case they do not pretend to have, use or exercise any Coercive Power to Restrain or Punish us for it, much less to Compel us to Return to them, &c. We know that very well, and we think it the interest of the English, both Episcopalians and Presbyterians to make their Reflections hereupon, and to judge of the Impertinence and Silliness of such an Allegation.

But they have still more Assurance when they tell us, That they are not insensible of the Methods I have taken to get a number of Subscriptions in my favour. It was not possible to take a fairer and more direct Method than I have done, to make all the members of the Church explain themselves as fully as I could upon the Important Affair now in question. But these Gentlemen ought to blush at the unworthy and fraudulent manner which they have used to bring in People to sign against me, making them believe that it was for the peace and good of the Church; and thus abusing the sacred name of Peace, and covering themselves with the Cloak of Hypocrisie, without shewing this poor People, or at ast without reading to several of them the Writing which they would have them sign.

"They were not ignorant either (they say) of my Contrivances "to remove the Jurisdiction of this matter to another Judicature.” What is this Jurisdiction that I would decline? If they mean their own, they are in the right of it, and I am not in the wrong, since they are my Adverse Party, and I hope no body will blame me for this. What is that other Judicature whither I would carry the affair? One may see plainly that they have here his Excellency in view, who cannot be obliged to them for thus disputing his Right of Judicature. For why shall not any one apply to him, in case the affair be proper for him to take notice of? And why should not I apply myself to him, if there is occasion, because it may be thought he has entertain'd some favourable Dispositions towards me? especially since I ask him no Favour, but only Justice?

They Reproach me afterwards, being prompted by their own Passion and Hatred against me, with having Heat, and a violent Temper; I will not make any Apology for my own Temper, which I think needless, and indecent in any man to do. But I advise them rather to look back upon themselves, and consider their

own Faults more than those of their Neighbours, that they may not incur the Censure which our Saviour Jesus Christ pronounceth in the Gospel against all proud Reprovers of others; Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy Brothers Eye, but considerest not the Beam that is in thy own Eye? or how wilt thou say to thy Brother, let me pull out the Mote out of thine Eye, and behold a beam is in thine own Eye? Thou Hypocrite, first cast out the Beam out of thine own Eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy Brothers Eye. Math. 7., 3, 4, 5.

And on

They boast p. 5. That they also passed the like Censure formerly against other French Protestant Ministers for their Offences, which being particular to themselves the Government for the time being was never made privy to it, &c. and although the then Governours might have heard thereof, yet did they never interpose or meddle therein, &c. There is a great deal of difference, with their leave, between these Cases and the present one. this occasion many things might be observed, which would not do them a great deal of honour, and which would revive some scandalous particulars, which it is convenient for them, should remain buried in oblivion; wherefore they would have done better to have said nothing of it, since likewise it hath nothing in common with the Affair we are now upon. For my part, I shall not trouble my self with what they have done with relation to others, I believe they never did any thing that was right with their Ministers, chiefly when they have been at variance with them. I know they have always been at war with them, to begin from the time Mr. Daille; and that the late Mr. Peiret, who was a worthy Minister, lived in torment among them, as some very credible Persons who were his friends, have assured me; I know that they have put their Ministers out, and that they always pretended to a Power to do it, and that they will always attempt it, as often as the Fancy takes them. But the time is come, when they must learn, that they have not this Power and Authority, according, to our Discipline, and that as for me, (Saving always his Majesty's Authority over me, who am his Naturalized Subject) I depend only in Spirituals on the Synod of the Walloon Churches of Holland, who alone can suspend or deprive me. If Governours formerly have not interposed or inter

meddled in their Affairs, it was, I suppose, because no body applyed to them to represent their Complaints and Grievances, and perhaps, because no person belonging to the Church, concerned or declared themselves in favour of the Ministers whom they would speak of. But that is not the Case at present, since there is a Majority of the Church, who have declared themselves in my favour, or who desire earnestly that I may be Re-established, and who do not approve what the Consistory hath done.

What do they mean by those Passages of St. Peter and Ezekiel, which they quote with an affectation of Piety, tho' at the same time they discover an insolent Contempt and bitter Malice against all the Body of the Ministers of Jesus Christ, devoted to the preaching of his holy Gospel? whom they call that set of Mankind devoted, &c. As for the Passage of St. Peter (1 Epist. ch. 5. v. 2, 3.) which instructs us all in our duty, and ought to make us think with humility of our own weaknesses and failings, their malicious Reflections will not hinder us Ministers from finding our Comfort in this Passage, while we find nothing in it, but what we study to do by the grace of God, according to our ability, and what we incessantly ask of him in our prayers. As to the passage of the Prophet Ezekiel, (if I did not fear to lay open in too strong a light the Infirmities of some of my flock, over which it is proper to draw a vail) I could call out of the Crowd these Diseased Sheep, whom I have strengthened, and the broken whom I have bound up, &c. (Ezek. 34. v. 4.) And who can testifie whether this Passage hath been well applyed by them; or no; But I should be imprudent in glorying, 2 Cor. XII. 11. tho' I am compell'd in my defence, it is better to wait for that time, when, if any of us have done well, every man shall have praise of God, 1 Cor. 4. 5. Instead of stopping at that verse of Ezekiel, and at the first part of the Chapter, where they have maliciously been searching, wherewithal to sting their Minister, and wherein M: . . . turns his own Accuser, they had better have read on what follows from the 16th & 17th verses, to the 22d. inclusive, and to take good heed to what God saith by his Prophet, now no longer to bad Shepherds, but to bad Sheep, to Sheep that rebel, that will not bear Teaching, and that are stubborn and headstrong, that are fat and strong, &c. v. 16. confer

Amos 4. v. 1. Which Characters are so well described by the Prophet, that one would think that he had carried his Views as far as to our Times and Circumstances.

While they cite these passages, they talk of the Corruption of Manners which had crept into that set of Mankind devoted to the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But not to speak of the Clergy, I say, that this general Complaint of the Corruption of Manners, cannot be better applyed than to the horrible Scandals which we have seen all along break out in this Church, and to the Disorders, Divisions, and other sins, against which I have so often cryed aloud, Esa. 58. 1. and which have, no doubt, drawn upon her the displeasure of God Almighty, through which she is now threatened with an entire Ruin and Dissipation, or at least with an unhappy Schism and Rent.

To obtain the favour of the English, they begg leave humbly to offer (c) that they cannot be called Dissenters from the Church of England, as by Law established. But who, do they think to impose upon by this empty Compliment, so meanly expressed? Not surely those of the English, who are Affectionate to their own Church, and who cannot be so easily catched. The Society and all the Episcopal Ministers hereabouts know them too well, to suffer themselves to be blinded by such smooth Expressions. They have always been Enemys of the Church of England as by Law established, they have always railed at her Liturgy, her Service, her Church Government, and her Ceremonies. It is long ago that the late Bishop of London, Doctor Henry Compton conveyed his Complaints to them on this subject, by the Consistory of the Walloon Church in London, for that they shewed themselves worse than the Dissenters in England themselves. In opposition to this National Church they have entertained and fomented for several years a scandalous schism at New-Rochel, where the incapacity of providing for a Minister, obliged the Inhabitants o establish an Episcopal Church, thro' the Bounty and Protection of the Society in England, and they would still support this schism, if their M. was not taken up in the Custody of our Church, of which he keeps the keys, in order to keep me out unjustly. In short, they have always looked upon

.

(c) Fistula dulce canit volucrem dum decipit auceps.

my Inclination, Esteem and Respect for the Church of England as a Crime in me. They have conceived at length such Mistrust and Suspicion thereof, that they have not been able to dissemble it in the last Meeting of the heads of Families, on the 20th of September, so that it is I, and several of my Subscribers who have a Right to say, that We cannot be called Dissenters from the Church of England, no more than were our Ministers in France, and all the wisest and most moderate among the Refugees in England, and all over the Protestant world.

They say at last, That they are not indebted unto me one For thing for all the time that I have served them. But this must be examined and enquired into in due time. In the mean while, I give them notice, that they owe me One Quarters Salary, which is past, and that at Easter they will owe me Two. If I have not served them during all this time, it is they who have hindred my doing it, by discharging me from my Functions, as they have done, and which they now dissemble through deep Malice. They add to this, "That if any Person or Persons amongst them "have done me any personal Injury, the Laws of England and of "this Colony are open, and that there are Courts of Law and Justice, "and that there are Deputies, who may call them to account." Tis well, I am glad to hear it, I accept their Invitation, and I am of opinion, according to their advice, if I cannot obtain satisfaction otherways, to call them into Court, on account of the Injustice and Injury which they do me, and particularly of that which their Treasurer Mr. Barberie doth me, in refusing me my Payment, when at the same time he has Money of mine in his hands: and besides of that which Mr. Moulinars doth me, in detaining my Church from me, by keeping the keys and by taking possession of my place, which is a remarkable Usurpation, for which I will demand Restitution and Reparation from him.

They end with signifying, They presume that His Excellency and the Honourable Board will Reject the Petitioners said Petition and Complaint, &c. But we hope that this honourable Body will act otherwise, and that in their great Prudence they will judge better than we can, that our Request is both just, lawful and well grounded. LEWIS ROU, New York, Febr. 18. 1724, 5. Minister of the French Church.