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long continuance, like them that followed Christ for loaves. The sachems also about Watchusets, being encouraged by the kindness shewed to Pumham, offered to submit to their government; but it was thought to proceed more from fear of some other enemies than any love to the Christian religion. But it seemed that as yet was not come the day of Christ's power, for then his people shall be willing.

CHAP. XLVIII.

Ecclesiastical affairs in New England from the year 1641

to 1646.

In the year 1641 one Mr. Blinman, a minister in Wales, came over into New England, with some friends of his, and being invited to Green's Harbour, near Plymouth, they removed thither, and seated themselves amongst the old planters; but after a little time they agreed no better than the piece of new cloth in the old garment, making a rent so bad that it could never be made up again; so they were advised to part, and Mr. Blinman came with his company and sat down at Cape Ann, which at a general court, in the same year, was established to be a plantation, and called Gloucester.

In the latter end of the same year, some of the inhabitants of Charlestown having settled a village within the bounds of their town, called it Woburn. They gathered a church there, and on the 22d of November, 1642, Mr. Carter was ordained pastor thereof. There was some little difference about the manner of his ordination; for in regard they had no other officer in their church besides, nor any of their members that thought themselves fit to solemnize such an ordinance, they were advised by some to desire the elders of other churches to perform it, by imposing hands on the said Mr. Carter; but others, supposing it might be an occasion of introducing the dependency of churches, &c. and so of a presbytery, were not so free to admit thereof, and therefore it was performed by one of their own members, though not so

well to the satisfaction of some of the magistrates and ministers then present; and since that time it hath been more frequent in such cases to desire the elders of neighbouring churches, by virtue of communion of churches, to ordain such as are by the churches and people chosen to be their officers, where there are no elders before.

In the year 1644 there was a town erected at Nantasket; and at this time there being near twenty houses built, and having obtained a minister, it was by the general court named Hull.

In the year 1642, there being an assembly of divines called by the parliament to sit at Westminster, to consider and advise about church government, divers lords of the upper house, and some members of the house of commons, with some ministers, who stood for the independency of churches, sent letters into New England, to Mr. Cotton of Boston, Mr. Hooker of Hartford, and Mr. Davenport of New Haven, to call them, or some of them, (if all could not,) to assist in the said synod.

Upon this some of the magistrates and ministers as were at hand met together, and were most of them of opinion that it was a call of God, yet took respite of concluding till they might hear from Connecticut and New Haven. Upon the return of the messenger that was sent to those towns it appeared that Mr. Hooker liked not the business, nor thought it any sufficient call for them to go a thousand leagues to confer with a few persons that differed from the rest in matter of church government. Mr. Davenport thought otherwise of it; but the brethren of his church having set time apart to understand the mind of God in the case, came to this conclusion, that in regard they had but one officer, they could not see their way clear to spare him for so long a time as such a journey required.

Mr. Cotton apprehended strongly a call of God in it, and was inclinable to have undertaken a journey, (notwithstanding his natural averseness to a sea voyage,) if others had attended the same; but soon after, upon the receipt of other letters, the difficulty came to an end.

In the same year one Mr. Bennet, a gentleman of Virginia, arrived at Boston, bringing letters with him from sundry well disposed people there, to the ministers of New England, bewailing their sad condition for want of the means of salvation, and earnestly entreating a supply of faithful ministers, whom upon experience of their gifts and godliness they might call to office. Upon these letters, (which were openly read at Boston, on a lecture day,) the ministers there met, agreed to set a day apart to seek God in the thing, and agreed upon three, which might most easily be spared, viz. Mr. Phillips of Watertown, Mr. Thompson of Braintree, and Mr. Miller of Rowley, (these churches having each of them two ministers,) which the general court approved of, and ordered that the governour should commend them, by his letters, to the governour and council of Virginia. But Mr. Phillips not being willing to go, Mr. Knowles, his fellow labourer, and Mr. Thompson were sent away, with the consent of their churches, and departed on their way, on the 7th of October, 1642, to meet the vessel that should transport them at Narraganset; but Mr. Miller, because of his bodily weakness, did not accept the call. Both the churches were willing to dismiss their ministers to that work, and the court likewise did allow and further it, for the advancement of the kingdom of the Lord Jesus, not fearing to part with such desirable persons, because they looked at it as seed sown, that might bring in a plentiful harvest. They did also account it as an honour, which God put upon his churches there, that other parts of the world should send to them for help in that kind; for about the same time letters were brought to them from Barbadoes, and other islands in those parts, entreating a supply also of ministers.

They that were sent to Virginia were long wind bound at Rhode Island, and met with many other difficulties, so as they made it eleven weeks of a dangerous passage before they arrived there, but had this advantage in the way, that they took a third minister along with them, viz. Mr. James, (formerly the pastor of the church at

Charlestown,) from New Haven. They found loving and liberal entertainment in the country, and were bestowed in several places, by the care of some honest minded persons, that much desired their company, rather than by any care of the governours. And though the difficulties and dangers they were continually exercised with in their way thither put them upon some question, whether their call were of God or not, yet were they much encouraged by the success of their ministry, through the blessing of God, in that place. Mr. Thompson, a man of a melancholy temper and crazy body, wrote word back to his friends that he found his health so repaired, and his spirit so enlarged, that he had not been in the like condition since he first left England. But it fared with them, as it had done before with the apostles in the primitive times, that the people magnified them, and their hearts seemed to be much inflamed with an earnest desire after the gospel, though the civil rulers of the country did not allow of their publick preaching, because they did not conform to the orders of the church of England; however the people resorted to them, in private houses, as much as before. At their return, (which was the next summer,) by the letters they brought with them, it appears that God had greatly blessed their ministry, for the time while they were there, which was not long; for the rulers of the country did in a sense drive them out, having made an order that all such as would not conform to the discipline of the English church should depart the country by such a day, which a sad massacre of the English (by the Indians, that had conspired against them) intervening had prevented.

For a ship coming from Virginia the 3d of May, 1644, certified of a great slaughter made upon the English, by the natives there, whereby three hundred, at the least, were suddenly cut off. An Indian taken amongst them had confessed that all the Indians for six hundred miles were confederate together to root all strangers out of the country. It was very observable that the massacre came upon them soon after they had driven away the ministers

sent from New England. A great mortality also did accompany the said massacre, so as divers sober persons removed from thence, and many of the rest were forced to give glory unto God, in acknowledging that this evil was sent upon them for rejecting the gospel, and those faithful ministers of Christ that were sent amongst them.

new way

About this time some difference happened in New England about the way of raising the maintenance of the ministers, in regard that many churches (through the defect of money and other considerations) proceeded therein rather by way of taxation than by contribution. This of easement was offensive to some in the country, who, it seems, coukl love none but vayyehov adamavov, Amongst others it was very grievous to one Briscoe, a tanner of Watertown, (not of the temper of that tanner that entertained the apostle Peter;) for this man published a book underhand against the way of maintenance, (wherein himself and those that were no members were taxed to maintain the ministers of the place they belong. ed unto,) fuller of teeth to bite, and reproach the ministers of the country, than arguments to convince the readHe was convened before the court to answer for his reproachful speeches, which he was forced publickly to acknowledge his errour in; but for his arguments they were not worth the answering; for he that shall deny the exerting of the civil power to provide for the comfortable subsistence of them that preach the gospel, fuste potius erudiendus quam argumento, as they say of them that are wont negare principia, if it be the duty of magistrates to provide that the gospel is to be preached in their territories, it is doubtless a duty incumbent on the same power to provide that they may live thereby. Let him that is taught communicate to him that teacheth, in all good things, saith the apostle. As for the quota pars it cannot be less, (whether decima, or duodecima, or vicessima,) than that he may live thereon.

ers.

About this time contentions in Hampton were grown to a very great height; the whole town being divided into two factions, one with Mr. Batchelour, the late pas

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