Tears of Repentance, To the reader
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 in another caſe, I beleeve God that it ſhall be even as it was told me, Act. 27. 25. Yea, to beleeve it and wait for it, as for that which in Gods appointed and due time ſhall ſurely come to paſs, and not fail, as Hab. 2. 3. And not only ſo, but heartily to deſire it, and fervently to pray for it, as a thing wherein the Glory of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt is not a little concerned and intereſſed; for if the multitude of People be the Kings Honor, Prov. 14. 28. it muſt needs be the Honor of Chriſt Jeſus the King of Sion, when multitudes of People do ſubmit unto Him as to their King; and therfore it ſhould be earneſtly craved of God by all his Saints in their Prayers, that ſo it may be, according as the Sanctifying of Gods Name, and the coming of his Kingdom are the two firſt Petitions in that Rule and Pattern of Prayer commanded, and taught by our Savior to His Diſciples, Matth. 6. 9, 10. And no man needs to doubt but that thoſe things which are matter for Faith and Prayer to be exerciſed about their accompliſhment, are matters of Thankſgiving when once they come to paſs.
Which being ſo, the godly Chriſtian, who ſhall read or hear this enſuing Relation concerning the workings of Gods Grace towards theſe Indians in New-England, and the Confeſſions of ſundry amongſt them, will, I doubt not, ſee abundant cauſe of thankſgiving to the Lord therein. For hereby it will appear, That the Kingdom of the Lord Jeſus which every faithful ſoul, doth ſo much deſire to ſee enlarged, is now beginning to be ſet up where it never was before, even amongſt a poor people, forlorn kind of Creatures in times paſt, who have been without Chriſt, and without God in the world, they and their Fathers, for I know not how many Generations; yea, ſo far from knowing and acknowledging God in Chriſt, that they have been little better than the Beaſts that periſh. But now they that were far off, the Lord is at work to make them neer unto himſelf by the Blood of Jeſus, as Eph. 2. 13. that they which in time paſt were not a People, might ere long become the People of God; and they be called Beloved, which were not Beloved; and in the place where it was ſaid unto them, Ye are not my People▪ that there ere long, they might be called, The Children of the Living God, as 1 Pet. 2. 10. Rom. 9. 25, 26. which is the Lords doing, and it ought to be marvelous in our eyes. And the truth is, there are many marvels in it; marvelous free-grace, and riches thereof, to look upon a People ſo wretched and unworthy; yea, it were marvelous Grace ſo much as once to offer the Salvation of God in Chriſt to any ſuch as they are, being not only the poor and maimed, halt and blind, but alſo, as it is in Luk, 14. 21. ranging and roving in the High-waies, and Hedges; and yet behold, even theſe are not only invited, but their hearts inclined to come in. Mavelous Wiſdom and Power is in it alſo, that of matter ſo rugged, and unlikely the Lord ſhould ever frame and faſhion any gracious and holy building to Himſelf, which I hope He is now a doing. And to ſay no more, His mervelous Soveraignty and Liberty is therein to be obſerved alſo, who till now of late hath ſeen meet never to look after this People, but hath ſuffered them all this while to walk in their own waies, waies of Sin, and waies of Death: yea, and though there hath been Plantations of the Engliſh in the Country now 20. years and more, yea, ſome a matter of 30. years, or thereabout, yet of all this time (except ſome little workings in a few) no conſiderable work of Grace hath appeared amongſt the Indians till now of late; ſo true is that ſaying, The times and ſeaſons, the Father hath put them in his own Power, Act. 1. 7.
If any ſhall ſay, Oh but, we are doubtful whether any ſound and ſaving work be yet wrought in them or no: Such an one I would wiſh ſeriouſly to weigh and conſider the enſuing Confeſſions, and then perhaps he will be better ſatisfied touching this Point; for there he ſhall find many expreſſions ſavoring of their clear ſight and ſence of ſin, and that not only of groſs and external ſins, but alſo of ſuch as are more inward in the Heart and Soul: Alſo he ſhall find expreſſions tending to ſhew their expecting all righteouſneſs and ſalvation by Chriſt alone. Now conſidering how the Work of the Spirit of God is ſaid by Chriſt Himſelf to conſiſt in great part in convincing of ſin, and of righteouſneſs; of ſin in mens ſelves, and of righteouſneſs in Chriſt, Joh. 16. 9. And conſidering alſo, how the leaſt beginnings of Grace are accepted of him that would not break the bruiſed Reed, nor quench the ſmoaking Flax, Matth. 12. 20. And laſtly, conſidering how it were not reaſonable to expect ſuch ripeneſs in theſe people, as might be expected and found in others, who have had more time and means, and better help and breeding than theſe have had: If theſe things I ſay be conſidered, it may be an Inducement to hope the beſt in charity concerning the Work of Grace in their Souls, as Charity hopeth all things, beleeveth all things, 1 Cor. 13. But thus much at the leaſt I conceive is cleer, and cannot be denied that ſince the Word of God hath been taught and preached among them, the Spirit of the Lord hath been working thereby in the hearts of many of them ſuch Illumination, ſuch Conviction, &c. as may juſtly be looked at (if not as a full and through Converſion, yet) as an hopeful beginning and preparation thereto, if the Lord be pleaſed to go on with what he hath begun, as I hope he will. And if there were no more but only an hopeful beginning, and preparative to Converſion, yet even this were matter of much comfort to the Saints, and of thankſgiving to the Lord; as it was in Iſrael at the building of the Temple, when no more was yet done, but only the foundation laid, Ezr. 3. 10, 11. yet even then they ſung for joy, giving praiſe and thankſgiving to the Lord: How much more ſhould it be ſo, if the Work of Regeneration be already truly wrought in any of them, as I hope it is in ſundry; In ſuch caſe, how ever it be with men on Earth, ſure there is joy in Heaven amongſt the Angels of God, when there is ſo much as one ſinner that is truly brought home to God by Repentance, Luke 15. 7. 10.
But how ſhall we know that the Confeſſions here related, being ſpoken in their Tongue, were indeed uttered by them in ſuch words, as have the ſame ſignification and meaning with theſe that are here expreſſed, for we have only the teſtimony of one man to aſſure us of it? It is true, we have only the teſtimony of one man for it; but yet it is ſuch an one, as is unwillingly alone in this matter, having ſeriouſly endeavored to have had divers other Interpreters preſent at Natick that day, but could not obtain what he did deſire and endeavor herein; a man whoſe pious and painful labors amongſt this People, have rendred him approved and highly honored in the eyes of his Brethren about him, for indefatigable diligence, and earneſt love to the Lord Jeſus, and their poor ſouls; a man whoſe integrity and faithfulneſs is ſo well known in theſe Parts, as giveth ſufficient ſatisfaction to beleev that he would not wittingly utter a falſhood in any matter whatever, and much leſs ſo many falſhoods, & that in ſuch a publick manner, in the view of God & the World, as he muſt needs have done if he have coyned theſe Confeſſions of his own head, and have not to his beſt underſtanding truly related them in our Tongue, according as they were uttered by them in theirs.
If any ſhall then aſk, If there be ſuch a Work of God amongſt them, Why were they not combined and united into Church-Eſtate, when there was that great Aſſembly at Natick, on the thirteenth of Octob. laſt? Such an one may do well to conſider, that the material Temple was many yeers in building, even in the daies of Solomon, who wanted no helps and furtherances thereunto, but was abundantly furniſhed therewith, and longer in Re-edifying after the Captivity; and therefore no marvel if the building of a Spiritual Temple, an holy Church to Chriſt, and a Church out of ſuch rubbiſh as amongſt Indians, be not begun and ended on a ſudden; It is rather to be wondered at, that in ſo ſhort a time, the thing is in ſo much forwardneſs as it is. Beſides, It is a greater matter to have Indians accepted and owned as a Church amongſt themſelves, and ſo to be inveſted with all Church-power as a Church, when yet they are not furniſhed with any to be an able Paſtor and Elder over them, by whom they might be directed and guided in all the Affairs of the Church, and Adminiſtrations of the Houſe of God: this I conceive is a far greater matter than the admitting of them as Members into any Church or Churches of the Engliſh already ſo furniſhed; which latter (for ought I know) might ſpeedily be done, and with much ſatisfaction, if it were ſuitable in regard of their different Language, and the remoteneſs of their Habitations, whereas to the former there ſeems to be a great neceſſity, or expediency at the leaſt, that they ſhould firſt be provided of ſome to be afterward ſet over them in the Lord. Even amongſt the Engliſh, when any company amongſt us have united themſelves into Church-Eſtate, it hath been uſual that they have had one or other amongſt them upon whom their eyes have been ſet, as intending them to be Paſtors or Teachers to them; afterward, when once they ſhould be combined as a Church, and where it hath ſo been, they have found the comfort and benefit of it; whereas thoſe few that have proceeded otherwiſe, have found trouble and inconveniency therein. And if it be ſo amongſt the Engliſh, who uſually have better abilities, how much more amongſt the Indians, whoſe knowledg and parts muſt needs be far leſs? Not to inſiſt upon the Rehearſal of thoſe two Reaſons mentioned by the Reverend Author of this Relation, viz. The ſhortneſs of the time to furniſh the Work that day, and the want of Interpreters, of whom there was not any preſent himſelf. Concerning which Reaſons, I can freely ad my teſtimony, that thoſe two were the principal, if not the only Reaſons which that day were inſiſted on, and publickly rendred for deferring the Inchurching of them to another time.
It may be ſome have thought, and I hear ſome have ſpoken little leſs, That this whol buſineſs of the Indians, of which there have been ſo many ſpeeches in Old England and New, is but a deviſe and deſign to get money, and that there is indeed no ſuch matter as any Work of Gods grace amongſt that People. But if there were any truth in this ſaying or Surmiſe, I marvel why the Magiſtrates and Elders then preſent at Natick, did upon the reaſons rendred, adviſe the deferring of the inchurching of the Indians that day, and why they did not rather haſten forward the Work without any more ado, or longer delay. For the report of a Church of Indians would in all likelihood have more prevailed for the end alledged, than all that hath been reported hitherto But our attending in this buſineſs to the Honor of Jeſus Chriſt, and the good of this poor peoples ſouls, and ſo to that which Rule and right Reaſon required, rather than to what might ſeem conducible for wordly advantage, may be a ſufficient witneſs of our ſincerity, contrary to the conceit and ſurmiſe afore mentioned, and a ſufficient confutation of it. And yet though they be not combined into Church-Eſtate, there is ſo much of Gods Work amongſt them, as that I cannot but count it a great evil, yea, a great injury to God and his goodneſs for any to make light or nothing of it. To ſee and to hear Indians opening their mouths, and lifting up their hands and their eyes in ſolemn Prayer to the Living God, calling on him by his Name JEHOVAH, in the Mediation of Jeſus Chriſt, and this for a good while together; to ſee and hear them exhorting one another from the Word of God; to ſee them and hear them confeſſing the Name of Chriſt Jeſus, and their own ſinfulneſs, ſure this is more than uſual. And though they ſpake in a language, of which many of us underſtood but little, yet we that were preſent that day, we ſaw them, and we heard them perform the duties mentioned, with ſuch grave and ſober countenances, with ſuch comely reverence in geſture, and their whol carriage, and with ſuch plenty of tears trickling down the cheeks of ſome of them, as did argue to us that they ſpake with much good affection, and holy fear of God, and it much affected our hearts. Nor is it credible to me, nor for ought I know to any that was preſent that day, that in theſe things they were acted and led by that Spirit which is wont to breath amongſt Indians, the Spirit of Satan, or of corrupt Nature, but that herein they had with them another Spirit.
But if there be any work of Grace amongſt them, it would ſurely bring forth, and be accompanied with the Reformation of their diſordered lives, as in other things, ſo in their neglect of Labor, and their living in idleneſs and pleaſure. I confeſs the Allegation is weighty, and I deny not but ſome ſober and godly perſons, who do heartily wiſh well to this work, have been as much troubled in their minds touching this particular as any that I know of. But yet ſomthing may be ſaid in anſwer therto, & chiefly this, That ſince the Word of God came amongſt them, and that they have attended thereto, they have more applied themſelves unto Labor than formerly: For evidence whereof, appeal my be made to what was ſeen at Natick that day, and is ſtill to be ſeen in that place, I mean the Grounds that they have fenced in, and clawed and broken up, and eſpecially their capacious Meeting-houſe, the Dimenſions whereof are expreſſed in the Relation: little did I think when I ſaw that Fabrick, but that ſome Engliſh Carpenter or other had had the chief hand in the framing and erecting of it; and that more hands than Indians, yea, and more Engliſh than one had been employed about it. But now underſtanding that the Indians alone were the Builders of it, it is a good teſtimony to me both of their induſtry, and likewiſe of their Skill; for where theſe are utterly wanting, yea, where there is not ſome good meaſure of them, ſuch a Building I conceive could never be raiſed. It is true, that conſidering the manner of their bringing up, being little accuſtomed to labor, but the contrary, it is not much to be marveled if they be not comparable therein to ſome Engliſh, who from their Child-hood have been trained up thereto; yet we ſee they are coming to it, and I hope will fall to it more and more; let all that love their ſouls, pray for them that they may, yea, let all that love the Lord Jeſus Chriſt pray for them, that the Work of God may ſtill proſper amongſt them, that many more of them may be turned from darkneſs to light, and from the power of Satan unto God; and that being converted they may be preſerved in Chriſt, and be built up in him to further growth and perfection, from day to day. And let unfeigned thankſgiving be rendred to the Lord by his Saints for all that is already wrought amongſt them: And Oh, let the Engliſh take heed, both in our dear Native Country, and here, leſt for our unthankfulneſs, and many other ſins, the Lord ſhould take the Goſpel from us, and beſtow our mercy therein upon them, as upon a Nation that would yeeld the fruits thereof in better ſort than many of us have done. The ſins of the Jewiſh Nation to whom the Goſpel was firſt preached, provoked God to take his Kingdom from them, and to call in the Gentils: yet it appeareth by Rom. 11. 11. 14. 31. that this mercy vouchſafed to the Gentiles, ſhall in time provoke the Jews to an holy Jealouſie, and Emulation, to look after that mercy again that once they refuſed, that ſo through the mercy beſtowed on the Gentiles, they (I mean the Jews) might at laſt again obtain mercy. Happy were the Engliſh if we could yeeld the fruits of Gods Goſpel, that it might not be taken from us; and happy alſo if the mercy coming to theſe Indians (though not yet taken from us) might provoke us ſo to do, that ſo the Kingdom of God, the Goſpel of Salvation, being not taken from us, and given to them, but though given to them, yet might ſtill continue with us, and with our Poſterity from Generation to Generation.
Dorcheſter in New-England this 13th of 10ber 1652. RICH. MATHER.
A brief Relation of the Proceedings of the Lords Work among the INDIANS, in reference unto their Church-Eſtate; The Reaſons of the not accompliſhing thereof at preſent: With ſome of their Confeſſions; whereby it may be diſcerned in ſome meaſure, how far the Lord hath prepared among them fit Matter for a CHURCH.
THeſe Indians (the better and wiſer ſort of them) have for ſome years inquired after Church-Eſtate, Baptiſm, and the reſt of the Ordinances of God, in the obſervation whereof they ſee the Godly Engliſh to walk. I have from time to time, delayed them upon this point, That until they were come up unto Civil Cohabitation, Government, and Labor, which a fixed condition of life will put them upon, they were not ſo capable to be betruſted with that Treaſure of Chriſt, leſt they ſhould ſcandalize the ſame, and make it of none effect, becauſe if any ſhould through temptation fall under Cenſure, he could eaſily run away (as ſome have done) and would be tempted ſo to do, unleſs he were fixed in an Habitation, and had ſome means of livelihood to loſe, and leave behind him: ſuch Reaſons have ſatisfied them hitherunto. But now being come under Civil Order, and fixing themſelves in Habitations, and bending themſelves to labor, as doth appear by their works of Fencings, Buildings &c. and eſpecially in building, without any Engliſh Workmans help, or direction, a very ſufficient Meeting-Houſe, of fifty foot long twenty five foot broad, neer twelve foot high betwixt the joynts, wel ſawen, and framed (which is a ſpecimen, not only of their ſingular ingenuity, and dexerity, but alſo of ſome induſtry) I ſay this being ſo, now my argument of delaying them from entering into Church-Eſtate, was taken away. Therefore in way of preparation of them thereunto, I did this Summer call forth ſundry of them in the dayes of our publick Aſſemblies in Gods Worſhip; ſomtimes on the Sabbath when I could be with them, and ſometimes on Lecture daies, to make confeſſion before the Lord of their former ſins, and of their preſent knowledg of Chriſt, and experience of his Grace; which they ſolemnly doing, I wrote down their Confeſſions: which having done, and being in my own heart hopeful that there was among them fit matter for a Church, I did requeſt all the Elders about us to hear them reade, that ſo they might give me advice what to do in this great, and ſolemn buſineſs; which being done on a day appointed for the purpoſe, it pleaſed God to give their Confeſſions ſuch acceptance in their hearts, as that they ſaw nothing to hinder their proceeding, to try how the Lord would appear therein. Whereupon, after a day of Faſting and Prayer among our ſelves, to ſeek the Lord in that behalf, there was another day of Faſting and Prayer appointed, and publick notice thereof, and of the names of Indians were to confeſs, and enter into Covenant that day, was given to all the Churches about us, to ſeek the Lord yet further herein, and to make ſolemn Confeſſions of Chriſt his Truth and Grace, and further to try whether the Lord would vouchſafe ſuch grace unto them, as to give them acceptance among the Saints, into the fellowſhip of Church-Eſtate, and enjoyment of thoſe Ordinances which the Lord hath betruſted his Churches withal. That day was the thirteenth of the eighth month.
When the Aſſembly was met, the firſt part of the day was ſpent in Prayer unto God, and exerciſe in the Word of God; in which, my ſelf firſt; and after that, two of the Indians did Exerciſe; and ſo the time was ſpent till after ten, or near eleven of the clock. Then addreſſing our ſelves unto the further work of the day, I firſt requeſted the reverend Elders (many being preſent) that they would ask them Queſtions touching the fundamental Points of Religion, that thereby they might have ſome tryal of their knowledg, and better that way, than if themſelves ſhould of themſelves declare what they beleeve, or than if I 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.