1674                  123               57

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According to agreem^t but y^r was none produced & therefore they served as execution

but y^e gate: it must be accknowledged here was not such kind dealing as shuld be amongst

men especially brethren but noe fraudulent nor unjust-dealing, but soe renderd y^t he who had

deceived by refusing to give assurance of land y^t he had sould & received a full price for Should

be deceived by a writing framed cheifly by his attorney D. Weicom

B^r Remmington in y^e close of y^e meeting did own that he had seen some evil in his dealings & was

troubl^d y^t ever he medled w^th y^e business & should acknowledg more but y^t his heart was hurt to se B^r

Johnson born w^th as he conceived in y^t w^ch was as bad or worse, viz y^e matter above mentioned

But it was answer^d it became noe man much less an offendour to accuse y^e church whom he might

iudg would not knowingly allow y^t in another w^ch y^y blamed in him & besides it was his

work to judg hims & to se his own sin, but little more could he gott yⁿ  yet we left more hope

full yⁿ previously y^t god would give him a farther sense of his Evill dealings

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May 17 1674 lords day after meeting the Church stayed; & first upon B^r Howes desire it was

                   meer

inquired whether his privat acknowedg^mt to y^e church (for his Sin in beating his wife very sorely)

might not be suffitient, Answ. in consideration of his trouble for his Evill in soe doing which

he manifested before y^e church & before y^e court of his own mind going to y^e court & accusing

hims without being presented, & y^t act onely to prevent a bigger fine for his fault but because (as in

charity we judg) he was burdned in the sence of his own sin y^e church upon these considerations

could have bin satisfied w^th what he had say^d & was ready to say before y^m But considring that

publick & scandelous offences should be acknowledged before all it makeing most for Gods hon^r

and the warning of others & y^t we might give no occasion to any to charge us w^th partiality to

wards ym therin, and because ther was seldome if ever any such practise in y^e churches in such

cases viz y^e satisfaction to give to y^e church onely y^rfore he was advised to acknowledg his

Sin before y^e whole congregation y^e next Sab v. may 24 sacram^t day, w^ch accordingly he did

when he was called to acknowledg his fault, it was say^d to him that his smiting his wife soe as to

make such sad marks upon her body was very unaturall & cruell  The apostle sayth y^r is noe man y^t

hates his own flesh but cheriseth it & are to love y^r wives as y^r own bodeys 5 Eph 28 29. but

               his wife

y^t was not to love as o^r own body for who will beat his own body except y^e superstitious or madd

                ^

at least w^th passion, besides if y^s were allowed it were worse w^th wives then w^th servants for if they be beaten

cruelly yet y^y have but a time to be under such hard usage but the wife is faind to stay by it

It concerns o^r brethren to take notice of the hastiness of his Temper & Especially the corruption of his

heart from w^ch such things issue, & to be humbled under it & more watchfull against it whilst

he lives  conserning the Temptations he had or provocations from his wife I say nothing I know not

what y^y were & himself saying nothing that way as being more desirous to judg hims for his own

evill yⁿ accuse her; onely it conserns wives to remember y^s charg 5 Eph last let her se that she

Reverence her husband and to express y^t revrence both in word & carriage

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                                                      may 24 (74)

                                                to be

Goody Lombads[20] admission before y^e congregation was dismissed was granted: also I propounded Neh Jewett

                                                 ^

and his wife & Jer: Jewitts wife who though y^y live in Ipsw: bounds yet they are in memb by y^e

Rule up heer and y^r desier was accepted.

I mentioned to y^e church y^e offensive speech of B^r Richard Given in y^e church meeting may 15

1674 when being upon choise of magistrates when he came to vote for M^r Bradstreet Ile

been[21] him say^d he & I care not who know it & when to Capt: Saltinstall If I had a black

bean he should have it It was shown y^t such speeches ill became him we ought not to cevil

or cast contempt upon the ruler of y^e pp for God hath say^d they are gods none blamed him

for putting in a bean if he judged in conscience he ought soe to doe, but he ought not in a factious

                             follow

way to labour to draw others to his Example who are to be left freely to act as in conscience

they judged best B^r Swan answered he was sorry he had offended me & y^t y^e words might have

been spared; this was a little satisfaction & soe it was Ended

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M^r Shepard July 1674 Came to me & gave some [---] account of Gods work upon

his heart soe y^t I was encouraged to listen to his desier of joyning in full comunion

with us & propounded the same, But the Brethren that foremerly dissented & one

more did show y^r dissent for If his admission might be carried on by a major vote

so his settlem^t they were not satisfied as to his piety nor spirit nor match nor

company Ch rules might have kept y^m w^th satisfaction in all these objections & I