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    CAMBRrtrdESeiRE . The first Protestant : 3 > i $ septirig Churches in thfs county , ivere formed by the Rev . Francis Holer oft * M . A . Fellow of Clare Ffall , Cambridge . - This gentleman Was son of Sir Holcroft , of West-ham , near London . He wai

    educated at Clare Hall , Mr . David Clarkson was his tutor , and ( the afterwards famous Archbishop ) Tillotfcon was his chamber arid " bed fellow * During his residence at college , he embraced the Calvinistic doctrines , and approving of the JStoti * conformist discipline , " was a communicant with the Rev . Mr .

    Jetohcot , of Swaffham Prior . * While he was prosecuting : his studies at college , his cnairr & er being over the college gate , Jie often observed a horse waiting a long time on a ^ Lord ' s day morning , for one of the fellows to go to preach at Littlirjgton , ^ and o ften returning with - out the preacher , who perhaps was drunk at the time , or not recovered from the lapt night ' s debauch . Touched with compassion for the souls of the neglected country people , and ashamed of continuing idle in college "when preaching was so much wanted , he offered to s'uppty that parish . The offer was . accepted , and his ministry was very much succeeded there to the conversion aiict edification of many souls .

    Some tithe about the year 1655 » Mr . Holcroft accepted of the living of Bas-$ In & bourn 7 J : where he laboured in season Jind oat of season , not only preaching on Lord ' s days , but on holy days also , great multitudes following him . While Mr . Holcroft was minister at

    Bassingbourn he formed a congregational church , consisting of a great many people of other parishes , as well as of his own , besides several of both Gown and Town from Cambridge . The 6 rst members of this church were embodied , and all others afterwards admitted , on a profession of repentance toward God , and fairf 1 in our Lord Jesus Christ ) and

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    the following covctfant was read and subscribed by all the xnejnbers , standing ; "We do in the presence of the Lord Jesus , the awful cro ^ n ^ d King of Sion , and in the presence o £ hi & hply angels a * iwi people , and all beside here present , solemnly give up ourselves to the Lord , and to one another , by the will of God ,

    solemnly promising and engaging in the aforesaid presence , to walk with the L » ord and with one another in the observation of all gospel ordinances , and the discharge q { all relative duties in tnii church of God , anil elsewhere , as the JLord shall ^ enlighten and enable us . " Subscribed by A . B . C . D . & c .

    Thus the church was first embodied . When a member was afterwards received , the pastor used to say 1— " Brother , ( or sisterj if you now in the presence of the Lord Jesus , the awful crowned King

    of Sion , & cv donow solemnly give up yourself , & c . ( mutatis mutandis ) signify it by lifting up your right haod to the Lord , " and then on the part of the church , the person admitting lifting up his right hand , said , * . * we likewise in the

    aforesaid awful presence , < fo receive y < 6 u into our communion , solemnly promising and engaging to carry / it towards yoiL as becomes a church of _ Christ , watching over you in the J ^ oord as he 9 hall enable us , and in testimony thereof do give you the right hand of fellowhip . " Qver these people , Mr , Holcxoft was settled pastor by the Rev . Mr . Staloms and others .

    The cruel Act of Uniformity , which ejected mx masters of colleges , )) forty fellows and students from tne university ^ and twenty incumbents from their livings in the county , ^ expelled

    Mr . Holcroft aUo from Bassingbourn . However as he considered himself the lawful pastor of his people , he was determined to execute hi $ office as long and as well as he could , and as his people could not all assemble now at one

    ? Eleven miles frpm Cambridge . Mr . Jcphcot died i 673 < attat ^ 9 6 ~ I Littlington is thirteen miles from Camb . Clare Hall ha & the patronage of that living- ^ + Bassingbourn is eighteen miles from Cambridge . . » , y Dr . Tuckney , of St . John ' s . Moses , of Pembroke . Dell , ofCaius . Sadler , of Magdaleja . Bc ^ n 4 , « of Trinity f m \\ 9 . Fellow o ^ M ^ igdakn , ^ c < f Jephcot » of Swajf jbam , ; Braxlahaw , vof Wljlingnain ; 0 uht > bf Sutton ; Wil-•< to , < rt Over ; Kipg ,.. of iFoulmire ; TQ ^ vnJy , of Cittlirigton ; Ponder , of Whaddon ; Shclircck 3 of WisbccK , & c , ' ' ^

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    62 * 2 TroltsMnt Ditsmttug Chutdt£$ ^ in Cambridgeshire .

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1810, page 622, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1708/page/2/