the same harvest of comforts, temporal and spiritual. Abram, when receiving the strangers to his tent, Jacob when wrestling with the angel, and Menoah when offering sacrifice, did not perform miracles; but they believed the promises of God, and by this faith they received great temporal blessings. So, if we also believe the promises, we may obtain as great blessings. My only remaining observation is, that believers now lose vast comforts and blessings, by not believ-fore, if we are straitened, it is in ing the promises of God. They ourselves, and not in God. If we believe, and they believe to salva- open our mouths wide, they will tion. They just save their souls, be filled. EUSEBIUS. and nothing more. But would they enlarge their views, and apply the promises, not only for salvation; but for other comforts and blessings, then other comforts and blessings would be conferred.God is no less willing to give earthly, than spiritual good; he is no less willing to give temporal, than everlasting felicity. If then we are prepared, and if we believe, that he is faithful, he will give us all good things. There ON THE PREVALENCE OF SOCINIANISM. us. No. V. sermon of the Rev. Dr. Beecher, of Connecticut, preached in 1814, will throw some light upon this subject. He is accounting for the waste places of Connecticut-places, where once there were flourishing churches and a regular min In my first number I stated how I believed Socinianism came to be introduced into New-England.My object was to let my readers see that the way is preparing for its introduction and spread amongistry, but which are now lying I understand that hints have desolate. The same causes which been thrown out that ny statement have led to these desolations in is not correct, and that the course Connecticut, have led to the prevof events was not as I have rep-alence of Socinianism in other resented. It is proper, therefore, that I should exhibit some proof. I confess that my materials are not copious; but still, I think they will be sufficient to place the matter beyond all doubt. I stated that the churches became corrupt by slow degrees; that the original strict practice of admiting none but such as gave evidence of experimental religion, and a cordial attachment to their orthodox creeds, gradually gave place to a more liberal policy; and that the prevalence of this liberal policy produced or accelerated a change in the tone of preaching and family instruction till doctrinal truth was disregarded, and error extensively prevailed. The following extracts from a parts. He says, "A remote cause of our present wastes, is to be found in a very great declension of vital piety in the churches, which took place many years ago. For more than one hundred years, the pastors and churches in Connecticut were strictly evangelical; but, at length, different views, concerning doctrine, began to prevail. This was occasioned by an alarming suspension, for many years of the special influence of the Spirit, and by the expedients of human wisdom to replenish the churches, without the agency of God. One effect of this decline was, the introduction into the ministry, of men, who, probably, had never experienced the power of divine grace on their hearts, and who, of course, would be prepared, by native feeling, to oppose the doctrines of the gospel. From such, nothing better could be expected, than a cold, formal, unfaithful, unproductive ministry, and a gradual approximation to another gospel.-Those precious doctrines, which are the power of God to salvation, were, of course, first omitezted, and at length, openly opposed. The consequence was, that "the love of many waxed cold, and the ways of Zion mourned, because few came to her solemn feasts." their own understanding, to provide a remedy, discovered, as they imagined, that grace is not necessary to the participation of either ordinance; that there is but one covenant, the condition of which might be moral sincerity, and thatthe sacrament of the supper, like the preaching of the gospel, might be numbered among the means of grace for the conversion of the soul. With these views, the doors of the Church were thrown open, and all the congregation who could be, were persuaded to come in. "These innovations in discipline, though resisted by many churches, and not introduced with of "Alarmed at the declining numbers of the church, and the corresponding increase of the unbaptis-out considerable agitation, became, ed, our fathers, with pious intent doubtless, but with a most unwarrantable distrust of God; and dependence on human wisdom, introduced what has since been denominated, the half-way covenant. "According to the provisions of this anomaly in religion, persons of a regular deportment, though destitute of piety, might be considered as, in some sense, church members, and offer their children in baptism, without coming to the sacramental supper; an ordinance, for which religion was still deemed indispensable. The practical effect was, that owning the covenant, as it was called, became a common, thoughtless ceremony, and baptism was extended to all who had either sufficient regard to fashion, or to self-righteous doings, to ask it for themselves or for their children. As to the promises of educating children in the fear of the Lord, and submitting to the discipline of the church, on the one hand, or of watchful care on the other, they were alike disregarded, both by those who exacted, and by those who made them. "Others alarmed by the same declension of numbers in the visible church, and leaning equally to at length, in some shape, almost universal throughout New-England. The consequences were what might be expected, where sinners are countenanced in drawing near to God with their mouth, while their heart is removed far from him, and their fear towards him is taught by the precepts of men.They were the annihilation church discipline, and the prevalence of self-righteous Arminian feelings and opinions, mingled with the disjointed remains of evangelical doctrine. Without an absolute rejection of the doctrines of grace, the preaching, and the feeling, and the practice, to a great extent, were, "do and live. Good works, and the use of means, occupied the fore-ground, while the Holy Spirit waited, at humble distance, to accomplish the little which remained to be done, as the reward, or promised consequence, of antecedent well-doing. alarming had this declension of vital piety become, in the days of Cotton Mather, as to occasion the memorable prediction, that in forty years, should it progress as it had begun, convulsions would ensue, in which churches would be gathered out of churches; a pre So diction afterwards signally veri- | but experience has shown it to be fied. a prudence, which in the beginning surrenders at discretion to the enemy, to keep him quiet; which substitutes policy for duty, and relies on temporizing expedients, instead of the protection and blessing of God, in the fearless performance of duty. The uniform effect has been, weak heads and a faint heart to the minister, the loss of personal usefulness, the suspension of divine influence, the decline of vital piety, immorality and error in the church, and impiety and licentiousness without; until, at the death or dismission of the pastor, the church has become almost extinct, and the congregation is conducted to the verge of ruin.” "As another cause of debility and desolation, may be noted the defections occasioned by the restoration of evangelical doctrine and discipline. The revivals of 1740, were the commencement of a reformation, which has brought us back, with few exceptions, to the doctrines and discipline of our fathers. A change so great however, and so contrary to human depravity, fortified by custom, was not to be accomplished without resistance. Accustomed to the immunities of church membership, and pleased with this self-righteous, dilatory method of preparation for heaven, the unconverted were alarmed at the demands of immediate repentance, and offend-is ed at the distinction, both doctrinal and practical, which now began to be made, between the righteous and the wicked. It was not till after nearly half a century of controversy, in the progress of which many churches were shaken, and societies enfeebled, that the many point became established, that a credible profession of religion is indispensable to church membership; and that the seals of the covenant are to be applied to none but to the members of the visible church and their children. "Another cause of desolation, more limited in its operation, but not less disastrous in its effects, where it has operated, has been the timid policy of forbearing to preach plainly those doctrines which offend, and of shrinking from a vigilant, efficient discipline in the church, lest these things should interrupt the peace, and endanger the stability of the congregation. "It has been called prudence; *He is speaking of Connecticut, where Socinianism has never prevailed extensively. In the above extracts, reference His made to Cotton Mather. Magnalia, or ecclesiastical history of New-England, was published in 1702, about eighty years from the first settlement of Plymouth.— Some extracts from that work will show that the progress of religious declension in his day was such as to create alarm in his mind, though he approved of the half-way covenant, and was in other respects probably less strict than his ancestors. The half-way covenant practice was sanctioned by a Synod held at Boston in 1662, and in Cotton Mather's time, was generally adopted. In an introduction to the Magnalia, the Rev. Mr. Higginson, of "Much more may we, Salem says, the children of such fathers, lament our gradual degeneracy from that life and power of godliness that was in them. We their successors are far short of them in many respects. Mourning under many rebukes from our God, which they had not, and with trembling hearts observing the gradual declinings that are amongst us from the holy ways of God; we are forced to cry out and say, Lord, what will become of these churches in time?" In his own introduction, Mather says,In my own country, besides a considerable number of loose and vain inhabitants risen up, to whom the Congregational church discipline, which cannot live well where the power of godliness dies, is become distasteful for the purity of it; there is also a number of eminently godly persons who are for a larger way.' From what he elsewhere says, it is evident that he is speaking of the principles of discipline, and not the mode. Those principles, as recognized by the pilgrims, were too strict to suit the advocates of modern liberality, when administered in any mode. They They also are for a larger or looser way. In a sermon at Boston, in 1698, he says, "What changes have we seen in point of religion? The power of godliness is now grievously decayed among us. Ye old men that are inhabitants of the town, cannot you remember, that in your days, a prayerful, a watchful, a fruitful Christian, and a wellgoverned family, was a more common sight, than it is now in our days?" In 1668, the Governor and Council of Massachusetts, in a circular to the ministers, speaking of their duty to their parishioners, say, "Pastors and Teachers, besides their constant public preaching to them, ought to enquire after their profiting by the word, instructing them in, and pressing upon them, whether young or old, the great doctrines of the Gospel, even personally and particularly, so far as their strength and time will permit. We hope that sundry of you need not a spur in these things; yet, forasmuch as we have cause to fear that there is too much neglect in many places, we do therefore, think it our duty to emit this declaration unto you, earnestly desiring, and, in the bowels of our Lord Jesus, requiring you to be very diligent and careful to catechise and instruct all people, especially the youth, under your charge, in the sound principles of Christian religion." They had reason to fear, that the instruction of the people in the great doctrines of the Gospel, was too much neglected. The decay of vital godliness is a natural consequence of such neglect. In the lives of Cotton and others, Mather says, "I saw a fearful degeneracy, creeping, I cannot say, but rushing in upon these churches; I saw to multiply continually our dangers, of our losing no small points in our first faith, as well as our first love.-I saw a visible shrink in all orders of men among us, from that greatness and that goodness which was in the first grain. While in Europe, the Protestants have prodigiously waxed worse; a revolt into Pelagianism and Socinianism, or what is half way to it, has not been more surprising to me, than to see, that in America, those parts which were planted with a more noble vine, do so fast give a prospect of affording only the degenerate plants of a strange vine." And yet, probably, he little thought, that in less than a century, these prospects would be so much more than realized, that an extensive revolt would take place, not only into what is half way to Socinianism, but into Socinianism itself. Let our churches take warning! Like causes produce like effects. In the life of Bulkly, he says, "At Concord he preached over the illustrious truths, about the person, the natures, the offices of Christ. What would he have said, if he had lived in this evil day, when 'tis counted good advice for a minister of the gospel not to preach much on the person of Christ?" How many are there among us, who think it good advice for a minister not to preach much on any of the peculiar doctrines of the gospel! It has long been the wish of the advocates of error that the friends of truth should not preach much on the points of difference. In 1679, a Synod was held at Boston, by order of the General Court of Massachusetts, to answer these two questions: "What are the provoking evils of New-England? 2. What is to be done, that so these evils may be reformed?" The reason assigned by the historian for calling said Synod, is, "The evil spirit of apostacy from the power of godliness, and the various discoveries and consequences of such an apostacy, became still more sensible to them that feared God." The Synod say, "If NewEngland remember whence she is fallen, and do the first works, there's reason to hope, that it shall be better with us than at our beginnings. But if this, after all other means in and by which the Lord hath been striving to reclaim us, shall be despised, or become ineffectual, we may dread what is like to follow." In enumerating prevailing evils, they say, "There is a great and visible decay of the power of godliness amongst many professors in these churches. It may be feared that there is, in too many, spiritual and heart apostacy from God. As to what concerns families and government thereof, there is much amiss. There are many families that do not pray to God constantly morning and evening, and many more, wherein the scriptures are not daily read, that so the word of Christ might dwell richly with them." In showing what is to be done, they say, "Inasmuch as the present standing | generation is for the greater part another generation than what was in New-England forty years ago, for us to declare our adherence to the faith and order of the Gospel, according to what is in scripture expressed in the platform of discipline, may be a good means, both to recover those that have erred from the truth, and to prevent apostacy for the future. In order to reformation, it is necessary that the discipline of Christ in the power of it should be upheld in the churches. It is a known and true observation, that remissness in the exercise of discipline was attended with corruption of manners; and that did provoke the Lord to give men up to strong delusions in matters of faith. Experience hath evinced, that personal instruction and discipline hath been an happy means to reform degenerated congregations." The historian adds, "That a reforming Synod could not accomplish a universal reformation of provoking evils in the country, has been a matter of most sensible observation. Our manifold indispositions to recover the dying power of godliness, were punished with successive calamities; under all of which our apostacies from that godliness have rather proceeded than abated. The old spirit of New-England hath been sensibly going out of the world, as the old saints in whom it was have gone; and instead thereof, the spirit of the world, with a lamentable neglect of strict piety, has crept in upon the rising generation." Towards the close of the work, the author adds what he calls, "prognostications upon the future state of New-England;" which he introduces in this measure: "But, oh, my dear New-England, give one of thy friends leave to utter the fears of thy best friends concerning thee; and consider what |