A39228:178
Indian dialogues for their instruction in that great service of Christ, in calling home…
Indian dialogues for their instruction in that great service of Christ, in calling home their country-men to the knowledge of God, and of themselves, and of Jesus Christ.Indian dialogues for their instruction in that great service of Christ, in calling home their country-men to the knowledge of God, and of themselves, and of Iesus Christ.
Printed at Cambridge : s.n., 1671
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Indian Dialogues. › Dialogue 2: DIALOG. II. About calling home poor INDIANS.
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.
Pen. Your discourse doth the more inflame my desire to know what this matter is that is so precious in your eyes and so doubtful to find esteem with me. I confess I am foolish, but I hope you shall find me one that would be wise, and love the company of the wise, and willing to learn of others that wisdom which I want; and therefore though I desire not to know other mens secrets, yet if this other matter you intimate be such as I may know, my desire is raised high to know it.
Pen. Your discourse doth the more inflame my desire to know what this matter is that is so precious in your eyes and so doubtful to finde esteem with me. I confess I am foolish, but I hope you shall finde me one that would be wise, and love the company of the wise, and willing to learn of others that wisdome which I want; and therefore though I desire not to know other mens secrets, yet if this other matter you intimate be such as I may know, my desire is raised high to know it.
Wab. Your words are good and wise, and give me hopes that what I have further to say unto you, will find acceptance with you according to my desire. I will therefore open to you the truth of the matter. I am a praying Indian, I have left our old Indian Customs, Laws, Fashions, Lusts, Pauwavings, and whatever else is contrary to the right knowledge of the true God, and of Jesus Christ our Redeemer. It repenteth me of all my fore-past life, the lusts, vanities, pleasures, and carnal delights that were formerly very sweet and delightful to me, are now bitter as gall unto me, I hate and loath them. All the works of darkness in which I was wont to take pleasure, I do now forsake and abandon. I am come into the light, I now see things as they are indeed, and nor as they seemed to be in the dark. I now know the Word of God, which showeth me the way of eternal Life. I now know God who made all the world, against whom mankind are turned rebels and sinners. I know the Law of God which I have broken, and by my sins I have deserved eternal damnation in the world that is to come. I now know Jesus Christ, who hath died for us, to ⟨p. 26⟩procure a pardon for us, and to open a door and way to eternal life and salvation for us. Into this way I have entered, herein I walk, and I have promised to God, that I will live and walk in this way all the days of my life. And not only so, but my desire is to persuade all others into the same way which I have entered, because I do certainly and experimentally know that my former ways were darkness, sin, and led unto hell and damnation; and this way whereinto I am now entered, is a way of light, life, holiness, peace, and eternal salvation: therefore do I earnestly persuade all that I meet with to be wise, and turn from the ways of darkness, and come into this way of light and glory. And this is the thing which I did mean, when I said, that there is another thing wherein I wish that we may be alike. I do therefore exhort and entreat you that you would do as I have done, forsake your old ways of sin, of which you have cause to be ashamed, and turn unto God, call on God, be numbered among the praying Indians.