TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE THE LORDS & COMMONS T Assembled In High Court of Parliament. Right Honorable, Hese few sheets present unto your view a short but welcome discourse of the visitations of the most High upon the saddest spectacles of degeneracy upon earth, The poore Indian People: the distance of place, (if our spirits be right) will be no lessening of the mercy, nor of our thankefulnesse, That Christ is glorified, that the Gospel doth any where find footing; and successe is a mercy as well worthy the praise of the Saints on Earth, as the joy of the Angels in heaven. The report of this mercy is first made to you, who are the Representative of this Nation, That in you England might bee stirred up, to be Rejoycers in, and Advancers of these promising beginnings. And because to you an account is first due of the successe of the Gospel in those darke corners of the World, which have been so much inlightned by Your favour, enlivened by Your resolutions, encouraged by Your fore-past indeavours for God, & hope stil being parts of Your selves, to be further strengthned by Your benigne aspects and bountifull influences on them. The present troubles have not so far obliterated and worn out the sad mispressions which former times have made upon our spirits, but we can sadly remember those destructive designes which were on foot, and carryed on for the Introduction of so great evils both into Church and State; In order to which it was the endeavour of the Contrivers and Promoters of those designes, to wast the number of the godly, as those who would never be brought to comply in such destructive enterprises; which was attempted by banishing and forcing some abroad, by burthening and afflicting all at home. Among those who tasted of the first, I say not the worst sort of their cruelty, were these our Brethren, who to enjoy the liberties of the Gospel, were content to sit downe, and pitch their tents in the utmost parts of the Earth, hoping that there they might be out of the reach of their malice, as they were assured they were beyond the bounds of their love. God who doth often make mans evill of sin, serviceable to the advancement of the riches of his owne Grace; The most horrid act that ever was done by the sonnes of men, the murther of Christ, God made serviceable to the highest purposes of Grace and mercy that ever came upon his breast; That God doth shew that hee had mercifull ends, in this their malicious purpose: as hee suffer'd Paul to be cast into prison, to Acts 16. 30, convert the Jaylor, to be shipwrackt at Melita, Acts 28. 1. 11. to preach to the barbarous, so he suffer'd their way to be stopped up here, and their persons to be banished hence, that hee might open a passage for them in the Wildernesse, and make them instruments to draw soules to him, who had been so long estranged from him. 33, 34. It was the end of the adversary to suppresse, but Gods to propagate the Gospel; theirs to smother and put out the light, Gods to communicate and disperse it to the utmost corners of the Earth; that as one saith to tius orbis il- of Paul, his blindnesse gave light to the whole luminatio. World, so we hope God will make their disActs 9.9. tance and estrangednesse from us, a meanes of bringing many near and in to acquaintance with him. Cæcitas Pauli Indeed a long time it was before God let them see any farther end of their comming over, then to preserve their consciences, cherish their Graces, provide for their suste`nance: But when Providences invited their return, he let them know it was for some farther Arrand that hee brought them thither, giving them some Bunches of Grapes, some Clusters of Figs in earnest of the prosperous successe of their endeavours upon a 5. 10, 11, those poor outcasts: The utmost ends of the earth are designed and promised to be in time Luke 10.'1. the possessions of Christ; And hee sends his Psal. 2. 8. 12. Isa. 11. 9, 10. Ministers into every place where he himself intends to come, and take possession. Where the Ministery is the Harbinger and goes before, Christ and Grace will certainly follow after. Rev. 11. 15. 10, 11. This little we see is something in hand, to earnest to us those things which are in hope; something in possession, to assure us of the rest in promise, when the ends of the earth shall see his glory, and Psal. 22 27. the Kingdomes of the world shall become the Psal. 72. 8, 9, Kingdomes of the Lord and his Christ, when hee shall have Dominion from Sea to Sea, and they that. dwell in the wildernesse shall bow before him. And if the dawn of the morning be so delightfull, what will the clear day be? If the first fruits be so precious, what wil the whole harvest be? if some beginnings be so ful of joy, what will it be when God shall perform his Isa. 11. 9, 10. whole work, when the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea, and East and West shal sing together the song of the Lamb? In order to this what doth God require of us, but that we should strengthen the hands, incourage the hearts of those who are at work for him, conflicting with difficulties, wrestling with discouragements, to spread the Gospel, & in that, the fame and honor of this Nation, to the utmost ends of the earth? It was the design of your enemies to make them little, let it be your endevor to make them great, their greatnesse is your strength. Their 447445 enemies threatned their hands should reach them for evil, God disappointed them; And let your hands reach them now for good; there is enough in them to speak them fit objects of your incouragement, they are men of choice spirits, not frighted with dangers, softned with allurements, nor discouraged with difficulties, preparing the way of the Lord in those unpassable places of the earth, dealing with such whom they are to make men, before they can make them Christians. They are such who are impressed for your service in the service of Christ, can stand alone, but desire to have dependence on you, they feare not the malice of their enemies, but desire the countenance and incouragement of their friends; And shal your Honors in consideration of their former sufferings, their present service, and reall deservings, help the day of small things among them; shal you interest them in your assistances, as you are interessed in their affections, you wil thereby not only further these beginnings of God by incouraging their hearts, and strengthning their hands to work for him, but also (as we humbly conceive) much add to the comfort of your owne accounts in the day of the Lord, and lay greater obligations on them yet more to pray for you, to promote your counsels, and together with us your unworthy servants to write down themselves, Yours humbly devoted in the service of the Gospel. Stephen Marshall John Downam Tho. Goodwin Samuel Bolton. |