104)      170                      1678

________________________________________________________________________________

 

And are we not to follow Christs example, now to attribute to the breaker or take to o^r

selves what belongs to God as to forgive sins, to speak a comanding word to dead or deaf to

live to hear, without any Imediate or extraordinary call soe to doe, is in one apprehen

sion Blasphemous, That king of Israel rent his cloathes when Naaman came to

him for healing, am I a God to kill & make alive 2 Kings 5 7. though Elisha had yet

he had noe call for such workes

moreover M^r Nelson went about this business with a bad spirit & abusing the script

tures as a pretended ground of what great things he should doe: That 86 Psalm w^ch he

grew soe confident from that word (not to speak of a Revelation he had 12 or 14 years

before that he should doe it) that he had a strong fayth of doing a wonder upon y^t youth

& soe obtaine therby shame for his Enimise: But it was told him that ther was noe

promise of any miraculous toaken now nor any such toakens to be Expected by Gods

people under y^e gospell: He that looks for or pretends to miracles now is a mira

cle himself, he might alsoe have taken upon him to forgive sin as X^st did for which

is easier 9 Math 5 6.

And though (after 4 or 5 times boasting of what he had done at which times he never

say^d he did it in y^e name of X^st) at last he say^d he used those words in y^e name of

the lord Jesus; yet we judged he had noe more call then the sons of Sceva who com

manded y^e devil to come out of a possessed man in y^e name of Jesus whom Paul preach

=ed Acts 19 13.

5) His bold & presumptious sin in going to y^e sacram^t at Ipswich contrary to the com

mand of God 6 Math If thou rememberest thy Brother hath ought agt. thee &c. he

knew what Raylings he had bin guilty off, & had bin spoken to about & gave not the

least satisfaction, he knew what was proved at Court, & highly blamed by the Bench as

                                                  un

to his bold blasphemous, & his unbrotherly carriage Christianess in carrying his brother

                                                  ^

to the court Thô he had publickly & privately acknowledged what might have any appe

arance of irregularity for which cause he hath bin put in mind of that 18 Math 20 &c

He knew alsoe what offence was upon the hearts of Brethren in respect of his gross

takeing Gods name in prayer, for which though they dealt with him he gave noe satis

=faction but say^d he would justify it, yet in this filthy pickle he went to the sacram^t

soe that it seemes a wilfull sinning notwithstanding the knowledge of the truth, & how

dreadfully doth God speak of such sins 10 Heb 26.

His going to the sacrament at Ipswich as it was very offensive to the Church of Christ

at Rowley (as he could not but know) soe it was offensive to some of y^e church of X^st

at Ipswich (as y^e Reverend Elder M^r Pain[85] told me) though the things being sudden &

unexpected they did not object: He that had say^d to one of the brothers we shall

have noe sacram^t at Rowley till I have had a council; he could take a liberty y^t

neither god did, nor the church he belonged to could allow him: & when he was told

of this as one of his offences, he boldly told the Church, he would doe it again, like

them in 44 Jer as for the word of the lord that thou hast spoaken in y^e name of the

lord we will not hearken to it

He that doth ought presumptiously as in gathering sticks on y^e Sab. day 15 numb 30 31

tis as if a man should say (who sins presumptiously) what care I though God commands

this or that, I will not be limitted or restrayned; such sin is called rebelling against y^e

lord deut 1 43. You rebelled against the lord & went presumptiously up into the hills, but

God was not with them whilst they soe did 17 deut 12 13 the man that will doe pre

sumptiously & will not harken &c. 7 deut 20 he that eates of the sacrifice of peace

offering &c. we wish ther were not some steps in this act of his towards the great sin

it being against soe much light & with a Spirit of bitterness & opposition (as we fear)

for he knew how greivous & offensive it would be to his brethren, yea and in other

carriages & Rayling speeches of his (the presumtion of the tongue) we fear he hath

gone towards that great sin, the Good Lord in mercy (for X^sts sake) bring him back a-

=gain if it be his good will.

His Expressions alsoe in his paper he sent in to y^e church, to desire them to joyne with

him in calling a council, doe manifest strong Impenitency: In a word thos sins w^ch

make the times perilous in these last days, we have found evidently appearing in him

2 Tim 3: 1. 2. 3. Things haveing bin thus as to M^r Nelsons carriages, we judg y^t

that comand Paul gave in y^e name of Christ (as well as other like Scriptures) 2 Thess 3. 6

were to be attended by us & accordingly we have conscientiously acted.

                              Samuel Phillips Ecclesiá consentiente[86]