The Churchs Quarrel Espoused, Section 1 – Section 2
SECT. I. THat the Miniſters of the Country form themſelves into Aſſociations, that may meet at Proper times to conſider ſuch things as may properly lie before them.
Anſwer. There is no doubt or queſtion to be made but that the Miniſters and Paſtors of Chriſts Churches may meet in greater or leſſer Numbers; for they are Maſters of themſelves, and no more accountable how they ſpend their time than other men are, but to meet at certain times and places, as Political Incorporate Bodies, or in the form of Claſſes for the Exerciſe and Mannagement of Government, this muſt be determined by ſome Precept iſsued from a Legislative Power; and without this, ſuch who give the advice and Exhibit the Call, are very Diſpotick and Arbitrary; and thoſe who attend it are Servile in their Submiſſion; for that there is no man in his right Wits will take this Honour unto himſelf, but he that is called of God as was Aaron, Heb. 5.4. The Offer or Invitation bids defiance to our Conſtitution; for our Plat-form denys the Claſſical State of the Church under Chriſt, Chap. 2. Sect. 5. Therefore this is a Daring Article, in the Criminals Caſe; and as it ſtrikes at the Vitals of our Government, it muſt in the TRYAL bear weight accordingly.
Sect. And that each of theſe Aſſociations have a Moderator for certain time, who ſhall continue till another be choſen, who may call them together upon Emergencies.
Anſwer.
1ſt. What Limits ſhall be aſſigned for the Precincts of every diſtinct Aſſociation? Or may we conclude the beſt model is to follow the Civil Diſtinctions made by the Counties? And if ſo, then the Paſtors of each Claſſis are ſcattered through a Territory of Twenty or Thirty Miles Square, more or leſs, and then it muſt needs follow that the Moderator, to diſcharge his duty, muſt provide Meſſengers to Cite all theſe deſtinct Gentlemen upon any Emergency; But the great difficulty is, what kind of Meſsenger it muſt be, whether King Solomon's Tell-Tale-Bird may be truſted with matters of ſuch Importance? whether the Moderator muſt Re-imburſe him? Or muſt he go on his own coſt, contrary to equity in the Law? 1 Cor. 9.7. Who goeth to War-fare on his own charge? It is apparently an Error that care hath not been taken to find Horſe and Man and Baiting-places for both on this Journey, otherwiſe for a Legiſlative Power to preſcribe Chargeable Offices and leave them deſtitute of a Temporal Suport, they muſt of neceſſity dye to ſave Charges, or turn mendicants, or hope in their Travel to meet with the Prophets Juniper-Tree; all which are as diſagreeing with good Reaſon as the Propoſal it ſelf.
2. The Moderater has an unlimited Power during the Prorogation of the Aſſembly, (1.) He muſt Judge of Emergencies, that he may Summon the Members; and being left veſted with ſuch a Prerogative, if after he has made his Citation, he Recants, he can then Countermand his own Order, though the Gentlemen ſhould be all mounted, and ready to move. (2) If there chance to be an Emergence of Common Concernment, If he finds his own Favourites involved in the guilt and Danger, he then gives no notice, but ſtiffles the buſineſs, and ſo cheats the Company. (3.) And upon any diſguſt, it is now at his Mercy to null the whole Frame; for he muſt be in place till another be choſen, and how will they get together, if he will not give the word? unleſs they are Creators of themſelves the ſecond time, as they were the firſt. That to inſtitute ſuch Charitable Deſigns without a Fund, and tye ſuch Truſt and Dominion on the Shoulders of men after ſuch a lax and careleſs manner, and leave them at ſuch looſe Ends, as eaſily to make Fools of men, for my own part, I ſlight ſuch Methods in Government.
SECT. II. THat Queſtions and Caſes of Importance, either provided by themſelves, or by others preſented unto them, ſhould be upon due deliberation Anſwered.
Anſwer.
I ſuppoſe there is no intent to erect a young or Mock-Royal Society, Or that all Queſtions and Caſes of Experimental Philoſophy be admitted; If it ſhould be ſo, I think this ſome-what Touches upon the Prerogative of the Crown, and may be called in Queſtion, under the head of High Miſdemeanours, if not Pro Crimine leſae Majeſtatis; but howſoever, tho' there be no diſtinction made, yet we will take it in a more Charitable ſenſe, & that the Propoſal (in Intent) is wholly confined to Church matters; and if ſo, we muſt then enquire, How many deep Queſtions can be found in our Country, grown mouldy with the Gibeonites Bread, for want of wiſe handling? Or can we find any ſuch heaps of Gordian Knots, as approbia Theologorum? The Reproach of Divines laid up againſt this Conſiſtory meet, to untie them, that we muſt needs moleſt our old Settlements for their Solution? For my own part, I cannot Comprehend the Propoſal, unleſs it be a Plot to Introduce the Enemy, that is in the Reer. That is, by making ſhew of Great Illuminations, we may be dazeled with their Luſtre, and thereby the more Eaſily taken in the Snare here laid. But however, to Conclude, as the wiſe man ſays of things more Phyſical or Artificial, Eccl. 1. ſo I may ſay of Queſtions and Caſes, There are none New under the Sun. They have been all well ſpoken to; Every learned Caſuiſt, is full of them, &c. And Ames and Turrettinus, &c. for a few Shillings will do more in a month, for an Inquiſitive Mind, than this Propoſal can do in the tedious Apprenticeſhip of many years, then certainly, Computing by Rules of Proportion, we can no ways expect that the clear gains ſhould Countervail the great Damage we ſhall ſuſtain by ſwopping Governments upon theſe Terms.