Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 1, Text
A TESTIMONY To the Order of the Goſpel, in the Churches of New-England: Left in the Hands of the Churches, by the two moſt Aged Miniſters of the Goſpel, yet ſurviving in the Countrey.
1. ABove Seventy Years have paſſed away, ſince one of us, and above Sixty, ſince the other of us came into New-England, and having obtained Help from God, we continue to this Day.
We are therefore capable to make ſome Compariſon, between the Condition of the Churches, when they were firſt Erected in this Countrey, and the Condition into which they are now Fallen, and more Falling every day.
But we wiſh, that in making this Compariſon, we had not cauſe to take the place, and the part of thoſe Old Men, that ſaw the Young men ſhouting aloud for Joy, at the New Temple, Ezra. 3.12. Ancient men that had ſeen the Firſt Houſe; when the Foundation of this Houſe was laid before their Eyes, Wept with a loud Voice.
2. We are under a daily Expectation of our call to appear before our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and we have reaſon to be above all things concerned, that we may give up our Account with Joy unto Him That we may be the better able to do ſo, we judge it neceſſary for us, to leave in the Hands of the Churches, a brief Teſtimony, to the Cauſe of God, and His People in this Land. And this the rather, becauſe we are ſenſible that there is Riſen and Riſing among us, a Number who not only forſake the Right wayes of the Lord, wherein theſe Holy Churches have walked, but alſo labour to carry away as many others with them as they can.
We are alſo informed, that many Younger men of great worth, and hearty Friends unto the Church-State of the Country, ſcarce know what Interpretation to put upon it; but find it a ſenſible Diſadvantage unto them, that the Elder Men are ſo ſilent, and remiſs upon the manifeſt occaſions, that call aloud for us to open our Mouth in the cauſe of Churches that we ſhould be loth to ſee Led unto Deſtruction.
3. We that ſaw the Perſons, who from Four Famous Colonies, Aſſembled in the Synod, that agreed on our Platform of Church-Diſcipline, cannot forget their Excellent Character. They were Men of Great Renown in the Nation, from whence the Laudian Perſecution Exiled them; their Learning, their Holineſs, their Gravity, ſtruck all men that knew them with Admiration. They were Timothies in their Houſes, Chryſoſtomes in their Pulpits, Auguſtines in their Diſputations. The Prayers, the Studies, the Humble Enquiries, with which they ſought after the mind of God, were as likely to proſper as any mens upon Earth. And the Sufferings where in they were Confeſſors for the Name and the Truth of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, add unto the Arguments which would perſwade us, that our Gracious Lord would Reward and Honour them, with Communicating much of His Truth unto them. The Famous Brightman had foretold, Clariorem lucem adhuc Solitudo dabit, &c. God would yet Reveal more of the true Church-State unto ſome of His Faithful Servants, whom He would ſend into a Wilderneſs, that He might there have Communion with them. And it was Eminently accompliſhed in what was done for and by the Men of God, that firſt Erected Churches for Him in this American Wilderneſs.
We do therefore in the firſt place, Earneſtly Teſtifie, That if any who are given to Change, do Riſe up to Unhinge the well Eſtabliſhed Churches in this Land, it will be the Duty and Intereſt of the Churches, to examine, whether the men of this Treſpaſs, are more Prayerful, more Watchful, more Zealous, more Patient, more Heavenly, more Univerſally Conſcient. … and Harder Students, and better Scholars, and more willing to be Informed and Adviſed, than thoſe Great and Good men, who Left unto the Churches what they now enjoy: If they be not ſo, it will be Wiſdom for the Children to forbear pulling down with their own Hands, the Houſes of God, which were Built by their Wiſer Fathers, until they have better ſatisfaction.
It is not yet forgot by ſome ſurviving Earwitneſſes of it, that when the Synod had finiſhed the Platform of Church-Diſcipline, they did with an Extraordinary Elevation of Soul and Voice, then Sing together, The Song of Moſes the Servant of God, and the Song of the Lamb, in the fifteenth Chapter of the Revelation: God forbid, that in the loſs of that Holy Diſcipline, there ſhould be hereafter occaſion to Sing about breaking down the Carved work of the Houſes of God, with Axes and Hammers; or take up the Eightieth Pſalm for our Lamentatious.
4. It was a Joy unto us, to See and Read, a Book which the Reverend Praeſident of our Colledge lately Publiſhed, under the Title of The Order of the Goſpel, Profeſſed and Practiſed by the Churches of Christ in New-England: A Book moſt highly needful, and Uſeful, and Seaſonable; a moſt Elaborate and well-compoſed work, and well ſuited unto thoſe two worthy deſigns; 1ſt, the maintaining the Congregational-Church-Diſcipline; and 2dly, the maintaining the ſweet Spirit of Charity and Communion towards Reforming Presbyterians, who are our Ʋnited Brethren. But we muſt herewithal Teſtify, that in that worthy Book, there is nothing obtruded upon the Churches, but what they who were here, capable of obſerving what was done Sixty Years ago, do know to have been Profeſſed and Practiſed in the Churches of New-England; (except in one or two) Then and ever ſince, until of late, ſome who were not then Born, have ſuggeſted otherwiſe. Yea, 'tis well known, that the Churches then Publickly maintained thoſe Principles, in ſeveral Judicious Diſcourſes, which were never confuted by any men whatever, unto this preſent time. And we do therefore moſt Heartily commend that Book, of the Order of the Goſpel, unto the peruſal and acceptance of the Churches of the Lord.
5. It was one of the Songs (as the Jewiſh Maſters tell us) in the Feaſt of Tabernacles, Bleſſed be our Youth, which have not made our Old Men aſhamed. But alas, we that are Old men muſt confeſs our ſelves Aſhamed, when we ſee after what manner ſome of our Youth, have expreſſed and behaved themſelves, and with what Scoffs they have aſſaulted the Order of the Goſpel, in ſome things lately Publiſhed, and Scattered about the Country: Which have been ſo far from Anſwering the Arguments brought for our Church Order, That they have been by the wonderful Providence of Chriſt, made uſeful to Eſtabliſh the minds of Serious Chriſtians, in thoſe very points, which they ſee ſo weakly and ſo rudely oppoſed. We have taught our Children in the Catechiſm, called Milk for Babes, that there is to be a Covenant of God in the Churches, wherein they give up themſelves, first unto the Lord to be his People, and then to the Elders and Brethren of the Churches to ſet forward the Worſhip of God, and mutual Edification. And it cannot but be grievous unto us, as well as unto all ſerious Chriſtians, for my Children of New-England, Scornfully to vomit it up their Milk with Scoffs upon that and other Sacred Actions in our Churches, too Horrible to be repeated.
If they take away from us, one of the Songs among the Ancient Jews, they would however leave us room for one of the Sighs uttered by a Rabby among them; The worst Fruit which we Eat in our Youth, Excelled the beſt which we now Eat in our Old Age, for in our days the World is changed.
6. Concerning all Sinful Attempts to overturn the Order of the Goſpel, hitherto upheld in the Churches of New-England, and to ſpoil that Glorious Work of God, which we have ſeen him doing, with a Series of Remarkable Providences, in erecting ſuch Congregational Churches in theſe ends of the Earth; We would now therefore bear our Testimony, that they are doubtleſs Diſpleaſing to our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who walks in the midst of theſe Golden Candlesticks, and they will prove Bitterneſs in the latter End.
And this we Declare with the more concern upon our minds, becauſe of an obſervation, ſo plain, that he that runs may Read it.
It is too obſervable, that the Power of Godlineſs, is exceedingly Decaying and Expiring in the Country; and one great point in the Decay of the Power of Godlineſs, is mens growing weary of the Congregational Church-Diſcipline, which is evidently Calculated for to maintain it.
If that Church-Diſcipline were more thoroughly and vigorouſly kept alive, even by thoſe that make profeſſion of it, it might be hoped, that the Lord would Sanctify it, for the Revival of all Godlineſs in the Land.
But if this Church-Diſcipline come to be given up, we think it our Duty, to leave this Warning with the Churches, that probably the Apostaſy will not Stop there: For the ſame Spirit that will diſpoſe the next Generation to change their way, in one point, will diſpoſe them to more, and more changes (even in Doctrine and Worſhip as well as in Manners) until it may be feared, the Candleſtick will quickly be removed out of its place.
7. We do therefore Humbly propoſe it, unto all the Churches, as a great Expedient, for the preſervation of our Church-State, that more Prayer (even in whole days of Prayer ſet apart for that end) with other appointed means, may be uſed in the Churches to obtain from the Lord, the Out-pourings of the Spirit of Grace on the Riſing Generation. If ſo Rich a Bleſſing were obtained, (and our Heavenly Father will give his Holy Spirit unto them that ask it,) and if the Riſing Generation might be a Praying, Pious, Devout and Regenerate Generation, there will not be ſuch danger as now there is, of their Eaſily giving away the precious Legacy which their Father's (now beholding the Face of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in Glory,) leſt unto them, or of their Doting upon Innovations Fatal to the Order of the Goſpel among us.
8. Now as Aged Joſeph ſaid, I Dy, and God will ſurely viſit you; Even ſo, we the unworthy Servants of the Lord, whoſe Age bids us every day look for Death, and our Call to that World, where to be is by far the best of all, do Conclude with our Prayers unto the Lord for theſe Holy Churches, that He would Surely viſit them, and Grant much of His Gracious Preſence and Spirit in the midſt of them; and Raiſe up from time to time, thoſe who may be Happy inſtruments of bringing down the Hearts of the Parents into the Children. The Lord Bleſs theſe His Churches, and keep them Steadfast, both in the Faith and in the Order of the Goſpel, and be with them, as he was with their Fathers, and never leave them nor forſake them.
John Higginſon. William Hubbard.