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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	aaron_n	according_a	worship_n	42	3	6.1701	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52574	New-Englands duty and interest to be an habitation of justice and mountain of holiness containing doctrine, caution, & comfort : with something relating to the restaurations, reformations, and benedictions promised to the church and world in the latter dayes : with grounds of hope, that America in general & New-England in particular may may have a part therein : preached to the General Assembly of the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay, at the anniversary election, May 25, 1698 / by Nicholas Noyes ...	Noyes, Nicholas, 1647-1717.	1698 (1698)	Wing N1461; ESTC R16814	53,865	112

Consolation and we may suck and be satisfied out of both of them and milk out and be delighted with the abundant Consolations they afford I conclude this Use with saying only this further that to deny the fore-mentioned usefulness of the Old-Testament Doctrine Promises Threatnings History and Prophesy is to Apocrypha the Old Testament at once and to confront the New in a thousand instances and to charge Non sequitur upon the Apostolical Argumentation U. 6. To teach us That by how much more similitude there is between the State History or Circumstances of the Jews and the State and Circumstances of any Christian people or Plantation so much the more apt and easy will accommodations be of Doctrinal Historical Promissory Minatory and Prophetical Passages This is self evident for where there is par ratio where the reason is the same the consequence will be more evident and the conclusion the more cogent And if so I conclude such accommodations will be easy to New England seeing there is such considerable similitude and agreement in the circumstances of both Some of which circumstances and instances of similitude I shall modestly propound in hope that they will be as candidly taken as they are honestly intended 1. The first Planters of the Israelitish Vineyard or the first Plants therein were a noble Vine a right Seed Jer. 2.21 The twelve Patriarchs were all Godly and God led them like a flock by the hand of Moses und Aaron Israel was Holiness to the Lord. So the first Undertakers Planters the Foundation men of New-England were Holiness to the Lord though not universally yet generally so This Land was planted with choice Vines Men Eminent in Piety and Vertue that Served God and their Generation according to the Will of God 2. The great End for which Israel went into the Wilderness and the Land of Canaan was that they might Worship God according to his own Institution with more purity and less peril than they could do in the Countrey where they were Exod. 8.1 Let my people go that they may Serve me Exod. 8.27 We will go three days Journey into the Wilderness and Sacrifice to the Lord our God as He shall command us The first Text sheweth they went out for the Worship of God the second shews it was for purity of Worship according to Gods Institution See v. 26. of the same Chapter and you will see it also to be that they might so Worship God with more liberty and safety than where they were For Pharaoh would have let them Sacrifice to their God in the Land but Moses said It is not meet so to do c. Will they not Stone us So then that they might worship God purely without giving offence to others or endangering themselves they were willing to go further a field Even so was the Design of our Predecessors in coming more than three days Journey viz. three thousand miles into this Wilderness that they might Serve God with pure Worship according to his own Institution without offence to others and with more liberty and safety to themselves than at that time could be had in their own Countrey The World knows that our Predecessors did not leave their Native Soil that dulce solum Patriam for better Accommodations in worldly respects they did not come into the Wilderness for Worldliness but for Godliness sake and that the first Rulers Teachers and Churches had the Glory of God and the liberty and purity of his Worship in their Eye And their Memory will be precious in Ages to come notwithstanding their Ashes have been polluted and that with an unusual degree of Impudence and falshood by the Rabshakeh Raileries Lyes of some nameless and shameless Hereticks 3. As the Israelites underwent many hazards hardships in that Enterprize and had special assistance preservation provision and protection from the good Providence of God that was very peculiar about them for good So did the first Comers into New-England run many great risks and grapple with many difficulties both of Sea and Land too many to enumerate in all which the good Providence of God was very circumspect about them in sending suitable and seasonable succours and supplies They cried to the Lord in their troubles and he saved them out of their distresses as the brief Histories of New-Englands Affairs show 4. As God made room for the Israelitish Vine and caused it to take root and spread and flourish so that its boughs went to the Sea and its branches by the rivers its Shade covered hills Whilst Religion and Righteousness flourisht among them they were both numerous and prosperous And so it was in New-England in a good degree God blessed them and caused them to multiply greatly No Out-going of the English Nation for the time can compare with it 5. As there grew declension and degeneration among that people notwithstanding all God had done for them and notwithstanding all done for maintaining and transmitting pure Religion to succeeding Generations so hath it befallen New-England We may with grief and shame read over and meditate upon some Texts spoke of Israel as Hos 4.7 as they were increased so they sinned so Josh 2.7 The people Served the Lord all the days of Joshua and the Elders that out lived Joshua c. and there arose another generation after them which knew not the Lord. 6. As they chang'd their ways from Good to Evil and walkt contrary to God so God chang'd his ways from ways of Mercy to ways of Affliction and walkt contrary to them And as was threatned did them evil after that he had done them good So hath it also been with us As for our Degeneracy it is too palpable to be denied and too gross to be excused It calls for Lamentation Humiliation and Reformation rather than proof and demonstration though that also be needful enough in order to the former And the Servants of God have in this place as well as in others offered conviction of that to which I refer you As to Gods change of his Dispensations towards his people from a way of Mercy to a way of sore Affliction and Judgment he is a very great stranger to the affairs of New England or one that considers not the Operations of Gods Hand that knoweth not this Who knoweth not that our Fields which use to smell as the Fields which the Lord hath blessed have of a long time been blasted that a Fruitful Lord hath been turned into Barrenness Instead of Plenty we have had Scarcity instead of Health Sickness instead of Peace War and have been thereby diminished impoverished and brought low Instead of remarkable divine favour direction and protection we have had such trouble from Heaven and Hell from Earth and Sea and such desertions frustration and rebukes from God in things of greatest importance that who shall consider well of these things will with grief and shame say The countenance of our God and Father hath not been

God and Jesus Christ the righteous for their Lord and Saviour and devote themselvs to him and by Baptism like an Oath of Allegiance oblige themselves to imitate and obey him and constantly to pray to be Renewed after his Image in holiness and righteousness and profess themselves moved to holiness and righteousness by the Spirit of Christ the Grace of Christ the Law of Christ the Love of Christ the Example of Christ the Name and Honour of Christ and by the hopes and fears of the unseen future and eternal World You have the proof of the first Doctrine I proceed to illustrate and confirm the second Doctrine DOCT. II. That such People and Places as profess the Christian Religion may expect to be Happy or Miserable according as it goeth with them as to Holiness and Righteousness The weight of it bears upon these four Pillars 1. That Judea and Jerusalem had formerly not only been called but had been an Habitation of Righteousness and a Mountain of Holiness and that then they were Saluted of men loved esteem'd and pray'd for by men and Blessed by God that thus it was once is evident Jer. 2.3 Israel was holiness to the Lord that is very holy the first fruits of his increase that is they were Consecrated to God as the first fruits of mankind they were holy to God and his Service and not to be devoured by Strangers but at their peril In the Love of their Espousals they followed the Lord into the Wilderness like to what is prophesyed of the One hundred forty four-thousand Rev. 14.1 They appeared on Mount Sion with the Lamb and have his fathers name written on their foreheads and for purity of Doctrine Worship Discipline and Manners follow the Lamb wheresoever he goeth Jerusalem had been a very faithful City true to God and his Worship free from the unchast embraces of Idolatry and Superstition neither was she then polluted with the prophanation of holy things or time It had also abounded excelled in righteousness it was full of Judgment Righteousness lodged in it Isa 1.21 If you had lookt for Charity Equity Honesty Verity and fair Dealing yea Justice Commutative or Distributive you might have found them dwelling in Jerusalem And while things went thus they were very happy the Habitation of their Righteousness was prosperous they had peace and plenty health and safety This is so evident that the Lord appeals to themselves whether it was not so Jer. 22.15 Did not thy father eat and drink and do Justice and Judgment and then it was well with him So Jer. 2.5 What Iniquity have your fathers found in me implying that till they causelesly departed from God things went well with them Yet must not this be so strictly taken as if ever there was a time in Israel wherein there was no unholiness and unrighteousness in them that the Priests Rulers and People were perfectly holy and righteous exactly conformable to the Moral Law for they were sinners by nature and were at best liable to humane infi mities and frailties yea in their best times there was something wanting that could not be numbred and something crooked that could not be made streight as their history sheweth and therefore any Expression that may blush otherwise must be understood comparatively not absolutely So when they are said to have been happy very happy it must not be understood as if they had no Calamity or Sorrow but that no desolating destroying evil tell upon them when in Solomons time it is said that they had no adversary or evil occurrent it must be understood Comparatively and so the sence is there had been a time when holiness and righteousness had flourished extraordinarily in Judea and Jerusalem and at that time they were extraordinarily happy enjoyed the favour of God in very peculiar Instances and had a very great confluence of Gods Bounties and Benefits 2. That in Jeremiah's time all ranks and orders of men were grown very degenerate and were greatly corrupted and were become very unhappy almost as miserable as misery could make them In Isaiah's time which was considerably before this the faithful City was become an Harlot and they were over run and over-grown with violence and unrighteousness of every kind In stead of Judgment there was Oppression in stead of Righteousness there was a Cry Isa 1.21 and 5.7 But in Jeremiah's time they were heightned and hardned in all their wickedness and were unteachable imperswadable and incorrigible The chief of the Priests and the People transgressed very much after all the Abominations of the Heathen and had polluted the house of the Lord and despised all the Patience Compassion of their God and complyed with none of the methods of his grace to reclaim them but Stiffned their necks and hardened their hearts from turning to the Lord God of Israel They mocked his Messengers and Messages and misused his Prophets till the wrath of the Lord arose against his people there was no remedy 2 Chron. 36.14 15 16. Then wrath and ruin of every kind invaded them and broke in upon them till they were taken and carried into Captivity and Jeremiah was in this one of the unhappiest of all the holy Prophets in that he lived to see his woful Prophesies turned into History The man that did not only foresee but lived to see affliction by the rod of Gods Wrath yea he lived to write doleful Lamentations over the Accomplishment of his own direful and dismal Prophesies and to see the People as miserable as he had seen them sinful 3. That it was not only so as you have heard in one instance but it was Gods way and manner of dealing with his own People the Jews to deal out happiness or misery to them according as they dealt with him in matters of holiness and righteousness whilst they were with God in wayes of duty God was wont to be with them in wayes of mercy to bless and prosper them but when they walk Contrary to God his way was to walk Contrary to them when it was their way to grieve him with their impieties and iniquities it was his way to vex them with various adversities See 2 Chron 15.2 The Lord is with you while ye be with him and if ye seek him he will be found of you but if ye forsake him he will forsake you V. 3. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God and without a teaching Priest and without Law The ten tribes had been so from their revolt which was about Thirty years and for that time there was no peace to him that went out nor to him that came in for God did vex them with all adversity See the 5th 6st Verses That God did promise them the greatest mercies blessings on condition of Obedience to his Laws Statutes and threatned them with the greatest curses and miseries in case of revolt and disobedience is ungainsayable if you read and consider Levi. 26.

the Example Prayers Tears of many plain Christians are like to be more wanted then they are lamented Our friend Lazarus sleepeth saith Christ and wept at his grave Godly men must die as well as others and if their Children and Successors made good their Leaders ground it were not so Ominous But alas it hath been often otherwise in New England 5. The lubricity fickleness and unsteadyness of men in the true Religion in which they have been Educated not to say born as well as brought up it is a woful sign of declension when the Children of the Church are like Children tost to and fro with every wind of doctrine Men run away with a perverse interpretation of that of the Apostle 1 Thes ● 21 Prove all things forgetting the very next words hold fast that which is good Alas men are more fixt and steady in a false Religion Hath a Nation changed their gods which yet are no Gods but my people hath changed their glory c. Jer. 5.11 'T is a prodigie of Levity and Vanity to see persons that sucked in such Milk as David who said Thou art my God from my Mothers belly thou hast caused me to hope on my Mothers breasts that had such Mothers and Grandmothers as Timothy had that have been acquainted with the holy Scriptures from their very childhood and by their Godly Fathers Schoolmasters and Ministers were brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord and it may be have made a Personal profession yet hanker after Novelties in Religion without regard to verity and when reproved for it think to justify themselves by that of the Apostle Prove all things as if that would justify their running a gadding and a madding after such Seducers as pretend to divine inspiration immediate revelation infallible guidance by the holy Spirit and yet deny the holy Scriptures to be the word of God and touchstone of truth and deny the Ordinances of Baptism and the Lords Supper and all Instituted worship Truly Sirs as for them that have lived long under the Preaching of the Gospel and can't see that such doctrine needs not much trying whether it be sound or no will be found to have their Religion to choose and that they have unsound hearts as well as itching ears They that have long had the offer of Truth and yet let it go will hold fast-Error They that were so scrupulous about CHRIST who came in his Fathers Name and confirmed his doctrine by Miracles did as Christ foretold believe on one that came in his own name Declension in Doctrine and Worship will bring on declension in Manners They that are not sound in the faith will not long be sound in Gods Statutes they that make Shipwrack of Faith will make Shipwrack of a Good Conscience also 6. The extream Difficulty of recovering from declension renders it very hazardous whether we shall not yet be more Sinful If there were no Devil to tempt nor no evil Example among men nor any temptation from a frowning or flattering World which is all far otherwise yet the inbred corruption of mens hearts that are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked is enough to undoe all This peop●● saith Jeremiah hath a revolting and a rebellious heart they are revolted and gone Jer. 5.23 Such a deceitful revolting rebellious heart can shift off all Conviction and bear up against all reproof Infidelity can despise and disrega●d all Promises and Threatnings Security can eat and drink build and plant till the flood come and carry all away Prophaneness can mock at all th s and more till there be no remedy Self-love can blind mens eyes in what concerns themselves so as they shall not be able to see faults in themselves though they be very quick sighted in seeing faults in others Reformation is the most necessary but the most difficult thing in the World because the Enemy of it is not only in a mans own house but in a mans own heart To cure a long contracted Cachexia or ill habit of body to uphold a tottering Empire and to reform a declining People are three very difficult things but the last of them is the hardest of them all These six foregoing particulars may serve to show that the people of New-England are in great danger of being yet more Sinful which is a very humbling and awful consideration Who can seriously reflect upon it and not say as they Jo●h 22.17 Is the Iniquity of Poor too little for us from which we are not cleansed to this day The more the Danger is the more need our care fear prayer endeavour be lest we add to the heap of New-Englands Transgression Secondly New England is in danger of being much more Miserable than ever yet they were or yet are The fore mentioned danger being found real and impending this cannot be otherwise It unavoidably follows from the premisses for if it be like to fare with New England as to Happiness or Misery according as it goeth with them as to Holiness and Righteousness as hath been proved and that New-England is already very Sinful and in danger of being much more Sinful there must needs be the like danger of being more Miserable God threatned Israel three times in one Chapter that if after they had Sinned against him and thereby brought upon themselves some direful Effects of his displeasure they did not humble themselves return and reform H● would punish them yet seven times more for their sin which accordingly came at last to p●ss God did bear for-bear time after time and many a time forgave them upon their repentance such as it was so as not to consume them though at several times he sorely afflicted them for their sin Yet forasmuch they revolted more and more after their respits from their trouble at length they found the threatning executed and so may we if we don't take warning Before I leave those two last heads I will reflect a little on the sayings of some that were they true would render the fore mentioned Warnings needless and useless 1. Some make as if New-England were already as sinful as sinful can be as bad as bad can be To which I reply I have no design to speak diminutively of the Sins of the Countrey I do acknowledge with grief and shame that they have been and are very horrible yet I think such Sayings are not justifyable in any Some well-meaning holy men being of dark melancholly Spirits and little acquainted with the advances that Atheism Idolatry Superstition Prophaneness Iniquity and Sensuality have made in other professing parts of the World are apt to think so and in their indignation against sin sinners to say so But the truth is Though we have cause to abhor our selves for being so bad as we are and to meditate all ways possible to grow better yet it cannot with truth be asserted that as yet we are as bad as bad can be for there is real danger of

cure the Lukewarmness of professors and recover the Power and Life of Godliness in them and to Convince Convert and Reform Ungodly Sinners it had need be done that the Land become not more Sinful and more Miserable I beseech also the Churches of Christ and exhort them to do their utmost that this land may be an Habitation of Righteousness and Mountain of Holiness They must excel abound in Holiness and Righteousness themselves or it can not be so Jerusalem was a Type of the Christian Church The mountain of the Lords House must be a Holy Mountain I beseech you walk worthy of your holy Vocation You are Saints by Calling Eph. 4.1 compared with Eph. 1.1 To the Saints which are at Ephesus Phil. 1.1 To all the Saints which are in Christ Jesus at Philippi Colos 1.2 To the Saints and faithful Brethren in Christ which are at Colosse Rom. 1 7. To all that be in Rome beloved of God called to be Saints 1 Cor. 1.2 To the Church of God c. called to be Saints You ought to be Holy in all manner of Conversation yea to perfect holiness in the fear of God to be blameless and harmless and to shine as lights in this evil Generation and by your Example to shew others the Amiableness of the ways of holiness and righteousness and by your extensive Charity be ready to entertain into your holy Fellowship such whose hearts God shall prepare and incline to seek it Let the Church of God be swept and kept clean by the besome of Discipline Let the hearts and hands of your Ministers be incouraged in the work of the Lord Let the Elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the word and doctrine Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your Souls Keep the Worship and Ordinances of God pure from humane inventions as well as from prophaneness And let the Church be built up in the most Holy Faith and be a pillar of Truth and not removed from her Stedfastness Walk in your Houses in a perfect way bringing up your Children in the Nurture and admonition of the Lord. And for reading the Word of God Prayer Family-instruction and Discipline and holy Example Let your Houses be as so many Little Churches Finally be ye● followers of God as dear Children in Holiness Righteousness and Charity Love at Brethren yea as holy Brethren partakers of the Heavenly Calling Love one another Care for one another and the things each of other Admonish one another Exhort one another Forgive one another Pray one for another Let all Ranks and Orders of men seek the Increase and Advancement of Holiness and Righteousness and mourn for and turn from and seek the pardon of all our Unholiness and Unrighteousness and that through the plentiful Effusion of the Holy Spirit the Skyes may as it were pour down and Shower down Holiness and Righteousness that this Land may be an Habitation of Righteousness and Mountain of Holiness FINIS Typographus Lectori The Reverend Mr. Grindal Rawson Pastor of the Church in Mendon and the Reverend Mr. Samuel Danforth Pastor of the Church in Taunton spent from May 30. to June 24. 1698. in visiting the several Plantations of the Indians within this Province And the Remainder of this Sheet may be well employed in giving an Account of it IN pursuance of the Orders and Instructions given us by the Honoured Commissioners for the Propagation of the Gospel among the Indians in the American Plantations in New-England and parts Adjacent We have given the said Indians in their several Plantations in the Province of the Massachusetts-Bay a visit and find as followeth At Little Compton we find two Plantations of Indians who keep two distinct Assemblies for the worship of God and according to the best information we could have are constant therein The first Assembly dwells at Saconet Samuel Church alias Sohchawahham has for more than one year past endeavour'd their Instruction and is best capable of any in that place to perform that Service He has ordinarily forty Auditors many times more of these above twenty are Men Diverse here are well instructed in their Catechisms and above ten can read the Bible Here are likewise two Indian Rulers John Tohkukquonnoo and Jonathan George the first of which is a man very well spoken of At Cokesit in Little Compton Daniel Hinckley hath taught here four years twice every Sabbath Eleven families are his Auditors Most of the men here can read and many young ones of whom we had an instance can say their Catechisms Of this Company three persons are in full Communion with the Church settled at Nukkehkummees A person call'd Aham is Schoolmaster here and as we are informed performs his work well Here are likewise two persons improv'd as Rulers Preaching here the two forementioned Teachers at our direction pray'd very soberly and understandingly they gave very diligent attendance and were handsomely cloathed in English Apparel At Dartmouth We find two Assemblies of Indians at Nukkehkummees William Simons ordain'd by Japhet of Marthas Vineyard three years since is their Pastor In the Church here are forty Communicants part dwelling in Nukkehkummees part in Assameeskq Cokesit Acushmet and Assawanupset Here are many that can read well The Word is Preached here twice every Sabbath Twenty families in which one hundred and twenty persons at least are for the most part constant hearers almost all their Children can read Johanan hath been their Schoolmaster but ceases now for want of encouragement We propose his continuance as a person well fitted for the employment William Simons informs that here are four persons annually chosen as Rulers They are well clothed and gave good attendance whilest we dispensed the Word to them Their Pastor praying with good Affection and Understanding and is likewise well reported of by the English At Acushmet John Bryant their Teacher for five or six years past Here are fourteen families unto whom William Simons once in a month ordinarily comes and Preaches some of those who belong to the Church at Nukkehkummees being here settled viz. five men and ten women We find that Scandals are among them reflected upon if any exceed the Rules of Sobriety they are suspended until repentance is manifested By the best intelligence we could arrive to from sober English dwellers on the place we understand they are diligent observers of the Sabbath they are generally well clothed diligent labourers but for want of Schooling their Children are not so well instructed as at the other places though they earnestly desire a Remedy At Major Winthrops Island Mr. John Weeks an English man teaches them on the Sabbath An Indian named Asa chief Ruler among them and a person well reported of teaches them when Mr. Weeks cannot attend it Here are but about nine families most of which can read well are diligent in their callings and generally go well in cloathing