Second Place, to apply it to the Bufiness now before us; which is the Propagation of the Glorious Gospel of the blessed 1 Tim, i. God (as St. Paul, the Apoftle of the Gentiles, very emphatically calls it) amongst our Brethren in the American Parts of the World; beginning with our own Countreymen, and going on from them to the meer Heathens, whether Natives or Slaves, the juft Objects of our Pity and Compaffion, because involuntarily ignorant of that Gospel, by which alone they can properly be faved. The invaluable Light and Privileges whereof we, through the exceeding Bounty of God to us, fo early received, and through his amazing Patience and Forbearancé have fo long enjoyed, and ftill do enjoy, though fo undeferving of it, in great Purity and Perfection. That this is a Bleffing which it is in our Power to communicate to others, is evident from the Original Scheme of the Great Author of our holy Religion, which was to have his Gospel published to the whole World by the Miniftry of Men;

B 4

firft

firft of his own more immediate Apoftles, and afterwards of their Succeffars in the Chriftian Church. So that we have no Reason to think it fufficient for us to believe and obey the Gospel our felves, without being obliged, as far as it is in our Power, to communicate it to others. For as it is a Bleffing, capable of being fo communicated, it was no sooner conferred on one Part of the World, than it laid an Obligation on those who rejoyced in the Light of it, to publish and fpread it wherever they came; as our Bleffed Saviour's Apostles and first Difciples did, and fincere Chriftians in all Ages have thought it their Duty to do, whenever they have had an Opportunity of doing it.

For the better effecting this good Work, the Apoftles and others were indeed at the Beginning (as it was absolutely neceffary) endued with extraor dinary Gifts and Powers by the Holy Ghoft. And very probably our Forefathers in these Western Islands received the Gofpel at first under the Influence and

Die

Direction of an extraordinary Power from Above. For tho' we cannot, I believe, fairly lay Claim to the immediate Inftruction of a St. Peter, or St. Paul (g), or even of Jofeph of Arimathea, (as fome Ecclefiaftical Writers tell us we may) yet it is certain, that by our Communication with the Roman Empire, we had very early Notices given us of the Saviour of the World; and do not owe our Chriftianity to the See of Rome, (much less to Auguftine the Monk, or those who fent him hither in the Sixth Century) as some (for Reasons well known) would perfwade us we do.

Whether the American World (for which we are now more immediately concerned) had thefe glad Tydings brought to them in those Days, either by the Apostles themselves, or any of their immediate Succeffors, is a Matter about which we have no certain Guide left

(g) However, see what Bishop Stilling fleet lays in his Ori gines Britannica of the Probability of St. Paul's Preaching the Gospel in Britain.

14.

18, 19.

15.

23.

17.

Mat.xxiv left to direct us, how to judge. Some Matt. Paffages in Scripture speak of the Preachxxviii. ing of the Golpel, even in the Apostles Mar. xvi. Time, in fuch large and comprehenAasi. 8. five Terms, as hardly leave room for Col. i. 6, doubting whether they are to be inRom. x. cluded or no : But then, on the other Hand, there are fo many Difficulties attending the Belief of their having then been made fo happy, and these Expreffions may fo reasonably be accounted for fome other Way, (as they have been by thofe who have entered deeper into this Argument than I intend to do) (b) that, upon the whole, it seems much more probable, that tho' the Gospel, and all the Benefits of it, were originally defigned for them, as well as the other Parts of the World, yet the Time of Communicating it to them was not then compleatly come. But that the bringing them allo into the Fold of Chrift was to be the Work and the Glory of future Ages, and a Proof

(b) Vide Hermanni Witfii Mifcella, facr. Vol. 2. pag. 400, &c.

Proof of the Gratitude and Compaffion
of those Nations, who had the Hap-
piness of a more early Acquaintance
with the Gospel of Christ, and an Obli-
gation thereby laid upon them, to
make other Nations, in due Time, as
well acquainted with, and as happy in
it, as themselves.

As therefore our Civil Acquaintance,
by Trade and Commerce, with the
American World, became more intimate
and extensive, Providence feemed there-
by to call upon us with a very loud
and audible Voice, to begin a Spiritual
Friendship and Commerce with them
too; and to do all we could to make
them Sharers with our felves in the
Means of Grace here, in order to their
being fo in the Enjoyment of Glory
hereafter.

It must not upon this Occafion be concealed, because probably it may help to stir up in us a more hearty Affection to the good Work before us, that the Church of Rome, as corrupt and ill-natur'd as it is in other Particulars,

has