and therefore the Lord called them to repentance and make peace with God besides wee were beginning a great worke of civill Cohabitation and Government and they wanted wisdome to carry on such a worke and the Lord had promised if any want wisdome aske it of God who gives liberally citing that of James which I had formerly preached on Moreover wee were in preparation for a Church-state and that was a great matter to seeke the Lord in and lastly they having chosen Rulers and intending to enter into a Covenant to promise unto God to be his people and to be ruled in all things by his Word Gods appointment is that such a Covenant should be entred into in a solemne day of fasting and prayer and all these causes concurred to put us on unto that worke Now though wee never yet had kept such a day unto the Lord yet I had instructed them therein for in the Spring wee had a generall day of humiliation in all the Churches and thereupon they moved this question Why the English often fasted and prayed and I never yet taught them so to doe to which I did answer by that of Christ unto the Disciples but told them that when wee set upon the great vvorkes of God to be his people governed by his Word and to gather a Church then they should be called of God unto it c. and now it came to passe my motion they deliberated on with some conference as their manner is and finally did consent unto it then I told them it was needfull they should pray and teach that day sundry of them and wee agreed that all such as vvere called to be Rulers should exercise that day or so many as wee had time for their exercise Before that day came even then when it was appointed Cutshamoquin the chiefe Sachem and therefore chosen the chiefe for hee is constant in his profession though doubtfull in respect of the throughnesse of his heart was in the Countrey neere Narraganset about appeasing some strife among some Sachems In which Journey some of those bad Indians and Cutshamoquin with them did buy much strong Water at Gortons Plantation and had a great drinking from which the wiser sort did withdraw themselves but Cutshamoquin was in it though not unto drunkennesse yet his Act was scandalous Before vvee solemnly appeared before God and made the above-written Covenant I advised with Mr Cotton about it and his Counsaile was to add these words in the beginning Wee are the sonnes of Adam wee and our forefathers have a long time been lost in our sinnes but now the mercy of the Lord beginneth to finde us out againe therefore the grace of Christ helping us wee doe give our selves and our Children c. When the day came this Act of Cutshamoquin being broken out wee suffered not him to teach onely he began the day with confession of his sinne and made a short prayer wherein he confessed Satan acted in his heart begged pardon and that the Spirit of God might dwell in him and act in him for time to come and so ended Then another of them began with prayer and for his Text tooke that in the 7th of Luke 36. to the end though they doe not know the Booke Chapter or Verse but distinguish my Lectures by the first materiall word in it Christ being invited by Symon the Pharisee the Woman washt his feete with her teares c. At vvhich Symon stumbling Christ spake the parable of the two Debtors both freely forgiven with the application all which he repeated pretty well and after his teaching he prayed againe and ended The second tooke for his Text the Lords Prayer because it is said he a day of prayer The third tooke for his Text the 7th of Matthew 19. to the end Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is cut downe c. And upon that parable of the two Builders on the rocke the first the other on the sand c. By this time the day was well up then I taught out of the 9th of Ezra 3. 9. where I described a day of fasting and the right carriage of it yet by the parable of a Nut I shewed that outward acts are as the shell which is necessary but a broken and believing heart is the kernell and so ended the forepart of the day After a little respite in which time a Question came to mee if it were lawfull to take a pipe of Tobacco we met againe the first took his Text Joh. 3.16.22 and his Preface was I reade or rehearse this and let every one reade it in his owne heart The second took his Text Matth. 13.24 to 31. from the parable of him that sowed good seed and the enemie came and while they slept sowed tares c. The third took his Text Luke 3d. 4 5 6. ver Prepare yee the way of the Lord make his paths straight c. By this time night drew on then I took for my Text Deut. 29. and the 1. to 16. where Israel entred into Covenant with the Lord and finally our Covenant in the forerecited words I expressed and they joyntly consented unto first the Rulers then all the people then was the Collections for the poore and by dark night wee finished our worke Thus have I briefly described that blessed day wherein these poore soules solemnely became the people of the Lord this was on the 24th day of the 7th Moneth 1651. Upon the 8th of the Oct. Moneth which was our next Lecture for it is in that place but once in a fortnight I houlding a Lecture each other weeke still at any other place it pleased our Governour with many others attending him to visit our poore workes and day of small things where they viewed our house our Fort our Bridge advised about a place for a Mill c. At the season they came unto our Lecture and observed the carriage and behaviour of things and men among other things one of our Indians did as we are wont exercise which they tooke so much notice of and were so farre affected with as that it pleased the Governour to advice me to write the substance of that which he spake which is as followeth his Text was Matth. 13.44 45 46 Againe the Kingdome of heaven is like vnto treasure hid in a feild the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth the feild 45. Againe the Kingdome of heaven is like unto a Marchant-man seeking goodly pearles 46. Who when he had found one pearle of great price he went and sould all that he had and bought it The substance of these words he did twice rehearse then for instruction he first propounded what is this treasure which is hid in a field he answered it is Repentance for sinne faith in Christ and pardon of sinne and all grace as also praying to God the worship of God and his appointments which are the meanes
did believe his sinnes could be pardoned and that he did desire to heare the word of God This man hereby hath made those of his own house to be his Enemies his wife his children and most of his friends and kindred who remaine obstinate still whereby he meets with many troubles temptations one of his brethren being very sicke did earnestly desire that he would Pawwaw for him which he refused his brother told him that he might keep it private but he still refused telling him that notwithstanding that if he should answer his desire he should breake his Covenant and sinne against God and therefore would not There came pressing in at the same time about fiftie Indians desiring to joyne with the worshippers of God in his service It would be too long for mee to set downe what every one said before they entred into Covenant onely this I may not omit that all of them came confessing their sinnes some in speciall the naughtinesse of their hearts others in particular actuall sinnes they had lived in and also they all desired to be made better and to attend unto the Word of God to that end looking onely to Christ Jesus for salvation I observed also that they generally came in by Families bringing also their Children with them saying I have brought my Children too I would have my Children serve God with us I desire that this son and this daughter may worship Jehovah and it they could but speake their parents would have them say something to shew their willingnesse to serve God And when the Commandements were repeated they all acknowledged them to be good and made choice of Jehovah to be their God promising by his helpe to walke according to his Counsells And when they were received by them that were before in this generall Covenant it was by lowed voyces giving thankes to God that they were met together in the wayes of Jehovah this is all before the end of the yeare 1650. And now through the mercy of God there are an hundred ninetie-nine men women and children that have professed themselves to be worshippers of the great and everliving God There are now two meetings kept every Lords day the one three miles the other about Eight miles off my house Hiâ—comes teacheth twice a day at the nearest and Mumanequem accordingly at the farthest the last day of the weeke they come unto me to be informed touching the subject they are to handle And the Lord doth much assist them blessed be the name of the Lord. I have also undertaken to keepe by the helpe of God two Lectures amongst them which will be at each once a fortnight And I hope it will be by the blessing of God very profitable unto them This winter I intend if the Lord will to set up a Schoole to teach the Indians to reade viz. the Children and also any young men that are willing to learne whereof they are very glad I am also endeavouring their Cohabitations with all convenient speed that so they may be more helpful one to another and also the better advantaged to carry on that worke they have set upon to Gods glorie and their owne comfort And what I have written concerning the Pawwawes and the fiftie Indians that were admitted to those that worshipped God in one day There were diverse English both eye and eare witnesses thereof as well as my selfe and wee could not but acknowledge much of the Lords power and goodnesse to be visible amongst them who without being driven by power or allured by gifts were so strongly carried against those wayes they so much loved to love the way that nature hates Let us therefore magnifie the Lord who alone doth this and seeke unto him to doe more and more still that so one generation may praise his works to another and that so both wee and them may abundantly utter the memory of his great goodnesse and power In that new song Revelations 5.9 untill that wee all meete together in Heaven and sing glorious praises unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lambe for ever end ever In whom I heartily recommend you unto God desiring to be recommended by you and in him to rest Yours to be commended in and for the Lord Jesus Thomas Mayhew From the Vineyard this 16th of October 1651. The next Letter you meete withall came from the present Governour of the Massachusets directed to the President of our Corporation and another of the Members thereof which we thought good to publish that every Christian Reader may partake in the same consolation wherewith he and we are comforted and joyne with us in prayer to the Lord of the Harvest that he would provide more labourers to enter upon this soule-saving worke and enlarge the hearts of all his people in this Nation towards the same Much Honoured and beloved in the Lord Jesus IEsteeme it not the least of Gods mercies that hath stirred up the hearts of any of the people of God to be instrumentall in the inlarging of the kingdome of his deare Sonne here amongst the Heathen Indians which was one end of our comming hither and it is not frustrated It was prophesied of old and now begins to be accomplished Psal 2.8 Neither can I but acknowledge the unspeakeable goodnesse of God that gives us favour in the sight of our Countrymen to helpe on with so large a hand of bountie so glorious a worke provoked thereunto by your worthy selves the chiefe Actors of so good a designe let mee with leave say confidently you will never have cause to recent it For the worke is Gods and he doth own it the labour there hath been yours and your Master will reward it It thinke Religion and Conscience binde mee to seeke unto God for you and to praise him with you for what is alreadie begun The Foundation is layd and such a one that I verily believe the gates of Hell shall never prevaile against I doubt not but the building will goe on apace which I hope will make glad the hearts of Thousands Truely Gentlemen had you been eare and eye-witnesses of what I heard and saw on a Lecture-day amongst them about three weekes since you could not but be affected therewith as I was To speake truely I could hardly refraine teares for very joy to see their diligent attention to the word first taught by one of the Indians who before his Exercise prayed for the manner devoutly and reverently the matter I did not so well understand but it was with such reverence zeale good affection and distinct utterance that I could not but admire it his prayer was about a quarter of an houre or more as wee judged it then he tooke his Text and Mr Eliot their Teacher tould us that were English the place there were some Ministers and diverse other godly men there that attended mee thither his Text was in Matthew 13.44 45 46. He continued in his Exercise full halfe an houre or more
of Grace on which he dilated shewing what excellent pearles these are exhorting all to account so of them and on this point he did much insist secondly he asked what is the Feild where these pearles are to be found he answered the Church of Christ which they did desire to constitute in this place and to that end come thither to dwell Thirdly he asked what is it to sell all that a man hath to buy this Feild He answered to part with all their sinnes and to part with all their old Customes and to part with their friends and lands or any thing which hindereth them from coming to that place where they may gather a Church and enjoy all these pearles and here he insisted much to stirre them up that nothing should hinder them from Gathering together into this place where they might enjoy such a mercy Then he proceeded to the second parable and his first Question was Who is the Marchant man that seeketh goodly pearles he answered it is all you Indians which pray to God and repent of sinne and come to heare the word of God you come to seeke for excellent pearles and here also he insisted his second Question was What is this pearle of great price now in answer to this Question he did not pitch it on Christ alone and shew the worth and price of Christ but he did pitch it on faith in Jesus Christ and repentance for sinne and stood upon the excellency and necessitie thereof And this was the greatest defect I observed in his Exercise which seeing I undertake to relate that which none but my selfe understood I dare not but truely relate because the Lord heard all and I must give an account of this relation before him His next question was What is meant by all the Riches he had he answered his sinnes his evill Customes his evill manners in which he formerly tooke much pleasure And here he dilated also Lastly he asked how did he sell them all and buy the pearle he answered by casting away forsaking all his sinnes mourning and repenting of them praying to God and believing in Jesus Christ And here he fervently dilated and so ended and this according to the best of my memory and observation is the substance of what he delivered Whereby you may observe the manner of my teaching them for they imitate mee as for our method of preaching to the English by way of Doctrine reason and use neither have I liberty of speech for that way of teaching being very unskilfull in their Language nor have they sufficient abilitie of understanding to profit by it so well as by this way whereof you have herein a little Taste Jo Eliot The next Letter good Reader for we place them according to their severall dates is one that came from Mr John Wilson that reverend holy man who is Pastor of the Church of Christ at Boston in New England who accompanying the Governour together with Mr Eliot and sundry others to their new Towne built by the Converted Indians where they purpose by Gods permission to cohabite together that so they may enjoy all those Ordinances the Lord Jesus hath left unto his Church Now what Mr Wilson there saw heard and observed that he hath written over to us and we have published for thy information and consolation Honoured and ever deare Sir TOuching the worke of God among the Indians for ought I heare or see from them that are most conversant therein as Mr Eliot Mr Mahew and Mr Leverich with whom I have made diligent enquiry It doth prosperously succeed to their great encouragement and ours in the Lord. There was here some few weekes since the prime Indian at Marthas Vineyard with Mr Mahewe Humanequinn a grave and solemne Man with whom I had serious discourse Mr Mahewe being present as Interpreter between us who is a great proficient both in knowledge and utterance and love and practice of the things of Christ and of Religion much honoured and reverenced and attended by the rest of the Indians there who are solemnely Covenanted together I know not how many but between thirtie or fortie at the least and receive none into their Fraternitie or Combination but those which give good proofe of their upright desires to their Conscience in their professions and Conversations who when Mr Mahewe cannot be with them as at many set times he is doth in the weeke time instruct himselfe from Mr Mahews mouth and prepare for their instruction on the Lords day which they conscionably observe and have their constant solemne meetings together This man where he was had communion on the Lords day with Mr Eliots Indians neere Dorchester Mill unto whom he preached or declared what he had learned himselfe from the Scripture some two houres together with solemne prayer before and after and then ended with a Psalme such as at home is wont to be sung among his usuall hearers The Lords day after he was in our Assembly the Boate then being ready to carry him home by the next opportunitie and truely my reverence to him was such as there being no roome I prayed our brethren to receive that good Indian into one of their pewes which they did forenoone and afternoone and at meale I perceived by him that he had understanding of what he heard Mr Leverich being lately here and at my house who also preached at our new Church I conferred with him about the beginnings and progresse of the Lords worke among his neighbouring Indians at Sandwich and did heare from him what did my heart good And therefore when he tooke his leave of me I requested him that he would doe me the favour at his returne home to send me a briefe story of that good hand of God which was there upon them ab origine which I thanke him he did soone after and I thought not amisse to inclose it as it came to me being written with his own hand not doubting but it would adde unto your rejoycing in the Lord. About a fortnight since there was a Lecture to be of Mr Eliot at Naticke the new Indian Towne where he useth frequently to preach to them besides what he doth neere home on either side and many times doth keepe the Lords day with them whereof having some notice and that the Governour Mr Endicot intended then to be there my Cosin Rawson and I with some other did prepare to ride thither the Governour and his Sergeants lying at Dedham which is within seaven or eight miles of the Towne and we at Mr Jacksons neere Watertowne Mill in like distance in the next morning after we had been some houres there where we found Mr Eliot and by that time we bad viewed all things the Governour came with about twentie horsemen from Dedham and made a like view after which the Lecture or Sermon began in the Fort which the Indians have made of whole trees very hansome and firme which is neere a faire house which the Indians
THE BANNERS Of GRACE and LOVE DISPLAYED In the farther Conversion of the Indians In NEW-ENGLAND Held forth in sundry Letters from divers Ministers to the Corporation established by Parliament for Promoting the Gospel amongst the Heathen in New-England and farther attested by Edm. Callamy Simon Ashe VVill. Spurstow Lazarus Seaman George Griffith Phil. Nye VVilliam Bridge Henry VVhitfield Joseph Carryll Ralph Venning LONDON Printed by W. Godbid for Edw. Farnham and are to be sold at his Shop in Popeshead-Alley M.DC.LVII TO THE SUPREAME AUTHORITIE OF THIS NATION The Parliament of the Common-Wealth of ENGLAND THat the Fathers joy at the returning of a Spend-thrift Sonne ought to have an influence upon the whole Family of Heaven and Earth that is called after his name to worke their suitable affections and conformity to himselfe cannot be questioned by any true childe thereof Behold then Right Honourable a call thereunto Poore Prodigalls who have not only with our selves lost that rich Treasure of grace and holinesse wherewith in our Common roote and Fountaine we were entrusted but also in a course of Rebellion for many Generations wasted the remainder of Natures Riches to the utmost degeneracy that an Immortall rationall being is obnoxious unto not returning a farre off but rejoycing in the imbraces of their Father and enterteined with his flesh and bloud who was slaine and sacrificed for them The ayme of our walking with God here is to come up to some conformitie to them who behold his face and doe his Will in Heaven amongst them there is joy at the Repentance of one Sinner and shall not wee finde sweetnesse in the first fruits of a barren Wildernesse in the shining of a beame of light into the darknesse of another World giving hope of a plentifull harvest and a glorious day to ensue Let men take heed lest by despising the day and opposing the Worke of the Lord towards those poore Sonnes of Adam notwithstanding all their zealous profession they proclaime themselves to pursue a Carnall Interest by which they declare the enlargement of the Dominion of Jesus Christ is of no Concernment unto them Wee are by many Pledges assured better things of you Right Honourable and such as accompany zeale for the House of our God and therefore the ensuing Testimonialls of the progresse of the Worke of the Gospel being sent unto us wee make bold humbly to present them to you partly that we may invite you as the friends of Jesus Christ to rejoyce with him that some sheepe of his who were lost are found and partly to lay before you some such fruits of the putting forth of your Authoritie for the carrying on this most glorious undertaking as may encourage you to goe on through him who doth enable you unto future reall expressions of your love and zeale thereunto Wee shall not need to draw forth any particulars from the ensuing Narrative to give you a taste of that Spirit whereinto these poore Creatures are sweetly baptized Wee hope your delight in the Worke of God will inforce a leasure to view the whole this in Generall wee may say that in the Wildernesse are waters broken out and streames in the Desert the parched ground is become a Poole and the thirsty Land-springs of water in the Habitation of Dragons where each lay there is grasse with Reeds and Rushes the Lord hath powred water upon him that is thirstie and flouds upon the dry ground He hath powred his Spirit on the seeds of the Heathen his blessing on their Off-spring they spring up as among the grasse as willowes by the water-courses One sayes I am the Lords and another calls himselfe by the name of Jacob and another subscribes with his hand unto the Lord and sirnames himselfe by the name of Israel The Lord hath done a new thing and wee know it he hath made a way in the Wildernesse and Rivers in the Desert the beast of the feild doth honour him the Dragons and the Owles because he gives waters in the Wildernes and Rivers in the Desert to give drinke to his People his chosen so that upon the Report heere read unto us wee cannot but glorifie God with those Primitive beleevers of old and say then hath God also to the poore naked Indians granted Repentance unto life Their outward wants and streights have often been presented unto you wee shall not need to repeate them blessed be the Lord and blessed be you of the Lord that your hearts have been stirred up to give encouragement unto this Worke and to open a Doore for the reliefe of those Eminent Instruments in the hand of the Lord who carry it on who though they communicate to them Spiritualls yet are so farre from receiving of their Temporalls that they impart unto them a Portion of their owne dayly bread and provision necessary from their owne subsistence The good Lord lay the weight and concernment of this Worke upon your spirits and wee no way doubt that you will in any way be wanting to the Publique improvement of this blessed opportunitie for the enlargement of the Kingdome of him whom our Soules doe love There is a vexation of spirit which through their formalitie and unbeliefe hath encompassed many Professors that whereas they have with much seeming earnestnes cryed out for mercies when they have been bestowed they have thought scorne of them so did the Jewes in the busines of their Messias and many at this day amongst our selves in the great workes of the Provinces of God It is so with some to this breaking forth of light amongst the Indians desiring it before it began despising it in its very beginnings the Lord lay it not unto their charge and keep all our spirits in an holy admiration and reverence of the powerfull efficacy of his eternall and unchangeable purposes which through so many sinfull Generations falling in their Rebellion have preserved a seed to himselfe whereof he will take care that one graine fall not to the Ground Your Honors humble Servants John Owen Joseph Caryl Will Greenhill William Bridge William Carter George Griffith Tho Goodwin Sidrach Simpson Phillip Nye William Strong Henry Whitfeld Ralph Venning To the READER Christian Reader THese ensuing Letters doe represent unto thee and to the Churches the out-goings of Christ as a Light to the Gentiles that the grace which brings Salvation hath appeared unto them also in the furthest parts of the Earth for the accomplishment of that ancient and glorious Promise I will give thee for a Light to the Gentiles that thou may'st be my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth Isa 49.6 The People of God have been greatly affected with the appearances of Christ when he hath rode forth upon a red Horse to the destruction of his Enemies for he is glorious in his Apparell even when his garments are dipt in bloud but much more when he rides forth upon a white Horse for the Conversion of Soules and goes on Conquering and to Conquer Wee
have therefore thought fit to commend this great worke of Christ unto the view of all the Saints under these following Considerations First Hereby the Kingdome of Christ is enlarged and the promise made unto him in the Covenant between him and his Father accomplished Arma diaboli Gentes erant fide cutem Gentium vulneraâ—â— tus caput quod habebat amisit Amb. in Psal 118. his Domimon shall be from Sea to Sea and from the floud unto the Worlds end therefore his designe is upon all the Kingdomes of the Earth that he may take possession of them for himselfe they shall all become the Kingdomes of the Lord and of his Christ Revel 11.15 And the Kingdome and Dominion under the whole Heaven being so possessed by Christ shall be given to the Saints of the most High Dan. 7.18 Our prayer is Thy Kingdome come to see the promise made unto Christ fullfilled and the Prayers of the Saints answered should be matter of great rejoycing unto us and of high Praises unto God Secondly The glorious Gospel of Christ is hereby Propagated which is the Scepter of his Kingdome the Rod of his Power which wee pray may run and be glorified And when we consider by how many even amongst us the Gospel is rejected for men reject the Councell of God against themselves by how many it is resisted for there are many adversaries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 16.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Tim. 2.25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nazian and by how many the Gospel is perverted being made another Gospel by strange Interpretations one of the great acts of Sacriledge of our times stealing the sence of the Scripture from the words of the Scripture Now to see the Gospel lifted up as an Ensigne to the Nations and they to flow unto it should be matter of great rejoycing to the soules of those who love the Gospel in sinceritie Thirdly Hereby the soules of men are rescued out of the snare of the Devill in which they were before held captive at his will The Lord hath manifested that there is a seed according to the Election of grace even amongst these also as well as other Gentiles that the Lord hath visited them to take out of them a people for his Name yea that even they who in a more immediate manner among them worshipped the Devill their Witches call'd in their language Pawwawes that even these should be deliver'd Satan falling from Heaven like lightning before the Gospel should greatly exalt free grace in our hearts the great Love of God is Love to Soules and our tenderest compassion should be manifested in pittying of Soules neither know wee any other ordinary way that the Lord has appointed but the preaching of the Gospel for the winning of Soules to himselfe That being the Power of God to salvation Fourthly Hereby the fullnes of the Gentiles draws neere to be accomplished that the calling of the Jewes may be hastned the Scripture speaks of a double conversion of the Gentiles the first before the conversion of the Jewes they being Branches wilde by nature grafted into the True Olive Tree in stead of the naturall Branches which are broken off This fullnesse of the Gentiles shall come in before the conversion of the Jewes Brightman in Cant. 8.8 Mede in Apoc. cap. 7. p. 56. and till then blindnesse hath hapned unto Israel Rom. 11.25 The Second after the conversion of the Jewes as appeares Acts 15 16 17. After this I will returne and will build againe the Tabernacle of David which is fallen downe and I will build againe the ruines thereof and I will set it up that the residue of men might seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom my Name is called sayth the Lord. Hence it appeares that there are some Gentiles upon whom the Lords Name is called that are a people to him even whilst the Tabernacle of David lyes in its ruines and when he hath built againe this Tabernacle of David that there are a residue of men the remainder of the Gentiles that shall enquire after the Lord and worship him together with those Gentiles that were formerly converted and upon whom his Name was called The first conversion of the Gentiles in its fullnesse makes way for the coming in of the Jewes the King of the East therefore to see this worke goe on should cause the people of God to lift up their heads and expect that the Time of the fullfilling that Promise is neere Fifthly That the Lord hath blessed the labours of our Brethren who were driven out from among us A gracious heart as he prayes for so he cannot but rejoyce in the successe of other mens labours as well as his owne so the worke which is Gods may prosper who ever be the Instrument 't is enough to him When Peter gave an account to the Apostles and Brethren of the Conversion of Cornelius and his family who were as it were the first fruits of the Gentiles they all glorified God saying Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto life Act. 11.18 And if they could rejoyce in the Conversion of the Gentiles which they knew would be with the rejection of the Jewes how much more should wee rejoice in this great worke who may grow together upon the same good Olive Tree That when other Nations who have planted in those furthest parts of the Earth have onely sought their owne advantage to possesse their Land Transport their gold and that with so much covetousnesse and cruelty that they have made the name of Christianitie and of Christ an abomination that the Lord should be pleased to make use of our Brethren that went forth from us to make manifest the savour of Christ among the people and to winne their soules to him How should wee rejoyce that the Lord hath so farre prosper'd such an undertaking It was a holy ambition in Paul to preach the Gospel where Christ was not named that he might not glory in another mans line It is certainly a great honour to be Instrumentall to bring soules to Christ who before never heard of his Name Sixthly This wee hope may be but the first fruits of those great Nations unto Christ the Lord doth not usually cause to bring forth and then shut the wombe Isa 66.9 Let no man despise the day of small things the Lord hath opened a great doore which we hope Satan shall never be able any more to shut Such Considerations as these have filled and affected our hearts in the reading and meditation of this great worke of the Lord and wee hope being communicated may be a good means to awaken the godly and faithfull of this Nation to observe the Presence and appearances of God amongst his people there that wee also may say What shall we doe for our Sister in the day that shee shall be spoken for Shall we not be abundant in Prayer that the Lord would yet further blesse their
holy endevours Shall wee not labour to strengthen their hands by ministering to them of our aboundance that they may not be discouraged in so eminent a service one of the greatest workes that hath been upon the wheele in this latter age for to Contribute to the offering up of Soules to Christ must needs be a Sacrifice of a very sweet smelling savour unto God This wee humbly offer unto all those that love the Lord Jesus in sinceritie and remaine Thine in the furtherance of the Gospel W. Gouge Edm Calamy Simon Ashe Wil Spurstowe Jer Whitaker Lazarus Seaman George Griffith Phillip Nye William Bridge Henry Whitfeld Sidrach Simpson William Strong Joseph Caryl Ralph Venning To the Christian Reader CHRISTIAN READER AS ever worke of God tending to the rescuing of deluded Soules out of the snares of the Devill so even this Glorious worke of Gods grace hath met with many discouragements by various kinds of objections cast abroad by divers sorts of people and even by some that come from New-England it selfe who having lived remote from the worke done and either not affecting the instruments therein imployed or not going to the places of their Exercise that they might see and heare the gracious operations of the Spirit of God amongst them may easily misreport the proceedings of Gods goodnesse therein Yet neverthelesse God having called us to be exercised in a worke of this Nature wherein his Glory and the Salvation of so many of the lost sonnes of Adam are concerned wee have taken up a Resolution by his gracious Assistance to improve the power and trust by Authoritie of Parliament committed to us to the utmost least it be laid to our Account amongst others the obstructors of it in the great day of the Lord. But as wee meete with discouragements so through mercy wee are not without incouragements of many sorts Viz. 1. This worke of Gods grace growes in New England not onely in the places where the Gospel was formerly preached to the Indians But God hath stirred up two Eminent Ministers in two other parts of the Countrey to labour in the worke not without successe answerable as Mr William Leveridge neere Sandwich in the Government of New Plymouth sixtie miles from the place where Mr Eliot teacheth and Mr Richard Blindman at Pecoat a place formerly subdued by the English and is a place about the same distance from Sandwich another way an account whereof you will have in the following Treatise 2 Where the Act of Parliament for the Collection meets with Gospel-spirited Ministers and people there wee finde a good account of it comparatively God having stirr'd up the hearts of some Eminent Christians to contribute in a considerable manner Some by charging their Lands with a yearely Revenue to the Corporation for that end for ever and others by sending in good summes of money subscribing to pay yearely so much whilst they live And one Gentleman leaving two sonnes of tender age having appointed by his will in case they dye without issue that an estate of two hundred pound per annum should be setled upon the Corporation for ever and the rest of his estate for the like uses in the foure Northerne Counties of England 3. That God hath wrought a resolution in us of the Corporation wherein wee trust hee will inable us to persist viz. to contribute our labour and paines freely to this worke without the least diminution of the Stocke And if any desire to be satisfied what our receipts disbursements or manner of proceedings are our Bookes are open at Coopers Hall London betweene the houres of Tenne and Twelve every Saturday where they may without offence see what is given and by whom when brought in and how imployed or improved 'T is very strange to see what a multitude of objections are darted against this pure piece of Christianitie yea by some whom otherwise wee have charitable thoughts of and how exceedingly the worke is impeded thereby and however through mercy wee are able to answer every one of them sufficiently yet wee forbeare to particularize them least wee should reflect too much on some our Consciences telling us that as the worke is of God and really such as is held forth so he onely can satisfie the spirits of Men and will doe it in due season and in the meane time blesse his owne worke being able to carry it on who delighteth oft-times in small meanes that his gracious operations may the more be seene This is the fifth Treatise hath been published to the world in this kinde but the first by the Corporation every one of them exceeding each other wherein a most apparant growth and progresse doth appeare amongst the poore Natives That wee have now to offer to the publique view is a farther account of that living growing spreading power of Godlines amongst them And first wee shall begin with some remarkeable passages of divine providence in a Letter received from Mr John Eliot who was the first Minister the Lord stirred up to promote this worke bearing date the 28th of February 1651. to one of our selves Much Honored and Beloved in CHRIST THe Providence of God giving this unexpected opportunity of sending I thought it my duty not to omit it that so the Saints and people of God with you especially your selfe with the rest of the Worshipfull Corporation might understand the progresse and present state of this worke of the Lord among the Indians for wee meete with changes of providence and tryalls in this our day of small things It hath pleased the Lord to try them so soone as they have but tasted of his holy wayes For our natures cannot live without Physicke nor grace without affliction more or lesse sooner or later The winter before this last past it pleased God to worke wonderfully for the Indians who call upon God in preserving them from the Pox when their prophane Neighbours were cut off by it This winter it hath pleased God to make lesse difference for some of ours were also visited with that disease yet this the Lord hath done for them that fewer of them have dyed thereof then of others who call not upon the Lord. Onely three dyed of it but five more young and old of other diseases Now through the Lords mercy they are well though not without ordinary infirmities which befall Mankinde In matters of Religion they goe on nor onely in attendance on such meanes as they have not onely in knowledge which beginneth to have some clearenesse in the Fundamentall poynts of Salvation but also in the practice and power of Grace both in constant care in attendance on the worship of God on Sabboth dayes and Lecture dayes especially profitting in the gift of prayer and also in the exercise of love to such as be in affliction either by sicknesse or povertie I have seene lively Actings of Charitie out of Reverence to the Command of the Lord when such as had not that principle were farre from such works of
mercy it pleased God to try them in the time of the Pox for some of them did hazard their owne lives for to them it is very mortall in obedience to the Command of the Lord to shew mercy to them that were sicke and some were infected thereby and fell sicke and lay with much chearefullnesse and patience under Gods hand and through the Lords mercy are well againe others who did shew mercy in that case escaped the sicknesse to the praise of God Likewise God is pleased to try their Charitie by an old Paraliticke or Palsie sicke-man whose owne Children being prophane and tyred with the burthen of him his retentive power of houlding excrements being loosened and having a loosenesse sometimes he is very noysome and burthensome they forsooke him and he had perished but that the Lord stirred up by the word of his grace their hearts to shew mercy to him for he was while he was sicke at six shilling a weeke charge for wee offered twelve-pence a night to any to tend him and for meere hyre none would abide it but out of mercy and Charity some of the Families did take care of him and gave freely some weeks and others were paid out of their publique money namely such as hath been taken off such as have been Transgressors by Fine or Mulct and still he is at foure shillings a weeke charge being better in health in so much that all their publique money is spent and much more and wee have Collections among them for the same use The old man who hath been and still is wise doth wisely testifie that their love is sincere and that they truely pray to God and I hope so doth he and shall be saved I could with a word speaking in our Churches have this poore man relieved but I doe not because I thinke the Lord hath done it for the tryall of their grace and exercise of their love and to traine them up in works of Charitie and in the way of Christ to make Collections for the poore I see how the Lord provideth to further the progresse of the Gospel by these tryalls and afflictions yea there be more passages of this winters worke wherein the Lord hath taught us by the Crosse For one of our first and principall men is dead which though it be a great blow and damping to our worke in some Respects yet the Lord hath not left the rest to discouragement thereby nay the worke is greatly furthered for he made so gracious an end of his life and imbraced death with such holy submission to the Lord and was so little terrified at it as that it hath greatly strengthened the Faith of the living to be constant and not to feare death greatly commending of the death of Wamporas for that was his name I thinke he did more good by his death then he could have done by his life one of his sayings was That God giveth us three mercies in this world the first is health and strength the second is food and cloaths the third is sicknesse and death and when wee have had our share in the two first why should wee not be willing to take our part in the third for his part he was I heard him speake thus and at other times also and at his last he so spake and it so tooke with them that I observe it in their prayers that they so reckon up Gods dispensations to them his last words which he spake in this world were these Jehova Aninnumah Jesus Christ that is Oh Lord give mee Jesus Christ and when he could speake no more he continued to lift up his hands to Heaven according as his strength lasted unto his last breath so that they say of him he dyed praying when I visited him the last time that I saw him in this world not doubting but I shall see him againe with Christ in Glory one of his sayings was this Foure yeares and a Quarter since I came to your house and brought some of our Children to dwell with the English now I dye I strongly intreate you for that is their phrase that you would strongly intreate Elder Heath with whom his Sonne liveth and the rest which have our Children that they may be taught to know God so as that they may teach their Countrymen because such an example would doe great good among them his heart was much upon our intended worke to gather a Church among them I told him I greatly desired that he might live if it were Gods will to be one in that worke but if he should now dye he should goe to a better Church where Abraham and Isaack and Jacob and Moses and all the dead Saints were vvith Jesus Christ in the presence of God in all happinesse and Glory he said he feared not death he was vvilling to dye and turning to the Company vvhich vvere present he spake unto them thus I now shall dye but Jesus Christ calleth you that live to goe to Naticke that there the Lord might rule over you that you might make a Church and have the Ordinance of God among you believe in his Word and doe as hee commandeth you With many such vvords exhorting them vvhich they could not heare vvithout vveeping A little before his death he spake many gracious vvords unto them vvherein one passage vvas this Some delight to heare and speake idle and foolish words but I desire to heare and speake onely the words of God exhorting them so to doe likewise his gracious vvords vvere acceptable and affecting that vvhereas they used to fly and avoyd vvith terrour such as lye dying novv on the contrary they flocked together to heare his dying vvords whose death and buriall they beheld vvith many teares nor am I able to vvrite his Storie without vveeping Another affliction and damping to our vvorke vvas this that it hath pleased God to take avvay that Indian vvho vvas most active in Carpentrey and who had framed mee an house with a little direction of some English whom I sometime procured to goe with mee to guide him and to set out his worke hee dyed of the Pox this winter so that our house lyeth not yet raised vvhich maketh my aboade amongst them more difficult and my tarriance shorter then else I vvould but the Lord helpeth mee to remember that he hath said Endure thou hardnesse as a good Souldier of Jesus Christ These are some of the gracious tryalls and Corrections the Lord hath exercised us withall yet he hath mingled them with much love and favour in other respects for it hath pleased God this winter much to inlarge the abilitie of him whose helpe I use in translating the Scriptures which I account a great furtherance of that which I most desire namely to communicate unto them as much of the Scriptures in their owne language as I am able Besides it hath pleased God to stirre up the hearts of many of them this winter to learne to reade and write wherein they
doe very much profit with a very little helpe especially some of them for they are very ingenuous And whereas I had thoughts that vvee must have an Englishman to be their Schoole-Master I now hope that the Lord will raise up some of themselves and enable them unto that worke with my care to teach them well in the reason of the sounds of Letters and spelling I trust in the Lord that vvee shall have sundry of them able to reade and write who shall vvrite every man for himselfe so much of the Bible as the Lord shall please to enable me to translate Besides those workes which concerne Religion and Learning wee are also a doing according to the measure of our day of small things in the civill part of this worke wee have set out some part of the Towne in severall Streets measuring out and dividing of Lots which I set them to doe and teach them how to doe it many have planted Apple-Trees and they have begun diverse Orchards it s now planting-time and they be full of businesse yet wee are doing some publicke workes the last weeke I appointed our Lecture to be at a Water which is a common passage and where the Fish wee call Alewives come there wee built a bridge and made a wyre to catch Fish and being many of them some wee appointed to one worke and some to another through the blessing of God wee brought both these workes to perfection wee also have begun a Pallizadoe Fort in the midst whereof wee intend a meeting-house and Schoole-house but wee are in great want of Tooles and many necessaries and when wee cannot goe wee must be content to creepe this present weeke I am going to Pawtucket the great Fishing place upon Merimek where I heare sundry doe expect my coming with a purpose to submit themselves unto the Lords hand Sir I doe earnestly beg your prayers both for mee and for this worke of the Lord which he hath set mee about John Eliott Roxbury the 28th of the 2d 1651. The former Letter of Mr Elliots came to hand about six Moneths before the latter and that 's the reason you have another of his followeth next after his former whereby the Reader may see and observe the constant goodnes of God in carrying on his owne worke notwithstanding all the opposition of Men. Every day bringing forth as it were additionall improvements to the praise of God who delighteth so much in this his day of small things Worshipfull and much honoured in the LORD IT is through the grace of Christ who hath called you into the fellowship of his Kingdome that you are willing to take such care and paines for the advancement and furtherance of his Kingdome and the Lord fill your hearts with the Consolations of his holy Spirit whose spirit hee hath set to seeke his glory in promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ and because the fruite of our Labours coming in with a blessing is a great meanes to quicken the heart to be constant in that worke which the Lord delighteth to prosper and blesse It is my duty to let you understand how it pleaseth the Lord to prosper and proceed in this worke of his among the Indians for the promoting vvhereof you travaile with care and paines that so you may goe on with the more Comfort and the better know how to direct your prayers unto the Lord in that behalfe I will not trouble you with rehearsall of such things as I have already this yeare written about unto our honoured Friend Mr Winslowe so farre as I can call to minde vvhat I wrote hoping in the Lord that the Ships are safely arrived and my Letters come unto his hands I know not whether I have yet mentioned our Schoole vvhich through the Lords mercy vvee have begun though vvee cannot yet be constant in it vvee have two men in some measure able to teach the youth vvith my guidance and inspection And thus vvee order the Schoole The Master daily prayeth among his Schollers and instructeth them in Catechisme for which purpose I have compiled a short Catechisme and vvrote it in the Masters booke vvhich he can reade and teach them and also all the Copies he setteth his Schollers vvhen he teacheth them to write are the Questions and Answers of the Catechisme that so the Children may be the more prompt and ready therein wee aspire to no higher learning yet but to spell reade and vvrite that so they may be able to vvrite for themselves such Scriptures as I have already or hereafter may by the blessing of God translate for them for I have no hope to see the Bible translated much lesse printed in my dayes Therefore my chiefe care is to Communicate as much of the Scriptures as I can by vvriting and further my scope so to traine up both men and youths that when they be in some measure instructed themselves they may be sent forth to other parts of the Countrey to traine up and instruct others even as they themselves have been trained up and instructed This consideration doth make mee very carefull to put on the Schoole and attend it with what diligence I can although I cannot as yet doe in it what I desire There be severall providences of God appearing to worke which make mee thinke that the most effectuall and generall way of spreading the Gospel will be by themselves when so instructed as I have above-mentioned 〈◊〉 for my preaching though such whose hearts God hath bowed to attend can picke up some knowledge by my broken expressions yet I see that it is not so taking and effectuall to strangers as their owne expressions be who naturally speake unto them in their owne tongue To the end therefore that they may be the better able to teach others I doe traine them up and exercise them therein vvhen I am among them on the Lords dayes appointing two each Sabboth to exercise and when they have done then I proceed and assuredly I finde a good measure of abilitie in them not onely in prayer wherein they exceed my expectation but in memory to rehearse such Scriptures as I have read unto them and expounded to expound them also as they have heard mee doe and apply them And now also the Schoole-Master taking the care of catechizing the Children I leaving that to him doe catechize the men examining and trying their knowledge which yet I am wary in doing least I should dampe and discourage the weake These things I attend with the more intention because it seemeth to mee God will imploy these first instructed to instruct others of which I have had sundry experiences some I shall instance it pleased Mr Winthrop son unto our late Honoured Governour now at rest to advise mee to send two discreete men to the greatest and most potent Sachem among the Naragansets to answer such Questions as they might propound and to stirre them up to call on God I did accordingly and sent him a Present by
them but the proud Sachem did little lesse then despise the offer though hee tooke the Present So they thought they should have returned without successe but when they came among the people especially such as were a little more remote from the great and proud ones they received them with great gladnesse one Company taking one of ours among them others taking the other of our men amongst them they asked them many Questions expressed their readinesse to call upon God if they had any to teach them expressing likewise that they did not expect their Sachems would pray to God because they vvere so proud by which I doe perceive that the Lord is preparing a plentifull harvest and not onely by this but by many other Evidences There is a great Countrey lying betweene Conectacott and the Massachusets called Nipnet where there be many Indians dispersed many of which have sent to our Indians desiring that some may be sent unto them to teach them to pray unto God And sometimes some of our best men doe goe to severall places for a little while and returne againe and not without successe These things being so the worke which vvee now have in hand will be as a patterne and Copie before them to imitate in all the Countrey both in civilizing them in their order government Law and in their Church proceedings and administrations and hence great care lyeth upon mee to set them right at first to lay a sure foundation for such a building as I foresee will be built upon it and in this matter I greatly need pray The order of proceeding with them is first to gather them together from their scattered course of life to cohabitation and civill order and Government and then to forme them the Lord having fitted them into visible Church-state for the guidance whereof I have instructed them that they should looke onely into the Scriptures and out of the word of God fetch all their Wisedome Lawes and Government and so shall they be the Lords people and the Lord above shall Reigne over them and governe them in all things by the word of his mouth Sundry of these which pray unto God have formerly subjected themselves unto the English So that in this Government among themselves they doe reserve themselves in that poynt to owne them as their superiours to make appeales unto them as neede may require and experience for these many yeares shew that though they have so subjected themselves yet the onely benefit they have is protection as for hearing and determining their causes the difference of language and paucitie of Interpreters prohibits and if their causes come they be so longsome and yet of small importance that it is of necessitie that either they must have no government as hitherto it hath been or else they must have it among themselves Besides all or many of their differences and causes they usually brought to mee which was not convenient and I was willing to avoyde themselves also found great need that some should be over them to judge their causes and end differences and much desired it Therefore upon the sixt day of the sixt Moneth of this present yeare their Pallizadoe Fort being finished they had a great meeting and many came together from diverse parts though sundry were hindred and came not at that time where with prayer to God I read and expounded to them the 18th of Exodus which I had done severall times before and finally they did solemnly choose two Rulers among themselves they first chose a Ruler of an Hundred then they chose two Rulers of Fifties then they chose Ten or Tithing Men so I call them in English for so they were called as is reported in England vvhen England did flourish happily under that kinde of Government And lastly for that dayes worke every man chose who should be his Ruler of ten the Rulers standing in order and every man going to the man he chose and it seemed unto mee as if I had seene scattered bones goe bone unto his bone and so lived a civill politicall life and the Lord was pleased to minister no small comfort unto my spirit when I saw it After this worke was ended they did enter into Covenant with God and each other to be the Lords people and to be governed by the word of the Lord in all things The words of which Covenant are these in English Wee doe give our selves and our Children unto God to be his people Hee shall rule us in all our affaires not onely in our Religion and affaires of the Church these wee desire as soone as wee can if God will but also in all our workes and affaires in this world God shall rule over us Isa 33.22 The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King Hee will save us the Wisedome which God hath taught us in his Booke that shall guide us and direct us in the way Oh Jehovah teach us wisedome to finde out thy wisedome in thy Scriptures let the grace of Christ helpe us because Christ is the wisedome of God send thy Spirit into our hearts and let it teach us Lord take us to be thy people and let us take thee to be our God This Act of forming themselves into the Government of God and entring into this Government is the first publique Record among the Indians and for ought I know the first that ever was among them and now our next worke is to prepare them for Church-estate to which end I doe instruct them that the Visible Church of Christ is builded upon a lively confession of Christ and Covenanting to walke in all the Administrations of the publique worship of God under the Government and Discipline of Jesus Christ I doe therefore exhort them to try their hearts by the word of God to finde out what change the Lord hath wrought in their hearts and this is the present vvorke vvee have in hand Give mee leave much honoured Friends to goe a little backe in my relation that I might be more particular because these Letters I prepared in the sixt Moneth after they had chosen their Officers as I was propounding and teaching them the above-written Covenant for that I did often before wee did solemnely accomplish it that so they might doe it as an Act of knowledge and faith Now let mee relate the order of our proceeding Having againe and againe read this Covenant to them and instructed them in the meaning of it it pleased God to wrack Mr Webbers Ship at Conahasset though the Lord dealt favourably most goods were saved though much spoyled this was on the first day of the 7th Moneth wherefore at a Lecture at Natik on the 10th of the same Moneth I informed them of the plentifull supply which the Lord had made your selves his instruments to send unto them for the furtherance of this our worke and also how the Lord had frowned upon it and undoubtedly it was a fruit of sinne
have built after the English manner high and large no English-mans hand in it save that one day or two they had an English Carpenter with them to direct about the time of rearing with chimneys in it In which Mr Eliot those which accompany him use to lye and the Indian Schoole-Master was there teaching the Children who doth reade and spell very well himselfe and teacheth them to doe the like besides writing and as there is a large Roome below so there is a like chamber above in a Corner whereof Mr Eliot hath a little Roome inclosed and a bed bed-sted therein and in the same Chamber the Indians doe as in a Wardrope hang up their skinnes and things of price as counting them there to be very safe as well when the dores be open as when they be locked they have laid out three long faire streets there two on this side the River and one on that and have severall house-lots apportioned severally to every one which doe or be to inhabite there and in many of them there are fruit-trees already planted and they are building English houses for themselves meane while living in Wigwams whereof there is good store neere the hill side at present there being a goodly plaine from the Towne towards Dedham over the River that is Charles River they have made a firme high foote-bridge arch-wise to walke to and fro having heaped on the bottome tymbers huge stones the more to fortifie it and it was a great encouragement to them that the last yeare when a like bridge made by the English in the new Dedham Village called Medefield some foure or five miles from them was throwne downe by the force of the flouds or Ice yet theirs did stand firme and upright But to returne to the Fort and to the busines of the day that is Round and Capacious and they have prepared there a large Canopie of Matts upon poles for Mr Eliot and the chiefe of his Company to sit under and other sorts for themselves and other hearers The Saneps or men by themselves and the Squaes or women by themselves besides the English then present which were about thirtie there were I thinke not fewer then a hundred men women and young ones among the Indians there be some greater proficients in knowledge and of better utterance by farre then their fellowes Grave and serious men whom Mr Eliot hath trained up or the Lord rather by his instructions and directions to instruct and exhort the rest of the Indians in their Lords day and other meetings when he cannot come to them himselfe There be some five of these one of them was prepared before we came and appointed to begin this Exercise the further relation of the manner of this Indians behaviour in preaching together with the substance of that Sermon being before set downe by Mr Eliot may be never omitted other particulars in order to the exact description of the Indian Fort and buildings in Mr Eliots Letter is defective are here supplyed This man being of middle age and clad all in English apparell as most if not all others of them are sitting in the midst on a stoole under the shelter did begin with prayer very solemnely standing up for some halfe quarter of an houre then sitting downe spake unto them of the two Parables concerning the Feild wherein the treasure hid and the wise Marchant selling all for the pearle wee understood him not save Mr Eliot excepting now and then a word or two he discoursed to them some three quarters of an houre at the least with great devotion gravitie decency readines and affection and gestures very becomming and sundry mentions he made of Jesus Christ specially in the beginning and towards the ending as if he were the scope of all and the rest of the Indians diverse old men and women and the younger did joyne and attend with much Reverence as if much affected therewith then he ended with prayer as he beganne Then Mr Eliot prayed and preached in the Indian Language for some houre more about coming to Christ and bearing his yoake This Text was translated by him from the Scripture into English speaking with much authoritie and after his latter prayer the Indian Schoole-Master read out of his Booke one of the Psalmes in meeter line by line translated by Mr Eliot into Indian all the men and women c. singing the same together in one of our ordinary English tunes melodiously I should have said that after Mr Eliots Sermon there were two or three grave Indians that propounded to Mr Eliot each of them a Question very pertinent to the matter he handled about the yoake of Christ and coming to Christ which he answered interpreting unto us both their Questions and the summe of his owne Answers After this the Lord did stirre up my heart to make an Exhortation to the Indians which Mr Eliot expounded to them and also the Governours Speech which God did stirre him up too unto the same purpose declaring our joy to see such beginnings and warning them of the great danger if they should decline from what they had already come unto either in their knowledge affection or Christian practice incouraging them against what might dampe or deterre Then all of us taking us to our horses left Mr Eliot and them together the Governour and his Company to lye at Dedham and the rest of us when wee had rid two or three miles with them did returne into our owne way towards our former lodging having been every one of us much refreshed in our spirits in what we saw were informed of viz. of God amongst them Not long before this travelling with Mr Eliots brother I conferred in the way seriously with him about these Indians for he useth to accompany his brother and is a right godly and diligent man desiring to know what solidity he found by experience in them Who did acquaint mee that there was difference between them as between the English some being lese serious then others and lesse spirituall but that there was a considerable Company of solide ones that were constant and forward in good duties as well on the weeke dayes as on the Lords And that he had purposely sometimes in the darke walked the Round as it were alone and found them in their severall Families as devout in prayer c. as if there had been any present to observe and that carried it very modestly utterly refusing to receive any reliefe from Mr Eliots Table choosing rather to live on the provisions at home which came in by their owne labour and when once Mr Eliots owne provisions failed hee being detained among them sundry dayes beyond his intent they soone tooke notice and of their owne accord did bring unto him varietie of the best which they had themselves and he professed unto mee that upon all his best observation there was a very hopefull beginning amongst them of the Grace Kingdome of our Lord Jesus
the best ground did fully perswade my heart of your faithfullnesse therein and of an inward blessing from God upon us thereby although I should never have seene a returne in outward supplies as now through mercy I have as an acceptable and very helpfull fruit of Christian goodnes and bounty received from your selfe and Christian Friends that the Lord hath stirred up both to pray earnestly and contribute freely for the promoting of the worke of the Lord in my hand amongst the poore Indians Sir assure your selfe and let all our beloved Friends know that what is done by you together in this behalfe doth not onely strengthen my hands and give me advantage to be more helpful to the Indians but also is a further encouragement unto my heart from the Lord to doe to the utmost of my power in this service he hath called me unto and wherein he hath afforded me his gracious presence unto this day and not onely in supporting me therein but also in some remarkeable passages of his power and mercy amongst the Indians those miserable Captives something whereof your selfe have been an eye witness unto and have already heard yet now being further advantaged through the grace of God appearing with us and knowing it will be acceptable to your selfe and our dearely beloved Christian Friends that long for and rejoyce in the gracious appearance of Jesus Christ in his Kingly Soveraigntie and power where he hath not formerly been knowne I shall by the helpe of God certifie you how the Lord hath carried on his own worke with us since your departure from us It pleased the Lord who had drawne the Indians from the Pawwaws to worship himselfe whereat the Pawwaws were much discontented yet now to perswade two of themselves to run after those that followed hard after God desiring that they might goe with them in the wayes of that God whose name is Jehovah and they came much convinced of their sinnes that they had lived in and especially of their Pawwawing saying I throw it from mee with hatred of it being sorry that ever I medled with it And now I have heard of Jehovah by his helpe I put it under my feete and hope to trample it downe in the dust with the Devill and Pawwawnomas or imps I throw it into the fire and burne it Thus they fully made knowne unto all both by word and gesture and by more such like expressions they then used not onely their indignation against it but that they would never make use of it more One of them did then discover the bottome of his witchcraft confessing that at first he came to be a Pawwaw by Diabolicall Dreames wherein he saw the Devill in the likenesse of foure living Creatures one was like a man which he saw in the Ayre and this told him that he did know all things upon the Island and what was to be done and this he said had its residence over his whole body Another was like a Crow and did looke out sharply to discover mischiefes coming towards him and had its residence in his head The third was like to a Pidgeon and had its place in his breast and was very cunning about any businesse The fourth was like a Serpent very subtile to doe mischiefe and also to doe great cures and these he said were meere Devills and such as he had trusted to for safetie and did labour to raise up for the accomplishment of any thing in his diabolicall craft but now he saith that he did desire that the Lord would free him from them and that he did repent in his heart because of his sinne The other said his Conscience was much troubled for his sinne and they both desired the Lord would teach them his wayes have mercy upon them and pardon their sinnes for Jesus Christ his sake and truely it did give to us who were present a great occasion of praising the Lord to see those poore naked sonnes of Adam and slaves to the Devill from their birth to come toward the Lord as they did with their joynts shaking and their bowells trembling their spirits troubled and their voyces with much fervency uttering words of sore displeasure against sin and Satan which they had imbraced from their Childhood with so much delight accounting it also now their sinne that they had not the knowledge of God Secondly that they had served the Devill the Enemy both of God and Man Thirdly that they were so hurtfull in their lives and were also thankfull that now through the blessing of God they had an opportunitie to be delivered out of that dangerous Condition The Indians did all much rejoyce to see the Pawwaws turne from their wicked wayes to serve the Lord. Not long after the Pawwaws had forsaken their old way on a Lecture day after Exercise diverse Indians desired to become the servants of the Lord amongst whom was a Pawwaw called Tequanonim who was of great esteeme and very notorious for he as they said and in their ignorance conceived never did hurt to any but alwayes good endeavouring the good and preservation of the Indians whereunto also he was accompted by them to be strongly provided And as himselfe said he had been possessed from the Crowne of the head to the soal of the foote with Pawwawnomas not onely in the shape of living Creatures as Fowles Fishes and creeping things but Brasse Iron and Stone It was therefore the more to be acknowledged the worke of God that he should forsake this way his friends his gaine to follow the Lord whose wayes are so despiseable in the eyes of devillish minded men This Pawwaw declaring by what meanes the Lord tooke him off this devillish Trade said that he had heard some things from my Father who tooke occasion to discourse with him about the way of true happinesse that he should never forget blessed be God his Counsell had so good an effect as I hope it hath on many others It pleased the Lord who will have all the gods of the earth to be terrible unto him For he meeting Mumanequem in the wood by accident told him that he was glad he had an opportunitie to speake his minde unto him for he had many searchings of heart about his Pawwawing and did thinke it was not a good way and that God was angry with him for it for said he my wife hath been a long time sicke and the more I Pawwaw for her the sicker she is And this doth agree with an observation of the Indians of this Island viz. that since the Word of God hath been taught unto them in this place the Pawwaws have been much foyled in their devillish taskes and that instead of curing have rather killed many but in a word the fruit of this and all other meanes was a publique manifestation of hatred to his former wayes wondering he was yet alive who was so sinfull and that he desired to be better and to believe in Christ for whose sake onely he
good much more the Lord if he should doe this for mee Q. Doe you thinke that God will doe you any good for any good that is in you A. Though I beleave that God loves man that leaves his sinne yet I beleeve it is for Christs sake Q. Doe you see that at any time God doth answer your prayers A. Yea sayth he I take every thing is an Answer of prayer Q. But what speciall answer have you taken notice of A. Once my wise being three dayes and three nights in labour I was resolved never to leave praying till she had deliverance and at last God did it and gave her a sonne and I called his name Returning because all the while I went on in Indianisme I was going from God but now the Lord hath brought mee to him backe againe By this time Captaine Gooking came to us and he asked him this Question Q. What he would thinke if he should finde more affliction and trouble in Gods wayes then he did in the way of Indianisme A. His answer was when the Lord did first turne mee to himselfe and his wayes he stripped mee as bare as my skinne and if the Lord should strip mee as bare as my skinne againe and so big Saggamore should come to mee and say I will give you so big Wampom so big Beaver and leave this way and turne to us againe I would say take your riches to your selfe I would never for sake God and his wayes againe This is a Relation taken by my selfe William French The last Letter we offer to the Readers view is a Letter directed to one of our selves from Mr Thomas Allen who came lately from New England and is now setled in the Ministery at Norwitch in Norfolke wherein he beareth witnes to the reallitie and truth of this worke of the Lord in New England begun upon the Indians against all such that raise up false reports against the same or such as labour to weaken the same by lessening the number of such as are wrought upon by the power of the Gospel preached to them Honored Sir IT seemes that some of late have been so impudently bold which I cannot sufficiently wonder at as to report and publiquely affirme that there was no such thing as the preaching and dispersing of the Gospel amongst the Natives in New England verily Sir I doe beleeve that the Devill himselfe who is the Father of Lyes would not yea durst not have uttered such a notorious untruth as that was Now although I confesse I have not been present at the places where the Indians are wont to meete to heare such as doe preach unto them by reason of my bodily weaknes and indisposition to travell so farre into the Wildernesse yet thus much I can testifie if my Testimony may be of any use being lately come over from New-England that there are divers persons in severall places who doe take paines and labour in that Worke there viz. not onely Mr Eliot of Roxbury who hath preached among them for many yeares up downe in the Jurisdiction of the Massachusets and Mr Mahew who for a good while hath taken paines amongst the Indians at an Island called Martins Vineyard but of late also Mr Leveridge in the Jurisdiction of Plymouth and Mr Blynman who lives now in a new Plantation in the Pequotts Countrey As for the successe of the preaching of the Gospel unto the Natives I have heard Mr Eliot affirme that he is so well perswaded of the Worke of grace in some of them as that he could comfortably joyne in Church-fellowship with them Mr Mahew also who came to see mee a little before my coming from thence told me that after Mr Whitfeilds coming thence for he had been upon that Island as he came to the Bay and was present also with Mr Mahew amongst the Indians there were neer upon one hundred I think he said Ninety and odd persons of them more who came in to heare him preach unto them and some Pawaws also and one of some Eminency amongst them who did acknowledge his Evill in such doings and made a Declaration ration of the manner how he came at the first to be a Pawaw the which also Mr Mahew did relate unto mee Sir that there is such a work in hand in New-England as the preaching of the Gospel unto the Natives there all the Magistrates and Ministers and people in that place who know any thing will be readie to attest and therefore such as dare affirme the contrary may as well say that the Sunne doth not shine at Noone day when the skie is cleere and doe indeed deserve a Publique Witnesse to be borne against them for such a Publique and so notorious an untruth The good Lord humble them deeply for it if it be his good will and pardon it to them through his grace in Christ Thus Sir not having further at this present to be troublesome unto you desiring an Interest in your earnest prayers for mee beseeching the Lord to let his presence and blessing be with you and upon your great and weighty businesses I take leave resting Your humble Servant in the Lord Thomas Allen. Norwich 8d. 11m. 1651. The Corporation to the Reader THus having presented thee Christian Reader with a view of those things that God hath brought to our hands which we of the Corporation conceive our selves bound in duty to publish to the world looking upon it as one meanes to advance the work in the hearts of Gods people and to stirre them up thereby to contribute more freely towards the carrying on the same The reason wherefore we have published so many testimonialls and shall insert more is because too many that come from thence labour to blast the worke by reporting here that there is no such worke afoote in the Countrey or if it be it is but for the loaves if any be truely converted 't is not above five or seaven at most These things as they are very grievous to us to heare so we take God to witnes that as we are in sincerity exercised in a great deale of care and travell to carry on the worke so we publish to the world no more then what we have received and beleeve to be really true And if these testimonies related in the foregoing discourse be not sufficient to satisfie any still doubting spirit there are some eminent Gentlemen come from thence who are ready to resolve them in the truth hereof as Mr Edward Hopkins late Governour of Conectacutt Mr Francis Willowby and others a late Magistrate of the Massachusets Besides if any shall repaire to Coopers Hall we shall be willing to shew them the originall Copies we have received which we have transcribed for the Presse the time for any to repaire thither is Saturday every weeke between the houres of ten and twelve in the Morning where our Corporation sit and where we shall gladly take paines to satisfie the doubts of any and thinke nothing too much wherein we may be serviceable to the Lord Jesus in a worke having so much tendency to his glory in the propagation of his Kingdome Signed in the name and by the appointment of the said Corporation by William Steele Esquire President FINIS