The Jews Now in America, Part 1

The Jews Now in America · Part 1

Ievves in America, OR, Probabilities that the Americans are Iewes.

CHAP. I.

IT hath been much, and many times, in severall mens thoughts, what Genius devoted our Countreymen so willingly to forsake their Friends, and Nation, exposing themselves by voyages long and perillous to so many inconveniences, as are to be encountred with by Strangers in a forraigne and unchristian land; some were hastened by their dislike of Church Government; other perhaps were in hope to enrich themselves by such Adventures; and 'tis like, divers of them did p. 2foresee those Epidemicall Calamities, now for so many years oppressing this forlorne Nation, following thereupon Solomons Counsell, A prudent man foreseeth the evill, and hideth himselfe, &c. Prov. 22. 5. Or else those pious soules by a divine instinct, might happily bee stirred up to despise all hazards, that the Natives for their temporall accommodations might bee spiritually enriched by the English, and though this was little seen at first in the endeavours, at least the successe of many gone thither, yet who can tell but supreme Providence might then dispose mens hearts that way, themselves not discerning that influence; even as Cyrus promoted the cause of the Jewes, he knew not why, nor whence, Esa. 45. 4, 5. Upon confidence that the Gospell of Christ shall be revealed in the midst of that yet most Barbarous Nation, the next desire was, if possible, to learne the Originall of the Americans, and by observations from Printed Books, and written Letters, and by Discourse with some that had travelled to, and abode in those parts severall years, the probability of that opinion as yet praeponderates, that the Westerne Indians be of Jewish race. aaRestitut. c. 2.R. Verstegan proves the Saxons to be Germans, because their speech is alike, the names of persons and things sometimes agree, and the Idols of them both are not different; Bo…ine bbMet. Hist. c. 9.mentioneth 3. Arguments bbMet. Hist. c. 9., by which the beginnings of People are discoverable, the faire and true dealing of Historians, the comparing of Language, with the description of the Countrey, such helps have assisted also in this enquiry: Grotius ccDissertat. de Orig. Gent. Americ.conceiveth these Americans to have come out of Europe, passing from Norway into Iseland, thence by Friesland into Greenland, and so into Estotiland, which is part of that Western p. 3Continent, hee is induced to that opinion from the names and words of places and things in both sounding alike: but Io. de L…et ddN…t. ad ista… Dissert.abundantly disproves this Conjecture, which yet the Governor of the Dutch Plantation eeKey of the Language of Amer. Pref.there told Mr. Williams was his judgement: Some others take them ffLerius Hist. Brasil. p. 231.to be a remnant of those Canaanites that fled out of that Land when the feare of Israel approaching thither fell upon them, Iosh. 2. 9. Others thinke ggLaet Descr. Americ. Mr. Gage.it most probable, that they are Tartars, passing out of Asia into America by the straights of Anian. Emanuel de Moraes hhapud Laet in Grot. Diss…rtat. Part. 1. p. 216.willingly believes them to be derived from the Carthaginians and Jewes; from which latter that they be descended, these following Conjectures are propounded to Consideration.

CHAP. II. The first Conjecture that the Americans are Iewes.

THE Indians doe themselves relate things of their Ancestors, aaPet. Mart. Decad. alii que .suteable to what we read of the Jewes in the Bible, and elsewhere, which they also mentioned to the Spaniards at their first accesse thither; and here the Speech of My…silus bbIn Boros…. l. 6.occurred as observable: if we would know, saith hee, the Antiquity and Originall of a Nation, there is more credit to be given to the Natives and their Neighbors, than to strangers, and Caesar ccIn Bodin. Meth. p. 493.concluded the Britons to be Gaules, because that was the affirmation of them both. P. Martyr ddIb. p. 353. Mort. N. Canaan. p. 49. Malv…or d… An…. r…. p. 155.tells at large, how Muteczuma the p. 4great King of Mexico in an Oration made to his Nobles and People, perswading subjection to the King of Spaine, minds his Countrey-men, that they heard from their fore-fathers, how they were strangers in that land, and by a great Prince very long agoe brought thither in a Fleet, They boast their Pedigree from men preserved in the Sea by God himselfe, that God made one man, and one woman, bidding them live together and multiply, and how in a Famine hee rained bread for them from Heaven, who in a time of drought also gave them Water out of a Rock: many other things, themselves say were done for them, such as the Scriptures relate concerning the Israelites at their comming out of Aegypt, as, their Peregrination many ye…res, the Oracles they received, their Arke of Bulrush, wherein VitziLiputzli was included, of the Tabernacle the Ark eeAcosta. Hist. l. 7. c. 4.carried by foure Priests, and how they pitched their Tents according to its direction, and who seeth not saith Malvenda ffUbi supra.much probability that the Mexicans are Iewes, how 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 ggAquin. in Gen. 1.Gen 1Rabbins also called the Angells ConCreators 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 hhArr. ag. Br. p. 343., 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 iiPet. Mart. p. 353.say of themselves, that they be strangers, and p. 5came from another Countrey. Moraes kkLaet. in Grot. p. 219.before named doth not onelyonly 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 llibid.hath from them also such a kinde of assertion: And now whereas some conceive the ten Tribes to be either shut up beyond the mmComestor Hist. p. 137. & 169.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 nnG. Sands. Trav. p. 146.them to be utterly lost, and if once so, 'tis probable in the opinion of some that they are to be found in America; ooHist. l. 1. c. 29.Acosta acknowledgeth this to be the judgemen… of divers, to which he is not onelyonly 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 ppApud Io. de Laet. part. 1. p. 217.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 qqLetter.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 p. 6found any thing Judaicall among them, &c. He kindly answers to those Letters from Salem in New England, 20^th of the 10^th monethmonth, more than ten yeers since, in haec verba. Three things make me yet suspect that the poore natives came from the southward, and are Jewes or Jewish quodammod…, 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 onelyonly prophane and common usages, but such as be called solemn and sacred.

Common and prophane Customes in both alike.

1 The Indians aaAcosta. l. 1. c. 23.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, p. 7bbLerius. Ubi supra.a long cloake the habit of the Jewes, and this may seem no light consideration to such as minde Seneca's ccDe cons…at. ad Helvid. …. 8.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 ddMr Will. Key. preface.annoint their heads, as did the Jewes also, Luk. 7. 46.

3. They doe not onelyonly pride themselves with earerings eeBenzo. p. …. & 50. Acosta. l. 7. c. 17.but their noses are bored also, and have jewells hanging on them, which they call Caricori, like that is read, Esa. 3. 20, 21.

4. In all India ffBenzo. p. 193.they wash themselves often, twice or thrice in the day, and the women in Brasile ten times saith Lerius ggId. p. 94. 107and the Jewes were frequent in this, Mar. 7. 3, 4. Io. 2. 6.

5. They delight exceedingly in dancing, hhId. p. 107. 109men 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 iiNova Francia. p. 221.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 kkIo. de Laet. p. 217.the Indians give the same appellation to Unkle and Aunts▪

7. In America they eate no swines flesh llMr Will. Key▪ prospect of N. E▪ p. 95.tis hatefull to them, as it was among the Jewes, Levit. 11. 7. Esa. 66. 15.

8. They wash mmBenzo. p. 117 222. Lerius. p. 256. 258. Laet Descr. of America. p. 545.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 nnLerius. p. 225 P. Mart. p. 314. 478.an use which Laet ooNa… in Gr…. p. 37.confesseth they had from the Hebrews; p. 8they reckon by lunary rules, giving the same name to their moneths they do to the Moon, To…a.

10. Virginity is not a state praise-worthy among the Americanes ppAcosta. p. 570and it was a bewaileable condition in Iury, Iud. 11. 37.

11. The Natives qqId. p. 569. Laet. p. 317. and descrip. Amer. p. 470.marry within their owne kindred and family, this was Gods command to his people, Num. 36. 7.

12. The Indian women rrCapt. Smith. p. 31. Laet Descr. Amer. p. 479.are easily delivered of their children, without Midwives, as those in Exod. 1. 19.

13. They wash their infants newly born ssLerius. p. 236.and this you finde also, E…k. 16. 9.

14. In faeminine seasons they put their women in a Wigwam by themselves, ttMr Will. Key pref. p. 7. &for which they plead nature and tradition; another writes expresly such kind uuNova Fran. p. 236.of purification they have as had the Jewes.

15. The widdow marrieth wwP. Mart. p. 5….the brother of the deceased Husband, which was also Moses law, Mat. 22. 24.

16. Dowries for wives are given xxMr Will. Key.by the Indians, as S…l enjoyned David, 1 Sam. 18. 25.

17. The husband hath power yyLerius. p. …34 Acosta. l. 5. c. 27over the adulterous wife, to turne her away with disgrace, they hauehave also other causes of divorce, as was in Israel, Mat. 8. 19.

18. They nurse their owne children, zzMr Will. Key. p. 46. Laet des. of Amer. p▪ 479.even the Queenes in Per…, and so did the mothers in Israel.

19. The husbands come not at their wives till their children be weaned, aaLerius p. 2…6.such an use is read Hos. 1. 8. and at Pe… if they be forced to weane them before their time, they call such children Ain…o, i. … bastards.

20. Among the Indians bbMr Will. Key. p. …39.they punish by beating, p. 10and 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.

21. If a Brasilian wound another, ccLerius p. 241.he must be punisht in the same part of his body, and with death, if the other die, for they also answer an eye for an eye, &c. as the law was. Deut. 24. 19.

22. When the master of the family dieth, he is buried in the middle of the house, ddBenzo. p. 168. 291. 39. Acost. l. 5. c. 8.with his jewells, and other things he delighted in; the Spaniards were often made rich by such sepulchars, and Iosephus eeAntiq. l. 7. c. 12.tells of much treasure laid up even in Davids grave.

23. The Indians are given much to weeping, ffLerius. p. 266. 267. Benzo. 396 Laet des. Amer. p. 545. 642.their women especially, and at burialls; this was in fashion among the Jewes. Ier. 19. 17. Famous for this they were among the old heathen.

24. Balsam…m ggBenzo. p. 222. Acost. l. 4. c. 28.was peculiar to the Jewish Countrey, and thought to be lost long agoe saith Pliny; hhl. 12. c. 15.if it were, tis now found againe in America.

25. Their Princes and Governours whom they generally call Sachims, Sachmos, Sagamos, iiLaet Descr. Amer. p. 75.are no other but heads of families, as it was of old in Israel. Num. 7. 2.

26. The Indians have their Posts kkAcost. l. 6. c. 10. 17.and Messengers that were swift of foot, whom they dispatcht upon their affaires, and they ran with speed, and such were among the Jewes. 2 Sam. 18. 24, 26, 27.

p. 9CHAP. IV. Sacred and solemne rites and customes alike.

ACosta aaHist. l 5. c. 27.affirmes the Americans to have ceremonies and customes resembling the Mosaicall.

1. Circumcision bbId. de procur. Ind. Sal. p. 6. 45is frequent among the Indians, which some not observing, have thereupon denyed them to be Judaicall, and Io. de Laet ccIn Grot. part. 1. p. 45.is forced to acknowledge such venereous people have somewhat like to circumcision occasioned by their lasciviousnesse; but daily ddP. Mart. p. 175. 290. 293. 296. 300.experience declareth that they have indeed upon them this Judaicall badge. Her…dotus eel. 2. p. 143.averreth the Colchi for this to be of the Aegyptian race, and that the Phenicians and Syrians of Palaestina learned from them that rite; and though some have judged the Tartars to be Jewes, because circumcised, others ffDr Helin Ge…. p. 662. Laet. ibid. 127.yeeld not to this, because they were Mahometans by Religion, and from them received that custome; but these people have cut off their foreskinne time out of minde, and it cannot be conceived whence they had this ceremony, but that it is nationall. And though the fore mentioned ggId. p. 128.writer endeavours much to prove, that there is no circumcision among them, and that some other people be so handled, whom none yet ever imagined to be Judaicall, but that of Ier. 9. 26. is not so fitly I thinke cited for his purpose; and Grotius tells him hhIn Laet p. 2. p. 59.confidently, we have so many witnesses that the Americans be circumcised, as it becomes not a modest man to deny it; and among the rarities brought from those quarters, Pancirollus iiTit. 1. de No viter repet is, Cultellos Lapideos quidvis …ecante s.Titus 1speakes of stony knives, very sharpe and cutting, p. 10and his Illustrator kkp. 135.H. Salmuth, shewes that the Jewes of old did use such in their circumcisings, knifes of stone, which Sacrament omitted fourty yeeres in their travell, is revived by Gods command to Ioshua 5. 2. Make thee sharp knives, cultros petrinos; Arias Montanus reads, cultros lapideos in the vulgar Latine, but the Septuagint doth not only mention those rocky knives, but adds, taken from a sharpe rocke, as if the allusion also were to Christ, the Rocke, that doth circumcise our hearts; Lerius llp. l 91.affirmes he saw some of those cutting stones or knives at Brasil.

2. The Indians worship that God mmMart. p. 524they say, who created the Sun, Moon, and all invisible things, who gives them also all that is good.

3. They knew of that floud which drowned nnId. p. 444. Lerius. p. 220. Acost. l. 6. c. 19the world, and that it was sent for the sin of man, especially for unlawfull lust, and that there shall never be such a deluge againe.

4. It is affirmed by them ooId▪ de procur. Ind. Sal. p. 68.neverthelesse that after many yeers, fire shall come down from above and consume all.

5. They beleeve the immortality of the soule, and that there is a place of joy, ppBenzo. p. 396 Relation of Maryland. p. 33. Cap. Smith. Lerius. p 223. Acosta. p. 345.another of torment after death, whither they shall goe that kill, lie, or steale, which place they call Popogusso, a great pit, like the expression, Num. 16. 33. and Rev. 19. 1, &c. but they which do no harme shall be received into a good place, and enjoy all manner of pleasure.

6. The Americans have in some parts an exact form of King, Priest, qqMr Will. Key. p. 100.and Prophet, as was aforetime in Canaan.

7. Priests are in some things among them, as with the Hebrewes, rrP. Mart. p. 418. 473 521. 529 Godwin of the Esseni, in Jewish Antiqu. Malvend. de Antichristo. p. 153.Physitians, and not habited as other p. 12men, and in Tamazulapa there be vestments kept like those Aaroniticall robes of the High-priest.

8. The Temples wherein they worship, ssCapt. Smith p. 12…. Acosta. l. 5. c. 13. Pet Mart. p. 350.sing, pray, and make their Offerings, are fashioned and used as with the Jewes; at Mexico they were built foure square, and sumptuous, as Ezek. 40. 47.

9. The Priests have their Chambers ttId p 351.in the Temple, as the manner was in Israel. 1 Reg. 6. 7.

10. They had places also therein uuId. p. 314., which none might enter into but their Priests. Heb. 9. 6, 7.

11. In their worship of Viracoche wwAcost. p. 339, and the Sun, &c. they open their hands, and make a kissing sound with their mouthes, as Iob 31. 27.

12. They had almost continuall fire before their Idols, and took great care lest the xxId. l. 5… c. 16▪ 6. 24.fire before the Altar should dye, they call that the Divine Harth, where there is fire continually, like that in Leviticus 6. 9.

13. None may intermeddle with their Sacrifices but the Priests, yyId. l. 5. c. 14.who were also in high estimation among them as they were among the Jewes.

14. Every Noble-man in Mexico zzIbid. l. 5 c. ….had his Priest, as Israel had the Levites within their gates.

15. In their necessities aaPet. Mart.they always sacrificed, which done, they grew hopefull and confident.

16. They burnt Incense, bbRelat. Mar. Land. p. 169. Acost. 5. 16.had their Censars, and cake Oblations, as Ier. 7. 18.

17. The first fruits of their Corne ccPet, Mart: p▪ 522. 351.they offered, and what they gat by Hunting and Fishing.

18. At Mexico and some other places ddIbid.they immolate the bodies of men, and as the Jewes of old, saith P. Martyr, did eate of their Beasts so sacrificed, they feed on mans flesh so offered.

p. 1319. In all Peru they had but one Temple, eeLaet. Descr. Amer. p. 398. 434.which was most sumptuous, Consecrated to the Maker of the world; yet they had foure other places also for Devotion, as the Jews had severall Synagogues, beside that their glorious Temple.

20. The Idols of America ffMalvenda. p. 169.were Mitred, in a manner, much as Aaron was.

21. A yeare of Jubile ggId. ibid. & Acost. Hist. l. 5. c …9.did they observe, as did Israel also.

22. Lerius tells a story of them, hhId. p. …69.much like that of Apocryphall Bel, and the Dragon, and his Priests.

23. In their Idoll services they iiBenzo. p. 113, 114. …um …ympano.dance and sing, men and women, almost as Miriam, with Timbrells, Exod. 15. 20. and then they offer bread, as it is in Malac. 1. 7.

24. They have hope of their bodies kkCento ad Solin. p. 256. Benzo. p. 403. and Hist. of Peru.resurrection, and for that cause are carefull in burying their dead; and when they saw the Spaniards digging into Sepulchers for gold and silver, the Natives entreated them not to scatter the bones, that so they might with more ease be raised againe.

25. The Indians make account the world shall have an end, but not till a great drought come llBenzo ubi sup. & Solin. Cent. ibid., and as it were a burning of the aire, when the Sunne and Moone shall faile, and lose their shining; thence it is, that in the Eclipses of those two greater Lights, they make such yellings and out-cries, as if the end of all things were upon them.

p. 14CHAP. V. The third Conjecture.

THE Americans words and manners of speech, bee in many things consonant to those of the Jewes, aaIdem genus ca…cementi, & verba quaedam. Ubi supra.Seneca hath that other reason, perswading that the Spaniards planted in Italy, because they both speake alike; and as Volaterrane bbl. 30. p. 323.for his Countreymen, so some suppose the Greeks long since mingled with the Brittans, because we still have divers words of Graecian Idiome. For this reason ccUbi …nte.Caesar judged the British to bee Gauls, in that the Cities of both the Nations were called by the same names. Giraldus Cambrensis derives his Countreymens Originall from Troy, because they have so many Trojan names and words amongst them; Oenus, Resus, Aeneas, Descr. Cambr. p. 2….Hector, Ajax, Evander, Eliza, &c. and Grotius ddIn Laet. part. 1. p. 30.therefore imagines that the Americans came from Norway, because they have many words the same with the Norwegians. It is then considerable to our purpose, how in this the Jewes and Indians be alike.

1. The aspirations of the Americans have eePet. Mart. p. 248. Laet. ibid. p. 186.the force of consonants, and are pronounced by them not as the Latines and some other Nations, but after the manner of the Hebrewes.

2. The name of that great City Mexico ffMalvenda p. 1…9.is observed in sound and writing to come very neare unto that name of our deare Lord, Psalme 2. 2. Meschico, and Mexico in their Language is a ggGag. Survey. p. 46.Spring, as of our Master and Messiah; the day spring that from on high hath visited us. Luk. 1. 78.

p. 153. The Ziims mentioned Esa. 13. 21. and 34. 14. are hhIerem in loc,supposed to bee wicked Spirits, deluding Mankinde, as Hobgoblins, Fairies, &c. Such are the Zemes among the Indians so often spoken of by iip. 88. 93, 94. &c.Peter Martyr, these they call the Messengers of the great God; every King among them hath such a Ziim or Zeme, and from them came those Predictions constantly current among them, of a cover'd Nation that should spoyle their Rites.

4. Acosta marvailes much kkHist. l. 5. c. 3.at the Indians, that having some knowledge that there is a God, yet they call him not by any proper name, as not having any peculiar for him, a Relique it may be of that Judaicall conceit of the non-pronuntiable Tetragrammaton.

5. Tis very remarkable that Escarbotus llLaet. Descr. Amer. p. 53. 164▪tells, how he heard the Indians often perfectly use the wvrd Hallelujah; at which hee marvailed the more, because hee could not at all perceive that they had learned it from any Christian; and this is with like admiration recorded mmp. 164. 172.by the describer of Nova Francia.

6. In the Island of St. Michael or Azores, which belongs to America, saith nnp. 154.Malvenda, certaine Sepulchers, or Grave-stones are digged up by the Spaniards, with very ancient Hebrew Letters upon them, above and below, thus above, foreign Why is God gone away; and beneath this Inscription foreign Hee is dead, know God, which words seem to have a woefull enquiry of Gods departure from them, with a comfortable Declaration of his dying for them, together with an incitation to know him.

7. Very many of their words are like the Hebrew, which our Novangles ooMr. Will. Key Pref of N. E. p. 91.have observed, and in the general attested: A more serious disquisition into their Language p. 16would conduce much to finde out their descent, and helpe exceedingly towards their Conversion; and if it be said, the Jewes were ever tenacious of their Language, which ppPref. to Chaldean Diction.Elias Levita saith, they changed not in Aegypt, but if they be now in America, all in a manner is lost. 'Tis fit then to consider, that in all Nations, in two or three Ages there is a great alteration in their Tongues; the words of the League between the Carthaginians and Romans in fifty yeares space, sayth qqBodin. Meth p. 494.Polybius, were so uncouth, and little knowne, that they could scarce bee understood; and rrSyst. Phys.Keckerman sheweth, rrSyst. Phys.that the German language in almost as short a time received the like mutation, and our Saxon Ancestors translated the Bible into English as the Tongue then was, but of such antique Words and Writing, that few men now can read and understand it, which waxing old, and hard, it was againe Translated into newer words, saith Arch-Bishop ssPref. to the old English Bible.Cranmer, and many even of those words are now strange andneasie to us; in such suddaine Change of Language universally, wee need not wonder, that so little impression of the Hebrew Tongue remaines among them, if the Indians be Jewish; but wee may marvaile rather, that after so many yeares of most grosse and cursed blindnesse, and having no commerce, nor converse with other Nations, that any the least similitude thereof should be left.

p. 17CHAP. VI▪ The sixth Conjecture.

THis which followeth next, at first sight, will appeare a Paradox rather than a Probability, that is foreign Americanorum, the Man-devouring that is in America; for what an inference may this seem to bee; there bee Carybes, Caniballs, and Maneaters among them, therefore they be Jewish? But let it be considered, Among the Curses threatned to Israel upon their disobedience, wee read Levit. 26. 29. Yee shall eate the flesh of your Sonnes and of your Daughters, &c. So Deut. 28 53. Which Predictions, according to common supposalls, seeme to be fully verified in the Famine mentioned, 2 Kings 6. 28. and Lament. 4. 10. and those words are spoken of things then done and past; but the Prophet Ezekiel, that lived about the same time, speakes in the future tense of some new, and till then unheard▪of calamity, but such as should bee common afterward; I will doe in thee that I never did before, for in the midst of thee the Fathers shall ea… their Sons, and the Sons their Fathers, &c. Ezek. 5. 9, 10. Before indeed, and at the Romans beleaguering Ierusalem, Women did eate their Children, but there is no relation of Fathers and Sonnes devouring one another, though this be foretold, and as a thing easily to bee taken notice of, aaIosp… ▪ de Bello Iudaico. l. 7. e▪ 8.Iosephus in that last siege tells but of one Woman eating her childe, and 'tis 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 p. 18credit 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 bbIn Ezek c. 5.Ezek 5strengthens 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 ccP. Mart. p. 206. I…rius. …nzo. …ii.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 Ma…hacks are such, and so neare they are, or were to some of our ddProsp. of N. Eng. part. 2.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, &N…ler. Chr. p…rt. 2. p. 519. à contra, ffp. 275.Peter Martyr removes that scruple, by affirming, if they want the flesh of Foes and Forraigners, they eate then one another, even their owne ggIn fine. p. 188.kinred & allies, as he writes that added the Centons to hhp. 55.Solinus.

p. 19If 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 iiBenzo. p. 120.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 kkCrudelit. Hispan. p. 50.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 onelyonly 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.

p. 20CHAP 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. p. 21There we read often aaSocrat. l. 1. 15 Russia. Tripartit. &c. Discess… ab … cem Apostoli … praedic…onis … comm…ne consti…uunt. Cypr. de Symb. Ap.that they divided thec. world into 12 parts, every Apostle accepting that which fell to his lot; but first they compiled the Creed, called therefore foreign or Collation, saith Cassian, bbDe Incarn. l. 6 c. 3.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 ccWit…kiland de Sphae…a.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, ddG. Sands tra.where they are said to assemble upon this occasion. Very eeSocrat. ubi ante. Russia in Symb. & Hist. l. 1. c. 9. Tertul. de vel. virg. l. 1. c. 1. Regula quid…m fidei una omnino est sola immobilis. & i…reformabilis. Clem. Ep. ad Iacob. quam Latin. fecit▪ Russin. Ambr. Ser. 138. Aug. de T. 119.many ancient writers, historicall and others, ffDisput. p. 21.agreeing with Vigilius in this, Authenticum symbolum quod Apostoli tradiderunt; and a little before he blameth some for venting such doctrines, as were neither ggIbid.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 foreign p. 22is used in neither place, lest curiosity should restraine it to the Roman World, but foreign, is the former expression, and the latter is foreign, 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 hhEp. ad Philadelph. p. 4.thought to be that little child called by Christ Mat. 18. 1. hath this expression foreign ▪ There iiNiceph. l. 2. c. 35.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 kkBritannorum inaccessa Romanis loca Christs patuerunt. ad v. …ud. c. 7.in the following Century affirmes that the Gospel in those very first times went beyond the Roman Monarchy, even to us Britons; and llHist. l. 2 c. 3.Eusebius sheweth how the doctrine of salvation by divine power and cooperation, was carried into all the world: and Iulius Firmicus Maturnus mmDe error. profan. relig.professeth that in his time 1300 yeeres since, there was no Nation under Heaven, East, West, North, or South, unto whom the Sunne of the Gospel had not shined; and not onelyonly in all the Continent, but in every Island saith Greg. Nissene; Thus nnDe consid. l. 2.Bernard also, and others▪ for when the Jewish fleece was dried up, all the world saith Ierome ooIn Math. & T. 1. Ep. p. 103.was sprinkled with that heavenly dew.

2. The Jewes before the end of the world shall be converted to Christianity; this truth is to be found in the Old and New Testament, and hath bin the constant p. 23beliefe of the faithfull in every age. The children of Israell shall remaine many daies without a King, and without a Prince, &c. Hos. 3. 4. yet Ver. 5. afterward they shall convert, and seeke the Lord their God, and David their King, i. e. Christ the Sonne of David the King of his Church, thus Zephan. 3. 8, 9, 10, 11. Zach. 12. 10, 11, &c. and some predictions in that Evangelicall Prophet Esay. Saint Paul applies to this very purpose, Rom. 11. 26, 27. from Esa. 59. 20. & 27. 9. yea and our common Master Christ telleth us, Ierusalem shall be trodden under foot of the Gentiles, untill the time of the Gentiles shall be fulfilled, Luke 21. 24. So Saint Paul, when the fulnesse of the Gentiles is come in, all Israell shall be saved, Rom. 11. 25. Some by Israell here would understand, Israell according to the spirit, that is, the Elect from all the Nations: but all along the Jewes and Gentiles are spoken of as distinct people according to the flesh, so all Israell shall be saved, that is, pp…illet de Vocat. Iud. Malvend de Antichristo.a very great and numerous company, or many from every tribe, as we use to say genera singulorum, not singuli generum, or all the elect of them; for when their heart shall be turned to the Lord, the veile shall be taken away, 2 Cor. 3. 16. Ancient Christians have subscribed to this; In the end of the world saith Ierome qqIn Mat. 24. In Hos. 2. In Joh. 4. Mic. 2▪ r De Civit. D. l▪ 18. c. 28. & 20, 21.Matt 24Hos 2John 4Mic 2the Jewes receiving the Gospel, shall be enlightned, thus Augustine (r), Gregory ssMor. l. 35. c. 9., Bernard ttIn Cant. ser. 39., Primasius uuIn Apoc. mei p▪ 31., this was, this is the common opinion of Christians.

Coepit ab his, defertur ad hos, referetur ad illoswwSum. Raymundi. p. 81▪

Nostra fides, & erunt sub mundi fine fideles.

p. 24From the Jewes our faith began,

To the Gentiles then it ran,

To the Jewes returne it shall,

Before the dreadfull end of all.

3. The third consideration hath a twofold branch.

1. The Americans have not, but 2. shall be acquainted with Christianity: and to the first all are not of this mind that the Indians have not heard of the Gospell: for xxEpit. Cent. 16 part. 2.Osiander speaking of Vilagagno, and his planting there in Brasil, writes confidently, without doubt those people received the Gospel of Christ by the preaching of the Apostles 1500 yeeres since, but they lost it againe by their unthankfulnesse; and Malvenda yyP. 169.allegeth some conjectures that Christianity might have been among them, but these are so few, and so forced, that himselfe supposeth them rather satanicall suggestions, illusions, and imitations, than remembrances indeed of the Gospell.

There be zzDoroth. Synop. Hieron. Ca…al. Socrat. l. 15. Ruffin. l. 1. c 9. Euseb. alii quesome records where every one of the Apostles planted the faith of Christ, in what Nations and Kingdomes, but they are all silent touching this part of the world, which indeed was not knowne till of late; yea some aaSalmuth. in Pancirol. de Noviter Repert▪ c. 1. P. 7.conceive, they had no being at all in former ages, and that there was not so much as land or earth in those places; however questionlesse they be but of late discovery; for though some bbBocha. Geo. Sac. P. 716.will have America to be those Atlantique Islands mentioned by Plato, others that the Phaenicians arived thither more than 2000 yeeres since, and some further improbable conjectures there be, 'tis concluded neverthelesse by many judicious and observant men, that it was never p. 25heard of in this world, till ccAcost. Benzo. Pet. Mart. Lerius. &c.Christopher Columbus of Genoa brought newes thereof about 1590. when then, or by whom should they be made Christians? is it credible there should be no records thereof in the Annalls of any Nation? Could so great a part of the world become Christians, without any whispering thereof to any other; is it likely that all Gospel impressions should be utterly obliterate among them? all the light thereof quite extinguished? and not so much as the least glimpse thereof remaine? as is also acknowledged by him ddIo. de Laet in Grot. part▪ P. 71.that hath written and observed so much of these nations.

2. Seeing they were never yet enlightned, without question they shall be, for the Gospell of the Kingdome must be preached every where for a witnesse to all Nations, Mat. 24. 14. Surely so large a part of the world shall not alwaies be forgotten: Is it imaginable that the God of mercy, who is foreign, a lover of soules, Wisd. 11. 23. should suffer so great a portion of mankind ever to remaine in darknesse, and in the shadow of death? Is it credible or fit to be believed, that the wisdome of the Father who taketh his solace in the habitable parts of the earth, and his delight is to be with the children of men, Prov. 8. 31. should have no compassion of such an innumerable multitude of soules? The earth was inhabited eeBucholz Chro. mei P. 136.by degrees, from the place where Noahs Ark rested they went as the Sunne, from the East, and so planted themselves forward; and the progresse of the Gospell saith ffDe Vit. Constant. l. 2. c. 65.Eusebius, was in the same manner, and for this there is more than allusion in Psal. 19. 5. compared with Rom. 10. 18. That Westerne part of the world was last inhabited, and it shall heare of Christ also in due time, as certainely as there be people to receive p. 26him, for he shall be salvation foreign, to the last end of the earth, Act. 13. 47. And the Americans have a tradition among themselves, ggPet Mart. Decad. P. 95. &c. 244. Malvenda. ibid.that white and bearded Nations shall subdue their Countries, abolish all their rites and ceremonies, and introduce a new religion.

CHAP. VIII. The sixth Conjecture.

THE Americans calamities are suitable to those plagues threatned unto the Jewes, Deut. 28. Such a comment upon that terrible Scripture is not any where to be found, as among the Indians, by this also it will appear probable that they be Jews: and here three things shall be touched upon. 1. The Jewes were a very sinfull people. 2. The Indians were and are transcendent sufferers. 3. In that way foreign litterally, as was threatned to the Jewes.

1. The Jewes were grand offenders; aaDe Arcan Cathol. Vent. c. 24. p. 282.Galatinus mentions fon…e of their enormous transgressions, with their ensuing vengeances. 1. The selling of Ioseph into Egypt, where themselves were kept afterwa…d in an iron furnace, and dwelt a long time in an house of bondage. 2. Their first rejection of the Messiah, typified in David, 2 Sam. 20. 1. which was punished by the Assyrians. 3. The sacrificing of their owne children to Idols, and murthering the Prophets that deterred them from such abominations, he calls their third great offence, for which the Babylonian captivity fell upon them. 4. Their fatall and most grievous crime was p. 27the denyall of the Holy one, and the just, with desire that a murtherer should be given them, Act. 3. 14. and this brought upon them, first the tyranny of the Roman conquest, and then all those hideous and horrid tribulations that presse and oppresse them to this day.

2. The Natives of America have endured the extremities of most unspeakable miseries: They are a Nation saith Lerius bbLerius p. 230.cursed and forsaken of God, and the men of Spaine to their other cruelties added that most abominable reproach, these Barbarians are ccBenzo p. 77. 111. 167.dogs, unworthy of Christendome; tis too true they were so used by them, as if they had bin such or worse, they did so weare them up with labour, that they became weary of their lives, the poore creatures chusing rather to die any kind of death, than to live under such bloody Masters and Monsters; they scared the Indians into woods, where the men and women hanged themselves together, and wanting instruments sometimes for such selfe execution, they helped one another to knit their long locks about the branches of trees, and so cast themselves downe headlong, their owne haires being their halters; and thus many thousands of them ended their daies with most lamentable yellings and out-cries; their intestine violences and injuries among themselves were woefull by rapine, warre, and sacrificings of one another, many ddSurius in Append. ad Naucler. p. 775.thousands of them have been immolated in one day at Mexico; but their sufferings by the spaniards exceed not onelyonly all relation, but beliefe, and surely the savages could not have outstripped the Spaniards in barbarous savagenesses, if those Infidells had gotten the upper hand of these Christians; a very prudent Cacique saith Benzo eeP. 222., that was neere an hundred yeeres old, reported freely, that when he was young, a very p. 28strange disease invaded those countrys, the sick commonly vomited many filthy wormes, such a wasting plague he said followed this calamity, that we feared none of us could survive it: and a little before your comming we of Iucatana had two cruell battailes with the Mexicans, in which above one hundred and fifty thousand were slaine, but these were all light and easie vexations, in respect of those terrible examples of intollerable insolence, avarice, and cruelty, exercised by your selves upon us; thus he: we read, when the Prophet of God soretold Hazael, the evill hee should bring upon Israel Hazael said, Is thy servant a dog that he should doe this? 2 King. 8. 13. But the Spaniards did more evill things to the Indians, and shewed themselves with shame to be worse than dogs, witnesse that bloody Bezerill, though not so bloody as his Master Didacus Salasar ffOvied Hist. …nd. l. 16. c. 11. in Benzo. P. 295, who set that his Mastiffe upon an old woman, employed by himselfe, as hē feigned with letters to the Governour, who seeing the cruell curre, by his more cruell Masters setting on, with open mouth comming upon her, falls to the ground, bespeaking him in her language, sir dog, sir dog, I carry these letters to the Governour, holding up to his view the seale, be not angry with me, sir dog, the Mastiffe as becalmed by that begging posture and language, abates his fiercenesse, liftes up his leg, and besprinkles the woman, as dogs use to doe at the wall: the Spaniards▪ that knew well his curstnesse at other times, saw this with astonishment, and were ashamed▪ to hurt the woman, that so cruell a dog had spared.

3. The Indian sufferings have runne so parallel with those threats, Deut. 28. as if they had been principally intended therein also. Was Israel offending to be calamitous, in all places, towne and field, at home and p. 29abroad, &c. The poore Indians ggCasa, Benzo, alij Historici passim.for their gold and labour, were by the Spaniards hunted out of all places, corners and Islands, as if the end of their discovery had been indeed to make a full end, and a totall devastation of the American Nations. Against the sinning Jewes it was said, Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, &c. vers. 18. The pestilence shall cleave unto thee, &c. The Lord shall smite thee with a consumption, &c. ver. 21, 22, 35, 29. Strange diseases have destroyed the Natives, as the histories of those countries doe relate; their cruell taskmasters the Spaniards, did so much overburthen them with load and labour, that the hhIidem,cohabitation of man and wife did cease: seven thousand infants of Cuba did perish in three moneths space, their mothers worne out with toyling had no milk to give them. The Lord said, He would smite Israel with blindnesse, madnesse, and astonishment of heart, and thou shalt grope at noone day, as the blind gropeth in darknesse, &c. ver. 28, 29. And woefull indeed is the veile of ignorance that is come over the Natives iiPet. Mart: P. 506. Guacca Regio, jarima podex.; they imagined the Island Hispaniola to be a living creature, eating and digesting like a monster: that vast sea den or hollow place which they call Guacca-jarima, is the voider of its excrements, a fancy like that antique fable of the Demogorgon lying in the wombe of the world, whose breath causeth the flux and reflux of the sea: the darke part of the Moone kkId. P. 525.they take to be a man throwne thither, and tormented for incest with his owne sister, whose eclipse they guesse to be caused by the Sunnes anger; those responsalls of the aires reverberation, which we call eccho, they suppose to be soules, wandring thereabouts. How were those poore creatures astonish'd, when they saw themselves torne by llCasa. P. 1….Spanish dogs, whose Masters p. 30would borrow quarters of Indians, men and women, for their hounds, and as commonly expose them to such a kind of death and buriall, as if men and women had bin made for dogs meate? how were they affrighted when the feare of Spanish cruelties provoked fathers, mothers, children, to hang themselves together? that Bishop knew of two hundred and more so perishing by the tyranny of one Spaniard. No mmCasa. P. 24.marvaile therefore if when the Fryer told Hathuey, the Cacique, of heavens happinesse, and the torments of hell, and hee understanding upon enquiry that the Spaniards dying went to heaven, because they were Christians, let my lot saith he fall in hell rather than with that most cruell people. God said of the Jewes, They should be 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 nnId. P. 60.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 NativesooBenzo. P. 111. yea in Hispaniola alone, scarce one hundred p. 31and 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: andId. ib. P. 7. & 8 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 ppCasa. P. 12. 22, 29. 54.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 qqBenzo. P. 285▪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 p. 32to 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 rrP▪ 289, &c.Benzo observed a miraculous hand of vengeance from heaven upon all that gave consent thereto: so that as Suetonius ssc. 89.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 C…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 ttBenzo. 179. 311, 315. &c., 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 the… shall get up above thee very high, and thox shalt come downe very low. 48. p. 33Thou 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 ofCasa. P. 19. 11. 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, Id. P. 57.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, tis 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 p. 34I 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 uuTripartit. Hist. l 2. c. 18. w Catech. 16. P. 263.found it in her time, pomorum custodium an Apple-yard; so (w) Cyrill assirmeth 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 xxC…ropaid. passim., The Lord had threatned to bring a Nation upon Israell swift as the Eagle flieth, Deut. 28. 49. Iosephus yyDe B. Iudaica. l. 3. c. 57saith this was verified in Vespatians Ensigne, and the banner of Cyrus was an Eagle zzUbi supra. 7. P. 501.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 any borne of man and woman should be so monstruously savage and cruell; they derived therefore their pedigree from the wide and wild Ocean, and call'd them aaLerius. P. 152 alij que Cent. ad Solin. P. 218.Viracocheie, i. e. the foame of the Sea, as beeng borne of the one, and nourished by the other, and poured upon the earth for its destruction. bbHist. l. 7. c. 22.Acosta indeed gives another interpretation of p. 35that word in honour of his Nation, but other ccLerius, alij.writers unanimously accord in this; and ddP. 405, 406.Benzo confidently averreth, that the conceit and judgement of the Indians touching the originall of the Spaniards, is so setled in them, that none but God himselfe can alter their minds herein; for thus saith hee they reason among themselves, the winds tumble downe houses, and teare trees in peeces, the fire burnes both trees and houses, but these same Viracocheies devoure all, they turn over the earth, offer violence to the rivers, are perpetually unquiet, wandering every way to finde gold, and when they have found it, they throw it away at dice, they steale, and sweare, and kill, yea and kill one another, and deny God: yea these Indians in detestation of the Spaniards, he saith, doe execrate and curse the sea it selfe for sending such an intractable, fierce, and cruell a generation into the earth: But thus have wicked sinnes drawne woefull punishments, threatned to the Jewes, and suffered also by these Americans, wherein the more hath bin spoken, not onelyonly to deter all Christians from such inhumane barbarities, but to provoke the readers every way to compassionate such transcendent sufferers, the rather because as Canaan of old was Emanuels land, Hos. 9. 3. the holy land, Zach. 2. 12. and the Jewes were Gods peculiar people, so these surely are either a remnant of Israell after the flesh, or else God will in his good time incorporate them into that common-wealth, and then they also shall become the Israel of God.