USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Plymouth > Plymouth church records, 1620-1859 > Part 22
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174
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART II
liberty to speak, none at all obiecting, the 3 bretheren were called forth to give their answer to the call of the chh, who did all modestly & humbly expresse their sense of their owne unfitnesse for the worke, their desires of our prayers etc the Pastor then called for the vote of the chh that Deac: Faunce & Bro: Isaac Cushman might Joyne with him in laying on hands in their ordination, to which the chh con- sented by a silentiall vote, then the Pastor prayed & He with those 2 bretheren laid on hands upon these 3 severally one after another, ordaining them to the office of a Deacon, & then the Pastor only once gave them all together their charge in the same words generally which were used in the ordination of Deac: Faunce (recorded here, pag: 14: 15:1) then againe the Pastor prayed, & wee concluded cheerfully singing, Psal: 133: & dismist the Assembly with a Blessing:
It may be minded in all the 30 yeares which this Narrative gives an account of, the Elders called for the votes of the chh, sometimes by lifting up of hands, sometimes by silence, sometimes calling upon every brother one after another to speak his minde, sometimes when divers had particularly spoken, asking if the rest were soe minded, they in a more generall ' way assenting; any of these methods were attended as the Elders thought most expedient.
Minde also that in all chh affaires when the Elders called for the Vote of the bretheren, they never called for a negative or contrary vote as Judging it would be as the using of axe or hammer in Temple- worke; only care was taken before the vote was called for in any case to gaine the consent of every brother, & in case any could not ac- tually vote, yet they expressing, that they could rest in the act of the chh, it was satisfying, & this was a great preservative of the peace of the chh.'
A chh-child was a second time laid under Admonition for intem- peran[ce.]
The chh was at that time informed that another chh-child had bin overtaken, but it was the first time & he had not that naturall capac- ity & understanding that other young men had but was defective therein, the chh, voted that the Pastor & the 2 bretheren nominated for Elders should admonish him in private & they would rest
1 The reference is to pp. [14-15] of the text, or pp. 161-162 of this volume.
' Altered from "generally."
' This paragraph is written in the margin.
1
175
CATECHIZING OF CHILDREN, 1694
satisfyed therewith, this was accordingly done at the Pastors house:
Notice being given of it, on May, 13: the Pastor began againe to catechise the children of the chh in the shorter catechisme of the Assembly of Divines, in the public meeting house between the morn- ing & evening worship, the males one sabbath & the females another successively & then preached on each head of Divinity as they lye in order in that Catechisme; this course was constantly attended for more then 3 yeares, till August, 1697: from sabbath to sabbath, only on Sacrament dayes & in the short winter dayes & very un- seasonable weather, there was a necessary omission thereoff. Many of the congregation did heare the sermons preached at the catechiz- ing; & God strengthned & encouraged in the work 1 [24]
Our Brother Jonathan Dunham sent letters to the chh desiring our advice about gathering a chh at Edgartowne upon Martha's Vineyard, where he was imployed in Teaching the word, these letters were read to the chh, April, 8, & left to their consideration. Apr: 22: the Pastor having prepared an answer, read it to the chh, they ap- proved of it, & voted it should be subscribed by those 2 bretheren with the Pastour & sent in their' name to Brother Dunham. Letters were sent to us from the bretheren of the vineyard & others who offered to joyne with them in that worke to desire us by our Pastor & messengers to be present & asist them to gather a chh & setle a Teaching officer, the chh agreed that either of the nominated Elders or of the Deacons or any other of the bretheren should accompany the Pastor in that service; the Pastor & m" Samuel Fuller went to the vineyard, the chh was gathered, m' Dunham was ordained Teacher, october, 11:
A chh-child fallen into sin, living else where the chh sent her a letter of Admonition, the yeare after she sent a letter testifying her Repentance which the chh accepted.
Letters from the chh of Rehoboth came to desire us to attend the ordination of m" Thomas Greenwood to be their Pastor on october, 24: the chh chose Bro: Thomas Cushman to goe along with the Pastor, they both went at the time.
1 Cf. Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, xxi. 262 and note.
. This word has been altered.
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PLYMOUTH CUHRCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART II
Letters from the chh at the North-river came to desire us to be with them at the ordination of m' Deodat Lawson to be their Pastor on November, 14: the chh chose Deac: Faunce & Bro: Elkanan Cushman to goe along with the Pastor to that solemnity, who did all attend that service.
Letters came to us from the chh at Sandwich to desire us to asist them in the ordination of m' Rowland Cotton to be their Pastor on November, 28: the church chose our bretheren, Deacon Nathaniel Wood & John Nelson 1 to accompany the Pastor thither, who did soe.
Divers of our bretheren at midlebury sent letters to us to desire our Counsell in 2 their gathering a chh & setling a Teaching officer with them, the chh tooke it into consideration & after some time manifested to them our consent to & approbation of their motion.
Then those bretheren & those of other ches & some others who offered to Joyne with them sent letters to desire our Pastor with other bretheren to helpe them in carrying on that worke on Decem- ber, 26: the chh chose Deac: Faunce, Deac: George Morton, Bro: Eliezer Churchel & Bro: Ephraim Morton to accompany the Pastor thither on that occasion, & voted, that if God carryed on the worke, that wee dismisse our members, namely, five bretheren [25] & 4 sisters to be of that chh; the Pastor & those chh-messengers went at the time appointed, the chh was gathered, & then m' Samuel Fuller was chosen & ordained to be their Teacher.
Five of our bretheren sent a letter to our chh to desire liberty to set up another meeting within the Township for publick worship because their habitations were soe remote from our place of worship that they could not without great difficulty come themselves & could not bring their families soe far, this was read & agitated at a private chh-meeting at the Pastors house January, 21: & at that time the chh were not willing to give approbation thereunto
In 1695: the Lords supper was six times, six members were admitted & sixteen children were baptized.
A chh-child living else where, having sinned, the chh sent her a letter of Admonition, the next yeare she sent letters to us to testify her repentance & the Pastor of that chh where she lived wrote a good Testimony of her, with desires that wee would dismisse her to
1 Here some words are crossed out.
" Altered from "about," or perhaps "about " altered from "in."
1605:
177
DEATH OF SAMUEL FULLER, 1695
them, they being satisfyed as to her meetnesse for full communion, the chh dismissed her & that chh received her.
A chh-child made his Relation, March, 31: before the chh in the Pastors house of a worke of grace, the Pastor & bretheren present with him in his private examination testifyed to the chh the com- petency of his knowledge, with which the chh was satisfyed, & he was admitted in publick that day.
A brother was admonished for some failings at a chh-meeting in private, a while after he submitted to the chh & was forgiven.
At a chh-meeting 1 June, 16: the matter of Elders being named, & then nominated, desired to give their answer, Bro: Faunce de- clined a present acceptance of the call from sense of his owne un- fitnesse, Bro: Isaac Cushman desired further time of consideration; In which time our bretheren engaged in promoting a new society in our westerne præcincts, gave Bro: Cushman an earnest call to teach the word of God to them & desired our chh to consent thereto, Also in this time M" Samuel Fuller, the Teacher of the chh at Mid- lebury a sincere Godly man whom wee had the last yeare dismissed to that service dyed August, 24: being about 66 years old a great losse to that place: immediately upon which that chh & towne sent letters to our chh to desire our consent that Bro: Isaac Cushman might be their Teacher, upon all which accounts the chh was called to meet on September, 1: which they did, & the Pastor acquainted them with those 2 calls our Brother had; the chh manifested generally their good respect to him & desires not to part with him, but that he should be an elder here in his blessed Fathers room, & desired him now to give his answer to that call, which accordingly he did: [26] That the ' Providence of God was mysterious, but he appre- hended he should rather accept the call of this chh to be Elder here because it was first given him before the other two calls: the chh acted noe further in that matter at that time, only voted, That it would be noe offence but acceptable to them, if Bro: Cushman did improove his gifts in teaching at Midlebury or any other place where the orderly providence of God should call him; God soe disposed that He hearkned to the call of our Bretheren & neighbours of the New
1 Here "July" is crossed out.
" Altered from "them."
· Written above a word crossed out.
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PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART II
Society, where he now lives & constantly attends the worke of Preaching amongst them & is well accepted & acknowledged by them.
1096:
· In 1696: the Lords supper was administred nine times, two members were admitted & 26 children were Baptized.
June, 7: the Pastor read a letter to the chh from 7 bretheren of the new society, desiring leave of us to be a distinct chh: which he left with the chh seriously to consider of: The chh was appointed to meet, June, 18: which was a day of public Thanksgiving appointed by authority, After the publick worship was ended the chh repaired to the Pastors house & concluded it necessary at present not to give a full answer to their motion;
At that meeting it was moved; that divers of the chh had exprest their apprehensions, that it was inconvenient to use both the Psalme- bookes, & therefore it was put to the vote in these words, If the chh see meet to leave it to the Pastor to fix upon the one of them to be used constantly, their silence should be taken for consent, & if any one Brother did obiect against it, He would not soe doe; there was an universall silence, not one obiecting, therefore from that time the new translation of the Psalmes was fixt upon & only sung, it being Judged most for ædification, because the former Translation had many difficult tunes that now wee could not sing.
July, 26: at the conclusion of the sacrament, the Pastor called upon the chh, desiring them after the example of Abraham, Gen: 18:19: to command their children etc to attend more upon & not neglect the ordinance of publick catechizing, wherein of late there had bin some remisnesse, upon which followed a Reformation in that respect.
It was then signified to the chh, that our bretheren of the new society were ready to attend the chh whenever they pleased to ap- point a meeting for that end, the Pastor appointed the chh to meet on August, 19: at his house, which they did in the morning it being the Lecture day, before the Lecture, the Pastor & three of the bretheren spent the time in Prayer, after Lecture, there was a particular agita- tion of matters & the issue was satisfying & comfortable; The Bretheren of the new society professed their Judgments to be, that bretheren should have the advice & approbation of the chh whereto they belonged in setting up distinct worship by themselves & that
.
179
RECONCILIATION WITH ISAAC CUSHMAN, 1696
they apprehended the chh had by some former act of theirs con- sented they should soe doe, the chh hereupon declared themselves satisfyed with those bretheren, as to their carrying on the worship of God by themselves, their habitations being soe remote from us & that Brother Cushman might without any offence to us continue to dispense the word to them, & that nothing heretofore passed be- twixt us in word or action of any kinde should hinder our communion together in sealing ordinances as heretofore: The whole chh & our Bretheren concerned (for ought appeared) did every one of us ex- presse our consent hereunto by an universall lifting up [27] of our hands, & this was declared to be a finall issue of this matter & all differences that had thereby bin occasioned amongst us, & the chh voted that Deac: Faunce, D: Wood & D: Clarke should joyne with the Pastor in subscribing their hands to this conclusion written & voted, which they did &1 a copy thereoff soe subscribed was de- livered to Bro: Isaac Cushman before they departed from the Pastors house; & as a Testimony of our Reconciliation one with another & mutuall forgivnesse of all past offences, Bro: Cushman himselfe & all our members of that society, both 2 bretheren & sisters (that were capable) came together & sat downe with us at the Lords Table on August, 30: following: this chh-meeting Aug: 19: was con- cluded with prayer & Thankfullnesse to God for that issue with our bretheren.
The chh set apart, September, 16: as a day of fasting & prayer for the Army abroad & that God would spare our Indian-harvest, God gratiously heard us in that respect & destroyed it not by frost among us as in the last yeare.
Letters from the chh at Marshfeild came to the chh to desire the 3 Pastor & some of the bretheren to attend & helpe them at the ordina- tion of M. Edward Thompson to be their Pastor on october, 14: the chh chose Deac: Faunce, Deac: Wood, Bro: Isaac Cushman, Bro: Eliezer Churchel & Bro: Shirtliffe to accompany the Pastor, who did all of them goe to that solemnity.
The Pastor propounding it, the chh set apart & kept, November, 18: as a day of publick Thanksgiving, for Gods gratious hearing our
1 Here a word, perhaps "soe," is crossed out.
" Here a word or letter is crossed out.
' Altered from "their."
.
.
180
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART II
prayers on the late Fast, Sep: 16: giving that harvest, our health, preserving our souldiers & many other mercies.
Of the 178 members admitted in these 30 yeares, fifteen of them received Baptisme at their Admission.1
In 1697: seven children were Baptized.
At a chh-meeting at the Pastors house, March, 31: before Lecture, Brother Isaac Cushman desired on behalfe of himselfe & the bretheren of that society, that the chh would dismisse them to gather a chh among themselves, but He not expecting or desiring a present answer at that meeting, it was left to the consideration of the chh.
April, 18: the Pastour propounded publickly to the chh to keep a day of Fasting & prayer, on account of the war, the Indians having lately killed & taken captive many at Haverhill, & that God would save from assaults of the enemy ? who (wee heard) were designing against us by sea & land; & because there was much scarcity of bread in many places, that God would supply their wants, blesse the seed time & harvest of this yeare, heale sicknesse now in the towne etc & left fixing the time to their consideration till the next Sabbath Before which came an order from the Leiftenant Governour & Councill to observe such a day on May, 13: therefore the chh ap- pointed noe other time, but fixt upon & attended the service on that day:
The aspect of providence from this time was such that made way for the Pastor & chh to part one from another without reflexion upon the chh his worke seeming now to be at an end; sundry chh-meetings wee had, one day of Fasting & prayer together in publick in which the 2 next neighbour-ministers were desired to asist in carrying on that worke who did soe & the bretheren after that kept some in one house, others in another, a day of prayer; the issue of all meetings & agitations was, a councill was called the chh from the ches of Wey- mouth, Duxbury, Bridgwater, Taunton & Barnstable, who met & Judged it best that the Pastor should cease his worke amongst them & the 3 chh dismisse him with such expressions of their love & charity as the Rule called for; He having resigned his office, the chh & towne in october invited M" Ephraim Litle to preach to them,
1 This sentence is written in the margin.
" Here a letter is crossed out.
' Here something is crossed out.
1697:
181
QUESTIONS PUT TO THOSE SEEKING ADMISSION
which he accepted & is yet with them this May, 1698: & the Lord increase his gifts & graces that He may be a rich blessing to them: there are at this time of men in full communion 42, in both socie- ties, & of woemen 75, besides 7 or 8 removed to other townes not dismist from us.
The good Lord cover & wash away all our sins & imperfections in the blood of christ, & blesse this chh with peace & increase of grace & holmesse to all generations, Amen, Amen.
In these 30 yeares past were observed amongst us, many dayes of Humiliation & Thanksgiving ordered by Authority, which are not here particularly made mention of: And many members upon re- movall were dismissed to other ches.1 [28]
It being Judged profitable to keep in minde the usuall way of proceeding in the Examination of persons by the Elders, as to the competency of their knowledge rendring them meet for full com- munion, hereto is therefore added an account of the Questions or- dinarily propounded to persons in private, when they also made declaration of their experiences of a worke of grace upon their soules; The Elders allowed & encouraged any person to declare his confession of faith in his owne way & method, but if any persons through bash- fullnesse or defect of memory chose to be asked, such questions as these were usually 2 put to them.
Q: what doe you beleve concerning God? unity of Essence & Trinity of Persons & some of his Attributes were usually given in answer, as also his workes of Creation & 3 Providence in both the Parts of it, preservation & gubernation.
Q: what - -concerning man? The state in which He was created, & his Apostacy & the Tempter to it, & the sin itselfe & the Effects of it in the curse on himselfe & posterity, inward & outward, here & for ever, were here spoken to.
Q: what - concerning mans Recovery? by whom & how? Here the two" Natures of christ were asserted, & the reason, why God & why man? Also his three offices & the worke of each office. Q: " what are the benefits of Christ? Answer being made Justifica-
1 This paragraph is written in the margin.
' Here a word, perhaps "asked," is crossed out.
' Here a word or two are crossed out.
" The words "the two" are written over a word crossed out.
" Here two or three words are crossed out.
182
PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART II
tion, Adoption, & Sanctification with æternall glory, they were asked to give a description of those 1 three spirituall benefits?
Q: How doe wee come to be made partakers of Christ & his benefits? the Answer being, by Faith, it was asked, what is faith? what are the ordinary meanes to beget faith? & what, to increase it? Also, what is it that makes the word effectuall to beget & increase Faith? '
Q: How doth God prepare the hearts of sinners to beleive on Him? Answer being made, By working Repentance, Q: what is Repentance? Q: what is a church? Q: what officers hath Christ appointed in his chh?
Q: what are the the ordinances of Gods house? Seales of the Covenant being named after others,
Q: what is the proper end & use of Baptisme?
Q: who are the subiects of Baptisme?
Q: what is the Lords supper? Q: For what end was it instituted? what signifies the Breaking of the bread & the pouring out of the wine? Q: what is required to the worthy receiving of the Lords supper? Q: what is the matter of selfe examination, here wee ex- pected the sacramentall Graces should be specifyed.
Q: How ought chh-members to carry it one towards another? The generall answer being, In brotherly love & holy watchfulnesse?
Q: How ought christians to act towards each other in case of sin & offence, If private, then the Rule, Matt: 18:15:16:17: was minded & lookt for, & the duty of the chh towards repenting offenders exprest.
Q: what doe you beleve concerning the state of man, at the end of, & after this life; Here death, resurrection, the day of Judgment, the Judge, the Persons to be Judged & for what, & the finall sentence pronounced upon the Elect & Reprobate, were spoken to, & the Execution of that sentence in Heaven & Hell.
I know not in these 30 yeares, that any person examined in private by the Elders but they did in some degree give some satisfying answer to these things though some much more fully then others, & though some did not presently give a direct & proper answer to the Question, yet in further discourse about it, it usually appeared, they competently understood the thing. [29]
1 Here something is crossed out.
183
THE CHURCH COVENANT
Though wee did not limit our selves precisely to the same in- dividuall words in covenanting with persons at their Admission to full communion, yet ever some of what followes was mentioned, & often all of it:
After the person was received by the vote of the chh, which in case of Admission was alwayes by Lifting up of the Hands.
The Elder, (whether Teaching or Ruling, ordinarily & most fre- quently it was the Ruling Elder) thus spake,
The chh hath readily received you to their Communion, if it were a child of the chh admitted, the word was, you are this day to renew that covenant with God & his people which was sealed to you in Baptisme; if it were a person that was not a chh-child, then the expression was, you are now to enter into covenant with God & his people, & thus was it often expressed.
The Covenant
Since it hath pleased God to move the hearts of the Bretheren to give you the right hand of Fellowship, you doe in the presence of God, his holy Angels & this solemne assembly, this day avouch the Lord Jehovah the only living & the true God to be your God & doe give up your selfe to Him alone, acknowledging God the Father to be your Father & Soveraigne, & giving your selfe unto the Lord Jesus as your only Priest & Attonement, as your onely Prophet & Guide, as your onely King & Lawgiver, & to the Holy Spirit of God as your Sanctifyer & comforter; And you doe give up your selfe to this church of the Lord Jesus & doe solemnly promise by the helpe of his grace to walke with God & this his chh in wayes of holy communion & due subiection to all his holy ordi- nances according to his will revealed in his holy word.
This you promise, the Party answering, yes, He proceeds, Then doe I promise to you in the name of this chh, That by the helpe of the same grace wee will walke towards you in brotherly love & holy watchfullnesse for our mutuall succour & ædification in the Lord Jesus.
Then followed a concluding Prayer, often thus begun,
Now the God of all Grace who keepes Covenant & mercy to a Thousand generations make us all faithfull herein to himselfe & one unto another for his Holy Names sake.
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PLYMOUTH CHURCH RECORDS: VOLUME I, PART II
with other Petitions 1 sutable for the received & for the chh, as God directed his servants called thereunto ' [80]
Att & A Church Meeting on the 5th of october 1697 The Church Then Made Choyce of Thomas ffavnce to be Moderator in sd Church & to act and to ade in all Church affaires & transactions vntill it shall please God to settle an officer ouer them att sª Chh Meeting The Church taking into their Consideration theire pastors mani- festation of his desires That the Chh would Release him of office bonds To them as alsoe the advise of the honowered Counsel being Mett at plymouth on the 28 of September 1697 vpon the Church of plymouths Request to helpe sª Church in Counsel & advice what god Caled them to doe vnder theire afflicted and distressed Condition with Refferance to the troubles yt happened with Referance to their pastor Wherein sª Counsel declared that it was our duty to dismis him from office Relation to sª Chh vpon which at this Chh meeting The Chh Manifested theire Compliance with the pastors desire and the Counsells advice to sd Church & did order the above Named Thomas ffavnce to declare to the pastor in their Name " Theire willingnes to Release him of that " office Relation he stood in to them vpon which the pastor being desired to Come To them to the Meeting house: he Came to the Chh then there mett together & then the said favnce did declare to the pastor in the Name of the Chh That they did Release him of his pastorall office bonds To them and for the future luck at him as fully Released from haveing aney office Relation vnto them
After This the Church sett apart a day of humiliation To humble Their soules befor god for their personal & Chh sins & to beg of god pity vnder their desolat Condition and that god would send a la- bourror into his harvest in this place; which god graciously answered by sending Mer Ephraim Little whose labours " in the ministrey was to grat sattisfaction to all generaly both Chh and town and after a
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