Ill News from New England, Title page – Dedication 1
ILL NEWES FROM NEW-ENGLAND: OR A Narative of New-Englands PERSECUTION.
WHERIN IS DECLARED That while old England is becoming new, New-England is become Old.
Alſo four Propoſals to the Honoured Parliament and Councel of State, touching the way to Propagate the Gospel of Chriſt (with ſmall charge and great ſafety) both in Old England and New.
Alſo four concluſions touching the faith and order of the Goſpel of Chriſt out of his laſt Will and Teſtament, confirmed and juſtified
By JOHN CLARK Phyſician of Rode Iſland in America.
Revel. 2. 25.
Hold faſt till I come.
3. 11.
Behod I come quickly.
22. 20.
Amen, even ſo come Lord Jeſus.
LONDON, Printed by Henry Hills living in Fleet-Yard next door to the Roſe and Crown, in the year 1652.
To the Right Honorable the Houſe of PARLIAMENT, and COUNCEL of STATE for the Commonwealth of ENGLAND, The author humbly craves of that mighty Counſeller, that Prince of peace, a large donation of the ſpirit of Counſell, and of the ſpirit of courage, with a ſuitable and happy ſucceſs for the Peace, Liberty, and enlargement of theſe three Nations.
MAy it pleaſe you right Honorable, in ſome of thoſe few vacant hours which it pleaſeth the moſt high (whoſe rod and ſtaff you are) to afford unto you, from thoſe many, weighty, difficult, and diſtractfull incombrances, and affairs, that do flow in, and preſs upon you daily, to caſt your eye (at leaſt for recreation ſake) upon this Treatiſe, and the rather, becauſe it contains in it matter of no ſmall concernment, as in it ſelf, ſo eſpecially to your honoured ſelves; for in the firſt part, which is the narrative, you may pleaſe to read a tragicall ſtory, wherein I hope your eye will not a litle affect your tender hearts, to ſee ſuch a diſcurteous entertainment of ſtrangers, and wayfaring-men that were paſſing by, and tarried but for a night or two, and that by their neighbours, men profeſſing the fear of the Lord as they alſo do; who together for liberty of their conſciences, and worſhip of their God, as their hearts were perſwaded, long ſince fled from the perſecuting hands of the Lordly Biſhops, your adverſaries and ours, unto thoſe utmoſt parts of the World, to the extreme hazard of their lives, the waſting of their eſtates, and upon the point, to the totall loſs and deprivation of their neer and deer relations, and the comforts thereof in this their native land; and the rather to ſee this acted by that ſword, that hand, which from your honored arm they are betruſted with, and ſo to ſee your ſword, your power, your hand miſuſed therein. In the ſecond part, which is the confirmation of my teſtimony by the word of God, and teſtimony of Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, and eſpecially in the later part thereof: you that count it your greateſt honour, and higheſt preferment in this world to be ſervants of Chriſt (who is indeed the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings, whoſe Sword-bearers you are, as was alſo that Caeſar although he knew it not) you (I ſay I hope) ſhall find that he hath not required ſuch things at your hands, as generally they that have been his Sword-bearers before your ſelves have been apt to conceive; and thereupon have been too deeply engaged in the ſhedding of much innocent bloud in this Land; being alſo perſwaded thereunto by their teachers, who to maintain their ſuperſtitious, humane, invented religion and worſhip, for filthy lucres ſake, it being the only curious art, and craft by which they had their wealth and livings as thoſe of old; not having the two-edged ſword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, to defend themſelves, and to maintain their craft, againſt the poor illiterate and deſpiſed ſervants and witneſſes of Jeſus Chriſt, have been forced to call for the ſword of ſtell, the power of the Magiſtrate, to help to ſtop their mouthes, to cut them off, and ſo to take them out of their way, and by caſting a miſt before their Rulers eyes they have ſtill perſwaded them, That this is their office, and duty to do, and that hereby they did God beſt ſervice with that ſword with which they were betruſted, whereas indeed they did but make their ſword guilty of the blood of the innocent; and thus were they taken off from attending upon the very thing for which this ſword was put into their hands, to attend upon their private, and carnall intereſts, and ſo were brought into a double tranſgreſſion. By whoſe errataes, Right Honourable, I hope the Lord will teach you to beware, and by giving you a clear diſcerning of his mind, and will in theſe more bright ſunne-ſhining daies (wherein the Earth begins to be filled with the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea) will give you to underſtand that as all power in earth is given to him, ſo he to the glory of God his Father, whoſe power, and wiſdome he is, doth wiſely manage the ſame by a two fold adminiſtration of power ſuitable to the two fold ſtate or being of man, whom in the earth, and in the things thereof he hath appointed Lord; that one may be called an earthly, and outward adminiſtration, which ſuits the outward man, and all thoſe outward, and viſible things (in reference unto man) that do belong thereto, as he is Lord thereof, and is managed by an outward viſible ſword of ſteel, and by a carnall or audible voyce, or word of him, or them that holds it in their hand, and to an outward and carnal end, (yet righteous, juſt, and good, which being diligently attended to tends to the peace, liberty, and proſperity of a civil State, Nation and Kingdom ſo far as it concerns the outward man and viſible ſtate thereof;) which end is the preſervation of it ſelf, the whole, and every particular part, and perſon, belonging thereunto, ſafe in their perſon, name, and eſtate from him, or them that would riſe up viſibly to oppreſs, or wrong them in the ſame; Thus in the general; and to inſtance more particularly, in caſe by the caution of a wholeſome Law, and juſt penalty annexed thereunto, which by a carnall hand or way, is preſented to a carnall and viſible eye, or ear, the Oppreſſour takes not warning, and will not be deterred from offering violence to the perſon, name, or eſtate of his neighbour, then by this power ſhall he be made reſponſible, and be forced nolens volens, ſo far as he is able to make it good, and to reſtore; in caſe any be impoveriſhed, or faln to decay in their outward man, and eſtates by age, ſickneſs, fire, or by ſome other way, or hand of GOD; ſo far as their preſent ſtrength extends, by this power they are to be employed, and where it fails, to be relieved, and that by an equall, and juſt levy of their neigbours eſtates to be taken alſo by force in caſe there be not ſo much love, and charity in them towards their poor diſtreſſed neighbours to conſtrain them thereunto, and by the ſame way alſo to maintain itſelf, and all other juſt undertakings that may be preſented for the preſervation of the whole. And this in brief is the ſum of that adminiſtration of Chriſts power in earth ſo far as it meerly concerns the outward man with reſpect to others that may uphold it, or moleſt it, and is managed by that ſword of ſteel which in reference unto him is called in ſcripture the rod of iron by which he rules the nations, and breaks them to peeces like a Potters veſſel; and with this adminiſtration of his power on Earth (Right Honourable) hath he (who is the Lord of Lords and ſhall ere long appear as King and Judge of all) betruſted you in theſe three Nations, having as a manifeſt token thereof put into your hand that iron rod, and to admiration hath ſtrengthened and upheld your arm for the ſubduing, and ordering of the ſame.
There is yet beſides this, another adminiſtration of Chriſts power on Earth, which compared with this, may be truly termed heavenly and ſpirituall, it being that which ſuiteth with, and principally is exerciſed about the ſpirituall, or hidden part of man, to wit, his ſpirit, mind, and conſcience, which is indeed the moſt naturall Lord and commander of the outward, it and all things belonging thereunto being but naturally ſubject, and readily obedient, from which very conſideration it is, that it is more ſafe, and alſo more honourable, for the powers on earth to have one thouſand ſouls to be ſubject to them for love and conſcience ſake, than to have ten thouſand times ten thouſand bodies ſeemingly ſubject, for wrath ſake, and for fear of revenge; this ſpirit and great commander in man, is ſuch a ſparkling beam, from the Father of lights, and ſpirits, that it cannot be lorded over, commanded, or forced, either by men, devils, or angels, but onelyonly leaving its firſt ſtation, wherein it came ſo neer to the light and glory of God, it is now cauſed to poſſeſs death and darkneſs, and by that means is in a capacity by men and devils to be deceived, and ſo by perſwaſion to be mis-led. This ſpirituall adminiſtration of Chriſts power in and over the ſpirits and conſciences of men, as it extends to all the inward and hidden motions and actings of the mind, ſo to all the outward manifeſtations of its powerfull commands in the outward man, in reference unto God, and eſpecially unto ſuch as appertain to the viſible worſhip and ſervice of God, who hath declared himſelf to be a Spirit, and will be worſhipped in ſpirit and in truth, and ſeeks ſuch, and onelyonly ſuch to worſhip him: This ſpirituall adminiſtration ſo far as it concerns the outward man, is managed not by a ſword of Steel (which cannot come neer or touch the ſpirit or mind of man) but by the ſword that proceeds out of the mouth of his ſervants, the word of truth, and eſpecially as to the efficacy, and to the inward man, by the twoedged ſword of the Spirit, that ſpirituall law and light with which theſe candles of the Lord are enlightned, and that by himſelf, who is that light that enlightneth every man that comes into the world; and this ſpirituall adminiſtration of Chriſts power on earth in and over the ſpirits, minds, and conſciences of the ſons of men, and alſo over the outward man as to worſhip meerly, is committed into the hands of the Spirit of Chriſt, who is his vice-roy here on earth, and is only able to deal with ſpirits by way of convincing, converting, transforming, and as it were a-new creating of them, and ſo to tranſlate them out of the Kingdome of darkneſs, in which they are by nature, into the glorious …iberty of the Saints in light. Who is pleaſed alſo to make uſe of the mouths of his ſervants, and through them, as empty reeds, and crooked rams-hornes, to overturn the ſpirits, and ſpirituall ſtrong holds of men and devils, and by them to convict, avenge, and execute the ſentence written, which upon ſuch as manifeſt the emnity that is in their minds in the higheſt degree even againſt the holy Spirit himſelf (the only ſin unpardonable (for all other ſin and blaſphemy ſhall be forgiven) I ſay the written ſentence that is to be executed upon ſuch) is anathema maranatha, that is, accurſed with this intimation, our Lord cometh, leaving them untill he meet with them; and otherwiſe than thus the ſervants of Chriſt cannot proceed, having expreſs command not to ſtrive, but to be patient, apt to teach, in meekneſs inſtructing thoſe that oppoſe themſelves, & to wait if God at anytime wil give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth: Thus if it pleaſe the Father of lights to give you (Right Honorable) to diſtinguiſh between theſe two adminiſtrations of Chriſt's power here on earth, and to leave that part to himſelf in the hand of his Spirit, which cannot be conferred on others, nor yet rightly managed but by the two-edged ſword of that Spirit, and wholly give up your ſelves to improve that part which belongs unto, and well ſuits with that ſword which you are now betruſted with, it will much conduce to his glory, your own praiſe, and the peace and ſettlement of theſe three Nations, over which the Lord hath ſet you.
And whereas Right Honorable, it is in your hearts, to propagate the Goſpell of Jeſus Chriſt; the thing is excellent that is in your hearts, and I hope the way to effect it is before you, which is, ſith the Lord of hoaſts hath ſaid, that works of this nature are carried on, not by might, nor by power, but by his Spirit, therefore to give way to his Spirit for the effecting thereof: and to this end I humbly propoſe, that your way to further this glorious deſign, as to the might and power this Lord of Hoaſts hath betruſted you with, is
1. Not ſo much as to touch his Anointed, and to do his Prophets no harm, their ointment being the Spirit of prophecy, and this Spirit of prophecy the teſtimony and witneſs of the Goſpel of Jeſus. And
2. As obedient and dutifull ſervants to that Lord of Lords, to ſuffer the Tares (which being by the adverſary ſown after the Wheat, muſt needs be ment, erronious, hereticall, and antichriſtian perſons profeſſing the Goſpel, I ſay to let theſe tares) alone in that part of the field, or world, over which the great Lord of the harveſt hath placed your Honors; ſith it is his pleaſure they ſhall there remain to the time of the harveſt, being the end of the world, and that out of his tender reſpect to the Wheat, leſt in plucking up the tares (though evidently diſcerned by his ſervants) the Wheat ſhould be rooted up alſo. And
3. To the ſame end not to give your ſword, or power to the beaſt nor yet to ſuffer your power, neither in theſe three nations, nor yet in any forreign part of the world to be ſo miſuſed by any to whom 'tis committed, as by vertue thereof out of an ignorant zeal, and blind devotion, pretending to pluck up the tares (which yet is contrary to the expreſs mind of the Lord) to root up the wheat alſo.
4. To countenance and incourage (as through Gods mercifull hand on your hearts in ſome meaſure you do) ſuch as are faithful, and upright in the land, by this means ſhall a wide and effectual door be opened, and ſo ſhall the word of the Lord, which is the Goſpel of Chriſt go forth, run, and be glorifyed through all thoſe parts of the world that acknowledge your power, and that which is of God ſhall ſtand, encreaſe and be propagated, and that which is not of God ſhall fall, decay, and come to nothing. Thus ſhall you alſo accompliſh the words of the Prophets of old, in becoming nurſing fathers unto the ſervants, and children of God, who under you ſhall lead a peaceable, and quiet life in all godlineſs, and honeſty, and ſhall be greatly obli…ged to improve their intereſt in the father of mercies by their preſenting to him conſtant and earneſt petitions, ſupplications, interceſſions, and giving of thanks on your behalf. And for the furtherance of thoſe worthy thoughts of your hearts, they ſhall not ceaſe to preach, and declare to great, and ſmall what they have ſeen, and felt, and heard touching the Goſpel of Chriſt, and to pray the lord of the harveſt to ſend forth faithful and painful labourers into his harveſt; which is alſo the conſtant, hearty, and earneſt requeſt of
Your humble and faithful Subject, JOHN CLARK.