the Moment when Christ shall begin this mysterious Work At the date of this Letter sixteen Years were run out after Christ began to settle his Abode here May America prosper as Winthrop Wilson and Company cam into it upon good Grounds And I presume the Negative testimony of a Person three Thousand miles off the Place concerned will not obtain much credit with equal Judges Especially remembring that the 43th Epistle begins thus Concerning our Plantation in the American World I wish them as well as any body tho I differ from them far both in other things and the grounds they go upon Neither can I believe that the Captain of our Salvation hath landed his Forces here to disturb and vex Satan only * 1 Kings 20 23 28. but to fight with him in good Earnest and break his Head It is remarkable what Mr. Nathanael Morton relates of one Squanto an Indian in his New-England's Memorial p. 25 35 40. He proved a special Instrument sent of God for the good of the English and was their Interpreter directed them in planting of their Corn where to Fish and was also their Pilot to bring them to unknown places and never left them untill his death He was a Native of this place where Plimouth is and scarce any left besides him The great Sachem Massasciet sought his liâ—e which caused him to stick close to the English Being on a Voyage to buy Corn by reason of cross Winds they put in at Mannamork where Squanto fell sick and in a few days dyed A little before his death he desired Governour Bradford who was then there to pray for him that he might go to English-mans God in Heaven and bequeathed many of his Things to his English Friends for a Remembrance of his Love of whom they had a great Loss This fell out in the Year 1622. As Rahab he with the uttermost hazard of his life changed sides left his countrymen and espoused the Interest of Strangers And therefore I dare not deny but that Rahab and he do now fare alike This Year the Indians were exceedingly affected with the Providence of God in sending a plenteous Rain upon the very same day that the English had set apart and sought it by humble and fervent Prayer All the morning and the greatest part of the day it was clear weather no cloud or sign of Rain to be seen Yet towards Evening it began to be overcast and shortly after to rain It came without either Wind or Thunder or any Violence but by degrees and in that Abundance as that the Earth was thorowly soaked therewith which did apparently revive the languishing Corn and other Fruits to their own the Indians Admiration One of them was heard to say Now I see that English-mans God is a good God for He hath heard you and sent you Rain and that without thundering Storms and Tempests which use to break down our Corn. Surely your God is a Good God! The Drought lasted from the third week in May to the middle of July without any Rain and with great Heat for the most part N. E. Memorial p. 37 38. Since the death of our Author many of them have been converted a satisfactory Account whereof was sent over to England and is in Print by means whereof many fervent Prayers were offered up to God on their behalf So that we may hope the Children of so many Prayers shall not finally miscarry The New Testament was translated into their own Language and came forth in Print in September 1661. â—000 Copies of a more correct Edition were printed Anno 1685. 1661. And since that time the whole Bible hath been given them by the singular Industry of Mr. John Elict at the Cost of the Honorable Corporation and a Catechise and several books of practical Divinity to boot There are also several Churches of them wherein the Ordinances of Christ are administred and his Sabbath sanctified Which Congregations may be compared to a piece of a Pomgranat within the Locks of the New English Church To the many printed Testimonies of Mr. John Eliot Father and Son Mr. Thomas Mahew Mr. Henry Whitfield and others one manuscript Evidence may be added Major Daniel Gookin a Person of known Integrity who tho he were an Assistant yet disdained not to accept the Government of the Indians and was very conversant with them both at Cambridge and at their own homes for many Years together Anno 1674. He writ a Treatise thereabout which he entituled INDIANS CONVERTED In the 64th page is this Passage For my own part I have no doubt but am fully satisfied according to judgement of Charity that divers of them do fear God and are true Believers Well then as to the Massachusets Triumphant Whitaker's Hypothesis is happily made a Thesis Scripturas intelligunt Dominus illis suum Spiritum dedit Cujus finibus Judaeorum illa per omnes Gentes dispersio concluditur It is well known what Swarms of Jews did dwell in Spain especially from the times of Adrian the Emperour But in the Year 1492. Ferdinand and Isabel King and Queen of Castile made an Edict whereby all Jews which inhabited in Castile or Leon were enjoined to turn to the Christian Religion and to be baptized within three Moneths on pain of having their Goods cofiscat and perpetual Banishment By this means the miserable People were brought into Great Perplexity The most religious of them took counsel in the three moneths space of delay before they were to leave the Country and found means to send away their Money and chief Goods out of Spain wherein they were aided by many honest minded Christians who did help to hide them Others who valued their ease Native-Country and Goods above all other matters were baptised and made profession of the Christian Religion And in process of time the noble Families of Spain allied themselves by Marriage to that Race Grimeston Hist Spain p. 946 947. This was called the great Dispersion One hundred and two and twenty Thousand Families were driven out of Spain and were forbidden to return upon pain of forfeiting both Estate and Life Meminit hujus exilij Dav. Gans P. 1. pag. 60. b vocat Ejectionem magnam qua innumeri Solum plurimi etjam Religionem mutarint Scribit Calamitatem illius temporis ne quidem exprimi posse Plura habet Schebh Jehuda p. 38 39 40. Hottinger de Judaismo p. 914. Eodem illo Anno Hebraeos universos quorum ingens infinitus prope numerus crat Hispaniae finibus excedere jussit Et ut Haereticos Mauros et Hebraeorum reliquias e suo regno penitus evelleret sanctum Inquisitionis officium instituit Hispan illustrat p. 1188. The very same Year 1492. Christopher Columbus found out the New World for Castile and Leon. And altho the New World was not yet made ready for the Entertainment of the ejected Jews or else the Jews were not yet fit to dwell in a place
Good Spirit lift up a Standard against the Cruel Enemy of Christ and Mankind that such Enemies may be scattered And let the Lord lift up his Hand declare his Power to the Gentiles that they may be gathered to and by the Standard of the Gospel And I would bless them in the Name of the Lord that with true hearts shall go forth to either part of this Work Isa 59 19. 49.22 The fervent Zeal of this learned and holy Man would provoke a very Stone to speak and therefore I hope the Christian Reader will lend a favoutable Ear to my short Antiphony What hath Old-anti-Christ to do in the New World By their own Conlession their Ch. is an Old woman past Child bearing Sâ—d nos â—xâ—am 〈◊〉 senectu tem agnescâ—â—â—â—s quâ—â—â—â—â—modum Nec Dei Whitaker p 5.4 Let them seek their heretookâ— where they cast fâ—nae them Nam Ecclesia omnium censensu etjam haereticerum jam senuit si ergo in sua adolescentia ac juventute non crevisset quomodo nunc in senectute cresceret Bellarmin de not Ecclesiâ—â— lib. 4. cap. 7. col 175. 176. D. One of this Mark may indeed be the Pope's Where but the Spouse of CHRIST she cannot be For it is altogether impossible that the LAMB's Wife should ever wax Old and become Unfruitfull Her Youth is renewed as the Eagles It is most certain that the True Church will be Ten times more Vigorous and Fruitfull than ever before In this Instance Bellarmin's Fiddle is miserably out of Tune if compared with David's Harp Ps 45 16. In stead of thy Fathers shall be thy Children 113 9. He maketh the barren woman to keep house to be a joyfull Mother of Children praise ye the LORD Compare this with the Wedding mentioned Rev. 19 1â—.7 where likewise the burden of the Song is Alleâ—ujah and Rev. 21.5 Behold I make all things NEW and we shall perceive a perfect ravishing Diapason As for the Dearness of the Gospel in New England being Fore warnd we ought to be Fore-armd that we may not be outbid Truth is a Kind of Gold that cannot be bought too dear Truth is such a Commodity as never broke the Buyer whatever it cost him Caryl on Job 12.16 My honoured Pastor the Reverend Mr. Samuel Willard a person eminent for Soundness of Judgement and Clearness of Expression lately preached and printed some excellent Sermons the Text Title whereof is Buy the Truth and Sell it not In the 48 49.68 69. pages there are Lines very proper for the New-English Planters as also in the 117 118 and 125. pages of Covenant Keeping the way to Blessedness May they accordingly Obtain Mercy and finde Grace to help in time of Need If we consult the memorable Epistle of Mr. Shepard of Cambridge and Mr. Allin of Dedham before their Answer to the Nine Positions Or if we inquire of the Learned and Judicious Mr. Jonathan Mitchel and Mr. Urian Oakes * Rlection-Sermon p. 17-21 we shall finde they reckoned that the Planters had a good Bargain And this Amiable Quaternion were all born in England but chose to have their Graves here at our Cambridge and Dedham An impossibility of subsisting there As this seems to be all Attend we our Errand upon which Christ sent us into the Wilderness He will provide Bread for us Mr. Dauforth Elect. Sermon pag. 22. so this is Argument enough if it can be made out Miraculous Samson could not withstand Thirst nor Prodigious Jonathan Hunger Upon the Resettlement of Virginia by the Lord la Ware June 9. 1610. there is this remark This was the Arm of the Lord of Hosts who would have his People pass the Red Sea Wilderness and then to possesse the Land of Canaan Altho there were not Ten to One yet there were Ten to Two of those who went to search the Land of Canaan who reported A Land that eateth up the Inhabitants thereof Num. 13.32 And some pious honest man being surrounded with Difficulties at his first coming hither might Unadvisedly write a discouraging Letter Unto which his never Returning to England and the flourishing circumstances of his Grandson at this day in New England are a very desirable and pleasant Contradiction p. 107. Capt. John Smith in his History published Anno 1624. affirms that he found New England well inhabited with a goodly p. 209 215. strong and well proportioned People And the Proverb is Shew me the Man and not the Meat And if men can be contented with the Food and Raiment intended in 1 Tim. 6.8 they need not fear subsisting where Ash Chesnut Hazel Oak Walnut do naturally and plentifully grow But for this let Mr. Morden be consulted p. 607-61â— to whom N. E. is beholden for the fair Character given them in his Geographie It is remarkable that Mr. Parker who was a successfull Schoolmaster at Newbury in Barkshire in the happy days of Dr. Twisse was much about this time preaching and Proving at Ipswich in Essex That the Passengers came over upon good Grounds and that GOD would multiply them as He did the Children of Israel His Text was Exod. 1.7 As Mr. Nicolas Noyes who was an Auditor and is yet living lately informed me Mr. Parker was at this time 1634. principally concerned in beginning Newbury where the Learned and Ingenious Mr. Benjamin Woodbridge Dr. Twisse's Successor had part of his Education under his Unckle Parker Mary Brown now Godfry the First-born of Newbury is yet alive and is become the Mother and Grandmother of many children Besides all than have issued out to begin other Plantations And so many have been born after her in the Town that they make two Assemblies wherein GOD is solemnly worshipped every Sabbath Day And As long as Plum Island shall faithfully keep the commanded Post Notwithstanding all the hectoring Words and hard Blows of the proud and boisterous Ocean As long as any Salmon or Sturgeon shall swim in the streams of Merrimack or any Perch or Pickeril in Crane-Pond As long as the Sea-Fowl shall know the Time of their coming and not neglect seasonably to visit the Places of their Acquaintance As long as any Cattel shall be fed with the Grass growing in the Medows which do humbly bow down themselves before Turkie-Hill As long as any Sheep shall walk upon Old Town Hills and shall from thence pleasantly look down upon the River Parker and the fruitfull Marishes lying beneath As long as any free and harmless Doves shall find a White Oak or other Tree within the Township to perch or feed or build a careless Nest upon and shall voluntarily present themselves to perform the office of Gleaners after Barley Harvest As long as Nature shall not grow Old and dote but shall constantly remember to give the rows of Indian Corn their education by Pairs So long shall Christians be born there and being first made meet shall from thence be Translated to be made partakers of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light Now seeing the Inhabitants of Newbury and of New England upon the due Observance of their Tenure may expect that their Rich and Gracious LORD will continue and confirm them in the Possession of these invaluable Privileges Let us have Grace whereby we may serve GOD acceptably with Reverence and godly Fear For our GOD is a consuming Fire Heb. 12.28 29. The mention of Mary Brown brings to mind an idle Whimsey as if Persons born in N.E. would be short liv'd Whereas the Native live long And a Judgment concerning English-men cannot well be made till Twenty or Thirty years hence Capt. Peregrine White born Novemb. 1620. is yet alive and like to live Major William Bradford whose honorable Father Governour Bradford married here is more than 73. years old and hath worn a Bullet in his Flesh above 20 of them Elizabeth Alden * Whose Grand daughter is a Mother now Paybody Capt. John Alden her brother Alexander Standish and John Howland have lived more than Seventy years This Summer â—â—â—â—mkle the Reverend Mr. James Noyes was a painfull Labourer in God 's Vineyard at Newbury Ensign James Noyes hath happily discovered a Body of Marble at Newbury within half a mile of the Navigable part of Little River by which means much better Lime may be made than of Oyster shells or West-India Lime-stones and afforded at a much cheaper rate This Summer a Contribution hath been made at Rode-Island and Narraganset but firstly and principally at Connecticut by a Brief from the honorable the Governour Council there By the continuance of which brotherly Love many Hundreds in this Province almost quite slain with Hunger have been rescued and revived It is observable that by far the greatest part of our Divines have received their Birth and Education here Who by solidity of Learning soundness of Doctrine and Integrity of Life do give much honour to their Lord and Master And as Dr. Twisse's VINDICâ—E came out Anno 1632. quickly after the Settlement of New England which was in the Years 1620 1628 1630. So that Faith which the Doctor did Earnestly and Victoriously contend for is no where more Unanimously Skillfully and Resolutely desended than here Holy Shepard hath his Wash Elect. Sermon pag. 16. As a Memorial for the Plantations of JESUS CHRIâ—T in New England a worthy Divine whose honorable Parents were born here is erecting a Testimonial Pillar more ornamental and durable thâ—n poliâ—â—ed Marble And this very Year notwithstanding the Plast the Worm the Frost the Drought the War The Inhabitants of Faufield Newten Rowley and Excenter have been at the Charge to build themselves very fair and large Meeting Houses for the puâ—liâ—â— Worship oâ— GOD. I would thin hope that the End of the Lord with New England Chap. 13.15 will be such as was with Job Because the Language of this Thing see noth to be The He Slay us yet will we Trayâ—â—â—a Hâ—â—d October 7. 1697.
word of Faith so long as Infidelity remains With what Confidence what Conscience do we not offer Christ to them that have him not Do we detain the Word of God in Unrighteousness Bernard lib. 3. cap. 1. de Consid Another Motive offers it self from the Coming of our dear LORD which if real Christians we do desire but if intelligent ones will not expect because we cannot obtain till the Indians be Gospellized Mat. 24.14 And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in All the World for a witness unto All Nations and then shall the End come I need not again rescue this Text to the sence that favours the Indians Gospelling but rather imploy it in this Service Christians Would you not gladly have Christ come Do you not long for such a Day of his Presence as will never be obscured by a Night of Absence or Withdrawing Do you not look out sharp for Him to end the Violences and Abuses of the sons of Wickedness To dispatch this Vain and Vexatious world What say you Do you so love Christ as to say with the Bride by the same Spirit Come Lord Jesus Come quickly Are you in good earnest that hear this Desire then Pray and Labour that the Gospel may be preached in all the World in this Indian End of it For till then Christ himself tells you He will not He cannot come The Door is as it were shut against Him How do you desire Him to come in and yet ly drowsing and turning on your Bed as a Door upon the hinge You are trying near hand how you can shift for your Selves and so in effect shift off CHRIST who is all this while kept without door For Love or Shame Get Up and Open the Door 2 Peter 3.12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God Sit not then still but as we use to do with desirable and welcom Guests go out to meet Him and bring Him in What is done or prepared by Papists among Indians is not to be despised but improved by Protestants There may be some sincere Labourers and Converts among them For Urbanus Calveto tells me of a Spanish Bishop of Mexico converted to the Truth I cannot but think well of Betanzus of Guatemala Bruno p. 174 256 257. Nor may I deem otherwise of Did. Lopez His Letter hath a Christian savour in it Yea pag. 3 Gage confesseth that he had known some of sober Conversation that had listed themselves for the Indian Missions And Acosta saith there are Men of God they are scarce indeed But I may not pass by Joseph Acosta himself whom I am inclined to judge a serious Man for the Conversion of the Indians In this Work he spent 17. Years and when he departed from them he was followed with Tears and Cries I cannot but esteem him for his pressing and maintaining so heartily the Preaching of Christ to be the principal Thing And he accounts it Ridiculous for the Indians to say them Prayers they understand not a word of He makes Explicit Faith necessary and saith it is not enough for vulgar people to profess that they hold what the Church believes He saith that Prayer is most needfull in this Business because it is all of God and his Grace and not of Merits â—06 Pareus Nat. 23.3 Moreover it was said by Hilary and Jerom that the hearts of the Hearers may be more holy than the lips of the Priests By means of the Spaniard the Indians have a School in every Town for Reading and Writing and Officers of their own to do Justice except in matters of Life Gage 146. I conceive Hope and Joy when I read what catachetical Doctrine was by a Synod at Lima appointed to be taught an Indian that would become a Christian He must believe in One God Acosta 467. Father Son and Holy Ghost and that this God is Maker of All and giveth eternal Glory to the good and Torment to the Wicked None is freed from Evil but by Jesus Christ made Man and suffering for Man and that He is our LORD and Redeemer and Only Hope and Reigneth in Heaven In Baptisine a man is made professedly his Servant If an Indian believe these Things and Repent of his past life and now will live according to the Command of God he may be accepted for a Christian Let Protestants now for shame arise and shew that they have some breathings of a true Apostolical Spirit in them I conclude with that of the Prophet Drop down ye Heavens from above and let the Skies pour down Righteousness Isa 45.8 The 189th Page shews the Nobility of Virginia's Original 1607. 1610. Most of the Adventurers were of such Quality as not to be likely to design their own Profit In their 53d Order it is Appointed that they shall according to the first Institution and Profession of this Company Advise and devise to the utmost of their Power the best Means for reclaiming the barbarous Natives and bringing them to the true Worship of God Civility of Life and Virtue I knew one who under the name of dust and ashes gave 500 l. in Gold for the breeding of Indian Children in true Religion Fair. Barber and then in Trades that they might live honestly And a zealous Minister made a considerable Collection in the East-India Fleet Vatr Cap. and. for the same End Mr. Nicolas Farrar gave 300 l. towards a College to be paid when Ten Indian Children should be placed in it and in the mean time 24 l. per annum to three discreet godly Men in the Colony which should honestly bring up three Indian Children in Christian Religion and some good Course to live by And the Company of Virginia did yearly appoint a Committee to take into their care the matter of the College to be erected in Virginia for the Conversion of Infidels To these Offerers we may well add those that offered themselves Mr. Glover that wanted no Employ yet would go with Sir Thomas Dale When also went Mr. Alexander Whitaker Son to that famous Professor in Cambridge being well settled in England on a Living and Means of his own yet had his heart stirred up to preach the Gospel in Virginia so that no disswasion nor discouragement could withdraw him from the Voyage The 10th Chapter p. 220. argueth for the planting of Colonies truly Christian in America for the Vindication of the Honor of God and Christian Religion horribly and unmatchably scandalized by the barbarous Cruelties of the Spaniards Yeel 2.3 The Land was as the Garden of Eden or Paradise before them and behind them a desolate Wilderness They have fullfilled and surpassed the Mischievousness of old Babylon Isa 14.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Regionem Viventium Parker â— 2. p. 15 Psal 24.1 50.12 in making the World the Habitable or Fertile World as Gataker there as a Wilderness and destroying the Cities thereof Now the Good Lord by his