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Boston nor take office, without the consent of the church of New Haven

And therfore not to withstand this deceit, renders him guilty of it. Besides he

confesseth that he knew of the letter from New Haven & of the Extract

out of it as hath bin acknowledged also by the two of his elders; Alsoe he

called it his dismission, joyned in membership & office upon that very ground

as having therby his dismission from New Haven: And was highly offended

with one of the Deacons for questioning the clearness of it, & therfore

cannot be excused from being a-like guilty w^th the other Elders.

    Thus farr we have w^th all plainness given o^r testimony against thes

    deceitfull & falls wayse with all due abhorrence of them  ps: 119 120 &

    163 . desiring with bleeding hearts & faces full of shame to humbl our

    Soules before the lord who hath justly left these Elders to soe great a

    Scandall: & humbly we beseech the God of all grace to rays up our brethren

    that are fallen by a sutabl manifestation of their repentance to the recov

    rring of the name of God w^ch suffers by this: And the good lord in mercy

    (through the blood of Christ) pardon & impute it not to any of us nor to

the countrey: Wee desire also to look upon o^ur brethren with all due

compassion, & to reflect upon ourselves with trembling hearts least

we alsoe fall being compassed with infirmityes & subject to manyfold

temptations.

This Testimony was given to the Elders of Boston a day or two before a

  day of humiliation w^th them, but none of them acknowledged any thing (amiss

  as to the premises) neither to God nor man on that day.

Not long after these things the brethren who dissented and according to

 counsell & w^th the approbation of 5 or 6 churches gather into a church society

 at Charlstown; & after this did choose out from amongst themselves officers

 to goe in & out before them & sent to several churches for their Elders

  & messengers to be present at their ordination & to Rowley in partic

 cular as followeth

    The last gathered Church of Christ in Boston to the Church of Christ

          in Rowley. Grace mercy & peace be multiplied in God our

                                                  father