and earth. addreffed him as fuch, when he faid, O Father Lord of heaven 2 Is Chrift God? A. In the beginning was the word and the word was God-and became flesh, and dwelt among us. 2. Is the Holy Ghoft God? A. Chrift fpeaks of fuch as are born of the Spirit, as born of God. | When Ananias lied to the Holy Ghoft, he is faid in doing it, to lie unto God 2. Are there then three Gods? A. The fcriptures are exprefs that there is but one God, and that there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoft; and thefe three are one and accordingly, Chriftian baptifm is in each name. 2. Is it proper to call this diverfity three perfons? A. Chrift in fpeaking of himself, ufes the first perfon, I; fpeaking of the Father, he ufes the fecond perfon, Thou; and fpeaking of the Holy Ghoft, he ufes the third perfon, He. 2. Of what ufe is the knowledge of the Trinity? A. It leads us to adore the Father, as the fource of Grace, to rely on Chrift, for redemption, and apply to the Spirit, for fanctification and comfort. 2. What right has God to us, and our services? A. We are his by creation, and he is worthy of our fervices. 2. How extenfive is his providence? A. He worketh all things according to the counsel of his own will. 2. What is his law? A. It demands impartial and perfect love, on the penalty of death. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and thy neighbor as thyfelf. The foul that fins, fhall die. Q. What is God's object in his law and providence? . To advance his own glory and enrich his creatures with the best manifeftations of his own perfections, in promoting the greatest happinefs. The law directly tends to happinefs, and the fcriptures affure us, that the purpose of God refpecting the falvation of men, was from his own love; that Chrift came to glorify the father; and that all things fhall work together for the good of them that love God. 2. Is Chrift God only? A. His birth, death and refurrection, fhow that he is man alfo... 2 In what did the mediatorial work of Chrift confift? Á. In his fufferings, for our pardon, he redeemed us from the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for us; and in his obedience, by which he became the Lord our righteousness, that we may be received into glory. 2. Will all be faved by him? A. No. Wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be, which go in thereat. 2. Who will be faved? A. Such as approve of the mediatorial character and work of Chrift. He that believeth,fhall be faved. 2. How evil is the natural heart? 4. Deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked totally depraved. 2. By what means then are finners led to believe? A. By being created anew in Chrift Jefus, by the Holy Ghoft. 2. Of what use then are the common means of grace? A. They awaken men, and store the understanding with knowledge, and prepare men for the exercife of holinefs,as foon as they are renewed; and God is pleased to attend fuch inftructions, with his Spirit. Faith, the gift of God, comes by hearing. 2. When did God fix on fuch as he faves? A. They were chofen in Chrift, before the foundations of the world. 2 Are Chriftians preferved from apoftafy, by their own ftrength and faithfulnefs? A. Their diligence is a means of their prefervation, as Paul kept under his body; but they are kept, by they would meekly fubmit to difcipline, and on what they placed their hopes, that they should not be a difhonor to religion? &c. When the examination was clofed, our minifter exhorted us all, to read the fcriptures, not only in a devotional way, but as ftudents, that we might never be at a lofs for evidence, to fupport every doctrine, and duty, taught in the gof the power of God, thro' faith unto falvation. 2. Is prayer a duty? A. Public focial prayer is inftituted; the apostle directs that when the Church is affembled, firft of all, prayers and fupplications be made for all men; our Lord directs, that we enter into our closets, and pray in fecret; and every direction, which refpects family religion, implies family prayer. 2. Of what ufe is pray-pel. He cenfured the inattention er? A. It does not prevail on God to change his purposes; for he is of one mind, and who can turn him! But it directly honors God, fpiritualifes the petitioner, and prepares him to receive the bleffings, which God has told us, he is always ready to bestow on fuch as afk. 2. What is fubmiffion to God? A. It does not imply an indifference about our comforts; but is refigning all to God, from a confidence in the rectitude of his administrations. It was perfectly exemplified by Chrift, when in an agony, he prayed that the cup of his fufferings might, if poffible, pafs from him, adding, nevertheless not my will, but thine be done. of many Christians to this fubject, and ftated the dangers to which, by this neglect, they expofed themfelves, from the temptations of Satan, and their own corruptions; and from the arts, and address, of infidels, and heretics; and the difhonor they bring on religion, and on themfelves.-He, and the Committee of the Church, then retired, to confider, I fuppofe, whether they tho't it beft to propound the candidates to the Church, or advise them to fufpend their proceedings, 'till by felf-examination, and prayer, they might become better qualified; as I understand they have fo advised in feveral inftances. When they returned, the Minister observed to them all, that he, and the Committee, were not unwilling, on their defire, to propound them to the Churchthat they did not pretend to know their hearts-that if their profeffion was falfe, they must anfwer for it themselves, at the last day. He cautioned them against fettling down into careleffness, and a good opinion of themfelves, because they, as would probably be the cafe, were admitted into the Church. But if I proceed in this manner, I fhall weary you. In addition to thefe, and many fimilar queftions, he asked them concerning the ref. urrection of the dead-the day of judgment-the nature of a Gofpel Church-the qualificatious for membership-the duties of the members to each other-the nature and defign of baptifm, and the Lord's Supper-their motives, in defiring to join the Church, and the privileges they expected-if they were mafters of families, whether they prayed in their fam-horted them to walk worthy of the ilies-whether they would confent high vocation wherewhith they were to deny themselves things, in their called, and after fome pertinent view indifferent, if they found them obfervations, made by the Coma grief to the brethren-whether mittee to them, he concluded the VOL. I. No. 4. T He read to them the confeffion of faith and the covenant. He ex I Retire but for one hour and feriously confider the fubject; confider yourself an immortal being, one whofe eternity depends upon the improvement of time. Do not put it by, 'till a more conven. ient feafon, for " now is the accepted time and now is the day of falvation to day if you will hear his voice harden not your heart." You know not, my friend, the danger of delay. If you feel difpofed to put off repentance till to-morrow, remember it will be harder than it is to-day; and what is your life? "It is a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away." What would be MY DEAR FRIEND, Prefume you will be furprifed, on perusing the contents of this letter, to find fo great an alteration in the fentiments of your friend, refpecting the happiness of those who poffefs true religion. We We were both of us greatly deceived in fuppofing Christians were unhappy.I hope, through the mercy and goodness of God, I have been brought to fee a beauty in holinefs, and have found a happinefs in religion far fuperior to any which this world can afford; it is fomething real while that which you enjoy is all imaginary. You will allow happinefs ever has been, and still is the object of your purfuit. Now let me afk you, have you ever found it in the gay circles and vain amufements which you frequent? In your hours of retire-feen or ear heard, neither hath it ment, if you have any, do you find a fatisfaction in reflecting on your paft life? No you cannot. If you ever think you are accountable to God for the time he is giving you to prepare for eternity, furely you must be unhappy, that have mifimproved fo much of you it. The morning of life is certainly the moft proper time to ferve the Lord; we have a promife that those that feek early fhall find; and can any thing appear more beautiful than early piety? your feelings fhould you this day be called to clofe your eyes upon all earthly enjoyments, and appear in the world of fpirits, there to receive your final fentence? How different would they be from thofe that have devoted their lives to the fervice of God, and endeavored to live for his glory? They can look forward into eternity with peace and joy, knowing in whom they have believed. They can commit their immortal fouls into the hands of Jefus, and rejoice to be freed from fin, to go and be forever with the Lord. Words would fail me was I to attempt to defcribe what eye hath not entered into the heart of man to would be wife in you to feek Operience hath taught you, that it is not to be D election fure. I know that after we have done all that we can do, we are unprofitable servants; yet we are told to work out our own falvation with fear and trembling, for it is God that worketh in us both to will and do of his good pleafure. As we have no claim to mercy we should the more earnekly and humbly plead for acceptance through the Redeemer. much earneftnefs as ever you fought the pleasures and vanities of life; but do not make the refo lution in your own ftrength. Go to God for affiftance; reft not till Chrift be formed in you the hope of glory; until you have a hope that will be as an anchor to your foul both fure and stedfaft. It is probable if you live many years in the world, you will be called to pafs through fome fcenes in which Perhaps you will think that the you will need that divine fupport felf-denial which is required in the which the world can neither give fcripture, will make Chriftians unnor take from you; and you cer- happy. On the contrary, those tainly will in the hour of death Chriftians who live most in the exwhen all dependance upon crea- ercife of this duty, and feek the tures muft fail. Then you will glory of God more than their own want a God to go to as a friend. good are the most happy. That Do be perfuaded now to accept of you may know by experience what Chrift as he is offered in the gof-this happiness is, is the fincere with pel, the chief among ten thousands of your friend and altogether lovely; view the glorious fon of God calling and inviting finners to come to him that they may have life. And can you ftill refufe? Is eternal life fo fmall a EMMA. Some account of the character and religious experiences and exercifes of Mrs. NANCY BISHOP. trifle in your esteem, as not to deferve the renunciation of a fewr transitory enjoyments? How can you act fo unlike a rational creature as to fell your immortal foul for the pleafures of a moment? Leave them all my friend and join that noble few, Who dare ftray upward and purfue The unbeaten way to God. In what can we manifeft fuch folid wisdom as by choofing that good part which fhall not be taken from us? I truft you have a doctrinal belief in the fpirit and power of religion, and of the total de pravity of the human heart; if fo you must believe that God, out of Chrift, cannot be reconciled to you, and you cannot think a reconciliation with the great fovereign of the univerfe unimportant; ftrive therefore to make your calling and HIS perfon was the daughter of Mr. Adino Pomeroy of Middletown in this state. She was born at Northampton in the Commonwealth of Maffachusetts, where her father formerly refided, February 15th, 1764; in her childhood Mr. Pomeroy removed to Middletown, where the received her education, and where the refided until March 2, 1797, when he was married to the Honourable Nathaniel Bishop of Richmond in faid Commonwealth. Her perfon was tall and graceful-her countenance lively and expreffive-fhe was favoured with an uncommon flow of animal fpirits-her temper was fprightly and remarkably placid-her understanding found and well cultivated, and her manners She amiable and conciliating. was active in the practice of rela tive duties, and adorned the holy | ces, could have been expected; and the want of a studied arrangement is more than compenfated by that artless fimplicity of manner which feems calculated to express, to the best advantage, the genuine feelings of the heart. The tranfition from contemplation to prayer is frequently fudden, but this alfo feems to be, under the circumftan with divine things as the was, a more natural effufion of the heart, than could exift under forms ever fo logical and correct. It is apprehended beft therefore to prefent thefe writings to the reader, with little variation of style and none of meaning or fentiment. religion which the profeffed. In the prime of life, in eafy circumstances and happy in the tendereft of all human connections, fhe was attached to the world by many powerful ties; yet under the influence of divine grace, fhe met the King of Terrors with a fmile. She died of the puerperal fever on the 19th day December 1797, tences of the writer, deeply impressed days after the birth of her child, and in the 33d year of her age. The infant alfo dying the day preceding, was shrouded with her and interred in the fame grave; the affured hope which fhe had expreffed fome years before, of paffing in triumph at laft thro' the dark dominions of the King of Terrors, thro' the grace of the fon of God her divine conductor, was eminently realized. Tranquil and compofed, at the certain approaches of death, fhe faid, to the inexpreffi-"profeffion, nor renewed for myble comfort of her weeping partner : "I am not afraid to die." Thus, as her life had been a pattern for imitation fo the manner of her death was a ftriking proof of the value of Christian piety in a dying hour. Her obfervations begin as follow, "The forepart of July 1790, my "thoughts were troubled that I never had owned the Lord Chrift by my own voluntary "felf, what my parents had done "for me in my infancy; I there"fore took pains to get what light "I could on that fubject. I knew " my unworthiness of fuch a feaft << as the Sacrament of the Lord's fupper; yet my Saviour feemed "to invite me, in language very "pathetic, to his table; but how "to come without a faving change wrought in my foul, was mat"ter of long debate with myself. "That paffage in 1 Cor. xi. 29, "feemed to forbid that which I Thus much for her general character, and the manner and circumstances of her departure. What remains will be to bring the reader more acquainted with fome of the exercises and operations of her mind, at feveral periods, during her progrefs in the Chriftian" longed for." She then relates courfe. This will be done by tranfcribing fome writings compofed, as it appears, for her own private ufe, which the left behind her. Thefe writings were never defigned for the public eye, but merely as a help to private devotion, and of courfe no fpecial attention was paid either to style or method. Still they appear much more correct than, under thefe circumftan the meafures fhe took to obtain fatisfaction as to her duty, first by writing to a Clergyman and then by converfing with him, and other Minifters of the gofpel on the fubject, the refult of which was, her doubts were removed, and on the 14th of November 1790, when a preparatory lecture before the Sacrament was preached, her defire to be admitted into full commation |