45

The laft fort of preparation, mentioned by our Author, as equally indifpenfable with any other, towards a right underftanding of the Word of God, is,

4. The Preparation of the HeartWhich he explains by an earneft defire to learn the Will of God, as well for the guidance and direction of our own converfation, as for the information of others.'-For, as he goes on, What wonder the facred oracles fhould be obfcure, difficult, and unintelligible to him, whose mind is unimpreffed with a fenfe of heavenly things?

Cijervations on the Charter and Consult of the Rusty for the Propagation of the Gefpel in Pweza Parts. Defonid in from thut Dom-conformity to each sther, With Remarks in the Miftakes of Eat Aftury, M. A. Mafonary in Cambridge, in quibing and rear getting the jeage of jons Gearrer, 720. by Jonathan Argnew, L. D. Fator of the Wek Courch a boton. w zás lewed. Ficoil.

our intelligent and impartial Readers, who alone are qualified to be of the grand jury in such a cause.

SECT. XVI.

Of the good that might probably have been done, had the Monies which have been misapplied in fupporting the EPISCOPAL PARTY in New-England, been applied according to the true and noble defign of the Inftitution.

It is no inconfiderable fum that the Society have funk in the epifcopal gulph here in New-England; quite beyond, and therefore contrary to, the defign of their inftitution; there being no medium (as has before been observed) betwixt a right application of their fund, conformable to their charter, and a perverfion of it. According to the abstract 1730, 7051. Sterling was expended on the Miffions, &c. in New-England. In 1739, the fum was 1030 1. Sterling. And in 1761, the latest abstract which I have been able to procure, it was 1270l. These disbursements, it must be remembered, are exclufive of books to be diftributed, and other incidental charges. So that, according to a moderate calculation, there may have been about 1200 1. Sterling expended by the Society for NewEngland, one year with another, for thirty-two years paft, amounting to L. 38,400

And about 2001. per annum for twenty years preceding 1730, amounting to

Total, Er. excepted,

4,000

42,400 Sterl.

But then a deduction is to be made on account of that part of this fum which may have been expended conformably defign of the charter, in fupporting the public worship in fome places in New-England, particularly Rhode-Inland government, where the Society's charity was needed. If we deduct 7400, there has been about 35,000 1. Sterling mifapplied in NewEngland, according to the reafoning in the preceding fections. I fhall take the liberty to go upon this fuppofition, tho' I do not pretend to be very exact as to the Quantum; I believe it is not lefs than that. The benefit of this fum, then, other perfons, the Negro flaves, Indians, and heathenish Colonies, have been deprived of; though the money was, as it were, collected in their Name, or with a profeffion of employing it in their service.

Now let it be confidered, how much good might probably have been done to the fouls of thefe people, the direct proper objects of this charity, had the aforefaid fum of 35,000 1. Sterling been duly applied in maintaining and propagating Chritianity among them, inftead of being laid out to fupport and in-creafe the epifcopal party in those towns of New-England, in

the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.

47

which people had the means of religion already, in other Proteftant Communions." Forty or fifty millions might, with this fum, have been comfortably maintained among the Heathen, and in heathenifh places, every year, for more than thirty years paft; and a confiderable number for feveral years antecedent thereto. It is well known, that in fome of the fouthern colonies, there are large districts of 10, 20, 30, and 40 miles extent, and I think more, wherein there is no public worship of any kind regularly kept up, for want of minifters; in which colonies there are alfo many Roman Catholics and flaves: and their ftate, to this day, anfwers very exactly to the defcription in the charter, of thofe places which are therein marked out as the objects of this charitable inftitution. The fame in general is applicable to fome of our West-India iflands, all which fo much abound with Ner gro flaves.

Let us fuppofe then, that about one half the aforefaid fum had been employed in fupporting miffions and schools in thofe colonies, and the other half among the Indians bordering upon us. How much good might probably have been done, by keeping up fome form of religion, and giving a check at least to infidelity, vice and barbarity in the former; and by propagating the knowlege of true religion amongst the latter? In what degree it might have pleafed Almighty God to fucceed these miffions, it is indeed inpoffible for man particularly to say. But fuch an application of the money would unquestionably have been right and proper, according to the charter: and the defign had at least been charitable, noble, and laudable, whatever the fuccefs had been. Nor is there any reafon to doubt in general, but that fome, yea, great good, would have been done, if all the mifapplied money had been difcreetly expended in thefe ways. The general ftate of religion in thefe colonies would, in all probability, have been much better at this day than it is. Many perfons might have been reftrained from open vice and impiety; not a few brought to a ferious fenfe and practice of religion; a great number of the Negro-flaves in, and the Indians near the colonies, brought to fome hopeful knowlege of God and truth, had as many pious and duly qualified miffionaries been fent to one and the other for thirty or forty years paft, as might have been' tollerably fubfifted on the aforefaid fum, which has been very little, if any thing better than thrown away; yea, which many think really worse than thrown away, all circumstances confidered. Nor am I either afhamed or afraid to own myself of this latter opinion; being perfuaded that there is. lefs real religion now. in thofe parts of New-England, where it has been expended, than there would have been bad it been funk in the ocean inftead of the epifcopal gulph

here

here tho' it is not to be fuppofed that any Epifcopalians can be of this opinion, neither is any stress laid upon it in the prefent argument. But even allowing that fome good has been done by converting a number of Prefbyterians, &c. to the church of England, yet what fober and candid perfon can poffibly ima gine, that the common cause of Chriftianity has been a tenth part so much served hereby, as might have been reasonably expected from a different application of this money, in ways directly and indifputably agreeable to the intent of the charter? -What the venerable Society may think of these things I cannot pretend to fay: but I know, many wife and good men think they have reason to bless God, that they are not themfelves to give an account to him for fuch managements; and that the blood of fo many as have probably perished thereby, will not be required at their hands.'

0.

As a proof of Mr. Mayhew's impartiality, he has fubjoined Mr. Apthorp's Obfervations: fo that the Reader will be at no lofs to judge of the weight and propriety of our Author's Remarks upon thofe Obfervations; to which, we hear, Mr. A. has fince made a Reply.

Candid and impartial Confiderations on the Nature of the Sugar Trade; the comparative Importance of the British and French Ilands in the West Indies: with the Value and Confequence of St. Lucia and Granada, truly flated. Illuftrated with Copperplates. 8vo. 4 s. boards. Baldwin.

HETHER the advantages obtained by Great Bri

tain, in the last treaty of peace with France, be adequate or inadequate, to the fucceffes obtained by the former in the course of the war, is a question of which very few are com petent judges; as it requires fo extenfive a knowlege of the condition of each kingdom, the expence of blood and treasure which each had fuftained, and the ability of each to continue the war. But that this laft treaty is more humiliating to France, and more advantageous and honourable to Great Britain, than any that hath been concluded for these two centuries paft, by either of thofe powers, with each other, or any other power, is a fact that will hardly be contested by those who are acquainted with hiftory, and who know the importance and value of our new acquifitions.

Our Author endeavours to fhew the value of a small part of thefe acquifitions; namely, thofe islands in the West Indies, which were ceded to us in the late treaty-Dominica, Tabago,

Granada,

Granada, and its Dependencies. He writes with perfpicuity of style, and with ample knowlege of his fubject. He gives us the History of thofe that are called the Caribbee Iflands, from the first European fettlements made in them, through the fucceffive changes to the present time; and confiders their fituation, foil, harbours, natural products, and the culture and improvement of which they are refpectively capable, especially in regard to that chief article of our West Indian commerce, Sugar. He fhews alfo the military advantages we may derive from two of those islands, in cafe of another war with France: Dominica being eafily made capable of defending itself by its natural. ftrength, and of annoying the enemy, by its fituation between Martinico and Guadalupe: and Granada having two excellent harbours (of which he has given us two Maps well executed) every way fit (one of them especially) for the reception and fe curity of a fquadron of twenty-five fhips of the line. He tells us that this latter ifland has the ineftimable advantage of being entirely free from thofe hurricanes which moleft the other islands, and are often destructive to their plantations and shipping. He highly commends its fertility, in producing not only timber, but many rich fruits, valuable gums, dying-woods, oils, refins, balfams, and above all the fineft fugar, indico, cacao, and cotton. He fays, "That the inhabitants have river and fea-fifh in great abundance, turtle of the largest fize, and lamentins, great plenty of all forts of fowl, prodigious quantities of game, ortelans, and a kind of red partridges, many wild animals in the woods that afford excellent food, and much cattle, as the hills yield excellent pafture." But we doubt, whatever cultivation the ifland may be capable of, that thefe particulars are magnified. He adds, that according to the memorials of French officers, true cinnamon, and fome nutmeg-trees are found there, as well as in Tabago, the fertility of which he likewife extols. In fhort, he endeavours to prove, that these iflands of Tabago, Granada, with the fmaller adjacent islands, He might be eafily made to produce fuch a quantity of the moft valuable commodities in return for British manufactures, as will to yield to Great Britain an annual profit of not less than a million Sterling.

to t

Upon the whole, we think this a masterly performance deferving the attention of all who are concerned in the West India dtrade, but particularly of the honourable Board of Trade and Plantations. The Author has many fentiments that may apmppear to fome readers fingular; but which, as far as we are able judge, are very juft and rational, as well as important and feful. Of thefe we fhall quote the following fpecimens.

The old objection, which from an appearance of truth Rev. Jan. 1764.

E