according to the degrees of their offence, (which none of them were willing to see or acknowledge,) in some, to their removal out of the Patent; in others, to their disfranchisement only. With all which they were so dissatisfied, as that they generally, at least many of them, removed out of the Patent, and made a Plantation at Rhode Island, near the Narrhaganset Country, where their successors and their posterity are remaining at this day; so as the sentence of the Court was not prejudicial, but occasionally an advantage to their outward estate, being by that means seated in one of the fertilest places of the country; only, for fear of making great disturbance, which might have ruined them all, the authority of the Massachusetts was not willing to have them to abide longer amongst them within their jurisdiction.

At the same Court, also, was called in question one Mrs. Hutchinson, supposed to be the occasion of all the forementioned commotions in the Colony of the Massachusetts; whose name it is wished might have been forborne, out of respect to some of her family, long after and still surviving, noted for eminent piety, great integrity of judgment, and faithful service in the church of God.

This gentlewoman was of a nimble wit, voluble tongue, eminent knowledge in the Scriptures, of great charity, and notable helpfulness, especially in such occasions where those of that sex stand in need of the mutual help of each other; which was the opportunity usually taken for insinuating into the spiritual state of those she came amongst, telling them of the danger of being under a covenant of works; by which means the affections of those that labored under wants, and bodily infirmities, were notably prepared to become susceptible of any novel impressions; especially such as seemed to tend to the exalting of free grace, and depressing of the creature, and leaving all for Christ to do. And as when the devil attempted to ruin mankind by the insinuation of a new divinity, he began with Eve, and by her surprised her husband; the same course is still found the

most successful for that end, and was to admiration at this time verified in and about Boston.

When the said Mrs. Hutchinson was brought into the Court, it was laid to her charge, that she had a great hand in the public disturbance of the country, partly by erroneous opinions, which she broached and divulged, and partly by countenancing and encouraging such as sowed sedition therein, and partly by casting reproach upon the faithful ministers of the country, and their ministry, thereby weakening their hands in the day of the Lord, and raising prejudice against them in the hearts of the people. It was added, that they would either have her acknowledge and reform her errors, and other offences, or else they must take such a course with her, that she might trouble them no further. After a long agitation with her, she pressed to declare her mind about the manner of God's dealing with her; which having at last liberty to do, she expressed herself in a way of immediate revelation applying to herself, and her present condition, sundry texts of Scripture, as Jerem. xlvi. 28, and Isaiah xxx. 20, [and] viii. 9; adding, that the Lord spake that to her, with a strong hand, and also using that instance of Daniel, Dan. vi., where the princes and presidents sought something against him, concerning the law of his God, when they could find nothing else, and so concluded: "see this Scripture fulfilled this day in mine eyes, take heed what you go about to do unto me, &c. I am in the hands of the eternal Jehovah, my Savior." She insisted much upon that place of Scripture, Jer. xlvi. ult., "though I make a full end of all nations, yet will I not make a full end of thee;" which was very remarkable, as to the end that befel her, for ||within|| a very few years after the sentence of the Court, occasioning her to remove, first to Rhode Island, and not being contented there, she withdrew voluntarily into some remote part of the country, from her friends and neighbors at Rhode Island, (with whom neither could she agree,) she herself, with most, or many, of her family, were destroyed by the Indians, as shall be showed afterwards, when none else

in

were; whereby it is evident how dangerous a thing it is to trust to such pretended revelations, and neglect the word of God, which is our only rule, both as to faith and

manners.

The Court hearing of her thus speak, gathered from her own words that she walked by such a rule as cannot stand with the peace of any State or Church, for such bottomless revelations, if they be allowed in one thing, they must be admitted for a rule in all; and upon such a foundation were built the tragedies of Munster and other places, and might be also in America, if such things went on after this sort; for they who are above reason and Scripture will be subject to no control. The Court, therefore, finding no hope of her being persuaded to recal her opinions, or reform her way, judged it necessary to proceed against her by such a sentence as necessarily required her departure out of the country. The church likewise passed a sentence of excommunication upon her, by Mr. Cotton's consent and approbation, as well as of the church.1

This discovery of a new rule of practice by immediate revelation, and the consideration of such dangerous consequences, which have and might follow thereof, occasioned the Court to disarm all such of that party, as had their hands to the petition aforesaid, and some others who had openly defended the same, (which was a true shibboleth, whereby the disaffected were discovered,) except they would give satisfaction to the magistrates therein; which some presently did, about twenty in all: others made a great question about bringing in their arms, but they were too weak to stand it out, and therefore at the last submitted.2

CHAP. XXXIX.

The occasion of spreading erroneous opinions in New England, and much disturbance occasioned thereby in and about Boston, in the years 1636, 1637, etc.

MRS. HUTCHINSON, of whom large mention is made in the foregoing chapter, did by degrees discover two 'See page 336.

H

See Sav. Win. i. 247.-H.

dangerous errors, which she brought with her out of England, (it being not probable that she gathered them. from the ministry of Mr. Cotton, or any other minister in New England.) The one was, that the Holy Ghost dwelt personally in a justified person; the other was, that nothing of sanctification can help to evidence to believers their justification. From these two grew many other branches; as that our union with the Holy Ghost is such, that a Christian remains in himself dead to any spiritual action, and hath no gifts or graces, other than such as are in hypocrites, nor any other sanctification than the Holy Ghost himself. There joined with her in those opinions, or in some other very near them, one Mr. Wheelwright, brother-in-law to her, sometimes a silenced minister in England, of whom mention is also made in the former chapter.

The other ministers of the Bay hearing of those things, came to Boston about the end of October, 1636, in the time of the General Court, and entered a conference in private with the elders, and others there, to the end that they might know the certainty of these things; if need were that they might write to the church of Boston, about them, to prevent, (if it were possible,) the dangers which seemed to hang over that and the rest of the churches. At this conference Mr. Cotton was present, and gave satisfaction to them, so as he agreed with them all in the point of sanctification, and so did Mr. Wheelwright; so as they all did hold, that sanctification did help to evidence justification, the same he had delivered plainly in public divers times; but, for the indwelling of the person of the Holy Ghost, he held that still, but not union with the person of the Holy Ghost, so as to amount to a personal union.

A few days after, sc. October 30th, some of Boston church being of the forementioned opinion, were laboring to have the said Mr. Wheelwright to be called to be a teacher there. It was propounded the Lord's Day_before, and was this day moved again for a resolution. One1

"This, we cannot doubt, was Winthrop himself," says Mr. Savage, Win. i. 202.-H.

of the church stood up, and said he could not consent: his reason was, because the church being well furnished already with able ministers, whose spirits they knew, and whose labors God had blessed in much love and sweet peace, he thought it not fit (no necessity urging,) to put the welfare of the church to the least hazard, as he feared they should, by calling in one whose spirit they knew not, and one who seemed to dissent in judgment, and instanced in two points, which he delivered in a late exercise there: 1. That a believer was more than a new creature. 2. That the person of the Holy Ghost and a believer were united. Hereupon the Governor, Mr. Vane, spake, that he marvelled at this, seeing Mr. Cotton had lately approved his doctrine. To this Mr. Cotton answered, that he did not remember the first, and desired Mr. Wheelwright to explain his meaning. He denied not the points, but showed upon what occasion he delivered them. Whereupon, there being an endeavor to make a reconciliation, the first replied, that although Mr. Wheelwright and himself might agree about the points, and though he thought reverendly of his godliness and abilities, so as he could be content to live under such a ministry, yet, seeing he was apt to raise doubtful disputations, he could not consent to choose him to the place. Whereupon the church gave way, that he might be called to office in a new church, to be gathered at Mount Wollaston, now Braintree. Divers of the brethren took offence at this speech against Mr. Wheelwright; whereupon the same brother spake in the congregation the next Lord's Day, to this effect: that, hearing how some brethren took offence at his former speech, and for that offences were dangerous, he was desirous to give satisfaction. The offence, he said, was in three things: 1. For that he charged that brother in public, and for a thing so long since delivered, and had not first dealed with him privately. For this he acknowledged that it was a failing; but the occasion was, that, when he heard the points delivered, he took them in a good sense, as spoken figuratively, seeing the whole scope of the doctrine