THE LIBRARY
OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
GIFT OF
Lenfis F. Lengfeld
Mr.
DISCOURSES
O N
RELIGIOUS LIBERTY.
Religious Liberty an invaluable Ble/mg:
ILLUSTRATED in TW.Q
DISCOURSES
?•
Preached at Roxbury Dec?* 3. 1767-
Being the Day of general THANKSGIVING,
By AMOS ADAMS, A. M.
Paftor of the firft Church in Roxbury.
Ffal. xliv. 1,2. We have beard with our Ears* O Gody our Fathers have told us, what Work Thou didft In their Days^in the Times of old \ how Thou did ft drive out the Heathen with thy Hand^ and planteft, them 5 how Thou, didjl afflitt the People^ and caft them out.
Exod. xv. 2. -My Fathers God and I will exalt
B O S T 0 JST: N,
Printed by KNEE LAND, and ADAMS, in
for THOMAS LEYERET.XJ in Corn-H^ll. 176^*
Religious Liberty an invalu able Bleffing.
r D I S C O U R S E I. H
G A L A T I A N S V. i.
«StoJ /*/? therefore in ths Liberty -wherewith Chrift hath made us free^ and le not entanghd again with the Yoke of 'Bondage. '
Yoke of bondage, which the Apbflle
"M^S fpsa^s °f i° tae tex*> was tne ri^s | (j|j) and ceremonies of the mofaic law. 'M'$) Many, in that day, pretended to em- _^ll brace the chriftian faith, but, at the fame time, taught and praftifed circumcifion aiid obedience to the law of Mofes. This the Apoflle confidered as an abridgment of chriftian liberty, an:l an unreafonahle impofuion, efp^cially, on the Gentile converts. This the 1\ potties called a yoke — wbicb neither our fathers nor we were able to bear ; and in this epiftle, it is called a being in bondage, under the elements of this world. 'The principal of this? and of fome other of St. Paul's,
epiftles,
6 Religious Liberty
epjftles, iJ to vindicate the liberty of believers from th'e obligation of the mofaic law, and to fhow, that by. embracing the law, they do virtually renounce Chrift and fall from the doctrines of grace. Hav- ing thus vindicated the liberty of chriftians from legal impofitions, he, in the text, fervently exhorts them to ftand faft in the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made them free, and be not entangled again with (be yoke of bondage. In difcourfing on thefe words, I fhall,
I. SHEW, that chriftianity is a fy ft em of the moft perfect and valuable religious liberty.
II. NEVERTHELESS, chriftia|)s have fomettmes had this liberty abridged, land have groaned under the unfcriptural: impositions of men.
III. I SHALL take a brief view of the religious liberty , which God, in his good providence, hath granted and is continuing to the chur- ches, in this land.
IV. SHOW, that it is highly incumbent on us to underftand, and praife God, for our reli- gious priviledges •, and to ftand faft in the liberty, wherewith Chrift hath made us free.
AND while I am difcourfing to you, on this fub- ject, I mall not think, that I have altogether mif- took the defign of this anniverfary day^ on which, our religious priviledges ought to be one principal article of our joy and thankfgiving.
I. CHRISTIANITY is a fyftem of the moft perfect and valuable religious liberty. Whoever will be at the pains to confider the genius and fpirit of*
chriftianity^
an Invaluable BleJJlng. *y
chriftianity, as laid down by Chrift and hifc'Apbftles, will find, that it is, on every account, a fytterri of the moil perfect liberty.
NOT that it relaxes our obligations to perfect and univerfal holinefs ; or is, in any fenfe, friendly to licentioufnefs : The law of God, in its fpiritual meaning, is not fet afide, nor toleration^ in any fingle inftance, given for fenfual indulgence. The Apoftles ever difavowed fuch a doctrine : preach- ing, that we are not without Jaw to God, but nuder the law to Jefus Chrift. They called on chriftians ; for brethren^ ye have been called unto liberty ; only afe not liberty for an occafion to the flejh, but by love fcrve one another*
BUT yet the gofpel breaths the fpirit of religious liberty — liberty from the guilt of fin, and the con- demnation of the law. Liberty from the dominion of fin, the flavery of fatan.-— Liberty from the ele- ments of the jewifh law, and liberty from the im- pofitions of men •, conceding to every man, that fundamental right of nature, to examine and judge for himfelf, in matters of religion -, and to worfhip God, according to the dictates of confcience, and the institutions of the head of the church, without the impojitions of mankind. Thcfe are glorious liberties of the /ons of God.
OUR Saviour early intimated, that his was to to be a kingdom of reft and liberty ? that is, at Jeaft> one thing implied in that gracious invitation, Mat. XI. 28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and 1 will give you reft. And a- gain, Joh. VIII. 36. If the Son, therefore, /ball make you free, yeJJoall be free indeed. Before Pilate Our Lord declared, John XVIII, 36, My kingdom
is
8 Religious Liberty
is not of this world. Mat. XX. 25. Te know : ibe 'princes of the Gentiles excrcife dominion ever them — but it Jh all not be fo among you : But wbcfo- ever will be grtat among you, let him be your minifter j and whofcever will be chief among ycu'Jet him be yctir fervant. — The Apodles, though divinely infpired, did not pretend to be the lords ofimens fait-h •, they recommended careful .enquiry, and defired no means of propagating the chriftian dodtrine and worfhip, among Jews or Gentiles, but, by me.n:.fefta- lion of the Irutb^ and giving miraculous witncfs to the fame. They cqndantly .called on men to at- tend the evidences of truths of fuch unalterable confequence •, not, fays an infpired Apottle., that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy. They called on men to extrcife their own judgment '; and, in points of controverfys, gave this advice, Rom. XIV. 5. Let every man bs fully perfwaded in his own mind. Chriilians are dri&ly forbidden judging and condemning one a- nother, ver. 4.: Who art then that judgeft another marts fervant ? fd his cwn mailer he flandeth cr falleth. Ver. 10, But why do ft thou judge thy bro- ther, or fet at nought thy brother ? For we f/oall all Jland, at the judgment-Jeat of Jefus Chrijt. The ^Apoftles knew that chriftianity, in its fads, docl- rines, forms of worfhip and difcipline, could not fuffer, by the freed and fulled enquiry. Although they were fully perfwaded of its truth and excel- lency, yet they defired no one to be followers of them, but, fo far as they gave evidence, that chri- ftianity was from heaven. In fhort, the Apoftle James I. 25. exactly defcribes the nature of the gofpel, and the fpirit it univerfally breaths, when he calls it, the law of liberty, and tells us we Jhall bt judged by the law of liberty.
II.
an invaluable Blejfingl, *$
II. ALTHOUGH religious liberty be fuch an un-»' alienable right of nature, and fo fully maintained in the gofpel of Chrift, yet there have been fre- quent attempts to deprive chriftians of this liberty* Heathens and chriftians, Jews and Gentiles have united, in violating the rights of confcience -, im- pofing, either the worfhip of falfe gods, or elfe the doctrines and injunctions /of men. refpe&ing the worfhip of the true God. . ,
THE firft enemies to Chrift, and the liberties of his kingdom, were the unbelieving Jews. As they, all along, fet themfilves againft Chrift, and crucifyed the Lord of glory, fo, when the gofpel was preached, and chriftianity began to fpread, after our Lord's afcenfion ; especially, when the word was preached to the Gentiles, and they re- ceived into the church, without circumcifion, thej? aroufed, and exerted themfelves to oppofe the doctrines oY the Apoftles. Wherever thefe came^ preaching, the gofpel, thofe infidels ftired up the people to perfecute and deftroy them. ; Almoft, if not quite, all the oppofition, which the Apoftles met with, proceeded from the malice and zeal of the Jews (tiring up the heathen to perfecute the followers of Jefys. The Roman government feems to have been lefs zealous, in the perfecution of the chriftians, than thefe biggoted Jews. Many, who did, in a fenfe, embrace chriftianity, were yet ex- treamly fond of retaining the jewifh rites, and could not be content without impofing them on the confciences of the Gentile converts. Often does Sr. Paul warn chriftians of judaizing teachers ; much does he fay to eftablifti them in their liberty. In Gal. II. 4»he fpeaks of falfe brethren^ unawares brought in, who came in privily to fpy out our liber ty, which we have in Gbrift Jefus, that they might bring •M into bondage, 0
;B
Ib Religious Liberty
WHEN chriftianity fpread, and became an ob- ject of general atteritibn, it alarmed the zeal of the Htatben world, and they became the fuccefibrs of the Jews in perfecuting the church of God. The Pagans were ilrongly poiTefied in favour of their national religion •, of their gods and lacrifices ; temples and altars ; their feftivals and facred mi- fiiftrations, which, they found, the chriftian religion was defigned to overthrow. They were jealous of thi? woHhip of the gods ; and though they did not refufe to admit the faviour of the world into the number of the gods, yet, when they faw the crr'iftians abandoning the pagan gods and their worfhip, they were enraged. When they faw men convinced by the light of truth, and confciemioufly turning from dumb idols, to Jerve the living God, and wait for his f on Jrom heaven^ the aid of the civil majeftrate was implored, to extirpate fo dangerous an herefy. The Roman Emperors, at lead many b'F them, became the furious perfecutors of the dif- cipleg — -the harmlefs followers of the lowly Jefus ; until tht reign of Cvnftantine, the firft chriftian Emperor, by whorh, chriflianity received a civil eftablifhmenr, in the beginning of the fourth cen- tury. Before this time, thdtifands of holy Martyrs had fealed the teftimony of Jefus with their blood. Bin fo far were thefe violent and unreafonable per- fecutions, of quiet and good fubjecls, who defired only to live in all good confcierice, towards God and n1an> from rooting out the chriftian religion, that they ferved but to propagate it the more ; multitudes feeing the patience and conftancy of the Martyrs, under the crueleft fufTerings, em- braced the religion, for which they dyed Thefe violent perfecutions, doubtlefs, awakned thoulands to examine into a religion, that had fo many to
0# invaluable BleJJing. *r
$ye for it ; and it hath, from that time, been a pommon faying, that tbe Mood of the Martyrs was (he feed of tbe ihurcb.
UNDER Conft anting the empire became chriftian. Paganifm was abolifhed by imperial E4i$s% an$ phriftianity became the national, the eftablimed re- ligion of the Roman empire. The chriftian em- peror^ heaped many honours and priviledges orji the evangelic miniftry -, dignity and wealth be- came the temptations to ecclefiaftical functions, The purity of the chriftian miniftry was loft ; the f;mplicity of chriftian manners was fadly corrupted, an awful example was It ft, to teach us, how little^ temporal power can do to advance r&z/chriftianity ; yea, i might fay, how contrary the dignities and riches of this world are to |he fimplicity of the gofpel.
NOTHING is more natural to us than adefire to, impofe our own judgment on our fellow men ; we earneftly wi(h to bring all men to a conformity to our own judgments and manners. Ibis is an in- ttance of the natural pride of our hearts. ?"£/> was the fcource of pagan perfecution, and this prin- ciple produced infinite mifchiefs in' the chriftian world Pride, working in the hearts of profeflbrs would not long fuffer the church to be quiet, in the free enjoy [pen t of the rights of confcience. As chnftians could not, in every thing, think alike, frequent attempts were made to propagate the opinions of men, concerning faith and worlhip, by the decrees of councils, and fyncds — i\\zfeculat arm was foon called in, and employed, to enforce the decrees of councils •, and they, who could not fub- icribe to forms, of human invention, were perie- cl, excommunicated, and driven into banifli- B 2
Religious Liberty
ment and death. Thus, in a few ages, we find councils againft councils, fathers ao;ainft fatheisf' fe<5ts of chnftians embittered againft each other, and mutually persecuting one another, as they could "engage the majeftrate on* their fide: All iides in their turns commenced perfccutors •, no- £hing Teems to have been lefs underdood than mu- tual forbearance, and the liberty of private judg- ment, in matters of religion. I do but hint at what is fully known, to iuqh 2s are acquainted \vith Gcclc/l&fyical hiftory,
IT is peed lefs to point out the fleps, by whlchs the bifhops of Rome made their way to the papal power. '- The Apoftle tells us, 2 Thcfl II. 7. that, in his time, . ... Very of this iniquity 'dotb already work. ' It then, had its beginning, in the pride
: love of 'pre-eminence, which were, then, dif- cernable in Tome chriftians. The afpiring views of the 'roman bifhops, i; ;s of emperors, and
the fplendor of their jfse -, R<:::\ for ages, having been the capiro! of the world, all confpired to ad- vance the power ot the ronian pontiffs ^ until, at length, the bifnop of Fronts was declared end ac- knowledget1 bijkop of the church, the
lucceffor of -:, i eter, rind the. Vicar of Chrid, on earth/ For many hundreds of years, the popes were, generally, acknowledged. head of the churchy kings ^hd' potentates fumbitted to tht-ir juiiiclidti- on, and held thf-ir kingdoms, as gifrs of the rc'.nc.r fee. — They decided -controvcrfies ; formed articles of faith, ; appointed rites and ceremonies in the worfliip. of God ;• to all which a blind and abfolute obedience was required •, they granted indulgen- ces, pardoned fins, and opened and fhut Ifce gates pf heaven^ at thrir pleafure j exactly fulfilling that;
prophetic
an Invaluable "Blejjing. 13
prophetic character of antichrift, 2 ThefT. II. 4. fo that he, asGid,Jttte!b in the temple oj "God, /hewing bim- felfi that be isGod. Thus the liberties of the church were given up to the popes of Rome ; all the rights of conlcience were trodcn under foot.
DURING this grand papal apodacy, chriftians, not content w'kh the firnplicity of gtjfpel worihip and diicipline, were continually adding their own inventions to the worfhip of God. Tranfuhftanti- ation, the worfhip of images, relics, faints and an* gels, and all the fuperftitions of popery made their way into the church : Rome chriilian refembled Rome pagan \ and the chnftian refembled the pa- gan temples ; an awful example to what lengths men will go, when they leave the pattern, which Chritl and his Apoftles have left us, and pretend to decorate the worfhip of God, with their own in- ventions ! — Thus the worfhip of God was rilled with idolatry, the temples of God became the tem- ples of idols : the fcriptures were little under- flood ; the fenflefs decrees of popes and councils were received, with blind fubmillion, as the rules of faith and worfliip.
THESE were dark ages ; a cloud of ignorance overlpread the church : fuperftition and idolatry well nigh extinguimed the pufe and noble religion of Jefus. The teachers of the people were igno- rant and immoral : real learning was in a great meafure banifhed out'of the church of God, and the people proportionably funk into ignorance and fuperilition,
NOT that God left bimfelf without witnefs, in theie times of ignorance. All along, there were foi-ne, who faw the corruption of the church, and
abhorred
14 Religious Liberty
abhorred the fuperftitions and idolatrys of the times. So long ago as the twelfth century the Waldenfes and Albigenjes^ * in France and savoy , openly declared againft the abufes of the church or Rome ; they boldly preached, that the pope is not head of the church, denyed the real corporal prefence of Chrilt, in the Eucharift, the worlVlp- ing of faints and images, and feperated thtmfelves from the rowifh communion. Thefe glorious wit- neffes of God's truth became martyrs, in the caufe of reforma ion. The papal bulls railed the zeal of Chriftendom, to extirpate this unhappy people : all manner of barbarities and cruelties were pract- iied upon them, and multitudes perilled in the glorious caufe. However, their doctrines could not be fuppreffed •, the dreadful perfecution, they fuffered, fpread their opinions, through molt parts of Europe : Thoufands had their eyes opened, 10 fee the errors of popery ; and then were fown the feeds, which, afterward, fprung up, and, at length, produced the glorious reformation.
GOD, whofe ways are unfearcbable, and bis jut.?- menfs p aft finding out, is greatly to be adored, ior raiting up fuch a number of great and learned men, in the fifteenth and Jixieenth centurys. The fall of the eaftern empire, and the e* tendon of ihe turki/h dominion into Europe, was the revival of learning in the weft. Tis too great a work to tell you, by what means and inftruments, the refer ma- tisn opened and advanced. 'It mud i office ro fay, learning revived j by the indefatigable labours of divers learned and worthy Divines, the people were enlightened to difcern the errors of popery ; they were taught that the pc-pe was antickrift ; en-
See Perrin's Hift. of ihc Waldcafes.
an invaluable Rlejfing. 15
quiry and private judgment were promoted, fove- reign princes were perfwaded to abandon the ro- milh church, and patronize the caufe of reformaT lion — a glorious reformation was accomplifhedj and a deadly wound was given to papal power.
IN the fourteenth century, about 130 years be- fore the reformation of Lutber, flourifhed that flout and valiant champion of the truth, John Wi.ckUjfe\ by whom, the feeds of the reformation feem to have been fown in England, While profeffor of divi- nity at Oxford, he boldly publifhed againft tran- fubftantiation, the infallibility of the pope, the pre-eminence of the church of Rome ; teaching that the new teftament is a perfect rule of faith and manners, and ought to be read, by the peo- ple : and further maintained mofl of the points, by which the Puritans were afterward diftinguifhed ; asj that there are but two orders in the miniftryj viz. Pre/bytersvv Bifhops and Deacons 5 that all hu- man traditions are ufelefs $ that myftical and fig- nificant ceremonies, in the worfliip of God, are unlawful ; and that, to refirain men to a prefcribed form of prayer, is contrary to the liberty granted them by God*. This WicUifft was a wonderful man, for the times in which he lived. He was the1 firft, that tranflated the new teftament intoEngtiJb ; he wrote near 200 volumes ; and fuch was the kind providence of God, that, though his doclrines were condemned at Rome^ and afterwards condemned, in a convocation at London, himfelf deprived of his profejfor/bip, his writings ordered to be burnt, and
himfelf
* Vid. AWs Hift. of the Puritans. And if tKe reader would fee the principles of Wicklffij he will find them, in the learned Mr, Piercis vindication of the diffcn- tetsj p. 4.5, 46,
I Ci Religious Liberty
himfelf imprifbntd, yet, he followed his minif and in an advanced age, quietly departed this life, 1384. His bones, with his work?, were, however, ordered to be'burnt, by the council of Cotiftance^ forty one years after his deaih : But his doctrines re- mained, the number of his diiciples increafed, which gave occafion to fevere' laws againft heretics, his followers were vexed with a moft greivous and cruel perfecution, and fome hundreds of them were put to death, before the grand reformation.
KING Henry VIII, from the oppofition he met with, in accompluliing the divorce of Queen Ka-. therine^ began and carried into execution a nati- onal fepe ration from the church of Rome. — He re- nounced the jurifdi&ion of the pope •, afTumed the ecclefiaftical Supremacy to himfelf, declared him- felf^ an:! • head of the church of England, next and immediately under Chrift ; and, confe- quently, he ailbmed to himfelf all jurifdiction over the Clergy, with the whole 'power of reforming errors and herefies, in doclri-ne and worfhip ; he fupprefied the monaflcries and religious houfes, took away all authority of the pope, over the church of EnglGxd, and eftablifhed that feperatiori from Romet which continues to this day.
, HENRY, in his younger life, was an obedient fon of the papacy, and, for writing againft Luther^ received, from his holinefs^ the title of defender of ike faith : And dill he was a papiil, in the main, and perfecuted papifts and proteftants, who did not fully comply -with his own injunctions. Under him fuffered holy Lambert^ who was executed in Smitbfield) in a barbarous manner ; crying out, in the flames, none but Cbrifl^ none but Chrift. Never- thelefs there were, in this reign, divers pious and
learned
an invaluable B faffing, iy
i / i
learned men, who longed for a real reformation § among whom was archbifhop Cranmer, who took this opportunity to attempt a reformation in doct- rine and worfhip. Books were printed^ the bible again tranflated, and fet up to be read in churches. But, by means of the rigid temper of the King^ who would have nothing taught or maintained con- trary to his own infirudlions, the reformation made but little progrefs in this reign. The moft that the church legally, obtained was, that the King was acknowledged head of the church, inftead of the pope, and the fole right of reformation was veiled in the crown \ royal proclamations had the force of laws* and the firbjedt was obliged, Under fevere penalties, to believe, profefs and obey according thereunto— as if the King had a right to judge for the whole nation, and impofe upon themwhafe religion he pleafes> without their confent !
DURING, the reign of Edward VI, who was a remarkably pious and learned prince, but dyed irt the 1 6th year of his age, the reformation went ori gloriouQy, under the direction of Cranmer* and o- ther great and excellent reformers. The popifh Jaws againft heretics were repealed, by acl: of Par- liament, and new ones enabled in favour of the reformation. Images were taken out of the chu- ches, and the rites and ceremonies of popery abo- li(hed — the facrament was ordered in both kinds— » private maiTes were put down— out of the romari Mtffals of Sarum, Tork, Hereford, Bangor and Lin* coin, was compofed the morning and evening fer- vice, almoft in the fame form it (lands at prefent,' only there w"as no confeffion or abfolution 5 * from
C the
* Vid. Neal's Hift. of the Pudtatis, Vol. i, 4.to, p, 36.
W ho adds « it would have obviated many obje^ions, i£
1 8 Religious Liberty
the fame materials they compofed theL/ta»y, differ- ing, in but one article, from that, which is now ufed — the mafs-books were called in — the altars changed into communion tables — the doctrinal articles of the church of England were formed, being 42 in number^ but fince reduced to 39. — The common prayer-book was, a fecond time, cor- rected, and eftabhfhed by act of Parliament. This was a great and glorious work ! Although, it muft be confeiTed, they were miflaken in ufmg feveri- ties •, and even Cranmer expofed himfelf to cenfure, by promoting or confenting to fome executions. But yet, they were great and good men ; valiant in the caufe of truth, and made as quick advances, in restoring religion to its primitive fimplicity, as the circumllances of the times would admit.— Thefe reformers, 'tis evident, would have gone farther, and did not defign this as the lad ftandard of reformation'; they left it under their hands, c* that they had gone as far as they could, in re- " forming the church, confidering the times they " lived in, and hoped that they that came after " them would, as they might, do more." * And the King himfelf lamented, that u he could not reftore the primitive difcipline, according to his heart's defire." f
KING Edward was fucceeded by Queen Mary* a biggoted papiit ; the work of reformation ftop- ed, in an inftant, a dark cloud hung over the glo- rious
" the committee had thrown-.afide the mafs book entire- <c ly, and compofed an uniform fervice, in the language <c of fcripture, — but this they were not aware of, or *' the times would not bear it.
* Vid. Punt's vindication* p. n. f Vid, p. 12,
an invaluable Blejflng. 1J
rious reformers, who had done fq much in the prc- ceeding reign. The foreign proteflants, who had taken (belter in England^ from the ftorms of per- fecution abroad, were driven out of the kingdom. Popery was again eftablifhed, by act of Parliament:. The popifh ceremonies were eftablimed ; the king- dom was reconciled to the fee of Rome •, feveral thoufand proteftant minifters were turned out of their livings. The penal laws againft heretics were revived ; multitudes fled from perfecution into foreign countrys. The bifhops, Cranmer^ Rid~ ley, &c. with Rogers, Bradford, and many others, who had been fuch glorious reformers,were cruelly- burnt for herefy, and fealed their teftimony to the reformation, with their blood. Two hundred and feventy feven perfons * fuffered death for religion ; innumerable others were impriibned, and prepar- ing for execution, when God mercifully appeared for fbem^nd the nation, delivering them from death, and the nation from popery and flavery, by the death of their mercileis perfecutor. — ftf* Lord knowetb bow to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to re/erve the unjuft t$ the day of judgment to be punifosd*
THE accefTion of Queen Elizabeth to the throne, gave new life to the reformation. Thofe, that had. fled into other countrys, returned ; and thofe, that had laid concealed, quickly appealed. She was, indeed, a favourer of the reformation, but thought it had been carried too far ; Hie was fond of many of the old rites and ceremonies, in which (he had. been educated : She was naturally pro.ud, affected much ftate, and^ through all her life, fet upon a C 2 uniformity
*, Of whom 5 were bifhops, 21 minifters, 8 gentlemen, 84 tradefmen, 100 huibandmen, 55 women, aad 4*
children*
§0 Helfgwuf Liberty
uniformity in the worfhip of God. The fuprcam ccclefiaftical power was vefted in the Queen, by aft of Parliament, which flie did not fail to exer-r cife, to vex and diftrefs thofe, who could not, in. confcience, conform to all the modes and habits of the eftablifhed church. In the beginning of her reign, fhe eftabliihed the court of high commiffion, which fported itfdf, in tyranny and oppreilion, un- til it became odious to the nation ; at this time alfo patted that aft for the uniformity of common prayer, and ferric e, in the church, and adminiflration of the jacraments, which was the fatal rock, on which, ^he peace of the church was darned in pieces.
THERE were forne,, even .before, as well as at that day, who confcientioufly fcrupled the romifh habits, and multitudes, efpecially of thofe who had been exiles in Queen Mary's perfecmion, who dif- like$ the common prayer, and could not conform to the terms i'mpofed on t;hem, bj roya,l or epifcopal Authority.
THE Queen had no tendernefs for fcrupulons confcicnces, but proceeded, with vigour, to enforce a uniformity in the worfhip of God. Subfcripnona were required, promifing conformity to the habits, and likew-ife to she rites of the common prayer, &c. under pain of being deprived, in three months : The confequence was, many were deprived, and, with their wives and children, laboured under great po/erty •, fome were put in prifon, and the poor men, who were juft returned from exile, found themfelves involved in a fecond perfecution. A proud prelate (A B. Parker) who was the inftru- pient of their furTerings, faid, " he did not doubtv <!*• when the minifters had felt the imart of poverty ^c an^ want, they would comply, for the wood is yet 55 fat ^r^».J>r-6ut he found himfdf miftakea.
an invaluable Blejfing. 21
DURING almoft the whole reign of Queen Eliza- fatb, who died in 1602, the profecution of the non- conformifts was carried on, with vigour. Subfcrip* tions were required, not only to the doftrines and worfhip eftablifhed by law, but to rules impofed, by meer ecclefiaftical authority : Oaths were adminiftred ex officio ; the edge of the laws made againft the papifts, was turned againft the eonfcientious Puri- tans. Multitudes of pious, godly minifters were in- formed againft, purfued, arraigned, fufpended from their minifterial funftions, turned out of their liv- ings : and all, not for damnable errors in doctrine ; not for immorality of life, but for a eonfcientious fcrupling to conform to impofitions, of human au- thority. u A fourth part of all the preachers, in " England, were under fufpenlion, at a time, when, " not one beneficed clergyman in fix was capable of <c compofing a fermon.' * It would tire your pa- tience, and too deeply affect your hearts to relate the many inftances of cruel fufferings, in thofe days, under the lafh of epijcopal power.
NOT that there were wanting thoufands, who e- fteemed and pitied them. — We are particularly told, that, when the minifters were filenced, their people earneftly beged for their reftoration -, many of the nobility and gmtry received them into their families, as chaplains, and tutors to their children, not meerly out of compafliop, but from a fenfe of their real worth. ** For they'were men of undiffembled piety. " aad devotion, mighty in the fcriptures, zealous for " the proteftant religion, of exemplary lives, and far «c removed from the liberties and fafhonable vices of ** the times, and indefatigably induftrious in inftrufl- *' ing thofe committed to their care. Here they J* were covered from their oppreffors, they preached
^in
5 Vid. Neal's preface to his fiiftory, pag. 8,
22 Religious Liberty
*6 in the family, and catechized the children, which, *6 without all queftion, had a confiderable influence " on the next generation." Divers of the nobles and gentry, petitioned on behalf of the unhappy fuffe.rers : But crys and intreaties were to no pur- pofe, thefe perfecting meafures were purfued, by two hard-hearted prelates, * under the encourage- ment of a proud and unreafonabk fovereign, thro9 the greateft part of this reign.
• afcended the throne,it was ex- pected that he would put an end to thefe perfecuting meafures. His education in the church of Scotland, the high regard he had expreflfed for her worfhip and difcipline, his fubfcribing the folemn league and cove- nant, and the interceflion which he made in the for- mer reign for the relief of the fufferers, raifed the hopes of the n^nconformifts, that they fhould fee better times. But they foon found themfelves mif- taken. It was not long before he publiftied a pro- clamation to enforce uniformity ; countenanced and encouraged the perfecution of the puritans -, and in thefecend year, after his coming into England, three hundred minifters were, either filer ced, or deprived of their benefices ; excommunicated, cad into prifon, or forced to leave their country and go into banifh- ment. " A more grievous perfecution of the ortho- . dox faith" (fays Mr, Calderwood) " is not to be met with in hiftory, in any prince's reign."
THE violent proceedings of the bifhops, in the latter end of the lad reign, drove great numbers of nonconformifts into Haliand,- where, by leave of the States they erected churches, after their own mode ; ibme of thefe were the people, who tranfplanted them- felves into tbi* country — In 1604 the high abufe of
church * A. B. Parker and Wbitgift.
an Invaluable Blejfing* 23
church power obliged many other learned mmttiers* and their followers, to leave the kingdom, and fettle mMollandt where englifli churches were erected, after the prtfbyterian mode. But the greateft number of thofe who left their country were the people called Browmfts,who were rigid feperatifts from the church. Mr. Robinfon, a paftor of one of thefe churches at Ley den, firft (truck out the congregational form of church government, and part of his church in 1620, tranfported themfelves and their form of govern- ment to this land.
IT was a mod arTecYiortate parting thefe adventur- ers, about 120 in number, took of their minifter and the remainder of their friends, in Holland^ when they embarked for this new world. With tender affecti- on^, their worthy paftor on his knees, with fervent prayer,committed them to the blefTing and protection of heaven. They arrived at Plymouth in the begin-" ning of winter — fad was their condition, when they arrived in this \howling wildernefs, Winter imme- diately cams upon them ; they had no accommoda- tion for their entertainment, and inekpreffible were the hard mips they underwent. A fad mortality raged among them, occafioned by the fatigues of a long voyage, the feverity of winter, and the want of neceffaries. The country was covered with woods, their little cottages were not fufficient to, keep them warm ; they had neither fkilful phyfician, nor in- deed wholefome food ; fo that, within two or three months, half their company found their graves.— However, the furvivors, as the fpring came on, be- ing encouraged by the recovery of their health, and by fupplys fent from their friends at home, profectf- ted their arduous undertaking, " and laid the foun1- '6 dation of one of the nobleft fettlements in America,
^ which*
24 Religious Liberty
" which, from that time, has proved an Afylum for " the proteftant nonconjormiji^ under all their op- " prefiions." *
IT is ne'edlefs to hint to you the character of King Cbarles I, whofe arbitrary meafures bro't his head to the block His prime minifter wMf&ilfiam Land, firft bifhop of London, and afterwards A. B< of Canterbury. He was the advifer of mo ft arbitrary meafures, and a furious and cruel perfecutor of the Puritans. Soon after his advancement, he proceeded againft the non- cwformijh with great feverity. One or other of the puritan minifters was, every week, fufpended or deprived* and their families driven co diftrefs : there •was no liberty of confcience, nor any profpect of relief •, the clouds gathered thicker over their heads* and threatned a dreadful ftorm. This put our fa- tbers ,on projecting a fettlement in this Province, where they might be delivered from the hand of op- prefTion, and enjoy the liberty of- their conferences. They arrived firft at tal'-m in 1629, and afterwards* (viz. iri 1630.) iri much greater numbers in this neighbourhood, and laid the foundation of thefe flourishing churches •, in which libtrty of confcience hath, blefied be God, been enjoyed thefe 137 years.
WNEN our fathers left their native country, they did not mean to excommunicate the eftabli/bedchurch. They called its members their reverend fathers and brethren, and fervently afked their prayers for them- feives •, promifing to remember them " when" (fay they) " we fhall be in our poor cottages in the wil- 45 dernefs, overfhadowed with the fpirit of fupplica-
* A particular account of the firft adventurers to Ply- mouth) with the characters of feveral of their leading men, the reader will find in Lieut. Gov. Hutchinfons appendix to his hiftory pf the
an invaluable BleJJing.
" ' -
j" tion, through the manifold necefTuies, and tribulations " which may not altogether unexpeciedly,nor we hope " unprofitably, befall usl" But they found their conferences oppreflfcd, and the worfhip of God .bur- dened with unfcriptural ceremonies. For want ^pf conformity to human >mpofitions, they founJ theni- felves fo hunted and perplexed that they had no reft. Therefore they quietly withdrew themfelves into this land, where was granted i\\tm fret liber ty^of conscience to worjhip God in thdr own way ; where th<ey could fet up the worship of God, on what, they believed^ the fcripture plan, and enjoyed his brdiriancesi free frorrt ufelefs ceremonies and the impofitionS of men.
OUR fathers were truly 4 diftrefied people, arid fled hither from the hand of perfecution.— It is nti fmall thing to forfake our native country, our, -dear friends, our pleafant houfesand delightful accommoda^ tions — to adventure over a wide oceari,--- to fettle iri a wild, howling, uncultivated vvilrferntfs,-^- a couritryr deftitute of every defirab-le accommodation, arid filled with numerous nations of barbarous favages. And yet, all thefe our fathers did. Though they were per- fons of good rank and circiimftances irt life, yet they; bid a final adieu to all tlie delights of their native country j expofed themfelves, with their wives\ ,and children to the dangers of a long voyage ; and to all the diftrefles which they could not expert to avoid when caft on a defolatc more, deftitute of any kind of covering from the rage of the elements, and of rrioft fores of the food on which they, fed*' Jn tHe garden of the world ; and all that they might ferye God in hi^ ordinances, agreable to conscience* free from unfcrip- tural impofitionsi
OaR fathers were not the icurri of the nation, a fet of indigent wretches, that could not fubfift in their: own country, but many of them perfons of figure and
26 Religion Liberty
Fortune. They left a fair inheritance, or fpent plenti- ful eftates to plant themfelves in a defolate country, Neither were they an ignorant rabblje, but many of them gentlemen, of liberal education ; men of good abilities, well acquainted with the fcriptures, and the difcipline of God's houfe. Among them were divers excellent minifters, educated in the univerfines^ and greatly efteerned for their labours in the bed parts of England. * Their undertaking was bold and hazard- ous, and they pafled through innumerable fatigues ir* this glorious work. But the good hand of their God was upon them ; he wonderfully fucceeded their un- dertaking ; and we blefs God, at this day, who made tyfanny. and oppreftion the caufe of liberty and reli- gion ; the Lord thy God turned the curfe into a blejfmg unto thee, bvcaufe the Lord thy God loved thce.
THE Laudean perfecution of the nonconf or mi/Is pro- ceeded in England, after the firft fettlements here. They were harrifed in the//#r chamber^ the high com- miffion courts^ and at the council table. This engaged many to follow their brethren hither, and feveral of
the
* See the characters and circumfiances of the principal ad- venturers, in the Liedt. Governour's Hift. of MaJ/achu- fetts-Bay, vol. i. p. 14. margin. As allb the lives of the minift-r?, who came oVer in the early days of the country, in Or. Mather's Magnalia. Of the latter Mr. Neal fays, they were " the chief leaders of the people ** into thefe parts" — UI have before me a lift of 77 divine?, ** who became paftors of fundry little churches and con- *e gregations in that country, before the year 1640, all or *' whom were in orders in the church of England — and *fi I muft fay, though they were not all of the firft rank,v *' for deep and extenfive learning, yet they had a better " (hare of it than moft of the neighbouring clergy ; and, «* which is of moreconfcquence, they were men of ftricl: *' fobriety and vi-tue ; plain, ferious, affectionate preach- es ers— and took a great deal of pains to promote chrif^- " tian knowledge, and a .reformation of manners, in ** their feveral parifhes." Hift, of Puritan* vol. 1^546;
tpi ijroahaUe Blejfi&g.
the great champions of the bridfh liberties, fuch as Pym^ llampden^ Sir Arthur Haflerigg, Oliver Cromwe/^ Dr. Ow*», were on the point of tranfplanting therri- felves into this wildernefs, but were detained, in pro- vidence, for a greater work •,* and, in the fucceeding twelve years of Laud's administration, 4000 plan- ters came over to people thefe American defarts.— Thefe violent proceedings did but open the eyes of the people, increafe the number of the puritans^ create an averfion to prelatical government, aroufe the pa- trons of 'liberty : And at length iiTued in the violent death of Laud> and his' royal matter the King, the abolifhing of epifcopacy, and the eftablifhment of a- nother form of church government, under the proT
tection of Oliver Cromwel. \
UPON the reftoration of Charles H, epifcopacy was reftored alfo. — The terms of conformity were carried Ijigher than before the civil war, "^—conformity was required under the penalty of being deprived of their livings. On. tfie black Bartholomew-day 1662, abouc iooo were obliged in confcience to relinquish their, livings and miniftry in the church •, " an example " hardlv to be paralleled in the chriltian world. It; V railed a grievous cry over the nation ; for here w?re " many men much valued (fays bifhop Burnett) and V diltingjiflied by their abilities and zeal, now caft out " ignominioufly, reduced to great poverty, and pro- " voked by moft fpiteful language." Mr. L^icalls i hem " worthy, learned, pious, orthodox divines. § A nobler fee of minifters there never were in any na- rjpn. Sad were the calamities of far the greater pare of thefe unhappy fufferers, who, with their families, might have periftied, had it not been for the chanties of the people., to irjultitudes of whom, they were ex- D 2 ceeding
* Vid. Afoz/'s Hift. of the Puritans vol. i. p. 622, and
vol. 2. p. 739. f Vid. Neal) vol. j. p. 54.6.
t Neat, vol. 2. p. 628. § Nealy vaL z. p,
ULeligious ILlberty
_ dear. " Many hundreds of them" (fays Mr. jftaxtir) *' with their wives and children, had neither *\ houfe nor bread -9 the people they left were not able <c to relieve them, 'nor durlt they if they had been *; able, ' becaufe it would have been called a main- *c%- penance of fchifm or f action. ** Miuifters, of gravity and years were rallied in the pulpits, expofed in the play bo up. and infulted by ignorant mob. — And, as if all thefe fufferings were not enough, a fevere aft was rnsde, by which all nonconformijl minifters, who would not by a, certain day fwear, "not at any time toendea- c* vour any alteration of government, either in church *' or ftate, mould not, unlefs in pafTmg the road, come " or be within five miles of any city, town corporate, *c or borough, that fends burgefles to Parliament -, or cc v ithin five, miles of any parifh, town, or place, « wherein they ha\Te, fmce the act of oblivion, been* <(\ parfon, vicar or lecturer, &c. or where they have cc preached in any conventicle, on any pretence what- c* ever/5, under fever - penalties. Thus were they cut off from the ailiftance of their friends, and expofed to the lam of a barbarous law, which was, in abun- dance of inftancesj hihmianl} executed.
YOUR patience will not hold out, while I trace the perfecution of the nomonformifa through the remain- ing part of Charles'* reign. In confequence of cruel acts, great numbers of pious minifters 'and people were laid in prifons, among thieves and common malefact- ors, where they fufrVrcd the greateft hard&ips and indignities \ <s an t ft i mate was publifhed of near eight 6C thoi)fand'proteftan£ / ffinfe who had perifhed in ct prifi>n, ir. the reign only of Ch fines II. By fevere ** penalties inflicted on them, for affembling to wor- <e fhip God, they fufFered in their trade and eftates, in " the eompafs of a few years, at leaft, tivo millions ;" ' " and a lift of Sixty thoqfand perfons, was taken, who *•' had fuffered^ on ^ religious aqcount, between
an invaluable Blejjlng. 29
f* refloration and ^'revolution •"* i. e. in 28 years. It was by the glorious revolution in 1688, an aera ever to be mentioned with joy, when William and Mary, of glorious memory, afcended the throne, that a period was put to the exorbitant exercife of eptjcopal power. KING William earneftly de fired the union of all his prote'ftant fubjedh ; he was for taking of the left, and abrogating the -penal laws, 'as far as related 'to pro- teftant dillenters ; but could not accomplifh his defire. However, the ad for toleration of pro t eft ant dijjenters* ^ras patted, in the beginning of his reign ; and it was impoflible to hurt the diffenters*> whilejie lived. The defigns formed againft their liberties in the latter end of Queen Anne's reign, -f- were happily fruftrated, bjr the acceflion of George I j and, fince the dominion of the royal houfe of Hanover., the toleration hath been religiouQy maintained.
IT is frequently faid the times are grown better, the principles of religious liberty, and the rights of private judgment are better understood, and a full toleration is, generally, agreed to be beft •, to be fure the wanton exercife of prtlatical power hath, for fome years been reftrained. — BlefTed be God that, on this account, we
live * Vid. Dlfcenting gentleman s anfwer to Mr. White^ p, 77.
and Neat, vol. 2. p. 759.
t I mean the aft againft occafional conformity, which was formed with defign to cramp the toloraiion^ and keep un- dtr.the^Jfentefs : And the aft U prevent the growth of fchifm, in which the education of children is taken out of the hands of noHconformi/ts, a nd entrufted only with fuch as are full and iniire confofmijls ; and if any fchool- mafter or tutor fhould be willingly prefent at any con- venticle of dijfinters for religious worjhipy he was to fuffer three months imprifonment, and be difqua]5fiecj frorn teaching a fchool for the future. This iaft a& was to take place, on the very day that the ^een ^ ; but King Gttergt) being fenfible thefe hardfhips were bro't on the dffinters, for their fteady adherrnce to t^Q pro. tejiani fucceffion, in the houfe of Hanover, procured the repeal, of thefe afti, in the fifth yeair Of his reign,
I
3<p Religious Liberty.
Jive in better times. — Blefled be God For the writing of Lock, and other learned men, who have fo effeftu- ally expofed the iniquity and abiurdity of perfecution for religious opinions. But can it yet be faid chat the difftnttrs at home are not fubjected to temporal in- conveniencies, on account of their religious opinions ? To fay nothing of their being held to fupporc the e- itablimed worfhip ; as an additional charge to the maintenance of the miniftry and worfhip of God, a- greable to their confciences, which, perhaps, the mem- bers of the church of England would think an unrea- fonable jmpofition here. * To fay nothing of this, yet thq tejt a€tj-\ which requires a receiving *tbe jacra- went of the Lord's f upper ^ according to the ufage of tie church of England, as the condition of ferving their King, and Country, in places of honour and profit, can- not" be looked upon, by judicious men, ether wile than
as
*. This was accounted a grievance c:ncng vs9 and, ferns years ago, an acl: of the government was made, wit Si universal approbation, releafmg the members of the church of England, who ftatedly attend t£e woiihip of God in that way, from any obligation to fupport the public worfliip as legally ejlablijbcd here. The like li^ berty was aifo granted to people of ether denominations. Such is the regard we generally have to liberty of Cv,.. fcience !
f This aff was made in 25th of Cksrlcs II, and obliges, under very fevere penalties, lt all perlons baring any *' office or place of truft or profit — to receive tht lacra- <{ ment of the Lord's (upper, according to the ufage of <c the church of England) in ifome panib c! urch, on a *6 Lord's day, immeoiately after ciivia - ' p.d f«;.-i-
*c mon, and to deliver a cmifkute of hiv-, _r H^.,ccived <c it, under the hands of the refpeclivc nvniiUrs and <; chutch Wa/dens, proved by two credible witriefies, Cf upon oath, to be recorded in the court." THs act is complained of as a grievance by the melt judicious part of the nation. And though it is <efp?nfed with, in many ififtances^yet why is it kept i:i be g, unlefs that it may prove an inftrument of o}-p.e.Tivi>j when the times will permit I
an invaluable Bkjjlng. j,i
as a degree 6f legal impofition -, it is, at leaft, depriv- ing a great number of le^al fubjecls, of the common; priviledges of britr/Jj fubjedts, for ading up to their own cpnfciences. And, for what, do they deferve this hardfhip ? — Have they not ever been fteady to the government, as eftablifhed at the revolution ? Have they not ablility and will to ferve the publick ?. Have they not a natural claim to the priviledges of Englifhmen ? When, therefore, they are, by law, ex- cluded from all places of honour and truft, unlefsi upon fuch conditions as they cannot in confcience comply with, what is this, but a ftriping them of the priviledges of fociety, and keeping them, to a certain degree*, in a (late of oppreffion and perfecution ?
IT is not without pain at heart, that I review the fufferings of the conicientious nonconformifts through: a long courfe of years. Some of the bed men — many of the beft chriftians—hundreds of the beft minifters, that ever were in the nation, have felt the rigors of perfecution for confcience fake. They endured filenc- ing, fines, imprifonments, and lingering deaths. Who can read, without a bleeding heart, the unrelenting cruelties of Parker, Whitgift, Bancroft and Laud9. un- der whom, hundreds of godly minifters, were either loaded with fines or mut up in filthy jails, or obliged to fly their countries. What miftaken zeal was it that ejefted 2000 minifters in one day, excellent pious divines, whofe writings will be highly efteemed, as long as there is real piety in the nation ? — Abandoned to poverty and death -, inhumanly banifhed from the places of their miniftry, leaft triofe, who had tafted the fweet of their labours, mould afford them any relief ? — May God forgive this miftaken teal, -and leC not the fin be found charged upon them in the great day.
MY Brethren, I fay not thefe things to raife your tinchriftian refentmentj but to enlarge your gratitude;
32 Religious Liberty
that you live in a better age, and in a land of liberty* Thoufands in former days, doubdefs, abhorred thofe perfecuting meafures, and thoufknds of their fucceffors, in the church, abhor them in the prefent day. Mucli of the blame was owing to the times^ as well as the men. Liberty of confcience, the rights of private judgment, and the abiurdity of advancing the king- dom of Chrift., by penal laws, were not To well under- ftood, among any denominations of chriftians, as they have bztnfmce. It feems to have been, through the fpecial interpofition of heaven, that our fathers ob- tained, from the Crown, a grant of this country, with fuch#full liberty of confcience \ and what a kind pro- vidence i§ it, which, through all the changes and re- volutions of our mother country, in the 130 years pad, hath fuffered no durable change in our religious liberties. Here we dwell in a land of light, a region of liberty : We worfhip God according to the order of his fancluary ; a happinefs, that thoufands of the bcft men have not enjoyed.
THESE things, to men wholly indifferent to religi- on, and flrangers to ferious imprefllons, may ieem to be trifles. One way of worfhip is to them as good as another, any or none may be, to them, alike -, but to men who are ferioufly concerned to fecure the divine acceptance, and enjoy the word and ordinances in gof- pel fimplicity, religious liberty is one of the mod pre- cious jewels on earth. The rights of confcience are facred ; and what is there worth enjoying here, if we are deprived of the free enjoyment of the word, ordi- nances, and worfhip of God, in conformity to our own confciences ? Let it become ah article in your daily thankfgivings ; let this be a principal fubjeft of, our unfeigned praife on this anniverfary and joyful day. Happy is the people that is in fuch a cafe, yea happy is that people whofe GOD is the LORD.
DISCOURSE
<*::so«<X
;:v ; . "^ . .
Religious Liberty ari irivalii- able Blemng.
DISCOURSE II
..•*;•: • ;?-i ' • • ' ; • . •• • • v : .-i " ?
III. T PROCEED, as was propofed, to confided the nature of that liberty wherewith, we , * apprehend, Chrift hath. made us free •, the religions liberty which we, through the wonderful providence of God, do enjoy, in tills land. And
IN general : It is the liberty of" worfhipping God^ in his ordinances, in gofpel fimplicity, without the unfcriptural impofitions of men. This is the liberty for which our fathers came into this land, and this is the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us free.
•
IT may not be amifs, now we are upon this fub- je6t, nor unprofitable, efpecially to our youth, to ftiew particularly what were the uhTcriptural jmpo- fitions, under which our fathers groaned 5 what were the things, with which they could not comply j andj for the non-compliance with which, they drew on themfelves thofe difficulties, which occalioned their remove to this land, And herej
E
BOUC
34 Religion? Liberty
THOUGH I Will not pretend to relate every thing that was matter of grievance, yet 1 will give you the principal exceptions they made to the eftabiifh- ed government, worlhip and difcipline •, and that, very much, in the manner, in which, I find them fummed up, by an able and faithjul hiftorian. *
T&EY complained of the bifieps affecting to be thought an order fuperior to prejlyters ; and claim- ing ihtfole right of ordination, and the/0/<? exercife of ecclefiaftical difcipline, as having no foundation. in fcripture, nor primitive antiquity ; and bting contrary to the judgment and example of all the proteftant churches abroad.
THEY alfo diiliked the temporal dignities annexed to their office, and their engaging in fecular employ^ inents, as tending to exalt them above their bre- thren, as not agieable to their character, as mini- fters of Chritl, rior confident with the due difcharge bf the facred rrliniftry.
THEY excepted to the titles and offices of drc6- dtacons, Deans ^ Chapters^ and other offidah^ belong- ing to cathedrals* as having no foundation in icrip* ture, or primitive antiquity.
THEY complained of the cruel unreafonable ev- erclfe of church-powtr •, and that the higher! cen- fures in the church were in the hands of laymen^ and not in the fpiritual officers of the church.
THEY alfo lamented the want of a godly difci~ {)line, and were grieved at the proMifcuoUs acCefs of all forts of peifons to the Lord's fupper, when the church, in her own articles, is defcribed to be " d congregation of faithful perfons."
AtTHOUOjJ * Ntafs Hift, 6f the Puritans vol» I. p. *57«
$n invaluable Blejfing. 55
ALTHOUGH they did not difpnte the lawfutnefa pf fet forms of prayer, yet they defired a liberty for prayers of their o,w'n compofure^ in the public wor- (hip ; and they difliked fome things in the public, liturgy. As, the frequent repetition of the Lord's, prayer ; the interruption of the prayers, by {he re- Jfonjes of the people, which is practised in no other proteftant church in the world. They alfo except- ed to fome patfages in the offices of burial and marriage \ as thee with my body I ibee worjbip^in the former ; and thee, in fure and certain bope of tbe refurr.eftion to everlaftjng life, to be pronounced over the worft of men, except in a few cafes.
THEY like wife difliked the reading the apocrypbafr kooks^ in the church, while fome parts of canonical iaipture were omitted ; they alfo thought no man ought to be ordained a minifter in the church, who 'was incapable of preaching and expounding the fcripture. This was a frequent grievance in tbofe, days. One of their common complaints was, thac there were fo many unpreachmg miiniilejs, pluralifts and non-refidents ; and that men were prefentecl to livings in the church, by royal authority, bifhops, and lay patrons, wljen they ought to arife |from th». of the people*
THEY alfQ difapproved of the obfervation of fundry of-thcfeftiva/s and holidays of the church, a$ having no foundation in fcripture, or antiquity.
THEY di.fallowed of the cathedral mode of (hip, of finging their prayer s^ and of the Antiphons^ or chanting the plalms by turns ; nor did they ap-. prove of inftrumental muiic in the church, which wiiS not in ule in the church for above 1290 years;
E 2
*& Jksliffious Liberty
i> _ ^. . ,
after Chrift, but was, cenfequently, brought in* in the depths of popery ^
THEY alfo fcruplecl * conformity to certain rites and ceremonies which were enjoyned by the rubric k^ o.r the royal authority : And would not be defpenfed wiih, in compliance with tender confciences. As,
TtiEjign of the crofs in baftijin, which is no pare of the inftitution in fcnpture, and of whole ufe; in baptifrn, there is; no exprefs mention made, until the 5th century \ and had been abufed to fuperfti» tioti by the church of Rome.- They alfo difallowed of the fraptifm, by midwives °, and of the runner of churching women, -which they thought look'd toa jpuch \[\z&jewijh purification.
THEY alfo excepted to the ure of god-fathers and god-mothers^ to fhe exclufion of parents, from being fu re ties for the education of their own children.— To giving biatbsntfo names— and the anfwcr given & tbe name of the child. They like wife difapprov- <ed the time and manner of confirmation. They ex- cepted to the injunHjon of kneeling at the iacr.a- ii.eni of the Lord's fupper, as not agreable to the example of Chrift, and his Apoftles ; which, they believed, hath no foundation in a; tiquiiy, for many hundred years after Chrift, and hath been prscliled by the'papifts in their worfhip of the elements : At leaft, they thought, kneeling at the communion ought to be left inaiffertnt. They di (liked the bow- ing, at the name of Jefus, as grounded upon a falfe interpretation of fcripture, and favouring of fuper- ftition, " As alfo, the giving the ring in marriage, derived from the papifts, who make marriage a fa-
cramentp
* See Dr. Edwards'S) a divine of the church of England,^ /A Theplogia reformata, vol. i. p. 658. —^Piercis vindica- tion, p. 391, &c, — Homily a, of the fleet and time c£ prayer.
an invaluable Buffing. 37.
crament, and the ring a facred fign or fymbol : As alib the forbidding of marriage at certain iealons.
THEY alfo difliked the wearing the furplice^ and other ceremonies in divine fervice, of which the church fays, in the preface to her liturgy, that, tho* they were devifed by men^ yet tbey are rejerved for de- cency^ order and edification \ but our fathers faw no decency in thefe veftments, and, as they had been abufed to popery, they thought them abfolutely unlawful, and fuppoied the ufe of them a giving encouragement to the church of Rome, and that there were no foundation for them, in fcripture or primitive antiquity. *
THESE were the things impofed on our fathers, by human authority, contrary to the judgment of their own cqnfciences : Thefe grievances they la- boured for the redrefs of, many years ; but, all that time, dould obtain no relief. They faw the refor- mation (land (till, and could obtain no nearer ap- proach to the fimplicity of gofpel worfhip and dif- cipline — at length, as it were, guided by a divine direction, they refolved on tranfporting themfelves
to
i
* And if we add but one article more, though indeed that is a capital and fundamental one, we have the chief heads of controverfy, between the church of England and the proteftant dij/enters, at this day ; and that is our exception to that part of the 2oth article of the church, viz. that the church hath power to decree rites and ceremonies ; and authority in matters of faith. We know of no authority that Chrift hath delegated to his church to add to, or diminifh from the form of vtorfhip, which is already given us, in the new Teftament. And if the church of Eng- land hath fuch a power3 we fee not why the church of Rome hath not the fame priviledge. Inftead of the chur- ches having authority in matters of faith, we believe, the natural right every man hath to judge for himfelf, without being determined, by the laws of the civil ma- or the judgment of any church under heaven,
3 8 Religious Liberty
to this new world •, where they founded churches; and fet up God's worfhip, in a nearer conformity to the gofpel of Chrift,and carried the reformation from popery to a much greater perfection. The form of worihip and difcipline, on wh;ch they erected chur- ches here, was the fame, in iubftance, which we prc- ferve untp this day. A form approaching, as we believe, yery near to the plan of the new teftamenr, which we are not afhamed of ; but glory in, and hope in God will be the order of the New -England churches, until the bzadvi the church (hall appear.
BUT fome may demand, wherein confifteth the real valuable liberty, and perfection of our churches -, wherein confifts our nearer approach to goipel order, and the liberty with which (Thrift hath, in his pro- vidence, made us free ?
I ANSWER : In the firft place we difclairn all hu- mati authority, in matters or faith and worfhip : We regard neither pope nor prince as head of the church ; nor acknowledge that any parliaments have power to enact articles of doctrine, or forms of difcipline, or modes of worfhip, or terms of church communion. We utterly deny the power of any na-ional church, or even of the church univerfai^ to decree riles and ceremonies, in the worfhip of God, or to have au- thority in matters of faith. Or to make new terms of minifterial or lay communion, v^hich are nor al- ready made, in the new tei'Umenr.. * We utterly
difclaim,
* See the iniquity of requiring fubfcriptions to articles, of human compofition> fully expofrd in a book intituled The confefffmal. Said to be written by a dignified clergy- man, of the church of England. It i« an abfurd, I had alinoft faid, an impious reprefentation, that Chriil and his apoitles fettled no determinate form of' worship ^.:d
djfciplinf
an invaluable- Bkjpng. %$
idifclaim, and enjoy a liberty from all civil and etcle- fiajiical authority in matters of faith and worfhip. Chriir, and Chnft alone, we acknowledge and ful>- mit to, as Jole head, king, and lawgiver, in his church ; as alone having authority, by himfelf, and by his infpired Apoftles, to give us articles of faith; and to ihltitute rites and forms of worfhip and dif- cipline, in the church which is the houfe of the liv- ing God. We here kfTert, maintain, and enjoy the 'liberty of judging and acting for ourfelves, in mat- ters of religion ; God alone being the Lord of con- fcience, and his people accountable to him alone a£ their only fovereign; Thefe churches are founded on the natural right of private judgment j they are voluntary focieties of the faithful, for the worfhip bf God, in the manner, that they find prefcribed in God's word ; without the lead impofitions of hu- man authority, temporal or fpi ritual. Liberty is the fundamental principle of our eftablifhmcnt ; we are accountable to none burChfift. This liberty, blefled be God, we have fully enjoyed, from the beginning. Jt is a darling priviledge, which we cannot be too unwilling to give up. While we retain thi$Iifortyl we hold the door faft fhut againft fpiritual tyranny and impofitions on confcience. Indeed our churches,; on important oceafidns, afk advice and diredtion of their brethren, but even here all authority & coercive power is wifely guarded againft-~-to their own ma- iler every church, and every chriftidn, flandeth or falleth. Chrift alone is head of the church 5 to his injunctions we pay an implicit obedience, but from every other fpiritual jUrifdiclion, whether in popes,
in
difcipline in the church, but left thefe things to the civil magiftrate ; as if Chrift left his church a weak and help- lefs infant, to be nurfed, and formed by human authority : which feems to be the fenfe of a late ejjay on e wrote in anfwer to the Cwfe/ianali
40 Religious Liberty
in kings, in parliaments, fynods or councils, we claim and adt&ally enjoy a total exemption : Oh blefied priviledge !
WE enjoy a liberty from the power of unfcriptural officers and minifters, in the church of God ; we have but two orders of the miniftry, elders or/aftors, or prejl'yttrs or bi/hcps^ or overfeers, (for,;by all thde names, are the ordinary minifters of Chrift called, in the new teftament, from the feveral views of the na- ture of their office ) and deacons. As for arch and di- ccefan ^\^\Q^^arcb- deacons ^deans ^chancellors and other officers •, we, after the example of the proteftant churches abroad, reckon them quite unfcriptural, and ufelefs, and a vaft and needlefs charge to the people of God ; a yake of bondage, that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear £ we fee no eccle- fiaftical tribunals ere&ed among us : This we take to be an invaluable liberty •, may God enable us tq Hand faft in this liberty^ that this yoke of bondage may iiever be impoftd upon us !
ANOTHER of our ecclefiaftical priviledges, is the liberty .of choofmg cur own minifters. This is a right founded in reafon, in fcripture, and the undoubted^ pra6lice of the church, in the primitive ages. When an apoille was to be chofen, the whole number of difcij^es were applied to, who appointed two as can- didates for the office. The church was likewile directed to loofc out among them fevcn men for deacons. The primitive bimops, or paftors, were undoubtedly elefted by the fufFrages of the churches, to which they miniftered. This liberty is yet pre- ferved in theie churches,and is oneof the beft means of preierving a pious and painful, laborious and hea- venly miniftry 5 and of making a religious people. Our minifters are never impofed upon us by royal( Authority, by bilhops or lay patrons. We call to
tlie
1
* ' "' • t-
. . an invaluable BkJJing*
miniftry-men that, we know, are approved of God ; furnifhed with gifts and graces for this work'. Nor can it be fuppofed that the people, who have f6 much regard for chriftianity as to defire a miniftry 'at #//, will become ever fo corrupt, as to prefer vici- bus and immoral men to take the care of their fouls', This is a liberty of ineflimable worth. Again,
,*.&; THE ordination of our minifters by the laying oa pf the hands of the prefby tery, ,or ordinary pallors of the church, is another part of the liberty wherewith Chrift hath made us free. And if any fhould, orj this accpunr, reproach us,, with the want of a regular and valid adminidration of the word and ordinances^ ,they would do well to confider, that . the minifters of almoft all the foreign .proteftant churches receive no other than prejlyterian ordination- The illuftri- ous proteftant churches of Scotland^ France, Holland^ Switzerland^ Gernia/iy, Poland, Hungary and Den* mark, have haB only this ordination. They who bbjecl a want of valid adminiftrations to us, on that account, would, therefore, do well to remember> that thereby, they do virtually excommunicate, al- hioft all the foreign churches in the world, except the church of Rome^ that mother of harlots and abo^ minatiom of the earth. * . Befides, f
F
* "
. . ..4 ; .
The Danijh church is at this time governed by bijhopsl> *' but they look on epifcopacy as only an human inftitu- <l tion i and the firft proteftant prelates of that kingdom "> were ordained by Bugenbagius^ a meer prefbyter— "fee the dijjenting gentleman s anfwer, p. 84.
It is inconteftably evident, that the firft reformers in land held the identity of fcripture prefbyters and bifhops ; and looked on epifcopacy in England only, as a meer civil appointment. — Dr. Bancroft, in a fermon in 1588, frft niaint£ined, that the bifhops of England were a diftin6t or- aer frbm^r/^, and had fuperiority over them jure divino,
and
^2- Religious Liberty
WHEN our minifters are ordained, and take upon them the overfight of the Hock of Chrift, they do not fpend their time at a diftance j in fecular em- ployments, in the courts of princes, in parliaments, or in foreign embaflys \ but they conftantly refide. among the flock •> and, as far as their circurnftances permit", they give themfelves to reading, to medi- tation an'd prayer ; preach the word, viiit the fick, comfort the fofrowful, and diligently employ them- felves in thbfe holy miniftrations, which may edify and comfort the people of their charge. We have no example of a non-refident minifter, or of feveral ecclefiaftical livings given to one man, to enrich him, while he is living at eafe : A practice loudly complained of by the bed men, and fcrupled by the bed minifters at home, and doubtlefs an awful hindrance to the falvation of fouls.
THE difcipline and cenfures of our church are not in the hands of hi/hops^ or lay chancellors^ or other Officers, and the admonitions and cenfures of the thurch adminiflred by them ; but every church,
according
and directly fromGod. ** This was new and ftrange doct- 44 rinetothe churchmen of thefe times. It had been always *' faid, that the fnperibrity of the order of bifliops, above *e prefbyters had been a politic human appointment, for the *' more orderly government of the church, begun about *' the gd or 4-th century ; but Bancroft was one of the firft, *' who, by the arch-bifhop's direction, advanced it into c< a diVide right." His fermon gave great offence ; but this doctrine was afterward promoted by Laud^ and o- thers, as fixing the cpifcopacy on the fureft foundation. However, it is doubtful, whether there has been in Eng- land, to this day.; properly any public exprefs affertion of the divine right of prelacy, either by parliament or convo- cation. Can any fuch thing be found in the 39 articles, <or in the Homilies, or in the form of ordination, or in . the common prayer-book ? — Vid. AW, vol. i. p, 330*— and Dr. Ckauncy's excellent difcourfe on the vaiiditf of ordination by prejbyters*
an rnvalualle Blejfing. 43
according to apoftolic example, claims it, as a gof- pel appointment to maintain the holy difcipline of Chrift in his church. As members one of another, they maintain a holy watch over one another ; re- prove, admonifh or caft out from their communion, according to the power given his churches, by our Lord Jeius Chriit
THE communion of (he body and blood of Chrift is not, in our churches, enjoyned by civil authority, to be given or received as a qualification for fecular offices ; our mjnifters are not obliged to adminifter the elements to any that come. We are not obli- ged to fee wicked and profligate men around the Lord's table, demanding the holy fupper as a qua- lification for the profitable employments of this world. *
Tf*s government and cenfures of our churches are not carnal, but fpiritual. Our Saviour declared that his kingdom was not of this world : Agreably, we difclaim all right to inflict corporal pains and punifri- ments -, or to deprive men of their money or e- itates. When we excommunicate an unworthy member, and cut him off as a rotten branch, we only judge him unworthy of fellowihip with us in holy or- dinances. We dare not pretend to the fword, left we periili by the fword. We know no Inch thing here as an ecclefiailical cenfure's, ciifabling a man from aflerting his ngtural rights, from being a witnefs, bringing an action againft a trepaffer, or making him liable to imprifonment for non-compliance ; thq, weapons of our warfare are not carnal but Ipiritual.
WE are not confined in the worfhip of God to fet
forms of prayer, eftablifhed by human authority ; but
according to the example of Chrift and his apoftlesa
F 2 andlj
g Vid. Denting geq'lf mat's aJifwer, pag.- 2.^.
Liberty
and the primitive church, we offer our religious fer- Vices in a more free and liberal manner •, in a lan- guage exprefiive of the fulnefs of our hearts, and ^uited to the various occafions and fubjecls of pray- er *, by which we find our hearts aifcc-ted, and ouif Spiritual. edification promoted. '»
WE; do not obferve days and times •, the f**fts9i feflivals and holidays in honour of Chri'it, or the taints A •which have rib foundation in the new teftament^ fior in apoftolic antiquity ^ but were invented in the times of popery. The Lord's day alone we eileem as facred, and, this day, after the example of the apoftles, we religidufly obferve, 'in honour of our Lord Chrift :— The reft, though they have a (hew 6f humility' and piety, yet,!not 'being the inftituti- ons of Chrift, but the inventions of fuperRicious we dare not impofe ar obferve,
A DECENT and reverend order we obferve in our; public worfliip, but the neater we come to the fim- plicity of gofpcl times, we account it the Better :, We ailov/. to no man,; or body of men, nor to any; authority, civil or facred, rany power to decree rites, or ceremonies, or forms of \?vorfhip, or ad mm id rati- on of facraments, which are not found in the gofpel. It is enough to engage us to reject them, not that ^hey are not- expreliy forbidden, but that they are Dot enjoyned/ We have n'o power to $dd, or obferve the inventions of men. for decency or ornament, let the pretence'be ever fo plaufible. Hence our ad- fniniftration' of the word facramenls and prayers i$, ftript of allhuaian adorhings ; of thofe ceremonies,, $cc.' vyhich we account the relkks of fu; erftition, and which were once fubfervient to that deformed the ho,ufe pf.Gp8.
an invaluable, Bleffing. 45
IN fine : We claim and exercife tlie liberty of a ftill further reformation, and a nearer approach to gofpel order, when we mall receive further light. We 4o not pretend that our churches are perfec^, and that no change could, in any refpedt, be made in our difcipline, for the better : In iome refpects, I am perfwaded, we might come nearer to gofpel order. But vyhere is there perfection, in this world ? Where is the church, in this world, that is perfect- ly, in all points, conformed tq the gofpel ? Some things needed to be fet in order^ in the churchy planted by the apoflles, a,nd watered under their eye. We- pretend not to infallibility; we feek further direction, and nothing hinders our improve- ment in the worfhip and difcipline of God's houfe. We are not obliged to afk the liberty, or wait the motion of our fuperiors whether we fhall reform what is amifs. We are not liable to an interdiction from authority, civil or ecclefiaftical, when we would embrace what, appears to us, agreable to tbe will of Clirilt, and for fpiritual edification, g, ;;
THESS are the ftcred liberties in \vhjch we glory ; we are no: afhamed of our profeffion, or afraid to defend our gofpel order. In. the peaceful enjoy, inent of thefe liberties^ and the maintenance of our gofpei order, for feveral generations paft, we have experienced the fpiritual preferice of Chrift, in his ordinances. God hath blefFed his word and ordi- nances, to the edification and comfort of thoufands, Already, as we believe, gone to glory. And though no church can boaft of univerfal piety in its mem- bers, yet, blefTed be God, we have great mul- titudes obedient to the faith ; our churches have reft and are edified \ and, walking in the fear of the Lord^ $nd in the comforts of the Holy Gboft, they are muhi- whHe the purity of divine worfhip is
4$ Religious Liberty.
maintained, we doubt not of the fulfilment of glorious promife of the head of the church : Lo J am wit'h you alway, even to tbe end of the world. Amen. Be it unto thy lervants according to thy word.
THERE are pot wanting, even in our day, thofe, who adventure to reprefent the planters of thefe colonies, and their pofterity, in the very worft light ; as though they had loft their native religion, aban- doned the worfnip a^d loft the knowledge of God, a;e become heathens themfelves, are found living in many places in dijflolute wickednefs, and the mofi brutal fir ojligacy of manners, and laughing at the bible.*
But
•* Reference is here had to the two 1 aft fermons preached before the incsrpora tedfociety for t})e propagation of tbe gef- pel} in foreign parts : In the former of which, preached by the bijbop of Gloucefler9 is this unkind, and we think, injurious reflection upon us. " Thus it came to pafs, **. that the very people, whofe fathers were driven for ^ conscience fake into the wafte and howling wildernefs, " is now as ready to laugh at that bible, the iroft pre- *' cious reli<ft of their ruined fortunes, as at their ruffs
<' and collar bands/'
*" '
In the latter of thefe difcourfes, preached this very year, by the bifhop of Landajf, are fuch expreilions as thefe : *' To the adventurers, what reproach co-ild be caft . hea- <4 vier than they defervefi ? Who, with their native foiJ, *c abandoned their native manners and reiigicn, aiid e'er <c long were found, in many parts, living without re- <c membrance or knowledge of God, without (Hv;»ie wor- V fhip, in diflblute wickednefss and t\e moil brutal profii- "-gacy of manners. Inftead of civiiizi.og and converting " barbarous infidels, as they undertook to do, they became " themfelves infidels and barbarians," &e. — V\\z injuries and cruelty of fuch reflections, as pointed at the: frew- England colonies, *KQ judiciwfy expofed by D». Chavr.cy^ in a letter to a frieni, publifhcd fince the preachir.g of thefe (MY) diicourfss.
Npj;
an invaluable Bleffmgi 47
But God knows how unjuftly thefe things are faid of us, iq this land. More was never done by a peo- ple, according to their ability, to uphold religion* : Our churches are numerous 5 fcarce any part of thefe fettlements is deftitute of a fettled miniftry $ our churches are adorned with worthy and re- fpectable paftors, who feed the people with know- ledge and underftanding : And as much of the form of religion is found amongft us, as in any pare of Chriftendom. We are obliged to fuch as are not afhamed to vindicate our reputation, and plead for our facred liberties.
WE freely confefs, that^ however uninviting a worfhip, quite fimple in its nature, a miniftry ftript^ like ours, of fecular honours and emoluments, may appear to others, yet to us, who embrace religion as the way to heaven, and not to the great things of this world, our gofpel order and worfhip is ex- ceeding dear.* We rejoice 5 we blefs God for thefe
liberties,
Nor can we comprehend what can be the defign of fuch repeated mifreprefentations of us, unlefs it be to fhew the neceffity, and to help forward the great defign of extend- ing epifcopacy over the colonies ; which bufinefs accom- plifhed, his Lordfhip (of Landaff) declares, «« then the " bufmefs of this fociety will have been brought to the " happy iffue intended."
* The general regard, that this people have to our prefent religious liberty^ is juftly fet forth by Dr. Chauncy^ in his aforefaid remarks on the bifhop of Landaff's fermon. — • " We (fays he) in thefe parts, not only know the errand " of our fore- fathers into this country, but have been, <c well indoctrinated in the principles of chriftian liberty. " We prefer our own mode of worfhip and difcipline, to t5 that of the Englijh church ; and we do it upon prin- u ciple, as really believing that it comes nearer to the *l purity and fimplicity of gofpel direction. And, as
" thefe
Religious "Liberty
•
as one of the principal glories of our land* If there be any who would gladly fee our fpiritual freedom taken away, and thefe American churches' fubjecled to eft f copal jurildicYion, we hope their numbers are comparatively fmall : And we truft in God, and the King, that all attempts to wreft our liberties from us will prove ineffectual. We have had kings, the fathers of fa c red liberty : Such was the glorious William III, fuch was the iliuftrious George I,' fuch was Georgt II, than whom, a more a- iriiable and happy prince never fat on a throne ; fuch a fovereign, is now on the britijh throne ; witK fuch princes may the kingdom be blerffed/i? long as t*oe moon fhall endure*-*— — I come in the laft place to mew — —
IV. THAT it highly becomes us to underftand and be thankful for our privijedges, and tojland faft in the LIBERTT wherewith Ckrift bath made us free. God, my brethren, hath called us to liberty — - in a wonderful manner did he bring our fathers into tnis land of liberty, and now, for more than an hun- dred
*c thefe are the generally prevailing fentiments in New- fc England^ and their conduit has all along been gcne- *? rally conformable hereto, we have no fearful appre- ** henfions of a departure herefrom ; but are rather fully <c perfwaded, they will {land faft to their principles, and <; clofely adhere to that mode of worfhip, which has hi- *f therto been in ufe among them, whatever attempt^1 46 may be made to turn them afide," p. 53.
And again, p. 47. " It may be relied on, our people would 44 not be eafy, if retrained in the exercife of that liberty " wherewith Chtift hath made them free ; yea, they would *' hazard every thing dear to them, their eftates, their ** very lives, rather than fufter their necks to be put " under that yoke of bondage, which was fo fadly gall- 4< ing to their fathers, and occafioneci their retreat into «" this diftaht land, that they might enjoy the-.frcedcigf " 6f men and chriftians."
un tnvtiluabTe Bleffing.
dre\i years, hath he continued us in the Full and per? feet enjoyment of our religious liberties — no weapon formed againft us hath profpered. Let us under- hand our liberty, let us prize it, as ome of the great- eft bleflings ; let us improye it to the nobleft pur*; pofes, and ft and {aft therein.
, FAR be it from me to encourage a fpirit of bit? ternefs, or cenforioufnefs towards fuch as differ froni us -9 the religion of our common mailer forbids all anger,, malice, judging, and centering one another. We mould wa\k in love with all that call on tho Lord Jefus thrift with a pure heart. Among all denominations of chriftians. there are jto be found ferious men and women, the true children of God. We are not to wonder that perforis .commonly pre- fer the mode of worfhip in which they were edu- cated. T,he church of .England we honour as an il- luftrious branch, of ' .t\\etreformati.on,(vAtho*. we think; there is room for a ftill further reformation). Man$ of her minifters of this, as well as of former ages, we hpnour, as divine's of great learning and piety ; and many of her members \ve,fmcerely refpe6t, as per- lons of fincere ,piety, .goodnefs, candour and mode- ration. Religion is never a proper occafion of ftrife and angry contention. We mould do good to all £ wim grace, mercy and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jefus Chriftj to all that love the Lord Jefus in fincerity.
I .,» •-•' • i «>> ? 1' .'; , ' ' ?"- .'.,
IT feems to be an infelicity; infe|DeraBle froth our prefent imperfect ftate, that wife and good. men can- not always think alike. This is doubtlefs permitted^ that there may be place for the exercife of mutual candour and forbearance : It is an unhappinefs than God's children deeply lament -, hereby their longing Hefires iirc led forth after that land of light &.lpycj|
G Mere
50 Religious Liberty
where the mifls of ignorance and miftake will be done away ; where they (hall be of one mind, and unitedly worfhip the Father, in that houfe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. — In the mean time, it is greatly to be wifhed, that good men of all de- nominations, might rightly confider the infirmity of the prefcnt life, love as brethren, living in the exer- cife of candour and forgivenefs. Whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the fame nth, let us mind the fame thing. But this notwithstanding, we may know and efteem our priviledges ; we may hold them faft as one of the richeft gifts of God : Oh ! liberty of conference ; \.\\t purity of God's worfhip and ordinances, is one of the greateft blefllngs on earth.
PARENTS, aged perfons, and perfons of fuperior understanding, mould be particularly careful to re- commend our facred liberties.- — It might be of great fervice, to tell your children of the great defign of our fathers coming over the wide atlantic^-\hz diffi- culties which brought them from their native land — the hardiliips they underwent in fettling this howling wilclernefs — the patience with which they endured them, while they had reft and freedom In the wor- fhip of God- — with the Excellency of our worfhip and difcipline, and its agreement with the word of God.
OUR young people alfo mould learn to know our liberty. The pure worfhip of God, for which your fathers gave up their native land — abandoned the land of their fathers fepulchres—ventured over a tempeftuous ocean^ — expended their fubftance — fet- tled themfelves amid ft lavages and wild beafts, and maintained dreadful wars with the natives — the pure worftiip and gofpel liberty^ for which our fathers did thefe things, doth, at hafl, deferve a ferious regard. Should we, or any fucceeding age, defpife our liberty^
fa
6# invaluable Bkjjlng.
fo dearly bought, what do we, but trample upon our fathers duft, and difturb the afhes of our godly an- ceftors, whotpurchafed this land for us at fo great: expence ? Surely, the religious liberty^ and gofpel prder, which they purchased for us, at fo dear a price, deferves ourferious refpect, and is not, vainly and incon/ideratelytQ be given away.
THESE churches, from the beginning, have been furnifhed with as able and ufeful minift^rs, as any churches in the world j. and fuch> I hope in God, they are fupplied with at this day. It will therefore be one means of retaining out? liberties, to encou- rage their hearts & ftrengthen their hands. While they labour in the word and doctrine, it is the wik clom of the churches to efteem them highly in love, and to make their circumftances eafy unto them. Under the prefent; ecclejtafticalconftitution, your mi-, ciders have aot the profpects of rich benefices ; of amaffing riches \ of fumptuous tables and tfately equipage ^ — our ftations are not places of eafe and profit -, but of labour and diligence. We leek not the great things of this world ; we gladly renounce all hopes of thefe temporal emoluments, that our miniftry may be ufeful to your fouls, and your /;- .herty may be preferved. All we expect,_ all we de- fire for ourfelves, and families, is a decent fupport, a freedom to attend the duties of our office, and the means of making fuch provifioa for our families, as our neighbours, in common, are able to do, in fe- cular life. It would be cruel hard to deny this, and more we do not expect nor defire. Some other e- fiafylifhment might make us rich and independent,, but we defire no other, we feek no-other ; we feek not yours, but you ; you find none more foliicitous, tp.preferye your facred priviledges than yoyr mini-
Q. 2 >&
J3 Religious Liberty
fters, who alone could form expectations from 2^ Change. Gratitude 'and love will then engage the people of tins land, to comfort their minifters hearts'^ to afford them ' a "relpedful iubfiftence -, to place them out of circumftanccs of diftrefs, that they may tfnake full proof of their miniftry -3 fave their ow;a fouls, and them, that hear them.
MAY I be allowed., with all humility to add ;-— that it highly becomes our 'civil rultrs^ efpecially the repreientativcs of this people, to watch over our fa-* ired^ as well as our civiriibsrtits. Far be it from me to defire that the civil arm fhould be (Iretched ouc to pqnifH heretics *, human decrees are not the rneahs to propagate the religion of Jefus : For this, we defire t>ut the weapons' of light 'and truth, the Avord 6f the fpiric, and the liberry of free enquiry. But yet'the majeftrate is to be the' minifter of Goii for gbed -3 by1 upholding mankind in the'ir chriftiah liberty ;'' by defending chriftians from exterior vid- lehce, by fupporting/t^Wj and colleges for training up bur ybuth for the work of the miniflry ; and by- giving due encouragement for men of ability to un- dertake the facred' employment. We' wifh never to find authority inverted in men, unfriendly to the facrM liberties of their country ; that would dil> courage a ierious miniitry, or would meanly facrk fice our lacred rights for any temporal advantage^ to themfclves. * "
* May I be permitted to add ; It was an evidence of the noble and liberal' fpirit of our fathers, not only that they fo early founded, zfeminary of learning, for the educauo^i of youth foj the rninlftr/ ; bu{ alfo that; they, by a law, obliged every town to keep a grammar fchool. This hath proved of excellent fervire, nnt only for fitting chiH- <^ren for the college^ with very 'little expence, by which,
an invaluable BleJJlng. 53
STAND faft, may brethren, (land fad in your fa- fcred liberties : Uriderftand your freedom ; honour your noble anceftors, keep dole to- Ch rift, and pre- ferve his inftitutions in their purity : Be difcreec^ and (leady in the eAercile of your liberty. Brethren* be per/eft, be of good tcmfori\ be of one wind* five in > and the>God of love and peace Jh all be with you.
OUR liberties, both civil anc} facred, are truly our own ; they are what our fathers dearly bought ; they defcend to us as z patrimony purchafed at their expence. They were driven by fpiritual tyranny from the land of their fathers fepulchres. Encou- raged by the Royal Grant of full liberty, of confci- ence, at a vail: expence they tranfplanted themielves and families over the extended ocean, t.hey fut>dued the wildernefs, built them houfes, planned them: or- chards, defended th'emfelves againft the favages, and widely extended the Britifh dominions, at their <^;tf expence, without any charge to the cduntry,from which they came. They for more than an hundred years, defended their own fettlements, and waged defenfive wars with the barbarous Indians, in which, <ome tboufatids of our brave inhabitants have peiifh-
ed.
means a greater number have been educated ; but alfp as it hath afforded a fuitable employment for young* men, after they have paffed through the college-, and they have been able to maintain themfelves, while following their ftudies for the miniftry. And without this provifion the churches would never have had the fervices of many, who have been burning and (hining lights in this country. If therefore any of our people do, or (hall, defire to ob- tain a repeal of this excellent law, we muft either fuppofe them to be deceived by the artful infmuations of ill de- figning men, or they betray an infenfibility of the inte- reft of their country, and an illiberal fpirit, cnjite ,unwor;» ^hy of their no^le ancefors, ' v , ; '
54 Religious Liberty,
cd. It is computed, by an aut sind abilities among us, * " that from 1675, when «' Phillip's war began, to 1713,^^ w fix .thoufand V of the youth of the country had periflitd, by the. " enemy, or by diftempers contracted in the fer- V vice ; nine in ttn of thefe would have been fathers V of families, and, in the courfe of forty years, have " multiplied to near an hundred thoujand fouls.'5' And in our own days, two or three thoufand young men periihed at, and after, the fiege of Lauijbourg^ in 1745. And perhaps the lofs of the New-England Colonies, during the laft war, in battles, fieges, and by ficknefs, could not fall much fhort of ten thcufand men ; yea the aforementioned Hiltorian fuppofes, *' it is probable, there would have been two hundred thoufand fouls more, than there this time, in
New- England^ if the French j <-n driven frem
Canada an hundred years ago.*'
To God almighty we have forfeited every blef- fing : But of man we hold our liberties as an here- ditary right •, as the inheritance of our dear ancelt- .prs, dearly obtained with their blood and treaiure. We have ever been a loyal people •, we think our feves happy under the Britifo government •, we have never forfeited our priviledges ; we have enlarged the kingdom, and are yearly enriching our mother- country •, and mould any attempt be made to re- ftrain us in the exercife of our liberty, we ihould be deeply grieved, and think ourfelves very hardly dealt by : Defpifed be the bafe foul who lhall, like EfaU) for one morjel of bread^ fell his birthright,
As our numbers increafe, it may be expected they will increafe, who are indifferent to things of a
fpiritua]
• See Lieut. Governor Hutcbinfon's hift. of Bay, vol. 2. p, 201, and 202» margin.
an invaluable Blejfing. 55
rpiritual nature, and liberty of confcience will pro- portionably be defpifed : But it is with the greater! pleafure, we lee, at this time, our numbers increafe, numerous churches rifing in the wilderniefs, firmly - united, with us, in the lame mind and judgment^ and our Colleges fupplying them with able and pro- mifiag Paftors •, fo that to them is applicable that of the Prophet, Ifai. 35. ), 2. The wildernefs and the folitary place /ball be glad for them £ and the defer t Jhall rejoice and bloffom as the rofe. It Jhall bloffom abundantly ', and rejoice even with' joy- and Jinging. The. glory of Lebanon Jhall be given unto it, the excellency of Sharon and Carmel •, they jbdl fee the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.
THIS is one of the firft Towns* which our fathers planted in the wildernefs ; it hath ever enjoyed d fafe protection from the barbarians. The preach- ing of the word, arid adminiftration of ordinances was early fet up* on this f pot of ground. No chur- ches have enjoyed more excellent advantages thari this, under the able and long miniftry of the re- nowned Eliot and Walter, affifted by the worthy Weld, Danforth and others,. * Under their long
and
* The ctiurch in Roxlury was gathered in July 1632, and
then the Rev. Thomas Weld, invefted with the paftoral
office ; but in 1639, he returned to England. In Nov. 1632, the Rev. John Eliot, was made a teacher of
this church — he died may 20, 1690. Sept. 24, 1650, the Rev. Samuel Danforth, was ordained
paftor ; and died Nov. iq, 1674. 061. 17, 1688, the Rev. Nebemiah Walter, was ordained
paftor ; and died Sept. 17, 1750. Oft. 19, 1718, the Rev. Thomas Walter, was ordained co-
paftor ; and died Jan, 10, 1725. Nov. 7, 1750, the Rev. Oliver Peabody, was ordained paftor;
he died May 29, 1752*
56 Religious Liberty
and eminent minittry, we believe, many were made, meet, to be partakers of the inheritance of the faints in light ; whom we exped to meet . in heaven. To their inftrudive mimftry it is, under God, to be af^ cribed, in fome meafure, that this people have been, ib remarkably fteady to the principles of our puritan fathers, and that we walk in gofpel order, with fo much unity and love ; behold how good and how plea- fant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.
where nre they, and the prophets, do they live for ever ? They are long fince fallen on fleepj and gone to. Chrift, and have left their fair inheritance to us their children. Let us not forfake, the God of our fathers, now the wilde.rnefs is become a fruitful Jie id. They had their failings, but their virtues were eminent ; they loved God, they loved his ordinances, here they found rdt and pleafure. A new country, the bare ncceifaries of life, a land full of favages, where they had undiilurbed com- munion in gofpel ordinances, was dearer to them than the garden of the world, while they wanted the food for their fouls, Thus Jaith the Lord, I r member thee, the kindnefs of thy youth t the love cf thine epou- Jals, when thou wentefl after me in the wildernefs, in a land that was not j own Oh let. us remember from whence we are fallen, and repent and do our firft' works. Let us love the word and the ordinances of Chrift, as they loved them. Let us drive to re- vive primitive religion, and approve ourfelves the worthy children of fuch virtuous anceftors. The Lord is with you, while ye be with him ; and if ye feek him he will be found of you ; but if ye for Jake him, he •will forfake you.
BRTHREN, ye are called unto liberty, only abufe fioc liberty for an occafion to the flelh, but by love
tin invaluable BleJJing*
ferve one. another. Let us, by no means, turn the grace of God into licentioufnefs ; let us fteadily at- tend the word of God j devoutly obferve his infti- tutions. — Let us abound in the fruits of righteouf- nefs ; in that piety, honefty, love and goodnefs, which will recommend our worlhip to all that be- Jiold our.gpod convention in Cfrrift. Let us not reft in the form of godlinefs, denying the power thereof, Let us fee that we have that. heart-purity, which is more than any external form \ for unlefs we are real, hearty, devout chriltians, who worjhip God in the fpirit^ we. may perifh from the pureft church in the world, and all thefe, facred liberties will avail us nothing to our faivation.
BLESSED fa the Lord, that hath given reft unto his, people* — the Lord our .God be with us, as he was witfr fathers, let him not leave us> nor for fake us.
AMEN,
tf^\ *^ <S^ &i\ **&. ^^ jW^
The HYMN, fung after Serrnon,
% A RiSE> ° King of grace, arife, JLX- <c and enter to tny reft,
^ Lo ! thy church waits with longing V: thus to be own'd and bkft,
& Enter, with all thy glorious train,
" thy fpirit and thy word , \\ All that the ark did once contain,
cc could no fuch grace afford.
*c Here, mighty God, accept our yovys^ " here let thy praife be fpread \
\e. Elefs the provifions of thy houfea V. and fill thy poor with bread.
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