A39226:109
A further account of the progress of the Gospel amongst the Indians in New…
A further account of the progress of the Gospel amongst the Indians in New England: being a relation of the confessions made by several Indians (in the presence of the elders and members of several churches) in order to their admission into church-fellowship. Sent over to the corporation for propagating the Gospel of Jesus Christ amongst the Indians in New England at London, by Mr John Elliot one of the labourers in the word amongst them.A further account of the progress of the Gospel amongst the Indians in New England: being a relation of the confessions made by several Indians (in the presence of the elders and members of several churches) in order to their admission into church-fellowship. Sent over to the corporation for propagating the Gospel of Jesus Christ amongst the Indians in New England at London, by Mr John Elliot one of the laborers in the word amonsgt them.
London: printed by John Macock, 1660
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
When I had read this Confession in the Assembly, we called upon the witnesses, as before we did, whose answer was like as before it was.
John Speen
He was next called forth, and thus spake.
Hee was next called forth, and thus spake.
I Confess my sins this day before the Lord, and not only before God, but before all these people. Before I prayed, verily I was a great sinner, yea, in my mothers womb I was a sinner: my sins are such as not ⟨p. 58⟩only God knows, but people also know them. Before our praying, I did thoroughly sin, and did commit all sins; and now I confess these my sins before God. After I prayed, I did also live in sin. At first when I prayed, I did not worship God, nor believe in Christ; but I did therefore pray, because my brothers, and friends, and Waban, and the rest did pray, for their sakes I prayed. And again I therefore prayed, because many English knew me, that I might please them; and because I saw the English took much ground, and I thought if I prayed, the English would not take away my ground, for these causes I prayed. When I prayed, it was but with my mouth, yet I thought I do well enough in that I pray thus, and I thought, that for it God will pardon all my sins; and I thought that my praying was good enough. But yet again I sinned, and did the like sins as before, only I did outwardly pray, but I mourned not for my sins. I thought, if we pray and leave Powwowing, who shall make us well when we are sick. But again, I thought man could not make us well, because he must die himself, and therefore Powwowing is a vain thing, and they die though they Pauwau. But still my heart did not believe praying to God: then I heard that word, Repent and believe; and if we repent and believe, God will pardon all our sins. Then sometimes I repented, yet again quickly I committed sin; and sometimes I thought I am throughly a sinner. I heard that God made the world, and all things in it, and lastly man, and that God formed him of the dust of the earth, and breathed into him the breath of life, and he became a living soul, and that God made a Covenant with Adam, that he