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truth_n	according_a	lord_n	spirit_n	2,291	5	4.7747	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85452	America painted to the life. A true history of the originall undertakings of the advancement of plantations into those parts, with a perfect relation of our English discoveries ... 1628. to 1658. declaring the forms of their government, policies, religions, manners, customes, military disciplines, warres with the Indians, the commodities of their countries, a description of their townes, and havens, the increase of their trading with the names of their governours and magistrates. More especially an absolute narrative of the north parts of America, and of the discoveries and plantations of our English in New-England. Written by Sir Ferdinando Gorges .... Publisht ... by his grand-child Ferdinando Gorges Esquire, who hath much enlarged it and added severall accurate descriptions of his owne.	Gorges, Ferdinando, Sir, 1556?-1647.; Gorges, Ferdinando, 1629-1718.	1658 (1658)	Wing G1300; Thomason E969_3	181,058	245

have none used as being a thing two opposite to liberty My friend cast off as much of thy owne power as thou canst and beware of Lording it over Gods Heritage but I pray thee let Christ alone with his which he hath given to his Pastors and Teachers in administring the holy things of God peculiar to their Office and tremble all you Presbyterians who to please the people prostrate the authority Christ hath put upon the Eldrs of his Churches as Officers to the resolute liberty of man the people may and ought to call them to Office to the which Christ hath united double honour and authority and appointed them to be had in high esteeme for their worke-sake being Embassadors of Christ Jesus This may no man take from them nor yet they themselves cast off and yet all this makes nothing for the Papall Prelaticall Classicall or Parishionall authority of the Presb●tery for it holds onely in their ruling well while they rule for Christ they must and shall have the power hee hath put upon their Office From these foure dividing Tenents by the cunning art of these deceivers were forescore grosse errours broached secretly sliding in the darke like the Plague proving very infectious to some of the Churches of CHRIST in their Members CHAP. LXII Of sad effects of the pitifull and erronious Doctrines broached by the Sectuaries THe number of these infectious persons increasing now haveing drawn a great party on their side and some considerable persons they grow bold and dare question the sound and whole some truths delivered in publick by the Ministers of Christ Their Church-meetings are full of Disputes in points of difference and their love Feasts are not free from spots in their Courts of civill Justice some men utter their Speeches in matters of Religion very ambiguously and among all sorts of persons a great talke of new light but verily it proved but old darknesse such as sometime over-shadowed the City of Munster But blessed be the Lord Christ who now declared himselfe to be a helpe at hand for his poore New England Churches being now in their infancy whose condition at present was very dolorous and full of difficulties insomuch that the better part of this new transported people stood still many of them gazing one upon another like Sheepe let loose to feed on fresh pasture being stopped and startled in their course by a Kennell of devouring Wolves The weaker sort wavered much and such as were more growne Christians hardly durst discover the truth they held one unto another the fogs of errour increasing the bright beames of the glorious Gospell of our Lord Christ in the Mouth of his Ministers could not be discerned through this thick mist by many and that sweete refreshing warmth that was formerly felt from the spirits influence was now turned in these Erronists to a hot inflamation of their owne conceited Revelations ulcerating and bringing little lesse then frenzy or madnesse to the patient the Congregation of the people of God began to be forsaken and the weaker Sex prevailed so farre that they set up a Priest of their own Profession and Sex who was much thronged after abominably wresting the Scriptures to their own destruction this Master piece of Womens wit drew many Disciples after her and to that end boldly insinuated her selfe into the favour of none of the meanest being also backed with the Sorcery of a second who had much converse with the Devill by her own confession and did to the admiration of those that heard her utter many speeches in the Latine Tongue as it were in a trance this Woman was wonted to give drinkes to other Women to cause them to conceive how they wrought I know not but sure there were Monsters borne not long after as you shall hear in the following History Oh yee New England Men and Women who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth And indeed Satan to make sure worke with semblance of Preaching the Doctrine of Free-grce by his instruments makes shew of our-bidding all the Orthodox and godly Ministers in the Countrey pretending their Preaching to be but a Covenant of workes supposing by this meanes to silence them without a B●shop and lest the civill power should stand up for their aid they threaten them with the high displeasure of Christ for persecuting his people which as they said these erronious persons with their new light were the onely Men and Women that were pure Gospell Preachers Thus the poore people of Christ who kept close to his antient truths invironed with many straites having expended their Estates to voyage far through the perillous Seas that their eyes might behold their Teachers and that they might injoy the protection of a godly civill Government began to deeme themselves in a more dolorous condition then when they were in the Commissaries Court and Prelates Prisons the hideous waves in which their brittle Barques were sometimes covered as they passed hither were nothing so terrible in the apprehension of some as was this floud of errors violently beating against the bankes of Church and civill Government the wants of this Wildernesse and pinching penury in misse of Bread put them to no such paine by gnawing on their empty stomacks with feare of famishing as did the misse of the Administration of Christ in his Word and Ordinances leaving the soule in a languishing condition for want of a continuall supply of Christ in his Graces CHAP. LXIII Of the sorrowfull condition of the people of Christ when they were incountred with these erronists at their first landing BUt to end this dismall yeare of sixteene hundred thirty six take here the sorrowfull complaint of a poore Soule in misse of its expectation at landing who being incountered with some of these Erronists at his first landing when he saw that good old way of Christ rejected by them and hee could not skill in that new light which was the common theame of every mans Discourse hee berooke him to a narrow Indian path in which his serious Meditations soone led him where none but sencelesse Trees and eccohing Rocks make answer to his heart-easeing mone Oh quoth he where am I become is this the place where these Reverend Preachers are fled that Christ was pleased to make use of to rouse up his rich graces in many a drooping soule here have I met with some that tell mee I must take a naked Christ Oh woe is mee if Christ be naked to mee wherewith shall I be cloathed but me thinks I most wonder they tell me of casting of all godly sorrow for sin as unbeseeming a Soule that is united to Christ by Faith and there was a little nimbled tongued Woman among them who said she could bring me acquainted with one of her own Sex that would shew me a way if I could attaine it even Revelations full of such ravishing joy that I should never have cause to be sorry for sinne so long as I

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 fi●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 wo●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

very good marks-men with their Bowe and Arrows Their Boyes will ordinarily shoot fish with their Arrowes as they swim in the shallow Rivers they draw the Arrow halfe way putting the point of it into the water they let flye and strike the fish through the like they do to Birds lesser and great onely the Geese and Turkies being strong of wing somtimes flee away with their Arrowes sticking in them this is all the trade they use which makes them destitute of many recessaries both in meat drink apparell and houses As for any religious observation they were the most destitute of any people yet heard of the Divel having them in very great subjection not using craft to delude them as he ordinarily doth in most parts of the World but kept them in a continuall slavish fear of him onely the Powawes who are more conversant with him then any other sometimes recover their sicke folk with charmes which they use by the help of the Divell and this makes them to adore such one of them was seen as is reported to cure a Squaw that was dangerously sick by taking a snakes skin and winding it about her arm the which soon became a living snake crawling round about her armes and body another caused the sick patient for healing to pass bare footed through many burning coals those that cannot cure them they call Squantams powwons but if the patient live he is had in great admiration and then they cry Much winnit Abbamocho that is very good Divell for Squantam is a bad Divel and Abbamocho is their good Divell It hath been a thing very frequent before the English came for the Divell to appear unto them in a bodily shape sometimes very ugly and terrible and sometimes like a white boy and chiefly in the most hideous woods and swamps they report that sometimes he hath come into their wigwams and carryed away divers of them alive and since we came hither they tell us of a very terrible beast for shape and bigness that came into a wigwam toward the North-east parts remote from any English plantations and took away six men at a time who were never seen afterward The English at their first coming did assay and endeavour to bring them to the knowledge of God and in particular the reverend grave and godly Mr. John Wilson who visited their sick and instructed others as they were capable to understand him But yet very little was done that way till in process of time they by continuall coming to the English became better able to understand them and now of late yeers the reverend Mr. Eliot hath been more then ordinary laborious to study their language instructing them in their own Wigwams and Catechising their Children As also the reverend Mr. Mayhewe one who was tutored up in N. Eng. and called to office by the Church of Christ gathered at a small Island called Martins Vineyard this man hath taken good pains with them but the particulars of our godly Ministers labours together with the good hand of our God upon their indeavours being already published no further need be spoken CHAP. XI Of the gratious goodness of the Lord Christ in planting his Gospel in the purety of it in Virginia and of the first Church gathered there according to the rule of the Gospel ABout the yeer the Lord was pleased to put it into the heare of some godly people in Virginia to send to N. E. for some of the Ministers of Christ to be helpfull unto them in instructing them in the truth as it is in Jesus The godly Mr. Philip Bennit coming hither made our reverend Elders acquainted with their desires who were very studious to take all opportunities for inlarging the kingdome of Christ and upon serious consideration the reverend Mr. Knowls of Watertowne and Mr. Tompson of Braintree were sent unto them who ariving there in safety preached openly unto the people for some good space of time and also from house to house exhorted the people dayly that with full purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord the harvest they had was plentifull for the little space of time they were there till being opposed by the Governour and some other malignant spirits they were forced to returne to N. E. again It were much to be desired that all people would take notice of the hand of God against this people after the rejection of these Ministers of Christ and indeed it was none other but the thrusting Christ from them and now attend to the following story all you Cavaliers and malignant party the world throughout take notice of the wonderworking providence of Christ toward his Churches and punishing hand of his toward the contemners of his Gospel Behold ye● dispisers and wonder Oh poor Virginia dost thou send away the Ministers of Christ with threatning speeches No sooner is this done but the barbarous inhumane insolent and bloody Indians are let loose upon them who contrive the cutting them off by whole Families closely carying their wicked counsells till they had effected their desires their bloody designe taking place for the space of 200 miles up the River the manner of the English Plantations there being very scattering quite contrary to N. E. people who for the most part desire society The manner of the Indians proceeding was thus they divided themselves into severall companies and beset the English houses a little before break of day waiting for the first person that should open the doore and come forth whom they cruelly murdered beating out their brains and then forthwith entred the house and slew all they found within sometimes firing the houses and leaving the living children miserably to be consumed with their dead Parents in the fearfull flames some people fleeing from this barbarous massacre as they passed by a fired house heard a pitifull out-cry of a poor Child crying I burn I burn although they could willingly have made haste away yet the miserable out-cry of this poor babe caused them to haft to the house and rescue it forth the flames that was even almost ready to scorch it this cruell and bloody work of theirs put period to the lives of five or six hundred of these people who had not long before a plentifull proffer of the mercies of Christ in the glad tidings of peace published by the mouth of his Ministers who came unto them for that end but chusing rather the fellowship of their drunken companions and a Preist of their own profession who could hardly continue so long sober as till he could read them the reliques of mans invention in a common prayer book but assuredly had not the Lord pittied the little number of his people among this crooked generation they had been consumed at once for this is further remarkable in this massacre when it came toward the place where Christ had placed his little flock it was discovered prevented from further proceeding and the Lord by this means did so

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 se● 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 a● 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 i● 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

light To Gods word goe it 's that must triall be Hath cruell sword not het one thy side right Increase in love and thou wilt Justice see With humble holy learned men converse Thee and thy flock they would in one unite And all the fogs of selfe conceit disperse Thee and thy sons the Lord Christ guide aright Some other of the Ministers of Christ arrived this yeare 1635. As Mr. Flint Mr. Carter and Mr. Walton and some others of whom we shall speake by the Lord assistance in due time and place in the meane time here is to be remembred Mr. Thomas Flint a sincere servant of Christ who had a faire yearly Revenue in England but having improved it for Christ by casting it in the common Treasury as it appeares in the former part of this History he waites on the Lord for doubling his Talent if it shall seeme good unto him so to doe and the meane time spending his person for the good of his people in the Office of a Magistrate AT Christs commands thou leav'st thy lands and native habitation His folke to aid in Desart straid for Gospells Exaltation Flint Hardy thou wilt not allow the underminding Fox With subtill skill Christsvines to spill thy sword shall give thē knocks Yet thou base dust and all thou hast is Christ's and by him thou Art made to be such as we see hold fast for ever now CHAP. XXXVIII Of the placing down of many Souldiers of Christ and gathering the Church of Christ at Sanowitch in Plimouth patten and further supply for the Churches of Ipswich and Linne THis yeare 1636. Sir Henry Vaine was chosen Governour and John Winthrope Esquire Deputy Governour the number of Freemen added were about eighty three This yeare came over the much honoured Mr. Fenwick a godly and able instrument to assist in helping to uphold the civill Government of the second and third Colonies here planted by the Divine Providence of the most high God hee having purchased the Plantation of Saybrooke Fore became a good incourager to the Church of Christ at Hartford where the reverend Mr. Hooker and Mr. Stone were Officers In remembrance of whom a few lines take here FEnwick among this Christian throng to wildernesse doth fiee There learn'd hast thou yet further how Christ should advanced be Who for that end doth back thee send their Senator to sit In native soile for him still toile while thou hast season fit His Churches peace do thou not cease with their increase to bring That they and thee in lasting Glee may Hallelujaeh sing The beginning of this yeare was spent in accommodating these new come Guests in the former yeare whose numbers was neer about three thousand and now they began to be perswaded they should be a setled people not minding the present dangers they were in as you shall hear anon onely in the meane time take notice of further supply the Lord Christ was pleased to send before the cattell increased to its strength among whom the aged and long continned Souldiers of Christ Jesus Mr. Partrich as also Mr. Nathaniel Rogers an able disputant whose mouth the Lord was pleased to fill with many arguments for the defence of his truth Mr. Samuel Whiting who hath also with keeping to the patterne of sound and wholesome Doctrine much stopped the spreading Leaven of the Pharises Mr. Partrich was called to Office at a Towne then named Dukes Berry in Plimoth Government scituated upon the Sea-coast where the people of Christ being gathered into a Church Ordained him to be their Pastor IN thine owne soile well rooted in the truth Thou didst stand fast by Prelates power unbow'd But Laude layes load on Gods solke to his Ruth By whom thou mayst no longer be alow'd Then Partrich thou thy wings begins to spread Of Faith and Love to flie these long Seas o're To wildernesse where thou Christs Lambes hast fed With 's sincere Milke this fourteene yeare and more But now with age thy Almon Tree doth flourish Yet spreading like the Palme Tree dost thou stand I' th house of God Christ Roote thy Boughs do nourish And for thy head he hath a Crowne in 's hand Mr. Nathaniel Rogers being landed after a long and tedious Voyage at Sea was welcomed by the Church of Christ at Ipswitch where the Reverened and Judicious Mr. Nathaniel Ward although a very able Preacher and much desired yet for some naturall infirmity himselfe being best privy unto desired to be unbound of his ingagement with his people in point of Office that being left to his liberty hee might Preach more seldom in whose stead the Church called to Office this Reverend and Holy Man of God Mr. Nathaniel Rogers whose labours in this Westerne World have been very much a very sweet heavenly minded man of whom the Author is bold to say as followeth THrough boystrous Seas thy brittle frame of Man It safely is in Christ's sweet armes infold No wonder then thou weake dust stotly can Preach Christs in 's truths why he doth thee uphold Why Rogers lee thee over-Sea hath fett Against the day of Battell now at hand No sooner are thy feet one those shores set But Leaders do Christ truth withstand Vndaunted thou these Westerne Fields dost enter Filld with the spirits ready sword at hand Ingage thou wilt thy selfe ' mongst hardships venter Valiant thou foughtst under thy Christ's command And yet with all men wouldst have peace thy aime If deepe to wound and sweetly then to say Come to my Christ hee 'l heale your wounds againe Canst but submit hee 'l never say thee nay With learned Method thou Gods Word divides Long labouring that each soule may take his part Thy gratious speech with grave impression bides Thus Christ by thee is pleas'd to win the heart My Muse lament Nathaniel is decaying Why dost thou grutch him Heaven such toile hath had In Christ his Vineyard rather be thou praying That in Christs armes he resting may be glad Mr. Samuel Whiting was well welcomed by the Church of Christ at Cawgust which Towne being now of age to receive an English name was called Linne where this Reverend man now hath his aboade THy ardent Love the countlesse Oceans measure Quench cannot for thy love on him is set Who of true love hath aie the depthlesse Treasure Doth thine increase least thou should'st his forget Love Christ in 's truths my Whiting thou hast done Thou wilt not suffer with their leaven sower False Doctrines ' mongst thy tender flock to run Timely cut off wilt thou all those devour Samuel mourne not thy strength in Desart's spent Rather rejoyce thy Christ makes use of thee Soules to convert his Kingdomes large extent From East to West shall shortly setled be Thine Eyes and Eares have seen and heard great things Done by thy Christ shewes he thy toile accepts Though thy weake flesh weaker to dust hee 'l bring Thy quickned spirit increast in his joy leaps CHAP. XXXIX Of the first appearing

Humphry Atherton of the Band of Dochester a very lively couragious man with his stout and valiant Lievtenant Clapes strong for the truth of the Band of Roxbury Capt. Prichard and Ensign Iohnson of the Band of Waymoth Capt. Perkins and his proper and active Lievtenant Torry of the Band of Hingham Capt. Be●an Allen of the Band of Deadbam Capt. Eliazer Lusher one of a nimble and active spirit strongly affected to the ways of truth of the Band of Braintree Capt. william Tinge these belong to the Regiment of Suffolk the first Serjeant-Major chosen to order the Regiment of Essex was Major Rebert Sedgwick stout and active in all feats of war nurst up in Londons Artillery garden and furthered with fifteen years experience in N. E. exact theory besides the help o● a very good head-piece being a frequent instructer of the most martial troops of our Artillery men and although Charles Town which is the place of his own companies residence do not advantage such o're-topping batteries as Boston doth yet hath he erected his to very good purpose insomuch that all shipping that comes in either to Boston or Charles-Town must needs face it all the time of their coming in the cost he hath been at in helping on the Discipline of his Regiment hath profited much his own company are led by the faithful Capt. Lievtenant Francis Norton a man of a bold and cheerful spirit being well disciplin'd and an able man the companies under his service have not all Captains at present VVater-Town Band was led by Capt. Ienings who is supposed to be now in England his Lievtenant remains Hugh Mason the band of Cambridg led by Capt. George Cook now Colonel Cook in the wars of ireland but now led by Capt. Daniel Gookin a very forward man to advance Marshal discipline and withal the truths of Christ the Band of Concord led by Capt. Simon Willard being a Kentish souldier as is Capt. Goggin the Band of Sudbury lately led by Capt. Pelham who is in England at present his Lievtenant remains Edw. Goodinow the band of Wooburn led by another Kentish Captain the Band of Reading led by Lievtenant VValker the Band of Malden being as yet a young Town who have not chosen their Officers are led by Mr. Joseph Hill These belong to the Regiment of Middlesex the two Counties of Essex and Northfolk are for present joyned in one Regiment their first Major who now commandeth this Regiment is the proper and valiant Major Daniel Denison a good souldier and of a quick capacity not inferiour to any other of these chief Officers his own company are well instructed in feats of warlike activity his Capt. Lievtenane departed this life some few years since a godly and faithful man which is indeed the fountain of true validity named Mr. VVhitingam the Band of Salem led by the bold and worthy Capt. VVilliam Hautborn a man of an undaunted courage with his Lievtenant Lothrope the Band of Lyn led by the honored and much respected Capt. Robert Bridges who is also a Magistrate being endued with able parts and forward to improve them for the glory of God and his peoples good the Band of Nuberry led by Capt. Gerish with his antient and experienced Lievtenant Greendife the Band of Rowly led by Capt. Brigham the Bands of Glocester VVenham and Andover have not yet made choice of Superiour Officers being in their minority these are the Bands of the Regiment of Essex to the which are joyned the three Bands of the County of Northfolk Salsbury Hampton and Havorhil there are none chosen to office in any of these Bands but such as are freemen supposed to be men indued with faith in Christ Jesus wherefore let all that truly love the Lord Christ say with Deborah My heart is toward the Governors of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people their Officers are chosen by the major Vote of the souldiers being installed into their place by the Major of their Regiment There are of late a very gallant horse-troop listed it being a frequent thing with the Officers of the foot companies to turn Troopers when their own Regiment is not in exercise for incouragement of others the Regiments are exercised once a year by turnes they are also very observant to keep their armes in good order each souldier is to keep constantly by him powder bullet and match besides every Town is injoyned to have a common stock in like manner as also the country have their ammunition exactly looked unto by Surveyor General Johnson one very well qualified for the work ready at all times to put the General Court in mind of keeping their store renued by fresh supply and to say right some particular persons may be penurious in laying out their estates upon ammunition but the general of Officers and souldiers are very generous that way the reverend Doctor VVilson gave bountifully for the furthering this Wilderness-work the which was expended upon great Artillery his gift being a thousand pound beside many persons that came over the Lord was pleased to indow with a large portion of the things of this life who were not backward liberally to dispose of it to procure means of defence ann to that end there was a castle built on an Island upon the passage into the Mattachu-Bay wholly built at first by the country in general but by reason the country affords no Lime but what is burnt of Oyster-she is it fell to decay in a few years after which made many of the Towns that lay out of the defence thereof to desert it although their safety under God was much involved in the constant repair and well-mannaging thereof hereupon the next six Towns take upon them to rebuild it at their proper cost and charges the rest of the country upon the finishing thereof gave them a small matter toward it upon this there was a Captain ordained and put in possession thereof by the country having a yearly Stipend allowed him for himself and his souldiers which he is to keep in a constant readiness upon the Island being about eight acres of ground the Castle is built on the North-East of the Island upon a rising hill very advantageous to make many shot at such ships as shall offer to enter the Harbor without their good leave and liking the Commander of it is one Captain Davenport a man approved for his faithfulness courage and skill the Master Canoneer is an active Ingineer also this Castle hath cost about four thousand pounds yet are not this poor pilgrim people weary of maintaining it in good repair it is of very good use to awe any insolent persons that putting confidence in their ship and sails shall offer any injury to the people or contemn the Government they have certain signals of alarums which suddainly spread through the whole country were there but one Town more erected in this Government which were one and thirty it would joyn all the Towns in the same

liberty and nothing for Government yet they might bear men in hand it was for petitioning for a Presbyterian Church-Government according to this te●or th● Court being some what flow in censuring them they prepare● 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 ma●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 Scriptur● 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 th●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

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 b●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 M● 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 shou●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 G●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

what a spirit of giddinesse they were given up to and some of them to strong delusions even to most horrid and damnable blasphemies having itching eares or rather proud desires to become Teachers of others when they grosly erred in the first Principles of Religion themselves There was a man in one of the farthest Townes of the Mattacusets Government where they had no Ministers for the present he being much desirous to shew himfelfe some body in talking to as many as hee could get to hear him one the Sabbath day missing some of his Auditors he meets with one of them some few dayes after they passing over the water together where were you quoth he on the Sabbath day that you were not at the meeting we had a notable piece of Prophecy quoth the man that was missing who was it that Preached The other replying not his Wife being in presence answered it was my husband nay wife quoth he thou shoulds not have told him teach him to stay at home another time By this and divers other such like matters which might be here inserted you may see how these Sectaries love the preheminence and for this end seeke to deprive the Ministers of Christ inv●igling as many as they can in the head that they take to much upon them just like the rebellious Korath Dathan and Abiram scoffing at their Scholler-like way of Preaching wherein the grosse dissimulation of these erronious persons hath appeared exceedingly as for instance first of a Woman even the grand M●st●is of all the rest who denied the Resurrection from the dead shee and her consorts mightily rayling against learning perswading all they could to take heed of being spoyled by it and in the meane time shee her selfe would dispute forsooth and to shew her skill that way here is a falacy quoth she in this syliogisme as also one of the Gortonists as shallow a pated Scholler as my selfe far from understanding Latine much lesse any other Language the Scriptures were writ in yet when hee would hold out some of the best of his false Doctrines as namely that there were no other Devills but wicked men nor no such thing as sin Quoth he that place in the fourth Psalme where men commonly read stand in awe and sin not in the originall it is read stand in awe and misse not But to go on at this time there were many strange Revelations told both of Men and Women as true some of them said as the Scripture so that surely had this Sect gone on awhile they would have made a new Bible and their chief Mistris when she was shipt for N. England what will you say quoth she and it hath beene revealed to me that we shall be there in six weekes and one of the femall Gortonists said she was a Proph●tesse and it was revealed unto her that shee must prophecy unto the People in the same words the Prophet Ezekiel did as also a lusty big man to defend this tenent held forth to his Pastor before the whole Congregation that the spirit of Revelation came to him as he was drinking a pipe of Tobacco The fourth dividing way to bring in their Heresies was to devide betweene Christ and his Ordinances and here they plaid their game to purpose even to casting down of all Ordinances as carnall and that because they were polluted by the Ordinance of man as some of these Sectaries have said to the Minister of Christ you have cast off the crosse in Baptisme but you should do well to cast off Baptisme it selfe as also for the Sacrament of the Lords Supper for to make use of Bread or the juce of a silly Grape to represent the Body and Bloud of Christ they accounted it as bad as Negromancy in the Ministers of Christ to pe●forme it But seeing there will be occasion to bring in a bedroule of these Blasphemies in the yeare 43 and 44 take the lesse here onely minde that these persons being first bewildred in the deniall of Infants being Baptized could neither finde right faith to be Baptized into nor yet any person rightly constituted to Baptize remaining Seekers they came to this but yet here must not be omitted the slights these Erronists had to shoulder out the Officers Christ hath ordained and set up in his Churches and verily in this point they sided directly with the Papist and Prelates although in most of the other they went directly out of the way on the other hand Ignorance say the Papist is the Mother of devotion it s better say the Protestant Prelates to have a blind si● John one that cannot tell how to Preach provided he will conforme to our Ceremonies than to have one that will Presch constantly and not conforme also these Erronist shewing themselves to be whelps of the same litter Cry out against a learned Presbitery as the onely way to captivate liberty and herein the transformed Devill came to shew his Hornes for why his errors would not take where the people were followers of their seeing guids and if it be well noted here is the Master-piece of all their knavery the which comes in after this manner The Lording Prelacy Popes Cardinalls Bishops Deanes c. Were ordinarily brought up at the University to learning and have most tyrannically abused it usurping over the People of Christ and exercised most inhumane and barbarous cruelty upon them as also the Presbyterian Kirke by these Provinciall Classes men of learning having robbed the particular Congregations of their just and lawfull priviledges which Christ hath purchased for them Each Congregation of his being invested with full power to Administer all the Ordinances he hath ordained in and toward their owne Members and further learned men in some places feeding the people for their Tith-sake in a Parishioniall way desire the upholding thereof lest their fat Benefices should grow leane Now the Redemption of the people of Christ out of all these bondages being full of difficulty to attaine as is abundantly witnessed in the great hardship Gods people have undergon in this Wildernesse-worke as also much more by that bloudy war so long continved in our Native Country and the two adjacent Kingdomes This makes a very faire bottome for those to build upon who would have the sluce of authority in the Officers of Christs Churches plucked up that so their errors might flow in like a floud And therefore they impannell a Jury of their own Sectaries to passe upon all such as put a higher esteem upon their Pastors and Teachers in point of discerning the holy things of God then upon other men who returne in their Verdit as finding them guilty of the crime above expressed either as party or privy abetters unto them upon this the Vote goes for advancing such men as will let them out line enough for such as will worke without wages and give to every man liberty to exercise a large conscience provided it be his own and as for authority they would