Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Plea 3
Plea III.
From the near affinity our conſtitution holds with the civil governments of ſome of the moſt flouriſhing common-wealths in the world. It's certain, every ſpecies of government ſimple and mixt, have their various excellencies and defects; much may be ſaid in honor of each, and alſo every conſtitution may have ſomething wanting; at leaſt it may ſeem ſo, under a more critical ſurvey of its nature, principles, ill-conveniencies, corrupt miniſtry, misfortunes, &c. And many times a government falls under ſcandal from diſtemper of mind, from falſe ends and corrupt intereſts, which ſway and over-rule mens thoughts relating to government, more than from the conſtitution itſelf. But however, to evade all circular diſcourſes, we may very fairly infer, where we find nations flouriſhing, and their liberty and property, with the reſt o… the great immunities of mans nature nouriſhed, ſecured, and beſt guarded from tyranny, we may venture to pronounce this people to be the ſubjects of a noble government, and there be many ſuch on earth, whoſe conſtitution will ſerve to juſtify ours. I ſhall inſtance in three, and no more.
1. The Venetian common-wealth; though ſome are pleaſed to call the government of this free ſtate, an ariſtocracy; but it ſeems more properly a limited democracy; for that the ſeat of ſovereign power is their ancient commons, called their families, enrolled in the golden book; theſe make up the grand council of the nations, ſettle the public miniſtry, and enact laws, &c. This people have by this mode of government raiſed themſelves into ſo auguſt and flouriſhing a capacity, that from a very obſcure original, they are grown to that degree, as to bridle and curb the pride and haughtineſs of Turk and Pope. This example muſt needs be no ſmall honor to our conſtitution.
But,
2. The Belgick provinces are without interruption allowed to be the ſubjects of a formed democracy, they in ſome ages paſt being inſulted, and unmercifully trampled upon by that auguſt tyrant, the Spaniſh Monarch; they being his ſubjects broke looſe from him, and ſet up for themſelves. They aſſumed to themſelves their original power, and when they had got it into their hands, had the wit, and kept it, and have improved it in the form of a democracy to this day, and God has bleſt them: That from the poor ſtates of Holland, they are now grown to wear the ſplendid title of Their High Mightineſſes, and are a match for moſt monarchs on earth. Says Gordon of their government: The ſeven provinces of Holland being under a democratical government, are as it were ſeveral common-wealths; each province being a diſtinct ſtate; yea, and every city having an independent power within itſelf to judge of all cauſes, whether civil or criminal, and to inflict even capital puniſhments; but all joining together, make one republic, the moſt conſiderable in the world.
Query. Whether ſuch examples of popular governments now extant on earth, and yielding ſuch vaſt advantages to the ſubjects, and being ſo regular and practicable; I ſay, whether they may not juſtly deter all men from reproaching our conſtitution with the ſcandalous title of anarchy, unleſs they will allow us to prepare a chronicle for them, and therein publiſh to the world their profound ignorance of the ſeveral ſpecies of government; and the diſtinct way of placing and exerciſing various powers in them. 3. P…re Engli…h. This nation is repated to be the ſubjects of the fineſt and moſt incomparable government in the world. And this original happy form of government, is (ſays one) truly and properly called an Engliſh man's liberty: a privilege to be freed in perſon and eſtate from arbitrary violence and oppreſſion; and a greater inheritance than we derive from our parents. And this birth-right of Engliſh men ſhines moſt conſpiciouſly in two things.
1. In Parliaments; wherein the ſubject has by his repreſentatives, a ſhare in legiſlative power: And ſo makes his own laws, and diſpoſes of his own money.
2. In Jury's; whereby he has a ſhare in the executive part of law, ſo that no cauſes are tried, nor any man adjudged to loſe his life, member or eſtate, but upon the verdict of his peers; his equal or neighbours, and of his own condition. Theſe two grand pillars of Engliſh liberty, are the fundamental vital privileges whereby we have been, and are ſtill preſerved more free and happy, than any other people in the world; and we truſt ſhall ever continue ſo. For whoſoever ſhall deſign to impair, pervert, or undermine either of theſe, do ſtrike at the very conſtitution of our government, and ought to be proſecuted and puniſhed, with the utmoſt zeal and vigour.—For to poyſon all the ſprings and rivers in the kingdom, could not be a greater mifchief; for this would only affect the preſent age, but the other would ruin and enſlave all our poſterity. I ſhall improve this example by three Queries.
Query 1. Ah! What's the matter with Engliſh men, men of ſuch courage to be ſurprized with ſuch fear, as tho' they were like to be taken captive, and turned into ſlaves in their own home? Why, in good truth, there may be a reaſon for it; therefore it becomes them to be very careful under this head; for if they make themſelves ſlaves in their own country, or let others do it for them, when they can prevent it, they both deny God who made and redeemed them, and plainly violate the law of nature?
Query. 2. Who is it Engliſh men are thus afraid of? Who do they thus reflect upon in their frights and fears? It is neither France nor the great Turk which dreads them! therefore it muſt needs be ſome body or another nearer home that threatens their liberty. And may not New-England's goſpel liberties deſerve ſo much fear and caution, although it ſhould ſo happen that ſome body ſhould be reflected upon by their cautiouſneſs.
Query. 3. If the ſettling ſuch immunities, as the privilege of parliaments and juries in the hands of the people be ſuch effectual barriers to preſerve a nation from tyranny and ſlavery; then whether when goſpel churches have the means in their own power, it been't their wiſdom to keep up the like barrier, or ſomething equivalent thereto; that they may preſerve themſelves ſafe from the arbitrary meaſures of their own miniſtry? or thus, whether for Engliſh men, when their liberties in church or ſtate are faſt lockt up for them and their poſterity by law and regular ſettlements, it been't their beſt way to beware how they repeal thoſe laws, or weaken thoſe ſettlements?
But at preſent I ſhall leave it to other men to run the parrallel between our conſtitution, and the ſeveral governments I have mentioned, and infer what more they ſhall think proper; only leaving to myſelf the liberty to conclude, that the ſeveral examples of civil ſtates, which I have named, do ſerve abundantly to juſtify the noble nature of our conſtitution in church-order; for that the ſeveral famous and auguſt nations which I have mentioned, in all their glory at home, and ſucceſs in arms and trade abroad; their ſeveral governments which have brought them to all this, are either a perfect democracy, or very much mixed and blendiſhed with it.
Then why ſhould we in New-England be any more aſhamed, or leſs careful of our church-government, which keeps us from tyranny and ſlavery in the concerns of our conſciences, than thoſe nations are of their civil government, whereby they are preſerved from the like damnable circumſtances in the concerns of their outward life, and natural rights and fortunes?