"But though it may be justly questioned, "whether the power of miracles be now neces

sary, we have no reason to doubt but that Almighty God will accompany the preaching "of the Gospel to the Heathen with a double portion of grace and spiritual illumination; " which may have the same good effect and in"fluence upon their minds, as if they saw the "most astonishing miracles. If we suppose that they receive only so much assistance from the

Holy Spirit of Christ as will engage their at"tention to the truths they hear preached, and "lessen their prejudices against it; our Religion -" is so reasonable, and the natives are generally : "so discerning, that the sincere part of them "could not but embrace it. This we may con

fidently expect, that the preaching of the Gospel will be attended with such measures of spiritual assistance, as shall be necessary to "counter-balance the prejudices of the Heathen, "and dispose them to a favourable reception of "the truth. So much grace is generally given "to those who are already Christians; and "there is reason to expect, that more plentiful "effusions will be bestowed on those, who by "their education and circumstances are unhap-

pily prepossessed against the doctrine of the "Gospel:

"I mentioned the quick capacity of the na

"tives among the other reasons we have to

hope for their speedy conversion to Christiani"ty: but when I speak of their capacity, I do "not only mean their skill and ingenuity in all. "manual arts, wherein they seem to excel the common artificers in Europe; and sometimes "out-do the most ingenious; though they use but very few (and these but clumsy) tools in. finishing the nicest pieces of work: their skill "this way shews a quickness of fancy and in"vention, greater than is to be found among "the common people in Europe; but they are

no less remarkable for their skill in arithme"tick, and their easy expeditious way of calculating the most difficult sums and proportions, "after a manner unknown to Europeans: this " is reckoned but a vulgar attainment among one Cast of them; there being a great num"ber that excel in it. And they show no less "art and address in their common affairs and "business; some of them being masters of a

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more refined policy and deeper dissimulation, "than most can imagine; and all of them (as "far as I could ever observe) show greater sagacity, a quicker fancy, and readier appre"hension even of moral truths, than our com-. mon people at home do. I was never better. pleased than in seeing (for though I heard, I. "did not understand) Mr. Zeigenbalg preach. "to a crowd of them; for they shewed so much.

« attention, and seemed so extremely pleased from Europe to with his undertaking a voyage instruct them; and with his humble familiar way of conversing with them in their own language; and (as he afterwards told me) they "understood him so easily, and made such perti« dent' objections about the resurrection, and « other points, that I thought it was great pity "such numbers of ingenious, and seemingly well-disposed people, should not have some able Missionaries sent out to instruct them. "Seeing they are so sagacious and inquisitive, it cannot be thought strange that the gross"ness of their supersition, and their absurd be❝ lief, should give me some hopes of their con« version; for though they are not capable of «making such just reflections as might undeceive "them, and free them from the lasting prejudices of education: yet if they were addrest

"

to with proper arguments, there could be no "great difficulty in convincing them, that their "fore-fathers were imposed upon, and that their "notions and practices are foolish and absurd. "I do not find that they believe anything so grossly stupid as transubstantiation; nor have "the Romish Proselytes any notion of that « strange doctrine. None of the natives that I really have talked with, will own that they reall "worship idols. They say, that they acknow"ledge but one Supreme God, the God of the

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Christians, who made the world: and though "their histories mention other gods; and that "some of the populace pay a religious kind of

respect to some statues and animals; the wiser "sort know that their inferior deities were but heroes, kings, and famous men, who were "taken into heaven, and rewarded by the great "God of all. And they solve their worshipping the statues and images of these deities, by the very same arguments that the papists defend their worship of the cross, saints, and images: so that 'tis hard to tell, "whether the usual distinctions upon this point were originally Romish, or Indian. But

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though the Popish Missionaries can use no "argument against the Heathen Idolatry, but "what may be answered by the help of their " own distinctions, and urged with equal force

against their own more stupid idolatry; yet a • Protestant might easily confute both, by argu"ments drawn from Scripture and reason, with "such force and evidence as an honest Heathen

could not withstand, though a true Papist pro"bably would. But to proceed.

"The austére and abstêmious life that the "Indians generally lead, gives me some reason "to believe, that they might easily be converted

to the Christian faith and practice; they would "find but little difficulty in the hard and shock*ing doctrines of temperance, self-denial, po

"

verty, and contempt of the world; for these unpleasant duties are in some measure natural "to them. Rice is their daily food, their head " and middle only are covered with linen, they

lie upon the ground, and for houses, have only "such huts to cover them, as can skreen them "from the cold winds and rain. Even the per"sons of distinction among them, (who are but

few) live much after the same way; having only their bodies entirely cloathed, and a few seasoning things to eat with their rice; which the rest cannot, or will not purchase. Now seeing they are thus contented and happy with "the necessaries of life, they do not lie under any great temptation to covetousness, pride, ambition, and envy: their affections may be more easily disengaged from the world, in "which they usually seem to live with very great "indifference; having seldom any prospect or foresight beyond the present day; the necessaries "whereof they procure by their labour and toil. Many of them indeed do indulge themselves in lewdness, and some of them have several wives; but I believe they tolerate these practices among them, only because they reckon them lawful; for they punish adultery with death: "and in these matters seem to act very much according to the Jewish law, though they "know nothing of it.

"Another thing which I think must somewhat