The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1773-09-23


tim OF the iord's Supper, contrary to the
Mind of the Church, if Deacon ihould re-
fuic 10 carry the Bread and Wine TO any
particular Communicate whom he jud !sd
unworthy, or if Sexton fhouid neglect to
provide Water for Bap,i(m, for Fear of It's
being profaned by wrongApplication in any
particular lneance, Though the Dictates OF
their Conferences would be as facred as thoie
OF any Clergyman's under Heaven no Men
would deipile them more for their Squeam-
ifhneis than iome Gentlemen of The Cloth.
But not to max. too many Excuriion:-
You feem to be aware, my dear Sir, that
thePower of Negativing, like aSiolue kngIy
Power in the State, cannot be fsfey intruited
in The Hands Of the Clergy, without Dlttnc
ton and therefore thefe ExprelIions-gadJ
MlnRers, faithful Minifers, aged aud VsHer-
able Minhsrs, &c. But if it cannot fAfey
he lodged with raw, inexperienced Boy, or
naughty, imperious, oveIbearing mar, #
(uch lhould happen TO be in holy O'defs, IT
ought no, to exit in the Church. If it is
Remnant OF Popery, uneis we are willing
to return back into fplritua Egypt, we ought
to protef againlt it. Your Acquaintance
with eccleG4itical HRory will inform you,
that on the fame Principle OH which your
Doctrine, namely the Need there is, on Jsms
OecaE0nt, for the Interpolation of wIler and
better Head than any 20 be found smorg
thofe ulualy denomna,ed by Way of Dill
tlnetiou, the Byotbsrb0od, Though our Saw
our Jays all ye are Be,hren. fay, on this
f4me Prnciple on which your Doctrine is
founded, it was judged proper that one Man
ihoud be invelted with Power Of deciding
n all difficult Cafes, and from thence HIS
HOLINESS derived his Al'honIy.
know not who am addre0ing, whe
iher an old Man, or young one, VINE
ther { e,gyman, or Layman ; but f;om
he mid, generous and Chnitian Temper
you ddcover, If you are Minfter, | take
,oo to be as proper Perfon TO exercIie the
p wer OF negalvng as any among Us; and
.,eThaps you might do it with Advantage,
ut OILY to he Church to which you itand
particularly rela.sd, but to Others alto, if
.Y1ut Power Was extended but it does not
follow that becauie fome godly, faithful
Qged and Vsav0bLs Mniiters have, with
advantage to the Chuiches in lome lnltan-
ces, exc, cited the Power in dIfpute, that it
IS lafe it would be Part of our ecceiiAffi-
cal Conf lotion; and ! can by no Means
,dmn that 1t is YouG Principle ieems 10
1s this, that although all cannot iafey be
e1'ruhed wi IL, as 1t ihould never be wan
,onl exerc,Ced 'erv good TAX Yeti ought
1 ways to telt in Pett0, with every very good
aud worthy MnlHer, to be uled on extra
ordinary Occaions only. Corhder of this
more thoroughly, my dear Sir, and you
will certainly give it up as indefeniibe.
You appear, Sir, to be, and make no
loubt you are, friendly to the Rights Of the
Churches, upon your own Principles; and
/ think you would come little nearer TO
nine, if you were not intentionally afraid
mar Mnilters will become mere Cyphers.
he that would be 70 without negative
Voice, would certainly be unfii to have it
and luch an one as think you would deem
IL TO exerclle the Power, could preierve his
d guity and Importance full as well with
out it. A prudent, lcnGbe, pious Minifer
mere Cypher You know, Sir, that it is
almot lmpofli0le bur fuch Mlniifer muf
have as much influence as it is proper he
thoud have. Bot you DO not feem to have
mad this impreAed upon your Mud, when
YOU fay, +" we may eaflV fuppofe Cafes where
an agtd and Venyabls Pafv, together with
the mott erious and judicious Part of his
Church, could not agree with a Majority
in fome very important Matters OF Dllci
pine" add, " in fuch Cafes | am
lure you could not deGre g0dy Minjfer,
in the Name of his Great Matter, to exc