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given to cruelty, than thefe American regions, as poffeffed by the ab-originals. The Spirit who fpake thro' David might have in view the nations in these parts of the earth, and, upon the forefight of their deplorably fad condition, pray God to "refpect the covenant, his covenant with Abraham, which promised a bleffing to thefe, among the other nations; a bleffing that would turn them from darkness to light," and of favage and cruel, make them the peaceable, kind and tender-hearted difciples of the meek and compaffionate Jefus. And thefe nations alfo might be efpecially meant in that grant to the Son of God and feed of Abraham, "I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE EARTH for thy poffeffion." It may be, the epithet, UTTERMOST, can be applied to no parts of the earth with more propriety, than to thefe American lands. But whether they are particularly intended, or not; 'tis as certain the tribes of men inhabiting here are included in the promise to Abraham, as that they are nations exifting on the earth; for the promife extends to all fuch without limitation.

Pfalm II. 8.

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AND it has, in fact, with refpect to fome of these tribes of men, been happily fulfilled. The "glad tidings of joy to all people, falvation by Jefus Chrift,

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has been made known to, and embraced by, them, It is freely owned, neither our fathers, who came over to this American wilderness for the fake of enjoying themselves, and tranfmitting to their pofterity, the gospel-worship in its purity and fimplicity; nor we their children have exerted ourselves, as we might and ought to have done, to propagate the knowledge of the one true and living God, and his only begotten Son, among the ignorant and favage people in these

regions of the fhadow of death: " Yet, fomething has been done both by them and us, tho' more from abroad, to effect this blessed purpose: Nor have these doings for the Lord been wholly in vain. The facred books of the old and new-teftament have, by the skill and labor of the memorable ELIOT, been translated into the Indian language, and charitably put into their hands, for their inftruction in the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and of Chrift: And thro' his affiduous endeavours, with those of the re nowned MAYHEWS, and other worthies, E

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a confiderable number of churches, under the divine bleffing, have been gathered, confifting of Indian members, many of whom have given proof of the reality of their converfion, by their walking in the faith and order of the gospel, fo as to "adorn the doctrine of the Saviour Jefus Chrift." And fome of these churches are remaining to this day, with English or Indian paftors at their head; tho' they are, it must be confeffed and lamented, in a declining state. And, in truth, the Indians, within this and the neighbouring colonies. of Connecticut, Rhode-Ifland, and New-Hampshire, are strangely diminished. A few only are left; and it looks as tho', in time not far diftant, their race would be extinct. * THEY

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* Within my remembrance, the Indians at Natick and Punkapog [two ancient Indian fettlements within 15 miles of Bofton] were confiderably numerous; but there are few now remaining. I can affign no other natural cause of this ftrange fact, than the neceffity thefe Indians were under, by being furrounded by English towns, to change their fimple plain way of living for our's. And if this should be the true natural caufe, it affords a very powerful reafon, why, in order to chiftianize the Indian nations, we should not think ourselves obliged to concert measures to effect an alteration in that way of civil life they have been used to for ages immemorial. If they fhould not dwell in fuch houses, or wear fuch clothes, or labor in fuch employments, or come into the use of fuch modes of civility, as are common among us, I know not that it would be any hin

drance

THEY are more numerous, and at the fame time more favage, on our northern E 2

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drance to the Gospel among them. Perhaps, the method they are in of providing for themselves and families by hunting, fishing, and fowling, is as innocent, and free from temptation, as any they could change it for. I am perfuaded,fhould they change it for that CIVILIZED ONE, which some are ready to think fo highly neceffary, their danger of being enticed and drawn afide of their own lufts would be vaftly increafed. Where they now have one temptation to play upon their paffions, to footh their affections, and inordinately to gratify their natural appetites, they would then have a great many. The plain truth is, if the Gofpel once takes place among them in its power, it will effect the beft change in them we can defire. The fpiritual, and it may be the true, meaning of Ifai. xi. 6---9. would then have a glorious and happy accomplishment. They who were ravenous in their difpofition would undergo a transformation, as if a wolf fhould change his nature, and of favage become gentle fo as to feed with lambs; or as if the leopard thou'd put off his fiercenefs, and lie down with the kids. The roughness of their temper would be smoothed, their paffions foftned and refined, and they would be prompted, from the change introduced in them, to the exercise not only of humanity, but true chriftian meekness, kindness, gentleness and goodness, as occafion might be offered therefor in the providence of God. ---It may be worth remembring here, The French never used any endeavours to change the Indian's mode of civil life; and yet, they have found ways to attach many tribes of them very ftrongly to the religion of Rome. And why may not we, in like manner, attach them to the religion of Chrift? Should we expend as much zeal and pains to make them Chriftians, as the French have done to make them. Catholics, we fhould, I doubt not, foon fee the happy fruits of it; tho' no care f ould be taken to bring them into our way of civil life.

and eastern borders; for which reafon, about nine and twenty years ago, three miffionaries, under the influence, and at the charge, of the honorable fociety in Scotland for propagating christian knowledge, in concurrence with the honorable general affembly of this province, were employed to use their best endeavours to convert them to the faith of Chrift. They were separated to their work," and commended to the grace of God," in this house, in the prefence of a great multitude of pious good people. But, upon trial, they found themselves unable to serve the ends of the gospel among these Indians; as they had been previously corrupted by popish priests: Nor may it be expected, that any attempts to indoctrine them in the principles of pure and undefiled religion will meet with fuccefs, while they are fo deeply tinctured with romish fuperftition, and abfolutely governed by Jefuits fent to them from Canada.

THE Indian tribes, in our weftern parts, are yet more numerous and confiderable ; and as they are in heathen darkness, unmixt with popifh corruption, there is reafon to hope, if fuitable means are used with them, that they may, under the di

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