were; whereby it is evident how dangerous a thing it is to trust to such pretended revelations, and neglect the word of God, which is our only rule, both as to faith and

manners.

The Court hearing of her thus speak, gathered from her own words that she walked by such a rule as cannot stand with the peace of any State or Church, for such bottomless revelations, if they be allowed in one thing, they must be admitted for a rule in all; and upon such a foundation were built the tragedies of Munster and other places, and might be also in America, if such things went on after this sort; for they who are above reason and Scripture will be subject to no control. The Court, therefore, finding no hope of her being persuaded to recal her opinions, or reform her way, judged it necessary to proceed against her by such a sentence as necessarily required her departure out of the country. The church likewise passed a sentence of excommunication upon her, by Mr. Cotton's consent and approbation, as well as of the church.1

This discovery of a new rule of practice by immediate revelation, and the consideration of such dangerous consequences, which have and might follow thereof, occasioned the Court to disarm all such of that party, as had their hands to the petition aforesaid, and some others who had openly defended the same, (which was a true shibboleth, whereby the disaffected were discovered,) except they would give satisfaction to the magistrates therein; which some presently did, about twenty in all: others made a great question about bringing in their arms, but they were too weak to stand it out, and therefore at the last submitted.2

CHAP. XXXIX.

The occasion of spreading erroneous opinions in New England, and much disturbance occasioned thereby in and about Boston, in the years 1636, 1637, etc.

MRS. HUTCHINSON, of whom large mention is made in the foregoing chapter, did by degrees discover two

1 See page 336.-H

See Sav. Win. i. 247.-H.

dangerous errors, which she brought with her out of England, (it being not probable that she gathered them from the ministry of Mr. Cotton, or any other minister in New England.) The one was, that the Holy Ghost dwelt personally in a justified person; the other was, that nothing of sanctification can help to evidence to believers their justification. From these two grew many other branches; as that our union with the Holy Ghost is such, that a Christian remains in himself dead to any spiritual action, and hath no gifts or graces, other than such as are in hypocrites, nor any other sanctification than the Holy Ghost himself. There joined with her in those opinions, or in some other very near them, one Mr. Wheelwright, brother-in-law to her, sometimes a silenced minister in England, of whom mention is also made in the former chapter.

The other ministers of the Bay hearing of those things, came to Boston about the end of October, 1636, in the time of the General Court, and entered a conference in private with the elders, and others there, to the end that they might know the certainty of these things; if need were that they might write to the church of Boston, about them, to prevent, (if it were possible,) the dangers which seemed to hang over that and the rest of the churches. At this conference Mr. Cotton was present, and gave satisfaction to them, so as he agreed with them all in the point of sanctification, and so did Mr. Wheelwright; so as they all did hold, that sanctification did help to evidence justification, the same he had delivered plainly in public divers times; but, for the indwelling of the person of the Holy Ghost, he held that still, but not union with the person of the Holy Ghost, so as to amount to a personal union.

A few days after, sc. October 30th, some of Boston church being of the forementioned opinion, were laboring to have the said Mr. Wheelwright to be called to be a teacher there. It was propounded the Lord's Day before, and was this day moved again for a resolution. One1

"This, we cannot doubt, was Winthrop himself," says Mr. Savage, Win. i. 202.-H.

of the church stood up, and said he could not consent: his reason was, because the church being well furnished already with able ministers, whose spirits they knew, and whose labors God had blessed in much love and sweet peace, he thought it not fit (no necessity urging,) to put the welfare of the church to the least hazard, as he feared they should, by calling in one whose spirit they knew not, and one who seemed to dissent in judgment, and instanced in two points, which he delivered in a late exercise there: 1. That a believer was more than a new creature. 2. That the person of the Holy Ghost and a believer were united. Hereupon the Governor, Mr. Vane, spake, that he marvelled at this, seeing Mr. Cotton had lately approved his doctrine. To this Mr. Cotton answered, that he did not remember the first, and desired Mr. Wheelwright to explain his meaning. He denied not the points, but showed upon what occasion he delivered them. Whereupon, there being an endeavor to make a reconciliation, the first replied, that although Mr. Wheelwright and himself might agree about the points, and though he thought reverendly of his godliness and abilities, so as he could be content to live under such a ministry, yet, seeing he was apt to raise doubtful disputations, he could not consent to choose him to the place. Whereupon the church gave way, that he might be called to office in a new church, to be gathered at Mount Wollaston, now Braintree. Divers of the brethren took offence at this speech against Mr. Wheelwright; whereupon the same brother spake in the congregation the next Lord's Day, to this effect: that, hearing how some brethren took offence at his former speech, and for that offences were dangerous, he was desirous to give satisfaction. The offence, he said, was in three things: 1. For that he charged that brother in public, and for a thing so long since delivered, and had not first dealed. with him privately. For this he acknowledged that it was a failing; but the occasion was, that, when he heard the points delivered, he took them in a good sense, as spoken figuratively, seeing the whole scope of the doctrine

The

was sound, and savoring of the spirit of God; but hearing, very lately, that he was suspected to hold such opinions, it caused him to think he spake as he meant. second cause of offence was, that in his speech appeared some bitterness. For that he answered, that they well knew his manner of speech was always earnest in things which he conceived to be serious; and professed that he did love that brother's person, and did honor the gifts and graces of God in him. The third was, that he had charged him to have held things which he did not. For this he answered, that he had spoke since with the said brother; and for the two points,-1. That a believer should be more than a new creature, and 2. That there should be a personal union between the Holy Ghost and a believer, he denied to hold either of them, but by necessary consequences he doth hold both; for he holds, (said he,) that there is a real union with the person of the Holy Ghost, and then of necessity §its must be personal, and so a believer must be more than a creature, viz. God-man, as Christ Jesus. For though, in a true union, the two terms may still remain the same, &c., as between husband. and wife, he is a man still and she is a woman, (for the union is only in sympathy and relation,) yet in a real or personal union it is not. Now whether this were agreeable to the doctrine of the Gospel, he left to the church to judge, hoping the Lord would direct their teacher to clear these points fully, as he had well done, in good measure, already. Withal he made this request to the brethren, that, (which he said he did seriously and affectionately,) seeing those variances grew, (and some estrangement withal,) from some words and expressions which were of human invention, and tended to doubtful disputation, rather than to edification, and had no footing in Scripture, nor had been of use in the purest churches for three hundred years after Christ, that, for the peace of the church, they might be forborne, (he meant the person of the Holy Ghost, and real union;) he concluded, that he did not intend to dispute the matter, (as not having place nor calling thereunto ;) yet, if any brother desired to

see what light he walked by, he would be ready to impart it to him. How this was taken by the congregation it did not appear, for no man spake to it. This speech was very solid, rational, and candid, and if men's minds had not been strangely forestalled with prejudice against the truth, and a secret inclination to novelties and error, it might have put a stop to that|| confusion they at Boston were at that time running into.

A day or two after, the same brother wrote his mind. fully, with such Scriptures and arguments as came to hand, and sent it to Mr. Cotton.

The Governor, Mr. Vane, a gentleman pretending much to wisdom and piety, held, with Mr. Cotton, the indwelling of the person of the Holy Ghost in a believer, and went so far beyond the rest, as to maintain a personal union with the Holy Ghost. But the Deputy, Mr. Winthrop, (a gentleman not inferior in natural abilities, but much better grounded in the true principles of learning, both divine and human,) together with Mr. Wilson, the pastor, and divers others, denied both; and the question proceeded so far by disputation, (in writing, for the peace sake of the church, which all were tender of,) as, at length, they could not find the person of the Holy Ghost in Scripture, nor in the primitive churches three hundred years after Christ; so that all, agreeing in the chief matter of substance, came to this, viz. that the Holy Ghost is God, and that he doth dwell in believers, (as the Father and Son are also said to do,) but whether by his gifts and power only, or by any other manner of presence, seeing the Scripture doth not declare it, it was earnestly desired that the word person might be forborne, being a term of human invention, and tending to doubtful disputation in this case. For though the word person be used in the Hebrews, i. 3, yet in the Greek it is hypostasis, or subsistence, not goooo", which is to be rendered person.

At a General Court, occasionally called in December following, (that was intended for a Court of Election,) the ministers were called for advice about composing and

the