USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > History of Plymouth county, Massachusetts, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men > Part 200
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1766. Capt. Ebenezor Sproutt. 1767. Capt. Ebouezer Sprontt. 1768. Capt. Benjamin Whito. 1769. Capt. Benjamin White. 1770. Cupt. Ebenezer Sproutt. 1771. Capt. Benjamin White. 1772. Capt. Benjamin White. 1773. Mr. Ebenezer Sprontt.
1774. Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt. 1775. Capt. Joshua White. 1776. Benjamin Thomas. 1777. Benjamin Thomas. Nathaniel Sampson. 1778. Maj. John Nelson. 1779. Dea. Benjamin Thomas. 1780. Dr. Samuel Clark.
1781. Ebenezer Wood. 1782. Ebenezer Wood. Isaac Thompson. 1783. Isaac Thompson. 1784. Isaac Thompson. Zebulon Sprout.
1785. Isaac Thompson.
1786. Isaac Thompson.
1787. Joshua White, Esq. Ebenezer Wood. Perez Thomas. Noah Fearing, Esq.
1788. Benjamin Thomas. 1789. Zebulon Leonard.
1790. Zebulon Leonard. James Spront.
1791. James Sprout, Esq. 1792. James Sprout, Esq. 1793. Nehemiah Bennett. 1794. James Sprout, Esq. 1795. Nathaniel Wilder. 1796. Nathaniel Wilder. 1797. Nathaniel Wilder. 1798. Nathaniel Wilder. 1799. Capt. Nathaniel Wilder. 1800. Nathaniel Wilder. 1801. John Tinkham. 1802. John Tinkham.
1803. Lieut. John Tinkham. 1804. Lieut. John Tinkham.
1805. Lieut. John Tinkham. John Morton. Levi Peirco. Chillingworth Fester.
1806. Liout. John Tinkham. Capt. John Merton.
Levi Peirce. Dr. Chilingworth Foster.
1807. John Tinkham. Levi Peirce.
Maj. Jacob Cushman. Samuel Pickens.
1808. John Tinkham, Esq. Levi Peirce. Maj. Jacob Cushman. Samuol Pickins, Esq.
1809. Maj. Lovi Peirce. Samuel Piokens, Esq. Maj. Peter Hoar. Thomas Woston.
1810. Sammel Pickens, Esq. Maj. Peter Hoar. Thomas Weston. Martin Keith, Esq. Hercules Cushman.
1811. Maj. Peter Hoar. Thomas Weston, Esq. Martin Koith, Esq.
1811. Hercules Cushman, Esq. Capt. Calvin Pratt. 1812. Thomas Weston, Esq. Martin Keith, Esq. Calvin Pratt, Esq. Maj. Levi Peirce. Rev. Joseph Barker. 1813. Rev. Joseph Barker. 1814. Thomas Weston, Esq. 1815. Thomas Weston, Esq. 1816. Samuel Pickens, Esq. 1817. Seth Miller, Jr., Esq. 1818. Seth Miller, Jr., Esq. 1819. Thos. Weston, Esq. 1820. Had no representative. 1821. Martin Keith, Esq. 1822. Seth Miller, Jr., Esq. 1823. Isaac Stevens, Esq.
1824. Isaac Stevens, Esq. 1825. Seth Eaton. Arad Thompson. Thos. Sturtevant, Esq. 1826. Seth Eaton.
1827. William Nelson, Esq.
1828. Seth Eaton, Esq. William Nelson, Esq. Zachariah Eddy, Esq. 1829. Seth Eaton, Esq. William Nelson, Esq. Zachariah Eddy, Esq. Gen. Ephraim Ward. Oliver Peirce, Esq. John Benson.
1830. Hon. Herculos Cushman. 1831. Hon. Hercules Cushman. Silas Pickens. Ziba Eaton. Andrew Haskins. . Samuel Thompson, Esq. Elisha Clarke.
1832. Col. Benj. P. Wood. Roeland Tinkham, Esq. Bradford Harlow. Capt. Nathaniol Staples. Luther Washburn. Tisdalo Liucom. 1833. Col. Benj. P. Wood. Bradford Ilarlow. Luther Washburn. Ephraim Lench. John Perkins. Capt. Enthan Peirce.
1834, Col. Benj. P. Wood. Samnel Thompson, Esq. Ephraim Leaoh. John Perkins. Cupt. Eathan Peirce. Inther Murdock.
1835. Samuel Thompson, Esq. Andrew Haskins. Capt. Eathan Peirce. Ansel Benson. 1836. Andrew Hoskins. Ansel Benson. Chpt. Jonathan Cobb. Reuben Hlafford.
1746. Benjamin Tucker.
1747. Samuel Bennett.
1748. Samnel Bennett.
1749. Petor Oliver.
1750. Voted not to send.
1751. Peter Oliver, Esq.
1752. No rocord.
1753. Capt. Nathaniel Smith. 1754. Capt. Nathaniel Smith.
1755. Ebenezer Sproutt. 1756. Ebenezer Sprontt.
1757. Capt. Nathaniel Smith. 1758. Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt. 1759. Capt. Ebenczor Sproutt. 1760. Capt. Ebenezor Sprontt. 1761. Capt. Ebenezor Sproutt. 1762. Capt. Ebenezer Sprontt. 1763. Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt. 1761. Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt. 1765. Daniol Oliver, Esq.
957
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBORO'.
1836. Gamaliel Rounsevill. George Atwood.
1847. Nahum M. Tribou. 1848. Cephas Shaw.
Nahum M. Tribou.
1849. None sent.
Nov. 15, 1820. Levi Peirce. Nov. 15, 1820, Samuel Pick- ens.
Nov. 15, 1820. Thomas Wes-
ton.
May 4, 1853. Noah C. Per- kins.
JUDGES OF THE COURT OF PROBATE. 1821-43. Wilkes Wood. | 1858-72. Wm. Heury Wood.
HIGH SHERIFF.
1845-54. Branch Harlow. CLERK OF COUNTY COURTS. 1811-13. Hercules Cushman. COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
1828-34. Thomas Weston. 187 - . Joseph T. Wood.
1847-56. Ebenezer Pickens.
The board of county commissioners have dutics very similar to, if not, in fact, identical with, those of a former board of public officers known as commis- sioners of highways. which board, as also the Court of Sessions, was abolished, to give place to that of county commissioners. Thomas Weston, of Middle- boro', was a member of the board of commissioners of highways when the same was abolished.
Justices of the Peace .- The commission of a jus- tice of the peace has in Massachusetts been usually made to continue in force for the term of seven years, if the person appointed bchave himself well in the said offiec. At the expiration of seven years many commis- sions have been renewed, and then in numerous in- stances persons have served in that commission for long periods, and not infrequently until the date of their death. In what follows only the dates of the first or original appointments are given, although many of the persons named had the appointment several times renewed.
July 22, 1720. Jacob Thompson.
June 22, 1736. Elkanah Leonard.
Aug. 18, 1744. Peter Oliver.
June 26, 1755. John Fearing.
Oct. 31, 1760. Joseph Tinkham.
Aug. 28, 1775. Ebenezer Sproutt.
Aug. 28, 1775. Joshua White.
April 7, 1787. Samuel Clark.
April 26, 1787. Isaac Thompson.
July 5, 1789. James Sproat.
July 18, 1791. John Nelson.
Feb. 20, 1795. Nehemiah Bennett. March 2, 1800. Wilkes Wood.
May 24, 1800. David Richmond.
Feb 20, 1804. James Washburn.
Jan. 23, 1808. Samuel Pickens.
Feb. 23, 1808. John Tinkham. March 5, 1808. William Thompson.
Feb. 17, 1810. Zachariah Eddy. Sept. 3, 1810. Martin Keith.
Feb. 5, 1811. Peter Hoar.
Feb. 22, 1811. Thomas Weston.
1 Some of these years not accounted for, Lakeville bad the representative.
MEMBERS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTIONS.
153 :. Gen. Ephraim Ward.
Andrew Hoskins.
Jonathan Cobb. Esq. Renben llat rd.
Gamaliel Rounsevill. Lothrop Thomas. George Atwood.
1535. Ti-Jale Leonard.
Eliab Ward, Esq. Stillman Bens n.
1854. Joseph T. Wood. Richard Sampson.
1539. Tisdale Leonard. E iab Ward. Es q. Stillman Benson. Z. K. Pratt.
1540. Zebulon K. Pratt. Dr. George sturtevant.
Consider Fuller.
1-59.1 Everett Robinson.
1-62.1 Capt. A. J. Pickens.
1-41 Consider Fuller.
Th mas Daggett.
1542. Eliab Ward. Esq.
Dr. George Sturtevant.
1543. Dr. Morrill Robinson. Wm. Shurtleff |2d .
1544. Dr. Merrill Robinson.
Wm. Sburtleff 12d .
15-1. John C. Sullivan.
1552. Jobn C. Sullivan.
1547. Capt. J mab Pinkbam. Ana T. Winslow.
1546. Capt. Josiah Pinkbam. Asa T. Wing ów.
1847. Cephas shaw.
SENATORS.
1:96-1- 5. Isaac Thompson.
1-45-49. William H. Wood.
1-13-16. Wilkes Wood.
1849-50. Philander Wash-
1515-17. Thomas Weston.
burn. 1550-53. William Il. Wood.
1520-22. William Bourne.
1:26-2 -. Peter II. Peirce.
1-36-57. Nathan King.
1:43. Eliat Ward.
1881-53. Mathew II. Cushing.
MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL.
1759-66. Peter Oliver.
146 -6 . Everett Robinson.
1823-27. Thema: Werton. 18 -. William II. Wood.
MANDAMUS COUNCILOR. Ang. 9, 1774. Peter Oliver.
He does not appear to have been sworn into that office, and the fact that he was appointed was very damaging to his reputation among his neighbors and townamen of Middleboro'.
In the First Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, that convened at Salem, Oct. 4, 1774; at Concord, October 14th ; at Cambridge, October 17th and No- vember 23d; and dissolved Dec. 10, 1774, Capt. Ebenezer Sproutt was the member from Middleboro'.
REPRESENTATIVE TO THE NATIONAL CONGRESS. 1503-02. Joseph Barker.
1$50. Joshua Wood. Everett Robinson.
1851. Joshua Wood.
Everett Robinson.
1852. Joshua Wood. Everett Robinson.
1853. None sent.
1$55. Col. Nathan King.
1.56. Sorauus Standish. Jared Pratt 2d). 1857. William 11. Wood. 1$5. Foster Tinkham.
Tb mas Dzzett.
1-67.1 Andrew C. Wood.
1 -; 6. Isaae Winslow.
1577. Isaac Winslow.
1575. Lakeville had the repre- sentative. 1579. Matthew HI. Cushing.
1s'il. James L. Jenney.
1653. Lakeville had the Tepre- sentative.
1654. Albert T. Savery.
Nov. 15, 1820. Seth Miller, Jr. May 4, 1853. William H. Wood.
1
958
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.
Nov. 14, 1811. Seth Millor, Jr. Oct. 29, 1811. Herenlos Cushman. Jan. 25, 1812. Calvin Pratt. Aug. 3, 1812. William Candy. June 9, 1813. Jacob Bennett. June 9, 1813. Cyrus Koith. June 9, 1813, Thomas Sturtevant. Oct. 29, 1814. Abiel Washburn. Feb. 16, 1816. William Bourne. June 10, 1817. Charles Hooper. Feb. 3, 1818. Noah Clark. Jan. 23, 1819. Joshua Eddy, Jr. June 19, 1819. Levi Peirce. Sept. 7, 1821. Amos Washburn. Nov. 21, 1821. Thomas Bennett.
Jan. 16, 1822. Ebenezer Pickens. Jan. 23, 1822. Isaac Stevens. Jan. 16, 1823. Abner Clark.
Aug. 26, 1823. Abicl P. Boothe.
Feb. 17, 1824. William Nelson.
Feb. 17, 1824. Oliver Peirce. July 1, 1825. Peter H. Peirce. Feb. 15, 1826. Samuel Thompson.
Jan. 2, 1828. Seth Eaton. June 11, 1829. Paul Hathaway. June 9, 1830. Arad Thompson. June 16, 1831. Ruland Tinkham.
April 24, 1832. Joshua Haskins, Jr.
March 26, 1833. Benjamin P. Wood.
March 26, 1833. Bradford Ilarlow. Aug. 25, 1835. Luther Washburn. March 18, 1836. Jonathan Cobb. Jan. 27, 1837. Abizer T. Harry. March 15, 1837. Silas Pickens. March 6, 1838. Eliab Ward. Aug. 24, 1841. Abisha T. Clark.
March 31, 1842. Cornelius B. Wood. Dec. 17, 1842. Bela Kingman. Jan. 5, 1843. Nathan King. March 14, 1843. Gamaliel Rounsville.
March 14, 1843. George Sturtevant. March 14, 1843. Stillman Benson. Sept. 20, 1843. Tisdale Leonard. Oct. 31, 1843. Andrew Weston. Feb. 3, 1844. William H. Wood. July 1, 1845. James G. Thompson. March 31, 1846. Apollos Haskins. July 7, 1848. Everett Robinson.
June 5, 1849. Philander Washburn. Oct. 2, 1849. Ichabod F. Atwood. April 25, 1850. Zebulon Pratt. March 12, 1851. Joshua Wood.
March 19, 1851. Asa T. Winslow.
May 7, 1851. George W. Wood.
Feb. 8, 1854. Alfred Wood, Jr. March 15, 1854. Josiah Richards.
1854. John Q. Morton. 1854. Noah C. Perkins.
1855. James E. Cushman.
1855. Wilson C. Rider.
1856. Andrew L. Tinkham.
1858. John Bennott.
1858. Sylvanus Hinkley.
1858. Earl Sprout.
Thomas Doggett.
Andrew J. Pickens.
Sidney Tucker.
Joseph T. Wood. Francis M. Vaughan. John C. Sullivan. James H. Harlow. Thomas C. Collins.
TRIAL JUSTICE. Ebenezer Pickens.
Coroners .- The term of time of which the com- mission of a coroner continued to run or be in legal operation has been subject in the State of Massa- chusetts to several changes, and for a long time was a life appointment ending only with the decease of the holder. That was afterwards so changed that the term of continuance was made to close at the end of seven years. The office in Massachusetts at the present time is practically abolished, that of medical examiner being made to take its place in nearly all its former duties.
Jan. 11, 1749. Nathaniel Foster.
March 4, 1782. Nathaniel Foster, Jr. Feb. 22, 1799. Mark Haskell.
Jan. 23, 1808. Dean Briggs. June 16, 1809. Joseph Clark, Jr.
Feb. 16, 1811. Levi Briggs.
Feb. 16, 1811. Peter H. Peirce.
Jan. 25, 1812. Asa Barrows.
May 15, 1812. Abiatha Briggs.
May 4, 1819. Joseph Jackson.
Feb. 11, 1820. Ebenezer Strobridge.
CHAPTER IV.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
To speak or write concerning the earliest events in the religious history of a Massachusetts town, incorpo- rated so early as that of Middleboro', is from neces- sity to communicate something concerning the sect denominated Congregationalists, or, to be a little more explicit, to tell a part of the story of Trinitarian Con- gregationalism.
Said Sprague in his " Annals of the American Pul- pit," " Congregationalism may be said to have been born in England, to have passed some of its earliest ycars in Holland, and to have migrated to these West- ern Shorcs in the ' Mayflower'; and though this is not the only country in which it exists it is that probably in which it has reached its most vigorous maturity." The same author continued, " It is well known that though the Congregationalists as a distinct sect originated with Robert Browne, from whom they took the name of Brownists, yet their principles were
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HISTORY OF MIDDLEBORO'.
so materially modified under John Robinson that he, especially in view of the relation he sustained to the Plymouth Church, may be considered as the father of at least New England Congregationalism."
It is proper, therefore, to look to the church at Leyden as the legitimate exponent of those principles by which New England Congregationalists were origi- nally distinguished.
In regard to their doctrinal views they were thoroughly Calvinistic, though their venerable pastor did not fail to remind the first emigrants, in his fare- well address, that even that great man of God. John Calvin, saw not all things.
The points which gave to them their distinctive character relate to church government and the sacra- ments ; and these are as follows :
That no church ought to consist of more members than can conveniently meet together for worship and discipline; that any church of Christ is to consist only of such as appear to believe in and obey Him ; that any competent number of such have a right, when conscience obliges them. to form themselves into a distinct church ; that this incorporation is by some contract or covenant expressed or implied ; that being thus incorporated they have a right to choose their own officers; that these officers are pastors or teach- ing elders, ruling elders, and deacons; that elders being chosen and ordained have no power to rule the church but by the consent of the brethren ; that all elders and all Christians are equal in respect of powers and privileges ; that baptism is to be administered to visible believers and their infant children, and no others ; that the Lord's Supper is to be received sitting at the table; that ecclesiastical censures are wholly spiritual and not to be accompanied with temporal penalties ; that no days are to be regarded holy but the Christian Sabbath, though it is proper to observe occasionally days of fasting and thanksgiving; that all human inventions or impositions in religion are to oe discarded. The same views of Christian doctrine which were brought hither by the original colonists were after a few years authoritatively embodied in the Cambridge platform, and at a still later period in the Saybrook platform, both of which are still in some sense recognized standards, though both have lost in a great degrec their practical force. The common mpression seems to be that for the first century after the landing at Plymouth there was little or no differ- ence of doctrinal views entertained among the min- isters of New England, and yet toward the close of the seventeenth century some old controversial pam- phlets discovered that there existed the germ of a more liberal party even then, and which caused the
stricter Calvinists to detect what they considered signs of defection ; and these foreshowings of things they regarded as portentious, came more seriously to be realized immediately after the great Whitefieldian revival, when the Calvinistic and Arminian differences that had perhaps long secretly existed in the New England Church become too openly revealed to be kept longer hid. For a time the Calvinists and Ar- minians, though regarding cach other with a con- siderable degree of shyness and distrust, were not formally separated until the liberal party became avowedly Unitarian, when the lines between Trini- tarians and Unitarians became distinctly drawn; and thus it is that now, an hundred years later, we have the Trinitarian and Unitarian Congregationalists in many Massachusetts cities and towns, both sects tracing back to a common origin ancestry or " mother church," and which separation for a time existed in Middle- boro'; but these differences being soon after reconciled and rents healed, the first and original Congregational Church of this town reunited in " one faith and one baptism" as Trinitarian Congregationalists.
The pioneer English settlers at Middleboro' were at first embodied as a worshiping congregation under the religious teaching of Samuel Fuller, who was among the twenty-six original or earliest purchasers that bought of the Indians by deed bcaring date of March -, 1662, a tract of country that afterwards be- came the First Parish or Precinct in Middleboro'.
Samuel Fuller, of Middleboro', was a son of the pilgrim Samuel Fuller, a celebrated surgeon and phy- sician, to whom both the pilgrims of Plymouth Colony and also planters of Massachusetts Bay were much indebted for his successful treatment of the diseases of these then new settlements.
Dr. Samuel Fuller was deacon of the Plymouth Church, as is shown by the authority of Morton's " New England Memorial," that says, " He was deacon of the church and forward to do good in his place, and much missed after God removed him out of the world."
That removal "out of the world" occurred in 1633, one of the preparations for which event was the making of his " last will and testament ;" among the provisions of which instrument was that certain portions of his estate described should be sold and the proceeds applied to the education of his two children, Samuel and Mercy. Another portion he therein directed should be given to Roger Williams, "if he would accept the same," having heretofore declined to accept it.
That provision in the will of Dr. Fuller for the ed- ucation of his son, Samuel, was carried out in pre-
I
960
HISTORY OF PLYMOUTH COUNTY.
paring the latter for the gospel ministry, to the labors of which he applied himself, as before stated, in Mid- dleboro', and to whose pious zeal may at least doubt- less be eredited in part the establishment, in different parts of that town, of three religious eongregations among the Indians. These Indian ehurehes were gathered at Nemasket, Titieut, and Sowomset.
The religious meetings of the Nemasket Chureh were held about a mile southeasterly of the present location of the "down-town meeting-house," so ealled ; the Titieut, at an Indian village, in what is now North Middleboro'; and the Sowomset, at the lo- eality familiarly known as " Betty's Neek," then in Middleboro', but now in Lakeville.
So successful had been the efforts put forth to Christianize the red heathen that at the eommenee- ment of King Philip's war (June, 1675), although the white inhabitants of Middleboro' constituted six- teen families, yet the Indian converts at Sowomset numbered thirty-five persons, and the three churches combined made a membership of ninety souls, who from " nature's darkness" professed to have been brought to a knowledge of the marvelous light of the gospel, and ten years later the ehurehes at Ne- masket and Titieut numbered seventy, and that at Nanatakesett, alias Betty's Neek, forty, or one hun- dred and ten in the three worshiping congregations, so that the "redeemed from sin" among the Indians of Middleboro' doubtless outnumbered "such as should be saved" among the white inhabitants in the proportion of two or three to one.
It is a faet worthy of notice that these Indian eon- gregations sat under the preaching of the Indian mis- sionary, a seholar of Cambridge College, now Harvard University, and who assisted Eliot in translating the Bible into the Indian language, and who was, perhaps, the earliest among the natives to proelaim the gospel, which " glad tidings" may have been the more read- ily received and implicitly believed, because listened to from the lips of John Sausamon.
All records pertaining to the organization of a church among the pioneer English settlers at Middle- boro', if indeed any such records were kept prior to King Philip's war, are now lost, and it was not until the return of those settlers from Plymouthi, where they had taken refuge during that conflict, that ree- ords are known to have been made, reliable copies of which have been preserved, and from which we learn that a church was formed, Dee. 26, 1694, old style, but as we now compute time, Jan. 6, 1695.
Here is a true copy of the commencement of the records of that church, as kept by Samuel Fuller, the first pastor :
"Thou shalt romember all the way which the Lord tby God hath led thee these forty years .- Deut. viii. 2.
"December 26, 1694. A church of Christ was gathered at Middleborough, formerly called by the heathen Namassacut, a fishing place, as some say.
"The persons and their names that entered into church fel- lowship, some of them members of Plymouth church before being dismissed from Plymouth for that intent; some of them members of other churches dwelling here then, and some that were never in church fellowship before that time, whose names are as followeth :
"Samuel Fuller and his wife, John Bennet and his wife, Jonathan Morse and his wife, Abiel Wood and his wife, Samuel Wood, Isaac Billington, Samuel Eaton, Samuel Cutburt, Jacob Tomson and his wife, John Cob, Jun., Hester Tinkam, the Widow Deborah Bardon, Weibrah Bumpas, Ebenezer Tinkham, His wife.
"Not being present by reason of sickness in their family, yet after owning the covenant of the rest, being in the esteem of the rest, it is as well as if she were there present at that assembly.
"Ebenezer Tinkham, Isaac Billington, Jacob Tomson ; these then baptized.
"Soon after haptized the children of John Cob, in their in- fancy,-John, Martha, Patience.
" Also Lidia Bumpus, the daughter of Weibra Bumpus.
"II. In order to the gathering of a church it pleased God, who hath the hearts of all men in his hands, to move upon the hearts of those to desire a church may be gathered in this place, to desire and seek it of God, and Divine Providence made way for it.
" Letters were sent for ministers and brethren to assist in the work, namely : to Plymouth, Sandwich, and Barnstable; and the Elders sent Mr. John Cotton, Mr. Rouland Cotton, Mr. Jon- athan Russell, and brethren to assist them.
" Mr. Samuel Fuller, tben ordained to be a Teacher to that church, who had lived there and preached the word amongst them, whose preaching God had made beneficial to divers of them, and made choice of by mutual consent.
" God can, and oft doth, out of the mouth of babes and suck- lings ordain praise.
"John Bennet, Sr., our brother, ordained Deacon in the church of Middleborough March 10th, being the second Sab- bath in that month, and chosen by a full consent to that office somo considerable time before (who formorly dwelt at Beverly), whom God, in the way of his providence, sent to dwell in Mid- dleborough, to be serviceable there in church and town.
" ARTICLES OF OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH.
"Then also read, owned, and acknowledged by us, at the church gathering :
" Wo do believe with all our hearts, and confess with our mouths, --
"I. That tho Holy Seriptures, contained in the Old and New Testaments, are the word of God, and aro given by inspiration of God to bo the rulo of faith and life.
"II. That there is but one only living and truo God, and that in the unity of the Godhead thore aro throo persons of ono substance, power, and otornity,-God the Father, God the Son, and God tho Holy Ghost.
"III. That this ono God-Father, Son, and Holy Ghost- made tho whole werld, and all things theroin, in tho space ef six days, very good.
" IV. That God made man after his own image, in knowlodge, righteousness, and truo holinoss.
" V. That our first parents, being seducod by the subtilty of Satan, enting the forbidden fruit, sinned against God, and fell from thro ostate whorein thoy woro oreated; and that all man-
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961
HISTORY OF MIDDLEBORO'.
kind, descending from them by ordinary generation, sinned in and fell with them in their first transgression; and so were brought into a state of sin and misery, losing communion with God. and falling under bis wrath and curse.
"VI. That God, in his eternal purpose, chose and ordained the Lord Jesus. bis only begotten Son, to be the one and only mediator between God and man. the Prophet, Priest, aud King, the head and Saviour of his church.
"VII. That Jesus Christ, the second person in the Trinity, is the very and eternal God. of one substance and equal with the Father : and when the fullness of time was come the Son of God. the second person in the Trinity, took upon him man's nature, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary. of her substance, so that the God- bead and manhood were joined together in one person, which is very God and very man. yet one Christ. the only mediator between God and man.
"VIII. The Lord Jesus, hy his perfect obedience and sacri- fice of himself npon the cross, hath fully satisfied the Justice of bis Father, and purchased not only a reconciliation with God, bnt an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom for all those whom the Father hath given him.
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