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-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
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
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
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
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-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
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