35                    1671.       1672.                        101

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Regardlessn: of Gods alseing eye they did y^t in y^e night w^ch they would not

have dared to have don in y^e Sight of men by day as if y^e night & dark did hide

from God & y^s was aggravated why which we had bin taught by M^r Shepard from 26

Isai 9. w^th my soul have I desired thee in y^e night he showed us y^t the night was

not a season for us to play rooks in but to seek god in it as well as by day.

& though yei know that y^e like Evills they committed had bin punished by y^e magis

trate at Ispwich.

Tho: Spafford did acknowledg that he had done Evill & was sorry that he had

offended the church

Ezekiell Sawyer instead of acknowleding his disorderly carriage did charg y^e church

w^th partiality in letting pass greater matters w^thout calling for repentance for y^m

& if such were first called forth he cod y^e freer acknowledg his offence

This Answer of his was offensive to y^e church as being farr from any signe of Re

=pentance that when he was called upon to acknowledg his offence he should charg y^e

church w^th neglect of ther duty It was told him that what he had say^d & what

ground he had soe to speak would be considered in due season but in y^e mean

while if the thing was true he charg’^d y^e church w^th it became not him therby

to harden his heart from acknowledging his own Evill & therfore was warned to

consider farther of his sin & alsoe of what farther offence he had given the

church by his speech & carriage at this time: &c. –

ffeb. 18. 1671 Ezekiel Sawyer having considered his carriage in the premises he

did acknowledg that he did foolishly both in that revelrout he was guilty of in y^e

night he watched and alsoe in taking upon him to charg y^e church w^th partiality as is

before exprest & was sorry for it w^ch the church was willing to accept for satis

=faction

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M^r Dummer to whom we gave a call to help in the work of the ministry

as is Expressed in the foregoing page gave answer that he did not find

sufficient ground to leav his people at York and therfore could not accept

of our motion; The reason why we made a motion was because we understood

by hims that he had some thoughts & was advised to remove from thence; but

discerning the peoples affection to him as well as nead of him he could not

find in his heart to leave them.

Octob. 6. 1672. M^r Jer: Shepard[101] haveing given us a visit & prea

ched amongst us not w^thout the churches desier as well as mine owne

They did by [-] several brethren 2 of y^e deacons Lev: D Tenny. B^r Tod &

b^r Barker & my self return him thanks for his good Sermon & farther

desired By a full vote that M^r Jer: Shepard would come amongst us to

bestow his labours on us for a year in order to settlem^t if it pleased God

to incline his heart to us & ours to him.

His Answer was that he could rather desier we could think of some other

supply hims being very young & unfitt for soe great a work yet he thank

fully acknowledged the churches love as to his B^r (whom God took from us)

soe to hims in this motion, & therfore he would take it into Consider

ation & would return us an answer as soon as conveniently he could

                      vide page 41.[102] Mr Shepard’s call[103]