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                                  19     1667            85

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    that you perish not  Luc: 13. 5.

    3. Considr  what matter of mourning in respect of ye Censure

    you now lye undr by ye sinne , oh! thinke wth yrS: is not

    the Divells’ Kingdom large enough , but must it be increased

    by Me , & that after I have professed a translation frō

    his Kingdom into ye Kingd: of Xt.

    4. Considr whither you have not cause to question whither ever

       you                      wrought

    Gode had any true work of grace in you ; we are to Examine

                                  ^

    or Estate when we come to a Sacramt , much more upon

    a great ffall,  Ecl. 7. 26 . who so is good shall escape (for so

    ye word is) shall escape from her , but ye sinner shall be

    taken by Her. & so Pro: 22 14. reade also Gal. 5. 19, 21

    the God of all grace effectually convince you of & humble

    you for, & turne from your sin  that so you may find Mercy

    .                               So pray

                                           Yor grieved ffriends

    Rowley. Oct: 7. 1667.

                                          Sam: Phillips

                                          Sam: Shepard[81]

       Qn: whither another Church may testify or number of men

       testifying of a man’s Impenitency ought to be a sufficient

       ground for another church to goe by in Censuring or absolving

         Impenitency is in ye Heart , only Deedes Are Signes of yt. ought

         we not to take ye Testimony of others concerning Deeds yt

         are visible , not concerning the morall Evill yr of.

    ________________________

    A Brother of another Church is grieved (he thinks justly) by a member

    of this, he desires some Brethren of this Church to goe with him to hear

    it in private, they Refuse. / Qu: what shall he doe. he cannot bring ye

     

                                                      a

    supposed offender to the Church till it be heard in private way ? and

        they will not. / An: why will they not goe to heare. / Ans:

        tis a brother of another Church who hath by or prsence if the offendr

          (Supposed) be guilty by or presence power over or Member: we in Case

        that he who takes ye offence proove in fault , we have no Advan

        =tage to Come at Him. / Ans: You; you may declare Him to be in

        fault, & if he will not heare you  1. prvent any Comuniō with

        the Church whereat You are members. 2. may Carry it to ye

        Eldrs of the Church to wch he belongs. & they may Censure Him

        _____

        2 it may be they will say [Take some other Brethren] & yy

        say [Take some other]  And none will. Ans: the Same

        may be sayd  when as it is towards or own fellow Mem-

        =bers; / But indeed none that are called upon or desired

        if they be fitt for it ye Work so as it may attayn yr End.

     

    [81] Samuel Shepard, son of Rev. Thomas and Joanna Hooker, was settled as the assistant pastor at Rowley in 1665, but died three years later.