The Churchs Quarrel Espoused, Letter – Query 1

The Churchs Quarrel Espoused · Letter – Query 1

p. 10THE Epiſtle Dedicatory To the Fraternity of the Churches In the New-England Colonies.

Truly honourable, & beloved in Chriſt;

IT is not from any Diſreſpect or for want of Honour to the Reverend Elderſhip and Paſtors of your ſeveral Communities, that I apply my ſelf more immediatly and thus abruptly to your ſelves in this Dedication. But for that it ſeems moſt agreeable with my preſent Province. The priviledges of the Fraternity being ſo peculiarly the Theam and ſubject of my pains, I eſteem it very proper to Introduce my following Eſſays, with a few words of Advice more directly to your ſelves, if you may be thence moved and incouraged to aſſiſt for the ſupport of Chriſts and your own Intereſts. I deſire to be without offence to any, and Pray that all ſuch Worthy Perſons, wiſe and faithful Paſtors in theſe Churches (who are as much obliged by their office to ſtand by and defend the Eſtabliſhed Intereſt and Rights of them p. 11as I am, and far more capable) will interpret my whole Action in the moſt favourable Senſe. And tho' I have not with the Noble Cortius leapt into a Chaſm made in the forum; yet I have ventured to ſtep into the Gap, to keep the Breach, till … hands come up, for the Service of my Country, and in Defence of their ſacred Liberties; ſo that I hope many of you will come in with a new ſupply and Recruit of Courage and Argument when and where mine fails; and for the preſent I preſume none of you will be offended, tho' I do thus Immediately addreſs the Churches over which you preſide, with the following Principles of their Intereſt and Duty wraped up each in other. Then

Honourable Brethren!

1ſt. In general my Advice is to you, That in good order & with all Gracefulneſs which becomes Wiſe Men, you will with Zeal, Courage and faithfullneſs, Stand in the Defence of and Maintain your Church Libertys; God certainly obliges you to do it, with all the diſcretion and bravery of Spirit, which becomes free-men, in withſtanding Vaſſalage or a Servile State, Gal. 5 1.13. Stand faſt therefore in the Liberties, wherewith Chriſt was made us free, and be not Intangled again with the Yok of Bondage: The Plea is as forcible againſt a Chriſtian as a Jewiſh Thraldom. For Brethren, ye have been called unto Liberty. I muſt acknowledge I have no particular Prejudice againſt any of the Governments of Chriſtian Proteſtant Churches in the World, ſo as to defraud or diſpoſseſs any of them of Heaven; or Monopolize ſo great a Royalty to our own; p. 12But yet I am of this opinion, conſidering the juſt Title of the Crown, the Churches, the People, the Capacity of Soil and Climate together, That the Conſtitution and Way of New-England Churches cannot be mended by Exchange.

Briefly to Inſtance in the Civil part, or Intereſt of the Crown, I think it is very eaſie to evince, by the Precepts both of Religion and Policy, That the Parliament (that wiſe and Auguſt Council of the Nation) could not have invented an Eſtabliſhment in Church Order, more for the ſervice of the Imperial Crown of the Britiſh Empire than our preſent Conſtitution, eſpecially in ſuch a Country and Climate as this is.

I ſhall not now any ways enter upon the Queſtion, but only give juſt a ſhort hint as to the Revenue. Our Preſent Conſtitution does indeed, ſome-what more then Sip; It takes an honeſt Healthful Draught at Natures Fountains, but leaves the flowing ſtreams for Empire to ſit at till filled with ſaciety.

The Eccleſiaſticks in ſome Kingdoms in Europe are ready not only to chide with Crowned heads, but to take them by the throat, and wring out of hands, if not almoſt a Moity, yet a vaſt ſhare of the golden Fleeces that ſhould ſupply the Publick Treaſuries, and cloath the Nakedneſs of the Kingdoms, and the People have no more wit but to Juſtifie and defend them in their Claims and Oppreſſions, and that till they themſelves (in great Numbers) are as thin and raged as Penury it ſelf; for by their Rules of adjuſtment, when the Church hath gotten an Unconſcionable ſhare, Then the p. 13Crown or Subject muſt be almoſt ſtarved; for there is not left a ſufficient and plentiful ſupply for both.

But now our New-England Conſtitution is very fair-mannered; for when it ſits down to the Staled Ox (made ready) it carves Temperately and (wit-hout much Defacing) Leaves the whole to Empire to make its Armies and Navies, with the reſt of its needful and unwearied Servants wellcome. That in Loyalty to your Prince, and for the ſupport of the Royal Revenue, you may Juſtly preſerve your Freedoms.

Let us alſo Conſider the beſt Good of a whole People.

It is moſt certain, true Grace is the one thing needful, and the main concern for the Improvement of the Powers both of Prince, Noble and Peaſant, and tho' Grace be of that nature that it will grow (after a faſhion and in ſome ſort of ſoil) almoſt under any Government, Yet it is moſt agreeable with Laws of Piety and Wiſdom (for the good of all in general (to chuſe and ſecure that Conſtitution and form of Government that is moſt a greeable, and which moſt naturally breeds it, and in greateſt Plenty.

By the ſuffrage of our Nation, that Government which ſenſibly Clogs Tyranny, and Preſerves the Subject free from ſlavery, under the ambition of men of great Fortune and Truſt, is the only Goverment in the ſtate, to advance mens temporal Happineſs; and we in the Country Honour the Reſolve in Civil Affairs, and alſo affirm (upon great Experience) that ſuch a Conſtitution p. 14in Church Government is (alſo) the only way to advance Grace and mans Eternal Happineſs; and we are the more Ratifyed in our Opinion, for that the experiment has on the other hand been tryed, with a Witneſs, in almoſt all Kingdoms of the Chriſtian World, and the firſt, by Diſſeiſing the Fraternity of all Intereſt in Church Goverment, only they have had the liberty to be Governed with a Hook in their Noſe (like wild Cattle in a ſtring) by the mercy and pleaſure of their Drivers; but as for any ſhare in the Exerciſe of Goverment, they have had no more, than the Horſes in the Royal Stables, for that their Spiritual Owners having Seiſed all the Keys of Church Power, they profeſs no Dividend ſhall be made, and alſo they themſelves being Uncontroulable by any, and unaccountable to any, unleſs it be to Chriſt himſelf, as they pretend; Tho' I believe, thouſands of them never Expect to meet with him, nor think that he ever will audit any Accompts of theirs.

But however, for the comfort and glory of the Preſent Life, the whole Government of the Spiritual Kingdom, in all its Branches, and with its Immenſe Profits, has Eſtabliſhed theirs. But this ſort of Diſcipline, hath ſunk great part of the Chriſtian World, as many times over, as Ages have paſt, ſince it hath been Intailed Ʋniverſal Rector, and where it hath kept abſolute poſſeſſion of the Throne.

And muſt the Waves and preſent Currants fit and waſte theſe Churches towards thoſe Rocks and ſhip-wracks, whilſt we have ſuch good hands and Pilots on board? God forbid!

p. 15Therefore let theſe Churches and the noble Fraternity of them, Stand their Ground, Keep faſt hold of what you got, Rev. 3.11. hold that faſt which thou haſt, that no man take thy Crown.

Hold your hold Brethren! Et validis Incumbite Remis, Pull up well upon your Oars, you have a Rich Cargo and I hope we ſhall eſcape Shipwrack; for according to the lateſt obſervation if we are not within fight, yet we are not far from Harbour; and tho' the noiſe of great Breakers, which we hear, Imports hazard, yet I hope daylight, and good Piloting will ſecure all.

More Particularly I ask your Patience with Liberty (ſtill for your ſervice) to make the few following Diſtinct Petitions.

I. Petition.

Honourable Brethren!

WOuld you know what you are, and who you are, in the more ample and Heroick Sence of your ſtate?

It is certainly very agreeable with Grace, for the upright, ſometimes to ſhift Ideas, and change ſuch as are mournful; for thoſe which bear a bright aſpect in their condition, otherways they may rob God of the Glory of the beſt part of his Grace and Bounty, and diſ-inable their own ſtrength, for ſome of the moſt important Service they are called to in the World; therefore Nehemiah plucks up his Courage and ſays, Shuld ſuch a Man as I flee? as tho' he ſhould ſay, he knew himſelf owner of p. 16too many great Endowments and Intruſtments, to be ſo little as to run for it, or be dreaded with ſuch an Alarm. Neh. 6.11.12.

So Brethren, Imagine your ſelves to be ſomething more than Ordinary; for Really you be ſo; and that as you are a Goſpel Combination, and Collectively Conſidered.

What! the beſt men of our Country, who form our Courts and Command our Armies, that makes the Figure and Caſts the true luſtre (by their great Wiſdom and Real Accompliſhments) in all great ſhews and Appearances, Muſt all theſe be made null or Buried in a Mioſis (as is frequently Enacted by Ambition) for the ſake of ſome inferiour Members in a Fraternity? which is as much as to ſay, in State Affairs, becauſe Coblers ſtalls or Orange Sellers Baskets afford no ſtates men, Ergo, none to be found; or becauſe that in many great Counties there may chance to be an hundred Knaves, and twice the number of Fools, Ergo there be no Legales Homines, Lawful men, fit for Juries; no men fit for Burgeſſes or Knights of the ſhire, to be found to make Parliament Men? and ſo the Kingdom muſt needs looſe all its Antient Rights by Default And whether or no ſuch Obſervations as theſe, that are ſo very Concluſive, as you ſee, may ſtand for better Law and Logick in the Churches then in the Empire?

But if of equal force in each Conſtitution, then Whether this is not the way to inter and bury the Glory of the Empire and Churches in their own Rubbiſh, whilſt we Incapaſſitate the Heroes of both by an Argument a minori ad Majus, viz. p. 17by inferring the Inſufficiency of the great and wiſe, becauſe of the mean and baſe mingled in the ſame Communities.

II. Petition.

THat you will put ſuch an Eſtimation and value on your Church Liberties as the Engliſh do on their Civil. And this is but a very reaſonable Requeſt, if you conſider the Differing Treaſuries under cuſtody, viz. Immortal Souls on the one hand, and outward Fortunes on the Other.

Many of you Know the ſtorys (poſſibly better than I can recite them) which tell us what Ship Loads of Blood and Treaſure thoſe Civil Things have coſt the Engliſh World; and how near they ſtill lie to Engliſh mens hearts. And many of you being immediate Succeſſors, cannot but be very ſencible what theſe New-England Liberties have Coſt your Progenitors, ſome of them having buried their Eſtates, and all of them their Bones in theſe Foundations, and left you now in Poſſeſſion, that if you ſhould put Contempt upon their Adventures, their Courage, Wiſdom, Zeal and Self-denial, by under-Prizing theſe Ineſtimable Infranchizements, and fight them as tho' they were now to be Endorſt by your own hands with Hezekiah's Nehuſtan, God may then put you to learn the Worth of them at that School where they Learnt it; and I am ſure you will pay dear for your Tutoring if it comes to that.

p. 18III. Petition. Honour and Oblige your Paſtors and Publick Miniſtry.

IT is certain they are very great Articles in the Reaſons of your well being, Mat. 5.13.14. They make all things more Savory, and to go down with a better Reliſh; Yea, they alter Tragedies and Comedies into a more grateful Entertainment. What is all the Glory in the World without the Goſpel Purity Diſpenc't, and its moſt Refined Influence? Theſe are the Light of the World, and carry the Lanthorn aloft in the dark night of your Travels, thro' the tempeſtuous Ocean of a Miſerable Life, to direct all to a ſafe Landing at laſt.

Indeed, I muſt acknowledge, your Miniſters, when ſound and faithful, are to be accounted and eſteemed amongſt the beſt of your Friends, tho' when Currupt and Prejudiced, the worſt of your Enemies.

I think the Devil himſelf, and the World of his accomplices, can't do you the damage, They may upon a Revolt. That I beg you will be Curious and careful of your Intereſt Imbark't and Depoſited there.

And without making any ſcruple (in the Main) they are your hearty and faithful Servants. Indeavour to increaſe their Love, and let them ſee and feel you have a double honour for them for their works ſake. And if after all your repeated p. 19Grace and Goodneſs, they will deſert and betray you, they ſhall then Incur a double Guilt, both by Tranſgresſing the Laws of Gratitude to you, and of Loyalty to their great Lord.

And I aſſure you, Sirs, I ſhould upon ſuch Terms be very loath to ſhare in their Tryumphs, tho' their gains ſhould be ſeemingly great, and their ſignals and ſhouts equal with the Caeſars of the World in their going off.

IV. Petition. Furniſh your Churches with Ruling Elders!

THe nature of the Office is not only agreeable with your Frame, and exacted by your Principles, but indeed carries ſafety and Protection in it to your Liberties; ſuch Truſtees are not liable to Curruption, as other Officers, in that you do (as it were) tranſmit and intruſt them with your very Principles of ſelf-Preſervation, which are of that nature as never to alter their Sentiments, unleſs it be in the Diſſolution of the ſubject, when all falls together. The Office ſeems a Creation, where your juſt and regular ſympathies, and Antipathies center by the Laws of nature; that what you love, they love; what you hate, they hate; and being Ex Officio, of the ſtanding watch and Guard, they will peculiarly Perſonate your ſelves upon every notable Criſis, and naturally Caring for your Affairs, will, like wakeful Sentinels, curiouſly and with Courage guard your Liberties.

p. 20Let Churches which are numerous and fuller of eminent Gifts, lead the way, and then excite and provoke their ſiſter Churches to ſuch Love and good Works for the advance of the Common Cauſe. There are without doubt, in theſe Churches, many private Members, worthy Perſons, ſuittably qualified for this Office, who (like ſome Edge-Tools heedleſly left to Ruſt out in oblivien) lie hid, yet, when found, and put to uſe, will prove themſelves truly Eminent.

Let Chriſts Churches ſeek amongſt their neglected Hoards; for they are, without doubt, Church by Church, far Richer then they make for; There are, Indeed, Complaints of great Poverty, and of a Dearth and Scarcity of ſuitable men. But I preſume it is done with great Injuſtice; and Complaints of this nature in theſe Churches, are but the Complaints of Servants that are full fed; and Relieve no caſe by Complaining, but rather Reflect diſhonour upon their good Maſter, who hath bought all and beſtow'd enough, and alſo incur blame to themſelves for not Improving thoſe Talents for the advance of his Exchequer, which they themſelves have wrapt up in a Napkin, and that in this caſe, by too much Symbolizing with the Carnal and Politick Men of the world, who to humour ſome by-ends (under the Maſquerade of Indigent Perſons) make themſelves very poor, tho' God has given them great Riches, Prov 13 7. This is a true (tho' a ſerious Affirmation) That in our Conſtitution and Principles, there is as plain a Precept, p. 21if not as great a Reaſon for this Officer, as for any other in our Churches; and yet, as to matter of fact, we find it to be rara Avis in Jerva, like a blak Swan in the Meadow; and tho' the whole ſpecies is not quite rooted out, yet it is grown very rare to find one Individual.

Now the fault muſt be ſome where, and I am Satisfied, our Poverty is leaſt to blame.

That ſome body or another muſt needs be Culpable, on the Account of this great omiſſion, may I without offence iſſue out ſearch and inqueſt, to know who is to blame, upon this failure whether Brethren, or Publick Officers, or whole Churches?

I. Private Brethren.

MAy not the blame be laid in ſome Caſes and in ſome Churches, upon ſome very capable Chriſtian Gentlemen, who tho' not Incumbred (for the Publick) with any other Incoherent ſervice, yet are poſſibly too ſhy of this Truſt, when offered to them? It muſt needs be acknowledged, the Office is almoſt Perfectly a piece of Mortification and Self-Denyal; there is no proviſion in it to feed Ambition, or feaſt any other Luſt; all is full of watching and Painfulneſs, and the Reward and Wages quite out of ſight. But how ever in ſuch Examples, whether Perſons ſo qualified and ſo called ought not to comply, or themſelves hear the Blame.

2dly The Terms of Chriſts Kingdom are very p. 22ſtrict and Rigorous, for the Honour of his own Crown, when our Juſt Titles are Competitors, and he layes the Conditions of our Obedience, upon a great forfeiture, if we don't ſubmit, when called to Duty, Matth. 10.37, 39.

2. Publick Officers.

MAy not the Ordained Officers, in ſome Caſes and in ſome Churches, be taxed or blamed, for this great Omiſſion? ſuch as out of Trimidity and Diſtruſt, Jealous Ruling Elders, leaſt they ſhould inſtead of Colleagues prove Corrivals in the Exerciſe of their own Truſt and Authority, for being men not of ſuch deep learning, yet may prove ſo fortified with Friends, and ſo popular, as that they may be capable to over-top men of greater Learning, and wiſer Principles of Conduct in all Adminiſtrations.

Now if any of Chriſts Churches are vacated of this Officer by ſuch Jealouſies as theſe, or of the like nature, can the officers be without Blame? & if ſo, then whether the firſt born Son may not juſtly Imprecate future Barreneſs on his own Mothers Womb, for fear leſt he ſhould be ſupplanted of the Inheritance, by the next Son or Brother born of the ſame ventre?

2dly Such Officers as may plead their own particular Conſcience and …, againſt the Office, as being of a doubtful Original, or of an uncertain Inſtitution, and therefore make bold to over Rule our plain Precept for it, and the p. 23Church ſubmits: whether is not a great Blame here?

It ſeems apparent by all Rules of Order and Goverment, That this is too to ſoveraign in the one, and too Servile and Careleſs in the other.

For that no Officers particular Conſcience muſt be a Rule to govern any particular Church, contrary to the Churches own Law, or Rule of Eſtabliſhment; For if it be, then the Churches muſt have as many diſtinct Charters and Differing Books of Canons, as their Paſtors have Differing Conſciences; which is a plain in-let to all Sorts of Confuſion.

3dly Such Officers who plead the cuſtome of the Churches, and ſo make the Illegal Omiſſions of ſome, a ſanctuary for the ſame Fault in others; but whether this Plea from Cuſtom will hold Officers exempt from blame, when weighed in a Juſt Ballance? Cuſtom is Juſtly allowed a great Conqueror in the World, it ſubdues whole Kingdoms to its Empire, and all men ſubmit and adhere to its Demands and Dictates, as to an Oracle? But then it muſt be Cuſtom that is Honourable, Laudable, and Uninterrupted, otherways a Cuſtom which continually croſſes a plain Precept is very Culpable, and contracts a long ſeries of Guilt, and may expect to be perſued with a tedious train of ſad Conſequence, altho it ſhould with much preſumption wipe its mouth and ſay, I am Innocent. Therefore cuſtom is no Plea in this caſe, but rather renders all who depend upon it, to be reduced to a Deſperate Poſture in their thoughts p. 24and Arguments; for tho' there is a Cuſtomary Omiſſion, that hath prevailed in the Churches to a fad Degree, as to this Office, yet the Omiſſion has all a long croſſed a Precept, and has been Confronted by the Cuſtom of other Churches in the Land, who have attended their duty; ſo that thoſe Churches who have Maintained the Practice have kept lawful poſſesſion of the Right, and the Title being matter of Record, and founded in Law, there Remains no ſhelter here from Cuſtom for Delinquints.

4. Whether thoſe Officers are Juſtifiable, who honour the Office, yet do honeſtly & uprightly think that the narrow Extent of Territory may (as to many Churches) ſerve as a ſuperſedeas to the Office? For what need of ſo many great Commiſſions in ſo ſmall Bodies? But whether ſmall Churches have not great Work belonging to them, ſufficient to Improve a full Compleat ſet of Officers, and poſſibly, all little enough to do the work Well, if the nature and extent of it be rightly conſidered and faithfully mannaged; for who is ſufficient for theſe things?

3. The Churches.

WHether the Churches, as incorporate Bodies, are free from Blame when they don't Regularly indeavour to compleat themſelves in all Offices, and proſecute their Claim to this with Effect?

The Ruling Elders are the Churches Previledge, and a very great Right, on which their well-being p. 25and ſtability does much depend, and the great Omisſion in the Country has probably brought things to that poſture of ſickleneſs as we now find them at? then whether the Churches can be exempt from Blame, when they ſuffer ſuch vacancies to continue, when it is in the Power of their hands to Remedy it?

Here indeed is a great Queſtion Commencing, viz.

Queſtion 1. Whether any Church can Poſſibly, and according to Rules of Order, Proceed to elect Ruling Elders, when other of their Officers in actual Rule and Truſt, ſhall refuſe to call and Guide the Church in the Choice?

I ſhall indeed Tranſgreſs the bounds of my own intentions, and the Civility of an Epiſtle, if I ſhould now undertake a full and compleat anſwer to this Queſtion.

I ſhall therefore at preſent only juſt Index the Principal Titles or Heads for Anſwer, by Pointing briefly at the Duties of Officers, and the prerogatives of the Churches in the Caſe.

1. It is moſt apparent through the whole Miniſtry of the World (unleſs in abſolute Monarchies) that it is the duty of all Publick officers to Miniſter according to the plain Rules of the Publick ſtate, and not by their own Phancy or Wills, and ſo in this caſe, the chief Ruling Officers (then in being) In point of Conduct are obliged to lead the Church in their Operations, according to the Churches plain and ſettled Principles, And not reluct becauſe their own perſwaſions do otherwiſe incline them▪ p. 26It is now plainly too late for any Officer to pretend Conſcince againſt Eſtabliſhed Rules: This Objection ſhould have been made before they had taken Office. But now it is out of Seaſon, for they were Elected and Ordained to Govern the Church not by their own thoughts, as the Rule, but by the Churches Cannon, and that by their own conſent, when they took Office. And moreover, this is moſt evident, that if ſuch Powers which belong to the inſide of mens being, viz. their Hearts, Phanſies, Notions, Judgments, Imaginations or Conſciences, call them by what names you pleaſe, or let the Owners freely fix the Titles (the odds is not great) Now if theſe are to be the Rule of Churches, then Paſtors and Ruling Officers have (in their degree) as abſolute a Dominion over the Churches, as the great Turke has over his Baſhaws, and other Vaſſals.

But I hope, none here will claim this Dominion. And if not, then let Paſtors and Teachers do their Duty in point of Conduct (if the Churches are not Remiſs in theirs) and this great vacancy may be ſoon ſupplyed, and there is alſo a Relief for Officers, if their juſt prerogatives are any ways toucht by the the Traverſe.

2dly. To Confine the diſcourſe to this preſent Example, and to ſhorten terms, for brevities ſake, it muſt be granted, that any perticular Officer ſenſible of his duty, that ſhall undertake to gratifie and lead the Church, in the Election and choice, &c. This makes the caſe very eaſy in point of Conduct▪ Yea, tho' other Officers in the ſame p. 27Church ſhould either oppoſe or not act. For that any one Officer in a Church, where there may be many of the ſame nature, he himſelf is vertually the whole Colledge of Officers in any Office-Act that he performs without them. As in civil Affairs, a particular Executor ſo far ſuſtains the whole Executorſhip, as that he can make a vallid Act in that Miniſtry, though many others are joyned with him in the ſame Teſtament, & yet don't nor won't Act with him, in this or that affair, tho' confirmed in their Truſt; which Principle is founded in the nature of a joynt Tenancy in general, and in a joynt Truſt in particular, held by many Equals.

3dly. The caſe is very difficult when the ſtanding Officers joyn as one man, and will not guide the Church in theſe Elections referred to, &c. And I muſt needs ſay, I fear here has been the great bar to this Office.

We may from Intereſt, as well as Duty, Rationally ſuppoſe the Inclinations of the Churches, and the deſires of many of them have been made known by repeated & honorable Solicitations, therein, ſaying to Arcipus, Fulfill thy Miniſtry Co. 4.17. & we may alſo affirm, the Principle is plain, the Office is acknowledged, at home and abroad to be of Divine Original. but however this is certain, it is a formal eſtabliſhment by theſe Churches, and not now to be Diſputed. Yet the Officers pretend, they ſee no Reaſon to give way to the Churches Deſire or Demands, neither will the conduct in this Caſe, though their Duty does oblige, that ſo p. 28the Church may be compleated in its Officers; No! they are pleaſed by Acts of a Superintending Power, to lock the Church Door, and turn this Key againſt the Office, and no Pleas or Perſwaſions can alter their reſolutions. But hereby the Officers do plainly abdicate their Office, by changing the Acts of a limited truſt, bounded by precept into what is meerly Abitrary; ſo in a Decree, they break up the Relation between themſelves and the Church, And by ſuch an Eſſential Error ſo contrary to the Churches Charter and their own Commiſſion they forfeit all at once, though Lenity and Mercy may favour them with a long life; Yet in the Eye of Juſtice they are Dead men, if not in nature yet in Law, And upon their OBSTINACY may juſtly be DEGRADED. Therefore in ſuch a caſe, when it comes to that Extremity, the Churches may and ought to call in Council and Proceed in their work and Duty for their own Well being, after the manner of an Inorganick Church Platform, Chap. 10 and this I need not ſtand to diſcribe, our Plat-form, The Laws of the Province and the Practice of the Churches in other Caſes, and vacancies will do it.

Then whether theſe Congregational Churches thro' theſe Provinces may not juſtly reflect Blame upon themſelves, for too Supine and negligent a frame of Spirit, towards ſo Great an Intereſt, and ſo noble an Office, ſeeing they have ſuch a ſhare in Government, and can fairly Reſcue themſelves and their own Rights, by the Power and Principles of their own Eſſence, when their other Officers neglect Duty?

p. 29V. Petition.

THat you will pleaſe to Reviſe the ſtudy (and in order to it) a New impreſſion of your Plat-form.

It is very uſual for many Gentlemen in your Country, Landed men, and men of Eſtates, every man to keep his Law-Book by him, as his Bible, the Bible for the ſolace of his Mind, and the Law-Book for the ſafety of his Eſtate, that upon any Defamation of Title, or other Incroachments, when his Lands and Properties are in hazard, he may know whither to repair for his Direction, and how to make his Defence. And ſo methinks it ſhould be with the Members of the Churches, as to their ſtated Rights by their Cannon Law! That there ſhould be a kind of a Penalty (if the hazard in ſuch a defect be not puniſhment enough) on ſuch Delinquents, as live Members of Chriſts viſible Kingdom here, and yet live without the Plat-Form, the Eccleſiaſtical Political Charter of theſe Churches.

I muſt needs ſay, and I wiſh I could whiſper it ſo low that the Echo might never Rebound to Gath or Askelon, and yet be diſtinctly heard thro' theſe Churches) That I fear the Impreſſion of the Platform is almoſt Extinct, if not quite worn out in the Country. And that as it was ſaid in the day of Battle, under King Saul, that there was neither ſword nor ſpear found in the hand of any of the People, ſo here, tho' your Bible, which is the ſword of the ſpirit, is in every mans hand p. 30yet poſſibly, this Spear or neceſſary weapon, in the defence of your Goſpel Liberties, is ſcarce to be found in the hands of one in a Thouſand, thro' all the hoſt of Iſrael. I do therefore adviſe my Country, and theſe Churches, to furniſh your ſelves, and that you would encourage the Stationers, in this Deſign, and they can ſoon Recruit you. My Honourable and Deareſt Friends!

If we are puſh't on to Battle, and our Weapons then in the Oar, we may Juſtly ſuſpect we ſhall be but too eaſy and cheap a Conqueſt for Aſſailants. Therefore furniſh your ſelves in good time with this piece of Artillary, that you may be well fixt and equipt for Service.

Don't you hear from the top of yonder Proud and Lofty Mountain, the Enemies Trumpets, and their Drums Beating a Preparative? Therefore let all the good Souldiers of Chriſt be Compleat in this and all other parts of their Armour, and at an hours warning, unleſs you reckon your Treaſure not worth Defending.

VI. Petition.

WHether it may not be very proper for theſe Churches, after ſo long an Interval to Admit of this Addreſs, viz That they will pleaſe to meet or Repreſent themſelves in a Provincial or General Synod?

That if there be any thing in our Church Government which may want Emendation, that (as they ſay) it may be done, Secundum uſum ſarum, or Regularly and according to the manner of theſe p. 31Churches; or if there be any new forms, needful to be Incerted, or whatever elſe may in a way of order be thought neceſſary for the Advance of Religion, it may be fairly decided for the ſervice of the whole. And alſo, if it ſhall then be judged Prudent, our Principles for the Seiſing, and Tryal of the more ungovernable, and ſtouter ſort of Delinquents and Offendors, may be Reviſed, and ſomewhat inlarged, that ſo it may be made very eaſy for all particular Churches, to make out proceſſes againſt them, and that they ſhall find the Churches Fetters will hold them. That forever after all ſmall Juncto's of Men, or particular Perſons, Member or Members of the Churches (let their Character and Capacity be what it may be) ſhall be deterred from being ſo hardy and bold as to Divulge their Pernicious Doctrines, and ſeditious Sentiments, with ſuch Preſumption, and ſuch hopes of Impunity, as ſome of late have done.

Thus, Right honourable & beloved in Chriſt!

I have nothing more at preſent to add by way of Petition to your ſelves, but only that you will pleaſe to take this poor piece of Service in good Part.

And tho' it be but as a little Goats Hair, or a Badgers hide, or two Skins (not well dreſt) yet it may be ſome way uſeful for the Tabernacle. And tho it won't ſhelter againſt ſtorms of great ſhot, it may ſerve to cover and ſheild from ſome ſlighter Arrows.

But let it be what it may be in every other mans p. 32opinion, it is in mine (as to deſign and Intention) my Love, Honour and Loyalty to my God, Prince and Country, for whoſe Service I was born, according to the Received maxim, Non ſoli nobis nati ſumus. And here I pay one part of my Debt to thoſe great Creditors in ſuch ſpecie as I have; Therefore I hope for pardon from, and acceptance with all of them.

My Concluſion is with Devouteſt Application to the Supream Throne, that the Almighty God will bleſs the Great ANNE, our Wiſe and Proteſtant Princes, New-Englands Royal Nurſe and great Benefactreſs, that ſhe may live to ſee all the Proteſtant Churches thro' her vaſt Empire, more vertuous and more united, and as they all meet and Center with their Differing Perſwaſions, by their Love and Loyal Actions in her Perſon and Government, Let her Moſt Excellent Majeſty, next to Chriſt, continue abſolute in her Empire over their hearts, and as ſhe has made ſuch a compleat Conqueſt, of all Differing Parties within her Dominions, by her wiſe and vertuous meaſures, and thereby won all the Fame of Rule and Soveraignity from her Royal Progenitors, who could never ſo charm ſuch Migthy Nations. Let her Reign continue the exacteſt Model for all Courts in Europe! and when ſhe is full Repleat and ſatisfyed with Length of days, and the moſt Glorious Effects of a Proſperous Reign, let God favour her Laſting and floriſhing Name with an Unperiſhing Monument, on which Juſtice ſhall become Obliged to inſcribe this Memento, viz. Here lies in p. 33Funeral Pomp, the Princeſs of the Earth, the Store-houſe of all Enobling and Princely Perfections, That if all the Monarchs on Earth, have loſt their Excellencies, their Arcana Imperii, their State, Wiſdom, Skill in Government, and all Sorts of Heavenly, Princely and Heroick Vertues, Here they may be found lodged in this One Ʋnparalled MONARCH.

Let GOD Bleſs his Excellency, and Preſerve the Government of the Province, and let it continue always in the hands of Natives, and let our Country Succeſſively breed men of ſuch Merit as ſhall always Enamour Imperial Majeſty with their Loyalty and Worth; and that their true Deſerts may ever purchaſe for them ſuch a high Station, whilſt they ſhall plainly out-weigh their Rivals in the Royal Ballance. And let them be always Patrons to theſe Churches, as an acknowledgment to the Crown of Heaven, as the ſettled Condition of Tenure they hold by and poſſeſs ſuch Royal Demeſneſs.

Let the great and good GOD of Heaven and Earth Bleſs theſe Churches, the Beauty of the wilderneſs, and Continue ſo noble a Miniſtry as they now have, and Proſper and Requite their faithful and unwearied Labours, and let him Continue the Succeſſion and furniſh the next ſet with Greater Accompliſhments and vertue.

Let CHRSIT JESUS the Great Shepherd, who hath the Care of the Flocks in the Wilderneſs, Preſerve Inviolable the ineſtimable Priviledges & Liberties of theſe Churches, and let him Entail them with all other Civil and Sacred Rights p. 34and Immunities which they now Enjoy, as a ſure Eſtate of Inheritance, to the laſt Poſterity of this People. And let their Children and Childrens Children Remain from Generation to Generation, until the World be Done with, and the Sun has left ſhining.

So Prays The meaneſt of all Your Servants In CHRIST J. W. May 31, 1710.

p. 35In ANSVVER To the Fore-going PROPOSALS.

THe Nobleneſs of Parentage, by the Laws of Honour, entales on Poſterity (with other Rights) a protection from all incivilities, but not from the auſtere Demands of Juſtice, when that is affronted and violated. Juſtice keeping the Golden Rule (Quo dat Suum Cuique) obſerves no other Deſtinctions, than what it firſt makes in its Diſtributions amongſt the Rich and Poor, the Noble and Ignoble, it is no Reſpecter of Perſons, for that it is Superiour to all men, and ſits as a veiled Empreſs holding the Ballance to weigh out equal to each one according to the Merits of the cauſe, and ſees no man.

There being now under Cogniſance, ſuch as are of honourable Families, yet arreſted and brought by due courſe of Law to Anſwer for high Crimes, it muſt not be ſuppoſed Rudeneſs in Manners, though they be ſome-what freely and Ruſly handled, whilſt the proſecution is held agreeable with the Impeachment and Rule of Juſtice. And as for p. 36my ſelf, who am under Commiſſion from Authority, to appear in Defence of my Countries Sacred Liberties, I can in my own Juſtification, affirm, That I have no diſhonourable Inclinations, but carry a Juſt mind, ſo as to Condemn no Man or thing, but upon plain evidence, nor to agravate any Plea beyond its juſt Bounds.

Therefore, tho' in the following pages there may be diſcerned a great Liberty in Argument, with a mixture of Satyres, as tho' none by my Inferiours were Involved in the Charge, Yet aſcribe it unto my love and veneration for ſo great an Intereſt as I appear for, and not to any baſe intent of ſinking the honour or darkning the Luſter of better Men. I neither deſire nor deſign to hurt any Man, No, not ſo much as an hair on his head, but I Solely aim at ERROR, that is the But I Level for.

Thus having by this brief, but ſincere Apology ſecured the Honour of my Intentions, if I am worthy of belief, I ſhall no longer interrupt the Proceſs, but ſhall nextly, draw up the Indictment, upon which theſe Propoſals are to paſs, and abide a Tryal.

And this I ſhall do in a form borrowed from Sir Edward Cooke, the Kings Attourney in the arreignment of Sir Walter Rawleigh, in theſe Words.

HEre is Miſchief, miſchief in Summo Gradu, Yea, Exorbitant Miſchief. This is the charge I offer to make good againſt the Propoſals, at the Bar of p. 37Common Reaſon, in order thereto I ſhall prorced and Expect to produce ſufficient Evidence under Two heads.

1ſt, By a few Praeliminary Queries.

2dly. By a more Critical Examination of the Propoſals themſelves.

1▪ As Introductory, and for the bringing in further Evidences againſt the Criminal Propoſals, now upon their Tryal, I offer theſe following Queries.

1ſt. Query.

Whether the Churches in New-England are not fairly in Poſſeſſion of a Form of Government, by which they are diſtinguiſhed from moſt of the Reformed Churches in the World, more then by their Grace? and if ſo (which no man that knows them will deny) Then it muſt be ſome ſuperiour Power, or their Own voluntary Act, regularly obtained, that muſt out or diſpoſſeſs them. Did an Equal Claimer appear, yet long and quiet Poſſeſſion holds againſt a Writ of Ejectment, a very ſtrong Plea in the Seſſions, both of Reaſon and Law, according to that acknowledged Maxim, in Requali Jure, melior eſt Conditio Posſidentis, When two plead an Equal Right, he is in the beſt Condition who is in Poſſesſion; Then it can be no leſs then a very Indiſputable Right, and duely proſecuted with Effect, that can Diſpoſſeſs theſe Churches of their Government.