34 On the defcent of the American Indians from the Jews.
of the rites and cuftoms of the Jews, believed there were three deftinies who prefided over human life, and had each of them their particular office ; one held the diftaffof life, while another fpun the thread, and Atropos cut it off: a ftrong but wild picture of the divine fire, light, and fpirit. When Virgil is praifmg the extraordinary virtue of Ripheus, who was killed in defence of his native city, Troy, he adds, Diis dlter vifitm <?/, fubmitting to the good and wife providence of the gods, who thought fit to call him off the ftage. However, he feems to be perplexed on the fubject ; as he makes fate fometimes conditional ;
��Similis ft cur a fuijfef,
��Nee pater omnipotens Trojam nee fata vetabant Stare,
" If the ufual proper care had been taken, neither Jupiter nor fate wouirf have hindered Troy from {landing at this time." But, if th.t time of dying was unalterably fixed, according to the Indian fyftesj,, or that of our fatalifts, how would its votaries reconcile the fcheaiS: of divine Providence ? which mull be in conformity to truth, reaibn, and goodnefs, and how explain the nature of moral good and evil t On their principle, felf-murder would be a necefiary act of a paffiv* being fet on work by the firft mover ; and his obligations would be proportionable, only to his powers and facul ties -, which would excufe the fuppofed criminal from any juft future punifh- ment for filicide. But religion, and true reafon, deny the premifes, and they themfelves will not own the confequence.
It is their opinion of the THEOCRACY, or, that God chofe them out of all the reft of mankind, as his peculiar and beloved people, which ani mates both the white Jew, and the red American, with that fteady hatred againft all the world, except themfelves, and renders them hated or defpifed by all. The obftinacy of the former, in (hutting their eyes againft the facred oracles, which are very explicit ^ n d clear in the original text, and of which they were the truftees, incites both our pity and reproof; whereas the others firm adherence to, and ftrong retention of, the rites and cuftoms of their forefathers, only attract our admiration.
The American Indians are fo far from being Atheifts, as fome godlefs Europeans have flattered themfelves, to excufe their own infidelity, that they have the great facred name of God, that defcribes his divine eflence, and
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