usually present with them to assist in the worke they then questioned and examined us apart to the uttermost they could to get some matter against us from our owne mouths and also usually sending their Agents as Elders and Members of their Churches unto us in prison frequently putting questions unto us to get occasion against us thus continuing for the space of two or three weeks together during which time Master Wilson ordinarily in his Sermons pressed the Magistrates and the people to take away our lives from that text of the King of Israel letting Benhadad goe applying it unto them that if they let us escape with life their life should then goe for our life and their people for our people urging them from that of Samuel and Agag to hew and cut us in peeces Master Cotton also in his Sermons incouraged the people in the lawfulnesse of their dealings with us from that in the Revelations where it is said the Kingdoms of this world are the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christs whence he observed that they being the Kingdom of Christ they were bound to goe out against all people to subdue all such unto themselves as are weaker then they otherwise they might stay at home within themselves and serve God with all their hearts but they could not serve him with all their might unlesse they went out to subdue others and so would be guilty of the breach of that command viz. Thou shalt serve the Lord thy God with all thy strength Now after our many consultations and debating of matters with the Magistrates and Ministers not only in the Court sometimes one of us answering and declaring of his mind only in matters of Religion a whole day together yea part by Candle-light besides all their more private conferences in the prison and at other houses where we vvere put apart in custody one from an another in the time of our examination at the last the Court sent for S. Gorton out of prison to appeare before them and when he came before them the Governour told him he heard there was exception taken that there should be a rumour that it was for some civill things they had so proceeded against us and yet no man appeared to object the least against us in any civill respect unto which the Governour himselfe gave ansvver not expecting an ansvver from Gorton that they had set their subjects the Indians in their own Land and that was all they looked after in that respect but they never questioned in publicke whether it was right or wrong to take it from us only had privately called one of us which was one of the Interpreters at the buying of it and the Indians their subjects together to see what could be said in it and found the Indians by their own confession to make things so clear on our behalfe that they thought it not fit to bring it into publick scanning of the matter The Governour then told Gorton he was now to answer some things that should be propounded unto him upon his life for it was upon his life that now he was to answer unto which Gorton made answer that he was to shew unto them all dutifull subjection that might be being under the government of their jurisdiction as he had done since his comming amongst them to give them their due honour and respect to the utmost which he could not doe but as he looked upon them with relation unto the State of old England by vertue of which power they sate there as executioners of justice unlesse he looked at them and carried himselfe towards them as they had respect unto that State from whom what power they had was derived else he could not give them their due honour and respect for it could no way appeare to be such but as it was derived from that noble State of old England and therefore however he had according to what they had demanded for the clearing of any thing been free to answer unto them So now if it was his life that they would now put him upon he did as freely and in the presence of them all appeale to the State of old England for his tryall in that point by vertue of which State only he conceived they sate there as Ministers of justice and therefore might not deny unto him his just appeale understanding that the deniall of an appeale must either presuppose a superiority in them that deny it or an equality at the least with the â—tate appealed unto unto which the Governour made answer as also Master Iohn Indicote deputy Governour and bad Gorton never dream or think of any such thing for no appeale should be granted unto him Now the Ministers and Magistrates having weighed better our Writings our Examinations in Court answers to questions more privately with any thing spoken in the prison amongst our selves which daily ear was lent unto or our carriage and demeanure in any respect they had now summed up and drawn all into four questions which were now to be answered in case of life and death The Questions were these that here follow not a word varying in any one of them 1. Q. Whether the Fathers who dyed before Christ was born of the Virgin Mary were justified and saved only by the blood which he shed and the death which he suffered after his incarnation 2. Q. Whether the only price of our Redemption were not the death of Christ upon the Crosse with the rest of his sufferings and obediences in the time of his life here after he was borne of the Virgin Mary 3. Q. Who is that God whom he thinks we serve 4. Q. What he means when he saith We worship the Star of our God Remphan Chion Molech To these four questions the Court told Gorton he must answer speedily upon life and death and that under his hand writing he told them he was not willing to answer in any thing but as before he had done they told him he must give in speedy answer under his hand writing he asked what time he must have for the answer of them they told him a quarter of an houre he told them he could answer them in so short a time but he knew not whether it could give them satisfaction for it was as much as for a man to describe Iesus Christ what he is and the way of Autichrist also which might be done in few words but not to be clear to every man for a man may describe the whole world in these words in the beginning God created heaven and earth and the earth was without forme and void and darkenesse was upon the face of the deep and the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters all the whole worke of creation is in this masse or heape but to set out the glory and beauty that comes out of this needs many Phrases to expresse it even so it is in the description of the Son of God Iesus Christ
immediately after these tribulations or immediately with these tribulations as the word wil also beare that is the preaching of the crosse and thse things are inseparable no marvell therefore that when ever the crosse is preached the champions of that man of sinne come out against it striving to retain their god for â—s it would be to nature in things of this life to see all chief powers and heavenly bodies so shaken as to remove them out of their place for ever the very thoughts whereof are dismal to the mind of man so infinitely more is it to the soul of a man to have the excellencies noble powers and dominions of God removed out of his heart where he placed them in the act of his first creation are so that the exellencies of Christ are ever shaking and ever removing out of their place in the wicked that the heigâ—â— of their torment may ever appear and remain for these things are shaken and removed in them through the wisdom of the Serpent that those things that cannot be shaken namely the wrath and vengeance of God may remain even so it is in the godly their sins and miseries are ever shaking and removing out of their proper place that those things that cannot be shaken namely the grace and righteousnesse of Christ may remaâ—â— for ever therefore the voice oâ— the Gospel shakes both heaveâ— and earth in that place alluded unto in your letter Hebr. 12 â—6 27. alluding both to Mount Sinai and Mount Sion so thâ—â— the word yet once more declares a double removall yea and that of things that are made for man was made in the image of God yet the wisdome of the Serpent removed this image that mans righteousnesse which is nothing but abomination in the sight of God might ever remain So also Christ was made sin but the wisdome of God removed this sin in the very act of his being made so that the righteousnesse of God might remain and abide for ever and then and then onely shall or doth appear the signe or the miracle or wonder of the sonne of man in hâ—aven in those clouds of witnesse or in that cloud of witnesses with power and great glory so as all earthly kindreds shall mourn and wail before him Even so Ameâ— Now the signe or wonder of the Son of man is this that God made him a woâ—ld of life at the fâ—â—st for he breathed into his face the breath of lifes as the word iâ— for the life of all the world was in him and yet thiâ— world of life is become nothing else but a world of death in â—â—e wicked and no life of God found in them at all so is that son of man in the second Adam made a world of sinne and death and yet this world of sinne and death is become a world of righteousnesse and life unto the godly and no sin nor unrighteousnesse of man found in them for never was guile â—ound in his â—outh Even so Amen and this is the signe or miracle of the Son of man which the world knowes not of and therefore â—â—th so many empty conjâ—ctures what it may be thought to be gâ—â—iâ—g up into Heaven after it when as it is come down unto us and they know it not Rom 10. 7. 8. Thus have I given you my thoughts as brief as I could concerning what you propounded unto me and blesse the Lord that you ministred occasion to look into the text However we are set apart as a forlorn people in the eyes of by the world yet doubt I not but our God hath singled us out for other ends and uses who hath put us into the Isle of Pâ—â—mos or among the nation of the dead or deadly as the word signifies to reveal unto us the great mysteries of his Kingdome that we may declare unto those that now be hâ—re how to have their hope in God that it may be told unto our childrens children that noble work that he hath wrought for us in our Lord Christ who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Your loving husband in bonds and yet free Samuel Gorton A Post script DIvers Letters were written to friends in answer to questions and resolution of Scriptureâ— which now are not at hand otherwiâ—e we are very free to publish them to be seen of â—â—l that the wise hearted might iudge of what our spirits and practises rellishâ—d and how they were imployed in the time of our durance amongst these men that were so eagerly minded to make us blasphemers that so they might take away our lives as a part of the glory and beautification of their Religion Only we desire the Readers pâ—ins to take a view of one other Letter in answer to a friend who seemed to be troubled about that Scripture in Iohn 6. 53. verse what the meaning of it might be desiring resolution thereit since we arived in England The words are these Then Iesus said unto them verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood ye have no life in you IN these words consider first the occasion of them Secondly the summe of them and thirdly the parts First for the summe it is a divine sentence exclusive of all men from the life and spirit of God save only such as doe eat the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood Secondly the parts of them for order sake are foure First the occasion of this sentence in these words then Jesus said unto them secondly the confirmation of this sentence laid down in these words verily verily thirdly the manner of the sentence contained in these words I say unto you fourthly the sentence it selfe excluding all from the life of God such only excepted as doe eat the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood For the first which is the occasion of this divine sentence that is the reasonings within themselves which the Jewes had in the operations of their naturall hearts upon the delivering of this manner of doctrine unto them even by the sonne of God himselfe implyed in this word Then looking back upon the verse immediatly going before from which Christ takes occasion to utter this sentence whence we observe That the word of God takes occasion to utter and make it selfe manifest even from the naturall reasonings and argumentations framed in mens minds though they are not the cause yet they are the occasion of the manifestation of it even as the truth righteousnesse power and authority that is in God breedeth occasionally feare terrour jealousie and wrath in mens hearts and minds though these excellencies that are in God are no proper cause hereof but onely an occasion without which they would not be For if there were no Iudge the Malefactor would not have terrour even so the very naturall reasonings of mens hearts are the occasions of the manifestation of the word of God in us but no proper cause of
all the Country might take notice of it doubting they were not well informed how the Magistrates and Ministers had carryed themselves towards us nor upon what ground they had or did proceed against us But the chief of them taking the matter into consideration thought good to call an Assembly of Magistrates and Ministers to consult in way of a Synod what course to take uniting themselves together that what was done by any of them might be the act of them all and they perusing of our writings framed out of them 26 particulars or there abouts which they said were blasphemous changing of phrases altering of words and sense not in any one of them taking the true intent of our writings but if they spake our own words it was to such purpose as this as though a man would write the words of the Psalme and affirm there is no God such words he may find written therein but if he leave out this That the fool hath said in his heart so he spoils the sense and in such manner did they deal with our writings and those things they were free to divulge and make known amongst the people These things concluded to be heresies and blasphemies before ever they heard a word of what interpretation we could give of our meaning therein The Ministers did zealously preach unto the people the great danger of such things and the guilt such lay under that held them stirring the people up to labour to find such persons out and to execute death upon them making persons so execrable in the eyes of the people whom they intimated should hold such things yea some of them naming some of us in their Pulpits that the people that had not seen us thought us to be worse by far in any respect then those barbarous Indians are in the Country which some of the Ministers have rendred unto the people as Hittites Cananites and Pâ—resites urging it as a duty unto the English to put them to death whereupon we heard a rumor that the Massachusets was sending out an Army of men to cut us off but when they perceived we were removed further into the Countrey and had left our Lands Houses and Labours where their pretended subjects by meanes of whom they sought for some temporall occasions against us lived they thought it not safe to come out against us having show of nothing against us but only our Religion therefore seeing themselvs disappointed in that designe wherein their Coadjutors had wrought to bring them in to make an inrâ—ad upon us they then wrought by these their Agents who traded for them with the Indians to insinuate themselves into two or three Indians amongst us to become subjects to the government of the Massachusets hereby with-drawing them from their lawfull and naturall Prince Myantonomy and the name of these his subjects who now became subjects to the Massachusets were Pumhom and Soccononocco and when this was accomplished then they againe sent forth their warrants unto us as formerly to command our appearance at their Courts in the Massachusets and that without any consideration or delay at the first time of their sending unto us after our removall the Court being then siting at Boston in the Massachusets Here followeth a true Copie of the first Warrant sent unto us by the Generall Court assembled at Boston in the Massachusets after our remove all unto and planting upon our Land at Shaw-omet verbatim the Warrant under their hand being still extant To our Neighbours Master Samuel Gorton Iohn Wickes Randall Houlden Robert Potter Francis Weston Richard Carder Iohn Warner and William Waddle WHereas we have received upon good ground into our Jurisdiction and Protection two Indian Sachims whose names are Pumham and Soccononoco who have lately complained unto us of some injurious and unjust dealing towards them by your selves and because we desire to doe equall right and justice to all and that all parties might be heard we have therefore thought good to write unto you to give you notice hereof that so you might make present answer in the Generall Court now assembled at Boston to their complaints who are now here with us to attend your comming And because some of you have been denyed the liberty of comming amongst us and it may be others are not willing in other respects personally to appeare we doe therefore hereby give and grant safe conduct for your free egresse regresse unto us whereby there may be no just excuse for with-holding you to give satisfaction in this particular Dated the 12th 7th Mo. 1643. Per cur general Incr. Nowell Secret This Warrant being delivered unto us by some of their forenamed Agents the English we presently returned them this answer by word of mouth by their Messenger telling them that we being so far out of their jurisdictions could not neither would we acknowledge subjection unto any in the place where we were but only the state and government of old England who only had right unto us and from whom we doubted not but in due season we should receive direction for the well ordering of us in all civill respects and in the meane time we lived peaceably together desiring and indevouring to doe wrong to no man neither English nor Indian ending all our differences in a neighbourly and loving way of Arbitrators mutually chosen amongst us They receiving our answer tooke it disdainfully as their intent was to take any we sent without our personall appearance being resolved what course to runne concerning us whereupon they sent us another Writing immediatly from the Court to informe us that they were resolved to come downe amongst us to exercise Justice there Here followeth a true Copie of the Writing which they sent unto us verbatim being still extant To Samuel Gorton Iohn Wickes Iohn Warner Iohn Green Randall Houlden Francis Weston Robert Potter Richard Waterman Richard Carder Sampson Shotton Nicholas Power and William Waddle WHereas upon occasion of divers injuries offered by you to us and the people under our jurisdiction both English and Indians we have sent to you to come to our Court and there make answer to the particulars charged upon you and safe conduct to that end To which you have returned us no other but contemptuous and disdainfull answers and now at the last that if we vvould send to your selves that the cause might be examined and heard among your owne Neighbours we should then have justice and satisfaction We have therefore that our moderation and justice may appeare to all men agreed to condescend herein to your owne desire and therefore intend shortly to send Commissioners into your parts to lay open the charges against you and to heare your Reasons and Allegations and thereupon to receive such satisfaction from you as shall appeare in justice to be due We give you also to understand that vve shall send a sufficient Guard with our Commissioners for their safety against any violence or injury for seeing you
will not trust your selves with us upon our safe conduct we have no reason to trust ours with you upon your bare courtesie But this you may rest assured of that if you will make good your owne offer to us of doing us right our people shall returne and leave you in peace otherwise we must right our selves and our people by force of Armes Dated the 19th of the 7th M. 1643. Per cur Increase Nowell Secret The next newes wee had immediatly upon the receipt of this Writing being about our necessary imployments in provision for our families was thiâ— that one Captaine George Cooke with a company of armed souldiers accompanied with many Indians having Commission from the Massachusets either to bring us away by force of Armes or else to put us to the sword which when we heard we partly beleeved in regard they had given order by publicke Court long before that no Gun-powder should be sold into those parts where we lived but only to such as would become subjects to them whereby the place was not only hindred of means of defence from a forraine Enemy but also to furnish their families with such provisions as the countrey â—ffords we hearing of their approach immediatly sent a Letter to those which we heard they stiled Commissioners which proved to be the Captaine together with his officers desiring to know their intent and what their Commission was to doe in those parts signifying that if they came to visit us in way of neighbour-hood and friendship to cleare any matter or cause they should be welcome to us but if otherwise we wished them not to set a foot upon our Lands in any hostile way A true Copie of our Letter verbatim sent to the Commissioners as they were upon the way comming from the Massachusets towards Shaw-omet Shaw-omet the 28th of September 1643. To certaine men stiled Commissioners sent from the Massachusets now upon the way towards Shaw-omet whose names we know not WHereas you are sent by the government of the Massachusets under pretence of having things ordered amongst us in way of justice and equity to be distributed unto themselves consisting as they say of English and Indians and that upon this ground that we have given them an invitation to that purpose Know therefore our whole intent and meaning therein which may not beare any other interpretation in a rationall mind that as they invited us unto them as Clients to have our causes tryed by them and not as Warriors to fight with them so did we and no otherwise invite them Mistake us not therefore neither deceive your selves through their or your owne pretences for if you come to treate with us in ways of equity and peace together therewith shaking a Rod over our heads in a Band of souldiers Be you assured we have passed our Child-hood and nonnage in that point and are under Commission of the great God not to be children in understanding neither in courage but to quit our selves as men we straitly charge you therefore hereby that you set not a foot upon our Land in any hostile way but upon your perill and that if any blood be shed upon your owne heads shall it be and know that if you set an Army of men upon any part of our Land contrary to our just prohibition herein we are under command and have our Commission sealed already to resist you unto death for this is the Law of our God by whom we stand written in all mens hearts that if you spread a table before us as friends we sit not as men invective envious or male-content not touching a morsell nor looking for you to point us unto our dish but we eat with you by vertue of the unfained Law of relations not only to satisfie our stomacks but to increase friendship and love the end of feasting So also if you visit us as â—ombatants or Warriors by the same Law of relations we as freely and chearfully answer you unto death not to kill and take away the lives of men but to increase wrath and horrour the end of warre in the soules of all men that seeke after it where the peace of our God appeares not and they that worke otherwise and answer not unto this Law they are not men of truth but base dissembling Hypocrites shadowes and abominable Idols set up in the forme of men By us owners and Inhabitants of Shaw-omet This Letter being sent unto these Commissioners so stiled by them though as yet unknowne unto us by the hand of one Iohn Peise who lived amongst them in the Massachusets who having a Father in Law amongst us was willing to come and declare unto his Father out of his tendernesse towards him of the nâ—â—rnesse of the souldiers approach and as neare as he could the end of their comming to perswade his said Father to escape for his life And when the Captaine and the rest of the Commissioners had read our Letter they returned us this answer by the same Messenger namely that they desired to speake with us to see if they could convert us to be of their minds bringing a Minister with them to accomplish their ends in such designs which if they could not then they would account of us as men â—itted for the slaughter and with all convenient speed would addresse themselves for our dispatch in the ruine of us and of our families Here followeth a true Copie of the answer made by the Commissioners unto our Letter verbatim under their hands which is still extant To our friend John Peise Having considered of the Writing you brought to us the last night our thoughts concerning it are as followeth FIrst it is our great desire that we might speake with them concerning the particulars which we were sent to them about certainly perswading our selves that we shall be able through the Lords helpe to convince some of them at least of the evill of their way and cause them to divert their course that so doing they may preserve their lives and liberties which otherwise must necessarily leade to eternall ruine of them and theirs for however through an evill spirit that hath possessed some one or two of them others are drawne into such desperate evils as is monstrous to thinke of yet having better counsell we hope they will be brought to see their weaknesse and repent of it that so we might returne and leave them and theirs in peace which is our great desire and the contrary most grievous but if there be no way of turning them we then shall looke upon them as men prepared for slaughter and accordingly shall addresse our selves with all convenient speed not doubting of the Lords presence with us being cleare in the way we are in This being our minds we intreate you to acquaint them with it speedily and if they shall who have set their names to their book doe come to us and speake with us we shall give them leave to returne without hurt
borne of the Virgin it may be done in few words but to lay out the nature benefit and glory of it no smalspeech or time can serve to expresse and therefore desired in word as before he had manifested his mind unto them so he might give that present answer which God gave unto him in this point also but they told him it must be done in writing and so commanded the Goâ—ler to convey him to an other room to dispatch the same but as he was going out from them they called unto him and told him he should have the liberty of halfe an hours time to performe iâ— in when he was come into an other room pen inke and paper being brought unto him as he was going to write word was sent from the Court that if it was brought in on the second day in the morning it should suffice for the Court considering of it that many of them had farre home and it being the day of Preparation for the Sabbath for it was now Saturday in the afternoon and they thought not fit to sit any longer so Gorton was conveyed againe into the Prison to the rest of his friends who continued cheerfully together all the Sabbath day as they had done before in the Prison only some part of those dayes they brought us forth unto their Congregations to hear their Sermons of occido and occidio which was ment not to be digested but only by the heart or stomacke of an Ostrich But upon the Munday morning Gorton tooke pen and inke and writ in answer to every one of the four questions given unto him as here followeth This is a true Copie of answers given to the Court of the Massachusets to the four questions which they required to be answered in writing upon life and death in case of Blasphemy which we were charged with and sentence so farre passed as to take away our lives by the sword in case of not disclayming of our Religion or erroneous opinions as they were pleased to call them the answers are truly set down verbatim TO the first question we answer affirmatively only assuming the lâ—berty of our explanation namely The Fathers who dyed before Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary were justified and saved only by the blood which he shed and the death which he suffered in and after his Incarnation that is on this wise that the guilt and stain of man is not but with respect unto the holy word of God the disobedience whereof by eating the forbidden fruit breeds an infinit distance between God and his owne worke without the least defect or blame to be found or imputed unto the Word of God but the sole defect and blame is in the creature even in man himselfe yet could he in no case be so miserable but with respect unto the holy Word even so the justification and salvation of the Fathers was by the holy word of God not but with respect and relation unto the seed of Abraham and the Son of David conceived and borne of the Virgin Mary in whom they were justified and saved and yet no vertue nor power arising out of any thing that is humane mâ—n therefore is a sinner of infinit guilt with respect unto that word which was before all time and no fault to be found in the Word at all the word of God is a Saviour of infinit value with respect unto the seed of the Virgin Mary borne suffering dying and rising againe in the fulnesse of time and yet no vertue in that seed at all unto whom all the Prophets bear witnesse having an eye unto him in all their holy Writings and the faith of the Fathers comprehending Christ both in the one and in the other respect were justified and saved by him alone his death being reall and actuall unto faith God having the same coexistance with the creature in all ages though the creature cannot have the same with him but in time To the second Question depending upon or rather involved in the former we answer Mans rejection of the Word of God being his sinne and separation from God is the only forfeiture of himselfe which could not be but with respect unto the word of eternity even so Gods Righteousnesse revealed by taking man into unitie with himselfe is the only price of our Redemption with respect unto the death of Christ upon the Crosse with the rest of his sufferings and obedience from the time of his Incarnation in the womb of the Virgin Mary to his ascention into Heaven without which there is no price of our Redemption To the third Question who we thinke that God is that men serve that are not of the faith above said we answer that all mens hearts are awed by the true God to bow in worship therefore when the Apostle looking upon the inscription upon the Altar at Athens it is said he beheld their devotion or as the word is the God which they worshipped though ignorantly yet it was he only that he declared unto them So the Apostle Iames thou beleevest that there is one God thou doest well the Devils also beleeve and tremble The fourth Question therfore is the explanation of the third namely what we mean by Molech and the Star of that God Remphan to which we answer that the Scripture alluded unto * makes difference between those Gain-sayers of the Fathers which fell in the Wildernesse and those of the true seed that gave faithfull Testimony unto the Oracle of God the Rebels of the sons of Levy would not take up nor beare the Arke of God as their duty was nor give the light and lustre of a Star in the Tabernacle when it was pitched for the seven Stars are the seven Angels But as they had the power of a worldly Ruler or Governour to defend them in their worke and to subdue all that were not of their mind under them therefore they tooke up the Tabernacle of Molech or bore the Booth of the King and gave the light of Remphan alluding unto Rapha who in Davids dayes had four sonnes were mighty Gyants warring only by the strength of the Arme of flesh so that they would not give Testimony unto the holy way of God but as they had a King set over them besides Moses to defend them when as a greater then Moses was there And in this they turned backe in their hearts unto Aegypt looking unto the way of Pharaoh that would subdue all that were not of his own way and be a defence unto his wise men in what ever they wrought but the faithfull seed of Abraham had the Tabernacle of witnesse or witnessed unto the Tabernacle even in the Wildernesse where there was no worldly Governour to defend them but all came out against them Ammon and Amaleck Balack Ogg and Sihon and the rest in the which condition Stephen perceived himselfe when he witnessed unto the word of truth in alleadging that place of the Prophet * Samuel Gorton
Upon the finishing of these answers on the Munday morning the Court sent for S. Gorton to come before them and when he was come the Governor asked him whether he had brought in his ansvver to the questions propounded unto him at their last sitting in writing he answered he had brought them then the Governor asked him whether he had put his hand unto them he answered he had not not thinking it would be required else he had done it the Governour called for pen and inke and caused him to put his hand unto them and then demanded them of him Gorton desired he might have liberty to read them first in the Court that he might pronounce the Phrases and words according to the true meaning and intent having had experience of wrong done in reading in way of pronunciation of things not plainly before to the giving of true intelligence to the hearers when the answers were read in the audience of the Court the Court paused and no man said any thing unto them only bade Gorton with-draw which being done they hade some consultaâ—ion among themselvs and shortly after called for Gorton to be brought in again Master Saltingstone found fault that it was written in the answer what is the Star of that God Remphan whereas it was in the writing your God Remphan Gorton answered the Phrase was only changed for modesty for indeed saith he it is the phrase of the Apostle your God Remphan and so it rested to clear that scruple The Governour told Gorton that they were one with him in those answers for they held as he did Gorton answered he was very glad of it for he loved not differences and divisions amongst men the Governour then asked him whether he would retract the writing that was formerly written unto them Gorton answered that nothing was written before but would suit and agree with these answers so that if there was cause to retract one there was cause to retract all the Governour said no these answers they could agree with him in but not in the former writing whereupon Master Dudley stood up seeming to be much moved and said he would never consent to it whilst he lived that they were one with him in those answers the Governour then asked Gorton what Faith was to which he answered that was nothing that concerned what they had formerly written and that he and the rest had only undertaken to answer to any thing that was in their writing the Governour told him he was bound and ought to be ready to give an answer to any that should aske him a question of the hope that is in him Gorton made answer that the difinition which the Apostle gives of faith was sufficient as he thought to give any man satisfaction he asked him what that was he told him it was this that faith is the hypostasis or subsistance of things that are hoped for and the evidence or argument demonstrative of things that are not seen nor demonstrated at all the Governour told him that was true but he could say more of faith then so Gorton told him it gave him satisfaction and being an other point then they had had to deale about since their comming amongst them and being no question produced from former writings desired to be spared from any further answer then the plain words of the Apostle whereupon Master Broadstreet made answer that he thought it was not fit to put him upon any new questions unlesse he were free to speake unto them and so they dismissed him from the Court to the Prison againe Shortly after this there was a day appointed wherein wee were to receive our sentence from the Court which was to be given in the afternoon and in the forenoon Master Cotton preached having gathered up the minds of the people in what they had observed and perceiving the people took notice that in what we dissented from them was out of tendernesse of conscience and were ready to render a reason and ground for what we held and practised divers such like things to which he answered that if we had done iâ— out of ignorance then there had been hopes of regaining us but if out of tendernâ—sse of conscience and able to render reason for what wee did and other things of like nature then were we ripened for death urging them to agree together and consent in one thing that so it might be else would not the Angels carry their soules to heaven for he was then speaking of the office of the Angels in that point and when by all their examinations in Court Inturgatories put upon us in Prison and publicke preaching they could find nothing against us for the transgressing of any of their Lawes they then proceeded to cast a lot for our lives putting it to the major vote of the Court whether we should live or die which was so ordered by the providence of God that the number of two votes carried it on our side and whereas both by Law Equitie and act of Providence they ought to have set us forthwith at liberty yet notwithstanding they proceeded further to censure namely confined us to severall Towns and to wear bolts and irons and to worke for our livings though it was iâ— the extremity of winter and not to speak of any of those things which they had dealt with us about and all this during the pleasure of the Court and that upon pain of death Here followeth a true Copie of the censure and of the charg as it was given unto us in writing by the Court being extant and here set down verbatim as it was given to Samuel Gorton the rest being the same but onely the change of the names For Samuel Gorton IT is ordered that Samuel Gorton shal be confined to Charlstowne there to be set on worke and to wear such bolts or irons as may hinder his escape and so to continue during the pleasure of the Court provided that if he shall break his said confinement or shall in the meane time either by speech or writing publish declare or maintaine any of the blasphemous or abominable heresies wherewith he hath been charged by the generall Court contained in either of the two books sent unto us by him or by Randall Houlden or shall reproach or reprove the Churches of our Lord Jesus Christ in these united Colonies or the civill government or the publicke Ordinances of God therein unlesse it be by answer to some question propounded to him or conference with any Elder or with any other licensed to speak with him privately under the hand of one of the Assistants that immediatly upon accusation of any such writing or speech he shall by such Assistant to whom such accusation shall be brought be committed to prison till the next Court of Assistants then and there to be tryed by a Jury whether â—e â—â—th so spoken or written and upon his conviction thereof shall be condemned to death and executed Dated the 3o. of
it for the cause is only in God himselfe but without such reasonings and Characteristicall impressions in mans mind the word of God could never have been implanted written or translated in us whereby we come to have the argumentations and conclusions of sonnes of God and not simply or meerly of creatures in our minds being once inlightned by him who is God and the Father of lights where ever it appeareth So that the soule of man is of farre greater sublimitie and naturall excellencie in its creation then any other creature under heaven ever had vouchsafed unto it So that there is an utter impossibility that any creature should receive the impressions of God but man alone This is a large field to walk in for according to the variety of the reasonings of the mind of man by nature which is set forth in all those wayes wherein men have walked and manifested themselves in this present world such it that wonderfull Epistle of Iesus Christ in the various writing and expression of it in the souls hearts and lives of the Saints that are in light through Iesus Christ instance in one for all the spirit of a naturall father reasons thus if my child ask bread to supply nature in the suppressing of hunger I cannot put a stone into his mouth that were cruelty but bread if so be that I have it or can procure it if the child ack fish the father cannot put a serpent into his bosome to bide and sting him but somewhat to cure and refresh him if he have it Now do but change this argument into the way of Christ and let God be the father and my self the child and then is God not man the father the bread heavenly and not from the earth the writing reasoning or argument divine and eternall not humane and temporary and so the reasnings and dictates of our spirits are translated into the arguments and dictates of the Spirit of God and the arguments and dictates of the Spirit of God are translated into a mind and spirit that speaks the very same things naturally in it self though onely in a way of death through its naturall ignorance that now it speaketh in that way of life through that light and knowledge that is in the Lord and thus Christ by sinne condemnes sin in the flesh for by those reasonings wherewith we justifie our selves naturally through that ignorance that naturally is in us by the very same arguments and reasonings we condemn our selves and justifie the Lord through that light and knowledge we have in him by Iesus Christ 2 The second thing to be observed is the certainty of this sentence laid down in the form oâ— an oath verily verily that is so it is or so it shall be as if he should say Amen Amen so it is and so it shall be without alteration or change and in that the word is doubled it is for the certainty of the thing as Ioseph said of Pharaohs dreame and of no lesse certainty is all true exposition and interpretation of holy Scripture whatever men may dream as Pharaoh did and knew not the meaning of it and speak at uncertainties not being resolved whether things may come to passe now or then or fall out to be thus or so in the things of God for the same spirit of truth and certainty that gives the Prophesie Proverbe Parable and advise that records the History or gives sentence divine must also interpret expound and declare the meaning thereof else is the Booke shut and sealed up unto us great folly therefore to conclude of certaintie of Scripture and of no infallibility in the interpretation thereof For no more then we know the truth of an interpretation no more doe we know the truth and certainty of any History Prophesie Proverbe or Parable which is propounded unto us but take things upon repoâ—t as we doe other Chronologies of this world having only the traditions of men for the ground of our worship of God The third thing is the manner of pronunciation of the sentence I say unto you or as the word is I say in you the word used here translated I say signifies such a saying as a Iudge speaks upon the Bench when he gives sentence in a cause upon due proofe and evidence which stands fast in Law being irrevocable such is the saying and speech of Christ the truth whereof can never be altered and whereas he saith I say unto you or as the word is I say in you it signifies that what ever the Saints utter in point of Religion it is and must be the voice of the Sonne of God and not of themselves so that as he suffereth in them else can hee have no death at all and then no Saviour even so he speaks in them or else hath no voice nor language at all and therefore without them no Revealer of the will of his Father for where Christ is silent there can be no Revelation therefore is he the word or expression of the Father and what he saith of him he saith it in them therefore he saith I say in you as in that very Epistle or writing wherein I expresse my selfe in the Father unto the world for my Father and I are one The fourth thing to be observed is the sentence it selfe excluding all from the life of God such only excepted at doe eat the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his blood wherein observe five things briefly first why he is called the Sonne oâ— man secondly what is meant by his flesh and blood in this place thirdly what we are to understand by eating and drinking fourthly what is meant by life in this place and fifthly how we are to understand that exception or limitation seeing That of our selves we are nâ—â— able to thinke a good thought how can we then performe such a weighty worthy and unknown action that is no lesse then life it selfe in the doing of it For the first viz. why he is called the Sonne of man Answ Not only nor properly because he had a soule and a body as all men have which indeed was good in the creation and so man is called the sonne of God But he is called the son of man because he is so produced and brought forth as none can be but such as proceed of man alone Nor can he be a Saviour but in way of such production and son-ship for Christ in respect of his death withâ—ut which no Saviour is brought forth and produced no other way but only in and by man for there is no death to be heard of in God nor can he bring forth or produce of himselfe any thing that is deadly for he is that Fountaine of life yea life it selfe in the abstract nor can it be proper or competible â—o the Sonne of God to be brought forth in his death in any No nor in all other creatures in the world but only in man for as no other creature in the creation was
and wrong which could not appeare without parley nay some of their souldiers picked out to be at the parley professed to some of us when they came to visit us as we lay in bolts and irons amongst them comming in the night not daring to see us in the day professed in these words When we came first to the ground we were maâ—â— to â—ight and to fal upon you without speech or parley but after we saw you and heard you speake many of us had rather have been on your side then for the cause we came and the Captaine seeing some of us discouraged to fight would not permit us to discourse with any of Providence men â—est they should speake on your behalfe and this we know that some that did signifie unto them any small thing concerning the equity of our cause the Captaine seized on them for prisoners and kept them in bonds during the time of their aboad there and much adoe to release them that they had not taken them downe into the Massachusets to undergoe further punishments r Which was only words expressed in their paper formerly sent unto us Å¿ Fearing lest the true and naturall Prince of these their Indian subjects should shew them their folly in this their subjection and to win them again unto himselfe and thereby leave them without this colour and pretence to worke out their own ends upon us t Behold here their guilt in that they had unjustly drawn by insinuation the Indians from their lawfull Prince as also that subtill wrong they did to us suggesting secretly unto the people as though there were feare of some combination between the Indians and us to stir up souldiers by that means to come out against us u Behold how these men can evade all faire Propositions to prosecute and bring forth their own spirit yea even to the death of their countrey men if it be but by casting aspersions upon those that hold not just length and breadth in religion with them x Which they had promised to do as they came on the way towards us to incourage the Indians to come with them against us in the hearing of some of our friends x A great triumph for a whole countrey to carry away eleven men and that upon faire composition also if they had kept touch with us for one of us that is Sampson Shotton was dead before by hardship which some of their spirit had put him upon and but ten of us that handled arms y We thought he did it to imitate Melchisedeck comming out to blesse Abraham when he came from the slaughter of the Kings in the rescue of Lot he did it so gravelyand solemnly only the Captain wanted the spirit of Abraham for all his good successe yet we thought he was not uncapable to communicate in that prayer or blessing of the Governour for his errand to us was to utter and exerciss the spirit of the government in his Commission made manifest z Old M. Ward once Lecturer at S. Michael in Corne-hill London came to the prison window and called to him one of our society namely Richard Carder who had once lived near together in Essex Mr Ward seemed to be much affected being a man knows how to put himselfe into passion desired the said Richard that if he had done or said any thing that he could with good conscience renounce he desired him to recant it and he hoped the Cour would be very mercifull and saith he it shal be no disparagement unto you for here is our Reverend Elder Mr. Cotton who ordinarily preacheth that publickly one year that the next year he publickly repent of and shews himselfe very sorrowful for it to the Congregation so that saith he it wil be no disgrace for you to recant in such a case a Vsually comming to us into the prison many of them together As also when we were put apart in the time of our examination one of the Members of the Church of Boston telling some of us in his own house that he was perswaded that we did not worship the true God for saith he then he would not have permitted you to be brought down from your own Plantation amongst us for saith he I am perswaded that our Churches shal not be over-come by any people that should come out against them his wife standing by being an ingenuous woman made answer to our content before we could speak Husband saith she pray doe not bâ—ast before the victory be known it may be the Battle is not yet ended b Note that in this answer there is a word added to their question which was done of purpose knowing how they looked to regulate them it if were possible as it was declared unto them in the first reading of the answer how they fell short in it which they yeelded unto they say the death which he suffered after his incarnation the answer saith In and after his incarnation For to speake of the sufferings of Christ after his incarnation without respect unto that which was before we may as well speâ—ke of his sufferings before his incarnation without respect to that which is after for the Crosse of Christ is not but with respect both to humane nature and divine and we cannot know the two natures in Christ what they are distinctly in themselves to give each its proper due and what they are joyntly united in one no otherwise but as they are considered in the very act of Incarnation in which appears the Sufferer and that which is suffered the Sufferer is the Son of God made man the creator becoms a creature the thing suffered is to be made a curse that is to be made such a thing as is in it selfe by nature accursed and so Christ was made a curse the sufferings of Christ then and the shedding of his blood as he is known after the spirit are properly in that one act of his incarnation which is the proper act of the humiliation of the Son of God so that to speâ—k of his sufferings after â—is incarnation you may as well speake of his sufferings before his incarnation for it is no suffering of Christ but with respect both to the one and the other and only in the act of incarnation they are made one and to speake of the sufferings of Christ visibly in his humane nature in the dayes of Herod to be the proper sufferings of the Son of God any further but as a true doctrine as in all other holy Writ to teach what that suffering is in the act of his incarnation you may as well speak of sufferings of Christ invisibly before that act of his incarnation for the Crosse of Christ is not but with respect both to divine and humane nature nor can it be said to be in time no more then it may be said to be before al time for the humiliation of the Son of God admits not of any bounds or limiâ—s for then were it not of infinit