Truth shut out of doors BEING A BRIEF DISCOVERY Of The partial and unjust proceedings OF Some formal professors Members of a Church at Rumney in Kent AGAINST JOHN DAY The Publisher hereof Isai. 5. 7. And he looked for judgement but behold oppression for righteousness but behold a cry Isai. 59. 14. 15. And judgement is turned away backward and justice standeth afar off for truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter Yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey and the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgement London Printed for Giles Calvert at the black Spread-Eagle at the west-end of Pauls 1653. To the impartial Readers who have not the faith of our Lâ—â—â— Christ the Lord of glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of persons IT may seem strange to many hearts that such an illiterate man as I am in Tongues of the Learned should encounter with so many who have the learned one to say for them And truely I should have born it if the Truth were much regarded by them were it against my person onely though it wound my reputation and livelyhood but they smite me and take away my veil from me and veil me with reproach and lying Pamphlets onely to render me odious through my native County If they had been my professed enemies I should have born it but being seeming friends yet proved not onely enemies but wolves to me in sheeps clothing therefore what sentence soever mans judgement pass on me it shall not hinder me from declaring the truth of the proceedings which were between us truth maketh not shamed it is stronger then Wine Kings or Women therefore Christian reader I beseech thee be not troubled but read and judge impartially and then thou shalt find it is the Lords doing and that he is shaking not the earth onely but the heaven also that that which cannot be shaken may remaine What if the Lord came to send fire on the earth and hath already kindled it he came not to send peace but a sword of the spirit to cause division that the word of God might be fulfilled five in one house three against two and two against three and it is the Lords doing and it is marvellous in our eyes seeing therefore that by the mouth of babes and sucklings he will perfect his praises I shall indeavour to give you a perfect veiw of my charging them with partiality and their unjust proceedings against me and leave the success to God My Brethren that hated me cast me out saying Let God be glorified but he hath appeared to my joy and comfort and I hope they will be ashamed although they have judged me born in sin and must not teach them yet my integrity shall carry me forth until the Lord raise me from among the pots with such a beauty or honour as it pleaseth him Truth shut out of doors c. I Having had sad experience for these seven yeers and more of the tyranny which those that bear rule do execute upon their poor brethren in Congregations of professed Saints as not onely tything of mint annise and cummin neglecting the weighty matters of mercy and judgement and non-respect of persons contrarywise they have laid heavie burthens upon others which they themselves would not willingly bear taking all advantage against those they affect not to take them by the throat and will be paid the uttermost farthing though they owe them nothing but love which on the sufferers part hath passed by many of their infirmities yet still they make them offenders for a word or hearing any they affect not and such-like trifles straining at gnats and beholding of motes in others and are so far from beholding the beam in their own that they swallow a Camel of the Scribes and Pharisees hypocrisie outwardly appearing to men to be righteous when within they are full of all iniquity and filthiness And finding Partiality to be the root of all other branches in Congregations I have laboured with my best strength to fight against it And in walking with a people in Rumney and Lidd and thereabouts finding it predominate in many of them in several particulars I informed them of it but they slighted and envied me yet the more And first of all a poor woman of the Congregation being sick desired me that intercession might be made to God for her Which being done and publikely known in the Church I lodging in the house beholding the sick not visited by them and sometimes in want of both spiritual and temporal relief I discharged my duty in encouraging her in the faith of Jesus and such-like as I had opportunity and she being desirous I prayed with and for her but they came not at her had not two or three of the National Church Samaritane-like relieved her she would have had little comfort or company for none of the brethren came to visit her which was the first cause of my charging them with Partiality in slighting the poor and honouring and visiting the rich often as James saith despising the poor After reproving them a worthy Deacon which can neither read nor preach sent her a little portion but came not at her himself because he had so many sheep of his own that did hinder him from visiting Christ's And not onely he but generally they all neglected visiting of Christ in his poor member But if a rich man's head doth but ake O what haste they make to visit him And this is the first particular I charged them with Secondly they making me an offender for a word speaking in calling one fool and another knave for belying of me which charge of theirs I proved false but they questioned them not for belying me but publikely admonished me and I gave all satisfaction in confessing my fault Although I reproved their evil yet they partially passed by others belying of me Several weeks after I informed them again of their neglect and told them they were partial because they did not as well reprove them for wronging of me as openly reprove me for mis-placing a word in reproving their untruth Judge me O my friend impartially At which time being not able to clear themselves from partiality they were silent Then Satan appeared in an old man like one of Susanna's accusing Elders with a lye of inveterate envie as followeth which was this That he should ask the fore-mentioned woman if I were not a comfort to her and she answered No but in calling her devil when she was sick He affirming this I absolutely denyed it to be true that I called her so when she was sick but I denyed not but I had called her devil before in reproving Satan in her often and she hath and will again bear me record that it was in love and not in hatred He thus accusing me I desired some of the Congregation speedily to enquire of the woman the truth concerning it and two Members going that way by chance met
their feet and I did demand often beseeching them to name any thing they had against me for matter of fact and I would acknowledge my selfe before them all but they proved nothing but that only which I freely acknowledged and gave them all satisfaction in namely jesting which is my natural infirmity but this would not satisfie but the Pastor would proceed to deal with me for charging them with partiality but an Elder whose tender conscience being more unseared would not consent unto it nor very few of those that I had charged but he being resolved to proceed as I perceived I took my leave of him saying I would obey God in my conscience rather then man and so I came away So the week following they appointed to meet privately at the Pastors house pretending a full Church-meeting when most of the people were gone that day before they appointed onely some halfe a score or not so many were at this consultation and having some private advantage as they supposed against me sent to me to meet them there but made me not acquainted with it untill I came to the place where they appointed to deale with me which was as followeth That I should tell a member in case the said Elder should not bring the forementioned business to light concerning my accuser which he knew had falsely accused me I would kindle a fire among them Which words as they judged carnally made a mountain and they would know whether I would be humbled for them I answered I should never my intention being real for the glory of God But they were so far from demanding a reason of me that the Pastor replyed to the rest of the Soliciters We have heard what need we any further witness So they put their names to fignifie their mindes one to another and some few of that small company would not consent unto it but withdrew so eleven or twelve at the most passed vote upon me whereas there was above threescore persons at that time members of that Congregation yet these few took all the power in their own hands and the Pastor to please them as shall be proved gave them the next first day such an afternoons drinking as pleased their Herodias daughter-like hearts But I shall leave this and hasten to reply an answer to their Libellous letters throughout And first they judged me a superfluous branch and rotten member but wherefore I know not except it be for discovering their rotten Principles and corrupt dealing and carriage to their poor brethren that believe not implicitely with them yet they say Not onely for my evil carriage and charging them with partiality yet proveth nothing as to the particular case of my charging them which I shall leave to impartial judgments and not only call heaven and earth to witness and my own conscience and theirs but several witnesses which are yet members of the Congregation to justifie the truth of my writing and their partiallity towards me before the sentence of non-communion with me I shall pass by their censure of rendering me odious in pride and ambition though they ought to have bin silent seeing I did satisfie them with confession and replyed to their mentioned particulars as first that I have falsely accused the Church secondly that I apprehended a Brother in a fault through forgetfulness not only through neglect but through an evil intent They say I did not minde that Brother of his forgetfulness but say I straitly charged another that he should not minde him of it and did declare to the same Brother that I would set a fire among them the which they say hath appeared by causing a division Thirdly They say I have often disturbed the Church on the first day and many dayes and thereby caused much division so that when I begun to dispute they could enjoy no more teaching among them that day and many days and thereby caused much division among them to the making a rent in the Church and but a few in the Church save those persons that side with me are worthy of any better terms from me then Devils or Calves or Alexanders Fourthly They say I justifie my selfe in a lye and when two Elders came to admonish me I should say they came to intrap me and by that time they should speak twenty words I should tell them that they had told a hundred lyes and also they say I am both in exercise and in common discourse and in reasoning about the things of God exceedingly given to jeering and mocking And this is the whole sum of their charging me which things I briefly reply unto As first for my false accusing of the Church they should have done well to have mentioned wherefore or in what I accused the Church and not to require me to be humbled for I know not what And as for the Second particular you here discover your selves plainly that you are partial because you judge me before the time and excuse him with forgetfulness which is more then you know and I through an evil intent alas poor hearts you are fitter to be Lawyers then impartial Judges in Churches but I would have you know that my conscience is clear in that matter for not minding him of that you say he forgot it is strange he should forget the weightiest matters of the Church and remember very trifles but being an Elder he ought to have more care of his charge then fo. A bad excuse some say is better then none And for my telling him of it if you knew what you wrote it lay on their parts that heard him made acquainted with it on yours to enquire after it you being not ignorant of the business and not for me to be troubled to bring my own cause before you not should I now if the truth suffered not as well as my person by you For my straitly charging another you speak false but I told him the Elder did know my accuser had belyed me and in case he did not bring it to light I should kindle fire among them but their carnal hearts discerned not what fire I meant but had there been evil in it and I had charged him was not he more to blame to keep it so many months and the last day that I was at the meeting not to speak of it when I demanded several times before his face and above forty more which will justifie that I demanded often of them all he being present what they had against me yet not mentioned by him but privately consulted together that evening but had they done justly they should have dealt with him for hiding it from them and not to send Libells up and down the Country of me If it be as you say it hath appeared if it be the fire that Christ came to send it is that I did indeavour to set to the burning the hay and stubble partial works among them And as for the Third particular my disturbing of them on the first
with an Elder there and desired him to ask the truth of it in their hearing and they heard her tell him that she never said so to him For all this the Elder bearing a prejudice against me willingly smothering his lye brought it not to the Congregation I being acquainted with it by one of those that heard her tell the business yet remained silent many weeks and knowing it to be their duty to endeavour to finde out the truth of the matter or his to declare it and not to let his brother lie under sin but he partially willingly neglected the matter as did the rest of them at last being weary of their partial Babylonish carriage I plainly told them they were partial concerning me in not clearing me and admonishing my accusers when especially one of the chief Elders knew of it many weeks before And when the matter was declared by me after my charging them and proving him a lyer they reproved him for wronging me but they would not confess themselves in a fault being partial and so far from acknowledging their own that they took his part that was chiefest guilty he being a rich man outwardly in worldly goods or an Elder Maior Governor of Rumney the yeer before could not forget to bear rule in the Church the yeer after nor by any means would they hinder him but bear him out in excusing him in his evils as first when I proved them partially negligent in not bringing my guilty accuser to acknowledgement of the wrong he did me he answered he had not been with the Congregation many weeks before which I proved false to his face before them all yet they did not blame him for that neglect but they to please him and their proud flesh would deal with me contrary to the Law of God and man and onely they that I accused were my Judges and many of them would not proceed to cast me out for charging them with partiality but the Bishop whom I charged replied he would lay down his office and act no more in it with them and further that they should cast me or him out So to satisfie his minde some have took upon them the whole power into their hands and would not be satisfied unless I would acknowledge my self to be faulty in charging them with Partiality To whom I replied I would never be sorry for speaking the truth seeing I had evidently made it appear to many of the said Congregation and those whom I chiefly accused being judges in their own cause I did beseech them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that they would admit my trial of charging them to the judgement of some other Congregation and that I might not be judged and condemned by those persons onely which I justly accused but beseeched them that they would be pleased to grant me the favour that I might chuse two or three of some other Congregation and they to chuse whom they pleased although it were the heads of those I accused But this reasonable request of mine would not be granted but they replied they would make use of their power themselves and deal with me and not give way to the judgement of others which power whence they had it from heaven or hell I know not well but I leave it to the judgement of others I beseech you Christian friends consider whether ever there were such a thing heard of that a man must be judged and condemned by those whom he justly accused Was it ever heard in the Church of the Saints in the Primitive times And if this be Canonical Scripture Church-order root out the Covenant of Separation and expound me old Jesus the son of Sirach's Apocrypha in his 13 Chap. as followeth If a rich man fall into an errour he hath many helpers he speaketh proud words and yet men justifie him but if a poor man go wrong he is punished yoa though he speak wisely yet'can it have no place When the rich man speaketh every man holdeth his tongue and look what he saith they praise it unto the clouds but if the poor man speak they says what fellow is this and if he do amiss they shall destroy him Riches are good unto him that hath no sin in his conscience and poverty is a wicked thing in the mouth of the ungodly Seeing by sad experience toward my self and others I can discover their partial dealings to parallel or really fulfil these Scriptures to be a true prophecie concerning themselves and many others in these times as well as formerly therefore I desire to be excused for quoting them for because when the said Bishop or Elder whom I chiefly accused declared he would lay down his office in case they cast me not out they telling him he spake rashly and that he must be humbled for it but after I informed them of it and charged them with wilful partiality in the act they not before reproved him and there in the audience of the people he said he would never be sorry for his wilful rash speeches which thing was smothered by them and he justified Which when I saw they walked not uprightly and they hated reproof from me and became persecuting enemies to me for telling of them the truth so perceiveing their intent to root me out though they could bring nothing for matter of fact against my person but their wills their laws to proceed against me being void of hopes after a long time forbearing this unjust carriage and knowing their speedy intentions I took an occasion to discharge my conscience to shew them in an Excercise how the poor Saints of Christ were crucified as well as others by false brethren But the foresaid Bishop with his Lordly words would have silenced me to whom I replyed My message was the minde and will of God and I would declare it Which when he saw he strived to cause the people to withdraw but they stood not in so much in awe of him but when he saw they followed him not he stood to hear what fell to his lot but patience from murmuring he had not But when I had ended some objections he had got which before the people I answered But when he could say no more he complained of me before them all for not doffing my hat I told him the reason was my hands were both full with a Lock Key and Pot and therefore desired to be excused for than Satisfaction being given the Lord opened the mouth of a worthy Gentelman though one of the world to reprove the folly or madness of the Elder or Prophet The next first day following the Pastor of the said Congregation was exceeding earnest beyond the truth in rendering me odious unto the people there present and could prove nothing for matter of fact against me but I did acknowledge unto them that I was subject to many infirmities and for what they could desire in matter of satisfaction according to the Scripture I would lay my selfe down at