Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 1
As their is nothing that raises us above the Bruit Creation but the Noble facultys of the Soul and as knowledg is the most divine and extensive of all the other; I think it the duty of every one to Strive to attain to as much of this perfection as their Curcumstances and Natural powers permit.
Nature has been very Liberal to Some and Given them Such Clearness of thought and quick decerning facultys that they can easily penetrate the greatest Misteries of Nature and Providence and with Small Study Solve the hardest doubts. But to others she has been more Spairing So that they must redouble their Labours if they wou'd be Masters of any perticular Branch of Knowledg, and can never arrive at that perfection as to have a Clear Idia of things in General, but they may have a Sufficiencie to enable them to Set a good Exemple in all the dutys of this Life and be ever adding to their Stock by following the rules perscribed in the valuable Book you Sent me, which I think by what I have read justly deserves the Comendations you gave it. I shall think my self oblig'd to you for every help to me in my Search after this knowledg which has a Lasting Seat in the Soul that will be ever encreasing throughout eternity. Their is many other Branches that are valuable and worthy our Study but this is most worthy our first application, and constant delight. I am Sencible that you dont Live a Life of Idleness in Body nor in mind and tho' most of your present Studys are What I am a Strainger to, yet I make no Doubt but 48you have Some intervales when you unbend your mind from Sines and Tangents and your midnight thoughts from Conick Sections and give a Loose to your Idieas, if it wou'd not hinder you from more valuable Excercise's I Shou'd be very glad to be favour'd with Some of those reflections just as they hapen to be writ without takeing pains to Coppy for Ceremony's Sake.
Pray make a favourable excuse for the Errors of this peice and point them out to me for my future amendment. I hope this will find you well as they Leave us. I Shall take Care to read & return the book. Speedily pray Spare us a few hours assoon as you can for we want to See you. I Remain your Loving & highly oblig'd Sisster,
I desire to bless & praise the name of God most high, for Appointing me my Birth in a Land of Gospell Light, where the Glorious Tidings of a Saviour, & of pardon & Salvation through him have been continually sounding in mine Ears. I desire to bless him for in that whilst I have been a Rebell to his most AEquitable Laws, & an Enemy to his Honour, both by Nature & by Practice, he has nott as yett cutt me down in mine Iniquitys & gotten to himself a fearfull Name by making me a Monument of his Vindictive Justice; but has been sparing me till his tender Compassion has Aggravated mine Obstinate perversness.
And now I desire truly & sincerely to render unto Most gracious God, the Praise due to his most holy Name for all the Privelidges he has been favouring me wth.; for his Restraining Grace afforded & for preventing Goodness; but Alas! by Nature I'm a Child of Wrath, born in Sin & Shapen in Iniquity, & uncapable to yeild him Praise without the Renovation of my Mind & Will by his Holy Spirit; of my Self I'm utterly unable to do Any thing for his Praise for his Glory, for mine own Salvation or Belief in Jesus Christ, & as I'm indebted to him for Life & Breath, for all my Thoughts & Actions So for good Thoughts & Actions in perticular. I am therefore sensible that I came sinfull into a sinfull World, & that to mine 49originall iniquity, I've been Adding innumerable Actually Trangressions wch. have defild my whole Soul & render'd me loathsome to An Holy God; But I hope & trust God has given me to see the depravity of my whole nature, has op'ned mine Eyes to veiw the Pollution of my Soul & to see that out of Christ there was no hopes of Salvation for me & has been inclining me to Accept of Christ as for the Pardon of my Sins, so for the Sanctification of my Whole Nature, & I trust I'm now heartily willing to accept of him on his Own Terms, as he is offer'd me in the Gospell. I yeild to him as my Prophett to inlighten me in the Knowledge of his ways & to instill his Statutes into my Soul: As my Priest to make intercession for me before the Father & to present me One Day before him Without Spott & blameless; as my King to Subdue all my Rebell affections to himself, to keep Under the Body of Corruption that is in me & to bring me off more than Conqueror in all Temptations & trialls through himself.
I Believe the Bible to be the written word of God & to Contain in it the whole Rule of Faith & manners; I consent to the Assemblys Shorter Chatachism as being Agreable to the Reveal'd Will of God & to contain in it the Doctrines that are According to Godliness.
I have for some time had a desire to attend upon the Lords Supper and to Come to that divine Institution of a Dying Redeemer, And I trust I'm now convinced that it is my Duty Openly to profess him least he be ashamed to own me An Other day; I humbly therefore desire that you would recieve me into your Communion & Fellowship, & I beg your Prayers for me that Grace may be carried on in my soul to Perfection, & that I may live answerable to the Profession I now make which (God Assisting) I purpose to be the main End of all my Actions,
{Robert Treet Pain. 219.
Samuel Bass junr. 220."3
According to his diary, RTP spoke to Joseph Sewall about admission to the Old South Church on Mar. 10, was proposed on Apr. 2, and admitted on Apr. 16.
Sewall (1688–1769), a 1707 graduate of Harvard, went as co-minister to the Old South in 1712 and continued there until his death. He was generally on the Orthodox Calvinist side of theological issues. Along with Thomas Prince, Sewall edited Body of Divinity, the sermons of their predecessor, Samuel Willard, RTP's great-grandfather (Sibley's Harvard Graduates, 5:376–393).
RTP was eighteen years old.
Samuel Bass (1720–1804), son of Samuel and Christian (Turrell) Bass of Water Street, Boston. He followed his father in the tannery business (Thwing Index).