Errors, and Abuses of Popery, it was abfolutely neceffary to lay open the Scriptures to private Ufe; and to leave every Man to confider, and judge for himself. And though all And though all proper Care was taken to direct private Judgment, yet, because no force was laid upon private Judgment, (as indeed there ought to be none) the Scriptures have been made the Occafion of fetting up various Systems of Religion, to the great Breach of Peace, and Christian Charity, and to the Difgrace of the Gospel itself. For many, obferving these eternal wranglings about the Scriptures, began to pay lefs Regard to them, and to have recourse to natural Light, as to a furer Guide. And when once Reason was treated, as the Sovereign Rule in all Cafes, every Thing grew into Contempt, that Reafon could not fathom. It is thus, that the great Mystery of our Redemption by Chrift has been ftruck out of our Creed by Men pretending to be Wife. Thus, that Chriftianity in the Grofs has been traduced as a Fraud, (Pious at beft) by Men pretending to be yet wiser; who faw (or thought they faw) that there could be no use of Revelation, when natural Light was to all Intents,and Purposes fufficient without it.

T

By fuch Steps have thofe Means, by which Providence intended to restore Christianity, ferved, as Inftruments to turn Christianity out of Doors; the Confequence of which hath been, a Difregard to all publick Rule and Order in Religion; neglect

But

neglect of God's publick Worship: Profanation of the Sacrament, and all holy Seafons; which, instead of mending the Morals of Mankind (as some have vainly boafted) has introduced a general Decay of Vertue, and common Honefty. How fhould it otherwise be? When Men believe Christianity, and are ferious in the Profeffion of it, they have a Rule of Life before them, which (howfoever they may differ, as to fome doctrinal Points) they cannot mistake; and are under conftant Calls, and Admonitions to Vertue. They cannot receive the holy Sacrament; they cannot joyn in publick Worship; they cannot hear, or read God's Word, and not meet with those Checks, and Rebukes, that will touch the Conscience, and put them upon fome ferious Reflexions. when they remove themfelves out of the Way of these Helps, they quickly grow careless, and forgetful; and when they become bad in Practice, they grow bad upon Principle too, their Reafons bending, and giving way to their corrupt Inclinations, and glorying over the most criminal Actions, to make them pass for innocent, and harmless Things. All we are to infer from hence is, that human Means have their certain Periods, beyond which they cannot go. Miracles were neceffary at first to plant Christianity in the World; and whether at fome Time, or other, they may not be again as necessary to re-establish, and purge it from it Corruptions, is a Point, we must leave C

to

to the unfearchable Wisdom of God. In the mean Time it lies upon us all to be doing our best, by an honest Use of the Means still left in our Power, which I fhall now beg leave to prefs upon you. with a particular View to the Occafion of our prefent Meeting; the Support of a Charity, which wants nothing else, but to be rightly understood, to recommend it to all ferious Chriftians.

When fome Men hear of Propagating the Gofpel in Foreign Parts, they are apt to think of nothing elfe, but converting Heathen Nations to the · Chriftian Faith; which they look upon, as a Thing quite impracticable by mere human Means; And they, who thus think, and judge, can have no favourable Opinion of this Charity. But whoever looks into our Charter, will find, that the firft and principal End of this Corporation is, noț to plant Chriftianity among Heathens, but, to reftore, or to preferve it among Chriftians: Among thofe of our own People, who went from us in Poffeffion of the Chriftian Faith, but lost it; or who, yet having it, are in Danger of loofing it through the Want of God's Word, and Sacraments; without the regular Administration of which, Experience bath fhewn, and always will fhew, that Chriftianity cannot long ftand its Ground. The converting Heathens, is a fecondary, incidental Point. For fuppofe, that our Colonies had fettled in fome uninhabited Island, they would

then have had nothing to do with Heathens. And yet it would have been juft as necessary, that they should have had the Administration of the Word and Sacraments, the customary Difufe of which, will make Men Heathen, whether planted in Heathen Countries, or not.

The firft and principal End therefore of this Society, wants not the Aid of Miracles; but manifeftly falls within the Reach of human Means, from which we may reasonably expect the fame Success, that we have experienced among ourfelves. Countries, and Climates make no difference in this Cafe. But as the Cafe in Fact that our Colonies are fettled in Heathen Countries; it is not at all unlikely, that if we can preferve Religion among our own People, many of the Heathens will be the better for it. Of a general Converfion of the native Indians I fee no great likelihood at prefent. If this is to be done by human Means, there must be the neceffary Preparations for human Means to operate. They must be polished into good Manners; there must be fome common intercourfe between us; we must bring them to fome good liking of our Laws, and Customs. All this is necessary, where the Power of Miracles is wanting; and when, or whether ever it will be done, God only knows. But our Negroe Slaves are within our Authority; Branches, as it were, of our Families; many of them born, and bred up among us; and these C 2 may

may be taught our Religion, as eafily as they may be taught any Thing elfe, if proper Care be taken to inftruct them. The Society hath not been wanting (nor would it become them to be wanting) in their Endeavours, as to these; no, nor with respect to the native Indians, fo far as they have found it practicable. It was in the Infancy of this Society that an Attempt was made to plant Christianity among the Mohock Indians. This generous and truly Christian Defign met with Interruptions, from Causes which I need not particularly to relate; but the Iffue is, that there is now a regular, fober Congregation there of Five hundred Chriftian Indians, and a daily Increase of Vertue and good Manners among them. This is a Thing, by no Means to be defpifed. How know we, but these small beginnings may be the Foundation of some great Work to be accomplished in God's due Seafon?

But as I have already faid, the Care of this Society chiefly concerns our own People; to fecure them from falling into Irreligion, or (as the Charter farther fuggefts) to guard them against the Attempts of Popish Priefts, who will teach them Religion indeed, but not fuch a Religion, as every good Subject would wish them to have. If you ask; Why do not our Colonies maintain Ministers at their own Expence? the Answer is, that in many Places, fo they do; and if they do it not every where, the Reafon is, because in

many