Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Demonstration 5 – Conclusion 1
Demonſtration V.
From the dignity which the providence of God has put upon the conſtitution, both in the firſt ages of the chriſtian churches and in the laſt century.
1. In the firſt ages of the chriſtian churches God has put many marks of diſtinguiſhing favour upon this conſtitution, both in the ſmiles and frowns of his providence.
1. In the ſmiles of providence upon the churches, whilſt they continued compleat in their conſtitution. I ſhall offer but three parti…ulars to juſtify this obſervation.
1. In the great and admirable ſucceſs of the goſpel, in the converſion of ſo many nations.
2. In their ſingular purity, and virtuous deportment in the midſt of a corrupt world. That (as Mr. Cotton obſerves) was a general eulogy belonging to their members, and aſcribed to them by the wiſer ſort of heathen, ſcil. Bonus vir, tantum Chriſtianus, He is a good man only is a chriſtian.
3. They were eminently ſupported and carried on by the grace and providence of God through all their direful ſufferings; the more they were waſted and deſtroyed, the more they grew and increaſed, as Iſrael in Egypt. Indeed whilſt they remained firm to their conſtitution, they were not only like an army in banners, but in reality the greateſt conquerors that ever appeared on earth. They merely baffled the bravery of the old Roman ſpirit, and were quite too hard for thoſe who had vanquiſhed the world. I have ſeen, ſays Euſebius, the executioner (tired with tormenting them) lye down panting and breathing, &c. But I never ſaw the martyrs weary of ſufferings, nor heard them deſire a truce: Nay, were rather ambitious of the longeſt and moſt terrible ſufferings, that they might be martyrs in every member. Thus the churches endured hardneſs as good ſoldiers of Chriſt, thro' ten bloody perſecutions; and at laſt retreated by divine providence, under the umbrage of the great Conſtantine. And there the churches of God made the fineſt ſhow that ever was ſeen on earth, next to Chriſt in his transfiguration. Till this time the churches remained the ſubjects of their democratical government in ſome good meaſure though there were ſome ſymptoms of an alteration in the laſt century, but indeed after the churches were freed from the rage of heathen perſecutors, there quickly followed the perfect ſubverſion of their order.
So we come,
2. To conſider the frowns of Providence that purſued the chriſtian world after the ſubverſion of their primitive conſtitution. Sufficient obſervations have been made under the foregoing demonſtrations, ſetting forth the change of government which was made in the churches. And in ſhort, it was really and properly the altering the miniſtry of a democracy into an ariſtocracy; for to ſpeak plainly, the public officers to gratify their ambition, took all the power into their own hands, and ſettled all affairs and concerns acccording to their own minds without controul. But let us eye the providence of God, and we may obſerve that God did ſoon ſtain the pride and glory of theſe men; eſpecially in two eminent inſtances of his diſpleaſure, which I ſhall only mention.
Inſtance. 1. In the fatal Arian hereſy, that ſpread it ſelf like ſome mortal contagion, thro' the chriſtian world? that it was ſaid the whole world was become an Arian. Arius was the author of this damnable doctrine, viz. That our Saviour Chriſt was neither God, nor eternal, but a creature; and that he aſſumed only the body, not the ſoul of man, &c. This damnable hereſy ſoon ſpread itſelf far and wide; the author was in the heighth of his wickedneſs, and fell a victim to divine vengeance in the latter part of Conſtantine's reign: But his hereſy continued and prevailed, and eſpecially amongſt the clergy. But this is very awful to obſerve, that when theſe men by their wit and cunning had once cozened and cheated the fraternity of their ancient rights and prerogatives, God left the devil to cheat and deceive them, as wiſe and learned as they were, of their true religion and ſouls together. What good did all their legerdemain to them now? Had not they better have kept holy and humble paſtors, confined to their parochial dioceſſes, and known and loved and preach't Chriſt the eternal Son of God, and him crucified, rather then ſtretcht their boundary like ſovereign princes, and ſo left to periſh under ſuch a dreadful diſpenſation, as the fruit of their ambition and infidelity?
To me (conſidering the commencement, the deadly nature, the rage, the univerſal prevalence and continuance of this damnable hereſy) it ſeems as though God had lookt down from heaven, and viewed the ſacrilegious robbery commitied upon the churches with deteſtation. And therefore ſummonned a congreſs of the ſeveral ſtates of the other world. (1 Kings 22.19. I ſaw the Lord ſitting on his throne) and iſſuing out proclamation.—Be it known! That never has a nobler cauſe been ſo baffled and ſacrilegiouſly betrayed by the dignified truſtees of it as this. I have been down amongſt my golden candleſticks, my famous churches; I find the fraternity drowſy and remiſs, ſetting two low a value on their ine…timable rights. And thoſe who ſhould rowſe them from their ſecurity and incogitancy, rather eſteem it a lucky omen; and therefore to ſatiate their own ambition (inſtead of adviſing, and directing the churches in the ſtudy of their conſtitution; and ſo plead their cauſe for them) they conſult how to defraud them, they wreſt the ſcripture, darken all places which ſettle their titles, and to end all diſputes threaten them Diotrephes like (3 Joh. 10.) with the ſecular power that is now on their ſide. That they have at laſt abſolutely ſupplanted them, ſtript and taken away the rights belonging to the churches, and purchaſed at ſo dear a rate. That as though the Almighty ſhould ſay, my patience is out! And my juſtice has prepared a cup of confuſion for them; Who! of all this convocation will go and hand it to them? And there came forth ſeveral legions with an arch-devil at the head of them, and ſtood before the Lord, and ſaid, we will go and perſuade them; and God ſaid, you ſhall perſuade them, and prevail alſo; therefore go forth and do ſo, 1 Kings 22.22. As though God ſhould ſay, I have now in diſpleaſure abandoned them to ruin; they who ſhould have had a zealous regard to my ſettlements and as one chief end of their miniſtry, ſhould have ſought the happineſs of the people, and not their own eaſe, vain glory, pride and luxury; now leave them expoſed to obliterate the eſſentials of their faith, and ſo fall a ſacrifice to divine fury. Go you malignant powers do your worſt, the hedges are now down.
Inſtance 2. The univerſal apoſtacy that has followed the ſubverſion of the old conſtitution. We may in ſome degree date Gods departure from his churches when they began to ſubvert the order of them, and ſo gradually withdrew, till he—at laſt left them to periſh by whole ages together. It muſt not, indeed, be thought, or ſaid, but that God had a remnant through many ages, who continued orthodox in faith, both in the miniſtry and brotherhood. But yet it is very obvious that chriſtianity Gradatim, declined till all was ſwallowed up in a univerſal and direful apoſtacy, never ſufficiently to be deplored; neither fully expreſt, unleſs we tranſcribe the volumns that contain it. I do account indeed that the deſtruction of the churches, in moral ſpeaking, may be attributed immediately and nextly to other cauſes, as ignorance, pride, hypocriſy, &c. But remotely to the diſſolution of the order of them. For that the conſtitution forenamed was adjuſted by divine wiſdom for preventing and remedying ſuch maladies as proved the ruin of the churches; that when the remedy was quite taken away, bad humours predominate, and ſymptoms of a deadly aſpect appear, and ſo death inevitably follows.
2. In the laſt century God has been very admirable in the works of providence, and has therein highly dignifyed our conſtitution. And we want no other evidence under this head than the recognition of what God has done for theſe famous Engliſh colonies in North-America; who have all along diſtinguiſhed themſelves, from all the world, by their ſingular regard both to the faith and practice of the true religion. Now let any other conſtitution on earth but parrallel ours; in the eminent ſhines of providence and in religious effects, and we will reſign the whole cauſe. But whilſt then, we will go on and rejoice in the grace of God, that we in theſe countries, are by his good providence over us, the ſubjects of the moſt ancient, rational & noble conſtitution in church order that ever was, will be, or can be; whilſt the laws of nature and grace remain unrepeal'd. For that it is a conſtitution which infinite wiſdom hath authorized and founded in the law of nature; and his omniſcient providence has eminently honored, and dignified, both by the ſmiles and frowns of his countenance, through all the ages of the chriſtian world to this very morning. And though ſome of the reverend churches within this grand conſociation (who ſettled upon the ſame platform with us) have with two great a precipitation made a defection from the conſtitution: Yet this is our comfort, that their alteration is not ſo firm, as the laws of the Medes and Perſians; for that thoſe who turned them off, may by the ſame power bring them on to their old baſis again. And let Chriſt pity, and help them. For certainly their preſent ſtate is portentous, from what may be obſerved from the proceedings of providence through the whole chriſtian Aera, unto this day.
The Concluſion.
I ſhall now conclude my whole eſſay, by annexing the joint teſtimony of thoſe eminent men, fathers in theſe churches, now in glory. viz. The reverend Mr. John Higginſon, and the reverend Mr. William Hubbard. And the rather becauſe Mr. Hubbard did ſome time before his death, deſire to have their teſtimony re-printed, and live with ſome other book which it might properly accompany. I am well ſatisfied the foregoing ſubject is the moſt proper companion, their teſtimony could have light on, in its travels through the world: I therefore make bold to invite the ſaid teſtimony, to ſet out again with freſh courage, and improve its excellent language, together with former acceptance it found with the churches to ingratiate and beſpeak favor for this ſmall treatiſe, its new allie and fellow-traveller.
And let the holy churches (for whom theſe now appear in joint teſtimony to confirm their divine pedigree) flouriſh in their ſtrength, beauty and order, after this triumvirate ſhall ſink under the tyranny of moths, and human forgetfulneſs, and lye down in the houſe of oblivion; where I hope the enemies of the conſtitution will be gotten down before them, and there faſt buried in their own bones and duſt.
But leaſt any ſhould think it abſurd, that I here produce ſuch venerable authority in way of epilogue, which ſhould rather in honor have been placed in the front of this attempt. To this I reply, that in honor and prudence I chuſe here to place theſe worthies. For you muſt note; I am now retreating out of the field of battle, and I hope upon honorable terms too; and then the reer is the higheſt place in dignity; ſo that though they are bringers-up, its no diminution to them. And not only ſo, but out of prudent conduct; for though I preſume the enemy is fairly vanquiſhed, yet ſome forlorn party may rally, and to gratify their deſperate fortune may diſturb us, but I hope theſe valiant and wiſe commanders thus poſted, will ſecure our reer, beat back the enemy, and bring all off with triumph.