Mr. Hubbard of Ipswich describes with unconscious cynicism. "If he
were not convinced, yet he was persuaded to an amicable compliance with
the other ministers; ... for, although it was thought he did still retain
his own sense and enjoy his own apprehension in all or most of the things
then controverted (as is manifest by some expressions of his ... since
that time published,"...) yet. "By that means did that reverend and worthy
minister of the gospel recover his former splendour throughout ... New
England." [Footnote: Hubbard, p. 302.]
He was not a sensitive man, and having once determined to do penance, he
was far too astute a politician to do it by halves; he not only gave
himself up to the task of detecting the heterodoxy of his old friends,
[Footnote: Winthrop, i. 253.] but on a day of solemn fasting he publicly
professed repentance with many tears, and told how, "God leaving him for a
time, he fell into a spirituall slumber; and had it not been for the
watchfulnesse of his brethren, the elders, &c., hee might have slept on,
... and was very thankfull to his brethren for their watchfulnesse over
him." [Footnote: _Hypocrisie Unmasked_, p. 76.] Nor to the end of his
life did he feel quite at ease; "yea, such was his ingenuity and piety as
that his soul was not satisfied without often breaking forth into
affectionate bewailing of his infirmity herein, in the publick assembly,
sometimes in his prayer, sometimes in his sermon, and that with tears.
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