British Historian observing that one cause why God let loose the Saxons to scourge and root out the Britaines, was their deep carelesnesse of communicating unto them the Christian Religion, when they had their spirits at fit advantage: but I dare not discourse of these matters.

.

One thing more I remember concerning Mr. Eliots conference with a Narraganset Sachim a sober man this yeer; after that he had taught this Sachim the Law of God, and had shewen him the means of salvation by Christ; he then asked him if he did know and understand those things? and he said, yes. He then asked him if he did beleeve them? but hee could not get any answer from him that way, but did seeme to take them into more serious thoughts. He then asked him, why they did not learn of Mr. Williams who hath lived among them divers yeers? and he soberly answered that they did not care to learn of him, because hee is no good man but goes out and workes upon the Sabbath day; I name it not to shew what glimmerings nature may have concerning the observation of the Sabbath, but to shew what the ill example of English may doe, and to see what a stumbling block to all Religion the loose observation of the Sabbath is, however mans shifting wits may find out evasions, to get loose from out of that net.

But this may serve to satisfie your own or others desires concerning the progresse of the Gospel among the Indians: the Lord Jesus seemes at this day to bee turning upside down the whole frame of things in the world, Kings, Parliaments, Armies, Kingdomes, Authorities, Churches, Ministers, and if out of his free grace hee looks not upon these hopefull beginnings, these will be so turned also; for opposition there is from men and devils against it, and I have feared in my own heart that within these few moneths there hath been some coolings among the best of these Indians; but wee find it so also among many people that are English in their first work, but the Lord Jesus revives again; and therefore Mr. Eliot of late having told them that hee was afraid that they began to bee weary, they took it to heart, and propounded in my hearing at a late Indian Lecture at Noonanetum many profitable questions, viz. When they [p. 32.] prayed and heard the Word aright? and how they might know when they were weary of them? And what time it might bee before the Lord might come and make them know him? And what the first sinne of the Devils was? (Hee discoursing to them about the danger of Apostasie.) At this time they are (as you may perceive by Mr. Eliots writings) about fencing in their ground and Town given them some hundreds of Acres, with a stone fence, for which end Mr. Eliot provides them Mattocks, Shovels and Crowes of Iron, &c. and to encourage their slothfulnesse, promised to give a groat or sixpence a rod, if they would thus farre attend their own good, and work for themselves: all the poor Indians at Noonanetum

are generally clad with such cloths as wee can get them, and the Wigwams of the meanest of them equallize any Sachims in other places, being built not with mats but barks of Trees in good bignesse, the rather that they may have their partitions in them for husbands and wives togeather, and their children and servants in their places also, who formerly were never private in what nature is ashamed of, either for the sun or any man to see. It's some refreshing to thinke that there is (if there was no more but) the name of Christ sounding in those darke and despicable Tartarian Tents; the Lord can build them houses in time to pray in, when hee hath given unto them better hearts, and when perhaps hee hath cursed and consumed theirs who have disdained to give that worship and homage to Christ in their seiled houses, which poor Indians rejoyce to give to him in their poor Tents and Wigwams: I desire you to gather what stock of prayers you can for them. I had almost forgot to tell you of Mr. Eliots going up the Country lately with Mr. Flint, Captain Willard of Concord, and sundry others, towards Merrimath River unto that Indian Sachim Passaconnaway, that old Witch and Powwaw, who together with both his sons, fled the presence of the light, and durst not stand their ground, nor be at home when he came, pretending feare of being killed by a man forsooth that came only with a book in his hand, and with a few others without any weapons only to bear him company and direct his way in those deserts; but in it you may see the guilt of the man, & that Satan is but a coward in his Lyons skin even upon his own dunghill, as also the hatred and [p. 33.] enmity against the Word which is in some, which argues that the attention which others give to it, is a power of God, and not meerly to flatter and get favour with the English: but the rest of Passaconnawaies men attended to the things which were spoken and asked divers questions, the Indians in our parts accompanying Mr. Eliot and giving blessed examples to the others herein, as also in saying Grace before and after meat, praying in their Wigwams with them, and some of them singing of Psalmes, which they have learnt among the English: discoursing also with them about the things of God. It is somewhat observable (though the observation bee more cheerfull then deep) that the first Text out of which Mr. Eliot preached to the Indians was about the dry bones, Ezek. 37. where it's said, Vers. 9, 10. that by prophesying to the wind, the wind came and the dry bones lived; now the Indian word for Wind is Waubon, and the most active Indian for stirring up other Indians to seek after the knowledg of God in these parts, his name is Waubon, which signifies Wind, (the Indians giving names to their children usually according to appearances of providences) although they never dreamt of this, that this their Waubon should breathe such a spirit of life and incouragement into the rest of the Indians, as hee hath indeavored in all parts of the Countrey, both at Concord, Merrimeck and

elsewhere; but some of the Indians themselves that were stir'd up by him took notice of this his name and that Scripture together, and the English also have much observed him herein, who still continues the same man, although we thinke there be now many others whom he first breathed encouragement into that do farre exceed him in the light and life of the things of God: Mr. Eliot also professing that he chose that Text without the least thought of any such application in respect of Waubon.

There have been many difficult questions propounded by them, which we have been unwilling to engage our selves in any answer unto, untill wee have the concurrence of others with us.

First, suppose a man before hee knew God, hath had two wives, the first barren and childlesse, the second fruitfull and bearing him many sweet children, the question now propounded was, Which of these two wives he is to put away? if hee puts away; the first who hath no children, then hee puts away her whom God and Religion undoubtedly binds him unto, there [p. 34.] being no other defect but want of children: if hee puts away the other, then he must cast off all his children with her also as illegitimate, whom hee so exceedingly loves. This is a case now among them, and they are very fearefull to do any thing crosse to Gods will and mind herein.

Secondly, suppose a man marry a Sqaw, and shee deserts and flies from her husband, and commits adultery with other remote Indians, but afterward it come to passe that shee hearing the Word, and sorry for what shee hath done, she desires to come to her husband againe, who remaines still unmarried; Whether should this husband upon her repentance receive her againe? and whether is he not bound thereunto so to doe?

At the last Lecture at Noonanetum this September, there were divers questions asked: one was propounded by an old Sqaw, a Widow; viz. If when men know God, God loves them, why then is it that any one are afflicted after that they know him? I shall mention no more, but conclude with the solemn speech of a sober and hopefull Indian at this Lecture, whose name is Wampooas, who in stead of propounding a question fell into these expressions, viz. "That because wee pray to God, other Indians abroad in the coun"trey hate us and oppose us, the English on the other side suspect us, and feare us to be still such as doe not pray at all; but (saith "he) God who knowes all things, he knowes that wee do pray to him. To which speech Mr. Eliot replyed, that it was true indeed, that some of the English did so far suspect them for sundry reasons; but I doe not so, and others of us, who know you and speake with you, we do not so think of you; and then gave them gracious and serious incouragements to goe forward and make more progresse in the things of God. This their own testimony of themselves being propounded with much sweetnesse and seriousnesse of affection, may be

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the last, although it be the least confirmation of some inward worke among them; which I looked upon as a speciall providence that such a speech should be spoken and come to my eare just at such a time as this, wherein I was finishing the story, to confirme in some measure what hath been written; the Lord himself I beleeve and no man living, putting these words into their own hearts, to give this modest testimony concerning themselves. The beginning of this enlargement of Christs Kingdome should inlarge our hearts with [p. 35.] great joy. If I should gather and summe up together the severall gracious impressions of God upon them from what hath been scattered here and there in the story, I thinke it might make many Christians ashamed, who may easily see how farre they are exceeded by these naked men in so short a time thus wrought upon by such small and despicable means. My brother Eliot who is Preacher to them, professing he can as yet but stammer out some peeces of the Word of God unto them in their own tongue; but God is with him, and God is wont to be maximus in minimis, and is most seene in doing great things by small meanes. The Sword of Gods Word shall and will pierce deep, even when it is half broken, when the hand of a mighty Redeemer hath the laying of it on: and the Scripture herein is, and must be fulfilled, that as soon as the heathen heare Christ they shall submit, Psal. 18. 43, 44. and such nations whom Christ knew not shall run unto him, Isai. 55. 5. The fall of the unbeleving Jewes was the rising of the Gentiles; my prayer to God therefore for Europe is, that the fall of the Churches, (little bettered by the devouring Sword which is still thirsty) may not bee

the rising of these American Gentiles, never pitied till Alsted in Apoc. now. I wish that Alstedius prophesie herein may never prove true; but rather that the rising of these may be a provoking and raising up of them, especially of the English, to lament after that God whom they have forsaken; and to lament after him, together with us, for these poor Indians who never yet knew him.

Sir, I had ended these relations once or twice, but the stay of the Vessell increaseth new matter; which because 'tis new and fresh, you shall have it as I heard of it from a faithfull hand: There were sundry questions propounded at the Indian Lecture at Noonanetum this Octob. 13. by the Indians: the first was propounded to Mr. Eliot himself upon occasion of his Sermon out of Ephes. 5. 11. Have no fellowship with unfruitfull workers of darknes, viz. What English men did thinke of Mr. Eliot because he came among wicked Indians to teach them?

Secondly, Suppose two men sinne, the one knowes he sinneth, and the other doth not knowe sinne, will God punish both alike?

Thirdly, Suppose there should be one wise Indian that teacheth good things to other Indians, whether should not he be as a father

*Mr. Edward Iackson.

or brother unto [p. 36.] such Indians he so teacheth in the wayes of
God? This last question seemes to argue some motions stirring in
some of their hearts to pity and teach their poor Countreymen;
and surely then will bee the most hopefull time of doing good among
them, when the Lord shall raise up some or other like themselves to
go among them and preach the Word of life unto them with fatherly
or brotherly bowels; and yet I limit not the most High, who can
make use of what Instruments hee pleaseth for this work. I shall
conclude therefore with a story I had both by writing
and word of mouth, from a faithfull* man which hee
saw with his own eyes this Octob. 7. There was one
of the Indians at Noonanetum, hath had a child sick of a Con-
sumption many a day, and at that time died of it; when it was dead,
some of the Indians came to an honest man to enquire how they
should bury their dead; the man told them how and what the Eng-
lish did when they buried theirs; hereupon rejecting all their old
superstitious observances at such sad times (which are not a few)
they presently procured a few boards, and buy a few nayles of the
English, and so make a pretty handsome Coffin, (for they are very
dextrous at any thing they see once done) and put the child into it,
and so accompanied it to the grave very solemnly, about 40. Indians
of them when the earth was cast upon it and the
grave made up,
they withdrew a little from that place, and went all together and as-
sembled under a Tree in the Woods, and there they desired one
Tutaswampe a very hopefull Indian to pray with them; now although
the English do not usually meet in companies to pray together after
such sad occasions, yet it seemes God stird up their hearts thus to
doe; what the substance of their prayer was I cannot certainly learn,
although I have heard some things that way, which I therefore name
not, onely I have and shall indeavour to get it, if it bee possible for
the poor Indian to expresse the substance of it, and so shall send it
if the ship stayes long, onely this is certaine by him who was occa-
sionally an eye and eare witnesse of these things, that they continued
instant with God in prayer for almost half an houre together, and
this godly mans words to mee (who understands a little of their lan-
guage) are these; that this Tutaswampe did expresse such zeale in
prayer with such variety of gracious expressions, and abundance
[p. 37.] of teares, both of himself and most of the company, that the
woods rang againe with their sighes and prayers; and (saith he) I
was much ashamed of my self and some others, that have had so
great light, and yet want such affectious as they have, who have as
yet so little knowledge. All this he saw standing at some good dis-
tance alone from them under a Tree.

Thus you see (Sir) that these old obdurate sinners are not altogether senselesse of Gods afflicting hand and humbling providences; and though naturall affection may be much stirring in such times, yet

VOL. IV. THIRD SERIES.

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