proud of this thy exaltation For thou wast dung and dogs filth when Christ wrought In thee his work and set thee in this station To stand from him thy strength is dayly brought Yet in him thou shalt go triumphant on Not thou but Christ triumphs his foes upon You people whom he by the hand did lead 〈…〉 Seas with watry wall Apply your selves his Scriptures for to read In reading do for eyes enlightned call And you shall see Christ once being come is now Again at hand your stubborn hearts to bow Though scattered you Earths Kingdoms are throughout In bondage brought cheife by those make some shew Of Jewish rights they Christ with you cast out Christ well their Cords for you in sunder hew Through unbeliefe you were to bondage brought Believe that Christ for you great work hath wrought He will your heart not member circumcise Oh search and see this is your Jesus sure Refuse him not would God you were so wise None but this King can ought your hope procure Once doting on an Earthly Kingdom you Mist of your Christ be sure be wiser now The day 's at hand he will you wiser make To know Earths Kingdoms are too scant and base For such a price as Christ paid for your sake Kings you shall be but in a higher place Yet for your freedom Nations great shall fall That without fear of foes him serve you shall You are the men that Christ will cause subdue Those Turkish Troops that joyned Jews have been His Gentile Churches cast down Babels crue Then you that brood of Mahumetts shall win Destroy his seed ' mongst Persians Turkes and Moores And for poor Christians ope the Prison doors Your Nation prov'd too scant for his possession Whose pretious blood was made a price for sin And Nations all who were in like transgression Some of the whole Christ to his Crown will win And now makes way for this his work indeed That through the world his Kingdom may proceed Now Nations all I pray you look about Christ comes you neer his power I pray embrace In 's word him seek he 's found without all doubt He doth beseech with teares Oh seek his face Yet time there is the Battel 's but begun Christ call thy folke that they to thee may run Place them in thy strong Armies newly gather'd Thy Churches Lord increase and fill withall Those blessed ones are given thee by thy Father The wickeds Rod off from their backs recall Breake off their yokes that they with freedom may Tell of thy workes and praise thee every day Lord Christ go on with thy great wonders working Down headlong cast all Antichristian power Vnmaske those men that lye in corners lurking Whose damned doctrines dayly sâ—ates advance For why thy Folke for this are dayly longing That Nations may come in thy Churches thronging What greater joy can come thy Saints among Then to behold their Christ exalted high Thy Spirits joy with ravishment stirs strong Thy Folke while they thy Kingdomes glory eye Angels rejoyce because their waiting is In Saints assembly where thy name they bliss Thy workes are not in Israels Land confined From East to West thy wondrous works are known To Nations all thou hast thy grace assigned Thy spirits breathings through the World are blown All Languages and tongues do tell thy praise Dead hear thy voyce them thou dost living raise Oh blessed dayes of Son of Man now seen You that have long'd so sore them to behold March forth in 's might and stoutly stand between The mighties sword and Christs dear flocke infold Vndanted close and clash with them for why ' Gainst Christ they are and he with thee stands by No Captive thou nor Death can on thee seize Fight stand and live in Christ thou dayly dost He long ago did lead as Captives these And ever lives to save thee where thou goest His Father still and Spirit shall with thee Abide and crowne thy Head with lasting glee For thy words sake and according to thine own heart hast thou done all these great things to make thy servant know them 2 Sam. 7. 21. FINIS Courteous Reader These Books following are Printed for Nathaniel Brooke and are to be sold at his Shop at the Angel in Cornehill 1. TImes Treasury or Academy for Gentry excellent grounds both Divine and humane for their accomplishment in arguments of discourse habit fashion with a Ladies love-Lecture and Truths triumph summing up all in a character of Honour by Ri. Braithwait Esq 2. Morton of the Sacrament in folio 3. Physiogmony and Chiromancy Metoposcopy the Symmetricall proportions and signall Moles of the body the subject of Dreames to which is added the Art of Memory by Ri. Sanders Student folio 4. Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum containing severall poeticall peeces of our famous English Philosophers which have written the Hermetique misteries in their antient Language by Elias Ashmole Esq 5. Chiromancy or the Art of Divining by the lines engraven in the hand of man by dame Nature Theologically practically in 19. Genitures with a learned discourse of the soul of the World and universall spirit thereof by Geo. Wharton Esq 6. Catholick History collected and gathered out of Scripture Councels and antient Fathers Moderne writers both ecclesiasticall and civill in answer to Dr. Vane's Lost Sheep returned home by Ed. Chiseuhall Esq 7. Planometria or the whole Art of Survey of Land shewing the use of all Instruments but especially the plain Table whereunto is added an Appendix to measure regular Solids as Timber Stone usefull for all that intend either to sell or purchase 8. An Arithmetick in number and species in two Books 1. Teaching by precept and example the operation in Numbers whole and broken by Decimals and use of the Logarithms Napyers bones 2. The great Rule of Algebra in Species resolving all Arithmeticall questions by supposition with a Canon of the powers of numbers fitted to the meanest capacity by Jonas Moore late of Durham 8. 9. Tactometrica or the Geometry of Regulars after a new exact and expeditious manner in Solids with sundry usefull experiments Practicall Geometry of Regular-like Solids and of a Cylinder body for liquid vessell measure with sundry new experiments never before extant for gauging a work very usefull for all that are imployed in the Art Metrical by John Wiberd Doctor in Physick 10. An Astrologicall discourse with Mathematicall Demonstrations proving the powerfull and harmonicall influence of the Planets and fixed Stars upon Elementary Bodies in justification of the Validity of Astroligy by Sir Christopher Heydon Knight 11. Magick and Astrology vindicated in which is contained the true definitions of the said Arts and the justification of their practise proved by the authority of Scripture and the experience of antient and modern Authors by H. Warren 12. An Astrologicall judgement of Diseases from the Decumbiture of the ficke also the way of finding out the cause change and end of a disease also whether the sick be
divulging of this Proclamation by his Herralds at Armes Many although otherwise willing for this service began to object as followeth Can it possible be the mind of Christ who formerly inabled so many Souldiers of his to keepe their station unto the death here that now so many brave Souldiers disciplined by Christ himselfe the Captaine of our salvation should turne their backs to the disheartning of their Fellow-Souldiers and losse of further opportunity in gaining a greater number of Subjects to Christs Kingdome Notwithstanding this Objection It was further proclaimed as followeth What Creature wilt not know that Christ thy King crusheth with a rod of Iron the Pompe and Price of man and must he like man cast and contrive to take his enemies at advantage No of purpose hee causeth such instruments to retreate as he hath made strong for himselfe that so his adversaries glorying in the pride of their power insulting over the little remnanâ— remaining Christ causeth them to be cast downe suddenly forever and wee find in stories reported Earths Princes have passioâ— their Armies at need over Seas and deepe Torrents Could Caesar so suddenly fetch over fresh forces from Europe to Asia Pompy to foyle How much more shall Christ who createth all power câ—ll over this 900. league Ocean at his pleasure such instruments as he thinks meete to make use of in this place from whence you are now to depart but further that you may not delay the Voyage intended for your full satisfaction know this is the place where the Lord will create a new Heaven and a new Earth in new Churches and a new Common-wealth together Wherefore CHAP. II. The Commission of the People of Christ shipped for New England and first of their gathering into Churches ATtend to your Commission all you that are or shall hereafter be shipped for this service yee are with all possible speed to imbarque your selves and as for all such Worthies who are hunted after as David was by Saul and his Courtiers you may change your habit and ship you with what secrecy you can carrying all things most needfull for the Voyage and service you are to be imployed in after your landing But as soone as you shall be exposed to danger of tempestious Seas you shall forthwith shew whose servants you are by calling on the Name of your God sometimes by extraordinary seeking his pleasing Face in times of deepe distresse and publishing your Masters will and pleasure to all that Voyage with you and that is his minde to have purity in Religion preferred above all dignity in the world your Christ hath commanded the Seas they shall not swallow you nor Pyrates imprison your persons or possesse your goods At your landing see you observe the Rule of his Word for neither larger nor stricter Commission can hee give by any and therefore at first filling the Land whither you are sent with diligence search out the mind of God both in planting and continuing Church and civill Government but be sure they be distinct yet agreeing and helping the one to the other Let the matter and forme of your Churches be such as were in the Primitive Times before Antichrists Kingdome prevailed plainly poynted out by Christ and his Apostles in most of their Epistles to be neither Nationall nor Provinciall but gathered together in Covenant of such a number as might ordinarily meete together in one place and built of such living stones as outwardly appeare Saints by calling You are also to ordaine Elders in every Church make you use of such as Christ hath indued with the best gifts for that end their call to Office shall be mediate from you but their authority and commission shall be immediate from Christ revealed in his word which if you shall slight dâ—spise or contemne hee will soone frustrate your call by taking the most able among you to honour with an everlasting Crown whom you neglected to honour on Earth double as their due or he will carry them remote from you to more infant Churches You are not to put them upon anxious Cares for their daily Bread for assuredly although it may now seeme strange you shall be fed in this Wildernesse whither you are to goe with the flower of Wheate and Wine shall be plentifull among you but be sure you abuse it not these Doctrines delivered from the Word of God imbrace and let not Satan delude you by perswading their learned skill is unnecessary soone then will the Word of God be flâ—ghted as traâ—slated by such and you shall be left wildred with strange Revelations of every phantastick brain which to prevent here are to be shipped among you many both Godly Juditious and Learned who CHAP. III. Of the Demeanor of their Church Officers BEing called to Office are in all humility to feed the flock of Christ and not for lucre to admit mostly of such sheepe whose faire fleeces allure much nor yet for filling the flocks to crowd in infections sheepe or rather wolves in sheepes cloathing assuredly it will prove bitternesse in the end neither shall you for feare your allowance will fall short hinder the increase of Churches that so your fellow brethren indued with like gifts faâ—l short of all But above all beware of any love selfe-conceited Opinion stopping your eares from hearing the Counsell of an Orthodox Synod but by daily communication one with another impart Christs minde each to other that you may all speake one and the same things heale not lightly the wounds that Wolves make lest from their festering Teeth a Gangrin grow and further for compleating the Churches of Christ as well in matters as in Doctrine there are ancient experienced godly Christians shipped among you but be sure you make choise of such for feare they be despised and let them not be led by favor or affection as naturally men are to Administer in your Office partially for unworthy the name of a Ruling Elder is hee who loses his Lyon-like courage when the sound and wholesome Doctrines delivered by Pastor or Teacher are spoken against by any unseemly behaviour and sleepy hearing by private exhortation prevent if possible lest publick example in open professors stumbâ—e some and hinder the operation of his word especially in the hearts of those who have bin long time led away with the inventions of man in the worshâ—p of God Be sure you contradict not but confirme with trienall love the Doctrines of Christ delivered by your Teaching Elders which will be a great meanes to make it prevaile for a three-fold cord is not easily broken trust not to your own gifts for preventing error but use all helpes that Christ may blesse his own meanes cast not away as incorrigible such as at first receive not the word in all points but wait with patience if at any time the Lord will be pleased to give them a heart to turne unto him Beware of a proud censorious spirit and shouâ—d Christ be pleased to place in his
building more pollished stones then thy selfe make it matter of rejoycing and not of envy And further because the Preaching of the word is to be continued with all diligence here are likewise inbarked with you faithfull servants of Christ to attend on the Tables of the Churches plaine-dealing men yea indued with wisdome from above by which they are inabled to mannage and improve the Churches Treasury not greedily given to hoord up for themselves but by their own example leading others to liberality and hospitality having the Earth in low esteeme and Faith in exercise when Cattell and Corne fayle not given to magnifie their own gifts but boldly maâ—â—â—ayning such sound truths as their Teaching Elders have cleared up from the word of God And CHAP. IV. How the People in Christs Churches are to behave themselves NOw you his People who are pickt out by his provide to passe this Westerne Ocean for this honorable service beware you call not weake ones to Office in this honorable Army nor Novices lest they be lifted up with pride You see how full you are furnished for the worke give no eare to any Braggadociaes who to extoll themselves will weaken the hands of those whom Christ hath made strong for himselfe Yea such will be the phantasticall madnesse of some if you take not heed that silly Women laden with diverse lusts will be had in higher esteeme with them then those honoured of Christ indued with power and authority from him to Preach Abuse not the free and full liberty Christ hath given you in making choyce of your own Officers and consent in admitting into his Churches and casting out such Members as walke disorderly you are to walke in all humility lest in injoyment of such freedoms as you formerly have not exercised you exceede the bounds of modesty and instead of having your moderation knowne to all your imbecility and selfe-exaltation bee discovered by many in admission of others into Church society Remember your selves were once Aliens from the Covenant of Grace and in Excommunication consider how your selves have been also tempted in sincerity and singlenesse of heart let your words be few do nothing be had in high esteeme among men And thinke it no imputation of a weake dicserning to be followes of those are set over you in the Lord as they follow Christ Let your Profession outstrip your Confession for seeing you are to be set as lights upon a Hill more obvious then the highest Mountaine in the World keepe close to Christ that you may shine full of his glory who imployes you and grub not continually in the Earth like blind Moles but by your amiable Conversation seeke the winning of many to your Masters service Beware of a proud censorious spirit make it no part of your Christian communication to be in continuall discourse of others faults Let all things be done in love and looke not for more smoothnesse in stones as yet unplaced in Christs building then is in thy selfe who hast been long layd therein wait with patience and cast not off as Reprobates such as cannot presently joyne with you in every poynt of Discipline and yet hold fast to sound and wholesome Doctrine if you will be a people to his prayse who hath called you seeke the turning of many to Righteousnesse purge out all the sowre Leven of unsound Doctrine for the minde of Christ is to build up his Churches and breake them down no more And therefore be sure there be none to hurt or destroy in all his holy Mountaine and as he hath pressed you for his service that by passing through the Flouds of Persecution you should be set at liberty and have power put into your hands Then let none wrest it from you under pretence of liberty of Conscience men of perverse judgements will draw Disciples after them but let your consciences be pure and Christs Churches free from all Doctrines that deceive And all you who are or shall be shipped for this worke thinke it not enough that you injoy the truth but you must hate every false way and know you are called to be faithfull Souldiers of Christ not onely to assist in building up his Churches but also in pulling downe the Kingdome of Anti-Christ then sure you are not set up for tollerating times nor shall any of you be content with this that you are set at liberty but take up your Armes and march manfully on till all opposers of Christs Kingly power be abolished and as for you who are called to sound forth his silver Trumpets blow lowd and shrill to this chiefest treble tune For the Armies of the great Jehovah are at hand See you not his Enemies stretched out on tiptoe proudly daring on their thresholds a certaine signe of their sudden overthrow be not danted at your small number for every common Souldier in Christs Campe shall be as David who slew the great Goliah and his Davids shall be as the Angels of the Lord who slew 185000. in the Assyrian Army Finally all you who are now sent forth by Christ your Jehovah to enter upon a Blessed Reformation if ever you will have the honours to be provokers of his ancient People Israel who are againe suddenly to be honoured by him in believing kindle the fire of jealousy in their brests by your Holy Heavenly and humble walking have you not the most blessedest opertunity put into your hands that ever people had then CHAP. V. What Civill Government the People of Christ ought to set up and submit unto in New England FAyle not in prosecution of the Worke for your Lord Christ hath furnished you with able Pilots to steere the Helme in a godly peaceable Civill Government also then see you make choyce of such as are sound both in Profession and Confession men fearing God and hating bribes whose Commission is not onely limitted with the commands of the second Table but they are to looke to the Rules of the first also and let them be sure to put on Joshuas resolution and courage never to make League with any of these seven Sectaries First the Gortonists who deny the Humanity of Christ and most blasphemously and proudly professe themselves to be personally Christ Secondly the Papist who with almost equall blasphemy and pride prefer their own Merits and Workes of Supererogation as equall with Christs unvaluable Death and Sufferings Thirdly the Familist who depend upon rare Revelations and forsake the sure revealed Word of Christ Fourthly Seekers who deny the Churches and Ordinances of Christ Fifthly Antinomians who deny the Morrall Law to be the Rule of Christ Sixtly Anabaptists who deny Civill Government to be proved of Christ Seventhly The Prelacy who will have their own Injunctions submitted unto in the Churches of Christ These and the like your Civill Censors shall reach unto that the people of and under your Government may live a qulet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honesty and to the end that you may provoke Kings
that heare it Thus it befell as they were discoursing in the Bote they had built for shelter all of a sudden an Indian came in among them at whose speech they were all agast he speaking in the English Language Much welcome Englishmen their wonder was the greater because upon those Costes they supposed no English had so much as set foote and verily Christ had prepared him on purpose to give his people intertainment the Indian having lived in England two year or thereabout after which he returned home and at this time had wandred into those parts in company of other Indians all this and the condition of the neere adjoyning Indians hee soon discovered unto them at which they were transported beyond themselves very much what with joy and the mixture of their former feare and affection intervening with the other surprised all their senses of a sudden that long it was ere each party could take its proper place yea and beyond all this Christ Jesus by the power of his blessed Spirit did now work upon all their faculties both of Soule and Body the great impression of his present Providence might not soon be washed off with the following incumbred cares of a Defart Wildernesse but to contract they made use of the present opprotunity and by the instrumentall meanes of this Indian became acquainted and reconciled with most of the Neighbouring Indians And afterward planted a Church of Christ there and set up civill Government calling the Name of the place Plimoth under this jurisdiction there are ten Churches at this very day this being the first place any English resorted unto for the advancement of the Kingly Government of Christ in this Westerne World CHAP. IX Of the first preparation of the Marchant Adventurers in the Mattachusets NOw it will be time to returne againe to England to speake further of the people that wee left in way of preparation who in the yeare 1628. sent forth some store of servants to provide against the wants of a Desart Wildernesse amongst whom came over a mixt multitude insomuch that very little appeared of the following worke onely the much honoured Mr. John Indicat came over with them to governe a fit instrument to begin this Wildernesse-worke of courage bold undanted yet sociable and of a chearfull spirit loving and austere applying himselfe to either as occasion served And now let no man be offended at the Authors rude Verse penned of purpose to keepe in memory the Names of such worthies as Christ made strong for himselfe in this unwonted worke of his John Endicat twice Governour of the English inhabiting the Mattachusets Bay in N. England STrong valiant John wilt thou march on and take up station first Christ cal'd hath thee his Souldier be and faile not of thy trust Wilderness-wants Christs grace supplants thē plant his Churches pure With Tongues gifted and graces led help thou to his procure Vndanted thou wilt not allow Malignant men to wast Christs Vineyard heere whose grace should cheer his well-beloved's tast Then honoured be thy Christ hath thee their Generall promoted To shew their love in place above his people have thee voted Yet must thou fall to grave with all the Nobles of the Earth Thou rotting Worme to dust must turn and worse but for new birth The place picked out by this People to settle themselves in was in the bosome of the out-stretched arme of Cape Anne now called Gloster but at the place of their abode they began to build a Town which is called Salem after some little space of time having made tryall of the Sordid spirits of the Neighbouring Indians the most bold among them began to gather to divers places which they began to take up for their owne those that were sent over servants having itching desires after novelties found a reddier way to make an end of their Masters provision then they could finde meanes to get more They that came over their own men had but little left to feed on and most began to repent when their strong Beers and full cups ran as small as water in a large Land but little Corne and the poore Indians so far from relieving them that they were forced to lengthen out their owne food with Acorns and that which added to their present distracted thoughts the Ditch betweene England and their now place of abode was so wide that they could not leap over with a lope-staffe yet some delighting their Eye with the rarity of things present and feeding their fancies with new discoveries at the Springs approach they made shift to rub out the Winters cold by the Fire-side having fuell enough growing at their very doores turning down many a drop of the Bottell and burning Tobacco with all the ease they could discoursing betweene one while and another of the great progresse they would make after the Summers-Sun had changed the Earths white furr'd Gowne into a greene Mantell Now the vernall of thirty nine being come they addrest themselves to coste it as far as they durst for feare of loosing themselves or falling into the hands of unknown Indians being kept in awe by a report of a cruell people not far of called the Tarratines All this while little like-lihood there was building the Temple for Gods worship there being only two that began to hew stones in the Mountaines the one named Mr. Bright and the other Mr. Blaxton and one of them began to build but when they saw all sorts of stones would not fit in the building as they supposed the one betooke him to the Seas againe and the other to till the Land retaining no simbole of his former profession but a Canonicall Coate CHAP. X. Of the first Church of Christ gathered at Salem in the Mattachusets Government THis yeare 1629. came over three godly Ministers of Christ Jesus intending to shew his power in his peoples lowest condition as his manner is thereby to strengthen their Faith in following difficulties and now although the number of the faithfull people of Christ were but few yet their longing desires to gather into a Church was very great And therefore addressed themselves to finde out the blessed Rules of Christ for preserving herein who through the assistance of his Blessed Spirit found that the Word of God penned by the Apostles in many Epistles written to particular Churches consisting of such as are beloved Saints by calling appearing so in the judgement of Charity being tryed by the rule of the word not scandalous in their Lives for the society of such they sought and in these beginnings found very few seven being the lest number a Church can be gathered or conceived by just consequence from the Word of God Having fasted and prayed with humble acknowledgement of their own unworthinesse to be called of Christ to so worthy a worke they joyned together in a holy Covenant with the Lord and one with another promising by the Lords Assistance to walke together in Exhorting Admonishing and
Rebuking one another and to cleave to the Lord with a full purpose of heart according to the blessed Rules of his Word made known unto them and further they seeing by light of Scripture the Lord Christ ascended up on high to give gifts unto men not onely extraordinary as Apostles c. before the Canon of the Scripture was perfected but also ordinary as Pastors and Teachers and that such are to be fitted with gifts according for so mighty a worke as is the Feeding and Ruling the Flock of Christ Wherefore they Elected and Ordained one Mr. Higgingson to be Tracher of this first Church of Christ set up in those parts a man indued with grace apt to teach and mighty in the Scriptures Learned in the Tongues able to convince gain-sayers aptly applying the word to his hearers who departed this life not long after of whom it may be said The Reverend Mr. Higgingson first Pastor of the Church of Christ at Salem in New England WHat Golden gaine made Higginson remove From fertill Soyle to Wildernesse of Rocks 'T was Christs rich Pearle stir'd up thee toile to love For him to feed in Wildernesse his flocks First Teacher he here Sheepe and Lambs together First crownd shall be hee in the Heavens of all Christs Pastors here but yet Christ folke had rather Him here retaine blest he whom Christ hath call'd They also called to the Office of an Exhorting Elder Mr. Scelton a man of a gratious Speech full of Faith and furnished by the Lord with gifts from above to begin this great worke of his that makes the whole Earth to ring againe at this present day The Reverend Mr. Scelton first Pastor of the Church of Christ at Salem in New England 1630. SCelton for Christ did leave his Native soile Christ Grace first wrought for him or he had never A Pastor been in Wildernesse to toile Where Christ his Flock doth into Churches gather For five yeares space to end thy war-faire thou Must meete with wantes what wants can be to him Whose Shepheard's Christ Earths fullnesse hath for you And Heavens rich Crowne for thee with 's conquest win This Church of Christ being thus begun the Lord with the Water spouts of his tender Mercy caused to increase and fructify And now let every Eare listen and every heart admire and inlarge it selfe to the astonishment of the whole man at this wonderous worke of the great Jehovah That in thrice seven yeares after the beginning of this Worke wrought such fearfull Desolations and wonderfull Alterations among our English Nation and also in this dismall Desart wasting the naturall Inhabitant with deaths stroke and that as is former touched the Mattachusets who were a populous Nation consisting of 30000 able men now brought to lesse then 300. and in their roome and place of abode this poore Church of Christ consisting at their beginning but of seven persons increased to forty three Churches in joyne Communion one with the other professing One God One Christ and one Gospell and in those Churches about 7750. Soules in one profession of the Rules of Christ and that which makes the worke more admirable in the Eyes of all beholders mens habitations are cut out of the Woods and Bushes neither can this place be entered by our English Nation but by passing through a dreadfull and terrible Ocean of nine hundred Leagues in length CHAP. XI Of the Glorious beginnings of a thorough Reformation in the Churclses of Clorist FUrther know these are but the beginnings of Christs glorious Reformation and Restauration of his Churches to a more glorious splendor than ever Hee hath therefore caused their dazeling brightnesse of his presence to be contracted in the burning Glasse of these his peoples zeale from whence it begins to be left upon many parts of the World with such hot reflection of that burning fight which hath fired many places already the which shall never be quenched till it hath burnt up Babilon Root and Branch and now let the Reader looke one the 102. Psalme the Prophet Isaia 66. Chapter take this sharpe Sword of Christs Word and all other Scriptures of like nature and follow on yee valiant of the Lord And behold the worthies of Christ as they are boldly leading forth his Troopes into these Westerne Fields marke them well Man by Man as they march terrible as an Army with Banners croud in all yee that long to see this glorious sight see ther 's their glorious King Christ one that white Horse whose hooses like flint cast not only sparkes but flames of fire in his patâ—es Behold his Crown beset with Carbunkles wherein the names of his whole Army are written Can there be ever night in his Presence whose eyes are ten thousand times higher than the Sun Behold his swiftnes all you that have said where is the promise of his comming Listen a while hear what his herauld proclaimes Babylon is sallen is fallen both her Doctrine Lordly rabble of Popes Cardinalls Lordly-Bâ—shops Friers Monks Nuns Seminary-Priests Jesuits Ermites Pilgrims Deans Prebends Arch-Deacons Commissaries Officialls Proctors Somners Singing-men Choristers Organist Bellows-blowers Vergers Porters Sextons Beads-men and Bel-ringers and all others who never had name in the Word of God together with all her false Doctrines although they may seeme otherwise never so contradictory as Arians who deny the God-head of Christ and Gortenists who deny the Humanity of Christ Papists who thinke to merit Heaven by the Workes of the Law Antinomians who deny the Law of God altogether as a rule to walke by in the obedience of Faith and deny good works to be the Frutit of Faith Arminians who attribute Gods Election or Reprobation to the will of Man and Familists who forsake the revealed Will of God and make men depend upon strong Revelations for the knowledge of Gods Electing Love towards them Conformitants oâ— Formalists who bring in a forme of worship of their owne and joyne it with the worship God hath appointed in his Word Seekers that deny all manner of worship or Ordinances of Christ Jesus affirming them to be quite lost and not to be attained till new Apostles come CHAP. XII Of the voluntary banishment chosen by this People of Christ and their last farewell taken of their Country and Friends ANd now behold the severall Regiments of these Souldiers of Christ as they are shipped for his service in the Western World part thereof being come to the Towne and Port of Southamptan in England where they were to be shipped that they might prosecute this designe to the full one Ship called the Eagle they wholy purchase and many more they hire filling them with the seeds of man and beast to sow this yet untilled Wildernesse withall making sale of such Land as they possesse to the great admiration of their Friends and Acquaintance who thus expostulate with them What will not the large income of your yearly revenue content you which in all reason cannot chuse but be more
praise of all his glorious Acts. About this time did the valiant in faith and Reverend Pastor Mr. John Wilson returne to England and surely the power of Christ hath notably appeared in this weake sorry man You must needs see the Author will flatter no man yet will he not be wanting to tell the noble Acts of Christ Jesus in making men strong for himselfe here is one borne up in the armes of his mercy often through the perillous Seas night and dayes yea weeks and months upon the great deepe and now having with his owne eyes beheld the manifold troubles these poore were in yet at this very time hies him back to his Native soile where his indeared Wife did yet remaine purposely to perswade her to east her cares upon the Lord as he himself had already done and then assuredly the wants of a Wildernesse would never hurt her at the departure of this holy Man of God many of his peoples hearts waxed very sad and having looked long for his returne Their eyes now began to faile in missing of their expectation they according to their common course in time of great straites set and appointed a day wholy to be spent in seeking the pleasing Face of God in Christ purposing the Lord assisting to afflict their soules and give him the honour of his All-seeingness by a downe right acknowledgement of their sinnes but the Lord whose Grace is alwayes undeserved heard them before they cried and the afternoone before the day appointed brought him whom they so much desired in safety to shore with divers other faithfull servants of Christ ready armed for the Battell the day was turned to a day of rejoycing and blessing the Lord even the mighty God of Iacob the God of Armies is for us a refuge high Shela The yeare 1633. the honoured John Winthrope Esquire was chosen Governour againe and Thomas Dudly Esq Deputy Governour the number of Freemen added or Souldiers listed was 46. the Winters Frost being extracted forth the Earth they fall to tearing up the Roots and Bushes with their Howes even such men as scarce ever set hand to labour before men of good birth and breeding but comming through the strength of Christ to war their warfare readily rush through all difficulties cutting down of the Woods they inclose Corne fields the Lord having mitigated their labours by the Indians frequent fiering of the woods that they may not be hindered in hunting Venson and Beares in the Winter season which makes them thin of Timber in many places like our Parkes in England the chiefest Corne they planted before they had Plowes was Indian Graine whose increase is very much beyond all other to the great refreshing of the poore servants of Christ in their low beginings all kinde of Gardens Fruits grew very well and let no man make a jâ—st at Pumpkins for with this fruit the Lord was pleased to feed his people to their good content till Corne and Cattell were increased And here the Lords mercy appeared much in that those who had beene formerly brought up tender could now contentedly feed on bare and meane Diet amongst whom the Honoured and upright hearted in this worke of Christ Mr. Increase Nowell shall not be forgotten having a diligent hand therein from the first beginning INcrease shalt thou with honour now in this thy undertaking Thou hast remain'd as yet unstained all errors foule forsaking To poore and rich thy Justice much hath manifested bin Like Samuel Nathanaell Christ hath thee fram'd within Thy faithfulnesse people expresse and Secretary they Chose thee each year by which appeare their love with thee doth stay Now Nowell see Christ call'd hath thee and work thou must for him In beating down the triple Crown and all that his foes ben Thus doest thou stand by Christ fraile man to tell his might can make Dust do his will with graces fill till dust to him he take CHAP. XXVII Of the gratious goodnesse of God in hearing his peoples prayers in times of need and of the Ship-loades of goods the Lord sent them in HEre againe the admirable Providence of the Lord is to be noted That whereas the Country is naturally subject to drought even to the withering of their summers Fruits the Lord was pleased during these yeares of scarcity to blesse that small quantity of Land they planted with seasonable showers and that many times to the great admiration of the Heathen for thus it befell the extreame parching heare of the Sun by reason of a more constant clearnesse of the Aire then usually is in England began to scorch the Herbs and Fruits which was the chiefest meanes of their livelyhood they beholding the Hand of the Lord stretched out against them like tender hearted Children they fell down on their knees begging mercy of the Lord for their Saviours sake urging this as a chiefe argument that the malignant adversary would rejoyce in their destruction and blaspheme the pure Ordinances of CHRIST trampling down his Kingly Commands with their owne inventions and in uttering these words their eyes dropped down many teares their affections prevailing so strong that they could not refraine in the Church-Assembly Here admire and be strong in the Grace of Christ all you that hopefully belong unto him for as they powred out water before the Lord so at that very instant the Lord showred down water on their Gardens and Fields which with great industry they had planted and now had not the Lord caused it to raine speedily their hope of food had beene lost but at this these poore wormes were so exceedingly taken that the Lord should shew himselfe so neere unto their Prayers that as the drops from Heaven fell thicker and faster so the teares from their eyes by reason of the sudden mixture of joy and sorrow and verily they were exceedingly stirred in their affections being unable to resolve themselves which mercy was greatest to have a humble begging heart given them of God or to have their request so suddenly answered The Indians hearing hereof and seeing the sweet raine that fell were much taken with Englishmens God but the Lord seeing his poore peoples hearts were to narrow to beg his bounties exceeds toward them at this time as indeed hee ever hitherto hath done for this Wildernesse-People not onely giving the full of their requests but beyond all their thoughts as witnesse his great worke in England of late in which the prayers of Gods people in New England have had a great stroke These people now rising from their knees to receive the rich mercies of Christ in the refreshed fruits of the Earth Behold the Sea also bringing in whole Ship-loades of mercies more being filled with fresh forces for furthering this wonderfull worke of Christ and indeed this yeare came in many pretious ones whom Christ in his grace hath made much use of in these his Churches and Common-wealth insomuch that these people were even almost over-ballanced with the great income of their
present possessed mercies yet they addresse themselves to the Sea shore where they courteously welcom the famous servant of Christ grave godly and judicious Hooker and the honoured servant of Christ M John Haynes as also the Reverend and much desired Mr. John Cotton and the Retoricall Mr. Stone with divers others of the sincere servants of Christ comming with their young and with their old and with their whole substance to doe him service in this Desart wildernesse Thus this poore people having now tasted liberally of the salvation of the Lord every way they deeme it high time to take up the Cup of thankfulnesse and pay their vowes to the most high God by whom they were holpen to this purpose of heart and accordingly set apart the 16. day of October which they call the eighth Moneth not out of any pevish humor of singularity as some are ready to censor them with but of purpose to prevent the Heathenish and Popish observation of Dayes Moneths and Yeares that they may be forgotten among the people of the Lord this day was solemnly kept by all the seven Churches rejoycing in the Lord and rendering thanks for all their benefits Here must not be omitted the indeared affections Mr. John Wilson had to the worke in hand exceedingly setting forth in his Sermon this day the Grace of Christ in providing such meet helps for furthering thereof really esteeming them beyond so many Ship-loading of Gold manifesting the great humility Christ had wrought in him not complementing but in very deede prefering the Reverend Mr. John Cotton many hundreds before himselfe whom they within a very little time after called to the Office of a Teaching Elder of the Church of Christ at Boston where hee now remaines of whom at followeth WHen Christ intends his glorious Kingdome shall Exalted be on Earth he Earth doth take Evon sinfull Man to make his worthies all Then praise I Man no Christ this Man doth make Sage sober grave and learned Cotten thou Mighty in Scripture without Booke repeat it Annatomise the sence and shew Man how Great mysteries in sentence short are seated Gods Word with 's word comparing oft unfould The secret truths Johns Revelations hath By thee been open'd as nere was of old Showes cleere and neere ' gainst Romes whore is Gods wrath Then Churches of Christ rejoyce and sing John Cotten hath Gods minde I dare believe Since he from Gods Word doth his witnesse bring Saints cries are heard they shall no longer grieve That song of songs 'twixt Christ and 's Church thou hast Twice taught to all and sweetly shewed the way Christ would his Churches should in truth stand fast And cast off mans inventions even for aye Thy labours great have met with catching cheats Mixing their Brasse with thy bright Gold for why Thy great esteeme must cover their ill feates Some soile thou gett'st by comming them so nie But i'ts wipt off and thou Christs Champion left The Faith to fight for Christ hath arm'd thee well His worthies would not thou shoulds be bereft Of honours here thy Crown shall soon excell These people of God having received these farther helps to instruct and build them up in the holy things of Christ being now greatly incouraged seeing the Lord was pleased to set such a broad Seale to their Commission for the worke in hand not onely by his Word and Spirit moving thereunto but also by his Providence in adding such able instruments for furthering this great worke of Reformation and advancing the Kingdome of Christ for which they spent this day of rejoycing and sure the Lord would have all that hear of it know their joy lay not in the increase of Corne or Wine or Oyle for of all these they had but very little at this time yet did they not spare to lend such aâ— they had unto the poore who could not provide and verily the joy ended not with the day for these active instruments of Christ Preaching with all instancy the glad Tidings of the Gospell of Iesus Christ rejoyced the Heart of this People much CHAP. XX VIII Of the Eighth Church of Christ gathered at Cambridge 1633. AT this time those who were in place of civill Government having some addition Pillars to under-prop the building begun to thinke of a place of more safety in the eyes of Man then the two frontire Towns of Charles Towne and Boston were for the habitation of such as the Lord had prepared to Governe this Pilgrim People Wherefore they rather made choice to enter farther among the Indians then hazard the fury of malignant adversaries who in a rage might pursue them and therefore chose a place scituate on Charles River betweene Charles Towne and Water-Towne where they erected a Towne called New-Towne now named Cambridge being in forme like a list cut off from the Broad-cloath of the two fore-named Towns where this wandering Race of Jacobits gathered the eighth Church of Christ This Town is compact closely within it selfe till of late yeares some few stragling houses have been built the Liberties of this Town have been inlarged of late in length reaching from the most Northerly part of Charles River to the most Southerly part of Merrimeck River it hath well ordered streets and comly pompleated with the faire building of Harver Colledge their first Pastor was the faithfull and laborious Mr. Hooker whose Bookes are of great request among the faithfull people of Christ Yee shall not misse of a few lines in remembrance of him COme Hooker come forth of thy native soile Christ I will run sayes Hooker thou hast set My feet at large here spend thy last dayes toile Thy Rhetorick shall peoples affections whet Thy Golden Tongue and Pen Christ caus'd to be The blazing of his golden truths profound Thou sorry worme its Christ wrought this in thee What Christ hath wrought must needs be very sound Then looke one Hookers workes they follow him To Grave this worthy resteth there a while Die shall he not that hath Christs warrier bin Much lesse Christs Truth cleer'd by his peoples toile Thou Angell bright by Christ for light now made Throughout the World as seasoning salt to be Although in dust thy body mouldering fade Thy Head 's in Heaven and hath a crown for thee The people of this Church and Towne have hitherto had the chiefest share in spitituall blessings the Ministry of the Word by more then ordinary instruments as in due time and place God willing you shall farther heare yet are they at this day in â— thriving condition in outward things also both Corne and Cattell Nâ—ate and Sheepe of which they have a good flocke which the Lord hath caused to thrive much in these latter dayes then formerly This Towne was appointed to be the seate of Government but it continued not long this yeare a small gleane of Rye was brought to the Court as the first fruits of English graine at which this poore people greatly rejoyced to see the Land
would beare it but now the Lords blessing that way hath exceeded all peoples expectation cloathing the Earth with plenty of all kinde of graine Here minde I must the Reader of the admirable acts of Christs Providence toward this people that although they were in such great straites for foode that many of them eate their Bread by waight and had little hopes of the Earths fruitfullnesse yet the Lord Christ was pleased to refresh their spirits with such quickning grace and lively affections to this Temple-worke that they did not desert the place and that which was more remarkable when they had scarce houses to shelter themselves and no doores to hinder the Indians accesse to all they had in them yet did the Lord so awe their hearts that although they frequented the Englishmens places of aboade where their whole substance weake Wives and little ones lay open to their plunder during their absence being whole dayes at Sabbath Assemblies yet had they none of their food or stuffe diminished neither Children nor Wives hurt in the least measure although the Indians came commonly to them at those times much hungry belly as they use to say and were then in number and strength beyond the English by far Yet further see the great and noble Acts of Christ toward this his wandering people feeling againe the scarcity of foode and being constrained to come to a small pittance daily the Lord to provide for them causeth the Deputy of Ireland to set forth a great Ship unknowne to this people and indeed small reason in his own apprehensions why he should so do but Christ will have it so This Ship ariving being filled with food the godly Governors did so order it that each Town sent two men aboard of her who tooke up their Townes allowance it being appointed before hand what their portion should be to this end that some might not by all and others be left destitute of food In the vernall of the yeare 1634. This people being increased and having among them many pretious esteemed instruments for furthering this wonderous worke of Christ they began to thinke of fortifying a small Island about two miles distant from Boston to Sea-ward to which all the Vessells come in usually and passe To this end the honoured Mr. John Winthrope with some 8. or 10. persons of noâ—e tooke boate and arrived on the said Island in a warme Sun shineday just at the breaking up of Winter as they deemed but being they were sulden surprised with a cold North-west storme which is the sharpest winde in this Country freezing very vehemently for a day and a night that they could not get off the Island but were forced to lodge there and lie in a heape one upon another on the ground to keepe themselves from freezing This yeare 1634. the much honoured Thomas Dudly Esquire was chosen Governor and Mr. Roger Ludlow Deputy Governor the Freemen added to this little Common-wealth this year were about two hundred and foure about this time a sincere servant of Christ Mr. Stone was added to the Chureh of Christ at New-towne as a meet helpe to instruct the People of Christ there with the above named Mr. Hooker and as he hath hetherto bin through the blessing of God an able instrument in his hands to further the worke So let him be incourraged with the Word of the Lord in the spirit of his might to go on THou well smoth'd Stone Christs Work-manship to be In 's Church new laid his weake ones to support With 's word of might his foes are foild by thee Thou daily dost to godlinesse exhort The Lordly Prelates people do deny Christs Kingly power Hosanna to proclaime Mens mouths are stopt but Stone poore dust doth try Throughout his Churches none but Christ must raignt Mourne not Oh Man thy youth and learning 's spent In desart Land my Muse is bold to say For glorious workes Christ his hath hither sent Like that great worke of Resurrection day CHAP. XX IX Of the Lords remarkable providence toward his indeared servants M. Norton and Mr. Shepherd NOw my loving Reader let mee lead thee by the hand to our Native Land although it was not intended to speake in particulars of any of these peoples departure from thence purposing a generall relation should serve the turne yet come with mee and behold the wonderous worke of Christ in preserving two of his most valiant Sou'diers namely Mr. John Norton and that soule ravishing Minister Mr. Thomas Shepheard who came this yeare to Yarmouth to ship themselves for New England where the people of God resorted privately unto them to hear them Preach during the time of their aboade the Enemies of Christs Kingdome were not wanting to use all meanes possible to intrap them in which perilous condition they remained about two months waiting for the Ships readinesse in which time some persons eagerly hunting for Mr. Thomas Shepheard began to plot for apprehending of him with a Boy of sixteene or seventeene yeares of Age who lived in the House where hee Lodged to open the doore for them at a certaine houre in the night But the Lord Christ who is the Shepheard of Israel kept a most sure watch over his indeared servants for thus it befell the sweet words of grace falling from the of lips of this Reverend and godly Mr. Thomas Shepheard in the hearing of the Boy the Lords working withall hee was perswaded this was an holy man of God and therefore with many troubled thoughts began to relate his former practise although hee had a great some of money promised him onely to let them in at the houre and time appointed but the Boy the more neere the time came grew more pensive and sad insomuch that his Master taking notice thereof began to question him about the cause of his heavinesse who being unwilling to reveale the matter held of from confessing a long time till by urgent and insinuating search of his godly Master with teares hee tells that on such a night hee had agreed to let in Men to apprehend the godly Preacher The good Man of the house forthwith gave notice thereof unto them who with the helpe of some well-affected persons was convay'd away by boate through a back Lane the men at the time appointed came to the house where finding not the doore open when they lifted up the Latch as they expected they thrust their staves under it to lift it from the hookes but being followed by some persons whom the good man of the house had appointed for that end yet were they boulstred out in this their wicked act by those who set them one worke Notwithstanding they were greatly ashamed when they mist of their end But the Lord Christ intending to make his New England Souldiers the very wounder of this Age brought them into greater straites that this Wonder Working Providence might the more appeare in their deliverance for comming a shipboard and hoiseing saile to accomplish their
Principles by which many errors were brought in ANd verily Satane policy here as in all places where the Lord Christ is acknowledged was to keepe men from that one right way by the which hee applies himselfe to the soule no marvell then if so many Errours arise like those fained heads of Hidra as fast as one is cut off two stand up in the roome and chiefly about the uniting of a soule to Christ by Faith Their Errors in this point they reported to be the judgement of the Reverend and Judicious Mr. John Cotten But hee having spoken for himselfe in his answer to Mr. Baily I forbeare onely this by the way take notice of these subtill Projectors the Erronist I meane who perceiving this holy man of God Mr. Cotten was and yet is in great esteeme with the people of God for the great grace Christ hath bestowed upon him in his deepe discerning the mysteries of godlinesse as also discerning some little difference bâ—tweene him and the other Elders about this point commene upon it and in large at their pleasure and then in daily venting their deceivable Doctrines like subtill Logicians bring in this as their strongest argument in the last place I 'le tell you Friend Neighbour Brother if you will forbeare to speake of it till you hear farther this is the judgement of Mâ— Cotten when he it may be had never heard of it or at least wise when they brought this their bastardly brat to him they put another vizard on the face of it but that you may understand their way of broaching their abominable errors it was in dividing those things the Lord hath united in his worke of conversion continued carrying on a Soule to Heaven in these foure Particulars First in dividing betweene the word and the word under pretence of a legall Gospell perswading the people their Ministers were legall Preachers teaching them little better then Popery and unfit for Gospell Churches denying them to be any Ministers of Christ that Preach any preparation worke by shewing men what the Law requires Here 's nothing sayes one of them but Preaching out of the Law and the Prophets truly sayes another of them I have not heard a pure Gospell Sermon from any of them but sure they were both troubled with the Lethargy or read not the Gospell themselves for they may finde the Apostles yea and Christ himselfe Preached good Gospell sure out of the Law and the Prophets Secondly in separating Christ and his Graces in manifesting himselfe to be in the Soule and this they say makes much for the magnifying of Free-grace and indeed they made it so free that the soule that receives it shall never taste any of it by their consent but remaine still a dry branch as before these legall Pharises sayes one of them tell us of a thing they call inherent grace and of a man being made a new creature but I am sure the best of them goe on in their legall duties and performances still sorrowing for sinne hearing of Sermons observing duty Morning and Evening and many such like matters Tush man sayes another of them you shall hear more then this I was discoursing with one of their Scholasticall Preachers Disciples a professed convert and yet when he came to pray he beg'd for forgivenesse of his sins I asked him why he used that vaine repetition since hee did believe he was justified by Christ already and hee made me an answer not worth repeating but when I told him God could see no sinne in his people no more then I could see that which was covered close from my eye sight hee told mee I spake little lesse then blasphemy so ignorant are these men and their learned guides also who perswade them the more they have of the in-dwelling of the Spirit of Christ the better they shall be inabled to these legall duties Nay quoth the other I can tell you more then all this they make it an evidence of their good estate even their sanctification and yet these men would make people believe they are against Popery By this discourse of theirs you may see the manner how these Erronious and Hereticall persons batter off the fruit from the goodly branches of Christs vines make bare the flourishing trees planted in the house of the Lord and yet professe themselves to be Scholars of the upper forme that have learned as far as their Masters can teach them but let me tell you friends you 'l prove but trewants if you fall thus to Robbing of Orchards and its an offence far beyond petty Larceny to rob Christs Garden let your pretenees be what they will can it possible be for the magnifying of Christs Grace that the branches growing upon his root shouâ—d remaine fruitlesse no assuredly herein God is glorified that his people bring forth much fruit yet many of these new Gospellers had another plea hypocrites have a seeming shew of Saints graces by which they deceive themselves and others And therefore because Felons and Traytors coyne counterfeit Gold therefore true Gold should not passe for current but the intent of the Author is to prosecute the History these errours being consuted already by the able servants of Christ whom the Lord in his mercy brought hither for that purpose CHAP. XLI Of the two latter dividing Principles under which these Erronists fought THe third dividing tenent by which these persons prosecuted their errors at this time was betweene the Word of God and the Spirit of God and here these Sectaries had many prety knacks to delude withall and especially to please the Femall Sex they told of rare Revelations of things to come from the spirit as they say it was onely devised to weaken the Word of the Lord in the mouth of his Ministers and withall to put both ignorant and unlettered Men and Women in a posture of Preaching to a multitude that they might be praised for their able Tongue Come along with me sayes one of them I 'le bring you to a Woman that Preaches batter Gospell then any of your black-coates that have been at the Ninneversity a Woman of another kinde of spirit who hath had many Revelations of things to come and for my part saith hee I had rather hear such a one that speakes from the meere motion of the spirit without any study at all then any of your learned Scollers although they may be fuller of Scripture I and admit they may speake by the helpe of the spirit yet the other goes beyond them Gâ—ntle Reader thinke not these things fained because I name not the parties or that here is no witnesse to prove them should I so do neither of both is the cause I assure you but being somewhat acquainted with my own weakenesse should the Lord withdraw the light of his word and also I verily believe some of them are truly turned againe to the truth the which I wish to all yet by relating the story all men may see
live and as for her part shee had attained it already a company of legall Professors quoth she lie poring on the Law which Christ hath abolished and when you breake it then you breake your joy and now no way will serve your turne but a deepe sorrow These and divers other expressions intimate unto men that here I shall finde little increase in the Graces of Christ through the hearing of his word Preached and other of his blessed Ordinances Oh cunning Devill the Lord Christ rebuke thee that under pretence of a free and ample Gospell shuts out the Soule from partaking with the Divine Nature of Christ in that mysticall Union of his Blessed Spirit creating and continuing his Graces in the Soule my deare Christ it was thy worke that moved me hither to come hoping to finde thy powerfull presence in the Preaching of the Word although administred by sorry men subject to like infirmities with others of Gods people and also by the glasse of the Law to have my sinfull corrupt nature discovered daily more and more and my utter inabillity of any thing that is good magnifying hereby the free grace of Christ who of his good will and pleasure worketh in us to will and to doe working all our works in us and for us But here they tell me of a naked Christ what is the whole life of a Christian upon this Earth But through the power of Christ to die to sinne and live to holinesse and righteousnesse and for that end to be diligent in the use of meanes at the uttering of this word he starts up from the greene bed of his complaint with resolution to hear some one of these able Ministers Preach whom report had so valued before his will should make choyce of any one principle though of crossing the broade Seas back againe then turning his face to the Sun he steered his course toward the next Town and after some small travel â—â—ee came to a large plaine no sooner was hee entred thereon but hearing the found of a Drum he was directed toward it by a broade bâ—aten way following this rode he demands of the next man he met what the signall of the Drum ment the reply was made they had as yet no Bell to call men to meeting and therefore made use of a Drum who is it quoth hee Lectures at this Towne The other replies I see you are a stranger new come over seeing you know not the man it is one Mr. Shepheard verily quoth the other you hit the right I am new come over indeed and have been told since I came most of your Ministers are legall Preachers onely if I mistake not they told me this man Preached a finer covenant of workes then the other but however I shall make what hast I can to heare him Fare you well then hasting thither hee croudeth through the thickest where having stayed while the glasse was turned up twice the man was metamorphosed and was faine to hang down the head often least his watry eyes should blab abroad the secret conjunction of his affections his heart crying loud to the Lords ecchoing answer to his blessed spirit that caused the Speech of a poore weake pale complectioned man to take such impression in his soule at present by applying the word so aptly as if hee had beene his Privy Counseller cleering Christs worke of grace in the soule from all those false Doctrines which the erronious party had afrighted him withall and now he resolves the Lord willing to live and die with the Ministers of New England whom hee now saw the Lord had not onely made zealous to stand for the truth of his Discipline but also of the Doctrine and not to give ground one inch CHAP. XLIIII The Congregationall Churches of Christ are neither favourers of sinfull opinions nor the Lords over any or many Churches or mens Consciences ANd here Christian Reader the Author according to his former practice must minde thee of the admirable providence of Christ toward his New England Churches in preserving them from these erronious spirits that have hitherto in all places dog'd the sincere servants of Christ when ever they have set upon a through Reformation as stories doe abundantly testify which thing the reverend Calvine and divers others have declared But seeing the boasting Prelates in these times are ready to say their Lordly power kept these errours under its plaine otherwise for Satan saw while people were under their yoake of humane inventions they were far enough from exalting the Kingdome of Christ And therefore he reserved these errours for his last shifts and further you shall see in the following story that the Lord Christ reserved this honour for those whose love hee had inlarged to follow him in a dezart wildernesse even with the sharpe sword of the Word timely to cut off the heads of this Hidra but yet there are two sorts of persons in our Native Country whom the Elders and Brethren here do highly honour in Christ and prefer before themselves namely the godly Prebyterian party and the Congregationall sincere servants of Christ both which the Author could wish that with bowells of compassion sweet simpathising affection of Brethren knit together in that transcendent love of Christ which couples all his distanced flockes together they would seriously ponder this History which through the Authors weakenesse wants much of measure but nothing of the truth of things so far as a shallow capacity can reach Of the first sort named I could wish the Reverend Mr. Ruterford Mr. Bayle Mr. Rathbone Mr. Paget Mr. Ball c. would but informe themselves further by the truth of this History supposing they cannot chuse but in a good measure be satisfied already with the pacificatory and meeke answers of as many Reverend and godly Elders of ours Now that I would they should take notice of is that the Churches of Christ in New England and their Officers have hitherto been so far from imbracing the erronious Doctrines of these times that through the powers of Christ they have valiantly defended the truth and cut down all deceiveable Doctrine the like hath not been done for many ages heretofore Reverend and beloved in Christ could your eyes but behold the efficacy of loving counsell in the Communion of congregationall Churches and the reverend respect honour and love given to all Teaching Elders charity commands me to thinke you would never stand for Classicall injunctions any more neither Diocesan nor Provinciall authority can possible reach so far as this royall Law of love in communion of Churches verily its more universall then the Papall power and assuredly the dayes are at hand wherein both Jew and Gentile Churches shall exercise this old Modell of Church Government and send their Church salutations and admonitions from one end of the World unto another when the Kingdomes of the Earth are become our Lord Christs Then shall the exhortation of one Church to another prevaile more to Reformation then
all the thundering Bulls excomunicating Lordly censures and shamefull penalties of all the Lording Churches in the World and such shall be and is the efficacy of this intire love one to another that the withdrawing of any one Church of Christ according to the Rule of the word from those that walke inordinatly will be more terrible to the Church or Churches so forsaken then an Army with Banners yea and it may be added because civill Government is like to turne nurse in more places then one this royall Law of love shall become the Law of Nations and none will suffer their subjects to rebell against it but to our beloved brethren in England on the other hand the Reverend Mr. Burroughs Mr. Goodwin c. This seemeth you have apprehended our Churches and civill Government to be too strict in dealing with persons for their sinfull opinions I wish the offenders be none of your intelligencers who to be sure will make the worst of things I know you are in charity with us And therefore a few words will satisfie which I hope you want not from your good friends our Reverend Elders who could wish you as much happinesse as our selves to expell error before it grew to that height to cry downe the sound and wholesome truths casting durt on our Orthodox and godly Ministery I wish you open your mouths wide enough to be filled with this blessing the Lord hath done great and unexpected things for you and why not this one and twenty yeares experience hath taught us that Errors and Heresies are not broached and held out here by tender consciences such as are weak in the Faith but by such as think them Scholers of the upper forme such as would teach the most ablest Christian among us another Gospell and further we finde our Erronist wanting a common enemy to contend withall as you have fallen foule of our godly Magistrates and Ministers and will not suffer us quietly to injoy the Ordinance of Christ for which wee hither camâ— buzzing our people in the eare with a thing they call liberty which when any have tasted a smack of they can no more indure to hear of a Synod or gathering together of able and Orthodox Christians nor yet of communion of Churches but would be independant to purpose and as for civill Government they deem Religion to be a thing beyond their Sphere CHAP. XLV Of the civill Government in N. England and their nurture of the people upon their tender knees THe vernall of the yeare 1637. being now in his prime and as the season of the yeare grew hotter so the minds of many were hot in the eager pursuite of their selfe conceited opinions and verily had not authority stept in it was much to be doubted they would have proceeded from words to blowes great hold and keepe there was about choice of Magistrates this yeare the choyce being retarded by a paper call'd a Petition but indeed a meere device to hinder the election till the erronious party were strengthened their number increasing daily but the Lord Christ gratiously providing for the peace of his people toward the end of the day the honoured John Winthrope Esquire was chosen Governour and Thomas Dudly Esq Deputy Governor the number of free-men added this year was about 1 25. Here according to promise the Reader shall have an accoumpt of the civill Government of this little Common-wealth as their whole aime in their removall from their Native Country was to injoy the liberties of the Gospell of Christ so in serving up civill Government they daily direct their choice to make use of such men as mostly indeavour to keepe the truths of Christ pure and unpsotted and assuredly they can digest any wrongs or injuries done them in their estates or trade better then the wresting of their right in the freedome of the Gospell out of their hands and this the Erronist knowing right well to save their heads whole perswade men it is not for civill Government to meddle with matters of Religion and also to helpe out with their damnable Doctrines they report it in all places where they be come that New England Government doth persecute the people and Churches of Christ which to speake truth they have hitherto beene so far from that they have indeavoured to expell all such beasts of prey who will not be reclaimed that here might be none left to hurt or destroy in all Gods holy Mountaine and therefore are ready to put the Churches of Christ in minde of their duty herein yea and sometimes going before them in their civill censures that they may not onely professe the truth but also hate every false way not that they would compell men to believe by the power of the Sword but to indeavour all may answer their profession whether in Courch Covenant or otherwise by knowing they beare not the Sword in vaine Neither doe they exercise civill power to bring all under their obedience to a uniformity in every poyne of Religion but to keepe them in the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace nor yet have they ever mixed their civill powers with the authority peculiarly given by Christ to his Churches and Officers of them but from time to time have laboured to uphold their priviledges and only communion one with another The chiefe Court or supreame power of this little Common-wealth consists of a mixt company part Aristocracy and part Democracy of Magistrates that are yearly chosen by the major Vote of the whole body of the Free-men throughout the Country and Deputies chosen by the severall Townes they have hitherto had about 12. or 13. Magistrates in the Colony of the Mattacusets the other Colonies have not above five or six they have hitherto beene Volunteers governing without pay from the people onely the Governor of the Mattacusets hath some yeares 100 l. allowed him and some years lesse many of the Magistrates are already remembred yet with some of the first came hither Mr. Simon Brodestreet in this short Meeter is he remembred NOw Simon yong step in among these worthies take thy place All day to toile in vinyard while Christ thee upholds with grace Thee wisdom grave betime he gave and tongue to utter it That thou mightst be a blessing free and for this calling fit Thy counsell well advis'd dost tell with words ordered compleat Thy memory doth amplifie meeting with matters great Broad liberty do thou deny Brodstreet Christ would thee have For 's truth contend strong reason spend it from aspersion save He furnish't thee with these gifts free to last he must them make Still adding more to thy old store till he thee to him take The Lord was pleased to furnish these his people with some able instruments in most of their Townes that were skill'd in Common-wealth work out of which they chose their Deputies whose number was ordinarily between 30. and 40. some of them there will be occasion to speake of among their Military
truth able through his mercy to weld that bright Weapon of his Word prepared by the spirit for this purpose to bring to the block these Traytours to his truths one by one and behead them before your eyes and for this very end they are to gather together as one Man in a Synodicall way with a decisive power to undoe all the cunning twisted knots of Satans Malignity to the truths of Christ opening the Scriptures by the power of his spirit cleering Scripture by Scripture that nothing but the pure Word of God may take place and that you may assuredly believe the Lord hath purposely called his Servants and Souldiers to this place by his Providence to cut off this cursed spirit of Errours and Heresies which hath but at first dog'd all Reformed Churches of Christ There are for your further aid herein many more of these sincere Souldiers floating upon the great Ocean toward you who will be with you before this Synod is set that you may declare it in the Eares of all posterity to be the very Finger of God in catching the proud in their owne craftinesse who had hatch't their devices thus to cast all the Ministers of Christ except some one or two under this censure of being prejudiced against their persons and for the little remnant to labour with flattery to blinde their eyes that at least they might not be against them Seeing they could not procure them to take their part to be sure when the grossenesse of their Errors were made known they would not by this meanes having their hopes exalted in their owne apprehensions at least to gaine the most of the people on their side The Lord casts them downe from the proud Pinacle of their Machiavilian Plot by bringing in more men of courage uninterested yea unknown to most of their persons but for their errors as strong to confute them as any and more fit to wipe off the fiâ—me from the eyes of some of their brethren which these Erronists by their Syccophancy had clouded The time for the meeting of this Synod was to be in the seventh month following commonly called September the civill government well approving of their desires herein were very willing to further them all they could and in the 〈◊〉 time it was the worke of these valiant of the Lord to search out not for men and Womens persons but their errors which they gathered up from all parts willing all that would or could defend them to use their best meanes like as John when he was to execute the judgements of the Lord upon Ahabs bloudy household would have had his servants defend their Masters Children if they could onely you must understand there was but 70. Sons and here was 80. Errors of which you shall further hear when the time comes CHAP. IV. Of the abundant mercies of Christ in providing liberall supply for his New England People in regard of their outward man Food Rayment and all other necessaries and conveniencies NOw for the hardships on the left hand they had as good an answer as in the former their Christ had not saved their lives from the raging Seas to slay them in the Wildernesse with Famine your life is much more pretious in the eyes of the Lord then food and your bodies then rayment yea the Lord of Heaven who hath honoured you so far as to imploy you in this glorious worke of his knowes you must have these things and it was not you deare hearts that chose this place but the Lord as seeing it most fit to doe his worke in knowing that had you met with a Rich Land filled with all plenty your heart would have beene taken off this worke which he must have done But to strengthen your Faith in this point also you shall see hee who commanded the Fruits to spring out of the Earth when none were can much more cause this corner of the Earth to be fruitfull to you and this you shall attaine by meanes although hee have caused the Foules of the Aire and Grasse of the Field to depend upon him in a more immediate manner yet you hath he taught to Sow Reape carry into Barnes and Spin and indeed herein the Lord hath answered his people abundantly to the woâ—der of all that see or hear of it And that whereas at their 〈◊〉 comming it was a rare matter for a man to have foure or five Acres of Corne now many have four or five score to prevent men from Sacrificing to their Nets the Lord hath taught them to labour with more ease to great admiration also inlarg'd it for it was with sore labour that on man could Plane and tend foure Acres of Indians Graine and now with two Oxen hee can Plant and tend 30. B sides the Lord hath of late altered the very course of the Heavens in the season of the weather that all kinde of graine growes much better then heretofore Insomuch that Marchandizing being stopped at present they begin question what to do with their Corne. CHAP. V. Of the wonderfull deliverance wrought by the Lord Christ for his poore New England Churches in freing them from the fear of their Malignant adversaries who forc't them to this Wildernesse ANd now to the third and great distresse which lay behind them by reason of their back friends the Lording Bishops and other Malignant adversaries being daily exasperated against them and in especiall at this time by one Merton who named himselfe the Host of Merrimount who wanted not malice could he possible have attained meanes to effect it But the Lord Christ prevented both him and his Masters whom with slattery he sought to please with scurrillous deriding the servants of Christ to bring them into contempt yet the Lord prevented all and delivered this wretched fellow into his peoples hands againe after all this who dealt as favourably with him as David did with Shimmei Besides this the evill usage that many of the beloved servants of Christ had from the hands of those in office at their departure declared plainely that there were some who would willingly have pursued them to bring them under bondage againe herein their answer was that they should stand still and see the salvation of the Lord who was now resolved to fight for them against his and their implacable enemies although more mighty than they and indeed all meanes of resistance in the hand of man being so small that it could not possible bee discerned by any morcall eye yet will the Lord worke by means and not by miracle when the Lord called forth Joshua to fight with Amaleck his Moses must be in the Mount at Prayers seeing this answer deeply concernes the dearly beloved of our Lord Christ remaining in England let them listen to the answer Also how came it to passe that the Lord put it into your hearts to set upon a Reformation was it not by prayer attained You are not excluded although the Churches of Christ here are for
doe daily bring Wolves to be came but they cannot breake them of their ravening nature and I would your Royalist would learne of them to know that as your Lord Bishops Deanes Prebends c. be right whelps of the Roman litter so let them be never so well cam'd they will retaine their nature still to Lord it over all kinde of Civill Government But woe and alasse that ever any of our Countrymen should be so blind that after they are delivered from so great a bondage by such Wonder Working Providence of the Lord Christ Ever and anon to indeavour to make a Captaine over them that they may returne againe into Egypt as appeares by the plots which have beene discovered and broken in pieces by the right hand of the most high and yet for all this their's such a hankering after somewhat of the Prelaticall greatnesse by the English Clergy and the Scottish Classis that many of them could afford to raise arother war for it But brethren I beseech you be more wiser lest when you are growne hot in your quarrell the Malignant party come and set you agreed stablish peace in righteousnesse and let the word be your rule heare one another with meekenesse and the Lord will cleare up the whole truth unto you in his due time And now to declare plainly how far the Lord hath beene pleased to make use of any of his people in these Westerne pares about this Worke for to say truth they have done nothing in holes and corners but their workes are obvious to all the World if he sufferings of the Saints be pretious in the eyes of Christ so as to provoke him in displeasure to cut off the occasioners thereof then thus his poore unworthy people here have had a great stroake in the downfall of their adversaries to the present possessed truths of Christ for this wildernesse worke hath not beene carried on without sighthings that have come before him and Groanes that have entred his eares and Teares treasured up in his bottles againe if the ardent and strong affections of the people of God for his glorious comming to advance his Kingdome in the splendor and purity of his Gospell as co cry with the holy Prophet Oh that he would broake the Heavens and come down be regarded of the Lord Christ so as to remove with his mighty power the very Mountaines out of the way and hurle them into the deepe Then hath these weake wormes instrumentally had a share in the great desolation the Lord Christ hath wrought For this History will plainely declare with what zeale and deepe affection and unresistable resolutions these Pilgrim people have endeavoured the gathering together his Saints for the edifying the Body of Christ that he may raign both Lord and King for ever Yet againe if the prayers of the faithfull people of God availe any thing for the accomplishment of his promises in the destruction of Antichrist for the subduing of Armies without striking one stroake Then assuredly these Jacobites have wrestled with the Lord not onely with that good King Jeâ—oshaphat proclaiming one Fast but many Fasts they their Wives and little ones standing before the Lord Oh our God wile thou not judge them for we have no might c. Lastly if the Lord himselfe have roared from Sion as in the dayes of the Prophet Amos so from his Churches in New England by a great and terrible Earth quake which happened much about the time the Lordly Prelates were preparing their injunctions for Scotland taking rise from the West it made its progresse to the Eastward causing the Earth to rise up and downe like the waves of the Sea having the same effect on the Sea also causing the Ships that lay in the Harbor to quake the which at that very time was said to be a signe from the Lord to his Churches that he was purposed to shake the Kingdomes of Europes Earth and now by his providences brought to passe all men may reade as much and more as if he should have said to these his scattered people yet now againe united in Church Covenant the Lord is now gathering together his Armies and that your faith may be strengthened you shall feele and heare the shakings of the Earth by the might of his power yea the Sea also to shew he will ordaine Armies both by Sea and Land to make Babilon desolate Things thus concurring as an immediate answer of the Lord to his peoples prayers and endeavours caused some of this little handfull with resolute courage and boldnesse to returne againe to their native Land that they might the Lord accepting and assisting them in their endeavours be helpfull in advancing the Kingdome of Christ and casting down every strong house of sinne and Satan It matters not indeed who be the instruments if with the eye of faith these that go forth to fight the Lords Battailes can but see and heare the Lord going out before them against their enemies with a sound in the tops of the Mulbery Trees Here are assuredly evident signes that the Lord Christ is gone forth for his peoples deliverance and now Frogs Flies Lice or Dust shall serve to destroy those will yet hold his people in bondage notwithstanding the Lord will honour such as hee hath made strong for himselfe And therefore hee causeth the worthies in Davids time to be recorded and it is the duty of Gods people to incourage one another in the worke of the Lord then let all whose hearts are upright for the Lord ponder well his goings in his Sanctuary that their hands may be strengthened in the work they goe about onely be strong and of a good courage CHAP. VI. Of the gratious goodnesse of the Lord Christ in saving his New-England people from the hand of the barbarous Indians LAstly for the frontispiece of their present distresse namely the Indian war they with much meeknesse and great deliberation wisely contrived how they might best helpe their fellow brethren hereupon they resolved to send a solemne Embassage to old Cannonicus chiefe Sachem of the narrow Ganset Indians who being then well stricken in yeares had caused his Nephew Miantinemo to take the Government upon him who was a very sterne man and of a great stature of a cruell nature causing all his Nobility and such as were his attendance to tremble at his speech the people under his Government were very numerous besides the Niantick Indians whose Prince was of neare aliance unto him They were able to set forth as was then supposed 30000. fighting men the English sought by all meanes to keepe these at least from confederating with the Pequods and understanding by intelligence that the Pequots would send to them for that end endeavoured to prevent them Fit and able men being chosen by the English they hast them to Cannonicus Court which was about fourescore miles from Boston The Indian King hearing of their comming gathered together his chiefe Counsellors and a great number
prove abortive or if any fruit brought forth it hath beene rape thefe and murther things inconsisting with natures light then much lesse with a Souldiers valour but you my deare hearts purposely pickt out by the godly grave Fathers of this government that your prowesse may carry on the work where there Justice in her righteous course is obstructed you need not question your authority to execute those whom God the righteous Judge of all the world hath condemned for blaspheming his sacred Majesty and murthering his Servants every common Souldier among you is now installed a Magistrate then shew your selves men of courage I would not draw low the height of your enemies hatred against you and so debase your valour This you may expect their swelling pride hath laid the foundation of large conceptions against you and all the people of Christ in this mildernesse even as wide as Babels bottome But my brave Souldiers it hath mounted already to the clouds and therefore it is ripe for confusion also their crueltie is famously knowne yet all true-bred Souldiers reserve this as a common maxime cruelty and cowardize are unseparable companions and in briefe there is nothing wanting on your enemies part that may deprive you of a compleat victory onely their nimbleness of foot and the unaccessible swamps and nut-tree woods forth of which your small numbers may intice and industry compell them And now to you I put the question who would not fight in such a cause with an agile spirit and undaunted boldnesse yet if you look for further encouragement I have it for you riches and honour are the next to a good cause eyed by every Souldier to maintain your owne and spoile your enemies of theirs although gold and silver be wanting to either of you yet have you that to maintaine which is farre more precious the lives libertyes and new purchased freedomes priviledges and immunities of the indeared servants of our Lord Christ Jesus and of your second selves even your affectionated bosome mates together with the thiefe pledges of your love the comforting contents of harmlesse pratling and smiling babes and in a word all the riches of that goodnesse and mercy that attends the people of God in the injoyment of Christ in his Ordinances even in this life and as for honour David was net to be blamed for enquiring after it as a due recompence of that true valour the Lord had bestowed on him aad now the Lord hath prepared this honour for you oh you couragious Souldiers of his to execute vengeance upon the heathen and correction among the people to binde their Kings in chaines and Nobles in fetters of Iron that they may execute upon them the judgements that are written this honour shall be to all his Saints but some of you may suppose deaths stroke may cut you short of this let every faithfull Souldier of Christ Jesus know that the cause why some of his indeared Servants are taken away by death in a just warre as this assuredly is it is not because they should fall short of the honours accompanying such noble designes but rather because earths honours are two scant for them and therefore the everlasting Crown must be set upon their heads forthwith then march on with a cheerfull Christian courage in the strength of the Lord and the power of his might who will forthwith inclose your enemies in your hands make their multitudes fall under your warlike weapons and your feet shall soon be set on their proud necks After the Ministers of Christ had through the grace that was given them exhorted and encouraged these Souldiers appointed for the work they being provided with certaine Indian guides who with the close of the day brought them to a small river where they could perceive many persons had been dressing of fish upon the sight thereof the Indian guides concluded they were now a feasting it at their fort which was hard at hand the English calling a Councill of warre being directed by the speciallest providence of the most high God they concluded to storm the fort a little before break of day at whith time they supposed the Indians being up late in their jolly feasting would bee in their deepest sleepe and surely so it was for they now slept their last the English keeping themselves as covertly as they could approached the fort at the time appointed which was builded of whole Trees set in the ground fast and standing up an end about twelve foot high very large having pitcht their Wigwams within it the entrance being on two sides with intricate Meanders to enter The chiefe Leaders of the English made some little stand before they offered to enter but yet boldly they rushed on and found the passages guarded at each place with an Indian Bow-man ready on the string they soone let fly and wounded the for most of the English in the shoulder yet having dispatch'd the Porters they found the winding way in without a Guide where they soone placed themselves round the Wigwams and according to direction they made their first shot with the muzzle of their Muskets downe to the ground knowing the Indian manner is to lie on the ground to sleep from which they being in this terrible manner awakened unlesse is were such as were slaine with the shot After this some of the English entred the Wigwams where they received some shot with their Arrowes yet catching up the fire brands they began to fire them and others of the English Soulders with powder did the same the day now began to break the Lord intending to have these murtherers know he wou'd looke out of the cloudy pillar upon them and now these women and children set up a terrible out-cry the men were smitten down and flaine as they came forth with a great slaughter the Sqawes crying out oh much winn it English-man who moved with pitty toward them saved their lives and hereupon some young youth cryed I squaw I squaw thinking to finde the like mercy There were some of these Indians as is reported whose bodyes were not to be pierced by their sharp rapiers of swords of a long time which made some of the Souldiers think the Devil was in them for there were some Powwowes among them which work strange things with the help of Satan But this was very remarkable one of them being wounded to death and thrust thorow the neck with a halbert vet after all lying groaning upon the ground he caught the halberts speare in his hand and wound it quite round After the English were thus possessed of this first victory they sent their prisoners to the pinnaces and prosecute the warre in hand to the next Battalia of the Indians which lay on a hill about two miles distant and indeed their stoutest Souldiers were at this place and not yet come to the fort the English being weary with their night worke and wanting such refreshing as the present worke required began to grow faint yet having
obtained one victory they were very desirous of another and further they knew right-well till this cursed crew were utterly rooted out they should never be at peace therefore they marched on toward them Now assuredly had the Indians knowne how much weakned our Souldiers were at present they might have born them downe with their multitude they being very strong and agile of body had they come to handy-gripes but the Lord who would have his people know their work was his and he onely must order their Counsels and war like work for them did bring them timely supply from the vessels and also gave them a second victory wherein they slâ—ew many more of their enemies the residue flying into a very thick swamp being unaccessible by reason of the boggy holes of water and thick bushes the English drawing up their company beleagered the swamp and the Indians in the mean time skulking up and down and as they saw opportunity they made shot with their Arrowes at the English and then suddainly they would fall flat along in the water to defend themselves from the retalliation of the Souldiers Muskets This lasted not long for our English being but a small number had parted themselves far asunder but by the providence of the most high God some of them spyed an Indian with a kettle at his back going more inwardly into the swamp by which they perceived there was some place of firm land in the midst thereof which caused them to make way for the passage of their Souldiers which brought this warre to a period For although many got away yet were they no such considerable number as ever to raise warre any more the slaine or wounded of the English were through the mercy of Christ but a few One of them being shot through the body neere about the breast regarding it not till of a long time after which caused the bloud to dry and thicken on eitheir end of the arrow so that it could not be drawne forth his body without great difficulty and much paine yet did he scape his life and the wound healed Thus the Lord was pleased to assist his people in this warre and deliver them out of the Indians hands who were very lusty proper men of their hands most of them as may appear by one passage which I shall here relate thus it came to passe As the Souldiers were uppon their march close by a great thicket where no eye could penetrate farre as it often falls out in such wearisom wayes where neither men nor beast have beaten out a path some Souldiers lingering behinde their fellowes two Indians watching their opportunity much like a hungry hauke when they supposed the last man was come up who kept a double double double distance in his march they sudden and swiftly snatched him up in their tallens hoising him upon their shoulders ran into the swamp with him the Souldier unwilling to be made a Pope by being borne on mens shoulders strove with them all he could to free himselfe from their hands but like a carefull Commander one Captaine Davenport then Lieutenant of this company being diligent in his place to bring up the reare coming up with them followed with speed into the swamp after him having a very severe cutlace tyed to his wrist and being well able to make it bite sore when he set it on resolving to make it fall foul on the Indians bones he soone overtook them but was prevented by the buckler they held up from hitting them which was the man they had taken It was matter of much wonder to see with what dexterity they hurled the poore Souldier about as if they had been handling a Lacedaemonian shield so that the nimble Captaine Davenport could not of a long time fasten one stroke upon them yet at last dying their tawny skin into a crimson colour they cast downe their prey and hasted thorow the thickets for their lives The Souldier thus redeemed had no such hard usage but that he is alive as I suppose at this very day The Lord in mercy toward his poore Churches having thus destroyed these bloudy barbarous Indians he returnes his people in safety to their vessels where they take account of their prisoners the Squawes and some young youths they brought home with them and finding the men to be deeply guilty of the crimes they undertooke the warre for they brought away onely their heads as a token of their victory By this means the Lord strook a trembling terror into all the Indians round about even to this very day CHAP. VII Of the first Syrod holden in New England whereby the Lord in his mercy did more plainly discover his ancient truths and confute those cursed errors that ordinarily dogg the reforming Churches of CHRIST THe Lord Christ deeming it most expedient for his people to adde some farther help to assist them in cutting downe those cursed errors that were the next dangerous difficulty they were to meet with sends in the Reverend and bright shining light Mr. Davenport and the cheerfull grave and gracious Soldier of his Mr. Allen as also Mr. Thompson Mr. Browne Mr. Fish with divers other of the faithfull servants of Christ the much honoured Mr. Eaton and Mr. Hopkins and now the time being come the Synod sate at Cambridge where was present about 25. Reverend and godly Ministers of Christ besides many other graciously-eminent servants of his A Catalogue of the severall Errors scattered about the Countrey was there produced to the number of 80. and liberty given to any man to dispute pro or con and none to be charged to be of that opinion he disputed for unlesse he should declare himselfe so to be The Weapons these Souldiers of Christ warred with was the Sword of the Spirit even the Word of God together with earnest prayer to the God of all Truth that he would open his truths unto them The clearing of the true sense and meaning of any place of Scripture it was done by Scripture for they so discerned by the grace of God that was given them that the whole Scripture must be attended unto Foure sorts of persons I could with a good will have paid their passage out and home againe to England that they might have been present at this Synod so that they would have reported the truth of all the passages thereof to their own Colledges at their return The first is the Prelates who both in Theorie and Practice might have made their owne Eyes Judges in the case Whether would prevaile most to the suppressing of Error and advancing of Unity in the true worship of God either their commanding power backt with the subordinate sword of Princes or the Word of God cleered up by the faithfull labour and indefatigable pains of the sincere servants of the Lord Christ and mightily declared through the demonstration of his blessed Spirit This well waighed may through the Lords blessing stop the yet running fancie in the brains of many that
of Christ were much edified in their holy faith by their indefatigable pains of their Ministers in their weekly Lectures extraordinary as well as by their Sabboth-Assemblies and continuall visiting of their people from house to house endeavouring to heale the hurts these false deceivers had made with double diligence showring downe the sweet dews of the blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ to the converting of many a poor soul and indeed now were the glorious days of New England the Churches of Christ increase dayly and his eminent Embassadours resort unto them from our native Country which as then lay under the tyranny of the Monarchall Arch-prelates which caused the servants of Christ to wander from their home This yeare the reverend and judicious M. Jos Glover undertook this long voyage being able both in person and estate for the work he provided for further compleating the Colonies in Church and Common-wealth-work a Printer which hath been very usefull in many respects the Lord seeing it meet that this reverend and holy servant of his should fall short of the shores of New England but yet at this time he brought over the zealous affâ—cted and judicious servant of his Master Ezekiel Rogers who with a holy and humble people made his progress to the North-Eastward and erected a Towne about 6. miles from Ipswich called Rowly wanting room they purehased some addition of the Town of Newbery yet had they a large length of land onely for the neere conveniency to the Towne of Ipswich by the which meanes they partake of the continued Lectures of either Towne these people being very industrious every way soone built many houses to the number of about threescore families and were the first people that set upon making of Cloth in this Western World for which end they built a sulling-mill and caused their little-ones to be very diligent in spinning cotten wooll many of them having been clothiers in England till their zeale to promote the Gospel of Christ caused them to wander and therefore they were no lesse industrious in gathering into Church-society there being scrace a man among them but such as were meet to be living stones in this building according to the judgement of man they called to the office of a Pastor this holy man of God Mr. Ezekiel Rogers oâ— whom this may be said Christ for this work Rogers doth riches give Rich graces fit his people for to feed Wealth to supply his wants whilst here he live Free thou receiv'st to serve his peoples need England may mourne they thee no longer keep English rejoice Christ doth such worthyes raise His Gospel preach unfold his mysteries deep Weak dust made strong sets forth his makers praise With fervent zeale and courage thou hast fought ' Gainst that transformed Dragon and his bands Snatcht forth the burning thou poore soules hast caught And freed thy flock from wolves devouring hands Ezekiel mourn not thou art severed farre From thy deare Country to a desart land Christ call'd hath thee unto this worthy warre By him o'rcome he holds thy Crowne in 's hand For the further assisting of this tender flock of Chrst the reverend Mr. John Miller did abide among them for some space of time preaching the Word of God unto them also till it pleased the Lord to call him to be Pastor of the Church of Christ at Yarmouth in Plimoth patten where he remaineth at this very day With courage bold Miller through Seas doth venter To toyl it out in this great Western wast Thy stature low one object high doth center Higher then Heaven thy faith on Christ is plac't Allarum thou with silver trumpet sound And tâ—ll the World Christs Armyes are at hand With Scripture truths thou Errors dost confound And overthrow all Antichristian bands It matters not for th'worlds high reputation The World must fall and Christ alone must stand Thy Crown 's prepar'd in him then keep thy station Joy that Christs Kingdome is so neare at hand CHAP. XII Of the great Earthquake in New England and of the wofull end of some erronious persons with the first foundation of Harverd Colledge THis yeare the first day of the Fourth Month about two of the clock in the after-noone the Lord caus'd a great and terrible Earth quake which was generall throughout all the English Plantations the motion of the Earth was such that it caused divers men that had never knowne an Earth quake before being at worke in the Fields to cast downe their working-tooles and run with gastly terrified lookes to the next company they could meet withall it came from the Westerne and uninhabited parts of this Wildernesse and went the direct course this brood of Travellers came the Ministers of Christ many of them could say at that very time not from any other Revelation but what the word holds forth that if the Churches of New England were Gods house then suddenly there would follow great alterations in the Kingdomes of Europe This yeare the civill government proceeded to censure the residue of thofe sinfull erroneous persons who raised much commotion in this little Common-wealth who being banished resorted to a place more Southward some of them sitting down at a place called Providence others betooke them to an Island about 16. miles distant from the former called Rode Island where having Elbow roome enough none of the Ministers of Christ nor any other to interrupt their false and deceivable Doctrines they hamper'd themselves fouly with their owne line and soone shewed the depthlesse ditches that blinde guides lead into many among them being much to be pittyed who were drawne from the truth by the bewitching tongues of some of them being very ignorant and easily perverted and although the people were not many in all yet were they very diverse in their opinions and glad where they could gaine most Disciples to heare them some were for every day to be a Sabbath and therefore kept not any Sabbath-day at all others were some for one thing some for another and therefore had their severall meetings making many a goodly piece of Preachment among whom there were some of the female sexe who deeming the Apostle Paul to be too strict in not permitting a roome to preach in the publique Congregation taught notwithstanding they having their call to this office from an ardent desire of being famous especially the grand Mistresse of them all who ordinarily prated every Sabbath day till others who thirsted after honour in the same way with her selfe drew away her Auditors and then she withdrew her self her husband and her family also to a more remote place and assuredly although the Lord be secret in all the dispensation of his providences whether in judgement or mercy yet much may be learn'd from all as sometimes pointing with the finger to the lesson as here these persons withdrawing from the Churches of Christ wherein he walketh and is to be found in his blessed Ordinances to a first and second place where they
by him prepared fit To help it on among our English Nation CHAP. XV. Of further supply for the Church of Christ at Waterton And a sad acceidnt fell out in Boston Towne THe Lord intending to strengthen his poore Churches here and after the overthrow of these damnable Errors to trample Satan under their feet he manifesteth his mindefulness of them in sending over fresh suplpyes againe and againe although weak and sory men in themselves yet strong in the Lord and the power of his might the last that this yeare is to be named is the reverend judicious and godly-affected Mr John Knowles who was desired of the Church of Christ at Waterton to be a two-fold cord unto them in the office of a teaching Elder with the reverend Mr. Phillips of whom you have heard in the former Book WIth courage bold and arguments of strength Knowles doth apply Gods word his stock unto Christ furnisht hath to shew his bountyes length Thee with rich gifts that thou his work mayst do New England is too scant for thy desire Inkindled is Christs truths abroad to spread Virginia may his grace to them admire That thee through Seas for their instruction led Thy labours Knowles are great far greater hee Not onely thee but all his valiant made Forth sinfull dust his Saints and Warriers be He thee upheld thy strength shall never fade John come thou forth behold what Christ hath wrought In these thy dayes great works are yet behinde Then toyle it out till all to passe be brought Christ crowne will thee thou then his glory minde To end this yeare 1639. the Lord was pleased to a send a very sharp winter and more especially in strong storms of weekly snows with very bitter blasts And here the Reader may take notice of the sad hand of the Lord against two persons who were taken in a storme of snow as they were passing from Boston to Roxbury it being much about a mile distant and a very plaine way One of Roxbury sending to Boston his servant maid for a Barber Chirurgion to draw his tooth they lost their way in their passage between and were not found till many dayes after and then the maid was fonnd in one place and the man in another both of them frozen to death in which sad accident this was taken into consideration by divers people that this Barber was more then ordinary laborious to draw men to those sinfull Errors that were formerly so frequent and now newly overthrowne by the blessing of the Lord upon the endeavour of his faithfull servants with the word of truth he having a fit opportunity by reason of his trade so soone as any were set downe in his chaire he would commonly be cutting of their haire and the truth together notwithstanding some report better of the man the example is for the living the dead is judged of the Lord alone CHAP. XVI The great supply of godly Ministers for the good of his People in New England FOr to govern and rule this little Common wealth was this year chosen the valiant Champion for the advance of Christs truh Thomas Dudly Esq and Richard Bellingham Esq Deputy Governour the freemen added to the former were about 192. this yeare the reverend Mr. Burr a holy heavenly-minded man and able gifted to preach the Word of God was exercised therein for some space of time in the Church of Christ at Dorchester where they were about calling him to the office of a teaching Elder but in a very littie time after his coming over he departed this life yet minde him you may in the following Meetre WEll didst thou minde thy Work Which caus'd thee vonter Through Ocean large thy Christ in 's Word to preach Exhorting all their faith on him to center Soules ravisht are by him in thy sweet speech Thy speech bewrayes thy heart for heaven doth look Christ to enjoy Burr from the earth is taken Thy words remaine though thou hast us forsook In dust sleep sound till Christ thy body waken There are divers others of the faithfull Ministers of Christ that came over for to further this his work somewhat before this time as the godly and reverend Mr. Rayner who was called to office in the Church of Christ at Plimoth and there remaines preaching the Word instantly with great paines and care over that flock as also the reverend and faithfull servant of Christ Jesus Mr. William Hook who was for some space of time at the Church in Taunton but now remaines called to office in the Church of Christ at Newhaven a man who hath received of Christ many gracious gifts fit for so high a calling with very amiable and gracious speech labouring in the Lord and here also the Reader may minde how the Lord was pleased to reach out his large hand of bounty toward his N. England people in supplying them abundantly with Teachers able and powerfull to break the bread of life unto them so long as their desires continued hot and zealous but after here grew a fulnesse in some even to slight if not loath the honey comb many returned for England and the Lord was pleased to take away others by death although very few considering the number but let N. England beware of an after-clap provoke the Lord no longer But seeing this yeare proved the last of the yeares of transportation of Gods people only for enjoyment of exercising the Ordinances of Christ and enlargement of his Kingdome there being hopes of great good opportunity that way at home it will be expediene onely to name some others in the Southwest parts among the lesser Colonyes and so passe on to the story And first not to forget the reverend Mr. Eaton a man of love and peace and yet godly zealous he came over with those who planted the Colony of Newhaven spending his labours in the Lord with them in Plimoth Plantation also here is to be minded the reverend Mr. Chancie a very able Preacher both learned and judicious as also the reverend able and pious M. Huet who came over this year or rather as I suppose the yeare before who did spend his time and labour with a people that came over with him at length the greatest part of them they settled downe in the Government of Canecticoe where they planted the Towne of Windsor and Church of Christ there where this gracious servant of Christ continued in his labours till the Lord laid him in his bed of rest somewhat before this time came over the reverend Mr. Smith being another of that name beside the former he laboured in the Word and Doctrine with a people at Withersfield in those parts also Mr. Henry Whitefield another Minister of the Gospel of Christ of reverend respect who being returned for England the latter of his labours the Lord assisting will sufficiently testifie his sincerity for the truth and labours of love in the Lord here may also be named the reverend Mr. Peck Mr. Saxton
supposed in this Colony about fifteen thousand acres in tillage and of cartel about twelve thousand neat and about three thousand sheep Thus hath the Lord in couraged his people with the encrease of the general although many particulars are outed hundreds of pounds and some thousands yet are there many hundreds of labouring men who had not enough to bring them over yet now worth scores and some hundreds of pounds to be sure the Lord takes notice of all his talents and will call to accompt in time This brief survey of things will be of good use when time serves in mean time you shall understand CHAP. XXII Of the manner of planting Towns and Churches in N. E. and in particular of the Church and Town at Wooburn being the three and twentieth Church of Christ in the Mattachusets Government THere was a Town and Church erected called Wooburn this present year but because all the action of this wandering people meet with great variety of censures the Author will in this Town and Church see down the manner how this people have populated their Towns and gathered their Churches that the reverend Mr. Rathbone may be better informed then when he wrote his book concerning the Churches of N. E. and all others that are experienced in the holy Scriptures may lay the actions of N. E. to the Rule and try them by the balance of the Sanctuary for assuredly they greatly desire they may be brought to the light for great is the truth and will prevail yet have they their errings as well as others but yet their imperfections may not blemish the truths of Christ let them be glorified and these his people will willingly take shame to themselves wherein they have miscarried But to begin this Town as all others had its bounds fixed by the General Court to the contenese of four miles squaâ— beginning at the end of Charles Town bounds the grant is to seven men or good and honest report upon condition that within two year they erect houses for habitation thereon and so go on to make a Town thereof upon the Act of Court these seven men have power to give and grant out lands unto any persons who are willing to take up their dwellings within the said precinct to be admitted to al common priviledges of the said Town giving them such an ample portion both of Medow and Upland as their present and future stock of cattel and hands were like to improve with eye had to others that might after come to populate the said Town this they did without any respect of persons yet such as were exorbitant and of a turbulent spirit unfit for a civil society they would reject till they come to mend their manners such came not to enjoy any freehold These seven men ordered and disposed of the streets of the Town as might be best for improvement of the Land and yet civil and religious society maintained to which end those that had land neerest the place for Sabbath assembly had a lesser quantity at home and more farther off to improve for corn of all kinds they refused not men for their poverty but according to their ability were helpful to the poorest sort in building their houses and distributed to them land accordingly the poorest had six or seven acres of Medow and twenty five of Upland or thereabouts Thus was this Town populated to the number of sixty families or thereabout and after this manner are the Towns of New England peopled the scituation of this Town is in the highest part of the yet peopled land neere upon the head-springs of many considerable rivers or their branches as the first rise of Ipswitch river and the rise of Shashin river one of the most considerable branches of Merrimeck as also the first rise of Mistick river and ponds it is very full of pleasant springs and great variety of very good water which the Summers heat causeth to be more cooler and the Winters cold maketh more warmer their Medows are not large but lye in divers places to particular dwellings the like doth their Springs their Land is very fruitful in many places although they have no great quantity of plain land in any one place yet doth their Rocks and Swamps yeeld very good food for cattel as also they have Mast and Tar for shipping but the distance of place by land causeth them as yet to be unprofitable they have great store of iron o're their meeting-house stands in a small Plain where four streets meet the people are very labotious if not exceeding some of them Now to declare how this people proceeded in religious matters and so consequently all the Churches of Christ planted in New-England when they came once to hopes of being such a competent number of people as might be able to maintain a Minister they then surely seated themselves and not before it being as unnatural for a right N. E. man to live without an able Ministery as for a Smith to work his iron without a fire therefore this people that went about placing down a Town began the foundation-stone with earnest seeking of the Lords assistance by humbling of their souls before him in daies of prayer and imploring his aid in so weighty a work then they address themselves to attend counsel of the most Orthodox and ablest Christians and more especially of such as the Lord had already placed in the Ministery not rashly running together themselves into a Church before they had hopes of attaining an Officer to preach the Word and administer the Seals unto them chosing rather to continue in fellowship with some other Church for their Christian watch over them till the Lord would be pleased to provide They after some search meet with a young man named Mr. Thomas Carter then belonging to the Church of Christ at VVater-Town a reverend godly man apt to teach the sound and wholesome truths of Christ having attained their desires in hopes of his coming unto them were they once joyned in Church-estate he exercising his gifts of preaching and prayer among them in the mean time and more especially in a day of fasting and prayer Thus these godly people interest their affections one with the other both Minister and people After this they make ready for the work and the 24. of the 6. moneth 1642. they assemble together in the morning about eight of the clock After the reverend Mr. Syms had continued in preaching and prayer about the space of four or five houres the persons that were to joyn in Covenant openly and professedly before the Congregation and messengers of divers Neighbour Churches among whom the reverend Elder of Boston Mr. Cotton Mr. VVilson Mr. Allen of Charles-Town Mr. Shepheard of Cambridg Mr. Dunster of VVater-Town Mr. Knowles of Deadham Mr. Allen of Roxbury Mr. Eliot of Dorchester Mr. Mather As also it is the duty of the Magistrates in regard of the good and peace of the civil Government to be present at
least some one of them not only to prevent the disturbance might follow in the Common-wealth by any who under pretence of Church-Covenant might bring in again those cursed opinions that caused such commotion in this and the other Colony to the great dammage of the people but also to countenance the people of God in so pious a work that under them they may live a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty for this cause was present the honored Mr. Increase Nowel the persons stood forth and first confessed what the Lord had done for their poor souls by the work of his Spirit in the preaching of his Word and Providences one by one and that all might know their faith in Christ was bottomed upon him as he is revealed in his Word and that from their own knowledg they also declare the same according to that measure of understanding the Lord had given them the Elders or any other messengers there present question with them for the better understanding of them in any points they doubt of which being done and all satisfied they in the name of the Churches to which they do belong hold out the right hand of fellowship unto them they declaring their Covenant in words expressed in writing to this purpose The Church-Covenant WE that do assemble our selves this day before God and and his people in an unfeigned desire to be accepted of him as a Church of the Lord Jesus Christ according to the Rule of the New-Testament do acknowledg our selves to be the most unworthy of all others that we should attain such thigh grace and the most unable of our selves to the performance of any thing that is good abhorring our selves for all our former defilements in the worship of God and other wayes and resting only upon the Lord Jesus Christ for attonement and upon the power of his grace for the guidance of our whole after course do here in the name of Christ Jesus as in the presence of the Lord from the bottom of our hearts agree together through his grace to give up our selves first unto the Lord Jesus as our only King Priest and Prophet wholly to be subject unto him in all thing and therewith one unto another as in a Church-Body to walk together in all the Ordinances of the Gospel and in all such mutual love and offices thereof as toward one another in the Lord and all this both according to the present light that the Lord hath given us as also according to all further light which he shall be pleased at any time to reach out unto us out of the Word by the goodness of his grace renouncing also in the same Covenant all errors and Schismes and whatsoever by-wayes that are contrary to the blessed rules revealed in the Gospel and in particular the inordinate love and seeking after the things of the world every Church hath not the same for words for they are not for a form of words The 22. of the 9. moneth following Mr. Thomas Carter was ordained Pastor in presence of the like Assembly Hfter he had exercised in preaching and prayer the greater part of the day two persons in the name of the Church laid their hands upon his head and said We ordain thee Thomas Carter to be Pastor unto this Church of Christ then one of the Elders Priest being desired of the Church continued in prayer unto the Lord for his more especial assistance of this his servant in his work being a charge of such weighty importance as is the glory of God and salvation of souls that the very thought would make a man to tremble in the sense of his own inability to the work The people having provided a dwelling house built at the charge of the Town in general welcomed him unto them with joy that the Lord was pleased to give them such a blessing that their eyes may see their Teachers After this there were divers added to the Church daily after this manner the person desirous to joyn with the Church cometh to the Pastor and makes him acquainted therewith declaring how the Lord hath been pleased to work his conversion who discerning hopes of the Pâ—rsons faith in Christ although weak yet if any appear he is propounded to the Church in general for their approbation touching his godly life and conversation and then by the Pastor and some brethren heard again who make report to the Church of their charitable approving of the person but before they come to joyn with the Church all persons within the Towne have publike notice of it then publikely he declares the manner of his conversion and how the Lord hath been pleased by the hearing of his Word preached and the work of his Spirit in the inward parts of his soul to bring him out of that â—â—tural darkness which all men are by nature in and under as also the measure of knowledg the Lord hath been pleased to indue him withal And because some men cannot speak publikely to edisication through bashfulness the less is required of such and women speak not publikely at all for all that is desired is to prevent the polluting the blessed Ordinances of Christ by such as walk scandalously and that men and women do not eat and drink their own condemnation in not discerning the Lords body After this manner were many added to this Church of Christ and those 7. that joyned in Church-fellowship at first are now encreased to 74. persons or therabout of which according to their own confession as is supposed the greater part having been converted by the preaching of the Word in N. E. by which may appear the powerful efficacy of the word of Christ in the mouth of his Ministers and that this way of Christ in joyning together in Church-Covenant is not only for building up of souls in Christ but also for converting of sinness bringing them out of the natural condition to be ingrafted into Christ for if this one Church have so many then assuredly there must be a great number comparatively throughout all the Churches in the Country After this manner have the Churches of Christ had their beginning and progress hitherto the Lord continue encrease them the world throughout The Pastor of this Church hath much encreased with the encreasings of Christ Jesus of whose labours in the Lord as followeth CArtor Christ hath his wayes thee taught and them Hast not with-held his Word but unto all With 's word of power dost cause stout souls to bow And meek as Lambs before thy Christ to fall The antient truths plain paths they fit thee best Thy humble heare all haughty acts puts by The lowly heart Christ learns his lovely hest Thy meekness shews thy Christ to thee is nigh Yet must thou shew Christ makes his bold to be As Lions that none may his truths tread down Pastoral power he hath invested thee With it maintain least he on thee do frown Thy youth thou hast in this
year The Town of Readding had her foundation stone laid about this time this and the Town of Wooburn were like the twins in the womb of Tamar Readding thrusting forth the hand first but Wooburn came first to the birth this Town is well watered and scituate about a great pond besides it hath two mills the one a Saw-mill the other a 〈◊〉 mill which stand on two several streams it hath not been â—o fruitful for children as her Sister hath her habitation is fallen in the very center of the country they are well stocked with cattel for the number of people they have they gathered into a church and ordained a Pastor from among themselves at the same time a young man of good abilities to preach the Word and of a very humble behaviour named Mr. Green he having finished his course departed this life not long after whose labours are with the Lord after him succeeded in the place one Mr. Hoph a young man one of the first fruits of N. E. a man studious to promote the truths of Christ they are both remembred in this following verse ON earths bed thou at noon hast laid thy head You that for Christ as Green here toy I have taken When nature fails then rest it in earths dead Till Christ by 's word with glory thee awaken Young Hoph thou must be second to this man In field incounter with Christ's foes shalt thou Stand up and take his bright sword in thy hand Error cut down and make stout stomacks bow Green 's gone before thy warfare's now begun And last it may to see Romes Babel fall Byweakest means Christ mighty works hath done Keep footing fast till Christ thee hence do call The next Town and church of Christ planted in this colony was between Salem and Ipswitch Salem the eldest of all the Sisters was very helpful to this her little Sister nourishing her up in her own bosom till she came of age being beneficial to her besides in giving her a good portion of Land this Town is called Wenham and is very well watered as most in land Towns are the people live altogether upon husbandry New England having train'd up great store to this occupation they are encreased in cattel and most of them live very well yet are they no great company they were some good space of time there before they gathered into a Church-body the godly and reverend Mr. John Fisk went thither with them at first setting down as a planter among them yet withal he became helpful in preaching the Word unto them when they were but a few in number they afterward call'd him to the office of a Pastor with whom he now remains labouring in the Word and Doctrine with great industry of whom it may be thus said TO wade through toyl of Wilderness thou hast Dâ—ubled thy work thy wages troble are Christ hath thee call'd and in his vineyard plac't He 'l bear thee up above all saiâ—ting far Sions strong Mount must now again be built Thy faith oh Fisk the Lord hath holpen much With dreadful sighâ— the Pâ—â—lars power hath spilt All pride he 'l stain by his almighty touch His truths unstain'd by liberty keep thou To please the most authority must fall What Christ hath given if safely keep with you Till he to thee for thine accompt do call CHAP. XXVI Of the military affairs the forts of Bostoa and Charles the Castle erected anew by the six neerest Towns with the manner of putting the Country in a posture of war to be ready upon all occasions THese souldiers of Christ Jesus having made a fair retreat from their Native country hither and now being come to a convenient station resolved to stand it out the Lord assisting against all such as should come to rob them of their priviledges which the Lord Christ had purchased for them at a very high rate and now out of the riches of his grace was minded to give them yet would he have them follow him into this Wilderness for it although the chiefest work of these select bands of Christ was to mind their spiritual warfare yet they knew right well the Temple was surrounded with walls and bulworks and the people of God in re-edifying the same did prepare to resist their enemies with weapons of war even while they continued building This people no less diligent to make use of such means as the Lord afforded them ordered and decreed That all the souldiers belonging to the 26. bands in the Mattachusets Government should be exercised and drill'd eight daies in a yeare and whosoever should absent himself except it were upon unavoidable occasion should pay 5. s. for every daies neglect there are none exempt unless it be a few timerous persons that are apt to plead infirmity if the Church chuse them not for Deacous or they cannot get to serve some Magistrate or Minister but assuredly the generalicy of this people are very forward for feats of war and many have spent their time and estates to further this work the Town of Boston hath afforded many active Charles Town hath not been inferiour unless it be in number This year the Court appointed certain persons to spend their skill in putting the people possessing this desolate desart in a ready posture of drawing their forces together upon any suddain accident that might befall them to mannage guide order and direct all things as may be best for the good of the whole they being a poor and mean people laboured to avoid high titles yet order they knew was necessary therefore ordained they only one General Officer in time of war under the name of Major General the Governor and Magistrates for the time being are the standing Councel for peace or war and either they or the General Court may appoint any to the office of a General the first Major-General was the much honored Tho. Dudly Esquire whose faithfulness and great zeal and love to the truths of Christ caused the people to chuse him to this office although he were far stricken in years the Government is divided into four Counties which to shew they would their posterity should mind whence they came they have named Suffolk Middlesex Essex and Northfolk each containing a Regiment over whom the chief Commander is only a Serjeant-Major the first chosen to this office over the Regiment of Suffolk was Major Edw. Gibbons who hath now the office of Major-General also he is a man of a resolute spirit bord as a Lion being wholly tutor'd up in N.E. Discipline very generous and forward to promote all military matters his Forts are well contrived and batteries strong and in good repair his great Artillery well mounted and cleanly kept half Canon Culverins and Sakers as also field-pieces of brass very ready for service his own company led by Capt. Lievtenant Sarag are very compleat in their arms and many of them disciplin'd in the military garden beside their ordinary trainings the Captains under him are Caps
liberty and nothing for Government yet they might bear men in hand it was for petitioning for a Presbyterian Church-Government according to this teâ—or thâ— Court being some what flow in censuring them they prepareâ— a plot wrapping in some few persons more with them lay ing very gross matters to the charge of this Government in their Bill of complaint but being suspected by the honoured Magistrates of this Government their plot was found out and writing publikely read unto them for all which they had a small penalty laid upon them hardly countervail the charge they put the country unto but assuredly it was the Lords gracious goodness to quell their malice against his people and indeed the proud Bishops sped no better or not so well especially some of them nor have any other hitherto prospered who have maâ—igned these poor Churches of Christ yet because the Gortonist painted over a far worser cause that those honorable personages in England who had the hearing thereof could not discern the Government thought meet to send over this year the honored M. VVinslow to manifest and declare the naked truth of things having full power and commission from this Government to deal for them in all matters wherein they may be concerned and verily the chief Gortonian might have returned from England hither to have triumphed in his blasphemies over the Churches of Christ and all the united colonies had not the divel shewed his horns in that book he printed wherein he takes upon him a monstrous interpretation of the words of our Lord Christ in John Except ye eat my flesh and drink my blond c. had the book been well perused before their coming over surely they had never return'd with so large a commission as they boast of for the Parliament have punished divers persons for their blasphemies and very like these should not have scaped scotfree CHAP. IV. Of the second Synod holden at Cambridg in N. E. and the images of the Son that appeared THis year the General Court of the Mattachusets Government taking into consideration the many 〈◊〉 in point of doctrine that were daily broached by some of our English Nation although the churches of Christ and the people under this Government were free at least in open profession yet to declare to all the world and render an accompt of their faith and profession wherein they walk it was thought meet that the churches of Christ should meet together in a Synod by their Elders and Messengers to hold forth the doctrine and discipline of Jesus Christ according to the rule of the New Testament with the grounds of Scripturâ— from which they hold the same and further to make trial of them by the said rules and none other accordingly at the time appointed they assembled together their disputation was plain and easie to be understood of the meanest capacity clearing up those points that were most dubious they having agreed on all matters with a full concurrence of the assembly did appoint them to be put in print that they might be the better scanned and tried of every particular person in the several congregations or churches many churches approving thereof for the generality others there be that have not yet fully viewed the same the books are extant and shew that the churches of Christ in N. E. are not ashamed to make confession of their faith to all the world and are yet ready to receive any further light shall be made known unto them from the Word of God and none other nor do they receive this because a Synod hath said it but because the Lord hath spoken it by his Spirit and witnessed by the same Spirit to their souls that he hath so done some sorts of persons have been much opposite to this Synod first those that are so inured with the broad beaten path of liberty that they fear to be confined in the straight and narrow path of truth the second are such as have their wills wedded to some singular rare conceited opinion for which they have been admired of many and now they fear their gain will be gone if this spirit be cast out the third and last sort are more honest then the two former and only scared with their big words who tell them of the Popish and Prelatical Synods what a deal of trash and cannon Laws they have brought in and that if they will full to receiving books once they shall have more and more thrust upon them As also if any shall say its only to declare the doctrine and discipline the churches of N. E. hold it s enough quoth they that our faith concerning these things is contained in the Bible and this is all the accompt we need to give to any but for all these scare-crows N.E. hath through the blessing of the Lord received much peace and truth from the former Synod we wish our countrymen and our selves may receive the like and much more from this which ended not with this year This year about the later end thereof appeared two Parelii or Images of the Sun and some other strange apparitions of light about her like a Rainbow with the heels upward which unwonted sights have been interpreted by the provident passages since shewed among those who have had an outside of profession and name to be singular for understanding the mind of God who would overthrow all the Ordinances of Christ under the name of New-light and that there can be no restoration of Religion till new Apostles come This desperate opinion doth so fitly resemble these wonderful apparitions that seemed to be another Sun yet indeed had no light in them but vanished away no man knew how so these opinionists would make men believe they had found out another Sea from their phantastical revelations CHAP. V. Of the great pains and care taken by those in Authority for the compiling of Lawes for this little Commonwealth THis year the General Court appointed a Committee of divers persons to draw up a Body of Laws for the well-ordering of this little Commonwealth and to the end that thâ—y might be most agreeable with the rule of Scripture in every County there was appointed two Magistrates two Ministers and two able persons from among the people who having provided such a competent number as was meet together with the former that were enacted newly amended they presented them to the General Court where they were again perused and amended and then another Committee chosen to bring them into form and present them to the Court again who the year following passed an Act of confirmation upon them and so committed them to the Press and in the year 1648. they were printed and now are to be seen of all men to the end that none may plead ignorance and that all who intend to transport themselves hither may know this is no place of licentious liberty nor will this people suffer any to trample down this Vineyard of the Lord but with diligent execution
will cut off from the city of the Lord the wicked doers and if any man can shew wherein any of them derogate from the Word of God very willingly will they accept thereof and amend their imperfections the Lord assisting but let not any ill affected persons find fault with them because they suit not with their own humour or because they meddle with matters of Religion for it is no wrong to any man that a people who have spent their estates many of them and ventured their lives for to keep faith and a pure conscience to use all means that the Word of God allows for maintenance and continuance of the same especially they having taken up a desolate Wilderness to be their habitation and not deluded any by keeping their profession in huggermug but print and proclaim to all the way and course they intend God willing to walk in if any will yet notwithstanding seek to justle them out of their own right let them not wonder if they meet with all the opposition a people put to their greatest straits can make as in all their undertaking their chiefest aim hath been to promote the Ordinances of Christ so also in contriving their Laws Liberties and Priviledges they have not been wanting which hath caused many to maligne their civil Government and more especially for punishing any by a Law that walk conrrary to the rule of the Gospel which they profess but to them it seems unreasonable and savours too much of hypocrisie that any people should pray unto the Lord for the speedy accomplishment of his Word in the overthrow of Antichrist and in the mean time become a Patron to sinful opinions and damnable errors that oppose the truths of Christ admit it be but in the bare permission of them CHAP. VI. Of the Lords wonder-working Providence in fitting this people with all kind of Manufactures and the bringing of them into the order of a Commonwealth ON the day of Election for Governor and Magistrates which are new chosen every year the honored John Winthrope Esquire was chosen Governor and the like honored Thomas Dudly Esquire Deputy Governor John Endicut Esquire was chosen Major-General which is an Officer the Freemen make a yearly choice of all other Military Officers stand for 〈◊〉 of life unless any be put out for misdemeanour the member of freemen added this year were about 85. the Land affording very good â—â—on stone divers persons of good â—ack and quality in England were stirred up by the provident hand of the Lord to venture their estatee upon an hon work which they began at Braintree and profited the owners little but rather wasted their stock which caused some of them to tell away the Kmainder the chief reason being the high price of labour which ordinarily was as much more as in England and in many things treble the way of going on with such a work here was not suddâ—inly to be disterned although the Steward had a very able eye yet experience nath out-stript learning here and the most quick-sighted in the Theory of things have been forced to pay prety mundly to Lady Experience for filling their heads with a sittle of her active after-wit much hope there is now that the owners may pick up their crums again if they be but made partakers of the gain in putting off England commodities at N. E. price it will take off one third of the great price they gave for labour and the price of their iron it is supposed another third is taken of the abundance of wood had for little will surely take off the residue besides land at easie rates and common land free for their use it were to be desired that those Gentlemen who have undertaken the work would consider the place where their works are namely in N. E. where the Lord Christ hath chosen to plant his Churches in to hide his people under the covert of his wings till the tyranny of Antichrist be over-passed and any that have disbursed pence for the furthering of his work shall be repayed with thousands Besides the Gentlemen that govern this Colony are very desirous to be helpful in what they may and had rather take any burthens upon themselves and the Inhabitants that in justice they ought then that those Gentlemen should be any wayes damnified The Lord is pleased also to compleat this Commonwealth abundantly beyond all expectation in all sorts of needful occupations it being for a loâ—g time the great fear of many and those that were endued with grace from above also that this would be no place of continued habitation for want of a staple-commodity but the Lord whose promises are large to his Sion hath blest his peoples provision and satisfied her poor with bread in a very little space every thing in the country proved a staple-commodity wheat rye oats peas barley beef pork fish butter cheese timber mast tar sope plank-board frames of housâ—s clabboard and pipestaves iron and lead is like to be also and those who were formerly forced to fetch most of the bread they eat and beer they drink a hundred leagues by Sea are through the blessing of the Lord so encreased that they have not only fed their Elder Sisters Virginia Barbados and many of the Summer Islands that were prefer'd before her for fruitfulness but also the Grandmother of us all even the firtil Isle of Great Britain beside Portugal hath had many a mouthful of bread and fish from us in exchange of their Madeara liquor and also Spain nor could it be imagined that this Wilderness should turn a mart for Merchants in so short a space Holland France Spain and Portugal coming hither for trade shipping going on gallantly till the Seas became so troublesome and England restrain'd our trade forbidding it with Barbados c. and Portugal stopt and took our ships many a fair ship had her framing and finishing here besides lesser vessels barques and ketches many a Master beside commoa Seamen had their first learning in this Colony Boston Charles-Town Salem and Ipswitch our Maritan Towns began to encrease roundly especially Boston the which of a poor country village in twice seven years is become like unto a small City and is in election to be Mayor Town suddainly chiefly increased by trade by Sea yet of late the Lord hath given a check to our traffique but the reason may be rendred hereafter nor hath this Colony alone been actors in this trade of venturing by Sea but New-haven also who were many of them well experienced in traffique and had good estates to mannage it Canectiso did not linger behind but put forth to Sea with the other all other trades have here fallen into their ranks and places to their great advantage especially Coopers and Shomakers who had either of them a Corporation granted inriching themselves by their trades very much Coopers having their plenty of stuff at a cheap rate and by reason of trade with forraign parts abandance of
become With scatter'd seed of man and beast thou hast Seen thy great God increase thy little sum Towns close compact in desart land hath plac't In Wilderness thy table richly spread Thy poor therein hath satisfi'd with bread While firtil lands with hunger have been pined Thy harvest hath with heaps on heaps come in Oh mourn that thou no more thy God should'st mind His gentle rod to teach thee doth begin Then wonder not that swarms of Locust fly And that earths fruits for want of moysture die A countless crew of Caterpillers craul To rob the earth of her green mantle quite Wolves only wont on lesser beasts to fall On great ones prey by day and eke by night Thy houses are consum'd with much good store By fearful fires which blustering winds blow o're Lord stay thy hand and stop my earthly mind Thy Word not world shall be our sole delight Not Medow ground but Christs rich pearl wee 'l find Thy Saints imbrace and not large lands down plight Murmure no more will we at yearly pay To help uphold our Government each way Not strive who least but who the most shall give Rejoyce will we our hearts inlarged are Those wait on th' Altar shall on Altar live Nor shall our riches their good doctrine mar Oâ—r pride of parts in thought of clear discerning No longer shall disgrace their godly learning Our meaner sort that metamorphos'd are With womens hair in gold and garments gay Whose wages large our Commonwealths work mar Their pride they shall with moderation lay Cast off their cloaths that men may know their rank Axd women that with outward deckings prank The worlds imbrace our longing lust for gain No longer shall us into corners draw Nor our large herds us from Gods house detain From fellowship of Saints who learn thy Law Thy righteous Judgments Lord do make me tremble Nor word nor rod but deep in this dissemble Two Masters Lord we will professed serve How can we Christ united be to thee When from thy Law learn'd we so greatly swarve With watry tears unclued we will be From creature-comforts Christ thou art our stay Work will and deed in us we humbly pray Oh thou my soul and every part in me Lament the Lord his worthies from the earth Takes to himself and makes our earth to be E A mourning place left destituke of mirth Are these the daies wherein that Beast shall fall Lord leave us means though thou be all in all What courage was in Winthrope it was thine Shopheards sweet Sermons from thy blessing came Our heavenly Hooker thy grace did refine And godly Burr receiv'd from thee his frame Philips didst thou indue with Scripture light And Huet had his arguings strong and right Grave Higginson his heavenly truths from thee Maveruck was made an able help to thine What Harver had thou gavest for 's people free Follow Green full of grace to work thou didst assign Godly Glover his rich gifts thou gavest Thus thou by means thy flocks from spoiling savest But Lord why dost by death withdraw thy hand From us these men and means are sever'd quite Stretch forth thy might Lord Christ do thou command Their doubled spirit on those left to light Forth of their graves call ten times ten again That thy dear flocks no damage may sustain Can I forget these means that thou hast used To quicken up my drowsie drooping soul Lord I forget and have the same abused Which makes me now with grief their deaths condole And kiss thy rod laid on with bowels tender By death of mine makes me their death remember Lord stay thy hand thy Jacobs number 's small Powre out thy wrath on Antichrists proud Thrones Here thy poor flocks that on thee daily call Bottle their tears and pity their sad groans Where shall we go Lord Christ we turn to thee Heal our back slidings forward press shall we Not we but all thy Saints the world throughout Shall on thee wait thy wonders to behold Thou King of Saints the Lord in battel stont Increase thy armies many thousand fold Oh Nations all his anger seek to stay That doth create him armies every day CHAP. X. Of the endeavours of this people of Christ to inlarge his Kingdom the world throughout and first of their preaching Christ to the Indians among whom they live THese brood of Travellers having thus through the good hand of their God upon them thus setled these Churches according to the institution of Christ and not by the will of man they now endeavour to be assisting to others The reverend Mr. Hugh Peters and his fellow-helper in Christ Mr. Wells steered their course for England so soon as they heard of the chaining up of those biting beasts who went under the name of spiritual Lords what assistance the Gospel of Christ found there by their preaching is since clearly manifested for the Lord Christ having removed that usurping power of Lordly Prelates hath now inlarged his Kingdom there and that not onely by the means of these men but by divers others both godly and eminent servants of his who never saw New-England and by divers other godly Ministers of Christ who have since gone from hence both young Students and others to the number of twenty or thereabout in the whole besides some who were eminent in the civil Government here both gracious and godly servants of Christ and some who have been Magistrates here to the number of five or six the Lord Christ grant they may all endeavour the advancement of his truths both in Churches and civil Government But before the Author cease to speak of England he is bold to say that the Lord Christ will overturn overturn overturn till he hath caused such a Government to be set up as shall become nursing fathers to his new-planted Churches The Indian people in these parts at the English first coming were very barbarous and uncivilized going for the most part naked although the country be extreme cold cold in the winter-season they are onely clothed with a Deers skin and a little bit of cloth to cover their privy part The Women for the most part are very modest although they go as naked as the Men they are generally very laborious at their planting time and the Men extraordinary idle making their squawes to carry their Children and the luggage beside so that many times they travell eight or ten mile with a burden on their backs more fitter for a horse to carry then a woman The men follow no kind of labour but hunting fishing and fowling in all which they make use of their Bowe and Arrowes to shoot the wilde creatures of the Trees as Squirrells gray and black Rockoones as for Deer they ordinarily catch them in traps with a pole bent down and a Cord at the end which flyes up and stayes their hasty course Bever Otter and Moose they catch with Traps also they are
allay their spirits of malignity toward his people they gathered in a Church in presence of the very governour himself and called to office one Mr. Harrison who could not long continue among them by reason of their fresh renewed malignity who had formerly an evill eye toward them and could no better refraine from oppressing them then Pharoah after he had rest from the plagues under which he was After the departure of Mr. Harrison one Mr. Duren became an help unto them but he and his people also were forced to remove many hundred miles up into the country where they now remain but assuredly the Lord hath more scourges in store for such as force the people to such sufferings and therefore let this Church of Christ continue in the way of his truth according to the rules of his Gospel and without doubt the Lord will preserve and continue them let the adversaries of his Truth be never so potent As also about this time the Lord was pleased to gather a people together in the Isle of Bermoodas whose hearts being guided by the rule of the word they gathered into a Church of Christ according to the rules of the Gospel being provided with able persons indued with gifts from the Lord to administer unto them the holy things of God and after they began to be opposed their reverend elder Mr. Goulding came into these parts and from hence he went to England but this little flock of Christ not long after being banished from thence went to one of the Southern Islands where they endured much hardship and which the Churches of Christ in these parts understanding about six or eight of them contributing toward their want gathered about 800 l. to supply their necessity the which they shipped in a small vessell hired for that end and sent by the hands of two brethren both corne and other necessaries they arriving in safety by the blessing of God upon their labours were well welcomed by their brethren who abundantly blessed the Lord for them and with godly and gratious expression returned a thankfull acknowledgement of the present good hand of the Lord Christ in providing for them so that as this book began with the wonderworking providence of Sions Saviour in providing so wonderfull gratiously for his Churches the World throughout so it here endeth with the same and it were to be desired that the Churches of Christ in Europe would gather up the wonderfull providences of the Lord toward them also and more especially those in our native Country for assuredly it would make much for the magnifying of his glorious works in this day of his power and although the malignant and antichristian party may say they can shew the like wonders as Jannes and Jambres that with-stood Moses yet were the worke of Christ for his poor Churches within these few yeers gathered together by some able instrument whom the Lord might be pleased to stir up for that end and laid open the view of all they would be forced to confess this is the very finger of God and no doubt but they would be a great strengthening to the faith of those who are appointed of the Lord for the overthrow of Antichrist the Lord helping for assuredly the time of his having mercy upon Sion is come CHAP. XII Of the time of the fall of Antichrist and the increase of the Gentile Churches even to the prevoking of the twelve Tribes to submit to the kingdom of Christ IT hath been the longing expectation of many to see that notable and wonderfull worke of the Lord Christ in casting down that man of sin who hath held the whole world of those that profess any Christ under his Lordly power while the true professors of Christ have hardly had any appearance to the eye of the world first take notice the Lord hath an assured seâ— time for the accomplishment of this work which is set down in his word although more darkly to be under stood wherefore the reverend Ministers of Christ for these many yeers have studied and laboured for the finding it out and that holy man of God Mr. John Cotton among many other hath diligently searched for the Lords mind herein and hath declared some sudden blow to be given to this blood-thirsty monster but the Lord Christ hath unseparably joyned the time meanes and manner of this work together and therefore all men that expect the day must attend the means for such hath been and is the absurdity of many that they make semblance of a very zealous affection to see the glorious work of our Lord Christ herein and yet themselves uphold or at least side with those that uphold some part of Antichrists kingdome and therefore the lordly Prelacy may pray for his fall till their lungs are spent and their throats grow dry But while they have a seeming shew and hardly that to oppose his doctrines they themselves in the mean time make use of his power to advance themselves to honour aâ— also in these dayes there are divers desperate blasphemous and erronious persons whose consciences and their own self-will are unseparable companions these are very hot in their own apprehensions to prosecute the work but in the mean time they not only batter down the truths of Christ and his own Ordinances and Institutions but also set up that part of Antichrists kingdom which hath formerly had a great blow already even his deceiveable and damnable doctrines for as one badg of the beast is to be sull of blasphemies so are they and these take unto themselves seven spirits worse then the former making the latter and worse then the beginning as this story may testifie and some stories in our native country much more But to come to the time of Antichrists fall and all that expect it may depend upon the certainty of it yea it may be boldly said that the time is come and all may see the dawning of the day you that long so much for it come forth and fight who can expect a victory without a battel the lordly Prelates that boasted so much of these great atcheivements in this work are fled into holes and corners Familists Seekers Antinomians and Anabaptists they are so ill armed that they think it best sleeping in a whole skin fearing that if the day of battell once go on they shall fall among Antichrists Armies and therefore cry out like cowards If you will let me alone and I will let you alone but assuredly the Lord Christ hath said He that is not with us is against us there is no room in his Army for toleratorists But some will say We will never believe the day iâ— come till our eyes behold Babylon begirt with Souldiers I pray be not too hasty hath not the Lord said Come out of her my people c. surely there is a little space left for this and now is the time seeing the Lord hath set up his standerd of resort now Come forth
of her and he not partakers of her sins now is the time when the Lord hath assembled his Saints together now the Lord will come and not tarry As it was necessary that there should be a Moses and Aaron before the Lord would deliver his people and destroy Pharaoh lest they should be wildred indeed in the Wilderness so now it was needfull that the Churches of Christ should first obtain their purity and the civill government its power to defend them before Antichrist come to his finall ruine and because you shall be sure the day is come indeed behold the Lord Christ marshalling of his invincible Army to the battell some suppose this onely to be mysticall and not literall at all assuredly the spirituall fight is chiefly to be attended and the other not neglected having a neer dependancy one upon the other especially at this time the Ministers of Christ who have cast off all lording power over one another are created field-Officers whose Office is extravagant in this Army chiefly to encourage the fighting Souldiers and to lead them on upon the enemy in the most advantagious places and bring on fresh supplies in all places of danger to put the sword of the spirit in their Souldiers hands but Christ who is their general must onely enable them to use it aright to give every Souldier in charge that they watch over one another to see that none meddle with the execrable things of Antichrist and this to be performed in every Regiment throughout the Army and not one to exercise dominion over the other by way of superiority for Christ hath appointed a parity in all his Regiments c. let them beware that none go apart with rebellious Korah And further behold Kings Rulers or Generals of Earths Armies doth Christ make use of in this day of battell the which he hath brought into the field already also who are appointed to defend uphold and maintain the whole body of his Armies against the insolent beastly and bloody cruelty of their insatiable enemies and to keep order that none do his fellow-Souldier any wrong nor that any should raise a mutiny in the hosts Notwithstanding all this if any shall say they will not believe the day is come till they see them ingage battell with Antichrist Verily if the Lord be pleased to open your eyes you may see the beginning of the fight and what success the Armies of our Lord Christ have hitherto had the Forlorne hopes of Antichrists Army were the proud Prelates of England the Forlorne of Christs Armies were these N. E. people who are the subject of this History which encountring each other for some space of time ours being overpowered with multitude were forced to retreat to a place of greater safety where they waited for a fresh opportunity to ingage with the main battell of Antichrist so soon as the Lord shall be pleased to give a word of Command Immediately upon this success the Lord Christ was pleased to command the right Wing of his Army to advance against the left Wing of Antichrist where in his former forlorn hopes of proud Prelates lay these by our right Wing had their first pay for that they had done to our forlorne before being quite overthrown and cut in peices by the valiant of the Lord in our right Wing who still remain fighting Thus far of the battell of Antichrist and the various success what the issue will be is assuredly known in the generall already Babylon is fallen the God of truth hath said it then who would not be a Souldier on Christs side where is such a certainty of victory nay I can tell you a farther word of encouragement every true-hearted Souldier that falls by the sword in this fight shall not lye dead long but stand upon his feet again and be made partaker of the triumph of this Victory and none can be overcome but by turning his back in fight And for a word of terrour to the enemy let them know Christ will never give over the raising of fresh Forces till they are overthrown root and branch And now you antient people of Israel look out of your Prison grates let these Armies of the Lord Christ Jesus provoke you to acknowledge he is certainly come I and speedily he doth come to put life into your dry bones here is a people not onely praying but fighting for you that the great block may be removed out of the way which hath hindered hitherto that they with you may enjoy that glorious resurrection-day the glorious nuptials of the Lamb when not only the Bridegroom shall appear to his Churches both of Jews and Gentiles which are his spouse in a more brighter aray then ever heretofore but also his Bride shall be clothed by him in the richest garments that ever the Sons of men put on even the glorious graces of Christ Jesus in such a glorious splendor to the eyes of man that they shall see and glorifie the Father of both Bridegroom and Bride OH King of Saints how great 's thy work say we Done and to do poor Captives to redeem Mountaines of mercy makes this work to be Glorious that grace by which thy works are seen Oh Jesu thou a Saviour unto thine Not works but grace makes us this mercy find Of sinners cheife no better men they be Thou by thy work hast made thy work to do Thy Captaines strength weak dust appears in thee While thou art brought such wondrous works unto Then Christ doth all I all is done for his Redeemed ones his onely work it is Doth Christ build Churches who can them deface He purchast them none can his right deny Not all the world ten thousand worlds his grace Caus'd him once them at greater price to buy Nor marvell then if Kings and Kingdomes he Destroy'd when they do cause his folke to flee Christ is come down possession for to take Of his deer purchase who can hinder him Not all the Armies earthly men can make Millions of spirits although Divels grim Can Pope or Turke with all their mortall power Stay Christ from his inheritance one hour All Nations band your selves together now You shall fall down as dust from bellows blown How easie can our King your power bow Though higher you in mens accompt were grown As drop in bucket shall those waters be Whereon that Whore doth sit in high degree Christs wrath is kindled who can stand before His anger that so long hath been provoked In moment perish shall all him before Who touch'd Mount Sinai and it soundly smoaked New-England Churches you are Christs you say So sure are all that walk in Christs way No such need fear fury of men or Divels Why Christ among you takes his dayly walk He made you gold you keeps from rusting evils And hid you here from strife of tongues proud talke Amongst his he for their defence doth bide They need no more that have Christ on their side Man be not