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    willing after his reception heer & dismssion hence to admitt him in due

    time into Church fellowship with your Church, that he may have the benefitt of Ch

    fellowship & watch wch by reason of distance he cannot partake in wth us; if you be

    pleased to signify soe much to us under your hand we shall wth ye more incorragemt

                                    further

    take off the censures & shall have cause of thankfulln to your selves, Especially humbly to

    bless ye lord who gathers ye outcasts of Israel that he has bin pleased heer prayers

    in gathering home our poor outcast thus beseeching ye lord to bless & keep you

    to strengthen accept succeed you in Xst Jesus in all yor indevores for ye furtherance

    of his kingdom wth desiers of ye continuance of yor prayers for me I Rest

     

     Remember my love to my brethren the Harrisons & yrs yor indeered brother in Xt

    Mr Stow & his wife your Br Mr Whiting when you         Jesus  S. P.

    see him The lord support him in his tryalls & supply all his need.

     

      Mr Shepards Answer to the Churches call page 35

         Cambridg novemb 4 1672

       Revernd Sr

    After my best respects to yor kind self & Mrs Phillips prmised

    these may inform you that I did fully intend to have given you

    a visit this day but am unhappily prevented Sr I am as yet In

    capacitated to send an affirmative answer to your loving invita

    tion of me to settle amongst you, were my internall call as Clear

    as the External I should be more ready to serve your selves then

    any pp in N E, but I know my self to be insufficient for these things

    which alone might be argumt sufficient to Apologize for me: My

    freinds are very free & desirous of my settlement amongst you

    but my great fear is that I shall not be able to dispense the word

    of grace with that power & purity which perhaps may be Expec

    ted from me, & soe by my settlemt amongst you I shall but be in

    strumental to deprive you of more sutable help & of such an one

    who may be better fitted & qualified to manage such a great charg

                       request

    Sr my great & earnest both to your self & to your people is for yor

    prayers to god for me, that he would honour me soe farr that I

    might honour him & that he would guide me & direct me to that

    which may conduce most to his glory: And if it should please him

    to incline my heart to come amongst you that he would make me

              un

    serviceable to hims & a blessing unto you not Els at prsent onely

     I Rest yor ffriend &c.

    Jer: Shepard

     Sr If god should incline my heart              

    to settle amongst you it will be Six weeks or two months

    before I can possibly come: pray Sr let me receive in a few lines

    from you by the bearer heer of Mr Michelson: The Answer

     ffollowes