54        120                         1673

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Right hand of fellowship is that 2 gall 9. wher James Peter & John perceiving the

grace of God which was given to paul, whereby he was furnished to be a minister to the gen

tills they gave to him & Barnabas the right hand of fellowship; such ground we have

to reach forth the right hand of fellowship to your Self w^ch betookens that mutual love &

& accord that ought to be amongst Elders & Churches, & readiness to affoard all brotherly

assistance as ther may be need: The Enimis of X^st & his Kingdome doe joyne hand & head &

heart to hinder & discourage the builders of Gods houses & shall not the freinds of Christ

be of one heart & goe hand in hand as fellow helpers to y^e kingdome of God: Paul

had many enimise to lift up a hand against him, he had the more need of faythfull friends

to reach out a hand unto him: To love as brethren is y^t wherby we should Evidence to

all that we are Christs Disciples; & its a speciall thing signified by giving the right hand

of fellowship : Its an awfull speach of Paræus[17] on y^t 2 gall 9 that such as stand aloof

from y^e faythfull servants of X^st; & will not reach forth any right hand of fellowship to y^m

have cause to fear that god will set y^m at his left hand another day. –

Now it having pleased God Reverend Brother to set you apart as a chosen vessel to bear

his name unto his pp, seing he hath of his grace accounted you faythfull, putting you into y^e

ministry; we doe with thankfulness acknowledge gods mercy to you & to this flock of his over

which he hath set you; And I do in y^e name of the Lord Jesus & w^th y^e hearty consent of

the Reverend Elders & respected messengers of y^e churches Reach forth unto you the right hand

of fellowship which is not an Empty Ceremony but a real testimony of our cordiall ac

ceptance of you in y^e lord as a fellow labourer & Elder in y^e great work of y^e ministry

And doe heerby signify & engage to yeild all brotherly helpfulness to you as God shall in

all us, by our prayers for you & otherwise as the matter may requier & as by communion of

Churches we are bound; And doe earnestly desire & expect the same brotherly assistance

from your self & this church of X^st, for the mutuall strengthning of our hearts & hands in

this good work of God

Now the lords presenc be w^th you & give you rest the lord grant you mercy to be faythfull & to

fulfill y^e ministry that you have received of y^e lord, The lord inable you to indure hardships as

a good Souldier of Jesus X^st: The place we are in a wilderness dos occasion more hardships

to Gods pp & messengers than in some respects than els wher are mett with, but Christs pitty &

free reward will make amends: If we meet with hard Speeches & unkind dealings even

from these y^t should incourrage us, let us not grow weary of our work for we serve y^e lord

Christ a gratious & bountifull master we have his bosome to lay our heads in & to pour

out our hearts into, we may make our moan to him as Gods messengers in such cases

have done: They murmured against moses & moses cryed unto y^e lord 15 Exod 24 25

Hee was a derision dayly but yet he could say that he had not hastened from being a pastor

he did not allow hims rashly to desire or indeavour to be discharged from his work though

he found little acceptance with or incorragem^t from men Jer. 17.16.^__________

                                                          Novemb. 1673.

B^r John Johnson made a complaint to me of B^r Remington that having soeld him an

ox Gate & some meadow some 7 or 8 years since, & B^r Johnson neglecting to get deads

of what he had bought of him he now refused to give him any but required the land again

and put a beast upon the gate in y^e ox pasture, proposing to hold it by virtue of a

law w^ch sayth noe sale of land shall be good in law if it be not assured to y^e byer

by deads sealed & witnessed : S P. spake to him privately to take heed of such unbro

therly & dishonest carriage towards brother Johnson but he was not moved by anything

that was sayd but resolved to have y^e land again w^ch he had sold & take in y^e pay

off: afterward I sent to him to him to give me a meeting & take one or two & B^r

Johnson as many whom y^y pleased that soe we might help him with light & diffuse

the matter more privately but he refused to attend any such meeting rather desiring

it might be brought to y^e church : before I acquainted the church w^th it I went to him

alone & desired him not to persist in his former