THis diſcourſe will be directed to the Engliſh planted there, and our ſelves at home; concerning the former, three or foure things may be minded.

Deep conſiderations, without doubt, and mature, were in thoſe that hence tranſplanted themſelves into that other part of the world, but quo jure, by what right and title they could ſettle in a forraigne land was ſurely none of their laſt enquiries. Io. Bodin Meth. Hiſt. p. 522. reckons five reaſons why Colonies may be planted in other Regions. 1. Expulſion from their own native Countrey. 2. Increaſe of inhabitants upon a land. 3. Want of neceſſaries at home, and unſeaſonable times. 4. Deſire to preſerve and enlarge their owne territories. 5. Favour to priſoners and captives. The ampliation of the Kingdome of Chriſt was expected here as a motive in vaine; but I finde it elſewhere among our Novangles, and it ſhall be mentioned in due place: for thoſe are cauſes why men goe out of their owne land, but for the jus and right of ſetling in another they ſay nothing.

When the Biſhop De las Caſas had ſet forth his tract of the Spaniſh cruelties committed in the Indies, ſome Caſas. p. 134. &c. guilty perſons he ſuppoſeth ſuborned Doctor Sepulveda, the Emperours Hiſtorian, to undertake their patronage, which he did in an elegant and rhetoricall diſcourſe, endeavouring to prove, that the Spaniſh wars againſt the Indians were juſt and lawfull, and that they were bound to ſubmit unto the Spaniards, as Ideots to the more prudent; but he could not obtaine leave to print a booke ſo irrationall and unchriſtian.

Their more plauſible plea is, that Columbus was firſt employed by them to diſcover ſome of thoſe parts; but the ſame offer was before tendred to this our Nation, and the King thereof; yea and the Engliſh were as early in that very deſigne as the Portingales, for our Stow ad An. 1501, & 1502. Chronicles ſhew that Sebaſtian Gabat or Cabot, borne at Briſtol, was employed by King Henry the ſeventh, and he with ſome London Merchants, adventured three or foure ſhips into thoſe New-found lands, Anno one thouſand foure hundred ninety eight; and it cannot be doubted, but they had made ſome former ſufficient experiments, before that their ſo confident engagement: Thence tis affirmed by others Purchas. l. 4. c. 13., that the Engliſh were there before Columbus, and about the yeere Stow. Ibid. one thouſand five hundred and two, three of thoſe Natives were brought unto the King, they were cloathed in beaſts skinnes, did eate raw fleſh, ſpake a language none could underſtand, two of thoſe men were ſeen at the Court at Weſtminster two yeeres after, cloathed like Engliſhmen. But wee of this Nation have yet a more ancient claime, three hundred yeeres before Columbus, in the time of Henry the ſecond, Anno Dom. one thouſand one hundred and ſeventy; when Madoc ap Owen Gwineth did not onely diſcover the Countrey, but planted in ſome part of Mexico, and left Monuments of the Brittiſh language, and other uſages, taken notice of by the Spaniands, ſince their arrivall thither. Mr. Herbert L. 3. p. 360. in his travailes doth not onely remember this, but ſheweth it to have bin mentioned by many worthy men of late, and ancient times, as Cynwic ap Greue, Meredith ap Rhice, Gul. Owen, Lloyd, Powell, Hackluit, Davis, Broughton. And Purchas. l. 4. c. 13. p. 807.

But yet more particularly, Dr Donne Sermon to Virginia Planters. An. 1622. p. 20. 26. allowes that as a juſtifiable reaſon of mens removall from one place to another, publique benefit; Intereſt Reipublicae ut re ſua quis bene utatur, every one muſt uſe his private for the common good: and if a State may take order that every man improve what he hath for the benefit of the Nation where he lives, then, intereſt mundo, all mankinde may every where, as farre as it is able, advance the good of mankinde in generall, which not being done by the Natives there, others are bound, at leaſt have liberty to interpoſe their endeavours, eſpecially, when by divine providence one land ſwells with inhabitants, and another is diſempeopled by mutuall broiles, infectious diſeaſes, or the cruelty of Invaders, all which have helped to ſweepe away the Americans, while the Engliſh in the meanetime did multiply in ſuch manner and meaſure, as they could ſcarcely dwell one by another; and becauſe man is commanded more than once to bring forth, multiply, and fill the earth, Gen. 1. 28. 9. 1. he may well therefore, and juſtly looke abroad, and if he finde convenient and quiet habitation, he may call the name of that land Rehoboth, becauſe the Lord hath made him roome, Gen. 22. 26. That is alſo a lawfull cauſe of ſetling in other lands, when a right therein is acquired by purchaſe, as Abraham bought of Ephron the field of Machpelah, Gen. 22. 17. And thus Paſpehai Declara. of Ʋirginia. p. 11▪ one of the Indian Kings ſold unto the Engliſh in Virginia land to inhabit and inherit; and when Mr Williams of late Mr Cott. anſ. p. 27, &c. called upon our Planters in New England to be humbled for making uſe of the Kings Patents, for removing hence, and reſiding there, he is well anſwered among other things, that they had thoſe lands from the Natives by way of purchaſe and free conſent. Againe, the Territories of ſtrangers may be poſſeſſed upon the donation and fore-gift of the naturall Inhabitants, as Abimelech ſaid to Abraham, behold the land is before thee, dwell where it pleaſeth thee, Gen. 20. 15. and Pharaoh ſaid to Ioſeph, in the land of Goſhen let thy father and brethren dwell, Gen. 47. 5, 6. So in Virginia King Declara. of Virgin. Ʋbi ſupra. Powhatan deſired the Engliſh to come from Iames Town, a place unwholſome, and take poſſeſſion of another whole Kingdome, which he gave them; thus the ſurviving Mr Cot. Ibid. Indians were glad of the comming of the Engliſh to preſerve them from the oppreſſion of the next borderers; and ſurely divine providence making way, the care of emprovement, the purchaſe from the Natives, their invitation and gift, ſome, or all theſe, may ſatisfie the moſt ſcrupulous in their undertaking, or elſe what will ſuch our inquiſitors ſay to maintaine the right of their owne inheritances? The Engliſh invaded the Britons the ancient inhabitants of this Iſland, and crowded them into the nooke of Wales, themſelves in the meane time taking poſſeſſion of the fat of this Land, by what right, or by what wrong I diſpute not, ſaith Metrop. 129. Crantzius; but ſuch in thoſe daies were the frequent emigrations of people to ſeeke out new habitations.

To theſe that other expreſſion of the eloquent Deane Ibid. may be added, accepiſtis potestatem, you have your Commiſſions, your Patents, your Charters, your Seale from that ſoveraigne power upon whoſe acts any private ſubject in civill matters may rely; and though our forenamed Country-man ſeemeth to ſlight the Pattent of New-England, as containing matter of falſehood and injuſtice, that Ib. Mr Cott. imputation alſo is ſufficiently removed by Mr Cotton in that his anſwer before mentioned. And yet further, the deſire and endeavour to plant Chriſtianity there, will fortifie the former reaſons, and ſufficiently vindicate the tranſplantation of people, this Ibid. ſeales the great ſeale ſaith that Doctor, authorizeth authority, and juſtifies juſtice it ſelfe, and Chriſtians may have learned this from our deare Maſter Chriſt, who coaſted the Countrey, and croſſed the ſeas Ser. 16. init ſaith Chryſologus, not to ſatisfie humane curioſity, but to promote mans ſalvation; not to ſee diverſities of places, but to ſeeke, and finde, and ſave loſt mankinde. And if ſuch be the aime of our Nation there, we may with more comfort expect and enjoy the externalls of the Indians, when wee pay them our ſpiritualls, for their temporalls, an eaſie and yet moſt glorious exchange, the ſalvation of the ſalvages, to the hope of the one, the like ſound of the other may give encouragement; but that is the next conſideration.

SAint Paul enforced himſelfe to preach the Goſpell where Chriſt was not yet named, Rom. 15. 20. ſuch is the condition of that forlorne Nation, a good ſubject to worke upon, and if ſo good an end be propounded, the ſucceſſe by divine bleſſing will be anſwerable: and though the Countrey hath been knowne more than a Century of yeeres to Chriſtians, yet thoſe that came firſt among them, minded nothing leſſe than to make them ſuch. Benzo Benzo. p. 76. 77. paſſimque. relates abundantly how the Spaniards laid the foundation of their endeavours in bloud, their Fryers and religious perſons at firſt inſtigating them thereto. That Chriſtian King indeed gave them leave to ſubdue the Caniballs, but they deſtinate all the Nations to bitter bondage, proceeding therein with ſo much rigour and ſeverity, that the Dominicans are conſtrained at length to complaine thereof to the Pope Paul the third, imploring from him a Bull for the reinfranchiſement of the Indians, which they obtained, and brought into Spaine, and preſented it to Charles the fifth, who made them free to the griefe and loſſe of ſome of the Grandees, whoſe wealth and grandour conſiſted moſt in ſlaves; they were moſt prodigiouſly libidinous Id. p. 11. &c. alſo, contracting upon themſelves moſt foule and pernicious diſeaſes, that loathſome luſt firſt brought into this world, the filthy and infectious contagion, now ſo much ſpoken of. Their covetouſneſſe was notorious alſo, the Indians ſcorned them for it, and for their ſakes abominated the name of Chriſtianity; and when they tooke any Id. p. 100. 104. 248. &c. of the Spaniards, they would bind their hands, caſt them upon their backs, and poure gold into their mouths, ſaying, Eate, O Chriſtians, eate this gold: Yea their lives were generally ſo odious, and oppoſite to godlineſſe, that the ſame writer profeſſeth, their ſcandalous converſation deterred the Americans from the Goſpell; they did indeed teach ſome children of their Kings and Nobles, to read, and write, and underſtand the principles of Chriſtianity, which they acknowledged to be good, and wondered that the Chriſtians themſelves ſo little practiſed them; and thus one of them beſpake a Id. ibid. &c. Spaniard, O Chriſtian thy God forbids thee to take his name in vaine, and yet thou ſweareſt upon every light occaſion, and forſweareſt; your God ſaith, you ſhall not beare falſe witneſſe, and you doe nothing elſe almoſt but ſlander, and curſe one another; your God commands you to love your neighbour as your ſelfe, but how are the poore injured by you? how doe you caſt them into priſon, and fetters, that are not able to pay their debts? and you are ſo farre from relieving needy Chriſtians, that you ſend them to our cottages for almes, ſpending your meanes and time in dice, thefts, contentions, and adulteries: He tells alſo of an Indian Prince, that was very apt and ingenious, he attained to a very good meaſure of learning and knowledge in religion, and was hopefull above others in both; but about the thirtieth yeere of his age, he deceived the expectation of friends, and became extremely debauched and impious, and being blamed for his bad change, his excuſe was, ſince I became a Chriſtian I have learned all this, to ſweare by the name of God, to blaſpheme the holy Goſpell, to lie, to play at dice; I have gotten a ſword alſo to quarrell, and that I may be a right Chriſtian indeed, I want nothing but a concubine, which I intend alſo ſhortly to bring home to my houſe; And Benzo further addes, when himſelfe reprehended an Indian for dicing and blaſpemy Id. p. 251., hee was preſently anſwered, I learned this of you Chriſtians, &c. And if it be ſaid, Benzo was an Italian, and laies the more load upon the Spaniards, as no friend to that Nation, Bartholomeus de las Caſas Caſas. p. 27. 101. 115. one of their owne, and a Biſhop alſo, is as liberall in telling their faults, as hath been in part mentioned already; the Natives indeed are capable and docible, but theſe other tooke no care to lead them unto godlineſſe, either by word or example; but this, ſaith that Spaniſh Biſhop, was the manner of their goſpelizing them; In the night they publiſhed their edict, ſaying, Oyee Caciques and Indians of this place, which they named, wee let you all know, that there is one God, one Pope, one King of Castile, who is the Lord of theſe lands, come forth therefore preſently and doe your homage, and ſhew your obedience to him; ſo in the fourth watch of the night the poore Indians dreaming of no ſuch matter, men women and children were burnt in their houſes together: He affirmeth againe, they regarded no more to preach the Goſpell of Chriſt to the Americans, than if they had bin dogs, and their ſoules to periſh with their bodies; he tells further of one Colmenero, who had the ſoule-care of a great City, being asked what he taught the Indians committed to his charge, his anſwer was, he curſed them to the Devill; and it was ſufficient if he ſaid to them, per ſignin ſantin cruces, by the ſigne of the holy croſſe. The Spaniſh inſtruction then, it is evident, was the Natives deſtruction, and not ſo much a plantation as a ſupplantation, not a conſciencious teaching, but a Lion-like rather devouring of ſoules; their errors may warne and rectifie us, yea and ſharpen our edge, ſeeing theſe poore Indians be not indocible, and ſhall be converted; and be they Jewes or Gentiles, as there is much rudeneſſe and incivility among them, ſo many hopefull things have bin obſerved of them; and as Ariſtotle ſaid of the humane ſoule at its firſt immiſſion, it was a new planed table, The Americans in like manner ſaith P. Martyr p. 100. 104., are capable, and docible, mindeleſſe of their owne ancient rites, readily believing and rehearſing what they be taught concerning our faith; Acoſta Hiſt. l. 6. c. 1. declares them not onely to be teachable, but in many things excelling many other men, and that they have among them ſome politique principles admired by our wiſeſt ſtatiſts; their naturall parts and abilities were viſible in that their whale-catching and conqueſt mentioned Epiſt. before. already, yea they are ſaith Benzo p. 32. 444., very apt to imitate the faſhion of the Chriſtians; if wee kneele at our devotion, they will kneele alſo; if wee reverently lift up our hands or eyes at prayer, they will do the like: Lerius Preſat. p. 38. writeth ſeverall obſervable things, of their aptneſſe and capacity, that they be quickely ſenſible of their owne blindneſſe, eaſily deterred from lying and ſtealing; they told us, Id. p. 221. 225 ſaith he, that very long agoe, they could not tell how many Moones ſince, one came among them cloathed and bearded like unto us, endeavouring to perſwade us unto another kinde of Religion, but our Anceſtors would not then heare; and if wee ſhould now forſake our old uſages, all our neighbours would ſcorne and deride us; hee found them of tenacious memories, if they heare but m Id. 230. 248. 301. &c. once one of our names, they forget them no more: and as hee walked in the woods upon a time with three of thoſe Braſilians, his heart was ſtirred up to praiſe God for his workes, it was in the ſpring of the yeere, and bee ſang the hundred and fourth Pſalme, one of them deſired to know the reaſon of his joy, which when he had mentioned, with the meaning alſo of the Prophet, the Indian replyed, Oh Mayr, ſo they call the French, how happy are you that underſtand ſo many ſecret things, that are hidden from us! And when the Natives of Virginia Cap Smith. p. 11. heard Mr Harriot ſpeake of the glory of the great God, ſhewing them his booke, the Bible, many of them touched it with gladneſſe, kiſſed, and embraced it, held it to their breaſts, and heads, and ſtroaked their bodies all over with it, and in Book of that Planta. Anno 1632. p. 12. Guiana they deſired Captaine Leigh to ſend into England for inſtructors, and one of them was ſo well taught, that he profeſſed at his death, he died a Chriſtian, a Chriſtian of England. But the Treatiſes thereof. Sunne-riſing of the Goſpel with the Indians in New England, with the breaking forth of further light among them, and their enquity after the knowledge of the worlds Saviour, &c. hath been abundantly diſcovered by our Brethren there of late, to our very great rejoycing, and for the encouragement of them and others. To what hath been ſaid, let me adde what ſome Malvenda ubi ſupra. p. 150. ſuppoſe they read foretold concerning the Americans acceſſe to Chriſt, out of Philip. 2. 10. At the name of Ieſus every knee ſhall bow, of things in heaven, things on earth, and things under the earth, i. e. Heavenly things, Saints already converted, earthly, ſuch of the knowne world as the Apoſtles were then labouring to Goſpellize, under the earth, that is, the Americans which are as under us, and as Antipodes to us, and live as it were under, beneath, in the lower parts of the world; for it is not like hee ſhould ſpeake of the corporally dead, their bodies not being under, but rather in the earth, & inferi, infernus, doe not alwaies meane Hell, and the place of the damned, but the regions as under us ſometimes, that be oppoſite to us, as that Epiſtle, ſaid to be brought by a winde from the upper to the nether world, had thoſe words firſt, Superi inferis ſalutem, wee above the earth wiſh health to them under it; and thus the captive Indians Cap. Smith. p. 63. told the Engliſh Planters: Wee therefore ſeeke your deſtruction, becauſe wee heare you are a people come under the world to take our world from us. Others finde their converſion praefigured in that threat, Mat. 25. 30. Caſt the unprofitable ſervant into utter darkneſse, thoſe tenebrae exteriores, outward darkneſſes Barradus. T. 2. l. 8. c. 4. are regiones exterae, the outer and forraigne nations in the judgement of Remigius; and ſome conceive the ſame to be fore-ſignified by the Prophet Obadiah, ver. 20. The captivity of Ieruſalem ſhall poſſeſſe the Cities of the South. i. e. of America, ſo ſituate, or, the dry cities, that Countrey being much under the Torrid Zone; Acoſta De nat. Nov? Orb. l. 1. c. 15. confidently applyeth thus this text, as ſome others doe that of Eſa. 66. 19. Fredericus Lumnius p. 85. 93. &c. in his booke Devicinitate extremijudicii, findes or makes divers other Scriptures look this way, upon that ground, three ſorts of people ſhould be in the Church of Chriſt at ſeverall times, Jewes formerly, Chriſtians now, and theſe Indians afterwards; he citeth Hilary thus underſtanding that parable of the talents, the poſſeſſor of five is the Jew, hee that had two talents is the Gentile, then knowne, hee that received one, a people all carnall and ſtupid; and according to this triple time of the Church, and order of believers, hee expoundeth other Scriptures, Zach. 13. 8. Mat. 13. 3. and the three Watches, Luk. 12. 38. and craving pardon of his raſhneſſe, or rather fidei neſcientis menſuram ſuam, of his faith not knowing its owne meaſure, hee further allegorizeth the former parable, The Jewes had one Talent, the ancient and preſent Chriſtians two, Law and Goſpell, and the ſervant to whom five Talents were given, by which hee gained other five, is the Indian and American nation, laſt in time converted, and called after others into the vineyard; but it ſhall be more abundant in obeying the Goſpell, more fervent in charity, more zealous of good workes, and therefore Malvenda Malvenda ubi ſupra. P. 154. will have thoſe to be the dry Cities before mentioned out of Obad. ver. 20. Becauſe they ſhall ſo much thirſt after the Goſpell; for that younger ſiſter of the foure, ſaith Ho. Sta. p. 194. one of her friends in this England, is now growne marriageable, and daily hopes to get Chriſt to her husband by the preaching of the Goſpel. Comines Hiſt. l. 1. ſaid of the Engliſh that they were much addicted to, and taken with Prophecies and predictions, I believe that is incident to all Nations, Some even among theſe have foretold of the mutation of their rites, and religion, as hath b ••… mentioned, and in reference to their Goſpelizing Herberts ſacr. Poems. p. 190. a divine and propheticall Poet hath printed his thoughts hereof in ſeverall particulars.

Here is a ſad prognoſticke for this England, but a joyfull calculation for America, longing, thirſting America; and if ſuch be their ripeneſſe and deſire, wee ſhould alſo make haſte to ſatisfie them, The harveſt there is great, and the Regions are already white thereto; the laborours indeed are few, tis more then time that the Lord of the harveſt were more earneſtly intreated to ſend, to thruſt forth labourers into this Harveſt: they that have gone into thoſe parts have not all had a care of this, the harveſt of ſoules: It was indeed the profeſſion of Villagagno, and the purpoſe ſurely of Peter Richiers, and Will. Charter Paſtors, and others from Geneva, Anno, one thouſand five hundred fifty ſix, to publiſh the Goſpel there, and they were very ſerious therein, yea and Lerius, Lerius. p. 62. 300. 338. one of them, believes they had bin ſucceſſefull alſo, if that Apoſtate Governour had not become a moſt cruell perſecutor of the Reformed Religion in that ſtrange land, where he moſt barbarouſly murthered three of thoſe his owne Countrey men, and the aforeſaid Lerius piouſly took care that their Martyrdom ſhould be commemorated by Io. Criſpin in his Hiſtory; and though theſe were not ſo happy in that holy attempt, others have not been, will not be diſcouraged in ſuch a worke; a worke worthy of the choiceſt diligence of thoſe that profeſſe the glorious Goſpel in ſincerity, who have had alſo many and manifold experiments of divine favour in their ſeverall preſervations, directions, and accommodations; and becauſe their friends (with praiſe to God, and thanks to them for what is done and declared already) deſire to know more of thoſe their pious and bleſſed endeavours, Let me adde a third conſideration, Wiſhes of furtherance and direction in ſuch great and gracious employments, which ſhall be, I hope, and pray, as a ſpurre to more able adviſers to bring in every one ſomewhat or other towards the erecting of a Tabernacle for our God in America.

SOme give violent counſell here, preſuming they find it in that parable, Luk. 14. 23. compell them to come in; but judicious In loc. Auſtin calls this Amoris, non timoris tractum, not a force of feare, but of love, producing the example of a ſheepe following the ſhepherd holding a green bough in his hand; and tis the ſentence of a ſerious Hiſtorian Agathias. l. 1. among the Gentiles, ſuch are worthy of pitty not hatred, that erre from the truth, for they doe it not willingly, but being miſtaken in judgement, they adhere to their firſt received opinions; and the Saints in the firſt times never thought outward compulſion a fit meane to draw on inward aſſent. The Evangelicall Prophet foretold this, They ſhall not hurt nor deſtroy in all my holy mountaine ſaith the Lord, Eſa. 65 laſt. And our moſt deare Lord himſelfe ſaith, The ſonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives, but to ſave them, Luk. 9. 56. Saint Iames derives the pedigree of that wiſdome which hath bitter envying and ſtrife, though it be but in heart, though it may rejoyce and thinke highly of it ſelfe, yet its parentage is from that Cerberus of iniquity, the world, the fleſh, and the devill, Jam. 3. 15. But regenerated Saints delight ſurely in that wiſdome which is from above, and that is firſt pure, then peaceable, gentle, eaſie to be intreated, full of mercy, &c. Jam. 3. 17. Full of mercy, no roome therfore for violence and cruelty; and the holy men of the next ages were children of this wiſdome. 'Tis not Religion, ſaith Tertullian Ad Scap. init., to compell Religion, which ought to be introduced by perſwaſion, not force; for even ſacrifices of old were expoſtulated from willing mindes; our Church hath nothing to doe with murther, and bonds. Apolog. 2. p. 300. 450. Athanaſius never committed any man to a Goaler, ſaith hee himſelfe in his Apology; and againe, the truth is not to be preached with ſwords, and darts, and Armies, but by reaſon and Arguments, which finde no place among them whoſe contradiction is requited with ſuffering, baniſhment, and death: the Ancient Chriſtians abound with mentionings of this kind; It is ſaid indeed of Crantz. l. 1. c. 7. l. 2. Charles the great, that conquering the Saxons, he commanded them to embrace Chriſtianity, and that he dealt in ſuch a manner with the Hungarians, and ſome others; yea and though there be that ſpeake the like of Conſtantine, yet Euſebius De Vit. Conſt. l. 2. c. 55. writeth confidently, he wiſhed all, commanded no man to be a Chriſtian, and for this Oroſius Hiſt. p. 100. commends him, that he ſhut up the Pagan Temples, but offer'd no violence to mens perſons. The Devill indeed, becauſe he is no friend to truth, comes with axes and hatchets, but our Saviour is gentle, and with a ſweet voice ſaith, Open unto me my ſiſter, my love, &c. Cant. 5. 2, 5. and if they open, he enters, if not, he departeth, ſaith Athanaſius in the fore-cited place.

Foure things did eſpecially aſſiſt in the firſt coverting of people to Chriſt, beſides thoſe miraculous helps; and if they be now conſcienciouſly practiſed, God will ſhew himſelfe mervellous in his bleſſing. 1. Language, the neceſſity thereof was viſible in thoſe cloven tongues as of fire, the hiſtory whereof wee read Act. 2. 1. &c. Men muſt learne the ſpeech of the Natives, that dealing by Interpreters muſt needs be difficult, tedious, and not ſo ſucceſſefull; Meinardus Tripartit▪ l. 10. c. 5. of old firſt gained the tongue of the Livonians, and then became an happy inſtrument of their converſion; and Vit. per G. Patriark. Chryſoſtome did the like with the Scythians; and the French Colony Ep. p. 439. propounded and promiſed the ſame courſe at their firſt planting in America, as they certified Mr Calvin in their letters; and the Engliſh in Cap. Smith. p. 20. 37. &c. Virginia labouring to bring the Natives to Chriſtianity, were woefully impeded therein by the ignorance of their language, which defect in themſelves they did both acknowledge and bewaile. 2. Labouring in the word was required and practiſed, Mat. 28. Act. 20. 18. and paſsim Preachers ſhould be appointed with all diligence to inſtruct the Indians; for men are begotten to Chriſt by the word of truth, Jam. 1. 18. The Iberians Sozem. l. 2. c. 6. received the firſt inckling of the goſpell by a Chriſtian maid-ſervant that was a captive among them; and they ſent afterwards unto Conſtantine the Emperour for Preachers; the old Indian told the Spaniſh prieſt Hiſt l. 6. c. 25 complaining of their averſeneſſe to the Goſpell, The lawes of Chriſt wee confeſſe are better than ours, but wee cannot learne them for want of teachers, wherein he ſpake the truth, the very truth ſaith Acoſta, to our very ſhame and confuſion. 3. The piety and holineſſe of thoſe Apoſtolicall Chriſtians was exceeding and exemplary, by which as well as by their preaching they woo'd and wonne Kingdomes and people to Chriſtianity; their enemies could find no other fault in them, but that that they were Chriſtians: our deare Maſters generall command was univerſally practiſed, the light of their holy lives did ſhine to Gods glory, and the benefit of others; thus Victor Vticenſis p. 388. ſheweth that Caprapicta was converted as well by the piety and godlineſſe, as by the preaching of the Africans; as on the other ſide the impiety of the Spaniards deterred the Americans from the Goſpell. 4. Bleſſing was fetched downe from heaven by prayer, this was their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , their only worke in a manner, prayer and ministration of the word, Act. 6. 4. Thus l. 7. c. 30. Socrates reporteth, that after ſeven daies faſting and ſupplication the Burgundians were Chriſtianized; ſo Crantzius Ʋbi ſupra. p. 16. tells of thoſe northern Nations that by prayer and preaching they prevailed to bring many other people to Chriſt: If men doe now worke with theſe tooles, the building will goe up apace, the foundation being laid in the honour of God by the converſion of thoſe that yet remaine in the ſhadow of death.; in all which ſome furtherance might be found, by knowing and obſerving the diſpoſitions, faſhions, and cuſtomes of the Natives, which would alſo in a good meaſure be underſtood by ſerious converſes with them, and by ſeverall bookes that from ſeverall places upon ſeverall occaſions have been written of them; and to all let be added ſtudious induſtry, that ſome Indian children be taught Chriſtianity, and trained up to ſuch abilities that they may have skill to inſtruct their own Countrey men.

It was Gregories counſell to further the converſion of Lib. 5. Ep. 10. our Countreymen here, they ſhould buy Engliſh children and youths of ſeventeen or eighteen yeeres, that might be educated in Gods ſervice, and helpful this way. The Franciſcan that had been ſo many yeeres among them, and learned two of their languages, and uſed much diligence in this worke in his way, told Benzo Benzo. p. 256., that of neceſſity ſuch a courſe muſt be taken to Goſpellize them, all other endeavours would be fruitleſſe and labour in vaine; and that writer Id. p. 390. ſheweth how thoſe of Peru were well contented to deliver their young ones to be taught in Chriſtianity; and ſurely their Fathers and Countrey-men would ſooner liſten unto them than unto ſtrangers. And in all theſe the good counſell of the holy Apoſtle muſt be remembred, walke wiſely toward them which are without, Coloſ. 4. 5. not onely in watchfulneſſe and care to prevent all dangers from them, but in the moſt pious wiſdome of winning ſoules, Prov. 11. 30. by ſetting before them in practiſe alſo the examples of every grace and vertue, with the perfect hatred of all vice and ungodlineſſe; and let me have favour here to commend 3 or 4 cautions.

1. TAke heed and beware of cruelty, the God of mercy hates nothing ſo much, ſaith In Math. 16. Theophilact as unmercifulneſſe; the badge of Chriſt is clemency, his livery love; by this it ſhall be knowne that you are my Diſciples, ſaith our deare Maſter himſelfe, if yee love one another, Ioh. 13. 35. Other mens followers were known by their garments and colours, but charity and love made the firſt Chriſtians famous over all the old heathen world, but in the new World the Spaniards die was not ſo black as bloudy, and the Indians called them Caſas. p. 66. Yares, i. e. devills, ſo little humanity, as they conceived, was viſible among them. The ſame Biſhop, when he made an whole book of the Spaniſh cruelties which he ſaw executed by them on the Indians, proteſteth it was his opinion, that hee ſcarce mentioned one of a thouſand of their tyrannies; p. 35. and more than once or twice he averreth, that they allwaies grew from bad to worſe, and exceeded themſelves in their diabolicall doings. Nothing is more odious p. 34. 99. to this day than their name in thoſe Countries; for where ever the ſpaniſh Chriſtians diſplayed their banners ſaith Benzo p. 11., they imprinted upon the Natives by their horrid cruelties, eternall monuments of implacable hatred towards them; but the faire, civill, and gentle deportment of our Nation to the Natives, hath already wonne much upon them, as is acknowledged by a Io. de Lact. Deſcr. Amer. pref. forraigne pen.

2. Take heed and beware of covetouſneſſe, tis our ſweet Saviours own ingeminated command, Luk. 12. 15. happy ſhall the Natives be, and we alſo, if they find our converſation without covetouſneſſe, Heb. 13. 5. that they may ſee and ſay, the Engliſhmen ſeeke not ours, but us, and us, not to make us ſlaves to themſelves, but fellow ſervants to Chriſt our common Maſter; they ſaw the Spaniards ſo guilty of this Caſas. p. 22. evill, that they conceived them to adore no other God but gold, the obſervation of which fetched from p. 118. Benzo that pious exoptation, I wiſh to God, ſaith hee, wee were no more addicted to earthly things than they, the name of Chriſtian would be glorious were it not for our covetouſnes; the Spaniards indeed tell faire ſtories, ſome of them, as if their ſole deſire had been to Chriſtianize the Natives, when indeed all their endeavour was to ſatisfie their luſt and avarice; and Acoſta Hiſt. l. 4. c. 2. himſelfe cannot deny but that his Countreymen did commit many great outrages for gold and ſilver; but where thoſe metalls were not to be found, they made no ſtay, continued not in ſuch places; and Benzo p. 204. is large in producing their frequent and ſuddaine removes upon this occaſion, and he tells that the Bracamorians are unſubdued by the Spaniards to this day, not ſo much becauſe they are a warlike people in their kind, but eſpecially by reaſon of their poverty and indigence.

3. Take heed and beware of complying with them in any of their rites and ceremonies, if we intend they ſhould indeed come out of Egypt, let not an hoofe be left, as Exod. 10. 25. let them have Chriſtian religion purely, without blinding or blending; the wiſdome of the fleſh muſt not here be heard, wee muſt liſten to no other but the counſell of the Spirit. It was Ep. before ferm. in Jona. good advice the godly Biſhop and martyr Hooper gave to King Edward the ſixth and his honourable privy Councellors, As yee have taken away the Maſſe from the people, ſo take from them her feathers alſo, the Altar, veſtments, and ſuch like as apparell'd her: there hath not doubtleſſe, been any one thing ſo powerfull in begetting and maintaining doctrinall quarrells in Chriſtendome, as the unhappy complication with nations and people in ſome of their ſuppoſed tollerable rites at their firſt approaching to Chriſtianity; the Pagans of old, ſaith Rhenanus In Tertul. p. 103., were relieved by the mutation of ſome things in their religion, whoſe univerſall abolition had irritated, if not totally ſcared them from us; and Acoſta Hiſt. l. 6. c. 28 concurres with him in this matter, even in reference to the Indians: How this policy prevailed at firſt in the Church was long ago obſerved, and it became the lamentation of latter times, when men were more tenacious of humane ſuperſtructures, than of the fundamentalls laid by Jeſus Chriſt, the ſhell and ſhadow of Gentile ceremony is yet more carefully hunted after by the Man of Rome, than the moſt ſolid and ſubſtantiall truths of the Goſpel; pitty it is, that ſenſe and eyedazlelings ſhould prevaile more than divine verities, that abundance of good things ſhould breed ſurfets, and yet it will ever be thus, where there is want of care and ſpirituall exerciſe at home, and but cold endeavours to promote piety and godlineſſe abroad.

4. Take heed and beware of all and every ungodlineſſe, not onely for your owne ſakes, but that the ſweet name of our God be not blaſphemed among the Nations, Rom. 2. 24. Holy examples are a nearer way to righteouſneſſe than verball precepts and inſtructions; the Indians may, even without the word, be won to the truth by a godly converſation, as St. Peter ſpeaketh in the like caſe, 1 Pet. 3. 1. a corrupt life is a violent argument perſwading to evill; the Americans were ſcared from Chriſtianity by the ſcandalous iniquities of the Spaniards.

The evil example of one ungodly Chriſtian did more hinder the Indians converſion, than an hundred of their religious could further it, * he ſaith it, who ſaw what Caſ. •• ud Hiſt. p. 116. he ſpake, for they are verily perſwaded that of all the Gods in the world, the Spaniards God is the worſt, becauſe hee hath ſuch abominable and wicked ſervants. Id. ibid. Benzo l. 2. c. 16. tells of a confabulation himſelfe had with an old Indian, who in ſerious diſcourſe ſaid unto him, O Chriſtian! what kind of things be Chriſtians, they exact Mayz, Honey, Silke, an Indian woman for a concubine, they require gold and ſilver, Chriſtians will not worke, they dice, blaſpheme, &c. when I replyed, evil Chriſtians onely doe ſuch things, not ſuch, as be good, his anſwer was ready, but where are thoſe good Chriſtians? I could never yet ſee one of them; and not this American onely, but a Franciſcan Fryer publickly affirmed, that not a Prieſt, nor Monke, nor Biſhop in all India, was worthy of the name of a good man; Didacus Lopez Benzo. p. 257. in his Epiſtle to the Biſhop of Guattimala, ſaith, the Chriſtians were ſo prodigiouſly wicked, that they were odious not onely to heaven and Angells, but even to the earth, and devills; doe you believe ſaith hee, the Indians will become Chriſtians, when your ſelves are not ſo but in name onely, and in title? ſurely thoſe ſilly nations will ſooner be perſwaded to good by the example of one daies converſation, than by an whole yeers preaching; for to what purpoſe doe wee ſtrew among the people odoriferous roſes with our tongues and language, if we ſting and vex them in the meane time with the thornes of our wicked doings.

But our Countrey men take care to follow the aforementioned injunction of the holy Apoſtle, Col. 4. 5. they walke righteouſly, or as in our old Engliſh it was, in right wiſeneſſe, ſo they called righteouſneſſe, towards them without; and ſo their charter on earth, as well as thoſe letters patents from Heaven, wills that the Engliſh be ſo religiouſly, peaceably, and civilly governed, as their good life and orderly converſation may winne and incite the Natives of the Countrey to the knowledg and obedience of the onely true God and Saviour of mankinde, and the chriſtian faith, which in our regall intention and the Adventurers free profeſſion, is the Charter. principall end of this plantation.

And let theſe words be underſtood, as awakenings to thoſe of our Nation there, and our ſelves alſo, that wee all labour mutually, and from our hearts, to propagate the Goſpell there, becauſe wee, who eate every man of his owne vine, and of his owne figtree, and drinke every man water out of his own ciſterne, Eſa. 36. 16. ſhould witneſſe our thankfulneſſe unto God, for theſe favours, by ſympathizing affections towards our brethren there, and the Natives.

THey ſhould have our hearts and love for many reaſons, How many felicities did they forſake, both of the right hand, and of the left, in reſpect of eſtate, friends, and the comfort of their owne native ſoile? It was ſaid by the Prophet, Weepe for him that goeth out, for hee ſhall returne no more to ſee his owne Countrey, Jer. 22. 20. beſides, that dulcis amor patriae, how many hazards did they runne into by dangerous and tedious ſea-voyages? they were expoſed to divers certaine inconveniences, not only in regard of externalls, change of aire, diet, &c. but change of men eſpecially, having little ſecurity, becauſe they were in daily dread of Indian trechery, which might then fall upon them, when they ſuppoſed it moſt remote; they have alſo left more roome at home, of which wee were wont to have more need than company, which encreaſed ſo faſt, that wee were ready to extrude one another; and by them we have more ſtrength abroad, becauſe tranſplanted colonies Clapmar arcan. Reip. p. 52. be domeſtique fortifications, though they have been invented ſometimes, and uſed to abate popular undertakings, but I meane it in the Roman interpretation, the Nations where they fix, are reduced by degrees to their faſhions, lawes, and commands: yet ſome have unnaturally followed thoſe our Countrey men with reproaches, accounting them ſo baſe, as not worthy to be ſet with the dogs of their flocke, as one to them applyed that of Job 30. 1.

To the Weſterne Plantation indeed, at firſt men of meane condition generally reſorted, but ſoon after people of better ranke followed; divers of good families, and competent eſtates went into Virginia, and ſetled in ſome Iſlands thereabouts, but becauſe thoſe of New-England pretended more to Religion than the reſt, they are more loaden with uncivill language, but moſt injuriouſly; for the tranſplanting Novangles were many of them ſeverally eminent, ſome of noble extract, divers Gentlemen deſcended from good Families; their firſt Charter mentions three Knights, among other 40 Caroli. men of worth; and it ſeemes their example, or ſomewhat elſe was like to prevaile with many others of no meane condition, ſo that eleven of the then Privy Counſell directed their letters in December, one thouſand ſix hundred thirty foure, to the Warden of the Cinque ports, taking notice that ſeverall perſons went over with their families, and whole eſtates, forbidding ſubſidy men, or of the value of ſubſidy men to be imbarqued without ſpeciall licence and atteſtation of their taking the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance, ſubmiſſion alſo to the Orders and diſcipline of the Church of England: And three yeeres after, viz. one thouſand ſix hundred thirty ſeven, a proclamation iſſued from the King to the ſame purpoſe, and in the ſame words.

Others inſtead of affections and hearts, ſling darts after them, and ſay, they are gone out from us indeed, but they were not of us, 1 Joh. 2. 19. neither liking our doctrine nor governement. Yet ſurely they differ not at all from us in Religion, witneſſe our owne confeſſion and their profeſſion; and for the firſt, our learned men have continually acknowledged the Puritans to conſent with them in Doctrinalls, Archbiſhop Sands Serm. p. 81, 82. &c. in his Sermon before Queene Elizabeth more than once aſſerteth this, We have here ſaith he, to praiſe our God, that in publique doctrine touching the ſubſtance of religion wee all agree in one truth, the greater pitty it is we ſhould ſo much diſſent in matters of ſmall importance, in rites and circumſtanees; the Puritanicall errors did not at all oppoſe any part of our Religion, but it continued moſt ſound even to the dying day of that moſt renowned Princeſs, ſaith he that Rogers pref. p. 19. analyſed our thirty nine Articles, and ſo printed them by authority; and King Iames Pref. Baſil. Dor. averreth the like of his Scottiſh Puritans, We all God be thanked agree in the grounds, and after his reception of this Crowne, hee calls Parlia. ſpe? Anno. 1603. the Engliſh Puritan a Sect rather than a Religion; and in his Declaration againſt Vorſtius His workes. p. 358. hee joyneth his Churches of great Britaine with thoſe of France and Germany, oppoſing them all againſt Vorstius, Bertius, and the Arminians; Notwithſtanding the Diſciplinarian quarrell ſaith Reſ. ad Apol. p. 28. Biſhop Andrewes, we have the ſame faith, the Cardinall is deceived, or deceiveth, in uſing the word Puritans, as if they had another Religion differing from that publiquely profeſſed, and this hath been the unanimous aſſeveration of Engliſh Biſhops, and other learned Divines, as were eaſie abundantly to declare. But themſelves have ſpared us that labour, by their conſtant acknowledgement thereof; Mr. Rogers Rogers paſſim. in his forecited Analyſis, produceth their owne writings to this purpoſe, and what one of them can be named that refuſed ſubſcription to thoſe 39 Articles in reference to matters of Doctrine; Mr. Browne tis thought, went as farre aſtray as any here, yet I have ſeen his owne M. S. hand declaring at that time his allowance of all thoſe Synodicall Articles; and leſt any ſhould imagine the Novangles differing from us in dogmaticall truths, beſides many, very many printed bookes teſtifying their concurrence with us herein, beſide divers private Letters, that ſubſcribed by the Governour and principall aſſiſtants ſufficiently manifeſts their judgement and affection, wherein they deſire to be accounted our brethren, and implore our prayers; adding, howſoever our charity may have met with ſome diſcouragements through the miſreport of our intentions, or through diſaffection, or indiſcretion of ſome among us, for wee dreame not of perfection in this world, yet would you be pleaſed to take notice of the principall and body of this Company, as thoſe that are not aſhamed to call the Church of England our deare Mother, and cannot part from her without teares in our eyes, but ſhall ever acknowledge that ſuch part and hope as we have obtained in the common ſalvation, we received it in her boſome, and ſucked it from her breaſts, &c.

IT hath been laid and left at the doores of thoſe whom ſome call Independents here in this England, that they have ſhewed little love to others going aſtray, and that their zeale hath been wanting againſt thoſe blaſphemies and hereſies that have manifeſtly diſhonoured the moſt ſweet and holy name of God, Father, Son, and Spirit. Our booke tells us of Agathon in Doroth. Doctr. & vita patrum. a good man in former times when hee was accuſed of luſt, pride, &c. He ſaid, I confeſſe I am a ſinner, and I beſeech you pray for me, but when they laid hereſie to his charge, his heart was hot within him, his zeale was inflamed, and hee ſaid, Haereticus non ſum, & hoc vitium nulla patientia poſſum aut vole diſſimulare, hoereſis enim ſeparat hominem a Deo, & adſociat Diabolo: alienatus a Chriſto non habet Deum, quem oret propeccatis ſuis. Tis not for me to judge any, every one ſhall stand or fall to his owne Maſter, Rom. 14. 4. but I would remember my ſelfe and others of his zeale, who ſaid Eraſm, Ep. 6. fateor in cauſa fidei etiam vitam negligendam; I finde this grace very warme and working in our Novangles, for whom I have ſome few words more to mention in this particular, that my readers may be invited to thinke well of them, to doe well to them, and for them, or for the poore Indians rather, or ratheſt for Chriſt himſelfe, who ſhall have honour from us all, if wee all by communication of counſells, prayers, purſes, and every other way endeavour the furtherance of their converſion to our Lord Jeſus; and to procure our cordiall conjunction with our brethren there in this, I ſhall tranſcribe ſome things out of their owne late printed booke of the lawes and liberties concerning the inhabitants of Maſſachuſets, by which their love to truth, godlineſſe, peace, and learning will be evident, together with their liberall and enlarged care to propagate the eternall Goſpell of our Lord among the Natives.

At the title of haereſie, p. 24. this is the preface. Although no humane power be Lord over the faith and conſciences of men, and therefore may not conſtraine them to believe or profeſſe againſt their conſciences, yet becauſe ſuch as bring in damnable hereſies, tending to the ſubverſion of the Chriſtian Faith, and the deſtruction of the ſoules of men, ought duly to be reſtrained from ſuch notorious impiety, it is therefore ordered and decreed by this Court:

That if any Chriſtian within this jurisdiction ſhall goe about to ſubvert and deſtroy the Chriſtian Faith and Religion, by broaching or maintaining any damnable hereſie, as denying the immortality of the ſoule, or the reſurrection of the body, or any ſinne to be repented of in the regenerate, or any evill done by the outward man to be accounted ſinne, or denying that Chriſt gave himſelfe a ranſome for our ſinnes, or ſhall affirme that wee are not juſtified by his death and righteouſneſſe, but by the perfection of their owne workes, or ſhall deny the morality of the fourth Commandement, or ſhall endeavour to ſeduce others to any the hereſies aforementioned, every ſuch perſon continuing obſtinate therein after due meanes of conviction ſhall be ſentenced to baniſhment. 1646. And before Tit. Eccleſiaſticall. p. 19. 20 having ſaid, that the open contempt of Gods word, and the meſſengers thereof is the deſolating ſinne of civill States, &c. It is therefore ordered, and decreed, That if any chriſtian, ſo called, within this jurisdiction, ſhall contemptuouſly behave himſelf towards the word preached, or the meſſengers thereof—either by interrupting him in his preaching, or by charging him falſely with any error, which he hath not taught, or like a ſon of Korah caſt upon his true doctrine, or himſelfe, any reproach—every ſuch perſon or perſons (whatſoever cenſure the Church may paſſe) ſhall for the firſt ſcandall be convented and reproved openly by the Magiſtrate at ſome Lecture, and bound to their good behaviour, and if a ſecond time they breake forth into the like contemptuous carriages, they ſhall either pay five pounds to the publique treaſury, or ſtand two houres openly upon a blocke or ſtoole foure foot high on a Lecture day with a paper fixed on his breaſt, written in capitall letters, AN OPEN AND OBSTINATE CONTEMNER OF GODS HOLY ORDINANCES, that others may feare and be aſhamed of breaking out into the like wickedneſſe. 1646.

There be ſome in this England that account it piety and Religion to ſpeake evill of Chriſts Miniſters, and caſt off his Ordinances; now bleſſed of God from heaven and earth be our Novangles, Magiſtrates, Miniſters, and people that have ſo ſeaſonably witneſſed againſt theſe abominations.

They are great lovers of peace and government, theſe therefore be their words in another place; Tit. Anabaptiſts. p. 1. For as much as experience hath plentifully & often proved that ſince the firſt-riſing of the Anabaptiſts about an hundred yeeres paſt they have bin the Incendiaries of Common-wealths, and the infectors of perſons in maine matters of Religion, and the troublers of Churches in moſt places where they have been, and that they who have held the baptizing of infants unlawfull, have uſually held other errors or hereſies together therewith (though as heretiques uſe to doe they have concealed the ſame untill they eſpied a fit advantage and opportunity to vent them by way of queſtion or ſcruple) and whereas divers of this kinde have ſince our comming into New-England appeared amongſt our ſelves, ſome whereof, as others before them, have denyed the Ordinance of Magiſtracy, and the lawfulneſſe of making warre, others the lawfulneſſe of Magiſtrates and their inſpection into any breach of the firſt Table, which opinions, if connived at by us, are like to be increaſed among us, and ſo neceſſarily bring guilt upon us, infection and trouble to the Churches, and hazard to the whole Common-wealth: It is therefore ordered by this Court and authority thereof, that if any perſon or perſons ſhall either openly condemne or oppoſe the baptizing of infants, or goe about ſecretly to ſeduce others from the approbation, or uſe thereof, or ſhall purpoſely depart the Congregation at the adminiſtration of that Ordinance, or ſhall deny the Ordinance of Magiſtracy, or their lawfull right, or authority to make warre, or to puniſh the outward breaches of the firſt Table, and ſhall appeare to the Court willfully and obſtinately to continue therein, after due meanes of conviction, every ſuch perſon or perſons ſhall be ſentenced to baniſhment. 1644.

And that wee may diſcerne how worthy they are that wee ſhould doe all the good wee can for them, for they love the nation where they inhabite, and are very ſerious in preparing them for one husband, to preſent them a pure virgin unto Chriſt, 2 Cor. 11. 2. Severall therefore are their decrees in order to their converſion.

Tit. Indians. p. 28. 29. 1. Every Towne ſhall have power to reſtraine all Indians from prophaning the Lords day. 1633. 1639. 1641.

2. The Engliſh ſhall not deſtroy the Indians corne, but ſhall help them to fence in their grounds.

3. Conſidering one end in planting theſe parts was to propagate the true Religion unto the Indians, and that divers of them are become ſubjects to the Engliſh, and have engaged themſelves to be willing and ready to underſtand the Law of God; It is therefore ordered and decreed, that ſuch neceſſary and wholeſome Lawes which are in force, and may be made from time to time, to reduce them to civility of life, ſhall be once in the yeer (if the times be ſafe) made knowne to them, by ſuch fit perſons as the generall Court ſhall nominate, having the helpe of ſome able Interpreter.

4. Conſidering alſo that interpretation of tongues is appointed of God for propagating the truth; It is therefore decreed that two Miniſters ſhall be choſen every yeer, and ſent with the conſent of their Churches (with whomſoever will freely offer themſelves to accompany them in that ſervice) to make knowne the heavenly counſell of God among the Indians, and that ſomething be allowed them by the Generall Court to give away freely to thoſe Indians whom they ſhall perceive moſt willing and ready to be inſtructed by them.

5. They decree further that no Indian ſhall at any time Powaw, or performe outward worſhip to their falſe gods, or to the devill, and if any ſhall tranſgreſſe this law, the Powawer ſhall pay 5 l. the procurer 5 l. &c. 1646.

Their love to learning alſo is meet to be remembred, and encouraged, wherein they have Tit. Scheels. p. 47. obſerved a chief project of that old deluder Satan to keepe men from the knowledge of the Scriptures, as in former times keeping them in an unknowne tongue, ſo in theſe latter times by perſwading from the uſe of tongues, that ſo at leaſt the true ſenſe and meaning of the originall might be clouded with falſe gloſſes of ſaint-ſeeming deceivers, and that learning may not be buried in the graves of our forefathers in Church and Common wealth, the Lord aſſiſting our endeavours, It is therefore ordered by this Court and authority thereof, That every Townſhip encreaſing to the number of fifty houſholds, ſhall appoint one within their Towne to teach all ſuch children as ſhall reſort to him, to write and read, whoſe wages ſhall be paid either by the Parents or Maſters of ſuch children, or by the Inhabitants in generall by way of ſupply, as the major part of thoſe that order the Prudentialls of the Towne ſhall appoint, and where any town ſhall encreaſe to an hundred families or houſehoulders, they ſhall ſet up a Grammer ſchool, the Maſters thereof being able to inſtruct youth ſo far, as they may be fitted for the Univerſity, and if any town neglect this above a yeere, every ſuch Towne ſhall pay five pound per ann. to the next ſuch Schoole, till theyſhall performe this order. 1647.

And an Academy or Univerſity is not onely in their aime, but a good while ſince they had more than begun well, and therefore wee read theſe words in another Tit. College. p. 12. part of their lawes, Whereas through the good hand of God upon us there is a College founded in Cambridge in the County of Middle ſex, called Harvard College, for incouragement whereof this Court hath given the ſum of four hundred pounds, and alſo the revenue of the Ferry betwixt Charles Towne and Boſton, and that the well ordering and mannaging of the ſaid College is of great concernment; It is therefore ordered by this Court, &c. Then follow directions for the Preſident and Commiſſioners to eſtabliſh orders and diſpoſe gifts, &c. 1636. 1640. 1642.

Mr. Coleman that was Eraſtianly principled, preached publikely that except ſome other way be found to Sermon at Weſtm. in Ann. 1646. Iuly, 30. è Iob. 11. 22 keepe up learning, our Univerſities will be but uſeleſſe places, and learning it ſelfe an unneceſſary thing; for under this notion of Independency, Weavers and Tailors may become Paſtors, ſo that if ſome ſtop be not, the iſſue may be, that one may binde his ſonne Apprentice to a Cobler, and at ſeven yeeres end he may go out a free Miniſter, &c.

But our Brethren of New England wee ſee have other principles and practiſes, and notwithſtanding that they went out as exiles hence, Stat. Eccleſ. Brit. praeface. extra anni ſoliſque viam—yea as Iacob of old with his ſtaffe onely paſſed over Iordan, and ſuddenly became two bands, Gen. 32. 10. Theſe ventured upon the wide and wild Ocean with poore and ſmall proviſion, and how great how many are the mercies that our God hath ſhewed unto his ſervants there, that they are not onely furniſhed themſelves with neceſſaries of all ſorts, and have made large ſteps in an Academicall way, having Acts, Degrees, and Commencements according to the commendable faſhion of England, as their own words are; The theſes at their Commencements diſputed upon have been printed ſeverall yeeres at Cambridge in New England, and thence diſperſed here; but they have alſo induſtriouſly furthered by their godlineſſe, gentleneſſe, and good orders, the converſion of a miſerable people that have lien ſo long in darkeneſſe. To warme the affections of the Engliſh here, to raiſe all our hearts and endeavours to joyne all poſſible forces here and there in this ſoule-worke, the next chapter is added.

THE Reader here ſhall have a Breviate inviting him to peruſe thoſe larger diſcourſes, printed Day breaking if not the Sunriſing of the Goſpel with the Indians in New-England. Printed for Fulk Clifton, on New Piſh. ſtreet hill. 1647. on purpoſe to raiſe our hearts in lifting up the high praiſes of God, that hath given this grace unto men.