USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Plymouth church records, 1620-1859 > Part 16
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108
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
haueing aprise had 1 not a hart but aded to former sin by theire Neglect of this tender of Mercye 2 being diuers of them Tainted with the then epidemicall deseas of som p'te of the Country about that time; viz a slight esteem of an able minnestry; the Summer following hee was Invited to douer on Pascattaqva River and thither went and was Called to minnesteriall office there wherin hee Continewed vntil his death; hee was an able faithfull laboriouse preacher of the Gospell; and a wise orderer of the affaires of the Church hee was singularly Indowed with a Gift and propence vpon his speritt to traine vp children in a Cattikettical way in the Grounds of Christian Religion; soe that by losse of him Ignorance Inseued in the Towne of Plymouth amongst the; voulgare and alsoe much lysensiousnes and prophanes amongst & the younger sort, in a word this worthy leader was Richly accomplished with such Gifts and qvallifications as were befiting his place being wise faithfull Graue sober a louer of Good men Not Greedy of the matters of the world Armed with much faith patience " and meeknes mixed with Currage for the cause of God; hee finished his Course att douer aforsaid and was there honorably buried in the month of Aprill in" the yeer" 1669: Whoe is; that ffaithfull and wise Steward whom his Lord when hee Cometh shall find soe doeing; Mat: 24: 46: [57]
of Bridg- water
Before I passe on to Contract matters ymeadiatly Relateing to the Church of Christ att Plymouth, lett mee Craue leaue a little to digresse; and breifley to memorise somthing Concerning that worthy Church of Christ att Bridgwater whoe in a second Respect alsoe sprange out of the Church of Plymouth being first of duxburrow; and seated themselues att about 20 miles from thence att the place where they now are and doe Carry on in a way of peace holines and Good Gospell order soe as is exemplary to the saints and Churches Round about them being Garnished with Comly ornaments of able Graue and faithfull officers and liuely holy and well Improued mem- bers haueing for theire Pastour M' James Keith who Came by the
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109
THE CHURCH WITHOUT A PASTOR FOR NINE YEARS
wise disposing hand of God out of Scotland 1 whom the said Church Chose to be theire Pastour being acompanied 2 with a fellow healper in the Eldershipp named m' Willam Brett a Gaue and Godly man; and haueing A goodman and one that hath approued himself faith- full in the office of a deacon; Named John Willis; whoe Notwith- standing some Interuption that befell them some smale time before the pening heerof yett goe on in peace and with Comfort; with some mixture of sadnes as fearing the effect of theire beloued Pastour forenamed; his being in weaknes of body; wherby hee is disabled in his publick adminnestrations for prsent;
But to Return where wee left on the othersyde, with the departure of Good m' Rayner by death
Soon after whose departure to douer and noe hopes of his Returne to take place amongst; this poor forlorne fflock of Christ Groning vnder the want of Gospell ordinances wee made many tryalls for a supply Improueing therin the healpe of the Reuernd Elders of the churches of Christ in the Massachusetts Bay; and by diuers sollisita- tions att sundry times 3 seuerll Messengers were sent to them and the said Church Craueing theire best healp for a supply; but Could not obtaine any healp Notwithstanding theire said Indeauers which alsoe were accompanied with fasting and prayer frequently; Con- tinueing in this Condition for the space of about nine yeers; yett it is to be Remembred with thankefullnes vnto the lord both by vs surviveing and others of this Race that may 5 surviue that the lord did not wholly desert his Church but vpheld them in a Constant way of " publick worship euery lords day soe as to my Remembrance there did not one sabbath pas without two publick meetings in which the word of God was dispenced either by some of the Naigh- boring Minnesters; or and that more frequently and Constantly by7 our beloued Elder m" Thomas Cushman and some other brethern; the prenciple wherof were our then Surviueing and much honored Gou": m' Willam Bradford and his son in law Captaine
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110
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
See New Englands Memoriall page 145 146: &o:
Thomas Southworth a man Rarely Indowed both in Sacred and Ciuill Respects; and haueing Named him; and haueing alsoe spoken formerly Competently of the worth of that worthy servant of Christ forenamed: viz: m" Willam Bradford 1 I shall stepp aside a little to Informe the Reader in the worth of this blessed saint whoe ended his life in the yeer 1669 after a longe time of 2 affliction vnder which hee Carryed with much patience and Cherefullnes; hee was largly Indowed with a qvick apprehension and Good expression and of a Cherfull fram of speritt and loueing vnto all with humillitie and familliaritie as occation was towards all sorts of p"sons but principally loued the saints; but more especially those that were most eminent in Grace; and Reuerenced and delighted in a Godly able minnestry hee had Attained to a Great Measure of vnderstanding in the Mistery of Jesus Christ of ffaith in him and liueing vp vnto him; and the Lord was pleased a little before his death to speake much peace to his soule in assureance of his loue through Christ Jesus; hee delighted in Cenceritie and was of an vnbiased Justice in all his actinges especially as to Majestraticall Respects; hee was not eger to seeke Great thinges for himself; hee was Instrumentall to both Court Church and Towne in which Respects all will dearly want him; haue- ing a Good abillitie to teach publickly hee was frequently Improued on that service; and the last time hee was att the publicke meeting on the lords day; hee exercised out of the 18th of Genesis 19:3 and finished his Course with much peace and Joy in beleiueing on the 8th of december 1669 [58]
1680
But to Returne;
It pleased the Lord to mix much Mercye with ' our affliction in the time of our vacancye of Minnestry not onely to healp vs to Carry on the worship of God but to healp vs alsoe to Conflict with some Considerable opposition; not onely from those whoe were of our owne before Named but in that time alsoe the p nisious sect of those Called Quakers arose whoe seuerall times Came to our Towne; and had speech with seuerall of vs and endeauored to broach theire
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FEW LED ASTRAY BY THE CURSED OPINIONS OF QUAKERS 111
Cursed oppinions amongst vs; yett soe Graciously it pleased our Good God to dispose that although wee were destitute of any of- ficially, to oppose these Gainsaiers yett of his Grace, soe to healp vs by his holy speritt to vnderstand and Improue his Good word; that none of vs were leauened with theire fixions or fantacyes; noe not soe much as any of our Towne (saue one family) which I desire may frequently be Remembred with humble thanksgiueing vnto the Lord by our selues and by others of the saints in our behalfe;
But as before expressed It pleased the Lord in that time of our soe Great and sperituall wants to hold vp our harts in an earnest desire of Minnestry and to put forth in Answarable Indeauors to procure the same; and wee had some answare and obtained some healp somtimes in preaching the word amongst vs prtely by one Mª James Williams; whoe was an able Gospell preacher; wee had hopes att his first Coming of his Continuance amonst vs; but hee soon left vs and went for England; In like manor m' Willam Brins- mead a well accomplished servant of Christ Came to vs and was with vs one winter but att last saw Cause alsoe to leaue vs; and soe as yett wee Remained as sheep without a Shepard vntill att Length It pleased the Lord to send amonst vs m' John Cotton the son of m' John Cotton that famouth Gospell Preacher; somtimes Teacher of the first Church of Christ att Boston; the said m' Cotton Juni" was a man of stronge p'tes and Good Abillities to preach the word Robert of God; whoe after some time spent amongst vs was Chosen our Pastour and hath Continewed in that place amonst vs for the space of ten yeers and vpwards att the writing heerof; from whom wee haue Received many very profitable truthes; and whoe ought to be the subject of our prayers that the Lord would Inspire him more and more with his holy speritt soe as hee may be an Instrument of his praise that soe by soundnes of doctrine and Cenceritie of Con- versation hee may be Inabled Instrumentally to saue his owne soule and the soules of those that haue or may heare him;
And now lett the Reader take Notice. that the lord hath built this Church and preserued it 1 in Gospell order and holy proffession of his truth this threescore and twelue yeers; twelue yeers in holland and threescore yeers in New England and hath Carryed it through
1 Here "and" is crossed out.
1
finney and Ephraim Morton deacons
112
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
many daingers sorrowes p'secutions and oppositions; soe as it Re- maines althoe (much Inferiour to its first 1 begining) yett a church of Jesus Christ; haueing many Names in it whoe haue Not defiled theire Garments whoe Noe doubt butt will walk with Christ in white Rayment for they are worthy Reuelati 3:4: yee the Lord In former times hath made it an Insightment and directory vnto others both in this Collonie and other Collonies in this land blessed be his holy name for the same The Consideration wherof Induceth mee to leaue a few words of exhortation first to such of the Riseing Generation as are Related to the Church that they would make Good theire leaders Ground by followeing theire stepps in the wayes of Christ in an holy and vnblamable life and Conversation and to Indeauor to walke in all the wayes and ordinances of God without Reproffe [59]
luke 1: 6: :
And the Rather lett this exhortation be Considered because soe many of the Rising Generation walk off from God and Neglect the Couenant which theire fathers made with him ? there seemes to be such a declinsion from the wayes of God appeering as wee Read of Judges 2: 10: speaking of Israell; "and soe all the Generation was Gathered vnto theire fathers; and another Generation arosse after them which neither knew the lord; nor the workes which hee had don for Israell" &c:
Zach: 6: 12:13
2 Forasmuch as there seemes to appeer such a darke Cloud 3 ouer the Christian world; " which ptends a day of trouble and p'secution for the Name of Christ; that soe wee would walk in fol- lowing the lord fully in an Constant holy and vnblamable proffession of his Gospell; keeping the word of his Patience that soe wee may be kept from the hour of temptation which is probably Coming vpon all the world Reue: 3: 10: And soe Induring to the end wee may be saued: 24: 5 mat: 13:
Now vnto him that hath built and prserued this Church and all the Churches in this Land and through out the world; though in troblesom times whoe " is the man that is Called the branch; whoe
1 Here "beging" is crossed out.
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113
MORTON'S PREFACE TO BRADFORD'S DIALOGUE
bath doth and will build 1 the Temple of the Lord and hee shall Daniel: : beare the Glory 24 25
Now vnto him be Glory in the Church throuout all Ages world without end Amen
My earnest Request to those that shall Succeed both the Elders and Bretheren of this Church that they would be Carefull to Comitt to writing such future passages of Gods dispensations, as shall in the visissitude of his Good Prouidence Come to pas in succeeding times of and Conserning eclesiasticall Considerations in speciall that soe theire May be a succession of Renewed and various occations of praiseing God and the following Generations may haue the vse and benifitt of the; same the Good Lord be 2 pleased to speritt one or other of his servants for this soe Good a worke
Lett the Reader take Notice that att the writing of this smale history there are fourscore Churches in Gospell order in New Eng- land Magar the Mallice of men and diuells; soe Greatly is the honor of the King of kinges our Lord Jesus advanced by the Multitude of his subjects 3 in New England & wee doubt not but there are Many Blessed saints in the Land which are fitt to be layed and placed in the Lords building the Lord adde vnto his Churches from day to day such as shalbe Saued; [604] [61]
GODLY AND CONSIENCIOUS READER
Itt is a Great part of the happines of heaven that the saints in Celestiall Glory are and shalbe all of one mind; and it is Not vnprob- Zache: 14: ably Gathered by the Learned that when the Lord shalbe one and his Name one; there shalbe a Joynt Concurrence of the saints, in and about the matters of God; in the mean time it is Noe smale Greiffe to euery modest Moderate minded Christian; to see such discord amongst the best of saints, wheras if the Ground of the difference were somtimes well Scaned, it would appeer to be more in Cer- comstance then in substance; more Nominall or Respecting Names or abusiue Names Giuen; then in substantial Realities; Reuerend mª Manton in his Sermon before the honorable house of Comons;
" Here "Jerusalem" is crossed out.
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116
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
Church; att Least they are not soe to be vnderstood; for they often say the Contrary;
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3 When they say it is noe true Church of Christ they doe not att all mean as they are the elect of God or a p'te of the Catholique Church or of the misticall body of Christ or visible Christians pro- fessing faith and holines (as most men vnderstand the Church) for which purpose hear what m" Robinson in his Apollogye1 page 58: if by the Church saith hee) be vnderstood the Catholique dispersed vpon the face of the whole earth; wee doe willingly acknowlidg that a singulare p'te therof and the same visible and Conspicuous is to be found in the land; and with it doe professe and practice what in vs lyes Comunion in all things in themselues Lawfull and don in Right order;
4ly Therfore they meane it is not a true Church as it is a Nationall Church Combined together of all in the land promisiquously vnd the hirarchicall Gou ment of archbisshopps theire Courts and Canons soe farr differing from the primetiue patteren; in the Gospell
Young men
Wherin doe they differ then from the Judgment or practice of our churches heer in New England;
Ansient men
Truly for matter of practice Nothing att all that is in any thinge materiall these being Rather more strict and Ridged in some pro- ceedings about admission of Members and things of such Nature then the other; and for matter of Judgment it is more (as wee Con- ceiue in words and tearmes then matter of any Great substance; for the Churches and Cheiffe of the minnesters heer hold that the Na- tionall Church soe Constituted and Gou ned as before is said, is not allowable 2 according to the p'mitiue order of the Gospell; but that there are some Parrish Assemblyes that are true Churches by vertue of an Implissed Couenant amongst them selues in which Regard the Church of England may be held and Called a true Church;
Answare Wher any such are euident (wee suppose the other will not disagree about an Implised Couenant if they mean by an Im- plissed Couenant that which hath the substance of a Couenant in it some way descernable though it be Not soe formall or orderly as it should be But such an Implised as is Noe way explised is Noe better
1 Apologia Ivsta, et Necessaria . . . Qvorvndam Christianorum, . . . dic- torum Brownistarum sive Barrowistarum, etc., 1619. Printed in English in 1625. " Here "acknow" is crossed out.
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117
BROWNIST, PURITAN, HUGUENOT, MERE NICKNAMES
then a popish Impliced faith (as some of vs Conceiue) and a meer fixion or as that which should be a Marriage Couenant; which is noe way explissed [63]
Wherin standeth the difference between the Ridged Brownists and Young men Separatist and others as wee obserue our Minnesters in theire writ- ings and Sermons to distinguish them;
The Name of Brownists is but a Nicke Name as Puritant and Ancient men hugonite &c: and therfore; they doe Not amise to decline the odivm of it in what they may but by the Ridgednes of Separation they doe not soe much meane the difference for our Churches heer in New England doe the same thinge vnder the Name of Sessetion from the Corruptions found amongst them as the other did vnder the Name or tearme of separation from them; onely this declines the odivm the better; see Reuerend m" Cottons Answare1 to m' Bayley page the 14;
As that some which were tearmed Separatists out of some mistake and heate of Zeale forbore Comunion in lawfull thinges with2 other Godly pisons as prayer and hearing of the word as may be seen in what that worthy man M' Robinson hath published in dislike therof;
Wee are well satisfyed in what you haue said but they differ alsoe Younge men about Sinods
It is true wee doe not know that euer they had any sollomne Sin- Ancient men odicall Assembly and the Reason may be that those in England liueing dispersed and Could not meet in theire ordinary meetings without danger much lesse in & Synods neither in holland where they might haue more libertie were they of any Considerable Number being but those two Churches That of Amsterdam and that of Leyden; yett some of vs know that the Church sent Messengers to those of Amsterdam; att the Request of some of the Cheiffe of them both Elders and bretheren,* * When in theire desentions they had de- posed m' Ainsworth and some other both of theire elders & bretheren m" Robins: being the Cheiffe of the messengers sent which had that good effect as that they Revoaked the said deposition and Confessed theire Rashnes and errour and liued together in peace some good
1 The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared: In two Treatises, etc., 1648.
' Written above "which," crossed out.
' Here "Sinods" is crossed out.
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PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
time after 1 but when the Churches want Neither peace Nor light to exercise the power ' which the Lord hath Giuen them Christ doth not direct them to Gather into Synods for Chassicall meetings for Remoueing of knowne offences either in doctrine Nor manors; but onely sendeth to the Pastours or presbiters of each Church to Re- forme within themselues what is Amongst them Reuelation Chapt: 2cond and Chapi 3: & Plaine Patteren saith m' Cotton in his Answare to m' Bayley page 95 in Case of publick offences tollerated in Naigh- bour Churches; Not forth with to Gather into a Synod (for Classi- call meeting for Redresse therof but by letters and messengers to Admonish one another of what is behooffull vnlesse vpon such ad- monishion they Refusse to harken to the wholsom Councell of theire bretheren; and of this matter m' Robinson thus writeth in his book Justi: page 200:' The officers of one or many Churches may meet to- gether to discusse and Consider of matters for the Good of the Church or Churches; and soe be Called a Church Synod; or the like soe they Infringe Noe order of Christ or libertie of the bretheren; not differing heerin from m' Dauenport and the principall of our Minnesters;
Younge mon
Butt they seem to differ about the exercise of Prophesye that is that men out of office haueing Gifts may vpon occasion edify the Church publickly and oppenly and applying the Scriptures which seemes to be a New practice;
Ancient men
1 It doeth but seem soe as many thinges else doe that haue by vserpation growne out of vse, But that it hath bine an ancient practice of the people of God besides the Grounds of Scripture wee will Giue an Instance or two; Wee find in the Ancient Eclesiasticall history of Eusebious libr: 6 Chap 19 how demetrius Bishop of Allex- andrya; being pricked with Envie against origin " Complaineth in his Letters that there was Neuer such a practice heard of nor noe pre- sedent to be found that lay men in prsence of Bishopps haue taught in the Church; But is thus Answared by the Bishopp of Jerusalem, [64] Jurusalem and the Bishopp of Cesaria; wee Know not say they
1 The words beginning ""When in" and ending with "good time after" are written in the margin.
" Here "with" is crossed out.
* A Ivstification of Separation from the Church of England. Against Mr. Richard Bernard his invective, Intitvled; The Separatists schisme, etc., 1610.
" Here the letters "Ch" are crossed out.
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IVSTIFICATION OF
SEP A'RAT ION from the Church of England.
Againft Mr Richard Bernard his invective, INTITTLED; The Separatifts fchifme,
William
radford
By John Robinson.
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سنردته
IVSTIFICATION
OF SEPARAT ION from the Church of England.
Againft Mr Richard Bernard his invective, INTITVLED; The Separaeints fchifme. witam Bradford
By John Robinfen.
And God law that the light win good, and
darknes. Gen. I. f. What communion hath light with darknes? 5 a Cor. 6.14.
Anno D. 16TO.
Engraved for The Colonial. Society of Massachusetts
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i I
119
THE PRACTICE OF PROPHESYING
why hee Reporteth a manifest vntruth when as there may be found such as in open assemblyes haue taught the people; yee when as there were prsent Learned men that Could profitt the people and moreouer holy bishopps whoe att that time exhorted them 1 to on Romans preach; for example att Laranda Euelptas was Requested of Neon att Iconiam Paulinnus was Requested by Celsus of Synada theo- dorus was Requested by Atticus; whoe wer Godly Bretheren &c:
2 The second Instance is out of Speeds Cloud of witnesses page 71 saith hee Rambam or Maymon Records that in the Sinnagogues 1 onely a Leuitt must offer Sacrifice 2condly but any in Israell might expound the Law, thirdly the exponder must be an eminent man and must haue leaue from the master of the Sinagoge; and soe Concluds & that Christ Luke the 4th: 16: Taught as any of Israell might haue don as well as the Leuites and the like did Paul & Barna- bas Acts 13: 15:
If any out of weaknes haue abused Att any time theire Libertie it is theire p"sonall fayleing" as somtimes weake Minnesters may theire office and yett the ordinance Good and lawfull *
*3 And the Cheife of our minnesters in New England agree therin see m" Cottons Answare to Bayley page the 27:2 part Though Neither all (saith hee) nor most of the brethern of a Church haue ordinarily Received a Gift of publick Prophesyeing, or Preaching; yett in defect of publick Minnestry, It is Not an vnheard of Nouelty that God should Inlarge private men with publick Gifts and to despence them to edifycation for wee Read that when the Church att Jerusalem were all Scattered abroad except the Apostles; yett they that were scattered went euery where preaching the word; Actes 8: 5: & 11: 19: 20: 21 5
M. Robinson alsoe in his Apollogye page 50: Chap: 8: to take of the aspersion Charged on them as if all the members of a Church were to Prophesye publickly: Answares it comes within the Compas but of a few of the Multitude happily two or three in a Church soe to doe;
1 Here a word, perhaps "Cheifly," is crossed out.
' William Fulke, The Text of the New Testament of 'Jesus Christ, translated out of the vulgar Latine by the Papists of the traiterous Seminarie at Rhemes, etc., 1589.
' Perhaps "Contends."
Here the letters "fayli" are crossed out.
" See p. 120 note 4, below.
see doctor ffulke' alsoe
the eleventh In Answare to the Remists
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PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART I
and touching 1 prophesying saith hee wee think the very same that the Synod att Emden held 1571 and decreed in these words; first in all Churches whether springing vp or Growing to some Ripnes lett the order of Phrophesying be observed according to Paules Institution 2
2 Into the fellowshipp of this work are to be admitted Not onely the minnesters but the Teacher ' as alsoe of the deacons yee alsoe of the Multitude which are willing to Confer theire Gift Received of God to the Comon vtillitie of the Church but soe as they first be allowed by the Judgment of the minnesters & others soe wee be- leiue and practice with the Belgick Churches &c: see more in the emediatte following page ‘
Younge mon
Wee Can not but Maruell that in soe few yeers theire should be soe Great a Change That they whoe " were soe hotly p"secuted by the prelates but alsoe opposed by the better sort of Minnesters not onely m' Gifford m' Barnard and and other such like but many of the most eminent both for Learning and Godlynes and yett Now Not onely these famous men and Churches in New England soe fully to Close with them in practice but all the Godly prtye in the Land to Stand for the same way vnder the New name of Independants put vpon them;
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