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Show 192 A Relation of the Spaniih Voyages‘ will not be fuflicient that your Majelty demand your Tributes, and threaten thofe with fevere Punifhn ment who (hall prefume to torment the Indians for and Crueltier in the WeflJndiES. I9; incorporate themfelves and live in Societies, that they may perform the folemn Aéts of Divine WorI mip by the praé'cice of the feven Sacraments and other Ceremonies of the Church. ‘Tis necelI'ary the future, or exact fuch Tasks of 'em as they are not juftly oblig'd to perform 5 for they'l Itill perfilt in the fame courfe. As the fevere Bondage of the Indians is a great other parts of his Worlhip, that fo new Converts obftacle to their Converlion on the one hand, fo on may be confirm'd in the manner of Life they have the other is the courfe taken to difperfe 'em at a diftance one from another, whereby 'ti‘s almoft ime poflible to alFemble a conl'iderable number of 'em. embrac'd', for without thefe helps they would in- Both theie ways prevent their being inltruéted in‘ our Religion, and put in the way of Salvation. 'Tis necell‘ary in order to their being fed with the Divine Word, that they live in Society, and be in a condition to be eaiily affembled; and 'tis as ne-a cellary they {hould enjoy an entire Liberty, that they might voluntarily embrace the Word of God. for Chriitians to meet together from time to time in public to hear the Word of God, and aflift at fienfibly decline in their Zeal, and might come even to'lofe their Faith. ' In fhort, if the Spaniards are permitted to keep the Indians fcatter'd up and down On the Mountains, and in the Vallies, and to employ 'em perpetually in performing the unreafonable Tasks they exaét of 'em, it will be impoflible to inftruét 'em in our Religion to any purpofe. ' ' By what has been faid, your Majel‘ty may very well Conceive what Diforders reign in the Indies, and. The Learned fay there was‘ no Syltem of written ' how necelTary 'tis to hinder the Spaniards from re; Laws given by God in the time of Abraham", b'ecaufe‘ , taming the Natives under fo fevere a Yoke, and the Church was his Family, and did not confilt of any whole Nation. Nor did God fee good to give his from proceeding to depopulate the Country as they have hitherto done. And that which is yet more Law to the Ifraelites while in Egypt, tho they were deplorable, is, that they {utter 'em to die without then a numerous People, and computed to be no lefs taking care to have the Sacraments adminil‘ter'd to than fix hundred thoufand Men able to bear Arms, becaufe they were not a free People, being yet in 'tm, having no more regard for 'em than for Dogs Or Horfes. One would think they believ'd thefe People to have no immortal Souls, but were uncapa: Captivity. But the Almighty gave 'em his Law ble of Rewards or Punifhments in the other Life. when thefe two conditions were found in "em toThe Spaniards are no way qualified either to be gether, namely, when they were both Numerous and Free :, which was not till he had employ'd his Power ‘ LOrds and Mafters of the Indians, or to teach 'em the Dottrin of the Gofpel, or to induce 'em to me _ to deliver 'em from the Yoke of Pharaoh. But of brace it by their Examples. A conliderable nume all Laws, that of the Gofpel efpecially requires of Indians were committed to the care of john ber . both thefe Conditions, becaufe it fuppofes Perfons‘ at liberty to feek to be inftruéted in it, and to put . Colmenero to be inftruéted in our Religion, tho he the Precepts of it in praé‘tife. And 'tis very PTO" i Wasfo ignorant that he knew not well how to make per for thofe that obferve the Laws of Chrifl' t0 ‘ lflCOTe thelign of the Crofs, or give any tolerable'accouht ‘ "his own Faith 5 in fo much that when he was ask'd Q What, |