Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Answer · Query 2 – Query 4
2d Query.
Whether length of time has diſcovered any eſſential error in the government of theſe churches?
And 1ſt, it has, or 2dly, it has not.
1. If time has made any ſuch diſcovery, yet the propoſals have not been ſo fair as to detect it, or deſcribe wherein, or in what reſpect. The great ſervice theſe churches, with their government, have done, in ſubduing and beautifying a wilderneſs, beſpeaks ſome conſiderable reſpect from all men, who value wiſdom or piety; that it muſt needs ſeem a harſh piece of juſtice, without any formal trial for them to be driven from plenty, and ſent to the doors of their own tenants, to beg for a booty, out of that eſtate which was once their own at leaſt, by a ſeiſin in fact, if not in law; for that the propoſals kill, and take poſſeſſion with far leſs ceremony or legal formalities, than Ahab did, in gaining the right of Naboth's vineyard; when as if there is any eſſential error in their frame or conſtitution, and that they have either ignorantly or treacherouſly aſſumed any peculiar prerogative which belongs to Chriſt's throne, as king, that was never their due to poſſeſs (and ſo being conſidered as uſurpers, are dead in law) yet notwithſtanding it would not have offended againſt the laws of gratitude in ſending them to their graves, to have put ſome more marks of honor upon them, by certain ſolemn and uſual forms of trial in the prologue of their diſſolution; for they have been certainly great and good ſervants to the public, that if they deſerve to die, they ought to die under all the marks of honor which juſtice can allow of, at the leaſt a grand ſeſſions, a jury, and liberty to make plea in their own defence, and under the influence of royal council, ſhould have been granted; unleſs they may be treated as conquerors, ſerve unfortunate pirates, who when taken, are without form of law hung up at the yards-arm.
2dly. But if no ſuch diſcovery can be made, whether it is a wiſe and juſt thing for men to alter their government? The churches of Chriſt in this country, have been in poſſeſſion of this form of government; and it hath been eſtabliſhed by certain legal and orderly familiarities, and univerſal conſent; and has continued upwards of threeſcore years. And as the poet ſays, Pervarios Caſus Per Tot Diſcrimina Rarum Tendimus in Caelum, They have paſſed various changes, and great temptations, and yet to this day by this beſome of diſcipline have been kept as clean ſwept, as any churches of God in the world; and any ſuch embroilments as have lately happened in the churches, have been more the folly of adminiſtrators, in not keeping to the rules of government, than from any defect in the conſtitution. Then what reaſon have we to meditate a change? No, certainly; it will be more divine and agreable with the law of our religious gratitude, to join with the rev. Mr. Nicholas Noyſe, in his doxology, or uſe of triumph and praiſe for the great mercies he recites in his election ſermon, p. 79. ſays he, Thanks be to God and the king! our houſes and our lands are our own, without every mans being at the coſt of a charter; and yet we have the liberty of our religion, and the free exerciſe of it, without ſubſcribing new articles of faith, worſhip or diſcipline; which is a great favor of God, if we have wiſdom and grace to improve it rightly.
Query, Whether the right improvement will be to alter the ſcheme of our government or diſcipline, ſeeing no body elſe will do it for us? No ſurely! But it will be more agreable, with both our policy and duty, to follow the good advice Mr. Cotton Mather leaves us in his golden-ſtreet, page 40, in theſe words, "Where we have a platform left us that is according to the word of our gracious Lord, and the pattern in the mount; we ſhall be great enemies to ourſelves, if we do not keep to it."
3d Query.
Whether it be not great boldneſs for any particular gentlemen to invade, null, alter or weaken ſo great a right and property, as is the government of theſe churches, without their conſent?
Government is the greateſt bleſſing in the world, of a worldly nature; it is felony, cheaper by far to the looſers, to plunder men of their eſtate and wealth, nay, and of their lives too, then to diſpoil them of government; for by the latter, you harraſs and worry them in the world, with plagues and miſeries, worſe than death itſelf, that the baſeſt is far better than no government; a churliſh tyranny, is better than an inſolent anarchy, where men are without law, and all hail fellows, not well but badly met. And for men to alter or ſwap government, without all intereſted parties are agreed, is a very bold intruſion.
That, yea, that government which is in any good meaſure formed, and does agree with the natural freedom of human beings, and is adjuſted by the laws of wiſdom and honor, and plainly, and fairly eſtabliſhed; is too much of God in the world, and too great a royalty belonging to men, for any to play the knave or fool with.
And when a government hath done all things in the main well, and has reapt in a great ſtock of bleſſings, now to ſhuffle it out of place, is fickleneſs, and not policy; for a ſenſible ſeries of bleſſings will always atone for ſome ſeeming defects in a conſtitution. Therefore when all Iſrael met at Ramah, in a general aſſembly, to alter their conſular government, which had been crowned with ſignal bleſſings, they got ill will in the court of heaven for it, 1 Sam. 8.7.
The great ſucceſs which attended, ſignified it to be a theocracy, and that it had more of God, than of man in it, which is an argument, (Caeteris Paribus) for all other governments, and ſo for this of New-England churches, which has been honored with great ſucceſs, and many bleſſings from its beginnings to this day; therefore well does Mr. Cotton Mather deſcribe the ſubject and adviſe his country, in his late ſermon on the ſtreet of gold, ſays he, (in a remarkable pa…ſage out of a letter) page 40. "Here is a temple built more glorious than Solomon's, not of dead ſtones, but living ſaints; which may tempt the greateſt queen of Sheba to come and ſee, and allure even kings from far to come and worſhip in. Therefore, as to their government, (ſays he) ſirs, do not ſpoil it, oh, deſtroy it not! there is a bleſſing in it."
4th Query.
Whether by comparing the propoſals and our platform, we don't find them repugnant, and ſo contradictory, that if one ſtands, the other muſt fall?
And that we can as ſoon reconcile a republic with an abſolute monarchy, or the beſt ſort of free ſtates with a politic tyranny, or at leaſt with an oligarchy, where the chief end of government is the inriching and greatneſs of its miniſters; and this we may do, when we have compounded theſe propoſals and our platform, ſo that as that faithful and noble friend to theſe churches, the famous and learned Increaſe Mather, D. D. in an appendix to his diſſertation concern…ng the ſacrament, laments ſeveral plots conſpiring the diſſolution of theſe famous churches, in theſe words, viz. The bold attempts which have of late been made to unh…nge and overſet the congregational churches in New-England, by decrying their holy covenant, &c. We may here juſtly highten the complaint, and cry, Pro Dolor! hinc Lachrimae! Alas, alas! here's the grief! hence flows our tears! for here is a bold attempt indeed, not only to deſpoil the houſe of ſome particular piece of furniture, but to throw it quite out at windows; not only to take away ſome of its ornaments, but to blow up its foundations. For theſe bold attempts which that WORTHY complains of, ſeem now to be grown very rampant; for here is in view a combination of workmen diſaffected with the faſhion of the old fabrick, who (in pretence) deſign to repair, but in reality to ruin the whole frame. They appear (indeed) ſomething in the manner of Nehemiah's men on the wall, Neh. 4.17. As it were with a trowel in one hand, with which they now and then put on a little untempered mortar, to plaiſter over a think or two, where the old work by length of time, is ſomewhat weather-beaten, to pacify the jealouſies of the inhabitants, that they may think theſe builders (ſurely) are …ending, and not ma…ing their old comfortable habitation. But in reality, they have in the other hand a formidable maul, not as Nehemiah's weapon to defend, but to break down …he building; for they are all hands at work banging the platform in pieces, upon which the old fabrick is built. That may not the churches, and all their lovers ſigh and complain, as once Cicero did, O Tempora! O Mores! who would have expected ſuch times and ſuch things from ſuch men?