The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3 · Section 17
SECT. 17. Of the ſecond ſhamefull abſurditie ſaid to be found in our way of Independency.
Come we now to a ſecond ſhamefull abſurditie, which he maketh to be another fruit of our Church-way.
That it hath exceedingly hindred the converſion of the poor Pagans. The principles and practiſe of Independents doth croſſe this work and hope of it. What have they to do with thoſe that are without? Their Paſtors preach not for converſion: their Relation is to their flock, who are Church-members, converted already to their hand by the labours of other men, before they can be admitted into their Church. Of all that ever croſſed the American Seas, they are noted as moſt neglectfull of the work of Converſion. I have read of none of them, that ſeeme to have minded this matter.
Anſw. This is indeed a ſhamefull abſurditie, if it be true: but a ſinfull and ſhamefull calumny, if it be falſe. As indeed falſe it is in every branch of it. Firſt, there is no principle or allowed practiſe of ours that doth hinder (much leſſe exceedingly hinder) the work or hope of the converſion of the Natives: though wee profeſſe we have nothing to do to cenſure Indians, and ſo to judge them that are without; yet wee think it a principall (though not the only) work and duty of our Miniſtry to attend the work of converſion, both of carnall Engliſh, and other Nations, whether Chriſtian, or Pagan. The neglect of it, we look at as an ungratious and uncharitable fancy. How ſhall men (ordinarily) be converted to the faith without hearing? and how ſhall they heare without preaching? and how ſhall they preach, unleſſe they be ſent? and who are now ſent, but Paſtors and Teachers?
"But the Relation of our Paſtors is to their Flock? What then? May there not fall out to be Hypocrites in our Flock? and muſt wee not preach for their converſion? And are not the children of the Members of our Church, many of them ſuch, as when they grow up ſtand in need of converting grace? and muſt wee not preach for their converſion? Beſides, when an Infidell or unbeleever commeth into the Church, doe not all the Prophets that preach the Word, (and among them, ſurely the Paſtors and Teachers are not the leaſt) do they not all apply their ſpeech to his conviction and converſion? 1 Cor. 14.24, 25. What though a Paſtour bee a Feeder to his Flock already begotten unto God? Yet he may (and ought to endeavour to) become a Father alſo in Chriſt, to ſuch as are yet unregenerate, wheth…r of his Flock, or out of his Flock. To turne many to righteouſneſſe is propheſied of, to bee the work of the foreign of the New Teſtament, Dan. 12.3.… But our Church-members are converted already to our hands by the labours of other men, before they can be admitted into our Church.
So ſaith Mr. Baylie indeed: but if hee were here, hee would ſo …n heare many of thoſe who are admitted into our Churches, openly acknowledge, the firſt work of ſaving grace to have been wrought in their hearts by the miniſtery of the Word here, and ſometime by the ſame, or like miniſtery in our Native Countrey. And the children of the faithfull borne, and baptized in our Churches, will acknowledge no other Miniſtery, by whom they have beleeved, but that which they have attended upon, here.
But (ſaith Mr. Baylie) I have read of none of them that ſeeme to have minded the matter of converſion.
Anſw. 1. What if he have not read, what we preach here of converſion? Doth hee thinke it meet, wee ſhould print all the Sermons wee preach? What if any of us ſhould ſay, I have not read of any Scottiſh Miniſter who have publiſhed any of their labours in that argument, (ſave Mr. Rollock, and him in Latine, and that haply in the Schooles, and many have not ſeene him neither:) ſhall we therefore thinke it credible, that ſo many holy faithfull labourers in Chriſts Vineyard in that whole Nation, doe not ſeeme to minde the matter of converſion?
But whether he have read of any of our books of that Subject, or no, ſurely it is not, becauſe none of ſuch are extant to bee read. He may read when he pleaſeth Mr. Shepards two Treatiſes, one ſtiled The ſincere Convert, the other The ſound Beleever, beſides fundry Treatiſes of Mr. Hooker touching the Soules Preparation to Chriſt, Effectuall Calling, and Juſtification, &c. and when he hath read them, let him then tell the world, whether of all that have croſſed the American Seas (as hee ſpeaketh) the Miniſters of this way have been juſtly noted to be moſt neglectfull of the work of converſion. Yea let me make bold in Gods feare to pray Mr. Baylie, and thoſe others, who have noted us as moſt neglectfull of this work, to enquire and conſider whether among all the ſervants of Chriſt now living in any reformed Churches (put them all together) they have publiſhed ſo many Treatiſes of the work of converſion, as the Miniſters of this way have done, in New-England, and London, which I ſpeak not (the Lord is witneſſe to my ſoule) out of carnall Arrogancy to boaſt of our labours, in ſo holy and weighty an Argument: but out of conſcience to beare witneſſe to the way of Gods truth againſt ſuch an unjuſt & unworthy ſcandall. But when I ſpeak of theſe Treatiſes of Converſion, I do not include all that are written under the glorious and fallacious ſtiles of Free Grace, and Goſpel-Truth, which nevertheleſſe doe but indeed lay the Leaven of Arminian-univerſall-free Grace, and Antinomian Impenitency: but I ſpeak of thoſe Treatiſes which are pure from ſuch Leaven, as keeping the patterne of wholeſome words and ſound doctrin, dividing the Word of truth aright, in the right uſe of the Law and Goſpel, wherein though they ſometime declare ſuch works of Grace to be preparations to converſion, which others do take to be fruits of converſion: yet they all agree in this, that ſuch works are found in all that are under the powerfull and effectuall ſaving work of the Spirit, and Word of Chriſt, and in none elſe, which is the light and life of the Saints in Chriſt Jeſus.
I will not here ſpeak of the converſion of Weaquaſh, which (as I heare) is publiſhed in a little Script, intituled, New-Englands Firſt-fruits. Nor would I have mentioned the endeavours of ſome of our fellow-Brethren here, to helpe forward the work of converſion in Virginia, were it not that the bleſſing of the Lord Jeſus upon their labours doth call for acknowledgment. Some honeſt minded people in Virginia diſcerning their want of ſpirituall Miniſtery, ſent earneſt Letters, and one or more meſſengers, to the Elders of theſe Churches here for ſome of our Miniſters to break the Bread of Life to them. The Elders here ſeeking Counſell of God, and one of another, wee borrowed two of the Paſtors of our Churches, (Mr. Knolles of Watertowne, and Mr. Thomſon of Braintree, the Churches being either of them ſupplyed with two Miniſters apeece) and ſent them forth ſolemnely in the Name of the Lord to that work; who as they went along took with them one Mr. James, a Miniſter (though then out of employment) from New-Haven, to the fellowſhip of that work. And for their better incouragement, our Governour here wrote a Letter to the Governour of Virginia to acquaint him, and his Aſſiſtants, with the occaſion and end of their comming, and expreſſed withall his deſire of their Chriſtian entertainment for a time, and peaceable returne, if they found any inconvenience by their comming. What entertainement they found from the major part of the Government there, I forbeare to ſpeak. The bloody Maſſacre, which ſoon after their diſmiſſion, the Indians in thoſe parts executed upon the Engliſh, cried aloud from heaven, that after a white Horſe, God is wont to ſend forth a red, Rev. 6.2, 3, 4. But nevertheleſſe, God ſo farre forth followed their labours with his bleſſing in the work of converſion, that ſundry of them were effectually wrought upon by the power of the Lord Jeſus; whereof ſome of them came along with our Miniſters at their returne, and are received into our Churches: others of them who could not ſo well diſpoſe of their affaires there, joyned with one Mr. Harriſon a Miniſter there, (who was alſo mightily ſtirred up by our Miniſters comming:) and they with him have ſince given up themſelves to more holy communion and converſation before the Lord.
Others of the Weſterne Iſlands (as Barbadas, Antegua, Mevis) have deſired the like helpe from us: but the departure of ſome of our Miniſters ſince, (one to Heaven, others to England) have hitherto detained us from opportunity to afford unto them the like ſuccour for the preſent.
I will not ſpeak, what opportunity of reaching forth a bleſſing to the Indians in this kind, God hath lately begun to open us a door of: in that divers of their Sachims, and Sagamores (as they call them, to wit, their Governors) have ſubmitted themſelves to the government of the Engliſh, and have willingly ſubjected themſelves to the acceptance of the Ten Commandements, though ſome of them, doe moſt ſtick at the ſeventh Commandement, as it forbiddeth Polygamy. Nevertheleſſe otherwiſe they willingly conſent to abandon Adultery and Fornication, and unnaturall luſts.
But though the Indians have been ſlow to learne our language, eſpecially in matters of Religion (howſoever in Trading they ſoon underſtood us:) yet wee have often offered to bring up their Indian children in our Schooles, that they might learne to ſpeake to their Countreymen in their own language. But becauſe that might prove long, one of our Elders (Mr. Eliot, the Teacher of the Church of Rocksbury) hath (with the conſent of the Natives) preached to them firſt by an Interpreter, but ſince having with much induſtry learned their language, hee now preacheth to two Congregations of them in their own language weekly. One week on the fourth day to one Congregation, who ſit down neer to Dorcheſter Mill, and another week, on the ſixth day, to another Congregation of them, who ſit down in Cambridge, neer Watertown Mill. To eaſe and encourage him in his work, the Miniſters of neighbour Churches take off by turnes his weekly Lecture on the third day. The fruit hitherto hath been, the Indians reſort more and more to theſe Aſſemblies, heare with reverence and attention, reforme (and make Lawes amongſt themſelves, for reformation of) ſundry abuſes, aske ſundry queſtions for their inſtruction, and among the reſt, an old Counſellor of one of their Sagamores enquired, if it might bee poſſible that our God, and our Chriſt ſhould accept an old ſinner ſuch as himſelfe? Mr. Eliot anſwered him, yes, there was hope, becauſe hee never had the meanes of the knowledge of God offered to him before. And our Saviour Chriſt did ſometimes call into his Vineyard ſome to doe him ſervice, even in the laſt houre of the day, in the laſt part of their lives. And the old Indian being demanded if hee underſtood this? Hee anſwered, yea, ſaith he, I underſtand it, and beleeve it.
It is true, there may be doubt that for a time there will bee no great hope of any Nationall converſion, till Antichriſt be ruined, and the Jewes converted; becauſe the Church (or Temple) of God, is ſaid to bee filled with ſmoak, till the ſeven plagues (which are to be poured upon the Antichriſtian ſtate) be fulfilled: And till then, no man (that is, no conſiderable number of men out of the Church, as Pagans be) ſhall be able to enter into the Church, Rev. 15.8. yet nevertheleſſe, that hindreth not, but that ſome ſprinklings, & gleanings of them may be brought home to Chriſt, as now and then ſome Proſelytes were brought into the fellowſhip of the Church of Iſrael, when there was a greater partition wall ſet up between Jewes and Gentiles, then now there is between Chriſtians and Pagans. And the Lord ſhine upon them in mercy, in bleſſing the meanes of his Grace to them in the Lord Jeſus.
The proof that none of us ſeeme to have minded the work of converſion, Mr. Baylie alledgeth out of the Book intituled Plain dealing, which ſaith, There hath not been ſent forth any, by any Church, to learn the Natives-Language, or to inſtruct them in our Religion firſt, becauſe they ſay they have not to do with them being without, except they come to hear and learne Engliſh.
An. 1. What if there have not bin any ſent forth by any Church to learn the Indians language? That will not argue our neglect of minding the work of their converſion. For there be of the Indians that live amongſt us, and dayly reſort to us; and ſome of them learne our language; and ſome of us learn theirs. And men that love the Lord Jeſus doe gladly take opportunity to inſtruct them in our Religion, and to teach them both Law and Goſpell. And of late, the Word (as I have ſaid) is publickly preached unto them in two ſeverall Indian Congregations, though wee never thought it fit to ſend any of our Engliſh to live amongſt them, to learn their language: for who ſhould teach them?
Anſw. 2. When the Authors of Plain Dealing ſaith, We have not inſtructed them in our Religion, upon this pretence, becauſe wee ſay, we have not to doe with them being without, except they come to hear and learn Engliſh.
I know not whether ever any gave him ſo weake an account or no: If any ſo did, it was his raſhneſſe, or ignorance both of us, and the truth. But if the Author ſpeake it, as a Point of our Profeſſion or practiſe, that we doe neglect the inſtruction of the Indians, and eſpecially upon ſuch a reaſonleſſe reaſon, I will ſay no more to it but this, it ſeemeth there are two ſorts of Plain dealing: Plain honeſt dealing, and Plain falſe dealing, of which latter ſort, this ſpeach is.
But Mr. Baylie acknowledgeth Mr. Williams his endeavours in this kind, but doth thereby the more aggravate our corrupt principles and practiſe, who have neglected ſo great an opportunity as to proſecute his courſe. OnelyOnly Mr. Williams (ſaith hee) did aſſay,
what could be done with thoſe deſolate ſoules, and by little experience quickly found a wonderfull great facility to gain thouſands of them to ſo much and more Chriſtianity both in profeſſion and practice, then in the moſt of our people doth appeare.
But the unhappineſſe of theſe principles whereof wee ſpeak, did keep him (as hee profeſſeth) from making uſe of that great opportunity, and large doore, which the Lord there hath opened to all who will bee zealous of propagating the Goſpell.
Anſw. 1. If Mr. Williams his ſpeech of the wonderfull great facility hee had of gaining ſo farre upon the Indians, be not too too prodigally hyperbolicall (as I much fear it is) I thinke his ſinne is ſo much the greater before the Lord, that he did neglect to take the opportunitie of preaching to them the Word of the Lord, that they might have been brought on, not onelyonly to an Antichriſtian converſion (ſuch as hee maketh the converſion of the common ſort of Chriſtians in Proteſtant Churches:) but to a ſincere converſion unto Chriſt Jeſus. But I confeſſe with Mr. Baylie, his own corrupt Principles, (his own I ſay, not ours) it ſeemeth have detained him from putting forth his hand to the Lords Plough in ſo large a Field. For if hee look (as it ſeemeth) for new Apoſtles to be ſent immediately from Chriſt for ſuch a work: or if hee think, no Church is, or will be extant upon the face of the earth, till Antichriſt bee aboliſhed out of the world, theſe and ſuch like principles are enough, not onelyonly to retard him from the planting of Churches amongſt Indians, but alſo to further him in ſupplanting all the Churches of Chriſt in Chriſtendome.
Anſw. 2. I ſaid not without cauſe, that I feared Mr. Williams his teſtimony of the facility of ſuch a converſion of the Indians was too hyperbolicall. For I received advertiſement from Mr. James (one of the Miniſters, who went to Virginia upon the Lords worke, of which I ſpake before) that whilſt he was detained (by winds) in Mary-land (a Popiſh Plantation between us and Virginia) he ſaw, as I remember, (for his Letter is not preſent at hand with me) 40. Indians baptized in new Shirts, which the Catholicks had given them for their incouragement unto Baptiſme. But he tarried there ſo long for a faire winde, that before his departure, he ſaw the Indians (when their ſhirts were foule, and they knew not how to waſh them) come againe to make a new motion, either the Catholick Engliſh there muſt give them new Shirts, or elſe they would renounce their Baptiſme. I doubt, the Indians about Mr. Williams are not of a much better ſpirit. I might mention a fairer inſtance in theſe parts, yet ſuch as may argue what kind of facility there is in the Indians to converſion, ſo much as to outward profeſſion. At our firſt comming hither, John Sagamore was the chiefeſt Sachim in theſe parts. He falling ſick, our Paſtor Mr. Wilſon hearing of it (and being of ſome acquaintance with him) went to viſit him, taking one of the Deacons of our Church with him, and withall, a little Mithridate, and ſtrong water. When he came to his lodging (which they call a Wigwam) hearing a noyſe within, hee looked over the Mat of the door to diſcerne what it meant, and ſaw many Indians gathered together, and ſome Powwaws amongſt them, who are their Prieſts, Phyſitians, and Witches. They by courſe ſpake earneſtly to the ſick Sagamore, and to his diſeaſe, (in a way of charming of it and him) and one to another in a kind of Antiphonies. When they had done, all kept ſilence, our Paſtour went in with the Deacon, and found the man farre ſpent, his eyes ſet in his head, hee ſpeech leaving him, his mother (old Squaw-Sachim) ſitting weeping at his beds head, Well (ſaith our Paſtour) our God ſave Sagamore John, Powwaw Cram (that is, kill) Sagamore John: And thereupon hee fell to prayer with his Deacon, and after Prayer, forced into the ſick mans mouth with a Spoon, a little Mithridate diſſolved in the ſtrong water; ſoon after the Sagamore looked up, and three dayes after went abroad on hunting. This providence ſo farre prevailed with the Sagamore, that he promiſed to look after the Engliſh mans God, to heare their Sermons, to weare Engliſh apparell, &c. But his neighbour Indians Sagamores, and Powwaws hearing of this, threatned to Cram him (that is, to kill him) if he did ſo degenerate from his Countrey Gods, and Religion, he thereupon fell off, and took up his Indian courſe of life again. Whatſoever facility may ſeeme to offer it ſelfe of the converſion of the Indians, it is not ſo eaſie a matter for them to hold out, no not in a ſemblance of profeſſion of the true Religion. Afterwards God ſtruck John Sagamore againe, (and as I remember with the ſmall Pox:) but then when they deſired like ſuccour from our Paſtour, as before, he told them, now the Lord was angry with Sagamore John, and it was doubtfull, hee would not ſo eaſily be intreated. The Sagamore blamed himſelf and juſtified God, and confeſſed, he ſhould not have been diſcouraged by their threats from ſeeking our God: For thoſe Sagamores and Powwaws who did moſt terrifie him, hee had ſeene God ſweeping them away by death, before himſelf, in a ſhort time after. And therefore when hee ſaw hee muſt die (for hee died of that ſickneſſe) hee left his ſonne to the education of our Paſtor, that he might keep cloſer to the Engliſh, and to their God, then himſelf had done. But his ſonne alſo dyed of the ſame diſeaſe ſoon after. All which I relate, to ſhew, that though a forme of Chriſtian Religion may be profeſſed amongſt Chriſtians with ſome facility: yet it is not ſo eaſie a matter to gaine theſe Pagan Indians ſo much as to a forme of our Religion, and to hold it, howſoever Mr. Williams did promiſe himſelf greater poſſibilities.
Anſw. 3. Mr. Baylie ſhall do well to conſider, that Mr. Williams his ſpeech doth not ſo much hold forth the facility of the Indians to any ſuch converſion, as might fit them for Church-eſtate, but rather the Hypocriſie and Formalitie of the ordinary Church-Members of Nationall Churches; which he profeſſeth is ſo far off from true converſion, that it is the ſubverſion of the ſoules of many Millions in Chriſtendome, from one falſe worſhip to another.
Anſw. 4. It is no unhappineſſe of any principle of ours, that hath kept Mr. Williams from making uſe of his great opportunity, and open door, to propagate the Goſpell amongſt the Indians. For though their facility to ſuch a carnall converſion, as hee deſcribeth, gave him no juſt warrant, to gather them into a Church-eſtate: yet it was a juſt encouragement to provoke him (who underſtood their Language) to have preached the Word of God unto them, which might have been mighty through God (if ſincerely diſpenſed) to have turned them from darkneſſe to light, from the power of Satan unto God, and ſo have prepared them, both for Church-fellowſhip here, and for heaven hereafter.
But if Mr. Baylie conceive that either Mr. Williams, or elſe wee were to be blamed, becauſe we doe not preſently receive Indians into the Fellowſhip of our Churches, ſeeing their facility to conform their outward man to us, and to ſo much of our religion, as Mr. Williams mentioneth: hee ſhall doe well to conſider before hand, whether Jacobs children did wel, to perſwade the Sichemites, (Gen. 34.) to receive circumciſion, before they better underſtood the Covenant of Abraham, (to which circumciſion was a Seale) and had made ſome better profeſſion of taking hold of it.