SECT. II churches, on being questioned, unanimously ack1637. nowledged, that they felt themselves pointed at and maligned in the aforesaid discourse. After some debate, he was adjudged guilty of sedition and contempt of the court. His conduct was thought to be marked by peculiar aggravations of guilt. A fast had been appointed, as the means of healing breaches in the peace of the church, which his sermon seemed designed and calculated to widen. From this judgment the governour and a few others dissented, and entered their protest; which however was not admitted, because it exculpated Mr. Wilson, and in this instance disapproved the doings of the court. First Church also offered a petition in behalf of Mr. Wheelwright, which justified his sermon. The court deferred sentence, until the next session, and took advice of the ministers concerning the propriety of enforcing his sentence. They were diffident in their opinions on the subject, and recommended him to the care of First Church. This was done, and his appearance enjoined at the next court. These differences gave motion to the pens as well, as spirit of controversy. Among other tracts, the magistrates issued an apology, justifying the sentence of the court against Mr. Wheelwright. Against this sentence the majority of the church had said many hard things. They had also remonstrated in a loud and angry tone, and been guilty of unfairness. In abbreviating Mr. Wheelwright's sermon, they actually altered the clergy. The ser 1637. both the words and meaning of offensive pas- SECT. II. sages. Mr. W. himself too published a treatise, relative to the dispute, which also spoke a different language from that of the sermon. mon was answered, and its doctrine refuted, by This answer drew another from Mr. Cotton, who narrowed the ground of controversy; and in the election sermon, preached, the next day by Mr. Shepard, the differences were so concisely stated, that the affair was brought almost to a close. Indeed so much had been written and said on the subject, so much had been controverted, and so much conceded, that polemick divines of the first perspicacity could alone determine with accuracy, where the point of contention was; and, if the passions of the community had not been highly excited, the dispute would have seen an earlier termination. The religious combatants were at length agreed in the following particulars. First, that justification and sanctification were together in time. Secondly, that a man must know himself justified, before he can know himself sanctified. Thirdly, that the spirit of God never witnesses to the reality of justification, without a previous conviction of a wonderful work wrought upon the soul. The difference between the controversialists came finally to this. One party affirmed, that the first assurance of a justified state originated in an absolute promise, and not in a conditional one also. The other maintained, that christian assurance arose from a promise partly absolute and partly SECT. II. Conditional. 1637. The former held, that no man could have any true assurance, without such a sense of a good work having been wrought upon his soul, as no hypocrite could attain. The latter contended, that the only sure evidence of continuing in a justified state was a continuance in a state of holiness. court. Mr. Wheelwright, as commanded, appeared at Because however a day of general humiliation was appointed, on which all the churches were to choose referees, for settling the differences, a respite was granted him by the court, until its next session. If, at that period, he should retract his errour, he was given to understand, that he would probably experience a lenity, which otherwise might not be expected. He answered, If I have been guilty of sedition, let me die. Recantation is out of the question. If you proceed thus unrighteously against me, I shall appeal to the tribunal of my king. The court told him, that they were satisfied of the rectitude of their course, and that, on a revision of his case, their decision would be exactly, what it had been; but if to the meditated conference among the ministers the Lord should afford new light, they would cheerfully use it in ordaining a new sentence. The design of the magistrates in thus deferring the execution of the sentence was to give ample testimony of their uprightness. The friends of Wheelwright had been so censorious and insolent in their speeches in court, and so outrageous in their conduct abroad, as to injure their cause. 1637. The moderate party was daily waxing stronger SECT. II. both in numbers and influence, and were now able to crush the fanatick and his adherents. But they were willing to make the equity of their measures palpable to the world, by cultivating a temper of moderation, and still extending the conciliatory hand. A proof of the pious dispositions of the patriarchs of Newengland is found in many of their institutions, and particularly in their observance of fasts and thanksgivings. On experiencing any publick calamity, a day of humiliation was immediately ordained, and a day of thanksgiving, when Providence had blessed them with remarkable favours. A victory had recently been gained over the Pequod Indians, and, on that account, the 15 June, 1637, was appropriated by all the churches to the exercise of publick thanksgiving. The friends of order, now making a large majority, were resolved, that their opposers should feel their power; and frequent opportunities occurred, in which love of truth and the publick quiet were put in opposite scales. Through the influence of the dominant party, a man, named Greensmith, was censured by the general court for saying, that all the ministers, excepting two, were principled in a covenant of works. This had been said and punished before. The man appealed to the king; but he was nevertheless committed. The wound however, which fanaticism ha received, was by no means mortal. It was con F 15 June. 1637. SECT. II. stantly receiving balm and consolation from the parent country. A brother of Mrs. Hutchinson and other friends of Mr. Wheelwright, recently arrived, immediately rallied round the antinomian standard; and though the administration would allow them neither trust nor countenance, yet they had a large portion of zeal, and of course could not but have a portion of influence. They were continually preaching the peculiarities of their sect, which imbittered, poisoned, and inflamed the popular mind. Such were the effects of their doctrines upon the timid and credulous, that some became intoxicated with the joys of assurance, some deranged, and others were driven to despair. One woman, in particular, of the congregation, having been long worried with terrours concerning her spiritual state, grew at length so furious, that she threw her child into the well, saying, "now my damnation is inevitable." This unhappy state of religious affairs was viewed with concern by serious and enlightened christians, who carefully seized upon every favourable opportunity for soothing the passions of the populace, and giving a right direction to their zeal. Rev. John Davenport, who, in the course of the past month, had come hither, like many of his profession, for the enjoyment of religious liberty, was laudably instrumental in furthering the work of peace. He preached the thursday lecture from Cor. i. and in his sermon held a strong 17 July. light over the nature and dangers of those divisions, which had sprung up in the church, and most |