[ELIOT, John (1604-1690)]. Early advertisement for Eliot’s 1659 first edition of “The Christian Commonwealth; or, The civil policy of the rising kingdom of Jesus Christ [in the newsbook: Mercurius Politicus, No. 594]. London, 1659. Extracted small 4to, 16pp. (203 x 159 mm). Eliot was a Puritan missionary to the New England Indians, who developed a plan of political organization for the Christianized tribes that he converted which he wrote in the late 1640s as “The Christian Commonwealth”, later sending the manuscript to England, but didn’t appear in print until 10 year later in 1659. Within three years the book was banned due to its radical and troublesome nature that viewed Christ as the only rightful Heir of the Crown of England and Eliot was forced to issue a public retraction and apology. His unique and fascinating work has been called the first book of political theory written by an American and also the first book to be banned by an American government.