foreknowledge? And not receive irrefiftible conviction, that the fcriptures, whofe antient predictions are thus punctually fulfilled, are indeed a divine word?

In America, the events of the past year have been peculiarly merciful. Peace, general health and plenty have pervaded our country. Our diftinguishing privileges, civil and religious, have been continued to us, notwithftanding our unprofitableness, ingratitude, and other numerous and aggravated provocations. In New-England the bleffings of the gospel have been moft amply enjoyed. In no part of the world is the gofpel more generally or more faithfully preached, nor the ordinances more conftantly and folemnly adminiftered.* The state of literature and civilization has been flattering. Our colleges, academies and fchools were never better endowed, better regulated, nor more flourishing.

them. Others we fee them hang-erence and wonder of the divine ing, and fhooting in a moft wanton and extraordinary manner. In their victorious career, we fee the hand of heaven interpofing; and by the peftilence, in a wonderful manner, mowing down their generals, captains, and mighty men, like the grafs of the field; and fo animating the blacks that they have driven them from the field, obliged them to take refuge in their fortifications, if not wholly to abandon the principal island; and they have fo harraffed and preffed them on the other, that they have with great difficulty been able to maintain their ground. Not lefs than thirty thoufand lives have, probably, been loft in this bloody conteft. Can we contemplate how the former French inhabitants were plundered, murdered, and driven from the WeftIndies, by their own flaves and natural children, the fruit of their debaucheries, and the deAruction and distress of the French armies, and not be ftruck with On the feveral miffionary fociftrong conviction, that the Al-eties, inftituted within a few years mighty is awfully teftifying his paft, in Maffachusetts and Condispleasure against their wicked- necticut, the divine fmiles have in nefs, and avenging their fins, in a peculiar manner rested even from enflaving and oppreffing their fel- their commencement. They haye low men! Do they not teach fent a confiderable number of mifwhat all men of this character may fionaries into the new and vacant reasonably expect from his aveng-fettlements in the northern, wefting hand? Who can read thofe ern and eaftern borders of the Uniantient predictions, uttered be- ted States. They have preached tween four and five thousand years the gofpel through a vast extent ago, Curfed be Canaan, a fervant of country; in the wilderness of fervants fball he be unto his breth

ren.

* In Maffachusetts and Connecticut

there are more than seven hundred regular churches; and between fix and

God fhall enlarge Japhet, and he ball dwell in the tents of Shem; and Canaan fhall be his ferfeven hundred ordained minifters, bevant; and view the enflaved confides candidates. In the other parts of dition of fo many hundred thouNew-England there may be nearly fands of his pofterity in the Weft-two hundred more, nearly a paftor to Indies, and not be filled with rev

Gen. ix. 25, 27.

every thousand fouls. Including the Epifcopalian and Baptift paftors, there are more than one to every thousand.

eral bleffings, but hath enjoyed fome which challenge our particular notice and thanksgiving. The lives and usefulness of our governor and lieutenant-governor have been preferved; and among the gentlemen of the council, our fenators and reprefentatives in Congrefs, and the judges of our fuperior court, there hath not been an inftance of death. Among about two hundred clergymen, fome of whom are far advanced in life, one only hath refted from his labors the year paft.*

they have gathered many churches,, and won many new fubjects to the divine Saviour. They have gladdened the hearts of many thoufands, and caufed many thankfgivings to redound to the Father of all mercies. In the past year thefe focieties have been able to employ a greater number of miffionaries, than in any preceding year; and the gofpel has been more extenfively, and more abundantly preached in the vacant fettlements; and the overtures of mercy have been made to the heathen. These focieties have more God has been pleased in a moft and more attracted the attention gracious and fingular manner to of good people; and through vifit our college. In a few months, their liberality, their funds have about feventy of the ftudents were been conftantly increafing. Both brought hopefully to know themin Europe and America, the mif- felves and their Saviour; and in the fionary spirit is kept up, and the course of the year, publicly joined zeal and exertions of the miffiona-themfelves, in covenant to the Lord. ry focietiesare not abated. Thro' their means the gofpel is fent into the four quarters of the globe, and preached to the most poor, ftupid and miferable people. Never fince the apoftolic age have there been fuch exertions to diffufe Chriftian knowledge, and to fpread the kingdom of Jefus through the whole earth. In fome few inftanzes the arm of the Lord hath been evealed, and the gospel hath appeared indeed to be the power of God and the wifdom of God unofalvation. The peaceable and holy walking of the numerous onverts, who in preceding years ave made a profeffion of Chrif anity, hath given ftrength and eauty to our churches, and af orded evidence of the genuinenefs that bleffed work, with which hath pleafed God to vifit them. hefe are bleffings of the part ear which demand univerfal praife. With refpect to Connecticut in articular, the ftate has not only ad the ampleft share in thefe geu-year of his age.

There are now about two hundred forty-four ftudents in College, of whom together with tutors and refident graduates fixty or are profeffors of religion. They meet twice in every week to give praife to their common Saviour, to fing forth the honors of redeeming love, to warm each other's hearts, and ftrengthen each other's pious refolutions, by fpeaking often one to another; and to fupplicate the divine bleffing on themselves, their inftructors, fellow-ftudents and the Ifrael of God. O happy Yale! thus vifited and bleffed of God! Happy prefident and tutors in the fuccefs of your labors, in your appointment to inftruct fo many of the fons of God, to witnefs their piety and dutiful conduct, and enjoy their prayers! Will not this awaken all your hearts to praise, and call into exertion all the energies of your fouls, to advance the divine glory and the good of men? *The Rev. Mr. Petwine, inthe 72d

your

a dry place, as the fhadow of great rock in a weary land? What a joyful event is such a re

is not only of the higheft confe quence to that, but to the church and commonwealth. The fountain having been purified the streams will be pure, making glad the city of our God.

Bleffed youth who are taught of God, to whom he hath given fuch inftructors, and fuch opportunities with each other! Will ye not con-vival at the feat of literature? It fider, that ye are not your own? That ye are bought with a price? And therefore glorify God in body, and in your fpirit, which are God's? Will ye not ftrive by prayer, by converfation and example, by all means in your powAnother happy occurrence is er to perfuade all your fellow-ftu- the fuccefs of the petition of the dents to become travellers with Miffionary Society of Connecticut, you to the heavenly Zion? Hath praying the legislature to incorpoGod caft fuch falt into the foun-rate the board of trustees, enabling tain, and will any refufe to be fea- them to receive and hold monies foned? Have fo many been taken, to a refpectable amount, for the and will not others fear and trem- purpofe of diffufing Chriftian ble left they should be left? Will knowledge in the new fettlements, not they, after enjoying fuch afea- and of communicating the glad fon of grace, after witneffing fuch tidings of falvation to the wild evidence of the truth and power men of the American forefts. In of religion, and fuch examples of confequence of which they have piety and holy living, be without been vefted with ample powers for all excufe? How can they escape, carrying into execution those charif they neglect the great falvation? itable and noble designs. Oye unhappy youth, who have yet refused to return to your Father, look forward to that day, when the mafter of the houfe fhall rife up and fhut the door against all who work iniquity, and confider how ye can bear to fee Abraham and Ifaac and Jacob, and all the prophets, and your pious fellow-ftudents in the kingdom of heaven and you yourfelves fhut out! Will there not then be among you wailing and gnashing of teeth? May not the door foon be fhut, the harveft foon be paft and the fummer ended? And may not you foon join the lamentations of thofe who have not been faved? Is there a moment to be loft? Will ye not fly, without delay, to the mighty Saviour, that he may be to you an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempeft? As rivers of water in

These are fame of the princi pal events of the past year, of general concern, which challenge our notice, and correfpondent exercifes of heart, on the commencement of this new year. There are numerous others of a more private nature which demand the particulur notice of families and indi viduals. While fome have enjoy ed a year of uninterrupted health, others have been vifited with fore fickness, and been recovered from the fides of the pit. The Lord hath been their helper. He hath turned for them their mourning into dancing: He hath put off their fack cloth and girded them with glad nefs to the end that their glory might fing praife to him, and no be fileni. Will not ye give thank unto him for ever? Shall not this be your study and language, What

* Pfalm xxx. 10, 11, 12.

a

As we are now entering upon a New Year, not knowing what may befal us, it becomes us with a holy fubmiffion, to commit all our concerns to God; fupplicating his mercy, and trufting in him, through Chrift, to affift us in all duties and to prepare us for all events

foundation thereof. They are haughty and boaft of fuccefs. Like the Affyrian king, they fay, We are come up to the height of the

year of rich mercies to them, their families and all their connections. Efpecially that it may be a year of fpiritual bleffings to them. We thank them for the encour-mountains, to the fides of Lebanon, agement and fupport which they and we will cut down the choice cehave given to this magazine. We dars thereof, and the choice fir trees folicit the continuance of their fa- thereof: and we will enter into the vors and their prayers for us, and height of his border, and into the that the work in which we are en- foreft of his Carmel. Chriftians, gaged may be more and more fuc- therefore, fhould walk circumcefsful. fpectly, not as fools, but as wife, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Like the Jewith king and the holy prophet, they fhould unite their prayers to God for help. They should pray in the clofet, in private, and in the houfe of God; watch unto pray. er; pray with all fupplication and prayer with all perfeverance therein. They fhould take unto themselves the whole armour of God, be ftrong and quit them. felves like men. They should be holy and without blame before God, abounding in all the fruits of righteoufnefs, which are by Jefus Chrift unto his praife and glory. The minifters of the Lord fhould be laborers in his harvest; paftors after his own heart, feeding the people with knowledge and understanding. They fhould be men of prayer, crying day and night, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach. Then would the migh ty Saviour walk in the midft of the golden candlesticks, and hold the stars in his right hand. Then the Lord God would dwell among us, be our defence, our everlafting light and glory. Then would the enemy be ashamed, and the faints triumph over him in the language of the prophet, The virgin, the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to fcorn, the daughter of Jerufalem hath fhaken her head at thee.

We have indeed called you to rejoice in the Lord; but we wifh you to rejoice with trembling. It becomes us to difcern the figns of the times, that we may do the duties of our day, and be prepa. red for the trials and events which may be approaching us. The afpects of providence are uncommon, denoting danger, and calling for Chriftian patience, circumfpection, fortitude, fidelity and perfeverance.

Though God hath done great things for us whereof we are glad; though great numbers, in a few years paft, have been added to the Lord; though atheists and infidels have fubmitted themselves to the fceptre of Jefus, their number perhaps, is not diminished. The wicked walk on every fide, and iniquity abounds. Infidels and haters of God are numerous, open and bold. They are muftering all their legions from earth and hell to fight against God and his people. They adopt the language of the antient enemies of Zion, Rafe it, rafe it, even to the