing: and let not my enemies be offēded [Page 108] thereat. First in this their dealing I observe their cunning in leaving the olde matter, and controversy, for which G.I. had meditated ād provided to answer, and to seeke and make new accusations, which he had not thought of, thereby the more craftily and easily to entrapp him: A devise and cunning it is, vvhich I feare (besides many other) the Pastor and M. Stud had learned by the examinations of the adversaries, whose suttelty vsually is, not to handle the matter in question, but to carpe at circum­stances, seeking matter of advantage and accusation therefrom: an olde practise of those Hipocritical Pharisees, Math. 12.10.14. who when they could not iustly condēne the fact of healing the sick &c. vvould yet carpe at the circum­stances, that it vvas done vpon the Saboath day. Secondly I observe their suttelty, in the beginning to catch ād entrapp a man in his wordes or cariage, thereby to troble his minde, distemper his affections, and quel his spirit, that so being not able on a sudden advisedly to answer, ād fully to take away all their cavils, they may disgrace him, and make him odi­ous to the people, whereby having gotten as it were halfe a victory, they make him also to fal in his iust cause, if the Lord by his Mica. 3.8 power do not specially strenthen him. A suttelty no yonger then the former devise, as is plaine by the Isa. 29.21 jer. 11.18.19. and 18.18 Luke 11.53 54. scriptures to him that wil observe thē, ād therefore need­ful for Christiās much to meditate in Gods worde, that they may be Psal. 119.98.99.100 iam. 1 5. wi­se and able to preuent their enemies.

The Pastor (I say) ād M. Stud. having thus cunningly dealt / they pro­ceeded to otherThe parti­culars here of which I have vn­der their hands (which also shalbe set downe in the discour­se follo­wing in their due place) wil declare the truth here­of / evē thē­selves being witnesses / ād judges. matters about the pastors wifes apparel / and her spea­ches (not ōce yet mētioning the questiōs / or the recalling of the acknow­ledgment / which they pretended to be the cause of the meeting) and in the matters of apparel and speaches they proceeded and dealt so † strangely as I have not read / or heard of the like: things which were most secret / and which G.I. had named to them in private made they publique: ex­pounded his wordes of exhortation to be charges: relations of other mens speaches to be his wordes and accusations: called for proofes in things that were seene in the eies of all / and which shee promised to reforme: discouraged the witnesses: vpraided any that spake a­gainst the apparel / with anabaptistry: catched men in their wordes: en­trapped them by questions / and so discouraged them by reproches and scoffes / as they would speake no more / but left G.I. to bear the whole burthen: at length a rich woman standing vp / and witnessing somewhat against the Pastors wife (which G.I. charged her with / she denied / and witnesses durst not stand thorowly) they were not so bolde with her / as to vpraide / or cavil with her / but then the pastors wife confessed / that she was sory / and if it were to do / she would not so wear it. Which G.I. hearing (and having promised with himselfe not to cease til she repented) [Page 109] praised God that at length / she was broght to acknowledgment: and said that he also was sory if he had any way overcaried himselfe. Here at the Pastor and Dan Stud. tooke advantage / and begun to vrge parti­culars that he should confesse misalledging of Ier. 3.3. also slaunder / seing the witnesses would not witnes the things said: he answered / thogh wit­nesses failed / that was theirIere. 9.1. to 9. sin / yet he must not deny that he had seene / and heard thogh they should proceede: and willed them to rest in that was said they stil vrged: at length M. Charles Leigh (to my remēbrāce) and the Father of the twoo brothers / also some others / who were very desierous of peace / begun to speak / that they should rest in G.I. his ac­knowledgment: yea said G.I. if it were not / that the adversaries should not reproch vs to say / we excommunicated one another so soone as we were out of prison / as also that by standing forth he had broght her at length to repentance / he would not have ceased / nor yeelded so much: then begun some whom the Pastor and M. Stud. had drawen to be against him / to vrge the Church to proceede against him he āswered they might do as they pleased / more could he not yeeld in a good conscience. At length M. Stud. being veryD. Stud. pretended frendship / but hereby he kept a starting ho­le to flyout / ād to break the peace a­gaine / as afterward appeared. Pro. 26.24.25.26 crafty propounded to the Church (if they saw it good) to give G.I. time to consider of it / if he would desier it of the Church promise to consider of it / and to yeeld seing his fault: to which the Church presently yeelded / and so he propounded it to G.I. who con­sidering that it was a matter of iudgment betweene them / and that he might lawfully desier and promise that / desiered it / and promised if he saw better to yeelde / if not to shew his reasons. Herevpon all things were ended / peace and agreement againe made / the seal of the covenant the nextRev. 1.10 Lordes day so far as I remember) administred: much ioy was there among the brethren / and at the Pastors house was there a mee­ting of many / as at a love feast: in which (as afterward appeared) M. Studlyjude v. 12 2. pet. 2.13 / etc. Ier. 5.26 and 18.22 was a spott and blot / keeping writing in secret against G.I. and iaring waite to catch him: Yet the Brothers continued frendship: things seamed to be not onely forgiven / but presently for­gotten: so as being banished sent to America / and staied by contrary mindes at Famouth the Pastor stoode very fast and faithfull to his bro­ther / being likely (thorow the envy of a Maister of one of the Ships / and some of the Mariners) to come into troble about our printed confession of faith / which he there had / and lent to one of them: also when they came into newfound Land / one of the Captaines reviling G.I. behinde his back about the same matter / the Pastor defended him / and openly rebuked the Captaine / as was to G.I. afterward signified: yea G.I. suffering2. Cor. 1 [...] 25. Shipwrack the ship being thorow the headines of the Mai­ster in a faire sunne shine day run vpon the Rocks / whereby the Cap­taine and all the rest had great losse (the Frenchmen thereby making a pray of all their goods / which they could wel have saved / having gott the Ship from among the Rocks / and with much labour and paines running her a shore) by which losse they came to be in great [Page 110] great distresse / specially the twoo banished / Iohn Clarke / and G.I. to whom the Captaine propounded that they must either leave thē their / and so they should be subiect to be devoured by the wilde: deliver them to the French men to be brought for France / and by them on shipborde they should be vrged to heare masse: or they must adventure with them inLitel boates. shallops / wherein they would go / and seeke purchase / if they could finde a leager / or Spanyard: three hard choises: none whereof I. C. and G. I. would chuse / telling the Captaine they would not have their owne hands in choosing / but which he would lay vpon thē that by Gods help they would vndergoe / hoping he would worke al forRom 8.28 good: at which āswer the Captaine was trobled / being vnwilling to lay any one vpon vs. At length continuing in that wilde place three or foure daies while they pre­pared their shallops / ād made redy so wel as they could to take purchase / Gods providēce / who never faileth / no not in the mountaineGen 22.14 Math. 15.32.33. or wilder­nes / shewed it selfe: for the Captaine walking with G.I. and conferring of these things / suddenly (being quick sighted) he saw a ship far of in the sea / and said I see a shipp / to whō G.I. said / it may be the Lord wil send vs help thereby / and requested the Captaine to man out a shallop to thē / to signify our shipwrack and distresse vnto them / and no doubt the Lord would move their hearts to pitie: which presētly the Captaine cōmaun­ded to be done: and we stil walking vnder hope / at length one who was very quick eied / discerned it to be an Englishship / and put vs in hope that it was our fellow / which was bound to make the same iorney with vs / which made the marriners to hasten the more with their shallop / who comming to them / finding them to be the ship which was bound with vs (wherein were the Pastor and M. Stud. the other two banished) and relating to them the distresse wherein we were / Oh / what heavines was there among them / specially in the Pastor for his brother / and in that lo­ving mā M. Charles Leigh the Captaine thereof who was not so heavy for the losse (thogh a principal of the ship was his) as he was ioyful that all the men were safe: and presently (by reporte) commanded the Maister to make to the bay / where our distresse was: at whose meeting what teares there were (not for the losse / but) for ioy that we so met / specially betweene the brothers / I cannot expresse / yea I cannot now write with­out teares / remembering such a wonderous providence of God even in a strange land: Which as it is my duety alwaies to recordePsal. 107. to Gods praise: so here also I recoide it / to shew that not onely natural / butRom 12.10 1. Pet. 1.22. 1. cor. 13.4.5 god­ly love appeared in the Pastor to his brother: he and the Captaine not onely comforting him in respect of the losse / but shewing tokēs ād fruites of love / helping him with things necessary the Frenchmen having takē his provision from him: but in all these I observed that M. Stud. shewed not so much affection / as many of the mariners did / who had no religiō: whereas in a true Christian and brother there ought / and wil be aRom. 12 25.16. 1. Cor. 12.26 2. cor. 11.29 Heb. 13.3. fel­lowfeeling.

The said M. Leigh taking al the distressed into the ship / and G.I. be­ing now in the same ship with the Pastor and M. Stud. there was fami­liarity [Page 111] and much frendship betwene the Captaine and the brothers: but M. Studleys countenāce was cast downe / yet he would vse good wordes to G.I. compleining of some things hee saw amisse in Mr. Leigh / who was a brother in the faith with vs / and stirred vp G.I. to exhort and admonish him: which he did / being to simple and sleight to marke M. St. cra [...]tyM St. craft to make divi­sion amōg frends. practise / who hereby wroght occasion of mislike betwene vs / and at lengthPro. 16.28 and 22.10 and 26.20. Ezec. 22.9. set the one against the other / who before had long bene deare frends: for if M. Stud. had dealt vprightly / heLev. 19.16 17. Mat. 18.15 Rom. 15.14 ought not to have openes the infirmities of M. Leigh a brother vnto āother / but have him­self admonished him: yet this he did not / and so was the cause of contē­tion: and here let brethren be exhorted to take heede of such crafty pates / who vnder2. Tim. 3.5.1. Cor. 4.19 20. a shew of godlines exhort others to performe the duety of godly admonition / and wil not do it themselves. At length this M. Stud. shewed himselfe in his colours: for having sowen sundr [...] occas [...]ons / and wroght some dislike (one day there being some wordes betwene Mr. L. ād G.I.) he propounded the matter about Ier. 3.3. drawing the Pastor and M. L. to deal with G.I. about it: the pastor was not very willing to deal thereabout / yet M. St. so dealt as G.I. must shew his iudg­ment thereabout / which he did / namely / that seing the offenders offēded in like nature / to wit / not to confes offence / but on the contrary boasted righteousnes: the same scripture might be alledged against the one as a­gainst the other. Which also theIsa. 29.13. with Mat. 15 7.8.9.12 13.14. Luke 16.15 also Haba. 1.5. Isah. 28.14 with Acts. 13 40.41. scriptures shew. M. St. fel to his olde maner of cavilling about apparel / ād now ād thē would stir vp the P. now and thē M. L. to shew their judgmēt: G.I. shewed thē that if it were in a strāge land as in new found land etc. the apparel should not troble him / neither put herom. 14.17. religion in apparel: but there being offēces givē by appa­rel / Christians (though no certaine rule or fashions could be directly pre­scribed / yet) ought to observePhi. 4 8. 1. tim. 2 9. 10 / 1. Pet. 3.1. etc. modesty according to the places wherein they live: that so the leastRom. 14.13. 1. Cor. 10.32 Coll. 4.5. 1. Pet. 2.12. occasion of offence might not be given by thē to any within / or without: the Pastor for this time brake of the matter / sea­ming not very willing to talke thereof: and in my conscience I think the brother [...] had continued good frends / if M. Stud. had not alwaies raisedProv. 6.16 19. and 26 20. contentions betweene thē. Shortly after he stirred vp the coles againe / ād laid morerom. 14.17. wood on / so as very hoate wordes passed betwene the bro­thers / and he lying in his cabbing would now ād thē put forth his head / and minister questions ād matter to the Pastor / which he vrged his bro­ther withal: Which G.I. marking / and calling to minde M. St. seeking occasions to deal hereabout / tolde him that he dealt very evilly / ād should rather seeke toPro. 15.18 hold / then breake the peace: then begun he to call G.I. cōtētious etc: who seeing him so to lig in his cabbing / sometimes putting out his head / and speaking bitterly / straight waies pulling it in againe / he tolde him he dealt like barking dogs (who thogh they cā not bite as they would / yet barke running in and out of the house / and stirr vp other to ver the pore travelling mā / which would passe on his way in peace: with this reproof his mouth was stopped / so as for that time he plucked in his head / and saide no more / and his mouth being stopped the P. presētly ceased contending. ThePhil. 3.2. Apostle exhorteth vs to taste hede of dogs: that [Page 112] is (as I take it) mē of doggish nature / who barke against / bite ād would devour the godly / if they could: WhichRev. 22.15 dogs God wil iudg. Though for this time his mouth was stopped / yet his envious nature notjer. 13.23 chāging / and that which was bread in the bone shewing it selfe in the flesh / whē we drew nere to England / he pretending that G.I. would be bolde in going abrode stirred vp M.L. to make G.I. promise / that whē he came to Lon­don / he should tary in the house / ād not go to any place without consēt of the Pastor and M. Stud. or else to keepe him on ship boorde. G.I. an­swered them / that they had no such authority to make him so to promise: that he ought not to abridg himselfe of his owne liberty: and for his part he would by Gods help be so careful of his liberty as they / but would1. cor. 6.12. make no such promise to go but where they pleased: M. Stud. begun to persuade Cap. Leigh / then to keepe him per force on ship borde: to whom G.I. said: the Captaine hath no such authority over me / neither can he do it / yea (quoth G.I.) M. Leigh you know that thogh they had promi­sed you to go with you / so they might have liberty / yet I never promised you / neither would receive liberty vpon suchAs in los­ses or pun­nishments the lesse may be chosen. 1. sam. 24.14 Act 27. so in persecution may not a Christian (so far as I see) have his hand in seeking or chusing any sorte before ano­ther / but leave it vpō the adver­saries / and submit him selfe with ioy to whatsoe­ver / til (by the meanes he can vse) the Lord safe or ful­ly release him. Ier. 26.14.15. psa. 57.1 mica 7.8.9. Heb. 11.35.36. Phili. 1.28.29. condition: and yet when you had got my liberty / and I was free to go / or stay / as I saw good / thē I promised that I would go with you / and so I have: yea you confessed in Newfound Land that I had performed my promise / and you there freed me: all which the Captaine confessed to be true: yet saidM. Stu. tirannicall counsel. Ier. 29.16. M. Stud. if I had your authority / I would keepe him in the ship: G.I. answered I would then write ashore / and it may be you would wish that you had not dealt so violētly with me: wel said M. Stud. I would lock you vp in the holde / where you should have no light: so (quoth G.I. might the Cap­taine beshrew himselfe by oppressing of me: and I see if you M. Stud. had power you would be as tirannical (if not worse) as the Prelates / but I hope God wil give courage against your malice / and the Captaine wil be wiser / then to follow your counsel / as in deede he was: for he vsed G.I. kindely / suffering him / and dealing frindly for him a shore / as he did for them: the Lord recompēse it into his bosome. The Pastor herein spake li­tel / and when he did / it seamed to be by M. Stud. motion. Riding together to London from Southampton / M. Stud. visited his frends who dwelt neere the way / but they would not be content that G.I. should speak to his frends / though they rode thorow the townes / ād by the doores / where some of them dwelt: which he put vp at their hands / yet sory and greeved to see such partiall dealing. Being come to London / and every one in seve­ral lodgings for the more safety / that if one came in troble / yet the other might escape: after a day or two / they sent M. Bishop to G.I. to certify him that it was knowen they were in the citie / and that he must provide to go forthwith to Graves ends tilt boate: where M. Stud. would mete him / and go with him: G.I. trusting the messenger (who was his sisters husband) tolde him he would make redy / ād desired him to lend him some money / for he had but 6. pēce and 3. pēce with some few halpentes left: he promised / that mony should be sent to him to Graves end: so they parted / and he made redy to go to the boate / where (when he came) he found not [Page 113] M. Stud. yet he wēt on his iourney / not doubting / but M. Stud. would be there also with the next boate: being come to Graves end / he waited one day / they came not: the second day / they came not: then G.I. begun to suspect that they dealt craftely with him / by such a devise to gett him to go out of the city / and was much greeved / that his sisters husband should so vse him / he having told him how litel mony he had / and not to keepe pro­mise with him / so as even there he had beene driven to some exigent / had not the Lord by his providēce in the way givē him to meete with a kins­mā / of whom he borrowed 10. s. The third or fourth day they came / and divers frends with them: G.I. asking M. Stud. why he met him not / ād asking thē how they thoght he lived / they knowing that 6. pēce was to be paied for his passage? they put it of / ād said they knew G.I. might have gone to a brothers house (who dwelled within 3. or 4. miles) and there needed not to spend / he asking them how he should have knowne when they came / they said they would have sent for him: he tolde them / that though they disappointed him / yet God provided for him having borro­wed some mony / and so thinking of there dealing more then he spake / per­ceived there practise to be as before he suspected / but passed it over / they taking ship together the next day to come for Amsterdam.

These particulars both of things in time of our prisonmēt, of our ba­nishment, ād iourney have I the more plainly ād fully set downe, that so from time to time the ground of these trobles, and proceedings therein may be plaine even to the simpliest: as also the careful and good reader may by sundry things therein make a good vse, ād see hovv stil the god­ly are subiect to trobles, and hovv the Lord delivereth out Psa. 34.19 20.21.22. Act. 14.22. of all: and helpeth both in 2. Cor. 11.23. to 30. 2. Tim. 3 10.11. al trobles by them without, by them within, by sea, by land, etc. If any enemy, carper, or envious spirit cavil hereat, let him consider the Apologies of the godly in al ages whē they have beene for­ced by enemies to relate their dealings from point to point, thereby the more to stop the mouthes of their adversaries. And what he obiecteth a­gainst or carpeth at in me, let him wel marke if the same may not be ob­iected against those in former ages also: and therefore I desier continual­ly the reader to iudg charitably of this relating, being (as I have often said, and must stil say) forced thereto: let vs now then proceede to that which followed.

Being come to Amsterdam / the Pastor and specially M. Stud. could not so cary themselves (how cunning as they were) but their countenāce was discerned by some brethren to be against G.I. and within 14. daies of their cōming (by wāt of shewing brotherlyLuk. 3.11. Iam. 2.13. to 17. 1. Ioh. 3.17.18. love / wherein they might wel have done it) they gave occasion to the brethren to iudg that there was a privy grudg in them towards G.I. because they huiring a great house / and havingLuk. 3.11. Iam. 2.13. to 17. 1. Ioh. 3.17.18. sundry romes to spare / suffered G.I. in necessity to go vp and downe seeking a place / and not once offered one corner of their superfluity. Wherevpon some brethren tooke occasiō to speak with [Page 114] G.I. thereof / if the matters were not ended / he tolde them yes / willing them not to take offence hereby / the Lord providing also for him a con­venient place / with which he was well contented.

Some two or three moneths after there being speach about chusing moe Elders and Deacons / the Pastor / and M. St. sent vpon the 25. of the moneth called November for G I and tolde him that they purposed to have moe Elders / and that they thoght the Church would chuse him / but he should not be / except he would confesse sinne in alledging Ier. 3.3. a­gainst the Pastors wife. He answered and desiered the Pastor to consider now that he begun to ripp / ād brea [...] this matter forth about Ier. 3.3. for at the sea when G.I. desiered to end this matter of iudgment betweene them the Pastor asked him / why he begunne it: wherevpon he tolde him / that he had purposed rather to have borne the burthen / then to break the peace or speak thereof any more: but seing he had now himselfe begun to break it his āswer was / that first concerning being Elder he desiered the Pastors and M. St. help / that he might not be elder / for he was both vn­fit / and vnworthy for so high and weighty an office besides some other re­spects / why he desired to live rather still a mēber thē an officer. 2ly. con­cerning the alledging of Ier. 3.3. he āswered them / that having weighed the matter both while they were at sea / and since / he saw not / but that he might so write / having opened her offēce to her / she first promising amēd­ment / afterward dissembling and pleading for it / becoming at length ob­stinate / yea boasting that she was innocēt and righteous: thus vttering the very same wordes (in a maner) which theIer. 2.35. people in Ieremies time vsed: and what fitter answer / thenIere. 3.3. Ieremies could he give? the pastor hearing this would not heare G.I. any further / who also would have shewed him other reasons / whereby he was persuaded in his iudgment / that it was not sinne to alledg that scripture against her / but he rose in great hast / saying / If you wil not acknowledg sin in alledging it / either you shal be excommunicate / or I wilbe no Pastor / and I would I were so free / His mea­ning she­wed it self afterward / threatning (when he could not draw the people to his bought) to be gone: but he was now bou [...] by ordina­tion etc. vnto them. as I was since I came to Amsterdam: brother (said G.I.) be patient / and requested M. St. to speak to him / who also requested him to have patience / but he went away in a chafe: being gone oh said M. St. I would those filthy cloutes had bene burnt / yea quoth G.I. if you and M. Settel had not flinched when the time was / but had stoodforth faithful against them / these trobles had never come thus far: did I flinch you? said M. St. Yea (answered G.I.) that you did / while they thus talked / the Pastor came in againe / ād G.I. seing him so impatient / as also thin­king what breach might againe arise hereof / offered vnto him (for [...]an. 12.18 peace sake / and least it should be known in2. sā. 1.20. Mica 1.10 Exod. 32.11 to 14. Gath. and Ashkelon) that acknow­ledgmēt / which afterward (reading [...] M: Dearings preface to the Quene. some places) he durst not againe of­fer: but the Pastor would not rest in it except he might have his minde ād wil / being in deede very impatient / and so for that time they parted.

The 28. of the same moneth wee meeting about some affaires of the Church / there was speach about one / who had apostated / who (as they said) had beene very proud / and vnduetiful vnto her husband: and one [Page 115] relating that it was thought she fel away having taken offence at the re­proving of her about her attire / the Pastor tooke holde thereof / and was very angry that she was so dealt withall / and said the Church was to be purged of such / who gave her offence by such reproofe: and there he tolde thatThe Pa­stor had cause to deal with her / for sue [...] and others willed the rebukers to deal first with the Pastors wife / who wore the like: so put­ting their fault of / by laying it vpon ano­ther: as if that excu­sed / and ju­stified thē. he had talked with her about her apparel. While these wordes pas­sed G.I. sat stil / and having not had any hand in the matter laboured in himselfe to be silent / knowing whereto the Pastor tēded: yea I f [...]eely con­fesse / it much greeved me to heare his speach / commending her / seaming to cover the matter of apparel / and inveighing against the rebukers / yet I absteined / and I spake notPsal. 39.1.2.3. Ierem 20.8.9. etc. that I ought at length he not ceasing / but sundry times vrging / as if the rebukers had bene the cause of her aposta­sy / I could not longer forbear / but said plainly / that not the reproving of her for her attire / but her evilIere. 5.23. Hebr. 3.12. and vnfaithful heart was the cause of her apostasy: herevpon he asked me / if I would justify the reprovers / adding againe that the Church must be purged of such. I āswered / that I knew not the maner of their proceeding / ād so could not justify it simply / neither condemne it / but I would justify that not their reproving / but her false heart was the cause of her apostasy: and as touching hisIerem. 29 26.27. Amos 7.10 Act. 22.22. threat to pur­ge the Church of such reprovers / I requested him not to vse such wor­des / but to deal according to the worde of God. Here passed many spea­ches / M. Sla. and M.C. relating many offences and evill things of the woman both concerning her behaviour / ād also her ill cariage to her hus­bād / which I wil not here repeat / with which the Pastor was somewhat cooled / and so for that day more brake not forth.

The 8. of the moneth called Decēb. being the 5. day of the weke / which was the ordinary day for exercise1. Cor. 14. of prophecy / after exercise about 5. or 6. a clock at night the Pastor and M. St. called G.I. before the elders / and asked him / if he would confes sin in alledging Ier. 3.3.? To which be­fore he answered / he destered them / and the other elders / M. Ains. the tea­cherI so call him as thē he was ac­counted / not as since he is disco­vered to have apo­stated. Ezec 44.8. 1 tim. 2.3.7 and M. Sla. one of the ruling elders to marke it / that as the weeke before they had begun and renewed the controversy at the P. house / so now they ripped and followed it before the other elders: and touching an­swer to their question / he said / that having weighed the thing very oftē / he was so far from seing sin in so alledging it / as that he must confes / the more he thought of the maner of dealing / the more he was persuaded / that he might do that which he did: they asked his reason. He answered / that before her mariage he requested her that if she maried the Pastor / she would reforme that apparel / and she promised she would do that which became his estate: being maried / and no amēdmēt made: he again requested and admonished her / and then she was so far from promising wel / as she made distinctions / if G.I. could prove it by Gods word to be vnlawful / or if her husband would have her leave it / she would: which change ādIer. 42.5.6.20. dissembling he noting in her (to say wel / ād no to do it) as also then hearing her shifting it of by such shifts / admonished her of her pro­mise and opened also vnto her by thetom. 12.2 1 tim. 3.9.10 1. pe. 3.1 etc Isah 3.16. to 24. Scriptures the offences of her apparel / she being now become wife to a P. of a congregatiō persecuted [Page 116] and banished / he also being in bonds / ād looking oftē for death etc. I say / having opened to her her sin (at which word the Pastor interrupted G. I. calling him some name or other / which now I remember not / but he went on / and shewed that having opened her sin to her) she would not promise as before / but waxed discontented / yea admonishing him and her sundry times by worde and writing / they sent bitter and scoffing letters againe / boasting that she was innocent and righteous / whereby (they fal­ling to the same sin / which they in Ieremy did) he was persuaded he might write as he wrote / namely / that heIt was not simply alledged against her but with mitigation but their fruites de­clared / that they could not suffer the words of admoni­tion / ād ex­hortation. Heb. 13.22 1. tim. 4.2.3 feared he might say to her / as Ieremy said to the people in his time. Then the P. and the E. asked and pressedMarke / that they force to na­me the things. him to tel / what the sin was / which he reproved? he answered / it was the sin about her pride / abhominable speach / and offensive beha­viour: then they vrged to particulars / about which we continued til ten a clock in the night / in which time G.I. was so reviled / as he never was before the Prelates / and opē adversaries: wherevpon he tolde M. Stud. (calling him fond fellow / ād giving him / that he had a hoate braine) that the Prelate of Canterbury / and others called al of vs hoate braines / gid­dy headed etc. But yet such wordes became not elders professing Christs ordinances: neither must such scoffs discourageIere 1.19. Eze. 2. ād 3. 1. Cor. 4.12. 2. Tim. 4.2 the rebukers of their sins / and corruptions: he also craved M. Ainsw. and M. Sla. to deal vp­rightly / but they (as seamed) being greeved satt sadly and said litel or no­thing. At this time there was speach about his acknowledgments: he tolde them he had done so much asRo. 12.18. possibly he could for peace sake / ād feared he had offended in yeelding / and ceasing before the Pastor and his wife acknowledged the offences into which they had fallen: they also waxing more bolde by his acknowledgments seeking to presse / and dis­courage his soule so as they now ripping againe the contentions / he pur­posed by Gods help to stand forth fast and faithful against their sins / til they repented / not daringgal. 2.5 ād 5.1. Nehe. 6.11. to 14. to yeeld so much vnto them againe / least he should be injurious to the graces of God / pulGal. 2.18. downe that which he had buylded: betray the truth / and so sin against God before whomIsā. 2.25. who wil plead? yet stil redy to acknowledg whatsoever he could beRom. 14. fully persua­ded of by the word of God. In the end they appointed him to appeare before them againe at one a clock vpon the second day of the weeke follo­wing: and so for that time we parted.

On the Lordes day after exercise / they changed the time from one to thre a clok the next day / ād appointed him to come to the Pastors house / which he did / it being theI note the daies and times so near as I can / follo­wing there­in the order of them at Frankf. as also that they may not have [...]ustly to ex­cept against they kno­wing that I noted ād wrote things so much as I could. 12. day of the moneth / where / after some speach had it was agreed / that we should write our mindes: they accu­sing / and G.I. answering / the other elders being to deal betweene vs: the Pastor begun and wrote his accusation against G.I. about Ier. 3.3. G. I. writing / and answering that the Pastor sett not downe the wordes as he alledged them / and proceeding on to sett downe the wordes / as he had written thē / the P. perceiving it tooke the paper from him / threw it aside / and would not suffer him to write. G.I. dealt with M. Ainsw. and M. Sla. that agreement might be performed / and that he might have right: [Page 117] M. Ainsw. spake to the Pastor that writing might be vsed: the P. being earnest and sharp with him / saying that he knew not what he did to speak for such a one / he ceased / yea said he to thē / if you knew him / as M. Stud. and I know him / you would not so speak: and so by this dealing ād insinuation silenced M.A. and M.S. yea broght them to their bought / that they vrged G.I. to answ. by worde of mouth: he tolde them the a­greement was that the accusations ād answers should be writtē / which he desieredLet men be careful to have things written when they are a­lone / and have not others by / who dare ād wil wit­nes / and deal vp­rightly in matters / and in the procedings Pro. 21.20.21. might be done / and right be had: they were willing / but the P. and M. Stud. would not: hereabout passed many speaches / ād at lēgth he tolde thē that he had found better dealing at the commissioners hands in England: and so he had / for they not onely wrote his answers / but suffered him to read them over / and to correct them where he pleased: ād he hoped he should have found much more favour in an eldership / espe­tially agreement being / that things should be written. The P. at length said he would deale against G.I. for three things: that he was a nouris­her of tale bearers: a slaunderer: ād a teller of vntruths: he answered / those were great wordes / and asked him / if (being not able to disprove the al­ledging of Ier. 3.3.) he now devised new accusations: ād wished the elders to marke his dealing.

As then, I desiered the elders, so now I request others also who reade these proceedings, to observe this and such like their dealing. At Londō all things were ended, peace and agreement made, onely that alledging of Ier. 3.3. left to G.I. his consideration (being a matter of iudgmēt) pro­mising if he saw better to confesse it, if not, then to shevv his reasons: the seal of the covenāt administred: things seamed forgotten; familiarity v­sed: fruites of love shewed: At sea M. Stud. having stirred vp the matter, the Pastor was angry that G.I. spake of it, seaming vnwilling to have spe­ach thereof, but rather to let it be buyried: at Amsterdam (being as I am persuaded by dealings since, stirred vp by M. Stud.) he vrged it, answer with reasōs they vvold not heare: but would have their vvil: vvhē they could not privately prevaile, they bringe it to the other elders: there the obiection and answer being heard, and could not get their purpose, they force to ripp vp olde matters, vvhich vvere ended: this vvay not pre­vailing they devise ād bring new accusations: ād thus they did afterward from time to time encrease them: not seeking to end the matter in que­stion, and so to rest, vvhereas the Rom. 14 1. etc. and 15.1. etc. phil. 3.15.16 1. Cor. 13.4. to 9. Apostle sheweth plainly, if there be difference in iudgment, yet there should be a vvalking together in vp­rightnes and loue: but they added pro. 26.20 Phil. 2.2.3. wood, and made the fire of contentiō hoter, and would force one to be of their iudgment, and to do vvhat they would have him: or else by their Ier. 18.18 with 15.10. Isa. 29.20.21. with 66.5 / 3. Iohn. vers. 9.10. devises, and new accusations procede, and so imagine, wring and wrest out a shew of matter worthy excommu­nication: if this dealing were Christian, or becōming elders, let the godly wise iudge.

Vpon G.I. his vrging the other elders to marke the P. and Mr. St. dealing / the P. begun again with jer. 3.3. and would prove by sillogism [...]s that it was wronglyalledged / labouring in deede byAs he is a good logi­cian / and it helpeth him much in a good cause: so can he also play the crafty sophister in a bad: the first will prevaile ād prosper / the latter wil deceive and faile him. Ier. 23.28. 2. cor. 11.13. Coll. 2.8 2. tim. 3.13. distinctions / falla [...]s / and sophistry to have gone beyond his brother / because those people were idolaters / his wife not: they obstinate / she not: their case and Iere­mies far different from this: which suttel reasoning his brother percei­ving shewed that though his wife were not an open idolater / yet prefer­ring her pride before the offēce of the people it was her idol / and a great sin: Ezec. 14.3. Phil 3.18.19 1. Cor. 8.12. that his wife was obstinate as they / boasting / as they did. Ier. 2.3 5. that she dissembled as they did. Ier. 42.5.6.20. promising that she would reforme / but did not: so as their case and Ieremies was not so different from this as he would by his subtill reasoning seame to make it: which also is plaine by the alledgings of te­stimonies out of the olde testament both in theMath. 15.19 / etc. with Esah 29.13 Ghospels / in theAct. 13.41 with Isah. 14.14. Habac. 1.5. arts of the Apostles / and in theActs 17.18 epistles against the people of those times which might have pretended the same / or like distinctions / if that would have served their turne. G.I. hath oftē shewed him his ill dealing / seeking by such distinctions to deceive him desired him to leave it of / and to confesse his fault therein: but he would not: much disputation and stirr they had hereabout / he ād M. St. often scoffingly answering / calling G.I. bablingActs 17.18 fellow foolish / fond / ignorant / slippery / yea adding wordes not to beeph. 5.3.4 named / which he noted / and vrged them to repentance / but they would not: he also desiered M.A. and M. S. who sat very sadly / to admonish thē of such reproches and gives / seeking by teastings / and laughings to cary away the matters / and discourage G.I. but they would not / M. A. wi­shing him to beare it and in stead of admonishing them / begun in a soft and milde maner (which I have often found since he can notablyMat. 7.15 coun­terfeat) to vrge the P. sillogism [...]s: G.I. āswered him to the effec / that is before:1. co. 10. ād Heb. 3. and 4. etc. When they could not prove it to be sin so to aledg it they repeated againe the three accusations / naming some parte of her attire and spea­ches which G.I. had reproved whereabout we continued very long / evē til ten a clock at night / discerning the time to be so far spēt by the watch mens and cattelmās cōming about who crieth and warneth aloud / how the houres of the night passe. While we were dealing about her aparel ād speaches she was called in / and being demaunded thereabout she gibed and reviled G.I. and called him brasen face / frivolous / bolde in evil / etc. He spake to the Elders to rebuke her / but they said nothing: at length he tolde her / that seing she was admonished and knew of the offēces that arose about her attire / speaches / and behaviour / and yet would walke as she did vp and down London vnreformed / it argued that she had a brasēIsa. 48.4. face in deede / else shee would not be so stout / and obstinate / and that he hoped God would make him a wall of brasseIere. 1.18. against her sins. Here­about passed many wordes betweene the Pastor / his wife / and his bro­ther / he desiering the Elders to deal with the Pastor and his wife for so reviling him / seing he did not other as stand out against their sins: but they said nothing to them / and being so late they brake of / and so for that time we parted.

The 14. day of the Mon. they sent for G.I. to come to them about 3. a clock: which he doing / they propounded vnto him to put the matter to six of the Church. He answering requested to know if by Gods worde a matter might be brought to private mē after it had beene in the assem­bly of the elders / and then he was contented: Herevnto they gave no an­swer: but they proceeded / and dealt with him for saying / that the P. wife scoffed at Gods providence / and willed him to open it: which he doing and shewing herIsah. 57.4 and 58.9 Psal. 22.6.7.8 Mat. 27.39 Mat. 15.29 maner and gesture / she (being present) said she might have done much more: he answered her / that it was greevous to sin / but much more to defend and boast / that she might do more herThe Pa­stor / thogh he would defend her / knoweth better (and could tel M. Iacob if occasion served) that a scoffe is not onely in reprech­ful wordes and gestu­res ioined together / but in the gesture alone or in the pro­nouncing of good wordes ironically / disdainful­ly / or gi­bingly: ād his cove­ring of these things is not by Gods spi­rit. Isah. 30 1. with 5.18 19.20. Iohn. 8.48 husbād de­fending her said she might say 10. times more: G.I. āswered he was sory to heare them make so light account of it / and wished the elders to mar­ke these things / speaking his minde to them concerning the matter of ge­sture: she being gone / the P. and M. St. said they were to deal with him about certain things / which fel out in time of his imprisonment: 1. that he had made a preface to be sett before the confessiō of our faith / ād made neither of them acquainted therewith: He answered / that he was sory to see such dealing / that whē they could not prevaile against him about Ier. 3.3. then they fel to 3. other accusations: these not helping them / to devise and raise other: and now to bring also things (which were secret / ād which they had espied in him in the time of his imprisonment) before the elders / having never dealtMat. 18.15. with Lev. 19.16.17.18. privately with him about the same: answering fur­ther / that (notwithstanding this their dealing) there was one present of the elders thēselves (it was M. Ainsworth) who could clear him in this point / and desiered that he might speak what he knew: the Past. would not suffer it: G.I. shewed / that seingpro. 25.27 and 27.2. and 31.31 mat. 11 4. etc Ioh 5.31 / etc. and 8.14 and 18.21. another could witnes and clear him / it was better he should do it / then himselfe: the Pastor would not / thogh G.I. vrged it earnestly: at length when he could not obteine it / he desiered that before he should further answer he might consider more of this matter / and the maner thereof. Then they broght a second matter: that he opposed himself against them when Roger Waterer was to re­late a matter to the Church: he answered / that he opposed not himselfe a­gainst them therein: but when the said R. W. was to be chosē and appoin­ted for a minister or messenger in affaires betweene the Church and the Prisoners / he being persuaded that he was vnfit / he would not give1. Tim. 5.21.22. and 3.10. Act. 6.3.5. his consent that he should be emploied in such office: Herevpon they asked M. Ainsw. and M. Slade / if he were fit to be an elder who would oppose himself against them? he āswered / that as touching being an elder / it was the office which he was vnworthy of / and was2. Cor. 2.16. and 3. [...]. vnfit for it / desiering to walke a member / and not to be burthened with any office: M. St. said it was an honour to be an officer. G.I. answered that it was a burthen / and if they did it1. Tim 5.17. with Rev. 2.24. wel / then was it anhonour: further he added / that if this refusal to consent (which they had kept in a note) would be a hinde­rance / he would furtherThey thoght he had desired the office / and (it may be) supposed / that he wold have acknowledged what they pleased / rather thē misse it: but now percei­ving otherwise / they satt as amased. help them to hinder it / namely / that when they [Page 120] would have given over their offices / he would not consent / but stoode ād wrote against it: so that if not giving consent to the former were a hinde­rance / they might ioine this to it also. They proceeded / and obiected a third and last thing which they had spied ād kept in writing / which was that when one goodmanThe said R. O. had apostated. Ore (as they called him) offered vp the praiers at the Church in publik / he sent word to the Church / trobled the Church and would not suffer him. G. [...]. seing this their dealing / and perceiving that this was the last thing which they had against him / told them that there in the presence of the elders he praised God / who had so kept him in his prisonment / that they could not say any greater matters against him: further he added / that thus to spy, into their brother / and to write things in a note against him / ād not duely to admonish him for thē / was not toRom. 14.13. watch over their brother / but toIere. 5.26. mic. 7.2. etc dig a pit / to spread a net / and to hunt him: and being earnest he exhorted M. Ainsw. and M. Sl. to marke this dealing / and requested M. Ainsw. (the teacher) to speak his minde / if in consciēce this were good / ād vpright dealing: but he would not: then G.I. willed him to remember / 1. Kin. 13. ād to take heede that the oulde Prophet deceived not the yong / and herewith (G.I. being very earnest / and speaking against such dealings of eldersPsa. 55.12. etc. Prov. 28.3 towards brethrē: specially of prisoners to a prisoner suffering bonds for one faith) they were for a while all silence: then they asked his answer to the point: he an­swered that it was a false accusation / and that he had not trobled the Church: the Pastor being angry (when he heard their dealing so discove­red to the other elders / and that G.I. answered that their obiection was a false accusatiō) replied / that that was aIer. 43.2. So said Azariah / Iohanan / and all the proud men to Ieremie that he spake fal­sely: but such repro­ches excu­sed them not / neither covered (but added to) their sins. false wicked mouth: G.I. re­quested M. A. and M. S. to reprove this / ād his former bitter revilings: but they would not he then vrged them to prove their accusation: they vrged him vpon his conscience to say / what he had done therein: he an­swered them / that he hoped they (being elders) would notThis dealing is condemned by these scriptures. Ioh. 18.21. Acts 24 8.20.21. and 25.16. deal as the spanish inquisition / to inquire and examine him vpon his conscience / and so to finde out / and prove accusations against him / making himselfe his owne accuser / if he had done any thing: Here at they being moved and an­gry vsed some hard wordes: that he was impudēt and vngodly to com­pare them to the spanish inquisition: he āswered that he hoped he should not be impudent yet bolde against their ill dealing / also that he compa­red them not together / but they inquiring into his conscience / whē they could not prove their accusatiō / he tolde them / he hoped that they (being elders) would not deal as the spanish inquisition: then they asked him / if he talked not with any brother of the Church about that matter? he an­swered / if they would make that a fourth accusation / he would answer it / shewing them / that it was one thing toPsal. 122. 1. Cor. 12. speak with a brother about a matter of care / and duety in the Church / and another to be spied into / and accused as aSo it may be were the brethren accounted. Isah. 66.5. Re. 2.23.24 and 3.4. trobler of the Church: and here he advised M. A. and M. S. to learne by his example how they walked with them: for they might see how they had spied into him and sought matter of accusation against him: then M. A. and M. S. speaking together with them / they [Page 121] dismissed him. He going away said / God give you to see your sins in this maner1. Concer­ning Iere. 3.3. 2. their rip­ping vp of matters ended: 3. their thre accusatiōs: 4. the P. wifes scof­fing: 5. ther laing wait / seeking to entrap / ād devising accusations etc. of dealing with me.

The same night they sent G. C. vnto him / that he should be with them againe in the morning / he answered / that in the morning he would give him answer / some busines being fallen out / which he knew not / whether it could be deferred.

The next Morning they sent for him againe by M. Bowman / and G. C. with charge to come vnto them / he tolde them he had speciall busi­nes fallē out / which could not be deferred / ād desiered them to request the elders to bear with him: They sent them again to signify / that they commaunded him to come: he asked them / if they had delivered his an­swer in the maner he spake it? M. B. said yea / and repeated the very wordes: then (marveling at their maner of commaunding) he asked if they vsed the wordes of the elders / they answered yea: and M. B. added that ofEzra. 10.7.8. Ezraes commaundement / to prove that they might do it: G.I. showed him / that there were divers differences betweene elders / and Princes: betweene present time / and space of time: and so they had some reasoning: at length G.I. said he could not then stand to reason / being to go about the speciall busines which could not be de­ferred / and which he had promised to the marchant / which was pre­sently to go forth of the city: so as he againe desiered them to certify the elders: or if nothwithstanding his former answer / and request / all busines and promise laid aside / they wold have him go (which he was persuadedIn neces­sities / and dueties of charity / which cannot be differred the Lords mercy spa­reth vs even from speciall dueties. Mat. 12.7. yea M. Bowman then con­fessed that a man being to go a iour­ney vpon speciall occasion the elders ought not to hinder him / also he graunted that a whole Church ought not to excommunicate a man / having busines / and desiring respit. they ought not) they then would write it vnder their hands: this the messengers would not: then he desiered them to signify to the elders his answer and request as before / and that if it satisfied them not: then they would write / that they commaunded him (all busines and request laid apart) to come: adding further / and desiering M. Bowman / that he would speak his wordes as nere / and as reverently / as he could vnto the Elders: which he promised: they came again the third time with the same commaund / adding that the elders accoun­ted it contempt: and would that he should say yea or no. He asked M. B. if he had vsed the least word / gesture or signe of contempt: he con­fessed no: as he also witnessed afterward in the open congregation. Wel then said G.I. certify I pray you my answer stil as before. M. B. vrged hard that he would say yea or no: G.I. perceiving to what their dealing tended requested M. B. to cease for he had given his an­swer and desiered him and the other messenger to rest content seing they had done their message and had their answer: promising / that if it pleased the Elders to appoint him any other time he would come: he also desiered them again that with al care and reverence they would sig­nify his answer as before: telling them that he was sory to see the El­ders deal after this maner.

Then (to my rememberance) they added / that the elders would bring it to the Church: he answered / that / if notwithstanding his request / reve­rent answer and promise they would so deal / he must be content / hoping God wouldRom. 8.28 worke all things for the best.

Thus (so far as I remember, and the notes, which then I wrote about the procedings, do witnes) was the dealing in the assembly of the elders: leaving nothing forth which may make for them, or against my self, dealing herein (though in my secret chamber or study, yet) as in Gods presence who Psal. 7.5. 2. Cor. 5.10 Rev. 2.23. seeth and searcheth the hearts, trieth the reines, and be­fore whom we must all appeare, and therefore I set them downe as they were done so neare as I cā, being willing (as I have alwaies said to them, and to the preachers and elders of the reformed Churches, dutch and French) to acknowledg whatsoever they shal shew me by Gods vvorde to have failed in: for Iam. 3.2. in many things we offend all: and who 1. Ioh. 1.8 9.10. is it, that sinneth not? yet that thereby they should force me to allow job 13.7. etc with 27.5. or iustify their dealings, and to leave the innocēt and righteous dealing of stāding forth against their sins before they repent, the Lord keepe me from that, shew me mercy, and give me strēgth to chuse to be found his faithfull servant vvalking in Ps. 69.21. 2. Cor. 6.1. to 10. what sortes of afflictions he shall try me withall, by honour and dishonour, by evil report, and good report, rather then to be vnfaithful jsa. 8.11. Reve. 2.20. and halting with them in all prosperity, quietnes, and plea­sure whatsoever: knowing that this life is but a toiling Iob 5.7 and 14 1 time, afflictions vvil have an end, and the 2. Cor. 1.3. 1. pet. 5 10. Father of mercies, the God of all comfort, ād grace enabling to suffer, confirming, strengthning, stablishing, and in his good time making perfect, will change Revel. 21.2. to 7. with 3.4.5. sorrow into reioicing, heavines into gladnes, the garment of mourning into a white garment: in a word he that overcometh shal inherit all things: in his Psa. 16.11 presence is fulnes of ioy, and at his right hand are pleasures for evermore: to him be glory, ād 1. pet. 5.11 dominion for ever, and ever amen.

Here likewise let me desier the reader to observe, how even Pastors, Ezech. 13. and 34. and elders (striving for corruptions, and not getting their vvils) do de­vise, and proceede: what heb. 10.36 ād 12 1. etc. Iam. 5.7. to 11. patience, wisdome, and strength also a man neede to have that dealeth against them: for if the reprover of pride, ab­hominable speach, and offensive behaviour in a Pastors wife be thus v­sed, pillowes sowed vnder the elbowes of the sinners Ezech. 13 10. to 22. corruptions les­sened and daubed, and all matters turned and brought vpon the rebu­ker, vvho vvould rebuke sin? surely it is hard to be done, as may be sene in like cases by Elies, Ezechiels, Ionas and Ieremies 1. Sam. 2 and 3. Eze. 2. and 3. etc. ier. 1. and 9 and 15. and 20. Iona. 1 and 2. etc. examples: and yet it must be done, for far better to displease men a 1000 times, then God once, and certainly as it is speciall 2. Tim. 1.15. with 2.1 and 4.16.17.18. strēgth to stand forthfully against o­pen enemies, so is it Gen. 49.23.24 more special strēgth to stand forth against the sins [Page 123] in a mans brethren: all being professors of one truth: and much have vve neede to meditate vpon, and to pray God to Ps. 119.38 Rev. 2. ād 3 stablish in our hearts those gratious promises and earnest exhortations so often repeated, ād writ­ten by Iohn the servāt of God not onely to the Churches in general, but to the members also in speciall, who stoode forth, and strove against the corruptions of the Churches, vvhereof they were members Worthy also the same dueties are those sweete and couragious speaches of Micah, ād the Apostle, that the truth of them (thogh not in Prophetical, or Aposto­lical, yet) in our measure may be found in vs: they are these. Mie. 3.8 Yet not­withstanding I amful of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of iudgmēt, and of strength to declare vnto Iacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. 2. tim. 1.7 compared with 1. cor. 12.4. 2. Cor. 4.13 We have not received the spirit of feare, but of power, and of love, and of a sound minde. Was it not likewise about this duty of admonitiō, that the Luk. 17.5 Apostles said vnto the LORDE, INCREASE OVR FAITH? How much more have wee neede to pray for the same continually? The God of povver, strength, vvisdome, and al 2 Chro. 29 11.12.14. etc Iam. 1.17 good graces enable vs more and more (as to other dueties, so) herevnto for his name, truth and mercy sake, Amen.

To returne to the proceedings. They (notwithstanding G.I. his re­quest / and so reverent answer as he could possibly sēd / thereby labouring to cut2. Cor. 11.12. away occasion from them seeking occasion of accusations / They broght it before there was refusal to hearken vnto them: so that evē herein (if there had bene mani­fest offēce / which there was not / as I am persuaded / yet) they bringing it to the Church be­fore there was refu­sal / yea whē request with hum­ble and re­verent an­swer was givē them / they brake the rule. Mat. 18.16 17 they I say) having got the other elders to their bought / in their wil and headi­nes broght the matter before the Church: who comming together the 16 day of the Moneth about the same / M. St. signified that there had beene a controversy betweene M.G.I. and Mris. Iohnson / also betweene the Pastor and G.I. that many writings had passed betweene them: peace was soght by the brethren brethren came with M. Iohnson to decide the controversy: that he called her good name into question: the P. would ta­ke acknowledgment of overcariage: that G.I. confessed overcariage: that he (to witt M. St.) thoght / seing M. Iohnson the Pastor was an elder / and things might come abrode / that G.I. was not onely to confesse it before witnesses / but vnder his hand in writing: that he had writtē to the P. and G.I. hereabout: that he gave him over as the vnreasonablest bro­ther he ever dealt withall: that the controversy afterward was againe while they were in prison revived / ād firstHerein M. Stud. dealt very vntruly and vniustly. Levit. 19.11. Ierem. 9.3.4.5. Ephes. 5.25 / 1. Peter 2.1. by G.I. that being at liberty the matter was renewed: the acknowledgment recalled / that they vrged to confesse the recalling: that they broght it to the Church at Londō / thatHis own mouth witnesseth that all things were ended / and Ieremie 3.3. left as a matter of iudg­ment was it not now then their sin to ripp them vp againe? Prover. 6.16.17. all things were thē ended / least if (being banished) they should have ex­communicated one another adversaries mouthes should have beene o­pened: that the alledging of Ier. 3.3. was left to him to consider of as be­fore is said: that they dealt with hī at the sea about it: that being come to [Page 124] Amsterdam / they dealt with him also / vsed all meanes by the elders / and what their iudgment was they should discerne: and that now it was broght vnto them: then he propounded to G.I. this question. Did you not before M. Bishop: Davy Bristoe / and your brother con­fesse overcariage?

G.I. hearing and writing this relation so neere as he could / stoode vp / and requested of the Church to weigh things well / and that as he had not interrupted M. St. (thogh he related things both craftily / and vnfaithfully) but heard him to the end: so he might have liberty freely to āswer: ād so much the rather / M. St. having not once named the ground / and cause of the controversy: not shewed the maner of G.I. his procee­ding with the P. wife / but telling all that might make for them / and no­thing that was against them / relating not what made for G.I. but whatsoever he thought made against him: charging him also vniustly to have renewed the mater / themselves having in dede done it: not once mē­tioning what meanes / and offers G.I. had vsed / and wherevnto he yeel­ded both at London and here for peace sake. While G.I. was thus speaking the P. and M. Stud. interrupted him / and willed him to āswer to the question: He then desiered (seing the matter was broght to the Church as an offence) to know his accuser / for he had perceived their maner of dealing with him in private and before the elders (about three matters, about Ier. 3.3. 2ly. about three accusations. 3.ly. concerning three obiections kept in writing) and they now bringing it to the Church he would proceede according to rule / and therefore stil desiered to know hisDeu. 1.16.17. and 16.18.19.20. Ioh. 7.24 with Acts. 24.20. and 25.16. accuser. The P. hearing their dealing related / burst out / and said / I wilObserve the Pastors stoutnes in his own cause. suffer no such cariage: brother (said G.I.) your wil must not be a law: think not with great wordes or high cariage to discourage me: and I stil desier to know my accusers. The P. againe repeated the matters related by M. St. exaggerating them / telling the Chur. that G.I. had written theI desier the reader to see in pa. 96.97. if it be so vngodliest and abhominablest letter / they were not able to shew the vngodlides thereof: Hereby stirring vp the Church and willing them to call for his answer to the question / G.I. requested the Church not to acceptLev. 19.15 2. Chron. 19.9.10. Prov. 24.23 iam. 2.1. etc persons / but to deal vprightly / and that he might know his accuser: some of the brethren spake / that he might know his accuser: the P. said / he knoweth and confesseth the matter / and yet demaundeth to know his accuser: yea (answered G.I.) as I know the matter for which you cal me before the Church: so I desier to know mine accu­ser: then said M.S. allIt is one thing to cal for an an­swer / or to deal in a matter: another to tel who is the accuser: but with such shifts they would have put of G.I. from knowing his accuser. call for it. G.I. stil asked who is my accu­ser? then said M.S. againe / our Pastor M. Studley and M. Settel dealt in it. I confesse (said G.I.) they dealt in it but I stād stil to know mine accuser: then said M. S. we officers call for it: are you officers then said G.I. mine accusers? The P. seing that G.I. would not answ. before he knew his accuser / and that some brethren had spoken / it was meete he should know his accuser / broke out / and said / I am and will be his accuser / M. Studley also is witnes: then G.I. desiered that they might stand forth: the Pastor said he was not of that iudgment: G.I. [Page 125] shewed that beingDeu. 19.17 Act. 19.38. and 24.20. and 25.16 accusers they oght to stand forth / and not to fitt as iudges in their own case: then said M. Studley / that G.I. stood for this at London / and much stirr was about it: yea said G.I. you there got your wils / but I desier the Church to keepe their liberty: M. Ains­worth broght the example of Moses and Corah / that Moses was there iudg and party: G.I. answered that he (like the adversaries) wrested that scripture / the controversy there being not alike: also that Mo­ses was not Iudg in his own case but theThis is apparant Numb. 16.16. to 36. so that this place ma­ket against them. Lorde betweene him and Corah: about this matter was much speach / they pleading hard for it / and some of the Church pleading that accusers were not meete and equal Iudges in their owne case. The Pastor perceiving them of the Church, to speak in G.I. behalfe reproved them / as not knowing what they did / as ignorant what to be done in controversies etc. so as the Church said no more vnto them. G.I. desiered the Church not to lose her authority: not to suffer accusers to be iudges in their owne cases: but do he what he could / they dismaied the brethren / andHere the Church lost her authority / ād suffered themselves to be decei­ved by their leaders. Revel. 3.1. 2. Iohn. 8. Heb. 12.15. to 25. got their wils as they had done at London. Having got their wil they fel to accusations: and said that G.I. had charged her with musk / as sin: he answered / that the excesse / not the vse he condemned / as also she taking it vpon her con­science that she had none / he had answered and satisfied that matter be­fore. Then they propounded that he charged her with a toyish hat: he confessed that he was so persuaded it was in her / shewing the fashion / her maner of wearing it / specially in time of her husbands imprisonmēt etc. then the P. ād M. St.Marke M. Stud. craft how he would have fore­stalled the brethrens iudgments with which dealing they char­ged G.I. vniustly at London. desiered that the elders might first give their iudgment thereof / and then the Church to speak. G.I. perceiving their drift / that having got the elders to them / they would thus have drawne the Chur. by their iudgmēt also (mēbers being very lothe to contrary el­ders) desiered that this course might not be vsed / but that both parties might be heard / and so the Chur. to try and iudg / seing the E. had before heard ād spokē: herevpon both sides were heard and it was long before any of the Chur. would speak: at length M. Ad. said / that it was vndecēt / vncomely / and not meete: then the P. asked if it were such / as might not be worne in time of imprisonment. G.I. desiered thatI desier the reader to read the place 2. kin. 5.26. and so let him try ād consider whether it were folly to answer with Eli­shahs speach vnto such a question. Elishaes speach might be read: then said the P. givingly. See his folly / and conceit: adding further that the hat was not toyish in the nature thereof / and so dis­coursed thereabout / that the Chur. cōcluded it not to be toyish in nature. G.I. āswered that he spake against the hat in her being a P. wife / he in bonds etc. ād not that the hat was simply vnlawful in the nature there­of: thē the P. made a sillogisme: What is not in the nature thereof toyish that used by any is not toyish: the that in the nature thereof is not toyish ergo being vsed by her it was not toyish. G.I. repeating this sillogisme desiered that it might be written: then the Pastor changed the sillogis­me two or three waies: G.Iohnson stil shewing him that he reaso­ned deceitfully / and shewed to the people that thogh velvet in it nature were not toyish / yet if common mariners should wear such / it would be a token of pride and toyishnes in them / also a gilded raper and a fether are not toyish in their nature / neither in a Captaine to wear them / [Page 126] and yet if a minister should weare them / they would be signes of great va­nity / toyisnes / and lightnes in him. When the P. could not deceive his brother by his sillogismes / then he fel to a discourse about attire. 1. how it came in for sin. 2. the diversity of it / that2. Sam. 13.18 Thamar was clothed as a kings daughter. 3. that one attire was lawful in one country which not in another 4. that diversity of persons. 5. circumstāces of comelines / gra­vity / decency / educations / mens abilitie / ād estates were to be considered: which he thusI have a letter of his wherein he answered the offence / which the brethrē be­yond seas toke at his wifes ap­parel / vsing therein the like wor­des: which (as occasiō requireth) wilde sett do one in the discours following. discoursing with cunning and smooth wordes seamed to satisfy the people / as if his wife had offended in none of these / but G.I. answered that even his admonition was in respect of his and her place / their estate / and condition / she being a Past. wife / he in prison / looking for death etc. so that even his own wordes condemned him / her apparel ha­ving not gravity in it / but after the youthful maner / yea such as offēded al sortes of people. Here they called for witnesses that her apparel was such. Then M. Adams / This Christoph. Dickons and Willi. Houlder became vn­faithful herein. Christopher Dickons / and William Houlder witnessed / that it gave great offence / yea W. H. said that comming to visit the P. in prison withful purpose to contribute to his necessities / when he saw his wife sitting there so apparelled / his minde was so trobled / that he came away / not daring to give the contribution which he had purpo­sed: so offensive was her pride then vnto him. The brethren thus begin­ning to speak / the P. vrged the Church / that they gave him nothing / that her clothing was not vpon their cost / that if she might not weare that she had he would be gone. M. Adams answered that it became them not to tel what they gave: the P. said / he was not meant: others answ. that they could not do more to him / then they could: some also added / that her pride hindered contribution: here at the pastor stormed very sore / vrging them that they should provide for him / his wife / and his posterity / also to make vp that againe which was spent of her stock in the time of his im­prisonment: here about the brethren and he had diverse wordes til M. A. pacified him / and desiered him toMarke that this matter making a­gainst him / was thus passed over proceede. Then heHe accused ād M. St. witnessed it / yet now the letter is come to light / it is not somuch as named: yet I then rather tru­sted them / then my selfe / and for peace sake yeelded / and acknowledged also sundry things / but they (as to this day) the more pressed / and soght to discourage / by how much the more I yeelded / and soght Peace. Now the one accusing and the other witnessing falsly: let the godly wise iudg if they be not false accuser / and witnes and so that cometh vpon themselves / which they would bring vpon me. The Lord worke in them repentance etc. Deut. 19 16. accused G.I. that he charged her with wearing laune coives / as if it were vnlawful for her to wear laune: he denied that he so charged her: M. St. witnessed that he did: then he āswered if so it were / he charged her with excess of laune / as he had withercesse of lace etc. not denying her the vse / so as she vsed it mode­stly: then the P. (after his maner) scoffingly would know in what the ex­cesse was: He answered in setting it forth vpon her head wide and large that her haire might be seene / as the maner of worldly weomen is (some having affirmed) that she laid out her haire: shewing also that by theIsa. 3.16 to 23. prophets wordes it seamed the daughters of Ziō abused their launes. Some wordes had hereabout / they proceeded to another accusation about the kodpeece breft: G.I. desiered / that they would set down the accusation as he wrote and meant it (being ashamed to name it) namely the long white brest / called of the world by that filthy name: but they would not so sett it [Page 127] downe: Mr. Adams / and Mr. Paris witnessed that the brest was of that fashion / which the World so called / and desiered M.S. so to sett it downe / but he would not / bitterly calling G.I. impudent / shameles etc. stil naming it so odiously / and they charging G.I. that it was his worde so to make him odious to the people: he denied / but the Pastor and M. Studleis wordes prevailed / so as G.I. was condemned by the Church

Now the letter is come to light it is apparant that they charged him falsely: for there he plainly saith he was ashamed to name it, as also other wordes: onely he must vvrite, as he had heard. The reader may see the truth thereof in the letter, page 96. 97. and seing they shamed not to bring and speak these things publiquely, which in all love with greefe vvas tolde and written to them secretly, they may thanke themselves if they heare that now vvhich they would not, they forcing vs thereto: yea the truth hereof vvill appear further by some letters, vvhich (vvriting out this sheete for the presse, and searching my notes about some mat­ters) came to my hands, I not remembering that I had any such, for if I had I vvould have ioined them to the letter before, they being written about the same time, and giving great light to the proceedings, but now (the discourse of this first publique troble at Amsterdā being part printed, and part vnder the presse) vve must refer thē to some conveniēt place in that which followeth,

The next accusation was about her busk: he answered that the fashion which she vsed / he held it in her vnlawful being a Pastors wife etc. the simple vse / or the vse of it for infirmity he condemned not: and desired M. S. to sett down his wordes as he spake them / who said plainly / he would not: then G.I. desiered the brethren to marked if that were vpright dea­ling in the elder / to set down the accusation in writing / and to sayThus perēptorely dealt the elders not onely when they were alone / but in the open assembly / whereof let the godly wise iudg what the end of such dealing was like to be. flatly / that the would not / when he requested him to write the answer: some of the brethren speaking / they said it waxed late / hasted / ād read another ac­cusation about whale bones in the petticote bodies: to which G.I. an­swered / as he did concerning the buske: that the vse of them in a Pastors wife after the fashion of the world was vnlawful: if she vsed them for in­firmity / he condemned them not: here the P. pretending that they might be vsed of all / Christopher Dickons requested him not so to speak: for so he might bring in many inconveniences among their wives etc. he then called him selfe liking / conceited fellow etc. C. D. desiered the brethren to speak and to help him: for if the P so dealt / whoHe in deede him­self was afterward discoura­ged / and became vn­faithful in this actiō. durst contrary him: thē William Eiles / and M. Paris said that whalebones were lawful in vse / and yet might be abused: which wordes M.S. was desiered to sett down / but of long time he would not: here the P. and M.S. vrged the brethrē to speak what their minde was: none speaking / they said they tooke their si­lēce for consēt / ād so would herein have condēned G.I. also: then William E. said / that al mē who were silent gave not consēt to cōclusiōs / whereat the P. being very āgry / ād again vrging cōtributiō / he ād M.S. so vrged [Page 128] W.E. that theyThe bre­thren confessed after­ward that it greeved them to see the P. and M.S. dealing: yet they hoped that W.E. yeelding would have done good / but it fell out to the worst they growing more bolde / and more vsurping over the congrega­tion: the brethrē also greeved the more / and yet durst not speak. entrapped him in his speaches / and ceased not til they made him confesse offence towards the P. They having related these accusations / ād having other in a paper / which (waring late) they read / and delivered to the Brethren who were to try the apparell betweene that ād the next meeting / whether it were such as G.I. said it was / the P. and M. St. promising that they should have the gown sent to them / to try if the busk could be worne so low therewith / as G.I. had said: thē G.I. desiered that he might have leave shortly to relate what he had to say which the brethren graunting / and he beginning / the P. said he would not suffer it / but would represse such dealing / and that he would deal with authority / G I. told him he boasted of his authority to much and that by vrging contribution he sought to discourage the people / and draw them to his bought: but for his part the more he soght to get his purpose by such meanes / he would by Gods grace be the more bolde and stand forth the more against his corruptions. Where at he so stormed / that (like M. Horne before mentioned in the trobles at Frankf.) he made show as if he would be gone if the people suffered such dealings / and if his wife might not weare that which she had. M.A. appeasing him / it was concluded / that the brethren should try those things / and that G. I. should give his answer to them: which he promised to do in writing / if he might have a copy of the accusations: as he had given a copy of the things / whereof he admonished the Pastors wife: the P. and M. S. said / that he should have no copy: he asked how he could remember the parti­culars / they bring as he perceived by their reading about 30. but say he what he could / and some brethren speaking that he might have a copy / they would not graunt: but willed the brethren who had the paper / that they should not give him a copy: and so for that time the meting was broken vp.

G.I. after the meeting dealing with some brethrē / that it was against equity / and civilAct 25.16. dealings to deny a man a copy of that / wherevnto he was to answer / ād thē much more in Geligiō among brethrē professing so strict a profession: meanes were vsed that he got to write forth a copie.

They 30. accu­sations. were written as follovveth. From one accusa­tion they rose to three / from those three / to other three / and now from them to thirtie. Let the godly wife marke this dea­ling. Accusations against M. G I. by Mr. Fran Iohnson about his wife. 1. Carnal vanity. 2. That she wished her selfe a vvidow for a Papists sake. 3. that, it is to be feared, she veri­fied the proverbe, that having buyried one husband, she caried not how many she buried. 4. God keepe our Pastor to vs thogh she wish other­vvise. 5. Thou hast an whores forehead, and canst not be ashamed. 6. Re­member M. Suthebies vvife, whom he called Tom. M. F. Iohnson said, she vvas an harlot: G.I. answered, that he charged not his wife so to be, but praied God to keepe her from it. 7. That she ruled her husband. 8. Filthy lascivious, abhominable. 9. Aquaffer 10. abhominable immode­sty 11. abhominable speach. 12. Smooth wordes, and handkerchifs, which Decemb. 12. he said was the vse of harlots. 13. That many of the [Page 129] servants of God had said, it had beene good that I had never seene her eies, ād that some vnderour roofe had said it. 14 That the church might repent, that ever she vvas my vvife. 15. that when some said it vvas pitie that we twoo so contended, my vvife answered tush, let them go toge­ther. 16. His going about to set variance betwixt the elders 17. his char­ging me, that if I vvere knowne to others as to him etc. 18. That if I were to be chosen, etc.The meaning was / if he were to be chosen Pa­stor / his dealing ād not refor­ming nor governing his wife would hin­der him. 1. Tim. 3.5. 19. That I so deceived with smooth wordes, that I vvould bring in corruption into the Church 20. ThatThis was spokē whē they so re­viled / railed and repro­ched / as is mentioned. Page. 56.if Cate­line were there. 21. that she vvalked vp and down in London vvith a brasen forehead. 22 That I vvas vvaxē colde, as some reported. 23. that I spent more time in defense of pride, then against the adversaries. 24. That I cavilled daubed, and abused the graces in me. 25.This is meant of his wife.Vaunting in shop doores 26. His comparing the elders dealing vvith the spanish in­quisition, and then with the commissioners in England. 27. His compa­ring vs to the olde and yong Prophet, 28 His warning M. Ainsw. and M. Slade to take heed how they walked, with me and M. Studley. 29, His going about to breede ielousy, and set variance betweene me and my vvife 30. His refusal to come at the request, charge, and commaunde­ment of the elders being sent for.

Thus vvas the vvriting verbatim, worde for worde, without chāging, adding, or diminishing: as in their owne paper they may se, if they please for I desier herein, as in the rest to 2. cor. 11.12 cut away occasion of cavilling from them so much as I can.

Herevnto G.I. gave answer shortly in writing within a day or two to the brethren who were to try the apparel / and to consider vpon these accusatiōs of the Pastor against him. To the first / Tou­ching car­nal vanity. that it was vntrue: he did not charge thē therewith / but requesting the party who tolde him to deal with him thereabout / he wrote to him / that some things were tolde him (which he hoped the party who saw them would tel him) and requesting exhorted him to take heede of carnal vanity: and that oneIsah. 5.18. and 30.1. vanity followed not another. And in deede I never in my life charged him or her therewith / but they would by oftē ripping it vp have drawn mee thereto / and the more they raked herein / the more they discovered there ownRev. 3.18. filthy nakednes as afterward will appear in a larger answer to these things / which I was enforced to give / when they raised vp these things the second time at Amsterdam. To the secondHer wi­shing her­self a wi­dow etc. he answered / that so it was tolde him that she wished etc. being demaunded he named the witnes who heard it / A.C. who affirmed / and witnessed to the P. wives face / that so her speach was. To the third / About the proverbe. that vpon her former so wi­shing / and vpon her husbands / and her labouring to cover the sin / being a breach of Eph. 4.29. and 5.4. Col. 4.6. he did so write vnto them: that it was to be feared etc. To theAbout praier for the Pastor. 4. he confesseth / that vpon occasion of the [Page 130] former he did so write: To the 5.About Ierem. 3.3. he answereth / that the P. dealeth vn­faithfully in this as in other / adding diminishing / changing wordes or gathering as he pleaseth / whereas he oghtLevit. 19 13.15 iustly / and rightly to sett down my own wordes / and the occasion of such writing: for having dealt with her in general about her attire mentioned in the paper / she promi­sed amendment / but did not / afterward continuing the same / pleading for it / growing worse / and worse falling fcom sin to sin / scoffing the admoni­sher and rebuker / yea there being a boasting (as they did Ier. 2.35.) that she was innocent / and righteous / he wrote not simply as the P. seameth to affirm / but that he feared he might say as Iere. thē said 3.3. To the 6.About M. Suthebies wife. that it is vntrue for he wrote not to him to remember M. Suthebies wife / but M. Sutheby / who was a wife / godly / and zealous manHe was the preacher of the town where we were borne / the matter wel known to vs both / and there­fore In [...] ­med him. (as M. Studly vrged Salomons example) and yet was blinded / and overca­ried with his wife. 2. ly. he did not write / that the woman committed a­dultery / but that M. Sut. fel out with the professors / and his dearest frends / they dealing with him about his wife / whom he called Tom. so that my brother chargeth mee with twoo vntruths herein / and in deede gathereth things in the evil part / in that he thinketh I compared their wives. To the 7.About ruling her husband. that his brother M. F. I. much changed his wordes: making them simply affirmative / and charging / whereas here also it was said / that it was to be feared / she rather ruled him / then he her / and G.I. gave divers reasons why it was so to be feared / as about Delive­rance M. Penries daughter, about seading away for his bookes / etc. To the 8.About the wordes lascioio [...] filthy etc. he answereth / that he requesteth the P. to sett down the occasions / and causes / why G.I. vsed these wordes / and remember the things to which they were ioined / as the kodpeece brest etc. and so let the brethren judg whether he might not vse them? To the 9.About calling her quaffer. he remembereth not that he so called her / but hearing that she so drancke or quaffed wine / as a pa­pist being in the company said to another woman (leaving some wine in the glasse) that she had some modesty / but M [...]s. Iohnson shee / etc. spea­king it as with wondering / she dranck all of / and left none / he wrote vnto her / and requested her to take heede of such drinking or quaffing where­by offence came to them / who were present: now if she oght to have takē this admonition in ill part / or her husband to pervert it / and make an ac­cusation thereof / let any brethren judg. To the 10.About abhominable immo­desty. likewise that he remē­bereth not / that she charged her with abhominable immodesty / but dea­ling with her about that speach of wishing her selfe a widow for a Pa­pists sake / which is here the 11.Abhomi­nable speach. accusation / and they daubing it vp / he wrote the speach was abhominable / Ephe. 5.3.4. to be abhorred of Chri­stians / ād that they ought not so to stretch the wordes of admonition but to take it in good part / and to amend. To the 12.About smoothe wordes ād handker­chifs. that with smoothe wordes she deceived him / like the evil sonne who vsed smooth wordes / Mat. 21.30. but did not performe his promise: and like thē Ier 142. ād 43 who promised to obey but dissembled in their heartes: ād decēb. 12. 1597 she stil vsing smooth wordes / but declaring no vprightnes in deedes / he tolde her / he could not beleeve smooth wordes / seing she had so deceived [Page 131] him / as also even harlots could vse smooth wordes wipe their mouths with handkerchifs etc. so that with her smooth wordes she must ioine good deedes / if she would be beleved: now if the reader take his bible / he shal finde the very wordes thereProv. 7.5. and 30.20. vsed. To the 13.The Church might re­pent that shee was his wife. he āswer. that having proceded by way of request / admonitiō etc. telling her also how the chur. was greved with the offēces which arose by her attire: by the earnest sen­ding for away of deliverance M. Penries childe / whose minde was that his childrē should remaine wheresoever the Chur. was: I say telling her hereof / and she making light hereof / speaking also disdainfully or scof­fingly of the people / he tolde her / that the Chur. might repent / that ever she was his wife / divers also being hindered by her attire that they came not to the Chur. To the 14.That so­me said / it had beene good / that he had ne­ver seene her eies. they so said / adding if so it had bene the wil of God. touching the party vnder their roofe / he denying it / as others do o­ther things when their own consciences (as afterward appeared) tell thē cōtrary / I refer it with the rest to God. Others also there are in the congregatiō / who have so said: whō I desier to speak faithfully ād bold­ly / not fearing mens faces. Some also there are in Englād / who vsed the same / or very like speach. To the 15.That so­me saying it was pi­ty the bro­thers so contended / she said / tush / let them go together. he āswereth / that it was tolde him she vsed some such speach / whereby the party (who wept to see M.F.I. write so sharply against his brother) perceived / that she had no great care to have him and his Brother to be in peace together / or to have the controversies cease: yea the party being named and examined at Lon­don denied it not simply / but weeping / ād thorow fear faltering in speach G.I. said he pitied their case / and wished that there had beene more bol­denes to witnes the truth. To the 16.Went about to set variāce among elders. it is an vntrue and vncharitable accusation / and he desireth that the Lord wil give his brother to see his sin in this ād all other his dealings against him / finding true that which he hath often written to him. Proy. 17.14. and 18.19. To the 17.If the P. known to others as to him. he an­swereth / that the P. vsing the same speach of him to the elders / he said the same of him / having in deede found from his youth / that he in all contro­versies dealt most bitterly with him / thogh he had the truth on his side / and that the P. afterward yeelded to the same / as in divers particulars he could relate. To the 18.That if he were to be chosen. that he dealt not with him about his office / but dealt in all reverence with him / and yet reproved the sins of his wife and his covering of them by his learning / and gifts / but not by Gods spirit Isa. 30.1.Vsed smooth wordes etc further the P. vrging this accusation G.I. answered / that these things could not deprive him of his office: but if he were to be chosen / these things in his wife being not reformed by him would be a hinderance according to the rule. 1. Tim. 3.5. To the 19. he answerd that being called before the elders / the P. and M. St. partly by hard wordes but most of al by smooth wordes / and faire gloses of the liberty of the ghospel / so seduced M.A. and M.S. that they would say nothing against the apparel / but begun to cover his wives and his dealing / wherevpon G.I. said / that by Gods grace neither hard nor smothe wordes should deceive him: for smooth wordes might bringSince that time this is proved to true as hereaf­ter wil ap­peare. in corruptiōs into the Chur, and here vpon was the occasion of the speach: To the 20.If Cate­line there. he confesseth [Page 132] that his brother having not once twise / or thrise / but many times / not with one or two / but with many revilings reproched / and railed vpon him / at which being much greved that the elders would not rebuke such reviling he said to his brother. If Cateline were here / could he revile me more? And I desier the brethrē to hear theSee here­of. pag. 56. particulars and so let thē iudg whether I had not occasion thus to speak. To the 21.That shee walked vp and down London with a bra­sen fore­head. M.F.I. dealeth not vprightly herein: for he did not so charge her / but she being called in when they dealt about her apparel before the elders / and G.I. shewing his proceeding with her from point to point before he alledged Ier. 3.3. she called him brasen face / bolde in evil / etc. wherevpon he tolde her / that so many offences being taken / and so many reproches given by reason of her attire / which were tolde her / and she knew / and yet would walke vp and down London as she did vnreformed / she shewed that she rather had aIsah. 48.4 brasen face: and that it had beene wel for her that she had not had such a brasen face therein / being stil obstinate / and justifying her selfe to the great griefe of many.That the Pastor was waxen tolde. To the 22. he affirmeth that some so said and having named them / seing they deny their wordes / and wil not justi­fy to their faces that which they have spokē / he willeth them to let their own consciences be witnesses of their dealing / for his part he cōmitteth it vnto God / but must not deale haltingly also to deny it / thogh they be vnfaithful. To the 23.That spent more time in de­fending his wives pride. etc. that the Pastor doth not set downe his wordes as he spake them: for he said the P. was more earnest in defending his wives attire / speaches / and behaviour / and more bitter against his bro­ther therein / then ever he saw / or read him in the cause of Christ against the adversaries: and how true this is his practise in both wil declare to him that wil try them. To the 24.Cavilled / daubed / etc he affirmeth that his pleading and covering the attire / speaches and behaviour was cavillingEzech. 13. ād daubing / else what is daubing?Daunting in shopp doores. yea (her attire / speaches ād behaviour giving such offence as they did / and he seeking by his learning and gifts to cover it / ād to discourage the admonishers boasting that she was innocēt and righteous) he abused his gifts / as also not his wordes or learning / but herPro. 31.31 owne workes ought to praise her in the gates.Compa­ring their dealing with the spanish inquisition / and then with the Commis­sioners in England. Pro. 31.31. To the 25. he answereth / that it was so tolde to him / that she so did both in M. Heighams shop doore / and in her brother Iacksons doore. To the 26. it is most vntrue / for he compared them not together / but they dealing by way of inquisition and entering into the conscience when they could not prove their accusations / he tolde them he hoped they would not deale as the spanish inquisition: yea M. Crud (having beene in the hāds of the spanish inquisition) confessed / that he was not so strictly inquired into / as they did into G.I. neither compared he them to the commissio­ners in England: but it being agreed that the Pastors accusations and G.I. answers should be written / which they also begun to do / but the P. broke of / and would not suffer. G.I. vrged the agreement / and craved the elders help that promise of writing might be kept: Which when he could not obteine / but by the P. and M. Stud. shifts / cavillings / and pe­r [...]ptory dealing was put of / he said / he had found more fauvour or vp­right [Page 133] dealing at the commissioners hands in England / then at theirs / and so it was / for they wrote his answers and suffered him to reade thē over / to see if they had written them as he spake etc. To the 27.Compa­ring them to the ould / and yong Pro­phet. this al­so is an vntrue accusation: for he compared them not to the olde ād yong Prophet: but M. Ainsw. having heard the matter / and beginning to vr­ge the P. to keeping of promise / and yet by the P. and M. Stud. was dis­couraged / and drawen away so as he was not onely far from vrging thē any more but rather reasoned with thē: G.I. desiered him to remem­ber. 1. Kin. 13. and to take heede that the ould Prophet deceived not the yong: and the Apstostle giveth often such exhortations / and namely. Heb. 12.15. etc.

To the 28.Warning M. Ains. worth / and M. Slade to take hee­de how they wal­ked with the Pastor and M. Studley. he answereth / that the P. dealeth not vprightly herein / but leaveth out much: for the P. and M. St. having once sent for him about Ier. 3.3. and could not prove it to be sin in him so to alledg it against the P. wife / but fell to threatning ād peremptory wordes: the next time they dealt about three other things: where G.I. vrging thē that they ought not to go to other matters but to holde to the point of Ier. 3.3. now in hand / they yet would take what course they pleased / sometimes dealing about Ier. 3.3. sometimes raising vp other accusatiōs: yea being againe called before them and the other elders / they would deal with him for matters / which were spied (for so I take it I may wel terme it) in the ti­me of his imprisonment / being also in number three: which when he had heard ād answered / even in that assembly of elders he praised God who had kept him that they had no greater thing [...] against him / seing he was so espied into / and things kept in writing against him for a day: shewing them that if they had beene offences they oght to have dealt with himMath. 18.15. Levit. 19 16.17. Ephe. 4.26 privately before they had broght them before others: but he was per­suaded they were dueties which he ought to do / and that he offēded not against them in doing them as he did. Wherevpon he desiering M. Ains. to speak his consciēce concerning this maner of dealing / which he would not / he exhorted and warned him and M.S. to learne by his example to take heede to themselves in their walking with the P. and M. St. who had (being prisoners for one truth) soPsal. 55.12. etc. spied into him contrary to civility and much more to Christianity: yea he added at this time / that if they should excommunicate him (the Pastor having so boasted) they should be the Church standing in high transgression / and declining to defection: fur­ther theIer. 5.26 Ezec. 13.18. Hab. 1.2.3.4. Mica. 7. 2. Col. 3.13.14. Scriptures are many / which condemne such lying in waite for their brethrēs halting: such digging of pits: and such hunting them with nets: the Lord in mercy give them to see their sins and to repent. To the 29.Going about to set ielousy be­twene the Pastor and his wife. it is a very vntrue / vniust ādIt is far from true love so to pervert / ād take things in the evil part. 1. Cor. 13.5. Rom. 1.29. vncharitable accusatiō: for requesting him and her that things might be reformed: writing to them the repro­ches that were givē forth about her attire / the offences which were takē at her behaviour / and the greefe which was among the brethren for the same: felting the repressing of sin / the stopping of the mouths of al fortes of adversaries / ād the taking away of that / which hindered the weak for comming vnto the truth / I say thus to deal with them / and to be earnest [Page 134] with them to cast away those things which gave such offence to al sortes of people / it was far from seeking to breede jelousy / or to set variance be­tweene them: yea so far / as cleane contrary he sought the honour of the truth / their credit / ād good name etc.1. Tim. 2 9. etc. and 5.1. etc. Tit. 2.1. etc Paul. declaring the dueties of hus­bands ād wives / writing against pride / ād exhorting to modesty.1. Pet. 3.1 2.3. etc. Pe­ter exhorting husbands to dwel with their wives as men of knowledg: wives by godly conversation to shew themselves daughters of Sarah / to avoid costly and outward apparell etc. ād to be clothed inwardly with meeknes / quietnes / etc.Isa. 3.16 17. to 24. Isah. also speaking against the pride of the daughters of Zion: these I say thus dealing did not go about to set va­riance / or breede ielousy betwene men and their wives: neither did the people of those times pervert and presse their speaches / gathering such accusations against the reprovers of sin / thereby to repay bitternes for love / andPs. 109.4.5. Ier. 13.17 with 18.20 hatred for frendship.

To the 30.His refu­sal to come at the re­quest / charge / and commaun­dement of the elders / being sent for. it is an vntrue and vnchristian accusation as sundry of the rest are / seeking matter of strife / and by odious accusations to make the rebuker of their dealings odious: for whensoever they sent he went vnto them / and never refused: the daies and houres appointed he was most ca­reful to observe not onely as of conscience because he held them true offi­cers in Gods Church / and so would deal in al reverēce1. Thes. 5.12, 13. Hebr. 13.7. towards them / but also because he perceived / that they sought matter against him / so as he sought to2. Cor. 11.12. cut away all occasion from them. Yea the very last time when they charged and commaunded him to come (whence they take oc­casion of this accusation) they know that he sent like request to them to bear with him / seing a busines was fallen out / which could not be defer­red / as also he would come at any other time which they would ap­point / desiering the messengers to signify his answer with all reverence vnto them: which they also affirmed they did: yea they sending againe / ād pretendingWho could not hence easily perceive / that they sought oc­casiō / whē a reasona­ble answer with re­quest wold not satisfy them? Mar. 6.19 Ioh. 18.19. to 23. Acts. 4.16. contempt / he answered stil with reverence / requesting the messengers to witnes if he gave the least worde of contempt / and they witnessed that he did not / yea the messengers confessed themselves that he said he would come at any other time if it pleased them.

Thus was writē at the ēd of the āswer.It greeveth me brethren that I finde such dealing in the assembly of the elders / I must speake frely / and not fear mens faces / least the LordIere. 1.17. drstroy me / and the like I crave of you brethren not toIsa. 8.12.13 ād 51.8. joh. 14.1.27 fear men / but God / which I hope / and you give good testemony / that you do / in that you have left your native country for the truth: and now I beseech you stand forth for a sincere / and holy walking therein / even in all maner1. pet. 1.14 conversation: and remember the estate of the Churches. Rebel. 2. ād. 3. How hardly my brother the Pastor / and M. Studley deal with me in these proceedings raising vp one accusation to thre / and thre to three moe / yea at length to thirty / and all for standing forth against his wives sins and their dealinges let any Christian iudg according to Gods wor­de:2. Chron. 19.6.7. and the Lord be with you / and direct you to do that which is plea­sing in his sight for his name and truths sake.

Thus was writtē in the su­perscriptiō.Here according to my promise I send this to my brethren gathered together to try and consider of the things fallē forth in this controver­sy / craving of them to returne the other writing / ād this vnto me againe according to their promise.

I pray you brethrē besides 2. Chro. 19. reade now also Deut. 1.16.17.

Heare the controversy betvvene your brethrē, and iudg righteously betwene every man, and his brother Ye shal have no respect of person in iudgment, but shall heare the smal aswel as the great: ye shall not fear the face of man, for the iudgment is Gods

The brethren being mett together / and having the accusations and answers with the other writing / begun to try the matter of apparel / and (as I heard by some) the most things were cōdemned: they sent also for the gown / which the P. and M. Stud. had promised they should see: to try if the brest could be therwith worn so low as G.I. affirmed it was / and which the P. with M. Stud. denied could be so worne: but the Past. and M. Stud. wouldThe past. and M. St. beco­me promise breakers. not let it be sent: the brethrē (as I heard) sēt again and requested it might be sent according to promise: but they would not / and in deede their wil prevailed: wherevpon the brethren couldThe bre­thren here were greved yet after­ward stood not forth faithfully against the P. and M. St. to kepe their prōise not try things as was appointed and so brake of: G.I. his answer and the other writing were also returned vnto him. Now that the reader may know what this other writing was / which here is mentioned / it was as foloweth: and stil I must request the reader to remember / that they then forced me to write / and now also drive me to publish them: so that if any thing not beseaming Christians be named or published / they have beene and are the occasion / and being (as it seameth) hardenedIsa 48.4. Ezech. 2.4. and 3.7. Heb. 3.13. thorow the de­ceitfulnes of sin so will they stil have it.

These things following were reproved in Mris Tomison Iohnson the Pastors wife touching apparel, she also admonished thereof by G.I. the Pastors brother.

First the wearing of a long busk after the fashion of the world con­trary to Rom. 12.2, 1. Tim 2 9.10. 2 Wearing of the long white brest after the fashion of yong dames, and so low she wore it, as the vvorld Thus did I set down the wordes to them in private yet they would publiquely leave out part / and name it af­ter the odi­ousest and filthiest name / which I ashamed to name / as in the letter appeareth / pag. 96 97. call them kodpeece brests. Contrary to the former places, and also to 1. Pet 3.3 4.5. 3. Whalebones in the bodies of peticotes Contrary to the former rules, as also against nature, being as the Phisitians affirme hinderers of conceiving or procreating children 4 Greatsleeves sett out with whalebones, which the world cal, .... I name not this worde for the reasons mentioned in the same pages. Contrary to the former rules of modesty, and shamefastnes 5. Excesse of lace vpon them after the fashion of yong Marchants vvives Contrary to the rules of modesty. 6. Foure or five gould Rings on at once. Con­trary to the former rules in a Pastors vvife. 7. A copple crowned hatt vvith a tvvined band, as yong Marchants vvives, and yong Dames vse. Immodest and toyish in a Pastors vvife. Contrary also to the [Page 136] former rules. 8 Tucked aprons, like round hose: contrary likewise to the former rules. 9. Excesse in rufs, laune coives, muske, and such like things: contrary to 1. Tim. 2.9.1. Peter. 3.3. forbidding costly apparel. 10 The painted Hipocritical brest, shewing as if there were some special workes, and in truth nothing but a shadow. Contrary to modesty, and sobriety. 11. Bodies tied to the peticote with points, as men do their dublets to their hose. Contrary to 1. Thes. 5.22. conferred with Deut. 2 [...], 1. Iohn 2.16 12. Some also reporte that she laid forth her heare also Contrary to 1. Tim. 2.9, 1 Pet 3 3. A pastors wife thus attired at any time / much more vnder per­secution / was it not offensive / and to be admonis­hed? or ought the the admo­nition to be taken in ill part?.

Touching the abhominableSpeach was reproved / but the P. per­verted the admonitiō as if she had bene charged to have so wi­shed in deede. speach and speaches which were vttered by her gi­ving offence / and whereof she was also admonished they were as follow.

First she wished her self a widow for a papists sake. Contrary to Ephes. 4.29. and 5.9. 2. she scoffed at the people / when I tolde her that divers of the people (as was said) were greeved and offended at the earnest sending away for her husbands boo­kes: and for Deliverance M. Penries daughter. This scoffing condemned by many places. Ephes. 5 / 1. Pet. [...] 13: to 17. [...] she scoffed / because I wrote that God by his providence gave me to prevent her suttelty when she sent Gregory (her brother) with a letter and sent it not by my Father: she scoffed / and said / that I kept a stir about Gods providence. This convinced by Math 10.29. as also by the former places. 4 When I reprove and dealt plainly with her she said such dealing was not suffera­ble. This dealing like that in Ier. 26.8.9.11. Amos 7.10. 5. SheWas it not strange and gree­vous that the P. and she would thus boast they being tolde of the offences which a­rose by her attire etc. boasted that she was innocent and righteous / notwithstanding men and weomen / who were without of the profanest sorte / and professors (as they are called) spake most grevous things concerning her attire and behaviour. This convinced Ier. 2.35. with Ieremie 3.3. Prov. 17.15. and 24.24. 6. Alderman Tailors wife / anAct. 21.16 ould professor since Q. Maries da [...]s having sent him maintenance and help in his prisonment said / when she saw his wifes pride / that she wouldThis proveth that her pride hindered be nevolence / and contribution. not give any maintenance to maintein pride. This offence and giving occasion of such speaches is condemned 1. Cor. 10.32 Col. 4.5 1 Thess. 4.12. 7 The prelate of Londons wife / and she compared together for pride by the Clarkes in M. Sedels office. 8. They called her a bouncing girle / and said / that if any of their preachers wives were such we would say they were bouncing priests wives. 9. It was also wished and said take heede that shee make him not a ....I stil name not these wordes in print for the causes before mētioned. p. 96.97 How greevous things these were to arise vpon her attire let Chri­stians hearts iudg as in Gods presence. Sure they are breathes of the commaun­dements. Ephes. [...] / 1. Pet. 1.14.

Touching her actions and dealings giving offence, whereof she was likewise admonished, they vvere as follow.

First she stoode gazing, bracing or vaunting in shop doores. Contrary to the rules of modest behaviour in the daughters of Zion, and condem­ned. Isah. 3.16, 2 She so quaffed wine, that a papist in their company said to another vvoman: You leave some, and shew modesty, but Mris, Iohnson, shee He spake it / as wondering at her drinking: Thus the party who was by related and witnessed. etc. she doth not. This behaviour condemned 1. Thess. 4.12. and in the places named before 3. She laide in bedd on the Lor­des day till 9 a clock, and hindered the exercise of the worde, she being not sick, nor having any iust cause to lie so long: This contrary to the [Page 137] diligent care, and redines, which should be in Gods servants Psal. 119. Isah, 58.13 Ezec. 20.12. Act. 20.7. &c. 4. Her behaviour in all stout­nes, ād (as some said) disdaine: she also (as some compleined) did not wil­lingly visit the poore. This is contrary to humility, and love. My brother decemb. 16. It was also writtē by thē / and set in the forefront of the accusations against G.I. pa. 127. named in the open assembly: Carnal vanity: a thing in my iudgment not to be named, as divers of the rest are not: Ephes 5.3 4. Some particulars also (which I wrote in private) are named, which I would not have related for divers weighty reasons, as also specially per­suaded by the scripture mentioned, but they have ripped them vp thē­selves, broght them to rememberance, ād so have discovered their own filthines, forcing me also to write them. Which seing they have done, I request you Brethren to try and deal about these things according to Gods worde.

After these things was written in the paper which the brethren had as followeth. These things being sene / heard of / and found in any Chri­stian / much more in a Pastors wife / he being prisoner for the truth / and sincerity thereof / are not lawful: she being admonished promised amend­ment / but did not: which smooth answer and maner of promise is con­demned Math. 21.30. Ier. 42. etc. Being stil dealt withal / in processe of time she so covered things / pleaded / and was so far from confessing fault / as she boasted innocency and righteousnes: and so it wasBy her husband the Pastor. pleaded to be in her / laying also reproches vpon the admonishers of these things: na­melyThese ād such like were vsually his arguments and weapons against the reprovers of their sins. fancies: conceited heads: would fal to anabaptistry: calling them vngodly / wicked / heathenish / with sundry such other reproches and revi­lings. Here vpon the party which admonished wrote and said / that he feared he might say to her as Ieremy said in his time. Cap. 3.3 the peo­ple then boasting innocency and guiltlesnes Cap. 2.3 5. And I am stil persuaded that (seing the offences in apparel / speach / and behaviour be­fore mentioned were found in her / laid open and admonished / and yet she would boast innoceency / and righteousnes) it was neither sin / overcari­age / nor abuse of the place so to alledg it / thereby to bring her to se her sin and to make her ashamed if it wereEzec. 12.3 possible: yea how heavy a thing it is for a Pastor to rake in these things / and to force me to write them a­gaine / labouring to discourage the reprover / and to cover all things in his wife let Christians iudg according to the worde of God. Iohn. 7.27. Deut. 1.16.17 / 2. Chron. 19.7.8. with Ezec. 13. Amos. 5. and 6.

This writing being returned. to G.I. he found on the backside there­of thus writtē.Thus was it witnessed whē the brethrē examined things yet afterward to the P. and M. Studleis face the two last witnesses failled. Witnesses for wearing the codpeece brest, ar the world call it, so low as the world would weare it M. Adams. Widdow Rou­les: Elizabeth Bates. But it having bene in the elders hands these lines were rased: concerning which rasing I say (as the publisherPag. 112. of the tro­bles at Frankf. did concerning the rasing of the article against Aposta­tes) that I know not what they meant / and of such dealingSee more thereof before in Pag. 52. 53. let the godly wise iudge.

On the 20. day the elders and the Church meting together / the pastor said that his brother first repeated these things / and accused him as a peace breaker: he answered / that they in the assebly of the elders demaun­ded and forced him to repeate them / he then also requesting M. A. and M. S. to observe / that they again renewed the matter: so that they brake the peace / ād did that in deede / whereof they vniustly accused him: here about there was great strife / they accusing G I. to be the peacebreaker / ād he shewing that they were the peacebreakers by sending for him ripping vp matters bringing them before the elders / and now before the Church: in all which he stil was defendant / and answered their accu­sations: at length some of the Church said that in deede the P. and Mr. St. begun / and broght the matter before the Church and not G.I. so as they could not charge him to be the peacebreaker. Then saidM. Ains. still dealt sleely: for now perceiving that G.I. vrged the P. and M. St. to be the peace breakers / ād so brogh that vpon thē / which they would have brogt vpon him / ād that the Church witnessed with G.I. then by a sleight he draweth them from that to another mater. But hence it appeared that they were the peace brea­kers / and so continue stil / as yet not repen­ting to this day. M.A. you are first to heare the accusation of M.F.I. and then G.I. if he have any thing to say against it: then the P. said that G.I. had charged his wife about her apparel / honesty / and behaviour: G.I. requested the Church to observe that they were found the peacebreakers / and so were guilty of that whereof they falsely accused him desiering they might be called to repentance / and dealt withall as they would have dealt with him / seing they accused him falsly. Deut. 19.16. to 19 but they were not vrged here­to (the Church sitting silent / and) M.A. willing G.I. to answer to the P. accusation. He then answered that he had admonished her about her ap­parel / and behaviour: but for honesty or dishonesty he had not dealt with her / and that the apparel should have beene tried / but they would not suffer it / yea breaking promise with the Church concerning trial of the P. wifes gowne etc thenMarke in these proceedings how one while one elder ano­ther while another putteth forth an obiection / vseth a shift / or de­viseth a de­vise / stil en­creasing / but not ceasing corrupt dealing. Ieremy 23.11.14. M. Stud. obiected that the Church at Lon­don having concluded concerning it / the Church here oght not to enter into it. M. Adams answered that if the matter were concluded at Lon­don / but not rightly / and so broght to the Church here to be examined / they ought not to feare to come to light: M.S said that the elders would examine it / and so the Church should conclude it the was answered / that the elders had alredy dealt therein / and broght it to the Church / ād ought not to recal it: M.S. gave no answer herevnto / but proceeded / and said / the P. accused G.I. that he charged him and her with carnal vanity / ād that M. Stud. witnessed it: M. Ainsw. wrote the accusation / and Mr. Stud. added this clause / that so it was / so far as he could remēber. G. I. before he answered vrged them with breach of promise to the Church about the gown wishing the Church againe to kepe her liberty / repea­ting also that they were the peace breakers / requesting them to cal vpon them for both / and desiering that things might be ended in order / before they so proceded to others as they pleased: here the elders begun to be hote / and the P. said that he obiected against G.I. by way of charge: he answered / that when he wrote thereof he charged them not therewith / but exhorted them: also that now he broght it not / neither named it in the paper / which he gave / but they themselves broght it: then the P. and [Page 139] M. St. would expound the wordes of his letter / that he received the re­porte / and broght it as a charge: G.I. requested the Church to decide / whether they or he ought to be the expounders of his wordes and mea­ning. Mr. S. said that G.I. did receive the reporte: he answered that thogh he heard it / yet it folowed not that he received it: for mē may heareDeut. 17.4.5 1. Cor. 11.18 and cry a matter: then finding out the truth thereof / they are to re­ceive it and to deal accordingly. Here M.S. fel to reproching / calling G. I. a man of a harde face: the P. compared him to Clapham: he answered them that their reproches must not discourage him / ād desiered the Chur. not to suffer them so to reproch him standing forth against their corrupt dealings. Much stir there was about this accusation of carnal vanity: G.I. stil answered that he had not charged thē therewith / ād touching particulars he would not name them: M. St. was exceeding importu­nate that they should be named: G.I. would not stil vrging them with Eph. 5.4. At length (they being stil as they had bene before importunate) he tolde them they might rest contented / he had not charged them there­with / neither would he name the things / but seing they were so importunate they might examine goodman Martin about the same / who (ha­ving heard such stir in the congregatiō here about) confessed to M. Adās and afterward also to G.I. that it greeved him to heare that the P. ād M. Stud. would vrge such things / that he himself had seene so much filthy vanity in them / as he was much trobled in his minde therewith almost twoo yeres / and yet had not the power to deal with the Pastor for it / confessingG. M. oftē confessed / and lamented his weak­nes to deal incōtrover­sies / he was a very ten­der consciē­ced man / and as I have heard alwaies la­mēted these trobles / thogh he had not po­wer publi­quely to stand a­gainst thē. Rom. 14.1. and 15.1 Iude v 21 his weaknes therein / and being contēted that G.I. (seing they so vrged and forced him) should name it that he was so trobled the­reabout: which he now doing the elders concluded to send to him (being then at his day labour) to know what he had sene: the messēgers broght his answer to the elders / who repeating it / would have daubed / and co­vered it / but it was so shameful that it would not be covered.

The particulars whereof if I should recite / Christian eares I am persuaded wold tingle / and cry fo for shame fy for shame: so that for my Part I wil not name them: if they be not yet ashamed thereof they may do it in their boasted answer: and as I have said of the like / so say I hereof / let them consider what will follow when they force me further to lay them open: if they shame not to plead for sin / and to daub vp iniquity I hope and rest assured in God that he wilEze. 3.8.9 1. Cor. 1.25. Mica 3.8. Gen. 49.23 24. embolden and strenthen me to stand forth against them so long as he spareth me life: and I rest assured all their co­verings and daubings will the Lord vncover and cast down. Isah in his time cried in witnes against the IewesIsah. 1.2. O heaven O earth when he told them their sins: and surely in comparison I may say that theIere. 2.1 [...]. heavē and earth would blush at the things which yet these ashame not to daub and pretend by their shifts / that they might be done. I confes it greeveth my soule to see how impudēt they are become / evē to cover any thing in the elders be it never so grosse: they having daubed vp the Past. wifes pride etc. also his corrupt dealing therein they afterward daubed vp apostasy in their teacher M. Ainsw contrary to their own writings: and now also Dan. St. having daubed with them / they daub vp his wantonnes with his wifes daughter: I name not these things here or in other places to disgrace them the Lord knoweth: for we professe one truth: but greved that (being vanished for witnessing against the prelates etc.) sins and corruptions should be so daubed vp among our selves, Rom. 2.

In the time while they sēt to G.M. they fel to handle that accusation of wishing her selfe a widow for a papists sake: G.I. named the reporter Ann. Colyer. she was examined / and witnessed first that the Past. wife so wished: then the P. called her wickedThe heathen accounted it most vile even in Magistra­tes to draw people to witnes what they pleased by threatning feare re­wardes etc what is it thē in Chri­stians / and most of al in elders so to deal? vngodly woman / vpraided her that when she was his servant he had given her this and that / what also his wife had done for her so as he discouraged the woman / that she be­gun to falter in her wordes. G.I. desiered the Church that witnesses might not be so vsed / and that (howsoever she had beene theirIob 31.13 servant) she might not be discouraged from witnessing the truth. M.S. also vp­raided her that she dealt wickedly / and vngodly. G.I. desiered them / if she had miscaried herself / to deal with her for that according to rule / but not to discourage her from witnessing the truth. Some also of the bre­thren spake that witnesses ought freely to speak the truth in a contro­versy without respect of persons: the Pastor (as his maner was) waxed very hote: and it waxing lateThis M. Ainsworth alwaies helped the Pastor at a lift / when otherwise he had bene crushed vnder the burthen. M.A. propounded to the Church to defer the matter till the 3. day of the weeke following / and so for that time we parted.

Betwixt this and the Lords day following the woman being greeded and trobled in minde that she should be so vpraided ād reproched by the elders for witnessing the truth / and that they cast in her face what they had given her whereas she did them service for the same / made her greefe known to her husband / who (so far as I remem­ber) himselfe went and dealt with the P. wherevpon she was sent for to the Pastors house the 22. day of theI found the very day of the moneth noted among my wri­tings whe­rein they told me that this was done. moneth and after some speach with her confessed his fault in vpraiding her / and asked her if she were therewith satisfied. This did her husband or she themselves tel vnto me: Wherevpon I asked (that thogh it were wel that he confessed privately / yet) whether it were sufficient to confesse a fault privately having disgraced vpraided / and reproched openly? Notwithstanding this confession yet afterward they so dealt with her that she would not so openly and plainly witnes as before / but was discomforted / and discouraged by them: of which dealing / as of the rest let the Godly wise iudg.

On the Lords day following being the 25. of the moneth / the Pastor read the 53. PsalmeLet any Christian read the Psal. and iudg if a Pastor stood a­gainst or rebuked by a people for corrupt dealing about his wives apparel etc. could fitly alledg this Psal. comfort himself by Dav. example: apply the people to the [...]phims / or the admonisher to Saul etc. yea I doubt not but the accusation of misalledging the Scriptures wil come vpon his owne pate: which he wold have broght vpon his brother / alledging Ier. 3.3. against his wife.: ād explaning it dealt so palpably that the people perceived he compared them to the ziphims / who would have delivered David into Sauls hands inveighing ād applying things so grosly that many were greeved / and yet afterward none durst rebuke him: further the same day in his lecture he inveighed so palpably against G.I. com­paring him to Absolom: to Iudas to Corah / Dathan / etc. that divers of the people feared G.I. would there presently interrupt / and rebuke him: but God gave patience til they dealt againe about the controversy / and then G.I. admonished him for perverting the Scriptures / abusing the place of preaching making it a place to bluster out his affections etc After evening exercise George Martin was dealt withal about the mat­ter of carnal vanity / M.S. Saying that G.I. named him as a witnes: whereat G.I. stood vp / ād wished them to deal vprightly in the matter: for he had not nominated him as a witnes / seing he had made no charge [Page 141] or accusation thereof / but thēselves raking it vp and being importunate to have him name particulars / he tould them that being persuaded by Ephes. 5.3. he would not name them: yet at length thorow their impor­tunity he said they might examine G.M. about the same etc. they com­manded G.I. silence: he thē requested the Church (who heard his speach) to witnes if so it were not? then Robert Iackson rose vp / and witnessed that so it was: Whereat the Pastor being very angry rebuked him / and called his brother Absolom / the elders affirming that G.I. nominated G.M. as a witnes: he stil answered as before is noted: at length goodmā Martin relating the matter they entāgled him in his wordes / ād being weak they discouraged / and wearied him / that he said he would deal no more therin: then M.A. alledged Deu. 19. that G.I. was a false witnes he answered that he at all witnessed not the matter / neither charged them therewith / so that he could not be a false witnes: also that if he had char­ged them therewith goodman Martin had related inough and to much to prove it: thē the P. did G.I. blushIf the ad­monisher of sinne should blush at the na­ming there of? much more shold the cōmit­ter or dau­ber thereof: but the P. overcaried in his āgree and boa­sting for­got his own duety herein 1. cor 5.1.2. Iere. 2.12.: he āswering they would not give him liberty to speak / but put it of til the 3. day of the weeke.

At which time the Church being to meete / the elders disappoin­ted it.

On the 5. day being the 29. of the Mon. they meeting / M. Ainsworth dealt abouth the matter of carnal vanity: G.I. stil answered as before / ād said that thogh he named not any / yet that which goodman Martin reported was such as in his iudgment he was persuaded it was filthy vanity / ād stunke in the presence of God: many wordes passed here about and one M. Bellot seing G.I. earnest / cursed him bitterly: to whom he presently turning said: thePro. 26.2. curse causels shall fly away as a bird / and returne vpon your own bosome / if you repent not: requesting the brethrē to rebuke him for2. tim. 3.2 curling / and for his bitter wordes: the Pastor said / he would not onely vse wordes / How stoutly the P. boasted in his wi­fes ād his owne case? 1. Cor. 5.2. 2. tim. 3.2.3 but censures. Then they propounded the accusation of wishing her self a widow for a papist sake. 2. that it is to be feared she verified the Proverbe / that having buried one husband she cared not how many she buried. 3. that he praied / God keepe our pastor to vs though she wish otherwise: these they read out of the paper / not asking G.I. his answer but the elders proceded to sentence: while they were thus dealing. M. Bellot (who before had cursed) stood vp suddenly and confessed he could not be quiet in his mindeGod maketh the curser to confesse his sinn opēly having so cursed / and so speaking to G.I. confessed his fault: to whom G.I. said / God have the praise that hath wroght this in you / and he worke the like in the rest The elders were not moved herewith / but proceeded on in their course. G I. wrote downe that they propounded accusations against him / and not once asking his answer proceeded to sentence: The Past. being very angry / said G.I. needed Magistracy to represse him. M.S. said he crept into houses: and the Past. wife being asked about her wishing / Not onely privately in the assē­bly of the elders she passed the limites of modesty to reproche ād revile him / but also openly in the congre­gation. 1. Pet. 3.4. called him wicked brother / then G, I. said to M. Ainsworth the teacher / that if he had said but halfe so much / he would call for acknowledgment etc. yet M. Ainsw. would say nothing to her or them: but they proceeding and [Page 142] giving their sentence against G.I. brake vp the meeting for that time.

The pro­ceedings in anno 1598.Meeting again the 5. day of the weeke following being the 5. of the moneth called Ianuary / the Past. begun with the sixt accusation / which was about M. Suthebies wife. G.I. answered out of theSee here of page. 130 writing which he had given to the brethren: then the Pastor asked / if had cause of suspicion? G.I. answered that the question was not to be answered / seing he sought matter of accusation / and he had not compared their wi­ves etc. shewing also that the Pastor was guilty of twoo vntruths in that accusation: then said M. Ainsworth heThis was accounted a heinous matter / that G.I. would accuse the Past. Ioh. 18.22 accuseth the Pastor / yea said G.I. and would have repeated and shewed it / but could not beThe Chur. was silent / and let then proceed as they pleased. suf­fered / then M.A. gave sentence / that G.I. his āswer was a false witnes: G.I. denied it / and that his letters if they had beene kept would witnes the contrary / thogh they had no witnesses: then begun M. St. to scoff and to say G.I. his tongue was his owne: he answered that God gave him to speak against their sins now / as before against the adversaries: then the Pastor begun again to speak that he suspected not her honesty / and from his owne wordes G.I. shewed him that he compared not the wives: yet the Pastor stil vrged that he compared them in adultery: he denied / and answered as before: then the Pastor called him ignorant etc. he answered / that in deede God had given the PastorMat 9.25 15. etc. Rom. 12.3. etc. 1. Cor. 4.2. and 12.4 5.8. [...]. 10. talents in respect of his one / yet he must not be discouraged but be faithful: the P. again dobled it / calling him ignorant ād grosse: he answeredCor. 4.7 what have you / that you have not received etc?

From this accusation they f [...]l to the [...]. that she ruled her husband. G. I. read his answer given inSee in Page [...]30 writing before: then the P made an argu­ment [...] could not r [...]le his wife then must he be discharged. G.I. [...] him to make a better argument / shewing that thogh it might1. Tim [...]5 hinder in ch [...]sing yet it followed not that therefore it was sufficient to discharge him: the Pastor gave sentence that it was a surmise: so did M.A. and M. St. M. S. also vsed bitter wordes / saying that G.I. did it for vaine glory so to surmise against brother and sister / he answered him that he should not so biteGal. 5.15 and devoureWhat at ha [...] since befallē him who kno­weth not / that knoweth the estate of this people? lease etc. Great reasoning there was about sending away for Deliverance contrary to the Fathers order / and will: they vrged that Iacob consented with Leah / and that so the Pastor might with his wife. G.I answered that if Iacob had had an expresse order or cōmaundement by hisSo was the case here: also / as wives counsel is to be follo­wed when it contrarieth not dueties of holines / or righteousnes: so when it contrarieth / then it must not be followed / but ruled by knswledg. Micah. 7.5 / 1. Corinth. 7.3. Colossen. 3 18.19 / 1. Peter 3.7. Father in a matter of god­lines whether then (if Leah had given other counsell) he would have done against the same? to this they gave no answer: but fel to the 9. and 10 accusation: he answered inSee Page 130. writing as before: thē M. Stud. was asked / if G.I. charged her with abhominable immodesty? he said he could not remember. Then they sent for A.C. the witnes about the 9. accusa­tion [Page 143] G.I. told them / that they had so threatned the witnes / as he feared whether she durst witnes the truth: M. Adams beginning here to speak that things might not be stretched / and witnesses might be freely heard / it was tolde him thatpro. 17.28 a foole by holding his peace was counted wise / Thus perverted they the scripture to make men silēt from good due­ties. yea they called him and G.I. wicked and vngodly: they also said if they had civil magistracy / then men would not be so bolde / and stil the Pastor threatned the censure: they were answered that they knew we had beene in the magistrates hands / ād were not afraid / God have the praise: thatRō 13.3 etc. also magistrates in a good cause were not to be feared: then M. Stud. also vrged M. Adams to silence / telling him that they did it to aThus craftely would M. St. have covered the vnequal / and vnrig­teous dea­ling. Iere. 29.29 Ioh. 11.49. good end etc. A.C. being come / and examined / she witnessed that the Past. wife so drunke wine / as the papist rebuked her / and commended Mris. Stud. modesty: then the Pastor asked her many questions / thereby to en­trapp her / but the poore woman tolde that her wordes were many and merry etc M. Ainsw. asked if drinking were quaffing. G.I. answered that such questions needed not / he knowing wel that no man held all drinking to be quaffing / but such as gave offence / and opened adversaries mouthes might be called quaffing: at length he dealt with the Past. wife herein: who confessed that she was sory she gave such offence: M. Ainsw. asked G.I. if that satisfied him: he āswered that if she satisfied those that were offended / he was soone satisfied.

M. Stud. a man alwaies redy to stir vp the coles begun again to na­me one action of the carnal vanity (when G.I. would name none) which here I wil not name / as I have not done other before: in handling whe­reof the PastorI am not able to ex­pres his overcariage / and the more I think there of the more I wonder at him. exceeded all measure / boasting he wolde do it 6. times / yea 60. times: M. Adams desiering him to vse no such speaches / shewing him that he ād others there were maried etc. yet so to speak or do / it was vanity: he said to M. Adams that so to say was a seede of doctrine of de­vils: and he would so teach it in doctrine: then said G.I. you saying you wil doThey wel know what I meane so that also in that respect I neede not to na­me the thing. it 60. times and teach it in doctrine that it may be done / whēsoe­ver you do it / you shall teach a doctrine of vanity / lustrō. 13.12.1 [...]. and vncleanes: here at he was more and more impacient / and Christopher Dickons re­questing him not to speak so / he enlarged it / and said he wold do it 360. times six times: then Thomas MichelThis T. Mich. and Rob. Iackson became afterward vnfaithful and yeelde to what the P. and E. wil have and Robert Iackson spake vn­to him / that he forgot himselfe: G.I. also wished him to remember himselfe / and not to be so furious and violent in his speaches: for he saw that he noted them / and he would call vpon him for repentance: the brethren also were very earnest with him / but being as a man that had overleapt his reason and vnderstanding / he would not be ruled but disie­red to be discharged / alledging for his so speaking Cant. 8. and Prover. 5. His brother willed him not to abuse the Scriptures to cover his vani­ty / but to confer Scripture with Scripture: for as mariage was ho­nourable: so he must remember what followed / namely / and the bed vndefiled / wherevpon evē maried mē oght (so wel as yong men) to think and consider: divers of the brethren hung down the heads shewing their [Page 144] dislike: some few spake to him / but he said / he would rule with autority: M. Adams answered him / that they must not deal as1. Pet. 5.3 Lordes / neither make their peoplejsah. 52.5. howle. M. Ainsw. and M.S. sat stil / saing nothing to him / not once admonishing or exhorting him to cease herefrom: M.S. (when G.I. exhorted him to speak to the P. not to be so violent) ratherjsah. 30.1. covered it / and was angry that G.I. wrote what the P. said: he told him / if the P. ashamed not to speake so vainly that he would do it 360. ti­mes etc. he would not be weary to write it 76. times / to the end that whē the P. came to sobriety / and consideration / he might repent his vanity and inconsideratenes therein: M.S. then charged G.I. that he begun these things in the congreation: he answered that his brother and Mr. Stud. had begun them / as before the had shewed: then the P. said G.I. crept into houses: he answered / that he would bear that reproche with the rest / but they could not thereby excuse their own sloth or pride / who would not visitpro. 27.23 Act. 20.10.28. the brethren from house to house: M. Ad. requested the P. not so to vpraide his brother / he performing the duety of a Christian among his brethren: then he dealt very hardly and sharply with M. Ad. repeating matters about apparel wherein M. Adams had stood forth against his wife / and in deede he behaved himself very immoderately a­gainstHe also vp [...]aided him with his calling etc. M. Adams and his brother.

Yea I must simply write, that had I not sene ād heard it, I could hardly have beene persuaded that a Pastor, specially one that hath so suffered for the truth, written against the adversaries, and beene of such gravity as he hath should be so overcaried: Anger a short fury. but I remember that some write, Ira Furor &c: and surely it seameth that even so it is sometimes in the godly, vvhen it is not sanctified yet not therefore to be excused, or allo­wed, but prevented, repressed, and amended. Also I must confesse, that I vvould vvillingly have left this matter of carnal vanity wholy out (as in other respects, so also because I fear the jsa. 28.22. 2 Pete. 3.3. Gal. 6.7. mockers in these daies to their further hardening in sin, and iuster condemnation vvil make ieasts here of) but I know the maner of my brethrens cavilling and Rev. 3.13. jere. 20.10. with 18.18. boasting, and therefore I must relate it, yet so warily ād sparingly as I may not naming the things or wordes, which M. Stud (that raiser vp of contentions betweene brethren) ashamed not to name and seamed to daub in the opē congregation: but his fruites since about his vvifes daughter have de­clared, that it was (not onely a seede of contentiō in respect of the Pro. 6.16.19. bro­thers in him, but also) a fruite of his vnclean heart and mouth delighting to repeat and take such vanities: for modesty and shame fastnes vvould Ephe. 5.3 blush to speak or hear such things, but he hath novv declared that of the mat. 12.34 abundance of his heart he spake. God give him if he belong to him to repent both in the one respect and in the other.

At length the Pastor ceased / ād the elders begun againe with the mat­ter [Page 145] of quaffing calling it an vncharitable collection / and so proceeded to as [...]e G.I. if he charged her with abhominable immodesty? he answered according to theSee page 130. the answer to the 10. accusation. writing: and further that if he so wrote / it was in respect of the offences given and taken by her attire / speach / and behaviour: thē they dealt with him that he charged him and her with smooth wordes: he answered as in the sameIn the answer to the 12. and 19. accusatiōs. writing: after this they added another accu­sation about writing in his letter Mica. 7.5. demaunding if he would so write againe? he answered that he would vpon like occasion. M. St. then vrged if it were sin to open such things to their wives. G.I. answered that he said not it was sin / but many things might1. cor. 6.12 be lawful and not be sinn to be done / yet not expedient: also that men ought to dwel with their wives1. Pet. 3.7 as men of knowledge. Then they fel to the accusation / that the Church might repent that she was his wife: he answered as in theIn the answer to the 13. accusa­tion. wri­ting: they would have had him answer without the writing / he answered that having written an answer / he was persuaded it was the sure stand metest way to give his āswer out of the same / that so he migt not be ētrapped in his wordes they changing them / adding and diminishing as they pleased: whē they could not draw G.I. from the writing they fel to vrge him / that he said she scoffed: he answered that so she did: and that Mr. A. had so said it was / if he would deal vprightly in publik / as he had spokē in private. Then M.A dealt with G.I. to acknowledg overcariage: he answered inIam. 3.2. respect of God he would / but in respect of them (seing they daubed vp their sins etc. and would not repent / if he had beene much more earnest against them then he was) he durst not acknowledg overca­riage: asking M. Ainsw. that if the Prophets in their times had beene so dealt withal reproving sins earnestly / whether they should have yeelded? here at he sat stil a while: then he vrged that in the matter of wishing her selfe a widou / G.I. was a false witnes / G.I. tolde him / that he had so said before / and hadM. Ains. first alled­ged the place simply: then being dealt with all by M. Adās after that mee­ting he confessed it could not be simply alledged against G.I. and now G.I. she­wing him that he fai­led / he di­stinguished which di­stinctiō G.I. also ta­king away they ended as here is sett down yet afterward / the elders drew him to pro­nounce G.I. a false witnes their wil being so to have it / having no iust proofe. misalledged Mat. 26. It is true said he they were false witnesses both in wordes and meaning / you in wordes: G.I. answe­red that he neither in meaning nor in wordes / for touching her meaning / he left it to God / and would not once deale therein when the P. vrged him to know if she so wished in her heart: and touching the wordes they had heard that the witnes affirmed she so spake: and here M.A. yeelded that that place could not be alledged against G.I. It waring late / they appointed the brethren to meete the 5. day of the weeke following / being the 12. of the moneth.

At which time some came but not all / and so nothing was done. The Lordes day following after excercise the elders M. Studley. and M.S. spake / that they were disappointed by the Churches not meeting on the fift day: Maister Ainsworth adding what endHere I desier the reader to mark: that even by their own confession the elders end and determine matters / yet they wil pretend that the Church doth it / whereas in truth they give the Church the title ād name but they vsurpe the power. jsa. 9.16. Ezec. 34. jer [...]my 23. they had [Page 146] had purposed to make / namely to reprove G.I. for so dealing and cal­ling the Past. wifes speach abhominable speach: also that for his over­cariage they thoght it sufficiēt to debar him / that the Church ought not to chuse him elder: and to that of wishing her selfe a widow for a papists sake / that he was a false witnes: thus he said they purposed to end the matter: Some of the brethren begun to vrge the matter / that if he were a false witnes / they oght either to bring him to see his sin / or to proceede: and not so to end matters: hereat the Pastor begun to speak / and was very angry / that the brethren rested not in the elders iudgmēt / and begun again to desier to be discharged / but Mr. Stud. pacified him. Then M. S. read in a paper what they had determined / having written things against G.I. concerning witnessing / which there the Brethren shewed were not true / the witnesse having confessed / that G.I. related it as she told him / and that the Pastors wifes speach was so. Herevpon there was much a doe / and hard speaches passed betweene the Pastor / and some of the brethren: M. Adams / W Edes. Thomas Michel / Robert Iackson ād others shewing that if the elders iudged him a false witnes / they ought not so to end it. M. A. stil dealt to have an end. G.I. hearing and seeing this dealing requested liberty to speak: shewing them that touching their reproofe he would willingly beare it / finding that such had beene theAmo. 5.10 Iere. 18.18. ād 20.8 etc. 3. Ioh. 9.10 Rev. 2. ād 3. lot of reprovers in former ages. 2. that touching keeping him from being elder they did him a pleasure / he desiering to live a member in sundry respects / and not an officer. 3. that if in their consciences they were persuaded he were a false witnes / they oght not to leaveLev. 19.17 sin vpon him and so wrap it vp. M. Ainsw. then asked him if he desiered to be excom. He answered no / but desiered if he were guilty that they would bring him to the sight thereof / and iudg righteous iudgment for in his conscience he was persuaded they did charge him very vniustly willing M. A. to looke to his conscience / telling them that he that rebu­ked wasGē. 37.2.4 and 49.23. with Acts. 7.9. Isah. 29.20 21. A [...]os 5.10 Luke 11.53.54. Isah 66.5 hated / and they abhorred him that spake vprightly / vrging / ād catching at his wordes / so as he would not iustify them / Iob 27.5. but thorow Gods grace would keepe his innocency. Sundry wordes passed to and fro betweene the Pastor and the brethren. M. Ainsw. at length broght the Church to end it as they had determined: M. Adams wishing G. I. for peace sake to beare it. Then G.I. opened his Bible / turned to Micah. 7.3. and said / they spake the corruption of their hearts / and so wrapped it vp: charging also M. Ainsworth and the Church from. 1. Tim. 5.21.22. as they would answer it before God / that they should not deal partially / but that they should deal with the Pastor and his wife fro their sins: him for his misalledging the Scriptures / and her for her proud attire / abhominable speach / and offensive behaviour: then said some of the brethren to the Elders / heare you not what he saith? but they [...]laing their heads together ād consulting gave no āswer / but stoode vp redy to departe. And thus endedThe first breach / and t [...]oble which was at Amster­dam was thus ended. they this first breach which sel out at Amsterdam. Whereof as of the proceedings therein / let the Godly make trial and iudg according to the worde of God: and the Lord shalbe [Page 147] with the good. 2. Chron. 19.6. to 11. Which place I request the reader to weigh and consider.

Now before I proceede to the rest, I think it meetest here to set down the letters before Pag. 127. mentioned (the original copies whereof came to my hands againe since that was printed which is in page 96 97.) they giving light to these matters, and vvitnessing G.I. his maner of proceeding: vvhich the Pastor and Mr Studley so cried out against, and When I reade and consider these let­ters I wonder that the P. and M. St. durst so speak / but sure they were persuaded they wold never have come to light but (God have the praise) they are frustrated. affirmed to be so vngodly ād so vnreasonable, as they never found in any brother neither were able to expres, by vvhich their exaggerations, ād exclama­tions they first seduced private persons, afterward the elders, and lastly the Church to be enemies to G I. and to proceede against him at length to excommunicate him: vvhose procedings ād letters whether they were such let these witnes for themselves and the rest.

Twoo of them are to the Pastor himselfe: one to his vvife, and ano­ther to the twoo Brethren M. Settel, and M. Studley: whose help G.I de­siered according to the rule Mat. 16, 15. having dealt privately with the P. and his wife as the rule requireth Mat. 18.15. They were written in time of their imprisonment.

The parties I name2. Cor. 4.2 not / both because I assure my selfe you either know or will coniecture them:2. Thes. 3.2. as also because others (against our wils) may see the letters / or mis­cariage may fall out / and yet they shall not know the parties.

Thus were the letters written / not leaving forth any thing / least they should take2. Cor. 11.12. occasion of cavilling: and let these witnes for themselves ād the rest (being waters frō one founteine) whether they were intempera­tely / vngodly / abhominably / and wickedly written / as the P. accused thē? Whether they oght so to have taken request / exhortation and admonitiō in the evil part? so to pervert things / ād to gather such accusatiōs against the admonisher? whether they should so have laboured to bring aprov. 9.7.8.9. blott vpon / and discourage the admonisher? finally whether they ought thus to have proceeded / Ier. 18.18 19.20. with 20.8. to. 11 persecuted vexed / and rewarded him?

The letters thus sett downe / let vs proceede in the discourse. They ha­ving (as we heard) ended their first breach vpō the 15. day of the moneth the next Lords day after excercise the elders propounded to the Church choise of officers and appointed the Lords day following being the 29. of the moneth for publique fast: that God would give peace / and direct the choise of officers: Which dayA day of fast for peace ād choise of officers. being so emploied / after dueties per­formed they propounded the choise: the Church nominated some / they also nominated others: In chusing some gave their voices frely: others suspended: the voices being gathered for deacons / William Elles / and Robert Iackson had the most voices / vnto whom the P. and M. Stud. would not consent / but would have M. Mercer / and Iacob Iohnson cho­sen / who had not above one or two free voices: the P. and M. Stud. say­ing that they wouldThis or­der the P. broght frō colledg choises in civil things but we have not so learned Christ so to deal in choise of his Chur. offi­cers. Eph. 4. [...]0. with Act. 6.3.5. and 14.23. give the suspended voices to thē / and so they should have the most voices: answer was given to the elders / that election ought to be free / that the suspended voices ought not to be given more to one then to another: then the P. said the voices were committed to them to give where they pleased: it was answered that the brethrenBy bre­threns lea­ving their power in the P. and E. hands / vsurping authority and corruptions crept into Chur­ches / as sundry wri­ters note. ought not so to give over their power: as also that no such order could be shewed from the worde to be vsed in choise of church officers: hereabout was some controversy / but the elders would have their wil therein: some bre­thrē then added further that M. Mercer ād Iacob Iohnson had aposta­ted / and that it debarred M. Mercer from being chosen while the Church was at Narden: they denied Iac. Ioh. to have apostated: and for M. Mercers they lessened it / and said it was a slip / A letter of M. St. is come to my hands wherein he wrote that M. Mer­cers apo­stasy was such / as his name was put forth from among them / who were nominated to be chosen officers: and yet now they would daub and cover it. Ezec. 13. Isa. 30.1. It was answered that there were witnesses / who witnessed that I.I. had apostated: as also that they ought rather to chuse such who had noLevit. 21.17. to 23. blot or blemish / then those who either had in deede / or had given great occasion to iudg that they were blemished: but the elders would have these twoo: vnto which the brethren would not consent / and so for this time they agreed not in choise of deacons.

Then they propounded choise of elders: some brethren answered that there was great necessity of Deacons / there being but one Dea­con / but being thre Elders. M. Studley / M. Knifton / and M. Slade / they thoght they might suffice / the congregation being but few: as also they knew none fitt among them: then the Pastor named M. Bellot: It was answered that he was not fitt: the elders then [Page 152] appointed the Brethren that they should bring their exceptions against him: answer was given / that being not chosen they saw no warrant to rip vp a brothers wāts or blots that migt disgrace him: the elders notwithstanding appointed them to bring in their exceptions the 5. day of the weeke at one a clock.

At which time the brethren sent this answer (so far as I remember) in writing to the elders by Thomas Michel and Robert Iackson. It was as followeth.

Thus also do I finde written vnder this writing.

They carying this answer signified it to the elders / who (as they tolde vs) were very angry with them: and after the excercise of prophecy was done they dealt with vs about this answer. We stil affirmed that as ther was to be special care whome to chuse / so also being chosen brethren (if they could shew iust exception) might except before they were ordeined: stil they vrged to chuse M. Bellot: the brethren answered that they found him not fit. The Lords day following after evening exercise they againe dealt to have him chosen: the brethren answered as before. They then dealt to have M. Mercer / and Iacob Iohnson chosen deacons: the bre­thren would not consent (they having apostated) the Church having ab­steined from chusing such / and having received writing from them (when they were prisoners) that such ought not to be chosen: Hereabout was much reasoning a long time. W. Elles / and G.I. vrged them with theirThe P. and M. St. would practise cōtrary to their own handwri­tings. own reasons: they called to see them: G.I. answered that thogh he could not then shew them / they knew in ther consciences that they had written such / and that it might be they were vnder the writings of the Church / which the elders themselves kept. M. Stud willed G.I. to shew his owne reasons: which he promised to do against the 5. day of the weke folowing. On the Lords day the Past. praiedI noted the P. affection thē / ād stil note it / observing that he was desie­rous of peace / ād so I doubt not but would have continued if M. St. had not incited and stirred him vp to contention. Prov. 6.16.19. earnestly for pea­ce. After exercises (the Church having other occasiōs to speak of) nothing [Page 153] was done about choise of officers. The 5. day of the weeke G.I. brought his reasons to the elders. Which were these which follow.

Vnto these proofes and reasons the elders neither gave answer / nor proofes for the contrary but having read them returned them to G.I. The Lords day following / as also the 5. day of the weeke matters being propounded about M. C. and M. S. nothing was spoken about the choise of officers. The Lords day after they again propounded the choise of M.M. and I.I. Wherevpon arose much reasoning about the questiō: G.I. desiered them in love to answer the proofes / and reasons / as also to set down proofes for the contrary / and he would yeeld: else he durst not. W. Eiles and they reasoned very much at length they yeelded that it was not meete to chuse such / the Church being in banishment / and as a light vpon an hil. M. Ainsworth also added that such a president (by chusing such) oughtThus M. Ains. own mouth condēned him self (being afterward discovered to be tain­ted ād in­fected with this batch of apostasy yet) having crept into office. not to be left to posterity: and so was this controversy now ended.

Where is to be observed (as is noted in the conference betwene these [Page 147] and those trobles at Frankford) that these not getting their purpose in the corrupt way and choise, yeelded not (as they then did) to receive the best, but deferred the election, til at length they got their wil, as after­ward will appeare.

In the time of this controversy thogh much disputation fell out be­tweene the twoo brothers / yet ould matters lay buyried: familiarity / and some tokens of brotherly kindnes passed betweene them: yea such as comming sundry times together / and G.I. desiering his brother and his wife to take in good part what he must signify vnto them concerning the offence which was stil taken at her apparel / and namely at her velvet hoode / they seamed not to be offēded: he telling them further / that he was veryI frely confesse that tho­row very great stri­ving / and much hardnes did I overcome at this ti­me to per­forme this duety. loth to do it (desiering that no controversy might be renewed) but duety forced him that he durst not but do it / least his conscience should ac­cuse him that by the former dealing he had beene discouraged / or that he sought more outward favour ād frendship then vpright walking in the truth / requesting them againe and again to accept it in love and shewing them that he had written his minde / because he would have no contenti­on thereabout / as also that they might the better consider thereof. They tooke and read it.

It was as followeth 1598 the 4, of the moneth called March.

Sister The P. wife ad­moneshed about her velvet hoode. you being our Pastors wife, and he banished our native coun­try (after his long imprisonment) for the ghospel of Christ, I am persua­ded, that by your buying and wearing a velvet hoode, which none but the richest, finest, or proudest sorte do vse, yea the The Lordes / and gover­nours of the Pro­vince. states wives of the country do not vse more gorgeous ones, you break the rules in the Scriptures following.

1. Tim. 2.9 In you it is not comely, or becoming the ghospel in so 1 poore estate, being the Pastors wife, he banished for Christs truth, and living with a people, of whom there are who sometimes have not bread to put in their mouthes. You also break the same rule, this attire being in you costly apparel, and above your estate, specially in this time of ba­nishment.

1. Pet 3.3 5. The Apostle (exhorting the women, that their appatel 2 should not be outward) doth plainly binde the godly to avoid gorgeousnes, even such as your velvet hood bewraieth Again your attire should be as the godly vvomen vveare, and do attire themselves, and not af­ter the maner of the stateliest and finest.

Rom 12.2. You fashion your selfe rather after the world by this ex­cessive 3 decking of your outward body.

Phil 4.8. You are to think of and to follow the things which are, and 4 may be of good reporte: now you going thus attired, which in weomen (except the hiest and richest) is accounted the proudest attire, cannot be [Page 158] of good report either 1. Cor 10 32. in our land, who hearkē after our conversatiō, or in this Land where vve are vsually seene of a people going most decent­ly and according to their callings: neither can it be of good reporte a­mong our selves, vvho are a poore banished people.

5 5. 2. Kin. 5.26. Is this a time, even in our banishment, in a strange land for you to vveare a velvet hoode? Is not your husband among men, and you among women as vpon an hil? Mat 5 14. Tit 2 3.4.

Other places may be broght, as also reasons to prove your offending herein, but these may suffice, and so I desier they may with you prevai­le. Phil. 1.27 1. Pet. 1.14.15.16.17. Herevpon I admonish and request you to vvalke in your attire more beseaming that poore estate of the Ghospell, vvherein novv vve are.

I condemne not velvets or silkes: but in you the Pastors vvife, and in the poore banished estate of this remnant, such attire vvill open the ad­versaries mouth, discomforte the godly, discret it the ghospell, and dis­honour God. Phil. 2.1.2. and 4.8 If therefore their be any vertue and love in you, thinke on these things.

This note they received read and seamed not to take it in il part / butThe P. calling M. St. G.I. feared pre­sent contention. calling vnto them M. Studley who dwelt with thē in the same house / and giving him the note / he (after he had read it) said G.I. would never cease these things: who answered that he must not cease to perform bro­therly dueties to all / but specially to the Pastor his brother / and his wife being by sundry bonds bound therevnto. M. Studley begunM. St. again be­ginneth to take vp ould matters and so in deede to raise contētion. Pro. 6.16.19. to rake vp ould matters. G.I. desiered him not to deale so / for whatsoe­ver they had then done must not discourage or dismay him: M. St. still vrging those things / the P. also begun / and vsed some hard wordes against G.I. that he was contentious and trobelsom: G.I. answe­red that so wasIer. 15.10 Ieremy accounted telling the people their sins / but such things must not make vs fearEze. 2.5.6. or leave of our dueties: M. Bis­hop (who had maried their sister) being by ād speaking to them so dealt / as notwithstanding M. Studley / yet the brothers so agreed as they par­ted peacably / and G.I. hoped reformation / M. Bishop speaking that all meanes might be vsed to preserve peace.

On the Lords day following being the 5. of the Moneth March they (having before concluded that it was not meete to chuse apostates) again dealt about Iacob Iohnson and said he had not apostated: much speach was hereabout / theyW. Aspli. M. Heas. An. Colyer who had known him affirming that he had Apo­stated / and that they walked towards him as towards an Apostate / ad­ding reasons of their so walking: butThe El­ders being affected one mā rather pre­vaileth then three / and that in his owne cause. the elders being affected to I.I. would not rest in their testimony / but rather trusted him in his own cause. Divers of the Brethren spake hereabout / at whom the Pastor and M. Stud. were angry / and sought to discourage them: but nothing was fully concluded at this time: ād so far as I finde (by my notes which I ob­served in these proceedings) this matter was not again spoken of til the [Page 159] 25. of the moneth called Iune / which was above three moneths.

In this time offence stil arising about the Pastors wives pride amōg the people / and G.I. hoping it would have beene amended / which when it was not / he went vnto Mr. Ainsw. the teacher (whom he had heard to speak against her velvethoode in the presence of some brethren) and tolde him what course he had taken by private admonition herein / and amend­ment not following / he desiered him now in theMat. 28.16 second place to ioine with him / which he promised he would / and he seamed much to lament that the Pastor and M. Stud. were so hote and overcaried: so for that time they parted: afterward G.I. comming to him that they might go together to the Pastor and his wife / he put it of / and would not pre­tending that he was lothe to deal in it: G.I. requested him once and a­gaine: but being loth to go he couldThe tea­cher spake behinde their baks against the pride ād yet would not ioine in due to of admonitiō to their faces. How hard is it to get men to ioine in brotherly admonition against men in autority? not persuade him therevnto. Then he wēt to Abraham Pulbery / who had also spokē in the presence of others against her attire / and whomI now heare that in good things he is colde and dead. jer. 9.3. Iude v. 12 13. Rev. 3.1. How true is that in Mat. 13.12 Luke 8.18. those daies wasRom. 15.14 able to admonish / but he also put it of / and would not go to their faces / willing G.I. to rest contented / and he should see / that they staying in these countries poverty would make them leave it: G.I. answered him that that was no thanke to vs if they so left it / neitherjer. 48.10. Iud. 5.23. would that excuse vs / if we perfor­med not dueties vnto thē: adding also that so to deal with thē wasjer. 20.10 to waite for their poverty and misery: much speach we had of the former proceedings how peremptory and violent the Pastor and elders were. G.I. answered him / that those things were trials of our faith2. tim. 1.7. Mica. 3.8. with 1. cor. 11.19. power / love / and courage / so that we must not cease til we overcame. Revel. 2. and 3. but he would not be persuaded: G.I. then left it to his conscience / telling him that seing they would not ioine with him therein he must cō­mit it to God / and so in deede he did: After that time stil waiting the Lordes worke therein / and lamenting to see that brethren had not morejere. 9.1.2.3. etc. courage for the truth.

Other controversies also about M, Slade and concerning the Dutch and French Churches fell out in this time, which also afterward come to be mentioned they accusing G I. about the same.

The 25. of the Moneth called Iune / being the Lordes day / after eve­ning excercise the matter about Iacob Iohnson was propounde: much stir was again about it: the Brethren rested in the testimony of three witnesses W.A. M.H. and A.C. but the Pastor and M. Stud. would not / stil seeking by al meanes to discourage the witnesses / The P. having so­me gifts more then others vseth these wea­pons to vsually against his brethrē. he forgeteth Rom. 15.1. 1. Cor. 4.7. carping and catching at their wordes / vpraiding them with ignorance / ād vsing them so hardly / that many of the brethren were greeved to heare it / and some spake. The Pastor and M. Stud. having vrged William Asplin to go into England to fetch more proofe and testimony / and he answering that he had not ability to travel / they would have him write to William. Whiting at Londō who also knew their walking towards Iacob Iohn­son: and some Brethren there should hear / and send over his testimony therein. W.A. writing a letter / the Pastor and M. Stud. would see what [Page 160] he wrote / or else the brethren at London should not deal in it. W. A. she­wed them the letter. SomeThomas Michel. I. Poel. W. shepheard. Ro. Baily. [...]o others brethren seeing the elders dealing against W.A. were greeved / ād counselled him rather to go himself / ād they wold help to minister vnto his necessities. Wherevpon he went to London ād broght testimony from William Whiting that they walked towards Ia­cob Iohns. as W. A. and the other witnesses had related before in the Church: which testimony was also subscribed by some of theHē. Pratt. Lewis Iē­kins. Rov. Baily. brethrens hands at London: Which he delivering to the elders they rested not contented / but begun to accuse him as if he had dissembled that he had not ability to travel / and yet went: he answ. that some brethren had lent him and others had ministred part to help his necessities. Hereat the P. was angry / saying they should know such members who ministred to him in such a caseHe accused ye [...] knew not who they were or what they mini­stred in o­ther cases. Is not this to surmise / and falsely to accuse? of which he so vniustly charged his brother. and not in greater necessities of the Church. Herevpon Tho. Michel and I. Phelps spake to the P. that they were persuaded it was their duety. Here the P. begun to be hote / and spake hardly against them as if they tooke part with a slaunderer: they desired the writings and te­stimony might be examined / then the P. willed W. Asp. to note the places which most declared I. Iohns. to have apostated / which he doing tho­row the writing ād letter which William Whiting had written vnto I. I. in the time of his backsliding ād being so plain that (thogh they much pleaded / yet) they could not cover it / then they obiected that Williā Whi­ting was so inconstāt as his testimony was not to be received / he having written otherwise to themThe P. ād M. Stud. had writtē to London about this cōtroversy / ād had gott a letter from him where in (as it seameth being desirous to please the elders) he wrote not as he oght as apeared by his after writing ād confession which W. A. yet hath. Ia. Iohns. himselfe also had written a flattering letter whereby hr was seduced that he dealt not so sincerely as he oght. then those writings and testimony were. W. A. desiered them that then he might be admonished for his so writing to them: to this the P. and M. St. would not agree / but read his letters / ād broght his writing as witnes against W.A. ād so they soght to discou­rage and disgrace him: he desiered a copy of the things which they said he had writtē against him / but they would not: he thē shewed how vnequal it was that they held him no fitt w [...]tnes in the one / where were also thre mo / and yetThe P. and M. St. partiality. would trust him in the other having none to witnes with him / neither would they give a copy that the accusations might be āsw. yea thogh he earnestly desired that he might have a copy of W. Whitings letter against him / yet could he not obtein it. Much and long time spent hereabout they vrged him to a protestation: He āsw. that where so many witnessings ād writings were / he saw not that he ought to protest / if they could show that in such case he oght / he would. And thus (Iacob Iohns. being gone into England) rested the matter.

In which there dealing among other things these may be observed, 1. the Deut. 19.15. Mat. 18.16. Iohn. 8.17. 2. Cor. 13.1. law ād the Ghospel teach that in the mouth of twoo or thre wit­nesses every thing shal stand, these elders would not rest herein. 2 Whē and where they affect, then and there they put of † al proofe, witnessings and writings as they please: but when they are affected against a man, then suspitions surmises, bare wordes or any writing is sufficiēt proofe [Page 161] against him: which appeareth not onely in their dealings with G I. but also in this with W. Asplin. This is also witnessed by their dealing in chois of apostates cōtrary to their own wri­ting / practise and determination. And thus much touching this mater falling out about this time, or a litel after so nere as I can finde by the writings which I have.

The 27. of the moneth called Iuly being the 5. day of the weeke / after the exercise of prophecy M. St. talked with G.I. ād told him what M. May reported of him / that he wished his brother dead: he denied it / and shewed him how the matter was: wherevpon he said he would againe talke with M.M. The weeke following G.I. asked him if he had spokē again with M.M. he said he had not / but he would: then G.I. desiered him to go to M.M. and that he would heare them face to face: which he did / and meeting with M.M. we both committedM. St. vsing smoth wordes ād pretending care over G.I. he cōmitted it to him / but he foūd at his hands in the end that he did as if he had committed sheepe to a fox or wolfe sea­ming to be tamed: for his nature and malice being not changed he sought to devour G.I. let men therefore wel learn. Pro. 26.20 to 26. the matter to him: then M. May relating the matter / shewed what frendship and familia­rity had bene betwene them / what he had done for G.I. how also a con­troversy falling out betweene him and W.E. they desiered G.I. to end it / which he confessed he did / but he thoght he did him wrong / at which he was (as he said) much greved / ād thoght good to make that known to M. St. as he did. Having thus spoken / G.I. asked him / if he had said all that he would? he said yea: then said heG.I. desiered this of him / because he had seene how impatient and angry he was be­fore in his matter / ād could not endure to hear W.E. speak / but retted and fumed. Pro. 15.18. and 16.28. give me leave M. May to āswer / and interrupt me not / as I have not done you. So beginning to answer he requested M. St. to mark that M. May had not done this as of con­science / if it had beene true: but of anger: ād it was vntrue. 2ly. he shewed the matter betweene M.M. and W.E. to M. St. and what he had done therein how he had shewed M.M. his vniust dealing / and how he oght not to be so impatient / but to deal iustly and make satisfaction / and Mr. St. could not deny but W.E. had right / and that G.I. oght to do as he did: M. May would not hear this / but begun very bitterly to speak to G. I. that it was no wonder he did him wrong seing he dealt so against his brother and sister / ād wished his brother dead. G.I. said to him: M.M. I pray you have patience / and know you / that thorow Gods mercy I have learned in smal measure to beare not onely hard wordes / but hard deedes also: and know you M.M. I am not the first that have bene thus bitterly spoken to for vpright dealing: neither are you the first that have slaundered me: he stil continued impatient: G.I. desiered M. Stud. to wil him to be patient / which he did / yet withal begunG.I. here perceived that M. St. affections were not as yet vpright towards him: notwithstāding he laboured to stop his dealing. to presse and nipp G.I. with the matters betwene his brother and him / G.I. desiered M. Stud. not to mention those things: for they belonged not to this mat­ter: M. May hearing Mr. Studley so to mention them / begun to cal G.I. wicked vngodly man: G.I. said he would commit these wordes and dealings to God / desiering M. Stud. to make an end / seing it was committed to him: then he said that being but one and one / and no witnesses it must rest vpon our protestatiōs / which we there did: M.M. The same may I stil witnes with a good conscience that (notwithstanding al the contētions betwene vs) I desier the P. may be faithful and longlived for the truths sake. [Page 162] protesting that G.I. so wished / and G.I. protesting that he did not:Rom. 5.3 4.5. yea his conscience bearing him witnes that notwithstanding al the contro­versies betweene his Brother and him he often praied for his Brother / that God would give him long life for his truths sake. The matter thus ended / they parted / and G.I. walking with Mr. Stud. tolde him that thogh it greeved him to be thus dealt withal / yet he bare it the *more patiently / because in another case he had bene slaundered / as also his Father and Brother / but the Lord had cleared them and iudged the slan­derer:The el­ders had in deede drawn the Church to their bent in G.I. his matter and it seameth they thoght to draw the people here­in also but al corruption groweth not vp at once: some few being faithful do much hin­der. Rev. 2.24.25. and 3.4. and so he doubted not but the Lord would deal herein in his good time / and having so related the particulars of that dealing to M. Stud. he parted.

The Lords day following Mr. Slades matter being handled (as it had beene often before) in their reasoning he said that they had vsed hory wordes vnto him / but had circumvented him / and flatlyThe el­ders char­ged with hipocrisy. charged them / specially M. Ainsw. with hipocrisy / saying that they had promised / if any in the congreation were offended at his going to the Dutch Churches / theyThe El­ders falling out / mat­ters come to light / yea since these times hath M.D. she­wed to G.I. the vn­faithful dealing of M. Ainsw. a­gainst G.I would persuade them: and now themselves were become disputers and enemies against him. G.I. hearing these things / and sitting nere to the Pastor / spake to him that M. Slade might be vprightly dealt with­al / and not have occasion so to speak. M. Slade seing that G.I. spake / but heard not what he said / bid him remember the 9. commandement. G.I. passing over the give tolde him that he spake for his good: they stil reasoning with him / he said again that they laboured to circumvent him as they had done: G.I. again desiered the Pastor to deal plainly with him: he then again gived G.I. that he crept into houses: G.I. answered that he would passe over his reproches: at length sharp wor­des encreasing among them / so as Mr. Slade called M. Ainsworth wic­ked mouth / G.I. spake to the elders that he might be vprightly dealt withal / and occasions of such speach taken awa [...]then Mr. Slade again bid him remember the 9. commaundement: G.I. answering willed him to take heede and remember that when the time was he vrged the 9. commaundement to far: he replied / I would I had not beene in theM.Sl. was an el­der with them when they concluded the matter / and drew the people to their bent against G.I. of which see in pa. 146. place to do that which then I did / and now it cometh vpon me. G.I. answered / that he was glad to hear him repent so much / desiering he might repent the rest: he replied that he repented not / for if it were to do / he would do it again: yes said Mr. Stud. You do repent by your wishing that you had not beene in the place to do that you did / he still re­plied that he repented not / then said M. Stud. you might have holden your peace / yea said Mr. Slade / you recompense my dealing into my bosome: then spake the Pastor. Mr. Slade if you had done twise so much in that matter agaist him / you neede not to repent it: then said G.I. the Lord give both you and him to repent: Mr. Stud. then whispering the Pastor in the eare they proceeded in reasoning against M. Slade for an houre or more: and it is not to be forgotten that while they were reaso­ning M. Slade himselfe confessed that thogh G.I. were his greatestM.S. cleared G.I. publiquely / and yet condemned him and accoun­ted him his enemie. Gal. 4.16. enemy / yet he durst put the iudging of the reason which they had in hand to [Page 163] him for he was persuaded that he spake as he was moved in his consci­ence / and so he would † clear him before the congregation: but for others who vsed hony wordes / yet circumvented him / and dealt in hipocrisy / their dealing was detestable / and he wished they had taken a sharper course with him at the beginning: G.I. āswered him that he accounted him his enemy because he tolde him the truth: they answered also that what they did / they did it for his good: thus some wordes and reaso­nings passed betweene them / they then for that time dismissed him.

He being gone Mr. Stud.The beginning of the secōd breach betwene the brothers: whereof M. Stud. was a special instru­ment. whispered the P. in the eare / and (as it seamed) put him in minde of the wordes which passed betweene M. Sla. him and G.I for presently the Pastor spake / and made a continued in­vective speach against his brother vnto the congregatiō: after he had en­ded / G.I. desiered that he might have that favour which M. Slade had had / namely that that might be written which was spoken against him / and that he might answer it: herevnto they gave no answer: then begun he to answer the Pastor by word of mouth: M. Stud. interrupted him / and willed the Church to commaund him silence: the Church at first did not / G I. shewing that as he was publikely spoken against / so heDeu. 1.17. and 19.16. Iohn. 7.51. Act. 25.16. oght publikly to defend himselfe: and so proceeded to answer his brother that his dealing towards his wife and him was not vngodly / but the duety of admonition required it at his hand: then Mr. Studley commaunded him silence / made redy to depart / and so brake of.

The 5. of the weeke M. Bowman came to G.I. and tolde him that there should be no exercise of prophecy that day / but he must come to the elders: going with him he thoght it had bene about the matter which fel out on the Lords day / but comming before theThere were come to­gether the p. M.F.I. the teacher. M. Ainsw. with the rit­ling elders M. St. ād M. Kniftē. elders there was Mr. Henry May / who presently begun to repeat the matter which he had broght against G.I. before M. Stud. and relating things more largely then before / the elders willed him to tel the matter shortly / he would not / but much enlarged the dealing betweene W.E. and him / how also he was aggreved at G.I. his dealing against him: and that therevpon he made it known to W.H. after to Mr. Stud. who had heard vs both making protestation: that going afterward to Mr. Stud. he asked his counsel if he ought not to make it known to the Pastor. Mr. Stud. (as he said) answered him that seing they were but one and one / it could be but ended by protestation: that if he would he mightM. St. having en­ded the matter / and confessing that it must rest in the protestati­ons: yet stopped not further contention but herein he be wraied his affection. make it known to the Pastor / wherevpon he said he had so done / ād the elders being thereBy what rule the P. ād M.St. broght the other El­ders / I see not: but their further dealing she­wed that they soght not procee­ding by ru­le but dis­grace of G.I. first before the elders and then also before the congregation. come toge­ther he would also make it known to them / and so protested before them the matter. He having related al things at large M.St. willed him wel to consider his protestations. The P. willed him to remember what he had said / for he tolde things almost incredible. M. Ainsw. also bid him take heede that he did not these things of hatred / for himself confessed he did it not before he was aggreeved at G.I.

These things thus passed G.I. was willed to answer: he asked if he should answer particulars / or in general: they bid him answer to the [Page 164] point: he said he denied / as also he had before givē the same answer with protestations: then M. St. asked him if in conference with M. May he had not vsed the worde Sophisticall: he answered that he had so said pu­blikly to the Pastors face / so as he needed not to aske if he spake it priva­tely: he further vrged that he had vsed the wordes (if he were my brother a 1000. times) so that itMark their suttelty / that be­cause a mā spake some wordes / therefore to make him either doubt / or to confesse that he spa­ke the rest. Ier. 36.13.14.15. might be he vsed the other also: then the Pastor asked if I spake not any thing to that effect / seing I confessed that I vsed some of the wordes in conference which Mr. May named: I ans­wered / that I was so far from speaking to that effect to wish him dead that God kept it out of my thoght: and if Satan should offer such a mo­tion I hoped the Lord would give to resist: shewing thē also that it was no sound dealing to gather or vrge a man that he spake wicked things because he confessed some wordes which passed in conference. And sure if this dealing be good let thē iudg by one example: namely if one hearing them deliver doctrine against the prelacy and false worship should accu­se them that they wished the O. dead: and to prove his accusation would bring that he preached so) and so: I say if they should be thus vsed / and magistrates should so presse them / whether they would not easily āswer / and shew that the accuser dealt malitiously / and that the Magistrates should cause the accuser to bring due witnesses / or to rest in their protesta­tions? Further at the same time the P. much vrged G.I. that he was now accusedSo said Shemei to David 2. Sā. 16.7.8. yet David offended him not / but committed it to God. Her. 9. etc. as he had accused his wife / and so it was come vpon his pate: he answered / that the P. in his conscience knew that G.I his ac­tions in the time of the P. weaknes which was about the same time declared the contrary: and those actions was a comfort to his conscience / and made him the more willingly to beare the reproche as also he knew that both himselfe / our father / and my selfe were slaundrred by a bil in the star chamber / which the Lord broght to light ād cleared vs of. They vrged G.I. again to protestation: which he did: M. May also protesting and so they made redy to depart: G.I. exhorted M. St. to looke to his heart / how he suffered this to be further broght to light / ād by what rule seing it was before ended by protestation: he also seeing how theLev. 19.16 17.18. Prov. 10.12 and 11.13. and 15.18. and 17.9. and 22.10. and 26.20. contention encreased: he replied that his iudgmēt was / it should also be broght to the congregation: G.I. willed him to looke that he had not some hatred in his heart against him: also if he would have so done if he had lo­ved him: he made a tush of it: I appealed to their cōsciēces if they thoght I wished the P. dead: to this they would not answer but went away.

The day following 6. brethrenM. Knif. Mr. Bow. Mr. Bish. Tho. Mic. Ro. Iacks. Iohn. Phe. came to G.I. his chamber / and M. Knifton said that in his owne name and of the rest he desiered to know if he purposed to receive the Sacrament on the Lords day following: G.I. perceiving that it was asked with consent of the rest answered that he being a member of the Church it was his duety to receive if he had not iust cause to hinder him: asking thē by what rube they asked him that question? they would not answer: but said they had some thingsThe chur. had ended these things ioined also in fast and praier / and now these rip them vp again. a­gainst him / where of the Church condemned him: he desiered to know them: they said about charging the P. wife to wish her selfe a widow for a papists sake: then G.I. reached a writing and would have read his [Page 165] āswer / but they would not suffer him / but repeated mo accusatiōs about Mris. Sutheby etc. G.I. stil offered to reade them his answer written / they would not / then he told them that he saw they came not of themsel­ves / but were instruments sent from the elders / who had alredy made a breach / as he had on the Lords day and 5. day tolde them / so as he could not with a good conscience ioine with them in the seal of the covenant before there was fulMat. 5.23.24. 1. Cor. 11.20 etc. reconciliation: shewing them that thre of them Mr. K.M.B.I.P. were not present at the handeling of the matter / ād how could they then be offended? appealing also to Mr. Bowmans and the others consciences if they would have come / if the stir and breach had not fallen out vpon the Lords day? they would not answer directly / but asked G.I. his answer to their accusations: he said he answered as he had written / and spoken openly in the congregation: thē they asked if I wold stand out against a wholeThe name of a Chur. indeede maketh ma­ny afraide both in fal­se and true Churches but the godly must looke to the cause and not follow a multitu­de to over throw the truth. Exod. 23.2 Ier. 7. ād 8.8.9. ād 18 18 Rev. 2. ād 3 ād 13. ād 17 and 18. Chur. I answ. frō Rev. 2. and 3. they demaunded if I would give no other answer? [...] told them I had given them an answer grounded vpon the word of God: thē they wēt away angry: onely M. Bowman staied and from 9. a clock in the morning til 2. in the after­noone we reasoned of the dueties of brethren / of the estate of true Chur. etc. how corruptions crept in by litel and litel: he confessed that the elders were overcaried both in the matter of Iac. Iohns. and M. Sl. but said he / what wil you do against a stronger / alledgingPro. 25.8 9.10. that of Salomon how hard a thing contention is / and how heavy it was to go to law against a stronger? I confessed the P. strong / but the truth stronger / also that if hard to deal against a P. more then against the Chur. my mother / ād yet thatHos. 2.2. Rev. 2. ād 3 must be done: as theIudg. 17.2. etc. sonn oght to have done against his mother when she would have him make an Idol: after long reasoning he parted and I desiered him as I did the rest to consider and weigh wel Math. 5.23.24. The next day about 3. a clok came. M. St. to G.I. ād warned him frō the elders to prepare himself to āswer the accusatiō of M.M.M. St. said it was his iudg­ment to bring Mr. M. accusa­tion before the congre­gation: and now (ha­ving drawn the other elder to his bought) they do it. before the congregation: he answered that he would as God should enable him: requesting him further (if he might be so bold) to cary a message to the el­ders againe. 1. that they would consider what he had said to them on the Lords day / and how they could be worthy receivers of the seale of the covenant in such contention. 2. what warrant they had to bring Mr. M. matter before the congregation / and withal exhorted him to looke into his own heart / telling him that he might have staied these things if he pleased: he made aPro. 16.18 to 26. light matter of it / ād wēt, his way: that night about 9. a clock G.I. wēt to M. St. (the sacrament being to be administred the next day) ād conferred with him how mē in such contētions could eat of one bread: he answ. that a man might aswel abstein from the word and praier. G.I. shewed him that the1. Cor. 10 17. ād 12.20 scripture called thē that eat one bread one body / so doth it not thē that heare one worde / or are presēt at praier: so much reasoning passed / G.I. desiring him to shew some place of scripture that shewed so nere coniunction in the one as in the other: he shewed none / but waring late we parted. The day folowing being the lordes day ād G.I. having signified vnto thē / that they having such1. cor. 11.17 18. etc. cōtētions he could not ioine with thē in the seal of the covenāt / in the afternoone he came to exerci­se: the elders called him / [Page 166] and asked if there had not beeneThre of the six not knowing the matter G.I. told thē that he feared / they were but the elders instrumēts and here it plainly ap­peareth that the el­ders were privy ther to / and in deede G.I. had found M. St frō time to ti­me to kindle coles. Prov. 26.20 21. six with him two daies before: who said they could not ioine with him in the Sacrament: he answered that they asked him if he purposed to receive the Sacrament? and spake with him of other matters / but that they could not ioine with him / they said not a worde: then the elders asked M. Knifton (who was an elder / and one of the six) if they had not so said vnto me? he said / not at the first / but at length they spake thereof: G.I. answered that he thoght he nustooke himself: for he remembered not any such thing: speach being hereabout they confessed that M. Bishop / Robert Iackson / and Iohn Phelps were not so minded / and in deede I do not remember that they spake thereof. Then the elders said / there were others / who would not ioine in perfor­ming holy dueties if he were present: so as there wolde be troble: he ans­wered that he would be loth there should be troble about him / and if he might lawfully / he would rather give place / then hinder the exercise of the worde: They said it was wel answered: then G.I. again added / if you wil promise / that it shal not be accounted seperation or schis­me: they answered it should not: and so for peace sake heThus on the sudden for peace sake he yeelded: y [...]t wether a Chri­stian may leave holy duties / if some be offended at his presence is a question not to be easily yeel­ded vnto. Heb 6.10 etc. Act. 15. Gal. 2.12.13.14. yeelded to them herein and went away.

The 5. day of the weeke G.I. comming before the Church to answer the matter about M. May (as Mr. Stud. had warned him the weeke before) there was not any mention thereof / but M. Stud. asked G.I. the reason of his absence from the Sacrament: he answered them / that sundry places of Scriptures persuaded him thereto / they having brokē peace / raised vp contention / and many sins remaining among them vn­repented of: they willed him to name the Scriptures: he named Mat. 5.23.24. 1. Cor. 11.17. etc. they asked if those were al / he answered no: they demaunded the rest: then he named. Levit. 10.3. 1. Cor. 10.21.22. and sun­dry others which are set down in the reasons following: then they de­maunded what the sins were which he said were not repented of. He answ. the contentions / divisions and breaches among them: also sundry sins in the Pastors wife in the Pastor himself / elders / and congregation: they demaunded particulars: he named them: which are also afterward set down; then they begun to reason that those scriptures warranted not his absence: he wrote their speach M. Stud. spake to the brethren to for­bid him writing: he showed the Brethren that they oght not to forbid him: neither did they / onely Iohn Nicholas (who is become a very pleas­man / and very inconstant) gived G.I. as if he could not remember without writing / G.I. answered him / Iohn Nicholas I marke your give / but passe by it / yet exhort you to eter into your heart / whether you deal and walke vprightly in these things? at length it was concluded that M. Bellot should write for both parties / and G.I. should have a copie of the proceedings. Wherevpon the Pastor fel to reasoning / and would prove that there was no division among them that received: G. I. answered that he concluded not the question which was of the whole congregation / and not of those that received: he stil vrged and G.I. have him the same reason / that they knowing some of their brethren had some [Page 167] things against them / they should have left their sacrifice at the altar / ād first be reconciled: the P. speaking not presently / Mr. Kinsworth begun and said that the worde in 1. Cor 11.This M. Kins. stil would put in a foote / and reaso­ning twoo or three at once seke to troble and confound the memo­ry of the answerer. did not signify a severing / G.I. de­siered that. one might reason: so M. Kinsw. repeated again: G.I. answe­red that the word in the 29. ver. did signify dijudico / discerno / or secerno / which was with iudgment to sever / distinguish / or make difference be­twene receiving these holy things / and of commō ordinary meats / which yet are to be1. Tim. 4 4.5. received with thāksgiving ād praier: M.A. dilated vpō the greeke word: G.I. told him that he knew wel inough that the word was vsed to iudg with making differēce or distinctiō with vnderstāding and iudgment: the afternoone being spent and waxing late M. St. said G.I. was a contentions fellow ful of strife / and he with the P. fel a lau­ghing. G.I. said / I say to you as IobIob. 21.3 said / suffer me to speak / and whē I have spoken / mock on: they replied that so might Baals Priests have said to Eliah mocking them: G.I. answer. 1. that they abused the scrip­ture to defend their mocking: for Baals Priests were notMat. 5.22 Eph. 5.4. Col. 3.8. etc brethren: 2. that that place cōdemned them: for Eliah gave them fre leave and time: but thus they sought to cover their mocking. They at length willed G. I. to bring al his reasons against the 5. day of the weke folowing. They breaking vp the meting G.I. desiered that he might have a copy of the proceedings which M Bellot wrote: Mr. Stud. said he should not have them: he vrged theirThe el­ders promised / ād the very same day break promise. Psal. 15.4. Rom. 1.30 2. Tim. 3.2. Is not this vn­equal and vniust dealing? promise / yet would they not: he then spake to the brethren that promise might be performed / but he could not obtein it.

In their next metings he stil vrged their promise / delivering them a copy of his reasons / but he could not obteine the proceedings according to their promise. The reasons were as follow.

These reasons they shifted of as they pleased / and wold gyve no ans­wer, in writing. Now let any iudg whether I had not ground for that which I did / and whether they or I were to be blamed: further I desie­red that the writings and reasons might be answered in writing / and that by the word of God it might be opened to me that I called / and I would by Gods help confesse my fault / and amend: Otherwise / if there were but bare wordes / and mens iudgments / thogh I reverenced their iudgment and learning yet I durst not buyld therevpon / but vpon the word of God written / : And this is the ground / wherevpon the Lord goveth vs to stand forth for his truth / and must be also forstanding forth for a sober holy w [...]l [...]ing therein likewise. Rev. 2. and 3. Isah. 66.5. Rev. 12.11.17. But I could get no written answer or grounds from them.

SundryAt these times they stil vrged the same matters. times we mett / namely the 31. of the Mon. August. the 7. ād 11. of the Moneth Septemb. at all which times there was reasoning / ād repeating of the same things: disputing about the reasons and contēding about the signification of the words therein: G.I. stil answ. that to leave Ezech. 34.24. Isah 8.20. Ioh. 3.10. Eph. 2.20. 1. Pet. 1.23.24 / 2. Pet. 1.19.20.21. [Page 171] the matter and strive about wordes was but to seeke matter of conten­tion / desiering them to set down his answer in writing / that the Church ioining in an vnworthy receiving a mēber was to seperate himself: this answ. they wouldMuch reasoning there was that his answ. oght to be writtē but they would not. not write / thogh M. Kniston one of the elders witnessed that so his wordes were: at length the Pastor yeelded that the Chur. so ioining a member might abstein: G.I. replied / such was your recei­ving / and therefore I absteined. The Pastor and M. Stud. laid their heads together and begun to aske him questions. G.I. answered that if they would write them / and graunt him time of deliberation / he wold by Gods help answer them / otherwise he seeing them to be entrapping questions he durst not suddenly answer them: following also the Apost.1. tim. 6.4 exhortation to avoid such.They re­peated things handeled in the former breach / ād G.I. stil āsw. as before. After these things they fel to accusations about the Pastors wives apparel / speach / gesture / behaviour / etc. G.I. answered that they had brokē promise with the Church promising that the apparel should be tried / and yet would not send the gown / but brake promise. The Pastor begun again to storme: Mr. Stud. called for witnes­ses: He answered that in the former trial they had terrefied the witnesses that they durst not speak faithfully and constantly: that also they were thingsWhen things seene of all men what nede mouth witnesses / and wordes? seene / and that the brethren were offended thereat: then they as­ked the brethren if they were offended / and willed them to speak? none would: G.I. willed them to deal as in Gods presence / adding that if they could witnes / and would not / it was their sin / and suffering innocency to be condemned they mad themselvesLev. 5.1. guilty / and God would requier it. Not one man would speak: Wel / said G.I. thogh I should die I must witnes that some have bene offended / and have spoken against these things: No man speaking the elders condemned G.I. as a slaunderer / seing no mā would witnes: ād asked the Churches iudgmēt? they being silent theThey conclude and condē­ne G.I. ād yet the P. wife confesseth the offence conditionally: which afterward also she simply confessed. elders concluded it. G.I. told them he must have patience: yea said he / you brake promise with me openly the last day / and if I should call these brethren to witnes / I fear no man would: yet what I have seene and heard I may not deny it / or go from it / thogh they be vn­faithful: at length being much a doe hereabout / G.I. appealing to the Pastors wifes conscience if these offences had not bene given by her? and she admonished of them? if he had not with his eies seene and face to face dealt with her about them? she then said / if she had offended / she was sory: G.I. said / he was glad to hear so much hoping that God would worke a further confession in her: then said the Pastor to G.I. wil you confes so much if you have offended? he answered / I have sun­dry times done it / and you stil break the peace, so as I desier a sound and holy ending: Then they begun to charg G.I. that the brethrenSee the answ. to this obiection in the preface to M. Fran. Iohnson page 17. forso­ke him: G.I. answered / the more is their sinne: then they said he stood so out against them / because they were so poore / and he would go again to England: he answered that that was an vnbrotherly and vnchristianGod have the praise / my practise hath witnessed these to be surmises and slanders: so as thēselves are now slanderers / guilty and fallen into the pit which they digged for me. Prov. 26.27. surmise / he having it not so much as in his thoght: others of them accu­sed him that he was promised his table to stand forth faithfully: the au­thor [Page] another of which slander (now dead) being examined would not stand to it: G.I. desired that they who accused him thereof openly in the congregation might confes their fault therein: but the elders shifted it of: others also said he stood so forth because he could not be elder. He answered that he stood forth when he was prisoner / and far from kno­wing when they should have liberty / so that even that condemned that reproch / as as also they knew he had vsed sundry meanes that he might, not be chosen: these and such like surmises and slanders were devised: and when they could not say more they said he did it in pride and contention / seing he would stand alone / and not yeeld to them al: he answered that the adversaries said the like of all of vs: and as they dealt in plea­ding for their falsehood / so did they in pleading for their corruption: they appointed him to come again the 5. day following: wherein before I set down what was done / I shal desier the reader toIt is a gratious thing to depend vpon God and to observe his workes Psa. 107.43 for he Pa. condēning his brother contrary to his own conscience and wri­tings / the Lord in time bringeth his writings to light. mat. 10.26. observe Gods mercy / that (thogh the Brethren would not witnes they were of / fended at her agparel / yet) a letter is come to light of the Pastors own hand writing (when he was Prisoner) to M. Smith beyond seas: Wherein he answereth concerning them that found fault and were of­fended at his Wives apparel: so that his conscience told him the truth hereof / and yet he would cal for proofe: the Brethren being afraid and durst not openly speak / he would contrary to his own conscience con­demne him as a slanderer who iustified this eo his face: Now let his owne Letter witnes to his face also: and then let see in their boasted answer what cover the Brethren will set vpon it / or whether they wil have grace to confesse their vnfaithfulnes herein suffering their Brother to be condemned as a slandererLevit. 5.1 when they could have cleared him? as also wheter the Pastor wil confesse his sin in vrging and condemning the admonisher as a slaunderer / when in his conscience he knew the contra­ry: if this dealing were not vnbrotherly / vnchristian / against al iustice and such as many civil men would not have done / let the godly Wife iudg: the wordes concerning that matter of his own handwriting I wil here set down: they are as follow.

Touching ♣. that of my wives apparel / I think you should do wel to admonish them that speak * behinde her / and my back and not tot our faces. But this (I fear) is to ♣.. vsuall among them. I desiere *.. to know their names / and what they obiect in particular. ♣ If she offend why have they not showed it to her self by the word of God? 2. If not / why talke they to others / as if she did offend? * she weareth not any thing / which she vsed not heretofore. If it were vnlawful then / why was it not declared so to be? If it were lawful why do they now finde fault?‡.. But it may be feared / least some of our people are over caried in their own conceit / este­ming that vnlawfull in their own opinions / which by the word of God they are not able to prove so to be. ♣.. The error of the Anabaptists touching apparel I wish it may of all be car [...]fully taken heede of *.. Outward show of holines and of humility hath much deceived the world / and stil doth at this day. And ‡. hipocrites are most forward in such observations themselves / and censuring others for not vsing the like. ♣.. Some here have not beene ashamed to find fault with knit stockings and [Page 172] corck shoes. Wherevnto would this grow if it were not resisted / and carefully looked vnto? specially there where Anabaptistry hath taken such roote: yea and here / where our forwardest *.. professors put a great part of religion in their nice and conceited apparel. But we have ♣.. learned otherwise / that comelines / honesty / gravity / mens ability / and estates being considered / the creatures of God (even the best and finest) are given for our lawful and holy vse that God the giver may in all things be prai­sed and glorified by vs. ‡.. Gen. 24.53. †.. 2. Sam. 13.18. *.. Prover. 31.10.22. etc. ♣.. Psalm 45.8.14. ‡.. Luke 15.22. [...].. 1. Tim. 2.9.10. ♣.. 1. Pet. 5.3.4. *. Particularly for my wife / if any can sh [...]w any thing she vseth to be against the ‡.. word of God / both she and I are redy to *.. hearken vnto it by the †.. grace of God.

Thus have I set down these things somewhat more largely / they having beene the maner of all his pleadings / wherein whether mat. 7.21. Ierem 42. Ezech. 13 Rom. 2. 2. Pet. 3.16 Isah. 66.5 Ier. 8.8. [...]. and 18 / 18. he vsed not smooth words / but (by amending) shewed no good deedes? whether thus to alledg the Scriptures be not to pervert them? whether also such dealing be not to cover / to daub and to abuse his gifts in the behalf of his wives pride so many yeares? lastly whether his / the elders and peopls dealing so to catch and ensnare their brethren / as to excommuni­cate them about resisting these things be not vnequal and vnchristian / let others iudg by Gods worde.

Now let vs return to the proceedings: vpon the 5. day following: G. I. came according to appointment: then the elders The pa­stor and elders vse (or rather abuse) offe­ring vp of praier as abate to catch. G.I. for in the procedings before they said he did wel to ab­stein / seing some would not ioine if he were pre­sent: now they see that not onely for peace sake he did it but that his iudgment enclined that now heoght not they vrge him thereto. Come they not hereby nere to the sin of them that devoured houses / and that vnder a colour of long praiers? Mat. 23.14. Luke 20.47. offered to go to praier and would have him ioine which they had not done at other ti­mes: G.I. perceiving that hereby they would take occasion of quarrel­ling whether he ioined or refused: if he refused / to charge him with schis­me / if he ioined to accuse him that he dealt contrary to his iudgment: for they had the last meting asked him if he would ioin in praier with them? he answered that they had seperated him / and why did they now aske him that? they said they desiered to know his iudgment therein: he answered that he thoght he could not ioin with them they being obsti­nate in sins and contentions: which they knowing vrge him now to ioin: (I say) perceiving their dealing he told them they oght to deal more carefully with praier: they consulting together and he vrging thē how they could take Gods covenant in their mouth / and would not be re­formed / they proceeded to accusations: G.I. desiered the accusations ād answers might be written: they would not: he shewed that they perver­ted his wordes sundry times / made promises / but kept thē not: and none were present / who would witnes with him so that he desiered accus. and answers might be written / that the truth of things might appear for one as for another: they would not: at length he told them he saw their dealing whither it tended / and that they wrested his speaches / so as he had written the things he had against them / which he also thē delivered [Page] to them / desiering them to read them / to consider of them and to repēt. They (besides those which were given against the Pa. wife the ground of al these / whereof the reader may see They being there together set down and printed I repent them not here again. page 135.136.137.) were as follow.

These things were then given in writing besides sundry other which fel out in the procedings / whereof also he was admonished. Since those times is also come to light / that he dealt contrary to his conscience and knowledg: forM. Sla. tolde me this / and was wil­ling that I should vrge him here­with / and publish it. M. Sl. (who was an elder with them / and dealt in the first breach and procedings at Amsterdam) hath tolde me / that in the P. and M. St. procedings M. Ains. compleined that he saw they so caried things / as either the P. would be gone / or G.I. must be excommunicate which (said he) I cannot in conscience consent vnto: for (thogh witnesses fail him / yet) I have seene the apparel / and know the things to be true wherwith he chargeth her: ād said he / if the pastor wil be gone / let him / the Lord wil provide: thus heHerewith also I have vrged Mr. Ainsw. ād he denied it not neither would an­swer: so that his silence bewraied a guilty conscience. Gen. 42.21 22. and 44.16. mat. 22.12 thē spake / and yet they seduced him that he dealt against me / and pronounced the sentence against me in the first procedings. God give him to repent hereof and to walk vprightly: but I fear his Apostasy killeth his heart / that he can not with authority rebuke others: yet I wish him truly to repent thereof / ād to be the moreRev. 3.15. to 19. zealous now / the more vnfaithful that he hath beene heretofore ād thus doing / it shal be a testimony that God wil further help him in al trobles: if he wil not be faithful in the least / neither wil he be faithful in much: for Christ that cannot lie hath soLuc. 15 / 10 spoken.

Dealing further with M. Sl. why he ād M.A. were so violent against me / he said that the P. and specially M. Stud. drew them theretoThey having also excommu­nicated M. Slade these things came to light. tel­ling them that if I were so wel known to them as they knew me / they would not speak in my behalf: that I had a crackt brain / ād so was over caried: insinuating also / that I was so contentious a man / and so exag­gerated it / as if none could live in peace with me / yet said M. Sl. I have now found otherwise: further they said if I should herein prevaile / they [Page 185] then should never rule me: that they must at the least vse sharpe wordes against me: wherevpon (said he) we were soThey of [...] ery / that none were such ene­mies as M. Sl. ād I: but no wonder / seing they by their tales thus stirred him vp against mee: Pro. 10.12. and 26.20. and now they are angry that we sometimes meet toge­ther. earnest against you / but we would not yeeld that they should proceede to excommunication. Which in deede at that time they did not / but they ended the matter verysee p. 146 cor­ruptly. Thus by these devises they seduced the teacher and M. Slade an elder / and so with the like (it is very likely) they also deceived M. Settel / M. Leigh / and sundry others / as also at length the whole congregation / making them of frends enemies to G.I.

I desier the reader to mark this dealing / and consider if profane men could have dealt more vnconscionably behind a mans back then these elders did: yea the very heathen Philosophers condemn such dealing / and yet it may be that in their boasted answ. they wil seeke to cast a cover over this their dealing. Wel / the Lord he saw it / and hath now discovered their vnchristian and (I doubt not but I may iustly say) vngodly dealing / for by such devises have they oppressed vs / and broght their purposes to passe / and I am persuaded if ever they write againstTheir own answ. to M.H. M. Iacob and. Mr. Iunius wil answer them. this discourse / it wil be by such devises ād reproches as vngodly and corrupt men cover their iniquities and corruptions: we rest also assured that God likewise in due time wilLuke 12.2 discover them. And thus much touching the offences admonished ād reproved in M. Ainsworth the teacher.

And thus much touching the offences admonished and reproved in M. Studly one of the ruling elders.

Thus I then wrote, but could finde no remors, or help among them: but as the P. and Mr, Stud. had seduced the elders, so did they also the congregation, wherevpon I likewise admonished it after this maner in writing, besides sundry other offences, which (as in the elders parti­cularly and iointly, so also in it) fell out in the proceedings, and were admonished.

They receiving these offences thus noted in writing / and beginning to read / the Pastor vpraided G.I. with Clapham: Iohn Nicholas and M. Bowman compared him to Mainstone and Claphā: G.I. answe­red that for those men they must answer their own case / he was now to deal in his: as also he would bear their vpraidings / willingM. Bou. ād I. Nic. while we were priso­ners were earnest a­gainst these things but the P. and M. St. discouraged I. Ni. in newgate / ensnaring him in his wordes. Isa. 29.21. M. Bowmā also became vnfaithful. M. Bow­man and Iohn Nicholas to looke to their consciences: for the daies had bene wherein they had stood against these things thogh now they were vnfaithful and become enemies: M. Bowman waxed hote: G.I. stil vrged his conscience: then the E. dealt about the accusations: G.I. stil desiered that things might be written: they would not / they proceeded in reeding them: the Pastor and Mr. Studley tooke occasion to laugh and give at the accusations: G.I. tolde them they had more neede to weepe: they vpraided him with M. May / he answered that he hoped God would clear him thereof / as he had cleared him of the slan­der in the star chamber: the P. rebuked him that he rehearsed those things. he tolde him he was persuaded he ought toPsa. 107.1. sā. 17.37. observe and re­late Gods mercy therein / and while he lived he would / they then deal [...] again with the accusations: G.I. stil requested them to shew him the favour which Mr. Slade had / namely that things might be written / but he could not obtein it / then they appointed him to come before them again on the fift day following: he going away desiered that God wold give them to see their sins and repent: then said Mr. Ainsworth we ad­monish you for your overcariage against our Pastor and his wife: G [...] I. answered I am persuaded thogh I had said much more I had no [...] bene overcaried / seing they repent not: and you and others who have spoken secretlyM. Ainsw. also having in private spoken against their dealing / but being by them corrupted taketh their part / and vseth their very wordes / so that I may complein and say. Who can finde a [...] faithful man? Prov. 20.6. and wil not openly do it / you are to be admonished and to repent: hereabout passed some wordes betwene them: then the pastor [Page 199] spake to G.I. and bid him remember Corah / Dathan / and Abiram: G.I. answered that he abused the scripture as the prelates do the sa­me example against vs: that he often hadSee the answ. vnto this obiec­tion in the preface to the P. p. 11 12. and 125. had answer thereto: and willed him and the brethren to remember the brethrenGē. 37. etc of Ioseph.

Comming again the 5. day of the weke folowing as was appointed / M. Stud. said to G.I. that he had writings from him / and asked if there were all the accusations / he answered there were al so far as he then remembered: for they kept not promise with him to let him have a copy of the procedings / so that he could not set down al as he desired that he also had remembered moe: they asked what they were / and whether he had them written? he related them and said he had notes thereof / but not fully written / the Pastor then dealt about his wives speach in wishing her self a widow for a p [...]pists sake: at lengthBy a thorow stan­ding forth the P. is broght to confes that he had condemned the thing which he so many yea­res pleaded and soght to cover. he confessed that he had asked his wife if she so spake ād she confessing that she vsed some such speach / he had tolde her that it was an idle speach. G.I. hearing this / said he was glad / and wished that he had so answe­red / when she was first admonished / for then had it stopped many tro­bles: but then he sought to entrap the admonisher by asking him if she wished it in her heart? and reproched him that he received tale bearers: they proceeded / and asked proofes of the other accusations he answered that if they pleased to write his answer / and the procee­dings / he would: much time was spent in reasoning about writing / at length M. Ainsworth asked G.I. reasons why he so vrged writing: heReasons why G.I. desiered the procedings and his ās­wers to be written. answered that these trobles being grown to a great controversy / and al were against him / none with him to witnes the procedings / the same grounds and reasons moved him to desier things in writing / which moved them to desier conference in writing whē they dealt for the truth namely that the truth of things might appeare: 2. thatM. Knif. Mr. Bow. some of them had said he had spoken things which he did not remember / whereas if things were written it would be a sure witnes what was said on both partes. 3. things written may be better marked. 4. If things were written / and both parties subscribed thereto / and had copies thereof / then it should alwaies be apparant what was done / so as not theirs or my worde should nede / but the writing should be a sure witnes (al men by nature being partial in their own case) 5. it was agreed in the Elder­ship that both parties should write / and he desiered that promise might be kept: here M. Stud. brake G.I. of / asked him about his daughters apostasy / and would have himThogh the fact were open and wel known to them / yet they put G.I. to proofe: and this they did / having found how the brethrē failed and durst not witnes against thē but if this be vpright dealing let others iudg prove it: he answered that it was a publique fact / and sundry in the congregation could witnes if they would: they vrged him to name some: he desiered the brethren and sisters present / who could witnes to speak / or he would name thē: none would speak: then he named Mr. Bishop and his wife willing them to witnes as before God. Mr. Bishop put it of / as if he would not medel therwith and that she had confessed her fault in private: the P. and Mr. Ainsworth said that it oght not to be broght publique. G.I. desiered them to set that down vnder their hands that open idolatry [Page 200] oght not openly to be confessed: they would not write it: but said it was theirThus is now their iudgment in behalfe of the el­ders daughter but a bare accusatiō against G.I. brogt by Mr. May / and ended in private / must yet be broght to the elders: there also ended yet must it be broght be­fore the congregation / do not these things witnes that the elders are partiall in their own cases? iudgment: G.I. shewed from Deut. 13.8. etc. and 17.2.3 4.5. that such oght not to be kept secret: but they shifted it of / and said that G.I. charged Iohn Hales with scoffing him: he answered that so he did by bidding him appeal to the world seing he would not rest in the Pastors and elders iudgment: the Pastor covered it by the figureAn Ironie is a moc­king speach when one contrary is signified by another. Irony: by Christs speach / sleepe on: by Eliahs mocking of Baals Priests: G.I. answered that by figures the Pastor might so cover and daub vp al sins as before he had soght to cover his intem­perate speaches by the figureAn hiperbole is an excess of speach whē the chang of speach is very high and lofty. hyperbole: and if this were a right course / G.I. also (thogh there had bene over cariage) might say / it was by an Hyperbole: but he was persuaded brethren oght not thus to deal in controversies falling out among themselves: further that Christs speach was without sin.Let the Godly wise Iudg whether the Pastor do by these figures rightly cover their mocking of thē that reprove their sins Isah. 28.22. Ier. 20.7. to 10. Elias also he did it not to his brethren: here goodman Asplin standing vp said / that if he had said but half so much to any brother / it would not so be put vp: Wherevpon the Pastor rebu­ked him / and there was much adoe / asking him if he would take parte with G.I? he answered that he was persuaded he and the brethren oght to hear and try things equally / that having bene sick he was not present at the former procedings / and being now present he desiered that he might have liberty to speak as he was persuaded / and not so to be taken vp: the Pastor answered that theyMark their conclusion / and in deede such is their practise but Christ and his Apostles teach vs otherwise Ioh 3.20.21. Acts. 15.1. Peter 3.15.16. Revel. 2. and 3. had concluded / if any en­quired after this matter or any dealings of the Church / they should not be answered / except they would charge the Church with some evill done: they reasoning hereabout M. Ainsworth asked G.I. the proo­fes of his accusations: he answered if they would write them / he would shew them. Here again was there reasoning about writing: the Pastor asked William Asplin his iudgment concerning G.I. his answer / he said it was his duety to hear and try both before he iudged: here the Pastor again compared G.I. to Clapham: and Mainstone: G.I. answered as before. M. Ainsworth spake and said / that G.I. would give no proofes: G.I. requested and charged him as before God to speak the truth: and not to accuse himMr. Ainsw. chargeth G.I. vniustly for he offered the answ. and proofs which he had written (which are before set down pa. 129 to 135.) also larger answ. and proofs if they would grant him equal trial / and write his answer as they did M. Sl. wrongfully: for he was so far from refusing to give proofes / that he offered the clean contrary / if the proceedings on both sides might be sett down / and promises kept that so the truth of things might appear as also he had offered thē answers and proofes in writing / and they would not receive them. M. Stud. stood vp and said they admonished G.I. to repent of his slaunders a­gainst thē / G.I. answ. that the matter oght to be equally tried / before they could so give sentence in their own cases: he again being hote said they did admonish him / ād if he wold not repent / they wouldMark how M. St. hasteneth to excommunication. procede: [Page 201] willing him to be redy if they sent for him on the Lords day: and so for that time they ēded. G.I. going away said / the Lord give you to repēt and worke better hearts in you towards me.

The Lords day following towards evening two came vnto G.I. from them / willing him to come the Lords day following at 4. a clock before the Church / at which time he comming Mr. Studley begun ād said that the Church had commanded him to be there to know his an­swer if he repented of the sins wherewith he was charged. G.I. answ. that they had in wordes said he was a standerer / a false accuser / conten­tious etc. but they could not prove these things: that he had requested at their hands equalDeu. 1.16 etc. 2. Chro. 19.6. etc. dealing / and could not obtein it: here Mr. / St. interrupted him [...]and willed him to answer if he repented: G.I. desie­red of the Church to have liberty frely to speak: Mr. Studley said the Church oght not to suffer it: hereabout was some stir / the Pastor and TeacherThe P. ād teacher being wil­ling. Mr. St. hinde­ring it / and carying things as he did / let any christiā iudg / if G.I. may not iustly say that he hin­dered the meanes of peace bet­weene his brother ād him? whe­ther also he hasted not to excommunicate him? the Lord (if he belong to him) give him to re­pent if not he reward him accor­ding to his workes. 2. tim. 4.14 being willing that he should speak but Mr. Studley would not / and his word prevailed / stil asking G.I. if he repented / else they would procede: G.I. answ. that he heard they had read accusations against him vnto the people in his absence the Lords day before / stir­ring vp the hearts and affections of the people against him / hereat M. St. was very angry / asking who of the Church told him so much? he answered that if they had done wel he nede not be āgry that it was tol­de: but their so dealing behind his back / and not suffering him to be present to answer argued they dealt not vprightly. Mr. Studley stil called to him if he repented: he desiered a copy of the accusations that so he might consider of them: Mr. Stud. said he should not have any: M. Ainsworth said they were not acusations / but things related / G.I. desiered a copy of them. M. Ainsworth asked him what he answ. tou­ching his overcariage and contentions dealing against his sister / the Pastor / the elders / and the congregation? he answered that thus they termed the admonishings of them / but could not prove that there was overcariage or contention: that the peopleIer. 15 10 1. Writing sheweth assurance and remai­neth words are vari­able / and vncertain. Writings may be sēt vnto ot­hers: which they may read ād consider of. so accounted of Iere­my / yet that he was not so: that he desired equal handling / and things to be written: they would not / he offered them written reasons why he desiered writing: they would not receive them / he earnestly diesiered them to receive and read them / but they would not: they were as follow.

These are my reasons / why I desier writing: Now whether this be to beIf the adversaries should call you contentious for desiring to have things written I doubt not but you would shew that it were no contention: now I pray you shal not your own answer be turned vpon you pleading your corruptions? contentious / let other Churches iudg. I beseech you bre­thren to consider these things / I desier not prolonging of the time nei­ther to delude you (as you say): In respect of you I am very sory to see you so bent against me / and such scoffing and de [...]ision vsed towards me but I am not better them my predecessors: yea Ieremy was so accounted and asked. Ier. 15.10. and 20.7. etc. In respect also of the reproches which are alredy and which wilbe if things be not amended and repented of among you I am sory and much greeved / but in respect of myself / that the Lord hath passed over my sins / and namely my two former weaknesses / and giveth me now to stand forth against your sins / being a wretched sinner / and vnworthy this honour to stand forth for a Godly and sober walking in a true Church / herein I say / I am much comforted / desieringWe must bear the burthen and heat of the day not onely before open adversaries / but then in the vineyard and Churches of God. Psa. 66.12. Mat. 20.12. Revel. 2.25. etc. Isah. 43.2. that I may strive / tull I overcome. Revel. [Page 205] 2. and 3. Which chapters I pray you all / (as you fear God) to read / and consider wel: for surely they are chapters / which show vs our estate [...]s in a glasse / and lay them to heari I pray you: for else the Lord wil [...]ome against a whole Chur. as against one mā ther being notDeut. [...] 17. Rom. 2.11. 1. Pet. 1.17. Gal. 2.6. respect [...]f persons or multitude with him.

They wholy refused ād would not receive these reasons / M. Stud. [...]til calling for G.I. his answer. or they would proceede to excommuni­cation:If G.I. had refused any wri­ting of their so wil fully / they would (and might iust­ly) have accounted him wilful / heady / and obstinate. Now that they them selfs so deal are not they guilty of the same / namely of obstinacy of refusing to hearken / of pulling away the shoulder / shutting the eies / ād stopping. the eares? Zach. 7.11. he offered his answer in writing / they would not receive it / but made shew as thogh they would procede to excommunication: G.I. [...]olde them / he then appealed to another Church for help / desiering thē [...]o stay their excommunication / and to let another Church hear and [...]etermine betweene them: the Pastor asked what Church he would ap­peal to? he said the Church of norwich: the Pastor said it was popish to appeal to one Church: Mr. Studley spake dusdainfully of that Church. G.I. answered if it were popish to appeal to one / he then appealed to the reformed Churches as he could finde meanes therevn­to: he also told Mr. Studley that he spake so basely and dusdainfully of the Church at Norwich because they had admonished him for things they saw amisse in him: the truth whereof I often perceived by his earnest inbeighing against them / ād disgracing them as a simple people / his reason being that they rebuked him about his apparel:M. St. kepeth secret the chefe and principal cause of the brethrens reproving of him at Norwich / but at length he is discovered. Mat. 10.26. Luke 12.1.2. not deeclaring in truth the true cause or the whole cause of their admonishing / and dealing against him / for as since appeareth (by a letter written by Mr. Huut the Pastor there vnto the Pastor here) he was dealt against by them for waightier matters then apparel / even for vsurping autho­rity.

The vvordes in the letter vvere thus.

Now let the Godly wise iudg what was the true cause of M. Stud. [Page 206] displeasure against them / howsoever he pretend otherwise / and let the Pastor looke to his conscience that he have dealt vprightly in this ac­tion betwene them: I fear he hath not / yea I fear that as Mr. St. helped him to daub in his wifes case / andIer. 23.14 strenthned him in iniquity / so he recompenseth him with the / like but the Lord seeth / andProv. 16.5 thogh hand ioine in hand they shall not go vnpunished.

Thus much I thoght good to note concerning Mr. Stud. the true cause (as I take it) being now come to light of his hatred and that his so base estemingThe Church of Norwich is the elder sister / and if ther be weaknes they are not to be despised but helpen: but such is M. St. pride / that he regar­deth not other chur. and hindereth the P. from yeelding to be tried / and iudged by them as M. Ar. the dutch pre­cher observed. of the Church of Norwich / that so the people and others may better discerne and know him / ād his dealing / heThis I write knowing it to be true / he [...]ggera­ting often there sim­plicity / ignorance weaknes etc. and labouring to stir vp the Pastor and my affections against them after we came forth of prison and were in our vsage / as also in the time of our imprison­ment. craftely seeking by all meanes the decrease and disgrace of that poore remnant. Let vs now returne to the proceedings: there being speach about app [...] ling the Pastor cunningly insinuated stil to the people that it was to make one Church subiect to another: that it was a disgrace to them as if they were not able to end matters: then Robert Iackson / Abraham Pulbery / Mr. Bowman / Antony Tatcher and divers other begun to speak to G.I. not to appeal / that he should not be so proud ād shame [...] as to stand against a whole Church: G.I. seing the Pastor thus to stir vp the Brethren / he desiered he might have leave to answer: Mr. St. stil brake him of / but he proceded and said touching the Pastors speach of popish as before: that also such appeal was lawfull and warranted by Acts. 15. Here Mr. Ainsworth would have interrupted his speach but he desiered he might have liberty to answer they still would stay him / but he proceeded on / that it was not pride or shamelesnes to stand forth against a whole Church they pleading for sin etc. Revel. 2. and 3. Ierem. 7. Hos. 2. that thogh they having once stoode forth / but had lost their power / and so were become dead / yet they must not be angry at others that would not yeeld / and be wavering as they were: Here Robert Iackson who is toHe knoweth in his conscience that even whē he ioined in these trobles I entre [...] ted him to earn things more moderately. hote and hasty (yea as I may truly say abounding in peevishnes) begun to reproch / G.I. with contentiousnes / that he trobled the Church: and spake so hastly / that he could not vtter his wordes: G.I. willed him to speak more moderatrly / and not to be soHis gesture shewed such a nature as I cānot describe except I should compare it to a braling womās chiding. peevis angry. While these things were Robert Baily com­ming in broght letters from the Pastors and G.I. Father / which were to persuade them to peace as vsually he wrote / and much desiered that such breaches might be stopped / the Pastor read he letters openly: the brethren herevpon vrged G.I. to yeeld for his Father sake: he answer that he reverented his Father / and would yeeld whatsoever he might in a good conscience / yet stil remembering Deut. 33.9. as also hisThe F. soght peace / and yet when he came over to that end they so perverted matters that they also excommunicated him. Fa­ther desiered a holy peace / and not that he should do against a good con­science / which the brethren now did.

This thus ended / Mr. St. broght forth a letter of Mr. Barrowes against G.I. wherein he wrote to M. Bellot that he was contentions: G.I. answ. that the P. was in the same contention: he also desiered to know by what rule they broght things private in publiqueThen dealing is contrary to Mat. 18.15 never dea­ [...]ing about the same / he further answ. that touching the matter betwene M. Barrow and him / it was about the exercise of prophecy / and Mr. Barrow being now at restRevel. 6.9 vnder the altar / he would not speak againstI wil not write what M. Bellot told me that m. Ba. also said or wrote cōcerning the P. if I should / it may be it would ma­ke him blush him / but for their so dealing he saw no rule / as also he was redy to shew the truth of that controversy / if they would hear it and if he offē­ded therein he would yeeld: while G.I. thus answ. M. St. would often interrupt him / but he stil proceeded. Then M. St.Mr. St. soght by these vniust vpraidings to dismay G.I. but the more we are oppres­sed the more couragious must wedt. 2. Tim. 2.3 vpraided him with M. Maies accusation: G.I. said / M. St. I see you sike nothing but to disgrace and discourage me / for you ended that matter privately / yet you broght it before the elders there also it was ended: notwithstāding you also warned me to come before the congregation about it / but han­dled it not: you vpraide me stil with it / what these your vniust vprai­dings meane / let your conscience tel you. Mr. May also being present G.I. turned himself to him / saying? M. May do you hould the cause / he said yea: wel (said G.I.) this I aske you / because I doubt not but the L. wil the ratherTo whom much is cōmitted of them shal much be required. Luk 12.48. discover you: here M. St. stopped G.I. but he proce­ded ād said / that he doubted not but as God had cleared his F. brother and him about the matter in the star chamber: so he would in this: he­reat the P. spake ād was angry that G.I. spake hereof: he answ. that M. St. vpraiding him as he did forced him so to answer and the case being not vnlike he would relate it to Gods praise / and his comfort: ād that the reader may know it / I wil shortly observe it / yet not naming the party he having confessed his sin and evil dealing therein / and that vnder his hand / which we yet have by vs.

Thus it was: the P. being prisoner / a matter of controversy fell out about the P. affaires: many offers were made to the party to end the cōtroversy by sundry meanes / to which he not yeelding suite was com­mensed against him / wherein he was overthrown: whereat (as also by accidēts that fel out in the suite) he was so displeased / that he exhibited a bil in the star chamber against the P. asFalse ac­cusation ād slanders against pri­soners for the ghospell are trials of their faith / and patience. Zac. 13.9 1. Pete. 1.6. Mat. 5.11.12. suborner / against the F. and G.I. as periured persons / he followed the matter very hard / wherein of he had prevailed / we had lost our ears / or some such grevous punish­mēt should have bene inflicted: Which I saw sundry times befal to di­vers in the fleete: yea he followed it so hard: as G.I. for his partIn religiō ād tr [...]bles to account ād reckon / Lu. 14.26 rec­koned / that if thorow the iniquity of the times (as we see in the primiti­ve Churc. and times of presecutions many were falsely amised in civil matters / and overthrown to disgrace thē professing and suffering for the ghospel) if I say they should be condemned / he would labour with patience to bear it / and commit the success to God; at length the party having spent much / and seeing he could not prevail went (as he called him) to the Archb. of Canterbury / being one of the privy counsel / and of the Lordes of the star chāber / thinking that he (being one of the to prepare ād provide against the hardest things that cā be ful is a blessing of God. cheefe [Page] holders of vs in prison) would have beene glad to heare such things against vs / and have holy in him against vs: to whom he opened the master / and crabed his help / but / as the party himself confessed) heFar beit scorn [...] to [...]uttel the prelat: but I wil con­fesse the truth / that herein he shewed more vp­rightnes and lesse hatred / which also the commissioners oftē did [...]h [...] these [...]de [...]s [...] their dealings yet the truth is the truth and the [...]ha [...] belongeth to such partial elders Iere. 22.14. answered him / that if these things were true he should have iustice / with which answer being not content (having hoped the Arch B. would have encouraged and holpen him / which he not doing) he was dismade and after that was willing to come to agremēt / confessing that he was so in / that he had so vnadvisedly slaundered vs both in wordes and otherwaies by a bil exhibited in the star chamber: yea he frely confessed that when he begun the suite he was worth an hundreth pounds / but he was consumed / and he could not finde any thing to prosper that he toke in hand. Thus did the Lord then work / and thus did this man con­fesse: should not I record it to Gods praise / and to stir vp my soule to depend vpon God being now also slaundered? I am persuaded IPsal. 10 [...]. oght.

Here also could I relate sundry iudgments publique and private which (I hear) have befallen Mr. May since this his dealing / but they would say I reioiced in their miseries he being a member of them / and that I kept nothing secret which is against them / therefore I refer it to God / whose iudgments are just: and except in their boasted answer they vrge me / I wil pass over in silence both those vpon him / ād others also vponTh [...] be [...] know how the Lords hand har [...] ­ken [...] a­gainst them ever [...] they thus deale and for what cause [...] he best into wish but they stil [...]tter themselves in their sins. Zec. 11.5. Isa. 58.2. Mica. 3.11. Isa 65.5.6. sundry of them / who have vnfaithfully about these ac­tions / desiring their repentance / if they be the Lordes.

While we dealt about this matter of M. May / stil M. Stud. would interrupt and reproche G.I. calling him vngodly man / commaunding him to holde his peace / and vrging the elders and brethren to excom­municate him yea there being speach about fast and praier / M. Stud. reprochfully obiected to G.I. that Coppinger who ioined with Hac­ket praied / and fasted / and thoght the spirit of God moved him / G.I. āswered that 1. their ill dealing must not discourage / but make vs more carefullMar. 13.22.23. and watchful in performing holy dueties. 2. that the adversa­ries vpraid al that seeke reformation with Hacket / Coppinger etc. and as the prelates so heMr. Studley hath one develish ( [...]orse [...] worse man be then M [...]che [...]els) policy: for he seketh to drive to extremities either to see deity of despaire and his reasoning often readeth to drive men from constancy in holy due­ties. would discourage from holy dueties / but as pa­pists and men in false waies imitate or abuse them so true Christians must vse themEph. 5.15.16 17. [...]ev. 10.21. to 26. aright according to Gods word: they may not grow secure or leave holy dueties vndone / because other have profaned or abused them. He stil vrged to excommunication Mr. Ainsworth asked G.I. if he would not acknowledg any fault: he answered that he had often and stil acknowledged that in respect of God he had sinned / and that even in many things we sin all: but to acknowledge as they would have he duest not neither could with a good conscience / divers brethren [Page 209] vrged him to give glory to God: G.I. answered that so said the Bre­thren. Isa. 66.5. who also excommunicate their brethren. At lengthWilliam Asplin / Anne E [...] ­stin R [...]ch Frank. three in the congregation stood vp / and said they could not consent to the ex­communication seing G.I. was not obstinate / but desiered equal trial / offered his answer in writing / and appealed to other reformed Churc. herevpon their being some speach / ād they consulting / it was concluded (notwithstanding M. Studlers egernes) that G.I. should bring his proofes in writing the 5. day following. At this meting the Pastor broght letters which G.I. had written / wherein his wife was com­mended. G.I. answered that in deede he wrote those letters when she was M. Bois his wise / and when the Pastor first maried her she then eariing herself very smoothly seaming to take admonitiō in good part / and making fair promises / but being not / nor doing in truth which sheIere. 42.5.6.20. seamed in shew / and becōming more proud / yea daubing and pleading for her pride / she lost her honour: and in deede as a sinner repentingEzech. 18 is not to be vpraided with what he hath bene but to be cōforted so a righ­teous man or woman offēding may not cover their iniquity with their former estate:Eccl. 11.3. as the tree falleth so shal it lie.

Having concluded on the Lords day that G.I. should bring his proofes written / the Pastor and Mr. Bishop came to him the day following / and delivered vnto him a writing / To thier writing were no hands sub­scribed / due after excommunicatiō / G.I. with much adoe got there hands / they ha­ving added mo things to it / and writing as they plea­sed which afterward in the due place is to be set down together. wherein they said those things were conteined / for which the Church was minded to proceede / and to which he should bring his answer and proofes the 5. day of the weeke: at which time he comming M. Studley asked for the proofes: he answered that he had written part / and must request more time for the rest / as also a copy of the proceedings / whereout they had gathered the accusations: they denied a copy: M. Studley / Mr. Bowman / and Mr. Bellot speaking much against G.I. the Pastor also said that he deluded them: he answered no: and that he would fully answer them / but they had granted him to short time: they said they would see so much as was done / he answered they should see it together: they willed him to fetch that was done: he answered he would / so as he might have it restored: this they would not promise / but said he should haveThey had also before promised to give a copy of the proceding [...] but or [...] their pro­mise / so as he could not now wel trust them. Pro. 25.19. a copy: he answered that he desiered to have his own / because one had relation to another / and so he could more easily finde them / this they would not yeeld to: then they read other accusations in a paper about the proceedings atSee hereof pag. 135. etc. London and inSee hereof Pa. 111.112. newfound land about letters be­tweene the brothers / also about M. Settels and Mr. Studleys falling and flinching: hereat Mr. Studley called G.I. to him / and secretly in his eare called him hipocrite; G.I. answered that he spake in malice bidding him take heed that cameTwo so reproched me in prison / but them selves fel away / and God have the praise / he hath preserved me. M. St. also since that time hath himself shewed hipocritical dealing with his wives daughter. Mat. 7.3.4.5. not vpon him / which had come vpon some that so spake / yea and vpon Mr. Sl. reproching me as some [Page 210] before had: telling him further that Iob was so reproched of hisIob. 4.3. to 8. and 15 4. etc. and 1 [...].2.3. frēds but the Lord cleared him and Iob in the end mustIob. 42.8. pray for them: th [...] M. Stud. openly called him Pharisaical hipocrite / he answered that M. Stud. was not the first false Prophet / and that the Lord would frustrate him. The P. again veged G.I. about alledging. Ier. 3.3. G. I. answered as before / that she by boasting sinning as they did / must be content to hear the like rebuke: here the P. vrged G.I. to protest before God and the Lord Iesus Christ / as to answer in the great day that her attire broght dishonour to God / reproch to the truth and greefe to thē within and without iustly in the several things. He 1. requested proofe that he might make such protestation: they alledged 1. Kin. 8.31.32. he āswered that that was where witnesses could not be had / but here were witnesses: and so nededThis is plain by con­ferring here with / Exo. 22.7. to 13. The Past. iudgment is also ac­cording in his letter. page 188. thogh now he practise the contra­ry: ād thus perv [...]cet [...] he the scriptures to his purpose. not protestation: 2ly. he answered that by this protestation the P. went about to deceive him by vrging it to be iustly in the several things: for they were as sticks in a faggot / and were to be considered iointly / all of them together making the offence greevous / whereas some one alone considered might seam smal / and be easily ex­cused / or broken: this he would not heare / but stil vrged the protestatiō: then G.I. turned to the P. wife / and asked if he dealt not with her before her mariage to reforme her selfe according to his estate / not na­ming any one particular? to this she would not answer. The P. then named particulars / as the tying of her points / and with laughing soght to put it of / as also most ridiculous things were spoken / which I wil not name / except in their answ. they cal for it: when with laughing ād ridiculous speaches they could not daunt G.I. the P. wouldWith such shifts may be put of al admonitiō as he plea­seth but the question is not of fa­shions and apparell cōmon to mē and womē: but of those which are particular and as it there tho­row as [...]oe me and maner of a countey appropriate to the one sex. cover it / that she might vse that fashion as she vsed knit stockings which men vse: he answered that so all fashions might be covered and shifted / that he also dealt not with her for one particular / but for the things ioined together which were named in theSee page 135.136. paper. The P. further laboured to cover his wives wearing of 4. or 5. golde rings together by the Iews earingsIf the Iews earings and Rebeccahs bracelets warrant a Past. wife to excede in gold rings vnder persecution let the godly iudg. ād Rebeccahs bracelets. G.I. answerd that touching carings thogh vsed in the old Test, yet no warrant for poore members of the Church in the new Testament: as also touching Rebeccahs bracelets they would not cover his wifes excesse / the one being in prosperity / a­bundance / and wife as to a Princes sonn: the other vnder persecution / none of the richest / and wife to a Pastor imprisoned: but answer G.I. what he could the P. overcaried all with authority / and would often commaund G.I. silence / comparing him to Clayham: G.I. answered that he himselfe pleading for pride might better be compared with Cl. Then M. St. vpraided G.I. with M. Slade. Yea / said G.I.M.M. Sl. had bene an elder with them had observed their nature and dealing / and in deede their falling out discovered sundry things in them as is before noted. St. [Page 211] said that you M. St. are discovered / and that when you holde by the finger / and wink with the ere / then some bad matter is a working. He­ [...]at M. St. was mute: then the P. vrged G.I. withIf Num. 12. may be iustly alledged against the repro­ver of pride in a Past. wife let the Godly wife iudg. Numb. 12. that he dealt as Aaron and Miriam. G.I. answerd. that he perverted that scripture / as he had done many moe / and proved to his face that Mo­ses case and his were whole contrary / Moses not standing for open sin. Moses being not vnder persecution / Moses being a Magistrate not the Priest: they also dealt with Moses about his calling etc, whereas G.I. did not in the least thoght deale with him about his calling / but in that respect reverenced him etc. but the P. would stil commaund him to be silent: goodman Asplin speaking that G.I. might have liberty to speak and be heard the P.Vpbrai­ding is one of the Pastors vsuallest argumēts. vpraided him with olde matters. W. Asplin tolde him he oght not to vpraid him / and that he charged him vntruly: and so some controversy fel out betweene them: at length they begun to con­clude that G.I. should have more time to bring proofes / and bidd him to troble them no more: he answ. them / that he trobled them not / but if they repented not / the Lord would troble them: then they appointed him the next 5. day: so he going away / the Pastor bid him remember Corah. G.I. wished him to remember Revel. 2. and 3. that the Lord would come against them / and yet he had a few names.

The next 5. day G.I. omming before 3. a clock. M. St.Mr. St. taketh smal occa­sion of offences. said they had staied for him: he 1. answ. that the meting before he had staied till veer three vncalled for / and now knew not how long to stay / 2. that they had granted him so smal time / as he was forced to write night and day yea til that houre / and scantly could finish it: then M. St. asked for the proofes: G.I. delivered them to him / requesting the Church and elders to see if he had deluded the Chur. by asking more time as the P. pretēded. M. St. receiving / and looking vpon it / in a scornefull maner made aIf he so wondered at them conteined in 5 or 6. sheets / what wil he do at this booke? but such wonder­ments exclamati­ons / and devises which he to often vseth to disgrace and discourage them / who rebuke their corruptions must not damn vpright men having a good cause: for even the Prophets and Apostles met with such / but the Lord in time found them out. Isa. 28.14. Act. 13.41. wonderment at the largenes of the writing / and holding it vp in his hands aloft / said / lo here (brethren) what a volume he hath broght / and so made a strange wondering: G.I. answered that the matters of 4. years controversy would aske some quantity of writing / desiering thē to read and weigh the answers. Then they consulted whether to read them or no: G.I. tolde them that he had done as was laid vpon him / and if they would read them that was his desier / if not / he must have patience: they turning over the writing passed the greatest part of it over / and came to that point of the Churches leasing her power / about which they made a great stir. G.I. desiered that they would read the writing in order / and not passe over the ground and proceedings, not leave the first / and come to the last: but first deal with the ground of all the troble / contention / and hatred / namely [Page 212] namely the pride of the Pastors wife: but they would not read in order / but read a peece here and there as they pleased: then he tolde them they dealt with him / as they deal who write against the truth / picking out some matters / whereby they may make vs odious / wherein they may seame to have advantage / or set a glose vpon them / leaving forth the principall: yet they would not hearken / but proceeded to that of the Churches losing her power. G.I. answered as he had written / name­ly that 1. they left outTo leave out / to add and to chā­ge the wordes of ad­monition is also to vsual with them. halfe the wordes of the admonition / the latter part being a proof of the former / 2ly. byIere. 9.3. Rebel. 2.4. and 3.1. 2. Ioh. [...].8. scripture Phrase / namely they have no courage for the truth: they have left their first love: thou hast a [...] name that thou livest, but thou art dead: looke that ye lose not the things ye have done, where the very word (losing) is vsed / so as they oght not to have taken the admonition in soil part. 3. he showed proofes in sundry particulars that they had lost their power. 1. in that they had begun to stand forth against the Pastors wifes pride: but by his shifts ād threat­nings left of their power to bring it to a ful trial and end. 2. they were zealous against George Cleaton when he seamed a litel to decline and went to the dutch tempels / now they shewed not such fruites but were contented (thorow the elders seducing) to consent that Mr. Slades ca [...]e and the dutch Churches was all one / and yet many differences were shewed vnto them: as 1. that the dutch Churches are growing on: Mr. Sla. was aThogh at first the P. would not yeeld that M.S. his face was a declining / but contended against William Eiles / M. Bowman and G.I. yet when it came to admonitiō that Mr. St. was admoni­shed / [...]en the Pastor with his own mouth so named it. declining. 2. they go on so far as they are come: he goeth from a sincere way where corruptions are left to one where the same are reteined. 3. he a member of this particular body and congregation: they not / but a whole Church / and so great different in the courses to be vsed. 4. We may dealfully with him in his own tongue: which we cā­not do with them in theirs. 5. there may be a final proceeding by th [...]s one Church against him as a member even to excommunication: but so there cannot be against them by vs we being but one Church / and they one also. 6. we being banished / strangers among them / not vnderstāding their tongue / and having fredome of conscience permitted vnto vs a­mong them / are by our confession / practise / profession / conversation / per­suasion and love to draw themMat. 5.16. Phil. 1.27. and 3.15.16. forward / and so far as we are come to walke with them by one rule etc. but have not so far (as I see yet) au­thority to proceed against them: so as their case much differeth from his. 7. he hath ioined / given the hand of fellowship / and walked with vs / they have not. The Pastor to cover his dealing in persuading the peo­ple that the dutch Churches and Mr. Slades case were al one alledged Acts 15. G.I. answered that many differences were between M. Slade and them in the acts. 1. theirs was a controversyThey vrged the Church ād brethren as to a duety / and so the Church was a partie: Mr. Slades was a face contrary to the Churches and his former practise / and so he admonished as of offence and transgression M. Slades a fact. 2. circummision whichGen. 17. etc. Act. 15.1.5. they strove for was once commanded: this fact of M. Slades going to the Idol tempels alwaiesDeu. 12.2.4. 2. Cor. 6.17. Reve. 14.10.11. Iohn. 4.21. to 24. Revel. 18.8. 2. Kin. 10.27. and 23.17. 1. Cor. 8.9. to 13. forbidden. 3. they had [Page 213] not once left it / walked in the contrary way / and returning againe de [...]t [...]ed: but M. Slade had / ād the Pastor admonished him forThogh declining / yet I deny him not to be a brother 2. thes 4.15. else should I also deny them decli­ning from their former sincerity / to be a Chisē. which I may not do Rev. 2. ād 3 declining their controversy was at the first comming to the faith / his fact was after he had continued two or thre years with the Church walking in the contrary practise / and was an elder of the Church: yea some affir­med that he had taught doctrine / and reasoned with the preacher at Dort against the things he now practiseth / so that he seameth to sin against his knowledg received. 5. It seameth they strove as of consciēce not thinking it had bene abolished: he doth not go from vs of conscience [...]o a better way: but for profit / having living thereby / as appeareth in the condition of taking his schoole / for else he could not have it: he also confessed openly that he did it / not having sufficient maintenance for his wife / and children: yea they know that therevpon I exhortedHerevpon they vprai­ded me that I was one of his greatest enemies / ād yet the Apostles have left written the very same war­nings. He. 1.16.17. 2. Pet. 2.15 him to take heede that Balaams wages deceived him not. 6. theirs was in the beginning of the Ghospel: Mr. Slades in the age of the [...]ne. Thogh (I say) these and the former differences were showed to the Church / yet they were waxen so colde / so was their first love left / that they dealt not with him as with George Cleaton / thorowly / at the the first knowledg / and bringing him to repentance: yea Mr. SladeLet the reader marke M. Sl. wish / and their maner of dealing / and (as I take it) they will be found guil­ty as Ely was. 1. Sā 3.13. Ezec. 33.6. yea so much the more as Master Slade did it not with a high hand but vsed their advise therein. wished [...] in the congregation that the elders and Church had dealt thorowly with him at the first: and said if so they had / he thoght he should not have taken the schoole vpon him / but he charged the Pastor and Teacher that they dealt very doubly with him: for (he said) they had promised in secret that his going to the Temples should not offend them: and he obiecting that the Church would be offended / they answered if they were / they would do wel inough / or they would satisfy them: some such speach he said they vsed / and now (said he) openly you are the earnestest disputers against me: yea he charged Mr. Ainsworth the [...]eacher with hipocrisy: and hereby the way I exhort thē [...] [...]ke to [...] they be not guilty of not staying his course in the beginning / ād that the Lord requier not his blood at their hands.

And here let [...] [...]he way note that my adverse brethren vexing that any familiarity is between M S. and me, The P.M. Stud. and divers of them continually vpraid that we are so familiar having beē [...] enemies / but (as before p. 184. is noted) it is [...] wonder that M.S. was so bēt against me / being by their devices drawn thereto: ād they drawing men to evil / would yet have thē so contine [...] [...] 1 [...]. vpraiding vs both there with, that having beē so earnest one against another we are now great frends, so labouring to stir vp the affections of the one against the other, I looke that they by my thus writing about Mr. Slades matter will labour to stir him to hatred against me, and to make a breach if [...]he [...] can, but I take it he knoweth them very wel (thogh they be very cunning to weave In examining a matter if a man be such ād wil not name particular persons as the E. desier thē they spin a thread that he devised it of his own brain / cannot prove it / ād so condēne him of slāder: if he name thē / then they spin a thread that whatsoever a frend tel­leth him he wil name him he cannot kepe secret / spare any / and so set they dislike among frēds thus every way pervert they / and spin thread of poison. Isa. 59.4.5.6. such webs, yet) not to be seduced by them, as he [Page] also yet knoweth that [...] vsque aras frinship must go [...] as a good [...]nsc [...]nce leadeth and if in humane wisdome they [...] cou [...] sly, that propter and [...] pecoure, illici [...]um: and aeque nef. is, tale aliquid [...] facere [...] are: much more in Christianity, and principally contra [...] [...] of religion may we [...] [...] dissemble or sin for our frends cause and it [...]oth a like wicked to do it being requested, ād to request it: which I should do, if I should not write these things vprightly: ād therefore (being [...] to write thus thorow my brethren) if hatred secret or open ar [...] God strenthen against it, as against other iniuries, and worke it for the be [...] as he doth [...] like [...] also [...] the [...] 1. M [...]. 5.21. 1. Iohn [...] all things to them that love him.

[...] my familiarity with him I [...] answer them as I have often / that [...] a [...]co [...]cate after me so as I know not their ful procedings ād I may not [...] hate wh [...] they hate / due trial must be vsed / 2 he hath shewed me [...] they promised to answer before they excom. him but brake promise / so [...] they [...] iustly say that they vsed al meanes which they might to stay him / which also the [...]oght / and so could not iustly proceed to excom. 3. I so much by experience [...] their corrupt dealing (as in other matters so) in excommunications that I [...] not without due examutation allow what they allow / or condemn what they condemne for they often follow their affections / and not Christs rules: 4. I finde [...] they have excommunicated a man / they would [...] to cast him of but they must first shew (and not think it inough to [...] [...]unications [...] they must [...]e [...]se to pervert the scriptures [...] for [...] / and must follow the ordinances which they or [...] of / but [...] not walk after. If they wil not ‡ hearken / I de [...] [...] God shal [...] do professe and practise his truth / duly to examine the [...] dealings / to take heede that they io [...] not to them except they amend / but that they labour to walke together (thogh but * two or three) in the name and fellowship of Christ and his Ghosp [...] [...] they finde a people walking worthy the gospel / ād according to their [...]

To returne now again to the procedings / thogh I shewed by tho [...] differences / that the Dutch Churches and M. [...] were not allo [...] that the Church notM [...]. 3.11. Isa. 5.2. etc. Rev. and 3. Mat. [...] Act 18. [...]. [...] Rev. 2. and 3. with [...] examining things / [...] to seduced by their leaders had left their first [...] being iudges in their [...] [...]os [...] iustified the [...] draw [...] to amendme [...] I their added a further [...] na­mely / that when M. Smith was here [...] and con­gregation shewed their love and care / to were [...] apostate should be chosen into office: [...] † names of such were put out from among them that were nominated for offices: now that love / care / zeale and power was gone for when the Pastor and M. St. had very nee [...] broght in two apostates / the congregation spake not against [...] or [...]is [...] ­sted / that rebuked rather those few members that were [...] ther [...] against / and would not yeeld / [...] thoghIf sauing [...]ld se [...] the [...]reth [...] his [...] ād the Ph [...] rise [...] [...] and ma [...]e saie [...] [...]oses for their ex­communi­cations. Ioh. [...]. to [...]. [...] examining was [...] Chu [...] of Ep. [...] Rev. 2.2. and yet [...] how left their first love: Pet. [...].5. [...] more chris [...] it be said to these [...] found? [...] Mer [...]ers name his [...] is noted) was put further [...] him to be an elder. When the elder [...]ould not have their wil / they [...] chuse non [...] and the congregation leaving these power were seduced by them. they might have [...] other who were not so blotted / yet would they not.