shee should goe to heaven and live happy with God and Christ of her owne accord she called her children and said to them I shall now die and when I am dead your grandfather grandmother and Unkles c. will send for you to live among them and promise you great matters but I charge you doe not believe them live not among them for they pray not to God keepe not the Sabbath commit all manner of sinnes and are not punisht but I charge you live here for they pray to God his word is taught sins are supprest and punish'd by lawes therefore I charge you live here all your daies she died and it fell out as she said T is observed many other Indians would come in but they have neither tooles nor skill to fence in their grounds if the word were constantly taught government exercised encouragements for the industrious with meanes to instruct them in letters trade and labour as building fishing flax hemp c. many well-minded Indians would thus be drawne together Mr. Elliot stirres up the Ministers to learne the language and assist in the worke there is nothing else to invite but the good of soules not so much as meate drinke and lodging to be had among the Indians but such as wee must carry with us beside what wee give away to them c. Severall questions they then propounded Doth the Devill dwell in us as we dwell in an house When God saith honour thy Father and thy Mother doth he meane three Fathers our Father our Sachim and God When a soule goes to heaven what doth it say And what saith a wicked soule when it comes to hell Why did Christ die in our steads Why must we love our enemies and how shall we do it How doth Christ redeeme and deliver us from sin when every day my heart thinkes I must die and goe to Hell for my sins what shall I doe in this case How long was Adam good before he sinned If two families dwell in one house one prayeth the other-doth not what shall they that pray do to them that pray not Now the Indians desire to go to heaven what shall we doe that we may goe thither when we die How shall I bring my heart to love prayer Doe not Englishmen spoile their soules to say a thing cost them more than it did and is it not all one as to steale I see why I must feare hell and do so every day but why must I fear God If I reprove a man for sin and he answer why do you speak thus angerly Mr. Elliot teacheth us to love one another is this well If a wife put away her husband because he will pray to God and she will not what must be done in this case May such women as pray to God marry those that do not pray to God If my wife doth some worke on the night before the Sabbath and on the Sabbath night also is it a sin If I do that which is a sin and know it not to be a sin what will God say to that Whether is faith set in my heart or in my minde Why have not beasts a soule as well as man seeing they have love anger c. as man hath Why doth God punish in hell for ever man doth not so but after a time lets out of prison againe What is faith How shall I know when God accepts my prayers How doth Christ make peace betwixt God and man what is the meaning of that point In wicked dreames doth the soule sin Doth the soule in heaven know things done here on earth If my heart be full of evill thoughts and I repent and pray and a few houres after it be full againe and I repent and pray againe and after this it be full of evill thoughts again what will God say What force of wicked men is lawfull and what not What if a Minister weare long haire as some other men do what will God say Why doth God so hate them that teach others to commit sinne If a man will make his daughter marry one she doth not love what will God say c. There be sundry of them begin to enquire after Baptisme and Church Ordinances and Mr. Elliot with consideration speakes solemnly not suddenly nor lightly but before the Lord As I apprehend saith he in my conscience were they but in a setled way of civility and government cohabiting together and I called according to God to live among them I durst freely joyne into Church fellowship with them and could find out at least twenty men and women in some measure fitted of the Lord for it That Indian that was Mr Elliots Interpreter and first taught him words was joyning himselfe to the Church of Dorchester and the very day of this writing was the day for the triall of that Indian in order to his admission and this was 2. of the 12. 1648. Since which time these labourers with the Lord have not been idle in this Vineyard they are digging and fencing and gathering out the stones thereof and planting it with the choisest vine c. Esa. 5. 2. and though some informations of their happy endeavours have unhappily miscarried there be other passages that have arrived hither to give us assurance that they wax not faint in that Gospel worke they are not indeed yet printed but I have obtained leave to give the Reader a little taste thereof for as we here long to understand what further footsteps be made so the discoveries thereof will in due time and better manner be recommended Mr Elliot in the beginning of the last spring prepared for his journey among the Indians to a great fishing place upon Merimak and hired an Indian to mark trees and pilot him thither which he did with the helpe of some Indians they passed by other of the Natives who had heard of his preaching and were very glad of his comming that way but sicknesse prevented him at that time howbeit upon his recovery he went to another place call'd Pantukct where from all parts they meet there he asked them if those Indians were desirous to pray to God and when they said yea he demanded how many desired it they answered Wamâ—…e i. e. all The chiefe Sachim of this place had heard him before and now shewed great affection to him and the word of God using many arguments to perswade him to tarry among them saying his comming but once a yeere did them little good it was as if one should come and throw a fine thing among them and they like it well but cannot tell what is within whether something or nothing but if it be opened and they see it precious they should believe it c. Another Indian learning from Mr. Elliot that hee had five sonnes asked him if they should all teach the Indians to know God as he did which when hee affirmed the other was well pleased and Mr. Elliot himselfe much encouraged for
Americans accesse to Christ out of Philip. 2. 10. At the name of Iesus every knee shall bow of things in heaven things on earth and things under the earth i. e. Heavenly things Saints already converted earthly such of the knowne world as the Apostles were then labouring to Gospellize under the earth that is the Americans which are as under us and as Antipodes to us and live as it were under beneath in the lower parts of the world for it is not like hee should speake of the corporally dead their bodies not being under but rather in the earth inferi infernus doe not alwaies meane Hell and the place of the damned but the regions as under us sometimes that be opposite to us as that Epistle said to be brought by a winde from the upper to the nether world had those words first Superi inferis salutem wee above the earth wish health to them under it and thus the captive Indians told the English Planters Wee therefore seeke your destruction because wee heare you are a people come under the world to take our world from us Others finde their conversion praefigured in that threat Mat. 25. 30. Cast the unprofitable servant into utter darknesse those tenebrae exteriores outward darknesses are regiones exterae the outer and forraigne nations in the judgement of Remigiuâ—… and some conceive the same to be fore-signified by the Prophet Obadiah ver 20. The captivity of Ierusalem shall possesse the Cities of the South i. e. of America so situate or the dry cities that Countrey being much under the Torrid Zone Acosta confidently applyeth thus this text as some others doe that of Esa. 66. 19. Fredericus Lumnius in his booke De vicinitate extremi judicii findes or makes divers other Scriptures look this way upon that ground three sorts of people should be in the Church of Christ at severall times Jewes formerly Christians now and these Indians afterwards he citeth Hilary thus understanding that parable of the talents the possessor of five is the Jew hee that had two talents is the Gentile then knowne hee that received one a people all carnall and stupid and according to this triple time of the Church and order of believers hee expoundeth other Scriptures Zach. 13. 8. Mat. 13. 3. and the three Watches Luk. 12. 38. and craving pardon of his rashnesse or rather fidei nescientis mensuram suam of his faith not knowing its owne measure hee further allegorizeth the former parable The Jewes had one Talent the ancient and present Christians two Law and Gospell and the servant to whom five Talents were given by which hee gained other five is the Indian and American nation last in time converted and called after others into the vineyard but it shall be more abundant in obeying the Gospell more fervent in charity more zealous of good workes and therefore Malvenda will have those to be the dry Cities before mentioned out of Obad. ver 20. Because they shall so much thirst after the Gospell for that younger sister of the foure saith one of her friends in this England is now growne marriageable and daily hopes to get Christ to her husband by the preaching of the Gospel Comines said of the English that they were much addicted to and taken with Prophecies and predictions I believe that is incident to all Nations Some even among these have foretold of the mutation of their rites and religion as hath bin mentioned and in reference to their Gospelizing a divine and propheticall Poet hath printed his thoughts hereof in severall particulars Religion stands on tiptoe in our land Ready to passe to the American strand When height of malice and prodigious lusts Impudent sinning witchcrafts and distrusts The markes of future bane shall fill our cup Vnto the brim and make our measure up When Sein shall swallow Tiber and the Thames By letting in them both pollute her streames When Italy of us shall have her will And all her Calendar of sins fulfill Whereby one may foretell what sins next yeer Shall both in France and England domineer Then shall Religion to America flee They have their times of Gospell even as wee My God thou dost prepare for them a way By carrying first from them their gold away For gold and grace did never yet agree Religion alwaies sides with poverty Wee thinke wee rob them but we thinke amisse Wee are more poore and they more rich by this Thou wilt revenge their quarrell making grace To pay our debts and leave our ancient place To goe to them while that which now their Nation But lends to us shall be our desolation c. Here is a sad prognosticke for this England but a joyfull calculation for America longing thirsting America and if such be their ripenesse and desire wee should also make haste to satisfie them The harvest there is great and the Regions are already white thereto the laborours indeed are few t is more then time that the Lord of the harvest were more earnestly intreated to send to thrust forth labourers into this Harvest they that have gone into those parts have not all had a care of this the harvest of soules It was indeed the profession of Villagagno and the purpose surely of Peter Richiers and Will. Charter Pastors and others from Geneva Anno one thousand five hundred fifty six to publish the Gospel there and they were very serious therein yea and Lerius one of them believes they had bin successefull also if that Apostate Governour had not become a most cruell persecutor of the Reformed Religion in that strange land where he most barbarously mutthered three of those his owne Countrey men and the aforesaid Lerius piously took care that their Martyrdom should be commemorated by Io. Crispin in his History and though these were not so happy in that holy attempt others have not been will not be discouraged in such a worke a worke worthy of the choicest diligence of those that professe the glorious Gospel in sincerity who have had also many and manifold experiments of divine favour in their severall preservations directions and accommodations and because their friends with praise to God and thanks to them for what is done and declared already desire to know more of those their pious and blessed endeavours Let me adde a third consideration Wishes of furtherance and direction in such great and gracious employments which shall be I hope and pray as a spurre to more able advisers to bring in every one somewhat or other towards the erecting of a Tabernacle for our God in America CHAP. III. Directions towards the conversion of the Natives SOme give violent counsell here presuming they find it in that parable Luk. 14. 23. compell them to come in but judicious Austin calls this Amoris non timoris tractum not a force of feare but of love producing the example of a sheepe following the shepherd holding a green
time it was preached to every creature Col. 1. 23. such was then the use of that word the name creature was especially given to man the chiefe of all creatures below And this is unanimously acknowledged by the next writers Ignatius thought to be that little child called by Christ Mat. 18. 1. hath this expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is one Church which the Apostles setled from one end of the earth to another in the bloud of Christ by their sweat and labour Tertullian in the following Century affirmes that the Gospel in those very first times went beyond the Roman Monarchy even to us Britons and Eusebius sheweth how the doctrine of salvation by divine power and cooperation was carried into all the world and Iulius Firmicus Maturnus professeth that in his time 1300 yeeres since there was no Nation under Heaven East West North or South unto whom the Sunne of the Gospel had not shined and not onely in all the Continent but in every Island saith Greg. Nissene Thus Bernard also and others for when the Jewish fleece was dried up all the world saith Ierome was sprinkled with that heavenly dew 2. The Jewes before the end of the world shall be converted to Christianity this truth is to be found in the Old and New Testament and hath bin the constant beliefe of the faithfull in every age The children of Israell shall remaine many daies without a King and without a Prince c. Hos. 3. 4. yet Ver. 5. afterward they shall convert and seeke the Lord their God and David their King i. e. Christ the Sonne of David the King of his Church thus Zephan 3. 8 9 10 11. Zach. 12. 10 11 c. and some predictions in that Evangelicall Prophet Esay Saint Paul applies to this very purpose Rom. 11. 26 27. from Esa. 59. 20. 27. 9. yea and our common Master Christ telleth us Ierusalem shall be trodden under foot of the Gentiles untill the time of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled Luke 21. 24. So Saint Paul when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in all Israell shall be saved Rom. 11. 25. Some by Israell here would understand Israell according to the spirit that is the Elect from all the Nations but all along the Jewes and Gentiles are spoken of as distinct people according to the flesh so all Israell shall be saved that is a very great and numerous company or many from every tribe as we use to say genera singulorum not singuli generum or all the elect of them for when their heart shall be turned to the Lord the veile shall be taken away 2 Cor. 3. 16. Ancient Christians have subscribed to this In the end of the world saith Ierome the Jewes receiving the Gospel shall be enlightned thus Augustine r Gregory Bernard Primasius this was this is the common opinion of Christians Coepit ab his defertur ad hos referetur ad illos Nostra fides erunt sub mundi fine fideles From the Jewes our faith began To the Gentiles then it ran To the Jewes returne it shall Before the dreadfull end of all 3. The third consideration hath a twofold branch 1. The Americans have not but 2. shall be acquainted with Christianity and to the first all are not of this mind that the Indians have not heard of the Gospell for Osiander speaking of Vilagagno and his planting there in Brasil writes confidently without doubt those people received the Gospel of Christ by the preaching of the Apostles 1500 yeeres since but they lost it againe by their unthankfulnesse and Malvenda allegeth some conjectures that Christianity might have been among them but these are so few and so forced that himselfe supposeth them rather satanicall suggestions illusions and imitations than remembrances indeed of the Gospell There be some records where every one of the Apostles planted the faith of Christ in what Nations and Kingdomes but they are all silent touching this part of the world which indeed was not knowne till of late yea some conceive they had no being at all in former ages and that there was not so much as land or earth in those places however questionlesse they be but of late discovery for though some will have America to be those Atlantique Islands mentioned by Plato others that the Phaenicians arived thither more than 2000 yeeres since and some further improbable conjectures there be 't is concluded neverthelesse by many judicious and observant men that it was never heard of in this world till Christopher Columbus of Genoa brought newes thereof about 1590. when then or by whom should they be made Christians is it credible there should be no records thereof in the Annalls of any Nation Could so great a part of the world become Christians without any whispering thereof to any other is it likely that all Gospel impressions should be utterly obliterate among them all the light thereof quite extinguished and not so much as the least glimpse thereof remaine as is also acknowledged by him that hath written and observed so much of these nations 2. Seeing they were never yet enlightned without question they shall be for the Gospell of the Kingdome must be preached every where for a witnesse to all Nations Mat. 24. 14. Surely so large a part of the world shall not alwaies be forgotten Is it imaginable that the God of mercy who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of soules Wisd. 11. 23. should suffer so great a portion of mankind ever to remaine in darknesse and in the shadow of death Is it credible or fit to be believed that the wisdome of the Father who taketh his solace in the habitable parts of the earth and his delight is to be with the children of men Prov. 8. 31. should have no compassion of such an innumerable multitude of soules The earth was inhabited by degrees from the place where Noahs Ark rested they went as the Sunne from the East and so planted themselves forward and the progresse of the Gospell saith Eusebius was in the same manner and for this there is more than allusion in Psal. 19. 5. compared with Rom. 10. 18. That Westerne part of the world was last inhabited and it shall heare of Christ also in due time as certainely as there be people to receive him for he shall be salvation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the last end of the earth Act. 13. 47. And the Americans have a tradition among themselves that white and bearded Nations shall subdue their Countries abolish all their rites and ceremonies and introduce a new religion CHAP. VIII The sixth Conjecture THE Americans calamities are suitable to those plagues threatned unto the Jewes Deut. 28. Such a comment upon that terrible Scripture is not any where to be found as among the Indians by this also it will appear probable that they be Jews and
of every grace and vertue with the perfect hatred of all vice and ungodlinesse and let me have favour here to commend 3 or 4 cautions CHAP. IV. Cautions 1. TAke heed and beware of cruelty the God of mercy hates nothing so much saith Theophilact as unmercifulnesse the badge of Christ is clemency his livery love by this it shall be knowne that you are my Disciples saith our deare Master himselfe if yee love one another Ioâ—… 13. 35. Other mens followers were known by their garments and colours but charity and love made the first Christians famous over all the old heathen world but in the new World the Spaniards die was not so black as bloudy and the Indians called them Yares i. e. devills so little humanity as they conceived was visible among them The same Bishop when he made an whole book of the Spanish cruelties which he saw executed by them on the Indians protesteth it was his opinion that hee scarce mentioned one of a thousand of their tyrannies and more than once or twice he averreth that they allwaies grew from bad to worse and exceeded themselves in their diabolicall doings Nothing is more odious to this day than their name in those Countries for where ever the spanish Christians displayed their banners saith Benzo they imprinted upon the Natives by their horrid cruelties eternall monuments of implacable hatred towards them but the faire civill and gentle deportment of our Nation to the Natives hath already wonne much upon them as is acknowledged by a forraigne pen. 2. Take heed and beware of covetousnesse t is our sweet Saviours own ingeminated command Luk. 12. 15. happy shall the Natives be and we also if they find our conversation without covetousnesse Heb. 13. 5. that they may see and say the Englishmen seeke not ours but us and us not to make us slaves to themselves but fellow servants to Christ our common Master they saw the Spaniards so guilty of this evill that they conceived them to adore no other God but gold the observation of which fetched from Benzo that pious exoptation I wish to God saith hee wee were no more addicted to earthly things than they the name of Christian would be glorious were it not for our covetousnes the Spaniards indeed tell faire stories some of them as if their sole desire had been to Christianize the Natives when indeed all their endeavour was to satisfie their lust and avarice and Acosta himselfe cannot deny but that his Countreymen did commit many great outrages for gold and silver but where those metalls were not to be found they made no stay continued not in such places and Benzo is large in producing their frequent and suddaine removes upon this occasion and he tells that the Bracamorians are unsubdued by the Spaniards to this day not so much because they are a warlike people in their kind but especially by reason of their poverty and indigence 3. Take heed and beware of complying with them in any of their rites and ceremonies if we intend they should indeed come out of Egypt let not an hoofe be left as Exod. 10. 25. let them have Christian religion purely without blinding or blending the wisdome of the flesh must not here be heard wee must listen to no other but the counsell of the Spirit It was good advice the godly Bishop and martyr Hooper gave to King Edward the sixth and his honourable privy Councellors As yee have taken away the Masse from the people so take from them her feathers also the Altar vestments and such like as apparell'd her there hath not doubtlesse been any one thing so powerfull in begetting and maintaining doctrinall quarrells in Christendome as the unhappy complication with nations and people in some of their supposed tollerable rites at their first approaching to Christianity the Pagans of old saith Rhenanus were relieved by the mutation of some things in their religion whose universall abolition had irritated if not totally scared them from us and Acosta concurres with him in this matter even in reference to the Indians How this policy prevailed at first in the Church was long ago observed and it became the lamentation of latter times when men were more tenacious of humane superstructures than of the fundamentalls laid by Jesus Christ the shell and shadow of Gentile ceremony is yet more carefully hunted after by the Man of Rome than the most solid and substantiall truths of the Gospel pitty it is that sense and eyedazlelings should prevaile more than divine verities that abundance of good things should breed surfets and yet it will ever be thus where there is want of care and spirituall exercise at home and but cold endeavours to promote piety and godlinesse abroad 4. Take heed and beware of all and every ungodlinesse not onely for your owne sakes but that the sweet name of our God be not blasphemed among the Nations Rom. 2. 24. Holy examples are a nearer way to righteousnesse than verball precepts and instructions the Indians may even without the word be won to the truth by a godly conversation as St. Peter speaketh in the like case 1 Pet. 3. 1. a corrupt life is a violent argument perswading to evill the Americans were scared from Christianity by the scandalous iniquities of the Spaniards The evil example of one ungodly Christian did more hinder the Indians conversion than an hundred of their religious could further it * he saith it who saw what he spake for they are verily perswaded that of all the Gods in the world the Spaniards God is the worst because hee hath such abominable and wicked servants Benzo tells of a confabulation himselfe had with an old Indian who in serious discourse said unto him O Christian what kind of things be Christians they exact Mayz Honey Silke an Indian woman for a concubine they require gold and silver Christians will not worke they dice blaspheme c. when I replyed evil Christians onely doe such things not such as be good his answer was ready but where are those good Christians I could never yet see one of them and not this American onely but a Franciscan Fryer publickly affirmed that not a Priest nor Monke not Bishop in all India was worthy of the name of a good man Didacus Lopez in his Epistle to the Bishop of Guattimala saith the Christians were so prodigiously wicked that they were odious not onely to heaven and Angells but even to the earth and devills doe you believe saith hee the Indians will become Christians when your selves are not so but in name onely and in title surely those silly nations will sooner be perswaded to good by the example of one daies conversation than by an whole yeers preaching for to what purpose doe wee strew among the people odoriferous roses with ouâ—… tongues and language if we sting and vex them in the meane time with the thornes of our wicked
in her bosome and sucked it from her breasts c. From South-Hampton Iohn Winthrop Governour Rich Sâ—…ltonstall Tho Dudly c. CHAP. VI. THere is another injaculation that hath gone current among many that the Puritane of old and New-England is Antimonarchicall the former is sufficiently cleared by that Bishop who hath left this testimony Presbyterio lis est cum Episcopis cum Rege nulla est or if that be not enough King Iames in this is an irrefragable Assertor The Puritans do not decline the oath of Supremacy but daily take it never refused it and the same supremacy is defended by Calvin himselfe And in New-England Mr. Williams seemed in other things to be extravagant yet thus he writes to this point For the Government of the Common-wealth from the King as supreme to the inferiour and subordinate Magistrates my heart is on them as once Deborah spake and as the Governours and assistants doe themselves take the oath of Allegiance so they have power by their Charter to give the same to all that shall at any time passe to them or inhabite with them But Tempora mutantur and it may be t is with them as with us nos mutamur in illis And t is further said that their Ecclesiastique government is not onely opposite to the ancient Episcopacy of the land but to the discipline of the other Reformed Churches even that which the Covenant calleth for it may be worth our consideration that as there was a time when forraigners reformed were not so opposite to our Bishops but those Divines thought well of them willingly gave to them Titles of Reverend Fathers and Illustrious Lords and in their publique convenings spake of that Government with good respect and the valedictory Epistle of Mr. Cotton to the then Bishop of Lincoln full of respective expressions is yet to be seen So the Bishops then were not such Antipresbyterians Caecus sit saith Bishop Andrewes to P. Moulin a Presbyter qui non videat stantes sine ea Ecclesias ferreus sit qui salutem eis nâ—…get nos non sumus illi ferrei Let him be blind that seeth not Churches consistent without such an Hierarchy let him be accounted iron-hearted that shall deny them to be in a way of salvation we are not such iron-hearted men yea and severall reformed Congregations of severall Nations have not onely been tollerated but much refreshed under the Bishops of London Norwich Winchester c. These times have widened all differences every where even among such as are or should be one in covenant how are disaffections increased divisions heightened which have not only wofully abated christian love but miserably augmented iniquities of all sorts many being scrupulously curious about mint and annis having little respect in the meane time to faith righteousnesse and the more weighty things of the law and here may be taken up the lamentation of Erasmus bemoaning himselfe exceedingly that he had in bookes cryed up libertatem spiritus liberty of the spirit which I thinke this age would call liberty of conscience I wished thus saith hee a diminution of humane ceremonies to that end that divine truths and godlinesse might be enlarged Nunc sic excutiunt ut illae ut pro libertate spiritus succedat effraenis carnis licentia and he doth justly call it carnall licenciousnesse for the Spirit of our God Gal. 5. 20. names contentions seditions heresies c. workes of the flesh which being but lately sowne have strangely growne up and multiplyed so that a forraigne penne hath to Englands shame printed it thus to the world Anglia his quatuor annis facta est colluvies lerna omnium errorum ac sectarum nulla à condito orbe provincia tam parvo spatio tot monstrosas haereses protulit atque haec Episcoporum tempora intra sexaginta annos non nisi quatuor sectas protulerunt eas plerunque in obscure latentes c. For I had rather bewaile than reveale the nakednesse of the Nation I had rather stirre up my owne soule and others to piety and peace oh when will men lay aside all bitternesse and wrath and anger and clamour and evill speaking with all malice and instead thereof be kinde one to another tender-hearted forgiving one another as God for Christs sake forgave you Ephes. 4. 32. I wish there were a law to forbid all needlesse disputes I wish that it and those other severall lawes were put in execution impartially so that all men by all meanes were provoked to godlinesse that would preserve from every error for God is faithfull that hath promised If any man will doe the Fathers will he shall know the doctrine whether it be of God Joh. 7. 17. Hearty endeavours for holinesse in our owne persons and those related to us would take away the occasions of many unkind controversies for the Kingdome of God is not meate or drinke this or that government or any such externalls no further then they serve to promote righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. and this is the best way to shew our obedience unto Christ for hee that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men ver 18. When our Countreymen planted themselves first in America the name of Independency was not knowne hee indeed that lately hath wrote of the state of the Churches in England drawes so the scheme that our Novangles are thus become Independents but with the epithete of orthodox Schema sectarum recentium Puritani Presbyteriani Angli Scoti Erastiani sive Colemaniani Independentes sive Congregationales Orthodoxi Novo-Anglici Londinenses Pseudo-Independentes sive Fanatici Anabaptista Quaerentes Antinomi mille alii And for our Novangles it cannot be denyed but many of them well approve the Ecclesiastique government of the Reformed Churches as of old communi Presbyterorum consilio Ecclesiae regibuntur they desire it were so now and some of them in New England are amazed at the manner of our gathering of Churches here thus one writeth that had bin a long time a Pastor among them What more ungodly sacrilege or man-stealing can there be than to purloine from godly Ministers the first borne of their fervent prayers and saithfull preachings the leven of their flocks the encouragement of their soules the crowne of their labours their Epistle to heaven If men will needs gather Churches out of the world as they say let them first plough the world and sow it and reape it with their owne hands the Lord give them a liberall harvest He is a very hard man that will reape where he hath not sowed and gather where he hath not strowed Mat. 24. 25. and if I mistake not such kind of unkind and hard dealing was practised here in England even in popish times what meanes else that Canon among the Saxon Councells Vt sacerdotes aliorum parochianos ad se
non alliciant how like this lookes to that I leave to the judgement of others but these be the words of that rule Let no Presbyter perswade the saithfull of the Parish of another Presbyter to come to his Church leaving his owne and take to himselfe those tithes but let every one bee content with his owne Church and people and by no meanes doe that to another which he would not should be done to himselfe according to that Evangelicall saying Whatsoever yee would that men shonld doe unto you doe yee the same to them but whosoever shall walke contrary to this rule let him know hee shall either lose his degree or for a long time be detained in prison I shall by and by speake more to this on their behalfe now adde onely that as many in New England approve of the discipline of the other Churches Reformed and some of them sufficiently dislike the way and manner of our Church-gathering here so all of them have now seen by experience the necessity of Synods For in their great storm of late that was so like to wracke all the meanes to settle it was as strange as the disease so he writes that was an eye and care witnes They that heretofore slighted Synods and accounted of them as humane inventions and the blemish of those Reformed Churches that made use of them are now for the preservation of themselves enforced to make use of that meanes which in time of peace they did slight and contemne the Synod saith he being assembled much time was spent in ventilating and emptying of private passions but afterwards it went on and determined with such good successe that in token thereof hee saith wee keepe a solemne day of thanksgiving as there was cause and the two men most different in opinion were selected for the publike exercise wherein they behaved themselves to admiration the Acts and conclusions of the Synod c. I would further aske if the Independent government so farre as it is congregationall be not as rigidly Presbyterian as any sure I am unkinde they are not to the other Presbyterians Mr Winslow is an irrefragable testis herein who mentions some there that are in that way and knowne to be so yet never had the least molestation or disturbance but have and finde as good respect from Magistrates and people as other Elders in the congregationall way yea divers Gentlemen of Scotland that groaned under the late pressures of that Nation wrote into New England to know whether they might freely be suffered to exercise their Presbyteriall government and it was answered affirmatively they might and yet further none of them here or there that continue true to their first principles differ at all in fundamentalls and doctrine from the other Presbyterians and t is not unlike but when God shall enlarge their borders they will finde it needfull to approach yet neerer to the way of other Reformed Churches in their discipline And there is of themselves that upon observation of their former very great danger have left their judgement with which I will conclude this Chapter An excellent way they have meaning their Ecclesiastique government if Pastors and people would ever be of one opinion but when they shall come to be divided into as many opinions as they are bodies what will the sequell be and I see little probability of subsistence where Independency yeelds matter of divisions but no meanes to compound them CHAP. VII To our selves in behalfe of the Natives towards their conversion IT is the unfeigned desire of every pious soule that God would please to guide and blesse some holy and happy hand in taking up the differences that are growne up among those that are named by the sweet name of Christ that all who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity would also sincerely love one another that mutuall forces were conjoyned to promote the glory of our common Master not onely every man in his owne person family place and Countrey but by apprehending all opportunities to publish the eternall Gospell of our Lord even to those other ends of the earth Gregory the great did willingly encourage himselfe in his desire to Christianize our Ancestors the Saxons from hints of his owne observation for seeing children of beautifull feature offered to sale in the market at Rome as then the manner was hee sighed within himselfe and said when he understood they were not Christians Alas that the Prince of darkenesse should possesse such faire and lightsome countenances enquiring further after their names Angles they have Angels faces indeed said hee and t is meet all diligence be used that they be as the Angels of God in Heaven when hee asked of what Province they were it was answered Deiri or Deira for so was then that seventh Kingdome called Northumberland in the time of the Saxons Dei ira eruti saith hee being made Christians they shall be delivered from the wrath of God and upon demand hearing that their Kings name was Aelle he said Allelu jah and praises to God must be sung there In this worke if that may be any invitation we have the like allusions the whole Countrey is called the New world in the generall and particularly there is New Spaine New France New Netherland New Scotland New England why should not there be solicitous endeavours that all the Natives of that New World should be made a world of New creatures and if upon occasion and enquiry the Inhabitants be called Barbarians such were we our selves in the common acceptation of the word being neither Jewes nor Greekes if Salvages t is a name of hope that they are a salvable generation and shall in due time be partakers of the common salvation their complexion indeed is darke and duskish as t is made after birth but their soules are the more to be pittied that yet bee in a farre more unlovely hue even in the suburbs of that darkenesse that blacknesse of darknesse which is so terrible to thinke of It was Gregories desire that Hallelu-jahs should bee sung to and for the English then heathen the Christian English may observe and wonder at that very word of frequent use among the Indians as hath already been mentioned finally there is a constellation or starre called the crosse peculiar to that Countrey saith Acosta and it is so named because foure notable starres make the forme of a crosse set equally and with good proportion a good omen I wish it may be and that a starre may leade them also to their Saviour that Christ may be made knowne to them and his peace through the bloud of his Crosse Col. 1. 20. To which employment wee have likewise other perswasions besides what hath been formerly sprinkled here and there 1. The necessity of the poore Natives require this care who stand so much in need of spirituall bread and so few prepare to breake it to them they yet walke in the vanity of their minde
Plantations in the remote parts of the World 2. This worke would be much prospered by a stocke of wise and constant correspondence mutually betwixt Old and New England in regard of this businesse what progresse is made in the worke what meet to bee done for its furtherance c. Such communication of counsells would marvelously encourage and quicken the Americans conversion The French were spoiled of this help and intercourse from Brasil by the Governour Villagagno's Apostacy to Popery and t is not credible but if the poore Indians were made to understand that all the Nation of England were thus solicitous with God and among themselves in all industrious endeavours to recover them from their sinfull and lost condition by nature but they would looke up also and in earnest cooperate with them and say also it may be as was in the precedent Chapter mentioned of our Saxon King who said those Preachers should be kindly dealt with and want nothing for their worke yea somewhat like to this was long since spoken of by Colonchi one of the Princes of Peru when he was invited to be a Christian his answer was Sir I am old and unfit to forsake the rites and lawes of my Ancestors but take my children as you will and teach them what you please they are young and can more easily apply themselves to your customes and instructions 3. And a stock of money must be remembred which in some sense is as it were the soule of this worke the Poet said truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If wee meane the Indians shall be Gospellized they must first be civilized who are yet a very wild Olive both by nature and life they must bee weaned from idlenesse and hunting and nakednesse they must be perswaded to labour planting learning arts and manufacture that they may get cloathing they must be taught to build for their owne habitations for meeting houses or Churches on the Lords dayes Schooles must be erected for instruction of their youth at other times books of all kinds tooles and instruments of all sorts must be provided many and necessary materialls towards this structure may be easily mentioned but are not so easily purchased If our Countrey men there have for their owne comfort and subsistance t is little lesse then a miracle all things considered and a wonderfull mercy it cannot be expected that they should be able to adde considerable supplie towards all the forenamed particulars and other emergent needfull occasions though there be that can beare them record that to their power yea and beyond their power they are willing of themselves as the Apostle said of his Macedonians 2 Cor. 8. 3. I crave leave therefore to pray every Christian reader with much entreaty to take upon him the fellowship of ministring to this worke that you may abound in this grace also that I may use to you the same holy Apostles words Chrysostome desirous to plant the Gospel in Phaenicia stirred up many godly men and devout women by their liberality to contribute towards those endeavours Yea and here let it be remembred that as Gregory commends Queen Brunechild of France and Queen Adilberga of Kent for their charitable furtherance of this worke the gaining of soules the first Gospellizing of our Saxon Ancestors So some pious Christians among us of both sexes have shewed much bounty this way encouraging and exampling others The Spanish bookes relate strange things of their zeale in this kinde and one whom wee may credit tells us that America hath foure Arch-Bishops thirty Bishops and many other houses as they call them of Religion and if it be said their lot fell into the golden part of that world and out of their superfluities they might well spare very much t is very much indeed and yet t is somewhat more that the same writer observeth how the King of Spaine maintaines the lists and bonds of Missionaries Priests Fryers and Jesuits that are continually transported into America hee provides for every of them ten yeeres and that to this day and shall the children of this world in this also be wiser then the children of light Luk. 16. 8. shall they be enlarged for the promoting of themselves and their abominable superstitions and shall not wee be as forward in that which directly aimes at the glory of Christ and the good of souls as St. Paul saith of his Thessalonians that they were examples to all that believed in Macedonia and Achaia 1 Thes. 1. 7. I trust the liberality of some will invite and open the hands of many to be very forward in this worke for the administration of this service will not onely supply their wants but will be abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God 2 Cor. 9. 12. And I hope to heare once of a liberall collection and benevolence to be advanced in every Parish and Congregation of the land to be put into safe hands and such profitable employment as may indeed further the reering up of a Christian Tabernacle in America And while these papers were thus in their framing an Act before mentioned for propagating the Gospell of Iesus Christ in New England declareth much forwardnesse towards a nationall contribution in reference to this worke and the disposall thereof to be according to the desires of those that have bin most industrious that way and good care I trust will be taken that the monies run into the right channel and for the better gale and conduct the two Universities Cambridge Oxford have affectionately expressed their Christian longings that this soule-businesse may obtain all possible furtherance in their Letters to their Reverend and deare Brethren the Ministers of the Gospell in England and Wales the Divines of London are desired also in their sphere cordially to act in this common cause of the Gospel that no obstruction be left in the way of this most glorious endeavour why should any then bee straightned in their owne bowells why should not all learne willingnesse to this worke by reading considering and practising what we find the old Jewes did in a like case Exod. 35. CHAP. IX The Novangles religious care to advance Piety and Learning IT hath been laid and left at the doores of those whom some call Independents here in this England that they have shewed little love to others going astray and that their zeale hath been wanting against those blasphemies and heresies that have manifestly dishonoured the most sweet and holy name of God Father Son and Spirit Our booke tells us of a good man in former times when hee was accused of lust pride c. He said I confesse I am a sinner and I beseech you pray for me but when they laid heresie to his charge his heart was hot within him his zeale was inflamed and hee said Haereticus non sum hoc vitium nulla patientia possum aut volo dissimulare hoeresis enim separat hominem a Deo adsocrat
Diabolo alienatus a Christo non habet Deum quem oret propeccatis suis. T is not for me to judge any every one shall stand or fall to his owne Master Rom. 14. 4. but I would remember my selfe and others of his zeale who said fateor in causa fidei etiam vitam negligendam I finde this grace very warme and working in our Novangles for whom I have some few words more to mention in this particular that my readers may be invited to thinke well of them to doe well to them and for them or for the poore Indians rather or rathest for Christ himselfe who shall have honour from us all if wee all by communication of counsells prayers purses and every other way endeavour the furtherance of their conversion to our Lord Jesus and to procure our cordiall conjunction with our brethren there in this I shall transcribe some things out of their owne late printed booke of the lawes and liberties concerning the inhabitants of Massachusets by which their love to truth godlinesse peace and learning will be evident together with their liberall and enlarged care to propagate the eternall Gospell of our Lord among the Natives At the title of haeresie this is the preface Although no humane power be Lord over the faith and consciences of men and therefore may not constraine them to believe or professe against their consciences yet because such as bring in damnable heresies tending to the subversion of the Christian Faith and the destruction of the soules of men ought duly to be restrained from such notorious impiety it is therefore ordered and decreed by this Court That if any Christian within this jurisdiction shall goe about to subvert and destroy the Christian Faith and Religion by broaching or maintaining any damnable herefie as denying the immortality of the soule or the resurrection of the body or any sinne to be repented of in the regenerate or any evill done by the outward man to be accounted sinne or denying that Christ gave himselfe a ransome for our sinnes or shall affirme that wee are not justified by his death and righteousnesse but by the perfection of their owne workes or shall deny the morality of the fourth Commandement or shall endeavour to seduce others to any the heresies aforementioned every such person continuing obstinate therein after due meanes of conviction shall be sentenced to banishment 16â—… And before having said that the open contempt of Gods word and the messengers thereof is the desolating sinne of civill States c. It is therefore ordered and decreed That if any christian so called within this jurisdiction shall contemptuously behave himself towards the word preached or the messengers thereof either by interrupting him in his preaching or by charging him falsely with any error which he hath not taught or like a son of Korah cast upon his true doctrine or himselfe any reproach every such person or persons whatsoever censure the Church may passe shall for the first scandall be convented and reproved openly by the Magistrate at some Lecture and bound to their good behaviour and if a second time they breake forth into the like contemptuous carriages they shall either pay five pounds to the publique treasury or stand two houres openly upon a blocke or stoole foure foot high on a Lecture day with a paper fixed on his breast written in capitall letters AN OPEN AND OBSTINATE CONTEMNER OF GODS HOLY ORDINANCES that others may feare and be ashamed of breaking out into the like wickednesse 1646. There be some in this England that account it piety and Religion to speake evill of Christs Ministers and cast off his Ordinances now blessed of God from heaven and earth be our Novangles Magistrates Ministers and people that have so seasonably witnessed against these abominations They are great lovers of peace and government these therefore be their words in another place For as much as experience hath plentifully often proved that since the first rising of the Anabaptists about an hundred yeeres past they have bin the Incendiaries of Common-wealths and the infectors of persons in maine matters of Religion and the troublers of Churches in most places where they have been and that they who have held the baptizing of infants unlawfull have usually held other errors or heresies together therewith though as heretiques use to doe they have concealed the same untill they espied a fit advantage and opportunity to vent them by way of question or scruple and whereas divers of this kinde have since our comming into New-England appeared amongst our selves some whereof as others before them have denyed the Ordinance of Magistracy and the lawfulnesse of making warre others the lawfulnesse of Magistrates and their inspection into any breach of the first Table which opinions if connived at by us are like to be increased among us and so necessarily bring guilt upon us infection and trouble to the Churches and hazard to the whole Common-wealth It is therefore ordered by this Court and authority thereof that if any person or persons shall either openly condemne or oppose the baptizing of infants or goe about secretly to seduce others from the approbation or use thereof or shall purposely depart the Congregation at the administration of that Ordinance or shall deny the Ordinance of Magistracy or their lawfull right or authority to make warre or to punish the outward breaches of the first Table and shall appeare to the Court willfully and obstinately to continue therein after due meanes of conviction every such person or persons shall be sentenced to banishment 1644. And that wee may discerne how worthy they are that wee should doe all the good wee can for them for they love the nation where they inhabite and are very serious in preparing them for one husband to present them a pure virgin unto Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2. Severall therefore are their decrees in order to their conversion 1. Every Towne shall have power to restraine all Indians from prophaning the Lords day 1633. 1639. 1641. 2. The English shall not destroy the Indians corne but shall help them to fence in their grounds 3. Considering one end in planting these parts was to propagate the true Religion unto the Indians and that divers of them are become subjects to the English and have engaged themselves to be willing and ready to understand the Law of God It is therefore ordered and decreed that such necessary and wholesome Lawes which are in force and may be made from time to time to reduce them to civility of life shall be once in the yeer if the times be safe made knowne to them by such fit persons as the generall Court shall nominate having the helpe of some able Interpreter 4. Considering also that interpretation of tongues is appointed of God for propagating the truth It is therefore decreed that two Ministers shall be chosen every yeer and sent with the consent of their Churches with whomsoever will freely offer