the baptism which they had received in their infancy, and taking up another baptism, and so began a church in that way; but Mr. Williams stopped not there long, for after some time he told the people that followed him, and joined with him in a new baptism, that he was out of the way himself, and had misled them, for he did not find that there was any upon earth that could administer baptism, and therefore their last baptism was a nullity, as well as their first; and therefore they must lay down all, and wait for the coming of new apostles; and so they dissolved themselves and turned Seekers, keeping that one principle, that every one should have liberty to worship God according to the light of their own consciences; but otherwise not owning any churches or ordinances of God anywhere upon earth.

Thus much was thought meet to be inserted here concerning the great and lamentable apostasy of Mr. Williams, that it may be a warning to all others to take heed of a gradual declining from, and forsaking the churches of Christ, and ordinances of God in them, lest they be left of God to run such a course as he hath done; wherefore let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall, 1 Cor. x. 12; as also to be a motive to the saints to remember him unto God in their fervent prayers for his return, he having been sometimes an able dispenser of the word of God, and, in several respects of an exemplary conversation.

And yet that there may be a standing evidence of the care that was had in those times to prevent the growth of errors, and of the exercises of the communion of churches for that end, it is thought meet further to insert this passage; that before the putting forth of the civil power of the magistrate for the removing of Mr. Williams from Salem, and besides other means also used, there was a public admonition sent in writing from the church of Boston to the church of Salem, for the reducing of Mr. Williams, and the erring part of the church. The title of the writing was,

Errors in doctrine maintained by some of the brethren of the church of Salem, tending to the disturbance of religion and peace, in family, church, and commonwealth, namely,

1. That it is not lawful to call upon an unregenerate man to pray for himself.

2. It is not lawful for a regenerate man to pray with his carnal family.

3. It is not lawful for magistrates to take an oath of fidelity from unregenerate men.

4. It is not lawful for magistrates to take an oath of fidelity from the body of their subjects, though regenerate, and members of churches.

5. It is not lawful for magistrates to punish the breaches of the first table, unless thereby the civil peace of the commonwealth be disturbed.

Whence also it follows, and is confessed,

That a church wholly declining into arianism, papism, familism, or other heresies, being admonished, and convinced thereof by other churches, and not reforming, may not be reformed by the civil magistrate, in a way of civil justice, unless it break the civil peace.

These errors were solidly confuted, and the contrary truths asserted, by the word of God, in that writing which was subscribed by

Mr. Wilson the pastor of the church being at that time absent upon a voyage to England.¹⁰

But he advanced some sentiments on religious subjects, and in regard to the patent, which occasioned him great opposition and trouble. And as Judge Davis says, “His opinions had reference to topics of so much interest, that we must expect to meet a bias of considerable strength in those who oppose, and in