an assistant, the greater part of the time, until 8 SECT. IX. September, 1696, when he was inducted by the 1696. neighbouring ministers with a formality, hitherto unpractised in the land.† During the four last years, ending with 1696, eighty persons of the congregation became communicants, sixty-two of whom were females. One hundred and fifty-seven children were baptized, within the same period, of whom eightythree were boys. vice of Christ in this church, we do fully and sincerely declare, we continue in the same mind and affection towards him, as formerly; and do therefore, in order to the fulfilling our desires, request him to come to the town, and live among us; purposing (God willing) to proceed to his full settlement in office among us, without loss and unreasonable delay, according to the custom of the churches among us. JAMES ALLEN." Ibid. "1656, May the 5th, voted at a church meeting, by their own desire, that they do unitedly desire the continuance of Mr. John Bailey in his ministry among us. And also, that the teacher, in their name, advise Mr. Wadsworth to take out his dismission from the church, he belongs to, and join with this church." Ibid. p. 56. June 21, 1696, the name of Benjamin Wadsworth appears among the additions. "August 9. Voted anew a choice of Mr. Wadsworth to [the] teaching office; and 8th of September to be the day of ordination. Five neighbour churches to be sent to; the North and South in Boston, Charlestown, Dorchester, and Roxbury." Aug. 30. Voted, that, after Mr Wadsworth's ordination, he shall be declared a pastor to this church." The following is afterwards added in Mr. Wadsworth's hand writing. "This vote was executed, 8 Sep. 1696." Ibid. "I have seen an account," says Mr. Hutchinson, " of an ordination, about the year 1640, of Mr. Hooke, at Taunton, then Cohasset, in Plymouth colony, by the schoolmaster and one of the breth. ren, an husbandman, although Mr. Wilson and Mr. Mather, two ministers, were present. But the general practice was otherwise ; and,at this day, an ordination by the lay brethren, although it might not be condemned, as invalid, yet would be generally disapproved and discountenanced." Hutch. i. 374. T 1696. 1697. SECTION X. From the ordination of Mr. Wadsworth, 8 September, 1696, to that of Mr. Bridge, 10 May, 1705. FOR a little more than a year, the congregation was SECT. X. under the united care of Messrs. Allen, Bailey, and Wadsworth. But this union was interrupted, near the close of the following year, by the death of Mr. Bailey, who, upwards of four years, had been an assistant to Mr. Allen, and who had endeared himself to all his hearers and acquaintances by a most fervent piety and untired beneficence.† He was born, 24 Feb. 1644, near Blackburn, in Lancashire, England, of a mother, who early dedicated him to the service of God, and carefully instructed him in a knowledge of the scriptures. He was initiated in grammar under an eminent schoolmaster, by the name of Sager, and afterwards taught the higher branches of science and literature by Dr. Harrison, whose life is drawn in the Nonconformist's Memorial.‡ At the age of twenty-two, he began his ministry in Chester, where he stayed a short time only, on account of his congregational principles, and whence he was removed by government to Lancashire jail. † Mather's Magnalia, iii. 232. Vol. i. p. 330. 1697. Released from prison, he travelled into Ireland, SECT. X. and took the charge of a congregation in Limerick. He, here laboured for fourteen years, with indefatigable industry and brilliant success. So distinguished was he by his talents and fidelity in office, as to attract the notice of people of the first rank, and to obtain the offer of a deanery and the promise of a bishoprick, on condition of conformity. But neither flattering prospects of fame and opulence, on the one hand, nor the most cruel indignities, on the other, were sufficient to divert his purpose of fulfilling the ministry, which hel had received, in the manner corresponding with his notions of evangelical simplicity. Free from factious design, he maintained a straight and fearless course. Though the tenour of his life was blameless, beneficent, and amiable, so that he could go nowhere without finding friends, yet he suffered another most grievous imprisonment for his opinions; whilst papists, in the same period and region, experienced the blessings of toleration and peace. Said he to his judges, "If I had been drinking, gaming, and carousing with company at a tavern, I presume, my lords, I should not thus have been treated, as an offender. Must praying to God and preaching Christ with a company of christians, who are peaceable, inoffensive, and serviceable to his majesty and the government, as any of his subjects; must this be considered, as a greater crime?" The recorder answered, "We will have you to know it is a greater crime," SECT. X. 1697. To this virtuous and suffering nonconformist Newengland at length afforded a covert from the howling and destructive tempest.* Arriving in this country, in 1683, he was freely indulged by providence, in what he deemed the best of earthly employments, the preaching of the gospel. His discourses were plain, popular, fervent; calculated rather to compel his hearers into the way of salvation, than to exercise their understandings with his learning and logick, or their imaginations with rhetorical flowers. After the example of the pious Shepard,† he resolved, that the studying of every sermon should cost him tears; that, before he preached it to others, he would profit by it himself; and that, in carrying it into the pulpit, he would consider himself, as if going to give an account of his stewardship. His life was such, as showed itself influenced by these resolutions. He was rigidly. watchful of his heart, conversation, and actions; and so tender was his conscience, that sometimes the most innocent indulgences occasioned him regret and disquietude. "Three things," he would say, "I desire to get; patience under the calamities of life, impatience under its moral infirmities, and earnest longings for the life to come." The scriptures were dear to him, not only as a professional study, but as a treasury of intellectual wealth to the scholar and of consolation to the pious individual. In one of his letters to a friend he writes, "How terrible are the threatenings, how precious are the prom 1697. ises, how serious are the precepts, how deep are SECT: X. the prophecies of this holy book!" It was evident from his manner of conducting social prayer, that his heart was in it, and that it was intended to operate, as a rule of life. His addresses to heaven frequently contained the following petition, "May we not be of the number of them, who live without love, speak without feeling, and act without life." With great calmness and high hopes, at the age of fifty-four, he terminated his diligent and exemplary course, on sunday, 12 December, 1697, and was interred the thursday following.* He published, "Man's chief end to glorify God," a sermon preached at Watertown, 1689, and an address to the people at Limerick, in 1684.† Dr. Cotton Mather preached his funeral sermon, which has supplied the principal materials to the several notices of his life. He was buried in the cemetery in Common-street, Boston, where many of his descendants have mingled their dust with his. The names of Willis and Belknap mark a number of his posterity in the female line; and there are now living two of his grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, and several of the fifth generation. The discipline of the church, at this time, 1698. seems to have been carefully attended to ; * First Chh. R. p. 57. New Eng. Biog. Dict. specimen of church censures, at 66 ****** ****** was admonbegging charity of people for The following may serve, as a that day, frequently administered. ished publickly, Jan. 16, 1698, for some poor person or persons, as she pretended, yet keeping the most of what she so gathered for her own use. In the management |