to live in settled
habitations, to canton out their land and till it, to provide vegetable
food of all kinds, to preserve flocks and herds of cattle, to make
convenient houses, and to cloath themselves decently: This will assist
the spreading of the gospel among them; this will dispose them to
social vertues, and enable them to see and to feel the advantages of a
religious and civil education.

And that this view of propagating the gospel and civil life among the
savage nations of America, was a principal motive which induced the
crown to send the first English colonies thither, doth appear from the
charter granted by King James I. to the adventurers in Virginia. _See
Purchas's pilgrims, part 4. b. 9. c.i._ And it is now but just (what
might then seem charitable) that these poor creatures should receive
some advantage with respect to their spiritual interests, from those
who have so much improved their temporal by settling among them.

It is most true, notwithstanding our present corruptions, that there
are to be found in no country under the sun men of better inclinations,
or greater abilities for doing good than in England. But it is as true,
that success, in many cases, dependeth not upon zeal, industry, wealth,
learning, or the like faculties, so much as on the method, wherein
these are applied. We often see a small proportion of labour and
expence in one way, bring that about, which in others a much greater
share of both could never effect. It hath been my endeavour to discover
this way or method in the present case. What hath been done, I submit
to the judgment of all good and reasonable men; who, I am persuaded,
will never reject or discourage a proposal of this nature on the score
of slight objections, surmises, or difficulties, and thereby render
themselves chargeable with the having prevented those good effects,
which might otherwise have been produced by it.

For it is, after all, possible, that unforeseen difficulties may arise
in the prosecution of this design, many things may retard, and many
things may threaten to obstruct it; but there is hardly any enterprize
or scheme whatsoever for the publick good, in which difficulties are
not often shewing themselves, and as often overcome by the blessing of
God, upon the prudence and resolution of the undertakers: though, for
ought that appears, the present scheme is as likely to succeed, and
attended with as few difficulties, as any of this kind can possibly be