THE LEPER CLEANSED, OR THE REDUCTION Of an Erring CHRISTIAN. Being a Narrative of Richard Ballamie of Tiverton his falling off to Anabaptism and of his returning to the Truth, with the causes and occasions of both. Wherein he is not only cleared from the Anabaptists unjust Excomunicating of him for leaving them, but their unchristian ways and wilds to deceive are also laid open. By him Published, to caution young ignorant Christians against the error of that way. Esaiah 29. 24. They also that erred in spirit, shall come to understanding; and they that murmured shall learn Doctrine. London, Printed, and are to be sold by Francis Eglesfield at the Marigold in S. Paul's Churchyard. 1657. The Leper Cleansed, IT may seem strange to all that know me, to see me in print; and if any that see me thus appear, judge that it is me main business to vindicate myself, they are mistaken; I am partly driven to this by the irregular proceed of those who have judged me as an offender, and yet would not give me liberty to speak for myself: So that I am enforced to speak this way, or to justify them by my silence; but that which most of all prevails with me is, 1. A desire to give glory to God in acknowledging his mercy, who hath opened my eyes and shown me the error of my way. 2. I judge it my duty, to labour to undeceive all the simple and plain hearted. 3. I think it as necessary to discover the hypocrisy of some that lie in wait to deceive, and by cunning insinuations and pretences draw aside many souls to their own loss, if not to their destruction. It is notoriously known to all the inhabitants of Tiverton, that I was deeply engaged in that way, which is commonly known by the name of Anabaptists; yea, so far as that I though, I was bound to oppose all that dissented from that way, as being antichristian; and so zealous was I to promote that interest, that I forsook my relations, & left my Father's house, not caring for any society, but such as were for that way; refusing to join in prayer with such as differed from me in that, though otherwise godly. Thus I continued for the space of near two years, but at last God was pleased to cause me to reflect upon myself and ways, and by some special providences (of which I shall by and by give an account) he made me willing to stand upon the ways and see, and inquire for the way of the Lord; for until this time I was so filled with prejudice against the public ministry, that I refused all conferences and debates with any (though offered with never so much mildness) concerning the way in which I was: or if I did at any time admit of any, it was to defend and not to examine it: but now God having put some check upon my spirit; I began to lay things in the balance, and observing another people in this place, walking under Ordinances, and joined with the public ministry; such thoughts as these are would come in sometimes. We say, we are in the way of God, & they say they are in the way of God: May not I all this while be mistaken? Though I often opposed such thoughts as these, yet they returned upon me by my observation; for I could not but take notice that those I walked withal, were loser both in their principles and practices, than those I dissented from; I found them sleight in their thoughts of the Sabbath, and that they observed that day rather out of policy than out of conscience; not so much to sanctify the name of God, as to keep their hearers from attending the public Ministry: they speak slightly of those that walked strictly and closely with God in duty; saying, that all the Religion of such lay in duties, but theirs was spiritual. I further observed, that their families were without prayer generally; their children without instruction; and surely their constant neglect of duties in their families, made me grow very careless of mine in private. The consideration of these things, made me begin to inquire whether this were the truth which I professed. From henceforth I resolved to consider what was objected against the way I was in, and to weigh the Arguments I had slighted, because I saw many serious godly people did live in the profession & practice of that which I opposed. And upon serious enquiring into the Word, and earnest seeking of God, it pleased the Lord to satisfy me in the truth: and in particular touching these two controverted truths: 1. That the Covenant of grace, stands now in force to the children of believers under the Gospel. 2. That this is a sufficient ground by God's appointment, why the children of believers should be baptised: this is evident from many scriptures in the new Testament, which the Anabaptists have endeavoured often to obscure; I shall only mention one, which was as full to me, Act. 2. 39 The Promise is to you, and to your children; the Anabaptists have laboured to darken this truth, by persuading the world to believe that children have no right to the Promise, till they are actually called, which they would infer from the last claim of the forementioned Text. But by considering I saw their mistake in the Text, (Call) hath no relation to children but to them afar off. 1. Because the children are joined with their Parents in the promise which is an entire proposition in the Text. 2. If children should be excluded from the promise, this could not have comforted the Parents, but have sadned them, that their children should be the same with heathens. Now here the scope of the Text is urged by the Apostle for consolation. 3. If so; Then this could not encourage the Parents to submit to these under this administration but would have hindered them that their children should be excluded from the promise, who stood in it for 2000 years before, under the other administration. 4. If so then, children would be superfluous in this Text, and so the spirit of God would be charged with tautologies, which would be blasphemy to affirm. 5. The tense is changed, the promise is to you and your children, in the present tense; but when he speaks of the call, he speaks in the future tense; as many as God shall call which must needs be applied to them afar off, and not to children. 6. If their interpretation hold good, there would be a very great charge in the extent of the covenant, narrower under the Gospel than it was under the law, and no notice in all the Book of God given of such a change. 7. If their interpretation be true, than the believing Jews should have loss by their repentance, if their children should be excluded from the Promise, as soon as the Parents had repent. 8. Then they could have no hope of their children, for hope without promise is presumption. 9 If children should be excluded from the promise, let any man breathing show me what privilege the children of repenting parents have above others? Now it is clear the Apostle adds children in the Text, to show that they had some special privilege above those that were yet uncalled. 10. Then how could the blessing of Abraham come to the Gentiles according to Gal. 3. 14. which blessing of Abraham was, I will be a God unto thee, and thy seed, Gen. 17. 7. 11. Then how can believers be heirs according to Gal. 3. 29. if their children should be excluded from the promise, for the children's right to the promise is a part of the father's Inheritance (For) the promise is to thee and thy seed. Lastly if children be excluded from the promise, it seems the Apostle went about rather to deceive his hearers then to inform them; it is very unlikely the Apostle would use the same dialect of the Covenant that was formerly used to Abraham (I am thy God the God of thy seed, the promise is to you and your children) if it had been his mind, that children should be excluded, I wish that men would with unbyased hearts weigh those things, and you should see that the children of believers as in the promise. Further I observe that the promise is to be considered two ways. 1. As it is invisibly made, so it is alone to the Elect. As it is visibly made, so it is with visible professors and their children; whoever is in Covenant in the first sense, can never fall away. But many may be in Covenant in the latter sense, who may afterwards degenerate and fall away. Here let the impartial Reader take notice that the Covenant, as it is visibly exhibited, is the ground for Baptism; seeing the subjects of the Covenant internally are known to God alone, this distinction of the Covenant is clear from Rom. 9 4. where the Apostle says, the Covenant pertains to them, and yet the Apostle was in great heaviness for them, vers. 2. It's clear from Acts 3. 25. where the Jews are called the Children of the Covenant, and yet but few of them internally in the Covenant. It's clear from john 1. 11. where they are called, Gods own, which could not be by creation, for so all are his own; neither could it be by special grace, for saith the Text, they rejected Christ: Then it must needs follow, that there was a visible Church-covenant or covenant of grace visibly exhibited, that gave them a claim to God. In a word this must be acknowledged by the Anabaptists themselves, else how can they call themselves a visible Church of Christ, if there be no visible exhibition of the Covenant to give men such a visible relation; for there is no claim to God but by Covenant. In this sense we are to understand, the children of Believers, in the promise according to the meaning of the Apostle in Act. 2. 39 Now this Covenant right, is a ground which God himself lays down, why any should be baptised, Act. 2. 38. he requires baptism, vers. 39 shows the reason For the promise is to you. Here I desire the reader to take notice, how the word of command depends upon the word of promise, and with an inseparable union and Connextion there is between the command and the promise, the same reason alleged by the Apostle, why the parent should be Baptised is rendered by the same Apostle, as a reason why the children should be Baptised, (for the promise is to you and your Children) nay the very same command expressed to baptise the one is implied to baptise the other, for if some or any to whom the promise is made, may not be baptised there can be no force in the Apostles argument. Thus the Lord satisfied me about Infant-baptisme. Being thus far satisfied I went to hear the public Ministry, but this coming to the ears of the Anabaptists, there came three of their society the next day to me to have an account concerning this thing; I told them if they please to come at a time appointed I would give them the reasons of my withdrawing from them; and accordingly they came, the preachers & the principalest among them, where I gave them an account of my withdrawing from them, as many of my friends can bear witness, which was as followeth, 1. Their denying the children of Believers a right to the Covenant. 2. Living in constant neglect of an Ordinance of Christ (viz.) singing of Psalms. 3. For neglecting of Family duty, maintaining it to be a man's liberty, not his duty to pray in his Family. 4. For denying the power of the Magistrate for punishing of evil doers: (to wit, Quakers.) 5. For slighting the public Ministry. I offered to give them a farther account of my withdrawing from the hypocrisy and wickedness of one William Facye, who is their present Paitor, but they refused to hear, and desired I would not cast dirt to their face; I desired that they would please to give an account what they had against me; but I could get nothing but this from them (viz.) You are withdrawn from us, and have neglected your place amongst us. Then they solicited me again to return to them, but seeing they could not prevail, they summoned me to appear before them such a day. I told them if I might have the liberty to bring some friends of mine with me, I would meet with them; this being granted and the day assigned, I desired Mr. Fortescue Lowman Minister of the Word in Cadlie, with some other friends to be present, whom I found very ready, and accordingly at the time appointed, came with me to their meeting, where were present some of the ablest of that party in these parts, Both from Plymouth, Dartmouth, Totnes, Bonytracy, Bompton and several other parts, whom they had invited to assist them; and it is remarkable to behold the just hand of the Lord, who will not bear with sin, nor suffer his truth to fall to the ground; assoon as we came into their meetting, it pleased the Lord to strike such a damp upon their spirits, and cast them into such an hurry, that not a man among them would engage to justify their proceeding, but one Thomas Class (who was not of that society, but a Teacher of a company of them at Bonytracy) in the name of the rest of the Anabaptists, desired that all such as were not members of their society would withdraw. I told them if my friends should not be present with me according to appointment, I would withdraw also (knowing the inconveniency of being with them alone, when there was no one to testify the plain truth of things) He told me if I would deny the authority of Christ and his Church, I might. Unto whom I replied; That the authority of Christ I did own, but your authority I did deny. William Facy not willing to be laid open, joined with this motion, and desired my friends to withdraw: Then Mr. Lowman told them he had something to propose to them before he did withdraw, if they pleased, Thomas Glass replied, pray withdraw, for you have nothing to do here. So we withdrew, and one of my friends said, Report no more that we refuse to give you a meeting: which false report they have often spread to deceive the simple, and to carry on their design by persuading the ignorant into an opinion, that such as differ from them, have nothing to say from God's word to justify their practice. The same night came Thomas Glass (it is worth enquiring, why they sent not their own Pastor William Facy, if they were not ashamed of him or he to look on me) and one of his brethren to my house with a message from the rest of the Anabaptists, to declare that they had rejected me. Mr. Lowman being present, desired to know by what Rule they walked to reject a man for withdrawing upon such just and reasonable grounds, as I had before urged: But Thom. Glass refused to entertain any conference with him for his satisfaction, and told him they had nothing to do with him; and being asked, why they denied my friend's liberty to be present in their meeting, accordicg to appointment, and refused to give Mr. Lowman liberty to propose what he had to offer them. Thomas Glass broke out in a pettish fit, saying, That we had attempted to disturb them in the worship of God, and charged us with abusing the name of God, and his people with inciviliry, dishonesty and want of knowledge; and withal affirmed, that he was employed by the rest of his Brethren to tell us so: Unto which Mr. Lowman replied, If you are employed by your Brethren to give us such language, pray be pleased to return this message again, That I humbly conceive they have done us the wrong, to appoint such a meeting with us, and when we came, to deny us liberty to be present; and now to send such language after us. 1. We did not disturb you in your worship of God, for we did neither see nor hear you about any religious exercise when we came, neither did we speak a word till you bid us departed, neither were uncivil with you, for we withdrew according to your desire. Tho. Glass being desired to show some reason for giving such slanderous words, replied, that he was not come to dispute, but to declare in the name of their Church that they had rejected me, the particulars of my charge, was as followeth. 1. That I had withdrawn from their society; and neglected my place amongst them. 2. That I had vilified some of their Brethren, whom I had forgiven. 3. That I had vilified some of their Brethren for denying Magistracy, neglect of family duty, singing of Psalms. 4. That I had abused my father in law. These things put together, Tho. Glass & one more of his Brethren did in the name of the Church, declare me guilty of Blasphemy [You may judge this was a learned assembly that brought this charge to such a conclusion] and they were sent to tell me they had rejected me. Now that you may see the irregular proceed of such as pretend to religion and under that pretence draw away many poor souls from those means, which God hath blessed for their conversion and edification, to the end such may be warned to take heed, give me leave to answer to my charge and I shall speak nothing but the plain truth, and let the moderate judge where the guilt lies. for withdrawing from them. I judge it a great blessing, that the Lord hath so far opened my eyes as to bring me out from among them, which will easily appear if you remember the grounds I have alleged, and shall yet urge from their wickedness as well of practice as principles that I found amongst them; insomuch that I wonder how the sober amongst them could walk with them hitherto. But this I shall show you in answer in the second branch of my charge; which is a vilifying some members which (say they) I have forgiven. The occasion of this charge they bring against me is as followeth. William Facy, their present Pastor walked so disorderly, his wickedness was so great, that they could do no less than suspend him: But so slightly did they deal in the business that his suspension pretended repentance and admission again, was all within one week; shortly after he feigned himself mad, and began to play pranks with his wife: called for a basin to let out his blood, pretending that he would cut his throat, goes to cast his child in the fire, which child shortly after sickened and died; so much of this I was both an eye and ear witness unto: for his wife came crying to me, that she was afraid to abide with him in house; gave me a relation of these things, desiring me to come with her to her husband; when I came I found him on the bed: I asked him how he did, but he gave me no answer, after some time I had been there, he arose and goes from his house; this wickedness committed by him was deemed then by the Anabaptists (as was by afterward himself acknowledged) to be out of a design to get some money from his wife, having married a widow which kept certain bills or bonds of debt in some friends hands, lest he should consume it▪ for which the Anabaptists suspended him again, and in a little time received him again; wherein I was never satisfied to this day, and in testimony of my dissatisfaction I refused to sit down with them at the Lords table ever since. Now they charge me for vilifying some of their members, when I speak nothing but the plain truth in declaring against their sins and they say I have forgiven him, when I were thus unsatisfied in his repentance, and now judge it but feigned; for he that could so artificially counterfeit madness, could easily counterfeit sadness. 1. He cries down the public Ministry; for taking of tithes, when as shortly after that his Brothers had admitted him to their Communion and fellowship, he tells them, that unless they would engage to give him 80l. by the year he would leave them. 2. He is a notorious liar that makes little conscience of his word, and hath reported many untruths, touching the public Ministers of Tiverton, nay justify himself in lies when he is reproved. There was a young man who wrote notes after Mr. Lowman, preaching upon the Doctrine of the Covenant in Tiverton; which notes this young man delivered to one of the Anabaptist who gave them to William Facy, within three or four days after, this young man came to William Facy and demanded these notes which he plainly and peremtorily denied saying, he had them not. But William Facy with drawing the room, the young man espies those notes on the table, and takes them into his hand; William Facy comes in, and perceiving the notes in his hand takes the notes by force out of his hand, when the young man reported this to some of his friends, William Facy comes to this young man, and calls him liar before his master (the young man being then a servant;) but the young man produced another to testify the truth of this matter, who was with him at William Facyes house, and heard him deny the Sermon notes; afterwards Mr. Lowman meeting with William Facy reproved him for lying: William Facy to justify himself, tells Mr. Lowman that the young man had cleared him in this matter before his master, which being examined was found a lie. [So here were three lies, 1. He denies the Notes, 2. He denies that he did deny them, 3. He affirms that the young man had cleared him, which were all false.] Several untruths hath William Facy reported, which upon examination hath plainly and clearly appeared so to be; yet they continue him their pastor. Yet they themselves have given it under their hands, that he is not fit to manage a discourse to vindicate their practice and way in which they now walk. For there was a dispute appointed between Mr. Lowman & William Facy, which was occasioned by some opposition from the Anabaptists in Brampton, where William Facy & his followers came and opposed Mr. Lowman in the Pulpit, who entertained some discourse with him before the Congregation, and then referred it to a day of public dispute. The question to be debated was (whither the infants of believers were in Covenant.) But William Facy being desirous to new state the Question, came to Mr. Lowmans' house and in the presence of several, Swore upon the faith of a Christian, that the Question to be discoursed was not, whether Infants were in Covenant: But whether Infants were to be Baptised, (where you may see, that such as make little Conscience what they say, will make little Conscience what they swear,) Master Lowman reproving him for swearing; told him that the question to be discoursed should be given under each others hand; and if he desired to have the Question so stated, it should be done: the time and place was appointed, the Question stated, given in Writing. The Anabaptists willing to wave the business, employed a modest man of their own party, one Mr. Nathaniel Strange with some others of their Brethren, of which Thomas Glass was one, to come and treat with Mr. Lowman in order to wave the dispute. Mr. Lowman desired to know the reason of their retreat, they told him because William Facy was uncapable to manage such an undertaking. Mr. Lowman asked if they would give it under their hands, which accordingly they did, and subscribed it in the name of the rest of their Brethren; upon which the dispute was prevented: yet notwithstanding William Facy is their pastor. I wish that the plain hearted among them would but seriously consider, whether they can possibly expect a blessing from heaven, under such a man's Ministry, whose course I have a little hinted to you, and judge you whither I have not cause to withdraw where such iniquity is indulged. The third particular of my charge, is for charging some of the Anabaptists with denying magistrates and the neglecting of family duties and singing of Psalms. Let me tell you, I do not charge you without a cause, for those things abound in you at that rate▪ that seeing you and sin will not part, you and I must part; and though some of you are dear to me (whom I trust the Lord will convince in his due time) yet the Lord Jesus is nearer and dearer, whose communion I must, and through grace do prize before yours, had you & I continued it to be feared, the Lord & I should have parted: for while I sat under your ministry, I could never find that blessing which I have found from that ministry you despise. That tenderness which the Lord wrought upon my Spirit by the public ministry before I came among you, did much decay while I continued with you, and therefore 'tis no final mercy that the Lord hath brought me from you. 1. For denying the power of Magistrates it is notoriously known to many good people of Tiverton how you have carped at the Magistracy there for executing their power upon sabbath breakers and quakers, yea you confessed, & pleaded it against me, as many of my friends can testify, when I charged you with it, affirming that Magistrates had nothing to do with Quakers. 2. For neglect of family duties you cannot without blushing, say that I wrong you in charging the neglect of it upon you: being conscious to yourselves, that many of your families call not upon God, which I can confidently affirm upon my own personal knowledge, when I walked with you besides when I charged you with it, you affirmed that it was a man's Liberty and not his duty, to pray in his family, as my friends can testify who were then present. 3. For neglecting to sing Psalms an ordinance of Christ, you never performed this duty in your assemblies, but when I charged you with this, you affirmed it to be no better than ballads, as my friends can testify also. I come to the fourth and last particular of my charge for abusing my father. But whether by word or deed, or in what manner you gave me no account; But sure I am, if I were guilty of such a thing, you never reproved me: I must confess that when I walked with you through your instigation I took up many hard thoughts, both of my father and mother, because they laboured to convince me of mine error: yea and I left my father's house upon this very account, as I have hinted before, but through mercy, the Lord hath showed me my evil in so doing, yet you were never the people that admonished me all the while I walked with you. But now you act as if you would rejoice if you could take up any thing to reproach me and set variance between the father and the son. But had I been guilty of every syllable of which you charge me with, how can you bring it to Blasphemy. The truth is Thomas Glass, made many sad shifts to mince the matter, when he was desired to make forth wherein I had been guilty of Blasphemy. But let all modest sober Christians judge, whither that which lies in the bottom be not my discovering their wickedness, and withdrawing from them, though I could not in conscience continue longer with them, when God said, Come out from among them; which makes them to forge something against me: and let the reader judge where lies the guilt. Thus I have given you a brief Narrative of the principals and practices of these Anabaptists, having walked with them and tried them; and likewise an account of God's gracious dealing in bringing me from them, to attend the public ministry, and of their unjust proceed against me in this matter. If the good Lord make it useful for the good of any poor soul to undeceive him, and bring him into the way of God, or to prevent any from departing out of God's way, I shall rejoice, so that God may not lose his glory, nor any of his people lose their comfort: which if you tender, be sure to prise, those ways in which you received the first conviction, lest you one day lie down in sorrow for going away from God, and from the striving of his Spirit. Let me ask you that have withdrawn from that Ministry; to whom you can say, we are your work of the Lord: have you the same tenderness, the same affections to God, that you once had in former days: are not these much decayed? O return from whence you are fallen and repent. And now I shall conclude by giving the reader an account of the sad experience that I have had in two year's digression from the public ministry in Tyverton, which God did at first bless to the awakening of my soul. 1. I do not remember that I have had one Conviction under all the sermons which I heard whilst I walked with them; But that sense of my condition which I had before did abate and by little and little, fall away; after I turned my back upon the means which God made use of in working upon me. Therefore I beg of all those upon whose hearts God is working to take heed of despising or slighting those instruments with whom God is present. 2. I was drawn off by these men, when I was in the greatest probability of receiving good from the ministry that ever I was: For I do remember still the Impressions which were made upon my soul by those truths which I heard from Mr. Chishull a little before I was thus drawn aside, which did work mightily to conviction and to resolution in me, but the devil envying my prosperity, sent me this Thorn in the flesh, and their Insinuations and temptations did so prevail with me, that I left this ministry to attend on them; which was but a diversion from the work of my soul and I find that whereas before I had somethings of weigh: upon my spirit, these were soon laid aside, and I had nothing to do but to dispute about baptism, and to rail against ministers; so that my former awakenings were turned into drowsiness and doting about questions. 3. As I found no profit myself by attending upon their teaching; so I observed little to any other. Nay it hath been not only mine but the experience of others, who have constantly attended them as long as myself, that there was nothing but deadness of Spirit, to be gained there, which hath at last caused them to desert them also. 4 They are very vigilant and watchful to find out any that are convinced and awakened under the public ministry, and when they begin to see things a little darkly and confusedly, they take the advantage of this twilight in which their souls are to put off their commodities, where their souls have some tenderness, and yet a great deal of ignorance, they are fit to be wrought upon by them for by reason of the first, they dare not neglect a Command of God, and by reason of the second, it appears to them that it is necessary to be dipped. And they effect this especially by these means, First showing them very much kindness, and pretending very great love and bowels of pity to their souls, and they stand like Absalon in the gate by fair speeches to draw the hearts of people from their Ministers. 2. By promising them very much peace in their way, and telling how much peace they have found since they entered into this way; and this is a very great notice to souls, who have some troubles accompanying their awakeing, and indeed there are very few of their hearers or followers troubled in Spirit, for they want a searching Ministry. I fear they get such a peace as I did by losing my conviction. 3. When they see that any do incline to them and their way in judgement, they do press them to a speedy submission to Baptism, that they may not have time to deliberate about it, or to go to the Minister, or any christian friends to advise. 4. Let me therefore from my experience, warn all young Christians to watch in this case; for know that if the devil cannot keep off the word from your hearts, he will then draw you off, if it be possible, from that word and Ministry which he sees doth profit you. And doubtless he hath gotten much by this design; And many souls will at last lament what I now do (viz.) that they were so soon persuaded to leave the means in which God did vouchsafe to struggle with their souls, and if any such Temptation do come in your way, I beseech you to deliberate about it, and though it be backed with promises of peace; yet inquire whither that which others call peace, may not be more fitly called slumber. 5. I have seen how they labour to hold those by policy, whom they have gained by craft; they hinder all that incline to them from hearing any that descent from them as much as in them lies, though never so godly, Nay though they acknowledge that they have been the Instruments of their Conversion. Nay they do abstain from all society with Christians that are principalled & settled in their judgements, & able to defend them; lest any of their weak ones should hear any thing that contradicts their principles: so that it is nothing but ignorance, of what is to be said against their principles and practices, that keeps the greatest part of their followers to them. Let me therefore beg you, that would know the truth, to weigh what is brought against, as wield as what is to be spoken for your opinion, for it is an argument of weakness and guilt when we eat the trial: The papists are Conscious that their opinions and practices would not stand if the Scriptures should be opened to the people, and doubtless many of you do fear what would follow, if your hearers should know what ministers do or can offer to the people against your way. But it is easy to keep them to you, who must receive your interpretations of Scriptures and no other. 6. They do press very vigorously obedience to all the commands of God, and in Generals they will seem zealous of or God, and holiness: But when it comes to particulars, all their zeal runs out into a submission to their way; as if there were nothing of that weight that Dipping is on; But for the mortification of sin, for the setting up of Religion in Families, for performing the respective duties of their Relations; these are not minded, so that I must profess though I have heard them est revile Ministers as Scribes and Pharisees; yet I never saw any Generation of men, that did more resemble the Scribes and Pharisees than they in this, in that they laid up their Religion much in little things, in certain washings, and so did these: they have more charity many of them for Quakers and Ranters, then for those that conform not to the Baptism. I speak not this of all, for as I have said; I believe there is a mixture of godly amongst them, for whose sakes I write these things, that they may be warned. And now I bless the Lord, that he hath brought me back again, and given me a taste of the sweetness of the public Ministry in this place: And that I find God meeting my soul, and stirring a fresh upon my spirit; and I cannot but pray and mourn for those that yet remain under the temptations, with which I was holden a long time: I trust yet, that the time is coming, that many more of them will see the evil of their ways as I have done; and be humbled as I have been; and desire yet to be more and more before the Lord. FINIS.