Tears of repentance: or, A further narrative of the progress of the Gospel amongst the Indians in New-England: setting forth, not only their present state and condition, but sundry confessions of sin by diverse of the said Indians, wrought upon by the saving power of the Gospel; together with the manifestation of their faith and hope in Jesus Christ, and the work of grace upon their hearts. Related by Mr. Eliot and Mr. Mayhew, two faithful laborers in that work of the Lord. Published by the corporation for propagating the Gospel there, for the satisfaction and comfort of such as wish well thereunto.

To the Christian Reader.

THE Amplitude, and large Extent of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ upon Earth, when the Heathen shall be his Inhe∣ritance, 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 Scrip∣tures; 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 al∣though as yet our Eyes have never seen it so, nor our Fathers afore us, many Nations and People ha∣ving hitherto been overspread, and overwhelmed in Pagan Blindness and Ignorance, having scarce e∣ver heard of Christ, or of His Name; and many o∣thers that in some sort have heard of Him, having no more Grace but to make and maintain Oppositi∣on against Him, and against His Kingdom, some more professedly, and others more covertly and un∣der 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 appoin∣ted 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 multi∣tude 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 ear∣nestly craved of God by all his Saints in their Pray∣ers, 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 Pra∣yer 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 accom∣plishment, 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 ac∣knowledging God in Christ, that they have been lit∣tle 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 cal∣led, 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 Hed∣ges; and yet behold, even these are not only invi∣ted, 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 Him∣self, 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 Eng∣lish 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 whe∣ther 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 expe∣cting 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 smoa∣king 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 In∣ducement 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 be∣ginning, 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 sun∣dry; In such case, how ever it be with men on Earth, sure there is joy in Heaven amongst the An∣gels 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 In∣terpreters

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 ho∣nored in the eyes of his Brethren about him, for in∣defatigable 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 whate∣ver, 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 furni∣shed 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 grea∣ter 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 Ad∣ministrations 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 Eng∣lish already so furnished; which latter (for ought I know) might speedily be done, and with much sa∣tisfaction, if it were suitable in regard of their dif∣ferent Language, and the remoteness of their Habi∣tations, 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 them∣selves 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 pro∣ceeded otherwise, have found trouble and inconve∣niency therein. And if it be so amongst the Eng∣lish, 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 short∣ness of the time to furnish the Work that day, and the want of Interpreters, of whom there was not any present himself. Concerning which Rea∣sons, 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 rea∣sons rendred, advise the deferring of the inchurch∣ing 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 pre∣vailed 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 suffici∣ent 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 confes∣sing the Name of Christ Jesus, and their own sinful∣ness, 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 countenan∣ces, 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 affecti∣on, 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 Alle∣gation 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, & chief∣ly this, That since the Word of God came amongst them, and that they have attended thereto, they have more applied themselves unto Labor than for∣merly: 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 e∣specially their capacious Meeting-house, the Di∣mensions 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 under∣standing that the Indians alone were the Builders of it, it is a good testimony to me both of their indu∣stry, 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 accu∣stomed 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 co∣ming 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 pros∣per 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 Na∣tion to whom the Gospel was first preached, provo∣ked 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 be∣stowed 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 13^th of 10^ber 1652.

RICH. MATHER.