A39225:54
A further account of the progress of the Gospel amongst the Indians in New-England,…A further accompt of the progresse of the Gospel amongst the Indians in New-England,…
A further account of the progress of the Gospel amongst the Indians in New-England, and of the means used effectually to advance the same set forth in certain letters sent from thence declaring a purpose of printing the Scriptures in the Indian tongue into which they are already translated : with which letters are likewise sent an epitome of some exhortations delivered by the Indians at a fast, as testimonies of their obedience tot he Gospel : as also some helps directing the Indians how to improve natural reason unto the knowledge of the true God.A further accompt of the progresse of the Gospel amongst the Indians in New-England, and of the means used effectually to advance the same set forth in certaine letters sent from thence declaring a purpose of printing the Scriptures in the Indian tongue into which they are already translated : with which letters are likewise sent an epitome of some exhortations delivered by the Indians at a fast, as testimonies of their obedience tot he Gospell : as also some helps directing the Indians how to improve naturall reason unto the knowledge of the true God.
London: printed by M. Simmons for Corporation of New England, 1659
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Christian Gentlemen, and much honoured in the Lord.
Your constant prayers and pains for the promoting of the Kingdom of Christ Jesus in these ends of the earth, among these our poor Indians, is a work of sweet favour unto the Lord: and your labour of love bestowed therein; shall be assuredly rewarded, when the Lord shall say unto you (out of the riches of his free Grace) Come ye blessed of my Father, &c. and, what you did unto them, you did it unto me, and in that day, Blessed is the man who hath his hands full of such free will offerings. The Lord hath given us this amazing blow to take away my brother Mayhew. *His aged Father doth his endeavour to uphold the work among the poor Indians, whom by letters I have encouraged what I can, and moved in his behalf, our Commissioners, and they have given him some encouragement, so that the work in that place is not fallen to the ground, I bless the Lord for it. As for the work among us, I shall for the present be silent, for several Reasons, only let the work it self speak. I am bold to present you here enclosed, with a few notes which my Son and I gathered up, which were delivered by the persons here ⟨p. 7⟩named, in a day of fasting and prayer; out of which short notes you may see what life is in the work. The very reason of my gathering up these notes; was because my Son (who had not been at a fast among us before) was very much affected with what they delivered, so far as he understood them, and when I had communicated these notes to some, they were very well relished, & thereby I was emboldened to present them to your selves, not knowing, but (if the Lord please) thereby you may have more real information of their state and progress, then by any thing which were meet for me to say. For my self I feel my strength to decay, and I am not able to do and bear what I have done, and although temptation may sometime breed waverings, yet my soul doth desire & believe, that I shall live and dye in the work. And as I have dedicated my sons to serve the Lord in this work (if he please to accept them) so I do it as they come up; and this year my second son having taken his first degree in the College, I presented him also unto our Commissioners, and he is accepted unto the work: