best way where she according to her raised expectation has received more of the Holy Spirit and of influences from Christ as a living Member under this Church as the only Head and as the Supream Material Cause of the Church then neither she nor they are under Guilt so far in this Matter But Christ in all this c. Therefore This was drawn from the Material Cause of the Church Supream A further Argument shall be drawn †1 Cor. 6. 15 12. 27. Eph. 1. 22 23. 4 4 12. 5. 23. 30. Col. 1. 18 24. 2. 19. Joh. 10. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 2. and the Titles of Paul ' s other Epistles to the Churches Heb. 12. 23. Eph. 4. 16. from the inferior Material Cause of a Church of Christ which are the Elect Believers and Saints who are the Members and the Body of Christ and have mutual care of and for one another Communion with one another and are jointly helpful to each other and do faithfully and friendâ—â—y discharge the Gospel Duties of Church-Fellowship mutually towards one anotheâ— such as mutual considering of one another c. It is here thus argued If this Sister have joined her self there in Church-Fellowship with them amongst those whom she charitably hopes may be such living Fellow-Memberâ— in Christ with her more and better suited to her Spirit in such a Church-way of Spiritual Incorporation where she has more freedom and better agreement in her 〈…〉 an more Spiritual Communion more really expressed and acted helpfulness as to Spirituals more enjoyment of the Gospel-Duties of Church-Fellowship mutually towards one another than in that Society where she was before and all this as the Inferior Material Cause of the Church then neither she non they c. But this Sister c. Therefore Another is drawn from the Formal Cause of a Church of Christ The Formal Cause or Form or * Eph. 4. 3 4. Acts 2. 41 47. 4. 32. 9. 31. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13 27. 10 17. 1. 10 11. Phil. 2. 1 5. Eph. 1. 21 22 23. 3. 17. 2. 19. Rom. 8. 9. 1 Joh. 4. 13. Col. 1. 18. 2. 19. Eph. 5. 32. that which doth give a spirited Life Being and Motion is the uniting Spirit of the LORD enlivening the Church-Body and that Union of Believers in the Spirit with Christ as the Head and with and another as Fellow-Members of the same Mystical Body The Argument thus presenteth it self to be considered If the Spirit of this Sister in Experience according to the Word both were before Admission and hath been and still is since her Admission amongst such more knit and united by the Holy Spirit in Holy Spiritual Union to Christ and to these Fellow-Members where she has more of spirited Life Being and Motion than when amongst those with whom she walked in Society withal before which was broken off and taken away from her as to the quickness and comfort oâ— it as to the former Church in whose fellowship she could not any longer to any good satisfaction continue and where she had little or no expectation after much proof and long waiting to have it otherwise as the Case was circumstanced she being now made more sensible that her Spirit doth more close with and is more one in Union and Communion with the Spirit of that Church in this Church-way of Ordinances with whom she is joined and all this as the Formal Cause or Form or that which doth give a Spirited Life Being and Motion to a Church then neither she nor they c. But the Spirit of this Sister c. And therefore From the Final Cause a strong Argument may be drawn and its right words are forcible †Isa 43. 7 21. Jer. 13 11. 14. 21 Eph. 5. 26 27. 4. 11 12 13 15 16. 1 Cor. 12. 13. 10. 16 17. Luke 12. 32. 1 Cor. 14. 3 26 40. 10. 16 17. 2 Cor. 13. 10 The Final Cause or the great End or Ends for which Jehovah Aelohim has formed his Church and for which Christ gave and delivered up himself in respect of him is his Glory the Honour of his Name in the World that it may be as a Throne of his Glory the purging and cleansing of his Church and People their enjoyment of Spiritual Priviledges and Benefits purchased by the Blood of Christ their nourishing growing more up into and further perfecting in Christ their receiving more of all Spiritual Supplies from Christ their mutual Edification being built up more and more in their most holy Faith their possessing of signed sealed witnessed delivered free gracious Grants from the Father through his Son by his Spirit in the word of his Truth of Grace and at the last their everlasting Happiness in a clear sight and full enjoyment of the Heavenly Glory in his Eternal Kingdom in the better Country In the mean time the giving and receiving of Spiritual Alms Bread and Wine to hungry thirsting Souls as necessary Provision in their Voyage whilst here in the way The Argument is thus formed If this Sister after long Experience and much waiting and earnest Praying could not attain the forementioned Ends of Church-Fellowship in that way wherein she walked before whereas since she passed into Church Communion with others the LORD has graciously given her to enjoy in growing Measures much of these desired Ends and some good Beginnings as she hopes of the filling up of these in the Heavenly Country where she longeth and waiteth prayeth and prepareth to be with her LORD in the most pure and Glorious Church then neither she nor they c. But this Sister after long Experience c. Therefore Two other Arguments may be drawn from the just Right and due Property of this Sister * 1 Cor. 3. 21 22 23. Deut. 18. 6 7 8. The Gifts and Graces and Experiences of all the Faithful Ministers of Christ in the same City especially being one with Christ and his Word in the Faith and Order of the Gospel are a part of every Believers Portion there which they may use as their own especially when actually really more to their Ediâ—â—cation as Providence doth give opportunity From hence it is thus argued If this Sister in this have acted but as her just Right and due Property is to enjoy this part of her Spiritual Portion and if they have but done her Right in granting her what is her own as due unto her then neither she nor they c. But this Sister in this has acted c. Therefore Also from her lawful Liberty This Sister reserved a Liberty if she found in Experience that her continuing there were not to her Satisfaction and Edification that then it should be free to joyn her self to some other Church of the same Faith and Order in the main of 〈◊〉 Believers and Seventh-day-Sabbath-Observers where she might be more to her Soul-profiting â— and †Rom. 13. 7 8. Prov. 3. 27
is not willing to insist upon as being loth to exasperate the Spirits of any concerned imparted it to the Friends in Gospel-Fellowship who upon due consideration and serious deliberation unanimously received her into Church-Communion the healing comforting Effects whereof were quickly felt in her Spirit Soul and Body too through Grace Upon this Case as to the Matter of Right ariseth this Question Whether under these Circumstances either this Sister in so coming off from that former Church or the Church with Shem Acher in so receiving of her have sinned and transgressed the Laws and Rules of Christ That neither she nor they are under Guilt in this Matter Shem Acher and the Friends with him do give these following Scripture-Arguments and Reasons bottomed upon Scripture-Grounds and Testimonies One Argument is drawn from the Principal Efficient Cause of a Church who is Jehovah Aelohim He it is * Psal 100. 3 102. 18. 149 â—2 Isa 43. 1 7 15 21. 44. 2 21 24. 51. 13. 54. 5. 1 Cor. 1. 2. Psal 47. 2. Acts 20. 28. Zech. 2. 8. Rev. 2. 1. Isa 27. 2 3. Deut. 32. 28. Isa 43. 1. 63. 16. Act. 20. 21. Gal. 1. 3. Eph. 5. 25 26 27 29 30. Col. 1. 14. Heb. 13. 20. Rev. 1 5 6 17 18 19 20. 5. 9. 14. 4. Prov. 9. 1. Mat. 16 18 19. Heb. 3. 3 4 6. who createth and maketh a Church He calleth it purchaseth iâ— He feeds it he loves it as the Apple of his Eye He walketh in the midst of it He protecteth it He doth all things for it He dwelleth there He formeth and frameth it He is the Father of it As the Father and his Son and Holy Spirit is thus to his Church so also is Christ the Mediator the Redeemer of his Church its Saviour Deliverer Purchaser Buyer Builder To this Jehovah Aelohim she has * 2 Cor. 8. 5. given up her self which is the Primary Chief and Special Relation on which all higher Church-Communion and Fellowship is firmly and principally founded it is to supersede and over-rule all secondary meaner commoner and subservient Relations on which all lower Brotherly and Sisterly Communion and Fellowship is more remotely subordinately and less principally founded No after-inconsiderate-Obligation to any People can take away a former higher Obligation whereby a right doth accrew to another especially this other being the Supreamest over all The Argument runs thus If Jehovah Aelohim in Father Son and Holy Spirit if the LORD Jesus Christ God-Man who is the principal Efficient Cause of his Church who createth it and maketh it c. If he have this way evidently disposed of her where she may most and best honour and enjoy him in all Church-Ordinances and Church-Administrations according to Word-Rule she having thus given up her self to him in a primary chief and special Relation then neither she nor we are under Guilt so far in this Matter But Jehovah Aelohim in Father Son and Holy Spirit the LORD Jesus Christ God-Man who is the Principal Efficient Cause of his Church who createth it and maketh it c. has this way evidently disposed of her where she may most and best honour and enjoy him in all Church-Ordinances and Church-Administrations according to the Word-Rule she having thus given up her self to him in a primary chief and special Relation And Therefore neither she nor they are under Guilt so far in this Matter Another drawn from the Instrumental Efficient Cause of the Church of God which is * 1 Pet. 1. 23 24 26. Col. 1. 2 7. Acts 2. 41 47 4. 4. 5. 14. 6. 1 7. 8. 4 12. 9. 31. â—1 21 24. 13 49. 14. 1. 16. 5. 17. 4 12 34. 18. 4 8. 19. 19 20. 20. 28. Mat. 24. 45. Joh. 21. 1â— 16 17. Act. 20 28. 1 Pet. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 3. 1. Heb. 13. 7 17. 1 Pet. 51 5. both sound Doctrine grounded firmly upon the Word and faithfully Preached by which the Church is born and propagated and also the Minister or Ministers of Christ who preach this sound Doctrine and do administer in the Church who do feed the Church who oversee it who watch over it who rule and discipline it who pray for it and such like They argue thus If this Sister have put her self in the same City under such sound Doctrine grounded firmly upon the Word faithfully preached and under such a Ministry which is the instrumental Cause of a Church of Christ where she has wholesome Food more proper and suited to her Cases by which she is better nourished is every way more advantaged more profited better cared and provided for in all Spirituals as to a Church-State-and-Relation for Doctrine Worship Discipline and Conversation having all instituted Ordinances more fitted to her Spiritual State Frame Acting and Appetite her Soul-cases more directly spoken unto there being more of a sweet Spiritual Accord in Principles and other ways between her Spirit and the present Church with whom she walketh which she could not for several years so enjoy in the other Society then neither she nor they are undeâ— Guilt so far in this Matter But this Sister c. Therefore Another is drawn from the Material Cause * Eph 1. 22. 4. 15 16. 5. 23. Col. 1. 18. 2. 19. Heb. 2. 15 16 17 18 4. 4. 15 16. Rom. 8 9 11 14. Eph. 4. 3 4 5 6. Song of Songs throughout Isa 33. 22. Eph. 5. 23. Joh. 10. 14 Heb. 3 6. 10 21 â—2 or 11. 2. Eph 4 4 15 16. ver 11 12 13. Mat. 11. 20. 28. 18 19 20. The LORD Jesus Christ is the supream Head of his Church the material Cause of the Church of the same Nature partaker of the same Flesh and Blood with all the living Members of his Church made like him in all except Sin the same holy Spirit who is in Christ refideth in the Church and in all and every of the regenerated Members thereof who by this Spirit are united to Christ animated ensouled by this Spirit from this Christ doth flow all Spiritual Life and Motion to his Church he is by far more excellent than the Church he has the Empire and Government over the Church he gives Laws to the Church he is the Saviour of it he doth acknowledg it and is acknowledged by it he is indissolubly united to it by the strongest closest Bond no other besides him is Head of the Church he is the Husband of it he fitly joyns the Members of it together into one Body he doth gift the Church and its Officers he is always present with it having all Authority and Power in Heaven and on Earth given to him for these holy good Purposes It is here thus argued If Christ in all this have so framed inclined and led this Sister and accordingly she have in all this thus submiâ—ted unto Christ in the fittest and
Saints being injurious to the Christian Churches and a Blasphemer of God of Christ God-Man and of his Truths Worship Cause Ways and Disciples suddenly there shined round about him a Light from Heaven and he fell to the Earth and heard a Voice saying unto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou me And he said Who art thou LORD And the LORD said I am JESVS whom thou persecutest It is hard for thee to kick against the Goads And he trembling and astonished said LORD What wilt thou have me to do And the LORD said unto him Arise and go into the City and it shall be told thee what thou must do The History of this wonderful Work he is now ready to own and to declare before Princes Priests or People where he had a Call and Opportunity preaching up that Christian Doctrine and Discipleship which but a little before he endeavoured to persecute down counting all his former self-righteousness formalworshippings creature-advantages outward Church-priviledges vain affectation of human wisdom by Philosophic Studies to be as dung and as Dogs-meat for the excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus his Lord for whom he suffered the loss of all things that he might win Christ and be found in him not having his own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith And now he lays aside his old human Set-Forms and prayed in the help of the interceding Spirit Framing of such arguing Requests within him as his present Case called for Thus he who had been one of the prime of Sinners is now become one of the greatest Exalâ—ers of the Father's rich Grace and free Love of Christ's Alsufficient Satisfaction and prevailing Intercession and of the holy Spirit 's powerful gracious working SHEM ACHER The way and manner of the holy Spirit 's working upon him hath been various at several times yet in a marvelous gracious manner even from his Childhood and in his Youth oftentimes by Terror now and then by Bands of Love He lay for many years under a spirit of bondage to Fear being very often frighted in terrible Dreams wherein he fell into deep Waters the Earth sliding away from under him whilst he endeavoured to climb up to the top of an Hill or Rock for safety which he was not able to do falling over Bridges into the Sea and down from thence into the Gulph and horrible Pit though at that time he little understood that thus was the positure of the Creation as to the lowest World The Devil many times seemed to be at hand running to lay hold on him though always he escaped yet so terrified as awakened him and left cold sweats upon him yet this kept him several years in aw and held him back from many Sins Once when he was tampering about one Sin which was preparing for another Sin though he did not then actually commit either the one or the other a Voice with power smote his heart as with a Thunder-bolt from Heaven What if God should strike thee dead and damned upon the place which quickly sent him to his private Chamber and set him about Praying Reading Confessing Humbling work and at other times he was put upon Fasting thinking with himself to conquer Corruptions and Temptations too much going forth in his own strength and depending upon Duties which yet Experience told him were all too weak in this Combat without help from Christ and his Spirit At other seasons there were sweet Allurings especially upon reading the History of Christ's Life Sufferings and Death which did very much melt him into Tears and kindly affect and winningly overcome the Heart Though he dare not say as one Minister told him concerning himself he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Self-Father or his own Spiritual Father his meaning being that he was his own Converter begotten and born by that Word which he preached to others If any would have Shem to name his Father He of and by whom he was born from Above was Abi-jah Jah my Father Abi Ael the mighty God my Father Abi-hu He and the Alone my Father He. As Shem has been in the lowest World in his Spirit in the Gulph and somewhat in Hell so also there have been two more remarkable passages at special seasons when his Heart was taken into nearer union to and closer fellowship with Christ in the uppermost World The one was when solemnly and seriously setting himself to enquire into the safety of his Spiritual Estate he was held strictly to these Terms That he must burn his Papers with his own Hand and his former Collections out of humane Authors of Philosophical Learning wherein much of that which was corrupt was heaped together amongst a little somewhat that was true and good and that he must begin as it it were Religion and all anew and take all from Christ and from his Word purely and only with a Promise That then he should be better taught and not lose any thing that was useful of what he knew before and should have a better and richer stock given in About which time it was clearly revealed to him and in him by a passage in an Author who so opened that word in 2 Tim. 3. 16. The whole Scripture which the English Translation doth render All Scripture that for the whole and every part of his Religion in all Doctrine and Duties he must take the whole Scripture along with him both Old and New Testament to be for him where-ever the holy Spirit doth take occasion to â—reat of any such particular subject-matter which Word-Rule in the harmoniousness and uniformness or oneness of it throughout has been of singular unexpressible usefulness to him ever since in this Age of growing Light This put him to a kind of offering up his Isaac But Jehovah his Aelohim framed his Heart to it and he readily answered the Call and sacrificed with his own hand in the Flames several years Labours of great value in the esteem of some for he had still an industrious mind trying many ways of heaping up Learning but was not set right till now And from that day to this he has found the LORD True and Good as his Word so that he can say to the praise of this God of all Grace and Mercy That scarce one week for many years has passed over him without some special Teachings the holy Spirit opening some Scripture or other before him and then opening the Eyes of his Understanding to take in the light and meaning thereof of which he has gathered much and it is laid up by him as his rich Treasure in and under Christ yea it is a very black night and dark day with him if there be any one such whole natural day in any one week wherein there is not somewhat of this All the Glory be to Jehovah Aelohim But how now what shall be done to carry on Preaching and Praying Work for he was a
forth sooner he has much to say in answer if he would enlarge but in short some hints he has already given which carry forcibleness of right Words in them to the impartially intelligent and spiritually discerning and he hoped that the Experiences of many in this City upon whose Hearts the LORD had sealed to the Office of his Ministry might have put some timely stop to the further spreading of such defameings Besides it is evident to him being led far into the mystery and meaning of this Providence that this is the fittest season for the making of the present Apology and if either some will charge him with Vanity and Pride with Folly and Vain-boasting in writing so much upon his own Defence or if it have another effect than many are well aware off for the putting of separate Churches upon a further search into the Scriptures of Truth about the right constituting of Churches the lawful Call to the Ministerial Office and Work and some other weighty Ordinances spoken unto in this Paper it will much concern those who make the exception duly to ponder who is chargeable Whether the Apologist who in a Cause and Case so circumstanced doth make his honest Defence and just Plea or those unfriendly ones who have compelled him hereunto which advocating for Innocence so far as it is Innocence has Scripture-Warrant †Joh. 29. and 31. Chap. and elsewhere in that Book Acts 22. and 26. chap. 1 Cor. 4. 1. 5. and 2 Cor. 11. throughout and 12. 11 both in the Old and New Testament so that if he have been a Fool in glorying they are others who have necessitated him thereunto PAVL * Acts 19. 18. and 22. 16. 1 Cor. 1. 13. 17. He was baptized upon this eminent Conversion and clear Call to the Office and Work of the Ministry He being sent more to Preach the Gospel than to Baptize though this were in his Commission too They were not very many whom he did Baptize lest any should misjudge that he had baptized in his own Name which he doth expresly deny and disown He is called upon not to tarry but to arise and baptising to be baptized and wash away his Sins calling on the Name of the Lord whereupon he doth submit to this Baptismal Ordinance SHEM ACHER He having had such Calls and such clearings up of this Call to this Ministerial Office of which so large an Account has been given especially at those solemn Seasons of Fasting and Prayer when he set himself more in serious earnest to be satisfied concerning this his Call from Heaven by the Holy Spirits leaving some sealing Testimony thereof upon his Heart according to the Word at such a needful time when he was under some perplexing Doubts and distressing Fears about this Call Being thus prepared for it as is already rehearsed the Light of amongst some others two Truths and Duties of this Age were evidently made known unto him the one of the Seventh-day weekly Sabbath the other of perfecting Believers Baptism he doth leave others here whose Case at present is or hereafter may be more concerned in this Matter if it be not already perfected upon and in them to consider whether then if there be otherways a fittedness for and a Call to the Ministerial Function it may not be proper and useful to enter upon this Office with such * Heb. 6. 1 2. Mat. 3. 13 14 15 16 17. and 4. 1. 17. Act. 9. 18 20. aâ—d 26 16. 20. Exod. 29. 4. Leâ— 8. 6. perfecting of Baptism now they are grown Believers so were the Priests under the Old Testament which is mentioned not at all to reinforce any Old Testament Shadow Figure Type or Ceremony now under the present New Testament Administration of Grace so was Christ so were his Apostles so was Paul let the Spirit of God from his Word speak with Men's Hearts about this I forbear in this place to add any further Arguments for or Advantages by this The occasion of his passing into the Scripture-Path of the weekly seventh-day-Sabbath was this A near and dear Brother and Friend of his from the Country wrote this Case of Conscience to him whether the first day of the Week as commonly observed by almost all Christians or the seventh which is the last day of every Week in the weekly returns of it were indeed the weekly Sabbath according to God's Command or in words to the sâ—me effect for it is now about sixteen years since and he earnestly desired the Opinion and Judgment of Shem Acher upon this Case Upon the Receipt of this Letter he was somewhat startled at this new Proposal though he was not so fully satisfied for some years before about any word-Institution for observing the first day as a Sister in Sabbath-Fellowship converted under his Ministry a shining Ornament to her holy Profession whilst here below but now above with the LORD informed and reminded him that when she propounded the very same Case to him about six or seven years before he gave her a very faint unsatisfactory answer as if he scarce were then a cordial Favourer of that first day for tho he preached up Sabbath-Duties and Priviledges in that Town yet his Assistant was as one part of his Work to engage in the Controversy which was the limitted day At the first receipt of that Case he was full of other work and employ about his own and other Cases and laid it aside for near a Month the Brother whose Spirit was tender in this Case as in many other new Cases sent a second Letter with renewed importunity requiring and expecting a speedy Answer Upon this Shem Acher speaks to Jehovah Aelohim to Father Son and Holy Spirit to Christ God-Man in Prayer about it and then makes Scripture-Testimonies to be †Psal 119. 24. the Men of his Counsel and being under an Obligation to take the whole Scripture along with him for the resolving and determining of this Case and to lay aside all his former Apprehensions and no longer to parle with Humane Traditions Philosophical arguings Carnal reasonings or any other unscriptural Authorities he took his Bible which he has now had about forty years and to which he was well used and so could with the more readiness turn unto apt places beginning with the first Week of the created World and there he found that * Gen. 2. â— 2 3. the weekly Seventh-day-Sabbath had Foundation both in Jehovah's Word and in Created Nature as being the only day of the whole Week on which the Creator and Redeemer rested which day he Blessed and which day he Sanctifyed for Sabbath-Purposes and Priviledges and not any other Day of the Week neither first second third fourth fifth nor sixth but only the seventh On he goes with his enquiry through the whole Book of Moses and finds the seventh day Sabbath †Exod. 16. 22. 30. reinforced and the neglect and profaneing thereof reproved before the solemn proclaiming of it
Scripture-Learning and for the procuring of a more exact literal Translation of the Old-and New-Testament into our Mother-Tongue and for the more religious educating of Children in Families and in Schools and for the relieving of the Poor and for such other good Works and to enquire what may be further a Duty upon us towards the two and the ten Tribes of Judah and of Israel to help forward their Conversion as also what the Spirit has to say more particularly and especially to our Churches and to other Churches in this great Providential-day and such like publick-spirited Inquiries and all this for the promoting of the Honour of our LORD and of his Word Works and Cause the Purity and Peace of Churches and Salvation of Souls Thus through Grace and Mercy obtained from our LORD we discover and declare our readiness to joyn in with you in what is the work of our Day and Generation and so commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you and us up and to give us an Inheritance among all them who are Sanctified Shem Acher Now that Shem Acher's Ends towards the latter-day-Glory might be promoted and that Shem might prosecute so good a design in the use of all those lawful means which his Line could reach into in his place for the finishing of this part of his Testimony for Christ for the Word of Christ for the Law of his ten Words and the annexed Judicials and for the Seventh-day-Sabbath more especially whilst others were following of the King with Petition upon Petition subscribed with multitudes of Hands from Cities Towns and Counties By Shem's direction this following Address was put into the Hands of the King Honoured SIR THe Land doth tremble it is broken it shaketh the right Way and proper Method to heal its Breaches is plain and evident You have seen the Hand of the LORD stretched out against the Popish Plotters in a continued Discovery for many Months of their bloody Design If the LORD Jesus Christ who is the King of Kings would graciously give you a Heart for it and then put it into your Heart openly at the next Session of Parliament to declare that It is your full Purpose and firm Resolution in the Strength and Supplies of the Almighty God to set up the Laws of Christ in the Scriptures of Truth as the one and the only Rule of your Government for which you have their own Authority in express Words The Law of God is the Law of the Land Then will your Name be transmitted to Posterity in the English Chronicle with a Crown Royal upon it Those who honour Christ he will honour This from a mean Handmaid Elizabeth Hooker The Sabbath of my Mighty God make thou it Precious O my God of Deliverance A like Address was made by the same Advice and Hand to the King to the same Effect in answer to that loud awakening Call by that signal Blazing Star for the promoting of the same grand Design of exalting of Christ and of the Word of Christ And a third sometime after to the present Mayor of London for the like End As Paul's manner was accordingly Shem Acher in his place finding some Disciples of Christ at his first coming to live near London to do work for his LORD and for Souls they agreeing to desire him thereunto and expressing this desire to him that seeing they were a few scattered Sheep without a Shepherd not being fully then satisfied to join in Church Fellowship with any particular Church as so constituted and so walking in London they declaring their being satisfied in one another and in him that he would administer the LORD's Supper unto them which after Conference with them and divers of them having profited under his ministerial Labours and having been baptized by him accordingly he did at Bethgnal-Green in the year seventy four withal declaring both he and they that this was a providential Communion in all the Ordinances of Christ's new Spiritual House towards the latter-day-Glory so far as for the present according to our Scripture-Light they can regularly come at them and so long as the LORD should continue them somewhat near together in their Dwellings this was assented unto and agreed upon by those baptized Believers and Seventh-day-Sabbath-Observers A little after this some difference in Judgment arising amongst them which Shem Acher foresaw and told it unto some a remnant of them who were more of one Mind agreed at a meeting in seventy five to own the LORD Jesus Christ to be the one and only LORD and Lawgiver to their Souls and Consciences and the Holy Scriptures of Truth as the one and only Rule of Faith Worship and Life according to which they were to judg of all their Cases Then did they pass into a Church For at that meeting upon this Agreement without any particular Church-Covenant about controverted Matter they did firmly lay all their Churchbottoming and building upon this Rock and Foundation even upon Christ and upon his Word A little before their thus passing into this Church State and Relation the two Sabbath Churches in the City desired his Labours at sometimes with them in the use and exercise of his Gifts which he consented to upon their importunity the LORD assisting him and prospering of his Labours upon the Hearts of several whose longings still encreased to enjoy more of his Ministerial Labours after that he had gathered some Disciples of Christ and was in a Church-way with them and had a distinct Meeting-place in the same City where he met with the Church and others who gave their Attendance at that Assembly where his service was accepted of the Saints so that they were mutually refreshed whereby they had in much experience a savoury taste of the Spirits of one another divers of the Brethren and Sisters of one of those two other Churches of Sabbath-keepers imparting some of their inmost Cases unto Shem Acher who has here upon this occasion a weighty Case to propound As to the Matter of Fact which is attested to be true by the whole Church who knew what doth follow with whom he doth walk Shem Acher doth suppose a Sister of another Sabbath-Church in the same City imparted this Case of her Soul unto him reporting to him that for some years she had been muâ—h oppressed in Heart distressed in Spirit broken and distempered in her bodily Constitution for want of that Spiritual Life and Liberty Purity and Peace Sweet and Satisfaction which she enjoyed not where she sat before but since she came under the Ministry of Shem her communicated Experience is that she has met with that Presence of the Holy good Spirit and of Grace sealed upon her Heart here to her Edification Comfort and Healing whereupon she desired to be in full Communion with Shem Acher and with the Friends in Church-Fellowship with him he laying this Gase in the several Circumstances of it to Heart the particulars whereof he