Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	act_n	faith_n	grace_n	4,482	5	5.9933	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A84357	Tears of repentance: or, A further narrative of the progress of the Gospel amongst the Indians in New-England: setting forth, not only their present state and condition, but sundry confessions of sin by diverse of the said Indians, wrought upon by the saving power of the Gospel; together with the manifestation of their faith and hope in Jesus Christ, and the work of grace upon their hearts. Related by Mr. Eliot and Mr. Mayhew, two faithful laborers in that work of the Lord. Published by the corporation for propagating the Gospel there, for the satisfaction and comfort of such as wish well thereunto.	Eliot, John, 1604-1690.; Mayhew, Thomas.; Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.	1653 (1653)	Wing E524; Thomason E697_16; ESTC R207106	52,811	83

expressed did much affect him And shortly after he came and desired to joyn with the praying Indians to serve Jehovah but it was to the great discontentment of the Sachems on the Mayn and those Indians about him News was often brought to him that his life was laid in wait for by those that would surely take it from him they desired him therfore with speed to turn back again The man came to me once or twice and I perceived that he was troubled he asked my counsel about removing his Habitation yet told me That if they should stand with a sharp weapon against his breast and tell him that they would kill him presently if he did not turn to them but if he would they would love him yet he had rather lose his life than keep it on such terms for said he when I look back on my life as it was before I did pray to God I see it to be wholly naught and do wholly dislike it and hate those naughty waies but when I look on that way which God doth teach me in his Word I see it to be wholly good and do wholly love it Blessed be God that he is not overcome by these temptations The next thing I judg also worthy to be observed My Father and I were lately talking with an Indian who had not long before almost lost his life by a wound his Enemies gave him in a secret hidden way the mark whereof he had upon him and will carry it to his grave This man understanding of a secret Plot that was to take away his Enemies life told my Father and I That he did freely forgive him for the sake of God and did tell this Plot to us that the mans life might be preserved This is a singular thing and who among the Heathen will do so I observe also that the Indians themselves do indeavor to propagate the knowledg of God to the glory of God and the good of others I heard an Indian after I had some discourse with the Indians in the night ask the Sachem and many others together how they did like that counsel they heard from the word of God They answered very wel then said he why do you not take it why do you not do according to it He further added I can tell you why it is Because you do not see your sins and because you do love your sins for as long as it was so with me I did not care for the Way of God but when God did shew me my sins and made me hate them then I was glad to take Gods Counsel this I remember he spake with some other things with such Gravity and truth that the Sachem and all the company was not able to gain-say Myoxeo also lately met with an Indian which came from the Mayn who was of some note among them I heard that he told them of the great things of God and of Christ Jesus the sinfulness and folly of the Indians the Pardon of sin by Christ and of a good life and so were they both affected that they continued this discourse two half nights and a day until their strength was spent He told him in particular how a Beleever did live above the world that he did keep worldly things alwaies at his feet as he shewed him by a sign That when they were deminished or increased it was neither the cause of his Sorrow or joy that he should stoop to regard them but he stood upright with his heart Heavenward and his whol desire was after God and his joy in him Now Much honored in the Lord and all that love Christ Jesus in truth let me prevail with you that we may be presented by you at the Throne of Grace in his worthiness to obtain those blessings that concerns his Kingdom and Glory our comfort and Salvation And you are and shall also be ever humbly so prayed for by him who is From the Vinyard the 22. of October 1652. Yours obliged and ever to be commanded in the Work of the Lord Jesus Thomas Mayhew To His Excellency the Lord General Cromwel Grace Mercy and Peace be Multiplied Right Honorable ENvy it self cannot deny that the Lord hath raised and improved You in an Eminent manner to overthrow Antichrist and to accomplish in part the Prophesies and Promises of the Churches Deliverance from that Bondage In all which Service the Lord hath not only kept Your Honor unsteined but also caused the Lustre of those precious Graces of Humility Faith Love of Truth and Love to the Saints c. with which through His Free Grace He hath enriched You to shine forth abundantly beyond all exception of any that are or have been Adversaries to Your Proceedings Now as the design of Christ in these daies is double namely First To overthrow Antichrist by the Wars of the Lamb and Secondly To raise up His own Kingdom in the room of all Earthly Powers which He doth cast down and to bring all the World subject to be ruled in all things by the Word of His mouth And as the Lord hath raised and improved You to accomplish so far as the Work hath proceeded the first part of His Design so I trust that the Lord will yet further improve You to set upon the accomplishment of the second part of the design of Christ not only by indeavoring to put Government into the hands of Saints which the Lord hath made You eminently careful to do but also by promoting Scripture Government and Laws that so the Word of Christ might rule all In which great Services unto the Name of Christ I doubt not but it will be some Comfort to Your heart to see the Kingdom of Christ rising up in these Western Parts of the World and some confirmation it will be that the Lords time is come to advance and spread His Blessed Kingdom which shall in his season fill all the Earth and some incouragement to your heart to prosecute that part of the Design of Christ namely That Christ might Reign Such Considerations together with the Favorable Respect You have alwaies shewed to poor New-England hath imboldned me to present unto Your Hand these first Confessions of that Grace which the Lord hath bestowed upon these poor Natives and to publish them under the protection of Your Name begging earnestly the continuance of Your Prayers for the further proceeding of this gracious Work And so committing Your Honor to the Lord and to the Word of His Grace and all Your weighty Affairs to His Heavenly Direction I rest Your Honors to serve You in the Service of Christ JOHN ELIOT To the READER Christian Reader I Know thy Soul longeth to hear Tydings of Gods grace powred out upon these goings down of the Sun because the Spirit of God by the Word of Prophesie useth to raise up and draw forth such actings of Faith as accord with the accomplishment of those Prophesies when the time of their accomplishment is come When Israel was

should ask them Questions in these matters After a little conference hereabout it was concluded That they should first make confession of their experience in the Lords Work upon their hearts because in so doing it is like something will be discerned of their knowledg in the Doctrines of Religion and if after those Confessions there should yet be cause to inquire further touching any Point of Religion it might be fitly done at last Whereupon we so proceeded and called them forth in order to make confession It was moved in the Assembly by Reverend Mr. Wilson that their former Confessions also as well as these which they made at present might be read unto the Assembly because it was evident that they were daunted much to speak before so great and grave an Assembly as that was but time did not permit it so to be then yet now in my writing of their Confessions I will take that course that so it may appear what encouragement there was to proceed so far as we did and that such as may reade these their Confessions may the better discern of the reality of the Grace of Christ in them The first which was called forth is named Totherswamp whose former Confession read before the Elders was as followeth BEfore I prayed unto God the English when I came unto their houses often said unto me Pray to God but I having many friends who loved me and I loved them and they cared not for praying to God and therefore I did not But I thought in my heart that if my friends should die and I live I then would pray to God soon after God so wrought that they did almost all die few of them left and then my heart feared and I thought that now I will pray unto God and yet I was ashamed to pray and if I eat and did not pray I was ashamed of that also so that I had a double shame upon me Then you came unto us and taught us and said unto us Pray unto God and after that my heart grew strong and I was no more ashamed to pray but I did take up praying to God yet at first I did not think of God and eternal Life but only that the English should love me and I loved them But after I came to learn what sin was by the Commandements of God and then I saw all my sins lust gaming c. he named more You taught That Christ knoweth all our hearts and seeth what is in them if humility or anger or evil thoughts Christ seeth all that is in the heart then my heart feared greatly because God was angry for all my sins yea now my heart is full of evil thoughts and my heart runs away from God therefore my heart feareth and mourneth Every day I see sin in my heart one man brought sin into the World and I am full of that sin and I break Gods Word every day I see I deserve not pardon for the first mans sinning I can do no good for I am like the Devil nothing but evil thoughts and words and works I have lost all likeness to God and goodness and therefore every day I sin against God and I deserve death and damnation The first man brought sin first and I do every day ad to that sin more sins but Christ hath done for us all righteousness and died for us because of our sins and Christ teacheth us That if we cast away our sins and trust in Christ then God will pardon all our sins this I beleeve Christ hath done I can do no righteousness but Christ hath done it for me this I beleeve and therefore I do hope for pardon When I first heard the Commandements I then took up praying to God and cast off sin Again When I heard and understood Redemption by Christ then I beleeved Jesus Christ to take away my sins every Commandement taught me sin and my duty to God When you ask me Why do I love God I answer Because he giveth me all outward blessings as food clothing children all gifts of strength speech hearing especially that he giveth us a Minister to teach us and giveth us Government and my heart feareth lest Government should reprove me but the greatest mercy of all is Christ to give us pardon and life Totherswamp The Confession which he made on the Fast day before the great Assembly was as followeth I Confess in the presence of the Lord before I prayed many were my sins not one good word did I speak not one good thought did I think not one good action did I doe I did act all sins and full was my heart of evil thoughts when the English did tell me of God I cared not for it I thought it enough if they loved me I had many friends that loved me and I thought if they died I would pray to God and afterward it so came to pass then was my heart ashamed to pray I was ashamed if I prayed not I was ashamed a double shame was upon me when God by you taught us very much ashamed was my heart then you taught us that Christ knoweth all our harts therefore truly he saw my thoughts and I had thought if my kindred should die I would pray to God therfore they dying I must now pray to God and therefore my heart feared for I thought Christ knew my thoughts then I heard you teach The first man God made was named Adam God made a Covenant with him Do and live thou and thy Children if thou do not thou must die thou and thy Children And we are Children of Adam poor sinners therefore we all have sinned for we have broke Gods Covenant therefore evil is my heart therefore God is very angry with me we sin against him every day but this great mercy God hath given us he hath given us his only Son and promiseth That whosoever beleeveth in Christ shall be saved for Christ hath dyed for us in our stead for our sins and he hath done for us all the words of God for I can do no good act only Christ can and only Christ hath done all for us Christ have deserved Pardon for us and risen again he hath ascended to God and doth ever pray for us therefore all Beleevers Souls shall goe to Heaven to Christ But when I heard that word of Christ Christ said Repent and Beleeve and Christ seeth who Repenteth then I said dark and weak is my Soul and I am one in darkness I am a very sinful man and now I pray to Christ for life Hearing you teach that Word that the Scribes and Pharisees said Why do thy Disciples break the Tradition of the Fathers Christ answered Why do ye make void the Commandements of God Then my heart feared that I do so when I teach the Indians because I cannot teach them right and thereby make the word of God vain Again Christ said If the blind lead the blind they will both fall into the ditch