independent wayes this is a broad-faced lye 22. He saith in the same page that the two censured persons being disapointed of purity amongst us went about to mend their fault by returning to those Congregations to which thy formerly belonged this is also a lye That Mris Parr owned any of the present Ministers in Exon as pastor before she joyned with us the same I can prove of his wife 23. He saith in the same p. that it is a most notorious belying his wife to say she is a lawless women that knoweth no subjection c. whereas he knowes how she hath taken the power of rule out of his hands by turning off a servant or servants for hearing of me and discountenancing her own sister almost to the turning her out of doores even then when he manifested high affections to me and the Church I wonder what Conscience he hath got to account me a defamer of her by reporting her lawless toward him Besides I may not omit her journey to Hanniton and her reflections on her husband another time at Mr. Eveleighs house when we were debating the matters in difference betwixt her and her sister 24. p. 31. He saith that such is the pride of the Independents that think there are no pure ordinances but in their own Churches I doubt not but he accounts me one of those Independents and therefore must profess this to be a putid lye 25. In the same p. he saith in what a sad condition I put all that are not independents as if such are not among Gods people and cannot enjoy the benefit of the Covenant this is also a falshood of the greatest magnitude 26. In 31. 32. p. He would make the Reader beleive as though none were Gods people but my Church according to my teaching this is another lying defamation 27. p. 32. He assures the Reader that neither he nor his wife could ever see such eminency of Godliness in our conversations and yet whilest his book was printing he profest to two brethren that were sent to admonish him that we were the honestest people he ever came among setting aside this business of Excommunication 28. p. 33. He saith I Slur Mr. Rutherford in my sermon it is false and I here publish it to the world that I have high thoughts of him his pious works praise him in the gates 29. p. 34. He tells us that in his own conscience he knows his wife never deserted him and his family and that she never entertained the least thoughts of it the contrary to this is proved already from her own mouth by two witnesses to whom he confest that she had left him soon after her threatning to leave him 30. p. 35. He saith there was no exception against Dame whilst his wife was amongst us and had her for her keeper to my knowledg this is false and he himself was sufficiently burdened with her and hath been heard to call her old whore 31. In the same p. he is perswaded that what I hint and some of our Church-members have said we can never prove but do very much abuse and slander Dame therein when as hath been said it can be proved he called her whore nay old whore yea his Br. in law Mr. Mongwel will be found a lyar if he be not able to prove it 32. In the same p. he saith his wife hath ever shewed him as much tenderness and affectionate kindness as his heart could wish and yet p. 8. confesseth words of heat and discontent towards him 33. p. 36. He saith in the behalfe of Mris. Par that the quarrel between the Church and her began in this she had a mind to heare some other Ministers this is also false the quarrel began in her contentious spirit and sowing divisions and was increased by lying as you may see p. 18. 20. of my Sermon she was never questioned by the Church for hearing other Ministers that is also a lye which he adds 34. In the same p. that because Mris. Par was peremptory in her resolution not to be tyed from hearing others that therefore she was excommunicated 35. p. 37. He impudently chargeth me with neglecting the duty of reproof towards his wife for the space of four years How dare this bold man assert this but now that credit is given to his words he takes this unchristian liberty to defame me as he pleaseth But know Reader that I have admonished her and more then once for the neglect of that duty towards her supposed offending sister but besides in p. 21. of Mr. Malls book my words are these I think this I may say there is not a brother or sister here that can bare wittnesse of her performing any Church duty to them of admonition exhortation or reproofe and if any of you can wittnesse for her in these things I charge you to discover it I speake this because if she hereafter fling dirt in this or that or the other persons face by reports you may look on such things as slanders or on her as a Covenant-breaker in not observing the rule of Christ what little reason then hath this pamphleter Ironically to note what a good shepheard I am c. or to say that I can find it in my heart to curse her for neglecting to admonish others 36. In the same p. he chargeth me with a partial and untrue relation between his wife and her sister in law I doe professe with all sincerity that there was noe untruth in that relation or any partiallity unless in omitting some Circumstances that would have aggravated her guilt and many are ready to affirme the same 37. p. 38. He speaks of his wives love to her brother and sister in law and desire of their thriving c. whereas this is so contrary to truth that she perswaded her husband to be at no small charges to be rid of their company and she said to their freinds in Wilt-shire that she would give an hundred pound out of her purse to be rid of them and keep a day of Thanksgiving to boote 38. That 's also false in the same p. concerning her advising her sister against carelesness in her calling For when the differences between them were debated it being demanded of her by her brother why she would goe into Wilt-shire to speak evil of her sister and had not rather if she had ought against her told her of it privatly she answered she would have so don but her husband would not suffer her False also is what is annexed concerning her sisters taking great distast at her for any such Counsel how could she take great distast at that which was never spoken to her 39. That 's a lye which followeth that when she was in the Easterne parts she was soe careful of her sister as to wish her mother to give her such good Counsel whereas the maine end of her going into those parts was to ease her stomack against her sister and she then told her sisters
mother that her sister had almost broke her husbands heart and brought him into a Consumption and would undoe him c. and whereas he suggest that her Mother gave her also such advice agaiast the same fault this ill agreeth with that letter that followed upon it from her Mother Mris. Thurman which is as followeth Poore Soul Be content to bear the burden which it shall please the Lord to lay upon thee it will turn to thy comfort at last Your Sister Allein might have imployed her self better when she came into our Country then she did but I think she came to rout all the generation of you she thought to rout me too but I beare of what condition she is and I take her to be as she is and I desire thee to take no care for what she saith c. 40. Whereas he saith that his sister in law had engaged a strong party for her Sure I am that his own wife had vented her discontents and slanders to many and had so far possest me with prejudice against her sister in law that I have confest in my Sermon p. 21. that at that time I came engaged to her as the party innocent rather then the other 41. He saith they frequented each others company in a friendly manner for the space of above a year it is false 42. p. 39. Whereas he saith the offence of his wife in that businesse was taken and not given it is very false It was given and in several particulars 43. Whereas he saith this offence of his wife was printed three years after they were reconciled It was not a year and halfe 44. In this p. he is guilty of lying in charging me with untruth he would insinuate that we had nothing against his wife untill she had left her relation to us Whereas she was admonished by several persons for her neglecting the Church before ever she deserted the Church 45. p. 40. He assures us that his wife had not left us if we had allowed her to communicate in the Ordinances with other Churches as there was occasion This is also very false she never desired it and we never did forbid it 46. He saith in the 41. p. He and others know as bad as lyars if not lyers tollerated in the Church and nothing said to them I know non such and have publickly profest and since suffered it to be printed in Mr. Malls book p. 90. That I know none such in our assembly if we know more such offenders by the grace of God we shall so proceed upon them and for a trial if any of you have any thing to lay as a charge do but observe the rule that Christ hath appointed of private and then of more publick admonition and see whether there shall not be impartial procedings against them if not then condemn us of partiallity 47. In p. 42. It is an abominable lye that we have such great thoughts of our selves as if we were the only Church and people of God in Exon. 48. He closeth up all with a lying reflection upon Mr. Mall that whole â—â—â—ft of her discourse on March the 8. aimed at this that we or ly were Sion and the Israel of God and all others as had as she strangers from whom Israel separated in Nehemias times if this man forsake the Devil and all his works who hath so lived in the constant neglect of brotherly admonition and hath vented more lyes then he hath pages to the number of about fourty eight let the judicious Reader determine READER IN the foregoing Pages thou hast seen how weakly and sinfully this T. A. hath vindicated his wife in what remains thou maift observe the same methods and wiles in his clearing of Mris Par. He tells us in the Epistle to the Reader that there were no crimes proved that might argue her guilty or deserving such a censure and that her unblameable walkings before and since may justly challenge me and the Church to answer what we have done before the tribunal of him who shall judg the world in righteousness p. 28. he saith Mris. Par. was not looked on as refractory till she had no more any mind to stay with us p. 29. There is nothing in her for which she may not compare with the best saints among us again he tells us p. 36. that the quarrel began betwixt the Church and her because she had a mind to hear some other Ministers and was peremptory in her resolutions not to be tyed hearing of others how far she might forget her self in discourses with us which we call tripping in her tongue he cannot say only if she did it was partly occasioned by our tampering with her for going out sometimes to hear some other Ministers of the City and p. 40. that she therefore relinquished this Church because she held it her sin to be tyed to one Congregation and to be debarred fellowship with others yea p. 29 he tells us he dare say the city in which she was born and bred and hath ever lived can say no otherwise then that she may compare with the best saints in the Church How false this certificate is concerning Mris. Par will appear by my giving thee an account why she was suspended and and what her carriage hath been since First The ground of her suspension I shall reduce to her contentiousness censoriousness and lying The contentiousness of her spirit was proved by several witnesses in several particulars as 1. In very many if not in most of those debates which have been in the Church since our first coming together she hath been usually silent until the Church have been ready to come to some determination or had determined and then she would object against what she perceived was the Judgment of the Church and pursued it with much violence this the generality of the then Church-members witnessed 2. When it was moved in the Church to this effect that it was very necessary to have respect in our admission of Church-members to Union in judgment at least in all the Ordinances of Christ that peace and love in the Church might be preserved she did eagerly contend against this motion and occasioned long and sad disputes between the Church her selfe especially concerning singing of Psalmes the practice of which she absolutely denyed and declared that praises and Thanksgivings unto God in prayer were only that singing which the Scripture requireth this also the generality of the then Church-members did witness 3. She hath opposed several persons in their admissions who have been known to be of approved godlynesse and integrity and those who have been most lyable to exception she hath most contended for insomuch that the church having respited the admission of a person concerning whose conversation they were not sufficiently satisfied she did openly declare against it in these words that it was an unrighteous sentence this particular was witnessed by four persons 4. She opposed the admission of Mris. D.E.
her for the same that her husband would after this desire her to joyn with us against whom she was so displeased for the reasons aforesaid as a member with us I cannot let this pass before I have taken notice of the grounds of her pretended return to Mr. Down namely Gods displeasure against her manifested in her childrens death and her own sickness for departing from him surely as a late writer hath observed the providences of God are written in the dark and unlegible Characters which though they may soon be discerned to be his hand yet to decipher the sense and meaning of them is a task that oft-times exceeds the line of humane wisdome They are like the the hand-writing on the wall Dan. 5.5 where part of the hand that wrote it Belshazzer saw but the meaning of it neither he nor the most learned of his Caldeans could find out to interpret the mind of God in his providences requires the skill and wisdome of a Daniel and let the Reader take notice that God hath seemed to put a check upon this inferrence from Providence by the death of one of her children since her separation and excommunication and whilest this lying pamphlet lay in the press p. 6. He tels his Reader that Mr. Ford was traduced but by whom I know not only still I find T. A. peccant in neglecting to admonish one with whom yet he was in fellowship sure he that allowes himself in the omission of fraternal correption deserves not such a Testimonial of his godliness Immediately he chargeth us with common sleighting of others that are not of our way though never so godly this is a false imputation and suggested by the accuser of the brethren Had we commonly slighted godly men of different perswasions it had been an intollerable crime and he ought not to have put it up without dealing with us about it is there no way for Mr. A. to make his own and his wifes face clean but by throwing dirt in the face of a Church of Christ p. 7. He confesseth that the manner of his wives withdrawment from us was according as is set forth by Mr. Malls account She refused to obey the voice of Christ in his commands Mat. 18.15 16. She refused to hear the first and second party and so successively and if the Church did send for her she would not come near them for she did not mean to be so tost up and down as some others had been so that Reader had her grounds of separation been just though the contrary doth appear to all uninterested persons yet the manner of her separation is altogether unjustifyable and whereas she pretends she desired that the business might be determined by two other Ministers and my self with Mr. Mall I shall reply two things 1. How doth this accord with what is said by T.A. p. 8. where to find fit persons for the resolving this question we knew not being both of us tender to ingage the Ministers of the City lest it might prove of ill consequence or beget some anunosity between them upon the desiding of the question why was she not as tender of preventing animosities in offering the determination of the business to two Ministers as in stating the question 2. But to clear up matters more fully know that toward the end of September last I occasionally met with Mr. Alleins father who signified to me that his daughter in law the party censured did with tears in her eyes profess her willingnesse to leave her self to the determination of any two Ministers within the City or without she was indifferent that might confer with me and end the business in controversie whereupon though I told him it was a great reflection on her Pastor that he could not be admitted to treat with her unless others might be present it was a tacit charging me with unfaithfulness and that I had never given her cause for such estrangements yet however I pitched on two Ministers Mr. Ferdinando Nicols and Mr. Thomas Down and sent her husband notice of it who was overjoyed at my condescentions as hoping to reduce his wife by this expedient but she in stead of this flyes off from her pretentions to her father in law and would not refer her self to them p. 8. I find Mr. T. A. and his wife agree to have the case stated whether those things before mentioned at which she was so much offended were sufficient cause to withdraw from my Church as he calls it and go to another Had he consulted with the Presbyterian books concerning seperation he might have been satisfied Mr. Brinsley would have told him that is an unwarrantable separation wich is either 1. Unjust When there is no persecution no spreading errors or heresie no Idolatry nor superstition maintained in the Church 2. Which is either when the cause pretended is but light or when the seperation is sudden and heady without due endeavour and expectance of reformation in the Church Brinslies Arraignment p. 24.25 Or he might have perused Mr. Manton on Iude who would have taught him that the only lawful grounds of separation are intollerable persecution damnable heresie gross Idolatry p. 496. and that lawful separation on these causes must not be sudden till all due courses be tryed p. 497. And now Reader do but reflect on the four grounds of Mris. A. her separation and thou canst not but descern how groundless and rash even in the account of bretheren dissenting from 〈…〉 separation is we are neither accused of heresy Idolatry or superstition and she never declared her resolutions to leave us or any grounds thereof or endeavoured to be satisfied about any thing burthensome to her untill we admonished her of disorderly walking in neglecting Church-fellowship with us we had not an hint of any of her discontents Hitherto I have followed this pamphleter to see and show his weakness in justifying this wises neglecting Church-fellowship and withdrawing from us I shall next take notice what he pleades for her other sin of running from him p. 8. 9. he pretends as if the end of that motion was satisfaction whether she might withdraw from us what neede soe much impatience if she had actually been in Communion with Mr. Downs people Here Reader I shall give thee some probabilities that she intended not for Taunton in this expedition 1. At her departure from her husband in the morning she told him in a passion she would leave him as he confest with tears in his eyes to Capt. Roll and Lieut. Owen about foure of the Clock the same day and yet p. 34. of his Truths Manifest he knowes in in his own Conscience that she never entertained the least thoughts of deserting him is not this a bold lyer 2. Was she so poorly beloved in Exon that she could not borrow an horse for love or money where she had her birth and breeding such as it was 3. Was she not great bellyed and consequently unfit for travel on
of our selves together is a sin and I may boldly say such a sin as carryes many others in the bowels of it you may see how the Holy Ghost doth condemn such an unsaint like practise in Heb. 10.24 25. your often withdrawing from us hath dravvn these lines from me vvhat your excuses be I knovv not I must tell my fears and Jealousies vvhich are that they vvill not hold vveight in the ballance of the sanctuary if the vvife of your bosome do divert you give me leave to tell you as my Lord hath told me in Luke 14.26 27 33. You cannot be his Disciples if your multiplicity of business in the vvorld hinder you from vvaiting upon God in those Galleries vvhere he hath so eminently appeared Oh sit dovvn and consider that Scripture in Mat. 16.26 and so vvith 1 Ioh. 2.15 Love not the vvorld and vvhat shall a man give in exchange for his soul vvhat shall vve vvho profess our selves to be the children of the most high live upon things so lovv as the vvorld is vvhat shall vve be so earnest for a dying vvorld vvhen our immortal and never dying souls lyes at stake Oh Dear Brother Remember God will not be mocked if we bring forth the fruits of the flesh doubtless we shall reap corruption and confusion of face forever truly a name to live and a report to be a Christian will not stand in the day of appearance all that I shall say more for the present is to desire that the good Lord would grant us such Revelations of Christ as that it might make us to cast out and cut off what ever is displeasing to him I should not have been faithful had I not told you my minde Now the Father of Spirits give you a heart to receive it as an humble hearted Christian would doe and take it all in Brotherly and Gospel love from him who is Yours whilest you are Christs in Gospel Bonds THOMAS SAVERY I doe not see that this Letter should breed strife betwixt him and his wife I dare be Compurgator for T.S. he never in the least intended it but T.A. is very exact in drawing thornes from Grapes any man that doth but compare his after inferences from my Sermon p. 26. 27. 29. 31. 35. may discerne it But suppose he was offended with Mr. S. why did not he discharge duty towards him Would he suffer a person to lye in so great a sin from Aug. 22. to Feb. 4. without following him by first and second admonition But to returne to the Letter Mr. Savery is unsatisfied and the Church knowes of it by what means should the Church come to the knowledg of it seeing Mr. Savery never brought it to their hearing they had indeed known it on February 4. if I had observed his irregular desires But was he unsatisfied with T.A. why did not T.A. agree with him quickly acccording to that Math. 5.25 If Church members take this Liberty to dissatisfy persons in Communion with them and doe not carefully discharge duties mutually a Church will soone loose their purity and will become a Babel still Reader Mr. Savery is unsatisfied and now T.A. grows bold satisfied or not to the Lords Table he will as if he had never read Math. 5.23.24 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath ought against thee Leave there thy gift and goe thy way first be reconciled to thy brother and then Come and offer thy gift I wounder who those are that he thinks more wise and Godly then himselfe that would advise him to go to that Love-feast till he had made up a difference between him and his brother And therefore his desire was unreasonable to aske of us liberty to come to the Lords Table when the difference between him and Mr. Savery had disabled him and being never suspended he needed not crave that priviledg In the close of his letter he intended to oblige the Church by wiping off an ill name they had got Did he publish this letter and his Booke for this reason Or would any man thinke his subscription Yours to Command in any service for Christ can possibly consist with such passages as I find in his Book where he accuseth us of unrighteousness in his epistle and of raising and spreading false reports as Traytors p. 2.3 as slighting all that are not of our way p. 6. as glad of any occasion to censure his wife p. 10. as over-reaching Mris. Par p. 28. as proud as thinking there are no pure Ordinances but in such Churches p. 31. 41 as tollerating of wicked persons amongst us p. 41. as miscalling other Churches looking on them as Babylonish and Synagogues of Satan p. 28.42 and compareth us to the Pope and Pharisees p. 32.39 is this the man to whom we are deare still even to the fourth of February And is this the way to wipe off what he can that ill name that is laid upon us Thus have I considered the letter whose Subscription runs to my Honoured freind Mr. L.S. to be Communicated to the Church who they say are unsatisfied Which was it seemes the intent of that paper and the subject matter of it confirmes it though he would delude his Reader with another inscription p. 12. vvith this A letter from Mr. Toby Allein To Mr. Levvis Stucley to be communicated to his Church before they excommunicated his wife here a simple Reader will think the intent of the letter was to prevent the excommunication of his vvife whereas he that Reads it narrovvly will see that it is rather to prevent his own He doth but as in a parenthesis name somewhat that his wife was dissatisfiea about the invalidity whereof I have already evinced to the judicious Reader neither was that meeting from which he absented himself And therein broke his Solemne promise appointed in relation to his wives affaires but his own By this time I have given thee an account that this Pamphleter doth unjustly charge me with unfaithfulnesse to him and the Church for not communicateing it according to the directions given p. 15. Unfaithfulness supposeth some preceding obligation I know noe tyes on any Pastor to communicate to his Church all the papers that private persons would have divulged to them should I be bound to that I might foone fill the ears of my Congregation with rude undigested stuff or with unseasonable matter Was it fit for me to countenance him in an irregularity of bringing in several charges against some members before he had admonished them privately Or would it have been wisdome in me to communicate his reflections on the Church in general before he had made a Just defence for himself Besides in his paper there are some passages soe obscure that I could not understand as p. 13. this and such like sayings begat in me some dissatisfaction which for want of better observation I thought zâ—aie which when my good Father heard I Remember c. With whom