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
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
for my return if they could have proved I had fallen in what I had done but contrary to Covenant engagements and besides a particular promise they had made to a brother there present that could not agree unto their design as warrantable in the sight of the Lord Their Promise was to him to refer their work till the next time of meeting And yet notwithstanding did proceed for all this to their inhumane Act with all expedition and to run with strong resolutions to deal with and cast out all those that in Conscience could not joyn with them And so continued walking contrary to any Law of God or Justice in the World Their constant proceedings to commit sin by way of addition adding one sin upon the back of another did oblige me in love to their poor Souls to write them a Letter of Admonition and it was carefully sent them and presented unto them upon the next first day after they had committed their great folly that was acted to their Pastor A true Coppy word forword is as followeth To John Glyde Benjamin Minzes John Johnson and the rest of the dissenting Members with them IN the Name and Fear of the Lord God Everlasting I admonish you as you will answer it at the great Day of the Lord and at his appearing that you will lay to heart your disorderly proceedings against me your Elder and Pastor whom the Lord hath made to be your Father to beget you to Christ how is it that you are so soon forgetful of me who once would and not long since have pulled out your very eyes and are not only now ready to pull out mine but are ready to take away my Name and Life too and that not for any just cause given you on my part but by reason of some evil instruments amongst you who have made it their business to go up and down to hear and carry tales who are busie bodies 1 Thes 3.11 of whom I warn you that have made it their business to report which have been as sparks to kindle the fire that is now alight about you which would have been your wisdom as Church Officers to have put it out as being false fire or else to have seen whether it was true I cannot wonder enough when I consider your being called into the Liberty of the Sons of God that you should not understand your Duties as Members of Christ who when any offend you ought to tell them their fault between them and you which is the Rule of Christ So in the Law Thou shalt not suffer sin to be upon thy Brother which you all knew I was not so dealt withal with any of you And whereas you proceed to Excommunication hastily without any proof made or impartial examination how unlike the Primitive Example see 1 Cor. 5.4 be you Judge and then to slander me with things you never proved and refuse so to do Oh! how contrary is this to the Mind of Christ who speak things they know not nor whereof they affirme I doubt not but my Innocency will appear before the Lord when you shall not be able for to appear before him unless you do all speedily repent of this your wicked deed Search try consider in all the Book of God or amongst the Primitive Churches or Protestants whether you can find such a president to cast out any Member without any examination or due proof made much less to deal so with your Elder Surely you have by this made the Enemy to blaspheme and the Churches a reproach and a by-word and your selves to be looked upon by other Churches to be monstrous A true Property of a true Church is to have the Institutions of Christ truly administred you have fallen short of imitating the worst of Churches even Rome it self who doth not excommunicate without proof and contempt and do you blame the Church of England for doing thus Let me say to you in the words of the Apostle Who art thou that sayest thou shalt not do thus and thus and dost the same Oh! remember the sad account you will give for breaking of the Church of which you were Members under the pretence of Scandal for which unwarrantable dealing I charge you in the Name of the Lord to make good your Allegations and proceed as you ought to do if you can lay any thing to my Charge I am ready to hear or else I shall after two Admonitions more besides this proceed against you in a Church-way I have no more but expect to hear from you and he Rest Your Friend in Chirst Samuel Bradley The 20th of the 5th month 1663. But their obstinacy was such they would not vouchsafe to look into it one or some of them crying Burn it Another being more moderate then so said Write on the back side and send it him again To leave them without excuse in the Day of the Lord I wrote another and sent it them as I did the former the Messenger that carried it staid to hear them Preach and hearing of them much upon the work of inviting sinners unto Christ burst forth in much trouble of Spirit saying words to this purpose How can you invite sinners in and did cast a poor sinner out meaning their Pastor and never hear him what he could say for himself and immediately presented this Letter to them as followeth A true Copy of the second Letter of Admonition sent to John Glyde Ben. Minzes John Johnson and the rest IN the Name and fear of the Lord God I send this Second Admonition and to warn you that you disregard it not as you will answer it at the great day of the Lord 's appearing You with the rest have done unbecoming the Gospel in throwing your selves out of Gospel Order who pretend Purity with Unity while your selves suffer contrary walking amongst you even such as is justly reproveable it is to be feared you have thrown off your Gospel-Order that you may walk more disorderly it is the grief of my Soul to think how it is with you and how you will be able to give an account at the great Day for making such a Distraction in the Church of God if you have any thing justly to reprove me of I desire to be dealt withal in a Church way but if you will abide in your disorder as my dear Children I warn you for none can be more like-minded or naturally care more for you than my self but if you will still abide in your stubbornness and wilfulness you must expect but one admonition more before I declare to the Churches of Christ your stubbornness and pass a Gospel-Sentence further upon you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ This is all at present from him who earnestly prayes to the Lord for you and that he would be pleased for to discover unto you your Sin and give you repentance for the same ere it be too late I rest your Elder which desires your good Samuel Bradley From my
they Judge Cast and Condemn me for such a Person as hath been commonly reported but yet never could be proved I dare affirm not by God's Law consider if this be right in the sight of God let those who are my Adversaries be judge and how the Peace of the Church could be hazarded as these men tell the Nation I know not when he that spoke brought no other Doctrine then what they had before received and those few that were at the hearing thereof by their own confession were refreshed by what was delivered that to the truly understanding Christian it doth appear the Peace of the Church was rather inlarged then hazarded That so their pretended Charge is made manifest to be none at all The fifth thing I observe in the second Particular is as they say Especially to bring in such a Person as he contrary to the advice given in Acts 20. where the Elders are exhorted to feed the Church and not to ruine it Ans As to their Tautology I past it by because it cannot be proved that I brought him in to Preach and as touching the Apostles advice We are to feed the Church These Persons themselves do witness for me that I so did namely Feed the Flock of Our Lord Jesus not only in their Letter they did write to me when I was a Prisoner for the same But now also in their fifth Particular of this pretended Charge they say I made it my work to Preach three times a week besides the Church Meetings But as touching their last Term I am altogether a stranger to namely as to ruine the Church for as the Lord spoke by the Prophet to Israel saying Oh Israel thou hast destroyed thy self So do I say If they be destroyed or ruined it is done by themselves It is plainly seen that Lyes Surmisings and Suppositions is their second Particular stuffed with in this their pretended Charge that it plainly appears to such as are plain-hearted to be no Charge but a heap of falshoods 4. Par. We have great cause to suspect him very guilty of pernicious Designs against the Saints Ans This hath its dependance upon the former they do not say they charge me but suspect me and withall they would have us believe they have great cause so to do This is as false as the former for all men will believe this that if they could have shown either great or little cause they would not have spared me but without all doubt have brought it forth They talk of Pernicious Designs that I am guilty of against the Saints but nothing do they prove or can they The Reader may take notice that since this pretended Charge was hatched and patched together it is somewhat above a twelve-month And what is not one Pernitious Design discovered all this time Surely it is apprehended by such as have learned better then to live in the prejudiced mind or surmising Spirit this Babe that hath been so long in the Womb of Conception will prove an abortive at last As touching the Person whom they so much mention again and again whom they call Dangerous and Wicked as to his former Proceedings I justifie not but have rather chosen to reprove them what ever I have been thought on and laboured to make it my business to reclaim him but this I can truly say no person whatsoever in City or Countrey all the time of my society with him which was not of any long standing I do declare and affirm had not any wrong done to them by my knowledge for which I have great peace though my sufferings have been very great as to some other things in this Particular being one thing rehearsed over again I do apprehend it a superfluous thing to make a second reply thereunto Secondly As touching my Calling a Brother by Name who they say was zealous for the work of the day as if he lay in wait on purpose to catch To this I Answer As touching his zeal for the work of the day it did not very much appear forasmuch as he did not appear in the work till the day was near an end The Searcher of Hearts knows my innocency in this thing that I had no intent but what was agreeable unto the Mind of God and by this time one would have thought these persons might have seen great cause to have been deeply humbled for their evil thoughts they had against their Pastor I do now appeal to the most fearful and the most jealous Person amongst them whether to this day they have been harmed in the least by me If not as I am very confident they cannot say they have what Reason is there that S. Bradley should still remain charged upon this account to this day seeing there can be nothing of this nature proved against him but lie under scandal by reason of their unwarrantable groundless fears surmisings and suppositions I say unto these persons Is it not high time that their poor oppressed Pastor should be set free and at liberty from this bondage that he hath been exposed to by their means for a Twelvemonth together and more O when will their Goal-delivery come They will do very well to try their spirits for it may be said unto them by me as it was said by our Lord Jesus to his Disciples You know not what spirit you are of Whereas they say As if he did on purpose lie in wait to catch I answer If we take it in their own sense which will be proved to be the worst it is but as if he did they themselves cannot say He absolutely did lie in wait to catch If they had dealt fairly and honestly by me they had done well to have set down some of the particular things that were acted in a treacherous way and not keep people in the dark and act towards me as if I were conspiring some horrid things against them when there was no such thing by me thought on These kind of proceedings savour not of a good Spirit to rob their Pastor of his good name and all gathered but from their evil perswasions Would not the Heathen abhor such dealings if they should hear of them I wonder they were not ashamed to set their hands to such things to declare their weakness to the Churches abroad And whereas they say This doth deeply and effectually perswade them he could not be without very great purpose to deal very treacherously with them Answ This amounts to no Charge all this while by their own speech they cannot positively prove it but are perswaded it is so what proof is this to the case in hand by the same Rule if this may carry it I may say that these people that have reproached me causlesly and and groundlesly are turned Robbers in the High Way how so I suppose so or to speak in their own words I am perswaded it is so Surely this kinde of proof which to speak truly is no proof will not carry it here nor in
the day of the Lord. I pray observe These People have as it were arraigned their Pastor at the Bar and have writ and produced his Charge against him the Evidence they produce to make good this their Charge is Supposition or Perswasion now if Reason sit Judge do these men think to carry it against their Pastor surely nay Then are not these men much to be blamed and ought they not to mourn greatly for what they have done in taking away the life of their Pastors Reputation and all upon a supposition seeing what they have said against him is not positive Then I must and ought in Conscience to be acquitted and cleared of all those scandalous Reproaches that have been and still dayly are cast upon me by this groundless means These things considered all men of understanding may discern that S. B. is an Innocent person still and altogether clear from any guilt that is cast upon him in this pretended Charge and since it is brought to light we finde they can prove no treacherous dealing against the person aforesaid 5 Par. He is guilty of a very sinful Confederacy with this Enemy of the Lord whom he hath singled out for his Company To this I answer Here they have discovered both their Folly and Ignorance A Confederacy doth imply a League or Agreement between persons as they in Act. 23.21 layed wait by way of confederacy for Paul to do him harm and bound themselves in an oath that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed him here is a Confederacy indeed Is this their meaning that I am a Confederate with that Person to do any of the People of God any harm Had the Lord at any time left me to such wickedness as this I make no question they would not have spared me a jot but the Nation should soon have had the knowledge of it Truly these dark sentences will not much promote their Cause and unwarrantable Design that for some time they have been endeavouring to keep up in the mindes of Good People they have in so doing been building upon the sand and without all doubt their Building will tumble upon their own heads ere long The Eagle-eyed Christian doth behold their sumptuous Fabrick to tumble already and though they have designed to throw down the Innocent yet let them know their surmising suppositions will never carry the day for unless they come forth in down-right positive terms they are not like to cast me in open Court but themselves for God will have Judgement and Justice to be executed speedily and they cannot charge me with any evil that I have acted with the person forementioned to any of the tender Lambs of Christ or any others Thus much may be expressed without the least wrong to any of their persons That they are all guilty of many sinful Lyes that they have forged against him who was their spiritual Pastor so that they are guilty of a sinful compliance themselves for I prove them all confederated together to murder my good Name and have cried me up through the Nation for a Trappan when they can prove no such thing so that I may say of them as 't is said in Obadiah vers 7. All you the men that were in League with me in holy Covenant yea who were once at peace with me have deceived me and by your lying falsehoods and surmising pretended Charge you have sent abroad have prevailed against me yea you have eaten Bread with me at the Table of the Lord O that I could write it with Tears of Blood yet ye have laid a wound under me and it is to be feared for these things there is no understanding in you That in the mean time they are charging of me with Confederacy though groundlesly they are proved to their faces to be great Confederates themselves in casting dirt in the face of the Innocent by scandalous Reports and all this is done under pretence of Godliness As to the latter part of this Particular I have answered already and therefore need say no more to it They are guilty of manifold Tautologies in this pretended Charge whether it be from weakness or wilfulness I shall not sit Judge in the case Secondly Whom he has singled out for his Company hugging and embracing him as a Brother A Friend that saw it when he brought him into the Congregation c. Answ And what harm was there in all this that I was in his company which thing I have answered to already Let me ask these forward persons which are so nimble to condemn the person of the Innocent before he had either a fair Hearing or a fair Tryal and what they did must be with all expedition too that is to say Reproached charged judged and condemned and all in less then one days time and what was done was behind my back too fearing to refer their Work till the very next Meeting lest they should not obtain their purpose as one of their Party was heard to say namely Benjamin Minzes which can be proved to his face he expressing himself in these terms If we do it not now we shall not do it at all which plainly demonstrates they had a Design to carry on sure it was not a good one that they should fear to miss of their purpose in the accomplishment of it But to return to the question Was my being in his company as I said before prejudicial to any from that day to this were it convenient to write what I have to say in this case I could easily make it appear I did well in so doing They have now produced one Witness to a thing I deny not however it is very well done to prove what they say and if they had so done in every Particular of their pretended Charge they had saved me the labour of writing an Answer Then I should have cried out Guilty without any more ado and had they so done all along it had redownded much unto their Credit and Reputation But now they have cracked their Credit by urging so many Lyes and are not ashamed to do so again I ask these men Did their Brother a Friend see me bring him into the Meeting whom you say I did so much hug and embrace surely nay he dares not say so Then till you can prove that your Charge still remains false and you false Accusers and how you will clear your selves of this I know not Thirdly And since is a great Frequenter of his House and Company as if it were a small thing to wrap himself in all his iniquities and so draw upon himself the vengeance due unto such vile Transgressions contrary expresly unto the Lords Commands Say not a Confederacy and Have no fellowship with unfruitful Works of Darkness Answ Whether it be for want of more Matter or of more Wisdom I know not what their Reason should be that they should stuff up their Charge with so many Tautologies and spend so much time
against me or else who can be a true and competent Judge in the matter in controversie Seeing I am thus put upon it I must speak though its possible I may be blamed when I have done but all things considered not blame-worthy it's like in this matter I being by the Lord and them appointed their Overseer and perceiving to my grief of heart a general neglect of the assembling of the Saints and other things did reprove this fault in general it being a general Miscarriage and what must I come under dealing for it and this brought as a Charge against me Surely when the Churches come to hear thereof and the Ministry too they will rather pity me than otherwise and have some Bowels of Compassion to me For me to be thrown out as an useless person when I was found in the way of my duty and reported up and down for a dangerous person when it cannot be proved so and to shift off the business think no way like this to make their Pastor to be thought odious by the Churches and for them bragging when they have done to say None of the Churches own him And this is the best Proof they have yet produced against their Pastor See the baseness of these preceedings First to broach abroad that their Pastor is a Trappan and put a fear upon all the Churches that none dare come at him to know what is the matter for fear of being trappan'd and then to give it out as if they had won the day Oh! None of the Churches owns him Let these men remember the Day of Judgement is at hand in which my Cause will be called over then I shall have a fair hearing and true judgement in the case shall be executed and then it shall be known who is the Offender whether S. B. or his Accusers May not this People take shame unto themselves to carry themselves so that they are worthy of reproof and when they are reproved cannot bear therewith but make endeavours to stop the mouth of their Preacher from reproving One would have thought they should have hearkened to reproof Prov. 13.18 19 25. it being the onely way to gain honour and that they might have learn'd knowledge by it If I may query a little with them Have they not scorned Reproof and their Pastor got a blot thereby O that they would well consider the words of the Wise Man He that hateth reproof shall die and forget not what he farther says Pro. 9.8 Reprove not a Scorner lest he hate thee Rebuke a Wise Man he will love thee Let these Persons consider what they have done If I had failed in this point what reason can they shew that it must be blazed about after Reconcilement may not such as are truly sober conclude who are out of the prejudiced minde that what they have done was more in malice than true love but this is altogether off from the thing for which they made their pretence to bring me under dealing as they call it though no such thing as was falsely asserted and afterward immediately denied by B. M. namely for being a Trappan So that their pretended Charge is come to nothing at last and is proved no Charge at all Their last Particular I shall answer unto containing several Branches First He is guilty of rash Passion and spiritual Pride in his carriages towards Vs in communication Answ I must acknowledge that I am not without personal offences which doth administer matter of true humbling and lying low at the foot of Christ May it not be apprehended that for want of a right Spirit of Judgement and Brotherly Love they may call that Passion which God may approve on as true Zeal if all things were considered from first to last it may upon true grounds be gathered that they are mistaken in this their rash Censure and while they judge their Pastor they are guilty of the same sin and bespatter him in the notion of passion and spiritual pride out of a prejudiced spirit they have took up against him of a sudden In their Letter of Recommendation they sent abroad to the Churches they write no such thing it is much to me that in eight or nine days time they should change their note at this rate first for to cry me up and then with all speed cry me down Whether prejudices be not the Engine that spurts out this dirty Water of Reproach upon me I leave the clear-sighted Christian to judge Secondly And to vindicate a scandalous Transgressor that was for to be dealt with by the Church Answ It will prove to these persons great advantage who accuse me at this rate in matters that were buried long ago and forgotten by me and promised so to be by them I say again It will prove for their advantage in the great Day of the Lord if they can clear themselves from slandering of their Pastor and were this true what they say how comes it to pass that we have very often met together at the Table of the Lord and how is it that they have not proved faithful if it be true what they assert in this matter to the Lord and my Soul to suffer me as they say a Lyar to be their Administrator in these weighty Affairs in the House of God Is not this their proceedings much like unto that of Children that quarrel and fall out one with another and in revenge call over things done in times past and hit them in the teeth with it Have not these done even so to fall upon upbraiding their Pastor of things done long ago Put case I had offended in what I had then done how far short do these People come of the Rule of Christ let them consider Ephes 4.32 As God for Christs sake forgave us so ought we to forgive one another but instead of forgiving how are they upbraiding O should not these things set out hearts a bleeding that these persons should rake up those things that were dead and buried long ago Thirdly They say He charged a Sister rashly in the face of the Church and to colour his evil made it a mistake to justifie the wicked and condemn the righteous To this I answer What I spake then was no more nor scarce so much as a Sister of the Congregation asserted and said she would undertake to prove it the business that was in controversie I acquainted the Church with when the person fore-mentioned began to speak whether it was by her being over-powered by some which would have born a sway and have occasioned all these distractions amongst us though it did not so become them to do I leave it to the Lord to judge whether she was not over-powered by words and other things to which I shall not speak at large lest I make their nakedness too much appear I then did declare it was found a mistake for me to say so was this to cover my evil and to justifie as they term it the
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
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
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
of Meekness This we may fear that Love is wanting or else the number of the Faithful is but few And may it not be said concerning those unparallel'd Proceedings of these Persons as it was in the beginning concerning the Woman She takes of the Serpent and the man received of the Woman and so it spread over all man-kind so now the Woman takes from the surmising Spirit which is of the Serpent and she delivers to the man he spreads it abroad to the Churches and this was the Original of their proceeding against their Pastor but we have a Proverb in England which is true in this case That Conceit without receit is plain deceit We would leave with you in the Love and Fear of the Lord an Exhortation to Love that great duty that is so little exercised among the People of God Did we live in Love it would unite the hearts of the Faithful together Love would cause God's Ministers to stop the mouth of back-biters reproachers and scandalous persons which take up reports from report without the knowledge of any thing that is reported Oh let it be enough that the Adversary is smiting without let not God's People smite within it s a symptom of the nearness of Christs approach when fellow Servants shall smite one another consider the judgement due to such for it is too grievous to be born for if we bite and devour one another we shall be devoured one of another for God hath said That if he kindle a fire in Gilgal there shall be none found to quench it in the House of Bethel now therefore live in Love then will the divisions of Ruben cease that the Glory promised to the Churches and Members of Christ may be given to them which must not be looked for without a Reformation therefore shake off the Raggs of Reproaching and the Garments of Backbiting and put on the Righteousness of Jesus Christ and come forth in the purity of the Spirit which shall be the Prayers of them which are willing to suffer affliction for the Truth Interest and Kingdom of Jesus Christ and have love to all that love the Lord Jesus in sincerity We whose names are hereunto subscribed are for the most part eye and ear witnesses to what is here exprest and therefore commend them to all wise-hearted people to determine and remain the Assertors of Truth Henry Tabor Nicholas Clark Thomas Rose The first day of the 7th month 1664. A COPY of the Pretended CHARGE against SAMUEL BRADLEY To the Churches and faithful Brethren in Christ Jesus greeting Beloved and longed for VVE have at last as the Result which we hope the Lord hath brought upon our Spirits resolved to acquaint you with our Proceedings with Samuel Bradley and the Reason of our so doing First We do judge he still lieth under the guilt of those great and horrid crimes for which he was dealt with by his People Secondly As if all that were too little he hath added by several late and new Miscarriages 1. A high disorder and therein a manifest breach of Truth as he was an Overseer in the Church of God in bringing a Disorderly Person without the knowledge and against the Principle of the Church and of the Truth it self to preach to them and pray with them and this is a compleate evil especially in him so to run upon the Rule of Christ so to hazard the Churches stability which might have been invaded by dropping some Doctrine as might have shaken the faith of some and so manifestly to hazard the Churches Peace and Communion especially to bring in such a person as he contrary to the Advice given in the 20th of the Acts where the Elders are exhorted to feed the Church and not to ruine it 2. We have great cause to suspect him very guilty of pernicious designs against the Saints forasmuch as he knew this Person he so brought in to be a very dangerous wicked Person and saying of him he would never come into his company more and now without publick satisfaction given by him or taken from him to bring him into the Church and more then all this to call out one Brother by Name whom he knew zealous for the work of the Day to pray in his presence as if he did on purpose lay in wait to catch what he could to answer him and others this deeply and effectually perswades us he could not be without great purposes to deal very treacherously with us 3. He is guilty of a very sinful confederacy with this Enemie of the Lords whom he hath singled out for his company hugging and embracing of him as a Brother a friend that saw it when he brought him into the Congregation and since is a great frequenter of his House and Company as if it were a small thing to wrap himself up in all his Iniquities and so to draw upon himself the Vengeance due to such vile transgressions contrary expresly to the Lords Commands Say not a confederacy and Have no fellowship saith our Apostle with unfruitful Works nor Workers of Darkness When thou sawest a Thief thou consentest with him Psal 50. and that which is more considerable one of his present Abettors and Adherents told us he did so to save his own self and hath hereby stained the Glory of Christ and reproached the glorious footsteps of this Anoynted King in which he hath eminently triumphed over his Enemies in these latter dayes more than many if not any in this day and in which also he hath given the lye to his own Vows and Protestation in the sight of God That he hated and abhorred the thoughts of looking toward much self with associating with such persons and yet now tell a Brother he was sorry for what of that kinde he had spoken 5. He stands guilty of opening the Nakedness and Dealings in the Secrets of the Church in his publique Preachings and this hath been frequent being desired by two Brethren to forbear such Passages shewing how dishonourable they were to God and grievous to them he solemnly engaged never to do the like again nevertheless at the very next Meeting he had of his own appointing of which he had two or three a week besides the Church-Mettings did publickly declare that his Church stopped his Mouth so that he durst not for displeasing them preach those Truths he would 6. He is guilty of such rash Passion and Spiritual Pride in his carriages towards us in conviction and distinction one to vindicate a scandalous transgressor that was to be dealt with in the Church charged a Sister with a lye in the face of the Church and afterward to cover his evil made it a mistake to justifie the wicked and to condemn the righteous both are in an abomination to the Lord the first is but few weeks but some or other would meet with their woundings and burdenings and sometimes meet with Repulses in their Addresses to him they must not teach their Elder sometimes he
and Paper in Repetitions The first part being answered I shall not reply again thereunto unless I could do it without any prejudice to them or my self in it and surely if they rightly understood themselves they would never urge that from me which will do us both no good A Word to the Wise is enough Secondly They say As if it were a small thing to wrap himself in all his iniquities Answ They had taken a very good course if they had in the first place proved what I had done had been a sin and after they had so done layed down before me the aggravations thereof then it is possible they might have done something but for them to speak at this rate to make me a wonder as I walk up and down the streets both in City and Countrey and the Table-talk both of Professors and others and yet never prove what they have said against me It is such a thing that if the Lord had not kept me by his mighty Power and out-stretched Arm I might have wrapt my self up in my own Blood before this time and then whose Iniquity would that have been or whose Door would my Blood have lain at Take it into consideration Thirdly And so draw upon himself vengeance due for such transgressions Ans Such as have their eyes open may plainly see that these persons that have taken upon them to charge their Elder with iniquity are greatly besides the matter to threaten him with Vengeance before they have proved he hath transgressed in that Case may not these persons rather think that the vengeance of God may not suffer them to live if they do not with all speed repent for to scandalize their Preacher and render him to the world as an odious person a Trappan and never prove it so to be but rather at last when they have taken it into further consideration shift the matter thinking to come off with surmising Suppositions Whether this be not for to wrap up themselves in their Iniquity and draw the vengeance of God upon their own heads let the Lord judge between us Fourthly Contrarily expresly unto the Lords Command Say not a Confederacy and have no fellowship saith our Apostle with the unfruitful works of Darkness Ans As to the word Confederacy I have already proved there was no such thing Therefore over-looking their Tautologie I shall pass it by As to the unfruitful works of Darkness which if they did but understand what they say tends to one and the same thing but to it I answer truly as to the time of my society with the person they mention I must needs speak the truth we were so far from exercising the works of Darkness that we spent most of our time in the Work of the Gospel Therefore as to this branch of their Charge there is little in it that requires any answer for I absolutely believe if they could have charged any works of Darkness upon me they would not by any means have hid them Fifthly They urge Psal 50. When thou sawest a Thief thou consentedst Ans They may more properly press this to such as are Companions for such kind of Persons for I do as little frequent their companies I bless the Lord as themselves Sixthly And as for that they say Is more considerable which oâ—â— of his Abettors and Adherents told them he did that he did to save herself Ans What considerable thing there is in this I see not that it should to much make for their advantage for they run away altogether from the thing in hand and again I query with these men whether these words were not spoken after the day they had obtained their purpose upon me If so as it can be proved then it is less considerable than any thing they have yet named for that they brag of as considerable as if they had conquered the day appears to their great disgrace and this speaks forth their wickedness and deceit to crowd that into their pretended Charge after they had in their own will condemned me and as they say though ignorantly cast me out Thus all men may see they will do strange things to make their own Tale good and when they have done all they can by patching and piecing of things together must be forced to come short of a compleat Charge without sufficient witness which to speak properly is no Charge at all 6 Par. The former part of this Particular I forbear to mention not but that I can blessed be the Lord clear my self of the stain they have put upon me in it forasmuch as the things contained therein I know can never be proved I must have respect to the day in which we live Through Grace I do much adore the approaching of the annointed King whom they mention and should be sorry if I should be found to reproach his glorious Footsteps as they say 'T is no strange thing for them to bespatter me in this kinde I being acquainted from whence it proceeds namely from the spirit of prejudice shall leave the matter in controversie unto the Lord who in his due time will hear the cry of the Innocent and blessed be my God I can say with the Noble Apostle I am free from the blood of all men Whereas they say He hath given the lye unto his own Vows and Protestations in the sight of God Answ Here is a mistake Therefore let my Accusers recollect their memories This I do remember I did say to one whose Name is not to this Charge which I wonder at who was the first Instrument that begat this Discord amongst the Brethren the Lord lay it not to her charge I did once say That I should be careful how I came into his company but as to Vows and Protestations I do not remember any such thing and therefore was in no capacity to give the Lye to that which was not Here I shall give a caution to them as well as my self Let us not be too confident in this which was done long ago our memories may fail us both They assert I should say I abhor the thoughts of looking towards too much self with associating with such persons and yet now tell a Brother He was sorry for what of that kind he had spoken Ans Of a truth it is such petty matter I am ashamed it should come to publick view yet being forced thereunto by the obstinacy of these persons they being not willing to walk according to Gospel-Rule have sent their reports a flying so that the Wound is very great and the Remedy must be answerable to the Disease To the thing in hand wherefore do they blame me in preserving of my self to the hurt of none we will see into the Word of God if I am worthy of their blame if we look therein we shall find self-preservation sometimes very lawful as you may see in the Case First Of Abraham which exposed his Wife to Adultery with Abimelech to save himself Secondly David
ran into the Cave of Adulam to save himself from Saul Thirdly Our Lord himself when he was hunted and threatned by the Jews removes from Jury and walks to another place to save himself Fourthly Paul the great Apostle of the Gentiles was let down in a Basket to save himself Have we such a cloud of Witnesses and many more of the Servants of Christ besides Christ himself that did use means to save themselves and will these people bring it as a Charge against me Hear you may see the insufficiency of their Charge And as to the Word Sorrow for what to a Brother I had spoken will they bring it as a Charge against me for so doing having some just ground for what I did To tell you the truth I had some jealousie upon me concerning a person as these persons have had jealousie upon them concerning my self and to deal ingenuously when I was convinced I had no just grounds of jealousie I was sorry for the same and so should they for I appeal to the Consciences of these men whether they have any just grounds to be thus reporting of me for a Trappan if not let jealousie no more remain for it is that fire that will burn up all love and they will do well to try whether it has not burnt up all that tender affection which once they had to me Oh Friends I say to you all yet notwithstanding though there hath such a great cry past through this Nation about S. Bradley's being such a person and it is found a Bradley though not the same a man to my knowledge I never saw in all my life and as it hath been proved altogether what Reason can be given that their loves should not be renewed again Oh how should I rejoyce to see that day seeing it is so be ingenuous to acknowledge your fault with sorrow and grief of heart considering how God's Name and Truth hath been greatly reproached the Work of Conversion stopped the hearts of many of the Pretious Sons of Sion grieved and all by your means blaâ—zing through the Nation that which you see cannot be proved but at last is found to be a mistake as if there were no more of that name but my self So that hitherto your pretended Charge appears to be none but a heap of untruths and scandals 7. Parâ— He stands guilty of opening the nakedness and dealings in the Church-secrets in his publick preaching Ans These following Particulars are distinct from the former They are things raked up and put together to fill up the number These things at the first sight seems to bear weight but when they are examined there is no such matter Now I must confess I am much grieved that they have put me so unvoidably upon it to rake up old Matters and must be forced to bring those things forth to publick view that will render those persons to be unsound not being able to bear with sound Doctrine Though they have committed this folly to publick view I will promise to favour them as much as I can for though they have not so much love left in this storm the Accuser of the Brethren hath raised to cover their Pastors infirmities They shall see I have some left in me to cover much of theirs and seeing they have brought me upon the publick Stage I must be forc't to give some reply though short I must needs say to the grief of my heart I could not Preach to any Soul-searching-matter but should be accused by one or other yea though I have laid my matter down in general terms being willing so far as I could as it stood-with a good Conscience to give as little offence as I might but let me be as careful in this matter as was approveable in the sight of God yet some or other of them would still be offended that for a quarter of a year together and more before they had made this Breach I was so burthensom as they called it in my Ministry that it could not be borne by them when some being offended came to tell me that I spoke unto them My answer to such was If they could experience what I said it was to them and this they call the Secrets of the Church This Particular and my brief reply I shall leave it to my Brethren in the Ministry for to consider whether I was blame-worthy in this matter Again That it was frequently desired by two brethren to forbear such passages shewing how dishonourable they were to God and grievous to them he solemnly engaged never to do the like again nevertheless at the very next Meeting he had of his own appointing of which he had two or three a week besides the Church-Meetings he did publickly declare that his Church did stop his mouth so that he durst not for displeasing of them preach those truths he would Ans Whether this be a fair way of dealing let such as are truly godly be judge in this Case for these Persons to speak at this rate After all breaches and differences were made up and forgotten and were sweetly reconciled together and with a joynt consent had sat down at the Table of the Lord in a Heavenly and Gospel manner and they to send forth their Preacher with a Letter of Recommendation to the Churches of Christ throughout the Nation according to the order aforesaid and yet of a sudden in eight or nine dayes time such a scroul as this should be drawn up against him and spread through the Nation and never come unto the sight of their Pastor till a twelve-month after is such a wonder to me that the like was never seen or heard of since the Creation of the World but as touching the Brethrens desire to the best of my remembrance it was accomplished they manifesting themselves to be very apt for to quarrel at every turn with me and to be falling out for peace-sake I yielded to such a thing bearing with their weakness who would indeed be often doing amiss and found out of the Gospel way but could not bear to be reproved for it yea I say for their peace sake I yielded to their desires with grief of Soul I declare it in maintaining of their peace I broak my own in tying up my self from making improvement of my Ministry and exercising part of that power I had received from the Lord to reprove as well as to exhort and comfort it is no small trouble to me that they force me to rip up their weakness at this rate in such a publick way which now cannot be well avoided they having published my Charge abroad For Truth 's sake I must speak a little though nothing nigh to what I could relate but this that I have done is not to render them odious as they have done their Pastor but rather that the Truth might appear on my part that so things may be compared together both what I can say for my self as well as what they have writ
Whether this was a pertinent answer or any answer at all we shall certainly know at the Judgement Day which hastens and upon this they speedily proceeded and refused to let it slip till another day of meeting though it was desired by one of the Brethren and also by them granted yet this B.M. was so eager in the matter and did so much prevail upon them that he caused the rest of his adherents to breake their solemn Promise which they made to the aforesaid Brother B. M. carried it with these words as can be proved to his face That if they did not do it then they should not do it at all If they had not a greater intent to propagate their Murdering Design to slay the Innocent rather than to keep to the just known standing Rule of Christ let him that is of understanding in this matter appear to be judge in this case and what was all this but to carry on the work of the Devil all the day and by these things have made me a wonder to many yet God is my strong refuge Psal 71.7 Ninthly Verily scoffing at the Work of the Lord being acquainted he should be cut off scoffingly said to one of his adherents It would be cut and dryed by and by To this I answer O how have these persons addicted themselves to speak that which is not true for let my Reply be considered whether it was a Scoff when I understood their determination what they was resolved to do as it were informed upon good and sufficient proof that some of them were resolved the breach should not be made up and by their management of things I saw their design plainly tending unto the same When they did threaten to cut me off I soberly answered It was ready cut and dryed that is to speak after the smilitude it was ready done to their hands how and which way they will make this a Scoff I know not unless they wrest my words and take them in the wrong sence Let these men remember the same measure they mete forth to me shall be meted to them again Tenthly 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 to preach the Gospel unto the world Answ Here they have uttered words without knowledge to tell the People that it is an evidence of his hardness what to rejoyce in a time of Liberty to preach the Gospel of Christ here have they discovered their blindness and ignorance abundantly to say it was an evidence of his Implacableness It is very plain by what they assert they know not what they say nor whereof they affirm First The word Implacableness implies Unappeasable a thing quite contrary to their assertion whose malice admits of no terms of Reconciliation Now let the Reader consider whether this rash Censure which they have ignorantly cast upon me hath not fallen upon themselves who would by no means admit of Reconciliation though the terms thereof have been tendered to them as aforesaid was proved so that I may say unto them therefore thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same things how do they think that continue in so doing to escape the Judgements of God Rom. 2.1 2 3. Secondly Implacableness doth import haters of Peace and such who are wholly for war so that out of their own mouth they are condemned for they are so far from peace that they have proclaimed open War through the Nation against their Pastor though without just cause that a man can scarce go into any part thereof but he shall hear the report of this their unrighteous Proceedings Thirdly Implacableness doth also import to us such as will never be reconciled or pacified when they are once moved and have taken any quarrel in hand such as are irreconcilable without friendship or peace who being once offended will never be reconciled more neither will admit of any League or Covenant witness the Continuation of their reproach and slanders that let these men or women come into any company whether Christians or others as can be proved against some of them to their great shame not at all regarding the Glory of God will fall a Reviling Backbiting and Slandring of their Pastor as if they were so hungerly bitten that they can not tell when they have done enough or should never be satisfied or take their revenge of him This is Implacableness indeed the fire of their wrath being once kindled they carry it on at such a rate as if they would never let it go out till they hurried me out of breath or hunted their Pastor to death altogether refusing to shew any kind of friendship to him in the least and being not contented to use him so vilely themselves but use all endeavours that possible may be to bring up all others to the same Implacableness O this is Persecution with a witness And when they do hear of any Person of Quality that doth come to hear the said S. B. some of them make it their work to run to their houses and back-bite him extreamly with such-like expressions He is a wicked dangerous person though when they have been asked by sober persons whether they speak of their own knowledge have told them No but it is true enough you need not question it Why O I had it from a gratious Soul that would not lie and if you come to that gratious Soul if you can find him out ask him Do you know this and that to be true of Samuel Bradley Not of my own knowledge but from one whom I am sure will not dare for to tell a lie So you shall at last when it comes to the issue find it comes from his own Church and examine them of his own Church Do any of you know S. B. your Pastor to be a Trappan No but we surmise or suppose some such thing so at last when we have searched into the bottom there is no such thing by this means have they made persons take it for granted when they could never prove any such thing They never ceased in this way of proceeding till they had wrought up persons unto the same prejudiced mind as themselves and by this means have prevented many from the Means of Grace I hope by this time they see their blindness and do now understand that S. B. stands clear from the guilt of Implacableness and it fals out to be their own portion The Lord grant them timely repentance and let them learn hereafter to speak the Truth and utter such things as are truth that their speech may not be condemned for as Job saith Job 34.3 As the palate tastes meat so doth the ear try words Their words have been examined and tried from the beginning of their petty Charge now almost to the end and have been found false and