The Great Blessing of Primitive Counselors, Title page – To the reader
THE GREAT BLESSING, OF PRIMITIVE Counsellours.
Discoursed in a SERMON, Preached in the Audience of the GOVERNOUR, COUNCIL, and REPRESENTATIVES, of the Province of the Massachusets-Bay, in New England. May 31st. 1693. Being the Day for the ELECTION of Counsellours, in that Province.
By Increase Mather.
President of … Colledge in Cambridge, and Teacher of a Church at Boston, in New-England.
Bene agere & Male audire Regium est.
BOSTON, Printed and Sold, by Benjamin Harris, Over-against the Old-Meeting-House. 1693.
TO THE Inhabitants Of the Province of the Massachusets-Bay, In NEW-ENGLAND.
THAT this Colony was happy as to Civil Government whilst they Enjoyed their Former Charter, is most certain. Not that that there where no imperfections attending that First Patent. Our Neighbours in the other Colonies saw that there were some material Defects therein, which are not in their Charters, that were Granted after Ours. But inasmuch as by Vertue thereof, the Freeman had full Power to Chuse their own Rulers, they could not be Miserable, unless by unhappy Elections they made themselves so.
That some great Priviledges contained in the Old Charter, are not in that which at Present we enjoy, is known to every one: Nevertheless there …s that in it which calls for great Thankfulness to God, whose Providence has Smiled as well as Frowned upon us. By Vertue of this Charter every man is Confirmed in the Peaceable Enjoyment of his Estate and Property. Nor can any Taxes now be imposed on you, or Laws made, without your own consent by such Representatives as your selves shall Chuse. And (which …s a greater matter) you are for ever delivered from all Impositions on Conscience, which not many years ago you were afraid of. You may serve God with all the freedom which your hearts can desire. Nor can there be …ny Judge or Justice of Peace, but such as the Counsellors who are to assist …he Governour shall consent unto. Nor any Counsellours Confirmed beside such as the Representatives of the Province shall Nominate to the Governour. These are things which if you sleight or undervalue them, the Most High will doubtless be Offended. Nor is a Murmuring Spirit the right way to obtain more. When the Children of Israel Murmured against those that had been the Instruments of their Salvation, what did they get by it? For My own part, If I desire any thing in the World, I Wish your Prosperity, and that you were in a Frame fit for, and might enjoy all the Priviledges which your selves can Wish for, in Order to your own Happiness. And I thought I had given Demonstrations of my great affection to you, both whilst present with you, and absent from you: which notwithstanding some ill men (Who they are I know not) have caused reports to flye about the Country, as tho During my Negotiation for you in England, I never opened my mouth for the Vindication of New England, and never endeavoured the Restoration of ancient Priviledges, but in taking up with the present Charter (when more could not be obtained) followed my own Opinion without the advice of such as were your Friends; and acted contrary to Instructions received from the General Court. But if I never did any thing for the Vindication of the People in this Province, from the Aspersions cast upon them by their Adversaries, I desire to know who it was that Published the Narrative of the Miseries of New England, and that afterwards wrote a First, Second, and Third, Vindication of the People there? If I never endeavoured the Restoration of Old Charter, Priviedges, by means of whose Sollicitations was it, that Votes were passed in the Honourable House of Commons, that the Old Charter should be restored, and a Bill wherin the Judgment against that Charter was Reversed, a Copy whereof I can produce? And who was it that wrote and dispersed, Reasons for the Confirmation of that Charter? Or, that did oftentimes Humbly Address Their Majesties, and Their Principal Ministers of State concerning that affair? Day and Night have seen, Heaven and Earth have heard, both Worlds are Witnesses, with what Importunities I have Sollicited both God and Man, for all your ancient Priviledges, yea and for Additionals unto them, according to the Instructions which the General Court sent unto me, about my attendance to every one of which I gave to the General Assembly a Particular and Satisfactory account at my first Arrival.
That I did not take one step without the Advice of the Wisest and Best Friends which New England has in England; there are many in London can attest. My Worthy Dear Friend Mr. Matthew Mead in a Letter to a Relation of mine in Boston, is pleased thus to Write.
Mr. Mather, Has deserved highly of New-England, for the unfainting Diligence and Indefatigable Endeavours he has showed in his Agency for that People. And whilest some with you may perhaps wonder that he has obtained no more, we here, who have the Advantage of a better Prospect, wonder that he has done so much. And if men Reward not his great work, and Labour of Love, I am sure God will. What he has done has not been without the Counsel and Advice of the best Friends that Country has in this, both Parliament Men, Lawyers and Ministers; and to be thankful for what you have for the present is the way to get what you want hereafter. These are the words of Mr. Mead. It were indeed improper for me to produce a tenth part of the Testimonies wherewith no inconsiderable persons have Spontaneously favoured and furnished me to Justify my integrity in this matter; nevertheless, the Injuries done me (which I cannot be so Stoical as not at all to resent) since my Return to New-England, make it but a reasonable piece of Justice to my self, to bring forth one or two more of them. Not only Mr. Mead, but many other Eminent Ministers, with whom I had the Happiness of a free Conversation in London, for the space of Three or Four Years, were so kind as to send a Letter to the General Court in Boston, Expressing their Approbation of my Proceedings. The Letter bears Date, October 17th. 1691. And is Subscribed by, Dr. Bates, Dr. Annesly, Mr. Griffith, Mr. Barker, Mr. Woodcock, Mr. Alsop, Mr. How, Mr. Mayo, and several Other Eminent Divines in that City. Modesty would restrain me from mentioning that respectful Character they are pleased to impose upon me, did not the Suggestions of some Whisperers necessitate thereunto, that so my Friends and Countrymen may be truly informed concerning my transactions in their behalf. Their words are as followeth.
We must give this true Testimony of Our much Esteemed and Beloved Brother Mr. Increase Mather, that with Inviolate Integrity, Excellent Prudence, and Unfainting Diligence, He has managed that great Business, committed to his trust. As He is Instructed in the School of Heaven to Minister in the affairs of the Soul, so He is furnished with a Talent to transact affairs of state. His Proceedings have been with that Caution and Circumspection as is Correspondent to the weight of His Commission. He with Courage and Constancy has pursued the Noble Scope of his Employment, and understanding the true moment of things has preferred the Publick Good to the vain conceits of some, that more might be obtained if Peremptorily insisted on. Considering the open opposition and secret arts that have been used to frustrate the best Endeavours for the Interest of New-England, the happy Issue of things is superiour to our Expectations.
Your present Charter secures Liberty and Property, the fairest Flowers of the Civil State, and which is incomparably more valuable, it secures the enjoyment of the Blessed Gospel in it's Purity and Freedom. Altho' there is a restraint of your Power in some things, that were Granted in the former Charter, yet there are more Ample Priviledges in other things that may be of Perpetual advantage to the Colony. We doubt not but your faithfull Agent will receive a Gracious Reward above; and we hope His successful Service will be welcom'd with your entire approbation and grateful acceptance. Thus those Reverend and Learned Persons.
The Whisperers that have endeavoured to make people believe that the Ministers who Subscribed that Letter did afterwards repent of their so doing, are Forgers of Lies. Nor would those Worthy Persons account it any other then a Calumny to have such a thing said of them, Four or Five of them having since that Written Letters to some in Boston of the same Import with the Former. And so have several Gentlemen in London, whose Sentiments and Expressions for the present I forbear to mention.
And whereas that Right Worshipful Gentleman, Sr. Henry Ashurst, with whom I had the Honour to be Joyned in the same Agency, in behalf of this Colony, and who did fully concurr with Me in what was done for New-England, has bin unworthily reflected on by some Male-Contents; for His Vindication as well as My own, and that so the Inhabitants of this Province, both such as are now Living, and such as shall come hereafter, may see, to whom they have (under God) bin Beholden, for what Restored Liberties, and Confirmed Properties, they now do, and are like to possess; I Judge it proper and necessary to publish some passages in his Letter sent to the General Assembly at Boston. Dated December 28th. 1691. In which He thus Speaks.
I have not for above Twelve Months troubled you with any of my Letters, because I knew my Worthy Friend, Mr. Mather, did not omit any opportunity of acquainting you with every thing wherein your Interest was concerned. I shall not much inlarge upon the Services that Mr. Mather hath done, for you have His True Character sent you by the Reverend Dr. Bates, and other the most Eminent Ministers in and about this Town. But I am sure He has been Faithful to your Interests, and diligent, and unwearyed in your service, with neglect of his Health. He hath lived here for You, and deserveth the greatest Marks of your Favour you can bestow on him. Mr. Mather and My self in Transacting your affairs did not leave any way unattempted that the wisest Friends we could consult with, could direct us to. When the King was Petitioned to make alterations in your Settlement, and to appoint a Governour, and other General Officers, we then joyned all our interests together, and obtained the Naming of every one of them, and other Priviledges that are not granted to any other Plantation. None have been more industrious by all possible means then Mr. Mather, and My self to have obtained your Old Charter. I hope Mr. Mather will do me that justice, to assure you, that I have never omitted any opportunity of serving you to the utmost of my Power. Thus that Worthy Gentleman.
I must now do Him that Right He expects from Me, before all the World And as I have elsewhere said, I say again, it is not in the Power of New-England duely to Reward his Endeavours. But to requite him with Censures, will not be only Vile Ingratitude (the Compendium of all Evil) but great Folly You cannot loose His Friendship alone: and who will ever make an Interest for you again, if He must be rewarded with Slanders for all His Care and Pains? By such things you may soon make yourselves Friendless, and the most miserable people in the World. Some Friends of mine in England who were very willing I should spend the remainder of My days amongst them, told me, that they had bin informed that the People of New-England were always ungrateful to their Publick Servants, & that altho' they knew I had with Industry & Fidelity served them to the utmost of my Capacity, they doubted, whether they would be sensible of it or no. My reply to them was, that (with the Divine Permission) I would go to N. Engl. & see, and if I found their prognostications true, I should see (the dear people in Boston concurring with me) my Call clear to return to England again. And now I cannot understand but that the Inhabitants of the Province do generally rejoyce in what they at present enjoy. And their Representatives did (the last year) not only thank me, but were so civil as to propose a Reward for the service I had done for them, which I was not free to except, being desirous to convince my Country that (as the Apostle said to his Corinthians) I have sought them not theirs. And that I expect my Reward in another World. Nevertheless inasmuch as there are some (a few are to many) ill Spirits who make it their design, by Slanders to disaffect others, I have complyed with the advice of those who perswaded to the Publishing these things that so Credulous persons may not be imposed on by the invented stories of a few Whisperers. I Remember that at My departure from London, taking my leave of a Noble Personage, and Craving His Lordships Advice what might be said to satisfy the People of New-England, now they were deprived of so great a Priviledge as that of Chusing their own Governour, His Reply to Me was.
If they will be Dissatisfyed, it is Impossible that they should be Dissatisfyed at You, for Mankind knows that You did all that you could to obtain that and all other Priviledges which themselves can wish for. But were I in Your Case, at my Return to New-England, I would say to them, Gentlemen, I have brought to You, the Best Charter I could get for you …. 'Tis in Your Power, whether you will accept of it or no; If you like it not you may if you please send it back to the King, and send over a more Fortunate Agent! And let them Try (said my Lord) whether they can find a man in all New-England that can get a better Charter for them, than you have obtained.
The true and plain State of the Case was this: The Colony lay a Bleeding for want of a Settlement as to Civil Government. The General Court had in an Adress to the King, signified, That the former Governour and Assistants did not think it safe, to Enter on the full Exercise o… their Old Charter Government, but did Accept of the Government for the present, until by direction from England, there should be an Orderly Settlement. The Agents had no Instruction, from their Principals not to submit unto whatever Settlement should in England be concluded best for them. So that if they had refused what was offered, they could not have answered their so doing. It is an Old Proverb, That half a Loaf is better than no Bread. And I must confess I am not of their Opinion, who if they cannot have every thing they desire, they will have nothing, who prefer their Late Bondage to their present Liberty; who if they must have a Governour Set over them by the King, had rather have a bad than a good man for such Reasons as I am not willing to mention.
The Lord pardon their Folly. And O my Soul come not thou into their Secret, unto their Assembly be not thou United. If after I have done my utmost to Serve you, my Sollicitudes, and the Difficulties that I have gone thro' for your sakes, must have a Requital with that which is known in New-England, by the Infamous Name of Country-Pay, I trust the Grace of God will keep me from being too sensible of it. I am not Conscious to my self of any hurt or wrong I have done, unless four years hard Service, for the preservation of your Liberty and Property, and the procuring of Gifts for you, from Royal and from other Benefactors of greater value than all the Mony I did in that Time Expend on your account, and all this without any the least Recompence be a wrong to you. Forgive me that wrong. You are at this day saved from Slavery and Ruine. Whoever has been the Instruments of obtaining such Mercy f…r you, certainly you will neither please God nor Honour your selves by abusing them. However you deal with Me, be not unkind to others, who have deserved well at your Hands. Neither Lessen Divine or Royal Favours bestowed on you. I pray God it may never be worse with you as to Civil Government then it is at present, and then you will be in that respect, as happy a people as any on the Face of the whole Earth at this Day.
If the Sermon herewith Emitted, cause Praises to that God who has Restored Counsellors as at the Beginning; & Prayers for the continuance of so great a Blessing; My Design in granting the Importunate Desires of many for its Publication, will be attained. The Lord has Tryed New-England with Signal Favours once more, having put them into the hands of Rulers that seeks their VVelfare; and He waits to see whether they will be Thanful, and shew themselves fit for the continuance of so great a Blessing, but if instead of that fruit which he expects from such a people, there shall be found amongst them many Murmurers against God and his Servants, there is no reason to think otherwise, but that He will very speedily change the Tenour of his Dispensations towards us, which I Implore the Mercy of Heaven to prevent.