The Churchs Quarrel Espoused, Section 6
SECT. VI. THat hereunto may be Referred, the Direction of Proceeding in any of their perticular Churches, about the Convening of the Councils, that ſhall be thought neceſſary for the Wellfare of the Churches.
Anſwer.
Query. Who muſt give the Direction, and Judge what Councils are Neceſſary for the Wellfare of the Churches?
Anſwer, The Aſſociation.
Reply, I thought as much; for the ſole and whole Power, is, by theſe Propoſals, reſigned to them, as their Indiſputable and Undoubted Right, inſomuch that their▪ Beneplacito, the Elicit and free Reſolves of their Will, ſhall and muſt be the Abſolute and uncontroulieble Rule of Conduct; that is to ſay, the Churches are to be in Vaſſalage, and the Aſſociation is to Rule all by Prerogative; ſo that forever hence forward, we may Inſcribe croſs the Door of the Conclave (to Notifie the Rule of the Houſe) that Imperial Law,
Sic Volo, ſit Jubeo, ſtat pro Ratione Voluntas.
We will and Doom, none now can us withſtand;
Our Will is Reaſon; for the Churches in the Land.
Indeed, when great men turn Beggars for ſmall Booties, with the famous General Baziliareous, it ſignifies, the Ebb of Fortune runs low with them; But when they ask an Ancient Inheritance upon Gift, it ſignifies either the Donor to be in a Languiſhing Poſture, and that his Eſtate is like to Eſcheat to the Crown, through failure of natural …, or elſe great boldneſs in the beggars. But what ſhould be the Meaning of this Demand, who can Divine? I hope they dont reckon the Churches to be making their laſt Will, and deſign them for their Heirs.
The Churches in New-England are fairly Poſſeſt of this high Prerogative, viz. of Conveening Councils neceſſary for their own well beeing, they are alſo as likely to continue as they were forty Years ago, unleſs their own Paſtors ſhould betray them. And they are alſo as capable of managing all Inſtruments devolved upon them by Chriſt, as they were in the days of their Youth. Then what can we make of this Contrivement, viz. when the Churches ſhall have Occaſion to ſeek Relief by Council (as ſometimes the Emperour has been Confined at the Inſolent Threshold of his Holineſs, and upon his coming forth in his Infallibility, this Pile of Temporal Glory has been his Horſe-blok; and ſo here) they muſt humbly wait at the Door of the Aſſociation, till they ſhall be Informed When, What, Who, and Where they ſhall have one. But not to interrupt the World with long Stories, we muſt again, here Demur upon Title.
Sect. That the ſeveral Aſſociations in the Country maintain a due Correſpondence with one another.
Anſwer.
If the Platonick Notion concerning the Univerſal Soul of the World or Spirit of Nature (whereby one Body is affected by the Operations of another at ſome conſiderable diſtance) were Eſtabliſhed for an Infallible Theorem, and theſe Societies could circulate their Intelligence by the Power and Echoes of this Mighty Eſſence, the deſign might then be practicable; or had we in all Corners of our Country, Doves trained up to carry Males or Pacquets of Letters from Country to Country, there might be ſome hopes for Supporting this Mighty Correſpondence, but to do it wholly by humane Means, the Charge plainly threatens to eat out the Profit.
But we may ſuppoſe the Seat of theſe things ſhall be univerſally ſettled, fully butting upon the Poſt-Road, and what a Mighty buſineſs is a Six Penny or Four Penny Letter in ſuch a good Cauſe? Nay, indeed there's no great matter in it ſelf, yet theſe Six Pennys or Four Pennys, are like the Sand on the ſea ſhore, a great many of them put together grow very heavy, eſpecially where Wife and Children are to be maintained upon 70 l. or 80 l. Income per Annum.
Wiſe men may do as they pleaſe, yet for my part, I can ſee no good Policy in the Propoſal, unleſs you can Court ſome Rich Potentate to eſpouſe the Cauſe, and Sacrifice Annually ſome part of his Royal Revenue to Support the Phantaſie.
Sect. So that the State of Religion may be the Better known and Secured in all the Churches.
Anſwer.
Religion (In its Infaillible Original the Wiſdom and Authority of God! in its Infinite Object, the Ineffable Perſons and Perfections of the Divine Eſſence in its means, the Goſpel of Salvation in its Inſpired Wakeful and Capatious Miniſtry, in its Subject, the Ineſtimable Immortal Soul of Man, in its trancendant Effects, (1) In Time, the charming Peace and joys of Conſcience. (2) In Eternity, the Joyful Retreat and ſhouts of Glory, is the Moſt Incomparable Gift or Paladium, which ever came from Heaven amongſt all the favours of the Father of Lights, there is none Parallel with this; when diſcloſed in its Beauty, it Raviſheth all the intellects of the Univerſe; and Challenge may be made, that the Prerogatives and Glory belonging to all the Crowned Heads in the World, do Bow and wait upon its Proceſſions thro' the Earth, to guard it from its Innumerable and Inveterate Enemies. Yet in Paying our Veneration and Attendance, we muſt diſtinguiſh Right, and place every thing properly, and the means muſt be proportionate with the end, and agreeable in their Natures, or otherwiſe whilſt we go about to Accompliſh a good End, viz. the Security of Religion by Improper Means, we may looſe our Attempt, and have no Thanks, but be blamed for our pains; for we muſt not do evil, that good may come.
It is Certain that the Church of Chriſt is the Pillar of Truth, or ſacred Recluſe and Peculiar Aſſilum of Religion, and this ſacred Gueſt, Religion, which came in the Worlds Infancy from Heaven, to Gratify the Solitudes of miſerable Man, when God had left him, hath long kept houſe with us in this Land, to ſweeten our Wilderneſs ſtate, and the Renowned Churches here, are her Sacred Palaces. Then certainly it is not fair for her Lovers, under pretence of maintaining her, wellcome in greater ſtate, to deſolate her pleaſing Habitations, tho' they ſtand ſomewhat low like the Myrtle grove, Zach. 1.8. &c.
Sect. And particularly it is thought neceſſary to the well being of theſe Churches, that all the Aſſociations in the Country meet together, by their Reſpective Delegates, once in a year.
Anſwer.
This is a great a Theſis; and who-ever was the Father, the Womb of it is very fertile and bigg with Articles of Moment, it Comprehends a large Territory, and a great Treaſure; we muſt therefore Survey it by Coſmography, and then nextly by the Laws of the Church Stock.
1. The Country contained in this Propoſal, by a juſt Conſequence, and from the nature of the Deſign, muſt extend ſo far as we can find any Goſpel Churches Planted, or to be Planted within the Engliſh Dominion on the firm Land or Continent of America, there is no Reſtriction made to Exclude any; and Charity is a grace that would have every one Vertuous, and equally Priviledged with means for that End; ſo that we may begin our Lines of Latitude in the South, ſome-what North-ward of the Capes of Florida, and then Extend them to the North, to ſome parts of Nova Scotia, if not to the Bay of St. Laurence, and from thoſe points on to the Atlantick, we muſt ſtretch our Lines over-Thawrt, keeping equal Longitudes, till we meet with other Princes Dominions▪ Now this is a noble Territory, enough for an Empire, and all Engliſh; and why may we not be thus Extenſive for the good of the Churches therein Planted? Other Countries have ſent their Delegates near as far as this comes to, to wait upon the Conventions of his Holineſs. But, the Miſcheif is, The Revenue won't hold out. But I have Thought of one way, and that will do, if we can but obtain, tho' I acknowledge it is ſome-what Chimerical, or Whimſical; Yet, tho' it be, the Propoſal has no reaſon to repine or find fault, for that it is Its near Kins-Man.
The Project is this, viz. Upon the great Settlements which we hope for, between the two Crowns, I adviſe that Petitions be made (if the Articles of Settlement will allow of it) That either the Rents of Toledo, or ſome good ſtout Gold Mine in Peru, be reſerved wholly to the uſe of this Deſign, and if you are pleaſed to keep or ſettle within narrower Limits (when we know your Territory) we can by Rules of Proportion and Subſtraction, compute the Charge, and if there be any Over-Plus, when your own Charges are Defray'd, the reſt may be aſſigned to the next Province for ſuch Good Uſes. But however, let the Petitions go for-ward; for you will have want enough of your Share; for I am ſure, your preſent Supplyes are not full enough for your Daily Bread and theſe Contingent and unexpected Charges, eſpecially ſeeing they were never thought of, or Provided for, in your firſt Settlements.