50         124                    1675

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Did my indeavour to remove them but they still desierd y^y might be now proceed

ing to admission; the captain & other brethren did much desier it, Answ. 1 we never

have admitted any w^th such dissent 2. M^r Shepard is offended w^th those brethren y^t dissent

& y^rfore canot joyne in sutable brotherly love 1^st be reconciled to thy brother 3. he

say^d he is resolved to be gone when y^e year is out nether o^r carriage to him nor mayntenence

is incouraging: 4 I did ask advise of several Elders and though some of y^m did think

we should admitt him if god had fitted him yet others were doubtfull: I mentioned y^e

advise that I mett w^th to y^e church viz for his ioyning as inclyning myself to y^r

iudgm^t that soe thought, but y^e brethren did soe farr express y^r dissent that I con

-ceived the matter rather required a councill then [-] an issue to be forct by

                                 it

a major vote, neither am I clear y^t is allowable for me to force a minister upon y^m

                                 ^    some of

o^r a member unto y^e church to y^e greif of the cheif brethren

                                       ^

___

Septemb 4 1674 Tho: Miller came to Rowley to seek for reconciliation w^th &

readmission into the Church of Christ therin, & brought letters testimoniall

from the Reverend Pastor & several brethren of the church of Middletowne wher his

abode Is  The letter Is as followeth

 Middletown y^e 24 6^th 1674.

Reverend honoured & beloved in y^e lord The church of X^st at Rowley

Wheras our neighbour Tho Miller w^th no smal inconvenience & difficulty

& yet w^th much earnestness & freedome of spirit (being as he say^th con

vinct of it as his duty) is addressing himself to your selves, in order to his re

conciliation, w^th purpose of heart as the Lord shall help him to make confes

sion of his great & greatly aggravated offence, giving glory to God & takeing

shame to himself: we thought it incumbent on & y^t w^ch would justly be ex-

=pected from us to say something relating therunto, which be pleased to accept as

follweth & improve as the lord shall direct:

Since his ejection from you, he hath behaved hims. soberly as one professing

godliness, And although (for some time) we found not that freedome & fullness

to acknowledg some of y^e waighty circumstances of his sin; yet of late we

hope hath bin more convinct therof, & sensible of y^e estate wherin he lyeth

And to such of us as have read y^or last to him (wherin you plainly & affecti

=onately lay before him wherin he was too stuck in his acknowledgement) he hath

freely & fully owned the same from particular to particular w^th voluntary

expatiating the same, & that with tears, soe he hath done to him in speci

=all who writeth these viz M^r Nathaniel Collings[22]

We farther informe, notwithstanding much weakness & indistinctness (w^ch we

doubt not but yoreselves will find, and all that know him best, is acquainted w^th

in him) yet if y^e lord pleases soe farr to appear as to greet him w^th open

heartedness & due sense to fall in w^th y^e matter of conviction, which it hath

pleased him to help you to affoard him formerly, together with what shall be

farther presented (a copy of his acknowledgm^t before the church, together

with his dismission being sent us) we know nothing in his conversation |sinc

his Excomunication that may justly forbid his reception here.

Wee have not to add but our prayers for him, to him who hath y^e key of

David that he would be pleased soe to open his heart & worde that as he

hath caused great dishonour to his precious name & great heaviness to

y^orselves; soe now by y^e manifestation of His sincere Effectuell return y^t

name may be glorified, your soules refreshed, & his own indeed restored