Happy is the Man that has lived many Years, and has been doing good in the World all that time. I am troubled to think how long I have Lived, and to how little purpose. Having obtained help from GOD, I have seen many Days, and have been favoured with great Opportunities to be doing of Service for CHRIST, and for His Churches, in more Capacities than One, and in more Lands than One; but I have been a Cumberer of the Ground: Were not the LORD whom I Serve, a GOD of Infinite Patience and Goodness, I had been Cut down for my Unfruitfulness long ago. He has seen meet to Employ me in His Service for a longer time, than any Minister now Living in New-England. Nine and Fifty Years are Lapsed, since I began to Preach the Gospel, in my Youth in Lands afar off, in England and Ireland for Three or Four Years, until for Nonconformity I was rendered uncapable of further Service there. Since GOD brought me to Boston, Five and Fifty Years are within a few Weeks Expired. What Changes have I Lived to see? A whole Generation buried, and the best that these Latter Ages have seen. And now that I am going out of the World, it is a grief of heart to me, to see Principles and Practices set on foot, which are Essentially differing from that Congregational Discipline which was once owned in these Churches, ⟨p. iv⟩and has been the distinguishing Character and Glory of New-England. Stated Councils with any thing of a Juridical Power, are not consistent with the Congregational Discipline. There was Pull sued many Years since, A Declaration of the Faith and Order owned and practised in the Congregational Churches in England, Agreed upon and Consented to by their Elders and Messengers in their Meeting at the Savoy, October 12. 1658. In that part of their Confession which concerns the Institution of Churches, and the Order appointed in them by Jesus Christ: Their words are (Thes. 26, 27.)
Happy is the Man that has lived many Years, and has been doing good in the World all that time. I am troubled to think how long I have Lived, and to how little purpose. Having obtained help from GOD, I have seen many Dayes, and have been favoured with great Opportunities to be doing of Service for CHRIST, and for His Churches, in more Capacities than One, and in more Lands than One; but I have been a Cumberer of the Ground: Were not the LORD whom I Serve, a GOD of Infinite Patience and Goodness, I had been Cut down for my Unfruitfulness long ago. He has seen meet to Employ me in His Service for a longer time, than any Minister now Living in New-England. Nine and Fifty Years are Lapsed, since I began to Preach the Gospel, in my Youth in Lands afar off, in England and Ireland for Three or Four Years, until for Nonconformity I was rendred uncapable of further Service there. Since GOD brought me to Boston, Five and Fifty Years are within a few Weeks Expired. What Changes have I Liv'd to see? A whole Generation buried, and the best that these Latter Ages have seen. And now that I am going out of the World, it is a grief of heart to me, to see Principles and Practices set on foot, which are Essentially differing from that Congregational Discipline which was once owned in these Churches, ⟨p. iv⟩and has been the distinguishing Character and Glory of New-England. Stated Councils with any thing of a Juridical Power, are not consistent with the Congregational Discipline. There was Pull sued many Years since, A Declaration of the Faith and Order owned and practised in the Congregational Churches in England, Agreed upon and Consented to by their Elders and Messengers in their Meeting at the Savoy, October 12. 1658. In that part of their Confession which concerns the Institution of Churches, and the Order appointed in them by Jesus Christ: Their words are (Thes. 26, 27.)
