Jews in America, Part 3 · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. To our ſelves, in behalſe of the Natives towards their converſion.
IT is the unfeigned deſire of every pious ſoule, that God would pleaſe to guide and bleſſe ſome holy and happy hand, in taking up the differences that are growne up among thoſe that are named by the ſweet name of Chriſt, that all who love the Lord Jeſus in ſincerity, would alſo ſincerely love one another; that mutuall forces were conjoyned to promote the glory of our common Maſter, not onelyonly every man in his owne perſon, family, place, and Countrey, but by apprehending all opportunities to publiſh the eternall Goſpell of our Lord even to thoſe other ends of the earth. Gregory the great aIn Bed. Eccleſiaſt. Hiſt. l. 2. c. 1.did willingly encourage himſelfe in his deſire to Chriſtianize our Anceſtors the Saxons from hints of his owne obſervation, for ſeeing children of beautifull feature offered to ſale in the market at Rome, as then the manner was, hee ſighed within himſelfe, and ſaid, when he underſtood they were not Chriſtians, Alas that the Prince of darkeneſſe ſhould poſſeſſe ſuch faire and lightſome countenances; enquiring further after their names, Angles, they have Angels faces indeed ſaid hee, and tis meet all diligence be uſed that they be as the Angels of God in Heaven; when hee asked of what Province they were, it was anſwered Deiri, or Deira, for ſo was then that bLambard Peramb. of Kent. p. 5.ſeventh Kingdome called, Northumberland, in the time of the Saxons, Dei ira eruti ſaith hee, being made Chriſtians they ſhall be delivered from the wrath of God; and upon demand, hearing that their Kings name was Aelle, he ſaid Allelu jah, and praiſes to God muſt be ſung there: In this worke if that may be any invitation, we have the like alluſions, the whole Countrey is called the New world in the generall, and particularly there is New Spaine, New France, New Netherland, New Scotland, New England, why ſhould not there be ſolicitous endeavours that all the Natives of that New World, ſhould be made a world of New creatures; and if upon occaſion and enquiry the Inhabitants be called Barbarians, ſuch were we our ſelves in the common acceptation of the word, being neither Jewes nor Greekes; if Salvages, tis a name of hope that they are a ſalvable generation, and ſhall in due time be partakers of the common ſalvation; their complexion indeed is darke and duskiſh, as tis made after birth, but their ſoules are the more to be pittied, that yet bee in a farre more unlovely hue, even in the ſuburbs of that darkeneſſe, that blackneſſe of darkneſſe, which is ſo terrible to thinke of: It was Gregories deſire that Hallelu-jahs ſhould bee ſung to and for the Engliſh, then heathen, the Chriſtian Engliſh may obſerve and wonder at that very word of frequent uſe among the Indians, as hath already been mentioned; finally there is a conſtellation or ſtarre, called the croſſe, peculiar to that Countrey, ſaith Acoſta cHiſt. l. 1. c. 5., and it is ſo named becauſe foure notable ſtarres make the forme of a croſſe, ſet equally, and with good proportion, a good omen I wiſh it may be, and that a ſtarre may leade them alſo to their Saviour, that Chriſt may be made knowne to them, and his peace through the bloud of his Croſſe, Col. 1. 20. To which employment wee have likewiſe other perſwaſions, beſides what hath been formerly ſprinkled here and there. 1. The neceſſity of the poore Natives require this care, who ſtand ſo much in need of ſpirituall bread, and ſo few prepare to breake it to them, they yet walke in the vanity of their minde, having their underſtanding darkned, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, &c. Eph. 4. 17. &c. and the leſſe ſenſible they be of their owne forlorne condition, the more ſollicitous ſhould others be to acquaint them therewith, together with the way of their deliverance. When dMalmbſ. p 1. and Beda. l. 1. c. 25.Auſtin the Monke came hither among the Saxons to preach the Goſpell, King Ethelbert oppoſed him not, but ſaid I cannot ſo eaſily forſake my owne Religion, and embrace theirs that is new; yet ſeeing theſe ſtrangers are come ſo farre and bring that to us which they eſteem moſt excellent, wee will uſe them kindly, they ſhall want nothing for their work: And ſurely were the Americans but a little civiliz'd, they would by degrees underſtand their owne miſerable eſtate, and themſelves would then beſpeake further enlightning; yea this is already in ſome of their fervent deſires, eDaybreak… &c.as hath been intimated alſo formerly.
2. Chriſtians have a care of this for Chriſt their Maſters ſake, good ſubjects wiſh the ampliation of their Soveraignes honour, and how glad ſhould wee bee when the kingdome of darkneſſe is empaired, and there be continuall accreſſes to the Kingdome of Gods deare Sonne, Col. 1. 14. Tis our daily prayer, Hallowed be thy name, divulged, and made glorious all the world over, wee cannot better improve our intereſt and power, then by being active & induſtrious inſtruments thereof; wee endeavouring as much as wee may that the Kingdoms of this world may become the Kingdomes of the Lord, and of his Chriſt, Revel. 11. 15. Non eſt zelus ſicut Zelus animarum fGreg. M., this zeale for ſoules carries in the wombe thereof glory to God, and honour to the zealots themſelves, Dan. 12. 3. and unutterable comfort and benefit to them that are warmed thereby, Iam. 5. 20. and their debtors in this verily we are, if the words of another Apoſtle be with a little mutation applyed hither, for if wee be made partakers of their carnall things, our duty it is alſo to miniſter unto them in ſpirituall things, Rom. 15. 17.
3. The ſeverall Patents to ſeverall Planters call for this endeavour, ſuch was that firſt granted to the Virginians by King Iames, it intended principally the propagation of the Chriſtian faith; the like is to be read in the Patents and confirmations made by him and King Charles to others. And in the beginning of this Parliament, that Honourable Committee of Lords and Commons were appointed chiefely for the advancement of the true Proteſtant Religion, and further ſpreading of the Goſpell of Chriſt among the Natives in America. Yea and in the Charter to Mary-land, the pious zeale for the ſpreading of the Goſpel is firſt mentioned, and what ever ſuggeſtions be made, or aimes otherwiſe, there is a ſpeciall proviſo againſt the pr ejudice, or diminution of Gods holy and truly Chriſtian Religion, and the allegiance due to the Kings Majeſty, his heires, and ſucceſſors; it is not well then if Romiſh deſignes have been mannaged there, injurious to Religion, and offenſive to our other Plantations, but herein ſtands the force of this Motive, the mutuall and interchangeable Pact and Covenant of Donor and Receiver is in all thoſe Charters and Patents the converſion of the Natives.
4. I finde another encouragement from a Doctor lately lapſed into popery gDr. Vane loſt sheepe. p. 186., yet profeſſing his willingneſſe to returne upon Proteſtants ſucceſſes this way; for he deemes it improbable, that ever they ſhould convert any Nation, or ſo much as any one ſingle perſon, except ſome poore wretch or other, whom feare or gaine will drive, or draw to any thing; but if ever the hiſtoricall relation of Gods wonderfull workings upon ſundry of the Indians, both Governours and common people, in bringing them to a willing and deſired ſubmiſſion to the Ordinances of the Goſpell, and framing their hearts to an earneſt enquiry after the knowledge of God the Father, and Jeſus Chriſt the Saviour of the World; I ſay if ever thoſe diſcourſes come to the Doctors view, hee may once againe change his minde, how ever the happy progreſſes of our Countrey men in that worke, if they be knowne and well conſidered of by the Papiſts themſelves, they may be carried to admiration, expectation, and it may be further.
5. The honour of our Nation may be another argument to this undertaking, that as to Charlemaine of old hCrantz. Met. p. 405. 8. 12.the Saxons owe their Chriſtianity, and thoſe of Phryſia, Dithmarſe and Holſatia, the Vandalls alſo and Hungarians: It will be glorious for the Chronicles and Annalls of England, that by the meanes of this Nation the Nanſamonds were brought to the true and ſaving knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo were the Saſquehannockes, Wicomeſſes, Conecktacoacks, Maſſachuſeuks, Mouhacks, Aberginians and others; Thus will the renowne of the Engliſh name and Nation, ring over all the Weſterne World. Gregory complaines Lib. 5. Ep. 58. 59.more then once, that thoſe Angles our Anceſtors were willing to become Chriſtians, but the Prieſts of France refuſed to give help and inſtruction. The Britons alſo refuſed to joyne with Auſtin here in his preaching to the Saxons, not out of pride and contempt as Beda iHiſt. l. 2. c▪ 7.reporteth, but for that thoſe people, invited hither as friends, became their onelyonly enemies, driving them from their poſſeſſions, which themſelves invaded as their owne, but theſe Indians give harbour to our Nation, whoſe faire and free accomodating of our Countrey men hath fully purchaſed to themſelves all the ſpirituall favour wee and they are able to afford them, of which, when they alſo become ſenſible, honour will redound to this England, not onelyonly from ours there, who profeſſe truly, if they proſper, we ſhall be the more glorious, but the Natives enlightned by us will returne hither the tribute of their abundant thankfulneſſe. And that every one of us may be cordiall coadjutors of our Countrey men in this moſt glorious undertaking, let me endeavour to warme the affections of the Engliſh there, and at home, by propoſing a trafficke in a threefold ſtock for the promotion of this deſigne.