THe Lord, who useth not to be wanting to the desires of his Servants, as he hath not frustrated the ends of our Transplanting in sundry other respects; so neither in the giving some light to those poore Indians, who have ever sate in hellish darknesse, adoring the Divell himselfe for their GOD: but hath given us some testimony of his gracious acceptance of our poore endeavours towards them▪ and of our groanes to himselfe for mercy upon those miserable Soules (the very Ruines of Mankind) there amongst us; our very bowels yer­ning within us to see them goe downe to Hell by swarmes with­out remedy.

Wherefore we judged it our duty no longer to conceale but to de­clare (to the praise of his owe free grace) what first Fruits he ha [...]h begun to gather in amongst them, as a sure pledge (we are consident) of a greater Harvest in his owne time. And wonder not that wee mention no more instances at present: but consider, First their in­finite distance from Christianity, having never been prepared there­unto by any Civility at all. Secondly, the difficulty of their Lan­guage to us, and of ours to them; there being no Rules [...]o learne ei­ther by. Thirdly, the diversity of their owne Language to it selfe; [Page 2]every part of that Countrey having its own Dialect, differing much from the other; all which make their comming into the Gospel the more slow. But what God hath done for some of them, we will declare.

1. MAny years since at Plimmouth Plantation, when the Church did fast and pray for Raine in extreame Drought; it being a very hot and cleare sun-shine day, all the former part thereof; An Indian of good quality, being present, and seeing what they were a­bout, fell a wondring at them for praying for raine in a day so un­likely, when all Sunne and no Clouds appeared; and thought that their God was not able to give Raine at such a time as that: but this poore wretch seeing them still to continue in their Prayers, and be­holding that at last the Clouds began to rise, and by that time they had ended their Duty, the Raine fell in a most sweet, constant, soaking showre, fell into wonderment at the power that the English had with their God, and the greatnesse and goodnesse of that God whom they served, and was smitten with terror that he had abused them and their God by his former hard thoughts of them; and re­solved from that day not to rest till he did know this great good God, and for that end to forsake the Indians, and cleare to the English, which he presently did, and laboured by all publique and private meanes to suck in more and more of the knowledge of God, and his wayes. And as he increased in knowledge so in affection and also in his practice, reforming and conforming himselfe accordingly: and (though he was much tempted by inticements, scoffes and scornes from the Indians) yet, could he never be gotten from the English, nor from seeking after their God, but died amongst them, leaving some good hopes in their hearts, that his soule went to rest.

2. Sagamore Iohn, Prince of Massaquesets, was from our very first landing more courteous, ingenious, and to the English more loving then others of them; he desired to learne and speake our Language, and loved to imitate us in our behaviour and apparrell, and began to hearken after our God and his wayes, and would much commend English-men, and their God; saying ( Much good men, much good God) and being convinced that our condition and wayes were better farre then theirs, did resolve and promise to leave the Indians, and come live with us; but yet kept downe by feare of the scoffes of the Indi­ans, had not power to make good his purpose; yet went on not with­out [Page 3]some trouble of mind, and secret plucks of Conscience, as the sequel declares: for being struck with death, fearfully cryed out of himselfe that he had not come to live with us, to have knowne our God better: ‘But now ( said he) I must die, the God of the English is much angry with me, and will destroy me; ah, I was affraid of the scoffes of these wicked Indians; yet my Child shall live with the English, and learne to knew their God when I am dead; Ile give him to Mr. Wilson, he is a much Good man, and much loved me:’ so sent for Mr. Wilson to come to him, and committed his onely Child to his care, and so died.

3. Divers of the Indians Children, Boyes and Girles we have re­ceived into our houses, who are long since civilized, and in subjecti­on to us, painfull and handy in their businesse, and can speak our lan­guage familiarly; divers of whom can read English, and begin to un­derstand in their measure, the grounds of Christian Religion; some of them are able to give us account of the Sermons they heare, and of the word read and expounded in our Families, and are convinced of their sinfull and miserable Estates, and affected with the sense of Gods displeasure, and the thoughts of Eternity, and will sometimes tremble and melt into teares at our opening and pressing the Word upon their Consciences; and as farre as we can discerne, some of them use to pray in secret and are much in love with us, and cannot indure to returne any more to the Indians.

Some of them will not be absent from a Sermon or Family du­ties if they can help it; and we have knowne some would use to weep and cry when detained by occasion from the Sermon.

Others of them are very inquisitive after God and his wayes; and being themselves industrious in their Calling, will much complaine of other servants idlenesse, and reprove them.

One of them, who for some misdemeanour that laid him open to publique punishment, ran away; and being gone, God so followed him, that of his owne accord he returned home, rendred himselfe to Justice and was willing to submit himselfe, though he might have escaped.

An Indian Maid at Salem, would often come from the Word, cry­ing out with abundance of teares, concluding that she must burne when she die, and would say, she knew her selfe naught for present, and like to be miserable for ever, unlesse free Grace should prevent it; and after this grew very carefull of her carriage, proved industri­ous in her place, and so continued.

Another often frequenting the House of one of the Ministers at Salem, would tell him the Story of the Bible, even to his admirati­on, and that he attended upon the Word preached, and loved it; and how he could tell all the Commandements, and in particular each Commandement by it selfe, and how he laboured to keep them all; and yet for all this (said he) [Me are, and walke in fire] that is, when I die, I must to Hell: That Minister asked him why? he answered, because I know not Iesus Christ, and pray'd him earnestly to teach him Iesus Christ, and after went out amongst the Indians, and called upon them to put away all their wives save one, because it was a sinne against English-mans Saviour.

Another Indian comming by, and seeing one of the English (who was remote from our jurisdiction, prophaning the Lords day, by fel­ling of a tree, said to him, Doe [...]ou not know that this is the Lords day, in Massaqusetts? much machet man, that is very wicked man, what, breake you Gods Day?

The same man comming into an house in those parts where a man and his wife were chiding, and they bidding him sit downe, he was welcome; he answered, He would not stay there, God did not dwell there, Ho [...]mock, (that is the Devill) was there, and so departed.

One of the Sagamores, having complaint made to him by some of the English, that his men did use to kill Pigeons upon the Lords day, thereupon forbad them to doe so any more; yet afterwards some of them did attempt it, and climbing the high trees (upon which Pige­ons in that Countrey use to make their nests) one of them fell down from off the tree and brake his neck, and another fell down and brake some of his limbs: thereupon the Sagamore sent two grave old men to proclaime it amongst his Indians, that none of them should kill Pigeons upon the Sabboth day any more.

Another Indian hearing of the fame of the English, and their God came from a far to see them, and such was this mans love to the En­glish and their wayes after he came acquainted with them, that he la­boured to transform himselfe into the English manners and practises, as if he had been an English man indeed; he would be called no more by his Indian name, but would be named William; he would not goe naked like the Indians, but cloathed just as one of our selves; he ab­horred to dwell with the Indians any longer; but forsaking all his friends and Kindred dwelt wholly with us; when he sate downe to meat with us, if thanks were given before he came in, or if he did eat [Page 5]by himselfe, constantly he would give thanks reverently and grave­ly, he frequented the word and family duties where he came, and gat a good measure of knowledge beyond ordinary, being a man of sin­gular par [...]s, and would complaine that he knew not Christ, and with­out him, he said all he did was nothing; hee was so zealous for the Lords day, that (as it was observed) if he saw any profaning it, he would rebuke them and threaten them to carry them to the Gover­nour.

All which things weighed, we dare not but hope, that many of them, doe belong to the Kingdome of God; and what further time may produce, we leave it to him that is excellent in Counsell, and wonderfull in working.

4. There is also a Blackmore maid, that hath long lived at Dorche­ster in New England, unto whom God hath so blessed the publique and private means of Grace that she is not only indued with a com­petent measure of knowledge in the mysteries of God, and convicti­on of her miserable estate by sinne; but hath also experience of a saving work of grace in her heart, and a sweet savour of Christ brea­thing in her; insomuch that her soule hath longed to enjoy Church-fellowship with the Saints there, and having propounded her desire to the Elders of the Church, after some triall of her taken in private, she was called before the whole Church, and there did make confes­sion of her knowledge in the Mysteries of Christ and of the work of Conversion upon her Soule: And after that there was such a testi­mony given of her blamelesse and godly Conversation, that she was admitted a member by the joynt consent of the Church with great joy to all their hearts. Since which time, we have heard her much admiring Gods free grace to such a poore wretch as she was; that God leaving all her friends and Kindred still in their sinnes, should cast an eye upon her, to make her a member of Christ, and of the Church also: and hath with teares exhorted some other of the In­dians that live with us to embrace Iesus Christ, declaring how willing he would be to receive them even as he had received her.

5. The last instance we will give shall be of that famous Indian W [...]uash who was a Captaine a proper man of person, and of a very grave and sober spirit; the Story of which comming to our hands very lately, was indeed the occasion of writing all the rest: This man a few yeares since, seeing and beholding the mighty power of God in our English Forces, how they fell upon the Pequits, where [Page 6]divers hundreds of them were slaine in an houre: The Lord, as a God of glory in great terrour did appeare unto the Soule and Con­science of this poore Wretch in that very act; and though before that time he had low apprehensions of our God, having conceived him so be (as he said) but a Muskett [...] God or a God like unto a flye; and as meane thoughts of the English that served this God that they were silly weake men; yet from that time he was convinced and per­swaded that our God was a most dreadfull God; and that one En­glish man by the help of his God was able to slay and put to flight an hundred [...]n [...]an [...].

This conviction did pursue and follow him night and day, so that he could have no rest or quiet because hee was ignorant of the En­glish mans God: he went up and down bemoaning his condition, and filling every place where he came with sighes and groanes.

Afterward it pleased the Lord that some English (well acquainted with his Language) did meet with him; thereupon as a Hart pan­ting after the water Brookes he enquired after God with such inces­sant diligence that they were constrained constantly for his satisfa­ction to spend more then halfe the night in conversing with him.

Afterwards he came to dwell amongst the English at Connecticus, still travelling with all his might and lamenting after the Lord: his manner was to smite his hand on his breast, and to complaine sadly of his heart saying it was much machet, (that is very evill) and when any spake with him he would say Wequash, no God, Wequash no know Christ. It pleased the Lord, that in the use of the meanes, he grew greatly in the knowledge of Christ, and in the Principles of Religi­on and became thorowly reformed according to his light, hating and loathing himselfe for his dearest sinnes, which were especially these two Lust and Revenge, this repentance for the former was te­stified by his temperance and abstinence from all occasions, or mat­ter of provocation thereunto. Secondly, by putting away all his Wives, saving the first, to whom he had most right.

His repentance for the latter was testified by an eminent degree of meeknesse and patience, that now, if any did abuse him, he could lie downe at their feet, and if any did smite him on the one cheeke, he would rather turne the other, than offend them: many trialls hee had from the Jndians in this case. Thirdly, by going up and downe to those hee had offered violence or wrong unto, confessing it, and making restitution.

Afterwards he went amongst the Indians, like that poore Woman of Samaria, proclaiming Christ, and telling them what a Treasure he had found, instructing them in the knowledge of the true God and this he did with a grave and serious spirit, warning them with all faithfullnesse to flee from the wrath to come, by breaking off their sinnes and wickednesse.

This course of his did so disturb the Devill, that ere long some of the Indians, whose hearts Satan had filled did secretly give him poy­son, which he tooke without suspition: and when he lay upon his death bed, some Indians who were by him, wished him according to the Indian manner, to send for Po [...]ow (that is to say) a Wizzard; he told them, If Iesus Christ say that Wequash shall live, then Wequash must live; if Iesus Christ say that Wequash shall dye, then Wequash is willing to dye, and will not lengthen [...]ur his life by any such meanes. Before he dyed, he did bequeath his Child to the godly care of the English for education and instruction and so yielded up his soule into Christ his hands.

I cannot omit the testimony of Mr. Sh a godly Minister in the Bay, that wrote to his Friend in London concerning this Story, his lines are full plain and pithy his words these,

Wequash the famous Indian at the Rivers mouth is dead, and certainly in heaven; gloriously did the Grace of Christ shine forth in his conversation, a yeare and a halfe before his death he knew Christ, he loved Christ, he prea­ched Christ up and down, and then suffered Martyrdome for Christ; and when he dyed▪ he gave his soule to Christ, and his only child to the English, rejoycing in this hope, that the child should know more of Christ then its poore Father ever did.

Thus we have given you a little tast of the sprincklings of Gods spirit, upon a few Indians, but one may easily imagine, that here are not all that may be produced: for if a very few of us here present, upon very sudden thoughts, have snatcht up only such instances which came at present to hand, you may conveive, that if all in our Plantations (which are farre and wide) should set themselves to bring in the confluence of all their Observations together, much more might be added.

We beleeve one mean amongst others, that hath thus farre wonne these poore wretches to looke after the Gospell, hath been the deal­ings and carriages, which God hath guided the English in our Pa­tent, to exercise towards them: For,

1. At our entrance upon the Land, it was not with violence and intrusion, but free and faire, with their consents and allowance the chief Sagamores of all that part of the Countrey, entertaining us heartily, and professed we were all much welcome.

2. When any of them had possession of, or right unto any Land we were to plant upon, none were suffered, (to our knowledge) to take one acre from them, but do use to compound with them to con­tent.

3. They have had justice truly exercised towards them in all other particular acts; that as we expect right dealing from them, in case any of them shall trespasse us, we send to their Sagamore, and he presently rights us, or else we summon them to our Court to answer it; so if any of our men offend them, and complaint and proofe be made to any of our Magistrates, or the publique Court (they know) they are sure to be righted to the utmost by us.

4. The humanity of the Enghish towards them doth much gaine upon them, we being generally wary, and tender in giving them of­fensive or harsh language, or carriage, but use them fairly and cour­teously, with loving termes, good looks and kind salutes.

Thus they having first a good esteem of our Persons, (such of them as God intends good unto) are the sooner brought to hearken to our words, and then to serve our God: wheras on the contrary, the wicked, injurious and scandalous carriages of some other Plan­tations, have bin a mean to harden chose poore wofull soules against the English, and all Religion for their sakes; and seale them up under perdition.

Yet (mistake us not) we are wont to keep them at such a distance, (knowing they serve the Devill and are led by him) as not to im­bolden them too much or trust them too farre; though we do them what good we can. And the truth is, God hath so kept them, (ex­cepting that act of the Pequits, long since, to some few of our men) that we never found any hurt from them, nor could ever prove any reall intentions of evill against us: And if there should be such in­tentions and that they all should combine together against us with all their strength that they can raise, we see no probable ground at all to feare any hurt from them, they being naked men, and the numb [...]r of them that be amongst us not considerable.

Let us here g [...]ve a touch also of what God hath done and is further about to doe, to divers Plantations of the English, which before that [Page 9]time that God sent light into our coasts, were almost as darke and rude as the Indians themselves.

1. First at Agamenticus (a Plantation out of our jurisdiction) to which one of our Preachers comming and labouring amongst them, was a meanes under God, not only to sparkle heavenly knowledge, and worke conviction and reformation in divers of them, but con­version also to Christ in some of them, that blesse God to this day, that [...]ver he came thither.

2. Then after that, as Sauco Plantation, which is an hundred miles from us, divers of that place comming often into our coas [...]s and hear­ing the Word preached, and seeing Gods goings amongst his people there, being much affected went home and lamented amongst their neighbours their own wofull condition, that lived like heathens without the Gospel, when others injoyed it in great plenty: here­upon with joynt consent two of their chiefe men were sent in all their names earnestly to intreat us to send a godly Minister to preach the Word unto them; which was doe accordingly, not without good successe to the people there, and divers places about them.

3. After this, towards the end of last Summer, foure more Planta­tions some of which are divers hundred miles, others of them many hundred leagues from our Plantation) hearing of the goodnesse of God to his people in our parts, and of the light of the Gospel there shining; have done even as Jacob did in the Famine time, when he heard there was bread in Egypt he hasted away his Sonnes for Corn, that they might live and not die: in like manner three severall Towns in Virginia as also Ba [...]bados, Christophers and Antego all of them much about the same time, as if they had known the minds of each other did send Letters and Messengers crying out unto us as the man of Macedonia to Paul, Come and help us and th [...] with such earnest­nesse, as men hunger-starved and ready to die cry for bread; so they cry out unto us in the bowels of compassion for the Lord Jesus sake to send them some helpe. They tell us in some of their Letters that from the one end of the Land to the other, there is none to break the bread of life unto the hungry; and those that should doe it, are so vil [...], that even drunkards and swearers, cry shame on them.

We had thought (but only for the swelling of our Discourse) to have set down their Letters at large, which they wrote to all our Churches, which spake with such strength of reason and affection, that when they were read in our Congregations they prevailed with [Page 18]us, that for their necessity we spared the bread from our own mouth [...] to save th [...]ir lives, and sent two of our Ministers for the present to Virginia; and when the Ships came away from them they left them in serious consultation, whom to give up to the worke of Christ in the other three places also.

We heare moreover that the Indians themselves in some of the places named did joyne with them in this their suit.

Now from what hath bin said, see the riches of Gods free Grace in Christ, that is willing to impart mercy even to the worst of men, and such as are furthest off cry out with Paul, On the depths, &c. and let heaven and earth be filled with the glorious praises of God for the same.

And if such as are afarre off, why should not we that are nearer presse in for a share therin, and cry out, as Esau did with teares to his Father, when he saw the blessing going away to his young [...]r brother, and himselfe, like to lose it: [ Oh my Father h [...]st thou but one blessing, blesse me also, even me thy first borne, blesse me, oh my Father.] Else these poore Indians will certainly rise up against us, and with great bold­nesse condemn us in the great day of our accompts, when many of us here und [...]r great light, shall see men come from the East and from the West, and sit down in the Kingdome of God, and our selves cast out.

2. Let the world know, that God led not so many thousands of his people into the Wildernesse, to see a reed shaken with the wind, but amongst many other speciall ends, this was none of the least, to spread the light of his blessed Gospel, to such as never heard the sound of it. To stop the mouths of the profane that calumniate the work of God in our hands, and to satisfie the hearts of the Saints herin that God had some speciall service for his people there to doe, which in part alr [...]ady we begin to see, and wait upon D [...]vine Wis [...]me, to discover more of his pleasure herin, and upon his Grace to effect, which we b [...]leeve in his time he will so doe, that men shall see and know the wisdome and power of God herin.

3. Shall we touch here upon that apprehension which many god­ly and wise have conceived, and that from some Scriptures compa­red, and from other grounds, and passages of Providence collected that (as it's very probable) God meanes to carry his Gospel west­ward, in these latter times of the world; and have thought, as the Sunne in the afternoon of the day, still declines more and more to [Page 19]the West and then sets: so the Gospel (that great light of the world) though it rose in the East, and in former ages, hath ligntened it with his beames; yet in the latter ages of the world will bend Westward, and before its setting, brighten these parts, with his glorious lustre also.

4. See how Gods wisdome produceth glorious effects, from un­likely meanes, and make streight works by crooked instrumen [...]s: for who would have thought, that the chasing away hence so many godly Ministers, should so farre have promoted the praises of God, and should be a meane to spread the Gospel, when they intend [...]d to ruine it: they blew out their lights and they burn clearer: their silencing Ministers have opened their mouths so wide as to sound ou [...] his glorious praises, to the uttermost parts of the earth, say with the Psalmist, This is the Lords doing and it is marvelous in our eyes.

5. Despise not the day of small things; let none say of us as those scoffers did of their building [...]erusalem, [...]hat will these weak [...]ewes [...]? but learne to adore God in all his Providence, and wait to see his ends.

6. Lend us, we beseech you (all you that love Zion) your prayers and helpe in heaven and earth for the furtherance of this great and glorious worke in our hands; great works need many hands, many prayers, many teares: And desire the Lord to stirre up the bowels of some godly minded, to pitty those poore Heathen that are bleeding to death to eternall death and to reach forth an hand of soule-mercy, to save some of them from the fire of hell by affording some means to maintain some fit instruments on purpose to spend their time, and give themselves wholly to preach to these poore wretches▪ that as the tender Samari [...]a [...] did to the wounded man they may pitty them and g [...]t them healed that even their bowels may blesse them in the day of their visitation, and Christs bowels refreshed by their love, may set it on his own score, and pay them all againe in the day of their accompts.

Nec non Reverendis pientiffimisque viris Ioanpi Cotton [...], Ioan, Wils [...]n [...], Ioan, Davenport, Tho. Weldo. Hugons Petro, Tho. Shepardo, Collegij Harvardensis nov. Cantab [...]. inspectoribus fidelissimis, caeteris (que) Magistratibus, & Ecclesiatum [...]usdem Coloniae Pres­byteris vigilantissimis,

Has Theses Philologicas, & Philosophicas, quas Deo duce, Praeside Henrico Dunstero palam pro virili propugnare conabuntur, (ho­noris & [...]bservantiae gratia) dicant consecranique in artibus liberalibus initiati Adolescentes.

• Benjamin Woodbrigins.
• Georgius Downingus.
• Gulielmus Hubb [...]rdus.
• Henricus Saltonstall.
• Iohannes Bulkleius.
• Iohannes Wilsonus.
• Nathaniel Brusterus.
• Samuel Belinghamus.
• Tobias Bernardus.