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    con-rowley

    31                   1670                       97

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                           A return to the preeceading letter

     To Mr Woodman & the rest of our beloved brethren with

     him at Newberry members of the church of Christ there grace

     & peace be with you

         Beloved brethren

    Your letter (wherin you desires of ye Church of Christ at Rowley that we

    would send messengers to give advise leading to the healing of

    your long & uncomfortable differences) hath bin read before them ye

    19th of ys instant  Their answer is ys that though yie are very

    sencible of your uncomfortable condition as things now stand wth you

    & are very willing to send ye best help God has given us yet at present

    we judg it not seasonable because we are informed by brother Titcomb

    your messenger to us & by others, that you did not by any publick act

    agree to desire your Reverand pastor & yr brethren with him to joyne

                       in

    with you in calling a counsill , we conceive it most agreable to ye

    rule 14 Rom 19 yt you desire his concurrance wth you in calling a coun

    cill, & we know noe instance wherin this method has not bin attended

    of such brethren as have at any time called in counsell in any of these

    churches , If it be sayd he will not joyne in calling a councill

    we answer it may be soe yet your way is then ye clearer to call in

    help without him . Thus farr the whole Church.

      Onely several of this church doe conceive yt it were sutable to

    your affairs if you did call in some more help then what you men-

    tion in your letter , 3 at least if not 4 churches

    A Conversation[97] breaker is very hardly Sett, & if 9 churches could herd

    ly be instrumental for your peac, how to think two should set you at

    rights we cannot easily conceive : But we hope if you were willing to

    call in ye help of 4 or 5 churches, Mr Parker & ye brethren with him

    would concurr with you therin thyse whereas if you onely mention

    Salisbury & Rowley to him we doubt whether he will concurr for he

    cannot be ignorant that yr is not such able help in this church to be

    sure of Rowley as ther is in others that you might call for help from

    besides consider that word 11 prov . 14 in ye multitude of counsellours yr

    is safety  where are many councellors needfull but in difficult cases

    and if yours be not such we cannot readily think of any that are  Noe

    more but our prayers to god for you that he would grant you peace

    almost by all means soe pray for your

                 Loving brethren   Samuel Phillips     in ye name of

    Rowley 20 ffeb:                 Maxamilian Jewitt   ye ch at Rowley

      1670

     

    [97] Conjectural reading.