N00446:171
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. ; [Two lines from Luke]
Boston: printed by Benjamin Harris for Joseph Brunning i.e, 1691
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.
(d) His Gathering of a Church at NATICK.
The Indians that had felt the Impressions of his Ministry, were quickly distinguished by the Name of, Praying Indians; and these Praying Indians as quickly were for a more Decent and English way of Living, and they desired a more Fixed Cohabitation. At several places did they now combine and settle; But the place of Greatest Name among their Towns, is that of Natick.
Here 'twas, that in the year 1651. those that had heretofore lived like the wild Beasts in the Wilderness, now compacted themselves into a Town; and they first applied themselves to the forming of their Civil Government. Our General Court, not withstanding their exact study to keep these Indians very sensible of their being subject unto the English Empire, yet had allowed them their smaller Courts, wherein they might govern their own smaller Cases and Concerns, after their own particular Modes, and might have their Town-Orders, if I may call them so, peculiar to themselves. With respect hereunto, Mr. Eliot on a Solemn Fast made a public Vow, That seeing these Indians were not Prepossessed with any Forms of Government, he would with not them into such a Form, as we had written ⟨p. 101⟩in the Word of God, that so they might be a people in all things ruled by the Lord. Accordingly, he Expounded unto them the eighteenth Chapter of Exodus; and then they chose Rulers of Hundreds, of Fifties, of Tens; and therewithal Entered into this Covenant.
Here 'twas, that in the year 1651. those that had heretofore lived like the wild Beasts in the Wilderness, now compacted themselves into a Town; and they first apply'd themselves to the forming of their Civil Government. Our General Court, not withstanding their exact study to keep these Indians very sensible of their being subject unto the English Empire, yet had allowed them their smaller Courts, wherein they might govern their own smaller Cases and Concerns, after their own particular Modes, and might have their Town-Orders, if I may call them so, peculiar to themselves. With respect hereunto, Mr. Eliot on a Solemn Fast made a publick Von, That seeing these Indians were not Prepossessed with any Forms of Government, he would with not them into such a Form, as we had written