INASMUCH as the Reverend Theophilus Pickering has published and recommended to the serious Consideration of his Readers, a Narrative of the Ordination of the Reverend John Cleaveland, over a new-gathered Church in Ipswich, consisting chiefly of aggrieved Brethren, heretofore Members of his Church, without exhibiting what pass'd previous to this Event; it appears necessary in order to a right Judgment, that this Defect in his History be supply'd: Hereupon we believe the Judicious and Impartial will not think quite so ill of us as Mr. Pickering would have them; and all will be better able to judge of the Effect, when they know the Cause that produced it; and hereby it will also appear who are most to blame, Mr. Pickering and Adhe­rents, who so evilly entreated us for so many Years together, or we who by this Treatment were drove to this Pass. It will also appear by this Narrative what Churches best answered the Christian Character, those that sat still the Spectators of our Divisions and Distresses, or those that appeared for our Relief in the Manner by him complained of.

But before we proceed to the Relation of Facts, we would premise a few Things, and offer them to the Consideration of the Reader.

• 1. As all Covenants, so Church-Covenants, suppose two Parties, each of which have something to perform as a Condition dependant on each other.
• 2. In Church-Covenants, the Privileges and Advantages, as the Word, Sacraments, Discipline &c. agreable to the Gospel, are always presupposed, and to be regarded as the Inducements with the Person that joins with a Church; who therefore puts himself under their Watch and Government; which they promise and engage: But if this be neglected by the Church, then that Co­venant is by them vertually dissolved, and the Party injured, in Reason and Justice (if not in Form) at Liberty from his Obligation to that Church. Hence,
• 3. In Case it so happen, thro' the Art and Subtilty of the Pastor being him­self involved; or the implicit Obedience of a major Part of his Church, to his Dictates and Designs; or from what Cause soever; that the Way to a declared and formal Dissolution of said Covenant, or the Relation of a Member, disap­pointed in his Expectations as aforesaid, is blocked up, and his Dismission or Relief not to be obtained in a Way of Order. Then, we say in such a Case, it is lawful, at least excusable; to be sure, not answerable to the first Aggressor, for such a disappointed and injured Member, to seek Relief in a Way extra­judicial, [Page 4]since the main Thing in Religion, viz. The Edification of the Person can't be obtained otherwise. And to this all Forms however useful, must tive Way; and hence whatever Injury is thereby done to the Order of the Churches, must in Justice and Equity fall on those that were the Aggressors, and had de­stroy'd the Thing in Effect: And for such to plead a Right over Members so used and so relieved, or that talk of censuring Churches, who have afforded their Assistance; do by a just Construction declare they have a Right to hold those Members only for to abuse them; and every Church that will be so hardy as to interrupt their Design, shall be sure to smart for it.
• 4. If this Neglect of a Church or Pastor has been continued for such a Length of Time, as in Reason to wear out the Patience and Spirits of the Sufferers, and produce an utter and total Despair of future Advantage by continuing together, and thereupon a Separation be produced (or may we not say extorted) then the Trial of the Case must be by what happened before this Event, and not by what the Church might afterwards do; which, whatever it is, might be done, only from politick Views, to bring an Odium upon a Transaction that they would not before use Means to prevent. And it appears unreasonable to condemn one Man for acting incongruous to the Mind of another, when his Mind in that Matter was not known, 'till that Act was perpetrated.

Thus having premised or laid down these few Principles, we proceed to shew by a Relation of Facts, and by answering a few Questions, how far our Case corresponds with and may be supported by them.

In the Year 1741 and onwards, it pleased God out of his infinitely rich free and fovereign Grace to bring upon the Minds of many in this Parish, a deep Concern about their future Estate, and what they should do to be saved: And al­tho' something of this Concern then spread itself over the Land, and in some Places was very remarkable, we believe it was in none more so than in this Place, where before we were as careless, worldly, and secure as any, if not more so. But now the Face of Things was changed: An Engagedness to hear the Word preached; Christian Conferences; private Meetings for religious Wor­ship; and Assistance to each other in a Way of Life; were what the Minds of many appeared to be deeply concerned in, and engross'd much of our Time: And we have undoubted Grounds to conclude (at this Time) the free Grace of God was richly displayed in the saving Conversion of many to God, among us: God's Grace be magnified therefor! At the first Appearance of these Things Mr. Pickering seem'd very reserv'd and cautious how he gave us Encourage­ment; however, we had Hopes he would soon see it to be his Duty to fall in with what we were firmly perswaded, was from the Spirit of Christ. But we presently found our Mistake, and that we were to expect little special Assistance or Encouragement from him: For, excepting that for two or three Months he allowed us to have occasional Preaching from others under certain Restrictions; and that he would hold his own Lectures more frequently (which he drop'd again after one or two Sermons) we don't remember any Thing that he did to encourage or assist us; or that he adapted his Preaching any otherwise to the times (as we apprehend) than by taking Advantage of the Failings that attend­ed, to blacken and disparage the whole: Nor do we believe he will say, that he [Page 5]once closely conversed with any one Person under Soul-Concern, when sought unto for that Purpose; or that he once attended a private Meeting, whereby to assist and guide their Minds and Devotion in a Way of Truth; and to prevent those Mistakes in both he so often complained of: Nor will he say on the con­trary, that he forbore to treat both the Operations and the Subjects of them with a general Slight & Contempt; once he said, we were led by a devilish Spirit; which we apprehended was in a Manner unbecoming a Minister to treat any Thing that had but the Appearance of Religion; to be sure in a Manner extream­ly offensive and grievous to tender Minds.

This Carriage, together with his old Way of Preaching (which now was be­come very unsavoury to us) caus'd great Uneasiness. Some of us often apply'd to him for Redress, but in vain; for he soon refused to treat with us otherwise than by Writing; to which we were loth, knowing he had a Faculty to be critical; and thinking him disposed to take the Advantage his Learning & Parts gave him over us. But at length finding the Cause of our Offence increasing, and no Hope of Relief, but by the Church, before which we supposed the Case in this Way would soon come; therefore on the 12th of March 1744, we exhibited a Paper to him, containing fourteen Articles of Grievance, respecting his Preaching and Practice, signed by twenty six of the Church, out of sixty three, as we think the Number was: Hereupon we soon received his Answer in Wri­ting to some of the Articles of Charge, with a Desire that we would explain our selves on the other: Whereupon we presently explained those he desired, and as we tho't fully replied to what he had said, in Answer to us; concluding with this Postscript, viz. ‘Thus, Rev. Sir, we have examined your Answer to our Complaints, by which you will see how far you come short in giving us Sa­tisfaction; we pray you to consider and duly weigh this our Reply, and our Complaints in this and our former Paper: And pray Sir, Do this with Can­dor and a Christian Spirit; and after some waiting we shall attend you in Person to know your Result: but shall expect a free Conversation, and no penning of Words, nor taking Advantage on either Side: If you are con­vinced, and give us reasonable Satisfaction, all will be well; otherwise we may then propose to you some other Method for obtaining Relief; for we propose not to follow you farther by way of Writing. April 10.1744.’

To this we received his of April 16, in which was the following Passages, viz. ‘You signify your Intention to come and know my Result (and have a free Conversation with me without penning of Words or taking Advantage) to this I say, if you mean to shew me Respect, I am much obliged to you; but I apprehend the Method you propose, is neither necessary nor safe.’

This Denial (as we took it) of a free Conference, occasion'd farther writing. The Relation of which we must at present leave, while we step back, and re­late a new Matter of Offence that had arisen, which we were controverting be­tween us; the Thing was this, viz. On the 11th of March, the Day before our aforesaid Articles of Charge were deliver'd; as Mr. Pickering was preaching his afternoon Sermon, he had this Expression, viz. That none know the Actings of Faith, but God only; or to that Purpose: After Sermon, one of the Hearers meekly desired him to explain himself thereon, for that he was dissatisfied with the Expression; to this others joined also; but he declin'd answering the Question, or explaining the Assertion, and declared, he was not afraid of disobliging a [Page 6]Friend, or of losing a Parish; as he remember'd his own Words; but as we understood him, his Words were, He did not value disobliging a Friend, or losing a Parish.

When we saw we could not then be resolved, we proposed to wait on him at his House, for his Solution; and accordingly the next Day we waited on him for that Purpose; but it seem'd he had heard, his Words about losing a Parish, were understood by some others as we took them; and that his Party did not like the Slight, they imported; hereupon, he at once refus'd to confer with us, on the said Assertion, otherwise than by writing; and in a Mood not the most pleasant, demanded of us, how he express'd h0imself, the Day before with Respect to losing a Parish? Three or four of us answered, we understood him to say, He did not value &c. This Answer he immediately penned down, and then de­manded, Who else dare say so? But others suspecting his Design, held their Peace. Finding we were to expect Satisfaction in Nothing from him, we delivered him our Articles of Complaint before mentioned, and then withdrew: The same Day came forth from Mr. Pickering, the following Citation or Impeachment, in these Words, viz.

[Page 7] This Piece he sent out by that same Titus, his Servant, whom he tells the Pub­lick in his bad Omen he sent hither and thither, about the Time of the said Ordi­nation; but as we could not think him in earnest, or it he was, that we should fail to prove the Point upon him; also in Regard he had quite slipt off from the main Thing, viz. our Dissatisfaction at his Assertion in his Preaching, and his pretended Interruption thereon, and had laid out all his Concern upon some Disadvantage be had given his temporal Interest; considering also the Severity of his Terms, we pay'd no Obedience to the Citation, nor gave Bonds of In­demnification, as was demanded.

However, according to his Threatning, when the Court sat, he laid the Mat­ter before the Grand-Jurors; but upon our producing a Number of Evidences to prove his Words to be as we had alledged; he saw good to drop that Matter: however that he might not fail to do us a Displeasure, laid before the Grand-Jurors the Interruption consisting in our speaking in the Meeting-House as before related; and with two Days worry or Fatigue obtained of the Jury, to find a Bill against three of us, for asking the Solution aforesaid.

At this Proceeding People grew more generally offended, which might be the Occasion, that Mr. Pickering caused the Church to meet on the 27th of April, about a Month after he had procured the presentments, to acquaint them, as it appears by his Minutes, with the Difficulties that had arisen; and seem'd to be dispos'd to read the whole of our Papers to the Church; which we also earnestly desired, to accommodate Matters among our selves: but it stop'd in the Intimation, and nothing was done, excepting that he read the Paper of Charges, omitting what had been written thereon; he at the same Time said much to justify his prosecuting us in the Law; however he told us, if we ma­nifested a Sense of our Misconduct, he should rejoyce at it, and endeavour to serve us at the Court then coming on: And to shew how far we were to depend upon his good Disposition towards us, he then recall'd the Liberty he had given us of having the preaching of others amongst us, which was the only Favour he had ever heretofore granted unto us; remarking at the same Time his giving that Liberty, was an Error in him, for which he asked Forgiveness.

Whereupon when we saw what his fair Pretence of a Pacification was like to come to, we delivered him a Paper of Complaints in eight Particulars, chiefly on his prosecuting us in the Law, and for refusing to explain the aforesaid Asser­tion; and another Paper containing an Answer to his of the 5th of April 1744. The first of these he read to the Church, and then dissolv'd the Meeting with­out any Vote.

Soon after this, our Trial come on, and we were acquited, paying Cost. On May 7. 1744, we received Mr. Pickering's Answer to our last mentioned Pa­per of Complaints, justifying the Matter of the Prosecution, but making some Confession as to the Manner of his Proceeding: in this Paper also explain'd his said Assertion, viz. That his Meaning was that none knew the Actings of Faith in another, but God himself. And if this was indeed his Meaning, he might in a few Words at first have told us so, and thereby prevented all the Mischief and Offence that arose thereon, but he was not so disposed.

On May 18. 1744, we sent him a Reply to his said Answer, shewing that it was the Matter of the Prosecution, as well as the Manner of it, that was offen­sive [Page 8]and unjustisiable: We also sent him a short Paper in Reply to one we re­ceiv'd from him, upon our other Articles of Complaint; in both which we strongly urged him to call the Church together, and lay our Case before them, for their Judgment thereon. On the 30th of May following, we had another Paper from Mr. Pickering, insisting on his Justification, with a plain Denial to grant us a Church-meeting, for the Purposes aforesaid.

But to do Mr. Pickering Justice, he offered on Sight of an attested Copy of the Bill of Cost (from the Clerk of the Court) to repay us, if desired; tho', as he said, it was not agreable to Equity; but as our Concern chiefly was about his untender, and as we thought, unchristian Method of Proceeding with us, (which still he laboured to justify) we let this go, with a great Deal more, it had cost us, which he did not propose to repay, as a small Thing, in Comparison of other Things.

May 28th we sent him a Paper signed by thirty-five of the Church requesting a Church meeting, to consider of our Affairs: On the 29th we received a short Paper from him, glossing on one or two of our former Papers, and denying us a Church-meeting, on Pretence we had left his Communion, which some of us had done upon his prosecuting us in the Law as aforesaid (at which we believe the World will not wonder or judge us rash in so doing; since 'till then under all our Abuses and Neglects we had not left it:) he therein insisted we had no Right to expect the Church to act upon our Affairs.

Thus unhappy were we; our Pastor had for some Years treated us (as we apprehended) with Cruelty, and our Church with Neglect, whereby our Cons­ciences were so offended as that, we could not in Charity and Love commune with them; and then this must be construed as cutting our selves off from all Right to a Church-meeting for our Help! What could Men do in such a Case?

Notwithstanding this Reason and Denial, or our requesting again, a Church-meeting was held: All our Papers were read, but nothing was done thereon. At this Meeting we proposed three Things to the Church, viz.

• (1) Either that they would pass their Judgment on our Cause, or let us know their Mind about it? or else.
• (2) That they would join with us in Council. And if they would do neither of these,
• (3) That they would dismiss us to some other Church, or to embody into Church-State by our selves.

But Mr. Pickering did not seem disposed, that the Church should act on our Affairs at all, and by the Chur­ches accustomed Silence they were willing he should have his Way; so the Meeting ended, and they did neither.

On the 14th of September following we signed and sent him another Request for a Church-meeting; but on the 18th were deny'd in such Terms and Princi­ples in Answer from him, as gave us to conclude he never would suffer the Church to act upon our Affairs; therefore on the 21st we subscribed and sent him the following Paper, viz.

This may be regarded as giving up all Hopes of Relief, otherwise than by Council; and how we were like to fair in this Way, may be seen by his Ans­wer the next Day; and is as followeth.

Here note, he would have us make out what we had against him, but would give us no Opportunity, either to himself by Conference, to the Church at a Meeting; or to a Council called for that Purpose.

Upon this Defeat, we saw no Way left by the Rules of Order, but to bring on an Inquiry upon the Church, for neglecting the Means of Healing, agreable to the third Way of Communion; and being desirous to try all Ways for Re­lief, agreable to the Constitution of these Churches; we accordingly applied to the Pastor of the third Church in Ipswich, to interpose in the Matter; and if he should find needful, to come with his Church to admonish this Church for their Neglect &c. The Pastor some Time after made Mr. Pickering a Visit, and then renew'd it, with two other Pastols in the Neighbourhood, but to no Pur­pose: Some Time after the first mentioned Pastor laid the Case before his Church, who voted a Letter to Mr. Pickering &c. Thereupon we had several Church-meetings, but no Vote must be passed; at one of which March 18th 1744, 5, the Aggrieved preferred another Request for a Church-Meeting, to consider and pass upon their Affairs, before other Churches were concern'd, alledging that it could not be known what the true State of the Cause was; whether it was the Church, or only a minor Part that Really disapproved of his Conduct, since to that Time no Vote of the Church had ever been passed about our Affairs: But at this Meeting there was no Vote pass'd, nor any Thing done for us, nor was it thought that either Church or Pastor intended to do any Thing; nay, Mr. Pickering said no Vote should be pass'd thereon by the Church, but what was agreable to his Mind; and the Church was willing it should be so. Two Days after this, we received from the Pastor a Sheet, chiefly filled with jealous Insinuations and severe Reflections, on Occasion of our Request at the Meeting, but there was no direct Answer thereto: However, at the same Meeting, the Pastor by a long Paper proposed to join in Council, but on Terms so singular, that it is a pitty it's Length should forbid it a Place in this Narrative. However, we will mention some Particulars. (2d) Article was, that fourteen Churches should be called (at least) to prevent the Multipli­city of Councils. This might well be adapted to another End; when he had set all the Churches aside; that he might do by the next Proposal, which was (3d) that neither of us should chuse Churches, any of whose Pastors have appeared by their Conduct to have espoused a Party among us, or that hath pre­judged either Side, or with whom we have had any personal Difference, or any Misunderstanding not yet issued or decided. (4) That it must appear that the Aggrieved were generally united in their Choice. (5) That the Choice made by each Party in Lanner aforesaid, should be refered to the standing Part of the Church, for their Consent and Approbation, to be signified by a Vote: so that his own Party was to chuse all at last, in Effect. Taking this Offer into Consideration, on the 15th we signified our Agreement thereto, with the fol­lowing Amendments, viz.

• (1) That the Number of Churches should be fix, eight, or ten, instead of fourteen, or more.
• (2) That there was too much [Page 11]uncertainty in the Qualifications of the Churches; therefore we proposed to try, whether we could not agree upon the Churches before we closed the Offer, or else that he would explain himself on that Head.
• (3) That his Part of the Church should determine our Choice, we could by no Means agree to: These Amendments being delivered him, the fair Offer of a Council dropt, as we sup­gosed it would, being unsnared.

By this it may appear what was designed, when he told his Church he was for healing Matters.

But to proceed, on the 20th of the same Month, we received another Paper from our Pastor, signifying that the Reason why we did not join in Council upon his said Plan, was because we were afraid of our Cause (indeed we might have Reason enough for Fear from the Nature of his Plan, without the lest Regard to the Merits of our Cause.) But he said nothing to our proposed A­mendments; and makes another Offer still more condescending in Shew, viz. That if we pleased we might call a Council our selves, but he thought it un­reasonable to refer himself to them; tho' he should pay a Deference to their Advice if they were not justly chargeable with Weakness or Partiality: But whereas this was no more than we might do without his Consent, and to no Pur­pose, whatever their Judgment might have been; we regarded this Offer only as tantalizing of us, calculated by it's seeming Fairness to confirm the more fluctuating and conscionable Part of his Adherents: Therefore we took no farther Notice of it. Hereupon, when the said third Church of Ipswich saw nothing was brought to pass to Purpose, came August 1745, and blamed the Church for their Neglect; advised to join in Council, and so left us: Agreable to this Advice we proceeded to nominate some Churches, and eight were agreed upon: But before we proceeded any further, it was whispered about, that Things might be accommodated amongst our selves by Mr. Pickering's leaving us on certain Conditions: accordingly Committees were chosen on both Sides, to transact this Affair: The Conditions agreed upon were principally these, viz.

• 1. That the major Part should consent to his going.
• 2. That we should buy his Estate.
• 3. That he and the Aggrieved should forgive one another all perso­nal Offences, and part on peaceable Terms.

On these Conditions he would leave us the next March. Nothing could be more agreable to us: The Prospect of Peace was so pleasing, that without any Security from the Pastor to perform his Part, we readily signed a Paper of his drawing up, whereby we freely for­give each other also, asking pardon of God, declaring that all Controversies, Offences, and Papers, relating to the same, should be from thenceforth null and void. And that no Time might be lost, the next Day a Paper drawn by him was delivered to two of the Church of his agreeing to, for to be carried about, to see whether a major Part of the People would sign it; which was accordingly done; and a majority of the Church did sign it; and then it was to be laid be­fore the Parish: But e'er this was effected, it was reported, that the Pastor did not sign to go or leave the Place; and he being questioned thereon, the Reports were confirmed: It was for Reason alledged, that the Paper was longer in sign­ing than he expected; that People had been perswaded into it; and to tell the Truth, that no such Promise subsisted, and that he had said nothing, whereby they had Reason to think he intended it; or Words importing as much. It may, we think, easily be conceived how this must surprize us; and how our Relief in a Way of Order, (which we had for some Years been labouring after) [Page 12]was rendred impracticable. Our Controversies hove up a general Forgiveness pass'd, and nothing to shew under Hand, of the Promise that induced us to do this: (What can be thought of such a Pastor!) It is true, the Pastor has since owned it in a Paper dated Febr. 7th 1745, 6. containing his Reasons why he did not go: By this Means our Hands were ty'd, being turned out of the Way of Relief by Council, which taken together, with all we had met with, before; we might well conclude it impracticable ever to obtain any Relief in a Way of Order; he was so artful and shifting; we had endeavoured it, by applying to our Pastor,—to the Church,—to him to join in Council, and by an Inquiry for three or four Years; and now saw our selves as far from Deliverance, as when we first began: However, we had this Advantage by the Pacification, that five out of six of our Number, that were ( August 2. 1745) laid under Suspen­sion by the Church for withdrawing from their Communion, for Causes concern­ing which they had then never signified their Minds, were released from that Censure; whereby we had the Advantage of going off without that Incum­brance or Disadvantage we should otherwise have had, if a Censure be esteem­ed so, from a Pastor and Church behaving as our's had done. Here, let it be noted, that this Suspension was the first and only Vote that the Church ever to the Date thereof passed upon our Affairs, and this had no Respect to the Merits of the Controversy: What Order of Discipline must this be! Sometime after this, when Mr. Pickering and Church were, as we apprehended, about again to lay us under Censure, we went into the Meeting, and there declared, our withdrawing from them in Form: And this brings up the Matter to the End of this Affair; for our appearing afterwards before Mr. Pickering's Council, was only in Token of our Respect to them, as Men and as Christians, without the least Thought of returning to our Pastor or Church again, that we had left; or of dissolving that Church-Covenant we had entred into for the Maintenance of the Doctrines Worship and Discipline of Christ in a Church-State by our­selves, in the Presence of a Council of Churches conven'd for that Purpose.

These Things we think Mr. Pickering, should have placed in the Front of his Bad Omen, if he had designed an impartial Judgment; for the Cause of the Cause, is the Cause of what is caused.

Now from this Relation of Facts (if we have mistaken or misrepresented any, we will retract as soon as convinced) the Case may be thus summed up: A Number of Church Members were offended with the Preaching and Practice of their Pastor, and could get no Redress from him: They then agreable to their Duty and Privilege resulting from their Church-State, laid their Case before the Church; they would do nothing for them, but by their total Negligence, and to say the best of it, passive Obedience to the Will and Dictates of their Pastor, suffered their offended Brethren to be turned out of the Way of Relief, by any Rule known in our Constitution, thro' Length of Time; which must justly be supposed to be sufficient to dispirit and discourage any meer Man; yea, to pro­duce an utter unfitness for Church Communion and Fellowship together; and not only so, but by this total Negligence to perform this Covennat-Obligation to their Brethren, vertually and in Reason have dissolved the Obligations on the aggrieved's Part towards them, so that hereby they have left themselves not only without Excuse for their Conduct, but also without Right to complain of any Thing that is done for them by others: Or more shortly thus; We put [Page 13]our selves under the Bonds of a Covenant with this Church, that we might en­joy the Priviledges of such a State, which they then promised us; but thro' their Neglect or ill Conduct, we could not enjoy those Priviledges, they kept not their Promise to us; so that of Course our Obligations to them, and their Right over us, must be vertually dissolved, and we left at Liberty to provide for ourselves as before we enter'd into that Covenant: And hence let us put this Question; What could we have done more? Or what more in Reason could be expected to be done by us, all Circumstances considered? Or which is an Omen of most Evil to these Churches, for a Pastor and Church thus to treat their Members and to pass with Indemnity? or for these Members so treated, to set up for themselves, as we have done?

If it be objected,

Object. 1. That the Articles of Complaint were immaterial and trifling: We answer,

• 1. That they were, some of them, of the highest Importance in Religion, both doctrinal and practical; as not preaching the Doctrines of Grace; his not salling in with, and promoting the Operations of the Holy Spirit upon the Hearts of Men; but treating them and the Subjects of them unseemly, and the like.
• 2. Our Pastor himself acknowledged, they were of Importance, and the Church never pretended the contrary.

Object. 2. If they were of Weight, they were groundless; and were so judged by the Council, that after had the Consideration of them; to whom, (as Mr. Pickering informs the Publick) we submitted our Cause.

To which we say, That we do not take the Argument to lie here: We took them to be real, and that was sufficient. The Question is not now, whether they were groundless or not; but whether (they being thought real by us) the Church ought not to have acted upon them; advised and admonished the er­ring Party: However, to humour the Objector; we Answer,

• 1. That we did not submit our Cause to the Council, and are sorry that we must slatly deny Mr. Pickering in that plain Fact. It is true, as we have al­ready hinted, that at their Desire, we (who always stood ready to give a Reason as well for our Conduct as for our Hope) did in some Measure acquaint them with our Conduct and the Reason thereof: But as they were a Council, we had no Hand in calling, and were (as we understood) only summoned in, to assist the Church in laying us under Censure; especially, as we were before this em­bodyed into a Church-State and Covenant by our selves; we had not the least Tho't of returning; and consequently of submitting our selves to that Council.
• 2. This Council did not condemn us in all our Articles of Complaint; but judged we had hard Usage, and just Reason to complain in several; tho' it must be owned upon the whole, they turned the Scale in Favour of the Party that called them in; but this being agreable, as we think, to the general Custom ^* of [Page 14]Party Councils; ^‖ we were the less surprized: But lest this should seem a little to reflect on that Council, among whom were several Pastors of the first Rank, we would therefore observe,
• 3. That as we understand five Pastors out of nine did not vote the Result, and three of them with some of the Delegates openly protested against some main Parts of it, or at least entred their Dissent therefrom: So that we hope before we are rejected on the Score of this Council's condemning of us, it will beshewn when a Party Council ever did otherwise than to Ballance the Account in Favour of those that call'd them in. However, we verily think, upon the perusal of the Result, we have full as much Credit given us as is usual in such Cases, if not more. Nay, we believe that if some mistaken and contradictory Conclu­sions that are to be found therein were rectified and reconciled, the Issue would have been otherwise.

But as we had nothing to do with the Council, or their Result, we shall dismiss it with this Remark, viz. That our being condemned by this Council, could not be such an insuperable Obstacle in the Way of ordaining our Pastor, as Mr. Pickering would have it: And it seems Mr. Pickering foresaw this, and therefore roundly tells the Publick, we submitted our Cause to this Council, and therefore must be concluded by their Act.

Object. 3. Why did we not again move for Council, when he refused to go away, upon the Pacification, or proceed in the third Way of Communion, as before intended? To which we Answer,

• 1. That we had been so often & in so many Ways deseated, we were quite discouraged; for out Pastor always had Means at Hand, to turn us aside from the main Point; and a Pretence to justify himself therein: Besides his own Party seemed resolved to protect him, let what would become of us. And further, by this Time we had such a dislike to his Ministry and Conduct, that we could not endure the Thought of continuing under them.
• 2. As to the third Way of Communion, it meets with no Encouragement in these Churches; we found by what we had done, that altho' our Pastor would agree to call in Council to heal our Divisions; yet in Case we were in ear­nest to proceed in the third Way of Communion; he would call a Council of Advice, thereby to prevent the Proceeding in the third Way; for by this Time, we both had found, that it was the settled Opinion of the Rev. Pastor we had apply'd to, that in Case a Church in like Circumstances doth call in the Coun­cil of other Churches to advise about their Matters of Offence or Division; the third Way of Communion stops of Course, and can take no Place; and we had no Doubt, but those that for their own Safety had so often refused to call in a Council when they might be endangered thereby, would from the same Prin­ciple readily enough call in one when it was necessary for their Protection and Safety: Nor indeed do we know any Rule in our Constitution, for any small Number to commence such a Process; nor can it be supposed, are well able to [Page 15]support the Expence that such a Proceeding must be attended withal. No, we conceive the Rule is for Churches in such Cases to come of their own Accord, and upon their own Expence; and if they do not, the Aggrieved are deprived of the Help intended them by the Constitution of these Churches: And were we now to be questioned by these Churches for leaving our Church and Pastor as we did, might we not, in Answer, humbly and pertinently tell them, that the Church to which we belonged was rent with Divisions, and thereby became Scandalous, and for several Years together neglected to use the Means of Heal­ing, whereby we in particular, were greatly distressed; that all this was pub­lickly known, and yet the Churches would not come for our Relief; therefore we were obliged to leave them as we did. On this Principle we think our Sepa­ration would have been excusable, had we never moved in the third Way of Communion at all; how much more so, since we proceeded in that Way as long as there was any Thing to be expected from it, as before hath been shewn.

Obj. 4. We separated without Order, having no Rule for our Proceedings; and this will encourage others to do the like, and so our Churches are in Dan­ger of being broke up. We Answer,

• 1. And who was the Cause, and how could we help it? unless we could have contentedly lived without the Ordinances of the Gospel; and would not this have been a paying too great a Complement to Order? We trust, Order is as beautiful in our Eyes, as in the Eyes of other Christians; and that we have ta­ken as much Pains to support it, both before we separated, and since; for this, let what we did for Relief in a Way of Order before related, and our present Church-State and Behaviour, witness.
• 2. As to encouraging Separations, and so endangering the Peace of the Chur­ches; we can truly say, that we dislike Separations on trivial and slighty Rea­sons, as much as any Christians, and would with Humility caution against such, or of taking Example by us, to separate without weighty Reasons: But where Christians are treated by Churches and Pastors, as we have been treated by ours, we have Freedom to say, that we have no great Concern about preserving the outward Peace of such Churches; and we think it highly offensive to God if they do not separate, since we can't see what Gospel End can be served, for Persons to be held down under spiritual Tyranny, in order to support & main­tain such a Peace. Ye are bought with a Price; be ye not the Servants of Men.
• 3. As to our having no Rule for our Proceeding, we Answer, If we have no particular Rule in the Platform, we have Presidents both in the Word of God, and Church History, to countenance the Thing.
  • (1) As to the Word of God, we find, that it not only justifies us as to the Matter or Foundation-Cause of our Separation, as 2 Tim. 3.1.-8. 1 Tim. 6.3,—5. 1 Joh. 1. 2 Joh. 7,—11. 3 Joh. 7,—10. 2 Thes. 3.6. Gal. 1.9. 2 Cor. 6.14,— uit. Jer. 23.16, 17.27,—32. Ezek. 13th & 34th Chap. Rom. 16, 17, 18. But also as to the Manner of it, by the Practice both of the Prophets and Apostles, as Isai. 8.11, 12. For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong Hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the Way of this People, saying, Say ye not a Confederacy to them to whom this Peo­ple shall say, a Confederacy; neither fear ye their Fear; nor be afraid, but sanctify the Lord of Hosts &c. Jer. 15.19. Let them return unto you, but return thou not unto them Act. 19.9. When divers were hardned, and believed not, but spake Evil of that Way before the Multitude, he departed from them, and separated the [Page 16]Disciples, disputing daily in the School of one Tyrannus.
  • (2) As to Church-History we shall mention only the two great Examples, viz. the reformed Churches separating from the romish Church; and the Dissenters from the estab­lished Church of England; the Lawfulness of which has been sufficiently de­fended against all Opposers. And altho' we have not equal Reason upon all Accounts with the former, yet we verily think we have with the latter, for what we have done: But whether we have equal Reason with either, yet if we have sufficient Grounds to leave the Church we belonged to; as in Conscience we think we had, and hope we have made sufficiently evident; we may justly plead these Examples for our Justification, and be safe, while they are unmoved.

We close with a humble Address to all Christian Friends in this professing Land, who may peruse this Narrative.

Honoured and dearly beloved in our LORD JESUS: We ask of you as tender, charitable and compassionate a Regard, under our Circumstances, as our Cause will bear: True it is, that in this our Time of Trial and Temptation, we in many Things may have offended both GOD and Man, for which we desire hum­bly to ask both his and your Pardon; and in particular we do this of our late Pastor and adhering Brethren, for any undue Warmth & Rashness in Speech or Behaviour, while our Controversy was depending: However, we believe we can truly say in the Fear of God, that it has been our sincere and main Desire and Endeavour to promote the Interest of true and vital Religion; that the Gos­pel might be preached to us with Clearness Power and Success; that Sinners might be converted, and Saints edified to Life eternal; and we trust by still pur­suing these Things in a Way of Gospel Order, Peace & Charity, to recommend ourselves to you, and reflect Glory upon the Author of our Salvation; who alone can finish the same in us.

But if after all, any are resolved to stir up themselves, and endeavour to hurt and disturb us in what they may; the Will of the Lord be done! We can only say under such Apprehensions, as Luther did, when he had done speaking before the Emperor and States of Germany, in the Maintenance of the same Protestant Causes, "I have said, and the Lord be merciful to me." Yea! one Thing more would we leave for the Consideration of such, which we have upon Divine Record, Pro. 17.15. He that justifieth the Wicked, and he that condemneth the Just, even they both are Abomination to the Lord.

GOD grant that we may; and all that shall peruse this Narrative; be ever en­gaged in a just Cause; and that all our Persons may be Righteous, thro' Jesus Christ the Lord our Righteousness, Amen.