1674         129              (63

___________________________________________________________________________

upon their very hearing of your new practise as it might be suspected as to

matter of religion professed & setled amongst you, & y^e actings thereupon Josh 24 me

thinks it should take w^th any gainsayers, though I think y^e very case itself is suffitient as

thus placed to silence all: wherefore goe about it in y^e lords name & he will be with you

 

                                                      yo^r very owne

                                                           Tho: Cobbet

                                                           Robert Paine

     A copy of what was voted at Salem by the church of Salem in a

     church meeting the last 2^d day at one of y^e clock in y^e afternoon

f. The church doth not approve Tho: Roots &c. sudden gathering the church at Lyn

but desier they would forbear their proceeding at present, That a matter of such

waight may be done with more deliberation & to better satisfaction

  After 4 messengers are appointed to acquaint y^e neighbors Tho: Roots &c with

  it & 3 other messengers to appear at lyn to except against their proceedings

  in case they should goe on.

                              This is a true coppy of what M^r Higgeson pastor

                                of y^e church at Salem[31] writ about this matter

                                                           Tho: Cobbet[32]

Being certainly informed of a motion of one Tho: Roote of Salem propoun

ded lately to o^r honoured magistrates at the Court ther for their approbation y^t

he & some others of Salem (not yet in comunion with that church) should gather

a church by themselves, & that y^e worshipfull Deputy Governour & Some other of y^e

worshipfull magistrates professed their dissent therunto: & haveing seen the vote

of the church of Salem the 30^th of novem^b. 74 that y^e church doth not approove

of Tho: Roote or as above f  This church of Ipswich (Esteeming it their

duty to strengthen the hand of any X^stian Church amongst us in y^e wayse of X^st & to

be carefull in preventing any sudden & unsatisfactory actings in soe momentous a

matter as the gathering of a church) doth fully concurr with the vote of the church

of Salem & have sent o^r messengers to signify o^r disapprovm^t of any such pre

mature Enterprize of the say^d Tho: Roote & company to gather a church at

Lyn

             This is a copy of Ipswich vote

These things I comunicated to this church of God in Rowley & desired they

would concurr with Salem & Ipswich vote w^ch the major part of the church

did & signified their consent by lifting up their hands & desired S. P & Deacon

Tenny to goe to inquire into & to yeeld what help god should enable us withall as y^e

mattre might require Some brethren did object Especially B^r Swan that the 3^d

                   a

church at Boston was much like case & y^rfore he did not se light to send to testify

against y^e proceedings in as much as those brethren of Boston church were counte

nanced in separating & gathering into a church by themselves, how while that

case is to this of Tho: Rootes may be seen page in y^e foremer part of this book

they were brethren these non members they gathered into church Estat by consil

                            noe

these upon their own heads tho magistrates nor churches gave councell or consent

                             ^

he viz B^r Swan say^d Ipswich church had not yet voted it: I answerd I doubted

not but yei had I more doubted of some of y^m their concurrence in soe good a

work But soon after I come home came an answer to this last objection from

Ipswich as followeth