The Massachusetts spy, or, Thomas's Boston journal. [volume] (Boston [Mass.]) 1772-1775, 1773-08-19

4
20 render void and of no effect the votes o
the church of Chrii, refidcs in fable coat
ffarchsd band, or a miniHerial beaver.
lhould even judge my time as prohtabl,
pent in evincing that the NEIGHBOUR an'
ais CLERICAL eppOntnf are both miftsken
when they fpeak Of COMMUNICATING mar
riagss as sppertaining to the Offices e :,
mintRer and julfice Of the peace the|&
mer calling it their rifle OS and Ih( lRU
their stfce part. ZlH
| If ihouId tell thoCe two gentlemen, (6m
of whom is a niinlaers and. the other, j
feems, ajuGice) that though they are botl
agreed as to this paint, yet | do not &C
quielce in their determination, the foTme
mutt conclude that cannot, a foytiOvi, b.
fuppoied TO slIent to the ether, which ref
upon the bare Vrrbam JaEfdsfis, 10 diree
oppoGtion to The Efquire's opinion.
For the so@Jbiafai gentlemen of The Benz
| have very little to fay; but to the honou
of the reverend order be it fpoken, that what
ever the By0cbmass of Makabar may prac
tife, | never heard of more than one anon
us, that ever made il evident by his condue
that he was in ientimeRt with thele I'VE
jealous gentlemen; and he was afterward
depoied from his Office: Though | freel
own | was at the fame tine clearly. of OPT
Mon, that he had as indifpu,able right Il
he exercile of this Lgf lpiritu0I power, a
to that Of negatiyins The votes and acts c
the church. AF
But to return to your quotations, Neigh
bour Z-If it could be demonstrated tina
the fitif fettlers of New-EngIand believe'
with Mr.. Adams, refpeding the power o
the clergy, of what importance is it to you
readers, who can and will judge for them
lelves As to many of the mott feniibe ant
worthy mniiiers among us, though the
approve Of leVeIal things in Mr.. Adams
pamphlet, yet they utterly dfclaim any fucI
powers as are challenged BY this writer an
doubt not nobly defpite him for his for
wardnes in appearing to fupport the cauf
of ecceGafical tyranny and ipiritual domi
nation. II there lhould in future be foun
any number of his brethren that ihall ef
poule his principles, and attempt to de!en
their hero from the juR indignation of tn
laity, Ia term which hate, though ! oGe
for diiiinetion fake | will venture to pro
phecy that they will in great meafure lo(
the regard of their pariihioners. If an
Reverend gentlemen now held in much Ell
nation, fhouId too haRiIy adopt the lam
fentments, and join with others of lei
respectable character, in fuPporting iucl
high pretenfions, it will lellen the veneratioI
which GenGble and judiclous laymen hav
heretofore paid them, and deiire ever &
maintain towards the faithful minilters of tn
gofpel. While fuch are fAtsfied with tina
portion of reverence which is derived from
their own perlonal merit, il will be con
tnually increaGng; but if they are deter
mined at all events, to iuppo6 men bccsuf'
they belong to their order, whole claim tc
refpeet aries chiefly from fo1e enormou,
powers which they fancy themfslves pollrf
ed off they will thus imprudentIy throw
themfelves into the circle, aud, with the
fondneis Of Indian wives, be burnt with
their unworthy mates, we may grleve fo
their ardor, bat we cannot prevent thei
| doom. Z.
P. S. would by no means, neighbour
IL, have you conclude that | am an advo
cate for that anregi5zSbit and aHrgbfs0H
claim, which the breihrsn Of foms Of th'
churches, who nevertheless pretend 10 BE- di
re9sd by the platform, aaert,O right to de
Ilpoie minifler withou, the advice Of council
/ Of other churches. | ih:Ek he proceeding