A Brief Account of The 1st Gathering of The Church of Christ at Bedford

Summary

In this towne of Bedford, and the places adjacent, there hath of a long time bene persons godly, who in former times, (even while they remained without all forme and order as to visible church communion according to the Testament of Christ) were very zealous according to their light, not onely to edify themselves, but also to propogate the Gospell, and help it forward, both by purse and presence, keeping alwayes a door open and a table furnished and free, for all such ministers, and Christians, who shewed their zeale for, and love to, the Gospell of Christ. Among these that reverend man Mr. John Grew was chief, also Mr. John Eston, senior, and brother Anthony Harrington, with others: men that in those times were enabled of God to adventure farre in shewing their detestation of the bishops and their superstitions. But as the saide these persons, with many more, neither were, nor yet desired to be, imbodied into fellowship according to the order of the Gospell, onely they had in some measure separated themselves from the prelaticall superstition, and had agreed to search after the non-conforming men, such as in those days did beare the name of Puritanes.

But when it pleased God (who had before appointed that holy ordinance of the communion of saintes) to shew this mercy to this people, he placed Mr. John Gifford among them for their minister in Christ Jesus and to be their pastor and bishop and the steward of God to communicate unto them the knowledge of his will, in the holy misteryes of the Gospell. Of whom (because their appeared a more then ordinary hand of God in his call to the ministery and his place and office among them) take this short relation of him, both before and after grace received.

Mr. Gifford was a Kentish man, a great royalist, and an officer (viz. a major) in the King’s army. He had also his hand in that rising that was in that county, for which he was also apprehended and adjudged with 11 more to the gallowes.