wicked was their Sister whom they had communion with at that time a wicked Person how did they dare to have any communion with her then and to condemn the Godly but who it was I condemned they have not named and who it is I should condemn I know not I shall not judge them that do thus falsely accuse me neither would I have them judge me in this matter but leave it to him which judgeth righteously Fourthly It was but few Weeks but some or other would meet with their wounding and burdens Answ If the Word of the Lord did at any time wound them let me tell them Gods wounding tends to healing but as to any thing else I must profess my self altogether a stranger to it for I was if I may speak without offence so far from wounding or burdening them that I did chuse rather to be wounded or burdened my self the Lord is my Witness in this matter I say unto this People Doth it not rather plainly appear that their Pastor was wounded and burdened by them they being so apt to be offended with Gospel-Reproofs Yea sure they have done more than wounded and burdened their Pastor for to deprive him of his good Name under the Notion of a Trappan when there was no such thing what will this amount to if strictly enquired into and rightly judged sure murder in some kind The Lord give them a true sight of their evil and then I shall rejoyce Fifthly We met with Repulses in our Address to him You must not teach your Elder Sometimes he scorned to be taught his Duty by any Member in the Congregation Answ True it is when some of them came as divers times they did back-biting of some of their fellow-Members whereof some made it their common practice so to do which became a heavy burden to me and when they came to me with their stories truly they had but little encouragement and I do perceive this is that they call Repulses for it was my manner first mildly to shew them their evil and then to inform them of their Duty in that concernment but finding still some who made it their business to go from house to house carrying Tales which since have been instrumental to bring their private disorderly walking into a publick disorder also witness the noise their proceedings have made throughout all the Churches I perceiving mild Instruction would not reclaim them I was fain to use sharpness which they ignorantly call rash Passion I not answering the expectation of some in this kinde but reproving them sharply for the same they have been pleased to terme it Spiritual Pride But why should I or any other think this strange for Paul the Noble Apostle of the Gentiles was judged by the Church of Corinth 1 Cor. 4.3 And counts it but a small thing to be so judged 〈◊〉 shall I for what I have â—one in this kind hath been in a faithful discharge of my duty though I have purchased to my self a blot for my labour I trust the Lord will enable me to wear it as my Crown what ever specious pretences they may have to render me odious to the People of God they carrying of it at such a rate to make the Churches believe that they have dealt with me in an orderly way when it is no such thing causing some to say His own Church hath dealt with him and cast him out when they were not in a capacity so to do being under dealing at that time themselves by their Pastor and others of the Church for their rebellion against the Righteous Laws and instituted Orders of Christ's House What they have unrighteously done hath seemed hitherto to carry the day as if they had obtained a victory and cryed it up so before the matter came to tryal But it must pass for truth right or wrong why so there is no good reason can be shewed for it I am sure some say Because the Church hath cast him out To this I shall speak in the Language of the Prophet Isa 66.5 Your Brethren that hated you that cast you out for my Names sake saying Let the Lord be glorified but he shall appear to your joy and they shall be ashamed And for all their bold assertion that I am not willing to hearken to the least Member of the Church to hear what they can say I hope I shall make it appear that I am not only willing to hearken but to learn of them too if I find them in a capacity to teach These people all men may see by their carriage to me were so far from being able to teach me my duty that they had not learnt to practise their own it doth plainly appear they judged me without a cause Sixthly Sometimes he would incompass us with fained flatteries and repentances and yet in the mean time break forth into those foul breaking parts that indeed he was become a burthen to us To this I answer What they mean by feigned flatteries I am yet to learn then very unlikely to compass them about therewith Surely these people Have bent their Tongues like their Bow for lies Jer 9.3 And we may say of them as the Prophet of old did They proceed from evil to evil If by fained flattery they mean my ready condescention to them of low degree in denying my self as often I did in having better thoughts of them than I had of my self I making of it my work to maintain the peace of the Church if this be their meaning I must needs confess my self guilty but as to any thing else I am a stranger to it Therefore that which they call fained flattery is a Paradox to me And the thing they term by the name of Repentances I do as little understand as the former unless it be thus if at any time I had spoken that which through their weakness being petrish Children and soon offended at reproof though they had need enough of it and as they truly confess to me in their Letter they writ when I was a Prisoner in Newgate That they were Children in the Matters and Affairs of the Church and need be taught then I would express my trouble in this case that I was such an Offence to them they being in the high minde when they should come down into the godly fear being apt to be self-conceited and must I be reproached for this my Love and Tenderness to them I trust my God will enable me to bear it though that which makes it the harder is Because it is from the House of my Friends and them that have been and still are as dear to me as my own Life though they have thus dealt by me and I am become to them as a dead man out of mind If these be the things that made them cry out of being burdened let all sober men judge whether they had any just cause for it May it not truely be otherwise applied more safely That these things could not
scorned to be taught his duty by any Member in the Congregation and sometimes he would incompass them with fained Flatteries and Repentances and yet in the mean time fly out into those foul breaking parts that indeed he was become a Burden to us Also of some of those petty things we have also at large to be brought forth if desired by any And if you adde to all this his carriage while we were dealing with him at one time breaking out into very wicked reviling and contempt as He had brought up a Bird to pick out his Eyes a Brother that then spake Black-mouth Foul-mouth said he had spit the Devil all day And at another time vilely scoffed at the Work of the Lord being acquainted he should be cut off scoffingly said It would be cut and dried by and by And as a further Evidence of his Hardness and Implacableness under all when it was told him he was cut off he makes that the time of his liberty as he said to some present with him Now he had his liberty to go and preach the Gospel unto the world And gives out that he is wronged and yet he hath made his Appeal to the Churches and cannot be heard and now makes his Appeal to God and questions not but in a Twelvemonth he shall make Us and the Churches to know their Evil. This being but a brief Copy of those many grand evils for which our Brethren before and now have cut him off and cast him out for the destruction of the flesh And so now bear our Testimony against all his evil and all his Adherents and set our Hands to the Truth of it Brothers Glyde Minzes Johnson Morlie Bentlie Senior Hackney Cook Potter Jones Lane Green Aston Bentlie Junior Sisters Abigail Fich Mary Hackney Elizabeth Hackney Anne Bear Elizabeth Haten Gibbes Laurence Winter Potter Stirrup Ellengray Grove Bentlie Scales Robinson The Reader may take notice That Robert Bentlie Junior whose name is set down to this pretended Charge did declare to Thomas Rose That he did never set his hand to any such thing So that what may this be called but plain deceit and it is abominable not onely in the sight of the Lord but good men also and a sin punishable by the Judge to counterfeit a mans name and bring him in as a Witness to their pretended Charge when he was in no capacity so to be as being then no Member of the Church A farther Discovery of their Uncharitable Proceedings followeth A brief Account of the Ungospel-like Dealings and Unrighteous Proceedings of John Glyde Benjamin Minzes John Johnson and the rest of the Dissenting Members with them manifested against their Pastour Samuel Bradley as followeth UPon the 5th day of the 5th month 1663. at a Brothers house namely John Glyde was the Church meet and continued all that day with one accord preaching the Word and in Prayer yea Breaking of Bread with gladness and singleness of heart and praising of God at the close of the day a Letter of Recommendation was read in order to send me forth to preach the Gospel and the Letter being read they with one consent assented and immediately signed the same and gave me up unto the Lord his Work and Service with endeared Manifestations of Love at our parting The week following I took my journey and at the evening of the same day I entered upon the work finding a door opened by the Lord after the Lord's Work was there accomplished I travelled farther into the Country where I found the Lord's harvest to be very great and did continue in the Work by night as well as by day finding the People exceeding thirsty hungry after the Means of Grace where much work for the Lord might have been done had not false Reports Reproaches put a stop thereunto After eight or nine dayes had been spent in this Service quite contrary unto my own expectation I was by providence returned back again to London and at my return there was such news presented unto me that I was struck into some kind of amazement to hear of that distraction that was in the Congregation and of their Resolutions concerning me The next day being the first day of the week they were resolved to meet about me Truly my soul was much grieved to consider what a sweet and heavenly Posture I left them in about eight or nine dayes before and to hear of such a sudden alteration I being weary riding very hard for to reach London that day and hearing nothing of it before I came I lying down upon a bed being over-whelmed in my spirit with grief and sorrow at last the Lord was pleased for to revive me again with these words I will not leave thee comfortless these words were set home with such power through Grace I was refreshed and satisfied again and set down my resolution by the help of the Lord to go the day following and make my appearance to the Church that I might understand how things were The first day being come and the Church meeting at the place aforesaid where I left them in such a sweet harmonious posture they had begun before I had entered the meeting after the first brother had ended his prayer the second began to speak Benjamin Minzes by name and his way of speaking was in such a sad railing reviling manner as many can witness who were in the hearing thereof that did admire at my patience to hear my self reviled at that rate A little of his reviling Language is here repeated That a hundred pounds was a great deal of money to betray the People of God and for a piece more he would do much but let them go and do as Judas did hang themselves for their labour and that he that should joyn with a Trapan when he doth come to preach here I would turn my back upon him and let him preach unto the walls Benjamin Minzes when the heat of his blood was over did not go untold of it to colour over his wickedness and deceit makes this reply thinking to shift it off but it will not do He did not name Sam. Bradly This covering is too short to cover over his evil for besides the testimony of his own conscience I have many undeniable arguments to prove it against him but for the present I shall omit it Again Benjamin Minzes did in the bitterness of his spirit further declare openly unto all sorts of People Advising to serve them as Samuel did Agag hew them to pieces Saying also that they had power to cut off and cast out Where we may plainly see he stirred them up to cut off their Pastor before they had given him so much as a hearing and this is that they call their just dealing And after J. G. had done preaching B. Minzes made another speech to the People as if what he had said to them was not sufficient to make them one with him in his wicked design tells them on purpose
house 27th of the 5th month 1663. But the like obstinacy appearing from them as before I did notwithstanding judge it my duty to discharge my conscience in the further prosecution of the Rule of our Lord Jesus sent unto them the third time also although they did not so deal with me I was willing to express good for evil and so left it to the Lord until we had an opportunity to present their Proceedings to the Churches or such as are competent Judges in this case A true Copy sent to John Glyde Benjamin Minzes and John Johnson and the rest of that Party IN the Name of the great God Everlasting I send this Admonition as the last to you that you may expect which if you refuse remember that according to the Command of Christ you must be dealt withal by censure What I have admonished you of hath been your disorderly walking and breach of covenant and promise made and suffering disorderly persons to walk amongst you I am apt to think that what you have done is on purpose that you might walk with more licenciousness and know that you will never be able to give an account of your breach made upon false supposed grounds have you any real grounds shew them Truth is never afraid of the Light men commonly hate the Light because their deeds are evil As my dear Friends once more and the last I warn you of your disorder before I proceed to reject you and give an account to other Churches which when I have done I am sure will be done in a Gospel-Order and Way that I dare stand by at the great Day O that the Lord would shew you the evil of your way before it be too late Your Friend in Christ S. B. This was rejected also and hearing that some of them had falsely given out that I would not hear my Charge when desired I went to J. Glyde whom I did judge was the most moderate and wisest man amongst them desiring of him that I might have a Copy of my Charge and he promised me I should but could not have it then at another season I went unto him again with an expectation of the accomplishment of his promise but he was not to this day so good as his word though I did much intreat him for it my intent only was but to reply thereunto yet could not obtain my purpose I did rest contented and bore with their reproachful terms in saying I would not answer to it and blessed be the Lord he helped me to bear that burden with others that hath been cast upon me After all this my tender bowels ran forth still to these poor souls whom I had travelled for in the Gospel notwithstanding all their unkind dealing with me I made it my business still forbearing a further proceeding against them in a Gospel-way to make use of other means endeavouring to bring it about if possible I could for to reclaim them from their present disorders I went to the person fore-mentioned and said Brother Glyde it is possible there have been some offences taken by Friends on your part in my being in the company of E. R. you not knowing the grounds and reasons why it was so to this day it was not to the prejudice of any and you have given an offence to the Lord on your part in proceeding so rashly not taking of the Rule of Christ with you nor making that your Rule for you to judge before you hear me speak Let us set a day apart and seek the Lord together or assunder and make acknowledgement to God and each other of our particular failings offences and humble our selves in the sight of the Lord and be reconciled one to another But this Proposal was not accepted of as though they were fully resolved never to be reconciled more I seeing all this quietly gave my back to the Smiter and have been holpen by the Lord to bear those sundry and innumerable Reports that have been given forth against me from that time to this I being not willing to revenge my own Cause but rather leave it to the Lord knowing assuredly he will plead the Cause of the Innocent for Wo is like to fall upon the heads of the scandalous Reporters without they speedily repent It hath been commonly reported yet blessed be God could never be proved That I should privately and cunningly carry on pernitious designes against the Godly and lay wait to insnare them at their Meetings though at the same time it can be proved I have been preaching of the Word at my own and have made it my dayly Work as many can witness to pray for them And for some season some have made it their business to send Messengers and Letters up and down the Countrey to render me odious on purpose to make the Godly afraid of me and this hath been done in all parts of the Nation reporting without proving leaving a Charge up and down to the Churches To shun me and by no means give Entertainment unto me And as touching the pretended Charge they have spread none could be suffered to copy it out though desired by such as desired to be satisfied in the Truth of the matter as well as themselves fearing I should come to a sight of it So that for a long season together where-ever I have gone preaching the Word I have been told they have both seen and read my Charge as they called it the like proceedings being not to be parallelled in any Age That a Man must be judged condemned and defamed up and down the Nation and never be suffered to have a sight of his Charge For more then a twelvemonth together have I groaned under this Burden and upon the fifth of this present Month 64. by a strange hand of Providence as the Lord sure would have it unknown to any of those who have proved my Accusers The Lord cast me into Kent to preach the Gospel at a place called Ashford fifty odd miles from London where a Brother did present this pretended Charge into my hand with the names of the persons concerned in the matter subscribed Thus all sober-minded Persons may see how their works have been the Works of Darkness and that they have been afraid to bring them forth unto the Light that they may be made manifest Seeing the Lord hath brought to my view the thing I have so much desired to see which goeth under the Denomination of a Charge I shall with all expedition fall upon the examination thereof to try their strong Reasons by which they do seem to prove Samuel Bradly to be as B. Minzes hath prated Deotrephes-like 3 Joh. 9.10 Deotrephes who loveth to have the preheminence among them received us not I will remember his Deeds which he doth prating against us with malitious words and not content therewith neither doth he himself receive the Brethren and forbids them that would and casteth them out of the Church He and the rest of his
Jealousie Tautology groundless Fears Surmisings and Suppositions by which means have many been made to have hard thoughts and to speak high words against S. Bradley as if he had been turned from what acquaintance he had with God to be a notorious Betrayer of the Lords People and thorow this means also for a year together and more have sundry yea scores of lyes been raised of him whereof many of them are upon Record but not judged expedient to be published and are proved by sufficient godly Persons to be falsehoods as may be seen by any sober Christian that desires to be satisfied therein Though these things have occasioned unexpressible trouble unto me yet in the midst of all I do rejoyce in the testimony of a good Conscience 2 Cor. 1.12 being clear from any kinde of guilt in this matter God is my witness and in assarance thereof I do in the fear and name of the Lord God everlasting now declare to all sorts of People Professors or Prophane for to come forth and accuse me if they can in this matter upon their own knowledge or by positive proof from any That I did ever in all my life do any thing that had the least tendency to any such thing as to the insnaring of the People of the Lord I do here further declare in the presence of God Angels and Men as I shall answer it at the great and terrible day of the Lord which now hastens That my Soul doth loath and abhor the very thoughts much more the acting of any such thing And were not the Glory of God and the Good of poor Sinners concerned in this matter I should not have put Pen to Paper but still remained in silence knowing that with the help of the Lord my Innocencie in this case though it may be long would have stopt the mouths of the scandalous Reproachers I hearing the Gospel so much reproached on my part being represented to the Nation to be that I am not namely a Trappan and Professors on their parts making of it their business to broach new Lyes every Week almost if not altogether which my soul was sorely grieved to hear and this pretended Charge by so great a Providence brought to my hand I could forbear no longer judging it my duty to let the Lords People through the whole Nation understand the whole matter in controversie between me and those of my own House to the end they may be in a right capacity to judge between us Now the Lord hasten the time that Sions Breaches may be made up that there may be no more smoak in his holy Temple but a faithful serving of the Lord with one consent Which is the Prayer of him whose Love doth run out however it hath been thought otherwayes by many to all the precious Seed of Renown who longs to see Sion a quiet Habitation and the Joy of the whole Earth her Children to walk in Love and so fulfill the whole Law to the end they may live in Peace So the God of Peace be with you all To close up all I shall omitting divers Letters of Vindication written in my behalf by these People present the Reader with a true Copy word for word of their Letter of Recommendation by which they sent me forth to preach the Gospel which was done bur eight or nine days before this Dreadful Breach The Church of Christ meeting together in the Faith and Order of the Gospel in Salisbury Lane near Redriff Sendeth Greeting This Letter of Recommendation to be communicated to the Churches of Christ in London or any part of the Nation and to all Saints of the like pretious Faith with Us wheresoever WE there in the Name and Fear of God in a solemn manner as we do apprehend according to the Rule of Christ laid down in the Gospel by Fasting and Prayer separated set apart and sent forth our dear Brother in the Lord Samuel Bradley in the Work of the Ministry to preach the Gospel of Free Grace and Reconciliation to poor Sinners and of Consolation to Saints To be instant in this Work in season and out of season to Reprove Rebuke Exhort with all long-Suffering and Doctrine as He shall have opportunity offered We do judge Him to be one whom the Lord hath made able by his Spirit for to divide the Word of Truth aright Being one that hath been under the Terrors of the Lord knows how the better by the Terrors of the Lord to perswade Sinners to come in to Christ And one who hath experienced the pangs of the New Birth who hath Christ formed in Him That hath been Instrumental in the Hand of the Lord to turn Us and many more from Sin to Grace from Darkness to Light And some if not all of Vs have been a Seal of His Ministry in the Lord and He is near and dear to Vs for the Work 's sake Whose Conversation is in all things becoming the Gospel of Our Lord JESVS Whose Life is a constant Sermon to Us. Now if You account Vs Fellow-Citizens of the New Jerusalem and Subjects of the King of kings and Heirs of the Kingdom of Grace being made Partakers of the Divine Nature Receive Him as Our own Bowels whom We trust is very much upon the Heart of God and hath obtained great Grace who hath had large Experience of the Love of God who is a Brother beloved who is especially known to Us who hath begotten Us to Christ who is Our Spiritual Pastor to feed Us and to walk in and out before Us Therefore We may say of him as Paul said of Timothy Phil. 2.30 We have no Man so dear to Us who will naturally care for our Estate c. But we know the Proof of Him That He hath been and is a great Labourer in the Vinyard of the Lord We send Him therefore forth in the Name of the Lord to do the Work of the Lord that when We see Him again We may do it with Joy Receive Him therefore in the Work of the Lord with all gladness and hold such in Reputation for Christs sake yea and for their Work sake And so We rest Your Brethren in Christ the Beloved of the Father who is full of Grace and Truth and subscribe Our Names in the behalf of the Church The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with You all Amen The 5th of the 5th Month 1663. John Glyde Elder Benj. Minzes Deac John Johnson Henry Tabor Roger Morlie John Asten John Bentlie Samuel Hackney Jeoffry Lane William Green FINIS