The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1773-09-02

| ne obliged TO execute every vote which II Is
poiIible church may pats, without any re
gard to their own eOnlisnee. NO doubt the
PoRsys of our churches ought to have as
mEeb liberty as any other members Other
members have liberty to withdraw when
hey cannot join with the church IN any
particular acts of communion, but it the
oaffor withdtaws in cafes where he is the
snfy one in the church that can execute, his
svitbdrasUing, or not eOncurring may render
vote of the church VOid and no cfs7.
We may ea6ly fupPofe cafes where an Hg'S
and vlnsyabk b0Rsr, together with the mott
ltrisns and judieioHs part OF his church,
could not agree with a majority IN Tome
very important matters of di(clpline. 10
Iluch cafes am fure you could not deiHe a
IGodIy miaiGer, in the name OF has great
IImaitcr, TO execute fuch votes as arc contra
/ ry 20 bis confidence you will allow a
Il miniRer in jeb CATS the liberty Of 1Oitb hold.
ing his content, which liberty mott certainly
belongs TO every private brother, have no
Ildifpute with you on the miniiteI's pss0sT OF
oegaiiving Allow your miniiters this liberty
which think you muf, ifyou fuppofe them
II 20 have condolences Of their own, and al
lIpEsEeAt, can fee nothing on this bead which
nesdtmake difference in anyof our churches.
3kEMr. Adams indeed, after explaining what
III ---~----y ~r~Ss ssOB~srvFSs6 we vvsSe
of the brotherhood, goes on to eylnce &C that
TIE mizjgeT'S net eOnjFnn1g 10 TIE UVfs Of fds
church, puts neg0tiVs Ep01 d.
Whether Mr.. Adams is right or not, in
what he offers upon this point, is quettion
did not pretend to decide. What | at
tempted in the SPY of AuguR s,h, was prin-
cipally to ihew, that Mr.. Adams is not fin
gular in his opinion that minilters have this
power of negaiving. In this attempt you
luppoic I entirely failed. And you are plea
led to fay, the lentences produced from the
Platform, DR. Mafbsr and others, " s0OEla be
No mare to The paypsf for which they might BE-
| lt6gned than 10 many fxtrat7I from A4sbGm-
msd'J Ksran." This indeed is a Ipeedy way
Of ending all controversy; but the miJfo'fEne
Il is, that your nervous exprefions are not con
vncing. -You will allow m: to review
the extracts | made, and perhaps it will ap.
pear was not 70 ehentially mifaken as you
at firff imagined. The extracts | made from
the Platform, were from chap. x. feet. 7. g.
and IL. The platform know very well,
luppofss an eidsrj6ip or p'Ugytery but the
Platform expressly Jays, " The ruling elders
are not 70 called to exclude the pojSnI and
ttOebeyI from ruling, becaufe ruling and 60
VsrnmTnt is common to tbsje with the other.
| The ruling elders work is, to join with the
pafor and teacher in thoie acts Of fpiritual
rule, which are diltincf from the nlinitry of
the word and fAcraments committed TO
them. THAT our venerable fathers conf
dered paifors and teachers as rulers in the
churches is as plain as language can make 1t:
And by con(ul,ing my Bible" the bef
book in the world, find the compiIeH Of
the Platform have enough to fuPPort them in
this opinion.
n As pe7or5 were conGdered by the compi.
lers of cur Platform, as SPIRITUAL RUL-
ERs, believe II would be very difficult fol
Il you to point out exactly how much Of that
pswr which belonged TO the tygigyfvy is
now buried in the gra.e Ofthe Ruling TlasrI.
i In a church organized sgteeabie to cur
platform, it is very evident theEidtyibip have
ntgOtiVt upon tic brotherhood. No
church aa can be Contaminated or perfected
without the csn(ent Of BOTH" Ia fuch an
organic fate think the potver5 of the
Elderlhip and The rigbH of the bro'her-
hood are pretty clearly aated.-But where
ruling Elders are lad aiide by naiHal l
1eszfaf, esd nothing has bsss flld :. pas