AN ATTESTATION TO THIS CHURCH-HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND. last Ir hath been deservedly esteemed one of the great and wonderful works of God in this age, that the Lord stirred up the spirits of so many thousands of his servants, to leave the pleasant land of England, the land of their nativity, and to transport themselves, and families, over the ocean sea, into a desert land in America, at the distance of a thousand leagues from their own country; and this, meerly on the account of pure and undefiled Religion, not knowing how they should have their daily bread, but trusting in God for that, in the way of seeking first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof: And that the Lord was pleased to grant such a gracious presence of his with them, and such a blessing upon their undertakings, that within a few years a wilderness was subdued before them, and so many Colonies planted, Towns erected, and Churches settled, wherein the true and living God in Christ Jesus, is worshipped and served, in a place where, time out of mind, had been nothing before but Heathenism, Idolatry, and Devil-worship; and that the Lord has added so many of the blessings of Heaven and earth for the comfortable subsistence of his people in these ends of the earth. Surely of this work, and of this time, it shall be said, what hath God wrought? And, this is the Lord's doings, it is marvellous in our eyes! Even so (O Lord) didst thou lead thy people, to make thyself a glorious name! Now, one generation passeth away, and another cometh. The first generation of our fathers, that began this plantation of NewEngland, most of them in their middle age, and many of them in their declining years, who, after they had served the will of God, in laying the foundation (as we hope) of many gencrations, and given an example of true reformed Religion in the faith and order of the gospel, according to their best light from the words of God, they are now gathered unto their fathers. There hath been another generation succeeding the first, either of such as come over with their parents very young, or were born in the country, and these have had the managing of the publick affairs for many years, but are apparently passing away, as their fathers before them. There is also a third generation, who are grown up, and begin to stand thick upon the stage of action, at this day, and these were all born in the country, and may call NewEngland their native land. Now, in respect of what the Lord hath done for these generations, succeeding one another, we have aboundant cause of Thanksgiving to the Lord our God, who hath so increased and blessed this people, that from a day of small things, he has brought us to be, what we now are. We may set up an EBENEZER, and say, "Hitherto the Lord hath helped us." Yet in respect of our present state, we have need earnestly to pray, as we are directed, "Let thy work further appear unto thy servants, and let thy beauty be upon us, and thy glory upon our children; establish thou the works of these our hands; yea, the works of our hands, establish thou them." AN ATTESTATION TO THIS CHURCH-HISTORY, ETC. 15 New-England, that there should be extant, a true history of the wonderful works of God in the late plantation of this part of America: which was indeed planted, not on the account of any worldly interest, but on a design of enjoying and advancing the true reformed religion, in a practical way; and also of the good hand of God upon it from the beginning unto this day, in granting such a measure of good success, so far as we have attained: such a work as this hath been much desired, and long expected, both at home and abroad, and too long delayed by us, and sometimes it hath seemed a hopeless thing ever to be attained, till God raised up the spirit of this learned and pious person, one of the sons of the colledge, and one of the ministers of the third generation, to undertake this work. His learning and Godliness, and ministerial abilities, were so conspicuous, that at the age of seventeen years, he was called to be a publick preacher in Boston, the metropolis of the whole English America; and within a while after that, he was ordained pastor of the same church, whereof his own father was the teacher, and this at the unanimous desire of the people, and with the approbation of the magistrates, ministers, and churches, in the vicinity of Boston. And after he had, for divers years, approved himself in an exemplary way, and obliged his native country, by publishing many useful treatises, suitable to the present state of Religion amongst us, he set himself to write the church-history of New-England, not at all omitting his ministerial employments; and in the midst of many difficulties, tears, and temptations, having made a diligent search, collecting of proper materials, and selecting the choicest memorials, he hath, in the issue, within a few months, contrived, composed, and methodized the same into this form and frame which we here see: so that it deserves the name of, THE CHURCH-HISTORY OF NEW-ENGLAND. But as I behold this exemplary son of New-England, while thus young and tender, at such a rate building the Temple of God, and in a few months dispatching such a piece of Templework as this is; a work so notably adjusted and adorned, it brings to mind the epigram upon young Borellus: "Cúm juveni tantam dedit experientia lucem, Tale ut promat opus, quam dabit illa seni ?”* As for my self, having been, by the mercy of God, now above sixty-eight years in NewEngland, and served the Lord and his people in my weak measure, sixty years in the ministry of the gospel, I may now say, in my old age, I have seen all that the Lord hath done for his people in New-England, and have known the beginning and progress of these churches unto this day; and having read over much of this history, I cannot but in the love and fear of God bear witness to the truth of it; viz: That this present church-history of New-England, compiled by Mr. Cotton Mather, for the substance, end, and scope of it, is, as far as I have been acquainted therewithall, according to truth. The manifold advantage and usefulness of this present history, will appear, if we consider the great and good ends unto which it may be serviceable; as, First, That a plain scriptural duty of recording the works of God unto after-times, may not any longer be omitted, but performed in the best manner we can. Secondly, That by the manifestation of the truth of things, as they have been and are amongst us, the misrepresentations of New-England may be removed and prevented; for, Rectum est sui et obliqui Index.† Thirdly, That the true original and design of this plantation may not be lost, nor buried in oblivion, but known and remembered for ever, [Psal. cxl. 4: "He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered." Psal. cv. 5: "Remember ye the marvellous works which he hath done."] • If on his youth is shed such light As kindles this immortal page, How will his genius, now so bright, + This geometrical maxim, if we lay aside the metaphor, may be thus rendered: "TRUTH serves the twofold purpose of attesting its own character and of exposing falsehood." Fourthly. That God may have the glory of the great and good works which he hath done for his people in these ends of the earth, [As in Isaiah lxiii. 7: “I will mention the loving kindness of the Lord, and the praises of the Lord, according to all the great goodness and mercy he has bestowed on us."] Fifthly, That the names of such eminent persons as the Lord made use of, as instruments in his hand, for the beginning and carrying on of this work, may be embalmed, and preserved, for the knowledge and imitation of posterity; for the memory of the just is blessed. Sixthly, That the present generation may remember the way wherein the Lord hath led his people in this wilderness, for so many years past, unto this day; [according to that in Deut. viii. 2: "Thou shalt remember all the way wherein the Lord hath led thee in the wilderness this forty years, to humble thee, and to prove thee, and to know what was in thy heart, whether thou wouldst keep his commandments or no."] All considering persons cannot but observe, that our wilderness-condition hath been full of humbling, trying, distressing providences. We have had our Massahs and Meribahs; and few of our churches but have had some remarkable hours of temptation passing over them, and God's end in all has been to prove us, whether, according to our profession, and his expectation, we would keep his commandments, or not. Seventhly, That the generations to come in New-England, may know the God of their fathers, and may serve him with a perfect heart and willing mind; as especially the first generation did before them; and that they may set their hope in God, and not forget his works, but keep his commandments.—(Psal. Ixxviii. 7.) Eighthly, And whereas it may be truly said, (as Jer. xxiii. 21,) "That when this people began to follow the Lord into this wilderness, they were holiness to the Lord, and he planted them as a noble vine;" yet if, in process of time, when they are greatly increased and multiplied, they should so far degenerate, as to forget the religious design of their fathers, and forsake the holy ways of God, (as it was said of them in Hosea iv. 7: "As they were increased, so they sinned against the Lord;") and so that many evils and troubles will befall them; then this Book may be for a witness against them; and yet through the mercy of God, may be also a means to reclaim them, and cause them to return again unto the Lord, and his holy ways, that he may return again in mercy unto them; even unto the many thousands of New-England. Ninthly, That the little daughter of New-England in America, may bow down herself to her mother England, in Europe, presenting this memorial unto her; assuring her, that though by some of her angry brethren she was forced to make a local secession, yet not a separation, but hath always retained a dutiful respect to the Church of God in England; and giving some account to her, how graciously the Lord has dealt with herself in a remote widlerness, and what she has been doing all this while; giving her thanks for all the supplies she has received from her; and because she is yet in her minority, she craves her farther blessing and favour as the case may require; being glad if what is now presented to her, may be of any use, to help forward the union and agreement of her brethren, which would be some satisfaction to her for her undesired local distance from her dear England; and finally promising all that reverence and obedience which is due to her good mother, by virtue of the fifth commandment. And, Lastly, This present history may stand as a monument, in relation to future times, of a fuller and better reformation of the Church of God, than it hath yet appeared in the world. For by this Essay it may be seen, that a farther practical reformation than that which began at the first coming out of the darkness of Popery, was aimed at, and endeavoured by a great number of voluntary exiles, that came into a wilderness for that very end, that hence they might be free from humane additions and inventions in the worship of God, and might prac tice the positive part of divine institutions, according to the word of God. How far we have attained this design, may be judged by this Book. But we beseech our brethren, of our own and of other nations, to believe that we are far from thinking that we have attained a |