1. It wilbe a service to the Churche of great Consequence to carrye the Gospell into those partes of the world, and to rayse a bullwarke against the kingdom of Antichrist which the Jesuites labour to reare vp in all places of the worlde.

2. All other Churches of Europe are brought to desolation, and it cannot be, but the like Judgment is comminge vpon vs: and who knows, but that God hathe provided this place, to be a refuge for manye, whom he meanes to save out of the general destruction?

3. This lande growes wearye2 of her Inhabitantes, so as man which is the most pretious of all Creatures, is heere more vile and base, then the earthe they treade vpon: so as children neighbours and freindes (especially if they be poore) are rated the greatest burdens, which if things were right, would be the cheifest earthly blessings.

4. We are growne to that height of Intemperance in all excesse of Ryot, as no mans estate all most will suffice to keepe sayle with his equalls: and he that fayles in it, must liue in scorn and contempt: hence it comes, that all 114

5. The fountains of learninge and Religion are so corrupted, as (besides the vnsupportable chardge of their education) most Children, even the best wittes and of fayrest hopes, are perverted corrupted and vtterly overthrowne by the multitude of evill examples and the licentious government of those seminaryes.

6. The whole earthe is the Lordes garden: and he hathe given it to the sons of men to be tilld and improved by them: why then should we stand striving heere for places of habitation etc. (many men spending as muche labor and cost to recover or keepe sometyme an Acre or 2 of lande, as would procure him many C hundred acres as good or better in another place) and in the mene tyme suffer whole countrys as fruitfull and convenient for the vse of man, to lye waste without any improvement?

7. What can be a better worke and more honorable and worthy a Christian then to helpe 3 rayse and supporte a particular Churche while it is in the infancye, and to ioine our forces with suche a Companye of faithfull people, as one word cancelled by a tymely assistance maye growe stronge and prosper, and for want of it may be putt to great hazard, if not wholly ruined?

8. If suche as are knowne to be godly and Hue in wealthe and prosperitye heere, shall forsake all this to ioine themselues to this Churche, and to runne the hazard with them of a harde and meane condition, it wilbe an example of great vse, bothe for removinge the schandale of worldly and sinister respectes to give more life to the Faithe of Godes people in their prayers for the plantation, and allso to incourage others to ioyne the more willingly in it.

Ob. 1: It wilbe a great wronge to our owne Churche and Countrye, to take awaye the good people, and we shall laye it the more open to the Judgment feared.

Ans. 1: the number wilbe nothing in respecte of those that are lefte: 2 many that liue to no vse heere, more then for their owne private familys, may be imployed to a more common good in another place: 3: suche as are of noe vse heere, may yet be so imployed, as the Church shall receive no losse: and since Christes tyme the Church is to be considered as vniversall, without distinction of countrys, so as he that dothe good in any one place serves the Church in all places in regarde of the vnitye. lastly it is the re­116vealed will of God, that the Gospell should be preached to all nations: and thoughe we knowe not, whither the Indians will receive it or not, yet it is a good worke, to observe Godes will in offering it to them, for God shall haue Glory by it, though they refuse it.

Ob. 2. We have feared a Judgment a longe tyme, but yet we are safe, soe it were better to staye till it come, and either we may flye then, or if we be overtaken in it we may well contente our selues to suffer with suche a Churche as ours is.

here may be added such reasons as doe necessaryly preclude flight thence Ans. It is like that this consideration made the Churches beyonde the seas (as the Palatinate Rochell etc.) to sitt still at home, and not look out for shelter while they might have founde it: but the woefull spectacle of their ruine, may teache vs more wisdome, to avoyde the plague when it is foreseene, and not to tarrye, as they did, till it overtake vs: if they were now at their former libertye, we may be sure, they would take other Course for their safety: and though most of them had miscarried in their escape, yet it had not been halfe so miserable to them selues, nor scandalous to Religion, as this desperate backslidinge, and abiuringe the truethe, which many of the auncient professors amonge them, and the whole posteryty that remaine have are now plunged into.

Ob. 3. We have heere a fruitfull lande with peace and plenty of all thinges etc.

Ans. our superfluities excepted we are like to be followed with as good consequences remaininge there in a shorte tyme, and be far from many temptations illegible meet with here.4 yet we must leave all this abondance, if it be not taken from vs: and when we are in our graves it wilbe all one to have liued in plentye or penurye, whither we had dyed in a bedd of downe, or a lock of strawe, and onely this is the advantage of a meane condition, that it is at more freedom to dye and the lesse comfort any hathe in the things of this world, the more 5 liberty and desire he may have to laye vp treasure in heaven.

Ob. 4. But we may perishe by the waye or when we come there, either hanginge hunger or the sworde etc., and how vncomfortable it would be to see our wiues children and freindes come to suche misery by our occasion?

Ans. Suche objection savours to muche of the flesh: who can saue him selfe or his familye from calamitys heere? if this course be warrantable we must trust Godes providence for these thinges, either he will keepe these evills from vs, or will dispose them for our good, and enable vs to beare them.

Ob. 5: But what warrant haue we to take that lande which is and hathe been of longe tyme possessed by other sonnes of Adam?

sol. That which is common to all is proper to none, these saluadge peoples ramble over muche lande without title or propertye: 2: there is more then enough for them and vs; 3: God hathe consumed the natives with a miraculous plague, wherby a great parte of the Country is left voyde of Inhabitantes. 4. We shall come in with good leave of the natiues.6

Ob. 6. we should yet send yonge ones, and suche as may best be spared, and not of our best ministers and magistrates.

sol. It is a greater worke and requires more skillfull artizans, to laye the foundation of a newe building, then to vphould or repaire one that is ready built: if great things be attempted by weake instrumentes, the effectes willbe answerable:

Ob. 7. We see those plantations, which have been formerly made, succeeded ill.

Ans. the fruit of any publick designe is not to be discerned by the immediate successe, 2: it may appeare in tyme, that they were all to good vse. 2: there were great and fundamentall errors in the other, which are like to be avoyded in this: for 1: their maine ende two words cancelled and purpose was carnall and not religious; they aymed cheifly at profitt, and not the propagating of Religion. 2: they vsed vnfitt instrumentes, a multitude of Rude and misgoverned persons the verye scomme of the lande. 3: they did not establish a right forme of Government.