SECT. II. issue. A Mrs. Hett had been cast out for her

1643.

wicked and blasphemous speeches, who became alarmed at her situation, reformed her manners, and returned to the discharge of her pious and social duties.

In this year, assembled all the ministers of Massachusetts in the town of Cambridge. About fifty composed the assembly. They all boarded in commons, during the session; and their diet was so simple and so economical, that each meal was furnished to the members for sixpence a piece. Mr. Cotton and Mr. Hooker were the moderators. The object of the convention was to resist the attempts of certain persons, lately arrived at Newbury, and others to establish a presbytery.

The church was troubled with the errours of the fanatical Gorton, whom the governour took with his adherents and brought to Boston. At first they refused to attend publick worship, but were at length prevailed on to hear Mr. Cotton, on condition that they might have liberty of replying to his arguments. The opinions of this sect, like those of Mrs. Hutchinson, were a compound of calvinism and fatalism, and almost utterly unintelligible to the generality of christians. They maintained, for instance, "that there was nothing now but Christ; that ordinances, means, and ministers were merely the inventions of men, and shrines only of the temple of Diana; that, as Christ lived eternally, so he died eternally; that magistracy was an idol of the people; and that a

1644.

man might as well be a slave to his own belly, as SECT. II. to his own species." Such was the nonsense, which, in those days, disturbed the peace of the churches, and which the magistrates and ministers thought fit to chastize with fines and imprison

ment.

In the beginning of the year 1644, Mr. Wheelwright, who, five years since, had caused the church so much uneasiness, wrote a letter to the general court, in which he discovered a spirit of moderation, penitence, and love of peace, that gave great satisfaction. He was accordingly, af ter a time, released from the odium and sentence of banishment, under which he had been holden. Congregationalists were alarmed at the increase of the baptists. The magistrates, after encouraging the elders to use with them the means of reformation, ordered, that such, as continued obstinate, should be banished. It ought to be remembered for the honour of the ministers of the Prince of peace, that they did somewhat towards softening the rigour of this unrighteous decree.

There was, this year, a petition drawn up in 1645. Hingham, and signed by seven of the inhabitants, complaining, among other things, of the want of religious liberty. It stated, that there were many persons in the community of good morals, and members of the church of England, who are yet prohibited the Lord's supper, because they will not subscribe the church's covenant. Such a subscription they could not justify to their consciences, on the principles of the scriptures. Yet

1645.

SECT. II. they were compelled to attend on publick worship, every Lord's day. Much notice was taken of them, and many hard speeches uttered concerning them, if they did not stay, whilst the children of others were baptized, although baptism was denied to their own; and in some instances they were forced to contribute to the maintenance of such ministers, as would not receive them into their flocks. It was, on the ground of these complaints and disabilities, that they requested liberty, either as episcopalians of enjoying the benefit of ordinances with congregationalists, or of forming an episcopalian establishment for themselves.

Six of these seven petitioners were cited before the court and charged with a number of offences and a general character of rebellion to the order of the churches, and accordingly were fined and imprisoned. Governour Winthrop's popularity was put at hazard by this affair; but he defended himself with so much firmness, and he possessed so entirely the confidence of a great majority of the commonwealth, that he was exculpated, and thenceforth shared more liberally than ever in the affections of the people. The petitioners however were not to be thus disheartened in their purpose. They resolved to lay their case before the parliament of England; and Dr. Child and Mr. Fowle accordingly took ship immediately in prosecution of this purpose. The government of Massachusetts were alarmed at the measure, and did every thing in their power to frustrate the design. Mr. Cotton hesitated not in one of his

1647.

sermons to declare, that, if any person should at- SECT. II. tempt to carry writings complaining of the ecclesiastical proceedings of this country to Britain, he would be a Jonas in the ship. These words of the patriarch were considered oracular. It so happened, that a violent storm arose on the passage, and one of the female passengers, distracted with fear, went to Mr. Fowle, and by her cries and entreaties prevailed on him to give up the obnoxious petition, which she instantly cast into the sea. Mr. Fowle had however taken care to preserve the original papers, which he published, on his arrival, under the title of "New England's Jonas cast up at London." But the Parliament were too busily engaged in other concerns to take cognizance of the thing.

In the year 1648, terminated the synod, which began its session in Cambridge, in 1646. Its sessions had been short and infrequent. Its labours principally consisted in compiling what is called the Cambridge platform, which, together with the Westminster confession of faith, they now recommended to the general court and to the churches of Newengland.

In 1650, there were about forty churches in Newengland, and seven thousand, seven hundred and fifty communicants.

Nothing remarkable transpired in the church from this time until the death of Mr. Cotton. One thousand and thirty-four children had been baptized, since Mr. Cotton's ordination. Of these 538 were males, and 456 females.

L

1648.

1650.

SECT. II.

1652.

rours.

There had also been admitted, during this period, that is, from the beginning of 1634 to the end of 1652, 306 men and 343 women, in all 649. Seventeen persons had been admonished publickly, and five excommunicated for irreclaimable erIt was an uncommonly interesting epoch to the church. A fraternity was to be formed of discordant materials. Many of those, who composed the church,had been educated Episcopalians, and were therefore disinclined to vary from established forms. Others had come to Newengland, rather as adventurers, than as christians, and could hardly be subjected to any ecclesiastical or political rules. But the sagacity and everwatchful discipline of Mr. Cotton was astonishingly efficacious towards conforming all descriptions of characters to habits of obedience and order. The talents, industry, and influence of this man were of such immense importance to the church in its infant state, that it will not be improper to close the section with a few notices of his life, writings, and character.

Rev. John Cotton was born at Derby, England, of respectable parents, in 1584. He was early sent to the grammar school in the place of his nativity, whence he was taken to Cambridge, and admitted a member of Trinity college. His industry and attainments were equally conspicuous; and he soon became first a member, and afterwards a fellow of Emmanuel college in the same university. Frequent opportunities occurred for the exercise of his abilities; and in all of