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uncertanty, yea for a falshood as he had ground to fear & that my self as well as
Brother Leaver told him before he uttered that speech that he was certainly mistaken
Blasphemy (sayth Mr Perkins Vol 1. page 443)[82] is when men use such speeches of god as
doe either detract anything from his majesty or ascribe any thing to him not beseem
=ing him____now this speech did detract from Gods majesty whilst his being on his throne
was denyed; if what a lyar sayd (for soe every man is if compared with God) was
not true If he had sayd as sure as god is in heaven it had bin bad but to express hims,
negatively god is not in heaven if what I affirme be not true was much worse
________
This aggravated in that instead of repenting of this speech to Br Leaver, (before
whome & in ye hearing of 2 more he spake it-) be summoned Br Leaver to ye court for
saying he had spoaked blasphemy, yea though brother Leaver had acknowledged his
fault 3 times & one of the 3 times on a lecture day
The faults he acknowledged were That he should at any time call it Blasphemy & not
add something for mitigation as that it was not highhanded & direct Blasphemy &
alsoe that he had spoaken of it to 2 or 3 before he had dealt privately with Mr Nelson
about it yet not withstanding he has him to court, an unchristian unbrotherly and
very sinfull act contrary to ye Rule 17 [-] Luke 4 (when god forgives he prosecutes not
the law) & contrary to his covenant to walk towards the brethren of this church ac
=cording to Rule 3 Coll.13.
Blasphemous speeches is one of the sins which according to the Scripture 1 Tim 1 ult & accor
ding to Mr Cotton (way) cap & ye platforme cap 14 sect 3.[83] calls for cutting off and yt
without waighting for Repentance or previous admonition
3) His profaneing & takeing Gods name in vayne in prayer whilst he acted the part of Sa
than to be a fals accuser of the Brethren & a reproacher of them to God yea appealing
to Gods omnisciency that what he accused them of was true, alsoe Imprecating Gods ven
geance on them: His words were thes viz
Lord the officer & Brethren, have conspired against us, yea lord the officer & Bre
=thren have conspired against us, Even to the takeing away our life, Lord thou know
=est it, but lord thou shalt reveng or aveng it
This Imprecation was Either a prophecy or a curse; Job could say be had not suffer
=ed his mouth to sin in in wishing a curse to his Enimise Job 31. 30. but this man suffered
his mouth to sin, in falsly accusing his freinds to God, & wishing a curse from God upon
them, & this without dealing with them for, or convincing them off any such evill as
he accused them off before God, alsoe when he was put in mind of these speeches in prayer
he justified himself therin, for when it was sayd (by a Brother) you possibly may justify it soe
you meant it of the Church of Roome & ye officer therof; he replyed I meant it of the Ch.
of Rowley and the officer therof, now whether this be not another instance of revil
=ing or rayling (and that in prayer) we leave it to consideration
It was sayd to him such a petioner was like to obtayne miracles by prayer, Is prayer
an ordinance for you to breath out your wrath in? & to lye to God in, & to promise to yor
self that god will be avenged on your officer & Brethren.
Prophets of old might by a spirit of prophecy, without private reveng Imprecate
upon Gods Enimise for God guided them therto & therin by his Spirit; But ther is noe man
on Earth now that can Imprecate vengance by Gods guidance or allowance upon any
particular person or persons, EXCEPT when any have made it Evident that they turn
open Enimise to God & his Church, or have apostatized wholy from ye truth, & Blaspheem
it, as in ye case of Julian the Apostate, : However his Imprecation should have bin
conditional, If they repent not, with prayer that they might soe doe, if we were such
as he accused us to be
The Apostle Jude teacheth us to pray in the holy Ghost, but what spirit (think we) credi
ed on this prayer 1 Tim 2 8 lifting up pure hands without wrath or doubting: In vayne
doe we think to find acceptance with God in prayer, when we come with wrath & re
=veng in our hearts against man
Incens under the law is a shadow of prayer, but it was to be compounded and alsoe
offered according to Gods order Levit 16.1 2 3. or Els it was abominable to God & noe
better then the blessing of an Idol 66 Isai 3. James tells us its a sad contradicti
on with the same mouth to bless God & to curse men &c.
4) His proud & presumptious if not Blasphemous Speeches & actings about the deaf
youth putting his finger into his Eare & giving a Comand Epatha be thou opened[84]
your Saviour did as much for he pleaded this before the church did not Christ
doe soe (And)
[82] William Perkins, Workes, 3 vols. (1616-31), vol. 1, “A Direction for the Government of the Tongue, According to God’s Word,” sec. 5, “Of trueth and reuerence in speech,” p. 443: “Here take heede of all manner of blaspheming, which is, when men use such speeches of God, as doe either detract any thing from his Majestie, or ascribe any thing to him, not beseeming him.”
[83] SP left a blank space, meaning to fill in chapter and section. Cotton, Way of the Churches of Christ in New-England, ch. V, sec. II, pp. 92-93: “And thus the Church proceedeth, in case the offence be private at first, and and lesse scandalous; but if the offence be publike, and hainous and grosly scandalous, such as is condemned even amongst the Heathens, by the light of nature; as those mentioned by the Apostle, 1 Cor. 5.11. Fornication, Adultery, Incest, Murther, Rayling, Extortion, and the like; or such as are generally accounted damnable and detestable amongst Christians, as Idola|try, Blasphemy, Prophaneness, &c. Wee take our selves bound to proceed more roundly against such.” Cambridge Platform, ch. XIV, sec. III, states that offenses of a public, heinous and criminal nature warrant excommunication, though blasphemy is not specifically mentioned.
[84] Mark 7:32 reads, “Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.”