do, if half be true that Peter Maffæus, and the jesuits' many other writers, tell us of them. I know that they ntage of greater helps from kings, and pope, and preMeges endowed with trained men and copious mainmight not somewhat more be done by us than is yet

possible to send some able, zealous chaplains to those are in the countries of infidels and heathens; such conversion of sinners, and the enlargement of the st, and would labor skillfully and diligently therein? ble to get some short christian books, which are fitted. be translated into such languages that infidels can read, te them among them? If it be not possible also to ligious, conscionable factors, who would further the of London is very sad.

possible, at least, to help the poor ignorant ArmeniJuscovites, and other Christians, who have no printing or much preaching or knowledge; and, for want of very few Bibles, even for their churches or ministers? e done to get some Bibles, catechisms, and practical their own tongues, and given among them? I know y in the way; but money, and willingness, and dilisomething.

something be done in other plantations, as well as nd, towards the conversion of the natives there? skilful, zealous preachers be sent thither, who would piety among those of the English that have too little of vite the Americans to learn the gospel, and teach our behave themselves christianly towards them, to win

possible to do more than hath been done to convert re our own slaves, or servants, to the christian faith? Godwin justly reprehended and lamented the neglect, ce of this work in Barbadoes, and the like elsewhere? atter teachers be sent thither for that use? 2. Is it rime of Christians to hinder the conversion of these in

might do the more good. But it is Satan's design to turn all God's mercies to the cherishing of wickedness, and even the love of parents to their children to the poisoning of their souls, the strengthening of their snares, and the hinderance of their own and other men's salvation. But it is shame and pity that they who in baptism devoted their children to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, renouncing the world, the flesh, and the devil, as under the banner of the cross, should labor all their life, that impenitently at death they may leave all that they can get to such as, in all probability, will use it in pride, fulness, and idleness, for the flesh, the world, and the devil, against him and his interest, from whom they received it; and to whom both they and all they had were once devoted.

When men are loth that their estates should remove from the name and family, (for which there may be just cause,) I take it for the safest way, as aforesaid, to trust some, as men do their children with guardians, by the advice of lawyers, to secure all from their unworthy heirs, for the next, or some other of the name and lineage, that proveth worthy.

There are many other good works by which some rich men may be very profitable to the commonwealth, such as setting all the poor on work, and building hospitals for the impotent, &c.; but these this city is happily acquainted with already; and though still there be much wanting, yet there is much done.

V. But one more I will presume to name only to you that are merchants, for I am not one who have the ear of princes, who are more able. Might not somewhat more be done than yet is, to further the gospel in your factories, and in our plantations. Old Mr. Eliot, with his helpers in New England, hath shown that somewhat may be done, if others were as charitable and zealous as they. The jesuits and friars showed us, in Congo, Japan, China, and other countries that much might be done with care and diligence. Though the papal interest was a corrupt end, and all the means which they used were not justifiable, when I read of their hazards, unwearied labors, and success, I am none of those that would deprive them of their deserved honor, but rather wish that we who have better ends and principles, might do better than they, and not come so far behind

them as we do, if half be true that Peter Maffæus, and the jesuits' epistles, and many other writers, tell us of them. other writers, tell us of them. I know that they had the advantage of greater helps from kings, and pope, and prelates, and colleges endowed with trained men and copious maintenance. But might not somewhat more be done by us than is yet done?

1. Is it not possible to send some able, zealous chaplains to those factories which are in the countries of infidels and heathens; such as thirst for the conversion of sinners, and the enlargement of the church of Christ, and would labor skillfully and diligently therein? Is it not possible to get some short christian books, which are fitted for that use, to be translated into such languages that infidels can read, and to distribute them among them? If it be not possible also to send thither religious, conscionable factors, who would further the work, the case of London is very sad.

2. Is it not possible, at least, to help the poor ignorant Armenians, Greeks, Muscovites, and other Christians, who have no printing among them, nor much preaching or knowledge; and, for want of printing, have very few Bibles, even for their churches or ministers ? Could nothing be done to get some Bibles, catechisms, and practical books printed in their own tongues, and given among them? I know there is difficulty in the way; but money, and willingness, and diligence, might do something.

3. Might not something be done in other plantations, as well as in New England, towards the conversion of the natives there? Might not some skilful, zealous preachers be sent thither, who would promote serious piety among those of the English that have too little of it, and might invite the Americans to learn the gospel, and teach our planters how to behave themselves christianly towards them, to win them to Christ?

4. Is it not possible to do more than hath been done to convert the blacks that are our own slaves, or servants, to the christian faith? Hath not Mr. Goodwin justly reprehended and lamented the neglect, yea, and resistance of this work in Barbadoes, and the like elsewhere? 1. Might not better teachers be sent thither for that use? 2. Is it it not an odious crime of Christians to hinder the conversion of these in

fidels, lest they lose their service by it, and to prefer their gain to men's souls? Is not this to sell souls for a little money, as Judas did his Lord! And whereas the law manumits them from servitude when they turn Christians, that it may invite them to conversion, (and this occasioneth wicked Christians to hinder them from knowledge,) were it not better move the government, therefore, to change that law, so far as to allow these covetous masters their service for a certain time, using them as free servants? 3. And whereas they are allowed only the Lord's Day for their own labor, and some honest Christians would willingly allow them some other time instead of it, that they might spend the Lord's day in learning to know Christ, and worship God, but they dare not do it, lest their wicked neighbors rise against them, for giving their slaves such an example; might not the governors be procured to force the whole plantation to it by a law, even to allow their infidel servants so much time on another day, and cause some to congregate them for instruction on the Lord's days? Why should those men be called Christians, or have any christian reputation, or privilege themselves, who think both Christianity and souls to be no more worth than to be thus basely sold for the gain of men's servilest labors? And what, though the poor infidels desire not their own conversion, their need is the greater, and not the less.

VI. I conclude with this moving inference: The great opposition that is made against doing good by the devil and his whole army through all the world, and their lamentable success, doth call aloud to all true Christians to over-do them. O what a kingdom of malignants hath Satan, doing mischief to men's souls and bodies through the earth! hating the godly; oppressing the just; corrupting doctrine; introducing lies; turning Christ's laborers out of his vineyard; forbidding them to preach in his name the saving word of life; hiding or despising the laws of Christ, and setting up their own wills and devices in their stead; making dividing, distracting engines, on pretence of order, government and unity; murdering men's bodies, and ruining their estates, and slandering their names, on pretence of love to the church and souls; encouraging profaneness, blasphemy, perjury, whoredom, and scorning conscience, and fear of sinning. What diligence doth Satan use through the very christian nations, to turn

Christ's ordinances of magistracy and ministry against himself, and to make his own officers the most mischievous enemies to his truth and kingdom, and saving work; to tread down his family and spiritual worship, as if it were by his own authority and commission. To preach down truth, and conscience, and real godliness, as in Christ's own name, and fight against him with his own word, and to teach the people to hate his servants, as if this pleased the God of love.

And, alas! how dismal is their success! In the East, the church is hereby destroyed by the barbarous Mahometans: the remnants by their prelates continued in sects, in great ignorance, and dead formality, reproaching and anathematizing one another, and little hope appearing of recovery. In the West, a dead image of religion, and unity, and order, dressed up with a multitude of gauds, and set up against the life and soul of religion, unity and order, and a war hereupon maintained for their destruction, with sad success: so that, usually, the more zealous men are for the papal and formal human image, the more zealously they study the extirpation of worshipping God in spirit and truth, and thirst after the blood of the most serious worshippers; and cry down them as intolerable enemies who take their baptism for an obliging vow, and seriously endeavor to perform it, and live in good earnest, as Christianity bindeth them: and they take it for an insufferable crime to prefer God's authority before man's, and to plead his law against any thing that men command them. In a word, he is unworthy to be accounted a Christian with them, who will be a Christian indeed, and not despise the laws of Christ, and unworthy to have the liberty and usage of a man that will not sin and damn his soul: so much more cruel are they than the Turkish tyrants, who, if they send to a man for his head, must be obeyed.

And is the devil a better master than Christ? And shall his work be done with greater zeal and resolution? Will he give his servants a better reward? Should not all this awaken us to do good with greater diligence, than they do evil? And to promote love and piety more earnestly than they do malignity and iniquity! Is not saving church and state, souls and bodies, better worth resolution and labor than destroying them?