A pastoral letter to the English captives, in Africa, from New-England

No History can be True, if This be not so. Now these things are Seals from God, unto the Christian Religion. I beseech you, Do not harbour the least suspicion of a Religion, so Sealed by the God of Heaven, with Ungainsayable Confirmations. But if any Mahometan Tempters do assault you, Let the words of their own Alcoran serve to Answer them; The words of the Alcoran, (or Turkish BIBLE) are; The Spirit of God hath given Testimony, to CHRIST, the Son of Mary; He is the Messenger of the Spirit, and the Word of God: His Doctrine is perfect. And Mahomet, in this his Alcoran, calls the Gospel expressly, The Right way to Fear God; & says, That God sent the Gospel for no other end, but that they might obtain by it, the Love and Grace of God. Let the Mahometans now know, That you cannot forsake your Christ, because the Spirit of God hath given Testimony to Him; and that you cannot forsake His Doctrine, because it is perfect; and that you cannot forsake His Gospel, because ⟨p. 9⟩'tis the Right way to Fear God; as They Themselves have confessed. My dear Friends, The Lord preserve your Souls chaste unto Him▪ and make you Faithful to the Death, and give you a Crown of Life! May you be able to say, Lord, Tho' thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons, yet have we not forsaken thee, nor dealt falsely in thy Covenant.

No History can be True, if This be not so. Now these things are Seals from God, unto the Christian Religion. I beseech you, Do not harbour the least suspicion of a Religion, so Sealed by the God of Heaven, with Ungainsayable Confirmations. But if any Mahometan Tempters do assault you, Let the words of their own Alcoran serve to Answer them; The words of the Alcoran, (or Turkish BIBLE) are; The Spirit of God hath given Testimony, to CHRIST, the Son of Mary; He is the Messenger of the Spirit, and the Word of God: His Doctrine is perfect. And Mahomet, in this his Alcoran, calls the Gospel expresly, The Right way to Fear God; & says, That God sent the Gospel for no other end, but that they might obtain by it, the Love and Grace of God. Let the Mahometans now know, That you cannot forsake your Christ, because the Spirit of God hath given Testimony to Him; and that you cannot forsake His Doctrine, because it is perfect; and that you cannot forsake His Gospel, because ⟨p. 9⟩'tis the Right way to Fear God; as They Themselves have confessed. My dear Friends, The Lord preserve your Souls chast unto Him and make you Faithful to the Death, and give you a Crown of Life! May you be able to say, Lord, Tho' thou hast sore broken us in the place of Dragons, yet have we not forsaken thee, nor dealt falsely in thy Covenant.