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

III mas DtC0 ltfhflduS 10 thO'c - ihS
,ongreg a,iona per!Gafcn, that he name q
3,o1vnifs has been undeicrvedp mpofed
ipon them. from whom they differ f1sntiui
y. The BrslvmiRi make The community TO
'e rulers; whereas ,hoie Ct the congrega-
onsl dticiiplne, although hey believe ,hat
o,iVihgs and in that refped beaOsr, belongs
. the fra'e'n,y, yet that vah and ssve,n-
nsnt is peculiar to the pFtfb} terry, and thar
here cannot be gahd ebwcb a3 withou,
the content of The b,afbfr bad, nor wishou,
the concurrence Of the fLdHJ8ip. in an org
nick church. DIR. Increafe Ma.her, D.(-
quiz. on Eccl. Councils, pref p. ..
f" Elders have ntg0tiVe v9ies in their
particular churches, which our platform Of
diicipine gives them" ldem. p. ia.
4" True is, that of theie de egates from
the churches, the elders ought TO be prin-
cipally concerned. They are prefumed beli
to know the fate of the churches, and to
be left able to JUDGE in ecclefafical af-
fairs. This notwithstanding, they are not
to aflme the fole power to ihemfelves, nor
yet negative voice in fuch ahembies, as
they MAY in their own particular churches"
DIR. Increale Mather, the ORDER of the
GOSPEL. p. SO.
He aiIers, q. c. Mr.. Cotton il his
book of the Keys That prelbyterated TO-
clety Of the faithful, hath within itlelf, d
comp cate power of lelf reformation, OF if
you will, Of Ielf- pTefeTvation and may
within itfelf, manage its own choice of
officers, ard centuries of delinquen,s. Now
fpecial fatme law Of our land, having
excepted women and children from enjoy
ing any part of this power, he finds only
elders and bvstbren to be conhituent mem.
bers, who may ad in fuch facred corpo-
ration: The elders he finds the frf Gubjeeso
enuutted with government /; the brethren en-
dowed with privilege, in 70 much, that
though the flders are to rale the church, and
without them there can be no ELECTION,
ADMISSIONS, or RECOMMENDATIONS,
and they have NEGATIVE upon the aes
Of FrafYHify, as well as it is they only thar
have the power of authorization preaching.
and administering the facraments: Yet the
brethren have (uch liberty, that without
their content nothing of common concern
ment may be impofed upon them.-Never-
theefs, becauGe particular churches of ell
defs and brethren may abufs their powers,
with manifold miicatriages, he aAens the
neceilary communion of churches in fynods,
who have authority to dttsvminf, declare and
eni0ia fuch things as may reStify the male
adminIftrations,as any dJSrdsr5, di1FnfioaS or
f0sfaf0Ss of the congregations which fail
under their cognizance. But fill, 70 as to
leave unto the particular churches them
felves the formal acts, which are to be done
PURSUANT unto the advice Of the council
Upon the fcandalous ard obifinate refufal
whereof, the council may determine to with
draw communion from them as from thofe
who will not be eOmjSIlsd, againft notori-
Gus mi(management of the jurifdiaion
which the Lord Jeius Chrift has given them.
| his was The deGgn Of that judlcious nea-
fife, wherein was contained the lubliance of
our church difcipline." See the P. S. of
Mi HIG CINsoN and Mr. HUBBARD's teffi-
mony to The oldprirdp0Lt of New England,
as inherited in Mr.. WyFt VIndicatIOn. p. 70.
| could produce many fentences to the
fame purPole, but thele may fufice to lhow,
that Mr.. Adams is far from being angular:
And how much foever Mr Y. may affect
to ridicuie SPIRITUAL RULE RS, it is very
certain the fpirIual fathers of this country
believed the elders of the churches had pau
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