EDULCORATOR. A brief ESSAY ON THE WATERS of MARAH SWEETENED. With a Remarkable RELATION of the Deporable OCCASION afforded for it, In the Praemature DEATH of Captain Josiah Winslow, Who [with several of his Company] Sacrificed his Life, in the Service of his Country; Engaging an Army of Indians, May 1. 1724.
BOSTON: Printed by B. Green. 1725.
To the Honourable Col. Isaac Winslow, And his Religious CONSORT.
WHEN the Offspring of Ephraim, felt the stroke of Death from the Men of Gath, in an Unseasonable and Unsuccessful Salley upon the Can [...]an [...]tes we read; 1 Chron VII 21. The Father Mourned many days, and his Brethren came to Comfort him. What has befallen You in the Death of a Beloved SON, slain by the Men, whom a Righteous GOD has Employ [...]d in the Dispensations of His Wine-Press, threatens to leave You Mourning many Days. Yea, you seem disposed, not altogether unlike the Patriarch [the Father of Ephraim] who, upon the Apprehension of an Evil Beast having Devoured his Beloved Son, refused [Page] to be Comforted, and said, I will go down into the Grave unto my Son, Mourning: And you Apprehend nothing, but having Your Gray-hairs brought down with Sorrow to the Grave.
AMONG the Brethren that come to Comfort You, here is One who is Your Brother in Adversity; and who just before You, had the Praemature Death of His Eldest Son, to add unto the Embitterments of his Pilgrimage. And he comes to Comfort you, in your Trouble by the Comfort, wherewith he has himself been Comforted of GOD; and invite You to join with him, in the Songs, which he has and Sings, In the House of his Pilgrimage.
YOUR Dear Son had a GRAND-FATHER, who was the Beauty and Safety of his Country; and the General of all the Forces wherewith our United Colonies performed the most Martial Exploit that ever was done in our Land. He had a GREAT-GRAND-FATHER, who was One of the Finest Men that ever shone in these Plantations; and who having done more than any man for the Animation and Preservation of the First Adventures hither, advanced from [...] D [...], and then to Dy, in a larger [Page] Field abroad for the Good of the English Empire. Both of them, GOVERNOURS.
'TIS too soon, and this is not a place for me to say any thing of his FATHER, except what we find said on Joseph of Arimath [...]a, He has been, An Honourable Counsellour.
UNTO such an Honourable Descent, there being added the Liberal Education which his FATHER bestow'd upon him, to fit him for doing somewhat considerable in the World, what Expectations might have been reasonably raised of his doing something that should be worthy the Offspring of such Meritorious Ancestors!
BUT our Sovereign GOD has Determined it, That all shall be comprised in this one Action; To lay down his Life in the Service of his Country: The Spark that was Mounting Upwards, and we knew not what Lustre he might anon arrive unto, must only give this Coup [...]d' Eclat, and fall down into the common Heap of Ashes: And instead of proceeding Master of Arts, as if he had Lived a Few Weeks more he would have done, receive the Laurel of, One who Died Fighting the Battels of the Lord.
[Page] THIS Alone is enough to bespeak a Grateful Commemoration of him; which is accordingly now endeavoured. But, how to Support You, that under so great a Loss, You may not be utterly Inconsolable, I know no better way, than to throw in, what I am here going to cast into the Bitter Waters. And hereupon, in Offering the Sacrifice, whereto GOD is now calling You, I hope, He will help You to Do Wondrously.
THAT the Consolations of GOD may not be small unto You, is the Hearts Desire and Prayer, of
THE Waters of Marah SWEETENED. Upon the Death of that Hopeful Young Gentleman, Captain JOSIAH WINSLOW.
MOST certainly, the Best Course that ever could be taken; To cry unto the Lord. It was the Best Man then Living in the World, by whom it was taken. It was a MOS [...]S, who still took it, when Bitter Things were dispensed unto him.
[Page 2] THE People under his Conduct Expected Waters, upon their first entrance into the Arabian Wilderness thro' which they were to pass unto the Promised Land. But the Waters which they found, prov'd Bitter ones: Even such as Procured hereupon the Name of Marah, to be given them. I do not suppose these to be the Bitter Fountains that Pliny speaks of; According to Strab [...], those were on the other side of the Red-Sea. But they seem to be of the same Nature with 'em. The Spirits of the People, were as Bitter as the Waters which they came to. Whatever grievous Things they meet withal [...] a Moses must be Barbarously, Unreasonably, Unaccountably Murmured at. But the Murmurs of an Absurd and Froward People, against this Excellent Man, only excite his Prayers to the Glorious GOD. Behold, How his Prayers are answered▪ GOD by special Inspiration & Revelation directed him to a Tree; the casting whereof into the Waters, took away the Brackish Tang of them, and marvellously sweetened them. What the Tree was, 'tis unknown, because untold unto us. Doubtless, it was not Naturally, but Miraculously that so sweetening a Virtue issued from it. And no doubt, the Waters continued sweet forever after it. But whatever we may be uncertain of, the Figurative Importance of the Tree, can Labour under no uncertainty [Page 3] with us. The Affairs of that peculiar People, which GOD in the days of old remarkably distinguished from the rest of the World, had in them notable Figures of the My [...]eries, which the People of GOD after the coming of our SAVIOUR were to be more fully acquainted withal. The Tree that sweetened the Waters of Marah, was a Type o [...] something to be found in the Gospel of our Salvation, which will wonderfully sweeten all the bitter Things that we meet withal. From that famous Tree I will gather a DOCTRINE, which, I hope, you will give a Comfortable Attention to. Tis this;
THE first Thing which we have now to be sensible of, is a Thing which we all cannot but [...]e sensible of. It may be said, Behold, All we ourselves have seen it. It is this▪ That in our Travel thro' this World, unto a Better World, there are bitter Waters to be met withal. We are Travellers thro a Wilderness, towards a Better Country, that is, an Heavenly. Certainly we meet with Occurrences enough, to convince us, That while we are in this present Evil World, we [Page 4] are but in a Wilderness. Our Wants, our Fears, our loss about our Way, & Thousands of Difficulties which in our condition we meet withal, are the too livel Characters of a Wilderness. Yea, to this World, we may too aptly apply the Characters of the Arabian Wilderness where the Israelites laid their Carcases; A land of pi [...]ts and of droughts and of fiery Flying Serpents. In this our Wilderness, we have a Thirst for many good Things. Our Thirsty Souls have their Appetites to be satisfied. But, alas, They are Bitter Waters, which we meet withal: Such Disappointments do our Thirsty Souls, relying upon Creatures, meet withal. In the old Records of the Church, we find a Godly Woman, among the Travellers thro' the Wilderness of this World; who said, Ruth I. 20. Call me, Marah; Because the Almighty has greatly caused bitterness unto me. Truly, The bitter Waters of Marah, are so dispensed unto them who Travel thro' the Wilderness, that the Travellers themselves claim the Name of Marah too. Our Wilderness will anon Terminate in a Pleasant Land. The Promis'd Land will be found a pleasant Land; verily, in that Land, there will be found Fulness of Joy, and Pleasures forevermore. The bitter Waters of the Wilderness are most W [...]sely as well as Justly ordered for us; To prepare us for the Land flowing [Page 5] with milk and honey. But, if we will be Inquisitive, What is the True Spring of our bitter Waters? or, What lies at the Bottom of our Condition, to Embitter it. I remember, that in the Visions of the Apocalypse, we read, Rev. VIII 10. A great star [...]se upon the fountains of Waters; and the name of the star is called, Wormwood; and the third part of the waters became wormwood, and many men died of the waters because they were made bitter. The bitter Servitude wherein to many Provinces of the Roman Empire were brought, when the Goths made their Descent from the North upon it, may be thus pointed out unto us. Alluding unto this, my Observation shall be, That Sin, Sin, shall be considered as the Star that falls upon the Fountains of our Waters: This, as a Comet bears down upon us, and its Influences reach to the bottom of our Condition in the World. O Thou Star to be forever called Wormwood▪ It is thou that hast infused a bitterness into our whole Condition, and made our Waters as bitter as Wormwood. Yea, we Dy, we Dy of the Waters, because they are made so very bitter.
BUT, What are the Bitter Waters of the Wilderness?
First, IN Repentance there are Bitter Waters which we must be brought unto. We [...]ead o [...], Repentance to Salvation▪ without [Page 6] Repentance there is no coming to Salvation. We cannot come to the Enjoyment of GOD, in the sinless Mansions, if we are not sorry for our Departure from GOD, and if we don't Bewail and Abhor and Forsake the sin which disqualifies us for those Holy Mansions. Now there is a bitterness of Soul, in that Contrition for Sin, which is in all true Repentance. Of true Penitents, there is this Account given; Zech. XII. 10. They shall be in bitterness. In Sin we venture upon Stolen Waters; and these at first are sweet unto us. But in Repentance, they must be changed into bitter Waters. The sweetest Pleasures of Sin, must become very bitter, in the Reflections that Repentance is to make upon them. After we have Drunk in Iniquity like water, it will by Repentance rise in our Stomach, and become then as bitter as Gall unto us. One who had wallow'd in much Unchastity, was brought by Repentance to say, I fin'd it more bitter than Death unto me! Of one come unto Repentance we read, Mat. XXVI. 75. He wept bitterly. The Tears of Repentance are bitter Waters. With a Repenting Soul, we are to look back and s [...]e, I have sinned, and I have done very [...] See, I have sinned, and I have denied [...] GOD that is above! See, I have sinned, and I [...] my own soul! Tis with an Unspeakable bitterness that we are to look back [Page 7] upon it. Sinner, Thy Wickedness, it is bitter; So it must be, when it reaches to thy Heart, in thy Resentments of it. Alas, Thou art in the Gall of bitterness, until Repentance render thy Sins more bitter than any Gall unto thee.
Secondly, IN Affliction, there are bitter Waters, which we shall be brought unto. There will be Need of it, that we should be in heaviness; and we shall be so. Affliction will cause us to be so. But we are in bitterness when we are so. An Handmaid of the Lord being in much Affliction, we read, 2 Sam. I 10. She was in bitterness of Soul. Affliction is Unavoidable. Every thing that Sojourns upon the Earth, which has Thorns every where growing in it, is Afflicted with them. O Man born of a Woman, Dream not that thy few Days will be free from Trouble; No, they will be full of them. But Affliction will Produce those Lamentations, Lam III [...]5 He hath filled me with bitterness. Of a certain time we read, He saw the Affliction of Israel that it was very bitter. But indeed, what Affliction is there, of which we say not, It is bitter! The Weeping Eyes of People in Affliction, yield streams of bitter Waters. The Eyes that are a Fountain of Tears, have a bitter Liquor flowing there. It is the Language of the Prophet, They shall weep with bitterness of [Page 8] Heart. The Afflicted Prophet of GOD said, I will weep bitterly. The briny Liquor distilled from the Eyes by Affliction is a bitter Liquor Affliction causes one to say, I will complain in the bitterness of my Soul. Affliction causes another to say, I shall go softly all my Life in the bitterness of my Soul. O Thou Passenger thro' the valley of Baca; Many sad things will befal thee here, whereupon thou shalt say, Lord, Thou writest bitter things against me. They to whom GOD gives Tears to Drink in a great measure, these can tell of bitter Waters.
BUT can we come at nothing to sweeten the bitter Waters? Yes, there is a Second Thing to be now Remarkable with us. We are to be advised of a Tree, by the Application whereof, the bitter waters of our Wilderness, will be wonderfully sweetened unto us. There is a Tree, on which let us employ our Thoughts, and with Prayer and Faith let us make our Flight unto it, and let us in this way apply it unto the purposes for which GOD has provided it: The bitter waters of Marah, will now be wonderfully Dulcified, and lose all their bitterness. There is a Tree whereof I may say unto you, Tis a Tree w [...] fair branches, and with a shadowing shrowd, and of an high stature. The heighth of this Tree is Exalted above all the Trees of the Field; Nor is any Tree in the Garden of GOD like unto [Page 9] Him, for his Beauty. I may also tell you for your Satisfaction, Tis a Tree which you will be all welcome to: A Tree planted in the Mountain of the Heighth of Israel; and under it shall dwell all Fowle of every wing. Yea, of this Tree, I may for a further Satisfaction tell you, you need not go, or send unto a Foreign Country for it. The Tree is Nigh unto you. You may easily come at it, and as often as you please. It stands just before you.
CERTAINLY, you are willing to know, what this Tree should be; what the Blessed Sweetener of all our bitter waters. And I make no Question, but that in your own Minds, you already apprehend, What, and Where and Who the Tree is, that I shall point you to. Truly, a CHRIST, a CHRIST, is what I must point you to. You did expect that I would point you thither. A Glorious CHRIST, is the Tree. Other Tree for the sweetening of our bitter waters, can no man tell of. The Tree that is to take out the bitterness from the Waters of Marah must be the Tree of Life; It can be no other than the Tree whereof we read, Rev. XXII. 2. The Tree of Life, which yields its Fruit every Month, and the leaves of the Tree are for the Healing of the Nations. The Beloved Man in the Visions of GOD, saw close by this Tree of Life, A pure [Page 10] River of Water of Life proceeding out of the Throne of GOD, and of the Lamb. You may be sure, there was no bitterness in this water of Life. There is nothing but sweet water in this River of GOD. If the Tree of Life be near it, it must be so. But O Believer, can any thing but a CHRIST be the Tree of Life unto thee? There, There is the Tree! O Fly unto it, for the Cure of all the bitterness, which the Forbidden Tree has brought unto thee. But Behold How the Wonders grow upon us! Our SAVIOUR does then most of all prove the Tree of Life unto us, when we behold Him on the Tree of Death, which He was [...]il'd unto. Tis a Crucified CHRIST that is the Tree of Life. I am determined to know and Preach nothing so much as this among you! The Cross of our SAVIOUR, that Cursed, Ragged, Wretched sort of a Tree; This is the Tree, which above all things, has the most Sovereign Vertue, to sweeten our bitter waters. The Cross on which, when our SAVIOUR cried out, I Thirst, they gave Him a Bitter Potion; They gave Him Vinegar dashed with Gall, to Drink; This will take out the Gall of every [...]up in the Thing appointed for us. By casting the Cross of our SAVIOUR into the Waters of Marah, Which is done by Meditations on a Crucified CHRIST, under all Embitterments, they will be Sweetened [Page 11] unto Admiration. Let us a little enter into this Mystery of Godliness.
First. THE Bitter Waters of Repentance will be wonderfully Sweetened, when a CHRIST is well-applied unto us. Declare, O Soul in the bitter Anguish of Repentance; Will not the Hope and Joy of a Pardon mightily sweeten these bitter Waters? Yes The sense of a GOD Reconciled, will be so sweet a Thing, that it will even sweeten all the bitter Things that we can from any Quarter meet withal. Now, Repair to thy SAVIOUR, and Rely on the Sacrifice which he has offered up unto GOD, for the Expiation of the Sins which thou d [...]st Remember as the Wormwood and the Gall, thy Soul has them in Remembrance and is Humbled in thee. The Blood shed by thy SAVIOUR, in the Sufferings which He finished on the Cross, This Blood Cleanses from all sin. Plead this Blood; Plead it with Agony; Plead it with Dependence; Plead it with a most high Value for it, and a desire to have it Operate unto all the Sacred Intentions of it. There will hereupon come unto thee that Message from GOD; 2 Sam. XII. 13. The Lord has put away thy sin. Thy Song may now be, Lord, I will praise thee; For though thou wast Angry with me, thine Anger is turned away, and thou [...]st comfort me.
[Page 12] AND now, What is become of the Bitter Waters? They are strangely Sweetened. The Sweet Hope & Joy of the Salvation of GOD; This gives to the Soul, the Consolations that are not small. The Soul cannot but be of good Cheer, when that Voice comes from GOD unto it, Child, Thy Sins are Forgiven thee! The bitter Herbs of the Passover, did they not lose their bitterness by the Paschal Lamb, which they were annex'd unto! Repentance is a Diet of bitter Herbs; But there is this to sweeten it; CHRIST our Passover has been Sacrificed for us. Yea, more than This. A Soul thus Justified, will now be so Sanctified, that the very Exercise of Repentance itself, shall be beyond all expression sweet unto it. The Past of the Renewed Soul will be so altered, that it will find a Thousand times more sweetness in the Repenting of Sin, than ever it found in the Committing of Sin. Of Religion they that have tried it, bear this Testimony, All the ways of Wisdom are pleasant ways. Repentance is the most bitter Thing in Religion. But it is now found, that there is more Pleasure in Mourning for Sin, than there is in Acting of it. Tis a sweeter Thing by far, to Mortify a Lust, than it can be to Gratify it. Regeneration will bring such a change upon the woful Relish which we have had, when we have put sweet for bitter, and bitter for [Page 13] sweet. The bitter Austerities of Repentance, will become the sweetest Things in the World unto us.
Secondly. THE Bitter Waters of Affliction will be wonderfully Sweetened, when a CHRIST is well-applied unto us. O Thou Afflicted and not Comforted, Converse much with a CHRIST, under thy Affliction, and thou wilt soon be Comforted. Thy Affliction comes to drive thee unto thy SAVIOUR. The Storms that beat upon thee, are to drive thee unto this Tree of GOD; The Tree whereof thou mayst sit under the shadow with Delight, and the Fruit be sweet unto thy tast. Especially, a CHRIST as Crucified, is now to be conversed withal. Thy Affliction is the Cross which thy SAVIOUR has assign'd unto thee. Go with it unto the Cross which thy SAVIOUR has endured for thee. Throw as much as thou canst of this Tree into thy bitter Waters. 'Twill so sweeten them, that all the bitterness thereof shall be to thee, but as Waters that pass away. One very deeply concerned with bitter Waters, being able to say, I have poured out my Soul unto the Lord; It is Reported, She was no more sad. Going to the Lord with the Out-pourings of thy Soul, thou wilt put that into the bitter Waters, by the means whereof, thou mayest be no more sad. Thou mayst now [Page 14] say, Call me not Marah, but call me Naomi for I am very pleasantly accommodated. It was an Uncomfortable Moan, Lam. I. 16. I weep, mine Eye, mine Eye runneth down with water. And whence these bitter Waters! Because the Comforter that should relieve my Soul is far from me. But now, if in thy Adversity, thou dost Converse much with a CHRIST, the Comforter that will relieve thy Soul, is nigh to thee. So there is no cause, no room for the bitter Waters.
WHAT we have now to do, is to shew, How the Bitter Waters of Marah, will be Sweetened, by a CHRIST Conversed withal? The followers of Gid [...]n, that so those might be discovered, whom GOD would Accept among them were to be brought unto the Waters, that so a Trial might be made of them there. My Friends, You are to be brought, even unto the bitter Waters, and it shall be tried, what Christians you are, and whether GOD will Accept you, or no, by This.
HOW does a CHRIST Conversed withal sweeten the bitter Waters to you? I remember what we read concerning the Afflicted People of GOD, [For so it should be read,] Isa. [...]XIII. 9. In all their Affliction, there was [...] Affliction. O you that are of a sorrowful Spirit, Let a CHRIST be Conversed withal, [Page 15] and it shall be said of all your Affliction, There are no bitter Waters in it.
First, IN Affliction a CHRIST Conversed withal, will take the Curse out of the bitter Waters. They were bitter Waters indeed, which of old Convey'd a Curse unto them, who had not been wronged in a Jealousy of their Adulteries. Truly, when Affliction comes upon us, we have bitter Waters in it, if it brings a Curse with it, and if it proceed from such a Wrath of GOD, as comes on the Children of Disobedience, and if it comes meerly to Execute a Vengeance of Heaven upon us. Oh! most bitter Waters! But now, in a CHRIST Conversed withal, we shall see, this Curse taken out of our Affliction, by our SAVIOUR. He has bore the Curse of it, when He was made a Curse for us. O Child of Affliction, Embrace the SAVIOUR who makes a Tender of Himself unto thee; put thy self under His Conduct; entreat of the Glorious GOD, that for the sake of the Atonement which He has made, Thy sins which are many may be forgiven to thee. Now GOD is not in thy Affliction, only with a Punitive Justice Revenging Himself upon thee. Now the Affliction comes from a GOD, who Propounds to Convey Blessings unto thee with it. Now, in all thy Affliction, thy SAVIOUR is fulfilling [Page 16] that Word unto thee; Rev. III. 19. As many as I love I rebuke and [...]. He is Prosecuting Designs of Love, in what He does unto thee. The Cu [...] of bitter Waters, that is given to thee, thou hast the Love of thy SAVIOUR spicing of it. Thou mayst make this Conclusion; A Gracious GOD who is at Peace with me, thro' the CHRIST by the Faith of whom I am justified; HE tis that inflicts all my Dark and Sad Things upon me. And is not the Harshness of the bitter Waters now mightily taken off!
Secondly. IN Affliction a CHRIST Conversed withal, will show us how Kind an Hand it is, which dispenses unto us all the bitter Waters. Tis very sure, Affliction comes not forth of the Dust, nor does Trouble spring out of the Ground. The bitter Waters have an higher Source than so. There is the Providence of the Great GOD at Work, in all the Affliction that comes upon us: Yea, in the least thing that befals us. Not a Bird of the Air falls to the Earth without the Will of GOD. There is His All Reaching Providence at Work in all that befalls us. The very Hairs of our Heads as well as our Heads themselves are under the Inspection of it. Now the Administration of this Providence is committed into the Hands of our SAVIOUR. The GOD-MAN, [Page 17] even our Immanuel, or, the SON of GOD Incarnate in our JESUS, does administer the Divine Providence. The Man upon the Throne Governs the motions of all the Wheels in every Turn that happens in the World. He makes that claim; Mat. XXVIII. 18. All Power is given unto me, in heaven and in Earth. Now O Son of sorrow, I [...] thy Affliction let there be a CHRIST Conversed withal. Then say, From what Hand are the bitter Waters bro't unto thee?
IT may be, the Waters of a full Cup are poured out unto thee. But the Cup is in the Hand of a SAVIOUR who says unto thee, I will do thee no Hurt? Think, Who is it that orders all my Affliction for me? Tis a SAVIOUR, who has Loved me with an everlasting Love. Tis a SAVIOUR who has died for me, and ever Lives to make Intercession for me, that I may be delivered from the Evil which my Sin has made me worthy of. Tis a SAVIOUR who has United me unto Himself, and will permit nothing to be done unto me, but what a Member of His Body may have befalling of it. Oh! Scarce to be called, bitter Waters, that are found in a Cup, given by the Hand of such a SAVIOUR!
Thirdly. IN Affliction a CHRIST Conversed withal, will Procure for us, Assure us of, Illustrious Benefits by the bitter Waters O [Page 18] Mourner, who canst say, I am Afflicted very much: Get into a CHRIST, and keep nigh to a CHRIST; So thou shalt find, thy bitter Waters have no Poison in them. No; They will be Healing Waters. In all thy Affliction, thy SAVIOUR is but leading thee to Medicinal Springs; Thou art carried unto the Waters; And the Effect shall be That; Isa. XXVII. 9. Iniquity shall be purged, and all the Fruit is to take away sin. Commit thyself unto the Care of a SAVIOUR, who is, The Lord thy Healer. Follow His Directions, for the use of the bitter Waters. Then be perswaded, the bitter Waters, They are given thee to clear thine Ey [...]sight, and give thee a better Knowledge of those Things which to know is Life Eternal: They are good for the Eyes! They are given thee, to carry off thy Vicious Humours; to cleanse thee from Impurities; to sweat out thy Corruptions. They are given thee, to sharpen thy Appetite for the Best Enjoyments; to quicken thy spirits for the Work before thee; to make thee Lively in the Things that are Holy and Ju [...]t and Good. Think; All the Affliction, which for the present is not joyous but grievous; What will it afterwards yield unto us? My SAVIOUR will hereby Teach me out of His Law; will prevent my going astray; will make me a partaker of His Holiness. And shall they [Page 19] be bitter Waters, that are so Sanative, so Balsamic, such Rich and Potent Cordials?
Fourthly; IN Affliction a CHRIST Conversed withal, will show us a Conformity to Him in taking the bitter Waters. The Affliction of our bitter Waters, is that wherein we suffer with our SAVIOUR, and like him: We are brought unto That, Phil. III [...]o. The Fellowship of His Sufferings, being made Conformable unto His Death. O Disciple of the Cross, Here the Consideration of the Cr [...]ss will come to be thrown into the bitter Waters of Marah, with a singular [...]fficacy.
CERTAINLY our SAVIOUR saw the bitter Waters, when He Cried out, Save me, O GOD, For the Waters are come into my Soul. Will it not sweeten thy bitter Waters, to see, These are but such Things as my SAVIOUR, has before me tasted of! Compare thy Affliction, with what befel [...] thy SAVIOUR, and see whether thine have not some evident Signatures of His upon it. What befals thee, which did not after some sort, befal thy SAVIOUR, when He was a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with Grief [...]s? What Pains did He undergo in His Body? How meanly did He fare, when He had not an House where to lay His Head! How basely was He Despised and Rejected of Men, and made the Song of the [Page 20] Drunkard? How Maltreated was He by the Rul [...]rs! How Reviled, Maligned, Murdered by the People! What horrible Temptations was He assaulted withal! Surely, 'Twil do much towards the sweetening of the bitter Waters, to consider, My Affliction makes my condition more like that of my Humbled SAVIOUR. Yea, The bitter Waters are to Kill thee, that is to say, To Kill all thy Evil Inclinations in thee; and make thee Dead indeed unto every Thing, but unto thy SAVIOUR; and make thee so Dead with CHRIST, that this World shall appear unto thee, as it does unto One a Dying upon a Cross. In this Death lies the Life of thy Soul. And as thou findest thy Killing Things to carry on this Death, in thee, thou hast more and more of an Astonishing Token for Good upon thee: Tis a Token, which will enable thee to say, Now I know that my SAVIOUR has Died for me: Now I know, that I shall come to all the Life which the Death of such a SAVIOUR can purchase for me. Yea, Now I know, there is a Life begun in me which no Death can ever give an Extinction to. Yea, a strange Thing will now come to pass; This Killed Servant of GOD, coming to [...]ly upon a Death Bed, when he goes to think, I have nothing to do but to Dy, he is presently and pleasantly surprised into that Thought, No, Nor have I that neither, [Page 21] I am Dead already! So he falls Asleep in JESUS. Thus the bitter Waters by their Killing of us, prove Waters of Life unto us. But Oh! how the Waters are sweetened by such a Transmutation!
Fifthly. IN Affliction a CHRIST [...] Conversed withal, will bring to us, That which will so supply the Want of all Creatures, as to make us Insensible of the bitter Waters. Tis an Essential stroke, in the Description of the Genuine Christian; Phil. III. 3. To Rejoyce in CHRIST JESUS. Christian, Make sure of This; I have a CHRIST for mine. A Glorious CHRIST has taken me under the shadow of His Wings. Now may it thou Rejoice, tho' every thing else be denied unto thee; take Joyfully the Spoiling of thy Goods; and [...]e not unease, tho' thy [...]up has none but Bitter Waters in it; Be Apprehensive of This; CHRIST is All; and if I have CHRIST for mine, I [...]a [...]e enough. In a CHRIST thou hast enough to supply all thy Need from Riches in Glory. In the withdraw of every thing that thou couldest Ask or Wish for, see that thou hast in a CHRIST f [...]r above all that thou canst Ask or Think. Thou art at the Bitter Waters, when Desireable Relatives are gone from thee. But now say, My SAVIOUR, He hath said unto me, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. Thou a [...] at the [Page 22] Bitter Waters, when thou art among the Poor of this World But now say, In my SAVIOUR I have Unsearchable Riches. Losses ma [...] bring thee to the Bitter Waters, But now say, while I have such a SAVIOUR, I have One who is Able to Give me much more than is Taken from me. Bodily Languishments, may place thee by the Bitter Waters. But now say, My SAVIOUR is bestowing the Blessings of an Healed Soul upon me. Thy Name vilified by the Floods of the Ungodly, may be aspersed with the Bitter Waters: But now say, My SAVIOUR makes a kind Mention of my Name unto His Father. Yea, When thou feelest thyself Approaching to the Dead Sea; Cheerfully step into the Bitter Waters; and say Tis no matter, what I am going from, while I am going to my SAVIOUR.
WHAT Admirable Spectacles, has the Army of Martyrs afforded unto us! Ill call forth Two or Three of them, and show them to you, with Branches gathered from the Tree that Sweetens our Bitter Waters in their Hands. The Martyr Kirby, says to his Friends, Be at my Burning, and you shall see a Souldier of CHRIST in the Flames. They saw the Wonderful [...]hing! How nobly did our Martyr Bradford enter the Flames, with such Words, Behold, The way to Heaven in a fiery Chariot! How nobly did our Martyr Noyes in [Page 23] the Flames Cry out, Blessed be GOD, that ever I was born for this Day; My Coals will be turned into Pearls immediately! How nobly do [...]s the Martyr Pas [...]al [...] Complain; O [...]! Tis a small Thing to [...]y bu [...] once [...]or CHRIST; if it might be, I would fain Dy a Thousand times for Him.
THE Tree that Sweetens the Bitter Waters is what Sweetened the Fires also to the Champions of GOD.
In Fine; MAKE the Experiment, and you will certainly find; That the Skill and Will, to make a Glorious CHRIST the continual Resort of your Minds, by forming some Suitable, Savoury, Precious Thoughts of Him, will Marvellously sweeten the most Bitter Waters that ever can be met withal. A Servant of GOD may sweetly say, O my GOD, I have parted with all the Things in this World; and I have but one Thing left unto me. This one Thing have I desired, and This will I seek after; That I may have a Glorious CHRIST, not only concerned for me, but also possessing of me; and that I may have Him continually dwelling in my Thoughts, and furnishing me with the Precious Thoughts, wherein I may perpetually Feed and Live upon Him. I care not though I am dript of every thing else, if I may but enjoy [...] F [...]licity. The Name of thy SAVIOUR [Page 24] is, I AM. Think on all the Good thou hast Occasion for, and Hear Him, Yea, Feel Him saying, I AM all that that thou hast Occasion for.
CHRISTIAN, While thou hast this Felicity, no Bitter Waters can do any Damage to thee. GOD gives thee to Drink at the River of His Delights; The Lamb of GOD leads thee to Fountains of Living Waters.
AND now, Returning back to an Evil World, whereof any one that has a Good Hope through Grace of a Better, must say, Wo is me that I S [...]journ in it!—I know not what better Testimony to bring unto my Fellow-Travellers than This, Get as Near to a Glorious CHRIST, and as Full of Him, as ever you can; Oh! the Peace, Oh! the Joy, which you will find This to be the way of having your Souls Replenished withal [...] Oh! The Abundance of Consolations, with which it may be hoped, a Gracious CHRIST will irradiate your Minds! The Bitter Waters of Sickness, you will hardly Tast them! The Unkind Aspect of Neighbours, will not be uneasy to you. The Hissing of Serpents Crawling in the Dark about the Streets, will give you no Disturbance. Death itself will no longer be the King of Terrors; but be Smiled on, be Closed with, be Longed for [Page 25] You will keep Singing the Songs of the Lord in a strange Land, And long to be got further up into the Tree, that so Sweetens all your Circumstances.
BUT I must have done.
'TIS to be now Hoped, That all who are Sitting by any bitter Waters, and as it were hanging their Harps on the Willows there, will now consider every Bitterness as having in it, a Call unto them to come unto thy SAVIOUR.
O Heart knowing thy own Bitterness; There is that Call in it, Come to thy SAVIOUR, and Acquaint thyself more with Him, that Good may come unto thee. The Bitter Waters make the loud Call of David's Water-Spouts. Oh! Do like the Gracious Woman, when she Heard it said, The Master Calleth thee.
THESE Admonitions and Consolations, are in a very Particular manner to be Address'd unto the Sorrowful Parents of Captain JOSIAH WINSLOW: With whom a Voice is Heard in Marshfield; A Lamentation, and Bitter Weeping, I hope, not a Refusal to be Comforted.
[Page 26] IT must be Confessed, That in the Loss of such a Dear Son, and such a Pleasant Child, They have Lost what nothing but a Glorious CHRIST can be a Compensation for. And in the Grief which the Death of such a Promising Youth must give unto them, there is what nothing but a Glorious CHRIST can Extinguish o [...] Alleviate.
BUT, My Honourable Friends, Having a Glorious CHRIST now s [...]t before you, there is Enough and Enough, to yield you an Immortal Satisfaction. I have said ENOUGH, You must ask me to say, No more!
WE will now Proceed unto what has been the more Special Occasion, for the Offer of these Meditations.—
THE Tragedy of Green-Island, And the Memorable End of Captain JOSIAH WINSLOW.
THE Barbarous and Perfidious Indians in our Eastern Country, being Moved by the Instigation of the Devil and Father Rallee, have begun Hostilities upon us. They did it, when the French Hopes of a fatal Revolution on the British Empire, deceived them. And it was not long before the Hairy Scalp of that Head in the House of the Wi [...]k [...]d, paid for what Hand he had in the Rebellion, into which he Infuriated his Proselytes.
IN the War, there have been several Actions done full of Courage; and several Disasters felt, full of Sorrow; and several Successes gain'd, full of Wonder; by our Various Parties going out against the Rebels.
AMONG those who Generously exposed their Lives on the high Places of the [...], [Page 28] in this War, a very Particular Commemoration is due, to Captain JOSIAH WINSLOW; a Young Gentleman, who was the Flowre and Hope of an Honourable Family; and has fallen Universally Lamented.
CONCERNING this Young Gentleman, I have seen this Account given by a Credible Person, that was Intimately Acquainted with him.
AS he was a Young Man of a Beautiful Countenance; of an Hail and Firm Constitution of Body, which enabled him to act with much Vigour, and undergo the Hardships of the War; So he was of a Pleasant and Spritely Witt; of a Sweet Disposition; Of a Free and Generous Temper; Modest and Bashful in his Behaviour, Full of Life; and full of Love to every One: Of so Condescending a Spirit, that it sometimes drew him into Inconveniences: Obedient and Respectful to his Superiors; Kind to all; Far from Insulting over his Inferiors; which gained him great Respect from those that were Acquainted with him; and especially of the Souldiers that were under him; He was so far from taking any Advantage, that in their Streights and Difficulties, he has given sometimes to Poor Fellows [Page 29] that were in Necessity the Cloathes off his Back, to supply them: Which, together with his Forwardness on all Actions greatly endeared him to them, and caused him to be much Lamented by them.
THE reach of the Mortal Si [...]e at this Young Gentleman, is now to be Related: But one must feel [...] as was of old said, Not one single, Commotion of Soul, but a whole Assembly of Passi [...]ns, moved at such a Relation. The Account being Obtained, partly, from a Christian Indian, that escaping out of the Slaughter, and while he lay hid, saw some of the Transactions; and partly from a Captive afterwards Redeemed from the Indians that made the Slaughter; Tis an Account that may be Depended on.
BEING left at Georges Fort, in command of the Garrison there, on the Thirtieth of April, 1724. He went from thence, with Seventeen Men in Two Whale-boats, down to an Island, called, The Green-Island, some Miles below the Fort; hoping to come at some Indians there, inasmuch as there had several times been seen In [...]ns pa [...]sing thither in a Canoe, it being a notable fowling-place. He was observed for diverse Hours before he went upon this Action, to retire, [Page 30] very Serious and Pensive; and no doubt, full of such Thoughts as might have a Tendency to Prepare his Young Soul, for that F [...]licity, which would accomplish the Particular Faith which the Travailing Soul of his Gracious Mother [a Sarah now become a Marah!] had received and expressed for him▪ And he let fall Words to the Company which he left behind him, that seem'd somewhat Presagious of what he was going to. When they came to the Island, they haled up their Boats among the Bushes; and lay close all the Night, & the next Day until almost Night. Not seeing any Indians, they then went off the Island in their Boats, when the Sun was about Two Hours High (Friday) in the Afternoon. The Divine Providence Ordered it▪ that this was what might be called, a Launching into the Mare [...]mortuum. After their going down to this Island, a great Body of Indians, of the Penobscot-Tribe, (with some others,) the party that afterwards took the Vessels at Cap-Sables, to the Number as was Judged, of Two or Three Hundred Men, came down the River in their Canoes, and lodged themselves with their Canoes, on both sides of the River betwixt the Island and the Fort. Here they lay undiscovered by ours, as ours were by them, until they put off in their Boats from the Island. After they had come some Distance [Page 31] from the Island, Capt. Winslow being in the foremost Boat, and Sergeant Harvy in the other, there came a Flock of Fowl within Shot of Harvy's, at which one of the Men Imprudently made a Shot, and knock'd down a Fowl in the Water. Harvy turning to take up the Fowl, Capt. Winslow advised him, that it was best he should not follow the Fowl, but that they should keep together; for, said he, We know not what we may meet with, before we reach the Fort. Harvy replied, Syr, If you will go easy upon your Oars, I will be presently up with you: But following the Fowl too long, and going too near one side of the River, the Indians let fly from the shore upon Harvy and killed Three of his Men. Sergeant Harvy found himself obliged immediately to land; where he was quickly killed, and all the Men with him, except Three of our Christian Indians that were with him in this Expedition, who found their way to escape, and got safe unto the Fort. Harvy fought with abundance of Courage; and so did the Men that were with him; The Wolves found that they had Lions to engage withal. When the Indians Fired upon Harvy, Capt. Winslow, though he had gone slowly on his Oars, was got near half a Mile a head. But seeing the Indians Fire upon Harvy, his Manly, Friendly, Ingenuous & Courageous [Page 32] Heart could not bear to leave them in their Distress; but immediately put about his Boat, that he might hasten to their Succour. Before he could get near them, he found himself Surrounded with between Thirty and Forty Canoes; whereof several had four or six Men a piece aboard; which came off from both sides of the River, and attack'd him with great Fury. They set up an hideous Yelling & Howling, expecting thereby so to have daunted them, as to have taken our small Handful without much Resistance: But in this their expectation failed them; for Capt. Winslow and his Brave Handful, notwithstanding the Horror of their Approach, and tho' so out-numbered, and like to be Over-powered, by such a Multitude of the Dragons of the Wilderness, made ready to give them a warm Reception. The Indians enclosing of him with their Canoes, intended at once to have him aboard: But when they were almost come aboard him, he Fired upon them; Notwithstanding which, they came up to the sides of his Boat where he and his few men defended themselves, and beat off the Indians with the Butt-ends of their Muskets▪ This they did with such Magnanimity and Resolution, that the Indians recoiled, retired, and fell off, and fought at a distance. They were [Page 33] so struck with Admiration at Young WINSLOW'S Courage, that they offered him Quarter, if he would Surrender himself & Company; But he refused it: Knowing their Tender Mercies to be Cruelties, and chusing rather to lay down his Life in the Service of his Country, than fall into the Hands of such Faithless and Cruel and Bloody Salvages. Thus he kept Fighting in his Boat, until the Dusk of Evening; when, the most of his Men being Slain, he put ashore with Two or Three that were left; where being way-laid by the Indians, they were all cut off.
WE are told, that he being shot down, and having his Thigh broken, the Indians, when they saw him fall, ran towards him: And yet then he recovered on his other knee, and shot down another Indian.
HOW many of the Enemy fell in this Encounter, we can have yet no certain Account, But certainly, they had little to Boast off [...] ▪ except their having bereaved us, of a Desirable Young Man, Of whom there were many, besides his Honourable and Religious Parents, who said, This same shall Comfort us. Thus Died a Valiant an Accomplished, a Good-natured, Young Gentleman, in the Twenty Third year of his Age; in the Defence of a Country▪ and a People, for which how many Brave Lives have been Sacrificed! At the same time, with him, there fell,
- [Page 34] Nathanael Harvy;
- Ezra Briggs;
- John Dennis;
- John Lee.
- Joshua Ransome;
- John Walker;
- John Allen;
- AND Six of our Christian Indians.
AN Occurrence, upon which, A Lacrymis nemo tam ferreus ut ten [...]at s [...].
THE Survivors must not forget the MEN who have Deserved so well, and so Play'd the Men for their People, & for the Cities of our GOD.
YEA, One can scarce forbear saying, If these should hold their Peace, the Stones would immediately Cry out.
Epitaph. JOSIAH WINSLOW.
MANTISSA. A Copy of a LETTER Sent unto Colonel WINSLOW, and his Consort, from a Minister at some Distance from them, on the first Advice of the Green-Island Tragedy. Here Published for the Benefit of some others in the like Circumstances.
IN the general Condolence with You, upon the Sorrow, which You have lately met withal, I take a very Particular Share, and think it my▪ Duty to give you some Expressions of it.
BUT how can I better express it, than in my earnest Supplications, which I therefore make to the Glorious Lord, that he would enable You to Glorify him in the Sacrifice, which he now calls You to?
IF not a Bird of the Air falls to the Earth without the Will of our Heavenly Father; You may be sure that the Child Hatch'd under your tender Wing, is not fallen without the Will of Heaven Ordering of it. And You cannot have a better Proof that you are the Children of GOD, than by Your Patient Submission to his Will on such an Occasion; and your Submissive saying, The Cup which my Father has given me, shall not I Drink it? The Cup which is now given You indeed is Bitter enough; But if the sense of the [Page 36] Hand which it comes from, and of the End which his Wisdom and Goodness has in giving it, quiets You, His Comfortable Voice unto You is, I will be a Father to You. And being thus His Children, You have a Better Name, than what the Son and Daughter he has Obliged You to part withal, could have help'd You to.
IT is a great Sacrifice, that you are now put upon. But You will approve yourselves the Genuine Children of Abraham: And so prove Your Claim to the Blessings of His Covenant, if you overcome the Reluctancles of Nature to it.— Withhold not the Child whom Thou hast Loved, When GOD calls you to offer it up. So it shall be said, Now I know, that thou Fearest GOD. And verily, there is more Solid Comfort in this Assurance, than there can be in the Enjoyment of any Child, whereof You might say, This same shall Comfort us. Your Blessedness in the World to come, will be in an Holy Priesthood. And that You may be in this World, Initiated for it, Your SAVIOUR, will now have You to be Holy Sacrificers. You will be notably such, when upon the Death of Lovely and Hopeful Children, You hold your Peace, and only say, The will of the Lord be Done, and beg of Him, that the Influences of his Grace may effectually Subdue all the Rebellion of yours against it.
A Trial, yea, an exquisite one, is now made, whether there be any thing, which at the plain Call of GOD you cannot resign unto Him? or, whether you will not now Seek and Hope to find that Satisfaction in having a Glorious CHRIST Concerned for You, and Conversing with You, [Page 37] which we expect in [...]ain from the Creatures, that forever are found to be no better than Lying, Vanities. If being thus Tried, you come forth as Gold, and approve yourselves Noble Sacrificers, it will be an infallible Token for Good, that you have a part in the Grand Sacrifice, which Your SAVIOUR has offered for His People, and shall have a Part among those, whom the Blood of the Lam [...] will bring to walk in White Robes and Serve Him in His Temple.
MOST certainly, if the repeated Strokes of Mortality on Your Family, be of Use unto You▪ to bring Sin unto Remembrance, and carry on Repentance to its Perfect Work; to animate Your Prayers and Cares that You may be Entire and Perfect in Your Essays to Conform unto the whole Will of GOD; to Wean You from a World wherein You see an End of all Perfection; and make You Seek the Things, that are Above, and quicken Your Thorough Preparation for Your own Death, which the Death of such Relatives does loudly Admonish You to be daily looking for [...]
THESE Blessings will be a Rich and Full Compensation for the Loss of what has been taken from You. True PIETY will dispose You to count them so. Death in such a way brings the Truest Life with it; yea, What is Better than Life. And Light will arise unto You in the Darkness, which Death has brought upon Your Tabernacle.
BUT, there is the less need of my expatiating unto You upon these Consolations of GOD, since You have an excellent Pastor, who has You under his continual Cultivations, and Loves Y [...]u exceedingly, [Page 38] and has the Tongue of the Learned, able to Speak a Word in Season unto You; and from him You will continually hear those good Words, which, I hope, will make Your Hearts Glad, when they are Stooping with Heaviness.
THE Publication of this Letter is made, with a more particular View and Hope, that it may in this way be also Addressed unto my Worthy Friends, the Parents of Mr. Jonathan Frie; an Only Son, who after a Liberal Education, and a Temper and Conduct, which made him universally Beloved, and raised considerable Expectation of him, went out Chaplain to that Brave Company, under Captain Lovewell, and with Admirable Expressions of Piety, and Magnanimity and Resignation, Sacrificed his Life, in the Memorable Action at Piggwacket, May 8. 1725.
AS also unto the Parents of Mr. Jacob Full [...]m; an Only Son, and an Officer in the same Company; who likewise Bravely made a Sacrifice of his Life to the Service of CHRIST and his People, in that Meritorious Action.
TO which, there will no where but in Heaven, be found a,