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church_n	according_a	discipline_n	word_n	2,732	5	3.7329	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50391	The conquests and triumphs of grace being a brief narrative of the success which the gospel hath had among the Indians of Martha's Vineyard (and the places adjacent) in New-England : with some remarkable curiosities, concerning the numbers, the customs, and the present circumstances of the Indians on that island : further explaining and confirming the account given of those matters, by Mr. Cotton Mather, in the Life of the renowned Mr. John Eliot / by Matthew Mayhew ; attested by the Reverend Mr. Nath. Mather, and others ; whereto is added, an account concerning the present state of Christianity among the Indians, in other parts of New-England, expressed in the letters of several worthy persons best acquainted therewithal.	Mayhew, Matthew, 1648-1710.; Mather, Nathanael, 1631-1697.; Mather, Increase, 1639-1723.	1695 (1695)	Wing M1437; ESTC R36496	25,356	72

The Church then are a Selected Company of Professing Believers in Covenant according to the Congregational practice having Officers accordingly and keeping up the Exercise of a severe Discipline by publick Admonition in case of the disorderly walking of any member of their Society and if after the Reproof and Admonition of the Church any proceed in their evil Courses such are proceeded with by Excommunication I would then willingly know of those Detractors who either publickly or more privately have indeavoured to Scandalize so great a work What kind of people they expect to see a Church consist of Or when it will come to pass that some shall not be retained in Churches who yet may be deemed an Holy People whose Conversation may be grievous to the Church though the Church can find no Expedient for their Excomunication I know that many who are in no measure qualified for Church Fellowship think it no small disparagement to themselves that Indians should be accounted worthy of what themselves cannot be admitted to how it is in other places I know not but here some whose religious pretences have gained Credit abroad and have not Scrupled to Stigmatize the Indians with greatest opprobry in particular cases of their complaint the Indians have been found wholly innocent and themselves sordidly Vilanous but when shall it be that the Seed of the Serpent shall cease to hiss at and open their Mouthes against the Seed of the Woman which yet I could demonstrate hath in several cases which have occurr'd here against the Indians broken the Serpents head in his Children and if it were possible filled them with Shame and Confusion however the Sober Religious People here have done and doe esteem them as Christians indeed and although the Building be not all of Living Stones yet as it is an House is so far esteemed an House of God Insomuch that I have heard some Godly English their Neighbours Members of Churches profess they were troubled that their unacquaintedness in their Language was such that they could not well but otherwise would gladly partake with them in the Ordinances of the Lords Supper I must acknowledge that as the Number of the Indians are greatly decreased so especially of the Godly and Religious it being a thing so obvious that in the year 1690. of the Indians of Martha's Vineyard alone of the number of more than one hundred Adult Persons that dyed not less than three fourths were of the Sober Religious Professors that it was by the English Inhabitants vulgarly taken notice of the which notwithstanding in the year 1692 of the before mentioned Church were remaining more than one hundred without mentioning those many Confessors before mentioned whose Publick Declarations of their several Convictions Temptations and Resolutions to endeavour to Serve the true God would have drawn Tears from the eyes of any who had but in the Serious retirements of Consideration acknowledged a Deity I must not conclude before I tell the Reader that as in the Apostolick times the Church sent forth from among themselves for the Conversion of the Nations so these Indians on Martha's Vineyard did not only to the Island of Nantuket being about 1500 Adult Persons but likewise to the Maine-land Of those of Nantuket I shall subjoyn a Letter from the Worshipful John Gardner who is well acquainted with them having divers years Assisted them in their Government by instructing them in the Laws of England and deciding difficult cases among them Worshipful SIR I Haved Received Yours of April the 8 th 94. with your desire to be informed of the present State of our Indians as to their Number Worship and Government an Answer to your desires take briefly Their Decay is Great Chiefly in Number there being now but about Five hundred Grown Persons As to their Worship there is Three Societies or Churches Two Congregational One of the Baptists but their Number is small but their is Five Constant Assemblies or Meetings Two amongst them that went by the Name of the Antepeatames or Powatoms and that I may now say there is not known a Powaw amongst them and although it is true there is a great decay in Religion among the first Societies many of their best men and I may say Good men are Dead Yet amongst the now Praying Indians there is an Increase God Raising up some yea even of Themselves Preachers and Serious men too some of them which is cause of Thankfulness but that there is a decay with many is to be Lamented the cause I take to be their not preserving the Truth in the Love of it their Love to Drink their being more mindful of Form than Substance which puts me upon endeavour to make them sensible That it is neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision is any thing but the Keeping the Commandments of God Faith that works by Love the New Creature and things of that Nature As to their Government They are wholly under Their Majesties or the English Government the method is they have Three distinct or Town-Courts with Power to hear and determine to Forty Shillings the Magistrates they chuse themselves yearly and when Chosen and Approved of they have Commissions with liberty of Appeal to the English which they make much use of Greater matters come to the English This in short is the Truth of their Present State I am Your Real Friend and Servant Iohn Gardner Nantuket MAY 17 th 1694. Here we must take notice of Gods giving Success to the Ministry of the Indians and acknowledge that although there have been some decay yet on that Island there is not onely a Form but in some measure the Power of Godliness So likewise on the Maine-land by the alone Ministry of the Martha's Vineyard-Indians was the Civilizing and Conversion of the Indians on the Maine-land at a place called Succonet and parts Adjacent who as they were Converted by the Ministry sent from the Church of Martha's Vineyard so the Officers were by them as likewise were those of Nantuket Ordained by laying on the hands of their Presbytery of these although I have been no eye-witness yet I have received account from even such who bare no great respect to Religion that they are as beyond Comparison Exceeding the other Indians in moral Vertue so likewise from other Judicious Persons their Neighbours of whom I shall name Mr. William Vobes a Person now representing the Free-holders of those parts in the Great and General Assembly of the Province of the Massachuset-Bay in New-England nor have these People as yet dependance on nor Expectation from any other than their Mother the Church of Martha's-Vineyard Of the Indians Government when Christian I have already told my Reader that the Government of this People was the best of all Governments Monarchy and it has been judged not without reason that a main obstruction in the progress of the Gospel in the American Plantations was if not yet is the jealousy the Princes conceived of the Invasion of their

Resolution by Gods Assistance to Pray to and Serve Him and Him onely begging the Prayers of the Congregation to God in their behalf which said many of the Congregation took them by the hand in token of love and good will If after such Publick Profession any was observed not to perform the usual Worshipping of God in Praying with their Families desiring a Blessing on their Food or the like who yet in their Publick meeting constantly attended they were Publickly Examined of the same Of which let me give a remarkable instance One who after his Admission if I may so term it into the Number and Society of the Praying Indians being present at a great Assembly after the Exercise was by him that Preached informed that it was reported he had ceased to Pray desired him to let the Congregation know what grounds and motives occasioned such neglect the man answered It was true he had not lately used Publickly to Pray yet did sometimes Pray Privately that he did not in his judgment disapprove the Service of God but acknowledged it to be good but found himself weak not able to live up to Rules of that Religion but when God should give him more strength he hoped he should be again a Praying man Thus Mr. Mayhew continued his almost inexpressible labour and vigilant care for the good of the Indians whom he justly esteemed his Joy and Crown and having seen so great a Blessing on his faithful indeavours in the making known the Name of his Lord among these Gentiles with indefatigable pains expecting no reward but alone from Him who said Goe teach all Nations Lo I am with you God moved the hearts of some Godly Christians in England to advance a Considerable Sum for incouraging the propagating and preaching the Gospel to the Indians in New-England And seeing the Spirit given to sundry of the Indians with the gift of Prophesying according to the promise given by Him who Ascended and gave gifts unto men an able Godly English-man named Peter Foulger who was imployed in teaching the Youth in Reading Writing and the Principles of Religion by Catechising and being well Learned in the Scripture able to assist them in what might be needful his Honoured Father the Governour well skilled in their Language and highly honouring the Work for their Conversion whereby if in his absence any difficult matter might happen they might find suitable Assistance In the Year 1647. he intended a short Voyage for England but alas the Ship wherein he took Passage was never heard of Thus came to an Immature Death Mr. Mayhew who was so affectionately esteemed of by the Indians that many years after he was seldom named without Tears Mr. Thomas Mayhew after the loss of his Son as aforesaid Seeing no such Salary probably to be obtained that might invite a Minister to imbrace the work among the Indians and little hopes of finding any of the Spirit of his Son or Mr. ELIOT to bear the burthen attending and in that day of necessity to be undergone without a prospect of more than could well be expected for incouraging to so in-it-self troublesome imploy and that his onely Son had spent his Strength and yet rejoyced in the mid'st of those many Aches Pains and Distempers contracted by his often lodging in their cold Houses and induring Wet and Cold in faith of Gods accepting of and prospering him in that whereunto he could see nothing could rationally move him concludes that it was Of God and not of man he therefore resolves to Visit and incourage them often he goes once every Week to some of their Plantations and with the Assistance of Godly Indians who taught and instructed their Neighbours on the Lords Days perswaded the Indians of the Gay-head who many Years were obstinately resolved not to admit the Glad-Tydings of the Gospel among them being animated by the Sachims of the Continent not to imbrace it so that now the Indians on the Islands of Martha's-Vineyard and Nantuket might justly bear the denomination of Christian the number of Adult Persons on both Islands being about three thousand of which I have taken the more particular care to make an exact Computation that I might Vindicate Mr. Cotton Mather from the Imputation of over-reckoning when in the Life of Mr. Eliot he reckons the number supposed on Martha's Vineyard professing the Christian Religion to be Sixteen hundred The Indians being thus brought over to the acknowledgment and profession of the Christian Religion and many of them desiring to joyn in such Communion whereby they might injoy the presence of God in all His Ordinances Mr. Mayhew and Mr. John Cotton now Pastor of the Church of New-Plymouth who having been sometime Preacher to the English had attained some knowledge in the Indian Tongue and Preached unto them two Years being well Satisfied with their suitable qualifications after mature Consideration and Advice concluded to give their Help and Assistance thereto which was happily accomplished to the good Satisfaction of the English Church and Godly Professors of the Island who by advantage of many years acquaintance with them had great Experience of their qualifications An Indian Church Confederated at Martha's Vineyard Aug. 22. 1670. Mr. Mayhew by Mr. Cotton's removing from the Island was left alone as to any English Assistance But Mr. John Mayhew his grandson being called to Preach to a small People by the urgent and ardent desires of the Indians and being well skilled in their Language complyed with them and once every Week Preached at some of their Plantations His diligence was now to be doubled especially after Mr. Mayhew his Grand-fathers Death in the Year 1681. by reason of certain Heterodox Opinions likely to take root among them and being a man of great natural parts he used to desire such who had imbibed any of those Principles to produce their Reasons as likewise any that desired to be resolved in any matter to give him advantage to resolve them in Publick that others might receive Satisfaction and Instruction whereby I believe and know that they received more Conviction Instruction and Satisfaction than in the ordinary way of Preaching which alwayes notwithstanding preceeded that insomuch that none of those Erroneous Opinions spread to the disturbance or unsettlement of the Church nor generallity of professors among them but having finished what God in His All-wise Providence saw good to improve him in he deceased in the Year 1688. leaving the Indians if I might now so term them in an orderly way of Religiously Congregating in their several Assemblies on the Lords Day and hearing their several Teachers who usually began with Prayer Sang part of a Psalm then from some portion of the Scripture spake for the Conversion and Edification of his Hearers As also a Church which then or soon after consisted of at least One Hundred Communicants being according to the most strict Order of the Congregational Way Which leads me to say something of the Discipline used among them

Treat Pastor of a Church at Eastham Preacheth to those Congregations in their own Language There are likewise amongst the Islanders of Nantuchett a Church with a Pastor who was lately a Heathen and several Meetings of Catechumeni's who are Instructed by the Converted Indians There is also another Island about Seven Leagues long called Martha's Vineyard where are Two American Churches planted which are more Famous than the rest over one of which there presides an Ancient Indian as Pastor called Hiacooms John Hiacooms Son of the said Indian Pastor also preacheth the Gospel to his Countrey-Men Another Church in that place John Techinosh a Converted Indian teaches In these Churches Ruling Elders of the Indians are Joyned to the Pastors the Pastors were chosen by the people and when they had fasted and prayed Mr. Eliot and Mr. Cotton laid their Hands on them so that they were solemnly Ordained All the Congregations of the Converted Indians both the Catechumeni and those that are in Church Order every Lords Day meet together the Pastor or Preacher alwayes begins with Prayer and without a Form because from the Heart when the Ruler of the Assembly has ended his Prayer the whole Congregation of Indians praise God with singing some of them are excellent Singers After the Psalm he that preaches reads a place of Scripture one or more Verses as he will and expounds it gathers Doctrines from it proves them by Scripture and Reasons and inferrs Uses from them after the manner of the English of whom they have been taught then another Prayer to God in the Name of Christ concludes the whole Service Thus do they meet together twice every Lords-day They observe no Holy-dayes but the Lords-day except upon some extraordinary occasion and then they solemnly set apart whole days either in giving Thanks or fasting and praying with great servour of Mind Before the English came into these Coasts these barbarous Nations were altogether ignorant of the True God hence it is that in their Prayers and Sermons they use English Words and Terms he that calls upon the most Holy Name of God says Jehovah or God or Lord and also they have learned and borrowed many other Theological Phrases from us In short there are six Churches of Baptized Indians in New-England and Eighteen Assemblies of Catechumeni's professing the Name of Christ Of the Indians there are Four and Twenty who are Preachers of the Word of God and besides these there are Four English Ministers who Preach the Gospel in the Indian Tongue I am now my self weary with Writing and I fear least if I should add more I should also be tedious to you yet one thing I must add which I had almost forgot That there are many of the Indian Children who have learned by heart the Catechism either of that Famous Divine Mr. Perkins or that put forth by the Assembly of Divines at Westminster and in their own Mother-Tongue can Answer to all the Questions in it But I must end I Salute the Professors in your University to whom I desire you to Communicate this Letter as Written to them also Farewell Worthy Sir the Lord preserve your Health for the Benefit of your Country his Church and of Learning Yours ever Increase Mathers Boston in New-England July 12. 1687. An Advertisement SOME further Account of that Jesuite Catechism and Cases of Conscience mentioned in the above-written Letter may be seen in the Life of Mr. John Eliot Written by Mr. Cotton Mather pag. 135 136 137. Edit Third Printed at London for John Dunton THE Righteousness of God through Faith upon all without difference who do Believe In Two Sermons On Rom. 3.22 Preached at the Merchants-Lecture in Broadstreet by Nathaniel Mather Minister of the Gospel Printed for Nathaniel Hiller at the Princes Arms in Leaden-Hall street