A84357:48
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.
And no man needs to doubt but that those things which are matter for Faith and Prayer to be exercised about their accomplishment, 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, ⟨image 14⟩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 acknowledging God in Christ, that they have been little better than the Beasts that perish. But now they that were far off, the Lord is at work to make them near 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 called, 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 marvellous in our eyes. And the truth is, there are many marvels in it; marvellous free-grace, and riches thereof, to look upon a People so wretched and unworthy; yea, it were marvellous 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-ways, and Hedges; and yet behold, even these are not only invited, but their hearts inclined to come in. Marvellous 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 Himself, which I hope He is now a doing. And to say no more, His marvellous Sovereignty 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 ways, ways of Sin, and ways of Death: yea,