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    con-rowley

    26     92                   1670

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        In order to settlement amongst us if it please god ther be

    a mutual inclination of hearts his to us & ours to him, in yt time

    Jan 15 1670 Mr Brakenburyes return to this call that if it he might

    have liberty from the church of Rowley wthout ye offence to accept of Maldens

    call having formerly ingaged to stay with us half a yeer of ye time mentioned

    in the vote & ye Church not being willing to release yt ingagement but be

    side desiering further continuance in order to settlement; he was willing

    to abide wth us according to or desier & call expressed in ye above mentio

    ned vote : at least the half year (before ye call of Malden) ingaged to us

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                          A letter to Goodm Miller.

    I have not opportunity now to write much in regard of som unexpected

    work to morrow which calls for attendance : yet I could not but put you in

    mind how much it is to my greif & to ye greif of this Church (of wch sometimes

    you were a member) that soe many years have past since that dreadfull ordi

    nance passed upon you, & yet we hear nothing of any good Effect that ordinance

    has had upon you: It argues some hardness of heart in you that you would

    not take ye pains to come to us neither first nor last tho sometime could take

    pains to travail to satisfy an unclean heart, nay you have not onely refused

    to come to us, but have had noe heart soe much as to write to us how it

    is wth you since your cutting off: If your sin had bin a heavy burden to you

    (as beleave it it will be as long as you have a day to live if god intend

    you good) we should have heard from you before this time : Doe not think to say

    with yourself you have repented already & satisfied ye law, for this argues not

    Impenitency : sound repentance for such soul wasting sins as you have fallen

    into is not easily obtayned; & yrfore it were better to be liked to hear yt you are

    troubled that your heart is noe more affected nor afflicted for ye dishonour you

    have cast upon ye house of God, then to hear yt you look upon your self as

    haveing repented already : you shall find & be humbled under ye senc of great

    backwardness to & difficulty in the work of sound judging of yourself, before

    God will give you a heart to be in bitterness for your sin or cause his face

    to shine upon you: Me thinks one half year should have bin more

    then you could tell how to stand under to be cast out from ye house of God ye

    place where his honour dwells ; what evill did you find in God or his ordinances

    that you are gone farr away & doe neglect to return unto him; I pray doe

    not cast behind your back, what my late Reverend brother Mr Sheperd and

    my self writ unto you; doe not be [   ] sencless there (the Son of the Stranger

    hath joined)[91]

    of your seperation from Gods pp 56 Isai 3. Are you one of ym that will fall

    & not arise that have turned away from God but return not Jer. 8. 4 5 ye

    Lord awaken your heart & bless ye counsell you have from Gods watchmen & pp

    [   ] amgst whom you are : I have done  onely my desire to God is that

    your repentance may be as deep & evident as your sin was great & aggrava

    ted, otherws god will say, where is my breach & you will say where is my god in a

    day of visitation  I Rest

                                         yr greaved friend S. P.

         Rowley 29 May 1672.

    [91] Is. 56:3.