among them, any should so step aside, as to offer to wrong or prejudice his neighbour; we do boldly aver, as a people gathered together by the Lord, unto the same faith, and distinguished from all others by our joint-testimony and sufferings, that we have power and authority to decide and remove these things among ourselves, without going to others to seek redress. And this in itself hath so much reason, that I cannot tell if any, that are not wholly prejudicate or obstinate, can blame it. For if we be of one mind concerning faith and religion, and that it be our joint interest to bring all others unto the same truth with us, as supposing them to be wrong, what confidence can we have to think of reclaiming them, if the truth we profess have not such efficacy as to reconcile us among ourselves in the matters of this world: if we be forced to go out to others for equity and justice, because we cannot find it among ourselves, how can we expect to invite them to come among us, when such virtues, as which still accompany the truth, are necessarily supposed to be wanting? Should we affirm otherwise, it were to destroy the truth and faith we have been, and are, in the Lord's hand, building up and indeed the spirit and practice of such as oppose us herein, hath no less tendency.

Moreover, besides the enforcing and intrinsic reason of this thing, we have the concurrence approbation and comfort of the apostle's testimony, 1 Cor. 6. Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? If it be objected, do you reckon all unjust that are not of you? Think ye all other people void of justice?

I answer, though the apostle useth this expression, I am persuaded he did not reckon all others unjust, that had not received then the christian faith. There were, no doubt, moral and just men among the heathen; and therefore the same Paul commends the nobility of Festus. He there reckons them unjust in respect of the saints, or comparatively with them, as such as are not come to the just principle of God in themselves, to obey it and follow it: and therefore though he accounts them, who are least esteemed in the church, capable to decide such matters: yet he supposeth it safer to submit to their judg ment in such cases, though it were by taking wrong, or suffering wrong, than to go before others to the greater reproach of the truth. We hope, though many occasions of the kind have fallen in among us, since we have been a people, none have had just occasion to decline our judgment. And though some should suppose themselves to be wronged; yet if they should bring their matter before others, we might say, as the apostle saith in the fore-mentioned chapter, ver. 7. This were thereby a fault in them, and would evidence a greater care of some outward concern, than of the honour and interest of truth; and therefore such as have a tender regard that way, would rather suffer what, to their apprehensions, may seem wrong. For in matters wherein two parties are opposite in the case of Meum and Tuum; it is somewhat hard to please both; except were the power of truth, and the righteous judgment thereof reaching to that of God in the conscience, hath brought to a true acknowledg

ment him that hath been mistaken, or in the wrong; which hath frequently fallen out among us, to the often refreshing and confirming our souls in the certain belief, that Christ was fulfilling his promises among us, In restoring judges, as at the first, and counsellors, as in the beginning.

Now, suppose any should be so pettish, or humorous, as not to agree in such matters to the judgment of his brethren, and to go before the unbelievers (for though I reckon them not such unbelievers as the heathen of old, because they profess a faith in God and Christ; yet I may safely say, they are unbelievers as to these principles and doctrines, which we know are the truth of God; and in that sense must be unbelievers as to him, that so appealeth to them from his brethren.) I say, such as so do, first commit a certain hurt, and evil, in staining the honour and reputation of the truth they profess, which ought to be dearer to us than our lives. And even in that outward matter, for which they thus do, they run a hazard, not knowing whether things shall carry, as they expect: if they lose, they have a double prejudice; if they gain, it is at too dear rate, even with the hurt of truth's reputation, which their outward advantage cannot make up. If then it be unlawful to do evil, that good may come of it, even a spiritual good; far less is it lawful to do a positive evil, of so deep a dye as to bring an evil report upon the good land, and give the uncircumcised an occa sion to rejoice: out of the uncertain hope of an outward gain, it is far better to suffer loss, as the

apostle very well argues in the place above-mentioned.

Indeed, if there be any such, who have been, or appear to be of us, as suppose, There is not a wise man among us all, nor an honest man, that is able to judge betwixt his brethren; we shall not covet to meddle in their matter, being persuaded, that either they, or their cause is nought. Though (praises to God) among all those that have gone from us, either upon one account or other, I never heard that any were so minded towards us; but the most part of them having let in the offence of some things, or persons, have had this unanimous testimony concerning us, that generally we are an honest and upright-hearted people.

But whatever sense our enemies, or apostates have of us, who look asquint on the face of truth, and can see nothing aright in those they love not, or are prejudicate against: this we can say, in the last place (besides the reasons and Scripture above declared) that the good fruits, and effects which daily abound to the household of faith, in this, as well as the other parts of the government the Lord is establishing among us, doth more and more commend it unto us; and confirmeth our hearts in the certain belief of that, which we can confidently testify in good conscience, that God hath led us hereunto by his Spirit; and we see the hand of the Lord herein, which in due time will yet more appear; that, as through our faithful testimony in the hand of the Lord, that antichristian and apostatised generation, the national ministry, hath received a deadly blow by our discovering

and witnessing against their forced maintainance, and tythes, against which we have testified by many cruel sufferings of all kinds (as our chron icles shall make known to generations to come) so that their kingdom, in the hearts of thousands, begins to totter and lose its strength, and shall assuredly fall to the ground, through truth's prevailing in the earth; so on the other hand do we, by coming to righteousness and innocency, weaken the strength of their kingdom, who judge for rewards (as well as such as preach for hire) and by not ministering occasion to those, who have heaped up riches, and lived in excess, lust and riot, by feeding and preying upon the iniquities and contentions of the people. For as truth and righteousness prevails in the earth, by our faithful witnessing and keeping to it, the nations shall come to be eased and disburdened of that deceitful tribe of lawyers (as well as priests) who, by their many tricks and endless intricacies, have rendered justice, in their method, burdensome to honest men, and seek not so much to put an end, as to foment controversies and contentions, that they themselves may be still fed and upheld, and their trade kept up. Whereas by truth's propagation, as many of these controversies will die by mens' coming to be less contentious; so when any difference ariseth, the saints giving judgment without gift or reward, or running into the tricks and endless labyrinths of the lawyers, will soon compose them. And this is that we are persuaded the Lord is bringing about in our day, though many do not, and many will not see it; because it is indeed in a way different and contrary to men's wis