are, who oppose this good Work, for fear of lofing their Slaves, and the Authority they have affumed over them, upon their being made Chriftians. A Fear as unreasonable, if by Slaves they only mean fuch Servants as one Chriftian ought to make of another, as it is barbarous if they mean any thing more. Others, it is to be feared, do all they can to discountenance a Work of this Nature, in: Contempt and Hatred of that Religion its felf which is to be propagated by this Society: They are Enemies, as the Apoftle calls them, to the Croß of Chrift; they first reject the Counfel of God against their own Souls, and then spare no Pains to hinder others from Entering into the Kingdom of Hea ven: Nay, even Satan himfelf, alarmed as it were at his Danger, and the ap proaching Loss of fo many Millions of Subjects, if our Endeavours fhould fucceed, has very probably of late defired to have us, that he might fift us as Wheat, that our Faith might fail, our Charity grow cool, our Zeal languish

in the Prosecution of this Work.

So

that we have many Enemies to contend with and overcome. But if we are not wanting to our felves, we need not fall, nor even be difcouraged, tho' in fuch a Day of Trial as this is. He whose Cause we are pleading in thefe Labours of Love for our Brethren, will ftand by us and fupport us, and pray for us unto his Heavenly Father, that our Faith fail not; He will ftill enable us to go on cheerfully in this good Work of Confirming fome, and Converting others of our Brethren, and make us the happy Inftruments of adding daily to the Church fuch as fhall be faved.

And who can tell whether, as dark and melancholy as the prefent Face of Things may be, yet that Day, that glorious Day may not even now be Gal. iv.4.drawing on, when the Fulness of the Gentiles is to come in; when the whole Mai. xi. 9. Earth fhall be filled with the Knowledge of

the Lord, as the Waters cover the Sea. When, in the Words of the Prophet Mal.i.11. Malachi, from the rifing up of the Son,

unto the going down of the Jame, God's Name shall be great among the Gentiles, and in every Place Incenfe fhall be offered unto it, and a pure Offering: That good Spirit which has of late appeared in this, and other Countries, for Enlarging the Borders of the Chriftian Church, feems to be a Forerunner of fuch a fpiritual Revolution in the World, when all the Kingdoms of it fhall become the Kingdoms of our Saviour Chrift; and all the praxit. Kindreds of the Nations shall worship be- 27. fore him. But whether the Time be fo near or no; how fhould every fincere Chriftian long for it? How ready and glad fhould we find him, to be in in the leaft degree an Inftrument of Haftening its Coming? It is very probable, that the Scheme of Providence in this Great Event is fo laid, that the only Humane way to accelerate the Meeting of the whole World in one common Faith, under one Head and Saviour, is to look with a compaffionate and tender Eye on the Infidel part of it, and to fet heartily about

C 1

the

the Work of Converting Heathens to the Cross of Chrift. For tho' God may probably, in the Conduct of this Scene of Providence relating to the full Vocation of the Gentiles, make some miraculous Displays of his Power, for the more effectual compleating it; yet that he will in a great measure act in that, as he does in other Branches of his Government of the World, by fecond and ordinary Caufes, is a Suppofition neither incredible nor difagreeable to the conftant Method of his Providence. Think then with your felves what the Pleasure may poffibly one Day be, in Reflecting on your own Share in fo glorious, fo beneficial a Work to Mankind, that when you was called upon to promote it, you did not decline the Service on any narrow selfish Principles; but being moved with a hearty Zeal for the Honour of your Blefled Saviour, and a tender Compaffion towards your ignorant, enflaved, and confequently moft unhappy Brethren, you cheerfully put your

Hand

18.

Hand to the Plough, and, according to your Abilities, contributed fomething to open their Eyes, and to turn Acxxvi. them from Darkneẞ to Light, and from the Power of Satan unto God. That they, as well as your felves, might receive Forgiveness of Sins, and an Inheritance among those who are fanctified by Faith that is in Chrift.

Bleffed be God, that fo many have already appeared, by their liberal Benefactions, to have this Matter truly att Heart; their Names highly deferve an Honourable Recital here, if the Time' would permit, or their good Deeds were not recorded to much better Advantage, in the Annual Accounts of our Proceedings. There you will fee (and, I doubt not, to your Satisfaction) what Success has hitherto attended this good Work, and by whofe Help and generous Contributions it ftill goes on profperously, and I hope will fine more and more into the perfect Day; which undoubtedly it will, if all who are able, be but as willing, to join in it. And now C 3

cer