N00446:78
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.
His Exquisite Charity.
HE that will write of Eliot, must write of Charity, or say nothing. His Charity was a Star of the First Magnitude in the bright Constellation of his Virtues; and the Rays of it were wonderfully various and extensive.
HE that will write of Eliot, must write of Charity, or say nothing. His Charity was a Star of the First Magnitude in the bright Constellation of his Vertues; and the Rays of it were wonderfully various and extensive.
His Liberality to pious Uses, whether public or private, went much beyond the proportions of his little Estate in the world. Many Hundreds of Pounds did he freely bestow upon the poor; and he would with a very forcible importunity press his Neighbours to join with him, in such Beneficences. 'Twas a marvellous Alacrity, with which he embraced all opportunities of Relieving any, that were miserable; & the good people of Roxbury doubtless cannot ⟨p. 37⟩remember (but the Righteous God will!) how often, and with what Ardours, with what Arguments, he became a Beggar to them, for Collections in their Assemblies, to support such needy Objects, as had fallen under his Observation. The poor counted him their Father, and repaired still unto him, with a filial confidence in their Necessities; and they were more than seven or eight, or indeed than so many scores, who received their portions of his Bounty. Like that worthy and famous English General, he could not persuade himself, That he held any thing but what he gave away; but he drove a mighty Trade at such Exercises as he thought would furnish him with Bills of Exchange, which he hoped after many days to find the comfort of; and yet after all, he would say like one of the most charitable Souls that ever lived in the World, That looking over his Accounts, he could no where find the God of Heaven charged a Debtor there. He did not put off his Charity, to be put in his last Will, as many who therein show that their Charity is against their will; but he was his own Administrator; he made his own Hands his Executors, and his own Eyes his Overseers. It has been Remarked, That liberal men are often long-lived men; so do they after many days find the Bread with which they have been willing to keep other men alive. The great age of our Eliot was but agreeable to this Remark, & when his Age had unfitted him for almost all Employments,