70       136              1675

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March 28: 1675 John Watson was readmitted upon his publick acknow

ledgm^t of his offences by writing for his voyce could not be heard not by them

that were near his acknowledgm^t is in pages 65 66 .

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Aprill 18 1675 M^r Tho: Mighell was admitted into full communion & lettres of

recomendation given him (at his desire) to y^e church of Christ at Dorchester for his

more orderly participation in the holy things of Gods house until the pp be gathered

into church order in y^e place where he preaches viz at Milton .[40]

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May 9 1675 B^r Robert Swan did publickly make confession of his sin in excessive

drinking & of vile words he Had Spoaken 15 yeers before he yⁿ rehersed y^m amongst

those pott companions bostingly calling one a divilish roage & be hang’d & divill

take you; he mentioned to y^e church several aggravations of his sin as

gods mercyes to him & his in saving his life in great danger

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sin y^t had been comitted in his family y^t he should admire & given so bad example

to his children upon whom it now rests with God to visit his sin

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                                                                          ing

That M^r Ward had a little before warned against vain company & excessive drink

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That he hims: had warned others (& one y^t wittnessed against him) of vain company

and showed him ye sin of spending his time & Estate wastfully

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After he had bin lately at a sacram^t w^ch was a new ingagem^t to more holy

walking with God he expressed these things both to me in private once & again

with some sence as allsoe in public soe y^t y^e church by an unanimous vote did

express their satisfaction & readiness to pass by his fayling –––

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June 18 1675 at a church meeting about M^r Jer: Shepards

Continuance in y^e work of the ministry it was first declared that

tho carriag of some brethren had bin very disorderly in this matter as first

for the vote that passed in January last y^t they had declared to M^r Sheperd

y^t it was not a full nor orderly vote nor could y^y understand the vote 2 that seve

rall of y^m 10 or 12 after 8 or 9 as M^r Sheperd affirmed came to him & repented

of their voting as doing it upon a mistake but never spoaken to y^e officer y^t

the case might be received in another church meeting y^t the grounds of y^m al

tering their minds might be considered : 3 that several of y^m as Mr Sheperd affirmed

had incouraged him to goe on in preaching notwithstanding y^e vote; after some agita

tion it was voted as followes

you y^t are of the mind to confirm that vote w^ch passed in January last

viz that M^r Shepard was dismissed (his year being expired) from any lon

=ger preaching here in Rowley stay in y^e Room

you y^t are otherwise minded manifest it by going into y^e parlour

To the former part of y^e vote 24 did show their consent to y^e latter part

13 showed their mind in y^e negative

This vote of y^e major part of y^e church was sent to Mr Sheperd by Deacon Jewitt

& B^r Peirson his answer was he had a call of god hither, & he would consider of

it, but thought he should goe on to preach till he might have a council. –– .

on the lords day June 29 (75) when I came to meeting M^r Shepard was [-]

before me in ye pulpit he began with me ask^t me whether I intend^d

to preach I told him it was my work god cald me to he answered that was

true, he ask^t me wheither I did comand him silence I told him if that

had bin my mind I might have done it many times before but I never

                                                     was