ters said one to another, We shall some time or another be found out, for we are guilty. Lastly, the word of God, the hammer which breaketh the rock to pieces, when accompanied with the holy spirit, convinces of sin, of righteousness and judgment; and is the power of God to salvation. We read, in Heb. 4. 12, It is quick, and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. There are many other glorious characters and encomiums given of it, the highest of which it well deserves; and many wonderful effects it has produced, which we have read of and beheld. This was the mighty engine, in the hand of God, for the discovery of this wicked plot, as is very seriously affirmed by the persons concerned. 'Twas the foolishness of preaching. Let none then despise prophesyings, but duly and conscientiously attend the word, and not neglect the great salvation. Forsake not the assembling yourselves together, as the manner of some is. None know what they lose by unnecessarily staying at home. It is, you see, a good thing to draw near unto God. Let us give thanks unto God for his written and preached word, and praise its power, which has brought this story to our hands. To conclude, let us give honor to the Son of God, our Saviour, who was manifested for this purpose, that he might destroy the works of the devil. May he hasten the accomplishment of that prophecy and promise, which in his times he will show who is the blessed and only potentate. Rev. 20, 1, 2, 3-I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more. REPRESENTATIVES OF THE TOWN OF BOSTON IN THE GENERAL COURT BEFORE THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION. THE General Courts of Massachusetts Bay, from the year 1630, when the charter was brought over, and the government transferred from the company in England to the inhabitants here, consisted of all the freemen of the colony. On 14 May, 1634, it was for the first time held by twenty-four deputies from the towns, each sending three. Those from this town, with much care and great labour collected from the colony records, which in some years are lost, and the town records, which are silent about the four first elections and some of the succeeding, are herein exhibited. Small capitals are used for the first appearance, and large capitals denote that the gentleman was at some time speaker. 1634. May 14. Σ. JOHN COGGESHALL, EDMUND QUINCY, Capt. JOHN UNDERhill. 1634, 5. March 4. Coggeshall, WILLIAM COLBURN, RICHARD BEllingham. 1635. May 6. Coggeshall, Colburn, WILLIAM HUT CHINSON. Sept. 2. Colburn, Hutchinson, WM. BRENTON. 1636. May 25. Sept. 8. Dec. 7. 1637. April 18. Coggeshall, Colburn, Brenton. Coggeshall, Colburn, Brenton. HENRY VANE, WILLIAM CODDINGTON, ATHERTON HOUGH. May 17. Sept. 26. Coddington, Hough, WILLIAM AS PINWALL. For the Court 2 Nov. following, Coggeshall, Coddington and Aspinwall were chosen by the town, 16 Oct. But the General Court, having dismissed and disfranchised Coggeshall and Aspinwall, in the violent heats of the Antinomian controversy, sent warrant to Boston to elect others in their room. 6 Nov. the town chose Colburn and JOHN OLIVER. The latter was in the same condemnation with the majority of Boston people, and he was dismissed. But whether the Court had too much discretion to insult the town by a warrant for a third election, or whether the town had too much spirit to choose another, is unknown. 1637, 8. March 12. Hough, Oliver, JOHN Newgate. 1638. May 2. Hough, Oliver, ROBERT KEAYNE. Sept. 6. Hough, Newgate, Keayne. 1638, 9. March 13. Hough, Keayne, EDWARD GIB BONS. From this time, for above forty years, Boston was allowed only two members, and it became common to choose for six months. It now became common to choose deputies for a year. 1642. Gibbons, Tyng. 1643. Gibbons, Tyng. 1644. Gibbons, THOMAS HAWKINS. 1645. Keayne, Gibbons. [Gibbons. 1646. Keayne, Gibbons; but in Nov. Tyng in lieu of 1647. Gibbons, Tyng. 1648. Keayne, JAMES PENN. 1649. Keayne, Penn. 1650. ANTHONY STODDARD, THOMAS MARshall. 1651. JOHN LEVERETT, THOMAS CLARK. 1652. Leverett, Clark. 1654. Clark, THOMAS SAVAGE. 1655. Clark, Savage. 1656. Clark, Savage. 1657. Clark, Savage. 1658. Clark, EDWARD HUTCHINSON. Stoddard, Savage. 1659. 1660. Stoddard, Savage. 1661. Savage, EDWARD TING. 1662. Savage, Tyng. 1663. Leverett, Clark. 1664. Leverett, Clark. 1665. Leverett, Clark. 1666. Stoddard, Clark. 1667. Stoddard, Clark. 1668. Stoddard, Clark. 1669. Stoddard, Clark. 1670. Stoddard, Clark. 1671. Stoddard, Clark. 1672. Stoddard, Clark. 1673. Stoddard, THOMAS CLARK, jun. 1674. Stoddard, Clark. 1675. Stoddard, Clark. 1676. Stoddard, Clark. 1677. Stoddard, Savage. 1678. Stoddard, Savage. 1679. Stoddard, JOHN RICHARDS. 1680. Stoddard, ELISHA HUTCHINSON. 1681. Stoddard, Hutchinson, ELISHA COOKE. 1682. Stoddard, Hutchinson, Cooke. 1683. Stoddard, Hutchinson, Cooke. 1684. Stoddard, JOHN SAFFYN, JOHN FAYER 1685. WEATHER. Saffyn, ISAAC ADDINGTON, TIMOTHY 1686. Saffyn, Prout, PENN TOWNSEND. Now came the usurpation of charter privileges under Governour Sir Edmund Andros. In 1689 was a glorious revolution. 1689. May. THOMAS OAKES, JAMES TAYLOR, JOHN CLARK, THEOPHILUS FRARY. 1 1689. December. Prout, Townsend, Oakes, ADAM WINTHROP. The proceedings, it is well known, were quite irregular until the new charter of William and Mary arrived; but Courts were held, and Boston representatives were 1690. Prout, Townsend, Clark, Frary. 1691. Prout, Townsend, Frary, Winthrop. 1692. Prout, Townsend, Frary, Winthrop. After Sir William Phips's arrival, all the towns were allowed, by the charter of William and Mary, to send two. 1692. June. Townsend, Frary. Boston, by the first statute under the new charter, was allowed four, and thenceforward till the revolution in 1775. 1693. May. Townsend, Frary, Taylor, JOHN Ever. Sept. Townsend, Taylor, Eyer, DANIEL AL LEN. Nov. Townsend, Frary, EDWARD BROM- 1694. Townsend, Frary, Bromfield, Thornton. 1697. Townsend, Byfield, SAMUEL LEGG, JOSEPH BRIDGHAM. 1698. Townsend, Eyer, Byfield, Legg. 1699. Frary, Eyer, ANDREW BELCHER, JOHN WHITE. 1700. TIMOTHY CLARK, ISAIAH TAY, JAMES BARNS, BEZOUN ALLEN. 1701. Oliver, Legg, Belcher, White. 1702. Legg, Belcher, White, SAMUEL CHECKLEY. 1703. Oakes, Legg, Checkley, EPHRAIM SAVAGE. 1704. Oakes, Checkley, Savage, ELIZUR HOLYOKE. |