Notwithstanding these wars and revolutions, vaft improvements have been made in Europe and America. Great advances have been made in philofophy,aftronomy, in law, jurifprudence, phyfic and all the useful arts and fciences. The progrefs of manufactures, navigation, commerce, husbandry, civilization, and a general acquaintance with the world has been rapid, and without a parallel in any former century. But, at the fame time, deifm, atheism, the most blafphemous, filthy and abominable doctrines, inconfiftent with all the maxims of common decency, of chastity and common fense, have been broached, and with great art and affiduity spread abroad in various parts of Europe. Morals equally bafe and abominable have been the confequence. Confpiracies have been formed against all religion and good government, which have produced the French revolution, filling Europe, and other parts of the world, with blood and carnage. In thefe events, has doubtlefs been fulfilled, at least in part, that notable prediction under the fixth vial of the three unclean fpirits, which were to go forth unto the kings of the earth, and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.* Thefe events, while they have fulfilled the words of God, have demonftrated, that no external light and advantages are fufficient to reftrain the lufts of men and make them good; that nothing but the rich-energies of the divine fpirit can produce thefe happy effects. They alfo exhibit convincing evidence how men may decline in religion, when they make great progrefs in every thing elfe; and to what af It is worthy of notice that about one half of the last century has been spent in the most bloody and violent wars, between the moft enlightened and civilized nations in Europe. More than forty years of this period, the American coionies and states have been employed in this bloody work, for their own defence against France, Spain, Great Britain, and the American Indians. Men continue the fame from age to age. They fill the earth with violence; their feet are fwift to fhed blood; deftruction and mifery are in their ways. In the courfe of thefe wars, Poland, a popish kingdom, has loft her dominion and ceafed to be a diftinct nation. The throne of the Lewis'es, the most zealous and powerful fupporters of the papal intereft in France, has been overthrown, and royalty extinguifhed. The hierarchy of France is annihilated; the wealth, tyranny and influence of the Romish clergy, in a manner, are no more. The holy Father has been driven from his royal feat at Rome, been made to wander as a fugitive and been fubjected to live on a penfion. The popish countries have been exceedingly impoverished and weakened by the war; their kings and princes have been deprived of their government, and republics have been overthrown. Previously to thefe events, the order of Jefuits had been abolished, and the inquifition, in most of the papal kingdoms, either totally fuppreffed, or rendered far lefs bloody and intolerable. By thefe events the es, power, influeuce, fupporters and all the refources of the pope are diminished, and he is reduced comparatively to a cypher. The myftical Euphrates is dried up, and the mighty river is reduced to a common precarious stream. * Revelation xvi. 13, 14. tonishing lengths of wickedness one hundred and thirty-five have they will proceed, when left to been honored with the feat of mathemselves, without divine re-giftracy; and nearly eight hundred ftraints. In New-England and America, events have not been lefs important, nor has the progrefs of literature, and whatever is ufeful and ameliorating to the state of man been lefs rapid. Fifteen or fixteen new colleges, and numerous academies, have been founded, and knowledge univerfally diffused. Population and fettlement, the increase of navigation, commerce and husbandry have exceeded all parallel. From a few hundred thousand our inhabitants are increased to as many millions. Our navigation, a century ago, was next to nothing, and now the flag of the United States is difplayed in the ports of almoft every commercial nation upon the globe. Their fhipping, in the number of its tons, exceeds that of any other nation, Great-Britain excepted. The Old colonies, now ftates, have been greatly enlarged, and four or five new ones have been added. Connecticut, from about fourteen or fifteen thousand inhabitants, has increased to two hundred and fifty or fixty thousand. Within its limits, there were about thirty-eight minifters and the fame number of churches. At the commencement of the eighteenth century, it was a vaft wilderness, except juft in the centre of the towns. Now it is covered with beautiful villages, towns and cities, and appears like a well cultivated garden. A college has been founded, which has profpered, confidering its fmall endowments for many years at first, beyond all parallel; and has been a fource of bleflings to the church and commonwealth. More than two thousand and five hundred perfons have received its honors. Of thefe have fhone as luminaries in the American churches. Others have been eminent in the profeffions of law, phyfic, natural philofophy, of ecclefiaftical history, and of the learned languages. The ftate abounds in academies and fchools; and with refpect to the degree of natural and moral instruction, with which it is every where illuminated, it has no rival. The inhabitants have not only fettled, cultivated and peopled Connecticut, but have done much to plant, people and form churches in all the other ftates. Her inhabitants have fettled Menus in Nova Scotia, Wyoming in Pennsylvania, large and numerous tracts in Maffachufetts, New-York, New-Hampshire, New-Jerfey and Vermont. Even at Mufkingum, they have made important fettlements. Her fons are prefidents of colleges, heads of academies, minifters of the churches, and teachers of schools in the other ftates; miffionaries to the new fettlements, and to the heathen. Thus has God, in his providence, enlarged his church and carried on the work of redemption in this little state; and by her enterprife and inftrumentality in others. This has been further effected by the increase of the inhabitants and churches of New-England, and of the United States. The increafe of colleges, fchools, and the degree of moral inftruction, is, doubtlefs, conducive to the fame happy purpose. For this end, great deliverances have been granted to New- England, and to the ftates in general; and mighty works have been effected. In 1707, South Carolina, was remarkably faved from Iench invafion. In confequence of a variety of providential cir a cumstances, the Carolinians totally | rival, he found but one ship, which had made port before him. One fhip and a few transports arrived with him. The report of his arrival fhook the firmeft minds in New-England. The whole country was in alarm. The good peo defeated the enemy, and took Monfieur Arbuffet, the commander in chief, more than two hun. dred men and one fhip with a num. ber of naval officers on board.* The fouthern states, at other times, experienced a moft gracious pro-ple were on their knees pleading tection from the defigns of the French and Spaniards and their Indians. The deliverance of New England from the formidable armament under the command of the Duke D'Anville, in 1746, is one of the moft remarkable events recorded in hiftory. The Duke was confidered as a nobleman in whofe courage and condu&t the French nation could repose the utmost confidence. He was furnished with a fine fleet of eleven ships of the line, and thirty other fhips and veffels of war, from thirty to ten guns; and with transports carrying between three and four thoufand, regular troops, who, on their arrival at Nova Scotia, were to be joined by all the force which the Canadians and their Indians could furnish. This formidable armament was ready to fail as early as the firft of May, but the Almighty laid an embargo upon it, by contrary winds fo that it could not leave the coafts of France until the latter part of June. It was then either fo becalmed, or fo perpetually harraffed with ftorms, that, like the chariots of Pharaoh in the red fea, it moved heavily. Six fhips of the line became fo difabled by ftorms, or the men were fo fickly that they were obliged to return to France, or to put in at the Weft-Indies. The admiral did not arrive at Chebucto until the 12th of September. On his ar * The officers offered ten thousand pieces of eight for their redemption, for divine aid. One half of the militia of Maffachusetts and Connecticut were draughted for the defence of Boston. The other was referved for the defence of the fea coast. In a few days, nearly 5000 of the militia arrived at Boston. But the chief dependance under God was on a Britifh fleet, which it was hoped, would arrive to their affiftance. But the fame invifible hand, which, unknown to them had been operating, still wrought for their falvation. The admiral, finding his plans totally deranged, his fhips and troops not arriving, was fo affected, that it either brought on him an apoplectic fit, or he drank poifon, and was no more. The fecond in command, contemplating all thefe difafters, finding his men exceeding fickly and dying faft, his officers divided in their opinions, appeared to be struck with a divine terror, and lofing his reafon, ran himself through with his fword. The third in command was a man of courage and experience, and determined to do fomething worthy of his king and nation. Nevertheless the great mortality which attended the troops and feamen, contrary winds, and various untoward circumftances, obliged him to return, without effecting the least thing against the country. Our fathers ftood ftill and faw the falvation of God. The capture of Cape Breton and Quebec, and the conquest of all Canada, in the years 1758 and 1759, were memorable events, of came more general in 1741, never great confideration to the then | years 1734, 35, and 36, and beBritish colonies. The French had for more than half a centary been planning their total fubjugation; and had almost compaffed them on the land fide with fortifications, which were all encroachments on the colonial dominions. But providence fo fpirited Great Britain and the colonies against them, and crowned their exertions with fuch fuccefs, that the enemy fell into the pit which they had digged for their neighbors. It gave a fine opportunity for the colonies to reft, populate, enlarge their fettlements, and increase their wealth and importance. It exceedingly weakened the papal interest in America, and greatly increased the proteftant territories, churches and intereft in this country. It was one important link in the great chain of events, which prepared the way for the United States to poffefs that extent of territory, and growing profperity, which have fallen to their portion. How remarkable is it, that thofe very fortreffes, which were erected for their diftress and ruin, have been delivered into their power, and are means of their convenience, enlargement and defence? The American revolution, by which these United States have fprung up as a free, fovereign and independent nation and power, a mong the kingdoms of men, and in fo fhort a time rifen to their prefent state of strength, opulence, profperity and respectability, is one of the great and wonderful events of the past century. God has not only wonderfully protected and enlarged the American church, but watered it with heavenly dews and showers. She hath feen happy days of fpiritual reviving and refreshment. The great revival, which began in fome places in the tion of the fame bleffed work was Be In the late awakenings and ingathering of fouls, which so many places have experienced, for two or three years paft, and which fome are ftill experiencing, Christ hath appeared, walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks, 'with greater power and glory than the churches have known at any former period. The work has been more powerful and genu. ine, and the fruits of love, union, humility, felf-loathing, prayerfulness, peace and righteoufnefs have been more abundant. A Within this century, the religious conftitution of this ftate, the Prefbyteries, Synods and General Affembly of the Presbyterian churches have been formed. general union hath been effected between the General Affembly of the Prefbyterian churches in the United States, and the General Affociation of Connecticut. A fimilar union hath also been formed between the General Affociation of Connecticut and the General Convention of the minifters in the ftate of Vermont. By thefe unions, the pastors and churches are brought into a more general acquaintance with each other, and with the general state of the churches and religion; cultivate mutual esteem and brotherly affection; are enabled more effectually to guard against error, erroneous and immoral ministers, and to act with better information, and more united and harmonious exertion and influence, in diffufing chriftian knowledge in the new fettlements, and in communicating the bleffings of the gospel to the Hea for fpreading the gospel among the Heathen, the formation of numerous focieties for that truly apoftolical and glorious purpose, is a new and peculiarly aufpicious event. That ardor and union of prayer, among pious people, in both countries, for the converfion of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles the exertions which have been made, and are still making, to communicate the gofpel to the moft diftant islands in the fea, and to the continents in the four quarters of the earth, portend, great good to the church. When the fervants of the Lord take pleafure in the ftones and favor the duft of Zion, he will have mercy upon her, and the time to favor her is at hand.* These are a fketch of fome of the principal events of the last century. In thefe, doubtless, a confiderable part of the prophecies under the fixth vial have had their completion. And by these the work of redemption has been progreffing, and the great mystery of God has been rapidly carrying into execution. For all the glory the mighty Redeemer hath gotten to himself by them, and for all the good he hath done to Zion, let our hearts rejoice and render praife. While the great things which have been done for our fathers and for us are thus prefented to our view, and we contemplate our diftinguished privileges civil and religious, our perfonal, domeftic and public happiness, how fhould we ftudy and labor to bring forth fruit in fome happy proportion to the bleflings we enjoy? How ought the wonderful events and precioufnefs of time, to imprefs us with a fenfe of its ineftimable worth, and the incalculable * Pfalm cii. 13, 14. |