grand divisions have been or will be composed; and all the events with which they have been, or shall be filled. They are all times which he hath put in his power, and the events of which he has governed and will govern according to his purpose; for his own glory, and the perfection and blessedness of his moral kingdom.

THE times of men are all in his hands. Man's time is that period which God hath appointed him, in the present world. All but this, to him, is eternity, be it ever so short. Is there not an appointed time unto man upon earth*? His days are determined, the number of his months are with thee; thou haft set his bounds that he cannot pass. There is a particular hour or moment which is termed man's time. This is the hour, or moment of his diffolution. For man also knoweth not his time. This is emphatically his time, as it is to him the end of all time and opportunities, the commencement of eternity, and determines his endless condition.

ALL the great and all the small divifions of time, teem with events worthy of God. He suffers not a moment to pass without effecting fomething for his glory and the good of his kingdom.

TIME accomplishes all those events by which God is glorified, his church erected, sanctified, protected, finally saved and glorified. Time will prepare all the veffels of mercy for glory, and fit all the vessels of wrath for destruction. There is not a moment of time well improved but what will honor the Creator, add luftre to the crowns and increase the joys of the faints for ever. Every day and hour misimproved will increase

Job vii. 1. † Chap. xiv. 5.

as

To redeem is to recover, or ransom by paying a price, or by extraordinary exertions and diligence. The term is metaphorical, alluding to merchants, who watch all opportunities for commerce; deny themselves sleep, ease and pleasure, and spare no pains to get gain. Sometimes it means, the making up of loft time, byuncommonactivity and diligence afterwards. At other times it implies extraordinary exertion and double diligence, by which much is accomplished in one day or year, as otherwise would have been done in two days or years; by which one half of the time is redeemed for some other employment. In either of these views, it implies a careful avoiding of all mispense of time, and employing the whole of it, with activity and diligence, for the best purposes. PARTICULARLY it implies a studious recovering it from all unnecessary sleep and drowsiness ; from sloth, idleness, ease, pastimes, and sensual pleasures; from gaming and all unlawful diverfions, exercises and employments. It implies the most cautious guarding against all mispense of time. It implies some proper fenfe of † Night Thoughts, p. 18.

the ineftimable worth of time, of our obligations to redeem it, and of the immenfe importance of it to ourselves and others. This enters so deeply into the idea of redeeming time, that without it no person will be engaged in this momentous employment.

REDEEMING time, implies recovering it from impenitence, unbelief, ungodliness and a state of fin. Let men be ever so bufily employed even to the eleventh hour in the affairs of the world, and yet neglect God and their fouls, they have been idle, and have done nothing for which time was given them. Our Saviour addresses all persons of this character, in this reprehenfive language: Why ftand ye here all the day idle ? Time is not redeemed until we employ it for good purposes, to right ends and with right views. The great and principal thing, nay, the very first thing is, To feck first the kingdom of God and his righteousness.*

REDEEMING time, implies not only the employing it for right ends, but that we be active, diligent and perfeveringin all branches of duty: that we double our diligence, and do all that we can, in the short, uncertain day, which is appointed to us. Our great Maf ter commands, Strive, or as it might be rendered, be in an agony to enter in at the ftrait gate. Further it is written, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goeft. The gospel forbids all sloth, and demands constant activity and diligence. Not flothful in busi

ness, fervent in fpirit ferving the Lord.§

FURTHER, redeeming time comprises in it, a diligent attendance on all instituted means of religion; fecret, private and ejaculatory prayer, the public worship and ordinances; searching the fcriptures, and self examination. God, in his infinite wisdom and goodness, has appointed these, to assist us in redeeming time, and in applying it to the nobleft purposes; and it cannot be done without a ferious, diligent and perfevering attention to them.

ANOTHER thing of great consideration in the redeeming and right improvement of time, is watching and improving favorable feasons and opportunities, fuch as the days of youth, times of special awakening, when the spirit of God is ftriving with us and others: Times of peculiar light, and more than ordinary means of instruction: Times of great mercy, or affliction. By observing and improving these men redeem time to infinite advantage. More is done for them, and the glory of God, in a short time, than is done in many years, at other times. By not observing, and neglecting them all is loft. The Ifraelites in the wilderness, by not improving their opportunity, came short of the rest promifed in Canaan, and fell in the defert. The Jews had their day, but by not difcerniug the signs of the times, and not knowing the things which be. longed to their peace, loft their city, temple, nation, and even their fouls. They brought wrath upon themselves to the uttermoft. In a word, time may be still further redeemed by a serious and pious attention to the events, sud

§ Rom. xii. 11.

establish thine own kingdom, the mount Zion which thou hast loved.

THIS state of hoftility is deeply to be regretted, not only as it opens the fluices of human blood and fills countries with widows and orphans; but as it is deftruc

tive to morals, and productive of the worst tempers, and most horrid crimes. It is also injurious to literature, commerce, and all the arts of peace; and obstructs the

propagation of the gospel. Pious people will deprecate it, as it has dashed the pleasing profpect, which appeared to be opening, at the return of peace, for the extensive spread of the protestant religion in France and Italy. They will lament on the account of the oppreffion and trials of their Christian brethren, in those countries, where the war prevails. They will sympathize with them, and cease not to pray for them, that they may be kept in the hour of temptation: That their faith may not fail, and that they may abide continually under the shadow of the Almighty.

In the West Indies, war, with its utmost horrors, has raged, in confequence of which there have been many great and important alterations with regard to those Islands.

AMIDST this conflict of na

tions, these United States have enjoyed peace, plenty, and the amplest privileges, civil and religious, of which any people could ever boaft. Our navigation, commerce, fisheries, husbandry, fettlements, numbers and resources have been constantly increasing.

WITH respect to religion, from the accounts which have been received from Europe, it appears that the miffionary spirit continues, and that great exertions are made in Great Britain, Germany, and fome other parts, to diffuse Christian knowledge among their own people, and to communicate the blessings of civilization and the gospel to the Heathen. In Great Britain, it appears, that on the whole Christian knowledge, orthodoxy, experimental preaching and religion are increasing.

To fome churches, in the United States, the last year has been a year of refreshing. The happy effects of the late revivals in others are abundantly manifeft, in the increase of their numbers, zeal, spir

From several reports which have been exhibited relative to the general state of the churches, in the United States, it appears, that they have not, for many years, been in a more flourishing con

IN Connecticut, the state of our College, of our schools and of literature in general, is very flattering; tho' the College has fustained a great loss in the death of Mr. Ebenezer G. Marsh, Senior Tutor, and Profeffor elect of Languages and Ecclefiaftical Hiftory. Though fore and mortal fickness has ravaged some of the principal towns and cities in our fister States; and though it has been a year of more than common mortality in general, yet in this State, with the exception of a few towns, the inhabitants have enjoyed health and a great degree of profperity. The lives, health and usefulness of our governor, lieutenant-governor, and council, of the judges of our courts, and of our fenators and representatives in the national legislature, have been preserved. Three of the clergy only, and these venerable for length of days, as well as usefulness, have finished their course fince the commencement of the last year. While the years of others have been numbered and finished, yet we, through help obtained from God, continue unto the present time. Though unworthy of the least of all the mercy and all the truth which he hath shewed unto his servants, yet he hath loaded us with his benefits. In view of these national, domeftic and personal mercies, how

*The Rev. Daniel Farrand, pastor of the first church in Canaan; who didied March 28th, in the 84th year of his age, and 51st of his ministry. The Rev. Eleazer May, pastor of the church in Haddam; who died April 14th, in the 71ft year of his age, and 46th of his ministry. The Rev. Eliphalet Williams, D. D. paftor of the first church in East Hartford; who died June 29th, in the 77th year of his age, and 56th of his miniftry.

should our hearts glow with grat itude and love! and with what joyful lips should we show forth the praises of our great Benefactor! How should we praise him in lives of all holy obedience; and be zealously and conftantly redeeming the time for the noble purpose of glorifying him, both in our bodies and in our spirits which are his! Let us realize, that in proportion to the number and greatness of our priv. ileges and of his mercies, are our obligations to ferve and glorify him.

GREAT is the occafion which we, the editors of this Magazine, have to rejoice, and ascribeall glory and thanksgiving to the Father of mercies, that we have all been spared another year, to our families, and to the people of our refpective charges: That we may once more congratulate our readers on the commencement of a new year: That we may present you with a review of the events of the laft, and call your attention to the preciousness and redemption of time.. We intreat you to unite your thanksgiving with ours, for the mercies we have mutually received, and to strive together in your prayers to God for us, that while we live, we may redeem the time, employing the precarious moments which remain, with activity, diligence and perfeverance, for the happieft purposes for ourselves, for you, and for the churches of our Lord Jesus Christ.

WHILE we thank you for the candor with which you have received, and the generofity with which you have so long fupported this Magazine, our prayer to God for you is, that his eye might be upon you, your families and connections for good, from the be