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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A29112	The cause of the innocent pleaded, his accusers pretended charge confvted, their unparallel'd actings, ungospel-like dealings, and unrighteous proceedings against their pastor, declared, or, Truth breaking forth, through the mist of clouds and slanders published by Samuel Bradley ...	Bradley, Samuel.	1664 (1664)	Wing B4126; ESTC R37453	47,126	59

THE Cause of the Innocent PLEADED His Accusers pretended Charge CONFVTED Their unparallel'd Actings ungospel-like Dealings and unrighteous Proceedings against their Pastor DECLARED OR Truth breaking forth through the Mist of Clouds and Slanders Published by Samuel Bradley who is Afflicted Rejected Despised Reproached yet a Friend to Zion though troubled on every side yet not Distressed Perplexed but not in Despair Persecuted but not Forsaken cast down but not Destroyed Jer. 20.10 For I have heard the defaming of many fear on every side Report say they and we will report it Isa 30.8 9. Now go write it before them in a Table and note it in a Book that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever That this is a Rebellious People lying Children Children that will not hear the Law of the Lord. Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh and searcheth him LONDON Printed for the Author 1664. To all who inquire the way to Zion with their faces thitherward we send greeting saluting all such as love our Lord Jesus in sincerity THat which hath been the ingaging cause to move us to this work of publick view is that Controversie which hath for some months been between the Author herein mentioned and some persons dissenting from him whose actings have been not becoming the Gospel of our Lord Jesus It is the joy of our Souls the Reports and Scandals that have been cast upon the Author herein mentioned is through Grace made to appear to be no more but Reports and Scandals which tends to his Crown of Rejoycing Mat. 5.11 A Catalogue of the Proceedings of these people for whom this Servant of God hath laboured in the Gospel you have in this ensuing Discourse First To the Reader if thou wilt be found who ever thou art to do that which may please God and not prejudice thy own peace then look upon the Matters and Controversies in Sion with Spiritual Eyes that so thou mayest discern it lest thou like the Spider turn all into poyson therefore for thy help remember these three things First Remember God is alwayes and at all times in all places present let this stir thee up to a serious consideration of this insuing Discourse Secondly Remember the judgement due to them which put evil construction upon good things which call evil good and good evil which put light for darkness and darkness for light and sweet for bitter and bitter for sweet Thirdly Remember the great account that every man and woman must give for every mercy received and for every evil thought every idle word every sinful action which is done or acted by the Sons of men at the great day of the Lord's appearance Secondly As touching the Author herein mentioned it being our portion to have most intimate communion with him in the time of his exilement we are emboldned to speak so far as we have seen or so far as the Lord hath given us light and knowledge in the things of God and in his wayes we have seen nothing in his Life and Conversation but as doth become the Gospel though in times past he was caught in Satans snare and God did suffer him to fall under sin not to his Condemnation but for his Humiliation for God will lose none of his Jewels for whom he loveth he loveth to the end And God did manifest a powerful repentance in his Soul and made sin the object of his loathing and as is made manifest by John Glyde and Benjamin Minzes in their Epistles written in the Authors behalf in his Book intituled The Afflicted and Retired Mans Meditations concerning the Excellency of the Spirit where they writ very eminently in the Vindication of the Author aforesaid telling us They were Spectators of the work of Repentance wrought in his Soul In the aforesaid Epistle is declared That his whole conversation is as it becomes the Gospel to the which we do refer the Reader The manifestation thereof is so great that all the sins he hath committed and all the Devils in Hell all the men upon Earth professors and prophane are never able to verifie to the contrary This we write not to applaud the Creature but rather to promote the honour of the Creator because God hath born a testimony to the truth of it as they themselves have confessed witness their Letter of Recommendation wherein they say The Lord hath made him instrumental to draw them out of the Pit of Darkness and to bring them into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God This is his Crown of Rejoycing though they since have made it a time of reproaching for want of a Spirit of love and a sound mind Thirdly We are not only Spectators of his Holy Conversation but also of his sore Affliction and great oppression which he hath undergone by them for whom he hath travelled in the Gospel it being a work the Lord hath cast into our hands to stand up for his support under his oppression inflicted upon him by God for good ends best known to himself but instrumental by them on whom the travel of his Soul hath been spent the thoughts of these things doth cause us for to tremble to consider the ungospel-like dealings which they have made use of to throw down their Pastor and Brother in Christ from that Center where the Lord did place him A brief Catalogue take as followeth in these short Particulars First They say aside the Rules of Christ and make use of their own Secondly They reproach him before they reprove him contrary to the Rule of Christ or of his Apostle Paul Thirdly They charged him with sin but never proved it Fourthly They Condemned him without any Tryal Fifthly They say they cast him out but never set a day apart to seek the Lords assistance in matters of so weighty concernment and broke their promise which they made to one of us to forbear their proceedings till the next Meeting Sixthly They send Copies of his Accusation to the Churches and by no means he that was concerned therein must see it And that which is matter of great lamentation is that one of these persons whose name is unto the pretended Charge said to N. C. a few dayes before the Breach That he did judge S. B. had as much of the Spirit of God as any man in England And yet proceeded as aforesaid In this ensuing Discourse by the Author himself you may see their work made manifest and then you may determine whether it hath the Impression of God yea or nay if you weigh it in the Ballance of the Sanctuary Can any person prove and say to this Author herein mentioned all this time which report and reproaches have been spread abroad concerning him This thou hast done If there had been any miscarriage in him where is the Spiritual-minded man who according to the Rule of the Apostle given in Gal. 6.1 that ever came to restore him with the Spirit

hand for their heady and rash proceedings against their innocent Pastor lest destruction be their portion notwithstanding all their Profession 14. Par. And so do now bear our Testimony against all his Evil and all his Adherents and set our hands to the truth of it Ans To this I Answer If these Assertors and Concluders did walk like persons indued with true knowledge they should have proved the things they talk of to be evils before they had set their hands thereunto by what they have done they have manifested themselves not to be wise nor right Artists at the work of accusation Again if they could have proved what they have subscribed unto to be Evils the next work had been to have layed them down before me and made some endeavour to have holpen me to a sight thereof as well as themselves and shewn me by way of aggravation the danger of them and if I had been obstinate not to have heard some of them alone to brought two more with them and took some pains with me for to recover me out of that which they are pleased to call an Evil and if I had remained in an obstinate mind then with sorrow of heart and bowels of love told it to the Church the Church to have made some endeavour to recover me and if I would not have seen my Evil then to have set a day a part for Fasting and Prayer and to have mourned bitterly under the consideration of the thoughts of the loss of a chief Pillar of the Church and when all this work was done then in a solemn reverent and godly manner to have gone trembling at the thought of what must of necessity then have been done seeing there was no avoiding of it and consider what was to be done after all this not to reproach Nay For sufficient to such a man was this punishment which was inflicted upon many 2 Cor. 2.6 7. So that contrarywise they ought rather to forgive him and comfort him lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow wherefore I beseech you that you would confirm your love towards him I say to these people Was any of this done Was the first step taken in this work much less the last that was done to the incestuous person How may these people dread the thoughts of their present Proceedings with their former for fear God may charge them with Spiritual murder at the Day of the Lord in putting a stop to conversion-work and cause Souls to stumble I say Oh what comfort can these men have that have set their hand to such a work as this is The Lord give them a sight and true sence and sorrow yea true repentance of the same Sure by this time they may plainly see if they do not harden their hearts that they were out of the way of the Lord and with what comfort can they go to the grave with this Load upon their Consciences or what peace they can have for these their irregular Proceedings I know not and truly it is to be admired they do not yet blush at that they stile their Testimony Sure they understand not what they say for the word Testimony doth signifie amongst other things a good report from others but this which they have done is found to be of no good report therefore falsely termed by them a Testimony Again a Testimony doth also import a witnessing well but they have witnessed unto that which is Lyes Suppositions and Surmisings which is very ill therefore for to speak properly have born no Testimony against Samuel Bradley but rather have made their ignorance further appear and know not what they say in this case nor what a Testimony is and yet these persons will undertake for to pass Sentence of Excommunication upon their Pastor and that as soon as his back was turned from them was it done but never to his face And whereas they seem to reflect upon the rest of their Fellow-Members which bore a better Conscience than themselves which they call Adherents they have little cause so to do for they understand the Rules of Christ better than to run rashly and headily upon things contrary to the right Order but have waited with patience upon the Lord and have proved Fellow-feelers of their Pastors Sorrows and great Afflictions that have befallen him through the means of the persons aforesaid that are turned his Accusers though falsely and they in Conscience could not joyn with them without breach of Covenant I shall say unto these my Accusers had they been as tender of the Glory of God as these they call My Adherents they might have been made partakers of true Peace with them though by their means they are made to stand alone separated from the rest of their Brethren to their great grief and could they violate the peace of their consciences as those have done they might have been their dear Friends still Let these men be careful lest they slay the Upright in Conversation with the Sword of their Mouth namely bitter words as they have not been ashamed to do lest Wrath break forth from the Lord upon them And whereas they say They have set their hands to the Truth I ask them whether their Consciences did not prick them when they were setting their Pen to Paper so as they began with a lye they conclude with a lye also O how can these People with confidence call that a Charge which they themselves confest in the last Particular thereof to be but petty Things or call that a Truth which is stuffed up with so many Lyes Suppositions and surmising Expressions as hath been proved all along O that they would lay these sad proceedings to heart that for this Twelvemonth together they have contrived against their innocent Pastor as they have owned him to be and yet have cried him up for a Trappan at such a high hand They may see if they do not wilfully shut their Eyes that his Innocencie has so shined in this matter that the Lord hath holp him to weather the storms of all sorts they have raised upon him onely from Fears and Jealousies O what will they do when God shall call them to an account How will they be able to stand before him It is not their strong-hold of Church-Fellowship that will shelter them from the wrath of God for if he set the Worm of Conscience a gnawing their Gourd will soon be destroyed and where are they then My Prayer shall be that they may repent and the Lord forgive them for I do and for ever hereafter let them be silent and never more open their mouth to reproach and as Job said of his friends so shall I say of mine Job 16.24 I have heard many such things miserable Comforters are you all And now you may see I have diligently examined this their pretended Charge that hath occasioned such a stir in the Nation and have found it to stand upon the Foundation of Untruths

but prove a burden to their Pastor I shall omit one thing in this Particular it being such nonsense that I understand it not and shall pass to the next thing in their pretended Charge Seventhly Some of those petty things we have also at large for to be brought forth if desired by any Answ Were it not to encourage these people to come under the breach of their solemn Covenant they made when they entered into Church-Communion not to rip up matters in this kinde I should say then By all means bring them forth that the Churches and others may see what a heavy Drudge their Pastor hath been made by them and how they have had no respect to his peace but troubled and burdened him with such matters that by their own confession are counted petty Things The Christian Reader may take notice That their Charge at the best as they have declared is but a petty Charge the Reason is The matters contained therein are but petty Things and truly I do not much wonder they were so backward in letting me have a sight thereof it may be they were ashamed of their work it being but a petty Business I must needs acknowledge they have given as true a Title to their Twelvemonths Labours as could be invented and should they sit a Twelvemonth longer onely to study for a Title to send forth their pretended Charge into the World they could not choose one that would be more fitting Now Friends Seeing it hath appeared to be such a petty Business I hope your poor oppressed Pastor will be restored to his Birthright again that is to say His Good Name that hath by your means been taken from him for a Good Name is better than precious Oyntment Eccles 7.1 which you have stained by your scandalous Reports spread by your means up and down the Land of my Nativity but if you will not yet it shall work for my good and your hurt in the Day of Judgement Sure all men that have but the least spark of Grace will say it is but a reasonable thing seeing all this cry and stir about Samuel Bradley doth at last appear to be but a petty Report and could never to this day be made otherwise to appear for the most credible persons that ever had a hand to spread it abroad which have gone under the name of very good Christians neither did nor can speak any thing of their own knowledge then it remains to be but a petty Report still And when these persons have been asked Upon what grounds do you report this of the Person aforesaid their answer has been His Church has cast him out upon this very Account and now that which they have called all this while a Church Act though they had no Reason so to do is found to be at the best but a petty Surmise or Supposition What and no more No truly Then away saith the sober-minded Christian with this petty Charge for in open Court it is condemned and let their Pastor's Good Name be restored Eighthly While we were dealing with him at one time breaking forth into a wicked reviling and contempt as He had brought up a Bird to pick out his Eyes A Brother that then spake called him Black-mouth Foul-mouth he had spit the Devil all Day Answ As touching the Bird they mention of all the things I did speak that I cannot remember however it may be relished yet in one sence it is undeniably true for this man whom they make mention of was he that for two or three hours together did revile me in such a shameful manner that some there present although they were not Members yet conscientious Persons were so much grieved they had much ado to continue in the hearing of him his speaking was in such an unchristian-like manner that some there present said He did act and lock as if he had been the very Picture of Envy and he spake with such rage that to somes perceivance he looked black in the mouth then I pray consider was that to revile him when I spake nothing but the truth concerning him And put case these kinde of proceedings and great oppressions had so much prevailed with me that I had spake worse than all this who was the cause of it were not those persons that would not let me have the same liberty that a Malefactor or a Murderer shall have at the Bar that is to speak what he can for himself before he be sentenced to death but I must have my Sentence before I could be heard Oppression will make a wise man mad And did I revile him to call him Foul-mouth when he had such foul Expressions flowing from him that were not becoming him and whether he did not act the part of the Devil all the day let the wise man judge who accused his Pastor in the face of all there present and yet could not when he was put upon it prove what he said for we all know that the Devil is the Accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12.10 then you may plainly see I did not wrong him in the least to say he spit the Devil all day when he spit forth his venom of malice that he was beyond the bounds of moderation Now if they had any regard to God's Glory and their own Reputation they should not have laid open their weakness abroad thinking to let the nakedness of their Pastor be seen to all men and thereby have made manifest their own shame suppose I had acted all that which B. M. had falsely asserted was there no other course for them to deal with me than to make me odious before all ere they had examined the cause to see whether I had deserved such things at their hands But it doth appear this man with some others had a design to carry on and he thought the way to make sure work of it was to stop his Pastors Mouth for fear he should spoile his design for he with some others were resolved upon the matter to cut him off right or wrong and with all expedition too and had forgot to go to prayer first A Member that was there present which wept bitterly to see their proceedings seeing of them so nimble at the work bad them consider what they did for it was not a business of small concernment to cut off an Elder to which some replied Well then we will go and seek God the Brother that prayed was very ingenious to confess though he was one of them in the cutting-off design John Johnson by name he had no answer at all with that Benjamin Minzes did go to pray to see if he could have an answer as we may so gather by the passage and after he had done he was answered as he did say from Rev. 2.20 I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that Woman Jezebel which calleth her self a Prophetess to teach and Seduce my Servants to commit Fornication and to eat things Sacrificed unto Idols