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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A84357	Tears of repentance: or, A further narrative of the progress of the Gospel amongst the Indians in New-England: setting forth, not only their present state and condition, but sundry confessions of sin by diverse of the said Indians, wrought upon by the saving power of the Gospel; together with the manifestation of their faith and hope in Jesus Christ, and the work of grace upon their hearts. Related by Mr. Eliot and Mr. Mayhew, two faithful laborers in that work of the Lord. Published by the corporation for propagating the Gospel there, for the satisfaction and comfort of such as wish well thereunto.	Eliot, John, 1604-1690.; Mayhew, Thomas.; Mather, Richard, 1596-1669.	1653 (1653)	Wing E524; Thomason E697_16; ESTC R207106	52,811	83

on unto it with many fears and questions what they should do when they should be a Church When therefore I saw the Lord by the Counsel of his Servants which is an holy reverend Ordinance of Christ and by his Providence denying me the help of all Interpreters having many witnesses how much care and pains I took every way I knew to be supplied therein and that the work it self was extended by the Lords gracious inlarging them in their Confessions so that the day was not sufficient to accomplish it I say when I saw the Lord speaking that delatory word I cannot express what a load it took off my heart and I did gladly follow the Lord therein yea and I bless the Lord for that day that it was carried so far as it was for the cause of Christ hath many waies gained by it many hundreds of the precious Saints being much comforted and confirmed in their hopes of this work of Christ among them and their faith and prayers much quickned by what they heard and saw And because all witnesses failed me let me say but this I began and have followed this work for the Lord according to the poor measure of grace received not for base ends I have been true faithful unto their souls and in writing and reading their Confessions I have not knowingly or willingly made them better than the Lord helped themselves to make them but am verily perswaded on good grounds that I have rather rendered them weaker for the most part than they delivered them partly by missing some words of weight in some Sentences partly by my short and curt touches of what they more fully spake and partly by reason of the different Idioms of their Language and ours Now follow those Preparitory Confessions which were read before the Elders most of them The first that made a publick Confession and was took in Writing was Peter a Ruler of Ten among them a Godly man who quickly after he had made this Confession fell sick and died and now injoyeth the fruit of his Faith the end of his Hope the salvaion of his Soul among the Blessed where I am perswaded he shall be found in the great day His Confession was as followeth VVHen I first prayed to God I did not fear God but I feared perdition because the English had told me that all should be damned that call not upon God But now I know that God made all the world and I fear him now I beleeve that which you teach is true Now I beleeve that God calleth us to Natik that here we may be ruled by God and gather a Church now I beleeve that it is Gods Command that we should labor Six dayes and keep the Sabbath on the Seventh day now my heart is greatly abased for all my sins for we see though we pray to God we are ready to offend each other and be angry with each other and that we love not each other as we should do and for this I grieve my heart crieth now I remember that God saith thou shalt not lust but before I prayed to God I was full of lusts God saith We must have but one Wife and at first did make but one man and one woman but I followed many women God saith Remember to keep the Sabbath day holy but I did hunt or shoot or any thing on the Sabbath day many other sins I committed but now I see them and wil cast them away because they are vile and God forbiddeth them when I prayed first my sins were not pardoned for my praying is worth nothing now I am humbled and mourn for my sins and yet cannot deliver my self nor get pardon therfore I trust Christ with my soul The next Confession was made by John Speene as followeth His first confession was this WHen I first prayed to God I did not pray for my soul but only I did as my friends did because I loved them and though I prayed to God yet I did not fear sin nor was I troubled at it I heard that when good men die their souls go to God and are there happy but I cannot say that I beleeved it Afterward my heart run away into the country after our old wayes and I did almost cast off praying to God A little while after that I saw that I had greatly sinned and then I saw all my sins afore I prayed to God and since I prayed to God and I saw that God was greatly angry for them and that I cannot get pardon for them but yet my heart saith I will pray to God as long as I live I thought God would not pardon me and yet I would cast away my sins I did greatly love hunting and hated labor but now I beleeve that word of God which saith Six dayes thou shalt labor and God doth make my body strong to labor John Speene This Confession being short in some main points he afterward made Confession as followeth WHen I first prayed I prayed not for my soul but for the sake of men I loved men and for their sakes I prayed to God Before I prayed many were my sins and my heart was heaped full and ran over in all manner of lusts and sins After I heard of praying to God I let it fall and regarded it not after I came to hear the word I sometimes feared but soon lost it again Then my heart ran away after our former courses and then what ever I heard I lost because my heart was run away and many were my sins and therfore I could not get pardon because my heart run away and many were my sins and I did indeed go into the Country But afterwards I hearing the Catechism I desired to learn it and then I beleeved that when Beleevers die their souls go to God and are ever happy when Sinners die their souls go to Hel and are ever tormented and that when Christ judges the world our bodies rise again and then we shall receive the judgment of Christ the good shal stand at his right hand the bad at his left this I beleeved was true and then I saw all my great follies and evils and now my heart desired to lay by hunting and to work every day and this is Gods Command and therfore a good way God said Thou shalt work six daies and if thou work thou shalt eat therfore I beleeve it and my heart promiseth that I will this do as long as I live Now I see I did great folly for now I hear that God saith Work and now I fear because God hath afflicted me in taking away my brother a Ruler now I am troubled I fear I sinned in not beleeving our Ruler because now God hath taken him away he taught me good words but I beleeved them not and now I repent because Christ calleth me to it great is the punishment of God in taking away our Ruler and now I pray and say to Christ Oh Jesus Christ Christ

us but sought totall subjection and strict obedience to God yet I told them that it was a matter of great weight shewing them many things which I thought necessary for them to know but needless now to relate A day of fasting and prayer to repent of our sins and seek the gracious help of our God for Christ Jesus sake we appointed and another shortly after to finish the work in Some of the Indians spake somthing for their benefit and about ten or twelve of them prayed not with any set Form like Children but like Men indued with a good measure of the knowledg of God their own wants and the wants of others with much affection and many Spiritual Petitions savoring of a Heavenly mind and so are they streitned in respect of help from man that it appears the more plainly to be the Dictates of Gods Spirit A Platform of the Covenant in Answer to their desires I drew forth the same morning in the Indian Language which I have here sent in English Wee the distressed Indians of the Vineyard or Nope the Indian name of the Island That beyond all memory have been without the True God without a Teacher and without a Law the very Servants of Sin and Satan and without Peace for God did justly vex us for our sins having lately through his mercy heard of the Name of the True God the Name of his Son Christ Jesus with the holy Ghost the Comforter three Persons but one most Glorious God whose Name is JEHOVAH We do praise His Glorious Greatness and in the sorrow of our hearts and shame of our faces we do acknowledg and renounce our great and many sins that we and our Fathers have lived in do run unto him for mercy and pardon for Christ Jesus sake and we do this day through the blessing of God upon us and trusting to his gracious help give up our selves in this Covenant Wee our Wives and Children to serve JEHOVAH And we do this day chuse JEHOVAH to be our God in Christ Jesus our Teacher our Law-giver in his Word our King our Judg our Ruler by his Magistrates and Ministers to fear God Himself and to trust in Him alone for Salvation both of Soul and Body in this present Life and the Everlasting Life to come through his mercy in Christ Jesus our Savior and Redeemer and by the might of his Holy Spirit to whom with the Father and Son be all Glory everlasting Amen After I had often read this Covenant and expounded it unto them they all with free Consent willingly and thankfully joyned therein and desired Jehovah his blessing for Jesus Christ his sake the Lord be gracious to our beginnings Within two or three weeks there came an Indian to me in business and by the way he told me that some Indians had lately kept a day of Repentance to humble themselves before God in prayer and that the word of God which one of them spake unto for their Instruction was Psal. 66. 7. He ruleth by his Power for ever his eyes behold the nations let not the rebellious exalt themselves I asked him what their end was in keeping such a day He told me those six things First they desired That God would slay the rebellion of their hearts Secondly That they might love God and one another Thirdly That they might withstand the evil words and temptations of wicked men and not to be drawn back from God Fourthly That they might be obedient to the good Words and Commands of their Rulers Fiftly That they might have their sins done away by the Redemption of Jesus Christ And Lastly That they might walk in Christs way Now for the state of things with us we are by the help of God about to begin a Town that they may Cohabit and carry on things in a Civil and Religious way the better The praying Indians are constant attenders to the word of the Lord and some of them I hope conscionable seekers after the knowledg of God and themselves and not without obtaining by the grace of God some saving benefit to their own Souls which will by his own blessing in the best time more plainly appear About 30. Indian Children are now at School which began the Eleventh day of the Eleventh month 1651. they are apt to learn and more and more are now sending in unto them The Barbarous Indians both men and women do often come on the Lecture dayes and complaining of their ignorance disliking their sinful liberty and refusing the helps and hopes of their own power seek Subjection to Jehovah to be taught governed and saved by him for Jesus Christs sake The Name of the Lord alone be praised for what is begun What is further needfull I earnestly desire may be fervently prayed for and expected by faith to be effected and finished by the gracious hand of God who have laid the foundation and will not leave his own works unperfect which is the comfort of an unworthy Laborer in the Lords Vinyard and an earnest desirer to be remembred at the Throne of Grace Having a little more liberty I shall certifie you of somthing more which I have taken notice of amongst the poor Indians I observed that the Indians when they chose their Rulers made choyce of such as were best approved for their godliness and most likely to suppress sin and encourage holiness and since they have been forward upon all occasions to shew their earnest desire thereof There was an Indian that was well approved for his Reformation that was suspected to have told a plain Lye for his Gain the business was brought to the publick Meeting and there it was notably sifted with zeal and good affection but at length the Indian defending himself with great disdain and hatred of such an evil proved himself clear and praised God for it The same Indian was a little before very sick and he told me that when he thought he should die he did so love God that he was not unwilling to die and leave his wife and children or any thing else but that he was only desirous to live for this cause That he might be more taught by the Word of God and be helpful to teach the Indians the Way of God I have also observed how God is pleased to uphold some of these poor Indians against opposition I was once down towards the further end of the Island and lodged at an Indians house who was accounted a great man among the Islanders being the friend of a great Sachem on the Mayn this Sachem is a great Enemy to our Reformation on the Island At this mans house when I had sate a while his son being about thirty years old earnestly desired me in his Language to relate unto him some of the ancient Stories of God I then spent a great part of the night in such discourse as I thought fittest for them as I usually do when I lodg in their houses what he then heard as he

to return from Babylon the Spirit by the word of Prophesie raised up such actings of Faith as were put forth in the exercise of all gifts necessary for the accomplishment thereof Daniel prayeth Zerubbabel hath a Spirit of Ruling the peoples affections are loose from their dwellings and have a Spirit of Traveling Ezra Nehemiah and all the rest of the Worthies of the Lord are raised at that time to accomplish what is Prophesied In these times the Prophesies of Antichrist his down fall are accomplishing And do we not see that the Spirit of the Lord by the word of Prophesie hath raised up men instruments in the Lord hand to accomplish what is written herein And the Spirit of Prayer and expectation of Faith is raised generally in all Saints by the same word of Prophesie In like manner the Lord having said That the Gospel shall spread over all the Earth even to all the ends of the Earth and from the riseing to the setting Sun all Nations shal become the Nations and Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ Such words of Prophesie hath the Spirit used to stir up the servants of the Lord to make out after the accomplishment thereof and hath stirred up a mighty Spirit of Prayer and expectation of Faith for the Conversion both of the Jewes yea all Israel and of the Gentiles also over all the world For this Cause I know every beleeving heart awakened by such Scriptures longeth to hear of the Conversion of our poor Indians whereby such Prophesies are in part begun to be accomplished Yea the Design of Christ being to erect his own Kingdom in the room of all those Dominions which he doth and is about to overturn You shall see a Spirit by such words of Prophesie powred forth upon the Saints into whose hands Christ will commit the manageing of his Kingdom on Earth that shall carry them forth to advance Christ to rule over men in all affairs by the word of his mouth and make him their only Law-giver and supream Judge and King It is a day of small things with us and that is Gods season to make the single beauty of his humbling Grace to shine in them that are the veriest ruines of mankind that are known on earth as Mr. Hooker was wont to describe the forlorn condition of these poor Indians I see evident demonstrations that Gods Spirit by his word hath taught them because their expressions both in Prayer and in the Confessions which I have now published are far more and more full and spiritual and various then ever I was able to express unto them in that poor broken manner of Teaching which I have used among them Thēir turning Doctrins into their own experience which you may observe in their Confessions doth also demonstrate the Teachings of Gods Spirit whose first special work is Application Their different Gifts likewise is a thing observable in their Confessions wherein it is not to be expected that they should be all Eminent it is not so in any Society of men but in that there be some among them that are more eminent it is a sign of Gods favor who is raising up among themselves such as shall be his instruments to conveigh a blessing unto the rest Their frequent phrase of Praying to God is not to be understood of that Ordinance and Duty of Prayer only but of all Religion and comprehendeth the same meaning with them as the word Religion doth with us And it is observable because it seemeth to me That the Lord will make them a Praying people and indeed there is a great Spirit of Prayer powred out upon them to my wonderment and you may easily apprehend That they who are assisted to express such Confessions before men are not without a good measure of inlargement of Spirit before the Lord The points of Doctrine that are here and there dropped in their Confessions may suffice at present for a little taste to the Godly discerning Saints That they are in some measure instructed in the chief points of Salvation though there be no Doctrinal Confession on purpose set down to declare what they have learned and do beleeve If any should conceive that that word which they so often use I thought or I think should need explication as a godly Brother did intimate to me on the Fast day let this suffice That it is to be Construed by the present Matter For sometimes it is a thought of Faith sometime of Fear sometime of Vnbelief sometime of Carnal Reason and sometime of Ignorance Lastly It is plainly to be observed That one end of Gods sending so many Saints to NEW-ENGLAND was the Conversion of these Indians For the Godly Counsels and Examples they have had in all our Christian Families have been of great use both to prepare them for the Gospel and also to further the Lords work in them as you may evidently discern in most of their Confessions Beloved Reader I have no more to say as necessary to Prepare for the following Matter only to beg yea earnestly to beg the continuance of all your Prayers by the power whereof through the Grace and Intercession of Christ I beleeve this wheele of Conversion of these Indians is turned and my Heart hath been alwayes thereby encouraged to follow on to do that poor little I can to help forward this blessed Work of Spreading and Exalting the Kingdom of our dear Savior Jesus Christ under the direction and protection of whose Word and Grace by Faith committing you I rest Your unworthy Brother in our dear Savior JOHN ELIOT To the Christian Reader THE Amplitude and large Extent of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ upon Earth when the Heathen shall be his Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth his Possession and when all Kings shall fall down unto him and all Nations do him service all contrary Kingdoms and Powers being broken in pieces and destroyed is a thing plainly and plentifully foretold and promised in the Holy Scriptures Psal. 2. 8. and 22. 27. and 72. 11. and 86. 9. Dan. 2. 35. 44 45. and 7. 26 27. Zech. 14. 9. And although as yet our Eyes have never seen it so nor our Fathers afore us many Nations and People having hitherto been overspread and overwhelmed in Pagan Blindness and Ignorance having scarce ever heard of Christ or of His Name and many others that in some sort have heard of Him having no more Grace but to make and maintain Opposition against Him and against His Kingdom some more professedly and others more covertly and under fairer pretence as in the great Dominions of the Turk and of the Pope is apparent yet the time is coming when things shall not thus continue but be greatly changed and altered because the Lord hath spoken this Word and it cannot be that his Word should not take effect And if the Lord have spoken it his People have good ground and reason to beleeve it and to say as the holy Apostle

should ask them Questions in these matters After a little conference hereabout it was concluded That they should first make confession of their experience in the Lords Work upon their hearts because in so doing it is like something will be discerned of their knowledg in the Doctrines of Religion and if after those Confessions there should yet be cause to inquire further touching any Point of Religion it might be fitly done at last Whereupon we so proceeded and called them forth in order to make confession It was moved in the Assembly by Reverend Mr. Wilson that their former Confessions also as well as these which they made at present might be read unto the Assembly because it was evident that they were daunted much to speak before so great and grave an Assembly as that was but time did not permit it so to be then yet now in my writing of their Confessions I will take that course that so it may appear what encouragement there was to proceed so far as we did and that such as may reade these their Confessions may the better discern of the reality of the Grace of Christ in them The first which was called forth is named Totherswamp whose former Confession read before the Elders was as followeth BEfore I prayed unto God the English when I came unto their houses often said unto me Pray to God but I having many friends who loved me and I loved them and they cared not for praying to God and therefore I did not But I thought in my heart that if my friends should die and I live I then would pray to God soon after God so wrought that they did almost all die few of them left and then my heart feared and I thought that now I will pray unto God and yet I was ashamed to pray and if I eat and did not pray I was ashamed of that also so that I had a double shame upon me Then you came unto us and taught us and said unto us Pray unto God and after that my heart grew strong and I was no more ashamed to pray but I did take up praying to God yet at first I did not think of God and eternal Life but only that the English should love me and I loved them But after I came to learn what sin was by the Commandements of God and then I saw all my sins lust gaming c. he named more You taught That Christ knoweth all our hearts and seeth what is in them if humility or anger or evil thoughts Christ seeth all that is in the heart then my heart feared greatly because God was angry for all my sins yea now my heart is full of evil thoughts and my heart runs away from God therefore my heart feareth and mourneth Every day I see sin in my heart one man brought sin into the World and I am full of that sin and I break Gods Word every day I see I deserve not pardon for the first mans sinning I can do no good for I am like the Devil nothing but evil thoughts and words and works I have lost all likeness to God and goodness and therefore every day I sin against God and I deserve death and damnation The first man brought sin first and I do every day ad to that sin more sins but Christ hath done for us all righteousness and died for us because of our sins and Christ teacheth us That if we cast away our sins and trust in Christ then God will pardon all our sins this I beleeve Christ hath done I can do no righteousness but Christ hath done it for me this I beleeve and therefore I do hope for pardon When I first heard the Commandements I then took up praying to God and cast off sin Again When I heard and understood Redemption by Christ then I beleeved Jesus Christ to take away my sins every Commandement taught me sin and my duty to God When you ask me Why do I love God I answer Because he giveth me all outward blessings as food clothing children all gifts of strength speech hearing especially that he giveth us a Minister to teach us and giveth us Government and my heart feareth lest Government should reprove me but the greatest mercy of all is Christ to give us pardon and life Totherswamp The Confession which he made on the Fast day before the great Assembly was as followeth I Confess in the presence of the Lord before I prayed many were my sins not one good word did I speak not one good thought did I think not one good action did I doe I did act all sins and full was my heart of evil thoughts when the English did tell me of God I cared not for it I thought it enough if they loved me I had many friends that loved me and I thought if they died I would pray to God and afterward it so came to pass then was my heart ashamed to pray I was ashamed if I prayed not I was ashamed a double shame was upon me when God by you taught us very much ashamed was my heart then you taught us that Christ knoweth all our harts therefore truly he saw my thoughts and I had thought if my kindred should die I would pray to God therfore they dying I must now pray to God and therefore my heart feared for I thought Christ knew my thoughts then I heard you teach The first man God made was named Adam God made a Covenant with him Do and live thou and thy Children if thou do not thou must die thou and thy Children And we are Children of Adam poor sinners therefore we all have sinned for we have broke Gods Covenant therefore evil is my heart therefore God is very angry with me we sin against him every day but this great mercy God hath given us he hath given us his only Son and promiseth That whosoever beleeveth in Christ shall be saved for Christ hath dyed for us in our stead for our sins and he hath done for us all the words of God for I can do no good act only Christ can and only Christ hath done all for us Christ have deserved Pardon for us and risen again he hath ascended to God and doth ever pray for us therefore all Beleevers Souls shall goe to Heaven to Christ But when I heard that word of Christ Christ said Repent and Beleeve and Christ seeth who Repenteth then I said dark and weak is my Soul and I am one in darkness I am a very sinful man and now I pray to Christ for life Hearing you teach that Word that the Scribes and Pharisees said Why do thy Disciples break the Tradition of the Fathers Christ answered Why do ye make void the Commandements of God Then my heart feared that I do so when I teach the Indians because I cannot teach them right and thereby make the word of God vain Again Christ said If the blind lead the blind they will both fall into the ditch