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 foot steps 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 Pantuket 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 Wamee 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 hee had often dedicated them in his prayers to that service of the Lord desiring no better preferment for them than to be fitted for that worke hee endeavours therefore with that smal meanes he hath to traine them up in learning and God will I doubt not raise up some liberall hearts and hands to assist him therein This summer hee was making another journey but in regard of some quarrells among the Indians the Church was doubtfull at first of his going which when the Nashaway Sachim heard he took twenty men armed after their manner and was his guard with many other neerer Indians so much do they hunger after instruction this was a long journey into the wildernesse of sixty miles it proved very wet and tedious so that hee was not dry three or foure daies together night nor day but the Lord upheld him and his company in strength and health One of the Indians would needs know of Mr Elliot the reason why they that pray to God love the Indians so doing more than their owne Brethren and
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 Remigius 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 Devicinitate extremijudicii 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 bâ—â—… 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 murthered 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 bough in his hand and t is the sentence of a serious Historian among the Gentiles such are worthy of pitty not hatred that erre from the truth for they doe it not willingly but being mistaken in judgement they adhere to their first received opinions and the Saints in the first times never thought outward compulsion a fit meane to draw on inward assent The Evangelicall Prophet foretold this They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine saith the Lord Esa 65 last And our most deare Lord himselfe saith The sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Luk. 9. 56. Saint Iames derives the pedigree of that wisdome which hath bitter envying and strife though it be but in heart though it may rejoyce and thinke highly of it selfe yet its parentage is from that Cerberus of iniquity the world the flesh and the devill Jam. 3. 15. But regenerated Saints delight surely in that wisdome which is from above and that is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated
expressing more than wee can read was done either when the Chaldees or Romans begirt their City And the glosse of St. Ierome strengthens this conjecture When the Fathers saith he did eate the Sonnes or the Sonnes their Fathers is not related in any History and yet it was to be done openly in the midst of them and as it were in the sight of the Sunne But if the Jewes bee planted in that Westerne World we shall soone find the accomplishment of that Prophecie from Heaven for there be Caniballs and Man-eaters in great multitudes some whose trade is Homo cupium Homo capium hungring and hunting after Mans flesh and devouring it whose greedy bellies have buried Millions of them these Carybes are scattered all the Countrey over the Mauhacks are such and so neare they are or were to some of our Planters that finding an Englishman they eate one part of him after another before his face while he was yet alive If it be said they eate none but strangers or enemies not Fathers their Sonnes à contra Peter Martyr removes that scruple by affirming if they want the flesh of Foes and Forraigners they eate then one another even their owne kinred allies as he writes that added the Centons to Solinus If it be objected those Caniballs are of a different Nature and Nation from the rest Peter Martyr answers that also supposing all the Inhabitants to bee of one stock because they use all one and the same kind of Bread every where called Maiiz and their Cymbae Uni-ligneae their Canoes and Boats are in all places alike and as those Western Nations generally call their Boats Canoes and their Bread Maiiz so their common word for wine is Chichia for swords Macanas for Kings Caciques And if the Americans bee Jewish the Spaniards have yet in another sense fulfilled that Prediction of Ezekiel for their owne Bishop Bartholomeus de las Casas writes how they tooke Indians 10000 sometimes 20000 abroad with them in their Forragings and gave them no manner of food to sustaine them but the Flesh of other Indians taken in Warre and so Christian-Spaniards set up a shambles of mans flesh in their Army children were slaine and roasted men were killed for their hands and feet sakes for those they esteemed the onely delicate parts this was most hideous and most barbarous inhumanity the Tidings whereof was soone carryed through the Land and overwhelmed the Inhabitants with Horror and Astonishment CHAP VII Fifth Conjecture THE people that have not yet received the Gospell of Jesus Christ are Jewes but the Americans have not yet been gospelized and here three things come to consideration 1. All other nations at first received the Gospell 2. The Jewes before the end of the world shall be converted 3. These Indians have not yet heard of Christ 1. As the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Gentiles through faith preached before the Gospell unto Abraham saying in thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed Gal. 3 8. Gen. 12. 2 3. 18. 8. In like manner the glorious Gospell was soon conveyed to them soon after the comming of Christ even before the death of the Apostles holy David spake of this promulgation when he said Psal 19. 1. The Heavens i. e. the Apostles did declare the glory of God c. For the fourth Their line is gone out into all Lands and their words into the end of the world is applied by Saint Paul to this very purpose Rom. 10. 18. It was the command of their Master Goe teach all Nations c. Mat. 28. 19. and preach the Gospell to every creature Mar. 16. 15. and they gave hereto most willing obedience which we must have believed though it had not bin so exactly recorded in undoubted ecclesiasticall Histories There we read often that they divided the world into 12 parts every Apostle accepting that which fell to his lot but first they compiled the Creed called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Collation saith Cassian who was Chrysostomes Scholar because that which was at large expressed in the severall volumes of the Bible was by them briefly contracted into that forme and to this he applieth that of the Apostle Rom. 9. 28. a short worke we read it now but of old it was rendred verbum abbreviatum a short word a short rule to which all of them were to conforme their doctrine and the fifteenth of Iuly was afterwards and is still celebrated by some Christians in memory of their thus going to Gospellize the world and it is called Festum divisionis Apostolorum yea and the place is yet shewed to Travellers at this day where they are said to assemble upon this occasion Very many ancient writers historicall and others agreeing with Vigilius in this Authenticum symbolum quod Apostoli tradiderunt and a little before he blameth some for venting such doctrines as were neither delivered by the Prophets nor had the authentique authority of the Apostles Creed and yet suppose it dubious whether that Symboll be indeed of Apostolicall constitution and that they did not so divide the world to further their worke which is so confidently avouched by the ancient together with the Countries where each of them had their portion yet we are sufficiently assured such was their commission which they pursued with exactnesse and successe so that in their life time by their diligence the whole earth was enlightned Thus Saint Paul tell his Romans 1. 8. Their faith was published through the whole world the same is said to the Collossians also 1. 6. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in neither place lest curiosity should restraine it to the Roman World but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the former expression and the latter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the whole and every part of the world and is it not considerable as the injunction was preach the Gospell to every creature as was before remembred from Saint Marke 16. 5. So Saint Paul avoweth that in his 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
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 nor 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 our tongues and language if we sting and vex them in the meane time with the thornes of our wicked doings But our Countrey men take care to follow the aforementioned injunction of the holy Apostle Col. 4. 5. they walke righteously or as in our old English it was in right wisenesse so they called righteousnesse towards them without and so their charter on earth as well as those letters patents from Heaven wills that the English be so religiously peaceably and civilly governed as their good life and orderly conversation may winne and incite the Natives of the Countrey to the knowledg and obedience of the onely true God and Saviour of mankinde and the christian faith which in our regall intention and the Adventurers free profession is the principall end of this plantation And let these words be understood as awakenings to those of our Nation there and our selves also that wee all labour mutually and from our hearts to propagate the Gospell there because wee who eate every man of his owne vine and of his owne figtree and drinke every man water out of his own cisterne Esa 36. 16. should witnesse our thankfulnesse unto
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 quisalutem cis neget 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 excutiuntur 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 obscuro 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 Anabaptistae 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 regebantur 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 faithfull 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 should 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 eate 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 behalse 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 having their understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them c. Eph. 4. 17. c. and the lesse sensible they be of their owne forlorne condition the more sollicitous should others be to acquaint them therewith together with the way of their deliverance When Austin the Monke came hither among the Saxons to preach the Gospell King Ethelbert opposed him not but said I cannot so easily forsake my owne Religion and embrace theirs that is new yet seeing these strangers are come so farre and bring that to us which they esteem most excellent wee will use them kindly they shall want nothing for their work And surely were the Americans but a little civiliz'd they would by degrees understand their owne miserable estate and themselves would then bespeake further enlightning yea this is already in some of their fervent desires as hath been intimated also formerly 2. Christians have a care of this for Christ their Masters sake good subjects wish the ampliation of their Soveraignes honour and
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 vole dissimulare hoeresis enim separat hominem a Deo adsociat 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 heresie 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 1646. 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 themselves to accompany them in that service to make knowne the heavenly counsell of God among the Indians and that something be allowed them by the Generall Court to give away freely to those Indians whom they shall perceive most willing and ready to be instructed by them 5. They decree further that no Indian shall at any time Powaw or performe outward worship to their false gods or to the devill and if any shall transgresse this law the Powawer shall pay 5 l. the procurer 5 l. c. 1646. Their love to learning also is meet to be remembred and encouraged wherein they have observed a chief project of that old deluder Satan to keepe men from the knowledge of the Scriptures as in former times keeping them in an unknowne tongue so in these latter times by perswading from the use of tongues that so at least the true sense and meaning of the originall might be clouded with false glosses of saint-seeming deceivers and that learning may not be buried in the graves of our forefathers in Church and Common