|T

THE parable of which thefe words are a part, is replete with interefting and folemn inftruction. It brings the two worlds, heaven and hell, with their re

could oppofe their enemy; and with - this they triumphed gloriously. Haman was hung on the high gallows, which he had prepared for Mordecai; and the day, in which the Jews were to be destroyed, was a gloo-spective joys and forrows into the my day to their enemies. How wonderful are the ways of the Moft High! What honor does he put upon his praying fervants!

Daniel and the three children were eminent for devotion. By prayer, they baffled all the efforts and wiles of their enemies. It seems, their enemies difcovered that holy weapon, through which they were invulnerable, and they fought to wreft it out of their hands.* But in vain do tyrants make laws to prohibit the children | of God from praying. They may put them into a fiery furnace they may put them into a lion's den, but they cannot top them from praying. As a boiling fpring muft boil over; fo a gracious foul must flow out in prayer and fupplication with thanksgiving to God. The enemies of religion put the feet of Paul and Silas in the ftocks; but the gracious affections of their bearts they could not confineeven at midnight, they prayed and fang praifes to God. Prayer is fomething, which the world cannot give nor take away. "Bleffed is the man, whom thou choofeft, and causeft to approach unto thee."

(To be continued.)

most clear and affecting view. It teacheth the immortality of the foul, and the future happiness, or mifery of men, according to their moral character. That the foul will exift after its feparation from the body, in a ftate of incalculable blifs or woe; and that death tranflates it inftantaneously into one or other of thefe ftates. The beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham's bofom. The rich man alfo died, and was buried. And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments. The parable alfo teacheth us, that the state of mankind in the invisible world is unalterably fixed. There is no poflibility of exchanging it for another. The language of Abraham to his apoftate fon was, Beireen us and you there is a great gulf fixed: fo that they which would pass from hence to you cannot ; neither can they pefs to us, that would come from thence. It gives us also a striking reprefentation of the aftonishing changes which a few moments may make in the ftate both of faints and finners; and how wonderfully different it may be in different worlds. The faints are inftantaneously tranflated, from the depths of poverty, pain and wretchednefs, into the paradife of God, into all the dignities and beatitudes of the father's houfe. From the crofs and the faggot, from begga Fy and contempt, at the gates of the rich, they are exalted to crowns and joys in heaven. But the wicked go from their gilded domes, their downey beds, fcarlet, fine linen aud fumptuous fare to the pit of deftructon, are wrapped with

which he feemed to have. That is from fuch as have no grace, to faith or love, from them fhall be taken away all those gifts, all that

fames, and lift up their eyes in torments. The faints who had their evil things in this life will be comforted in the next; and the wicked whofe eyes ftood out with fat-humanity, natural affection, and nefs, and who had more than heart whatever had the appearance of could wifh, will be tormented. good in them. All restraints will be withdrawn from them, and they will, like the infernal fpirits, be abandoned to all evil. They will be implacable haters of God, his glory and kingdom. There will be no principle within them, by which they can be induced to seek the holiness and happiness of men. The request of the miserable Dives therefore respecting his brethren, was wholly felfish. It originated in his fears that they would increase his torments. A confcioufnefs of his neglect of the duties he owed those near relatives, and of the injuries which his wicked examples had done them, harrowed up his very foul, and was a dreadful fource of his agonies. It increased the gnawings of the undying worm, and adminiftered fewel to the devouring flame. Apprehenfions that they might foon arrive, to teftify againft him all his wickednefs, and with that impla cable hatred and revenge which a fenfe of the immenfe injuries he had done them might infpire, to reproach, execrate and torment him, filled him with the most dreadful alarm. The divine Saviour, before whom hell is naked and deftruction hath no covering, knew how perfectly to reprefent the cafe; and, for the warning of near relatives, friends, and accomplices in fin, has given them thefe intimations, that they will be the greatest tormentors of each other in the future ftate. This, it is apprehended, is clearly the doc trine of this interesting paffage.

But that which it is now more efpecially defigned to notice, as of moft ferious and fingular moment, is the prayer of the rich man, in the quenchlefs flame, that his brethren might be warned not to come into the fame place of torment, and be eternal companions with him in his dark abode. He found his torments to be unutterable, and that he could obtain no relief or mitigation of them; not a drop of water to cool his burning tongue. He was therefore anxious to prevent the increase of them. He was compaffed with tormentors already and trembled at the increase of their numbers. He knew his brethren had been moft intimately connected with him in his fins, that by his infidelity and horrid example, he had been leading them to deftruction, and done them immenfe injury; and that they above all other perfons could witnefs against him, expofe him to fhame and eternally torment him. Thefe are the only reafons to be affigned for his defire to prevent their coming into that place of torment. There is no benevolence, or holy love in hell. Were men holy they would be faints, and dwell in heaven, and not with devouring fire. Men have no natural affection in hell. Some in this world arrive at fuch a degree of wickednefs as to have none;* much lefs will they have any in hell. The divine oracles teach us, that from him that bath not, fhall be taken away even that which he hath; or even that

Rom. i. 31. 2 Tim, iii. 3.

Matth. xiii. 12. Luke viii. 1&

harrow up each other's confciences, but furnish all the infernal legions with materials for the fame infer

There are various confiderations | paint them in the most degrading which may serve to corroborate and hateful point of view, and to this point. The near relation in be putting a fword into the hands which brethren and fifters, and of all the powers of darknefs, to other relatives and friends ftand to wound and torment them. They each other, the peculiar endear-can, above all others, not only ments which fubfift between them, the special advantages and opportunities which they have to do each other good, and mutually to pro-nal work, and rouse them to action. mote one another'sfpiritual welfare; in conjunction with the commands of God, enjoining upon them all relative duties, muft, beyond all calculation, enhance their guilt in neglecting them, and of being, by their errors and wickedness inftrumental of each other's perdition. God will render to them according to their deeds. They will have a most affecting knowledge of the magnitude of their offences, and of the injuries which they have done to each other, A confciouf nefs of these will continually prefs them with the most intolerable fhame and anguish. The prefence of those whom they have thus in jured and destroyed, will keep alive and more deeply imprefs this consciousness. It will inceffantly and eternally increase and give edge to their felf-reproach and felf-condemnation. Such friends who have destroyed each other, will be everlasting monitors of each other's wickedness. Thus they will blow up the flame and increase the

torment.

Further, none can fo difclofe all the wickedness of one another, as those most acquainted with each other, and most intimately connected and leagued together in courfes of fin. They can moft clearly and fully bring it into view, moft pofitively witnefs against it, in all its ingratitude, baseness and aggravations. They, above all others, will therefore be able to pubith their crimes, and forever to

Befides, the mutual injuries which they will now know, that they have done each other, how they have deceived, blinded and hardened each other in fin, how they have tempted, beguiled and like infernal fpirits, urged one another on to the burning pit, will eternally blow them up to the higheft poffible degree of hatred, revenge and rage against each other. The company, and even fight of each other, like that of the moft inveterate and implacable enemies will inflame their mutual rage and miferies. Their mutual hatred and tormenting of each other will for ever keep alive, and increafe the torments of their infernal prifon.

Some profitable remarks may be made on thefe reprefentations.

1. That the poorest and most miferable faints are bleffed. They are not only pardoned, adopted and made heirs of all things; but they fhail foon exchange their beg garly garments for robes of righteoufnefs and joy; their indigence and hunger, for feafting and fulnefs; their fores, fickneffes and pains, for health, eafe and pleafures for ever more. O indigent, afflicted chriftian, take courage, lift up thine head and fing, hallelujah! A fpark of grace, even with poverty, reproach and pain, is better than all the gold, fcarlet and fumptuous fare of the wicked, Be patient, contented, and bless fhall you grace, and

God for his

be comforted and your joy fall | one another. Wo unto you that no man take from you. laugh now for ye shall mourn and

4. How cautious fhould breth

2. That there is no juft ground | weep. to fret at the profperity of the wicked, or in the leaft degree toren, fifters and other near relatives envy them, in their moft glorious ftate. After all, it shall be ill with them. They have their portion in this life. It is unfatisfying and momentary. When the wicked fpring as the grafs, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they shall be deftroyed for ever. This night their fouls may be required of them. Then whofe will be their fearlet, fine linen and fumptuous fare. To whom will they flee for help? And where will they leave their glory?

be of injuring each other, by vi cious lives and bad examples, least all their mutual endearments, their influence with each other, and the whole tenor of their living fhould terminate in endless forrows? Where perfons are united in the tendereft ties of nature, they have great influence with each other, and their bad examples will have the most deadly tendency. A fenfual, wanton, gambling, wicked brother, or fifter, may ruin a whole family. Wicked 3. That hell must be a place hufbands may deftroy their wives, unutterably dreadful, as there all entail the curfe of the Almighty are tormented with the burning upon their pofterity, unto the third fame as there is no relief; not and fourth generation, and be ina drop of water to cool a fcorch-ftrumental of their mutually and ed tongue; as the ftate of all is un-eternally execrating and tormentalterably fixed; and thence is no ing one another.. poffibility of efcape. How muft 5. It is a natural reflection, that it be rendered ftill more tremen- it immediately concerns all near dous, in that there not only fatan relatives and companions in fin, and all his infernal legions will be who live at eafe, in wealth and tormentors, but even brethren, fif-pleasure, most seriously to contemters, all friends and affociates, who have lived and died in fin will alfo unite in the dreadful employment? Yea, will be among the most enraged, and terrible tormentors of one aoother? So much the more as they have lived together in delicacy and pleafure; fo much the more as they have been leagued together in jovial clubs, mocking at fin; reproaching good people; concerting plans to deftroy their influence; fetting up a laugh against the fcriptures, blafpheming the Saviour, and animating each other in fin, fo much the more torment and forrow will the Lord give them. So much the more will they give

Pfalm xcii. 7.

plate what the end of thefe things will be. Yes, that they behold the miferable Dives lifting up his eyes in torments :--Hear his unpitied groans, and unavailing prayers: Contemplate his fixed, analterable condition, and know, that except they repent, they shall all likewife perifh.

BOANERGES.

An account of a work of divine grace, in a revival of religion in the town of New-Marlborough (Maff) in the year 1799; communicated to the Editors by the Rev. FACOB CATLIN. GENTLEMEN,

A

MONG the wonderful and glorious works of God,

that of divine grace, in the converfion of finners, holds the first rank. In compliance with the wifh of many, I have concluded, very briefly to give a general statement of the late work of divine grace among the people of this parish.

In the fummer and fall of the year 1783, which was previous to my miniftry and acquaintance in this town, there was a very confiderable revival of religion; the happy fruit of which was, that nearly fifty were added to the church. This was the first special and visible work of divine grace, after the fettlement of the town, a term of about forty years.

In confequence of this revival, lectures and conferences were frequently attended, for feveral years. This was the pleafing ftate of things, until, and after my fettlement in the gospel ministry, which was in the fummer of 1787.

to individuals to ufe influence to perfuade their connections and neighbours to attend. The conference was fmall in the beginning, but conftantly increafed, during that and the following year. In the winter of 1798, we had, in different neighbourhoods, two, and often three crouded conferences in a week, eagerly attentive to the difcuffion of bible doctrines, and the explanation of difficult paffages of fcripture. This, together with prayer and finging, was the whole bufinefs of our conferences; and fome people attended, even for years, merely as to a school for improvement in knowledge. But it is apprehended, that there was an uncommon fpirit of prayer a mong a few, for the outpouring of the fpirit of God. Not more than five or fix hopeful converfions had been manifefted in the parish for ten years; and the chief of these were within the first year, after the ferious refolution of attending conferences.

Attention to things divine had, by this time, however, greatly declined, and a growing inattention, But in the month of October among the body of the people, was 1799, after all means had feemed manifeft, for about ten years. to become unfuccessful, and profDuring this interval of fpecial di-pects had become very gloomy, it vine influence, fad were the fcenes of controverfy in town, refpecting the location of a new meetinghoufe; and in the church, refpecting difcipline and practice.

pleafed God to manifeft his glorious power, in arrefting the attention of multitudes, not merely to dry fpeculations, but to the vaft concerns of their own fouls.Though it is to be acknowledged, that, under the greatest preffure of conviction, we generally discover

doctrines of total depravity, election, regeneration, atonement and pardon by the blood of Chrift, &c.

When all thefe evils had fubfie ded, and infidelity, which had been formidable, in troublesome times, in a great meafure difappear-ed the most folemn attention to the ed; there was discoverable, in ferious profeffors, an uncommon concern for the welfare of Zion. Near the beginning of the year 1797, it was privately contemplated by ferious members of the church, to fet up a religious conference, to be attended, at leaft, once a month. The plan was propofed to the church; and it was recommended VOL. II. No. 6.

The agitation of people's minds was not very visible, under their convictions; nor did we difcover any thing which borders on enthu fiafm, in those who obtained a comfortable hope of reconciliation to God, through Jefus Christ. We D d