A84357:33
Tears of repentance
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 labourers 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.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.
London: printed by Peter Cole, 1653
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.
To His Excellency, the Lord General Cromwell; Grace, Mercy, and Peace be Multiplied.
To His Excellency, the Lord General Cromwel; Grace, Mercy, and Peace be Multiplied.
Right Honourable,
Right Honorable,
Envy it self cannot deny that the Lord hath raised and improved You in an Eminent manner to overthrow Antichrist, and to accomplish, in part, the Prophesies and Promises of the Churches Deliverance from that Bondage: In all which Service, the Lord hath not only kept Your Honour unstained, but also caused the Lustre of those precious Graces of Humility, Faith, Love of Truth, and Love to the Saints, &c. with which, through His Free Grace, He hath enriched You, to shine forth abundantly beyond all exception of any that are, or have been Adversaries to Your Proceedings. Now as the design of Christ in these days is double, namely, First, To overthrow Antichrist by the Wars of the Lamb; and Secondly, To raise up His own Kingdom in the room of all Earthly Powers which He doth cast down, and to bring all the World subject to be ruled in all things by the Word of His mouth. And as the Lord hath raised and improved You, to accomplish (so far as the Work hath proceeded) the first part of His Design, so I trust ⟨image 11⟩that the Lord will yet further improve You, to set upon the accomplishment of the second part of the design of Christ; not only by endeavouring to put Government into the hands of Saints, which the Lord hath made You eminently careful to do, but also by promoting Scripture Government and Laws, that so the Word of Christ might rule all. In which great Services unto the Name of Christ, I doubt not, but it will be some Comfort to Your heart to see the Kingdom of Christ rising up in these Western Parts of the World; and some confirmation it will be, that the Lords time is come to advance and spread His Blessed Kingdom, which shall (in his season) fill all the Earth: and some encouragement to your heart, to prosecute that part of the Design of Christ, namely, That Christ might Reign. Such Considerations, together with the Favourable Respect You have always showed to poor New-England, hath emboldened me to present unto Your Hand, these first Confessions of that Grace which the Lord hath bestowed upon these poor Natives, and to publish them under the protection of Your Name, begging earnestly the continuance of Your Prayers for the further proceeding of this gracious Work: And so committing Your Honour to the Lord, and to the Word of His Grace, and all Your weighty Affairs to His Heavenly Direction, I rest