And indeed, if this is not fincerely endeavour'd, it will be very difficult to justify the Trade of BuxING, TRANSPORTING, and SELLING them as Beafts of Burthen.

For tho' it fhould be allowed to be a Blessing for these ignorant, rude, and uncivilized People, who can hardly be more miserable in any Country than in their own, to be brought, even in the Condition of Slaves, into a Country of civilized People, where Mens Lives and Liberties are fecured by Laws, and where they may be fuppofed, in time, to be qualified to receive Inftructions of every kind, both for the Benefit of Society, and for the Salvation of their own Souls; -yet it would be great Barbarity and Injuftice, to make a Gain for ever of their Labours, and those of their Children, and neither to take care of their religious Inftruction themselves, nor contribute to the Support of thofe who do this charitable Work for them. This would fhew too plainly, that the Profits gained by the Labours of their Slaves are more valued by their Masters, than the Glory of God, or than the Salvation of their own, or their Servants Souls; FORGETTING THAT THEY THEMSELVES HAVE A MASTER IN HEAVEN.

But the true way, which all wife and good Masters will take with their Slaves, and will recommend themselves and their Labours to the Bleffing and Protection of God, is, To endeavour that their Slaves may have the Ties of Religion and Confcience, to oblige them to be faithful, peaceable, and contented with their Condition.And nobody ought to question, but that these People are as capable of receiving religions Inftructions, as any other Gentiles, or even as we ourselves were, when the Gofpel was firft preached to us.And they who infinuate, to the Reproach of our Lord, and

the

the Power of his Grace, that the Converfion of the Negroes will either be impoffible, or be of no Advantage to their Masters, have much more to anfwer for, than they feem to imagine or to apprehend.

And those Mafters who grudge their Slaves Time fufficient for their Inftruction in the Way of Life and Happiness, and compel them to profane the Lord's Day, in procuring Neceffaries for their Support, in direct Oppofition to God's Command, given in Compaffion both to Man and Beaft ;fuch Mafters have no Reafon to expect the Bleffings of either this World or the next.

These are some of the Obftacles which lie in the Way of the CONVERSION of the Negroes and Indians, and cause that glorious Work to go on fo flowly :-And, certainly, they who are concerned to remove them, and who do not, will be look'd upon as Enemies to God, and his Christ, and as fuch fhall be treated at the laft Day.

The WANT of MISSIONARIES, both for NUMBER and QUALIFICATIONS, to undertake fo difficult a Work, is another Reason which delays their Converfion, and greatly to be lamented.-Thefe cannot be hoped for, without Affiftances equal to the Work.

LasIn order to this, it pleafed God to put into the Hearts of our Princes, TO ESTABLISH, BY A CHARTER, A SOCIETY FOR PROPAGATING THE GOSPEL IN FOREIGN PARTS, which hath hitherto been encourag'd, and kept up, by many worthy, but voluntary Subfcriptions, and Benefac tions. And may God increase their Number, and bless the Subftance of all fuch Benefactors But Experience hath convine'd thofe who are chiefly concern'd in carrying on this good Work, Ithat a much greater Income than they have yet

had,

had, will be neceffary to fupply the Number of Miffionaries that are wanted, and are every Day pray'd for by fuch People as are well difpofed, but not able of themselves to maintain fuch as may inftruct them.

In the mean time we hope, and have Reason to expect, that this excellent Undertaking, in which the Glory of God, and the Good of Men, are fo nearly concern'd, will meet with ftill more and greater Encouragement from Chriftians of all Denominations, when they confider the Obligations upon every one to put-to their helping Hand, according to their Ability, as a Proof of their Love for our Lord Jefus Chrift, and of their zealous Concern for the everlasting Salvation of the Souls of Men.

Those Gentlemen are under an indifpenfible Obligation to fupport and encourage this excellent Work, who draw great Riches from the Traffick and Labour of the Negroes, and from the Nations and Countries of the Indians, whether they live here, or in the Indies.

And indeed one cannot but believe, that these Gentlemen, who refide in the great and trading Towns of England, and are generally of a very liberal Difpofition, and ready to every good Work, do only want to be made fenfible of the Good they are able to do this way, and the Obligations which lie upon them to promote fo pious a Work;

whereby they would be moft certainly intitled to the efpecial Bleffing of God in this World upon their Trade, their Ships, themselves, and their Families, as well as that they might have Leave to hope for Bleffings of an higher and a nobler kind.

In fhort one would hope, that all People who value the Bleffing of an ingenuous and Chriftian Education, will countenance this Work, fome by

their Affiftance, all by their Prayers:Efpecially when they confider, that this very State of Dark-nefs, and deplorable Ignorance, muft have been our own Cafe to this Day, had not God in Mercy fent Millionaries to instruct the Generations before us.

And although there are many Chriftians, who differ in Opinions from one another, fometimes in Matters of little Moment ;-yet fure all fuch as agree in the great and faving Truths of the Gofpel, will unite to weaken the Power of Satan, who still exerciseth his Malice over fo great a Part of Man-kind..

And it will be a prevailing Motive to endeavour this, when we confider how far this Charity may extend; -for as we ourselves do now enjoy the' Bleffings and Fruits of their charitable Labours,. who fo long fince preached the Gospel to these Nations, fo we have Reafon to hope and believe that the Generations to come, in the miferable Countries we are now concern'd for, will, in God's: good Time, and by his Bleffing upon this Society, offer up many Thanksgivings to God, for having touch'd our Hearts with a Senfe of the wretched Condition of their Forefathers, and having helped them out of it.

These, and the like Confiderations, will, one would hope, prevail with all fuch well-difpofed Christians, as shall come to the Knowledge of this Society, to enable its Governors to fend and en-courage Miffionaries, fufficient for fo great and extenfive an Undertaking, and fuch as are endued with a truly Chriftian Spirit, and with a prudent Zeal for the Glory of God, and the Salvation of Men. And indeed, IF THIS IS NOT TO HONOUR GOD WITH OUR SUBSTANCE, WE SHALL BE AT A LOSS TO FIND A BETTER WAY.

In the mean time it must not be forgotten, That every pious and understanding Christian, who, by the Providence of God, is placed among the Heathens, or is in any way concern'd with them, may be capable, in fome meafure, of becoming a Miffionary, and may receive, at leaft from God, a Miffionary's Reward; by endeavouring to difpofe fuch People to bethink themselves, why they were. fent into the World, and what may become of them when they leave it.

. For Example: Every fuch ferious Chriftian may, in his Converfation with Heathens, endeavour to convince them that the Gods they worship are indeed evil Spirits, which will be their Ruin for ever, if they do not renounce and forfake them :That they are thefe evil Spirits which lead them, and all wicked Men, to do fuch Things as an Holy and Good God must be displeased with, and which he hath declared he will punish most severely in the Life which is to come-He can further inform them, That the God we worship is he who made us, and all the World;-That he is moft worthy of their Love, and their Obedience,fince he hath commanded nothing but what is necessary for our Good; -That he would have all Men, without Refpect of Perfons, to be happy; and that he will make all Men happy, who will do what he hath commanded them. At the fame time he can let them know, That the Wrath of this Great and Holy God is greatly to be feared, above all things, by fuch as do not obey his Commands; fo that they ought not to be eafy till they know how to obtain his Pardon, and to be reftor'd to his Favour.

He can, in converfing with them, let them know further,- -that our God and Maker hath been fo exceeding good and kind, as to fend his own Son

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