The Light Appearing Towards the Perfect Day, Letter 4
Much honoured and reſpected in the Lord Jeſus.
YOur faithful and unwearied paines about the Lords work for the good of his dear children here, and for the furtherance of the Kingdome of Chriſt among theſe poor Indians, ſhall doubtleſſe be had in remembrance before the Lord, not through merit, but merciemercy.
By former Letters ſent by Mr. Saltonſtall; I informed you of the preſent ſtate of the Indian work, and though I might adde farther matters, yet I ſhal forbear, only this, ſtill they continue conſtant, and earneſtly deſire to ſet upon the way of cohabitation & prepare for their enjoyment of that great bleſſing to gather a Church of Chriſt among them; and ſince the writing of my laſt a Nipnet Sachem hath ſubmitted himſelf to pray unto the Lord, and much deſireth one of our chief ones to live with him and teach him and thoſe that are with him.
You wrote (I thank you) much encouraging to loſe no time, and follow the work, though I borrow materials, but I durſt not do ſo, the work is great, as I informed you in my former Letters; and I fear, leſt it ſhould diſcourage you, nor would I be too haſty to run before the Lord do clearly (by Scripture rules) ſay go; nor on the other ſide would I hold them too long in ſuſpence, there may be weakneſſe that way to their diſcouragement, but it is the Lords work, and he is infinite in wiſdome, and he will ſuit the work in ſuch a time and place as ſhall beſt attain his appointed ends and his great glory.
Touching the way of their Government, I alſo intimated the purpoſe of my heart, that I intend to direct them according as the Lord ſhall pleaſe to help and aſſiſt to ſet up the Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt fully, ſo that Chriſt ſhall reigne both in Church and Common-wealth, both in Civil and Spiritual matters; we will (through his grace) fly to the Scriptures, for every Law, Rule, Direction, Form, or what ever we do. And when every thing both Civil & Spiritual are done by the direction of the word of Chriſt, then doth Chriſt reigne, and the great Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt which we weight for, is even this that I do now mention; and by this means all Kingdomes and Nations ſhall become the Kingdomes of Chriſt, becauſe he ſhall rule them in all things by his holy word; humane wiſdome in learned Nations will be loth to yeeld to Chriſt ſo farre, much leſſe will Princes and Monarches readily yeeld ſo farre to ſtoop to Chriſt, and therefore the Lord will ſhake all Nations, and put them into diſtreſſe and perplexity, and in the concluſion they will be glad to ſtoop to Chriſt. But as for theſe poore Indians they have no principles of their own, nor yet wiſdome of their their own (I meane as other Nations have) wherein to ſtick; and therefore they do moſt readily yeeld to any direction from the Lord, ſo that there will be no ſuch oppoſition againſt the riſing Kingdome of Jeſus Chriſt among them; yet I foreſee a cloud of difficulties in the work, and much obſcurity and trouble in ſome ſuch reſpects, as I think not meet to mention, only by faith I do ſee through this cloud: I beleeve the faithful promiſes of Chriſt ſhall be accompliſht among them, and the Lord Jeſus ſhall reigne over them gloriouſly, Oh my heart yearneth over diſtreſſed perplexed England, and my continual prayer unto the Lord for them is, that he would be pleaſed to open their hearts and eyes, and let them ſee their opportunity to let in Chriſt, and to advance his Kingdome over them; yea, my hope is, that he will not leave tampering with them untill he hath brought it to paſſe; Oh the bleſſed day in England when the Word of God ſhall be their Magna Charta and chief Law Book; and when all Lawyers muſt be Divines to ſtudy the Scriptures; and ſhould the Gentile Nations take up Moſes policie ſo farre as it is morall and conſcionable, make the Scriptures the foundation of all their Lawes, who knoweth what a door would be opened to the Jewes to come in to Chriſt; I wrote likewiſe by my laſt to intreat for ſome encouragement to Maſter Mahu who preacheth to the Indians, and that ſome monies may be laid out in book for him; for young Sholars in New-England are very poor in books, as he is in extreme want.
Dear Sir,
Be helpful in prayer to our work, and above all gathering, gather prayers; I mean, put the Saints in minde that they pray much about it, as they do both there and here.
Truly Sir,
The ſpirit of prayer that is daily going about this matter, is a very great encouragement for all our meetings, through merciemercy, ring of it; I would intimate ſome more queſtions which they have propounded ſince my laſt, for they are fruitful that way, but partly I fear I ſhall want time, yet my heart ſaies, it may comfort you, and therefore I will ſet down a few, ſo many as I have noted down ſince may laſt.
If but one parent beleeve what ſtate are our children in?
How doth much ſinne make grace abound? I having made uſe of that Text.
If ſo old a man as I repent, may I be ſaved? The wiſdome of God drew forth this queſtion next to interpret the former.
When we come to beleeve, how many of our children doth God take with us, whether all only young ones, or at what age?
What meaneth that, Let the trees of the Wood rejoyce?
What meaneth that, That the Maſter doth not thank his ſervant for waiting on him?
What meaneth that, We cannot ſerve two maſters?
Can they in Heaven ſee us here on Earth?
Do they ſee and know each other? Shall I know you in heaven?
Do they know each other in Hell?
When Engliſh-men chooſe Magiſtrates and Miniſters, how do they know who be good men, that they dare truſt?
Seeing the boody ſinneth, why ſhould the ſoule be puniſhed, and what puniſhment ſhall the body have?
If all the world be burnt up, where ſhall hell be?
What is it to beleeve in Chriſt?
What meaneth, that Chriſt meriteth eternal life for us?
What meaneth that, Covet not thy neighbours houſe, &c?
What meaneth that, The woman brought to Chriſt a box of Oyle, and waſht his feet with tears &c?
What meaneth that of the two debtors, one oweth much; another but little?
If a wicked man prayeth, and teacheth, doth God accept, or what ſaies God?
At what age may maids marry?
If a man be wiſe, and his Sachem weak muſt he yet obey him?
We are commanded to honour the Sachem, but is the Sachem commanded to lovve us?
When all the world ſhall be burnt up, what ſhall be in the roome of it; an old wonans queſtion yeſter day?
What meaneth God, when he ſayes, yee ſhall be my Jewels? This was asked from my text laſt time, Exod. 19. 5. for ſo I rendred the word peculiar treaſure.
You may perceive many of the queſtions ariſe out of ſuch texts as I handle, and I do endeavour to communicate as much Scripture as I can; The word of the Lord converteth, ſanctifieth and maketh wiſe the ſimple; ſometimes they aske weaker queſtions then theſe, which I mention not, you have the beſt; and when I am about writing, I am more careful in keeping a remembrance of them; it may be the ſame queſtion may be again and again asked at ſeveral places, and by ſeveral perſons; The Lord teach them to know Chriſt, whom to know is eternal life; I ſhall intreat your ſupplications at the throne of grace, under the tender wing whereof I leave you, being forced by the time, and reſt
Roxbury this 29. of the 10th 49. Your reſpectful and loving brother and fellow-labourer in the Indian work▪ JOHN ELIOT.