A50170:171
The triumphs of the reformed religion in America the life of the renowned John…
The triumphs of the reformed religion in America the life of the renowned John Eliot, a person justly famous in the church of God, not only as an eminent Christian and an excellent minister among the English, but also as a memorable evangelist among the Indians of New-England : with some account concerning the late and strange success of the Gospel in those parts of the world which for many ages have lain buried in pagan ignorance / written by Cotton Mather.The triumphs of the reformed religion in America the life of the renowned John Eliot, a person justly famous in the church of God, not only as an eminent Christian and an excellant minister among the English, but also as a memorable evangelist amoung the Indians of New-England : with some account concerning the late and strange success of the Gospel in those parts of the world which for many ages have lain buried in pagan ignorance / written by Cotton Mather.
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris and John Allen for Joseph Brunning, 1691
Part 3 › Annotation h: (h) The sacred and solemn Exercises performed in the Indian Congregations.
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.
It only remains that I give a touch or two upon the Worship which is attended in the Synagogues of the Indians. And first, the very Name of Praying Indians will assure us that Prayer is one of their Devotions; be sure, they could no• be our Eliot's Disciples if it were not so•. But how do they Pray? We are told, it is Without a Form, because from the Hearts; which is as I remember, •ertullians Expression concerning the the prayers in the Assemblies of the Primitive Christians; namely, •••e •honi•ore quia de pectore. It is evident, that the Primitive Christians had no stated Liturgies among them; that no Forms of Prayers were in their time imposed upon the Ministers of the Gospel; that e•en about the platform of prayer given us by our Lord, it was the opinion of Austin himself, not-withstanding the Advances made in his Age towards what we count Superstitious, that our Lord therein •aug•• not what Words we should use in prayer, but what Things we should pray for. And whatever S••••• the profanity of our days has abused that P••ra• and Thing withal, Gregory N•zia•zen in his day• ⟨p. 117⟩counted it th• Honour of his Father• public •ra•ers, That he had them from, and made the• […] the Holy Spirit. Our Indians accordingly •nd, that if they study the Words of God, and their own Sins and Wants and Wes, they shall on come to that Attainment, Behold they pray. They can pray with much Pertinence and Enlargement; and would much wonder at it; i they should hear of an English Clergy, that should Read their prayers out of a Book, when they should pour out their Souls before the God of Heaven.