N03404:123
A letter to the author of the pamphlet called An answer [sic] to the…A letter to the author of the pamphlet called An answeer [sic] to the…
A letter to the author of the pamphlet called An answer [sic] to the Hampshire narrative. : [Three lines from Proverbs]A letter to the author of the pamphlet called An answeer [sic] to the Hampshire narrative. : [Three lines from Proverbs]
Boston: : s.n., Printed in the year 1737
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The injuriousness of it further appears by this, that a Man has no Way to defend himself from Hearsay and flying Report, let him be never so innocent, it is like the Wind, he knows not where to find the Source of it, and 'tis in vain to fight against it. And how do you exclaim against us, Page 19, for publishing Things without sufficient Evidence? And say our Haste and Warmth carried us beyond it. Such a Course do you take to answer our Challenge, to show wherein our Association has usurped, and manifest that you think you do it so effectually, as to be enough to set your Readers into an incontinent Laughter!
Fifthly, You have not only not proved that we got the Justices to interpose, but in Fact we did not; we never put any such Thing into their Heads; it was no Proposal, or Invention, or Thought of ours, nor of any one of us, nor was any Thing acted by them as being moved or put forward by any of us: Yea several of us disliked it, and particularly Mr Williams of Long-Meadow, that you do more abundantly load with Charges of the contrary, and say you know he said as in Page 81, We have had a fine Ordination to Day! He was known to dislike such a Method, insomuch that the Party that opposed Mr.Breck were shy of acquainting him with their Designs in this Matter.
Besides the Arguments of the Usurpation of our Association here, there is another Thing you mention Page 4, as an Argument of it you say, We find frequent mention in their Narrative, of their Association, its Meetings, breaking up, Committee, Votes, and Doings. What can you mean by this? Is it an Argument of Usurpation in us, that we call our selves an Association? As if congregational Divines were Strangers to such a Term, when Dr. Cotton Mather, whom you cite as such an one, often uses the Term in his Ratio Disciplinae, and approves the Thing as here practised, as has been already shown; and you your selves in Boston call your selves so, as you have given an Account, Page 87. And is it any Argument of Usurpation that we meet, and when we have met break up again? Or that we have Doings, and don't do nothing when we meet? Or that we signify our Minds by Votes? Or that we have in some Cases chosen a Committee? As if any voluntary Society may not choose a Committee to serve the rest and act for their Benefit!