What Law is it, that Sets the Baptised Slave at Liberty? Not the Law of Christianity: that allows of Slavery; Only it wonderfully Dulcifies, and Mollifies, and Moderates the Circumstances of it. Christianity directs a Slave, upon his embracing the Law of the Radeemer, to satisfy himself, That he is the Lords Free-man tho' he continues a Slave.
One of Mather’s most famous and certainly a candidate for his most influential essay is this argument supporting the reversal of a longstanding belief among slaveowners that converting them to Christianity would produce widespread dissent leading to rebellion and violence. Mather took up the issue with the intent proving that conversion would have the exact opposite effect. Instead of stimulating dissatisfaction with their circumstances of bondage, introducing the pagan population to Judeo-Christian doctrinal tenets steeped in evidence supplied by scripture itself would instead produce in the slave population a comforting awareness of their place in God’s ordered universe. Essentially, this is the argument taken up by those calling themselves Christians who also justified the existence of slavery: the Bible says it is approved, so case closed. A further positive element to conversion: introducing slaves to the fear of a slavery that could never end with death was powerful propaganda.
So then the Distance of the nearest Fixed Stars is at least 2,404,520,928,000 Miles, which is so great that if a Cannon-Ball (going all the way with the same Velocity it has when it parts from the Mouth of the Gun) would scarce arrive there in 700,000 Years. Great God, what is thy Immensity!
A persistent and widespread misassumption made about Puritans is that their non-progressive attitude toward most aspects of society resulted from ignorance and a rejection of science. In fact, Puritans were generally more literate than the surrounding populations, kept more detailed diaries and journals than most others and did not arrive at opinions and perspective deemed unscientific as a result of ignorance, but more as a result of interpretation. Rather that denying scientific fact, Puritans arrived constructed principles based upon those facts through the filter of scripture. This quote is a perfect example of the process. Mather here clearly demonstrates an elevated education toward the scientific facts as known at the time concerning cosmic measurements, the relationship between time and space and consequences of the immensity of the universe. The conclusion drawn from the facts as known, however, merely confirm pre-existing belief in the power of God the creator. And that becomes the track of linear logical progression throughout his essays regardless of subject. The “proof” God’s existence and hand in everything is established first and all subsequent knowledge is then applied to known facts as evidence supporting this foundational proposition.
That there is a Devil, is a thing doubted by none but such as are under the influences of the Devil.
This quote embodies all the fundamental logical inconsistencies at work in the essays of Mather. That he was education and intelligent is beyond argument. But there is a problem here that goes beyond intellectual engagement. If one is given a recipe containing the perfect blend of ingredients to create the most satisfying dish possible, this would be analogous to starting with factual evidence. Follow the ingredients and the result is delicious food. Now suppose that this recipe has been formulated to result the most satisfying dish possible by a person with defective taste buds. For him, the recipe is perfect and the result is as satisfying as possible, but for almost every one else the result will not be satisfying because they will taste the blending of those ingredients differently.
The purpose of this essay is to provide “evidence” confirming the author’s warning the entire population of New England was then currently in what might be termed a Code Red condition to be on alert for plots being undertaken against it by the Devil. Mather then proceeds to outline four propositions including the assertion of the existence of a “military government, among the devils” and that some devils are more qualified for working their evil specifically against New Englanders than others. All of these beliefs stem from Proposition I, however, which is the equivalent, in this case, of a perfect recipe only for those who fundamentally and without question accept the foundation premise that there is such a thing as the Devil.
