ly, which he more frequently and grievously lamented before God in secret, than his want of humil. ity. It is natural to expect, that such a humble and heavenly minded minister would, like his divine Master, deal prudently. Accordingly, Mr. BEAN did uniformly exhibit a beautiful exam. ple of christian and ministerial prudence, through the whole course of his life. He was so well acquainted with human na. ture, that he was capable of foreseeing and avoiding evil, and of becoming all things to all men, in a scripture sense. He always meant to please his people, so far as he could do it consistently with his duty; but if he ever thought he had unnecessarily wounded the feelings of any person, or even of any child, it pained him to the heart, and in the first moment of retirement, he would lament his own conduct, and pray for the person whom he feared he had injured. In the difficulties which happen. ed to arise in the congregation or in the church, he conducted with so much meekness, condesension, and wisdom, that he very rarely gave offence; but, on the other hand, he frequently be. came happily instrumental of preventing and of healing animosities and contentions among his people, who in consequence of his singular prudence, were noted for their peace and harmony with their minister. He He possessed a very tender and benevolent spirit, which he expressed in all suitable ways, and upon all proper occasions. carried his people upon his heart, and mourned with them that mourned, and wept with them that wept. In all their afflictions, he was afflicted. He could use the language of the apostle with propriety. "Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I burn not?" His compassion was not in word, or in tongue only; but in deed and in truth. Though he never abound. ed in property, yet he abounded in works of mercy. His doors, his hands, and his heart were always open to those in want and distress. If he met a poor creature on the road, whose case called for compassion and kindness, he would not wait to hear the history of his life, or his cries for charity, but would spontaneously contribute to his relief. Like his divine Master, he delighted to do good to the bodies as well as to the souls of men. Another beautiful trait in his character was a peculiar tender. ness of conscience. He kept his heart with all diligence, and avoided every appearance of evil in all that he thought, and said, and did. He was grievously affected, whenever he perceived, that vain, or worldly, or any improper thoughts had crept into his mind, while engaged in secret, private, or public devotions. He set a watch before his mouth, and kept the door of his lips, lest ́at any time he should happen to drop an unadvised, unedifying, or unchristian expression; and if any such expression ever escaped from his lips, it was a matter of serious regret and la mentation before God. He also doubled his guard against temptation, when he happened to have company on the Sabbath, or when he was called to attend places of public resort on pub. lic occasions. He made the word of God his only rule of practice, and conscientiously avoided a conformity to the world in many things, which christians and ministers in general considered as innocent, or, at least, very excusable. If any should now begin to think, that this portrait of Mr. BEAN is drawn in too vivid col. ours, they will probably alter their opinion, when they seriously consider his extraordinary DEVOTION. We must believe that few men have ever employed more means than he constantly employed, to grow in grace, and to live a holy and heavenly life, if we may give credit to his pri. vate papers. In the morning he usually spent an hour, an hour and half, and sometimes more than two hours, in reading the Bible and other books; in renewing covenant with God; in examining the state of his own mind; and in praying for him. self, his family, his friends, bis people, the church of Christ, and the whole world of mankind. The same series of religious exercises he commonly performed every evening, if his health and circumstances would permit. If he finished his discourses for the Sabbath, by Saturday noon, which he endeavored to do, he then spent the remainder of the day, the evening, and the next morning till called to the house of God, in secret devotions. When he returned from public worship, he employed the rest of the day, in preaching to himself what he had been preaching to others, and in reading, meditation, self-examination, and prayer. He made a practice of keep ing the day of his own birth, the day of the birth of each of his children, and the first day of the year as a day of secret devotion. On some of these occasions, be used to set himself to recollect and write down the of. fences he had committed, the duties he had neglected, and the mercies he had received, during the year, and sometimes during his life. When he had done this, he spread all these things before God, with correspond. ing confessions, petitions, and thanksgivings. These peculiar seasons afforded him so much satisfaction and benefit, that, on other important occasions, he set apart whole days for secret pray. er and praise. Such a devout, exemplary, and useful life did not fail to raise Mr. BEAN very high in the affection and confidence of his people, and in the esteem and veneration of his brethren in the ministry. His friends (for he had no ene. mies) could find no fault in him, except his injuring his health and usefulness, by going beyond his strength in his pastoral labors. But when he heard this complaint, his usual reply was, "I choose to wear out, rather than to rust out, in the service of Christ." Accordingly he pur. sued his beloved work, with his usual zeal and diligence, until he was obliged to relinquish it, by reason of his increasing infirmities, which finally terminated in a languishment, of which he died, December 12, 1784, in the 66th year of his age, and 34th of his ministry. "The memory of the just is blessed." RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS. REFLECTIONS ON THE EVIDENCES OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD. THE numerous objects that present themselves to the mind, afford satisfactory evidence of the existence of God. The world, including its various appendages, is manifestly an effect. No candid man can view it, without ascribing it to an intelligent, designing, and powerful Cause. God must possess infinite perfection. We obtain the knowledge of his attributes in the same way, that we learn his existence. He that could create the world, must possess unlimited power. He that could determine all things to their present form, and adapt them to their uses, must manifestly have an infinite knowledge of all possible combinations, and power to adopt any combination, and assign its existence to any point of time, or space.' The good ness of God is likewise exhibited in the abundant variety of means, which conduce to the happiness of his creatures. "We should regard it as a subject of praise, that man, placed as he is, with his limited faculties, upon so small a spot of so vast an universe, should be enabled to extend his view so far around him, and permitted to trace so many striking marks of stupendous power, wisdom, and beneficence.' The number and the nature of the proofs of this fundamental doctrine, that God exists, clearly exhibit the blindness and stupidity of men. Where the light of nature only has been enjoyed, VOL. II. New Series. men have either lived without any god, or have attributed to their imaginary ones such char. acters, as would be wholly inconsistent with the great Creator. Why are men so inattentive to the brightest displays of wisdom, power, and goodness, in the Supreme Cause; while they adopt notions, that are not only without foundation, but repugnant to all the principles of reason and common sense? Why are such striking and seemingly irresistible evidences of the being and perfections of God entirely overlooked by thousands of our race; while such absurd opinions are readily imbibed, and strenuously maintained, concern. ing the senseless deities, which they have formed for themselves? Since men are rational creatures, why do they not act rationally in this case? Surely, it is owing neither to want of evidence, nor to incapacity of perceiving it. God has not left himself with out witness, nor man without faculties. He has displayed himself in all ages and countries, in all objects, and in every event, in a manner intelligible to common capacity; and therefore men are without excuse for not knowing him. How criminal is the ignorance of men, since the spacious and instructive book of nature is open before them! Though revelation greatly increases the obligations and the guilt of men, yet the bare light of nature leaves them inexcusable. 3P Again, if the existence of God is manifested by every thing around us, then we should always be sensible of his presence. Every mind, that duly reflects, must surely be impressed with solemnity by the existence of that Being whose wisdom contrived, whose power produced, and whose energy constantly sustains this mighty fabric. It is not a matter of indifference, whether we regard the manifestations of divine existence. When God speaks, we are bound to hear with the most reverential attention. If all the dignity of the human race were combined, it would not impress the mind with half the awe, that the works of God are suited to inspire. The aggregate wisdom and power of all men could not perhaps effect any thing, that would surpass our comprehension. But God, in numberless instances, has formed things, which, either by their minuteness or magnitude, elude the grasp of our minds. Men may surround us, and view our external actions; God not only does these, but he is within us; he witnesses all the exercises of our minds; and his unceasing agency performs in us many wonderful and inexplicable operations. How deeply and constantly therefore ought we to be impressed with a sense of his be ing and presence; and how much worse than stupid and brutish are those, who neglect the great Creator and Preserver, of the world! Again, if God exists, then all his creatures are absolutely dependent on him. Whether animate or inanimate, whether rational or irrational, they can exist in no form, mode, or state, but such as he determines. T suppose the contrary, would be to suppose, that creatures caner. ist and act not only independent. ly of their Creator, but in op position to his purpose. It no less conformable to the die tates of reason, than to the ex press declarations of scripture, that God does all his pleasure; and that none of his creatures can frustrate his plan. It suitable therefore, that we be solemnly sensible of the supte macy of the great Jehovah and of our entire dependence on him. He will make us subservient to his glory; he will accomplish own designs; and we are bound by the strongest obligations to rejoice in his unlimited a thority over us. Finally, if God exists, then i is of the utmost importance secure his favor; and nothing can be more dreadful, than to incur his displeasure. It be in the power of that Beit who formed all things, to bester the richest rewards, and to i flict the most terrible punish ments. All rational beings therefore, should feel most dec ly concerned to learn and ob his will. In comparison wit this, all concerns, that rela merely to the present life, less than nothing and vanity." and deceive themselves with the hope, that they are truly penitent, while they are yet unhumbled for their sins, an attempt to delineate some of the principal features of this christian virtue cannot be regarded as unscason. able or useless. cessity of leaving his family in want. Under a full sense of the evils, which he has brought upon himself, he may wish that he had never given or accepted a challenge, and that he had not taken the life of a fellow being. He may mourn and weep for his folly. But with all his apparent penitence he may be completely under the dominion of selfish.. ness. He may have no compassion for the distressed family of his antagonist; he may have no sense of his sinfulness in the sight of God; a spirit of for. giveness may not have succeed. he may be precisely the same man, that he ever was, except that he feels a greater intensity of suffering. But, it may be asked, will not the Christian, who truly repents, wish that he had never committed sin? Imagine one of the Jews who crucified the Savior of the world, to have become afterwards a convert to the faith of Jesus; would he not wish, that he had never smitten or murder. ed the Son of God? By separating from any object that, which does not really belong to it, we shall be enabled to distinguish the more accurately its real form. First then it is to be remarked, that repentance does not necessarily imply a wish that any particular event had not occurred, or that any particular act had noted to the spirit of revenge; and been performed. When a person, who is overwhelmed with the apprehension of future punishment on account of his iniquity, exclaims in the bitterness of his soul, O that I had never committed that sin! O, that I had never yielded to that temptation, this expression of his sorrow is generally considered as very good proof of his repentance. Such an exclamation may proceed from a penitent heart, but it may also be most sincerely uttered by the impenitent, and thus it does not certainly evince that broken spirit, which is necessary to salvation. What is included in the wish, that a certain sinful act had not been committed? Is any thing ne. cessarily contained in it besides an aversion to pain? Suppose a man to have been guilty of the honorable crime of murdering some one of his acquaintance in single combat. After the commission of the crime, he finds himself driven in disgrace from his accustomed place of abode, deprived of his usual means of subsistence, and under the ne The mind of man is active and rapid as light. In surveying any |