The Bloody Tenant Yet more Bloody, Letter
The Copie of a Letter of R. Williams of Providence in New England, to Major Endicot, Governour of the Maſſachuſets, upon occaſion of the late perſecution againſt Mr Clarke and Obadiah Holmes, and others at Boſton the chiefe Towne of the Maſſachuſets in New England.
SIR,
HAving done with our tranſitorie Earthly *Matters touching the p…ce of the Engliſh and Indians, about which the ſaid Governour did write to R. W.Affaires (as touching the Engliſh and the Indians) which in Compariſon of heavenly and Eternall you will ſay are but as dung and droſſe, &c. Let me now be humbly bold to remember that Humanitie and pietie, which I and others have formerly obſerved in you, and in that hopefull Remembrance to crave your gentle audience with patience and mildnes, with ingenuitie, equanimitie and candour, to him that ever truely and deeply loved you and yours, and as in the awfull preſence of his holy Eye, whoſe dreadfull hand hath formed us to the praiſe of his mercy or Juſtice to all Eternitie.
Sir, I have often feared and ſaid within my Soule, Have I ſoGreat love formerly between the ſaid Governour Endicot, and R. W. before his Baniſhment. deeply loved and reſpected? Was I alſo ſo well beloved? Or was all counterfeit, and but guilded or'e with earthly Reſpects, Worldly ends, &c. Why am I ſilent? my Letters are not Baniſhed! may be wellcome, may be ſeene and heard, and if neither, yet will back againe (together with my prayers and cries) into my Boſome.
Thus while I have ſometimes muſed and reſolved! Objections, Obſtructi…ns, and a thouſand hindrances (I feare from Sathan as Paul ſaid) have preſt in, held my hand, &c.
Sir, It hath pleaſed the Father of Spirits at this preſent to ſmite my heart in the very breaking up of your Letter: This *The Seale wherewith the Governours Leter to R. W. was ſealed.Deaths Head tells that loving Hand that ſeald it, and mine that opens your Letter, that our Eyes, our Hands, our Tongues, our Braines are flying hence to the hole or pit of Rottennes: Why ſhould not therefore ſuch our Letters, ſuch our Speeches, ſuch our Actings be▪ as may become our laſt minutes, our Deathbeds? &c.
If ſo, how meeke and humble, how plaine and ſerious, how faithfull and zealous, and yet how tender and loving ſhould the Spirits and Speeches be of dying and departing Men?
Sir, While ſomething of this Nature I muſe over your Deaths head, I meete (in the Entrance of your Letter) with this paſſage [Were I as free in my ſpirit as formerly I have been to write unto you, you ſhould have received another manner of Salutation then now with a good Conſcience I can Expreſſe; However God knoweth who are his, and what he is pleaſed to hide from ſinfull man in this life, ſhall in that great Day be manifeſted to All.]
Sir, At the reading of this Line, (I cannot but hope I have your leave to tell you) The ſpeech of that wiſe Woman of Tekoah unto David came freſh unto my Thoughts: Speakes not the King this Thing as one that is Guiltie? For will my honoured and beloved friend not know me for feare of being diſowned by his Conſcience? Shall the Goodnes and Integritie of his Conſcience to God cauſe him to forget me? Doth he quiet his minde with this; [God knoweth who are his? God hides from ſinfull man, God will reveale before All?] Oh how comes itPerſecutours conclude no Conſcience in the whole World but their owne. then that I have heard ſo often, and heard ſo lately, and heard ſo much, that he that ſpeakes ſo tenderly for his owne, hath yet ſo little reſpect, merciemercy or pitie to the like conſciencious perſwaſions of other Men? Are all the Thouſands of millions of millions of Conſciences, at home and abroad, fuell onelyonly for a priſon, for a whip, for a ſtake, for a Gallowes? Are no Conſciences to breath the Aire, but ſuch as ſuit and ſample his? May not the moſt High be pleaſed to hide from his as well as from the eyes of his fellow-Servants, fellow-mankinde, fellow-Engliſh? And if God hide from his, from any, who can diſcover? Who can ſhut when he will open? and who can open, when he that hath the key of David will ſhut? All this and more (honoured Sir) your words will warrant me to ſay, without any juſt offence or ſtraining.
Object. But what makes this to Heretickes, Blaſphemers, Seducers, to them that ſin againſt their Conſcience (as Mr Cotton ſayth) after Conviction? What makes this to ſtobbers of Kings and Princes, to blowers up of Parliaments out of Conſcience?
Firſt, I anſwer, He was a Tyrant that put an Innocent Man into a Beares-skin, and ſo cauſed him as a wild Beaſt to be baited to Death.
Secondly, I ſay, this is the common cry of Hunters or perſecutours All perſecutours render the moſt innocent moſt odious.[Hereticks, Hereticks, Blaſphemers, &c.] and why, but for croſſing the perſecutours Conſciences, (it may be but their ſuperſtitions, &c.) whether Turkiſh, Popiſh, Proteſtant, &c.
This is the Outcry of the Pope and Prelates, and of the Scotch Presbyterians, who would fire all the world, to be avenged on the Sectarian Heretickes, the blaſphemous Heretickes, the ſeducing Heretickes, &c. had it not pleaſed the God of Heaven who bounds the inſolent Rage of the furious Ocean, to raiſe up a ſecond Cromwell (like a mighty and mercifull Wall orCromwell the ſecond, a Refuge of the oppreſſed. Bullwark) to ſtay the Furie of the Oppreſſour, whether Engliſh, Scottiſh, Popiſh, Presbyterian, Independent, &c.
Laſtly, I have ſaid much and lately, and given particular Anſwers to all ſuch pleas, in my Second Reply or Anſwer toThis Rejoynder was ſent to England long ſince, and hoped to have been publiſhed. Mr Cottons waſhing of the Bloudie Tenent in the Lambes bloud, which it may be is not yet come to your ſight and Hand.
'Tis true, I have to ſay elſewhere about the Cauſes of my Baniſhment: As to the calling of Naturall Men to the exerciſe of thoſe holy Ordinances of Prayers, Oathes, &c. As to the frequenting of Pariſh Churches, under the pretence of hearing ſome Miniſters: As to the matter of the Patent, and King James his Chriſtianitie and Title to theſe parts, and beſtowing it on his Subjects by vertue of his being a Chriſtian King, &c.
At preſent, let it not be offenſive in your eyes, that I ſingle out another, a fourth point, a cauſe of my Baniſhment alſo, wherein I greatly feare one or two ſad evills, which have befallen your Soule and Conſcience.
The point is that of the Civill Magiſtrates dealing in matters of Conſcience and Religion, as alſo of perſecuting and hunting any for any matter meerly Spirituall and Religious.
The two Evills intimated are theſe; Firſt, I feare you cannot after ſo much Light, and ſo much profeſſion to the contrary (not onelyonly to my ſelfe, and ſo often in private, but) before ſo many Witneſſes; I ſay, I feare you cannot ſay and act ſo much, againſt ſo many ſeverall Conſciences, former and later, but with great Checks, great Threatnings, great Blowes and Throwes of inward Conſcience.
Secondly, If you ſhall thanke God, that it is not ſo withAbuſe of light moſt dangerous. you, but that you doe what Conſcience bids you in Gods preſence, upon Gods warrant, I muſt then be humbly faithfull to tell you, that I feare your underprizing of holy Light, hath put out the Candle, and the Eye of Conſcience in theſe particulars, and that Deluſions, ſtrong Deluſions, and that from God (by Sathans ſubtletie) hath ſeaſd upon your very Soules beliefe, becauſe you priz'd not lov'd not the indangered perſecuted Son of God in his deſpiſed Truths and Servants.
Sir, With Man (as the Lord Jeſus ſaid of the Rich man) I know it is impoſſible for the (otherwiſe piercing) eye of your underſtanding to ſee into theſe things, for it is diſcoloured, as in ſome Diſeaſes and Glaſſes; It is impoſſible for your Will to be willing to ſee, for that's in a thouſand chaines reſolved (as once you ſpake heroically and heavenly in a better way) to ſpend your deareſt Heart bloud in your way, &c. Yet with God all things are poſſible, and they that laughed the Lord Jeſus to ſcorne when he ſaid, the Damſell is not dead but ſleepeth, were afterwards confounded, when they ſaw her raiſed by his heavenly voice.
His holy pleaſure I know not, nor doe I know which way the Glory of his great Name will more appeare, either in finally ſuffering ſo great a fall and ruine of ſo ſtrong a pillar, that Fleſh may not Glory, but that his ſtrength and Glory onelyonly may be ſeene in Weakneſſe. Or elſe in your holy Riſing and Reviving from the Bed of ſo much ſpirituall filthines, and from ſo bloudie a minde, and lip, and hand, againſt all withſtanders or Diſturbers in it. That ſo the ſhort Remainder of your Candle may hould out to the World, the Riches of his Mercy, at whoſe words the holyeſt of his Servants ought to tremble, and to work out their Salvation with feare and trembling: I ſay (I deſire to ſay it; tremblingly and mournfully) I know not which way he will pleaſe to raiſe his Glory) onelyonly I know my Dutie, my Conſtience, my Love, all which inforce me to knock, to call to cry at the Gate of Heaven, and at Yours, and to preſent you with this loving, though lowd and faithfull noyſe and ſound of a few Grounds of deeper Examination of both our Soules and Conſciences uprightly and impartially at the holy and dreadfull Tribunall of Him that is appointed the Judge of all the Living and the Dead.
Be pleaſed then (honoured Sir) to remember that that thing which we call Conſcience is of ſuch a Nature (eſpecially in Engliſh-men) as once a Pope of Rome at the ſuffering of an Engliſh-man in Rome, himſelfe obſerved) that although it be groundles, falſe, and deluded, yet is it not by any Arguments or Torments eaſily removed.
I ſpeake not of the ſtreame of the multitude of all Nations, The power of Conſcience though Erroneous.which have their ebbings and flowings in Religion, (as the longeſt Sword, and ſtrongeſt Arme of Fleſh carries it) But I ſpeake of Conſcience, a perſwaſion fixed in the minde and heart of a man, which inforceth him to judge (as Paul ſaid of himſelfe a perſecutour) and to doe ſo and ſo, with reſpect to God, his worſhip, &c.
This Conſcience is found in all mankinde, more or leſſe, in Jewes, Turkes, Papiſts, Proteſtants, Pagans, &c. And to this purpoſe let me freely without offence remember you (as I did Mr Clarke newly come up from his ſufferings amongſt you) I ſay, remember you of the ſame Story I did him, twas that of William Hartly in Queene Elizabeth her dayes, who receiving the Sentence of hanging, drawing, &c. ſpake confidently (as afterward he ſuffered) what tell you me of hanging, &c. If I had ten thouſand millions of lives, I would ſpend them all for the Faith of Rome, &c.
Sir, I am far from glancing the leaſt Countenance on the Conſciences of Papiſts, yea or on ſome Scotch and Engliſh Proteſtants too, who turne up all Rootes, and lay all levell and in bloud, for exaltation of their owne way and Conſcience. All that I obſerve is, that Boldnes and Confidence, Zeale and Reſolution, as it is commendable in a kinde when it ſeriouſly reſpects a Dietie, ſo alſo, the greateſt Confidence hath ſometimes need of the greateſt Search and Examination.
I confeſſe, that for Confidence no Romiſh Prieſt hath ever exceededTrue & falſe Witneſſes both Confident. the holy Martyrs or Witneſſes of Jeſus: Witnes (amongſt ſo many) that holy Engliſh Woman, who cryed out, that if every haire of her head were a life or man, they ſhould burne for the Name of the Lord Jeſus: But Sir, your Principles and Conſcience binde you, not to reſpect Romiſh or Engliſh, Saints or Sinners: William Heartly, and that Woman, with all their lives, you are bound by your Conſcience to puniſh (and it may be) to hang or burne, if they tranſgreſſe againſt your Conſcience, and that becauſe (according to Mr Cottons monſtrous Diſtinction (as ſome of his chiefe Brethren to my knowledge have called it) not becauſe they ſinne in matters of Conſcience, (which he denies the Magiſtrate to deale in) but becauſe they ſinne againſt their Conſcience.
Secondly, It is ſo notoriouſly knowne, that the Conſciences of the moſt holy men, zealous for God & his Chriſt to Death and Admiration, yea even in our owne Countrey, and in Queen Maries dayes eſpecially, have been ſo groſsly miſlead by miſtaken Conſciences in matters concerning the worſhip of God, the comming out of the Antichriſtian Babell, and the Rebuilding of the ſpirituall Jeruſalem, that I need but hint who were theyThe Common Prayers & the Compoſers of it. that pend the Common prayer (in its Time, as glorious an Idoll, and as much adored by Godly perſons, as any Invention now extant) I ſay, who they were that lived and dyed (five in the flames) zealous for their Biſhopricks, yea and ſome too too zealous for their Popiſh Ceremonies, againſt the doubting Conſciences of their Brethren: At which and more, we that now have riſen in our Fath…rs ſtead, wonder and admire how ſuch piercing eyes could be deceived, ſuch Watchmen blinded and deluded. But
Thirdly, We ſhall not ſo much wonder when we lift up our trembling eyes to Heaven, and remember our ſelves (pooreWhat's ſweet with man, ſt…nks (often) in Gods noſtrills. duſt) that our Thoughts are not as the Thoughts of our Maker, that, that which in the eyes of man (as the Lord Jeſus tells us, Luc. 16.) is of high and ſweet eſteeme, it ſtincks and is abomination with God: Hence ſuch Worſhips, ſuch Churches, ſuch glorious profeſſions & practices may be, as may raviſh themſelves and the behoulders, when with the piercing eyes of the moſt High, they may looke counterfeit and ugly, and be found but (ſpiritually) Whores, and Abominations.
Fourthly, Wiſe men uſe to inquire, what Motives, what Occaſions, what Snares, what Temptations were there, which mooved, which drew, which allured, &c. This is the Apologie which the five Apologiſts (Mr Goodwin, Mr Nye, &c.) made to the Parliament, to wit, That they were not tempted with the moulding of New Common-wealths, after which they might be mooved to frame their Religion, &c.
Surely Sir, the Baits, the Temptations, the Snares laid to catchSathans policie in propoſing Motives and Baits to wiſe and excellent Saints. you, were not few, nor common, nor laid to every foote. Saul pretended zeale to the Name of God, and love to Iſrael in perſecuting the poore Gibeonites to death, but Honour me before the people, was the maine Engine that turned the Wheeles of all his Actions and Devotions. What ſet Jeroboams braines to conſult and plot the Invention of a new Religion, Worſhip, Prieſts, &c. but Honour, & the feare of the loſſe of his gained honour? What moved Jehu to be falſe and halting with God after ſo much glorious zeale in Reformation? Yea I had almoſt ſaid, what mooved David to ſtob Ʋriah (the fire of God) with his pen, but the feare of diſhonour in the Diſcovery of his ſin, though doubtles there was ſome mixtures of the feare of his Gods diſpleaſure and diſhonour alſo?
Sir, it is no ſmall offer, the choice and applauſe and Rule over ſo many Townes, ſo many holy, ſo many wiſe, in ſuch a holy way as you believe you are in: To ſay nothing of ſtrong drinkes and wines, the fat and ſweet of this and other Lands: Theſe and others are ſnares which without abundant ſtrength from God will catch and hould the ſtrongeſt feete: Sir, I have knowne you ſtrong, in repelling ſtrong Temptations, but I cannot but feare and lament, that ſome of theſe and others have been too ſtrong and potent with you.
Fifthly, We not onelyonly uſe to ſay proverbially, but the Spirit of God expreſsly tells us, that there is a minde-bewitching, aSpirituall Witchcraft. betwitching of the very Conſciences and ſpirits of men. That as in Witchcraft, a ſtronger and ſupernaturall power layes hould upon the powers of Nature, with a ſuppreſſing or elevating of thoſe powers beneath or above themſelves: So is it with the very Spirits and Conſciences of the moſt Intelligent and Conſcientious, when the Father of Spirits is pleaſed in his righteous diſpleaſure and jealouſie, ſo to ſuffer it to be with ours.
Sir, I from my Soule honour and love the perſons of ſuch, whom I, you, and themſelves may ſee have been Inſtrumentall in your bewitchin… ▪ Why ſhould it be thought inconſiſtent with the holy wiſdome of God to permit wiſe and holy and learned perſons to wander themſelves and miſlead others; when the holy Scripture and Experience tells us of the dangerous Councells and wayes of as wife and learned and holy as now breath in either Old or New Engliſh aire?
Sir, I had thought to have named one or two, who may juſtly be ſuſpected (though otherwiſe worthily beloved) but I have choſe rather to preſent an hint, for thats enough to ſo intelligent a Breaſt, if but willing to make an Impartiall Review and Examination of Paſſages between the moſt High and your in moſt Soule in ſecret.
Therefore ſixthly, for a ſixt ground of ſuſpecting your Soule and Spirit and Conſcience in this particular of perſecution, which I now inſtance in, may you pleaſe, Sir, without offence to remember, that as it is in ſuch as have exceeded in Wine, theirMyſticall Drunkenneſſe and the drunken Language of it. ſpeech will bewray them: So it is in Spirituall Cups and Intoxications.
The Maker and Searcher of our hearts knowes with what Bitternes I write, as with Bitternes of Soule I have heard ſuch Language as this to proceed from your ſelfe and others, whoThe language of perſecutours. formerly have fled from (with crying out againſt) perſecutours! [you will ſay, this is your Conſcience: You will ſay, you are perſecuted, and you are perſecuted for your Conſcience: No, you are Conventiclers, Hereticks, Blaſphemers, Seducers: You deſerve to be hanged, rather then one ſhall be wanting to hang him I will hang him my ſelfe: I am reſolved not to leave an Heretick in the Countrey; I had rather ſo many Whores and VVhoremongers and Thieves came amongſt us:] Oh Sir, you cannot forget what Language and Dialect this is, whether not the ſame unſavourie, and ungodly, blaſphemous and bloudie, which the Gardiners and Bonners both former and later uſed to all that bowed not to the State goulden Image of what Conſcience ſoever they were. And indetd, Sir, if the moſt High be pleaſed to awaken you to render unto his holy Majeſtie his due praiſes, in your truely broken-hearted Confeſſions and Supplications, you will then proclaime to all the VVorld, that what profeſſion ſoever you made of the Lambe, yet theſe Expreſſions could not proceed but from the Dragons mouth.
Oh remember, and the moſt holy Lord bring it to your Remembrance, that you have now a great price in your hand, toA price and a Heart bleſſed Companions. bring great Glory to his holy Name, great Rejoycing to ſo gracious a Redeemer (in whom you profeſſe is all your Healing and Salvation) great Rejoycing to the holy Spirit of all true Conſolation, whom yet ſo long you have grieved and ſadded, great Rejoycing to thoſe bleſſed Spirits (attending upon the Lambe, and all his, and terrible to his perſecutours) great Rejoycing and Inſtruction to all that love, the true Lord Jeſus (notwithſtanding their wandrings among ſo many falſe Chriſts) mourning and lamenting after him in all parts of the World where his Name is ſounded: Your Tallents are great, your Fall hath been ſo: Your Eminencie is great, the Glory of the moſt High in Mercy or Juſtice toward you will be great alſo.
Oh remember it is a dangerous Combat for the Potſheards ofThe horrible & dangerous path which all perſecutours or Hunters walke in. the Earth to fight with their dreadfull Potter: It is a diſmall Battle for poore naked feete to kick againſt the Pricks; It is a dreadfull voyce from the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Endicot, Endicot, why hunteſt thou me? why impriſoneſt thou me? why fineſt, why ſo bloudily whippeſt, why wouldeſt thou (did not I hould thy bloudie hands) hang and burne me? Yea Sir, I beſeech you remember that it is a dangerous thing to put this to the may be, to the venture or hazzard, to the poſſibilitie: Is it poſſible (may you well ſay) that ſince I hunt, I hunt not the life of my Saviour, and the bloud of the Lambe of God: I have fought againſt many ſeverall ſorts of Conſciences, is it beyond all poſſibilitie and hazard, that I have not fought againſt God, that I have not perſecuted Jeſus in ſome of them?
Sir, I muſt be humbly bold to ſay, that 'tis impoſſible for any Man or Men to maintaine their Chriſt by the Sword, and to worſhip a true Chriſt! to fight againſt all Conſciences oppoſite to theirs, and not to fight againſt God in ſome of them, and to hunt after the precious life of the true Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Oh remember whether your Principles and Conſciences muſt inThe leaſt … ſparke of perſecution tends to bloud, and will proceed, except God mightlly ſtop it. time and opportunitie force you. 'Tis but worldly policie and Compliance with Men and Times (Gods mercy over-ruling) that houlds your hands from murthering of thouſands and ten thouſands were your Power and Command as great as once the bloudie Roman Emperours was.
The truth is (and your ſelfe and others have ſaid it) by your Principles ſuch whom you count Hereticks, Blaſphemers, Seducers, ought to be put to Death; You cannot be faithfull to your Principles and Conſciences, if you ſatisfie them with but impriſoning, fining, whipping and baniſhing the Hereticks, and by ſaying that baniſhing is a kinde of Death, as ſome chiefe with you (in my caſe formerly) have ſaid it.
Sir, 'Tis like you knew or have heard of the man that ſaid he would never Conforme publikely, although he did ſubſcribe in private for his Libertie ſake of Preaching: That, although he did conforme in ſome things, yet in all he never would: That, although he did himſelfe yeeld, yet he would not moleſt and inforce others: That although he yeelded, that others did moleſt them, yet himſelfe would never perſecute, and yet did all.
But oh poore duſt and Aſhes, like ſtones once roling downe the Alpes, like the Indian Canoes or Engliſh Boats looſe and adriſt, where ſtop we untill infinite mercy ſtop us, eſpecially when a falſe fire of zeale and Conſcience drives us, (though againſt the moſt holy and eternall himſelfe?)
Oh remember the black Catalogues it hath pleaſed the moſtGods moſt dreadfull Judgements againſt perſecutours. jealous and righteous God to make of his fierie Judgements and moſt dreadfull ſtoakes on Eminent and remarkeable perſecutours even in this life. It hath been his way and courſe in all Countries, in Germanie, France and England, (eſpecially) what ever their pretences have been againſt Hereticks, Rebells, Schiſmaticks, Blaſphemers, Seducers, &c. How hath he left them to be their owne Accuſers, Judges, Executioners, ſome by hanging, ſome by ſtobbing, ſome by drowning and poyſoning themſelves, ſome by running mad, and ſome by drinking in the very ſame Cup which they had filld to others?
Some may ſay, Such perſecutours hunted God and Chriſt, but I, but we, &c. I anſwer, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt foretold how wonderfully the wiſeſt of the World, ſhould be miſtaken in the things of Chriſt, and a true viſible Chriſt Jeſus! When did we ſee thee naked, hungry, thirſtie, ſicke, inpriſon, &. How eaſie, how common, how dreadfull theſe miſtakes?
Oh remember once againe (as I began) and I humbly deſire to remember with you, that every gray haire now on both ourDeath is a Boanerges. heads, is a Boanerges, a ſonne of Thunder, and a warning piece to prepare us, for the waighing of our laſt Anchors, and to be gone from hence, as if we had never been.
'Twas mercy infinite, that ſtopt provoked Juſtice from blowingGray hayres are Gods Alarums. out our Candles in our youths, but now the feeding Subſtance of the Candle's gone, and 'tis impoſſible (without repentance,) to recall our Actions! nay, with repentance, to recall our minutes paſt us.
Sir, I know I have much preſumed upon your many waighty affaires and thoughts, I end with an humble cry to the Father of mercies, that you may take Davids Counſell, and ſilently commune with your owne heart upon your Bed, reflect upon your owne ſpirit, and believe Him that ſaid it to his overzealous Diſciples, You know not what ſpirit you are of: That, no ſleepe may ſeize upon your eyes, nor ſlumber upon your eye-lids, untill your ſerious thoughts have ſeriouſly, calmely, and unchangeably (through helpe from Chriſt Jeſus) fixed.
Firſt, On a Moderation toward the Spirits and Conſciences of all mankinde, meerly differing from or oppoſing yours with onelyonly Religious and Spirituall oppoſition.
Secondly, A deepe and cordiall Reſolution (in theſe wonderfull ſearching, diſputing, and diſſenting times) to ſearch, to liſten, to pray, to faſt, and more fearefully, more tremblingly to enquire what the holy pleaſure, and the holy myſteries of the moſt Holy are; In whom I humbly deſire to be
Your poore fellow-Servant, unfainedly, reſpective and faithfull, R. VVilliams.