N00777:31
A warning to the flocks against wolves in sheeps clothing. Or, A faithful advice,…A warning to the flocks against wolves in sheeps cloathing. Or, A faithful advice,…
A warning to the flocks against wolves in sheeps clothing. Or, A faithful advice, from several ministers of the Gospel, in and near Boston, unto the churches of New-England, relating to the dangers that may arise from impostors, pretending to be ministers. : With a brief history of some impostors, remarkably and seasonably detected written, by one of the ministers in Boston, to assert that advice, and prevent future mischiefs. : [Five lines of Scripture texts]A warning to the flocks against wolves in sheeps cloathing. Or, A faithful advice, from several ministers of the Gospel, in and near Boston, unto the churches of New-England, relating to the dangers that may arise from impostors, pretending to be ministers. : With a brief history of some impostors, remarkably and seasonably detected written, by one of the ministers in Boston, to assert that advice, and prevent future mischiefs. : [Five lines of Scripture texts]
Boston: printed by B. Green and J. Allen, 1700
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§ 5 A Young Fellow, (one Dick Swain) that had been Servant unto a Captain of a Ship in Boston, after a thousand Rogueries, had his Time given him, by the Widow of the Captain, when she became so, because that she would not be troubled with so Thievish, Lying and Wicked a Villain. This Fellow was afterwards detected in Villainies, enough to fill a Volume, which procured his going in miserable circumstances to Virginia; from whence he got through several Stages, at length unto the Island of Providence! There the Monster set up for a Preacher of the Gospel, and putting on a Mighty show of Religion, he was Mightily followed and admired; and the people treated him with a more than ordinary Liberality. Perceiving that it was Time to be gone from ⟨p. 18⟩thence, he forged Letters of his Fathers Death in England, by which a vast Estate was fallen to him; under the umbrage of that Forgery, he gets off immediately by a Vessel, that must first carry him to New England. Having Preached several Sermons in the Southern parts of New England, he comes to Boston, in the year 1698. Where in private Houses, he would be ridiculously forward in thrusting himself upon Prayer, which he would manage with a Noise, that might reach all the Neighbourhood. He began to Court Opportunities of Preaching among the Neighbours; but forgetting to change his Name, the Gentlewoman to whose Deceased Husband he had been a Servant, accidentally coming in to the House is here he lodged, and hearing one of that Name exceedingly cried up, as a worthy, able, eminent man, asked for a sight of him. When to her Astonishment she found it was Dick, even that very Scandalous Dick, that had plaid for many abominable Pranks in her own Family some years ago. The Gentlewoman could Scarce believe her Eyes; and finding the Vagrant not give her any intelligent Account how he became a Christian, it was yet more unintelligible to her, how he became a Minister. He begged her Pardon for all his old Knaveries, but she being advised that he was now practising of New ones, took a course that the ⟨p. 19⟩people should be deprived of so Charming a Preacher, as no doubt, some of the Giddy Populace would have counted him. So without any more Disturbance, but only the cheating some credulous Folks, of considerable Sums of Money, he marched off.
§ 5 A Young Fellow, (one Dick Swayn) that had been Servant unto a Captain of a Ship in Boston, after a thousand Rogueries, had his Time given him, by the Widow of the Captain, when she became so, because that she would not be troubled with so Thevish, Lying and Wicked a Villian. This Fellow was afterwards detected in Villanies, enough to fill a Volumn, which procured his going in miserable circumstances to Virginia; from whence he got through several Stages, at length unto the Island of Providence! There the Monster set up for a Preacher of the Gospel, and putting on a Mighty show of Religion, he was Mightily followed and admired; and the people treated him with a more than ordinary Liberality. Percieving that it was Time to be gone from