Vindication of the Government of New England Churches 2, Conclusion 2
CONCLUSION.
THESE propoſals were aſſented to by the delegates of the aſſociation, met according to former agreemet at B. Sept. 13th, 1705, to be communicated.
Anſwer. The church of England has been wont to look upon us as men out of our wits, therefore they term us phantics, or mad-men, but much more now. What! for men to break from the government they themſelves have eſtabliſhed by conſent and practice, and arbitrarily to rally together, and draw up a direful ſentence (if not in terms, yet in intent) for the diſſolution of a country full of the beſt churches of Chriſt in the world, and then (as it were) upon the bold ſound of a trumpet, to excite others to ratify the dead warrant, in order to execution! What can this import or ſignify in the thoughts of conſiderate men, but a vertiginous brain? We might have learned better, and more caution, from that mother church of the nation, if not from common reaſon; for though our ſovereign confides in the loyalty of the Engliſh clergy, yet to maintain the grandeur of government, and keep in good repair that common ſence which keeps every man in his ſtation, therefore, according to the law and cuſtom of England, the convocation, both the higher and lower houſe of that learned and auguſt aſſembly, neither debates nor tranſacts any matter whatſoever, but what our ſovereign by commiſſion expreſly alloweth of, according to his prerogative; ſo that certainly to acquit yourſelves for wiſe men you ſhould have done no leſs (in a matter of ſuch weight and moment) than have petitioned the public authority for commiſſion, before you had ventured thus far.
Object. But poſſibly ſome may ſay, We have petitioned authority to eſtabliſh our councils, ſince we have drawn them up in form.
Anſw. This is to be prepoſterous, and agrees with that illegal way of hanging men and then judging them; but however it ſeems they turned a deaf ear to your demands; and well they might, for they are two wiſe men to alter the laws of the province, long cuſtoms and orderly ſettlements of the churches to gratify an implicit faith in the ſtark naked Ipſe Dixits of any men; that unleſs you can produce a mandamus from the crown, or a precept from a higher court, which by its divine authority ſhall awe and direct them, you may alway expect ſuch entertainment in your precarious addreſſes; for moſt certainly you beg at the wrong door. For you beg without a brief.
To be commended to the ſeveral aſſociated miniſters in the ſeveral parts of the country, to be duely conſidered.
Anſw. And why not commended to the general court, as has been the cuſtom of our beginnings, &c. or why not commended nextly to the ſeveral churches? By the queſtion propoſed, the comfort, ſupport, and well being of theſe churches was peculiarly pretended, then why might not they be nextly adviſed with, for their approbation or eſteem? for if you intend it for a new ſuit, or change of apparel, or a ſet of armour for this army in banners, it muſt be the only way to try it on, it being now ſo near finiſhing; and if it be done work-man-like, you will have the credit and they the comfort of it; but if it prove too ſtrait-laced, or ſhould they feel themſelves as David in Saul's coat of mail, and ſhould ſhrug at it, and ſay, we cannot go in theſe, we have not proved them; yet they may throw all by and keep to their own old ſuit, which is not yet half worn, and the worſt come to the worſt, you may by any lawful writ recover your wages of thoſe who ſet you on work to blow at this forge.
That ſo what may be judged for the ſervice of our GREAT LORD, and his holy churches.
Anſw. You acknowledge, and ſo do I, that theſe are holy churches, and (through the grace of their great Lord) they being ſo; then why ſhould they be interrupted in their government and diſcipline, which has been a peculiar means for the advance and promoting holineſs among them? They are ſtrict in their government; curious, yet charitable in their admiſſions; in the election of all officers, they are nice, cautious, judicious, and in the main hitherto very ſucceſsful. They are eagle-eyed in their watch; duly hot, and impartial in their proceſs and exemplary acts of juſtice; and ſo dependent and free from arrogance, that they acknowledge themſelves accountable under the eye of the conſociation, for their aſtminiſtration; and freely and without covin, render an account of their actions, and are willing to receive advice, and &c. Then why ſhould you diſturb them?
You acknowledge them to be holy churches, and you may well! Then certainly they are the bethels, where God dwells; and from his grace and preſence, ſo illuſtrious in them, why mayn't we conclude, God has ſaid, this is my reſt for ever, here will I dwell, for I have deſired it? And will then any good man have an hand in pulling down theſe tabernacles of the almighty? No! rather let every man involved, ſay, as once Job did, I will lay my hand upon my mouth; once have I ſpoken, but I will not anſwer; yea, twice, but I will proceed no further, leſt I am found fighting againſt God; for it is moſt certain, all men will find themſelves over-match't in ſuch a war.
Be proceeded in.
Anſw. I think we are proceeding in the beſt method we can for the preſent, for the ſervice of theſe churches▪ that is to ſay, the criminal propoſals being now at the bar, and having been indicted upon ſeveral ſtatutes; and evidence for proving matter of fact, being legal and ſufficient, the caſe is now to be delivered to the great jury of trials, viz. The impartial reaſon of the churches, and there having been no ſuch deed done, or ſeen, from the day that this good people came up out of the land, from the other ſide of the great ſea, unto this day, conſider of it, take advice and ſpeak your minds, Judg. 19.30.
And upon due deliberation, if under the conduct of law and reaſon, you ſhall bring in guilty; then I petition for the crown, that juſtice be done in this following manner, not by baniſhment, praemunire or perpetual impriſonment I but that the propoſals be ſentenc'd to die the death of hereticks, and their aſhes be expoſed to the four winds; that the whole ſcheme may, beyond all hope of retrieve, be loſt in oblivion. And let the churches, according to their platform, recover and maintain their authority, liberties and luſtre, ſo long as the ſun and moon ſhall continue.
The date,—November the 5th 1705.
Anſw. Bleſſed! Thrice bleſſed day! Uphold and maintain thy matchleſs fame in the kalender of time, and let no darkneſs or ſhadow of death ſtain thee; let thy horizon comprehend whole conſtellations of fovorable and auſpicious ſtars, reflecting a benign influence on the Engliſh monarchy. And upon every return, in thy anniverſary circuits, keep an indulgent eye open and wakeful upon all the beauties (from the throne to the footſtool… of that mighty empire!
And when it is thy misfortune to conceive a monſter, which may threaten any part of the nations glory, let it come crippled from the womb, or elſe travel in birth again, with ſome noble hero, or invincible Hercules, who may conquer and confound it.
The laſt binding vote.
At an aſſociation meeting, the fore-going propoſals were read, and aſſented to.
Anſw. Whether for a ſmall juncto of gentlemen, without being orderly called (as a committe of wiſe and learned men to ſurvey an old government, and make their report) by any ſupream authority; for them of their own heads, to meet and to draw up articles againſt, and in imitation of the higheſt and moſt regular ſtate on earth; to vote up a ſcheme of their own inventing, and thereby ſign the condemnation of a grave eccleſiaſtical government, which has been adjuſted by the rules of equity and honor, and for the ſecurity of all perſons and parties intereſted and involved, and regularly ſettled and eſtabliſhed by all the churches in the province; and owned ratifyed, and honored by the civil authority of the empire; and eminently bleſſed God, through a long ſeries and ſucceſſion of years; now whether ſuch a daring action as this, can be placed under any of the topicks of political or moral wiſdom, either of the fear of God, allegiance to their prince, or love to their country? Or whether or no they don't (for their defiance to the churches, in this bold and terrible vote) rather merit a page in the chronicles of time, and there in capital letters, be written, not an aſſociation of wiſe, but, a faction of diſorderly, &c. and impolitic men?
The introduction to perſonal ſigning. PRESENT.
Anſw. A council of war (by adjournment met, without commiſſion) conſulting the moſt plauſible way to blow up the walls of our Zion. But where the place was, or the perſons who were preſent in this rendezvouze, ſhall never be told by me, unleſs it be extorted by the rack. And tho' I have endeavoured with freedom of argument to ſubvert the error, I will never ſtain their perſonal glory by repeating or calling over the muſter-roll.
Therefore▪ as Noah's ſons caſt a garment upon their fa…ers nakedneſs, (ſo leaving them in the crowd) their names (for me) ſhall repoſe under a mantle of honorable pity and forgetfulneſs.
Yet wiſhing they may never more harbour ſuch thoughts, or promote ſuch a deſign as is projected by theſe propoſals; but hereafter when temptation makes its ſignal, let them rather treſpaſs upon gravity, by following the hounds in the forreſt, or by a more ſubmiſſive and moderate way (to baffle the enemy, and wear off the impreſſion) let them write on the ground, or with the famous Domitian, ſpend the time in catching flies, rather then contrive how to ſubvert or alter the government in the churches, by ſuch diſpotic meaſures eſpecially in an empire and province ſo charmed with ſuch inchanting liberties as ours are. For otherwiſe they may chance to bring, if not an old, a new houſe upon their heads, according to that ſaying, Debile fundamentum, fallit Opus.
A work if done, and no foundation laid▪
Falls on the work-mens head; thus they … paid.