N00107:229
Indian dialogues, for their instruction in that great service of Christ, in calling home…Indian dialogues, for their instruction in that great sevice 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. : [Seven lines from Malachi]Indian dialogues, for their instruction in that great sevice of Christ, in calling home their country-men to the knowledge of God, and of themselves, and of Iesus Christ. : [Seven lines from Malachi]
Cambridge: printed by Marmaduke Johnson, 1671
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
N•sh. Your love and desire of my good, I have no reason but to accept with kindness; but me thinks one thing in your discourse is doubtful. We see with our eyes, and know certainly that the ⟨p. 37⟩body dieth, and turneth to rottenness and dust, and why may not the Soul do so likewise? we see not what becometh of it, and to make such a stir, and change our course upon uncertainties, I have no liking to it, my Age inclineth me rather to be quiet, and not meddle with such unseen intricacies, utter for younger heads to mind.
N•sh. Your love and desire of my good, I have no reason but to accept with kindness; but me thinks one thing in your discourse is doubtful. We see with our eyes, and know certainly that the ⟨p. 37⟩body dieth, and turneth to rottenness and dust, and why may not the Soul do so likewise? we see not what becometh of it, and to make such a stir, and change our course upon uncertainties, I have no liking to it, my Age inclineth me rather to be quiet, and not meddle with such unseen intricacies, utter for younger heads to minde.
Wab. Our bodies are the product of the seed of man, and that is made out of the food we eat, and our food grows out of the earth, so that our bodies are made of refined earth; and therefore at death turn to earth again, out of which it was made, and so God speaketh, Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return. But the Soul is not s•; it is a Spirit, of a purer nature then earthly things, and it is immediately created by God, and therefore dieth not. Besides, we are assured by many infallible proofs out of the Word of God, •nd by evidence of good Reason, that the Soul is immortal, which point we are taught in our Catechism. And not only so, but G•d hath taught us, that at the end of the world the body shall be raised again out of the dust, and the Soul and body joined together again, and then the person shall be judged by Jesus Christ, according to their deeds done in the flesh: those that live and die in their sins, shall be turned into hell, to be tormented by and with the Devils; but they that turn to God, and believe in Jesus Christ, shall be judged to go with Christ to heaven, and be ever with him in eternal glory. Therefore this consideration doth more sharpen my request and entreaties of you, how shall I endure to see this body of yours, which I so respect and love, and that Soul of yours also, to go away unto eternal torments. And I pray you consider what a wound and torment it will then be, to remember, I was exhorted and entreated to turn to God and live; mercy in Christ was offered me, but I refused it: and therefore deservedly do you lose what you refused, and deservedly you suffer that torment you did choose, rather then to trouble your self with this business of praying to God, and believing in Jesus Christ.