1680             186        (121

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 The Church of Christ at Topsfeild sent to y^e Church of Rowley & to

Ipswich Newberry & Wenham M^r Hubbard their Pastor consenting therto

to give y^m advise in respect of matters of difference between y^m selves &

M^r Hubbard, and accordingly y^e councill meet July 6. 1688 and did find

y^t M^r Hubbard had carried himself Scandelously both by rayling & falls speak

ing &, lascivious unclean carriage with maydes & women; some repentance

he expressed in a paper but not such as was judged sutabl to his great offen

=ses therfore The counsill advised the Church to bear him a while[109] long or

to se if ther might any farther repentance appear; but he failing their

Expectation in y^t & giving farther offence by his unruly tongue, the coun

=cill (who had ajourned till 21 of Septemb) mett again & determined that it

was his way to lay down his office, which accordingly he did and y^t

church fully accepted of his soe doing, & then he had letters [illeg.]

by advise of y^e councill & consent of ye church to Hingham wher he was

formerly a member

octob. 20 1680 M^r Hubbard of Ipsw. & S. P being desired by the pp at Tops

=feild mett with y^m to keep a day of fasting & prayer, that we might seek

a way to pardon what had bin amiss in y^e time of their dissentions & y^t god

would guide in y^r Choise of a minister.

Octob 11 1680 Y^e Church of Rowley mett about calling another mi

nister to ioyne with S. P. & voted to invite & call M^r Burroughs,[110] ac

cordingly letters & messegers B^r Tod & M^r Neh Jewitt were sent to him Octob

13.0 as followeth

   Dear & much respected S^r

Hearty love & respect to your self & M^rs Burroughs premised

The occasion of these few lines is to inform you y^t y^e church of X^st in

Rowley, haveing mett to seek god, & to consider whom y^ei might pitch

upon to ioyne with me in y^e work of y^e ministry, y^ei came to y^s unani

mous vote, That they would first make y^e motion to your self that if

you were not preingaged Els wher, you would be pleased to take our desires

into consideration, & to give us an answer as soon as conveniently you

can. By thes therfore (worthy S^r) & more fully by our messengers & beloved

brethren B^r Tod & B^r M^r Neh. Jewitt, you may [illeg.][111] y^t y^e Ch of Rowley

that you [illeg.]  a call to [illeg.] on y^e work of y^e ministry in y^s place in order

[illeg.] & on my part, I fully goe along with

the church in this motion to your self, & was glad & am that they did soe

fully[112] accord therin. The good lord direct you & us in this waighty affair of

his kingdome, as may make most for y^e honour of his name & y^e good of

soules In w^ch desire I know you will ioyne with

Rowley Octob 13 1680.  in y^e name & with the consent Your loving b^r in X^st Jesus

                      of y^e b^r of y^e Ch. at Rowley             S: Phillips