gave them as the dust to his sword, and as driven stubble to his bow.

On the fifth of April after their arrival, the Plymouth company were called to mourn the loss of their excellent governor, and a deacon in the church, Mr. Carver. Mr. Bradford, a gentleman of distinguished worth, was chosen to sueceed him, and excep.ing four years, he was annually elected to the office till his death, in 1657. A little before the death of Mr. Carver, the Indian Sachem Massasoit, came into Plymouth, in a friendly manner, and entered into a treaty of friendship with the Colony, which he observed inviolably till his death. He was father of the famous Sachem, King Philip.

After the first desolating sickness, the people of Plymouth were, generally, very healthy, and the most of the first planters who survived that epidemic, lived to old age. Their privations, however, and their sufferings inseparable from the circumstances of their situation, were great in the extreme, Their property was principally, held in common stock for the support of the whole. And the wants of the few first years consumed the most of their store. Through fear of the natives, having received some threatening intimations from some of the tribes, they were necessitated to erect a fort, to empale their whole village, and to keep a constant guard.— In their excursions to find a proper place for settlement, while their ship lay at the Cape, they found about ten bushels of Indian corn which had been buried, for which they afterwards paid the owners, which helped to preserve their lives the first winter, and afford them seed for planting in the ensuing spring. Some friendly Indians taught them the manner of raising their corn, but their crops were very unequal to their necessities. Mr. Hutchinson is of opinion that no English grain was raised in the colony previous to the year 1633; when a few ears of rye were produced. The first domestic cattle were brought to the colony in 1624; previous to which, they had none for milk or labor. The most credible historians affirm that these pilgrims subsisted, in repeated instances, for days and weeks together, without bread, feeding upon the wild nuts of the woods, and shell-fish-Their difficulties for cloathing were equally great.-Some of the ancient writers intimate, that the great mortality in the first winter, appears to have been the means, under a wise providence, of prescrving the colony from perishing by famine.

The second summer after their arrival, the settlement was threatened with a famine by a severe drought. From the third week in May to the middle of July there was no rain.

Their corn, for which they had made their utmost exertions, withered under the heat of a scorching sun, the greater part of it appeared irrecoverably lost. The Indians, seeing their prospects, observed they would soon be subdued by famine, when they should find them an easy prey. A public fast was appointed and observed with great solemnity. The morning and most of the day was clear and hot, but towards evening, the clouds collected, and, like the gracious influences of God, the rain descended in moderate yet copious showers. This revived their expiring crops, and produced a plentiful harvest. After which they observed a day of public Thanksgiving. I believe this to be the origin of our annual Thanksgivings. This event made an astonishing impression on the minds of the Natives, who saw and acknowledged that the God of the Christians was great, and good, and a hearer of prayer.*

In the autumn of 1621, the plantation received an accession of settlers, of about thirty five, of their friends from Holland. In the year 1625, their venerable and beloved pastor, the Rev. Mr. Robinson, died at Leyden, in the 50th year of his age. He was thus prevented from ever seeing his muchloved American church. After his death, the most of his congregation came over to Plymouth.

The Planters who first came to Plymouth were accompanied by Mr. William Brewster, a ruling elder in the church, who supplied, in a good degree, the absence of their pastor. He was a man of abilities and learning, having been liberally educated at the University of Cambridge, and of great piety. Being an able and useful preacher, he served the congregation in that capacity the greater part of the time till his death, about twenty-three years after the first settlement. The congregation, however, enjoyed the labors of other ministers during this period.

This little colony continued, for many years in harmony, and were, perhaps, as eminent as any people which have appeared in modern times, for continuing stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayer.—[To be Continued.]

* See Morton, New-England Memorial, and others.

Plain Thoughts on a Great Subject.

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THE Lord is incomprehensible in his works. Their greatness, their extent, their variety and their goodness will be matter of wonder to his creatures for ever; it is by his works, that God displays his own infinite nature to creatures, thus leading them to an enjoyment of himself; and we may

determine they will for ever appear wonderful, and be so in the sight of angels as well as of men. All our knowledge of God is through the medium of his works. There is no intimation, that creatures will ever be able to look directly on God, and to see his perfections, either intuitively or without a medium, as he sees, and knows himself.-The display which God made of himself was begun in creation, and has been continued in his providence. His providence is a most wise government of all his works, and perhaps is not different from a continued creation; for it implies a continued exercise of the same power and wisdom, which were exerted in creating. His upholding and government of all things, are as much an effect of the present will of God as creation was; so that in the highest sense it is true, in him we live, are

moved and have our being." He is a God always present,always acting in our existence, and there is no more possibility of our being distant from him, than there is of a most dependent effect being separated from a most absolute cause.

The providence of God is a vast scheme of divine action in upholding and directing his works. It is a vast and eternal display of himself to the finite understanding of his creatures. His common providence is the constant exercise of an efficient agency, according to certain laws of existence and action, which we call the established laws of nature. His special providence is a divine agency exerted in a manner, different from the known and established laws of nature and divine action; which is designed more fully to display himself, for his own glory and the good of his creatures. As his scheme of counsel and action was most perfect from eternity, and best in all its parts, the distinction between common and special providence, doth not imply any separation or imperfection of counsel in God; or that he was disappointed in the laws and events of his common providence. Both common and special acts of providence were equally included in the original plan; and the verbal distinction was introduced, merely to aid weak creatures in conceiving and describing to each other the deep things of God. Among the works of his special providence, we may number the great and glorious redemption of sinners. Creation was a great display of himself, and was necessary to precede; but redemption is greater. It more gloriously unfolds the rectitude and goodness of God, his manner of enjoying himself, and of leading his creatures to the same blessed enjoyment, the unchangeable nature of his law and government, and the inseparable connection between holiness and happiness. Redemption was designed by God to be the highest display of himself, and the means of introducing into

the universe the greatest happiness of creatures, and the greatest declarations of his own glory. Therefore, we should not view redemption as designed to amend a defect in the original scheme of divine government; but should rather consider the creation as preparatory to the work of redemption. Redemption will give more additional glory to God, and happiness to creatures, than could have been from creation without it; and therefore this dispensation of grace, may fitly be called the greatest and most glorious of God's works. It is said, "to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord." The church here means, the redeemed church saved from among men. By principalities and powers in heavenly places is probably meant some other orders of holy and intelligent creatures.

It appears by revelation. that in displaying himself, the ever blessed God acts by the Son, the second person of his divine nature. He was the Creator, is the Redeemer, and will be the Judge of angels and men. In him all the holy creation is united, and by him united to the infinite godhead.

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He is the Creator of all things. For by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities or powers: all things were created by him and for him. And he is before all things, and by him all things consist," that is, are upheld in being. Jesus Christ in some sense is the head, in whom all created beings are united and brought nigh to God. How he is the head of redeemed men is very clearly described in the scriptures. There are also many clear intimations in the word of God, that he is, in some sense not explained to us, the head of the holy ercation.— By him to reconcile all things to himself, by him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power. That in the dispensation of the fulness of times, he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth even in him." The wonderful scheme of divine wisdom in redeeming men, will have a great influence on the state and blessedness of all intelligent creatures. -Though it be men only who are redeemed through the blood of Christ, other holy creatures will be greatly benefitted, and their most pure happiness and moral glory will arise from this transaction. The greatest glory of God, and the greatest happiness of his creatures will be for ever

united. The greatest display of his essential goodness will make him most glorious, and his holy creatures most blessed; so that angels may be deeply interested, and their increase of holiness and happiness depend on the gospel grace, although they never sinned or needed redemption. The proper meaning of the word angel is a messenger, and it is figuratively applied in the holy scriptures, as a general name for all the invisible created spirits. It most commonly means spirits of some order different from the souls of men; but sometimes is used for the spirits of just men made perfect in glory. In the xxii chapter of Rev. one who is called an angel told John, he was of his brethren the prophets.

These invisible spirits are used by God as messengers or agents of his providence in the work of redemption. The heavenly hosts are described as joyful spectators of the great events in the kingdom of grace. At the incarnation they sang an hymn of praise. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Christ will come attended by his holy angels to judge the world. The angels desire to look into the things of redemption. Thus it appears that other creatures besides men feel deeply interested in the opening scheme of redeeming grace. "Thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth." The dispensations of mercy and judgment to the sinners of this world give instruction to the universe. If the heart be perfectly good, whatever increases knowledge will increase holiness; and whatever increases holiness will increase happiness. It is in this way that the angels are benefitted by the great work of redemption. Thereby they learn the unsearchable riches of divine goodness, and the awful severity of justice.

The moral character of God is the principal object of holy enjoyment. The more he is known, the more blessed and glorious heaven will become to its pure inhabitants. Christians in this world do not generally consider how much the gospel display of an infinite God exceeds all others. The most explicit revelation of the moral law, that could have been made to creatures. without the gospel redemption, would have given but little knowledge of divine rectitude and the nature of holiness, compared with what we now have.These subjects, with the general nature of the moral system, are made very luminous to the understanding of creatures both in heaven and on earth, by the redemption of sinners and the manner of its purchase and application. By this we learn what divine goodness is; a delight in the blessedness of intelligent beings. By this we learn its infinite degree; so