Diabolo alienatus a Christo non habet Deum quem oret propeccatis suis. T is not for me to judge any every one shall stand or fall to his owne Master Rom. 14. 4. but I would remember my selfe and others of his zeale who said fateor in causa fidei etiam vitam negligendam I finde this grace very warme and working in our Novangles for whom I have some few words more to mention in this particular that my readers may be invited to thinke well of them to doe well to them and for them or for the poore Indians rather or rathest for Christ himselfe who shall have honour from us all if wee all by communication of counsells prayers purses and every other way endeavour the furtherance of their conversion to our Lord Jesus and to procure our cordiall conjunction with our brethren there in this I shall transcribe some things out of their owne late printed booke of the lawes and liberties concerning the inhabitants of Massachusets by which their love to truth godlinesse peace and learning will 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 herefie 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 16â—… 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
oppressed and spoyled evermore ver 29. thou shalt betroth a wife and another shall lie with her ver 30. you shall be left few in number though yee were as starres for multitude c. ver 62. And these Americans were made by the Spaniards every where and every way miserable without any helpe or reliefe Barthol las Casas upon fourty two yeeres sight of their suffering sympathized so much with them that he represented the same to King Philip in hope to obtaine for them some favour and mercy but he little prevailed One of them boasted of his care to leave as many Indian women as he could with child that in their sale he might put them off to his better profit from Lucaios to Hispaniola about seventy miles dead carkases were cast so abundantly into the sea that they needed no other direction thither and wee know it for truth saith hee that Countreys longer than all Europe and a great part of Asia by horrid cruelties were destroyed and more than twenty Millions of the Natives 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 eorum suamorte 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 Câ—…sco 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 theâ—… 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
Septem 4. 1649. I Have perused this learned and pious discourse concerning the Americans and thinking that it will much conduce to that most Christian worke of their conversion to the faith of the Lord Jesus Christ I doe approve it as very worthy to be printed and published Iohn Downame DIGITUS DEI NEVV DISCOVERYES WITH Sure Arguments to prove that the Iews a Nation or People lost in the world for the space of near 200 years inhabite now in America How they came thither Their Manners Customs Rites and Ceremonies The unparallel'd cruelty of the Spaniard to them And that the Americans are of that Race Manifested by Reason and Scripture which foretell the Calling of the Iewes and the Restitution of them into their own Land and the bringing back of the Ten Tribes from all the ends and corners of the Earth and that great Battell to be fought With the Removall of some contrary Reasonings and an earnest desire for effectuall endeavours to make them Christians Whereunto is added An Epistolicall Discourse of Mr Iohn Dury with the History of Ant Monterinos attested by Manasseh Ben Israell a chief Rabby By Tho Thorowgood B D. Cant. 8. 8. We have a little sister and she hath no breasts what shall we doe for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for Mat. 8. 11. Many shall come from the East and from the West and shall sit down with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven Aethiopes vertuntur in filios Dei si egerint paenitentiam filii Dei transeunt in Aethiopes si in profundum venerint peccatorum Hieronym in Esai London Printed for Thomas Slater and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Angell in Duck-Lane 1652. TO THE HONOVRABLE Knights and Gentlemen that have residence in and relation to the County of Norfolk Peace from the God of Peace WHen the glad tidings of the Gospels sounding in America by the preaching of the English arrived hither my soule also rejoyced within me and I remembred certaine papers that had been laid aside a long time upon review of them and some additions to them they were privately communicated unto such as perswaded earnestly they might behold further light being thus finished and licenced also to walke abroad as they were stepping forth that incivility charged upon Chrysippus occurred that he dedicated not his writings to any King or Patron which custome presently seemed not onely lawfull but as ancient as those Scriptures where Saint Luke in the history of the Acts of the Apostles applies himselfe to Theophilus Act. 1. 1. And Saint Iohn to the Elect Lady so named some thinke or for her graces so entituled I was easily induced to follow this fashion and my thoughts soone reflected upon you Who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lovers of God and choice men of your Countrey I may be censured for this high generall and ambitious dedication but I doe freely publish my own utter unworthinesse t is true my respects and love be very much to you all and my native soile yet in this I doe not drive any private designe I looke beyond my selfe at your honour the honour of the Nation yea the glory of God and the soule-good of many millions that are yet in darknesse and out of Christ By you is the following tract communicated to the world I wish and pray that the designe bespoken in it may be cordially furthered by you and all that read or heare thereof t is like you will finde in the probabilities so many Iudaicall resemblances in America that as it was said of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either Plato writes like Philo the Iew or Philo is become Platonicke so the Iewes did Indianize or the Indians doe Iudaize for surely they are alike in many very many remarkable particulars and if they bee Iewes they must not for that be neglected visible comments indeed they are of that dismall Text Thou shalt become an astonishment a proverbe and a by-word to all Nations c. Deut. 20. 37. and so they are every where to this day what more reproachfull obloquy is there among men then this Thou art a Iew Oh the bitter fruits of disobedience and t is high time for us Gentiles to lay up that example in the midst of our hearts Pro. 4. 21. remembring alwaies because of unbeliefe they were broken off and if God spared not the naturall branches take heed lest hee spare not thee Rom. 11. 21. It was a suddaine sentence Tam viles inter Christianos Iudaei ut inter mundum triticum mures Iewes are as bad and vile among Christians as Mice in cleane whoate for glorious were their privileges and we have a share in some of them that last especially of whom concerning the flesh Christ came who is God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9. 4 5. and for another thing they have highly merited our regard To them were commited the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 9. The holy Scriptures were concredited to them and they have faithfully preserved them for us and conveyed them to us Former times indeed found cause to exterminate them these dominions I say nothing for such their reintroduction which must be with sacred and civill cautions that the svveet name of our dearest Lord be not blasphemed nor the Natives robbed of their rights but when will Christians in earnest endeavour their conversion if the name of Ievv must be odious everlastingly I speak for their Gospelizing though some suspect they are never likely to come again under that covenant as if the Liber repudii the bill of divorce mentioned by the Prophet did put them away from God for ever Esa. 50. 1. as if they should return to their Spouse no more but that there is for them a time of love and that they shall be grafted in Rom. 11. 23. is manifested afterwards upon Scripture grounds and if the period of their wandering be upon its determination and their recovery approching how may wee rejoyce in the returne of that Prodigall It is meet that wee should make merry and be glad for our brother that was dead is reviving againe Luk. 15 32. How should wee beg for them that God would poure upon them the spirit of grace and supplication that they may looke upon him whom they have pierced and mourne for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne Zach. 12. 10. Or if the lost Tribes are not to be found in America of whatsoever descent and origination the poore Natives be if they finde the Lord Christ and the Nov-angles be the Wisemen guiding them unto their peace great cause shall wee have to lift up the high praises of our God in spirituall exultation how should wee cast our mite into this treasury yea our Talent our Talents if wee have them for certainely the time is comming That as there is one Shepherd there shall be one
Sheepfold Io. 10. 16. It is true our owne Countrey in many respects stands in need of helpe wee are fallen into the last and worst times the old age of the world full of dangerous and sinnefull diseases Iniquity is encreased and if ever if to any people the saying of that Torrent of Tullian eloquence so Ierome calls Lactantius be applicable it is to poore England that is not onely in the gall of bitternesse but in the very dregs of error and ungodlinesse Ideo mala omnia rebus humanis ingravescunt quia Deus hujus mundi effector ac gubernator derelictus est quia susceptaesunt contra quam fas est impiae religiones postremo quia ne coli quidem vel à paucis Deus sinitur But O my soule if thou be wise be wise for thy selfe Pro. 9. 12. and give mee leave to say to you as 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 Iosh. 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 hâ—…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 〈◊〉 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 here is a comparison even with an heavenly voice which must vaile and submit to the written word because poore mankind may easily be deluded by him who among his many other wiles and depths can transform himself into an Angel of light Againe my prayer for you is that in the wofull concussions and commotions of these daies your selves may stand firme and unmoveable You have seene the waters troubled and the Mountaines shaken with the swelling thereof Oh that you may say in and with holy Davids sense though an host should encampe against me my heart shall not feare though warre should rise up against me in this will I be confident this and what is it but ver 1. The Lord is my light and my salvation whom shall I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid even heathens have said much and done much towards that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 magnanimity and patience but Christians have an higher prospect they looke above the terrors of men and they doe not feare their feare for as Stephen through a showre of stones they can see the heavens open and the Sonne of man sitting at the right hand of God nihil erus sentit in nervo si animus sit in caelo they are not so much affected with what they feele as with that they believe because we walk by faith and not by fight And oh that these strange mutations may perswade us all all the daies of our appointed time to waite untill our change come even that change which never never can again be changed these are the last times and yet a little while yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet a little little while and hee that shall come will come and will not tarry his fan is in his hand and he will throughly purge his floore and gather the wheate into the garner but will burne up the chaffe with unquenchable fire The ungodly shall not stand in the judgement for all faces shall then be unmasked and every vizard shall be plucked off The Lord will then bring to light the hidden things of darknesse and will make manifest the counsels of the heart and then every one that hath done well shall have praise of God The Lord God of our mercies fit you for his appointment stablish you in every good word and worke and keepe you from evill that you may give up your account with joy and not with griefe and now I commend you all and all that love that appearing of our Lord unto the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them that are sanctified such is the serious and unfaigned devotion for you of him who willingly subscribes himselfe Your most humble servant in our dearest Lord THO THOROWGOOD The Preface to the READER BOna domus in ipso veistbulo debet agnosci saith Austin the portall commonly promiseth somewhat of the house it self and prefaces be as doors that let in the Reader to the Booke and bespeake much of the intention of the writer you are in some measure prepared already by the foregoing Epistle with the forefront and first page Marsilius Ficinus said of his booke De triplici Vita Esca tituli tam suavis quam plurimos alliciet ad gustandum The title will invite some to further enquiry it is in mans nature to be well pleased with novelties thence later times have had good leave to correct former mistakes It was written with confidence long since that the shee Beares did licke their informe litter into fashion that the young Viper thrusts its Dam out of the world to bring it selfe into it and that the Swan sings its owne dirige at his dying all which be sufficiently confuted by after experiences famous varieties of this sort be daily produced to view those are curious enquiries into common errors by Doctor Browne It was said of one contort in body but of a fine spirit Animus Galbae malè habitat It was a bad house for so good an Inhabitant many thought so and worse of Richard the third King of England till those late endeavours to rectifie him and his readers that Geographia Sacra is an exact and accurate worke in respect of the subject and materials the scattering of Nations at the building of Babel and it may puzzle some mens thoughts that hee should know so well the places of their dispersion so long since and yet wee continue ignorant what is become of Gods owne first people which shall be recovered to him againe and have not been missing so many yeeres The Trojans though now no Nation live yet in the ambitious desire of other people clayming from them their descent The Iewes once the Lords owne peculiar people are now the scomme and scorne of the world Florus calls their glory the Temple Impiae gentis arcanum Democritus another Historian said they worshipped an Asses head every third yeere sacrificed a man c. Others speake spightfull things of them and their peâ—…tigree only the Lacedemonian King in that Letter whereof you have a copy 1 Macab 12. 20. c. tells Onias the High Priest It is found in writing that the Spartaens and Iewes are Brethren and come out of the generation of Abraham The originall indeed of the Iewes is assuredly knowne to themselves and all Christians Wee have no such evidence for any other people that have now a being there is nothing more in the darke to the inhabitants of the severall parts of this earth then their owne beginnings and t is thus in Countries of along time knowne to each other and yet in such disquisition they cannot affoord one another almost any light or help no wonder therefore that the Originall of the Americans is in such uncertaine obscurity for their very name hath not been heard of much more than one hundred and fifty yeares t is a wonder rather that so great a part of the world should be till then Terra
foretold and as a thing easily to bee taken notice of Iosephus in that last siege tells but of one Woman eating her childe and 't is like there was no other because the whole City was astonish'd at the newes and the seditious themselves did abhorre it yea and when the Romans heard thereof in their Campe it exceeded credit at first and their Generall comforted himselfe against that most inhumane and hideous fact by remembring he had often proffered them peace and they had as often wilfully refused it but that Prophet foretells an infelicity without parallel both de praeterito and de futuro I will doe in thee that I never did before neither will I ever doe the like Verse 9. And it should be a publick and notorious calamity for in the midst of thee the Fathers should eate their Sonnes and their Sons their Fathers Ver. 10. Words implying yea 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 Maâ—…hacks 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
shee should goe to heaven and live happy with God and Christ of her owne accord she called her children and said to them I shall now die and when I am dead your grandfather grandmother and Unkles c. will send for you to live among them and promise you great matters but I charge you doe not believe them live not among them for they pray not to God keepe not the Sabbath commit all manner of sinnes and are not punisht but I charge you live here for they pray to God his word is taught sins are supprest and punish'd by lawes therefore I charge you live here all your daies she died and it fell out as she said T is observed many other Indians would come in but they have neither tooles nor skill to fence in their grounds if the word were constantly taught government exercised encouragements for the industrious with meanes to instruct them in letters trade and labour as building fishing flax hemp c. many well-minded Indians would thus be drawne together Mr. Elliot stirres up 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 footsteps 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 Pantukct 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 Wamâ—…e 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 purpose 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