1728 Summo Admirallo Nostro atque Primario Admiralitatis Nostrae Commissario pro tempore existentl; Arthuro Onslow, ac domus nostrae Communium Prolocutori pro tempore existenti, Roberto Walpole, ac Scaccarii nostri Cancellario atque Aerarii nostri Primario Commissario pro tempore existenti; Roberto Raymond, ac Capitali Justiciario nostro ad placita coram nobis tenenda assignato pro tempore existenti: Josepho Jekyll, ac Magistro Rotulorum Cancellariae nostrae pro tempore existenti; atque Roberto Eyre, ac Capitali Justiciario nostro de Communi Banco pro tempore existenti; de Privato Consil ionostro existentibus, vel aliquibus tribus vel pluribus eorundem existentibus de privato Consilio nostro, plenam potestatem et authoritatem, de tempore in tempus, audiendi et finaliter terminandi omnes et singulas tales appelationes, et talia judicia, decreta sive sententias affirmandi, mutandi, sive revocandi, et finaliter judicia sive sententias superinde dandi et pronuntiandi, Damus et concedimus per praesentes, in tam amplis modo et forma quam Commissionarii sub magno Sigillo nostro magnae Britanniae constituti et assignati virtute Statuti anno Regni Domini Henrici nuper Regis Angliae octavi vicesimo quinto editi, intitulat' an Act for the submission of the clergy, and Restraint of Appeals, in appellationibus ipsorum determinationi per statutum praedictum subjectis procedere possint et debeant; allquo in praesentibus contento in contrarium in aliquo non obstante. Mandantes insuper et per praesentes firmiter injungendo praecipientes tam omnlbus et singulis Gubernatoribus generalibus, judicibus et Justiciariis nostris, quam omnibus et singulis rectoribus, Incumbentibus, ministris, officiarlis et subditis nostris quibuscunque infra Colonias, Plantationes, caetraque Dominia nostra praedicta in America, quod ipsi et eorum quilibet tibi slow, and to the Speaker of our House of Commons for the time being; Robert Walpole, and to the Chancellor of our Exchequer, and First Lord of our Treasury, for the time being; Robert Raymond, and to our Chief Justice of Pleas before Us for the time being; Joseph Jekyll, and to the Master of the Rolls of our Chancery for the time being; and to Robert Eyre, and to our Chief Justice of Common Pleas for the time being, being of our Privy Council, or to any three or more of them, being of our Privy Council; We do by these presents give and grant, full power and Authority, from time to time, to hear and determine, all and singular, such appeals; and, such judgments, decrees, and sentences, to confirm, change, or revoke, and final judgment or sentence thereupon, to give and pronounce, in manner and form as full as the Commissioners constituted and appointed under our Great Seal of Great Britain by virtue of the Statute of the twenty fifth year of Henry Eighth late King of England entituled, "An Act for the submission of the clergy and the restraint of Appeals," can or ought to proceed, in appeals subject to their decision, by the Statute aforesaid; anything in these presents contained, to the contrary, notwithstanding. Commanding, moreover, and by these presents strictly enjoining, all and singular, our Governor Generals, Judges, and Magistrates, together with all and singular, our Rectors, Incumbents, Ministers, Officers, and Subjects of what sort soever, within our Colonies, Plantations, and other dominions aforesaid, in America, that they and each of them, shall be to you, the Bishop of Lon 1728 don aforesaid, and to your com praefato Episcopo Londinensi, Per Bre' de Privato Sigillo Bisse et Bray. missary, or commissaries a- Bisse and Bray. ACTS OF THE CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM. Continuation of the Consideration of the Dispute in the Church of Raritan. 1728, May 3rd. 1. The Deputies having considered all sides, were of the opinion, that concerning just that which caused the principal ground of complaint against Rev. Friedlinghuysen and his Consistory, namely, the exercise of the great ban, or excommunication, they appear to have made a mistake. This mistake relates both to the reasons for, and the form of, the excommunication. No such weighty reasons are alleged, either in regard to false doctrine, or atrocious and gross sins, which seemed to require excommunication. The difficulty seemed chiefly to have been opposition to Rev. Friedlinghuysen, and his manner of saying and doing things. Then as to the character of the discipline; -no Consistory, not even in the largest congregation of our Fatherland, has the liberty to exercise excommunication, without the previous knowledge of the Classis, that the Classis might judge whether the reason was sufficient. 2. That, however, it would be better not yet to give any final ecclesiastical decision between the Complainants and the Accused: a. Not only because both sides seem to desire to debate concerning our Tribunal and our ecclesiastical jurisdiction; and, b. Under a foreign power our ecclesiastical decision could not be carried out by any effectual instrumentality; 1728 c. And also because many matters charged are positively denied. About these the Complainants ought to be asked for additional proofs, if any consideration is to be given them, as was already intimated in Art. 3. So also in respect to some things, the accused, especially Rev. Frelinghuysen, should fortify his denials by authentic evidence, from J. Goulet, about Art. 10; and from the grand jury, about that weighty matter, Art. 15, referring to Schuurman; d. And finally because a judicial deliverance, according to all appearances, might arouse much bitterness, or at least, increase the common bitterness now existing. 3. That to both parties letters should be written: 1. Peace should be advised in the most earnest manner. They should be exhorted to mutual reconciliation. To this end there should be held up before them, on either side, their weaknesses and mistakes; as to the Complainants, the flippancy of their accusation of heterodoxy against Rev. Friedlinghuysen; their wild reasonings and actions, among other things, as exhibited in the practical seizure of a church; and their misrepresentations of even the most unimportant words and deeds. 2. As to the accused; his harsh expressions; the illegality of the excommunication; and other matters acknowledged by Rev. Friedlinghuysen as noted under 10: t; and (advising) him to omit the publishing of his "Refutation". Also towards the effecting of peace might be proposed: a. On the part of the Complainants: that they should confess that they had acted wrongly and imprudently in the matters above alluded to; that they should be disposed to acknowledge that Rev. Friedlinghuysen is orthodox in point of doctrine, and will live at peace with him, as is proper for members of the church; that they will honor their pastor, provided that the excommunication be removed in the best manner possible. b. On the part of the Accused: that in several instances he would have to confess that he might certainly have spoken and acted differently; that he had certainly done alone that which he ought to have done only with his Consistory; and that he had accomplished with his Consistory that which ought not to have been done without the knowledge and approbation of the Classis; and further, to promise that he would read from the pulpit, that the excommunication pronounced against the Complainants was no longer in force against them; that they are again recognized as members, and will be treated with love. c. In case this should not succeed that each side would choose certain persons in that land to act as Arbitrators, in order to restore peace in the best manner possible. d. Finally that it be announced to them, that if these measures are not successful, both parties will please to send over to us, as soon as possible, the further proofs; the Complainants regarding what is denied by Rev. Friedlinghuysen, Art. and the Accused, to fortify his denial regarding Art. 10, and 15; so that the Classis, or the Christian Synod if it be deemed expedient to take the case there, may be in a condition to give a final deliverance (sentence) on the whole matter. x. 316, 317. DUTCH CHURCH OF NEW YORK. June 27, 1728. Consistory held. After calling on God's name, it was determined to be necessary for going on with the building, that, since there was no money in the Treasury, the Deacons should take up one hundred pounds on interest, and if required, still another one hundred pounds. Further: That the determination formerly made concerning Jan Bogardus and Peter Brouwer, should be booked, to wit: that they after the death of Cornelius Turk, should be Master-Masons of the New Building, and should divide them the shillings which Mr. Turk had for his daily wages. Liber B. 75. 1728 1728 CLASSIS OF AMSTERDAM. Acts of the Deputies and their Correspondence. The Classis of Amsterdam to Rev. T. J. Friedlinghuysen, Pastor at Raretans, June 28, 1728, xxix. 20. No. 1. Reverend Sir and Highly Esteemed Brother: In the fear of the Lord we have pondered your letter of April 6th, 1727, containing a reply to the Complaints of certain accusers at Raretans, which we remitted to you in the name of our Classis in June 1726. We cannot conceal the fact that we are grieved that the faithful counsels of peace given to you at that time, by the Deputies, in the name of the Classis, have been so lightly regarded by you. Yes, indeed, we are very sorry at the ungentle and bitter, the common and exasperating expressions which you use in your reply, and which are certainly very much out of place. Yet such expressions are scattered generally against all sorts of persons. You refer to your accusers as liars, inventors of lies, enemies who would swear to anything, if thereby they could gratify their desire for revenge; as a rabble of godless folks; the scum of the four congregations, whose testimony no more agrees than did that of the witnesses against Susannah; a lot of rascals, incarnate devils, and still other similar expressions. Rev. Boel is branded by you as a boasting inquisitor; and the Rev. Antonides, as a follower of Bekker. We cannot understand how such cutting and immoderate expressions can be reconciled with that spirit of gentleness and humility, which is becoming to a minister above all things else. On the other hand, we consider that by such a style of speech the accusers will be more embittered, and alienations intensified, and the schism made worse. Therefore, if it be not already too late, we would seek to persuade you, only with intentions of peace, not to publish your "Refutation of the Complaint", to which you allude on page 225. In this you say you will give the author of the accusation |