6. It is in the power of the churches to call their own officers and remove them from their office again, if there fall out just cause, yet so as the advice of neighbor churches, where it may conveniently be done, be first had, and they who are to officiate ought to be tried and proved before they be elected. 1 Tim. v. 22.

7. Elders are to be ordained by imposition of hands, which is to be performed by the elders of the same church if it be furnished with any, or those of neighbor churches, and may be done by some of the brethren deputed thereunto; which latter also is not disapproved by Dr. Hornbeck, the learned Professor of Divinity at Leyden, from Numb. viii. 10.

8. The power of government in a Congregational church ought to proceed after the manner of a mixt administration, for in an organic church no act can be consummate without the consent both of the elders and the brethren; so as the power of government or rule in the elders prejudice not the power of privilege in the brethren, nor the power of privilege in them prejudice the power of rule seated in the elders, seeing both may sweetly agree together.

9. For the maintenance of the ministers of the church, all that are taught are to communicate to him that teacheth in all good things; and in case of neglect, the magistrate ought to see that the ministry be duly provided for.

10. For the admission of members, those that have the weakest measure of faith, it ought to be accepted in them that desire admission, either by a personal relation in public, or by the elders acquainting the church with what satisfaction they have received from the persons in private. The things wherein satisfaction is required are faith and repentance, which ought to be found in all church members.

11. Where members of churches are called to remove from one church to another, it is convenient, for order's sake, that it be done by letters of recommendation or of dismission.

12. The censures of the church, which are for the

preventing, removing, or healing of offences, are excommunication or admonition, wherein the church ought to proceed according to the rule of Matthew xviii. 15, 16, 17, wherein the offence is to be brought to the church by the mouth of the elders.

13. Particular churches, although they are distinct, and so have not one power over another, yet because they are united unto Christ, not only as a mystical but as a political head, they ought to have communion one with another, by way of mutual care, consultation, admonition, and participation in the same ordinances.

14. Synods orderly assembled, and righty proceeding according to the pattern of Acts xv., are the ordinance of Christ, and if not absolutely necessary to the being, yet necessary to the well-being of churches, for the establishment of truth and peace therein. And many churches may so assemble together by their messengers and elders, and their directions and determinations, so far as consonant to the Word of God, are to be received with reverence and submission, not only for their agreement therewith, (without which they bind not at all,) but also for the power whereby they are made, as an ordinance. of God, appointed thereunto in his Word.

15. Church government and civil government may very well stand together, it being the duty of the magistrates to take care of matters of religion, and to improve his civil authority, for observing the duties commanded in the first, as well as in the second table, seeing the end of their office is not only the quiet and peaceable life of the subject in matters of righteousness and honesty, but also in matters of godliness. 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2.

In these propositions are summed up in brief the principles of the Congregational churches of New England as to church government, which is the only point wherein they differ from the rest of the Reformed Churches, whether English, Belgic, or Gallic. As for their confession of faith and doctrine in all other points of religion, they of New England vary not from the doctrine of the Church of England, which generally is received in all the Reformed Churches of Christ in Europe.

In drawing the aforesaid Platform, the hand of Mr. Thomas Hooker, the famous minister of Hartford, was wanting, who had been not a little helpful in the former Synod, 1637, being, July the 7th, 1647, called to his rest and to receive his crown amongst those who have turned many to righteousness, and to shine as the stars forever and ever. Of whose eminent worth the less may be said here, considering what is ascribed to him by a reverend brother of his own order, in this following epitaph, wherein there is enough, if some do not think too much, said, for the setting forth his praise.

EPITAPHIUM IN OBITUM R MI FRATRIS

MRI. THO: HOOKERI.

America, although she doth not boast
Of all the gold and silver from this coast,
Lent to her sister Europe's need, or pride,

(For that's repaid her, and much more beside,

By one rich jewel, which th' Heavens did thence afford,
As pious Herbert gave his honest word,)

Yet thinks she may into the catalogue come,
With Europe, Afric, Asia, for one tomb.*

Ez. ROGERS.1

and

For piety, prudence, wisdom, zeal, and learning, what else might make him serviceable in the place and time he lived in, he might be compared with those of greatest note. He needs no other praise than the fruits of his own labors in both Englands, which shall preserve an honorable and happy remembrance of him forever.

August 25, 1649, put a period to the days of that fervent and powerful preacher of the Gospel, Mr. Thomas Shepard, the worthy pastor of the church of Christ at Cambridge. To him may be in his measure applied the words of David, "The zeal of thine house hath consumed me," for he died in the 44th year of his age. In whom was found the zeal, fervor, piety, and learning of an eminent, worthy preacher of the Gospel.

time and place |

* VARIATIONS. [From Mather's Magnalia.] ED.

Line 4.

and much gain beside,

5. In one rich pearl, which Heaven did thence afford

7. Yet thinks, She in the catalogue may come.

' Rev. Ezekiel Rogers was the first minister of Rowley, where he died Jan. 23, 1661.-H.

CHAP. LIX.1

General affairs of the Massachusetts, in New England, from 1651 to 1656.

In the beginning of this lustre, viz. May the 7th, 1651, Mr. Endicot was again chosen Governor, and Mr. Dudley Deputy Governor, which order in the election of the chief rulers of that Colony was observed in the years 1652 and 1653.

In the General Court of the year 1651, Boston growing populous, and many occasions thereby intervening that required the administration of justice oftener than the stated Courts of the County could well attend unto, the town was allowed the power of keeping a kind of Corporation Court by Commissioners chosen by the inhabitants. And whereas the people, inhabiting upon the south side of Pascataqua River, had resigned up their government to the Massachusetts, those on the other side in the Province of Maine were the same year, 1651, urged with the like necessity as the other were; for having run themselves aground in their government, and not well able to recover the stream again, they were willing to cast themselves upon the General Court of the Massachusetts, who, upon several considerations, past an order and declaration about their right and title thereunto, and ordered Mr. Bradstreet, Major Denison, and Captain Hathorne to treat with the gentlemen of the said Province about the surrender thereof, as in their best judgments and discretions they should think meet. On which account all the towns eastward of Pascataqua were, within the compass of the next two years, taken into the government of the Massachusetts in like manner.

In the year 1652, Mr. Bradstreet, Mr. Symonds, Captain Wiggin, and Mr. Pendleton were sent as Commissioners to summon the inhabitants of Kittery to come in and own their subjection to the Massachusetts, as of right and proper interest belonging unto them. And being assembled together November 16th, that year, they submitted thereunto, their submission being subscribed by

1 LVIII in the MS.-H.

Their Commission from the General Court was dated Oct. 28, 1652.-H.

above forty of the inhabitants at the same time. The like was done at Agamenticus the 22d of the same month,' the place being afterward called York. In like manner in the year following, sc. 1653, Commissioners were sent from the Massachusetts to take the town of Wells into their government, as was done in the places last mentioned the year before. And the like also was done at Saco, July 5th of the same year, and their submission subscribed by sixteen of their inhabitants, who were the principal if not the greatest part of their number. Those of Cape Porpoise did the like about the same time, twelve of which place submitted thereunto.

To all of these Eastern Plantations were granted, for their encouragement, larger privileges than to the common inhabitants of the Massachusetts, sc. all the privileges of the freemen, upon the taking the oath that belongeth thereunto; and for the clearing of the right and title of the Massachusetts to the said Province, some skilful mathematicians were ordered that year to run the north line of the Massachusetts Patent, according to the late interpretation of the bounds thereof; and the line was accordingly run October 13, 1653.3

And some gentlemen about Pascataqua did, in the year 1669, raise a considerable contribution for the advantage of the College, by way of gratuity for the kindness they received by the patronage of the Massachusetts government, sc. £60 per annum for seven years.*

In the same years was liberty granted for several Plantations within the limits of the Massachusetts Colony, as at Northampton and Hadley upon Connecticut River, and at a pleasant place upon Merrimack River, called Chelmsford. Liberty also was granted for a township, at an Indian Plantation in the way towards Hadley, called by the inhabitants Lancaster. Several families had seated themselves there ever since the year 1647,6 but now by the addition of a convenient number of inhabitants they became a township.

May 3, 1654, Mr. Bellingham was by the freemen in

See the "Retourne of the Commissioners," with the names of those who took the oath of freemen, in Hazard, i. 575.-H. 2 Ibid. 573-4, 576-7.-H. Ibid. 564, 571, 591..-H. See the "Address of the town of Ports

mouth," &c., in Farmer's Belknap, pp. 439-40.—н.

1653. Hadley was first settled in 1647.—H.

And four years previous, viz. 1643. See Sav. Win. ii. 152, 161.-H.