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 IESUS 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. To the Right Worshipful THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE Vnited 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 Iesus 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 I. E. The Preface THese Dialogues are partly Historical of some things that were done and said and partly Instructive to shew 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. 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 Country-men 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 Nashauwog among his Kindred and Friends these 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 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 so that I should meet you whom I have longed to see you are my friend whom I purposed first to look out and lo 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 like 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 left off those delights and solemnities that your Country men use and which 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 shame you from such filthy practices and shine them away for ever as the rising Sun doth dissipate and drive away all the darkness 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 becausâ— you shall there see many of your friends and kindred Pium. I cannot serve two Masters I have
died for us to satisfie divine Justice for the sin of man with this Sacrifice God hath said he is â—atisfied for the sin of man Thus Jesus Christ hath honoured Gods Law by sâ—tisfying 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 interâ—sted in this Redemption wrought by Jesus Christ If you have obtained it I have some hope that so may I. I pray tell me how I may be mâ—de 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 â—ow 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. Iohn 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever â—elieveth 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 undertâ—ken 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 of 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 â— 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 turned 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 fâ—â—merly 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 sâ—me manner the Spirit of God by the word is able to creâ—te 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 laâ—our 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 fâ—lt 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 â—o suâ—â—er 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 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 fâ—aâ—e that I used to be in and I do finde that they are not so fully killed 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
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 Iesus reconciling the world unto himself And Acts 4.12 There is no other Name under heaven by which we can be saved Acts 16 3â— Belâ—eve in the Lord Iesus 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 â—o dispose the heart to believing it seemeth to me by your many gracious and penitent confeâ—â—ions thâ—t the Spirit of Gâ—d hath wrought in you a penitent heart already and your soul lyeth in the very next capacity of believing in our Lord Jâ—sus Christ by the Promise Yea further I say that your gracious acceptance of the Word of God love unto it and submission â—o its light and conduct these aâ—ts 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 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 Iohn I will shew you the reason why I lay so much weight upon â—hat fâ—â—r of heart to embrace the Word to love it to obey it c. â—irst I finde that it is the character of those famous primitive Converts Acts 2.41 42. Then they that gladly received his word were â—aptized and the same day there were added unto them about three â—housand souls and they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine â—nd fellowship Their obedience to and walking in the Word is a â—hief effect and Sign of the true and thorough work of grace in â—hem in that point their Conversion shined and it seemeth to me â—hat your Conversion doth in this point shine Again Iam. 1.21 it is said Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity â—â— naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is â—ble to save your souls Here be three things in this Text the first â—â— the preparative work to cast away all filthiness and out boilâ—ngs of naughtiness This work God hath wrought in your diâ—â—ressed heart which appeareth in your penitent confessions The â—econd work is to receive the word with meekness and so that it â—ay appear to be an ingrafted word connaturalized in your heart â—â—d this is the work which I observe to be wrought in your heart â—hich is the work of faith whereby you are united to Christ by â—â—e word so received and submitted unto The entrance of thy â—ord giveth life Psal. 119.130 Then the third thing this Word â—â— received and ingrafted whereby you are united to Christ this â—ill save your soul you are a veâ—â—el of grace and shall be a vessel â—â— glory fear it not God that cannot lie hath spoken it Again 1 Pet. 2.1 2. Laying aside all malice and all guâ—le and hyâ—â—crifies and envies and evil speakings As new-born baâ—es desire the 〈◊〉 milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Here see 1. A 〈◊〉 born babe that is a soul converted a new creature formed 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 hiâ— heart Now what acts of life doth this babe perform they arâ— two 1. By mortification and repentance he purgeth out all hiâ— sins and this act of life you effectually do by your penitent coâ—fessions The second act of life is he desires the sincere milk oâ— the word that he may grow thereby The new creature is fed bâ— the same means by which it was begotten the word of God is tâ—â— seed of God to beget the new creature 1 Iohn 3.9 and then tâ—â— word of God is milk to feed and nourish the new creature Noâ— this is the thing that I observe in you that as a new â—orn babe yoâ— desire the milk of the word and note this word Sincere milk â— living babe of Christ cannot abide humane mixtures added to tâ—â— word of God he loves the pure word he cannot rellish mixâ—tures Penit. My dearest friend God hath made you an instrument â—â— his hand to lay before me unspeakable consolation and I cannâ—â— deny but I feel it in my heart I am another man then what I waâ— I looked on my self the most miserable of men I now am hapâ—â— being united to Christ. O blessed change I am in admiration 〈◊〉 this I admire the grace of Christ to a dead lost damned sinnâ—â— I am come into a new world I have other desires then I had 〈◊〉 other purposes I see things in another frame then I was wont 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 am the servant of Jesus Christ he died for me and by his grace deâ—â—â—e to live unto him And now I finde my self greatly to 〈◊〉 Counsel how to order my self in my future course what shaâ—â— do for the Lord who hath done so much for me My dear frieâ—â— your Counsel hath been greatly owned and blessed by the Lord my new birth I desire to have great respect to your Counsel for ordering of my wayes in my new life You do partly know that my people and some chief ones amoâ—â— them have had but a final measure of respect for me but I have grâ—â—â— reason to overlook it and bury it because in his infinite 〈◊〉 Christ hath turned it about for my better good my heart tellâ— me that I must seek the good of my people how to manage 〈◊〉 work wisely is my difficulty wherein I need your Counsel â— would to God that all my people were as I am and tasted and 〈◊〉 what I have found but that is not yet so I desire to bring tâ—â— to be the Lords people how I shall accomplish that is my grâ—â—â—â—ifficulâ—y You know I have been frequently among you prâ—â— Indians and in my heart have adhered to you and it may be 〈◊〉 have found the less acceptation for it but I leave that God must do and perform the trust charge and duty that my Lord 〈◊〉 hath committed to me My question therefore is How 〈◊〉 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 Iohn 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 Iohn 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
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 dâ—filed 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 prosperons 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 â—e 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 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 verâ— much you are still poor where be your Riches where be youâ— flocks and herds of Cattel where be your Clothes what greaâ— Houses have you built where be your fields of Corn Barns anâ— Orchards Alas you are not like the English and therefore â— doubt upon this point it is not as you say that praying to Goâ— 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 contented 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 oâ—fend and sin against God provoking his wrath against us to puâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 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 Damnâ—tion 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 â—appinesâ— 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
will turn to God onely at such times when praâ—â—ing is in credit leave themselves under a doubt whether it be 〈◊〉 the love of God and his wayes that they pray or for love of theâ—â— selves and their own credit But when men will take up praying to God in evil times whâ— they must expect hâ—rd measure from the world for it this is a 〈◊〉 that they love God and love praying to God better then thâ—â— love themselves and that they deny themselves for Christ his 〈◊〉 Therefore I have taken the fiâ—test time to try you and to sift yoâ— to catch none but the good Corn and to let go and lose all tâ—â— dust and chaff Kinsm Some sâ—eak of very many English people killed wiâ—â— Thunder and many burnt in their houses is it so indeed Pium. It is so indâ—ed and in many parts of the Country Boston and in many other places Very lately there were in oâ—â— Winter eight or nine persons burnt to death in one house five another one in another Sicknesses are often sent of God amoâ—â— them which kill many Their Corn is Blasted and they are pâ—â—niâ—â—ed by God many wayes by Sea and Land in these late years Kinswom These are but cold and weak Arguments to perswaâ—â— us to take up the English fashion and to serve their God when 〈◊〉 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 whiâ—â— provoke God to be angry with them and to punish them to tâ—â— end he might bring them to repentance When we exhorâ— youâ— pray and to serve the God of the English we call you 〈…〉 the virtues and good wayes of the English wherein yoâ— shall acceptable to the Lord We do not call you to imitate their 〈◊〉 whereby they and you shall provoke the anger and displeasure the Lord. Anâ— what though God doth chastise his people for thâ— sins it is his wisdome faithfulness and love so to do a Châ—â—â— will not run away from his wise and loving Father because he 〈◊〉 him for his faults but will love him the better fear him tâ—â— more and learn thereby to be a good Childe The wise Englâ—â—â— love God the more for his wise Chastisement of them for thâ— sins And why may not I use it as an Argument to perswade yâ—â— to choose him to be your God who will love and encourage you all virtue and love and punish you for all sins that he might brâ—â—â— you to repentance and amendment of life Gods Rods have moâ—â— encouragement to a wise heart then discouragement in them Kinswom Cousin had you not a great Thunder and Lightniâ—â— 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 wrâ—th 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 soâ—e 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 what 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 Iesus 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 siâ—ewâ— and bones and skin and who can give every part of our body its due proportion that one part shâ—ll not overgrow the other but every part alike Who but God can do this And who but God can make our bodies to grow to such an appointeâ— stature and then to grow no more And who but God can prâ—â—serve our health and turn away sicknesses Now these marvelloâ—â—â—hings God doth for us every day and every time we eat anâ— therefore is it not very good reason that we should pray and givâ— thanks to God at such time as he doth such great and obligiâ—â— things for us Again God provideth all our food for us he provideth Corâ— not we our selves we do but a little towards it the great work â— God 's all that we do is to put our Corn into the ground and kâ—â—â— the ground clean about it but God makes it to grow he gives 〈◊〉 a root a blade a stalk and ears whereby one Corn shall becomâ— three or four or five hundred Who but God can do this thereâ—fore Corn is of his providing Again who provideth water and watereth the Corn is it noâ— God for when Springs and Rivers are dried up what can meâ— do but cry to God and theâ— God will bring Clouds like greaâ— Bottles full of water and drop them down upon the withered anâ— parched Earth and thereby make the Corn and Grass and all fruiâ— to grow Who but God can do this Again God provides
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 awake from your dead sleep stand up and Christ will give you life VVe speak by expâ—rience we were dead and blinde as you are we loved pleasures as you do but by the grace of Christ we have found ligâ—t and life and we now call you to partake with us in our mâ—rcies Pauwau VVe have not only pleasures but also Prayers and Sâ—crifices we beat and aâ—â—â—ict our selves to pacifie our gods and when â—e be â—ick wâ— 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 worâ—hipping of the Devil and noâ— of God and tâ—ey are among the greatest of your sins Your â—urthers lusts stealing lying c. they are great sins your Pauwauings are wâ—rse sins because by them you worship the Devil instead of God VVhen you Pauwau's use Physick by Roots and such other tâ—ings which God â—ath made for that purpose that is no sin you do well to use Pâ—ysick for your recovery from sickness but your prâ—ying to and worshipping the Devil that is your great siâ— 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 deâ—ire 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 wiser men be the more they abstain from such lusts and we account such to be foolish vile and wicked that are unbridled and unperswâ—deable I would not be my self of the number of them that are vicious and vile â—bove restraint VVhat I perswade others to leave I would not do the same my self VVe 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 am loth to divide my self from my Friends and Kindred If I should chaâ—gâ— 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 dâ—sire 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 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 dayâ—s hence is the Sabbath-day God hath commanded 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 mâ—de it holy and hath promised that when we shall â—eet together in his Naâ—e 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 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 prâ—â— together therefore let us all either stand up like servants or kneel down like sons and daughters and pray unto the Lord. Then 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 Realeth When that is â—iniâ—hed 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 wâ— 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.
forth weeds but a watchful and diligent husbandman will be often weeding over his Corn fields and so will ouâ— 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 Anâ— 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 feareâ—â— alwayes and let this put you on to a second Counsel that I givâ— you Be much and often in prayer and that not onely among otheâ— in Family-worship and Publick-worship but also and most frequently in secret prayer for so Christ hath commanded Mat. 6â—â— and Christ himself hath set us an example who spent whole nights in prayer 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 Iam. 1.5 If any of you lack wisdome let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upâ—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 Religioâ— 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 â—each me and help me thus to do VVhat further Counsel do you â—ive me Wab. A sixth Counsel I give you is That you do carefully reâ—ember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy and to come to the publick 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 Couâ—â—el 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 requâ—st 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 it s a good subject of discourse as we are in our way Thus are they imployed till they come at their journeys end Waban Nishâ—hkou Penooâ—ot 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 oâ— 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 â—eart penitenâ—ly 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 bleâ—â—ed 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 body dieth and turneth to rottenness and dust and why may not the Soul dâ— 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 unâ—een intricacies fitter for younger heads to
â—y soul He hath sâ—ewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do juâ—tly and to love mercy and to walk huâ—bly with thy God Nothing that you can do or bring to God can pacifie that divine wrath that is kindlâ—d â—gainst you but ver 8. he sheweth you the way Also consider that Text Iohn 14.6 I am the Way and the Truth â—nd â—he 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 thâ—â— 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 acceptaâ—le to thee and break off thy sins by righteousness and thy iniquities by sheâ—ing mercy to the poor if it may â—e a lengthning of thy tranquility Aâ—d 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 tâ—en ever you have yet seen There is another sad story in the fifth Chapter of Daniel where the wicked Sachem did act profanely agaiâ—st the Gâ—d 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 Iesus and thou shalt be saved and thy house Wiâ—â— 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 repentâ—nce 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 affliction he â—esought the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers anâ— prayed unto him and he was intreateâ— of hiâ— anâ— hearâ— his supplication and brought him again unto Ierâ—â—aleâ— into his kingdâ—me Then Manasseh know that the Lord he was God So I say unto you Beloved â—achem humble your self before the Lord set 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 calm 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 Universâ—l 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 wâ—ich 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 oâ— our proneness to â—light 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 Ierusalem 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 be 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. 58.13 If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath â— delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine 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 lâ—st of seven to the first of seven and so the Lord hath changed it 1 Cor. 16 2â—â— Acts 20.7 Rev. 1.10 And when this Change was first made the Câ—urch 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 do no manner oâ— work 5 Here be the persons that be bound to keep the Sabbath All high and low rich and poor male and female in all societies â—nd relâ—tions and strangers Thou thy son thy â—aughter thy man-servant thy maid-servant thy cattel and thy stranger 6. Here be three Râ—aâ—ons 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 sâ—venth dâ—y rested in his heavenly joyes 2. The second Reason is Because God hath 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 aâ—d tâ—erefore 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 Ier 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 Iudah come in and by the which they go out and in all tâ—e gates of Ierusalem and say unto them Hear ye the word of the Lord ye kings of Iudah anâ— all Iudah and all the inhabitants of Ierusalem that enter in by â—hese gates Tâ—us saith the Lord Takâ— heed to your selves and bear no burden on the Sabbath day c. The other â—ext is Exod. 31 13 14 15 16
say true and the Souls of men are living Souls and â—herefore should be fed with the food which God hath appointed â—or 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 â—or prayeâ— Pium. Your Souls feed upon nothing but lust and lying aâ—d â—ealing and killing and Sabbath breaking and Pauwauing and â—ll these are sins which poison starve and kill your Souls aâ—d â—xpose them to Gods wrath that they may be tormented among Deâ—ils and wicked men in Hell fire for ever and therefore it is in â—ove to your Souls that we perswade you to pray unto God But â—ow that we have eaten and are sufficed wiâ—h food let us give â—hanks to God for it and pray that it may be blessed to us He â—iveth Thanks Kinsm Yonder come a great company of our friends order the â—ouse against they come Kinsman Sachem Pauwau Piumbuhhou All. â—insm WElcome Sontim welcome my Friends â—nd Kinsmen all here is a Kinsman and friend of ours come â—â—om Natik to visit us he prayeth for us and expresseth love â—o â—â—r Souls which you take no thought or care abâ—uâ—â— He tellâ—â—â— of Light and Wisdome which they learn out of the Word oâ— God which we are strangers unto He telleth us of Hell fire â— Torments to be the reward of our sins which we walk in 〈◊〉 telleth us of Repentance for our sins and of Faith to believe Christ for a pardon and of Salvation in heaven with eternal gâ—â—â— ry He telleth us of the danger of living as we do He telleth of a better way of living then yet we know Many such things have discoursed which are beyond my understanding I am 〈◊〉 pleased with his love but I know not what to say to his Persâ—â—â— sions for which cause I have intreated your company that may confer together about matters of so great importance 〈◊〉 that we may be mutual helps to each other for our best good Sont If any man bring us a precious Jewel which will makâ— rich and happy every body will make that man welcome anâ— this friend of ours do that who more welcome but if by reâ—â—â— ving his Jewel we must part with a better Jewel for it then â— men should do well to consider before they accept his offer Tâ—â— things you speak of are great things but if we accept of thâ— consider what we must part with and forgo for ever viz. Allâ— 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 〈◊〉 ing fish and flesh and rotten Corn for company's sake their â— chem makes this Law If you come forth from that filthy 〈◊〉 and company and feed upon this wholsome and good food 〈◊〉 provided and keep company with the wise then you shall b◠〈◊〉 noured and well used all your life time But if you so love your company as that you choose rather to feed on trash and â—eâ—â— to perish among them then perish you shall aâ—d thank youâ— for your foolish choice This was our case at â—â—rst and is youâ— this day You walk in darkness defile your selves with a 〈◊〉 Conversation you feed your Souls with trash and poison and choose to do so for your company's sake Behold God calls to come out from among them and touch no unclean thing to verse among the wise and offereth you pardon life and salvâ—â— in heaven in glory among all the Elect Saints and Angels 〈◊〉 you are at your choice will you forsake those bad courseâ— companions and live in glory or will you choose your old courses and companions and perish for ever Sont All our forefathers so far as ever we have heard walked and lived as we do and are we wiser then our fathersâ— Pium. No we are foolish weak and sinful and love to be but God is wiser then our fathers and he hath opened to 〈◊〉 way of wisdome and life and calleth us to enter and walk â— in therefore be wise and submit your selves to the â— Christ. Sont But why do you say that we feed upon trash stâ—â— 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 VVe 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