I am bold uppon both what I have seene in you and heard of you, to desire you to heare and declare my just defence of mine innocency, in and concerninge some unhappy differences lately risen in this our poore dissevered and therefore distracted plantation betweene my brother Knollis and my selfe. Lest I should be guilty of my owne wrongs by not timely apologizinge, yet I will write as in the presence of the Lord. Beinge by Gods providence brought hither I found a people in a Church-way and a Pastor and so joyned to them to partake of and submitt unto the ordinances of our Lord and Kinge amonge them accordinge to his will to be administred, and (lest I be tedious) some time after received a call to office viz. to be teacher to the Church, and (though not suddainly) yet at lengh yeilded to become so as was desired, withall desiringe that mine ordination might be deferred untill I might both be better satisfied in some things about it not to me so cleare as to other my Reverend brethren, and also might have it solemnely done (if done at all) in presence of some other Elders which I intended to advize with and invite hither in time convenient, conceivinge that without offence I might prophesie and dispence by the key of Charitie, though not by a key ministeriall as I perceive most thinke I cannott by virtue of mine former dedication to God by the layinge on of the hands of the presbetery in England, leavinge all ministeriall administration (for feare of offence) to my Brother, ordained by one of them pastor of the said church. So we went one together lovingly A While, untill My poore brother began to ball about that prime evidence etc. and under the name of Legalists to fire the comfort and shake the faith of such poore weake ones, as yet might be possessed of the faith of Christ, though not of that reflect act, etc., the controversie is not new, 318you know. Well, as if he had studied nothinge else or thought nought else needfull to be discoursed of in publique he setts to it with might and maine, to the offence of not only my selfe but all most every member of our church, callinge mourninge and prayinge etc. an Idole in one Sermon and in another interpretinge Jer. 12. 2 to be meante of beinge rooted and bringinge foorth fruits in the church, which plainly is meante of outward prosperitie as to me seemeth. (But lest I cloy you) I after exercise on the Sabboth, beinge the 3d of the 11 moneth, tooke occasion to lay before the church the errour at least danger as I said of his discourse, havinge before privately often reasoned with him about the point. A short answere he gave and it was accepted in that part of it in which he offered to submitt to other Churches, and so we went one in the afternoone as before quietly. But his spiritt beinge impatient of conceited disgrace, breakes out in private incredibly to one John Baker not unknowne to you to this purpose that his Doctrine was of Christ and would stand when mine would fall to the ground that he would preach it and preach it againe that he would no more come to humour me in my pride that I might depart when I would for soe I did differ in 22 things which he had to shew etc. After proceedinge there was a church meetinge; I craved Satisfaction, he insteede thereof sitts downe and begins a complaint, consistinge of many branches, which he read out of a Paper and so goes to a table and craves mine Answere and said he would write it. I som whatt amazed to see such wild doings, spake what the church disliked nott and so we spent one whole day which was the fifth day of the weeke puttinge of what was further to be done unto the Sabboth, intendinge after the eveninge exercise but He gave foorth Words that he would deale with one of our Magistrates and mee first of all before any exercise should goe one and indeede was ready in the meetinge house so to doe in a marvelous stiffe way had not the Magistrates interposed wherevppon, protestinge against the Church he went out and some 2 or 3 more the rest stayinge. We went on with Gods Worshipp as God enabled, apointinge the next whole day for a meetinge mixt of the church and also of the Magistrates as magistrates which day beinge spent untill eveninge our Magistrates were pleased to enjoine him silence untill some course were taken to appease these hurliburlyes. But so farre was his spiritt from stoopinge as that foort with he departs to goe to the bay sayinge that he would goe to all the Magistrates and elders, to spreade abroade my opinions which, as they are not to the businesse in hand so neither can his weake head I doubt me easily understand them. What the Opinions be that he hath by this time blazed I hold I doe not certainly know, but I heare of some few scattered in the way towards the Bay, viz. that Christ is not the Head of the visible Church, That the church of 319Rome is a true church, That Ordination must be performed by Elders, That there is not an Absolute necessitie of sett private meetings, that the Church cannot excommunicate kings, that kings and Princes and also Magistrates, are Gods Ministers in church affaires, That they haue power to call Counsells and appoint Church meetings and to sitt not only as members but Magistrates, That they may silence suppresse and Banish Ministers in some Cases, That It is not a Barr to hinder Church fellowshipp to be vnregenerated allwaies, That the Callinge of Ministers in England is not Antichristian and the like. As he divulgeth them, I cannot tell what to say for some things I have said like unto all this, But desire first to settle plainly what he layeth to my charge in these or any other suggestions and then I shall I hope give satisfaction to all Gods people one way or other. Errare possum haereticus esse nolo, God beinge my helper, to whom I can appeale with a good conscience in my proceedings professing that his wild and weake and pope-like carriage in this Church, and Odde Phrases in Sermons, unwarrantable and unpatternd expositions of Scripture, and other Absurd yet impudent practizes have putt me in private reasoninge upon the heate of oppositions, wherein if I have in that heate spoken things unsound (which yet I am not conscious of) when light shall be sett up I hope the spiritt of trueth will guide me to walke accordinge to it. In the meane time as you can I shall desire you to prevent my hanginge, untill I have answered for my selfe which I the rather hope you will doe because you know what in his passion he wrote of the Bay into England etc. Verbum sapienti sat. The Lord Jesus blesse you truly noble Sir and all yours and continue you still a Worthy Champion and father in his Israell. Yours to be disposed of in the Lord