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


he bled, Spirit Of Cod to lead them TO The
knowledge of Truth and Duty. in Iprci0i
CAFES, than Miniae,s have in the p,eientD.y
And If YOU were TO proceed to thew
which, confidently with your ownPrinciples,
YOU might attempt, that tie fame Kind and
Degree Of fafboyity with which thofe Melleu-
gers oft1 aven ipake and acted in theChu'ch,
refided, while he iuiiained the Ofice Of a
Paitor, IN THE AUTHOR OF THE ORATI-
ON ON THE BEAUTIES CT LIBERTY
! lhouId mott certainly " differ" as " VIDE
ly"-hom you as do from Mr.. Adams ;
though | ihould be careful no, TO uea, q
Gentleman of pour Politeneis, with an unbe-
coming +" Severity"
However " difficult" you may conceive il
to be for me "to point out exactly how
much of that Power which belonged to
the Periphery, is now buried in the
Grave Of the Ruling Eders," yet will
venture to attempt 1T, II you will frft
point out, with exaetnels, how much Pow
er one OF the Corporation Of Harvard
College would have remaining in him,
conGdered in that Character, fthe olher
SIX where this Infant TO be taken out of the
World. If the only furvving Gentleman
lhould take upon him to exercile all the
Powers OF the Corporation, there would be
Way found out to replace the Other Mem
bers. And in the prelent Cafe, ! will ven-
ture to predict, though l,ke Lay Elders,
that il MiniReTs lhall take upon them TO ex-
ercife all the Powers of the Periphery, and
there ihall be no other Way to prevent il,
here will loon be Resurrection OF as much
Power as 10 now bu led in the Crave Of the
Ruling Elders. know you are prepared to
tell me, that the whole Power was origin-
ally in the MinRer, and that Lay Elders.
were only appointed as AlliffanU to him-or,
in other Words, the Power Of the former
was from Heaven, that Of the latter from
Men. The Truth is, that the mighty IIuC-
lie that is made to prcieve the Power of
Negativing, is owing to the Clergy's fuppof-
ing them(elves pof Gsd Of Power from
Hlavn, to raiify or difannul whatever the
Church does. He that can vMsiVY IL let bin
r0siVe IL.
After all, I can conceive of Jsbtr SM6
in which Miniaers Of modern Times may
be faid 70 be RULEks; but if were to ex-
plain myfef il would not be satisfactory to
fuch fpirituaI Men as claim an Authority
and Jurifdlaion beyond the Bounds OF Rea-
ION and Revelation. There is q Senfe too in
which they may be called PRIESTS, Title
much uled in ths Church Of England, thcugh
in thele Cope Days, it belongs, prePnys
no more to the MinRer than to The ChoIf-
ter, and to neither unles he is really pIous
and good Cbriiian.
II had not, by Declaration in my laf,
in a Manner precluded myielffrom eoaer ,og
ferouly into the Argument to di.s,orove he
Right Of Ciergymsn to The Exerci(e of the
Powers Mr.. Adams t..s claimed for them,
you have gIve.r.. me no opening for it, by
prodoc....s any Proofs from your Bible"
esough you are plealed to acquaint me you
have con(ulted It for your own Information.
II was Right founded onSo;tfHrs that L had
then in Contemplation.
ftll think thoie detached Sentences, and
broken z Paragraphs, which you producrd to
fhew that Mr.. Adams was NOT angular in
his Opinion, that MiniaeTs have Power Of
negativing, were inefficient for your Pur-
pole. II was not TO be expelled that
fhould .seive myfelfthe Trouble toresd" Ire
taerPa;ts Cf The Platform, OF the Traeis
+ onl which the Sentences" and PNU Of Pa
rag sphs in I" the Writings OF DR.. Msthsr
we ,zken" They were laid before the
% IT.. - H., l.,..L.y g.. a. . D,nof cc