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
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 Gods 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 setteth us 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 the opportunity of â—earing this good Discourse After their entrance into the house there be four Speakers Kinsman Kinswâ—man All the Company Piumbuhhou Kinsman I hâ—d raâ—hâ—r thâ—t my actions of love should testifie how wâ—lcome you are and how glad I am of this your kinde visiâ—ation 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 jâ—yâ—s 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 fâ—ce 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 thâ—se 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 hâ—ve tasted of sweet Winé and Honey which hâ—ve 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 Aâ—â— 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 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 dâ—gs have to delight the body of fâ—â—â—h 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 Gâ—d and to converse in such things as do concern Gâ—d and Heaven and an eternâ—l estate either in happiness with God if we walk with â—im and serve him in this life or in misery aâ—d torment with the Devil if we serve him in this life The service of God doth conâ—â—st 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 comâ—itting 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 pleasurâ— in sin the greater are your offences against God and the greater shall be your torments But we that pray to Gâ—d repent of our old sins and by fâ—ith in Christ we seek for and finde a pardon of what is past aâ—d grace and strength to reform for time to come So that our joyâ—s â—re Soul-joyes in godliness and virtue and hope of glory in anothâ—r 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 beâ—ore nor have I any thing to say to the contrary but that these things may be so But how shall
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
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
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
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 leâ—deth us to God and to the eternal enjoyment of happiness by Jesus Christ. 2. VVe have attained to some measure of the true Riches by faith in Jesus Chriâ—t and love to God and his people 3. VVe are content with that portion of food and raiment which God giveth us 4. VVe enjoy the Lords Sabbath dayes for our Souls good and communion with God 5. VVe have Government and all Gods Ordinances in peace 6. VVe can lie down in peace and sleep quietly without fear In all which and many more respects our condition doâ—h 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 lâ—e 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 friends gave unto our disconrse 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 VVhen I began to pray to God I had the same temptation but I quickly found 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 VVe 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 heaâ— 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 Husband in this Change I will therefore get you some Victuals to eat and then go about that business Pium. VVe 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 â—e prayeth All. VVe 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. VVe 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 VVise men will look before they leap All. VVe 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 soch food as I have prâ—pared for you that when they come together you may be ready without interruption to attend unto what you are purposed to do Pium. Alwayes bâ—fore 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. VVe shall attend Pium. Prâ—yeth for a blessing Kinswom Cousin I am glad to see you eat so heartily you are 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 â—ot 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 truâ— 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 haâ—â—â—wo parts A Soul and a Body and both are to be fed The body â—s fed by food the Soul is fed by the Word of God and Prayer You that pray not to God you feed youâ— bodies onely but you â—tarve your Souls we that pray to God fâ—ed our Souls as well as â—ur bodies And this is one reason why we perswade you to prâ—y â—o God because we would not have you to starve your Souls Tâ—e Soul is the most excellent part of man and shall never die the â—ody shall die If you have so much wisdome as to feâ—d your â—odies we pray you be yet more wise and fâ—â—d your Souls also Kinsm Every thing that liveth doth live by feeding as Birds Beasts Fishes and so do men Pium. You
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
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 Conference and Discourse wherein we have seen so much of the presence 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 betrust 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 â—oo dear for Christ who hath not accounted his own most precious life too dear for me Whereas I am now instructed that he being 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 caâ—not 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 sâ—y 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 intercession 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 helpeth 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 Gâ—d 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 and admiration My heart also longeth after others that thâ—â— may be as I am I pray tell me what is my duty in that respeâ—â— to pray for others my Relations my Friends my Neighbouâ—â— and for all Wab. Christ hath taught us When thou art converted then strengâ—â—â—en thy brother Luke 22.32 therefore you must pray for all tâ—â— Church of God you must especially pray for them that are weaâ— and tempted and afflicted and you must pray for them that aâ—â— not yet converted and for all Gods people and for all Gods cauâ—â— in all the world and for the fulfilling of all Gods Promises Theâ—â— is a world of matter to pray for and for Kings and Rulers in â— special manner Pen. I feel my heart to answer your words like an eccho mâ— heart answers All these things I desire to pray for But alas â— am ignorant of fit words in prayer and therefore I do request oâ— you first do you pray and set me a pattern Waban prayethâ— Pen. Many whole nights have I spent waking sometime in hunâ—â—ing sometime worse in dancing and other sinful revels but â— never spent a night so well in my life before it is the first nighâ— of my new life I have begun to live well oh how full of feaâ— and care and desire my heart is that I may go on according to thiâ— 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 occasioâ— offered will still be stirring acting appearing as a tree that is cut down the old roots will be growing which must be kept dowâ— with a speedy cutting off A field that is well weeded will quickly produce new weeds again out of that natural propensity of the earth to bring
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 iâ— 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. Nish 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 unto you 1. To do well for your 〈◊〉 as well as for your Sons for your soul is as preceâ—oâ—s as 〈…〉 And 2. the most effeâ—tuâ—l means to peâ—swadâ— yâ—ur Sâ—â—s unto this way of wisdome is for you to sâ—t them an 〈◊〉 iâ— you â—â—ould choose this way then it is like that thâ—y would follow your exâ—mplâ— but if you refuse it your self â—here iâ— the lesâ—â—ope â—â—at they will câ—oose it for it is a way hard to the fâ—eâ—â— and requires mucâ— subduing of lusts which will rather be done in your dâ—crepiâ— Age then by them in their flourishing youth Nish I aâ— 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 eaâ— 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 â—y 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 graâ—â— Sachem and by the way I met with this good man a messenger oâ— 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 Kiâ—â—dome Many miracles â—ave 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 dâ—clâ—re unto you what passed between us I was aâ— you are I lived as you live I did as you do and as the rest of ouâ— Countrymen and Neighbours do I followed the sports pleasures vanities and courses that other men and you to this day walk inâ— But I was not aware how blinde and dead and vile and wicked I was in the sight of God nor was I awâ—re that I was running oâ— in a pleasant delightful way which led mâ— 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 hâ—â— made thiâ— great world and all things in it both things above anâ— things below how â—e made man an eminent Creature gave him dominion over all the creatures here below gave him an holy juâ—â— 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 for ever but if he did break this Law and sin against God that great Majesty of heaven then he should be answerably and justly punâ—â—hed with eternal torments in hell fire with the Devil and his Angels for evermore and this Lâ—w was for himself and all his posterity in whose stead he stoâ—d as a publick person Now he informed me that Adaâ— the first man sinned by the temptation of evil Angels which rebelled against God and tuâ—ned Devils by their temptation Adam â—inned and turned rebel against God and served believed and obeyâ—d 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 â—y 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 filâ—hy miâ—de I walked in the broad easie pleasant way tâ—at 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
this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Who will have all men to be saved and to coâ—e unto the knowledge of the truth 1 Tim. 2. â— 2 3 4. According to this appointment let us pray Which finished 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 waâ— 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 cuâ— them down and root them up and cast them out 2. The Lord of this Vineyard is Jesus Christ who calleth all meâ— to come into this his Vineyard and do these works And thâ—â— day I do in the Name of the Lord Jesus call you all 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 〈◊〉 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 refuse 3. Here be the several seasons of mens coming in or the severâ—â— Ages of men that do come in 1. Some come in while it is morning that is while they bâ— young therefore I call you Boyes Youths aâ—d Girls come yoâ— unto the Lords Vineyard and give unto God the first-fruits oâ— your dayes 2. The Lord went forth at the third hour and called in younâ— men and young women into his Vineyard Hearken therefore yoâ— 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 iâ— men and women full grown to ripeness of parts and strength you are called this day to come into the Lords Vineyard be yoâ— perswaded to come in and serve the Devil no longer now tuâ—â— unto the Lord. 4. The Lord went forth the eleventh hour that is a little bforâ— night and this doth mean you old men and old women comâ— you into the Lords Vineyâ—rd you see the Lord will accept you 〈◊〉 you come Do not think you are too old to serve the Lord 〈◊〉 your dayes be near finished you had the more need come in quicâ—â— ly lest you die in your sins and perish for ever When he had finished an Objection was made by one We dâ—â— not come in to pray to God for we hear you are very severe if any 〈◊〉 found in sin of lust or the like you Whip them and punish them 〈◊〉 maketh us afraid to pray to God â—nsw Wab. God hath appointed punishments of sin to be Phâ— sick for their souls and though Physick be bitter and sharp yâ—â— it s very wholesome good and needful If you were invited 〈◊〉 dwell at such a Town where there is a Physician would you saâ— No I will not dwell there because if I be sick I must take Physicâ—â— sure you would therefore go dwell at that place So it is in thâ—â— 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 11. 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 Iudges 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 Paganoohket where Philip is Sachem When they first came to the Town they went to the Sachems house Anthony William Philip Keitassoot 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 siâ—s and for the salvation of your soul. We do unto you according to the holy Example which we finde Iohn 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 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 deâ—â—re to pâ—ay 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 unto the Lord And oh how happy and joyful will â—ll 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 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 iâ— 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 â—e 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 sâ—id 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 dâ—sire 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 acceptâ—nce 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 abide in your house we may have liberty to carry our-selves like praying Indians namely that when we eat we may prâ—y and give tâ—anks to God before and after meat also before we lie down at night and when we rise up in the morning we may pray and give thanks to God 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 do like well what you say all things shall be as you dâ—sire it will be a gâ—od opportunity for us to see what manner of Conversâ—â—ion you praying Indians use I will prâ—pose it unto so many â—f my people as be here present how they like of tâ—is last motion you make of allowing you free liberty of all such Exercises as you praying Indians practise What say you my friends to this lâ—st moâ—â—on of theirs All. We like it very well and shall willingly give attendance unâ—â— 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 Sâ—bbath Conversâ—tion 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 which leadeth to heaven One part of this heavenly way is to Keep holy the Sabbath day by exercising our selves in the Word of Gâ—d 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 Philip Keitassoot Anthony William Sachem Keit. I Have so ordered my occasions that they will give way to my 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 sâ—e 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
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
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 gâ—thered themselves together yea the abjects gathered themselves together against me and I knew it not they did tear me and ceased not With hypocritical mockers in feasts they gnashed upon me with their eeeth 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 Iob in his affliction Iob 30.8 9 10. the basest of the people made songs and jests upon him but mark what end God made with Iob. So Iames speaks Iam. 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 67 of that Psalm Before I was afflicted I weâ—t 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 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 Iodge 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 â— am chief If my Companions have mis-led me or my leaders have caâ—sed 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 â—hould have been It is sometimes a quieting argument to my heart to be patient under â—y 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 Iohn The first endeavour of the heart of man is to pacifie Gods wrath with something of our own and first by mincing excusing and apologizing as they did Ier. 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 found 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 â—r to procure thee a pardon But I finde not your soul mincing or your â—in 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 râ—vers 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 humâ—ly 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-offerings and calves but when that will not be accepted he rises higher â—hewing 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