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 their 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 gody 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 in England, unto them, so as that they might taste a spiritual blessing, and finde some edification of their souls by those outward blessings which they received. And whereas some, (as I am informed) who came from us to England, are no better friends to this work then they should, and may speak slightly of it: I do intreat that such may be asked but this question; Did they so much regard to look after it here, as to go three or four miles to some of [p. 23.] our meetings, and to observe what was said and done there? if not, how can they tell how things be? if they say they were, I desire to know what they except against? If they say the Indians be all nought because such as come loytering and filtching about in our Townes are so; Wish them to consider how unequal that judgment is, if all the English should be judged by the worst of them; and any should say they be all such, this were to condemne the righteous with the wicked. Had I leasure, I would insert a few more of their questions, that you might perceive how flesh and sinewes begin to gather upon these dry bones; but I cannot at this time attend it; the present work of God among them is to gather them together to bring them to Political life, both in Ecclesiastical society and in Civil, for which they earnestly long and enquire, and some aged ones say, Oh that God would let me live to see that day; I allude to that in Ezekiel, not because I have any light to perswade me these are that people there mentioned, only they be dry and scattered bones, if any be in the world; and the work of God upon all such dry bones I beleeve will be in many things Symmet

ricall; But the work of the day is to civilize them, and it will be very chargeable, and because in your Letters to Mr. Cotton, you desired that he and I should speak with the Commissioners what was fitting to send over for this work, we could not speak with the Commissioners of other Colonies, nor write to have any seasonable return, nor could we communicate the state of the businesse unto them, but what was feasible we have done.

Now dear Sir, it may be you will desire to know what kinde of Civil Government they shall be instructed in; I acknowledge it to be a very weighty consideration; and I have advised with Mr. Cotton and others about it, and this I propound as my general rule. through the help of the Lord; they shall be wholly governed by the Scriptures in all things both in Church and State; they shall have no other Law-giver; the Lord shall be their Law-giver, the Lord shall be their Judge, the Lord shall be their King, and he will save them; and when it is so the Lord reigneth, and unto that frame the Lord will bring all the world ere he hath done, but it will be more difficult in other Nations who have been adulterate with their Antichristian or humane wisdome; they will be loth to lay downe their imperfect own Star-light of excellent Lawes, in their conceits, for the perfect Sun-light of the Scripture, which through blindnesse they cannot see.

[p. 24.] England long since had happy experience of it, and it is often in my heart to desire they would pitch there in this present great change they are about; this is certaine, that all formes and Lawes of mans invention will shake, be unsetled; and many will doubt of subjecting to any way man can devise; and they will never rest till they come up to the Scriptures, and when they produce Scripture grounds for all they do, it will answer and satisfie all godly consciences, and awe the rest, and stop their mouths unlesse they will cavill against divine wisdome. It is the very reason why the Lord in this houre of temptation will bring Nations into distresse and perplexity, that so they may be forced to the Scriptures; the light whereof hath sole authority to extricate them out of their deep perplexities; and therefore all Governments are and will be shaken, that men may be forced to pitch upon the firme and unshaken foundation, the Word of God; this is doubtlesse the great designe of Christ in these later dayes; Oh that mens eyes were open to see it, and when the world is brought into this frame, then Christ reigneth; and when this is, Government shall be in the hands of the Saints of the most high.

But I forget my self; this is not my present work, it is my desire and prayer; my work is to endeavour the setting up Christ King dome among the Indians.

Sir, you tell me of one that will publish reasons to prove (at least) some of the ten Tribes are in America, it would be glad ty

eyes,

dings to my heart; and when Mr. Dudley heard of it, he said that Captaine Cromwell, who lately dyed at Boston told him that he saw many Indians to the Southward Circumcised, and that he was oft conversant among them, and saw it with his and was undoubtedly certaine of it; this is Captaine Cromwels testimony, and it seemeth to be one of the most probable arguments that ever I yet heard of; unlesse the Lord shall please to clear it up that they are some of those dry bones which Ezekiel speaketh of.

Mr. Mahew, who putteth his hand unto this Plough at Martins Vineyard, being young, and a beginner here, hath extreme want of books; he needeth Commentaries and Common Places for the body of Divinity, that so he might be well grounded and principled; if therefore the Lord bring any meanes into your hand, I desire you would (by the help of some godly Divine) send him over such books as may be necessary for a young Scholer; I will name no books, he needs all; I beseech you put some weight upon it, for I desire [p. 25.] he might be furnished in that kinde, and other supplies will be needful for him.

And for my self I have this request (who also am short enough in books) that I might be helped to purchase my brother Weld his books, the summe of the purchase (34 li.) I am loth they should come back to England when we have so much need of them here, and without ready money there I cannot have them; if therefore so much money might be disbursed for me, it would be a blessing to me, but it is on condition that all his books here be comprehended, else I will not give so much for them.

One thing more I shall mention, viz. if the work go on, and you send us means, then this may be considerable, which some have advised me, whether it might not be good to send me over a Carpenter or two young men-servants; but if you should approve it, I desire they may be godly, and well conditioned, of a good spirit, for they must be imployed among the Indians, and if they should be naught, and of an ill disposition they might do a great deal of hurt, but if they be honest & ineek and well spirited, it may be a great furtherance of the work, I wholly leave it to your wisdom.

Having some leasure by the Ships delay I will insert a few questions which they have propounded. viz.

If a man know Gods Word, but beleeve it not; and he teach others, is that good teaching and if others beleeve that which he teacheth, is that good beleeving, or faith? upon this question I asked them, how they could tell when a man knoweth Gods Word that he doth not beleeve it? They answered me, When he doth not do in his practice answerable to that which he knoweth.

if I teach on the Sabbath that which you have taught us, and for

get some, Is that a sin? and some 1 mistake and teach wrong, Is that a sin?

Do all evill thoughts come from the Devill, and all good ones from God?

What is watchfulnesse?

How shall I finde happinesse?

What should I pray for at night, and what at morning, and what on the Sabbath day?

What is true Repentance, or how shall I know when this is true? How must I wait on God?

[p. 26.] Shall we see Christ at the day of Judgment? Can we see God?

When I pray for a soft heart, why is it still hard?

Can one be saved by reading the book of the creature? This question was made when I taught them, That God gave us two books, and that in the book of the creature, every creature was a word or sentence, &c.

You said God promised Moses to go with him, how doth he go with us?

When such die as never heard of Christ, whether do they go ? When the wicked die, do they first go to heaven to the judgment seate of Christ to be judged, and then go away to hell? What is the meaning of the word Hebrews?

Why doth God say, I am the God of the Hebrews?

When Christ arose, whence came his soul? When I answered from heaven; It was replied, How then was Christ punished in our stead? Or when did he suffer in our stead, afore death, or after? When I pray every day, why is my heart so hard still, even as a stone? How doth God arise, and we worship at his feet, what meaneth it? This was when I preached out of Psal. 132.

Why did they eate the Passeover, with loynes girt, and shooes on their feet?

What meaneth, arise O Lord into thy resting place?

What meaneth, hunger and thirst after righteousnesse, and the blessed?

What meaneth, thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy neighbours?

If one purposeth to pray, and yet dieth before that time, whether goeth his soul?

If I teach on the Sabbath something that some other Englishman taught me, the Indians do not like it, if it be not that which you have taught, is this well?

Why must we be like Salt?

If I do not love wicked men, nor good men, am I good?

What meaneth that, love enemies and wicked men ?

Doth God know who shall repent, and beleeve, and who not?

VOL. IV. THIRD SERIES.

17

When I answered in the affirmative, then it was replyed, Why then did God use so much meanes with Pharaoh?

What meaneth that his wife shall be like a Vine, and his children like young plants?

[27.] What meaneth, that blessed are they that mourn?

When I see a good example, and know that it is right, why do I not do the same?

What meaneth lifting up hands to God?

What anger is good, and what is bad?

Do they dwell in severall houses in heaven, or altogether, and what do they?

How do you know what is done in heaven?

If a child die before he sinne, whether goeth his soul? By this question, it did please the Lord, clearly to convince them of original sin, blessed be his name.

If one that prayes to God, sins like him that prayes not, is not he worse? And while they discoursed of this point, and about hating of wicked persons one of them shut it up with this, They must love the man and do him good, but hate his sin.

Why do Englishmen so eagerly kill all snakes?

May a man have good words and deeds and a bad heart, and another have bad words and deeds, and yet a good heart?

What is it to eate Christ his flesh and drink his blood, what meaneth it?

What meaneth a new heaven and a new earth?

Much honoured and respected in the Lord Jesus.

7Our faithful and unwearied paines about the Lords work for

Ythe good of his dear children here, and for the furtherance of

the kingdome of Christ among these poor Indians, shall doubtlesse be had in remembrance before the Lord, not through merit, but mercie.

By former Letters sent by Mr. Saltonstall; I informed you of the present state of the Indian work, and though I might adde farther matters, yet I shal forbear, only this, still they continue constant, and earnestly desire to set upon the way of cohabitation & prepare for their enjoyment of that great blessing to gather a Church of Christ among them; and since the writing of my last a Nipnet Sachem hath submitted himself to pray unto the Lord, and much desireth [p. 28.] one of our chief ones to live with him and teach him and those that are with him.

You wrote (I thank you) much encouraging to lose no time, and follow the work, though I borrow materials, but I durst not do so,