evil of mifpending it! How folemn and quickening are the thoughts that fuch an important portion of our fhort and precarious lives is gone? Another century, another year, with all their fabbaths and opportunities, are paft. Time has borne us on fo much nearer to death, eternity and our final doom. With what ferioufnefs ought we to make the enquiries, Have our preparations for them been proportionate to the rapid advances we have been making towards them? Have we been making, or are we now making any preparation for them? Can we endure the confequences of meeting them unprepared? Should not the end of another year and century remind us of the end of all things? Of the refurrection of the dead, of the diffolution of the world, and of that grand affize, in which all who have lived in the world, and died out of it, with all the holy and apoftate angels, will meet together, and receive their final award?

fucceffion, carry into execution his judgments against his enemies, and effect the great events preparatory to the commencement of a more pure, peaceful, and glorious state of the church.

With refpect to ourselves, we know not what a day, much less what a year may bring forth. Upon a moderate computation, more than fix thousand people will die out of this state, before the close of the present year. Some of us shall most certainly be of this number. Many of us, who may furvive may be called to weep over our dying children, and to commit our deareft enjoyments to the grave. How highly does it concern us to begin the year with God! With entire fatisfaction, with his righteous providence, in dooming us, and all the human kind to death, as a public, conftant teftimony against fin?-With perfect fubmiffion to his will, with respect to all the occurrences of the year, and of time. itself? How should we rejoice that the Lord reigneth, and that the A new year and century are now immenfe concerns of the univerfe commencing. The events of it are in his hands? How calmly will be vaft and momentous; and thould we confide in his infinite the earth will be mightily fhaken. wifdom, power, goodness and faithThe inhabitants of the United fulness, to direct and govern them States, according to their ufual for his own glory, for our good, rate of population, will, by the and the great interefts of his moral end of the nineteenth century, be kingdom? As our conduct will twenty-five, or thirty millions. have great influence on the happiDeath by that time, like a mighty nefs or mifery of posterity, the deluge, will fweep from the thea- countless millions who are yet to tre of life more than three thou- be born and die, as well as on fand millions of the human race. our cotemporaries, how ought Solemn affecting thought! All the we to avoid all error and wickedwisdom, reafon, life and beauty nefs, and to do every thing by now upon the face of the earth will prayer, inftruction and example, be no more.. From paft and pre- and by diffufing Chriftian knowlfent appearances, and a general edge, and fpreading the gospel, to view of the prophecies, we may the utmoft of our capacity? As expect that it will be one of the we are probably under the pouring moft eventful and interefting peri-out of the latter part of the fixth ods, in which God will, in quick vial, and the fpirit of devils is gone VOL. 1. No. 7.

H h

forth, and ftill going forth into all |
the world; as the battle of the
great
God is doubtlefs begun, and
will be ftill more dreadfully fought
we may expect times of great dan-
ger, perplexity and trouble for
ourfelves and the church of God.
Great circumfpection, fortitude,
zeal, patience and felf-denial will
be of the highest neceffity. The
language of our Lord to the church-
es, at this period, is, " Behold
I come as a thief: Bleffed is he that
warcheth and keepeth his garments,
left he walk naked, and they fee
his fhame."+

To conclude, we ask your ac-
ceptance of our united and grate-
ful acknowledgements for the en-
couragement and fupport you have
given to this magazine. Senfible
of the immenfe worth of your pre-
fent and future happiness, with
great defire and affection, we wish
you a happy NEW YEAR. May it
indeed be a year of bleffings to
you and your families. Efpecially
may your fouls be in health and
profper. We intreat you to join
with
your prayer's ours, that it
be a year of reviving and refresh-
ment to all our churches; a year
of bleffings to the United States,
and to the whole world. Our days
are fwifter than a post, swifter than
the rapid flight of the eagle. Soon
fhall we be gathered unto our fath-

ers.

perfect harmony and love, worship him who fitteth on the throne and the Lamb for ever and ever!

NOTE. It is obferved in the preceding piece that no minifter bas died in this fiate the last year. Since the piece was written the Rev. NATHANIEL TAYLOR of NewMilford terminated bis earthly courfe.

T

On the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. HERE are fome who profefs to believe, that there is a God, who yet will deny, that there are, in him three perfons, equal in effence and glory. There are feveral paffages in the old teftament which point out a plurality of perfons in the Godhead; but this truth, of the facred Trinity, is very plainly and evidently expreffed to us in the new teftament. Matthew xxviii. 19. "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghoft." 2 Corinth. xiii. 14. "The grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with may all. Amen."" you I John "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoft: and these three are one.' They are not three Gods: Reafon and revelation affure us, that there is but one true God. Shall we or any man fay, that there is in the Godhead but one perfon, that is the Father; when in that text we are expressly affured, that there are three, and that thefe three are one; that is, in effence or in nature and effential perfections the fame? Shall we, who know fo little of our own being, particularly of the union of our bodies and fouls; and who are daily furrounded with fo many.myfteries in the world of nature, which though we muft acknowledge they are incom

Before another century our children, and the greatest part of theirs will be gathered, with us, to the congregation of the dead. O may we and they fo live and die, as that we may obtain a meeting in that glorious world, where fi, and death, and time fhall be no more! There may we enjoy God, our bleffed Redeemer, the holy angels, one another, and the whole church of the first born, and with

† Rev. xvi. 15.

V. 7.

TO THE EDITORS OF THE CON-
NECTICUT EVANGELICAL MAG-

AZINE.

GENTLEMEN,

THE manuscript which accompanies thefe lines, was completed in its present form five or fix months ago. It was written in a ftate of great bodily weakness, under which I have languished many years.

It is therefore reafona. ble to expect, that judicious

prehenfible by us, yet we do not
pretend to difpute against,but read-
ily own their reality; fhall we
prefume to difpute against and de-
ny the doctrine of the facred Trin-
ity, because it contains a mystery
incomprehenfible by us? Let us
know of a certainty, that we are
under facred and indifpenfible ob-
ligations to believe and profefs what
is fo exprefsly revealed and tefti-
fied to us, in the word of God,
as this truth is; however much it
tranfcends our capacity of compre-readers will difcover in it plain
hending it. Men cannot endure marks of that imbecility of mind,
to have their word difcredited, re- which is the natural effect of
jected, and vilified; and shall we a reduced and extremely low
think that God, who hath magni- ftate of health. On this account,
fied his word above all his name, as well as fome others, I have
will eafily pafs by the offence of doubted whether it would be beft
our difbelieving and denying the to offer it for publication in the
truth of his teftimony, given Evangelical Magazine. But be
us in his word, concerning this ing now reduced fo low, that it
matter, because it contains a myf don't appear probable, that I fhall
tery in it that we are not able to ever be able to do any th ng more
comprehend and fathom? Accor- or better, towards leaving à pub-
ding to that, why may we not diflic teftimony in favor of that glo-
believe and reject the moft funda- rious gofpel, which is fundamental
mental truths of religion, and the to the fupport of my heart in
very being of God? For, "who the near profpect of death and
by fearching can find out the Al- eternity, I have concluded to fub
mighty unto perfection?" Let us mit it to your perufal, with liber
feriously take heed, left we, who ty to publish it if you think proper.
know fo little of our own being, I muft, however, request and ex
and that of other finite, limited pect, that you will return the
things, be guilty of vile aud finful manufcript, in cafe you should not
neglect and difrefpect to the tefti- direct it to be inferted in the Mag-
mony, given us in the word, of azine; as I have no legible copy
the being of the infinite God, by of it, and wish if it should not be
disbelieving and denying this doc- printed, to leave it with my chil-
trine of the holy Trinity; because dren.
it contains in it a mystery, un-
fearchable and incomprehenfible
by us.

PHILALETHES.

The GOSPEL a Dorine according to
Godliness, illuftrated in a feries
of numbers, adapted for infertion
in a periodical publication.

Praying that you may have all needful affiftance from the great Head of the church, and great fuccefs in your important underta king, and requesting a remem. brance in your prayers, I fubfcribe myself your cordial friend and fellow-fervant in the gospel,

SAMUEL CAMP. Ridgbury, Nov. 15, 1800.

The Gospel a doctrine according to | mife, that the principles or opinions,

Godliness.
NUMBER I.

N the third verfe of the fixth

which men entertain, have great influence on their conduct, and even on their internal exercises, tempers and affections. The Pa

a number of deities, of different ranks, and fome of them intriguing, paffionate and revengeful, luftful and deceitful, may naturally be expected to indulge and cherish feelings, correfpondent to these ideas, and to act accordingly. The Roman Catholic, who believes the popish doctrine of indulgences, will naturally feel, as though he might fafely commit the fins, for which he hath purchased an indul gence, and of course, commit them.

If the gospel, either exprefsly, or by juft and fair conftruction, diffolves the obligations, or leffens the motives to holiness, or gives a licence, or holds forth en

to Timothy, is this expreffion, "The doctrine which is according to godliness." And by the preceding context it appears, that by this expreffion he intended the fame which he called the doctrine of God-the doctrine contained in his preaching and inftructions, and in the wholefome words of our Lord Jefus Chrift-that is, the doctrine of the gofpel delivered by Chrift and his apoftles. Hence it appears, that, in Paul's opinion, the gofpel preached by Chrift and his apofties, is a doctrine according to godlinefs-that the whole constitution or fyftem of the gofpel, inclufive of all its doctrines, precepts and inftitutions, promises and threatenings,is not on-couragement to neglect religion, ly confiftent with, but calculated and indulge in vice and wickedness, and tends to promote real godli- it would feem as though it could nefs-true piety, in heart and life. not be a doctrine according to godOf this highly important truth, liness. But if the contrary to all fome illuftration will be attempted. this is the real truth, and that, in With this view, it may be proper a high degree; it must then beackto obferve, in general, that godlinefs nowledged, that the gofpel is inis only a different name for holi- deed a doctrine according to godnefs, which confifts in all right dif-linefs, and well adapted to propofitions or affections towards all mote it. That this is really the beings, and their proper expref- cafe, will, I truft, appear, with fions in words and actions.. undeniable evidence, from the following particulars, viz.

I. From a view of the character of God, which the gospel exhibits, it appears to be a doctrine according to godliness. Whilft wrong notions of God tend to enthufiafm, fuperftition and idolatry; juft ideas concerning him, tend to piety in heart and life.

Godliness comprises all piety towards God, and juftice and mercy towards men, with all the genuine exercises and expreffions, effects and fruits thereof, in heart and life. The godly man is difpofed to treat all beings, God and creatures, with proper refpect, to render to all their due, and to contribute all in his power, to the The character of God prefented glory of God, and to the happi- to view in the gofpel, is inexprefnefs of his fellow creatures. It fibly more amiable and glorious, may be proper, further, to pre- excellent and perfect, than any,

of which the mind of man was ever able to form an idea, from any other fource; and proportionably, better fuited to promote real piety.

Chrift, by affirming that he came not to destroy the law or the prophets, and he and his apostles, by frequently citing and appealing to the fcriptures of the Old-Teftament, have made thofe fcriptures a part of their teftimony, and afferted the authority of thofe ancient writings, as a revelation from God. Therefore, the character of God, which arifes to view from the whole of the fcriptures, including the Old Teftament as well as the New, may juftly be confidered as the character of God exhibited in the gospel preached by Chrift and his apostles, or in their doctrine.

termined, that his love of righteoufnefs, and infinite hatred of fin, fhall clearly appear, and be fully expreffed, by his condud-by his adminiftration. At the fame time, he is fo infinitely benevolent and wife, gracious and merciful, that he is difpofed, and knows how, and is able, to provide and lay a foundation for, and actually to accomplish, the recovery, forgiveness, and eternal falvation of finners, in a perfect confiftency with supporting the authority and honor of his law-with being and appearing to be infinitely holy and juft-with holding fin in infinite abhorrence, and bearing infinite testimony against it in his conduct.

He is difpofed and ready to receive into favor, the returning penitent, thro' Jefus Chrift-to give him his holy fpirit, to be in him, God, according to the doctrine like a well of water, fpringing up of Chrift and his apoftles-accord- into everlasting life-to guide him ing to the account and reprefent- by his counfel, whilft here, and ations of his character, exhibited afterwards, to receive him to gloin the fcriptures, is an eternal being, ry; and as fully determined to dif exifting from everlasting to ever-play his dreadful wrath, in the juft lafting-independent and felf-ex- punishment of the finally wicked iftent, almighty, omniprefent and and ungodly. omnifcient, the fearcher of hearts, infinitely pure and holy-the only wife-impartially and infinitely just and righteous, and inviolably faith-ry attentive, honeft-hearted, and ful and true, and infinitely good, gracious and merciful-the creator and preferver, and fupreme Lord and rightful fovereign of the univerfe the fountain, and fource, and comprehenfion of being and of all good.

1

According to the doctrine of the gofpel, as exhibited in the preaching of Chrift and his apostles, and in the whole of divine revelation, God is pleafed with righteoufnefs, and difpleafed with iniquity-loves the righteous and hates the wicked, and is difpofed and unalterably de

That fuch is the character of God, according to the doctrine of the gofpel, will be evident to eve

intelligent reader and fearcher of the fcriptures. How undeniably evident is it, then, that the gofpel doth, in this particular, contain a doctrine according to godlinefs? How great is the tendency of fuch ideas of God, to infpire the heart of him who entertains them, and believes them to be according to truth, with the most folemn reverence and awe of God with refpect and esteem-to restrain him from fin, and to excite him to love, and fear, and ferve the Lord-to return to him thro' Jefus Chrift,