ORIGIN OF THE FIRST SEVENTH-DAY BAPTIST CHURCH IN AMERICA.
But after a while Mr. Holmes (who for some time had left the church) returned to his place; upon which he manifested his trouble with and for those five who observed the seventh day; and preaching from those words of our Saviour, "Woe to the world because of offenses; it must needs be that offenses must come, but woe to them by whom they do come; it were better that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that one of these little ones that believe in me should be offended;" and in his sermon he said that "those offenses are not only in the world, but in the churches, and, to be plain, they are such offenses as these, viz., for persons to leave Christ and are going to Moses in the observation of days, seasons, and such like;" repeating often in the presence of them who observed the seventh day, though to his own knowledge they both publicly and privately declared their judgments on this head. When Mr. Holmes had finished, Mr. Clarke handled the same words to the profit and satisfaction of the auditory; which troubled Mr. Holmes so that he went out, and came in no more that forenoon; and by that means the persons grieved with what he delivered, were hindered from discoursing with him, as they intended, because they were much grieved at the application of his sermon from them words. But in the afternoon, when meeting was finished, Mr. Hiscox desired liberty to speak a few words, and said, "My question is to you, Bro. Holmes, to desire you to declare who it is of this church that have left Christ and gone to Moses in the observation of days, and times, and seasons, and such like." To which Mr. Holmes replied, that "he had been faithful in the discharge of his duty, and if the word did reach you, and your conscience doth accuse you, do you make the application." To which Mr. Hiscox replied, "If that be all the answer you'll give, 'tis no matter, but 'tis well known who you intended; but through grace we have not left our Lord Jesus Christ, but can in some measure say, through rich grace, that God hath made him unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption." And further added, "Let it be taken notice of, by all, this day, that the only difference between you and us, we plead for the ten commandments to be a rule of good living, and to be obeyed in gospel times; you deny them, and say they were never given to the Gentiles before or after faith; and, whereas you say we observe days, and years, and seasons, we deny your assertion, for we only observe the seventh-day Sabbath of the Lord our God; as for other sabbaths, new moons, and holy days, we disown them, believing them to be done away by Christ, the substance, having nailed them to his cross as shadows of good things to come; but the seventh day we find differing from, and was to commemorate a good thing past, i. e., the creation of the world." And after many more words of this nature, Mr. Tory said, "It is more suitable to talk of these things another time." To which Mr. Hiscox replied, "Who are they which began first, you or us?" He said further, that "if there had been no objection that day fortnight the church brake bread, it would have been well, but they were forced to go away, though to their great grief of heart, to see how things were like to go with them." The next fifth-day, the church called in Mr. Hiscox to give an account why he did not sit down with them at the table of the Lord; to which he answered, that "it is not unknown to you, that I and the rest of us have not broke bread for a long time, but have gone about with a troubled heart, considering those four persons that have left the Sabbath, and also the opposition that I, together with the rest, have met with from those who deny the ten precepts to be a rule to the Gentiles, either before or after faith; but further, my trouble is much heightened by Bro. Holmes' preaching, for if we be such persons as that better a millstone be hanged about our necks, &c., it is not likely the Lord should smell a sweet savor in our fellowship together, unless there were an endeared heart union." To which Mr. Clarke answered, "Bro. Holmes did not name you, or any others, but spoke in a general way." Mr. Hiscox replied, "Who is it could be intended? Surely not the wicked world, for they meddle not with any law; neither could he intend you who deny the law to be a rule to the Gentiles." To which Mr. Holmes said, "To be plain, I did intend Bro. Hiscox, and such as he is." Then Mr. Hiscox answered, "You have done well to own the truth, for none that heard you could judge you intended any other." Mr. Hiscox proceeded and said, "If it be as Bro. Holmes hath said, that we have no more conscience than dogs, it ain't likely that our fellowship should be any way to your comfort and God's glory." Mr. Holmes replied, "Who did say so?" Mr. Hiscox answered, "You said so at Bro. Slocum's house." To which Mr. Holmes said, "Take notice of this, brethren;" and said further, "I must be plain, for I do judge that we have not conscience toward God in the matter of the Sabbath; for if you had, you could not have walked with the church as you have done." Mr. Luker, with grief, said that the wringing of the nose causes blood. Several of the church were troubled at the words which passed. At length Mr. Clarke said, "Bro. Hiscox, consider it seriously, how thou wilt be able to give an account to the Lord for the neglect of that appointment." To this Mr. Hiscox answered, "It is written that, as many grains make one loaf, so should the saints be one in the Lord, but oneness of heart is not in us, as is too evident; and how can two walk together except they are agreed? It is plain that we are not agreed in weighty matters." Then Mr. Clarke proceeded further, and said, "That is not sufficient; for what fault can you find in the Lord, or what fault in his ordinances?" Mr. Hiscox replied, "My Lord knows that his ordinances are as dear to me as ever; and it is my great trouble, that I can't come at them as I should; yea, I will now say, What fault is there in the Lord, or what fault in his Sabbath, or law, in the Lord, and them that profess it, should be so obnoxious, as is plain they are." The day on which this discourse was, Mr. Samuel Hubbard and his wife were there, and the church had discourse with them, and it was concluded by the church, to call the church together the next fifth-day; at which time they in general came, according to appointment, to the end that those that did not break bread should render their reasons for it. And being thus met, the brethren were called upon to speak; some of whom were backward, and sent forward Mr. Hiscox, who would have spoken, but Mr. Tory prevented two or three times, saying, "It is your wisdom to be silent, lest you should draw others to say as you say, as the grounds of their withdrawing their communion were taken in writing." Mr. Hubbard was called to speak, but refused, desiring Mr. Hiscox might speak for all at once; "for," said he, "our grounds are all one, and it is the quickest way." Mr. Tory would not admit it to be so. Then Tacy Hubbard gave in the grounds, which are these: 1. The apostasy of those four persons. 2. That speech of Bro. Holmes, "Wo to the world, because of offenses," in which discourse he said offenses are such as arise from brethren of the church, such as deny Christ and have turned to Moses, in observing days, times, and years, &c., and that it is better that a millstone were hanged about the neck of such, and they to be cast into the sea. 3. The dismal laying aside the ten precepts, together with the leading brethren denying of them at the meeting. Only these grounds, and nothing further done, by reason of the death of Mr. Joseph Tory, Jr., except a little to remove the doubts of Mr. Joseph Clarke, who was called forth to give his grounds, who manifested his willingness so to do, either at that or any other time. Then Mr. John Clarke asked Mr. Tory whether he had his notes about him; who replied, "No; but Bro. Hiscox's grounds are principally two, viz., the apostasy of those four, and Bro. Holmes' preaching." Then Mr. Hiscox said, "There is a third ground - the leading brethren of the church denying the ten precepts." To which Mr. Tory replied, "It ain't so; that is an addition of the adversary." Mr. Hiscox answered, that "though the matter might not be spoken in so few words, yet," said he, "your conscience doth know that your denying the ten precepts to be a rule to Gentiles, before or after faith, hath been a great trouble, and is so still." Hereupon Mr. Tory undertook to prove that the ten precepts were given only to the Jews, and that the Gentiles have nothing to do with them; instancing the 5th chap. Deut., concerning God's making his covenant with Israel. Then Mr. Hiscox said, "The stock of Israel was the church under the dispensation; and so were the people God made a covenant with and committed his oracles unto; but yet it was then the duty of the world to be proselyted and joined to the church, as much as it is now to believe and be baptized. I don't plead for their law as it stood with old obligation to do and live; no, nor of the Levitical priesthood; but as they are the law of Christ, established by himself and his apostles, as in Rom. 3, Matt. 5, Rom. 2, James 2, John 3, &c." To all which a reply was made, that those scriptures in the Romans, or any other that this day hath been offered, prove nothing to the purpose. Then Mr. Tory further proceeded and said, that "they have no more relation to the ten words than to circumcision, and all the rest of the law, and those brethren that took them so, applied them wrong, for they were the old covenant, and so done away, so that the Gentiles had nothing to do with them, neither were they ever blamed for the breach of them in the holy Scriptures." Then said Mr. Hiscox, "No! For what was God angry with the nations and drove them out? Was it not for the breach of God's law, as idolatry, adultery, and many other such like sins? Therefore he calls his people not to do after their manners." To which Mr. Tory said, "Not for the non-observation of the ten commandments, for you endeavor to bring in a yoke of bondage, which neither you nor your fathers were able to bear." Then replied Mr. Hiscox, "Is God's commandments become a yoke of bondage to you? Through mercy, they are not so to me, but are to be delighted in after the inner man." Then said Mr. Hubbard and his wife, "They are no yoke of bondage to us, but a good and spiritual law." After much debate, Mr. Tory was discoursing with Mr. Hiscox with warmth, to whom Mr. H. said, "What! do you think to juggle me out of my conscience?" Upon which Mr. Tory replied, "If I am become a juggler, then it is time for me to leave off this matter." Then said Mr. H., "Pray, Bro. Tory, don't be offended at it, for they were not suitable words, and I am troubled that I said so to you, but I pray pass them by;" and he did so. After more debate, and Mr. H. remained steady in that principle, Mr. Tory directed his speech to him, saying, "Do you take notice of this, that though the church hath endeavored to remove your scruples, yet you remain obstinate?" and lifting up his hand toward him, he said, "You stand upon your peril." Then Mr. Hiscox answered, "Pray, Bro. Tory, don't threaten so; you may do what you please; your threatening words don't affright me." At this day Mr. Clarke intimated that he did not deny the law; to whom Mr. H. applied himself, saying, "Pray, Bro. Clarke, speak plainly to things, and don't go round about the matter, and leave us in the dark all the while." To which Mr. Clarke said, "I can't speak more plain than I have done." Then Mr. Tory replied, "Good, Bro. Clarke, speak plain, and say they are done away." Upon which Mr. Clarke said, "I may as well deny God to be God" (answering to some part of Mr. Tory's speech), at which Mr. Tory was grieved.