you see how God begins to sanctifie such affections among them: and I wish that many English were not outstript herein by these poor Indians, who have got the start I feare of many English, that can passe by such sad providences without laying them in this manner to heart. I confesse these and many such things which wee see in divers of them, do make some to thinke that there is more of God and his Spirit in some of their hearts then we yet can discover, and which they hope will break out in time.

Thus you have a true, but somewhat rent and ragged relation of these things; it may be most sutable to the story of naked and ragged men my desire is that no mans Spectacles may deceive him, so as to look upon these things either as bigger or lesser, better or worser then they are; which all men generally are apt to doe at things at so great distance, but that they may judge of them as indeed they are, by what truth they see here exprest in the things themselves. I know that some thinke that all this worke among them is done and acted thus by the Indians to please the English, and for applause from them; and it is not unlikely but so 'tis in many, who doe but blaze for a time; but certainly 'tis not so in all, but that the power of the Word hath taken place in some, and that inwardly and effectually, but how far savingly time will declare, and the reader may judge of, by the story it self of these things. Some say that if it be so, yet they are but a few that are thus wrought upon; Be it so, yet so it hath ever been, many called, few chosen: and yet withall I beleeve the calling in of a few Indians to Christ is the gathering home of many hundreds in one, considering what a vast distance there hath been between God and them so long, even dayes without number; considering [p. 38.] also how precious the first fruits of America will be to Jesus Christ, and what seeds they may be of great harvests in after times; and yet if there was no great matter seen in these of grown yeers, their children notwithstanding are of great hopes both from English and Indians themselves, who are therefore trained up to Schoole, where many are very apt to learne, and who are also able readily to answer to the questions propounded, containing the principles and grounds of all Christian Religion in their own tongue. I confesse it passeth my skill to tell how the Gospel should be generally received by these American Natives, considering the variety of Languages in small distances of places; onely hee that made their eares and tongues can raise up some or other to teach them how to heare, and what to spake; and if the Gospel must ride circuit, Christ can and will conquer by weake and despicable meanes, though the conquest perhaps may be somewhat long. The beginnings and foundations of the Spaniard in the Southerne parts of this vast continent, being laid in the blood of nineteene Millions of poor innocent Natives (as Acosta the Jesuite a bird of their own nest relates the story) shall certainly

3

therefore bee utterly rooted up by some revenging hand; and when he is once dispossest of his Golden Mansions and Silver Mines, it may be then the oppressed remnant in those coasts also may come in. In the meane while if it bee the good pleasure of Christ to look upon any of the worst and meanest of these outcasts in these Coasts of New-England, let us not despise this day of small things, but as the Jews did of old, so let us now cry mightily to God and say, and sing, Let the people praise thee O God, yea let all the people praise thee, then shall the earth bring forth her increase, and God even our God will blesse us.

I have sent you two witnesses beside my own of the truth
of the Indian story printed, you may publish them if
you please as they have writ, and subscrib'd with their
own hands.

THOMAS SHEPHARD.

FINIS.

THE

Glorious Progress

OF THE

GOSPEL,

AMONGST THE

Indians in New England.

MANIFESTED

By three Letters, under the Hand of

that famous Instrument of the Lord Mr. JOHN ELIOT, And another from Mr. Thomas Mayhew jun: both Preachers of the Word, as well to the English as Indians in New England. WHEREIN

The riches of Gods Grace in the effectuall calling of
many of them is cleared up: As also a manifestation of the hung-
ring desires of many People in sundry parts of that Country,
after the more full Revelation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
to the exceeding Consolation of every Christian Reader.
TOGETHER,

With an Appendix to the foregoing Letters, holding forth
Conjectures, Observations, and Applications.
By 1. D. Minister of the Gospell.

Published by EDWARD WINSLOW.

Mal. 1. 11. From the rising of the Sun, even unto the going down of the same, my Name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every place incence shall be offered unto my Name, and a pure Offering; for my Name shall be great among the Heathen, saith the Lord of Hosts.

LONDON. Printed for Hannah Allen in Popes-head-Alley. 1649.