61 



6th, His not sending to the world so fair (if so true,) account 

 «f what he wrote on examination of the afflicted. 



7th, Sundry unsafe, if sound, points of doctrine, delivered in 

 his preaching, which we esteem not warrantable (if christian). 



8th, His persisting in these principles, and justifying his 

 practices, not rendering any satisfaction to us, when regularly 

 desired, but rather further offending and dissatisfying ourselves. 



JOHN TARBELL. ) 

 THOS. WILKINS, } 

 SAM'L. NURSE." ) 



After the Pastor had read tiie charges against him, he brought 

 forward his " Meditations for Peace." This paper, having 

 been considered at the time as an acknowledgement of his mis- 

 takes in the witchcraft delusion, we have given it entire. It 

 is as follows : — 



" For as much as it is the undoubted duty of all christians to 

 pursue peace, Psal. XXX IV. 14tli, even to a reaching of it, 

 if it be possible ; (Amos XII-18-19) and whereas, through the 

 righteous sovereign and awful providence ol God, the grand enemy 

 to all christian peace, has been of late tremendously let loose in 

 divers places hereabout, and more especially among our sinful 

 selves, not only to interrupt that partial peace, which we some- 

 times enjoyed, but also, through his wiles and temptations, and 

 our weakness and corruptions, to make wider breaches, and raise 

 more bitter animosities between too many of us ; in which dark 

 and difficult dispensations, we have been all, or most of us, of 

 one mind for a time, and afterwards of differing apprehensions ; 

 and at last we are but in the dark, upon serious thoughts of all ; 

 and after many prayers, I have been moved to present to you 

 (my beloved flock) the following particulars, in way of contri- 

 bution toward a regaining of christian concord, if so be, we be 

 not altogether unappeasable, irreconcileable, and so destitute of 

 that good spirit, which is first pure then peaceable, gentle, and 

 easy to be entreated, James iii. 17th, viz : — 



1st, In that the Lord ordered the late horrid calamity (which 

 afterward plague-like spread in many other places) to break 

 out first in my family, I cannot but look upon as a very sore re- 

 buke, and humbling providence, both to myself and mine, and 

 desire so we may improve it. 



2d, In that also in my family, were some of both parties, 

 viz : accusers and accused, I look also upon as an aggravation 

 of that rebuke, as an addition of wormwood to the gall. 



3d, In the means, which were used in my family, though 

 totally unknown to me or mine (except servants) till afterwards, 



