N00446:118
The triumphs of the reformed religion, in America. The life of the renowned John…
The triumphs of the reformed religion, in America. The life of the renowned John Eliot; a person justly famous in the church of God, not only as an eminent Christian, and an excellent Minister, among the English, but also, as a memorable evangelist among the Indians, of New-England; with some account concerning the late and strange success of the Gospel, in those parts of the world, which for many ages have lain buried in pagan ignorance. / Written by Cotton Mather. ; [Two lines from Luke]
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris for Joseph Brunning i.e, 1691
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
He conceived, that no protestation of ours could now free this gesture ⟨p. 64⟩from the just interpretation of Idolatry because of the antecedent interpretation put upon it by those that first contrived it, enjoyed it, and have hitherto maintained it; and it affrighted him to read what the Popish Writers assert about Kneeling, if the Sacramental Bread remain Bread after the Consecration. He could not understand a Bishop that should not be ejasdem Jurisdictions, and much less one that should not be ejusdem O•dinis with a Presbyter; and when he saw the Clergy of a whole Nation at length & of late so much Annihilate themselves, as to Subscribe unto Canons which took away from every Parish-Minister, all Obligation to teach or Authority to rule, in the Church of God, he soon said upon it, Unto their Assembly, mine Honour, be not thou United.
It afflicted him to see these, and more such as these, things continued in the Church of England, by the Artifice of certain persons who were loth to have the Reformation carried on unto those further Degrees which the most eminent of the first Reformers had in their Holy Designs; and it filled him with a just Horror, and sorrow! to see above twenty Hundred, faithful Ministers in one Black Day turned out of their employments, and several Thousands of Christians and Families in a little while Ruined, because they could not swallow down such unaccountable superstitions.
It afflicted him to see these, and more such as these, things continued in the Church of England, by the Artifice of certain persons who were loth to have the Refomation carried on unto those further Degrees which the most eminent of the first Reformers had in their Holy Designs; and it filled him with a just Horrour, and sorrow! to see above twenty Hundred, faithful Ministers in one Black Day turned out of their employments, and several Thousands of Christians and Families in a little while Ruined, because they could not swallow down such unaccountable superstitions.