Jews in America, Prefatory letter
An Epiſtolicall Diſcourſe Of Mr. IOHN DƲRY, TO Mr. THOROWGOOD. Concerning his conjecture that the Americans are deſcended from the Iſraelites. With the Hiſtory of a Portugall Iew, Antonie Monterinos, atteſted by Manaſſeh Ben Iſrael, to the ſame effect.
SIR,
IAm bound to thank you for the communication of your booke, which I have read with a great deale of delight and ſatisfaction; for the rarity of the ſubject, and the variety of your obſervations thereupon, which you have deduced with as much probability to make out your theme, as Hiſtory can afford matter: I did ſhew it to another friend of great judgement and ingenuity, who was ſo taken with it, that he ſaid he would have it to be coppied out at his coſt, if you would not publiſh it to the world, which hee and I have reſolved to importune you to doe: for although at firſt bluſh, the thing which you offer to be believed, will ſeeme to moſt men incredible, and extravigant; yet when all things are laid rationally and without prejudice together, there will be nothing of improbability found therein, which will not be ſwallowed up with the appearance of contrary likelyhoods, of things poſſible and lately atteſted by ſome to be truths: whereof to confirme your probable conjectures, I ſhall give you that information which is come to my hands at ſeverall times in theſe late yeares, which you, (if you ſhall thinke fit) may publiſh to the world, as I have received them, which to the probability of your conjectures adde ſo much light, that if the things which I ſhall relate be not meere fictions (which I aſſure you are none of mine, for you ſhall have them without any addition, as I have received them) none can make any further ſcruple of the truth of your aſſertion; but before I come to particulars, I ſhall tell you of ſome thoughts which are come upon this occaſion into my minde, concerning Gods way of dealing with mens ſpirits for the manifeſtation of his truth and wiſdome to thoſe that ſeeke after it; and concerning the wonderfull contrivances by which he brings his counſell to paſſe beyond all mens thoughts: I have obſerved, and every one that will take notice muſt needs perceive, that the ſpirits of men in reference to ſpiritual matters, whether divine or humane (by humane, I meane all matters of ſcience and induſtry depending upon judgement and ſagacity) are diſtinguiſhable into two kinds, the one are ſtedfaſt to ſome principles, and the other are unſtable; this diſtinction in divine matters is clear, from 2 Pet. 3. 17. Jude, ver. 3, 4, 6, 12, 13, 17, 18, 20, 21. and in humane matters wee need none other proofe but daily experience. Againe, theſe that are ſtedfaſt to their principles, will be found of two ſorts; ſome are led in an ordinary common way and reſt therein, admitting of nothing further then what they have attained unto; ſome (though they doe not undervalue the ordinary waies which in their owne kinds are uſefull and neceſſary, yet they) aſpire to ſomething more then ordinary and reſt not where they are, they believe that both in humane and divine matters, there is, as long as we are in this life, a plus ultra, and that we never ought to reſt in ſeeking after the advancement of learning and the increaſe of knowledge, till wee ſhall come to ſee the Father of lights face ro face; the different inclinations of theſe three ſorts of men in the world, leading them to different courſes and ſtraines in their proceedings, and theſe begetting divers encounters amongſt them wherein they diſagree, and know not how to right matters towards one another for mutuall content and edification, are the cauſes of all our ſtrife and confuſion in all affaires, as well of Religious as of civill concernment; nor is it poſſible to be free from the diſorders and diſtempers, which make the life of mankinde uncomfortable in this kind, and full of vexation, till God hath removed thoſe that fall away from their owne ſtedfaſtneſſe out of the earth, which will not come to paſſe till hee hath filled the earth with the knowledge of Eſa. 11. 9.the Lord as the waters cover the ſea; till hee hath brought us all that are ſtedfaſt unto true principles, and that walke by rules, unto the unity of the faith and knowledge of the ſonne of God, unto Eph. 4 13.a perfect man unto the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſſe of Chriſt: which things becauſe they are clearely promiſed, wee may expect ſhall come to paſſe, but till then we ſhall be carried Eph. 4. 14.differently about with ſeverall winds of doctrine, and enſnared in our owne ignorance by the cunning craftineſſe of men who lie in waite to deceive; for the unſtable are either wickedly ſet to worke changes upon thoſe that are ſetled for ends of their owne, or weakely carried up and downe through the uncertaine apprehenſions of things differently repreſented unto them, ſometimes one way and ſometimes another; ſo that between the motions of mens ſpirits ſubtilly unſtable tending to unſettle others, and weakely ſtable ſuſceptible of any unſettlement from others, all our changes and diſorderly carriages, both in divine and humane affaires doe ariſe; when either thoſe that have no principles of truth to walke by, ſtudy lies to puzzle thoſe that pretend to walke by rules, or thoſe that have true principles vary from one another in their degrees of underſtanding, and in their manner of applying the ſame to advance knowledge, and to make diſcoveries of Gods manifeſtation of himſelfe; for as theſe motions meet with one another in oppoſite courſes, and men led thereby, ſtand by one another in diſproportionat frames, or juſtle one another out of their places for contrary ends; ſo all our confuſions and revolutions of Churches and States, and therein of ſcientificall ſtraines, and of practicall undertakings, ariſe differently in the world: here then is a threefold diverſity in acting, the changeable and moveable diſpoſition of the one ſort, is made to try the ſtability of the other two, and thoſe that are ſetled in an ordinary way, are tryers to thoſe that are led forth to ſomething that is extraordinary; and thoſe that upon allowed principles do rationally bring forth ſomething more then ordinary, try the ingenuity of the other two, how farre they love truth for it ſelfe; So that each of theſe puts his neighbour to the triall of his property, and conſtraines him to manifeſt the nature of his way, how farre it is, or is not from God: And although every thing which is beyond the ordinary ſtraine, is liable to be cenſured and contradicted by men of ordinary apprehenſions. who condemne for the moſt part as extravagant and ridiculous whatſoever is not levell with their capacities; yet I am inclined to believe, that there is alwaies ſomething of God in all men, that are led forth by extraordinary motions, namely when their ſpirits doe not reject the common true principles, and yet are raiſed above them, to apprehend concluſions and inferences which are not common; and when their affections are regularly conſtant to their workes, and their undertakings purſued with ſobriety in the feare of God, then I conceive that God hath put upon them a ſpeciall ſtampe and character of his vertue, by which he doth fit them for ſome deſigne and ſervice whereunto he hath raiſed them. I have obſerved this in very many men of publike ſpirits, moſt commonly they have bin laught at by others for going out of the common road-way of acting; whether to make good ſome opinions, which others never dreamt of, or to doe ſome buſineſſe which others have thought impoſſibilities to be effected; (I ſay) I have obſerved, that when they have been led forth with modeſty, without ſelfe conceitedneſſe and vanity, and when they have proſecuted their enterpriſes with remarkable perſeverance, that God hath made them one way or other remarkably inſtrumentall and uſefull towards their generation for the advancement of his worke, which is the reformation of this world, and the reſtauration of all things by the kingdom of Ieſus Chriſt, whereunto all extraordinary gifts, and the unuſuall leadings forth of mens ſpirits are preparatives. I could inſtance in ſeverall men which I have known, and doe know abroad and at home, of ſeverall profeſſions, whoſe ſtudies and endeavours have been lookt upon as whimſies and extravagancies by the road-way-men of that profeſſion; and yet I am perſwaded that they are led and acted by that Spirit which leadeth the children of God in all truth; and becauſe other men otherwiſe rationall and obſervant, (who though not altogether deſtitute of the ſpirit, yet are not raiſed above the ordinary pitch) do not know the drift of the ſpirit of theſe; therefore theſe are lookt upon by them as men of odde conceits: I have ſeen ſome of the great Rabbies of our times, heretofore much ſcandalized at the propoſals and undertakings of Mr Comenius; but it hath pleaſed God to aſſiſt him ſo with grace, and ſupport him with conſtancy in his way, notwithſtanding many trialls and temptations; that he hath been able during his ownelife, to ſee the uſefulneſſe of ſome of his endeavours, whereof a more full account will be given to the world very ſhortly. I could ſpeake of others, whoſe attempts, though not ſo apparantly ſucceſſefull during their life, yet no leſſe uſefull in their kind, and which in due time, will prove the grounds of great advantages and diſcoveries unto poſterity, although in the generation where their lot is fallen to live, they have not been believed nor received. Gods way to diſpence grace is not according to outward appearances, and for this cauſe, the multitude doth not entertaine the inſtruments thereof with due eſteem, nor the meanes by which it is offered to the world with reſpect, becauſe they come in a homely dreſſe, and without the affectation of any ſhew; nevertheleſſe wiſdom at all times is juſtified by her children, and there take notice of her paths, and trace the counſell of God therein, for they can ſee that Gods waies and counſels reach from end to end, and that he comprehends in his aime both that which is paſt, and that which is preſent, and that which is to come in future ages; ſo that in the concluſion of all, he will make it appeare, that the unuſuall motions of his ſervants, which the world have diſeſteemed and counted fooliſhneſſe, have been the extraordinary worke of his Spirit in them, whereby he doth convince the world of ſinne, of righteouſneſſe, of judgement: of ſinne, becauſe the teſtimony which they bore to the truth was not received; of righteouſneſſe, becauſe they who ſerved their generation faithfully with the righteous uſe of their talent in the midſt of ſcorners, are juſtly taken away from an unthankfull generation and the evill day, to reſt from their labours, that their workes may follow them; and of judgement, becauſe the ſelfe conceited pride and partiality of the wiſe and prudent of this world, ſhall be judged and condemned by the worke of his ſpirit, when he ſhall bring all the effects thereof together to make out his compleate deſigne againſt the world, and by the conjunction of the ſeemingly ſcattered parts which his ſervants have acted upon their ſtages, produce the new frame of a perfect Scene, the cataſtrophe whereof ſhall make up a building fit for the kingdom of his Son.
I am fallen upon theſe thoughts, and acquaint you thus with them, partly to ſupport mine owne ſpirit againſt the contradictions which I meet withall in the way wherein God hath ſet me, for the conſtant proſecution of peace and truth without partiality amongſt my brethren; partly to apologize for the drift of your ſpirit, whereby I perceive you have been led theſe many yeares in ſome of your ſtudies; for it is very evident to me, that you have ſought after a matter, which to moſt men will ſeem incredible, rediculous and extravagant; and to tell you the truth, before I had read your diſcourſe and ſeriouſly weighed matters, when I thought upon your theme, that the Americans ſhould be of the ſeed of Iſraell, it ſeemed to me ſomewhat ſtrange and unlikely to have any truth in it; but afterward when I had weighed your deduction of the matter, and lookt ſeriouſly upon Gods hand in bringing into thoſe parts of the World where the Americans are, ſo many religious profeſſors, zealous for the advancement of his glory, and who are poſſeſſed with a beliefe from the Scriptures, that all the Tribes of Iſraell ſhall be called to the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, before the the end of the world: and when I had recollected and laid together ſome other ſcattered and confuſed thoughts which at ſeveral times I have received, partly from the places of Scripture, which foretell the calling of the Jewes, and their reſtitution to their owne land, together with the bringing back of the ten Tribes from all the ends and corners of the earth, partly from ſome relations which I had heard a few yeeres agoe concerning the ten Tribes, which the Jewes here in Europe had given out; and partly from the obſervations of Gods way, which he ſeemes to make by all theſe changes, and the diſſolution of the States and Empires of the world, towards ſome great worke, and extraordinary revolution which may ſhortly come to paſſe: all which things when I had called to mind and repreſented unto my ſelfe, I was ſo far from derogating any thing from that which you have conjectured concerning the American Indians; that I beganne to ſtand amazed at the appearances of the probabilities which ſo many waies offered themſelves unto me, to make out and confirme the effect of that which you have ſaid: And then I begun alſo upon another account, to wonder at the ſtrangeneſſe of Gods conduct over your ſpirit, that he ſhould have ſet you a worke twelve or more yeeres agoe, after the ſearch of ſuch a matter, by hiſtoricall obſervations, whereof then ſo few, and almoſt no footſteps at all were extant to be traced, and whereof now, of a ſuddaine, the world is like to be filled with ſuch evidences, that it wil be an aſtoniſhment to all that ſhall heare of it, and lay it to heart; and that all who have any ingenuity will be conſtrained to confeſſe, that indeed there is a God who ruleth in the earth, and that he hath ordered the affaires of the Nations by an univerſal providence, to bring to paſſe his own counſels, and that the things which hee hath revealed by his word, ſhould in the latter times be accompliſhed; for to my apprehenſion, this will be the great benefit of theſe diſcoveries; namely, that the mouths of Atheiſts will be ſtopped, and convicted of irrationality and fooliſhneſſe: For when it ſhall appear to all men undeniably, that the tranſmigration of Nations, and the affaires of this world, have not been carried hitherto by meere chance, or by the craftineſſe of humane counſels, or by force; but by the wiſdome of a Supreame conduct, who hath ordered all things from the beginning towards an end which hath been foreknown, and to a deſigne foretold. (I ſay) when this ſhall appeare, and that in the midſt of all theſe changes and confuſions, there is a conduct over-ruling the force of man, and diſappointing the councels of the crafty; then the eyes of all men will be upon the Lord, and God alone will be exalted in righteouſneſſe, and the Holy one of Iſraell in judgement: For ſeeing it is evident that the ten Tribes of Iſraell have been as it were loſt in the world neare about the ſpace of two thuuſand yeeres, if now they ſhould againe appeare upon the ſtage, firſt as it were in another world by themſelves, and then afterward ſpeedily come from thence hither to the land of their ancient inheritance, where they ſhall be joyned to their brethren the Jews (which is clearly foretold by the Prophets ſhall come to paſſe) if (I ſay) thoſe things ſhould now begin to come to paſſe, what can all the world ſay otherwiſe, but that the Lords counſell Iſa. 2. Ezec. 34 & 37. Jer. 3…. & 46. Amos. 9. Micha. 4 &c.doth ſtand, and that he hath fulfilled the words ſpoken by his Servants the Prophets concerning Iſrael; that although all the ſinfull kingdoms of the Nations ſhall be deſtroyed from off the face of the earth, yet that the houſe of Jacob ſhall not be utterly deſtroyed, but ſhall be corrected in meaſure, for loe I will command (ſaith God by the Prophet) and I will ſift the houſe Jer. 30. 10, 11. Amos. 9▪ 8, 9.of Iſraell among all Nations, like as corne is ſifted in the ſieve, yet ſhall not the leaſt graine fall upon the earth. Theſe Prophecies muſt needs be fulfilled, if there be a God in heaven who hath foretold them, and when he ſhall make this his word good unto Iſraell, he will thereby make it undeniably apparent, that it was he himſelfe and none other who did foretell it: and that it is alſo none but hee who brings the worke about beyond all humane appearances, according as he did foretell it: and by all this he will ſhew to all the world, that which he oft-times repeates by the Prophet Iſaiah, that he alone is the Saviour, and that there is none beſides him, Iſa. 45. 5, 6, 15. till the end. The deſtruction then of the ſpirituall Babylon by the reſtauration of Iſrael, ſhall make out this to all the earth, that God alone is the Lord over all, and the Saviour of the people that put their truſt in his name.
Now the appearances which offer themſelves unto me, that theſe Prophecies are towards their accompliſhment, are many, which now I ſhall not inſiſt upon, (perhaps God will direct me to declare them in due ſeaſon more fully then now I can intend) but I ſhall onelyonly mention that which I find to be a confirmation of your conjecture, leaving it to your owne diſcretion, what uſe you will make of it.
Firſt then I ſhall impart unto you ſome ſtories which I heard five or ſix yeeres agoe, when I was in the Low Countries, concerning the ten Tribes; and then I ſhall adde ſome information concerning the ſtate of the Iewes in our Europaean and Aſiaatique worlds, which I have learned at other times by ſome providences which God hath offered unto mee; and upon the whole matter I ſhall leave you to your further conjectures, by that which I ſhall gueſſe at.
The firſt ſtory which I heard was at the Hague, a perſon of chief quality about the Queen of Bohemia, and one of her Counſell, and a diſcerning godly man, and my ſpeciall friend told me, that the Jew (a Jeweller reſiding ordinarily at the Hague) whom I knew, had been there at Court, and with great joy had told, that they of his Nation had received from Conſtantinople Letters, bringing to them glad tidings of two ſpeciall matters fallen out there; the one was, that the Grand Seignior had remitted the great taxes which formerly had been laid upon the Jewes of thoſe parts, ſo that now they were in a manner free from all burthens, paying but a ſmall and inconſiderable matter to that Empire; the other was, that a meſſenger was come unto the Jewes who reſide neere about the Holy Land, from the ten Tribes, to make enquiry concerning the ſtate of the Land; and what was become of the two Tribes and the half which was left in it, when they were tranſported from thence by Salmanaſſer. This Meſſenger was deſcribed to be a grave man, having ſome attendance in good equipage about him. He told them that the people from which hee was ſent were the Tribes of Iſrael, which in the daies of Hoſea the King, were carried captives out of their owne Land by the King 2 King. 1….of Aſſyria, who tranſported them from Samaria into Aſſyria and the Cities of the Medes; but they being grieved for the tronſgreſſions which cauſed God to be angry with them, they tooke a reſolution to ſeparate themſelves from all Idolaters, and ſo went from the Heathen where they were placed by Salmanaſſar, with a reſolution to live by themſelves, and obſerve the Commandements of God, which in their owne Land they had not obſerved: in proſecuting this reſolution, after a long journey of a yeere and ſix moneths, they came to a countrey wholly deſtitute of inhabitants, where now they have increaſed into a great Nation, and are to come from thence into their owne Land by the direction of God; and to ſhew them that hee was a true Iſraelite, hee had brought with him a Scroule of the Law of Moſes, written according to their cuſtome.
The Gentleman who told me this ſtory, as from the mouth of the Jew, ſaid that it brought to his mind fully (by reaſon of the agreement of circumſtances almoſt in all things) the ſtory which is recorded in the Second Booke of Eſdras, which is called Apocrypha, Chap. 13. ver. 40. till 50. which will be found a truth if that Meſſenger came and made this Narrative. This was the firſt ſtory; and not long after viz. Within the ſpace of five or ſix moneths, a little before I came from the Low Countries, I was told of a Jew who came from America to Amſterdam, and brought to the Jewes reſiding there▪ newes concerning the ten Tribes; that hee had been with them upon the border of their Land, and had converſed with ſome of them for a ſhort ſpace, and ſeen and heard remarkable things whiles he ſtayed with them, whereof then I could not learn the true particulars; but I heard that a Narrative was made in writing of that which he had related, which before I went from Holland laſt, I had no time to ſeeke after, but ſince the reading of your Booke, and ſome diſcourſe I have had with you about theſe matters, I have procured it from the Low Countries, and received a Copie thereof in French, atteſted under Manaſſeh Ben Iſrael his hand, that it doth exactly agree with the originall, as it was ſent me, the tranſlation thereof I have truly made without adding or taking away any thing; and becauſe I was not ſatisfied in ſome things, and deſired to know how farre the whole matter was believed among the Jewes at Amſterdam, I wrote to Manaſſeh Ben Iſrael, their chiefe Rabbi, about it, and his anſwer I have gotten in two Letters, telling me that by the occaſion of the Queſtions which I propoſed unto him concerning this adjoyned Narrative This narrative ſo atteſted and tranſlated, is at the end of this Book.of Mr. Antonie Monterinos, hee to give me ſatisfaction, had written inſteed of a Letter, a Treatiſe, which hee ſhortly would publiſh, and whereof I ſhould receive ſo many Copies as I ſhould deſire: In his firſt Letter dated Novem. laſt, 25. he ſaies that in his treatiſe he handles of the firſt inhabitants of America, which he believes were of the ten Tribes; moreover, that they are ſcattered alſo in other Countries, which he names, and that they keepe their true Religion, as hoping to returne againe into the Holy land in due time.
In his ſecond Letter, dated the twenty three of December, he ſaies more diſtinctly thus: I declare how that our Iſraelites were the firſt finders out of America; not regarding the opinions of other men, which I thought good to refute in few words onelyonly: and I thinke that the ten Tribes live not onelyonly there, but alſo in other lands ſcattered every where; theſe never did come backe to the ſecond Temple, and they keep till this day ſtill the Jewiſh Religion, ſeeing all the Prophecies which ſpeake of their bringing backe unto their native Soile muſt be fulfilled: So then at their appointed time, all the Tribes ſhall meet from all the parts of the world into two provinces, namely Aſſyria and Egypt, nor ſhall their Kingdome be any more divided, but they ſhall have one Prince the Meſſiah the Sonne of David. I do alſo ſet forth the Inquiſition of Spaine, and rehearſe divers of our Nation, and alſo of Chriſtians, Martyrs, who in our times have ſuffered ſeverall ſorts of torments, and then having ſhewed with what great honours our Jewes have been graced alſo by ſeverall Princes who profeſſe Chriſtianity. I prove at large, that the day of the promiſed Meſſiah unto us doth draw neer, upon which occaſion I explaine many Prophecies, &c.
By all which you ſee his full agreement with your conjecture concerning the Americans, that they are deſcended of the Hebrewes: when his booke comes to my hand, you ſhall have it God willing.
In the meane time I ſhall adde ſome of my conjectures concerning the Jewes which live on this ſide of the world with us in Europe and Aſia; theſe are of two ſorts or Sects, the one is of Phariſees, the other of Caraits, the Phariſees in Europe and Aſia are in number farre beyond the Caraits, they differ from one another whereſoever they are, as Proteſtants doe from Papiſts; for the Phariſees, as the Papiſts, attribute more to the Authoritie and traditions of their Rabbies and Fathers, then to the word of God; but the Caraits will receive nothing for a rule of faith and obedience but what is delivered from the word of God immediately: and their name imports their profeſſion, that they are readers of the Text, or Textuaries, for ſo the word foreign you know when it relates to bookes and writings, is to be rendred. Theſe two Sects are irreconcilably oppoſite to each other, and as the Papiſts deale with Proteſtants, ſo do the Phariſees with the Caraits, they perſecute and ſuppres them and their profeſſion by all the meanes they can poſſibly make uſe of: Nay as Mr Ritangle (of whom I have all the informations which I know concerning the Caraits) tels me, the hatred of the Phariſees is ſo fierce againſt their oppoſites the Caraits, that they have Anathematized them ſo, as never to be reconciled unto them; inſomuch, that it is counted unlawfull ſo much as to ſpeake to any of them, or to any that belongeth unto them, but at the diſtance of foure cubits at leaſt; their Bookes and all things belonging to them, are avoided as things abominable and to be abhorred; nor will the Phariſees, although the Caraits ſhould become penitent, and deſire to be joyned to their Congregations, and renounce their owne way, admit of them as a Caraite reconciled unto them: but the Caraite muſt firſt become a Chriſtian, a Mahumetan, or an Idolater, before he can be admitted to joyne with them, that it may never bee ſaid that a Phariſee was reconciled to a Caraite, or that a Caraite is become a Phariſee. As their principles and affections are thus different, ſo are their opinions, and the courſe of their life extremely oppoſite; the Phariſees are full of ſuperſtitious imaginary fooliſh conceits, and thalmudicall queſtions and nicities in their Sermons and Bookes; the Caraits are rationall men that take up no doctrines but what the Scriptures teach, by comparing one text with another: The Phariſees have wild and extravagant fancies concerning the Meſſiah and his reigne; but the Caraits have true grounds of ſpirituall and raiſed thoughts concerning the Meſſiah and his Kingdome, little different from that which the better ſort of Chriſtians truly believe, and profeſſe of theſe miſteries. The Phariſees in their Sermons inſiſt upon nothing but their traditions and ceremonies, and fooliſh curioſities; but the Caraits inſiſt onelyonly upon neceſſary and profitable duties, teaching the way of Godlineſſe and honeſty, to bring men from the outward forme to the inward power and ſpirituall performance of divine worſhip.
As concerning their courſe of life, the Phariſees live every where by a way of trading & uſury, which is deſtructive to thoſe with whom they have commerce; but the Caraits abhor that way, as peſtilent unto humane ſocieties, and betake themſelves to trades, and manufactures, to become husbandmen, and ſervants in the places where they live, and to ſerve as Souldiers under the Magiſtrate, who doth protect them.
This being the ſtate and difference of theſe two Sects, (as he who in Aſia and ſome part of Europe hath been above twenty yeers converſant with them, and a Doctor in their Synagogues, hath informed me) I ſhall acquaint you with my Conjectures concerning the event of our preſent troubles in the world over all, and the revolution of the Jewiſh ſtate, which are theſe; that it is not unlikely to me that the iſſue and effect of theſe changes which now are wrought, and afoot to bee wrought in the world, (wherein the higheſt powers are ſhaken, and a generall diſtreſſe is brought upon all the Nations of the earth) will be a breaking of the yokes of tyranny and oppreſſion, under which not onelyonly the Jewes every where groan, but with them moſt of the Gentiles, or rather all of them that are under an arbitrary power of abſolute Potentates, and ſuperſtitious ſelfe-ſeeking teachers; that the breaking of theſe yokes is already a great way advanced. Firſt, in the Eaſterne China Empire by the invaſion of the Tartarians. Secondly, in the Northerne and Eaſterne Mahometane Empire, by the changes brought upon, and likely to fall out in the Ottoman houſe and line; and by the liberty which of late hath been granted to the Jewes, not onelyonly from taxes, but of repairing to Jeruſalem, and having Synagogues there, which heretofore was utterly prohibited. Thirdly, in the Weſterne, which is called the Roman or German Empire, by theſe late troubles, and the aſſiſtance which the King of the North the Swede, hath given to Proteſtants to maintaine their liberty: All the power of theſe yokes muſt yet further be broken in the Supreame and Subordinate Miniſters thereof; in reſpect of the whole bodies of theſe Empires, and of the particular Kingdomes and States which reſort under the ſame; for all Nations by the light of naturall reaſon, but chiefely thoſe, whom the Goſpel hath enlightned, and prepared in a meaſure, to apprehend the hope of the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God, will more and more every where reſent their priviledge and right to a freedome, from which they have been reſtrained, by the miſtery of iniquity in ſpirituall and corporall matters; and when the grounds of righteous order, of impartiall love to mankinde, and of common preſervation, ſhall breake forth at laſt, and be taken notice of in the midſt of theſe confuſions and great troubles which fall upon all ſorts of men; then the Jewes will come and appeare in their owne ranke, and for their own intereſt, they will by others be reſpected; for their intereſt will be upon the diſſolution of the Mahometan, to reſiſt and oppoſe the Spaniſh Monarchy, that it may not propagate it ſelfe Eaſtward, and Southward, beyond the Mediterranean Sea; and that the Inquiſition by which they have been ſo cruelly perſecuted, may be every where aboliſhed; but above all things, kept out of the holy Land and their beloved City Jeruſalem: If then there ſhould be any tranſactions (as it is ſaid there is like to be) between the Ottoman houſe and the houſe of Spaine about the Holy Land, the Jewes who are now at ſome liberty there, and begin from all parts of the Earth to lift up their eyes to looke thitherward, will quickely reſent it, and finde their intereſt to be the enjoyment of their owne inheritance; and to helpe them to it, they will finde aſſiſtance from all Chriſtians that are not ſlaves to ſuperſtition and tyranny, and that aſſiſtance and favour which by ſuch Chriſtians will be given them, may in Gods hand be a meanes to open the Phariſee his eyes, to ſee ſomewhat in Chriſtianity, from which he hath been hitherto blinded, by reaſon of the prejudice which the Idolatry of the Papall Sea, and the Spaniſh Inquiſition hath begotten in him. As for the Caraits, God hath ſo ordered it, that the greateſt bodies of them are in the Northerne parts of the World, by which the ten Tribes, if ever they come to the Holy Land, are like to come; there be ſome few in Ruſſia, ſome in Conſtantinople, ſome in Alcair, ſome in Perſia, and ſome in other places of Aſia and of Africa; but Mr Ritangle told me that their chiefe bodie is amongſt the Aſiatique and European Tartarians, who now appeare upon the ſtage as beginning to be conquerers. For beſides that which they doe fully poſſeſſe in China, they have taſted ſomewhat of a victorious progreſſe of late in Poland, and they are the next pretenders to the Ottoman Crowne, if the line faile, which is like to be: their riſing and diſſipation abroad from their owne centers to their circumferences towards neighbour Nations, will weaken them at home; and if then, when they are not ſtrong within their owne bounds, and by their invaſions have weakened their neighbours Southward on; God call the ten Tribes to march toward the place of their inheritance: the Caraits their brethren will be leaders of them on their way, and ſo their march may be, as Manaſſeh Ben Iſrael ſaith, to make their Rendezvous in Aſſyria; and on the other ſide, the Jewes that are Phariſees, may make their Rendezvous from Arabia and other neighbouring places, and out of all Europe into Egypt; that ſo when the Shunamite ſhall returne (as it is ſaid in the Canticles, chap. 6. ver. 13.) the world may looke upon her, and may ſee in her the company of two Armies, which both ſhall look towards Jeruſalem. Then will the great battaile of Harmageddon be fought, whereunto all theſe troubles and changes are but preparatives: then ſhall the ſword of the Spirit, the word of God, prevaile mightily over the ſpirits of all men; the two edges thereof on the right hand and on the left, will cut ſharpe, and pierce to the dividing aſunder of ſoule and ſpirit, and of the joynts and marrow, and to the diſcerning of the thoughts and intentions of the heart: and when this ſword ſhall be thus powerfull in the hands of his Saints, (the true Proteſtants with the one troope, and the true Caraits with the other) then ſhall be fulfilled the Prophecie of the Pſalmiſt, that Pſa. 149 7, 8, 9.vengeance ſhall be executed upon the Heathen, and puniſhments upon the people; that their Kings ſhall be bound with chaines, and their Nobles with fetters of iron; and that the honour due to all Saints ſhall be given them, to be made executioners of the judgement written in the word of God againſt them. We know not how neare theſe things are at hand, let us therefore be watchfull, and put on the armour of light, to be ready, when the Bridegroome comes, to goe with him in our wedding garment, having our lamps burning, and proviſion of oile, into the wedding chamber. And to this effect, the Lord teach us to be diligent, to be found of him in peace, without ſpot and blameleſſe, that in the midſt of theſe fightings and confuſions, we may not be found as many are, ſmiting their fellow ſervants, eating and drinking largely of the ſpoile of thoſe that are ſpoiled, and being drunken with the paſſions of malice, entertained for the revenge of injuries, or of covetouſneſſe and ambition, proſecuted for ſelf-intereſts: and with this prayer I ſhall commend you to the grace of God, and reſt,
Your faithfull friend and fellow labourer in the Goſpel of Chriſt. J. DURY. St Iames, this 27 Ian. 1649/50.