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
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
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
17. Speak thou also unto the children of Israel saying Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign â—etween me and you throughout your generatâ—ons that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth â—anctifie 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 do 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 â—nd 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 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 â—ink 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 soâ—l of mine Iohn 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 Bâ—t 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 Jesâ—s Christ is so tender-hearted towards those that are of an afflicted spirit Iohn True it is that God hath said The Priests lâ—ps shall preserve knowledge and thou shalt 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 Iohn This is a wholesome fear and you shall finde it will end 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 â—is 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 Câ—rist precious unto you Consider that Text Eccles 7 3 4. Sorrow is better thâ—n 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 aâ—â—â—ict 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 Expectaâ—â—â—tions I have been Chosen and Advanced as you know to the â—egree of a Sachem but so filled with Crosses and Distresses that I â—ever enjoy my self nor one quiet day my griefs are multiplied â—â—ke 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 â—â—il you Psal. 73.26 My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the â—â—rength of my heart and my portion for ever Let your soul ponder 〈◊〉 feed upon this Promise See also Heb. 13.5 He hath said I â—ill never leave thee nor forsake thee Mark that word Never leave â—hee nor forsake thee the word will hold both in this life and to â—ternity You further say that your bright mornings prove black and â—loudy dayes It hath been so with other of Gods Children Reade â—he 88 Psalm and you shall finde the Prophet just in your case in â—any verses of that Psalm I will mention some of the words â—er 6 7 8 9. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the â—â—eps Thy wrath lyeth hard upon me and thou hast afflicted me with â—ll thy waves Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me â—hou hast made me an abomination unto them I am sâ—ut up and I â—â—nnot come forth mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction Lord â— have called daily upon thee I have stretched out mine hand unto â—â—ee c. And ver 15. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth 〈◊〉 while I suffer thy terrours I am distracted c. Behold a dear â—â—ilde of God in as bitter distresses as you are yet the first sentence of this Psalm is a word of Faith he sâ—ith O Lord God of my sâ—â—vation Iâ— is some comfort to a distressed soul to havâ— good company with them you have