N01899:170
India Christiana. A discourse, delivered unto the Commissioners, for the Propagation of the Gospel among the American Indians : which is accompanied with several instruments relating to the glorious design of propagating our holy religion, in the Eastern as well as the Western, Indies. : An entertainment which they that are waiting for the kingdom of God will receive as good news from a far country. / By Cotton Mather, D.D. and F.R.S.
printed by B. Green, 1721
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
This Ministry, Suppose it a Load which even the Backs of Angels may tremble at; yet it is a work, which the Wings of Angels would ⟨p. 64⟩be with the highest Flights and Joys applied unto: Yea, and a work, in which the Ministers who Execute the Pleasure & Command of GOD, with Essays to have His Kingdom ruling over all; These not only are a sort of Competitors with the Angels, but also in these Essays Enjoy them for their Companions and Coadjutors.
Great and Grievous and never enough to be bewailed, has been the Scandal given in the Churches of the Reformation; in that so very little, yea, next to nothing, has been done in them, for the Propagation of a Faith, which breathes nothing but the most unexceptionable Wisdom and Goodness; and by which the Kingdom of GOD comes down into a World, which Satan Reigning every where in it, Possesses and Oppresses, with how direful Chains of his upon it! While at the same time, the Church of Rome, strives with an Unwearied and Extravagant Labour, to Propagate the Idolatry and Superstition of Antichrist, and advance the Empire of Satan. And the Missionaries and Brokers of that Harlot, are indeed more than can be numbered. The Zeal of those Panders, how Ardent is it! Their Attempts, how never tired! Their Travels how very tedious! And with what an Ardour are they Ambitious of a Crown, which appears to them a True Martyrdom, & for the Truth.
Great and Grievous and never enough to be bewailed, has been the Scandal given in the Churches of the Reformation; in that so very little, yea, next to nothing, has been done in them, for the Propagation of a Faith, which breathes nothing but the most unexceptionable Wisdom and Goodness; and by which the Kingdom of GOD comes down into a World, which Satan Reigning every where in it, Possesses and Oppresses, with how direful Chains of his upon it! While at the same time, the Church of Rome, strives with an Unwearied and Extravagant Labour, to Propagate the Idolatry and Superstition of Antichrist, and advance the Empire of Satan. And the Missionaries and Brokers of that Harlot, are indeed more than can be numbred. The Zeal of those Panders, how Ardent is it! Their Attempts, how never tired! Their Travels how very tedious! And with what an Ardour are they Ambitious of a Crown, which appears to them a True Martyrdom, & for the Truth.
But Blessed be the Name of our GOD, in that He hath inclined the Minds of some Eminent Persons, to take away such a Scandal, and instigated them to roll off this Reproach from us. And among these, if any have done virtuously, You, O Malabcrian Missionaries, (which I would Speak, not for the Flattering of you, but as Admiring the Divine Grace which has assisted you!) You have excelled them all.
But Blessed be the Name of our GOD, in that He hath inclined the Minds of some Eminent Persons, to take away such a Scandal, and instigated them to roll off this Reproach from us. And among these, if any have done vertuously, You, O Malabcrian Missionaries, (which I would Speak, not for the Flattering of you, but as Admiring the Divine Grace which has assisted you!) You have excelled them all.
The Report of your Mission and of your Diligence, hath reached from the Eastern even to the Western Indies. And what the Grace of Heaven has helped you to do, towards the producing of a Christian People among the Indians, is heard among the American Christians, with the highest Praises offered up to GOD on the occasion, and as cool waters to our Thirsty Souls is the Good News from a far Country.
Being Invited by your most Courteous and Christian Letters to me, and being a most hearty well-wisher to your Enterprises for the Enlargement of the Church, I am willing to declare, in a few words, and with the Modesty which becomes me, what my Apprehensions are concerning the Glorious and Weighty Affair which you have upon your hands.
Being Invited by your most Courteous and Christian Letters to me, and being a most hearty well-wisher to your Enterprizes for the Enlargement of the Church, I am willing to declare, in a few words, and with the Modesty which becomes me, what my Apprehensions are concerning the Glorious and Weighty Affair which you have upon your hands.
And in the First Place, this is the very First born of my Wishes; nor is there any thing that I more wish, or have more Earnest desires for, than this: That all the Servants of GOD, who Do and Endure many Things for the Evangelizing of the World may Exhibit unto the whole World the Pure Maxims of the Everlasting Gospel, and would Preach unto the Nations, the Weightier Matters of the Gospel, and the Wheat well cleansed from the Chaff, and from those Lesser Matters, whereabout Good Men, may and often do, carry on their Disputations.
'Tis most certain, That the Christian Religion is no other than the Doctrine of Living to GOD by CHRIST; and is a Practical Thing rather than a mere Theory; the Intention whereof is, to animate a Real, Solid, Vital PIETY, and Call forth such as•y dead in their Sins, unto a Godly, & a Sober, & a Righteous Life.
'Tis most certain, That the Christian Religion is no other than the Doctrine of Living to GOD by CHRIST; and is a Practical Thing rather than a meer Theory; the Intention whereof is, to animate a Real, Solid, Vital PIETY, and Call forth such as•y dead in their Sins, unto a Godly, & a Sober, & a Righteous Life.
'Tis most certain, That in the Christian Religion, which is indeed a Doctrine of PIETY, there are sundry Practical Articles, in which all the Children of GOD are United; and they who seriously and sincerely Coalesce in this Union are to be reckoned among the Children of GOD.
It is very certain, That these few Articles of Practical Piety, being first offered and well ⟨p. 67⟩Received, the Mind thus Healed, will now make a Righter and •uller Judgment, of those Lesser Matters, upon which Good Men have many, mischievous and marvellous Controversies. The love of GOD will Enlighten the Mind that has it; And indeed they that manage Controversies, do on both sides make a profession of Zeal to maintain these Articles of Practical Godliness.
This therefore is the One Thing, which I earnestly Request of you; That you first of all propound unto the Nations among whom you abound in the work of the Lord, these Articles of the First Magnitude, wherein True Christianity does Firstly and Chiefly consist.
In the First Place; The One GOD, who Subsisteth in Three Persons, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and who in the Beginning did Create the World; is to be Embraced and Adored for OUR GOD. It must be the Principal Aim of our Life, in all things to yield Obedience unto Him. And it must be our most hearty Care, to Avoid every Thing which His Light shining in our Soul shall condemn as an Evil Thing.
In the Next Place; The CHRIST, who is the Eternal SON of GOD Incarnate in our Blessed JESUS, is our only Redeemer; who Dying for us, has offered a most Acceptable ⟨p. 68⟩Sacrifice to the Divine Justice, on which relying by Faith we become Reconciled unto GOD; and under the Conduct of Him who being received up into the Heavens, now Reigns on the Throne of GOD, we are to expect a wonderful and unspeakable Blessedness for our Immortal Soul, whereto our Body shall be Re-united in a Glorious Resurrection, when He shall Return unto us to Judge the World.
Lastly; Being filled with the Love of GOD and of CHRIST, we must most Heartily Love our Neighbours; and for ever go by that Golden Rule, Whatsoever you would have Men do unto you, do you even the same unto them.
THIS is that PURE CHRISTIANITY, which when it shall be by the Trumpets of GOD purely and plainly Preached unto the Nations, the Preachers will doubtless have GOD smiling upon them; The Hand of the Lord will be with them; and many will Believe, and be turned unto the Lord.
But, The Hand of the Lord! What is it, but that SPIRIT of GOD, without whose Aids, they that would Build the House of the Lord, will but Labour in Vain?
'Tis indeed with a very Trembling Heart, and not without the most profound Submission, that I would now hint a matter to you, ⟨p. 69⟩or at least insinuate it with a whisper hardly to be uttered. Some eminently Learned Men, Persons of the most finished Erudition, and the farthest in the World from all Fanaticism, are of this Persuasion; That the Reformation and Propagation of Religion, will be accomplished, by Granting over again, those Extraordinary Gifts of the Prophetic Spirit, by which the Holy Spirit watered the Primitive Church, and at first spread and confirmed the Christian Religion in the World.
'Tis indeed with a very Trembling Heart, and not without the most profound Submission, that I would now hint a matter to you, ⟨p. 69⟩or at least insinuate it with a whisper hardly to be uttered. Some eminently Learned Men, Persons of the most finished Erudition, and the farthest in the World from all Fanaticism, are of this Perswasion; That the Reformation and Propagation of Religion, will be accomplished, by Granting over again, those Extraordinary Gifts of the Prophetic Spirit, by which the Holy Spirit watered the Primitive Church, and at first spread and confirmed the Christian Religion in the World.
