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    con-rowley

                                 1674         129              (63

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    upon their very hearing of your new practise as it might be suspected as to

    matter of religion professed & setled amongst you, & ye actings thereupon Josh 24 me

    thinks it should take wth any gainsayers, though I think ye very case itself is suffitient as

    thus placed to silence all: wherefore goe about it in ye lords name & he will be with you

     

                                                          yor very owne

                                                               Tho: Cobbet

                                                               Robert Paine

         A copy of what was voted at Salem by the church of Salem in a

         church meeting the last 2d day at one of ye clock in ye afternoon

    f. The church doth not approve Tho: Roots &c. sudden gathering the church at Lyn

    but desier they would forbear their proceeding at present, That a matter of such

    waight may be done with more deliberation & to better satisfaction

      After 4 messengers are appointed to acquaint ye neighbors Tho: Roots &c with

      it & 3 other messengers to appear at lyn to except against their proceedings

      in case they should goe on.

                                  This is a true coppy of what Mr Higgeson pastor

                                    of ye church at Salem[31] writ about this matter

                                                               Tho: Cobbet[32]

    Being certainly informed of a motion of one Tho: Roote of Salem propoun

    ded lately to or honoured magistrates at the Court ther for their approbation yt

    he & some others of Salem (not yet in comunion with that church) should gather

    a church by themselves, & that ye worshipfull Deputy Governour & Some other of ye

    worshipfull magistrates professed their dissent therunto: & haveing seen the vote

    of the church of Salem the 30th of novemb. 74 that ye church doth not approove

    of Tho: Roote or as above f  This church of Ipswich (Esteeming it their

    duty to strengthen the hand of any Xstian Church amongst us in ye wayse of Xst & to

    be carefull in preventing any sudden & unsatisfactory actings in soe momentous a

    matter as the gathering of a church) doth fully concurr with the vote of the church

    of Salem & have sent or messengers to signify or disapprovmt of any such pre

    mature Enterprize of the sayd Tho: Roote & company to gather a church at

    Lyn

                 This is a copy of Ipswich vote

    These things I comunicated to this church of God in Rowley & desired they

    would concurr with Salem & Ipswich vote wch the major part of the church

    did & signified their consent by lifting up their hands & desired S. P & Deacon

    Tenny to goe to inquire into & to yeeld what help god should enable us withall as ye

    mattre might require Some brethren did object Especially Br Swan that the 3d

                       a

    church at Boston was much like case & yrfore he did not se light to send to testify

    against ye proceedings in as much as those brethren of Boston church were counte

    nanced in separating & gathering into a church by themselves, how while that

    case is to this of Tho: Rootes may be seen page in ye foremer part of this book

    they were brethren these non members they gathered into church Estat by consil

                                noe

    these upon their own heads tho magistrates nor churches gave councell or consent

                                 ^

    he viz Br Swan sayd Ipswich church had not yet voted it: I answerd I doubted

    not but yei had I more doubted of some of ym their concurrence in soe good a

    work But soon after I come home came an answer to this last objection from

    Ipswich as followeth

    [31] John Higginson, pastor of Salem First Church, 1660-1708.

    [32] Thomas Cobbett, pastor of Ipswich, 1655-85.