Answer to Pamphlet Entitled A Letter to a Friend in the Country, History
OUR Town ſeems to be chaſed in their Minds, againſt ſome of the Miniſters of the Goſpel, for their intermedling with things which do not belong to their Function; and do ſay, that there is not that Care taken to keep them in their proper Sphere, that they may be uſeful to the People.
And now I muſt go back, and call over old things. You may remember when this Governour came firſt, he propoſed to make Money, 100000 l. upon Loan, and 50000 l. was made before, which was let out to Men upon Mortgages at 5 per Cent. ſo that it muſt pay 6300 l. Uſe. The next Year the Governour mov'd to put a ſtop to the Run of it, and said. That there ſhould be no more made, for it would not be good Times till Silver was the Medium of Trade. Many ignorant Men, that could not ſee with the ſame Eyes as ſome Gentlemen did, thought we were in a bad Condition; for they ſaid, Here is not enough Money in the Country of that Species to pay Uſe and Principal too: (It may be they did not underſtand Arithmetick.) This put a ſtop to Trade; and many People were drove to Hardſhips, and fear'd it would be worſe, even that their Eſtates which were mortgaged would be forfeited; for nothing elſe would redeem them but Silver at 6 s an Ounce, Seventeen Peny Half-peny Weight; which was the Occaſion of great murmering among the People. About this time there came into the Pulpit a great Orator, and his Text was, Two Brethren mending their Nets. He went on, and told the People of the Hardſhips their Forefathers underwent for the Goſpel; they went to the Clam-banks for a Livelyhood And, ſays he, Are your Nets broke; I hope they will mend, I am told things begin to mend already. Now I take Notice, that had we went to the Clam-Banks for Food, there was no Mony to pay our Taxes, nor to buy a Bottom of Twine to mend our Nets withal. But by and by he ſays, I charge you that you do not mutiny; and God have bid me charge you, that you do not mutiny.
Now this Digreſſion cauſed ſeveral Thoughts to ariſe; as firſt, That he lacked to ſee the Time when Silver ſhould be forced in upon upon us by Neceſſity; and perhaps he might deſire to hear the Silver to gingle in the Box. Again, 2dly, The Tranſport that he was in, in charging the People not to mutiny; to ſee how he had left his Text: Or whether he ſpake from an Impulſe on his Mind, for we had heard nothing of Mutiny, nor like it before. And this ſort of Diſcourſe put me in mind of a young Scholar I knew in England, who told my Brother, that he had ſtudied an excellent Diſcourſe but could not tell what Text to put to it. Says my Brother to him, Pray leave it with us in the Country; for we have more Texts here than excellent Diſcourſes. Now, whether this was a Diſcourſe put to a Text, or a Text applyed to this Diſcourſe, I will not pretend to determine: But I have obſerved more ſuch Doings and laid them up in my Budget.
The next thing I obſerved was, Supplications by the Miniſters, That God would teach this People to lead quiet and peaceable Lives. This put me farther into a Conſternatian; and I could not tell what they meant by repeating it twice a Day ſo long together, as tho' it was an Article in our Creed that muſt not be omitted. I conſidered whether they were not ſet to work by ſome Perſons, and whether this was not an Implicit Charge upon us, that we were not a peaceable and quiet People. Now the Miniſter's could not leave off this Form of Words in their Prayer, until the honourable Aſſembly had declared us a loyal and peaceable People, by rejecting the Bill againſt Riots and that againſt the Liberty of the Preſs, and afterwards in their Anſwer to the Governour's Speech. It apear'd plainly to me, that there was no need at all for the Law againſt Riots, except it was to oblige Mr. D—y the High Sheriff, and Mr. Y—s the Governour's Kinſman to keep the Peace; for we know they both broke the Peace ſoon after that Bill was propos'd to the Aſſembly, and we know alſo that they were for having the Bill paſs: Nor was there any need of the Law againſt Libels, unleſs it was to puniſh a certain Clergyman for writing News from Robinſon Cruſo's Iſland: But I will tell you what came into my mina, Theſe Men want to make their Neighbour's live quiet and peaceable Lives, that they may live quarrelſome and turbulent Lives; juſt as ſome Folks would make other Men honeſt, that they themſelves may be Knaves.
Again, It is obſerv'd, that the Miniſters are generally of a contrary Party to the Bulk of the People, with reſpect to the publick Affairs here in this Town; and ſo there is an ill Underſtanding between the Miniſters and the People, as ſome have complained. I do not think all do oppoſe them becauſe they would be of a Party againſt them; yet it may be ſome may do it for as little Reaſon as the Counteſs of Pembrook gave to the Dutcheſs of Portſmouth, when ſhe came to her and ſaid, Madam, What is the reaſon that you indeavour to hinder your Son from marrying my Siſter? The Anſwer was, The only Reaſon is, Madam, becauſe ſhe is your Siſter,
Again, the Miniſters complain, that this People in the midſt of Judgment are not bettered thereby, but wax worſe and worſe: Here is great Diviſions among us. Now we ſay, that ſeveral Miniſters have ſet up the Doctrine of Inoculation in Publick, and think we do not do well that we do not believe it and practice it, but on the contrary, ſet light by their Advice: And indeed, we have reaſon ſo to do; for they prove it not from the Word of God to be our Duty; and till they do, let them reſent it how they will, we cannot comply with them; and ſo we differ in Judgment, as they did in Ahab's Time. And now the Diſpute is no longer, whether there is Animoſities and Contentions between the Miniſters and the People but it lies here, to know where the Fault is. The Miniſters ſay, it is becauſe they are oppoſed and ſet light by. The People ſay, they oppoſe and ſet light by them, becauſe they teach that which is not good but evil unto them. And we read in Prov. 19-27. Ceaſe my ſon to hear the Inſtruction that cauſeth to err from the Words of Knowledge, And the Caſe ſeems pour rayed in I Kings 18. 17, 18. And it came to paſs when Ahab ſaw Elijah, that Ahab ſaid unto him, Art thou be that troubleth Iſrael: And he anſwered, I have not troubled Iſrael, but thou and thy Father's Houſe, in that ye have forſaken the Commandments of the Lord, and thou haſt followed …. Now we do believe, that you are the People that broached and carryed on by perſwaſion, even that which is the breaking of the Commandments of the Lord, and have taught us the Tradition of Men to our own hurt, even inoculation. Now theſe things (together with many more which are in the People's Minds, and in my Budget alſo,) have diſturb'd the People to that Degree that it makes them inquire after your Commiſſion: And they find in Matth. 18. 18. your Commiſſion is, Teach all Nations. Mark. 16. 15. Go ye into all the World, and preach the Goſpel. And we can't find, by comparing it with our Annotations, any allowance for Miniſters to make Parliament Men and the like. Your work is divine, your Maſter is the God of Peace, your Lord the Son of Righteouſneſs and Peace, and the Spirit of Peace to lead in the way of Peace: And the Promiſe in Pſalms 84. 11. is to ſuch as walk uprightly. And in 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. we find, that the Words of RECONCILIATION are committed unto you, and you are to pray us to be reconciled unto God. Now if Miniſters will be Party-…, and undertake to lead the Van in other things, which are not in their Commiſſion, they may expect no Bleſſing on their Endeavours, nor indeed but little Succeſs; for 'tis in God's way that he hath propos'd his Bleſſing. Teach them to obſerve all things which I command you; and to, I am with you to the end of the World. Amen. Math. 28. 19. And the Pſalmiſt annexes a Bleſſing unto them that walk according to this Rule; Mercy and Peace be upon them. Now, had not the Miniſters went out of their Sphere, both in England and here too, People would not have opened their Mouths againſt them for being the Starters and Promoters of Diviſion. We have not forgotten the Confuſion that aroſe in Sacheverill's Day, when he went out of his Sphere, tho' he was as learned a Man as any of you, as I have heard; yet the Land will not clear him from being a deſigning Man: But be his deſign what it would, he was the Fomenter of much Diviſion, as well as you. Now the People are afraid, the Miniſters do affect a Rule over them in Temporals, as the Pope of Rome does temporally as well as ſpiritually, rule and determine things. Jer. 5. 31. The Prophets propheſie folly, and the Prieſts bear Rule by their means; and what will ye do in the end thereof. And ſome ſay we are Prieſt-ridden; others ſay that they will not be Prieſt-ridden; others ſay we are not Spaniards to bear this Prieſt-riding; others ſay they are Engliſhmen, and are not us'd to be Prieſt-ridden. And we will not mind what they ſay, but when they are in the Diſcharge of their Maſter's Commiſſion; (and I wiſh the People would do that, ſeeing there is ſuch Heart-burnings,) And that was it we call'd them to, and for that we will pay them; and for thoſe ſuperfluous things which their Maſter nor we never ſet them about, we will not thank them for: For ſuppoſe a Prince ſhould ſend an Ambaſſador to a foreign Court, and give him his Inſtructions what he ſhall do, and what he ſhall negociate; if he ſhould thro' a great Opinion of his own Parts, … from a Willingneſs to pleaſe the Court, negociate upon or abort any thing that was not in his Credentials, ſhall not his Maſter blame him for his Conduct. Now Gentlemen, if you take a View of your Actions, you will be of the ſame Opinion with us, That you have breached almoſt all the Things that have ſtirred up Strife; and being broached, have blown them, tip unto that Heigth that they now are in. I am informed, that there was a certain Gentleman in our Town, tied his Horſe at the Door of one of my Neighbours, and went into his Houſe, and tarryed ſome time: In the mean time ſome Body put a good quantity of Tar on the Saddle; and the Gentleman came forth and rode home without perceiving the Tar, and ſo ſpoil'd his Breeches. Now by good Conſequence it is infer'd, that it was a miſtake, and that the Man thought it was Dr. B—u's Horſe. Now the ſpoiling of the Gentleman's Breeches is laid unto ſome of our Miniſters Charge: Not that it's ſuppoſed any of them did lay the Tar upon the Saddle; (for I would put the Saddle upon the right Horſe,) but in a remote Senſe they were; as thus, They found out the Practice of Inoculation in Hiſtory; (tho' it would have been well for this poor Town, if at that time they had been ſtudying Divinity.) 2dly, They put the Doctor upon it, and incourag'd him in it, and perſwaded People to come into the Practice. 3dly, By this means the Man was incenſed againſt the Doctor, and (as he thought) acted a Piece of Revenge upon him, which was to ſoil the Saddle and ſpoil his Breeches. Now it is thought, that the Miniſters that have ſo highly promoted Inoculation, ſhould make a gathering for this Gentleman; if not four-fold, yet at leaſt enough to ſatisfy him for the Loſs of his Breeches.
Object. But this was a riotous Action, and you ſay we are a quiet and peaceable People.
Reply. So we are a quiet and peaceable People, genarally ſpeaking, notwithſtanding this Inſtance and one or two more to the contrary. Yea, our Miniſters did ſay in their Addreſs to the King, (if I am not miſtaken,) that we were a loyal and peaceable People, even to a Man. And now I would ask the Miniſters the following Queſtions.
Quest. 1. Whether we may not diſtinguiſh between complaining under Oppreſſion, and being a mutinous People?
Queſt, 2. Whether this People have not learned to live quiet and peaceable Lives; and whether your keeping up this Prayer, That God would teach us to live quiet and peaceable Lives, be not an implicit bearing falſe Witneſs againſt thy Neighbour?
Queſt. 3. Whether by your Credentials you ought not every Sabbath Day to have made Supplications for our Brethren at the Eaſtward, who are in jeopardy of their Lives in the High Places?
Queſt. 4. Whether the Buſineſs that our Brethren are gone upon is not of Importance, ſince they are to apprehend thoſe that are Enemies to the King, and to the King of Kings.
Quest. 5. Whether by your Silence you do not give People reaſon to think, that you are much in Alliance with thoſe that are for a Peacable War?
Queſt. 6. Whether the ſecret Miſteries of State be in your Credentials?
Queſt. 7. Whether your Credentials have not Matter enough for all your Strength and Parts, without running into other Men's Bounds? Pſal. 139.6. Such Knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Queſt. 8. Whether your Prayer ſo long kept up, was not the Motive of the Governour's complaining to the beſt of Kings, againſt as good Subjects as ever a King rul'd?
A certain Gentleman of the learned Seminary of Cambridge, ſays, He wonders that John Williams's Book do ſell ſo well; for all the Arguments he brings againſt Inoculation might be turned againſt Tobacco.
Reply. I ſuppoſe you may ſpare time enough from the Pulpit to turn them againſt it; for I know of no Call you have to preach every Week; and the ſmoaking of Tobacco being a tender Article with me, I ſhould have looked upon my ſelf obliged to have return'd an Anſwer to the Reverend Mr. G—e.
He further goes on to ſay, He would have our Mob come up to Cambridge, and pull down the College, and turn the Students down into Father Williams's Cellar, to learn Logick, Phyſick, and Divinity.
Reply. Has the Man forgot that he was born in … where it was never known that there was … two Mobs, and one of them was in … to pull down a wicked Bawdy Houſe; and the other only mob'd for Bread, when they could get none to eat, while Capt. B—r had a great quantity in Store and would not ſell it, but intended to ſend it out of the Country. But Sir, Why would you have the Colledge pull'd down? I am not of your Mind: Let it ſtand, and more and more flouriſh; but I am grieved that any that are educated there, ſhould be ſo dull Schollars, as not to learn Meum and Tuum.
Again, you propoſe, That all the Schollars that are at Cambridge ſhould come down to learn the Liberal Arts of me, in my Cellar.
Reply. I ſuppoſe there is room enough in my Cellar to hold you all; for I underſtand there is none there now but your ſelf, and you will be my only Pupil. And as for my teaching you Divinity, its like you have enough of that already, unleſs you could have had a Call to the New North Meeting Houſe. And as for Phyſick, my teaching you will ſignify nothing; for unleſs I could inſtall you with the Title of Doctor of Phyſick, you muſt expect to follow my Steps, and give Advice gratis, which I ſuppoſe you will not admire. And then with reſpect to Logick, a ſmall quantity of that will do, provided you always remember to ſupply the want of it with good Store of Sophiſtry. However, I will give my Pupil the following Maxims that I have received in Logick, and let him take them or leave them, as they will beſt befit the Imployment he goes upon.
1. For a Man to put that into the Major Propoſition, which is the Subject in Diſcourſe, is begging the Queſtion, and it will render the Argument ſophiſtical.
2. To put that which is ſo drawn from the Major, into the Minor, is, by thoſe that underſtand Logick, accounted a Lye in the Sight of God.
3. To draw a Concluſion from the Minor that is thus drawn, is with a deſign to deceive.
Again, To put that which is not expreſſed or implyed in the Major into the Minor, is a Lye before God: And to put more into the Concluſion than is in the Minor, is with a deſign to deceive.
Becauſe ſome Miniſters frequently (in their Pulpits) turn aſide from the Duty of their Calling, I ſhall give the Reader ſome Paragraphs of a long and noble Letter of Advice, wrote by the Paſtors and Profeſſors in the Church and Univerſity of Geneva, to the National Synod of the Reformed Churches of France, aſſembled at …, 1614.
Note, This I have taken from a Book I have now by me, wherein there is much more to the ſame purpoſe.
Honoured Brethren,
THERE were ſome other Heads upon which we could and would have enlarged, and communicated to you our Thoughts; but we ſhall at preſent forbear, being overborn with Grief and Horror, cauſed by the fall of that eminent*Mr. Jeremy Ferrier, Paſtor and Profeſſor at N…ſmes, who revolting from the Truth, was excommunicated July 14th, 1…. Apoſtate, who having for many Years together abuſed thoſe excellent Gifts of God, and that Place of Honour he held among you, and was particularly ſupported by you, doth now ſerve as a ſorrowful Spectacle of the direful Vengeance of God Almighty. We have heard and read what hath been ſpoken and written of him, and we cannot gueſs at any other Ground of his depravation, than his pragmatical intermeddling with mundane Affairs; from which we take this Freedom to intreat you for God's ſake, ſtrictly to inſpect into Vocations and Employments, that they be not mixed nor confounded, to the detriment of the one or the other. The Miniſterial Function is expreſly limited by the Word of God, as to its Laws, Ends. Means and Actings, being altogether different from, yes, and totally contrary to the ſecular Government. And we conceive there is no ſuch Difficulty in the Matter, but that Miniſters may be kept within the inviolable Bounds of their moſt holy Calling, and yet be uſeful to the Publick, without thoſe little Arts of Subtleties and Surpriſals, which abut at no other Mark than temporal and carnal Profit. Beſides that, its a very rare, thing to find a Man capable both of the one and the other Calling: There is this grand Miſchief in it, that Fleſh and Blood ſeeing in the holy Miniſtry nothing but what is mean and humble, deſpicable and painful, difficult and dangerous, and contrariwiſe, meeting in the management of ſecular Affairs, with Food & fuel enough for Pride, Ambition and Covetouſneſs, (the Grounds of all Envys and Jealouſies,) and with Means and Helps to carry on Deſigns of Self-Advancement and Domination, as Tricks, Crafts, Diſſimulation, it will be almoſt impoſſible to hinder the ſpreading of this Contagion, which creeps inſenſibly into the greateſt Wits, and ſeizeth upon them at unawares, and not as an affected and approved Vice. But for God's ſake, moſt dear Brethren, we beſeech you to conſider, whether it were not better that your temporal Affairs ſhould ſuffer ſome Inconveniencies, than for your ſpiritual ones to be contaminated. If the neceſſity be abſolute, peremptory and indiſpenſable, then let them go about ſuch ſecular, political Affairs with Regret and Grief, troubled at their enforced Diſtraction from their Heavenly Calling, lamenting as the Spouſe in the Caticles, that they have made me keeper of the Vineyards, but my own Vineyard have I not kept. No Man going to War, intangles himſelf with the World, that ſo he may the better pleaſe his Captain that hath inſiſted him. That Commination is very dreadful, the Prieſt ſhall be the People; and that Lamentation exceeding dolful, All this evil and miſchief is from the Prophet and the Stones of the Sanctuary are lying at the four Corners of the Streets. Let us, moſt dear and honoured Brethren, give up and reſign our ſelves to the conduct of true Wiſdom, ſpeaking to us from the Word of God, which is, to forſake our own.
By the Synod of Vitre, 1617, all Miniſters are forbid to vent in their Pulpits, their private Sentiments of State Affairs, it being contrary to the Reſolutions taken up in our General Aſſemblies. And Conſiſtories, Colloquies, and Provincial Synods, are injoined to have a watchful Eye over ſuch Paſtors as ſo do, and to inflict upon them all the Cenſures of the Church; yea, and to ſuſpend them from the Miniſtry: And the ſame Puniſhment ſhall alſo be laid on them, who in their publick Sermons claſh only againſt another upon theſe Matters.
The National Synod of Alez, 1620, did ſtraitly forbid all Miniſters to treat of State-Matters in their Sermons and publick Diſcourſes, on pain of being ſuſpended the holy Miniſtry; becauſe the only Subject of their Sermons and publick Preaching, ſhould be the holy Word of God; and the venting of State Matters by them, expoſeth the Goſpel of our Lord Jeſus unto Contempt. And the Provinces ſhall take ſpecial Care that an Account hereof be given by their Deputies; as alſo what may be foiſted if of this Nature into their Writings and printed Works.
BA
SOme have objected unto me, What if the Miniſter have provoked God to ſend down his Judgment upon us, what have you to do to write againſt the Miniſters?
Reply. Miniſters are Men, and but Men. 2dly. They are Brethren as well as their Hearers, are they not? And how read ye, Lev. 19. 17. Thou ſhalt not hate thy brother in thy Heart, but in any wiſe reprove thy Brother, and not ſuffer Sin upon him.
Object. But they are good Men.
Reply. If they keep in their proper Sphere, where God hath ſet them, and not medle with other Things, it would be well for this People. The Apoſtle ſaid, I determine to know nothing among you, but Jeſus Chriſt, and him crucified. 2dly, Good Men have cried. How read you, 1 Chron. 21. 1. Satan ſtood up againſt Iſrael, and provoked Dated to number the People. Now Inoculation is abominable unto us, as the King's Word was abominable unto Joab; and I have proved already that Inoculation is diſpleaſing unto God; and therefore he hath ſmote this People. Inoculation as it hath been carryed about this Town by the Doctor, and by his Dictators and Abettors, hath not only a natural Tendency to infect People, not a few, when the inoculated Perſons go about the Town with their Inciſions running Six or Seven Days before they are ſick, and as many Weeks after they are well; but its a during Temptation unto the righteous and jealous God: And for all they have ſeen the Angel of the Lord ſtand with his drawn Sword in his Hand, they do not ſay, We have ſinned and done wickedly in thy Sight. Neither do they ſay, Do away our Iniquity, for we have done very fooliſhly. And no… we may not expect a Nathan to come with a Meſſage from God, to go and tell theſe Miniſters, They are the Men that have introduced this Evil. Iſai. 8. 6, 7. Foraſmuch as this People refuſeth the Waters of Shiloah … ſoftly, and rejoyce in Re…in and …. Now therefore, behold the Lord bringeth upon them the waters of the river, ſtrong and many. Now while the Miniſters rejoyce in the Knowlege they have from … Conſtantinople, and the Levant, we are mout… ing to ſee our Deſolution, and that thro' their means; tho' they may be of the ſame mind as Paul was, who thought he did God good Service in perſecuting the Church; but I believe they are as much miſtaken as he was. I pray God they may ſee their Miſtake, as he did, and then they will be brought to cry out, What have we done? And they will run into the Congregation, and make a ſuitable Atonement, and ſtand between the living and the dead: Then may we hope that God will they the Plague. Numb. 16. 4…, &c.
But, now Gentlemen, why do I ſit here, burning of Candle, while my Neighbours are in bed and aſleep, knowing that Sleep is ſweet to the labouring Man. I do therefore now declare unto you all who have imbib'd the Doctrine of Inoculation, Chooſe you one from among you with whom you can entruſt this Matter; and let it come to a fair Debate, that we may know at laſt who is for God and who is for …. And as I ſuppoſe you are weary of the firſt Argument. I ſhall advance another, which I propoſe for the Preliminary of the Debate. And Moderators being agreed on on both Sides, I will, God willing, … you, on whom I depend for Aſſiſtance. The Preliminary Argument is, If Inoculation of the Small Pox be not of God, then it is of the Devil. But, It is not of God. Therefore, It is of the Devil.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Williams, Answer to Pamphlet Entitled A Letter to a Friend in the Country (1722)