priety or impropriety of any of his ways. The mind of man is too contracted to comprehend his modes of action, or fully to see the justice and truth which are inseparable from his ways. The secret ties which connect together the different ages of the world, and different dispensations of his providence, are too minute for our discernment, and too refined for our comprehension; and the process of their movements is too secret for our penetration. We see the event accomplished, without knowing upon what secret springs any of its parts depend, any more than we can conceive how that love can be infinite, which is lodged within the confines of justice, and which in many instances seems so partial in its application.

But how desolate and abandoned soever Africamay now appear, there was a period, in which the gospel shone through some considerable portion of that quarter of the globe. In conjunction with other parts, the natives of that extensive tract had the light of revelation diffused among them, in an early stage of Christianity, within less than thirty years* after the death of Christ, which was some time before Jerusalem, that devoted city, met its doom. But why this gospel was withdrawn; how long it flourished among them; in what period it began to decay; or to what more favourable countries it retired, is not our present business to inquire. God who uniformly aims at the welfare of the faithful, and who

That the gospel in its extensive spread, was carried into Africa in the early. ages of Christianity, will hardly admit of any controversy. There are many indubitable evidences which sufficiently prove its establishment, and place its being known in every quarter of the then discovered world, beyond all possble doubt,

Dr. Doddridge in his Family Expositor, vol. ii. p. 390. after paraphrasing Matt. xxiv. 14. observes in a note on these words (" The gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness to all nations") as follows: "The accomplishment of this extraordinary prophecy is admirably illustrated by Dr. Arthur Young, vol. ii. p. 216-234. It appears from the most credible records that the gospel was preached in Idumea, Syria, and Mesopotamia by Jude: in Egypt, Marmorica, Mauritania, and other parts of Africa, by Mark, Simon, and Jude: in Ethiopia by Candace's Eunuch and Matthias: in Pontus, Galatia, and the neighbouring parts of Asia, by Peter: in the territories of the seven Asiatic churches, by John: in Parthia by Matthew: in Scythia by Philip and Andrew: in the northern and western parts of Asia, by Bartholomew in Persia by Simon and Jude: in Media, Carmania, and several eastern parts, by Thomas: and through that vast tract of territory from Jerusalem round about unto Illyricum, by Paul; as also in Italy, and probably in Spain, Gaul, and Britain. In most of these places success attended the preaching of the gospel, and Christian churches were planted in less than thirty years after this prophecy was delivered, which was some time before the destruction of Jerusalem took place." It is thus in one view that we behold a train of events corresponding with the prediction, and the truths of the gospel disseminated over so large a portion of the globe. And we are fully assured from these and a variety of other circumstances, that Africa, notwithstanding the present condition of her degenerate sons, has had its gospel day, and has heard the invitations of a Saviour's love.

makes his dealings with us subservient to this important end, withdraws no mercy from mankind without a sufficient cause; and that cause originates in man. We may therefore rest satisfied that the removal of the gospel from Africa, as well as its removal from other parts of the world in which it once flourished, but from which it is now withdrawn, has been occasioned by the hypocrisy of professors; the contempt with which it has been treated; the attachment of the inhabitants to paganism and idolatry; their making religion a cloak for licentiousness; and harbouring those secret vices, which Christianity must extirpate when it takes possession of the heart-these or similar causes may be assigned as reasons for the removal of the gospel from them.

We have said in a preceding page, when contemplating the gloomy dispensations of divine providence, which encircle the negroes who are held in bondage in the West Indies, that they are obliged to trust God where they cannot trace him; and that they are called to walk by faith and not by sight. The same observations which we have applied to them, may with equal justice be appropriated to ourselves. In the volume of nature and the book of providence, we discover facts which we cannot deny; they pass upon us in both cases, with evidences which convince us of their certainty; while their causes and consequences are alike wrapped up in shade. Facts in both instances give us indubitable evidences of a superior cause possessing energies which we cannot grasp; but beyond the confines of their simple existence, our acutest penetrations cannot pierce.

The civil condition of the negroes opens a field of contem plation to the inquiring mind, which our deepest researches cannot fully explore. We trace effects to their more immediate causes, but still find ourselves surrounded with difficulties; we ascend step by step on the mountain of mysteries, till the sight grown dim by the height of our situation, can no longer move in these elevated regions: it then seems to close in darkness; and the jaded spirits, tired with the excursion, seek repose in the equity and justice of God.

But the wisdom and equity of God, in which the pious mind seeks and finds its rest, enveloped with shadows and involved in mysteries, still lie buried in a vast abyss. The mind therefore repairs to the unerring standard of divine truth; and learns from the sacred volume, that the Judge of the whole earth must do right; that we must wait with patience till this mortal shall put on immortality, when a scene shall open in which he shall justify his ways to man.

The tornadoes which destroy the promised vintage of the year, are not greater anomalies in the natural, than the condition of the poor negroes is in the moral world. In both cases we are

assured that justice must mark the footsteps of God, in what he does, and in what he suffers, though we are unable to trace it in either case. These things ensure to us an after scene, in which the mysteries of the present shall be completely unravelled; rewards and punishments administered according to our deeds; and in which the obscurities which now shade the conduct of God, shall be unfolded, and rendered conspicuous to every order of intelligent beings. It is with these prospects before him, and the internal assurances of them, that the Christian becomes reconciled to the varied dispensations of God. It is thus he feels resignation to his blessed will, confidently persuaded that he permits no injustice to take place, which he does not particularly notice, and will not amply counterbalance by rewards and punishments, either in time or in eternity. And since the justice of God is not always unfolded in the present state, our reasoning powers instruct us to look for another, in which partiality and questionable appearances shall be totally done away.

How far these outlines of the Author's views may meet the concurrence of all his readers, he feels himself incompetent to decide. Satisfied in himself that no other considerations can afford that stability to an inquiring mind which the subject requires, and which the human mind imperiously demands; he feels a confidence within himself, that the pious and reasonable will readily yield their suffrage to a train of positions, which lead immediately to tranquillity and repose in God. And while the faith of individuals is confirmed, and their hopes animated with brighter prospects, the heart must be enlarged, and filled with fervent zeal for the honour and glory of that God, who has thus opened a door for the spread of his gospel in those unpromising portions of the globe. And while with holy transport, the soul exults in the prospect which lies before it, the hand will be expanded with an involuntary liberality to support the best of causes, that of spreading among the heathen the unsearchable riches of Christ.

History of the West Indies.

CHAP. I.

General observations-division-geographical situation-boundaries and discovery-general appearance of the country-fertility and vegetable productions-variations of the seasons-sea and land breezes-advantages of these breezes-effects of the climate, and letter of Columbus. ·

HAVING given in the preceding pages an ample account of the object of this Work, and of the motives which have urged us to engage in this undertaking, together with the plan which we intended to pursue, we now proceed, as premised, to give a general description of that Archipelago which is at present commonly known by the name of the West Indies.

The islands which have obtained the name of West Indies, are considerable in number, of different sizes, from doubtful continents to solitary rocks; which are situated in an extensive excavation, apparently scooped out by the hand of Providence, near to the most southern part of the northern continent of America. In themselves they serve to check the violence of the Atlantic surges, and offer by these means a distant relief to the continental shores; while in their turn they are amply repaid for that protection which they administer, by the reciprocal shelter which they receive from the distant and contiguous coasts, with which they are more than half encircled. It is on these accounts, in all probability, that they were formerly called Antilles, or Anti-Isles ; but whether these terms apply in general to all the islands which we denominate the West Indies, or are exclusively confined to the larger islands of Cuba and Hispaniola, is a matter on which historians seem to be divided.

These islands have however nearly lost these antiquated names, and are better known by more modern appellations. From the old Spanish navigators they received other names, which arising from natural causes, seem to be of a more permanent, though equally local nature. These navigators divided all