The Churchs Quarrel Espoused, Section 8
SECT. VIII. ANd Finally, That Miniſters diſpoſed to Aſſociate, endeavour in the Most Efficacious Manner they Can, to Prevail with ſuch Miniſters, as Ʋnreaſonably▪ neglect ſuch Meetings with their Brethren in their Proper Aſſociations, that they would not expoſe themſelves to the Inconveniencies that ſuch Neglects cannot but be attended withal.
Anſwer.
This Propoſal ſeems to be founded upon the Epecurian Doctrine of Atoms; for by the Scheme which Atheiſtical Atomiſts give concerning the Beginning of the World, by their Account, it was after this lucky manner, that is to ſay, There was before time, a vaſt Pile of Incoherent Atomes, which Globically hung Sleeping upon a Centre-Atom, without the leaſt Grain of ſence, thro' the vaſt Eternity, a Perte Ante; But at laſt, and no body can tell how, they were inclined to throw off their preſent Poſture; but being neither of one Form, Inclination nor Propenſion, quickly great heaving and ſhuffing (from various Sympathies and Antipathies) began to be amongſt them, that a Chaos is preſently Rolled together, and in a little time this Magnificent and curious World, which you look upon, came out of the horrid Womb of this diſtracted heap of Atoms, and that without any help from a Creating Power, but only by a wonderful good Chance. Thus far you have the Doctrine of Atoms, which I could not well avoid, becauſe of ſo much Noble Matter Pre-exiſting, and repreſented in various Shapes and Forms, with a ſound of Motion and various Sympathies and Antipathies appearing, and repreſented by the Propoſal; but yet, can hear of no Superintending Fiat, or any Creating Voice to Over-rule, or ſay, Let it Be. But only if Perſons are Diſpoſed, or Indiſpoſed, the Buſineſs muſt be managed as Wiſely as you Can; and if it ſhould ſo Chance, that ſome fine thing, (never before ſeen in the Country) ſhould be made out of theſe Materials, without the help of a Creating Power, the World would be a great Debtor to the Accident, and the Churches may they not be Juſtly ſtript of their being, to make Room for it, and maintain it?
But to be more Diſtinct, and ſome-what more cloſe in my Anſwer, I muſt remind you, That our Bleſſed Lord Commands us to Pray, Math. 6▪ Our Father which art in Heaven, &c. Lead us not into Temptation, But Deliver us from Evil. And if ſincere, he hath Promiſed, To ſtabliſh us and keep us from Evil. 2. Theſſ. 3.3. From theſe Divine Principles, the Queſtion is, Whether thoſe Paſtors are the ſtable or Ʋnſtable, the Reaſonable, or Ʋnreaſonable-Men, viz. Either thoſe who have Promoted this Deſign in the Country, or thoſe who have withſtood it? And alſo where has Temptation Prevailed MOST? And to put this Debate under a brighter Light, I will make bold to recite a brief Hiſtory of this matter, till we bring you to the Nativity of theſe Propoſals, and to the day wherein they were Born, with ſome Preſent Improvement of the Hiſtory.
About Thirty years ago, more or leſs, there was no Appearance of the Aſſociations of Paſtors in theſe Colonies, and in ſome Parts and Places, there is none Yet. But after the Country had ſuffered much in the ſlaughters and depredations committed by the Heathen, and by many other Afflictions, the Neighbouring Miniſters, in ſome Counties, met to Pray together, &c. and for no other Intent, that I ever knew or heard of. But after they had continued their Meetings for ſome years, and others following the Example, began to Converſe together and communicate Caſes, as beſt ſuited Each Perſon, and at laſt perceiving they were almoſt gotten in to a Claſſical Form, before they thought of it, They began to give their Meetings the Specious Titles of Claſſes Aſſociations, And Eccleſiaſtical Conventions, &c. as Securely as tho' theſe Titles were a Fruit naturally growing out of our own Conſtitution; and by Degrees began to dream that they were Really, and De Jure, what their new Titles and … Cuſtom had made them only de Facto, and Time increaſed their Inclinations and Purpoſes to Compaſs a more formal and compleat Settlement. It is certain their Opportunities were Conſiderable, the Keys of the Church Treaſures being put into their hands. And the more the main Point is ſtudied, the more glory appears to feed mens Ambition, like the impreſſion by the Eye, on our great Parents in Paradice Gen. 3.8. The Tree was Pleaſant to the Eyes, a Tree to be deſired. Alas! Alas! Empire and ſupream Rule is a glorious thing! Par core ſubjectis & debellare Superbas, is a very Royal buſineſs. Now this Conceit did begin Prety much to Predominate, eſpecially in ſome Gentlemen that were inclined to Preſbyterian Principles, Men of Worth and Learning, who improving their Advantages of ſence and Influence, to Intreague others of a lower ſet of Intellectuals, &c. brought the buſineſs ſo near to a Concluſion, as you find it in the laſt recited Propoſal, wherein you have the main of this Hiſtory contained, like Homers Illiads in a Nut ſhell. But to make ſhort, and Conclude my Story, when they had thus far advanc'd and Ripen'd their deſign, out comes theſe Propoſals like Aarons Golden Calf, the 5th day of Novemb. 1705.
Thus you have a ſhort Account how things have been carried on, Relating to Aſſociations; and having a convenient Criſis, I ſhall improve the Hiſtory, to Promote my Preſent Deſign in a few perticulars.
1. By Conſidering the Preſent Duty of our Erring Paſtors.
2. The Juſtice to be done on theſe Propoſals.
3. Make ſome ſmall Aſtrological Remarks Relating to the Date, which the Clew of our Hiſtory has brought us to.
1. As to the Duty of ſuch as are Involved in the Charge, whether or no (upon a Preſumption that this Hiſtory be true) They ought not to ceaſe Exciting others to wander from their Proper Poſt, and they themſelves (if not by the open Acts of the Churches Authority, yet) by the good Government of their Owne Wiſdom, Prudence and Grace, be Remanded within their Proper Boundaries, and there Continue as Stars within their own Orbs, to Influence and Act, Tum in Modis Quam in ſtatu Quo Prius. according to former uſage, and the nature of their truſt, and no more go beyond their own Line 2. Cor. 10.16.
2. Whether Theſe Propoſals here offered to view, be not like Aaron's Golden Calf? And whether they ought not to be ſerved, as Moſes dealt with that (Exod. 32.20) when he took it and burnt it in the Fire, and ground it to Powder, for that it is very Evident, That tho' it be But a Calf now, yet in time it may grow (being of a Thriſty Nature) to become a ſturdy Ox that will know no Whoa, and it may be paſt the Churches skill then to ſubdue it.
For if I am not much miſtaken (and Pareus too) That great and Terrible Beast with Seven heads and ten Hornes, Diſcribed in the Revelations 1…. was nothing elſe a few Ages ago but juſt ſuch another Calf as this is. It was indeed finely Shap'd and of Neat Limbs, when it was firſt Calved, inſomuch that the Great Potentates of the Earth, were much Raviſhed with its Aſpect and Features: ſome offered to Suckle it on the choiceſt Cows amongſt all the Herds of Royal Cattle (that it might be large) hoping to ſtock their own Countries with the Breed, and when it was grown to a Conſiderable Magnitude, to Render it more ſhapely and fair, they put Iron Tips on to its Horns and beſet its Stupendious Bulk with very Rich Ornaments, that they might make it the more Aweing to All Beholders, And (if poſſible) by ſuch Artifices to Add to the Natural Pride and Choller of the Creature.
But alas, Poor men! They have paid dear for their Prodigality and Fondneſs; for this very Creature, that was but a Calf when they firſt begun to feed it, is now grown to be ſuch a mad Furious and Wild Bull, that there is ſcarce a Chriſtian Monarch on Earth, unleſs the great ANNE, their Swediſh and Pruſian Majeſties, and their High Mightineſſes, with this Exception) there is ſcarce a Potentate in the World, the Beſt Horſe-man or Hunts-man of them all, that dare take this Beaſt by the Horns, when he begins to Bounce and Bellow. Indeed the Emperour within theſe few Years, has Recovered ſo much Courage that he took him by the Tayl, to drive him out of Royal Granges, being quite Angry and weary with his Cropping and Brouzingon the Flowers of his Imperial Crown. But otherways the Beaſt generally goes at large, and does what he will in all Princes Dominions, and keps them in awe. Therefore to conclude, and Infer, Obſta Principiis! It is Wiſdom to nip ſuch Growths in the Bud, and keep down by early Slaughter ſuch a breed of Cattle. Nam omne Malum naſcens facile opprimitur.
3dly. In all the Aſtrological Remarks I have made, I find its Nativity full of favourable Aſpects to Engliſh Churches. The 5th day of November has been as a Guardian Angel to the moſt Sacred Intereſt of the Empire: It has reſcued the whole Glory of Church & State from the moſt fatal Arreſt of Hell and Rome. That had I been of the CABAL, or Combination, which formed theſe Propoſals, ſo ſoon as I had ſeen and perceived the date (as I Imagine) my heart, with King David's would have ſmote me, and I ſhould have cryed out Miſerere noſtri DEƲS: The Lord have Mery upon us; this is the Gun-Powder-Treaſon day; and we are Every Man Ruined, being Running Faux's Fate! Why, Gentlemen! have you forgot it? It is the day of the Gun-Powder-Treaſon, and a fatal day to Traytors.
Our Meaſures Certainly intend the Blowing up the Churches, as Faux's did the Parliament; That for my own Part, I have ſuch an Awe upon my mind of this very day, That I have made a Settled Reſolution, That of all the Dayes of the whole Year, I will never Conſpire Treaſon againſt my natural Prince, nor Miſchief to the Churches on the 5th day of November.
And ſo Farewell, Gentlemen, for I dare not joyn with you in this Conſpiracy.