be reanimated, the rich and the poor would meet together, the subjects of pity would be found, the widow and the fatherless would be visited, the hungry fed, the naked cloathed, and the oil of confolation would be poured into every wound. God has ufually been pleased in his fovereign will to bless the united prayers of his people: His promife is very gracious to those who unite as touching any one thing. The union and communion of God's children generally precede the outpouring of his fpirit; many at the prefent day, can witness this truth; every rational argument combines in the propriety of ftrict attention to this duty, and the word of God folemnly enjoins it; where it is neglected, all others are attended in a cold and formal manner. It is requested that profeffors would feriously and candidly inquire of themselves, if they are not guilty of this neglect.May all arife and trim their lamps, and fee if the oil of divine grace is burning; may they reflect that by uniting with the world to the neglect of this duty, they violate God's holy command, wrong their own fouls, and bring a reproach on the cause of the blessed Jefus. EVANDER. The Chriftian's foliloquy. -A cure for a fad heart, in a day of affliction. John xiv. 1, 2, 3. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my fathers house are many manfions: if it were not so I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be alfo." thou reafonest well! Else, whence this pleasing hope, this fond defire, this ardent longing after celeftial glory? Or why this wonderful apparatus of a world, made for man, replenished with an almost infinite variety, in the fowls of the air, in the beasts of the field, in the fishes of the sea; and stores with ten thoufand bleffings, all-all for the use, convenience and comfort of man: for man, a being of yesterday, and who to-morrow will be laid in the dust? If there be not a celestial Paradife, a kingdom of eternal glory, prepared for the righteous, beyond this vale of tears, why all this attention to worthless man, to man, who, if his foul be not immortal, and a candidate for eternal blessedness, is in no wife answerable to such aftonishing difplays of the wisdom, power and goodness of God? Or why, from the beginning, were angels from the throne of heaven, fent on errands to man, with messages of grace? Why were prophets inspired to teach mankind the will of heaven, and in confirmation of their teftimony, to predict events to the end of the world, in the existence, wars, revolutions and deftruction of kingdoms, to succeed in exact historical order, in the long fucceffion of thousands of years? Or why the amazing condefcenfion of God the Son, to unite with his divine the human nature, to be made under the law, to endure such trials of cruel mockings and fcourgings, and to expire in all the shame and agonies of the torturing death of the cross, inflicted by a feeble band of Roman Soldiers, instigated by Jewish malice? Or why the bold, perfevering, undaunted teftimony of his disciples, in the lofs of all earthly honors and poffeffions, ❘ mand the obedience of his ration fearless of prisons and dungeons, of the threatenings of earthly rulers and of ignominious stripes, not even shrinking from death itself, (when inflicted with all the torture, which human malice could invent,) that they might be found faithful in blessing the world with the glorious gofpel of him whom they had "Seen alive after his paffion by many infallible proofs, being feen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God?" It is only in the gospel, the grand solution of these wonderful phenomena can be found. The pages of this facred book difclose the whole. They point out the destiny of man. They place God on his glorious throne, and bring the whole created univerfetto bow before him. Here, thou mayeft read, oh, my foul, and find a fatisfying and comforting answer to all thy enquiries. Dost thou ask again, why all this attention to worthless man? Here the answer is given. It is because the foul is immortal, and this a preparatory state to another of eternal duration, beyond the grave. It is because the whole world lieth in fin, exposed to wrath, and noth. ing short of the blood-bought par- | ed by the ties of confcience is pre al creatures? And where is the use of law, which knows no penalties, nor rewards? Or how can justice be displayed, without diftinguishing between the innocent and the guilty-the holy and the unholy? Is this, then, fully to be feen in the prefent world? Do rewards and punishments diftinguishingly enforce the divine law on carth? Wherefore, then, "do the wicked live, become old," yea, and are "mighty in power," in thousands of instanees? Why do they often abound in profperity and affluence, while the righteous are many times afflicted, poor and. low in the world? Or why have. so many prophets, apostles and martyrs "wandered about in Sheepskins, and goat-skins; being deftitute, afflicted, tormented, and tortured, not accepting deliverance," in the hour of death, by denying their Lord, if this was not the way to "obtain a better refurrec tion?" If beyond the grave there. be not an eternal distinction made between the righteous and the wicked? Without a future state of retribution all is dark and unintelligible, all is a chaos of con fufion, and man no longer restrain "Let pared for scenes of riot, of fraud, don of the glorious Son of God could refcue a fingle foul from everlafting woe. Nor think thisa fable. For it is an awakened confcience, Oh my foul, that fills thee with fuch a folemn awe of God. It is heaven itself, that points out to thee, in the vanity of all things below the fun as well as in the facred page, the certainty of an eternal existence beyond the grave. And will not that be a state of rewards and punishments? Can it be otherwife? Where is the foun- it were not so I would have told dation of law, if not in the good-you. I go to prepare a place for ness and authority of God to com you." Oh! blessed news! How that if I am not ashamed of Jesus, in the presence of this wicked and adulterous generation, when religion is so much fcoffed at, by the unthinking many, he will never be ashamed of me, whatever, in other respects, may be my station and condition, in the world. He will own me in the day of his triumphant glo full of confolation to the right eous foul, in this state of trial! How does it obliterate from the mind the painful remembrance of paft forrows and sufferings, and fweetly wipe from their streaming eyes the bitter tears of affliction, by the bright prospect of eternal glory, with which it gladdens the heart! How glorious the charact-ry! He will not be ashamed of er of God in this wonderful scheme of redemption and falvation! The manfions of eternal bleffedness are opened for penitent believers in the Lord Jefus. "I to prepare a place for you, you," faid the dying Redeemer. Remember this, oh, my foul, when thou art called to fuffer reproach or perfecution for the religion of Jefus: remember, he has first drank the wormwood' and the gall, the bitter cup of tears and blood ! Oh, remember this is the way to glory! Jefus has gone to prepare a place for thee, if thou art in reality an humble believer in him. "Let not your heart be troubled;" for Christ, and all the glorics of heaven are yours. He has gone to prepare a place for you, a place in the manfions of bleffednefs, where God shall wipe away all tears from your afflicted eyes, and crown you with all the honors and bleffings of the celeftial Paradise. What, then, if I am poor in this world, I am rich in Christ Jefus, my Lord. If I am defpised on earth, I am honored ■ in heaven. Ifin the world I ex perience tribulation, it is on the road to glory. If I am friendless among men, my guardian Angels stand before my father's face, in heaven; and Jesus owns me for one of his chofen, beloved ones. Yes, oh, Yes! This is my sweet confolation, my joy, my support, under all my trials and afflictions, in this life, whatever they may be, VOL. IV. No. 4. 1 me, when feated on his "great white throne," in glorious majesty, to judge the world. He will bid me welcome to the joys of heaven, and grant me a feat at his right hand. Oh! He will bless me with his divine friendship to all eternity. "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." What a glorious charter! How privileged I am, oh, my foul, if truly interested in the Lord Jesus! He will come again. He will receive me unto himself. And, why? That we may meet to part no more; that where he is, there I may be also, with his innumerable company of angels and faints, enjoying his beatific prefence, where is fulness of joy; and, at his right hand, where are pleasures forevermore. Is not this enough? Am I affured, if I am faithful unto the death there will be a crown of righteoufness laid up for me, in the heavens? Why, then, should I ever repine, at the profperity of the wicked? Why envy the haughty worldling waxing great by violence and lies? Or why, when compassed about with. unforeseen worldly trials and afflictions should I rashly call myself one of the most unfortunate and unhappy of mortals? For my portion is great: it is glorious, it is eternal; and being divinely affured. it will never perish, I am fortunate and happy. What, if like Lazarus,a S I die a beggar? What, if like him, I find no earthly friends to nourish my body with food, to cover my nakedness with raiment, or to bind up my wounds and bruises, in my last fickness, with the healing balms of the physician? What, if no figh arifes from the heart of a friend at my death, nor a fingle tear be shed over my grave? Shall fuch confiderations as these make me miferable? Shall they deprive me of all enjoyment in my God? Earthly friends I esteem: I undervalue them not. Worldly bleffings, I am fenfible, flow from the bounty of heaven, and may enlarge my present comfort and enjoyment. But, my treasure is in heaven. Knowing that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for me, and that he will come again, and receive me unto himself; that where he is, there I may be also, I am happy. Of this felictiy the world can never. deprive me. This is a happiness, which even death itself, dreaded as it is, by animal, nature, will but bring to perfection. For, entering into the feelings of an apostle, I am ready to say, "I reckon that the fufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which Shall be revealed in us." ZEPHO. The Rev. Mr. ATWATER, late of Westfield, not long before his death, wrote the following advice and gave it to his Son. Two or three friends were indulged to see it, and take copies of it. Hence a knowledge of it was communicated to a number; and a request was made by the town, in a general meeting, for leave to print it together with their Paftor's last Sermon. A request made, in fuch a manner, by a people so af As a mourner for the death of your father behave with feriouf. ness and folemnity, fixing your thoughts upon your own death and the neceffity of an immediate preparation for it. Be dutiful to your mother. Let all that you say to her, and concerning her, be respectful. Be kind to her at all times. Remem. ber the kind things she hath done for you, and the tender care she hath taken of you, ever fince the hath sustained her present relation to you. If she should be ill-if she should be helpless-if she should live to be old, I hope you will always be ready to take the necessary care of her, and to show the utmost kindness to her, even to her death, as far as you have opportunity. The duty of refpect and kindness towards her is abundantly taught in the word of God; and enforced by innumerable confiderations, which, I think, have had a great influence in your cafe. The manner in which you have spoken to her, and the cheerfulness with which you have attended to her calls and defires, are evidences of this. I have, with approbation, taken notice of But College is an excellent your conduct towards her: She hath taken notice of it with like approbation. A hopeful profpect hence arifes, that your good difpofition will continue in all the changes whch may take place in the family. If it now be cherished, we may furely expect that it will operate in you after my death. Be kind alfo to your sister. Let fraternal goodness and love always adorn your character. Manifeft an obliging difpofition in your conduct, in your conversasion, and in your countenance. You must depend upon your self for getting a living in the world. Many depending upon their patrimony neglect their time and ruin themselves! The patrimony you will have will be too small for fuch an effect. I hope it will be enough for a reputable education, and fomething befides. But how foon would it vanish, if you should fpend upon it. You will probably have the offer of a Public Education, I hope you will have wisdom to form the best choice. If you have not a stability fufficient to regulate you in all the dangers and temptations to which you may be exposed at College, I should wish you might never go to it. It is, in some respects, a dangerous place for those who are unftable in their ways, or vicioufly inclined. Being removed from the immediate infpection of their parents, they feel a new kind of liberty; and mingling in the company of the gay and licentious, they meet with new temptations and enticements; hear corrupt opinions and principles, and hence are more exposed to fall into a difregard of religion, and a neglect of their fouls. "My fon, if finners entice thee, consent thou not." place for those who have a stability to regulate their conduct, and wisdom to improve their time. They have good inftructionsgood religious regulations-good books and always fome good examples which they may follow. Let these things be ferioufly confidered, before you form a determination to go to College. If you conclude to go thither, be always governed by the Scriptures of truth. "How shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word." The times before you will probably be peculiarly dangerous. A double guard will be neceffary against bad principles, and bad practices. "Walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wife, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." They are days in which scoffers are come. I should much rather you would spend your days in the honest and reputable business of a farmer or mechanic, than procure a public education and afterwards be inattentive to the advantages it would put into your hands. If you should choose the farmer's life, I should by no means be dissatisfied with your choice. I suppose your principles and morals would be as well secured in that kind of life, as in any other, and perhaps better. A religious, industrious farmer is an excellent character. But if you should choose the farmer's life, I should not recommend to you a college education: for the money expended in such an education, together with what might be earned in the mean time, would go far in purchasing a farm. In that cafe I should recommend it to you to study, at the Academy, in some degree, all the branches |