1676.                        145 79

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        To the Church of X^st at Rowley

grace be to you & peace from God the father & from y^e lord Jesus Christ

 

  Rever^nd & dearly beloved in o^r Lord

Wheras ther is risen up in o^r church at Salisbury great differences Especially

about the excomunication of Major Pike w^ch we know not how to issue

amongst ourselves, we doe y^rfore earnestly intreat you y^t you would please to send

unto us y^or Elder & messengers, to affoard unto us their judgm^t counsell and

assistance, which (through Gods blessing[)] may be an effectuall means to put an

                                                         my

End to our differences in a way of God : I doe humbly take leave of you & Rest

                                                         ^

 

                                        Y^ors to be comanded and serve in

                                             the lord John Wheelwright

 

          In the name & with y^e consent of y^e church           1676

 The day appointed for y^e meeting us ye 19^th day of Septemb w^ch is

the 3^d day of y^e week

 

Accordingly the Elders & messengers of y^e church sent out & mett upon the day appointed

onely M^r Higgeson of Salem was absent : we heard what was matter of difference on

both sides & y^e major part of y^e counsell concluded upon y^e result following.

 

                           Septemb 22 1676

Wee the Elders & messengers of our Several Churches respectively being assembled

at the request of y^e Pastor & Brethren of ye ch of X^t at Salisabury, to help y^m in

their present divisions, Especially in y^e matters referring to y^e Excomunication of

major Pike. doe give in our result as followeth

  That all though we cannot have y^t sence of y^e words & actions of Major Pike as

soe hainous & flagitous as y^e Pastor & Brethren w^th him have; yet we have

a deeper deeper sence of it then Major Pike hath hitherto manifested to have

& hope y^t the lord may help him to further conviction of, & humiliation under y^e

same; & all things considered, we judg the sentence against Major Pike to be

in some respect not Justifiable  some of w^ch are

not attending fully to y^e advise of y^e Elders in y^e Bay, nor y^e messengers of y^e church

as called by hims 24 prov. 6.

2 in his hazarding the breach of y^e church 1 Cor 11 18 & 1 Cor 12 25 & 14 26

3 in y^t it was too sudden Eccl. 3. 11 Gall 6. 1

4 In forming the vote w^ch was neither fairly not safely put 2 Cor 1 12 Phill 4 8.

And have as we conceive they ought soe we advise they doe forthwith take off y^t that Censure[49]

and receive Major Pike into church fellowship

And y^t they may be inabled to walk together for y^e future according to y^e Rules of y^e

Gospell, we doe intreat & enact y^m by our Lord Jesus X^t that they seriously reflect

sf upon these unbrotherly carriages & animosityes & Exascerbations of spirit w^ch

have appeared both in word & action, to y^e great dishonour of God, scandall of re

=ligion, & wounding of y^r own soules, & y^t they be deeply humbled before God for the

same, confessing their faults to y^e lord & one to another & forgiving one another

and we judg it advisable y^t a Solemn day of humiliation be kept in order to

their future love & peace, y^t y^e God of love and peace may be with y^m. And y^t for

the time to come, they with fear & trembling indeavour to avoyd what may

                                                              tend