REGULATIONS or THK Cibrarn of tjje Jfekraktreet SWeig IN BOSTON. L'Ih- Library is open to the use of all the Members of the Federal-street Congregational Society. ii. Hooks are delivered from the Library at the close of the morning service on every Sunday. Books must be returned at the same time. in. Each person may take two volumes at a time. IV. No volume can be taken from the Library, until its title, together with the name and residence of the person on whose account it is taken, has been recorded in a book k'-pt for the purpose. v. ( )cta\ i> and duodecimo volumes may be kept four jreekti ; other books, only two weeks. rids booker as placed in the Library, OOK \Y No. ^ I . \ Dr. Chauncfs E MARK'S On certain Passages in The Bifhop of Landaff's SOCIETY-SERMON, L E T T E To a FRIEND, Containing, Remarks on certain Passages in a SERMON Preached, by the Right Reverend Father in GOD, John Lord BiJJj.op of Landaff] before the Incorporated Society for the Propagation of the Gofpel in Foreign Parts, at their Anniversary Meeting in the Parifh Church of St. Mary-Le-Bow, Ft- Iprnary 20. 1767. In which the higheft .Reproach is undefervedly caft upon the American Colonies. By Charles Chauncy, D. D Paftor of the firft Church of Chrift in Bofton, s > BOSTON: Printed by KNEBLAND and ADAM^ in Milk-Street, for Thomas Leverett, in Corn-h:i!« RIdcclxvii. 4hh 'ffert ■ I « ■ I ■ I ' ■ > H I' - ■ ■ ' ' ' •" ■ " !■ m 1 S I R, ■^HIS waits upon you with my thanks for fending me the Lord Bifhop of Landaff's fermon, preached lad February before the Society for the propagation of the Gofpel in foreign parts ; though I am forry it was accom- panied with your defire, after I had carefully read it, to give you my thoughts concerning thofe paf- fagesin it which relate to the American Colonies. You could not have felected a perfon better Me- ted to anfvver your defign, fo far as a warm affection for this as well as the Mother-Country, and a frrono; attachment to the intereft and honor of both, may be efteemed requifite qualifications i but you might, in regard of leifure and abilities, with much more propriety, have enjoined this fervice on fome others of your acquaintance : However, my obligations to you are fuch, that I could notexcufe my felf from attempting that, which, I join with you in thinking, juftice to the Colonies requires fhould be done upon this oc- Had ( 6 ) Had the character you mention, as given the Britifh Colonies, been contained in a difcourfe delivered by a common Clergy-man, before a common audience, it would, I believe, have given you no uneafinefs ; as you would not have been apprehend ve of any harm from it : But, as it is exhibited in a fermon, preached before the incor- porated Society for the propagation of the Gofpel in foreign parts, many of whom are high in rank, and fuftain the greateft character, no wonder your concern was moved ; efpecially, as this refpeclable body of men have virtually made themfelves patrons of the fermon. So we are authorifed to think from their voting the preacher thanks for it, and defiring hirn to deliver to them a copy of it for the prefs ; unlefs it may be faid, this was only a matter of form and ceremony ; to fuppofe which would reflect dishonor on its dignified author. We, in this part of the world, mud be fhamefully impious and immoral, to deferve what is here faid of us •, or, if we do not, very unhappy to be publickly placed in (o injurious a point of light. Whether we are the one, or the other, I mail now examine. His Lcrdfhip fays, Pag. 6. " Since the dif- covery of the new world, the fame provifion hath not been made of minifters, necefiary to the fupport ofChriftianicy among thofc who removed thither ; efpecially in the Britifh Colonies". If ( 7 ) ' the complaint here made, fo far as the Colonics without difcri mi nation are concerned in it, lies iri this, that they have not provided themfelves with minifters epifcopally ordained, they readily owri the fact. But, furely, his Lordfhip does not think, that fuch minifters are fo necejfary that Chriftianity cannot be fupported without them. This doctrine was taught, and believed, in Former times, when bigotry and opprefTion were the characteriftic of fome that were placed in high offices both in church and (late ; but, in the prefent day of enlarged knowledge and free- dom of inquiry, it is hoped there is no Arch- Bifhop, or Bilhop in England, of fuch contracted principles. Certainly, his Lordfhip is more ca- tholic in his fentiments : Otherwife He might have been more extenfive in his complaint,by tak- ing in Scotland,Holland,and many of the reform- ed proteftant churches in Europe ; for they, as truly as the Britifh Colonies in America, are not provided with minifters "neceflfary to the fupporc of Chriftianity" among them, if Epifccpal ones only are fufficient for the purpofe. It is therefore probable, the meaning of the charge againft the Colonies is, that they had provided themfelves with no minifters at all, or had been fo fcanty in their provifion, that Chriftianity, on this ac- count, muft fink and die, having no better a fup- port. .But this, affirmed of the Colonies with- out diftincYipn, or limitation, is fo contrary to the truth;' ( 8 ) truth of fact, and might have fo eafily been known to be fo, that I cannot but wonder at his Lordfhip's charge. It can, with honor to him, be in no way accounted for but by fuppofmg, that he was fome how or other ftrangely mifin- formed. BiefTed be God, we in New-England, now have, and all along from the fir ft fettkment of the Country have had, a full provifion of Gofpel-minifters. * Had they been confecrated after the mode of the eftablifhtd Church at home, and his Lordfhip had known their num- ber and jull character, he would, I doubt nor, have reverfed what he has here faid, and have fpoken largely in commendation of, at kaftj theft parts of the American world. The * Within the limits of New-Ensrta.nd, there are O J now, at the Ioweft computation, not lefs thao five hundred and fifty miniilers, fome Pitfbvterian, moft'y Congregational, who have been regularly ft para ted to the paftoral charge of as many chri- itian focieties ; having been firft educated, and graduated, at one or other of our colleges. ^They may be juftiy farther characlerifed as men of a good moral conversation. For fo facred a regard is paid here to the apoftle Paul's directions to Timothy andTius, that a rniniftcr is fure'y difmifTed from his office, if it appears, that he is not *« biame- lefs as a fteward of God, fobcr, holy, Jaft and tem- perate in all things." Jt has been faid by ftrsngers who have ccme among us, and by fome Church- Clergymen too, that the woilc of the miniftry i3 not more faithfully and diligently performed in any part of the chriftian world. ( 9 ) T*he fermon goes on, pag. ibid. " A fcanda- lous neglect, (this of not making a'provifiori of minifters) which hath brought great and deferv- ed reproach both on the adventurers^ and on the goverment whence they went ; and under whofe protection and power they ftill remained in their new habitations". How Far the government at home have brought upon themfelves " deferved reproach" for this " fcandalous neglect'*, I pre*' fume not to fay ; but this I will venture to fay* that they were as deficient in u protecting" thd adventurers* as in u providing minifters" for them. It is well known here, if not in England* that it was from themfelves, without any aiTift> ance from the government whence they came*' that they founded and fettled th's new world* amidft a thoufand hardfhips, and in bppofitioit to the furious malice of the Indian favages, with whom they were at war, at one time and ano- ther, at a vaft expence of blood and treafure, aii long as they lived j and their pofterity after them were many years expofed to like difficulties and dangers, and went chcarfully through therri •without help afforded to them from the nativ$ home of their fathers* His Lord (hip proceeds* {teg. ibid. " 1*0 trig lc adventurers, what reproach could be caft, hea* ^ vier than they deferved ? Who, with their £ native foil, abandoned their native manners and B ** religion > a ( io ) " religion ; and e*er long were found in many parts living without remembrance or knowledge 4C of G;-d, without any Divine worfhip, in diflblute €i wickednefs, and the mod brutal profligacy of " manners. Inftead of civilifing and converting " barbarous infidels, as they undertook to do, " they became themfelves infidels and barbari- *' ans. And is it not fome aggravation of their " mam*-, that this their neglect of religion was " contrary to the pretences and conditions under " which they obtained Royal grants, and public " authority to their adventures ? The pretences " and conditions were, that their defign was, and u that they fhould endeavour, the enlargement " of Commerce, and the propagation of chrifti- ** an faith. The former they executed with u fincerity and Zeal ; and in the latter moft no- " torioufly failed". A ftranger to the hiftory of thefe adventurers would be obvioufty and unavoidably led, from the defcription in this paragraph, to conceive of them, 6C in many parts" st lead, as impious, profligate and diiTo- lately wicked to the higheft degree of guilt. A blacker character could not have been given of them. But, in " what parts" were the adventurers thus loft to all fenfe of God and religion ? His Lordmip has not told us in direct terms •, but he has fo clearly and fully pointed out the ad- venturers ( II ) venturers he had in view, by certain defcriptive marks, that we can be at no lofs to know his jneaning in the limiting words, "many parts" Such are thefe that follow, " their not civilifing and converting the barbarous infidels, as they undertook to do" ', their neglect of this in- ftance of religion " in contrariety to the preten- ces and conditions under which they obtained Royal grants" ; and, finally, thefe pretences and conditions declaring, that " their design was, and that they would endeavour, THE PROPAGATION OF THE CHRISTIAN faith". There were no adventurers to Ame- rica, who undercook to convert the native barba- rians, and to whom Royal grants were made upon this condition, unlefs it were thole who came into New-England. Thefe therefore mult be the adventurers his Lordfhip had more efpe- dally in his eye. And of thefe he declares, " that, with their na^ tive foil, they abandoned their native manners and religion". His Lord (hip could not affirm this from perfonal knowledge, as thefe adventurers were all dead long before he came into being. And it is difficult to fay whence he could coiled; fo aftonilhing an account. It is not contained in any hiftory that was ever wrote, eirher of them, or of the fettlement of the Country by them. No Ivliffionary from the Society, ft is ■ .Candidly believed, -could be fo bafely wicked^ uz $ 3 W t 12 ) to tranfmit it home, it is fo flanderous and falfe % Js T or can it eafily be conceived how his Lord- fhip could come by it, unlefs from fome one, or more, who, being difafrecled to the Colonies, and malicioufly jet againft them, took an un- bounded liberty in fpeaking evil of them, even from their fir it beginnings. Thefe adventurers have fometimes been blamed for having too muck religion *, but never before,wkhin my knowledge, for having none, or for having loft what they had in their ** native" land. It is acknowledged,if their "native religion' 1 lay in a blind fubmiflicn toChurch-power, arbitrarily? rxercifed, they did *• abandon" it ; and their virtue hereby difcovered will be fpoken of to their honor, throughout all generations, by thofo acquainted with if, who really believe, in its juft latitude, this undoubted Gofpel-truth, namely., that Jefus Chritt only is fujreme Head and Lord of the chriilian Church. But if by tf abandoning their native religion*** is meant, their renouncing the acclrines ofiChri* fiianity as held forth in the thirty nine articles of the Church of England, the reverie of what is here raid is the froth. Thefe indeed are the (tfoclriries that were handed down from them to r children and children J s children ; infomuch \ r they are to this day the i-andard of ortho- d* -:y \ and there are comparatively few but arc orthodox 4 ( »3 ) orthodox in this fenfe, unlefs among thofe who profefs themfelves members of the Epifcopal Churches. Or if by " abandoning their native religion" the thing intended is, ** that e'er long they were found without remembrance, or know-* ledge of God, or any divine worfhip", as the charge againft them goes on in the next words -, it mud be plainly faid, it is altogether ground- lefs. There is no fact relative to the Country niore certain, than that thefe adventurers fo far '* remembred and knew God", as to make it one of their firft cares to provide for the carrying on, maintaining and upholding the worfhip of him, which they did wherever they extended their fettlements °, and their pofterity have conftantly took the like care all along to the prefent day. There is therefore no fenfe in which the above reprefentation can comport with truth but this, that God cannot be worfhipped, at leaft fo as that it may be proper to fay he is, unlefs the worfhip be carried on according to the manner of the eftablifhed Englifh Church. Some of the Society s Miffionaries, I have reafon to believe, are much inclined to think thus •, but I would not fupect fuch a thing of his Lordfhip, What he has here faid I would rather attribute » to mifinformation. It feems to be allowed, that thefe adventurers jiad " native manners •' ; otherwife they coulci pot, upon leaving theij " wiye foil^ J 1 abandon ( *4 ) them". But, they mud have abandoned them to an enormous height of guilt, to juftifie their being charged " with diflblute wickednefs, and the moil brutal profligacy of mann rs'\ Thefe words are fo groily reproachful, that I could fcarce believe my own eyes, when I faw them in his Lordfhip's fermon. He mud certainly, however infenfible of it, have correfponded, by word, or writing, with fome vile Calumniator. It would be injuftice to the firft fathers of New-England, if I did not fay upon this pccafion, that fome of them, were exceeded by few, in point of natural, or acquired accomplifhments ; and by far the greater part of them were emi- nently holy men •, pious toward God, jealous of the honor of Chrift as fole head of the Church, fober, juft, kind, meek, patient, difengaged in their afrecYion to things on the earth, and intirely refigned to the alwifc righteous Governor of the univerfe. And of this they exhibited the (Irong- eft evidence by their truly chriftian deportment under far greater tryals than good men are ordi- narily called to. They forfook every thing near and dear to them in their native land, from a regar'd to him who is " King in Sion". And when they removed tothe'then American wilds, and found themfelves feparated from their friends by a wide Ocean, without the conveniences, and often in want even of the necelTaries of life, fur- jpunded with difficulties, and ex^ofed to all fliannei C U ) ftiantfef of hardfhips and dangers, what could tempt them to continue here, if they had been thofe " infidels, barbarians, diffolutely wicked and brutal profligates", they are reprefented by his Lordfhip to have been ? What, in this cafe, could have prevented their return to their friends, and the comforts of their native home ? As they are fuppofed to have loft all confcience towards God, if they ever had any, Church impofitions could have been no obftacle in their way. They might, in fhort, with infi- nitely more reafon, have been fpoken of as fools, or mad-men, than irreligious profligates* It may, 1 believe* be faid with ftrict truth, there are none, now in England, of any deno- mination, in high or low ohice, or none at all* who are under circumftances that put it in their power to give fuch indubitable proof of their being truly upright good men. And I wifh they may never fee the time when they will have opportunity, by fimilar tryals, to give as good evidence of their integrity. The MiiTionaries from the Society at home may be efteemed there men of uncommon attainments inChrUtian piety, difcovered in their zeal to pro- mote the caufe of Chtift ; but they never yet exhibited, and, in all probability, will never be able to exhibit, like ample proof that this is their real character. No MiiTionary was ever fent hither, till the Country, through a vafb extent, was fubdu^d, cultivated and fettled, lb aa i 16 ) as to render living here comfortable and plea* fant. And as they are moftly fixed in popu- lous towns, in which they may eafily be fur* nifhed with conveniences, and are expofed to no hardfhips or hazards but what are common to mankind in general j they can have oppor- tunity to give no other than common evidence of the goodnefs of their character ; and while they give this, we will own ourfelves fatisfied with it, though others mould not be fatisfied with that which is much ftronger, in regard of much more important mem I mall only add here* The adventurers to this then inhofpitable land, mull have the honor of being owned the original fettlers of a Country, which, in time, if not prevented by oppreffive meafures* will probably enlarge the Bntifh Empire in extent, grandeur, riches and power, far beyond what has ever yet been known in the world* It is pity, after fuch a long courfe of labors, hardfhips, dangers and fufferings, as they heroicly went through, to prepare the way to what the Country now is* and may be in after times •, I fay, it is pity their afhes mould be raked into, and their memory treated with reproach, greater than which was never deferved by any of the fons of Adam, in any part of the earth. They are gone to receive the reward of their fidelity to their Savior and Lord -, and their reward, \$ rriay p . ; may be, will be inhanced by means of the uri~ dderved obloquies that have been caft upon them in this fermori. tt As to the charge, in the next words, that; " inftead of civiliiing and converting barba- rous infidels, as they undertook to do, they became themfelves infidels and barbarians" j and that it was " fome aggravation of their Ihame, that this their neglect of religion was, contrary to the pretences and conditions, under which they obtained Royal grants, and public authority to their adventures'* : As to this charge, I fay, it would, I believe* if fattened upon any other body of men, profefiing god.li- nefs, be efteemed highly unchriftian. Had a hint only of this nature been fuggefted, rela- tive to the Society in whole audience this cenfure was delivered, this, and much worfe, would have been faid of it, and defervedly too. And yet, that Society have, without all doubts been as deficient in their endeavours to pro- pagate the Gofpel in thefe " foreign parts",, where it was moft needed, and in contrary ty to the defign of their incorporation too, as was ever true of thefe adventurers, * For 3 by far C the * •.-.-■• f ■■ ■ * What Has been done by thefe adventurers may be feen in the general account that is given of their, labors in fome following notes. And if the fads, there related fhould be fet in contraft with the kbfirac~ts of the Society, relative to the Indians, it ( i8 ) the greater part of their money has been ex- pended, if we may judge by their own ab- flra&s, not in millions to convert the Indian- natives, not in millions to fet up and maintain the will appear at once, that, from the time of their incorporation to this day, they have done Jittlej very little, in comparison therewith. Their prin- cipal care has been to propagate the church of England -, and this, not To much in thofe places, where there was real need of Miflionaries for the inftru&ion of people in the knowledge of Chrift, or to fet up the worfhip of God among them, as where there was a fullnefs of means for fuch in- duction, and divine worfhip was already fft up, and as generally and devoutly attended as in Eng- land it felf. Many thousands of pounds flerling have been thus expended, where there was no want of it for the propagation of the Gofpel, unlefs that means the propagation of the Epifcopal mode of ferving God. And what has been the effect, of this vaft expense ? If we look over the Society's abftfactsj we (hall find one account from their Millionaires is, " We have baptifed fo many with- in inch a time ; fo many adult, and fo many chil- dren, white or black" : Every one of which might as weJi have been baptifed without a fhiiiing of this exper.ee, if it might have been done by mini- sters not epifcopally qualified for this work. Another account amounts to this, " There is the profpeel: of a Church in this and the other place ; we have been invited to pleach here and there ; fo many have profeited themfelves members of the Church, and more are inclined this way". But of whom are thefe declarations made ? Not of thofe, who were brought up in ignorance of the chriftian religion $ not of thofe, who were deftitute of the means of falvation j not of thofe, who had not the opportu- nity, and did not in fad make ufe of it, to attend the public worfhip of God ; No i but of perfons that ( 19 ) $he worfhip of God, where he was fcarce wor- fhipped at all •, but in millions to thofe places' in which the Gofpel was preached before, as truly and faithfully, as it has been fince ; if it C 2 be that have only changed, or were inclinable to change, one mode of religioufly ferving God for another ; and too often, there is reafon to think, without having thorowly inquired into matters of this nature. Sometimes an account is given of the " good morals of the people of their charge'*. It might, I believe, with exact juftice, be ("aid, thefe were as good before, as fince, their going to Church. The plain truth is, had one half the money been fpared, for other ufes, that has been expended upon New-England, thofe places on the American Continent which need it much more, might have been better provided with the means of falvation : Without all controverfie, the poor Indians might have had more laborers fent to them, both in the capacity of minifters and fchool-m afters ; and, it is probable, a large harveft of fouls would, by this time, have been gathered in for Chrift from among them. It is generally thought here, if a lefs proportion of this money was employed for the fupport of a party, and a far greater for carrying the Gofpel to the numerous aboriginal natives.* who are totally ignorant of the true God, and of his fon Jefus Chrift, it would be as honorary to the Society, and as ^ acceptable in the fight of God our Savior, who will have all men to be faved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth". 1 fnall not think it unfeaibnable, or improper, to fubjoin here, We are efpecially grieved that the Society at home are not more zealous in their en- deavours to propagate the Gofpel among the Indian natives^ as an effectual bar, a few years fmce, was laid in the way of our exerting ourfelves to this purpofe, at leaft by the inftrumentality of a Corps- . tjttioq among our felves. The ftory is briefly this, ( 20 ) be only fuppofed,that this can be done by mint- fters, not officiating according to the order of the church of England. If one were to collect their fentiments from their conduct, as repre- sented in thefe abftradts, it muft be concluded, that, with them, the propagation of the G$f- Y - • ' ' ' ■ , ■ pel, P"pon the conclufion of the late war, a general Spirit was raifed in the people here to endeavour $he Enlargement of the Redeemer's kingdom, by fend- ing the Gofpel to the Tribes of Indians on our weftern borders. They were defirous this affair fhould be put under the management of fome a- inong our fefves of weH-eflablifhed reputation for wifdom, judgment and piety, and that they fhould be incorporated by an acl: of the Government to this end. ' Two thoufand pounds fterlihg were, in a few days, fubferibed, in Bofton only, uppn this (condition." An incorporating acl: was accordingly prepared, and paiTed by the whole Legiflature of this Province, and fent home for his Majefty's ap- probation, without which it could not continue in force. But it Toon met with a negative, by means whereof this whole money was loft, and as much more we had good reafon to expect would have been fubferibed, b. fides the income of many hun- dred pounds ftcrling that had been devoted to the f-rvice of the Indians. It is hoped, the accounts we have had are not true* that the negative upon this acl was principally owing to the influence of* fome of the moft important members of the Society for the propagation of the Gofpel. We are con-; tent not to have the honor of employing our own rhoney in endeavours to Gofpelife thefe Indians, if the Society will heartily and thorowly engage in "t. We fhall rejoice to find, by their abftrac^s, that needful M.flionaries are fent to them ; and far from throwing any obftacles in their way, we will do all ii> cur £pwer to encourage and h^'f them* *.'■*•• •• ( 2! ) pel, and the eftablifnment of Epifcopacy in the Britifh Colonies, were convertible tejms. But this in tranfitu. Our complaint is, that the charge herq brought againft thefe adventurers has really no foundation for its fupport. It is not pretend- ed, that their endeavours to convert the na- tives were unmixed with human frailty. In common with other good men, in other virtu- ous undertakings, they had, no doubt, their failings ; but not fuch as may, with truth or tuftice, be called notorious ones. And it is really unkind, I may rather fay cruelly hard, to reprefent them to the world, as " becoming themfelves infidels and barbarians", inftead of yfing their endeavours to " convert babarous infidels". It is not eafily conceivable, wherein they could have exerted themfelves with more zeal,or in more prudent ways,in endeavouring to enlarge the borders of Chrift's kingdom in thefe " uttermoft parts of the earth", by mak- ing the native barbarians the members of it. It was out of their power to fupport Mifllon- aries among thefe heathen ; but, in other ways, they laid themfelves out, to the utmoft of iheir power, as they had opportunity, for their inftruction in the " knowledge of God, smd Jefus Chrift, whom to know is life eternal". And by their labors, efpecially as encouraged and aiTifted by the London-Society, and more privately, they fo fa,r effected the converfion '• r • *f ( 22 ) pf them, as that numbers were prepared and diipofeu ro make an open profeflion of their faith In Jefus Chrift. The facred books of the old and new-teftament were, in their day, by the fkiil and labor of the indefatigable Eliot, * tranflated into the Indian-language, and difperfed among the natives for their in- itru&ion in things pertaining to the kingdom of * He is to this day often fpoken of in that honorable ftyie, The Apostle of the Indians. It was with great labor ne made himfelf matter of the Indian language ; ana, as foon as he was thus ac- complifntd,. he preached to them in their own tongue, and in many of their villages : And,by the blefimgof God on his ciligent endeavours, (i many believed, r-nd turned to the Lord". He foon had fever v c< m anions, and afterwards fuccefibrs, who were faithful ana ze-'ous in inftructing thefe fava- ges in ;he Gofpcl-rr:* thod of faivation. Schools were erected among them, and fuch books put into their hands, in their native language, as their edi- flcatioii called for. The confequence was, that ? in fevc ral villages, Indians met together every Lord's day for the worfhip of God through Jefus Chrift, and Churches of them were gathered, who fiC walk- ed in the fear of theLord", and the religious obfer- vation of all Gofpel-ordinances. To the Bible, our Eliot added a vernon of the Pfalms in Indian Mrtrcy which it was their practice to fing. This Indian Bible is the only one that was ever printed in this hemifphere of the univerie j as it is ex- prefftd in the atteftation whence the above abftracl; is taken, which I fhall have occafion to mention in the next note. I fhall only add here, from Dr. Cotton Mather, in a fermon printed 1698, that •' there were then in thisProvince more than thirty Indian alTemblies, and more than thirty hundred ^hriflian Indians'^ ( 2 3 ) bf God, and of Chrift. And through his ar- duous endeavours, with thofe of the renowned Mayhew's, * and other worthies, a confider- able ■ Mr. Thomas Mayhew, fdn of an excellent man of this name, began, in another part of the Province the workofgofpelifing the infidel-natives, fo far back as 1641. And this good work has been carried ori, by one and another of this name and fa- mily, from that day to this. In 1657, many hun- dred Indian men and women were added to the chriftian Societies in this part of the Countrv, of fuch as might be faid to be " holy in their conver- fation", and that did not need, for knowledge, to be taught " the firft principles of the oracles of God" ; befides many hundreds of more fuperficial profeflbrs. In the year 1689, the Indian church under the care of Mr. John Mayhew, fon of the above Thomas, confifted of an hundred communi- cants, walking according to the rule of the fcrip- tures. This is an extract from the Rev. Mr. Thomas Prince's general account of the EngHfh . minifters, who prefided at Martha's Vineyard. The Rev. Mr. Experience Mayhew, fon of the be- fore mentioned John, and father of the late me- morable Dr. Mayhew, a Gentleman of fuch fupe- rior natural endowments, that he would, had he been favoured with common advantages, have been ranked among the firft worthies of New-Eno-Iand ; and who fpent a life protracted feveral years beyond eighty, in the fervice of the Indians, publifhed, in the year 1727, an o&ato volume, entitled Indian Converts ; in which he has given an account of the lives of thirty Indian minifters, and about eighty Indian men, women, and young perfons, within the limits only of Martha's Vineyard, an Ifland in Maffachufett's-Province. And of thefe, as he was a Gentleman of eftablifhed reputation for both judgment and veracity, it may be charitably faid, they were all real converts to the faith of Chf% and ( 24 ) ....... 1 ► ., I kble number of churches, under trie divine blefiing, were gathered, confiding of Indian members, many of whom gave proof of the Reality of their converfion, by their walking iri the faith and order of the Gofpel, fo as to a* dorn the doctrine of him, whom they now called their only Savior and Lord. Some of thefe churches have continued in fucceHlon even to this day, with Englifh, or Indian tailors at their head. * The above reprefen- tation and fome of them in a diftinguifhing degree, clear- ly evidenced by their manner of life, which was fuch as may make many Englifh profefTors blu/h, of whom it may be hoped, that they are chriftians in truth, as well as name. In the Atteftation to this account, figned by eleven Bofton minifters, fbrhe of whom are now alive, it is faid, ct That they " who may ignorantly arid imperioufly fay, noth- his fidelity is ir- reproachable'*, * There are, at this day, within the Province of the MafTachufett's-Bay only, fixteen minifters, Englifh and Indian, flatedly laboring, either as Paftors of lb many Indian churches, or as Preachers to alTem- ¥lies of Indians that meet together for divine wor- ( §S 5 btion is fo generally known here to contain the real truth, that it was greatly furprifing to many, to fee his Lordmip fo impofed upon by fuch as were either grofly ignorant of what had been done by thefe adventurers, or wicked enough, in oppofition to their knowledge, to give him an account that was odioully falfe and injurious. | > . j til His Lordfriip proceeds, cc the pretences and * c conditions were, that their defign was, and " that they mould endeavour, the enlarge- Shrill to the barbarians here, but that they were not themfelves the communicators of it. This was done by others, no doubt, the wor- thy miflionaries from the Society at home ; who, being detached from worldly affairs, and zealous and fkilful in divine knowledge, took pccafion, from the intercourfe that had been opened with thofe to whom "the Gofpel was unknown, to preach it to them. So that it fhould feem, thefc Miflionaries, not the Plan- ters, were the only perfons who had any hand in propagating Chr iftianity in thefe parts of the world. A goodly account truly ! Nothing could have been faid more honorary either of the Society, or their MifTionaries -, and the glory reflected on them mines the brighter, as it is con traded with the hightft reproach that could be caft on the Planters. The good people in England, who are unacquainted with the tranfaclions in this new world, may be led, from the above reprefentation, into exalted apprehenfions cf the pious endeavours both oftheSociety & theirMiilionaries. It is indeed well adapted to open their hearts and hands in contributions to carry on what they have fo hopefully begun. But the unhappinefs is, heaven and earth are not more diftant from each other, than this account is from the truth of the cafe -, as We, who live here, do certain- ly know : For which reafon, to fay noihing. ir.ore harfh, we are really aftonifhed. r 3« ) By the latter ones, a great myftery is ope ti- ed. It always appeared to us an unaccounta* ble thing, that the Society for propagating the Gofpel in thefe foreign parts fhould lay out fuch vaft fums of their money in fupporting Millenaries, efpecially in places that were mod populous, and had, as we imagined, the lead need of them ; but the difficulty is now un- ravelled. We had given "double occasion of propagatingChriftianity" •, that is, occasion " AMONG OUR SELVES WHO SOON BECAME" heathen", as well as " among the native heathen of thefe regions". It is eafily per- ceivable, from what is here faid, that not only hisLord(hip,butthe incorporatedSociety before whom he preached, unlefs their vote of thanks was a meer compliment, look upon us as hav- ing made our felves " Heathen". And, if this is our juft character, proper occafion was offer- ed for the " propagation of Chriftianity" a- mong us -, and they have kindly pitied our wretched cafe, and fent a vaft fupply of help to deliver us out of it. We are heartily forry fo very refpeclable a body of men mould en- tertain fuch a bad opinion of us. It can be owing to one or other of thefe two caufes only. They either think, with fome they have fent to us, that we have no true mini/lers, no accept- able zvorjhip, no valid adminiftration of facra- ments, and, in a word, no religion of any value ; ( 32 ) as our minifters have not had the hands of fome Mi/hop^ in a lineal fucceffion from the Apoflles^ impojed on them, and our religious fer vices are performed conformably to the dilates of our con- jciences, and not that decent form which has been eftablifhed by the Government at home ; Or they have been led, by cruelly hard and notorioufly falfe reprefentations of us, to ima- gine, that we are become like to the native bar- barous heathen themfelves •, ignorant of God and our obligations to him •, without any fenfe of religion, or practical regard to it ; and giv- en up to commit all uhcieanefs and wickednels with greedinefs. We would not think fo re- proachfully either of his Lordfhip, or the Soci- ety, as to attribute the iil opinion they have conceived of us to the firfi of th6fe caufes : Nor (hall we be brought to it by any thing fhort of their plain affirmation in the cafe. We cannot therefore but fuppofe, that the Colo- nies have been let before their view in an hor- ribly abufive light, by fome fecret back- biters and revilers, through bigotry, prejudice, ma- lice, intereft, or fome other lutt of the fielh or mind. His Lordfhip, in the next paragraph, hav- ing reflected blame upon the Government, in thefe times for the " defection" he had charged the Colonies with, and aggravated this blame hf feveral weighty confiderations, exprefTes himfelf. ( 33 ) {limfelf, pag. to. in thefe words, " Now this €C great evil, irreligion, might at firfl have eafi- * 5 ly been prevented growing in our Colonies ; V but the fame evil, having been fuifered tai " grow, hath been found Co hard to expel, V that now, after more than 60 years diligent tc endeavour, it is very far from being era- " dicated". If by irreligion, the great evil fpoken of, is meant, the great impiety of ferv- ing God, without doing it after the mode of the eilabliflied Church at home, it is acknow- ledged, its " growth was not prevented at firft", if it might have been ; and it has been u iuffer- ed to grow" ever fince, without interruption, until about the time of the Revolution in Eng- land, and fince then by theSocietyfor the propa- gation of theGofpcl in foreign parts. And it is hoped, by at lead twenty nine in thirty thro'- out New-England, that it will, inftead of be- ing eradicated, go on to grow, even to the end of time, notwiihftanding all efforts that may be made to the contrary. If this be " irreli-? gion", we are not afhamed to glory in it, tho* we mould be accounted " fools for thus glory- ing" i nor are there wanting thofe here, who would efteem it ''better to die than that any man", or body of men, " fhould make thtir glorying void" in this refpect. But if by the ' £ growth of irreligion" his Lordfhip would be understood to mean, the increafe of irreverence towards God, expreffed in an unbecoming E treatmenc ( 34 ) treatment of his name, perfections, and govern- ing authority ; unrighreoufnefs towards men, difcovered in the various ways of fraudulent and cppreflive dealing •, and a difregard to the great christian law of fobriety, made manifeft by an indulgence to pride, luxury, extrava- gance, uncleanefs, and thofe other lufts which argue the want of dv.e felf-government : I fay, if this is what his Lordfhip means,. by " the growth of irreligion", he had no need to have looked fo far for it as thefe diftant regions. Unltfs the land which gave cur fore-fathers birth is greatly abufed, both by its own inhabi- tants, and others who have been there, it dees not come at all behind the Colonies in this kind of growth, even heightned in malignity t While yet, the whole body of duly authorifed Clergymen, fuperior and inferior, have, if they have done their duty, been diligently employ- ing their time and pains, for more than 60 years many times told, to give check to it ; and under the advantage too of that eftablifh- ed mode of performing divine fervi'ce, which, for a long time, was not in ufe here. And if the abounding growth of iniquity could not be prevented at home by the united force of fo many regularly ordained minifters, high and low, faithfully laboring to promote fo good a, defign, and in conformity to the prefcribed order of the bed religious eftabliftiment in the world ; why mould it be thought ftrange, rf ( 35 ) there was the growth of like bad fruit in the Colonies, which could not have been fo fully favoured with the enjoyment of thefc advan- tages ? What the true (late of the fouthern Colonies is, * I leave to be defcribed by thofe who are E 2 better f The prefent Arch-Bifhop of Canterbury, in his fociety-fermon, preached, in 17415. when he was Bifhop of Oxford, fpeaking of more of the Britifti Colonies than one, fays, pag. 5. «« I here were fcarce iC any footfteps of Chnfiianity left, beyond the rs in it ; the firft, in 1722, for in— ftru&iori in Divinity ; the other, in 1727, to teach the Mathematicks and Philofophy : Both which eftal lifhments have been greatly conducive to the good educa f ion of the Students here. His worthy Nephew, and Heir 3 of the fame name, ?.n4 the like. benevolent r 4i } fcarce a Church-man, in this Province, of any figure, but has had one or more of his Tons e- ducated here •, and it is from hence, that the Society at home have had, perhaps, the mod of thofe they have employed in the New-England Colonies, which have been the greateft fharers in their pious care to propagate the Gofpeh It may be farther faid to the honor of thisCollege, and in proof of their being actuated, hot by a fpirit of bigotry, but the noble fpirit of true chriflian liberty, that, far from obliging their, youths of Church-principles to join in public worfhip, where it is carried on after the Con- F gregationa! benevolent Spirit, has, for many years, made thte College the fpecial object of his generous bounty 5 and it ftill keeps flowing in upon it, as from a never T failing fountain. No one can enter the College-Library-Chamber, but he will have full in his eye a large collection of very valuable and curi- oufly chofen books, and be told in golden cha- racters that they are his gift. I would yet fay here, as this College has fhewn fo much candor and ca- thoiicifm in its fentiments and conduct towards the Church of England ; and as it has been fo helpful to the Society ,at home in fupplying them with moft of their Miflionaries for the northern Colonies, it would have been but a decent compliment, if it had been accounted worthy of fome fmall part of the large fum lately collected throughout England for the benefit of Seminaries in thefe parts of the world. Such as were of Church-principles might have been educated, for the Indian- fervice with as much freedom here as elfewhere ; and, probably, as many might have gone from hence upon the noble defign of carrying the Gofpel to the barba=- rous natives. gregational mode, they have excufed therri from it by a funding law made on purpofe : Only, by the fame law, they are laid under ob- ligations not to neglect divine fervice perform- ed in the Epifcopal Church near the College ; and in cafe of abfence, without fufficient rea- fon, they are fubjecled to the fame fine the o- ther youths are, if they groundlefly abfenc themfelves from the place where God is wor- fhipped in our way. 1 mail only add here, all the churches of every other denomination re- ceive conftantly a full fupply for the miniftry" from this and the other Seminaries ; and fo might the church of England, if they pleafed. There is no obftacle in the way, unlefs from themfelves. If therefore it has happened, that * c feveral Churches have flood vacant, becaufe Hone could be found to officiate in them", and that the u fame want hath been an hinderance to the proper work of the Society, and muft needs prove an effectual bar to any farther con- fiderable progrefs in it", as his Lordfhip fpeaks, pag. 20. it mufl: be afcribed, not to the " want of Seminaries" here, of which there are enough already ; but to fome other caufe. The Church-in terefl can be in no danger fronx.this' quarter. Another difadvantage, attending the propa- gation of the Gofpel in thefe foreign parts, his Lordfhip takes notice of, pag. 21. in the fol- lowing. 6C X 43 5 tawing words, " What encouragement have * c the inhabitants of thefe regions to qualify " themtelves for holy orders, while, to obtain " them, they lie under the neceflity of crofTing * c an immenfe Ocean, with much inconveni- " ence, danger and expence *, which thofe ** who come hither on that errand can but ill " bear. And if they have the fortune to arrive ic fafe, being here without friends, and with- out acquaintance, they have the fad bufinefs to undergo, of prefenting themfelves un- " known to perfons unknown, without any re- " commendation or introduction, except cer- * c tain papers in their pocket. Are there not " circumftances in this cafe, funicient to deter €i every ordinary courage, and to dampt the " mod adventurous fpirit"; It is acknowledged, it would be a great dis- couragement to the fons of the Church from qualifying themfelves for holy orders, and X may fay to others alfo educated in the princi- ples of the Country from taking them, if, in order to obtain them, they mud crofs a wide ocean at their own expence. But this, I prefume, is rarely, if ever the cafe. They are, as we fuppofe upon good information, freed from this difcouragement by being well pro^ vided for, if not by the Society in part at lead, t?y thofe who expect the benefit of their labors. As for my felf, was I a candidate for holy or- ( 44 ) ders, I fhould efleem it a happy circumftance in the cafe, to have fo fair an opportunity to vifit the land of our fore-father's nativity. And I believe there are few but are en- couraged by this very thing that is reprefent- cd as a matter of fo great difcouragement. Their " being there without friends, and with- out acquaintance", is a difficulty made by ima- gination only. As they go from hence upon the nobly profeiTed defign of taking holy orders, that they may be validly commiiTi- oned to propagate the Gofpel, it is impoflible they fhould long want cc friends or acquaint- ance", if it were only among the members of the Society, they are fo numerous, and, at the fame time, fo earneftly engaged in promoting this pious defign. It is true, the '•' bufinefs of pre-? fenting themfelves unknown to thofe unknown friends would be fad 3 ', if they had no " recom- mendation except certain papers in their pock- et". It is fit they fhould have thefe papers in readinefs to be feen. Their moral qualificati- ons can be known, at fuch a diftance, only in this way. But it is as proper they fhould have knowledge in their heads, as papers in their pockets. And it is hoped, the Society fend nq Million aries but fuch as are able to recommend themfelves in the former, as well as the latter of thefe ways. His Lordfhip now comes to the lafl and greateft ip-convenience^ " the want of Bifhops f 45 ) lp our Colonies". " This", fays he, pag> 22. €t Befides other difad vantages attending if, f appears, in particular, to be the fundamental " caufeofthewantofnativeMinifters. Theone " removed ; the other, it feems, would ceafe of " cotirfe. For can it be imagined, could or- ei ders be had on the fame terms there as elfe- *' where, that a number of the natives fuffici- *'ent for the fervice of the Church, would " not offer themfelves in thofe, as they do, in !* all other parts of Chriftendom". A The want of " native miniflers", if this is really the cafe, is not, I believe, owing to any of the caufes his Lordfhip has mentioned, not excepting that of there being " no Bifhops in the Colonies". If I may ipeak here with the fame freedom that I think, I would fay, there is, in one refpeclr.an obvious difference between our people, and thofe who profefs themfelves Church-men. The former generally fend their fons to one or other of our Colleges with a view to their being educated for the miniftry ; this is rarely done by the latter. Should any afl; the reafon of this j— it mud be plainly faid, our Churches are numerous for a new Country, many of them large, and well capable of pro- viding for their minifters j and, by a fwift in- creafe of inhabitants and new-fettlements, they are daily growing both in number and ability {b fupport their Clergy. There is herefrom i£ .- ? the ( 4e ; tne profpecl of a tolerable provifion for our ions, if educated to ferve in the miniftry. Whereas, there are very fewEpifcopal churches that " ftand upon their own legs" ,— and by far the greater part of the other are fmall in num- ber, weak in ability, and infufficient to main- tain their own miniftry, unlefs afiifted by the Society at home. It is this that difcourages the Church-people from bringing up their fons for Clergymen. They chufe rather to provide for them fome other way. And as to profelytes from us, the temptation ordinarily is fo fmail, that few are overcome by it until they have found there was little or no profpecl; of their; being employed to greater advantage. No one need now be at a lofs to aftign the true caufe of the •« want of native mtnifters". But if Bifhops mould be fent to theColonies, the people would generally turnChurch-men ;-- the Ecclefiaftical ftate of things would foon be inverted j — Epifcoparians would quickly ex- ceed the other denominations of Christians, as much as they now exceed them. This, without all douht, is the grand point aimed at -, and there may be fome, both at home and here, who really think all this would fpeedily come into event. But thole who are foefl acquainted with the genius, temper ancj principles of the Colonifts, at lealt in thofe parts \ re they, are racft numerous, have not thq lea(\ r m leaft motion of fear excited in them from the profpect of any fudv effect of the milfidn of Bifhops. They are rather concerned, leaft ic fhould be the occafion of hurtful confequences both to them and us. Such confequences would certainly be the effect, if thefe Bifhops ihould make ufe of their Superiority, as moft probably they would, fooner or later, to influence our great men here, and much grea- ter ones at home, to project, and endeavour to carry into execution, meafures to force the growth of the Church. It may be relied on, our people would not be eafy, if retrained in the exercife of that " liberty wherewith Chrift has made them free" ; yea, they would ha- zard every thing dear to them, their eftates, their very lives, rather than fuffer their necks to be put under that yoke of bondage, which was fo fadly galling to their fathers, and occa- fioned their retreat into this diftant land, that they might enjoy the freedom of men and chriftians. His Lordfhip fpeaks, pag. ibid, of the want of Bifhops, as the " more heavily lamentable", becaufe " all fects of Proteftant chriftians ac home, and all fave one (meaning the Church of England) throughout the Colonies, have the full enjoyment of their religion". A ftranger to the Colonies would be apt to friink, from this caufe of lamentation, that the Epifcopal ( 48 ) Eplfcopal Churches here, inftead of enjoying th£ liberty that is common to the other denominations of chriftians, were in a ftate of religious opprefli- on : Whereas the real truth is, not the leaft re- ftraint is laid upon their chriftiari liberty. They worfhip God when, whefe, and how they pleafe, without hindrance or moleftation : Yea* they are diftinguifhed from all other denominations in this refpecl, that they are the only objects of the pious charitable help of the Hcheft Society in all England incorporated upon a religious defign. And they are befides, within the Maffachufetts Province, [how it is in the other Colonies I know not] favoured by a (landing law that excufes them from paying towards the fupport of any minifters but their own. But they have " no Bifhops". Very true j and they have no juft reafon for complaint up- on this head. For, let it be cohfidered, Throughout an extent of territory more than 560 miles in length, comprehending feven Pro- - vinces, the four New-England ones, and thofq of New-York, the Jerfies, and Penfylvania ; I fay, throughout thefe largely extended Provin- ces, fo well inhabited that they contain more than & million of fouls,there are not, by the bed infor- mation I can get, more than eight or nineEpifcopal churches that fupport themfelves. All the reft, to the amount of about fixty, more or lefs, chitfl^ tade up of converts from the other denomina- tion ( 49 ) tions of Chriftians, are fo far upheld in their ex* jftence by the Society at home, at the expence of not lefs than fome thoufands frerling per an- num* that, mould this be withdrawn, they would foon fink away for want of needed affiftance. Inftead now of being contented with the receipt of fo much pious charity* they think it hard* and complain of it as a moft lamentable thing* that as many thoufands (terling more are not annually laid out for the maintenance of Bifhops among them. Is this reafonable ? Would Church-men themfelves think it fo in regard of other denominations of chriftians befides them- felves ? Should any of thefe denominations, in like circumftances, make the like complaints, in- fifting that they were not fuffered " fully to en- joy their religion", none, it may be, would treaC their complaints with more contempt, than thofe who are themfelves fo loud in making them* And yet, I know not, in regard of real merit* but other denominations would have as good a right to complain, as thofe who profefs them- felves members of the Church of England. For they are the defendants from anceftors, who fubdued & cultivated this rude wildernefs, amid(t a thoufand difficulties & hazards, fo as to make it the pleafant fruitful land we now behold it > here- by adding to the extent, ftrength and glory of the Britifh Crown : Nor has that facred Majcfty who wears it more loyal fubjects, even in Eng- land itfelf : And as they are far more numerous G than ( *j ) than the F.pifcopamns, they are in proportiori more able, and I am fure they would be as willing, to exert tjhemfelves, if called to it, at the peril of their lives, in defence of his Perfon and Domi- nions. His Lordfhip farther mentions it as an aggra- vating circumftance attending the want of Rifh- ops, that " even the Rcmifh fuperftition within a Province lately added to the Britifh Dominions* is compleatly allowed in all points j it hath Bifh- ops and Seminaries*'. It is prefumed, if Bifhops are allowed in that Province,they are provided for by eftablimments within itfelf,when the inhabitants were fubjects of the King of France -, not at the expence of the Britifh Crown or Nation, as it muft be if Bifhops are fent to fuper-intend theEpifcopal churches in the Colonies ; which makes a wide difference be- twixt the two cafes. But be this as it may, the faift itfelf may be efteemed certain, as it is affirm- ed by his Lordfhip, whofe fkuation leaves no room to fufpec"t a miftake in a matter of this na- ture. And an aftonifhing one it is to us in thefe parts of the world ! TkeRomish superstiti- on COMPLEATLY ALLOWED IN ALL POINTS ! What more furprifing ! What more oppofite to one of the great ends propofed by King William Hid, in incorporating the Society for the propa- gation of the Gofpel in thefe foreign parts! "What could more powerfully obftrucl; one mairi branch r 51 ) branch of their proper bufmefs, the prevention,; or extirpation, of Popery in the Colonies ! We may reafonably fuppofe, his Lordfhip, and the whole incorporated body of which he is a member, are ftrongly affected with grief at this compleat allowance ; and that they will unite in all pro- per remonftrances upon fo important an occafion. How far articles of capitulation may have made way for fuch an allowance > I pretend not to judge ; but if, in virtue of any of them, it was made ne- celTary, a confent to them was highly" impolitic, and may be of dangerous confequence to the Britifh intereftj more efpecially in that part of America. His Lordfhip concludes what he had to fay upon the head of Bifnops with thtfe words, pag 25. " This point obtained, [the million of Bifhops to the Colonies] the AsTierican Church will foon go out of its infant date ; be able to (land upon its own legs •, and with- out foreign help fupport and fpread itfelf. Then the business of this Society will have been brought to the happy issue intended." The conduct of the Society has, for many years, gWen us realbn to fufpecc their main vi tw was to e?iscofise the Colonies ; but we were never before, that 1 know of, told fo in direcr terms. His Lordfhip, in the prelence of theSociety themfelves, has net only fpecifkd, G 2 their ( 5» > -their business, but in plain words declared, that it will be brought to its intended hap- py issue, if they may " but have Bifheps, and the Church go out of Irs infant (late fo as to fupport and fpread itfelf". We are firmly per- fuaded, if their proper bufinefs is here pointed out, and they profecute it with the greateft vi- gor, the " happy iflue they intend" will never take place, according to their defire, at leaft in the New- England. Colonies. Thefe, for fcores of years, have been thefpecial object of their fol- licitous care ; and may have coft them, from firft to lad, more a great deal than thirty thoufand pounds fterling. And what has been the efFect ? There has gradually been the rife of about thirty three EpUcopa] churches, by far the greater part of which are fo fmall in number, and to this day fo infuffigierit for their own fupport, that, fhould {he Society's pious charity towards them be dis- continued, there would be no probable hope of t!vu* long continuance in being : Whereas, the Congregational and Prefbyterian churches only, -without any charitable help from abroad, and ir* oppofnion to ail efforts to prevent it, have in- creafed to the number of 550 •, and they go on increafing, as much in proportion beyond' the E- pifcopa) churches as they exceed them in number and ability. Why then mould theSociety expect v the happy iflue they intend" ? There is no rea- fonable room for hope in the cafe : Efpecially, if it be remembered, that we, in thefe parts, noe ( 53 ) cnly know the errand of our fore-fathers into this Country, but have been well indoctrinated in the principles of christian Liberty. " Old grudges and jealoufies" are no "obstacles" in the way of our going over to the Church ; and as to " obfolete piques & groundlefs fears", they are as fully "extinguifhed" here as in "England". We prefer our own mode of worfhip and difci- pline to that of the Englifh church ; and we do it upon principle, as really believing that it comes nearer to the purity and fimplicity of Gofpel- direction. And as thefe are the generally pre- vailing fentiments inNew-England, and their con- duct has all along been generally conformable hereto, we have no fearful apprehenfions of a de- parture herefrom ; but are rather fully perfuaded, they will (land faft to their principles, and clofely adhere to that mode of worfhip which has hither- to been in ufe among them, whatever attempts may be made to turn them afide. You fee, Sir, I have endeavoured to comply with your defire. I hope your expectations will not be difappointed. Pofiibly, your view may be to publim thefe remarks. As to this, you may do as you pleafe. Mo one is better able to judge of the propriety or truth of the facts above related ; and I may depend, if they will not bear your fcrutiny, they will have your perufai only. 1 am, with great Refpect, Bo/ion, Dec. Your obliged, obedient, '10. 1767. and humble Servant, Charles Chauncy. ( 54 > P. S. AS you faid nothing to me of the Soczety-fermon, preached by Dr. Warburton, Lord Bifhop of Gioucefter, in 1766, I conclude you had not feen it. While I was fi.nifhing the foregoing remarks, his JLordfnip's third vol. of fermons on various oc cations, in which this was contained, was put into ray bancs. It will not, I believe, be unacceptable, if I traniciibe two or three paiTiges in it for your perufal. Pag. 65. " But though the zeal of the firftColontfts '* (rekindled by this violent remove to the otherHemi- fphere) kept religion alive and active, yet their poverty difablcd them from fupplying fuel to the