like are so sordid and ridiculous as ti 's unworthy an answer better be fitting the Tongue of a stage-player then the pen of a Minister every child sees ' its weaknesse and therefore I content my self with the saying of the wise man answer not a fool according to his folly least thou also be like unto him ' Its meerly forged to say that Iohn Mongwell reported that Dame ran to Ireland with another womans husband 'T is false also that I could not for a while be admitted into my wifes chamber at Honiton also false that my wife confest that she had left me because of a different way and that Honiton and Exeter rang of this Scandall all of this stuff proceeded from Mr. Stucleys forge 'T is likewise most untrue that he affirmes in the 16. page that my wife refused conference with those of the church that were sent unto her she would have conferred with them if others might have been present she well knew they came to intrapp her as they did Mrs Parr dealing with her singly I onely adde that the action of my wife in going to Honyton was not Scandalous It was honest and upon conscientious grounds and ends as in my Narrative is set forth In his 17. pag. he falls upon me for neglecting Church-fellowship i. e. Neglecting their Conventicles at Mr. Raddons posthouse to hear my wife vilifyed and abused and others reproached and slandred and see self designes promoted Reader thou hast heard what broth is boyled at those meetings Note these subtle foxes must have their private meetings to distill their principles and gradually to discover their practices among their choice disciples of their own gang that make no bones to swallow any thing that their infallable Master doth impose or command witness their Subscripsion to his imposed Covenant binding them to follow his guidance and teaching absolutely without any restriction or limitation witnesse their stickling Church-state petition and the like of which thou hast already heard For my part I am farr from decrying or declaiming against the meetings of Gods people either in publique or or in private as there is or may because or occasion But what need this private meeting so constituted by strict injunction and to be frequented upon paine of Castigation I professe I can see neither warrant for it nor good of it what is done there you have partly heard is it not to strengthen the members in their separation from other Churches of Christ and to infuse farther dividing principles to widen the Breach that they may work their own ends why not publique meetings that all Gods people may see and heare what they doe what they pray and what they preach and practice as other Churches doe I am of opinion that we ought to admonish instruct comfort edify any of Gods people of what societie soever at all times as there is occasion opportunity But not of your vowcher Mr. Owens opinion that we are to love those of your Societie as a man loves his wife above other women I know no such rule I must confesse I am very much for publick meetings since I so much observed their private transactions I much better like our publique administration of justice in open legall Courts in the face of the country since I have taken notice of some chamber proceedings before private Comittes Mr. Raddons Post-house was the Conclave where Mr. Stucley and his Church did curse Mrs Parr and my wife As for Mr. Stucleys cavills and exceptions against me for my pretended neglecting Church fellowship I referr the Reader to my letter in my Narrative which was to have been communicated to his Church had he been faithful which will give a satisfactory answer I must say somewhat to Tom Savery's letter which for the excellency of it Mr. Stucley hath put in print pag. 19. The very reading of it with observation and reference to the matter then in Question makes good what I have said concerning it in my Narrative Note in the beginning of his letter he sayes His soul is grieved for my disorderly walking I meane saith he your absenting your self from our private meetings c. Then followes if the wife of your boosome divert you c. That is see the scope of his letter divert you from our private meetings what then he tells me out of Luke 14.26.27 33 if any one come to me and hate not his father and mother and wife c. he cannot be my disciple See his good Application If my wife divert me from their private meetings you have heard what they are If I do not hate my wife I cannot be Christs disciple An excellent conclusion a very sound inference I hope notwithstanding his doctrine that I may come to Christ without coming to such private meetings as theirs are and I hope my wife may divert me from error from danger from their private meetings and yet not divert me from Christ or from his ordinances so as to give me occasion to hate her Doth Tom Savery think that to be at Mr. Raddons chamber in praying and preaching up self interests and promoting dividing principles is a waiting on God in his gallories if it be so to him 't is not so to me pray give liberty of conscience to others as well as take it your selves Mr. Stucley hath well vindicated Tom Savery I take no farther notice of his descant on my letter to him and his Church or of Tom Saveries letter to me a common eye sees how frivolous his exceptions are But now he comes with his Kill-cow in his 22. page Behold yet greater abominations sayes he Well what 's the matter He saith that I fear at the workings of the spirit in those mournings and lamentings which God was pleased to bestow upon his people upon that sad day And that I blasphemously called it a hideous howling cry and accounted so just a censure to be like the Popes bull a beast when it roars the loudest For answer I blesse God I am not ignorant how horrid a sin it is to jeer at the workings of Gods spirit in the mournings sighs or groanes of his children and 't is not Mr. Stucley nor the Divel himself the grand accuser of the brethren can justly accuse me for any such thing I can I blesse God appeal to the searcher of hearts in the uprightnesse of my heart that I am free from any such sin or the least thought thereof And I do not in the least recant what I said I did say and do say still that they made a hideous howling cry or noise in so much that one of them fell down in a sown or counterfeited and others told me that they were fearfull to tarry longer among them and truly I was and am serious and doe not jeer I think they might well make a hideous howling cry when they were about such hideous work They were not about Gods work I dare say it was the Devils They
and so better broken then kept For her pretended scandalous running from me I have given a satisfactory answer in the Narrative by which the Reader may judge what a scandalous abusing her it is to charge her with deserting her husband and family when in mine own conscience I know the contrary and that she never entertained the least thought of it And except Master Stucley and his Church there is not one sober man that knows her ever saw cause to suspect her of such an unnaturall act She continueth to dwell with me as a dutiful and obedient wife she never ran from me but onely went as far as Huniton with a purpose to go as far as Taunton There to intreat the advise and assistance of some near relations for satisfaction touching those differences occasioned upon her deserting their Church Pag. 19. Whereas he charges her with her companion whom he sets off with a dash Sol. I answer that the woman hath been her keeper for many years in child-bed as she was of many other women of good account and quality in this City and was my wifes keeper when in child bed all the time she was in Mr. Stucleys Church and yet then no exception against her Besides she being a midwife was a fit companion for my wife then great with child for what Mr. Stucley hints and some of his members have said of that woman I am perswaded they can never prove it but do very much abuse and slander her therein Pag. 19.20 When Mr. Stucley presses Tit. 2.5 Know Reader that he hath omitted somewhat that he spake in preaching to insinuate into his Auditory a suspition of my wifes chastity wherein he did most unworthily abuse her Sol. And so hath he done in what is printed Pag. 20. where he accommodates D. Tailors words to insinuate her to affect merriment and expensive company and account the house a prison which I can truly say she is so far from as if comparisons be not odious I know none farther and she utterly detests it That which followes is to the same Tune All that I will say is that it is clean contrary she never look't on me as a Nabal but hath ever shewed me as much tendernes and affectionate kindenesse as my heart could wish she never left her trust otherwise then any good housewife must do when she is forc't to be from home she went out in a journey which she intended to dispatch with all speed then to return again to her family of whom she gave a special charge to her chiefest maid-servant at her going abroad How scandalous a report have they made of what had nothing blamable but a little indiscretion in the manner of it and of this she was presently sensible and cryed me mercy Pag. 20.21 For Mrs Parr who is charged with lying c. you may see by what is said in the end of the 20. page she was not well pleased with the proceedings of Master Stucleys Church and for that let her answer Sol. Onely this I can say she was look't on by them as a pretious soul till she had a mind to hear some other Ministers and here began the quarrel which could not be ended but in her Excommunication because she was peremptorie in her resolution not to be tyed from hearing of others how far she might forget her self in discourse with them which they call tripping in her tongue c. I cannot say onely if she did it was partly occasioned by their tampering with her for going out sometimes to hear some other Ministers of the City in which she was so resolved as she chose to leave Mr. Stucleys Church and so did and was in communion with other Churches in this City for a long time before they excommunicated her Pag. 21. He saith for my Wifes coming amongst them it was somewhat observable c. Sol. It is observable indeed how Mr. Stucley persists in his unworthy design and endeavours to slur and vilifie her whom whatever malice saies I have cause to say to the glory of grace God hath blest with some good measure of knowledge of him and his will and of her self and her duty which she hath manifested in the general course of her conversation the best character of a Christian as all that know her can bear her witnesse Pag. 21. And whereas in the same page he charges her for omission of the Church-duties of admonition c. Sol. Note what a good shepherd Mr. Stucley is that in the whole space of about 4. years whilst she was of his Church he could never spie this fault so as to reprove her for it till she had left his Church and then he can find it in his heart to curse her for it Pag. 21.22 Mr. Stucley tells another story but very partially and untruly charging my Wife with abusing her sister c. Sol. The truth of the story is this About four years since I observing my brother not to thrive in his way of husbandry which he then used out of my affection to him and care of his good I set him in a way of Sergemaking wherein neither he nor his wife having any insight I gave them all the incouragement and assistance I could both by my advice and instruction therein and sparing him mine own servants of all sorts to carry on his work and took off all the serges he made and sold them at the same prizes with mine own which otherwise he could not possibly advance to that rate and my Wife being also very loving to him and his Wise her sister in Law and desiring their good and thriving in their Trade and knowing their gains ad observing her sister in Law not to be so careful and industrious as she should be and as that Trade required and their expenses rising somewhat high she advised her said sister to have a care that they did not spend more then they got whereat her sister took great distaste but shewed no more care then formerlie my Wife fearing their going back in Trade when she went up into the Eastern parts wished her sisters mother to give her the like advice as she had done which I apprehended she did and her said sister being much offended as it instead of imbracing this counsel which would have done her no hurt she complains to several of the members of Master Stucleys Church and had engaged a strong partie for her before my Wife knew thereof insomuch that it came to a hearing before Master Stucley and by his means they were reconciled and in token thereof kissed each other and afterwards frequented each others company in a very friendly manner at the Lords Table and their own Tables upon occasion for the space of above a year together even untill the time of my Wifes withdrawing from Mr. Stucleys Church Reader judge how fit it is for Mr. Stucley to rake up this petty businesse an offence indeed taken and not given and to aggravate it
'T is an Easie matter for Mr. Stucley to call these poor oppressed women dogs he and his Church onely are the children and Saints But if thou wilt set aside their leaving his Church There is nothing in them for which they may not compare with the best Saints in his Church And I dare say this City in which they were born and bred and have ever lived can say no otherwise I appeal to all that know them But it 's policy for him first to debase and vilifie those that he intended his Church should Curse He that will kill a dog must give it out that he is mad Pag. 9. Mr. Stucley cites Prov. 5.8 9. Remove thy way far from her c. And adds that 't is dangerous to come near the house of such c. Sol. What is this but to insinuate my wise such a one as is spoken of in that place i. e. a very strumpet I cannot forbear to say it so nearly concernes me that this insinuation is a base and slanderous belying her who never came into the least suspition of any such crime Had Mrs Parr been guilty of such lying as this I and others had been more satisfied in her excommunication then we now are or can be Pag. 9. Whereas in the same page towards the end Mr. Stucley saith He ought to pull off the masking robes and vizards c. Sol. He discovers himself what many before now never believed him to be viz. A man that cares not what dirt and filth he casts on any that cares not for his independent wayes They have deceived him as he saith But the truth is they were deceived in him and his Church expecting when they entred into fellowship with them that purity which they never found And now when they were disappointed and so apprehended their over-sight and went about to mend their fault by returning to those congregations to which they formerly belonged he judgeth them causelesly Pag. 10. He calls my wife a Lawless woman that knows no subjection c. Sol. I cannot forbear to say this is a most notorious belying her whom I know to be far otherwise I have cause to blesse God for so good and obedient a wife and one that orders the affairs of my family and calling with so much care and diligence as my heart can wish Insomuch that I have often left the whole management of my trade and imployment on her head care for a whole moneth together in my absence when I have kept above 500. people on work For what he charges her about her going once to Honiton I have sufficiently answered in the Narrative to which I refer the Reader Pag. 10. Again These have turned their backs on pure ordinances c. Sol. As if no pure ordinances could be found but in Mr. Stucleys Church or some other of the same edition Reader be pleased to take notice They were in actual communion with the rest of Gods people in this City before they were excommunicated And therefore did not turn their backs on pure ordinances but such is the pride of Independents they think there are no pure ordinances but in their own Churches Pag. 12. The like stuff you have page 12. That now my wife and Mrs Parr are not in Mr. Stucleys Church they are not amongst Gods people Cannot enjoy the benefit of the covenant See in what a sad condition all are that are not Independents But I hope God and good men will judg better then Mr. Stucley and his Church Pag. 13. They are turned out from beholding the conversation of Gods people c. Sol. Sill Mr Stucleys Church are Gods people no other But for that which he so much commends I do assure thee neither I nor my wife could ever see such eminency of godlynesse in their conversations I shall not asperse them I will onely say I know many very many no Independents in this City of as unblameable and godly conversation as any of them And my wife may see the conversation of those I hope notwithstanding she is excommunicate by Mr. Stucley Pag. 13. In the same page God will loose us this day from that particular tie c. Sol. My wife I hope is not in so sad a condition because Mr. Stucley and his Church are loose from their tye If she have other as godly and honest to admonish and exhort her as ever she had I forbear comparisons Pag. 14. I have no mind to discant upon Mr. Stucleys fancy in the fourteenth page where he frames a parly between God and the Divel 't is absurd enough Sol. Onely I must say he hath again slandred my wife In saying she hath removed the bounds and that she is a Lawlesse woman The contrary to my knowledg is most true and for this there are in this City as many godly Christians to witnesse as far exceed the number of Mr. Stucleys Church I know it is a sad thing to be justly excommunicated Matth. 18.18 But I know many have been excommunicated by the Pope and some by the Pharisees The question is whether those persons were justly excommunicated And that I deny And leave it to the Impartial Reader to Judge by the Narrative Pag. 15. He cites Mr. Grenhams opinion of excommunication They are among Zijms and Iijms c. Sol. He need not cite Mr. Grenhams opinion to perswade me or my wife what a sad thing excommunication is I only say the curse that 's causless shal not come The Popes Bull is but a beast when it roars the loudest Pag. 17. Whereas contumacy is urged as the reason of excommunication and Mr. Rutherford is quoted with a sufficient slur upon him and the Presbyterians Sol. I Reply that cannot be contumacie For that one act of indiscretion she hath acknowledged to my self And if an errour 't was such I hope as was pardonable by the husband without Mr. Stucleys indulgence There was no persisting in any crime but onely her not coming to Mr. Stucleys Church And Mr. Stucley cannot but remember the many overtures she made for a meeting of him and Mr. Mall with other Ministers and her willingnesse to submit to their determination which he refused as if he had been Lord Bishop Paramont and his Church infallible for which I refer you to the Narrative But now for-sooth Contumacie must be the foil to set off the fact and a decoy to draw the Church into this unwarrantable practice Pag. 19. My wife is accused for neglecting fellowship and covenant breaking and running away c. Sol. I answer she holds fellowship with the people of God And for covenant breaking she is so far guilty as she was no more willing to be confined to Master Stucleys Church but indeed of her own accord went from it for reasons mentioned in the Narrative before If she had made a covenant which yet she never intended to walk with Master Stucleys Church and not with other people of God It is an unlawfull covenant
you which I must suspect did they commend your practice as it is reported and intend to draw it into president or did they blame you for it Have you known any power either Episcopall or Archiepiscopall but only Papall that claime such an absolute Independent jurisdiction as to deny all Appeales and refuse to give any account of their wayes and administrations when desired before Independency was set up Pray what meant you by your notice to the Ministers in Exon was it not that they should deny these poore souls communion upon paine of your and your Churches high displeasure must your Ipse dixit satisfie without ground or reason If this be your principle we doubt not but within a few pages to shew who are the Schismaticks whether Mr. Stucley and his Church or Toby Allein But of that by and by I passe on to his observations on my Testimoniall Reader here see this peaceable man how his heart rises and swells against the chamber of Exon. as he call's the Subscribers to my certificate he will not be guilty of such a piece of incivility as to suffer them to passe without abusing them he must have a fling at them now they come in his way In the first place he gibes at their Administration of justice we must sayes he carry our selves warily least we be bound to the good behaviour warily not honestly he begins with a jeer Pag. 3. Next in his third and some ensuing pages He call's them my Compurgatours prolocutours Seconds guard c. and tacit'ly represents them as men dissaffected to the Supreame Magistrate with his jearing Spectatum admissi c. and that his Highness affections to him is an eie-sore to the chamber c. Reader this is the peaceable man still If thou wilt believe him he takes no pleasure in a Salamander life and yet Toby Allein and his wife are not subjects high enough to wreak and fret his malice upon No the chamber they must know that he is offended at them also and they and all the world must know what a favourite of the Protectors Mr. Stucley is he put 's it in print But alas poor man how vain is it to be angry with those that care so little for it doubtless the chamber takes notice of it so farre as to be sorry for his simpleness and that such a spirit of envy and contention should lie Couchant and discover it self from under Mr. Stucleys pastorall Robe They can bear a few gibes and jeeres from Mr. Stucley and look on it as his weakness and that it would be weakness in them to ingage in a Contest with him about such things so inconsiderable The Eagle scorns to catch flies I shall onely say that had I said insinuated so much of the chamber of Exeter as Master Stucley hath done It might have been called an Impudent lye But we leave him in his sweat of discontent against the chamber and shall speak a word of his query why I had not gotten a Certificate from the Ministers or from his Church I having as he sayes reported his Church to be the honestest people that ever I came amongst To this briefly That as for the Ministers Certificate I might have had it had I needed it And as for his Churches Certificate I left it for him to take the benefit of that being the best he can get And as for his Church If I reported them to be the honestest people c. I do now find I was in a great mistake and must retract and ask them forgivenesse I shall promise to say so no more till I have better evidence for their honesty I am not the first that have been deceived by these Independents and therefore I hope I may expect a pardon of Course Next Mr. Stucley raises queries upon the contents of my Testimoniall simple ones God knows how easy is it to pay him home in his own Coyne May it not be ask't of him 1. whether he as not an unrighteous Steward in his causelesse cursing my wife Secondly whether he be not better affected to his Independent party and interest then to the Common wealth thirdly whether he hath not raised more divisions in the Churches of Christ in Exeter by gathering a Church out of other Churches then ever was known in Exeter before But to let that passe I shall only adde That the Certifiers however Mr. Stucley represents them are known to be men of that worth loyalty and integrity that they disdaine for any respects whatsoever to certifie any thing but what they know to be really truth And had they not been so doubtless he would have long since informed against them or else had neglected his duty Pag. 4. Whereas in his fourth page he insinuates that I am to have a triall at Law against him c. Reader be pleased to take notice that after Mr. Stucley had libellously slandred my wife in pulpit and print before I printed my Narrative I demanded by severall letters satisfaction for this publick defamation as a breach of the Laws both of God and man Telling him that if he would shew the matter of fact truly stated and a possitive Scripture or Law of man for such a procedure on such a fact or ' its parallel he should convince me I likewise sent him a charge consisting of four particulars to wit first his application of Prov. 5.8.9 and Tit. 2.5 to my wife insinuating her to be a harlot and unchast Secondly his reporting her to be a woman knowing no subjection at home or abroad Thirdly his saying that she went from them to avoid Curch censure Fourthly his reporting that she never gave any reason for her leaving them I charged him that in these particulars he had scandalized my wife and therein broken both the Law of God and man I desired a debate of these particulars by himself and Master Mall his assistant and two others whom he thought fit with my self and three other godly Christians that I should bring promising that if he could prove either of them nay if I did not disprove all of them I would lay down and beg him mercy His answer was that this charging him with particulars he did not like and that it was not the way of gaining him But that I was to tell him his fault between me and him alone And failing in that first assay Then I was to take with me one or two of that particular fellowship meaning his Church and that untill then he saw no reason at all to call in forraign helps Note Reader this learned Rabbi he tells me that I must first tell him of his trespasse privately which himself hath published on the house-top in pulpit and presse I thought he had known better how to distinguish as to the Application of Admonitions and that there is a vast difference between the case of private personall wrongs And publick Church male administrations Next sayes he I must take two or three of his Church
kingdome of God nor fornicatours Idolaters adulterers abusers of themselves with mankind nor theeves nor coveteous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners and such were some of you c. And pag. 213. He tels us it must be an open and manifest sin else it is not Scandalous And known it must be either by evidence of fact confession or conviction Now let Mr. Stucley shew wherein my wife was guilty of any such Atrocious or grievious sin and if not why fall's he upon this highest work of excommunication Little flies sayes Mr. Vines must not be knockt down with so great a hammer Object True sayes my Adversary But there was contumacy that your wife was guilty of Ans I answer first if no crime no contumacie But secondly suppose a fault I deny any contumacy what contumacy when she had made so many overtures to be tried by indifferent judges godly indifferent Ministers or people what contumacy when the poor women wrote to Mr. Stucley their desires to be communicated to his Church to have their cause heard by understanding and impartiall men whosoever they be and gave assurance that they would submit to the Law and will of Christ which letter this faithfull Pastor pocketted and concealed from his Church you see what a good will he had to the work he would curse them right or wrong where is the contumacy in her was it not Tyranny in him doth he not deserve a Bishoprick By this time I suppose the Reader sees how pertinent and applicable Mr. Malls quotations are to the case of my wifes unjust excommunication And whether she were guilty of crimes or contumacy deserving such a cruel censure unjustly inflicted by Mr. Stucley and his Church I leave it to the judicious to consider Before I passe I take notice that in his 5. pag. he tells you that I am willing to wave the question about the impertinency of Mr. Malls quotations and to referre it to the learned and sayes that I should have studied the question and not contented my self with an implicit faith in the learned c. To this I answer I think the question is now put out of question and by what hath been cited out of those learned men before named it plainly appeares that his quotations are frivolous and impertinent to the case in hand let the Reader judge And as for an implicit faith in the learned I say an implicit faith in Church affairs is no way satisfactory unto me And therefore I desire Mr. Stucley to satisfy me whether he did not tye up his Church-members to an implicit faith in him when he did upon that black day of his curse make his members subscribe a Church-covenant or oath That they would submit to his guidance and teaching as their Pastor absolutely without any restriction or limitation why had it not been added he guiding and teaching according to the rule of Gods word what is this but to pin their faith on his sleeve what is it but an implicit faith on Mr. Stucley St. Paul durst not be so bold he bids the Churches be followers of him and the other Apostles as they are followers of Christ are we not bid to the Law and to the Testimony bid search the Scriptures bid try the spirits Must we take up all you say upon Trust are there no deceivers gone forth into the world and into the Church too Wolves in sheeps clothing such as like the Devil transform themselves into Angels of light creep into houses captivate silly women c. Pray Sir tell me why was this omitted in your Church-covenant or oath which Mr. Mall hath inserted in his Book should not oathes and covenants be plain and expresse or will you supply it with an caetera Have you not herein outwitted the Pope and made him a younger Brother Surely there is somewhat lies in this pad pray explain your self next Reader I am sensible that I have been too tedious hitherto and should I trace this fox in his wiles and cunning fetches in every page I should tire both you and my self to unkennell him I professe I am heartily sorry to see his impudence he would make the world believe the Crow is white and that 't is night at noon by his Logick all are lies but what he himself sayes he sees he is ingaged head and eares and must make lies his refuge to maintain his and his Churches unjust act like the boy that bid his mother call whore first For a man to Cloyster himself up and like the Owle to decline the light of a hearing and to be ashamed to give account to Ministers and others that are dissatisfied doth not this in the eie of every judicious Reader speake him guilty and unworthy What hath been already said answers many of his foul Aspersions I shall now contract my self and cursorily run over the rest And first for his affirmation that I and my wife consented to Mrs Parrs suspension in pag. 8. I professe we never knew of any suspension of her much lesse joyned in any her answer was as to me faire and satisfactory Viz that she remembred not the things for they accused her and if she were convinced of it she would be sorry for it I never voted it satisfactory and neither knew nor joyned in any such suspension therfore that 's an untruth on Mr. Stucleys part And next as for Mr. Stucleys insisting on my wifes neglect of admonition c. I answer that she did declare unto some or one of the officers her dislike dissatisfaction at their carriage in severall particulars assoon as she had a convenient opportunity which proved fatall to her in the end Take notice reader it was not a Brother or a Sister singly or a few members but 't was the whole Church ' they were all as it were hung together in a string Their tying up the members by compact their intermedling in State affaires their carrying on self designs their practicall forbidding communion with other Churches their traducing those that are not of their way was a disease epidemicall that run through the whole body and was discove'rd by degrees to be the very product of their private meetings as if it had been a part of their Religion And would it not have been look't upon as a peice of pride presumption for my wife to reprehend a whole Church should she not thinke you have been accounted against as Mrs Parr for a contentious woman that raised discord and disturbance in the Church I shall for brevity's sake leap over many of his pages the summe of what he there alledges being answered occasionally in my former sheets I also passe by his silly probabillities in the 14. page which he brings to induce a belief in the reader that my wife ran away and intended not for Taunton 't is fully answered His Queries whether dame must ride upon the Mugle of the Mare and whether Honiton be in the way to Taunton and the
a word of any such thing till he had a mind to curse my wife for deserting him To the seventh I say Mr. Eveleigh one of the Church-officers and others called the paper which was brought into the Church to be debated a Covenant told me that the greatest part thereof was assented unto therefore if it be lies you see who was the Authour and that I did dislike it I have already demonstrated To the eighth I say my wife did joyn to Mr. Downs Church as in my Narrative is expressed and that which Mr. Stucley call's Admonition preceeding it was only Mr. VVhithornes asking her the reasons of her absence from their Thursdayes private meetings when she had been absent not above three or four times for which I think the reader is satisfied she had some reason to abstaine To the 9. the traducing of Mr. Forde slighting of honest godly people different from your principle hath been too frequent among you and the lie and slander returns on your selves To the tenth I say I have sufficiently set forth the occasion manner and end of my wifes going to Honiton which is the Truth and will stand firme another day when all Mr. Stucleys foisted probabilites will be found to be nothing but the scum of his malicious Calumniating spirit To the 11th and 12th I say I deny not that I had hopes to prevail with my wife to return to Mr. Stucleys Church as my Narrative shews but when I had considered her grounds of dissatisfaction and their harsh proceedings in order to excommunication I abstained from their private meetings especially after that one of the honestest of the confederacy had counsell'd me to pluck up my spirits and hold the rains of Government strict in my hands and to forbid my wifes brothers Sisters and friends to come near my house and to turn away such servants as would not be plyable to this work and to take in others and to bear a stiff hand on my wife and that then she would go from me and I should not look after her and that then she would be weary and repent and I should receive her on mine own terms I did presently guesse from whom this counsell came for asking the party when he was with Mr. Stucley he answered he had been with him about two hours before and would needs ingage me to go to Master Stucley which I thought to have done but my heart failed me and I durst not goe fearing least he should engage me to some such wicked course as was proposed You see where to repair for good counsell how to order your wives The thirteenth hath neither head nor tail I shall answer it when Mr. Stucley explaines himself if it be then worth an answer To the 14. I averre that he opened the letter which Mrs Parr and my wife sent and most falsly and unfaithfully told the Church that it had more of designe then humility in it If it had any designe it was to prevent his and his Churches harsh and heady running into a mischievous act and if it be as he sayes that none of the Church saw it I say the worse the more unfaithfull and inexcusable was Mr. Stucley for that it was sent and directed to be communicated to the Church and he would not shew it them nor ask counsel of any in so waighty a businesse but lead his Churchhead long into sin The letter concerned them all but he conceales it and did he not therein shew himself more a lord and Master then a Steward and dispencer of Gods Ordinance If this be his faithfulnesse let me never be under such a faithfull Shepheard To the 15. To this I have answered already I only adde that Ratcliff that noted Mr. Stucleys prayer and others also that heard it do a verre it to be his prayer such a one as it was To the 16. I answer I have examined more narrowly this particular and find that Mr. Malls doctrine was that there is great reason Scripture reason when in severing the precious from the vile the Church should renew their covenant and he applied it to the businesse of excommunication then acted and pressed the renewing of their covenant Pray where is the great difference from what I have set down in my Narrative that denominates it to be a lye And as for his posture whether he sate down or stood up ' its not much materiall If I mistake in that I am sure I am right in all the rest To the 17. I suppose Mrs Parr is answering for her selfe and as for my wife I say again she found faults and saw cause enough to leave them and did desert them before she was admonished for neglecting their private meetings To the 18. I answer that if you did not look on other Churches as Babylonish c. Pray tell me how do your words and opinions agree pray what meaneth your cry come out of Babylon what meaneth the saying of one of your officers to one that was going to the Sacrament at Mr. Iohn Bartlets Church viz. what will you never come out of Babylon and what meant that Independent Book One blow more to Babylon To the Nineteenth I answer here Mr. Stucley shifts and pretends he understood not my meaning and that he meant not the Churches in Exon when all this while his conscience tells him that I was meaning and speaking to him of the Churches of Christ in Exon could he think I was speaking of communicating in Spaine or France in their masse I remember well he spake these words to me without intermssion Can you sayd he partake where there are Drunkards can you partake where there are liars can you partake of the Table of the Lord and the Table of Divells and as for the argument you recite out of my letter of your acknowledging the Churches in ' Exon to be true Churches Reader it is well knowen with how much adoe he shewed them as much Note this was spoken by him above two months before he owned the Churches here to be Churches of Christ the associated Ministers in the County of Devon know enough of Mr. Stucleys mind About owning other Churches I need say nothing To the twentiteh I say let the judicious Reader judge What other construction can be made of Mr. Stucleys citing of Pro. 5.8.9 and Tit. 2.5 and his applying Doctor Taylors Exposition thereupon to my wife then to insinuate and beget in the Reader a suspition of my Wifes chastity and by spreading his false and scurrilous Pamphlets into Dorset Cornwall and other places in the west to induce the people to believe those honest women to be as vile and notorious as is imaginable To the 21.th there needs no answer but the experience of the people of this place let them judge if I lye in this To the 22th I answer 't is well known that my wife was of Mr. Downes congregation and received the Sacrament there before she joyned with Mr. Stucleys