The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion, Letter 3 – Title page 2

The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion · Letter 3 – Title page 2

p. 61Son Samuel,

I Have waited till now for an anſwer from you, hoping to hear from you, why you made an Abjuration of the Proteſtant Faith, for the Romiſh. But ſince you continue to neglect to Write to me about it, as you neglected to take any advice or counſel from a Father, when you did it. I cannot forbear Writing again, and making ſome reflections on the Letter you Wrote me laſt, about the two Women. It ſeems to me from thoſe words of Abigail Turbet's in your Letter▪ or rather of Mr. Meriels, which you tranſcribed for him. [Abigail Turbet ſent for Mr. Meriel, ſhe committed her Soul into his hand, and was ready to do whatſoever he pleaſed.] p. 62I ſay, it ſeems rational to believe, that ſhe had not the uſe of her reaſon; its an expreſſion to be abhorred by all who have any true ſenſe of Religion. Was Mr. Meriel a God, a Chriſt? could he bear to hear ſuch Words and not reject them; replying don't commit your Soul into my hands, but see that you commit your Soul into the Hands of GOD thro' Chriſt Jeſus, and do whatever God Commands you in His Holy Word. As for me, I am a creature, and can't Save your Soul, but will tell you of Acts 4. 12. Neither is there Salvation in any other; for there is no other Name under Heaven given among men, whereby we muſt be Saved… Had he been a faithful Miniſter of JESUS CHRIST he would have ſaid, 'tis an honour due to CHRIST alone. The holy Apoſtle ſays, Now unto him that is able to keep you, and preſent you faultleſs before the preſence of his Glory, with exceeding joy, to the only wiſe GOD our Saviour be glory, and majeſty, dominion and power both now and ever, Amen Jude 24, 25. v…ſes. As to what you Write about Praying to the Virgin Mary, and other Saints, I make this reply, Had Mr. Meriel done his duty, he ſhould have ſaid to them, as 1 Joh. 2. 1, 2. If any man ſin, we have an Advocate with the Father, JESUS CHRIST the Righteous; and he is the Propitiation for our ſins. The Scriptures ſay, There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the Man CHRIST JESUS. Yea, CHRIST ſaid, Go and Preach, He that Believeth & …s Baptiſed, ſhall be Saved. The Apoſtle in Gal. 1. 8. Saith, But though wear an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Goſpel unto you, then that we have Preached to … let him be accurſed. They never Preach'd, Prayed p. 63to the Virgin Mary, or other Saints. As you would be Saved hear what the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 4. 13. &c. Neither is there any Creature that is not manifeſt in his fight; but all things are naked, and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great High Prieſt that is entred into the Heaven, JESUS the Son of God, let us hold faſt our Profeſſion: for we have not an High Prieſt that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without ſin; let us therefore come holdly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain Mercy and find Grace to help in time of need. Which words do hold forth, how that CHRIST JESUS is in every reſpect qualifyed to be a Mediatour and Interceſſor and I am ſure they can't be applyed to any meer creature, to make them capable of our Religious truſt. When Roman Catholicks have ſaid all they can, they are not able to prove, that the Saints in Heaven have a knowledge of what Pray … are directed to them. Some ſay they know them one way, others ſay they have the knowledge of them in another way: and that which they have fix'd up▪ on as moſt probable to them, is, That they know of them from their beholding the face of God; Seeing God they known theſe Prayers: But this is a great miſtake. Tho' the Saints ſee and know God in a Glorious manner, yet they have not an inſinite knowledge; and it does no wayes follow that becauſe they ſee God, they know all Prayers that are directed to them upon the Earth. And God has no where in His Word told us, that the Saints have ſuch a knowledge. Beſides, were it a thing poſſible for p. 64them to have a knowledge of what Prayers are directed to them, it does not follow that they are to be Pray'd to, or have religious honour confer'd upon them. The Romaniſts can neither give one Scripture Precept of Example for Praying to them; but God has provided a Mediator, who knows all our Petitions, and is Faithful and Merciful enough, and we have both Scripture Precept & Example, to look to Him as our Mediator and Advocate with the Father. Further it can't be proved that its conſiſtent with the Saints being creatures, as well as with their happineſs, to have a knowledge of Prayers from all parts of the World at the ſame time, from many Millions together about things ſo vaſtly differing one from another: and then to preſent thoſe Supplications for all that look to them, its not Humility but Will Worſhip. Col. 2. 18. Let no man beguile you of your reward, in a voluntary humility, worſhipping of Angels, verſe 23. Which things indeed have a ſhew of Wiſdom and Will Worſhip, and humility. For what humility can it be, to diſtruſt the Way that God has provided and encouraged us to come to Him in, and impoſe upon God a Way of our own deviſing? Was not God angry with Jeroboam, for impoſing upon him after ſuch a fort? 1 King. 12. 33. So he offered upon the Altar which he had made in Bethel, the fifth day of the eighth Month, which he deviſed of his own heart. Therefore CHRIST ſaith, Mark 7. 7. Howheit, in vain do they worſhip me, teaching for doctrines the Commandments of men: Before the coming of Chriſt, & His entring into Heaven as an Interceſſor. Heb. 7. 25. Wherefore he is able to Save them to the uttermoſt p. 65that come to God by him, ſeeing … liveth in make interceſſion for them. I ſay before Chriſts entring into Heaven as an Interceſſor, not one word of any Prayer to Saints, what reaſon can be given that now there is of ſo many Saints to make Inteceſſion, when CHRIST as a Prieſt is entred into Heaven to make Interceſſion for us? The anſwer that the Romaniſts give is a very fable & falſehood: Namely that there were no Saints in Heaven, till after the Reſurrection and Aſcention of Chriſt, but were reſerved in a place called Lim…us Patrum, and ſo had not the beatiſical Viſion. See Gen. 5. 24. Enoch walked with God and was not for God took him. If he was not taken into Heaven, what can be the ſenſe of thoſe Words, for God took him? Again, 2 King. 2. 1. When the Lord would take up Elija… into Heaven by a Whirlwind, verſe 11. There appeared a Chariot of fire and Horſes of Fire, and parte… … both aſunder, and Elijab went up by a … wind into Heaven. Muſt the truth of the Scripture be call'd in queſtion to uphold their Notions? Beſides, tis not conſiſtent with reaſon to ſuppoſe, that E…och and Elias inſtead of having a peculiar priviledge …ouchſafed to them, for their eminency in holineſs, ſhould be leſs happy for ſo long a time then the reſt of the Saints deceaſed, who are glorifyed in Heaven; which muſt be, if they are yet kept and muſt be till the day of Judgment out of Heaven, and the beatifical Viſion, in an earthly Paradiſe, according to ſome of the Romaniſts, or in ſome other place they know not where: according to others. Religious Worſhip is not to be given to the creature, Mat. 49. …. p. 66And ſaith, All theſe things will I give thee, if thou wilt f…ll down and worſhip me. Then ſaith Jeſus to him, Get thee hence Sa…, for it is written thou ſhalt whorſhip the Lord thy God, and him only ſhalt thou ſerve. That phraſe, and Him only ſhalt thou ſerve, excludes all creatures. Rev. 22. 8, 9. I fell down to worſhip before the feet of the Angel, which ſhewed me theſe things; then ſaith he to me, ſee thou do it not, for I am thy fellow ſervant, and of thy brethren the Prophets, and of them which keep the ſayings of this book, worſhip God. Which plainly ſhews, that God only is to be Worſhipped with a religious Worſhip. None can think, that Saint John intended to give the higheſt Divine Worſhip to the Angel, who ſaith, Don't fall down & worſhip me; its Gods due, Worſhip God. So Act. 10. 25, 26. As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worſhipped him, but Peter took him up, ſaying ſtand up, I my ſelf alſo am a man. See alſo Lev. 19 10. The Words of the Second Commandment (which the Romaniſts either leave out, or add to the firſt Commandment ſaying, Thou ſhalt have no other gods before me, adding &c.) I ſay the Words of the ſecond Commandment are, Thou ſhalt not make to thy ſelf any Graven Image, or any likeneſs of any thing that is in Heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters under the earth; thou ſhalt not how down thy ſelf to them, nor ſerve them, for I the Lord thy God am a Jealous God, &c. Theſe words being inſerted in the Letter, that came from your Brother Eleazar in New-England the laſt Summer, was the cauſe of the Letters being ſent down from Mont-Royal, and not given to you; when ſo near you: as I ſuppoſe p. 67there being no other clauſe of the Letter that could be objected againſt, and the reaſon why found at Quebeck, when I ſent it to you a ſecond time encloſed in a Letter Written by my ſelf. The Brazen Serpent made by Divine appointment as a Type of CHRIST, when abuſed to Superſtition, was by reforming Hezekiah broken in pieces. As to what the Romaniſts plead about the Lawfulneſs of Image and Saint Worſhip, from thoſe likeneſſes of things made in Solomons Temple, its nothing to the purpoſe. We don't ſay it is not lawful to make or have a Picture, but thoſe carved Images were not in the Temple to be adored, bowed down to, or worſhiped. There is no manner of conſequence, that becauſe there were Images made in Solomons Temple that were not adored and worſhipped, that therefore its now lawful to make and fall down before Images, and Pray to them, and ſo Worſhip them. Religious Worſhipping of Saints can't be defended from, but is forbidden in the Scriptures; and for fear of looſing their Diſciples, the Romaniſts keep away from them the Bible, and oblige them to believe as they ſay they muſt believe. As tho' there was no uſe to be made of our reaſon about our Souls; and yet the Bereans were counted noble, for Searching the Scriptures, to ſee whether the things Preach'd by Saint Paul were ſo or no. They dare not allow you liberty to ſpeak with your Father, or others, for fear their Errors ſhould be diſcovered to you. Again, you Write, that Eſther Jones confeſs'd, that there was an inequality of Power among the Paſtors of the Church. An argument to convince the World, that becauſe the p. 68Prieſts in fallacious wayes, cauſed a Woman diſtempered with a very high Feaver, if not diſtracted, to ſay, ſhe confeſs'd there was an inequality of Power among the Paſtors of the Church, therefore all the World are obliged to believe that there is a Pope. An argument to be ſent from Dan to Beerſheba every where, where any Engliſh Captives are, to gain their belief of a Pope. Can any rational man think, that CHRIST in the Sixteenth Chapter of Mathew, gave Saint Peter ſuch a Power as the Papiſts ſpeak of; or that the Diſciples ſo underſtood CHRIST? when immediately there aroſe a diſpute among them, who ſhould be the Greateſt in the Kingdom of Heaven? Math. 18. 1. A… the ſame time came the Diſciples of Jeſus, ſaying, who is the greateſt in the Kingdom of Heaven? The rock ſpoken of in the Sixteenth of Mathew, not the Perſon of Peter, but the confeſſion made by him, and the ſame Power is given to all the Diſciples, if you compare one Scripture with another; not one word in any place of Scripture of ſuch a Vicarſhip power as of a Pope, nor any ſolid foundation of proof that Peter had a greater Authority, than the reſt of the Apoſtles. 1 Cor. 4. 6. That you might learn in us, not to think of men above that which is written. Yea, the Apoſtle condemns them. 1 Con 1. 12. for their contentions, One ſaying, I am of Paul, I of Apollos, and I of Caephas; no more of Peters being a foundation than any of the reſt. For we are built upon the foundation of the Apoſtles and Prophets, JESUS CHRIST himſelf being the chief corner ſtone. Not one word in any of Peters Epiſtles; ſhowing that he had greater power than the other p. 69Apoſtles. Nay if the Scriptures give any preference, it is to Saint Paul rather than Saint Peter. 1 Co…. 3. 10. According to the grace of God which is given to me, as a wiſe Maſter Builder I have laid the foundation. 1 Cor. 5. 3, 4. For I verily as abſent in body, but preſent in ſpirit, have judged already, as tho' I were preſent, concerning him that hath ſo done this deed. In the Name of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, when ye are gathered together, and my ſpirit, with the power of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, &c. 1 Cor. 7. 1. Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote to me; application made not to Saint Peter, but Paul, for the deciſion of a Controverſy or Scruple. 1 Cor. 11. 2. Now I praiſe you brethren, that you remember me in all things, and keep the ordinance as I delivered them to you. Either thoſe ſpoken of, Acts 15. or in his Miniſtry and Epiſtles, 2 Cor. 2. 10. For your ſake forgave I it, in the perſon of Chriſt. 2 Cor. 11. 28. That which cometh upon me dayly, the care of all the Churches. 2 Cor. 12. 11,12. For in nothing am I behind the very chiefeſt of the Apoſtles, though I be nothing. Truly the ſigns of an Apoſtle were wrought among you in all patience, in ſigns and wonders, and mighty deeds; and in other places. Again if you conſult, Acts 15. where you have an account of the firſt Synod or Council, you will find that the counſel or ſentence of the Apoſtle James is followed, ver. 19. Wherefore my ſentence is, &c. not a word that St. Peter was chief. Again, you find Peter himſelf ſent forth by the other Apoſtles, Acts 8. 14. The Apoſtles ſent unto them Peter & John. When the Church of the Jews found fault with Peter, for going in to the Gentiles when he p. 70went to Cornelins, he does not ſay, why do you queſtion me, or call me to an account, I am Chriſt's Vicar on Earth. When Paul reproved Peter, Gal. 2. he does not defend himſelf, by mentioning an infallibility in himſelf as Chriſt's Vicar, or reprove Paul for his boldneſs.

The Roman Catholick Church can't be a true Church of Chriſt, in that it makes Laws directly contrary to the Laws and Commands of Chriſt. As for example, in with-holding the Wine or the Cup from the Laiety, in the Lords-Supper; whenas Chriſt commands the ſame to drink who were to eat. Their evaſion that the Blood is in the Body, and ſo they partake of both in eating, is a great fallacy built on a falſe foundation of Tranſubſtantion. For when men eat, they can't be ſaid to drink, which Chriſt commands, for Chriſt commands that we take the Cup and drink, which is not done in eating; beſides the Prieſts themſelves won't be ſo put off. The words (this is my Body) do only intend, this doth ſignify of repreſent my Body, which will appear if you compare Scripture with Scripture, for after the Conſecration the Holy Ghoſt calls it Bread, and the fruit of the Vine. Exod. 12. 11. It is the Lords Paſſe…ver; that is, it repreſents it. In all the Evangeliſts, you read of killing and eating the Paſſeover, a few lines or verſes before theſe words, This is my Body, which plainly ſhow, that our Saviour in the ſame way of figurative expreſſion ſpeaks of the Goſpel Sacrament. If theſe words were taken as the Romaniſts expound them, he muſt eat his own Body himſelf, whole and entire in p. 71his own hands; and after that each one of the Diſciples eat him entire, and yet he ſet at the Table whole, untouched at the ſame time; contradictions impoſſible to be defended by any rational arguments. Yea, his whole Body, muſt be now in Heaven and in a thouſand other places, and in the mouth of every Communicant at the ſame time, and that both as a broken and unbroken Sacrifice, and be ſubject to putrefaction. CHRIST is ſaid to be a Door, a true Vine, a Way, a Rock; What work ſhall we make if we expound theſe in a literal manner, as the Romaniſts do, when they ſay, this is my Body, is meant of the real Body of Chriſt in the Euchariſt? It's ſaid, 1 Cor. 10. 4. And did all drink the ſame ſpiritual drink; for they drank of that ſpiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Chriſt. Was Chriſt literally a Rock, think you? Yea, it's abſurd to believe, that a Prieſt uttering a few words over a Wafer not above an inch ſquare, can make it a God, or the Body of Chriſt entire as it was offered on the Croſs. A blaſphemy to pretend to a power of making God at their pleaſure; & then eat him, & give him to others to be eaten, or ſhut him up in their Altars: that they can utter the ſame words, and make a God or not make a God, according to their intention, and that the people are obliged to believe that it is God, and ſo adore it, when they never hear any word of conſecration, nor know the Prieſts intention. As to what you write about the Holy Maſs: I reply, it's wholly an Humane Invention; not a word of ſuch a Sacrifice in the whole Bible, its being a Sacrifice propitiatory p. 72daily to be offered, is contrary to the Holy Scriptures. Heb. 7. 27. Who needeth not daily, as thoſe High-prieſts, to offer up ſacrifice firſt for his own ſins, and then for the peoples▪ for this he did once, when he offered up himſelf. And yet the Romaniſts ſay, there is nee… that he be offered up as a Sacrifier to God every day. Heb. 9. 12. By his own blood he entred in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 25, 26, 27, 28. Nor yet that he ſhould offer himſelf often, as the High-prieſt entereth into the holy place, every year with the blood of others: For then muſt he often have ſuffered ſince the foundation of the world. But now once in the end of the world, hath he appeared to put away … by the ſacrifice of himſelf. As it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment▪ So Chriſt was once offered to bear the ſins of many. Heb. 10. 10. By which will we are ſanctified, through the offering of the Body of Jeſus Chriſt once for all. ver. 12. But this man, after he had offered one ſacrifice for ſins, for ever ſat down on the Right-hand of God. ver. 14. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are ſanctified. By which Scriptures you may ſee, that the Maſs is not of Divine Appointment, but an humane Invention. Their evaſion of a bloody and an unbloody Sacrifice, is a flam, the holy Scriptures ſpeak not one word, of Chriſt being offered as a Sacrifice Propitiatory, after ſuch a ſort as they call an unbloody Sacrifice. All the Ceremonies of the Maſs are humane inventions, that God never Commanded. As … what in the Letter about Praying for the Women after their Death, is very ridiculous. For As the tr… falls ſo it lyes; as Death leaves judgment will find: … p. 73change after Death from an afflicted to an happy place and ſtate. Purgatory is a phanſy for the enriching the Clergy, and impoveriſhing the Laiety. The Notion of it a fatal Snare to many Souls, who ſin with hopes of eaſy getting Prieſtly abſolutions at Death, and buying off Torments with their Money. The Soul at Death goes immediately to Judgment, and ſo to Heaven or Hell. No authentick Place of Scripture, mentions ſo much as one Word of any ſuch place or ſtate. Mr. Meriel told me, if I found one errour in our Religion, it was enough to cauſe me to diſown our whole Religion: by his argument you may ſee, what reaſon you have to avoid that Religion that is ſo full of Errors. Bethink your ſelf and conſult the Scriptures, if you can get them (I mean the Bible:) Can you think their Religion is right, when they are afraid to let you have an Engliſh Bible? Or to ſpeak with your Father, or other of your Chriſtian Neighbours, for fear they ſhould give you ſuch Convictions of truth that they can't remove? Can that Religion be true, that can't bear an Examination from the Scriptures, that are a Perfect Rule in matters of Faith? Or that muſt be upheld by Ignorance, eſpecially Ignorance of the holy Scriptures? Theſe things have I written as in my heart I believe. I long for your recovery, and will not ceaſe to Pray for it. I am now a man of a Sorrowful Spirit, and look upon your fall as the moſt aggravating circumſtance of my afflictions, and am perſwaded that no pains will be wanting, to prevent me from ſeeing or ſpeaking with you; but I kn…w that Gods Grace is all-ſufficient; p. 74ſufficient. He is able to do exceeding abundantly above what I can aſk or think. Don't give way to diſcouragement as to a return to New-England; read over what I have written, and keep it with you if you can; you have no friend on earth that wiſheth your Eternal Salvation more heartily than your Father. I long to ſee & ſpeak with you, but I never forget you; my love to you, and to your Brother and Siſter, and to all our Fellow-Priſoners. Let me hear from you as often as you can. I hope God will appear for us before it be long. There are a great many other things in the Letter, that deſerve to be refuted, but I ſhall be too tedious in remarking of them all at once. Yet would not paſs over that paſſage in the Letter, that Eſther Jones confeſſed, that there were Seven Sacraments. To which I anſwer, That ſome of the moſt Learned of the Romiſh Religion, confeſſed (without the diſtracting pains of a violent Feaver) and left it upon record in Print, that it can't be convincingly made out from the Scripture, that there are Seven Sacraments, and that their moſt inconteſtable proof is from tradition, and by their traditions they might have found Seventeen as well as Seven: conſidering that four Popes ſucceſſively, ſpent their lives in purging and correcting old Authors. But no man can out of the Holy Scriptures, prove any more than two Sacraments of Divine Inſtitution, under the New Teſtament, namely, Baptiſm and the Lords-Supper. If you make the Scriptures a perfect rule of faith as you ought to do, you can't believe as the Romiſh p. 75Church believes. Oh! ſee that you Sanctify the Lord Himſelf in your heart, and make Him your fear and your dread. Fear not them that can kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do; but rather fear him that has power to deſtroy Soul and Body in Hell fire. The Lord have Mercy upon you, and ſhew you Mercy for the Worthineſs and Righteouſneſs ſake of Jeſus Chriſt, our Great and Glorious Redeemer and Advocate, who makes Interceſſion for Tranſgreſſours. My Prayers are daily to God for you, for your Brother and Siſter, yea for all my Children, and fellow Priſoners. I am your Afflicted and Sorrowful Father,

John Williams. Chateauriche, March 22. 1706.

GOD who is gloriouſly Free and Rich in His Grace to vile Sinners, was pleaſed to bleſs poor & weak means for the recovery of my Child ſo taken, and gave me to ſee, that He did not Say to the Houſe of Jacob, Seek you me in vain. Oh! that every Reader would in every difficulty make Him their Refuge; He is an hopeful ſtay. To alleviate my Sorrow, I received the following Letter in anſwer to mine.

Mont-Royal, May 12. 1706. Honoured Father,

I Received your Letter which you ſent by—which good Letter I thank you for; and for the good Counſel which you gave me: I deſire to p. 76be thankful for it, and hope it will be for the good of my Soul. I may ſay as in the Pſalms; The ſorrows of Death compaſſed me, and the pains of Hell gat hold on me: I found trouble and ſorrow, then called I upon the Name of the Lord: O Lord I beſeech thee deliver my Soul! Gracious is the Lord and Righteous, yea our God is merciful. As for what you aſk me about my making an Abjuration of the Proteſtant Faith for the Romiſh, I durſt not Write ſo plain to you as I would, but hope to ſee and diſcourſe with you. I am ſorry for the Sin I have committed in changing of Religion, for which I am greatly to blame. You may know that Mr. Meriel the School-maſter, and others, were continually at me about it; at laſt I gave over to it: for which I am very ſorry. As for that Letter you had from me, it was a Letter I tranſcribed for Mr. Meriel: And for what he ſaith about Abigail Turbet, and Eſther Jones, no body heard them but he, as I underſtand. I deſire your Prayers to God for me, to deliver me from my Sins. Oh remember me in your Prayers! I am your Dutiful Son, ready to take your Counſel.

Samuel Williams.

THis Prieſt Mr. Meriel, has brought many Letters to him and bid him Write them over and ſend them, and ſo he has done for many others. By this as alſo by Mrs. Stilſons, ſaying, She does not think that either of theſe Women did change their Religion before their Death; ſhe affirms alſo, that oftentimes during their Sickneſs, whilſt they had the uſe of their reaſon, they proteſted againſt the p. 77Romiſh Religion and Faith. Its evident that theſe Women never dyed Papiſts, but that it was a wily Stratagem of the Prieſts to advance their Religion; for Letters were ſent immediately, after their death, to uſe this as a perſwaſive argument to gain others. But God in His Providence gave in farther Conviction of their fallaciouſneſs in this matter.

For the laſt Summer, one Biggilow of Marlborough, a Captive at Mont-Royal, was very Sick in the Hoſpital, and in the judgment of all with a Sickneſs to Death. Then the Prieſts and others gave out, that he was turned to be of their Religion, and taken into their communion: But contrary to their expectation he was brought back from the gates of Death, and would comply with none of their rites: ſaying, that whilſt he had the uſe of his reaſon, he never ſpake any thing in favour of their Religion. And that he never diſown'd the Proteſtant Faith, nor would he now. So that they were ſilenced and put to ſhame. There is no reaſon to think that theſe two Women were any more Papiſts than he; but they are Dead and cannot ſpeak. One of the Witneſſes ſpoken of in the fore-mentioned Letter, told me, ſhe knew of no ſuch thing, and ſaid Mr. Meriel told her, that he never heard a more fervent and affectionate Prayer, than one which Eſther Jones made a little before her Death. I am verily perſwaded, that he calls that Prayer to God ſo full of affection and confeſſion, the confeſſion made by her of the Sins of her whole Life. Theſe two Women always in their health, and ſo in their Sickneſs, oppoſed all Popiſh Principles, as all that knew them can teſtify, p. 78ſo long as they could be permitted to go and ſpeak with them. One of theſe Women was taken from the Eaſtward, and the other, namely Eſther Jones from Northampton.

In the beginning of March 1706. Mr. Sheldon came again to Canada, with Letters from His Excellency our GOVERNOUR, at which time I was a few days at Quebeck. And when I was there, One Night about Ten a Clock, there was an Earthquake, that made a report like a Cannon, and made the Houſes to tremble: It was heard and felt many Leagues, all along the Iſland of St. Laurence, and other places. When Mr. Sheldon came the ſecond time, the Adverſaries did what they could to retard the time of our return, to gain time to ſeduce our Young Ones to Popery. Such were ſent away who were judged ungainable, and moſt of the Younger ſort ſtill kept. Some ſtill flattered with Promiſes of reward; and great Eſſayes to get others Married among them. One debauched, and then in Twenty-four Hours of time Publiſhed, taken into their Communion & Married; but the poor Soul has had time ſince to lament her Sin & Folly, with a bitter cry; and aſks your Prayers, that God of His Sovereign Grace would yet bring out of the horrible Pit, ſhe has thrown her ſelf into. Her Name was Rachael St…rer of Wells.

In ▪ April, one Zebediah Williams of our Town dyed: he was a very hopeful and pious young man, who carried himſelf ſo in his Captivity, as to edify p. 79ſeveral of the Engliſh; and recover one fallen to Popery, taken the laſt War; tho' ſome were enraged againſt him on theſe accounts; yet even the French where he Sojourned, and with whom he Converſed, would ſay he was a good man: One that was very Prayerful to God, and Studious and Painful in reading the holy Scriptures. A man of a good underſtanding, a deſirable Converſation: in the beginning of his laſt Sickneſs he made me a Viſit (before he …ent to the Hoſpital at Quebeck) to my great ſatisfaction, and our mutual conſolation and comfort in our Captivity. As he had ſeveral times before, living not above two Miles from me over the River, at the Iſland of St. Laurence, about Six Weeks or Two Months. After his Death, the French told me, Zebediah was gone to Hell and Damned: For, ſaid they, He has appeared ſince his Death (to one Joſeph Egerly, an Engliſh man, who was taken the laſt War) in flaming fire, telling him, he was Damned for refuſing to imbrace the Romiſh Religion, when ſuch pains were uſed to bring him to the true Faith, and for being inſtrumental to draw him away from the Romiſh Communion, forſaking the Maſs; and was therefore now come to advertiſe him of his danger. I told them, I Judged it to be a Popiſh Lye: Saying, I bleſs God our Religion needs no lyes to uphold, maintain, and eſtabliſh it, a… theirs did. But they affirmed it to be true, telling me, how God approved of their Religion, and Witneſſed miraculouſly againſt ours. But I ſtill told them, I was perſwaded his Soul was in Heaven, and that theſe reports were only deviſed fables to ſeduce Souls. p. 80For ſeveral Weeks they affirmed it, telling me, that all who came over the River from the Iſland affirmed it to be a truth. I beg'd of God to blaſt this Helliſh Deſign of theirs, ſo that in the iſſue it might be to render their Religion more abominable, and that they might not gain one Soul by ſuch a ſtratagem. After ſome weeks had paſſed in ſuch aſſertions, there came one into my Landlords Houſe, affirming it to be a truth reported of Zebediah, ſaying, Joſeph Egerly had been over the River, & told one of our Neighbours this Story. After a few hours I ſaw that Neighbour, and aſkt him whether he had ſeen Egerly lately; he ſaid yes, What News told he to you? None ſaid he. Then I told him what was affirmed as a truth; he anſwered, Egerly ſaid nothing like this to him, and he was perſwaded he would have told him, if there had been any truth in it. About a week after this, came one John Boult from the Iſland of St. Laurence, a Lad taken from Newfoundland, a very ſerious ſober Lad of about Seventeen years of Age; he had often before came over with Zebediah to viſit me. At his coming in, he much lamented the loſs of Zebediah, and told me, that for ſeveral weeks they had told him the ſame Story, affirming it to be a truth, and that Egerly was ſo awakened by it, as to go again to Maſs every day, urging him; ſince God in ſuch a miraculous way offered ſuch conviction of the truth of their Religion, and the falſhood & danger of ours, to come over to their Religion, or elſe his damnation would be dreadfully aggravated. He (ſaid he) could have no reſt for them day and night; but p. 81(ſaid he) I told them their Religion was contrary to the Word of God, and therefore I would not embrace it; & that I did not believe what they ſaid. And ſays he, to me, one day I was ſitting in the houſe, and Egerly came in, and I ſpake to him before the whole Family (in the French Tongue, for he could not ſpeak much Engliſh) and askt him of this Story, he anſwered, it's a great falſhood, ſaying, he never appeared to me, nor have I ever reported any ſuch thing to any body; and that he had never been at the M…ſs ſince Zebediah's death. At the hearing of which they were ſilenced and put to ſhame; we bleſſed God together, for diſcovering their wickedneſs, and diſappointing them in what they aimed at, & pray'd to God to deliver us and all the Captives from deluſions, and recover them who had fallen, and ſo parted. After which I took my Pen and wrote a Letter to one Mr. Samuel Hill, an Engliſh Captive, taken from Wells, who liv'd at Quebeck, & his Brother Ebenez…r Hill to make a diſcovery of this lying Plot, to warn them of their danger, and aſſure them of the falſhood of this report; but the Letter fell into the hands of the Prieſts, and was never delivered. This Egerly came home with us, ſo that they gained nothing but ſhame by this ſtratagem: God often diſappoints the crafty devices of wicked men.

In the latter end of Summer, they told me they had News from New-England by one who had been a Captive at Boſton, who ſaid that the Miniſters at Boſton had told the French Captives, that the Proteſtant Religion was the only true Religion; and p. 82that as a confirmation of it, they would raiſe a dead perſon to life before their eyes for their conviction; and that having perſwaded one to feign himſelf dead, they came and pray'd over him, and then commanded him in the Name of Chriſt (whoſe Religion they kept pure) to ariſe, they call'd and commanded, but he never aroſe; ſo that inſtead of raiſing the Dead, they killed the Living; which the bereav'd Relations diſcovered. I told them, it was an old Lye and Calumny againſt Luther and Calvin new vamped, and that they only change the perſons and place: but they affirmed it to be a truth; I told them I wondred they were ſo fond of a faith propagated, and then maintain'd by lying words.

We were always out of hopes of being returned before Winter, the ſeaſon proving ſo cold in the latter end of September, and were praying to God to prepare our hearts, with all holy ſubmiſſion to his Holy Will, to Glorify his Holy Name in a way of paſſive Obedience in the Winter. For my own part, I was informed by ſeveral who came from the City, that the Lord Intendant ſaid, if More returned and brought word that Battis was in Priſon, he would put me into Priſon, and lay me in Irons. They would not permit me to go into the City, ſaying, I always did harm when I came to the City, and if at any time I was at the City, they would perſwade the Governour to ſend me back again.

In the beginning of laſt June, the Superior of the Prieſts came to the Pariſh where I was, and p. 83told me, he ſaw I wanted my Friend Captain de Beauville, and that I was ragged. But ſays he, your obſtinacy againſt our Religion diſcourages from providing better Cloaths; I told him it was better going in a ragged Coat, than with a ragged Conſcience.

In the beginning of laſt June, went out an Army of Five Hundred Maqua's and Indians, with an intention to have fallen on ſome Engliſh Towns down Connecticut River, but lighting on a S…alac…ok Indian, who ran away in the night, they were diſcouraged; ſaying, he would alarm the whole Country: about Fifty as ſome ſay, or Eighty as others, returned: Thus God reſtrained their Wrath.

When they were promiſing themſelves another Winter, to draw away the Engliſh to Popery, came News of an Engliſh Briganteen a coming, and that the Honourable Capt. Samuel Appleton Eſqr. was coming Ambaſſador, to fetch off the Captives, and Capt. John Bonner with him. I cannot tell you how, the Clergy and others laboured to ſtop many of the Priſoners, to ſome Liberty, to ſome Mony, and yearly Penſions were offered, if they would ſtay. Some they urged to tarry at leaſt till the Spring of the year, telling them it was ſo late in the year, they would be loſt by Shipwrack if they went now; ſome younger ones they told, if they went home they would be Damned and burn in Hell for ever, to affright them; day and night they were urging of them to ſtay. And I was threatned to be ſent aboard, without a permiſſion to come aſhoar again, if I ſhould again diſcourſe with any of the Engliſh p. 84who were turned to their Religion; at Mont-Royal eſpecially all crafty endeavours were uſed to ſtay the Engliſh. They told my Child, if he would ſtay, he ſhould have an honourable Penſion from the King every year, and that his Maſter, who was an old man, and the richeſt in Canada, would give him a great deal; telling him if he returned he would be poor, for (ſaid they) your Father is poor, has loſt all his Eſtate; it was all burnt. But he would not be prevailed with to ſtay; and others were alſo in like manner urged to ſtay, but God graciouſly brake the ſnare and brought them out. They endeavoured in the Fall of the year, to have prevailed with my Son to have gone to France, when they ſaw he would not come to their Communion any more. One Woman belonging to the Eaſtern parts, who had by their perſwaſions, Married an Engliſh Captive taken the laſt War, came away with her Huſband, which made them ſay, they were ſorry they ever perſwaded her to turn to their Religion, and then to Marry. For inſtead of advancing their Cauſe by it, they had weakened it, for now they had not only loſt her, but another they thought they had made ſure of. Another Woman belonging to the Eaſtward, who had been flattered to their Religion, to whom a Bible was denied, till ſhe promiſed to embrace their Religion, and then had the promiſe of it for a little time, opening her Bible whilſt in the Church and preſent, at Maſs, ſhe read the fourth Chapter of Deuteronomy, & received ſuch conviction whilſt reading, that before her firſt communion ſhe fell off from them, and could never be prevailed with any more to be of their Religion.

p. 85We have reaſon to bleſs God, who has wrought deliverance for ſo many, and yet to pray to God for a door of eſcape, to be opened for the great number yet behind, not much ſhort of an Hundred, many of which are Children, and of theſe not a few among the Salvages, and having loſt the Engliſh Tongue, will be loſt and turn Salvages in a little time, unleſs ſomething extraordinary prevent.

The Veſſel that came for us, in its Voyage to Canada ſtruck on a Bar of Sands, and there lay in very great hazard for four Tides, and yet they ſaw reaſon to bleſs God for ſtriking there; for had they got over that Bar, they ſhould at midnight in a Storm of Snow have run upon a terrible ledge of Rocks.

We came away from Quebeck, October Twenty five, and by contrary Winds and a great Storm, we were retarded, and then driven back nigh the City, and had a great deliverance from Shipwrack, the Veſſel ſtriking twice on a Rock in that Storm. But thro' God's goodneſs we all arrived in ſafety at Boſton, November Twenty one, the number of Captives Fifty ſeven, two of which were my Children. I have yet a Daughter of Ten years of Age, and many Neighbours, whoſe Caſe beſpeaks your compaſſion, and prayers to God to gather them, being Out-caſts ready to periſh.

At our arrival at Boſton, we found the Kindneſſes of the Lord in a wonderful manner, in God's opening the hearts of many, to bleſs God with us and for us, wonderfully to give for our ſupplies in our needy ſtate. We are under obligations to praiſe p. 86God, for diſpoſing the hearts of ſo many to ſo great Charity, and under great bonds to pray for a bleſſing on the Heads, Hearts and Families of them, who ſo liberally and plentifully gave for our relief. It's certain, that the Charity of the whole Country of Canada, though moved with the doctrine of merit, does not come up to the Charity of Boſton alone, where notions of merit are rejected; but acts of Charity performed out of a right Chriſtian Spirit, from a Spirit of thankfulneſs to God, out of Obedience to Gods Command, and unfeigned Love and Charity to them that are of the ſame Family and Houſhold of Faith. The Lord grant, that all who deviſe ſuch liberal things, may find the accompliſhment of the promiſes made by God, in their own perſons and theirs after them, from Generation to Generation.

I Shall Annex a ſhort account, of the troubles beginning to ariſe at Canada. On May Sixteen, arrived a Cannoe at Quebeck, that brought Letters from Meſyppa, written the May preceeding, giving an account that the Plague was there, and that One hundred & Fifty French in a very little time had dyed of it; & that the Salvages called the Lezilouways were very turbulent, & had with their Arrows wounded a Jeſuit in Five places, and killed a French-man that waited on him. In July News came, that the Nations up the River were engaged in a War one againſt the other, and that the French living ſo among them, and Trading with them, p. 87were in great danger, that the Mitchel-macquina's had made War with the M…mies, and had killed a Mendicant F…yar, and three other Frenchmen, and eleven Salvages at a place call'd the Straits, where they are ſettling a Gariſon and Place for Traffick; the Mitchel-macquina's had taken ſixteen French-men Priſoners, and burnt their Trading Houſes. Theſe tidings made the French very full of perplexing troubles; but the Jeſuits are endeavouring to pacify them, but the troubles when we came away, were rather encreaſing then leſſening; for the laſt Letters from the French Priſoners at Mitchel-macquina report, that the Salvages had ſent out two Companies, one of an Hundred and Fifty, another of an Hundred and Sixty, againſt the Salvages at the Straits, and they feared, they would engage as well againſt the French as the Indians.

The END.

Reports of Divine Kindneſs: OR, Remarkable Mercies Should be Faithfully Publiſhed, For the Praiſe of GOD the Giver. Set forth in a SERMON Preached at Boſton Lecture, Decemb. 5. 1706.

By John Williams, Paſtor of the Church of CHRIST in Deerfield; Soon after his Return from a doleful Captivity.

Pſal. 107. 13, 14, 15, 32. He ſaved them out of their diſtreſſes. He brought them out of darkneſs, and the ſhadow of death: and brake their bands in ſunder. O that men would praiſe the Lord for his goodneſs: and for his wonderful works to the Children of men.—Let them exalt him alſo in the Congregation of the People, and Praiſe him in the Aſſembly of the Elders.

Pſal. 34. 3. O magnifie the Lord with me, and let … exalt his Name together.

Boſton: Printed for S. Phillips, at the Brick Shop. 1707.