478 LIVES OP TliE PURITANS. that the civil magistrate might not punish any branch of the first table." In consequence of this, he was called by the- church of Plymouth to assist Mr. Ralph Smith ; where, says Governor Bradford, " he was freely entertained, according, to our poor ability, and exercised his gifts among us ; and, after some time, was admitted a member of the church,, and his teaching well approved; for the benefit whereof I still bless God; and am thankful to him even for his sharpest admoni- tions and reproofs." He continued assistant to Mr. Smith, two or three years ; but finding some of the leading members of the church to be of different sentiments from himself; and having received an invitation to succeed Mr. Skelton as pastor of the church at Salem, he requested his dismission to that church. After some demur, his request was granted. He preached at Salem, it is said, all the timeof Mr. Skelton's sick-: ness, and insinuated himself so far into the affections of the people, byhis vehement manner of delivery, that he was chosen pastor after the other's death.* His request was grantedby the particular persuasion of Mr. Brewster, the venerableelder, Who signified his fears " that Mr. Williams would run the same course of rigid separation and anabaptistry, which Mr. John Smyth had done at Amsterdam." Those who adhered to him were also dismissed and removed to the church at Salem. Though his settlement was still opposed by the ma-, gistrates, he became their pastor, and laboured among them about two years. We are, indeed, informed, " That in one ' year's time he filled that place with the principles of rigid separation, tending to anabaptism."+ Mr. Williams never withheld his opinions, but openly and publicly declared whatever appeared to him to be the truth. This exposedhim to the censure of his enemies, and involved him in troubles even soon after his settlement at Salem. At length, July 8, 1635, he was summoned before the general court, and was charged with maintaining, " That it is not lawful for godly men to have communion in family prayer with such as they judge unregenerate that it is not lawful an unregenerate man to pray;. that the magistrate has nothing to do in matters of the first table, only in cases of disturbance to the civil peace ; that he ought not to tender an oath to an unregenerate man ; that a man ought not to give thanks after the sacrament, nor after meals ; that there ought to be an unlimited toleration of all religions ; that to punish a man for following the dictates ofhis conscience is peisecution ; Neal's New Eng. vol. i. p. 141. t Backus's Hist. vol. i. p. 54-57.
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