THE Danger of Tolerating LEVELLERS In a Civill State OR An Historicall Narration of the dangerous pernicious practices and opinions wherewith SAMVEL GORTON and his Levelling Accomplices so much disturbed and molested the severall Plantations in NEW-ENGLAND Parallel to the positions and proceedings of the present Levellers in OLD-ENGLAND Wherein their severall Errors dangerous and very destructive to the peace both of Church and State their cariage and reviling language against Magistracy and all Civill power and their blasphemous speeches against the holy things of God TOGETHER With the Course that was there taken for suppressing them are fully set forth With a Satisfactory Answer to their Complaints made to the PARLIAMENT By Edw. Winslow of Plymouth in New-England London Printed by Rich. Cotes for Iohn Bellamy at the three Golden Lions in Corn-hill neare the Royall Exchange 1649. The Contents THe Magistrates proceedings at Boston in New-England against Samuel Gorton and his Accomplices pag. 1. The first Letter of Samuel Gorton and his Accomplices to the Magistrates of Boston in New-England p. 9. The second Letter of Samuel Gorton and his Accomplices to the Magistrates of Boston in New-England p. 28. Certain observations collected out of both their Letters containing their reproachfull Speeches of the government and Magistrates of the Massachusets p. 38. Their reviling language against Magistracy it self and all Civill power p. 43. Their blasphemous speeches against the holy things of God p. 47. The sum of the presentment of Samuel Gorton at Portsmouth in Roade Island by the grand Iury. p. 54. Mr. Roger Williams his Letter unto Mr. Winthrop concerning Samuel Gorton p. 55. A Letter from the Inhabitants of Providence against Gorton and his Accomplices p. 56. The true Cause of Gortons sufferings in New-England p. 66. The ground of a War like to ensue p. 71. Gortons abuse of Mr. Cotton and Mr. Ward answered p. 76. A false Glosse of State service discovered p. 80. Gorton Preached against Magistracie and yet accepts it in his own person p. 83. The ground or Cause of our first planting in New-England p. 88. The Church at Leyden and the Churches in New-England hold Communion with the Reformed Churches p. 93. New-Englands practice toward them that differ from them in Religion p. 100. A TRVE RELATION OF THE Proceedings of the Governour and Company of the Massachusets in New England against Samuel Gorton and his Accomplices with the grounds and reasons thereof examined and allowed by their Generall Court holden at Boston in November 1646. SAMVEL GORTON lived sometime at Plymouth where his behaviour was so turbulent and offensive both to the Magistrates and others as they were necessitated to drive him out of their Jurisdiction From thence hee went to Roade-Island where hee began to raise sedition and to make a party against the Authority there for which hee was apprehended and whipped and so sent away From thence with some others whom hee had gathered to his part â—ee removed to Providence where Mr. Roger Williams then lived Hee with some others opposed his sitting down there as an Inhabitant onely in regard of his present distresse they gave way for his abode for a time But being once housed hee soon drew so great a party to him as it was beyond the power of Mr. Williams and his party to drive them out or to rule them there so as both parties came armed into the field each against other and had fought it out had not Mr. Williams used meanes for pacification Hereupon many of the chiefe of Providence sent messengers with a Letter to the Governour and Councell of the Massachusets desiring aide against Gorton and his company but they were answered that not being within our Jurisdiction nor consederation we had no ground to interpose in their quarrells Soone after some of those men tendred themselves and their lands to come under our Government and were received There live neere to Providence two small Indian Sachims called Pumham and Socononoco who though they are as free as the great Sachim oâ— the Nanohigganset Yet Myantonimo the then Sachim of of Nanoligganset being a very proud and sterne man kept them in great awe This poore Sachim Pumham had a large parcell of land neer Providence very convenient for plantation which Gorton and his company being now about 13 or 14. taking notice of and fearing they should not be able to keep their power long where they were dealt with Myantonimo for this parcell of land promising him a good parcell of Wampam for it And because they knew that Pamham was the true owner of it they dealt with him also but he refusing to sell it for hee dwelt upon it or very neare to it they caused Myantonimo to send for him and having drawn a Writing purporting the sale thereof for a certaine consideration to bee given to both of them Myantonimo signed it and hee for feare of Myantonimo set his mark to it also not knowing what it was But when Gorton tendred him the consideration for it hee utterly refused it it being the Indians manner not to account any thing sold till the party have received the thing it is sold for But upon this colourable title Gorton and his company enter upon the land and build some houses and withall much wrong the Indians with their cattle and having Myantonimo their friend behave themselves very insolently toward the poor Indians who having no friends or meanes to relieve themselves came and tendred themselves and their lands to the government of the Massachusets who by order of the Court gave notice thereof to Myantonimo and appointed him to come or send to the next Court at Boston to shew his title or interest if hee had any to the said Pumham and Soconoâ—oco or their lands At the time appointed hee came and pretended that they were his vassalls but it appeared clearly both by a wâ—lting from Mr. Williams and the testimony of some other English in those parts and of divers other Indians no way related to them that they were free Sachims so as Myantonimo having nothing to reply the Court received the two Indian Sachims with their subjects and lands under the government and protection of the Massachusetts and upon that writ to our neighbours of Providence intimating the same to them and advising Gorton and his company that if they had any just title to the lands they possessed they should come or send some for them to shew the same to the Court and offered them safe conduct This letter from the Court they tooke in great disdaine and returned scornfull and menacing answers by word of mouth and a good time after they wrote a letter to the Court full of reproach and blasphemies not onely against the Magistrates but against the Churches and Ordinances as by the Copy thereof hereafter following will appeare Notwithstanding these provocations and daily wrongs offered to those few English their neighbours who had formerly submitted themselves to our Government wee sate still
Robert Potter Who went in the same Ship with mee into New-England and expressing by the way so much honesty and godlinesse as gained my good opinion and affâ—ction towards him I hearing that hee was affected with Samuel Gortons blasphemous conceits and carriages and therefore now imprisoned with him I went to visit him and having free speech with him in the open prison yard who shedding many teares might happily move me to expresse my affâ—ction to him which Samuel Gorton calls passion After some debate about his new opinions I remember I used a speech to him to this effect That hee should doe well and wisely to make such acknowledgement of his errours as his conscience would permit telling him that Mr. Cotton Whom hee had so much reverenced in Old England and New had given him a godly example in that kinde by a publique acknowledgement upon a solemne Fast day with many teares That in the time when errours were so stirring God leaving him for a time he fell into a spirituall slumber and had it not been for the watchfulnesse of his brethren the Elders c. hee might have slept on and blessed God very cordially for awakening him and was very thankefull to his Brethren for their watchfulnesse over him and faithfulnesse towards him wherein hee bonoured God not a little and greatly rejoyced the bearts of his bearers and therefore it would bee no shame for him to doe the like Concerning Mr. Cotton were I worthy I would presume to speake that now of him which I have said more then many times of him elswhere That I hold him such an eminent Worthy of Christ as very few others have attained unto him and that I hold my selfe not worthy to wipe his slippers for matters of grace learning and industry in the worke of God For the Author Samuel Gorton my self and others farre more judicious take him to bee a man whose spirit is starke drunke with blasphemies and insolencies a corrupter of the Truth and a disturber of the Peace where ever hee comes Iiutreat him to read Titus 1. 13. with an humble beaâ—â— and that is the greatest harm I wish him N. W. Thus much of the Answer and testimony of that Reverend and Grave Divine wherein the Reader may see how Mr. Gorton abuseth all men by casting mire and dirt in the faces of our best deserving Instruments In page 54. he accuseth Mr. Wilson and Mr. Cotton for stirring up the people against them c. Answ. What they pressed in their Sermons I was not present to heare but this I can affirme that from the time of their liberty to my departure from New England which is not much above two moneths I have heard many precious godly men affirme that Sam. Gorton and his company needlesly in their writings and conference belched out such blasphemy as they thought God was offended with the Country for giving them the liberty they had And that you may the better see his carriage it being the manner of the Countrey to let their prisoners come to heare the Word preached Mr. Gorton c. being there after Mr. Cotton had ended his Sermon on a Sabbath day asked leave to speake which Mr. Cotton assenting to the Governour being present gave him leave where with a loud voice before the whole Congregation being very great hee declared That the Ministery of the Word Sacraments Censures and other Ordinances of Religion in the hands of Ministers are like the silver Shrines of Diana in the hands of the craâ—tsmen of Ephesus c. And if the truth of this be questioned I have testimony upon Oath to make it good In pag. 55 56 57. many things might bee excepted against as in p. 55. his great respect manifested to that government because derived from the State of England which what it was thou maist largely see in certaine Observations of a godly Divine annexed hereunto upon his owne two contemptuous and blasphemous Letters or rather Bookes wherein are 48 severall aspersions cast on them Secondly his appealing pag. 56. from their Justice when their Charter enjoynes none In pag. 50 57 the Questions as hee hath set them downe and the relation about the time allowed him to give his answer I question whether he have dealt fairely therein because hee is so often found faulty To passe by his Answer and his large explanation of himselfe pag. 58. and come to 59. c and so the rest of his Answers to the Questions to 64. I answer though I know not whether hee doe right as hee states things yet this I know being attested by reverend persons That hee then maintained that God made man after â—is owne image and that God 〈◊〉 but one image and that is Christ and this was the Incarnation of Christ his exinanition by which we are saved And when it was objected wee are not saved by the incarnation of Christ but by the death of Christ. True saith hee therefore Adam fell and so destroyed Gods image and that was the death of Christ. When it was objected againe Adams fall was not our salvation but condemnation but the death of Christ was our salvation and therefore Adams fall could not be the death of Christ. Hee would by no meanes either revoke or explaine his speech though much urged thereunto to agree with the principles of Christian Religion Being further demanded what he then thought of that Christ in whom we beleeve borne of the Virgin Mary and who suffered under Pontius Pilate He answered That that Christ was a shadow and but a resemblance of what is done in â—â—e and every true Christian. And now judge good Reader whether this be like what hee mentioneth or whether it were a trifle not worthy the mentioning But if he will be so unfaithfull as to omit it I dare not As for his censure pag. â—4 I know not whether it bee right set downe and so the charge pag. 65. wherein I dare say he wrongeth the Ministers in saying They stirred up the people to famish them As for his long and tedious Letter to Mr. Green from page 66 to 74. I passe it by as he saith Mr. Green did But in 74. hee would make it an aspersion upon Mr. Endecâ—t for saying that God had stirred them up to goe out of their owne jurisdiction to feteâ— them from their 〈◊〉 places Take notice as it is litterally within the line of Plimouth Government in their Grant yet the Indians before mentioned having subjected themselves to the Massachusets the Commissioners for Plimouth as well as those for Conâ—etacuâ— and New-Haven upon the manifold complaints and reasons before mentioned being met together at their ordinary time and place appointed and ordered it should bee so as appeares by the copy of their act At a meeting of the Commissioners for the United Colonies of New-England holden at Bâ—â—ston the seventh of September 1643. Where as complaints have beene made against Samuel Gorton and his company and some of them weighty and
practise at Leyden viz. that one Samuel Terry was received from the French Church there into communion with us also the wife of Francis Cooke being a Walloone holds communion with the Church at Plymouth as she came from the French to this day be vertue of communion of Churches There is also one Philip Delanoy born of French parents came to us from Lâ—yden to New-Plymouth who comming to age of discerning demanded also communion with us proving himself to be come of such parents as were in ful communion with the French Churches was here upon admitted by the Church of Plymouth and after upon his removal of habitation to Dâ—xburrow where M. Ralph Partridge is Pastor of the Church and upon Letters of recommendation from the Church at Plymouth hee was also admitted into fellowship with the Church at Duxburrow being six miles distant from Plymouth and so I dare say if his occasions lead him may from Church to church throughout New-England For the truth is the Dutch and French Churches either of them being a people distinct from the world and gathered into an holy communion and not Nationall Churches nay so far from it as I verily beleeve the sixth person is not of the Church the difference is so small if moderately pondered between them and us as we dare not for the world deny communion with them And for the Church of Scotland however wee have had least occasion offered to hold communion with them yet thus much I can and doe affirme that a godly Divine comming over to Leyden in Holland where a Booke was printed 〈◊〉 1619 as I take it shewing the nullity of Perth Assembled whom we judged to bee the Author of it and hidden in Holland for a season to avoid the rage of those evill times whose name I have forgotten This man being very conversant with our Pastor Mr. Robinson and using to come to hear him on the Sabbath after Sermon-ended the Church being to partake in the Lords Supper this Minister stood up and desired hee might without offence stay and see the manner of his administration â—and our participation in that Ordinance To which our Pastor answered in these very words or to this effect Reverend Sir you may not onely stay to behold us but parâ—k with us if you please for wee acknowledge the Churches of Scotland to be the Churches of Christ c. The Minister also replyed to this purpose if not also in the same words That for his part hee could comfortable partake with the Church and willingly would but that it is possible some of his brethren of Scotland might take offence at his act which he desired to avoid in regard of the opinion the English Churches which they held communion withall had of us However he rendered thanks to Mr. Robinson and desired in that respect to be onely a spectator of us These things I was earnestly requested to publish to the world by some of thè godly Presbyterian party who apprehend the world to bee ignorant of our proceedings conceiving in charity that if they had been knowne some late Writers and Preacher would never have written and spoke of us as they did and still doe as they have occasion But what they ignorantly judge write or speak of us I trust the Lord in mercy wil passe by In the next place for the wholsome counsell Mr. Robinson gavâ— that part of the Church whereof he was pastor at their departure from him to begin the great worke of Plantation in New-England amongst other wholsome Instructions and Exhortations hee used these expressions or to the same purpose We are now ere long to part asunder and the Lord knoweth whether ever he should live to see our faces again but whether the Lord had appointed it or not he charged us before God and his blessed Angels to follow him no further then he followed Christ And if God should reveal any thing to us by any other instrument of his to be as ready to receive it as ever we were to receive any truth by his Ministery For he was very confident the Lord had more truth and light yet to breake forth out of his holy Word He took occasion also miserably to bewaile the state and condition of the Reformed Churches who were come to a period in Religion and would goe no further then the instruments of their Reformation As for example the Lutherans they could not be drawne to goe beyond what Luther saw for whatever part of Gods will he had further imparted and revealed to Calvin they will rather die them embrace it And so also saith he you see the Calvinists they stick where he left them A misery much to bee lamented For though they were precious shining lights in their times yet God had not revealed his whole will to them And were they now living saith hee they would bee as ready and willing to embrace further light as that they had received Here also he put us in mind of our Church-Covenant at least that part of it whereby wee promise and covenant with God and one with another to receive whatsoever light or truth shall be made known to us from his written Word but withall exhorted us to take heed what we received for truth and well to examine and compare and weigh it with other Scriptures of truth before we received it For saith he It is not possible the Christian world should come so lâ—tely cut of suâ—h thick Antichristian darknesse and that full perfection of knowledge should breake forth at once Another thing hee commended to us was that wee should use all meanes to avoid and shake off the name of Brownist being a meer nick-name and brand to make Religion odious and the professors of it to the Christian world and to that end said hee I should be glad if some godly Minister would goe over with you or come to you before my comming For said hee there will bee no difference between the unconformable Ministers and you when they come to the practise of the Ordinances out of the Kingdome And so advised us by all meanes to endeavour to close with the godly party of the Kingdome of England and rather to study union then division viz. how neare we might possibly without sin close with them then in the least measure to affect division or separation from them And be not loath to take another Pastor or Teacher saith hee for that flock that hath two shepheards is not indangered but secured by it Many other things there were of great and weighty consequence which he commended to us but these things I thought good to relate at the request of some well-willers to the peace and good agreement of the godly so distracted at present about the settling of Church-government in the Kingdom of England that so both sides may truly see what this poor despised Church of Christ now at New-Plymouth in New-England but formerly at Leyden in Holland was and is how far they were
and still are from separation from the Churches of Christ especially those that are Reformed 'T is true we professe and desire to practise a separation from the world the works of the world which are works of the flesh such as the Apostle speaketh of Ephes. 5. 19 20 21. 1 Cor. 6. 9 10 11. and Ephes. 2. 11 12. And as the Churches of Christ are all Saints by calling so wedesire to see the grace of God shining forth at least seemingly leaving secret things to God in all we admit into church fellowship with us to keep off such as openly wallow in the mire of their sins that neither the holy things of God nor the communion of the Saints may be leavened or polluted thereby And if any joyning to us formerly either when we lived at Leyden in Holland or since we came to New-England have with the manifestation of their faith and profession of holiness held forth therewith separation from the Church of England I have divers times both in the one place and the other heard either Mr. Robinson our Pastor or Mr. Brewster our Elder stop them forthwith shewing them that wee required no such things at their hands but only to hold â—orth faith in Christ Jesus holinesse in the feare of God and submission to every Ordinance and appointment of God leaving the Church of England to themselves and to the Lord before whom they should stand or fall and to whom wee ought to pray to reforme what was amisse amongst them Now this Reformation we have lived to see performed and brought about by the mighty power of God this day in a good measure and I hope the Lord Jesus will perfect his work of Reformation till all be according to the good pleasure of his will By all which I desire the Reader to take notice of our former and present practise notwithstanding all the injurious and scandalous taunting reports are passed on us And if these things will not satisfie but wee must still suffer reproach and others for our sakes because they and wee thus walke our practise being for ought wee know wholly grounded on the written Word without any addition or humane invention knowne to us taking our patterne from the Primitive Churches as they were regulated by the blessed Apostles in their owne dayes who were taught and instructed by the Lord Jesus Christ and had the unerring and all-knowing Spirit of God to bring to their remembrance the things they had heard I say if wee must still suffer such reproach notwithstanding our charity towards them who will notbe in charity with us Gods will be done The next aspersion cast upon us is that we will not suffer any that differ from us never so little to reside or cohabite with us no nor the Presbyterian Government which differeth so little from us To which I answer our practise witnesseth the contrary For 't is well knowne that Mr. Parker and Mr. Noyce who are Ministers of the Church at Nâ—wberry are in that way and so knowne so farre as a single Congregation can bee exercised in it yet never had the least molestation or disturbance and have and finde as good respect from Magistrates and people as other Elders in the Congregationall or Primitive way 'T is knowne also that Mr. Hubbard the Minister at Hengam hath declared himselfe for that way nay which is more then ever I heard of the other two hee refuseth to baptize no children that are tendred to him although this liberty stands not upon a Presbyterian bottome and yet the Civill State never molested him for it onely comming to a Synod held in the Country the last yeare which the Magistrates called requesting the Churches to send their Elders and such other as might bee able to hold forth the light of-God from his written word in case of some doubts which did arise in the Country I say hee comming the last sitting of the Assembly which was adjourned to the eighth of Iune next was in all meeknesse and love requested to bee present and hold forth his light hee went by in baptizing all that were brought to him hereby waving the practise of the Churches which he promising to take into consideration they rested in his answer So also 't is wel known that before these unhappy troubles arose in England and Scotland there were divers Gentlemen of Scotland that groaned under the heavy pressaries of those times wrote to New-England to know whether they might freely be suffered to exercise their Presbyteriall government amongst us And it was answered affimatively they might and they sending over a Gentleman to take a view of some fit place A River called Meromeck neare Ipswich and Newberry aforesaid was shewed their Agent which he well liked and where wee have since four townes settled and more may bee for ought I know so that there they might have had a compleate Presbytery and whither they intended to have come but meeting with manifold crosses being halfe Seas thorow they gave over their intendments and as I have heard these were many of the Gentlemen that first fell upon the late Covenant in Scotland by all which will easily appeare how wee are here wronged by many and the harder measure as wee heare imposed upon our brethren for our sakes nay pretending our example of their president And last of all not long before I came away certaine discontented persons in open Court of the Massachusets demanding that liberty it was freely and as openly tendred to them shewing their former practices by mee mentioned but willed not to expect that wee should provide them Ministers c. for the same but getting such themselves they might exercise the Presbyterian Government at their libertie walking peaceably towards us as wee trusted we should doe towards them So that if our brethren here shall bee restrained they walking peaceably the example must not be taken from us but arise 〈◊〉 some other principle But it will not bee objected though you deale thus with the Presbyterian way yet you have a severe law against Anaâ—aptists yea one was whipt at Massachusets for his Religion and your law banisheth them Answ. 'T is true the Massachusets Governement have such a law as to banish but not to whip in that kinde And certaine men desiring some mitigation of it It was answered in my hearing 'T is true we have a severe law but wee never did or will execute the rigour of it upon any and have men living amongst us nay some in our Churches of that judgement and as long as they carry themselves peaceably as hitherto they doe wee will leave them to God our selves having performed the duty of brethren to them And whereas there was one whipt amongst us 't is true wee knew his judgement what it was but had hee not carried himselfe so contemptuously towards the Authority God hath betrusted us with in an high exemplary measure wee had never so censured him and therefore he may thank himself