INDIAN Dialogues,
FOR
Their Instruction in that great Service of Christ,
in calling home their Country-men
to the Knowledge of GOD,
And of THEMSELVES,
AND OF JESUS CHRIST.
Mal. 1.11. For from the rising of the Sun, even unto the going down
of the same, my Name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place
incense shall be offered unto my Name, and a pure offering: for my Name shall
be great among the Heathen, saith the Lord of Hosts.
Printed at Cambridge. 1671.
Derived from an online copy UMichigan with edits by Ted Hildebrandt (2021)
Public Domain
To the Right Worshipful,
THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE
United Colonies in N.E.
Gentlemen,
AS I have sometime said unto you, so I now write,
That there be none on Earth that have so great and
eminent a Calling from man to take care of the Indians,
that they be instructed in the wayes of life by Christ
Jesus, as your selves have. For, besides the Right
Honourable Corporation in London, His Majesty
our Soveraign hath ordered a Trust to be committed
to such as shall be in your Order, namely, Commissioners
of the United Colonies in New-England, to take care
of this matter. I finde few English Students willing
to engage into so dim a Work as this is. God hath
in mercy raised up sundry among themselves to a
competent ability to teach their Countrymen. Many
have been sent forth by the Church this Winter to
divers places, and not without good success, through
the grace of Christ: of which I shall (if God will, and
that I live) give you an account at your next
Sitting. I finde it necessary for me to instruct them
(as in Principles of Art, so) in the way of communicating
the good knowledge of God, which I conceive is
most familiarly done by way of Dialogues; an Essay
whereunto I do here present unto you: purposing, if
the Lord will, and that I live, to do more of the like
kinde hereafter. My earnest Request unto your selves,
is, That in all your respective Colonies you would
take care that due Accommodation of Lands and
Waters may be allowed them, whereon Townships
and Churches may be (in after-Ages) able to subsist;
and suffer not the English to strip them of all their
Lands, in places fit for the Sustenance of the life
of man. Thus commending you to the Lord, I rest,
Your Worships to serve you
in the Service of our Lord Jesus,
J. E. [John Eliot]
[ 1 ]
The Preface.
THese Dialogues are partly Historical, of some
things that were
done and said; and partly Instructive, to show what might or should
have been said, or that may be (by the Lords assistance.) hereafter
done and said, upon the like occasion. It is like to be one work
incumbent upon our Indian Churches and Teachers, for some Ages,
to send forth Instruments to call in others from Paganry to pray unto
God: Instructions therefore of that nature are requisite; and what way
more familiar, then by way of Dialogues? For sundry weighty Reasons
I desire and endeavour, that our Learned Indians should learn at least
the English Tongue; our Indian Churches holding Communion with
the English Churches, must perform that Service in the English
Tongue.
If the Lord give life, and length of dayes, I may hereafter put forth these
or the like Dialogues in the Indian Tongue; but what I shall live
to do, is
known to God. While I live, I desire to follow this Work, and serve the
Lord with all my might, according to my poor measure of Ability, and
wait upon the Lord for his Blessing, by the concurrent prayers of the
faithfull.
J. E. [John Eliot]
Indian Dialogues.
THe Church did send forth sundry of the Brethren to several parts
of
the Country among their Friends and Relations, to instruct, exhort
and perswade them to pray unto God, to turn from their lewd and lazy
life to the Living God, and to come forth from the dark dungeon of
their lost and ruined condition, into the light of the Lord Jesus, whose
glory in the Gospel, like the rising Sun, beginneth to be displayed
among their dead Countrymen; who begin to be clothed with sinews,
flesh and skin upon their dried bones, by the power of the Spirit
of Jesus Christ, in the Preaching of the Gospel unto them.
Piumbuhhou was sent to Nashauweg among his
Kindred and Friends
there inhabiting: whose entertainment, discourse and success, was,
or is desired that it might be as followeth.
Near the Town a Kinsman of his met him; whose discourse was to
such purpose as this.
[ 2 ]
DIALOG. I.
Kinsman. Piumbuhhou. Speakers.
Kinsman.
WEll met, and welcome beloved Cousin. I am glad you are still
alive;
can you make shift to live in that new way of living that you have taken
up at Natik? I am glad of your coming, because I shall thereby have an
opportunity to be informed truly of your wayes and what your doings be,
about which there be such various reports, some commending, some
condemning, some deriding, some wondering; but so far as I see few
desire to imitate you.
Pium.
I am very glad that God hath guided my way so well, as that I
should meet you,
whom I have longed to see: you are my friend whom I purposed first to look out,
and so God hath ordered us to meet each other, at my first coming to your Town.
Likewise I am glad that you are so desirous to speak with me about our
Religion,
and praying to God, for that is the very Errand I come upon, that I might
perswade
you to do as we do. I am live a friend that have found honey, and plenty of food,
and I come to call my friends to come partake with me. But what noise is this
that
I hear?
Kinsm.
I perceive you have quite
of these delights and
that your
Country men use,
and
you were in your young time accustomed to, because you have forgot the
meaning of such noises. There is a great Dancing, and Sacrifice, and Play, and
that
is the noise that you hear.
Pium.
You say right, we have indeed quite left off and cast away those
works of darkness
for we have great light shining among us, which discovers the filth and folly
of those
things; as when a light is set up in a dark room, in a dark night, it discovereth
all the
dirty corners of the house, and all the evil actions that are wont to be done
in the
dark, without discovery. We plainly see the sinfulness of our own former, and of
your still continued wayes; and I desire that God would help me to open among
you some of the Divine Light which God hath shewed us, that it may save you
from
such filthy practices and shine them away for ever, as the rising Sun doth dissipite
and drive away all the darknesses of the night, and maketh Wolves, Bears, and
all
other wilde beasts hide themselves in thickets, and not dare to be seen in the
day-
light.
Kinsm.
Will you go with me unto them, and see what they do? I will give you this
encouragement
to perswade you to it, because you shall
many of your friends
and kindred.
[ 3 ]
Pium.
I cannot serve two Masters: I have undertaken and promised to
serve God, and
therefore I cannot now go back again and serve the Devil. I have found that
Jesus
Christ is a good Master, and I come to perswade you to come and be his
Servant: Far be it from me that now I am come among you, I should forsake my
Master, and serve the Devil; or that I should so far grieve my Master, as to go
unto
those Games which his Soul hateth.
And whereas you say, that many of my friends are there, the more is my
grief. I
desire that I were able to pull you all out of that deep pit and filthy puddle;
which to
perform, I should utterly be disabled, if I should go in my self, and so be
defiled with
the same filth, which I perswade them to forsake and cast away.
Kinsm.
Let us go unto my house, that you may take there some refreshment
of food after
your weary journey, and there we shall have liberty to discourse fully of these
matters.
And while we are in the way, let me ask you of the estate and welfare of our
friends
and kindred at Natik; doth your praying to God exempt you from
Sicknesses, Poverty,
Nakedness? will praying to God fill you with food, gladness, and garments?
Pium.
Our friends at Natik were when I left them in good state of health,
peace and
comfort: for which we give God thanks, who is the Father of all mercies.
Touching your question, Whether praying to God doth exempt us from Sicknesses,
Poverty, and fills us with food and garments: I answer, If praying to God did
bring
with it outward plenty and worldly prosperity, then all carnal people would
pray to
God, not because they love God, or praying to God, but because they love
themselves,
and love food, clothing, and worldly pleasures; but the benefits of praying are
spiritual
and heavenly, it teaches us to know God, and the evil of sin; it teacheth us to
repent of
sin, and seek for pardon, and it teacheth us to forsake sin for ever: and if we
are loth to
part with sin, God will chastise us with Sicknesses, Poverty, and other worldly
crosses, to call us to repentance, and therefore many times we fare worse in
the world,
then wicked men do, that thereby we might be weaned from the world, and brought
and taught to love and long for heaven. And yet I further tell you, that
Religion doth
teach the right way to be rich and prosperous in this world, and many, English
especially, have learned that way. For Religion teacheth us to be diligent in
labour
six dayes, and on the seventh day to rest, and keep it an holy Sabbath; and God
hath
promised that the diligent hand shall make rich: and when we walk with
God in
godliness and obedience, he will give us the blessing of this life, so far as
is best for
us, he will withhold no good thing from us; if any thing be withheld from us,
or taken
away from us, it is because it is not good for us: Our Father better knoweth
what is
good for us, then we our selves know.
[
4 ]
Kinsm.
If your praying to God do indeed teach you the true way of being
rich, as you say,
how then cometh it to pass that you are so poor still? for you have prayed to
God these
twenty years and more, and I do not see that you have increased in riches very
much,
you are still poor: where be your Riches? where be your flocks and herds of
Cattel?
where be your Clothes? what great Houses have you built? where be your fields
of
Corn, Barns and Orchards? Alas, you are not like the English; and therefore I
doubt
upon this point, it is not as you say, that praying to God teacheth you the
right way to
be rich.
Pium.
This is one of the least, the last, the lowest of those things that our
Religion teacheth
us. There be two sorts of riches; Earthly riches, of which onely you speak, and
Heavenly riches, which Gods Word calleth true riches. These Earthly riches are
but
temporary, and shall soon perish, but the true riches are heavenly, and
eternal, they
last for ever. And we have spent these twenty Years in seeking chiefly after
heavenly
riches, for so God commandeth us in his Word, Seek first the Kingdome of
Heaven, as
for these earthly riches they shall be added to you, so much as you
need. And the
Word of God commandeth us to be content if we have food and clothes; Now
we have
food and clothes more then we were wont to have before we prayed to God, and we
have con|tented our selves therewith, and have bent our mindes more to look
after
heavenly riches, and in those things we have increased more, then in earthly
riches.
Kinsm.
I pray tell me what are those heavenly riches of which you speak so highly,
and upon
which you do bestow your chief care and pains, and so much prefer before
earthly
riches, which we account so much of, and think to be the best things attainable
in this
world?
Pium.
The true riches which we spend our time to seek after, are, 1. The
knowledge of the
great God, who hath made this vast World, and governeth the same by his Wisdome
and Power, and who hath made Man, and governeth us by his holy Laws and
Commandments.
2. The knowledge of our selves, to be miserable sinners, and do daily offend
and sin
against God, provoking his wrath against us, to punish us for our
transgressions
against his holy Laws and Commandments.
3. The knowledge of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer of the world, who hath in
unspeakable love took a course to deliver us from the wrath of God: for whereas
we
have by our sins deserved Death & Damnation, Christ became a Man, and died
for us,
and thereby hath pacified the Justice and Wrath of God, and opened a way of
Salvation for us, obtaining a Pardon for us▪ and offering grace unto us,
whereby we
may be saved, and be brought to eternal glory and happiness.
[ 5 ]
4. The knowledge of the grace of God in Jesus Christ, whereby he bringeth us
to repent of our sins, to convert and turn from all our evil wayes, and to
believe
in the Lord Jesus, and to walk with God in the wayes of holiness and
righteousness before him.
5. The knowledge of the Means of grace, the Ordinances of God; whereby we
walk with God in wayes of Civil Government, in wayes of Justice, and good
Order. And in the Ordinances of Worshipping God, in the sanctifying of the
Sabbaths, and walking in the Communion of Saints, by the Word of God, and
Prayer, and Singing of Psalms.
6. In the knowledge of the estate of all men after death; how the godly men
that
penitently believe in Christ, go to Heaven when they die; and the wicked, that
refuse to repent and believe, they go to Hell, and there abide till the Day of
Judgement: at which day or time, when it cometh, all men shall rise again and
be judged according to their deeds in this life; and then shall the godly go
with
Christ to eternal Glory, and the wicked shall be cast into Hell Soul and Body,
and there be tormented with the Devils for ever.
Kinsm.
These are great and strange things you speak of, I understand them not, but
yet
me-thinks there is a majesty and glory in them. I am amazed at what you say,
though I do not understand them distinctly.
Pium.
You see then that we are grown rich with Riches that are above your
capacity;
and these are the true Riches, and about these things we spend most of
our
time. And as for these worldly Riches, we less regard them, as being poor,
low, little, small, contemptible things, in comparison of those heavenly riches
about which we spend our time; and in which we have increased and gained,
by
grace in Christ, so much as doth make you admire at us, though we
know but little of what is to be known, but you cannot perceive the glory and
excellency thereof.
And indeed it is the wisdome and love of God unto us, that settle rather to
grow in these riches, which the eyes of worldly men cannot see, then to grow
rich in earthly and worldly riches, which the carnal world can see: because if
we should abound in earthly riches, we should be thronged with multitudes of
carnal persons, who love the world, and love not God, who would be a cumber
and temptation to us. And it is a sign that our wayes are good and godly, and
above the world, because so few (in comparison) come unto us, but rather fly
from us; because they love to live in wayes and deeds of darkness, and hate the
light and glory that is in our wayes. But I pray Cousin whose house is that before
us, where I see so many going in and out, and standing about in every place?
Kinsm.
That is my house; and I am glad there be so many of our friends together,
who
may have
[ 6 ]
the opportunity of hearing this good Discourse.
[After their entrance into the house there be four Speakers, Kinsman.
Kinswoman.
All the Company. Piumbuhhou]
Kinsman.
I had rather that my actions of love should testifie how welcome you are,
and how
glad I am of this your kinde visitation, then that I should say it in a
multitude of
words. But in one word, You are very welcome to my heart; and I account it
among
the best of the joyes of this day, that I see your face, and enjoy your Company
in my
habitation.
Kinswoman.
It is an addition to the joyes of this day, to see the face of my loving
Kinsman: and I
wish you had come a little earlier, that you might have taken part with us in
the joyes
of this day, wherein we have had all the delights that could be desired, in our
merry
Meeting, and Dancing.
And I pray Cousin how doth your Wife, my loving Kinswoman, is she yet living?
and
is she not yet weary of your new way of praying to God? And what pleasure have
you
in those wayes?
Pium.
My wife doth remember her love to you, she is in good health of body, and
her Soul is
in a good condition, she is entred into the light of the knowledge of God, and
of
Christ; she is entred into the narrow way of heavenly joyes, and she doth
greatly
desire that you would turn from these wayes of darkness in which you so much
delight, and come taste and see how good the Lord is.
And whereas you wish I had come sooner, to have shared with you in your
delights of
this day; Alas, they are no delights, but griefs to me, to see that you do
still delight in
them. I am like a man that have tasted of sweet Wine and Honey, which have so
altered the taste of my mouth, that I abhor to taste of your sinful and foolish
pleasures, as the mouth doth abhor to taste the most filthy and stinking dung,
the most
sowre grapes, or most bitter gall. Our joyes in the knowledge of God, and of
Jesus
Christ, which we are taught in the Book of God, and feel in our heart, is
sweeter to our
soul, then honey is unto the mouth and taste.
Kinswom.
We have all the delights that the flesh and blood of man can devise and
delight in, and
we taste and feel the delights of them, and would you make us believe that you
have
found out new joyes and delights, in comparison of which all our delights do
stink like
dung; would you make us believe that we have neither eyes to see, nor ears to
hear,
nor mouthes to taste? Ha, ha he! I appeal to the sense and sight and
feeling of the
Company present, whether this be so.
All. You say very true. Ha, ha! he!
Pium.
Hearken to me, my friends, and see if I do not give a clear answer unto
this seeming
difficulty. Your dogs take as much delight in these Meetings, and the same
kindes of
delight as you
[ 7 ]
do; they delight in each others company; they provoke each other to lust, and
enjoy
the pleasures of lust as you do; they eat and play and sleep as you do: what
joyes have
you more then dogs have? to delight the body of flesh and blood.
But all mankinde have an higher and better part then the body, we have a Soul,
and
that Soul shall never die: Our Soul is to converse with God, and to converse in
such
things as do concern God, and Heaven, and an eternal estate, either in
happiness with
God, if we walk with him and serve him in this life, or in misery and torment
with the
Devil, if we serve him in this life. The service of God doth consist in Virtue,
and
Wisdome, and delights of the Soul, which will reach to Heaven, and abide for
ever.
But the service of the Devil is in committing sins of the flesh, which defile
both body
and soul, and reach to Hell, and will turn all to fire and flame to torment your
souls
and bodies to all eternity.
Now consider, all your pleasures and delights are such as defile you with sin,
and will
turn to flame, to burn and torment you; they provoke God to wrath, who hath
created
the Prison of Hell to torment you, and the more you have took pleasure in sin,
the
greater are your offences against God, and the greater shall be your torments.
But we that pray to God repent of our old sins, and by faith in Christ we seek
for, and
finde a pardon of what is past, and grace and strength to reform for time to
come. So
that our joyes are Soul-joyes in godliness, and virtue, and hope of glory in
another
world when we die.
Your joyes are bodily, fleshly, such as Dogs have, and will all turn to flames
in Hell
to torment you.
Kinsm.
If these things be so, we had need cease laughing, and fall to weeping, and
see if we
can draw water from our mournful eyes to quench these tormenting flames. My
heart
trembles to hear these things: I never heard so much before, nor have I any
thing to
say to the contrary, but that these things may be so. But how shall I know that
you say
true? Our fore fathers were (many of them) wise men, and we have wise men now
living, they all delight in these our Delights: they have taught us nothing
about our
Soul, and God, and Heaven, and Hell, and Joy and Torment in the life to come.
Are
you wiser than our fathers? May not we rather think that English men
have invented
these Stories to amaze and scare us out of our old Customes, and bring us to
stand in
awe of them, that they might wipe us of our Lands, and drive us into Corners,
to seek
new wayes of living, and new places too? and be beholding to them for that
which is
our own, and was ours, before we know them.
All.
You say right.
[ 8 ]
Pium.
The Book of God is no invention of English-men, it is the holy Law
of God himself,
which was given unto man by God, before English-men had any knowledge of God;
and all the knowledge which they have, they have it out of the Book of God: and
this
Book is given to us as well as to them, and it is as free for us to search the
Scriptures
as for them. So that we have our instruction from an higher hand, then the hand
of
man: it is the great Lord God of Heaven and Earth, who teacheth us these great
things
of which we speak. Yet this is also true, that we have great cause to be
thankful to the
English, and to thank God for them, for they had a good Country of their own,
but by
Ships sailing into these parts of the World, they heard of us, and of our
Country, and
of our nakedness, ignorance of God, and wilde condition; God put it into their
hearts
to desire to come hither, and teach us the good knowledge of God; and their
King
gave them leave so to do, and in our Country to have their liberty to serve God
according to the Word of God. And being come hither, we gave them leave freely
to
live among us: they have purchased of us a great part of those Lands which they
possess; they love us, they do us right, and no wrong willingly; if any do us
wrong, it
is without the consent of their Rulers, and upon our Complaints our wrongs are
righted. They are (many of them, especially the Ruling part) good men, and
desire to
do us good. God put it into the heart of one of their Ministers (as you all
know) to
teach us the knowledge of God, by the Word of God, and he hath Translated the
holy
Book of God into our Language, so that we can perfectly know the minde and
counsel
of God: and out of this Book have I learned all that I say unto you, and therefore
you
need no more doubt of the truth of it, then you have cause to doubt that the
Heaven is
over our head, the Sun shineth, the Earth is under our feet, we walk and live
upon it,
and breathe in the Air; for as we see with our eyes these things to be so, so
we reade
with our own eyes these things which I speak of, to be written in Gods own
Book,
and we feel the truth thereof in our own hearts.
Kinswom.
Cousin, you have wearied your legs this day with a long Journey to
come and visit us,
and you weary your tongue with long Discourses. I am willing to comfort and
refresh
you with a short Supper.
All.
Ha, ha, he: though short, if sweet, that has good savour to a man
that is weary. Ha, ha,
he.
Kinswom.
You make long and learned Discourses to us which we do not well
understand, I think
our best answer is to stop your mouth, and fill your belly with a good Supper,
and
when your belly is full you will be content to take rest your self, and give us
leave to
be at rest from these gestering, and heart-trembling discourses.
[ 9 ]
We are well as we are, and desire not to be troubled with these
new wise sayings.
All. You say true. Ha, ha, he.
Pium.
It is good to be merry and wise. I am an hungry and weary, and
willing to eat. God
hath appointed food to be a means of sustaining, relieving and repairing our
spent
strength: This being a work above the power of the food we eat, or of our
selves that
eat it, and onely in the power of God himself to bless it, for such great uses;
therefore
God hath taught us, and it is our custome, among all that are godly, to pray to
God for
a bleding before we eat: and therefore I intreat you to have so much patience
and
compliance, as to give me the quiet liberty to pray to God before we eat.
Kinsm.
I pray do, and we shall with quietness and silence attend to such
a service unto God.
Pium.
Let us lift up our eyes and hearts to God in heaven, and say, Almighty,
glorious,
merciful and heavenly Father, thou dwellest in the high Heavens, and fillest
both
Heaven and Earth with thy presence; thou takest care of, and governest us here
on
earth: we are poor worms under thy feet, thou feedest every living Creature,
and
makest our food to be like a staff to sustain our faint and weary bodies; thou
renewest
our strength every day: and though we are sinners in thy sight, yet thou art
merciful to
us, and with long patience dost call us to repentance. We confess all our sins
before
thee, and pray thee for Jesus Christ his sake, who died for sinners, to have
mercy on
us, and freely to pardon and forgive us all our sins. Bless us at this time,
and this food
which is set before us, let it be blessed to us, make us wise to receive it at
thy hand,
and to use the strength we get by it to the glory of thy Name, through Jesus
Christ.
And bless all our Souls, feed them by thy Word and Truth, and guide our Tongues
to
speak wise words, that may minister grace to the hearers; and help us all to
rejoyce in
the Lord through Jesus Christ. Amen. Now let us eat and rejoyce together,
for God
filleth our bodies with food, and our souls with gladness.
Kinsm.
When the body is full of meat, and the head full of wit, and the mouth full
of words,
there will be wise discourse.
Pium.
Adde but one thing more, If the heart be full of grace, then the
discourse will be both
wise and godly.
Kinswom.
You talk much of a belly full, I wish we have victuals enough to fill them.
All Ha, ha, he. They be not half full yet. Ha,
ha, he.
Kinsm.
What News do the Ships bring from beyond Sea?
Pium.
They say wicked men are bold, and that good men who pray to God are hated,
vexed,
troubled, persecuted, and not suffered to pray to God according to the Laws of
Gods
Word, but by the Laws of men.
[ 10 ]
All.
It is an ill time for you to come to perswade us to pray to God,
when praying to God is
so opposed, hated and hindred; you may be more like to prevail with us, when
praying
to God is of credit, honour, and good esteem.
Pium
Such as will turn to God onely at such times when praying is in
credit, leave
themselves under a doubt, whether it be for the love of God and his wayes, that
they
pray, or for love of themselves and their own credit.
But when men will take up praying to God in evil times, when they must expect
hard
measure from the world for it, this is a sign that they love God, and love
praying to
God, better then they love themselves, and that they deny themselves for Christ
his
sake. Therefore I have taken the fittest time to try you, and to sift you, to
catch none
but the good Corn, and to let go and lose all the dust and chaff.
Kinsm.
Some speak of very many English people killed with Thunder, and
many burnt in
their houses: is it so indeed?
Pium.
It is so indeed, and in many parts of the Country, at Boston, and in
many other places.
Very lately, there were in one Winter eight or nine persons burnt to death in
one
house, five in another, one in another. Sicknesses are often sent of God among
them,
which kill many: Their Corn is Blasted, and they are punished by God many
wayes,
by Sea and Land, in these late years.
Kinswom.
These are but cold and weak Arguments to perswade us to take up the English
fashion, and to serve their God, when you tell us how sharply he dealeth with
his
Servants.
All. You say right: we are better as we are.
Pium.
We know there be many sins among the English, which provoke God to be angry
with
them, and to punish them, to the end he might bring them to repentance. When we
exhort you to pray, and to serve the God of the English, we call you to imitate
the
virtues and good wayes of the English, wherein you shall be acceptable to the
Lord:
We do not call you to imitate their sins, whereby they and you shall provoke
the anger
and displeasure of the Lord. And what though God doth chastise his people for
their
sins? it is his wisdome, faithfulness and love so to do: a Child will not run
away from
his wise and loving Father, because he chastises him for his faults, but will
love him
the better, fear him the more, and learn thereby to be a good Childe. The wise
English
love God the more, for his wise Chastisement of them for their sins. And why
may not
I use it as an Argument to perswade you to choose him to be your God, who will
love
and encourage you in all virtue, and love and punish you for all sins, that he
might
bring you to repentance and amendment of life. Gods Rods have more
encouragement
to a wise heart, then discouragement in them.
Kinswom.
Cousin, had you not a great Thunder and Lightning
[ 11 ]
to day as you came, and were you not afraid? We had it so with us,
and I was very
much afraid, and especially since I have heard of so many English stricken and
killed
by it, and cannot refrain my self from fear.
Pium.
I perceived the Thunder to be more this way, then it was in the
place where I was at
that time travelling. Touching the fear of Thunder, the Word of God saith it is
terrible,
and the bruit Beasts tremble at it: it is sometime called The Voice of God,
by reason of
the terribleness of it; and the reason of its terrour to man is, because we are
great
sinners, and have deserved Gods wrath, and it should move our hearts to
repentance
for our sins, and take heed of provoking the anger of that God, who is able to
utter so
terrible a voice, and can dash down destroying fire upon us worms, who are no
wayes
able to defend our selves.
Kinsm.
Would you not lye down now you have eaten, and take some rest after your
long
journey?
Pium.
Nay, we must first return to God, and give Thanks to him for our food, and
health and
strength by the same.
Kinsm.
I pray tell me why you are so careful to pray unto God before and after
meat?
Pium.
Let us first give Thanks, and then we will discourse that point. Attend
all. We do give
humble thanks unto thy holy Name, O Lord our God, for our life, health, food,
raiment; and for this present food whereby we are refreshed. We thank thee, O
Lord,
for the love we finde among our friends, and for our freedome in good discourse
for
the good of our Souls: We do pray for a blessing upon both, that our food may
strengthen our Bodies, and our discourse may do good to our Souls. Help me so
to
declare thy Word and thy Works, that I may win their Souls to love thee, and to
forsake their sins, and turn unto the Lord by true Repentance. These, and all
other
mercies we pray for, in the Name, and for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
All Tabat, tabat, tabat.
Pium.
Now my Kinsmen and Friends let us discourse a little about the Question
propounded,
Why we pray unto God before and after Meat? Our Lord Jesus Christ did so
before
meat, as it is written of him in many examples; and we are not to doubt but he
did the
same after meat, because the Lord hath commanded the same so expresly, saying,
When thou hast eaten and art full, then beware lest thou forget the Lord.
And to shew you what great reason we have thus to do, consider that God doth
some
of his chief works in this world, in the matter of our eating, which no creature
can do:
for take you a Tray of meat, and ask, Who can turn this into blood, and flesh,
and
sinews, and bones, and skin? and who can give every part of our body its due
proportion, that one part shall not overgrow the other, but every part alike? Who
but
God can do this? And
[ 12 ]
who but God can make our bodies to grow to such an appointed stature, and then
to
grow no more? And who but God can preserve our health, and turn away
sicknesses?
Now these marvellous things God doth for us every day, and every time we eat,
and
therefore is it not very good reason that we should pray and give thanks to God
at
such time as he doth such great and obliging things for us?
Again, God provideth all our food for us; he provideth Corn, not we our selves,
we do
but a little towards it, the great work is Gods: all that we do is to put our
Corn into the
ground, and keep the ground clean about it, but God makes it to grow, he gives
it a
root, a blade, a stalk, and ears, whereby one Corn shall become three or four
or five
hundred. Who but God can do this? therefore Corn is of his providing.
Again, who provideth water, and watereth the Corn? is it not God? for when
Springs
and Rivers are dried up, what can men do, but cry to God? and then God will
bring
Clouds, like great Bottles full of water, and drop them down upon the withered
and
parched Earth, and thereby make the Corn and Grass, and all fruits to grow. Who
but
God can do this?
Again, God provides Flesh for us to feed upon, for he maketh the grass and
herbs to
grow, and when the beasts do feed thereon, he doth turn those Leaves into
blood,
flesh, sinews and bones; and this he giveth us for food, and turneth it into
blood, flesh,
sinews and bones in us. All these wonderful works God doth, in the matter of
feeding
us; and therefore is it not good reason we should then pray to him?
Kinsm.
I never heard so much before, nor thought of these things; but now you
declare and
teach them, my heart saith, that all is true which you say, and I now see great
reason
for this practise of you that pray to God, to pray and give thanks both before
and after
meat: and I see not but that there is good and just reason so to do, every time
we
drink, and take in any sustenance, at least to lift up our hearts to God, who
hath so
eminent an hand in doing us good thereby, or hurt if he will.
Pium.
Your acceptance and approbation of what I say, and of what we do
in this point, is a
great
argument that God doth bow your heart to pray unto God; for you acknowledge
it to be our duty so to do, and the neglect of it would be against the light of
your own
Reason: so that this Conviction hath cast a chain upon your soul, to binde you
to pray
unto God. What say you my friends?
All.
We cannot say any thing against what you say, but what we shall do, we
cannot yet
tell: we must first consider of it, for we are ignorant and foolish, we cannot
do as you
do.
Pium.
Bend
your hearts to it, and God will teach you by his
[
13 ]
Word: for we were at first as ignorant as you are, but God helped
us to hear the Word,
and do what we could, and you see what God hath brought the matter unto. We now
walk in the light, and now we call you to come into the light: therefore I say,
Awake
you that sleep, stand up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.
Kinsm.
We shall tire you with these discourses after your long and weary journey;
it is time
for you to go to rest.
Pium.
This discourse is better to me then meat, drink and sleep, if I may do good
to your
Souls, and turn you unto God.
But before we go to rest and sleep we must pray unto God, for it is God that
giveth
rest and sleep unto his Servants.
Kinsm.
Do all you praying Indians thus do when you are weary and tired with
labour, or
travel, or hunting, &c. do you pray before you go to rest? what is
the reason of your
so doing?
Pium.
We alwayes do so: and if any should at any time through sloth and
sleepiness fail so
to do, we judge our selves for our sin, & repent, and confess our sin unto
God, and
beg pardon and mercy for Christ his sake.
And there is great reason thus to pray unto God before we go to rest; for besides
what
I said that God giveth us rest, and therefore it is fit humbly to ask it of
him; There be
many other Reasons why we should thus do: for
1. We must give God thanks for all the mercies we have received all the day,
which
are more then the moments of the time that we live.
2. We must pray for Gods protection of us when we are asleep, we lye like so
many
dead men, and how easily might mischief befall us, either by Fire, or by an
Enemy, if
God did not defend and keep us; but when God is our keeper we may rest quietly,
in
safety without fear, under the covert of his hand: and by faith in Gods
protection we
sleep quietly without fear, whereas you that do not pray, nor believe, nor
commit your
selves to God, you do alwayes sleep in fear and terrour.
3. Moreover, our sleep and rest is a great reparation of our strength and
spirits, and
preservation of our health. While we sleep our food is boiled up within us, and
digested into all parts of our body, and new spirits are extracted out of our
food, and
sent up both to our head, heart, and all parts of our body, so that we are
fresh and
strong in the morning after a good nights rest. Now all this is the special
work of God,
beyond the power and skill of man to perform for us, and therefore it is great
reason to
pray for this blessing when we go to rest.
Kinsm.
What you say is plain, clear and true in every bodies experience, though I
did never
hear
nor consider so much of it before: if therefore you will pray we will attend
you.
Pium.
Let us all appear before God reverently and with godly
[ 14 ]
fear; let none lye long or sit, which are postures of unreverence, but either
stand like
servants, or kneel like sons and daughters before the Lord; and so let us pray.
O
merciful Lord God, &c.
Kinsm.
I perceive that you pray for all our Countrymen, who do not yet pray unto
God; it is
your love so to do. But what is the effect of your prayers? there are not many,
that I
hear of, that pray unto God; and you that do pray unto God, what do you get by
it?
wherein are you bettered by your praying to God?
Pium
These are two great Points which you have propounded. I am willing to speak
to both.
First, for the numbers that pray to God: At first this alter of praying to God
was a little
thing, like a Cloud in the West of the bigness of a mans hand, but now the
Cloud is
great and wide, and spreadeth over all the Country. Nop and Nantuket,
and Paumenuk
Islands, Mahshepog, and many parts of the main Land, to the utmost
bounds of this
Country Eastward. And Westward, not onely all the Massachusets pray, but
also a
great part of Nipmuk; yea and the fields are ripe unto the harvest
in many places
more, whom I will not name until they have given up themselves to the Lord, to
forsake their vanities, and to pray unto God. The Church of Christ at Natik
have sent
forth many into many parts of the Country, to call them in unto Jesus Christ. I
am sent
unto you, and I have good hope that God will bow your hearts to pray unto God.
So
that the praying Indians are many, and like to be more every year: And
our hope is the
greater, because the Lord hath raised up sundry of our young men (who were
children
when we first prayed unto God) unto good knowledge in the Scriptures, and are
able
to teach others the good knowledge of God, and are fit to be sent forth unto
all parts of
the Country, to teach them to pray unto God.
Kinswom.
Husband, what do you mean to withhold our Friend from rest so long, so
late? Alas
Cousin, you had need be at rest; I pray tire not your self with these long
discourses.
Pium.
I thank you for your care of me. There is but one thing more that I am to
speak to, viz.
the second part of your question, What we have gained and got by praying to
God? Of
which Point we discoursed before we came into the house, and therefore I shall
but
touch it now.
1 We are come into the light, and it is an heavenly light, which leadeth us to
God, and
to the eternal enjoyment of happiness by Jesus Christ.
2. We have attained to some measure of the true Riches, by faith in Jesus
Christ, and
love to God and his people.
3. We are content with that portion of food and raiment which God giveth us.
4. We enjoy the Lords Sabbath dayes for our Souls good, and communion with God.
[ 15 ]
5. We have Government, and all Gods Ordinances in peace.
6. We can lie down in peace, and sleep quietly without fear.
In all which, and many more respects, our condition doth far exceed what we
were
and had afore we prayed to God, or what you have or enjoy unto this day. And
now let
us lie down in Gods bosome, and take our rest.
Next Morning.
Kinsman. Kinswoman. Piumbuhhou.
Kinsm.
ARe you well this morning? have you slept well this night? doth
not your weary
journey lie in your bones? is not the skin of your feet that was worn thin with
rocks
and rough wayes, still tender?
Pium.
By the mercy of God through Jesus Christ, I am every way well refreshed.
The
comfort of my Soul doth make my bodily infirmities inconsiderable. And that
which
addeth much to the comfort of my Soul, is the good attention which you and some
other of our friend, gave unto our discourse and prayers the last night, which
giveth
me hope that you are not far from the Kingdome of God.
Kinsm.
I confess my thoughts have troubled me this night, I have a great strife in
my heart, I
think your way is right, I cannot gainsay any thing of which you discoursed:
but on
the other side, if I should forsake our former wayes, all my friends would rise
up
against me like a stream too strong for me to stand against, and I am not able
to
defend my self against them. I do not know what to do.
Pium.
God is above man. When I began to pray to God, I had the same temptation,
but I
quickly bound how vain and weak it was; God will defend all his servants
against all
gainsayers: the light and power of Gods word and wayes will soon shame all sinners
into silence.
But I will tell you a further help in this case: We shall endeavour to convince
and
perswade all your friends to turn unto God also, and then that Temptation will
quite
sink. Let us therefore get your Friends and Neighbours together, and labour to
perswade them all first to hear the word of God preached among you, and my hope
is
that God will perswade so many of them, as that the rest will be ashamed to
oppose;
for darkness and sin are weak, Truth and Light are powerful.
Kinswom.
My thoughts have also troubled me this night, but if you shall take that
course, then I
shall gladly joyn with my Hus|band in this Change. I will therefore get you
some
Victuals to
[ 16 ]
cat, and then go about that business.
Pium.
We are not ready for eating yet, we must first go to prayer, and
give God thanks for
his mercies the night past, and this morning, and we will pray unto God for his
blessings all this day, and pray that he would bless our endeavours to perswade
them,
for the hearts of all men are in Gods hand, and he can overcome them and
perswade them.
Kinsm.
I like well what you say. I pray therefore do so, we will attend and joyn
with you.
Pium.
Let us humbly bow our knees and hearts before the All-seeing God, and in
the Name
of Jesus Christ pray unto him. But there come some company, let them first come
in,
it may be they will joyn with us in our prayers.
Kinsm.
A good morning to you my friends, you come in a good season. Our friend is
come
from far to visit us, he is now going to prayer, I pray you to joyn with us,
and attend
unto what he prayeth.
All. We shall willingly keep silence and attend.
Pium. Prayeth
Kinsm.
This good friend of ours is come to visit us, and doth perswade us to pray
unto God,
and you hear how heartily he prayeth unto God for us: what think you of it?
All.
We cannot tell, we do not yet understand the matter, how then should we
answer to
it?
Kinsm.
Your answer is right and discreet; let us therefore discourse
about this matter. Wise
men will look before they leap.
All.
We are but a few, and weak men, let us send for the Sachem, and
the rest of the old
and wise men, and especially for the Pauwau, and then let us discourse of such
matters: they better know what to say in these matters then we do.
Kinswom.
I like the motion. And I pray you in the mean time eat such food as I have
prepared
for you, that when they come to|gether, you may be ready without interruption,
to
attend unto what you are purposed to do.
Pium.
Alwayes before we eat we must pray, the last night I gave you some
reasons for it by
the word of God; and seeing here be more of our friends come in, who heard not
our
discourse last night, I will again rehearse the same or the like Reasons for
this
Religious practice. He discourseth of them
Kinswom.
Your meat is ready: if therefore you will please to pray, according as you
wisely
discourse, I hope we shall all attend.
All. We shall attend.
Pium. Prayeth for a blessing
Kinswom. Cousin, I am glad to see you eat so
heartily, you are
[ 17 ]
very welcome to it. And I see that praying to God doth not fill
your bellies, you need
food to eat for all that.
All.
Ha, ha, he. Praying to God would starve them if they should not
eat. Ha, ha, he.
Praying Indians are as weary and hungry as other men, for ought we ever
saw by
them. Ha, ha, he.
Pium.
It is true that you say, and therefore we pray unto God to give us
food, and to bless it
to us when we eat it.
This discourse bringeth to my mind a word which Christ spake, Man liveth not
by
bread onely, but by every word of God Man hath two parts, A Soul, and a
Body, and
both are to be fed. The body is fed by food, the Soul is fed by the Word of God
and
Prayer. You that pray not to God, you feed your bodies onely, but you starve
your
Souls: we that pray to God feed our Souls as well as our bodies. And this is
one
reason why we perswade you to pray to God, because we would not have you to
star
your Souls. The Soul is the most excellent part of man, and shall never die;
the body
shall die. If you have so much wisdome as to feed your bodies we pray you be
yet
more wise, and feed your Souls also.
Kinsm.
Every thing that liveth doth live by feeding, as Birds, Beasts,
Fishes, and so do men.
Pium.
You say true; and the Souls of men are living Souls, and therefore should
be fed with
the food which God hath appointed for them, and that is the word of God and
prayer.
Kinsm.
If our Souls be living Souls, what do they feed upon? we having neither the
word of
God nor prayer?
Pium.
Your Souls feed upon nothing but lust, and lying, and stealing,
and killing, and
Sabbath-breaking, and Pauwauing; and all these are sins which poison, starve,
and kill
your Souls, and expose them to Gods wrath that they may be tormented among Devils
and wicked men in Hell fire for ever: and therefore it is in love to your Souls
that we
perswade you to pray unto God. But now that we have eaten and are sufficed with
food let us give Thanks to God for it, and pray that it may be blessed to us. [He
giveth
Thanks]
Kinsm.
Yonder come a great company of our friends, order the house against they
come.
Kinsman. Sachem. Pauwau. Piumbuhhou. All.
Kinsm.
WElcome Sontim; welcome my Friends and Kinsmen all: here is a
Kinsman and
friend of ours come from Natik to visit us, he prayeth for us, and
expresseth love to
our Souls, which you take no thought or care about. He telleth us of right and
Wisdome which they learn out of the Word of
[ 18 ]
God, which we are strangers unto. He telleth us of Hell fire and Torments, to
be the
reward of our sins which we walk in. He telleth us of Repentance for our sins,
and of
Faith to believe in Christ for a pardon, and of Salvation in heaven with
eternal glory.
He telleth us of the danger of living as we do. He telleth u of a better way of living
then yet we know. Many such things we have discoursed, which are beyond my
understanding. I am well pleased with his love, but I know not what to say to
his
Perswa|sions: for which cause I have intreated your company, that we may confer
together about matters of so great importance, and that we may be mutual helps
to
each other for our best good.
Sont.
If any man bring us a precious Jewel, which will make us rich and happy,
every body
will make that man welcome; and if this friend of ours do that, who more
welcome?
but if by receiving his Jewel, we must part with a better Jewel for it, then
wise men
should do well to consider, before they accept his offer. These things you
speak of are
great things, but if we accept of them, consider what we must part with and
forgo for
ever; viz. All your pleasures and sports, and delights and joyes in this
world.
All. You say true. Ha, ha, he.
Pium.
If foolish Youths play in the dirt, and eat dung, and stinking fish and
flesh, and rotten
Corn for company's sake, their Sachem makes this Law, If you come forth from
that
filthy place and company, and feed upon this wholsome and good food I have
provided, and keep company with the wise, then you shall be honoured and well
used
all your life time: But if you so love your old company, as that you choose
rather to
feed on trash, and venture to perish among them, then perish you shall, and
thank your
self for your foolish choice. This was our case at first, and is yours to this
day. You
walk in darkness, defile your selves with a filthy Conversation, you feed your
Souls
with trash and poison, and you choose to do so for your company's sake. Behold,
God
calls you to come out from among them, and touch no unclean thing; to
converse
among the wise, and offereth you pardon, life and salvation in heaven, in
glory,
among all the Elect, Saints and Angels. Now you are at your choice, will you
forsake
those bad courses and companions, and live in glory? or will you choose your
old
filthy courses and companions, and perish for ever?
Sont.
All our forefathers, (so far as ever we have heard) have walked and lived
as we do,
and are we wiser then our fathers?
Pium.
No, we are foolish, weak and sinful, and love to be vile, but God is wiser
then our
fathers, and he hath opened to us this way of wisdome and life, and calleth us
to enter,
and walk therein; therefore be wise, and submit your selves to the call of
Christ.
Sont.
But why do you say that we feed upon trash, stinking
[ 19 ]
meat and poison? wherein doth our food differ from yours, and
wherein do you in that
respect excel us?
Pium.
In bodily food we differ not from you; but it is Soul food I speak
of. We feed our
Souls with the Word of God and Prayer; you feed and satiate your Souls with
lust,
lying, stealing, Sabbath-breaking, and such like sins: and I appeal to your own
Conscience, whether these are not trash and filthiness; and what fruit can you
expect
from such actions, but punishment and wrath?
Pauwau.
Let me adde a few words to give check to your high-flown confidence in your
new
Way, and new Laws, and to your deep censoriousness of our old Wayes, the
pleasancy and delight whereof, every one, both man, woman and childe can judge
of;
and we cannot but dislike to have such pleasant Delights taken from us. Tear
our hair
from our heads, our skin from our flesh, our flesh from our bones, you shall as
soon
perswade us to suffer you to do so by us, as to perswade us to part with our
old
delights and courses. You tell us of the English-man's God, and of his Laws: We
have
Gods also, and more then they; and we have Laws also by which our forefathers
did
walk, and why should not we do as they have done? To change our Gods, and Laws,
and Customs, are great things, and not easily to be obtained and accomplished.
Let us
alone, that we may be quiet in the wayes which we like and love, as we let you
alone
in your Changes and new Wayes.
All.
You say right: why trouble they us in our pleasures and delights? Let us
alone in our
enjoyments.
Pium.
You have spoken many things, which do minister matter to me of much
discourse,
both concerning God, and our selves, and concerning you, & the offer of
Gods mercy
to you at this time. You say you have many Gods, but they are no Gods. There is
but
one God, the great Creator of this great World. Did your Gods make this World?
the
Heavens, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Clouds, the Seas, and the whole
Earth? No,
no; God made this whole world. Can any of your gods give Rain, or rule the
Clouds?
it is the Devil that blindeth your eyes, and covereth you with darkness. We
teach you
to know the true God, who can kill us, or keep us alive at his pleasure. Your
gods
shall all perish with you, for they are no gods.
As for your pleasures and delights, they are all sins against God, which
provoke his
wrath to plague you for ever. We now call you to repent of your evil wayes, and
to
reform your lives to serve the true and living God, to seek for pardon of your
sins, and
mercy to appease his wrath which is kindled against you. I do now offer you
mercy
through Jesus Christ; do not harden your hearts against the Lord: be therefore
perswaded now to forsake your sins and turn unto the Lord, come unto the light
out of
your darkness,
[ 20 ]
awake from your dead sleep, stand up, and Christ will give you life. We
speak by
experience, we were dead and blinde as you are, we loved pleasures as you do;
but by
the grace of Christ we have found light and life, and we now call you to
partake with
us in our mercies.
Pauwau.
We have not only pleasures, but also Prayers and Sacrifices; we beat and aXXict
our
selves to pacifie our gods, and when we be sick we use such wayes to recover
our
health, and to obtain all such things as we want, and desire to obtain from our
gods.
Pium.
Your Prayers and Pauwauings are worshipping of the Devil, and not of God,
and they
are among the greatest of your sins. Your murthers, lusts, stealing, lying, &c.
they are
great sins, your Pauwauings are worse sins, because by them you worship the
Devil in
stead of God. When you Pauwau's use Physick by Roots, and such other things
which God hath made for that purpose, that is no sin, you do well to use Physick
for
your recovery from sickness; but your praying to, and worshipping the Devil,
that is
your great sin, which now God calls you to forsake. Use onely such Remedies as
God
hath appointed, and pray onely to God; this we call you to do, and this is the
way of
true wisdome.
Kinsm.
I feel my heart broken and divided, I know not what to do. To part with our
former
lusts and pleasures is an hard point, and I feel my heart very loth and
backward to it,
many objections against it: yet I cannot but confess, that I do not in my
inward heart
approve of them. I know they are vile and filthy, and I desire to forsake them,
they are
like burning coals in my bosome, I will shake them out if I can. I am ashamed
of my
old wayes, and loth I am to keep that which I am ashamed to be seen in. The
wi|ser
men be, the more they abstain from such lusts, and we account such to be foolish,
vile
and wicked, that are unbridled and unperswadeable. I would not be my self of
the
number of them that are vicious and vile above restraint. What I perswade
others to
leave, I would not do the same my self. We do account it commendable in such as
do
bridle and refrain themselves from those vices; and what I judge to be
commendable
in others, would be therein exemplar and a pattern unto such as be young and
foolish,
and run mad after such beastly courses. In that point I would easily be
perswaded, or
at least I desire so to be: But the greatest difficulty that I yet finde, is
this; I as loth to
divide my self from my Friends and Kindred If I should charge my course and not
they, then I must leave and forsake their company, which I am very loth to do.
I love
my Sachem, and all the rest of you my good Friends; if I should change my life
and
way, I greatly desire that we might agree to do it together.
Sont.
I like well that we should agree upon some amendment of some bad courses
that are
too oft among us: and I love your love,
[ 21 ]
that would have us agree together, and do what we do, in these
great matters, by
common consent; but to do that, is a matter of much discourse, and deep
consideration. This Meeting was sudden, we have other matters at present to
attend:
we have been together long enough for this time, we must leave the whole matter
to
some other time.
Pium.
Two dayes hence is the Sabbath-day: God hath com|manded all men to Remember
the
Sabbath-day to keep it holy. I request all of you to come together that
day, and then I
will further teach you (by the assistance of the Lord) touching this matter.
And to
perswade you to make this beginning to keep the Sabbath, besides the
Commandment
of the Lord, we have the Reasons annexed by God himself unto it. God himself
Rested that day, to set us an heavenly pattern; and God hath also blessed
that day, and
made it holy, and hath promised that when we shall meet together in his Name,
then
he will come among us, and bring a blessing with him. And when the
Disciples of
Christ were met to worship God upon that day, before the day was done, he came
among them and blessed them. So if you come together on the Sabbath-day,
my hope
and trust is, that we shall finde some special token of the presence of Christ
Jesus
among us.
Kinsm.
I do very well like of this motion, and shall willingly attend; and if you
think good, let
my house be the place: or if you our beloved Sachem think good, we will all
come
together at your house.
Sont.
I like it well, let it be so, come to my house, and you shall be welcome.
All.
Content, we like it well: so let it be.
Pium.
Let the time of Meeting be as early as you well can, about Nine of the
Clock.
All.
So let it be.
The Sabbath Meeting.
Sontim. Piumbuhhou. Kinsman. All.
Sont.
IT is well done my Friends and Neighbours, that you have remembred
our agreement,
and are come together about this great business. And now my kinde Friend, what
you
have further to say unto us, we are here ready to hear you.
Pium.
Six dayes God hath given us, wherein to do all our own business and works.
Every
seventh day God hath commanded us to give unto him, to rest from our own works,
and to do his work, to pray unto him, to hear his Word, to talk and speak of
heavenly
[ 22 ]
matters, for the good of our Souls. We are all here this day before the Lord:
And first of all he hath commanded us to pray together; therefore let us all
either
stand up like servants, or kneel down like sons and daughters, and pray unto
the Lord.
Them he prayeth The next work we use to do, is to Catechize, that is,
to teach by
asking of Questions, and they that are taught make Answer according as they
have
been taught: but that work you are not yet fitted and prepared for, therefore
we lay it
by. The next work which we do is to Reade some Chapter of the Word of God. Then
he calleth one that came with him, who Readeth. When that is finished, then
he saith,
Now we use to sing a Psalm, which is one part of Gods Word and Worship: but for
that work you are not yet prepared, therefore we lay that by also.
And now I will teach you out of the Word of God. The Text is Matth.
7.13, 14. Enter
ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that
leadeth to
destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. Because strait is the gate,
and
narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that finde it.
In these words are two parts. 1. Here be two sorts of wayes wherein men
walk.
2. Here be two sorts of men that walk in these two wayes. The first way is
described
by four things.
1. There is a strait, little, narrow gate to enter in at.
2. It is a narrow way, very rough, hard and difficult to walk in.
3. Here is the end of this way whether it leadeth, viz. to
heaven, happiness,
glory, and eternal life.
4. Here be the Numbers that get into, and walk in this way to get to
heaven, Very few.
The
second way is described by four things.
1. The gate of entrance is broad and wide.
2. The way it self is pleasant, easie, full of delights of the flesh,
and of worldly
pleasures.
3. Here is the end of this way, it leads to Hell, to torments, and to
eternal
damnation.
4. Here be the Numbers that walk in this way, Very many;
most men in the
world will choose to walk in this way, and at last go to Hell
torments.
2. The first sort of persons are good men and women, who
1. With much difficulty get into this way
2. They patiently endure all difficulties in it.
3. They go to heaven and glory at last.
4. The number of them, they are but a few.
The second sort of persons are wicked people: and these
1. Easily get into this way.
2. They take pleasure in it, and will not be perswaded to leave it,
and get into
the
hard way.
3. The end of them all is, they go to hell torments.
[
23 ]
4. The number of them, A great many; most men are found in this way
All these particulars he openeth, and insisteth upon, and concludeth with an
Exhortation:
1. To come out of this broad easie way, by considering the end of it,
whither it leadeth.
2. To get into the hard way of praying to God, and patiently continue
in it,
considering the end it leads unto, even Heaven and Glory.
Sont.
What Book is that you reade in? and why do you call it The Word of God?
Pium.
This is the Book of Gods Law, which he hath taught holy men his Prophets
and
Apostles to write, and give unto us, to call us out of the broad way of sin and
death,
and to call us into the narrow way of Repentance, Faith in Christ Jesus, and
eternal
life.
Sont.
It may be the English-men made it, and tell you that they are the words of
God.
Pium.
This Book was written long before the English-men prayed to God,
and English-men
have learned all their wisdome out of this Book, and now they have Translated
it for
us, and if we attend unto it, it will teach us wisdome, as it hath taught them.
Kinsm.
You speak much of Jesus Christ, and his pardoning our sins, and saving our
Souls;
who is this Jesus Christ?
Pium.
God is One in Three; the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Jesus
Christ is God the Son,
who became a Man; and when we deserved to die for our sins, he came and died
for
us: and God hath promised that all that believe in Christ shall be pardoned of
all their
sins, and be glorified in heaven.
Touching this Point I will teach in the Afternoon.
The Afternnon Exercise.
Pium.
GOD requires we should give him a whole day, therefore it is not
enough to worship
God half a day. We are again come together to worship God, and we shall do the
same
this Afternoon, as we did in the Forenoon. Let us pray.
After Prayer, he taketh this Text; Mat. 1.21, 22, 23.
This Text teacheth three things touching Jesus Christ,
1. His wonderful Birth; A Virgin conceived. Of
which, see Luke 1.26, to 39.
2. Two Names; Jesus, Emmanuel.
3. What Christ did for us, and doth, signified by his Name Je|sus;
He taketh
away our sins. And this he doth two wayes:
1. He taketh away our sins out of Gods sight, by dying in our stead, and so
meriting a
pardon for all our sins.
[ 24 ]
2. He taketh away our sins out of our own hearts, by working Repentance
in us, and
Faith in his Name, giving us his Spirit, and sanctifying of us by his Grace,
and leading
us in all holiness of life and conversation.
The third part of this Text is, how Jesus Christ is enabled to do these great
things for
us. This signified by his second Name, God with us.
Christ was God and Man in one Person; and that maketh his death of infinite
value
with God, to obtain a pardon for all our sins.
And this maketh him of infinite power to overcome our hearts, and turn them
unto
God.
These things are deep wisdome; therefore pray unto God, and he will give you
wisdome to understand them, Jam. 1.5.
Kinsm.
I am amazed to hear these deep things: I am now more discouraged about
praying to
God. Alas, we cannot Pray, nor Reade, how shall we keep a Sabbath? and what
shall
we do?
Pium.
I will speak unto the Church at Natik, and we will send a wise man
to teach you, to
keep Sabbaths among you; and all that I shall perswade you unto, is to come
together
on the Sabbaths, as you have done this day, and hear the Word of God, and then
God
will teach you.
Kinsm.
Oh that it might be so, I should gladly attend unto the Word.
Sont.
I say the same.
All.
We like it well.
Kinsm.
I pray let it not be delayed.
Pium.
Lo, here is a manifest token of Gods presence according to his promise: for
who but
God could bow all your hearts to hear the Word of God, especially considering
how
averse you were at first. Now let us pray, and praise, and give thanks to
the God of
Heaven, for his mercy endureth for ever.
DIALOG. II. About calling home poor INDIANS.
Waban was sent forth upon the
Service of Christ unto sundry places; where passed
such like discourses and acts.
Waban PenooXot.
Waban HO, well met friend: how far travel you this way?
Pen. I am going to Nipmuk, a Town where NishohkoX
[ 25 ]
is Sachem: with him I have some business, which occasioneth my
going thither.
Wab.
Ha! you and I are both alike in sundry things, I wish we might be both
alike in one
thing more. The things wherein we are alike, are these; We are both tall men,
We are
met in the same way, We are going to the same place, Our business is unto the
same
person, the Sachem of the place.
Pen.
Ha, ha, he. I acknowledge what you say: but I pray what is that wherein you
desire we
might agreed for I do not understand that you have yet named that, and I the
more
desire to know that, because you do seem to put more weight upon that, then upon
all
the rest which you have named.
Wab.
You judge right touching my opinion of that thing which I have not
mentioned, but I
doubt that you will not be of my minde if I should speak it, and for that
reason I did
conceal it. Wise men will cover and hide their Jewels, and not expose them to
every
bodies sight for they know some will lightly esteem them, because they know not
their worth: but if they fall in company with such as know the worth of their
Jewel,
they will be content to let them see it, and take a full view of it.
Pen.
Your discourse doth the more inflame my desire to know what this matter is
that is so
precious in your eyes, and so doubtful to finde esteem with me. I confess I am
foolish, but I hope you shall finde me one that would be wise, and love the
company
of the wise, and willing to learn of others that wisdome which I want; and
therefore
hough I desire not to know other mens secrets, yet if this other matter you
intimate be
such as I may know, my desire is raised high to know it.
Wab.
Your words are good and wise, and give me hopes that what I have further to
say unto
you, will finde acceptance with you according to my desire. I will therefore
open to
you the truth of the matter. I am a praying Indian, I have left our old Indian
Customs,
Laws, Fashions, Lusts, Pauwauings, and whatever else is contrary to the right
knowledge of the true God, and of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. It repenteth me of
all
my
past life, the lusts, vanities, pleasures, and carnal delights that were
formerly very sweet and delightful to me, are now bitter as gall unto me, I
hate and
loath them. All the works of darkness in which I was wont to take pleasure, I
do now
forsake and abandon. I am come into the light, I now see things as they are
indeed▪
and nor as they seemed to be in the dark. I now know the Word of God which
sheweth me the way of eternal Life. I now know God who made all the world,
against
whom mankinde are turned rebels and sinners. I know the Law of God which I have
broken, and by my sins I have deserved eternal damnation in the world that is
to
come. I now know Jesus Christ, who hath died for us, to
[ 26 ]
procure a pardon for us, and to open a door and way to eternal life and
salvation for
us. Into this way I have entred, herein I walk, and I have promised to God,
that I will
live and walk in this way all the dayes of my life.
And not onely so, but my desire is to perswade all others into the same way
which I
have entred, because I do certainly and experimentally know that my former
wayes
were darkness, sin, and led unto hell and damnation; and this way whereinto I
am now
entred, is a way of light, life, holiness, peace, and eternal salvation: therefore
do I
earnestly perswade all that I meet with to be wise, and turn from the wayes of
darkness, and come into this way of light and glory. And this is the thing
which I did
mean, when I said, that there is another thing wherein I wish that we may be
alike. I
do therefore exhort and intreat you that you would do as I have done, forsake
your old
wayes of sin, of which you have cause to be ashamed, and turn unto God, call on
God,
be numbred among the praying Indians.
Pen.
Oh I am surprized, I am amazed, you have ravished my Soul, you have brought
a light
into my Soul. I wonder at my self: where have I been? what have I done? I am
like
one raised out of a dark pit; you have brought me forth into the Sunshine. I
begin to
see about me: if I look back, and down into the pit where I have been all my
dayes, I
wonder at my self what a dead dark thing I have been; when I look upon you, I
see
you like an Angel of light. I have heard of this business of praying to God,
some have
spoken ill of it, some have spoken favourably I could not tell what it was, but
now by
your discourse I begin to see what an excellent thing it is: it changes men,
and
advances them into a condition above other men. You have dealt with me like as
the
Fishers do by the fish, you laid a Bait for me to make me desire it, and bite
at it, but I
saw not your hook, until you had catch'd my Soul; and now I am catch'd, I see
it was
not for my hurt, but for my great good. The light which I do already see is a
beautiful
and desireable thing, and therefore I pray you go on, and tell me more of this
new
way.
Wab.
The two first things you are to consider of now you are come into the
light, and your
heart willing to attend unto this great work of praying to God, are these:
1. To know God.
2. Our selves.
Of God, know his Greatness, Goodness, Wisdome, and Power. He hath made all
things in this great world; all things above us are his works, he made the
Heavens, the
Sun, Moon, Stars, Clouds, &c. and all things below, the Seas, the
Earth, and all things
that are in them: he made Man, and gave him dominion over all his works in this
world, and a Law of Life, under the penalty of
[ 27 ]
damnation: and all this God did in six days; so great is God above man. The Law
which he gave to man is holy, just and good: but man by the temptation of evil
Angels, who by their sin became to be Devils, I say man broke the Law which God
gave him, and sinned against God, turned Rebel against God, and served the
Devil:
and in this rebellion all the children of men go on to this day.
Gods Law is in Ten Commandments, wherein he requireth of man to know and
worship God, fear his Name, and keep his Sabbaths; and other Laws forbid Lust,
Murther, Stealing, and all other evils. Moreover, God hath annexed unto his Law
a
great Promise, Do and live, with a just Punishment, Sin and die
eternally; namely, that
all the breakers of this Law, and sinners against him, shall be punished in
hell fire
with eternal torments. And this is the condition of all mankinde, and it is our
estate,
that by our sins against God we have deserved to die, and then to be cast away
down
into hell fire, to be tormented among the Devils, who tempted us to sin, and
whom we
have served in our life time: now together with them we must be tormented for
ever.
Pen.
Oh you have now killed me again: By the first light you shewed me, I
thought you had
ade me alive, and I joyed in the light, but I understood it not. Now your light
is
become a sword, it hath pierced through my heart, by it I now see I am a dead
man.
Alas, I have been a sinner all my dayes, I am guilty of more sins then I have
lived
dayes, many sins in a day have I committed: Night and day have I offended God,
and
broke his Law. I have served the Devil and not God, I have done nothing that
God
commandeth, I have only served the Devil, and committed sin; therefore I have
deserved to be damned in hell, and to be tormented among the Devils for ever,
whom
in this life I have served with so much delight; And now poor miserable I, what
shall I
do? These Trees under whose shade we sit, why fall they not upon me and crush
this
rebellious worm in pieces, and send me away to the place of eternal torment?
These
Rocks and hills about us, why fall they not upon me and break me into dust and
powder, and send me away unto perdition? will God regard these complaints of
mine?
what are these tears of mine? can they quench hell fire? nay, will they not
rather be
oyle unto those flames? I am in misery, help I can finde none; the greatness of
Gods
Majesty and power, against whom I a finite poor worm have sinned, doth most
amaze
me. I pray help me further to understand the great majesty of God.
Wab.
For this purpose this young man with us shall reade unto you some part of
the Word
of God. Reade the 40 Chapter of Isaiah, begin at the 12 verse, and reade
unto the 27.
Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand? and meted out heaven
with
the span, and comprehended the dust of the earth in measure, and
[
28 ]
weighed the mountains in scales, and the hills in a ballance? &c.
,
reade some
Chapters of Job, Chap. X7, 38.39.40. When these Chapters were read, Waban
proceeded and said, Moreover, such is the Omniscience and Omnipresence of God,
that we cannot hide from his sight any sin, or thought, nor yet can we hide our
selves,
or escape out of his hand. For this purpose reade Psal. 139. ver.
2, 10 14. Thou
knowest my down-sitting and up rising: thou understandest my thoughts ... off,
&c.
Also God is Unchangeable: for that reade Mal 3.6. For I am the Lord,
I change not;
therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. And without shedding blood
there is no
remission, Heb. 9 22.
Pen.
Still I am mre and more confounded: who is able to deliver a wretched
rebellious
worm out of his Almighty hand? where shall I hide my self from his eye? Oh that
the
Rocks and Mountains would fall upon me, and hide me from the stroke of his
wrathful
hand! And yet I see that my wish is vain, there is no escaping from his
wrathful
vengeance. Oh wretched I, what shall I do! had I a world to give, I would
freely give
it, to be saved out of those flames, which are ready prepared for me, and I
have so
justly deserved. And yet I see that I have no such thing to give in ransome for
my
Soul; or had I such a thing to give, would it be accepted? God hath no need of
my
gifts or sacrifices. Oh what shall I do? my miserable Soul must die.
Wab.
I am in the same condition with you, and so are we all: but I have rest and
quiet in my
Soul, because I have found a ransome, with which God is well pleased, his wrath
is
pacified, and I am delivered; I have escaped the danger of those deserved
flames.
Pen.
Your speeches are some stay to my distressed Soul, it breedeth some hope in
me to
hear that there is a ransome to be found, and that you have found it; may there
be hope
that I also may finde the some?
Wab. Yea, there is hope in Israel touching this matter;
it is as free for you as me.
Pen.
Oh that you would shew me this Remedy. You have shewed me my misery and
anger, effectually; may it please the Lord to make you as successful to shew me
the
Remedy. But my Soul is still drowned in doubt and fear: Oh how I long to hear
where
this Remedy is to be found. I would go to the worlds end to finde it, I would
take any
pains to obtain it; but my trembling heart saith you and I both may be
deceived, for
what Creature in all the world is able to deliver a Soul from the hand of this
Omnipotent and All-seeing God, whose Justice and Law are Unchangeable, and
nothing save blood and death can satisfie it.
Wab.
True, no Creature is able to deliver us, vain is the help of Man or Angel
in this case.
As you said before, your mournings, cries and tears cannot do it, none but God
himself can do it; and
[ 29 ]
your heart will say and yield that God himself can do it: Isa.
55.9. As heaven is above
earth, so are Gods thoughts above ours.
Pen.
Yea, that I can freely yield unto, that God himself can do it; what cannot
he do? but
will the offended just and holy God pacifie himself for my offences, and pardon
so
great a sinner s I? God is just and holy, and how can it stand with his holy
Justice to
pardon a vile sinner, without satisfaction to his holy Justice? will the holy
God cease
to be just? will he abrogate and disanul his holy Law, which I have so often,
so
deeply, so rebelliously broken? I have some hope, because you say it is so, but
I see
not yet how it can be, for God is Unchangeable.
Wab.
It is true that you say, God will never deny his own Justice, nor abrogate
his holy Law
for our sakes: But our God is a merciful God, and infinite in wisdome, and by
his
infinite wisdome he hath found out a way to satisfie the Justice of his own
Law, and to
deliver poor sinners from the condemnation of the Law.
Pen. But how can that be? Can man, or any Creature
for him, satisfie the Justice
of the Law of God? O I am in the dark about this matter, you speak of impossibilities.
Wab.
Nothing that is holy just and good is impossible with God; and therefore to
shew you
God hath done this, know, that God hath done it himself, and whatever God hath
done
is holy just and good.
Pen.
But I pray tell me how this can be: Oh how I long to hear of this way of
deliverance of
a poor sinner out of the hands of Gods holy Justice and unchangeable Law.
Wab.
I will (as well as I can) declare it unto you. God is One in Three; Father,
Son, and
Holy Ghost: which we must believe and admire, though we cannot
demonstrate. I
shall at this time say no further of that point, onely thus much; God one in Essence,
in
his infinite Wisdome and Understanding, conceiveth the Image of himself as the
onely
adequate object of his infinite wisdome. God conceiving is the Father:
God conceived
is the Son; this intellectual act of conceiving, is called Begetting:
God conceiving,
and God conceived, by an infinite act of volition, loveth himself; and
this Love is the
holy Ghost, proceeding from the Father and the Son. God as he is Father hath
made
all things, and given man a Law. God in the dispensation of the Covenant of
Works
hath agreed within himself that the Son of God should assume unto himself an
humane Nature, which is subject unto the Law of God. This glorious Person is
God
and Man in one Person, named Jesus Christ. This glorious Person Jesus
Christ, is a
Person of more worth then all Mankinde beside. This glorious Person Jesus
Christ
came into this world, and offered to God by Covenant his own life in our stead,
and
died for us to satisfie divine Justice for the sin of man: with this Sacrifice
God hath
said he is
[ 30 ]
satisfied for the sin of man. Thus Jesus Christ hath honoured Gods Law, by
satisfying
of divine Justice, and now Jesus Christ hath power to pardon whom he will.
Pen.
These are strange and deep things which you say: in this way I do see that
a person is
found that is able to pay a ransome to God, and satisfie his Justice. But still
I am in the
dark about my self, how shall I be interested in this Redemption wrought by Jesus
Christ? If you have obtained it, I have some hope that so may
I pray tell me
how I may be made partaker of this great Redemption, from the condemnation of
sin
pronounced against me by the Law of God.
Wab
According to my poor ability, as well as I can I will tell you, and I will
tell you how I
have obtained it, and in the same way you also may obtain it.
Pen. O how this hope, by your experience, beginneth
to raise my heart I pray go on
and declare it to me.
Wab.
God hath made a new Covenant of grace which he hath opened in the Gospel,
and
Jesus Christ hath published it to all the world: and the sum of it is this;
That
whosoever shall penitently turn from sin towards God, and believe in Jesus
Christ, he
shall have a pardon of all his sins, and be partaker of eternal life, through
the grace
and mercy of God in Jesus Christ. John 3.16. God so loved the world,
that he gave his
onely begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life.
Pen.
This puts me into another great difficulty: can I penitently turn from sin,
and believe
in Jesus Christ? Alas, I know not how to go about such a work, much less do I
know
how to accomplish the same; therefore I still am under great straights, and
know not
what to do.
Wab.
You say true, it is a work past your ability to do: But Jesus Christ hath
undertaken two
great works in the salvation of sinners. The first is to pacifie Gods Justice,
and satisfie
the Law, and to reconcile God toward us; and that he hath done and finished
Effectually, when he was here on earth 2. Christ hath undertaken to conquer the
world or all Gods Elect (for it is onely the Elect of God whom Christ hath
undertaken
for) and the Father and the Son have sent forth God the holy Ghost to effect
this work:
for none but God himself is able to convert a Soul, and create faith in the
heart of
man. We cannot do it of our selves, neither you nor I can do it, but by the
assistance
of the Spirit of God, by the Word of God.
Pen. Still the difficulty lyeth before me, I am at a
loss, and know not what to do.
I fully believe I am not able to do it my self.
Wab. I will help you as well as I can; and the
Lord help you by his Word and
Spirit. Your heart is now (in some measure) already
[ 31 ]
uturned away from sin; that part of the work is wrought in your
heart, which I will
demonstrate to you thus: I ask you, will you hereafter live and walk in the
wayes of
sin as you have formerly done?
Pen
Oh no, no: I hope God will keep me and help me; I will never live again as
I have
formerly done, I will binde my self from it. I abhor to do so, I will forsake
them for
ever: Lord help me so to do
Wab.
Well; therefore you are now converted from your sins: and who wrought this
great
Change in you? it was not your self did it, nor was it I that did it; I onely
opened unto
you the word of God, but the Spirit of God, by the conviction of the Law, and
by the
word of God, hath wrought this work in you.
Pen. I cannot gainsay you, I yield to what you say,
and wonder at it.
Wab.
In the same manner the Spirit of God by the word is able to create Faith in
you to
believe in Jesus Christ. This work the Lord useth to work in us by the Promises
of the
Gospel. Now I will propound unto you at present but one Promise, Mat.
11.28, 29.
Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you
rest. Take
my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall
finde rest unto your souls. Now I ask you, Are you weary and heavy laden
with your
sins?
Pen.
Oh yes, God knows I am so; I never felt the like distress in my Soul since
I was born,
sin is the bitterest thing in the world to my Soul.
Wab.
Then hearken to this call of Christ, for he calls you in particular to come
to him, and
this coming is believing: are you willing to come to Christ, and ask a pardon
of him,
and beg his mercy?
Pen. Yea, with all my heart. Lord help me.
Wab. Then see the next words, what he promises, I
will give you rest.
Pen. Oh Lord let it be so, according to thy Word
and Promise, thy will be done.
Wab.
Well, wait here, and see if God doth not quiet your Soul, and give you
rest. Mean
while I will further ask you in the next words, Are you willing to take upon
you Christ
his yoke, and this yoke consisteth of two parts: 1. The yoke of Commandments,
to do
whatever he commandeth. And 2. his yoke of Sufferings in this world for his
Name
sake: for now that you are converted, the carnal world will hate you, mock you,
injure
you, speak all evil against you, and it may be if they can they will kill you,
as they did
Christ; but are you willing to suffer all for Jesus Christ his sake, who hath
died for
you? And further, are you willing to learn meekness of Jesus Christ? for they
are the
next words; and I
[ 32 ]
do assure you, that you will have great need of patience, when you have done
all the
duties he commands, to suffer patiently what God himself shall inflict upon you
by
sicknesses, crosses and temptations, or what wicked men shall inflict upon you.
Pen.
These things which you speak are against the flesh and frame that I used to
be in; and
I do finde that they are not so fully kil|led, but that they have a little
stirring in them
when you propound these cases to me.
But the experience I have now found of the love of God, and of Jesus Christ to
my
Soul, doth lay such an engagement upon my heart, that I will, by his grace and
assistance, be for him onely, serve him onely, do all that ever he shall
command me,
suffer whatever he shall impose upon me; I will no more be for my self, but for
him,
who hath done all this for me. Oh what shall I render unto the Lord for all his
benefits
to my poor Soul!
Wab.
We are surprized by the night, we must rest under these Trees this night. I
do account
this day well spent, though we have made but little progress toward the place
of our
intendment: but I have been about the work I came abroad upon, though not the
persons I intended. Thus God doth over-rule the wayes of men; he foreseeth and
ordereth that which we had no thoughts upon: and therefore in that we have
spent this
day in such Con|ference and Discourse, wherein we have seen so much of the
pre|sence of Christ with us; let us now spend this night in prayers and praises
unto the
Lord, who hath found us before we sought for him. You were going about another
business, you little thought of finding Jesus Christ by the way, and finding
mercy to
your Soul, a pardon of your sins, and to become a praying Indian.
Pen.
Your discourse doth heighten my admiration. I acknowledge God hath thought
of me
when I thought not of him; he had a care of my Soul when I had no care of my
self;
God hath plucked me out of darkness, and brought me into a most wonderful
light,
that I should be forced to see the wonderful things of Gods Law, & of my
eternal
condemnation by it, my helpless and hopeless condition that I was in.
And then, that the Lord should open unto me a possibility of escape, that a
ransome
and remedy might be found by the infinite wisdome and mercy of God; and that
Jesus
Christ had not onely accomplished that great work, but offered the fruit and
benefit of
it to me, and called me to rest in him, and to be trust my Soul with him for
pardon of
all my sins, and for eternal life in Jesus Christ. These things are matter of
my
admiration, and shall be to all eternity. My life remaining shall be spent in
admiring,
and in obeying and suffering, as you have now taught me; I shall account
nothing too
dear for Christ, who hath not accounted his own most precious life too dear for
me.
Whereas I am now instructed, that he being
[ 33 ]
God and Man in one person, his life was of more value then all the
lives of all
mankinde; and that he did not forbear to offer that precious life for me; I
must, I will,
by his grace assisting, admire at this mercy for ever: and therefore the motion
that you
made of spending this night in prayer and praises unto his holy Name, it is a
most
acceptable motion to my heart. My experience suggesteth unto me matter
abundantly
to pray and praise his Name, but my ignorance is such as that I cannot tell how
to utter
my minde in words of knowledge suitable unto so great mercies as I have now
experienced.
Wab.
Your discourse doth lead me out to inform you in a great point of the grace
and
kingdome of Jesus Christ, and that is the gift and grace of Prayer, which the
Spirit of
Jesus Christ teacheth every new born Soul to perform: for so the Scripture
saith, Rom
8.15. He hath given the Spirit of his Son, whereby we cry, and crying is
an earnest
manner of praying; and the matter of our cry is to say Abba, Father,
that is, to call
God our Father, and to ask him a Childes portion in the Name of Jesus Christ,
as he
hath promised, that whatever we ask in the Name of Jesus Christ, it shall be
surely
granted, either the same thing or a better; for we are foolish children, and
know not
what is best for our selves, but our Father doth: and therefore when we make
our
prayers and request to God, we must leave the matter to his love & wisdome,
to give
us what, and when, and how he will.
And because we are ignorant what to pray for, therefore the Spirit of God who
dwelleth in our heart, he is called the Spirit of Grace and of Supplication;
and Rom.
8.26, 27. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not
what we
should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us
with
groanings, which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts, knoweth
what is
the minde of the Spirit, because he maketh interces|sion for the Saints,
according to
the will of God. Where we see that our weakness is supplied by the
assistance of the
Spirit, and he help|eth us to pray for such things as please God, and in such a
manner
as pleaseth God. And this is the condition of every true converted believer,
that he
can pray, and desires to pray, and is ever lifting up his heart to God in
prayer: and
therefore I like it well that my motion of spending this night in prayer, is so
acceptable
to you, a good sign it is that the Spirit of Jesus Christ hath taken possession
of your
Soul.
Pen.
This little sight and experience I have, hath so filled my heart with a
sense of my own
vileness, that I see matter of endless confession; and I see so much
nothingness in my
self, that I see endless matter of petition and supplication; and I see my self
so
infinitely obliged to God for the riches of his free-grace to me a rebellious
worm, that
I see infinite matter of praise, thanksgiving
[ 34 ]
and admiration: My heart also longeth after others, that they may be as I am. I
pray
tell me, what is my duty in that respect to pray for others? my Relations, my
Friends,
my Neighbours, and for all?
Wab.
Christ hath taught us, When thou art converted, then strengthen thy
brother, Luke
22.32. therefore you must pray for all the Church of God; you must especially
pray for
them that are weak, and tempted, and afflicted; and you must pray for them that
are
not yet converted, and for all Gods people, and for all Gods cause in all the
world, and
for the fulfilling of all Gods Promises. There is a world of matter to pray
for: and for
Kings and Rulers in a special manner.
Pen.
I feel my heart to answer your words like an eccho; my heart answers, All
these things
I desire to pray for. But alas, I am ignorant of fit words in prayer, and
therefore I do
request of you, first do you pray, and set me a pattern. [Waban prayeth.]
Pen
Many whole nights have I spent waking, sometime in hunting, sometime
worse, in
dancing and other sinful revels; but I never spent a night so well in my life
before: it is
the first night of my new life; I have begun to live well, oh how full of fear,
and care
and desire my heart is, that I may go on according to this good beginning. I
hope the
sweet savour of this good beginning to live well, shall abide with me, and I
desire
your help and counsel how I may so perform it.
Wab.
Our state in this world is not perfect, corruption is killed but in part;
there be old roots
remaining, which upon occasion offered will still be stirring, acting,
appearing, as a
tree that is cut down, the old roots will be growing, which must be kept down
with a
speedy cutting off. A field that is well weeded, will quickly produce new weeds
gain, out of that natural propensity of the earth to bring forth weeds; but a
watchful
and diligent husbandman will be often weeding over his Corn fields: and so will
our
hearts be sending forth new weeds of sin, but we must be daily diligent to
watch and
weed them out; our hearts have a natural propensity to sin, and therefore must
be kept
with all diligence. And therefore that is the first counsel that I give you,
out of the
experience of my own naughty heart.
Pen.
Your words do put a fear into my heart, I know that old customes of sin
are very
hardly left, and I have been so long accustomed to sin, that I am afraid of my
self.
Wab.
Fear is a good watchman; Happy is the man that feareth alwayes: and
let this put you
on to a second Counsel that I give you, Be much and often in prayer, and that
not
onely among others in Family-worship, and Publick-worship, but also, and most
frequently in secret prayer, for so Christ hath commanded, Mat. 6. and
Christ himself
hath set us an example, who spent whole nights in prayer.
[ 35 ]
Pen.
The night spent in prayer hath let me finde a sweet taste in it,
though I do already
finde that it is a weariness to my flesh. I thank you for this Counsel, I
desire I may
remember and do it. What further Counsel will you give me?
Wab
You must be much conversant in the Word of God, and though you cannot yet
reade
the Word, yet you must get the help of others, and learn the word of God by
heart; and
you must meditate upon the same night and day, for so David did, Psal.
1.2. And the
meditation on the Word will sanctifie the heart, and kill corruption, and will
mightily
help you to subdue it.
Pen. I doubt it will be difficult for me to
learn to reade, I am dull of capacity.
Wab.
A strong desire, diligence and constancy, will obtain any thing: and you
must pray
God to teach you, and to open your heart to learn: Jam. 1.5. If any
of you lack
wisdome, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and up, raideth
not, and
it shall be given him. And for a further help to you, my fourth Counsel is,
That you
diligently learn the Catechize, and by learning to reade that, you will learn
to reade
and understand the whole Bible.
Pen.
I see my self very ignorant, and therefore I am very desirous to learn
Catechism,
because I have heard and do perceive that is the foundation of all knowledge in
Religion, being wisely gathered out of the Scripture.
Wab.
You say right about Catechism; we do therefore teach it our Children, that
the
principles of good knowledge may be sown and rooted in them from a Childe: and
for
that reason also do we send them to School, to learn to reade the Word of God,
that
they may be acquainted with the Word from a Childe.
Pen.
Oh what a loss is this to me, that I am to begin to learn Catechize and the
Word of
God now I am a man, which I might have been acquainted with from a Childe, had
I
been brought up among the praying Indians. How happy are your Children
that are
thus brought up. I suppose you are very diligent in this matter in Training up
of your
Children.
Wab.
We have great cause to judge our selves for too much negligence in this
point. A fifth
Counsel I give you is, That you be constant and diligent in the exercise of the
Worship
of God in your Family, in these points: 1. You must Morning and Evening pray in
your Family, and teach them in Catechism, and reading of the Scriptures. 2.
Alwayes
before and after Meat you must pray and give thanks to God.
Pen.
Oh what an holy life do the praying Indians live. Lord teach me and
help me thus to
do. What further Counsel do you give me?
Wab.
A sixth Counsel I give you is, That you do carefully remember the
Sabbath-day to
keep it holy, and to come to the publick
[ 36 ]
Assembly both Forenoon and Afternoon, constantly and timely, and
there diligently
to attend the worship of God.
Pen Oh how my heart approveth of this Counsel. Have
you any further
Counsel to give me?
Wab.
One thing more; Let all your Conversation be a good example to others,
& labour on
all occasions to do good to others.
Pen.
I request this of you, that as we travel this day in our journey, you would
teach me the
Principles of Catechism.
Wab.
I do well like of your motion, its a good subject of discourse as we are in
our way.
Thus are they imployed till they come at their journeys end.
Waban. NishohkoX. Penoowot.
Waban.
MY aged Uncle, I am glad that it hath pleased God once more to give me an
opportunity to see you alive in this world. It is not unknown unto you, that I
and many
others have undertaken a new way of life, which is known to many by the name of
Praying to God. The way that I formerly, and you still live in, is a way
of worshipping
the Devil, it is a way of darkness and sin: and though it is a way pleasant and
easie to
the flesh, yet it leadeth to destruction and eternal torments. Man is made for
another
life after this life is ended; and though our body dieth and turneth to dust,
yet the Soul
is immortal, it dieth not, but at the death of the body it departeth to a place
of eternal
being, either in glory, or in misery. If we pray to God with a right heart, penitently
turn from sin to God, and believe in Jesus Christ, then we shall have a pardon
granted
us, and eternal happiness with Jesus Christ. But if we do not turn to God, but
worship
and serve the Devil, and walk in the wayes of sin, then at death our Soul must
be
dragged to hell, and there tormented for ever among the Devils, whom we have
obeyed and served in this life. These things, and many more, we do perfectly
know,
and believe to be true by the Word of God, which is the Sun-light of the Soul,
even as
the Sun is the great light of the outward world.
God hath put it into my heart to desire that your Soul might be blessed for
ever; and
the Church hath sent me, and I come in the Name of Jesus Christ to tell you
these
things, and beseech you to turn from these vain and evil wayes, and to believe
in Jesus
Christ, that your sins may be pardoned, and that your Soul may be saved in
eternal
glory.
Nish.
Your love and desire of my good, I have no reason but to accept with
kindness; but
me thinks one thing in your discourse is doubtful. We see with our eyes, and
know
certainly that the
[ 37 ]
body dieth, and turneth to rottenness and dust, and why may not the Soul do so
likewise? we see not what becometh of it, and to make such a stir, and change
our
course upon uncertainties, I have no liking to it, my Age inclineth me rather
to be
quiet, and not meddle with such unseen intricacies, utter for younger heads to
minde.
Wab.
Our bodies are the product of the seed of man, and that is made out of the
food we eat,
and our food grows out of the earth, so that our bodies are made of refined
earth; and
therefore at death turn to earth again, out of which it was made, and so God
speaketh,
Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return. But the Soul is not so;
it is a Spirit, of a
purer nature then earthly things, and it is immediately created by God, and
therefore
dieth not. Besides, we are assured by many infallible proofs out of the Word of
God,
and by evidence of good Reason, that the Soul is immortal, which point we are
taught
in our Catechism. And not onely so, but God hath taught us, that at the end of
the
world the body shall be raised again out of the dust, and the Soul and body
joyned
together again, and then the person shall be judged by Jesus Christ, according
to their
deeds done in the flesh: those that live and die in their sins, shall be turned
into hell, to
be tormented by and with the Devils; but they that turn to God, and believe in
Jesus
Christ, shall be judged to go with Christ to heaven, and be ever with him in
eternal
glory.
Therefore this consideration doth more sharpen my request and intreaties of
you, how
shall I endure to see this body of yours, which I so respect and love, and that
Soul of
yours also, to go away unto eternal torments. And I pray you consider what a
wound
and torment it will then be, to remember, I was exhorted and intreated to turn
to God
and live; mercy in Christ was offered me, but I refused it: and therefore deservedly
do
you lose what you refused, and deservedly you suffer that torment you did
choose,
rather then to trouble your self with this business of praying to God, and
believing in
Jesus Christ.
Nash.
These are great and deep things that I understand not: you young men
have your blood
warm, and your wits fresh and ripe, you can reade and understand these things.
I am
old and cold and dry, and half dead already, I have not strength enough left to
be
whetted up to such a new edge; let me alone to die in quiet, why should I take
upon
me such a disquiet to my minde, and disturbance to my self, and to my people? I
have
two Sons young and active men, I am very willing that they should take up this
new
way, perswade them to it if you will, but as for me, I am too old for such an
undertaking.
Wab.
You do well to permit your sons to enter into a way of wisdome, and
pray unto God;
but I would propose two requests
[
38 ]
unto you: 1. To do well for your self as well as for your Sons, for your soul
is as
preceious as their souls be And 2. the most effectual means to perswade your
Sons
unto this way of wisdome, is for you to set them an example; if you should
choose this
way, then it is like that they would follow your example, but if you refuse it
your self,
there is the less hope that they will choose it: for it is a way hard to the
flesh, and
requires much subduing of lusts, which will rather be done in your decrepit
Age, then
by them in their flourishing youth.
Nish.
I am weary, and need some food, and it is like so do you after your travel,
and here is
Meat set before us, therefore I pray eat, and you are welcome.
Wab.
I pray you let us eat like praying Indians. God hath taught us, that
alwayes when we
eat we should pray and give thanks to God.
Nish
I pray do so, it pleaseth me well, though I cannot do so my self, for I am
ignorant of
the wayes of praying to God.
Waban prayeth for a blessing, and then they eat: and after meat
doth the same again.
Pen.
Aged Sachem, now that you and we are refreshed and strengthned by this
food, I will
declare unto you strange News, to which I intreat your attendance a little
while, and
all the people here present. I am like a man that was looking for a shell, and
found a
Pearl of inestimable value, whereby he became very rich and renowned. I had a
small
occasion to come and visit you, grave Sachem, and by the way I met with this
good
man, a messenger of God; by whose discourse my blinde eyes are opened, my dead
heart is made alive, my lame legs are inabled to walk in the way to heaven,
where I
shall enjoy an eternal Kingdome. Many miracles have been wrought upon me by the
power of Gods Word, spoken to me by this man: and that I may stir up your
heart, and
the hearts of the people here present to give diligent heed to what he saith, I
will
declare unto you what passed between us. I was as you are, I lived as you live,
I did as
you do, and as the rest of our Countrymen and Neighbours do; I followed the
sports,
pleasures, vanities, and courses that other men, and you, to this day walk in.
But I was
not aware how blinde, and dead, and vile, and wicked I was in the sight of God;
nor
was I aware that I was running on in a pleasant delightful way, which led me
down to
hell and eternal damnation.
But when I met this man, he discoursed with me about these things; he opened
unto
me, by the Word of God, the great Majesty of God, his Holiness, Justice, and
Goodness; how God had made this great world, and all things in it, both things
above,
and things below; how he made man an eminent Creature, gave him dominion over
all
the creatures here below; & gave him an holy, just
[ 39 ]
and good Law, in Ten Commandments, under the order of a Covenant of Works, and
if he kept and obeyed this Law, he should live in glory and happiness forever,
but if
he did break this Law, and sin against God, that great Majesty of heaven, then
he
should be answerably and justly punished with eternal torments in hell fire,
with the
Devil and his Angels for evermore: and this Law was for himself and all his
posterity,
in whome stead he stood as a publick person.
Now he informed me, that Adam the first man sinned by the temptation of
evil
Angels, which rebelled against God, and turned Devils: by their temptation Adam
need, and turned rebel against God, and served, believed and obeyed the Devil
and
therefore by the Law of God he was judged and condemned, and all his posterity.
All
this I found to be true in my own experience, for I went on in the same
rebellion,
breaking the holy Law of God every day both in thought, word and deed, obeying
the
Devil and his temptations, serving the lusts of my flesh, and filthy minde: I
walked in
the broad, easie, pleasant way that leadeth to destruction; so that I have
deserved to be
damned a thousand thousand times: and the greatness of the Majesty of God
against
whom I sinned, did breed terrour in my soul; my just condemnation by the Law of
God, was evident to me as the light; Gods pure and unchangeable Justice, which
sentenced me by the Law unto hell, I saw I could not possibly answer, seeing I
am a
poor finite worm, and what have I to satisfie infinite offended Justice? and
therefore
my soul mourned and lamented, and sunk into despair; for Gods Justice is
unchangeable, and his Law must be satisfied, which I am never able to do, and
therefore I must be eternally damned under that just sentence. I durst not pray
God to
pardon my transgression, by any absolute soveraign act of mercy, for then he
should
have offended his own Justice, which is unchangeable, and abolished his own
Law,
whose perfection is such that it must be fulfilled and satisfied; and to
satisfie Gods
just Law, was not in the power of any finite creature, Man or Angel: and
therefore I
despaired, no ransome could be found in all the world for me a poor sinner. Oh
the
bitterness that my soul felt, in the horrour of my damned estate! No tongue can
utter
what my soul felt. I had a taste of hell torments in my soul; my meditation of
Gods
Omniscience, whereby he knew all my sins, not onely open, but secret ones,
brought
in|numerable sins to my remembrance, one of which was enough to damn me, but I
had mountains of guilt heaped upon my distressed soul; the impossibility for me
to
satisfie divine Justice, and the impossibility of pardon without satisfaction,
because
God cannot be unjust, and his Law is unchangeable: Such meditations cast me into
the horrible pit of darkness and desperation. The redemption, the soul is
precious, it
zeaseth for ever, Psal. 4.8.
[ 40 ]
Then God opened the mouth of this dear Servant of his, who told me
that the infinite
mercy and wisdome of God had found out a ransome, a way to satisfie Justice,
and
fulfil the Law, and to save poor condemned sinners, and that he himself had
found
mercy in that way. This bred some hope in my soul, and stayed me from sinking
quite
down, when I heard of a possibility: but still I was in distressing doubt and
fear that it
was but some delusion, because I could not see a possibility for Man or Angel,
or any
Creature, to satisfie and give a ransome to infinite Justice.
Then he declared to me, that it is true that no Creature could give a ransome
to satisfie
Justice, but God himself was able to satisfie the infinite Justice of God. To
that I
yielded, that God himself might satisfie his Justice, but still I was in the
dark, I could
not see this could possibly be. Then he opened me, that adored Doctrine of God
his
being One and Three, how God was one in Essence, three in Persons, God the
Father,
God the Son, and God the holy Ghost; how the Father doth by an eternal intellectual
act conceive the Image of Himself, as being the only adequate Object he
understands
himself; and this is called the Begetting of the Son, by an intellectual
conception of
his own Image: and these two Subsistencies, do by an eternal act of Volition
love each
other; and this Love is the third Person in Trinity, proceeding from both the
Father
and the Son.
Now the eternal Majesty of God agreed within himself, that God the Son, the
second
Person in Trinity, should assume humane Nature to himself, and become a man,
subject to the Law. This glorious Person is the greatest subject that ever the
Law had,
and this glorious Person is able perfectly to fulfil the Law, and perfectly to
pay a
ransome satisfactory to infinite Justice, who hath done it. This depth of
divine
Wisdome my soul admired, and shall do to eternity.
But still I was at a loss how I should be interested in the ransome that this
glorious
Person hath paid. Then did this Messenger of God declare unto me, that this
glorious
Person Jesus Christ had undertaken both parts of this work: First to atone, and
reconcile God to man, by paying the ransome required, and by perfect fulfilling
the
Law: Secondly, to subdue the soul and will of man to turn, and submit to be
reconciled to God. But this work of converting a soul to God is such, that as
no man
can convert himself, so no other Creature is able to do it, onely God himself
can do it;
and for that end, both the Father and Son have sent forth the holy Ghost, the
eternal
Spirit, to work upon the hearts of men, and to create the work of Faith in them
by the
Word, and then to take possession of, and dwell in believing souls, to mortifie
their
lusts, to sanctifie their hearts and lives, and to lead them in the way of
grace unto
glory.
[ 41 ]
And he further declared to me, that this blessed Spirit of God, by
the Word of
God, had already begun this great work in my soul: for a new light is set up in
my soul, a work beyond the reach of man; and that light hath convinced me of
sin, and of my my damned estate by sin; it had made a separation and divorce
betwixt sin and my soul; it had cut me off the old stock, and laid my soul down
at the foot of Christ, capable with all humble thankfulness to accept
salvation,
not by any merit of mine, but by free-grace of Christ unto a vile and unworthy
sinner. This I could not deny, but I did finde such conviction, and such a
submission to Christ: and this he declared to be the first step and beginning
of
the work of sound Conversion.
I crave your patience for a few words more. Then he proceeded to shew me
that the work was finished by the Promise, which also the Spirit of God doth
bring home unto the soul, and makes up the match betwixt Christ and the soul.
And to that purpose he brought Mat. 11.28, 29. by which Text he shewed
me,
as in a glass,
1. The distress my soul was in.
2. The call of Christ to such distressed soul.
3. The promise of Rest to such as come to him.
4. The obligation to learn meekness, both to do and suffer the will
of
Christ. And here my soul resteth.
Ah friends, we poor Indians are great sinners, but Christ is great
salvation for
the greatest sinners. What finite creature can out-sin infinite satisfaction?
Nish.
I see you are strongly changed and transported: but my feeble Age
needeth rest,
and so may you also by this time.
Wab.
Aged Uncle, to morrow is the Sabbath-day: if you like of it, order all
your
people to come together in the morning, and by the Lords assistance I will
further teach you by the Word of God.
Nish. I like it well Send out to all parts of the Town, that
all meet to morrow
morning.
The Sabbath.
Many being met,
Waban.
THe Lord hath appointed that in our publick Worship first of all,
supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men: For Kings,
and for all that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable
in
a godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God
our
Saviour: Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge
of the truth, 1 Tim. 2.1, 2, 3, 4. According to this appointment, let us
pray.
Which finished,
[ 42 ]
He took that Text, Matth. 20.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7.
In these words we may observe these things:
1. The Vineyard where men labour, is the Church, and this way of praying
to God;
and sheweth that it is a laborious and a good work, and will cause us to bring
forth
good fruits, grapes and wine, which is pleasing to God and man. But beware of
bringing forth sowre grapes; especially suffer no briars and thorns, but cut
them down,
and root them up, and cast them out.
2. The Lord of this Vineyard is Jesus Christ, who calleth all men to
come into this his
Vineyard, and do these works. And this day I do in the Name of the Lord Jesus
call
you
to pray to God, come and work in this Vineyard. Hearken to this Call, and
be no longer idle, follow your sins no longer, you have lived in sin long
enough, stay
no longer, but come in when you are called. Happy are you, if you obey and
come;
woe be to you, if you re|fuse.
3. Here be the several seasons of mens coming in, or the several Ages of men
that do
come in.
1. Some come in while it is morning, that is, while they be young: therefore I
call you
Boyes, Youths and Girls, come you unto the Lords Vineyard, and give unto God
the
first-fruits of your dayes.
2. The Lord went forth at the third hour, and called in young men and
young women
into his Vineyard: Hearken therefore you young men and young women to the Call
of
God, and come in.
3. The Lord went forth at the ninth hour, that is, he called in men and
women full
grown, to ripeness of parts, and strength; you are called this day to come into
the
Lords Vineyard; be you perswaded to come in, and serve the Devil no longer: now
turn unto the Lord.
4. The Lord went forth the eleventh hour, that is, a little before
night; and this doth
mean you old men, and old women, come you into the Lords Vineyard, you see the
Lord will accept you if you come. Do not think you are too old to serve the
Lord; if
your dayes be near finished, you had the more need come in quickly, lest you
die in
your sins, and perish for ever.
When he had finished, an Objection was made by one; We dare not come in to
pray to
God, for we hear you are very severe if any be found sin, of lust or the like,
you
Whip them and punish them, that maketh us afraid to pray to God.
Answ. Wab. God hath appointed punishments of sin to be Physick
for their souls; and
though Physick be bitter and sharp, yet its very wholesome, good and needful.
If you
were invited to dwell at such a Town where there is a Physician, would you say,
No, I
will not dwell there, because if I be sick I must take Physick; sure you would
therefore
go dwell at that place. So it is in this
[ 43 ]
case; you should therefore desire to pray to God, because they use
Physick to heal the
sickness of your souls.
Afternoon.
They being met,
Waban having first prayed, then taketh this Text, Psal. 2.8, 9,
10, 1.
In these words see these three things:
1. Christ Jesus taketh possession of the heathen, and utmost ends of the earth:
and this
is one description of our Country. And now Jesus Christ calleth us to come to
him.
Some of us have submitted unto Christ, and he hath mercifully accepted us, and
so he
will accept you, if you will come in unto him.
2. See what Christ will do to them that will not come in; He will break them
with a
Rod of Iron, and dash them in pieces like a potters vessel. Thus Christ
will deal with
our sins, if we submit to him. But if we will not submit to him, he will thus
deal with
our persons, and destroy them that refuse to serve him, Luke 19.27.
3. Here is the effect of Gods severity against sinners; Be wise therefore O
ye Kings; be
instructed, ye Judges of the Earth: serve the Lord with fear, and rejoyce with
trembling. Do not say, Because Christ is severe against our sins, therefore
we will not
come unto him, but fly from him: do not so, for then he will destroy you; but
come
trembling to him, and say, Lord take away our sins by sharpness, that our souls
may
be saved for ever.
DIALOG. III:
Anthony and William
Ahauton were sent to Pagancucket, where Philip is
Sachem.
When they first came to the Town, they went to the Sachems house.
Anthony. William. Philip Keitasscot. All the Company.
Anthony.
SAchem, we salute you in the Lord, and we declare unto you, that we are
sent by the
Church, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to call you, and beseech you to
turn
from your vain conversation unto God, to pray unto God, and to believe in Jesus
Christ for the pardon of your sins, and for the salvation of your soul. We do
unto you,
according to the holy Example which we finde, John 1.40, to 47. where Andrew
called Peter, and Christ himself called Philip, and Philip
called Nathaniel. So we are
come this day unto you, in the Name of Jesus Christ, to
[ 44 ]
call you to come unto the Lord, and serve him. This Argument we perswade you
by,
because we hear that many of your people do desire to pray to God, only they
depend
upon you. We pray you to consider, that your love to your people should oblige
you to
do them all the good you can. In this point, it lieth in your hand to do the
greatest
good in the world unto them, to do good to their souls as well as to their
bodies, and to
do them good to eternity, as well as in this present world. All this good you
will do to
your people, if you will accept of this offer of mercy; you will not only your
self turn
from sin unto God, to serve the true and living God, but all your people will
turn to
God with you, so that you may say unto the Lord, Oh Lord Jesus, behold here am
I,
and all the people which thou hast given me: we all come into thy service, and
promise to pray unto God so long as we live. Oh how welcome will you be
to
the Lord? And oh how happy and joyful will all your people be, when they and
their
Sachem are all owned by God, to be in the number of his Children and Servants.
It
will be a joy to all the English Magistrates, and Ministers, and Churches, and
good
people of the Land, to hear that Philip and all his people are turned to
God, and
become praying Indians. We reade in Luke 15.7. that there is
joy in heaven over one
poor sinner that repenteth, and turneth unto God; what great joy will it
then be in
heaven, when so great a number as you and your people be, are turned unto the
Lord,
and become praying Indians!
Keit.
Often have I heard of this great matter of praying unto God, and
hitherto I have
refused. Mr. Eliot junior, while he was alive, attempted it, but I did
not hearken unto
his perswasion. Old Mr. Eliot himself did come unto me, he was in this
Town, and did
perswade me; but we were then in our Sports, wherein I have much delighted, and
in
that temptation. I confess, I did neglect and despise the offer, and lost that
opportunity. Since that time God hath afflicted and chastised me, and my heart
doth
begin to break, and I have some serious thoughts of accepting the offer, and
turning to
God, to become a praying Indian, I my self, and all my people. But I
have some great
Objections, which I cannot tell how to get over, which are still like great
Rocks in my
way, over which I cannot climb; and if I should, I fear I shall fall down the
precipice
on the further side, and be spoiled and undone: by venturing to climb, I shall
catch a
deadly fall to me and my posterity
The first Objection that I have is this, Because you praying Indians do
reject your
Sachems, and refuse to pay them Tribute; insomuch that if any of my people turn
to
pray unto God. I do reckon that I have lost him, he will not longer own me for
his
Sachem, nor pay me any Tribute. And hence it will come to pass, that if I
should pray
to God, and all my people with me, I must
[ 45 ]
become as a common man among them, and so lose all my Power and Authority over
them, This is such a temptation as neither I, nor any of the great Sachems can
tell how
to get over: were this temptation removed, the way would be more easie and open
for
me to turn praying Indian. I begin to have same good likance of the way,
but I am
loah to buy it at so dear a rate.
Will
Though I am younger then my Brother with whom I am set, yet I know my
self to be
in a clearer capacity to answer to this case, when my Brother is, because Catsha
Xoquin,
the first great Sachem that prayed to God, and after him Chikkatabuk,
and
after him Masqummog, were Sachems in the Town where I live, and they were
my
Sachems, and I well know how the praying Indians did carry the matter
towards them.
And first, I say, if any of the praying Indians should be disobedient
(in lawful things)
and refuse to pay Tribute unto their Sachems, it is not their Religion and
praying to
God that teaches them so to do, but their Corruptions; it is a sickness that
needeth
Physick to cure it, and not allowance and countenance to defend it. I am sure
the
Word of God commandeth all to be subject to the higher powers, and to
pay them
Tribute, Rom. 13.1, 3, 4, 5 6 7. And Christ Jesus hath commanded to give
unto Cesar
the things that belong to Cesar, and to God the things that belong to God.
And thus
we have been taught. All the time that Cutshamoquin lived, our Town did
alwayes
honour, obey, and pay Tribute unto him; and so far as I know, so did all the praying
Indians which belonged to his Jurisdiction After his decease we chose Josias,
or
Chikkatabuk, but not until he had promised before the Governour and
Magistrates of
the Massachusets at Boston, To pray unto God, and to defend and
govern us in
praying to God all the dayes of his life. And though he fell back from his
promise, yet
our Town alwayes owned him. And when he began to recover himself a little
before
his death, the people were ready to adhere unto him, and acknowledge him. In
his life
time we accepted his Brother, at his request; and Msquammog his leaving
us, is his
own act and not ours. And therefore, beloved Sachem, let not your heart fear
that
praying to God will alienate your people from you; nay, be assured it will more
firmly
oblige their hearts unto you. This I know by experience, for the more
beneficent you
are unto them; the more obligation you lay upon them. And what greater beneficence
can you do unto them, then to further them in Religion, whereby they may be
converted, pardoned, sanctified and saved.
Ant
All that my Brother hath said I second, and can bear witness unto it;
onely I will adde
one thing more, of which I know more then he doth, because it was acted in the
Town
where I live. There was some subtile endeavour to have mingled the praying
and non-
praying Indians, and to have reduced the praying Indians under
[ 46 ]
the power of non praying Indians, contrary to publick and evident
Conditions. Against
this, did some of the wiser sort (who saw the Trap) firmly stand; giving this
Reason:
The Fox came to the Lambs door, and would fain come in, but the Lambs refused.
Then the Fox desired to let him put in but one Claw; the Lambs refused, saying,
If he
get in but one Claw, he will not rest till he have wringled in his whole body.
Stop
waters while they be small and superable. And this I say unto you, beloved
Sachem,
you shall finde none truer to you then praying Indians: but know
withall, that Gd
teaches them by his Word to be wise, and they will not easily be abused.
Keit.
If that be true which you say, all is not true that is talked against
the praying Indians;
and indeed I do see that they are the worser sort of men that do speak so ill
of them,
the wiser sort are not so minded. I have nothing within the compass of my knowledge,
to gainsay that which you have spoken; and I know not but that a course may be
taken
to oblige both sides, as you took a course to oblige your Sachem. I am ready to
think
that the Governour and Magistrates of the Massachusets would as well
oblige you to
him, as him to you.
Ant.
Yea, yea, so it was, and most equal that it should be so.
Keit.
I have another Objection stronger then this; and that is, If I pray to
God, then all my
men that are willing to pray to God will (as you say) stick to me, and be true
to me;
but all such as love not and care not to pray to God, especially such as hate
praying to
God, all those will forsake me, yea will go and adjoyn themselves unto other Sachems
that pray not to God: and so it will come to pass, that if I be a praying
Sachem, I shall
be a poor and weak one, and easily be trod upon by others, who are like to be
more
potent and numerous; and by this means my Tribute will be small, and my people
sew,
and I shall be a great loser by praying to God. In the way I now am, I am full
and
potent, but if I change my way and pray to God, I shall be empty and weak.
Ant.
I confess that this is a strong temptation, and requireth much
Self-denial and Faith to
conflict with it. I pray consider what Counsel Jesus Christ giveth in this
case, Matth.
16.24. Let a man deny himself take up his cross, and follow me. I
confess that this is
harsh Doctrine to flesh and blood; but I will tell you a Cordial against it, Matth.
19.29
Every one that hath forsaken Houses or Brethren, or Sisters, or Father, or
Mother,
or Wife, or Children, or Lands for
Names sake, shall receive an hundred fold
and shall inherit everlasting life. Trust God in this Promise, and see if
he do not
perform it. And be assured, it is better to trust God in a way of well doing,
then to
trust to wicked and vile men in a way of sin. If God will punish you, all your
men,
especially the worst of them, cannot save you; but if all your men should forsake
[ 47 ]
you, and yet you choose Christ, and be true to him, then Christ will certainly
take care
of you. And further, this is but a fear that humane Reason maketh; try the
Lord, it may
be he will make all your men to stick the closer to you. You think the better
sort will
stick to you, it is but the loss of the worser sort, at the worst, and if you
trust in the
Lord, he can over-rule the hearts of the worst of men, and they shall not
forsake you.
Besides you may put it to the trial, put it to the publick Vote; if you should
do so, I do
think that they will all promise to stick unto you if you pray to God: and then
this
Objection is cut off in the beginning of the work. Consider also what Christ
hath said,
Mat. 11.29, 30. he commands such as come to him, to take up my yoke,
and learn of
me, for I am meek, and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls:
For my
yoke is easie, and my burthen light. You fear that this will be
burthensome, heavy, and
to your loss; try the Lord if he do not make this Objection easie and light
unto you:
and see if it do not prove that you are more afraid then hurt. Christ will not
suffer any
body to lose by him, at last. Nay you shall be a certain and a great gainer by
it, both in
this world, and in the world to come.
Will.
As my Brother hath said, I acknowledge this to be (in appearance at least) a
strong
temptation. This was the temptation of Josias, that drew him to his
Apostacy, he
forsook his praying people, and adhered unto those who did not pray to God: but
this
was because his own heart did not love praying to God, and did better like of
the
wicked wayes of the non praying Indians. But what got he at last by
adhering to the
worst sort of his Subjects? When he was in distress they all forsook him, which
his
praying Subjects would not have done, if he would have adhered unto them.
Likewise
this very thing which you propose, was a temptation to Cutshamoquin; His
praying to
God did make such of his people as loved not that way, to waver in their
subjection to
him, and it did begin to make him waver in the matter of praying to God: but
God did
mercifully preserve him, and kept him stedfast to his dying day. But this he
did, he
went sometimes among them, he used them kindly, he treated them with gentle
perswasion, without compulsion; by such wayes be so carried the matter, that
they
forsook him not. And I do not doubt but that the matter may be so ordered and
carried,
that you may be secured from that danger, which seemeth to lie in your
Objection. But
indeed the true Reason why sundry of Cutshamoquin his men left him,
whereby he
fell under poverty, was this, He sold unto the English all our Lands
which lay by the
Sea-side and Salt water, save onely one Field; and then it was, that they went
to such
other places as they liked better. And this one Field also, Josias sold
away; and the
Inland place, where we now live, Mr. Eliot procured
[ 48 ]
for us, after we prayed to God.
But let the worst of your fears come to pass, suppose all your Subjects that
hate
praying to God should leave you, what shall you lose by it? you are rid of such
as by
their sins viciate others, and multiply transgression, and provoke the wrath of
God
against you and yours. But consider what you shall gain by praying to God: Do
not
trouble your self by poring upon what you shall lose, which at most is but a
very small
matter Turn your eye to the other side, and look what you shall gain; you lose
a few
wicked men which hate praying to God; but if you pray to God, all the praying
Indians will rejoice at it, and be your friends, and they are not a few,
now, by the grace
and blessing of Jesus Christ; all the Massachusets Indians will be your
friends;
all the praying Indians
Npmu Country will be your friends; all the praying
Indians of Np will be your 〈◊〉; all
the praying Indians of Nantuket will be your
friends; all the praying Indians of Mahshepeg, and all Eastward
from them as far as
Cape Cod; all these will be your friends: and what comparison is betwixt
these, and
those you lose?
Again, suppose you lose a few Subjects that hate praying to God, but yet you
shall
gain a more intimate love of the Governour, and Magistrates, and good people of
Plimouth, who were ever good friends to your
Onsamequin, and to
you hitherto;
but if you pray to God, you shall finde diference, they will more honour,
respect and
love you, then over they did; they will embrace you as a Brother in Christ Jesus.
Yea
farther, the Governour and Magistrates of the Massachusets will own you,
and be
fatherly and friendly to you. The Commissioners of the United Colonies will own
you. Yea more, the King of England, and the great Peers who are Heads of
the
Corporation there, who yearly send over Means to encourage and promote our
praying
to God, they will take notice of you: and what are a few of your Subjects that
hate
praying to God, in comparison of all these? Yea moreover, and above all these
Considerations, that which is said, Luke 15.7. I tell you, there
shall be joy in heaven
over one poor sinner that repenteth; So that God in heaven, Jesus Christ,
the holy
Ghost, and the holy Angels in heaven, will joy at your turning to God. Cease
therefore
these vain fears of losing a few sinful people, who possibly may forsake you,
if you
pray unto God.
Keit.
I am drowned and overwhelmed with the weight of your Reasonings: I know not
what
to answer you at the present; yet I fear, that when I am out of the sun-shine
of your
wise discourses, I shall again be plunged into the pit of doubting, by my manifold
fears that do incompass me.
Ant
Go on therefore and produce all your doubts, let us see what weight is in
them. Sands
are heavy when many are laid together,
[ 49 ]
but bring them out one by one, and they will be found light, and of no value.
Our
desire is to deal fully with you, and hear all that you have to say: Cobwebs may
seem
thick and strong until they be handled, but when they be touched and opened,
they
will be found altogether weak.
Keit.
I perceive that in your praying to
, and in your Churches, all are brought
to an
equality; Sachems and people they are all fellow-brethren in your Churches;
Poor and
Rich are equally priviledged; the Vote of the lowest of the people, hath as
much
weight as the Vote of the Sachem. Now I doubt that this way will lift up the heart
of
the poor to too much boldness, and debase the Rulers too low: this bringing all
to an
equality, will bring all to a confusion.
Ant.
This also I confess is a great and weighty Point, and must be looked upon
with much
prudence and caution. The weight of a Vote lieth not so much in the man, as in
the
matter wherein he Voteth. A poor wise man may give a better Reason then a rich
man,
or a Ruler, and then it is the Reason that prevaileth, not the man. We must all
be ruled
by the Word of God, both Sachems and people. The Word of God in the mouth of a
por man must be regarded for the
Words take, and not for the mans sake, be he rich
or poor. The management of Church Liberties is a narrow edge, and may easily be
miscarried, and prove hurtful; which difficulty must be helped by good conduct:
the
well-ordering of a Church is a point of great wisdome and care; but we must not
therefore fly off from a Rule, because it is difficult, but it must be acted
with the more
fear, care and prayer.
There is such a Rule in the Gospel way of the Churches, as Equality of Vote
among
Believers in the matters of Jesus Christ: And herein is a great point of Self
denial in
Sachems and chief men, to be equal to his Brethren in the things that appertain
to
Christ, who is no respecter of persons: So it is said, Col. 3 11. Where
there is neither
Greek nor Jew, Circumcision nor Uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian bond nor
free, but Christ is all and in all. And as Faith makes all Believers equal
in Christ, so
doth the Order of the Gospel: all that are in Gospel order, are equally
concerned in the
affairs of Jesus Christ. And this should not be a trouble, but a comfort and joy
to every
one; and therefore it is said, Jam. 1.9, 10. Let the brother of law
degree rejoyce in that
he is exalted; but the rich in that he is made law: for by both these
Christ is exalted
and in that we must rejoice.
Will
All that my Brother hath said is weighty: I will adde a word further to the
edge of your
Objection. Church-Order doth not abolish Civil Order, but establish it;
Religion
teacheth and commandeth reverence and obedience to Civil Rulers: and when a
religious Ruler doth deny himself for Christ his sake, to be equal
[ 50 ]
with his Brethren in Church Order, it obligeth all godly hearts the more to
honour him
in his Civil Order. 1 Tim. 6 2 the Lord saith, And they that have
believing Masters, let
them not despise them because they are brethren, but the rather do the service,
because they are faithful and
, partakers of the benefit. These things
and
exhort. Do not fear any lots of honour, by submiting to Gospel Community in
Church-Order; but know, that it is the rightest way to true honour. The hearts
of all
will honour those Rulers that are humble and holy.
And when you shall do this for the honour of Christ, then Christ will take care
to
honour such Rulers; for God hath promised, 1 Sam. 2.30. Them that
honour me, I will
honour. Believe the word of God, for you shall finde it true.
Keit.
What second thoughts may come into my minde I cannot tell, but at present I
finde
nothing in my minde to oppose against what you say. But yet there is another
thing
that I am much afraid of, and that is your Church Admonitions and
excommunications: I hear that your Sachems are under that yoke. I am a sinful
man
as well as others, but if I must be admonished by the Church, who are my
Subjects, I
know not how I shall like that. I doubt it will be a bitter Pill, too hard for
me to get
down and swXlXw.
Ant.
Still your Objections are great and weighty. Sin is the sickness of the
soul, even as
diseases are the sickness of the body. Admonitions in the Lord, by the holy
Scriptures
are the Physick of the Soul, even as outward Medicines are Physick to the body.
Now
if your body be sick, you will not refuse Physick because it is bitter or
sharp, and
difficult to bear. No, but you will bear it patiently, because you know it is
wholesome,
and a means to cure your sickness. The same I say about the sickness of your
soul, that
Medicine which God hath appointed to purge away your sin, you must patiently
submit unto, because it is wholesome and good for your soul. Yea, and you must
be so
much the more careful and willing to submit thereunto, by how much the danger
of
soul-sicknesses are deeper and greater then bodily sicknesses be. A bodily
sickness, at
the worst, doth but kill the body but soul-sicknesses, if not cured, do damn
both body
and soul in hell, with the Devil and his Angels for ever. It is a desperate
danger to let
soul sicknesses go uncured. It is pleasant and delightful to the flesh to sin
without
controll, but remember what the end of it will be. Solomon that wise
King saith,
Eccles. 11.9. Rejoyce, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart
cheer thee in thy
youth, and walk in the wayes of thy heart, and in the sight of thy eyes; but
know thou,
that for all these things God will bring thee into judgement. This is a
trembling word.
Felix a great Ruler trembled when he heard that word, Acts 24.25.
It is therefore
against all wisdome to refuse
[
51 ]
to be subject to soul-physick. It is a great mercy when God giveth a skilful
Physician
to cure our bodies, but it is a greater mercy to have a skilful Physician to heal
and cure
our souls. This therefore is so far from being a discouragement from praying to
God,
as that it is rather an encouragement. Make haste to come into that way which
provideth well for your souls health, because eternal salvation dependeth upon
it.
Will.
I am willing to adde a word or two by way of lenitive. Though the
matter be harsh and
bitter, yet the manner of applying must be with all reverence, gentleness,
meekness,
tenderness, and love, so as to avoid all exasperation or provocation. So the
Lord hath
commanded, Galat. 6.1. If a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are
spiritual,
restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thy self lest thou
also be
tempted.
And for your further encouragement, we finde in the Scripture that great
Kings and
rulers have meekly submitted to this soul-physick. David was sharply
reproved by the
Prophet, and he meekly submitted to it, 2 Sam 12. and so it was with Eli,
1 Sam. 2.27.
Let it not therefore be unacceptable unto you, to imitate so great, so good
Examples. If
Sachems might sin, and no body might admonish them, because they be rulers, and
the Ministers and people are the subjects, it were the most miserable condition
in the
world to be a Sachem or a ruler, they run to hell without controll, and no body
may
say unto him, Why do you so? It is said, Isa. 30.33. Tophet is
ordained of old, yea for
the King it is prepared. If God have ordained hell for Sachems, then sure
he hath
ordained means to keep them out of it, as well as for other men; for God
desireth not
the death of a sinner, but rather that he should repent and live. If therefore
you desire
to escape hell, and to go to heaven, submit your soul to such means as God hath
appointed to bring you to repentance and salvation. When you put the Objection,
you
said you are a sinful man as well as others: therefore your own heart will tell
you that
you have need of such helps as God hath appointed to bring you to repentance,
else
you cannot be saved.
Keit
I feel your words sink into my heart and stick there, you speak arrows;
I feel that you
wound me, but I do not think that you hurt me; nor do you mean me any hurt but
good. I desire to ponder and consider of these things. I have more matters to
object,
but I will forbear at this time: and besides, it is time for you to eat, and to
take rest,
and therefore I will proceed no further at this time.
Ant.
We thankfully accept your patience thus long, and your good acceptance
of what we
say: God hath been present with us, and we perceive that the Spirit of God is
at work
in your heart, this putteth us in hopes of a good issue.
We have one request unto you, beloved Sachem, That while we
[ 52 ]
abide in your house, we may have liberty to carry our selves like praying
Indians;
namely, that when we eat, we may pray and give thanks to God, before and after
meal; also before we lie down at night, and when we rose up in the morning, we
may
pray and give thanks to
; and that discourses may be grave, and for
edification; that
there may be no Games or Sports, or such other things, which we have abandoned.
Keit.
I dXliXe well what you say, all things shall be as you desire; it will
be a good
opportunity for us to see what manner of Conversation you praying Indians
use. I will
prupose it unto so many of my people as be here present, how they like of this
last
motion you
, of allowing you free liberty of all such Exercises as you praying
Indians practise. What say you, my friends, to this last
of theirs?
All
We like it very well, and shall willingly give attendance unto their prayers.
And
besides it is not long to their Sabbath, we desire they would stay the Sabbath,
and
teach publickly, and let us see their Sbbath Converstion also. It may be we shall see
so much beauty and desireableness in their wayes, that it may much heighten and
raise
our affections to embrace and submit our selves unto this way of praying to
God.
Keit.
You go too fast, your answer goes beyond my proposal, or their request:
we spake
onely of private Conversation. I said nothing of the Sabbath, nor of their
publick
Teaching, this is a greater matter. But go to, seeing you have made the motion,
I will
not refuse it. What say you my friends? you hear what these people desire, will
you
tarry the Sabbath among us, and teach publickly amongst my people? for if you
accept
the motion, we shall take a course to give notice thereof to all parts of the
Town.
Ant.
We are sent by the Church in the Name of Jesus Christ, to call you up
unto the way
hich leadeth to heaven. One part of this heavenly way, is to Keep holy the
Sabbath
day, by exercising our selves in the Word of God and prayer. I perceive the
forwardness of your people hereunto, and your own wary condescendence unto
their
desires, which amounteth unto more then a calling unto us to attend the motion:
it
addeth encouragement and hope of good acceptance with man, and a divine
blessing
from heaven.
[
53 ]
Philip Keitassoot. Anthony. William. Sachem.
Keit.
I Have so ordered my occasions, that they will give way to y attendance to the matter
you come about, therefore this Afternoon I have set apart, that we may have
further
Conference about them.
The former points we discoursed, I am willing they should still lie soaking in
my heart
and minde. I am not ready to make Replies, or to draw forth any further speech
about
them. I choose rather to draw forth some of my other Doubts and Objections;
unto
which, if your Answers be as considerable and weighty, as they were to my
former
doubts, I shall then see cause to lay them up also a soaking, and pondering in
my
heart. Know this, that in the rowlings of my thoughts, the disquiet turnings
and
tumblings of my minde, do oft-times molest me with variety of passions. I am
sometimes in grief and anguish of minde, especially when I over look my life
past,
and remember the many sins and follies that I have stained my life and honour
withall,
I think with my self, What a fool have I been, that for the love of a lust,
which Dogs
and brute Creatures delight in, that I, a Man, a Sachem, should be so besotted,
as to
stain my honour, wound my Soul, offend God, and expose my self to eternal
damnation, and all this for a short delight that is gone with a blast, and
leaves nothing
behinde but shame and sorrow; and these are durable and indelible, a sad effect
of
sensual pleasures. Ah what a fool have I been, when I should have imployed my
self
in higher and greater matters for the honour of God, and the good of my people.
I
have wasted my precious time and strength to satiate my pleasures, which have
left
such a sting and torment in my soul, which all my Estate and Honour cannot ease
me
of, but they are like to torment me for ever. I am never without wicked company
to
draw me out unto such iniquities, but none of them can ease the torment of my
minde
and conscience, though some apply themselves so to do, I do finde their
remedies are
false and uneffectual.
But I have quite lost my self, I did not intend to open and pour out my minde
and
thoughts about these matters; but full vessels are ready to run over. I will
come to that
which I did intend.
Ant.
Beloved Sachem, as the overflowings of your grief have interrupted your
intended
discourse, so let me take so much boldness to lengthen this your interruption,
with a
word of God, that may, by his blessing, be (at least) the beginning of a
Cordial to your
heart, and a Cure to your stain and wound. Sin is a shame to any Nation or
person, but
repentance is an honour. Your griefs
[ 54 ]
have the right savour of repentance. It
is said, 1 Cor. 3.18. Let a man become a feel,
that he may be wise: you chide your self for your folly; you do well to do,
it is an
act of wisdome so to do, go on in this fraXe of heart, and be constant, and you
shall
made rest. Christ calleth troubled souls to come unto him, Mat. 11.28.
and he
promised to give them rest, and he is able to perform his promise. In his hand
I leave
this matter, and your tossed soul with inward griefs, that in him you may finde
rest.
Will.
My Brother hath presented you with a Cordial for your heart grief, I
will present you
with some Balm to heal your soul wounds. It is said Jer 8.22. Is
there no Balm in
Gilead? is there no Physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter
of my
people recovered? Behold, in Gods Word we finde a Balm for wounded souls,
and
that is the death and blood of Jesus Christ, believed by faith: for Christ hath
died for
our sins, and rose again from the dead for our justification; he offereth a
pardon for all
your sins, and he will heal your soul, and quiet your heart from all those
turmoiling
troubles and griefs. Believe therefore in Jesus Christ, and he will pardon and
save you.
Keit.
I thank you for these comfortable words, I feel them in my heart, and I
desire to lay
them up among other things which I ponder in my heart.
And now I will proceed to open such other doubts which lie in my minde as
impediments which hinder me, and delay me from ac|cepting of this way of
praying to
God. I perceive in all your discourses, that you have a Book which you call The
Word
of God, and you reade it to me. I perceive also that in your worshipping of
God
morning and night, you reade in that Book: I pray tell me what Book that is,
what is
written in it? and how do you know that it is the Word of God? Many say that
some
wise English-men have devised and framed it, and tell us that it is Gods Word,
when
as it is no other then the words of wise men.
Hoh! we shall be interrupted in our discourse, for here cometh in a Sachem that
hateth
praying to God, and hath been a means of delaying my entrance into this way:
but if
he come up unto us, we will go on and let him be partaker of our discourse, if
he like
of it, and be willing so to do.
Each, my friend, I pray come and sit down here, and hearken to our discourse.
Here be
some of the Massachuset praying Indians, who are soliciting me to pray
unto God;
and we are now discoursing about a Book which they have, which they say is the
Word of God: and I am row enquiring of them what is contained in that Book, and
how it may be made appear that it is the Word of God? If you think good to joyn
with
us in this discourse, it will be acceptable unto us to have your company, and
to hear
what you have to say about it.
[ 55 ]
Sachem.
I am willing to be present and hear your discourse, but as for
this new way of praying
to God, I like it not. We and our Forefathers have through all generations
lived in
Religion, which I desire not to change; Are we wiser then our Forefathers? And
I
like not to suffer our people to reade that Book which they call the Word of
God. If it
be Gods Word, it is too deep for ignorant people to meddle withall; and it will
fill
them with new light and notions, which withdraws them from our obedience, and
leadeth them to make trouble and disturbance unto us, in those old wayes in
which we
and our Forefathers have walked: and my Counsel is to suppress the reading of
that
Book.
Ant.
With due respect unto you, Sachem, I shall thus answer unto what you
say. If a great
Sachem in a far Country should send unto you a writing, wherein he giveth you
wise
Counsel, would you not reade it? would you not hear what he saith? and would
you
not suffer your people to learn wisdome, but continue in their ignorance and
blindness? Sure you would shew so much respect to a man, a Sachem, that should
do
so kindly to you. Now so it is, that the great God who made these high heavens,
and
the great Lights that be therein; who made this Earth, and all this great
World, and all
things in it; who is King of kings, and Lord of lords: I say this Great God,
pittying to
see the ignorance that all men are darkned withall, he hath sent us his Word,
which
will make wise the ignorant, and will you not suffer your people to learn
wisdome? do you love darkness better then light?
Besides, all Mankinde live in the wayes of sin, which lead them to hell
torments,
where they shall be punished with eternal fire:
God pittying this miserable
condition of man, hath sent us
Word of his, which sheweth us the way to
escape hell torments, and leadeth us into the way that leadeth us to eternal
life,
happiness and glory. And will not you suffer your people to learn this good
way,
when God offereth it unto us? Consider how your people will curse you, when
they
feel these torments, because you would not suffer them to learn the true way to
heaven
and happiness. And what though we are not wiser then our Forefathers, yet God
can
teach us such wisdome as our Forefathers did not know. I think, that we are
bound to
think that our fathers were so wise, that if Gods Word had been brought and
offered
to them,
would have received it, and would have learned by it to be wiser
then
they were, and why therefore should not we be so wise, as to do that which our
wise
fathers would have done, is this light had shined unto them, as it now doth
unto us.
Let not the deepness of that wisdome in Gods Word, hinder us that are ignorant
from
searching into it, for by reading of Gods word the ignorant may be made wise, Psal.
19 7. it maketh wise the simple: and
. The Word gives wisdome to
the simple,
and to the young man knowledge
[ 56 ]
and discretion. David learned to be wise by reading the word of God, Wiser
then his
Enemies, wiser then his Teachers, wiser then the Ancients, Psal. 119 98,
99, 100. and
so may we. It is a vain word to say, They are ignorant, and therefore they may
not
reade the Word; the contrary to this is true, Because they are ignorant,
therefore let
them search and reade the word of God, because that will make them wise. But
you
give the reason that lieth in the bottom of your heart, when you say, By
reading of the
word they will learn new light, which will molest and trouble them that love
and walk
in their old lusts, and deeds of darkness, and therefore you will keep them
from the
light. But I pray consider at what a dear rate you purchase your quiet in your
old ways
of sin and darkness, which lead you to hell, when you will compel all your
people to
live in sin and darkness, for fear lest when they finde the light of Gods Word,
they
should molest and trouble you in your lusts and sins.
Will.
I will adde a few words to what my Brother hath spoken. I have heard
that in the other
part of the World there be a certain people who are called Papists,
whose Ministers
and Teachers live in all manner of wickedness and lewdness, and permit and
teach the
people so to do: and these wicked Ministers will not suffer the people to reade
the
Word of God, and pretend the same reason as you do, Because they be ignorant. But
the true reason is the same which you plainly speak out, lest by the knowledge
of the
Word, they should have light to see into their vileness, and molest them in
their lusts
and sins. And they are so cruel, that if they finde any one that readeth the word
of
God, they will kill him. They choose rather to lead all their people with them
to hell,
then to suffer them to see the light whereby they may be saved, lest when they
see the
light, they should discover their filthiness, and trouble them in their way to
hell. But
God doth account these men Murtherers, and hath threatned to bring upon them
fearful destruction, to revenge the blood of Gods people whom they have
murthered.
Therefore I pray you to consider, that the like vengeance from God will fall upon
you,
if you will not suffer your people to search into, and learn the word of God.
Keit.
What you have said hath fully setled and satisfied my heart in this
point. I will never
hinder my people from the knowledge of the word of God, and I wonder at those
vile
Ministers that do so wickedly abuse the people; and I wonder at the Sachems,
that
they will suffer such vile Ministers to abuse their people in that manner, why
do they
not suppress them? and why do they not Command their people to Print the Bible,
and
let it be free for any man that will buy them, and reade them? I wonder at
these things;
Can you satisfie me in the reason hereof?
Will.
I can say but little to it; onely thus much I have heard,
[ 57 ]
Some Sachems are as bad as the Ministers, and of the same minde with their
Ministers, they are lise minded as this Sachem is; other Sachems that are wiser
and
better minded, yet they cannot help it, because their Ministers are so rich,
and by that
means have so many people depending on them, that their Sachems dare not middle
with them; and their Ministers take a cunning course to keep themselves and
successors rich, for they will not suffer one another to marry, whereby they
should
have lawful Children to inherit their riches, but when they die, the next
Minister hath
all, or most of the riches that he had. And to the end they may keep one
another from
marrying, they suffer one another to keep Whores, so that they have Bastards
good
store, but no lawful Children. And by this means they maintain themselves in
very
great wealth, so that the Sachems dare not meddle with them.
Keit.
Doth no body see these base doings of these Ministers?
Will.
Oh yes, many; but if any body speak a word against them, they will kill
him presently,
so that partly by their wealth, and partly by their cruelty, keep every body in
fear of
them.
Keit.
Oh strange! how many of these wicked Ministers be there, that they are
so potent?
Will.
Oh, a great many. The Ministers of I know not how many Countries
combine
together, and be of one minde to uphold one another; and they choose one Chief,
and
call him a hope, and say that he has power to pardon mens sins, and will
sel Pardons
for Money, and by that means they get a great deal of wealth, for people are
such
fools as to think that he can pardon them, when as the Popes be as vile sinners
as any
body, and keep Whores, and get Bastards. Other of these Ministers they call
Cardinals; others Lord Archbishop; others, Lord Bishop;
other, Lord Abbot; other
Lord Christ, and I cannot tell how many more: and many of these as rich
as Sachems,
and leave their wealth to their successors, because they have no lawful
Children,
onely keep Whores, and get Bastards. And they will allow their Sachems, or any
body else, to keep Whores, and get Bastards, and the Pope will pardon them for
money. And this that I tell you, is but a little of the filthiness that is
among these
wicked Ministers. Now if people should but look into the word of God, they
would
presently finde that no body can pardon sins but God; and they would presently
finde,
that God has appointed no such Ministers as these, they are all of them the
Devils
Ministers, and not God's: and if Sachems and people knew this, they would buy
no
more Pardons of them, and the Sachems would suppress them, and take away their
great riches, or imploy them to better uses. And for this reason they will not
suffer any
but themselves to reade the Scripture, they will kill them if they do; and they
have
Lords Inquisitors, as they call them, to watch and search if any body
have a
[ 58 ]
Bible, or any other good Book, that opens and discovers their Villany, he shall
be
killed: And these Lords Inquisitors are as rich as Sachems. And thus they keep
all men
in subjection to them, and in fear of them, and Sachems are afraid of them, and
they
do what they list.
Keit.
Here be Ministers with all my heart! are these the men that manage
their Religion?
These are worse then our Pauwaus. If any Pauwau in my dominions should be half
thus vile, I would scoure him. I see that in some places of the world there be
worse
men then we Indians be. I do not think there is such vileness to be
found among any
of the Indians in all this Country, what may be further off I know not.
And if all this
vileness be maintained by ignorance of the word of God, it seemeth to me, that
it is a
principal thing in Religion to know and be acquainted with the word of God; and
therefore I desire that now we may go on with our intended discourse. And
whereas I
proposed two questions, me thinks that much may be gathered out of this
discourse
we have had, tending to shew what matter is contained in the word of God. But
it is
like you will speak more fully to it. I shall therefore bend my minde to give
attendance unto what you shall further say
Ant
This Question is one great Principle in Religion; and I cannot take a
surer and better
course to answer it, then by declaring the Answer that is given in our
Catechism unto
the Question, and by opening some of the Texts of Scripture, which are there
brought
for the proof and manifestation thereof.
The Question is, What is the Word of God? The Answer is, It is the Will
of God
written in the Bible, whereby he rightly guideth man, in every thing in this
world, and
whereby he bringeth us to eternal salvation. These are but few words, but full
of
weight, and proved by divers Scriptures.
Keit.
What do you mean by Scriptures?
Ant.
The word and will of God written in a Book, whereby we may not onely
hear it with
our ears, when it is spoken by others, but we may see it with our eyes, and
reade the
writing our selves. And this is a great benefit to us, to have Gods word and
will
written; for a word spoken is soon gone, and nothing retaineth it but our
Memory,
and that impression which it made upon our minde and heart; but when this word
is
written in a Book, there it will abide, though we have forgotten it, and we may
reade it
over a thousand times, and help our weak memories, so that it shall never be
forgotten; yea, and such as cannot have an opportunity of hearing the word, yet
they
may alwayes have an opportunity of reading the word, because it is written in
the
Bible, which they have by them in their houses, and may reade in it night and
day. We
do therefore call the word of God Scripture, because it is written in a
book.
[ 59 ]
Keit.
I am satisfied in what you say: I pray go on to open those Texts
of Scripture which the
Catechism giveth for proofs.
Ant.
The first Text I mention is Hos. 8.12. I have written to him
the great things of my Law,
but they were counted
a strange thing. Here God gives to man a Law, and
he
writeth this Law; and every thing in this Law is a great matter: though
some things
are greater then other, yet every thing that God hath written is a great
matter. But God
doth blame men for counting them as strange things; we should be well
acquainted
with them.
Dan. 10.21. when an Angel spake to Daniel, he told him, that he
would declare to him
that which is noted in the Scriptures of truth. And we that teach others
must carefully
so do, we must teach nothing but that which is noted in, and grounded upon the
Scriptures of truth. And we need to teach nothing else, for all things needful
for
salvation are contained in the Scriptures, as appears 2 Tim. 3.16, 17. All
Scripture is
given by interpretation from God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for
correction, for instruction in righteousness; That the man of God may be
perfect,
throughly furnished to
good works. The man of God here, meaneth, only may
be
applied to any honest man that is willing to walk by the Rule of the word, be
he a
Sachem, or a Teacher, or a Father, &c. Every man may finde in the
Scriptures a
perfect rule to guide him in every thought, word or deed. So that the word of
God is a
perfect Law to guide every man, in every thing, all the dayes of his life. And
the word
of God is not onely a rule to guide us in this life but it also brings us to
heaven; Acts
20 32. I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to
build you
up, and give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified: and James
1.21.
Receive with meekness the ingraved word, which is able to save your souls.
Many
such testimonies I might adde, to shew the fulness of perfection of the word of
God:
but I forbear at present.
Will.
I will adde a few words touching the perfection of the Scriptures. Deut.
12.32.
Whatsoever I command you, observe to do it; thou shalt not adde thereto, nor
diminish from it. Here be two wayes of wronging the Scriptures; 1. By
adding to it; 2.
By taking from it. Now these Popish Teachers and Ministers of whom I did
discourse
before, they do most wickedly wrong the Scriptures, especially by adding to
them.
They say that their Offices are commanded in the Scripture, and that the Pope
is
Christ his Vicar, and that he hath power to pardon sin, and abundance more such
rotten stuff they adde unto the Scripture.
Now this is another reason why they will not suffer people to reade the
Scriptures,
because then every body would finde out their false dealing; and therefore if
any body
finde them out, they will presently kill them. The great wrong they do unto the
Scriptures of truth, is one of their great sins; they adde their own
[
60 ]
wicked inventions, unto,
and perfect word of God.
Keit.
Your discourse doth
in my heart an admiration at that excellent
;
and I
find
my heart a longing desire to be acquainted with that Book, and with
those
excellent matters that are contained in it. But although my heart doth begin to
reverence that Book for the sake of the matter contained in it, yet I desire
that you
would proceed to give me your grounds why you believe that it is Gods word,
because
I shall then reverence the Word, not onely for the matters sake, but also for
the
Authors sake. Good words spoken by a good man, do obtain respect; much more may
the words that God speaketh, command all reverence.
This Point also being a great Principle in Religion, I will take the same course
in it, as
I did in the former. I will shew you what Answer we are taught in our
Catechism, and
I will touch some of the proofs.
1. The first Reason to prove the Scriptures to be the Word of God, is, Because
they
teach us the first Creation of the World, and all things in it, which no man
nor Angel
doth know or can teach, onely God; and this is proved in the first Chapter of Genesis,
where we reade the wonderful work of God in the Creation of the World, where
man
was last made.
2. The second Reason is from the holiness and perfection of the word of God. No
man
or Angel could give so holy, pure and perfect a Law, as Gods Law is, Psal.
19.8, 9,
10, 11. also Psal. 12.6. The
the Lord are pure words; as silver
tried in a
furnace of earth purified
.
3. The third Reason is, Because the word of the Lord is confirmed by such
Miracles,
as onely God himself is able to perform. Moses the first writer of
Scripture, did many
great Miracles, in Egypt, in the Red Sea, and in the Wilderness; so did
many other
Prophets: but especially Jesus Christ did many wonderful Miracles, and so did
the
Apostles, by which our Faith is confirmed, that their writings are the word of
God.
4. Because the Scriptures doth reveal unto us Jesus Christ, and salvation by
Christ,
according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This no man or Angel could ever have
found
out, onely God, 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Christ reconciling the world
unto himself,
and hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation John 5.39. Search
the Scriptures,
in them ye think to finde eternal life: and they are they that testifie
of me.
therefore they are the word of God
5. Because the word of God doth convert the soul from sin and Satan, unto God.
It
sanctifieth the soul, and doth lead mens souls in the wayes of life, unto salvation;
it is
the sword of the Spirit to conquer the Devil, Jam. 1.18. Of his own
will he brought
us forth with the word of truth. Joh. 17.17. Sanctifie them through the
[ 67 ] jump from 60 to 67 reflects my source TAH
truth: thy word is truth. Ephes. 6.17.
the sword of the Spirit,
which is the
word of God. Such grounds as these we are taught in our Catechisms.
Keit.
Who can oppose or gainsay the mountainous weight of these Arguments? I
more then satisfied, I am ashamed of my ignorance, and I abhor my self that
ever I
doubted of this point; and I desire wholly to give up my self to the knowledge
of, and
obedience to the word of God, and to abandon and forsake these sins which the
word
of God reproveth and condemneth.
Will.
I will adde one Consideration further, to manifest that the Scriptures
are the word of
God; and that is, By the great Antiquity of these writings; which have been extant
so
many thousand years, and have
through to many enemies hands, who have used
all are and force to abolish them, or corrupt them, and yet they could never do
it.
Moses wrote the first Five Books of Scripture above a thousand and four
hundred
years before Christ came, and it is above a thousand and
hundred years since Christ
came, and since the Gospel, the last part of the Scripture, was written. Put
these
two Numbers together, and they make three thousand years. So long the Church
have
had the Scriptures: and all this while the Devil and wicked men have
endeavoured
either to abolish them, or corrupt them, but they could never do it; we have
every
word of God perfect and pure unto this day, which cannot be said of any other
writing
in all the world. And this wonderful divine protection of this Book, doth
greatly
manifest, that doubtless it is Gods own word, over which he hath bestowed such
eminent care.
Keit
But how do you know all this? How do you know what was done so many
thousand
years ago?
Will.
The Scriptures themselves have kept a perfect Record of Times from the
beginning of
the World unto the coming of Christ, and out of that Chronologie we may
perfectly
know how long Moses was before Christ; and there be other sure wayes to
know how
many years it is since Christ came. And thus may we know certainly how long the
Scriptures have been written.
Keit.
If this be so, the Reason is strong, the Antiquity of the Book
requireth reverence; and
Gods constant care of it, sheweth he hath a divine influence in it.
But we are now called off from any further proceeding in our discourse at this
time.
Before we part, I have one motion and request to propose unto you; To morrow is
your Sabbath, and I have a desire that you two would teach us that day and let
us see
the manner how you worship God; it may please God to make more of his light to
shine among us. You remember what passed about this motion; I do now with more
desire confirm that motion.
[ 68 ]
Ant.
We also are still of the same minde and purpose, and are the more
confired in our
hearts, because we see that Gd is on the coming hand, to
incline your heart unto the
Lod.
After the Sabbath.
Philip Keitassoot. Anthony. William.
Keit.
I Have now lived one Sabbath: many a Sabbath have I been dead, and
followed works
of darkness and sin, when I should have been following the Lord in such wayes
of
Worship, as yesterday was spent in. I am wounded at my heart to remember what I
have done upon the Sabbath-day, I have served the Devil, and lust and sins of
all sorts,
even upon the Sabbath-dayes The sins that I have committed do render me vile
in the sight of God, and the time wherein I have committed many of them, doth
render me more vile in the eyes of the Lord my Judge. You said yesterday, that
Christ
Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath, and re|quires all men to spend that day in
his service;
and when Christ Jesus shall judge the world, he will examine all men how they
spent
every Sabbath. Oh wretched man that I am, what answer shall I make, though I am
a
Sachem here on earth, I shall be but a subject in the day of Judgement. I now
sit upon
the Bench to judge others, then I must stand at the Barre to be judged my self.
Oh
what mountains of sin have I heaped up in my wicked life! I had forgot my sins,
and I
thought God had forgot them too; and I had thought my Conscience had forgot
them
also, but now I see it is not so. God hath numbred all my wayes, my thoughts,
my
words and works and I feel now that my Conscience remembreth them also, though
it
hath been asleep in the times of my ignorance and profaneness. Oh I am a wretch:
I
should have been an example to my people, an example of virtue, of wisdome and
of
praying to God, but I have done quite contrary to my duty: I have been an
example of
lust, of profaneness, yea of all sin; and in particular of this great sin of
profaning the
Sabbath: my heart is wounded with the sense of this sin especially, and that
forceth my
troubled Conscience to gall and afflict my soul with the remembrance of all my
sins.
But why say I all? I now finde my sins are numberless: my own personal sins are
any, great and vile, my heart doth loath my self to remember them, they make me
an
abhorring to God. But moreover and besides my own personal sins, other mens
sins I
am guilty of; Oh how many have sinned upon my account, many wayes? I am a
Sachem over my people, to rule them in virtue, and to do them good: but I have
done
contrary
[ 69 ]
to my charge, I have led them out into all sin, and thereby I have
done them the greatest hurt and mischief. I have been a means of their
damnation, Oh
how many are gone, and going to hell upon my account? how shall I escape
damnation, who have led so many into that eternal pit, Oh I am pained at my
heart,
what shall I do? Oh what shall I do?
Ant.
No creature can help you; none but God in Jesus Christ, he can help you.
Consider
that Text, Micah 6.6-7 8 Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and
bore my
before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings with
year
old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of
rivers
of oyl? shall I give my first born for my transgression, the fruit of my boy
for the sin of
my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord
require
of thee, but to do justly and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
Nothing
that you can do, or bring to God, can pacifie that divine wrath that is kindled
against
you; but ver 8. he sheweth you the way. Also consider that Text, John
4.6 I am the
Way, and the Truth, and the Life: No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
You
have been a great sinner, now you lament it, you would obtain a pardon, and be
reconciled to God: This word of God sheweth you the way, and that is to humble
your
self before Christ Jesus, believe in him, and give up your self to be his
servant, your
self to worship the Lord, and to bring on all your people to do the same. I
remember
two places in Daniel where Sachems were in trouble of minde, as you now
are, and
Daniel gave them counsel from the Lord the first place is Dan.
4.27. Wherefore, O
Sachem, let my counsel be acceptable to thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness,
and thy iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor, if it may enlenghtning of thy
tranquility. And my heart is perswaded (with submission to the Lord) that
if you now
turn unto God, and promote praying to God among all your people, you shall see
better dayes then ever you have yet seen. There is another sad story in the
fifth
Chapter of Daniel, where the wicked Sachem did act profanely against the
God of
heaven, and then appeared fingers which wrote Mene, Mene, Tekel Vpharsin:
but let
the interpretation of that be unto your enemies, and not to you, beloved
Sachem. I say
unto you in that word of the Lord, Acts 16.31. Believe in the Lord
Jesus, and thou
shalt be saved, and thy house.
Will.
Hope of relief, is a means to ease grief, and to raise the distressed
heart to apply it self
unto means of Remedy. In the second of Chron. 33 we reade of a Sachem
that was a
greater sinner then you have been, yet upon his repentance and change of life,
he
obtained mercy. His Name was Manasseh, his sins were such, as that it is
an
abhorring to reade them: then God brought him into affliction, and it is said, ver.
12,
13. And when he was in
[ 70 ]
affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before
the God
of his fathers and prayed unto him and he was intreated of him, and heard his
application and brough him again unto Jerusalem into his kingdome. Then Manasseh
know that the Lord he was God. So I say unto you, Beloved Sachem, humble your
self
before the Lord
up praying to God among all your people, walk in wayes of
wisdome and religion, and you shall finde that God will be merciful to you, and
your
latter dayes shall be blessed, and be a blessing.
Keit.
Words that come swimming in love, with full sails of wisdome, have
great power to
heart storms of grief and trouble. I now finde it true: my soul is wounded
for
my sin in profaning the Sabbath day, now I desire to look deeper into the
matter. I
desire you would open unto me the Sabbath, that I may know my former sins, and
future duty.
Ant.
The doctrine of the Sabbath is a great Point in Religion. It is one of
the Ten Moral,
Universal Commandments of God, which are required of all Mankinde; and the
fourth
Command, a chief Hinge of all the rest. By a religious keeping of the Sabbath,
we act
our obedience to all the Commands. By profaning the Sabbath, we turn all
Religion
and good Order out of doors, and set open a door unto all sin and wickedness,
so
weighty a matter is the good keeping of the Sabbath-day. For the opening of the
Sabbath, I know not a better way, then to open (briefly) the fourth Command; which
I
shall do, by laying it out into six parts.
1. Here is the Preface, in this word, Remember the Sabbath-day, to shew
the great
weight and worth of the Sabbath, of our proneness to slight it; and to stablish
a
perpetual and careful preparation to the Sabbath, Neh. 13.19. And it
came to pass, that
when the gates of Jerusalem began to be dark before the Sabbath. I commanded
that
the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after
the
Sabbath: and some of my servants set I at the gates▪ that there should no
burden he
brought in on the Sabbath day.
2. Here is the Affirmative part of the Command, wherein we are commanded to
keep
the whole Sabbath holy, both in thought, word and deed, Isa 5X.X3 If
thou turn away
thy foot free the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day, and call the
Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable and shalt honour him, not
doing
thone own wayes, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words
3. Here is an exact distribution of all time betwixt God and man, wherein
God hath
appointed six parts or dayes to man, and the seventh part is dedicated to God:
and
hence it followeth that the Sabbath was capable of being changed, from the last
of
seven, to the first of seven; and so the Lord hath changed it, 1 Cor.
16.2.
[ 71 ]
Acts 20.7. Rev. 1.10. And when this Change was first made, the
Church kept two
Sabbaths together, as the Passover and the Lords Supper were together.
4. Here is the Negative part of this Command, wherein we are forbidden all our
own
works, in that word or deed, Thou shalt
no manner of work.
5. Here be
persons that be bound to keep the Sabbath, All, high and
low, rich
and poor, male and female, in all societies
relations, and strangers, Thou,
thy
son, thy daughter, thy men-servant, thy maid-servant thy cattel and thy
stranger
6. Here be three Reasons to urge us to a reverent and careful keeping of
the Sabbath:
1. Taken from Gods most holy and wise Example, who six dayes Created, but on
the
seventh day rested in his heavenly joyes
2. The second Reason is, Because God
put a blessing on the head of the
Sabbath, and on all that keep it holy: He blessed the seventh day.
3. The third Reason is, Because the Lord made it holy, he dedicated it to
holy use,
and therefore may not be violated without sacriledge. Mal. 3.8. Will
ye rob God?
Thus have I opened this Command.
Will.
I will onely adde two Texts of Scripture; Jer. 17.19 to the end:
Thus saith the Lord
unto me Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people whereby the Kings
of
Judah come in, in by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem
and say
unto them, Hear ye the word of the Lord, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah and
all the
inhabitants of Jerusalem that enter by these gates: Thus saith the Lord, Take
heed to
your selves, and bear no
on the Sabbath day &c. The other Text is Exod
31, 13
15, 16 17. Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my
Sabbaths
ye shall keep: for it is a sign
. me and you throughout your generations, that
ye
may know that I am the Lord that doth sanctifie you, &c
Keit.
I am now in a great strait, my heart is bent within me to keep the
Sabbaths; but alas,
neither I nor any of my people know how to d it,
unless we have some body to teach
us
Ant.
It is true that you say, and I return you this answer, When we return,
and make report
of the grace of God poured out upon you, and of your acceptance of the word of
God▪
and resolution to keep the Sabbath, and your desire of a Teacher; We know that
the
Church will presently take care to send a Teacher unto you. Or further we will
propose, If you and your people shall choose any one whom your souls desire,
and
send your request unto the Church, that he might be sent unto you, We doubt not
but
the Church will readily grant your desire.
[ 72 ]
A penitent Soul in great distress cometh unto John Speen,
one of the Teachers of the Church at Natik; where we shall
finde
the Penitent pouring out his griefs, and John ministring Counsel
and Comfort.
Penit.
OH my friend, I am glad I have met you in so opportune a time and
place. My heart
is broken with griefs, I am ready to sink into the ground because of my
distressed
mind. I desire to pour out my melted heart into your loving bosom; it may be
you may
give me Counsel what I shall do in my distress, and advise me if there be any
way or
means to comfort this distressed soul of mine.
John.
Alas, your sorrowful countenance doth indeed discover, that your
minde is oppressed
with grief, and in such cases men are miserable comforters; God onely knoweth
how
to speak a word of Comfort to the heart, he made the heart of man, he knoweth
all the
sorrows and griefs thereof; and usually God doth afflict the heart with grief,
out of
great love, that he might call the distressed soul to come to him, and to make
its griefs
known to him, and he is very gracious and pitiful to such afflicted souls: for
Christ
hath said, Mat. 11.28. Come unto me ye that labour and are heavy
laden, and I will
give you rest. My first Counsel therefore is, that you would pray unto God,
and
believe in Jesus Christ, and he will surely give you rest. But as for man,
especially
such a poor creature as I am, I cannot help you, nor is there any help for you
in the
hand of man.
Penit.
But the words of a true-hearted loving friend may minister some
comfort, and I do
already feel that your words have relief in them, in that you tell me Jesus
Christ is so
tender-hearted towards those that are of an afflicted spirit.
John.
True it is, that God hath said, The Priests lips shall preserve
knowledge, and thou
halt enquire the Law at his mouth; I am very weak, but I am willing to help
your
afflicted soul to go to Jesus Christ, who will not fail to comfort you. Seeing
therefore
it is your desire, let me hear your griefs and troubles, it may please God to
put a word
into my mouth, whereby the good Spirit of God may speak comfort to your
sorrowful
heart.
Penit
My outward condition is full of affliction, and those frowns in the
brow of Providence
do make me fear, that the wrath of God is set against me, and will wear away my
life
with grief, and then cast me away into hell among the damned, where I shall
perish for
ever.
John.
This is a wholesome fear, and you shall finde it will end
[ 73 ]
well. My Counsel is, mingle hope with your fear, viz. that God doth
outwardly afflict
you, that he might drive your distressed soul into the bosome of Jesus Christ,
who will
graciously pardon all your sins, and save your soul from those eternal flames,
which
you so much dread. It is Gods usual way of grace, to put his Lambs into
distress, that
he might cause them to fly for refuge into his bosome; and I hope that it is
his
meaning so to deal with you, because I see that his afflicting hand doth so
kindly melt
your heart, and causeth you to seek refuge to save you from those everlasting
burnings. These distresses will make the salvation of Christ precious unto you.
Consider that Text, Eccles. 7 3, 4. Sorrow is better then laughter;
for by the sorrow of
the countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house
of
mourning. But what are those outward distresses which do so afflict you?
Penit.
I know not where to begin or end. The world hath alwayes promised me
fair, but it
hath ever failed me; my mornings have had some brightness, but my rising day is
alwayes clouded, and full of darkness, and I know not but my Sun will set in
thick
darkness and despair. You know my Father was a Sachem of the Blood, & I was
brought up under such high Capacities & Expectactations; I have been Chosen
and
Advanced, as you know, to the degree of a Sachem, but so filled with Crosses
and
Distresses, that I never enjoy my self, nor one quiet day, my griefs are multiplied
like
the waves of the Sea, they break in upon me, and are ready to overwhelm me.
Iohn.
You say the world hath ever failed you, and so it alwayes dealeth with Gods
children:
but I will shew you who will never fail you; Psal 73.26. My flesh and
my heart
faileth, but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever. Let
your soul
ponder and feed upon this Promise. See also Heb. 13.5. He hath said,
I will never
leave thee nor forsake thee. Mark that word, Never leave thee nor forsake
thee; the
word will hold both in this life, and to eternity.
You further say, that your bright mornings prove black and cloudy dayes. It
hath been
so with other of Gods Children. Reade the 88 Psalm, and you shall finde
the Prophet
just in your case in many verses of that Psalm: I will mention some of the
words, ver.
6, 7, 8, 9. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in the deeps.
Thy wrath
lyeth hard upon me, and thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves. Thou hast
put away
mine acquaintance far from me; thou hast made me an abomination unto them. I am
shut up, and I cannot come forth; mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction
Lord, I
have called daily upon thee; I have stretched out mine hand unto thee,
&c. And ver.
15. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up; while I suffer thy
terrours, I am
distracted, &c. Behold a dear childe of God in as bitter distresses as
you are, yet the
first sentence
[ 74 ]
of this Psalm is a word of Faith, he saith, O Lord God of my salvation.
It is some
comfort to a distressed soul, to
with them; you have the best company in the
world,
for you have the company of Jesus Christ. See Isa. 53 3. He is
despised and rejected
of man, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with griefs; and
it were our faces
from
him: he was despised, and we esteemsed him not. When you are alone by your
self,
reade all this Chapter, you shall finde that Christ was in greater distresses
then you
are, which he suffered patiently, to procure for us pardon and salvation, and
by his
suffering he had experience of sufferings, that he might pity us in our gXers;
and
therefore it is said, Heb. 1.15. For we have not an high Priest which
cannot be
touched by the feelings of our infirmities being tempted in all points like we
are yet
without sin. Our
, but in
case also Christ is very pitiful and gracious,
he
remembreth that we are but dust, Psal 10X.14.
You adde, You fear that your Sun will set in darkness and despair. I answer to
you,
Consider that future things belong to God. Do not
your self with future
things;
Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. Mat. 6.34. Let the narrow
care for it self. But
suppose you should have no comfortabll you die, it is the case of many of Gods
children to die in a dark cloud; and Christ himself Matth 27.46, 50 He cried
with a
loud voice, Eli, Eli lama. Ver 50. Jesus when he had
with a
up the
ghost.
Some of Gods
should
. be
to Jesus Christ? do not adde to your sorrows,
fears of a sad condition which Christ hath sanctified.
Touching your Parentage, and present state, I know how it is very well. In this
case I
advise you to consider, that if your worldly Cup had been filled with such
sweetness
as flesh and blood desire, it might have been much worse for your soul. A soul
drowned in earthly pleasure is rarely saved: but a soul drowned in worldly
sorrows
and griefs, (if instructed in the knowledge of Jessus Christ)
never be lost,
because the sorrows and crosses of the world will keep him from
upon the
Creature, and drive
to
himself in Christ by the promises of the Gospel.
Thus have I answered to the chief points in your Complaint.
Penit.
Oh the power of the word of God, aptly applied unto the case of a
distressed soul! The
sweet experience that I have now found in those Scriptures which you have
produced,
and applied to my case, shall take me, hereafter, to search and reade the Scriptures
more then I have done. I do, like Hagar complain for water, when it is
just by me, if I
would search. I hope I shall reade the Scriptures more then ever I have done.
[ 75]
John.
You have prevented me, or rather the Spirit of God hath put into
your heart by power
and grace, that which I intended to have presented to you by way of Advice and
Counsel, namely, To be frequent and abundant in reading the Scriptures, for you
see
that all Soul-cordials are laid up there, fetch them out therefore from that
divine
Treasury, and make use of them for your comfort. I know the Devil will oppose
you
in this matter, and keep you from conversing in the Scriptures, because they
are the
sword of the Spirit, Eph. 6.17. whereby we resist his temptations, as
Christ himself
hath set us an example, Mat. 4.4, 7, 10. when the Devil assaulted him
with a
temptation, he drew forth the sword of the Spirit, a Text of Scripture, and
opposed the
temptation thereby, and that presently conquered the Tempter. Do you the same,
you
cannot imitate a better pattern then our Lord Jesus Christ; and it is his
Command also
that we should so do, John 5.39. Search the Scriptures: and David
made them his
meditation day and night, Psal. 1.2. and he had the like experience that
you now have
found, and came to the like resolution, Psal. 119.93. I will never forget
thy precepts,
for with them thou hast quickned me.
Penit.
I feel much tranquility in my minde, in this way of seeking
Soul-comfort in the
Scriptures. Oh I have found out a way of refuge, comfort and rest in a stormy
time, I
hope the Lord will give me grace and wisdome to make more use thereof then ever
I
have done in my life.
But still my soul is in great doubts and fears about my eternal condition: if I
spend this
life in griefs and sorrows, and when I finish here, I go away to eternal
misery, Oh
what a lamentable case is that! and my fear is, that this will be my condition:
my
griefs indeed are many, but they are worldly sorrow, I cannot say that I am
converted.
I desire to know what it is to be converted.
John.
All Mankinde are once born, by natural birth they come into this world;
but all Gods
children are born again, Iohn 3, 3. Except a man be born again, he
cannot enter into
the kingdome of heaven: and this is a spiritual birth, ver 5. Except
a man be born of
water, and of the Spirit, &c. Baptism is an outward sign of it, but the
inward grace is a
work of the Spirit, and the Spirit worketh by the Word of God, James
1.18, 21. Of his
own will began he us by the word of truth; and ver. 21. Wherefore
lay apart all
filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the
ingrafted
word, which is able to save your souls. By faith in the Promise the soul is
united to
Christ, and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit, 1 Cor. 6.17.
When an afflicted
soul doth venture it self and its All, upon the faithful word of Promise, and
sayes to
God, as Job said, Job 13.15. Though he kill me, yet I will
trust in him; this is the new-
born soul, and this believing soul shall be surely saved at last, whatever
sorrows and
afflictions it goes through in this life.
[ 76 ]
And whereas you say that your sorrows and griefs are but worldly
sorrow: I
answer, That the question is not what kinde of sorrow it is, so much, as what
the effects of it is; for no matter what the sorrow is, if it drive the soul to
Christ; our salvation is by Christ, and not by sorrow: the use of sorrow is to
imbitter sin, and the world, and to drive the soul to Christ for relief and
rest; if
worldly sorrow, or rather sorrow about worldly things do this, it hath its end,
and proves to be a godly sorrow. Sorrows are not to merit any thing from God,
but to force the afflicted soul to fly to him for refuge. We shall finde
examples
in Scripture, where sorrows about worldly things have effectually driven the
soul to fly to God for refuge. Psal 88.18. Lover and friend hast thou
put far
from me, and mine acquaintance into darkness. This was an outward
affliction, and yet in the first verse of that Psalm, it drives him to fly and
cry to
the God of his salvation; and this is an act of faith. So Psal.
35.15. But mine
adversaries they rejoyced, they gathered themselves together, yea the abjects
gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me,
and ceased not. With hypocritical meekers in feasts, they gnashed upon me
with their teeth; that is, some broke jests upon him at their Taverns and
Tiplings, and others scorned him, &c. all these were outward
afflictions, but
they drove David to fly and cry to God, ver. 17. Lord, how
long wilt thou look
on? rescue my soul, &c. and this is an act of faith. So it was with Job
in his
affliction, Job 30.8, 9, 10. the basest of the people made songs and
jests upon
him; but mark what end God made with Job. So James speaks, Jam.
5.12.
Therefore whatever your griefs be, turn them into prayers, and cry to God for
relief, and then your grief hath a sanctified end, and you will at last learn
to say
after David, in that high strained string of Faith and Experience, It
is good for
me that I was afflicted, that I might learn thy statutes, Psal. 119.71. And
ver. 7,
of that Psalm, Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I have kept thy
word.
And therefore what though your afflictions be outward afflictions, seeing
God is pleased mercifully to bless them unto your spiritual and eternal good.
But I further observe, that sundry of your expressions do hold forth a
spiritual
sorrow for your sin, and a fear of Gods wrath, and an earnest desire to flee
from, and escape wrath to come. I pray therefore express your self what
sorrows and griefs you have of that kinde; for although such sorrows do not
deserve any thing at Gods hand, yet they are of a more spiritual nature, and
spring from a deep reverence and fear of God, and do more immediately and
effectually drive the soul for refuge to Jesus Christ, who onely delivereth the
soul from the guilt and condemnation of sin. Utter some drops of those soul-
wounding terrours, which afflict you in the sense of your sin guiltiness.
[ 77 ]
Penit.
Still my soul admireth to see the great use is to be made of the
word of God,
which doth engage my soul more and more, to a more frequent use of the
Scriptures. Lord Jesus help me to perform it.
My fore-mentioned griefs about my outward condition, are but the Porch of
those troubles that lodge in my distressed soul. When I look down into the
dungeon of my heart, and the dunghill of my life, I am filled with an
abhorrence of my self, and wonderment at Gods patience, to suffer such a
wretch as I am to live. I know much of the sins of others, but I know more by
my self, then I know by any body else, considering circumstantial
aggravations. I can truly say with Paul, 1 Tim. 1.15. sinners, of whom
I am
chief. If my Companions have mis-led me, or my leaders have caused me to
erre, it may aggravate their sin, but be no excuse or apologie for mine; I have
done as evil as I could, and had not God hampered me with outward affliction
and trouble, it is not to be said by man how vile I should have been. It is
sometimes a quieting argument to my heart, to be patient under my outward
crosses, because they be Mustard on the Worlds Nipples, to keep me from
surfetting upon the Creature. If I look into the glass of Gods Law, and behold
the face of my life, and of my soul, as they are there represented, I am afraid
of
my self, I abhorre my self, I am confounded. Gods Sabbaths I have
profaned▪
Gods Word I have neglected; Gods Grace I have despised and resisted; I have
broken the whole Law of God, every Command have I violated: for there be
some acts of sin that I never did actually commit, yet the habit of sin is in
me,
and in inclination and desire I am guilty of it: and for a foundation of this
mountainous heap of guilt, I am guilty of Adams fall, the first, the
worst, the
root of all the sins of the sons of men. My sinful habit and disposition by
nature, doth viciously incline me to sin, against my desires, purposes,
promises,
and resolutions. When I strive and labour, and cry and pray against my sins,
yet upon the opportunity and occasion offered, my sin will return; I am weak,
that is strong; I am subdued, and that prevaileth. Oh wretched man that I
am,
who shall deliver me?
When I consider the infinite Justice of God offended, the infinite Wrath of
God
provoked, the eternal Law of God violated, and the eternal torments provided
and prepared in hell for sinners, and the insuperableness of my sin, by any
means I can use, it will prevail over me, it will keep me in bondage, it will
inslave me, and I fear it finally will damn me. In these considerations my soul
is sunk and drowned. If therefore there be any Balm for my sore, any succour
for my distressed soul, shew me the way how I shall escape these everlasting
burnings, that are the just recompence of my transgressions.
John.
The first endeavour of the heart of man, is to pacifie Gods
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wrath with something of our own; and first by mincing, excusing and
apologizing, as they did, Jer. 2.33, 34, 35, 36, 37. Why trimmest
thou thy way
to seek love? thou teachest wayes and arts to sin cunningly; and hence the
blood of innocent souls is openly sound in thy skirts: yet thou sayest, I am
innocent, and his anger shall be turned away. But then divine Justice
taketh the
cause in hand; Why gaddest thou about to seek so many shifts? I will never
leave thee till I have made thee ashamed of them all, for none of them shall
prosper to turn away divine wrath, or to procure thee a pardon. But I finde
not
your soul mincing of your sin, nor making excuses for your self.
The next course the heart of man will take, is to purchase a pardon, by giving
to God some great sacrifice, or by doing some great penance; as it is expressed
in Micah 6.6, 7, 8. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bowe
my self
before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves
of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten
thousands of rivers of oyl? shall I give my first born for my transgression,
the
fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what
is good, and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? The inquiry is wherewith a
sinner shall pacifie God; he proffers great matters, more then he can perform:
he bids low at first, onely burnt-offer|ings and calves; but when that will not
be
accepted he rises higher, shewing what he would do if he had wherewith, he
bids thousands of rams, ten thousand rivers of oyl; if that will not do, he
offers
the fruit of his body for the Sin of his soul, whether macerations of the body,
or
any other fruit: but alas, all will not do. And then ver 8. he shews
what is the
onely thing that will satisfie, onely Jesus Christ, belived on by faith, held
forth
in those works of sanctification and holy life, for so the Scripture testifies,
2
Cor 5.19. God was in Christ Jesus reconciling the world unto himself.
And
Acts 4.12. There is no other Name under heaven by which we can be
saved.
Acts 16.31. Believe in the Lord Jesus, and thou shalt be saved, and thy
house.
I do not mention such Texts of Scripture as call to repentance, because the
end
of repentance being to dispose the heart to believing; it seemeth to me, by
your
many gracious and penitent confessions, that the Spirit of God hath wrought in
you a penitent heart already, and your soul lyeth in the very next capacity of
believing in our Lord Jesus Christ by the Promise. Yea further I say, that your
gracious acceptance of the Word of God, love unto it, and submission to its
light and conduct, these acts of grace in you are so powerful, sweet and
savoury, that I know not but that the work of faith is already wrought in your
poor, mourning, trembling, but blessed soul; and therefore be no more so
disconsolate, hope in the Lord, and do as it is said, Psal. 27 14. Wait
on the
Lord,
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be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart: wait, I say, upon the
Lord.
Penit.
I do perceive that you take that to be a great work of grace and faith
in my
heart, so gladly to receive the Word of God, and submissively to give up my
self to the conduct thereof. I cannot deny, but confess, that my heart is
really so
as I have expressed, and every thing that hath passed in this Conference hath
had something in it, to strengthen that frame of heart it me: and now lastly
and
especially, that you do bring forth that work which is wrought in me to be an
evidence of faith, this doth so much the more incline and oblige my heart to a
great love and reverence to the Scriptures, and a resolution, through the
grace,
help and assistance of Jesus Christ, to spend the rest of my life in a more
diligent and abundant attendance on the hearing, reading, meditating on, and
obeying of the Word of God. If this be an act of faith, I desire to live that
part
of the life of faith all the dayes of my life. Lord help me to perform this
promise unto God.
John.
I will shew you the reason why I lay so much weight upon that
of
heart,
to embrace the Word, to love it, to obey it, &c. First, I finde that
it is the
character of these famous primitive Converts, Acts 2.41, 42. Then
they that
gladly received his word were baptized, and the same day there were added
unto them about three thousand souls: and they continued stedfastly in the
Apostles doctrine and fellowship. Their obedience to, and walking in the
Word,
is a chief effect and Sign of the true and thorough work of grace in them: in
that point their Conversion shined, and it seemeth to me, that your Conversion
doth in this point shine.
Again, Jam. 1.21. it is said, Lay aside all filthiness and
superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the ingrafted word, which is able to
save your souls. Here be three things in this Text: the first is the
preparative
work, to cast away all filthiness, and out boilings of naughtiness. This work
God hath wrought in your distressed heart, which appeareth in your penitent
confessions. The second work is to receive the word with meekness, and so,
that it may appear to be an ingrafted word, connaturalized in your heart; and
this is the work which I observe to be wrought in your heart, which is the work
of faith, whereby you are united to Christ by the word so received, and
submitted unto: The entrance of thy word giveth life, Psal. 119.130.
Then the
third thing; this Word so received and ingrafted, whereby you are united to
Christ, this will save your soul; you are a vessel of grace, and shall be a
vessel
of glory, fear it not, God that cannot lie hath spoken it.
Again, 1 Pet 2.1, 2. Laying aside all malice, and all decit, and hypocrisies,
and envies, and evil speakings; As new born babes desire the sincere milk of
the Lord, that ye may grow thereby. Here see 1. A new born babe, that is, a
soul converted, a new creature formed
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in the heart by faith laying hold on Christ, and from him
receiving the Spirit, to
dwell in him, and to form this new creature in his heart. Now what acts of life
doth this babe perform? they are two: 1. By mortification and repentance he
purgeth out all his sins; and this act of life you effectually do by your
penitent
confessions. The second act of life is, he desires the sincere milk of the word
that he may grow thereby. The new creature is fed by the same means by which
it was begotten: the word of God is the seed of God to beget the new creature,
1 John 3.9. and then the word of God is milk to feed and nourish the new
creature. Now this is the thing that I observe in you, that as a new born babe
you desire the milk of the word: and note this word, Sincere milk; a living
babe
of Christ cannot abide humane mixtures added to the word of God; he loves the
pure word, he cannot rellish mixctures.
Penit.
My dearest friend, God hath made you an instrument in his hand to lay
before
me unspeakable consolation; and I cannot deny but I feel it in my heart, I am
another man then what I was, I looked on my self the most miserable of men, I
now am happy being united to Christ. O blessed change! I am in admiration at
this, I admire the grace of Christ to a dead, lost, damned sinner. I am come
into
a new world, I have other desires then I had, and other purposes; I see things
in
another frame then I was wont to see them. I must live a new life, and steer a
new course.
But in this point my soul desires to begin, I am not mine own, I am the servant
of Jesus Christ, he died for me, and by his grace I desire to live unto him.
And
now I finde my self greatly to need Counsel how to order my self in my future
course; what shall I do for the Lord, who hath done so much for me? My dear
friend, your Counsel hath been greatly owned and blessed by the Lord for my
new birth, I desire to have great respect to your Counsel for the ordering of
my
wayes in my new life.
You do partly know that my people, and some chief ones among them, have
had but a smal measure of respect for me, but I have great reason to overlook
it, and bury it, because in his infinite mercy Christ hath turned it about for
my
better good; my heart telleth me that I must seek the good of my people, how to
manage that work wisely, is my difficulty, wherein I need your Counsel. I
would to God that all my people were as I am, and tasted and felt what I have
found; but that is not yet so. I desire to bring them to be the Lords people,
how
I shall accomplish that, is my great difficulty. You know I have been
frequently
among you praying Indians, and in my heart have adhered to you, and it
may
be that I have XouXd the less acceptation for it; but I leave that God. I must
do
and perform the trust, charge and duty that my Lord Jesus hath committed to
me. My question therefore is, How shall I
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comport with the present affairs, and state of things? how shall I bring the
matter about, to bring about my people to pray to God?
John.
It joyes my heart to hear these gracious breathings of Gods Spirit in
you. I taste
in your discourse evident tokens of a living childe of God. I see that my
judgement about the spiritual state of your soul, was not a product of
precipitate charity, but an effect of the spirit of right discerning. I will
encourage you in your godly purposes, with a modest application of some of
the Angels words to Gideon, Judg 6.12, 14. Go on, thou mighty man of
valour,
and go in this thy strength, and thou shalt save thy people. The Lord will be
with thee. But for the manner of your proceeding in this matter, my
thoughts
incline me to propose this way: Be open to own the grace of God bestowed on
you, to confess your former known crooked and dark wayes, and the change
which God by his grace hath wrought in you. At present, let your first motion
be to stay a while at Natik, adjoyn your self to the Church, who when
they hear
your Confession, will joyfully receive you. In due season, request of the
Church to send some able, pious, and fitting Teachers with you, among your
people. Prudent Counsel may be taken how to prepare and predispose your
people for such a motion. I do not doubt but the Governour and Magistrates of
the Massachusets, will be easily intreated to interpose in so good a
work,
which may tend to the bringing in so many people to the service of Jesus
Christ.
Penit.
I do well approve and accept of your Counsel, it savoureth of
discretion and
wisdome, in all things God hath guided your lips to drop like the honey-comb
into my heart. And now I have one request further unto you, That while we are
together in this solitary opportunity, we may spend some time in conversing
with God in Prayer, turn all those things that have passed into Prayers, and
the
future matters also; let us spread them before the Lord, and beg his guidance
and blessing.
John.
I do greatly accept this motion; and it is another sign of the truth of
the work of
Gods grace in your heart, because this is the property of the new creature, a
new-born babe, that he will cry Abba Father. Here we leave them at
Prayer.
FINIS.