A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 3

Thomas Hooker to John Winthrop1
Hooker, Thomas Wintrhop, John

1637-10

To the right worshipfull John Wynthropp Esquier Governour of Matheshusetts, deliver
Right worshipfull and much honerd in our blessed Saviour,

By returne of our speciall freinds, I could not but returne a thankfull acknowl­499edgment of all your former kyndenesses, and your last loving entertaynement, and also to give you an account of such businesses, which were in part commended to our care, touching the ripening of such passages of the Synod,2 which were of wayt and worthy record and consideration: you may be pleased therfore to vnderstand, that Mr. Higgynson, who was the scribe in assembly, hath imployd his tyme since his coming, to transcribe such things which were of vse, but because the things were many and his tyme short, our freinds returning so speedily, he could not accomplish much, but hath taken his papers with him downe to the mouth of the river, whither his occasions call him for the present, and from whence he will send you such particulars as he shall perfectly write out, and that by the soonest conveyance The good Lord prosper these begynnings for the setling of peace and truth with you in all his churches. I dayly expect many stratagems of Satan to be plotted and practised: All that I would crave leave to present to your iudicious apprehension is that in short: I have ever iudged it, in cases of difficulty which must come to scanning, most safe, to attend nothing for ground of determination, but that which will cary an undeniable evidence to an impartiall iudge: he that desires multitude of arguments to cary a cause, and therfore take illegible the weaknes of some dishonor and illegible the wayt of the rest: For execution let it be so secret and suddayne that it cannot be prevented, so resolute and vncontrolable that it may tak off hope from the adversary that it can be resisted: and this damps opposition and prevents hazard, men will not attempt resistance when ther is no expectation to attayne what they do attempt, whereas opennes and fayntnes of resolution provokes men to oppose and to adventure vpon hazard in opposition: you will not be offended that I shot my bolts, your loving acceptance adds encoragement in this kynd. The Lord steare your course for you and give a blessing to all your indeavors and godly proceedings So he wisheth who rests in all thankfulnes Yours in all due respect

T. Hooker Ca. October, 1637
1.

W. Au. 68; 2 Proceedings , VI. 425.

2.

The Synod called by the Massachusetts General Court to consider the Antinomian controversy was held in Cambridge from August 30 to September 22, 1637.