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                          17                     1667      83

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    Octo: 6 1667 / Mr Phillips after his sermō ( & Contributiō) out of 1 Cor. 5. 2

    spoke to the Congregation & related the sin , & layd before ym . ye Comdmt

    broken & aggravations  and d then craving the Churches consent by yr

    Vote agayn passt  & then was the sentence pronounced –––––

    We doe in ye name of Christ & authority & by ye powr of ye Ld

    Jesus ye great King & Law–giver of ye Church , & by ye Consent of

    this Church , cutt of the sayd Thom: Miller &c.: as in ye Letter –

    Afterward prayr was made that God would ratify the sentence, & let

    loose Satan on Him –––

    There was also a Letter sent to Bro: William Harris at Middleton –

    desiring that an inclosed Letter conteyning the Sentence &c: might (wth

    those Brethren yr & as many others as in prudence was thought

    fit , Present) be communicated to Thomas Miller; &c:

       The Letter was as followeth ––

    Goodm: Miller

         These are to give you to understand yt the Church of Xt

    at Rowley of wch you were sometimes a member , have wth one Con-

    =sent , not one dissenting pass’t that dreadful sentence of Ex

    =communication upon you , So that you are now cut of from

    this Church , putt away from amongst us , accounted as a Heathen

    & Publicane & delivered to Satan for ye destruction of ye flesh

    that ye Spirit may be saved in ye Day of ye Lord. It cannot ,

    we are sure ought not to seem strange that ye church hath

    thus dispensed toward you , but may rather wonder yt this Cen

    =sure did not passe long since – upon you, considring what

    horrible wickednesse you have bin guilty of , & no more

    repentance in any measure suitable to such scandalous

    & abominable Evills appears , nor indeed doth God ordinar

    =ily give Repentance for such foule falls, till the highest

    & sharpest means for awakening & humiliation be app

    =lyed      That your repentance is not through appears

    1 In that you judge not your self for blood-guiltynesse

    in resp: of your carriage to your former wife but

    rather lay blame upon her then your self ; this we

    have by ye Testimony of Brethren who have Laboured

    wth you to Convince you of your sin; and whither you

    see it or not the Church here is sensible that you

    are undr great guilt as to Shortning of yr wives Life

    and thereby breaking ye 6th Command.