108)                174              1678

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       again

To Joyne with such a church (yea pressing soe hard as if he would break open

       ^

the dore) & for what End it concerns himself to consider

We cannot alsoe but take notice, of what was publickly spoaken viz you gentlemen

of Rowley have a notable faculty of Exagerating : We have as much if not

more need to be warned to take heed of Extenuating & makeing little our own or

Others Sins, which will be found as dissonant from Scripture as the other not to say

more : The Platform well counsells us as not to be over rigerous in dealing w^th

offendours,[92] soe on the other hand that we daub not with untempered morter or

heal the hurt of our Brother slightly[93] : However if ther was more Exagerating then

the Rule will bear, & the nature of the offences, we conceive it might have bin

told us wherin & some indeavours for our conviction used, before we should have

bin publickly blamed for it

A great part of the offences if not the greatest for w^ch M^r Nelson was censured &

for w^ch y^e church remaines still offended untill God give him Repentance, The council

takes noe notice of them nor calls for acknowledgment from him  as.

1 Ther is noe acknowledgm^t in his paper of confession of his falls accusation of Deacon

Jewitt of dishonesty or unrighteousness in takeing from M^rs Rogers heap 5^£ worth of corn

which was her due & putting it to M^r Phillips his heap This was proved before

church & council to be a fals accusation, now falls accusers are amongst them that

make y^e last times perilous 2 Tim 3. 2.

2 It was evil that he dealt not with the Deacon alone for his unrighteousness in 17 years

time, but behind his back accused him before several : he had confession upon confession

for a like failure towards himself, and yet all too little to satisfy him, & yet we must

be satisfied without any, as to both these particulars. ^––

3 That he should noe more regard the Rule, not the good of his Brothers soul but to

let his unrighteousness lye 17 years & more without dealing with his mote, or once

telling him off it though he seems in his larg paper to own that he was privy to

his dishonesty soe long since

4 we want light as yet to judg any otherwise of his Speeches to B^r Leaver (namely If I

be deceived thers noe god in heaven) then formerly that it was a blasphemous speech

and the worse in y^t he was told by one by another, before he spake those words) y^t

he was certainly deceived, & y^t he was soe hath bin plainly proved before church and

council : And under y^s head we find not the council blameing M^r Nelson for having

his Brother to court, notwithstanding notice he had soe abundantly acknowledged his

irrregularity in speaking of that blasphemous speech to 2 or 3 before he had dealt

with himself alone about it, yet would not forgive him though the Rule requires

it 17 Luke 4 & his covenant bound him to it to walk according to y^e Rule this

was an unchristian unbrotherly part : Ther is rarely a fault y^t you goe to law

one with another, that is, when it may be prevented by full satisfaction for any damage

sustained in state or name : M^r Nelson was blamed for this act by the court, de-

=horted from it by Brethren before he went : If it were verily a fault it was verily to be acknowledged Coll 3.13.

5 As To his prayer the Reverend Council calls them over bold Expressions, we did

apprehend & still doe that they were over profane; & a Scandelous takeing gods

name in vayne, whilst he appeals to gods omnisciency that what he accused officer

and brethren off before god was true (when y^r was noe truth in what he accused y^m of)

Alsoe Imprecating Gods revenge upon them, ffor these things to be accounted onely

overbold Expressions, we understand not the ground of it : Soe much might be say^d

of the holyest prayer y^t ever any meer man made : Abraham in his prayer for So

dome, several times intreats the lord not to be angry,[94] feering he should be over

bold with God soe to plead, seing he was but dust and ashes.

6 As to his actings about the deaf lad, we still conscientiously protest that we look upon