USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Taunton > The ministry of Taunton, with incidental notices of other professions > Part 20
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There is but one great law in regard to the use to be made of all objects in creation, which are not intelligent and accountable creatures, whether they be animate or in- animate objects, they are to be used or disposed of in that way in which they will be the most profitable. On this ground the life of an irrational animal is to be preserved or destroyed according to the judgment and will of man. Such dominion has God given man over the inferior orders of being in creation. Now, if any one will have it, that as man did not give himself the destructive temper and inclinations which he possesses, he is not blameable for them, all that could follow, if this were allowed, would be that he was not a proper subject for a moral trial and pun- ishment, but when guilty of any great offence against so- ciety, as robbery, arson or murder, he should be hunted down and destroyed like a beast of prey. All, therefore, that the lawless ruffian gains by pleading that he did not give himself his depraved and wicked dispositions and propensities, and is not therefore deserving punishment for them, is this, - that he is not to be destroyed as an intel- ligent and accountable creature, but as a savage wild beast. St. Paul says of some sinners, who had become the slaves of their naturally corrupt appetites and passions, " whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things." At any rate, the end of the slave of lawless desire and appetite is destruction, and it would be a poor alternative to choose to die as a brute rather than as a moral agent, the degree of misery to be suffered being the same.
III. In reply to the sinner's plea under consideration, it is proper to observe that objects are to be estimated and treated according to their own nature and properties, and
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not according to the nature and properties of the cause which produces them. Every creature which God has formed in the universe has its specific nature and proper- ties, which constitute it what it is; and it is by its dis- tinctive properties that one object or creature is distin- guished from another. Man and beast, wind, hail, rain and fire, are all known, one from another, by the different powers, faculties, attributes and properties which they possess. And they are all considered, esteemed and val- ued according to these different properties, and not accor- ding to the nature and attributes of the cause which pro- duced them. Thus, gold is very highly esteemed for its value ; but that morbid matter or poison which produces disease and death, is shunned and abhorred as a deadly evil. In the animal world, the lamb and the horse are . valued as harmless and useful animals, while the venomous serpent is hated and avoided. God is the maker of all these things ; but we do not dread the pestilence or abhor the poisonous serpent any the less on account of His being the cause of their existence, nor does this consideration
ever induce us to spare the life of the viper or the savage beast. It is just the same with respect to all the wicked and abominable propensities of the corrupt heart of man. They are most hateful and detestable in their own nature. We form this judgment of them without pausing to en- quire by what cause or agency they were produced. If we see a man possessed of feelings, proud, envious, unjust, treacherous and malignant, we condemn him, without stop- ping to enquire whether he himself or some other agent infused them into his heart. It does not in the least alter the nature of these baleful passions to say man did not create them in his own heart, or to say they were originat-
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ed by some other cause, any more than it alters the na- ture of poison to say God produced it. The serpent becomes no less loathsome and his poison none the less dead- ly by the declaration that God made him all he is. So it becomes the sinner to reflect that his impiety, his pride and malignity, envy and thirst for revenge, become no more amiable and harmless by imputing them to God as the cause or by affirming that he inherited them by nature. Pride is pride, malignity is malignity, entirely independent _of the considerations of the cause that produced in our hearts these evil propensities. If we have our reason, that criminates us. Here enquiry ends.
IV. Let it now be enquired what the judgment of man- kind in general is in regard to these evil and mischievous passions, which we possess by nature. Is it common among men to palliate and excuse the wicked feelings of others by saying that these feelings are natural to them, that they were born with them, or that they were inherit- ed from our first parents ? Do they say, it is in the na- ture of such an one to be deceitful, proud, unjust, false, cruel and vindictive, and on this ground refrain from con- demning him for the crimes he is prompted to commit by the native corruption of his heart ? This is so far from being true that in the estimation of mankind, it is a great aggravation of a person's wickedness and guilt, to say that he is naturally treacherous, cruel and vindictive. When it is said of a man that he is by nature unfeeling and ma- licious, or avaricious and sordid, it is always meant as add- ing to the hatefulness of his character and as an aggra- vation of the offences he may commit. And what is the usage in our courts of Justice ? When they find an offen- der to be by nature, prone to the crimes for which he is
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arraigned, are they more lenient, and less disposed to visit upon him the full penalty of the Law ? Does it help the murderer to have his advocate state in his behalf, that from his infancy he has been unfeeling and cruel, delighting in barbarous and savage deeds ? And that his father before him was just such a monster, and transmitted to his child the abominable corruption of his own nature ? Would the Court, after hearing this plea, be more inclined to acquit him ? Would not every spectator be disposed to regard such a plea as most unfortunate for the prisoner and fatal to his escape ? It is not then agreeable to the common sense of mankind to think a man's guilt the less, because he has a strong natural propensity to the crime with which he is charged.
V. Indeed the sinner, who puts in the plea under con- sideration, to evade the sentence of God's holy Law, will be condemned out of his own mouth. Let him urge this plea as often as he may - my soul is exceedingly corrupt : my passions are continually impelling me to do evil. But I am not my own maker. My Almighty Creator planted these inclinations and propensities in my heart. They are a part of that nature with which I was born. It is utterly idle for him to reason in this way, if he reverse it all in treatment of his fellow men when they sin against him, as he really does. If, because he is by nature proud, selfish, an enemy to God and holiness, God ought not to condemn him for the sins he commits against Him, then he ought not to condemn his neighbor for anything he may do that is wrong. But will the sinner allow this reasoning to be good, when his neighbor insults, dishonors and injures him ? Will he say, my neighbor possesses by nature the evil disposition by which he was impelled. I will not
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blame him, therefore, for the grossest slander he may heap upon me, or for the greatest injury he may do to me or to those who are dear to me and who look to me for protec- tion and defence. No-no, this reasoning will not do, when his neighbor is the offending party. He will cry out against him as unjust and wicked, and invoke upon his head the penalties of the violated law. If his servant plunder his goods, he does not think it takes all blame from him to plead that God made him with a selfish and covet- ous disposition. And as he condemns others in spite of this plea, when they offend him, so he may expect God will not admit it as valid, when he shall urge it on his own behalf, as an excuse for the sins and abominations he has committed against his Maker, and his fellow men. But
VI. The justice of the sinner's pretence that he had no agency in infusing moral corruption into his own heart, must be examined. Can any one presume it will be found true, that no man ever yet did anything to fill his own soul with depraved and abominable inclinations and propensities? We may allow that the child in the earliest days of its ex- istence had no agency in producing whatever corrupt feel- ings and passions have place in his heart. But can this concession be made in regard to the sinner of forty years ? Can it be said of him, that he has had no voluntary agen- cy in producing those powerful wicked feelings and pas- sions to which he is now the slave ? Here is one who is notorious for avarice or covetousness. This principle gov- erns him with despotic sway. Neither the tears of the widow, the cries of the orphan, nor the miserable condition of the poor pagan dying in sin, can wring from him one farthing for their relief. Nay, there is scarcely any mean- ness or vice to which he will not descend for the purpose
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of gain. But was he born with all this avarice implanted in his heart ? No assertion could be more untrue. In his infancy the germ might indeed exist in his soul. But was it not a latent seed - a mere embryo, comparatively dormant and inoperative ? And had the proper means been used to check its growth, might it not have been, in a great measure, suppressed, and the principle of liberality and kindness implanted in its place ? But nothing of this kind was seriously entered upon. As the man advanced in life, he began to feel this covetous principle within him, and he thought of nothing but the means of gratifying it. For this purpose he formed a thousand schemes, and com- mitted innumerable sins. Forty years he proceeded in this way, every day watering and cultivating this corrupt principle ; and now it has the complete dominion of him. He thinks of no happiness, but money - no God but mam- mon, and desires no friend but one who may aid him still to increase his store. He always enjoyed the light of the holy Scriptures. He knew what the law of God required, knew what man must do to become pious, and godly and to be saved - but he made light of all that heaven could say to him on these subjects. Now shall this man have the assurance to say, God, at his birth, implanted in his heart this abominable passion in all its power, to which he is now the slave, and that he had no instrumentality in infusing it into his soul, and therefore is not responsible for any of its results and operations ? Abominable falsehood ! Vile ingratitude ! Let him not thus belie his Maker ! The same may be said of all the other corrupt and wicked pas- sions and vices to which men become the wretched slaves. They are, in an eminent degree, chains of their own forg- ing ! sources of shame and degradation and woe, of their own seeking ?
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Admitting the preceding train of thought to be just, the subject will afford us various inferences and reflections of high importance.
1. We learn the absolute necessity of self-government to all who hope for salvation. By self-government we mean the subjugation of every principle or propensity and desire of our nature to the great rule of duty, whether it be suggested by the Word of God or by sound reason. When we clearly understand our duty and suppress every purpose or desire that is in opposition to it and call up all the powers of our nature in the discharge of it, then we have a just and proper control over ourselves. In order that we may exercise this entire self-control, there are some principles in our nature that must be entirely sup- pressed. There are others to be reduced within the bounds of moderation, and others to be directed to right objects. Enmity to God, hatred to holiness, envy, selfishness and pride are affections wholly wrong; these are to be utterly exterminated, and man ought to have such control over his heart as eternally to exclude them. These are passions which are not criminal by excess but in their own na- ture ; these are not to be moderated only but exterminated. Love of children and friends, a regard to property, a love of social intercourse with our fellow-men, a dislike of in- jury and wrong, these are principles that are not to be exterminated but moderated and kept within proper limits, for they are crimes only by excess. The love of happi- ness or enjoyment, a desire for respect and honor, etc., these are principles that need to be directed to right ob- jects. These seek their happiness in the creature and not in God, the Creator. " They have forsaken the fountain of living waters."
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If God were the great object of their happiness, the por- tion of their soul, the love of happiness could not be too strong. With regard to honor they are content with the praise of men, while their hearts ought to be set on that honor that comes from God. When a man seeks honor in the exercise of love towards God and man, his love of rep- utation cannot be too great. In these three great propo- sitions the whole of self-government consists: to extermi- nate what is wrong, to moderate what is excessive, and to direct aright what errs as to its proper object. No duty in the Bible is more solemnly enjoined than this, " keep thine heart with all dilligence, for out of it are the issues of life." Saint Paul says of himself, "but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be a castaway," 1 Cor. ix: 27. To the Collossions he says, "mortify therefore your members which are upon earth ; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate desires, evil concupis- cence and covetousness, which is idolatry ;" and again, to the Romans he says, "for if ye live after the flesh ye shall die, but if ye through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body ye shall live;" and this spirit God will give to all that ask him.
2. We can easily collect from this subject what consti- tutes the grand obstacle to the final salvation of men. It is very certain that some mighty difficulty does lie in the way of men being saved, or so many would not neglect this great concern and live without hope and die without peace. Now the difficulty is, not that men are indifferent to their own happiness, or that they have no dread of hell and eternal death, but it is this, they will not earnestly set about the mortification of the originally corrupt and
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depraved propensities of their nature. They will not moderate their inordinate affections and withdrawing them from creatures set them on God as the supreme object of their confidence and love. If you are proud, by your own exertions, assisted by the grace of God, you must reduce this pride to humility. If you are covetous, you must turn this passion into liberality. If you are selfish, you must change your selfishness into benevolence and kind- ness. So of every other evil affection or desire, it must be resisted, it must be turned into love towards God and man. But to do all this, even though the grace of God be granted to enable us to work, is a very great undertak- ing. It requires much self-inspection, great self-denial, a mighty struggle against our powerful corruptions, most pressing and ardent prayers to God through the Redeemer that he will give us the victory. But discouraged at the idea of thus cleansing and reforming not the outward con- duct only but the inward feelings and reigning propensities and desires of the soul, they recoil from the undertaking, they determine to leave the soul in all its sins, and with- out grappling with their pride, selfishness and other inward abominations, they will often attempt to escape them, and to patch up somo miserable hope for eternity, and so re- fusing to keep under their body and to bring it into sub- jection, as Paul says he did, they become castaways.
3. We see the propriety of the scriptures representing finally incorrigable sinners as fit only for destruction. John compares them to chaff and says, "they shall be burnt up in unquenchable fire ;" and Paul speaks of them as those "whose end is destruction ;" he also styles them "vessels of wrath fitted for destruction." The prophet Ezekiel compares them to the vino which when dead and
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fruitless is fit for no kind of timber and of which not even a pin can be made to hang a vessel upon ; it is only fit for the fire, Ezek. xv: 3. Christ compares the wicked to goats, and says that this sentence will be pronounced upon them at the last day : "depart ye cursed into everlasting fire." In all these awful threatenings sinners are considered as rational and accountable beings, having no excuse for their sin and deserving all this misery as a just punishment. But even if they could make out that they are not accoun- table, yet as their feet are swift to shed blood and the poi- son of asps is under their tongues, they must be destroyed to give peace to the world upon the same principle that the beast of prey is hunted and destroyed. They must become new creatures; their enmity to God must be turn- ed into love; their pride and their hatred to man must be turned into humility and kindness, or no prospect can arise before them but death; Christ will never save them in their sins.
4. We learn why it is saints consider themselves as so exceedingly sinful, notwithstanding their highest moral at- tainments in this life. They admit the sinfulness of all the inward corruptions of their heart. They do not excuse their pride, selfishness, inordinate affections, or any other wrong feeling on the ground that it is natural, or on any other ground. Hence, they appear in their own eyes ex- ceedingly vile. They know what the Laodiceans did not know, that they are wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked.
5. We learn, in the light of this subject, what an ex- ceedingly precious aid is the Holy Spirit to all who are sincerely engaged in the pursuit of salvation. They know something of the desperate wickedness of their own hearts,
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and the strength of their inward corruptions. And it is a settled belief with them that this heart must be purified, and these corruptions overcome, or they cannot be saved. And where shall they find an arm sufficiently strong to perform this work in them, but in that almighty spirit whose office it is to work in the people of God to will and to do of his own good pleasure.
6. What progress have I made in the great work of subduing the evil propensities, which reign in me as a de- praved creature ? This is a question of boundless interest to every one present. To mortify and root out of his soul every corrupt feeling, is the work, to which every follower of Christ is appointed, and it is the work of his whole life. And what say you ? Do you find the power of your sins giving way ? Do you find your temper and disposition changed for the better ? Can you say, as to this fact, you are a happier man than you once were ? If so, the day of your triumph is at hand, and you shall soon enter into that rest, where sin and sorrow shall no more afflict you ; that peace which passeth understanding, which the world, with all its glories, cannot give, and with all its power, can never take away!
Rev. EBENEZER POOR, a native of Danvers, in 1796, · and a graduate of Dartmouth College, in 1818, was set- tled as the successor of Mr. Andros, June 17, 1835. He had been previously located in Beverly, of this State, and at Edgarton, on Martha's Vineyard. His Pastorate at Berkley was of short continuance. He was dismissed July 31, 1837. Mr. Poor was esteemed an interesting preacher. A sermon which he preached in Taunton on " the faithful saying," (1 Tim. 1: 15,) and which was 24
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afterwards published, by request of some who heard it, is a discourse of rare excellence.
Rev. J. U. PARSONS, succeeded Mr. Poor in the pasto- ral office. He was a native of Parsonsfield, Me., in 1806, a graduate of Bowdoin College, in 1828, and for some years after his entering upon the ministry, labored as a missionary in the State of Indiana. He was Installed in Berkley. March 14, 1838. and dismissed in 1840. He is laboring now somewhere at the South. Mr. Parsons is the author of a " Biblical Analysis." an " analytical method of teaching Orthography," and has also published several discourses.
Rev. CHARLES CHAMBERLAIN, was ordained successor of Mr. Parsons in 1842. and resigned his charge in 1844; since which time the pulpit has been statedly supplied by Rev. Messrs. Eastman, Gould, Gay, Richardson and Craig.
Second Trinitarian Congregational Church.
THIS Church was organized in September, 1848, con- sisting of some twenty members. belonging to the first Congregational Church. Rev. Lucius Root Eastman, & graduate of Amherst College, in 1833, and once settled at Sharon, is their minister.
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NORTON NORTH PRECINCT.
CHAPTER X.
THE CHURCHES AND MINISTRY OF MANSFIELD."
Ir has been already intimatedt that what is now called Mansfield had a distinct parochial existence under the name of Norton North Precinct so early as 1731, when the number of families was about twenty-five. Its Incor- poration as a town was not however till April, 1770. The first settlers of that District attended meeting at Taunton Green,¿ father and mother riding on horseback, with one or two children, all the distance of twelve miles, regularly every Sabbath, and some not hesitating even to walk so far for their spiritual food. On the organization of the Church in Norton, their journey was shortened more than half, but a regard for the youth induced them at the ear- liest moment of their ability, to bring themselves into a church state, the precise date of which event is not cer- tainly known. The first parish meeting was held at the house of Isaac Wellman. Tuesday, Aug. 31, 1731. Doc- uments of this early date have been most ruthlessly de- stroved. But from the few fragments in existence we
* So called. in honor of Lord Mansfield. through the influence of Col' Ephraim Leonard. Afterwards, in General Court. the motion was made to change the name to one less hostile to republican associations, but was lost. Authority for the above, Rev. M. Blake.
1 Page 156, 2d volume.
# The account that follows has been kindly furnished by Rev. Morti- mer Blake of Mansfield, much interested and eminently successful in antiquarian researches. I have taken the liberty to add a few notes.
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gather the following facts concerning the founders* of the Mansfield Church.
Several candidates received a call from the infant church
* The names of these are not known. As to any accurate list, Mr. Blake in answer to a letter of inquiry, says " the first syllable is want- ing." Some facts connected with their earlier proceedings are fortunate- ly preserved and given us in the interesting narrative of Mr. Blake now published. The earliest known Creed and Covenant of the Church date back as far as Mr. Green's ministry, and, as a part of the ecclesiastical history of the town, are worthy of a place in this connection.
" You do believe the existence of one Supreme Being, who is possess- ed of all possible perfection and glory, and that his being is distinguish- ed into three glorious and undivided persons, viz : Father, Son and Holy Ghost, and that in fulness of time, God sent forth his son, Jesus Christ, to take upon him the nature of man, that consisting of and subsisting in two natures and one person, he might be a fit Mediator between God and man. And you do now in a solemn Covenant give up yourself to this God and Jesus Christ. You do humbly and penitently ask of God the forgiveness, through the blood of Jesus Christ, of the sin of yr nature as also for your actual transgressions, and with all your heart you do accept of Jesus Christ for yr Lord and only Savior as he is offered in the gospel, and the Holy Ghost for yr Sanctifier, and you solemnly promise before God, the holy angels, and in the presence of this assem- bly that, being assisted by the Holy Ghost, you will forsake the vanities of this evil world and approve yourself a true disciple of Jesus Christ in all good carriage both towards God and man. You do believe that there are two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper-the first, a sign of initiation, which seals our admission into the visible church of Christ, and is to be administered to those and only those, together with their seed, that are taught and discipled to Jesus Christ and submit to the order of the gospel - the other a sacrament that is to be administered to such as have been baptized, of understanding to discern the Lord's body, of blameless lives and conversation and accompanied with a manifest de- sire of hungering after Jesus Christ. You do believe that we are to hold communion of churches, and acknowledge us to be a true church of Christ, and promise, so long as God shall continue yr abode with relation to us that you will walk in Covenant with the church of Christ in this place, sub- jecting yourself to the discipline of Christ in it, and promise by his help and grace to live devoted to him all yr days, in a faithful obedience to all his commandments. To this you consent and promise.
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