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SEC. VII.

1670.

In the preceding year, such was the disturbed condition of the church, that offences were frequently happening, and yet the ancient vigour of administration was impaired. The practice however continued, of excommunicating members for almost all sorts of crimes, and of restoring them to communion, upon manifestations of repentance.

On 12 Feb. 1669, "Edward Ransford and Jacob Eliot were dismissed from the office of deacons for setting their hands, with other brethren, to desire their dismission from the church ; because the church had chosen Mr. Davenport for their pastor."*

On 29 March, 1670, "at a meeting called about our dissenting brethren, the question, whether the church see light from the word of God to dismiss our dissenting brethren, that desire it, was answered in the negative unanimously.*

"At a general meeting of the church, on 16 August, 1669, it was voted by the church, that our honoured magistrates do draw up instructions for capt. Clarke to N. Haven, that they might declare the owning of the letter sent from them to this church to be a true dismission for Mr. Dayenport."

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*First Church Records, p. 31.

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and m Cooke do draw up a letter in answer to y letter sent from Dedham church, enquiring after

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the proceeding of y church about a letter or let

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ters from y church of N. Haven to this church, and to sign it in the name of the church."

"On 25 Aug. 1669, the church met to hear the letter read, that was sent to Dedham, and they did unanimously concur with it, as their own mind."

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At a church meeting, on 9 Oct. 1699, upon hearing the letters read from N. Haven in answer to a letter of two of the elders to them; it was voted unanimously, that the church doth stand to the former vote and judgment, in the case of the elders, about the extracting the sense of the letters dismissive."

These extracts from the records of the church sufficiently show, that she must have been much agitated respecting the affair of Mr. Davenport's removal, and the publick opinion concerning that

measure.

The congregation does not appear to have been insensible to the object of religious association. The following vote indicates a laudable concern for the growth of vital religion.

"At a publick church meeting, on the 13th of the 10th mo.1669, it was agreed on and concluded by a unanimous vote, that the elders should go from house to house to visit the families, and see how they are instructed in the grounds of religion."

SEC. VII.

1670.

SEC. VII.

1670.

Mr. Davenport died suddenly, on the 11th, according to First Church records, and according to Hutchinson and others, on 15 March, 1670. Although his career in Boston was short and troublous, it had been long and glorious in Newengland. Few men were better qualified for planting the gospel in a new world; and seldom has any man made a happier use of his natural and moral energies. This remark ought to be verified by a biographical sketch of the father of Newhaven.

Rev. John Davenport was born at Coventry, England, in 1597. He was sent to Merton college, in 1613, whence, after two years, he was removed to Magdalen hall, which he left without a degree. By his incessant and successful application he became one of the first of scholars, and by his gravity, warmth, and case of elocution, one of the most popular of preachers. He early imbibed the sentiments of puritans, and became a minister to a congregation of them in Colman street, London. Such was the spirit of those times, that he was obliged to resign his pastoral charge. In 1633, he retired into Holland, where he became united with a Mr. Paget, whom he opposed, on account of his administering baptism to children indiscriminately. A controversy ensued, which rendered his situation uncomfortable, and he returned to London. It seems, he had formed an acquaintance with Mr. Cotton, previously to his sailing for this country, and now enjoyed the benefit of his correspond

1670.

ence. By the favourable representation, he re- SEC. VII. ceived of America, he was led to form a connexion with Messrs. Eaton, Hopkins, and other respectable characters, for the purpose of settling in a land so propitious to civil and religious liberty. They arrived, in 1637, when the antinomian controversy was beginning to rage, in which Mr. D. took a decided and useful part. Not finding sufficient room for themselves and their friends in Massachusetts, they made a large purchase between the Connecticut and Hudson rivers, and founded the city of Newhaven, of which Mr. Davenport became the minister.

With the bold, enterprising spirit of a reformer he devoted his time, money, and strength to the acquisition and security of what he believed to be the right of the citizen and the christian. He had an idea, that a reformation was never carried any further, than by primitive reformers. An emigration into this country therefore, in his opinion, afforded the fairest opportunity for the puritans to effectuate their pious and liberal designs.

No man was ever more scrupulously careful in guarding the doors of the church, and none more rigid in his notions of church discipline. Yet he lived to see and lament, that, with all his caution, the hypocritical and vicious would sometimes find their way to the baptismal font, and the communion board. He refused, for example, to baptize children, unless he had evidence, that they were born of christian parents, who regularly walked in all the ordinances of the gospel.

SEC. VII. In the early part of life, he was continually preach1670. ing and publishing against what he called promis

cuous baptism, and he thought, that God by a particular providence called him into Holland, that he might bear witness against it in a country, where it was generally prevalent. His rigour in this respect caused him both labour and vexation. For even in those days, there were christians, calling themselves orthodox and puritan, who differed concerning what were the requisite qualifications for the initiatory seal. Mr. Cotton said, that a baptismal creed should contain three articles. Mr. Norton was content, that it should contain only one article; and others were willing, that baptism should be given to children, whose parents made no profession of faith, except what was implied in attending the ordinance. These last contended, that bringing one's child to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ is in very deed one of the most solemn modes of declaring a belief in the gospel, and entering into covenant with God.

In sentiment with Mr. Cotton respecting the civil as well, as religious polity of the bible, he endeavoured a system of order, which should nearly correspond with the hebrew institutes and the usages of the primitive christians. The scheme undoubtedly originated in the best intentions of the heart; but, in our day, it can hardly be believed, that ethicks, good sense, and knowledge of mankind, such as Cotton and Davenport possessed, should conceive it practicable.

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