Jews in America, Part 3 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. Further helpes to this worke.
THe firſt of theſe is already going, the ſtocke of prayers, both hence and thence on that behalfe to heaven, and not now in a viſion, as to St. Paul once, there ſtood a man and prayed him, ſaying, Come over into Macedonia and helpe us, Act. 16. 9. but the Natives begin to be really ſenſible of their ſpirituall neceſſities, and call earneſtly for that bread, and our countrey men deſire the aſſiſtance of their brethren here in many reſpects, all their Letters earneſtly beſpeak us in this, and O that we did heartily anſwer them in our conſtant and fervent prayers, in reference to this worke. There was indeed of late a generation of men, though extreme lovers of that Lethargy, yet forgate to be in charity with all men, they were content in their Letany to pray it would pleaſe God to have mercy upon all men, yet deemed it piacular to pray for the Novangles; The Directory guides otherwiſe, even by name adviſing to prayers for thoſe Plantations in the remote parts of the World.
2. This worke would be much proſpered by a ſtocke of wiſe and conſtant correſpondence mutually betwixt Old and New England in regard of this buſineſſe, what progreſſe is made in the worke, what meet to bee done for its furtherance, &c. Such communication of counſells would marvelouſly encourage and quicken the Americans converſion. The French were ſpoiled of this help and intercourſe from Braſil, by the Governour aLerius, Hiſt. praef.Villagagno's Apoſtacy to Popery, and tis not credible, but if the poore Indians were made to underſtand that all the Nation of England were thus ſolicitous with God, and among themſelves, in all induſtrious endeavours to recover them from their ſinfull and loſt condition by nature, but they would looke up alſo, and in earneſt cooperate with them, and ſay alſo it may be, as was in the precedent Chapter mentioned of our Saxon King, who ſaid, thoſe Preachers ſhould be kindly dealt with, and want nothing for their worke; yea ſomewhat like to this was long ſince ſpoken of by bBenzo. p. 390.Colonchi one of the Princes of Peru, when he was invited to be a Chriſtian, his anſwer was, Sir I am old and unfit to forſake the rites and lawes of my Anceſtors, but take my children as you will, and teach them what you pleaſe, they are young, and can more eaſily apply themſelves to your cuſtomes, and inſtructions.
3. And a ſtock of money muſt be remembred, which in ſome ſenſe, is as it were the ſoule of this worke; the Poet ſaid truly foreign ▪ If wee meane the Indians ſhall be Goſpellized, they muſt c Heſiod. Op. & Di. l. 2.firſt be civilized, who are yet a very wild Olive, both by nature and life, they muſt bee weaned from idleneſſe, and hunting, and nakedneſſe, they muſt be perſwaded to labour, planting, learning, arts, and manufacture, that they may get cloathing, they muſt be taught to build for their owne habitations, for meeting houſes or Churches on the Lords dayes, Schooles muſt be erected for inſtruction of their youth at other times, books of all kinds, tooles and inſtruments of all ſorts muſt be provided, many and neceſſary materialls towards this ſtructure may be eaſily mentioned, but are not ſo eaſily purchaſed: If our Countrey men there have for their owne comfort and ſubſiſtance, tis little leſſe then a miracle, all things conſidered, and a wonderfull mercy, it cannot be expected, that they ſhould be able to adde conſiderable ſupplie towards all the forenamed particulars, and other emergent needfull occaſions, though there be that can beare them record, that to their power, yea and beyond their power, they are willing of themſelves as the Apoſtle ſaid of his Macedonians, 2 Cor. 8. 3. I crave leave therefore to pray every Chriſtian reader with much entreaty to take upon him the fellowſhip of miniſtring to this worke, that you may abound in this grace alſo, that I may uſe to you the ſame holy Apoſtles words; Chryſoſtome dTheodor. hiſt. l. 5. c. 29.deſirous to plant the Goſpel in Phaenicia, ſtirred up many godly men, and devout women, by their liberality to contribute towards thoſe endeavours. Yea and here let it be remembred, that as Gregory commends Queen Brunechild of France, and Queen Adilberga of Kent, for their charitable furtherance of this worke, the gaining of ſoules, the firſt Goſpellizing Lib. 9. Ep. 56, 57.of our Saxon Anceſtors; So ſome pious Chriſtians among us of both ſexes, have ſhewed much bounty this way, encouraging and exampling others: The Spaniſh bookes relate ſtrange things of their zeale in this kinde, and one eGage ſurvey of America. p. 81.whom wee may credit tells us, that America hath foure Arch-Biſhops, thirty Biſhops, and many other houſes as they call them of Religion, and if it be ſaid their lot fell into the golden part of that world, and out of their ſuperfluities they might well ſpare very much, tis very much indeed, and yet tis fId. p. 3.ſomewhat more that the ſame writer obſerveth how the King of Spaine maintaines the liſts and bonds of Miſſionaries, Prieſts, Fryers and Jeſuits, that are continually tranſported into America, hee provides for every of them ten yeeres, and that to this day, and ſhall the children of this world in this alſo be wiſer then the children of light, Luk. 16. 8. ſhall they be enlarged for the promoting of themſelves, and their abominable ſuperſtitions, and ſhall not wee be as forward in that which directly aimes at the glory of Chriſt and the good of ſouls, as St. Paul ſaith of his Theſſalonians, that they were examples to all that believed in Macedonia and Achaia, 1 Theſ. 1. 7. I truſt the liberality of ſome will invite and open the hands of many to be very forward in this worke, for the administration of this ſervice, will not onelyonly ſupply their wants, but will be abundant alſo by many thankſgivings unto God, 2 Cor. 9. 12. And I hope to heare once of a liberall collection and benevolence to be advanced in every Pariſh and Congregation of the land, to be put into ſafe hands, and ſuch profitable employment, as may indeed further the reering up of a Chriſtian Tabernacle in America. And while theſe papers were thus in their framing, an Act, before mentioned, for propagating the Goſpell of Ieſus Chriſt in New England, declareth much forwardneſſe towards a nationall contribution in reference to this worke, and the diſpoſall thereof to be according to the deſires of thoſe that have bin moſt induſtrious that way, and good care, I truſt will be taken that the monies run into the right channel; and for the better gale and conduct, the two Univerſities Cambridge & Oxford, have affectionately expreſſed their Chriſtian longings that this ſoule-buſineſſe may obtain all poſſible furtherance, in their Letters to their reverend and deare Brethren the Miniſters of the Goſpell in England and Wales, the Divines of London are deſired alſo in their ſphere cordially to act in this common cauſe of the Goſpel, that no obſtruction be left in the way of this moſt glorious endeavour, why ſhould any then bee ſtraightned in their owne bowells, why ſhould not all learne willingneſſe to this worke, by reading, conſidering, and practiſing what we find the old Jewes did in a like caſe, Exod. 35.