the Rev. W. Turner , Jun. , MA., Lives of the eminent Unitarians

[99] of the whole body being thrown into a common stock, and divided equally.¹ The united body was numerous and highly respectable, forming a large proportion of the most substantial citizens of the place. Mr. Peirce's invitation appears to have been not only unanimous, but pressed with a more than ordinary urgency and earnestness, to such a degree, that Dr. Calamy, who happened to visit the city at the time when the matter was pending, describes himself as filled with a kind of misgiving, that such excessive solicitude might pass to the other extreme, and expectations raised so extravagantly high might end in disappointment. ‘Never before,’ says he, ‘did I see such an earnestness in any people for a minister's coming among them. They talked as if they were quite undone if he did not accept their call, and no one else could signify any thing to them, if they had not him. They ran to such a height, that I took the freedom to tell some of them, that I was afraid they were under a sore temptation; and that their carriage would provoke God some way or other, to cross their too raised expectations, either by suffering something to befall Mr. Peirce, that should keep him from coming among them; or by blasting his pains among them, if their desires were gratified by his settling with them. This was remembered by several of them afterwards with some concern, when there were such heats among them about doctrinal matters. By me, I am sure it can never be forgotten. I told Mr. Peirce himself of it, with no small trouble, when I saw him afterwards; ’