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
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
great Kings and rulers have meekly submitted to this soul-physick David was sharply reproved by the Prophet and he meekly submitted to it 2 Sam 12. and so it was with Eli 1 Sam 2.27 Let it not therefore be unacceptable unto you to imitate so great so good Examples If Sachems might sin and no body might admonish them because they be rulers and the Ministers and people are the subjects it were the most miserable condition in the world to be a Sachem or a ruler they run to hell without controll and no body may say unto him Why do you so It is said Isa. 30.33 Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King iâ— is prepared If God have ordained hell for Sachems then sure he hath ordained means to keep them out of it as well as for other men for God desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that â—e should repent and live If therefore you desire to escape hell and to go to heaven submit your soul to such means as God hath appointed to bring you to repentance and salvation When you put the Objection you sâ—id you are a sinful man as well as others therefore your own heart will tell you that you have need of such helps as God hath appointed to bring you to repentance else you cannot be saved Keit. I feel your words sink into my heart and stick there you speak arrows I feel that you wound me but I do not think that you hurt me nor do you mean me any hurt but good I dâ—sire to ponder and consider of these things I have more matters to object but I will forbear at this time and besides it is time for you to eat and to take rest and therefore I will proceed no further at this time Ant. We thankfully accept your patience thus long and your good acceptâ—nce of what we say God hath been present with us and we perceive that the Spirit of God is at work in your heart this putteth us in hopes of a good issue We have one request unto you beloved Sachem That while we abide in your house we may have liberty to carry our-selves like praying Indians namely that when we eat we may prâ—y and give tâ—anks to God before and after meat also before we lie down at night and when we rise up in the morning we may pray and give thanks to God and that discourses may be grave and for edification that there may be no Games or Sports or such other things which we have abandoned Keit. I do like well what you say all things shall be as you dâ—sire it will be a gâ—od opportunity for us to see what manner of Conversâ—â—ion you praying Indians use I will prâ—pose it unto so many â—f my people as be here present how they like of tâ—is last motion you make of allowing you free liberty of all such Exercises as you praying Indians practise What say you my friends to this lâ—st moâ—â—on of theirs All. We like it very well and shall willingly give attendance unâ—â— their prayers And besides it is not long to their Sabbath we desire they would stay the Sabbath and teach publickly and let us see their Sâ—bbath Conversâ—tion also It may be we shall see so much beauty and desireableness in their wayes that it may much heighten and raise our affections to embrace and submit our selves unto this way of praying to God Keit. You go too fast your answer goes beyond my proposal or their request we spake onely of private Conversation I said nothing of the Sabbath nor of their publick Teaching this is a greater matter But go to seeing you have made the motion I will not refuse it What say you my friends you hear what these people desire will you tarry the Sabbath among us and teach publickly amongst my people for if you accept the motion we shall take a course to give notice thereof to all parts of the Town Ant. We are sent by the Church in the Name of Jesus Christ to call you up unto the way which leadeth to heaven One part of this heavenly way is to Keep holy the Sabbath day by exercising our selves in the Word of Gâ—d and prayer I perceive the forwardness of your people hereunto and your own wary condescendence unto their desires which amounteth unto more then a calling unto us to attend the motion it addeth encouragement and hope of good acceptance with man and a divine blessing from heaven Philip Keitassoot Anthony William Sachem Keit. I Have so ordered my occasions that they will give way to my attendance to the matter you come about therefore this Afternoon I have set apart that we may have further Conference about them The former points we discoursed I am willing they should still lie soaking in my heart and minde I am not ready to make Replies or to draw forth any further speech about them I choose rather to draw forth some of my other Doubts and Objections unto which if your Answers be as considerable and weighty as they were to my former doubts I shall then sâ—e cause to lay them up also a soaking and pondering in my heart Know this that in the rowlings of my thoughts the disquiet turnings and tumblings of my minde do oft-times molest me with variety of passions I am sometimes in grief and anguish of minde especially when I over look my life past and remember the many sins and follies that I have stained my life and honour withall I think with my self What a fool have I been that for the love of a lust which Dogs and brute Creatures delight in that I a Man a Sachem should be so besotted as to stain my honour wound my Soul offend God and expose my self to eternal damnation and all this for a short delight that is gone with a blast and leaves nothing behinde but shame and sorrow and these are durable and indelible a sad effect of sensual pleasures Ah what a fool have I been when I should have imployed my self in higher and greater matters for the honour of God and the good of my people I have wasted my precious time and strength to satiate my pleasures which have left such a sting and torment in my soul which all my Estate and Honour cannot ease me of but they are like to torment me for ever I am never without wicked company to draw me out unto such iniquities but none of them can ease the torment of my minde and conscience though some apply themselves so to do I do finde their remedies are false and uneffectual But I have quite lost my self I did not intend to open and pour out my minde and thoughts about these matters but full vessels are ready to run over I will come to that which I did intend Ant. Beloved Sachem as the overflowings of your grief have interrupted your intended discourse so let me take so much boldness to lengthen this your interruption with a word of God that may by
17. Speak thou also unto the children of Israel saying Verily my Sabbaths ye shall keep for it is a sign â—etween me and you throughout your generatâ—ons that ye may know that I am the Lord that doth â—anctifie you c. Keit. I am now in a great strait my heart is bent within me to keep the Sabbaths but alas neither I nor any of my people know how to do it unless we have some body to teach us Ant. It is true that you say and I return you this answer When we return and make report of the grace of God poured out upon you and of your acceptance of the word of God and resolution to keep the Sabbath â—nd your desire of a Teacher We know that the Church will presently take care to send a Teacher unto you Or further we will propose If you and your people shall choose any one whom your souls desire and send your request unto the Church that he might be sent unto you We doubt not but the Church will readily grant your desire A penitent Soul in great distress cometh unto John Speen one of the Teachers of the Church at Natik where we shall finde the Penitent pouring out his griefs and John ministring Counsel and Comfort Penit. OH my friend I am glad I have met you in so opportune a time and place My heart is broken with griefs I am ready to â—ink into the ground because of my distressed mind I desire to pour out my melted heart into your loving bosom it may be you may give me Counsel what I shall do in my distress and advise me if there be any way or means to comfort this distressed soâ—l of mine Iohn Alas your sorrowful countenance doth indeed discover that your minde is oppressed with grief and in such cases men are miserable comforters God onely knoweth how to speak a word of Comfort to the heart he made the heart of man he knoweth all the sorrows and griefs thereof and usually God doth afflict the heart with grief out of great love that he might call the distressed soul to come to him and to make its griefs known to him and he is very gracious and pitiful to such afflicted souls for Christ hath said Mat. 11.28 Come unto me ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest My first Counsel therefore is that you would pray unto God and believe in Jesus Christ and he will surely give you rest Bâ—t as for man especially such a poor creature as I am I cannot help you nor is there any help for you in the hand of man Penit. But the words of a true-hearted loving friend may minister some comfort and I do already feel that your words have relief in them in that you tell me Jesâ—s Christ is so tender-hearted towards those that are of an afflicted spirit Iohn True it is that God hath said The Priests lâ—ps shall preserve knowledge and thou shalt enquire the Law at his mouth I am very weak but I am willing to help your afflicted soul to go to Jesus Christ who will not fail to comfort you Seeing therefore it is your desire let me hear your griefs and troubles it may please God to put a word into my mouth whereby the good Spirit of God may speak comfort to your sorrowful heart Penit. My outward condition is full of affliction and those frowns in the brow of Providence do make me fear that the wrath of God is set against me and will wear away my life with grief and then cast me away into hell among the damned where I shall perish for ever Iohn This is a wholesome fear and you shall finde it will end well My Counsel is mingle hope with your fear viz. that God doth outwardly afflict you that he might drive your distressed soul into the bosome of Jesus Christ who will graciously pardon all your sins and save your soul from those eternal flames which you so much dread It is Gods usual way of grace to put his Lambs into distress that he might cause them to fly for refuge into â—is bosome and I hope that it is his meaning so to deal with you because I see that his afflicting hand doth so kindly melt your heart and causeth you to seek refuge to save you from those everlasting burnings These distresses will make the salvation of Câ—rist precious unto you Consider that Text Eccles 7 3 4. Sorrow is better thâ—n laughter for by the sorrow of the countenance the heart is made better The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning But what are those outward distresses which do so aâ—â—â—ict you Penit. I know not where to begin or end The world hath alwayes promised me fair but it hath ever failed me my mornings have had some brightness but my rising day is alwayes clouded and full of darkness and I know not but my Sun will set in thick darkness and despair You know my Father was a Sachem of the Blood I was brought up under such high Capacities Expectaâ—â—â—tions I have been Chosen and Advanced as you know to the â—egree of a Sachem but so filled with Crosses and Distresses that I â—ever enjoy my self nor one quiet day my griefs are multiplied â—â—ke the waves of the Sea they break in upon me and are ready to overwhelm me Iohn You say the world hath ever failed you and so it alwayes dealeth with Gods children but I will shew you who will never â—â—il you Psal. 73.26 My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the â—â—rength of my heart and my portion for ever Let your soul ponder 〈◊〉 feed upon this Promise See also Heb. 13.5 He hath said I â—ill never leave thee nor forsake thee Mark that word Never leave â—hee nor forsake thee the word will hold both in this life and to â—ternity You further say that your bright mornings prove black and â—loudy dayes It hath been so with other of Gods Children Reade â—he 88 Psalm and you shall finde the Prophet just in your case in â—any verses of that Psalm I will mention some of the words â—er 6 7 8 9. Thou hast laid me in the lowest pit in darkness in the â—â—eps Thy wrath lyeth hard upon me and thou hast afflicted me with â—ll thy waves Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me â—hou hast made me an abomination unto them I am sâ—ut up and I â—â—nnot come forth mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction Lord â— have called daily upon thee I have stretched out mine hand unto â—â—ee c. And ver 15. I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth 〈◊〉 while I suffer thy terrours I am distracted c. Behold a dear â—â—ilde of God in as bitter distresses as you are yet the first sentence of this Psalm is a word of Faith he sâ—ith O Lord God of my sâ—â—vation Iâ— is some comfort to a distressed soul to havâ— good company with them you have
say true and the Souls of men are living Souls and â—herefore should be fed with the food which God hath appointed â—or them and that is the word of God and prayer Kinsm If our Souls be living Souls what do they feed upon we having neither the word of God â—or prayeâ— Pium. Your Souls feed upon nothing but lust and lying aâ—d â—ealing and killing and Sabbath breaking and Pauwauing and â—ll these are sins which poison starve and kill your Souls aâ—d â—xpose them to Gods wrath that they may be tormented among Deâ—ils and wicked men in Hell fire for ever and therefore it is in â—ove to your Souls that we perswade you to pray unto God But â—ow that we have eaten and are sufficed wiâ—h food let us give â—hanks to God for it and pray that it may be blessed to us He â—iveth Thanks Kinsm Yonder come a great company of our friends order the â—ouse against they come Kinsman Sachem Pauwau Piumbuhhou All. â—insm WElcome Sontim welcome my Friends â—nd Kinsmen all here is a Kinsman and friend of ours come â—â—om Natik to visit us he prayeth for us and expresseth love â—o â—â—r Souls which you take no thought or care abâ—uâ—â— He tellâ—â—â— of Light and Wisdome which they learn out of the Word oâ— God which we are strangers unto He telleth us of Hell fire â— Torments to be the reward of our sins which we walk in 〈◊〉 telleth us of Repentance for our sins and of Faith to believe Christ for a pardon and of Salvation in heaven with eternal gâ—â—â— ry He telleth us of the danger of living as we do He telleth of a better way of living then yet we know Many such things have discoursed which are beyond my understanding I am 〈◊〉 pleased with his love but I know not what to say to his Persâ—â—â— sions for which cause I have intreated your company that may confer together about matters of so great importance 〈◊〉 that we may be mutual helps to each other for our best good Sont If any man bring us a precious Jewel which will makâ— rich and happy every body will make that man welcome anâ— this friend of ours do that who more welcome but if by reâ—â—â— ving his Jewel we must part with a better Jewel for it then â— men should do well to consider before they accept his offer Tâ—â— things you speak of are great things but if we accept of thâ— consider what we must part with and forgo for ever viz. Allâ— pleasures and sports and delights and joyes in this world All. You say true Ha ha he Pium. If foolish Youths play in the dirt and eat dung and 〈◊〉 ing fish and flesh and rotten Corn for company's sake their â— chem makes this Law If you come forth from that filthy 〈◊〉 and company and feed upon this wholsome and good food 〈◊〉 provided and keep company with the wise then you shall b◠〈◊〉 noured and well used all your life time But if you so love your company as that you choose rather to feed on trash and â—eâ—â— to perish among them then perish you shall aâ—d thank youâ— for your foolish choice This was our case at â—â—rst and is youâ— this day You walk in darkness defile your selves with a 〈◊〉 Conversation you feed your Souls with trash and poison and choose to do so for your company's sake Behold God calls to come out from among them and touch no unclean thing to verse among the wise and offereth you pardon life and salvâ—â— in heaven in glory among all the Elect Saints and Angels 〈◊〉 you are at your choice will you forsake those bad courseâ— companions and live in glory or will you choose your old courses and companions and perish for ever Sont All our forefathers so far as ever we have heard walked and lived as we do and are we wiser then our fathersâ— Pium. No we are foolish weak and sinful and love to be but God is wiser then our fathers and he hath opened to 〈◊〉 way of wisdome and life and calleth us to enter and walk â— in therefore be wise and submit your selves to the â— Christ. Sont But why do you say that we feed upon trash stâ—â— meat and poison wherein doth our food differ from yours and wherein do you in that respect excel us Pium. In bodily food we differ not from you but it is Soul food I speak of We feed our Souls with the Word of God and Prayer you feed and satiate your Souls with lust lying stealing Sabbath-breaking and such like sins and I appeal to your own Conscience whether these are not trash and filthiness and what fruit can you expect from such actions but punishment and wrath Pauwau Let me adde a few words to give check to your high-flown confidence in your new Way and new Laws and to your deep censoriousness of our old Wayes the pleasancy and delight whereof every one both man woman and childe can judge of and we cannot but dislike to have such pleasant Delights taken from us Tear our hair from our heads our skin from our flesh our flesh from our bones you shall as soon perswade us to suffer you to do so by us as to perswade us to part with our old delights and courses You tell us of the English-man's God and of his Laws We have Gods also and more then they and we have Laws also by which our forefathers did walk and why should not we do as they have done To change our Gods and Laws and Customs are great things and not easily to be obtained and accomplished Let us alone that we may be quiet in the wayes which we like and love as we let you alone in your Changes and new Wayes All. You say right why trouble they us in our pleasures and delights Let us alone in our enjoyments Pium. You have spoken many things which do minister matter to me of much discourse both concerning God and our selves and concerning you the offer of Gods mercy to you at this time You say you have many Gods but they are no Gods There is but one God the great Creator of this great World Did your Gods make this World the Heavens the Sun the Moon the Stars the Clouds the Seas and the whole Earth No no God made this whole world Can any of your gods give Rain or rule the Clouds it is the Devil that blindeth your eyes and covereth you with darkness We teach you to know the true God who can kill us or keep us alive at his pleasure Your gods shall all perish with you for they are no gods As for your pleasures and delights they are all sins against God which provoke his wrath to plague you for ever VVe now call you to repent of your evil wayes and to reform your lives to serve the true and living God to seek for pardon of your sins and mercy to appease his wrath which is kindled against you I do now offer
you mercy through Jesus Christ do not harden your hearts against the Lord be therefore perswaded now to forsake your sins and turn unto the Lord come unto the light out of your darkness awake from your dead sleep stand up and Christ will give you life VVe speak by expâ—rience we were dead and blinde as you are we loved pleasures as you do but by the grace of Christ we have found ligâ—t and life and we now call you to partake with us in our mâ—rcies Pauwau VVe have not only pleasures but also Prayers and Sâ—crifices we beat and aâ—â—â—ict our selves to pacifie our gods and when â—e be â—ick wâ— use such wayes to recover our health and to obtain all such things as we want and desire to obtain from our gods Pium. Your Prayers and Pauwauings are worâ—hipping of the Devil and noâ— of God and tâ—ey are among the greatest of your sins Your â—urthers lusts stealing lying c. they are great sins your Pauwauings are wâ—rse sins because by them you worship the Devil instead of God VVhen you Pauwau's use Physick by Roots and such other tâ—ings which God â—ath made for that purpose that is no sin you do well to use Pâ—ysick for your recovery from sickness but your prâ—ying to and worshipping the Devil that is your great siâ— which now God calls you to forsake Use onely such Remedies as God hath appointed and pray onely to God this we call you to do and this is the way of true wisdome Kinsm I feel my heart broken and divided I know not what to do To part with our former lusts and pleasures is an hard point and I feel my heart very loth and backward to it many objections against it yet I cannot but confess that I do not in my inward heart approve of them I know they are vile and filthy and I deâ—ire to forsake them they are like burning coals in my bosome I will shake them out if I can I am ashamed of my old wayes and loth I am to keep that which I am ashamed to be seen in The wiser men be the more they abstain from such lusts and we account such to be foolish vile and wicked that are unbridled and unperswâ—deable I would not be my self of the number of them that are vicious and vile â—bove restraint VVhat I perswade others to leave I would not do the same my self VVe do account it commendable in such as do bridle and refrain themselves from those vices and what I judge to be commendable in others would be therein exemplar and a pattern unto such as be young and foolish and run mad after such beastly courses In that point I would easily be perswaded or at least I desire so to be But the greatest difficulty that I yet finde is this I am loth to divide my self from my Friends and Kindred If I should chaâ—gâ— my course and not they then I must leave and forsake their company which I am very loth to do I love my Sachem and all the rest of you my good Friends if I should change my life and way I greatly dâ—sire that we might agree to do it together Sont I like well that we should agree upon some amendment of some bad courses that are too oft among us and I love your love that would have us agree together and do what we do in these great matters by common consent but to do that is a matter of much discourse and deep consideration This Meeting was sudden we have other matters at present to attend we have been together long enough for this time we must leave the whole matter to some other time Pium. Two dayâ—s hence is the Sabbath-day God hath commanded all men to Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it holy I request all of you to come together that day and then I will further teach you by the assistance of the Lord touching this matter And to perswade you to make this beginning to keep the Sabbath besides the Commandment of the Lord we have the Reasons annexed by God himself unto it God himself Rested that day to set us an heavenly pattern and God hath also blessed that day and mâ—de it holy and hath promised that when we shall â—eet together in his Naâ—e then he will come among us and bring a blessing with him And when the Disciples of Christ were met to worship God upon that day before the day was done he came among them and blessed them So if you come together on the Sabbath-day my hope and trust is that we shall finde some special token of the presence of Christ Jesus among us Kinsm I do very well like of this motion and shall willingly attend and if you think good let my house be the place or if you our beloved Sachem think good we will all come together at your house Sont I like it well let it be so come to my house and you shall be welcome All. Content we like it well so let it be Pium. Let the time of Meeting be as early as you well can about Nine of the Clock All. So let it be The Sabbath Meeting Sontim Piumbuhhou Kinsman All. Sont IT is well done my Friends and Neighbours that you have remembred our agreement and are come together about this great business And now my kinde Friend what you have further to say unto us we are here ready to hear you Pium. Six dayes God hath given us wherein to do all our own business and works Every seventh day God hath commanded us to give unto him to rest from our own works and to do his work to pray unto him to hear his Word to talk and speak of heavenly matters for the good of our Souls We are all here this day before the Lord And first of all he hath commanded us to prâ—â— together therefore let us all either stand up like servants or kneel down like sons and daughters and pray unto the Lord. Then he prayeth The next work we use to do is to Catechize that is to teach by asking of Questions and they that are taught make Answer according as they have been taught but that work you are not yet fitted and prepared for therefore we lay it by The next work which we do is to Reade some Chapter of the Word of God Then he calleth one that came with him who Realeth When that is â—iniâ—hed then he saith Now we use to sing a Psalm which is one part of Gods Word and Worship but for that work you are not yet prepared therefore wâ— lay that by also And now I will teach you out of the Word of God The Text is Matth. 7.13 14. Enter ye in at the strait gate for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many there be which go in thereat Because strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it In these words are two parts 1.
Here be two sorts of wayes wherein men walk 2. Here be two sorts of men that walk in these two wayes The first way is described by four things 1. There is a strait little narrow gate to enter in at 2. It is a narrow way very rough â—ard and difficult to walk in 3. Here is the end of this way whether it leadeth viz. to heaven happiness glory and eternal life 4. Here be the Numbers that get into and walk in this way tâ— get to heaven Very few The second way is described by four things 1. The gate of entrance is broad and wide 2. The way it self is pleasant easie full of delights of the flesh and of worldly pleasures 3. Here is the end of this way it leads to Hell to torments and to eternal damnation 4. Here be the Numbers that walk in this way Very many most men in the world will choose to walk in this way and at last go to Hell torments 2. The first sort of persons are good men and women who 1. With much difficulty get into this way 2. They patiently endure all difficulties in it 3. They go to heaven and glory at last 4. The number of them they are but a few The second sort of persons are wicked people and these 1. Easily get into this way 2. They take pleasure in it and will not be perswaded to leave it and get into the hard way 3. The end of them all is they go to hell torments 4. The number of them A great many most men are found in this way All these particulars he openeth and insisteth upon and concludeth with an Exhortation 1. To come out of this broad easie way by considering the end of it whither it leadeth 2. To get into the hard way of praying to God and patiently continue in it considering the end it leads unto even Heaven and Glory Sont What Book is that you reade in and why do you call it The Word of God Pium. This is the Book of Gods Law which he hath taught holy men his Prophets and Apostles to write and give unto us to call us out of the broad way of sin and death and to call us into the narrow way of Repentance Faith in Christ Jesus and eternal life Sont It may be the English-men made it and tell you that they are the words of God Pium. This Book was written long before the English-men prayed to God and English-men have learned all their wisdome out of this Book and now they have Translated it for us and if we attend unto it it will teach us wisdome as it hath taught them Kinsm You speak much of Jesus Christ and his pardoning our sins and saving our Souls who is this Jesus Christ Pium. God is One in Three the Father Son and Holy Ghost Jesus Christ is God the Son who became a Man and when we deserved to die for our sins he came and died for us and God hath promised that all that believe in Christ shall be pardoned of all their sins and be glorified in heaven Touching this Point I will teach in the Afternoon The Afternnon Exercise Pium. GOD requires we should give him a whole day therefore it is not enough to worship God half a day We are again come together to worship God and we shall do the same this Afternoon as we did in the Forenoon Let us pray After Prayer he taketh this Text Mat. 1.21 22 23. This Text teacheth three things touching Jesus Christ 1. His wonderful Birth A Virgin conceived Of which see Luke 1.26 to 39. 2. Two Names Iesus Emmanuel 3. What Christ did for us and doth signified by his Name Iesus He taketh away our sins And this he doth two wayes 1. He taketh away our sins out of Gods sight by dying in our stead and so meriting a pardon for all our sins 2. He taketh away our sins out of our own hearts by working Repentance in us and Faith in his Name giving us his Spirit and sanctifying of us by his Grace and leading us in all holiness of life and conversation The third part of this Text is how Jesus Christ is enabled to do these great things for us This signified by his second Name God with us Christ was God and Man in one Person and that maketh his death of infinite value with God to obtain a pardon for all our sins And this maketh him of infinite power to overcome our hearts and turn them unto God These things are deep wisdome therefore pray unto God and he will give you wisdome to understand them Iam. 1.5 Kinsm I am amazed to hear these deep things I am now more discouraged about praying to God Alas we cannot Pray nor Reade how shall we keep a Sabbath and whall sâ—all we do Pium. I will speak unto the Church at Natik and we will send a wise man to teach you to keep Sabbaths among you and all that I shall perswade you unto is to come together on the Sabbaths as you have done this day and hear the Word of God and then God will teach you Kinsm Oh that it might be so I should gladly attend unto the Word Sont I say the same All. We like it well Kinsm I pray let it not be delayed Pium. Lo here is a manifest token of Gods presence according to his promise for who but God could bow all your hearts to hear the Word of God especially considering how averse you were at first Now let us pray and praise and give thanks to the God of Heaven for his mercy endureth for ever DIALOG II. About calling home poor INDIANS Waban was sent forth upon the Service of Christ unto sundry places where passed such like discourses and acts Waban Penoowot Waban HO well met friend how far travel you this way Pen. I am going to Napmuk a Town where Nishohkou is Sachem with him I have some business which occasioneth my going thither Wab. Ha! you and I are both alike in sundry things I wish we might be both alike in one thing more The things wherein we are alike are these We are bâ—th tall men We are mâ—t in the same way We are going to the same place Our business is unto the same person the Sachem of the place Pen. Ha ha he I acknowledge whâ—t you say but I pray what is that wherein you desire we might agree for I do not understand that you have yet named that and I the more desire to know that bâ—cause you do seem to put more weight upon that then upon all the rest which you have named Wab. You judge riâ—ht touching my opinion of that thing which I have not mentioned but I doubt that you will not be of my minde if I should speak it and for that reason I did conceal it Wise men will cover aâ—d hide their Jewels and not expose them to every bodies sight for they know some will lightly esteem them because they know not their worth but if
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
then by declaring the Answer that is given in our Catechism unto the Question and by opening some of the Texts of Scripture which are there brought for the proof and manifestation thereof The Question is What is the Word of God The Answer is It is the Will of God written in the Bible whereby he rightly guideth man in every thing in this world and whereby he bringeth us to eternal salvation These are but few words but full of weight and proved by divers Scriptures Keit. What do you mean by Scriptures Ant. The word and will of God written in a Book whereby we may not onely hear it with our ears when it is spoken by others but we may see it with our eyes and reade the writing our selves And this is a great benefit to us to have Gods word and will written for a word spoken is soon gone and nothing retaineth it but our Memory and that impression which it made upon our minde and heart but when this word is written in a Book there it will abide though we have forgotten it and we may reade it over a thousand times and help our weak memories so that it shall never be forgotten yea and such as cannot have an opportunity of hearing the word yet they may alwayes have an opportunity of reading the word because it is written in the Bible which they have by them in their houses and may reade in it night and day We do therefore call the word of God Scripture because it is written in a book Keit. I am satisfied in what you say I pray go on to open those Texts of Scripture which the Catechism giveth for proofs Ant. The first Text I mention is Hos. 8.12 I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were counted as a strange thing Here God gives to man a Law and he writeth this Law and every thing in this Law is a great matter though some things are greater then other yet every thing that God hath written is a great matter But God doth blame men for counting them as strange things we should be well acquainted with them Dan. 10.21 when an Angel spake to Daniel he told him that he would declare to him that which is noted in the Scriptures of truth And we that teach others must carefully so do we must teach nothing but that which is noted in and grounded upon the Scriptures of truth And we need to teach nothing else for all things needful for salvation are contained in the Scriptures as appears 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Aâ—â— Scripture is given by interpretation from God â—nd is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to all good works The man of God here meaneth or may be applied to any honest man that is willing to walk by the Rule of the word be he a Sachem or a Teacher or a Father c. Every man may finde in the Scriptures a perfect rule to guide him in every thought word or deed So that the word of God is a perfect Law to guide every man in every thing all the dayes of his life And the word of God is not onely a rule to guide us in this life but it also brings us to heaven Acts 20.32 I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and give you â—n inheritance among them that are sanctified and Iames 1.21 Receive with meekness the ingrafted word which is able to save your souls Many such testimonies I might adde to shew the fulness of perfection of the word of God but I forbear at present Will. I will adde a few words touching the perfection of the Scriptures Deut. 12.32 Whatsoever I command you observe to do it thou shalt not adde thereto nor diminish from it Here be two wayes of wronging the Scriptures 1. By adding to it 2. By taking from it Now these Popish Teachers and Ministers of whom I did discourse before they do most wickedly wrong the Scriptures especially by adding to them They say that their Offices are commanded in the Scripture and that the Pope is Christ his Vicar and that he hath power to pardon sin and abundance more such rotten stuff they adde unto the Scripture Now this is another reason why they will not suffer people to reade the Scriptures because then every body would finde out their false dealing and therefore if any body finde them out they will presently kill them The great wrong they do unto the Scriptures of truth is one of their great sins they adde their own wicked inventions unto the pure and perfect word of God Keit. Your discourse doth breed in my heart an admiration aâ— that excellent Book and I finde in my heart a longing desire to be acquainted with that Book and with those excellent matterâ— that are contained in it But although my heart doth begin â—â— reverence that Book for the sake of the matter contained in it yet I desire that you would proceed to give me your grounds why yoâ— believe that it is Gods word because I shall then reverence thâ— Word not onely for the matters sake but also for the Authorâ— sake Good words spoken by a good man do obtain respect â— much more may the words that God speaketh command all reverence This Point also being a great Principle in Religion I will taâ—â— the same course in it as I did in the former I will shew yoâ— what Answer we are taught in our Catechism and I will toucâ— some of the proofs 1. The first Reason to prove the Scriptures to be the Word oâ— God is Because they teach us the first Creation of the World and all things in it which no man nor Angel doth know or caâ— teach onely God and this is proved in the first Chapter of Genesis wâ—ere we reade the wonderful work of God in the Creation of the World where man was last made 2. The second Reason is froâ— the holiness and perfection of the word of God No man or Aâ—gel could give so holy pure and perfect a Law as Gâ—ds Law is Psal. 19.8 9 10 11. also Psal. 12.6 The words of the Lord are pure words as silver tried in a furnace of earth purified seven tiâ—es 3. The third Reason is Because the word of the Lord is confirmed by such Miracles as onely God himself is able to perform Moses the first writer of Scripture did many great Miracles in Egypt in the Red Sea and in the VVilderness so did many other Prophets but especially Jesus Christ did many wonderful Miracles and so did the Apostles by which our Faith is confirmed that their writings are the word of God 4. Because the Scriptures doth reveal unto us Jesus Christ and salvation by Christ according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This no man or Angel could ever have found out onely God 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in
Christ reconciling the world unto himself and hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation John 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye think to finde eternal life and they arâ— they that testifie of me Therefore they are the word of God 5. Because the word of God doth convert the soul from sin and Satan unto God It sanctifieth the soul and doth lead meâ—â— souls in the wayes of life unto salvation it is the sword of the Spirit to conquer the Devil Iam. 1.18 Of his own will begat â—e us with the word of truth Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them through the trâ—th thy word is truth Ephes. 6.17 Take the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God Such grounds as these we are taught in our Catecâ—ism Keit. Who can oppose or gainsay the mountainous weight of these Arguments I am more then satisfied I am ashamed of my ignorance and I abhor my self that ever I doubted of this point and I desire wholly to give up my self to the knowledge of and obedience to the word of God and to abandon and forsake these sins which the word of God reproveth and condemneth Will. I will adde one Consideration further to manifest that the Scriptures are the word of God and that is By the great Antiquity of these writings which have been extant so many thousand years and have passed through so many enemies hands who â—ave used all art and force to abolish them or corrupt them and yet they could never dâ— it Moses wrote the first Five Books of Scripture above a thousand and four hundred years before Christ came and it is above a thousand and six hundred years since Christ came and since the Gâ—spâ—l the last part of the Scripture was written Put these two Numbers together and they make three thousand years So long the Church have had the Scriptures and all this while the Devil and wicked men have endeavoured either to abolish them or corrupt them but they could never do it we have every word of God perfect and pure unto this day which cannot be said of any other writing in all the world And this wonderful divine protection of this Book doth greatly manifest that doubtless it is Gods own word over which he hath bestowed such eminent care Keit. But how do you know all this How do you know what was done so many thousand years ago Will. The Scriptures themselves have kept a perfect Record of Times from the beginning of the World unto the coming of Christ and out of that Chronologie we may perfectly know how long Moses was before Christ and there be other sure wayes to know how many years it is since Christ came And thus may we know certainly how long the Scriptures have been written Keit. If this be so the Reason is strong the Antiquity of the Book requireth reverence and Gods constant care of it sheweth he hath a divine influence in it But we are now called off from any further proceeding in our discourse at this time Before we part I have one motion and request to propose unto you To morrow is your Sabbath and I have a desire that you two would teach us that day and let us see the manner how you worship God it may please God to make more of his light to shine among us You remember what passed about this motion I do now with more desire confirm shat motion Ant. We also are still of the same minde and purpose and are the more confirâ—ed in our hearts because we see that Gâ—d is on the coming hand to incline your heart unto the Lord. After the Sabbath Philip Keitassoot Anthony William Keit. I Have now lived one Sabbath many a Sabbath have I been dead and followed works of darkness and sin when I should â—ave been following the Lord in such wayes of Worship as yesterdâ—y was spent in I am wounded at my heart to remember what I have done upon the Sabbath-day I â—ave served the Dâ—vil and lust and sins of all sorts even upon the Sabbath-dayes The sins that I have committed do render me vile in the sight of God and the time wherein I have committed mâ—ny of them doth render me more vile in the eyes of the Lâ—rd my Judge You said yesterday that Christ Jesus is the Lord of the Sabbath and requires all men to spend that day in his service and when Christ Jesus shall judge the world he will examine all men how they spent every Sabbath Oh wretched man that I am what answer shall I make though I am a Sachem here on earth I sâ—all be but a subject in the day of Judgement I now sit upon the Bench to judge others then I must stand at the Barre to be judged my self Oh what mountains of sin have I heaped up in my wicked life I had forgot my sins and I thought God had forgot them too and I had thought my Conscience had forgot them also but now I see it is not so God hath numbred all my wayes my thoughts my words and works and I feel now that my Conscience remembreth them also though it hath been asleep in the times of my ignorance and profaneness Oh I am a wretch I should have been an example to my people an example of virtue of wisdome and of praying to God but I have done quite contrary to my duty I have been an example of lust of profaneness yea of all sin and in particular of this great sin of profaning the Sabbath my heart is wounded with the sense of this â—in especially and that forceth my troubled Conscience to gall and afflict my soul with the remembrance of all my sins But why say I all I now finde my sins are numberless my own personal sins are many great and vile my heart doth loath my self to remember them they make me an abhorring to God But moreover and besides my own personal sins other mens sins I am guilty of Oh how many have sinned upon my account many wayes I am a Sachem over my people to rule them in virtue and to do them good but I have done contrary to my charge I have led them out into all sin and thereby I have done them â—he greatest hurt and mischief I have been a means of their damnation Oh how many are gone and going to hell upon my account how shall I escape damnation who have led so many inâ—o that eternal pit Oh I am pained at my heart what shâ—ll I do Oh what shall I do Ant No creature can help you none but God in Jesus Christ he can help you Consider that Text Micah 6.6 7 8. Wherewith shaâ—â— I come before the Lord and bowe my self before the high God shall I come before him with burâ—â— offerings with calves of a year old Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams or with ten thâ—usands of rivers of oyl shall I give â—y first born for my transgression the fruit of my boâ—y for the sin of
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