Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/186

 142 THE HISTORY OF BAERINGTOlSr. REPLY OF THE CHURCH TO CAPTAIN WILLETT's PROPOSALS. " We being engaged with you (according to our capacity) in the carrying out of a township, according to the grant given us by the honored Court, and desiring to lay such a foundation thereof, as may effectually tend to God's glory, our future peace and comfort, and the real benefit of such as shall hereafter join with us herein, as also to prevent all future jealousies and causes of dissatisfaction or disturbance in so good a work, do in relation to the three proposals made by our much honored Capt. Willett, humbly present to your serious consideration (before we further proceed therein) that the said proposals may be consented to and subscribed by all and every town-man under the following explications : " That the first proposal relating .to non-admission of erroneous persons may be only understood under the expli- cations following, viz. : of such as hold damnable heresies inconsistent with the faith of the gospel, as to deny the Trinity or any person therein; the Deity, or sinless human- ity of Christ, or the union of both natures in Him, or His full satisfaction to the divine justice by His active and pas- sive obedience for all His elect, or His resurrection, ascen- sion to Heaven, intercession, or His second personable com- ing to judgment ; or the resurrection of the dead, or to maintain any merit of works, consubstantiation, transsub- stantiation, giving divine adoration to any creature or any other anti-christian doctrine, thereby directly opposing the priestly, prophetical, or kingly office of Christ, or any part thereof ; or secondly such as hold such opinions as are inconsistent with the well-being of the place, as to deny the magistrate's power to punish evil-doers, as well as to encour- age those that do well ; or to deny the first day of the week to be observed by divine institution as the Lord's or Chris- tian Sabbath, or to deny the giving of honor to whom honor is due, or to offer those civil respects that are usually per- formed according to the laudable custom of our nation, each