Read Online The Mathers: Three Generations of Puritan Intellectuals, 1596-1728 by Robert Middlekauff - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Robert Middlekauff
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congregations in England. The two presumed to offer advice, yet their mood as they wrote was humble: they were out of touch with events in England, they admitted, and they hesitated to give suggestions to their friends. The result was that what they wrote was more in the nature of consolation than advice to people distressed by war. They loved their old countrymen, they explained, and wanted only the best for them. Most of all, they did not want to be understood as posing as the representatives of a morally superior culture: "We doe not think our selves to be the
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only Prophets, nor that we only are able to give a word of counsel or comfort to our countrymen: . . . such arrogant apprehensions are far from us." 27
These Puritans began by thinking of themselves in exile. Richard Mather was only one of many who had been deprived of pulpits. Unable to practice the true religion, surrounded by Antichristian practices, and banished from their homes, they held out little hope for the country of their birth. Though there were good men there, and a few true churches, it belonged to the Kingdom of Darkness. Hence they fled to the only Kingdom they valued, the Kingdom of Light. It would be more accurate to say they took the Kingdom of Light with them to New England. It was this Kingdom that concerned them, not New England. While still in England Richard Mather thought of escaping to New Englandor, as he said in a revealing phrase, "some like place." And once safe in the New World, these Puritans continued to think in terms of the old abstractions: the conflict between the forces of light and darkness and the grand development of history towards the ultimate end.
Place did not preoccupy them in these years of beginning; and it lost even what initial importance it had when the great conflict between Parliament and the King broke out. Though at first cautious in attributing meaning to this struggle, many Puritans soon invested the war with cosmic significance: if the war did not bring down the Beast, it would inaugurate a greater effort which eventually would destroy him. Their part in New England in these grand events was clear: they had preserved a saving remnant; they had worked out Christ's ideas of the true Church polity; now they had the opportunity to join the faithful called by God to the climactic war. What could they do: watch and wait, strive to perfect themselves, and pray for their brethren in England. 28
They could help in the struggle in still another way: since the Lord had not revealed all His light even to them on matters of Church polity, they must continue to probe into the meaning of Christ's word. When the Antichrist was brought low, they would have something to contribute to the new order of things. In the New Jerusalem they would help fashion true institutions, according to the Word of Christ; in this effort they could join their victorious brothers in England.
Page 34
Obviously such a view of historyand their own role in itcould not provide a definition of New England, nor did it in fact prescribe a dramatic role for New England conceived separately from Europe. When these Puritans thought of place, in the 1630's and 1640's, they thought of the Kingdom of Light extending all over the Western World, linking the people of Godthe saving remnantwherever they might be. Richard Mather, and his kind, were not Americans and never would be; they did not think of history in terms of America. Their vision was greater, extending to the godly to the ends of the earth.
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3
The Church
Richard Mather's expectation that the Lord would again soon strike the Antichrist evoked a jubilation that was touched with sadness and foreboding. England, shrouded in Antichristian darkness, seemed headed for afflictionsblows landed on the Antichrist, he feared, would leave her reeling. In the New World Mather's feeling for England was one of nostalgia, though not of sentimentality. Not only had he grown and matured
Page 33
only Prophets, nor that we only are able to give a word of counsel or comfort to our countrymen: . . . such arrogant apprehensions are far from us." 27
These Puritans began by thinking of themselves in exile. Richard Mather was only one of many who had been deprived of pulpits. Unable to practice the true religion, surrounded by Antichristian practices, and banished from their homes, they held out little hope for the country of their birth. Though there were good men there, and a few true churches, it belonged to the Kingdom of Darkness. Hence they fled to the only Kingdom they valued, the Kingdom of Light. It would be more accurate to say they took the Kingdom of Light with them to New England. It was this Kingdom that concerned them, not New England. While still in England Richard Mather thought of escaping to New Englandor, as he said in a revealing phrase, "some like place." And once safe in the New World, these Puritans continued to think in terms of the old abstractions: the conflict between the forces of light and darkness and the grand development of history towards the ultimate end.
Place did not preoccupy them in these years of beginning; and it lost even what initial importance it had when the great conflict between Parliament and the King broke out. Though at first cautious in attributing meaning to this struggle, many Puritans soon invested the war with cosmic significance: if the war did not bring down the Beast, it would inaugurate a greater effort which eventually would destroy him. Their part in New England in these grand events was clear: they had preserved a saving remnant; they had worked out Christ's ideas of the true Church polity; now they had the opportunity to join the faithful called by God to the climactic war. What could they do: watch and wait, strive to perfect themselves, and pray for their brethren in England. 28
They could help in the struggle in still another way: since the Lord had not revealed all His light even to them on matters of Church polity, they must continue to probe into the meaning of Christ's word. When the Antichrist was brought low, they would have something to contribute to the new order of things. In the New Jerusalem they would help fashion true institutions, according to the Word of Christ; in this effort they could join their victorious brothers in England.
Page 34
Obviously such a view of historyand their own role in itcould not provide a definition of New England, nor did it in fact prescribe a dramatic role for New England conceived separately from Europe. When these Puritans thought of place, in the 1630's and 1640's, they thought of the Kingdom of Light extending all over the Western World, linking the people of Godthe saving remnantwherever they might be. Richard Mather, and his kind, were not Americans and never would be; they did not think of history in terms of America. Their vision was greater, extending to the godly to the ends of the earth.
Page 35
3
The Church
Richard Mather's expectation that the Lord would again soon strike the Antichrist evoked a jubilation that was touched with sadness and foreboding. England, shrouded in Antichristian darkness, seemed headed for afflictionsblows landed on the Antichrist, he feared, would leave her reeling. In the New World Mather's feeling for England was one of nostalgia, though not of sentimentality. Not only had he grown and matured
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