Then Toteswamp spake to this purpose, I am greatly grieved about these things, and now God trieth me whether I love Christ or my Child best. They say, They will try me; but I say, God will try me. Christ saith, He that loveth father, or mother, or wife, or Child, better then me, is not worthy of me. Christ saith, I must correct my Child, if I should refuse to do that, I should not love Christ. God bid Abraham kill his Son, Abraham loved God, and therefore he would have done it, had not God with-held him. God saith to me, only punish your Child, and how can I love God, if I should refuse to do that? These things he spake in more words, and much affection, and not with dry eyes: Nor could I refrain from tears to hear him. When it was said, The Child was not so guilty of the sin, as those that made him drunk; he said, That he was guilty of sin, in that he feared not sin, and in that he did not believe his counsels that he had often given him, to take heed of evil company; but he had believed Satan and sinners more then him, therefore he needed to be punished. After other such like discourse, the Rulers left me, and went unto their business, which they were about before I came, which they did bring unto this conclusion, and judgement, They judged the three men to sit in the stocks a good space of time, and thence to be brought to the whipping-Post, & have each of them twenty lashes. The boy to be put in the stocks a little while, and the next day his father was to whip him in the School, before the Children there; all which Judgement was executed. When they came to be whipped, the Constable fetched them one after another to the Tree (which they make use of instead of a Post) where they all received their Punishments: which done, the Rulers spake thus, one of them said, The Punishments for sin are the Commandments of God, and the work of God, and his end was, to do them good, and bring them to repentance. And upon that ground he did in more words exhort them to repentance, and amendment of life. When he had done, another spake unto them to this purpose, You are taught in Catechism, that the wages of sin are all miseries and calamities in this life, and also death, and eternal damnation in hell. Now you feel some smart as the fruit of your sin, and this is to bring you to repentance, that so you may escape the rest.
Then Toteswamp spake to this purpose, I am greatly grieved about these things, and now God tryeth me whether I love Christ or my Child best. They say, They will try me; but I say, God will try me. Christ saith, He that loveth father, or mother, or wife, or Child, better then me, is not worthy of me. Christ saith, I must correct my Child, if I should refuse to doe that, I should not love Christ. God bid Abraham kill his Son, Abraham loved God, and therefore he would have done it, had not God with-held him. God saith to me, onely punish your Child, and how can I love God, if I should refuse to doe that? These things he spake in more words, and much affection, and not with dry eyes: Nor could I refraine from teares to hear him. When it was said, The Child was not so guilty of the sin, as those that made him drunk; he said, That he was guilty of sin, in that he feared not sin, and in that he did not believe his counsells that he had often given him, to take heed of evill company; but he had believed Satan and sinners more then him, therefore he needed to be punished. After other such like discourse, the Rulers left me, and went unto their businesse, which they were about before I came, which they did bring unto this conclusion, and judgement, They judged the three men to sit in the stocks a good space of time, and thence to be brought to the whipping-Post, & have each of them twenty lashes. The boy to be put in the stocks a little while, and the next day his father was to whip him in the School, before the Children there; all which Judgement was executed. When they came to be whipt, the Constable fetcht them one after another to the Tree (which they make use of instead of a Post) where they all received their Punishments: which done, the Rulers spake thus, one of them said, The Punishments for sin are the Commandements of God, and the worke of God, and his end was, to doe them good, and bring them to repentance. And upon that ground he did in more words exhort them to repentance, and amendment of life. When he had done, another spake unto them to this purpose, You are taught in Catechisme, that the wages of sin are all miseries and calamities in this life, and also death, and eternall damnation in hell. Now you feele some smart as the fruit of your sin, and this is to bring you to repentance, that so you may escape the rest.
