27                                 1672                                93

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A letter from Topsfeild to desire messengers

  from this church at Rowley to their ordination of

  M^r Jere: Hubbard.[92]

  These TO y^e Reverend M^r S. P. teacher of y^e ch at Rowley & the brethren

thereof present

Honoured Reverend & beloved in y^e lord

Wee heartily Salute you wishing grace mercy & peace to be multiplyed

Even from God the father & from y^e Lord Jesus Christ yo^r Lord & ours

  The occasion of o^r present writing is to signify unto your selves That

wheras (about half a yeer since) we after solemn seeking the lord for his

direction in our choyce of a minister; It pleased God soe to dispose thoughts

as to pitch them upon M^r Jer Hubbard, who accordingly inclined to our mo

tion, removeing himself & family among us, & that Ever since improved

his tallent in preaching the gospell publickly heer unto us, not without

good proof of his ministry & satisfaction to our selves & others ; wherupon

some weeks since we did close with him farther as to call him to the

place of pastoral office to this poor Church of Christ heer: Wherfore we hum

bly request the Church of Christ at Rowley to send your Messengers over to

us in order to a solemn ordination (which is appointed upon the 2^d day

of october next at Topsfeild) to strengthen assist & incourage the same by

your presence, countenance & prayers; as alsoe to affoard the right hand

of fellowship in the lord; Hopeing of your loveing concurrance we shall ad

noe more, but with beging the prayers of the whole Church to the father of

lights to send down his holy spirit amongst us, soe as y^e issue of this Solemni

ty may be to his glory & Edification & salvation of christs little flock

heer: wee Rest

    Yo^rs in him,

ffrom Topsfeild      wee in the name of   Francis Pæbody

   September 25 1672         the Church  Thomas Howlett

The church of Christ at Rowley did generally dissent from concurring w^th

Topsfeild in this ordination ffor 3 grounds 1 Their harsh dealing w^th M^r

Gilbert their late pastor presenting him often to Court: tho they could not

justify M^r Gilbert[--] from great failings yet they conceived Topsfield might

have carried it w^th more tenderness toward him whom they seemed soe

highly to esteem of at his first comeing to them : 2 in that they were

soe quick in matching againe after a sad parting w^th foremer pastor y^e

word requireing that hands be layd suddenly on noe man; it was scars

half a yeer M^r Hubbard had bin with them, & we have not ordinarily any

such custome in the churches to be soe sudden in soe waighty affairs.

3. the bad reports that went about of M^r Hubbard the word requireing that

one