them, to enlighten their Minds with faving Truths, to turn them from dumb Idols to the Worship of the living God, and let them into a Share of our Spiritual Things, in Exchange for their tem poral ones.

Upon these Confiderations our Thoughts have been hitherto chiefly directed, and our Miffionaries fent to thofe Countries where we have Plantations and Colonies; and as there is little Hope of recommending our Religion to the Natives, till our own People in thofe Parts are brought to a better Knowledge, and a ftricter Obfervance of it, our main Bufiness at present is, and our Fund is likely to be for fome time employed about that preparatory Service. Service. Not that the larger view of our SOCIETY is givèn over as impracticable; but that this pre vious Work is judged to be of fuch. Neceffity, that should we omit it, it would prove a stumbling Block, and a Prejudice, and indeed an infuperable Difficulty in our Way. For with what Hopes of Success, with what Face or Confidence

dence could we call upon the native Indians, and exhort them to the Belief and Obfervance of the Gofpel; or how could we perfwade them that we are in earnest, and really expect to be faved by it, till our own People, who live in their Neighbourhood, and with whom they have frequent Communication,

are

brought to fhew more Regard to its Ordinances? Till the publick Worship of God, and a regular Ministry is settled among them, which not many Years ago they were generally destitute of; and tho' by the Care of the SOCIETY, a good Progrefs has been made in this Bufinefs, and many Churches, Chappels, and Schools have been erected, yet there remains a great deal ftill to be done, and till which is done, we fhall hardly be in Circumftances to make fuccessful Attempts in converting the Pagan World, in bringing the Kingdoms of the Earth to be the Kingdoms of our Lord, all Princes to fall down before him, and all Nations to ferve him.

But are we certain, will fome be apt to fay, that the Pleasure of the Almighty

is

is purfued, and the Glory of God interefted, in our endeavouring to make every Knee bow at the Name of Jefus, and every Tongue confefs him to be the Chrift; in gathering together the Gentiles to be Fellow Citizens with the Saints, and Difciples of one Lord, one Faith, one Baptifm? May not that Diversity of Religions, which Men of plain Sense and Understanding have always thought a Dishonour to God, and offenfive to him, be really what he approves of, and his Name be the more exalted, by being praised with that Variety of Rites and Ceremonies, which have been instituted by humane invention all the World over?

This indeed has been infinuated by fome free Reafoners, and inferred from hence, that were it not pleafing to God, he would have ordered Things otherwife, and not have fuffered fo great a part of Mankind to have gone on for fo many Ages in a Practice which he abominated. But if this Argument be of any Force, it will equally prove that the Vices and Immoralities of Men are pleafing to God, and the many Iniquities of a corrupt

World

The

World are to his good Liking; for they too have Prescription on their Side, and an equal Antiquity to boast of. proper Diftinction therefore to be made in both Cafes is, that the Permiffion of the Almighty is a very different Thing from his Approbation; that the nature of Man, as a free Agent, and his Condition here as in a State of Trial, make it expedient that he should be at Liberty to do evil as well as good, and that he should have all that Freedom of acting, which he fo feldom makes a right Ufe of. Upon this bottom stand all the Precepts of natural Religion, and the Perfwafives of Mofes and the Prophets, our bleffed Saviour and his Evangelifts, who, how much foever they defired the Converfion cf the World, made no Ufe of a coercive Power for that Purpose, nor of cunningly devifed 2 Pet. 1. Fables.

We may therefore allow very readily, that it is not the divine Will, nor for God's Honour, that Religion fhould be propagated by Croifades, Inquifitions, or an Holy War; that our Father which B

is

16.

is in Heaven had much rather his Kingdom fhould not come, nor his Will be done in Earth, than to have it performed only by fuch as are preffed into his Service. How abfurd and impious is it to burn, and maffacre, and destroy Mens Lives, for his Name's Sake and Honour, Luk.9.56. Who came into the World to fave them? Did any Calamity ever befal the poor Americans equal to that of their first Converfion? Could they be thought

Luk.2.10. Meffengers of the Prince of Peace, and of glad Tidings of great Joy to all People, who harraffed them with Fire and Sword to receive Baptifm, and with an unchriftian Spirit, and a barbarous Zeal, put to Death Thousands, nay Millions, and laid waste and depopulated whole Provinces ? Nor is the infamous Method of making Converts in the Eaft, tho' for Want of Power lefs cruel, to be honoured by the Name of propagating the Gofpel, or of doing God Service. Our bleffed Lord's Apoftles, had they been without the Power of Miracles, would have fcorned to counterfeit them by Mathematical Tricks, or Aftronomical Predictions; they

would