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31 1670 97
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A return to the preeceading letter
To Mr Woodman & the rest of our beloved brethren with
him at Newberry members of the church of Christ there grace
& peace be with you
Beloved brethren
Your letter (wherin you desires of ye Church of Christ at Rowley that we
would send messengers to give advise leading to the healing of
your long & uncomfortable differences) hath bin read before them ye
19th of ys instant Their answer is ys that though yie are very
sencible of your uncomfortable condition as things now stand wth you
& are very willing to send ye best help God has given us yet at present
we judg it not seasonable because we are informed by brother Titcomb
your messenger to us & by others, that you did not by any publick act
agree to desire your Reverand pastor & yr brethren with him to joyne
in
with you in calling a counsill , we conceive it most agreable to ye
rule 14 Rom 19 yt you desire his concurrance wth you in calling a coun
cill, & we know noe instance wherin this method has not bin attended
of such brethren as have at any time called in counsell in any of these
churches , If it be sayd he will not joyne in calling a councill
we answer it may be soe yet your way is then ye clearer to call in
help without him . Thus farr the whole Church.
Onely several of this church doe conceive yt it were sutable to
your affairs if you did call in some more help then what you men-
tion in your letter , 3 at least if not 4 churches
A Conversation[97] breaker is very hardly Sett, & if 9 churches could herd
ly be instrumental for your peac, how to think two should set you at
rights we cannot easily conceive : But we hope if you were willing to
call in ye help of 4 or 5 churches, Mr Parker & ye brethren with him
would concurr with you therin thyse whereas if you onely mention
Salisbury & Rowley to him we doubt whether he will concurr for he
cannot be ignorant that yr is not such able help in this church to be
sure of Rowley as ther is in others that you might call for help from
besides consider that word 11 prov . 14 in ye multitude of counsellours yr
is safety where are many councellors needfull but in difficult cases
and if yours be not such we cannot readily think of any that are Noe
more but our prayers to god for you that he would grant you peace
almost by all means soe pray for your
Loving brethren Samuel Phillips in ye name of
Rowley 20 ffeb: Maxamilian Jewitt ye ch at Rowley
1670
[97] Conjectural reading.