The Clear Sunshine of the Gospel Upon the Indians of New England, Title page – Dedication
THE Clear Sun-ſhine of the Goſpel BREAKING FORTH UPON THE INDIANS IN NEW-ENGLAND.
OR, An Hiſtoricall Narration of Gods Wonderfull Workings upon ſundry of the INDIANS, both chief Governors and Common-people, in bringing them to a willing and deſired ſubmiſſion to the Ordinances of the Goſpel; and framing their hearts to an earneſt inquirie after the knowledge of God the Father, and of Jeſus Chriſt the Saviour of the World.
By Mr. THOMAS SHEPARD Miniſter of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt at Cambridge in New-England.
Iſaiah 2 2, 3.
And it ſhall come to paſſe in the laſt dayes, that the mountain of the Lords houſe ſhall bee eſtabliſhed in the top of the mountains, and ſhall bee exalted above the bills; and all Nations ſhall flow unto it.
And many people ſhal go and ſay, Come ye and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the houſe of the God of Jacob, and he will teach us of his wayes, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion ſhall go forth the Law, and the word of the Lord from Jeruſalem.
London, Printed by R. Cotes for John Bellamy at the three golden Lions in Cornhill near the Royall Exchange, 1648.
TO THE RIGHT HONOƲRABLE THE LORDS & COMMONS Aſſembled In High Court of Parliament.
Right Honorable,
THeſe few ſheets preſent unto your view a ſhort but welcome diſcourſe of the viſitations of the moſt High upon the ſaddeſt ſpectacles of degeneracy upon earth, The poore Indian People: the diſtance of place, (if our ſpirits be right) will be no leſſening of the mercy, nor of our thankefulneſse, That Chriſt is glorified, that the Goſpel doth any where find footing; and ſucceſſe is a mercy as well worthy the praiſe of the Saints on Earth, as the joy of the Angels in heaven. The report of this mercy is firſt made to you, who are the Repreſentative of this Nation, That in you England might bee ſtirred up, to be Rejoycers in, and Advancers of theſe promiſing beginnings. And becauſe to You an account is first due of the ſucceſſe of the Goſpel in thoſe darke corners of the World, which have been ſo much inlightned by Your favour, enlivened by Your reſolutions, encouraged by Your fore paſt indeavours for God, & hope ſtil being parts of Your ſelves, to be further ſtrengthned by Your benigne aſpects and bountifull influences on them.
The preſent troubles have not ſo far obliterated and worn out the ſad miſpreſſions which former times have made upon our ſpirits, but we can ſadly remember thoſe deſtructive deſignes which were on foot, and carryed on for the Introduction of ſo great evils both into Church and State; In order to which it was the endeavour of the Contrivers and Promoters of thoſe deſignes, to waſt the number of the godly, as thoſe who would never be brought to comply in ſuch deſtructive enterpriſes; which was attempted by baniſhing and forcing ſome abroad, by burthening and afflicting all at home. Among thoſe who taſted of the firſt, I ſay not the worſt ſort of their cruelty, were theſe our Brethren, who to enjoy the liberties of the Goſpel, were content to ſit downe, and pitch their tents in the utmoſt parts of the Earth, hoping that there they might be out of the reach of their malice, as they were aſſured they were beyond the bounds of their love. God who doth often make mans evill of ſin, ſerviceable to the advancement of the riches of his owne Grace; The moſt horrid act that ever was done by the ſonnes of men, the …rther of Chriſt, God made ſerviceable to the higheſt purpoſes of Grace and mercy that ever came upon his breaſt; That God doth ſhew that hee had mercifull ends, in this their malicious purpoſe: as hee ſuffer'd Paul to be caſt into priſon, to convert the Act 16. 30, 33, 34. Acts. 8. 1. 11Jaylor, to be ſhip wrackt at Melita, to preach to the barbarous, ſo he ſuffer'd their way to be stopped up here, and their perſons to be baniſhed hence, that hee might open a paſſage for them in the Wilderneſſe, and make them inſtruments to draw ſoules to him, who had been ſo long eſtranged from him.
It was the end of the adverſary to ſuppreſſe, but Gods to propagate the Goſpel; theirs to ſmother and put out the light, Gods to communicate and diſperſe it to the utmoſt corners of the Earth; that as one ſaith of Paul, his blindneſſe gave light to the …whole World, ſo we hope God will make their diſtance and estrangedneſſe from us, a meanes of bringing many near and in to acquaintance with him.
Indeed along time it was before God let them ſee any farther end of their comming over, then to preſerve their conſciences, cheriſh their Graces, provide for their ſuſtenance: But when Providences invited their return, he let them know it was for ſome farther Arrand that hee brought them thither, giving them ſome Bunches of Grapes, ſome Cluſters of Figs in earneſt of the proſperous ſucceſſe of their endeavours upon thoſe poor outcaſts: The utmoſt …ends of the earth are deſigned and promiſed to be in time the poſſeſſions of Chriſt; And hee ſends his Miniſters into every place where he himſelf intends to come, and take poſſeſſion. Where the Ministery is the Harbinger and goes before, Chriſt and Grace will certainly follow after.
This little we ſee is ſomething in hand, to earneſt to us thoſe things which are in hope; ſomething in poſſeſſion, to aſſure us of the reſt in Promiſe, when the ends of the earth ſhall ſee his Pſal. 22. 27. Rev. 11. 15. Pſal. 72. 8, 9, 10, 11.glory, and the Kingdomes of the world ſhall become the Kingdomes of the Lord and his Chriſt, when hee ſhall have Dominion from Sea to Sea, and they that dwell in the wilderneſſe ſhall bow before him. And if the dawn of the morning be ſo delightfull, what will the clear day be? If the firſt fruits be ſo precious, what wil the whole harveſt be? if ſome beginnings be ſo ful of joy, what will it be when God ſhall perform his whole work, when the whole earth ſhall be full of the knowledge Iſa. 11. 9. 10.of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea, and Eaſt and Weſt ſhal ſing together the ſong of the Lamb?
In order to this what doth God require of us, but that we ſhould ſtrengthen the hands, incourage the hearts of thoſe who are at work for him, conflicting with difficulties, wreſtling with diſcouragements, to ſpread the Goſpel, & in that, the ſame and honor of this Nation, to the utmoſt ends of the earth? It was the deſign of your enemies to make them little, let it be your endevor to make them great, their greatneſſe is your ſtrength. Their enemies threatned their hands ſhould reach them for evil, God diſappointed them; And let your hands reach them now for good; there is enough in them to ſpeak then fit objects of your incouragement, they are men of choice ſpirits, not frighted with dangers, ſoftned with allurements, nor diſcouraged with difficulties, preparing the way of the Lord in thoſe unpaſſable places of the earth, dealing with ſuch whom they are to make men, before they can make them Chriſtians. They are ſuch who are impreſsed for your ſervice in the ſervice of Chriſt, can ſtand alone, but deſire to have dependence on you, they feare not the malice of their enemies, but deſire the countenance and incouragement of their friends; And ſhal your Honors in conſideration of their former ſufferings, their preſent ſervice, and reall deſervings, help the day of ſmall things among them; ſhal you intereſt them in your aſſiſtances, as you are intereſted in their affections, you wil thereby not only further theſe beginnings of God by incouraging their hearts, and ſtrengthning their hands to work for him, but alſo (as we humbly conceive) much add to the comfort of your owne accounts in the day of the Lord, and lay greater obligations on them yet more to pray for you, to promote your counſels, and together with us your unworthy ſervants to write down themſelves,
Yours humbly devotedin the ſervice of the Goſpel.
Stephen Marſhall
Jeremy Whitaker
Edm. calamy
William Greenbill
John Downam
Philip Nye
Syd. Symptſon
William Carler
The. Goodwin
The. Caſe
Simeon Aſbe
Samuel Bolton.