hearts such were some of us, or our progenitors before us. They are beasts wee say, and can wee without compassion behold men transformed into beasts, we have the light of grace, they have scarce the dim light of nature, wee have fellowship with God, they have scarce heard of him: wee are translated into the glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God, they are bondslaves of Sathan: who hath made us to differ? how long shall we scorne what we should commiserate? what if God should shew mercy unto them, erect a Church among them, recover them out of the power of the Devill; Could any Conquest bee so glorious? would we not glorifie God and rejoyce with all our soules, as the beleeving lewes did in the Gentiles conversion? How can we refuse to further the prosecuting of that which would bee our glory and joy if it were effected?

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Fourthly, no man desireth to doe as Sampson, to plucke the Pillars on which the house leaneth; this worke craves no Councellour of State, no Peere of the Land; nay perhaps no person imployed at present in any place of government, private men whom the State we conceive needs not, because it employes not; may serve the turne; suppose it should borrow some men of more speciall use, and returne them home, as men from their travels, improved not so much by sight as experience, after the affaires of the Colony were settled; what losse were it in lieu of so great a gaine?

Lastly, if we spare men for the advancing of Gods honour, men that doe us service that they may attend Gods service, we have as much reason to expect the supply of our losse as the repayring of our estates, out of which we spare a portion for our brethrens necessities, or the advancing of Gods worship; by the blessing of God according to his promise.

CHAP. VI.

What warrant particular men may have to engage their persons, and estates in this imployment of planting Colonies.

T

O give a cleare Resolution to this Proposition, is a matter of no small difficultie: I shall declare mine owne opinion, and leave it to the censure of the godly wise. It is the conceit of some men, that no man may undertake this

taske without an extraordinary warrant, such as Abraham had from God, to call him out of Mesopotamia to Canaan; their opinion seemes to rest upon a ground that will hardly be made good, sc. That the planting of Colonies is an extraordinarie worke. Which if it be granted, then the argument hath a strong, and for ought I know, a necessary inference That therefore those that undertake it, must have an extraordinary Call. But that Proposition, That planting of Colonies is an extraordinary worke, will not easily be granted. This Argument lyes strongly against it.

That Duty that is commanded by a perpetuall Law, cannot be accounted extraordinary.

But the sending out of Colonies is commanded by a perpetuall Law.

Therefore it is no extraordinary duty.

Now that the commandement is perpetuall, hath beene proved. First, because it was given to mankind; and secondly because it hath a ground which is perpetuall, sc. the emptinesse of the earth, which either is so, or may be so a while the world endures; for even those places which are full, may be emptied by warres, or sicknesse; and then an argument presseth as strongly the contrary way. The undertaking of an ordinary duty needs no other then an ordinary warrant; but such is planting of a Colony, as being undertaken by vertue of a perpetuall law; therefore the undertaking to plant a Colony, needs no extraordinary warrant. Indeed Abrahams undertaking was extraordinary in many things, and therefore needed an immediate direction from God.

1, He was to goe alone with his family and brethren. 2, To such a certaine place far distant.

3, Possessed already by the Canaanites.

4, To receive it wholy appropriated to himselfe, and his Issue.

5, Not to plant it at present, but onely sojourne in it, and walke through it for a time.

Now none of these circumstances fit our ordinary Colonies; and consequently Abrahams example is nothing to this purpose, because the case is different, though in some other things alike.

Others conceive, that though men may adventure upon the worke upon an ordinary warrant, yet none can give that but the State; therefore they require a command from the highest authoritie unto such as ingage themselves in this affaire. Indeed that the State hath power over all her members, to command and dispose of them within the bounds of justice, is more evident, then can be denyed: but this power she executes diver

ly; sometime by command, sometimes by permission: as in preparations to warre, sometimes men are compelled to serve, sometimes they are permitted to goe voluntaries that will.

Againe, sometimes the Supreme power takes care of the whole businesse; sometimes (as in Musters) commits it to delegates. If the power of State then proclaime liberty to such as will, to gather and unite into the body of a Colony, and commit the care to some persons that offer themselves, to associate to them whom they thinke fit, and to order them according to discretion; no man can deny but that the State hath given a sufficient warrant. Neither doth it appeare, that ever any State did more; The Romans use was to proclaime that they intended to plant a Colony of such a number in such a place, and as many as would give in their names should receive so many acres of Ground, and enjoy such other priviledges as they thought fit to grant them, which they then expressed: Those which gave in their names were enrolled till the number was full, and then had they certaine Commissioners appointed by the State to see all things ordered and directed accordingly, and to put every man into possession of his inheritance; neither did the State interpose their authority in assigning, and choosing out the men, but left it free and voluntary to every man to take or leave.

Seeing nothing can beare out the hazzards, and inconveniences of such toylesome and difficult undertakings, as is the planting of Colonies, but a willing minde: Men can digest any thing that themselves choose or desire; but a commandement makes pleasant things harsh, how much more harsh things intolerable?

But to come somewhat nearer unto the grounds of this resolution. In undertaking an new imployment two things must be taken into consideratio, upon which a mans warrant must be grounded.

1, His engagement unto his present condition in which he is

setled.

2, The tender and offer of the new service unto which he is called.

In both it must be first granted, that Callings are employments in which we serve one another through love, Gal. 5. 13. in something that is good, Ephes. 4. 28. not seeking our owne, but other mens profit, 1 Cor. 10. 24.

-In furthering other mens good our ingagements are,

1, To the Church in generall.

12, To that particular State of which wee are members, either wholy, or any branch of it.

3, To our friends.

And these as they have interest in our labours of love in that order that is set downe, so they have power to require them in the same order, and that two wayes, either by their expresse command, or by the manifestation of their necessity or speciall good proposed. The Church in generall rarely layes any command but mostly chalengeth our service by the discovery of her need, and use of our labours for her good. The particular State, besides the pleading of her necessity; interposeth her authority; and that either immediately, as in deputing men to publike offices; or mediately by our parents, or other governours whom she authorizeth to direct and setle us in such particular callings and imployements as may bee for her use and service. The State then by any publike intimation, proclaming free. liberty to men to remove and plant themselves else-where dischargeth these persons of the obligation wherein by her power and authority they stand bound to their particular calling wherein they are placed, and ought otherwise to continue. So. that now particular persons stand no longer bound by the States. authoritie, but by the manifestation of her necessities, which crave their ayde and service for their publike good and safety.

The next thing then to bee taken into consideration, is the advantages or benefits, which may be gained by our service either to the Church, State, or friends to whom wee have relation by private interest. In all these the first respect must be had to necessity, and the next to conveniency. How much is to bee yeelded to necessity, it hath pleased God to manifest; by dispensing with his owne worship and service, in cases of necessity, not only upon our owne persons: but upon our goods or cattell. It must therefore be duly waighed whether we may be more serviceable to the Church in the State where wee live, or in that wee desire to erect and againe, whether service is of more necessity: and whether appears to be greater, that must carry us, unlesse some pressing wants of private friends challenge our service from them both, which in matters of moment & importance, to them must be conceived to be cast in by God, as a discharge from any other employment. As for example, The furthering of the Gospell in New-England, seemes to bee of more pressing necessity, and consequently by a stronger band to call mee on to that worke, then the State at home to my continuance here; for here though I may doe something for the advancing of Religion, yet my labours that way are not so needfull in the land, because many others may put too their hands to the same work. In New-England there are none to undergo the task: but in this case if the preservation of my fathers life or estate required my stay, that is a dis

charge unto me from this call to New-England; not because his life or estate is of greater weight then the Churches good, but because his necessity is greater; for no body can procure my fathers safety but my selfe, other men besides my selfe may doe the Church this service. Thus men that are free from engagement may see what weights are allowed to bee cast into the balance to determine their stay or removall.

All the difficulty that remaines, is, who shall cast the scales (that is) who shall determine which benefit or necessity is the greater? No question that which conscience well informed, assures mee to be so: but who shall informe my conscience, or by what rule shall my conscience judge? It is out of peradventure that God must informe the conscience. But how shall I discover what God adviseth? It is as certaine that if the word, by scanning the grounds which it proposeth, can give a Seer resolution, it must be followed. The things that are revealed belong unto us and our children that we may doe them, Deut. 29. 29. But many rules of Scripture though cleere in themselves, yet are doubtfull and ambiguous in the application, i because they cannot determine particulars. In this case then wee must have recourse to Christian wisdome; assisted: First, By the advise and councell of godly wise friends. Secondly, By the observation of the concurrence of opportunities, Occasiones sunt Dei nutus. Thirdly, By and consideration of the inclination of the heart proposing a right end and scope after frequent and earnest prayer. A resolution taken after all these meanes used, as in Gods presence, without prejudice, with a sincere desire to know and bee informed of Gods will, and obey it, may be taken for the voice of God at present, and ought, to direct the practise, though it binde not the conscience to embrace the things resolved for an infallible and onely the most probable direction. And the truth is, that unlesse this advise and resolution by Christian wisedome, applying the generall rules of Gods word to our owne particular case after wee have sought counsell of God, and our Christian friends may be admitted for a rule to direct our practise, I know not what rule to prescribe to bee followed. Suppose I would marry a wife, nothing but Christian wisedome so assisted, as is expressed before, can shew mee which is the woman.