The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1773-08-05

I7SsaSSY<R to be wrote by a Neigh
SDGyOSSs0 bour, who, ei,hsr ihrodel
On yofs or wickldafG, has groisly mlire,
reen,ed the order and diftipine Of the
New England churches; this ihAl leave
, Mr.. Adams, who, If there lhould be
ccaiion therefor, have no doubt, is able
g, do it, to the (a,isfseiion Of the impartial
world B., as certain detached fentences
rom Mr.. Adams's peice, oPPofed by pa
agrsph or two from the writings of the
learned Mr. Towgood, appeared in laff
Mondays Gazette, what requef of you
IS to give the fame detached feniences a
place in your next paper, accompanied with
etached fenicpcss from feveral other wri-
tiers, by which the public may fee Mr.. A
Jams is not iingular in his fentiuients.
/" THE brsregatiUss Of a mimjfsrI stfts
are nat determined BY men. The people haze
Iasfbiag TO do in determining the posUsrl Of it.
Elders are called rulers in Je0syaL places
If Eripiuye; and the tVord5 m The original are
neb as to ronvy TO as the idea Of COVER
NoRs, COMMANDERS, CSC.
6 Jejm Cbvih, sUbo is the Japreme ruler
If the e6nreb, bling 6imtsJf okltnf, hs' igai
tuted RULERS in bis church. to tVbsm he re.
7uirf5 the fubmifion of the fraternity.
Z" The eldsys ayeRULERs inCh;P5 kingdom.
" The bretbrfn are obliged 10 obey.
/" II The people may pqjG sUbaf Vofes rbey
sOiA, sOitb tVbat trepristy can elders be called
RULERsl
an elder may refaIf bis content TO a
cbHreb aa. and when be does %, il has no va
hditY.
4" No ruling elders are laid ajdt wbO
had part Of The ruling pogOer, the whole
IS deO1lVed on the remaining branch.
I" Though minjqer is not OGkgsdtO mega
hVe every foodh vote Of The church, yet i
they @ouA paJG ons dirt7y eontra'y to the
laos and mferea Of CHRIST, and he knows
Is" (wbiebn Gpp'Fabie, though all tbs church
are to'ls) {" be is hound in Jaifbfai11i TO BIS
matter fOntgatiVs it.
{" If it 0ceqGon, difficulty, it maf be for
this reNjSn 0ay. bsedEis ebHrrbH are impatient
f all GOVERNMENT and CoNTRoUL and
" to 0Ssid 'h;s r.J'yn;nf, '6ey are earFfaltO
rake away this pOu err from their e'dtrs, BY par
heHIar EipHlafioa, then The eonltqufnes is, that
50tosUFr they my haze tbejS rUb0m they call
'reafbfr5, yet they are not in the enjoyment
II gofpel minifers ChrR having none in
MS church but fuch as are property rulers
Much J5onTy IV0uiH fVfry manly and con
'cientous mlnliter y1Ggn bis s6ffs, than give
p any part Of the p0IOsr annexed thereto BY
Iejm CbyW
i" The pqdOrs are 81 the dd0r keepers as to
res ent the admiDion and fxelnli'a Of psrI'n'
,hom they deem unworthy, even though
ere is vote Of the church for the doing
tnefe things"
= HI eader will now carefully attend to
What fl'ows.-s The platform owns no
,slAauve power belonging to the church"
Neis hbour p. 81. The conltquence is, all
ne avs and prerogatives belonging either
% the officers or the brstbsr. bod are deter
mined b, Je'usChriR, and if determined by
IefusChnit, ,hey are not determined by men.
The Holy GhoR frequently, yea al
ways. where it mentioned church rule and
zovernmenf, alcr,beth it to elceTs wherea,
he 1U~k and duty of the people is exPrefed
4 the phraGe of Obtying their elders, and
/lbmittizg lhemieives unto them in the Lord
So as it is manfeff that an o'ganick or com
oIete church is body politick, coniiitlng OF
Tome that are gOvernsrS, and Gome that are
govsrned in the Lord. The power which
Chrift has committed to the elders, is to
feed and rals the church Of God, and ac-
cordingly to call the church together upon
any weighty occafons ; when the members
70 called, wi,hou, jua caule, may not re-
fule to come, nor when they are come, de
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