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Which is in order toCbriJlianBaptifm, i DIALOGUE I. ibid. DIALOGUE II. Of tbi Corruption of our Nature^ O DIALOGUE III. ^ht Proofs of tht Chrijiian Religion, lo DIALOGUE IV. The viionderful Sueetfi and Progrt/s of the GoJ^el, *wheit it nuasfrf preached to the World, 28 D I A L O G U E V. Cj5 OhjeQions againf the had Lives of Chrijiians an/weredf DIALOGUE VL fhe Holy Scriptures both nectary and fufficient for thf Salvation of Men, 44 DIALOGUE VII. Jn Account of the Fall of Man, and what followed thereupon, till the coming of Cbrift, 55 DIALOGUE VIII. ye/us Cbrift the Mediator and Saviour of the World, and the Head of all Chriftians, 66 DIALOGUE IX. Being em Ahftraa of the former Dialogues and ln» ft r unions, 78 PART II. Of Baptifm, and the Lord's Supper: Th* Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and the Ten Comtnand- ments, explained, .9a DIALOGUE X. 0/ Baptifm, ibid. DIALOGUE XL ^he Conditions required of fucb as are to be baptized, 102 DIALOGUE XII. The Articles of the Chriftian Faith fra&ically ex- plained, 118 DIALOGUE XIIL [140 ^he Commandments of God praSicdlly explained. Part I, DIALOGUE XIV. Part II. DIALOGUE XV. 2)«r/y towards God explained, DIALOGUE XVI. *liht Duty towards Qwr Neigbboitr tftpltUntd^ 166 hV % I ! i DJ A L a G U F XVTf. Of Prayer and Thankfginjing bting the Means andCoH' airibnt of obtaining the Graces and BleJJingo/Gods, \ 8t DIALOGUE XVJII. 7hi Sacrament of the Lord's Supper explain'' d^ 204 DIALOGUE XIX. Vje Delujion, the Danger^ and the Mi/chiefs of hting Chri/iians ivithout Chriftinnityt 2 1 9 Seled Scriptures and Prayers, 21^. A Supplication on behalf of the Heathen World, 240 A MijJ.onary' s Prayer, 242 A Prayer proper for fitch as defire to be inflru^ed in, the Chrijiian Religion, 245 Private and Family Prayers, Sec. . 24^ AfeafonabUlntroduSiion, ibid. l^ht Duty and Benefit of Morning Prayer for any Verfon itt private, 25 i Morning Prayer, 252 Some/hort Meditations for fuch as are nvell-difpofed, and have Time to [pare, 255 ^he Duty and Benefit of Evening Prayer for a PerfoH in private, 257 An Evening Prayer, ibid. Short Meditations for fuch as have Time, and are vjell' difpofed, 259 Morning Prayer for a Family, zhz Proper Meditations for fuch at have Time, and are devoutly difpofed, '266 Parents for Children, 268 Evening Prayer for a Family, 269 Sele£i Scriptures, and Meditations upon them j vjhich may teach us honu to profit by reading the Scriptures, 272 A Jhort and neceJJ'ary InfiruQion for the hordes Day in the Morning, ay 6 A Jhort Prayer at your coming into Church, 277 A Jhort Prayer before you leave the Church, 279 A Prayer for Sunday Morning, 280 A plain andufeful InftruSlionfor Sunday Evening, 281 A Prayer for ^wv.dtiy Evening, 284 A Jhort Admonition to all, and, efpecially to Mafiers of Families, 285 Grace before our Meals, 287 Grace after our Meals, ibid. [i] •a^a The Lord Bijbop (?/' London 'i Letter to bis Clergy^ recommending that Branch of the Defigns of the Society for pro- moting Chriflian Knowlege^ which relates to difperfng among the Poor plain Trails on Religious Subje6ls. THE Subfcribing and Correjponding Members of the Society, in Great- Britain, and Fo, eign Parts, are about /;oo i to which were added, in the Year 1 740, 'Twenty-two Subfcribing, and Twenty-four Correfponding Members ; an Increafe, which has been in good meafure owing to the Lord Bifhop of I. W«»*s Recommendation of their Defigns, in the following Letter to his Clergy : fTbucbaU, April 3.1740, Good Brother, np HE Decay of Piety and Religion, and •*• the Increafe of Sin and Vice, are fo vifible in our Days, notwithftanding the Endeavours of the Parochial Clergy to pre- vent them ; that no additional Expedients ought to be omitted, which may help, in any meafure,. to prefervc among our * People i* 11' ' ; ji ; i W' People a Senfe of Duty, and a Spirit of Devotion. ' One of thefe Expedients is, the putting into their Hands, as Occafion fhall be found, fome /bori and plain Tra^s upon Religious SubjeSis ; fuchas htmgjhort, they are like to read, or may eafily procure to be reud to them •, and being alio plain^ they cannot fail of underftanding •, and moreover, being always at hand, and read over often, they will naturally make a deeper Impreffion upon their Minds, than Inftrudions and Admonitions, either itom the Pulpit, or by Word of Mouth. ' It was with; this View, . that feveral Bi- (hops. Clergymen, and other ferious Per- fons among the Laity, did long fince form themfelves into a Society, for printmg and difperfing fuch pra6tical Trafts, in great Numbers. And for the difperfing them more effeftually, they have from time to time admitted, and continue to admit, feveral Perfons in all Parts of the King- dom, whom they call Corresponding Members; and who are intitled to have a Supply of them, to be difpofed of among fuch of the neighbouring Clergy or Laity, as defire them ; the Bound Books, men- tioned in the Society's Catalogue, at the prime Coft in^/m, the Society being at the Charge of Binding j and the Stitch-'d 'Books,. m time to [iii] B6oks, at one Half of the Price there fet down, as the prime Coft of each ; the other Half of the Charge being born by the ftanding Subfcriptions of the Members of the Society, and by other occafional Bene- fa(5lions. And the Privilege of fending for and receiving thofe Books and fmall Tradts, on the Terms before-mention*d, is common to all the Corresponding Members, as fuch, whether they be Subscribers, or not 5 on account of the Trouble they are content to take, in an- ■ fwering the great Ends of the Society, by conveying the Tra<5ls into many Hands, ' and on the fame eafy Terms ; without any ^ Advantage to themfelves, befides the Plea- ' fure of doing Good. ' This Society has fubfifted many Years,' ' under the Name of the Society for promoting * Chriflian Knowlege. And as, by their ' Endeavours in that way, great Good has * been already done to Religion, fo much ' more would probably be done, if the * Defign, and their Methods of carrying it ' on, were more generally underftood and * attended to. And becaule fome of the ' Clergy may not know, that there is fuch *,a Society, and many others may be unac- ' quainted with the true End and Manner of ' it •, I defire that thofe in your Neighbour- ' hood may have this Accounr of it com- ' municated .'i M ■• s I nil ' ^ H. ; I inF ^^'r •■i ■' \\ w al [iv] < muracited to them, as you have Oppor* < cunity. At the fame time it is left to every * one's Judgment* how far he has OccafioHt * within his own Cure, for fuch Afliftances * asthefe, to co-operate with his own Pafto- < ral Labours. * I AM not without Hope, that when this * Method of doing Service to Reli^on is * known and confider'd, Perfons who are * of Ability, both among the Clergy and * Laity, will be difpofed to become Sub^ * fcribing Members^ or occadonal Contribu* * tors, for the better Support of the So- * ciety in carrying on the Work, and to ^ make the good EflFefts of It more and more * extenfive. And fo commending you, and *' your Labours, to the Blefling of God, I ^ remain, S I Ry Tour faithful Friend and Brother^ EDM. LONDON. N. B. This Bock, and the Bifhop of Sodor and MsLX\*s plain Account of the Sacrament of the Lord's Snppery may be had by all the Cor^ refpondih^ as well as Subfcribing Members^ upon the Terms of the Society for promote- ing Chriftian Knowlege, who meet every Tuefday, at their H^ufe^ in Bartlett's Build- ings, Holborn. re OppON ft to every I Occafion^ ALfliftancea )wn Pallo- when this Leli^on is ; who are Icrgy and :omc Suh^ Contribu* >f the So- le, and to ; and more g you, and >f God, I THE / Brother^ NDON. Sodor and tent of the 7 the Cor" Members^ promote- leet every •s Build- AuTHORs PREFACE, |F the following Eflay doth in any meafure anfwcr its Title and Dc- fign, the Reader muft know, that it was, through Gotl's Dire^ioii and Blcfiing, owing to a fliorr, ^Sy but VLiy entertaining Converfation, which the Author, and fome other Gentlemen, had with the Honourable General Oglethorpe, concerning the Condition^ Temper. _, and Genius of the Indians in the Neighbourhood of Geor- gia, and thofe Parts of /Itnerica ; who, as he afliired us, are a tra«51:aWe People, and more capable of being civilized, ^nd of receiving the Truths of Religion, than we are generally made to believe ; if fome Hindrances were removed, and proper Mcafures taken to awaken in tljem a Senfe of their true Intercft, and of their unliappy ''^ondicion, while they continue in their prcieiit State. And though this may be thought a very diili- tult Work, yet God, who wotdd have all Alen a be favedi and to come to the 7'ru^h, as it is in Jg- i m\ ^ I nh 'V't- H ii .f I a PREFACE. y«f, hatb, purfuant to his gracious Defign, made all Men capable of receiving fuch a Meafure of Chriftian Knowlege, as will be fufficicnt for their Salvation. Accordingly, fome Inflances may be given of Heathens in the darkcfl Corners of the £arth> who have, even at this Day, been awaken*d, and converted, by the Bleffing of God upon the Labours and Converfation of fome very mode- rately learned, but pious Chriftians. Thefe ho neft and well-meaning Chriftians, by their gootj Examples and Patience in e? PREFACE. ift learned Account of the Chriftian Religion: But then fome of thefc have hcen written in a Style above the Capacity of the Icfs Learned j and othei s mixed with Controverlies, improper for fuch a Work, as being too apt to diliraft the Minds of both Teachers and Learners, and to divert them from attending to the great and faving Truths of Chriftianity, It will eafily be fcen, that the Author*s Talent doth not lie that way ; he has taken what Care ho could, to give no OfFtnce to any fcrious Chriftian, who may have different Sentiments from himlV.f ; and to exprefs his Thoughts in Terms fuiied to the meanefl Capacity. And, indeed, l.c hath failed of his Purpofe, if the Truths, here recom- mended, have not been made plain even to tl e Underflanding of an Indian, who (hall be dc- firous to learn, and is diffofed for eternal Life. fLs chief Aim was to follow the Example of our great Mafler, by giving Inftrutl:ion.>j fuitable to the prtfent Ncceflity and- Strength of lucii as were to receive them. And if this ftiort and plain Inftru<^ion may but ferve for a fort of Index^ or Common pUue^ of tn<: Heads that are proper t.> be infifted on, and which may be more largely cx^lamed, it will be of fonie Ufc to fuch Miflionarics, or others, tl>tttlha]l tiiink it worth their while to confult it. * Had this Eflay been intended for the fole Ul'c * of Heathens, many Things might have been * omitted : But when one fees, even amongft ' Chriftians of almoft all EKMU)mination«:, too ma- ' ny, who, with refpei^l either to Knowlege or ' PradicC;, are not much better than Heathens, — * who underiland not why they are c;dled Chfi- * flwns, or wliat Need they have cf a Saviour ^— . a 2 * but. w PREFACE. . ' I 8 \ I l>' I Hi 1 I * but, as the Apoflle dcfcribcs the then Pagan * World, are without Chrid, expeife and Happinefs, and compel them to profane the Lord's Day, in procuring Neceflaries for their Support, in dire£l Oppofition to God's Command given in Compaflion both to Man and Beaft;— — . T'uch M afters have no Reafon to expedl the Blc/lings of cither tliis World or the next. 7l'efe arc fome of the Obftacles which lie in the way of the Conversion of the Negroes and In- dians, and caufe that glorious Work to go on fo {low!y :- And, certainly, they who are concern'd * See Eittranifrom the Bipof of Oxford'i Ztrm^n at tit End of thii preface. 3 to xii PREFACE. to remove them, and who do not, will be look'd upon as Enemies to God, and his Chrid, and as fuch (hall be treated at the lafl Day. The Want of Missionaries, both for Num- ber and Qualifications, to undertake fo dif- ficult a Work, is another Reafon which delays their Converfion, and greatly to be lamented. — Thefe cannot be hoped for, without Aififtances equal to the Work. In order to this, it pleafed God to put into the Hearts of our Princes, to establish, by a Charter, a Society for propagating the Gospel in foreign Parts, which hath hitherto been encourag'd, and kept up, by many worthy, but voluntary, Subfcriptions and Bene- fadlions. And may God increafe their Number ^ and blefs the Suhjlance of all fuch Benefa£iors /— — But Experience hath convinc'd thc^e who are chiefly concerned in carrying on this good Work, that a much greater Income than they have yet had, will be neceflary to fupply the Number of Miffionaries that are wanted, and every Day pray'd for, by fuch People as are well difpos*d, but not able of themfelves to maintain fuch as may inftru£t them. In the mean time we hope, and have Reafon to expe In the mean time it muft not be forgotten,-- ~ That every pious and underftanding ChriAian, who, by the Providence of God, is placed among the Heathens, or is any way concerned with them, may be capable, in fome meafure, of becoming a Miflionary, and maj/ nceivi, at leaft from God, a MiJJionary^s Reward^ by difpofing fuch People to bethink themfelves, why they were fent into the World, and what may become of them when they leave it. For Example: Every fuch ferhus Chrijiwn may, in his Converfation with Heathens, endea- vour to convince them, — —that the Gods they worfliip are indeed evil Spirits^ which will be theic Ruin for ever, if they do not renounce and for- fake them : That they are thefe evil Spirits which lead them, and all wicked Men, to do fucK Things as an Holy and Good (Jod muft be dif- pleafed with, and which he haih declared he will puniih moft feverely in the Life which is to come. He can further inform them, That the God we wor(hip is he who made us, and all the World ; «— — That he is moft worthy of their Love, and their Obedience, fince he hath commanded no- thing but what is neccfTary for our Good ;— That he would have all Men, without Refpe6t of Per- fons, to be happy i and that he will make all Men happy, who will do what he hath commanded them. At the fame time he can let them know. That this Great and Holy God is greatly to be feared^ above all Things, by fuch as do not obey his Commands ; fo that they ought not to be eafy till they know how to obtain his Pardon, and to be reftored to his Favour. He can, in converfing wirh them, let them know further, that ou-r God and Maker hath been 1 1 t m PREFACE. XVll Forgotten,—— ng Chrlftian, placed among ed with them, f becoming a [I from God, ; fuch People e fent into the F them when ous Chrl/Ilan thens, endea- le Gods they h will be theic Lince and for- fe evil Spirits ?«, to do fuch I muft be dif- clared he will ch is to come, rhat the God ill the World ; eir Love, and mmanded no- jood ;— That efpedl: of Per- make all Men 1 commanded :t them know, is greatly to he io not obey his to be eafy till ^n, and to be em, let them d Maker hath been been fo exceeding good and kind, as to fend his own Son from Heaven, to make himfelf, and his Will, known unto Men; — To teach them how they ought to live, fo as to pleafe their Maker j — and how they may be reftored to his Favour, when they fhall have done any thing to difpleafe him : — And (to make us all more attentive to thefe Truths) That the Son of God did afTure us Chri- flians, — ^That this is not the only World and Life we are all made for, but that there is another World after this; and that the prefent Life is only a State of Trial, which is defigned to fit us for a much better Life, if we are not wanting to our- felves. — For God hath afllired us, by this his Soriy^ that he hath determined to raife all Men that have ever liv*d, to Life again, to call them to Ac- count, and to judge them either to Happinefs or Mifery, as they fhall have deferv'd ; and that' all fuch as have obey'd God, and led good Livesr- or who, being fenlible that they have done Evil,, have truly repented of it, fhall be happy for ever; but that fuch, whether Heathens or Chriftians, as^ have led carelefs and wicked Lives in this World, and have not truly repented, and amended their? Ways, (hall be doomed to everlafling Fire.- By fuch Hints as thefe, and a thoufand other Truths which the good Spirit of God will put into the Hearts of fuch pious Chriftians as love God, and defire to have him known and glorified, —by fuch Hints as thefe it will be proper to raife in their Minds a Fear for themfelves, and a Defire - to know more of the Will of God ; To know- what they muft believe,— -and how they muft^ Jive, fo that they may be happy when they die. b 3, And^ i ■I f " ii! !i ff ii tr • I . i: i XVlll PREFACE, * And certainly, they who have Negroes in Ser- vitude, will find It the beft way to fccure their Fi- delity ; — Firft, to convince them, that their State of Bondage, even in a firange Land, amongft People who are governed by Laws, is far better than always to have lived in their own Country, where no Man can live in Safety, except a few law- lefs People, who kill or make Slaves of all whom they can overcome; whereas now they may live in Security, and have it in their own Power to come tothcKnowIegeof thetrueGod, who will aflu redly make them full Amends in the next World, for what they want or fufFer in this, if they fhall bear their Condition, in which his Providence hath placed them, with Patience, and obey his Commands* And now, if any thing in the following EJpiy fhall be of Ufe, either to fuch well-difpos'd People as we have been fpeaking of, or to any of the Mijftonaries fent by the Society, or to thofe Chri- Itians, who have hitherto liv'd without Fear of what mull come hereafter: In a Word, — if it may ferve in the leaft Degree to inlarge the King- dom of God, which wc daily pray for : Let all the Praife be to Him, for whofe Glory it was un- dertaken, and who by the weakeft Means can, when he pleafes, do the greateft Good. All the Author defires for himfelf is, That he may have the Prayers of all fuch as (hall receive any Benefit by thefe Papers; and in Return he will not forget to pray for them. That zve may one Day wcet in the Paradife of God, to praife Him to all Eternity. • .«; - ^xtrstlifrm the Bijh»p of Oxford'i Sermon, at tb* End "f ur l-reface. £ X- i roes in Ser- re their Fi- : their State J, amongft s far better 1 Country, t a few law- ►f all whom ' may live in ver to come nW afluredly World, for ey fhall bear e hath placed ^mmands. owing Effay ■pos'd People \ any of the ) thofe Chri- lout Fear of Vord,— if it re the King- Let all y it was un- Means can, d. is, That {hall receive Return he ive may one raife Him to mn, at tbt End t [ xix ] ,}LrKAcr of the Lord Bijhop of Glou- cefler'i Sermon, preach' d A. D. 172^-4,0. before the Society for Propa- gating the Gofpel in Foreign Parts* IT is a great Reproach to Chriffianity, to fee Men with fo much Eagernefs, and thro' fa many Hazards, going to thefe Countries, in or- der to gain the Wealth that pertjheth^ or fending their Wealth thither, in Hopes of having more in Return ; and not in the leaft concern'd to propagate Virtue and Religion there. They will compafs Sea and Land, to gain even a fmall Mat- ter j but out of great Gains they will not con- tribute one Farthing towards humanizing and inftru£ling thefe poor Wretches : Nay, eren they oppofe the Inftru take great of Reft and I we (hould mon Juflice or ourfelveS} ifevere in a fo btnejicial ^Oxford'x 1 740- 1, gating the he Society's le poor Ne- rn, in their ind the moft I to the beft emies, who metimes by T unable or r Condition II be worfe ; yet nearly laborious, • their. their Punifhments moft feverc. And thus many Thoufands of them fpend their whole Days, one Generation after another, undergoing with re- lu«S^ant Minds continual Toil in this World, and comforted with no Hopes of Reward in a better. For it is not to be expe£ted, that Mafters, too commonly negligent of Chriftianity thcmfelves,. will take much Pains to teach it their Slaves; whom even the better Part of them are in a great measure habituated to confider, as they do their Cattle, merely with a View to the Profit arifmg from them. Not a few, therefore, have openly oppofed their Inftru becaufe, after that, no Pretence will remain for not treat- ing them like Men. When thefe Obftacles are added to the Fondnefs they have for their old Heathenifh Rites, and the ftrong Prejudices they muft have againft Teachers from among thofe whom they ferve fo unwillingly ; it cannot be wonder'd, if the Progrefs made in their Conver- fion prove but flow. After fome Experience of this, Catechifts were appointed in two Places, by way of Trial, for their Inftruftion alone -, whofe Succefs, where it was leaft, hath not been inconfi- derable; and fo great in the Plantation belonging to the Society, that, out of Two hundred and ^ Thirty, mm r i J if Hi^ * Thirty, at leaft Seventy are now Believers m * Chrift. And there is lately an Improvement to * this Scheme begun to be executed, by qualifying * and employing young Negroes, prudently chofen, * to teach their Countrymen : From which, in the * Opinion of the beft Judges, we may reafona \y * promife ourfelves, that this miferable People, the * Generality of whom have hitherto fat in Dark' * nejsy will fee great Light*.* Page 8. * There ftill remains another Branch of * the Society's Care, the Indians bordering on our ' Settlt!)ients. Thefe confift of various Nations * valuable for fome of their Qualities, but im- * merfed in the vileft Superflitions, and engaged in * almoft perpetual Wars againft each other, which * they profecute with Barbarities unheard of amongft * the reft of Mankind; implacable in their Refent- * ments, when once provoked ; bound'lefe in their * Intemperance, when they have Opportunities for * it, and at fuch Times mifchievous in the higheft •Degree; impatient of Labour, to procure them- * felves the common Conveniencies of Life j inhu- * manly negligent of Perfons in Years ; and if * Accounts of fuch Things may be credited, not * fcrupling to kill and eat their neareft Relations, * when the long Expeditions they make for Hunt- * ing, or againft Enemies, have reduced them to * Streights. Now thefe poor Creatures, al{b, dili- * gent Endeavours have been ufed to enlighten and * reclaim, on fuch Occafions, and by fuch Methods, * as were leaft fufpicious* For, without due Pre- * cautions, Harm would be done, inftead ofGood, * where natural Jealoufy is fo induftrioufly fo- * mented by an artful Neighbour. And, after all * Math, iv. 1 6* « Pre- A f * M, Believers m 5rovement to by qualifying ently chofen, vhkht i" the y reafona Jy ; Peopky the ^/ /■/« Dark' er Branch of leringon our 3US Nations :s, but iin- d engaged in ther, whicli d ofamongft heir Refent- i'lefe in their ►rtunities for I the higheft ocure them- Lifej inhu- ars; and if redited, not \ Relations, e for Hunt- zed them to h ai^9 dili> lighten and 1 Methods, Lit due Pre- id of Good, rioufly io- d, after all •Pre- [ xxiii ] Precautions, it cannot be an eafy "Work to con* vert Nations, whofe Manners are fo uncultivated ; whofe Languages are fo different, fo hard to learn, and fo little adapted to the Dodlrines of Religion ; with whom we fcarcc ever contrail Affinities; and who feldom continue long enough in the fame Place, to let any good Imprcffions fix into Ha- bits. But, notwithftanding thefe Diificnlties, which fruilrated formerly a very expenfive At- tempt, another hath been made of late; and, through the Bleffing of God, hath fo reformed and improved the Morals, together with the Notions of one Indian Tribe*, that we cannot but hope the reil will be induced, by feeing their Happinefs, to follow their Example.' Page 1 8. * But let us now think, what Good muft follow from extending this Infliut^ion to the poor Negroes alfo. The Servitude and liard La- bour they undergo, be it as juftifiable as it can, furely requires, that we fhould make them all the Amends in our Power; and the Danger, into which they have brought our Colonies more than once, demands the greateft Care to compofe and foften their vindictive and fullen Spirits. Now there can be nothing contrived on purpofe more likely to efFeit this, than Belief of the Gofpel ; which not only forbids in general, both doing and recompenfmg Evil f ; but commands in particu- lar as many as are Servants under the Toke^ to count their Majiers worthy of all Honour || j andbefub- jeii to them with all Fear^ not only to the Good and Gentle^ but alfo to the Froward j for this is thank* worthy, if a Man for Confdence towards Gtden^ * The Mobavfha, •}- Rm* zii« 17 * II I Tim, V?. I, ^ dure m\ m [ xxiv ] dure GrUf^ Jufferlng wrongfully %'. to do Servict with good fri/If as to the Lord, and not to Men i knowing that whatever Good any Man doth, the fame he Jhall receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free * * . The Tendency of fuch Doctrine muft be to make their Tempers milder, and their Lives happier. And no Imagination can be fug- geifcd to them, of any worldly Exemptions or Privileges arifing from their Profeflion of it. For as human Authority hath eranted them none, fo the Scripture, far from making any Alteration in civil Rights, exprefly direds, that every Alan abide in the Condition wherein he is called^ with great Indifference of Mind concerning outward Circumftances* : And the only Rule it prefcribes for Servants of the fame Religion with their Ma- tters, is, not to de/pife them becaufe they are Bre- thren i but do them Service the rather \. Nor hath Experience at all (hewn the Behaviour of fuch, in the prefent Cafe, to be different from what Reafon would lead us to expert. On t h e CONTRARY, IN A GREAT REBELLION OF THE Negroes at New- York, only two OF THOSE WHO HAD RECEIVED ANY IN- STRUCTION, AND ONLY ONE WHO HAD BEEN BAPTIZED, WAS SO MUCH AS SUSPECTED OF BEING GUILTYJ AND HE WAS AFTER- WARDS ACKNOWLEGED TO BE INNOCENT'. BUT THE DEEPEST IN THE CONSPIRACY WERE THE Slaves of those Persons, WHO had OPPOSED THE MOST WARMLY all Endeavours for their Conversion. It may therefore be depended on, that Succefs in X I Ptter, ii. l8, 19. * 1 Cir, vii. 20-»24« •*Ephef.\\. 7, 8. "f I Tm(. vi. 2i thefe to do Serviu dtt9t to Men i ^an dothy the whether he be fuch Do6trine der, and their an can be fug - Exemptions ur on of it. For Lhem none, fu T Alteration in it every Alan s called^ with rning outward ile it prefcribes with their Ma- 'e they are Bre- •atherf. Nor Behaviour of different from a. On the BELLION OF ONLY TWO ED ANY 1n- 10 HAD BEEN USPECTED OF AS AFTER- innocent : Conspiracy SE Persons, st warmly Conversion. that Succefs in f. vS. 7, 8. vi. 2. i [ XXV ] thel^ Endeavour! will both bo a Security, and every way an Advantage, to their Proprietors. And if it doth procure the poor Wretches them* fclves a little more kind Ufage, they will then be fitter to receive it ; and at prcfent, as much as can be fafely allowed them, is but their Due. The Apoftle s Injun£lion was made not only for Slaves, but for Heathen Slaves: Majiers^ ghe to your Servants that which if jufl and equal i knowing that ye alfo have a Majier in Heaven*: neither is there KeJpeSt of Perfons with him f^ And if their becoming Chriilians will help, as it certainly will, to obtain them fuch Treatment \ putting together their Condition and their Num- bers, there are but few Things, which, even on that Account, common Humanity more obliges us to attempt. * Then as to the Influence of Chriftianity on the Indians \ it muft undoubtedly reftrain thcijr mutual Barbarities, which it doth not appear what elfe will, and diipofe them to a fettled and orderly Life. By means of this, they wUl come to enjoy the Benefit of Agriculture, and of all the Arts that are ufeful in bociety : they will of confequence grow happier, and more numerous i and as they will become at the fame time more harmlefs too, it would be both an immoral and a falfe Policy, to envy them thefe Advantages, They have yielded up to us a confiderable Part of their Country : And it is but common Grati- tude, to fhew them the way of living comfort- ably in the reft. We have introduced among them both Difeafes and Vices, which have de- ftroy'd great Numbers of them : Surely it is fit thefe * Col, iy, I, t Epbef, vi. 9. C we . i'illi liP [ xxvi ] we fhould communicate fomething good to them. It may be feared they are hitherto the worfe for their Knowlege of Us : but they will certainly be the better for the Knowlege of our Religion. And the more they are prejudiced againft it by the Wickednefs of its Profefibrs, the more need there is to lay before them, in a full Light, the Excellency of its Precepts j and to convince them, that there are Perfons, who not only believe, but pra6tife them. Nor fhould it be forgotten, that every fmgle Indiariy whom we make a Chriftian, we make a Friend and Ally at the fame time ; both againft the remaining Heathen, and a much more dangerous Neighbour, from whofe Infti- gations almoft all that we have fuffered by them is allowed to have come. * But the temporal Advantages of propagating Chriftianity are infinitely the leaft. If we allow but the Truth of Natural Religion, we muft ad- mit the future, as wcU as prefent, Happinefs of Mankind to depend on preferving and diftufing the Knowlege of that Religion. And there is neither Inftance nor Profped^ of either of theic Things being attempted by any other Method, than that of preaching the Gofpcl : of which the Dodrines and Duties of Nature make fo large a Part. If therefore it be of Importance, that the People in our Colonics fhould wor(hip the Alakcr of Heaven and Earth, and believe Virtue to be his Law ; that the Negroes and Indians fhould be turned from Idols tofei ve the living andtrue God* ; and that all Ihould know, there will be a Recom- pence hereafter to the Juft, and to the Unjull: whoever deferves the Name of Deift in a good • 1 Thef. i. 9. ' Senfe, m i m ii' rf 1 ■?1 ;good to them. ) the worfe for ' will certaiiiJy " our Religion, d againft it by the more need full Light, the :onvince them, ly believe, but forgotten, that ike a Chriftian, ;he fame time ; n, and a much a whofe Infti- ffered by them of propagating If we allow I, we muft ad- , Happinefs of g and diflfufing And there is either of thefc )ther Method, : of which the lake fo large a ance, that the hip the Maker Virtue to be iiam fhould U indtrue God* ; 1 be a Recom- :o the Unjull: eifl in a good ' Senfe, t [ xxvii ] Scnfc, whoever is indeed an Enemy to Superftition, and a Friend to Mankind, will rejoice to have that Faith carcfuUv taughtamongft them, by which alone they will learn thefe momentous Truths ; ta have it told among the Heathen, that the Lord is Kivg, and that he Jh all judge the People right eoujiy * . ' But ;/ the Go/pel of Chriji, befules compre- hending the Syttcm of Natural Religion, be, by virtue of its own particular Doctrines, the Poivsr of God unto Salvation \ ; then every pofTible Motive, concurs for being zealous in fprcading it throughout the Earth. Revelation indeed neither obliges nor permits us to pafsa hard Sentence on thofc, V* ho have never had itpropofed with fuffi- cicnt I^v'idcnce. To their own Majlcr they J} and or fall \: and of theni only, to whom inuJ) is gi'ueyi, Jhnll much he required^. For if there bg firjl a willing Mind, it is accepted according to that a Alan hath, and net acordivg to that he hath n:t%^. But ftill, as all Men have finned^ and come foort of the Glory of Gcd*''^, an 1 there is but one Name under Heaven, whereby, they can hi faved', as Chriftianity is inexpreilibly niore effi- cacious for the Refloration of Mankind, than un- ailifted Reafon ; as our only Ailurance, cither of receiving i future Reward, or efcaping Punifti- ment, muft arife from Scripture ; and we have no Intimation in it, of any Perfon's enjoying that Life and Immortality which Jefus Chriji hath brought to Light* f, but fuch as believe in him : thefe Confiderations, without limiting at all the free Mercies of God, cannot but ftiew us the ! * Pfal. xcvi, 10. L>ip xii. 4S. fA Tim. i, 10. fRem. I. 16. § 2 Cor. viii. i2. C 2 X Rom. xiv. 4. •* Rom. iii. 23* * great i « k i « ( ( t c i « < c c t t i < « < i ( « « c c i [ xxviii ] great Superiority of our own Condition, and make us afk, with great Solicitude, concerning others; How then Jhallthey believi in Hwiy of whom they have not heard? And how Jhall they hear without a Preacher ? And how fl)all they preachy esccept they hefent''^? Our blefled Lord iiath entrufted his Followers to preferve his Go- Tpel in Purity^ where U is ; and communicate it, where it is not. By their faithful Difcharge of thcfe Duties formerly, we ourfelves were delif vered from the Bondage of Heathenifm into the glorious Liberty of the Children ofGod\» It now belongs to Us, in our Turn, to fireugthen our Brethren Xt and call them that are afar off^: And where fhall we find properer Obje«5ls of our Care and Zeal?* Page 3r. ' But perhaps it will be faid. Sup- porting Defigns of this Nature is the Clergy's Bufineis: Let them take care of it. And fu, God be thanked, we do: and fo, I hope in God, we fhal), whether we are helped in it more or lefs ; in fuch manner, as both to keep Pace with the Willing, and make Amends for the Unwilling. We defire not to boaft, and we need not be afhamed, of the Proportion which we contribute. But we may notwithftanding do very well to increafe it. For there is fo much expe£led of us, and we are fo greatly concerned to anfwer every reafonable Expedition to the utmoft, that if any of our Order have omitted taking fufficient Notice of a Charity fo immediately related to their Profeilion, it is their Duty, on many Accounts, to make full Compenfation to it without Delay. It is I 'II ^Rom, X. 14, 15. •\A6ii ii. jg. f fifff.viii. xif \ Lukexxu. 32. < indeed indeed our Duty, on every Occafion, at all Times, but efpecially in an Age when no Part of our Condudl wjll be interpreted favourably, to avoid all Appearance, either of preferring Riches in this World before being rich in goodWorki* ^ or of loving Pleafure more than Godf. St. Paultook Wages of fome Churches to do others Service^* Let Us, out of the Wages, which We take, do all the Service we can to the Church of God ;. and dijiribute largely to the NeceJJities of the Saints %^ particularly their fpiritual ones.* Page 35. ' Perfons in plentiful Circumflances, and perhaps at a Lofs for Ways in which they may give Alms, will here find one undoubtedly proper Way. And Perfons in Arrear to Religion- and Charity have an excellent Opportunity of- fer'd them, of paying the Debt. They who plead the Multitude of other Expences, might a very great Part of them, by withdrawing but a little of what they ought from their Luxury and Va- nity, qualify themfelves for Liberalities, which will turn hereafter to a much better Account. And fuch -as make the Increafe of Taxes their Excufe, ought to confider, that as Providence hath brought that Increafe upon us by permit- ting us to fufter fo much from our Enemies, in that Part of the World, where we have done fo little for God ; efpoufing His Caufe is the like- liefl: Method of deriving a Blelling on our own : and if wc ncgledt it, whatever may befal u* there, we muft impute to ourfelves. We enjoy very great Advantages from thence : the Govern- ment, large Revenncsj the Nation in general. • I Tim.m. IT, 18. X Rif' xij. 13. •f- 2 Tim, iii, 4, U 2 &r. xi. ?. ill i''t "I ■'! ■ [ XXX ] * a moft beneficial Trade ; and every one of us, * fomethingor another, ufefulor agreeable in Life. * It is therefore our common Concern, both to do * Good where we have received it j and to do it * in fuch manner as may beft fecure our continu- ' ing to receive it. But they more efpecially, who ' are now raifing Fortunes by Commerce with our * American Settlements, or who poflfefs acquired or « hereditary Eflates, of which that Commerce laid * the Foundation ; they (hould think often, how ' much hath accrued to them from the Produce * of thefe Colonies, the Country of thefe Indians ^ *■ the Labour of thefe Negroes ; and rcfleft very * ferioully, what Returns, poffibly y«/?/V/, atleaft ' Gratitude^ and in many Cafes Prudence alfo, as * well as Piety y dired them to make.' Extracts from the Pious and Learned * ' Monf, Pascal^ Thoughts on Reli- . ' gion, tranflated into Englifh^j' Bafil kcnnet, T>. !D. 8vo. Page 64. ( rriHAT Religion which confifts J^ * in believing the Fall of Man « from a State of Glory and Communication with * God, to a State of Sorrow, Humiliation , and « EJirangement from God, together witli his Rf/iora- * //V«byaMEssiAS, has always Ksen in the World.' S^e this proved in this and the following Pages* Page 73. * Religion, in order to the Accom- * pliCiment of Man's Happmcfs, ought to con- ♦ vince and to do it our continu- < < < c c c ( ( « ( c c ( c < ( c < c c t [ xxxi ] vince us, that theie is a God;-- that we are obliged to love Him j that our true Felicity conufts in our Dependence on Him ; and our only Evil and Misfortune is, our Separation from Him. — It ought to inform us, that we are full of grofs Darknefs, which hinders us from knowing and loving Him ;— it ought to difcover to us the Caufe of that Enmity and Oppofition which we bear to God, and to our own Happinefs j— it ought to teach us the Remedies of this Infirmity, and the Means of obtaining them. Let Men compare all the Religions of the World in thefe refpefts, and let them obfervc, whether any one' but the ChriHian is able to afford them Satisfadlion.* Page 8 1 . • For my own Part, I cannot but de- clare, that fo foon as the Chriftian Religion dif- covers to me this one Principle, That human Na- ture is depraved, and fallen from God, this clears up my Sight, and enables me to diftinguifti throughout, the Characters of fo divine a My- ftery. For fuch is the whole Frame and Difpo- fition of human Nature, as, in all things witriin and without us, to befpeak the Lofs of God*s more immediate Prefence, and more favourable Communication.* Chap. XX. Page 1 88. * That God is no* Vnown to Advantage, but through Jefus Chrj/i. ' The greateft Part of thofe who attempt to de- monftrate the Truth of the Divine Being to the Ungodly and Profane, commonly begin with the Works of Nature ; and in this Method they very rarely fucceed. I would not feem to impair the Validity of thefe Proofs, which have been con- fccrated by the Holy Scripture itfelf. They have * indeed ml ii i ; pi 1 [ xxxii ] indeed an undeniable Agreement with the Prin- ciples of found Reafon j but are very often not fo well fuited and proportioned to that Difpofi- tion of Spirit, which is peculiar to the Perfons here defcribed. « For we muft obferve, that Difcourfes of this Kind are not ordinarily addrefled to Men whofe Hearts abound with a lively Faith, and who im- mediately difcern the whole Syftem of Things to be no other than the Workmanfliip of that God whom they adore. To thefe the Heavens declare the Glory of Gody and all Nature fpeaks in behalf of its Author. But as for thofe in whom this Light is extin/- lofophers and Pagans. Nor barely the providen- tial Difpofer of the Lives and Fortunes of Men, To as to crown his Worfhipers with a long and happy Series of Years : This was the Portion of th^Jews, — But the God of Abrahamy and oUfaaCi the God oi Chrijiians, is a God oi Love and Confolation; a God who poflefleth the Hearts and Souls of his Servants, gives them an inward Feeling of their own Mifery, and of his infinite Mercy, together with the Need we have of a Mediator, in order to our approaching his Pe- fence, or uniting ourfclves to him. We ought by no means to feparate thefe Parts of Know- lege } becaufe each alone is not only unprofitable, but dangerous. — The Knowlege of God, with- out the Knowlege of our own Mifery, is thq ^Nurfe m '•"II [ XXXIV ] * Nurfe of Pride. The Knowlegc of our own * Mifery, without the Knowlege of Jesus * Christ, is the Mother of Defpatr. But the * true Knowlege of Jefm Chriji exempts us from * Pride^ and from Defpatr^ by giving us, at once, ' a Sight, not only of God, and of our Mifery, * but alfo of the Mercy of God in the Relief of ' our Mifery. ' We may know God, without knowing our ' own Mileriesj or we may know our own Mi- ' fetics, without knowing God ; or we may know * both, without knowing the Means of obtaining * from God the Relief of our Mifcries. But v/e * cannot know Jesus Christ, without the ' Knowlege of God, of our Miferies^ and of * their Cure: inafmuch as Jesus Christ is not ' only God, but he is God under this Chara^tcr^ ' the Healer and Repairer of our Miferies. « Thus all they who fcek God without Jesuss ' Christ, can never meet with fuch Light in ' their Inquiries as may afford them true Satif- * faction, or folid Ufe. For either they advance * not fo far as to know, that there is a God j ' or, if they do, yet they arrive hereby but at an * unprofitable Knowlege, becaufe they frame to * themfelves a Method of communicating with ' God, without a Mediator ; as if without a Me- * diator jthey were capable of knowing him. * We ought therefore wholly to direft our In- * quiries to the Knowlege of Jesus Christ, ' becaufe it is by Him alone that we can pretend ' to know God, in fuch a manner as fhall be really ' advantageous to us. « He alone is the true God to us Mcn^ that is, ' to miferabU and ftnful Creatures: He is our « chief [ XXXV ] « chief Centre, and fupreme Obje£l, in refpe^l of * all that we can wifli, and all that we can undcr- ♦ ftand. For as we know God only by Jesus « Christ, fo 'tis by Him alone that we know « ourfelves. * Without Jesus Christ, Man is of Necef- < fity to be confidered as lying in Vice and Mifery : ♦ With Jesus Christ, Man appears as releoftd « from Vice, and redeemed from Mifery. In Him ' confifts all our Happinefs^ andallour/'Vrrw^, our *■ Life 2Xidi Lights o\xt Hope^XiAAJfurance. Out of * Him there is no Profpe^ but of Sins and Miferies^ « of Darknefs and Defpair ; nothing to be beheld ' by us but Obfairity and Confujion in tlie Divint ' Nature, and in our own.' us. That after Death die Souls of all good People go to a Place of Reft, and Peace, and Happinefs ; and the Souls of wicked People to a Place of Sorrow and Mifery, there to re- main till the End of this World, and the Day of Judgment. Ind, ' Pray, what do you mean by the * End of the World, and by the Day ' OF Judgment ?* MiJ[. Why, God has afiured us, that this World fliall ^ have an End ; that then there will be a Refurre5lion of the Beady both cf the Juft and Unjuft *, both of good and bad Men ; that all who have ever lived Ihall then be railed to Life, and give an Account for whatever they have done in ASi: xxiv. 15. this Dial. i. for the IND lANS. y this World, whether Good or Evil :— -- And that fuch as have done Good (hall be made happy for ever ; — '—and fuch as have done Evil, that is, have led wicked Lives, and have not repented in due time, (hall be for ever miferable. Ind, ' Thefe indeed are Truths which we * know nothing of; and if they be really * true, it certainly concerns me, and every * Man living, to think of them in good * earneft, and to order his Life according- * ly. But let me aflc you, — Do all you * Chriftians know thefe things, and believe * them to be true ? ' MiJIf. It is at the Peril of their Souls, if they do not.— But I know why you alk that Qiieftion, and I promife to anfwer and fatisfy you upon that Head hereafter. In the mean time, it is certainly your beft and wifeft Way to take care of yourfelf, in an Affair of the higheft Importance to you ; and not to neglecl this Opportunity, which God of his Mercy and Goodnefs gives you by me, of coming to the Knowlege of your Maker, and of the Duties you owe to him, to yourfelf, and to all others, left they Ihould be hereafter for ever hid from you, to your eternal Ruin and Deftrudlion. Ind, ' I hope I fiiall take your good Ad- * vice. But in the mean time will you give * me Leave to aflc you, How did God i • make . 13 8 Jifi iNSTKVCtiOU Diai.i, * make thefe things known unto you Chri- • ftians?' , • Mff, That you Ihall know in due time j for you cannot know all things at once.— — And thefe few Truths only I have told you, at this time, that you may know and con- fider what you have to do ; that you may in good earned defire to be further taught, and told how you may be for ever happy (if it is not your own Fault) •, and how you may avoid the Danger and Mifery which you and all Men are expofed to, who are not very ferioufly concerned for their own Safety.— For once and again I mud aflfure you, as certain as there is a God, that you and every Man living fhall be happy or nii- ferable when they die. We therefore (know- ing thefe things^ and that we mnfi all ap- pear before the Judgment-feat of God, and re- ceive a Sentence according to what we have done in the Body, whether it he good or bad * ) "We, knowing thefe things, endeavour to perfuade Men to be afraid for themfelves, and to live here fo as to efcape being mi- ferable hereafter. What therefore I would recommend to you at prefent (for I would not overburden your Memory at once), is this: — -^ — That you would pray to God to give you an Heart difpofed to hearken to the Trinh : For he • zCor. V. 11. * ' " ial.2. for the INDIANS. g [has promifed to enlighten the Underftand- fing, and open the Hearts, of thofe who ihumbly and devoutly pray to him for his iredtion and AfTiftance. Ind, ' I hope 1 ihall follow your Advice ; and I believe I fhall hardly forget the things you have told me.' Mijf, Farewel for the prefent ; and may God keep you in this good Difpolidon, and give you a teachable Temper ! i^M DIALOGUE IT. Of the Corruption of our Nature^ Indian, 1AM come again, kind Sir, for your further Inftruftion. Your laft Words * have made me very thoughtful and un- * eafy, when you told me with fo much * Earneftnefs, That Happiness or * Misery will be the certain Por- ' TION OF EVERY ONE AFTER DeATH.' Mijf. I told you nothing but the Truth ; and I am not forry for your Uneafmefs ; — fince that may prove in its Confequence the greateft Blefling of your Life. Ind, * I do not underftand how that can ' be.' " > Mi[f. !!:U!i:'...lli ■ri,r. • i^r m :i i.' J to y/«lNSTRUCTIOK Dial 2. Miff, But this you can eafily underftand, ^-ThaS they who are whoky and think them- /elves in no Danger ^ will not look out for Help \ but they that arejick^ and ill at Eafc, will he glad of Advice^ and will be apt - follow it * ; when once you are " . liibi' that of yourfelf you are an ignorant^ help- lefsy ftnful Creature f , incapable of either knowing or performing the Will of your Maker, or of reconciling yourfelf to him, whenever you have offended him ||. Befides, I muft tell you another Truth, ■ That the more you are afraid for your- felf, the more will the Great God be dif- pofed to pity you, and to deliver you from the Danger you are juftly afraid of § ; and to enable you to attain the End for which you were made, and fent into the World. Ind. ' Will you be plcafed to k aie * know what the End is for which Gad * made us, and fent us into the World ?' Miff, God made Man, that he might have a Creature upon Earth endued with Reafon, and capable of adoring his Maker, • Matt. ix. 12. •j' Rev.VA. 17. II RarifTime accidit, ut quifquam veniat volens fieri Chrillianus, qui non fit Dei timore percuiFus. S. Au' gujiinus de Cattchizandit Rudibus, § I/ai, Ixvi. 2, s M and IDlal.i. for the INDIANS. ii md of imitating his Perfedions •, and fit to )artake of his Bounty and Happinefs. Ind, ' Pray what is the Happinefs you fpeak of ? * Mijf. It is the Happinefs of going to a *Iace of \i:n5t Knowlege, Goodnefs^ Love^ foy^ and Peace^ which is to laft for ever. As nothing is more defirable than Life, lothing Ihould more forcibly work upon [uman Nature, than the Hopes of Ever- lading Life. Which Life God himfelf has fet forth to IS by all fuch things as we are mod com- lonly affeded with :— — As a Crown,— Kingdom, a Treasure, and Inhe- Iritance undefiled^ that fadeth not away ; j— . — and a — State of everlafting Joy and '^leafure. • , . •. Ind. ' If God originally defigned Men for this Happinefs, how came they to forfeit their Title to it?' MiJf. They do it by being guilty oi Sin % [that is, by tranfgrefllng the Law which JGod has given them. Jnd. * Has God given us any Law ?* MiJf, Yes, furely. He has given you land all Men Reafon^ which is inftead of a written Law or Rule, by which you ought to live, and may, in fome meafure, know I what is good, and what is evil ^ what will pleafe. m u 12 yf^ iNSTRUCTtON Dial. 2. pleafe, and what will diipleafe, an holy, jufi^ and good God. Ind. ' But it is too plain, that People do . * not always obfcrve this Rule or Law.* Mijf. It is fo, and that is their Sin^ by which they difpleafe God, and debar them- felves of his greater Favours, and are in Danger of being miferable, even beyond what they can imagine. Ind. * But is not this the Cafe of many J Chriftians, as well as of us ? * ^ MiJf, It is furely fo, — —and they mud fuffer feverely for it*, God having given them plainer Rules, and greater Helps, to overcome and cure that Corruption of Na- ture^ which is One great Occafion of all the Wickednefs which we fee in the World. Ind, * Pray what do you mean by The • Corruption of our Nature'* V - Mi[f, That I will tell you ; and what your own Reafon and Experience muft ac- knowlege to be true.— ~By the Corruption of Nature we mean, a ftrong Inclination to Evil, which we not only fee and blame in other People, but very fenfibly feel in our- felves i that is, fomething within us, * It is our Religion nuhich hasfirji taught , that Man is horn in Sin ; no Se£l of Philofophen ever /aid this, and therefore no Seff ever /aid the l^ruth^-o^Monf, PafcalV Religious Thoughts, ^. 63. ' . which ial. 2. for the INDIANS. 15 hicli oppofeth our Rcafon (and the other ,aws which God has given us) j fo that wc re often tempted and prevail'd upon, to do hat our own Judgment condemns us for, it the Time of doing it. Ind. ' This indeed is too plainly the Cafe. ■Men follow not their Reafin, but their y^ Paffions, their Inclinationj^ and their own perverle fVills \ and which too often they have Caufe to repent of.' Miff. You cannot but have obfcrved, that this Inclination to Evil is often To vio- lent, that Men commit all Iniquity with Gree- dinefss and this is the Occalion of all the Wickednefs which we fee and hear of; I All the Cruelty^ the Oppreffion^ the Fride^ the Injuftice^ the Malice^ the Covetotifnefs, the \Lewdnefs, the Impurity, Murders, Brunhn* nefs, by which Men difhonour their Maker and themfelves, and are a Plague to others ; ^ infomuch that it is found neceflkry to have fevere Laws made, even Jby Men, to hinder wicked People from hurting one another ; of which Laws there would be no Occa- sion, if Reafon had been fufficient to govern Men ; which fad Experience (hews it is not *, — there being too many, whom no Reafon, no Advice, no Profpei^ of Dayiger, no Hopes of Happinefs, can keep from ruining them- felves and others. M. 1 1 1 I, '|:i,:;i'* i,:i:.*!^ ■I wm 14 yf// Instruction Dial. 2. Iml. ' I confefs there is Truth in what * you fay. But lure this is not the Cafe ' of all People.' Miff. I muft tell you, — that the Wicked- nefs ot others (hews us plainly what all Men are by Nature. — All Men have the Seeds of Evil within themfelves, which would fpring up and appear upon every Temptation, if not hindered by fomething more than their own Reafon j and they that are not fo wicked as others, may be thankful to a Power aifove, who reftrains them. And your own Heart and Experience muft tell you, that fuch as are not fo wicked as thefe we have been fpcaking of, are forced to ftrive hard againft the Temptations they meet with, before they can follow what their Reafon tells them they ought to do or avoid', that they are but too often unwill- ing to follow the Light of Reason, which God has given them ; and too-too ofreii make ufe of it only to hurt or over-reach one another. All which (hews, that our Nature isjirangely corrupt ; fo that no Man can fay he is free from Sin, or not guilty before God. Ind, ' I muft confefs, indeed, that, ac- * cording to my beft Senfe, there is Truth * in every thing you have told me.* MiJ]'. Well then, let tiiis Truth fink deep into your Heart-, for without the firm Be- 3 lict Dial. 2. for the INDIANS. 15 lief of this, you will never have any true • Notion of the Goodnefsy Juftice^ or Mercy of God to Men ; nor will you ever know Ithe Value of Chriftianity. Tnd, But how Man, the Creature of fo holy and good a God, fhould come to have a Nature fo corrupt and di/ordered, and prone to Evil, — This, indeed, furprifcs me.* Mijf, Far be it from any Man to imagine, [that a good and holy God, who hateth Sin, [fhould be the Caufe of this Corruption of our Nature, and of the Evil it occafions ! — jNo,— He made Men at firft upright, holy^ iuft, and good, and capable of doing every [thing that became a reafonable Creature; but how he fell into this wretched and dif- tempered Condition, you fhall know in du« [time. Ind. * But fince Sin and Wickednefs are difpleafing to God, why does he fufFer Sin and Sinners to be in the World ? * Miff. You do notconfider, that, all Men [being Sinners, God mull either fuffer Sin to I be in the World, or deflroy the Sinners ; [that is, all the Race of Men. But when ^you come to know the Chriftian Religion, ^and what God has done to cure this great [Diforder of our Nature, you will find, that God can take Occafion from the Sins of Men to difplay the Greatnefs of his Mercy C 2 and i6 ^/7 Instruction Dial. 2. and Companion for Sinners ; — and you will have Reafon to admire and adore his won- derful IVi/donty and Mercy, and Goodnefs, to all fuch as Ihall lay hold on his Offers of Grace, as well as dread his ju(l Dilplea- iure againft fuch as defpife his Mercy. And this is One Reafon, that I have taken fo much Pains to convince you of the Cor- ruption of our Nature, and of the Danger wc are in on this Account, that you may have no Eafe in your Mind, until you know how to be delivered -from fo bad a Bondage, and the Fears which ought to attend it. There is another Danger, which we arc all expofed to, and which you ought to know •,—• — and that is, the Power and Mal'ut of Ex'il Spirits, Ind. * What do you mean by Evil • Spirits ?' Mijf. God has made known to us, that there are Creatures, both good and bad, which we C2i\\ Angels ox Spirits, and which are ever about us, though we do not fee them, they having no Bodies, as we have. The Gooi^ Spirits are appointed by God, to take care of his Servants •,— and the Evil Spirits are fuch as have rebelled againft their Maker, and, having utterly loft his Favour, ftrive tempt Men to all manner of Wickedncfs, that they may be as miferable as themfelves. —And through their Temptations the Wic- kednefs >ial.2. for the INDIANS. 17 Ledncfs of the World was grown fo great, •that God was provoked at one time to Irown all the People of the Earth, except >NE Good Man and his Houshold *, — — ind at another time, to deftroy feveral great 'owns with Fire from Heaven, for the Wic- \ednefs of them that dwelt in them, Ind. ' Thcfe, indeed, ari reafonable Proofs ' of the Power which Evil Spirits may ' have over wicked Men, and of the great Danger we are in of bein^^ ruin*d by it.* Mff» But it is neceflary, inat you (hould [know thefe Thingr ^ for whoer t is not a \WorJhiper of the only true God, whom [Chriftians fcrve, is a Slteue to thefe evil j Spirits, and too often is a Worfhiper of them, tho' he does not know it. — ■ — When you confider thefe things, you will have Reafon to be concerned and afraid for your- Ifclf. Ind, * And fo indeed I fliall be, if this is * our Cafe.' Miff, I'^ls is, in truth, the Cafe of every j one who is ignorant of the true God, and I of the Way by which he has revealed ta faiii his unhappy Creatures from ruining tnemfelves, and lofing that Happinefs which I he has provided for fuch as love and ohey him. Ind. * I do moft earneftly intreat you, that * at your JLcifure you would give me an C 3 ' Account I.' I i 18 -/^« Instruction Dial, i, * Account of the Chriftian Religion, which * you fay is the Way whereby God has re- * veal'd to fave all Men from Ruin.* Miff. That I will do, thro' the Favour of God, the next time we meet : In the mean while remember — ^what I aflure you of, that this Life is the Time, in which you are to chule whether you will be happy or mi- ferable for ever ; * and that your Happinefs * or Mifery will depend upon your em- * bracing or rejeding the Offer now made * you, by the Great God, of becoming a * Chriftian.* You ought therefore to pray to the Great God, to enable you to Jay hold of this Opportunity of being happy. The PRAYER. Q GOD, the Fountain of all Wifdom, I moft humbly befeech Thee to enHghten my Mind, that I may come to the Know- lege of thee, and of thy Goodnefs in Jefiis Chrift. Give me a Serious, an Under- ftanding, and a Religious Heart, that as I grow in Ye^rs, I may grow in Grace. BJefs all the Meansof Salvation which Thou haft afforded me, and efpecially this Infiru- ilion^ that it may fink into my Heart, and bring forth in me the Fruit of Good Liv- ing, to the Honour and Praife of thy Name, thro' Jtfus Chrift our Lord. Amen, DIA- t Dials- for the INDIANS. 19 DIALOGUE III. The Proofs of the Chriftian Religion. Indian, I A M come again, Sir, to trouble you fooner, I believe, than you expc(5ted. -— ^You faid, that it was good for me, that 1 was in Fear for my/elf: 1 cannot chufe but be fo, fince you told me, " That * my Happinefs or Mifery will depend < upon my embracing or rejedling the Offer * now made me of becoming a Chriftian.'* — I own I ani not fatisfied with my pre* fent Condition ; — I am convinc'd by my Reafon, as well as by what you told me, that we were made to he an Honour to tl>e Being that made usy by living according to that Light and Reafon which he hath given us.' — - — For my own part, I fear I have not done fo j and if he Ihall be dif- pleas'd with me, I know not how to help myfelf, or make my Mind eafy.* Miff. * Afllire yourfelf. this is the Cafe of every thoughtful Perlbn, who has no Know- lege of Chriftianity. — And therefore our * Htbr. xii. 15. Cre^t flto 'An Instruction Dial. 3. Cnat and Good Creator, in CompafTion to Chofe unhappy Men, who labour under fuch Doubts and Fears, has gracioudy pointed out the Way by which they may be freed from them •, W2.— 5y embracing the Cbrifiian Religion, Ind, < What does the Chriflian Religion * propofe to us, to cure us of thofe Fears?* Miff. I will firfl: tell you in fhort, and afterwards explain myfelf more fully. ^ Iii the firft place,' It will lead ytu to the Knowlege of the true God, the Maker of the World, and convince you of his great Love for his unhappy Creatures, and of his earnefl Endeavours to keep them from ruin- ing themfelves.—- It fliews us alfo how we mufl anfwer the End for which God made DS, and fent us into the World.— — It fets before us the Dangers we are liable to, and teaches us the Way to efcape them. It makes known to us thofe Laws by which God will judge the World, that Men may order their Lives accordingly. — It gives us all Rules neceiTary to make us happy when ■we die, and promifes all neceflary Affift- ance to obferve thofe Rules. It diredls us how we may be reftored to the Favour of God, whenever we fhall have been fo unhappy as to have offended him by our Sins, which we are but too apt to do. It aiTures us^ that God is a bountiful Rewarder of ■ }. Dial. 3: ipafTion to under fuch iy pointed y be freed ^e Chriftiark n Religion 'e Fears?* (hort, and ully. — lit cu to the Maker of his great and of his from ruin- fo how we God made — It fets Die to, and m. It by which Men may It gives us ppy when lary Affift- - It direfts lie Favour e been fo im by our do. It ' Rewarder Dial. 3. for the INDIANS. 21 of all fuch asfiek topUafehim*, In fhort, — Chriftianity is the only Remedy to cure all the Diforders^ and Banger s^ and Miferies^ which we are fiibje(5t to in this Life ; and the only fure Means, where it is ferioujly embraced, of corre^ing and reforming the World. Ind, * This is,^ Sir, a moft defirable Ac- • count you have given me of the Chriftian • Religion. — Will you be pleafed, as you « promifed, to explain thefe things more • fully ? ' Mtjf, You muft know then, that we are called Chriflians, from profefTing ourfelves to be the Difciples and Followers of a. moft holy and divine Perfon Jesu» Christ, who was fent by Him from Heaven, to make his Will and gracious Purpofes known unto Men. In order to this. He being a pure Spirit, it was neceflary, J:hat he (hould take a Body like one of ours, that he might be feen by and converfe with Men. — — - He therefore fubmicted to be born of a Woman, and he took the Soul and Body of a Man, and in that Nature he lived among Men, and made known to them the things which I have al- ready mentioned to you. — — Particularly, he gave them a clear Knowlege of their Maker ; and by his moft prfe^y innocent, ♦ Hebr, xi. 6, and 22 ^« Instruction Dial. 5. and holy Life,(hew'd what an excellent Crea- ture Man was, when he was firft made, be- fore he fell into Sin, and became prone to Ev 1, as he now is. 1 le affured them, that he came as a Peace- makr betwixt God and his rebellious Crea- tures, who by their Difobedience had loft his Favour, and forfeited the Happinefs he had prepared for them. And in order to reconcile them to God, and to the Duty and Obedience which they owed to him, he brought them this moft gracious Meflage; 'That all fuch as be- * came fenfible of their Error and Mifery, * and were willing to give themfelves up to * the Son of God as their Lx)rd and Saviour, *• fliould thro* his Merits and Mediation * receive a full and free Pardon for all their * paft Offences, be reftored again to his Fa- * vour, and obtain that Happinefs which * they had forfeited by their Offences.' Ind» ' Thefe are indeed wonderful Proofs * of the great Goodnefs of God.* Mi[f, But then y ju are to know, that all fuch as defpife this furpriling Goodnefs of God, are not only to be deprived of his Fa- vour, but are to be punilhed with Torments exquifite beyond all we can now imagine. For you muft never forget what I told you before, and what Jesus Christ has affured us of, • That this (hort Life is only a Paf- • fage I ■I C C c c c Dial. 5. lent Crea- made, be- i prone to as a Peace- ioiis Crea- ; had loft ppinefs he n to God, yhich they this moft fuch as he- ld Mifery, Ives up to d Saviour, Mediation )r all their to his Fa- efs which 'ences.' ful Proofs IV, that all odnefs of of his Fa- Torments imagine. I told you as afTured ly a Paf. « fage ■n 4 ii Dial. 3. for tbe INDIANS. 25 * fage to another, which is to laft for ever ; * -id where every Man is to be rewarded or puttijhed according to his Behaviour in this World. Ind. * I have not forgot that. But * give me Leave, Sir, to afk you one * Queftion: — How are you Chriftians fure, * — that THIS EXTRAORDINARY PeRSOM * was the Son of God, and came from him * with this Meflage to Men ? ' Mijf. It is neceflary, that every one who intends to be a Chriftian, fhould have the greateft Affurance of it ; for on this Truth the Chriftian Religion is founded. You muft know then, that this Divine Person, in order to give Men all poflible Affurance, that he was what he declared himfelf to be, perform'd before their Eyes fuch wonderful Works, as ftiewed that in Him dweh all the Fulnefs of the Godhead bodily. For Example, He healed aH manner o^Sicknefs and Bifeafes with a Word of his Mouth. He gave Sight to fuch as were born blind, To fuch as were dumb and deaf^ he gave the Power of Speech and Hearing ; — and He made the Lame to walk -» — He fed and fatisfied the Hunger of many Thoufands of People more than once, with a few Loaves and fmall Fifhes^ which they faw multiplied before their Eyes, fb that Thotifands were at one time all Eye-witnejfes of If w V I 24, -^/f Instruction Dial. 3. of this Miracle. He commanded the Windsy the Storms^ and the SeaSy and they obeyed his Word. He raifed to Ufi thofe that had for fome time been dead. — He convinced thofe with whom he con- verfed, that he knew the very Thoughts of their Hearts, which none but God can do. — — Laftly,— the great God himlclf did more than once, by a Voice from Heaven^ declare,— — That be was his hlevedSow, and commanded, that asfuchhejhouldbeheard and obeyed, Ind. ' Indeed thefe are moft fure Proofs, * that THIS Divine Person was what he * faid he was ; and that whatever he taught * muft be true.* Mijf. But I have other things to tell you, in order to confirm your Faith or Belief in this Divine PerfoUy and his Mejfage.- Amongft many other things, which He foretold his Followers, this ftrange thing was one ; — That notwithftanding the won- derful Works which he had done before their Eyes, his Enemies would put him to Death ; but that within ^hree Days he would rife again to Life. Accordingly, after they had treated him with all the evil Ufage that Spite and Malice could invent, they did moft barbarouQy murder and cru- dfy him. And after Three Days he rcfe I'gam from the Dead, and converfed with his Dial. 3. landed the , and they '?d to Life en dead.- — m he con- houghts of )d can do. himfclf did m Heaveftj ehved Son i uld be heard fure Proofs, ras what he :r he taught i to tell you, or Belief in Jage. which He :range thing ig the won- done before I put him to ree Bays he Accordingly, all the evil :ould invent, ■der and cru- Days he rcfe nverfed with his Dial. 3. for the INDIANS. 15 his Difciples and Followers, ' with not lefs than Five hundred at one time, many of whom lived very long after, and bore Witnefs of his Refurredion, at the Expencc of their Lives. Ind. ' I fliould be glad to know fome * more Particulars relating to fo Divine^ Holy, and fVonderful a Perfon* Mijf. Jesus, after having converfed with his Difciples many Weeks, and in the Sight of many of them, ■ He afcended into Heaven. — But, before his Departure from them, he promifed them, that He and his Father would fend another Divine Person (not in the Form or Fafhion of a Man, but) as a pure Spirit to dwell in ibeMy to guide and comfort, to infpire them with all Truths neceflary to be known by them, and to enable them, for the Con- iirmation of fuch Truths to Others, to do all fuch mighty Works as he had done among them: According to which Pro- mife. Ten Days after he had afcended into Heaven, That Divine Spirit defcended upon them after a mod wonderful man- ner, and enabled them to underftand and fpeak all the Languages of the then known World, :o which they went in order to carry thofe good Tidings \ whereby we, and many other Nations, were brought out of Error, Ignorance, and Darknels, D into ,( If s- a5 An Ikstruction Dial. 3. into the clear Light and true Knowlege of God^ and ot his Son Jefus Chrifty and of that Holy Spirit^ which enabled them to preach this joyful Dodtrine to all the World :— That Chrift has made our Peace with God, if we fubmit to be governed by him, and by his Laws, and put ourTruft in him. Ind, ' Well, Sir, you have given feme ' • Eafe to my Mind. — — / believe^ that what * this Holy Perfon faid muft be certainly * true ; and I fuppofe all that know thefe * Things, are Chriftians.' Mijf^ Indeed they are not ; and you will not wonder at it, when you confider what it is that hinders People from being Chriftians. — There are many who never think of their Maker, or what muft become of them when they die. — Many indeed hear thefe things j but their AfFedtions are fo fet upon this fVorld, its Pleafures and Profits] that they do not lay them ferioufly to Heart. — And too many are fo fond of their own perverfe Ways, to which they have been long ac- cuftom'd, that they fee not the Truth of what is propofed to them. — Befides all this, •—the Apostles taught many things, which •wicked People would not hear with Patience: For Example, — that Murderers^ Drunkards^ ^dulterersy Opprejjors^ covetous Perfonf, the froud^ malicious^ and revengeful People, all Lovers Pial. J. fnr the IND IAi\ *^. 17' Lovers of Plea/tires more than Lovers of Godr ■ ■ that all fuch who were guilty of thole things, miift for fake them, in order to be- come Chriftians. Ind. ' Well, Sir, I am convinced, that « notvvithftanding the Proofs of the Truth * of the Chriftian Religion, tlierc might be ' People who would not become Chriftians. * But 1 fhould be very, thankful, if you ' would let me know, how the Chriftian ' Religion did prev .11 at the time the • Apoilles of ChriO; made k known to all ' Nations?* Mijf. That you (hall know when you come agam to me - In the meanwhile, for- get not to beg of God to give you an Henrt' always difpofed to receive the Truth; which you may do in Ibme fuch fliort Prayer as this following. Tr|ERCIFUL God, and Lover of Man-' ^^^ kind, enlighten my Mind with favinn* Faith ; enable me to withftand the Tern ;:ta- tions of the World, the Fiefh, and the Devil, . and with a pure Heart to follow thee, the only true God, and thy only Son the Lord. Jefus Cbriji, Amen, D 2 D I A- : I I! ' 1> 28 Afi Instruction Dial. 4. DIALOGUE IV. *Ihe wojidcrful Succefs and Progrefs of the Go /pel, '-.c/jen it wasjirji preached to the World, Indian. * Tl/HEN I left you laft. Sir, you * W promifed to let me know what * followed the Descent or Coming down * of that Holy Spirit upon Chrift's Apo- * files ; and how the Chriftian Religion was * received in the World.' Mijf. You muft know then, that when this happened, there were People out of all Nations at Jerufakniy the City to which they were come to worfhip the great God*. Now when all thcfe heard the Apostles of Christ (who before that time knew no Language but their own) declaring the won- derful Works of God, in the Language of every Nation, then prefent, they were aftonifhed j and, being convinced that fuch Men muft have been divinely infpired, they therefore gave heed to them, while they declarai God's moft gracious Purpofes — of Mercy ^ Pardon^ and Happinefs^ to all fiich as would obey the Meflage he had fent to therii by his Son; infomuch that no kfs than Three thousand embraced the Chriftian Religion that very Day, and Acts li. Five Dial. 4. for the IN D lANS. 29' Five Thousand more, immediately after"; and thele Converts became fo many IVttncjfes of th'jfe wonderful things to the fcveral Nations from whence they came thither to worfhip. — After this, the Apodles went into all Nations, making known this joyful Meflage of God to Men, ' That he ' would have all Men to be faved, and to 'come to the Knowlege of the Truth, or * the Chriftian Faith ; * — that he was ready to be reconciled to all fuch as h^di offended- him ; and that he would make thtm happy for ever, if they would be perfuaded to for Jake their evil Ways, and be governed by fuch Rules as Jefus Chrift had given them So that, in all Nations, all fuch Perfons as were truly concerned for themfelves, and difpofed to receive the Truth, became Chri- ftians; and very great was their Number every-where. — And indeed Chrift himfelf foretold it v/ould be fo ; — though at that time it feem'd the moft unlikely thing in the World, that all Nations fhould re- ceive a Religion oppofed by their Rulers and Philosophers, upon the Preaching of a few POOR Strangers, who had no. worldly Power ^ Riches, or Learnings to in- duce People to believe and follow them ; and who at the fame time required all Men to forfake the Cufioms and Religion of their Forefathers, — to reft rain their Appetites, . D 3 and; I.: ii i'-\ I il 30 y^/2 Instruction Dial. 4. and govern their PafTions, — to leave their impious ways of Jiving, — and to lead Ibber, honed, and good Lives, and to fuffer Death, rather than deny the Truths they told tht'in : Now does not the miracnlons Succefs they met with in propagating fuch a Religion under fuch Circumftances, de- monftrate it to be the Work of the Great God ? hd. * Pray, Sir, what became of thefe • Apostles after this ? ' Mtff". As they had taught all others to fuffer Deadi, rather than deny the Truths which they had received from God by Jefus Cbrifl, fo they themfelves laid down their Lives for thofe Truths they had preached. But, before they fufFered, they appointed cibers to fucceed them in publifliing thcfe Truths to all Nations; by which Chriftiani- ty has continued unto this Day; and we are affured by Chrift himlelf, will continue unto the World's End. — And a very great Change for the better has been made in all Nations where it has been received. Ind, * You will oblige me, if you will « let me know in what the World is become * better by this Religion ? ' Mijf. In the firft place, they who then embraced the Chriftian Religion profefTed, ibat they were Strangers in this IVorld^ and therefore looked upon this Life only as a Journey i Diiil.4. for the INDIANS. 31 Journey to a much better, which they cx- pcfted after Death. This made them content with any Condition, which God (hould think fit to place them in. This kept them from being covetous, or over- much concerned for the things of this World; wicked. — Th^'y believed, that if they were poor, or in Mifery, God would make them ample Amends in the next Life, for what they had fuiFered in this. Their great Rule given them by Chrift was this, ■ ' That they fhould deal with all others, as * they themfelves would defire to be dealt * with.* This made them very jujt in ^f all their Adions, ' and careful not ta^ ^"' wrong or opprefs any Pcrfon. —-Defrauding^ ' Cheating, and Lying, were not fo much as known among them. — — — Their Religion obliged them to be at Peace with all Men as mnch as pofTible. So that parrels, and Wars, and Murders, they utterly abhorred. — On the contrary, they were kind and compajjionate even to their Enemies ; ■ * never returning Evil for Evil. They had always a tender Compaflion for fuch as were in Want, or in Mifery j — Cloathing the Naked, feeding the Hungry^ and lodging the Stranger, according to their Ability. ■ As to themfelvfs, they were exceeding fober and temperate t not given to Gluttony or Drunkennefsy which they knew God would be )f)\ 32 Ah Instruction Dial. 4; be highly difpleafed with. They were chafte and modeji^ both Men and Women ; all kept flridtly to their own Wives and Hulbands, as God had appointed, who had declared, that no Adulterer or Whoremonger muft hope for Heaven or Happincfs. ■ Laflly, — they fuffered all manner of Tor-? ments, and even Death itfelf, rather than they would renounce the Religion which' they had embraced, onaiuUConvidion, that it came from God.. hd. ' Indeed, Sir, this is a mod wonc er- * ful Account of thofe who fir (I profe Ted * the Chriftian Religion.- — One cannot fuiely * imagine, that fuch good Men fliould hive J any Enemies.' Miff. But indeed they had, and very rnany \ — for thofe E. il Spip.its, wnich I told you of before, tempted all Sons of wicked People to deftroy them, and their Religion, if poflible ; and would certainly have done it, but that th? great and all- powerful God hindered itj' and caulcd, that the more it was perfecuted^ the more it increafed.' All fuch as had been brought vip in ar.y other Religion, became their mortal Enemies, cfpecially fuch as wor- fhiped Idols ^ falfe Gods, or evil Spirits, which the greateft Part of the World then Be- did, and too many -lo to this I^ay. — fide thcfe, Men of wielded Lives hated and perfecuted na Dial. 4. for the IN DI AN S, 33 perfecutcd thofe who profefled the Chriftian Religion, becaiife they declared, that God would moft furely call them to an Account, and adjudge them to a Mifery that would never end, if they did not foriake their Sin, and lead belter Lives. On thefe, and on many other Accounts, Chriftians were every- where perfecuted, and vaft Numbers were moft barbarouOy mur- dered J which grievous Sufferings they patiently endured, in a full Affurance of a better Life, which God, who cannot de- ceive them, had promifed. Ind. * Pray, Sir, are Chriftians ftill ufed * after this cruel manner ?* Mijf. No: For in time the Kings and Princes of the World became Chri- ftians i and, when they favoured and pro- teded that Religion, their Sul^eds followed their Example, tho' it was not always in order to fave their Souls, but for other unworthy and worldly Ends. And it was then, that many began to call themlllves Chriftians, who in their Hearts and Lives were far from being fuch :— — By which Chrijtianity became extremely corrupted, and Men outwardly profefled the Chriftian Religion, at the fame time as they lived in thofe Sins, which it forbids on pain of Dam- nation. Notwithftanding this, the Chriftian Reli- gionj, m « 34 ^« Instruction Dial. 4, gion, where it is truly profefled, is ftill the lame; and is the only Method of reftoring Men to the Favour of God, snd bringing them to the Happinefs which we all wilh to enjoy. We have the fame jufl and holy God to worfliip, that thofe Jirft Chriflians had ; a God who loveth the Good and Pious, and baieth the Wicked; who will mod: furely call all Men to an Account, judge them accord- ing to tiieir Works, and reward or punifli them as they have deferved. - So that every Man, who has any Concern for him- felf, and would efcape the Anger of an offended God, will not only be a Chriftiaa in Name, but in good earned will live as a true Chrillian ought-. Ind. 'I moft heartily thank you, Sir^ ' for this Account you have given me of ' the Chriftian Religion. — Now one would ' hope, that, if our People knew thefe things, * they might be prevailed on to become * Chrlftians as eafily as thofe Nations were, ^ who firft embraced Chriftianity.*' Mijf. We may wifli and pray for this *, ■ but there are fome Reafons, which you may know hereafter,. that we fear may,, tor the prefent, hinder fo general aCorver- fion and Blefling to your People -, but a Time will certainly come, when you will ail know and worlhip the true God, the Maker of Heaven Dial. f. for the INDIANS. 35 Heaven and Earth, and His only Son, whom he has ordained to he the Judge of the Living and Dead. " • In the mean while, take you care for yourfelf, and beg of God that you may not lofe the Favour which is offered you at this Time by me, one of his unworthy Servants. Ind, * I hope I (hall do fo, and (hall not * forget what you have laid to me, at this * time. — And I believe I fhall very foon * wait on you again for your further In- « ftruaion.* DIALOGUE V. Objections againft the L. Lives of Chrijiians anfwered, Mifjionary, I Expected;, *;« you promifed, to have feen you foc^er. Has any thing extraordi- nary hir '-^red you fiom coming to be fur- ther inftrudled ? Indian. ' Why, truly. Sir, fince I was ' with you, I have met with fuch Difcou- ' ragements as have given me great Doubts • and Scruples, and had almoft made mc * refolve againft troubling you any more.' Miff. I fhall be exceeding forry, if any thing Ihouid make y>ju do yourfelf fo gr^at an ;( 1 !■ IIH il j>6 -^;2 Instruction Dial. 5. an Injury. — Pray, what are the DifcouragC" mtnts you have met with ? Ind, ' I will tell you the Truth.— After I had parted with you, upon what you had faid to me, I told our People, that I had fome Thoughts of becoming a Chri- ftlan ; for that I had met with one who had convinced me, that my Condition at prefent was not fo fafe as I imagined, and that I fliould certainly lofe the greateft Happinefs which the Heart of Man can defire, if I refufedj now it was offered me, to be inftrudted in the Knowlege of my- felf, and of the true God, and how to live and die in his Favour. — I told them alfo, that you aiTured me, from the Mouth of God himfelf, that every Man after Death will certainly be happy or miferable for ever ; this fhort Life of ours being only a Time of Trial, and a PafTage to a State of Happinefs and Mifery, which is to laft for ever. — I told them moreov dr, — that Chriftians were affured, that God had ap- -pointed a Day in which he would judge moji righteoujly^ even all that have ever lived in this il^orld -, — ^nd that fuch as had Jerved and obeyed God, would be happy for ever-, and fuch as had led wicked Lives^ and did not repent of and amend them, Jhould be punijhed with ever laft ing Fire : — And that, in order to this great Account and 2 * Judg, Dial. 5. [courage- , — After /hat you le, that I g a Chri- one who idition at ined, and i greateft Man can [Fered me, re of mv- 3W to live :hem alfo, Mouth of fter Death erable for only to a State is to laft - that 7d bad ap- ould judge have ever 2t fuch as d be happy ked Lives ^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 11.25 itt Itt 122 S lag ■" Sf 1^ 12.0 ■fWU ■ 1.8 Jiil!4 Hiobgraphic Sdmces Q^poration ¥^ >! ^. ^ V ^. 33 WIST MAIN STRUT «VIISTIR,N.Y. I4SW ( 71* ) •72-4503 ;\ ;\ 44 -^« Instruction Dial.^. * things I have to a(k you, for the Confirm- • ation of the Truths I am to beJieve.* MJf. Come when you wilJ, I (hall be ready to inftrud you. And may God blefk my Endeavours with Succefs ! DIAL O G U E VI. f. IThe Holy Scriptures both Necejfary and Sufficient for the Salvation of Men, Indian, -t,--; \i OU have convinced me. Sir, •^— that our Reafon alone is not fufii- Y * cient to make known to us the things * which you fay are moft furely believed * among Chriftians : That Reafon can- * not tell us — with what Worjhip the Great * God will be pleafed, nor give us any * Certainty of the Happinefs or Mifery of * the Life to come ;— — which, to be fure, * makes Men lefs concerned how they lead * their Lives here.— —You have told me, ' and I am convinced of it, that our Reafon * alone cannot afTure us upon what Tertfts * the Great God will p^ricn us, when we * have offended him, as all Men are apt to * do *, and we all know and feel, how hard Mt is even to follow what our Reafon tells us Dial. 6. for the INDIANS. 45 ' us we ought to do. Of what Ufe then * is Reafon.to us ? * Mijf. Of very great Ufe moft certainly. It will keep you from being impofed upon, when any thing is propofed to your Belief, as coming from God -, "■ you will be able to judge whether you have fufficient Proof to receive it as fuch •, and then, if you find you have, your Reafon will con- vince you, that it muft be neceffary for your Happinefs, becaufe a GckI of Truth and Goodnefs cannot deceive his Creatures, or require any thing of them but what muft neceffarily be for their Good. Ind. ' It is on this very Account, Sir, * I am now come to you, not only to learn * from you, by wRat other Ways God has * made his "WiH known unto Chriftians ; * but to inquire, whether Chofe Ways be ' fuch as no Man of common Senfe and ' Reafon ought to call in queftion.* ^ ^" MiJf. I hope I fhall give you all the Sa- tisfadtion in thofe things^ that unprejudic'd Reafon can defire.— «• — You will remember then what I told you before, That the Great God, in Companion to his poor bewildered Creatures, fent his own Son to let them know how far they were departed from the Ways of Reafon and Truth ; and that they would be for ever miferable, if they did not return to the Duty thf-y ow'd ' their \f . 46 - 2^. t } Tim, 1.7, are Dial. 6. for the IND UKS. ft are brought up in grofs Ignorance, and either are not permitted,,or will not be at Pains, to fee and know the Truths which concern their Salvation. •— Thefe and many fuch are the Cuufes of Chriftians differing amongft them- felves. — But be affured of this, — that an All-wife and Good God can make thefe Dif* ferences ferve moft blefled Ends ; his Glory ^ and the Good of his chofen and faithful Ser^ vants. — For by thefe he tries their Faith, whether they will give Credit to his Word, or to the Delufions of thofe evil Spirits, which lead the Simple into Error. — By thefe he makes his true Servants more careful of their Ways, and to place their whole Depen- dence upon him, and his Grace, which they therefore pray for more earneftly. — Laftly, thefe Differences have had this good EfFedt, that forafmuch as all Parties of Chriftians do acknowlege thefe Scriptures to be from God, —they have ever been jealous of one another, that nothing be added^ omitted^ or altered^ by any Party of Chriftians. And remember what I tell you for a cer- tain Truth, — that the Differences ampngft Chriftians are not always of fuch a Nature as to deprive Men of God's Favour. — For he knows all our Hearts, and the Reafons of Mens Miftakes ; — and no doubt will pity and pardon fuch Errors and Miftakes as arc not wilful, and do not plainly tend to de- F 2 prave ft#t 52 jift InsTKVCTioU Dial. 6. prave their own Manners, or the Lives of other People. Jnd. ' I have only One Favour more to • afk you concerning thefc Scriptures; — • fykat is the great life and Neceffity of • ibemf* Mijf. In the firft place, they arc graci- oufly given by God to fupply the Dcfedls of our Reafbn, and to hinder us from abufing and perverting that great Blefling and Gift of God, which, thro* our Lufts and PafTions, we are but too apt to do, to the Hurt of ourfelves and others. — In the next place, be aflured, — that you can have no xuli and true Knowlege of the Great God, or his fVill and Purpofes^ and gracious Defigns^ but from his own Son^ and from what He has made known to us an thefc Scriptures *• By thefe Scriptures, as In thofe of the Old Teftament, wherein holy Men fpake and eSfed^ as tbey were moved hy the Holy Gbofi^ we learn, how Sin and fVickednefSy Sicknefs^ Miferies^ and Death itfelf, came into the "World ; and how Men loft their Innocence, and forfeited that Happinefs for which God made them. — And in the Scriptures we have alfo a mod particular Account, how God, in Mercy to his unhappy Creatures, in his own good rime, fent his own Son, * Matt, xi. 17. to Dial. 6. for the INDIANS. f 3 to deliver Mankind out of this fad Condi' tion. — And, in order to awaken all wh° come to the Knowlege of thefc things, and engage their Attention to them, thefe Scri- ptures give them the utmoft AlTurance, — that God has prepared for them who love him, and obey his Commands, an Happi- nefs which pafleth Man's Underftanding ; and that fuch as will not regard thefe things, fhall be miferable for ever. — And forafmuch as this Happinefs and Mifery will depend upon Mens good or bad Behaviour in this Life, — thefe Scriptures contain that Law by which God has determined to judge the World, that all Men may order their Lives accordingly. — They teach us what Service is due from reafonable Creatures to their Maker 5 — how we muft live fo as to pleaie him 5 — what is truly juft, and good, and acceptable to his Divine Majefty \ — as alfo, what is wrong, and what he has forbidden upon pain of his everlafting Difpleafure.— They contain many wonderful Examples oi God's Care of thofe that love and obey him, and of his Difpleafure againft fuch as negled or defpife his Commands. — In Ihort, thefe Scriptures are a moft invaluable BlefT- ing, without which we fhould be ignorant of many things that are of the greateft Concern (0 U8. f4, jfn Instruction Dial. 6. InJ. • Well, Sir, you have railed in me * a very great Dcfire of knowing more of * thefe Scriptures, which contain things * wonderful and unknown to us indeed.' Mijf. You mud give God the Thanks for that Defire, if it be fincere. — I can only Ipeak to your Ears ; it is God alone that can fpeak to your Heart. — Forget not, there- fore, to beg of him to make himfelf and his Will known to you, and to blefs the En- deavours of fuch as defire to in(lru<5l you in the Ways of Truth and Happinefs. , '\ The P R A Y E R. BLefTed Lord, who had caufed all Holy Scriptures to be written for our Learn- ing; Grant that I may in fuch wife hear them, read, n>ark, learn, and inwardly di- geft them, that, by Patience and Comfort of thy Holy Word, 1 may embrace, and ever hold faw, the blefled Hope of everlaft- ing Life, which thou haft given me> in my Saviour Jefus Chrift. . , t— ■■' I- ^ll..l: '•■ •^' ' D I A^ Dial. 7- for the INDIANS. 55 DIALOGUE VII. An Account of the Fall of Man , and what followed thereupon^ till the Coming of Christ. Indian, ' • VT'OU aflfured me. Sir, when I was Jaft *• j[ ^i^^ y^^> that God had made known ' to you many things, which our Reafbn ' cannot account for: — I am now come to ' put you in mind of one Difficulty, which • I beg you would explain to me : ** How Man, the Creature of an Holy and '* Good God, came to have fuch a ftrangely ** dilbrdered Nature, and fo prone to Evil ?** Miff, I am obliged to do to \ for, with- out the Knowlege of this, you can have no true Notions of the Jufiice^ and Mercy^ and Geodnefs^ofGod, , >. . What therefore he has made known to us in the Holy Scriptures, is : — That after he had made this World, and all things in ir, in Six Days, and that he might have Crea- tures capable of praifing him for his won- derful Works, he made one Man and one Woman, called Adam and Eve^ determining to make of one Blood all Nations of Men to dwell upon all the Face of the Earth * j all which are the OR^spring of that one Man • A3s xvii. z6, 13 "" and f6 ^« Instruction Dial. 7. and Woman. — ^He has alio made known to us. That thefe ^wo Perfons were at firft made after the Likenefs of their Creator, be- ing endued with Reafon, and other heavenly Gifts. — We learn alio, that thefe our Firfi Parents^ being thus made ferfeSi and good^ and capahk of living for ever *, were placed in an happy State called Paradife^ with a Promife of Life and Happinefs, as long as they continued obedient to their Maker's Commands. — Now thefe ^wo Perfons were in a State of l>ial and Probation, as we all are this Day, tho* in a Manner quite different from ours : — For they^ coming out of their Maker*s Hands perfe^, that is, endued with clear and ftrong Apprehenfions of their in- difpenfable Obligation to perform all the great Points of Morality, could not well be fuppofed to \\q under any Temptation of violating that chief Part of their Duty- It was therefore neceffary, that fome other Test, fuitable to the Place and Circum- ftances they were in, Ihould be required of them, to prove what was in their Hearts •, and whether they would chufe, under the rnoft tempting Offers, to break an exprefs Commandment of God, their Creator, Preserver, and Governor, even tho* the Reafon offucb a Commandment was not made known unto them.^^A fojitivc JnjmSiiQihpi t Wif, ii. 23. m Dial. 7. for the 1 N D IJNS. 57 this kind, God was pleafed to give them ; at the fame time enforcing their Obedience to ir, by Threats of a moft dreadful Penalty^ if they (hould ever tranfgrefs it. How long our Firft Parous continued in their Duty, we are no-where told\ but at length, by yielding to the Temptation of an evil Spirit, and not regarding the Command of their Maker*, they did fall from that hap- py Condition they were in ; and by that moft grievous Crime (for io it appears by the Punifhment a moft righteous God inflidt- cd on them for it) they highly difpleafcdGod, who left them to themfelves ; and, having loft their Innocence, and that Image of God in which they were created f, their Nature be- came fadly changed for the worfe. ——And theChildren which they afterwards begot, be- ing born of fmful Parents, became, even like their Parents, difobedient, and prone to Evil^ as you fee they are at this Day : All which thefe First Parents of Mankind brought upon themfelves^ and their Pofterity, It was thus that Sin, and Evils of every kind, and Death at laft^ entered into the World, as the juft Punifhment of their Dif- obediencetothe Commands of God j— — by which all Right to his free Promife of eternal Life and Happinels ^z& forfeited and lofl, bid. * This is indeed a plain Account *G€«. Hi. ^ Ibid, v. :??; * how ' ^ I' i . 58 An Instr uction Dial. 7. • how Sin and Wickednefs entered into the • World; and we ought to be'leve it to be a • juft Account, fince God ha§ made it known • to you. ' Miff, As to the Corruption of our Na- ture, and the Sin that does fo eafily befet us, your own Experience will convince you of the Truth of it. — And no other reafonable Account can be given how it came into the World. And you will learn by what Followed this Ad of Difobedience, how dif- pleaHng to God it was, and the Punifhment it deferved. InL * Will you be fo kind as to let me • know what followed this fad Calamity ? Miff* You will eafily conceive how mife- rablethe Condition of thefe our Firfi Parents was now become:— They knew that they had failed in their Duty to their Maker ;—— their Reafon could not inform them how to help them/elves : — — The Lcfs of their Inno- cence, and of their Maker's Favour, ' their Forfeiture of the Happinefs they had enjoyed, with their dreadful Apprehetf' Jions of that Death which was threatened •, — the Senfe of thefe things, would moft cer- tainly have overwhelmed them, had not ..le Goodnefs of God immediately interpofcd to keep them from Dc^air. » For tho* his perfeft Holinefs could not but hate the Sin, yet his Goodnefs inclined him to have CompafTioa Dial. 7- for the IN DUNS. 59 Compaflion on the Sinner*, and from thence he took occafion to make known another of his mod glorious Perfedions, his infinite Mercy. Ind, * I am moft dcfirous to hear how * that was done.* Mijf. Why, as a Remedy for what had been done amifs, and could not be undone, their Maker was pleafed to enter into a New Covenant with them ; — fo that neither they, nor any of their Pofterity, Ihould, on ac- count of their Difohedience^ be ruined, ex- cept it was purely their own Fault. Ind. * That was indeed a moft kind Of- * fer of their offended Maker : Pray, what * was that Covenant ? * MiJf. It was this : '■ ' That on ac- * count of One, who would in due time fa- * tisfy his Divine Juftice for their Offence * (and take Vengeance on that Evil Spirit, * that had tempted them to difobey his Com- * mand) he would reftore them to his Fa- ' vour upon certain Conditions •, and would ' appoint them Meansy by which they, and * tlieir Pofterity, might, upon their Repent- * ance, obtain his Pardon, when they fhould ' do amifs, as fmce their Fall they would be * but to apt to do*.' Irid' ^ You will now be fo kind, as to let ' me know what followed this Promifc of I God to his finfgl Creatures.* f John iii. I0. and 1 Jghn iv. 9, iq» 6q -^« Instruction Dial. 7. Mijf, You muft know then — that fome of their Children and Pofterity, keeping up a Senfe of thefe things, and an Expeftation of this Promife, liv'd in the Fear of God f. ■ But many others of them, through the Corruption of their Nature, became ex- ceeding wicked : One of their own Sons mur- dered his Brother ; for which God, to keep others from committing fuch horrid Crimes, baniflied him from his Prelence, and he fpent his Days in Mifery. At Jaft, Wickcdnefs increafed to fuch an Height, and became Co general, that God was provoked to deftroy the whole Race of Men by a Flood (except one Man, whofe Name was iV<7^i& §, together with his little Family), as 1 hinted to you before. By this good Man, and his Family, the whole Earth was again filled with People, as it is this Day. — ■ And while his good Inftruftions, and the Memory of that dread- ful Judgment, lafted. Men lived in the Fear of God •, but too foon fell into Wicked- nefs again : — And moft of thefe, lofing theKnowlegeof the trueGod, / in ail Ages, and amongll: ail Nations, even unto this Day. — And thus it is, — that Calamities of all kinds are brought upon Earth ; that one Nation nfiakes War upon another ; thefe being only Inftrumencs in the Hands of God, and by his wife and juft Appointment, for the Puniihment of their Sins. tnd. ' Pray, had any of thefe Nations * ever afterwards an Opportunity of coming * to the Knowlege of the true God, and of * the Worfhip due to him ? * Mijf. Yes, indeed they had. For the Holy Scriptures inform us, that — God made Choice of a certain Perfon, whole Name was Abraham §, and called him, and his Family, from the midft of a Nation given to Idola* try i that to this Man he made himfelf, and his glorious Perfedions, known j and for his Encouragement to perfevere in his Duty, he promifed, ^hat out of bis Loins in due time //&^ Deliverer of the World "Worlhip .^.f/ ^ ASisxw.if. § Gtn. xii. from 62 y/« Instruction Dial. 7. from Sin and Death Jhould proceed^ and that in the mean while He would maiehisDefcend- jgnts a great and numerous People^ ^U which was made good in a moft wonderful Manner. His Pojterity increafed exceedingly ; and where- ever they travelled, thty, communicated the Knowlege of the true God, and told Men how he ought to ht feared sind worjhiped-, fo that many. Nations might have known thefe things, : had it . not been their own Fault ; — — for^God caufed them often to wander^ that they might make him known amongli Men,, and » cure.theqi of their Wickednefs and Idolatry. It was in the Time df that goodMan, that •/God fhewed his Hatred of Wickednefs, and his Difpleafure againil great and bold Sin- ners, after a Manner the mod frightful and , aftonilhing. There were feveral confi- dcrable Cities, t^c chief of which were Sodom .and GoMORrRAH, the Inhabitants of which, through Pridey Fulnefs of Br^ad^ and much Jdlencfsy fell into all manner of W ickednefs i which provoked God *to make them an Example of his Difpleafure againft fuch fSins; for he rained down Fire and Urimftone upon them*, and utterly deftroyed both them, their Towns, and their whole .Land, the dreadful Marks of which are to .befcen at thisDay.- At the fame time, Gen, xix. 24. God, y^an, that Inefs, and X)ld Sin- rhtful and :ral confi- re Sodom [)f which, and much ckednefs •, them aa linft iuch Fire and dcftroyed teir whole _jiich are to fame time, Oial. 7. for the INDIA NS. 6r God, to (hew his Care for thofe that feared him, fent his Angels, and delivered One good Man^ and his Family^ out of that fear- ful Deftruftion. ... After this, the Children of Abraham^ to ^ whom the Promife was made, ^ multiplied exceedingly *, to whofe Pofttrity God gave very particular Laws and Bireftions, how they might live fo as to pleafe their Maker, and not hurt one another'*'; — — and^ wrought mod wonderful Things before their - Eyes, when he delivered them out of a moft ' cruel Bondage ; to convince them, and all other Nations,that (hould hearof thefe things, that the Idols, and evil Spirits, which they worfliiped,' were n6 Gods; and that there ^ was no God, but- the God of this People. Ind, ' Pray, what were the Laws and - ' Diredlions that God gave this People and ''- • Nation ? ' " Mijf. The chief of them were thefe that ' follow : — That they fhould neither have nor worfhip any other God but him who had done fuch Wonders for them : That they fhould not make any vifible Image or ' Reprefentation of hrm : That they fhould not profane his holy Name ; That they Ihould keep holy One Day i 1 Seven, to preferve the Remembrance of him, and his Works; ——That they fhould love and ho- • Exod. XX. G 2 nour ^4 -/fo Instruction Dial. 7; nour their Parents*:- That they (hoiild love one another, as being, all the Creatures of a good Godi and neither hate nor murder any one : — That they (hould not commit Adultery, or be guiltyofany Lewd- nefs:— • That they fhould not fteaU or lye^ or bear falfe fVitnefs^ or covet^ or fet their Hearts upon what was another MarCs,'^ And remember what I tell you : — The Sub- Hance of thefe Laws was given foon after the Flood to Noah and his Family y from whom the prefent Race of Mankind is derived, tho' the greateft Part of their Pofterity ibon forgot them. Soon after God had given his peculiar People thefe Laws, he fettled them after a mod wonderful Manner, and in a fruitful Land, which he had long before promised to Abraham their great Forefather^ and bleffed them exceedingly, while they obfervM ' his Laws. — But even thefe People, through the Corruption of Nature, often tranfgrejOfed his Commands, and were as often punilhed, and upon their Repentance pardoned ; till at laft, they growing incurably wicked, he pernnitted their Enemies to deftroy mod of them, their Ci//Vj, their Land^ and their Flace of Worfhip^ and they are at this Day di- fperfed over the Face of the Earth, without any (lire Settlement. ; \ „ ^; ;, * Exod.xx. \2t \ Now, Dial. 7- for the INDIANS. 65 Now, a few Years before this happened, the Time was come, when the Great God was pleafcd to fend intp the World ' That * Perfon or Prophet^ whom he had pro- ' mifed to our Firft Parents, and who had * engaged to make Satisfadion to the Di- * vine Juftice, for their great Offence/— - But a particular Account of this Person and Blessing will take up more Time, than I believe, you have to fpare: I (hall there- fore defer it till you come next to me. In the mean time pray-eameftly tor God^ that he may not fuffer your Heart tobc hardened , ' but that you may ever believe his Promifcs, and (land in Aweof his Judgments^ Vi The PRAY E R. '^ I Believe : Lord, increafe my Faith, and give me Grace, that with a holy Life, I may adorn the Religion I profels. — Keep me ftedfaft in this Faith, into which I am bap- tized, that no Errors may feparate me from thee \ — But that thy Love, O merciful God \ — Thy Grace, O Biefled JefuS ; ^ Thy Fel- lowfhip, O Holy Ghoft, may defend and comfort me in all Dangers and Advcrfuies, until I attan the End of my Faith, even the Salvation of my Soul. Amen. D I A- 66 y/« I N s T R u c T I o N Dial. 8. DIALOGUE Vlir. fV.,, J Jesus Christ fhe Midiator and Saviour of the World , and the Head of all Chrijiians, rn r.'^viT.f*.' •'« c «< • ) ■' ' Indian, « « c i « « c c « s « < c c c € € C < « YO U (hewed me, Sir, when I waited on you laft, how Man came to fall fpom that upright and happy Condition in which he was created ; and how he^ and all his Pofterity, became fubjed to ^i», to Miferyj and to Deafh : — As alfo, how their Maker fpared the Lives of our Firft Parents, although they had deferved im- mediate Death, on account of One who had engaged to fatisfy the, Divine Juftice for their TrangrefTion, and for the Of- fences of all their Pofterity, upon the moft merciful Conditions. ■ And I left you with a moft earneft Defire of knowing more of that Sacred Person,, whO: was to come into the World for thapEnd ; — and, as you intimated to me, }did come about that Time, when Gpd had, for their Sins, caft off that People, whom he had fo long, and fo remarkably, favoured and protected, above the Nations of the World' x) Miir. Dial. 8. for the INDIANS. 67 Miff, I told you before. That that Perfon knowing into what a miferable Condition- thofe IVo unhappy Perfons had brought themfelves, and their Pofterity, by their Dif- obedience to their Maker 5 — how dreadfullf fad their Punifliment would be, and of what an invaluable Happirtefs they would be de- prived •,— he, by God's moft gracious Ap- pointment, undertook to fatisfy the Divine juftice, by fubmitting to fuch Sufferings as God was plcafed to accept by way of Aione- nient for the Sins of Men. Ind, ' Pray, Sir, how did J ...! Mijf. You underftand it right. — ^And the Great God^ to convince the World, that his Juftice was fatisfied by this moft worthy Sacrifice, raifed him from the Dead, the viu • -•, - Third Dial. 8. for the INDIANS. 69 Third Day after he had been rrucificd and buried i by which he woj^ in the moft con- *vincing and f&werful manner^ declared to be the Son of God* ; of all which the Holy Scriptures give us a particular Account, — and, for our Comfort, declare,— /^u will be ^fus Chriji r Pardon^ \ to your under the h, — you :o inftrud to direct Diftreffcs. 1 the Pray- iroughout at Society the whole f fuch as mutually you will Life and Dial. 8. for the INDIANS. 73 * of him as a Chriftian. — For, as I rcmem- * ber, you told me, that a Chriftian has ma- ' ny Enemies and Difficulties to fti ive with.* Mijf. That is true. — But then take this moft certain Truth along with you, — That a righteous and good God will net require any thing of bis Creatures ^ but what he will en- able them to doy if they will but uje their own Endeavours \ — every Perfon, who fincerely purpofes to become a Chriftian, having a moft fure Promife of being afTifted by God's Holy Spirit to plcafe his Maker, and to keep his Commands. And, forafmuch as we muft be made holy as ever we hope to be happy, it is this Good and Holy Spirit, that mull aflift to make i.s fo: — Which he doth, — by putting into our Hearts good Defires and Purpo(es of pleaf^ ing God, and a Fear of offending him ; -— by convincing us, that nothing is required of us, but what is abfolutcly neceffai y for our Good and Happinefs, — by helping oar good Endeavours, and defending us againft the Malice and Power of evil Spirits ; — by fetting home upon our Hearts the Joys and Happinefs that are propofed to us, and the dreadful Mifery which will be the Por- tion of fuch as defpife them : — All which that HolySpirit doth perform in us by a fure^ tho* an invifible Power. H M 74 -^'^ Instruction Dial, 8. . Ind, * How can we be fure of this, fince * you fay he is not to be fcen ? ' Mijf. Can you fee the Wind ? Ind. 'No.* , Mijf. Hovy can yog be fure there is fuch a thing ? , ^ /«<^. * Becaufc I hear the Sound of it, and *feel the Force qf it upon myfelf.' Mijf, Are you fure, that you have a Soul or Spirit within you, which governs all your Aftions ? Jnd, ' I cannot but be fenfible and fure of ♦ that, becaufe I feci fomething within me, ♦ fonietitTies accufmg, fometimes excufing, • accordinig as I do what is good, or other- • wife.' I\4ijf, Yet you never faw that Power 5 you are fure of it only by its EfFedls. Jnd. ' Pray make that plain to me.' Mijf. Do not you know a Tree by the Fruit it bears ? — Doth not a good ^ree bring forth good Fruit ? — Doth not a corrupt Tree bring forth bad Fruit * ? — Juft fo, when a good Spirit governs any Perfon, you fee it plainly by his Life ^nji Converfation j -r- as glib, whep you fee any Man lead an evil Life, you may be fure he is governed by an evil Spirit. .' • Ind. * I wnderftand you very well j^-and • would be thankful, if you would let ipe . ♦ Matt, vij. ly, ': ' • know -V' • I lal,8. , fincc ne.' e by the I'm bring rupt ^rce ), when a you fee it ipn i -^ as ad an evil ned by an rell i^and Id let ipe Dial. 8. fr the JND IJNS. 75 * know what are the Fruits which diftin- « guifh a good Spirit from one that is evil ?* Mif The fure Signs, that the Holy Spi- fit of God governs any Man, are thefe iol- lowing Fruits : A Love ofGod^ and of Men for his fake •, — Living in Peace^ as much as poflible, with all others * ; — - Forgiving thofe that have injured us, as we hope to be forgiven our many Offences againft God •, — • A Readinefs to do good to all Men ; — A conftant Endeavour to mortify our corrupt AfFedtions, our Lufts, and evil Defires ;— • Being content with our Condition •, — being humble^ meek^ and temperate ; — thefe, and fuch as thefe, are fure Signs, that a Man is governed by the Holy Spirit of God f- On the other hand, — the fure Signs of a Man's not .being under the Influence of the good Spirit, are fuch evil Fruits as thefe following : Adultery^ Fornication, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Envy, Hatred^ and Malice \ a Difpofition to Revenge and Murder, Drunken- mfs, Revellings, and fuch Sins as thefe j — God having exprefly declared, that they who do fuch things fhall never be happy •, but fliall have their Portion with thofe evil Spi- rits, by whofe wicked Suggeftions they had been feduced to commit them. Ind. ' One would think, chat fuch as know * the dreadful Puni(hment denounced againft * GmI, v. 22. f Rom, vii. u. . H 2 « Wicked- y6 An Instructioi4 Dial. 8. * Wickednefs, would never perfift in it, but * immediately endeavour to efcape from fo * dangerous a Condition.' Miff. They certainly would do fo ; — but, having wilfully forfaken the Ways of God, they have grieved the Holy Spirit, and for- ced him to depart from them, and to leave them to themfelves \ • — fo that their Hearts are hardened, and their Minds are void of Underftanding. hd. ' If I remember well, you told me, * that all Men are fubjecft to Sin, even Chri- * ftians, as well as others, tho' they have rc- ' ceived that Holy Spirit for a Principle of * a new Life/ Mijf. I told you fo, and I told nothing but the Truth ; for fo they are, until, by the Influence of that good Spirit, they are made completely holy, which is not to be expelled till we die, and go to Heaven. — I told you alfo another Truth : — That a Chriftian is not one who has no Failings ; — but he is one, who, by the Power and Favour of that Holy Spirit, watches and ftrives againft the Cor- ruption of his Nature continually, fo as never to live in any known Sin whatever. Ind. ' I remember you told me fo before i * and I am convinced of the Truths you have * now explained to me. And I mufb brg of * you, at your Lcifure, to Jet me know, what * will be required of me in order to my be- are app Truth mg il. 8. , but n fo ingbut by the z made tpedted )ld you iftian is ; is one, at Holy he Cor- as never before •, Irou have i\ beg ot )W, what my be- ' ing Dial. 8. /^r the IN D lANS. JJ * ing baptized, and made a Member f that * Society, to which you have convinr ' me * fo many Bleflings have been proin-icd by ' tlie Great God.* Miff. That I will very willingly endea- vour to do, the next time you come to me. — In the mean time, forget not to beg of God — to give his Blefling and Succefs to fuch as defire and drive to inftru6l you in the Ways of Life and Happinels, and to give you Grace to follow their godly In- ftiudbions and Admonitions, in Words to the following Purpofe. '\ The PRAYER. O Merciful God, and Lover of Soul?, blefs the pious Endeavours of fuch as are appointed to infttudt me in the Ways of Truth and Godiinefs : — Leave me not to my own Choice, but give me a Heart al- ways open to receive the Truth, and a con- ftant Refolution to obferve and obey it : And that I may jremember thee my Creator ail my Days, let thy Holy Spirit ever accom- pany me, and infpire me with found Princi- ples of Virtue, Religion, and Holinefs, for thy Mercy's Sake in Chrifl Jefus. Amn. H 3 DIA ,8 'M Instruction Dial. 9. Vi DIALOGUE IX. ; Jbflralf of the former Dw- Being an K' logues and Jnfruliiom. J. -ft "y -! Tvin €;;r 1 am come to put you m ^•.nd of your Prom^^^^^^^^ Wm 1mm be made a ^-^i^^^^^y ^,^ '^:;JrJ:&"rJn.fo ..im- Society. do belong' ings do tfemg' , - ^^^^ ypon :ond Thougnis » r .^ ^^^^ lecono 1 »"">=■■■" X „.,, „ou again in beft for yoo, that IP;^J^^^ ^ g^„y fwer it to yo"^ ""V ^'"■'f Why you chufe „„, .ho ^" y?^MdS/aur Faith * to be a <-»^"i"J,.; ^ . ^^^ mav be con- vinced, that it is V' . ^ ^hat you may not h«=f who undertook to fee his Juftice fully iktisfiedi explain j; that on, and old you fured of God, of oofs, as /hicK wc was. in ippy Pa- leir great beloved nee fully (atisfied, Dial. p. for the IN DI AN S, 8i JatisHed, and to ufeall proper Means to make Men fenfible of their Offences, and bring them back to the Duty they owe to their Maker. Thar, in order to this, His Son, who is called Christ, and/r^w whom we Chriftiam have our Name J came down from Htaven to Earth, and was made Man, and converfed with Men ; — and declared unto thtm, how that he was a Peace-maker betwixt God and his finful Creatures •, — that he was the Son of the moll High God -, — and a Meffenger fent from him to make his Will known unto Men i -^ and that God had committed the Government of all Mankind to him. All which God himfelf confirmed by a Voice from Heaven*. — And his Son, when on Earth, convinced all who were difpofed to receive the Truth, that thefe Things were true, by his doing fuch wonderful Works as none but God could do j — by the Holinefs of his Life ; by the mofl righteous Laws which he gave unto Men j — and above all, by his Rifing again from the Dead, after he had, by wicked Hands, been murdered. Ind, ' All this I remember, and only de- * fire you will repeat ibe MeJJage which this * Wonderful Persou houghi from Godio * Men: MiJJ. In the firft place, be made known to them, — that their Happinefs or Mifery * Matt. iii. 17. . ■ m., , - » would Si y^wlNSTRirCTION Dial. 9. would depend upon their good or had Beha- viour in this World : — For that God bad appointed a Day in which he would judge the iVorldmoft right eoufly* \ — reward the Good, and punilh the Wicked : — That as his Juf- tice could not let Sin go unpunifhed, — fo his Goodnefs would not let his unhappy Creatures be ruined, except they obftinately refufed to accept of the merciful Terms pro- pofed to them. That therefore God had been pleas'd, for his fake, to promife, — that all fuch as (hould be made fenfible of their bad Condition, and would rerurn to the Duty which they owe to their Maker, fhall have all their pail Of- fences pardon'd, (hall be received into his Fa- vour again, and be made for ever happy with him : — • But that all who know this, and would not receive, and thankfully comply with, {o kind an Offer, fhall die in their Sins, and be punifhed without Mercy. Ind, * Will you now. Sir, be fo good as to * let me know the Way which this Wonder- ' ful Perfon did make ufe of to prevail with ' Men to embrace this mod kind McfTage of * God to Men ? ' Mijf. In the Firft place, he fhewed them, what a tender Compaflion God had for his unhappy Creatures, who were wilfully going on in the Way of Ruin, witliout perceiving * A^i xvii, 31, it: 'd, for (hould m, and ey owe )aftOf- I his Fa- pywith lis, and comply :ir Sins, fiffage of ;d them, d for his ly going erceiving Dial. 9. for the INDIANS, 83 it :— And that he was fo good as to fend his own Son from Heave i to fave them from Deftrudtion. He told them further, — That the Sins of Men were fo many, fo great and univcrfal, that no lefs a Satisfa6lion would be accepted for their Pardon than the Death of his own Son ; that therefore he had taken upon him- felf the Caufe of Sinners, and put himfclf in their place and flead. And God, to (hew Men how well he was fatisfied with his Son's Sufferings for the Sins of Men, raifed him from Death, and fet him at his own Right-hand •, ,where he livetb for ever, to make intercejffion for allfucb as come unto God by him*, Ind. * All this I remember, and I cannot * but admire the great Love of God and * Chrift for fuch unworthy Creatures, * Pray, have 4.ny other Ways been taken of * bringing Men to a Senfe of the Duty they * owe to their Maker, and of promoting * their Happincfs ? * • Miff, I hope you have not forgot what I told you, — that, after his Afcent into Hea* yen, Chrift fent down the Holy Ghoft upon his Apoftles in a moft wonderful manner, who appointed that Society which we call the Church of Chrifi, as the moft proper Means of bringirg Men to the Knowlege of * Hfb, vii. 25. the 84 -^7 Instruction Dial. 9. the true God, — and of the Duty they owe to him, to themfelves, and to all Mankind. For in that Society he has appointed cer- tain Perfons his Minijlers^ who are to watch for the Souls of Men, as they that muft give Account of them* \ — to let them know what they muft do to be faved ; — to minifter to Men the Means of Grace and Salvation ; — to inftru^ the Ignorant ; — to comfort and help the JVeak, and ruife up them that fall \ — to offer up to God Supplications, Prayers, Inter ceffions, and Thanks for all Men ; — and, in one Word, to endeavour that all Men may attain that Happinefs, which Jefus Chriji has purchafcd by his moft precious Blood. Ind, ' This I have not forgot : Nor * what you told me further, — That foraf- * much as God had determined to judge * Mankind according to their Behaviour in * this Life, he has given to Chriftians certain * Laws and Rules, by which they fhall be * judged to Happinefs or Mifery, at that great * Day ; and that thefe Laws and Rules are to ' be found in that Book which you call The * Word of God, becaufe it was written by * Men appointed of God. — May I beg * you to give me a fhort Account of that ^ Book?' Miff. In the Firft Part of thofe Scriptures, called The Old Teftamenty we have an Ac- • Hebr.Tiixi. 17. count lat great [es are to call ne itten by y I beg t of that :riptures, : an Ac- Dial 9. for fL^ INDIANS. 85 count of the Creation of the World, and of God's infinite Power, Wifdom, Juftice, and Goodnefs in the Government of it; — how in all Ages he often protefted and blefled the Good, and punifhed the Wicked ; — in or- der to convince Men, that he fees and order- eth all things for his own Glory, and the Good of his Creatures. In that Part of the Scriptures which we call The Go/pel^ — we have a particular Ac- count of the Life of Chrift j — his moft per- fe<5t Example ; — his moft holy Precepts ; fome of — his numberlefs and wonderful Miracles; — how he was approved of God to be his Son, and the Meflenger of his Will to Men *, — how he was by wicked Hands crucified and flain : That he died, was huriedy and rofe again the Third Bay from the Dead ; — converfed with his Followers, and in their Sight afcended into Heaven-, from whence he fent down the Holy Ghoft, who enabled them to fpeak all manner of Languages ; — • that they might be able to teach all Men thefe wonderful things, and to bring them to the Knowlege of the Truth, that they might be faved ; — and laftly, how great Numbers of all the then known World em- braced the Chriftian Religion \ — that is, all fuch as feared God, and were concern'd to fave themfelves from that wicked Generation, faw plainly, that the Chriftian Religion was I moft 26 yln Instruction Dial. 9. nioft agreeable to Reafon ; and the BIcffings it propofed to Men, greater than all the World btfidts could give them. Ind. * Will you be fo good as to repeat * again the chief of thofe great Truths, and * the Bleffing you fpeak of ? ' Mijf' The Truths which concern us to know are fuch as thefe : — That our Life here is only a State of Trial, and a Paflage to a Life either oi Happinefs or Mifery, which is to laft for ever •,' — that this Happi- nefs or Mifery will be .according to our good or bad Lives •, — that fuch as have led the be ft Lives, have done many things dilpleafing to an Holy God ; — that the Chriftian Reli- gion, and that only, has made known to us how fuch as have fallen under God's Difplea- fure may be reftored to his Favour, and have all their Offences pardoned ; — and to live fo as to be a Bleffing to themfelves, and to others. In fhort, — The Chriftian Religion pro- pofes a Remedy for all the Evils we are fub- je^^l to, which we either feel or fear ; — and is defigned to reftore Men to that holy Temper which is abfolutely neceflary to fit them for Heaven and Happinefs ; — that is, to make them truly good a.nd Jufi^ wife for themfelves, kind, fober, chafte^ and tempe- rate^ peaceable and ufeful in their Genera- tion. — And it will be purely their own Fault, on pro- are lub- — and lat holy to fit - that is, wife for i temp- Genera- leir own Fault, Dial. 9. for tie INDIANS. 87 Fault, if they are not fuch -, — for this Re- ligion affords them -all the Encouragemtnt and Affiftance, that their Cafe can pofTibly demand, or their Hearts can reafonably defire. Ind. ' You have, Sir, fully convinced ' me of the great BlefTing of being aChri- * ftian ; for which I heartily thank you.* Mijf. Give God the Thanks -, 'tis he only can open your Eyes, to fee both your Dan- ger, and your Inereft. Ind. ' If 1 fliall not be too troublefomc, I * would only ask you at prefeut, what An- * fwer 1 (hall give to fuch of our People as * (hall prefs me to tell them, — IVhy I am * refolved to become a Chr'ifiian ? * Mijf, After what you have already learned, you can tell them with Truth, — That you found you wanted fomething which you had not in yourfelf, to make your Mind eafy, and your Condition fafe-, — that your own Reafonconvinc'd you, — that fuch a Creature as Man could not be made, and fent into the World, only to eat and drink, and live and die, as the Beads of the Field •, — that you had often wifhed to know for what End the Great God made Men •, — what Service they owe him •, — whether the Way you were in was pleafing or difpleafing to him •, — and often wi(hed to know, — fVhat becomes of Men after Deatk I 2 You 88 ^//Instruction Dial. 9. You can tell them, that none with whom you had converfed, could give you any reafonablc Satisfaction concerning thefe Mat- ters, — until, meeting with fober People among Chriftians, you have been convinced, — That yoUj and many other People and Na- tions, had loft the Knowkge of the only true Cody who made thePForld, and all things in it \ — - and that Chriftians have among them a Writing, which gives them a full and moft worthy Account ©r that great and good Being; ~ - how he made of one Blood all the Nations tf the Earth* ; — what excellent and inno- cmr Creatures he made the Firft Parents of Mankind -j- j and how they and their Pofterity came to be changed fo much for the worfe, and fubjed to fuch evil Difpodtions, to fo many Miferies and Afflictions as now we fee they are. — By thofe Writings, you can tell them, Chriftians are afllired how wonderfully good and kind God will be to fuch as diligent^ iy feek him^, and defire to pleafe him ; — and that all who are not Enemies to them- felves, may be as happy as their own Hearts can wi(h. You can tell them moreover, — That Godl has made known in thefe Writings, what Men endued with Reafon ought to do, and what to avoid, if they hope to pleafe their Dial. Maker pinefs I ftrive n for thai when I from F — fron: from Oj fery afte been car condemi If th^^ ' — how I Writing! you may merely deji fuch Proa l^ritings from God If they many Ch thofe Sen them, — concernec and to ot true Chri to forfak their Lu. forget th the Remi • AQi xvii. 26. t Gtn. i. ii. iii. \ Heb. xi. 6J • Job\ Maker, 9« any Vlat- ioplc ytrue in it i lem A Imoft Being i Jations \ inno- •ents of ofterity 5 Nvorfe, to fo we fee can tcU iderfully diligent' him » -" o them Dial. 9. for the IN DI JNS. 89 Maker, and their Lord ; — what great Hap- pinefs they will deprive themfclves of, if they ftrive not to know, and to do, his Will •, — for that fuch as obey his Commands will, when they die, be happy for ever ; — free from Fear^ from the Malice of their Enemies, ■ — from Pain^ from Sorrow^ from Cares^ from Oppreffiofty from Sicknefs, and from Mi- fery after Death ; — and that fuch as have not been careful to pleafe their Maker, (hall be condemned to everlafting Mifery. If they aflc you, as to be fure they will, — how Chriftians can be afliired, that thel'e Writings and Truths came from God? • k you may aflure them, tbat if any Alan fin- cerely dejires to know God* s Will^ hejhallfind fuch Proofs y asjhall convince him, that thefe IVritings^ and the DoMnes they contain^ are from God, and not of Men *. If they tell you, as they did before, that many Chriftians live as if not one Word of thofe Scriptures were true •, you may aflure them, — that all good Chriftians are much concerned for the Offence thefe give to you, Hcartsl ^^^ ^^ others : — That indeed they are not \ true Chriftians, but fuch as, being unwilling ^^' \i \ ^° ^'^^^^^^ ^^^^^ Sm%y and refolved to follow |gs, "^"^l their Lufts without Difturbance — ftrive to ^^' ^' r*^^g^^ ^^^ Truths they have learned, bccaufe ;afe theuijjjg Remembrance or them makes them un- Maker, John vii. 17. . j I 3 cafy 5 90 y*z Instruction Dial. 9. eafy 5 — and being, by a juft Judgment of God left to chemfelves, they have at lad loft all Senfe of the dreadful Punifhment which hangs over their Heads: — That tbis falling away of Chriftians from their holy ProfefTiony and turning the Grace of God, which teaches them to deny allUngodlinefSy and worldly LuftSj into PFantonnefs^ is fo far from being an Ob- jedion to the Truth of Chriftianity, that it is an Argument for it ; — fince this was fore* told by the divinely inlpired Penmen of the Holy Scriptures, — that there would htfome^ who would bold tbe Trutb in Unrighteouf- nefs, — ^and oibers that would draw back to Perdition^ and quite for(ake the h^y Com- mand men ts. Ind* ' Kind Sir, your Repetition of thefe * things, for which I am moft thankful, has * confirmed me in my earncft Defire and * Purpofe to become a Chriftian. — • And I * befeech you, once more, to inftru^k me, ' — what will be required of me in order to *■ be made a Member of that Society which * you call the Church of Chrift . * 2 Miff, That I will gladly do when you come to me again. — And may that Good Spirit^ which has put this Purpofe into your Heart, keep you in this good Difpofition ! — *And do not yourfclf forget to beg of God- That He may perfeft the good Work which he has begun in you. -/' . •'■• ^ '' . :■ ' ,. ■ The! The Dial. 9. for the INDIANS: 91 The P R A Y E R. OLORD, we befeech thcc merciflilly to hear us; and grant that we, to whom Thou haft giv^n an hearty Defire to pray, may, by thy mighty Aid, be defended and comforted in all Dangers and Adverfities, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amtn. : \ \ \l ■ \ '■'!/ a ■ ' i i r-f v»;>4n«««^< .M. ,vH*»**»-**-.'#=«**^ -■*n-i^*fc^y i«l«J$|r^.V -V >. Ik-.** .«n ii t juti^ nw *J*a^H»«;t.:«« ,ji'^ -r: -.i '^-' ^-^-^ ^- "- *. v.. r. *'l 1 f- -^? '■: CiJ-' AN ^.-,< . [ 92 ] I V' ■ - - ''J . . ^f fi v our Salvation is brought about ; — that is to fay,— 5y God the Father^ who loved us, even after we had rebelled againft him : — By his Son, who purchafed Salvation for us ; — And hy the Holy Ghoji^ vrho fan^ifietb us. K Ind. , -^ 98 An Instruction Dial.io. Ind. ' Pray, Sir, explain this a littJc clearer * and fuller to me.* Miff. You muft know then, that — The wafhing with Water, in the Name of the Father^ and of the Son^ and of the HgI^ Ghofti confirms and feals to the Perfon thus wafhed, the Covenant of Repentance, for the Remiflion of Sins, of which Covenant Chrift is the Mediator •, lor by him only we have Accefs to the Father. ~^a *f">^' /s;;.: r: Endeavour to know yourfelf better^ that, being truly humbled with a Senfe of your own Vilenefs and Mifery, you may thank- fully accept oi Help and Mercy from God. — For they that are whole need not a Phyficiany hut they that are fick f. And feeing God has promifed to do fo much for You, be peribaded to do fomc- thing for yourfelf. 4 a «( i J .t'^:^',.i your f Rom. ill. 2^, f M?//. IX. 12. i K 2 Ind, 100 -^^« Instruct loi^ Dial.io. Ind. * What cart {o miferable a Creature • do for himfclf?' Mejf. You can lament your own Unwor- thinefs,and pray to God to pity you. — You can ufe the Graces he beftoweth up- on you, and be thankful for his Favours. — You can do your Beft, and his Goodnefs will expert no more. Ind, * What further Ufe am I to rtiake of • this Sacrament ? * Mijf. It ought always to bring to your Remembrance, that you are a Cbriftian : That you have a New Name, and New pGXversy given you, on purpofe that you may become a New Creature, If you are indeed a Child of Gad, you vnW think what a dutiful Child ought to do.— ^ You will fear his Difpleafure, and truft in his Love -, you will pray to him for what you want, and be thankful for what he gives j i^d you will own his Affection when he cor^ reSfs^ as well as when he fmiles upon you. If you look for an Inheritance in Heaven, your Thoughts will be often there: For where your Treafure is, there will your Heart he alfo *. And you will not be too eager or anxious i for the Things of this World. — • You will ♦ Mat*, Ml. 21. neither! ALmi< Jyl| that Thou Knowlege Increafe th ^^th in n ^ J'Kjinations ^ecity Lov< % Servant 10. urc /or- up- inefs keof your Hian : umay Duwill do.—' ttfi in what gives i e cor- ou. eaveftf : For Heart inxiousl lou will! neither! Dial. 10. for tbe INDIANS, loi neither be much afraid of its Troubles, nor too fond of its Vanities^ remembering duC boih will foon have an End. — And as you ever hope to go to Heaven^ yoii will endeavour to fit yourfelf for that glorious Place : ^-Rememb^ing, That without Holinefs no Man Jball fee the Lord*. The fure Promife of God will not fuffer you to defpair : - — And the Joy that is fee beforcj you will encourage you to prefs for- wards. You will be thankful to God for calling you to tLi«i are of Salvation: — And gladly , undertake i''.- Conditions he requires of you. What thefe Conditions ace, you (hall know the next lime I fee you. But firll, with a thankful Heart, fay, . ^ ,'OkcThe P R A Y E R. C^,*. , ALmighty and everlafting God, heaven- ly Father,! give Thee humble Thank* that Thou hall vouchfafed to call nie to the Knowlege of thy Gra:e and Faith in Thee : [Increafe this Knowlege, and confirm this Faith in me evermore. Heal all the Evil I Inclinations of my Soul ; and create in me an heraty Love urvto Holinels, that, continuing |tliy Servant, I may attain thy Promifes, and ♦ ^/^. xii. 14. K 3 ^ be 102 -^« Instruction Dial.ii. be made a Partaker of thine everiafting Kingdom, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amen* • • DIALOGUE Xl. ne Conditions required offuch as are fo be baptized, Indian, ' rr^HE lad time I waited upon you, * X y^^ w^"*^ pleafed to promife to in- * ftruift me in thofe Conditions that Perfons * are required to know, and promife to pcr- ' form, in order to be baptizs'd.* Mijftonary. I (hall gladly do this. — As 'Chrift will moft furely keep the Promife he has made of many great and valuable Blcff- ingsr — So you muft on your part promife, "To renounce the DeviX and all his fVerks : ^he World, and all its evil fVays and Cujloms : ' "■ ' '"' - \- And the Flejh, and all itsjiirful Lufis, J. n. 1% And fecondly, — r ^hat you will receive and helieve the Truths and Mejjage which God fen t unto Men by his $ony which are contained in the Holy Scrip- tures of the New Tefldment, andfummed up in iidat we call The Apoftles Creed. • ' And Andh Courage 3 the TrutI ferformeL Ind. * * of expli * be glad * Life is * to Yearj ' that I m ' ^^^\y un * I am ab Mijf. y I often told Trial ; * [greateft H land obey hii Vor the Rev jdetermined land their 0, j'-ant of thei put his De |them to th Dial 1 1, for the INDIANS. 103 yuths \by his {scrip- up in And Andkftly,— ' Ton mtfl promife to ufe your utmoji Dili- ^ence^ and Jincere Endeavours^ to keep the Comfttands of God all the Days of your Life, « And here, as on one hand I would not dif- courage you, fo on the other I mud tell you the Truth, — that thefe things are not fo eajily performed as promt fed. Ind. * I fee I muft give you the Trouble of explaining yourfelf further : — I Ihould be glad theirefore to know what fort of Life is reqXiired of a Perfon that is come to Years of Difcretion, after he is baptized, that I may not promife what I do not per- fedly underftand, nor undertake more than I am able to perform. — Miff. You remember, I hope, what I have, often told yOu, * That this Life is a State of ' Trial ; * that God having prepared the Igreatefl: Happinefs for fuch as love^ honour^ and obey him, — that he may make them fit for the Reward he intends them, he hath determined to try their Faiths their Love^ land their Obedience. — Not that He is igno- Irant of their Hearts, and their Sincerity ;— [but his Defign is by thefe Trials to fhcw . |them to themfelvcs, and to humble them, )y feeing how much they muft depend uponi bit 104 ^//Instruction Dial.ir. his Grace and Help ; and to Ihew the Power of his Grace over the greateft Adver- faries of their Souls. — He has therefore per- mitted evil Spirits to make this Trial, by tempting Men to the Sins which they re- nounced at their Baptifm. Ind. * I remember what you told me con- * cerning the Devil, and his evil Spirits; * — that they were fuch as rebelled againft * their Maker, and for that Sin were call out ' of Heaven ; — that their evil Nature leads « them to tempt and draw Men from the * true God ; — and that God permits them * to try the Faith of Chriftians, and to exe- * cute his Judgments upon Sinners. — Be- ' fides theie Enemies of Our Souls, I remem- ' ber, what you told me, and what I find * true by Experience, that we have an Ene- ' my .within ourfclves, even our own cor- * rupt Nature, very prone to Evil ; and that * we have alio ah evil World, and evil Ex- * amplcs, to lead us to forget or to neglecl * God, and our own Promife.' ■ ' Mijf, I am glad you remember thefe things (o well. — I muft therefore now give you the necejfary Advice^ which our Lord Chrift has given to all fuch as defign to be- come Chriftians 5 — that is, — to do what all wife Men will do, who have any thing of Moment to undertake, — * To fit down and , ' * V • confider* * confic Left aft. and di/g many d( Ind. * Cautio * Jet me * to J— a * falling Mif, m evil Sj Men, -i- and only 1 M and 1 ed Idolati^ P'erlbns uj f^ commtit\ This is the World, v Thty are \ i^^s, and I thro* the are receive by ^hich t ^utofthis i'efolvc asai 6f God.^ you muft J( reale6t Dial.ii. for the INDIANS. 105 * confider, what it is to be a Chriftian *' — Left afterwards you expofe yoiirfclf to Shame, and difgrace the Religion you profefs, as too many do. Ind\ * I heartily x\.. k y<. Sir, for this * Caution and Advice •, — and beg you will * let me know the Sins I may be tempted * to;— and how I may oppofe and avoid * falling into them.' Mijf, The Sins to which the Devil and his evil Spirits are moft eagerly bent to tempt Men, -^ are, firft of all, to forfake the true and only God, to irufi in themfelves, and to f^ar aitd i»orfi>'vp other iJ^/»^j.^This is call* ed Idolati*y, and provokes God to giVc fuch Ferfons xs^-^fo a Mind'void ef Judgment ^^^ to commit all Iniquity with Greedinefs §. -^ This is the fed Gafe of ali ae Nations of the World, wht> worthip not the true God.—' They are under the Power of Satan^ his Aft' getsy and his y^^;^/j ; and ib are you, until thro* the Favour ahd Mercy of God you- are received into his Church and Family. It:gVEWCE,' and Murder, that too often follbWs \ty are Satan's darling Temptations j by v^hich Millions of Souls have been fent Out bf this World.— This is what you muft fefolve againft, as a Sin mott ef^ially hated 6f God.-^If you are injured^ or opprejfed^ I you muft leave your Caufe to God :— He, * Lukexvt, 28. § Rem. i. and 10^ -^;^ Instr UCTION Dial.ir. and he only, knows what Punifhmcnt every Injury and Injujiice ^^uire •, and will call Offenders to an - Account in his own proper Time. — It is true, Revenge is fweet and tempting to our corrupt Nature ; but cor- rupt Nature you muft not follow, if you re- folve to be the Servant of God, Another Sin, which the Devil tempts Men to, IS Lying: — He is the Father of Lyes, and would have all Men like him- felf -, becaufe he knows what God has de- clared, that-fucb as love and make Lyes *, ihall have no Inheritance in his Kingdom. This you wiU confider and refolve again(l» as you hope for ie Favour of God. There is anoti.jr very dangerous Error, to which Men are ftrongly tempted •, — that is, to be proud, and to have an high Con- ceit of their own Reafon^ Wifdom, and Abili- ty to know^ and to do^ what is good, and beft for themfelves. Now this Pride and Self-conceit takes Men off from their Depend- ence upon God, his IVill^ and fVord ; by which alone we can know what we muft do to be faved j — upon what Terms God will pardon, a Sinner % and what will become of us when we die. Now nothing can provoke God more, than for us poor Creatures to think, that we want not his Help, his Grace and Light. . > ^i i\',i\^ -^jr^ r.rv :tt/.iip • i^.xxii. 15. ,,-A ^ im- ■ Laftly^ Laft hath ]ii Men ol — who to bJaff Body a) God hn Jucb Pe) Here the to con fie of fuch negledt avoid thi Deftru(5li Hazard ( verfing v The n you pron * and all * as al/b, * fo that * them.' Ind, * * Inftrua ' ought.' Mijf.r^ not the W made ; — i lafting Ha with many Dial II. for the IN DUNS. 107 Laftly^ You miift know, — that the Devil hath his A|y'»nts in every Place : — Tiiefe are Men o^ wicked Lives ^ and wicked Principles \ •—who make a Mock of Sin j — who fear not to blafpheme tiiat God, who can deftroy both Body and Soul in Hell. — Now the Spirit of God has ailured us, that Converjation with Jucb Perfons will corrupt good Manners *. — Here then will be your Trial ; — and you ought to confider beforehand, whether the Pleafurc of fuch Company (hall prevail with you to negleft the Counfel of God ; which is, to avoid them, as you would avoid your own Deftrudlion : — Or whether you will run the Hazard of being ruined for ever, by con- verfing with fuch wicked Perfons. The next Thing, which at your Baptifm you promiie to renounce, is — * the World, * and all its evil Cuftoms and Manners ;— * as alfo, all the finful Lufts of the Flefh, ' fo that you will not follow nor be led by ' them.* Ind, * I am afraid. Sir, that, without your ' Inftruflions, I (hall not underflan^ this as I * ought.' Mijf. You will remember, — that this is not the World for which you were chiefly made ; — nor muft you look for any true and lafting Happinels here.-^Now you will meet with many things in the World, which will \Lajily^ f I Cor, XV. 33, m ,U l'> tempt # io8 ^//Instruction Dial i i. tempt you with an Appearance and Shew of Happinefs -, and if you are not refolved to avoid them, they will turn your Heart from the Love of God, an J the Care of your Soul. Ind. * You will be fo kind as to let me * know wW thefe are.' Mijf, The Spirit of God will tell you :— They are • The Lufts of the Fielh,* —that is, — all finful, unchafte, and impure Plca- fiires, and whatever leads to fuch Sins. — Se- condly ^ — * The Lull of the Eyes,' — that is— all finful and covetous Defires, and Love of Riches.— And, Thirdly, rr-' Iht Pride of * Life * *, * — or an ntceffrve Value of them- felves, accompanied with an unreafonablt Defire of the Eftcem of the World. Ind, ' Pray let me know more particularly * what are the " Lufts of the Flelh," which * I arr» to refolve againft.' /^' ; * MiJf. I will repeat to you the very Words of God, that you may be convinced I do not tell you any thing but what will be necef- fary to your Salvation. — Now thefe IVorks of the Flejh are manifefi ; that is, they may eafily be known by any conOdering Perfon, tho* never fo unlearned, to be difpleafing| to a good and holy God. — Such are AM'\ tery, ff^horedem. Idolatry, JVitchcraft^Drunk innefs. Hatred, Malicet Revenge, Strife, Sedi- * I Johnii. 1 6. •r...*. > fionj, A; Now he may be, and refc for the f Jnd. * * meant I Mff. Mger an( that you ous a Sii himfelf h rich Men they are and Temf — They them too them, and God ; to < feriors ; — P^ejb, to j Befides tended wit Seed fown holy Defirc are wrough that this go And tho to good Pui Gal, V. r-: t' tWlU DuVii. for the INDIANS. 109 tions^ Murders^ Revillings *, andfiuh-Uke^^^ Now however tempting many of thefe Sins may be, — you niuft fit down, confider, and refolve againft them, or ne?er hope for the Favour of God. Ind. * You will now let me know what is « meant by — ** The Luft of the Eyes." Miff. I told you before, that it is tht eager and covetous Defire of Riches. And that you may be convinced how danger- ous a Sin thi^ is, you fhall hear what Chrid himfelf has faid, — That it is very hard for rich Men to be good Chriftiam + ; becaufc they are fo much expofed to ma«y Evils and Temptations, — fuch as thefe following: — They that have Riches are apt to love them too much, — to put their Truft in them^ and to forget their Dependence upon God ; to lord it over and opprefs their In* feriors •, — and to mike Provifton for the Flejhy to fulfil the Lujls thereof Befides all thefe, — Wealth is often at- tended with fuch Cares as cboak the Good $ Seed fown in the Heart of Men, that is, tlie holy Defires, and good Rcfolutions, which lare wrought in Men by the Spirit of God, fo I that this good Seed becometh unfruitful. And tho' Riches mav be made ufc of I to good Purpofes, yet it will require a more f Gal,y. 19, 20, 2 1. f Mutth, xix. 23. § Matth. 3ciU. 22. tiemi ,L than no j4n Instruction Dial. ir. than ordinary Grace of God fo to ufe them •, — - which extraordinary Grace is fe'dom afk- cd by, and therefore feldom given to, fiich whole Hearts are poffeffed with the l.ove of Riches. Ind, ' One would conclude then, — that * Chriftians ought not to dcfire Riches fo * eagerly as generally they do ; — nor ought * they who want them to think themfelves * Unhappy, or not beloved by God.* Mijf. That is very true. And they who will not be convinced of thefe Truths, by what God has declared in his Word, will one Day be convinced by fad Experience, when it may be too late to do them any Service. Ind, * Muft then every Man, who would * fave his Soul, renounce the Thoughts of * Riches?* ■■■'•■ • - - ^ MiJf. No : Richfls may be ufed to good Purpofes. The Apoftle of Jefus Chrift tells you haw, i Tim, vi. 17, 18, 19.-- * Cbargt * them who are rich in this JVorld^ that they * .he not high-minded, nor truft in uncertain * Riches, but in the Living God^ who giveth * MS richly all things to enj-oy : — That they do * Good^ that they be rich in Good fVorks, rea- * dy to difiributCy willing to communicate', * laying up in Store for themfelves a good * Foufulation againft the 'Time to come^ that * they may lay hold on Eternal Life,\ — But ftill they are dangerous Things. *. . , . hi* Dial. ! I. for the INDIANS, in Ind, * What Advice w II you give me, • that I may neither defire nor enjoy them too * eagerly ? * • ' Miff. That you may not endeavour by un** jiifl Ways to better your Condition, you will findthefe Words of Jefus Chrift in his Go- fpelj — What willii profit a Man, ifhejhould gain the whole IVorld^ and lofe his ow,? Soul *? To moderate your Defires, confidcr, that the more you havey the more you mufi account for, .''■■:■■.,■ ■ ,' ■ To make you more contented, you muft linow, that Men are not happy, bccaufe they have a great deal, but becaufe God gives them Power to «njoy what they have, be that more or lefs. That the Favours of God may not tempt you to Idlenefs, remember, — ■ That Sloth- fulnefs cajieth into a deep Sleep \ that is, ic makes men iafenfible ot wiiat concerns the next World, and in this World — covers them with Rags +. And, laftly. If you let no worldly Burin*^:!^ hinder you from ferving God dally, it will keep in your Mind a coiiftant Scnfe of youf Dependence upon him, and make you fee your Thoughts upon another World, to which this is only a Paffage. Ind. ' Pray inn:ru(5t me how I may bcft avoid Temptations, -^ •» * Mark yiii. 36. f Prov, xxiii. 21. L 2 Miff.. 112 ^« Instruction Dial. n. Miff, The Dire * Do not Summer and tVinter. Spring and * Matt. X. 29. i I 1 I M 2 i/tfr- 124 -^-^Instruction Dial. 12. * Harveft^ return certainly at their ap- * pointed Times ? * Mijf. ' — They do : — But then, to put Men in mind, that they depend upon God enly^ and not upon the Seafons, for their daily Kread, — the Summer fomctimes returns with- out its ufual Heafy and the Harveft without its Fruitfulnefs *. Ind. ' Have not wicked Men, and wicked ^ Spirits, great Power of doing Mifchief?* MiJf. *Tis true — God hath given them great Power both to punifh the Wicked, i]nd to try the Faith of the Righteous -t" :— But the Word of God aflurcs us. That nei- ther Men nor Devils can do the Jeaft Hurt, without the Leave of God : — And this is the Reafon, that there is not more Mifchief in the W^orld, and that all things are not every-where in Confufion §. Ind, * Of what Ufe is it to believe, that * God is our Father ? ' Mijf» If you indeed believe this, you will take your Father's Word for what he pro- ^^inifcth ; be plea fed with what he ordereth j * — €aft all your Care upon Him j for He caretb for you t- You will never abufe his Goodnefs and Long-fuffering •, for though he hath the I CompaJJion of a Father ^ yet if his Children\ * Hai^.y. 9, 10, 1 1, f 2 If the Secrets of all Hearts will then be difcloftd, will not you be afraid to indulge fuch Thoughts, and fuch Defigns, as will not bear the Light, and Judgment of God .? '-" And, above all, confidcr, that you muft theii be judged, not as the World judgech of things, but by the Word of God ; by which, therefore, you muft refolve to live, and not according to the foolifh Opinions, 'and finful Cuftoms, of the World. Laftly, ^^This Belief hath Comforts^ as well as Terrors •, for tho* we Ihall indeed be called to a ftricl Account, yet we are fure to be heard with Favour, and treated with Com- pafTion, if our Cafe will bear it : — For He who knows our Infirmities,-^ He that died to fave us, is to be our Judge. In one Word, you may fee, that the Son of God has given Chriltians the greateft Realon to love and adore him, that they might have the greateft Reafon io obey hin-^, and cruft in him, as -their Lord and Redeemer^ and. 132 -^« Instruction Dial.12. and, by doing fo, by him be made happy for ever. Ind. ' I am very thankful for what you * have now told me. — But may I aik you * this Queftion ; — If Chrift has redeemed * Chriftians, are they not xhtnfafe^ and out * of Danger ? ' Mijf. Yes, moft furely, if it is not their own Fault. Ind, * I wi(h you would explain to me * whit you mean by that.' Miff, It is very true, — Jeftis Chrifi has redeemed us, and reftoredas to the Favour of God. But then it is upon Condition, that fince we know God, and what he has done for us, we glorify him by our Deeds^ as well as by our fV^rds j— but if Chriftians will not obey him in the^r PrafUce, he deals with them as he did with the Heathens \ he gives them up to a Mind void of Judgment *, to follow the Defires of their own Hearts, by which they will be ruined fot ever. And this is the Reafon why yoi? fee ib many even among Chriftians, — upon whom neither th^f Fear of an Almighty and jull God,— nor the Love of Chrift his Son, who has favvd them, has any Power to keep them in their Duty. — And altho* they have had the Hojy Spirit to direSf^ fanSftfy, and^^- vern them^ yet him they grieved by their * ^«M.i. 28. wilful Dial. 1 2. for the INDIANS, 133 wilful Sins, and forced him to forfake them, fo that they commit all Iniquity with Greedi- nefs *. Ind, ' You will now be fo good as to let * me know what Chriftians believe concern- ' ing the Holy Ghost.' . -' •*• • Mijf, I have already (hewn, that, before Jefus Chrift afcended into Heaven, — he pro- mifed his Difciples to fend another Divine Perfon, the Holy Ghost, to fupply his Place and Prefence with them. — Accord- ingly, this Holy Spirit defcended upon them in a mod wonderful manner, and enabled them to fpeak all Languages, as alfo to re- member the Truths which Chrift had taught, and the Works which he had done, and to write them truly for the Benefit of Mankind. He alfo afllfted and direfbed the Apoftles of Chrift to lay the Foundation of a Society of Chriftians, which are now fpread over the whole Earth, and are called The Holy Catholick. Church, becaufe it confifts of Chriftians of all Nations and Languages, who ought all of them to be holy. All Chriftians, thus dedicated to God, are one Body, ^under ojis Head, the Lord Christ -, and, as fuch, are obliged to hold Communion one with another, as Members of the fame Body ought to do. ,)'.. •:; * R^m. i- 28. N To ^^'y^»' !kM5g::?*i(,ii 134 ^^ Instruction Dial.n. To every Member of this Society is pro- mifcd the Forgivenefs of Sins, upon his true Repentance, and Return to his Duty. To this Church the fame Holy Spirit has .made known, that all Men fhail rife again from the Dead with their own Bodies, arid give Account of their own Works : — And that after this will follow an everlafting Life of Happinefs or Mifery. Ind, ' Will you. Sir, now be pleafed to * make me underftand, what are the natural ' Fruits of fuch a Faith, and what fuch a * Belief obliges Chriftians to do ? ' Mtff. Remember then, — That the Holy . Ghoft is he, to whom, with the Father and the Son, all Chriftians are dedicated in Bap- tifm ; that it is this Holy Spirit who is to fit Men for Heaven and Happinefs •, — ^ which he does, — by convincing all fuch as are difpofed for eternal Life, and will attend to his holy Motions, — by convincing them, . that they are Sinners, that, as fuch, they . Hand in need of a Redeemer : — As alfo, by putting into their Hearts the Fear of God,— a Love for his Laws, — and a ferious Con- ■ cern for their Souls ', — by nftraining them, from Evil, — and changing their Difpofitions from Evil to Good. Ind. ' But it is plain. Sir, that this Holy| ' Spirit doth not thus govern and dired ail ' Chridians.' -c- ' .*v;a * Miff. told yoi felves. - which G them fi'Ui Spirit b] forfike ti not fo V tliat Pro! Hoiy Spir all good ( fit, and c BJefling c And h fell you, ( Influence But then hy our e the evilSp feffion of i and not ur Ind. « * preventc Miff, . Mind the baptized ; ^e ought God, Jeft, I come a Sla [fteadof be, ♦ Ma .12. pro- true t has again , arid • And I Life fed to latural fuch a J Holy ler and in Bap- ho is to 5-, — ^ fuch as attend them, they alio, by us Con- \g them ofitions liis Holy lire6t all Mil' Dial.i2. for the JN DUNS. 135 Mijf. That is too true -, — but then, as 1 told you before, the Fault is purely in them- felves. — They negle<^ to ufe the Graces which God has given them, and then he takes them CiW.iy*. — Too many j^rieve the Holy Spirit by their evil Deeds, and force him to forfake them : —And very many, who are not fo wicked, do yet never lay Claim to that Promife of God, that he will give the Holy Spirit to them that ajk him \i — Whereas all good Chriftians do pray for this Holy Spi- rit, and do find the wonderful EfFeds and Blcffing of his Guidance and AlTiftance. And here take notice of a Truth I now tell you, that every Soul of Man is under tl\e Influence either of good, or evil Spirits : — But then thefe good Spirits may be provok'd by our evil Lives to forfake us •, and then the evil Spirits are always ready to takePof- feflion of fuch as they find forfaken of God, and not under his immediate Protection. Ind. ' And pray. Sir, how is this to Joe * prevented ? ' Mijf. Every Chriftian muft keep in his Mind the Promife he made when he was baptized ; and, if he has failed in any things he ought forthwith to beg Forgivenefs of God, left, continuing in Sin wilfully^ he be- come a Slave to Satan and his Angels, in* ftead of being a Servant of God. * Matt.-Kxv.zg. %Luiexi. 13. -N 2 I fhall ij^ -^// Instr ucTi ON Dial.n. I fhall only mention another B!c;Ting which wfe receive from the i-foly Ghoft, and the EfFedt it ought to have upon us. It is from him we have the Holy Scriptures, which are therefore very truly called the Word of God •, — and the Word of our Salvation. — Thefe Scriptt^es, therefore, every one who would continue in the Favour of God, muft re^idt or bear them read, with the greateft Reverence and Attention. Ind. ' I defire you will explain more par- ' ticularly what you mean by the Holy ' Catholick Chttrch, — and the Com- * MUNioN of Saints.' , Mfjf. The Church is called holy, becaufe every Member of that Society obh'ges him- ielf, by the gracious Afliftance of God, lo he holy. He that is not fo, or does not im- mediately repent, and become fuch, is but a rotten Member, and is in Danger of being cutoff. As to the Communion of Saints: — As every Perfon owes fomething to the Society of which he is a Member, fo efpecially in the Society of Chriftians, every one is bound, by the Laws of the Gofpel, to ufe the Ta- lents and Advantages, which God has given him, whether of Learning, or Power, or RicheSy for the Good of the whole Body :— To pray for them •, — to affift thofe that are ^ in Want \ — to inftrudt the Ignorant, and I them The ; • Rom\ Dial.12. for the INDIANS. 137 them that are out of the Way •, — and to ftudy the things that make for Peace^ and for mutual Edification *. Ind, ' You told me before, that in the * Church of Chrift there is a Promife of * THE Forgiveness of Sins.* Miff, And a mighty Blefling fur>^ '*■ is, — That Men, who on account of the any Sins are liable to the Difpleafure of uod, — may be affured, that in the Church of Chrifl: they will obtain the Forgivenefs of their Sins upon moft merciful Conditions j — upon a true Repentance, and Return to their Duty ; — and a ready Difpofition to forgive others* as they themfelves do hope for Forgivenefs- from God. The Resurrection of the Body, and AN everlasting Life after Death-— Thefe are Truths which Jefus Chrift has. made known to his Church:^ — And they are as certain as God himfelf is true^ And that they may^make the greater Irapreffion * upon your Heart, I will repeat to you the very Words of Chrift : ' The Hour is. * coming, in which all that are in the Graves, * Ihall hear his Voice,, and come forth ; they ' that have cJoneGood, unto the Refurreflioa * of Life i and they that have done Evil,, ' unto the Rcfurreflion of Damnation 4^.'— So that all Chriftians who know this> may • Rom. xiv. 19. 4: John v. 28, 29, N ^ be; ^, IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // ^ ^ ,£>. /./ ' yJk 1.0 1.1 ■ttIM 12.5 ■tt Itt |22 £ L° 120 u IL25 HI 1.4 IJ& 1^1 1.6 Photographic ScMices Corporatiaii ^ ■^ v\ 23 WIST MAM STRIIT \IVIiSnR,N.Y. HSiO (71«)t73-4«» '4^ o h > I i^S An Instruction Dial.n. be affured, that this Life is the only Time to choofe where and what they are to be for ever ; and may learn not to trifle away that precious Time, which is chiefly allowed them to prepare for Eternity. Ind. * Well, Sir, I fee plainly the Reafon * why every one who de fires to be a Chri- * ftian, Ihould believe thele Truths.* Miff. Thefe things are true, and will at laft be found to be fb, whether Men believe them or not. — And if any Man is loft for ever, for want of giving Credit to them, or for not confidering them, it will-fignify little whether he was called a Chriftian^ or dn Hea- then. Ind. ' Indeed one would wonder, that fo * many Chriftians, who know thefe things, * can be fo eafy, and fo carelefs of their Sal- * vation.* Mijf. Be you careful for yourfelf, and continue fo, when you are a Ghriftian. — In the mean time, I tell you a^in,— the true Reafons, why fomany among Chriftians for- get the Promifes they made at their Baptifm, are thefe : — Through the Corruption of Na- ture they fall into Sin •, — they do not what they ought to do, that is, repent and turn to their Duty immediately \ — and continuing in Sin, thefe truths are uneafy to them, be- caufe they put them in mind of their Ingra- titude to the God^ who made them j — to God THE Dial.ii. for the INDIANS. 139 THE Son, who died for them ; — and to Gon THE Holy Ghost, whom they had griev'd by obftinately perfifting in a vicious Courfe of Life. — ^They will not confider, that with^ out HoUneJsy i. e. without keeping the Com- mands of God, and doing his WilJ, no Man can be faved; and, befides this, thefe Truths put them in mind of an endlefs Life of Hap' pinefs, which they are not difpofed to pre- pare for, — and of a miferable Eternity^ which they have Reafon to fear above all things :-— Therefore they ftrive to forget the Truths they have known and believed ; — and if the Goodnefs and Long-fuffering of God does not lead them to Repentance,-^* Thefe Ar- * tides of their Faith will be the Articles of * their Condemnation.* bid, ' I am convinced. Sir, that thefe * Truths are moft powerful Motives, where ' they are known and believed, to oblige * Men to keep the holy Will and Com- * mands of God, and to walk in the fame all * the Days of their Life : — Which you told * rtic was another Part of that Promife which ' Chriftians make at their Baptifm, and which * I hope you will explain to me when I come * again. — r 01 : . r : * Mijf, That I will gladly do. — And for your Part^ I exhort you to beg of God to confirm your Faith in him, and in his Son Jefus Chrid, and caufe it to bring forth in you 140 ^;y Instruction Dial.ij. you the Fruit of good Living, to his Gkry^ and your own Salvation, Amen. -1 : The PRAYER. For Faith and Obedience. ALmighty and ever-living God, give unto me the Increafc of Faith, Hope, and Charity ; and that I may obtain that which Thou doft promile, make me heartily believe what Thou haft revealed j and love and prafbife that which Thou doft com- mand i through Jefus Chrift thy Son, the Author and Finifher of our F«th. Amen, '\)::'f DIALOGUE XIIL ^e Commandments of God fraSiically explained: ' -> ^ -',:' ■ '- > Part L^'-^'.^* '*:'■■''• t ' Indtan, . * XT'OU told me. Sir, that my believing * X the Truths of the Gqfpei will not ^ qualify me to be made a Chriftian, unlefs * I promife to obey the Will of God, and * endeavour to keep his Commands.' Mjr, I told you the Truth : — For al- though we firmly believe, that it is only on the account of what his Son Jefus Chrift has t..,^ done l; I.. . '.'j.-.. j.-^Jk'l,i AzU XJA. ■- J^ Dial.i3. for the INDIANS. 141 done and fuffered for us, that God will par- don our Sins, and receive us into Favour ;— yet it is on this Condition, that we repent and for fake our Sins, and obey his Com- mands. Ind. * I hope you will continue your kind * Inflrudions, and let me know what his * Will and Commands are.' Mijf, We learn from the Holy Scriptures, that when all Nations had loft the Knowlege of the true and only God, and the Way of worshiping him, which he had appointed, it pleafed him to make himfelf and his Will known again, at firft to one Man, whofe Name was Abraham^ and afterwards to his moft numerous Pofterity, after he had conr vinced them, that he was the true and only God, by many amazing Miracles and Judg- ments upon their Oppreflbrs, and by deliver- ing them out of a moft^ cruel Bondage and Slavery. — After which, in order to prelcrve this Knowlege among them, and to keep them from being corrupted, he gave them certain Commands, in a manner fo dreadful^ fo wonderful, and fo aftonijhingy that they ' could not but be convinced, that they were the Commands of an all-powerful God, in difobcying of whom they were fure of ex- pofinjg tnemfdvcs la the greateft Punifh- nients. . . , It 142 u^/z Instruction Dial.i^. Ind» * You will be pleafed to let me know * thefe Commands.* MiJ, They were Ten in Number. — The firft of which was this : I. I am the Lord thy God — Thou fhalt have none other Gods but me. The Defign^ you fee, of this Command was, ^ — to reftore and preferve the Know- lege of the true God 5 he having a Right to be honoured, feared^ and loved, as the Au- thor of all the Good we enjoy or hope for ; — by which therefore we are forbidden to ex- peft our Happinefs from any other, or place cur Dependence on, or fear the Power of any other Being in Heaven, or on Earth. The full Import of the Firft Command is— That we (hould have the Lord for our God i and that we fhould have no other be- fides him. Ind» '.What is it to have the Lord for our « God ? ' Mijf, It is to think of him, and to worjhip him, as God. Ind, * How ought we to think of God ?* . Mijf, As of an Eternal and All-perfe^ Being, the Maker and Preferver of all Things, and our moft Gracious and Merci- ful mand or our ler be- Dial.13. for the INDIANS. 143 fill Father in and through his Son Jefus Cbrift our Lord, - - You are forbidden by this Law to depend upon yourfelf^ upon your own Labour and Care for Profperity ; — upon your Friends for Security •, upon your iVealtk for Happi- nefs : For thefe are Bieflings, only when God is pleafed to make them fo. You are, by this Command, forbidden to murmur at God's Dealings with yourfelf . or others ; for he is Lord of AIL , : > Ind. ' What is commanded in this Law ? * Miff, You are hereby commanded to Jive always as in the Sight of God ; — To pray for his Bleffing, in pubiick and m private^ upon every thing you undertake \ — And to give him Thanks for all his Favours ; -^ And to do all this with the Hearty as well as the Body ; — For whatever you fpeak or think, is known to Him. Ind. * What is the other thing propofed * to us in this Commandment ? * Miff. You are forbid having any other, befides the Lord, for your God. Ind. ' Is there any other God, befides the ' Lord ? ' Miff. — No, there is not ; nor does this Commandment at all fuppofe that there is. But, when thefe Commandments were deli- vered, the World generally believ'd in, and worfhiped, other Gods befides the Lord, who L •■ 144 -^« Instruction Dial. 13. who was almpft utterly forgotten by them. — And therefore it was highly neceflary, that the Great God of Heaven and Earth fliould, in the firft place, caution his People, and, in them, all future Generations, againft this Folly, Impiety, and Idolatry, vi^ ,-•,'. ; This following was the Second Command: 11. Thou flialt not make to thyfelf any graven Image, nor , the Likenefs of any thing that is in Heaven above, or in the Earth beneath, or in the Water under the Earth : Thou fhalt not bow down to them, nor worfhip them ; for I * the Lord thy God am a jealous God, and vifit the Sins of the Fathers upon the Children unto the third and fourth Gcne- ' ration of them that hate me; and fltew Mercy unto Thoufands, in them that love me, and keep my Commandments. i-l/^i'ur^ ifwiii ji' Inl 1.13- I Dial.13. for the IN DUNS. 145 Ind, ' You will be fo good as to let me « know the Mcanifig and Rcafon of this * Command.' Mijf. You mud know then, through the Suggeftions of the Devils mod Nations had been led into a vile Cuftom of reprelenting and worfliiping God by Images •, by which they came to have mean and unworthy Thoughts of the Divine Majefty, as if he were like any of his Creatures. Now, by this Command, God has forbid all that love and fear him, even to attempt to rcprcfent him by any Image or Pidture, or to worfliip him before fuch ; and this on pain of his molt high Difpleafure upon them, and their Pofterity, who fhall difobey this Command ; — promifing an efpecial Blefling to them, and their Children, who ihall take care to worfhip him as he has commanded. Ind. ' What is the Pofiiive Duty required of us in this Commandment ? ' Mijf. You are to worjhip God^ after a Manner fuitable to his Spiritual Nature j >^God is a Spirit, and they that worjhip him muft worjhip him in Spirit and in Truth * : — That is to fay- — ^with Sincerity, Love, and Purity of Heart \ — with the Inward Devo- tion and Fervor of the Mind, without whicii the Outzvard Exercifes of Prayer and Adora- tion will be of no Worth. • Johniv. 24. O - hi J4^ ^» Instruction Dial.13. Ind. * Doth the Command afford any • further Inftruflion ? * . '* v Miff, Yes. — It (hews us. That the Piety ■ of Parents fhall be remembered for the Good -of their Children, to many Generations : That the bcft Portion Children can receive from their Parents, is God's Blefling : V And that fuch Parents as are not careful to love God, and to keep his Command- ments, do leave Calamities to their Pofle- /Hty. . , , ^ The Third Commami h this : III. Thou {halt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain ; for the Lord will not hold him guiltlefs, that taketh his Name in vain. ^ '. " r The Intent of this Command is, — - to preferve the great Regard, which all Men ought to have for God, forbidding them to :fpeak of him, or even to ufe his holy Name, .without Fear and Confideration. Ind. ' What are the neceflary Occafions * which Men have to make ufe of the Name •*ofGodi* ■ . :./ .s" - Mill DiaLi3. for the IN DUNS. 147- Mijf. Firft, when they worfhip him, which they (hould drive to do with Reverence ancf Attention.— Secondly, when by a lawful Authority they are obliged to take an Oath'. And laftiy, when they fpeak of God,, or of any thing that belongs to him, upon any ferious Occafion. Ind, ' Why are People obliged to take an ' « Oath before a Magiftratc ? ' MiJf. It is to put an End to Strife among fi- Men ', — it being God's Pleafure, that the Truth fhould appear, and Juftice be done to every one. — Now the likelieft Way to • come to. the Truth is this, — To put Men • in mind, when they are going to fwear, — That they are in the Prefence of that Great God, who has declared, — That a Curfefiall enter into the Houfe of him that fwear eth ' falfly by his Name^ to conjume it *. VV hich is, lure, fufficient to oblige every Man, who believes and fears God, to fpeak the whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth, as they hope to efcape that Curie, and God*s Ven- geance. — As for ihofe who out • of an evil Guftom do fwear or curfey blafpheme, or fpeak lightly of God, fuch Perfons have no other Choice, but Repentance and Amend- ment y. or Damnation. — And where thefeSins ace becoine common, and are not punilhed. * Z^ch. V. 4. O 2 that 148 ^« InSTR UCTION Dral.15, that Nation and People may expeft puMck and heavy Judgments to fall upon them *. Ind. • What is the Meaning of that Ex • preflion, ^be Lord will not bold him guilt- MiJ[, The Meaning is, that this Sin fhall certainly be punilhed, and more than Words can exprefs ; however common it is, and little regarded. Ind. ' What are wc commanded in this • Law ? ' Miff, To fpeak of Qod^ and of religious Matters, after fucb a ferious manner^ that People may learn to have devout and reve- rent Thoughts of Him, and his Service. We come now to the Fourth Command : IV. Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath-Day : Six Days ftialt thou labour, and do all that thou haft to do ; but the Seventh Day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God ; in it thou flialt do no manner of Work, thou, and thy Son, and thy Daughter, thy Man- * Jer. xxiii. lO. M?/. ii. 2. * me 1 • mane Mi/) — Thi Six Da ordaine ventbL in Men and Mi Now thro' tl came ni and Wi where, many ^ fervant. Dial.i3. for the INDIANS. 149. fervant, and thy Maid-fervant, thy Cattle, and the Stranger that is within thy Gates ; — -for in Six Days the Lord made Heaven and '■ Earth, the Sea, and all that in them is, and refted the Seventh Day : Wherefore the Lord bleffed the Seventh Day, and hallowed- it.- ::vi!.:, .; > '■ Ind. * You will be fo good a» to (hew * me the Realbn and Intent of thia Com^ • mand/ Mijf. Remember what I told you before» -^ That after God had made this World in - Six Days, and Man the Governor of it, he ordained, by a perpetual Law, That the ^^- ventb Day fhould be fet apart, and kept holy, . in Memory and Honour of him, the Creator and Maker of all Things. Now, in Procefs of Time, this Command,' » thro* the Corruption of Man's Nature, be* came negledted, and the true God forgotten, » and Wickedhefs and Idolatry increafed every where, which is the miferable Cafe of verf many Nations to this Day. -^ .i. ; •'V O 3 Butt ,150 ^« Instructiun Dial. 13. . But when God feparated the People of Ifrael from the reft of the Nations, he re- newed this Command, fo that the KnowJege of the true God has been preferved among them thro' all Ages. hd. ' Do Chriftians obferve that Day ? * Mijf, Chriftians do, according to the Dc- fign of the Law, obferve One Day in Seven, which we call the Lord*s Day^ becaufe on chat Day the Lord Chrift our Redeemer rofe from the Dead. — Since which Time all good Chriftians do or (hould lay afide all worldly Bufinefs, Cares, and Pleafures, and meet to- gether — to give publick Honour to God, to acknowlege his Power , Wtfdom, Jufticey and Goodnejsy"^ to praife him for the Bleff- ings he has given them, — and to pray for the Blejfings they want. Ind, * Are all bound to obferve this « Day?' Mijf. Yes — all that can be fpared from the NECESSARY Bufincfs of the Family. Children^ — That they may learn their Du- ty, and from their Infancy to fear God. Servants^-— ThdXthcy may not forget, that they have a Mafter in Heaven. And the very Beafts are to reft, unlefs Neceffity requires it to be otherwife, that the WHOLE Creation may rejoice in the Mer- cies of God. Ind, n L Dlal.i}. for the INDIANS, 151 Ltd. * Why is it faid — Six Days fhalt thou » labonr?' ': - .' ^ M/^ To put us in mind, that it is God who gives us all our Time : -^ .: ' That we are fallen from a State of Hap- pinefs, and muft labour for our daily Bread : Lajilyy —That it is purely by God 'is Per- miflion, that we profper in our daily La- bours •, — That therefore we ought to fcrve him truly all our Days. ■ . • r Ind. 'How is the Lord's Day profan'd ?' MiJ. By negleding to go to the Place where the Great God is puhlickly worfhiped ; by not meditating upon, and reco!le(5ting in private^ what we are taught, or pray for, in publick •, — by IdlenefSy — unneceflary Buji- nefs and Journeys •, — and by vain Sports ^ un- becoming the Serioufnefs of the Day, and of Chriftianity. Ind, ' It is well, if too many Chriftians ' will not think this a hard Command, and ' negleft it, when they muft lofe fo much ' Time, in which they might increafe their ' Wealth, or enjoy their Pleafures.* Mijf. They muft be Chriftians of very litde Knowlege and Faith ; — and do not confider the Power and the Promifes of God, and of bis Son* y to make them fufficient Amends for the Lofs of their own and their Servants Labour. And the Refpite of One • Matt. vi. 33. Day f \.. IJ2 An Instruction Dial.ij. ©ay in Seven would enabfe their Servants to perform the Bufincfs of the other Six Da^s with more €hearfulnejs and Vigour, ^hefe Four Commands havt rcfpefb to Cod, and tlie Honour due to him.— The Six fol- lowing concern our Neighbour, and the Peace and Welfare of the World, and of Mankind. Ind, * You will be pleafed to Jet me know I what they are.' Mijf. Remember what I have told you ; and the next Time you come,, I will explain to you the reft of the Commands. V " The PR A YE R. ;: 'v. •' ■- \. " . t -^ -• OG O t), who alone art worthy of our Love, give me Graccr that I may never forget Thee, nor thy glorious Pcf- feftions •, but that I may ferve Thee accord- ing to thy Word, in Sincerity and godly Fear ;— That I may never mention thy fa- cred Name without Reverence ; -^-^ That I may not Ipend thy Holy Day iri Vanity and Idlenefs, nor in a cuftomary Attendance at thy Houfe only ; — but that I may ferve Thee with my Heart, as well as with my Body, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord. . Amen, ■1') V; s\^\)'-^ ^Ci ^>:J\. .lu nni-:;'j.i ,1", v r^T^X DI A- Dia!.i4. for the INDIANS, i^'^ '■- DIALOGUE XIV. Part II. Indian. I Am come to defire you to explain to me thofe Commands that relate to my Duty to my Neighbour.* Mijfionary. The Fifth Command is this : V, Honour thy Father and thy Mother, that thy Days may be long in the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. Ini. ' I beg you will explain thefe Com- * mands to me, and let me know the Defign ' of them.' Miff. The Defign of this Fifth Command is, — To teach us, from our very Childhood, to (hew Honour and Obedience- to our Parents ; that when we grow up, we may know how to refpe<5l and honour all who are our Bet- ters ; — that Suhje^s may honour their Go- "cernors •, — Servants may 0-:;ey their Majiers ; and all may love and efteem their Spiritual Paftors and 1'eachers. — And the Peace ana Gfftfi of the World do fo much depend on thiSy i J 54 -^« r N S T R U C T I O N Dial. 1 4, this, that God for Encouragement hath pro- mi fed anefpecial BIefring;to fuch as fhaliob- ferve it faithfully. Ind, ' Why is the Duty of Children to * their Parents only mentioned ? * MiJ^. Becaufe that is a Duty flrjl learned, and befl underilood : — Children very natu- rally love their Parent s^ and are generally kept in Subje«5tion by them ; and therefore when they are commanded fo to honour Others, as they do their ParentSj they cafily know what That meancth, and wilt more readily pay the Duties owing to all their Betters. Ind» * How muft I honour my Father and ^Mother?* Mtjf. You muft in all lawful things chear- fiilly ftjbmit to them, be careful not to grieve them bv ftubborn or evil Courfes : — You muft ftiew them all due RefpeA, and thank- fully acknowlege their Kindnefs to you ;— hear with their Infirmities, — hide their Fail- ings, — fupply their Wants, — and pray for ^eir prefent and everiafting Happinefs : — Which if you do, in Obedience to the Com* mand of God, you may cxped to live to be a happy Parent yourfelf. Ind. ' What would then be my Duty ? ' Mijf. The Duty of Parents is, to bring up their Children in Obedience, and in the Fear of- God i — To take care, that they be in- ftruded J chear- ) grieve — You ihank- ou ;— ir Fail- fray for icfs : — le Com* eto be >uty?' )ring up [the Fear be in- ftruded Dial.14. for the INDIANS. 155 ftriifted in true Religion ; — To frovide for them by all lawful Ways •, — To corredb them when they fay or do any thing amifs •, — To be Examples to them oi Piety ^ Sobriety^ and Diligence 5 — And, laftly, to hlefs them, and pray for them. — AH which — Parents will be careful to do, if they confider what a dread- ful thing it will be, (hould their Children be miferablein this World,.and the w;v/, thr6' their Negligence. Ind, ' What is the Duty of Servants V Miff, The Duty of Servants is, to be obe- dient to their Matters, diligent in their Bufi- nefs J — Not with Eye-fervice^ as Menpleaf- ers ; — But to ufe the feme Induftry and In- tegrity, in their Matter's Abfence, as they would do, if he was prefent with them 5 — to be as careful of their Matter's Goods, as if they were their own i— Neither wafting them, nor fufFering O/i&^i to do fo ; — To be no ^ale-bearers \ but, above all, to be honefi^ not onlySorConfcience, but for Credit* s fake ; ^-Deceity and Pilferingy and Stealings being abominable Qualities, never forgotten by others, and very hardly left off by thofe that give Way to them. Ind, * What is our Duty towards them * that have the Rule and Government over * us ? ' Miff. Your Duty is to obey them, not only tor Fear of Punifhment, but for Con- a fcience- 156 An lii sTRtJCTio^ Dial. 14, fcience-fake * •,— Not to fpeak Evil of them, but to fhew them all becoming Refpefl j — And to pray that God may blefs them, and make them Inftruments of great Good to the World. For Men in Authority, fearing God, are a great Bleffing •, — Their Buiy being to keep the People in Peace and ^ieinefs ; — To de- fend t\it Perfons and Righis of honefl: Men ; —To punip the Unruly ; — To advife them that have no Gounfellors ; And in all things to promote the Glory of God, and the Welfare of all below them. • > • ; - » • 'Ind, * What is the Duty of People to their ' MiniftersdLnd Paftors?* ^^^ :...i -: . Mijf, To refpe£l them f, for their Majler\ fike, and for their Work's fake. Your Duty it is to attend at the publick Service of the Church, and hearken to their Inftrudions j — That God may blefs their Labours. For it is their Bufinefs and Duty, to ftudy all Ways of teaching you how you Jhould walk und pleafe God \ ^To reprove you when you do amifs ; — To pray that you inay do well •,— To be wholjome Examples in Word and Deed: — ^And they have much to anfwer for, if they are not fiich. . Jnd. ' Whom elfe muft I honour ? ' * i?cw. xiii. 5. 2 P^/. ii. 10. Mijf. DiaJ< M of the Place /hew Am td^ \m iiitana Ind, * mife Way tj oiprolc the Ra% is, He i de^blii This tended t< tile Mali — This fure Ver thofe wh< violent I intended. not to flic * Pro' '■'• * i 1.14* bem, , and ;o the J, are )keep fo de- Men*, ? them in all ind the to theh- Aafter^ \x Duty ; of the dipns i s. •' toftudy Jhould \ove you lat yoii mples hi buch to r.v. n- Dial. 14. for the INDIAN S. 1 57 Miff. All that are your Betters, by realbn of their greater yjj^^, — their Learnings — their Places and Stations^ — to whom you muft ihew a juft Regard. »«r A ^\ .. '\ jind it is their Duty^ not to be bighmind- edy but to be gravei courteous^ \i0^t j^arnage, tor the Incrcafvi of Man- kind,'andfor thj Society, Help, and Comfort of a Man and his Wife. — Now you cannot but obfcrve the great Goodnefs of God in commanding, on pain of his Dirpleafure,Thac neither the M^p, nor his Wife, Ihouldbeun- faithfcl'to the Marnag^^^ i -^ which would occafloh Infinite IjbubW and Calamities in Families, and, after all, a very bitter Repent" P 2 ance. i6o ^«Inst ruction Dial. 14. ancc, or Damnation. — By virtue of this Com- mand we are likewife bound to abflain from Fornication^ and from all manner of Lewd- nefs^ fVantonnefs^ and Debauchery ; from alt lafiivious Adlions, immodeft fVordsy and im- pure Defires^ and whatever elfe has any Tend- ency toward the heinous Vices of IVboredom 'Mf\ Jdultery, . _ \' VIII. Thou (halt not ileal. This is the Eighth Command : — And is intended by a Righteous God, to fecure to every Man what is his own ; — He having declared. That a Curfe Jball enter into the Houfe of a Thief and a Robber^ even to con- fume it * \ and, which is worft of ail, fuch Perfons muft not expeft to go to Heaven, but to Hell. . ■ jj ; Ind, * How is this Command further * tranfgrefs'd .? * Miff. Not only by Tbeft^ which is a bafc Vice, and openly abhorr'd j — fcut by Op- preffton^ Deceit y Concealing of found Goods, — r^fiw/z^Goods knowing them to be ftolen j — defrauding the Publick by Running of Goods, and buying or recei^nng fuch as we know are run, and for which the King's Cuftom is not paid ; — ioeafying Men out of their Rights by vexatious Law-fi^iti,\ by Power J Interefty Bribery ^ 6r Craft \ — wllich " • Ztch, V. 4. \Cor.\u 10. DiaU areCr never < this Cc the Av Ind. * may MiJ) yourC without ful of V! vainly < temptec Tob lievingK nefsy tba Laftly which t£ eeiitainly choofes 1 Ihan (lea Ind. « • ftnfibli * broker m. and, if Amends t And fo very h ^hame or * » '^H ^^k. xxxii; ' are mi\:\^: for thi INDIANS. i6i are Grtmes t0o ofren committed by thofe who never expedb to be punifhM for the Breach of this Command *, and yet God is mod furely the Avenger of all fuch *. ,f -f : . » ^ t Ind. * What is required of us, that we * may keep this Law ? * [> . . ,. . r ) ^ '^ r Mijf. It is your Duty to be diligent in your Calling, that you may be able to live without taking unlawful Ways ; to be care- ful of what God has given you, left, having vainly or wickedly thrown it away, you be tempted to live by Deceit : To be contented with your Condition, be- lieving* J bat better is a little with Rigbteouf- nefsy than great Revenues witbout Right •}■ ; Laftlyy To depend upon God*s Providence, which takes care of all Creatures, and will certainly reward the boneft poor Man, who choofes to heg, ' if he cannot labour, rather dian ftealk ; Ind* * What is the Duty of one who is * fenfible of his Sin, and forry that he hath * broken this Law I * Miff, lie niuft confefs his Sin unto God, and, \( he can poflibly do it, be muft make Amends to the Per/on be bas wronged ^, And this is that which makes this Siir fo very hard to be repented of-, becaule, thro* Shame or Stubbornnefs, People will not make • 1 Thejf. iv. 6. f Pr>v. xvi. 8. § Ltvit. vi, z. E%ek. xxxiii. 15. , ^ ,^ ,, P 3 ' Resti-^ i62 j^n Instruction Dial. 14, Restitution, of what thcjr have got by Fraud or Violence \ — and yet they hope to be faved : But this is the Hope of Hypocrites^ which fiallperijh*, ... .... IX. . Thou {halt not bear falfe Witnefe againft thy Neighbour, This is the Ninth Command: — Artd who- ever confiders the Mifchiefs Men are capa* ble of doing to the Lives and the EfiaUs of their Neighbours, by falfe Oaths ^ muft fee bow kind and good Gocf has been to Men, to forbid, on pain of his Difpleafurfe, fuch Sins as thefe, which are the Occ^ion of fo Tniich Sorrow and Lofs to the unhappy Suf- ferers. Ind, * Is any thing more fofbiddcn, than * the being a falfe Witnefs? * . * ' Mff, Yes : You are hereby foHtndden t6 fay any thing of other Men, whicK may hurt them, unlefs it be with an honefl: Defign, to bring them to Repentance^ or to hinder them from doing greater Mifchiefs to others. Therefore to invent Stories, to add to tHem, and to fet them dh'odd y To encourage Tale-bearers -, — To gxyeMtri ill Names y — To publilh their Infirmities ; — To m^e their Faults worfe than they are; are all con- demn*d by this Law, and in many other Places ■" .k •■ ». > » •^I X Neigii not cc nor his- his Ox that is 14. ! by eto iteSf 'alfe r. who- capa* \t£S of Id fee Men, :, fach of fo .y Suf- li. I, than [den xb jy hurt Wto Ir them idd to tourage £6 their ll con- : other Places DW. 14. for the INDIANS. 16% Places «f the Holy Scriptures \ — as the very IFork of am tvil Spirit*^ as the Deftruftion of all good Neighbourhood, andChriftian Cha- This Sin proceeds from a bafe Dlfpo^tion ; — fome People loveMifchief, and are pleas'dy the more there is of 5t in the World : — — Sometimes from a huj^ Temper 5 from Pride \ from evilDefigns : — Ana fimeiimes People do it for DiverfioM, — ^But from whencefoever it proceeds, it is a Sign of a very evil Heart, to fpeak ill of others, as if fi^ch Men bad no Fatbits of their own ; to jcft with ^ Man's good Name, ^hicb is more valuable than his Eftatef 5 — Tofet Friends at Variance ^ and to difturb the Peace and Happinefs of Fami- lies : — And therefore Revilers are reckon'd amongft thole, that, without Repentance, mtr/l not go to Heaven^ , . „ .• X. Thou fhalt not coVet thy Neighbour's Houfe ; thou Ihalt not covet thy Neighbour's Wife, nor his Servant, nor his Maid, nor his Ox, nor bis Afs, nor any thing that is his. , .^ * • John viXi. 44. f Prw. xxii. 1. S i Cor. vi. 10. ,.. . This 1^4 -^//Instruction Diahi4. This is the Tenth and laft of thsfe Com- mands, — Now the gracious Defign of God, in this Command 9 is to lay a Refiraint upon the very Dejtres of our Hearts, which arc all known to him, forbidding us to covet, that is, tofetour Hearts upon, that which is another's Right, and which he is pot willing to part with ; — for an unjufl Defire, thro* the Tem- ptation of the Devil^ has too often been fol- lowed by an unjuft Attempt to get what we defire, either by Fraud or Violence. — So kind is God in putting a Stop to the very Begin- ning of Sin, which is in the Heart*, . Ind. ' What does this Law require? ' . • MiJ* That you keep your Heart with all Diligence, hecauje out of it proceedeth all man- ner of Wickednefs, i Kings xxi. Pro v. iv. 23. That you be contented with your own Lot, as that which is appointed you by a wife and juft God. ' ' Laftly, — That you kt God always before you, who feeth the very Secrets of your Heart, and will punidi ail its fmful Lulls and Appetites. : '/ '. r.^ ■* ; Ind. ' I am convinced. Sir, of the Truth ' of what you told me before, — That thefe • Commands of God sltc holy, jufl, and good, ' and neceflary to keep the World in Order/ Miff. But 1 mud tell you befides, — That hy thefe Commands^ as they have been cx- • ♦ f Maftb. XV. 15. plain'd Truth thefe good, der.* That ;n cx- ilain'd Dial. 14: for the IND IjiKTS. 163 plain'd by Jefus Chrift, and his Apoftles, we mud all be juig*d at the lad Day to Happi- nefs or Mifery ; thcfe, fo explained, being the Foundation of the Duty which Men owe to God, to their Neighbour, and to themf elves, Ind, ' Are thefe Duties hard to be under* * flood and remember'd ? • r ^-o-^ ^ Miff* You (hall judge yourfelf, when I have repeated them to you, which I will do the next tiiwe youcome to me. . .:' - . '. . ; The P R A Y E R. ^ r OPEN my Eyes, O Lord, that 1 may fee that thy Law is holy, juft, and good, and that I may keep it with my whole Heart ; — that I may love and honour all tjiofe whom thy Providence hath made my Betters ; — That I may do Violence to no Man ; — That I may abhor all unchafte De- fiies. Words, and Anions j — all Deceit and OpprefTion ; all the Evils of a lying Tongue, all covetous Defires, and firft Be- ginnings of Luft. Lord, have Mercy upon me, and write all thefe L.aws in my Heart, I moft humbly be- feech thee. Amen. ! J t., , h ii DI A- i66 v^« iNst^RUCTioN Dial.ij. i-^^ DIALOGUE XV. : ^' ■■ Duty towards God explained, ■' ; - Indian, t »->• * 'T^ H E laft time I was here, you pro- * X mis'd to explain to me what was my * Duty to God.' -^ Mijfionary, Your Duty to God is, - - To believe in him, to fcar him. to love him, with all your Heart, with all your Mind, with all your Soul, and with all your Strength: to worfhip him, to give him Thanks, to put your whole Truft in him, to call upon him, to honour his Holy Name;, and his Word, and to ferve him truly all the Days of M viU! ys or your h:i I on- i .i;j Life. .ViH: << Now this fhould be fix'd ftrongly in your Memory, (b as never to be forgot •, and it will diredl you, on all Occafions, how to live fo as to pleafe God : — Thcfe Words often repeated, and imprinted upon your Memory, t t Dial.ij. fcrtbe INDIANS. 167 Memory, ^ill ailfo awaken your Conlcience, when at any time you do amifs, that you may repent, and amend, and obtain Forgive- neft of your Sin, thro' God's infinite Good- nefs and Mercy. Ind. ' ^— Is a Chrifti^n'sDuty hard to be * underftood ? ' Mijf. By no means; •— Religion being the BufinefsofallMen.-^^pAi/^jVia/r, if he is well difpoied, may know his Duty, and be able to perform it, as well as the greateft Scholar. It /« vi — M "«^ ^v*;* MiJf, You muft not be deceived in a Matter of fo great Moment. — It may be you do not believe in, nor fear, nor love God with all your Hearty though you are pcr- fuaded you do.. ' J . Ind. ' Can you. Sir, direct me how to know * for certain, when I do, or do noc my Duty ?' a MiJf i68 ^;« Instruction Dlal.ij. Mijf. You mull confult your Life to know this, ^- and compare your Way of Living with thefe Rules of your Duty. Ind. ' I ivilh you would (hew me how, * by fome InilanCCS.* . v n/ ij;.i;.:r:; Miff. YoMrDutyhti^ believe in'God; — that is, — to keep thefe great Truths in your Mind, >— Th^t rr '^iCirf Vjn\ X 0.2 «* . T/ie i7i ^« Instruction Dial. id. The P R A Y E R. n ,-. GRacioiis God, who alone art worthy of all our Service, grant that I may ferve and plcafe Thee according to my Duty, with all my Heart and Strength ; — That 1 may give Thee Thanks, and do Thee Ho- nour ; and that continuing in the Faith, and Fear, and Love of God, unto my Life's End, I may be made by Him eternally happy. Jmen, .. .1; , t '* >;_ . « V DIALOGUE XVr ^ - ■■■ -" ,', - ,- > •'• ' * Th Duty towards our Nbighbqvr Indian, ^•'h^^ .r^^ ,;.. I Am come now to beg you would teach me my Duty towards my Neigh- * bour.* ^''-* v^^ ■.-;"^ Vi '■>---' Mijf. Your Duty to your Neighbour is. To love him as yotirfelf, and to do unto all Men as you would they fhould do unto you ; to love, and honour, and fuccour your »ia --^to - DeaJ] nor I to k( ing a from, Slandt in Te Chaftii ^re ot karn own L] Duty i Dial., 6. forthelNlii^j^ your Father and Mother-- 'It honour and obey the K^' ? f that are put i Aut^ ^' '"^ der him • I c l ^"'"ority un- an your'- G ;^tr r 'f " .;^'^^>^°7^^^fJowJyandrve. • S^-*?;^", your Betters :--(o hurt nobodyj,^ Word or Deed Chaftity%!"'„"' l^^rn^K and: fire «^{ »? ° *=ovet or de- Jire oth;r Mens Goods hn^ <^ ^arn and labour - to L own Living;.,, 'ygj y^"'' ^-yintfa;Stat:"of?ii:S ^3 which; 1/4 ^n iNSTRuctiON Dial.r6. which It fhall pleafe God to call you. . . ;.;^. Ind, * Now, Sir, if it would not be too * much Trouble, I would beg you would * explain to me that Love which Chriftians * owe to themfelveSy and to their Neighbour^ * that is, as you told me, all Mankind:* Mijf. In the firft place obferve, — That this is a Rule to fuch only as firft love and fear God : — Thou Jhalt lov£ thy Neighbour^ as Men fearing God love tbemlfrlves \ that is, to do to others as we think they ought to do to us in the like Cafe. Now God being the God and Father of Mankind^ he would have every one to be fecure in his Life and Eftate^ eafy in his Mind, good and holy while he lives, and happy when he dies. — For this Reafon he has given this Command, — Thou Jhalt love thy Neighbour as thy [elf j — which, if truly obferved, would have a mod blefled Effedl, and be a Diredion to the mod unlearned, how to behave himfelf to others, fo as to pleafe God *. Ind. * You will, I hope, explain this a * little more particularly. ' • /?«/». xiii. 10, ':ms^ Dial. M. you V mandj withe others thatthi feives y done b For! s\\ fhoi /houJd with yo ^gnoram tedious, you froi nobody their He cerned ft —you g you ;-^ J fare and . Health oj Man livii fo wiJJ ev God, and thus deal Rule. In (hort other. — ' The Concc -the Care DIal.KJ. for the INDIANS. 175 Miff, Confult then your own Reafon^ and you will acknowlege the Juftice oi thx^Qom- mand, — That Men fhould love and deal with others as fincerely as they would have others to love and deal with them ; — And that they (hould do nothing which they thcm- felves would condemn as hard and unjuft, if done by another Perfon. For Example ; — your own Defire is, that all (hould refpiSi and love you ; — that none ihould opprefs^ wrongs or deal deceitfully with you i — mould take Advantage of your Ignorance or Necejftiies ; — or Ihould take tediousy fpitefuk or expenjive Ways to keep you from your Rights. You would have nobody to bear Malice^ or imagine Evil in their Hearts againft you ; ^ — You are con- cerned for your own good Name and Credit ; — you grieve to be defpifed by thofe above you ;-^ you earneftly defire your own ^^el^ fare and Profperity^ and Peace of Mind, and Health of Body.< — Now as you, and every Man living is thus afFefted towards himfelf, fo will every Man living be condemned by God, and his own Confcience, who does not thus deal with others, and ad by this plain Rule. -' i u - In (hort, Men cannot live without one an- other. — • Their Governors pro te6l them. — The Concern of Parents for their Cbildreriy —the Care of Mafters for their Servants,—^ the 176 j^n Instruction Dial.r^. the Account that Paftors muft give of their Flocky are great and neceflary ; and if all thefe are not honoured and obeyed^ the World would grow wild and wicked^ and we cur- fclves, as well as others, fhould be Sufferers, and miferable. ' '' • ^ ': • ' '^•' Ind. ' Are Chriftians oblig'd to love thofe • that do not love them ? * ^^ ' Mijf. Yes, moft certainly, or they are no better than Unbelievers ; — for tbeje love thofe that love them, But God loved us when we were Enemies to him by our evil Deeds ; and he requires, that we fhould fo love one another. - Ind. • How may we attain to fuch a Chrl- • ftian Temper?* Miff, You muft take all Occafiorts of wifliing well, and doing Good, to others, continually exercifing your Compaflion by relieving the Poor, helping fuch as are in Diftrefs, comforting the Afflicted, and mourn- ing with them that mourn ; which will fweeten your Temper, and bring you to Good-na- ture. You muft beware of taking Pleafure in the Calamities of other Men, tho' your great- eft Enemies : — For that would make you inhuman and hard-hearted. But, above all, confider, that this is God's | cxprefs Command, — That we lov£ one an- other, Whenl i you. Ind, ^ * to abu Mff. ever that cerned fc Honour tt'^* bath fiould fol riviled, n Caufe to 2 • Mau, V .t6. their if all \rorld : our- fcrers, I thofe are no fe love ved us ur evil Duld fo a Chri- ior.s of others, ion by are in mourn- 'weeten od-na- Lfure in [r great- )ke you I God's' \one an- T. y- ' V/henl Dial.i6. for the INDIANS. 177 When you have gain'd thefe good Difpo- fitions, you will find, that being obedient and dutiful to your McijUrs and Betters^ civil to your Equals^ and kind to your Inferiors'^ is the true Way of being tafy and happy your- felf. Ind. * What is my Duty, if my Neighbour • fpeaketh ill of me ? * Miff. If you are indeed abufed, you ought privately to reprove him that harh done it \ and if he fliould not amend, your Duty is to bear the Injury patiently, to return Good for Evil, to forgive and to pray for him.*— For fo hath Chrift exprefly commanded ♦. And for your Comfort confider, that, by thus freely forgiving him, you have a Right to the gracious Promife God made of par- doning your Sins \ fo that you become the greatell Gainer by the Wrong that was done you. i Ind, < But will not this encourage ill Men * to abufe their innocent Neighbours ? * Mijf. It is probable it will not^, — How- ever that be, we are not to be more con- cerned for our own Reputation, than for the Honour and Commands of Jefus Chrift *» who bath alfo fet us an Example^ that we Jbould follow his Steps^ whoy when be was reviled^ reviled not ^gain^ but committed bis Caufe to Him thatjudgeth right eoujly p . * Mutt, V. 44. II Rom, xii. zo. ± 1 Pet, ii. 23. 178 y^,7 Instruction Dkl.i6. Ind. * Will my Duty to my Neighbour * oblige me at all times to conceal his * Faults ? ' Miff, No : Sometimes it is your Duty to Ijjeak of them ; — but then it muft be with a good Defign of leading him to Repent- ance, — by bringing him before fuch Perfons as have Authority to call him to an Account*, • — otherwife you are j\ Slanderer or Back- biter^ and, as fuch, reckoned amongft the mcfl fcandalous Offenders *. Ind. * May 1 not he true and juft in my * Dealings, and yet make myfclf as good a * Bargain as I can ? ' Mtff, Only confider, that if the Perfon ; you deal with makes himfelf an ill Bargain, out of Ignorance^ Necefftty^ or out of Fear.^ it is a wicked thing to take Advantage of him i and tho' you may defend it by Law, you cannot anfwer it to God. Ind. * What is my Duty, if I have wrong- * ed my Neighbour ? * ' '- - Miff, You are bound to acknowlege your F?ult, and make him what Amends you can, to afk God's Pardon, and then you may hope for Forgivenefs •, for this is what you would expe6l from others. — For this is the great Rule of the Gofpel — * Whatfoever ye *■ would that Men fhould do unto you, do * you even fo to them +. v,\ y..\ . s\ •' . ;' * Rom, i. 30. .. ,x:,, ^ Matt. vii. 12. Ind. *i:CA Dia1.i6. for the INDIANS. 175? hd, ' But how fhould fuch poor, igno- *< rant People as we, know how to walk * at all times by this Rule ? Mijf, One of our Saviour's ApofiUs faith, "—He that loveth bis Brother^ abideth in the Lights and there is no Occafton of fiumhling in him * ; that is, his Love will always di- rc<5t him what to do, and will not fuffer him to do Wrong to others, either in Word or Deed. — — ^For Love worketh no III to his Neighbour j thinketh no Evil^ and therefore [peaks none ; beareth all things^ belie'veth all things^ hopeth all things^ enduretb all things §. Ind, Mull I always fpeak the Truth ? ' Mijf, Yes, fure •, — for if you confidcr what Mifchief is done by Falfliood, — how ill you take it to be deceived yourfelf, — you will be convinced, that Lying is a bafe Vice, and that there is great Reafon for thofe terrible Threatenings -f, which we find in God's Word, againft fuch as are guilty of this Sin. Ind. ' What are the Rules of Temperance, * Sobernefs, and Chajlity^ which a Chriftian * is to walk by?* : / I < . -• Miff. H^hether you eat or drink, do all to the Glory of God || •, — that is, — Take care • iJohnW.xo. ^iCsr.nM. f /?rv. xxi. 8. 27. . II I Cor. X. 31, F" iSo -^Instructioi^ Dial.K). that the Name of God, and the holy Reli- gion you profefs, be not evil-lpokcn of by your Excefs in thefe things. Let us walk bcneftly as in the Day, net m Rioting and Drunkennefs * ; For no Man that doth fo babitmlly, can with any true Delight think of the Joys of Heaven. Befides, fure it is, that they who give themfelves up to Intemperance , are in great Danger of dying in their Sins unrepented Ind. * — What Reafon have we to he con- * tented, and not Jo dejire other Mens Goods?* Mijf, Becaufe our own Condition is cer- tainly the beft for us, being the Appointment of a juft and good God, — who can make us Amends for what we want here : s ' And becaufe in a very (hort time we Ihall have no need of thefe things, i - -7 Ind, *But may we not endeavour to bet- * ter our Conditions ? * .>Uj:.v. i wur: Miff, Yes, by God's BleiTing upon your honed Induftry ; but no Man fhould defire to live in Plenty here, and hazard his Sal- vation for it ; nor ftrive to leave his Family a great deal, and be miferable for ever in another Life, for his Covetoufnefs, Oppref- fion, and ill Dealing here. Ind. ' May I do what I pleafe with what * is juftly my own?' • Kom. xiii. 13. ' . •-^' ' . ■. Mfl Ind. \ thtk _ * f^ejfary * think it and Cond\ Mifery evi this; but — They \ ^^^"^^^ are ,3"/ AffiftJ and afk fo] 'fo forfake * MatA Dial. i(J. for the INDIANS. i8 r Miff, No :— But you muft do Good with it.— Firft, live decently yourfelf > provide for your own Houfe^ that is, fuch of your Rela- tions as are in Want ; and then relieve the Poor with what you can well fpare.— And fo you will fhew your Thankfulnefs to God -^and be will reward you for it*. And this is the bed Security you can have, that you (hall never want. He that givetb unts the Poor^ lendeth unto the Lord ; and tffat which he bath'given^ will he pay him again f. |th what Ind. ' Sure, Sir, Chriftians do not believe ' thefe Duties to God and Man to be fo ne^ ' ceffary as you fay they are ; or elfe they ' think it impofftble to obferve them.' Miff. Affure yourfelf they are the Duties and Conditions^ on which their Happinefs or Mifery everlafting depends i and they know this ; but too many will not lay it to Heart. — They k^iow alfo, that God, to whom all things are poflible, will not let them want any AfTiftance, which they fincerely defire, and a(k for. But they who are not willing to forfake their Sins, aie not difpofed to beg * Matt, XXV. 34, \ Prov,x\K, 17. R that 1. i82 An Instruction Dial. i^. that Help of God which is ncceflary to enable them to break their Bonds -, and fuch Per- fons, by a juft Judgment of God, are often left to their own evil Difpoficions •, — and this is the great Occafion of fo much Wickednefs as is feen among Chriftians. Therefore, as ever you hope to do the "Will of God, and by him be made happy, keep thefe Truths in your Mind and Me- mory i — ' That fuch is the Corruption of * our Natuce,r and Pronenefs to Evil,— that * we cannot ofourfelves, without God's fpe- * cial Grace and Help, keep his Commands, * and ferve him as we ought to do •, — but * then God is fo good and merciful, that he * has promifed, upon our fincere Defires and * PrayerSj to give us all the Help we fliall * want to do our Duty, fo as to plcafe him, * and to fccure our Happinefs for ever.* Prayer, therefore, being appointed by God himfelf, as a Means of obtaining all the BlefTings we (land in need of, you muft be inftrudled in that Duty, how to alk of God,| fo as to obtain his Grace and Help. InL ' I cannot in Reafon expedt that Fa- * vour from you now •, but I will wait or * you as foon as I can hope you will have * i.eifure.*.^ * Miff»^ ItlWill be a great Pleafurc and Ble( ing to me, to be made an Inftrument in thj Hand of God, to bring ^ou from Barknefs t\ g Ligh\ m Lig, God ever o Grace good; Comir vanr. D l fui PJainedl conviiK ^'ng thci ^ame tij i6. ible ?er- ften this inefs ) the appy» i Me- lon of ^that d's fpe- inands, ^but that he fires and v/e ^^^ tafe him, :ver.' inted by ig all the I muft he| of God, Dkt. 17. for tbe INDIANS. 183 Lighty and from the Power of Satan unto God*y that you may be made happy for ever. that Fa II wait o will hav The P R A Y E R. OLORD Jefus Chrift, who haft loved us, and given thyfelf for us, give us^ Grace to love, and to forgive, and to do good : — And that, running the Way of thy Commandments, I may live and die thy Ser- vant, and find Mercy at the Great Day. DIALOGUE XVIT. 0/ Prayer and THANKSGirirN'G l-eing the Means and Coi ing, when a Separation will be made of the H^heat from the Tares^ the good Seed from the bad, and the Juftice of God will appear in the dreadful Punifhment of all fuch as now give Offence to his good Subjects, and hinder the propagating the Gofpel, Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven. This is the next Petition •,— by which we pray, — That God by his Grace may dif- pofe the Hearts of all his Subjedts to a chear- tul Obedience to his Laws, and an incirc Sub- miflion ven j- t^eJighi l^repar Anc titionSy which J of thef Gi Bread In w would b are eith Health s the Goo( moO: ne( tained nc l^ifcourfe often for Poverty \\ Profperity Ind, * * Day by )ial.i7. I Lives, "y are in of their can that n which • the pre- allMen Accept- hew his »y of the ^Thereby reen and Sincerity is com- I of the ed from I appear fuch as dS) and rth, as ^ which nay dif- a chear- :irc Sub- miflion ^^«al.i7. for the IN D I J}^^ ^ million to his Will ar.^ n- «• * ' ^^ a Performance of our &-*°" ^-''"d to Life, in which his Km?'" tha'- State of them ;-and thisl^ chearfX" ^'^ ^'^"^ do their Duty, and Sfe;^'' ""i?^'^ ven J— by which Go,i .„ii L "' '" lea- fed. -his KingJomilll^ ^'^y g'ori- ddighted,_and a" who^oL"^-''" "^"^^'^ »-"t, Xhlnr; " '" ^^- ^"fi p- wWch^onebut GXa,rr? ^^"''' '■"d of thefe is- *""PP'y- TheFirii Give Bread. us this Day our daily are either needful Zr.^ all things which Health and Suppot^f^'^HoT' ^"^ '''« the Good of ourSouic °"C,^°^'«. and for '"Oft neceflar;i?Si~8f -^^ being of ^>ned not only in Scrip ureh,^^' '''' '*-" D/courfe all over the Cy ^oS"' ''""'"°'' often or all the Neceflariesrf°Ltfe''"Vr' , Povmy IS exprefled ly mntoft.r'^'"' •£y-b;Di;V.°^°""'^f-*^'-e things i5>4 ^'^ Instruction Dial. 17. Mijf. Becaufe we have by this an Occa- fion of remembering our daily Dependence upon God> and of giving him Thanks for his Favours to us every Day of our Lives ; and forafmuch as we acknowlege, that we depend upon God's Blefling on our honeft Eru^'!'" Vours for onr daily Bread, we fhould no jUay of our Lives attempt to take fuch Ways for a Livelihood, as we cannot hope God will blefs.^And Jaftly, — we learn by this Prayer, —not to be too much concerned or anxious for ourfelves for the Time to come, — be- caufe God ever liveth to fupply our Wants. Ind, * It feems, then, that Chriftians are * not to pray for great Riches^ Honours^ and * Power Sy fince they are diredted only to * pray for their daily Bread.' MiJf, It is certainly fo : For thcfe things Ihould be left wholly to God's Wifdcm, lince Men cannot ^ and none but God can^ know what Ufe any one may make of fuch Things. — Not but that, if God gives Men fuch things, they may receive them with Thanks, and ufe them to good Purpofes. Ind, ' How may they do that ? ' MiJf, By aflifting, with their Riches^ thofe that are in Want : — By defending, with their Powery fuch as are opprelTed, l^c, — And taking care always to remember God in the midfl of their Abundance, and th6 Account Dia the) Abu 1 ieJvi , •' f?- . , ] we agai Nc God ^ us 01] and ti this gr give^ i have ai hope fl Ind. • that • hed( • God MiJI his Son will do P"t ou If a us iVf ercy f ,17. :ca- \enee f his and "d r js for d will raycr, nxious ^ be- zants, ins are tn, and only to ?j, thofe \itb their 1— And in the ^ccownt thejl Dial.17. forth INDIANS. 19J they muft give to him of both the Ufe and Abufe of it. The next Petition which concerns our- felves, is this following :— ^ Forgive us our Ttefpaffes, as we forgive them that trefpafs againft us. , . ;, , • "Now in thpfe Words wc pray, — That God woo'o '-^v" merciful unto us, and forgiv.c us our Si o v/hether known or unknown, and that he wquld not punifh us as we de- ferve. — And* to (Jiew our 7'bankfulnefs for this great NJercy, we oblige ourfelves to for- give^ and If^ve,, and do Good to thofe who have any way injpred us, as fihcerely as we hope for Pardon from God. Ind, ' And may a Chriftian be aflured, • that God will pardon his Sins, provided ' he deals with pfhers as kindly as he defires * God would deal v/ith him?' Mijf. We have his faithful Promife by his Son, that, upon our true Repentance, he will do fo * : — By which he hath, as it were, put our Pardon into our own Power, and left us to copfider, that there will be no IVJerry for hinj who will not fhew Mercy. '^ '" ♦ Matth.yl 14. ' ^" S 2 The I 11 f{ ip6 Jn Instruction Dial.17. The laft Petition of this Prayer is : — And lead us not into Tempta- tion, but deliver us from Evil. Amen. • Ind. * What muft I undcrftand by the •^Word-£w7?' Miff. Firft and chiefly, the evil Spirit, i.>. the Devil, who is the great Tempter of Mankind to all Evil. 2^/y, Evil Praftices, and evil Examples. 3^/y, Everlafting Mifcry. Now you will obferve from this Petition, that it is not fufHcient to beg Pardon for our pad Offences, — but that every good Chri- ftian muft pray God to enable him to keep out of the Way of Temptation, and not fuffer him to fall again into the Sins he has repented of: — And that whenever he fuffers us to be tempted for the Trial of our Faith and Truft in him, he would, in Mercy de- liver us from the Power and Snares of the Bevil\ — from our own corrupt Inclinations j — from the /// Examples of a wicked World ; — and from everlafting Mifery^ the moft dreadful of all Evils whatever. And theReafon why this Defire is by ourl luord expreflfed in thefe Words— ^»ial.i7. npta- Evil. by the Spirit, empter ipks. Petition, for our d Chri- o keep md not he has e fuffers jr Faith rcy de- of the nations \ World i tie molt s by our dnd lead us 3ins, that we hfve once t^ /"'" '^' ^'^^ ^ave often, been o?"if ' T^^ "^^re that we caufe there^rrreSf ^^^ «nxi that, be- nieet with and ,fi?V^^^ T^ ^^^ ^"rcJy - are to be fecS bt ""'l' '^'^ "°"^ <^f us -^pr^y, aSnd u^^^^^^^^^^ --ch ^ee fo many, evTnt J^fe^ y<^- «^"g headlong into e3lo/v ^i^"'' ''"n- ^ant pf Qpd^sScio^fe wn QnJy be obtaleH k? ^"^1*^"^^, which gent Prayer ^^ ^^^^^"^ and dili. " towhomVe^a't^;;^."^^^ -^*Ufl ? •:'if For Aine is the Kingdom the Power, and the GJoryf fr'ever frnd ever. ^^^efi. ^ -^ • * 1 nu.^ .i.>ij '^ •€[>! rtr ^ K i-£#! That fc^' f 198 An Instruction Dial. 17. That is, in other Words, — We praife^ and worjhip^ and depend upon thee, the greats and true^ and only God ; — whofe Kingdom rulcth over all the World ; — whofe Power nothing can refift 5 — whofe Glory ought to be our chief Aim and Defire •, — 'who alone can give us what we want and pray for ; — ■ who alone can forgive us our Sins, and dif- pofe us to forgive one another ; — who can belp^ fecurcy and fave us in the Hour 'of Temptation, and deliver us from the Evils to which we are daily expofed. — To thee, therefore, we give all Honour^ Praifsy and Thanks^ and wilh that all the World would do the fame. Amen. . ' /. Ind, ' I obferve, that you conclude all * your Prayers with that Word, — Amen.* Miff, We do fo. — By which we exprefs our moft earneft Defire, that God would grant us what we have pray*d for 5 — which we firmly believe he will do, fo far as may really promote his Glory, and our beft Intereft \ — forafmuch as we are aflured. That no Man did ever truft in the Lord, and was confound- ed *, or difappointed of his Hopes j and therefore we conclude all our Prayers with faying Amen, or So be it, let it he as we have prayed, and do defire — Ind. * Can it be expeded, that the Igno- • RANT and Unlearned fhould pray ? ' ^,. ^ ♦ B'.lui. ii. 10. Miff. pray owns thing all til N( ed, ci tempti him i God vours fore o ings, ; thankf . Av wants" ; him 01 fires manne help imper Tongi when will he weak I able to the Lot Ind. • boun u; I.i7. •,and rreat, igdom ^ower rht to alone or •, — [^d dif- ho can our -of e Evils o thee, /"f, and would iude all MEN.* exprefs would - which as may lntereft\ no Man onfound- and ers with we havs le Igno- ray?* Mif Dial. 1 7. for the INDIANS, ipp Mijf, It is moft furely the Duty of every Man, however ignorant and unlearned, to pray and give Praife to God •, whereby he owns his Dependence upon him, for every thing he wants, and ;*^/« bis Thanks fo; all the Bleflings he r».v.-ives. ' - ' ' Now every Man, even the moft unlearn- ed^ cannot but know, that he is fubjeSf to be tempted to Sin^ and that God only can deliver him from it. — Every one knows, that it is God only, that can blefs his honeft Endea- vours for a Livelihood ; — that God there- fore ought to be fought to for thefe BlelT- ings, and that every one is obliged to be thankful to him when he receives them. A very Child can tell his Father what he wants' ; and you fee God permits us to call him OUR Father, thatw'^ may lay ourDe- fires and Wants before nim after the beft manner we are able, and leave it to him to help us : — He knows, our Wants, however imperfe6lly we exprefs them with our Tongues. ^ — And we may be aflured, that, when we devoutly ufe this very Prayer, God will hear and anfwer us, not according to our weak Underftandings, but in a manner fuit- able to our real NecefTities, and according to the Love of a Father for his Children. Ind, ' Do Chriftians think, that they are • bound to pray every Day ? ' 55 R ■ . 2Q0 An Instruction Dial.17. Mijf. They (hpuld do fo ; and every good Chriftian will do fp \ becaufe lie knows he wants God's Helpy anu Pardon^ and Blejf- ings^ every Pay of his life. ■— — . — And it is chiefly owing to the Omiflion of this Duty, that we fee {q much Wickednefs and Mifchicfs even amongft Chriftjans. — People venture every D^y into a World full of Temptations to Sin» and of Diangers innu- merable, without begging the Proteftion of God : — — ^ And they too often lie down to deep, without praying to be delivered from the Powers of Darknefs, and the fad Acci- dents which may beial them, when all Eyes are Jhut^ hut His nly who never Jleepeth, Ind. ' Is it ex^ ii5ted, that fuch as cannot ♦ read, ihould pray ?' Mijf. It is an Unhappinefs, that People cannot read -, but God forbid, that fhould hinder them from praying! Whoever hath Senfe to know, that he is a Sinner, or that he wants God's Help, is bound to pray as well as he can. If fuch a Perfon wants a Kindnefs from his Neighbour, he will find Words to afk it in : t- If he is to a(k it of his Betters, he will think of doing it in a becoming Manner, and will wait with Patience, and receive it thankfully. — Let him fo behave himfelf towards his- Maker ; and God, who is always pleafed with the Defires of a Heart truly fenfible of its Mifery Dial. I Mifery his Rec Ind, * givin^ • youc it is ag Thanks done a '. take not the Met from hi Divine 1 which tl tude. Thank * but by Ind. ' MiJf. that is, begging Thanks i BleJ/ing v e/cape ; _ I with, an \ Mea/s (he not live by BJefling n that it is b .I/. I Dial.17. for the INDIANS, aoi Mifery and Wants, will favourably anfwer his Requeds. 50od n he B/# ndit ; this \ and eople ill of innu- on of vn to I from Acci- 7 Eyes cannot k Ind. * I obferve that you make Thank/- * giving alfo a Duty, and a Ser/icc, which ' you owe to God.* Miffl God himfelfbas made it fo'*^ — •— and it is agreeable to our Reafon. — We exped Thanks from one another, when we have done a Kindnefs. — And if Chriftians would take notice of, and give God Thanks for, the Mercies and Blejfmgs they receive daily from his Bounty, they would engage the Divine Goodnefs to multiply his Favours, which they often hinder by their hgrati-' tude. ' But then they muft (hew tht fr ' Thankfulnefs, not only with their Lips, ' but by their Lives.* • ^' .... Ind, * How often fhould we pray.* ■ Miff, We fhould pray without ceajing-fy that is, we Ihould let no Day pafs without begging God's Bleffing; and giving him Thanks for his Mercies -, for every Bleffing we receive ; for every Danger we efcape i— and for every Affliction we meet with, and are fupported undei*. Our Meals (hould put us in mind, — that we do Vnot live by Bread alone \ that therefore God'S I Bleffing muft make our Meat do us good'lr, 'In -our Bujinefs we fhould remember, [that it is but loft Labour, to rife early ^ and '* I Thef, V. 18. t I TAif. V. 17. X Deut, viii. 3. take V 'I ^1 41 202 -/f/; Instruction Dial. 17. fake little Refly -^ if God blefles not our Endeavours *. — In the Mornings we fliould pr^y Gqd to blel^ our Labours all the Day ; and, in the Evenings return our humble Thanks for all the Mercies of the fpregoing Day. ,'■■■.... ■ \ '; '• •■ "• • ■ Ind. * Are there any further Inftrudions * that you think neeefTary to give me, con- * cerning this Duty of Prayer?' . Miff. Only remember, — That whenever you fay tl>is Prayer, or beg any Favour from God, you (\q it with the Humility ot one who isfenfible of his JVants and Mifery ; — ^ with Suhmiffion to God's Will ; with great Reverence^ Attentic^n of Mind, and DeMeraticin, that your Heart may go along with your Lips. And laftly, which you muft never forget, you muft afk every Ble^ing you want of God, for the Sake OF HIS Son Jesus Christ; it being on kis Account, and for what he has done and fuffered^ that God will own us for his Children, or grant us what we pray for. Ind, * 1 hope I (hall always rememberj ' todofo.' Miff. Indeed it is of fo very great Mo- ment, that Jesus Christ himfelf has ap- pointed ^n Holy Orpin ance to be obferv'dj py all Chriftians, on purpofe that tbey ma] ^AS^ays remmlfer the wonderful things h( * Pf. cxxvii. 2. Dial. I has doi obtain' fice ofi receive and tht Life.— to me, ; than I c Ind. * me ret BL£ for VVants b< we have < fenfibJe c and Gooi '^ may a — And I ^ cali up Uefus Chr k^e Rejie fr^ee Pra > ■J • t^s it our hould Day, amble igoing udions ;, con- Kenever Favour iility ot Mipy » nd and I £) ^or ^^^^ ©"^^^ Privilege of laying our gQ*a|png I W ants before Thee, and for the great Hopes nich youlwe have of being heard.— Make me ever ilk every I fenfible of my Wants< and of thy Power Sake I and Goodnefs to help me, that at all times I may call upon Thee, by diligent Prayer. — And hear me, O King of Heaven, when I call upon Thee in the Name of our Lord Jefus Chrift -, that I may efFedually obtain Dial.17. for the IN D lANS. 203 has done, and the great BlefTings he hath obtainM for them : — Particularly the Sacri* fice of his Deaths and the Benefits which we receive by it j viz. the Pardon of our Sins, and the fure and certain Hope of everlafting Life. When, therefore, you come again to me, I will explain this to you more fully, than I can do at prefcnt for want of Time. Ind. ' You have faid enough, Sir, to make * me return to you as foon as pollibly lean.' The P R A Y E R. ■Q LESSED be thy Name^ O God, HE eing on done and for his for. - ememberlthe Relief of my Neceflitiesv and ever give Thee Praife for the fame. Jtften, treat Mo- has ap-l le obferv'dl Itbey maKJ things he ' -iW , ,.ll ■ I !, :), .^L'-:'-;. A:.. j\;':» , ;-■ ' jj '■■-■:' '.1 J t .', 1 • \. t . >.t yt I.. . ' I I - . n niA- / k, tl >l , ./ 104 .^^ Instruction Dial, 18. .D i A L O G U E XVIII. T'/j^bAC R A ME N T OFTHELoRD'S Supper explained Indian, * . ,* ' * TTOUR Promife, Sir, to explain to * j[ me an Holy Ordinance, which, * you told me, all Chriftians are bound to * obferve, for a continual Remembrance of * the Sacrifice of the Death of Chrift, ever * fince that Sacrifice was offered, this has * brought me to you now, as foon as I * could hope you would have Time to * inftruft me.' Mijf, I have now Time to do it. You remember, I hope, what I have told you before ; that there are Two efpecial Ordinances of the Chriftiah Religion, which we call Sacraments, appointed by Chrift himfclf as neceffary Means of Salvation, when they may be regularly had. — — Thefe are Bap t ism, and the Lord's Supper. By Baptifm we are made Chriftians ;— at which Time we enter into ^Covenant with Godf wherein, on our Part, we promife, ■ -to believe in him, to fear^ to lovCy and obey him all our Days : — And God, on his Part, receives us into his Family, which is his Church, and promifeth to treat us as his { Children, Dial. Childi and, y we ha Childr Qbrijii Jnd, Mijj Favour to be u not for but pur Chrtft h He hati which v< keep up done for us to f to purd zealous hd, * M E N ! « perf Miff. point Tl with hisl was cruci^ the Real\ J which il ReiigionJ ^nd Sah\ ,Ui«. )KVS ilaln to which, nnd to ranee of ft, ever this has on as I rime to ^y ave told efpecial which Chrift alvation, — Thefe UPPER' ftians •,— nant mih promifc, love^ and 3, on his which is us as his Children^ Dial. \i. for the INDIANS. 20 j Children, — - to pote£f us^ while we live, and, when we die, to make us happy, if we have behaved ourfelves as his dutiful Children ought to do ; and thus we are made Qhriftians^ or give ourfelves up unto Chrift. Jnd, ' This I have not forgot.* Miff, But then, forafmuch as this high Favour hath been beftowed upon Chiiftians to be called and treated as the Children ofGod^ not for any thing they have done to deferve ity but purely /rder to wluch He^as made Man ^ «nd, having put himfelf in the Place of Sinners, he offered himfelf to fuffer Death for their Redemption; by which he Teftored| them to his Father's Favour, and to a Pof- fibility cf obtaining the Happinefs for which | • er this, ; fanBi- yer, he ere pre- lat Jefus Jvation •, his own It never I keep up Manner, IS COM- of Chri- ^mbrance iful Chri- — They in v'hich therefore per Occa-| ore God, and Dial. 1 8. for the IND lANS. 2 1 1 and of abhorring thofe Sins which coft Jefus Chrift his Life and Blood. They know alfo, that the Bleflings ob- tained for us by Chrift's Death, of which this Sacrament is a Remembrance, are a& much the Food of the Soul, as Bread and Wine are of the Body ; — that this Food or Support we* receive by a lively Faith in his Merits; and do therefore, at this Time, more efpecially acknowlege the Efficacy of his Death. — ^his is the true Breads which nourijheth to eternal Life *. — That God who Jpared not his own Son^ hut gave him up for us alii w/7/ he not with him freely give us all things ? Befides this, every penitent Chriftian will look upon this as a proper Time to remem- ber, and comfort himfelf with, the great Extent of God's Mercy declared by his Son^ and this even with an Oath, — * That all * Sins fliall be forgiven unto the Sons of ' Menf.' Every humble Chriftian ^Ifo, who feels in his Soul the Want of God's Help to fup- port him againft the Temptations of the World, the Flefif, and the Devils will think this a very proper Time to beg of God his Son's Promife, — ' That he will give the Ho- ' ly Spirit to them that alk him.* 5'. * John vi. f Mark iii. 28, Laflly, mi -^f« Instruction Dial, i 8. Laftly,— ^ — Every Chriftian muft be fiip- pofed to receive this Sacrament in Token, that he acknowlegeth Jefus Chrift to be his Lord and Saviour^ — to be his Lawgiver here, and his Judge hereafter, Ind. ' I remark, that Chrift commanded • this Ordinance to be obferved by his Fol- * lowers TILL HIS Coming again: Pray, * what is meant by that ?* Mijf, Why, as I have told you before, we Chriftians do know, and firmly believe, that Jefus Chrift will come again at the End of the World — to judge the Living and THE Dead ; — to call all Men that ever have lived, to an Account for the life they have made of the Favours which God has given them ; and to reward or punijh them, as they have lived well or ill in this World. And this Intimation he gave his Followers, when he appointed this Ordinance, that they may confider, every time they go to this Sacrament, what Account they will be able to give of themfelves, * when he Ihall * come to judge the World in Righteouf- • nefs/ Ind. * Is there any thing elfe required of • Chriftians, before they go to tlus Sacra- f ment?' Mif, Yes : They ought, in the firft place, to confider what fort of Life they have led fince they were made Chriftians ; —at Dial — at * to ' the And have ujelefs in an; bound feriouf Sins b with a othcrw but the AC ^^\ Seni his Ale deem i conciJec to be fc own Fi And! conimal * iove ' and Chriftj Sacram< him in Love, |con/idei *7| flip* )ken, :o be pver anded s Fol- Pray, jefore, clieve, leEnd re AND at ever [fe they Jod has b them, orld. llowers, :e, that ■ go ta will be he Ihall ghteouf- juired of lis Sacra- thefirft Life they :hriftians 5 —at Dial.18. for the INDIANS. 2vj — at which time tliey obliged themfelves * to make the Laws of God the Rule of ' their Faith, and Life, and Adions :' — And to 'examine themfelves, whether they have not led a wicked, at leall, an i^/r, ujelefs Life •, — or whether they now live in any known Sin ; — becaufe they are bound, when they go to that Sacrament, — ferioully to acknowlege their Oflfences and Sins before God, and to beg his Pardon, with a full Purpofe of Amendment of Life ; otherwife they will receive nothing there, but their own, Condemnation. A Chriftian is obliged alfo to have a grate- ful Senfe of God's Goodnefs, by confidering his Mercy in fending his own Son to re- deem us, whom by his Death he hath re- conciled to his Father, and put us in a way to be for ever happy, if it is not merely our own Fault. ,1 And laftly, Jefus Chrift having exprefly commanded, ' That all his Difciples ffiould ' love one another, as he hath loved them, ' and given his Life for them *, ' — every Chriftian is bound, before he goeth to this Sacrament (the chief End of which is ta-put him in mind of this great Inftance ofChriR*& Love, every Chriftian, I fay, is bound), to |confider whether he hath any thing, in hisr * John xiii. 34. ' - ■■---, .. Heart, '4' ^14 ^n Instruction Dial.iS. Heart, contrary to this Pattern of true Love^ and Command of his Saviour. Ifid, ' Do you believe, that Chriftians are * generally careful to prepare themfelves for ^ this Ordinance after this manner ? * Mijlf, AW ferlous Chriftians are fo : — But, too many, it is to be feared^ are not. — And this is the Reafon why fo many Chriftians re- ceive no Benefit from this Sacrament ; — for otherwife, thi5 Ordinance would be a moft powerful Reftraint to keep them from leading a thougbtlefs and an evil Life, — by afford- ing them fo many bleffed Occafions of re- mcmbring and renewing their Covenant with God, laying them under continual Ob- ligations of leading a new and Chriftian Life, and obtaining Grace from God to do fo, Ind. * What do you think of thofe Chri- • ftians that never go to this Sacrament ? ^ Miff, Why, they are generally to be efteem- ed in the Way of Ruin, without feeing their Danger. — They do not confider, that, as they are Sinners, God cannot be pleafed with them J — and that there is no Pardon for Sinners, no Salvation to be hoped for, but only thro* the Merits ofChrift's Death, which is commemorated'm this Sacrament. Ind, * But fure. Sir, all Chriftians are * not fo thought lefs ; — they muft have fomc • Reafons for neeledtina fo neccflary a Duty, as you feem to reprcfent it. Miff. Mijj for abl fpeakir true R upon tl Jet ther Eith they w — Oft have t£ that thi their S* — Or] a faint be with they wi great C confide the gre continu the Dei particu lifting Chrift* well-gr Prayen Death with ( Chanel^ Chrifti; refufe Di-il.iS. fortbelNDIANSi. ztg Mijf, There may be Reafons and Scruplei for ablenting for a time 5 — but, generally rpeaking, fome of thefe following are the true Reafonsy why Men turn their Backs upon the Lord*s Supper^ when invited :to it, let them pretend what they pleafe. Either they live in fome known Sin^ which they will not at prefent refolve to forfake ; . — or this M^orldy its Bufinefs or Pleafures^ have taken fuch PoiTeflion of their Hearts, that they have no Time even to think of their Souls, or of what muft come hereafter : — Or laftly, — they delude themfelves with a faint Purpofe, that thus it fhall not always be with them ; •— that fome time or other they will make the Care of their Souls their great Concern. But fuch Perfbns. fhould confider, that while they thus deipife one of the greateft Inftances of God's Love, they continue in a Sin which too nearly refembles the Denial of their Lord and Saviour: More particularly they fhould refled:, that by per* fiding in fuch a wilful Difobedience to Chrift's pofitiv€ Command, they have no well-grounded AiTurance, that any of their Prayers will be grantedi For as Chrift's Death is the only folid Foundation of Favour with God, fo his Mediation is the only Chanel^ thro* which it is to be conveyed to Chriftians. Whether, therefore, thole who refufe to commemorate the one^ can Jay any juil ff p\ ii6 -^//Instruction Dial.iS. ji2ft Claim to the oiber^ is left to every Man's ferious Meditation : — And they fliould con- fider with what Face they can hereafter ap- pear before their Saviour in Judgment, whom they .cfufed to remember in his Ordinance here Oh Earth ; — it having been obferv'd, — • l^hat whatever keeps a Chrifiian from the Sacramenty after he has been itiftru^ed in the true Nature cf it, will, generally fpeakingy hinder him from going to Heaven. Ind, ' Can a Chriftian know whether he * hath gone to this Sacrament as he ought * to have done, fo as to hope for the Bleff- * ings attending it ?* -; ^ Miff. That will beft be known by the Manner of his Life afterwards : — If a Perfon went as a true Penitent, he will be very careful of falling into the Sins he hath re- pented of. — If he was indeed grieved with the Remembrance of his Sins, and the Bur- den of them was intolerable •, — if he did in good Earned purpofe to lead a new Life, he will be more careful to beg of God to enable him to dofo. — If he went with ^lively Faith in God^s Mercy thro'' Chrift, that Faith will appear in a better Obedience to God's Laws. If he had a thankful Remembrance ofChriJi^s Death, — the grateful Acknowlegement of that invaluable Blefling will conftrain him to live fo as to pleafe his merciful Redeemer. — Laflly, if he went with a truly charitable Dif 2 pofition Dial. 1 pojltio^ ftiake give, a Chrift. Ind, * hath * by t] * to he * of L] Mi// may c Hopes ftall kn Salvatic enjoy th accordir '^ho diet Forgive and a that tht other avail, vour to as it re OURSEL Ind, ' iul fo * inftru(i * theiV * of th p( w Dial.iS. for the INDIANS, 217 poJUion to the Sacrament, he will afterwards make the Love of Chrift the Pattern of his Love for all others ; — he will forgive^ and give^ and love^ as becomes a Difciple of Jelus Chrift. Ind. ' Will not the Blemngs which Chria * hath obtained by his Death, as rcprefented * by this Sacrament, encourage Chriftians * to hope for Salvation without Amendment * of Life ? ' Miff. Ignorant and unihoughtful People may delude themfelves with fuch vain Hopes •, but all well-inftrudled Chriftians fhall know, — that tho' Chrift died for the Salvation of All, yet thofe only (hall adually enjoy the Benefits of his Death, who live according to the fVill and Commands of him who died for them ^ that there will be no Forgivenefs of Sins without Repentance, and a thorough Reformation of Life -, and that the ftrideft Adherence to this or any other pofitive Ordinance of God will not avail, without an earneft and fincere Endea- vour to perform the whole Will of God, as it refpedls Him, our Neighbour, and Ourselves. Ind, * I cannot, Sir, but be very thank- * ful for the great Pains you have taken to inftru6t me, and to make me underftand ' the Nature and Benefit of the Sacrament ' of the Lord's Supper j — and indeed. i % '1 u Sir A . ib (! vl it M Sr- - t'r*l 5Li3 Jn Instruction Dlal.18. • Sir, I am very defirous to be baptized, if * you know of nothing that ought to hinder * me.* Miff. I would not hinder you one Mo- inent •, — but that I have one thing more to make you fcnfible of, before I would encou- rage you to be baptized. — And this is — • • The Delufion, the Danger, and the Mif- * chief, of being a Chriftian without Chrifti- « anity.* InL * Indeed, Sir, I do not underftand • you.* Miff, I will explain to you what I mean, when you come to me again. — In the mean time, I (hall pray God to keep you in this good Difpofition, and from every thing that piay any way hinder your true Converfion. The P R AYE R. .\ r AL M I G H T Y God, who gavefl thine only Son Jefus Chrifi to fufFer Death for our Redemption, give me Grace to keep up the Remembrance of this great Mercy. — Grant that I may never be afhamed to confefs. the .Faith of Chrift crucified •, — That I may never defpife the Bleflings he has pur- chafed for me, nor the Means of Grace which he hath ordained ; which I moft humbly beg I for the Sake of the fame Jefm Chrifi our| jLord. Amfn, ,. '; .•■ PIA- I.i3. :d, if indcr ; Mo- ore to :ncou- i is — ' eMif- :hrifti- ftand er ; mean, le mean I in this ing that rfion. reft thine er Death ; to keep Mercy. Lamed to ., —That has pur- ace which mbly beg Chrtft our P 1 A- Dial.J9. forthelNDUNS. 2ty DIx\LOGUE XIX. Tbe Delusion, tbe Danger, a/id tbeMisc H i e f, of Seing CbriJiianS' ivithcut Chriji':anit)\ Indian, left nth ' TV yr OST kfnd Sir, I lett you with a * JLVJL ^^'■y earneft DcTire of being bap- * tized i but you faid you had fomething of * Moment to fay to me, before I was to be * made a Chriftian : For that Reafon 1 am- ' come now to wait on you.* Mtffionary. To tell you the Truth therly hotwithftanding the Pains I have taken ro inftruft you, and to fhew you both your true Intereft^ and your great Danger in not follow- ing it, I cannot but be afraid, left, when you come to be more converfant with the World, and inftead of finding the good Fruits which you might naturally expedt froin fo excellent a Religion, you fhould find amongft too many, profefling that Religion, little or no Fear of God, nor any true Concern for them- felves, or for what muft come hereafter •, -^ I cannot but be afraid therefore, left, feeing, this, you (hould be tempted to fufpeif the Truths I have told you, and fo either renoume Chriftianity, or elfe content yourfelf, as too many do, with iht borrowed Name oi ?i, Chri- U 2 ■ ftian, n ' li I Ml I: a20 ^/^ Instruction Dial.19, l>ian, and with mere Shadows of Reh'gion, without endeavouring after that fuhftantial tlolinefsy without which no Man muft ever hope to be happy. Ind> ' I am very thankful for yonr Con^ * ce' n for me, and I fhall hear with Atten- * tion the Inflru6lions you will be pleafed to * give, for preventing my Fall.* Mijf. You muft know then, — that the Chrijiian Religion is intended by God to cure the Corruption of our Nature, and to make us happy ^ by making us holy^juft^ and good ^ — by making Chriftians the beft Neighbours^ the trueft Friends^ — the kindeft M^erSy — the moft fdixMxA Servants^ the \x&,HuJbands and Wivesy — the mod careful and tender Parents., and the moft dutiful Children^ — the jufteft Magiftratesy and the moft faithful and obedient Suhje^s ; — and, above all, the devouteft PVorJhipers of the true and only God, and ftrid Obfervers of his Laws. — Now my Fears are, — That when you (hall fee too many Chriftians live without any Re- gard to thefe Duties, profeffmg to know God, but in their Works denying him * ; — I fay again, I cannot but be afraid for you, — left you fhould forget the Holy Covenant you made with God, when you were baptized, — and fall infenfibly into the Way of tlie World, which leads to Dcftruflion. ) • Rom. i. 21. you| mac ing fuel — bl Ind. V ligion, lantial i ever r Con^ Atten- tafed to that the I to cure make [d good i ^hbourSy ftersy — lujbands \ tender dren^ — ; faithful e all, the nd only l^aws. — • pu (hall any Rc- iow Gody ^Ifay — left 1 ANT you baptized, V of the Ind, W» Dial. ip. for the INDIANS, 221 Ind. * Pray, Sir, what do you mean by * the IFay of the World ?* •Miff, I mean, ' that fad, but too com- * mon Delufion, of being Chrijiians without * Chrijiianity :*• — That is, — ofprofefftng to cbey the Laws, and to follow the Example of Chrift, and at the fame time leading care- lefs and unchriftian Lives •, — by which God is exceedingly dilhonoured ; the Gofpel defpifed ; — and too, too many deceived to their everlafting F.uin 5 — the ill Confequences of which can nev( r be fufficiently lamented : —For the poor Heathens obferving, that thefe People call hemfelves Chriftians j and yet feeing them corrupt in their Manners, Contemners of the God they worlhip, and his Laws •, — minding neither his Promifes nor Threats •, - — but having their Hearts wholly fet upon their worldly Interejis or Pleafuresy —they, feeing this, do very naturally con- clude, — that if fuch People as thefe can think themfelves fecuie of Happinefs in the next Life, no one needs to be concerned whether he be an Heathen or a Christian in this. Ind, * You remember, Sir, what I told * you before, that this very thing had once * made me refolve never to think of becom' * ing a Chriftian j till you airured me, That * fuch an thefe are no true Christians ; .* —but are cither wholly ignorant of v/hat U 3 ' they t 222 Jn Instruction Dial. 19. * they profefs, or deceive themfelves with * the Thoughts, that there is fometbing in * the very Name of a Cbriflian^ which may * recommend them to the Favour of God, * and fave them from his Difpleafure, and * their own Ruin.' Mijf, I told you the Truth, and what the Son of God hath commanded all Man- kind to take notice of; — ' That not every * one who calls himfeif a Chriftian, Ihall en- * ter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but fuch * only as do the Will of his Father, which * is in Heaven, and obferve his Laws *.* Ind. '-I Ihall be very thankful, if you * will let me know who they are that thus * delude and deceive them, that I may not * follow them to my Ruin.' Mijf. I muft firfl: tell you, that there are thofe amongft us, who, being wife in their own Conceits f, will not receive the Son of God as their teacher^ nor his Gofpel as the Rule of their Faith and Manners : — Now thtrfe Men often lead into very dangerous Errors llich People as do not know or con- fider, upon what certain Proofs the Truths of the Gofpel are mcji furely believed amongft us. Ind. * I hope my Belief in the Gofpel is * confirmed fufficiently, both by the many * and wonderful Miracles of Chrift, and * Mat, vii. 21, f J^<^m. xii. 1,6. * efpeciallj Dial * ^> * Dec Mt Faitb\ is the for, a from J Ind. • Peo| • who • to b^ ' Life, • Conc( ' B^ifdc • under MiJf. rememb and pro^ of our ^ a prouc Strength leave hii pable of) reafonabj or his o\ Ind. * there ai • their s\ Miff. Cf Atteni .19* with g ^ may God, , and what Man- every all en- t fuch which * » • if you it thus ay not ire are I their Jon of as the - Now gerous or con- Truths imongft ofpel is : many ft, and j. fjpeciallj Dlal.ip. for the INDIANS. 223 * efpecially by his RefurreSiion from the * Dead*: Miff. But you muft not forget, nat your Faiths and the Tncreafe and Continuance ofit^ is the Gift of God ; which you muft pray for, as ever you hope to be prefcrved free from Error. Ind. ' Well, it is ftrange, however, that * People of Underftanding in other things, * who cannot but fee how much we are apt * to be miftaken in the common Affairs of * Life, fhould, in Matters of the greateft * Concern, wholly depend upon their own * JVifdom and Power, even where God hath * undertaken to direfl and affift us.* Miff. You will not wonder at this, if you remember, what hath been fo often repeated and proved \ — that fuch is the Corrupti:'^^ of our Nature, that when any Man, through a proud Conceit of his own IVifdom and Strength, Ihall provoke God to forfake a /id leave him to himfelf, that Man will be ca- pable of believing and doing the moil uu- reafonable things, to which an evil Spirt^ or his own corrupt Heart, can tempt him. Ind. * Pray, Sir, what other Miftakcs are * there amongft Chriftians, which endanger * their Salvation ? ' Miff. There are too many, who, for want of Attention to the good Inftrudions which ■Ml 1 1' 1 i ■> * Jffs il. 22. Rom. a. 4, ^,4 are rmmf^i 224 ^-w Ins TRucTiON DIal.ip. are given themv confider not how they live, nor what will become of them when they die i — who know not the Evil of Sin, nor the Mifchiefs it has brought into the World ; —how hateful it is to an holy God, — how ftrift his Commands are to avoid it, and what the Portion of Sinners in the next Life is to be ; — and therefore propofe no other End to themfelves, in thi«;, but only to liz^e and die as eafyas they can. — Beftde thofe who walk in Barknefs-, and know not whither they go*9 and are fecure, becaufe ignorant; — there are others, that are even afraid of be- ing inftrudted. Ind, ' 1 hat is ftrange indeed.' Miff. But it is true : And the Reafon is, becaufe, if we deal faithfully with Sinners, we muft tejiify a^ainft them, that their Deeds are evil -f, and that they are in very great Danger, if they do not forfake their beloved Sins ; and then they will hate both us, and thofe unwelcome Truths, which condemn them, and their Way of Life : — No Won- der, therefore, that both thefe Sort of Chri ftians, by their unrighteous Lives, furnifli Unbelievers with Arguments for perfifting in their Obftinacy, — and hazard their owr Salvadon. There are others alfo, who have been bet ter informed, and perhaps well inclined ; bu * John xih 35. f John vii. 7. fufferl ial.ip. :y live, !n they in, nor World i — how it, and extLife no other y to Ih'S ^.hofe who ither they orant •, — lid of be- Reafon is, h Sinners, heir Deeds] very great I ir beloved! h us^ andl condenrnl No Won- t of Chri-I es, fumifhl • perfiftin^, 1 tbeir owi e been -betj :lined ; bul vii. 7. fuffer Dial.19. for the 1 .DIANS. 225 fuffering their Hearts to be pofTefied with ihQ Love of the World*, its Bufinefs^ Riches^ or Pieajures^ they lofe thereby the Knowlege and RemembranGe of the Truth, and forget their good Purpofes, and fall i. to a way of Living which the Chriftian Religion con- demns, and which will be punifhed with the hofs of Heaven znd Happinefs. And there are too many, who, having not caft oflF all Fear of God, and Concern for dieir Souls, do yet content themfelves with a punctual Performance of the external Part of Reli- gion, vainly thinking that an outward Shew of religious W^orfhip will atone for the Want of that inward Purity of Heart, which is in- dilpenfably required from every Chriftian. Ind. ' I would be glad to know, who this • Sort of miftaken Chriftians are.' Mijf. Befide thofe already mentioned, there are many, who, though they know themfelves not to be in the Way of Salva- tion, make their Minds eafy, by purpofing to repent, and be converted ; foolifhly fup- pofmg that Repentance is abfolutely in their own Power \ — at the fame time provoking God, who alone can give them the Grace of Converfion, to leave them to their own Choice and Deftrudlion. Others flatter themfelves, that Repentance^ and a Change of Life, arc unly required, * Matt, xiii. 22. where i 26 -^;2 Instruction Dial.ip. where People have been guilty of great and fcandalous Sins, — fuch as Murder^ Adultery, and the like ; — not confidering that a Man, who is innocent of great Crimes, may be far from being a true Chriftian, and in the Way of Salvation -, — the beft of Men (landing in need of Repentance and Pardon, and of the Mercy of God.' Ink. * I have heard, that Chriftians do de« * pend very much upon the Goodnefs and * Mercy of God.' . v. • , Mijf. And fo they may, and ought to do, provided they do not deceive themfelves, by abufing his Mercy, which is intended to lead Men to Repentance^ and Amendment of Life. Ind. ' Pray, how da Men abufe this Mer- « cyofGod?' : ; Mijf. When they continue to live in any known Sin, or wilfully neglc6t any Duty-; and yet hope, that God of his great Mercy- will forgive them. Ind, * You have often mentioned the Cor" * rupiian and tVeaknefs of humaa Nature, * Will not this plead oiu* Excufe, and pre- ^ vail with fo good and merciful a Being to * pardon fuch as have not done what he * hath commanded V Mijf. Yes : And he hath faithfully pro- mi fed, that upon Condition of their Repent- ancCy and Amendment of Lif^ (according to the DiaL] theG< iicrs. Ind * are '• tions Mil fhould be fori is unwi Ind. * with( * himfe MiJ/. lefsmd all his Man a Nature told yoi Recovei which Almigh Power Dead *, unto the us toy^^ out, wha to the I at firft but dclu( all 9. !/ and tltery, Man, be far Way ing in of the do de« ;fs and t to do, ves, by [ to lead ncnt of his Met- .1 'e in any Dutyv ft Mercy r)iaLi9. for the INDIANS. 227 the Gofpel) he will pardon the greateft Sin- ners. Ind, ' Perhaps they will fay, that they * are not able to perform thefc Condi- '* tions.' . . Mijf, What would you think of one who fliould make that an Excufe, and yet would be forry to be made able, only becaufe he is unwilling to part with his Sins ? Ind, ' Such an one, to be fure, complains * without Reafon, and his Ruin will be from * himfelf.' • MiJf. And yet this is the Cafe of all care^ lefs And w/V/^^^ Chriftians. — God would have all his Creatures happy 5 — he knows that Man can never be happy, till his corrupt Nature be mended ; — he has therefore, as I told you before, appointed the Cbrijiian Re- ligion^ as the moft efFedua! Means of our Recovery from Sin unto HoHnefe. By which we are taught to depend upon the Almighty Power of God, even that Almighty theCer-l Power which rat fid Jefus Chrifl from the Nature. I Bead *, to raife us from the Death of Sin and pre- 1 unto the Life of Righteoufnefs, by enabling Being to I us to fee^ to rejifi^ to overcome^ and to root what he I out, whatever is evil in us, and to reftore us to the Image of God, in which Man was "uUy pro- 1 at firft created. — Chriftians, therefore, do [ir K^p^^^' I l>ut delude themfelves, and blafpheme God, ordingtol « Rom.\i./^, thc| when m' i <. m iv m MM 228 ^« Instructi ON DiaLig. when they pretend they cannot do what he requires of them, in order to their Happi- nefs. And, to name no more ways at prefent, by which Men deceive themfelves to their Ruin : — Very great is the Number of fuch as depend upon a Death-bed Repentance^ tor the making their Peace with God, and fit- ting themfelves for Heaven; — living in the mean time without God in the Worlds nei- ther fearing his Anger^ nor regarding his Promifes, Ind, * Indeed, Sir, thefe are all lad Mif- * takes •, and I hope, I fhall not fall into * any of them.* Mijf. I hope fo too ; — ^but then you mud be very humble, and always fear for your- felf, and beg of God to keep you from fuch Miftakes, which are the Ruin of fo many, who yet call and think themfelves to be Chri- ftians v^-otherwifc your being made a Chri- llian will not fecure you from Danger. Ind, * Pray, Sir, what are the Things * which are mod likely to offend the good * Spirit of God, and force him to forfake * fuch as are dedicated to him, and put un- * dcr his Protedion ? * Mijj', In the firft place, Chriftians do grieve that good Spirit, — by negledling to improve the Graces beftowed upon them ; —for, as I told you before, this is a Rule Dial. i(), for the INDIANS. 229 of the Gofpel,— 2l>^//tf him who makes good life ofthi Favours which God hath given hi in, God will give more ; and he that zvill not do fo,Jhalllofe what he had*, Jnd. ' I hope 1 (hall not forget this Rule ' of Truth.' Mijf. in the next place, a Chriftian runs the Hazard of lofing the Help and Comfort of the Spirit of God, by returning into that way of Life, and to thofe Sins, which he renounced at his Baptifm ; — efpecially when he falls into, and continues in, any known and wilful Sin -, — for then he will naturally hate God, and God will forfakc him. Ind. ' Hate the God that made us!' MiJlf. Why, as monftrous a Sin as you think that is, it is certainly true : — For any Man, whofe Confcience tells him, that he is always doing that which mull offend an holy^ juji^ and powerful God, cannot but w^fh there was no fuch Being to call him to an Account, and to punifli him 4 nor can he poffibly love fuch a Being. Thirdly \ — Another Way of grieving the Holy Spirit is by negleding, which in Truth is defpifing, thofe Means of Grace, which Jefus Chritt hath appointed to bring Men into^ and to keep them /», the Way of Salvation. Ind. ' I have not forgot what you have ' formerly told me ; — That the hearing * Mat, xiii. 12. X « rnd iw m ajo Aji Instruction Dial. 1 9. * and ferioufly thinking of the Word of God, * in which a Chriftian*s Duty iscontain'd, as * well as the Promifes to encourage^ and the * Puniflimcnts to deier us, is one of thofe * Means you fpeak of, moft proper to con- * vert Men, and to keep them in the Favour * of God.' Mijf. And the others arc 4 — The Holy Ordinances which Chrift himfelf hath ap- pointed •, the one to receive Men into his Church, and the other to enable them to grow in Grace. ' Now, as the Ufe of thefe Means, join'd with earncft Prayer to God, for Light to dif- cover what is evil in us, and for Power to root it out, is the fure way of preferving the Fellowjhip of the Holy Spirit 5 — fo, when any Chriftian, depending upon his own Rea- fon^ Wifdom^ or Power^ and forgetting that all our Sufficiency to do any Good^ is of God *, does negled thefe Means, the good Spirit will forfake fuch a Perfon, and leave him to himfelf,and to the Delufion and Government of evil Spirits, which, without a fincere Re- pentance, will be his Ruin. Jnd' ' This, I hope, will be a Warning * to me, never jto negledt thefe Means of < Grace ^nd Safety.' Miff. And J hope too, that you will never forget to give God the Glory of all the Cool * 2 Ctr. iii. 5, you you do the Ri ncfs oj can en pleaftn only h you ai him y( Duty, and to Ind. ' flians * knov ' fafcly Mifj the \a\ together ways ra will pie know Altho' moft pj as a Tr Whc Regard Holyi^ belong! and kini vengey lovcy as when y A »9- \y as \ the thofc con- ivour Holy h ap- to his em to join'd todif- wer to ing the , when /n Rea- ng that ■ God *, Spirit him to ernment :erc Rc- iATamingJ ^eans of /ill ncverl the Good] DIjI. 19. for the INDIANS, 231 you do i for be afliir'd of this, — ^hat neithcir the Reafonablenefs of any Duiy^ nor the Bafe- ncfs of any Sin^ nor any other Confideration, can enable you to do vjhat_ is goody and well- pleajing to God, or to avoid what is evH^ bat only his Grace, and that good Spirit, to 'lich you are dedicated at your Baptifm. i*o him you muft apply for Light to fee your Duty, and for Strength to perform it 5 — and to him you muft give all the Glory, Ind. * Since there are fo many bad Chri- ' (lians to be met with, I fhould be glad to * know who they arc whofe Example I may ' fafely follow.* Mijf, I would not advife you to make the Lives and Adtions of other People al- together a Pattern for yoo to follow ; but al« ways rather have an Eye to what you believe will pleafe or difpleafe God, and what you know he has commanded or forbidden : — ■ Altho' good and bad Chriftians may, for the moft part, be known by the Lives they lead, as a Tree is known by its Fruit, When, therefore, you fee Men pay a great Regard to God and his Laws^ honouring his Holy Name, and his Word, and every thing belonging to him ; - — when you fee thtmjufty and kind, and merciful, and not given to Re- venge, but ready to forgive, and give, and love, as becomes the Followers of Chrift j — when you fee them temperate and chafte, mo- X 2 deft m GMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.1 mux 121 ■tt Uii 1 2.2 u Hi III la U£ 12.0 tw -- ^ -^^ // Fhotographic ScMioes CarporatiQii ^ V ^. iC ^. 23 WIST MAIN STRHT VmiTII,N.Y. I4SM 4^.<^ \ 232 ^/^Instruc TiON Dial, 19. ^eft and humble^ and dealing with others as they themfelves would be dealt with -, — you will have Reafon to take thefc for good Chri- llians, if you are convinced, that they do tnefe Things out of Love and Obedience to God. On the other hand, — If you fee among thofe who call themfelves Chriftians, fuch as make no Confcience of their Ways, but lead carelefs^ idhy ufelefs, or diforderly Lives ; — exceeding fond of the Worlds and its Vanities -, — and ftriving to be rich and greats at any rate ; — if you fee any that live in Adultery or Fornication^ or that are Drunkards^ Spend- thrifts^ Covetous^ or Oppreffors ; — if you fee Parents unconcern'd for their Childrens eternal Welfare, — Hujbands and Wives for- getting or breaking their Marriage Vows;— Mafters and Servants never remembering, that they have a Majter in Heaven', — if you fee Men irr Power regard lefs of the Honour of that God, whofc Reprefentatives they are •, i— you may be fure, that thefe, and fuch as thefe^ — ARE Christians without Chri- stianity, and will be liable to a moft fevere Judgment, for their oppofing the gracious Defigns of God, and of his Son Jefus Chrijt. . Ind. ' Pray, Sir, what do you mean by * that?* Miff. Dial. 19. for the IND lANS. 233 Miff. Why, God is fo good and merciful. That be would have all Men to befaved^ and to come to the Knowlege 0/ the Truth*. Now, all fuch as, ufurping the Name of Chriftians, do lead unchriflian Lives, thefe oppofe their Maker in his mod gracious De- figns, bringing an evil Report upon Chrifti- anity, as if nothing good were to be got by it, — making the ignorant Heathens to take that for Chriftianity, which \%far from it-, — by which they hinder fuch as might otherwile defire to become Chriftians 5 — they confirm Unbelievers in their Infidelity, and ferve all theDefignsof ^tf/^/f in oppofing theKingdom of Chrift ; — and therefore muft of Necefllty be more hateful to God, and their Punifh- ment be greater, than that of the Heathens, as much as they now defpife thofe poor People. Ind. ' You have convinced me. Sir, of *'thc *' Danger of being a Chriftian without Chri- *' ftianity .'* — Will you be fo kind as to fhew * me how I may avoid fallinginto fuch aW y * of Life, as, it feems,too many do V Mijf. In the firft place, confider what a BlefTmg it is, that you are not dill in Dark- nefs, but that you are come to the Know- lege of your Maker, and of the Way to pieafe him ; whereby you will be happy when you die, whatever your Lot may have been in this World. I Tim, u, 4. X3 Andi 23-f -^n Instruction Dial. 19. And, in the n«xt place, keep it always in your Mind, — That this God, whom you have chofen to ferve, is everywhere prefent ; fo that if at any time yon offend him, you offend in his very Prefence a Being, who hath Power to punijh you for ever. Be careful to keep yourfelf always fober : — Drunkenness and Intemperance dif- order our Reafon, and make us forget our bed Refolutions, and the Dangers which en- compafs us. Do not fet your Heart upon this Worlds Its Honours, Riches, or Pleasures ; for, befides that you muft foon leave them, they will be apt to make you forget what you will gain or lofe by being a ^W or had Chriftian. Never fanfy that any Sin is fmall ; ' for * the leaft known Sin, continued in, will * lead to a greater \ and, if you Ihould pro- voke the Spirit of God to forfake you, you ■will be capable of committing the very greateft Crimes. Human Nature^ as it is now corrupt, is the fame in all Men : — We are all fubjedi to Temptations ; — and if ever, by our repeated Crimes, we Ihould force the Spirit of God to leave us to ourfelve's, no Man can tell, no Man can forefee, what barbarous Wickednefs he fliall be tempted to commit ; — nor what unwelcome^ unlook*dfor Calami- ties he may bring upon himfclf, while he goes from Sin to Sin, till he meets with De- , . ftrudlion. one c< ly oni more i himfej dreadf And t the^ gi have f till he has fill and til in this Wh have d beg of Grace 1 Anc have f( mofl I * your * you * blefs Lafl bber : E dif- ;t our chen- Vorld^ ; for, 1, they DU will dian. ., ' for n, will Id pro- )U, you le very as it is — We if ever, >rce the no Man irbarous ommit ; Calami- i^hile he /ith De- Tudlion. Dial. 19. for the INDIANS. 2;j: ftruftion. — For no Man continues long at one certain Pitch of Wickednefs; for not on- ly one evil Habit begets another, but the more a Man fins, the lefs capable he makes ' himfelf of judging what Sin is, and the dreadful Confequenccs of continuing in it. — And the Influences of God's Ho/y Spirit, and the gracious Interpofitions of Providence, have ftill lefs Power upon his Mind and Soul, till he has quite forgotten his Maker, — till he has fiU'd up the Meafure of his Iniquities, — and till he meets with Deftrudion, generally in this JVorldy as well as the next. Whenever, therefore, you are fcnfible you have done amifs, delay not one Moment to beg of God to pardon you, and to give you Grace to do fo no more. And forget not an excellent Rule, which I have formerly mentioned, to dired you in moft Aftions of Moment : — * Do not, at * your Peril, undertake any thingc^ which * you cannot with Confidence beg of God to * blefs and profper you in.' Laftly, and above all, remember, what cannot too often be repeated, ^bat with- out Faith, — a Faith which worketh by Love, which purifies the Heart, overcomes the IVorld, and keeps the Commandments of God, you cannot poflibly live as becomes, a true Chriftian. Ind, 236 ^« Instruction Dial, i p. Ind. * I beg you will explain what you * mean by this.' Mijf» By this Faith we mean a — deep^ real Senfe^ and firm Beliefs of the Mercy and Love of God, for his ^or fallen and /:< ••• • i 2.|,6 SekB Scriptures ** of thee ; nor again ^ the Head to the Feet^ I have no need of you. Grant, O Lord, that the exemplary Zeal and Piety of thefe two Perfons mtf encou- rage all good Chriftians to put their helping Hand to promote thy Glory in the Conver- fion of Heathens ; — and to awaken fuch Chriftians, amongft ourfelves, as are adeep, into a Senie of their Danger. Grant this, O Lord, for Jefus Chrift'sfake. Tit. iii. 8. ^hefe things I will that thou affirm conftantly^ that they which have believed in Gody may be careful to maintain good fVorks, GO D grant that all Chriftians may, by their good Lives, (hew the Goodnefs and Power of the Religion which they pro- fefs, and would have others to embrace ! that they may add to their Faith Virtue !-— And that by their Examples the Lives and Manners of Men may be reformed, this, be- ing the great Defign of the Gofpel, and the neceflary Condition of the future Happinefs of Believers ! • EVERY private and well-difpofed Chr*- ftian would do well to confider what a great deal of Good he may do, by fuch Hints Hint Servi T — T throu helpii ing c God 1 Son t of Pa Merc^ ■ as ev< Jive a( endear withoi all to fufficie DifficiJ thefe future Punifhl Hints will, tl mod to afk, they ordainj vation i good ami Prayers. 24/ Hints as thefe following, to his Children, his Servants, or his Slaves. : The great Corruption of human Nature. — The Mifery of Man, and his Danger through Sin. The utter Impoflibility of helping ourfelves. — The Neceffity and BlefT- ing of a Redeemer — The great Love of God for his poor Creatures, in fending his Son to redeem them,^ — That all our Hopes of Pardon and Happinefs are from God's Mercy through Chrift our Saviour. — Thar, as ever we hope for Happinels, we muft Jive according to his Dodlrine and Example j endeavouring to grow every Day better, without afcribing any thing to ourfeives, but all to the Grace of God ; Which Grace is fufficient to enable us to overcome all the Difficulties we meet with. If we add to thefe the Certainty of a future Life, and a future Judgment 5 — and the Rewards and Punifhments of another World, ^c, — Such Hints as thefe, ferioufly and often repeated, will, through the Grace of God, awaken the moft Carelefs and Ignorant, and force them to aik,— ^What muft 1 do to be faved ? And they may be diredcd to fuch as are fent and ordained to inftruft them in the Way of Sal- vation : — And the merciful God give them good Succefs) \% Private f H8] ^ Private a^d Family PRAYERS, ^c. A fea/omlfle Ita ST KUcTioii, PUBLIC and private Prayers and Thankfgivings are an Homage And Duty, which all Men owe to God as their Creator^ their Lord and King ; — and by which they are to acknowlege their Obedience to^ and their Dependence upon Him, for Life, and Breath, and all Things which they enjoy or hope for. This, therefore, God hath made our in* difpenfable Duty : — And it will be a down- right Rebellion^ for any Man to refufe this Homage any Day of his Life j— the wilful Ncgleft of this being, in EfFed, to difown his P^w^r over us, — His Goodnefs to help us in our Neceflities, ^And his Juflice to punilh fuch as tranfgrefs his Commands •,— And to qiieftion the Faithfulnefs of his Pro- wife to pardon the truly penitent Sinner, and to reward all fuch as fincerely drive to pleaie him. This Negledt and Difobedience is very often punifhed by God's leaving Men to thcmfelves, and to their own wicked Ways ; which v» "Private and Family^ &c, 249 which ever did, and ever wHI, en'8 in their Ruin, — very often in this World, but always in the World ro come, without a Miracle of Grace, which fuch Sinners have no Reaion to hope for. The Caijfe of which is plain : — The con- flant and wilful OmiflTion of this Duty is a fure Way to Jofe the Knowkge and Re- membrance of God, of his Word and Pro- mifes : — And then Men will have no Mo- tives to fear or to love God, nor any Reafon to hope for any Good from him. It will alfo very naturally lead fuch Peo- ple to depend upon themfelves only, — -To forget their own fad Condition and Mifery ; — That they are liable to God's Wrath, and even to Damnation ; which Knowlcge is'ne- ceflary, and for this End was revealed, even to awaken and humble Sinners, that, by a true Repentance, they may efcape the bitter Pains of eternal Mifery. Now the Spirit of God threatens, that fuch as will not retain God in their Know- kge (which can be done only by praying to him daily), Jhall be given up by God to a re- probate Mind, that is, to a Mind void of Judgment \ — To do what is right in their own Eyes, let what will follow. And the Event will certainly be this :— They will fall under the Power and Govern- ment of Satan^ and his evil Angels, who will ■1 i iii! ■M' 2j^D Private and Family will lead- them, as he did the Heathen. Workf, to commit all Iniquity with Greedi^ nefs^ till they are fit for no Place but Hell. Now^ if thefe be Truths of the Gofpel, as moft furely they are, one would hope, there would need no other Words, to perfuade every one who is in his right Mind, and not already in the fad Condition before- mentioned, — To beg of God to keep him, by his Grace^ from falling into fo dreadful Circumftances. The moft fure w^y to avoid it is,' — To dedicate fome Time every Day of our Lives to the Worlhip of God : Humbly to acknow- lege our Dependence upon him :— To con- fefs our ow% Weaknefs to help and govern Gurfelves : — To beg Pardon for having of- fended him: To pray for his Grace, and Proteflion, and Blefling : — And to give him Thanks for his Mercies and Favours to us. By doing this, wejhall retain God in our Knowlege : — This will be a true and folid Foundation of Peace, and Comfort, and Happinefs : — Provided it be performed out of a deep Senfe of our own Wants and Mi- Icrics : — With a firm Faith in God's Pror mifes to fulfil the Dejires of them that fear him : ^- And with an Eye to the Blood of Jefus our Redeemer, for whofe Sake, and /I. , thro* Pr a yer s, e^^. 2^1 thro* whofe Sufferings, we are reconciled to God, and God to us. The following Devotions are here added, that they who ftand in need of fuch Helps, may be diredted what to pray for, every Morning and Evening of their Lives. — Not but that every ferious Chriftian will find Oc- cafion to alk many more Favours and Bleff- ings, than can be fet down in any Form ■ ( Some Prayers, ^c. ^55 oblige —To ufnefs^ eriouSf in this ot ac- )ut ac- t hcly 2hi us, savcn ; —Thy one in us this ;ive us n that lot into n Evil. Power^ [men. Some Some Short Meditations, for fuch as are well-dirpofcd, and have Time to fpare. John xvi. 23. yerily I fay unfo you, If^at^ foever ye Jhallajkibe Father in my Name^ Hejhallgive it you, EVERY thing is promifed to this Duty, when we pray as we ought to do •, /'. e. —In the Name, and through the Merits, of Jefus Chrift 5 — Out of a Senfe of our own Wants and Miferies •, — With the Humility of fmful Creatures*, — And with a full Purpofe of doing what we know will pleafe God. O Lord, vouchfafe me thefe Difpofuions that I may never a(k Thee any thing in vain, or render myfelf unworthy to receive thy Bleflfings. Prov, iii. 5, 6. Lean not unto thine own Un- derftanding •, in all thy fVays acknowlegt Cody and hejhall direSi thy Paths* Do thou, O God, direct my Paths, and teach me to guide my Affairs with Charity, Difcretion, Juftiee, and Piety. Shew me the Way that I Ihould walk in, and give me Grace to follow the Conduct of thy good Spirit, for the Sake of Jefus Chrift. i u 'I '; ■M Z 2 I Cor.' c^6 ' Prhuite and Family "^ X Cor. XV. 33, Evil Communicaiions corrupt good Manners, No Man miift fay, that he has any Rcfpeft for God, or Fear for himfelF, who choofcth the Converfation of wicked Men. — Their idle and profane Difcourfes will leave evil ImprefTions upon the Mind. — Their inde- cent Freedoms with the Name of God, and Things facred, will leflcn the Reverence we owe to the Divine Majelly. Their filthy and lewd Talk will deftroy Modcfty, and every Grace and Virtue; and will not fail to wear off the Thoughts and Fears of what may come hereafter — May thy Graces, O God, keep me from a Converfation fo dif- pleafing to Thee, and fo deftrudive to the Souls of Men •, grant this for Chrift's fake ! I Peter i. 17. Pafs the Time of your Sojourn- ing here in Fear, Give me, O God, this mod ncceflfary and moft ufeful Fear and Dread of the Unfaith- fulnefs of my own Heart. — Make me ever mindful of my Infirmities and Failings, that I may be more watchful over myfelf, and more earned in my Prayers for the Help of thy Grace for the nme to come. HI., w. »/ 4.' The indc- Prayers, Gfr. ^il ( The Duty and Benefit of Evening Prayer for a Per Ion in Private. CLEEP^ faid a great Man, is fo like ^ Deaths that I dare not trufi it without faying my Prayers.-^^-And indeed, for fear of the word, a thoughtful Chriftian will cake care to make his Peace with God, before he goes to fleep ; And put himfclf under God's Protection, every Evening of hisLife^ that he may be fafe from Fear of Evil. ■I An Evening PRAYER. OMO^T Gracious and Merciful God, I give Thee Thanks, that it hath pleafed Thee to add another Day to the Years of my Life ; and that none of thy Judgments, to which for my Sins I am juflly liable^ have fallen upon me. Accept, O Lord, of my unfeignedThanks, for this thy conftant Care over me : — For de- livering me from the Dangers of an evit "World : And for the many undeferved Blell- ings bellowed upon me. Day after Day. * Blefled be thy Goodnefs, that my Sinsand Ingratitude have not hindered Thee from bringing me fafe to the Evening of this DayL > . • . - 2L 3, . O God t ' 2^8 Prhate and Family ^ O God, infinite in Mercy, pardon *m^^ Sins of the Day paft, whether in Thought, Word, or Deed, which I have committed through the Fraud and Malice of the Devil, or through my own Weaknefs and Frailty : And grant that they may never rife up in Judgment againft me. Prepare me, I befeech Thee, for the Con- tinuance of thy Favours, by giving me the Grace of a true Repentance, and a thorough Amendment of Life. Make me truly fenfible of the Weaknels and Corruption of my Nature ; and the Need I have of thy gracious Help, that I may pray for it continually. May I ever make a right Ufe of the Time which thy Goodnefs Ihall yet vouch- fafe me, and not dare to abufe thy Patience and I,ong-fuffering ! Make me ever fenfible of my latter Endy that Death may not overtake me unprepared. . — And in the Hour of Death, and in the Day of Judgment, good Lord, deliver me. O God all-powerful, take me this Night under thy Protejdion : — Preferve me from the Powers of Darknefs, and from the Dan- gers of the Night : — And, by thy Grace and Providence, bring me at laft through all the Trials and Temptations of this World to a bleflfed End ; — That I may die in Peace, and reft in Hope> and rife in Glory :— Through >x Prayers, ^c. 59 ^^^^hrough Jefus Chrift, in whofe Name, and according to the full Meaning of that holy Prayer which he hath taught us, I moft humbly befeech Thee to hear me, for myfelf, and for all Chriftian People. OUR Father, which art in Heaven ;^- Hallowed be thy Name. — Thy King- dom come. — Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven. — Give us this Day our daily Bread. — And forgive us our Trelpafles, as we forgive them that trelpafs againd us. — And lead us not into Temptation. — But de- liver us from Evil. — For thine is the King- dom, and the Power, and the Glory, for ever and ever. J!meft. !' Short Meditations for fuch as have Time, and are well-difpofed. Eph. iv. 26. Let not the Sun go down upon your Wrath, LORD, grant I may lie down to Heep, with the fame charitable Difpofitions with which I defire to die. — I befeech Thee for all that are my Enemies •, Not for Judgment and Vengeance, but for thy Mer- cy \ — For their Pardon and Converfion, and lor their eternal Happinefs. Hcb. ' "^ V _. * 260 Private and Family \ '"h Heb. iii. 7, 8. To-day, if ye will bear bis Voice^ harden not your Hearts, This is the Day, and this the Life, in v^hich God fpcaks to us in Mercy. — Lord, grant that I may not harden my Heart againft this Truth ; nor let me (lip this Day of thy Patience -, that neither the Cares nor the Pleafures of this Life may ever make me forget, that this is the Day on which my Salvation depends, fo far, that I know not whether I fhall have another. Rev. iii. 3. Tboujhalt not know wbat Hour I will come upon thee. Let me give Credit to Thee, O God,^ Lord of Truth, and not to my own corrupt Heart, which would flatter me, that I may have Time and Warning fufficient to pre- pare tor Death ! — But give me Grace, O Lord, to be prepared for that unknown Hour^ by a fpeedy Repentance, a true Converfion, and an holy Life. Matt. xvi. 26. What is a Man profited, if he Jhall gain tbe whole Worlds and lofi his ewn Soul ? How many live without thinking of this ! • — We admire, and we envy, thofc who get great Eftates for themfcivcs, and for their Chil- '^^ Prayers, &c, 261 ^\\;h"rfdren ;— making their Riches their De- light, their Happincfs, and the whole Con- cern and Bufinefs of their Lives. — Lord, deliver thy Servant from fuch a Blindnefs, as muft end in my everlafting Ruin, and in the Lofs of my Soul, for which the whole World cannot make me Amends. lAike xiii. 7, 8. Behold ^ thefe three 2^ears^ J come feeking Fruit on this Fig-tree, and find none. Cut it down : Why cumberetb it the Ground ? — Lord^ let it alone this Tear alfo : — If it bear Fruit, well -, if not^ tben^ after that, thou fhalt cut it down. I adore thy wonderful Patience, O God, towards me » and thy merciful Intercefllon, O Jefus, with thy Father for fparing me : May this Goodnefs and Long-fufFering lead me to Repentance! — And may thy all- powerful Grace enable me to bring forth Fruits meet for Repentance, and worthy of thy future Care ! •If w t Morning 262 Private and Family ■\ Morning Prayer for a Family. Jo(h, xxiv. 15. ^sfor me and my Houfej we will ferve the Lord,—' THIS ought to be the fincere Refolu- tion, and conftant Pradice, of every Chriftian Mafter of a Family. Without this, none can rcafonably expedl to have dutiful Children, or faithlul Servants ; — nor juftly hope to have God's Bleffing in this World, or in the World to come. Let one devoutly read or fay what foUowetbt the reji of the Family ferioujly attending, TH E Lord hath brought us fafe to the Beginning of this Day : Let us give him Thanks for this, and for all his Mer- cies. Let us pray, that we may live in the Fear of God, and continue in Love and Charity with our Neighbours : That his Holy Spirit may dired and rule our Hearts, teaching us what to do, and what to avoid : That the Grace of God may ever be with us, to fupport us in all Dangers, and carry us through all Temptations : That the Lord may blefs all our honeft Endeavours, and make us content with what his (h- : f ^ (e^ we .efolu- every ithout ) have — nor n this 'ewetbi ing, to the IS give ; Mer- le Fear nd rule D, and 3e with i carry ' honeft :h what his Prayers, &c. 2^3 ^ms Providence (hall order for us :— And that we may cpntinue his faithful Servants this Day, and all the Days of our Life. For all which Bleffings let us devoutly pray. Then all devoutly kneeling^ let one fay^ OMOST Gracious and Merciful God, by whom the World is governed and prtfcrved, we give Thee humble Thanks for thy fatherly Care over us ; in preferving us from the Dangers of the Night pad, and in bringing us fafe this Morning to fee an- other Day. We gratefully acknowlege our Depend- ence upon Thee for all the Necejfaries, Con- veniences and Comforts of our Life ; — for all tlie Means of our Well-being here, and of our everlafting Happinefs hereafter. We give Thee Thanks for the Light of thy Gofpel, and the Help of thy Grace, and for thePromife thou haft made us of Pardon and Forgivenefs thro' thy Son Chrift Jefus, on our fincere Repentance and Amendment. Give us, we befeech Thee, fuch a Senfe of thefe and all other thy Mercies to us, as may make us truly thankful to Thee for them. Give us Grace, thit we may ever walk as in thy Siglitj — Make a Confcience of all our \U i \\ 264 Private and Family our Ways ;— And, fearing to ofFcnd may never fail into the Sins we have repent- ed of. Enable us to rcfift and overcome the Temptations of the World, the Flefh, and the Devil ;— To follow the Motions of thy good Spirit ;— To be ferious and holy in our Lives ; — true and juft in our Dealings ;— watchful over our Thoughts, our Words, and our Adtions ;— diligent in our Bufinefs, and temperate in all things. Give us Grace honeftly to improve all the Talents which Thou haft committed to our Truft j — and may no worldly Bufinefs, no Vforldly Pleafaresy divert us from the Con- cerns of the Life to come ! May thy Bleffing be upon our Perfbns, upon our Labours, upon our Subftance ; — And upon all that belongs to us ! — And may we never undertake any Work, which we dare not beg of Thee to profper ! By thy Grace defend us in all Affauks of our Enemies :— And grant that this Day we fall into no Sin, neither run into any kind of Dangers : — But that all our Doings may be ordered by thy Governance, to do always that which is righteous in thy Sight. Give us, gracious God, what is needful for us, and Grace not to abufe thy Fa oUiS : — •. — Give us, we befeech Thee, contented Minds i ' oiiiS : Prayer s, ^c. 265 /Minds ;— And make us ever min jful of the Wants of others. Give us, in this World, the K.. »ge of thy Truth, and, in the World to come. Life cverlafting. Amen. Hear us, O merciful God, not according to our imperfefb Petitions, but according to the full Meaning of that Form of Prayer which Jefus Chrift hath taught us, and for his fake. \ no OU R Father, which art in Heaven ; Hallowed be thy Name. — Thy King- dom come. Thy Will be done in Earth, as it is in Heaven. Give us this Day our daily Bread.. -And. forgive us our Trefpafles, as we forgive them that trefpafs againft us. — And lead us not into Tempta- tion. But deliver us from Evil. — > — For thine is the Kingdom^ and the Power^ and the Glory y for ever and ever. Amen, TH E Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and the Love of God, and the Fci- lowlhip of the Holy Ghoft, be with us all, evermore. Amen, 1 < i A a Proper 2t36 Private and Family ^ ■- * h Proper M e d i t a t j o n s for fuch as have Time, and are devoutly dif- •pofed. Pfal. cxxvii. i. Except the Lord build the Houje^ they labour in vain that build it, UNHAPPY and blind are they, ]who exped to profper without thy Blefling, O Lord. — I do therefore beg that Blefling upon myfelf and Family^ my Labours and Suhftance. — And may I never hinder thy Bleflings, by undertaking any Work which may diflionour Thee, or my Chriftian Pro- felfion ! — Fit us, O Lord, by thy Grace, for that Houfe not made with HandSf eternal in the Heavens^ prepared for them that love and fear Thee. Hab. ii. 9. ^'oe to him that coveteth an evil Covetoufnefs to his Houfe^ that he may fet his Neft on high, that he may be delivered from the Power of Evil! Deliver us, O God, from Covetoufnefs, the Root of all Evil \ which leads Men to truft in themfelves ; — To forget their De- pendence upon Thee -, — - and fooliflily to hope to be out of the Reach of Misfortunes, and thofe Evils and Afflidions, which arc defigncd in great Mercy, for the Punifh- ment Prayers, ^e, 2 67 b^ may be an Houfhold fearing God. — And* may thy Bkfling be upon them, and upon all my Affairs committed to their Truft, for the fake of thy beloved Son I i Parents for Children. ' ' * ' Eph. vi. 4. Te Parents^ bring up your Chil- dren in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord* OGOD, the Father of our Lord Jefus Chrift, for his fake, blefs my Chil- dren with healthful Bodies, and underfland- ing Souls, and fanftified Hearts, that they may remember their Creator all their Days. ■ — Let thy Grace preferve them from the Temptations of an evil World, and may I never be wanting in any Part of my Duty to them ! — -But inftrud them in the Faith and Duties of a Chriftian Life *, — Convince them of their Faults, and correal them in Reafbn and Love. — O be thou, O God, their Father and their Portion in this World, and in the World to come ! Amen, ■ '.',. ' ',../: ': ^ r . - ■-■■ .J\ r;:y^ '•: .lie J r..l ;'/. ::.♦ ;,,[ ;ni:. hi si'\U v: ./r;r" •:''• ^'^i :;.; i'-;i,. j'/iiQl b:\ii 'g2 Evening Prayers, (^c. 269 on of T Jefus Chil- fland- : they Days, n the nay I ity to 1 and them ealbn ather n the '• '.: ^ '»->,•. ^"g Evening Prayer for a Family. v Let one of the Family read or fay diftin£lly what foUowetby the reji ferioufly attending. BY the Favour of God, we are come ro the Evening of this Day ; and we are (o much nearer our latter End. Let us ferioufly confider this^ and pray God to prepare us for the Hour of Death. Let us, with penitent Hearts, befeech Him to pardon our Offences, and to deliver us from the Evils which they have defervcd. Let us refolve to amend whatever we have done amiis, and pray God, that His Grace may keep us from returning to thofe SinS' which we have repented of: And that we may be fafe under His Pro- teftion, who alone can defend us from the Powers of Darknefs. For all which BlefHngs let us devoutly pray. Theny all devoutly kneeling^ let one diftinHly - OL O R D, and Heavenly Father 5 we acknowlege thy great Goodnefs to us, in fparing us when we deferve Punifh- ment ; — In giving us the Neceflfaries of this Life, and in fetting before us the Happincfs of a better Life. A a 3 O merciful; 270 Private ami Family O merciful God, pardon our Offences, correal and amend what is amifs in us, that as we grow in Years, we may grow in Grace, and the nearer we come to our latter End, the better we may be prepared for it. In the midft of Life we are in Death, 'i .\.\\ i ''.*.'.] i j!".}f I tj\ Lord, grant that thefe Thoughts may make us careful how we live, that we may cfcape the bitter Pains of eternal Mifery. Take from us all Ignorance, Hardncfs of Heart, and too much Carefulnefs for the Things of this Life. Make us an Houlhold fearing Thee, O God, fubmitting ourfelves to thy good Plea- fure, and putting our whole Truft in thy Mercy. , : ^ Give us a true Knowlege of ourfelves •,— Of the Corruption of our Nature \ — And the Necefllty of thy gracious Help to fave us from Ruin. And may the Spirit of Chrift ever live and rule in us, pofTeffing our Souls with a fincere Love of Thee, O God, with an earneft Defire to pleafe Thee, and with a Dread of offending Thee ! Sandtify us wholly, we befeech Thee, that our Spirits, and Souls, and Bodies, may be preferved blamelefs unto the Coming of our , Lord Jefus Chrift. * Con- O Chui lion Gofd Wo i««./4«*K -■»^^ rences, [s, that row in iatter )rit. th. niay may Pr a V E Rs, G?r. . 271 Continue to us« and to all Chridian Churches, the Means of Grace and Salva- • tion ; and may the faving Truths of the Gofpcl be publilhcd and received in all the World! .'' -: "v.ijiv. — -^ ,- Vouchfafe unto us an Intereft in all the Prayers of thy holy Church, which have this Day been offered to the Throne of Grace. : Forgive all that have iiljured us, and for- give our many Offences againft our Neigh- bour. * V'i' « . . ' .W.> J . Blefs, we befcecHThee, O God, all thofe whom thy Providence hath fetovcr us, whe- ther in Church or State.— And give us Grace to honour and obey them for Confci- ence-fake. ' V ' ' ■. ■ ,-••.<: \ Defend us from atl Advcrfities which may happen to our Bodies, and from all evil Thoughts which may alTault and hurt our Souls ; — and prepare us to receive with an humble Refignation, whatever thy Provi- dence fhall think beft for us. And, finally, we befeech Thee tc give us Grace, that we may lead and end our Lives in thy Faith and Fear, and to thy Glory, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Amn. .,,: Hear \j% O merciful God» for durfelves and for all Mankind, not according- to our weak Underftandings, but according to the .. .., full lUJ s 272 Private and Family full Meaning of that holy Prayer, which thy beloved Son hath taught us. ^:v:\ ..• ;fi n.s.vj OU R Father which art in Heaven ;. Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven. — - — Give us this* Day our daily Bread.— And forgive us our. Trefpaffes, a^ we forgive them that trelpafs againft us.^ — And lead us not into Tempta- tion. But deliver us from Evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory,, for ever and ever. Amen, TH E Grace of our Lord Jefus Chrlftv and the Love of God, and the Fel- lowfhip of the Holy Ghoft,.be with us all evermore' Amin,. our this verfil Wif\ and and canni hclpl fall unw< Select Scriptures,. and Meditations upon them J which may teach us how to. profit by reading the Scriptures. Matth* X. 30. ^he very "Hairs of your Hea3. are all numbered, LE T this thy wonderful Providence, O- God; and Care over us, be evermore our Comfort and Defence againd all the Evils which may happen to our Bodies, and' all evil Thoughts, which may aflault and hurt. our R A Y E R S, &C, 273 our Souls ; — Againft the diftradting Cares of this Life ; — and againft the Fears and Ad- verfities which may befal us. — Thine infinite Wifdom knows all our Wants and Dangers, and the propcreft Means of conveying Rel ef and Succour to us. — Thy Fatherly Goodnefs cannot but pity us •, — Thy Power is abM to help us ; — and thy Faithfulnefs can never fail us. — O! may we never render ourfelves unworthy of this thy divine Protedion I Luke ix. 23. Jefus faid to them all^ Jf ^^y Man will come after me, let him deny him- felf^ and take up his Crcjs daily ^ and follow 'me. O Jefus, who haft made this the Rule and Means of our Salvation, enable us by thy Spirit^ thy D^Sfrine^ and Example^ to ob- fcrve it daily ; — To wean our Hearts from a Love and Fondnefs for this World, — Its Pleafures, Profits, and all its Idols-, — To mortify our corrupt AfFedions, and to cor- re6t and amend what is amifs in us : — To be meek, and humble, and temperate; and to fubmit our Wills to the Will and Law of God : And grant, O Lord, that we may never lead Heathens and Unbelievers to have unworthy Thoughts of Thee, and of thy Religion, by our ungodly Lives, while we pretend to be Followers of Thee. rr^^m Luke ? 1 274 Private and Family Luke xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the Jlreight Gate ; for many, I fay unto you, will feek to enter in^ and fhail not be able. May we never flatter ourfelves, that the Way to Heaven and Happinefs is eafy, and that the Generality of Chriftian People are in the Way of Salvation, when Thou had declared the contrary ! — O ! may thy Spirit convince us, that our Salvation is not to be fecured without great Watchfulnefs and Care,, without Labour, Pains, and Diligence ; — And that, on thefe Conditions, thy Goodnefs will enable us to overcome all the Difficulties we can poiTibly meet with 1. Luke ix. 13. If ye, being evil, know how tct give good Gifts unto your Children 5 how much more fhall your Heavenly Father give good Things, and His Holy Spirit^ to them- that aJkHiml ' O Heavenly Father, let it be unto us,, according to this thy Son's moft faithful Promife. — For his fake, give us thy Holy Spirit, to live and adt in us, to guide and aflift us all our Days ; and may we ever afk a«d be content with fuch good Things as it (hall pleafe Thee to give us !' — And grant that we may never grieve thy Holy Spirit \. — never Prayers, &c. . 275 -—never rejedl his godly Motions, or render ©urfelves unworthy of his Abode with us, by living in any known Sin. Rev. iii. 19, ^s many as I love, I rebuke and chaften, O ! that we may acknowlege thy loving Kindnefs to us, in all the Difpenlations of thy Providence ! Our corrupt Nature will not let us fee this : — It is thy Grace alone which muft convince us, that a Father fo good would not fuffer Affli«5tions to fall upon his Children, without an abfolute Necefllty. — Convince us, therefore, O God, that we (land in need of thy Rebukes, to awaken and amend us : — And enable us to bear all the Afflidions of this Life with Patience, and an intire Refignation to thy Wifdom and Goodnefs, and make them powerful Means of our eternal Salvation. Amen, A Short f i'\ 276 Private and Family A {hort and neceflary Inflructlon for the Lord's Day^ in the Morning, TH E Lord, who has bleflfed One Bay in Seven, bleffeth all thofe that keep it holy : And very terrible have been his Judgments upon them that have profaned it. It is your Duty therefore, on this good Day, to lay afide, as much as pofTible, all worldly Bufinefs ; all worldly Thoughts ; all worldly Pleafures ; that you may honour your Creator to the beft of your Power : By owning your Dependence upon him ; by hearing his Word, and his Commands •, by alking his Bleflings, and giving him Thanks for his Favours. If then it is our Intercft, and our Hap- pinefs, to ferve God, it is our Duty to be at his Houfe before his Service begins ; to Hiew, that we fear his Majefty, and dare not offer him a lame Sacrifice 5 to fhew, that we do indeed defire his Blefling, and take Delight in ferving him. When therefore you come into the Houfe of God, and firft kneel down, fay fecretly this Jhort Prayer : AJhort Prayers, ^c. ^77 n for ie Day Lt keep :en his led it. 's good ble, all Its-, all honour er: By i; by ds ; by rhanks r Hap- be at s i to d dare w, that id take :c ; Houfe fecretly AJhort A Jhort Prayer at your coming into Church, MAY the good Spirit of God difpofe me untOi and affift me in, his Ser- vice! The Lord give us all a true and lively Senfe of our Wants, and of his Mercy and Prefence amongft us, that we may ferve him with our Hearts as well as with our Bodies, and that our Prayers may be heard, for the fake of his Son Jefus Chrift our Lord! Amen, After this, attend diligently to what is faid, and pray'd for; remembring that they are your Prayers which are offered up to God ; but that you have no Share in them, if you do not mind what is afked in your Name. That your Heart may go ak>ng with your Prayers, fayfoftly, Amen^ So be it, to every Petition. This is what the moft Un- learned may do, and it may be the mod Learned cannot do better, to keep their Minds intent upon what they are about. When you confefs your Sins^ do it with grieat Serioufnefs and Concern, remembring that you are for ever undone, if you are not forgiven. And then hear with Comfort upon what Condition God will pardon you: B b If / < \\ • V %j% Private and Family If you repent^ and believe the Gofpel^ you are /ure to be forgiven. When the Word of God is read or preach- ed, be careful to mind it, that you may know your Duty, and the Reward of doing it ; that you may obferve the Way of God's dealing with Mankind, m punifhing the Wicked, and in protecting and rewarding the Righteous; that you may know the .Manner of our Redemption, and the great Love of God in bringing it to pafs; that you may fee the Dangers you are liable to, and the Bleffednefs that is fet before you, ever remembring, that Faith^ without which we cannot pleafe God J comet h by Hearings and Hearing by the Word of Gvd, Rom. x. 1 7. And be fure to behave yourfelf with great Reverence and Devotion, while you are in the Houfe and Prefence of God ; for if, when you fhould be on your Knees, afking God's Pardon and Bleflings, or (landing to praife the Creator of Heaven and Earth; if, inflead of doing fo, you fit and deep away the Time, or carelefly gaze, and think of other Matters, then you will return from God's Houfe with a Curie, and not with a Blefling. And yet the very bcft of us, after all our Care, have Caufe to beg Pardon even for the Faults of our Devotions. Therefore, before you rife from your Knees, fay privately this fhprt Prayer: Praters, C^c: 210 ou are )reach- rknow ng it ; God's ig the warding >w the e great s; that ble to, •e you, / which ngt and X. 17. th great - in the when God's praife inftead iray the )f other 1 God's •lefling. r all our I for the before tely ibis A jhort Prayer before you leave the Ccurck ...i . TH E good Lord accept of our Duty; and Service ; pardon our Sins and In^ firmities; give us what is needful for our Souls, and for our Bodies; and keep us ever- more under thy Protei^lion^ for the fake of^ Jefus Chrift our Saviour! Amen. And novr;, God forbid that you fliould' fpend the Remainder of this good Day, fo well begun, in Sin and Vanity! Rather think how you may do mod Honour to your Creator and Redeemer. If yovi can read, you^ can both in(lru£b yourfelf, and them that will hear you. If you have Children and Servants^ you can teach them how to- fear, and to love, and to pray to God. And if you are unlearned, you can think of what you have heard at Church, and refolve to do, to the beft of your Know- lege, as you have been taught. Then will the Lord be with you, to blefs you in the Way you go ; to prefcrve and to profper you. For this is what he hath de- clared, i'bem that honour me^ 1 will honour \ and they that defpife tne^ (hall he lightly efi^emedy i Sam. ii. 30. B b 2 A 2 8o Private and Family A Prayer for Sunday Morning* OLORD, who haft confccrated this Day to thy Service, give us Grace fo to obferx^e it, that it may be the Beginning of an hai'ipy Week to us ; and that none of thy Judgments may fall upon us for pro- faning it. Fix in our Hearts this great Truth, that here we have no Abiding-placey that we may ferioufly and timely provide for another Life ; and grant that this great Concern may make us very defirous to Jearn our Duty, and to do what thou requireft of us. And bleffed be God, that we have Churches to go to, that we have fuch Times fet apart for the more public Worfhip of our Creator, that we have Paftors to teach us! The Lord profper their Labours, and give us Grace to profit by them, that they and we may enjoy an cverlafting Sabbath with thy Saints in Heaven, for Jcfus Chrift's fake! Amen, •-t A Prayers, &c. 281 ;d this race fo inning lone of •r pro- great '-placcy )rovide s great o Jearn lireft of 2 have Times (hip of teach r3, and lat they >abbath Chrift's A A plain and ufeful Inftruftion for Sunday Evening. Concerning the Providence of God, or his IVifdom and Goodnefs in governing the JVorld. THAT God is great, and to be greatly feared, we know by the World he hath made, and from his dreadful Judg- ments. That God is good, and to be loved and ■worfliiped, [we are convinced from his Care of the whole Creation. For his tender Mercies are over all his PForkSy Pfal. cxlv. 9. Therefore have his Creatures. the Comfort of the Rain and Sun^ . of Food and Shelter -, the Earth yields In- creafe, and the Seas are ftored with Crea- tures innumerable. In the Hand of God are thefd and all other Bleflings, which he with-holds, or giveth, according to his good Pleafure, to teach us, that we wholly depend on him ; that Man liveth not by Bread alone^ nor by, his own Indullry, but by the Providence of God, who ordereth ail Conditions of Life for the beft, for thofe that cannot choofe f6r themfelves. B b 3 And,. 282 Private and Family And, if he fufiers fome to be poor, it is, becaiife that Condition is bed for them now 5 but he will make them a great Amends in the next World for what they want in this, if they will be contCiit and honcft, neither murmur at their own Lot, nor envy that of others. IVhen Godgiveth Riches, it is not to make them an Occaf^on of our Ruin, but to try our "Virtue ; for, // we are not high-minded •, if we truft not, in uncertain Riches, but in the living God\ if we do Good with them, and readily diflribute to the Necejftties of others ', then are Riches a real Blejfmg, « and help to bring us to eternal Life, i Tim. vi. 17. If he bringeth us into ^ffli5f ion, it is not that he is pleafed with the Miferies of his Creatures, but he isfhewing them their Tranf- greffton, he is opening th^ir Ear to Difcipline., that they may return from Iniquity ^ andfave their Souls from Death eternal. Job. xxxvi. 9. Jfhe fuffers us to be tempted, it is not that we might flill, but to make us more fenfible of our own Weaknefs, that we may come to him for Help, on whom we depend, who will not fuffer us to be tempted above what we are able to bear •, and who will reward our poor Endeavours with unfpeakable Happinefs. If we have Friends, it is the Favour of ' God CO us> and, if we have Enemies^ they 5 W It IS, now'9 ds in this, dther latof make ry our ?J-, // in the !, and thers i lelp to 7- is not of his Tranf- cipiinet tdfave icvi. 9. ot that fenfible ome to }bo will we are ix poor lefs. rour of they Prayers, ^c. 283 are Rods in his Hands, either to correft, or to make us careful of our Ways. The Devil himfelf, that powerful Spirit, is under God's Command, to execute hi» Judgments upon wicked Men, while they that truft in the Lord have nothing to fear, for he hath no Power to hurt them, Happy are we, who know thefe Things now i and we Ihall be for ever happy, if we live according to this Belief. For then wejhall truft in the Lord with all our Heart J and not lean unto our own Un- derftanding. We Ihall call upon him for what we want, and thankf'iily receive what he is pleafed to fend. FoTyjhallwe receive Good at the Hand &f Gody andjhall we not receive Evil? J ob ii. 10. We (hall hope for his Favour when we mean well, and never exped his BlefTing when our Defigns are evil. We fhall look upon God*3 Time as the beft, and not grow impatient when our De- fires are not anfwer'd. ' We fhall acknowlege his Hand in every thing that befalleth us, and hope for his Mercy even when he is angry, knowing, that all things Jhall work together for Good to them that love Gody Rom. viii. 28. Thus Jhall we dwell under the Defence of the Moji High, andjhall befecurefr m Fear of Evil, 2 84 Private and Family A "Prayer for Sunday Evening, ALmighty God, by whom all Things were made^ and are preferv^d^ make us truly thankful, for thy wonderful Works of Creation \ — For thine adorable Providence in prcferving every thing that Thou haft made , — And for thine infinite Power^ IVif- dom^ 3ind*Goodnefsj in the Government of the World. — But above all,] we acknowlege thine infinite Love in the Redemption of the "World, by thy Son our Lord Jefus Chrift j and thy Goodnefs in fending by him this com- fortable Meflage to thy diftrefled Creatures, '^Tbat whofoever receivetb and believetb in Him Jhall not perijh^ but have everlafting Life. — We blefs thee for his holy DoSirine and Example \ — And for his precious Deaths and glorious Rejurre^fion, by which our fad Condition, and tbine unfpeakable Love^ have been wonderfully (hewn to us. We give thee Thariks for thy Holy fFbrd, by which thy Works of Mercy and PrDvidence have been prcferved, and thy. Will made known unto Mankind. We blefs thy Holy Name, for fandifyjng One Day in Seven to thy Service, to keep up the Know- )ege and Remembrance of Thee, and of our Creation and Redemption ; — And for appoint- ing thy Minijters to publiih thefe Truths to us in thy Name, that we may render unto Thee Prayers, &c. 285 Thee that Honour^ Lcve^ and Obedience^ which becomcth Creatures to pay to their great Creator. — And we befeech Thee, O God, to give us all fuch a deep and lafting Senfe of thy great and undeferved Mercies 10 us, that our Hearts may be unfeigned ly thankful, and that we may (hew forth thy Praife, not only with our Lips^ but in our Lives y by giving up ourfelves to thy Service, and by walking before Thee in Holinefs and Righteoufnefs all our Days ; And as we often hear how we ought to walk, and to pleafe God, we may condnuc to do fo unto our Lives End, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord, Amem •»"^ ^ jhort^ ADMONITION to AlK and ej pec tally to Majlers of Families. AMongfl the many growing Vices of this profane Age, one wretched and ungodly Cuftom is too common ; viz. of Peoples falling to their Meals, as Beads do to their Fodder, without any Thoughts of God, or Thanks for his BlelTings.— — And even too many of thofe, who have not quite laid afide this Chriftian Duty, perform it af- ter fuch a flight and negligent Manner, as makes it as finful as the Omiflion. When 286 Private 2S\d Family When a Man, like ourfclves, bellows a Favour, we naturally give him Thanks. — Are not Food, and the Supports of I jfer and Health, mighty Bleflings ? — !« not God the fole Giver of thcfe ? Are they not worth asking, and giving Thanks for ? — This (hews plainly, that this Sin, being againft the very natural Notions of Senfe and Gratitude, is of the Devil, who makes the TaWes of too many to become a Snare and a Curfe to them, by Intemperancei Gluttony, and Drunkennefe. AH Chriftians, who have any regard to the Example of their Saviour, who always glo^ rified God, and gave Him public Thanks for His Bleflings ; — or to the Example of St, Paulf who would not omit this Duty^ though in Bonds, and in the Prefence of a numerous Company of Heathens : — All Chri* flians-, feeing the Reafonablenefs of this Du- ty, and the Sin of omitting it, or of not per- forming it after a ierious Manner, will be in- cxcufable before God, if they neglefl? to glor rify Him at their daily Meals. Now, that the moft Unlearned may not want Words to exprefs their Thanks, and beg God's Bleffing upon themfelves, and their daily Food, thefe following may be made ufe of. Grace Prayers, &c. 187 Grace before our Meals, OG O D, who giveft Food unto all Flefh, grant that we may receive thefe thy Gifts, with thy Blefling, and ufe them with Sobriety, and thankful Hearts, thro* Jcfus Chrift our Lord, z^men, Grace afier our Meals, MA K E us truly thankful, O Lord, for our. daily Bread, and for all other Mercies which we receive : And help us to k)ve and fcrvc Thee, the Giver of aU Good, for Jcfus Chrift's fake, ^men, [ F I N J S. N. B. This Book has been lately tranjlatei into the French Language^ and printed at OtntvZifor the Ufe of the Proteftant Churches Abroad \ and a Number of them are in the Hands of B. Dod, Bookfeller^ at the Bible in Ave-Mary-Lane, and may be had upon the Terms of the Society for promoting Chri- ilian Knowlege. ■-%?.. <9im^ ADVERTISEMENT. npHIS Book, and the Bifliop's Plain •^ Treatife upon the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper^ are in the Catalogues of fuch Books as are recommended and difperfed by the Two Societies for Propagating the Gofpel iti ForeignParts ; — and for Promoting Chriftian Knowlegeat Home: — And there will alfo be a large Allowance made, by John Ojborn^ to fuch charitable Perfons, as are difpofed to buy any Number, above Half a Dozen at a Time, of thefe Books, to give away, eithar at Home amongft poor Families^ Chil- dren^ and Servants^ or to difperfe in our Plantations in America. '^^ . - ■ ^ %f . ,. V.,|