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Show 186 A Relation of the Spanifli V03/4365 and CMickie; in the Villeiiwindies. and the matter is of great importance, becaul'e it concerns the preaching and propagation of the true Faith and Worihip olTGod, the Converlion of numerous Nations, and the Government of 'em 3 which is to be adminiflred with Lenity and Prudence, that Juftice may be maintain'd among 'em, and the love of Virtue infpir'd into 'em : which is an Employ too great for any but Soveraign Princes to I87 ‘put your trait in God, who will make your W'orl; ‘ fucceed to his Glory. h . The other Claui'e contains a kind 0'; Command, and is thus cxprcié'd :, ‘ N ‘ We command you in Virtue oi the holy tJ-oea ‘dience you owe us-7 and wedount not. out you ‘will undertake this Afiair With a great deal or periorm. "zeal and fervor, and fend into th: lilands anal 'Tis certain the Holy See has chofen the King of Spain to be entrulled with the Government of the In- ‘Continent Men fearing God, able, experience, dies 5 which may be 'prov'd by two confiderable Cir- cumitances. The firft of which is the Ciaule added in the Commifiion, 1V5 rely upon your Fidelityjl'rudeiire and jujlice: which is inferted in the Bull of Grant and Cominillion of the Indie: to the molt ferene Kings ofSpain, wherein the Pope lays in exprefs Terms ~, ‘ Knowing you to be Kings truly Catholic, as we ‘have been afi‘ur'd by many experiences, and that ‘ your Piety is every where regarded throughout the ‘ Chrii'tian World, we doubt not but you will nit ‘ all the care and diligence you can for the Exaltaii‘ on and Increafe of the Catholic Faith 5 as you have ‘ fpar'd no charge or pains to refcue the Kingdom ‘ of Grenada from the hands of Samzem and lnfidels, ‘ which has fo much conduc'd to the Glory of th: ‘ name of God. ' The fecond Circumilance is, that when any a:prcfs Order is added in the Commiihon7 the hill" Claufe of it is exprefs'd in thefe Words: ‘ We exhort you by your Holy Baptifm, which ‘obliges you to fubmit to our Apoitolic Orde rs; ‘ and we conlure you by the Bowels of Compa lliOIl ‘ in Jefns Chriit, that you would generoully under - ‘ {like this l2:-:pedition, to engage the People of WC ‘ New \‘x'orlil to embrace the Chriltian Religion: ‘ no: let any Hirdfliips o; Perils dii7;o;iizzge you, but ‘and capable of initruéting the inhabitants of tne ‘ New World in the Catholic Faith, and of infpir- sing 'em with the love of Virtue. . . Thefe Circnml‘tances make it fiifficiently appeai, that the Pope gave the charge offlcauhng the Indians to be inftrucied to the Kings or Spain, in confideration of the iignal Services render'd the Church by that Crown ', nay, that he has oblig'd them to un~ dertake this good work by his expi'efs. Command to apply themfelves to it, in Virtue of the holy Obeo dience they owe him. 7 Purfuant to this thefe Princes folemnly engagd themfelves to fecond the Pepeis deiigns With all their Power: Their Promile was tnrn'd into a Cover ant, and became a formal Obligation on 'ei'n; and cont fequenitly 'tis the incliibeniib‘le Duty of the lungs of Spain to be the Minilters oi the i‘iOly tee in carrying the Word ofGod into the ladies, and eonti lijlitu ing all their Power to continue the work oi convei ting the Indians .- Their care lhould be extended if: their temporal as well as {piritualConcerns-,[anii they ought to neglect nothing that may be neceiiary for their prefervation or converlion. Nor is it lawful for thefe Princes to abdicate this Authority, and diveft themfelves of this jurifdictiOii. F Let your Majelty therefore pleife to. coiiiidei‘ lea riouily how itriét and indifpe‘nlihl‘e this Obligation is; be pleas'd to remember tart in tiie year Lie-97 9 pa: w h. ‘31! |
