1675       1676.    143       77

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Alsoe as Major Pike hath foremerly applied hims to y^e much honour

ed councill of y^e countrey for their directing him unto some Effectuall re

medy in y^e present case, The farther prosecution therof we se not suffitient

grounds to diswade from, but rather as the case is circumstanced ther ap

pears to us to be present necessity of using that or some such like course as

God shall direct them

In The mean while we Earnestly direct & beseech in y^e bowells of Jesus X^st

this Church of X^st in Salisbury to study to be quiet & to attend the things w^ch

make for peace & wherby they may Edify one another; avoyding all ways wherby

their divisions may be farther fomented & heightend, & that they be humbled

before God for that want of Brotherly love, & for y^t great bitterness w^ch hath ap-

=peared amongst them, in soe much contradicting & reflecting one upon another

together with many other irregularityes to be bewayled & reformed

Finally that you rest not till god hath by some way of his, granted to you

learn peace & to live wherin that y^e God of love & peace may be with y^m

 

Salisbury 10 December

            1675                           Samuel Phillips in the name

& with the Consent of the

  rest

 ffeb. 6 1675 Matthew Harriman & his wife publickly acknowledged their sin

in comitting fornication & had y^r youngest child (born & begott in Sinfull matri

mony) baptized but the Elders 2 or 3 objected against it & therfore I deferred

yo y^ir objections that 23 deut. 2. & what answers I gave did not satisfy their hunger

y^e rest of the Elders (at the Election May 4 1676.) their judgm^t they with one consent

did say that the parents having by repentance given satisfaction we could not

deny baptism to y^r child, the child was noe offender, nor the parents to be look^t

upon any longer by the church as offenders having acknowledged their Sin to

satisfaction: The church noe longer opposed in this case

_________

The Reverend Elders of Boston having written a waighty letter to the

churches in thes parts (w^th y^e consent of the rest of y^e Reverend Elders of y^e

Bay) bearing date March 9 1676. to stirr up the Churches to remembrance of

Covenant & to serching out what evills are in each Church that have provoked

God against us with promise by the help of god to reforme them, [MS dam.][45]

=bled our selves before the lord for them.

                                             business

 This church had 2 meetings about this waighty viz June 13 [MS dam.]

In the first meeting ther was little done towards it, but ([MS dam.]

in the latter meeting the hearts of the church were inclined [MS dam.]

Examine what share we had in those provokeing Evills [MS dam.]

has borne testimony against in point as alsoe what particular [MS dam.]

amongst our selves & did by lifting up their hands [MS dam.]

before the lord & by his help) for those evills that we found of [MS dam.]

the greater or lesser degree, & further doe agree to reforme [MS dam.]

assistance As

1     Our neglect of the children of the church in not calling upon the [MS dam.]

the covenant at least not all of them & not watching over them as we

ought, nor catechising them, [-] In this last clause the Town having bin

faulty in not sending their children to catechize or helpe of ym they

did promise reformation of this for the future