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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A58837	A narrative of the planting of the Massachusetts Colony anno 1628 with the Lords signal presence the first thirty years : also a caution from New-Englands apostle, the great Cotton, how to escape the calamity which might befall them or their posterity, and confirmed by the evangelist Norton, with prognosticks from the famous Dr. Owen concerning the fate of these churches, and animadversions upon the anger of God in sending of evil angels among us / published by Old Planters, the authors of the Old mens tears.	Scottow, Joshua, 1618-1698.	1694 (1694)	Wing S2099; ESTC R33724	39,314	86

but Paraphrase and Comment upon the Book of Mr. Cottens Keys as he himself hath published to the World in answer to Mr. Cawdry That upon search of the Scriptures and weight of Argument thence deduced finding the Work of the Keyes exactly answering the Wards of the Lock of Christs Kingdom he was proselited from the Classical unto the Congregational Way of Churches Let it with all submissiveness be considered whether its Rumination may not be our concern who Writing of the State of these Churches saith That when a People through an apprehension of their own ignorance weakness and unmeetness well if it be not Laziness and Idleness to discern and judge matters of Religion for themselves and their own duty be kept and debar'd from it or when through their own sloth negligence and vitiousness shall be really uncapable to manage their own interest in Church Affairs as fit only to be governed if not as Bruit Creatures yet as mute persons these things shall be ●mplyed by the ambition of the Clergy ingrossing ●ll things in the Church to themselves as they did ●n former Ages That if the old Popedom do not Return a new one wi●l be Erected as bad as the other God forbid this prognostick should be the Fate of our Churches yet when we read the Apostle Pauls advice to Colosse Say to Archippus Take heed to thy Ministry which thou hast Received of the Lord when we consider the neglect of it we know not what to say The said Learned Man in a Book Published since his Death concerning the Rule and Order of Congregational Churches which he asserts to be the only Apostolical Churches both according to the Rules of Scripture and according to the Example of Primitive Humane Antiquitie to whom next unto the Sacred Scriptures we owe greatest Veneration and Credence which he in the said Book citeth in that Discourse treating of the Ruling Elders Office and Duty he saith I admire that any man should have so much confidence in his own Abilities so as to suppose himself Meet and Able for the Discharge of both sorts of E●ders in the least Church of Christ In the same Treatise he further affirms It s evident that neither the Purity Order nor the Beauty or Glory of the Churches of Christ nor his Majesty or Authority in the Government of them can be long preserved without the multiplication Elders in them according to the proportion to 〈◊〉 Number of their respective Members for w● whereof the Churches of old and late have De●nerated into Anarcby or Confusion or else gi●● themsel vss up unto the dominion of some prelati●● Teachers to rule at pleasure which was the poi●● and bane of the other Primitive Churches and t●● will do the same for the future in the neglect this Order God avert these sad Omens that they shou●● befal our Churches and yet when w● read how the Mystery of Iniquity wrought apprently in some who loved the preheminence even in the Apostles time we are at a loss a● humbly leave it with him whose Face is n● to be seen but his back parts only while he passing before us in his Glory and taking way his hand Hath not New-England experienced this grea● truth What is become of the Majesty Authority and Glory of Christs Appearing in ou● Churches unto which Christs Defence is promised when we were compleated according t● Rule as at the first Let 's take Christs Counsel to Remember from whence we are Fallen Repent Remember our Rulers which hav● declared unto us the Word of God whos● Fatth follow considering what hath bee● the end of their Conversation Jesus Chris● the same yesterday to day and for ever Let 's no● be carried about with divers Doctrines and to mind what Mem●●● 〈…〉 ●orton hath left us to chew upon In his Treatise call'd The Heart of New-En●and rent at the Blasphemies of the Times whose ●ords are It concerneth New-England always 〈◊〉 remember that originally they are a PLANTA●ION Religious not a PLANTATION of ●rade the Profession of the Purity of Doctrine Worship and Discipline is written upon their Fore●ead a spot of this vast Jeshimon converted ●nto Corn-fields Orchards Streets Inhabited ●nd a place of Merchandise cannot denomi●ate New-England all these notwithstanding if ●●e fall away from her Profession call her ●habod The Glory is Departed in such a case ●hat was said of Samnium sometimes a Fa ●●ous City in Italy viz. That they could not ●nd SAMNIUM in SAMNIUM will be ve●fied in these Churches vix That NEW-ENGLAND is not to be found in NEW-ENGLAND nor BOSTON in BOSTON God ●orbid that after New England hath now shi●ed Twenty Years and more like a Light upon an Hill it should at last go out in the snuff of Morelianism thus far the words of Bostons great and second Seraphical Teacher who For●y Years since declared these Fears about us as will further appear in the last page of this Scribled Narrative in his Funeral Elegy upon Mr. Cottons Death When our Stocks and Farms were not so multiplied nor our Trade ●nd Merchandise so increased nor the Number of our Members nor Mortuaries so grea● as now As Holy Herbert in his Pious Poem foretold of us As Gold and Grace never yet did agree Religion alway siding with Poverty That as the Church shall thither Westward flie So Sin shall Trace and Dog her instantly Yet we could maintain our Officers No question was then about the Ministers Table● how they should be supplied the Silver and Gold in Darius his Exchequer was the Lords and he brought it out to advance Temple-work if the Church Stock needed Enlargement a word then from the Deacons was sufficient to bring forth more then enough yea to Moses calling for a restraint such inlargedness of heart then appeared as some old Planters may Remember It was an awful Speech of a Worthy Minister of the Gospel lately utter'd upon a Falt-Day in a Neighbour Congregation that he feared the Churches did not understand the Cause of Gods present Controversy that it was Reformation God looked for who us'd this Motive to provoke to Duty that if the present Generation did not attend and do their Duty the next should not and would not be capable of it and indeed how can it be expected That they should Reform that which they know not to be an evil nor to fall upon practice of an unknown Precept Pastors and Teachers are accounted as Supernumeraries no Rule but for one Officer in a Church and as for Ruling Elders they have been taken up by Tradition that there is but one word in the whole Bible for them yet the Faith once given to the Sains is earnestly yet Regularly to be contended for by them but they will find them more then twice mentioned in Rom. 12. among Church Officers viz. The Teacher is to attend on Teaching the Pastor or Exhorter on Exhortation the Giver to do it with simplicity He that Ruleth with diligence can there be a fuller

●07 4 to 8. When as they were brought to ●mall store of provision upon the first Market Day by the General Court appointed to be ●ept they put to Sail half of it to handsel it with Thus was this contemptible place raised ●p so that in less then sixty years its Reputed ●he Mart of the North-America That little Church which after seven years growth its Number in their Mud-wall Meeing House with woodeu Ch●lices was so small as a Child might have told the whole Assembly it hath been so Amplified and Dig●ified by the Adorable Presence of him whose Countenance as the oun shining in his full strength with Radiant Beams through the Chrystal Glass of the T●iumvi●●te Ministry of the first ●hree Successive Johns Walson C●tton Norton ●each so full of the Spirit of Love Light and Learning as scarcely parall●ll'd in many Gene●ations this Church is now grown up to be a Trinity Colledge of Churches besides three other Congregations every Lords Day distinctly calling upon the Name of the Lord being ●each of them of different perswasions Oh that the Redeemed of the Lord whom he hath Sav'd from the Hand of the Enemy and gathered from the Lands might give thanks to the Lord for his Goodness and Mercy Endureth for ever Our Ancestors were men of God made partakers of the Divine Nature Christ was form'd and visibly Legible in them they Ser●ed God in Houses of the first Edition without ●arge Chambers or Windows Cieled with Cedar or painted with Vermilion a company of plain pious humble and open heated Christians call'd Puritans when News was brought ●●ither that the Church at Bermudas was Ba●ish'd thence into a desolate Island and full of St●aits forthwith they sent a Vessel of good Burthen to them fully Laden with provisions of all sorts each st●i●ing who should be forwardest in so good a work which supply came into them when as all the Meal in their Bar●els and Oil in their Cruise was spent and it was brought to them upon a Lords-Day when ●s their Faithful Pasto● had finished his Exhor●ation from Psalm 23. To Trust upon Jehova ●heir Shepherd who would not suffer his Flock to ●ant thus the Lord set his Seal to their Faith ●nd Prayers The Gravity of their Habit and Calendar Reformation by Satans Pollicy hath fince been imitated by the Quakers that our Fathers might be Lysted among those Phana●icks and Enthusiasts but they own'd no Spirit within them but to be tryed by the Word without them and no word without ●hem but accorded with the Spirit within them no word of promise to them without a work of Grace upon them neither without the Holy Spirits dwelling in them and testifying to them They minded the Ornament of the meek and quiet Spirit they were not acquainted with the toyes and fancies of this age they were Glorious within their clothing was of wrought gold they were brought in unto the King in rayment of needle work wrought with tender pricks of conscience the least vain fashion wanten or wicked thought toucht them to the quick sensibly feeling others adversity as being in the same body instance in our Pequod and Narraganset Wars we were not the next concerned it was Conecticut and Plimouth at first no union of the Collonies why should we concern our selves with them why did they ●amble so far a field they might have contented themselves Mr Oldham wthout such large accomodation The first English Blood-shed was of an Indian trader and one who had been highly sined for abusing this authority but it was English Blood and they made Inquisition after it So they did when a couple of English traders were at Richmond Island slain by the Indians 1631. and the next year an English Pirate seized a vessel who robbed made spoil at Pemiquod Fort and along the Coast the worthy Governour and Council then used means for their suppression and accordingly it succeded Nation and Neighbourhood was Obligation to their engaging in the quarrel they had simpathy in each joys and sorrows our senseless stupidity and our Pride devours our Charity Oh the Excess of it both of Body and mind of Hearts and Parts of Vestures and Gestures in al● Professors it is the Noli me tangere of the Age it s fear'd that most of our Prophets mouths are judicially shut against it and that God now saith of us as formerly of Ephraim He is joined to his Idols let him alone Dread we least our Palsey Distempers should Relax the Nerves of our Body Pollitick or our Convulsive Cramps should break them and mostly that the Pectant Humours in our Bodies may not abound to the raising up Noxious and Mortal Fumes and Vapours in our Head If the Athenian Mercury may be credited the excesses of our Nation in their Head Tire hath been testified against by Unnatural Excressences of Bruit Creatures but as it s said ours by an Humane Monstrossity as if the Holy GOD were more Jealous against us then against others The Lord seeth the Land-Defiling and Desolating sins amongst us what Witchrafts and what other abominations are in the midst of us we have just cause both to lay ourselves down in the Dust and with indignation to bear all witness justly due against them and all our Pagan walking in Lasciviousness Lusts of the Flesh Lusts of the eyes and Pride of Life our excess of Wine Revellings abominable wickedness by which Gods Name is Blasphemed among us for which as the Lord vomited out these Natives to make room for us so ●e now hath vomited us out to make room or them in this War he hath Ruined and Destroyed a whole Shire and in a manner Depopulated a whole Province in which Desolation two Churches gathred according to Gospel Order are extinguished One of them about Fifty years standing which was one of the first attacks upon us having there been made the greatest Slaughter Captivity and Plunder the Town remaineth but the Churches Candlestick was removed the other Church not of much lesser standing where it s said not above Four Males left of their Society the rest Dead Slaughtered or Captivated but the Burthen of that Lamentation is that their Faithful Pastor Eminent for Humility Piety and care of his Flock he not being willing to leave them was Barbarously Murthered in the midst of them his Tender and Godly Wife Captivated there Dyed Oh Lord will not all this awaken us to Church Reformation so as to set thine Altar upon its Basis a Sentence to be engraven upon every Church door when we are not only under Fear of the inhabitants of this Land but under the Deep Smarting and Killing Displeasure of a Righteous Holy and Angry God by these wicked Cannibals who are Gods Sword and have been so for many years together and when the end will be none of our Prophets have told us we mention not the other circumstances relating to that Province Shire it 's said there have been Killed Captivated a

before God before Jesus Christ and the Elect Angels that he should observe those things namely the Canons he had before appointed about Church Order and Officers that he should mind those things without preferring one before another doing nothing by partiallity there must be no partial dealing no preferment of one Commandment of Christ before another Deacons must not be kept in place with rejection of the Elders that Ruled well nor others debarr'd of their double Honour especially those who laboured in the Word and Doctrine and the Holy All-wise God knowing that the Churches would Apostatize and that Antichrist whose Mystery of Iniquity then wrought would in special manner run encounter to Scripture Purity and pollute the Sanctuary Streams of Church O●dinances and Officers especially Ruling Elde●● because of their pragmaticalness with the Te●ching Elders about Church Rule he jumble● and made one Officer of Teaching and Rulin● Elders prudentially to av●id Seism and calle● hem both Presbyters or Priests mean whil● he courted and carressed the Deacons who● he distinguished some he called Sub-Deacon● to attend the Vestry to help on the Surplic● and h●ly Garments of the Priests or Presbyters others he advanced to hear Auricular Confess●ons and say Mass but prudently considerin● that the Care and Trust of the Church Stoc● and Treasury was committed unto them e●pecially when i● was augmented with that ca●led Constantines Gift concerning which History tells us of a voice heard in the Heavens Hodie venerum effunditur c. This day poyson i● powred into the Churches That Man of Sin fore seeing how useful Deacons might be to hi● Clergy he advanced the Gravest of them to be Arch Deacons and to be of the number o● Cardinals so called because they are the Cardines Hooks or Hindges that the Scarlet Whore● Chair or Seat hangs on This cursed Conclave are the only Elected and Electors of the Pope their work on High Festivals is to Vest their Pontifex Maximus in his Pontificalibus of Purple and Scarlet decked with Jewels and Gold vastly exceeding all Imperial State and the Splendor of Jaddu● the 〈…〉 to Alenander to confirm him in his Con●est of the World Whilst at the High Altar ●e is Offering up the Blasphemous Sacrifice ●●ese Arch-Deacons attend upon him as other ●eacons at the Lords Supper Let the Candid ●eader pass by this digression designed to shew what a fine Thred this Mystery of Iniquity at ●irst spun but now the Son of Perdition Sits ●s God in the Temple of God whom Christ will destroy with the Brightness of his Coming c. Christ renews and doubleth the same Charge ●n the same Epistle as it were Adjuring and Conjuring Timothy and in him all the Church●s In the sight of God as they look to answer it at that Great Day and before Jesus Christ who made a good Confession before Pontius Pilate that they keep his Commandment without spot and unrebukable until the Appearing of Jesus Christ How should all these Obtestations and Injunctions make all New-England Church-Members and Officers dreadfully to quake and tremble under the consideration of what Guilt we lay under by breach of this Command Moreover the King of Saints and Lord of Heaven and Earth having Magnified and Exalted this People above any in the lower world with Charter Priviledge to im-body themselves into Spiritual Corporations founded upon Divine Institutions and directed by Scriptural Regulations by which Charter of Right they are Impowred to Assemble and Incorporate themselves to Chuse and Appoint their own Officers acting the whole in his Sacred Majesties Name and Solely by his Authority tha● agreeing together he hath pass'd under th● great Seal of Heaven and given his Royal Parol● Oath and Amen to bind or loose in heaven whatsoever they shall bind or loose on earth the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are give● to this Church Confessing and Professing Chris● to be the Son of the living God the gates o● hell shall not prevail against it yea he whos● Name is I AM is in the Midst of two or three assembled in his Name Authority but if they by their factions or fractions cannot agree o● thro their sullen wilfulness do Nonuser Desuser Refuser any of these Sacred Statutes which they by Scripture Charter are oblidg'd to act by they forfeit their Franchise may expect a Divin● Quo-warrant to be sued out by their King against them WHO REQUIRED THIS AT YOUR HANDS THIS IS NOT THE FEAST FAST OR DUTY THE LORD REQUIRES By not observing all things he ha●h Commanded they forfeit the challenge of his promised Presence with them if they refuse any Officer which he hath instated in the Churches they expose themselves to the Forfeiture of the said Charter And he who knoweth not what a Deluge of Superstitions was by this door of neglect let into the first Churches he is not so vers'd in divine and humane Church History as the time of the fulfilling Prophesy we are cast into calls for our crying out The Temple of the Lord will not free us from being Dischurched more then Jerusalem was she was seat to Shilo N. England needs not to Travel into Asia to learn it every poor French Refugee who hath set his Foot in N. England Preacheth it unto us whose Churches have yielded more Faithful Martyrs then all the other Reformed Churches in Europe their care of Supplying the Poor Churches out of the Large Treasury and by the Liberality of the Richer was Exemplary and the Providing Maintenance to the Widows and Orphans of their Deceased Pastors was Presidential it was the special Work of their National Synods and doth condemn us Christ that knows their Charity Service Faith and Patience after their Re reformation will make this Thyatiras last works to be more than her first Oh that we might apply our Hearts to these things that they may sink into our Souls Kings out of their Natural Clemency may abate from the Severity of Law but if contempt be added it aggravates the Offence Our case is such as only Soveraign Grace can Cure God hath oft wrought for his Names Sake Let us Plead it with him Lord we are call●d by thy Name Leave us not Let us not be abhorr'd for thy Names Sake Let not the Throne of Thy Glory be further Disgraced before Popish and Pagan Adversaries It 's said that none but Parliaments Laxness ●o maintain their just and legal Proprietie● 〈◊〉 undo the Body Polittck of a Nation so no●● can undo our Spiritual Corporations but their Members giving up their due just Church Power and Priviledge into the bands of some Diotrephes as befel the Primitive Churches As we began with a caution from our great Cotton so we shall draw to a conclusion with the Animadversion of the great Congregational Champion Dr. Owen who in the Vindication of these Churches from Scism cha●g'd upon them by Dr Stilling sfleet the said Reverend Man who there and in his other Elaborate Works upon that Subject doth

disanulled and our Agreement with H●ll that it may not stand and to make sure our Interest in the firm sure precious and tried Foundation and Corner Stone which with a Behold of Attention and Admiration God hath Laid in Sion Let this preventing Mercy Encourage poor Starv'd Prodigals to return to their Fathers House acknowledging our selves unworthy to be his Sons no not his Maenial Servants Own we our selves to be Luke-warm Laodiceans wambl●ng upon the Stomach or our Blessed Lord and no place fitter to ease himself of us then by spuing us into Hell as was said of Caparnaum we are as ignorant as ●●●ogant we are Rich want for nothing but ●●ow not our Poverty Blindness or Naked●ess we trust and boast our selves in lying ●ords of the Temple of the Lord and that we are ●hrist's Non-such Garden for him to Walk ●nd Recreate himself in But alas we are ●either hot nor cold a parcel of Mung●el ●nterpendants we are not of the Episcopal Form we allow no Superiority in our Chur●hes nor Officers where there is but one Of●icer there cannot be Preference nor Dispari●y and how many of our Churches have ●nore We are not Presbyterians for their ●eclared Discipline and their practice is accor●ingly they have one Pastor and two Ruling Elders in their least Congregations and as ●heir Flock increaseth so they multiply their Officers but we on the contrary when a Churches Foundation hath been laid they had not the Number of Forty Members in their Body they solemnly then engaged with hands ●ifted up to Heaven not to be without two Teaching and two Ruling Elders and for a while they publickly practised chusing two Ruling Elders Ordained a Pastor and Ruling Elder and sent the other to bring over a Teacher which was done but when they are now multiplied vastly above the Number more then at first they content themselves with one Teaching and never a Ruling Officer when as there are as it 's said above two thousand Souls under Church Watch none Officially to Rule and Watch over them 〈◊〉 not this Taking Gods Name in vain and as 〈◊〉 the Congregational Way we Nominally pr●fess it but if we Read the Plat-●orm of o●● Church Discipline or the way of the Congr●gational Churches of New-England we m●● see how much we are varyed from it a● gone back from the way our Fathers and o●●selves have been instructed in and have recei●ed upon the Divine Authority of the Ho●● Word and formerly walked accordingly Let 's not halt between two Opinions if o●● Fathers Ways were Scriptural let us practical●● Justify them if they be not let us be Humbl●● and Reform we pray that the Lord wou●● lead and keep us in his Truth and restore 〈◊〉 to Walk in Christ as we have received him 〈◊〉 though our Rust is so inveterately Cankere● as no scowring will fetch it out let 's Beg th●● the Refiners Fire which the Lord is purgi●● the Sons of Levi with may effectually melt 〈◊〉 down that we may be fitted as Vessels of H●nour Sanctified and Prepared unto every go●● Work and made fit for our Masters Us● Let this stimulate us to hearken unto what t●● Spirit saith unto the Churches not advanci●● mens Polliticks before Gods Institutes nor H●mane Prudentials before Christ's Credentia●● take we heed of disgust against Scripture Pu●●ty and plainness and see that the true Fa●●● and Discipline received from our Godly a●● Holy Fathers may be handed down to us a●● to our Children bringing forth practical Holiness whereby as they Justified their Profess●on so we may in our Lives and Conversations make evident the Holiness a●●● Faithfulness of our and their Heavenly Father tha● Religion and the true Ways of God in Hi● Worship and Discipline may not evaporate into Form without the Power of Godliness no● be Buried in our Predecessors Graves but that it may in the midst of years Revive to that which was New Englands Glory In our first times no complaint of Churches being it compleat of Officers nor for want of Mai●tenance for them nor for want of Materials to choose Officers fit to Rule some have observed this Failure hath been upon private Brethrens Obstructions a discouragement of Discourse among themselves unless it were such as they had from the Press or Pulpit Doth it not reflect upon the Churches King and Law giver who both received and gave gifts to men that the Lord God might dwell among them yea among the Rebellious Shall our Churches lie under the Curse of Barren Wombs and Dry Breasts Is Bethel Barren and Athens Fruitful Shall Cambridge the School of our Young Prophets be pregnant and an Alma Mater a Bountiful Mother with her Breasts exuberating with Radiant Beams and Sacred Streams to the making glad the City of our God in sending forth such as are Accomplished with exquisite and requisite Talents to fit them to the Ministerial Work of Christ's Holy Temple And shall o● Churches which should be Sion Colledges a●● the Mothers of old and young Disciples no●● be sterile Neither capable to bring fort● Nurse or Educate any which may be fit f●●● Rule in them shall they be capable of no ●ther Name but of the Layty or this Peopl● which was imposed upon them by such a●● Arrogated to themselves the Title of the Cle●gy or of being Gods Lot Our King is blameless but how much o●● Churches are blame-worthy the Lord give u● to consider for Brethren of low degree t●● say they know not the way of the Lord the● are of mean Estates and low Capacities thei● Counsel will not meet with acceptance a●● some others might do go to the Brethren o● high degree they know the way of the Judg●ments of the Lord but they cast off the Yok● of the Lord their occasions will not bear o● admit of so mean an Employ as to be a Ruling Elder It 's Recorded to the high Honour of the French Reformed Churches that not many years since at a National Synod held at Charenton very nigh unto Paris the Metropolis of that Nation in the sight of all the French Nobility and Gallantry there appeared twelve or sixteen Barons Lords and Esquires who Esteemed not themselves debased to appear as Members of that Synodical Society and indeed were all of them Ruling Elders of their spective Congregations and truly the Glory Christ in his Churches This is asserted in ●e Synodicon Galliae Reformatae May we not fear that we render our selves ●●ghly Criminal against the Prerogative of this ●ing of Kings and Lord of Lords who be●des what is recorded in the Scripture of ●ruth that when he took leave of his Apostles ●●t his Ascension What he then gave in Charge ●o them he afterward doubled the same ●y the great and last Apostle of the Gentile Churches instructing Timothy in Christ's Name how he should behave himself in the Church and House of God he doth upon ●he highest adjuration which can be mention●ed Enjoyn him as he will answer it