The Wonderful Works of God Commemorated, Preface
The Preface,
THe Occasion which first produced the following Sermon, cannot be expressed in better Terms, than those which were used by the Worthy Gentlemen that were the Conservators of our peace, in their humble Address to Their Majesties, bearing Date, May 20th 1689. Wherein among other things they say,
— Your three several Princely Declarations, Encouraging the English Nation, to cast off the Yoke of a Tyrannical and Arbitrary Power, which at that time they were held under, have occurred unto the View and Consideration of the people in this Countrey, being themselves under alike (if not worse) evil and unhappy Circumstances with their Brethren in England; First by being unrighteously deprived of their Charter-Government, & Priviledges, without any Hearing or Tryal, and under utter impossibilities of having Notice of any Writt served upon them; and then followed with the Exercise of an illegal and Arbitrary power over them, which had almost ruined a late flourishing Countrey, and was become very grievous & intolerable; besides the growing miseries, and daily fears of a total Subversion, by enemies at home, and invasion by forreign sorce; the people thereby excited, to imitate so noble and heroic an Exemple, being strongly and unanimously spirited, to intend their own safeguard and Defence, resolved to sieze upon and secure some of the principal persons concerned, and most active in the ill management of the illegal and arbitrary Government, set over them by Commission. Accordingly upon the eighteenth day of April last past, arose as one man, siezed upon Sr. E. Ananos the late Governour, and other of the evil instruments, and have secured them for what Justice, Order from your Majesties shall direct. — Thus that Address.
VponUpon the late Revolutions thus described, ensued various debates about the further Steps that were needful to be taken for the service of Their Majesties and this afflicted Countrey; Which Debates quickly issued in the Return of our Government, into the Hands of our Ancient Magistrates; who with the Representatives or Deputies of the several Towns in the Colony, made another Address unto Their Majesties, bearing date, Iune 6. 1689. in which Address there were these Words,
— Finding an Absolute Necessity of Civil Government, the People generally manifested their Desires and Importunity once and again, That the Governour, Deputy Governour and Assistants, chosen and sworn in May 1686. according to Charter & Court as then formed, would assume the Government; —
— the said Governour, Deputy-Governour, and Assistents, then Resident in the Colony, did Consent to accept the present Care and Government of this people, according to the Rules of the Charter, for the preservation of the Peace and common safety, and the putting forth further Acts of Authority, upon Emergencies: until by Direction from England, there should be an orderly Settlement; which we hope will Restore us to the full Exercise thereof, as formerly; notwithstanding we have, for some time, been most unrighteously, and injuriously deprived of it.
That Royal Charter being the sole Inducement and Encouragement unto our Fathers and predecessors, to come over into this Wilderness, and to plant the same at their own Cost and Charge.
In Answer to this Address, His Majesty in a most gracious Letter, bearing Date the 12th of August 1689. unto the Government here, uses these Expressions,
Whereas you give Us to understand, that you have taken upon you the present care of the Government, until you should receive Our Order therein, We do hereby Authorize and Empower you to Continue in Our Name, your Care in the Administration thereof, and Preservation of the Peace, until We shall have taken such Resolutions, and given such Directions for the more orderly Settlement of the said Government, as shall most conduce to Our Service, and the Security and Satisfaction of Our Subjects within that Our Colony.
It was in the time of our greatest Heats and Straits, and at a time appointed for a General Assembly of this great Colony, that the ensueing Sermon was expected from me. Through the Grace of God, the Sermon Then was not altogether unacceptable to some who desired the Publication of it. But I gave not my full Consent unto their Desire, until now, they had an Opportunity (with their Renewed Importunity) to join it with another Discourse which they have obtained from me; and tho' the little Differences which were among us, when the Sermon was preached, are now s… well Composed, yet I flatter my self with an opinion, that the things here insisted on, will not, should not be judg'd Unseasonable.
I confess it is a very Bold thing, for one every way so mean as my self, to Address the whole Countrey in such a manner as here I do; but, Si crimen erit, crimen Amoris erit; and if the general Dispositions of the year will not excuse a Breach of Order in me, I have but one thing more to offer by way of Satisfaction for it▪ There was once a people in the world, with whom it was a Custome, That when men would Conciliate the Favour of the Ruler, they were to present his own Son before him, as a Sight which would speak more than any Advocate. Instead thereof, that I may not want the Favour of my Countrey, how blameable soever they may count my freedome with them, I shall only present them with my own Father; whose cheerful Encounter with an hazardous Voyage unto a strange Land, and with innumerable Difficulties and Temptations there, for no other Cause, than that he might Speak FOR them, has at least merited a Pardon for Mee, with whom he has for near two years now left both his Church and Family, if I have transgressed by taking a Liberty of Speaking TO them at the same time, the things which may promote our Enjoyment of the Divine Presence with us. Now, may Salvation be nigh unto us, and Glory dwell in our Land!
Cotton Mather.