The Churchs Quarrel Espoused, Section 5
SECT. V. THat they together be Conſulted by Bereaved Churches, to Recommend to them ſuch Perſons as may be fit to be imployed amongst them, for preſent ſupply, from whom they may in due time proceed to chooſe a Pastor.
Anſwer.
According to my Apprehenſion, this Propoſal Inſults very Daringly over the Churches in two things.
1. By Ingroſing the Right of Juriſdiction, not only over the viſible Freedom and Liberties, but Conjugal and Secret Powers of Chriſts Virgin and Widdow Churches. That it ſeems to me very Adviſeable (if this Propoſal may ſtand for a ſound Precept) that forth-with another Office be erected, and put into the hands and under the Government of a few men, exactly skilled in Phiſiognomy, and deeply ſtudied in the Sympathies and Antipathies of Humane Nature, with an abſolute ſuperintending Power to Controul and direct all Wooers in their Choice for the Marriage Bed; for that there is many a fond Lover who has betrayed the glory of Wedlock, by making an unwiſe and unfortunate Choice; And why may not perticular Beds be over-Ruled, as well as perticular Churches? both being for the good and ſervice of Mankind, and for that both parties, Husband and Wife, Paſtor and Church, by our ſort of Government, are bound for Term of Life, or ſo long as both ſhall live. Indeed, were our Conſtitution in Church-Order under the Superintendency of a Patron, or a Lord Biſhop, who can ſend (pro Tempore) a Curate, &c. and then Recall him, and place another in his ſtead, the Project might be very Adviſeable; but ſeeing theſe Churches are ſettled Congregational, and by their Principles, the Ordination is, as it were, the Nuptials, or Marriage Day of two Lovers, that nothing but Death, or a Bill of Divorce (for betraying the Glory of their Union) can Part: It is then good and reaſonable, that they be left to chooſe as they beſt affect, and not forcibly be tyed up to a kind of Hobſons Choice, One of theſe, or None. This apparently puts too hard upon the Churches Liberties, and overthrows the Government; for that our Platform in Chap. 2. treating of the Nature of the Churches, aſſerts, Sect. 5. That the State of the Viſible Church ſince the Coming of Chriſt, is Only Congregational; Therefore neither National, Provincial nor Claſſical; Then what does this Propoſal do here?
Alſo, our Plat-form aſſerts the free electing Power of the Churches, Chap. 5. in theſe words, Ordinary Church Power is that of Priviledge, ſuch as belongs to the Brother-hood whereby they deſign perſons unto Office. So alſo in Chap. 10. in theſe words, The Power granted by Chriſt unto the Body of the Church and Brother-hood is a Prerogative or Priviledge which the Church doth exerciſe in the Admiſſion of her own Members, and in chuſing their own, Officers. Now if Chriſt has given theſe high Powers and Authorities to his Churches, he has certainly furniſhed them with Skill and Wiſdom to Manage them.
So we come to the Second Part of the Affront in this Propoſal, and that is,
2dly. By its making a plain Preſumption of Incapacity in the Churches of Doing their own proper work without their Graces help. It is as much as to ſay, Alas! Alas! it is well known that the Churches are generally a ſort of plain men, little Skilled in deep Matters; That there is apparent Danger, if left in their Elections to their own Conduct of Introducing very Illiterate Perſons and doleful Creatures, to preach in the Temple of God, as Officers there. Now this is much agreeing with the old Arguments, againſt the Laity, who were deſcribed by the Learned to be without the Knowledge of the Original Languages, and other parts of Polite Learning, and ſo no ways fit to Interpret Scripture, therefore it is very Rationally Enacted, That the BIBLE be taken from them, leſt they ſhould ſtudy Hereſie and not Holineſs out of that Divine Book. But to paſs by all ſuch Pleas, I ſhall come to the main point in plain Terms, and that is this, Our Plat-Form is our Settlement, and it has Secured to the Churches theſe Prerogatives, and they are part of their Intailed Inheritance; & it is a vain thing to pretend or plead the Incapacity of Right Owners and Rich Proprietors, eſpecially whilſt there is a Competent Set of Sences left them. Indeed, when any Gentlemen can ſhew any Precept, and produce a Commiſſion for the taking into their hands the Eſtate of Ideot-Churches, they may then Cite their Intellectuals to a proper Bar, and Verdict going againſt any particular Example, they than, Ipſo facto, become Gaurdians, and may enter into their Worſhip. But in the mean time, as to our own Churches, and the whole Conſtellation of them, and every Individual or particular Church amongſt them remains Compos mentis, and therefore muſt not be intreagued by ſuch Officers as theſe are.
But yet before I cloſe this Argument, I ſhall a little further humour the Preſumption of Inſufficiency here laid down; and therefore I ſhall deſire, that a Survey be made of the ſtate of the Churches, and if their free Election be found for this thirty Years laſt paſt (and we will go no higher) have by the Major part of Voices introduced Inſufficient Officers, Then let the Plat-Form be null'd, and the Propoſal ſtand as a more vallid Cannon. And in this Inquiry we would know, whether the Dictators will give leave (in drawing up the Catalogue of defective elections) that they themſelves be put on the back of the Title Page, and there ſtand as the Errata of our Old Government? or whether they themſelves are the only exceptions?
But ſuppoſe we, when we have accompliſhed our ſearch, we find their own, and all other Elections, for the main, have hit Right; and if ſo, then whether we ought not to pay a Veneration to the Practice, as having more of Chriſt in it than we can in the Rufflings of Ambition preſently find out, or perceive? And whether after ſuch long Experience and good Succeſs it may'nt be our Wiſdom to keep this via Trita, which we have found to be via Tuta, That is to ſay, keep the good old Way of our Bleſſed Predeceſſors, leſt going into a new and untrodden Path, we fall into ſome Ambuſcado, and come off whith broken Bones and Ruin'd Churches?
Quicquid Praecipiti via.
Certum Deſerit Ordinem
Loetos non habet exitus boetious.
Raſhly to leave the plain and good old way
Turns into Mournful night a Joyful Day.