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
his body for the Sin of his soul whether macerations of the body or any other fruit but alas all will not do And then ver 8. he shews what is the onely thing that will satisfie onely Jesus Christ belived on by faith held forth in those works of sanctification and holy life for so the Scripture testifies 2 Cor 5.19 God was in Christ Iesus reconciling the world unto himself And Acts 4.12 There is no other Name under heaven by which we can be saved Acts 16 3â— Belâ—eve in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saved and thy house I do not mention such Texts of Scripture as call to repentance because the end of repentance being â—o dispose the heart to believing it seemeth to me by your many gracious and penitent confeâ—â—ions thâ—t the Spirit of Gâ—d hath wrought in you a penitent heart already and your soul lyeth in the very next capacity of believing in our Lord Jâ—sus Christ by the Promise Yea further I say that your gracious acceptance of the Word of God love unto it and submission â—o its light and conduct these aâ—ts of grace in you are so powerful sweet and savoury that I know not but that the work of faith is already wrought in your poor mourning trembling but blessed soul and therefore be no more so disconsolate hope in the Lord and do as it is said Psal. 27.14 Wait on the Lord be of good courage and he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say upon the Lord. Penit. I do perceive that you take that to be a great work of grace and faith in my heart so gladly to receive the Word of God and submissively to give up my self to the conduct thereof I cannot deny but confess that my heart is really so as I have expressed and every thing that hath passed in this Conference hath had something in it to strengthen that frame of heart it me and now lastly and especially that you do bring forth that work which is wrought in me to be an evidence of faith this doth so much the more incline and oblige my heart to a great love and reverence to the Scriptures and a resolution through the grace help and assistance of Jesus Christ to spend the rest of my life in a more diligent and abundant attendance on the hearing reading meditating on and obeying of the Word of God If this be an act of faith I desire to live that part of the life of faith all the dayes of my life Lord help me to perform this promise unto God Iohn I will shew you the reason why I lay so much weight upon â—hat fâ—â—r of heart to embrace the Word to love it to obey it c. â—irst I finde that it is the character of those famous primitive Converts Acts 2.41 42. Then they that gladly received his word were â—aptized and the same day there were added unto them about three â—housand souls and they continued stedfastly in the Apostles doctrine â—nd fellowship Their obedience to and walking in the Word is a â—hief effect and Sign of the true and thorough work of grace in â—hem in that point their Conversion shined and it seemeth to me â—hat your Conversion doth in this point shine Again Iam. 1.21 it is said Lay aside all filthiness and superfluity â—â— naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is â—ble to save your souls Here be three things in this Text the first â—â— the preparative work to cast away all filthiness and out boilâ—ngs of naughtiness This work God hath wrought in your diâ—â—ressed heart which appeareth in your penitent confessions The â—econd work is to receive the word with meekness and so that it â—ay appear to be an ingrafted word connaturalized in your heart â—â—d this is the work which I observe to be wrought in your heart â—hich is the work of faith whereby you are united to Christ by â—â—e word so received and submitted unto The entrance of thy â—ord giveth life Psal. 119.130 Then the third thing this Word â—â— received and ingrafted whereby you are united to Christ this â—ill save your soul you are a veâ—â—el of grace and shall be a vessel â—â— glory fear it not God that cannot lie hath spoken it Again 1 Pet. 2.1 2. Laying aside all malice and all guâ—le and hyâ—â—crifies and envies and evil speakings As new-born baâ—es desire the 〈◊〉 milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Here see 1. A 〈◊〉 born babe that is a soul converted a new creature formed in the heart by faith laying hold on Christ and from him receiving the Spirit to dwell in him and to form this new creature in hiâ— heart Now what acts of life doth this babe perform they arâ— two 1. By mortification and repentance he purgeth out all hiâ— sins and this act of life you effectually do by your penitent coâ—fessions The second act of life is he desires the sincere milk oâ— the word that he may grow thereby The new creature is fed bâ— the same means by which it was begotten the word of God is tâ—â— seed of God to beget the new creature 1 Iohn 3.9 and then tâ—â— word of God is milk to feed and nourish the new creature Noâ— this is the thing that I observe in you that as a new â—orn babe yoâ— desire the milk of the word and note this word Sincere milk â— living babe of Christ cannot abide humane mixtures added to tâ—â— word of God he loves the pure word he cannot rellish mixâ—tures Penit. My dearest friend God hath made you an instrument â—â— his hand to lay before me unspeakable consolation and I cannâ—â— deny but I feel it in my heart I am another man then what I waâ— I looked on my self the most miserable of men I now am hapâ—â— being united to Christ. O blessed change I am in admiration 〈◊〉 this I admire the grace of Christ to a dead lost damned sinnâ—â— I am come into a new world I have other desires then I had 〈◊〉 other purposes I see things in another frame then I was wont see them I must live a new life and steer a new course But in this point my soul desires to begin I am not mine own am the servant of Jesus Christ he died for me and by his grace deâ—â—â—e to live unto him And now I finde my self greatly to 〈◊〉 Counsel how to order my self in my future course what shaâ—â— do for the Lord who hath done so much for me My dear frieâ—â— your Counsel hath been greatly owned and blessed by the Lord my new birth I desire to have great respect to your Counsel for ordering of my wayes in my new life You do partly know that my people and some chief ones amoâ—â— them have had but a final measure of respect for me but I have grâ—â—â— reason to overlook it and bury it because in his infinite 〈◊〉 Christ hath turned it about for my better good my heart tellâ— me that I must seek the good of my people how to manage 〈◊〉 work wisely is my difficulty wherein I need your Counsel â— would to God that all my people were as I am and tasted and 〈◊〉 what I have found but that is not yet so I desire to bring tâ—â— to be the Lords people how I shall accomplish that is my grâ—â—â—â—ifficulâ—y You know I have been frequently among you prâ—â— Indians and in my heart have adhered to you and it may be 〈◊〉 have found the less acceptation for it but I leave that God must do and perform the trust charge and duty that my Lord 〈◊〉 hath committed to me My question therefore is How 〈◊〉 comport with the present affairs and state of things how shall I bring the matter about to bring about my people to pray to God Iohn It joyes my heart to hear these gracious breathings of Gods Spirit in you I taste in your discourse evident tokens of a living childe of God I see that my judgement about the spiritual state of your soul was not a product of precipitate charity but an effect of the spirit of right discerning I will encourage you in your godly purposes with a modest application of some of the Angels words to Gideon Judg. 6.12 14. Go on thou mighty man of valour and go in this thy strength and thou shalt save thy people The Lord will be with thee But for the manner of your proceeding in this matter my thoughts incline me to propose this way Be open to own the grace of God bestowed on you to confess your former known crooked and dark wayes and the change which God by his grace hath wrought in you At present let your first motion be to stay a while at Natik adjoyn your self to the Church who when they hear your Confession will joyfully receive you In due season request of the Church to send some able pious and fitting Teachers with you among your people Prudent Counsel may be taken how to prepare and predispose your people for such a motion I do not doubt but the Governour and Magistrates of the Massachusets will be easily intreated to interpose in so good a work which may tend to the bringing in so many people to the service of Jesus Christ. Penit. I do well approve and accept of your Counsel it savoureth of discretion and wisdome in all things God hath guided your lips to drop like the honey-comb into my heart And now I have one request further unto you That while we are together in this solitary opportunity we may spend some time in conversing with God in Prayer turn all those things that have passed into Prayers and the future matters also let us spread them before the Lord and beg his guidance and blessing Iohn I do greatly accept this motion and it is another sign of the truth of the work of Gods grace in your heart because this is the property of the new creature a new-born babe that he will cry Abba Father Here we leave them at Prayer FINIS
I know that you sâ—y true Our fore fathers were many of them wise men and we have wise men now living they all delight in these our Delights they have taugâ—t us nothing about our Soul and God and Heaven and Hell and Jâ—y and Torment in the life to come Are you 〈◊〉 thâ—n our fathers May not we rather think that English men have invented these Storiâ—s to amaze and scare us out of our old Customes and bring us to stand in awe of them that they might wipe us of our Lands and drive us into Corners to seek new wayes of living and new places too and be beholding to them for that which is our own and was ours before we knew them Aâ—l. You say right Pium. The Book of God is no invention of English-men it is the holy Law of God himself which was given unto man by God before English-men had any knowledge of God and all the knowledge which they have they have it out of the Book of God and this Book is given to us as well as to them and it is as free for us to search the Scriptures as for them So that we have our instruction from an higher hand then the hand of man it is the great Lord God of Heaven and Earth who teacheth us these great things of which we speak Yet this is also true that we have great cause to be thankful to the English and to thank God for them for they had a good Country of their own but by Ships sailing into these parts of the World they heard of us and of our Country and of our nakedness ignorance of God and wilde condition God put it into their hearts to desire to come hither and teach us the good knowledge of God and their King gave them leave so to do and in our Country to have their liberty to serve God accordiâ—g to the Word of God And being come hitâ—er we gave them leave freely to live among us they have purchased of us a great part of those Lands which they possess they love us they do us right and no wrong willingly if any do us wrong it is without the consent of their Rulers and upon our Complaints our wrongs are righted They are many of them especially the Ruling part good men and desire to do us good God put it into the heart of one of their Ministers as you all know to teach us the knowledge of God by the Word of God and he hath Translated the holy Book of God into our Language so that we can perfectly know the minde and counsel of God and out of this Book have I learned all that I say unto you and therefore â—ou need no more doubt of the truth of it then you have cause to doubt that the Heaven is over our head the Sun shineth the Earth is under our feet we walk and live upon it and breathe in the Air for as we see with our eyes these things to be so so we reade with our own eyes these things which I speak of to be written in Gods own Book and we feel the truth thereof in our own hearts Kinswom Cousin you have wearied your legs this day with a loâ—g Journey to come and visit us and you weary your tongue with long Discourses I am willing to comfort and refresh you with a â—hort Supper All. Ha ha he though short if sweet that has good savour to a man that is weâ—ry Ha ha he Kinswom You make long and learned Discourses to us which we do not well understand I think our best answer is to stop your moutâ— and fill your belly with a good Supper and when your belly is full you will be content to take rest your self and give us leave to be at rest from these gâ—stering and heart-trembling discourses We are well as we are and desire not to be troubled with these new wise sayings All. You say true Ha ha he Pium. It is good to be merry and wise I am an hungry and â—eary and willing to eat God hath appointed food to be a means of sustaining relieving and repairing our spent strength This being a work above the power of the food we eat or of our selves that eat it and onely in the power of God himself to bless it for such great uses therefore God hath taught us and it is our custome among all that are godly to pray to God for a blessing before we eat and therefore I intreat you â—o have so much patieâ—ce and compliance as to give me the quiet liberty to pray to God bâ—fore we eat Kinsm I pray do and we shall with quietness and silence attend to such a service unto God Pium. Let us lift up our eyes and â—earts to God in heaven and â—ay Almighty glorious merciful and heavenly Father thou dwellest in the high Heavens and fillest both Heaven and Earth with thy presence thou takest care of and governest us here on earth we are poor worms under thy feet thou feedest every living Creature and â—akest our food to be like a staff to sustain our faint and weary boâ—ies thou renewest our strength every day and though we are sinners in thy sight yet thou art merciful to us and with long patience dost call us to repentance We confess all our sins before thee and prâ—y thee for Iesus Christ his sake who died for sinners to have mercy on us and freely to pardon and forgive us all our sins Bless us at this time and this food which is set before us let it be blessed to us make us wise to receive it at thy hand and to use the strength we get by it to the glory of thy Name through Iesus Christ. And bless all our Souls â—eed them by thy Word and Truth and guide our Tongues to speak wise words that may minister grace to the hearers and help us all to rejoyce in the Lord through Iesus Christ. Amen Now let us eat and rejoyce together for God filleth our bodies with food and our souls with gladness Kinsm When the body is full of meat and the head full of wit and the mouth full of words there will be wise discourse Pium. Adde but one thing more If the heart be full of grace then the discourse will be both wise and godly Kinswom You talk much of a belly full I wish we have victuals enough to fill them All. Ha ha he They be not half full yet Ha ha he Kinsm What News do the Ships bring from beyond Sea Pium. They say wicked men are bold and that good men who pray to God are hated vexed troubled persecuted and not suffered to pray to God according to the Laws of Gods Word but by the Laws of men All. It is an ill time for you to come to perswade us to pray God when praying to God is so opposed hated and hindred yâ—â— may be mâ—re like to prevail with us when praying to God is credit honour and good esteem Pium Such as
Flesh for us to feed upon for he maketâ— the grass and herbs to grow and when the beasts do feed thereoâ— he doth turn those Leaves into blood flesh sinews and bones anâ— this he giveth us for food and turneth it into blood flesh sineâ—â— and bones in us All these wonderful works God doth in tâ—â— matter of feeding us and therefore is it not good reason wâ— should then pray to him Kinsm I never heard so much before nor thought of thesâ— things but now you declare and teach them my heart saith thaâ— all is true which you say and I now see great reason for this practise of you that pray to God to pray and give thanks both beforâ— and after meat and I see not but that there is good and just reâ—â—son so to do every time we drink and take in any sustenance aâ— lâ—ast to lift up our hearts to God who hath so eminent an hand iâ— doing us good thereby or hurt if he will Pium. Your acceptance and approbation of what I say and 〈◊〉 what we do in this point is a great argument that God doth boâ— your heart to pray unto God for you acknowledge it to be oâ—â— duty so to do and the neglect of it would be against the light oâ— your own Reason so that this Conviction hath cast a chain upoâ— your soul to binde you to pray unto God What say you mâ— friends All. We cannot say any thing against what you say but whâ—â— we shall do we cannot yet tell we must first consider of it foâ— we are ignorant and foolish we cannot do as you do Pium. Bend your hearts to it and God will teach you by hiâ— Word for we were at first as ignorant as you are but God helped us to hear the Word and do what we could and you see what God hath brought the matter unto We now walk in the light and now we call you to come into the light therefore I say Awake you that sleep stand up from the dead and Christ will give you light Kinsm We shall tire you with these discourses after your long and weary journey it is time for you to go to rest Pium. This discourse is better to me then meat drink and sleep if I may do good to your Souls and turn you unto God But before we go to râ—st and sleep we must pray unto God for it is God that giveth rest and sleep unto his Servants Kinsm Do all you praying Indians thus do when you are weary and tired with labour or travel or hunting c. do you pray before you go to rest what is the reason of your so doing Pium. We alwayes do so and if any should at any time through sloth and sleepiness fail so to do we judge our selves for our sin repent and confess our sin unto God and beg pardon and mercy for Christ his sake And there is great reason thus to pray unto God before we go to rest for besides what I said that God giveth us rest and therefore it is fit humbly to ask it of him There be many other Reasons why we should thus do for 1. VVe must give God thanks for all the mercies we have received all the day which are more then the moments of the time that we live 2. VVe must pray for Gods protection of us when we are asleep we lye like so many dead men and how easily might mischief befall us either by Fire or by an Enemy if God did not defend and keep us but when God is our keeper we may rest quietly in safety without fear under the covert of his hand and by faith in Gods protection we sleep quietly without fear whereas you that do not pray nor believe nor commit your selves to God you do alwayes sleep in fear and terrour 3. Moreover our sleep and rest is a great reparation of our strength and spirits and preservation of our health VVhile we sleep our food is boiled up within us and digested into all parts of our body and new spirits are extracted out of our food and sent up both to our head heart and all parts of our body so that we are fresh and strong in the morning after a good nights rest Now all this is the special work of God beyond the power and skill of man to perform for us and therefore it is great reason to pray for this blessing when we go to rest Kinsm VVhat you say is plain clear and true in every bodies experience though I did never hear nor consider so much of it before if therefore you will pray we will attend you Pium. Let us all appear before God reverently and with godly fear let none lye along or sit which are postures of unreverence but either stand like servants or kneel like sons and daughters before the Lord and so let us pray O merciful Lord God c. Kinsm I perceive that you pray for all our Countrymen who do not yet pray unto God it is your love so to do But what is the effect of your prayers there are not many that I hear of thaâ— pray unto God and you that do pray unto God what do you get by it wherein are you beâ—tered by your praying to God Pium. These are two great Points which you have propounded I am willing to speak to both First for the numbers that pray to God At first this aâ—â—er of praying to God was a little thing like a Cloud in the VVest of the bigness of a mans hand but now the Cloud is great â—nd wide and spreadeth over all the Country Nop and Nantuket and Pâ—umenuk Islands Mahshepog and many parts of the main Land to the utmost bounds of this Country Eastward And VVestward not onely all the Massachusets pray but also a great part of Nipmuk yea and the fields are ripe unto the harvest in many places more whom I will not name until they have given up themselves to the Lord to forsake their vanities and to pray unto God The Church of Christ at Natik have sent forth many into many parts of the Country to call them in unto Jesus Christ. I am sent unto you and I have good hope that God will bow your hearts to pray unto God So that the praying Indians are many and like to be more every year And our hope is the greater because the Lord hath râ—ised up sundry of our young men who were children when we first prayed unto God unto good knowledge in the â—criptures and are able to teach others the good knowledge of God and are sit to be sent forth unto all parts of the Country to â—each them to pray unto God Kinswom Husband what do you mean to withhold our Friend from â—eâ—t so long so lâ—te Alas Cousin you had need be at rest I pray tire not your sâ—lf with these long discourses Pium. I thaâ—k you for your care of me There is but one thing more that I am to speak to viz the second
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
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
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
by the Law of God was evident to me as the light Gods pure and â—nchangeable Justice which sentenced me by the Law unto hell I saw I could not possibly answer seeing I am a poor finite worm and what have I to satisfie infinite offended Justice and therefore my soul mourned and lamented and sunk into despair for Gods Justice is unchangeable and his Law must be satisfied which I am never able to do and therefore I must be eternally damnâ—d under that just sentence I dâ—rst not pray God to pardon my transgression by any absolute soveraign act of mercy for then he should have offended his own Justice which is unchangeable and abolished his own Law whose perfection is such that it must be fulfilled and satisfied and to satisfie Gods just Law was not in the power of any finite creature Man or Angel and therefore I despaired no ransome could be found in all the world for me a poor sinner Oh tâ—e bitterness that my soul felt in the horrour of my damned estate No tongue can utter what my soul felt I had a taste of hell torments in my soul my meditation of Gods Omniscience whereby he knew all my sins not onely open but secret ones brought innumerable sins to my remembrance one of which was enough to damn me but I had mountains of guilt heaped upon my distressed soul the impossibility for me to satisfie divine Justice and the impossibility of pardon without satisfaction because God cannot be unjust and his Law is unchangeable Such meditations cast me into the horrible pit of darkness and desperation The redemption of the soul is precious it ceaseth for ever Psal. 498. Then God opened the mouth of this dear Servant of his who told me that the infinite mercy and wisdome of God had found out a ransome a way to satisfie Justice and fulfil the Law and to save poor condemned sinners and that he himself had found mercy in that way This bred some hope in my soul and stayed me from sinking quite down when I heard of a possibility but still I was in distressing doubt and fear that it was but some delusion because I could not see a possibility for Man or Angel or any Creature to satisfie and give a ransome to infinite Justice Then he declared to me that it is true that no Creature could give a ransome to satisfie Justice but God himself was able to satisfie the infinite Justice of God To that I yielded that God himself might satisfie his Justice but still I was in the dark I could not see this could possibly be Then he opened me that adored Doctrine of God his being One and Three how God was one in Essence three in Persons God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost how the Father doth by an eternal inâ—ellectual act conceive the Image of Himself as being the only adequate Object he understands himself and this is called the Begeâ—ting of the Son by an intellectual conception of his own Image and these two Subsistencies do by an eternal act of Volition love each other and this Love is the third Person in Trinity proceeding from both the Father and the Son Now the eternal Majesty of God agreed within himself that God the Son the second Person in Trinity should assume humane Nature to himself and become a man subject to the Law This glorious Person is the greatest subject that ever the Law had and this glorious Person is able perfectly to fulfil the Law and perfectly to pay a raâ—some satisfactory to infinite Justice who hath done it This depth of divine Wisdome my soul admired and shall do to eternity But still I was at a loss how I should be interested in the ransome that this glorious Person hath paid Then did this Messenger of God declare unto me that this glorious Person Jesus Christ had undertaken both parts of this work First to atone and reconcile God to man by paying the ransome required and by perfect fulfilling the Law Secondly to subdue the soul and will of man to turn and submit to be reconciled to God But this work of converting â— soul to God is such that as no man can convert himself so no other Creature is able to do it onely God himself can do it and for that end both the Father and Son have sent forth the holy Ghost the eternal Spirit to work upon the hearts of men and to create the work of Faith in them by the Word and then to take possession of and dwell in believing souls to mortifie their lusts to sanctifie their hearts and lives and to lead them in the way of grace unto glory And he further declared to me that this blessed Spirit of Gâ—d by the Word of God had already begun this great work in my soul for a new light is set up in my soul a work beyond the reach of man and that light hath convinced me of sin and of my my damned estate by sin it had made a separaâ—ion and divorce betwixt sin and my soul it had cut me off the old stock and lâ—id my soul down at the foot of Christ capable with all humble thankfulness to accept salvation not by any merit of mine but by free-grace of Christ unto a vile and unworthy sinner This I could not deny but I did finde such conviction and such a submission to Christ and this he declared to be the first step and beginning of the work of sound Conversion I crave your patience for a few words more Then he proceeded to shew me that the work was finished by the Promise which also the Spirit of God doth bring home unto the soul and makes up the match betwixt Christ and the soul. And to that purpose he brought Mat 11.28 29. by which Text he shewed me as in a glass 1. The distress my soul was in 2. The call of Christ to such distressed soul. 3. The promise of Rest to such as come to him 4. The obligation to learn meekness both to do and suffer the will of Christ. And here my soul resteth Ah friends we poor Indians are great sinners but Câ—rist is great salvation for the greatest sinners What â—inite creature can out-sin infinite satisfaction Nish I see you are strongly changed and transported but my feeble Age needeth rest and so may you also by this time Wab. Aged Uncle to morrow is the Sabbath-day if you like of it order all your people to come together in the morning and by the Lords assistance I will further teach you by the Word of God Nish I like it well Send out to all parts of the Town that all meet to morrow morning The Sabbath Many being met Waban THe Lord hath appointed that in our publick Worship first of all supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men For Kings and for all that are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable liâ—e in all godliness and honesty For
Christ reconciling the world unto himself and hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation John 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think to finde eternal life and they arâ— they that testifie of me Therefore they are the word of God 5. Because the word of God doth convert the soul from sin and Satan unto God It sanctifieth the soul and doth lead meâ—â— souls in the wayes of life unto salvation it is the sword of the Spirit to conquer the Devil Iam. 1.18 Of his own will begat â—e us with the word of truth Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through the trâ—th thy word is truth Ephes. 6.17 Take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Such grounds as these we are taught in our Catecâ—ism Keit. Who can oppose or gainsay the mountainous weight of these Arguments I am more then satisfied I am ashamed of my ignorance and I abhor my self that ever I doubted of this point and I desire wholly to give up my self to the knowledge of and obedience to the word of God and to abandon and forsake these sins which the word of God reproveth and condemneth Will. I will adde one Consideration further to manifest that the Scriptures are the word of God and that is By the great Antiquity of these writings which have been extant so many thousand years and have passed through so many enemies hands who â—ave used all art and force to abolish them or corrupt them and yet they could never dâ— it Moses wrote the first Five Books of Scripture above a thousand and four hundred years before Christ came and it is above a thousand and six hundred years since Christ came and since the Gâ—spâ—l the last part of the Scripture was written Put these two Numbers together and they make three thousand years So long the Church have had the Scriptures and all this while the Devil and wicked men have endeavoured either to abolish them or corrupt them but they could never do it we have every word of God perfect and pure unto this day which cannot be said of any other writing in all the world And this wonderful divine protection of this Book doth greatly manifest that doubtless it is Gods own word over which he hath bestowed such eminent care Keit. But how do you know all this How do you know what was done so many thousand years ago Will. The Scriptures themselves have kept a perfect Record of Times from the beginning of the World unto the coming of Christ and out of that Chronologie we may perfectly know how long Moses was before Christ and there be other sure wayes to know how many years it is since Christ came And thus may we know certainly how long the Scriptures have been written Keit. If this be so the Reason is strong the Antiquity of the Book requireth reverence and Gods constant care of it sheweth he hath a divine influence in it But we are now called off from any further proceeding in our discourse at this time Before we part I have one motion and request to propose unto you To morrow is your Sabbath and I have a desire that you two would teach us that day and let us see the manner how you worship God it may please God to make more of his light to shine among us You remember what passed about this motion I do now with more desire confirm shat motion Ant. We also are still of the same minde and purpose and are the more confirâ—ed in our hearts because we see that Gâ—d is on the coming hand to incline your heart unto the Lord. After the Sabbath Philip Keitassoot Anthony William Keit. I Have now lived one Sabbath many a Sabbath have I been dead and followed works of darkness and sin when I should â—ave been following the Lord in such wayes of Worship as yesterdâ—y was spent in I am wounded at my heart to remember what I have done upon the Sabbath-day I â—ave served the Dâ—vil and lust and sins of all sorts even upon the Sabbath-dayes The sins that I have committed do render me vile in the sight of God and the time wherein I have committed mâ—ny of them doth render me more vile in the eyes of the Lâ—rd my Judge You said yesterday that Christ Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath and requires all men to spend that day in his service and when Christ Jesus shall judge the world he will examine all men how they spent every Sabbath Oh wretched man that I am what answer shall I make though I am a Sachem here on earth I sâ—all be but a subject in the day of Judgement I now sit upon the Bench to judge others then I must stand at the Barre to be judged my self Oh what mountains of sin have I heaped up in my wicked life I had forgot my sins and I thought God had forgot them too and I had thought my Conscience had forgot them also but now I see it is not so God hath numbred all my wayes my thoughts my words and works and I feel now that my Conscience remembreth them also though it hath been asleep in the times of my ignorance and profaneness Oh I am a wretch I should have been an example to my people an example of virtue of wisdome and of praying to God but I have done quite contrary to my duty I have been an example of lust of profaneness yea of all sin and in particular of this great sin of profaning the Sabbath my heart is wounded with the sense of this â—in especially and that forceth my troubled Conscience to gall and afflict my soul with the remembrance of all my sins But why say I all I now finde my sins are numberless my own personal sins are many great and vile my heart doth loath my self to remember them they make me an abhorring to God But moreover and besides my own personal sins other mens sins I am guilty of Oh how many have sinned upon my account many wayes I am a Sachem over my people to rule them in virtue and to do them good but I have done contrary to my charge I have led them out into all sin and thereby I have done them â—he greatest hurt and mischief I have been a means of their damnation Oh how many are gone and going to hell upon my account how shall I escape damnation who have led so many inâ—o that eternal pit Oh I am pained at my heart what shâ—ll I do Oh what shall I do Ant No creature can help you none but God in Jesus Christ he can help you Consider that Text Micah 6.6 7 8. Wherewith shaâ—â— I come before the Lord and bowe my self before the high God shall I come before him with burâ—â— offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thâ—usands of rivers of oyl shall I give â—y first born for my transgression the fruit of my boâ—y for the sin of
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
the best compâ—ny in the world for yoâ— have the company of Jesus Christ. See Isa. 53 3. He is â—espâ—sed aâ—â— rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grâ—efs 〈◊〉 we hid as it were our â—aces â—rom him he was deâ—pâ—â—ed and we esteâ—â—ed him not Wâ—en you â—re alone by your sâ—lâ— reâ—de all this Câ—â—pter you shall finde that Christ wâ—s in greaâ—er distreâ—ses then yoâ— are which he suffered patieâ—â—ly to procure for us pardon and salvation and by his â—uâ—fering he â—ad exâ—erience of suâ—ferings that â—â— might pity us in our gâ—ieâ—s and â—hâ—râ—forâ— it is said Heb. 4.15 For we have not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities but waâ— in all points tempted lâ—ke as we are 〈◊〉 without sin Our affâ—ictions alâ—s expose â—s oftentimeâ— to â—in bâ—â— in that case also Chr ist is very pitiful and gracious he remembreâ—â— that we are but duâ—â— Psal. 103.14 You adde You fear that your Sun will set in darkness and deâ—spair I answer to you Consider tâ—aâ— future things belong to God Do not afflict your self with future things Sufficient for the dâ—yâ— the evil thereof Mat. 6.34 Let â—he morrow care for it â—elf Bâ—â— suppose yâ—u should have no comfort tâ—ll you die it is the case â—â— many of Gods children to die in a dark cloud and Christ himseâ—â— sanctified that case Mat 27.46 50. He cried with a loud voice Eâ—â— Eli lamasabachthani Ver 5â— Iesus when he had cried again with loud voice yielâ—ed up the ghost Whâ—t if some of Gods childreâ— should in this point be conformed to Jesus Christ do not adde â—â— your sorrows fears of a sad condition which Christ hath sanctiâ—fied Touching your Parentage and present state I know how it iâ— very well In this case I advise you to consider that if yoâ—â— worldly Cup had been fillâ—d with such sweetness as flesh and blooâ— desire it might have been much worse for your soul. A soâ—â— drowned in earthly pleasure is rarely saved but a soul drowned iâ— worldly sorrows and griefs if instructed in the knowledge of Jâ—â—sus Christ shall never be lost because the sorrows and crosses â—â— the world will keep him from surfetting upon the Creature anâ— drive him to sâ—tiate himself in Christ by the promises of the Gâ—â—spel Thus have I answered to the chief points in your Coâ—â—plaint Penit. Oh the power of the word of God aptly applied unto tâ—â— case of a distressed soul The sweet experience that I have noâ— found in those â—criptures which you have produced and applieâ— to my case shall make me hereafter to search and reade the Scriâ—ptures more then I have done I do like Hagar complain for â—â—â—ter when it is just by me if I would search I hope I shall reaâ— the Scriptures more then ever I have done Iohn You have prevented me or rather the Spirit of God hath put into your heart by power and grace that which I intended to have presented to you by way of Advice and Counsel namely To be frequent and abundant in reading the Scriptures for you see that all Soul-cordials are laid up there fetch them out therefore from that divine Treasury and make use of them for your comfort I know the Devil will oppose you in this matter and keep you from conversing in the Scriptures because they are the sword of the Spirit Eph. 6.17 whereby we resist his temptations as Christ himself hath set us an example Mat. 4.4 7 10. when the Devil assaulted him with a temptation he drew forth the sword of the Spirit a Text of Scripture and opposed the temptation thereby and that presently conquered the Tempter Do you the same you cannot imitate a better pattern then our Lord Jesus Christ and it is his Command also that we should so do Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures and David made them his meditation day and â—ight Psal. 1.2 and he had the like experience that you now have found and came to the like resolution Psal. 119.93 I will never forget thy precepts for with them thou hast quickned me Penit. I feel much tranquility in my minde in this way of seeking Soul-comfort in the Scriptures Oh I have found out a way of refuge comfort and rest in a stormy time I hope the Lord will give me grace and wisdome to make more use thereof then ever I have done in my life But still my soul is in great doubts and fears about my eternal condition if I spend this life in griefs and sorrows and when I finish here I go away to eternal misery Oh what a lamentable case is that and my fear is that this will be my condition my griefs indeed are many but they are worldly sorrow I cannot say that I am converted I desire to know what it is to be converted Iohn All Mankinde are once born by natural birth they come into this world but all Gods children are born again Iohn 3.3 Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the kingdome of heaven and this is a spiritual birth ver 5. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit c. Baptism is an outward sign of it but the inward grace is a work of the Spirit and the Spirit worketh by the Word of God Iames 1.18 21. Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth and ver 21. Wherefore lay apart all filâ—hiness and superfluity of naughtiness and receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls By faith in the Promise the soul is united to Christ and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 When an afflicted soul doth venture it self and its All upon the faithful word of Promise and sayes to God as Iob said Iob 13.15 Though he kill me yet I will trust in him this is the new-born soul and this believing soul shall be surely saved at last whatever sorrows and afflictions it goes through in this life And wh ereas you say that your sorrows and griefs are but worldly sorrow I answer That the question is not what kinde of sorrow it is so much as what the effects of it is for no matter what the sorrow is if it drive the soul to Christ our salvation is by Christ and not by sorrow the use of sorrow is to imbitter sin and the world and to drive the soul to Christ for relief and rest if worldly sorrow or rather sorrow about worldly things do this it hath its end and proves to be a godly sorrow Sorrows are not to merit any thing from God but to force the afflicted soul to fly to him for refuge We shall finde examples in Scripture where sorrows about worldly things have effectually driven the soul to fly to God for refuge Psal. 88.18 Lover and friend hast thou put far from me and mine acquaintance into darkness This was an outward affliction and yet in the first verse of that Psalm it drives him