all, from this day forward, may be covered with the mantle of love, and we may on all hands forgive each other heartily, sincerely, and thoroughly, as we do hope and pray that God, for Christ’s sake, would forgive each of ourselves (Matt. xviii. 21 ad finem; Col. iii. 12, 13).  Put on, therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another, and forgiving one another.  If any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye (Eph. iv. 31, 32).  Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and evil-speaking be put away from you, with all malice; and be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven you.  Amen, amen.

SAM:  PARRIS.

“26 Nov., 1694.”

     [In the record, off against (a) as above, the following is
     in Mr. Parris’s writing:]

(a) Added, by the desire of the council, this following paragraph; viz., Nevertheless, I fear, that, in and through the throng of the many things written by me, in the late confusions, there has not been a due exactness always used; and, as I now see the inconveniency of my writing so much on those difficult occasions, so I would lament every error of such writings.—­Apr. 3, 1695.  Idem.  S.P.

[The above passage (a) is inserted in a marginal space left for it on a page containing the record of a meeting, Nov. 26, 1694, while it is dated April 3, 1695, and purports to be added “by the desire of the council,” which met at the last-named date.  There are other indications, that the record of Mr. Parris’s controversy with the dissatisfied brethren, consequent upon the proceedings in 1692, was made originally on separate sheets of paper, and then compiled, and inscribed in the church-book, as it there appears.  There are several other entries, which refer to dates ahead.  He probably made out his record near the close of the struggle which resulted in his dismission, and left it, on the pages of the book, as his history of the case.  After giving his “Meditations for Peace,” the record goes on:—­]

After I had read these overtures abovesaid, I desired the brethren to declare themselves whether they remained still dissatisfied.  Brother Tarbell answered, that they desired to consider of it, and to have a copy of what I had read.  I replied, that then they must subscribe their reasons (above mentioned), for as yet they were anonymous:  so at length, with no little difficulty, I purchased the subscription of their charges by my abovesaid overtures, which I gave, subscribed with my name, to them, to consider of; and so this meeting broke up.  Note that, during this agitation with our dissenting brethren, they entertained frequent whisperings with comers and goers to them and from them; particularly Dan:  Andrews, and Tho:  Preston from Mr. Israel Porter, and Jos:  Hutchinson, &c.