God. It seems at present more needful for you that I abide in the flesh (Phil. i. 24-26), and I trust I shall yet abide for your furtherance and joy of faith, that your rejoicing may be more abundant in Christ Jesus for me, by my coming to you again. And whilst I am confined as the prisoner of God, I request the continuance of your supplications for patience and sanctification as well as health. I rejoice also to hear of your union, your love, and your attendance on the worship of the Church. This has been a great comfort to my thoughts in the time of my affliction and absence; yet I am in pain for your edification, because you have no one among you to administer the spiritual and sealing ordinances; and since it is your earnest desire to know my opinion on that affair that lies before you, I have at several seasons been enabled to write it under these heads :- -1. That there were in the primitive Churches several preaching elders, bishops, or overseers. 2. That where their gifts were different, some were called pastors, or elders for exhortation, to feed the flock, and to exhort the saints; and others were called teachers, or elders for doctrine, to instruct the hearers in the principles of Christianity, chiefly the younger Christians, and to bring in new converts. 3. The Scripture does not determine when, or how often, one or other should preach or administer holy ordinances; and yet it is necessary there should be some rule to decide it, lest ambition or controversy should arise among the elders in this matter. 4. The Scripture makes no distinction, nor subordination of power, betwixt them in the Church, but seems to give all elders an equality of power. 5. Therefore I believe the Church (to which the light of nature and Scripture hath given all power in things indifferent, that are necessary to be determined) has power to appoint the times, seasons, and places of their ministrations. 6. It is for the certain advantage of a Church to have more elders than one in it, that they may more frequently visit the Church, more fully take care of them, and regularly administer all holy ordinances; if one or other be sick or absent, may also better keep the Church together, and encourage young converts to join themselves to it. 7. That it is for the advantage of a Church to have such an elder chosen, whose gifts have been tried and approved in the Church, and been owned and blessed of God for the good of souls. Such a one may most likely please and profit.

"Now with regard to our Church in particular-1. It is my opinion that, whether I live or die, if such an elder be chosen by the universal desire and voice of the Church, it will be much for their advantage, in all probability. 2. Whether I live or die, if another elder be chosen with the desire of a few persons, and the opposition of a few, and the bare, cold assent of the major part, it will not be for the advantage of the Church; and I am sure my worthy brother, Mr. SAM. PRICE, on whom your thoughts are set, hath too tender a sense of your spiritual interests, and too wise a sense of his own, to accept of such an imperfect call to fixed office in the Church. 3. If another elder be chosen, with pretty general desire of the Church (though not universal), it will be for the advantage of the Church if I live, and am restored to your service; and I shall rejoice to have you supplied with all ordinances in my absence by a man that I can most entirely confide in; and, on my return, shall rejoice to be assisted in all services to the Church by one whom I love and esteem highly; and I write as much with an eye to your future benefit as to your present want. 4. If God, for my sins, shall refuse to employ me again (for I have justly deserved it), and if He shall deny the long and importunate requests of his people (for He is a great Sovereign), I trust He will direct and incline your hearts to choose and establish one or more elders among you, who may give universal satisfaction, and especially to such as may now be less satisfied, and may be for your future edification and increase. 5. If my beloved brother PRICE be chosen as one elder among you, I hope your diligent and sincere attendance on his instructions will give you more abundant sense of his true worth, of the exactness of his discourses, of the seriousness of his spirit, and of the constant blessing of God with him—all which I have observed with much pleasure.

"Now I have fully delivered my sentiments in this affair, and you see how sincere and hearty I am in it. Yet I will give you two reasons why I do not think it fit to propose it to the Church-1. Because it is the proper business of the Church to seek after elders and officers of itself, from a sight and sense of their own spiritual interests, both as Christians and as a united body; especially considering the elder you propose to choose is not to be my deputy or servant, but your minister and overseer in the Lord. 2. Because I never would have anything of such impor

tance done in the Church by the influence of my desire, without your own due sense and prospect of your own edification and establishment as a Church of Christ. Nor would I influence you in this affair, unless the judgment of your minds concur with mine; for as I never had any interest divided from the interest of the Church, so I hope I never shall.

"And now, brethren, dearly beloved, I intreat you, by the love of Christ to you, and by the love you bear to Christ, our common Lord, that there may be no contentions among you. I should be glad to find every affair that belongs to the Church determined by as many voices as, I trust, I have hearts and affections among you. However, with freedom let every one speak his sentiments as under the eye of Christ, the great Shepherd, without bias or resentment, and with zeal for the Church's interest. Let everything that is debated be with great calmness, and so much the more in my absence, each of you believing concerning one another that you sincerely seek the honour of Christ, and the union and peace of the Church, as I believe concerning you all. Let each of you be ready to lay aside his own former opinions or resolutions, as you shall see reason arise, for the common welfare. If there should be quarrels and wranglings, reflections and hard speeches, it would be a grief too heavy for me to bear, and the most effectual way to overwhelm my spirit, and delay my return to you; and as I know you have the utmost tenderness of my peace, you ought to be as tender of each other's spiritual advantage, and the union and peace of the body, and to indulge no secret whispers or back bitings that may hinder the edification. of your brethren by the ministrations of the Church. But I will not give myself leave to entertain such suspicion concerning you, who have so many years walked together in constant love. I pray heartily that the all-wise God and Jesus Christ our Lord may preside in your consultations, direct your hearts, and determine all things for you, that you may be established and edified, and be a joy and blessing to each other, as you have been, and I trust will be, to your most affectionate and afflicted pastor, "Nov. 4, 1713. "ISAAC WATTS."*

*London Christian Instructor, vol. iii., p. 359, et seq.

CHAPTER IV.

POLITICAL changes in Europe brought to the Colonies of the New World an interval of rest and continuous growth. The war between England and France terminated in the Peace of Utrecht in 1713. New England, freed from predatory expeditions on its coasts, extended its borders. Twenty-four Congregational Churches were formed in Massachusetts from 1714 to 1720. In some places there was greater spiritual prosperity, and new workers were called into the field. THOMAS PRINCE, the founder of the Congregational Library in Boston, commenced his ministry in the Old South Church on the 25th of August, 1717. After an absence of several years in Europe, he landed in Boston (July 21st, 1717), on the Sabbath," about a quarter of an hour after the meeting had begun." Five hundred people came down to the wharf at noon to see him; "but," he says, "I silently went up to the Old South Meeting, and none there knew me but Mr. Sewall, then in the pulpit, Mr. Levers praying and preaching at that time with them." Joseph Sewall, to whom this reference is made (the father of Judge Sewall), continued pastor of the Old South Church till he had survived three colleagues, and nearly attained the age of 81.

The struggle in New England for ecclesiastical freedom continued under varying circumstances. On the settlement of PETER THATCHER as assistant to JOHN WEBB, as a preliminary step to the proceedings on that occasion, it was voted by the Church "that the Church shall go before and lead in the choice, according to the professed principles and practice of the Churches in New England." Opposing Councils were convened on the occasion. None of the Boston ministers attended on the day of installation, and only two from other places, with one delegate. The malcontents assembled at the same hour in a house which the Council would have to pass on their way to the church, and sent a committee of their number to remonstrate against any further proceedings, threatening at the same time to prevent the settlement of Mr. Thatcher, "peaceably if they might, forcibly if they must." To avoid collision in the street, the ministers went by a back way to the church, and conducted the service, though not without painful interruption. Mr. Thatcher continued an acceptable ministry for eighteen years; but the incident just recited led to the formation of another Church, and to earnest discussion on the authority of councils on the one hand, and of the rights of the Church on the other.*

Dr. Increase Mather, "with the concurrence of other ministers of the gospel in Boston," issued a tract, entitled, "A Seasonable Testimony Mather on to Good Order in the Churches of the Faith- Councils. ful; particularly declaring the usefulness and necessity of Councils in order to preserving Peace and Truth

* Clark's Hist. Sketch of the Cong. Ch. in Mass., p. 131, et seq.