A late and further manifestation of the progress of the gospel amongst the Indians…

By some occasion our Ruling Elder and I being together, I opened the case unto him, and the Lord guided him to speak some gracious words of encouragement unto me, by which the Lord did relieve my spirit; and so I committed the matter and issue unto the Lord, to do what pleased him, and in so doing my soul was quiet in the Lord. I went on my journey, being the 6 day of the week; when I came at Natick, the Rulers had then a Court about it. Soon after I came there, the Rulers came to me with a Question about this matter, they related the whole business unto me, with much trouble and grief.

By some occasion our Ruling Elder and I being together, I opened the case unto him, and the Lord guided him to speak some gracious words of encouragement unto me, by which the Lord did relieve my spirit; and so I committed the matter and issue unto the Lord, to doe what pleased him, and in so doing my soul was quiet in the Lord. I went on my journey, being the 6 day of the week; when I came at Natick, the Rulers had then a Court about it. Soon after I came there, the Rulers came to me with a Question about this matter, they related the whole businesse unto me, with much trouble and grief.

Then Toteswamp spake to this purpose, I am greatly grieved about these things, and now God trieth me whether I love Christ or my Child best. They say, They will try me; but I say, God will try me. Christ saith, He that loveth father, or mother, or wife, or Child, better then me, is not worthy of me. Christ saith, I must correct my Child, if I should refuse to do that, I should not love Christ. God bid Abraham kill his Son, Abraham loved God, and therefore he would have done it, had not God with-held him. God saith to me, only punish your Child, and how can I love God, if I should refuse to do that? These things he spake in more words, and much affection, and not with dry eyes: Nor could I refrain from tears to hear him. When it was said, The Child was not so guilty of the sin, as those that made him drunk; he said, That he was guilty of sin, in that he feared not sin, and in that he did not believe his counsels that he had often given him, to take heed of evil company; but he had believed Satan and sinners more then him, therefore he needed to be punished. After other such like discourse, the Rulers left me, and went unto their business, which they were about before I came, which they did bring unto this conclusion, and judgement, They judged the three men to sit in the stocks a good space of time, and thence to be brought to the whipping-Post, & have each of them twenty lashes. The boy to be put in the stocks a little while, and the next day his father was to whip him in the School, before the Children there; all which Judgement was executed. When they came to be whipped, the Constable fetched them one after another to the Tree (which they make use of instead of a Post) where they all received their Punishments: which done, the Rulers spake thus, one of them said, The Punishments for sin are the Commandments of God, and the work of God, and his end was, to do them good, and bring them to repentance. And upon that ground he did in more words exhort them to repentance, and amendment of life. When he had done, another spake unto them to this purpose, You are taught in Catechism, that the wages of sin are all miseries and calamities in this life, and also death, and eternal damnation in hell. Now you feel some smart as the fruit of your sin, and this is to bring you to repentance, that so you may escape the rest.