Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	heart_n	pray_v	prayer_n	13,124	5	6.7659	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96415	The light appearing more and more towards the perfect day. Or, a farther discovery of the present state of the Indians in New-England, concerning the progresse of the Gospel amongst them. Manifested by letters from such as preacht to them there. / Published by Henry Whitfeld, late pastor to the Chuch [sic] of Christ at Gilford in New-England, who came late thence.	Whitfield, Henry, 1597-1660?; Mayhew, Thomas, fl. 1651.; Eliot, John, 1604-1690.	1651 (1651)	Wing W1999; Thomason E624_3; ESTC R206427	44,315	54

and masse of them there is one above doth know that my heart melteth towards it desiring the Lord to give me grace to sorrow in secret for millions of them who were never yet acquainted with what many of these poore Indianns have felt and found of the things of Christ and that multitudes of such who hold forth a profession of Christian Religion yet fall short of them in regard of their belief and practise Here I helped my self by comparing the one with the other and that in divers particulars 1. These Indians are found to speak of such whose hearts the Lord hath opened by his Word and Spirit to prize Ordinances and such as bring the Light to them even that poor Indian whose best clothing is a simple skin about him of whom you read in the first Letter yet they honour him for his works sake and for those gifts piety and modesty they see in him Here Ministers of Christ are despised though many of them are eminent for parts wisdome and known integrity 2. These Indians are plain-hearted seek for Christ to enjoy him for himself they receive the Truth in the love of it and obey it without shifting or gain-saying Here men have their own ends to tend to in matter of Religion take up the forme and let the power lie as not serving their turn have evasions to get from under the authority of the truth and the Majesty of the Rules of Christ here is rending and tearing of wits whilst we wrangle one another out of the truth till love and peace be lost 3. These Indians are industrious and pursue the things of their salvation rest they cannot have it they must what ever it cost them bearing up strongly against all opposition We have weak and bed-rid dispositions sunk down into a sottish and sensuall way in many the kingdome of Hell suffers violence and none can withstand them but thither they will 4. These mourn and weep bitterly and are pained under the sight and sense of their sins when convinced of them that some of them have been known to have wet with their teares the places weere they have stood We here for the most part the Lord knowes live with dry eyes and hard hearts and sleight spirits 5. They are careful and constant in duties of worship both in private and family prayer hearing the Word observation of the Sabbath meet often together and will pray together as occasion serves converse lovingly together are teachable patient and contented O that there were such hearts in us O that their example did not shame multitudes of us who are fearfully guilty of omitting what the very light of Nature cals for from us For this my heart is sad fearing that if the Lord do not mightily step in the next generation will be betrayed to Ignorance of the Truth as it is in Jesus to Delusions and Profanenesse and be rendred odious to all our neighbour Nations and that these Indians will rise up in judgment against us and our children at the last day Brethren the Lord hath no need of us but if it please him can carry his Gospel to the other side of the world and make it there to shine forth in its glory brightnesse power and purity and leave us in Indian darknesse And concerning these Indians who have tasted how gracious the Lord is though it cannot be expected but that the Devil should be like himself by the counter-working of this blessed work both by himself and his instruments so as to cause many of them to totter back slide and fall away from what they have professed yet I have ground to conceive and hope that there is such a candle lighted amongst the Indians in those parts which shall not be put out till Christ comes to judgment for the accomplishment of which he shall not cease to pray who is Your loving friend in all Christian duties HENRY WHITFELD FINIS Some call it Marthaes Vineyard By this name they call their Kings and Governors * An Indian house or Wigwam is made with smal poles like an arbour covered with mats and their fire is in the midst over which they leave a place for the smoak to go out at Though I have written this passage to Mr. Winslow in my Letter to him which is printed yet it is not so full a story as here and therfore I have added it This man when I was in the Iland I often saw and spake with seeing also the skar upon his eye-brow and nose Although I was present at this meeting from the beginning to the end yet it was done without my privity or putting them on upon it but it came meerly from themselves This was Towanqueticks eldest sonne Gen. 10. Vide Ainsw. 〈◊〉 loc. Ezek. 11. 16.

things as they stand at present concerning the Indians you have heard of and Gods dealing with them I might undeceive such as are either apt or do beleeve that things reported of them are but a fable and a device or engine used by some to cheat good people of their money and so discourage them from yeelding any help towards this great work The Lord forgive them this great sinne that have raised these evill reports Vnderstand therefore good Reader that my selfe intending by Gods help my returne into my native Countrey It pleased the Lord by his providence before we could come to the place where we were to take ship for England that by reason of contrary winds we were faine to put in at an Iland called Martins Vineyard which is the most Southerly Iland that lies in that tract of Land called New England where there is a small Plantation and a Church gathered where we stayed about ten dayes in which time I had the more leasure and opportunity to informe my selfe of the state of the Indians there having heard formerly that divers of them began to taste the knowledge of Christ For this end I had recourse to Mr. Mahu who is the Pastor of the Church and having attained a good understanding in the Indian tongue and can speak it well hath laid the first foundation of the knowledge of Christ amongst the Indians there by preaching unto them who gave me full information of what I desired I had also speech with some of the Indians Mr. Mahu being my Interpreter Above the rest my desire was to speak with the Indian who now preacheth unto them every Lords day twice whose name is Hiacoomes who seemed to me to be a man of a prompt understanding of a sober and moderate spirit and a man well reported of for his conversation both by the English and Indians I thought him to be about 30 yeers of age with this man I had often speech and I asked him divers questions about Christian Religion and about his own estate before God I remember once I asked him these questions 1. Whether he had found sorrow for sin as sin 2. Whether he had sorrowed for his sins as they had pierced Christ 3. Whether he had found the Spirit of God as an inward comforter to him Vnto all which he gave me a very good satisfactory and Christian answer After this I had the opportunity to go to a private meeting of the Indians of which you shall understand more in the Letter following with Mr. Mahu where having spent three or foure houres in Questions and Answers which passed too and fro between the Indians and my self at our parting I desired that one of them would desire a blessing upon what they had heard for their edification which was accordingly done for they chose out a young man who prayed a quarter of an houre and somewhat more with great reverence and affection as farre as I could judge by his voyce and outward deportment Master Mahu also told me that he had many pertinent and significant expressions in his prayer so that God hath poured on some of them the gift and I hope the spirit of prayer The next day we rode to the Indian Lecture where Mr. Mahu preached and catechised their children who answered readily and modestly in the Principles of Religion some of them answered in the English some in the Indian tongue Thus having seen a short model of his way and of the paines he took I made some enquiry about Mr. Mahu himself and about his subsistance because I saw but small and slender appearance of outward conveniences of life in any comfortable way the man himself was modest and I could get but little from him but after I understood from others how short things went with him and how he was many times forced to labour with his own hands having a wife and three small children which depended upon him to provide necessaries for them having not halfe so much yeerly coming in in a setled way as an ordinary labourer gets there amongst them Yet he is chearfull amidst these straits and none hear him to complain The truth is he will not leave the work in which his heart is engaged for upon my knowledge if he would have left the work and imployed himself otherwhere he might have had a more competent and comfortable maintenance I mention this the rather because I have some hope that some pious minde that reads this might be inwardly moved to consider his condition and come to his succor for his encouragement in this great work At my parting from this Iland I desired Mr. Mahu that he would take the pains to write me the Story of Gods dealing with the Indians from the first time of their coming thither to this present time which he accordingly did and I received before my going out of the Countrey which Letter of his to me finding many remarkable passages in it I thought fit to publish it that the Lord might have the glory of his free grace in regard of these poor Heathens who seeme to be the dregs and refuse of Adams lost posterity and to put an edge upon the prayers and prayses of Gods people the fruit of which will returne into their owne bosomes And if there be a right set of spirit in you you will blesse God for such as present such kinde of matter to you and do put an opportunity into your hands whereby you may any way be instrumental to promote the Kingdome of our Lord Christ The Letter written with his own hand followeth SIR YOu being by especial providence of God brought amongst us and while you were here looking into the present mercy of God that these Indians were blessed with you found an occasion farther to enquire what the former dispensations of God have beene to bring them hitherto Now assuring my self that it is from your desire that the Lord may be glorified in the salvation of these poor Indian souls I shall by the assistance of God declare the truth and that which shall by his grace administer also a ground of prayer to be put unto the God of all blessings in Jesus Christ for us and I hope unto any whom the Lord shall call to the like service a blessed experience of the Lords workings turning all things yea seeming hinderances to the furtherance of the work of grace amongst them Now for your satisfaction you may please to know that this work amongst the Indians had its first rise and beginning in the yeere 1643. When the Lord stirred up the heart of an Indian who then lived neer to the English Plantation whose name is Hiacoomes a man of a sad a sober spirit unto whose Wi●wam or house some of the English repairing speaking to him about the way of the English he came to visit our habitations and publike meetings thinking that there might be better wayes and means amongst the English for the attaining of

they cannot tell whether something or nothing it may be a stock or a stone is within it or it may be a precious thing but if it be opened and they see what is within it and see it precious then they should beleeve it so said he you tell us of praying to God for so they call all Religion and we like it well at the first sight and we know not what it is within it may be excellent or it may be nothing we cannot tell but if you would come unto us and open it unto us and shew us what it is within then we should beleeve that it is so excellent as you say when we see it opened Such elegant arguments as these did he use with much gravity wisdome and affection and truly my heart much yearneth towards them and I have a great desire to make our Indian Towne that way yet the Lord by the Eye of Providence seemeth not to look thither partly because there is not a competent place of due encouragement for subsistence which would spoyle the work and partly because our Indians which are our first and chief materials in present view are loth to go Northward though they say they will go with me any whether but it concerneth me much not to lead them into temptation of scarity cold and want which may damp the progresse of the Gospel but I rather think where ever I begin the first Towne if I live I must begin more townes then one or oh that the Lord would raise up more and more fit labourers into this harvest Another Indian who lived remote another way asked me if I had any children I answered yea he asked how many I said sixe he asked how many of them were sonnes I told him five then he asked whether my sonnes should teach the Indians to know God as I do at which question I was much moved in my heart for I have often in my prayers dedicated all my sonnes unto the Lord to serve him in this service if he will please to accept them therein and my purpose is to do my uttermost to traine them up in learning whereby they may be fitted in the best manner I can to serve the Lord herein and better preferment I desire not for them then to serve the Lord in this travel and to that purpose I answered him and my answer seemed to be well pleasing to them which seemed to minister to my heart some encouragement that the Lords meaning was to improve them that way and he would prepare their hearts to accept the same There is another aged Sachem at Quabagud threescore miles Westward and he doth greatly desire that I would come thither and teach them and live there and I made a journey thither this summer and I went by Nashaway but it so fell out that there were some stirres betwixt the Nazaganset and Monahegen Indians some murder committed c. which made our Church doubtful at first of my going which when the Nashaway Sachem heard he commanded twenty armed men after their manner to be ready and himself with these twenty men besides sendry of our neer Indians went along with me to guard me but I took some English along with me also so that hereby their good affection is manifested to me and to the work I have in hand here also I found sundry hungry after instruction but it pleased God to exercise us with such tedious raine and bad weather that we were extreme wet insomuch that I was not dry night nor day from the third day of the week unto the sixth but so travelled and at night pull off my boots wring my stockins and on with them again and so continued the rivers also were raised so as that we were wet in riding through but that which added to my affliction was my horse tyred so that I was forced to let my horse go empty and ride on one of the mens horses which I took along with me yet God stept in and helped I considered that word of God 2 Tim 2 3. Endure hardship as a good Souldier of Christ with many other such like meditations which I think not meet to mention now And I thank the Lord neither I nor my company took any hurt but the Lord brought us in safety and health home again Because both Mr. Pelham and your self do so heartily and with such good affection send commendations and greetings unto our Indians which pray unto God I will tell you what a good occasion was ministred unto me through the goodnesse of God by a question which one of them propounded the next meeting as I remember after I had received my Letters and I must first tell you the occasion of the question There had been at that time some strange Indians among them which came to see them who prayed to God as one from Martins Vineyard who is helpful to Mr. Mahu to tell him words c. and I think some others when those strangers came and they perceived them to affect Religion and had mutual conference about the same there was very great gladnesse of heart among them and they made these strangers exceeding welcome Hereupon did the Question arise namely what is the reason that when a strange Indian comes among us whom we never saw before yet if he pray unto God we do exceedingly love him But if my own Brother dwelling a great way off come unto us he not praying to God though we love him yet nothing so as we love that other stranger who doth pray unto God This question did so clearly demonstrate that which the Scripture calleth love of the Brethren that I thought it was useful first to try others of them whether they found the same in their hearts I therefore asked them how they found it in theis hearts And they answered that they all found it so in their hearts and that it had been a matter of discourse among themselves wondring at it what the reason of it should be which was no small comfort and encouragement unto my spirit Then in my answer I asked them what should be the reason that the godly people in England 3000. miles off who never saw them yet hearing that they pray to God do exceedingly rejoyce at it and love them and send them tokens of their love and then I reckoned up what had been sent them and mentioned some names to them and farther told them that their love was so great unto them that they would send them over a great deale more and in special I hoped they would send us such materials as be requisite to make a Towne and mentioned some such things as I have named in the Catalogue I sent to you and asked them if they could tell the reason of it they answered no this being the same with their question and then I shewed the unity of spirit c. And thus you see the occasion and way of communicating the good will and love of the Saints

other Nations have wherein to stick and therefore they do most readily yeeld to any direction from the Lord so that there will be no such opposition against the rising Kingdome of Jesus Christ among them yet I foresee a cloud of difficulties in the work and much obscurity and trouble in some such respects as I think not meet to mention only by faith I do see through this cloud I beleeve the faithful promises of Christ shall be accomplisht among them and the Lord Jesus shall reigne over them gloriously Oh my heart yearneth over distressed perplexed England and my continual prayer unto the Lord for them is that he would be pleased to open their hearts and eyes and let them see their opportunity to let in Christ and to advance his Kingdome over them yea my hope is that he will not leave tampering with them untill he hath brought it to passe Oh the blessed day in England when the Word of God shall be their Magna Charta and chief Law Book and when all Lawyers must be Divines to study the Scriptures and should the Gentile Nations take up Moses policie so farre as it is morall and conscionable make the Scriptures the foundation of all their Lawes who knoweth what a door would be opened to the Jewes to come in to Christ I wrote likewise by my last to intreat for some encouragement to Master Mahu who preacheth to the Indians and that some monies may be laid out in book for him for young Sholars in New-England are very poor in books as he is in extreme want Dear Sir Be helpful in prayer to our work and above all gathering gather prayers I mean put the Saints in minde that they pray much about it as they do both there and here Truly Sir The spirit of prayer that is daily going about this matter is a very great encouragement for all our meetings through mercie ring of it I would intimate some more questions which they have propounded since my last for they are fruitful that way but partly I fear I shall want time yet my heart saies it may comfort you and therefore I will set down a few so many as I have noted down since may last If but one parent beleeve what state are our children in How doth much sinne make grace abound I having made use of that Text If so old a man as I repent may I be saved The wisdome of God drew forth this question next to interpret the former When we come to beleeve how many of our children doth God take with us whether all only young ones or at what age What meaneth that Let the trees of the Wood rejoyce What meaneth that That the Master doth not thank his servant for waiting on him What meaneth that We cannot serve two masters Can they in Heaven see us here on Earth Do they see and know each other Shall I know you in heaven Do they know each other in Hell When English-men choose Magistrates and Ministers how do they know who be good men that they dare trust Seeing the boody sinneth why should the soule be punished and what punishment shall the body have If all the world be burnt up where shall hell be What is it to beleeve in Christ What meaneth that Christ meriteth eternal life for us What meaneth that Covet not thy neighbours house c What meaneth that The woman brought to Christ a box of Oyle and washt his feet with tears c What meaneth that of the two debtors one oweth much another but little If a wicked man prayeth and teacheth doth God accept or what saies God At what age may maids marry If a man be wise and his Sachem weak must he yet obey him We are commanded to honour the Sachem but is the Sachem commanded to lovve us When all the world shall be burnt up what shall be in the roome of it an old wonans question yester day What meaneth God when he sayes yee shall be my Jewels This was asked from my text last time Exod. 19. 5. for so I rendred the word peculiar treasure You may perceive many of the questions arise out of such texts as I handle and I do endeavour to communicate as much Scripture as I can The word of the Lord converteth sanctifieth and maketh wise the simple sometimes they aske weaker questions then these which I mention not you have the best and when I am about writing I am more careful in keeping a remembrance of them it may be the same question may be again and again asked at several places and by several persons The Lord teach them to know Christ whom to know is eternal life I shall intreat your supplications at the throne of grace under the tender wing whereof I leave you being forced by the time and rest Roxbury this 29. of the 10th 49. Your respectful and loving brother and fellow-labourer in the Indian work JOHN ELIOT Much honoured and beloved in Christ c. I Heard of the health and welfare of your family not long since though the sharpnesse and depth of snowes this later part of winter did more shut up and hinder intercourse then ever I knew in New-England I shall principally attend to give you intelligence about the Indians touching whom I know not that you are like to have intelligence by others The Lord hath shewed them a very great testimony of his mercy this winter in that when formerly the English had the Pox much they also had the same but now though it was scattered in all or most of the Townes about them yet the Lord hath preserved them from it And that which maketh this favour of God the more evident and conspicuous is this That there is a company of profane Indians that lately are come to a place near Wamouth not farre from our Indians who do not onely refuse to pray unto God but oppose and apprehend that they were sent thither if not by the policie of some Pawwaws yet by the instigation of Sathan on purpose to seduce the younger sort from their profession and discourage others and indeed they being so neer had that effect evidently in some of the younger sort Now it pleased God that this company of wicked Indians were smitten with the Pox and sundry cut off and those which were cut off were of the worst and mischievous of them all which Providences all the good Indians do take a great notice of and doth say that the Lord hath wrought a wonder for them and it seemeth to me that the Lord hath blest this good Providence of his to be a strong ingagement of their hearts to the Lord The work of the Lord through his grace doth still go on as formerly and they are still full of questions and mostly they now be to know the meaning of such Scriptures as I have translated and read and in a poor measure expounded to them they long for to proceed in that work which I have in former Letters

him with a Ditch and two Railes about it they paid a debt for him of 3. li. 10. s. only some others were contributors in this money one of them gave him a skin of Beaver of two pound at his returne from building besides many dayes works in planting corne altogether and some severally yea they said they would willingly do more if they would govern well by justice and as the word of God taught them when I heard all this I wondred for this cometh to neere 30. livre. and was done by a few and they thought it not much if he had carried matters better and yet his complaint was they do nothing But the bottome of it lieth here he formerly had all or what he would now he hath but what they will and admonitions also to rule better and he is provoked by other Sachems and ill counsel not to suffer this and yet doth not know how to help it hence arise his tentations in which I do very much pity him Having all this information what they had done and how causelesse his complaint and discontent was I thought it a difficult thing to ease his spirit and yet clear and justifie the people which I was to endeavour the next day of our meeting after the former contestations therefore I was willing to get some body with me And by Gods providence Elder Heath went with me and when we came there we found him very full of discontent sighing sower looks c. but we took no notice of it I preached that day out of the fourth of Matthew the temptations of Christ and when I came at that temptation of the Devils showing Christ the kingdomes and glories of the world thereby to tempt him from the service of God to the service of the Devill I did apply it wholly to his case shewing him the Devill was now tempting him as he tempted Christ and Sathan sheweth him all the delights and dignities and gifts and greatnesse that he was wont to have in their sinfull way Satan also tels him he shall lose them all if he pray to God but if he will give over praying to God he shall have them all again then I shewed him how Christ rejected that temptation and exhorted him to reject it also for either he must reject the temptation or else he will reject praying to God if he should reject praying to God God would reject him After our exercise was ended we had conference of the matter and we gave him the best counsel we could as the Lord was pleased to assist and when we had done Elder Heath his observation of him was that there was a great change in him his spirit was very much lightned and it much appeared both in his countenance and carriage and he hath carried all things fairly ever since But the temptation still doth work strongly in the Countrey the Sachems opposing any that desire to submit themselves to the service of the Lord as appeareth sundry wayes some that began to listen are gone quite back I meane Sachems and some people that have a mind to it are kept back this last Lecture day one came in and submitted himself to call on God and said he had been kept back this half yeer by opposition but now at last the Lord hath helped and emboldned him to break through all opposition Thus Sathan seeketh to beat off these poore creatures from seeking after the Lord by opposing the highest powers they have against the Lord and this work of his knowing that the light of the Gospel and kingdome of Jesus Christ if it once get footing will scatter and dissipate that darknesse whereby his kingdome is maintained But I beleeve verily that the Lord will bring great good out of all these oppositions nay I see it already though I see not all I beleeve more then I can see you who can know the thoughts of Gods love to his people it is yet a secret but this I see that by this opposition the wicked are kept off from us and from thrusting themselves into our society at least sundry are who else might croud in among us and trouble us besides it is become some tryall now to come into our company and call upon God for besides the forsaking of their Pau-waus which was the first triall and their old barbarous fashions and liberty to all sinne and some of their friends and kindred c. Now this is added they incurre the displeasure of their Sachems all which put together it cannot but appear there is some work of God upon their hearts which doth carry them through all these snares and adde to this that if upon some competent time of experience we shall finde them to grow in knowledge of the principles of Religion and to love the wayes of the Lord the better according as they come to understand them and to yeeld obedience to them and submit to this great change to bridle lust by lawes of chastity and to mortifie idlenesse by labour and desire to traine up their children accordingly I say if we shall see these things in some measure in them what should hinder charity from hoping that there is grace in their hearts a spark kindled by the Word and Spirit of God that shall never be quenched and were these in a fixed cohabitation who could gain-say their gathering together into a holy Church-Covenant and election of Officers and who can forbid that they should be baptized And I am perswaded that there be sundry such among them whom the Lord will vouchsafe so far to favour and shine upon that they shall become a Church and a Spouse of Jesus Christ and among whom the pure and holy Kingdome of Christ shall arise and over whom Christ shall reigne ruling them in all things by his holy word But though this trouble and oppsition is turned and shall be more unto a spiritual gaine yet it behoveth us not to be secure and regardlesse of our safety for if the Adversary should discerne us naked and weak and see an opportunity who knoweth what their rage and Sathans malice may stirre them up unto to work us a mischief Nay it is our duty to be vigilant and fortifie our selves the best we can thereby to put the enemy out of hope to hurt us and to prevent them from attempting any evill against us if it be the will of God and to that end we purpose if the Lord will to make a strong Palizado wanting means of doing better and if we cannot get any Guns Powder Shot Swords c. we will make us Slings Bowes and other Engines the best the Lord will please to direct us for our safety and when we have used the best meanes we can I hope the Lord will help us to trust in his great name to make that our strong Tower to flie unto I see the Lord delighteth to appear himself in the work and will have us content our selves with little low poor things that all the