else almost but slander and curse one another your God commands you to love your neighbour as your selfe but how are the poore injured by you how doe you cast them into prison and fetters that are not able to pay their debts and you are so farre from relieving needy Christians that you send them to our cottages for almes spending your meanes and time in dice thefts contentions and adulteries He tells also of an Indian Prince that was very apt and ingenious he attained to a very good measure of learning and knowledge in religion and was hopefull above others in both but about the thirtieth yeere of his age he deceived the expectation of friends and became extremely debauched and impious and being blamed for his bad change his excuse was since I became a Christian I have learned all this to sweare by the name of God to blaspheme the holy Gospell to lie to play at dice I have gotten a sword also to quarrell and that I may be a right Christian indeed I want nothing but a concubine which I intend also shortly to bring home to my house And Benzo further addes when himselfe reprehended an Indian for dicing and blaspemy hee was presently answered I learned this of you Christians c. And if it be said Benzo was an Italian and laies the more load upon the Spaniards as no friend to that Nation Bartholomeus de las Casas one of their owne and a Bishop also is as liberall in telling their faults as hath been in part mentioned already the Natives indeed are capable and docible but these other tooke no care to lead them unto godlinesse either by word or example but this saith that Spanish Bishop was the manner of their gospelizing them In the night they published their edict saying Oyee Caciques and Indians of this place which they named wee let you all know that there is one God one Pope one King of Castile who is the Lord of these lands come forth therefore presently and doe your homage and shew your obedience to him so in the fourth watch of the night the poore Indians dreaming of no such matter men women and children were burnt in their houses together He affirmeth againe they regarded no more to preach the Gospell of Christ to the Americans than if they had bin dogs and their soules to perish with their bodies he tells further of one Colmenero who had the soule-care of a great City being asked what he taught the Indians committed to his charge his answer was he cursed them to the Devill and it was sufficient if he said to them per signin santin cruces by the signe of the holy crosse The Spanish instruction then it is evident was the Natives destruction and not so much a plantation as a supplantation not a consciencious teaching but a Lion-like rather devouring of soules their errors may warne and rectifie us yea and sharpen our edge seeing these poore Indians be not indocible and shall be converted and be they Jewes or Gentiles as there is much rudenesse and incivility among them so many hopefull things have bin observed of them and as Aristotle said of the humane soule at its first immission it was a new planed table The Americans in like manner saith P. Martyr are capable and docible mindelesse of their owne ancient rites readily believing and rehearsing what they be taught concerning our faith Acosta declares them not onely to be teachable but in many things excelling many other men and that they have among them some politique principles admired by our wisest statists their naturall parts and abilities were visible in that their whale-catching and conquest mentioned already yea they are saith Benzo very apt to imitate the fashion of the Christians if wee kneele at our devotion they will kneele also if wee reverently lift up our hands or eyes at prayer they will do the like Lerius writeth severall observable things of their aptnesse and capacity that they be quickely sensible of their owne blindnesse easily deterred from lying and stealing they told us saith he that very long agoe they could not tell how many Moones since one came among them cloathed and bearded like unto us endeavouring to perswade us unto another kinde of Religion but our Ancestors would not then heare and if wee should now forsake our old usages all our neighbours would scorne and deride us hee found them of tenacious memories if they heare but once one of our names they forget them no more and as hee walked in the woods upon a time with three of those Brasilians his heart was stirred up to praise God for his workes it was in the spring of the yeere and bee sang the hundred and fourth Psalme one of them desired to know the reason of his joy which when he had mentioned with the meaning also of the Prophet the Indian replyed Oh Mayr so they call the French how happy are you that understand so many secret things that are hidden from us And when the Natives of Virginia heard Mr Harriot speake of the glory of the great God shewing them his booke the Bible many of them touched it with gladnesse kissed and embraced it held it to their breasts and heads and stroaked their bodies all over with it and in Guiana they desired Captaine Leigh to send into England for instructors and one of them was so well taught that he professed at his death he died a Christian a Christian of England But the Sunne-rising of the Gospel with the Indians in New England with the breaking forth of further light among them and their enquity after the knowledge of the worlds Saviour c. hath been abundantly discovered by our Brethren there of late to our very great rejoycing and for the encouragement of them and others To what hath been said let me adde what some suppose they read foretold concerning the Americans accesse to Christ out of Philip. 2. 10. At the name of Iesus every knee shall bow of things in heaven things on earth and things under the earth i. e. Heavenly things Saints already converted earthly such of the knowne world as the Apostles were then labouring to Gospellize under the earth that is the Americans which are as under us and as Antipodes to us and live as it were under beneath in the lower parts of the world for it is not like hee should speake of the corporally dead their bodies not being under but rather in the earth inferi infernus doe not alwaies meane Hell and the place of the damned but the regions as under us sometimes that be opposite to us as that Epistle said to be brought by a winde from the upper to the nether world had those words first Superi inferis salutem wee above the earth wish health to them under it and thus the captive Indians told the English Planters Wee therefore seeke your destruction because wee heare you
be evident together with their liberall and enlarged care to propagate the eternall Gospell of our Lord among the Natives At the title of haeresie this is the preface Although no humane power be Lord over the faith and consciences of men and therefore may not constraine them to believe or professe against their consciences yet because such as bring in damnable heresies tending to the subversion of the Christian Faith and the destruction of the soules of men ought duly to be restrained from such notorious impiety it is therefore ordered and decreed by this Court That if any Christian within this jurisdiction shall goe about to subvert and destroy the Christian Faith and Religion by broaching or maintaining any damnable heresie as denying the immortality of the soule or the resurrection of the body or any sinne to be repented of in the regenerate or any evill done by the outward man to be accounted sinne or denying that Christ gave himselfe a ransome for our sinnes or shall affirme that wee are not justified by his death and righteousnesse but by the perfection of their owne workes or shall deny the morality of the fourth Commandement or shall endeavour to seduce others to any the heresies aforementioned every such person continuing obstinate therein after due meanes of conviction shall be sentenced to banishment 1646. And before having said that the open contempt of Gods word and the messengers thereof is the desolating sinne of civill States c. It is therefore ordered and decreed That if any christian so called within this jurisdiction shall contemptuously behave himself towards the word preached or the messengers thereof either by interrupting him in his preaching or by charging him falsely with any error which he hath not taught or like a son of Korah cast upon his true doctrine or himselfe any reproach every such person or persons whatsoever censure the Church may passe shall for the first scandall be convented and reproved openly by the Magistrate at some Lecture and bound to their good behaviour and if a second time they breake forth into the like contemptuous carriages they shall either pay five pounds to the publique treasury or stand two houres openly upon a blocke or stoole foure foot high on a Lecture day with a paper fixed on his breast written in capitall letters AN OPEN AND OBSTINATE CONTEMNER OF GODS HOLY ORDINANCES that others may feare and be ashamed of breaking out into the like wickednesse 1646. There be some in this England that account it piety and Religion to speake evill of Christs Ministers and cast off his Ordinances now blessed of God from heaven and earth be our Novangles Magistrates Ministers and people that have so seasonably witnessed against these abominations They are great lovers of peace and government these therefore be their words in another place For as much as experience hath plentifully often proved that since the first-rising of the Anabaptists about an hundred yeeres past they have bin the Incendiaries of Common-wealths and the infectors of persons in maine matters of Religion and the troublers of Churches in most places where they have been and that they who have held the baptizing of infants unlawfull have usually held other errors or heresies together therewith though as heretiques use to doe they have concealed the same untill they espied a fit advantage and opportunity to vent them by way of question or scruple and whereas divers of this kinde have since our comming into New-England appeared amongst our selves some whereof as others before them have denyed the Ordinance of Magistracy and the lawfulnesse of making warre others the lawfulnesse of Magistrates and their inspection into any breach of the first Table which opinions if connived at by us are like to be increased among us and so necessarily bring guilt upon us infection and trouble to the Churches and hazard to the whole Common-wealth It is therefore ordered by this Court and authority thereof that if any person or persons shall either openly condemne or oppose the baptizing of infants or goe about secretly to seduce others from the approbation or use thereof or shall purposely depart the Congregation at the administration of that Ordinance or shall deny the Ordinance of Magistracy or their lawfull right or authority to make warre or to punish the outward breaches of the first Table and shall appeare to the Court willfully and obstinately to continue therein after due meanes of conviction every such person or persons shall be sentenced to banishment 1644. And that wee may discerne how worthy they are that wee should doe all the good wee can for them for they love the nation where they inhabite and are very serious in preparing them for one husband to present them a pure virgin unto Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2. Severall therefore are their decrees in order to their conversion 1. Every Towne shall have power to restraine all Indians from prophaning the Lords day 1633. 1639. 1641. 2. The English shall not destroy the Indians corne but shall help them to fence in their grounds 3. Considering one end in planting these parts was to propagate the true Religion unto the Indians and that divers of them are become subjects to the English and have engaged themselves to be willing and ready to understand the Law of God It is therefore ordered and decreed that such necessary and wholesome Lawes which are in force and may be made from time to time to reduce them to civility of life shall be once in the yeer if the times be safe made knowne to them by such fit persons as the generall Court shall nominate having the helpe of some able Interpreter 4. Considering also that interpretation of tongues is appointed of God for propagating the truth It is therefore decreed that two Ministers shall be chosen every yeer and sent with the consent of their Churches with whomsoever will freely offer themselves to accompany them in that service to make knowne the heavenly counsell of God among the Indians and that something be allowed them by the Generall Court to give away freely to those Indians whom they shall perceive most willing and ready to be instructed by them 5. They decree further that no Indian shall at any time Powaw or performe outward worship to their false gods or to the devill and if any shall transgresse this law the Powawer shall pay 5 l. the procurer 5 l. c. 1646. Their love to learning also is meet to be remembred and encouraged wherein they have observed a chief project of that old deluder Satan to keepe men from the knowledge of the Scriptures as in former times keeping them in an unknowne tongue so in these latter times by perswading from the use of tongues that so at least the true sense and meaning of the originall might be clouded with false glosses of saint-seeming deceivers and that learning may not be buried in the graves of our forefathers in Church and Common
Moses to his Israell Onely take heed to your selves and keepe your soules diligently Deut. 4. 9. make your calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1. 10. and because you are the children of faithfull Abraham command your children and families that they walke in the waies of the Lord Gen. 18. 9. and let who will serve themselves follow lying vanities and set up their owne lusts let every one of us say and do as Ioshua I and my house will serve the Lord Josh 24. 15. And not onely serve the Lord with and in our housholds but in furthering the common good of others and t is considerable God is pleased to owne publique interests though in civill things with the name of his owne inheritance But this is the sinne this is the misery of these times All seek their owne not the things of Iesus Christ Even regulated charity may beginne at home it may not it must not end there it is the onely grace that is sowne on earth it growes up to heaven and continues there it goes with us thither and there abides to all eternity and t is therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 greater then faith and hope not from continuance onely but its extensivenesse it delights to be communicative it reacheth an hand of helpe one way or other to every one that needs though at never so great a distance after the cloven tongues as of fire had warmed the affections of the holy Apostles they had so much love to soules that they forgat their fathers house discipled all Nations and preached the Gospel to every creature Their line went through all the earth and their words to the ends of the world that former known world the same spirit hath warmed the hearts of our Countreymen and they are busie at the same worke in the other the new-found world For behold a white horse and he that sate on him had a bow and a Crown was given unto him and hee went forth conquering and to conquer so the Lord Christ shall be light to that world also and Gods salvation to the ends of the earth Britain hath woon the Gospel-glory from all other Countries not onely imbracing it with the formost as old Gildas testifieth but it was the first of all the Provinces that established Christianity by a law saith Sabellicus our Lucius was the first Christian King that Annales make mention of and venerable Bede out of Eutropius declareth that Constantine the first Christian Emperour was created to that dignity in this Island Sozom. l. 9. c. 11. saith that so were Marcus Gratian also But Constantine brought further honour to the Nation Religion For the Saxon Bede and Ponticus Virunnius affirme expresly that Constantine was born in Britaine after this ingemuit orbis videns se totum Romanum All the world wondred after the Beast groaned under the Papall servitude and our K. Henry the eight was the first of all the Princes who brake that yoke of Antichrist but neerer yet to our purpose The Inhabitants of the first England so Verstegan calls that part of Germany whence our Ancestors came hither with the Saxons and Iutes derive their Christianity from Iewry Ad nos doctrina de terra Iudaeorum per sanctos Apostolos qui docebant gentes pervenit as that great linguist learned and laborious Mr Wheelocke hath observed and translated out of the old Saxon Homilies t is but just therefore lege talionis that we repay what we borrowed and endeavour their conversion who first acquainted us with the eternall Gospell and if it be probable that providence honoured this Nation with the prime discovery of that New World as is intimated hereafter it is true without all controversie that from this second England God hath so disposed the hearts of many in the third New England that they have done more in these last few yeares towards their conversion then hath been effected by all other Nations and people that have planted there since they were first known to the habitable world as if that Prophesie were now in its fulfilling Behold I will doe a new thing now it shall spring forth shall ye not know it I will even make a way in the Wildernes and rivers in the desart c. When our Ancestors lay also in darkenesse and the shadow of death Gregory wrote divers Epistles to severall Noblemen and Bishops yea and to some Kings and Queenes of France and England these Sir H. Spelman that famous Antiquary your noble Countreyman and of alliance to divers of you calls epistolas Britannicas which are also mentioned afterwards in these he gives God thankes for their forwardnesse to further the worke of grace and desires earnestly the continuance of their bountifull and exemplary encouragement of such as were zealously employed in that Soule-worke and that is one of the two businesses entended in the following discourse which begs your assistance in your Spheres and cordiall concurrence to promote a designe of so much glory to the Lord of glory This is no new notion or motion all the royall Charters required the Gospellizing of the Natives and in the beginning of this Parliament there was an Ordinance of Lords and Commons appointing a Committee of both and their worke was among other things to advance the true Protestant Religion in America and to spread the Gospell among the Natives there and since very lately there is an Act for the promoting and propagating the Gospell of Iesus Christ in New-England I wish prosperity to all the Plantations but those of New-England deserve from hence more then ordinary favour because as by an Edict at Winchester about eighth hundred yeeres since King Ecbert commanded this Country should be called Angles-land so these your Countreymen of their owne accord and alone were and are ambitious to retain the name of their owne Nation besides this England had once an Heptarchate and then your Countrey was the chiefe of that Kingdome called Anglia Orientalis and these are the neerest of all the seven to you in name Nov-angles East-angles I pray that you would be nearest and most helpefull to them in this most Christian and Gospel-like designe which I leave with you and two or three Petitions at the throne of grace for you one is that of Moses Yee shall not doe after all the things that wee do heare this day every man whatsoever is right in his owne eyes but that ye walk by rule and not by example this is an age much enclining to Enthousiasmes and Revelations men pretend to externall and inward impulses but wee must remember though wee had a voice from heaven yet having the Scriptures wee have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure Propheticall word whereunto yee doe well that yee take heed as unto a light that shineth in a darke place untill the day dawne and the day starre arise in your hearts
could they else report the manner of their comming into the promised Land they affirme there is one chiefe God who hath been from all eternity by whom the lesser Gods were made who became Assistants in the Fabrick and Government of the World as some of the Rabbins also called the Angells Con-Creators with God to whom the Lord did say Let us make man in our Image c. Gen. 1. 26. The Indians judge the Sunne Moone and Starres to be living creatures a thing a so avowed in the Jewish Talmud shewing it to be a thing easie enough for the Heavens to declare the glory of God Psalme 19. 1. seeing they have understanding soules as well as men and Angels they say of themselves that they be strangers and came from another Countrey Mâ—â—â—…s before named doth not onely averre that many learned men in Brasile take the Natives to be Jewes but that they themselves taught by a most ancient Tradition acknowledge their fore-fathers to be of that linage and Peter Martyr hath from them also such a kinde of assertion And now whereas some conceive the ten Tribes to be either shut up beyond the Caspian Mountaines whence they could not get out though they begged leave of Alexander the Great yet the way was made miraculously unpassable against them as the same Comester relateth Others suppose them to be utterly lost and if once so 't is probable in the opinion of some that they are to be found in America Acosta acknowledgeth this to be the judgement of divers to which he is not onely adverse himselfe but endeavours to answer their Arguments as will be shewd hereafter to these conjectures of the Natives let this Chapter bee concluded with the judgements of two others that have reason for what they say the first is Emanuel de Moraes forespoken of affirming those of Brasile to be Judaicall First because those Brasilians marrie into their owne Tribe and Kindred Secondly Their Manner is also to call their Uncles and Ants Fathers and Mothers Thirdly they are given much to mourning and teares in their Funerall solemnities And last of all they both have Garments much alike The next is Master R. Williams one of the first if not the first of our Nation in New England that learned the Language and so prepared towards the Conversion of the Natives which purpose of his being knowne hee was desired to observe if hee found any thing Judaicall among them c. He kindly answers to those Letters from Salem in New England 20th of the 10th moneth more than ten yeers since in hac verba Three things make me yet suspect that the poore natives came from the southward and are Jewes or Jewish quodammodo and not from the Northern barbarous as some imagine 1. Themselves constantly affirme that their Ancestors came from the southwest and thither they all goe dying 2. They constantly and strictly separate their women in a little Wigwam by themselves in their feminine seasons 3. And beside their God Kuttand to the south-west they hold that Nanawitnawit a God over head made the Heavens and the Earth and some tast of affinity with the Hebrew I have found CHAP. III. Second Conjecture THe rites fashions ceremonies and opinions of the Americans are in many things agreeable to the custome of the Jewes not onely prophane and common usages but such as be called solemn and sacred Common and prophane Customes in both alike 1 The Indians weare garments fashioned as the Jewes a single coate a square little cloake they goe barefoot if you should aske a man of Brasile what vestment would please him best he would answer presently a long cloake the habit of the Jewes and this may seem no light consideration to such as minde Seneca's confidence that the Spaniards planted themselves in Italy for they have the same kind of covering on their heads and shooes for their feet 2 They constantly annoint their heads as did the Jewes also Luk. 7. 46. 3. They doe not onely pride themselves with eare-rings but their noses are borcd also and have jewells hanging on them which they call Caricori like that is read Esa 3. 20 21. 4. In all India they wash themselves often twice or thrice in the day and the women in Brasile ten times saith Lerius and the Jewes were frequent in this Mar. 7. 3 4. Io. 2. 6. 5. They delight exceedingly in dancing men and women yea and women apart by themselves and so they did in Israell Exod. 13. 20. 1 Sam. 21. 11 12. and thus especially after victories and overthrows of enemies which is found also Iud. 11. 34. Iud. 21. 21. 23. 1 Sam. 18. 6 7. 6. As the Jewes were wont to call them fathers and mothers that were not their naturall parents so the Indians give the same appellation to Unkle and Aunts 7. In America they eate no swines flesh t is hatefull to them as it was among the Jewes Levit. 11. 7. Esa 66. 15. 8. They wash strangers feet and are very hospitall to them and this was the known commendation of old Israell 9. The Indians compute their times by nights an use which Laet confesseth they had from the Hebrews they reckon by lunary rules giving the same name to their moneths they do to the Moon Tona 10. Virginity is not a state praise-worthy among the Americanes and it was a bewaileable condition in Iury Iud. 11. 37. 11. The Natives marry within their owne kindred and family this was Gods command to his people Num. 36. 7. 12. The Indian women are easily delivered of their children without Midwives as those in Exod. 1. 19. 13. They wash their infants newly born and this you finde also Ezek. 16. 9. 14. In faeminine seasons they put their women in a Wigwam by themselves t for which they plead nature and tradition another writes expresly such kind of purification they have as had the Jewes 15. The widdow marrieth the brother of the deceased Husband which was also Moses law Mat. 22. 24. 16. Dowries for wives are given by the Indians as Saul enjoyned David 1 Sam. 18. 25. 17. The husband hath power over the adulterous wife to turne her away with disgrace they have also other causes of divorce as was in Israel Mat. 8. 19. 18. They nurse their owne children even the Queenes in Peru and so did the mothers in Israel 19. The husbands come not at their wives till their children be weaned a such an use is read Hos â—8 and at Pera if they be forced to weane them before their time they call such children Ainsco i. e bastards 20. Among the Indians they punish by beating and whipping and the Sachims if they please put offendors to death with their owne hands and secretly sometimes send out an executioner as Mark 6. 27. 2 Cor. 11. 25.
expressing more than wee can read was done either when the Chaldees or Romans begirt their City And the glosse of St. Ierome strengthens this conjecture When the Fathers saith he did eate the Sonnes or the Sonnes their Fathers is not related in any History and yet it was to be done openly in the midst of them and as it were in the sight of the Sunne But if the Jewes bee planted in that Westerne World we shall soone find the accomplishment of that Prophecie from Heaven for there be Caniballs and Man-eaters in great multitudes some whose trade is Homo cupium Homo capium hungring and hunting after Mans flesh and devouring it whose greedy bellies have buried Millions of them these Carybes are scattered all the Countrey over the Mauhacks are such and so neare they are or were to some of our Planters that finding an Englishman they eate one part of him after another before his face while he was yet alive If it be said they eate none but strangers or enemies not Fathers their Sonnes à contra Peter Martyr removes that scruple by affirming if they want the flesh of Foes and Forraigners they eate then one another even their owne kinred allies as he writes that added the Centons to Solinus If it be objected those Caniballs are of a different Nature and Nation from the rest Peter Martyr answers that also supposing all the Inhabitants to bee of one stock because they use all one and the same kind of Bread every where called Maiiz and their Cymbae Uni-ligneae their Canoes and Boats are in all places alike and as those Western Nations generally call their Boats Canoes and their Bread Maiiz so their common word for wine is Chichia for swords Macanas for Kings Caciques And if the Americans bee Jewish the Spaniards have yet in another sense fulfilled that Prediction of Ezekiel for their owne Bishop Bartholomeus de las Casas writes how they tooke Indians 10000 sometimes 20000 abroad with them in their Forragings and gave them no manner of food to sustaine them but the Flesh of other Indians taken in Warre and so Christian-Spaniards set up a shambles of mans flesh in their Army children were slaine and roasted men were killed for their hands and feet sakes for those they esteemed the onely delicate parts this was most hideous and most barbarous inhumanity the Tidings whereof was soone carryed through the Land and overwhelmed the Inhabitants with Horror and Astonishment CHAP VII Fifth Conjecture THE people that have not yet received the Gospell of Jesus Christ are Jewes but the Americans have not yet been gospelized and here three things come to consideration 1. All other nations at first received the Gospell 2. The Jewes before the end of the world shall be converted 3. These Indians have not yet heard of Christ 1. As the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Gentiles through faith preached before the Gospell unto Abraham saying in thee shall all the Gentiles be blessed Gal. 3 8. Gen. 12. 2 3. 18. 8. In like manner the glorious Gospell was soon conveyed to them soon after the comming of Christ even before the death of the Apostles holy David spake of this promulgation when he said Psal 19. 1. The Heavens i. e. the Apostles did declare the glory of God c. For the fourth Their line is gone out into all Lands and their words into the end of the world is applied by Saint Paul to this very purpose Rom. 10. 18. It was the command of their Master Goe teach all Nations c. Mat. 28. 19. and preach the Gospell to every creature Mar. 16. 15. and they gave hereto most willing obedience which we must have believed though it had not bin so exactly recorded in undoubted ecclesiasticall Histories There we read often that they divided the world into 12 parts every Apostle accepting that which fell to his lot but first they compiled the Creed called therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Collation saith Cassian who was Chrysostomes Scholar because that which was at large expressed in the severall volumes of the Bible was by them briefly contracted into that forme and to this he applieth that of the Apostle Rom. 9. 28. a short worke we read it now but of old it was rendred verbum abbreviatum a short word a short rule to which all of them were to conforme their doctrine and the fifteenth of Iuly was afterwards and is still celebrated by some Christians in memory of their thus going to Gospellize the world and it is called Festum divisionis Apostolorum yea and the place is yet shewed to Travellers at this day where they are said to assemble upon this occasion Very many ancient writers historicall and others agreeing with Vigilius in this Authenticum symbolum quod Apostoli tradiderunt and a little before he blameth some for venting such doctrines as were neither delivered by the Prophets nor had the authentique authority of the Apostles Creed and yet suppose it dubious whether that Symboll be indeed of Apostolicall constitution and that they did not so divide the world to further their worke which is so confidently avouched by the ancient together with the Countries where each of them had their portion yet we are sufficiently assured such was their commission which they pursued with exactnesse and successe so that in their life time by their diligence the whole earth was enlightned Thus Saint Paul tell his Romans 1. 8. Their faith was published through the whole world the same is said to the Collossians also 1. 6. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used in neither place lest curiosity should restraine it to the Roman World but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the former expression and the latter is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the whole and every part of the world and is it not considerable as the injunction was preach the Gospell to every creature as was before remembred from Saint Marke 16. 5. So Saint Paul avoweth that in his time it was preached to every creature Col. 1. 23. such was then the use of that word the name creature was especially given to man the chiefe of all creatures below And this is unanimously acknowledged by the next writers Ignatius thought to be that little child called by Christ Mat. 18. 1. hath this expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There is one Church which the Apostles setled from one end of the earth to another in the bloud of Christ by their sweat and labour Tertullian in the following Century affirmes that the Gospel in those very first times went beyond the Roman Monarchy even to us Britons and Eusebius sheweth how the doctrine of salvation by divine power and cooperation was carried into all the world and Iulius Firmicus Maturnus professeth that in his time 1300 yeeres since there was no Nation under Heaven East West North or
yea in Hispaniola alone scarce one hundred and fifty of two millions were left alive In another place hee professeth their tyranny was so cruell and detestable that in fourty six yeeres space they caused he verily believed more than fifty millions of them to pay their last debt to nature for I speak saith hee the truth and what I saw they dealt with the poore Indians not as with beasts hoc enim peroptarem but as if they had bin the most abject dung of the earth and is this the way saith Benzo to convert Infidels Such kindnesse they shewed to other places also Cuba Iamaica Portu ricco c. It was said against Israell Cursed shall thy basket be and thy store ver 17. the fruit of thy land the encrease of thy cattle ver 18. all shall be devoured by enemies and other Nations c. ver 30 c. For very much is said of their suffering in riches and honour c. And the Spanish Christians that brake into America shewed themselves so covetous of their treasure that the Natives with wonder said surely gold is the Spaniards God they broiled noble Indians on gridirons to extort from them their hidden wealth giving no respect at all to their Caciques or Kings Memorable in many respects is the History of Attabaliba the great King of Peru who being conquered and captivated by Francis Pizarro redeemed his liberty by the promise of so many golden and silver vessels as should fill the roome where they were so high as one could reach with his hand and they were to take none away till he had brought in the whole summe expecting thereupon according to covenant his freedome and honour he dispatched his officers and servants with great care and diligence and did faithfully performe his bargaine in bringing that vast heape of treasure together but they resolve neverthelesse most impiously to murder him though with many arguments and tears he pleaded for his life desiring sometime to be sent unto Caesar then expostulating with them for their perfidiousnesse and falsehood but neither words nor weeping nor their owne inward guilt could mollifie those hard hearts they sentence him to death by a rope and the cruell execution followed but Benzo observed a miraculous hand of vengeance from heaven upon all that gave consent thereto so that as Suetonius records of Caesars stobbers Nullus corum sua morte defunctus est every one of them found that consultation and contrivance fatall Almager is hanged Didacus his sonne is slaine by Vacca de Castro the Indians kill Iohn Pizarro at Cusco who fell upon Fryar Vincent also of the green valley and slew him with clubs in the Isle Puna Ferdinandus Pizarro was sent into Spain where he consumed his daies in a prison Gonsallus Pizarro was taken by Gasca and hewen in pieces and Francis Pizarro that was the President and gave judgement died an evill death also being slaine by his owne Countrey men in that strange land so just was God in avenging so perfidious a regicide and King-murder so ominous was their presumption against the honourable vile swine-herds sentencing so great a King to so foule a death those are his words in whom and his interpreter he that please may read further those murderers were base in birth and life and they instance in despicable particulars It were endlesse to mention all the parallels that the Spaniards have drawne upon the poore Indians according to the threats of God upon the sinning Jewes Deut. 28. 43 The stranger that is within thee shall get up above thee very high and thox shalt come downe very low 48. Thou shalt serve thine enemy in hunger and thirst and nakednesse and in want of all things and he shall put a yoake of iron upon thy necke till he have destroyed thee 59. The Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull c. 61. And every plague which is not written in this Law will the Lord bring upon thee untill thou be destroyed Their Kings and Caciques were no more regarded by them than the meanest they enthralled all the Natives in most woefull servitude and captivity their sufferings have bin most wonderfull such as the Book of the Law hath not registred nor any other record they spared no age nor sex not women with childe they laid wagers who could digge deepest into the bodies of men at one blow or with most dexterity cut off their heads they tooke infants from their mothers breasts and dash'd their innocent heads against the rockes they cast others into the rivers with scorne making themselves merry at the manner of their falling into the water they set up severall gallowses and hung upon them thirteen Indians in honour they said of Christ and his twelve Apostles And yet further the same Bishop mervailes at the abominable blindnesse and blasphemy of his Countrymen impropriating their bloudy crimes unto God himselfe giving him thanks in their prosperous tyrannies like those thieves and Tyrants he sayth spoken of by the Prophet Zachary 11. 5. They kill and hold themselves not guilty and they that sell them say Blessed be the Lord for I am rich And now if all these parallels will not amount to a probability one thing more shall be added which is the dispersion of the Jewes t is said The Lord shall scatter thee among all people from one end of the earth even to the other c. Deut. 28. 64. The whole remnant of thee I will scatter into all winds Ezek. 5. 10 12 14. Zach. 2. 6. I have spread you as the foure winds of heaven Now if it be considered how punctuall and faithfull God is in performing his promises and threats mentioned in the Scripture of truth wee shall have cause to looke for the Jewes in America one great very great part of the earth Esay had said 1. 8. The daughter of Syon shall be left as a lodge in a garden of Cucumbers and as Helena found it in her time pomorum custodium an Apple-yard so Cyrill affirmeth in his daies it was a place full of Cucumbers Ieremies prophecies of Babylons destruction even in the circumstances thereof are particularly acknowledged and related by Xenophon The Lord had threatned to bring a Nation upon Israell swift as the Eagle flieth Deut. 28. 49. Iosephus saith this was verified in Vespatians Ensigne and the banner of Cyrus was an Eagle also as the same Xenophon relateth and if the Jewes bee not now never were in America how have they been dispersed into all parts of the earth this being indeed so large a portion of it how have they bin scattered into all the four windes if one of the foure did never blow upon them Much more might be said of their sufferings from the Spaniards whom the barbarous Indians thereupon counted so barbarous and inhumane that they supposed them not to come into the world like other people as if it were impossible that
time and the sea two insatiable devourers have made the gap wider But the question is not in what age before or since the Incarnation of our Lord the Jewes tooke their long journey and planted there but how the way was passable for them Malvenda speakes confidently that they might come into Tartary and by the deserts into Grotland on which side America is open and Mr Brerewood assures us that the North part of Asia is possessed by Tartars and if it be not one Continent with America as some suppose yet doubtlesse they are divided by a very narrow channell because there be abundance of Beares Lions Tigers and Wolves in the Land which surely men would not transport to their owne danger and detriment those greater beasts indeed are of strength to swimme over Sea many miles and this is generally observed of Beares and Herrera saith the inhabitants of the West Indies came thither by land for those Provinces touch upon the Continent of Asia Africa and Europe though it be not yet fully discovered how and where the two worlds be conjoyned or if any sea doe passe between them they are straites so narrow that beasts might easily swimme and men get over even with small vessells Our Countrey man Nich. Fuller gives in his suitable verdit for the facile passing into Columbina so he calls it from the famous first discoverer saying from other places they might find severall Islands not farre distant each from other and a narrow cut at last through which passengers might easily be conveyed and Acosta tells that about Florida the land runs out very large towards the North and as they say joynes with the Scythique or German Sea and after some other such mentionings he concludes confidently there is no reason or experience that doth contradict my conceit that all the parts of the Earth be united and joyned in some place or other or at least approach very neere together and that is his conclusive sentence It is an indubitable thing that the one world is continued and joyned with the other CHAP. III. Answer to Question 2. How such a remnant should enpeople so great a part of the world THE whole Countrey of Jewry whence wee would have it probable that the Americans came is not above one hundred and sixty miles long from Dan to Beersheba and the breadth is but sixty miles from Ioppa to Iordan in St. Ieromes account who knew it so well and how some few Colonies as it were removing from thence should multiply into such numbers that so large a Countrey should be filled by them is a scruple that hath troubled some considering men America in the latitude of it is is foure thousand miles and Bishop Casa's hath said already that the Spaniards in his time had forraged and spoyled Countries longer then all Europe and a great part of Asia it seemes incredible therefore that the Incommers who were but few in comparison as a little flocke of Kids should so marvelously spread into all the Westerne World for the Americans before that Spanish devastation filled all the Countrey But this will not seeme so difficult if former examples be taken into consideration some have made speciall observation of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as had many children t is much that Acosta writes of one of the Inguas or Kings of Peru that hee had above three hundred sonnes and grandchildren t is more that Philo Iudeus tells of Noah the Patriarke who lived hee saith to see twenty foure thousand proceeding from him all males for women were not numbred We use to say Rome was not built in one day and indeed Eutropius speaking of the Empire of that City saith at first none was lesse but in its increment it exceeded all others by many degrees so that he who reades the story thereof reads not the acts of one people but of all Nations saith Florus yea and Seneca looking on Rome in its minority and her immense magnitude afterward is amazed thereat this one people saith he how many Colonies did it send into all Provinces he writes of numerous encreases from other Cities also as Athens and Miletus but it will be nearer to our purpose to observe how small the number of Israell was at his first discent into Egypt how short a time they tarried there what cruell waies were taken to stop their encrease and yet how much and how marvelously they multiplied and then it will not be strange that a farre greater number in a longer time should or might grow into such vast multitudes And for the first t is most certaine all the soules of the house of Iacob which came into Egypt were seventy Gen. 46. 27. T is true also though not to all so manifest that the time of their abode in Egypt was about two hundred and fifteen yeers and not more at first appearance indeed it seems to be otherwise because wee read Exod. 12. 40. The sojourning of the children of Israell who dwelt in Egypt was foure hundred and thirty yeeres but the Septuagints addition is here remarkable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They dwelt in Egypt and in the Land of Canaan they and their Fathers foure hundred and thirty yeeres and this is one of those thirteen mutations that the seventy Interpreters made when at King Ptolomes appointment they translated the Scripture into Greeke which they said was done rightly by them for Israell was indeed in Egypt but two hundred and ten yeeres which collection they make from the numerall letters of that speech of Iacob Gen. 42. 2. ו 6 ד 4 ר 200 and there be many impressions in the Scripture evidencing that their abode in Egypt was according to this computation Saint Paul first taught this high point of Chronology where and how the account must begin namely at the time when the promise was made to Abraham for the Law was foure hundred and thirty yeeres after Gal. 3. 16 17. God bidding Abraham get out of his owne countrey c. Gen. 12. 1. makes a Covenant with him ver 2. 3. and Abraham was then seventy five yeeres old ver 4. Isaac is borne twenty five yeeres after Gen. 21. 5. Iacobs birth is sixty yeeres after that Gen. 25. 26. Iacob was one hundred and thirty yeeres old when hee went downe into Egypt Gen. 47. 28. which together make two hundred and fifteen yeeres and two hundred and fifteen yeeres after they came all out of Egypt for when the foure hundred and thirty yeeres were expired even the selfe same day departed all the Hosts of the Lord out of the land of Egypt Exod. 12. 41. The computation of Suidas in the margent is consonant hereunto and how these seventy in the space of two hundred fifteen yeers did encrease is next to be declared which is also plainly expressed ver 37. They tooke their journey from Rameses to Succoth about six hundred thousand men
averreth that they allwaies grew from bad to worse and exceeded themselves in their diabolicall doings Nothing is more odious to this day than their name in those Countries for where ever the spanish Christians displayed their banners saith Benzo they imprinted upon the Natives by their horrid cruelties eternall monuments of implacable hatred towards them but the faire civill and gentle deportment of our Nation to the Natives hath already wonne much upon them as is acknowledged by a forraigne pen. 2. Take heed and beware of covetousnesse t is our sweet Saviours own ingeminated command Luk. 12. 15. happy shall the Natives be and we also if they find our conversation without covetousnesse Heb. 13. 5. that they may see and say the Englishmen seeke not ours but us and us not to make us slaves to themselves but fellow servants to Christ our common Master they saw the Spaniards so guilty of this evill that they conceived them to adore no other God but gold the observation of which fetched from Benzo that pious exoptation I wish to God saith hee wee were no more addicted to earthly things than they the name of Christian would be glorious were it not for our covetousnes the Spaniards indeed tell faire stories some of them as if their sole desire had been to Christianize the Natives when indeed all their endeavour was to satisfie their lust and avarice and Acosta himselfe cannot deny but that his Countreymen did commit many great outrages for gold and silver but where those metalls were not to be found they made no stay continued not in such places and Benzo is large in producing their frequent and suddaine removes upon this occasion and he tells that the Bracamorians are unsubdued by the Spaniards to this day not so much because they are a warlike people in their kind but especially by reason of their poverty and indigence 3. Take heed and beware of complying with them in any of their rites and ceremonies if we intend they should indeed come out of Egypt let not an hoofe be left as Exod. 10. 25. let them have Christian religion purely without blinding or blending the wisdome of the flesh must not here be heard wee must listen to no other but the counsell of the Spirit It was good advice the godly Bishop and martyr Hooper gave to King Edward the sixth and his honourable privy Councellors As yee have taken away the Masse from the people so take from them her feathers also the Altar vestments and such like as apparell'd her there hath not doubtlesse been any one thing so powerfull in begetting and maintaining doctrinall quarrells in Christendome as the unhappy complication with nations and people in some of their supposed tollerable rites at their first approaching to Christianity the Pagans of old saith Rhenanus were relieved by the mutation of some things in their religion whose universall abolition had irritated if not totally scared them from us and Acosta concurres with him in this matter even in reference to the Indians How this policy prevailed at first in the Church was long ago observed and it became the lamentation of latter times when men were more tenacious of humane superstructures than of the fundamentalls laid by Jesus Christ the shell and shadow of Gentile ceremony is yet more carefully hunted after by the Man of Rome than the most solid and substantiall truths of the Gospel pitty it is that sense and eyedazlelings should prevaile more than divine verities that abundance of good things should breed surfets and yet it will ever be thus where there is want of care and spirituall exercise at home and but cold endeavours to promote piety and godlinesse abroad 4. Take heed and beware of all and every ungodlinesse not onely for your owne sakes but that the sweet name of our God be not blasphemed among the Nations Rom. 2. 24. Holy examples are a nearer way to righteousnesse than verball precepts and instructions the Indians may even without the word be won to the truth by a godly conversation as St. Peter speaketh in the like case 1 Pet. 3. 1. a corrupt life is a violent argument perswading to evill the Americans were scared from Christianity by the scandalous iniquities of the Spaniards The evil example of one ungodly Christian did more hinder the Indians conversion than an hundred of their religious could further it * he saith it who saw what he spake for they are verily perswaded that of all the Gods in the world the Spaniards God is the worst because hee hath such abominable and wicked servants Benzo tells of a confabulation himselfe had with an old Indian who in serious discourse said unto him O Christian what kind of things be Christians they exact Mayz Honey Silke an Indian woman for a concubine they require gold and silver Christians will not worke they dice blaspheme c. when I replyed evil Christians onely doe such things not such as be good his answer was ready but where are those good Christians I could never yet see one of them and not this American onely but a Franciscan Fryer publickly affirmed that not a Priest nor Monke nor Bishop in all India was worthy of the name of a good man Didacus Lopez in his Epistle to the Bishop of Guattimala saith the Christians were so prodigiously wicked that they were odious not onely to heaven and Angells but even to the earth and devills doe you believe saith hee the Indians will become Christians when your selves are not so but in name onely and in title surely those silly nations will sooner be perswaded to good by the example of one daies conversation than by an whole yeers preaching for to what purpose doe wee strew among the people odoriferous roses with our tongues and language if we sting and vex them in the meane time with the thornes of our wicked doings But our Countrey men take care to follow the aforementioned injunction of the holy Apostle Col. 4. 5. they walke righteously or as in our old English it was in right wisenesse so they called righteousnesse towards them without and so their charter on earth as well as those letters patents from Heaven wills that the English be so religiously peaceably and civilly governed as their good life and orderly conversation may winne and incite the Natives of the Countrey to the knowledg and obedience of the onely true God and Saviour of mankinde and the christian faith which in our regall intention and the Adventurers free profession is the principall end of this plantation And let these words be understood as awakenings to those of our Nation there and our selves also that wee all labour mutually and from our hearts to propagate the Gospell there because wee who eate every man of his owne vine and of his owne figtree and drinke every man water out of his own cisterne Esa 36. 16. should witnesse our thankfulnesse unto
the Ministers to learne the language and assist in the worke there is nothing else to invite but the good of soules not so much as meate drinke and lodging to be had among the Indians but such as wee must carry with us beside what wee give away to them c. Severall questions they then propounded Doth the Devill dwell in us as we dwell in an house When God saith honour thy Father and thy Mother doth he meane three Fathers our Father our Sachim and God When a soule goes to heaven what doth it say And what saith a wicked soule when it comes to hell Why did Christ die in our steads Why must we love our enemies and how shall we do it How doth Christ redeeme and deliver us from sin when every day my heart thinkes I must die and goe to Hell for my sins what shall I doe in this case How long was Adam good before he sinned If two families dwell in one house one prayeth the other doth not what shall they that pray do to them that pray not Now the Indians desire to go to heaven what shall we doe that we may goe thither when we die How shall I bring my heart to love prayer Doe not Englishmen spoile their soules to say a thing cost them more than it did and is it not all one as to steale I see why I must feare hell and do so every day but why must I fear God If I reprove a man for sin and he answer why do you speak thus angerly Mr. Elliot teacheth us to love one another is this well If a wife put away her husband because he will pray to God and she will not what must be done in this case May such women as pray to God marry those that do not pray to God If my wife doth some worke on the night before the Sabbath and on the Sabbath night also is it a sin If I do that which is a sin and know it not to be a sin what will God say to that Whether is faith set in my heart or in my minde Why have not beasts a soule as well as man seeing they have love anger c. as man hath Why doth God punish in hell for ever man doth not so but after a time lets out of prison againe What is faith How shall I know when God accepts my prayers How doth Christ make peace betwixt God and man what is the meaning of that point In wicked dreames doth the soule sin Doth the soule in heaven know things done here on earth If my heart be full of evill thoughts and I repent and pray and a few houres after it be full againe and I repent and pray againe and after this it be full of evill thoughts again what will God say What force of wicked men is lawfull and what not What if a Minister weare long haire as some other men do what will God say Why doth God so hate them that teach others to commit sinne If a man will make his daughter marry one she doth not love what will God say c. There be sundry of them begin to enquire after Baptisme and Church Ordinances and Mr. Elliot with consideration speakes solemnly not suddenly nor lightly but before the Lord As I apprehend saith he in my conscience were they but in a setled way of civility and government cohabiting together and I called according to God to live among them I durst freely joyne into Church fellowship with them and could find out at least twenty men and women in some measure fitted of the Lord for it That Indian that was Mr Elliots Interpreter and first taught him words was joyning himselfe to the Church of Dorchester and the very day of this writing was the day for the triall of that Indian in order to his admission and this was 2. of the 12. 1648. Since which time these labourers with the Lord have not been idle in this Vineyard they are digging and fencing and gathering out the stones thereof and planting it with the choisest vine c. Esa 5. 2. and though some informations of their happy endeavours have unhappily miscarried there be other passages that have arrived hither to give us assurance that they wax not faint in that Gospel worke they are not indeed yet printed but I have obtained leave to give the Reader a little taste thereof for as we here long to understand what further foot steps be made so the discoveries thereof will in due time and better manner be recommended Mr Elliot in the beginning of the last spring prepared for his journey among the Indians to a great fishing place upon Merimak and hired an Indian to mark trees and pilot him thither which he did with the helpe of some Indians they passed by other of the Natives who had heard of his preaching and were very glad of his comming that way but sicknesse prevented him at that time howbeit upon his recovery he went to another place call'd Pantuket where from all parts they meet there he asked them if those Indians were desirous to pray to God and when they said yea he demanded how many desired it they answered Wamee i. e. all The chiefe Sachim of this place had heard him before and now shewed great affection to him and the word of God using many arguments to perswade him to tarry among them saying his comming but once a yeere did them little good it was as if one should come and throw a fine thing among them and they like it well but cannot tell what is within whether something or nothing but if it be opened and they see it precious they should believe it c. Another Indian learning from Mr. Elliot that hee had five sonnes asked him if they should all teach the Indians to know God as he did which when hee affirmed the other was well pleased and Mr. Elliot himselfe much encouraged for hee had often dedicated them in his prayers to that service of the Lord desiring no better preferment for them than to be fitted for that worke hee endeavours therefore with that smal meanes he hath to traine them up in learning and God will I doubt not raise up some liberall hearts and hands to assist him therein This summer hee was making another journey but in regard of some quarrells among the Indians the Church was doubtfull at first of his going which when the Nashaway Sachim heard he took twenty men armed after their manner and was his guard with many other neerer Indians so much do they hunger after instruction this was a long journey into the wildernesse of sixty miles it proved very wet and tedious so that hee was not dry three or foure daies together night nor day but the Lord upheld him and his company in strength and health One of the Indians would needs know of Mr Elliot the reason why they that pray to God love the Indians so doing more than their owne Brethren and
when the rest of them said they all found it so in their hearts this gave him occasion to discourse to them of the unity of the spirit They propounded questions If a man know Gods word but believe it not and yet teach others is that good teaching and if others believe that teaching is that good believing And when Mr. Elliot asked them How they could tell when a man knoweth Gods word and doth not believe it they answered When he doth not in his practise answerable to that he knoweth If I teach on the Sabbath that which you taught us and forget something is that a sin What should I pray for at night what at morning and what on the Sabbath day What is true repentance and how shall I know when it is true How must I waite on God When I pray for a soft heart why is it still hard Can one be saved by reading the booke of the creature When such die as never heard of Christ whither do they go VVhat is the meaning of the name Hebrews why doth God say he is the God of the Hebrews If one purpese to pray and die before that time wither goeth his soule Doth God know who shall repent and believe and who not why then did God use so much meanes with Pharaoh VVhat meanes that Blessed are they that mourne VVhat meaneth lifting up hands to God VVhat anger is good and what is bad If a child die before he sin whither goeth his soule If one that prayes to God sin like him that prayes not is not he worse And while they discoursed of this and about hating of wicked persons one of them said they must love the man and doe him good but hate his sin c. For I will not forestall but prepare the publication of those other remarkeable occurrences and now ex pede Herculem when this little of those many matters worthy of observation is seen together none will call it a day of small things Zach. 4. 10. Shall we call this a day of small things Shall not those poore Natives in New England rise up in judgement against Old England and condemne it they at once or twice preaching of the Law and Gospel repent and weepe and pray and heare and most earnestly enquire after God but wee when the Sunshine of truth hath been so long cleare among us degenerate into those very sinnes which they abandon and detest and with indignation say get ye hence Es 30. 22. They willingly forsake their Powawing and inchantments but the devill is broke loose among us and many desire commerce with those that have familiarity with him The Indians set a mulct upon those women that tie not up their haire that goe with naked breasts what would they say what would they doe if that sex were as immodest as some in this Nation bepainted bedaubed debauched not more with spots in their faces then stains in their glory if Christianity be to them any honour The Indians weare their haire comely as the English and punish those that doe otherwise there be among us that would account it piacular it should be said of them that in the least they looke Rome-wards yet like those locusts having the faces of men they have haire as the hair of women Rev. 9. 8. grace is pleased to borrow that from nature if a man have long haire it is a shame to him 1 Cor. 11. 14. Those Natives surely will rise up in judgement with the men of this generation and condemne them they pray in their families morning and evening and upon other occasions they sanctifie the sabbath wee have those among us that scoffe and scorne these practises of piety and call the practisers thereof Duty-mongers The Indians desire publique meetings and delight in the places where God is worship'd and his word is taught but there be those in this England that make it a great piece of religion to divide and separate though God himselfe would not have us forsake the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is Hebr. 10. 25. The Indians asked Mr. Elliot if any teach us good things should wee not love him as a father or a brother but t is now among some esteemed a signe of grace and a badge of holinesse to despise their teachers as if that Scripture of truth were never againe to be fulfilled They mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his peaple till there was no remedy 1 Chron. 36. 16. But many other be the sad symptomes of our Englands defection and danger and our God hath made himself many waies marvelous in New-England Wee cannot call it a day of small things Or if at first it was like a little cloud arising out of the sea as a mans hand 1 King 18. 44. certainely it carried with it a a sound of abundance of raine ver 41. even that raine that commeth downe from heaven and returneth not thither but watereth the earth and maketh it bring forth and bud that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater Gods word hath not returned unto him void it hath accomplished that which he pleased and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it Es 55. 10 11. Now the blessing of the God of Iacob be upon them and their endeavours even the blessing of Iacob upon Ioseph the God Almighty help them and blesse them with blessings of heaven above blessings of the deep that lieth under Gen. 49. 25 26. That God by their meanes may say to the North give up and to the South keepe not backe bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the ends of the earth Esa 43. 6. so from the uttermost parts shall we hear songs songs of praise even glory to the righteous 24. 16. and not onely glory to the Lord our righteousnesse but those that winne many to this righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for ever and ever Dan. 12. 3. and not onely hereafter in that heaven of heavens but this shall bee told as Englands memoriall in present and succeeding generations and those American Nations especially shall call them blessed Mal. 3. 12. yea the blessings of them that were ready to perish will come upon them Job 29. 13. for they have done worthily in Ephrata and are famous in Bethelem Ruth 4. 11 and when they be indeed sensible of this great mercy they will not onely say thanks be unto God for this unspeakeable gift 2 Cor. 9. 15. But they will long to require this kindnesse to the English also and as of old almost all Nations receiving from Ierusalem the first meanes of their Christianity expressed their gratefull mindes by their charitable beneficence upon all occasions to those that dwelt there this began in the Apostles daies Act. 11. 19. Rom. 15. 26. Those of Macedonia and Achaia distributed to the poor Saints at Ierusalem so
are a people come under the world to take our world from us Others finde their conversion praefigured in that threat Mat. 25. 30. Cast the unprofitable servant into utter darknesse those tenebrae exteriores outward darknesses are regiones exterae the outer and forraigne nations in the judgement of Remigius and some conceive the same to be fore-signified by the Prophet Obadiah ver 20. The captivity of Ierusalem shall possesse the Cities of the South i. e. of America so situate or the dry cities that Countrey being much under the Torrid Zone Acosta confidently applyeth thus this text as some others doe that of Esa 66. 19. Fredericus Lumnius in his booke Devicinitate extremijudicii findes or makes divers other Scriptures look this way upon that ground three sorts of people should be in the Church of Christ at severall times Jewes formerly Christians now and these Indians afterwards he citeth Hilary thus understanding that parable of the talents the possessor of five is the Jew hee that had two talents is the Gentile then knowne hee that received one a people all carnall and stupid and according to this triple time of the Church and order of believers hee expoundeth other Scriptures Zach. 13. 8. Mat. 13. 3. and the three Watches Luk. 12. 38. and craving pardon of his rashnesse or rather fidei nescientis mensuram suam of his faith not knowing its owne measure hee further allegorizeth the former parable The Jewes had one Talent the ancient and present Christians two Law and Gospell and the servant to whom five Talents were given by which hee gained other five is the Indian and American nation last in time converted and called after others into the vineyard but it shall be more abundant in obeying the Gospell more fervent in charity more zealous of good workes and therefore Malvenda will have those to be the dry Cities before mentioned out of Obad. ver 20. Because they shall so much thirst after the Gospell for that younger sister of the foure saith one of her friends in this England is now growne marriageable and daily hopes to get Christ to her husband by the preaching of the Gospel Comines said of the English that they were much addicted to and taken with Prophecies and predictions I believe that is incident to all Nations Some even among these have foretold of the mutation of their rites and religion as hath bâ—â—… mentioned and in reference to their Gospelizing a divine and propheticall Poet hath printed his thoughts hereof in severall particulars Religion stands on tiptoe in our land Ready to passe to the American strand When height of malice and prodigious lusts Impudent sinning witchcrafts and distrusts The markes of future bane shall fill our cup Vnto the brim and make our measure up When Sein shall swallow Tiber and the Thames By letting in them both pollute her streames When Italy of us shall have her will And all her Calendar of sins fulfill Whereby one may foretell what sins next yeer Shall both in France and England domineer Then shall Religion to America flee They have their times of Gospell even as wee My God thou dost prepare for them a way By carrying first from them their gold away For gold and grace did never yet agree Religion alwaies sides with poverty Wee thinke wee rob them but we thinke amisse Wee are more poore and they more rich by this Thou wilt revenge their quarrell making grace To pay our debts and leave our ancient place To goe to them while that which now their Nation But lends to us shall be our desolation c. Here is a sad prognosticke for this England but a joyfull calculation for America longing thirsting America and if such be their ripenesse and desire wee should also make haste to satisfie them The harvest there is great and the Regions are already white thereto the laborours indeed are few t is more then time that the Lord of the harvest were more earnestly intreated to send to thrust forth labourers into this Harvest they that have gone into those parts have not all had a care of this the harvest of soules It was indeed the profession of Villagagno and the purpose surely of Peter Richiers and Will. Charter Pastors and others from Geneva Anno one thousand five hundred fifty six to publish the Gospel there and they were very serious therein yea and Lerius one of them believes they had bin successefull also if that Apostate Governour had not become a most cruell persecutor of the Reformed Religion in that strange land where he most barbarously murthered three of those his owne Countrey men and the aforesaid Lerius piously took care that their Martyrdom should be commemorated by Io. Crispin in his History and though these were not so happy in that holy attempt others have not been will not be discouraged in such a worke a worke worthy of the choicest diligence of those that professe the glorious Gospel in sincerity who have had also many and manifold experiments of divine favour in their severall preservations directions and accommodations and because their friends with praise to God and thanks to them for what is done and declared already desire to know more of those their pious and blessed endeavours Let me adde a third consideration Wishes of furtherance and direction in such great and gracious employments which shall be I hope and pray as a spurre to more able advisers to bring in every one somewhat or other towards the erecting of a Tabernacle for our God in America CHAP. III. Directions towards the conversion of the Natives SOme give violent counsell here presuming they find it in that parable Luk. 14. 23. compell them to come in but judicious Austin calls this Amoris non timoris tractum not a force of feare but of love producing the example of a sheepe following the shepherd holding a green bough in his hand and t is the sentence of a serious Historian among the Gentiles such are worthy of pitty not hatred that erre from the truth for they doe it not willingly but being mistaken in judgement they adhere to their first received opinions and the Saints in the first times never thought outward compulsion a fit meane to draw on inward assent The Evangelicall Prophet foretold this They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountaine saith the Lord Esa 65 last And our most deare Lord himselfe saith The sonne of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Luk. 9. 56. Saint Iames derives the pedigree of that wisdome which hath bitter envying and strife though it be but in heart though it may rejoyce and thinke highly of it selfe yet its parentage is from that Cerberus of iniquity the world the flesh and the devill Jam. 3. 15. But regenerated Saints delight surely in that wisdome which is from above and that is first pure then peaceable gentle easie to be intreated