1673               121            55

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Resolutions & told him it was disorderly: when that he should refuse to attend a

meeting, but he told me that in vayne was a snare lay^d in y^e sight of any bird

After this y^e church mett & I declared the occasion in general, but desired brother John

-son to mention his offence, (after I had premised B^r Remingtons breach of rule in refusing

to attend any meeting in private) which was blamed & he acknowledged his Evill therin

which accordingly br Johnson did & produced 2 or 3 warrants in writing that testified thus much

viz y^t y^y heard B^r Remington say that he had soeld this land in controversy to B^r Johnson

& more if need more could wittness the same as B^r Leaver &c. B^r Remington did still

stand to justify his carriage in y^s thing & manifested his resolution as formerly to keep y^e

land: The Church after much pains taken with him did come to give their judgm^t that

B^r Remingtons carriag in y^s matter was very unbrotherly unfaythfull, & unjust & soe left

it with him seriously to consider what had been say^d to him especially from those 2 Scriptures

15 ps. He dos noe evil to his neighbour, & keeps his word though he loos therby & y^t

1 thess 4 6 – 11 .

ffeb 2. 1673. we had a Church meeting at my house that the Churches mind might be known

conserning M^r Jer Shepard (his year being now expired) whether they did desire his continu

ation any longer w^th us The church did manifest y^e desier of his continuance another year by

a vote in order to setling upon mutuall likeing & S P w^th captain Brottlebank & Leutenant

Nelson B^r Tod B^r Barker B^r Palmer did in y^e Churches name acquaint M^r Shepard all

the churches desier, His answer that he did thankfully acknowledg the Churches love &

if y^e Toun acceeded in y^t desier it would be a proper incouragemt to accept of y^s renewed

call: Ther were some B^r: Deacon Jewett B^r Pickard B^r Leaver B^r Price that did

dissent from the Churches vote; as not being satisfied concerning M^r Shepards qualifications as

to y^e main as also our inability to mayntaine two [illeg.] of Gods afflicting hand upon

o^r labours B^r Swan & B^r Barebank[18] did show some dissent alsoe but they sat down w^th

the Churches act .M^r Shepard accepted y^s renewed call:

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April 8 74 The Church mett at my house about B^r Remingtons business after I

had put them in mind of y^e rules he had sinned against before mentioned alsoe y^t 12

prov. 22 lying lips are an abomination to y^e lord soe 21 prov. 15 it is joy unto a just

man to doe judgm^t it should be his sorrow when he has don otherwise he rejoyceth not soe

much in his gettings by buying or selling as in y^e Testimony of his conscience y^t he has dealt justly

with all men  I desiered the Church & againe & againe beseeched them to speak orderly to

the present case (whether B^r Remington had not done Evilly & unjustly) & not run out

to any discourse about other matters that might be considered in ther due season.

B^r Remington then was desierd to speak what he thought of his practises he had some time

to consider of what y^e church had left w^th him in their former meeting, his answer was that

he desierd to be silent & say nothing for a fool say^d he is counted wise when holdeth

his tongue; it was mentioned to him that this was not an answer beco[m]ing him & abuse

of the Scripture it was his wisdom to confess his Evill when orderly Called therto

Upon this B^r Tod & B^r Platts stood up to plead for him  B^r Plats thought his sin was in

selling his ox pasture & y^t y^r were other mattres of unrighteousness amongst us that should be

lookt into & conceeded as that y^e Town had voted him ox gates & afterward disanuled

the vote & took y^m away again : Answering This in appearance was a mattre needful to be consi-

dered if orderly prepared for y^e church but y^t meeting was not a season w^ch was called

for another business & should that w^ch was orderly brought to the church be warnd

for a business which was never prepared for the church

B^r Tod w^th much heat say^d y^e ox paster brethren did wickedly get & wickedly keep

that pasture afterward y^y sined in getting & keeping it w^ch was very offensive to a great

part of y^e Church his charg was not only harsh but fals for y^r was nothing done in y^e

such about poundage of cogs before y^e major to prove o^r title to y^e ox pasture; he

say^d moreover that y^e ox pasture men were unfitt judges of B^r Remingtons case