The Clear Sunshine of the Gospel Upon the Indians of New England, To the reader
TO THE Godly and Well affected of this Kingdome of England; who pray for, and rejoyce in, the thrivings of the Goſpel of our LORD JESƲS
Chriſtian Reader,
IF ever thou hadſt experience of this day of power, theſe viſitations of Chriſt upon thine own ſpirit; I ſuppoſe thee to be one who haſt embarqu'd many prayers for the ſucceſſe of the Goſpel in theſe darke corners of the earth to ſtrengthen thy faith, inlarge thy heart, and aſſure thy ſoul that God is a God hearing prayers: An account is here given to thee of the conqueſts of the Lord Ieſus upon theſe poor out-caſts, who have thus long been eſtranged from him, ſpilt like water upon the ground and none to gather them. Formerly thou had, The Day-break, ſome dawnings of light, after along and black night of darkenes, here thou ſeeſt the ſun is up, which wee hope will rejoice like the ſtrong man to run its race, ſcattering thoſe thick clouds of darkneſſe, and ſhining brighter and brighter till it come to a perfect day. Theſe few ſheerts give thee ſome footing for ſuch thoughts, and ſome further incouragements to wait & pray for the accompliſhment of ſuch things. Here thou mayſt ſee, the Miniſtry is precious, the feet of them who bring glad tidings beautifull, Ordinances deſired, the Word frequented andattended, the Spirit alſo going forth in power and efficacy with it, in awakening and humbling of them, drawing forth thoſe affections of ſorrow, and expreſſions of tears in abundance, which no tortures or extremities were ever obſerved to force from them, with lamenting: we read here, their leaving of ſinne, they forſake their former evill wayes, and ſet up fences never to returne, by making laws for the puniſhment of thoſe ſins wherein they have lived, and to which they have been ſo much addicted. They ſet up prayers in their families morning and evening, and are in earneſt in them; And with more affection they crave Gods bleſsing upon a little p…rched corn, & Indian ſtalks, then many of us do upon our greateſt plenty and abundance. They reſt on the Lords day, and make laws for the obſervation of it, whereinthey meet together to pray & inſtruct one another in the things of God, which have been communicated to them. They renounce their diabolicall Charmes and Charmers, and many of thoſe who were practitioners in theſe ſinfull and ſoul-undoing Arts, being made naked, convinced and aſhamed of their evill, forſake their may, and betake themſelves to prayer, preferring the Chriſtian Ma. 26. 16. Incantario, muſhtatio. ler. 8. 17. Ecclef. 10. 11.Charm, before their diabolical Spells: herein God making good that promiſe Zeph. 2. 11. I will famiſh al the Gods of the earth, (which he doth by withdrawing the worſhippers, and throwing contempt upon the worſhip) And men ſhal worſhip me alone every one from his place, even all the Iſles of the Heathens.
All theſe are hopefull preſages that God is going out in his power and grace to conquer a people to himſelf; That he begins to caſt an owning look on them, whom he hath ſo long neglected Act. 14. 16. Acts 17. 30. …& deſpiſed. And indeed God may wel ſeek out for other ground to ſow the ſeed of his Ordinances upon, ſeeing the ground where it hath been ſown hath brought forth no better fruit to him, he may well be peak another people to himſelf, ſeeing he finds no better entertainment among the people he hath eſpouſed to him, and that by ſo many mercies, priviledges, indeerments, ingagements. We have as many ſad ſymptomes of a declining, as theſe poor outcaſts have glad preſages of a Riſing Sun among them. The Ordinances are as much contemned here, as frequente there, the Miniſtery as much diſcouraged here, as embraced thre; Religion as much derided, the ways of godlineſs as much ſcorned here, as they can be wiſhed and deſired there; generally wee are ſick of plenty, wee ſurfet of our abundance, the worſt ofSurfets, and with our loathed Manna and diſdained food, God preparing them a Table in the wildernes; where our ſatieties, wil be their ſufficiencies; our complaints, their contents; our burthens, their comforts; if he cannot have an England here, he can have an England there: & baptize & adopt them into thoſe priviledges, which wee have looked upon as our burthens. We have ſad decayes upon us, we are a revolting Nation, a people guilty of great defection from God. Some fall from the worſhip of God to their old ſuperſtitions, and corrupt worſhip, ſaying with thoſe in Ieremy, It was better with us then now. Some fall from the doctrin of grace to errors, ſome to damnable, others to defiling ſome to deſtructive, others to corruptive opinions. Some fal from profeſſed ſeeming holynes, to fin & profanenes: who like blazing comets did ſhine bright for a time, but after have ſet in a night of darknes. We have many ſad ſymptomes on us, we decay under all the means of nouriſhment, are barren under all Gods s;owings, dry under al the dews, droppings ſhowres of heaven, like that Country whereof Hiſtorians ſpeak, where drought cauſeth … dat …, imbres pulverem.dirt, and ſhowres cauſeth duſt. And what doth God threaten herein, but to remove the Candleſticks, to take away the goſpel, that pretious Goſpel, the ſtreams whereof have brought ſo many ſhips laden with bleſsings to our ſhoar, that Goſpel under the ſhadow whereof we have ſate down and been refreſhed theſe many years? where the power is loſt, God will not long continue the form, where the heat is gone, he wil not long continue the light. The temple did not preſerve the laws when their hearts were the Synagogues of Satan, nor ſhall any outward priviledge hold us up, when the inward power is down in our ſpirits. God hath forſaken other Churches as eminent as ever England was: where are the churches of Aſia, once famous for the goſpel, for general Councels, now places for Zim and Ochim, their habitation deſolate? where are thoſe ancient people of the lews who were (ſegulla micol hagnamim) his peculiar and choſen people of al nations? they are ſcattered abroad as a curſe, and their place knows them no more. And ſhall I tel you? God hath no need of us, he can calthem Gnammi, his people, who were Lo gnammi, not his people, and them beloved, who were not beloved. Indeed he hath held up us, as if he had not known where to have another people, if he ſhould forſake us we have been a Goſhen, when others have been an Egypt, a Canaan, when others an Akeldama, the garden of God, when others have been a wilderneſſe, our fleece hath been wet, when others have been dry: But know, God hath no need of us, he can want no people if he pleaſe to call; If he ſpeake, all the ends of the world ſhall remember and turn unto the Lord, and … 27, 28. &c. 11 Eſa 9. 10.all the kindreds of the Nations ſhall worſhip before him. If he ſet up his ſtandard, to him ſhal the Gentiles flock, and the earth ſhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the ſea. It is not for need but for love that God abides with England, and there is nothing out of himſelfe the incentive of this Amat…, … aliunde … habet, ſed ip ſ… … unde an at. Aug.love: there can be no reaſon given why God ſhould fence us, and ſuffer other places to lye waſt, that we ſhould bee his Garden, and other places a Wildernes, that he ſhould feed us with the bread of Heaven, and ſuffer others to ſtarve, men of the ſame mould, his offſpring as well as we, and ſuch (did he conquer to himſelfe) were likely to doe him more ſervice, bring him more glory then we have done. Wee ſee ſomething here done in order to ſuch a work, our Harveſt is much over, we ſee little incomes, there we ſee the fields are ripe for harveſt; here the miniſtry is contemned, there the feet of them that bring glad tydings are beautifull; we have outlived the power and efficacy of Ordinances, there God goes ſorth with life and power we can outfit the moſt ſpeaking and winning diſcoveries of Chriſt, there every notion, breeds motion in them; the glory of the Lord is much departed from us, there his riſing is conſpicuous and glorious. The blind man found it good to be in the way where Chriſt came: And who would be in Aegypt when there is light in Goſhen? Oh that England would be quickned by their riſings, and weep ever her own declinings! What a wonder is it that they ſhould doe ſo much, and we ſo little, that they ſhould be men in their infancy, and we ſuch Children in our manhood, that they ſo active, we ſo dead? That which was Hieroms complaint may be ours, O that Infidelity ſhould do that which thoſe who profeſle thenmſelvs Healquo… p… …at in…delu as, quod non … … ſides. Ignis qui in paren…s ſuit Cali…lus, in nobis …ucidus.beleevers cannot do! We have the light of former times, but want the heat, knowledge abounds as the waters cover the ſea, but we want the ſalt, we have a form of Godlineſſe, but want the power: And it wil be ſmal comfort ſhould God continue to us the form, and cary to others the power, to ſuffer us to waſt our ſelvs with unneceſſary brangles (which are the ſweat of thetimes) and in the mean to cary the life and power of Religion unto others.
Let theſe poor Indians ſtand up incentives to us, as the Apoſtle ſet up the Gentiles a provocation to the Iews: who knows but Rom. 11. 14.God gave life to New England, to quicken Old, and hath warmed them, that they might heat us, raiſed them from the dead, that they might recover us from that conſumption, and thoſe ſad decayes which are come upon us?
This ſmal Treatiſe is an Eſſay to that end, an Indian Sermon, though you will not hear us, poſſ…bly when ſome riſe from the dead you will hear them. The main Doctrin it preacheth unto all, is to value the Goſpel, prize the Miniſtry, loath not your Manna, ſurfet not of your plenty, be thankfull for mercies, fruitfull under means: Awake from your ſlumber, repair your decayes, redeem your time, improve the ſeaſons of your peace; anſwer to cals, Open to knocks, attend to whiſpers, obey commands; you have a name you live, take heed you bee not dead, you are Chriſtians in ſhew, be ſo indeed: leaſt as you have loſt the power, God take away from you the form alſo.
And you that are Miniſters learn by this not to deſpond though you ſee not preſent fruit of your labors, though you fiſh all night and catch nothing God hath a fulneſſe of time to perform all his purpoſes. And the deepeſt degeneracies, & wideſt eſtrangements from God, ſhall be no bar or obſtacle to the power and freeneſſe of his owne grace when that time is come.
And you that are Merchants, take incouragement from hence to ſcatter the becames of light, to ſpread and propagate the Goſpel into thoſe dark corners of the earth; whither you traffick you take much from them, if you can carry this to them, you wil make them an abundant recompence. And you that are Chriſtians indeed, rejoice to ſee the Curtaines of the Tabernacle inlarged, the bounds of the Sanctuary extended, Chriſt advanced, the Goſpel propagated, and ſouls ſaved. And if ever the love of God did center in your hearts, if ever the ſenſe of his goodneſs hath begot bowels of compaſſion in you, draw them forth towards them whom God hath ſingled out to be the objects of his grace and mercy; lays out your prayers, lend your aſſiſtance to carry on this day of the Lord begun among them. They are not able (as Moſes ſaid) to bear the burthen of that people alone, to make proviſion for the children whom God hath given them; & therefore it is requiſite the ſpiritual community ſhould help to bear part with them. Many of the young ones are given and taken in, to be educated & brought up in Schooles, they are naked and muſt be clad, they want al things, and muſt be ſupplyed. The Parents alſo, and many others being convinced of the evill of an idle life, deſire to be employed in honeſt labor, but they want inſtruments and tooles to ſet them on work, and caſt-garments to throw upon thoſe bodies, that their loins may bleſſe you, whoſe ſouls Chriſt hath cloathed. Soine worthy perſons have given much; and if God ſhall move the heart of others to offer willingly towards the building of Chriſt a Spirituall temple, it will certainly remain upon their account, when the ſmalleſt rewards from God, ſhall be better then the greateſt layings out for God. But we are making a relation, not a collection; we leave the whole to your Chriſtian conſideration, not doubting but they who have taſted of mercy from God, will be ready to exerciſe compaſſion to others, & commend you unto him who gave himſelf for us, that hee … 9. 14.might redeem us from all iniquity, and pariſie as well as purchaſe unto himſelf a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Stephen Marſhall Ier. Whitaker Edmund Calamy William Greenbill Iohn Downam Philip Nye Sy. Simpſan Williamer Cart. The Goodwin The. Caſe Simeon Aſbe Samuel B…k…n.
THE CLEARE SVNSHINE OF THE GOSPELL, Breaking forth upon the INDIANS in New-England.
Much Honored and deare Sir,
THat glorious and ſudden riſing of Chriſt Jeſus upon our poore Indians which began a little before you ſet ſaile from theſe ſhores, hath not beene altogether clouded ſince, but rather broken out further into more light and life, wherewith the moſt High hath viſited them; and becauſe ſome may call in queſtion the truth of the firſt relation, either becauſe they may thinke … too good newes to be true, or becauſe ſome perſons maligning the good of the Countrey, are apt, as to aggravate to the utmoſt any evill thing againſt it, ſo to vilifie and extenuate any good thing in it: and becauſe your ſelfe deſired to heare how ſarre ſince God hath carried on that worke, which your owne eyes ſaw here begun; I ſhall therefore as faithfully and as briefly as I can, give you a true relation of the progreſſe of it, which I hope may be a ſufficient confirmation of what hath been publiſhed to the world before, having this as the chieſe end in my owne eye, that the precious Saints and people of God in England, beleeving what hath been and may bee reported to them, of theſe things, may help forward this work together with us by their prayers and prayſes, as we deſire to doe the like for the worke of Chriſt begun among them there. I dare not ſpeake too much, nor what I thinke about their converſion, I have ſeen ſo much falſeneſſe in that point among many Engliſh, that I am ſlow to beleeve herein too haſtily concerning theſe poore naked men; onelyonly this is evident to all honeſt hearts that dwell neer them, and have obſerved them, that the work of the Lord upon them, and (what ever it bee) is both unexpected and wonderfull in ſo ſhort a time; I ſhall ſet downe things as they are, and then your ſelfe and others to whom theſe may come, may judge as you pleaſe of them.
Soon after your departure hence, the awakening of theſe Indiani in our Towne raiſed a great noyſe among all the reſt round about us, eſpecially about Concord ſide where the *An inferiour Prince.Sachim (as I remember) and one or two more of his men, hearing of theſe things and of the preaching of the Word, and how it wrought among them here, came therefore hither to *An Indian town ſo called.Noonanetum to the Indian Lecture, and what the Lord ſpake to his heart wee know not, only it ſeems hee was ſo farre affected, as that he deſired to become more like to the Engliſh, and to caſt off thoſe Indian wild and ſinfull courſes they formerly lived in; but when divers of his men perceived their Sachims mind, they ſecretly oppoſed him herein; which oppoſition being known, he therefore called together his chiefe men about him, & made a ſpeech to this effect unto them, viz That they had no reaſon at all to oppoſe thoſe courſes the Engliſh were now taking for their good, for (ſaith hee) all the time you have lived after the Indian faſhion under the power and protection of higher Indian Sachems, what did they care for you? they onelyonly ſought their owne ends out of you, and therefore would exact upon you, and take away your skins and your Kettles & your Wampam from you at their own pleaſure, & this was al that they regarded: but you may evidently ſee that the Engliſh mind no ſuch things, care for none of your goods, but onelyonly ſeeke your good and welfare, and in ſtead of taking away, are ready to give to you; with many other things I now forget, which were related by an eminent man of that town to me. What the effect of this ſpeech was, we can tell no otherwiſe then as the effects ſhewed it; the firſt thing was, the making of certain Lawes for their more religious and civill government and behaviour, to the making of which, they craved the aſſiſtance of one of the chiefe Indians in Noonanetum, a very active Indian to bring in others to the knowledge of God; deſiring withall an able ſaithfull man in Concord to record and keep in writing what they had generally agreed upon. Another effect was, their deſire of Teacher of the Church of Roxbury, that preacheth to the Indians in their own Language.Mr. Eliots coming up to them, to preach, as he could find time among them; and the laſt effect was, their deſire of having a Towne given them within the bounds of Concord neare unto the Engliſh. This latter when it was propounded by the Sachim of the place, he was demanded why hee deſired a towne ſo neare, when as there was more roome for them up in the Country. To which the Sachim replyed, that he therefore deſired it becauſe he knew that if the Indians dwelt far from the Engliſh, that they would not ſo much care to pray, nor would they be ſo ready to heare the Word of God, but they would be all one Indians ſtill; but dwelling neare the Engliſh he hoped it might bee otherwiſe with them then. The Town therefore was granted them; but it ſeemes that the oppoſition made by ſome of themſelves more malignantly ſet againſt theſe courſes, hath kept them from any preſent ſetling downe: and ſurely this oppoſition is a ſpeciall finger of Satan reſiſting theſe budding beginnings; for what more hopefull way of doing them good then by cohabitation in ſuch Townes, neare unto good examples, and ſuch as may be continually whetting upon them, and dropping into them of the things of God? what greater meanes at leaſt to civilize them? as is evident in the C…ſco and Mexico Indians, more civill then any elſe in this vaſt Continent that wee know of, who were reduced by the politick principles of the two great conquering Princes of thoſe Countries after their long and tedious wars from theſe wild and wandring courſe of life, unto a ſetling into particular Townes and Cities: but I forebear, only to confirme the truth of theſe things, I have ſent you the orders agreed on at Concord by the Indians, under the hand of two faithfull witneſſes, who could teſtifie more, if need were, of theſe matters: I have ſent you their owne Copy and their own hands to it, which I have here inſerted.