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A39226
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A further account of the progress of the Gospel amongst the Indians in New England: being a relation of the confessions made by several Indians (in the presence of the elders and members of several churches) in order to their admission into church-fellowship. Sent over to the corporation for propagating the Gospel of Jesus Christ amongst the Indians in New England at London, by Mr John Elliot one of the laborers in the word amonsgt them.
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Eliot, John, 1604-1690.
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1660
(1660)
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Wing E511; ESTC R214794
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48,601
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89
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the Holy Bible should be printed in our dayes and at our cost in a Language and for a Nation which never had it to this day That this blessed and beautifull Vndertaking for the gathering in of those poor Souls who yet wander in that Howling wilderness to the Flock and fold of Christ the Great Shepherd of the Sheep may not want their compassionate and chearfull assistance who are already through grace gathered into his holy flocks and folds is the hearty desire and prayer of The 6th of the first Moneth 1659. Sirs Your affectionate friend to serve you in the Lord JOSEPH CARYL A brief Relation received from Mr John Elliott of the late Proceedings with the Indians in New England in order to their admission into Church-fellowship In the year of our Lord 1659. The fifth day of the fifth Moneth THis is the third time that the Praying Indians some of them have been called forth into publick to make open confession of the Name of Christ to come under the publick tryal of Gods people whether they be indeed Christians as fit matter for a Gospel Church Truth loveth and seeketh the light I was stirred up hereunto and quickened by Letters from England The Lord put it into the hearts of such as are honourable reverend and of eminent service to Christ in England to move mee before I moved When I moved this last time I perceived that it was the general inclination of the Spirit of the Saints both Magistrates Elders and others that at lest some of the principal of them should for a season be seasoned in Church-fellowship in communion with our English Churches before they should be Churches among themselves And when it was Objected What should the rest of the people do if the principal and most able should not keep their Sabbaths among them It was Answered That their usual Sabbath conversation should be at home among their own people only sometime to be among the English viz. for participation of the Seals the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper and for any special Exercise of Discipline When it was Questioned what English Church they should joyn unto All with one mouth said that Roxbury Church was called of God to be first in that service of Christ to receive the praying Indians In the accomplishment whereof I yielded my self up to follow counsel in the Lord The Elders offered themselves on some Lecture day to meet if need were at Roxbury Lecture then to speak with the Church to perswade to an unanimous accord in receiving the Indians for a season which accordingly they did and the Lord was so effectually present in that meeting that all Objections so far as I know were silenced Soon after our Church passed a Vote for the receiving of the Indians The Elders of Roxbury called eight of them to a private preparatory Confession in order to our publick proceeding Wee gave notice of the time and place of this meeting and many were present to hear them both men and women which Confessions I shall here set down for reasons which seem to mee to have much weight and they are as followeth An Abbreviate of the Confessions of some of the Indians which they made before the Elders of Roxbury sundry Christian people being present both men and women the 15th day of the second Moneth 1659. preparatory in order to their admission into the Church Nishoâ—kou OH God of Grace and Salvation help mee by thy spirit to confesse truth and grace in the presence of God 1 I confesse that I have now learned out of Gen. 5. 1. that God made man in the Image of God and Adam lived 130 years and begot a Son in his own Image ver. 3. which then was not the Image of God but by reason of the fall was the Image of Satan and that Image of Satan hee did communicate to us so that wee are all born in sin and so I lived After wee pray'd to God about three years my heart was not yet right but I desired to run wilde as also sundry others did Then I understood that the Lord did make heaven earth sea and all creatures and also man and therefore I understood that God made mee Yet I being young I was still vain and ran about and I liked to do acts of youth and vanity and lust as others did And I went to Pawwauing among others and these things I loved throughly and they grew in my heart and had nourishment there and especially lust if I cut my hair it was with respect to lust to please women if I had long hair it was with respect to lust and all I did was with respect to lust and women when there was meetings drinkings sports they respected lust and these things I perfectly loved When the Minister came to teach us hee taught and I came to meeting but I came to look upon women I understood not what hee taught sometimes I came and understood nothing at all only I look't on women About two years after I began to understand what the Minister preached I understood that Scripture Iam. 1. Hee that doubteth is like a wave of the sea driven of the windes and tossed and if any man lack wisedom let him ask it of God This I understood yet I only understood it but it was very hard to believe Afterward I heard out of Gen. 6. that God spoke concerning man I will destroy man whom I have made because God saw that the way of man was corrupt before him and this troubled mee And again in the same Chapter it is said That God saw that the iniquity of man was great upon the earth and that every imagination of the thought of his heart is only evil continually this troubled mee for I saw the roots of sin in my heart yet it was hard to believe Again in that 6. of Gen. God rebuked that sin in man which was my sin and then my heart was troubled Sometime my heart said it is better to run wilde as I did before then to pray to God for if now I sin or commit lust I shall be punished or put in prison but if I run wilde I have liberty to sin without danger but I was ashamed of such thoughts and repented but yet I doubted After half a year I heard the Minister preach this That Christ his death is of infinite value but our death is little worth God is satisfied with the death of Christ and promiseth to pardon our sins for Christ his sake if wee believe in Christ wee deserve to die but Christ standeth in our stead and dyeth for us and so saveth us from death Next time the Minister came hee asked what I remembred of this I now spoke of and I did remember it and do remember it to this day and I desire to pray to God as long as I live I believe Christ dyed for sinners but I doubted concerning my self Then I heard this promise If you repent and believe