118        184                1679.

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 After y^e foregoing acknowledgment read & owned by M^r Nelson in publick the

Church of Rowley were advised to admitt M^r Nelson again into their fellowship &

to take of the censure (which y^e Revnd Moderaters did publickly declare was noe

nullity but just righteous & valid as to y^e substance of y^e administration) which ac

=cordingly was then done before the Reverend council & M^r Nelson again own

=ed the covenant which he had made at his first admission

   The Revered assembly then drew up their last result & advise which by one

of the Revered Moderators (viz M^r Mather who was intreated by many of y^e church

to stay with us & gave us a Sermon on y^e Sabbath which he kindly yeilded unto) was

read before y^e whole congregation of Rowley after y^e Evening Exercise as followeth

 

      The Messengers of ten Churches assembled at Rowley Novemb

 19 1679. Being mett together in y^e Name of Christ, and by the call of y^e

honoured General Court, to hear (& if the lord shall soe please) to issue the differen

ces in that Church: After serious seeking unto God for the guidance of his holy Spirit

to direct us un y^e affair before us, & after an Impartial hearing what both partys

have alleadged, we doe (as in y^e lords name & fear) declare & give our solemn

advise as followeth.

 Since it hath pleased the God of all grace, for his owne name sake, soe farr to

manifest his presence with, & his blessing upon the indeavours of his servants as

that M^r Nelson, [(]who had bin an occasion of the late differences in y^e church

of Rowley) hath acknowledged his offences in all the particulars for which the

Church had proceeded with him to the Censure of Excomunication soe as

hath bin to their comfortable satisfaction, that they have with much unanimity

                                                                      wards

received him into their holy fellowship again, Confirming their love to him

and that both partyes have declared, that they doe mutually forgive & forgett, what

=ever offenses have fallen out amongst them, in these houres of Temptation: We

Bow our knees before the God & father of our lord Jesus Christ in humble thank

=fullness, for this great mercy, desiring that his Name alone may have all y^e

glory, And that soe the peac, which God hath gratiously restored to y^e church

in Rowley, may by his blessing be continued, & confirmed, we father advise

That y^e whole church in Rowley, humble themselves before the lord in a way

of fasting & prayer, because of the differences which have been amongst y^m

and the dishonour w^ch therby hath happened unto y^e the blessed mane of X^st

whose they are, & that they doe Explicitely, & with all their hearts, & with all

their soul Soule[108] renew their Covenant with God & one with another.

 And as for the Inhabitants of y^e Town of Rowley, who noe doubt have

many of them bin concerned in y^e late unhappy differences; we solemnly ad

=vise, that soe farr as any of them, may have had any influence into these

troubles y^ei judg themselves for it before the lord, and that for the future

they doe what in them is in order to the strengthning of the restored peac

in the church heer: Wee likewise exort, both y^e church, and whole congre

=gation of Rowley, that they would strengthen the heart & hands of their

Rev^d & faythful Teacher, holding him in reputation for his works sake, that

he may be able to give an account concerning all the soules, over whom

God hath set him, as his watchman, with joy and not with greif, for that will

be unprofitable to them, And that the lord may not be provoaked to