Hypocrisy Unmasked, Comment
Thus much of the Anſwer and teſtimony of that Reverend and Grave Divine, wherein the Reader may ſee how Mr. Gorton abuſeth all men, by caſting mire and dirt in the faces of our beſt deſerving Inſtruments.
In page 54. he accuſeth Mr. Wilſon and Mr. Cotton for ſtirring up the people againſt them, &c. Anſw. What they preſſed in their Sermons, I was not preſent to heare; but this I can affirme, that from the time of their liberty to my departure from New England, which is not much above two moneths, I have heard many precious godly men affirme, that Sam. Gorton and his company needleſly in their writings and conference belched out ſuch blaſphemy as they thought God was offended with the Country for giving them the liberty they had. And that you may the better ſee his carriage, (it being the manner of the Countrey to let their priſoners come to heare the Word preached) Mr. Gorton, &c. being there after Mr. Cotton had ended his Sermon on a Sabbath day, asked leave to ſpeake, which Mr. Cotton aſſenting to, the Governour being preſent gave him leave, where with a loud voice before the whole Congregation being very great, hee declared, That the Miniſtery of the Word, Sacraments, Cenſures, and other Ordinances of Religion in the hands of Miniſters, are like the ſilver Shrines of Diana in the hands of the craftſmen of Epheſus, &c. And if the truth of this be queſtioned, I have teſtimony upon Oath to make it good.
In pag. 55, 56, 57. many things might bee excepted againſt, as in p. 55. his great reſpect manifeſted to that government, becauſe derived from the State of England, which what it was thou maiſt largely ſee in certaine Obſervations of a godly Divine annexed hereunto, upon his owne two contemptuous and blaſphemous Letters, or rather Bookes, wherein are 48 ſeverall aſperſions caſt on them. Secondly, his appealing, pag. 56. from their Juſtice when their Charter enjoynes none.
In pag. 56, & 57, the Queſtions as hee hath ſet them downe, and the relation about the time allowed him to give his anſwer; I queſtion whether he have dealt fairely therein, becauſe hee is ſo often found faulty.
To paſſe by his Anſwer, and his large explanation of himſelfe, pag. 58. and come to 59. &c. and ſo the reſt of his Anſwers to the Queſtions to 64. I anſwer, though I know not whether hee doe right as hee ſtates things; yet this I know, being atteſted by reverend perſons, That hee then maintained, that God made man after his owne image; and that God hath but one image, and that is Chriſt; and this was the Incarnation of Chriſt, his exinanition by which we are ſaved. And when it was objected, wee are not ſaved by the incarnation of Chriſt, but by the death of Chriſt. True, ſaith hee, therefore Adam fell, and ſo deſtroyed Gods image, and that was the death of Chriſt. When it was objected againe, Adams fall was not our ſalvation, but condemnation, but the death of Chriſt was our ſalvation: and therefore Adams fall could not be the death of Chriſt. Hee would by no meanes either revoke or explaine his ſpeech (though much urged thereunto) to agree with the principles of Chriſtian Religion. Being further demanded what he then thought of that Chriſt in whom we beleeve, borne of the Virgin Mary, and who ſuffered under Pontius Pilate? He anſwered, That that Chriſt was a ſhadow, and but a reſemblance of what is done in mee and every true Chriſtian. And now judge good Reader, whether this be like what hee mentioneth, or whether it were a trifle not worthy the mentioning: But if he will be ſo unfaithfull as to omit it, I dare not.
As for his cenſure, pag. 64. I know not whether it bee right ſet downe; and ſo the charge, pag. 65. wherein I dare ſay he wrongeth the Miniſters, in ſaying, They ſtirred up the people to famiſh them.
As for his long and tedious Letter to Mr. Green, from page 66 to 74. I paſſe it by, as he ſaith Mr. Green did. But in 74. hee would make it an aſperſion upon Mr. Endecot for ſaying that God had ſtirred them up to goe out of their owne juriſdiction to fetch them from their owne places. Take notice as it is litterally within the line of Plimouth Government in their Grant, yet the Indians before mentioned having ſubjected themſelves to the Maſſachuſets, the Commiſſioners for Plimouth as well as thoſe for Con…aeut, and New-Haven, upon the manifold complaints and reaſons before mentioned, being met together at their ordinary time and place appointed and ordered it ſhould bee ſo, as appeares by the copy of their act.