Lucius R. Paige, History of Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1630-1877, with a genealogical register

[252] From the concurrent testimony of his contemporaries, during his short ministry his praise was in all the churches. No record of admissions to the church is known to have been made by Mr. Shepard, except a small manuscript volume in the library of the New England Historic Genealogical Society, entitled, “The Confessions of Diverse propounded to be received and were entertained as Members.” ¹ It contains fifty confessions, all in the handwriting of Mr. Shepard, varying in length from a quarter of one page,² to eight pages.³ Only two bear any date, namely, the forty-first,⁴ Jan. 8, 1640, and the forty-seventh,⁵ Jan. 7, 1644. The first in the series, though one of the shortest, may serve as a specimen of their character:—

Edward Hall's Confession. The first means of his good was Mr. Glover's ministry, whereby he saw his misery from Jer. 7, the temple of the Lord, and that he was without Christ. But he went from thence to another place, under the sense of an undone condition; but in that place he was deprived of the ordinances of God, and hence the Scripture came oft to mind, what if a man win the world, and lose his soul? Hence he desired to come to that place again; but the minister was gone. But Mr. Jenner came, and by him he saw more evil in himself; but Mr. S.⁶ came, and then the Lord did more clearly manifest himself to him from John 3, concerning the new birth. And here he saw more of his misery, and that he had followed examples and duties, and made them his Christ, and lived without Christ. Hereby the Lord let him see he was Christless, and built upon false foundations, and by this text he saw himself no new creature, but only a mended man. Now when the Lord did humble him under this, he saw the want of Christ, and that without him he must perish. And afterwards John 5. 40 was opened, you will not come to me to have life; and here he saw how freely Christ was offered, and hereby the Lord did stay and comfort his spirit, and so was stirred up with more vehemency to seek Christ. And then that promise was opened, the Son of man came to seek that which was lost; and he did not know but the Lord might seek him. And out of that text, 1 Pet. 2. 8, that unto you that believe he is precious; and here he saw his unbelief in cleaving to Christ by fits and starts. And since the Lord