Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 4Note: you've followed an index reference to a note that, due to changes between the print and digital editions, may no longer be on page 86. Please look at all notes at the end of the document or documents on page 86.
1638-12-11
Since my coming home I haue read over Mr. Lechfords booke,2 and find the scope thereof to be erroneous and dangerous, if not hereticall, according to my concepcion. His tenet being that the office of Apostleship doth still continew and ought soe to doe till Crists coming, and that a Church hath now power to make Apostles as our Saviour Crist had when hee was heere. other things there are, but I pray you consider of this and the inseparable consequences of it: I heare that Mr. Cotton and Mr. Rogers know something of the matter, or man, with whom you may if you please conferre: I heare 86also that hee favoureth Mr. Lentall3 and hath so exprest himselfe since Mr. Lentall was questyoned by the ministers: It is easyer stopping a breach when it begins, then afterwards. wee sawe our error in suffering Mrs. Huchinson too long: I haue sent you the booke herewith that instead of putting it to the presse as hee desireth it may rather be putt into the fire as I desire: But I pray you lett him know that I haue sent the booke to you, that after you haue read it (which I thinck you said you had not yet done) it may be restored to him: I received yesterday a lettre from my lovinge freind Mr. Burdett to excuse himself of the sclannder laid vpon him for baptiseing any, with some high straynes of other matter, which I haue answeared. This is all I haue at present, with due respect therefore I take leave resting Yours
I suppose the booke to be rather coppyed out then contryved by Mr. Lechford hee being, I thinck, not soe good a grecyan and hebritian as the Author vndertakes to be.
There was one heere to day of waymouth to buy treacle (as I heare) whoe reported that there are 60 persones sicke there of the spotted feaver except 3 of them of the small pox: If this be true the plague is begun in the Campe for the sinne of Peor.
Belknap Papers, M.H.S.; I
Proceedings
, III. 311–312. For Dudley, see
D.A.B.
For Lechford's “Book of Prophesie,” see Lechford's Notebook, XV–XX.
For the episode involving the Reverend Robert Lenthall, see Journal, I. 292–293D.J.W.
1638-12-24
I thancke you for your gammon of bacon, the outsides whereof I was forct to cutt of, it smelt soe restyly of the old Saxon reesing. I meant in my censure of your last booke noe resurreccion of unreasonable individualls, but a contynuance of those or some of them which should be aliue at the consummacion which I thinck is the same with your Species. The breaking open of your lettres was presumptuous if not hostile. For Mr. Gibbins I thinck I shall satisfy you at my next coming to Boston. For Mr. Lechford and his booke you say nothing, and I haue since heard that the worst opynion in his book, (which I thinck I shall proove to be heresy) is taken vpp by others: Nowe seeing that this is the way Sathan invades vs by (viz. new opynions 87and heresyes) it behooves vs to be the more vigilant and to stirr vpp our zeale and stopp breaches at the beginning, least forbearance hurt vs as it did before. I desire to see the lettre Capt. Vnderhill wrote to Mr. Cotton. I take leave resting ready to doe you service
W. 3. 28; 4
Collections
, VII. 111–112.