The clear sun-shine of the gospel breaking forth upon the Indians in New-England. Or,…The clear sun-shine of the gospel breaking forth upon the Indians in Nevv-England. Or,…

This very day that I wrote these things unto you, I have been with the Indians to teach them, as I was wont to do, and one of their questions among many other was to know what to say to such Indians as oppose their praying to God, and believing in Jesus Christ, and for their own information also, What get you, say they, by praying to God, and believing in Jesus Christ? you go naked still, and you are as poor as we, and our Corn is as good as yours, and we take more pleasure then you; did we see that you got any thing by it, we would pray to God and believe in Jesus Christ also as you do? Unto which question I then answered them. First, God giveth unto us two sorts of good things, one sort are little ones, which I showed by my little finger; the other sort are great ones, which I showed by my thumb, (for you know they use and delight in demonstrations:) the little mercies are riches, as cloths, food, sack, houses, cattle, and pleasures, these are little things which serve but for our bodies a little while in this life; the great mercies are wisdom, the knowledge of God, Christ, eternal life, repentance, faith, these are mercies for the soul, and for eternal life: now though God do not yet give you the little mercies, he giveth you that which is a great deal better, which the wicked Indians cannot see. And this I proved to them by this example; when Foxun the Mohegan Counsellor, who is counted the wisest Indian in the Country, ⟨p. 27⟩was in the Bay, I did on purpose bring him unto you; and when he was here, you saw he was a fool in comparison of you, for you could speak of God and Christ, and heaven and repentance and faith, but he sate and had not one word to say, unless you talked of such poor things as hunting, wars, &c. Secondly, you have some more cloths then they, and the reason why you have no more is because you have but a little wisdom, if you were more wise to know God, and obey his Commands, you would work more then you do, for to God commandeth, Six days thou shale work, &c. and thus the English do: and if you would be so wise as to work as they do, you should have cloths, houses, cattle, riches as they have, God would give you them.

This very day that I wrote these things unto you, I have been with the Indians to teach them, as I was wont to doe, and one of their questions among many other was to know what to say to such Indians as oppose their praying to God, and beleeving in Jesus Christ, and for their own information also, What get you, say they, by praying to God, and beleeving in Jesus Christ? you goe naked still, and you are as poore as wee, and our Corne is as good as yours, and wee take more pleasure then you; did we see that you got any thing by it, wee would pray to God and beleeve in Jesus Christ also as you doe? Unto which question I then answered them. First, God giveth unto us two sorts of good things, one sort are little ones, which I shewed by my little finger; the other sort are great ones, which I shewed by my thumbe, (for you know they use and delight in demonstrations:) the little mercies are riches, as cloths, food, sack, houses, cattle, and pleasures, these are little things which serve but for our bodies a little while in this life; the great mercies are wisdome, the knowledge of God, Christ, eternall life, repentance, faith, these are mercies for the soule, and for eternall life: now though God do not yet give you the little mercies, he giveth you that which is a great deale better, which the wicked Indians cannot see. And this I proved to them by this example; when Foxun the Mohegan Counseller, who is counted the wisest Indian in the Country,