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 [theological  SFMIMAPVI 
 
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 r?rf/  ni^  f 
 
 QJ  7M/^^/^'// 
 
 \~\ 
 
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 SELECT 
 CHRISTIAN  AUTHORS, 
 
 WITH 
 
 INTRODUCTORY  ESSAYS. 
 
 N°-   48. 
 
lEH^y  ?^  ^^'^^TM^'m  l^lDWAI^^g 
 
 1         COLLHTS  GLASGOW 
 
A 
 
 NARRATIVE 
 
 OF  THE 
 
 REVIVAL   OF   RELIGION 
 
 IN 
 
 NEW  ENGLAND; 
 
 WITH 
 
 THOUGHTS  ON  THAT   REVIVAL. 
 JONATHAN  EDWARDS,  A.  M. 
 
 WITH 
 
 AN  INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY, 
 
 BY 
 
 JOHN  PYE  SMITH,  D.D. 
 
 HOMERTON. 
 
 GLASGOW: 
 
 PRINTED  FOR  WILLIAM  COLLINS; 
 
 WILLIAM   WHYTE   &   CO.    AND    WILLIAM   OLIPHANT,    EDINBURGH 
 
 W.  F.  WAKEMAN;  AND  WM.  CURRY,  JUN.  &  CO.  DUBLIN; 
 
 WHITTAKER,  TREACHER,  &  ARNOT;   HAMILTON,  ADA5IS,  &  CO. 
 
 SIMPKIN  AND  MARSHALL  ;  BALDWIN  &  CRADOCK  ; 
 
 AND  HURST,  CHANCE,  &  CO.  LONDON. 
 
 MDCCCXXIX. 
 
Trinted  by  W.  Collitu  &  Co. 
 Glasgow. 
 
PEiiiu-iilTOH  ^ 
 'EmOLOGlG&h  J 
 
 'INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY 
 
 Of  all  the  works  from  the  pens  of  those  who  have 
 the  clearest  right  to  be  esteemed  the  wisest  and 
 the  best  among  men,  and  which  have  been  presented 
 in  this  series  of '  Select  Christian  Authors,'  various 
 as  have  been  their  topics,  and  widely  different  the 
 cast  of  thought,  and  the  characteristic  talent,  of  their 
 authors,  it  is  no  extravagance  to  say,  that  not  one 
 of  them  has  failed  to  furnish  evidence,  direct  or  im- 
 plied, sufficient  to  put  an  end  to  all  rational  doubt 
 upon  one  subject ;  the  depraved  condition  of  our 
 common  nature,  in  its  moral  susceptibilities  and 
 faculties.  The  consciousness  which  lives,  even  if 
 it  slumbers,  in  every  man's  breast,  the  voice  of  ex- 
 perience and  observation  echoed  from  all  times,  and 
 from  every  abode  of  men  upon  the  earth,  and  the 
 solemn  testimony  of  God's  own  inspiration,  are 
 sources  of  proof  which  can  never  be  stopped  up;  and 
 which  can  be  eluded  only  by  that  disbelief,  which 
 has  the  property  of  perverting  or  concealing  every 
 degree  of  moral  demonstration :  for  it  is,  in  fact, 
 the  chief  exercise  of  that  depravity  itself,  the  very 
 evil  to  be  deplored,  the  very  basis  of  our  criminality 
 
VI 
 
 and  infatuation ;  and  vain  would  it  be  to  expect,  that 
 the  self-blinded  and  self-loving  principle  should  pro- 
 nounce its  own  condemnation. 
 
 Yet,  with  all  this,  there  is  a  natural  aspiring  of 
 the  heart  after  religion ;  an  unconquerable  longing, 
 a  restless  effort,  for  an  enjoyment  which,  obscure 
 and  undefined  as  it  may  be,  draws  forwards  the 
 mind  to  the  future,  the  invisible,  the  eternal;  in  a 
 word,  to  a  connexion  of  man  with  his  Creator  and 
 Ruler.  Mournful  vestige  of  a  perished  goodness! 
 Indelible  mark  of  the  property,  and  the  right,  and 
 the  never-relaxed  hold,  of  a  righteous  God  ! 
 
 We  find,  then,  in  our  nature,  and  its  inevitable 
 circumstances,  principles  of  contradiction ;  an  intel- 
 lectual mutiny,  a  war  of  reason,  feeling,  and  fact ; 
 a  state  of  things,  within  every  man's  competency  to 
 detect,  which  loudly  cries  of  disorder  and  ruin.  No 
 wonder  is  it,  that  mankind  ransack  heaven  and  earth 
 to  find  religion,  while  they  reject  that  which  alone 
 is  religion ;  no  wonder  that,  wanting  all  the  time  a 
 god  to  sooth  and  comfort  them,  "  they  have  not 
 liked  to  retain  the  true  God  in  their  knowledge ;" 
 no  wonder  that  "  they  hold  the  truth  in  unright- 
 eousness ;"  or  that  they  cling  to  "  a  form  of  godli- 
 ness," while  they  "  deny  its  power." 
 
 But  this  is  not  to  be  always  the  state  of  things. 
 Our  evidence  of  the  divinity  and  certainty  of  Re- 
 velation, embraces  a  very  wide  extent  of  exhilarating 
 prospect,  with  regard  to  its  diffusion  and  influence. 
 Christianity  alone,  of  all  the  progressive  disclosures 
 of  the  true  religion,  and  of  all  the  varieties  of  that 
 which  is  false,  is  fitted  to  become  the  universal  re- 
 ligion.     Its  facts  and  doctrines  are  certain   and  ap- 
 
Vll 
 
 plicable,  at  all  times,  and  under  all  circumstances.  It 
 is  trammelled  by  no  enactments  which,  as  to  the  es- 
 sence at  least  of  their  observance,  are  not  easily  prac- 
 ticable, in  any  climate,  in  any  condition  of  society, 
 or  under  any  equitable  mode  of  human  government. 
 It  has  no  party-spirit  or  national  predilections  to 
 gratify,  nor  antipathies  and  prejudices  to  indulge. 
 It  will  be  with  the  most  perfect  preservation  of  all 
 the  civil  interests  of  mankind,  all  the  rights  of  na- 
 tions, all  the  noblest  ends  of  government,  and  all 
 the  felicity  of  private  persons,  that  "  the  kingdom 
 and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom 
 under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  be  given  to  the  people 
 of  the  saints  of  the  Most  High ;  whose  kingdom  is 
 an  everlasting  kingdom,  and  all  dominions  shall 
 serve  and  obey  him." 
 
 The  events  of  the  last  forty  years  seem  to  an- 
 nounce that  we  are  now  approaching,  with  accelerated 
 pace,  to  that  grand  period  ;  the  sabbath  of  the 
 world,  the  emancipation  of  our  race  from  the  usur- 
 pation of  cruel  errors  and  abominable  idolatries,  the 
 day  of  peace  and  holiness,  for  which  the  true  church, 
 from  its  beginning,  has  been  sighing  and  travailing 
 in  pain,  together  with  the  whole  creation  thus  sub- 
 jected to  vanity  and  abuse.  It  is  scarcely  possible 
 to  mistake  these  signs  of  our  time.  Heathen  and 
 Mahometan  people  have  given  many  demonstrations 
 that  those  signs  are  seen  and  heard  even  by  them, 
 in  their  dark  seats  of  supine  abjectness  ;  and  the 
 wicked  among  ourselves,  the  Christians  by  courtesy, 
 the  persons  most  habitually  insensible  to  the  move- 
 ments of  Almighty  Providence,  have  sufficiently 
 shown,  that  their  apathy  or  disbelief  can,  with  diffi- 
 
Vlll 
 
 culty,  sustain   itself.      The  portentous  heavings  of 
 all  nations;   the  fears,  the  rage,  and  the  serpentine 
 evasions  of  those  who  long  have  preyed  upon  the 
 earth ;   the  new  activity  of  the  church  of  Christ,  in 
 all  the  communions  of  its  faithful  members;  the  liv- 
 ing machinery,  scarcely  imagined  by  our  fathers,  of 
 social  co-operation;   the  almost  simultaneous  projec- 
 tion of  education,   civilization,  and  science,  of  the 
 Bible,   and  of  Christian  missions,   into  so  many  re- 
 mote regions  of  every  quarter  of  the  globe,  which, 
 for  time  beyond  memory,  had  been  the  undisturbed 
 seat  of  Satan's  craft  and  power;  and  the  delightful 
 fact  that  many,  though  they  be  but  the  first-fruits, 
 have   come   from  the   east  and  the   west,    and   the 
 north  and  the  south,   to   worship  in   the  temple  of 
 God  and  the  Lamb ; — these  are  occurrences  which, 
 taken  singly,    cannot  but   infuse  awful   expectancy 
 and  delightful  hope;    and,    considered  in  their  won- 
 derful assemblage,   they  seem  to  be  angels  raising 
 the  veil  of  Apocalyptic  vision,  and  summoning  us  to 
 join   their    adorations:   "  A  voice   came  out  of  the 
 throne,  saying.  Praise  our  God,  all  ye  his  servants, 
 and  ye  that  fear  him,  both  small  and  great.      And  I 
 heard  as  it  were  the  voice  of  a  great  multitude,  and 
 as  the  voice  of  many   waters,    and   as   the  voice  of 
 mighty  thuiiderings,  saying.  Alleluia;  for  the  Lord 
 God  omnipotent  reigneth.      Let  us  be  glad  and  re- 
 joice, and  give  honour  to  him  :    for  the  marriage  of 
 the  Lamb  is  come,   and  his  wife  hath  made  herself 
 ready." 
 
 Religion,  as  it  exists  in  its  great  original  and 
 pattern,  the  moral  attributes  of  God,  or  as  it  is  dis- 
 closed to   us  objectively  in  the  records  of  creation 
 
IX 
 
 and  revealed  truth,  can  admit  of  no  accession  from 
 human  agency.  It  possesses  all  perfection  in  itself; 
 and  in  its  disclosures  it  can  receive  no  improvement, 
 except  by  new  impartation  from  its  Author,  the 
 Father  of  lights.  But,  subjectively,  in  the  percep- 
 tions, experience,  and  obedience,  of  the  faithful,  it  is 
 capable  of  being  strengthened,  and  spread  forth  in 
 activity  and  enjoyment,  to  an  indefinite  extent,  and 
 to  a  duration  unlimited  as  the  heavenly  immortality. 
 In  all  its  progress  hitherto  upon  earth,  and  in  its 
 best  actual  state,  throughout  the  purest  churches 
 and  their  most  sanctified  members,  our  religion  pre- 
 sents not  an  appearance  of  healthiness  and  vigour, 
 correspondent  to  its  divine  birth  and  its  heavenly 
 nutriment. 
 
 But  we  are  sending  forth  our  religion  to  the 
 world.  The  impulse  of  the  Omnipotent  will  not 
 allow  it  to  lie  longer  hidden  in  the  closet,  or  to 
 operate  only  within  the  boundaries  of  our  particular 
 communities.  It  must  be  presented  to  the  nations, 
 in  its  honours,  or  in  its  weakness  and  poverty ;  and 
 we  may  reasonably  expect  that,  not  merely  its  essen- 
 tial nature,  but  its  special  qualities  also,  as  derived 
 from  us,  will  be  impressed  upon  those  who  receive 
 it.  What  a  view  of  responsibility  rises  here  before 
 us  !  It  is  not  allowed  us  to  glide  through  life,  and 
 pass  into  the  presence  of  our  Judge,  laden  merely 
 with  our  own  burden  ;  to  answer  for  the  weakness 
 of  our  faith,  the  torpor  of  our  religious  aflPections, 
 and  the  comparative  sterility  of  our  practice :  and 
 then  to  have  no  other  account  to  render.  Awful  as 
 must  be  our  personal  concerns  at  that  tribunal,  we 
 must  appear  there  with  a  weighty  increase  of  ame- 
 a3 
 
nableness.  Persons  whom  we  have  never  known, 
 who  speak  barbarous  tongues,  and  dwell  in  the  ut- 
 termost parts  of  the  earth ;  children  of  men  yet  un- 
 born; yea,  whole  tribes  and  nations;  will  have  de- 
 duced the  mould  and  stamp  of  their  religion  from 
 the  visible  character  of  ours.  O,  how  desirable 
 that  we  should  be  able  to  say,  with  the  highest  de- 
 gree of  conscientious  sensibility,  "  Be  ye  followers 
 of  us,  as  even  we  are  of  Christ !" 
 
 In  some  respects,  indeed,  we  possess  the  marks 
 of  great  and  evident  advantage.  Let  us  gladly  ac- 
 knowledge what  the  Spirit  of  grace  hath  wrought. 
 Some  of  the  ancient  forms  of  bigotry  have  become 
 obsolete.  Few  genuine  Christians  now  confine  their 
 recognition  of  excellence,  their  esteem  and  their 
 cordial  love,  within  the  circle  of  their  own  commu- 
 nion. The  smaller  jnatters  that  concern  discipline, 
 order,  and  modes  of  worship,  are  not  now  very  gen- 
 erally considered  as  of  equal  importance  with  the 
 belief  of  the  weightiest  truths,  the  sanctification  of 
 the  Spirit,  the  life  of  faith  upon  the  Son  of  God, 
 and  the  great  characters  of  holy  practice.  Men 
 who  are  very  conscientiously  of  different  ecclesiasti- 
 cal persuasions,  cultivate  each  other's  friendship, 
 meet  and  dehberate  and  act  upon  the  grounds  of 
 their  common  and  most  holy  faith,  cordially  pray  to- 
 gether, and  consecrate  their  single  and  their  asso- 
 ciated talents  to  their  one  Lord;  and  they  do  all  this 
 without  any  sacrifice  of  principle,  or  compromise  of 
 duty. 
 
 On  this  topic,  may  we  be  allowed  to  pause  for  a 
 moment;  as  the  mariner,  safely  standing  on  some 
 noble  promontory,  can  survey  the  rocks,  and  quick- 
 
XI 
 
 sands,  and  spots  of  fearful  memory,  where  many  a 
 noble  vessel  has  gone  to  ruin  ! — The  eloquent  la- 
 mentation of  that  great  man,  Richard  Baxter,  who 
 laboured  far  above  many,  a  century  and  a  half  ago, 
 for  holiness,  peace,  and  love,  may  well  find  a  place 
 here ;  both  to  stimulate  our  gratitude,  and  to  admi- 
 nister a  still  very  requisite  admonition. 
 
 "  I  would  that  our  Protestant  churches  had  not 
 too  great  a  number  of  such  men  as  are  far  short  of 
 the  schoolmen's  subtilty,  but  much  exceed  them  in 
 the  enviousness  of  their  zeal,  and  the  bitterness  and 
 rcvilings  of  their  disputes;  more  openly  serving  the 
 prince  of  hatred  against  the  cause  of  love  and  peace. 
 O  how  many  famous  disputers,  in  schools,  pulpits, 
 and  press,  do  little  know  what  spirit  they  are  of; 
 and  what  reward  they  must  expect  of  Christ,  for 
 making  odious  his  servants,  destroying  love,  and 
 dividing  his  kingdom  !  How  many  such  have  their 
 renown,  as  little  to  their  true  comfort,  as  Alexan- 
 der's and  Cajsar's  for  their  bloody  wars  ! — Cease 
 your  proud  contendings,  O  vain- glorious  militant 
 clergy  !  Learn  of  the  Prince  of  peace,  and  the 
 holy  angels  that  preached  him,  to  *  give  glory  to 
 God  in  the  highest,'  who  giveth  '  peace  on  earth,' 
 and  '  well-pleasedness  in  men.'  Did  Christ,  or  his 
 apostles,  make  such  work  for  Christians  as  you  do? 
 The  great  Shepherd  of  the  flock  will  take  your  pre- 
 tences of  order,  orthodoxncss,  or  truth,  and  piety, 
 for  no  excuse  for  your  corrupting  order,  faith,  and 
 practice,  by  your  tyranny,  self-conceitedness,  blind 
 zeal,  and  superstition ;  and  for  using  his  name 
 against  himself,  to  the  destroying  of  that  love,  and 
 concord,   and  unity,  which   he  hath  bequeathed  to 
 
xu 
 
 his  church ;  and  for  serving  his  enemy,  and  dividing 
 his  people,  and  hardening  infidels  and  ungodly  ones 
 hy  these  scandals.  Return  to  the  primitive  sim- 
 plicity ;  that  we  may  return  to  unity,  and  love,  and 
 peace.  The  God  of  peace  give  wisdom,  and  peace- 
 able principles,  minds,  and  hearts,  to  his  servants ; 
 that,  though  I  shall  not  live  to  see  it,  true  love  and 
 piety  may  revive  in  the  Christian  world,  by  the  endea- 
 vours of  a  healing  ministry  !" 
 
 What  do  we  owe  to  Infinite  Benevolence,  that  the 
 aspect  of  the  Christian  Church,  in  our  own  times, 
 is,  in  so  many  points  of  view,  the  happy  contrast  of 
 this  pathetic  lamentation  !  So  much  has  God  done 
 for  us :  what  then  do  we  owe  to  him  ? 
 
 Yet,  let  it  not  be  ascribed  to  moroseness,  to  the 
 love  of  spying  or  proclaiming  faults,  to  the  spirit  of 
 arrogant  judging  and  ill-becoming  presumption,  if 
 one,  who  has  too  much  reason  to  acknowledge  his 
 own  participation  in  the  delinquencies  complained  of, 
 still  solicits  his  brethren  to  '''  strengthen  the  things 
 which  remain,"  and  to  seek  to  have  their  "  works  per- 
 fect (JiUed  up  to  the  requisite  amount)  before  God," 
 in  order  that  the  religion  which  we  are  sending 
 through  the  world,  may  be  of  the  best  quality,  hav- 
 ing the  least  mixture  of  unworthy  and  debasing 
 adulteration,  and  such  as  shall  be  the  most  entitled 
 to  the  love  and  imitation  of  converted  nations. 
 
 One  of  the  most  obvious  symptoms  of  a  state 
 which  ought  to  awaken  our  anxious  dissatisfaction, 
 is  the  low  degree  of  religious  knowledge  which  ex- 
 tensively prevails  ;  and  the  flimsy  and  puerile  charac- 
 ter of  that  knowledge  which  is  actually  possessed  by 
 many  professors  of  serious  piety,  in  whatever  degree 
 
Xlll 
 
 it  may  subsist.  If  we  did  not  live  under  a  condi- 
 tion of  society  in  which,  more  than  in  any  former 
 period,  large,  comprehensive,  and  solid  knowledge  is 
 required,  upon  all  the  topics  of  literature,  and  science, 
 and  the  arts  of  life ;  if  universal  investigation,  up- 
 rootin|f  the  quietude  of  ancient  prejudices,  demand- 
 ing clear  conceptions,  and  well-defined  descriptions, 
 and  solid  evidence  for  all  conclusions,  were  not  the 
 character,  or  at  least  the  profession,  of  our  age; 
 there  is  that  all-commanding  majesty  in  religion, 
 which  should,  at  all  times,  make  these  demands,  and 
 enforce  their  utmost  application.  Its  sublime  to- 
 pics, God  and  man,  life,  death,  and  an  eternity  of 
 happy  or  miserable  consciousness:  the  bright  and 
 awful  beaming  of  a  personal  interest  with  which  it 
 looks  upon  every  child  of  man ;  the  means  of  its 
 conveyance,  levying  and  sanctifying  all  the  aids  of 
 philology,  history,  and  philosophy,  for  the  service  of 
 Bible-interpretation ;  and  its  consequences,  affecting 
 an  immortal  duration,  and  that  in  modes  which  no 
 human  expression,  no  human  thought,  can  reach  ; — 
 these,  and  their  associated  considerations,  might 
 surely  be  expected  to  produce,  even  in  the  most  dull 
 and  unreflecting  age,  habits  of  intense  and  profound 
 study  upon  the  science  and  art  of  religion ;  the 
 science^  whose  noble  archetype  is  found  in  the  moral 
 perfections  of  God ;  the  art  of  practically  attaining 
 the  highest  ends  of  existence,  living  to  God,  being 
 conformed  to  his  holiness,  and  being  blessed  with  his 
 happiness.  So,  in  faet,  it  has  been.  The  wild 
 excursiveness  of  the  Platonic  philosophy,  and  the 
 amazing  depths  of  a  metaphysical  theology,  even  in 
 some    of  the   Mahometan   speculatists,    have    been 
 
XIV 
 
 ample  attestations  of  the  strength  of  these  impres- 
 sions on  the  human  mind.  In  the  darkest  period  of 
 Christian  Europe,  the  prejudices  and  compHcated 
 manacles  of  a  soul-restraining  superstition  could  not 
 prevent  such  men  as  Anselm,  Bradvvardin,  Peter 
 Lombard,  and  Aquinas,  from  exercising  their  mighty 
 spirits  upon  the  great  and  deep  things  of  God.  How 
 then  is  it,  that,  in  a  day  like  ours,  pre-eminent  in 
 opportunities  and  means  and  fearless  avowals,  many 
 Christians  content  themselves  with  a  quality  and 
 degree  of  religious  knowledge,  so  servilely  adopted, 
 so  superficial,  scanty,  and  ill-provided  with  intelli- 
 gence and  proof,  as  to  awaken  most  serious  fears,  in 
 thoughtful  observers,  that  the  frail  texture  would  be 
 driven  away  by  the  first  wind  of  false  doctrine  that 
 might  be  directed  upon  it  ?  Poverty  and  want  of 
 advantages  cannot  be  pleaded  as  the  excuse  of  a 
 numerous  class  of  men,  concerning  whom  these  ap- 
 prehensions force  themselves  upon  us.  Often,  in 
 truth,  pious  persons  of  the  lower  orders  in  society 
 discover  an  extent  of  knowledge,  and  an  acquaintance 
 with  facts  and  principles  and  their  just  evidence,  in 
 the  great  things  of  God  and  his  revelation,  which 
 might  put  to  the  blush  many  of  the  polished  and 
 elegant  disciples  of  our  modern  churches.  It  is  not 
 a  little  remarkable,  that  these  very  persons  will  take 
 an  unsparingly  solicitous  care,  that  their  sons  and 
 daughters  shall  have  every  means  for  the  most  accurate 
 initiation,  and  the  most  perfect  proficiency,  in  one  or 
 more  languages,  in  mathematics,  or  even  the  mere 
 ornaments  or  fashionable  accomplishments  which  they 
 deem  requisite  to  their  station.  They  will  engage 
 the  ablest  teachers,  they  will  purchase  numerous  and 
 
 I 
 
XV 
 
 costly  books  and  instruments,  they  will  sacrifice 
 years  of  time;  to  secure  for  the  objects  of  their 
 anxiety  the  most  comprehensive  knowledge,  the  most 
 distinguishing  and  fastidious  correctness,  the  most 
 masterly  practice.  Yet,  to  obtain  sacred  and  divine 
 knowledge,  they  content  themselves  with  provision 
 and  efforts,  which,  as  to  both  kind  and  degree,  are 
 most  manifestly  meagre,  unattractive,  and  inadequate. 
 The  theological  part  of  what  they  may,  perhaps,  call 
 their  library,  is  so  scanty  and  ill-chosen,  as  to  form 
 a  remarkable  contrast  with  the  amplitude  of  their 
 expendings  upon  the  furniture  of  a  drawing-roorrj, 
 or  a  genteel  accomplishment  for  a  daughter,  or  a 
 study  necessary  to  obtain  honours  or  an  establish- 
 ment for  a  son. 
 
 Scarcely  less  to  be  lamented  and  censured,  is  the 
 practice  of  purchasing,  indeed,  some  excellent  books 
 of  Christian  divinity,  guided  in  the  choice  by  acci- 
 dent, or  by  recommendation,  or  by  the  celebrity  of 
 a  name;  having  them  well  adorned  with  the  devices 
 of  gilding  and  figuring,  and  then  tastefully  disposed 
 in  a  splendid  book-case.  But,  when  these  adjust- 
 ments are  completed,  the  matter  is  nearly  ended. 
 These  depositories  of  truth  and  wisdom  are  rarely 
 opened  ;  or  are  read  in  a  cursive  and  desultory  man- 
 ner ;  or  are  turned  to  only  for  the  purpose  of  mark- 
 ing passages,  that  have  been  pointed  out  as  peculi- 
 arly tender  or  powerful;  while  there  is  but  a  very 
 faint  intention  of  getting  the  mind  enlightened,  the 
 conscience  awakened,  and  the  practice  directed,  by 
 their  impression. 
 
 The  eminent  Author  of  the  work  which  is  now 
 republished  in  the  ensuing  pages,  has  a  Discourse 
 
XVI 
 
 upon  *  The  Importance  and  Advantage  of  a  Tho- 
 rough Knowledge  of  Divme  Truth  ;'  founded  upon 
 the  words,  ««  When,  for  the  time,  ye  ought  to  be 
 teachers,  ye  have  need  that  one  teach  you  again, 
 which  be  the  first  principles  of  the  oracles  of  God  ; 
 and  are  become  such  as  have  need  of  milk,  and  not 
 of  strong  meat.''  The  arguments  which  he  employs, 
 are  in  his  usual  manner  of  perspicuous  and  powerful 
 simplicity.  Among  his  *  Directions  for  the  Acqui- 
 sition of  Christian  Knowledge,'  with  which  the  dis- 
 course is  concluded,  he  gives  this  advice  :  "  Procure, 
 and  diligently  use,  other  books,  which  may  help  you 
 to  grow  in  this  knowledge.  Many  excellent  books 
 are  extant,  which  might  greatly  forward  you  in  this 
 knowledge,  and  afford  you  a  very  profitable  and  plea- 
 sant entertainment  in  your  leisure  hours.  There  is 
 doubtless  a  great  defect  in  many,  that,  through  a 
 loathness  to  be  at  a  little  expense,  they  furnish  them- 
 selves with  no  more  helps  of  this  nature.  They 
 have  a  few  books,  indeed,  which  now  and  then,  on 
 Sabbath-days,  they  read;  but  they  have  had  them 
 so  long,  and  read  them  so  often,  that  they  are  weary 
 of  them  ;  and  it  is  now  become  a  dull  story,  a  mere 
 task,  to  read  them." 
 
 Many  persons,  indeed,  satisfy  themselves  with  an 
 avowed  abjuration  of  human  writings,  under  the  pre- 
 text, that  those  writings,  even  the  best  of  them, 
 being  only  streams  from  the  fountain,  and  being 
 so  far  only  true  and  valuable  as  they  deduce  the 
 waters  purely  "  out  of  the  wells  of  salvation  ;"  that 
 fountain,  also,  being  always  open  and  near  at  hand, 
 in  the  written  word  of  inspiration  ;  it  can 
 never  be  necessary,  and  it  may  be  prejudicial,  to  im- 
 
XVll 
 
 bue  the  mind  with  the  fallible  productions  of  men. 
 Hence,  they  not  only  are  superlatively  pleased  with 
 themselves,  and  look  for  admiration  from  others,  for 
 their  making  the  Bible  their  ONLY  book  j  but  they 
 afford,  very  frequently,  no  obscure  indications  of  an 
 assumption,  that  they  themselves  have  imbibed  some 
 considerable  portion  of  the  infallibility  which  be- 
 longs to  the  Oracles  of  Heaven  ;  and  they  take  it  as 
 ill  to  have  their  interpretations  and  decisions  ques- 
 tioned, as  if  they  witnessed  the  refusal  to  acknow- 
 ledge "  a  prophet  of  the  Lord." 
 
 These  persons,  we  cannot  but  apprehend,  have  a 
 very  erroneous  notion  of  the  perfection  and  suffi- 
 ciency of  the  Scriptures  ;  and  a  very  incomplete  un- 
 derstanding of  what  those  divine  writings  actually 
 contain  and  inculcate.  The  Holy  Scriptures  are 
 perfect  and  sufficient  for  all  the  purposes  for  which 
 they  were  given,  and  in  all  the  modes  of  obtaining 
 those  purposes  which  Divine  Wisdom  has  seen  fit 
 to  establish.  But  it  was  certainly  not  among  those 
 purposes,  to  supersede  any  legitimate  and  sanctified 
 employment  of  the  human  mind.  The  Scriptures 
 are  a  very  miscellaneous  collection  of  writings,  and 
 they  nowhere  assume  the  form  of  an  elementary,  or 
 a  systematic  treatise.  In  their  whole  frame  and 
 texture,  they  take  for  granted  the  reader's  mind  to 
 be  possessed  of  much  preliminary  knowledge:  such 
 as  the  being,  perfections,  and  government  of  the 
 only  living  and  true  God ;  the  equity,  and  indis- 
 pensable obligation  of  all  his  claims ;  the  necessary 
 accountableness,  and  the  future  existence  of  man. 
 To  the  ancient  Israelites,  the  messages  of  the  pro- 
 phets were  always  addressed,  under  the  evident  pre- 
 
XVlll 
 
 sumption  of  their  being  well  acquainted  with  what 
 the  Most  High  had  already  done,  and  what  intima- 
 tions of  his  will  he  had  communicated,  in  the  days 
 of  their  fathers,  and  in  the  infancy  of  the  human 
 race.  Even  with  regard  to  the  superstitious  and 
 idolatrous  Gentiles,  the  evangelical  message  itself 
 plainly  pre-supposed  such  a  knowledge  of  God, 
 and  the  invisible  things  of  God,  as  left  them  without 
 excuse  ;  and  such  an  inscription  of  "  the  work  of  the 
 law,"  its  great  outline  and  purport,  "  upon  their 
 hearts, — that  they,  not  having  the  law,  were  a  law 
 unto  themselves."  The  writings  of  the  New  Tes- 
 tament as  evidently  proceed  upon  the  supposition, 
 that  the  Christians,  to  whom  they  were  immediately 
 addressed,  had  been  faithfully  instructed,  had  re- 
 ceived the  Gospel  from  a  full  and  clear  oral  minis- 
 try, and  so  possessed  a  universally  admitted  know- 
 ledge of  the  rule  of  faith  and  directory  of  conduct. 
 It  clearly  follows,  that  these  component  parts  of  pre- 
 vious and  fundamental  knowledge  should  be  brought 
 into  our  possession ;  and  for  this  end  the  Scriptures 
 must  be  illustrated,  by  contributions  from  every  spot 
 in  the  wide  domain  of  facts  accessible  to  our  inves- 
 tigation. The  Scriptures  must  also  be  interpreted  : 
 and  no  interpretation  is  valid,  unless  it  express  "  the 
 mind  of  the  Spirit;"  unless  it  give  the  genuine  sense 
 of  the  terms  and  paragraphs  which  it  professes  to 
 explain.  Therefore,  the  judicious  and  holy  em- 
 ployment of  philology  and  criticism,  of  history  and 
 antiquities,  and  of  an  acquaintance  with  the  faculties 
 and  susceptibilities  of  man,  as  the  subject  of  religion, 
 is  necessary  for  our  correctly  understanding  the  word 
 of  God.      It  is  often  said,  this  is  the  province  of  the 
 
XIX 
 
 ministers  and  teachers  of  religion.  Undoubtedly-: 
 and,  O  that  they  all  felt  the  obligation  more  deeply, 
 and  complied  with  it  more  perfectly  !  But  is  it  wise, 
 is  it  safe,  is  it  becoming,  to  speak  and  act  as  if  this 
 charge  lay  only  upon  them  ?  Has  not  every  form 
 of  error,  that  has  at  any  time  laid  waste  the  church 
 of  God,  originated  in  some  one  or  more  of  the  ac- 
 credited teachers  of  the  gospel  ? — The  surest  human 
 guarantee  for  the  preservation  of  a  pure  and  faithful 
 ministry,  lies  in  a  holy,  enlightened,  reading,  think- 
 ing, and  active  body  of  private  Christians  :  they  are 
 the  great  waters  which  must  raise  the  level  of  the 
 floating  vessels,  however  large  may  be  the  capacity 
 of  those  vessels,  and  rich  the  treasures  with  which 
 they  are  laden. 
 
 The  assiduous  exercise  of  the  human  faculties,  in 
 the  investigation  of  revealed  truths  and  duties,  in  the 
 position  of  their  evidence,  the  elucidation  of  their 
 meaning,  and  their  applica'tion  (various,  through  a 
 range  fitly  corresponding  to  "  the  manifold  wisdom 
 of  God,")  to  the  characters,  situations,  engagements, 
 temptations,  and  all  the  circumstances  of  men, — is 
 laid  down  as  a  universal  duty,  by  divine  authority. 
 *'  Yea  ;  and  why,  even  of  your  own  selves,  judge  ye 
 not  what  is  right  ? — Search  the  Scriptures  ;  for  in 
 them  ye  think,"  (nor  was  it  a  vain  opinion,)  *' that 
 ye  have  eternal  life :  and  it  is  these  which  testify  of 
 me. — Prove  all  thin^rs  :  hold  fast  that  which  is  e< 
 I  speak  as  to  wise  men ;  judge  ye  what  I  say. — I 
 pray,  that  your  love  may  abound  yet  more  and  more 
 in  knowledge  and  in  all  judgment;  that  ye  may  ap- 
 prove the  things  which  are  excellent,"  or,  as  the 
 latter  clause  may  be  justly  rendered,  "  that  ye  may 
 
XX 
 
 discriminate  the  things  which  differ."  The  Apostle 
 charged  his  beloved  Timothy ;  "  Till  I  come,  give 
 attendance  to  reading."  The  specification  of  the 
 period  during  which  Timothy  was  to  wait  at  Ephe- 
 sus  for  his  faithful  teacher  and  friend,  does  not  well 
 accord  with  the  interpretation,  which  attaches  the 
 "reading"  enjoined  upon  him,  to  the  Scriptures 
 alone.  It  would  be  the  duty  of  Timothy,  not  only 
 until  Paul's  arrival,  but  after  it,  and  in  all  his  future 
 life,  to  pay  his  utmost  attention  and  employ  all  his 
 suitable  opportunities  in  the  reading  of  so  much  as 
 he  possessed  of  "  the  Holy  Scriptures,  which  were 
 able  to  make  him  wise  unto  salvation,  through  the 
 faith  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus."  But,  if  we  con- 
 sider that  Timothy  was  in  an  eminently  learned  and 
 polished  city,  that  an  unusual  portion  of  leisure  was 
 put  into  his  hands,  and  that  he  could  scarcely  again 
 expect  to  enjoy  so  favourable  an  opportunity  of  ob- 
 taining the  use  of  books  in  Grecian  literature,  large, 
 numerous,  and  costly,  and  so  much  time  for  the 
 reading  of  them  ;  the  reason  of  the  exhortation  be- 
 comes apparent,  and  its  reference  to  other  books 
 besides  the  sacred  writings  is  rendered,  to  say  the 
 least,  extremely  probable.  If  then,  in  the  judgment 
 of  the  holy,  faithful,  and  devoted  Apostle,  the  sub- 
 ject also  of  miraculous  inspiration,  it  was  an  advan- 
 tage not  to  be  foregone,  that  the  young  Evangelist 
 should  avail  himself  of  a  season  of  extraordinary  lei- 
 sure for  the  study  of  books,  which,  if  they  were  not 
 the  inspired  writings,  whatever  else  they  might  be, 
 whether  Jewish  or  Grecian,  may,  without  hazard,  be 
 affirmed  to  have  been  incomparably  inferior  to  the 
 productions  of  our  best  Enghsh  and  Scots  divines; 
 
XXI 
 
 the  conclusion  is  too  plain  to  need  being  formally 
 stated.  Truly  unhappy, — unhappy  to  a  degree  of 
 which  he  has  no  conception, — is  the  British  Chris- 
 tian, who,  possessing  the  means,  cuts  himself  off 
 from  the  enjoyment  of  such  writers  as  Tyndale  and 
 Frith ;  Jewell,  Perkins,  and  Hooker ;  Hall,  Usher, 
 and  Leighton  ;  Baxter,  Howe,  and  Owen ;  Haly- 
 burton,  Maclaurin,  and  Witherspoon ;  Edwards, 
 Bellamy,  and  D  wight. — Dear  and  venerated  names  ! 
 — Yet,  in  reciting  them,  justice  requires  it  to  be 
 said,  that  they  are  the  heads  of  tribes,  princes  in 
 Israel,  representatives,  in  their  respective  classes,  of 
 no  small  numbers  of  authors  who  were  worthy  to 
 follow  them,  but  to  enumerate  whom  would  turn  this 
 Essay  into  a  catalogue.* 
 
 It  is  indeed  a  demonstration  of  no  little  ignorance, 
 ingratitude,  and  self-confidence,  to  imagine  ourselves 
 too  knowing  to  be  taught,  or  too  wise  to  be  admon- 
 ished, by  the  shining  gifts  with  which  the  informing 
 Spirit  has  endowed  so  goodly  a  number  of  his  ser- 
 vants, in  all  the  periods  of  his  church.  Such  an 
 opinion  does,  in  fact,  approach  to  an  abdication  of 
 one  of  the  chief  prerogatives  of  humanity,  above  the 
 brute  creation :  and,  in  its  principle,  it  goes  far  to- 
 wards condemning  us  to  the  use  of  only  those 
 improvements  which  can  be  attained  by  the  indivi- 
 dual, declining  the  ever-growing  amount  of  know- 
 ledge and  moral  power,  which  accumulates  from  the 
 
 •  The  Series  of  "  Select  Christian  Authors,"  now  publishing, 
 contains  an  excellent  selection  of  works,  both  doctrinal  and 
 practical,  well  adapted  to  those  who  are  anxious  to  obtain  a  cor- 
 rect and  extensive  knowledge  of  Christianity,  as  well  as  to  pro- 
 mote the  edification  and  improvement  of  the  private  Christian. 
 
XXll 
 
 combination  and  succession  of  the  species.  The 
 contents  of  the  Bible  resemble  the  materials  of  na- 
 tural history,  and  the  foundations  of  science.  The 
 latter  lie  strewn  in  all  unimaginable  shapes  and  posi- 
 tions, through  all  the  domain  of  creation  ;  in  mines 
 and  caverns,  in  the  depths  of  the  ocean,  over  the 
 earth's  whole  surface,  and  through  the  boundless 
 space  of  the  heavens  ;  with  majestic  confusion, — a 
 confusion  which,  for  the  purposes  of  universal  vita- 
 lity and  reciprocal  action,  is  the  most  perfect  order. 
 So,  the  facts  and  doctrines,  the  laws  and  instructions, 
 the  promises,  threatenings,  warnings,  and  consola- 
 tions, of  the  sacred  word,  are  disclosed  by  their 
 Divine  Author  in  that  seeming  irregularity,  which 
 best  comports  with  a  gradual  manifestation  of  his 
 will,  and  an  education  of  the  human  race  to  receive 
 it.  But,  in  both  instances,  this  scattered  profusion 
 becomes  the  motive,  and  at  the  same  time  originates 
 the  composition,  of  accurate  knowledge  and  useful 
 application.  In  the  one  case,  generation  after 
 generation  have  been  employed  in  collecting  sub- 
 stances and  observing  occurrences,  in  grouping,  se- 
 parating, comparing,  analyzing,  recomposing,  calcu- 
 lating, and  proving  the  verity  of  results :  and  hence 
 the  beautiful  fabric  of  natural  science,  by  the  labour 
 of  three  thousand  years,  has  been  constructed  on  a 
 basis  which  can  never  be  destroyed  ;  and  its  practical 
 results  have  diffused  themselves,  in  millions  of  chan- 
 nels, around  the  globe,  carrying  conveniency  and 
 enjoyment  into  the  minutest  recesses  of  men's  domes- 
 tic and  personal  condition.  And  this  process  is  not 
 completed.  Vast  as  is  the  sum  of  discovery  and 
 invention,  every  philosophical  student,  even  of  the 
 
XXIU 
 
 coolest  and  least  imaginative  temperament,  is  per- 
 suaded that  an  astonishing  amount  is  yet  to  be 
 developed,  of  important  fact,  and  application  richly 
 beneficent. 
 
 The  analogy  holds,  with  admirable  exactness, 
 with  respect  to  the  records  of  inspired  truth.  The 
 facts  and  principles  filling,  with  divine  magnificence, 
 the  entire  construction  of  the  Scriptures,  are  capable 
 of  being  transplanted,  separated,  grouped,  and  com- 
 bined, without  end :  and,  in  all  their  varieties  of 
 position,  they  are  ever  prolific  of  new  views  of  truth, 
 unexpected  implications  and  deductions,  and  practical 
 lessons  to  every  feeling  of  the  heart,  every  power  of 
 the  understanding,  and  every  exigency  in  life.  It  is 
 out  of  these  materials  of  eternal  wisdom,  that  the 
 sanctified  talents  of  those  who  were  at  once  the  most 
 experienced  Christians,  the  deepest  and  clearest 
 thinkers,  and  the  most  powerful  masters  of  other 
 minds,  have  formed  those  treatises  of  theology  and 
 devotion,  virtue  and  morals,  which,  especially  in  these 
 latter  ages,  have  enriched  the  church  of  Christ. 
 
 To  despise  these  treasures,  which,  though  derived 
 and  mediate,  are  still  divine,  is  very  different  from 
 the  state  of  being  unable  to  obtain  them.  In  the 
 latter  case,  where  infelicitous  circumstances  have  pre- 
 cluded access  to  all  books  but  the  Bible,  it  has 
 indeed  answered  to  its  name ;  it  has  been  the 
 Book,  the  one  and  all.  The  Spirit  of  God  has 
 blessed  it  as  his  own  chosen  weapon,  and  has  made 
 it  "  quick  and  powerful,  sharper  than  any  two- 
 edged  sword  ;"  piercing,  detecting,  convincing,  slay- 
 ing the  inveteracy  of  sin,  quickening  to  a  new  life, 
 enlightening  and  sanctifying,  and  answering  all  the 
 
XXIV  1 
 
 purposes  of  other  means  to  holiness  and  salvation. 
 Instances  of  this  process  have  occurred,  where  ex- 
 treme poverty,  unfavourable  connexions,  the  intellec- 
 tual and  moral  scantiness  of  a  Popish  country,  or 
 some  similar  cause,  have  rendered  impossible  the 
 acquisition  of  excellent  human  writings,  or  have  even 
 precluded  any  knowledge  that  such  instruments  of 
 edification  existed.  Examples  of  this  kind  have 
 occasionally  come  to  light :  but  it  is  probable,  that 
 by  far  the  larger  number  remain  to  be  disclosed  in 
 the  future  world. 
 
 No  such  result,  however,  dare  we  to  anticipate, 
 where  the  gifts  for  edification,  with  which  the  Holy 
 Spirit  has  filled  many,  of  his  faithful  servants, 
 are  resolutely  and  systematically  contemned.  Very 
 different  is  the  state  of  the  person  who  despises  a 
 blessing,  from  that  of  one  who  is  unconsciously 
 destitute  of  it.  The  mental  and  moral  condition  of 
 those  rejecters,  is  usually  a  distressing  elucidation  of 
 the  way  in  which  their  favourite  principles  operate 
 upon  them.  With  a  characteristic  ignorance,  they 
 have  no  feeling  that  they  want  instruction,  nor  even 
 a  suspicion  of  their  spiritual  atrophy.  Or,  "  heady 
 and  high-minded,*'  they  regard  themselves  as  quali- 
 fied to  give  instruction  to  all ;  but  that  it  is  quite  a 
 condescension  in  them  to  listen  to  it  from  any.  That 
 sole  and  dominant  reading  of  the  Bible,  in  which 
 they  so  pride  themselves,  is,  in  some  instances,  an 
 extremely  diminutive  modicum,  but  which  they  make 
 to  serve  for  the  quieting  of  conscience  :  or  it  is  a 
 piece  of  task-work,  adjusted  to  a  daily  prescription 
 by  measurement  or  numeration,  a  devouring  of  chap- 
 ters and  verses,  scarcely  ever  impeded  in  its  hurry- 
 
XXV 
 
 ing  career  by  any  exercise  of  thought,  in  retracing, 
 comparing,  deducing,  or  applying  to  the  mind  and 
 heart ;  or  it  is  a  treating  the  sacred  word  as  a  box  of 
 mottoes,  a  repository  of  pithy  sayings,  fragments 
 shivered  off  from  that  connexion,  without  a  knowledge 
 of  which  they  are  exposed  to  be  grievously  misun- 
 derstood or  misused  ;  or  the  Bible  is  opened,  and 
 dipped  into  as  an  instrument  of  divination ;  and  is 
 thus  degraded  to  sanction  a  relic  of  wretched  hea- 
 thenism, not  yet  wholly  extirpated. 
 
 We  have  permitted  ourselves  thus  to  enlarge  upon 
 a  class  of  facts,  which  exhibit  at  once  both  symptoms 
 and  causes  of  religious  ignorance,  from  a  conviction 
 that  they,  and  others  in  affinity  with  them,  are  pro- 
 lific of  deep  injuries  on  the  state  of  our  personal  and 
 social  religion.  A  narrow-minded  and  selfish  bigotry 
 is  produced  ;  a  vice  often  very  unjustly  imputed,  but 
 against  which,  therefore,  we  should  be  not  the  less 
 on  our  guard.  Erroneous  interpretations  of  the 
 Scriptures  are  adopted  without  suspicion,  and  are 
 wrought  into  the  habit  of  recollection  and  quotation. 
 A  being  "filled  with  the  knowledge  of  the  will"  of 
 Christ,  "  in  all  wisdom  and  spiritual  understanding," 
 is  grievously  obstructed.  Knowledge  is  the  basis 
 of  Faith.  When,  therefore,  this  foundation  is  so 
 narrow,  the  structure  may  indeed  tower  high  ;  but 
 it  is  slender  and  frail,  and  much  reason  there  is  for 
 apprehension,  that  some  gust  of  false  "  philosophy 
 and  vain  deceit"  will  lay  it  low.  That  primary 
 grace  is  deprived  of  its  strong  supports  and  rich 
 supplies,  when  the  acquaintance  with  its  objects,  its 
 evidences,  and  its  manifold  associations,  is  poor  and 
 scanty. 
 
 B  48 
 
XXVI 
 
 The  weakness  of  Faith  is  an  evil  of  portentous 
 quality,  and  very  baneful  effect.      For,  let  us  define 
 or  describe  faith  as  we  may,  this  is  undeniable,  that 
 it  is  a  mode  of  thinking.      It  is  thought  exercised 
 in  the  due  manner,  upon  objects  of  the  highest  pos- 
 sible interest  to  the  subject  of  that  thought,  and  to 
 all   of  his   species ;    objects  spiritual,   eternal,   and 
 divine ;  objects  not   within   the    cognizance  of  our 
 senses,  not  capable  of  being  subjected  to  experiment, 
 not  within  the  reach  of  excursion,  exploring,  or  any 
 means  of  discovery;  objects  which  we  know,  and  can 
 know  only,  by  testimony — testimony  proved  by  suffi- 
 cient evidence  to  be  adequate,   yea,  to  be  the  only 
 possible  medium  of  information  that  is  adequate— the 
 testimony  of  the  Eternal  Fountain  of  Truth,  whose 
 very  essence  includes  necessary  veracity.      But  this 
 testimony  is  reposited  in  the  Scriptures.      It  is  there 
 given  out  "in  many  portions  and  in  many  modes;" 
 the  very  method  which  indicates  the  obligation  of 
 calling  forth  the  most  quickened  and  sharpened  in- 
 tellect upon  the  profusion  of  the  Bible,  with  every 
 aid  that  can  be  acquired,  for  successfully  digging  in 
 this  vast   field,  replete   with   the   "  pearls  of  great 
 price."      These  are  the   riches   which    supply   the 
 nutriment  of  faith:   hence  it  has  its  strength,  and 
 growth,   and  activity.      Defrauded   of  this   supply, 
 it  droops,  it  becomes  sickly,  it  sinks  into  a  state  of 
 inordinate  and  morbid  craving,  it  is  tempted  to  the 
 high-seasoned   viands  of  unscriptural  exaggeration 
 and  artificial  experience :  its  celestial  vitality,  indeed, 
 cannot  be  destroyed;  but  it  may  be  weakened  and 
 vitiated  to  a  degree  beyond  the  power  of  mortals 
 to  assign. 
 
XXVll 
 
 From  languid  faith  will  arise  a  feeble  and  shrink- 
 ing sanctification  ;    a  cry  for  comfort,  as  if  it  were  to 
 be  had  independently  of  vigour  in  holiness ;  a  reli- 
 gion of  fits  and  starts,  of  lethargy  alternating  with 
 convulsion,  of  acts,  but  not  of  habits,  which  will  do 
 nothing,  if  it  be  not  taken  in  the  humour.      The 
 mind  thus  affected,  far  estranged  from  the  "  good 
 TASTE,"  for  which  the  Psalmist  prayed,  has  no  cor- 
 dial consent  to  *'  wholesome  words,  the  words  of  our 
 Lord   Jesus    Christ,   and   the  instruction  which  is 
 according  to  godliness."      The  evidences  of  sanctifi- 
 cation are  rendered  feeble  and  dubious,  in  proportion 
 to  the  depravation  of  its  principle.      The  balance  of 
 the  soul  is  destroyed.      To  the  business,  the  plea- 
 sures, the  trifles  of  common  life,  to  the  details  of 
 insipid  conversation,  to  formal  visits,  to  occupations 
 which   seem   devised   chiefly  for  the  murdering  of 
 time,  this  ill-regulated  mind  can  give  abundance  of 
 leisure  and  attention,  thought,  feeling,  and  action  : 
 but  to  the  expansions  of  Divine  Wisdom,  to  the 
 assemblage  of  the  most  grand  and  noble  objects  that 
 can  engage  a  human  or  angelic  mind,  it  has  none 
 but  a  reluctant  and  vacillating  inclination.      With 
 respect  to   these,  it  complains  of  the  want  of  time, 
 the  weakness  of  memory,  and  the  hindrance  of  en- 
 gagements affectedly  lamented,  but  diligently  forti- 
 fied against  the  reduction  which  Christian  prudence 
 could  easily  effect.      Worldly  repute  and  convenience 
 are  carefully  considered;  the  opportunities  of  seizing 
 some  commercial  advantage,  of  gaining  a  little  higher 
 rate  of  interest,  of  securing  an  eligible  investment, 
 of  forming  an  elevating  connexion — though  it  may 
 be  with  fearful  moral  danger — a're  discerned  with  an 
 B  2 
 
XXVIU 
 
 almost  intuitive  penetration,  and  are  embraced  with 
 a  promptitude,  and  even  laborious  exertion,  which  is 
 rarely  seen  in  performing  the  "work  of  faith  and  labour 
 of  love."  A  degree  of  contrivance,  combination  of 
 agencies,  and  persevering  activity,  only  approaching 
 to  this,  when  it  is  made  apparent  in  relation  to  some 
 object  of  religion  or  benevolence,  is  looked  at  with 
 admiration,  and  is  spoken  of  as  a  prodigy.  Thus 
 heavenly  things  are  postponed  to  earthly.  Those 
 exercises  of  religion  which  are  not  tied  to  time  and 
 place,  by  an  association  not  to  be  dissolved,  the  op- 
 tional privileges  which  conduce  pre-eminently  to  the 
 solidity  and  growth  of  grace,  are  intermitted,  readily 
 relinquished,  or  gradually  forgotten.  The  manly 
 seriousness  which  is  so  becoming,  not  to  say  neces- 
 sary, an  accompaniment  of  vital  religion,  is  conceived 
 of  as  a  needless  austerity.  The  phrase,  "  Religion 
 without  gloom,"  becomes  a  favourite  maxim ;  yet  ill 
 understood,  and  worse  applied.  It  is  made  to  justify 
 a  perilous  levity  in  conversation  and  manner.  Even 
 upon  the  topics  of  religion,  an  irreverent  way  of 
 talking  is  indulged :  or  the  rare  and  backward  intro- 
 duction of  those  topics  is  justified  by  the  pretence 
 of  their  awful  sacredness.  To  use  a  striking  ex- 
 pression of  Madame  de  Stael,  *'  Religion  is  bowed 
 out  of  the  circle."  Or  sometimes  we  find  it  to  be 
 the  matter  of  discourse,  in  a  style  which  seems  to 
 assume  that  religious  sentiment  is  mere  opinion, 
 having  a  slight  and  dubious  connexion  with  the 
 eternal  state  :  or,  in  the  opposite  extreme,  that  a 
 sound  creed  is  a  sufficient  guarantee  for  heart-piety, 
 and  an  interest  in  heaven. 
 
 But  these  are  not  all  the  baneful  effects  of  feeble 
 
XXIX 
 
 faith — of  debilitated  affections  in  the  things  of  God. 
 The  walks  of  private  life,  the  relaxations  of  domes- 
 ticity, the  exhibitions  of  personal   character,  where 
 there  is  little  to  modify  or  restrain,  lamentably  fail  to 
 show    forth    the    divine    simplicity,    the    unaffected 
 sweetness,  the  uncompromising  firmness,  of  strong 
 religion.      By  a  combination  of  noxious  influences 
 from  without,  with    self-love   and    carnal  prejudice 
 within,  the  grand  principle  of  regarding  a  divine 
 RULE  of  duty  is  either  never  formed,  or  is  under- 
 mined :   and  a  standard  of  right  and  wrong  is  by 
 degrees  adopted,  deduced  from  the  ideas  of  custom, 
 reputation,  conduciveness  to  interest,  or  the  autho- 
 rity of  men.      If  a  point  of  duty  is  to  be  pressed, 
 the  argument  that  is  found  available,  is  not  drawn, 
 with  simple  fidelity,  from  the  authority  and  example 
 of  the  Lord  Jesus,  or  from  the  genius  and  spirit  of 
 Christianity,    or   even   from   precepts  which  almost 
 literally  include  the  particular  case  in  question  :  the 
 pleading  must  be  re-inforced  by  an  appeal  to  some 
 immensely  lower  consideration,  or  it  will  not  reach 
 its  aim.      In  like  manner,  the  honours  of  the  Chris- 
 tian temper  are  abridged.      Selfishness,  irritability, 
 censoriousness,  indulged  dislikes,  envy,  and  unchari- 
 tableness,  present  their  foul  aspects,  where  we  ought 
 to  see  the  reign  of  love — that   love    which   "  suf- 
 fereth  long,  and  is  kind,"  which  is  universally  bene- 
 volent, meek  under  wrongs  and  injuries,  considerate, 
 candid,  and  ready  to  make  all  reasonable  allowances 
 to  the  errors  and  infirmities   of  other  persons,  for- 
 giving heartily,  and  forgetting  generously.      Exer- 
 tion to  promote  holy  objects  is  reluctantly  and  coldly 
 put  forth.      It  is  not  made  the  question,   *  What  can 
 
XXX 
 
 I  do  to  advance  the  highest  interests  of  mankind, 
 and  the  honour  of  God's  authority  and  grace  ?' — so 
 much  as,  '  What  musi  I  of  necessity  do  to  be  on  a 
 par  with  others  in  my  station,  or  to  avoid  being  the 
 object  of  unfavourable  public  opinion  ?' 
 
 When  personal  religion  is  rendered  decrepit  by 
 apy  of  these  causes,  though  it  may  be  only  to  an  ex- 
 tent of  operation  by  no  means  extreme,  and  which, 
 perhaps,  is  not  palpable  enough  to  invite  the  obser- 
 vation of  fellow- Christians,  can  it  be  a  matter  of  sur- 
 prise that  the  taste  of  the  soul  is  greatly  impaired 
 for  the  privileges  of  communion  with  God  ?  The 
 length,  or  frequency,  or  any  other  formal  circumstances 
 of  devotional  acts,  may,  perhaps,  sustain  no  material 
 alteration  ;  but  the  intensity  of  feeling,  the  vivid  con- 
 templation of  the  Divine  Presence  and  Perfections, 
 the  fervid  exercise  of  faith,  repentance,  self-abase- 
 ment, gratitude,  and  love,  the  habit  of  heart-aspira- 
 tions through  the  cares  and  trials  of  the  day,  the 
 flight  of  the  soul  to  God  as  of  a  child  to  the  arms 
 of  its  parent — all,  all  are  stricken  with  the  moral 
 paralysis. 
 
 Alas  !  how  does  it  become  us  to  mourn  the  wide- 
 spread existence  of  these  desolations,  the  inward 
 ruin,  the  leprosy  in  the  walls  !  The  sad  indications 
 force  themselves  upon  the  not  uncandid  minds,  and 
 compel  the  unwilling  notice.  If  the  person  who 
 presumes  to  write  these  lamentations  may  regard 
 himself  as  feeling  and  deploring  them,  what  must  be 
 the  conviction  of  those  who  far  exceed  him  in  holy 
 sensibility  ?  He  may,  indeed,  with  incomparably  great- 
 er reason,  take  up  the  words  of  Baxter  in  his  Saints' 
 Rest : — "  O,  if  I  were  not  sick  myself  of  the  same 
 
XXXI 
 
 disease,  with  what  tears  should  I  mix  this  ink  ?  And 
 with  what  groans  should  I  express  these  sad  com- 
 plaints ?  And  wjth  what  heart's  grief  should  I  mourn 
 this  universal  deadness?"  I  venture  to  extend  the 
 quotation;  and,>with  respect  to  the  persons  and  fami- 
 lies of  opulence  and  commanding  influence  among 
 us,  to  borrow  his  pungent  questions : — "  Are  they 
 zealous  for  God  ?  Do  they  build  up  his  house,  and 
 are  they  tender  of  his  honour?  Do  they  second  the 
 word,  and  encourage  the  godly,  and  relieve  the  op- 
 pressed, and  compassionate  the  distressed?  Do  they 
 study  how  to  do  the  utmost  that  they  can  for  God  ? 
 To  improve  their  power  and  parts,  and  wealth  and 
 honour,  and  all  their  interests,  for  the  greatest  ad- 
 vantage to  the  kingdom  of  Christ ;  as  men  that  must 
 shortly  give  an  account  of  their  stewardship?  Or, 
 do  they  build  their  own  houses,  and  seek  their  ad- 
 vancements, and  stand  upon  and  contest  for  their 
 own  honours ;  and  do  no  more  for  Christ  than  needs 
 they  must,  or  than  lies  in  their  way,  or  than  is  put 
 by  others  into  their  hands,  or  than  stands  with  the 
 pleasing  of  their  friends,  or  with  their  worldly  inte- 
 rest ?  Which  of  these  two  courses  do  they  take  ? 
 And  how  thin  are  those  ministers  that  are  serious 
 in  their  work  ?  Nay,  how  mightily  do  the  very  best 
 fail  in  this  above  all  things?  Do  we  cry  out  of 
 men's  disobedience  to  the  Gospel,  in  the  evidence 
 and  power  of  the  Spirit?  And  deal  with  sin  as  that 
 which  is  the  fire  in  our  towns  and  houses?  and  by 
 force  pull  men  out  of  this  fire?  Do  we  persuade  our 
 people,  as  those  that  know  the  terrors  of  the  Lord 
 should  do?  Do  we  press  Christ,  and  regeneration, 
 and  faith,  and  holiness,  as  men  who  believe  indeed 
 
XXXli 
 
 that  without  these  they  shall  never  have  life?  Do 
 our  bowels  yearn  over  the  ignorant,  and  the  care- 
 less, and  the  obstinate  multitude;  as  men  who  be- 
 lieve their  own  doctrine,  that  our  dear  people  must 
 be  eternally  damned,  if  they  be  not  timely  recovered  ? 
 When  we  look  them  in  the  faces,  do  our  hearts 
 melt  over  them,  lest  we  should  never  see  their  faces 
 in  [the  heavenly]  rest  ?  Do  we,  as  Paul,  tell  them, 
 weeping,  of  their  fleshly  and  earthly  disposition? 
 And  teach  them  publicly,  and  from  house  to  house, 
 night  and  day,  with  tears  ?  And  do  we  entreat  them 
 as  if  it  were  indeed  for  their  lives  and  salvation  ; 
 that,  when  we  speak  of  the  joys  and  miseries  of  an- 
 other world,  our  people  may  see  us  afFecfed  accord- 
 ingly, and  perceive  that  we  do  indeed  mean  as  we 
 speak  ?"  * 
 
 We  are,  then,  planning,  associating,  labouring, 
 apart  and  in  combination,  to  diffuse  through  the 
 earth  our  religion.  If  we  are  not  prospered,  or  not 
 to  the  extent  that  we  have  deemed  to  be  warranted 
 by  reasonable  expectation,  may  we  not  easily  infer 
 the  cause?  If,  on  the  other  hand,  we  are  permitted 
 to  enjoy  any  portion  of  the  delight  which  incipient 
 success  justly  inspires,  ought  we  not  to  awaken  a  re- 
 novated and  most  scrutinizing  jealousy,  a  most  active 
 vigilance  and  care,  to  exalt  the  character  of  our  own 
 religion,  by  refining  it  from  its  feculence,  and  by  im- 
 proving all  its  qualities  ?  We  design  it  to  be  uni- 
 versal and  permanent:  let  it  be  fit  to  be  so. 
 
 •  To  excite  the  ministers  of  Religion,  of  every  denomination, 
 to  greater  devotedness  and  perseverance  in  promoting  the  Re- 
 vival of  Religion,  we  would  earnestly  recommend  to  their  perusal 
 "  Baxter's  Reformed  Pastor,"  with  an  "  Introductory  Essay,"  by 
 the  Rev.  Daniel  Wilson,  recently  published  in  this  Series. 
 
XXXUl 
 
 That  the  humiliating  descriptions  which  we  have 
 given  do  not  apply  universally,  is  a  most  gladdening 
 fact.  Many,  we  cordially  believe  that  there  are, 
 whose  tone  of  piety  towards  God,  and  of  all  that  is 
 amiable  and  righteous  in  their  personal  and  relative 
 character,  makes  them  glorious  exceptions  to  our 
 topics  of  complaint.  They  are  the  lights  of  our 
 land  :  they  are  the  salt  of  their  country  :  they  are  the 
 living  instruments  of  the  new-creating  Spirit,  for  the 
 great  purposes  of  knowledge,  purity,  and  conserva- 
 tion. All  blessings  rest  upon  them  !  And  may  their 
 numbers,  their  holy  excellencies,  and  their  efficient 
 power,  be  multiplied  ten  thousand  fold  ! 
 
 It  is  a  merciful  indication,  and  to  be  humbly 
 viewed  as  a  presage  of  heavenly  mercy,  that  good 
 men  in  our  country  have  become  deeply  solicitous  for 
 the  REVIVAL  of  religion  among  ourselves.  Their 
 thoughts  and  prayers,  their  private  and  public  com- 
 munications, have  lately,  to  a  remarkable  degree, 
 been  employed  in  this  direction.  The  tendency  pf 
 this  extensive  movement  is  unutterably  important. 
 Its  object  is  unmixed  good;  the  increase  of  spiritual 
 blessings,  in  degrees  unlimited,  to  subjects  ever  in- 
 creasing: "  Peace,  peace,  to  him  that  is  afar  olF,  and 
 to  him  that  is  nigh."  Our  souls  are  exhilarated  at 
 its  approach.  It  is  "  as  the  red  morning-dawn 
 spread  upon  the  mountains  ;"  bringing  the  presence 
 of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  with  his  beams  of  health 
 and  salvation. 
 
 But,  wherever  human  agency  is  concerned,  we 
 "  rejoice  with  trembling."  The  proportion  of  be- 
 nefit will  be  as  the  good  or  ill  management  of  that 
 agency.  So  God  is  wont  to  work.  The  excellency 
 b3 
 
XXXIV 
 
 of  the  power  is  his  own ;  and  he  will  be  glorified  in 
 the  display  of  it.  But  all  the  errors,  the  failures, 
 the  disappointments,  the  perversions,  arise  from  our 
 sinful  weaknesses.  It  is  infinitely  proper  that  to 
 Him,  "  from  whom  all  holy  desires,  right  counsels, 
 and  just  works  do  proceed,"  the  glory  of  all  that  is 
 good  should  be  ascribed :  and  it  is  not  less  suitable 
 on  the  ground  of  moral  right,  while  it  is  eminently 
 beneficial  to  us,  that  our  minds  should  be  the  most 
 deeply  impressed  with  the  fact  of  our  ever-stirring 
 propensities  to  mistake  and  sin.  This  is  the  lesson 
 of  unbiassed  reason,  of  the  world's  uniform  expe- 
 rience, and  of  the  divine  oracles.  Its  just  inferences 
 are  self-distrust,  the  contrite  heart,  faith,  the  abjur- 
 ing of  all  creature-dependencies,  submission  to  the 
 sovereignty  of  reigning  grace,  and  entire  dependence 
 upon  that  grace ;  and  its  results  will  be  a  renewal, 
 with  all  the  superadded  advantages  which  spring 
 from  the  new  covenant,  of  the  blessings  promised  to 
 the  penitents  of  Judah :  "  Then  shall  thy  light 
 break  forth  as  the  morning,  and  thine  health  shall 
 spring  forth  speedily ;  and  thy  righteousness  shall  go 
 before  thee :  the  glory  of  the  Lord  shall  be  thy  rere- 
 ward.  Then  shalt  thou  call,  and  the  Lord  shall  an- 
 swer; thou  shalt  cry,  and  he  shall  say,  Here  I  am. 
 Thy  light  shall  rise  in  obscurity,  and  thy  darkness 
 become  as  the  noon-day:  and  the  Lord  shall  guide 
 thee  continually,  and  satisfy  thy  soul  in  drought, 
 and  make  fat  thy  bones :  and  thou  shalt  be  like  a 
 watered  garden,  and  like  a  spring  of  water  whose  wa- 
 ters fiul  not.  And  they  that  shall  be  of  thee  shall  build 
 the  old  waste  places :  thou  shalt  raise  up  the  founda- 
 tions of  many  generations;  and  thou  shalt  be  called, 
 
XXXV 
 
 The  repairer  of  the  breach,  the  restorer  of  paths  to 
 dwell  in."  Isaiah  Iviii.  8 — 12. 
 
 The  machinery  of  evangelical  means  is  of  God's 
 institution;  and  "  the  excellency  of  the  power," 
 which  confers  its  efficiency,  is  also  his.  With  ad- 
 mirable wisdom  and  condescension  he  has  combined 
 these  two  principles,  so  that  from  them  emanate  the 
 manifested  glory  of  his  free  grace,  and  a  corroborat- 
 ing of  the  indispensable  law  of  man's  moral  obliga- 
 tion. So  "  he  hath  abounded  towards  us  in  all  wis- 
 dom and  prudence,  that  we  should  be  to  the  praise 
 of  his  glory."  We  use  those  means,  without  ima- 
 gining that  there  is  any  formative  power  inherent 
 in  them,  or  that  the  wielding  of  our  arm  gives  the 
 determining  impulse,  or  that  the  Lord  of  all  hearts 
 is  subordinate  to  our  behests;  but  we  use  them  in 
 obedience,  in  faith,  with  the  submissive  reliance  of 
 hope,  and  with  "  all  prayer  and  supplication  in  the 
 Spirit,  watching  thereunto  with  all  perseverance." 
 
 It  is  agreeable  to  all  the  analogies  which  we  are 
 permitted  to  trace,  in  the  works  and  the  providential 
 government  of  God,  that  an  extensive  and  general 
 revival  of  religion  should  be  introduced,  sustained, 
 and  carried  onwards  by  Scriptural  means  thus  used. 
 Those  means  are  not  more  the  appointment  of  Eter- 
 nal Wisdom,  than  they  are  in  themselves  befitting 
 to  the  nature  of  the  case,  as  acts  of  homage  to  God, 
 as  acknowledgments  and  practical  exercises  of  de- 
 pendence, and  as  suited  to  the  rational  nature  of 
 man.  For  instance;  the  state  of  mind  implied  in 
 'prayer^  and  without  which  indeed  there  cannot  be 
 prayer,  is  not  only  an  approximation  to  the  holy 
 blessings  that  are  sought,  but  it  is  an  actual  recep- 
 
XXXVl 
 
 tion  of  those  blessings,  incipient,  and  the  pledge  of 
 further  bestowments.  The  connexion  between  faith 
 and  salvation,  or  that  between  prayer  and  the  pro- 
 duction and  advancement  of  religion,  is,  to  say  the 
 least,  not  more  difficult  to  understand,  in  the  order 
 oF  the  moral  world,  than  that  chain  of  antecedents 
 and  consequents,  which  we  call  the  laws  of  matter 
 and  motion,  is  in  the  physical  arrangements  of  the 
 Creator. 
 
 The  churches  of  Christ  are  ardently  desiring  an 
 effective,  solid,  enduring,  and  universal  increase  of 
 vital  piety  in  themselves;  and  the  transmission  of  it, 
 under  every  advantage  of  purity  and  vigour,  to  all 
 the  families  and  nations  of  men.  Attention  has 
 been  drawn  to  many  partial  and  local  appearances 
 answering  to  this  desire,  at  different  periods,  in 
 Scotland,  in  North  America,  and  in  some  other 
 parts  of  the  Protestant  world.  Within  the  last  few 
 years,  accounts,  which  seem  deficient  in  no  grounds 
 of  credibility,  have  assured  us,  that  very  remarkable 
 revivals  of  true  religion  have  occurred  in  many  parts 
 of  the  United  States.  The  test  has  been  applied  to 
 those  occurrences — the  test  of  extreme  jealousy,  of 
 scepticism,  of  misrepresentation,  of  scoff  and  scorn, 
 and  of  a  prudeqt  and  rigorous  scrutiny  from  judi- 
 cious men,  who  possessed  all  the  means  of  obtaining 
 the  amplest  information,  and  of  forming  the  most 
 accurate  conclusions.*      We,  in  Great  Britain,  have 
 
 *  Among  these,  the  reader  may  perhaps  easily  procure  the 
 Letter  of  Dr.  Lyman  Beecher  of  Boston,  in  the  *  Christian 
 Observer'  for  August  and  September,  1828.  Tlie  minute  inves- 
 tigations, the  Scriptural  principles,  and  the  cautious  judgment, 
 displayed  in  that  Letter,  are  most  satisfactory. 
 
xxxvn 
 
 good  reason  for  believing,  that  the  most  influential 
 men  in  the  American  churches,  are,  as  much  as  we 
 can  be,  abhorrent  of  every  pretence  to  religion  which 
 will  not  endure  the  examination  of  the  most  rigorous 
 reason,  enlightened  by  the  word  of  inspiration.  All 
 enthusiastic  assuming,  all  exaltation  of  feelings  with- 
 out principle,  all  belief  of  acceptance  with  God 
 without  the  evidence  of  holiness,  all  artificial  me- 
 thods of  excitement,  all  working  upon  nervous  irri- 
 tability ;  all  means,  in  a  word,  of  promoting  religion, 
 and  all  characteristics  of  the  religion  that  is  pro- 
 moted, which  are  not  in  accordance  with  the  "  truth 
 and  soberness"  of  Scriptural  Christianity — are  ear- 
 nestly discountenanced.  That  some  improprieties 
 have  occurred  in  phraseology,  in  means  employed 
 for  affecting  the  mind,  in  making  discriminations  of 
 character,  and  in  the  arrangements  of  time  and  place, 
 — is  admitted  ;  and  those  evils,  or  tendencies  to  evil, 
 have  been  frankly  acknowledged,  condemned,  and 
 opposed.  This  is  all  that  we  have  a  right  to  re- 
 quire. The  argument  from  abuses  is  always  a 
 sophism.  The  great  body  of  the  wise  and  good  are 
 not  to  be  confounded  in  a  common  censure,  with  any 
 small  number  with  whom  they  may  be  associated, 
 and  whose  want  of  judgment  and  prudence  they  have 
 faithfully,  and  successfully  too,  laboured  to  correct. 
 The  efforts  to  correct  improprieties,  and  the  de- 
 scriptions, the  analysis  of  mental  phenomena,  and 
 the  elucidation  of  Scripture  declarations,  which  those 
 efforts  involve,  are  of  unspeakable  utility.  They 
 collect  the  facts,  they  classify  them,  they  detect  the 
 sources  of  error  and  misguidance,  and  they  lead  to 
 the  establishment   of  general   truths,   principles  of 
 
XXXVIU 
 
 permanent  and  universal  application,  which  will  serve 
 all  future  generations. 
 
 It  is  a  singular  blessing  for  us  that  this  object  has 
 been  anticipated  near  a  century  ago,  in  the  following 
 Narrative  and  Thoughts  on  the  Revival  of 
 Religion  in  New  England,  which  took  place 
 about  the  year  1734.  This  important  labour  was 
 the  product  of  that  great  master-mind,  Jonathan 
 Edwards;  whose  close-sighted  observation,  clear 
 judgment,  and  unbending  faithfulness,  were  of  the 
 very  highest  order.  A  recent  author  has  recorded 
 his  "  high  sense  of  the  genius  and  the  worth  of  this 
 remarkable  man ;" — that  his  doctrines  "  left  upon 
 his  mind  no  sentiments  that  were  not  gentle  and 
 charitable;" — that  "  there  is  a  poetry  and  gran- 
 deur in  some  of  his  passages,  which  show  a  moral 
 sublimity  of  genius;" — and  that  his  character  was 
 that  of  "  a  very  primitive,  self-mortified,  simple,  and 
 amiable  man,  and  affords  a  strong  proof  of  the  power 
 of  genuine  Christian  piety  upon  the  heart."  That 
 writer  also  says :  "  Mr.  Edwards  comes  nearer 
 Bishop  Butler,  as  a  philosophical  divine,  than  any 
 other  theologian  with  whom  we  are  acquainted.  His 
 style,  Hke  Butler's,  is  very  much  that  of  a  man 
 thinking  aloud.  In  both  these  authors,  the  train  of 
 thinking  in  their  own  minds  is  more  clearly  exhibited 
 to  us,  than  perhaps  by  any  other  writer;  while  they 
 show  us,  with  great  truth  and  distinctness,  what 
 their  notions  are,  and  how  they  came  by  them,  with 
 very  little  conjcern  about  the  form  of  expression  in 
 which  they  are  brought  out."* 
 
 *  Life  of  Edwards,  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Morehead,  in  the 
 *  Supplement  to  the  Encyclopa;dia  Britannica,'  Vol.  iv.  Fart  i. 
 
XXXIX 
 
 It  is  a  real  misfortune,  that  the  only  British 
 edition  of  the  "  Thoughts,"  printed  many  years  ago 
 at  Edinburgh,  has  been  long  extremely  rare.  To 
 the  public  it  has  been,  for  forty  years,  almost  an  un- 
 attainable treasure.  Yet,  in  the  circumstances  of 
 our  time,  the  wide  diflPusion  of  a  Treatise  so  judici- 
 ous and  comprehensive,  which  is  at  the  same  time 
 equally  plain  and  luminous,  is  not  merely  seasonable, 
 but  it  is  needed,  desired,  demanded,  by  the  most 
 urgent  considerations. 
 
 The  impulse  which  the  religious  spirit  among  us 
 is  now  receiving,  cannot  leave  behind  it  slight  effects  : 
 its  results  are  likely,  we  might  say  inevitably  neces- 
 sary, to  be  of  an  importance  most  deep,  and  all  but 
 indelible.  If  the  movement  be  ill  directed,  if  it  be 
 indulged  in  deviations,  however  plausible,  from  the 
 doctrines,  precepts,  and  warnings  of  the  heavenly 
 word ;  the  generation  of  bad  consequences  will  not 
 be  slow  nor  small.  Ignorance  and  radical  disbelief 
 of  the  divine  testimony  ;  self-will  in  forming  notions 
 of  doctrine  and  fanciful  modes,  rather  than  strict 
 rules  of  conduct ;  morbid  sehsitiveness  to  wild  and 
 romantic  emotions  about  religion,  but  coldness  and 
 torpv^r  with  regard  to  the  pure  and  undefiled  religion 
 of  the  Bible ;  the  affectation  of  singularity,  self- 
 righteousness  under  the  most  high-sounding  phrases 
 of  evangelism,  spiritual  pride,  breakings  out  of  im- 
 morality, are  but  a  part  of  the  catalogue  of  mischiefs 
 which  will  become  rife :  and  the  victims  of  enthusi- 
 asm will  be,  some  immovably  wedged  in  the  confi- 
 dence of  a  safe  condition,  without  any  evidence  from 
 Scripture,  or  sense,  or  reason,  or  conscience;  and 
 others  dashed  down  the  precipice  of  irreclaimable 
 infidelity. 
 
xl 
 
 But,  let  the  conviction  be  dominant,  that  every 
 attempt  must  be  made  and  persevered  in  Scrip- 
 turally;  that  all  experience,  enjoyment,  and  action, 
 must  be  regulated  by  the  genuine  sense  and  inflexible 
 authority  of  the  sacred  word;  that  every  pretence, 
 which  is  not  according  to  this  rule,  must  unsparingly 
 be  cut  oft';  that  religion  is  but  the  pure  and  perfect 
 state  of  reason;  that  all  the  subtilties  of  self  must 
 be  dethroned ;  and  that  Christ  alone  must  be  ex- 
 alted in  his  holiness  and  his  grace  :  then  will  our 
 revivals  of  religion  be  worthy  of  their  name,  health- 
 ful, vigorous,  and  productive;  and  they  will  answer 
 to  the  delineations  of  inspired  prayer,  that  we  may 
 "  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  his  will,  in  all 
 wisdom  and  spiritual  understanding :  walking  worthy 
 of  the  Lord  unto  all  pleasing,  being  fruitful  in  every 
 good  work,  and  increasing  in  the  knowledge  of  God ; 
 our  love  abounding  yet  more  and  more  in  knowledge 
 and  in  all  judgment"  (correct  perception,  just  spiritual 
 "taste) ;  "  that  we  may  approve  the  things  that  are 
 excellent;  that  we  may  be  sincere  and  without  of- 
 fence till  the  day  of  Christ,  being  filled  with  the 
 fruits  of  righteousness,  which  are  by  Jesus  Christ 
 unto  the  glory  and  praise  of  God." 
 
 In  proportion  as  this  state  of  things  is  advanced, 
 must  some  enormous  evils  among  us  give  way.  If 
 we  presume  to  mention  one  or  two,  let  them  be 
 taken  as  representatives,  each  of  its  own  class  of 
 *'  stumbling-blocks"  wliich  must  be  taken  away,  if 
 we  would  "  prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord,  and  make 
 straight  in  the  desert  a  highway  for  our  God." 
 
 Pauperism  must  be  rooted  out.  The  condition 
 usually  understood  by  that  name,  involves  a  state  of 
 
xli 
 
 mind  and  habits  with  which  true  religion  can  find 
 no  congeniality.  Indolence  and  indulgence  alter- 
 nating with  want  and  misery ;  wasting  the  little, 
 while  murmuring  that  it  is  not  much ;  sullen  recol- 
 lection of  mis-spent  advantages;  recklessness  of  the 
 future ;  pride  and  insolence  matched  with  rags  and 
 dirtiness;  children  abandoned  to  ignorance  and  crime; 
 the  Lord's  day  forgotten,  or  marked  only  by  more 
 loathsome  eruptions  of  filthy  laziness,  and  boister- 
 ous brutality: — in  a  state  like  this,  can  meek,  orderly, 
 considerate  religion  receive  entertainment  ?  Justly, 
 but  in  colours  not  too  strong,  has  Dr.  Chalmers 
 portrayed  this  great  plague,  this  gangrene  of  our 
 country's  strength.  It  is  not  poverty,  nor  the  ne- 
 cessary attendant  of  poverty ;  but  it  is  moral  per- 
 verseness  united  with  physical  wretchedness,  the 
 former  in  the  larger  proportion.  This  vast  and 
 dreary  morass  must  be  drained ;  or  the  trees  of  right- 
 eousness will  not  flourish  in  it,  if  they  can  ever  at  all 
 be  planted.  The  poor  must  learn  economy;  the  eco- 
 nomy of  their  time  and  strength,  of  their  wages  and 
 provisions.  Christian  instruction  must  be  attended 
 with  the  diffusion  of  useful  knoidedge  of  every  appro- 
 priate kind.  The  powers  of  natural  good  must  be 
 put  into  action,  for  the  aid  of  moral  means.  Pau- 
 perism will  always  rear  its  hydra  head  against  true 
 religion ;  for  true  religion  is  the  friend  of  order, 
 cleanliness,  and  decency;  nor  can  it  ever  be  on 
 terms  of  reconciliation  with  thoughtlessness  and  im- 
 prudence. Religion,  therefore,  with  its  noble  ar- 
 ray of  "  knowledge  and  discretion,  the  instruction 
 of  wisdom,  justice,  and  judgment,  and  equity,"  must 
 vanquish  pauperism.     But,  on  this  momentous  sub- 
 
xlii 
 
 ject,  Dr.  Chalmers'  reasonings  and  counsels  have 
 left  scarcely  a  point  untouched :  earnestly  do  we 
 hope  that  his  labours  will  have  the  reward  of  large 
 success.* 
 
 But  "  hath  not  God  chosen  the  poor  of  this 
 world,  rich  in  faith  and  heirs  of  the  kingdom?"  Yes: 
 but  such  poverty  is  far  above  the  reckless,  and  often, 
 indeed,  dishonest  degradation  of  which  we  have 
 spoken.  Such  poverty  will,  in  this  country  at  least, 
 be  met  with  many  mitigations,  the  jeady  exercises 
 of  Christian  sympathy  and  brotherly  beneficence. 
 Such  poverty  is  not  squalid,  greedy,  and  fraudulent. 
 It  is  the  dispensation  of  wise  and  holy  Providence  to- 
 wards the  upright  and  honourable  poor,  who  "  in 
 quietness  work  and  eat  their  own  bread,"  or  gladly 
 would  do  so,  if  their  own  will  only  were  concerned. 
 They  have,  so  far  as  they  were  able,  exercised  a 
 prudent  foresight ;  and,  if  their  little  power  permit- 
 ted, they  have  made  some  provision  for  casualties, 
 illness,  and  age.  Upon  such,  the  genuine  disciple 
 of  Him  who  *'  became  poor  for  our  sakes,"  will  al- 
 ways look  with  an  affectionate  eye,  and  help  with  a 
 ready  hand :  and,  in  their  lowly  cottage  or  scanty 
 lodging,  is  verified  the  Scripture  axioms  :— "  A  good 
 man  will  guide  his  affairs  with  discretion ;"  and, 
 "  Better  is  the  poor  that  walketh  in  his^  integrity, 
 than  he  that  is  perverse  in  his  ways,  though  he  be 
 rich." 
 
 Thus  "  the  rich  and  the  poor  meet   together ;" 
 
 *  See  Dr.  Chalmers'  "  Christian  and  Civic  Economy  of  Lai^e 
 Towns,"  Vol.  ii.  his  "  Speech  before  the  General  Assembly  in 
 1822,"  and  the  "  Statement  of  liis  eight  years'  experience  of  Pau- 
 ])erism  in  Glasgow." 
 
xliii 
 
 and  the  beneficent  disposals  of  Providence  are  illus- 
 trated in  the  varieties  of  human  condition,  the  effects 
 of  reciprocal  obligations,  and  the  exercise  of  holy 
 duties.  "  Let  the  brother  of  low  degree  rejoice  in 
 that  he  is  exalted,"  by  the  alleviations  of  his  condi- 
 tion, which  Christian  love  attracts  from  those  whom 
 God  has  made  stewards  of  somewhat  larger  talents ; 
 "  and  the  rich,  in  that  he  is  made  low,"  by  the  kind 
 condescension  of  which  Jesus  has  given  the  loveliest 
 examples. 
 
 Another  portentous  moral  evil  must  also  be  re- 
 jected with  abhorrence,  by  those  who  hope  to  parti- 
 cipate in  the  revived  purity  and  power  of  godliness— 
 the  affectation  of  being  thought  rich,  the  rash  eager- 
 ness to  become  so,  the  fictions  of  property  created 
 with  the  deliberate  and  long-maintained  purpose  to 
 deceive — "  through  covetousness,  with  feigned  words 
 making  merchandise  of"  the  unwary  or  the  neces- 
 sitous. O,  can  the  thought  be  admitted,  that  such 
 schemes  have  ever  been  associated  with  a  profession 
 of  serious  piety  ?  That  the  repute  of  that  profession 
 has  even  been  a  wheel  in  the  machinery  ?  Mournful 
 and  bitter  thought !  A  pious  highway  robber,  a  mid- 
 night burglar,  who  goes  out  with  prayer  and  the 
 fear  of  God,  would  be  more  consistent  characters.* 
 But  if  we  are  to  enjoy  a  genuine  revival  of  religion, 
 these  abominations  must  be  cast  away.  Every  ap- 
 proximation to  them  must  be,  from  the  heart,    de- 
 
 •  On  this  extensive  and  most  momentous  subject,  so  inti- 
 mately concerning  our  manufacturing  and  mercantile  country,  I 
 cannot  but  express  the  earnest  desire,  that  a  universal  attention 
 were  paid  to  Dr.  Chalmers'  "  Discourses  on  the  Application  of 
 Christianity  to  the  Commercial  and  Ordinary  Affairs  of  Life." 
 
xliv 
 
 tested.  We  must,  in  every  sense,  and  in  all  the 
 actions  and  reactions  of  life,  "  renounce  the  hidden 
 things  of  dishonesty ;"  and  "  our  rejoicing  must  be 
 this,  that,  in  simplicity  and  godly  sincerity,  not  with 
 fleshly  wisdom,  but  by  the  grace  of  God,  we  have 
 our  conversation  in  the  world."  May  all  who  con- 
 duct trade  and  merchandise  lay  these  sincerely  kind 
 suggestions  to  their  hearts,  lest  they  add  to  the  me- 
 lancholy verifications,  in  our  time  and  country,  of 
 the  divine  proverb,  "  The  getting  of  treasures  by 
 a  lying  tongue;"  and  surely,  then,  by  a  lying  pen  ^ 
 "  is  a  vanity  tossed  to  and  fro  of  them  that  seek 
 death." 
 
 Those,  too,  who  have  a  full  right  to  all  that  they 
 assume  to  be,  in  the  scale  of  society,  have  their  part 
 to  sustain  in  the  universal  effort.  Their  rank,  their 
 opulence,  their  command  of  time  and  means,  their 
 example,  their  moral  influence,  so  easily  exerted  and 
 so  promptly  obeyed,  must  be  humbly  consecrated  to 
 Him  who  has  made  them  what  they  are.  Let  them 
 not  think,  let  them,  in  no  respect,  seem  as  if  they 
 thought  that  they  are  conferring  a  favour  upon  the 
 religion  of  Jesus,  in  giving  to  it  their  countenance 
 and  support.  Religion  can  do  without  them  :  but 
 not  they  without  it.  How  highly  are  they  honoured 
 in  that  the  Redeemer  admits  them  to  do  him  ser- 
 vice !  They  will  find  the  purest  pleasures  in  cherish- 
 ing the  feelings  of  those  "  who  rejoiced,  for  that  they 
 offered  willingly ;  because  with  perfect  heart  they 
 offered  willingly  unto  the  Lord  :  and  David  the 
 king  also  rejoiced  with  great  joy.  Both  riches  and 
 honour  come  of  thee,  and  thou  reignest  over  all ; 
 and  in  thine  hand  is  power  and  might;  and  in  thine 
 
xlv 
 
 hand  it  is  to  make  great !  But  who  am  I,  and  what 
 is  ray  people,  that  we  should  be  able  to  offer  so  wil- 
 lingly after  this  sort  ?  For  ALL  THINGS  COME  OF 
 THEE,  and  of  THINE  OWN  have  we  given  thee." 
 
 These  more  elevated  classes  in  society,  when 
 brought  under  the  ennobling  influences  of  divine 
 grace,  have  yet  peculiar  temptations,  and  immense 
 difficulties  and  disadvantages  to  contend  against. 
 Too  generally,  with  excellent  intentions  and  much 
 self-denying  exertion,  their  labours  are  misdirected, 
 and  a  large  portion  of  their  valuable  talents  runs  to 
 waste.  From  the  defects  of  their  education,  though 
 they  may  have  been  carefully  taught  every  elegant 
 acquirement,  their  minds  have  never  been  imbued 
 with  correct,  systematical,  harmonious  knowledge  of 
 religion.  Having  entered,  often  at  mature  age,  into 
 religious  connexions,  without  previous  knowledge  or 
 experience,  they  are  exposed  to  the  misguidance  of 
 ignorant,  injudicious,  and  interested  persons.  They 
 have,  therefore,  two  great  duties  to  perform  for 
 their  own  protection,  and  for  the  insurance  of  their 
 most  effective  usefulness.  They  must  closely  study 
 human  nature,  and  apply  to  the  professions  and  pro- 
 jects of  religious  people  their  own  native  good  sense, 
 their  acquired  prudence,  and  the  discretion  which 
 the  Bible  teaches.  Unspeakable  advantage  will  ac- 
 crue to  them  from  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  the 
 Book  of  Proverbs,  joining  to  its  maxims  the  spirit 
 and  precepts  of  the  New  Testament.  And  let  them 
 not  be  displeased  with  the  homely  remark,  that,  by 
 their  own  efforts,  they  must  give  to  themselves  a  solid 
 religious  education,  late  as  it  may  be  in  life.  This 
 is  by  no  means  an  impracticable  thing.      Let  them 
 
xlvi 
 
 learn  the  comprehension  and  harmony  of  divine 
 truth,  by  applying  the  same  principles  of  investiga- 
 tion and  method  which  guided  their  early  acquisi- 
 tions of  liberal  knowledge.  Let  them  study  well 
 the  nature  of  moral  evidence,  the  history  of  the  suc- 
 cessive dispensations  of  Jehovah's  will,  the  sound 
 principles  of  Bible  interpretation,  the  holiness,  good- 
 ness, and  immutable  authority  of  the  divine  law,  the 
 homage  paid  to  that  law  by  the  system  of  mediation, 
 the  reigning  of  grace  through  righteousness,  the 
 obligations  of  men  to  comply  cordially  with  the  pro- 
 mulgated will  of  God,  the  necessity  of  the  Holy 
 Spirit's  influences,  with  the  grounds  of  that  neces- 
 sity; the  rule,  and  model,  and  motives  of  the  Chris- 
 tian's obedience,  the  instituted  modes  of  honouring 
 the  Redeemer,  and  being  the  most  effectively  bene- 
 ficial to  men ; — in  a  word,  "  the  work  of  faith,  and 
 labour  of  love,  and  patience  of  hope  in  our  Lord 
 Jesus  Christ ;"  all  the  methods  within  their  wide 
 and  powerful  grasp,  by  which  they  may  "  adorn 
 the  doctrine  of  God  our  Saviour  in  all  things ;"  and 
 "  show  forth  the  praises  of  Him  who  hath  called 
 them  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light." 
 
 "  Then  shall  the  earth  yield  her  increase;  and 
 God,  even  our  own  God,  shall  bless  us :  God  shall 
 bless  us,  and  all  the  ends  of  the  earth  shall  fear 
 him." 
 
 J.  P.  S. 
 HoMERTON,  Aprilf  18*29. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 NARRATIVE 
 
 OF  THE  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION. 
 
 Page 
 
 Preface, 4.9 
 
 Narrative, ,     .  57 
 
 THOUGHTS 
 
 ON  THE  REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION. 
 
 PART  I. 
 
 SHOWING  THAT  THE  EXTRAORDINARY  WORK 
 WHICH  HAS  OF  LATE  BEEN  GOING  ON  IN  THIS 
 LAND,    IS  A  GLORIOUS  WORK  OF  GOD,  .  161 
 
 SECT.  I.  We  should  not  judge  of  this  Work  by  the  sup- 
 posed Causes,  but  by  the  Eflfects,         ....       161 
 
 SECT.  IL  We  should  judge  by  the  Rule  of  Scripture,       .     166 
 
 SECT.  IIL  We  should  distinguish  the  Good  from  the  Bad, 
 and  not  judge  of  the  Whole  by  a  I*art,      .         .         .         188 
 
 SECT.  IV.  The  Nature  of  the  Work  in  general,      .         .     204- 
 
 SECT.  V.  The  Nature  of  the  Work  in  a  particular  instance,  213 
 
 SECT.  VL  This  Work  is  very  Glorious,      .        .         .        227 
 
 PART  II. 
 
 SHOWING  THE  OBLIGATIONS  THAT  ALL  ARE 
 UNDER  TO  ACKNOWLEDGE,  REJOICE  IN,  AND 
 PROMOTE  THIS  WORK;  AND  THE  GREAT  DAN- 
 GER OF  THE  CONTRARY,  ....      237 
 
 SECT.  I.  The   Danger   of  lying   still,   and   keeping  long 
 Silence  respecting  any  remarkable  Work  of  God,       .        237 
 
xlviii  CONTENTS. 
 
 Page 
 SECT.  II.  The  Latter- Day  Glory  is  probably  to  begin  in 
 America, 244; 
 
 SECT.  III.  The  danger  of  not  acknowledging  and  en- 
 couraging, and  especially  of  deriding  this  Work,  .         252 
 
 SECT.  IV.  The  obligations  of  Rulers,  Ministers,  and  all 
 sorts  to  promote  this  Work, 271 
 
 PART  III. 
 
 SHOWING,  IN  MANY  INSTANCES,  WHEREIN  THE 
 SUBJECTS,  OR  ZEALOUS  PROMOTERS  OF  THIS 
 WORK,  HAVE  BEEN  INJURIOUSLY  BLAMED,  293 
 
 PART  IV. 
 
 SHOWING  WHAT  THINGS  ARE  TO  BE  CORRECTED 
 OR  AVOIDED,  IN  PROMOTING  THIS  WORK,  OR  IN 
 OUR  BEHAVIOUR  UNDER  IT,  ...      331 
 
 SECT.  I.  One  cause  of  errors  attending  a  great  Revival  of 
 Religion,  is  undiscerned  Spiritual  Pride,  .        ..         338 
 
 SECT.  II.  Another  cause  of  errors  in  conduct  attending  a 
 Religious  Revival,  is  the  adoption  of  wrong  Principles,       366 
 
 SECT.  III.  A  third  cause  of  errors  in  conduct,  is  being 
 ignorant  or  unobservant  of  some  things,  by  which  the  devil 
 has  special  advantage, 404 
 
 SECT.  IV.  Some  particular  Errors  that  have  risen  from 
 several  of  the  preceding  causes — Censuring  others,    .         426 
 
 SECT.  V.  Of  errors  connected  with  lay-exhorting,  .     440 
 
 SECT.  VI.  Of  errors  connected  with  singing  praises  to  God,  449 
 
 PART  V. 
 
 SHOWING  POSITIVELY,  WHAT  OUGHT  TO  BE  DONE 
 
 TO  PROMOTE  THIS  WORK,       ....         458 
 
 SECT.  I.  We  should  endeavour  to  remove  stumbling-blocks,  458 
 
 SECT.  II.  What  must  be  done  more  directly  to  advance 
 this  Work, 466 
 
 SECT.  III.  Of  some  particulars  that  concern  all  in  general,  485 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 The  friendly  correspondence  which  we  maintain  with 
 our  Brethren  of  New  England,  gives  us  now  and 
 then  the-  pleasure  of  hearing  some  remarkable  in- 
 stances of  divine  grace  in  the  conversion  of  sinners, 
 and  some  eminent  examples  of  piety  in  that  Ameri- 
 can part  of  the  world.  But  never  did  we  hear  or 
 read,  since  the  first  ages  of  Cliristianity,  any  event 
 of  this  kind,  so  surprising  as  the  present  Narrative 
 hath  set  before  us.  The  reverend  and  worthy  Dr. 
 Colman  of  Boston,  had  given  us  some  short  intima- 
 tions of  it  in  his  letters;  and,  upon  our  request  of  a 
 more  large  and  particular  account,  Mr.  Edwards,  the 
 happy  and  successful  minister  of  Northampton,  which 
 was  one  of  the  chief  scenes  of  these  wonders,  drew 
 up  this  history  in  an  epistle  to  Dr.  Colman. 
 
 There  were  some  useful  sermons  of  the  venerable 
 and  aged  Mr.  William  Williams,  published  lately 
 in  New  England,  which  were  preached  in  that  part 
 of  the  country  during  this  season  of  the  glorious 
 work  of  God  in  the  conversion  of  men  ;  to  which 
 Dr.  Colman  subjoined  a  most  judicious  and  accurate 
 abridgment  of  this  epistle:  and  a  little  after,  by  Mr. 
 Edwards'  request,  he  sent  the  original  to  us,  to  be 
 communicated  to  the  world  under  our  care  in  London. 
 C  48 
 
50 
 
 We  are  abundantly  satisfied  of  the  truth  of  this 
 Narrative,  not  only  from  the  pious  character  of  the 
 writer,  but  from  the  concurrent  testimony  of  many 
 other  persons  in  New  England  ;  *'  for  this  thing  was 
 not  done  in  a  corner."  There  is  a  spot  of  ground, 
 wherein  there  are  twelve  or  fourteen  towns  and  vil- 
 lages, chiefly  situate  in  New  Hampshire,  near  the 
 banks  of  the  river  of  Connecticut,  within  the  com- 
 pass of  tliirty  miles,  wherein  it  pleased  God,  two 
 years  ago,  to  display  his  free  and  sovereign  mercy 
 in  the  conversion  of  a  great  multitude  of  souls  in  a 
 short  space  of  time;  turning  them  from  a  formal, 
 cold,  and  careless  profession  of  Christianity,  to  the 
 lively  exercise  of  every  Christian  grace,  and  the 
 powerful  practice  of  our  holy  religion.  The  great 
 God  has  seemed  to  act  over  again  the  miracle  of 
 Gideon's  fleece,  which  was  plentifully  watered  with 
 the  dew  of  heaven,  while  the  rest  of  the  earth  round 
 .about  it  was  dry,  and  had  no  such  remarkable  bless- 
 ing. 
 
 There  has  been  a  great  and  just  complaint  for 
 many  years  among  the  ministers  and  churches  in 
 Old  England,  and  in  New,  (except  about  the  time 
 of  the  late  earthquake  there,)  that  the  work  of  con- 
 version goes  on  very  slowly,  that  the  Spirit  of  God, 
 in  his  saving  influences,  is  much  withdrawn  from 
 the  ministrations  of  his  word,  and  there  are  few  that 
 receive  the  report  of  the  gospel,  with  any  eminent 
 success  upon  their  hearts.  But  as  the  gospel  is  the 
 same  divine  instrument  of  grace  still,  as  ever  it  was 
 in  the  days  of  the  apostles,  so  our  ascended  Saviour 
 now  and  then  takes  a  special  occasion  to  manifest 
 the  divinity  of  this  gospel,  by  a  plentiful  effusion  of 
 
51 
 
 his  Spirit  wliere  it  is  preached  :  then  sinners  are 
 turned  into  saints  in  numbers,  and  there  is  a  new 
 face  oF  things  spread  over  a  town  or  a  country  : 
 "  The  wilderness  and  tlie  solitary  places  are  glad, 
 the  desert  rejoices  and  blossoms  as  the  rose;"  and, 
 surely,  concerning  this  instance,  we  may  add,  that 
 "they  have  seen  the  glory  of  the  Lord"  there, 
 "  and  the  excellency  of  our  God;"  tiiey  have  "  seen 
 the  out-goings  of  God  our  King  in  his  sanctuary." 
 
 Certainly  it  becomes  us,  who  profess  the  religion 
 of  Christ,  to  take  notice  of  such  astonishing  exercises 
 of  his  power  and  mercy,  and  give  him  the  glory 
 which  is  due,  when  he  begins  to  accomplish  any  of 
 his  promises  concerning  the  latter  days  :  and  it  gives 
 us  further  encouragement  to  pray,  and  wait,  and 
 hope,  for  the  like  display  of  his  power  in  the  midst 
 of  us.  "  The  hand  of  God  is  not  shortened  that 
 it  cannot  save;"  but  vve  have  reason  to  fear  that  our 
 iniquities,  our  coldness  in  religion,  and  the  general 
 carnality  of  our  spirits,  have  raised  a  wall  of  seuara- 
 tion  between  God  and  us:  and  we  may  add,  the 
 pride  and  perverse  humour  of  infidelity,  degeneracy, 
 and  apostacy  from  the  Christian  faith,  which  have 
 of  late  years  broken  out  amongst  us,  seem  to  have 
 provoked  the  Spirit  of  Christ  to  absent  himself  much 
 from  our  nation.  *'  Return,  O  Lord,  and  visit  thy 
 churches,  and  revive  thine  own  work  in  the  midst 
 of  us." 
 
 From  such  blessed  instances  of  the  success  of  the 
 gospel,  as  appear  in  this  Narrative,  vve  may  learn 
 much  of  the  way  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  his  dealing 
 with  the  souls  of  men,  in  order  to  convince  sinners, 
 and  restore  them  to  his  favour  and  his  image  by 
 c  2 
 
52 
 
 Jesus  Christ,  bis  Son.  We  acknowledge  that  some 
 particular  appearances  in  the  work  of  conversion 
 among  men  may  be  occasioned  by  the  ministry  which 
 they  sit  under,  whether  it  be  of  a  more  or  less  evan- 
 gelical strain,  whether  it  be  more  severe  and  affright- 
 ing, or  more  gentle  and  persuasive.  But  wherever 
 God  works  with  power  for  salvation  upon  the  minds 
 of  men,  there  will  be  some  discoveries  of  a  sense  of 
 sin,  of  the  danger  of  the  wrath  of  God,  of  the  all- 
 sufficiency  of  his  Son  Jesus,  to  relieve  us  under  all 
 our  spiritual  wants  and  distresses,  and  a  hearty  con- 
 sent of  soul  to  receive  him  in  the  various  offices  of 
 arace,  wherein  he  is  set  forth  in  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
 And  if  our  readers  had  opportunity  (as  we  have  had) 
 to  peruse  several  of  the  sermons  which  were  preached 
 during  this  glorious  season,  we  should  find  that  it  is 
 the  common  plain  Protestant  doctrine  of  the  Re- 
 formation, without  stretching  towards  the  Antino- 
 niians  on  the  one  hand,  or  the  Arminians  on  the 
 other,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  has  been  pleased  to 
 honour  with  such  illustrious  success. 
 
 We  are  taught  also  by  this  happy  event,  how 
 easy  it  will  be  for  our  blessed  Lord  to  make  a  full 
 accomplishment  of  all  his  predictions  concerning  his 
 kingdom,  and  to  spread  his  dominion  from  sea  to 
 sea,  through  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  W"e  see 
 how  easy  it  is  for  him  with  one  turn  of  his  hand, 
 with  one  word  of  his  mouth,  to  awaken  whole  coun- 
 tries of  stupid  and  sleeping  sinners,  and  kindle  divine 
 life  in  their  souls.  The  heavenly  influence  shall  run 
 from  door  to  door,  filling  the  hearts  and  lips  of  every 
 inhabitant  with  importunate  inquiries,  "  What  shall 
 we  do  to  be  saved  ?"  and  *'  How  shall  we  escape  the 
 
53 
 
 wrath  to  come?"  And  the  name  of  Christ  the  Sa- 
 viour sliall  diffuse  itself  like  a  rich  and  vital  pert'ume 
 to  multitudes  that  were  ready  to  sink  and  perish 
 under  the  painful  sense  of  their  own  guilt  and  dan- 
 ger. Salvation  shall  spread  through  all  the  trihes 
 and  ranks  of  mankind,  as  the  lightning  from  heaven, 
 in  a  few  moments,  would  communicate  a  living  flame 
 through  ten  thousand  lamps  and  torches,  placed  in  a 
 proper  situation  and  neighbourhood.  *  Thus,  "a 
 nation  shall  be  born  in  a  day"  when  our  Redeemer 
 pleases  ;  and  his  faithful  and  obedient  subjects  shall 
 become  as  numerous  as  the  spires  of  grass  in  a  mea- 
 dow newly  mown,  and  refreshed  with  the  showers  of 
 heaven.  But  the  pleasure  of  this  agreeable  hint 
 bears  the  mind  away  from  our  theme. 
 
 Let  us  return  to  the  present  Narrative  : — It  is 
 worthy  of  our  observation,  that  this  great  and  sur- 
 prising work  does  not  seem  to  have  taken  its  rise 
 from  any  sudden  and  distressing  calamity,  or  public 
 terror,  that  might  universally  impress  the  minds  of 
 a  people :  here  was  no  storm,  no  earthquake,  no 
 inundation  of  water,  no  desolation  by  fire,  no  pesti- 
 lence, or  any  other  sweeping  distemper,  nor  any  cruel 
 invasion  by  their  Indian  neighbours,  that  might  force 
 the  inhabitants  into  a  serious  thoughtfulness,  and  a 
 religious  temper,  by  the  fears  of  approaching  death 
 and  judgment.  Such  scenes  as  these  have  some- 
 times been  made  happily  effectual  to  awaken  sinners 
 in  Zion,  and  tlie  formal  professor  and  the  hypocrite 
 have  been  terrified  with  the  thoughts  of  divine  wrath 
 breaking  in  upon  them:  "  Who  shall  dwell  with  ever- 
 lasting burnings?"  But,  in  the  present  case,  the 
 immediate  hand  of  God  in  the  work  of  his  Spirit 
 
54 
 
 appears  much  more  evident,  because  there  is  no  such 
 awful  and  threatening  Providence  attending  it. 
 
 It  is  worthy  also  of  our  further  notice,  that,  when 
 many  profane  sinners,  and  formal  professors  of  re- 
 ligion, have  been  affrighted  out  of  their  present  care- 
 lessness and  stupidity  by  some  astonishing  terrors 
 approaching  them,  those  religious  appearances  have 
 not  been  so  durable,  nor  the  real  change  of  heart  so 
 thoroughly  effected  :  many  of  this  sort  of  sudden 
 converts  have  dropped  their  religious  concerns,  in  a 
 great  measure,  when  their  fears  of  the  threatening 
 calamity  are  vanished.  But  it  is  a  blessed  confirma- 
 tion of  the  truth  of  this  present  work  of  grace,  that 
 the  persons  who  were  divinely  wrought  upon  in  this 
 season  continue  still  to  profess  serious  religion,  and 
 to  practise  it  without  returning  to  their  former  fol- 
 lies. 
 
 If  there  should  be  any  thing  found  in  this  Narra- 
 tive of  the  surprising  conversion  of  such  numbers  of 
 souls,  where  the  sentiments  or  the  style  of  the  re- 
 later,  or  his  inferences  from  matters  of  fact,  do  not 
 appear  so  agreeable  to  every  reader,  we  hope  it  will 
 have  no  unhappy  influence  to  discourage  the  belief  of 
 this  glorious  event.  We  must  allow  every  writer  his 
 own  way;  and  must  allow  him  to  choose  what  par- 
 ticular instances  he  would  select  from  the  numerous 
 cases  which  came  before  him.  And  though  he  might 
 have  chosen  others  perhaps,  of  more  significancy  in 
 the  eye  of  the  world,  than  the  woman  and  the  child, 
 whose  experiences  he  relates  at  large ;  yet  it  is  evi- 
 dent he  chose  that  of  the  woman,  because  she  was 
 dead,  and  she  is  thereby  incapable  of  knowing  any 
 honours  or  reproaches  on  this  account.      And  as  for 
 
55 
 
 the  child,  those  who  were  present,  and  {-aw  and  heard 
 such  a  remarkable  and  lasting  change,  on  one  so  very 
 young,  must  necessarily  receive  a  stronger  impression 
 from  it,  and  a  more  agreeable  surprise  than  the  mere 
 narration  of  it  can  communicate  to  others  at  a  dis- 
 tance. Children's  language  always  loses  its  striking 
 beauties  at  second-hand. 
 
 Upon  the  whole,  whatever  defects  any  reader  may 
 find  or  imagine  in  this  Narrative,  we  are  well  satis- 
 fied, that  such  an  eminent  work  of  God  ouijht  not 
 to  be  concealed  from  the  world :  and  as  it  was  the 
 reverend  Author's  opinion,  so  we  declare  it  to  be 
 ours  also,  that  it  is  very  likely  that  this  account  of 
 such  an  extraordinary  and  illustrious  appearance  of 
 divine  grace  in  the  conversion  of  sinners,  may,  by 
 the  blessing  of  God,  have  a  happy  effect  upon  the 
 minds  of  men,  towards  the  honour  and  enlargement 
 of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  much  more  than  any  sup- 
 posed imperfection  in  this  representation  of  it  can 
 do  injury. 
 
 May  the  worthy  writer  of  this  epistle,  and  all  his 
 reverend  brethren  in  the  ministry,  who  have  been 
 honoured  in  this  excellent  and  important  service,  go 
 on  to  see  their  labours  crowned  with  daily  and  per- 
 severing success  !  May  the  numerous  subjects  of 
 this  surprising  work  hold  fast  what  they  have  re- 
 ceived, and  increase  in  every  Christian  grace  and 
 blessing  !  May  a  plentiful  effusion  of  the  blessed 
 Spirit,  also,  descend  on  the  British  Isles,  and  all 
 their  American  plantations,  to  renew  the  face  of  re- 
 ligion there  !  And  we  entreat  our  readers  in  both 
 Englands,  to  join  with  us  in  our  hearty  addresses  to 
 the  throne  of  grace,  that  this  wonderful  discovery  of 
 
56 
 
 the  hand  of  God  in  saving  sinners,  may  encourage 
 our  faith  and  hope  of  the  hccomplishment  of  all  his 
 words  of  grace,  which  are  written  in  the  Old  Testa- 
 ment and  in  the  New,  concerning  the  large  extent 
 of  this  salvation  in  the  latter  days  of  the  world. 
 "  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come  quickly,"  and  spread  thy 
 dominion  through  all  the  ends  of  the  earth.    Amen. 
 
 ISAAC  WATTS. 
 JOHN  GUYSE. 
 
 London,  Oct.  12,  1737. 
 
PEIITGETOH 
 
 r\  T    r\  .^  r  .-^  X,  Y 
 
 IN  A  LETTER   TO  THE  REV.  DR.  COLMAN 
 OF  BOSTON. 
 
 Rev.  and  Honoured  Sir, 
 
 Having  seen  your  letter  to  my  honoured  uncle 
 Williams  of  Hatfield,  of  July  20,  wherein  you  in- 
 form him  of  the  notice  that  has  been  taken  of  the 
 late  wonderful  work  of  God,  in  this,  and  some  other 
 towns  in  this  county,  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Watts  and 
 Dr.  Giiyse  of  London,  and  the  congregation  to  which 
 the  last  of  these  preached  on  a  monthly  day  of 
 solemn  prayer;  as  also,  of  your  desire  to  be  more 
 perfectly  acquainted  with  it,  by  some  of  us  on  the 
 spot  :  and  having  been  since  informed  by  my  uncle 
 Williams,  that  you  desire  me  to  undertake  it;  I 
 would  now  do  it,  in  as  just  and  faithful  a  manner  as 
 in  me  lies. 
 
 The  people  of  the  county,  in  general,  are  as  sober, 
 and  orderly,  and  good  sort  of  people  as  in  any  part 
 of  New  England  ;  and  I  believe  they  have  been  pre- 
 served the  freest  by  far,  of  any  part  of  the  country, 
 from  error,  and  variety  of  sects  and  opinions.  Our 
 being  so  far  within  the  land,  at  a  distance  from  sea- 
 ports, and  in  a  corner  of  the  country,  has  doubtless 
 c  3 
 
58 
 
 been  one  reason  why  we  have  not  been  so  much  cor- 
 rupted with  vice  as  most  other  parts.  But,  with- 
 out question,  the  religion  and  good  order  of  the 
 county,  and  their  purity  in  doctrine,  has,  under 
 God,  been  very  much  owing  to  the  great  abiHties, 
 and  eminent  piety,  of  my  venerable  and  honoured 
 grandfather  Stoddard.  I  suppose  we  have  been  the 
 freest  of  any  part  of  the  land  from  unhappy  divisions 
 and  quarrels,  in  our  ecclesiastical  and  religious  affairs, 
 till  thjs  late  lamentable  Springfield  contention.* 
 
 We  being  much  separated  from  other  parts  of  the 
 province,  and  having,  comparatively,  but  little  inter- 
 course with  them,  have,  from  the  beginning,  always 
 manaored  our  ecclesiastical  affairs  within  ourselves  : 
 it  is  the  way  in  which  the  county,  from  its  infancy, 
 has  gone  on,  by  the  practical  agreement  of  all,  and 
 the  way  in  which  our  peace  and  good  order  h^is 
 hitherto  been  maintained. 
 
 The  town  of  Northampton  is  of  about  eighty-two 
 years  standing,  and  has  novv  about  two  hundred 
 families ;  which  mostly  dwell  more  compactly  to- 
 gether than  any  town  of  such  a  size  in  these  parts 
 of  the  country;  which  probably  has  been  an  occasion 
 that  both  our  corruptions  and  reformations  have  been, 
 from  time  to  time,  the  more  swiftly  propagated,  from 
 one  to  another,  through  the  town.  Take  the  town 
 in  general,  and  so  far  as  I  can  judge,  they  are  as 
 rational  and  understanding  a  people  as  most   I  have 
 
 *  The  Springfield  contention  relates  to  the  settlement  of  a 
 nninister  there,  which  occasioned  too  warm  debates  between  both 
 pastors  and  people  that  were  for  it,  and  others  that  were  against 
 it,  on  account  of  their  different  apprehensions  about  his  prin- 
 ciples, and  about  some  steps  that  were  taken  to  procure  his  or- 
 dination. 
 
59 
 
 been  acquainted  with  :  many  of  them  have  been 
 noted  for  religion,  and  particularly,  have  been  re- 
 markable for  their  distinct  knowled(je  in  things  that 
 relate  to  heart  religion,  and  Christian  experience, 
 and  their  great  regards  thereto. 
 
 I  am  the  third  minister  that  has  been  settled  in 
 the  town :  the  Rev.  Mr.  Eleazar  Mather,  who  was 
 the  first,  was  ordained  in  July  1669.  He  was  one 
 whose  heart  was  much  in  his  work,  abundant  in 
 labours  for  the  good  of  precious  souls ;  he  had  the 
 high  esteem  and  great  love  of  his  people,  and  was 
 blessed  with  no  small  success.  The  Rev.  Mr. 
 Stoddard,  who  succeeded  him,  came  to  the  town  the 
 November  after  his  death,  but  was  not  ordained  till 
 September  II,  1672,  and  died  February  11,  1728-9. 
 So  that  he  continued  in  the  work  of  the  ministry 
 here,  from  his  first  coming  to  town,  near  sixty  years. 
 And  as  he  was  eminent  and  renowned  for  his  gifts 
 and  grace ;  so  he  was  blessed,  from  the  beginning, 
 with  extraordinary  success  in  his  ministry,  in  the 
 conversion  of  many  souls.  He  had  five  harvests,  as 
 he  called  them  :  the  first  was  about  fifty-seven  years 
 ago  ;  the  second  about  fifty-three  years  ;  the  third 
 about  forty  ;  the  fourth  about  twenty-four  ;  the  fifth, 
 and  last,  about  eighteen  years  ago.  Some  of  these 
 times  were  much  more  remarkable  than  others,  and 
 the  ingathering  of  souls  more  plentiful.  Those 
 that  were  about  fifty-three,  and  forty,  and  twenty- 
 four  years  ago,  were  much  greater  than  either  the 
 first  or  the  last :  but  in  each  of  them,  I  have  heard 
 my  grandfather  say,  the  grown  up  part  of  the  young 
 people  in  the  town,  seemed  to  be  mainly  concerned 
 for  their  eternal  salvation. 
 
60 
 
 After  the  last  of  these,  came  a  far  more  degene- 
 rate time,  (at  least  among  the  young  people,)  I  sup- 
 pose, than  ever  before.      Mr.  Stoddard,  indeed,  had 
 the  comfort,  before  he  died,  of  seeing  a  time  where 
 there  were  no  small  appearances  of  a  divine  work 
 amongst   some,   and  a   considerable  ingathering  of 
 souls,  even  after  I  was  settled  with  him  in  the  mi- 
 nistry, which  was  about  two  years  before  his  death  ; 
 and  I  have  reason  to  bless  God  for  the  great  advan- 
 tage I  had  by  it.      In  these  two  years,  there  were 
 near  twenty  that  Mr.  Stoddard  hoped  to  be  savingly 
 converted ;    but  there   was  nothing  of  any  general 
 awakening.      The  greater  part  seemed  to  be  at  that 
 time  very  insensible  of  the  things  of  religion,  and 
 engaged  in  other  cares  and  pursuits.      Just  after  my 
 grandfather's  death,  it  seemed  to  be  a  time  of  ex- 
 traordinary dulness  in  religion  :  licentiousness,  for 
 some  years,   greatly  prevailed  among  the  youth  of 
 the  town  ;  many  of  them  were  very  much  addicted 
 to  night-walking,   and  frequenting  the  tavern,   and 
 lewd  practices,   in    which   some,  by  their  example, 
 exceedingly  corrupted  others.      It  was  their  manner 
 .very  frequently  to  get  together,  in  conventions  of 
 both  sexes,  for  mirth  and  jollity,   which  they  called 
 frolics ;    and  they  would  often  spend  the  greater  part 
 of  the  night  in  them,  without  regard  to  any  order  in 
 the  families  they  belonged  to  :   and,  indeed,  family- 
 government  did  too  much   fail  in  the  town.      It  was 
 become   very   customary    with    many  of  our  young 
 people,  to  be  indecent  in  their  carriage  at  Meeting, 
 which,  doubtless,  would  not  have  prevailed  to  such 
 a^  degree,    had  it  not   been    that    my    grandfather, 
 through  his  great  age,  (though  he  retained  his  powers 
 
61 
 
 surprisingly  to  the  last,)  was  not  so  able  to  observe 
 them.  There  had  also  long  prevailed  in  the  town 
 a  spirit  of  contention  between  two  parties,  into 
 which  they  had  for  many  years  been  divided,  by 
 which  was  maintained  a  jealousy  of  each  other,  and 
 they  were  prepared  to  oppose  one  another  in  all  pub- 
 lic affairs. 
 
 But  in  two  or  three  years  after  Mr.  Stoddard's 
 death,  there  began  to  be  a  sensible  amendment  of 
 these  evils  ;  the  young  people  showed  more  disposi- 
 tion to  hearken  to  counsel,   and  by  degrees  left  off 
 their  frolicking,  and  observably  grew  more  decent  in 
 their  attendance  on  public  worship,  and  more  of  thera 
 manifested  a  religious  concern  than  there  used  to  be. 
 At  the  latter  end  of  the  year  1733,  there  appeared 
 a  very  unusual  flexibleness,   and  yielding  to  advice, 
 in  our  young  people.      It  had  been  too  long  their 
 manner  to  make  the  evening  after  the  Sabbath,  and 
 after  our  public  lecture,  to  be  especially  the  times  of 
 their  mirth,  and  company-keeping.      But  a  sermon 
 was  now  preached  on   the   Sabbath  before  the  lec- 
 ture, to  show  the  evil  tendency  of  the  practice,  and 
 to  persuade  them  to  reform  it;  and  it  was  urged  on 
 heads  of  families,   that  it  should  be  a  thing  agreed 
 upon  among  them,  to  govern  their  families,  and  keep 
 their  children  at  home,  at  these  times;  and   it  was 
 more   privately   moved,   that  they  should    meet  to- 
 gether,  the  next   day,   in   their   several   neighbour- 
 hoods,  to  know  each  other's  minds  :   which  was  ac- 
 cordingly   done,    and    the    motion    complied     with 
 throughout  the  town.      But  parents  found  little  or 
 no  occasion  for  the  exercise  of  xrovernment  in  the 
 case :    the   young  people  declared  themselves  con- 
 
62 
 
 vinced  by  what  they  had  heard  from  the  pulpit,  and 
 were  willing  of  themselves  to  comply  with  the  coun- 
 sel that  had  been  given  :  and  it  was  immediately, 
 and  almost  universally  complied  with  ;  and  there  was 
 a  thorough  reformation  of  these  disorders,  which  has 
 continued  ever  since. 
 
 Presently  after  this,  there  began  to  appear  a  re- 
 markable religious  concern  at  a  little  village  belong- 
 ing to  the  congregation,  called  Pascommuck,  where 
 a  few  families  were  settledj  about  three  miles  from 
 the  main  body  of  the  town.  At  this  place,  a  num- 
 ber of  persons  seemed  to  be  savingly  wrought  upon. 
 In  the  April  following,  1734,  there  happened  a  very 
 sudden  and  awful  death  of  a  young  man,  in  the 
 bloom  of  his  youth  ;  who,  being  violently  seized  with 
 a  pleurisy,  and  taken  immediately  very  delirious,  died 
 in  about  two  days  ;  which  (together  with  what  was 
 preached  publicly  on  that  occasion)  much  affected 
 many  young  people.  This  was  followed  with  another 
 death  of  a  young  married  woman,  who.  had  been 
 considerably  exercised  in  mind  about  the  salvation 
 of  her  soul,  before  she  was  ill,  and  was  in  great  dis- 
 tress in  the  beginning  of  her  illness  ;  but  seemed  to 
 have  satisfying  evidences  of  God's  saving  mercy  to 
 her  before  her  death  ;  so  that  she  died  very  full  of 
 comfort,  in  a  most  earnest  and  moving  manner  warn- 
 ing and  counselling  others.  This  seemed  much  to 
 contribute  to  the  solemnizing  of  the  spirits  of  many 
 young  persons  ;  and  there  began  evidently  to  appear 
 more  of  a  religious  concern  on  people's  minds. 
 
 In  the  fall  of  the  year,  I  proposed  it  to  the  young 
 people,  that  they  should  agree  among  themselves  to 
 spend  the  evenings  after  lectures  in  social  religion, 
 
63 
 
 and  to  that  end  divide  themselves  into  several  com- 
 panies to  meet  in  various  parts  of  the  town;  which 
 was  accordingly  done,  and  those  meetings  have  been 
 since  continued,  and  the  example  imitated  by  elder 
 people.  This  was  followed  with  the  death  of  an 
 elderly  person,  which  was  attended  with  many  unu- 
 sual circumstances,  by  which  many  were  much  moved 
 and  affected. 
 
 About  this  time  began  the  great  noise  that  was  in 
 this  part  of  the  country  about  Arminianism,  which 
 seemed  to  have  a  very  threatening  aspect  upon  the  in- 
 terest of  religion  here.  The  friends  of  vital  piety  trem- 
 bled for  fear  of  the  issue  ;  but  it  seemed,  contrary  to 
 their  fear,  strongly  to  be  overruled  for  the  promoting 
 of  religion.  Many  who  looked  on  themselves  as  in  a 
 Christless  condition  seemed  to  be  awakened  by  it,  with 
 fear  that  God  was  about  to  withdraw  from  the  land, 
 and  that  we  should  be  given  up  to  hetorodoxy  and  cor- 
 rupt principles.;  and  that  then  their  opportunity  for 
 obtaining  salvation  would  be  past ;  and  many  who 
 were  broufjht  a  little  to  doubt  about  the  truth  of  the 
 doctrines  they  had  hitherto  been  taught,  seemed  to 
 have  a  kind  of  trembling  fear  with  their  doubts,  lest 
 they  should  be  led  into  by-paths,  to  their  eternal  un- 
 doing :  and  they  seemed,  with  much  concern  and 
 engagedness  of  mind,  to  inquire  what  was  indeed  the 
 way  in  which  they  must  come  to  be  accepted  with 
 God.  There  were  then  some  things  said  publicly 
 on  that  occasion,  concerning  justification  by  faith 
 alone. 
 
 Although  great  fault  was  found  with  meddling  with 
 the  controversy  in  the  pulpit,  by  such  a  person,  at 
 that  time,  and  though  it  was  ridiculed  by  many  else- 
 
64 
 
 where ;  yet  it  proved  a  word  spoken  in  season  here ; 
 and  was  most  evidently  attended  with  a  very  remark- 
 able blessing  of  heaven  to  the  souls  of  the  people  in 
 this  town.  They  received  thence  a  general  satis- 
 faction, with  respect  to  the  main  thing  in  question, 
 which  they  had  been  in  trembling  doubts  and  con- 
 cern about ;  and  their  minds  were  engaged  the  more 
 earnestly  to  seek,  that  they  might  be  accepted  of 
 God,  and  saved  in  the  way  of  the  gospel,  which  had 
 been  made  evident  to  them  to  be  the  true  and  only 
 way.  And  then  it  was,  in  the  latter  part  of  Decem- 
 ber, that  the  Spirit  of  God  began  wonderfully  to 
 work  amongst  us;  and  there  were,  very  suddenly, 
 one  after  another,  five  or  six  persons,  who  were  to 
 all-  appearance  savingly  converted,  and  some  of  them 
 wrought  upon  in  a  very  remarkable  manner. 
 
 Particularly,  I  was  surprised  with  the  relation  of 
 a  young  woman,  who  had  been  one  of  the  greatest 
 company-keepers  in  the  whole  town.  When  she  came 
 to  me,  I  had  never  heard  that  she  was  become  in 
 any  wise  serious  ;  but  by  the  conversation  I  then  had 
 with  her,  it  appeared  to  me,  that  what  she  gave  an 
 account  of,  was  a  glorious  work  of  God's  infinite 
 power  and  sovereign  grace  ;  and  that  God  had  given 
 her  a  new  heart,  truly  broken  and  sanctified.  I 
 could  not  then  doubt  of  it,  and  have  seen  much  in 
 my  acquaintance  with  her  since  to  confirm  it. 
 
 Thougli  the  work  was  glorious,  yet  I  was  filled 
 with  concern  about  the  effect  it  might  have  upon 
 others.  I  was  ready  to  conclude  (though  too  rashly) 
 that  some  would  be  hardened  by  it,  in  carelessness 
 and  looseness  of  life  :  and  would  take  occasion  from 
 it   to  open  their   mouths  in   reproaches  of  religion. 
 
65 
 
 But  the  event  was  the  reverse,  to  a  wonderful  degree ; 
 God  made  it,  I  suppose,  the  greatest  occasion  of 
 awakening  to  others,  of  any  thing  that  ever  came  to 
 pass  in  the  town.  I  have  had  abundant  opportunity 
 to  know  the  effect  it  had,  by  my  private  conversa- 
 tion with  many.  The  news  of  it  seemed  to  be  al- 
 most like  a  flash  of  lightning,  upon  the  hearts  of 
 young  people,  all  over  the  town,  and  upon  many 
 others.  Those  persons  amongst  us,  who  used  to  be 
 farthest  from  seriousness,  and  that  I  most  feared 
 would  make  an  ill  improvement  of  it,  seemed  greatly 
 to  be  awakened  with  it ;  many  went  to  talk  with  her, 
 concerning  what  she  had  met  with;  and  what  ap- 
 peared in  her  seemed  to  be  to  the  satisfaction  of  all 
 that  did  so. 
 
 Presently  upon  this,  a  great  and  earnest  concern 
 about  the  great  things  of  religion,  and  the  eternal 
 world,  became  universal  in  all  parts  of  the  town, 
 and  among  persons  of  all  degrees  and  ages ;  the 
 noise  amongst  the  dry  bones  waxed  louder  and 
 louder;  all  other  talk  but  about  spiritual  and  eternal 
 things  was  soon  thrown  by;  all  the  conversation  in 
 all  companies,  and  upon  all  occasions,  was  about 
 these  things  only,  unless  what  was  necessary  for 
 carrying  on  their  ordinary  secular  business.  Other 
 discourse  than  of  the  things  of  religion,  would 
 scarcely  be  tolerated  in  any  company.  The  minds 
 of  people  were  wonderfully  taken  oflP  from  the  world  ; 
 it  was  treated  amongst  us  as  a  thing  of  very  little 
 consequence.  They  seemed  to  follow  their  worldly 
 business,  more  as  a  part  of  their  duty,  than  from 
 any  ||isposition  they  had  to  it.  The  temptation  now 
 seemed  to  be  to  neglect  worldly  affairs  too  much, 
 
66 
 
 and  to  spend  too  much  time  in  the  immediate  exer- 
 cise of  religion;  which  thing  was  exceedingly  mis- 
 represented by  reports  that  were  spread  in  distant 
 parts  of  the  land,  as  though  the  people  here  had 
 wholly  thrown  by  all  worldly  business,  and  betaken 
 themselves  entirely  to  reading,  and  praying,  and 
 religious  exercises. 
 
 But  although  people  did  not  ordinarily  neglect 
 their  worldly  business,  yet  there  was  then  the  re- 
 verse of  what  commonly  is :  religion  was  with  all 
 the  great  concern,  ana  the  world  was  a  thing  only 
 by  the  bye.  The  only  thing  in  their  view  was  to 
 get  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  every  one  appeared 
 pressing  i.i  to  it:  the  engagedness  of  their  hearts  in 
 this  great  concern  could  not  be  hid,  it  appeared  in 
 their  very  countenances.  It  was  then  a  dreadful 
 thing  amongst  us  to  lie  out  of  Christ,  in  danger 
 every  day  of  droppuig  into  hell;  and  what  persons' 
 minds  were  intent  upon  was,  to  escape  for  their  lives 
 and  to  "  fly  from  the  wrath  to  come."  All  would 
 eagerly  lay  hold  of  opportunities  for  their  souls; 
 and  were  wont  very  often  to  meet  together  in  private 
 houses  for  religious  purposes  ;  and  such  meetings, 
 when  appointed,  were  wont  greatly  to  be  thronged. 
 
 There  was  scarcely  a  single  person  in  the  town, 
 either  old  or  young,  that  was  left  unconcerned  about 
 the  great  things  of  the  eternal  world.  Those  that 
 were  wont  to  be  the  vainest  and  loosest,  and  those 
 that  had  been  most  disposed  to  think  and  speak 
 slightly  of  vital  and  experimental  religion,  were  now 
 generally  subject  to  great  awakenings.  The  work 
 of  conversion  was  carried  on  in  a  most  astonishing 
 manner,  and  increased  more  and  more;  souls  did,  as 
 
67 
 
 it  were,  come  by  flocks  to  Jesus  Christ.  From  day 
 to  day,  tor  many  months  together,  might  be  seen 
 evident  instances  of  sinners  brought  "  out  oF  dark- 
 ness into  marvellous  light,"  and  delivered  out  of 
 a  *'  horrible  pit,  and  from  the  miry  clay,"  and  set 
 upon  a  rock,  with  a  new  song  of  praise  to  God  in 
 tlieir  mouths. 
 
 This  work  of  God,  as  it  was  carried  on,  and  the 
 number  of  true  saints  multiplied,  soon  made  a  glo- 
 rious alteration  in  the  town;  so  that,  in  the  spring 
 and  summer  following,  in  the  year  1735,  the  town 
 seemed  to  be  full  of  the  presence  of  God:  it  never 
 was  so  full  of  love  and  joy,  and  yet  so  full  of  distress, 
 as  it  was  then.  There  were  remarkable  tokens  of 
 God's  presence  in  almost  every  house.  It  was  a 
 time  of  joy  in  families,  on  account  of  salvation  being 
 brought  to  them  ;  parents  rejoicing  over  their  chil- 
 dren as  new-born,  and  husbands  over  their  wives, 
 and  wives  over  their  husbands.  The  goings  of 
 God  were  then  seen  in  his  sanctuary;  God's  day  was 
 a  delij^ht,  and  his  tabernacles  were  amiable.  Our 
 public  assemblies  were  then  beautiful ;  the  congre- 
 gation was  alive  in  God's  service,  every  one  earnestly 
 intent  on  the  public  worship,  every  hearer  eager  to 
 drink  in  the  words  of  the  minister  as  they  came 
 from  his  mouth  ;  the  assembly  in  general  were,  from 
 time  to  time,  in  tears  while  the  word  was  preached; 
 some  weeping  with  sorrow  and  distress,  others  with 
 joy  and  love,  others  with  pity  and  concern  for  the 
 souls  of  their  neighbours. 
 
 Our  public  praises  were  then  greatly  enlivened; 
 God  was  then  served  in  our  psalmody,  in  some 
 measure,   in  the  "  beauty  of  holiness."      It  was  ob- 
 
'  68 
 
 servable,  that  there  has  been  scarcely  any  part  of 
 divine  worship,  wherein  good  men  amongst  us  have 
 had  grace  so  drawn  forth,  and  their  hearts  so  lifted 
 up  in  the  ways  of  God,  as  in  singing  his  praises; 
 our  conirreijation  excelled  all  that  ever  I  knew  in 
 the  external  part  of  the  duty  before;  but  now  they 
 were  evidently  wont  to  sing  with  unusual  elevation 
 of  heart  and  voice,  which  made  the  duty  pleasant 
 indeed. 
 
 In  all  companies,  on  other  days,  on  whatever  oc- 
 casions persons  met  together,  Christ  was  to  be  heard 
 of,  and  seen  in  the  midst  of  them.  Our  young 
 people,  when  they  met,  were  wont  to  spend  the  time 
 in  talking  of  the  excellency  and  dying  love  of  Jesus 
 Christ,  the  gloriousness  of  the  way  of  salvation,  the 
 wonderful,  free,  and  sovereign  grace  of  God,  his 
 glorious  work  in  the  conversion  of  a  soul,  the  truth 
 and  certainty  of  the  great  things  of  God's  word,  the 
 sweetness  of  the  views  of  his  perfections,  &c.  And 
 even  at  weddings,  which  formerly  were  mere  occa- 
 sions of  mirth  and  jollity,  there  was  now  no  dis- 
 course of  any  thing  but  the  things  of  religion,  and 
 no  appearance  of  any  but  spiritual  mirth. 
 
 Those  amongst  us  that  had  been  formerly  con- 
 verted, were  greatly  enlivened  and  renewed  with 
 fresh  and  extraordinary  visitations  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God;  though  some  much  more  than  others,  accord- 
 ing to  the  measure  of  the  gift  of  Christ :  many  that 
 before  had  laboured  under  difficulties  about  their 
 own  state,  had  now  their  doubts  removed  by  more 
 satisfying  experience,  and  more  clear  discoveries  of 
 God's  love. 
 
 When  this  work  of  God  first  appeared,  and  was 
 
69 
 
 SO  extraordinarily  carried  on  amongst  us  in  the  win- 
 ter, others  romid  about  us  seemed  not  to  know  what 
 to  make  of  it ;  and  there  were  many  that  scoffed  and 
 ridiculed  it;  and  some  compared  what  we  called 
 conversion,  to  certain  distempers.  But  it  was  very 
 observable  of  many,  that  occasionally  came  amongst 
 us  from  abroad,  with  disregardful  hearts,  that  what 
 they  saw  here  cured  them  of  such  a  temper  of  mind  : 
 strangers  were  generally  surprised  to  find  things  so 
 much  beyond  what  they  had  heard,  and  were  wont 
 to  tell  others  that  the  state  of  the  town  could  not  be 
 conceived  of  by  those  that  had  not  seen  it.  The 
 notice  that  was  taken  of  it  by  the  people  that  came 
 to  town,  on  occasion  of  the  court  that  sat  here  in  the 
 beginning  of  March,  was  very  observable.  And 
 those  that  came  from  the  neighbourhood  to  our 
 public  lectures,  were  for  the  most  part  remarkably 
 affected.  Many  that  came  to  town  had  their  con- 
 sciences smitten  and  awakened,  and  went  home  with 
 wounded  hearts,  and  with  those  impressions  that 
 never  wore  off  till  they  had  hopefully  a  saving 
 issue;  and  those  that  before  had  serious  thoughts, 
 had  their  awakenings  and  convictions  greyly  in- 
 creased. And  there  were  many  instances  of  per- 
 sons that  came  from  abroad,  on  visits  or  on  busi- 
 ness, that  had  not  been  long  here,  before,  to  all 
 appearance,  they  were  savingly  wrought  upon,  and 
 partook  of  that  shower  of  divine  blessing  that  God 
 rained  down  here,  and  went  home  rejoicing;  till  at 
 length  the  same  work  began  evidently  to  appear  and 
 prevail  in  several  other  towns  in  the  county. 
 
 In  the  month  of  March,    the  people  in   South- 
 Hadley  began  to  be  seized  with  deep  concern  about 
 
70 
 
 the  things  of  religion,  which  very  soon  became 
 universal ;  and  the  work  of  God  has  been  very  won- 
 derful there :  not  much,  if  any  thing,  short  of  what 
 it  has  been  here,  in  proportion  to  the  size  of  the 
 place.  About  the  same  time,  it  began  to  break 
 forth  in  the  west  part  of  Suffield,  (where  it  also  has 
 been  very  great,)  and  it  soon  spread  into  all  parts  of 
 the  town.  It  next  appeared  at  Sunderland,  and 
 soon  overspread  the  town ;  and  I  believe  was,  for  a 
 season,  not  less  remarkable  than  it  was  here.  About 
 the  same  time  it  began  to  appear  in  a  part  of  Deer- 
 field,  called  Green  River,  and  afterwards  filled  the 
 town,  and  there  has  been  a  glorious  work  ther^.  It 
 began  also  to  be  manifest  in  the  south  part  of  Hat- 
 field, in  a  place  called  the  Hill,  and  after  that,  the 
 whole  town,  in  the  second  week  in  April,  seemed  to 
 be  seized,  as  it  were  at  once,  with  concern  about  the 
 things  of  religion;  and  the  work  of  God  has  been 
 great  there.  There  has  been  also  a  very  general 
 awakening  at  West- Springfield,  and  Long-Meadow; 
 and  in  Enfield,  there  was  for  a  time  a  pretty  gen- 
 eral concern  amongst  some  that  before  had  been  very 
 loose  persons.  About  the  same  time  that  this  ap- 
 peared at  Enfield,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bi\ll  of  Westfield 
 informed  me,  that  there  had  been  a  great  alteration 
 there,  and  that  more  had  been  done  in  one  week 
 there  than  in  seven  years  before.  Something  of 
 this  work  likewise  appeared  in  the  first  precinct  in 
 Springfield,  principally  in  the  north  and  south  ex- 
 tremes of  the  parish.  And  in  Hadley  old  town, 
 there  gradually  appeared  so  much  of  a  work  of  God 
 on  souls,  as  at  another  time  would  have  been  thought 
 worthy  of  much  notice.      For  a   short   time   there 
 
71 
 
 was  also  a  very  f»reat  and  general  concern  at  North- 
 field.  And  wherever  this  concern  appeared,  it 
 seemed  not  to  he  in  vain  :  hut  in  every  place  God 
 brought  saving  hlessings  with  him,  and  his  word,  at- 
 tended with  his  Spirit,  (as  we  have  all  reason  to  think) 
 returned  not  void.  It  miijht  well  be  said  at  that 
 time,  in  all  parts  of  the  county,  "  Who  are  these 
 that  fly  as  a  cloud,  and  as  doves  to  their  windows?" 
 As  what  other  towns  heard  of  and  found  in  this, 
 was  a  great  means  of  awakening  them  ;  so  our  hear- 
 ing of  such  a  swift  and  extraordinary  propagation, 
 •and  extent  of  this  work,  did  doubtless  for  a  time 
 serve  to  uphold  the  work  amongst  us.  The  con- 
 tinual news  kept  alive  the  talk  of  religion,  and  did 
 greatly  quicken  and  rejoice  the  hearts  of  God's 
 people,  and  much  awakened  those  that  looked  on 
 themselves  as  still  left  behind,  and  made  them  the 
 more  earnest  that  thev.also  mi^^ht  share  in  the  irreat 
 blessings  that  others  had  obtained. 
 
 •This  remarkable  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  which  thus  extended  from  one  end  to  the 
 other  of  this  county,  was  not  confined  to  it,  but 
 many  places  in  Connecticut  partook  in  the  same 
 mercy;  as  for  instance,  the  first  parish  in  Windsor, 
 under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.-  Mr.  Marsh,  was 
 thus  blest  about  the  same  time  as  we  in  Northamp- 
 ton, while  we  had  no  knowledge  of  each  other's  cir- 
 cumstances: there  has  been  a  very  great  ingather- 
 ing of  souls  to  Christ  in  that  place,  and  something 
 considerable  of  the  same  work  befjan  afterwards  in 
 East  Windsor,  my  honoured  father's  parish,  which 
 has,  in  times  past,  been  a  place  favoured  with  mercies 
 of  this   nature,   above   any  on    this  western  side   of 
 
72 
 
 New  England,  excepting  Northampton ;  there  hav- 
 ing been  four  or  five  seasons  of  the  pouring  out  of 
 the  Spirit,  to  the  general  awakening  of  the  people 
 there,  since  my  father's  settlement  amongst  them. 
 
 The  last  spring  and  summer,  there  was  also  a 
 wonderful  work  of  God  carried  on  at  Coventry,  un- 
 der the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Meacham.  I  had 
 opportunity  to  converse  with  some  Coventry  people, 
 who  gave  me  a  very  remarkable  account  of  the  sur- 
 prising change  that  appeared  in  the  most  rude  and 
 vicious  persons  there.  The  like  was  also  very  great 
 at  the  same  time  in  a  part  of  Lebanon,  called  the 
 Crank,  where  the  Rev.  Mr.  Wheelock,  a  young 
 gentleman,  is  lately  settled:  and  there  has  been 
 much  of  the  same  at  Durham,  under  the  ministry  of 
 the  Rev.  Mr.  Chauncey,  and  to  appearance  no  small 
 ingathering  of  souls  there.  And  likewise  amongst 
 many  of  the  young  people  in  the  first  precinct  in 
 Stratford,  under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
 Gould,  where  tiie  work  was  much  promoted  by  the 
 remarkable  conversion  of  a  young  woman  that  had 
 been  a  great  company-keeper,  as  it  was  here. 
 
 Something  of  this  work  appeared  in  several  other 
 towns  in  those  parts,  as  I  was  informed  when  I  was 
 there  the  last  autumn.  And  we  have  since  been 
 acquainted  with  something  very  remarkable  of  this 
 nature  at  another  parish  in  Stratford  called  Ripton, 
 under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mills. 
 And  there  was  a  considerable  revival  of  religion  last 
 summer  at  Newhaven  old  town,  as  I  was  informed 
 by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Noyes  the  minister  there,  and  by 
 others.  This  flourishing  of  religion  still  continues, 
 and  has  lately  much  increased.     Mr.  Noyes  writes, 
 
73 
 
 that  many  this  summer  have  been  added  to  the 
 church,  and  particularly  mentions  several  young  per- 
 sons that  belong  to  the  principal  families  of  that 
 town. 
 
 There  has  been  a  degree  of  the  same  work  at  a 
 part  of  Guildford  ;  and  very  considerable  at  Mans- 
 field, under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Eleazar 
 Williams;  and  an  unusual  religious  concern  at  Tol- 
 land; and  something  of  it  at  Hebron  and  Bolton. 
 There  was  also  no  small  efFasion  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God  in  the  north  parish  in  Preston,  in  the  eastern 
 part  of  Connecticut,  which  I  was  informed  of,  and 
 saw  something  of  it,  when  I  vvas  the  last  autumn  at 
 the  house,  and  in  the  congregation  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
 Lord ;  who,  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Owen  of  Groton, 
 came  up  hither  in  May  last  year,  on  purpose  to  see 
 the  work  of  God  here;  and  having  heard  various 
 and  contradictory  accounts  of  it,  were  careful,  when 
 they  were  here,  to  inform  and  satisfy  themselves  :  and 
 to  that  end  particularly  conversed  with  many  of  our 
 people,  which  they  declared  to  be  entirely  to  their 
 satisfaction,  and  that  the  one  half  had  not  been  told 
 them,  nor  could  be  told  them.  Mr.  Lord  told  me, 
 that  when  he  got  home  he  informed  his  congrega- 
 tion of  what  he  had  seen,  and  that  they  were  greatly 
 affected  with  it;  and  that  it  proved  the  beginning  of 
 the  same  work  amongst  them,  which  prevailed  till 
 there  was  a  general  awakening,  and  many  instances 
 of  persons  who  seemed  to  be  remarkably  converted. 
 I  also  have  lately  heard  that  there  has  been  some- 
 thing of  the  same  work  at  Woodbury. 
 
 But  this  shower  of  divine  blessing  has  been  yet 
 more  extensive.     There  was  no  small  degree  of  it  in 
 D  48 
 
74 
 
 some  parts  of  the  Jerseys,  as  I  was  informed  when 
 I  was  at  New- York,  by  some  people  of  the  Jerseys 
 whom   I   saw ;    especially   the    Rev.    Mr.    William 
 Tennent,    a    minister,    who   seemed   to   have  such 
 things   much   at    heart,   told    me   of  a   very   great 
 awakening  in   a  place  called  the  Mountains,   under 
 the  ministry  of  one  Mr.  Cross ;  and  of  a  very  con- 
 siderable revival  of  religion  in  another  place,  under 
 the  ministry  of  his  brother,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gilbert 
 Tennent ;  and  also  at  another  place,  under  the  minis- 
 try of  a  very  pious  young  gentleman,  a  Dutch  minis- 
 ter, whose  name  as  I  remember  was  Freelinghousa. 
 This  seems  to  have  been  a  very  extraordinary  dis- 
 pensation of  providence.     God  has  in  many  respects 
 gone  out  of,  and  much  beyond,   his  usual  and  ordi- 
 nary way.      The  work  in  this  town,  and  some  others 
 about  us,  has  been  extraordinary  on  account  of  the 
 universality  of  it,  affecting  all  sorts,  sober  and  vi- 
 cious, high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  wise  and  unwise ; 
 it  reached  the  most  considerable  families  and  per- 
 sons,   to    all   appearance,   as   much   as  others.      In 
 former  stirrings  of  this  nature,  the  bulk  of  the  young 
 people  have  been  greatly  affected;  but  old  men  and 
 little  children  have  been  so  now.      Many  of  the  last 
 have,   of  their  own  accord,  formed  themselves  into 
 religious  societies  in  different  parts  of  the  town.      A 
 loose  careless  person  could  scarcely  find  another  in 
 the  whole  neighbourhood;  and  if  there  was  any  one 
 that  seemed  to  remain  senseless  or  unconcerned,  it 
 would  be  spoken  of  as  a  strange  thing. 
 
 This  dispensation  has  also  appeared  very  extra- 
 ordinary in  the  numbers  of  those  on  whom  we  have 
 reason  to  hope  it  has  had  a  saving  effect.    We  have 
 
about  six  hundred  and  twenty  communicants,  which 
 include  ahnost  all  our  adult  persons.  The  church 
 was  very  large  before;  but  persons  never  thronged 
 into  it  as  they  did  in  the  late  extraordinary  time. 
 Our  sacraments  are  eight  weeks  asunder,  and  I  re- 
 ceived into  our  communion  about  a  hundred  before 
 one  sacrament,  and  fourscore  of  them  at  one  time, 
 whose  appearance,  when  they  presented  themselves 
 together,  to  make  an  open  explicit  profession  of  Chris- 
 tianity, was  very  affecting  to  the  congregation.  I 
 took  in  near  sixty  before  the  next  sacrament  day; 
 and  I  had  very  sufficient  evidence  of  the  conversion 
 of  their  souls,  through  divine  grace,  though  it  is  not 
 the  custom  here,  as  it  is  in  many  other  churches  in 
 this  country,  to  make  a  credible  relation  of  their  in- 
 ward experiences  the  ground  of  admission  to  the 
 Lord's  supper. 
 
 I  am  far  from  pretending  to  be  able  to  determine 
 how  many  have  lately  been  the  subjects  of  such 
 mercy;  but  if  I  may  be  allowed  to  declare  any  thing 
 that  appears  to  me  probable,  in  a  thing  of  this  nature, 
 I  hope  that  more  than  three  hundred  souls  were 
 savingly  brought  home  to  Christ,  in  this  town,  in 
 the  space  of  half  a  year,  (how  many  more  I  do  not 
 guess,)  and  about  the  same  number  of  males  as 
 females;  which,  by  what  I  have  heard  Mr.  Stoddard 
 say,  was  far  from  what  has  been  usual  in  years  past, 
 for  he  observed  that,  in  his  time,  many  more  women 
 were  converted  than  men.  Those  of  our  young 
 people,  that  are  on  other  accounts  most  likely  and 
 considerable,  are  mostly,  as  I  hope,  truly  pious,  and 
 leading  persons  in  the  ways  of  religion.  Those  that 
 were  formerly  looser  young  persons,  are  generally, 
 D  2 
 
76 
 
 to  all  appearance,  become  true  lovers  of  God  and 
 Christ,  and  spiritual  in  their  dispositions.  And  I 
 hope,  that  by  far  the  greater  part  of  persons  in  this 
 town,  above  sixteen  years  of  age,  are  such  as  have 
 the  saving  knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ ;  and  so,  by 
 what  I  heard,  I  suppose  it  is  in  some  other  places, 
 particularly  at  Sunderland  and  South  Hadley. 
 
 This  has  also  appeared  to  be  a  very  extraordinary 
 dispensation,  in  that  the  Spirit  of  God  has  so  much 
 extended  not  only  his  awakening,  but  regenerating 
 influences,  both  to  elderly  persons,  and  also  those 
 that  are  very  young.  It  has  been  a  thing  hereto- 
 fore rarely  heard  of,  that  any  were  converted  past 
 middle  age;  but  now  we  have  the  same  ground  to 
 think,  that  many  such  have  in  this  time  been  savingly 
 changed,  as  that  others  have  been  so  in  more  early 
 years.  I  suppose  there  were  upwards  of  fifty  per- 
 sons in  this  town  above  forty  years  of  age;  and  more 
 than  twenty  of  them  above  fifty,  and  about  ten  of 
 them  above  sixty,  and  two  of  them  above  seventy 
 years  of  age. 
 
 It  has  heretofore  been  looked  on  as  a  strange 
 thing,  when  any  have  seemed  to  be  savingly  wrought 
 upon,  and  remarkably  changed  in  their  childhood ; 
 but  now,  I  suppose,  near  thirty  were  to  appearance 
 so  wrought  upon  between  ten  and  fourteen  years  of 
 age,  and  two  between  nine  and  ten,  and  one  of  about 
 four  years  of  age;  and  because  I  suppose  this  last 
 will  be  most  difHcultly  believed,  I  will  hereafter  give 
 a  particular  account  of  it.  The  influences  of  God's 
 Spirit  have  also  been  very  remarkable  on  children  in 
 some  other  places,  particularly  at  Sunderland  and 
 South  Hadley,  and  the  west  part  of  Suffield.    There 
 
77 
 
 are  several  families  in  this  town  that  are  all  hopefully 
 pious;  yea,  there  are  several  numerous  families,  in 
 which,  I  think,  we  have  reason  to  hope  that  all  the 
 children  are  truly  godly,  and  most  of  them  lately 
 become  so:  and  there  are  very  few  houses  in  the 
 whole  town,  into  which  salvation  has  not  lately  come, 
 in  one  or  more  instances.  There  are  several  negroes, 
 that,  from  what  was  seen  in  them  then,  and  what  is 
 discernible  in  them  since,  appear  to  have  been  truly 
 born  again  in  the  late  remarkable  season. 
 
 God  has  also  seemed  to  have  gone  out  of  his 
 usual  way,  in  the  quickness  of  his  work,  and  the 
 swift  progress  his  Spirit  has  made  in  his  operations 
 on  the  hearts  of  many:  it  is  wonderful  that  persons 
 should  be  so  suddenly,  and  yet  so  greatly  changed. 
 Many  have  been  taken  from  a  loose  and  careless 
 way  of  living,  and  seized  with  strong  convictions  of 
 their  guilt  and  misery,  and,  in  a  very  little  time,  old 
 things  have  passed  away,  and  all  things  have  become 
 new  with  them. 
 
 God's  work  has  also  appeared  very  extraordinary, 
 in  the  degrees  of  the  influences  of  his  Spirit,  both 
 in  the  degree  of  awakening  and  conviction,  and  also 
 in  the  degree  of  saving  light,  and  love,  and  joy,  that 
 many  have  experienced.  It  has  also  been  very  extra- 
 ordinary in  the  extent  of  it,  and  its  being  so  swiftly 
 propagated  from  town  to  town.  In  former  times  of 
 the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  this  town, 
 though  in  some  of  them  it  was  very  remarkable,  yet 
 it  reached  no  further  than  this  town,  the  neighbour- 
 ing towns  all  around  continuing  unmoved. 
 
 The  work  of  God's  Spirit  seemed  to  be  at  its 
 greatest  height  in  this  town,  in  the  former  part  of 
 
78 
 
 the  spring,  in  March  and  April ;  at  which  time 
 God's  work  in  the  conversion  of  souls  was  carried 
 on  amongst  us  in  so  wonderful  a  manner,  that  so  far 
 as  I,  by  looking  back,  can  judge  from  the  particular 
 acquaintance  I  have  had  with  souls  in  this  work,  it 
 appears  to  me  probable,  to  have  been  at  the  rate,  at 
 least,  of  four  persons  in  a  day,  or  near  thirty  in  a 
 week,  take  one  with  another,  for  five  or  six  weeks 
 together.  When  God,  in  so  remarkable  a  manner, 
 took  the  work  into  his  own  hands,  there  was  as 
 much  done  in  a  day  or  two,  as  at  ordinary  times, 
 with  all  endeavours  that  men  can  use,  and  with  such 
 a  blessing  as  we  commonly  have,  is  done  in  a  year. 
 
 I  am  very  sensible  how  apt  many  would  be,  if 
 they  should  see  the  account  I  have  here  given,  pre- 
 sently to  think  with  themselves  that  I  am  very  fond 
 of  making  a  great  many  converts,  and  of  magnifying 
 and  aggrandizing  the  matter;  and  to  think  that,  for 
 want  of  judgment,  I  take  every  religious  pang,  and 
 enthusiastic  conceit,  for  saving  conversion;  and  1  do 
 not  much  wonder  if  they  should  be  apt  to  think  so : 
 and  for  this  reason  I  have  forborne  to  publish  an 
 account  of  this  great  work  of  God,  though  I  have 
 often  been  requested.  But  having  now,  as  I  thought, 
 a  special  call  to  give  an  account  of  it,  upon  mature- 
 consideration  I  thought  it  might  not  be  beside  my 
 duty  to  declare  this  amazing  work,  as  it  appeared  to 
 me  to  be  indeed  divine,  and  to  conceal  no  part  of 
 the  glory  of  it,  leaving  it  with  God  to  take  care  of 
 the  credit  of  his  own  work,  and  running  the  venture 
 of  any  censorious  thoughts  which  might  be  enter- 
 tained of  me  to  my  disadvantage.  But  that  distant 
 persons  may  be  under  as  great  advantage  as  may  be, 
 
79 
 
 to  judge  for  themselves  of  this  matter,  I  would  be 
 a  little  more  particular. 
 
 I  therefore  proceed  to  give  an  account  of  the 
 manner  of  persons  being  wrought  upon :  and  here 
 there  is  a  vast  variety,  perhaps  as  manifold  as  the 
 subjects  of  the  operation ;  but  yet  in  many  things 
 there  is  a  great  analogy  in  all. 
 
 Persons  are  first  awakened  with  a  sense  of  their 
 miserable  condition  by  nature;  the  danger  they  are 
 in  of  perishing  eternally ;  and  that  it  is  of  great  im- 
 portance to  them  that  they  speedily  escape  and  get 
 into  a  better  state.  Those  that  before  were  secure 
 and  senseless,  are  made  sensible  how  much  they  were 
 in  the  way  to  ruin  in  their  former  courses.  Some 
 are  more  suddenly  seized  with  convictions ;  by  the 
 news  of  others'  conversion,  or  something  they  hear 
 in  public,  or  in  private  conference,  their  consciences 
 are  suddenly  smitten,  as  if  their  hearts  were  pierced 
 through  with  a  dart :  others  have  awakenings  that 
 come  upon  them  more  gradually,  they  begin  at  first 
 to  be  something  more  thoughtful  and  considerate,  so 
 as  to  come  to  a  conclusion  in  their  minds,  that  it  is 
 their  best  and  wisest  way  to  delay  no  longer,  but  to 
 improve  the  present  opportunity;  and  have  accord- 
 ingly set  themselves  seriously  to  meditate  on  those 
 things  that  have  the  most  awakening  tendency,  on 
 purpose  to  obtain  convictions;  and  so  their  awaken- 
 ings have  increased,  till  a  sense  of  their  misery,  by 
 God's  Spirit  setting  in  therewith,  took  fast  hold  of 
 them.  Others  that,  before  this  wonderful  time,  had 
 been  something  religious  and  concerned  for  their 
 salvation,  have  been  awakened  in  a  new  manner, 
 and  made  sensible  that  their  slack  and  dull  way  of 
 
80 
 
 seeking  was  never  like  to  attain  their  purpose,  and 
 so  have  been  roused  up  to  a  greater  violence  for  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven. 
 
 These  awakenings,  when  they  have  first  seized 
 on  persons,  have  had  two  effects :  one  was,  that  they 
 have  brought  them  immediately  to  quit  their  sinful 
 practices,  and  the  looser  sort  have  been  brought  to 
 forsake  and  dread  their  former  vices  and  extrava- 
 gancies. When  once  the  Spirit  of  God  began  to 
 be  so  wonderfully  poured  out,  in  a  general  way, 
 through  the  town,  people  had  soon  done  with  their 
 old  quarrels,  backbitings,  and  intermeddling  with 
 other  men's  matters;  the  tavern  was  soon  left  empty, 
 and  persons  kept  very  much  at  home;  none  went 
 abroad  unless  on  necessary  business,  or  on  some  re- 
 ligious account,  and  every  day  seemed,  in  many  re- 
 spects, like  a  Sabbath.  And  the  other  effect  was, 
 that  it  put  them  on  earnest  application  to  the  means 
 of  salvation,  reading,  prayer,  meditation,  the  ordi- 
 nances of  God's  house,  and  private  conference;  their 
 cry  was,  "  What  shall  we  do  to  be  saved?"  The 
 place  of  resort  was  now  altered,  it  was  no  longer  the 
 tavern,  but  the  minister's  house  ;  that  was  thronged 
 far  more  than  ever  the  tavern  had  been  wont  to  be. 
 
 There  is  a  very  great  variety  as  to  the  degree  of 
 fear  and  trouble  that  persons  are  exercised  with,  be- 
 fore they  attain  any  comfortable  evidences  of  pardon 
 and  acceptance  with  God.  Some  are,  from  the  begin- 
 ning, carried  on  with  abundantly  more  encouragement 
 and  hope  than  others:  some  have  had  ten  times  less 
 trouble  of  mind  than  others,  in  whom  yet  the  issue 
 seems  to  be  the  same :  some  have  had  such  a  sense 
 of  the  displeasure  of  God,  and  the  great  danger  they 
 
81 
 
 were  in  of  damnation,  that  they  could  not  sleep  at 
 night;  and  many  have  said,  that  when  they  have  laid 
 down,  the  thoughts  of  sleeping  in  such  a  condition 
 Jiave  been  frightful  to  them,  and  they  have  scarcely 
 been  free  from  terror  while  they  have  been  asleep, 
 and  they  have  awaked  with  fear,  heaviness,  and  dis- 
 tress still  abiding  on  their  spirits.  It  has  been  very 
 common,  that  the  deep  and  fixed  concern  that  has 
 been  on  persons'  minds,  has  had  a  painful  influence 
 on  their  bodies,  and  given  disturbance  to  animal  na- 
 ture. 
 
 The  awful  apprehensions  persons  have  had  of  their 
 misery,  have  for  the  most  part  been  increasing,  the 
 nearer  they  have  approached  to  deliverance;  though 
 they  often  pass  through  many  changes  and  alterations 
 in  the  frame  and  circumstances  of  their  minds:  some- 
 times they  think  themselves  wholly  senseless,  and 
 fear  that  the  Spirit  of  God  has  left  them,  and  that 
 they  are  given  up  to  judicial  hardness;  yet  they  ap- 
 pear very  deeply  exercised  about  that  fear,  and  are 
 in  great  earnest  to  obtain  convictions  again. 
 
 Together  with  those  fears,  and  that  exercise  of 
 mind  which  is  rational,  and  which  they  have  just 
 ground  for,  they  have  often  suffered  many  needless 
 distresses  of  thought,  in  which  Satan  probably  has  a 
 great  hand,  to  entangle  them,  and  block  up  their 
 way;  and  sometimes  the  distemper  of  melancholy 
 has  been  evidently  mixed;  of  which,  when  it  hap- 
 pens, the  tempter  seems  to  take  great  advantage, 
 and  puts  an  unhappy  bar  in  the  way  of  any  good 
 effect.  One  knows  not  how  to  deal  with  such  per- 
 sons, they  turn  every  thing  that  is  said  to  them  the 
 wrong  way,  and  most  to  their  own  disadvantage  : 
 D  3 
 
82 
 
 and  there  is  nothing  that  the  devil  seems  to  make 
 so  great  a  handle  of,  as  a  melancholy  humour,  un- 
 less it  be  the  real  corruption  of  the  heart. 
 
 But  it  has  been  very  remarkable,  that  there  has 
 been  far  less  of  this  mixture  in  this  time  of  extra- 
 ordinary blessing,  than  there  was  wont  to  be  in 
 persons  under  awakenings  at  other  times ;  for  it  is 
 evident,  that  many  that  before  had  been  exceedingly 
 involved  in  such  difficulties,  seemed  now  strangely 
 to  be  set  at  liberty:  some  persons  that  had  before 
 been  long  exceedingly  entangled  with  peculiar  temp- 
 tations, and  unprofitable  and  hurtful  distresses,  were 
 soon  helped  over  former  stumbling-blocks,  that  hin- 
 dered any  progress  towards  saving  good ;  and  con- 
 victions have  vvrought  more  kindly,  and  they  have 
 been  successfully  carried  on  in  the  way  to  life.  Thus 
 Satan  seemed  to  be  restrained,  till  towards  the  latter 
 .  end  of  this  wonderful  time,  when  God's  Spirit  was 
 about  to  withdraw. 
 
 Many  times  persons  under  great  awakenings  were 
 concerned,  because  they  thought  they  were  not  awak- 
 ened, but  miserable,  hard-hearted,  senseless  creatures 
 still,  and  sleeping  upon  the  brink  of  hell :  the  sense 
 of  the  need  they  have  to  be  awakened,  and  of  their 
 comparative  hardness,  grows  upon  them  with  their 
 awakenings;  so  that  they  seem  to  themselves  to  be 
 very  senseless,  when  indeed  most  sensible.  There 
 have  been  some  instances  of  persons  that  have  had 
 as  great  a  sense  of  their  danger  and  misery,  as  their 
 natures  could  well  subsist  under,  so  that  a  little 
 more  would  probably  have  destroyed  them ;  and  yet 
 they  have  expressed  themselves  much  amazed  at 
 their  own  insensibility  and  sottishness,  in  such  an 
 extraordinary  time  as  it  then  was. 
 
83 
 
 Persons  are  sometimes  brought  to  the  borders  of 
 despair,  and  it  looks  as  black  as  midnight   a  little 
 before  the  day  dawns  on  their  souls.      Some  few  in- 
 stances there  have  been  of  persons,  who  have  had 
 such  a  sense  of  God's  wrath  for  sin,  that  they  have 
 been  overborne,   and  made  to  cry  out  under  an  as- 
 tonishing sense  of  their  guilt,   wondering  that   God 
 suffers  such  guilty  wretches  to  live  upon  earth,  and 
 that  he  doth  not  immediately  send  them  to  hell ; 
 and  sometimes  their  guilt  doth  so  glare  them  in  the 
 face,  that  they  are  in  exceeding  terror  for  fear  God 
 will  instantly  do  it;  but  more  commonly  their  dis- 
 tresses, under  legal  awakenings,  have  not  been  so 
 strong.      In  some,  these  terrors  do  not  seem  to  be 
 so  sharp,  when  near  comfort,  as  before;  their  con- 
 victions have  not  seemed  to  work  so  much  that  way, 
 but  they  seem  to  be  led  further  down  into  their  own 
 hearts,  to  a  further  sense  of  their  own  universal  de- 
 pravity and  deadness  in  sin. 
 
 The  corruption  of  the  heart  has  discovered  itself, 
 in  various  exercises,  in  the  time  of  legal  convictions. 
 Sometimes  it  appears  in  a  great  struggle,  like  some- 
 thing roused  by  an  enemy,  and  Satan,  the  old  inha- 
 bitant, seems  to  exert  himself,  like  a  serpent  dis- 
 turbed and  enraged.  Many,  in  such  circumstances, 
 have  felt  a  great  spirit  of  envy  towards  the  godly, 
 especially  towards  those  that  are  thought  to  have 
 been  lately  converted,  and  most  of  all  towards  ac- 
 quaintances and  companions,  when  they  are  thought 
 to  be  converted.  Indeed,  some  have  felt  many 
 heart-risings  against  God,  and  raurmurings  at  his 
 ways  of  dealing  with  mankind,  and  with  themselves 
 in  particular.      It  has  been  much  insisted  on,  both  in 
 
'    84 
 
 public  and  private,  that  persons  should  have  the 
 utmost  dread  of  such  envious  thoughts,  which,  if 
 allowed,  tend  exceedingly  to  quench  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  if  not  to  provoke  him  finally  to  forsake  them. 
 And  when  such  a  spirit  has  much  prevailed,  and 
 persons  have  not  so  earnestly  strove  against  it  as 
 they  ought  to  have  done,  it  has  seemed  to  be  ex- 
 ceedingly to  the  hinderance  of  the  good  of  their 
 souls.  But,  in  some  other  instances,  where  persons 
 have  been  much  terrified  at  the  sight  of  such  wick- 
 edness  in  their  hearts,  God  has  brought  good  to 
 them  out  of  evil;  and  made  it  a  means  of  convincing 
 them  of  their  own  desperate  sinfulness,  and  bringing 
 them  off  from  all  self-confidence. 
 
 The  drift  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  his  legal  striv- 
 ings, seemed  most  evidently  to  be,  to  make  way  for, 
 and  to  bring  to,  a  conviction  of  their  absolute  de- 
 pendence on  his  sovereign  power  and  grace,  and 
 universal  necessity  of  a  Mediator,  by  leading  them, 
 more  and  more,  to  a  sense  of  their  exceeding  wick- 
 edness and  guiltiness  in  his  sight;  the  pollution  and 
 insufficiency  of  their  own  righteousness,  that  they 
 can  in  no  wise  help  themselves,  and  that  God  would 
 be  wholly  just  and  righteous  in  rejecting  them,  and 
 all  that  they  do,  and  in  casting  them  off  for  ever ; 
 though  there  be  a  vast  variety,  as  to  the  manner 
 and  distinctness,  of  persons'  convictions  of  these 
 things. 
 
 As  they  are  gradually  more  and  more  convinced 
 of  the  corruption  and  wickedness  of  their  hearts,  they 
 seem  to  themselves  to  grow  worse  and  worse,  harder, 
 blinder,  and  more  desperately  wicked,  instead  of 
 growing  better;  they  are  ready  to  be   discouraged 
 
85 
 
 by  it,  and  oftentimes  never  think  themselves  so  far 
 off  from  good,  as  when  they  are  nearest.  Under  the 
 sense  which  the  Spirit  of  God  gives  them  of  their 
 sinfuhiess,  they  often  think  that  they  differ  from  all 
 others;  their  hearts  are  ready  to  sink  with  the 
 thought,  that  they  are  the  worst  of  all,  and  that 
 none  ever  obtained  mercy  that  were  so  wicked  as 
 they. 
 
 When  awakenings  first  begin,  their  consciences 
 are  commonly  most  exercised  about  their  outward 
 vicious  course,  or  other  acts  of  sin  ;  but  afterwards, 
 are  much  more  burdened  with  a  sense  of  heart-sins, 
 the  dreadful  corruption  of  their  nature,  their  enmity 
 against  God,  the  pride  of  their  hearts,  their  unbe- 
 lief, their  rejection  of  Christ,  the  stubbornness  and 
 obstinacy  of  their  wills,  and  the  like.  In  many, 
 God  makes  much  use  of  their  own  experience,  in 
 the  course  of  their  awakenings  and  endeavours  after 
 saving  good,  to  convince  them  of  their  own  vile 
 emptiness  and  universal  depravity. 
 
 Very  often,  under  first  awakenings,  when  they 
 are  brought  to  reflect  on  the  sin  of  their  past  lives, 
 and  have  something  of  a  terrifying  sense  of  God's 
 anger,  they  set  themselves  to  walk  more  strictly,  and 
 confess  their  sins,  and  perform  many  religious  duties, 
 with  a  secret  hope  of  appeasing  God's  anger,  and 
 making  up  for  the  sins  they  have  committed  ;  and 
 oftentimes,  at  first  setting  out,  their  affections  are 
 moved,  and  they  are  full  of  tears,  in  their  confes- 
 sions and  prayers,  which  they  are  ready  to  make  very 
 much  of,  as  though  they  were  some  atonement,  and 
 had  power  to  move  correspondent  affections  in  God ; 
 and  hence  they  are,  for  awhile,  big  with  expectation 
 
86 
 
 of  what  God  will  do  for  them;  and  conceive  that 
 they  grow  better  apace,  and  shall  soon  be  thoroughly 
 converted.  But  these  affections  are  but  short-lived, 
 they  quickly  find  that  they  fail,  and  then  they  think 
 themselves  to  be  grown  worse  again  ;  they  do  not 
 find  such  a  prospect  of  being  soon  converted,  as 
 they  thought :  instead  of  being  nearer,  they  seem 
 to  be  farther  off;  their  hearts  they  think  are  grown 
 harder,  and,  by  this  means,  their  fears  of  perishing 
 greatly  increase.  But  though  they  are  disappointed, 
 they  renew  their  attempts  again  and  again ;  and  still 
 as  their  attempts  are  multiplied,  so  are  their  disap- 
 pointments; all  fails — they  see  no  token  of  having 
 inclined  God's  heart  to  them ;  they  do  not  see  that 
 he  hears  their  prayers  at  all,  as  they  expected  he 
 would;  and  sometimes  there  have  been  great  temp- 
 tations arising  hence,  to  leave  off  seeking,  and  to 
 yield  up  the  case.  But  as  they  are  still  more  terri- 
 fied with  fears  of  perishing,  and  their  former  hopes 
 of  prevailing  on  God  to  be  merciful  to  them,  in  a 
 great  measure  fail;  sometimes  their  religious  affec- 
 tions have  turned  into  heart-risings  against  God, 
 because  he  will  not  pity  them,  and  seems  to  have 
 little  regard  to  their  distress,  and  piteous  cries,  and 
 to  all  the  pains  that  they  take  :  they  think  of  the 
 mercy  that  God  has  shown  to  others;  how  soon,  and 
 how  easily,  others  have  obtained  comfort,  and  those 
 too  that  were  worse  than  they,  and  have  not  la- 
 boured so  much  as  they  have  done;  and  sometimes 
 they  have  had  even  dreadful  blasphemous  thoughts 
 in  these  circumstances. 
 
 But  when  they  reflect  on  these  wicked  workings 
 of  heart  against  God,  if  their  convictions  are  con- 
 
87 
 
 tinued,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  is  not  provoked  ut- 
 terly to  forsake  them,  they  have  more  distressing 
 apprehensions  of  the  anger  of  God  towards  those 
 whose  hearts  work  after  such  a  sinful  manner  about 
 him;  and  it  may  be,  have  great  fears  that  they  have 
 committed  the  unpardonable  sin,  or  that  God  will 
 surely  never  show  mercy  to  them  that  are  such 
 vipers ;  and  are  often  tempted  to  leave  off  in  despair. 
 But  then,  perhaps,  by  something  they  read  or  hear 
 of  the  infinite  mercy  of  God,  and  all-sufficiency  of 
 Christ  for  the  chief  of  sinners,  they  have  some  en- 
 couragement and  hope  renewed  ;  but  think,  that  as 
 yet  they  are  not  fit  to  come  to  Christ;  they  are  so 
 wicked,  that  Christ  will  never  accept  of  them  :  and 
 then,  it  may  be,  they  set  themselves  upon  a  new 
 course  of  fruitless  endeavours  in  their  own  strength, 
 to  make  themselves  better,  and  still  meet  with  new 
 disappointments :  they  are  earnest  to  inquire  what 
 they  shall  do  ?  They  do  not  know  but  there  is 
 something  else  to  be  done,  in  order  to  their  obtaining 
 converting  grace,  that  they  have  never  yet  done. 
 It  may  be  they  hope  they  are  something  better  than 
 they  were  :  but  then  the  pleasing  dream  all  vanishes 
 again.  If  they  are  told  that  they  trust  too  much 
 to  their  own  strength  and  righteousness,  they  can- 
 not unlearn  this  practice  all  at  once,  and  find  not 
 yet  the  appearance  of  any  good,  but  all  looks  as 
 dark  as  midnight  to  them.  Thus  they  wander  about 
 seeking  rest,  and  finding  none :  when  they  are  beat 
 out  of  one  refuge,  they  fly  to  another,  till  they  are, 
 as  it  were,  debilitated,  broken,  and  subdued  with 
 legal  humblings;  in  which  God  gives  them  a  con- 
 viction of  their  own  utter  helplessness  and  insuffi- 
 
88 
 
 ciency,  and  discovers  the  true  remedy  in  a  clearer 
 knowledge  of  Christ  and  his  gospel. 
 
 When  they  begin  to  seek  salvation,  they  are 
 commonly  profoundly  ignorant  of  themselves ;  they 
 are  not  sensible  how  blind  they  are,  and  how  little 
 they  can  do  towards  bringing  themselves  to  see 
 spiritual  things  aright,  and  towards  putting  forth 
 gracious  exercises  in  their  own  souls  :  they  are  not 
 sensible  how  remote  they  are  from  love  to  God,  and 
 other  holy  dispositions,  and  how  dead  they  are  in 
 sin.  When  they  see  unexpected  pollution  in  their 
 own  hearts,  they  go  about  to  wash  away  their  own 
 defilements,  and  make  themselves  clean  ;  and  they 
 weary  themselves  in  vain,  till  God  shows  them  that 
 it  is  in  vain,  and  that  their  help  is  not  where  they 
 have  sought  it,  but  elsewhere. 
 
 But  some  persons  continue  wandering  in  such  a 
 kind  of  labyrinth,  ten  times  as  long  as  others,  before 
 their  own  experience  will  convince  them  of  their  in- 
 sufficiency ;  and  so  it  appears  not  to  be  their  own 
 experience  only,  but  the  convincing  influence  of 
 God's  Spirit  with  their  experience,  that  attains  the 
 effect.  And  God  has  of  late  abundantly  shown,  that 
 he  does  not  need  to  wait  to  have  men  convinced  by 
 loiig  and  often  repeated  fruitless  trials ;  for,  in  mul- 
 titudes of  instances,  he  has  made  a  shorter  work  of 
 it :  he  has  so  awakened  and  convinced  persons'  con- 
 sciences, and  made  them  so  sensible  of  their  exceed- 
 ing vileness,  and  given  them  such  a  sense  of  his 
 wrath  against  sin,  as  has  quickly  overcome  all  their 
 vain  self-confidence,  and  borne  them  down  into  the 
 dust  before  a  holy  and  righteous  God. 
 
 There  have  been  some  who  have  not  had  great 
 
89 
 
 terrors,  but  have  had  a  very  quick  work.  Some  of 
 those  that  have  not  had  so  deep  a  conviction  of  these 
 things  before  their  conversion,  have  much  more  of  it 
 afterwards.  God  has  appeared  far  from  hmiting 
 himself  to  any  certain  method  in  his  proceedings 
 with  sinners  under  le^al  convictions.  In  some  in- 
 stances,  it  seems  easy  for  our  reasoning  powers  to 
 discern  the  methods  of  divine  wisdom,  in  his  deahngs 
 with  the  soul  under  awakenings  :  in  others,  his  foot- 
 steps cannot  be  traced,  and  his  ways  are  past  finding 
 out :  and  some  that  are  less  distinctly  wrought  upon, 
 in  what  is  preparatory  to  grace,  appear  no  less 
 eminent  in  gracious  experiences  afterwards. 
 
 There  is  in  nothing  a  greater  difference,  in  dif- 
 ferent persons,  than  with  respect  to  the  time  of  their 
 being  under  trouble;  some  but  a  few  days,  and 
 others  for  months  or  years.  There  were  many  in 
 this  town,  that  had  been,  before  this  eflPusion  of 
 God's  Spirit  upon  us,  for  years,  some  for  many  years, 
 concerned  about  their  salvation;  though  probably  they 
 were  not  thoroughly  awakened,  yet  they  were  con- 
 cerned to  such  a  degree  as  to  be  very  uneasy,  so  as 
 to  live  an  uncomfortable,  disquieted  life,  and  to  con- 
 tinue in  taking  considerable  pains  about  their  salva- 
 tion, but  had  never  obtained  any  comfortable  evi- 
 dence of  a  good  estate,  who  now,  in  this  extraor- 
 dinary time,  have  received  light;  but  many  of  them 
 were  some  of  the  last :  they  first  saw  multitudes  of 
 others  rejoicing,  and  with  songs  of  deliverance  in 
 their  mouths,  who  seemed  wholly  careless  and  at 
 ease,  and  in  pursuit  of  vanity,  while  they  had  been 
 bowed  down  with  solicitude  about  their  souls;  yea, 
 some  had  lived  licentiously,  and   so  continued  till  a 
 
90 
 
 little  before  they  were  converted,  and  grew  up  to  a 
 holy  rejoicing  in  the  infinite  blessings  God  had  be- 
 stowed upon  them. 
 
 And  whatever  minister  has  a  like  occasion  to  deal 
 with  souls,  in  a  flock  under  such  circumstances  as 
 this  was,  I  cannot  but  think  he  will  soon  find  hini- 
 self  under  a  necessity  greatly  to  insist  with  thera, 
 that  God  is  under  no  manner  of  obligation  to  show 
 any  mercy  to  any  natural  man,  whose  heart  is  not 
 turned  to  God  :  and  that  a  man  can  challenge  no- 
 thing, either  in  absolute  justice,  or  by  free  promise, 
 from  any  thing  he  does,  before  he  has  believed  on 
 Jesus  Christ,  or  has  true  repentance  begun  in  him. 
 It  appears  to  me,  that  if  I  had  taught  those  that 
 came  to  me  under  trouble,  any  other  doctrine,  I 
 should  have  taken  a  most  direct  course  utterly  to 
 have  undone  them ;  I  should  have  directly  crossed 
 what  was  plainly  the  drift  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in 
 his  influences  upon  them  :  for  if  they  had  believed 
 what  I  said,  it  would  either  have  promoted  self- 
 flattery  and  carelessness,  and  so  put  an  end  to  their 
 awakenings ;  or  cherished  and  established  their  con- 
 tention and  strife  with  God,  concerning  his  dealings 
 with  them  and  others,  and  blocked  up  their  way  to 
 that  humiliation  before  the  Sovereign  Disposer  of 
 life  and  death,  whereby  God  is  wont  to  prepare 
 thera  for  his  consolations.  And  yet  those  that  have 
 been  under  awakenings,  have  oftentimes  plainly  stood 
 in  need  of  being  encouraged,  by  being  told  of  the 
 infinite  and  all-sufficient  mercy  of  God  in  Christ ; 
 and  that  it  is  God's  manner  to  succeed  diligence, 
 and  bless  his  own  means,  that  so  awakenings  and 
 
91 
 
 encouragements,  fear  and  hope,  may  be  duly  mixed 
 and  proportioned,  to  preserve  their  minds  in  a  just 
 medium  between  the  two  extremes  of  self-flattery 
 and  despondence,  both  which  tend  to  slackness  and 
 negligence,  and,  in  the  end,  to  security.  I  think  I 
 have  found  that  no  discourses  have  been  more  re- 
 markably blessed,  than  those  in  which  the  doctrine 
 of  God's  absolute  sovereignty  with  regard  to  the 
 salvation  of  sinners,  and  his  just  liberty,  with  re- 
 gard to  answering  the  prayers,  or  succeeding  the 
 pains  of  natural  men,  continuing  such,  have  been 
 insisted  on.  I  never  found  so  much  immediate 
 saving  fruit,  in  any  measure,  of  any  discourses  I 
 have  offered  to  my  congregation,  as  some  from  these 
 words,  Rom.  iii.  19.  "  That  every  mouth  may  be 
 stopped;"  endeavouring  to  show  from  thence,  that 
 it  would  be  just  with  God  for  ever  to  reject  and  cast 
 off*  mere  natural  men. 
 
 In  those  in  whom  awakenings  seem  to  have  a 
 saving  issue,  commonly  the  first  thing  that  appears 
 after  their  legal  troubles,  is  a  conviction  of  the  jus- 
 tice of  God  in  their  condemnation,  in  a  sense  of 
 their  own  exceeding  sinfulness,  and  the  vileness  of 
 all  their  performances.  In  giving  an  account  of  this, 
 they  expressed  themselves  very  variously:  some, 
 that  they  saw  that  God  was  sovereign,  and  might 
 receive  others  and  reject  them;  some,  that  they  were 
 convinced  that  God  might  justly  bestow  mercy  on 
 every  person  in  the  town,  and  on  every  person  in 
 the  world,  and  damn  themselves  to  all  eternity ; 
 some,  that  they  see  that  God  may  justly  have  no 
 regard  to  all  the  pains  they  have  taken,  and  all  the 
 prayers  they  have  made ;  some,  that  they  see  that 
 
92 
 
 if  they  should  seek,  and  take  the  utmost  pahis  all 
 their  lives,  God  might  justly  cast  them  into  hell  at 
 last,  because  all  their  labours,  prayers,  and  tears 
 cannot  make  atonement  for  the  least  sin,  nor  merit 
 any  blessing  at  the  hands  of  God ;  some  have  de- 
 clared themselves  to  be  in  the  hands  of  God,  that 
 he  can,  and  may  dispose  of  them,  just  as  he  pleases; 
 some,  that  God  may  glorify  himself  in  their  damna- 
 tion, and  they  wonder  that  God  has  suffered  them 
 to  live  so  long,  and  has  not  cast  them  into  hell  long 
 
 ago- 
 Some  are  brought  to  this  conviction  by  a  great 
 sense  of  their  sinfulness  in  general,  that  they  are 
 such  vile,  wicked  creatures  in  heart  and  life  :  others 
 have  the  sins  of  their  lives  in  an  extraordinary  man- 
 ner set  before  them,  multitudes  of  them  coming  just 
 then  fresh  to  their  memory,  and  being  set  before 
 them  with  their  aggravations ;  some  have  their 
 minds  especially  fixed  on  some  particular  wicked 
 practice  they  have  indulg 'd  ;  some  are  especially 
 convinced  by  a  sight  of  the  corruption  and  wicked- 
 ness of  their  hearts;  some,  from  a  view  they  have 
 of  the  horridness  of  some  particular  exercises  of  cor- 
 ruption, which  they  have  had  in  the  time  of  their 
 awakening,  whereby  the  enmity  of  the  heart  against 
 God  has  been  manifested;  some  are  convinced  espe- 
 cially by  a  sense  of  the  sin  of  unbelief,  the  opposi- 
 tion of  their  hearts  to  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ, 
 and  their  obstinacy  in  rejecting  him  and  his  grace. 
 
 There  is  a  great  difference  as  to  persons'  distinct- 
 ness here;  some,  that  have  not  so  clear  a  sight  of 
 God's  justice  in  their  condemnation,  yet  mention 
 things  that  plainly  imply  it.      They  find  a  disposi- 
 
93 
 
 tion  to  acknowledge  God  to  be  just  and  righteous 
 in  his  threatenings,  and  that  they  are  deserving  of 
 nothing  :  and  many  times,  though  they  had  not  so 
 particular  a  sight  of  it  at  the  beginning,  they  have 
 very  clear  discoveries  of  it  soon  aftervi'ards,  with 
 great  humbhngs  in  the  dust  before  God. 
 
 Commonly,  persons'  minds,  immediately  before 
 this  discovery  of  God's  justice,  are  exceeding  rest- 
 less, and  in  a  kind  of  struggle  and  tumult,  and 
 sometimes  in  anguish ;  but  generally,  as  soon  as 
 they  have  this  conviction,  it  immediately  brings  their 
 minds  to  a  calm,  and  a  before  unexpected  quiet- 
 ness and  composure  ;  and  most  frequently,  though 
 not  always,  then  the  pressing  weight  upon  their 
 spirits  is  taken  away,  and  a  general  hope  arises, 
 that,  some  time  or  other,  God  will  be  gracious, 
 even  before  any  distinct  and  particular  discoveries 
 of  mercy  ;  and  often  they  then  come  to  a  conclu- 
 sion within  themselves,  that  they  will  lie  at  God's 
 feet,  and  wait  his  time ;  and  they  rest  in  that, 
 not  being  sensible  that  the  Spirit  of  God  has  now 
 brought  them  to  a  frame  whereby  they  are  prepared 
 for  mercy  ;  for  it  is  remarkable,  that  persons,  when 
 they  first  have  this  sense  of  the  justice  of  God, 
 rarely,  in  the  time  of  it,  think  any  thing  of  its  being 
 that  humiliation  that  they  have  often  heard  insisted 
 on,  and  that  others  experience. 
 
 In  many  persons,  the  first  conviction  of  the  justice 
 of  God  in  their  condemnation,  which  they  take  par- 
 ticular notice  of,  and  probably  the  first  distinct  con- 
 viction of  it  that  they  have,  is  of  such  a  nature,  as 
 seems  to  be  above  any  thing  merely  legal.  Though 
 it  be  after  legal  humblings,  and  much  of  a  sense  of 
 
94 
 
 their  own  helplessness  and  of  the  insufficiency  of 
 their  own  duties;  yet  it  does  not  appear  to  be  forced 
 by  mere  legal  terrors  and  convictions ;  but  rather 
 from  a  high  exercise  of  grace,  in  saving  repentance, 
 and  evangelical  humiliation ;  for  there  is  in  it  a  sort 
 of  complacency  of  soul,  in  the  attribute  of  God's 
 justice,  as  displayed  in  his  threatenings  of  eternal 
 damnation  to  sinners.  Sometimes,  at  the  discovery 
 of  it,  they  can  scarcely  forbear  crying  out,  It  is 
 JUST  !  IT  IS  JUST  !  Some  express  themselves,  that 
 they  see  the  glory  of  God  would  shine  bright  in 
 their  own  condemnation ;  and  they  are  ready  to 
 think,  that  if  they  are  damned,  they  would  take  part 
 with  God  against  themselves,  and  would  glorify  his 
 justice  therein.  And  when  it  is  thus,  they  com- 
 monly have  some  evident  sense  of  free  and  all-suffi- 
 cient grace,  though  they  give  no  distinct  account  of 
 it ;  but  it  is  manifest  by  that  great  degree  of  hope 
 and  encouragement  that  they  then  conceive,  though 
 they  were  never  so  sensible  of  their  own  vileness 
 and  ill-deservings  as  they  are  at  that  time. 
 
 Some,  when  in  such  circumstances,  have  felt  that 
 sense  of  the  excellency  of  God's  justice,  appearing 
 in  the  vindictive  exercises  of  it  against  such  sinful- 
 ness  as  theirs,  and  have  had  such  a  submission  of 
 mind  in  their  idea  of  this  attribute,  and  of  those  ex- 
 ercises of  it,  together  with  an  exceeding  loathing  of 
 their  own  unworthiness,  and  a  kind  of  indignation 
 against  themselves,  that  they  have  sometimes  almost 
 called  it  a  wilHngness  to  be  damned;  though  it  must 
 -be  owned  they  had  not  clear  and  distinct  ideas  of 
 damnation,  nor  does  any  word  in  the  Bible  require 
 such  self-denial  as  this.      But  the  truth  is,  as  some 
 
93 
 
 have  more  clearly  expressed  it,  that  salvation  has 
 appeared  too  good  for  them,  that  they  were  worthy 
 of  nothing  but  condemnation,  and  they  could  not 
 tell  how  to  think  of  salvation  being  bestowed  upon 
 them,  fearing  it  was  inconsistent  with  the  glory  of 
 God's  majesty,  that  they  had  so  much  contemned 
 and  affronted. 
 
 That  calm  of  spirit  that  some  persons  have  found 
 after  their  legal  distresses,  continues  some  time  be- 
 fore any  special  and  delightful  manifestation  is  made 
 to  the  soul  of  the  grace  of  God,  as  revealed  in  the 
 gospel;  but  very  often  some  comfortable  and  sweet 
 view  of  a  merciful  God,  of  a  sufficient  Redeemer, 
 or  of  some  great  and  joyful  things  of  the  gospel,  im- 
 mediately follows,  or  in  a  very  little  time :  and  in 
 some,  the  first  sight  of  their  just  desert  of  hell,  and 
 God's  sovereignty  with  respect  to  their  salvation, 
 and  a  discovery  of  all-sufficient  grace,  are  so  near, 
 that  they  seem  to  go  as  it  were  together. 
 
 These  gracious  discoveries  that  are  given,  whence 
 the  first  special  comforts  are  derived,  are  in  many  re- 
 spects very  various.  More  frequently,  Christ  is  dis- 
 tinctly made  the  object  of  the  mind,  in  his  all-suffi- 
 ciency and  willingness  to  save  sinners :  but  some 
 have  their  thoughts  more  especially  fixed  on  God,  in 
 some  of  his  sweet  and  glorious  attributes  manifested 
 in  the  gospel,  and  shining  forth  in  the  face  of  Christ; 
 some  view  the  all-sufficiency  of  the  mercy  and  grace 
 of  God ;  some  chiefly  the  infinite  power  of  God,  and 
 his  ability  to  save  them,  and  to  do  all  things  for 
 them ;  and  some  look  most  at  the  truth  and  faith- 
 fulness of  God.  In  some,  the  truth  and  certainty  of 
 the  gospel,  in  general,  is  the  first  joyful  discovery 
 
96 
 
 they  have ;  in  others,  the  certain  truth  of  some  par- 
 ticular promises:  in  some,  the  grace  and  sincerity  of 
 God  in  his  invitations,  very  commonly  in  some  par- 
 ticular invitation  in  the  mind,  and  it  now  appears 
 real  to  them  that  God  does  indeed  invite  them. 
 Some  are  struck  with  the  glory  and  wonderfulness 
 of  the  dying  love  of  Christ;  and  some  with  the  suf- 
 ficiency and  preciousness  of  his  blood,  as  offered  to 
 make  an  atonement  for  sin;  and  others  with  the 
 value  and  glory  of  his  obedience  and  righteousness. 
 In  some,  the  excellency  and  loveliness  of  Christ 
 chiefly  engages  their  thoughts;  in  some  his  divinity, 
 that  he  is  indeed  "the  Son  of  the  living  God;"  and 
 in  others,  the  excellency  of  the  way  of  salvation  by 
 Christ,  and  the  suitableness  of  it  to  their  necessities. 
 
 Some  have  an  apprehension  of  these  things  so 
 given,  that  it  seems  more  natural  to  them  to  express 
 it  by  sight  or  discovery;  others  think  what  they  ex- 
 perience better  expressed  by  the  realizing  conviction, 
 or  a  lively  or  feeling  sense  of  heart ;  meaning,  as  I 
 suppose,  no  other  difference  but  what  is  merely  cir- 
 cumstantial or  gradual. 
 
 There  is  often  in  the  mind  some  particular  text 
 of  Scripture,  holding  forth  some  evangelical  ground 
 of  consolation;  sometimes  a  multitude  of  texts,  gra- 
 cious invitations  and  promises,  flowing  in  one  after 
 another,  filling  the  soul  more  and  more,  with  com- 
 fort and  satisfaction  :  and  comfort  is  first  given  to 
 some,  while  reading  some  portion  of  Scripture;  but 
 in  some  it  is  attended  with  no  particular  Scripture 
 at  all,  either  in  reading  or  meditation.  In  some, 
 many  divine  things  seem  to  be  discovered  to  the 
 soul  as  it  were  at  once;    others  have  their  minds 
 
97 
 
 especially  fixing  on  some  one  thing  at  first,  and 
 afterwards  a  sense  is  given  of  others;  in  some  with 
 a  swifter,  and  others  a  j-lower  succession,  and  some- 
 times with  interruptions  of  much  darkness. 
 
 The  way  that  grace  seems  sometimes  first  to  ap- 
 pear after  legal  humiliation,  is  in  earnest  longings  of 
 soul  after  God  and  Christ,  to  know  God,  to  love 
 him,  to  be  humbled  before  him,  to  have  communion 
 with  Christ  in  his  benefits;  which  Iqngings,  as  they 
 express  them,  seem  evidently  to  be  of  such  a  nature 
 as  can  arise  from  nothing  but  a  sense  of  the  super- 
 lative excellency  of  divine  things,  with  a  spiritual 
 taste  and  relish  of  them,  and  an  esteem  of  them  as 
 their  highest  happiness  and  best  portion.  Such 
 longings  as  I  speak  of,  are  commonly  attended  with 
 firm  resolutions  to  pursue  this  good  for  ever,  to- 
 gether with  a  hoping,  waiting  disposition.  When 
 persons  have  begun  in  such  frames,  commonly  other 
 experiences  and  discoveries  have  soon  followed,  which 
 have  yet  more  clearly  manifested  a  change  of  heart. 
 
 It  must  needs  be  confessed  that  Christ  is  not  al- 
 ways distinctly  and  explicitly  thought  of  in  the  first 
 sensible  act  of  grace,  (though  most  commonly  he  is,) 
 but  sometimes  he  is  the  object  of  the  mind  only  im- 
 plicitly. Thus  sometimes  when  persons  have  seemed 
 evidently  to  be  stripped  of  all  their  own  righteous- 
 ness, and  to  have  stood  self- condemned  as  guilty  of 
 death,  they  have  been  comforted  with  a  joyful  and 
 satisfying  view,  that  the  mercy  and  grace  of  God  is 
 sufficient  for  them ;  that  their  sins,  though  ever  so 
 great,  shall  be  no  hinderance  to  their  being  accepted; 
 that  there  is  mercy  enough  in  God  for  the  whole 
 world,  and  the  like,  when  they  give  no  account  of 
 E  48 
 
98 
 
 any  particular  or  distinct  thought  of  Christ ;  but  yet 
 when  the  account  they  give  is  duly  weighed,  and 
 they  are  a  little  interrogated  about  it,  it  appears 
 that  the  revelation  of  the  mercy  of  God  in  the  gos- 
 pel, is  the  ground  of  this  their  encouragement  and 
 hope;  and  that  it  is  indeed  the  mercy  of  God 
 through  Christ  that  is  discovered  to  them,  and  that 
 it  is  depended  on  in  him,  and  not  in  any  wise  moved 
 by  any  thing  in  them. 
 
 So  sometimes  disconsolate  souls  amongst  us,  have 
 been  revived  and  brought  to  rest  in  God,  by  a  sweet 
 sense  given  of  his  grace  and  faithfulness,  in  some 
 special  invitation  or  promise,  in  which  is  no  particu- 
 lar mention  of  Christ,  nor  is  it  accompanied  with  any 
 distinct  thought  of  him  in  their  minds ;  but  yet  it  is 
 not  received  as  out  of  Christ,  but  as  one  of  the  in- 
 vitations or  promises  made  of  God  to  poor  sinners 
 through  his  Son,  Jesus,  as  it  is  indeed:  and  such 
 persons  have  afterwards  had  clear  and  distinct  dis- 
 coveries of  Christ,  accompanied  with  lively  and  spe- 
 cial actings  of  faith  and  love  towards  him. 
 
 It  has  more  frequently  been  so  amongst  us,  that 
 when  persons  have  first  had  the  gospel-ground  of 
 relief  for  lost  sinners  discovered  to  them,  and  have 
 been  entertaining  their  minds  with  the  sweet  pros- 
 pect, they  have  thought  nothing  at  that  time  of  their 
 being  converted  :  to  see  that  there  is  such  an  all- 
 sufficiency  in  God,  and  such  plentiful  provision  made 
 in  Christ,  after  they  have  been  borne  down,  and 
 sunk  with  a  sense  of  their  guilt  and  fears  of  wrath, 
 exceedingly  refreshes  them  ;  the  view  is  joyful  to 
 them,  as  it  is  in  its  own  nature  glorious,  and  gives 
 them  quite  new,  and  more  delightful  ideas  of  God 
 
9i/ 
 
 and  Christ,  and  greatly  encourages  tliem  to  seek 
 conversion,  and  begets  in  tliem  a  strong  resolution 
 to  give  up  themselves,  and  devote  their  whole  lives 
 to  God  and  his  Son,  and  patiently  to  wait  till  God 
 shall  see  fit  to  make  all  efFectual ;  and  very  often 
 they  entertain  a  strong  persuasion,  that  he  will,  in 
 his  own  time,  do  it  for  them. 
 
 There  is  wrought  in  them  a  holy  repose  of  soul 
 in  God  through  Christ,  and  a  secret  disposition  to 
 fear  and  love  him,  and  to  hope  for  blessings  from 
 him  in  this  way  :  and  yet  they  have  no  imagination 
 that  they  are  now  converted,  it  does  not  so  much  as 
 come  into  their  minds:  and  very  often  the  reason  is, 
 that  they  do  not  see  that  they  do  accept  cf  this 
 sufficiency  of  salvation,  that  they  behold  in  Christ, 
 having  entertained  a  wrong  notion  of  acceptance  ; 
 not  being  sensible  that  the  obedient  and  joyful  en- 
 tertainment which  their  hearts  give  to  this  discovery 
 of  grace,  is  a  real  acceptance  of  it ;  they  know  not 
 that  the  sweet  complacence  they  feel  in  the  mercv 
 and  complete  salvation  of  God,  as  it  includes  pardon 
 and  sanctification,  and  is  held  forth  to  them  only 
 through  Christ,  is  a  true  receiving  of  this  mercy,  or 
 a  plain  evidence  of  their  receiving  it.  They  ex- 
 pected I  know  not  what  kind  of  act  of  soul,  and 
 perhaps  they  had  no  distinct  idea  of  it  themselves. 
 
 And  indeed  it  appears  very  plainly  in  some  of 
 them,  that  before  their  own  conversion  they  had 
 very  imperfect  ideas  what  conversion  was  :  it  is  all 
 new  and  strange,  and* what  there  was  no  clear  con- 
 ception of  before.  It  is  most  evident,  as  they  them- 
 selves acknowledge,  that  the  expressions  that  were 
 used  to  describe  conversion,  and  the  graces  of  God's 
 E  2 
 
100 
 
 Spirit,  such  as  a  spiritual  sight  of  Christ,  faith  in 
 Christ,  poverty  of  spirit,  trust  in  God,  resignedness 
 to  God,  &c.  were  expressions  that  did  not  convey 
 those  special  and  distinct  ideas  to  their  miiids  which 
 they  were  intended  to  signify:  perhaps  to  some  of 
 them,  it  was  but  little  more  than  the  names  of  colours 
 are  to  convey  the  ideas  to  one  that  is  blind  from  his 
 birth. 
 
 This  town  is  a  place  where  there  has  always  been 
 a  great  deal  of  talk  of  conversion  and  spiritual  expe- 
 riences ;   and  therefore  people  in  general  had  before 
 formed  a  notion  in  their  own  minds  what  these  things 
 were;  but  when  they  come  to  be  the  subjects  of  them 
 themselves,  they  find  themselves  much  confounded 
 in  their  notions,  and   overthrown  in  many  of  their 
 former  conceits.      And  it  has  been  very  observable, 
 that  persons  of  the  greatest  understanding,  and  that 
 had  studied  most  about  things  of  this  nature,   have 
 been  more  confounded  than  others.    Some  such  per- 
 sons that  have  lately  been  converted,  declare  that  all 
 their  former  wisdom  is  brought  to  nought,  and  that 
 they   appear  to  have  been  mere  babes,   who  knew 
 nothing.      It   has   appeared   that  none   have  stood 
 more  in  need  of  enlightening  and  instruction,  even 
 of  their  fellow-Christians,  concerning  their  own  cir- 
 cumstances  and   difficulties  than  they  :  and  it  has 
 seemed  to  have  been  with  delight,   that  they  have 
 seen  themselves  thus  brought  down  and  become  no- 
 thing, that  free   grace   and   divine   power   may   be 
 exalted  in  them. 
 
 It  was  very  wonderful  to  see  after  what  manner 
 persons'  affections  were  sometimes  moved  and  wrought 
 upon,  when  God  did,  as  it  were,  suddenly  open  their 
 
101 
 
 eyes,  and  let  into  their  minds  a  sense  of  the  great- 
 ness of  his  grace,  and  fuhiess  of  Christ,  and  his 
 readiness  to  save,  who,  before,  were  broken  witii  ap- 
 prehensions of  divine  wrath,  and  sunk  into  an  abyss 
 under  a  sense  of  guih,  which  they  were  ready  to 
 think  was  beyond  the  mercy  of  God  :  their  joyful 
 surprise  has  caused  their  hearts,  as  it  were,  to  leap, 
 so  that  they  have  been  ready  to  break  forth  into 
 laughter,  tears  often  at  the  same  time  issuing  like  a 
 flood,  and  intermingling  a  loud  weeping  :  and  some- 
 times they  have  not  been  able  to  forbear  crying  out 
 with  a  loud  voice,  expressing  their  great  admiration. 
 In  some  even  the  view  of  the  glory  of  God's  sove- 
 reignty, in  the  exercises  of  his  grace,  has  surprised 
 the  soul  with  such  sweetness,  as  to  produce  the  same 
 effects.  I  remember  an  instance  of  one,  who,  read- 
 ing something  concerning  God's  sovereign  way  of 
 saving  sinners,  as  being  self-moved,  and  having  no 
 regard  to  men's  own  righteousness  as  the  motive  of 
 his  grace,  but  as  magnifying  himself  and  abasing 
 man,  or  to  that  purpose,  felt  such  a  sudden  rapture 
 of  joy  and  delight  in  the  consideration  of  it :  and  yet 
 then  suspected  himself  to  be  in  a  Christless  condi- 
 tion, and  had  been  long  in  great  distress  for  fear  that 
 God  would  not  have  mercy  on  him. 
 
 Many  continue  a  long  time  in  a  course  of  gra- 
 cious exercises  and  experiences,  and  do  not  think 
 themselves  to  be  converted,  but  conclude  themselves 
 to  be  otherwise;  and  none  knows  how  long  they 
 would  continue  so,  were  they  not  helped  by  particu- 
 lar instruction.  There  are  undoubted  instances  of 
 some  that  have  lived  in  this  way  for  many  years  to- 
 gether ;  and  a  continuing  in  these  circumstances  of 
 
102 
 
 being  converted  and  not  believing  it,  has  had  va- 
 rious consequences  witli  various  persons,  and  with 
 the  same  persons  at  various  times  ;  some  continue 
 in  great  encouragement  and  hope,  that  they  shall 
 obtain  mercy,  in  a  steadfast  resolution  to  persevere 
 in  seeking  it,  and  in  an  humble  waiting  for  it  at 
 God's  foot  ;  but  very  often,  when  the  lively  sense 
 of  the  sufficiency  ot"  Christ,  and  the  riches  of  divine 
 grace  begins  to  vanish,  upon  a  withdrawal  of  the  in- 
 fluences of  the  Spirit  of  God,  they  return  to  greater 
 distress  than  ever  ;  for  they  have  now  a  far  greater 
 sense  of  the  misery  of  a  natural  condition  than  be- 
 fore, being  in  a  new  manner  sensible  of  the  reality 
 of  eternal  things,  and  the  greatness  of  God,  and  his 
 excellency,  and  how  dreadful  it  is  to  be  separated 
 from  him,  and  to  be  subject  to  his  wrath ;  so  that 
 they  are  sometimes  swallowed  up  with  darkness  and 
 amazement.  Satan  has  a  vast  advantage  in  such 
 cases,  to  ply  them  with  various  temptations,  which 
 he  is  not  wont  to  neglect.  In  such  a  case,  persons 
 do  very  much  need  a  guide  to  lead  them  to  an  un- 
 derstanding of  what  we  are  taught  in  the  word  of 
 God  of  the  nature  of  grace,  and  to  help  them  to 
 apply  it  to  themselves. 
 
 I  have  been  much  blamed  by  many,  that  I  should 
 make  it  my  practice,  when  I  have  been  satisfied  con- 
 cerning persons'  good  estate,  to  signify  it  to  them  : 
 which  thing  has  been  greatly  misrepresented  abroad, 
 as  innumerable  other  things  concerning  us,  to  preju- 
 dice the  country  against  the  whole  affair.  But  let 
 it  be  noted,  that  what  I  have  undertaken  to  judge 
 of,  has  rather  been  qualifications,  and  declared  ex- 
 periences, than  persons  :  not  but  that  I  have  thought 
 
103 
 
 it  my  duty,  as  a  pastor,  to  assist  and  instruct  persons 
 in  applying  Scripture  rules  and  characters  to  their 
 own  case,  (in  doing  of  which,  I  think  many  greatly 
 need  a  guide;)  and  have,  where  I  thought  the  case 
 plain,  used  freedom  in  signifying  my  hope  of  them 
 to  others  :  but  have  been  far  from  doing  this,  con- 
 cerning all  that  I  have  had  some  hopes  of;  and  I 
 believe  have  used  much  more  caution  than  many  have 
 supposed.  Yet  I  should  account  it  a  great  calamity 
 to  be  deprived  of  the  comfort  of  rejoicing  with  those 
 of  my  flock,  that  have  been  in  great  distress,  whose 
 circumstances  I  have  been  acquainted  with,  when 
 there  seems  to  be  good  evidence,  that  those  that 
 were  dead  are  alive,  and  those  that  were  lost  are 
 found.  I  am  sensible  the  practice  would  have  been 
 safer  in  the  hands  of  one  of  a  riper  judgment  and 
 greater  experience ;  but  yet  there  has  seemed  to 
 be  an  absolute  necessity  of  it  on  the  fore-men- 
 tioned accounts;  and  it  has  been  found  to  be  that 
 which  God  has  most  remarkably  owned  and  blessed 
 amongst  us,  both  to  the  persons  themselves,  and 
 others. 
 
 Grace,  in  many  persons,  through  their  ignorance 
 of  their  state,  and  their  looking  on  themselves  still 
 as  the  objects  of  God's  displeasure,  has  been  like  the 
 trees  in  winter,  or  like  seed  in  the  spring  suppressed 
 under  a  hard  clod  of  earth  ;  and  many  in  such  cases 
 have  laboured  to  their  utmost  to  divert  their  minds 
 from  the  pleasing  and  joyful  views  they  have  had, 
 and  to  suppress  those  consolations  and  gracious  af- 
 fections that  arose  thereupon.  And  when  it  has 
 once  come  into  their  minds  to  inquire,  whether  or 
 not  this  was  not  true  grace,   they  have  been  much 
 
104 
 
 afraid  lest  they  should  be  deceived  with  common 
 illuminations  and  flashes  of  affection,  and  eternally 
 undone  with  a  false  hope.  But  when  they  have 
 been  better  instructed,  and  so  brought  to  allow  of 
 hope,  this  has  awakened  the  gracious  disposition  of 
 their  hearts  into  hfe  and  vigour,  as  the  warm  beams 
 of  the  sun  in  the  spring  have  quickened  the  seeds 
 and  productions  of  the  earth  :  grace  being  now  at 
 liberty,  and  cherished  with  hope,  has  soon  flowed 
 out  to  their  abundant  satisfaction  and  increase. 
 
 There  is  no  one  thing  that  I  know  of  that  God 
 has  made  such  a  means  of  promoting  his  work 
 amongst  us,  as  the  news  of  others'  conversion  ;  in 
 the  awakening  sinners,  and  engaging  them  earnestly 
 to  seek  the  same  blessing,  and  in  the  quickening  of 
 saints.  Though  I  have  thought  that  a  minister's 
 declaring  his  judgment  about  particular  persons'  ex- 
 periences might,  from  these  things,  be  justified,  yet  I 
 am  often  signifying  to  my  people,  how  unable  one 
 man  is  to  know  another's  heart,  and  how  unsafe  it  is 
 depending  merely  on  the  judgment  of  ministers,  or 
 others,  and  have  abundantly  insisted  on  it  with  them, 
 that  a  manifestation  of  sincerity  in  fruits  brought 
 forth,  is  better  than  any  manifestation  they  can  make 
 of  it  in  words  alone,  can  be  ;  and  that,  without  this, 
 all  pretences  to  spiritual  experiences  are  vain  ;  as  all 
 my  congregation  can  witness.  And  the  people  in 
 general,  in  this  late  extraordinary  time,  have  mani- 
 fested an  extraordinary  dread  of  being  deceived, 
 being  exceeding  fearful  lest  they  should  build  wrong, 
 and  some  of  them  backward  to  receive  hope,  even  to 
 a  great  extreme,  which  has  occasioned  me  to  dwell 
 longer  on  this  part  of  the  Narrative. 
 
105 
 
 Conversion  is  a  great  and  glorious  work  of  God's 
 power,  at  once  changing  the  heart,  and  infusing  life 
 into  the  dead  soul ;  though  that  grace  that  is  then 
 implanted  does  more  gradually  display  itself  in  some 
 than  in  others.  But  as  to  fixing  on  the  precise  time 
 when  they  put  forth  the  very  first  act  of  grace,  there 
 is  a  great  deal  of  difference  in  different  persons  :  in 
 some,  it  seems  to  be  very  discernible  when  the  very 
 time  of  this  was  ;  but  others  are  more  at  a  loss.  In 
 this  respect,  there  are  very  many  that  do  not  know 
 the  time  (as  has  been  already  observed)  that  when 
 they  have  the  first  exercises  of  grace,  do  not  know 
 that  it  is  the  grace  of  conversion,  and  sometimes  do 
 not  think  it  to  be  so  till  a  long  time  after  :  and  many, 
 even  when  they  come  to  entertain  great  hope  that 
 they  are  converted,  if  they  remember  what  they  ex- 
 perienced in  the  first  exercises  of  grace,  they  are  at 
 a  loss,  whether  it  was  any  more  than  a  common 
 illumination  ;  or  whether  some  other  more  clear  and 
 remarkable  experience,  that  they  had  afterwards,  was 
 not  the  first  that  was  of  a  saving  nature.  And  the 
 manner  of  God's  work  on  the  soul  is  (sometimes 
 especially-)  very  mysterious,  and  it  is  with  the  king- 
 dom of  God,  as  to  its  manifestation  in  the  heart  of 
 a  convert,  as  is  said  :  "  So  is  the  kingdom  of  God, 
 as  if  a  man  should  cast  seed  into  the  ground;  and 
 should  sleep,  and  rise  night  and  day,  and  the  seed 
 should  spring  and  grow  up,  he  knoweth  not  how. 
 For  the  earth  bringeth  forth  of  herself;  first  the  blade, 
 then  the  ear,  after  that  the  full  corn  in  the  ear." 
 
 In  some,  converting  light  is  like  a  glorious  bright- 
 ness  suddenly  shining   in  upon    a  person,   and   all 
 around    him ;    they    are   in    a   remarkable  manner 
 e3 
 
106 
 
 brought  "  out  of  darkness  into  marvellous  light."  In 
 many  others,  it  has  been  like  the  dawning  of  the 
 day,  when  at  first  but  a  little  light  appears,  and,  it 
 may  be,  is  presently  hid  with  a  cloud  ;  and  then  it 
 appears  again,  and  shines  a  little  brighter,  and  gra- 
 dually increases,  with  intervening  darkness,  till  at 
 length,  perhaps,  it  breaks  forth  more  clearly  from 
 behind  the  clouds.  And  many  are,  doubtless,  ready 
 to  date  their  conversion  wrong,  throwing  by  those 
 lesser  degrees  of  light  that  appeared  at  first  dawning, 
 and  calling  some  more  remarkable  experience,  that 
 they  had  afterwards,  their  conversions  ;  which  often, 
 in  great  measure,  arises  from  a  wrong  understanding 
 of  what  they  have  always  been  taught,  that  conversion 
 is  a  great  change,  wherein  ''  old  things  are  done 
 away,  and  all  things  become  new,"  or,  at  least, 
 from  a  false  arguing  from  that  doctrine. 
 
 Persons  commonly  at  first  conversion,  and  after- 
 wards, have  had  many  texts  of  Scripture  brought  to 
 their  minds,  that  are  exceeding  suitable  to  their 
 circumstances,  which  often  come  with  great  power, 
 and  as  the  word  of  God  or  Christ  indeed ;  and 
 many  have  a  multitude  of  sweet  invitations,  promises, 
 and  doxologies,  flowing  in  one  after  another,  bring- 
 ing great  light  and  comfort  with  them,  filling  the 
 soul  brimful,  enlarging  the  heart,  and  opening  the 
 mouth  in  religion.  And  it  seems  to  me  necessary 
 to  suppose,  that  there  is  oftentimes  an  immediate 
 influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  bringing  texts  of 
 Scripture  to  the  mind  :  not  that  I  suppose  it  is  done 
 in  a  way  of  immediate  revelation,  without  any  man- 
 ner of  use  of  the  memory;  but  yet  there  seems 
 plainly  to  be  an  immediate  and  extraordinary  influ- 
 
107 
 
 ence,  in  leading  their  thoughts  to  such  and  such 
 passages  of  Scripture,  and  exciting  them  in  the 
 memory.  Indeed,  in  some  God  seems  to  bring 
 texts  of  Scripture  to  their  minds  no  otherwise  than 
 by  leading  them  into  such  frames  and  meditations, 
 as  harmonize  with  those  Scriptures ;  but  in  many 
 persons  there  seems  to  be  something  more  than 
 this. 
 
 Those  that,   while  under  legal  convictions,  have 
 had  the  greatest  terrors,   have  not  always  obtained 
 the  greatest  light  and  comfort ;  nor  have  they  always 
 light  most  suddenly  communicated;   but  yet,  I  think, 
 the  time  of  conversion  has  generally  been  most  sen- 
 sible in  such  persons.      Oftentimes,  the  first  sensible 
 change  after  the  extremity  of  terrors,  is  a  calmness, 
 and  then  the  light  gradually  comes  in  ;  small  glimpses 
 at  first,  after  their  midnight  darkness,  and  a  word 
 or  two  of  comfort,  as  it  were  softly  spoken  to  them  ; 
 they  have  a  little  taste  of  the  sweetness  of  divine 
 grace,  and  the  love  of  a  Saviour,  when  terror  and 
 distress  of  conscience  begins  to  be  turned  into  an 
 humble,  meek  sense  of  their  own  unworthiness  be- 
 fore God ;  and  there  is  felt  inwardly,  perhaps,  some 
 disposition  to  praise  God;  and,  after  a  little  while, 
 the    light    comes   in   more  clearly  and   powerfully. 
 But  yet,  I  think,  more  frequently,  great  terrors  have 
 been  followed  with  more  sudden  and  great  light,  and 
 comfort ;  when  the  sinner  seems  to  be,   as  it  were, 
 subdued  and  brought  to  a  calm,  from  a  kind  of  tu- 
 mult of  mind,    then   God  lets  in  an  extraordinary 
 sense  of  his  great  mercy  through  a  Redeemer. 
 
 The  converting   influences  of  God's  Spirit  very 
 commonly  bring  an  extraordinary  conviction  of  the 
 
108 
 
 reality  and  certainty  of  the  great  things  of  religion ; 
 (though  in  some  this  is  much  greater  some  time  after 
 conversion  than  at  first ;)  they  have  that  sight  and 
 taste  of  the  divinity,  or  divine  excellency,  that  there  is 
 in  the  things  of  the  gospel,  that  is  more  to  convince 
 them  than  reading  many  volumes  of  arguments  with- 
 out it.  It  seems  to  me,  that  in  many  instances 
 amongst  us,  when  the  divine  excellency  and  glory  of 
 the  things  of  Christianity  have  been  set  before  per- 
 sons, and  they  have  at  the  same  time,  as  it  were, 
 seen,  and  tasted,  and  felt  the  divhiity  of  them,  they 
 have  been  as  far  from  doubting  of  the  truth  of  them, 
 as  they  are  from  doubting  whether  there  be  a  sun, 
 when  their  eyes  are  open  in  the  midst  of  a  clear 
 hemisphere,  and  the  strong  blaze  of  his  light  over- 
 comes all  objection  against  his  being.  And  yet 
 many  of  them,  if  we  should  ask  them  why  they  be- 
 lieved those  things  to  be  true,  would  not  be  able 
 Well  to  express,  or  communicate  a  suflBcient  reason  to 
 satisfy  the  inquirer,  and  perhaps  would  make  no 
 other  answer,  but  that  they  see  them  to  be  true: 
 but  a  person  might  soon  be  satisfied,  by  a  particular 
 conversation  with  them,  that  what  they  mean  by 
 such  an  answer  is,  that  they  have  intuitively  beheld, 
 and  immediately  felt,  a  most  illustrious  work,  and 
 powerful  evidence  of  divinity  in  them. 
 
 Some  are  thus  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  gos- 
 pel in  general,  and  that  the  Scriptures  are  th^  word 
 of  God :  others  have  their  minds  more  especially 
 fixed  on  some  particular  great  doctrine  of  the  gospel, 
 some  particular  truths  that  they  are  meditating  on; 
 or  are  in  a  special  manner  convinced  of  the  divinity 
 of  the  things  they  are  reading  of,  in  some  portion  of 
 
109 
 
 Scripture.  Some  have  such  convictions  in  a  much 
 more  remarkable  manner  than  others  :  and  there  are 
 some  that  never  had  such  a  special  sense  of  the  cer- 
 tainty of  divine  things,  impressed  upon  them  with 
 such  inward  evidence  and  strength,  have  yet  very 
 clear  exercises  of  grace ;  that  is,  of  love  to  God,  re- 
 pentance, and  holiness.  And  if  they  may  be  more 
 particularly  examined,  they  appear  plainly  to  have 
 an  inward  firm  persuasion  of  the  reality  of  divine 
 things,  such  as  they  do  not  use  to  have  before  their 
 conversion.  And  those  that  have  the  most  clear 
 discoveries  of  divine  truth,  in  the  manner  that  has 
 been  spoken  of,  cannot  have  this  always  in  view. 
 When  the  sense  and  relish  of  the  divine  excellency 
 of  these  things  fades,  on  a  withdrawal  of  the  Spirit 
 of  God,  they  have  not  the  medium  of  the  conviction 
 of  their  truth  at  command  :  in  a  dull  frame  they 
 cannot  recall  the  idea  and  inward  sense  tliey  had, 
 perfectly  to  mind ;  things  appear  very  dim  to  what 
 they  did  before :  and  though  there  still  remains  a 
 habitual  strong  persuasion  ;  yet  not  so  as  to  exclude 
 temptations  to  unbelief,  and  all  possibility  of  doubt- 
 ing, as  before :  but  then,  at  particular  times,  by 
 God's  help,  the  same  sense  of  things  revives  again, 
 like  fire  that  lay  hid  in  ashes. 
 
 I  suppose  the  grounds  of  such  a  conviction  of  the 
 truth  of  divine  things  to  be  just  and  rational,  but  yet 
 in  some,  God  makes  use  of  their  own  reason  much 
 more  sensibly  than  in  others.  Oftentimes  persons 
 have  (so  far  as  could  be  judged)  received  the  first  sav- 
 ing conviction  from  reasoning,  which  they  have  heard 
 from  the  pulpit ;  and  often  in  the  course  of  reason- 
 ing which  they  are  led  into  in  their  own  meditations. 
 
110 
 
 The  arguments  are  the  same  that  they  have 
 heard  hundreds  of  times,  but  the  force  of  the  argu- 
 ments, and  their  conviction  by  them,  are  altogether 
 new ;  they  come  with  a  new  and  before  unexperienced 
 power;  before  they  heard  it  was  so,  and  they  al- 
 lowed it  to  be  so ;  but  now  they  see  it  to  be  so  in- 
 deed. Things  now  look  exceedingly  plain  to  them, 
 and  they  wonder  they  did  not  see  them  before. 
 
 They  are  so  greatly  taken  with  their  new  disco- 
 very, and  things  appear  so  plain  and  so  rational  to 
 them,  that  they  are  often  at  first  ready  to  think  they 
 can  convince  others;  and  are  apt  to  engage  in  talk 
 with  every  one  they  meet  with,  almost  to  this  end; 
 and  when  they  are  disappointed,  are  ready  to  wonder 
 that  their  reasonings  seem  to  make  no  more  impres- 
 sion. 
 
 Many  fall  under  such  a  mistake  as  to  be  ready  to 
 doubt  of  their  good  estate,  because  there  was  so 
 much  use  made  of  their  own  reason  in  the  convic- 
 tions they  have  received;  they  are  afraid  that  they 
 have  no  illumination  above  the  natural  force  of  their 
 own  faculties:  and  many  make  that  an  objection 
 against  the  spirituality  of  their  convictions,  that  it 
 is  so  easy  to  see  things  as  they  now  see  them. 
 They  have  often  heard  that  conversion  is  a  work  of 
 mighty  power,  manifesting  to  the  soul  what  no  man 
 nor  angel  can  give  such  a  conviction  of;  but  it  seems 
 to  them  that  the  things  that  they  see  are  so  plain,  and 
 easy,  and  rational,  that  any  body  can  see  them  :  and 
 if  they  are  inquired  of,  why  they  never  saw  so  be- 
 fore ;  they  say,  it  seems  to  them  it  was  because  they 
 never  thought  of  it.  But  very  often  these  difficul- 
 ties are  soon  removed  by  those  of  another  nature ; 
 
Ill 
 
 for  when  God  withdraws,  they  find  themselves,  as  it 
 were,  blind  again ;  they,  for  the  present,  lose  their 
 realizing  sense  of  those  things  that  looked  so  plain 
 to  them,  and  by  all  that  they  can  do  they  cannot  re- 
 cover it  till  God  renews  the  influences  of  his  Spirit. 
 Persons,   after  their  conversion,  often  speak  of 
 things  of  religion  as  seeming  new  to   them  ;  that 
 preaching  is  a  new  thing  ;  that  it  seems  to  them  they 
 never  heard  preaching  before  ;  that  the  Bible  is  a 
 new    book :     they    find    there    new    chapters,    new 
 psalms,  new  histories,  because  they  see  tliem  in  a  new 
 licrht.      Here  was  a  remarkable  instance  of  an  acjed 
 woman,  of  above  seventy  years,  that  had  spent  most 
 of  her  days  under  Mr.  Stoddard's  powerful  ministry; 
 who,   reading   in    the    New    Testament  concerning 
 Christ's  suiferings  for  sinners,  seemed  to  be  surprised 
 and  astonished  at  what  she  read,  as  at  a  thing  that 
 was  real  and  very  wonderful,  but  quite  new  to  her  ; 
 insomuch  that  at  first,  before  she  had  time  to  turn 
 her  thoughts,  she  wondered  within  herself  that  she 
 had  never  heard  of  it  before  :   but  then  immediately 
 recollected  herself,  and  thought  she  had  often  heard 
 of  it,  and  read  it,  but  never  till  now  saw  it  as  a  thing 
 real;   and  then  cast  in  her  mind,  how  wonderful  this 
 was,    that   the   Son    of  God   should   undergo  such 
 things  for  sinners,  and  how  she  had  spent  her  time 
 in  ungratefully  sinning  against  so  good  a  God,  and 
 such   a    Saviour;  though  she  was  a  person,   as  to 
 what  was  visible,  of  a  very  blameless  and  inoffensive 
 life.      And  she  was  so  overcome  by  those  considera- 
 tions, that  her  nature  was  ready  to  fail  under  them  : 
 those  that  vvere  about  her,  and  knew  not  what  was 
 the  matter,  were  surprised,  and  thought  she  was  a 
 dying. 
 
112 
 
 Many  have  spoken  much  of  their  hearts  being 
 drawn  out  in  love  to  God  and  Christ  ;  and  their 
 minds  being  wrapt  up  in  delightful  contemplation  of 
 the  glory  and  wonderful  grace  of  God,  and  the  ex- 
 cellency and  dying  love  of  Jesus  Christ;  and  of 
 their  souls  going  forth  in  longing  desires  after  God 
 and  Christ.  Several  of  our  young  children  have 
 expressed  much  of  this  ;  and  have  manifested  a  will- 
 ingness to  leave  father  and  mother,  and  all  things 
 in  the  world,  to  go  to  be  with  Christ.  Some  per- 
 sons have  had  longing  desires  after  Christ,  which 
 have  risen  to  that  degree  as  to  take  away  their  na- 
 tural strength.  Some  have  been  so  overcome  with 
 a  sense  of  the  dying  love  of  Christ  to  such  poor, 
 wretched,  and  unworthy  creatures,  as  to  weaken  the 
 body.  Several  persons  have  had  so  great  a  sense  of 
 the  glory  of  God,  and  excellency  of  Christ,  that 
 nature  and  life  has  seemed  almost  to  sink  under  it ; 
 and,  in  all  probability,  if  God  had  showed  them  a 
 little  more  of  himself,  it  would  have  dissolved 
 their  frame.  I  have  seen  some,  and  been  in  con- 
 versation with  them,  in  such  frames  who  have 
 certainly  been  perfectly  sober,  and  very  remote 
 from  any  thing  like  enthusiastic  wildness  :  and  have 
 talked,  when  able  to  speak,  of  the  glory  of  God's 
 perfections,  and  the  wonderfulness  of  his  grace  in 
 Christ,  and  their  own  unworthiness,  in  such  a  man- 
 ner that  cannot  be  perfectly  expressed  after  them. 
 Their  sense  of  their  exceeding  littleness  and  vile- 
 ness,  and  their  disposition  to  abase  themselves  before 
 God,  has  appeared  to  be  great  in  proportion  to  their 
 light  and  joy. 
 
 Such  persons  amongst  us  as  have  been  thus  dis- 
 
113 
 
 tinguished  with  the  most  extraordinary  discoveries 
 of  God,  have  commonly  in  nowise  appeared  with  the 
 assuming,  and  self-conceited,  and  self-sufficient  airs 
 of  enthusiasts ;  but  exceedingly  the  contrary  ;  and 
 are  eminent  for  a  spirit  of  meekness,  modesty,  self- 
 diffidence,  and  low  opinion  of  themselves  :  no  per- 
 sons seem  to  be  so  sensible  of  their  need  of  instruc- 
 tion, and  so  eager  to  receive  it,  as  some  of  them ; 
 nor  so  ready  to  think  others  better  than  them- 
 selves. Those  that  have  been  thought  to  be  con- 
 verted amongst  us,  have  generally  manifested  long- 
 ing to  lie  low  and  in  the  dust  before  God  ;  withal 
 complaining  of  their  not  being  able  to  lie  low 
 enough. 
 
 They  often  speak  much  of  their  sense  of  the  ex- 
 cellency of  the  vvay  of  salvation,  by  free  and  sove- 
 reign grace,  through  the  righteousness  of  Christ 
 alone  ;  and  how  it  is  with  delight  that  they  renounce 
 their  oWn  righteousness,  and  rejoice  in  having  no  ac- 
 count made  of  it.  Many  have  expressed  themselves 
 to  this  purpose,  that  it  would  lessen  the  satisfaction 
 they  hope  for  in  heaven,  to  have  it  by  their  own 
 righteousness,  or  in  any  other  way  than  as  bestowed 
 by  free  grace,  and  for  Christ's  sake  alone.  They 
 speak  much  of  the  inexpressibleness  of  what  they 
 experience,  how  their  words  fail,  so  that  they  can  in 
 nowise  declare  it :  and  particularly  speak  with  ex- 
 ceeding admiration  of  the  superlative  excellency  of 
 that  pleasure  and  delight  of  soul,  which  they  some- 
 times enjoy;  how  a  little  of  it  is  sufficient  to  pay 
 them  for  all  the  pains  and  trouble  they  have  gone 
 through  in  seeking  salvation,  and  how  far  it  ex- 
 ceeds all  earthly  pleasures :  and  some  express  much 
 
114 
 
 of  the  sense  which  these  spiritual  views  give  them 
 of  the  vanity  of  earthly  enjoyments,  how  mean  and 
 worthless  all  these  things  appear  to  them. 
 
 Many,  while  their  minds  have  been  filled  with 
 spiritual  delights,  have,  as  it  were,  forgot^their  food; 
 their  bodily  appetite  has  failed,  while  their  minds 
 have  been  entertained  with  meat  to  eat  that  others 
 knew  not  of.  The  light  and  comfort  which  some 
 of  them  enjoy,  gives  a  new  relish  to  their  common 
 blessings,  and  causes  all  things  about  them  to  appear, 
 as  it  were,  beautiful,  sweet,  and  pleasant  to  them. 
 All  things  abroad,  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars,  the 
 clouds  and  sky,  the  heavens  and  earth,  appear,  as  it 
 were,  with  a  cast  of  divine  glory  and  sweetness  upon 
 them.  The  sweetest  joy  that  these  good  people 
 amongst  us  express,  though  it  include  in  it  a  de- 
 lightful sense  of  the  safety  of  their  own  state,  and 
 that  now  they  are  out  of  danger  of  hell;  yet  fre- 
 quently, in  times  of  their  highest  spiritual  entertain- 
 ment, this  seems  not  to  be  the  chief  object  of  their 
 fixed  thought  and  meditation.  The  supreme  atten- 
 tion of  their  minds  is  to  the  glorious  excellencies  of 
 God  and  Christ,  which  they  have  in  view;  not  but 
 that  there  is  very  often  a  ravishing  sense  of  God's 
 love  accompanying  a  sense  of  his  excellency,  and  they 
 rejoice  in  a  sense  of  the  faithfulness  of  God's  pro- 
 mises, as  they  respect  the  future  eternal  enjoyment 
 of  God. 
 
 The  joy  that  many  of  them  speak  of,  is  that  to 
 which  none  is  to  be  paralleled,  is  that  which  they 
 find  when  they  are  lowest  in  the  dust,  emptied  most 
 of  themselves,  and  as  it  were  annihilating  themselves 
 before  God,  when  they  are  nothing,  and  God  is  all, 
 
115 
 
 are  seeing  their  own  unworthiness,  depending  not 
 at  all  on  themselves,  but  alone  on  Christ,  and  ascrib- 
 ing all  glory  to  God:  then  their  souls  are  most  in 
 the  enjoyment  of  satisfying  rest ;  excepting  that,  at 
 such  times,  they  apprehend  themselves  to  be  not 
 sufficiently  self-abased;  for  then,  above  all  times,  do 
 they  long  to  be  lower.  Some  speak  much  of  the 
 exquisite  sweetness,  and  rest  of  soul,  that  is  to  be 
 found  in  the  exercises  of  a  spirit  of  resignation  to 
 God,  and  humble  submission  to  his  will.  Many  ex- 
 press earnest  longings  of  soul  to  praise  God;  but  at 
 the  same  time  complain  that  they  cannot  praise  him 
 as  they  would  do,  and  they  want  to  have  others  help 
 them  in  praising  him  :  they  want  to  have  every  one 
 praise  God,  and  are  ready  to  call  upon  every  thing 
 to  praise  him.  They  express  a  longing  desire  to 
 live  to  God's  glory,  and  to  do  something  to  his 
 honour;  but  at  the  same  time  cry  out  of  their  insuf- 
 ficiency and  barrenness,  that  they  are  poor  impo- 
 tent creatures,  can  do  nothing  of  themselves,  and  are 
 utterly  insufficient  to  glorify  their  Creator  and  Re- 
 deemer. 
 
 While  God  was  so  remarkably  present  amongst 
 us  by  his  Spirit,  there  was  no  book  so  delighted  in 
 as  the  Bible;  especially  the  Book  of  Psalms,  the 
 Prophecy  of  Isaiah,  and  the  New  Testament.  Some, 
 by  reason  of  their  esteem  and  love  to  God's  word, 
 have  at  times  been  wonderfully  delighted  and  affected 
 at  the  sight  of  a  Bible;  and  then,  also,  there  was  no 
 time  so  prized  as  the  Lord's-day,  and  no  place,  in 
 this  world,  so  desired  as  God's  house.  Our  con- 
 verts then  remarkably  appeared  united  in  dear  affec- 
 tion to  one  another,  and  many  have  expressed  much 
 
116 
 
 of  that  spirit  of  love  which  they  felt  toward  all  man- 
 kind ;  and  particularly  to  those  that  had  been  least 
 friendly  to  them.  Never,  I  believe,  was  so  much 
 done  in  confessing  injuries,  and  making  up  differ- 
 ences, as  the  last  year.  Persons,  after  their  own 
 conversion,  have  commonly  expressed  an  exceeding 
 desire  for  the  conversion  of  others :  some  have 
 thought  that  they  should  be  willing  to  die  for  the 
 conversion  of  any  soul,  though  of  one  of  the  meanest 
 of  their  fellow-creatures,  or  of  their  worst  enemies  ; 
 and  many  have,  indeed,  been  in  great  distress  with 
 desires  and  longings  for  it.  This  work  of  God  had 
 also  a  good  effect  to  unite  the  people's  affections 
 much  to  their  minister. 
 
 There  are  some  persons  that  I  have  been  ac- 
 quainted with,  but  more  especially  two,  that  belong 
 to  other  towns,  that  have  been  swallowed  up  exceed- 
 ingly with  a  sense  of  the  awful  greatness  and 
 majesty  of  God ;  and  both  of  them  told  me,  that  if 
 they,  in  the  time  of  it,  had  had  the  least  fear  that 
 they  were  not  at  peace  with  this  so  great  a  God, 
 they  should  instantly  have  died. 
 
 It  is  worthy  to  be  remarked,  that  some  persons, 
 by  their  conversion,  seem  to  be  greatly  helped  as  to 
 their  doctrinal  notions  of  religion;  it  was  particularly 
 remarked  in  one,  who,  having  been  taken  captive  in 
 his  childhood,  was  trained  up  in  Canada,  in  the 
 Popish  religion :  and  some  years  since  returned  to 
 this  his  native  place,  and  was  in  a  measure  brought 
 off  from  Popery,  but  seemed  very  awkward  and  dull  of 
 receiving  any  true  and  clear  notion  of  the  Protestant 
 scheme,  till  he  was  converted ;  and  then  he  was  re- 
 markably altered  in  this  respect. 
 
117 
 
 There  is  a  vast  difference  in  the  degree,  and  also 
 in  the  particular  manner  of  persons  experiences,  both 
 at  and  after  conversion ;  some  have  grace  working 
 more  sensibly  in  one  way,  others  in  another.  Some 
 speak  more  fully  of  a  conviction  of  the  justice  of 
 God  in  their  condemnation,  others  more  of  their 
 consenting  to  the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ :  some 
 more  of  the  actings  of  love  to  God  and  Christ :  some 
 more  of  acts  of  affiance,  in  a  sweet  and  assured  con- 
 viction of  the  truth  and  faithfulness  of  God  in  his 
 promises:  others  more  of  their  choosing  and  resting 
 in  God  as  their  whole  and  everlasting  portion,  and 
 of  their  ardent  and  longing  desires  after  God,  to 
 have  communion  with  him  :  others  more  of  their  ab- 
 horrence of  themselves  for  their  past  sins,  and  earnest 
 longings  to  live  to  God's  glory  for  the  time  to  come: 
 some  have  their  minds  fixed  more  on  God  ;  others  on 
 Christ,  as  I  have  observed  before,  and  am  afraid  of 
 too  much  repetition  ;  but  it  seems  evidently  to  be  the 
 same  work,  the  same  thing  done,  the  same  habitual 
 change  wrought  in  the  heart,  it  all  tends  the  same 
 way,  and  to  the  same  end :  and  it  is  plainly  the  same 
 spirit  that  breathes  and  acts  in  various  persons. 
 There  is  an  endless  variety  in  the  particular  manner 
 and  circumstances  in  which  persons  are  wrought 
 on,  and  an  opportunity  of  seeing  so  much  of  such  a 
 work  of  God,  will  show  that  God  is  further  from 
 confining  himself  to  certain  steps,  and  a  particular 
 method,  in  his  work  on  souls,  than,  it  may  be,  some 
 do  imagine.  I  believe  it  has  occasioned  some  good 
 people  amongst  us,  that  were  before  too  ready  to 
 make  their  own  experience  a  rule  to  others,  to  be 
 less  censorious  and  more  extended  in  their  charity ; 
 
118 
 
 and  this  is  an  excellent  advantage  indeed.  The 
 work  of  God  has  been  glorious  in  its  variety ;  it  has 
 the  more  displayed  the  manifoldness  and  unsearch- 
 ableness  of  the  wisdom  of  God,  and  wrought  more 
 charity  among  his  people. 
 
 There  is  a  great  difference  among  those  that  are 
 converted,  as  to  the  degree  of  hope  and  satisfaction 
 that  they  have  concerning  tneir  own  state.  Some 
 have  a  high  degree  of  satisfaction  in  this  matter  al- 
 most constantly;  and  yet  it  is  rare  that  any  do  enjoy 
 so  full  an  assurance  of  their  interest  in  Christ,  that 
 self-examination  should  seem  needless  to  them,  un- 
 less it  be  at  particular  seasons,  while  in  the  actual 
 enjoyment  of  some  great  discovery  that  God  gives 
 of  his  glory,  and  rich  grace  in  Christ,  to  the  draw- 
 ing forth  of  extraordinary  acts  of  grace.  But  the 
 greater  part  (as  they  sometimes  fall  into  dead  frames 
 of  spirit)  are  frequently  exercised  with  scruples  and 
 fears  concerning  their  condition. 
 
 They  generally  have  an  awful  apprehension  of  the 
 dreadfulness  and  undoing  nature  of  a  false  hope  ; 
 and  there  has  been  observable  in  most  a  great  caution 
 lest,  in  giving  an  account  of  their  experiences,  they 
 should  say  too  much,  and  use  too  strong  terms :  and 
 many,  after  they  have  related  their  experiences, 
 have  been  greatly  afflicted  with  fears,  lest  they  have 
 played  the  hypocrite,  and  used  stronger  terms  than 
 their  case  would  fairly  allow  of,  and  yet  could  not 
 find  how  they  could  correct  themselves. 
 
 I  think  that  the  main  ground  of  the  doubts  and 
 fears  that  persons,  after  their  conversion,  have  been 
 exercised  with,  about  their  own  state,  has  been,  that 
 they  have  found  so  much  corruption  remaining  in 
 
119 
 
 their  hearts.  At  first,  their  souls  seem  to  be  all 
 alive,  their  hearts  are  fixed,  and  their  affections  flow- 
 ing; they  seem  to  live  quite  above  the  world,  and  meet 
 with  but  little  difficulty  in  religious  exercises,  and 
 they  are  ready  to  think  it  will  always  be  so,  though 
 they  are  truly  abased  under  a  sense  of  their  vileness, 
 by  reason  of  former  acts  of  sin  ;  yet  they  are  not  then 
 sufficiently  sensible  what  corruption  still  remains  in 
 their  hearts  ;  and,  therefore,  are  surprised  when  they 
 find  that  they  begin  to  be  in  dull  and  dead  frames, 
 to  be  troubled  with  wandering  thoughts  in  the  time 
 of  public  and  private  worship,  and  to  be  utterly  un- 
 able to  keep  themselves  from  them ;  also,  when  they 
 find  themselves  unaffected  at  seasons  in  which  they 
 think  there  is  the  greatest  occasion  to  be  affected  ; 
 and  when  they  feel  worldly  dispositions  working 
 in  them,  and,  it  may  be,  pride  and  envy,  and  stir- 
 rings of  revenge,  or  some  ill  spirit  towards  some 
 person  that  has  injured  them,  as  well  as  other 
 workings  of  indwelling  sin :  their  hearts  are  almost 
 sunk  with  the  disappointment,  and  they  are  ready 
 presently  to  tliink  that  all  this  they  have  met 
 with  is  nothing,  and  that  they  are  mere  hypo- 
 crites. 
 
 They  are  ready  to  argue,  that  if  God  had  in- 
 deed done  such  great  things  for  them,  as  they 
 hoped,  such  ingratitude  would  be  inconsistent  with 
 it ;  they  cry  out  of  the  hardness  and  wickedness  of 
 their  hearts,  and  say  there  is  so  much  corruption, 
 that  it  seems  to  them  impossible  that  there  should 
 be  any  goodness  there ;  and  many  of  them  seem  to 
 be  much  more  sensible  how  corrupt  their  hearts  are, 
 than    ever  they  were  before  they  were  converted; 
 
120 
 
 and  some  have  been  too  ready  to  be  impressed  with 
 fear,  that  instead  of  becoming  better,  they  are  grown 
 much  worse,  and  make  it  an  argument  against  the 
 goodness  of  their  state.  .  But,  in  truth,  the  case 
 seems  plainly  to  be,  that  now  they  feel  the  pain  of 
 their  own  wound ;  they  have  a  watchful  eye  upon 
 their  hearts,  that  they  did  not  use  to  have  :  they 
 tako  more  notice  what  sin  is  there,  and  sin  is  now 
 more  burdensome  to  them ;  they  strive  more  against 
 it,  and  feel  more  of  the  strength  of  it. 
 
 They  are  somewhat  surprised  that  they  should, 
 in  this  respect,  find  themselves  so  different  from  the 
 idea  that  they  generally  had  entertained  of  godly 
 persons ;  for  though  grace  be  indeed  of  a  far  more 
 excellent  nature  than  they  imagined,  yet  those  that, 
 are  godly  have  much  less  of  it,  and  much  more  re- 
 maining corruption,  than  they  thought.  They 
 never  imagined  that  persons  were  wont  to  meet  with 
 such  difficulties,  after  they  were  once  converted. 
 "When  they  are  thus  exercised  with  doubts  about 
 their  state,  through  the  deadness  of  their  frames  of 
 spirit,  as  long  as  these  frames  last,  they  are  com- 
 monly unable  to  satisfy  themselves  of  the  truth  of 
 their  grace,  by  all  their  self-examination.  When 
 they  hear  of  the  signs  of  grace  laid  down  for  them 
 to  try  themselves  by,  they  are  often  so  clouded,  that 
 they  do  not  know  how  to  apply  them ;  they  hardly 
 know  whether  they  have  such  and  such  things  in 
 them  or  not,  and  whether  they  have  experienced 
 them  or  not :  that  which  was  sweetest,  and  best,  and 
 most  distinguishing  in  their  experiences,  they  cannot 
 recover  a  sense  or  idea  of.  But  on  a  return  of  the 
 influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  to  revive  the  lively 
 
121 
 
 actings  of  grace,  the  light  breaks  through  the  cloud, 
 and  doubting  and  darkness  soon  vanish  away. 
 
 Persons  are  often  revived  out  of  their  dead  and 
 dark  frames,  by  religious  conversation  ;  while  they 
 are  talking  of  divine  things,  or  ever  they  are  aware, 
 their  souls  are  carried  away  into  holy  exercises  with 
 abundant  pleasure.  And  oftentimes,  while  they  are 
 relating  their  past  experiences  to  their  Christian 
 brethren,  they  have  a  fresh  sense  of  them  revived, 
 and  the  same  experiences,  in  a  degree,  again  re- 
 newed. Sometimes,  while  persons  are  exercised  in 
 mind  with  several  objections  against  the  goodness  of 
 their  state,  they  have  scriptures,  one  after  another, 
 coming  to  their  minds,  to  answer  their  scruples,  and 
 unravel  their  difficulties,  exceeding  apposite  and 
 proper  to  their  circumstances ;  by  which  means  their 
 darkness  is  scattered;  and  often,  before  the  bestow- 
 ment  of  any  new  remarkable  comforts,  especially 
 after  long  continued  deadness  and  ill  frames,  there 
 are  renewed  humblings,  in  a  great  sense  of  their 
 own  exceeding  vileuess  and  unworthiness,  as  before 
 their  first  comforts  were  bestowed. 
 
 Many,  in  the  country,  have  entertained  a  mean 
 thought  of  this  great  work  that  has  been  amongst 
 us,  from  what  they  have  heard  of  impressions  that 
 have  been  made  on  persons'  imaginations.  But 
 there  have  been  exceeding  great  misrepresentations, 
 and  innumerable  false  reports,  concerning  that  mat- 
 ter. It  is  not,  that  I  know  of,  the  opinion  of  any 
 one  person  in  the  town,  that  any  weight  is  to  be  laid 
 on  any  thing  seen  with  the  bodily  eyes;  I  know  the 
 contrary  to  be  a  received  and  established  principle 
 amongst  us.  I  cannot  say  that  there  have  been  no 
 F  -iS 
 
122 
 
 instances  of  persons  that  have  been  ready  to  give 
 too  much  heed  to  vain  and  useless  imaginations; 
 but  they  have  been  easily  corrected,  and  I  conclude 
 it  will  not  be  wondered  at,  that  a  congregation 
 should  heed  a  guide  in  such  cases,  to  assist  them  in 
 distinguishing  wheat  from  chafF.  But  such  im- 
 pressions on  the  imagination  as  have  been  more 
 usual,  seem  to  me  to  be  plainly  no  other  than  what 
 is  to  be  expected  in  human  nature  in  such  circum- 
 stances, and  what  is  the  natural  result  of  the  strong 
 exercise  of  the  mind,  and  impressions  on  the  heart. 
 
 I  do  not  suppose  that  they  themselves  imagined 
 that  they  saw  any  thing  with  their  bodily  eyes ;  but 
 only  have  had  within  them  ideas  strongly  impressed, 
 and,  as  it  were,  lively  pictures  in  their  minds  :  as, 
 for  instance,  some,  when  in  great  terrors,  through 
 fear  of  hell,  have  had  lively  ideas  of  a  dreadful  fur- 
 nace. Some,  when  their  hearts  have  been  strongly 
 impressed,  and  their  affections  greatly  moved  with  a 
 sense  of  the  beauty  and  excellency  of  Christ,  it  has 
 wrought  on  their  imaginations  so,  that,  together  with 
 a  sense  of  his  glorious  spiritual  perfections,  there 
 has  arisen  in  the  mind  an  idea  of  one  of  glorious 
 majesty,  and  of  a  sweet  and  a  gracious  aspect;  so 
 some,  when  they  have  been  greatly  affected  with 
 Christ's  death,  have,  at  the  same  time,  a  lively  idea 
 of  Christ  hanging  upon  the  cross,  and  of  his  blood 
 running  from  his  wounds;  which  things  will  not  be 
 wondered  at  by  those  that  have  observed  how  strong 
 affections,  about  temporal  matters,  will  excite  lively 
 ideas  and  pictures  of  different  things  in  the  mind. 
 
 But  yet  the  vigorous  exercise  of  the  mind  does, 
 doubtless,  more  strongly  impress  it  with  imaginary 
 
123 
 
 ideas  in  some  tlian  others,  which  probably  may  arise 
 from  the  difference  of  constitution,  and  seems  evi- 
 dently in  some,  partly  to  arise  from  their  peculiar 
 circumstances.  When  persons  have  been  exercised 
 with  extreme  terrors,  and  there  is  a  sudden  change 
 to  light  and  joy,  the  imagination  seems  more  suscep- 
 tive of  strong  ideas;  and  the  inferior  powers,  and 
 even  the  frnme  of  the  body,  is  much  more  affected 
 and  wrought  upon  than  when  the  same  persons  have 
 as  great  spiritual  light  and  joy  afterwards;  of  which 
 it  might,  perhaps,  be  easy  to  give  a  reason.  The 
 fore-mentioned  Reverend  Messrs.  Lord  and  Owen, 
 who,  I  believe,  are  esteemed  persons  of  learning  and 
 discretion  where  they  are  best  known,  declared,  that 
 they  found  these  impressions  on  persons'  imagina- 
 tions quite  different  things  from  what  fame  had  be- 
 fore represented  to  them,  and  that  they  were  what 
 none  need  to  wonder  at,  or  be  stumbled  by. 
 
 There  have  indeed  been  some  few  instances  of  im- 
 pressions in  persons'  imaginations,  that  have  been 
 something  mysterious  to  me,  and  1  have  been  at  a 
 loss  about  them;  for  though  it  has  been  exceeding 
 evident  to  me,  by  many  things  that  appeared  in  them, 
 both  then  (when  they  related  them)  and  afterwards, 
 that  they  indeed  had  a  greater  sense  of  the  spiritual 
 excellency  of  divine  things  accompanying  tliem:  yet 
 1  have  not  been  able  well  to  satisfy  myself,  whether 
 their  imaginary  ideas  have  been  more  than  could  natu- 
 rally arise  from  their  spiritual  sense  of  things.  How- 
 ever, I  have  used  the  utmost  caution  in  such  cases; 
 great  care  has  been  taken,  both  in  public  and  in  pri- 
 vate, to  teach  persons  the  difference  between  what  is 
 spiritual  and  what  is  merely  imaginary.  I  have  often 
 F  2 
 
124 
 
 warned  persons  not  to  lay  the  stress  of  their  hope  on 
 any  ideas  of  any  outward  glory,  or  any  external 
 thing  whatsoever,  and  have  met  with  no  opposition 
 in  such  instructions.  But  it  is  not  strange  if  some 
 weaker  persons,  in  giving  an  account  of  their  ex- 
 periences, have  not  so  prudently  distinguished  be- 
 tween the  spiritual  and  imaginary  part ;  which  some 
 that  have  not  been  well  affected  to  religion  might 
 take  advantage  of. 
 
 There  has  been  much  talk  in  many  parts  of  the 
 country,  as  though  the  people  have  symbolized  with 
 the  Quakers ;  and  the  Quakers  themselves  have 
 been  moved  with  such  reports,  and  came  here,  once 
 and  again,  hoping  to  find  goor'  waters  to  fish  in  ; 
 but  without  the  least  success,  and  seem  to  be  dis- 
 couraged, and  have  left  ofF  coming.  There  have 
 also  been  reports  spread  about  the  country,  as  though 
 the  first  occasion  of  so  remarkable  a  concern  on 
 people's  minds  here,  was  an  apprehension  that  the 
 world  was  near  to  an  end,  which  was  altogether  a 
 false  report.  Indeed  after  this  stirring  and  concern 
 became  so  general  and  extraordinary,  as  has  been 
 related,  the  minds  of  some  were  filled  with  specula- 
 tion, what  so  great  a  dispensation  of  divine  provi- 
 dence might  forbode  ;  and  some  reports  were  heard 
 from  abroad,  as  though  certain  divines,  and  others, 
 thought  the  conflagration  was  nigh  :  but  such  re- 
 ports were  never  generally  looked  upon  worthy  of 
 notice. 
 
 The  work  that  has  now  been  wrought  on  souls  is 
 evidently  the  same  that  was  wrought  in  my  venerable 
 predecessor's  days ;  as  I  have  had  abundant  oppor- 
 tunity to  know,  having  been   in  the   ministry  here 
 
125 
 
 two  years  with  him,  and  so  conversed  with  a  con- 
 siderable number  that  my  grandfather  thought  to  be 
 savingly  converted  in  that  time ;  and  having  been 
 particularly  acquainted  with  the  experiences  of  many 
 that  were  converted  under  his  ministry  before. 
 And  I  know  not  one  of  them  that  in  the  least 
 doubts  of  its  being  the  same  Spirit,  and  the  same 
 work.  Persons  have  now  no  otherwise  been  sub- 
 ject to  impressions  on  their  imaginations  than  for- 
 merly :  the  work  is  of  the  same  nature,  and  has 
 not  been  attended  with  any  extraordinary  circum- 
 stances, excepting  such  as  are  analogous  to  the 
 extraordinary  degree  of  it  before  described.  And 
 God's  people  that  were  formerly  converted,  have 
 now  partook  of  the  same  shower  of  divine  blessing, 
 in  the  renewing,  strengthening,  edifying  influences 
 of  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  others  have,  in  his 
 converting  influences  ;  and  the  work  here  has  also 
 been  plainly  the  same  with  that  which  has  been 
 wrought  in  other  places,  that  have  been  mentioned 
 as  partaking  of  the  same  blessing.  1  have  par- 
 ticularly conversed  with  persons  about  their  ex- 
 periences, that  belong  to  all  parts  of  the  country, 
 and  in  various  parts  of  Connecticut,  where  a  reli- 
 gious concern  has  lately  appeared ;  and  have  been 
 informed  of  the  experiences  of  many  others  by  their 
 own  pastors. 
 
 It  is  easily  perceived  by  the  foregoing  account, 
 that  it  is  very  much  the  practice  of  the  people  here 
 to  converse  freely  with  one  another  of  their  spiritual 
 experiences;  which  is  a  thing  that  many  have  been 
 disgusted  at.  But  however  our  people  may  have, 
 m  some  respects,  gone  to  extremes  in  it,  vet  it  is, 
 
doubtless,  a  practice  that  the  circumstances  of  this 
 town  and  neighbouring  towns  have  naturally  led 
 them  into.  Whatsoever  people  are  in  such  circum- 
 stances, where  all  have  their  minds  engaged  to  such 
 a  degree,  in  the  same  affair,  that  it  is  ever  uppermost 
 in  their  thoughts;  they  will  naturally  make  it  the 
 subject  of  conversation  one  with  another  when  they 
 get  together,  in  which  they  will  grow  more  and  more 
 free:  restraints  will  soon  vanish;  and  they  will  not 
 conceal  from  one  another  what  they  meet  with.  And 
 it  has  been  a  practice  which,  in  general,  has  been 
 attended  with  many  good  effects,  and  what  God  has 
 greatly  blessed  amongst  us:  but  it  must  be  confessed, 
 there  may  have  been  some  ill  consequences  of  it; 
 which  yet  are  rather  to  be  laid  to  the  indiscreet 
 management  of  it  than  to  the  practice  itself;  and 
 none  can  wonder,  if,  among  such  a  multitude,  some 
 fail  of  exercising  so  much  prudence  in  choosing  the 
 time,  manner,  and  occasion  of  such  discourse,  as  is 
 desirable. 
 
 But  to  give  a  clearer  idea  of  the  nature  and  man- 
 ner of  the  operation  of  God's  Spirit,  in  this  wonder- 
 ful effusion  of  it,  I  would  give  an  account  of  two 
 particular  instances.  The  first  is  an  adult  person, 
 a  young  woman  whose  name  was  Abigail  Hutchinson. 
 I  pitch  upon  her  especially,  because  she  is  now  dead, 
 and  so  it  may  be  more  fit  to  speak  freely  of  her  than 
 of  living  instances :  though  I  am  under  far  greater 
 disadvantages,  on  other  accounts,  to  give  a  full  and 
 clear  narrative  of  her  experiences,  than  I  might  of 
 some  others;  nor  can  any  account  be  given. but  what 
 has  been  retained  in  the  memories  of  her  near  friends, 
 and  some  others,  of  what  they  have  heard  her  express 
 in  her  life-time. 
 
1^7 
 
 She  was  of  a  rational  understanding  family :  there 
 could  be  nothing  in  her  education  that  tended  to 
 enthusiasm,  but  rather  to  the  contrary  extreme.  It 
 is  in  nowise  the  temper  of  the  family  to  be  ostenta- 
 tious of  experiences,  and  it  was  far  from  being  her 
 temper.  She  was,  before  her  conversion,  to  the  ob- 
 servation of  her  neighbours,  of  a  sober  and  inoffen- 
 sive conversation ;  and  was  a  still,  quiet,  reserved 
 person.  She  had  long  been  infirm  of  body,  but  her 
 infirmity  had  never  been  observed  at  all  to  incline 
 her  to  be  notional  or  fanciful,  or  to  occasion  any 
 thing  of  religious  melancholy.  She  was  under  awak- 
 enings scarcely  a  week,  before  there  seemed  to  be 
 plain  evidence  of  her  being  savingly  converted. 
 
 She  was  first  awakened  in  the  winter  season,  on 
 Monday,  by  something  she  heard  her  brother  say  of 
 the  necessity  of  being  in  good  earnest  in  seeking  re- 
 generating grace,  together  with  the  news  of  the  con- 
 version of  the  young  woman  before-mentioned,  whose 
 conversion  so  generally  affected  most  of  the  young 
 people  here.  This  news  wrought  much  upon  her, 
 and  stirred  up  a  spirit  of  envy  in  her  towards  this 
 young  woman,  whom  she  thought  very  unworthy  of 
 being  distinguished  from  others  by  such  a  mercy; 
 but  withal  it  engaged  her  in  a  firm  resolution  to  do 
 her  utmost  to  obtain  the  same  blessing;  and,  con- 
 sidering with  herself  what  course  she  should  take, 
 she  thought  that  she  had  not  a  sufficient  knowledge 
 of  the  principles  of  religion,  to  render  her  capable 
 of  conversion ;  whereupon  she  resolved  thoroughly 
 to  search  the  Scriptures;  and  accordingly  began  at 
 the  beginning  of  the  Bible,  intending  to  read  it 
 through.      She  continued  thus  till  Thursday:  and 
 
128 
 
 then  there  was  a  sudden  alteration,  by  a  great  in- 
 crease of  her  concern,  in  an  extraordinary  sense  of 
 her  own  sinfulness,  particularly  the  sinfulness  of  her 
 nature,  and  wickedness  of  her  heart,  which  came 
 upon  her  (as  she  expressed  it)  as  a  flash  of  lightning, 
 and  struck  her  into  an  exceeding  terror.  Upon 
 which  she  left  off  reading  the  Bible,  in  course  as 
 she  had  begun,  and  turned  to  the  New  Testament, 
 to  see  if  she  could  not  find  some  relief  there  for  her 
 distressed  soul. 
 
 Her  great  terror,  she  said,  was,  that  she  had 
 sinned  against  God.  Her  distress  increased  for  three 
 days ;  until  (as  she  said)  she  saw  nothing  but  black- 
 ness of  darkness  before  her,  and  her  very  flesh  trem- 
 bled for  fear  of  God's  wrath :  she  wondered  and  was 
 astonished  at  herself,  that  she  had  been  so  concerned 
 for  her  body,  and  had  applied  so  often  to  physicians 
 to  heal  that,  and  had  neglected  her  soul.  Her  sin- 
 fulness appeared  with  a  very  awful  aspect  to  her, 
 especially  in  three  things ;  namely,  her  original  sin, 
 and  her  sin  in  murmuring  at  God's  providence,  in 
 the  weakness  and  afflictions  she  had  been  under,  and 
 in  want  of  duty  to  parents,  though  others  had  looked 
 upon  her  to  excel  in  dutifulness.  On  Saturday,  she 
 was  so  earnestly  engaged  in  reading  the  Bible,  and 
 other  books,  that  she  continued  in  it,  searching  for 
 something  to  relieve  her,  till  her  eyes  were  so  dim 
 that  she  could  not  know  the  letters.  While  she 
 was  thus  engaged  in  reading,  prayer,  and  other  re- 
 ligious exercises,  she  thought  of  those  words  of 
 Christ,  wherein  he  warns  us  not  to  be  as  the  hea- 
 then, that  "  think  they  shall  be  heard  for  their  much 
 speaking;"  which,  she  said,  led  her  to  see  that  she 
 
129 
 
 had  trusted  to  her  own  prayers  and  religious  per- 
 formances, and  now  she  was  put  to  a  nonplus,  and 
 knew  not  which  way  to  turn  herself,  or  where  to 
 seek  relief. 
 
 While  her  mind  was  in  this  posture,  her  heart, 
 she  said,  seemed  to  fly  to  the  minister  for  refuge, 
 hoping  that  he  could  give  her  some  relief.  She 
 came  the  same  day  to  her  brother,  with  the  counte- 
 nance of  a  person  in  distress,  expostulating  with  him, 
 why  he  had  not  told  her  more  of  her  sinfulness,  and 
 earnestly  inquiring  of  him  what  she  should  do.  She 
 seemed  that  day  to  feel  in  herself  an  enmity  against 
 the  Bible,  which  greatly  affrighted  her. 
 
 On  the  Sabbath-day  she  was  so  ill  that  her  friends 
 thought  it  not  best  that  she  should  go  to  public  wor- 
 ship, of  which  she  seemed  very  desirous:  but  when 
 she  went  to  bed  on  the  Sabbath  night,  she  took  a 
 resolution  that  she  would  the  next  morning  go  to 
 the  minister,  hoping  to  find  some  relief  there.  As 
 she  awaked  on  Monday  morning,  a  little  before  day, 
 she  wondered  within  herself  at  the  easiness  and  calm- 
 ness she  felt  in  her  mind,  which  was  of  that  kind 
 which  she  never  felt  before.  As  she  thouixht  of  this, 
 such  words  as  these  were  in  her  mind  :  "  The  words 
 of  the  Lord  are  pure  words,  health  to  the  soul,  and 
 marrow  to  the  bones :"  and  then  these  words  came 
 to  her  mmd  ;  "  The  blood  of  Christ  cleanses  from  all 
 sin  ;"  which  were  accompanied  with  a  lively  sense  of 
 the  excellency  of  Christ,  and  his  sufficiency  to  satisfy 
 for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world.  She  then  thoujjht 
 of  that  expression,  "  It  is  a  pleasant  thing  for  the 
 eyes  to  behold  the  sun ;"  which  words  then  seemed 
 to  her  to  be  very  applicable  to  Jesus  Christ.  By 
 f3 
 
130 
 
 these  things,  her  mind  was  led  into  such  contempla- 
 tions and  views  of  Christ  as  filled  her  exceedingly 
 full  of  joy.  She  told  her  brother  in  the  morning, 
 that  she  had  seen  (that  is,  in  realizing  views  by 
 faith)  Christ  the  last  night,  and  that  she  had  really 
 thought  that  she  had  not  knowledge  enough  to  be 
 converted ;  but,  says  she,  '  God  can  make  it  quite 
 easy  !'  On  Monday,  she  felt  all  day  a  constant 
 sweetness  in  her  soul.  She  had  a  repetition  of  the 
 same  discoveries  of  Christ  three  mornings  together, 
 that  she  had  on  Monday  morning,  and  much  in  the 
 same  manner,  at  each  time,  waking  a  little  before 
 day;   but  brighter  and  brighter  every  time. 
 
 At  the  last  time,  on  Wednesday  morning,  while 
 in  the  enjoyment  of  a  spiritual  view  of  Christ's  glory 
 and  fulness,  her  soul  was  filled  with  distress  for 
 Christless  persons,  to  consider  what  a  miserable  con- 
 dition they  were  in:  and  she  felt  in  herself  a  strong 
 inclination  immediately  to  go  forth  to  warn  sinners; 
 and  proposed  it  the  next  day  to  her  brother  to  assist 
 her  in  going  from  house  to  house;  but  her  brother 
 restrained  her,  by  telling  her  of  the  unsuitableness 
 of  such  a  method.  She  told  one  of  her  sisters  that 
 day,  that  she  loved  all  mankind,  but  especially  the 
 people  of  God.  Her  sister  asked  her,  why  she 
 loved  all  mankind  ?  She  replied,  because  God  had 
 made  them.  After  this,  there  happened  to  come 
 into  the  shop  where  she  was  at  work,  three  persons 
 that  were  thought  to  have  been  lately  converted;  her 
 seeing  them  as  they  stepped  in  one  after  another,  so 
 affected  her,  and  so  drew  forth  her  love  to  them, 
 that  it  overcame  her,  and  she  almost  fainted  :  and 
 when  they  began  to  talk  of  the  things  of  religion,  it 
 
131 
 
 was  more  than  she  could  bear;  they  were  obliged  to 
 cease  on  that  account.  It  was  a  very  frequent 
 thing  with  her  to  be  overcome  with  a  flow  of  affec- 
 tion to  those  that  she  thought  godly,  in  conversa- 
 tion with  them,  and  sometimes  only  at  the  sight  of 
 them. 
 
 She  had  many  extraordinary  discoveries  of  the 
 glory  of  God  and  Christ ;  sometimes  in  some  parti- 
 cular attributes,  and  sometimes  in  many.  She 
 stated,  that  once,  as  those  four  words  passed 
 through  her  mind,  wisdom,  justice,  goodness, 
 and  TRUTH,  her  soul  was  filled  with  a  sense  of  the 
 glory  of  each  of  these  divine  attributes,  but  espe- 
 cially the  last;  Truth,  said  she,  sunk  the  deepest! 
 And,  therefore,  as  these  words  passed,  this  was  re- 
 peated, TRUTH  !  TRUTH  !  Her  mind  was  so  swal- 
 lowed up  with  a  sense  of  the  glory  of  God's  truth 
 and  other  perfections,  that  she  said,  it  seemed  as 
 though  her  life  was  going,  and  that  she  saw  it  was 
 easy  with  God  to  take  away  her  life  by  discoveries 
 of  himself.  Soon*kfter  this  she  went  to  a  private 
 religious  meeting,  and  her  mind  was  full  of  a  sense 
 and  view  of  the  glory  of  God  all  the  time;  and 
 when  the  exercise  was  ended,  some  asked  her  con- 
 cerning what  she  had  experienced :  and  she  began 
 to  give  them  an  account;  but  as  she  was  relating  it, 
 it  revived  such  a  sense  of  the  same  things,  that  her 
 strength  failed,  and  they  were  obliged  to  take  her 
 and  lay  her  upon  the  bed.  Afterwards  she  was 
 greatly  affected,  and  rejoiced,  with  these  words, 
 "  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  I" 
 
 She  had,   several  days  together,  a  sweet  sense  of 
 the  excellency  and  loveliness  of  Christ  in  his  meek- 
 
132 
 
 ness,  which  disposed  her  continually  to  be  repeating 
 over  these  words,  which  were  sweet  to  her,  "  Meek 
 
 AND  LOWLY  IN  HEART  !  MEEK  AND  LOWLY  IN 
 
 HEART  !'*  She  once  expressed  herself  to  one  of  her 
 sisters  to  this  purpose  :  that  she  had  continued  whole 
 days  and  whole  nights,  in  a  constant  ravishing  view 
 of  the  glory  of  God  and  Christ,  having  enjoyed  as 
 much  as  her  life  could  bear.  Once,  as  her  brother 
 was  speaking  of  the  dying  love  of  Christ,  she  told 
 him  that  she  had  such  a  sense  of  it,  that  the  mere 
 mentioning  of  it  was  ready  to  overcome  her. 
 
 Once,  when  she  came  to  me,  she  told  how  that 
 at  such  and  such  a  time  she  thought  she  saw  as 
 much  of  God,  and  had  as  much  joy  and  pleasure,  as 
 was  possible  in  this  life;  and  that  yet  afterwards 
 God  discovered  himself  yet  far  more  abundantly, 
 and  she  saw  the  same  things  that  she  had  seen  be- 
 fore, yet  more  clearly,  and  in  another,  and  far  more 
 excellent  and  delightful  mangier,  and  was  filled  with 
 a  more  exceeding  sweetness.  She  likewise  gave  me 
 such  an  account  of  the  sense  she  once  had,  from 
 day  to  day,  of  the  glory  of  Christ,  and  of  God,  in 
 his  various  attributes,  that  it  seemed  to  me  she 
 dwelt,  for  days  together,  in  a  kind  of  beatific  vision 
 of  God ;  and  seemed  to  have,  as  I  thought,  as  im- 
 mediate an  intercourse  with  him  as  a  child  with  a 
 father:  and,  at  the  same  time,  she  appeared  most 
 remote  from  any  high  thought  of  herself,  and  of  her 
 own  sufRciency;  but  was  like  a  little  child,  and  ex- 
 pressed a  great  desire  to  be  instructed,  telling  me 
 that  she  longed  very  often  to  come  to  me  for  in- 
 struction, and  wanted  to  live  at  my  house,  that  I 
 might  tell  her  her  duty. 
 
133 
 
 She  often  expressed  a  sense  of  the  glory  of  God 
 appearing  in  the  trees,  and  growth  of  the  fields,  and 
 other  works  of  God's   hands.      She  told  her  sister 
 that  lived  near  the  heart  of  the  town,  that  she  once 
 thought  it  a  pleasant  thing  to  live  in  the  middle  of 
 the  town  ;  '  But  now,'  says  she, '  I  think  it  much  more 
 pleasant  to  sit  and  see  the  wind  blowing  the  trees, 
 and  to  behold  in  the  country  what  God  has  made.' 
 She  had  sometimes  the  powerful  breathings  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God  on  her  soul,  while  reading  the  Scrip- 
 ture, and  would  express  a  sense  that  she  had  of  the 
 certain  truth  and  divinity  thereof.      She  sometimes 
 would  appear  with  a  pleasant  smile  on  her  counte- 
 nance; and  once,  when  her  sister  took  notice  of  it, 
 and  asked  why  she  smiled,  she  replied,  '  I  am  brim- 
 full  of  a  sweet  feeling  within  !'      She  often  used  to 
 express  how  good  and  sweet  it  was  to  lie  low  before 
 God;  and  the  lower,  says  she,  the  better  !  and  that 
 it  was  pleasant  to  think  of  lying  in   the  dust,  all 
 the  days  of  her  life,  mourning  for  sin.      She  was 
 wont  to  manifest  a  great  sense  of  her  own  mean- 
 ness and  dependence.      She  often  expressed  an  ex- 
 ceeding   compassion,    and    pitiful   love,    which    she 
 found  in  her  heart  towards  persons  in  a  Christless 
 condition ;  which  was  sometimes  so  strong,  that  as 
 she  was  passing  by  such  in  the  streets,  or  those  that 
 she  feared   were  such,  she  would  be   overcome  by 
 the  sight  of  them.      She  once  said,  that  she  longed 
 to  have  the  whole  world  saved  ;  she  wanted,  as  it 
 were,  to  pull  them  all  to  her;  she  could  not  bear  to 
 have  one  lost. 
 
 She  had  great  longings  to  die,  that  she  might  be 
 with  Christ ;  which  increased  until  she  thought  she 
 
134 
 
 did  not  know  how  to  be  patient  to  wait  till  God*s 
 time  should  come.  But  once  when  she  felt  those 
 longings,  she  thought  with  herself,  '  If  I  long  to 
 die,  why  do  I  go  to  physicians?'  Whence  she 
 concluded  that  her  longings  for  death  were  not  well 
 regulated.  After  this  she  often  put  it  to  herself, 
 which  she  should  choose,  whether  to  live  or  to  die, 
 to  be  sick,  or  to  be  well ;  and  she  found  she  could 
 not  tell,  till  at  last  she  found  herself  disposed  to  say 
 these  words:  '  I  am  quite  willing  to  live,  and  quite 
 willing  to  die;  quite  willing  to  be  sick,  and  quite 
 willing  to  be  well;  and  quite  willing  for  any  thing 
 that  God  will  bring  upon  me  1  And  then,'  said 
 she,  *  I  felt  myself  perfectly  easy,'  in  a  full  submis- 
 sion to  the  will  of  God.  She  then  lamented  much 
 that  she  had  been  so  eager  in  her  longings  for  death, 
 as  it  argued  want  of  such  a  resignation  to  God  as 
 ought  to  be.  She, seemed  henceforward  to  continue 
 in  this  resigned  frame  till  death. 
 
 After  this  her  illness  increased  upon  her;  and 
 once  after  she  had  spent  the  greater  part  of  the 
 night  in  extreme  pain,  she  waked  out  of  a  little 
 sleep  with  these  words  in  her  heart  and  mouth :  '  I 
 am  willing  to  suffer  for  Christ's  sake ;  I  am  willing 
 to  spend  and  be  spent  for  Christ's  sake;  I  am 
 willing  to  spend  my  life,  even  my  very  life,  for 
 Christ's  sake  !'  And  though  she  had  an  extra- 
 ordinary resignation,  with  respect  to  life  or  death, 
 yet  the  thoughts  of  dying  were  exceeding  sweet  to 
 her.  At  a  time  when  her  brother  was  reading  in 
 Job,  concerning  worms  feeding  on  the  dead  body, 
 she  appeared  with  a  pleasant  smile;  and  being  in- 
 quired of  about  it,  she  said,  it  was  sweet  to  her  to 
 
135 
 
 think  of  her  being  in  such  circumstances.  At 
 another  time,  when  her  brother  mentioned  to  her 
 the  danger  there  seemed  to  be  that  the  ilhiess  she 
 then  laboured  under,  might  be  an  occasion  of  her 
 death,  it  filled  her  with  joy  that  almost  overcame 
 her.  At  another  time,  when  she  met  a  company 
 following  a  corpse  to  the  grave,  she  said,  it  was  sweet 
 to  her  to  think,  that  they  would  in  a  little  time 
 follow  her  in  like  manner. 
 
 Her  illness,  in  the  latter  part  of  it,  was  seated 
 much  in  her  throat;  and  swelling  inward,  filled  up 
 the  pipe,  so  that  she  could  swallow  nothing  but  what 
 was  perfectly  liquid,  and  but  very  little  of  that,  and 
 with  great  and  long  strugglings,  that  which  she 
 took  in,  flying  out  at  her  nostrils,  till  she  at  last 
 could  swallow  nothing  at  all :  she  had  a  raging  ap- 
 petite for  food,  so  that  she  told  her  sister,  that  the 
 worst  bit  that  she  threw  to  her  swine  would  be 
 sweet  to  her:  but  yet  when  she  saw  that  she  could 
 not  swallow  it,  sher-'Seemed  to  be  as  perfectly  con- 
 tented without  it,  as  if  she  had  no  appetite  to  it. 
 Others  were  greatly  moved  to  see  what  she  under- 
 went, and  were  filled  with  admiration  at  her  unex- 
 ampled patience.  At  a  time  when  she  was  striving 
 in  vain  to  get  down  a  little  food,  something  hquid, 
 and  was  very  much  spent  with  it,  she  looked  up  on 
 her  sister  with  a  smile,  saying,  '  O  sister,  this  is  for 
 my  good  !'  At  another  time,  when  her  sister  was 
 speaking  of  what  she  underwent,  she  told  her,  that 
 she  lived  a  heaven  upon  earth  for  all  that.  She  used 
 sometimes  to  say  to  her  sister,  under  her  extreme 
 sufferings,  *  It  is  good  to  be  so  !'  Her  sister  once 
 asked  her,  why  she  said  so ;   '  Why,*  says  she,  '  be- 
 
136 
 
 cause  God  would  have  it  so :  it  is  best  that  things 
 should  be  as  God  would  have  them  :  it  looks  best  to 
 me/  After  her  confinement,  as  they  were  leading 
 her  from  the  bed  to  the  door,  she  seemed  overcome 
 by  the  sight  of  things  abroad,  as  showing  forth  the 
 glory  of  the  Being  that  had  made  them.  As  she 
 lay  on  her  death-bed,  she  would  often  say  these 
 words,  'God  is  my  friend!'  And  once,  looking 
 upon  her  sister  with  a  smile,  said,  *  O  sister  !  how 
 good  it  is  !  how  sweet  and  comfortable  it  is,  to  con- 
 sider and  think  of  heavenly  things  !'  and  used  this 
 argument  to  persuade  her  sister  to  be  much  in  such 
 meditations. 
 
 She  expressed,  on  her  death-bed,  an  exceeding 
 longing,  both  for  persons  in  a  natural  state,  that  they 
 might  be  converted,  and  for  the  godly,  that  they 
 might  see  and  know  more  of  God.  And  when  those 
 that  looked  on  themselves  as  in  a  Christless  state 
 came  to  see  her,  she  would  be  greatly  moved  with 
 compassionate  affection.  One, '  in  particular,  that 
 seemed  to  be  in  great  distress  about  the  state  of  her 
 soul,  and  had  come  to  see  her  from  time  to  time,  she 
 desired  her  sister  to  persuade  not  to  come  any  more, 
 because  the  sight  of  her  so  wrought  on  her  compas- 
 sions, that  it  overcame  her  nature.  The  same  week 
 that  she  died,  when  she  was  in  distressing  circum- 
 stances as  to  her  body,  some  of  the  neighbours  that 
 came  to  see  her,  asked  if  she  was  willing  to  die  ? 
 She  replied,  that  she  was  quite  willing  either  to  live 
 or  die ;  she  was  willing  to  be  in  pain  ;  she  was  will- 
 ing to  be  so  always  as  she  was  then,  if  that  was  the 
 will  of  God.  She  willed  what  God  willed.  They 
 asked  her  whether  she  was  willing  to  die  that  night? 
 
137 
 
 She  answered,  *  Yes,  if  it  be  God's  will.'  And 
 seemed  to  speak  all  with  that  perfect  composure  of 
 spirit,  and  with  such  a  cheerful  and  pleasant  counte- 
 nance, that  it  filled  them  with  admiration. 
 
 She  was  very  weak  a  considerable  time  before  she 
 died,  having  pined  away  with  famine  and  thirst,  so 
 that  her  flesh  seemed  to  be  dried  upon  her  bones ; 
 and,  therefore,  could  say  but  little,  and  manifested 
 her  mind  very  much  by  signs.  She  said  she  had 
 matter  enough  to  fill  up  all  her  time  with  talk,  if  she 
 liad  but  strength.  A  few  days  before  her  death, 
 some  asked  her,  whether  she  held  her  integrity  still  ? 
 whether  she  was  not  afraid  of  death  ?  She  answered, 
 that  she  had  not  the  least  fear  of  death.  They 
 asked  her  why  she  would  be  so  confident  ?  She 
 answered,  '  If  I  should  say  otherwise,  I  should  speak 
 contrary  to  what  I  know  :  there  is,'  says  she,  '  in- 
 deed, a  dark  entry,  that  looks  something  dark,  but 
 on  the  other  side  there  appears  such  a  bright  shining 
 light,  that  I  cannot  be  afraid  !'  She  said,  not  long 
 before  she  died,  that  she  used  to  be  afraid  how  she 
 should  grapple  with  death  ;  but,  says  she,  *  God  has 
 showed  me  that  he  can  make  it  easy  in  great  pain.' 
 Several  days  before  she  died,  she  could  scarcely  say 
 any  thing  but  just  yes  and  no,  to  questions  that  were 
 asked  her,  for  she  seemed  to  be  dying  for  three  days 
 together ;  but  seemed  to  continue  in  an  admirable 
 sweet  composure  of  soul,  without  any  interruption, 
 to  the  last,  and  died  as  a  person  that  went  to 
 sleep,  without  any  struggling,  about  noon  on  Friday, 
 June  27,  1735. 
 
 She  had  long  been  infirm,  and  often  had  been 
 exercised  with  great  pain ;  but  she  died  chiefly  of 
 
138 
 
 famine.  It  was,  doubtless,  partly  owing  to  her 
 bodily  weakness  that  her  nature  was  so  often  over- 
 come, and  ready  to  sink  with  gracious  affection ; 
 but  yet  the  truth  was,  that  she  had  more  grace,  and 
 greater  discoveries  of  God  and  Christ,  than  the  pre- 
 sent frail  state  did  well  consist  with.  She  wanted 
 to  be  where  strong  grace  might  have  more  liberty, 
 and  be  without  the  clog  of  a  weak  body  ;  there  she 
 longed  to  be,  and  there  she  doubtless  now  is.  She 
 was  looked  upon  amongst  us  as  a  very  eminent  in- 
 stance of  Christian  experience;  but  this  is  but  a  very 
 broken  and  imperfect  account  I  have  given  of  her: 
 her  eminency  would  much  more  appear,  if  her  ex- 
 periences were  fully  related,  as  she  was  wont  to  ex- 
 press and  manifest  them  while  living.  I  once  read 
 this  account  to  some  of  her  pious  neighbours  who 
 were  acquainted  with  her,  who  said,  that  the  picture 
 fell  much  short  of  the  life ;  and  particularly  that  it 
 much  failed  of  duly  representing  her  humility,  and 
 that  admirable  lowliness  of  heart,  that  at  all  times 
 appeared  in  her.  But  there  are  (blessed  be  God  !) 
 many  living  instances,  of  much  the  like  nature,  and 
 in  some  things  no  less  extraordinary. 
 
 But  I  now  proceed  to  the  other  instance  that 
 I  would  give  an  account  of,  which  i§  of  the  little 
 child  fore-mentioned.  Her  name  is  Phebe  Bartlet, 
 daughter  of  William  Bartlet.  I  shall  give  the  ac- 
 count as  I  took  it  from  the  mouths  of  her  parents, 
 whose  veracity  none  that  know  them  doubt  of. 
 
 She  was  born  in  March,  in  the  year  1731. 
 About  the  latter  end  of  April,  or  beginning  of  May, 
 1735,  she  was  greatly  affected  by  the  talk  of  her 
 brother,   who  had  been  hopefully  converted  a  little 
 
139 
 
 before,  at  about  eleven  years  of  age,  and  tben 
 seriously  talked  to  her  about  the  great  things  of 
 religion.  Her  parents  did  not  know  of  it  at  that 
 time,  and  were  not  wont,  in  the  counsels  they  gave 
 to  their  children,  to  direct  themselves  particularly  to 
 her,  by  reason  of  her  being  so  young,  and,  as  they 
 supposed,  not  capable  of  understanding :  but  after 
 her  brother  had  talked  to  her,  they  observed  her 
 very  earnestly  listen  to  the  advice  they  gave  to  the 
 other  children ;  and  she  was  observed  very  con- 
 stantly to  retire,  several  times  in  a  day,  as  was  con- 
 cluded, for  secret  prayer :  and  grew  more  and  more 
 engaged  in  religion,  and  was  more  frequent  in  her 
 closet;  till  at  last  she  was  wont  to  visit  it  five  or  six 
 times  in  a  day ;  and  was  so  engaged  in  it,  that 
 nothing  would  at  any  time  divert  her  from  her  stated 
 closet  exercises.  Her  mother  often  observed  and 
 watched  her,  when  such  things  occurred  as  she 
 thought  most  likely  to  divert  her,  either  by  putting 
 it  out  of  her  thoughts,  or  otherwise  engaging  her 
 inclinations;  but  never  could  observe  her  to  fail. 
 She  mentioned  some  very  remarkable  instances. 
 
 She  once  of  her  own  accord  spake  of  her  unsuc- 
 cessfulness,  in  that  she  could  not  find  God,  or  to 
 that  purpose.  0  But  on  Thursday,  the  last  day  of 
 July,  about  the  middle  of  the  day,  the  child  being  in 
 the  closet,  where  it  used  to  retire,  its  mother  heard 
 it  speaking  aloud,  which  was  unusual,  and  never  had 
 been  observed  before.  And  her  voice  seemed  to 
 be  as  of  one  exceedingly  importunate  and  engaged  ; 
 but  her  mother  could  distinctly  hear  only  these 
 words,  (spoken  in  a  childish  manner,  but  seemed  to 
 be   with    extraordinary  earnestness   and   distress  of 
 
140 
 
 soul,)  *  Pray  blessed  Lord  give  me  salvation  !  I 
 PRAY,  BEG  pardon  all  my  sins  !'   When  the  child  had 
 done  prayer,  she  came  out  of  the  closet,  and  came  and 
 sat  down  by  her  mother,  and  cried  out  aloud.      Her 
 mother  very  earnestly  asked  her  several  times  what 
 was  the  matter,  before  she  would  make  any  answer; 
 but  she  continued  crying  exceedingly,  and  writhing 
 her  body  to  and  fro,  like  one  in  anguish  of  spirit. 
 Her  mother  then  asked  her,  whether  she  was  afraid 
 that  God  would  not  give  her  salvation.      She  then 
 answered,   '  Yes,   I  am  afraid  I  shall  go  to  hell !' 
 Her  mother  then  endeavoured  to  quiet  her,  and  told 
 her   she  would   not  have  her   cry,    she  must  be   a 
 good  girl,  and  pray  every  day,  and  she  hoped  God 
 would  give  her  salvation.      But  this  did  not  quiet 
 her  at  all;  but  she  continued  thus  earnestly  crying, 
 and  talking  on  for  some  time,  till  at  length  she  sud- 
 denly ceased  crying,  and  began  to  smile,  and  pre- 
 sently said,   with  a  smiling  countenance,  '  Mother, 
 the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  come  to  me  !'    Her  mother 
 was  surprised  at  the  sudden  alteration,  and  at  the 
 speech;  and  knew  not  what  to  make  of  it;  but  at 
 first  said  nothing  to  her.      The  child  presently  spake 
 again,  and  said,  '  There  is  another  come  to  me,  and 
 there  is  another,  there  is  three ;'  and  being  asked 
 what  she  meant,  she  answered,  '  One  is.  Thy  will  be 
 done ;  and  there  is  another,  Enjoy  him  for  ever ;'  by 
 which  it  seems,  that  when  the  child  said,  *  there  is 
 three  come  to  me,'  she  meant  three  passages  of  her 
 catechism  that  came  to  her  mind. 
 
 After  the  child  had  said  this,  she  retired  again 
 intO'  her  closet ;  and  her  mother  went  over  to  her 
 brother's,  who  was  next  neighbour;  and  when  she 
 
141 
 
 came  back,  the  child,  being  come  out  of  the  closet, 
 meets  her  mother  with  this  cheerful  speech,  *  I  can 
 find  God  now  !'  referring  to  what  she  had  before 
 complained  of,  that  she  could  not  find  God.  Then 
 the  child  spoke  again,  and  said,  '  I  love  God  !'  Her 
 mother  asked  her,  how  well  she  loved  God?  whether 
 she  loved  God  better  than  her  father  and  mother? 
 She  said,  '  Yes.'  Then  she  asked  her  whether  she 
 loved  God  better  than  her  little  sister  Rachel  ? 
 She  answered,  '  Yes,  better  than  any  thing  !'  Then 
 her  elder  sister,  referring  to  her  saying  she  could 
 find  God  now,  asked  her  where  she  could  find  God. 
 She  answered,  '  In  heaven.'  '  Why,'  said  she,  '  have 
 you  been  in  heaven?'  '  No,'  said  the  child.  By  this 
 it  seems  not  to  have  been  any  imagination  of  any 
 thing  seen  with  bodily  eyes,  that  she  called  God, 
 when  she  said,  I  can  find  God  now.  Her  mother 
 asked  her,  whether  she  was  afraid  of  going  to  hell, 
 and  if  that  had  made  her  cry?  She  answered,  *  Yes, 
 I  was,  but  now  I  shan't.'  Her  mother  asked  her, 
 whether  she  thought  that  God  had  given  her  salva- 
 tion ?  She  answered,  '  Yes.'  Her  mother  asked  her, 
 '  When  ?'  She  answered,  '  To-day.'  She  appeared 
 all  that  afternoon  exceedingly  cheerful  and  joyful. 
 One  of  the  neighbours  asked  her  how  she  felt  her- 
 self ?  She  answered,  *  I  feel  better  than  I  did.' 
 The  neighbour  asked  her,  what  made  her  feel  bet- 
 ter? She  answered,  *  God  makes  me.'  That  even- 
 ing, as  she  lay  a-bed,  she  called  one  of  her  little 
 cousins  to  her  that  was  present  in  the  room,  as  hav- 
 ing something  to  say  to  him,  and  when  he  came, 
 she  told  him,  that  Heaven  was  better  than  earth. 
 The  next  day  being  Friday,  her  mother  asking  her 
 
142 
 
 her  catechism,  asked  her,  what  God  made  her  for? 
 She  answered,  '  To  serve  him  ;'  and  added,  *  every 
 body  should  serve  God,  and  get  an  interest  in  Christ/ 
 
 At  night,  a  certain  minister,  that  was  occasionally 
 in  the  town,  was  at  the  house,  and  talked  consider- 
 ably with  her  of  the  things  of  religion;  and,  after 
 he  was  gone,  she  sat  leaning  on  the  table,  with  tears 
 running  out  of  her  eyes ;  and  being  asked  what  made 
 her  cry,  she  said,  '  It  was  thinking  about  God.'  The 
 next  day  being  Saturday,  she  seemed  great  pa*t  of 
 the  day  to  be  in  a  very  affectionate  frame,  had  four 
 turns  of  crying,  and  seemed  to  endeavour  to  curb 
 herself,  and  hide  her  tears,  and  was  very  backward 
 to  talk  of  the  occasion  of  it.  On  the  Sabbath-day 
 she  was  asked,  whether  she  believed  in  God;  she 
 answered,  '  Yes.'  And  being  told  that  Christ  was 
 the  Son  of  God,  she  made  ready  answer,  and  said, 
 '  I  know  it.' 
 
 From  this  time  there  appeared  a  very  remarkable 
 abiding  change  in  the  child.  She  has  been  very  strict 
 upon  the  Sabbath,  and  seems  to  long  for  the  Sab- 
 bath-day before  it  comes,  and  will  often  in  the  week 
 be  inquiring  how  long  it  is  to  the  Sabbath-day,  and 
 must  have  the  days  particularly  counted  over  that 
 are  between,  before  she  will  be  contented.  She 
 seems  to  love  God's  house,  and  is  very  eager  to  go 
 thither.  Her  mother  once  asked  her,  why  she  had 
 such  a  mind  to  go?  whether  it  was  not  to  see  fine 
 folks?  She  said,  *  No,  it  was  to  hear  Mr.  Edwards 
 preach.'  When  she  is  in  the  place  of  worship,  she 
 is  very  far  from  spending  her  time  there  as  children 
 at  her  age  usually  do,  but  appears  with  an  attention 
 that  is  very  extraordinary  for  such  a  child.      She 
 
143 
 
 also  appears  very  desirous,  at  all  opportunities,  to  go 
 to  private  religious  meetings ;  and  is  very  still  and 
 attentive  at  home  in  prayer-time,  and  has  appeared 
 affected  in  time  of  family-prayer.  She  seems  to  de- 
 light much  in  hearing  religious  conversation.  When 
 I  once  was  there  with  some  others  that  were  strangers, 
 and  talked  to  her  something  of  religion,  she  seemed 
 more  than  ordinarily  attentive;  and  when  we  were 
 gone,  she  looked  out  very  wistly  after,  and  said,  *  I 
 wish  they  would  come  again  !*  Her  mother  asked 
 her,  '  Why?'  '  Says  she,  '  I  love  to  hear  them  talk.' 
 She  seems  to  have  very  much  of  the  fear  of  God 
 before  her  eyes,  and  an  extraordinary  dread  of  sin 
 against  him  ;  of  which  her  mother  mentioned  the  fol- 
 lowing remarkable  instance  : — Some  time  in  August, 
 the  last  year,  she  went,  with  some  bigger  children, 
 to  get  some  plums  in  a  neighbour's  lot,  knowing 
 nothing  of  any  harm  in  what  she  did;  but  when  she 
 brought  some  of  the  plums  into  the  house,  her 
 mother  mildly  reproved  her,  and  told  her  that  she 
 must  not  get  plums  without  leave,  because  it  was 
 sin  :  God  had  commanded  her  not  to  steal.  The 
 child  scrmed  greatly  surprised,  and  burst  out  in  tears, 
 and  cried  out,  '  I  wont  have  these  plums  !'  and, 
 tinning  to  her  sister  Eunice,  very  earnestly  said  to 
 her,  '  Why  did  you  ask  me  to  go  to  that  plum-tree? 
 I  should  not  have  gone,  if  you  had  not  asked  me.' 
 The  other  children  did  not  seem  to  be  much  affected 
 or  concerned  ;  but  there  was  no  pacifying  Phebe. 
 Her  mother  told  her,  she  might  go  and  ask  leave, 
 and  then  it  would  not  be  sin  for  her  to  eat  them  ; 
 and  sent  one  of  the  children  to  that  end  ;  and,  when 
 she  returned,  her  mother  told  her  that  the  owner 
 
144 
 
 had  given  leave,  now  she  might  eat  them,  and  it 
 would  not  be  steahng.  This  stilled  her  a  little 
 while ;  but,  presently,  she  broke  out  again  into  an 
 exceeding  fit  of  crying.  Her  mother  asked  her, 
 what  made  her  cry  again  ?  why  she  cried  now, 
 since  they  had  asked  leave  ?  what  it  was  that 
 troubled  her  now  ?  And  asked  her  several  times 
 very  earnestly,  before  she  made  any  answer  ;  but  at 
 last  said,  '  It  was  because,  because  it  was  sin.* 
 She  continued  a  considerable  time  crying;  and  said, 
 she  would  not  go  again,  if  Eunice  asked  her  a  hun- 
 dred times  ;  and  she  retained  her  aversion  to  that 
 fruit  for  a  considerable  time,  under  the  remembrance 
 of  her  former  sin. 
 
 She  at  some  times  appears  greatly  affected,  and 
 delighted  with  texts  of  Scripture  that  come  to  her 
 mind.  Particularly  about  the  beginning  of  Novem- 
 ber, that  text  came  to  her  mind,  "  Behold  I  stand 
 at  the  door,  and  knock  :  if  any  man  hear  my  voice, 
 and  open  the  door,  I  will  come  in,  and  sup  with  him, 
 and  he  with  me."  She  spoke  of  it  to  those  of  the 
 family,  with  a  great  appearance  of  joy,  a  smiling 
 countenance,  and  elevation  of  voice  ;  and  afterwards 
 she  went  into  another  room,  where  her  mother  over- 
 heard her  talking  very  earnestly  to  the  children 
 about  it,  and  particularly  heard  her  say  to  them, 
 three  or  four  times  over,  with  an  air  of  exceeding  joy 
 and  admiration,  *  Why  it  is  to  sup  with  God.'  At 
 some  time  about  the  middle  of  winter,  very  late  in 
 the  night,  when  all  were  a-bed,  her  mother  perceived 
 that  she  was  awake,  and  heard  her  as  though  she 
 was  weeping.  She  called  to  her,  and  asked  her 
 what  was  the  matter  ?     She  answered,  with  a  low 
 
145 
 
 voice,  so  that  her  mother  could  not  hear  what  she 
 said;  but  thinkinfj  that  it  might  be  occasioned  by 
 some  spiritual  affection,  said  no  more  to  her;  but 
 perceived  her  to  lie  awake,  and  to  continue  in  the 
 same  frame  for  a  considerable  time.  The  next 
 morning,  she  asked  her  whether  she  did  not  cry  the 
 last  night?  The  child  answered,  'Yes,  I  did  cry  a 
 little,  for  I  was  thinking  about  God  and  Christ,  and 
 they  loved  me.'  Her  mother  asked  her,  whether  to 
 think  of  God  and  Christ'^s  loving  her  made  her  cry  ? 
 She  answered,  '  Yes,  it  does  sometimes.' 
 
 She  has  often  manifested  a  great  concern  for  the 
 good  of  others'  souls :  and  has  been  wont  many 
 times  affectionately  to  counsel  the  other  children. 
 Once,  about  the  latter  end  of  September,  the  last 
 year,  when  she  and  some  others  of  the  children  were 
 in  a  room  by  themselves,  a-husking  Indian  corn,  the 
 child,  after  a  while,  came  out  and  sat  by  the  fire. 
 Her  mother  took  notice  that  she  appeared  with  a 
 more  than  ordinary  serious  and  pensive  countenance  ; 
 but  at  last  she  broke  silence,  and  said,  '  I  have  been 
 talking  to  Nabby  and  Eunice.'  Her  mother  asked 
 her  what  she  had  said  to  them.  '  Why,'  said  she, 
 *I  told  them  they  must  pray,  and  prepare  to  die; 
 that  they  had  but  a  little  while  to  live  in  this  world, 
 and  they  must  be  always  ready.'  When  Nabby 
 came  out,  her  mother  asked  her  whether  she  had 
 said  that  to  them.  '  Yes,'  said  she,  *  she  said  that, 
 and  a  great  deal  more.'  At  other  times,  the  child 
 took  her  opportunities  to  talk  to  the  other  children 
 about  the  great  concern  of  their  souls,  sometimes  so 
 as  much  to  affect  them,  and  set  them  into  te^rs. 
 She  was  once  exceedingly  importunate  with  her 
 G  48 
 
146 
 
 mother  to  go  with  her  sister  Naomi  to  pray;  her 
 mother  endeavoured  to  put  her  oflp;  but  she  pulled 
 her  by  the  sleeve,  and  seemed  as  if  she  would  by  no 
 means  be  denied.  At  last  her  mother  told  her,  that 
 '  Amy  must  go  and  pray  by  herself;'  '  But,'  says  the 
 child,  'she  will  not  go;'  and  persisted  earnestly  to 
 beg  of  her  mother  to  go  with  her. 
 
 She  has  discovered  an  uncommon  spirit  of  charity, 
 particularly  on  the  following  occasion  : — A  poor  man 
 ^hat  lives  in  tlie  woods,  had  lately  lost  a  cow  that  the 
 family  much  depended  on ;  and,  being  at  the  house, 
 he  was  relating  his  misfortune,  and  telling  of  the 
 straits  and  difficulties  they  were  reduced  to  by  it. 
 She  took  much  notice  of  it,  and  it  wrought  exceed- 
 ingly on  her  compassions ;  and,  after  she  had  at- 
 tentively heard  him  awhile,  she  went  away  to  her 
 father,  who  was  in  the  shop,  and  entreated  him  to 
 give  that  man  a  cow  :  and  told  him  that  the  poor 
 man  had  no  cow  !  that  the  hunters,  or  something 
 else,  had  killed  his  cow  !  and  entreated  him  to  give 
 him  one  of  theirs.  Her  father  told  her  that  they 
 could  not  spare  one.  Then  she  entreated  him  to 
 let  him  and  his  family  come  and  live  at  his  house : 
 and  had  much  more  talk  of  the  same  nature,  whereby 
 she  manifested  bowels  of  compassion  to  the  poor. 
 
 She  has  manifested  great  love  to  her  minister  : 
 particularly  when  I  returned  from  my  long  journey  . 
 for  my  health,  the  last  fail ;  when  she  heard  of  it, 
 she  appeared  very  joyful  at  the  news,  and  told  the 
 children  of  it,  with  an  elevated  voice,  as  the  most 
 joyful  tidings ;  repeating  it  over  and  over — '  Mr. 
 Edwards  is  come  home  !  Mr.  Edwards  is  come 
 home  !'     She  still  continues  very  constant  iu  secret 
 
147 
 
 prayer,  so  far  as  can  be  observed,  (for  sbe  seems  to 
 have  no  desire  that  others  should  observe  her  when 
 she  retires,  but  seems  to  be  a  cliild  of  a  reserved 
 temper;)  and  every  night,  before  she  goes  to  bed, 
 will  say  her  catechism,  and  will  by  no  means  miss  it: 
 she  never  forgot  it  but  once,  and  then,  after  she  was 
 a-bed,  thought  of  it,  and  cried  out  in  tears,  *  I  have 
 not  said  my  catechism  !'  and  would  not  be  quieted 
 till  her  mother  asked  her  the  catechism  as  she  lay  in 
 bed.  She  sometimes  appears  to  be  in  doubt  about 
 the  condition  of  her  soul :  and  when  asked,  whether 
 slie  thinks  that  she  is  prepared  for  death,  speaks 
 something  doubtfully  about  it.  At  other  times  she 
 seems  to  have  no  doubt,  but,  when  asked,  replies, 
 '  Yes,'  without  hesitation. 
 
 In  the  former  part  of  this  great  work  of  God 
 amongst  us,  till  it  got  to  its  height,  we  seemed  to 
 be  wonderfully  smiled  upon,  and  blessed  in  all 
 respects.  Satan,  as  has  been  already  observed, 
 seemed  to  be  unusually  restrained.  Persons  that 
 before  had  been  involved  in  melancholy,  seemed  to 
 be,  as  it  were,  waked  up  out  of  it;  and  those  that 
 had  been  entangled  with  extraordinary  temptations, 
 seemed  wonderfully  to  be  set  at  liberty;  and  not 
 only  so,  but  it  was  the  most  remarkable  time  of 
 health  that  ever  I  knew  since  I  have  been  in  the 
 town.  We  ordinarily  have  several  bills  put  up, 
 every  Sabbath,  for  persons  that  are  sick ;  but  now 
 we  had  not  so  much  as  one,  for  many  Sabbaths  to- 
 gether. But  after  this  it  seemed  to  be  otherwise. 
 When  this  work  of  God  appeared  to  be  at  its  greatest 
 height,  a  poor  weak  man  that  belongs  to  the  town, 
 being  in  great  spiritual  trouble,  was  hurried  with 
 G  2 
 
148 
 
 violent  temptations  to  cut  his  own  throat,  and  made 
 an  attempt,  but  did  not  do  it  efFectually.  He, 
 after  this,  continued  a  considerable  time  exceedingly 
 overwhelmed  with  melancholy ;  but  has  now  of"  a 
 long  time  been  very  greatly  delivered,  by  the  light 
 of  God's  countenance  lifted  up  upon  him,  and  has 
 expressed  a  great  sense  of  his  sin,  in  so  far  yielding 
 to  temptation;  and  there  are  in  him  all  hopeful  evi- 
 dences of  his  having  been  made  a  subject  of  saving 
 mercy. 
 
 In   the  latter  part  of  May,   it  began  to  be   very 
 sensible  that  the  Spirit  of  God  was  gradually  with- 
 drawing from  us,   and  after  this   time  Satan  seemed 
 to  be  more  let  loose,  and  raged  in  a  dreadful  manner. 
 The  first  instance  wherein  it  appeared,   was  a  per- 
 son's  putting  an  end  to  his  own  life,   by  cutting  his 
 throat.      He^was  a  gentleman  of  more  than  common 
 understanding,  of  strict  morals,   religious  in  his  be- 
 haviour,  and  a  useful  and  honourable  person  in  the 
 town;  but  was  of  a  family  that  are  exceeding  prone 
 to  the   disease  of  melancholy,   and  his  mother  was 
 killed   with    it.      He    had,   from   the   beginning    of 
 this  extraordinary  time,  been  exceedingly  concerned 
 about  the   state  of  his  soul,    and  there   were   some 
 things  in  his  experience  that  appeared  very  hopeful; 
 but  he  durst  entertain  no  hope  concerning  his  own 
 good  estate.      Towards  the  latter  part  of  his  time, 
 he  grew   much   discouraged,    and   melancholy  grew 
 upon  him,  till  he  was  wholly  overpowered  by  it,  and 
 w^as  in  a  great  measure  past  a  capacity  of  receiving 
 advice,  or  being  reasoned  with  to  any  purpose :  the 
 devil  took  the  advantage,   and   drove  him  into  de- 
 spairing thoughts.      He  was  kept  awake  a-nights, 
 
149 
 
 meditating  terror,  so  that  he  had  scarce  any  sleep  at 
 all  for  a  long  time  together;  and  it  was  observed  at 
 last,  that  he  vvas  scarcely  well  capable  of  managing 
 his  ordinary  business,  and  was  judged  delirious  by 
 the  coroner's  inquest.  The  news  of  this  extraor- 
 dinarily affected  the  minds  of  people  here,  and  struck 
 them,  as  it  were,  with  astonishment.  After  this, 
 multitudes  in  this  and  other  towns  seemed  to  have 
 it  strongly  suggested  to  them,  and  pressed  upon 
 them,  to  do  as  this  person  had  done;  and  many  that 
 seemed  to  be  under  no  melancholy,  some  pious  per- 
 sons that  had  no  special  darkness  or  doubts  about 
 the  goodness  of  their  state,  nor  were  under  any 
 special  trouble  or  concern  of  mind  about  any  thing 
 spiritual  or  temporal,  yet  had  it  urged  upon  them, 
 as  if  somebody  had  spoke  to  them.  Cut  your  own 
 throat,  now  is  a  good  opportunity  !  Now  !  now  ! 
 So  that  they  were  obliged  to  fight  with  all  their 
 might  to  resist  it,  and  yet  no  reason  suggested  to 
 them  why  they  should  do  it. 
 
 About  the  same  time,  there  were  two  remarkable 
 instances  of  persons  led  away  with  strange  enthu- 
 siastic delusions :  one  at  Suffield,  and  another  at 
 South  Hadley.  That  which  has  made  the  greatest 
 noise  in  the  country  was  of  the  man  at  South 
 Hadley,  whose  delusion  was,  that  he  thought  him- 
 self divinely  instructed  to  direct  a  poor  man,  in  me- 
 lancholy and  despairing  circumstances,  to  say  certain 
 words  in  prayer  to  God,  as  recorded  in  Psal.  cxvi.  4. 
 for  his  own  relief.  The  man  is  esteemed  a  pious 
 man.  I  have  seen  this  error  of  his,  had  a  particular 
 acquaintance  with  him;  and  I  believe  none  would 
 question  his  piety  that   had  such   an  acquaintance. 
 
150 
 
 He  gave  me  a  particular  account  of  the  manner 
 how  he  was  deluded,  which  is  too  long  to  be  here 
 inserted ;  but,  in  short,  he  was  exceedingly  rejoiced 
 and  elevated  with  this  extraordinary  work,  so  carried 
 on  in  this  part  of  the  country;  and  was  possessed 
 with  an  opinion,  that  it  was  the  beginning  of  the 
 glorious  times  of  the  church,  spoken  of  in  Scripture: 
 and  had  read  it  as  the  opinion  of  some  divines,  that 
 there  would  be  many  in  these  times  that  should  be 
 endued  with  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
 and  had  embraced  the  notion,  though  he  had  at 
 first  no  apprehensions  that  any  besides  ministers 
 would  have  such  gifts.  But  he  since  exceedingly 
 laments  the  dishonour  he  has  done  to  God,  and  the 
 wound  he  has  given  religion  in  it,  and  has  lain  low 
 before  God  and  man  for  it. 
 
 After  these  things,  the  instances  of  conversion 
 were  rare  here,  in  comparison  of  what  they  had 
 before  been  (though  that  remarkable  instance  of  the 
 little  child  was  after  this);  and  the  Spirit  of  God, 
 not  long  after  this  time,  appeared  very  sensibly  with- 
 flrawing  from  all  parts  of  the  country,  though  we 
 have  heard  of  its  going  on  in  some  places  of  Con- 
 necticut, and  that  it  continues  to  be  carried  on  even 
 to  this  day.  But  religion  remained  here,  and  I 
 believe  in  some  other  places,  the  main  subject  of 
 conversation  for  several  months  after  this.  And 
 there  were  some  turns,  wherein  God's  work  seemed 
 something  to  revive,  and  we  were  ready  to  hope 
 that  all  was  going  to  be  renewed  again ;  yet,  in  the 
 main,  there  was  a  gradual  decline  of  that  general, 
 engaged,  lively  spirit  in  religion,  which  had  been 
 before.      Several  things  have  happened  since,  that 
 
151 
 
 have  diverted  people's  minds,  and  turned  their  con- 
 versation  more  to  other  affairs,   as   particularly  his 
 Excellency    the    Governor's    coming    up,    and    the 
 Committee   of  General   Court  on   the  Treaty  with 
 the  Indians,   and  afterwards  the  Springfield  Contro- 
 versy ;  and  since  that,  our  people  in  this  town  have 
 been   engaged  in  the  building  of  a  new  meeting- 
 house:  and  some  other  occurrences  might  be  men- 
 tioned, that  have  seemed  to  have  this  effect;  but  as 
 to  those  that  have  been  thought  to  be  converted 
 among  us,  in  this  time,  they  generally  seem   to  be 
 persons  that  have  had  an  abiding   change   wrought 
 on  them.      I  have  had  particular  acquaintance  with 
 many  of  them  since,   and   they  generally  appear  to 
 be  persons  that  have  a  new  sense  of  things,  new  ap- 
 prehensions and   views  of  God,  of  the  divine  attri- 
 butes, and  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  great  things  of  the 
 gospel :  they  have  a  new  sense  of  the  truth  of  them, 
 and  they  affect  them  in  a  new  manner,  though  it  is 
 very  far  from  being  always  alike  with  them,   neither 
 can  they  revive  a  sense  of  things  when  they  please. 
 Their  hearts  are  often  touched,  and  sometimes  filled, 
 with  new  sweetnesses  and  delights;  there  seems  to 
 be  ati  inward  ardour  and  burning  of  heart  that  they 
 express,  the  like  to  which   they  never  experienced 
 before;  sometimes,  perhaps,  occasioned  only  by  the 
 mention  of  Christ's  name,  or  some  one  of  the  divine 
 perfections :  there  are  new  appetites,  and  a  new  kind 
 of  breathings  and  pantings  of  heart,  and  groanings 
 that  cannot   be  uttered.      There  is  a  new  kind  of 
 inward  labour  and  struggle  of  soul  towards  heaven 
 and  holiness. 
 
 Some  that  before  were  very  rough  in  their  temper 
 
152 
 
 and  manners,  seem  to  be  remarkably  softened  and 
 sweetened.  And  some  have  had  their  souls  exceed- 
 ingly filled,  and  overwhelmed  with  light,  love,  and 
 comfort,  long  since  the  work  of  God  has  ceased  to 
 be  so  remarkably  carried  on  in  a  general  way;  and 
 some  have  had  much  greater  experiences  of  this 
 nature  than  they  had  before.  And  there  is  still  a 
 great  deal  of  religious  conversation  continued  in  the 
 town,  amongst  young  and  old;  a  religious  disposi- 
 tion appears  to  be  still  maintained  amongst  our 
 people,  by  their  upholding  frequent  private  religious 
 meetings;  and  all  sorts  are  generally  worshipping 
 God  at  such  meetings,  on  Sabbath-nights,  and  in 
 the  evening  after  our  public  lecture.  Many  chil- 
 dren in  the  town  do  still  keep  up  such  meetings 
 among  themselves.  I  know  of  no  one  young  per- 
 son in  the  town,  that  has  returned  to  former  ways 
 of  looseness  and  extravagancy  in  any  respect;  but 
 we  still  remain  a  reformed  people,  and  God  has  evi- 
 dently made  us  a  new  people. 
 
 I  cannot  say  that  there  has  been  no  instance  of 
 any  one  person  that  has  carried  himself  so,  that 
 others  should  justly  be  stumbled  concerning  his  pro- 
 fession ;  nor  am  I  so  vain  as  to  imagine,  that  we 
 have  not  been  mistaken  concerning  any  that  we  have 
 entertained  a  good  opinion  of,  or  that  there  are  none 
 that  pass  amongst  us  for  sheep,  that  are  indeed 
 wolves  in  sheep's  clothing;  who  probably  may,  some 
 time  or  other,  discover  themselves  by  their  fruits. 
 We  are  not  so  pure,  but  that  we  have  great  cause 
 to  be  humbled  and  ashamed  that  we  are  so  impure; 
 nor  so  religious,  but  that  those  that  watch  for  our 
 halting,  may  see  things  in  us,  whence  they  may  take 
 
153 
 
 occasion  to  reproach  us  and  religion  :  but,  in  the 
 main,  there  has  been  a  great  and  marvellous  work  of 
 conversion  and  sanctification  among  the  people  here; 
 and  they  have  paid  all  due  respect  to  those  vvho  have 
 been  blessed  oF  God  to  be  the  instruments  of  it. 
 Both  old  and  young  have  shown  a  forwardness  to 
 hearken,  not  only  to  my  counsels,  but  even  to  my 
 reproofs  from  the  pulpit. 
 
 A  great  part  of  the  country  have  not  received 
 the  most  favourable  thoughts  of  this  affair;  and  to 
 this  day  many  retain  a  jealousy  and  prejudice 
 against  it.  I  have  reason  to  think  that  the  meanness 
 and  weakness  of  the  instrument,  that  has  been  made 
 use  of  in  tiiis  town,  has  prejudiced  many  against  it. 
 It  does  not  appear  to  me  strange  that  it  should  be 
 so;  but  yet  the  circumstance  of  this  great  work  of 
 God,  is  analogous  to  other  circumstances  of  it. 
 God  has  so  ordered  the  manner  of  the  work,  in 
 many  respects,  as  very  signally  and  remarkably  to 
 show  it  to  be  his  own  peculiar  and  immediate  work, 
 and  to  secure  the  glory  of  it  wholly  to  his  own  al- 
 mighty power,  and  sovereign!  grace.  And  whatever 
 the  circumstances  and  means  have  been,  and  though 
 we  are  so  unworthy,  yet  so  hath  it  pleased  God  to 
 work  !  And  we  are  evidently  a  people  blessed  of 
 the  Lord  !  And  here,  in  this  corner  of  the  world, 
 God  dwells,  and  manifests  his  glory. 
 
 Thus,  Reverend  Sir,  I  have  given  a  large  and 
 particular  account  of  this  remarkable  work ;  and  yet, 
 considering  how  manifold  God's  works  have  been 
 amongst  us,  that  are  worthy  to  be  written,  it  is  but 
 a  very  brief  one.  I  should  have  sent  it  much 
 sooner,  had  I  not  been  greatly  hindered  by  illness 
 g3 
 
154 
 
 in  my  family,  and  also  in  myself.  It  is  probably 
 much  larger  than  you  expected,  and,  it  may  be,  than 
 you  would  have  chosen.  I  thought  that  the  ex- 
 traordinariness  of  the  thing,  and  the  innumerable 
 misrepresentations  which  liave  gone  abroad  of  it, 
 many  of  which  have,  doubtless,  reached  your  ears, 
 made  it  necessary  that  I  should  be  particular.  But 
 I  would  leave  it  entirely  with  your  wisdom  to  make 
 what  use  of  it  you  think  best;  to  send  a  part  of  it  to 
 England,  or  all,  or  none  if  you  think  it  not  worthy; 
 or  otherwise  to  dispose  of  it  as  you  may  think  most 
 for  God's  glory,  and  the  interest  of  religion.  If 
 you  are  pleased  to  send  any  thing  to  the  Rev. 
 Dr.  Guyse,  I  should  be  glad  to  have  it  signified  to 
 him,  as  my  humble  desire,  that  since  he,  and  the 
 congregation  to  which  he  preached,  have  been 
 pleased  to  take  so  much  notice  of  us  as  they  have, 
 that  they  would  also  think  of  us  at  the  throne  of 
 grace,  and  seek  there  for  us,  that  God  would  not 
 forsake  us,  but  enable  us  to  bring  forth  fruit  an- 
 swerable to  our  profession,  and  our  mercies;  and 
 that  our  "  light  may  so  shine  before  men,  that  others 
 seeing  our  good  works,  may  glorify  our  Father 
 which  is  in  heaven." 
 
 When  I  first  heard  of  the  notice  the  Rev.  Dr. 
 Watts,  and  Dr.  Guyse,  took  of  God's  mercies  to  us, 
 I  took  occasion  to  inform  our  congregation  of  it  in 
 a  discourse  from  these  words — '*  A  city  that  is  set 
 upon  a  hill  cannot  be  hid."  And  having  since  seen 
 a  particular  account  "of  the  notice  the  Rev.  Dr. 
 Guyse,  and  the  congregation  he  preached  to,  took 
 of  it,  in  a  letter  you  wrote  to  my  honoured  Uncle 
 Williams,  I  read  that  part  of  your  letter  to  the  con- 
 
155 
 
 gregatioii,  and  laboured,  as  much  as  in  me  lay,  to 
 enforce  their  duty  from  it.  The  congregation  were 
 very  sensibly  moved  and  affected  at  both  times. 
 
 I  humbly  request,  Reverend  Sir,  your  prayers 
 for  this  county,  in  its  present  melancholy  circum- 
 stances, into  which  it  is  brought  by  the  Springfield 
 quarrel,  which,  doubtless,  above  all  things  that  have 
 happened,  has  tended  to  put  a  stop  to  the  glorious 
 work  here,  and  to  prejudice  this  country  against  it, 
 and  hinder  the  propagation  of  it.  I  also  ask  your 
 prayers  for  this  town,  and  would  particularly  beg  an 
 interest  in  them  for  him  who  is, 
 
 Honoured  Sir, 
 
 With  humble  respect, 
 
 Your  obedient  Son  and  Servant, 
 
 JONATHAN  EDWARDS. 
 
 Northampton,  Nov.  6,  1736. 
 
THOUGHTS 
 
 ON  THE 
 
 REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION 
 
 IN 
 
 NEW   ENGLAND, 
 
 AND 
 
 THE  WAY  IN  WHICH  IT  OUGHT  TO  BE  ACKNCWLEDGED 
 AND  PROMOTED. 
 
 FIRST  PUBLISHED  IN  MDCCXIII. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In  the  ensuing  Treatise,  I  condemn  ministers  as- 
 suming, or  taking  too  much  upon  them,  and  appear- 
 ing as  though  they  supposed  that  they  were  the  per- 
 sons to  whom  it  especially  belonged  to  dictate,  direct, 
 and  determine;  but  perhaps  shall  be  thought  to  be 
 very  guilty  of  it  myself.  And  some,  when  they  read 
 this  Treatise,  may  be  ready  to  say,  that  while  I  con- 
 demn this  in  others,  I  have  the  monopoly  of  it. — I 
 confess  that  I  have  taken  a  great  deal  of  liberty  freely 
 to  express  my  thoughts  concerning  almost  every  thing 
 appertaining  to  the  wonderful  work  of  God  that  has 
 of  late  been  carried  on  in  the  land,  and  to  declare 
 what  has  appeared  to  me  to  be  the  mind  of  God 
 concerning  the  duty  and  obligations  of  all  sorts  of 
 persons,-  and  even  those  that  are  my  superiors  and 
 fathers,  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  civil  rulers.  But 
 yet  I  hope  the  liberty  I  have  taken  is  not  greater  than 
 can  be  justified.  If  private  persons  may  speak  their 
 minds  without  arrogance,  much  more  may  a  minister 
 of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  speak  freely  about  things 
 of  this  nature,  which  do  so  nearly  concern  the  inte- 
 rest of  the  kingdom  of  his  Lord  and  Master,  at  so 
 important  a  juncture.  If  some  elder  minister  had 
 undertaken  this,  I  acknowledge  it  would  have  been 
 
160 
 
 more  proper;  but  I  have  heard  of  no  such  thing  like 
 to  be  done.  I  hope,  therefore,  I  shall  be  excused 
 for  undertaking  such  a  work.  I  think  that  nothing 
 I  have  said  can  justly  be  interpreted,  as  though  I 
 would  impose  my  thoughts  upon  any,  or  did  not  sup- 
 pose that  others  have  equal  right  to  think  for  them- 
 selves. We  are  not  accountable  one  to  another  for 
 our  thoughts ;  but  we  must  all  give  an  account  to 
 Him  who  searches  our  hearts,  and  has  doubtless  his 
 eye  especially  upon  us  at  such  an  extraordinary  sea- 
 son as  this.  If  I  have  well  confirmed  my  opinion 
 concerning  this  work,  and  the  way  in  which  it  should 
 be  acknowledged  and  promoted,  with  Scripture  and 
 reason,  I  hope  those  who  read  it  will  receive  it  as  a 
 manifestation  of  the  mind  and  will  of  God.  If  others 
 would  hold  forth  further  light  to  me  in  any  of  these 
 particulars,  I  hope  I  should  thankfully  receive  it.  I 
 think  I  have  been  made  in  some  measure  sensible, 
 and  much  more  of  late  than  formerly,  of  my  need  of 
 more  wisdom  than  I  have.  I  make  it  my  rule  to 
 lay  hold  of  light  and  embrace  it,  wherever  I  see  it, 
 though  held  forth  by  a  child  or  an  enemy.  If  I 
 have  assumed  too  much  in  the  following  discourse, 
 and  have  spoken  in  a  manner  that  savours  of  a  spirit 
 of  pride,  no  wonder  that  others  can  better  discern  it 
 than  I  myself.  If  it  be  so,  I  ask  pardon,  and  beg 
 the  prayers  of  every  Christian  reader,  that  I  may 
 have  more  light,  humility,  and  zeal ;  and  that  I  may 
 be  favoured  with  such  measures  of  the  Divine  Spirit, 
 as  a  minister  of  the  gospel  stands  in  need  of,  at  such 
 an  extraordinary  season. 
 
THOUGHTS 
 
 ON  THE 
 
 REVIVAL  OF  RELIGION. 
 
 PART  I, 
 
 SHOWING  THAT  THE  EXTRAORDINARY  WORK  WHICH 
 HAS  OF  LATE  BEEN  GOING  ON  IN  THIS  LAND,  IS  A 
 GLORIOUS  WORK  OF  GOD. 
 
 The  error  of  those  who  have  had  ill  thoughts  of  the 
 great  religious  operation  on  the  minds  of  men,  which 
 has  been  carried  on  of  late  in  New  England,  (so  far 
 as  the  ground  of  such  an  error  has  been  in  the  un- 
 derstanding, and  not  in  the  disposition,)  seems  fun- 
 damentally to  lie  in  three  things  :  First,  In  judging 
 of  this  work  a  priori.  Secondly,  In  not  taking  the 
 Holy  Scriptures  as  a  whole  rule  whereby  to  judge  of 
 such  operations.  Thirdly,  In  not  justly  separating 
 and  distinguishing  the  good  from  the  bad. 
 
 SECTION  I. 
 
 We  should  not  judge  of  this  Work  by  the  supposed 
 Causes^  but  by  the  Effects, 
 
 They  have  greatly  erred  in  the  way  they  have  gone 
 about  to  try  this  work,  whether  it  be  a  work  of  the 
 
162 
 
 Spirit  of  God  or  no;  namely,  in  judging  of  it  a  priori, 
 from  the  way  it  began,  the  instruments  that  have  been 
 employed,  the  means  that  have  been  used,   and  the 
 methods  that  have  been  taken  and  succeeded,  in  car- 
 rying it  on.      Whereas,  if  we  duly  consider  the  mat- 
 ter, it  will  evidently  appear  that  such  a  work  is  not 
 to  be  judged  of  a  priori,  but  a  posteriori.     We  are 
 to  observe  the  effect  wrought;  and  if,  upon  exami- 
 nation of  that,  it  be  found  to  be  agreeable  tp  the 
 word  of"  God,  we  are  bound  to  rest  in  it  as  God's 
 work;  and  shall  be  like  to  be  rebuked  for  our  arro- 
 gance,  if  we  refuse  so  to  do  till  God  shall  explain 
 to  us  how  he  has  brought  this  effect  to  pass,  or  why 
 he  has  made  use  of  such  means  in  doing  it.     Those 
 texts  are  enough  to  cause  us,  with  trembling,  to  for- 
 bear such  a  way  of  proceeding  in  judging  of  a  work 
 of  God's  Spirit : — ''  Who  hath  directed  the  Spirit 
 of  the  Lord,   or,   being   his  counsellor,   hath  taught 
 him?      W^ith  whom  took  he  counsel,   and  who  in- 
 structed him,  and  taught  him  in  the  path   of  judg- 
 ment, and  taught  him  knowledge,  and  showed  to  him 
 the  way  of  understanding?"      ''  The  wind  bloweth 
 where  it  listeth,  and  thou  hearest  the  sound  thereof, 
 but  canst  not  tell  whence  it  cometh,  and   whither  it 
 goeth."    We  hear  the  sound,  we  perceive  the  effect, 
 and  from  thence  we  judge  that  the  wind  does  blow ; 
 without  waiting,  before  we  pass  this  judgment,  first 
 to  be  satisfied  what  is  the  cause  of  the  wind's  blow- 
 ing from  such  a  part  of  the   heavens,  and  how  it 
 should  come  to  pass  that  it  should  blow  in  such  a 
 manner,  at  such  a  time.      To  judge  a  priori,  is  a 
 wrong  way  of  judging  of  any  of  the  works  of  God. 
 W' e  are  not  to  resolve,  first  to  be  satisfied  how  God 
 
163 
 
 brought  this  or  the  other  effect  to  pass,  and  why  he 
 hath  made  it  thus,  or  why  it  has  pleased  him  to  take 
 such  a  course,  and  to  use  such  means,  before  we  will 
 acknowledge  his  work,  and  give  him  the  glory  of  it. 
 This  is  too  much  for  the  clay  to  take  upon  it  with 
 respect  to  the  potter.  "  God  gives  not  account  of 
 his  matters:  his  judgments  are  a  great  deep:  he 
 hath  his  way  in  the  sea,  and  his  path  in  the  great 
 waters,  and  his  footsteps  are  not  known  ;  and  who 
 shall  teach  God  knowledge,  or  enjoin  him  his  way, 
 or  say  unto  him.  What  dost  thou?  We  know  not 
 what  is  the  way  of  the  Spirit,  nor  how  the  bones  do 
 grow  in  the  womb  of  her  that  is  with  child;  even  so 
 we  know  not  the  works  of  God  who  maketh  all." 
 No  wonder,  therefore,  if  those  that  go  this  forbidden 
 way  to  work,  in  judging  of  the  present  w^onderful 
 operation,  are  perplexed  and  confounded.  We  ought 
 to  take  heed  that  we  do  not  expose  ourselves  to  the 
 calamity  of  those  who  pried  into  the  ark  of  God, 
 when  God  mercifully  returned  it  to  Israel,  after  it 
 had  departed  from  them. 
 
 Indeed,  God  has  not  taken  that  course,  nor  made 
 use  of  those  means,  to  begin  and  carry  on  this  great 
 work,  which  men  in  their  wisdom  would  have  thought 
 most  advisable,  if  he  had  asked  their  counsel;  but 
 quite  the  contrary.  But  it  appears  to  me  that  the 
 great  God  has  wrought  like  himself,  in  the  manner 
 of  carrying  on  this  work;  so  as  very  much  to  show 
 his  own  glory,  exalt  his  own  sovereignty,  power,  and 
 all-sufficiency.  He  has  poured  contempt  on  all  that 
 human  strength,  wisdom,  prudence,  and  sufficiency, 
 which  men  have  been  wont  to  trust  and  glory  in;  so 
 
164 
 
 as  greatly  to  cross,  rebuke,  and  chastise  the  pride 
 and  corruptions  of  men.  *'  And  the  loftiness  of  man 
 shall  be  bowed  down,  and  the  haughtiness  of  men 
 shall  be  made  low;  and  the  Lord  alone  shall  be  ex- 
 alted in  that  day."  God  doth  thus,  in  intermingling, 
 -in  his  providence,  so  many  stumbling-blocks  with  this 
 work ;  in  suffering  so  much  of  human  weakness  and 
 infirmity  to  appear;  and  in  ordering  so  many  things 
 that  are  mysterious  to  men's  wisdom  :  in  pouring  out 
 his  Spirit  chiefly  on  the  common  people,  and  bestow- 
 ing his  greatest  and  highest  favours  upon  them,  ad- 
 mitting them  nearer  to  himself  than  the  great,  the 
 honourable,  the  rich,  and  the  learned ;  agreeable  to 
 that  prophecy,  "  The  Lord  also  shall  save  the  tents 
 of  Judah  first,  that  the  glory  of  the  house  of  David, 
 and  the  glory  of  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  do 
 not  magnify  themselves  against  Judah."  Those 
 who  dwelt  in  the  tents  of  Judah  were  the  common 
 people,  who  dwelt  in  the  country,  and  were  of  infe- 
 rior rank.  The  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  were  their 
 citizens,  their  men  of  wealth  and  figure ;  and  Jeru- 
 salem, also,  was  the  chief  place  of  the  habitation  or 
 resort  of  their  Priests  and  Levites,  their  officers  and 
 judges  ;  there  sat  the  great  Sanhedrim.  The  house 
 of  David  were  the  highest  rank  of  all, — the  royal 
 family,  and  the  great  men  about  the  king. — It  is 
 evident  by  the  context,  that  this  prophecy  has  re- 
 spect to  something  further  than  saving  the  people 
 out  of  the  Babylonish  captivity. 
 
 God,  in  this  work,  has  begun  at  the  lower  end, 
 and  he  has  made  use  of  the  weak  and  foolish  thinijs 
 of  the  world  to  carry  it  on.      Some  of  the  ministers 
 
165 
 
 chiefly  employed,  have  heen  mere  babes  in  age  and 
 standing;  and  some  of  them  not  so  high  in  reputa- 
 tion among  their  brethren  as  many  others;  and  God 
 has  suffered  their  infirmities  to  appear  in  the  sight 
 of  others,  so  as  much  to  displease  them;  and,  at  the 
 same  time,  it  has  pleased  God  greatly  to  succeed 
 them,  while  he  has  not  so  succeeded  others  who  are 
 generally  reputed  vastly  their  superiors.  Yea,  there 
 is  reason  to  think  that  it  has  pleased  God  to  make 
 use  of  the  infirmities  of  some,  particularly  their  im- 
 prudent zeal,  and  censorious  spirit,  to  chastise  the 
 deadness,  negligence,  earthly-mindedness  and  vaniiy, 
 found  amonfj  ministers  in  the  late  times  of  declen- 
 sion  and  deadness,  wherein  wise  virgins  and  foolish, 
 ministers  and  people,  have  sunk  into  a  deep  sleep. 
 These  things  in  ministers  of  the  gospel,  that  go  forth 
 as  the  ambassadors  of  Christ,  and  have  the  care  of 
 immortal  souls,  are  extremely  abominable  to  God  ; 
 vastly  more  hateful  in  his  sight  than  all  the  impru- 
 dence and  intemperate  heats,  wildness  and  distrac- 
 tioj],  (as  some  call  it,)  of  these  zealous  preachers. 
 A  supine  carelessness,  and  a  vain,  carnal,  worldly 
 spirit,  in  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  is  the  worst  mad- 
 ness and  distraction  in  the  sight  of  God.  God  may 
 also  make  use  at  this  day  of  the  unchristian  censori- 
 ousness  of  some  preachers,  the  more  to  humble  and 
 purify  some  of  his  own  children  and  true  servants 
 that  have  been  wrongfully  censured,  to  fit  them  for 
 more  eminen-t  service  and  future  honour. 
 
166 
 
 SECTION  11. 
 
 We  should  judge  by  the  Rule  of  Scripture, 
 
 Another  foundation-error  of  those  who  do  not 
 acknowledge  the  divinity  of  this  work  is,  not  taking 
 the  Holy  Scriptures  as  a  whole,  and  in  itself  a  suf- 
 ficient rule  to  judge  of  such  things  by. — [They 
 who  have  one  certain  consistent  rule  to  judge  by, 
 are  like  to  come  to  some  clear  determination ;  but 
 they  who  have  half  a  dozen  different  rules,  instead 
 of  justly  and  clearly  determining,  do  but  perplex 
 and  darken  themselves  and  others.  They  who 
 would  learn  the  true  measure  of  any  thing,  and  will 
 have  many  different  measures  to  try  it  by,  have  a 
 task  that  they  will  not  accomplish.] — Those  of 
 whom  I  am  speaking  will  indeed  make  some  use  of 
 Scripture,  so  far  as  they  think  it  serves  their  turn, 
 but  do  not  make  use  of  it  alone,  as  a  rule  sufficient 
 by  itself,  but  make  as  much  and  a  great  deal  more 
 use  of  other  things,  widely  different  from  it,  by 
 which  to  judge  of  this  work.      For, 
 
 1.  Some  make  Philosophy,  instead  of  the  Holy 
 Scriptures,  their  rule  of  judging  of  this  work;  parti- 
 cularly the  philosophical  notions  they  entertain  of  the 
 nature  of  the  soul,  its  faculties  and  affections.  Some 
 are  ready  to  say,  '  There  is  but  little  sober  solid 
 religion  in  this  work ;  it  is  little  else  but  flash  and 
 noise.  Religion  now  all  runs  out  into  transports 
 and  high  flights  of  the  passions  and  affections.'  In 
 their  philosophy,  the  affections  of  the  soul  are  some- 
 
167 
 
 thing  diverse  from  the  will,  and  not  appertaining  to 
 the  noblest  part  of  the  soul.  They  are  ranked 
 among  the  meanest  principles  that  belong  to  men, 
 as  partaking  of  animal  nature,  and  what  he  has  in 
 common  with  the  brute  creation,  rather  than  any 
 thing  whereby  he  is  conformed  to  angels  and  pure 
 spirits.  And  though  they  acknowledge  that  a  good 
 use  may  be  made  of  the  affections  in  religion,  yet 
 they  suppose  that  the  substantial  part  of  religion 
 does  not  consist  in  them,  but  are  something  adven- 
 titious and  accidental  in  Christianity. 
 
 But  these  gentlemen,  I  cannot  but  think,  labour 
 
 under  great  mistakes,    both  in  their  philosophy  and 
 
 divinity.      It  is  true,  distinction  must  be  made  in 
 
 the  affections   or  passions.      There  is  a  great  deal 
 
 of  difference   in  high   and  raised   affections,    which 
 
 must  be  distinguished  by  the  skill  of  the  observer. 
 
 Some  are  much  more  solid  than  others.      There  are 
 
 many  exercises  of  the  affections  that  are  very  flashy, 
 
 and  little  to  be  depended  on  ;  and  oftentimes  a  great 
 
 deal  appertains  to,   or  rather  is  the  effect  of  them, 
 
 that  has  its  seat  in  animal  nature,   and  is  very  much 
 
 owing   to  the  constitution   and  frame   of  the  body ; 
 
 and  that  which    sometimes   more   especially  obtains 
 
 the  name  of  passion,  is  nothing  solid  or  substantial. 
 
 But  it  is  false  philosophy  to  suppose  this  to  be  the 
 
 case   with  all  exercises  of  affection  in   the  soul,    or 
 
 with  all  great  and  high  affections  ;   and  false  divinity 
 
 to  suppose  that  religious  affections  do  not  appertain 
 
 to  the  substance  and   essence  of  Christianity.      On 
 
 the  contrary,   it  seems  to  me  that  the  very  life   and 
 
 soul  of  all  true  religion  consists  in  them. 
 
 I  humbly  conceive  that  the  affections  of  the  soul 
 
168 
 
 are  not  distinguishable  from  the  will,  as  though  they 
 were  two  faculties.  All  acts  of  the  affections  are,  in 
 some  sense,  acts  of  the  will;  and  all  the  acts  of  the 
 will  are  acts  of  the  affections.  All  exercises  of  the 
 will  are,  in  some  degree,  exercises  of  the  soul's  ap- 
 petition  or  aversion  ;  or,  which  is  the  same  thing, 
 of  its  love  or  hatred.  The  soul  wills  or  chooses 
 one  thing  rather  than  another,  no  otherwise  than  as 
 it  loves  one  thing  more  than  another;  but  love  and 
 hatred  are  affections  of  the  soul.  Therefore  all  acts 
 of  the  will  are  truly  acts  of  the  affections;  though 
 the  exercises  of  the  will  do  not  obtain  the  name  of 
 passions,  unless  the  will,  either  in  its  aversion  or 
 opposition,  be  exercised  in  a  vigorous  and  lively 
 manner.  All  will  allow  that  true  virtue  or  holiness 
 has  its  seat  chiefly  in  the  heart,  rather  than  in  the 
 head.  It  therefore  follows,  that  it  consists  chiefly 
 in  holy  affections.  The  things  of  religion  take 
 place  in  men's  hearts,  no  further  than  they  are  af- 
 fected with  them.  The  informing  of  the  under- 
 standing is  all  vain,  any  further  than  it  affects  the 
 heart,  or,  which  is  the  same  thing,  has  influence  on 
 the  affections. 
 
 Those  gentlemen  who  make  light  of  these  raised 
 affections  in  religion,  will  doubtless  allow,  that  true 
 religion  and  holiness,  as  it  has  its  seat  in  the  heart, 
 is  capable  of  very  high  degrees,  and  high  exercises 
 in  the  soul.  For  instance:  They  will  probably  al- 
 low, that  the  holiness  of  the  heart  or  will  is  capable 
 of  being  raised  to  a  hundred  times  as  great  a  degree 
 of  strength  as  it  is  in  the  most  eminent  saint  on 
 earth,  or  the  exercises  of  the  heart  may  be  exerted 
 a  hundred  times  more  vigorously,   and  yet  be  true 
 
169 
 
 religion  or  holiness  still.  Now,  therefore,  I  would 
 ask,  by  what  name  they  will  call  these  high  and 
 vigorous  exercises  of  the  will  or  heart  ?  Are  they 
 not  high  affections?  What  can  they  consist  in, 
 but  in  high  acts  of  love;  strong  and  vigorous  exer- 
 cises of  benevolence  and  complacence  ;  high,  exalt- 
 ing, and  admiring  thoughts  of  God  and  his  perfec- 
 tions; strong  desires  after  God,  &c.  ?  And  now, 
 what  are  we  come  to  but  high  and  raised  affections  ? 
 yea,  those  very  affections  that  before  they  objected 
 against,  as  worthy  of  little  regard. 
 
 All  will  allow  that  there  is  nothing  but  solid  re- 
 ligion in  heaven ;  but  there,  holiness  is  raised  to  an 
 exceeding  great  height,  to  strong,  high,  exalted 
 exercises  of  heart.  Now,  what  other  strong  and 
 high  exercises  of  the  heart,  or  of  holiness  as  it  has 
 its  seat  in  their  hearts,  can  we  devise  for  them,  but 
 holy  affections,  high  degrees  of  actings  of  love  to 
 God,  rejoicing  in  God,  admiration  of  God,  &c.  ? 
 Therefore,  these  things  in  the  saints  and  angels  in 
 heaven  are  not  to  be  contemned  by  the  name  of 
 great  heats  and  transports  of  the  passions.  And  it 
 will  doubtless  be  yet  further  allowed,  that  the  more 
 eminent  the  saints  are  on  earth,  the  stronger  their 
 grace;  and  the  higher  its  exercises  are,  the  more 
 they  are  like  the  saints  in  heaven ;  that  is,  the  more 
 they  have  of  high  or  raised  affections  in  religion. 
 
 Though  there  are  false  affections  in  religion,  and 
 in  some  respects  raised  high ;  yet,  undoubtedly, 
 there  are  also  true,  holy,  and  solid  affections ;  and 
 the  higher  these  are  raised,  the  better.  And,  when 
 they  are  raised  to  an  exceeding  great  height,  they 
 are  not  to  be  suspected,  but  esteemed,  because  of 
 H  48 
 
170 
 
 their  degree.  Charity,  or  divine  love,  is  in  Scrip- 
 ture represented  as  the  sum  of  all  the  religion  of 
 the  heart ;  but  this  is  only  a  holy  affection.  And 
 tlierefore,  in  proportion  as  this  is  firmly  fixed  in  the 
 soul,  and  raised  to  a  great  height,  the  more  eminent 
 a  person  is  in  holiness.  Divine  love,  or  charity,  is 
 represented  as  the  sum  of  all  the  religion  of  heaven  ; 
 and  that  wherein  the  religion  of  the  church,  in  its 
 more  perfect  state  on  earth,  shall  consist,  when 
 knowledge,  and  tongues,  and  prophesyings  shall 
 cease  ;  and  therefore,  the  higher  this  holy  affection 
 is  raised  in  the  church  of  God,  or  in  a  gracious  soul, 
 the  more  excellent  and  perfect  is  the  state  of  the 
 church  or  soul. 
 
 If  we  take  the  Scriptures  for  our  rule,  then  the 
 greater  and  higher  our  exercises  of  love  to  God, 
 delight  and  complacency  in  him,  desires  and  long- 
 ings after  him,  delight  in  his  children,  love  to  man- 
 kind, brokenness  of  heart,  abhorrence  of  sin,  and 
 self-abhorrence  for  it ;  the  more  we  have  of  the 
 peace  of  God  which  passeth  all  understanding,  and 
 joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  unspeakable  and  full  of 
 glory;  the  higher  our  admiring  thoughts  of  God, 
 exulting  and  glorying  in  him  ;  so  much  the  higher 
 is  Christ's  religion,  or  that  virtue  which  he  and  his 
 apostles  taught,  raised  in  the  soul. 
 
 It  is  a  stumbling  to  some,  that  religious  affections 
 should  seem  to  be  so  powerful,  or  that  they  should 
 be  so  violent  (as  they  express  it)  in  some  persons. 
 They  are  therefore  ready  to  doubt  whether  it  can  be 
 the  Spirit  of  God,  or  whether  this  vehemence  be 
 not  rather  a  sign  of  the  operation  of  an  evil  spirit. 
 But  why  should  such  a  doubt  arise?    What  is  re- 
 
171 
 
 presented  in  Scripture  as  more  powerful  in  its  effects 
 than  the  Spirit  of  God  ?  which  is  therefore  called 
 '*  the  power  of  the  Higliest,"  and  its  saving  effect  in 
 the  soul  is  called  "the  power  of  godliness."  So  wc 
 read  of  the  "  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and  of 
 power ;"  and  it  is  said  to  operate  in  the  minds  of 
 men  with  the  "  exceeding  greatness  of  divine  power," 
 and  "  according  to  the  working  of  God's  mighty 
 power."  So  we  read  of  "  the  effectual  working  of 
 his  power,  the  power  that  worketh  in  Christians," 
 the  "glorious  power"  of  God  in  the  operations  of 
 the  Spirit,  and  "the  work  of  faith,"  wrought  "  with 
 power."  In  2  Tim.  i.  7.  the  Spirit  of  God  is  called 
 "the  spirit  of  power,  and  oflove,  andof  a  sound  mind." 
 So  the  Spirit  is  represented  by  a  mighty  wind,  and 
 by  fire,  things  most  powerful  in  their  operation. 
 
 II.  Many  are  guilty  of  not  taking  the  Holy 
 Scriptures  as  a  sufficient  and  whole  rule,  whereby  to 
 judge  of  this  work.  They  judge  by  those  things 
 which  the  Scripture  does  not  give  as  any  signs  or 
 marks  whereby  to  judge  one  way  or  the  other,  namely, 
 the  effects  that  religious  exercises  and  affections  of 
 mind  have  upon  the  body.  Scripture- rules  respect 
 the  state  of  the  mind,  moral  conduct,  and  voluntary 
 behaviour;  and  not  the  physical  state  of  the  body. 
 The  design  of  the  Scripture  is  to  teach  us  divinity, 
 and  not  physic  and  anatom.y.  Ministers  are  made 
 the  watchmen  of  men's  souls,  and  not  their  bodies; 
 and  therefore  the  great  rule  which  God  has  com- 
 mitted into  their  hands,  is  to  make  them  divines, 
 and  not  physicians.  Christ  knew  what  instructions 
 and  rules  his  church  would  stand  in  need  of,  better 
 than  we  do ;  and,  if  he  had  seen  it  needful  in  order 
 H  2 
 
17*2 
 
 to  the  church's  safety,  he  doubtless  would  have  given 
 to  ministers  rules  forjudging  of  bodily  effects.  He 
 would  have  told  them  how  the  pulse  should  beat 
 under  such  and  such  religious  exercises  of  mind; 
 when  men  should  look  pale,  and  when  they  should 
 shed  tears;  when  they  should  tremble,  and  whether 
 or  not  they  should  ever  be  faint  or  cry  out ;  or 
 whether  the  body  should  ever  be  put  into  convul- 
 sions. He  probably  would  have  put  some  book  into 
 their  hands,  that  should  have  tended  to  make  them 
 excellent  anatomists  and  physicians.  But  he  has 
 not  done  it,  because  he  did  not  see  it  to  be  needful. 
 He  judged,  that  if  ministers  thoroughly  did  their 
 duty  as  watchmen  and  overseers  of  the  state  and 
 frame  of  men's  souls,  and  of  their  voluntary  conduct, 
 according  to  the  rules  he  had  given,  his  church  would 
 be  well  provided  for  as  to  its  safety  in  these  matters. 
 And  therefore  those  ministers  of  Christ,  and  over- 
 seers of  souls,  who  are  full  of  concern  about  the  in- 
 voluntary motions  of  the  fluids  and  soHds  of  men's 
 bodies,  and  who  from  thence  are  full  of  doubts  and 
 suspicions  of  the  cause — when  nothing  appears  but 
 that  the  state  and  frame  of  their  minds,  and  their 
 voluntary  behaviour  is  good,  and  agreeable  to  God's 
 ^ord — go  out  of  the  place  that  Christ  has  set  them 
 in,  and  leave  their  proper  business,  as  much  as  if 
 they  should  undertake  to  tell  who  are  under  the  in- 
 fluence of  the  Spirit  by  their  looks,  or  their-  gait. 
 I  cannot  see  which  way  we  are  in  danger,  or  how  the 
 devil  is  like  to  get  any  notable  advantage  against  us, 
 if  we  do  but  thoroughly  do  our  duty  with  respect  to 
 those  two  things,  namely,  the  state  of  persons'  minds, 
 and  their  moral  conduct ;  seeing  that  they  be  main- 
 
173 
 
 tained  agreeably  to  the  rules  that  Christ  has  given 
 us.  Jf"  things  are  but  kept  right  in  these  respects, 
 our  fears  and  suspicions,  arising  from  extraordinary 
 bodily  effects,  seem  wholly  groundless. 
 
 The  most  specious  thing  alleged  against  these 
 extraordinary  effects  on  the  body,  is,  that  the  body 
 is  impaired,  and  that  it  is  hard  to  think  that  God, 
 in  the  merciful  influences  of  his  Spirit  on  men,  would 
 wound  their  bodies  and  impair  their  health.  But  if 
 it  were  in  multiplied  instances  (which  I  do  not  sup- 
 pose it  is)  that  persons  received  a  lasting  wound  to 
 their  health,  by  extraordinary  religious  impressions 
 made  upon  their  minds,  yet  it  is  too  much  for  us  to 
 determine  that  God  shall  never  bring  an  outward 
 calamity,  in  bestowing  a  vastly  greater  spiritual  and 
 eternal  good.  Jacob,  in  doing  his  duty  in  wrestling 
 with  God  for  the  blessing,  and  even  at  the  time  that 
 he  received  the  blessing  from  God,  suffered  a  great 
 outward  calamity  from  his  hand.  God  gave  him  the 
 blessing,  but  sent  him  away  halting  on  his  thigh, 
 and  he  went  lame  all  his  life  after.  And  yet  this  is 
 not  mentioned  as  if  it  were  any  diminution  of  the 
 great  mercy  of  God  to  him,  when  God  blessed  him, 
 and  he  received  his  name  Israel,  because  as  a  prince 
 he  had  power  with  God,  and  had  prevailed. 
 
 But,  say  some,  the  operations  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God  are  of  a  benign  nature ;  nothing  is  of  a  more 
 kind  influence  on  human  nature  than  the  merciful 
 breathings  of  God's  own  Spirit.  But  it  has  been 
 generally  supposed,  and  allowed  in  the  church  of 
 God,  till  now,  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  being 
 sick  of  love  to  Christ,  or  having  the  bodily  strength 
 weakened  by  strong  and  vigorous  exercises  of  love 
 
174 
 
 to  him.  And  however  kind  to  human  nature  the 
 influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  are,  yet  nobody 
 doubts  but  that  divine  and  eternal  things,  as  they 
 may  be  discovered,  would  overpower  tlie  nature  of 
 man  in  its  present  weak  state ;  and  that  therefore 
 the  body,  in  its  present  weakness,  is  not  fitted  for 
 the  views,  and  pleasures,  and  employments  of  hea- 
 ven. Were  God  to  discover  but  a  little  of  that 
 which  is  seen  by  saints  and  angels  in  heaven,  our 
 frail  natures  would  sink  under  it.  Let  us  rationally 
 consider  what  we  profess  to  believe  of  the  infinite 
 greatness  of  divine  wrath,  divine  glory,  the  divine 
 infinite  love  and  grace  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  in- 
 finite importance  of  eternal  things;  and  then,  how 
 reasonable  it  is  to  suppose,  that,  if  God  a  little 
 withdraw  the  veil,  to  let  light  into  the  soul,  and 
 givje  a  view  of  the  great  things  of  another  world  in 
 their  transcendent  and  infinite  greatness,  human  na- 
 ture, which  is  as  the  grass,  a  shaking  leaf,  a  weak 
 withering  flower,  should  totter  under  such  a  dis- 
 covery ?  Alas  !  what  is  man  that  he  should  support 
 himself  under  a  view  of  the  awful  wrath  or  infinite 
 glory  and  love  of  Jehovah  !  No  wonder,  there- 
 fore, that  it  is  said,  *'  No  man  can  see  me  and  live;" 
 and,  *'  Flesh  and  blood  cannot  inherit  the  kingdom 
 of  God."  That  external  glory  and  majesty  of  Christ 
 which  Daniel  saw,  when  *'  there  remained  no  strength 
 in  him,  and  his  comeliness  was  turned  in  him  into 
 corruption,"  and  which  the  apostle  John  saw,  when 
 he  fell  at  his  feet  as  dead,  was  but  a  shadow  of  that 
 spiritual  majesty  of  Christ  which  will  be  manifested 
 in  the  souls  of  the  saints  in  another  world,  and  which 
 is  sometimes,  in  a  degree,  manifested  to  the  soul  in 
 
175 
 
 this  world.  And  if  beholding  the  image  of  this  glory 
 did  so  overpower  human  nature,  is  it  unreasonable  to 
 suppose,  that  a  sight  of  the  spiritual  glory  itself 
 should  have  as  powerful  an  effect  ?  The  prophet 
 Habakkuk,  speaking  of  the  awful  manifestations  God 
 made  of  his  majesty  and  wrath,  at  the  Red  Sea,  and 
 in  the  wilderness,  and  at  mount  Sinai,  where  he  gave 
 the  law ;  and  of  the  merciful  influence,  and  strong 
 impression  God  caused  it  to  have  upon  him,  to  the 
 end  that  he  might  be  saved  from  that  wrath,  and 
 rest  in  the  day  of  trouble ;  says,  *'  When  1  heard, 
 ray  belly  trembled,  my  lips  quivered  at  the  voice, 
 rottenness  entered  into  my  bones,  I  trembled  in  my- 
 self, that  1  might  rest  in  the  day  of  trouble."  This 
 is  an  effect  similar  to  what  the  discovery  of  the  same 
 majesty  and  wrath  has  had  upon  many  in  these  days; 
 and  to  the  same  purposes,  namely,  to  give  them  rest 
 in  the  day  of  trouble,  and  save  them  from  that  wrath. 
 The  Psalmist  also  speaks  of  such  an  effect  as  I  have 
 often  seen  on  persons  under  religious  affections  of 
 late  :    Psal.  cxix.  131. 
 
 God  is  pleased  sometimes,  in  dealing  forth  spiri- 
 tual blessings  to  his  people,  in  some  respect  to  exceed 
 the  capacity  of  the  vessel  in  its  present  scantiness; 
 60  that  he  not  only  fills  it,  but  makes  their  "  cup  to 
 run  over;"  (Psal.  xxiii.  5.)  and  pours  out  a  blessing, 
 sometimes,  in  such  a  manner  and  measure  that  there 
 is  not  room  enough  to  receive  it.  (Mai.  iii.  10.) 
 He  gives  them  riches  more  than  they  can  carry 
 away  ;  as  he  did  to  Jehoshaphat  and  his  people  in  a 
 time  of  great  favour,  by  the  word  of  his  prophet  Ja- 
 haziel  in  answer  to  earnest  prayer,  when  the  people 
 blessed  the  Lord  in  the  valley  of  Berachah:  2  Chron. 
 
176 
 
 XX.  25,  26.  It  has  been  with  tlie  disciples  of  Christ, 
 for  a  long  season,  a  time  of  great  emptiness  on  spiri- 
 tual accounts.  They  have  gone  hungry,  and  have 
 been  toiling  in  vain,  during  a  dark  night  with  the 
 church  of  God;  as  it  was  with  the  disciples  of  old, 
 when  they  had  toiled  all  night  and  caught  nothing. 
 But  now,  the  morning  being  come,  Jesus  appears  to 
 his  disciples,  and  takes  a  compassionate  notice  of  their 
 wants,  and  says  to  them,  "  Children,  have  ye  any 
 meat?"  and  gives  them  such  abundance  of  food,  that 
 they  are  not  able  to  draw  their  net ;  yea,  so  that 
 their  net  breaks,  and  their  vessel  is  overloaded,  and 
 begins  to  sink  ;  as  it  was  with  the  disciples  of  old. 
 
 We  cannot  determine  that  God  never  shall  give 
 any  person  such  a  discovery  of  himself,  as  not  only 
 to  weaken  their  bodies,  but  even  to  take  away  their 
 lives.  It  is  supposed,  by  very  learned  and  judicious 
 divines,  that  the  life  of  Moses  was  taken  away  after 
 this  manner;  and  this  has  also  been  supposed  to  be 
 the  case  with  some  other  saints.  Yea,  I  do  not  see 
 any  solid  sure  grounds  any  have  to  determine,  that 
 God  shall  never  make  such  strong  impressions  on 
 the  mind  by  his  Spirit,  that  shall  be  an  occasion  of 
 so  impairing  the  frame  of  the  body,  that  persons 
 shall  be  deprived  of  the  use  of  reason.  As  I  said 
 before,  it  is  too  much  for  us  to  determine,  that  God 
 will  not  bring  an  outward  calamity  in  bestowing  spiri- 
 tual and  eternal  blessings;  so  it  is  too  much  for  us 
 to  determine  how  great  an  outward  calamity  he  will 
 bring.  If  God  gives  a  grpat  increase  of  discoveries 
 of  himself,  and  of  love  to  him,  the  benefit  is  infinitely 
 greater  than  the  calamity,  though  the  life  should  pre- 
 sently after  be  taken  away;  yea,  though  the  soul 
 
177 
 
 should  be  deprived  of  the  use  of  its  facuhies,  and  be 
 as  inactive  and  unserviceable,  as  if  it  lay  in  a  deep 
 sleep  for  some  years,  and  then  should  pass  into  glory. 
 We  cannot  determine  how  great  a  calamity  distrac- 
 tion is,  considered  with  all  its  consequences,  and  all 
 that  might  have  been  consequent  if  the  distraction 
 had  not  happened  ;  nor  indeed  whether,  thus  con- 
 sidered, it  be  any  calamity  at  all,  or  whether  it  be 
 not  a  mercy,  by  preventing  some  great  sin,  &c.  It 
 is  a  great  fault  in  us  to  limit  a  sovereign  all-wise 
 God,  whose  "judgments  are  a  great  deep,  and  his 
 ways  past  finding  out,"  where  he  has  not  limited 
 himself,  and  in  things  concerning  which  he  has  not 
 told  us  what  his  way  shall  be.  It  is  remarkable, 
 considering  in  what  multitudes  of  instances,  and  to 
 hovv  great  a  degree,  the  frame  of  the  body  has  been 
 overpowered  of  late,  that  persons'  lives  have  notwith- 
 standing been  preserved.  The  instances  of  those 
 who  have  been  deprived  of  reason  have  been  very 
 few,  and  those,  perhaps  all  of  them,  persons  under 
 the  peculiar  disadvantage  of  a  weak,  extremely  sen- 
 sitive, and  nervous  habit  of  body.  A  merciful  and 
 careful  divine  hand  is  very  manifest  in  it,  tiiat  the 
 ship,  though  in  so  many  instances  it  has  begun  to 
 sink,  yet  has  been  upheld,  and  has  not  totally  sunk. 
 The  instances  of  such  as  have  been  deprived  of  rea- 
 son are  so  few,  that  certainly  they  are  not  enough 
 to  cause  alarm,  as  though  this  work  was  like  to  be 
 of  baneful  influence ;  unless  we  are  disposed  to  gather 
 up  all  that  we  can  to  darken  it,  and  set  it  forth  in 
 frightful  colours. 
 
 There  is  one  particular  kind  of  exercise  by  which 
 many  have  been  overpowered,  that  has   been  espc- 
 H  3 
 
178 
 
 cially  stumbling  to  some  ;  and  that  is,  their  deep 
 distress  for  the  souls  of  others.  I  am  sorry  that 
 any  put  us  to  the  trouble  of  defending  such  a  thing 
 as  this.  It  seems  like  mere  trifling  in  so  plain  a 
 case,  to  enter  into  a  particular  debate,  in  order  to 
 determine  whether  there  be  any  thing  in  the  great- 
 ness and  importance  in  the  case,  that  will  bear  a 
 proportion  to  the  greatness  of  the  concern  manifested. 
 Men  may  be  allowed,  from  no  higher  a  principle 
 than  common  humanity,  to  be  very  deeply  concerned, 
 and  greatly  exercised  in  mind,  at  seeing  others  in 
 great  danger  of,  or  being  burned  up,  in  a  house  on 
 fire.  And  it  will  be  allowed  to  be  equally  reason- 
 able, if  they  saw  them  in  danger  of  a  calamity  ten 
 times  greater,  to  be  still  much  more  concerned  ;  and 
 so  much  more  still,  if  the  calamity  was  still  vastly 
 greater.  Why,  then,  should  it  be  thought  unrea- 
 sonable, and  looked  on  with  a  suspicious  eye,  as  if 
 it  must  come  from  some  bad  cause,  when  persons 
 are  extremely  concerned  at  seeing  others  in  a  very 
 great  danger  of  suffering  the  fierceness  and  wrath  of 
 Almighty  God  to  all  eternity  ?  Besides,  it  will 
 doubtless  be  allowed,  that  those  who  have  great  de- 
 grees of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which  is  a  spirit  of  love, 
 may  well  be  supposed  to  have  vastly  more  love  and 
 compassion  to  their  fellow-creatures,  than  those  who 
 are  influenced  only  by  common  humanity.  Why 
 should  it  be  thought  strange,  that  those  who  are 
 full  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ,  should  be  proportionably, 
 in  their  love  to  souls,  like  to  Christ?  He  had  so 
 strong  a  love  and  concern  for  them,  as  to  be  willing 
 to  drink  the  dregs  of  the  cup  of  God's  fury  ;  and, 
 at  the   same  time  that  he  offered  up  his  blood  for 
 
179 
 
 souls,  he  offered  up  also,  as  their  high-priest,  strong 
 cryiug  and  tears,  with  an  extreme  agony,  wherein 
 the  soul  of  Christ  was,  as  it  were,  in  travail  for  the 
 souls  of  the  elect ;  and,  therefore,  in  saving  them, 
 he  is  said  to  see  of  the  travail  of  his  soul.  As  such 
 a  spirit  of  love  and  concern  for  souls  vvas  the  spirit 
 of  Christ,  so  it  is  that  of  the  church.  Therefore 
 the  church,  in  desiring  and  seeking  that  Christ 
 might  be  brought  forth  in  the  souls  of  men,  is  re- 
 presented, (Rev.  xii.)  as  "  a  woman  crying,  travailing 
 in  birth,  and  pained  to  be  delivered."  The  spirit 
 of  those  who  have  been  in  distress  for  the  souls  of 
 others,  so  far  as  I  can  discern,  seems  not  to  be 
 different  from  that  of  the  Apostle,  who  travailed  for 
 souls ;  and  that  of  the  Psalmist,  *'  Horror  hath  taken 
 hold  upon  me,  because  of  the  wicked  that  forsake 
 thy  law. — Rivers  of  waters  run  down  mine  eyes, 
 because  they  keep  not  thy  law."  And  that  of  the 
 prophet  Jeremiah,  (Jer.  iv.  19.)  "  My  bowels  !  my 
 bowels  !  I  am  pained  at  my  very  heart !  my  heart 
 maketh  a  noise  in  me  !  I  cannot  hold  my  peace  ! 
 because  thou  hast  heard,  O  my  soul,  the  sound  of 
 the  trumpet,  the  alarm  of  war  !"  And  so  chap.  ix. 
 1.  and  xiii.  17.  xiv.  17.  and  Isa.  xvii.  4.  We  read 
 of  Mordecai,  wjien  he  saw  his  people  in  danger  of 
 being  destroyed  with  a  temporal  destruction,  that 
 ''  he  rent  his  clothes,  and  put  on  sackcloth  with 
 ashes,  and  went  out  in  the  midst  of  the  city,  and 
 cried  with  a  loud  and  bitter  cry."  And  why  then 
 should  persons  be  thought  to  be  distracted,  when 
 they  cannot  forbear  crying  out,  at  the  consideration 
 of  the  misery  of  those  who  are  going  to  eternal- 
 destruction  ? 
 
180 
 
 III.  Another  thing  that  some  make  their  rule  to 
 judge  of  this  work  by,  instead  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
 tures, is  history,  or  former  observation.  Herein 
 they  err  two  ways  : — 
 
 Firsti  If  there  be  any  thing  extraordinary  in  the 
 circumstances  of  this  work,  which  was  not  observed 
 in  former  times,  theirs  is  a  rule  to  reject  this  work 
 which  God  has  not  given  them,  and  they  limit  God 
 where  he  has  not  limited  himself.  And  this  is 
 especially  unreasonable  in  this  case.  For  whosoever 
 has  well  weighed  the  wonderful  and  mysterious  me- 
 thods of  divine  wisdom,  in  carrying  on  the  work  of 
 the  new  creation— or  in  the  progress  of  the  work  of 
 redemption,  from  the  first  promise  of  the  seed 
 of  the  woman  to  this  time — may  easily  observe  that 
 it  has  all  along  been  God's  manner  to  open  new 
 scenes,  and  to  bring  forth  to  view  things  new 
 and  wonderful,  such  as  "  eye  had  not  seen,  nor  ear 
 heard,"  nor  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  or  angels, 
 to  the  astonishment  of  heaven  and  earth,  not  only  in 
 the  revelations  he  makes  of  his  mind  and  will,  but 
 also  in  the  works  of  his  hands.  As  the  old  creation 
 was  carried  on  through  six  days,  and  appeared  all 
 complete,  settled  in  a  state  of  rest,  on  the  seventh; 
 so  the  new  creation,  which  is  immensely  the  greatest 
 and  most  glorious  work,  is  carried  on  in  a  gradual 
 progress,  from  the  fall  of  man  to  the  consumma- 
 tion of  all  things.  And  as  in  the  progress  of  the 
 old  creation  there  were  still  new  things  accomplished, 
 new  wonders  every  day  in  the  sight  of  the  angels, 
 the  spectators  of  that  work— while  those  morning 
 stars  sang  together,  new  scenes  were  opened,  till 
 the  whole  was  finished — so  it  is  in  the  progress  of 
 
181 
 
 the  new  creation.  So  that  that  promise,  (Isa.  Ixiv. 
 4.)  "  P'or  since  the  beginning  of  the  world,  men 
 have  not  heard,  nor  perceived  by  the  ear,  neither 
 hath  the  eye  seen,  O  God,  besides  thee,  what 
 he  hath  prepared  for  him  that  waiteth  for  him.'* 
 Though  it  had  a  glorious  fulfihnent  in  the  days  of 
 Christ  and  his  apostles,  as  the  words  are  applied, 
 (1  Cor.  ii.  9.)  yet  it  always  remains  to  be  fulfilled, 
 in  things  that  are  yet  behind,  till  the  new  creation  is 
 finished,  as  Christ's  delivering  up  the  kingdom  to 
 the  Father.  And  we  live  in  those  latter  days, 
 wherein  we  may  be  especially  warranted  to  expect 
 tliat  things  will  be  accomplished,  concerning  which 
 it  will  be  said,  "  Who  hath  heard  such  a  thing  ? 
 who  hath  seen  such  things  ?'' 
 
 Besides,  those  things  in  this  work  which  have 
 been  chiefly  complained  of  as  new,  are  not  so  new 
 as  has  been  generally  imagined.  Though  they  have 
 been  much  more  frequent  lately,  in  proportion  to 
 the  uncommon  degree,  extent,  and  swiftness,  and 
 other  extraordinary  circumstances  of  the  work,  yet 
 they  are  not  new  in  their  kind;  but  are  of  the  same 
 nature  as  have  been  found,  and  well  approved  of,  in 
 the  church  of  God  before,  from  time  to  time.  We 
 have  a  remarkable  instance  in  Mr.  Bolton,  that 
 noted  minister  of  the  church  of  England,  who,  after 
 being  awakened  by  the  preaching  of  the  famous  Mr. 
 Perkins,  minister  of  Christ  in  the  university  of 
 Cambridge,  was  the  subject  of  such  terrors  as  threw 
 him  to  the  ground,  and  caused  him  to  roar  with 
 anguish.  The  pangs  of  the  new-birth  in  him  were 
 such,  that  he  lay  pale  and  without  sense,  like  one 
 dead  ;  as  we  have  an  account  in  the  *  Fulfilment  of 
 
182 
 
 the  Scripture,'  p.  103,  104.  We  have  an  account 
 in  the  same  page  of  another,  whose  comforts  under 
 the  sunshine  of  God's  presence  were  so  great,  that 
 he  could  not  forbear  crying  out  in  a  transport,  and 
 expressing  in  exclamations  the  great  sense  he  had  of 
 forgiving  mercy,  and  his  assurance  of  God's  love. 
 And  we  have  b  remarkable  instance,  in  the  life  of 
 Mr.  George  Trosse,  written  by  himself,  (who,  of  a 
 notoriously  vicious  profligate,  became  an  eminent 
 saint  and  minister  of  the  gospel)  of  terrors  occa- 
 sioned by  awakenings  of  conscience,  so  overpowering 
 the  body,  as  to  deprive  him,  for  some  time,  of  the 
 use  of  reason. 
 
 Yea,  such  extraordinary  external  effects  of  inward 
 impressions  have  not  been  found  merely  in  here  and 
 there  a  single  person,  but  there  have  been  times 
 wherein  many  have  been  thus  affected,  in  some  parti- 
 cular parts  of  the  church  of  God  ;  and  such  effects 
 have  appeared  in  congregations,  in  many  at  once.  So 
 it  was  in  the  year  1625,  in  the  west  of  Scotland,  on  a 
 time  of  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  It 
 was  then  a  frequent  thing  for  many  to  be  so  extra- 
 ordinarily seized  with  terror  in  hearing  the  word,  by 
 the  Spirit  of  God  convincing  them  of  sin,  that  they 
 fell  down,  and  were  carried  out  of  the  church,  and 
 they  afterwards  proved  most  solid  and  lively  Chris- 
 tians ;  as  the  author  of  the  '  Fulfilling  of  the  Scrip- 
 ture,'p.  185.  informs  us.  The  same  author,  in  the 
 preceding  page,  informs  of  many  in  France  that  were 
 so  wonderfully  affected  with  the  preaching  of  the 
 gospel,  in  the  time  of  those  famous  divines,  Farel 
 and  Viret,  that,  for  a  time,  they  could  not  follow 
 their  secular  business;  and  (p.  186.)  of  many  in  Ire- 
 
183 
 
 land,  in  a  time  of  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  there, 
 in  the  year  1628,  that  were  so  filled  with  divine  com- 
 forts, and  a  sense  of  God,  that  they  made  but  little 
 use  of  either  meat,  drink,  or  sleep;  and  professed 
 that  they  did  not  feel  the  need  thereof.  The  same 
 author  gives  a  similar  account  of  Mrs.  Katherine 
 Brettergh  of  Lancashire,  in  England.  After  great 
 distress,  which  very  much  affected  her  body,  God 
 did  so  break  in  upon  her  mind,  with  light  and  dis- 
 coveries of  himself,  that  she  was  forced  to  burst  out, 
 crying,  *  O  the  joys,  the  joys,  the  joys  that  I  feel  in 
 my  soul  !  O  they  be  wonderful,  they  be  wonderful  ! 
 The  place  where  I  now  am  is  sweet  and  pleasant  ! 
 How  comfortable  is  the  sweetness  I  feel,  that  de- 
 lights my  soul  !  The  taste  is  precious;  do  you  not 
 feel  it  ?  O  so  sweet  as  it  is  !'  And  at  other  times, 
 '  O  my  sweet  Saviour,  shall  I  be  one  with  thee,  as 
 thou  art  one  with  the  Father?  And  dost  thou  so 
 love  me  that  am  but  dust,  to  make  me  partaker  of 
 glory  with  Christ  ?  O  how  wonderful  is  thy  love  i 
 And  O  that  my  tongue  and  heart  were  able  to  sound 
 forth  thy  praises  as  I  ought  !'  At  another  time  she 
 burst  forth  thus  :  '  Yea,  Lord,  I  feel  thy  mercy, 
 and  I  am  assured  of  thy  love  !  And  so'  certain  am 
 I  thereof,  as  thou  art  that  God  of  truth  ;  even  so 
 certainly  do  I  know  myself  to  be  thine,  O  Lord  my 
 God;  and  this  my  soul  knoweth  right  well  !'  To 
 a  grave  minister,  one  Mr.  Harrison,  then  with  her, 
 she  said,  '  My  soul  hath  been  compassed  with  the 
 terrors  of  death,  the  sorrows  of  hell  were  upon  me,, 
 and  a  wilderness  of  woe  was  in  me ;  but  blessed, 
 blessed,  blessed  be  the  Lord  my  God  !  he  hath 
 brought  me  to  a  place  of  rest,  even  to  the  sweet 
 
184 
 
 running  waters  of  life.  The  way  I  now  go  in  is  a 
 sweet  and  easy  way,  strewed  with  flowers;  he  hath 
 brought  me  into  a  place  more  sweet  than  the  garden 
 of  Eden  ;  O  the  joy,  the  joy,  the  delights  and  joy 
 that  I  feel  !     O  how  wonderful !' 
 
 Great  outcrys  under  awakenings  were  more  fre- 
 quently heard  of  in  former  times  in  the  country,  than 
 they  have  been  of  late,  as  some  aged  persons  now  living 
 do  testify.  Particularly  I  think  fit  here  to  insert  a 
 testimony  of  my  honoured  father,  of  what  he  remem- 
 bers formerly  to  have  heard; — *  I  well  remember 
 that  one  Mr.  Alexander  Allan,  a  Scots  gentleman 
 of  good  credit,  that  dwelt  formerly  in  this  town, 
 showed  me  a  letter  that  came  from  Scotland,  that 
 gave  an  account  of  a  sermon  preached  in  the  city  of 
 Edinburgh,  in  the  time  of  the  sitting  of  the  General 
 Assembly  of  divines  in  that  kingdom,  that  so  af- 
 fected the  people,  that  there  was  a  great  and  loud 
 cry  made  throughout  the  Assembly.  I  have  also 
 been  credibly  informed,  and  how  often  I  cannot  now 
 say,  that  it  was  a  common  thing,  when  the  famous 
 Mr.  John  Rogers  of  Dedham,  in  England,  was 
 preaching,  for  some  of  his  hearers  to  cry  out;  and, 
 by  what  I  have  heard,  I  conclude  that  it  was  usual 
 for  many  that  heard  that  very  av/akening  and  rous- 
 ing preacher  of  God's  word,  to  make  a  great  cry  in 
 tbe  congregation.' 
 
 Mr.  Flavel  gives  a  remarkable  instance  of  a  man 
 whom  he  knew,  that  was  wonderfully  overcome  with 
 divine  comforts;  which  it  is  supposed  he  knew,  as 
 the  apostle  Paul  knew  the  man  that  was  caught  up 
 to  the  third  heaven.  He  relates,  that,  '  As  the 
 person  was  travelling  alone,  with  his  thoughts  closely 
 
185 
 
 fixed  on  the  great  and  astonishing  things  of  another 
 world,  his  thoughts  began  to  swell  higher  and 
 higher,  like  the  water  in  Ezekiel's  vision,  till  at  last 
 they  became  an  overflowing  flood.  Such  was  the 
 intenseness  of  his  mind,  such  the  ravishing  tastes  of 
 heavenly  joys,  and  such  his  full  assurance  of  his  in- 
 terest therein,  that  he  utterly  lost  all  sight  and  sense 
 of  this  world,  and  the  concerns  thereof;  and  for  some 
 hours  knew  not  where  he  was,  nor  what  he  was 
 about ;  but,  having  lost  a  great  quantity  of  blood  at 
 the  nose,  he  found  himself  so  faint,  that  it  brought 
 him  a  little  more  to  himself.  And  after  he  had 
 washed  himself  at  a  spring,  and  drank  of  the  water 
 for  his  refreshment,  he  continued  to  the  end  of  his 
 journey,  which  was  thirty  miles;  and  all  this  while 
 was  scarcely  sensible:  and  says,  he  had  several 
 trances  of  considerable  continuance.  The  same 
 blessed  frame  was  preserved  all  that  night,  and,  in 
 a  lower  degree,  great  part  of  the  next  day  :  the  night 
 passed  without  one  wink  of  sleep,  and  yet  he  de- 
 clares he  never  had  a  sweeter  night's  rest  in  all  his 
 life.  Still,  adds  the  story,  the  joy  of  the  Lord 
 overflowed  him,  and  he  seemed  to  be  an  inhabitant 
 of  another  world.  And  he  used  for  many  years 
 after  to  call  that  day  one  of  the  days  of  heaven  ;  and 
 professed  that  he  understood  more  of  the  life  of 
 heaven  by  it,  than  by  all  the  books  he  ever  read,  or 
 discourses  he  ever  entertained  about  it.' 
 
 There  have  been  instances  before  now,  of  per- 
 sons crying  out  in  transports  of  divine  joy  in  New 
 England.  We  have  an  instance  in  Capt.  Clap's 
 memoirs,  (published  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Prince,)  not 
 of  a  silly  woman  or  child,  but  a  man  of  solid  under- 
 
186 
 
 standing,  that,  in  a  high  transport  of  spiritual  joy, 
 was  made  to  cry  out  aloud  on  his  bed.  His  words 
 are,  '  God's  Holy  Spirit  did  witness  (I  do  believe) 
 together  with  my  spirit,  that  I  was  a  child  of  God ; 
 and  did  fill  my  heart  and  soul  with  such  full  assur- 
 ance that  Christ  was  mine,  that  it  did  so  transport 
 me,  as  to  make  me  cry  out  upon  my  bed,  with  a  loud 
 voice,  Pie  is  come,  he  is  come  !' 
 
 There  has,  before  now,  been  both  crying  out  and 
 falling,  even  in  this  town,  under  awakenings  of  con- 
 science, and  in  the  pangs  of  the  new-birth;  and  also 
 in  one  of  the  neighbouring  towns,  more  than  seven 
 years  ago,  a  great  number  together  cried  out  and 
 fell  down  under  conviction;  in  most  of  whom  there 
 was  an  abiding  good  issue.  And  the  Rev.  Mr. 
 Williams  of  Deerfield,  gave  me  an  account  of  an 
 aged  man  in  that  town,  many  years  before  that,  who, 
 being  awakened  by  his  preaching,  cried  out  aloud  in 
 the  congregation.  There  have  been  many  in- 
 stances, before  now,  of  persons  in  this  town  faisiting 
 with  joyful  discoveries  made  to  their  souls,  and  once 
 several  together.  And  there  have  been  several  in- 
 stances here  of  persons  waxing  cold  and  benumbed, 
 with  their  hands  clinched,  yea,  and  their  bodies  in 
 convulsions,  being  overpowered  with  a  strong  sense 
 of  the  astonishingly  great  and  excellent  things  of 
 God  and  the  eternal  world. 
 
 Secondlij,  Another  way  that  some  err  in  making 
 history  and  former  observation  their  rule  instead  of 
 the  holy  Scripture,  is  in  comparing  some  external, 
 accidental  circumstances  of  this  work,  with  what  has 
 appeared  sometimes  in  enthusiasts.  They  find  an 
 agreement  in  some  such  things,  and  so  they  reject 
 
187 
 
 the  whole  work,  or  at  least  the  substance  of  it,  con- 
 cluding it  to  be  enthusiasm. 
 
 IV.  I  would  propose  it  to  be  considered,  whether 
 or  not  some,  instead  of  making  the  Scriptures  their 
 only  rule  to  judge  of  this  work,  do  not  make  their 
 own  experience  the  rule,  and  reject  such  and  such 
 things  as  are  now  professed  and  experienced,  be- 
 cause they  themselves  never  felt  them.  Are  there 
 not  many,  who,  chiefly  on  this  ground,  have  enter- 
 tained suspicions,  if  not  peremptory  condemnations, 
 of  those  extreme  terrors,  and  those  great,  sudden, 
 and  extraordinary  discoveries  of  the  glorious  perfec- 
 tions of  God,  and  of  the  beauty  and  love  of  Christ? 
 Have  they  not  condemned  such  vehement  affections, 
 such  high  transports  of  love  and  joy,  such  pity  and 
 distress  for  the  souls  of  others,  and  exercises  of  mind 
 that  have  such  great  effects,  merely,  or  chiefly,  be- 
 cause they  knew  nothing  about  them  by  experience  ? 
 Persons  are  very  ready  to  be  suspicious  of  what  they 
 have  not  felt  themselves.  It  is  to  be  feared  that 
 many  good  men  have  been  guilty  of  this  error;  which, 
 however,  does  not  make  it  the  less  unreasonable.  And 
 perhaps  there  are  some  who,  upon  this  ground,  do  not 
 only  reject  these  extraordinary  things,  but  all  such 
 conviction  of  sin,  discoveries  of  the  glory  of  God, 
 excellency  of  Christ,  and  inward  conviction  of  the 
 trutli  of  the  gospel,  by  the  immediate  influence  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God,  now  supposed  to  be  necessary  to  salva- 
 tion. These  persons  who  thus  make  their  own  ex- 
 periences their  rule  of  judgment,  instead  of  bowing 
 to  the  wisdom  of  God,  and  yielding  to  his  word  as  an 
 infallible  rule,  are  guilty  of  casting  a  great  reflec- 
 tion upon  the  understanding  of  the  Most  High. 
 
188 
 
 SECTION  III. 
 
 We  should  distinguish  the  Good  from  the  Bad,  and 
 not. judge  of  the  Whole  by  a  Part, 
 
 Another  foundation-error  of  those  who  reject 
 this  work,  is,  their  not  duly  distinguishing  the  good 
 from  the  bad,  and  very  unjustly  judging  of  the 
 whole  by  a  part;  and  so  rejecting  the  work  in  gen- 
 eral, or  in  the  main  substance  of  it,  for  the  sake  of 
 some  accidental  evil  in  it.  They  look  for  more  in 
 men  because  subject  to  the  operations  of  a  good 
 spirit,  than  is  justly  to  be  expected  from  them  in 
 this  imperfect  state,  where  so  much  blindness  and 
 corruption  remains  in  the  best.  When  any  profess 
 to  have  received  light  and  comforts  from  heaven, 
 and  to  have  had  sensible  communion  with  God, 
 many  are  ready  to  expect  that  now  they  should  ap- 
 pear like  angels,  and  not  still  like  poor,  feeble,  blind, 
 and  sinful  worms  of  the  dust.  There  being  so 
 much  corruption  left  in  the  hearts  of  God's  own 
 children,  and  its  prevailing  as  it  sometimes  does,  is 
 indeed  a  mysterious  thing,  and  always  was  a  stum- 
 bling-block to  the  world ;  but  will  not  be  so  much 
 wondered  at  by  those  who  are  well  versed  in,  and 
 duly  mindful  of,  two  things — 1.  The  word  of  God, 
 which  teaches  the  state  of  true  Christians  in  this 
 world ;  and,  2.  Their  own  hearts,  if  they  have  any 
 grace,  and  have  experience  of  its  conflicts  with  cor- 
 ruption. True  saints  are  the  most  inexcusable,  in 
 making  a  great  difficulty  of  much  blindness  and  many 
 
189 
 
 sinful  errors  in  those  who  profess  frodlincss.  If  all 
 our  conduct,  both  open  and  secret,  should  be  known, 
 and  our  hearts  laid  open  to  tlie  world,  how  should 
 we  be  even  ready  to  flee  from  the  light  of  the  sun, 
 and  hide  ourselves  from  the  view  of  mankind  !  And 
 what  great  allowances  would  we  need  that  others 
 should  make  for  us?  Perhaps  much  greater  than 
 we  are  willins  to  make  for  others. 
 
 The  great  weakness  of  mankind,  in  any  affair  that 
 is  new  and  uncommon,  appears  in  not  distinguishing, 
 but  either  approving  or  condemning  all  in  the  lump. 
 They  who  highly  approve  of  the  affair  in  general, 
 cannot  bear  to  have  any  thing  at  all  found  fault 
 with  ;  and,  on  the  other  hand,  those  who  fasten  their 
 eyes  upon  some  things  in  the  affair  that  are  amiss, 
 and  appear  very  disagreeable  to  them,  at  once  reject 
 the  whole.  Both  which  errors  oftentimes  arise  from 
 persons  not  having  a  due  acquaintance  with  them- 
 selves. It  is  rash  and  unjust,  when  we  proceed 
 thus  in  judging  either  of  a  particular  person,  or  a 
 people.  Many,  if  they  see  any  thing  very  ill  in  a 
 particular  person,  a  minister,  or  private  professor, 
 will  at  once  brand  him  as  a  hypocrite.  And,  if 
 there  be  two  or  three  of  a  society  that  behave  them- 
 selves very  irregularly,  the  whole  must  bear  the 
 blame  of  it.  And  if  there  be  a  few,  though  it  may 
 be  not  above  one  in  a  hundred,  that  professed,  and 
 had  a  show  of  being  the  happy  partakers  of  what  are 
 called  the  saving  benefits  of  this  work,  but  after- 
 ward give  the  world  just  grounds  to  suspect  them, 
 the  whole  work  must  be  rejected  on  their  account ; 
 and  those  in  general  that  make  the  like  profession, 
 must  be  condemned  for  their  sakes. 
 
190 
 
 So  careful  are  some  persons  lest  this  work  should 
 be  defended,  that  they  will  hardly  allow  that  the  in- 
 fluences of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  heart  can  so 
 much  as  indirectly,  and  accidentally,  be  the  occasion 
 •of  the  exercise  of  corruption,  and  the  commission  of 
 sin.  Thus  far  is  true,  that  the  influence  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God  in  his  saving  operations  will  not  be  an 
 occasion  of  increasing  the  corruption  of  the  heart  in 
 general  ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  of  weakening  it :  but 
 yet  there  is  nothing  unreasonable  in  supposing,  that, 
 .at  the  same  time  that  it  weakens  corruption  in  gene- 
 ral, it  may  be  an  occasion  of  turning  what  is  left  into 
 a  new  channel.  There  may  be  more  of  some  kinds 
 of  the  exercise  of  corruption  than  before;  as  that 
 which  tends  to  stop  the  course  of  a  stream,  if  it  doit 
 not  wholly,  may  give  a  new  course  to  so  much  of  the 
 water  as  gets  by  the  obstacle.  The  influences  of 
 the  Spirit,  for  instance,  may  be  an  occasion  of  new 
 ways  of  the  exercise  of  pride,  as  has  been  acknow- 
 ledged by  orthodox  divines.  That  spiritual  dis- 
 coveries and  comforts  may,  through  the  corruption  of 
 the  heart,  be  an  occasion  of  the  exercise  of  spiritual 
 pride,  was  not  doubted,  till  now  that  it  is  found  need- 
 ful to  maintain  the  war  against  this  work. 
 
 They  who  will  hardly  allow  that  a  work  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God  can  be  a  remote  occasion  of  any  sinful 
 behaviour  or  unchristian  conduct,  I  suppose  will  al- 
 low that  the  truly  gracious  influences  of  the  Spirit 
 of  God,  yea,  and  a  high  degree  of  love  to  God  is  con- 
 sistent with  these  two  things,  namely,  a  considerable 
 degree  of  remaining  corruption,  and  also  many  errors 
 in  judgment  in  matters  of  religion.  And  this  is  all 
 that  need  to  be  allowed,  in  order  to  its  being  most 
 
191 
 
 demonstratively  evident,  that  a  high  degree  of  love 
 to  God  may  accidentally  move  a  person  to  that  which 
 is  very  contrary  to  the  mind  and  will  oi  God.  For 
 a  high  degree  of  love  to  God  will  strongly  move  a 
 person  to  do  that  which  he  believes  to  be  agreeable 
 to  God's  will ;  and  therefore,  if  he  be  mistaken,  and 
 be  persuaded  that  that  is  agreeable  to  the  will  of 
 God,  which  indeed  is  very  contrary  to  it,  then  his 
 love  will  accidentally,  but  strongly,  incline  him  to 
 that,  which  is  indeed  very  contrary  to  the  will  of 
 God. — They  who  are  studied  in  logic  have  learned, 
 that  the  nature  of  the  cause  is  not  to  be  lud^ed  of 
 by  the  nature  of  the  effect,  nor  the  nature  of  the  ef- 
 fect from  the  nature  of  the  cause,  when  the  cause  is 
 only  causa  sine  qua  non,  or  an  occasional  cause ; 
 yea,  that,  in  suc-ii  a  case,  oftentimes  the  nature  of 
 the  effect  is  quite  contrary  to  the  nature  of  the 
 cause. 
 
 True  disciples  of  Christ  may  have  a  great  deal  of 
 false  zeal,  such  as  the  disciples  had  of  old,  when  they 
 would  have  fire  called  for  from  heaven  on  the  Sama- 
 ritans, because  they  did  not  receive  them.  And 
 even  so  eminently  holy,  and  great,  and  divine  a  saint 
 as  Moses — who  conversed  with  God  as  a  man  speaks 
 with  his  friend,  and  concerning  whom  God  gives  his 
 testimony,  that  he  "  was  very  meek,  above  any  man 
 upon  the  face  of  the  earth" — may  be  rash  and  sin- 
 ful in  his  zeal,  when  his  spirit  is  stirred  by  the  hard- 
 heartedness  and  opposition  of  others.  He  may 
 speak  very  unadvisedly  with  his  lips,  and  greatly 
 offend  God,  and  shut  himself  out  from  the  possession 
 of  the  good  things  that  God  is  about  to  accomplish 
 for  his  church  on    earth ;   as   Moses  was   excluded 
 
192 
 
 Canaan,  though  he  had  brought  the  people  out  of 
 Egypt.  And  men,  even  in  those  very  things  wherein 
 they  are  influenced  by  a  truly  pious  principle,  may, 
 through  error  and  want  of  due  consideration,  be  very 
 rash  with  tlieir  zeal.  It  was  a  truly  good  spirit 
 which  animated  that  excellent  generation  of  Israel  in 
 Joshua's  time  ;  (Josh,  xxii.)  and  yet  they  were  rash 
 and  heady  with  their  zeal,  to  gather  all  Israel  to- 
 gether, to  go  so  furiously  to  war  with  their  brethren 
 of  the  two  tribes  and  half,  about  their  building  the 
 altar  Ed,  without  first  inquiring  into  the  matter,  or 
 so  much  as  sending  a  messeno;er  to  be  informed. 
 So  the  Christians  of  the  circumcision,  with  warmth 
 and  contention,  condemned  Peter  for  receiving  Cor- 
 nelius. This  their  heat  and  censure  was  unjust, 
 and  Peter  was  wronged  in  it ;  but  there  is  every 
 appearance  in  the  story,  that  they  acted  from  a  real 
 zeal  and  concern  for  the  will  and  honour  of  God. 
 So  the  primitive  Christians,  from  their  zeal  for,  and 
 against  unclean  meats,  censured  and  condemned  one 
 another.  This  was  a  bad  effect,  and  yet  the  Apostle 
 bears  them  witness,  or  at  least  expresses  his  charity 
 towards  them,  that  both  sides  acted  from  a  good 
 principle,  and  true  respect  to  the  Lord,  (Rom.  xiv. 
 6.)  The  zeal  of  the  Corinthians  with  respect  to  the 
 incestuous  man,  though  the  Apostle  highly  commends 
 it,  yet  at  the  same  time  saw  that  they  needed  a  cau- 
 tion, lest  they  should  carry  it  too  far,  to  an  undue 
 severity,  so  as  to  fail  of  Christian  meekness  and 
 forgiveness,  (2  Cor.  ii.  and  vii.) — Luther,  that 
 great  reformer,  had  a  great  deal  of  bitterness  with 
 his  zeal. 
 
 It  surely  cannot  be  wondered  at  by  considerate 
 
193 
 
 persons,  when  multitudes  all  over  tlieland  have  their 
 affections  greatly  moved,  that  great  numbers  should 
 run  into  many  errors  and  mistakes  with  respect  to 
 their  duty,  and  consequently,  into  many  practices 
 that  are  imprudent  and  irregular.  I  question  whe- 
 ther there  be  a  man  in  New  England,  of  the  strong- 
 est reason  and  greatest  learning,  but  what  would  be 
 put  to  it  to  keep  master  of  himself,  thoroughly  to 
 weigh  his  words,  and  to  consider  all  the  consequences 
 of  his  behaviour,  so  as  to  conduct  himself  in  all  re- 
 spects prudently,  if  he  were  so  strongly  impressed 
 with  a  sense  of  divine  and  eternal  things,  and  his 
 affections  so  exceedingly  moved,  as  has  been  frequent 
 of  late  among  the  common  people.  How  little  do 
 they  consider  human  nature,  who  think  it  so  insu- 
 perable a  stumbling-block,  when  such  multitudes  of 
 all  kinds  of  capacities,  natural  tempers,  educations, 
 customs,  and  manners  of  life,  are  so  greatly  and  va- 
 riously affected,  that  imprudences  and  irregufarities 
 of  conduct  should  abound  ;  especially  in  a  state  of 
 things  so  uncommon,  and  when  the  degree,  extent, 
 swiftness,  and  power  of  the  operation  is  so  very  ex- 
 traordinary, and  so  new,  that  there  has  not  been  time 
 and  experience  enough  to  give  birth  to  rules  for 
 people's  conduct,  and  the  writings  of  divines  do  not 
 afford  rules  to  direct  us  in  such  a  state  of  thino-s  ! 
 
 A  great  deal  of  confusion  and  uproar,  darkness 
 mixed  with  light,  and  evil  with  good,  is  always  to  be 
 expected  in  the  beginning  of  something  very  glorious 
 in  the  state  of  things  in  human  society,  or  the  church 
 of  God.  After  nature  has  long  been  shut  up  in  a 
 cold  dead  state,  when  the  sun  returns  in  the  spring, 
 there  is,  together  with  the  increase  of  the  light  and 
 I  48 
 
194 
 
 heat  of  the  sun,  very  tempestuous  weather,  before 
 all  is  settled,  calm,  and  serene,  and  all  nature  rejoices 
 in  its  bloom  and  beauty.  It  is  in  the  new  creation 
 as  it  was  in  the  old  ;  the  Spirit  of  God  first  moved 
 upon  the  face  of  the  waters,  which  was  an  occasion 
 of  great  uproar  and  tumult.  Things  were  then 
 gradually  brought  to  a  settled  state,  till  at  length  all 
 stood  forth  in  that  beautiful,  peaceful  order,  when 
 the  heavens  and  the  earth  were  finished,  and  God 
 saw  every  thing  that  he  had  made,  and  behold  it  was 
 very  good.  When  God  is  about  to  bring  to  pass 
 something  great  and  glorious  in  the  world,  nature  is 
 in  a  ferment  and  struggle,  and  the  world,  as  it  were, 
 in  travail.  When  God  was  about  to  introduce  the 
 Messiah  into  the  world,  and  a  new,  glorious  dispen- 
 sation, "he  shook  the  heavens  and  the  earth,"  and 
 he  "  shook  all  nations."  There  is  nothing  that  the 
 church  of  God  is  in  Scripture  more  frequently  repre- 
 sented by  than  vegetables;  as  a  tree,  a  vine,  corn, 
 &c.  which  gradually  bring  forth  their  fruit,  and  are 
 first  green  before  they  are  ripe.  A  great  revival  of 
 religion  is  expressly  compared  to  this  gradual  pro- 
 duction of  vegetables  :  "  As  the  earth  bringeth  forth 
 her  bud,  and  as  the  garden  causeth  the  things  that 
 are  sown  in  it  to  spring  forth  ;  so  the  Lord  God  will 
 cause  righteousness  and  praise  to  spring  forth  before 
 all  the  nations."  The  church  is  in  a  special  man- 
 ner compared  to  a  palm-tree,  of  which  it  is  observed, 
 that  the  fruit  of  it,  though  very  sweet  and  good 
 when  ripe,  has,  while  unripe,  a  mixture  of  poison. 
 
 The  weakness  of  human  nature  has  always  ap- 
 peared in  times  of  great  revival  of  religion,  by  a 
 disposition  to  run  to  extremes,   and  get  into  confu- 
 
195 
 
 sion  ;  and  especially  in  these  three  things,  enllni' 
 siasm,  superstition,  and  intemperate  zeal.  So  it 
 appeared  in  the  time  of  the  Reformation  very  re- 
 markably, and  even  in  the  days  of  the  apostles. 
 Many  were  exceedingly  disposed  to  lay  weight  on 
 those  things  that  were  very  chimerical,  giving  heed 
 to  fables — (I  Tim.  i.  4.  and  iv.  7.  and  Tit.  i.  14. 
 and  iii.  9.)  Many,  as  ecclesiastical  history  informs 
 us,  fell  into  the  most  wild  enthusiasm,  and  extrava- 
 gant notions  of  spirituality,  and  extraordinary  illu- 
 minations from  heaven,  beyond  others  ;  and  many 
 were  prone  to  supisrstition,  will-worship,  and  a  vo- 
 luntary humility,  giving  heed  to  the  commandments 
 of  men,  being  fond  of  an  unprofitable  bodily  exer- 
 cise, as  appears  by  many  passages  in  the  Apostle's 
 writings.  And  what  a  proneness  then  appeared 
 among  professors  to  swerve  from  the  path  of  duty, 
 and  the  spirit  of  the  gospel,  in  the  exercises  of  a 
 rash  indiscreet  zeal,  censuring  and  condemning 
 ministers  and  people  :  one  saying,  "  I  am  of  Paul  ; 
 another,  lam  of  Apollos  ;  another,  lam  of  Cephas." 
 They  judged  one  another  for  differences  of  opinion 
 about  smaller  matters,  unclean  meats,  holy  days, 
 and  holy  places,  and  their  different  opinions  and 
 practices  respecting  civil  intercourse  and  communica- 
 tion with  their  heathen  neighbours.  And  how 
 much  did  vain  jangling,  disputing,  and  confusion 
 prevail,  through  undue  heat  of  spirit,  under  the 
 name  of  a  religious  zeal  !  (1  Tim.  vi.  4,  5.  2  Tim. 
 ii.  16.  and  Tit.  iii.  9.)  And  what  a  task  had  the 
 apostles  to  keep  them  within  bounds,  and  maintain 
 good  order  in  the  churches  ?  How  often  do  they 
 mention  their  irregularities?  The  prevailing  of 
 i2 
 
196 
 
 such  like  disorders,  seems  to  have  been  the  special 
 occasion   of  writing  many  of  their  Epistles.      The 
 church,   in   that  great   effusion  of  the    Spirit,  and 
 under  strong  impressions,  had  the  care  of  infalHble 
 guides,  that  watched  over  them  day  and  night ;  but 
 yet,  so  prone  were  they,  through  the  weakness  and 
 corruption  of  human  nature,    to  get  out  of  the  way, 
 that  irregularity  and  confusion  rose  in  some  churches, 
 where  there  was  an  extraordinary  outpouring  of  the 
 Spirit,  even  in  the  apostles'  lifetime,  and  under  their 
 eye.      And  though  some  of  the  apostles  lived  long 
 to   settle  the  state  of  things,   yet,   presently  after 
 their   death,   the   Christian  chiirch    ran   into  many 
 superstitions,   and   childish  notions,    and   practices, 
 and,  in  some  respects,   into  a  great  severity  in  their 
 zeal.      And  let  any  wise  person,   that   has  not,    in 
 the  midst  of  the  disputes  of  the  present  day,   got 
 beyond  the   calmness   of  consideration,    impartially 
 consider,    to  what  lengths  we  may  reasonably  sup- 
 pose many  of  the  primitive  Christians,  in  their  heat 
 of  zeal,   and  under  their  extraordinary  impressions, 
 would  soon  have  gone,  if  they  had  not  had  inspired 
 cruides.       Is   it  not   probable,    that   the  church   of 
 Corinth  in  particular,  by  an  increase  of  their  irregu- 
 larities and  contentions,    would  in  a  little  time  have 
 been  broken  to  pieces,   and  dissolved   in  a  state  of 
 the  utmost  confusion  ?      And  yet  this   would  have 
 been  no  evidence   that  there  had  not  been   a  most 
 glorious  and  remarkable  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  in 
 that   city.      But  as   for  us,    we   have  no   infallible 
 apostle  to  guide   and  direct  us,   to  rectify  disorders, 
 and  reclaim   us   when  we  are  wandering ;  but  every 
 one  does  what  is  right  in  his  own  eyes;  and  they 
 
197 
 
 that  err  in  judgment,  and  are  got  into  a  wrong 
 path,  continue  to  wander,  till  experience  of  the  mis- 
 chievous issue  convinces  them  of"  their  error. 
 
 If  we  look  over  this  affair,  and  seriously  weigh  it 
 in  its  circumstances,  it  will  appear  a  matter  of  no 
 great  difficulty  to  account  for  the  errors  that  have 
 been  gone  into,  supposing  the  work  in  general  to 
 be  from  a  very  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God.  It  may  easily  be  accounted  for,  that  many 
 have  run  into  just  such  errors  as  they  have.  It  is 
 known,  that  some  who  have  been  great  instruments 
 to  promote  this  work  were  very  young.  They  were 
 newly  awaked  out  of  sleep,  and  brought  out  of  that 
 state  of  darkness,  insensibility,  and  spiritual  death, 
 in  which  they  had  been  ever  since  they  were  born. 
 A  new  and  wonderful  scene  opens  to  them ;  and 
 they  have  in  view  the  reality,  the  vastness,  the  infi- 
 nite importance,  and  nearness  of  spiritual  and  eter- 
 nal things;  and,  at  the  same  time,  are  surprised  to 
 see  the  world  asleep  about  them.  They  have  not 
 the  advantage  of  age  and  experience,  and  have  had 
 but  little  opportunity  to  study  divinity,  or  to  con- 
 verse with  aged  experienced  Christians  and  divines. 
 How  natural  is  it,  then,  for  such  to  fall  into  many 
 errors  with  respect  to  the  state  of  mankind,  with 
 which  they  are  so  surprised,  and  with  respect  to  the 
 means  and  methods  of  their  relief?  Is  it  any  won- 
 der that  they  have  not  at  once  learned  how  to  make 
 allowances,  and  that  they  do  not  at  once  find  out 
 that  method  of  dealing  with  the  world,  which  is 
 adapted  to  the  mysterious  state  and  nature  of  man- 
 kind ?  Is  it  any  wonder  that  they  cannot  at  once 
 foresee  the  consequences  of  things,   what  evils  are 
 
198 
 
 to  be  guarded  against,  and  what  difficulties  are  like 
 to  arise  ? 
 
 We  have  long  been  in  a  strange  stupor.  The 
 influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  upon  the  heart  have 
 been  but  little  felt,  and  the  nature  of  them  but  little 
 taught;  so  that  they  are,  in  many  respects,  new  to 
 great  numbers  of  those  who  have  lately  fallen  under 
 them.  And  is  it  any  wonder  that  they  who  never 
 before  had  experience  of  the  supernatural  influence 
 of  the  divine  Spirit  upon  their  souls,  and  never 
 were  instructed  in  the  nature  of  these  influences,  do 
 not  so  well  know  how  to  distinguish  one  extraordi- 
 nary new  impression  from  another,  and  so  insensibly 
 run  into  enthusiasm,  taking  every  strong  impulse 
 or  impression  to  be  divine?  How  natural  is  it  to 
 suppose,  that,  among  the  multitudes  of  illiterate 
 people  who  find  themselves  so  wonderfully  changed, 
 and  brought  into  such  new  circumstances,  many 
 should  pass  wrong  judgments  on  both  persons  and 
 things  about  them?  Now  they  behold  them  in  a 
 new  light ;  and,  in  their  surprise,  they  go  further 
 from  the  judgment  that  they  were  wont  to  make  of 
 them  than  they  ought;  and,  in  their  great  change 
 of  sentiments,  pass  from  one  extreme  to  another. 
 And  why  should  it  be  thought  strange,  that  those 
 who  scarcely  ever  heard  of  any  such  thing  as  an 
 outpouring  of  tlie  Spirit  of  God  before,  do  not  know 
 how  to  behave  themselves  in  such  a  new  and  strange 
 state  of  things  ?  And  is  it  any  wonder  that  they 
 are  ready  to  hearken  to  those  who  have  instructed 
 them,  who  have  been  the  means  of  delivering  them 
 from  such  a  state  of  death  and  misery,  or  have  a 
 name  for  being  the  happy  instruments  of  promoting 
 
199 
 
 the  same  work  among  others  ?  Is  it  unaccountable 
 that  persons  in  these  circumstances  are  ready  to  re- 
 ceive every  thing  they  say,  and  to  drink  down  error 
 as  well  as  truth  from  them  ?  And  why  should  there 
 be  all  indignation,  and  no  compassion,  towards  those 
 who  are  thus  misled  ? 
 
 These  persons  are  extraordinarily  affected  with  a 
 new  sense,  and  recent  discovery,  of  the  greatness 
 and  excellency  of  the  Divine  Being,  the  certainty 
 and  infinite  importance  of  eternal  things,  the  pre- 
 ciousness  of  souls,  and  the  dreadful  danger  and  mad- 
 ness of  mankind,  together  with  a  great  sense  of  God's 
 distinguishing  kindness  and  love  to  them.  Is  it  any 
 wonder  that  now  they  think  they  must  exert  them- 
 selves, and  do  something  extraordinary  for  the  hon- 
 our of  God,  and  the  good  of  souls?  They  know 
 not  how  to  sit  still,  or  forbear  speaking  and  acting 
 with  uncommon  earnestness  and  vigour.  And  in 
 these  circumstances,  if  they  be  not  persons  of  more 
 than  common  steadiness  and  discretion,  or  have  not 
 some  person  of  wisdom  to  direct  them,  it  is  a  wonder 
 if  they  do  not  proceed  without  due  caution,  and  do 
 things  that  are  irregular,  and  that  will,  in  the  issue, 
 do  much  more  hurt  than  good. 
 
 Censuring  others  is  the  worst  disease  with  which 
 this  affair  has  been  attended.  But  this  is,  indeed, 
 a  time  of  great  temptation  to  this  sinful  error. 
 When  there  has  been  a  long-continued  deadness, 
 and  many  are  brought  out  of  a  state  of  nature,  in 
 so  extraordinary  a  manner,  and  filled  with  such  un- 
 common degrees  of  light,  it  is  natural  for  such  to 
 form  their  notions  of  a  state  of  grace  wholly  from 
 what  they   experience.      Many    of  them   know   no 
 
200 
 
 other  way;  for  they  never  have  been  taught  much 
 about  a  state  of  grace,  the  different  degrees  of  grace, 
 and  the  degrees  of  darkness  and  corruption  with 
 which  grace  is  compatible,  nor  concerning  the  man- 
 ner of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit,  in  converting  a 
 soul,  and  the  variety  of  his  operations.  They, 
 therefore,  forming  their  idea  of  a  state  of  grace  only 
 by  their  own  experience,  no  wonder  that  it  appears 
 an  insuperable  difficulty  to  thera,  to  reconcile  such 
 a  state  with  what  they  observe  in  professors  about 
 them.  It  is  indeed,  in  itself,  a  very  great  mystery, 
 that  grace  should  be  compatible  with  so  much  and 
 such  kind  of  corruption,  as  sometimes  prevails  in  the 
 truly  godly;  and  no  wonder  that  it  especially  appears 
 so  to  uninstructed  new  converts,  who  have  been  con- 
 verted in  an  extraordinary  manner. 
 
 Though  censoriousness  is  very  sinful,  and  is  most 
 commonly  found  in  hypocrites,  and  persons  of  a 
 pharisaical  spirit,  yet  it  is  not  so  inconsistent  with 
 true  godliness  as  some  imagine.  We  have  remark- 
 able instances  of  it  in  those  holy  men,  of  whom 
 we  have  an  account  in  the  book  of  Job.  Not  only 
 were  Job's  three  friends,  who  seem  to  have  been 
 eminently  holy  men,  guilty  of  it,  in  very  unreason- 
 ably censuring  the  best  man  on  earth — very  posi- 
 tively determining  that  he  was  an  unconverted  man 
 — but  Job  himself,  who  was  not  only  a  man  of  true 
 piety,  but  excelled  all  men  in  piety,  and  particularly 
 excelled  in  an  humble,  meek,  and  patient  spirit,  was 
 guilty  of  bitterly  censuring  his  three  friends,  as 
 wicked,  vile  hypocrites:  "  He  teareth  me  in  his 
 wrath,  who  hateth  me:  he  gnasheth  upon  me  with 
 his   teeth ;   mine  enemy  sharpeneth  his    eyes   upon 
 
201 
 
 me.  They  have  gaped  upon  me  with  their  mouth. 
 — God  hath  delivered  me  to  the  ungodly,  and 
 turned  me  over  into  the  hands  of  the  wicked."  He 
 is  very  positive  that  they  are  hypocrites,  and  shall 
 be  miserably  destroyed  as  such ;  "  Are  there  not 
 mockers  with  me?  and  doth  not  mine  eye  continue 
 in  their  provocation?  Lay  down  now,  put  me  in 
 a  surety  with  thee  ;  who  is  he  that  will  strike  hands 
 with  me?  For  thou  hast  hid  their  heart  from  un- 
 derstanding :  therefore  shalt  thou  not  exalt  them." 
 And  again,  "Upright  men  shall  be  astonished  at  this, 
 and  the  innocent  shall  stir  up  himself  against  the 
 hypocrite.  The  righteous  also  shall  hold  on  his 
 way;  and  he  that  hath  clean  hands  shall  be  stronger 
 and  stronger.  But  as  for  you  all,  do  ye  return,  and 
 come  now:  for  I  cannot  find  one  wise  man  (that  is, 
 one  good  man)  among  you." 
 
 Thus,  I  think,  the  errors  and  irregularities  that 
 attend  this  work  may  be  accounted  for,  from  the 
 consideration  of  the  infirmity  and  common  corrup- 
 tion of  mankind,  tocjether  with  the  circumstances  of 
 the  work,  though  we  should  suppose  it  to  be  the 
 work  of  God.  And  it  would  not  be  a  just  objec- 
 tion in  any  to  say.  If  these  powerful  impressions  and 
 great  affections  are  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  why  does 
 not  the  same  Spirit  give  strength  of  understanding 
 and  capacity  in  proportion,  to  those  persons  who  are 
 the  subjects  of  them ;  so  that  strong  affections  may 
 not,  through  their  error,  drive  them  to  an  irregular 
 and  sinful  conduct  ?  I  do  not  know  that  God  has 
 any  where  obliged  himself  to  do  it.  The  end  of  the 
 influences  of  God's  Spirit  is,  to  make  men  spiritually 
 wise  to  salvation,  which  is  the  most  excellent  wis- 
 I  3 
 
202 
 
 dom  ;  and  he  has  also  appointed  means  for  our  gain- 
 ing such  degrees  of  other  knowledge  as  we  need,  to 
 conduct  ourselves  regularly,  which  means  should  be 
 carefully  used.  But  the  end  of  the  influence  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God  is  not  to  increase  men's  natural  capa- 
 cities, nor  has  God  obliged  himself  immediately  to 
 increase  civil  prudence  in  proportion  to  the  degrees 
 of  spiritual  light. 
 
 If  we  consider  the  errors  that  attend  this  work, 
 not  only  as  from  man  and  his  infirmity,  but  also  as 
 from  God  and  by  his  permission  and  disposal,  they 
 are  not  strange,  upon  the  supposition  of  its  being,  as 
 to  the  substance  of  it,  a  work  of  God.  If  God  in- 
 tends this  great  revival  of  religion  to  be  the  dawning 
 of  a  happy  state  of  his  church  on  earth,  it  may  be  an 
 instance  of  the  divine  wisdom,  in  the  beginning  of 
 it,  to  suffer  so  many  irregularities  and  errors  in  con- 
 duct, to  which  he  knew  men,  in  their  present  weak 
 state,  were  most  exposed,  under  great  religious  affec- 
 tions, and  when  animated  with  great  zeal.  For  it 
 is  very  likely  to  be  of  excellent  benefit  to  his  church, 
 in  the  continuance  and  progress  of  the  work  after- 
 wards. Their  experience,  in  the  first  setting  out, 
 of  the  mischievous  consequences  of  these  errors,  and 
 smarting  for  them  in  the  beginning,  may  be  a  happy 
 defence  to  them  afterwards,  for  many  generations, 
 from  these  errors,  which  otherwise  they  might  con- 
 tinually be  exposed  to.  As  when  David  and  all 
 Israel  went  about  to  bring  back  the  ark  into  the 
 midst  of  the  land,  after  it  had  been  long  absent,  first 
 in  the  land  of  the  Philistines,  and  then  in  Kirjath- 
 jearira,  in  the  utmost  borders  of  the  land  ;  they  at 
 first  sought  not  the  Lord  after  the  due  order,   and 
 
203 
 
 they  smarted  for  their  error :  hut  this  put  them  upon 
 studying  the  law,  and  more  thoroughly  acquainting 
 themselves  with  the  mind  and  will  of  God,  and  seek- 
 ing and  serving  him  with  greater  circumspection. 
 The  consequence  was  glorious,  namely,  their  seeking 
 God  in  such  a  manner  as  was  accepted  of  him.  The 
 ark  of  God  ascended  into  the  heights  of  Zion,  with 
 great  and  extraordinary  rejoicings  of  the  king  and  all 
 the  people,  without  any  frown  or  rebuke  from  God 
 intermixed  ;  and  God  dwelt  thenceforward  in  the 
 midst  of  the  people  for  those  glorious  purposes  ex- 
 pressed in  the  68th  Psalm. 
 
 It  is  v^ry  analogous  to  the  manner  of  God's  deal- 
 ing with  his  people,  to  permit  a  great  deal  of  error, 
 and  suffer  the  infirmity  of  his  people  to  appear,  in 
 the  beginning  of  a  glorious  work  of  his  grace,  for 
 their  felicity,  to  teach  them  what  they  are,  to  humble 
 them,  and  fit  them  for  that  glorious  prosperity  to 
 which  he  is  about  to  advance  them,  and  the  more  to 
 secure  to  himself  the  honour  of  such  a  glorious  work; 
 For,  by  man's  exceeding  weakness  appearing  in  the 
 beginning  of  it,  it  is  evident  that  God  does  not  lay 
 the  foundation  of  it  in  man's  strength  or  wisdom. 
 And  as  we  need  not  wonder  at  the  errors  that  attend 
 this  work,  if  we  look  at  the  hand  of  men  who  are 
 guilty  of  them,  and  the  hand  of  God  in  permitting 
 them;  so  neither  shall  we  see  cause  to  wonder  if  we 
 consider  them  with  regard  to  the  hand  that  Satan  has 
 in  them.  For,  as  the  work  is  much  greater  than 
 any  other  that  ever  has  been  in  New  England,  so, 
 no  wonder  that  the  devil  is  more  alarmed  and  en- 
 raged, that  he  exerts  himself  more  vigorously  against 
 it,  and  more  powerfully  endeavours  to  tempt  and  mis- 
 lead the  subjects  and  promoters  of  it. 
 
204 
 
 SECTION  IV. 
 
 The  Nature  of  the  Work  in  general. 
 
 Whatever  impruclences  there  have  been,  and 
 whatever  sinful  irregularities ;  whatever  vehemence 
 of  the  passions,  and  heats  of  the  imagination,  trans- 
 ports, and  ecstacies ;  whatever  error  in  judgment, 
 and  indiscreet  zeal;  and  whatever  outcries,  faintings, 
 and  agitations  of  body;  yet  it  is  manifest  that  there 
 has  been  of  late  a  very  uncommon  influence  upon  the 
 minds  of  a  very  great  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  New 
 Enoland,  attended  with  the  best  effects.  There  has 
 been  a  great  increase  of  seriousness,  and  sober  con- 
 sideration of  eternal  things;  a  disposition  to  hearken 
 to  what  is  said  of  such  things  with  attention  and 
 affection;  a  disposition  to  treat  matters  of  religion 
 with  solemnity,  and  as  of  great  importance;  to  make 
 these  things  the  subject  of  conversation;  to  hear  the 
 word  of  God  preached,  and  to  take  all  opportunities 
 of  it ;  to  attend  on  the  public  worship  of  God,  and 
 all  external  duties  of  religion,  in  a  more  solemn  and 
 decent  manner;  so  that  there  is  a  remarkable  and 
 aeneral  alteration  in  New  England  in  these  respects. 
 Multitudes  in  all  parts  of  the  land,  of  vain,  thought- 
 less, regardless  persons,  are  quite  changed,  and  be- 
 come serious  and  considerate.  There  is  a  vast  in- 
 crease of  concern  for  the  salvation  of  the  precious 
 soul,  and  of  that  inquiry,  "  What  shall  I  do  to  be 
 saved?"  The  hearts  of  multitudes  have  been  greatly 
 taken  off  from  the  things  of  the   world,    its  profits, 
 
S05 
 
 pleasures,  and  honours.  Multitudes  in  all  parts 
 have  had  their  consciences  awakened,  and  have  been 
 made  sensible  of  the  pernicious  nature  and  conse- 
 quences of  sin  ;  and  what  a  dreadful  thing  it  is  to  be 
 under  guilt  and  the  displeasure  of  God,  and  to  live 
 without  peace  and  reconciHation  with  him.  They 
 have  also  been  awakened  to  a  sense  of  the  shortness 
 and  uncertainty  of  life,  and  the  reality  of  another 
 world  and  future  judgment,  and  of  the  necessity  of 
 an  interest  in  Christ.  They  are  more  afraid  of  sin; 
 more  careful  and  inquisitive  that  they  may  know 
 what  is  contrary  to  the  mind  and  will  of  God,  that 
 they  may  avoid  it;  and  what  he  requires  of  them, 
 that  they  may  do  it ;  more  careful  to  guard  against 
 temptations,  more  watchful  over  their  own  hearts, 
 earnestly  desirous  of  knowing,  and  of  being  diligent 
 in  the  use  of,  the  means  that  God  has  appointed  in 
 his  word,  in  order  to  salvation.  Many  very  stupid, 
 senseless  sinners,  and  persons  of  a  vast  mind,  have 
 been  greatly  awakened. 
 
 There  is  a  strange  alteration  almost  all  over  New 
 England  amongst  young  people.  By  a  powerful 
 invisible  influence  on  their  minds,  they  have  been 
 brought  to  forsake,  in  a  general  way,  as  it  were  at 
 once,  those  things  of  which  they  were  extremely 
 fond,  and  in  which  they  seemed  to  place  the  happi- 
 ness of  their  lives,  and  which  nothing  before  could 
 induce  them  to  forsake;  as  their  froHcking,  vain 
 company-keeping,  night-walking,  their  mirth  and 
 jollity,  their  impure  language,  and  lewd  songs.  In 
 vain  did  ministers  preach  against  those  things  before, 
 in  vain  were  laws  made  to  restrain  them,  and  in  vain 
 was  all  the  vigilance  of  magistrates  and  civil  officers; 
 
206 
 
 but  now  they  have  almost  every  where  dropped  them 
 as  it  were  of  themselves.  And  there  is  great  altera- 
 tion amongst  old  and  young  as  to  drinking,  tavern- 
 haunting,  profane  speaking,  and  extravagance  in  ap- 
 parel. Many  notoriously  vicious  persons  have  been 
 reformed,  and  become  externally  quite  new  creatures. 
 Some  that  are  wealthy,  and  of  a  fashionable,  gay 
 education ;  some  great  beaux  and  fine  ladies,  that 
 seemed  to  have  their  minds  swallowed  up  with  no- 
 thing but  the  vain  shows  and  pleasures  of  the  world, 
 have  been  wonderfully  altered,  have  relinquished 
 these  vanities,  and  are  become  serious,  mortified,  and 
 humble  in  their  conversation.  It  is  astonishing  to 
 see  the  alteration  there  is  in  some  towns,  where  be- 
 fore there  was  but  little  appearance  of  religion,  or 
 any  thing  but  vice  and  vanity.  And  now  they  are 
 transformed  into  another  sort  of  people;  their  former 
 vain,  worldly,  and  vicious  conversation  and  disposi- 
 tions, seem  to  be  forsaken,  and  they  are,  as  it  were, 
 gone  over  to  a  new  world.  Their  thoughts,  their 
 talk,  and  their  concern,  affections,  and  inquiries,  are 
 now  about  the  favour  of  God,  an  interest  in  Christ, 
 a  renewed  sanctified  heart,  and  a  spiritual  blessed- 
 ness, acceptance,  and  happiness  in  a  future  world. 
 
 Now,  through  the  greater  part  of  New  England, 
 the  Holy  Bible  is  in  much  greater  esteem  and  use 
 than  before.  The  great  things  contained  in  it  are 
 much  more  regarded,  as  things  of  the  greatest  con- 
 sequence, and  are  much  more  the  subjects  of  medi- 
 tation and  conversation;  and  other  books  of  piety, 
 that  have  long  been  of  established  reputation,  as  the 
 most  excellent,  and  most  tending  to  promote  true 
 godUness,  have  been  abundantly  more  in  use.      The 
 
S07  , 
 
 Lord's  (lay  is  more  religiously  and  strictly  observed, 
 And  much  has  been  lately  done  at  making  up  dif- 
 ferences, confessing  faults  one  to  another,  and  mak- 
 ing restitution ;  probably  more  within  two  years, 
 than  was  done  in  thirty  years  before.  It  has  been 
 undoubtedly  so  in  many  places.  And  surprising 
 has  been  the  power  of  this  spirit,  in  many  instances, 
 to  destroy  old  grudges,  to  make  up  long-continued 
 breaches,  and  to  bring  those  who  seemed  to  be  in  a 
 confirmed  irreconcilable  alienation,  to  embrace  each 
 other  in  a  sincere  and  entire  amity.  Great  numbers, 
 under  this  influence,  have  been  brought  to  a  deep 
 sense  of  their  own  sinfulness  and  vileness:  the  sin- 
 fulness of  their  lives,  the  heinousness  of  their  disre- 
 gard of  the  authority  of  the  great  God,  and  of  their 
 living  in  contempt  of  a  Saviour.  They  have  lamented 
 their  former  negligence  of  their  souls,  and  their  ne- 
 glecting and  losing  precious  time.  The  sins  of 
 their  life  have  been  extraordinarily  set  before  them ; 
 and  they  have  had  a  great  sense  of  their  hardness 
 of  heart,  their  enmity  against  that  which  is  good, 
 and  proneness  to  all  evil;  and  also  of  the  worthless- 
 ness  of  their  own  religious  performances,  how  un- 
 worthy of  God's  regard  were  their  prayers,  praises, 
 and  all  that  they  did  in  religion.  It  has  been  a 
 common  thing,  that  persons  have  had  such  a  sense 
 of  their  own  sinfulness,  that  they  have  thought  them- 
 selves to  be  the  worst  of  all,  and  that  none  ever  was 
 so  vile  as  they.  And  many  seem  to  have  been 
 greatly  convinced  that  they  were  utterly  unworthy 
 of  any  mercy  at  the  hands  of  God,  however  miserable 
 they  were,  and  though  they  stood  in  extreme  neces- 
 sity of  mercy ;  and  that  they  deserved  nothing  but 
 
208 
 
 eternal  burnings.  They  have  been  sensible  that 
 God  would  be  altogether  just  and  righteous  in  in- 
 flicting endless  damnation  upon  them,  at  the  same 
 time  that  they  have  had  an  exceedingly  affecting 
 sense  of  the  dreadfuhiess  of  such  endless  torments, 
 and  apprehended  themselves  to  be  greatly  in  danger 
 of  it.  And  many  have  been  deeply  affected  with  a 
 sense  of  their  own  ignorance  and  blindness,  and  ex- 
 ceeding helplessness,  and  so  of  their  extreme  need  of 
 the  divine  pity  and  help. 
 
 Multitudes  in  New  England  have  lately  been 
 brought  to  a  new  and  great  conviction  of  the  truth 
 and  certainty  of  the  things  of  the  gospel ;  to  a  firm 
 persuasion  that  Christ  Jesus  is  the  Son  of  God, 
 and  the  great  and  only  Saviour  of  the  world;  and 
 that  the  great  doctrines  of  the  gospel,  touching  re- 
 conciliation by  his  blood,  and  acceptance  in  his 
 righteousness,  and  eternal  life  and  salvation  through 
 him,  are  matters  of  undoubted  truth.  They  have 
 had  a  most  affecting  sense  of  the  excellency  and 
 sufficiency  of  this  Saviour,  and  the  glorious  wisdom 
 and  grace  of  God  shining  in  this  way  of  salvation  ; 
 and  of  the  wonders  of  Christ's  dying  love,  and  the 
 sincerity  of  Christ  in  the  invitations  of  the  gospel. 
 They  have  experienced  a  consequent  affiance  and 
 sweet  rest  of  soul  in  Christ,  as  a  glorious  Saviour, 
 a  strong  rock  and  high  tower ;  accompanied  with  an 
 admiring  and  exalted  apprehension  of  the  glory  of 
 the  divine  perfections,  God's  majesty,  holiness,  so- 
 vereign grace,  &c. ;  with  a  sensible,  strong,  and 
 sweet  love  to  God,  and  delight  in  him,  far  surpass- 
 ing all  temporal  delights,  or  earthly  pleasures  ;  and 
 a  rest  of  soul  in  him,   as  a  portion  and  the  fountain 
 
209 
 
 of  all  good.      And  this  has  been  attended  with  an 
 abhorrence  of  sin,   and  self-loathing  for  it,   and  ear- 
 nest longings  of  soul  after   more  holiness   and  con- 
 formity to  God,    with  a  sense  of  the  great  need  of 
 God's  help  in  order  to  holiness  of  life  ;  together  with 
 these  they  have  had  a  most  dear  love  to  all  that  are 
 supposed  to  be  the  children  of  God,   and  a  love  to 
 mankind   in  general,  and  a  most  sensible  and  tender 
 compassion  for  the  souls  of  sinners,    and  earnest  de- 
 sires  for   the   advancement  of  Christ's  kingdom   in 
 the  world.      And  these   things  have  appeared  with 
 an   abiding   concern    to  live   a  holy  life,    and   great 
 complaints   of  remaining  corruption,    and   a  longing 
 to  be  more  free   from    the  body  of  sin   and  death. 
 And  not  only  do  these  eftects  appear  in  new  con- 
 verts, but  great  numbers  of  those  who  were  formerly 
 esteemed  the   most   sober   (ind  pious  people,   have, 
 under    the    influence    of   this   work,    been    greatly 
 quickened,   and   their  hearts   renewed   with  greater 
 degrees  of  light,  renewed  repentance  and  humiliation, 
 and  more  lively  exercises  of  faith,  love,   and  joy  in 
 the  Lord.      Many  have  been  remarkably  engaged  to 
 watch,  and  strive,  and  fight  against  sin;    to  cast  out 
 every  idol,  sell  all  for  Christ,  give  up  themselves  en- 
 tirely to  God,  and  make  a  sacrifice  of  every  worldly 
 and   carnal  Thing  to  the  welfare  and  prosperity   of 
 their  souls.      And   there   has   of  late   appeared,    in 
 some  places,  an   unusual  disposition   to   bind  them- 
 selves to  it  in  a  solemn  covenant  with  God.      And 
 now,    instead  of  meetings   at  taverns  and  drinking- 
 houses,  and  of  young  people  in  frolics  and  vain  com- 
 pany, the  country  is  full  of  meetings  of  all  sorts  and 
 ages  of  persons — young  and  old,  men,  women,  and 
 
210 
 
 little  children— ^to  read,  and  pray,  and  sing  praises, 
 and  to  converse  of  the  things  of  God  and  another 
 world.  In  very  many  places  the  main  conversation, 
 in  all  companies,  turns  on  religion,  and  things  of  a 
 spiritual  nature.  Instead  of  vain  mirth  among  young 
 people,  there  is  now  either  mourning  under  a  sense 
 of  the  guilt  of  sin,  or  holy  rejoicing  in  Christ  Jesus  ; 
 and,  instead  of  their  lewd  songs,  there  are  now  to  be 
 heard  from  them  songs  of  praise  to  God,  and  the 
 Lamb  that  was  slain  to  redeem  them  by  his  blood. 
 And  there  has  been  this  alteration  abidincp  on  multi- 
 tudes  all  over  the  land,  for  a  year  and  a  half,  with- 
 out any  appearance  of  a  disposition  to  return  to  for- 
 mer vice  and  vanity. 
 
 And,  under  the  influences  of  this  work,  there 
 have  been  many  of  the  remains  of  those  wretched 
 people  and  dregs  of  mankind,  the  poor  Indians,  that 
 seemed  to  be  next  to  a  state  of  brutality,  and  with 
 whom,  till  now,  it  seemed  to  be  to  little  more  pur- 
 pose to  use  endeavours  for  their  instruction  and 
 awakening  than  with  the  beasts.  Their  minds  have 
 now  been  strangely  opened  to  receive  instruction, 
 and  been  deeply  affected  with  the  concerns  of  their 
 precious  souls;  they  have  reformed  their  lives,  and 
 forsaken  their  former  stupid,  barbarous,  and  brutish 
 way  of  living ;  and  particularly  that  sin  to  which  they 
 have  been  so  exceedingly  addicted,  their  drunken- 
 ness. Many  of  them  to  appearance,  brought  truly 
 and  greatly  to  delight  in  the  things  of  God,  and  to 
 have  their  souls  very  much  engaged  with  the  great 
 things  of  the  gospel.  And  many  of  the  poor  ne- 
 groes also  have  been  in  like  manner  wrought  upon 
 and  changed.      Very  many  little  children  have  been 
 
remarkably  enlightened,  and  their  hearts  wonderfully 
 affected  and  enlarged,  and  their  mouths  opened,  ex- 
 pressing themselves  in  a  manner  far  beyond  their 
 years,  and  to  the  just  astonishment  of  those  who 
 have  heard  them.  Some  of  them  for  many  months, 
 have  been  greatly  and  delightfully  affected  with  the 
 glory  of  divine  things,  and  the  excellency  and  love 
 of  the  Redeemer,  with  their  hearts  greatly  filled 
 with  love  and  joy  in  him  ;  and  they  have  continued 
 to  be  serious  and  pious  in  their  behaviour. 
 
 The  divine  power  of  this  vvork  has  marvellously 
 appeared  in  some  instances  I  have  been  acquainted 
 with,  in  supporting  and  fortifying  the  heart  under 
 great  trials,  such  as  the  death  of  children,  and  ex- 
 treme pain  of  body;  and  in  wonderfully  maintaining 
 the  serenity,  calmness,  and  joy  of  the  soul,  in  an  im- 
 moveable rest  in  God,  and  sweet  resignation  to  him. 
 And  some,  under  the  blessed  influences  of  this  work, 
 have,  in  a  calm,  bright,  and  joyful  frame  of  mind,  been 
 carried  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death. 
 
 And  now  let  us  consider — Is  it  not  strange  that, 
 in  a  Christian  country,  and  such  a  land  of  light  as 
 this  is,  there  are  many  at  a  loss  to  conclude  whose 
 work  this  is,  whether  the  work  of  God,  or  the  work 
 of  the  devil  ?  Is  it  not  a  shame  to  New  England 
 that  such  a  work  should  be  much  doubted  of  here.'* 
 Need  we  look  over  the  histories  of  all  past  times,  to 
 see  if  there  be  not  some  circumstances,  and  exter- 
 nal appearances  that  attend  this  work,  which  have 
 been  formerly  found  amongst  enthusiasts?  Whether 
 the  Montanists  had  not  great  transports  of  joy,  and 
 whether  the  French  Prophets  had  not  agitations  of 
 body  ?     Blessed  be  God  !  he  does  not  put  us  to  the 
 
toil  of  such  inquiries.  We  need  not  say,  Who 
 shall  ascend  into  heaven,  to  bring  us  down  something 
 whereby  to  judge  of  this  work  ?  Nor  does  God 
 send  us  beyond  the  seas,  nor  into  past  ages,  to  obtain 
 a  rule  that  shall  determine  and  satisfy  us ;  but  we  have 
 a  rule  near  at  hand,  a  sacred  book  that  God  himself 
 has  put  into  our  hands,  with  clear  and  infallible 
 marks,  sufficient  to  resolve  us  in  things  of  this  nature ; 
 which  book  I  think  we  must  reject,  not  only  in  some 
 particular  passages,  but  in  the  substance  of  it,  if  we 
 reject  such  a  work  as  has|  now  been  described,  as  not 
 being  the  work  of  God.  The  whole  tenor  of  the 
 gospel  proves  it ;  all  the  notion  of  religion  that  the 
 Scripture  gives  us  confirms  it. 
 
 I  suppose  there  is  scarcely  a  minister  in  this  land, 
 but  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath  is  used  to  pray  that  God 
 would  pour  out  his  Spirit,  and  work  a  reformation  and 
 revival  of  religion  in  the  country,  and  turn  us  from 
 our  intemperance,  profaneness,  uncleanness,  worldli- 
 ness,  and  other  sins;  aiul  we  have  kept,  from  year 
 to  year,  days  of  public  fasting  and  prayer  to  God, 
 to  acknowledge  our  backslidings,  and  humble  our- 
 selves for  our  sins,  and  to  seek  of  God  forgiveness 
 and  reformation.  And  now,  when  so  great  and  ex- 
 tensive a  reformation  is  so  suddenly  and  wonderfully 
 accomplished,  in  those  very  things  that  we  have 
 sought  to  God  for,  shall  we  not  acknowledge  it?  or 
 do  it  with  great  coldness,  caution,  and  reserve,  and 
 scarcely  take  any  notice  of  it  in  our  public  prayers 
 and  praises;  or  mention  it  but  slightly  and  cursorily, 
 and  in  such  a  manner  as  carries  an  appearance  as 
 though  we  would  contrive  to  say  as  little  of  it  as 
 ever  we  could,  and  were  glad  to  pass  from  it  ?    And 
 
213 
 
 tliat  because  the  work  is  attended  with  a  mixture  of 
 error,  imprudences,  darkness,  and  sin  ;  because  some 
 persons  are  carried  away  with  impressions,  and  are 
 indiscreet,  and  too  censorious  with  their  zeal;  and 
 because  there  are  high  transports  of  religious  affec- 
 tions, and  some  effects  on  their  bodies  of  which  we 
 do  not  understand  the  reason. 
 
 SECTION  V. 
 
 The  Nature  of  the  Work  in  a  particular  instance,* 
 
 I  HAVE  been  particularly  acquainted  with  many 
 persons,  who  have  been  the  subjects  of  the  high  and 
 extraordinary  transports  of  the  present  day.  But  in 
 the  highest  transports  1  have  been  acquainted  with, 
 and  where  the  affections  of  admiration,  love,  and  joy, 
 so  far  as  another  could  judge,  have  been  raised  to 
 the  highest  pitch,  the  following  things  have  been 
 united;  namely — A  very  frequent  dwelling,  for  some 
 considerable  time  together,  in  views  of  the  glory  of 
 the  divine  perfections  and  Christ's  excellencies;  so 
 that  the  soul  has  been, .  as  it  were,  perfectly  over- 
 whelmed, and  swallowed  up  with  light  and  love,  a 
 sweet  solace,  and  a  rest  and  joy  of  soul  altogether 
 unspeakable.      The  person  has  more  than  once  con- 
 
 *  When  I  first  read  this  account,  about  twenty-five  years  ago, 
 there  appeared  to  me  decisive  internal  evidence  that  the  indivi- 
 dual here  referred  to  was  Mrs,  Sarah  Edwards,  the  excellent 
 author's  own  wife.  This  was  confirmed  to  me  by  the  late  enai- 
 nent  Dr.  Ryland,  at  Bristol,  in  1824',  who  had  received  it  as  a 
 fact  from  some  of  the  descendants  of  Mr.  Edwards. — J.  P.  S. 
 
214 
 
 tinued,  for  five  or  six  hours  together,  without  inter- 
 ruption, in  a  clear  and  lively  view  or  sense  of  the 
 infinite  beauty  and  amiableness  of  Christ's  person, 
 and  the  heavenly  sweetness  of  his  transcendent  love. 
 So  that  (to  use  the  person's  own  expressions)  the 
 soul  remained  in  a  kind  of  heavenly  elysium,  and  did, 
 as  it  were,  swim  in  the  rays  of  Christ's  love,  like  a 
 little  mote  swimming  in  the  beams  of  the  sun  that 
 come  in  at  a  window.  The  heart  was  swallowed  up 
 in  a  kind  of  glow  of  Christ's  love  coming  down  as  a 
 constant  stream  of  sweet  light,  at  the  same  time  the 
 soul  all  flowing  out  in  love  to  him  ;  so  that  there 
 seemed  to  be  a  constant  flowing  and  reflowing  from 
 heart  to  heart.  The  soiil  dwelt  on  high,  was  lost 
 in  God,  and  seemed  almost  to  leave  the  body.  The 
 mind  dwelt  in  a  pure  delight,  that  fed  and  satisfied 
 it ;  enjoying  pleasure  without  the  least  sting,  or  any 
 interruption.  And,  (so  far  as  the  judgment  and 
 word  of  a  person  of  discretion  may  be  taken,  speak- 
 ing upon  the  most  deliberate  consideration,)  what 
 was  enjoyed  in  each  single  minute  of  the  whole  space, 
 which  was  many  hours,  was  worth  more  than  all  the 
 outward  comfort  and  pleasure  of  the  whole  life  put 
 together ;  and  this  without  being  in  any  trance,  or 
 at  all  deprived  of  the  exercise  of  the  bodily  senses. 
 And  this  heavenly  delight  has  been  enjoyed  for 
 years  together,  though  not  frequently  so  long  to- 
 gether to  such  a  height.  Extraordinary  views  of 
 divine  things,  and  the  religious  affections,  were  fre- 
 quently attended  with  very  great  effects  on  the  body. 
 Nature  often  sunk  under  the  weight  of  divine  dis- 
 coveries, and  the  strength  of  the  body  was  taken 
 away.      The  person  was  deprived  of  all  ability  to 
 
215 
 
 stand  or  speak.  Sometimes  the  hands  were  clenched, 
 and  the  flesh  cold,  but  the  senses  remaining.  Ani- 
 mal nature  was  often  in  a  great  emotion  and  agita- 
 tion, and  the  soul  so  overcome  with  admiration,  and 
 a  kind  of  omnipotent  joy,  as  to  cause  the  person, 
 unavoidably,  to  leap  with  all  the  might,  with  joy  and 
 miglity  exultation.  The  soul  at  the  same  time  was 
 so  strongly  drawn  towards  God  and  Christ  in  heaven, 
 that  it  seemed  to  the  person  as  though  soul  and 
 body  would,  as  it  were  of  themselves,  mount  up, 
 leave  the  earth,  and  ascend  thither. 
 
 These  effects  on  the  body  were  not  owing  to  the 
 influence  of  example,  but  began  about  seven  years 
 ago,  when  there  was  no  such  enthusiastical  season, 
 as  many  account  this,  but  it  was  a  very  dead  time 
 through  the  land.  They  arose  from  no  distemper 
 catched  from  Mr.  Whitefield,  or  Mr.  Tennant,  be- 
 cause they  began  before  either  of  them  came  into 
 the  country.  Near  three  years  ago,  they  greatly 
 increased,  upon  an  extraordinary  self-dedication,  re- 
 nunciation of  the  world,  and  resignation  of  all  to 
 God  ;  which  were  made  in  a  great  view  of  God's 
 excellency,  in  high  exercise  of  love  to  him,  and  rest 
 and  joy  in  him.  Since  that  time,  they  have  been 
 very  frequent ;  and  began  in  a  yet  higher  degree, 
 and  greater  frequency,  about  a  year  and  a  half  ago, 
 upon  another  new  resignation  of  all  to  God,  with  a 
 yet  greater  fervency  and  delight  of  soul ;  the  body 
 often  fainting  with  the  love  of  Christ.  These 
 effects  appeared  in  a  higher  degree  still,  the  last 
 winter,  upon  another  resignation  to,  and  acceptance 
 of  God,  as  the  only  portion  and  happiness  of  the 
 soul,  wherein  the  whole  world,  with  the  dearest  en- 
 
216 
 
 joyments  in  it,  were  renounced  as  dirt  and  dung. 
 All  that  is  pleasant  and  glorious,  and  all  that  is 
 terrible  in  this  world,  seemed  perfectly  to  vanish  into 
 nothing,  and  nothing  to  be  left  but  God,  in  whom 
 the  soul  was  perfectly  swallowed  up,  as  in  an  infinite 
 ocean  of  blessedness.  Since  this  time,  there  have 
 often  been  great  agitations  of  body,  and  an  unavoid- 
 able leaping  for  joy ;  and  the  soul,  as  it  were,  dwell- 
 ing, almost  without  interruption,  in  a  kind  of  para- 
 dise ;  and  very  often,  in  high  transports,  disposed 
 to  speak  to  others  concerning  the  great  and  glorious 
 things  of  God,  and  Christ,  and  the  eternal  world, 
 in  a  most  earnest  manner,  and  with  a  loud  voice, 
 so  that  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  avoid  it.  These 
 effects  on  the  body  did  not  arise  from  any  bodily 
 distemper  or  weakness,  because  the  greatest  of  all 
 have  been  in  a  s'ood  state  of  health. 
 
 o 
 
 This  great  rejoicing  has  been  with  trembling; 
 that  is,  attended  with  a  deep  and  lively  sense  of  the 
 greatness  and  majesty  of  God,  and  the  person's  own 
 exceeding  littleness  and  vileness.  Spiritual  joys  in 
 this  person  never  were  attended  with  the  least  ap- 
 pearance of  laughter  or  lightness,  either  of  counte- 
 nance or  manner  of  speaking;  but  with  a  peculiar 
 abhorrence  of  such  appearances  in  spiritual  rejoic- 
 ings. These  high  transports,  when  past,  have  had 
 abiding  effects  in  the  increase  of  sweetness,  rest,  and 
 humility  which  they  have  left  upon  the  soul;  and  a 
 new  engagedness  of  heart  to  live  to  God's  honour, 
 and  watch  and  fight  against  sin.  And  these  things 
 took  place  not  in  the  giddy  age  of  youth,  nor  in  a 
 new  convert,  nor  inexperienced  Christian,  but  in  one 
 that  was  converted  above  twenty-seven  years  ago; 
 
217 
 
 and  neither  converted  nor  educated  in  that  enthusi- 
 astic town  of  Northampton,  (as  some  may  be  ready 
 to  call  it,)  but  in  a  town  and  family  which  none, 
 that  I  know  of,  suspected  of  enthusiasm.  And 
 these  effects  were  found  in  a  Christian  that  has  been 
 long,  in  an  uncommon  manner,  growing  in  grace, 
 and  rising,  by  very  sensible  degrees,  to  higher  love 
 to  God,  weanedness  from  the  world,  mastery  over 
 sin  and  temptation,  through  great  trials  and  con- 
 flicts, long-continued  strugglings  and  fighting  with 
 sin,  earnest  and  constant  prayer  and  labour  in  re- 
 ligion, and  engagedness  of  mind  in  the  use  of  all 
 means,  attended  with  a  great  exactness  of  life. 
 Which  growth  has  been  attended,  not  only  with  a 
 great  increase  of  religious  aflPections,  but  with  a  won- 
 derful alteration  of  outward  behaviour,  visible  to 
 those  who  are  most  intimately  acquainted,  so  as 
 lately  to  have  become,  as  it  were,  a  new  person ; 
 and  particularly  in  living  so  much  more  above  the 
 world,  and  in  a  greater  degree  of  steadfastness  and 
 strength  in  the  way  of  duty  and  self-denial,  maintain- 
 ing the  Christian  conflict  against  temptations,  and  con- 
 quering great  trials ;  persisting  in  an  unmoved, 
 untouched  calm  and  rest,  under  the  changes  and 
 accidents  of  time.  The  person  had  formerly,  in 
 lower  degrees  of  grace,  been  subject  to  unsteadi- 
 ness, and  many  ups  and  downs,  in  the  frame  of 
 mind,  being  under  great  disadvantages,  often  sub- 
 ject to  melancholy,  and  at  times  almost  overborne 
 with  it,  it  having  been  so  even  from  early  youth  : 
 but  strength  of  grace  and  divine  light  has  of  a  long 
 time  wholly  conquered  these  disadvantages,  and  car- 
 ried the  mind,  in  a  constant  manner,  quite  above  ail 
 K  48 
 
218 
 
 such  effects.  Since  that  resignation  spoken  of  be- 
 fore, made  near  three  years  ago,  every  thing  of  that 
 nature  seems  to  be  overcome  and  crushed  by  the 
 power  of  faith,  and  trust  in  God,  and  resignation  to 
 him;  the  person  has  remained  in  a  constant  unin- 
 terrupted rest,  humble  joy  in  God,  and  assurance  of 
 his  favour,  without  one  hour's  melancholy  or  dark- 
 ness, from  that  day  to  this;  vapours  have  had  great 
 effects  on  the  body,  such  as  they  used  to  have  be- 
 fore, but  the  soul  has  been  always  out  of  their 
 reach.  And  this  steadfastness  and  constancy  has 
 remained  through  great  outward  changes  and  trials; 
 such  as  times  of  the  most  extreme  pain,  and  appa- 
 rent hazard  of  immediate  death. 
 
 These  transporting  views  and  rapturous  affections 
 are  not  attended  with  any  enthusiastic  disposition  to 
 follow  impulses,  or  any  supposed  prophetical  revela- 
 tions ;  nor  have  they  been  observed  to  be  attended 
 with  any  appearance  of  spiritual  pride,  but  very  much 
 of  a  contrary  disposition,  an  increase  of  humility  and 
 meekness,  and  a  disposition  in  honour  to  prefer 
 others.  And  it  is  worthy  tu  be  remarked,  that  when 
 these  discoveries  and  holy  affections  were  evidently 
 at  the  greatest  height — which  began  early  in  the 
 morning  of  the  holy  Sabbath,  and  lasted  for  days  to- 
 gether, melting  all  down  in  the  deepest  humility  and 
 poverty  of  spirit,  reverence  and  resignation,  and  the 
 sweetest  meekness,  and  universal  benevolence — these 
 two  things  were  felt  in  a  remarkable  manner;  namely, 
 First,  a  peculiar  aversion  to  judging  other  professing 
 Christians  of  good  standing  in  the  visible  church, 
 with  respect  to  their  conversion  or  degrees  of  grace; 
 or  at  all  intermeddling  with  that  matter,  so  much  as 
 
219 
 
 to  determine  against,  and  condemn,  others  in  the 
 thought  of  the  heart.  Such  want  of  candour  ap- 
 peared hateful,  as  not  agreeing  with  that  lamb-like 
 humility,  meekness,  gentleness,  and  charity,  which 
 the  soul  then,  above  other  times,  saw  to  be  beauti- 
 ful. The  disposition  then  felt  was,  on  the  contrary, 
 to  prefer  others  to  self,  and  to  hope  that  they  saw 
 more  of  God  and  loved  him  better ;  though  before, 
 under  smaller  discoveries,  and  feebler  exercises  of 
 divine  affection,  there  had  been  a  disposition  to  cen- 
 sure and  condemn  others.  Secondly;  Another  thing 
 that  was  felt  at  that  time,  was  a  very  great  sense  of 
 the  importance  of  moral  social  duties,  and  how  great 
 a  part  of  religion  lay  in  them.  There  was  such  a 
 new  sense  and  conviction  of  this,  beyond  what  had 
 been  before,  that  it  seemed  to  be  as  it  were  a  clear 
 discovery  then  made  to  the  soul.  But,  in  general, 
 there  has  been  a  very  great  increase  of  a  sense  of 
 these  two  things,  as  divine  views  and  divine  love 
 have  increased. 
 
 The  things  already  mentioned  have  been  attended 
 also  with  the  following  things ;  namely,  an  extra- 
 ordinary sense  of  the  awful  majesty,  greatness,  and 
 holiness  of  God,  so  as  sometimes  to  overwhelm  soul 
 and  body;  a  sense  of  the  piercing  all-seeing  eye  of 
 God,  so  as  sometimes  to  take  away  the  bodily  strength ; 
 and  an  extraordinary  view  of  the  infinite  terribleness 
 of  the  wrath  of  God;  together  with  a  sense  of  the 
 ineffable  misery  of  sinners  who  are  exposed  to  this 
 wrath.  Sometimes  the  exceeding  pollution  of  the 
 person's  own  heart,  as  a  sink  of  all  manner  of  abomi- 
 nation, and  the  dreadfulness  of  an  eternal  hell  of 
 God's  wrath,  opened  to  view  both  together.  There 
 k2 
 
220 
 
 was  a  clear  view  of  a  desert  of  that  misery,  and  that 
 by  the  pollution  of  the  best  duties ;  yea,  only  by  the 
 irreverence  and  want  of  humility  that  attended  once 
 speaking  of  the  holy  name  of  God,  when  done  in 
 the  best  manner  that  ever  it  was  done.  The  strength 
 of  the  body  was  very  often  taken  away  with  a  deep 
 mourning  for  sin,  as  committed  against  so  holy  and 
 good  a  God;  sometimes  with  an  affecting  sense  of 
 actual  sin,  sometimes  especially  indwelling  sin,  and 
 sometimes  the  consideration  of  the  sin  of  the  heart, 
 as  appearing  in  a  particular  thing ;  as,  for  instance, 
 in  that  there  was  no  greater  forwardness  and  readi- 
 ness to  self-denial  for  God  and  Christ,  who  had  so 
 denied  himself  for  us.  Yea,  sometimes  the  consider- 
 ation of  sin  that  was  in  only  speaking  one  word  con- 
 cerning the  infinitely  great  and  holy  God,  has  been 
 so  affecting  as  to  overcome  the  strength  of  nature. 
 There  has  been  a  very  great  sense  of  the  certain 
 truth  of  the  great  things  revealed  in  the  gospel ;  an 
 overwhelming  sense  of  the  glory  of  the  work  of  re- 
 demption, and  the  way  of  salvation  by  Jesus  Christ; 
 of  the  glorious  harmony  of  the  divine  attributes  ap- 
 pearing therein,  as  that  wherein  mercy  and  truth  are 
 met  together,  and  righteousness  and  peace  have  kissed 
 each  other.  A  sight  of  tlie  fulness  and  glorious  suf- 
 ficiency of  Christ,  has  been  so  affecting  as  to  over- 
 come the  body.  A  constant  immoveable  trust  in  God 
 through  Christ,  with  a  great  sense  of  his  strength 
 and  faithfulness,  the  sureness  of  his  covenant  and  the 
 immutability  of  his  promises,  made  the  everlasting 
 mountains  and  perpetual  hills  to  appear  as  mere  sha- 
 dows to  these  things. 
 
 Sometimes  the  sufficiency  and  faithfulness  of  God, 
 
221 
 
 as  the  covenant  God  of  his  people,  appeared  in  these 
 words,  "  I  AM  THAT  I  AM,"  in  so  affecting  a  manner 
 as  to  overcome  the  body.  A  sense  of  the  glorious, 
 unsearchable,  unerring  wisdom  of  God  in  his  works, 
 both  of  creation  and  providence,  was  such  as  to  swal- 
 low up  the  soul,  and  overcome  the  strength  of  the 
 body.  There  was  a  sweet  rejoicing  of  soul  at  the 
 thoughts  of  God  being  infinitely  and  unchangeably 
 happy,  and  an  exulting  gladness  of  heart  that  God 
 is  self-sufficient,  and  infinitely  above  all  dependence, 
 and  reigns  over  all,  and  does  his  will  with  absolute 
 and  uncontrollable  power  and  sovereignty.  A  sense 
 of  the  glory  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  the  great  Com- 
 forter, was  such  as  to  overwhelm  both  soul  and  body; 
 only  mentioning  the  word  the  Comforter,  has  im- 
 mediately taken  away  all  strength ;  that  word,  as 
 the  person  expressed  it,  seemed  great  enough  to  fill 
 heaven  and  earth.  There  was  a  most  vehement  and 
 passionate  desire  of  the  honour  and  glory  of  God's 
 name ;  a  sensible,  clear,  and  constant  preference  of 
 it,  not  only  to  the  person's  own  temporal  interest, 
 but  to  his  spiritual  comfort  in  this  world.  There 
 was  a  willingness  to  suffer  the  hidings  of  God's  face, 
 and  to  live  and  die  in  darkness  and  horror,  if  God's 
 honour  should  require  it,  and  to  have  no  other  re- 
 ward for  it,  but  that  God's  name  should  be  glorified, 
 although  so  much  of  the  sweetness  of  the  light  of 
 God's  countenance  had  been  experienced.  A  great 
 lamenting  of  ingratitude  and  the  defect  of  love  to 
 God,  took  away  bodily  strength;  and  there  were 
 very  often  vehement  longings  and  faintings  after 
 more  love  to  Christ,  and  greater  conformity  to  him ; 
 especially  longing  after  these  two  things ;  namely, 
 
222 
 
 to  be  more  perfect  in  humility  and  adoration.  The 
 flesh  and  heart  seem  often  to  cry  out  for  lying  low 
 before  God,  and  adoring  him  with  greater  love  and 
 humility.  The  thoughts  of  the  perfect  humility 
 with  which  the  saints  in  heaven  worship  God,  and 
 fall  down  before  his  throne,  have  often  overcome  the 
 body,  and  set  it  into  a  great  agitation.  The  person 
 felt  a  great  delight  in  singing  praises  to  God  and 
 Jesus  Christ,  and  longing  that  this  present  life  may 
 be,  as  it  were,  one  continued  song  of  praise  to  God. 
 There  was  a  longing,  as  the  person  expressed  it,  to 
 sit  and  sing  this  life  away ;  and  an  overcoming  plea- 
 sure in  the  thoughts  of  spending  an  eternity  in  that 
 exercise.  Together  with  living  by  faith  to  a  great 
 degree,  there  was  a  constant  and  extraordinary  dis- 
 trust of  our  own  strength  and  wisdom  ;  a  great  de- 
 pendence on  God  for  his  help  in  order  to  the  per- 
 formance of  any  thing  to  God's  acceptance,  and  being 
 restrained  from  the  most  horrid  sins. 
 
 A  sense  of  the  black  ingratitude  of  true  saints, 
 as  to  coldness  and  deadness  in  religion,  and  their 
 setting  their  hearts  on  the  things  of  this  world,  has 
 overcome  the  bodily  frame.  There  was  an  expe- 
 rience of  great  longing  that  all  the  children  of  God 
 might  be  lively  in  religion,  fervent  in  their  love,  and 
 active  in  the  service  of  God ;  and,  when  there  have 
 been  appearances  of  it  in  others,  rejoicing  so  in  be- 
 holding the  pleasant  sight,  that  the  joy  of  soul  has 
 been  too  great  for  the  body.  The  person  took  plea- 
 sure in  the  thoughts  of  watching  and  striving  against 
 sin,  fighting  through  the  way  to  heaven,  and  filling 
 up  this  life  with  hard  labour,  and  bearing  the  cross 
 for  Christ,  as  an  opportunity  to  give  God  honour ; 
 
223 
 
 Dot  desiring  to  rest  from  labours  till  arrived  in  hea- 
 ven, but  abhorring  the  thoughts  of  it,  and  seeming 
 astonished  that  God's  own  children  should  be  back- 
 ward to  strive  and  deny  themselves  for  God,  There 
 were  earnest  longings  that  all  God's  people  might  be 
 clothed  with  humility  and  meekness,  like  the  Lamb 
 of  God,  and  feel  nothing  in  their  hearts  but  love 
 and  compassion  to  all  mankind;  and  great  grief  when 
 any  thing  to  the  contrary  appeared  in  any  of  the 
 children  of  God,  as  bitterness,  fierceness  of  zeal, 
 censoriousness,  or  reflecting  uncharitably  on  others, 
 or  disputing  with  any  appearance  of  heat  of  spirit : 
 a  deep  concern  for  the  good  of  others'  souls ;  a 
 melting  compassion  to  those  that  looked  on  them- 
 selves as  in  a  state  of  nature,  and  to  saints  under 
 darkness,  so  as  to  cause  the  body  to  faint.  There 
 was  found  a  universal  benevolence  to  mankind,  with 
 a  longing,  as  it  were,  to  embrace  the  whole  world 
 in  the  arms  of  pity  and  love;  and  ideas  of  suffering 
 from  enemies  the  utmost  conceivable  rage  and  cruelty, 
 with  a  disposition  felt  to  fervent  love  and  pity  in 
 such  a  case,  so  far  as  it  could  be  realized  in  thought. 
 Sometimes  a  disposition  was  felt  to  a  life  given  up 
 to  mourning  alone  in  a  wilderness  over  a  lost  and 
 miserable  world ;  compassion  towards  them  being 
 often  to  that  degree  that  would  allow  of  no  support 
 or  rest,  but  in  going  to  God,  and  pouring  out  the 
 soul  in  prayer  for  them.  Earnest  desires  were  felt 
 that  the  work  of  God,  now  in  the  land,  may  be  car- 
 ried on,  and  that  with  greater  purity  and  freedom 
 from  all  bitter  zeal,  censoriousness,  spiritual  pride, 
 hot  disputes,  &c.  and  a  vehement  and  constant  de- 
 sire for  the  setting  up  of  Christ's  kingdom  through 
 
224 
 
 the  earth,  as  a  kingdom  of  holiness,  purity,  love, 
 peace,  and  happiness  to  mankind. 
 
 The  soul  often  entertained,  with  unspeakable  de- 
 light, the  thoughts  of  heaven,  as  a  world  of  love; 
 where  love  shall  be  the  saints'  eternal  food,  where 
 they  shall  dwell  in  the  light,  and  swim  in  an  ocean 
 of  love,  and  where  the  very  air  and  breath  will  be 
 nothing  but  love;  love  to  the  people  of  God,  or 
 God's  true  saints,  as  having  the  image  of  Christ, 
 and  as  those  who  will  in  a  very  little  time  shine  in 
 his  perfect  image.      The  strength   was  very  often 
 taken   away  with  longings   that  others   might  love 
 God  more,  and  serve  God  better,  and  have  more  of 
 his  comfortable  presence,  than  the  person  that  was 
 the  subject  of  these  longings ;  desiring  to  follow  the 
 whole  world  to  heaven,  or  that  every  one  should  go 
 before,  and  be  higher  in  grace  and  happiness,  not 
 by  this  person's  diminution,  but  by  others'  increase. 
 This  experience  included  a  delight  in  conversing  on 
 religious  subjects,  and  in  seeing  Christians  together, 
 talking  of  the  most  spiritual  and  heavenly  things  in 
 religion,  in  a  lively  and  feeling  manner  ;  and  very 
 frequently  the  person  was  overcome  with  the  plea- 
 sure of  such  conversation.     A  great  sense  was  often 
 expressed  of  the  importance  of  the  duty  of  charity 
 to  the  poor,  and  how  much  the  generality  of  Chris- 
 tians come  short  in  the  practice  of  it.      There  was 
 also  a  sreat  sense  of  the  need  ministers  have  of  much 
 of  the  Spirit  of  God,   at  this  day  especially ;   and 
 there  were  most  earnest  longings  and  wrestlings  with 
 God  for  them,  so  as  to  take  away  the  bodily  strength. 
 It  also  included  the  greatest,  fullest,  longest  con- 
 tinued, and  most  constant  assurance  of  the  favour  of 
 
€^5 
 
 God,  and  of  a  title  to  future  glory,  that  ever  I  saw 
 any  appearance  of  in  any  person,  enjoying,  especially 
 of  late,  (to  use  the  person's  own  expression,)  the 
 riches  of  full  assurance.  Formerly  there  was  a  long- 
 ing to  die  with  something  of  impatience;  but  lately, 
 since  that  resignation,  foreraentioned,  about  three 
 years  ago,  an  uninterrupted  entire  resignation  to  God 
 with  respect  to  life  or  death,  sickness  or  health,  ease 
 or  pain,  which  has  remained  unchanged  and  unshaken, 
 when  actually  under  extreme  and  violent  pains,  and 
 in  times  of  threatenings  of  immediate  death.  But 
 notwithstanding  this  patience  and  submission,  the 
 thoughts  of  death  and  the  day  of  judgment  are  al- 
 ways exceeding  sweet  to  the  soul.  This  resignation 
 is  also  attended  with  a  constant  resignation  of  the 
 lives  of  dearest  earthly  friends,  and  sometimes  when 
 some  of  their  lives  have  been  imminently  threatened; 
 the  person  often  expressing  the  sweetness  of  the 
 liberty  of  having  wholly  left  the  world,  and  re- 
 nounced all  for  God,  and  having  nothing  but  God, 
 in  whom  is  an  infinite  fulness.  These  things  have 
 been  attended  with  a  constant  sweet  peace  and  calm, 
 and  serenity  of  soul,  without  any  cloud  to.  interrupt 
 it;  a  continual  rejoicing  in  all  the  works  of  God's 
 hands,  the  works  of  nature,  and  God's  daily  works 
 of  providence,  all  appearing  with  a  sweet  smile  upon 
 them ;  a  wonderful  access  to  God  by  prayer,  as  it 
 were  seeing  him,  and  immediately  conversing  with 
 him,  as  much  oftentimes  (to  use  the  person's  own 
 expressions)  as  if  Christ  were  here  on  earth,  sitting 
 on  a  visible  throne,  to  be  approached  and  conversed 
 with. 
 
 There  have  been  frequent,  plain,  sensible,  and 
 k3 
 
226 
 
 immediate  answers  of  prayer,  all  tears  wiped  away, 
 all  former  troubles  and  sorrows  of  life  forgotten,  and 
 all  sorrow  and  sighing  fled  away — excepting  grief 
 for  past  sins,  and  for  remaining  corruption,  and  that 
 Christ  is  loved  no  more,  and  that  God  is  no  more 
 honoured  in  the  world ;  and  a  compassionate  grief 
 towards  fellow-creatures — a  daily  sensible  doing  and 
 suffering  every  thing  for  God,  for  a  long  time  past, 
 eating,  working,  sleeping,  and  bearing  pain  and  trou- 
 ble for  God,  and  doing  all  as  the  service  of  love, 
 with  a  continual  uninterrupted  cheerfulness,  peace, 
 and  joy.  Oh  !  how  good,  said  the  person  once,  is  it 
 to  work  for  God  in  the  day  time,  and  at  night  to  lie 
 down  under  his  smiles  !  High  experiences  and  re- 
 ligious affections  in  this  person,  have  not  been  at- 
 tended with  any  disposition  at  all  to  neglect  the 
 necessary  business  of  a  secular  calling,  to  spend  the 
 time  in  reading  and  prayer,  and  other  exercises  of 
 devotion ;  but  worldly  business  has  been  attended 
 with  great  alacrity,  as  part  of  the  service  of  God : 
 the  person  declaring  that,  it  being  done  thus,  it  was 
 found  to  be  as  good  as  prayer.  These  things  have 
 been  accompanied  with  exceeding  concern  and  zeal 
 for  moral  duties,  and  that  all  professors  may  with 
 them  adorn  the  doctrine  of  God  their  Saviour;  and 
 an  uncommon  care  to  perform  relative  and  social 
 duties,  and  a  noted  eminence  in  them  ;  a  great  in- 
 offensiveness  of  life  and  conversation  in  the  sight  of 
 others ;  a  great  meekness,  gentleness,  and  benevo- 
 lence of  spirit  and  behaviour;  and  a  great  alteration 
 in  those  things  that  formerly  used  to  be  the  person's 
 failings;  seeming  to  be  much  overcome  and  swal- 
 lowed up  by  the  late  great  increase  of  grace,  to  the 
 
227 
 
 observation  of  those  who  are  most  conversant  and 
 most  intimately  acquainted. 
 
 In  times  of  the  brightest  light  and  highest  flights 
 of  love  and  joy,  there  was  found  no  disposition  to 
 the  opinion  of  being  now  perfectly  free  from  sin, 
 (according  to  the  notion  of  the  Wesleys  and  their 
 followers,  and  some  other  high  pretenders  to  spiri- 
 tuality in  these  days,)  but  exceedingly  the  contrary. 
 At  such  times  especially,  it  was  seen  how  loathsome 
 and  polluted  the  soul  is ;  soul  and  body,  and  every 
 act  and  word,  appearing  like  rottenness  and  corrup- 
 tion in  that  pure  and  holy  light  of  God's  glory. 
 The  person  did  not  slight  instruction  or  means  of 
 grace  any  more  for  having  had  great  discoveries;  on 
 the  contrary,  never  was  more  sensible  of  the  need  of 
 instruction  than  now.  And  one  thing  more  may  be 
 added,  namely,  that  these  things  have  been  attended 
 with  a  particular  dislike  of  placing  religion  much  in 
 dress,  and  spending  much  zeal  about  those  things 
 that  in  themselves  are  matters  of  indifference,  or  an 
 affecting  to  show  humility  and  devotion  by  a  mean 
 habit,  or  a  demure  and  melancholy  countenance,  or 
 any  thing  singular  and  superstitious. 
 
 SECTION  VI. 
 
 This  Work  is  very  Glorious » 
 
 Now  if  such  thinfjs  are  enthusiasm,  and  the  fruits 
 of  a  distempered  brain,  let  my  brain  be  evermore 
 possessed  of  that  happy  distemper  !     If  this  be  dis- 
 
228 
 
 traction,  I  pray  God  that  the  world  of  mankind  may 
 be  all  seized  with  this  benign,  meek,  beneficent, 
 beatifical,  glorious  distraction  !  If  agitations  of  body 
 were  found  in  the  French  Prophets,  and  ten  thou- 
 sand prophets  more,  it  is  little  to  their  purpose  who 
 bring  it  as  an  objection  against  such  a  work  as  this, 
 unless  their  purpose  be  to  disprove  the  whole  of  the 
 Christian  religion.  The  great  affections  and  high 
 transports,  that  others  have  lately  been  under,  are, 
 in  general,  of  the  same  kind  with  those  in  the  in- 
 stance that  has  been  given,  though  not  to  so  high  a 
 degree,  and  many  of  them  not  so  pure  and  unmixed, 
 and  so  well  regulated.  I  have  had  opportunity  to 
 observe  many  instances  here  and  elsewhere;  and 
 though  there  are  some  instances  of  great  affections 
 in  which  there  has  been  a  great  mixture  of  nature 
 with  grace,  and,  in  some,  a  sad  degenerating  of  re- 
 ligious affections;  yet  there  is  that  uniformity  ob- 
 servable, which  makes  it  easy  to  be  seen,  that  in 
 general  it  is  the  same  Spirit  from  whence  the  work 
 in  all  parts  of  the  land  has  originated.  And  what 
 notions  have  they  of  religion,  that  reject  what  has 
 been  described,  as  not  true  religion  !  What  shall 
 we  find  to  answer  those  expressions  in  Scripture, 
 "  The  peace  of  God  that  passes  all  understanding; 
 rejoicing  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of  glory,  in 
 believing  in,  and  loving  an  unseen  Saviour ; — All 
 joy  and  peace  in  believing  ;  God's  shining  into  our 
 hearts,  to  give  the  light  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
 glory  of  God,  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ; — With 
 open  face,  beholding  as  in  a  glass  the  glory  of  the 
 Lord,  and  being  changed  into  the  same  image,  from 
 glory  to  glory,  even  as  by  the  Spirit  of  the  Lord; 
 
229 
 
 — Having  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts, 
 by  the  Holy  Ghost  given  to  us; — Having  the  Spirit 
 of  God  and  of  glory  resting  upon  us ; — A  being 
 called  out  of  darkness  into  marvellous  light ;  and 
 having  the  day-star  arise  in  our  hearts  :" — I  say,  if 
 those  things  which  have  been  mentioned,  do  not 
 answer  these  expressions,  what  else  can  we  find  out 
 that  does  answer  them  ?  Those  that  do  not  think 
 such  things  as  these  to  be  the  fruits  of  the  true 
 Spirit,  would  do  well  to  consider  what  kind  of  spirit 
 they  are  waiting  and  praying  for,  and  what  sort  of 
 fruits  they  expect  he  should  produce  when  he  comes. 
 I  suppose  it  will  generally  be  allowed,  that  there  is 
 such  a  thing  as  a  glorious  outpouring  of  the  Spirit 
 of  God  to  be  expected,  to  introduce  very  joyful  and 
 glorious  times  upon  religious  accounts;  times  wherein 
 holy  love  and  joy  will  be  raised  to  a  great  height  in 
 true  Christians  :  but,  if  those  things  be  rejected, 
 what  is  left  that  we  can  find  wherewith  to  patch  up 
 a  notion,  or  form  an  idea,  of  the  high,  blessed,  joy- 
 ful religion  of  these  times  ?  What  is  there  sweet, 
 excellent,  and  joyful,  of  a  religious  nature,  that  is 
 entirely  of  a  different  nature  from  these  things? 
 
 Those  who  are  waiting  for  the  fruits,  in  order  to 
 determine  whether  this  be  the  work  of  God  or  not, 
 would  do  well  to  consider.  What  they  are  waiting 
 for:  whether  it  be, not  to  have  this  wonderful  re- 
 ligious influence,  and  then  to  see  how  they  will  be- 
 have themselves.  That  is,  to  have  grace  subside, 
 and  the  actings  of  it  in  a  great  measure  to  cease, 
 and  to  have  persons  grow  cold  and  dead;  and  then 
 to  see  whether,  after  that,  they  will  behave  them- 
 selves with  that  exactness  and  brightness  of  conver- 
 
230 
 
 sation  that  is  to  be  expected  of  lively  Christians,  or 
 those  that  are  in  the  vigorous  exercises  of  grace. 
 There  are  many  that  will  not  be  satisfied  with  any 
 exactness  or  laboriousness  in  religion  now,  while 
 persons  have  their  minds  much  moved,  and  their 
 affections  are  high ;  for  they  lay  it  to  their  flash  of 
 affection,  and  heat  of  zeal,  as  they  call  it ;  they  are 
 waiting  to  see  whether  they  will  carry  themselves  as 
 well  when  these  affections  are  over.  That  is,  they 
 are  waiting  to  have  persons  sicken  and  lose  their 
 strength,  that  they  may  see  whether  they  will  then 
 behave  themselves  like  healthy  strong  men.  I  de- 
 sire that  they  would  also  consider,  whether  they  be 
 not  waiting  for  more  than  is  reasonably  to  be  ex- 
 pected, supposing  this  to  be  really  a  great  work  of 
 God,  and  much  more  than  has  been  found  in  former 
 great  outpourings  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  have 
 been  universally  acknowledged  in  the  Christian 
 church  ?  Do  not  they  expect  fewer  instances  of 
 apostacy  and  evidences  of  hypocrisy  in  professors, 
 than  were  after  that  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit 
 in  the  apostles'  days,  or  that  which  was  in  the  time 
 of  the  Reformation  ?  And  do  not  they  stand  pre- 
 pared to  make  a  mighty  argument  of  it  against  this 
 work,  if  there  should  be  half  as  many  ?  And  they 
 would  do  well  to  consider  how  long  they  will  wait 
 to  see  the  good  fruit  of  this  work,  before  they  will 
 determine  in  favour  of  it.  Is  not  their  waiting  un- 
 limited? The  visible  fruit  that  is  to  be  expected 
 of  a  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  a  country, 
 is  a  visible  reformation  in  that  country.  What  re- 
 formation has  lately  been  brought  to  pass  in  New 
 England  by  this  work,  has  been  before  observed. 
 
231 
 
 And  has  it  not  continued  long  enough  already,  to 
 give  reasonable  satisfaction  ?  If  God  cannot  work 
 on  the  hearts  of  a  people  after  such  a  manner,  as 
 reasonably  to  expect  it  should  be  acknowledged  in  a 
 year  and  a  half,  or  two  years'  time ;  yet  surely  it  is 
 unreasonable  that  our  expectations  and  demands 
 should  be  unlimited,  and  our  waiting  without  any 
 bounds. 
 
 As  there  is  the  clearest  evidence,  from  what  has 
 been  observed,  that  this  is  the  work  of  God,  so  it. is 
 evident  that  it  is  a  very  great,  wonderful,  and  ex- 
 ceedingly glorious  work.  This  is  certain,  that  it  is 
 a  great  and  wonderful  event,  a  strange  revolution, 
 an  unexpected,  surprising  overturning  of  things, 
 suddenly  brought  to  pass;  such  as  never  has  been 
 seen  in  New  England,  and  scarcely  ever  has  been 
 heard  of  in  any  land.  Who  that  saw  the  state  of 
 things  in  New  England  a  few  years  ago,  would  have 
 thought  that  in  so  short  a  time  there  would  be  such 
 a  change  ?  This  is,  undoubtedly,  either  a  very 
 great  work  of  God,  or  a  great  work  of  the  devil,  as 
 to  the  main  substance  of  it.  For  though,  un- 
 doubtedly, God  and  the  devil  may  work  together  at 
 the  same  time,  and  in  the  same  land  ;  and  Satan  will 
 do  his  utmost  endeavour  to  intrude,  and,  by  inter- 
 mingling his  work,  to  darken  and  hinder  God's 
 work;  yet  God  and  the  devil  do  not  work  together 
 in  producing  the  same  event,  and  in  effecting  the 
 same  change  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men.  But 
 it  is  apparent  that,  as  to  some  things  wherein  the 
 main  substance  of  this  work  consists,  there  is  a  like- 
 ness and  agreement  every  where  :  now  this  is  either 
 a  wonderful  work  of  God,  or  a  mighty  work  of  the 
 
232 
 
 devil ;  and  so  is  either  a  most  happy  event,  greatly 
 to  be  admired  and  rejoiced  in,  or  a  most  awful 
 calamity.  Therefore,  if  what  has  been  said  before 
 be  sufficient  to  determine  it  to  be,  as  to  the  main, 
 the  work  of  God,  then  it  must  be  acknowledged 
 to  be  a  very  wonderful  and  glorious  work  of  God. 
 
 Such  a  work  is,  in  its  nature  and  kind,  the  most 
 glorious  of  any   work   of  God  whatsoever,  and  is 
 always  so  spoken  of  in  Scripture.      It  is  the  work  of 
 redemption,   (the  great  end  of  all   other  works  of 
 God,  and  of  which  the  work  of  creation  was  but  a 
 shadow,)  in  the  event,  success,  and  end  of  it.      It  is 
 the  work  of  new  creation,  which  is  infinitely  more 
 glorious  than  the  old.      I  am  bold  to  say,  that  the 
 work   of  God  in  the  conversion  of  one  soul,  consi- 
 dered together  with  the  source,  foundation,  and  pur- 
 chase of  it,  and  also   the  benefit,  end,  and  eternal 
 issue  of  it,  is  a  more  glorious  work  of  God  than  the 
 creation  of  the  whole  material  universe.      It  is  the 
 most  glorious  of  God's  works,  as  it,  above  all  others, 
 manifests    the  glory  of  God.      It  is   spoken  of  in 
 Scripture,    as   that  which   shows    "  the    exceeding 
 greatness   of  God's  power,"   and    "  the   glory  and 
 riches  of  divine  grace,"  and  wherein  Christ  has  the 
 most  glorious  triumph  over  his  enemies,  and  wherein 
 God  is   mightily  exalted.      And  it  is  a  work  above 
 all   others   glorious,  as  it  concerns  the  happiness  of 
 mankind  ;  more  happiness,  and  a  greater  benefit  to 
 man,  is   the  fruit  of  each   single  drop   of  such  a 
 shower,    than   all   the   temporal   good    of  the    most 
 happy  revolution,  or  all  that  a  people  could  gain  by 
 the  conquest  of  the  world. 
 
 This  work  is  very  glorious,  both  in  its  nature^ 
 
^33 
 
 and  in  its  degree,  and  circumstances.      It  will  appear 
 very  glorious,  if  we  consider  the  unworthiness  of 
 the  people  who  are  the  subjects  of  it ;  what  obliga- 
 tions God  has  laid  us  under  by  the  special  privileges 
 we  have  enjoyed  for  our  soul's  good,  and  the  great 
 things  God  did  for  us  at  our  first  settlement  in  the 
 land ;  how  he  has  followed  us  with  his  goodness  to 
 this  day,  and  how  we  have  abused  his  goodness ;  how 
 long  we  have  been  revolting  more  and  more,  (as  all 
 confess,)  and  how  very  corrupt  we  were  become  at 
 last;  in   how  great  a  degree   we  had  forsaken  the 
 fountain   of  living  waters ;  how  obstinate  we  have 
 been  under  all  manner  of  means  that  God  has  used 
 to  reclaim  us;   how  often  we  have  mocked  God  with 
 hypocritical  pretences  or  humiliation,  as  in  our  annual 
 days  of  public  fasting,  and  other  things,  while,  in- 
 stead of  reforming,  we  only  grew  worse  and  worse  ; 
 and  how  dead  a  time  it  was  every  where  before  this 
 work  began.      If  we  consider  these  things,  we  shall 
 be   most  stupidly  ungrateful,  if  we  do  not  acknow- 
 ledge God  visiting  us  as  he  has  done,  as  an  instance 
 of  the  glorious  triumph  of  free  and  sovereign  grace. 
 The   work   is   very   glorious,  if  we  consider  the 
 extetit  of  it ;  being  in  this  respect  vastly  beyond  any 
 that  ever  was  known  in  New  England,      There  has 
 formerly  sometimes  been   a  remarkable  awakening 
 and  success  of  the  means  of  grace,  in  some  particular 
 congregations ;  and  this  used  to  be    much  noticed, 
 and  acknowledged  to  be  glorious,  though  the  towns 
 and    congregations    round    about    continued    dead. 
 But  now  God  has  brought  to  pass  a  new  thing;   he 
 has  wrought  a  great  work,  which  has  extended  from 
 one  end  of  the  land  to  the  other,  besides  what  has 
 been  wrought  in  other  British  colonies  in  America. 
 
234 
 
 The  work  is  very  glorious  in  the  great  numbers 
 that  have,  to  appearance,  been  turned  from  sin  to 
 God,  and  so,  delivered  from  a  wretched  captivity  to 
 sin  and  Satan,  saved  from  everlasting  burnings,  and 
 made  heirs  of  eternal  glory.  How  high  an  honour, 
 and  great  a  reward  of  their  labours,  have  some  emi- 
 nent persons  of  note  in  the  church  of  God  signified 
 that  they  should  esteem  it,  if  they  should  be  made  the 
 instruments  of  the  conversion  and  eternal  salvation 
 of  but  one  soul  ?  And  no  greater  event  than  that,  is 
 thought  worthy  of  great  notice  in  heaven  among  the 
 hosts  of  glorious  angels,  who  rejoice  and  sing  on 
 such  an  occasion.  Now,  when  there  are  many 
 thousands  of  souls  thus  converted  and  saved,  shall 
 it  be  esteemed  worth  but  little  notice,  and  be  men- 
 tioned with  coldness  and  indifference  here  on  earth, 
 by  those  among  whom  such  a  work  is  wrought  ? 
 
 The  work  has  been  very  glorious  and  wonderful 
 in  many  circumstances  and  events  of  it,  wherein  God 
 has,  in  an  uncommon  manner,  made  his  hand  visible, 
 and  his  power  conspicuous ;  as  in  the  extraordinary 
 degrees  of  awakening,  and  tlie  suddenness  of  con- 
 versions in  innumerable  instances.  How  common  a 
 thing  has  it  been  for  a  great  part  of  a  congregation 
 to  be  at  once  moved  by  a  mighty  invisible  power; 
 and  for  six,  eight,  or  ten  souls  to  be  converted  to 
 God  (to  all  appearance)  in  an  exercise,  in  whom  the 
 visible  change  still  continues  ?  How  great  an  al- 
 teration has  been  made  in  some  towns,  yea,  some 
 populous  towns,  the  change  still  abiding  ?  And 
 how  many  very  vicious  persons  have  been  wrought 
 upon,  so  as  to  become  visibly  new  creatures  ?  God 
 has  also  made  his  hand  very  visible,  and  his  work 
 
^35 
 
 glorious,  in  the  multitudes  of  little  children  that 
 have  been  wrought  upon.  I  suppose  there  have 
 been  some  hundreds  of  instances  of  this  nature  of 
 late,  any  one  of  which  formerly  would  have  been 
 looked  upon  so  remarkable,  as  to  be  worthy  to  be 
 recorded,  and  published  through  the  land.  The 
 work  is  very  glorious  in  its  influences  and  effects 
 on  many  who  have  been  very  ignorant  and  bar- 
 barous, as  I  before  observed  of  the  Indians  and 
 Negroes. 
 
 The  work  is  also  exceeding  glorious  in  the  high 
 attainments  of  Christians,  in  the  extraordinary  de- 
 grees of  light,  love,  and  spiritual  joy  that  God  has 
 bestowed  upon  great  multitudes.  In  this  respect 
 also,  the  land  in  all  parts  has  abounded  with  such 
 instances,  any  one  of  which,  if  they  had  happened 
 formerly,  would  have  been  thought  worthy  to  be 
 noticed  by  God's  people  throughout  the  British 
 dominions.  The  New  Jerusalem,  in  this  respect, 
 has  begun  to  come  down  from  heaven,  and  perhaps 
 never  were  more  of  the  prelibations  of  heaven's  glory 
 given  upon  earth. 
 
 There  being  a  great  many  errors  and  sinful  irre- 
 gularities mixed  with  this  work  of  God,  arising  from 
 our  weakness,  darkness,  and  corruption,  does  not 
 hinder  this  work  of  God's  power  and  grace  from 
 being  very  glorious.  Our  follies  and  sins  in  some 
 respects  manifest  the  glory  of  it.  The  glory  of 
 divine  power  and  grace  is  set  off  with  the  greater 
 lustre,  by  what  appears  at  the  same  time  of  the 
 weakness  of  the  earthen  vessel.  It  is  God's  plea- 
 sure to  manifest  the  weakness  and  unworthiness  of 
 the  subject,  at  the  same  time  that  he  displays  the 
 
^36 
 
 excellency  of  his  power  and  riches  of  his  grace. 
 And  I  doubt  not  but  some  of  these  things,  which 
 make  some  of  us  here  on  earth  to  be  out  of  humour, 
 and  to  look  on  this  work  with  a  sour  displeased 
 countenance,  heighten  the  songs  of  the  angels,  when 
 they  praise  God  and  the  Lamb  for  what  they  see  of 
 the  glory  of  God's  all-sufficiency,  and  the  efficacy  of 
 Christ's  redemption.  And  how  unreasonable  is  it 
 that  we  should  be  backward  to  acknowledge  the 
 glory  of  what  God  has  done,  because  the  devil,  and 
 we  in  hearkening  to  him,  have  done  a  great  deal  of 
 mischief? 
 
237 
 
 PART  11. 
 
 SHOWING  THE  OBLIGATIONS  THAT  ALL  ARE  UNDER 
 TO  ACKNOWLEDGE,  REJOICE  IN,  AND  PROMOTE  THIS 
 WORK  ;  AND  THE  GREAT  DANGER  OF  THE  CON- 
 TRARY. 
 
 SECTION  I. 
 
 The  Danger  of  lying  still,  and  keeping  long  Silence 
 respecting  any  remarkable  Work  of  God. 
 
 There  are  many  things  in  the  word  of  God, 
 showing  that,  when  God  remarkably  appears  in  any 
 great  work  for  his  church,  and  against  his  enemies, 
 it  is  a  most  dangerous  thing,  and  highly  provoking 
 to  God,  to  be  slow  and  backward  to  acknowledge 
 and  honour  God  in  the  work.  Christ's  people  are 
 in  Scripture  represented  as  his  army;  he  is  the  Lord 
 of  hosts,  the  "  Captain  of  the  host  of  the  Lord,"  as 
 he  called  himself  when  he  appeared  to  Joshua,  with 
 a  sword  drawn  in  his  hand,  Josh.  v.  13 — 15.  the 
 Captain  of  his  people's  salvation :  and  therefore  it 
 may  well  be  highly  resented,  if  they  do  not  resort 
 to  him  when  he  orders  his  banner  to  be  displayed  ; 
 or  if  they  refuse  to  follow  him  when  he  blows  the 
 trumpet,  and  gloriously  appears  going  forth  against 
 his  enemies.  God  expects  that  every  living  soul 
 should  have  his  attention  roused  on  such  an  occa- 
 sion, and  should  most  cheerfully  yield  to  the  call, 
 
238 
 
 and  heedfully  and  diligently  obey  it :  "  All  ye  in- 
 habitants of  the  world,  and  dwellers  on  the  earth, 
 see  ye,  when  he  lifteth  up  an  ensign  on  the  moun- 
 tains; and  when  he  bloweth  the  trumpet,  hear  ye." 
 [Especially  should  all  Israel  be  gathered  after  their 
 Captain,  as  we  read  they  were  after  Ehud,  when  he 
 blew  the  trumpet  in  Mount  Ephraim,  when  he  had 
 slain  liglon,  king  of  Moab.  How  severe  is  the 
 martial  law  in  such  a  case,  when  any  of  the  army 
 refuses  to  obey  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  and  follow 
 his  general  to  the  battle  !] — God,  at  such  a  time, 
 appears  in  peculiar  manifestations  of  his  glory;  and 
 therefore,  not  to  be  affected  and  animated,  and  to  lie 
 still,  and  refuse  to  follow  God,  will  be  resented  as  a 
 high  contempt  of  him.  Suppose  a  subject  should 
 stand  by,  and  be  a  spectator  of  the  solemnity  of  his 
 prince's  coronation,  and  should  appear  silent  and 
 sullen,  when  all  the  multitude  were  testifying  their 
 loyalty  and  joy  with  loud  acclamations  ;  how  greatly 
 would  he  expose  himself  to  be  treated  as  a  rebel, 
 and  quickly  to  perish  by  the  authority  of  the  prince 
 that  he  refuses  to  honour ! 
 
 At  a  time  when  God  manifests  himself  in  such  a 
 great  work  for  his  church,  there  is  no  such  thing  as 
 being  neutral;  there  is  a  necessity  of  being  either 
 for  or  against  the  King  that  then  gloriously  appears. 
 "When  a  king  is  crowned,  and  there  are  public  ma- 
 nifestations of  joy  on  that  occasion,  there  is  no  such 
 thing  as  standing  by  as  an  indifferent  spectator;  all 
 must  appear  as  loyal  subjects,  and  express  their  joy 
 on  that  occasion,  or  be  accounted  enemies.  So  when 
 God,  in  any  great  dispensation  of  his  providence, 
 remarkably  sets  his  King  on  his  holy  hill  of  Zion, 
 
^59 
 
 Christ  in  an  extraordinary  manner  comes  down  from 
 heaven  to  the  earth,  and  appears  in  his  visible  church 
 in  a  great  work  of  salvation  for  his  people.  When 
 Christ  came  down  from  heaven  in  liis  incarnation, 
 and  appeared  on  earth  in  liis  human  presence,  there 
 was  no  such  thing  as  being  neutral,  neither  on  his 
 side  nor  against  him.  Those  who  sat  still  and  said 
 nothing,  and  did  not  declare  for  him,  and  come  and 
 join  witli  him,  after  he,  by  his  word  and  works,  had 
 given  sufficient  evidence  who  he  was,  were  justly 
 looked  upon  as  his  enemies:  "  He  that  is  not  with 
 me,  is  against  me;  and  he  that  gathereth  not  with 
 me,  scattereth  abroad."  So  it  is  when  Christ  comes 
 to  carry  on  the  work  of  redemption,  in  the  application 
 of  it,  as  well  as  in  its  revelation  and  purchase.  If  a 
 king  should  come  into  one  of  his  provinces,  which 
 had  been  oppressed  by  its  foes,  where  some  of  his 
 subjects  had  fallen  off  to  the  enemy,  and  joined  with 
 them  against  their  lawful  sovereign  and  his  loyal  sub- 
 jects ;  I  say,  if  the  royal  sovereign  himself  should 
 come  into  the  province,  and  should  ride  forth  there 
 against  his  enemies,  and  should  call  upon  all  who 
 were  on  his  side  to  come  and  gather  themselves  to 
 him;  there  would  be  no  such  thing,  in  such  a  case, 
 as  standing  neuter.  They  who  lay  still,  and  staid 
 at  a  distance,  would  undoubtedly  be  looked  upon  and 
 treated  as  rebels.  So,  in  the  day  of  battle,  when 
 two  armies  join,  there  is  no  such  thing  for  any  pre- 
 sent as  being  of  neither  party,  all  must  be  on  one 
 side  or  the  other;  and  they  who  are  not  found  with 
 the  conqueror  in  such  a  case,  must  expect  to  have  his 
 weapons  turned  against  them,  and  to  fall  with  the 
 rest  of  his  enemies. 
 
240 
 
 When  God  manifests  himself  with  such  glorious 
 power  in  a  work  of  this  nature,  he  appears  especially 
 determined  to  put  honour  upon  his  Son,  and  to  fulfil 
 his  oath  that  he  has  sworn  to  him,  that  he  would 
 make  every  knee  to  bow,  and  every  tongue  to  con- 
 fess to  him.  God  hath  had  it  much  on  his  heart, 
 from  all  eternity,  to  glorify  his  dear  and  only-begot- 
 ten Son ;  and  there  are  some  special  seasons  that  he 
 appoints  to  that  end,  wherein  he  comes  forth  with 
 omnipotent  power  to  fulfil  his  promise  and  oath  to 
 him.  Now  these  are  times  of  remarkable  pouring 
 out  of  his  Spirit,  to  advance  his  kingdom ;  such  is  a 
 day  of  his  power,  wherein  his  people  shall  be  made 
 willing,  and  he  shall  rule  in  the  midst  of  his  ene- 
 mies; these  especially  are  the  times  wherein  God 
 declares  his  firm  decree,  that  his  Son  shall  reign  on 
 his  holy  hill  of  Zion.  And  therefore,  those  who  at 
 such  a  time  do  not  kiss  the  Son,  as  he  then  mani- 
 fests himself,  and  appears  in  the  glory  of  his  majesty 
 and  grace,  expose  themselves  to  "  perish  from  the 
 way,"  and  to  be  "  dashed  in  pieces  with  a  rod  of 
 iron." 
 
 As  such  is  a  time  wherein  God  eminently  "  sets 
 his  King  on  his  holy  hill  of  Zion,"  so  it  is  a  time 
 wherein  he  remarkably  fulfils  that  in  Isa.  xxviii.  16. 
 "  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Behold,  Hay 
 in  Zion  for  a  foundation,  a  stone,  a  tried  stone,  a 
 precious  corner-stone,  a  sure  foundation."  Which 
 the  two  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul,  (1  Pet.  ii.  6 — 8. 
 and  Rom.  ix.  33.)  join  with  that  prophecy,  Isa.  viii. 
 14,  15.  "  And  he  shall  be  for  a  sanctuary;  but  for 
 a  stone  of  stumbling,  and  for  a  rock  of  offence,  to 
 both  the  houses  of  Israel:  for  a  gin  and  for  a  snare 
 
241 
 
 to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem.  And  many  among 
 them  shall  stumble,  and  fall,  and  be  broken,  and  be 
 snared,  and  be  taken."  As  signifying  that  both  are 
 fulfilled  together. — Yea,  both  are  joined  together  by 
 the  prophet  Isaiah  himself;  as  you  may  see  in  the 
 context  of  that  forementioned  place,  Isa.  xxviii.  16. 
 In  ver.  13.  preceding,  it  is  said,  **  But  the  word  of 
 the  Lord  was  unto  them  precept  upon  precept,  pre- 
 cept upon  precept;  line  upon  line,  line  upon  line; 
 here  a  little,  and  there  a  little;  that  they  might  go, 
 and  fall  backward,  and  be  broken,  and  snared,  and 
 taken." — Accordingly,  when  Christ  is  in  a  peculiar 
 and  eminent  manner  manifested  and  magnified,  by  a 
 glorious  work  of  God  in  his  church,  as  a  foundation 
 and  a  sanctuary  for  some,  he  is  remarkably  a  stone 
 of  stumbling  and  a  rock  of  offence,  a  gin  and  a  snare 
 to  others.  They  who  continue  long  to  stumble, 
 and  to  be  offended  and  insnared  in  their  minds,  at 
 such  a  great  and  glorious  work  of  Christ,  in  God's 
 account,  stumble  at  Christ,  and  are  offended  in  him; 
 for  the  work  is  that  by  which  he  makes  Christ  mani- 
 fest, and  shows  his  glory,  and  by  which  he  makes 
 "  the  stone  that  the  builders  refused,  to  become  the 
 head  of  the  corner."  This  shows  how  dangerous  it 
 is  to  continue  always  stumbling  at  such  a  work,  for 
 ever  doubting  of  it,  and  forbearing  fully  to  acknow- 
 ledge it,  and  give  God  the  glory  of  it.  Such  per- 
 sons are  in  danger  to  "  go,  and  fall  backward,  and 
 be  broken,  and  snared,  and  taken,"  and  to  have 
 Christ  a  stone  of  stumbling  to  them,  that  shall  be  an 
 occasion  of.  their  ruin;  while  he  is  to  others  a  sanc- 
 tuary, and  a  sure  foundation. 
 
 The  prophet   Isaiah  (Isa.   xxix.    14.)  speaks   of 
 L  48 
 
242 
 
 God's  proceeding  to   do  a  marvellous  work  and  a 
 wonder,   which   should  stumble   and   confound   the 
 wisdom  of  the  wise  and  prudent ;  which  the  Apostle 
 in  Acts  xiii.  41.  applies  to  the  glorious  work  of  sal- 
 vation wrought  in  those  days  by  the  redemption  of 
 Christ,  and  that  glorious  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  to 
 apply  it,  which  followed.      The  prophet,  in  the  con- 
 text of  that  place  in  Isa.  xxix.  speaking  of  the  same 
 thing,  and  of  the  prophets,  and  rulers,   and  seers, 
 those  wise  and  prudent  whose  eyes  God  had  closed, 
 says  to  them,  ver.  9.  "  Stay  yourselves,  and  won- 
 der."    In  the  original  it  is,  "  Be  ye  slow,  and  won- 
 der."    I  leave  it  to  others,  to  consider  whether  it  be 
 not  natural  to  interpret  it  thus  :     '   Wonder  at  this 
 marvellous  work :  let  it  be  a  strange  thing,  a  great 
 mystery  that  you  know  not  what  to  make  of,    and 
 that  you  are  very  slow  and  backward  to  acknowledge, 
 long  delaying  to  come  to  a  determination  concerning 
 it.'      And  what  persons  are  in  danger,  and  are  thus 
 slow  to  acknowledge  God  in  such  a  work,  we  learn 
 from  the  Apostle  in  that  foreraentioned  place.  Acts 
 xiii.  41.  "  Behold,  ye  despisers,  and  wonder,  and 
 perish:  for   I  work   a  work  in  your  days,  a -work 
 which  ye  shall  in  nowise  believe,  though  a  man  de- 
 clare it  unto  you." 
 
 The  church  of  Christ  is  called  upon  greatly  to 
 rejoice,  when  at  any  time  Christ  remarkably  appears, 
 coming  to  his  church,  to  carry  on  the  work  of  salva- 
 tion, to  enlarge  his  own  kingdom,  and  to  deliver  poor 
 souls  out  of  the  pit  wherein  there  is  no  water: 
 *'  Rejoice  greatly,  O  daughter  of  Zion ;  shout,  O 
 daughter  of  Jerusalem :  behold,  thy  King  cometh 
 unto  thee :  he  is  just,   and  having  salvation. — His 
 
S43 
 
 dominion  shall  be  from   sea  to  sea. — As  for  thee 
 also,  by  the  blood  of  thy  covenant  I  have  sent  forth 
 thy  prisoners  out  of  the  pit  wherein  is  no  water." 
 Christ  was  pleased  to  give  a  notable  typical  or  sym- 
 bolical  representation   of  such  a  great  event  as  is 
 spoken  of  in  that  prophecy,  in  his  solemn  entry  into 
 the  literalJerusalem,  which  was  a  type  of  the  church, 
 or  daughter  of  Zion  ;  probably  intending  it  as  a  figure 
 and  prelude  of  that  great  actual  fulfilment  of  this  pro- 
 phecy,  that  was  to  be  after  his  ascension,   by   the 
 pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  in  the  days  of  the  apostles, 
 and  that  more  full  accomplishment  that  should  be  in 
 the  latter  ages  of  the  Christian  church.      We  have 
 an  account,  that  when  Christ  made  this  his  solemn 
 entry  into  Jerusalem,  and  the  whole  multitude  of  the 
 disciples  were  rejoicing  and  praising  God,  with  loud 
 voices,  for  all  the  mighty  works  that  they  had  seen, 
 the    Pharisees  from   among  the  multitude  said    to 
 Christ,  "  Master,  rebuke  thy  disciples;"  but  we  are 
 told,   "  Christ  answered  and- said  unto  them,   I  tell 
 you  that,  if  these  should  hold  their  peace,  the  stones 
 would  immediately  cry  out."      Signifying  that,    if 
 Christ's  professing  disciples  should  be  unaffected  on 
 such   an   occasion,  and  should  not  appear  openly  to 
 acknowledge  and  rejoice  in  the  glory  of  God  therein 
 appearing,  it  would  manifest  such  fearful  hardness  of 
 heart,   that  the  very  stones  would  condemn  them. 
 Should  not  this  make  those  consider,  who  have  held 
 their  peace  so  long  since  Christ  has   come  to  oux 
 Zion  having  salvation,  and  so  wonderfully  manifested 
 his  glory  in  this  mighty  work  of  his  Spirit,  and  so 
 many  of  his  disciples  have  been  "  rejoicing  and  prais- 
 ing God  with  loud  voices  ?" 
 l2 
 
It  must  be  acknowledged,  that  so  great  and  won- 
 derful a  work  of  God's  Spirit,  is  a  work  wherein 
 God's  hand  is  remarkably  lifted  up,  and  wherein  he 
 displays  his  majesty,  and  shows  great  favour  and 
 mercy  to  sinners,  in  the  glorious  opportunity  he  gives 
 them,  and  by  which  he  makes  our  land  to  become 
 much  more  a  land  of  uprightness.  Therefore  that 
 place,  Isa.  xxvi.  10,  11.  shows  the  great  danger  of 
 not  seeing  God's  hand,  and  acknowledging  his  glory 
 and  majesty  in  such  a  work:  "  Let  favour  be  showed 
 to  the  wicked,  yet  will  he  not  learn  righteousness : 
 in  the  land  of  uprightness  he  will  deal  unjustly,  and 
 will  not  behold  the  majesty  of  the  Lord.  Lord, 
 when  thy  hand  is  lifted  up,  they  will  not  see :  but 
 they  shall  see,  and  be  ashamed  for  their  envy  at  the 
 people;  yea,  the  fire  of  thine  enemies  shall  devour 
 them." 
 
 SECTION  II. 
 
 The  Latter-Day  Glory  is  probably  to  begin  in 
 America, 
 
 It  is  not  unlikely  that  this  work  of  God's  Spirit, 
 so  extraordinary  and  wonderful,  is  the  dawning,  or, 
 at  least,  a  prelude  of  that  glorious  work  of  God,  so 
 often  foretold  in  Scripture,  which,  in  the  progress 
 and  issue  of  it,  shall  renew  the  world  of  mankind. 
 If  we  consider  how  long  since  the  things  foretold 
 which  should  precede  this  great  event,  have  been 
 accomplished ;  and  how  long  this  event  has  been  ex- 
 
245 
 
 pected  by  the  church  of  God,  and  thought  to  be 
 nigh  by  the  most  eminent  men  of  God  in  the 
 church ;  and  withal  consider  what  the  state  of  things 
 now  is,  and  has  for  a  considerable  time  been,  in  the 
 church  of  God,  and  the  world  of  mankind;  we  can- 
 not reasonably  think  otherwise,  than  that  the  begin- 
 ning of  this  great  work  of  God  must  be  near.  And 
 there  are  many  things  that  make  it  probable  that 
 this  work  will  begin  in  America. — It  is  signified 
 that  it  shall  begin  in  some  very  remote  part  of  the 
 world,  with  which  other  parts  have  no  communica- 
 tion but  by  navigation,  in  Isa.  Ix.  9.  "  Surely  the 
 isles  shall  wait  for  me,  and  the  ships  of  Tarshish 
 first,  to  bring  my  sons  from  far."  It  is  exceeding 
 manifest  that  this  chapter  is  a  prophecy  of  the  pro- 
 sperity of  the  church,  in  its  most  glorious  state  on 
 earth,  in  the  latter  days;  and  I  cannot  think  that 
 any  thing  else  can  be  here  intended  but  America  by 
 the  isles  that  are  far  off,  from  whence  the  first-born 
 sons  of  that  glorious  day  shall  be  brought.  Indeed, 
 by  the  isles,  in  prophecies  of  gospel-times,  is  very 
 often  meant  Europe.  It  is  so  in  prophecies  of  that 
 great  spreading  of  the  gospel  that  should  be  soon 
 after  Christ's  time,  because  it  was  far  separated  from 
 that  part  of  the  world  where  the  church  of  God  had 
 till  then  been,  by  the  sea.  But  this  prophecy  can- 
 not have  respect  to  the  conversion  of  Europe,  in  the 
 time  of  that  great  work  of  God,  in  the  primitive 
 ages  of  the  Christian  church ;  for  it  was  not  fulfilled 
 then.  The  isles  and*  ships  of  Tarshish,  thus  un- 
 derstood, did  not  wait  for  God  first;  that  glorious 
 work  did  not  begin  in  Europe,  but  in  Jerusalem, 
 and  had  for  a  considerable  time  been  very  wonder- 
 
246 
 
 fully  carried  on  in  Asia,  before  it  reached  Europe. 
 And  as  it  is  not  that  work  of  God  which  is  chiefly 
 intended  in  this  chapter,  but  some  more  glorious 
 work  that  should  be  in  the  latter  ages  of  the  Chris- 
 tian church;  therefore,  some  other  part  of  the  world 
 is  here  intended  by  the  isles,  that  should  be,  as 
 Europe  then  was,  far  separated  from  that  part  of  the 
 world  where  the  church  had  before  been,  and  with 
 which  it  can  have  no  communication  but  by  the 
 ships  of  Tarshish.  And  what  is  chiefly  intended  is 
 not  the  British  isles,  nor  any  isles  near  the  other 
 continent;  for  they  are  spoken  of  as  at  a  great  dis- 
 tance from  that  part  of  the  world  where  the  church 
 had  till  then  been.  This  prophecy,  therefore,  seems 
 plainly  to  point  out  America,  as  the  first-fruits  of 
 that  glorious  day. 
 
 God  has  made,  as  it  were,  two  worlds  here  below, 
 two  great  habitable  continents,  far  separated  one 
 from  the  other.  The  latter  is,  as  it  were,  now  but 
 newly  created;  it  has  been,  till  of  late,  wholly  the 
 possession  of  Satan,  the  church  of  God  having  never 
 been  in  it,  as  it  has  been  in  the  other  continent, 
 from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  This  new  world 
 is  probably  now  discovered,  that  the  new  and  most 
 glorious  state  of  God's  church  on  earth  might  com- 
 mence there ;  that  God  might  in  it  begin  a  new 
 world  in  a  spiritual  respect,  when  he  creates  the 
 "  new  heavens  and  new  earth." 
 
 God  has  already  put  that  honour  upon  the  other 
 continent,  that  Christ  was  born  there  literally,  and 
 there  made  the  purchase  of  redemption.  So,  as 
 Providence  observes  a  kind  of  equal  distribution  of 
 things,  it  is  not  unHkely  that   the  great  spiritual 
 
247 
 
 birth  of  Christ,  and  the  most  glorious  application  of 
 redemption,  is  to  begin  in  this.  The  cider  sister 
 brought  forth  Judah,  of  whom  Christ  came,  and  so 
 she  was  the  mother  of  Christ;  but  the  younger 
 sister,  after  long  barrenness,  brought  forth  Joseph 
 and  Benjamin,  the  beloved  children.  Joseph,  who 
 had  the  most  glorious  apparel,  the  coat  of  many 
 colours;  who  was  separated  from  his  brethren,  and 
 was  exalted  to  great  glory  out  of  a  dark  dungeon — 
 who  fed  and  saved  the  world  when  ready  to  perish 
 with  famine,  and  was  as  a  fruitful  bough  by  a  well, 
 whose  branches  ran  over  the  wall,  and  was  blessed 
 with  all  manner  of  blessings  and  precious  things  of 
 heaven  and  earth,  through  the  good-will  of  Him  that 
 dwelt  in  the  bush — was,  as  by  the  horns  of  a  uni- 
 corn, to  push  the  people  together,  to  the  ends  of  the 
 earth,  that  is,  conquer  the  world.  See  Gen.  xlix. 
 22,  Sic.  and  Deut.  xxxiii.  13,  &c.  And  Benjamin, 
 whose  mess  was  five  times  so  great  as  that  of  any 
 of  his  brethren,  and  to  whom  Joseph,  that  type  of 
 Christ,  gave  wealth  and  raiment  far  beyond  all  the 
 rest,  Gen.  xlv.  22. 
 
 The  other  continent  hath  slain  Christ,  and  has, 
 from  age  to  age,  shed  the  blood  of  the  saints  and 
 martyrs  of  Jesus,  and  has  often  been,  as  it  were, 
 deluged  with  the  church's  blood.  God  has  there- 
 fore probably  reserved  the  honour  of  building  the 
 glorious  temple  to  the  daughter  that  has  not  shed 
 so  much  blood,  when  those  times  of  the  peace,  pros- 
 perity, and  glory  of  the  church,  typified  by  the 
 reign  of  Solomon,  shall  commence. 
 
 The  Gentiles  first  received  the  true  religion  from 
 the  Jews :   God's  church  of  ancient  times  had  been 
 
548 
 
 among  them,  and  Christ  was  of  them.  But,  that 
 there  may  be  a  kind  of  equality  in  the  dispositions 
 of  Providence,  God  has  so  ordered  it,  that  when  the 
 Jews  come  to  he  admitted  to  the  benefits  of  the 
 evangelical  dispensation,  and  to  receive  their  highest 
 privileges  of  all,  they  should  receive  the  gospel  from 
 the  Gentiles.  Though  Christ  was  of  them,  yet 
 they  have  been  guilty  of  crucifying  him  :  it  is,  there- 
 fore, the  will  of  God,  that  the  Jews  should  not  have 
 the  honour  of  communicating  the  blessings  of  the 
 kingdom  of  God  in  its  most  glorious  state  to  the 
 Gentiles;,  but,  on  the  contrary,  they  shall  receive 
 the  gospel  in  the  beginning  of  that  glorious  day 
 from  the  Gentiles.  In  some  analogy  to  this,  I  ap- 
 prehend, God's  dealings  will  be  with  the  two  con- 
 tinents. America  has  received  the  true  religion  of 
 the  old  continent;  the  church  of  ancient  times  has 
 been  there,  and  Christ  is  from  thence.  But  that 
 there  may  be  an  equality,  and  inasmuch  as  that  con- 
 tinent has  crucified  Christ,  they  shall  not  have  the 
 honour  of  communicating  religion  in  its  most  glo- 
 rious state  to  us,  but  we  to  them. 
 
 The  old  continent  has  been  the  source  and  ori- 
 ginal of  mankind  in  several  respects.  The  first 
 parents  of  mankind  dwelt  there;  and  there  dwelt 
 Noah  and  his  sons;  there  the  second  Adam  was 
 born,  and  crucified,  and  raised  again.  And  it  is 
 probable  that,  in  some  measure  to  balance  these 
 things,  the  most  glorious  renovation  of  the  world 
 shall  originate  from  the  new  continent,  and  the 
 church  of  God,  in  that  respect,  be  from  hence. 
 And  so  it  is  probable,  that  will  come  to  pass  in  spi- 
 rituals,  which  has  taken   place  in   temporals,  with 
 
249 
 
 respect  to  America;  that  whereas,  till  of  late,  the 
 world  was  supplied  with  its  silver,  and  gold,  and 
 earthly  treasures,  from  the  old  continent,  now  it  is 
 supplied  chiefly  from  the  new;  so  the  course  of 
 things,  in  spiritual  respects,  will  be  in  like  manner 
 turned. — And  it  is  worthy  to  be  noted,  that  America 
 was  discovered  about  the  time  of  the  Reformation,  or 
 but  little  before :  which  Reformation  was  the  first 
 thing  that  God  did  towards  the  glorious  renovation 
 of  the  world,  after  it  had  sunk  into  the  depths  of 
 darkness  and  ruin,  under  the  great  antichristian 
 apostacy.  So  that,  as  soon  as  this  new  world  stands 
 forth  in  view,  God  presently  goes  about  doing  some 
 great  thing,  in  order  to  make  way  for  the  introduc- 
 tion of  the  church's  latter-day  glory,  which  is  to 
 have  its  first  seat  in,  and  is  to  take  its  rise  from, 
 that  new  world. 
 
 It  is  agreeable  to  God's  manner,  when  he  accom- 
 plishes any  glorious  work  in  the  world,  in  order  to 
 introduce  a  new  and  more  excellent  state  of  his 
 church,  to  begin  where  no  foundation  had  been  al- 
 ready laid,  that  the  power  of  God  might  be  the 
 more  conspicuous;  that  the  work  might  appear  to  be 
 entirely  God's,  and  be  more  manifestly  a  creation 
 out  of  nothing;  agreeable  to  Hos.  i.  10.  "  And  it 
 shall  come  to  pass,  that  in  the  place  where  it  was 
 said  unto  them.  Ye  are  not  my  people;  there  it 
 shall  be  said  unto  them.  Ye  are  the  sons  of  the 
 living  God."  When  God  is  about  to  turn  the 
 earth  into  a  paradise,  he  does  not  begin  his  work 
 where  there  is  some  good  growth  already,  but  in 
 the  wilderness,  where  nothing  grows,  and  nothing 
 is  to  be  seen  but  dry  sand  and  barren  rocks ;  that 
 l3 
 
^50 
 
 the  light  may  shine  out  of  darkness,  the  world  be 
 replenished  from  emptiness,  and  the  earth  watered 
 by  springs  from  a  droughty  desert;  agreeable  to 
 many  prophecies  of  Scripture,  as  Isa.  xxxii.  15. 
 "  Until  the  Spirit  be  poured  from  on  high,  and  the 
 wilderness  become  a  fruitful  field."  And  chap.  xli. 
 18,  19.  "  I  will  open  rivers  in  high  places,  and 
 fountains  in  the  midst  of  the  valleys:  I  will  make 
 the  wilderness  a  pool  of  water,  and  the  dry  land 
 springs  of  water.  I  will  plant  in  the  wilderness  the 
 cedar,  the  shittah-tree,  and  the  myrtle,  and  the  oil- 
 tree  :  I  will  set  in  the  desert  the  fir-tree,  and  the 
 pine,  and  the  box-tree  together."  And  chap,  xliii. 
 ^0.  "  I  will  give  waters  in  the  wilderness,  and 
 rivers  in  the  desert,  to  give  drink  to  my  people,  my 
 chosen."  And  many  other  parallel  scriptures  might 
 be  mentioned.  Now  as,  when  God  is  about  to  do 
 some  great  work  for  his  church,  his  manner  is  to 
 begin  at  the  lower  end ;  so,  when  he  is  about  to  re- 
 new the  whole  habitable  earth,  it  is  probable  that  he 
 will  begin  in  this  utmost,  meanest,  youngest,  and 
 weakest  part  of  it,  where  the  church  of  God  has 
 been  planted  last  of  all ;  and  so  the  first  shall  be 
 last,  and  the  last  first :  and  that  will  be  fulfilled  in 
 an  eminent  manner  in  Isa.  xxiv.  19,  "  From  the 
 uttermost  part  of  the  earth  have  we  heard  songs, 
 even  glory  to  the  righteous." 
 
 There  are  several  things  that  seem  to  me  to 
 arcrue,  that  the  sun  of  righteousness,  the  sun  of  the 
 new  heavens  and  new  earth,  when  he  rises — and 
 "  comes  forth  as  the  bridegroom"  of  his  church, 
 "  rejoicing  as  a  strong  man  to  run  his  race,  having 
 his  going  forth  from  the  end  of  heaven,  and  his  cir- 
 
'251 
 
 cuit  to  the  end  of  it,  that  nothing  may  be  liid  from 
 the  light  antl  heat  of  it,"* — shall  rise  in  the  west, 
 contrary  to  the  course  of  things  in  the  old  heavens 
 and  earth.  Tlie  movements  of  providence  shall,  in 
 that  day,  be  so  wonderfully  altered  in  many  respects, 
 that  God  will,  as  it  were,  change  the  course  of 
 nature,  in  answer  to  the  prayers  of  his  church;  as 
 he  caused  the  sun  to  go  from  the  west  to  the  east, 
 when  he  promised  to  do  such  great  things  for  his 
 church.  A  deliverance  out  of  the  hand  of  the  King 
 of  Assyria,  is  often  used  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  as 
 a  type  of  the  glorious  deliverance  of  the  church  from 
 her  enemies  in  the  latter  days.  The  resurrection, 
 as  it  were,  of  Hezekiah,  the  king  and  captain  of  the 
 "church,  (as  he  is  called,  2  Kings  xx.  5.)  is  given  as 
 an  earnest  of  the  church's  resurrection  and  salvation, 
 Isa.  xxxviii.  6.  and  is  a  type  of  the  resurrection  of 
 Christ.  At  the  same  time,  there  is  a  resurrection 
 of  the  sun,  or  coming  back  and  rising  again  from 
 the  west,  whither  it  had  gone  down;  which  is  also 
 a  type  of  the  sun  of  righteousness.  The  sun  was 
 brought  back  ten  degrees  j  which  probably  brought 
 it  to  the  meridian.  Tlie  sun  of  rigliteousness  has 
 long  been  going  down  from  east  to  west;  and  pro- 
 bably when  the  time  comes  of  the  church's  deliver- 
 ance from   her   enemies,   so   often   typified    by  the 
 
 *  It  is  evident  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  tliose  expressions  in 
 Psal.  xix.  4,  6.  has  respect  to  something  else  besides  the  natural 
 sun,  and  that  a  rep;ard  is  had  to  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  who, 
 by  his  ligljt,  converts  the  soul,  nf.akes  wise  the  simple,  enlightens 
 the  eyes,  and  rejoices  the  Jieart;  and,  by  his  preached  gospel^ 
 enlightens  and  warms  the  world  of  mankind  ;  by  the  Psalmist's 
 own  application  in  ver.  7.  and  the  Apostle's  application  of  ver.  -i. 
 in  Rom.  x'.  18. 
 
25^ 
 
 Assyrians,  the  light  will  rise  in  the  west,  till  it 
 shines  through  the  world  like  the  sun  in  its  meri- 
 dian brightness. 
 
 The  same  seems  also  to  be  represented  by  the 
 course  of  the  waters  of  the  sanctuary,    Ezek.  xlvii. 
 which  was  from  west  to  east ;  which  waters  undoubt- 
 edly represented  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  the  progress  of 
 his  saving  influences,  in  the  latter  ages  of  the  world  : 
 for  it  is  manifest,  that  the  whole  of  those  last  chap- 
 ters of  Ezekiel  treat  concerning  the  glorious  state  of 
 the  church  at  that  time.      And  if  we  may  suppose 
 that  this  glorious  work  of  God  shall  begin  in  any 
 part  of  America,  I  think,  if  we  consider  the  circum- 
 stances of  the  settlement  of  New  England,  it  must 
 needs  appear  the  most  likely,  of  all  American  colo- 
 nies, to  be  the  place  whence  this  work  shall  princi- 
 pally take  its  rise.      And,   if  these  things  be  so,   it 
 gives  us  more  abundant  reason  to  hope,   that  what 
 is  now  seen   in    America,    and    especially    in    New 
 England,  may  prove  the  dawn  of  that  glorious  day: 
 and  the  very  uncommon  and  wonderful  circumstances 
 and   events   of  this  work,   seem  to   me   strongly   to 
 argue,  that  God  intends  it  as  the  beginning  or  fore- 
 runner of  something  vastly  great. 
 
 SECTION  III. 
 
 The  danger  of  not  achwdcledging  and  encouraging, 
 and  especiaUij  of  deriding  this  Work, 
 
 I  HAVE  thus  long  insisted  on  this  point,  because, 
 if  these  things  are  so,  it  greatly  manifests  how  much 
 
253 
 
 it  behoves  us  to  encourage  and  promote  this  work, 
 and  how  dangerous  it  will  be  to  forbear  so  doing. 
 It  is  very  dangerous  for  God's  professing  people  to 
 lie  still,  and  not  to  come  to  the  help  of  the  Lord, 
 whenever  he  remarkably  pours  out  his  Spirit,  to 
 carry  on  the  work  of  redemption  in  the  application 
 of  it;  but  above  all,  when  he  comes  forth  to  intro- 
 duce that  happy  day  of  God's  power  and  salvation, 
 so  often  spoken  of.  That  is  especially  the  appointed 
 season  of  the  application  of  redemption.  The  ap- 
 pointed time  of  Christ's  reign.  The  reign  of  Sa- 
 tan, as  god  of  this  world,  lasts  till  then ;  but  after- 
 wards will  be  the  proper  time  of  actual  redemption, 
 or  new  creation,  as  is  evident  by  Isa.  Ixv.  17,  18, 
 &c.  and  Ixvi.  12.  and  Rev.  xxi.  1.  All  the  out- 
 pourings of  the  Spirit  of  God  before  this,  are,  as  it 
 were,  by  way  of  anticipation.  There  was  indeed  a 
 glorious  season  of  the  application  of  redemption  in 
 the  first  ages  of  the  Christian  church,  which  began 
 at  Jerusalem,  on  the  day  of  Pentecost ;  but  that 
 was  not  the  proper  time  of  ingathering.  It  was 
 only,  as  it  were,  the  feast  of  first-fruits ;  the  in- 
 gathering is  at  the  end  of  the  year,  or  in  the  last 
 ages  of  the  Christian  church,  as  is  represented,  Rev. 
 xiv.  14 — 16.  and  will  probably  as  much  exceed 
 what  was  in  the  first  ages  of  the  Christian  church, 
 though  that  filled  the  Roman  empire,  as  that  ex- 
 ceeded all  that  had  been  before,  under  the  Old 
 Testament,  confined  only  to  the  land  of  Judea. 
 
 The  great  danger  of  not  appearing  openly  to  ac- 
 knowledge, rejoice  in,  and  promote  that  great  work 
 of  God,  in  bringing  in  that  glorious  harvest,  is  re- 
 presented in   Zech.  xiv.  16,  17,  18,  19 — "  And  it 
 
254 
 
 shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  one  that  is  left,  of  all 
 the  nations  which  come  against  Jerusalem,  shall  even 
 go  up  from   year  to  year  to  worship  the  King,  the 
 Lord  of  Hosts,    and  to  keep    the  feast  of  taber- 
 nacles.     And  it  shall  be,    that  whoso  will  not  come 
 up  of  all  the  families  of  the  earth  unto  Jerusalem, 
 to  worship  the  King,  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  even  upon 
 them  shall  be  no  rain.      And  if  the  family  of  Egypt 
 go  not  up,   and  come  not,  that  have  no  rain ;   there 
 shall  be  the  plague  wherewith  the  Lord   will  smite 
 the  heathen    that  come  not  up  to  keep  the  feast  of 
 tabernacles.       This    shall    be    the    punishment    of 
 Egypt,  and  the  punishment  of  all  nations  that  come 
 not  up  to  keep  the  feast  of  tabernacles."      It  is  evi- 
 dent by  all  the  context,  that  the  glorious  day  of  the 
 church  of  God,  in  the  latter  ages  of  the  world,  is 
 the  time  spoken  of.      The   "  feast  of  tabernacles," 
 here   seems  to   signify  that  glorious   spiritual  feast 
 which  God  shall  then  make  for  his  church,  the  same 
 that  is  spoken  of  in  Isaiah  xxv.  6.   and  the  great 
 spiritual  rejoicings   of  God's   people   at  that   time. 
 There  were  three  great  feasts  in  Israel,  at  which  all 
 the  males  were  appointed   to  go  up  to  Jerusalem  : 
 the  feast  of  the  passover  ;   and  the  feast  of  the  first- 
 fruits,    or  the  feast  of  Pentecost ;  and  the  feast  of 
 ingathering,   at  the  end  of  the  year,   or  the  feast  of 
 tabernacles.     In  the  first  of  these^  namely,  the  feast 
 of  the  passover,    was    represented  the  purchase   of 
 redemption  by  Jesus  Christ ;   for  the  Paschal  lamb 
 was  slain  at  the  time  of  that  feast.      The  other  two 
 that  followed  it,   were  to  represent   the  two   great 
 seasons  of  the  application  of  the  purchased  redemp- 
 tion.     Ill  the  former  of  them,   namely,  the  feast  of 
 
255 
 
 the  first-fruits,  which  was  called  the  feast  of  Pente- 
 cost, was  represented  that  time  of  the  outpouring  of 
 the  Spirit  in  the  first  ages  of  the  Christian  church, 
 for  the  bringing  in  the  first-fruits  of  Christ's  redemp- 
 tion, which  began  at  Jerusalem  on  the  day  of  Pen- 
 tecost. The  other,  which  was  the  feast  of  ingather- 
 ing, at  the  end  of  the  year — which  the  children  of 
 Israel  were  appointed  to  keep  on  occasion  of  their 
 gathering  in  their  corn  and  their  wine,  and  all  the 
 fruit  of  their  land,  and  was  called  the  feast  of  taber- 
 nacles— represented  the  other  more  joyful  and  glo- 
 rious season  of  the  application  of  Christ's  redemp- 
 tion, which  is  to  be  in  the  latter  days.  Then  will 
 be  the  great  day  of  ingathering  of  the  elect,  the 
 proper  and  appointed  time  of  gathering  in  God's 
 fruits,  when  the  angel  of  the  covenant  shall  thrust 
 in  his  sickle,  and  gather  the  harvest  of  the  earth ; 
 and  the  clusters  of  the  vine  of  the  earth  shall  also 
 be  gathered.  This  was,  upon  many  accounts,  the 
 greatest  feast  of  the  three.  There  were  much 
 greater  tokens  of  rejoicings  in  this  feast  than  any 
 other.  The  people  then  dwelt  in  booths  of  green 
 boughs,  and  were  commanded  to  take  boughs  of 
 goodly  trees,  branches  of  palm-trees,  and  the  boughs 
 of  thick  trees,  and  willows  of  the  brook,  and  to  re- 
 joice before  the  Lord  their  God.  This  represents 
 the  flourishing,  beautiful,  pleasant  state  of  the 
 church,  rejoicing  in  God's  grace  and  love,  and  tri- 
 umphing over  all  her  enemies.  The  tabernacle  of 
 God  was  first  set  up  among  the  children  of  Israel, 
 at  the  time  of  the  feast  of  tabernacles  ;  but,  in  that 
 glorious  time  of  the  Christian  church,  God  will, 
 above  all  other  times,  set  up  his  tabernacle  amongst 
 
256 
 
 men  :  Rev.  xxi.  3.  "  And  I  heard  a  great  voice  out 
 of  heaven,  saying,  The  tabernacle  of  God  is  with 
 men,  and  he  will  dwell  with  them,  and  they  shall  be 
 his  people,  and  God  himself  shall  be  with  them,  and 
 be  their  God." 
 
 The  world  is  supposed  to  have  been  created  about 
 the  time  of  year  wherein  the  feast  of  tabernacles 
 was  appointed  ;  so,  in  that  glorious  time,  God  will 
 create  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth.  The  temple 
 of  Solomon  was  dedicated  at  the  time  of  the  feast 
 of  tabernacles,  when  God  descended  in  a  pillar  of 
 cloud,  and  dwelt  in  the  temple;  so,  at  this  happy 
 time,  the  temple  of  God  shall  be  gloriously  built  up 
 in  the  world,  and  God  shall,  in  a  wonderful  manner, 
 come  down  from  heaven  to  dwell  with  his  church. 
 Christ  is  supposed  to  have  been  born  at  the  feast  of 
 tabernacles  ;  so  at  the  commencement  of  that  glorious 
 day,  Christ  shall  be  born:  then,  above  all  other 
 times,  shall  "  the  woman  clothed  with  the  sun, 
 with  the  moon  under  her  feet,  that  is  in  travail,  and 
 pained  to  be  delivered,  bring  forth  her  son  to  rule 
 all  nations,"  Rev.  xii.  The  feast  of  tabernacles 
 was  the  last  feast  that  Israel  had  in  the  whole  year, 
 before  the  face  of  the  earth  was  destroyed  by  the 
 winter  ;  presently  after  the  rejoicings  of  that  feast 
 were  past,  a  tempestuous  season  began.  Acts  xxvii* 
 9.  Sailing  was  now  dangerous,  because  the  feast 
 was  now  already  past.  So  this  great  feast  of  the 
 Christian  church  will  be  the  last  feast  she  shall  have 
 on  earth ;  soon  after  it  is  past,  this  lower  world 
 will  be  destroyed.  At  the  feast  of  tabernacles, 
 Israel  left  their  houses  to  dwell  in  booths,  or  green 
 tents ;  which  signifies  the  great  weanedness  of  God's 
 
257 
 
 people  from  the  world,  as  pilgrims  and  strangers  on 
 the  earth,  and  their  great  joy  therein.  Israel  were 
 prepared  for  the  feast  of  tabernacles  by  the  feast  ot 
 trumpets,  and  the  day  of  atonement,  both  in  the  same 
 month ;  so,  way  shall  be  made  for  the  joy  of  the  church 
 of  God,  in  its  glorious  state  on  earth,  by  the  extraor- 
 dinary preaching  of  the  gospel,  deep  repentance  and 
 humiliation  for  past  vsins,  and  for  the  great  and  long- 
 continued  deadness  and  carnality  of  the  visible  church. 
 Christ,  at  the  great  feast  of  tabernacles,  stood  in 
 Jerusalem,  and  cried,  saying,  "  If  any  man  thirst, 
 let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink:  he  that  believeth 
 on  me,  as  the  scripture  hath  said,  out  of  his  belly 
 shall  flow  rivers  of  living  waters  :"  signifying  the 
 extraordinary  freedom  and  riches  of  divine  grace  to- 
 wards sinners  at  that  day,  and  the  extraordinary 
 measures  of  the  Holy  Spirit  that  shall  be  then  given, 
 agreeable  to  Rev.  xxi.  6.  and  xxii.  17. 
 
 It  is  threatened,  (Zech.  xiv.)  that  those  who  at 
 that  time  shall  not  come  to  keep  this  feast,  that  is,  that 
 shall  not  acknowledge  God's  glorious  works,  praise  his 
 name,  and  rejoice  with  his  people — but  who  should 
 stand  at  a  distance,  as  unbelieving  and  disaffected, 
 "  upon  them  shall  be  no  rain ;"  they  shall  have  no 
 share  in  the  shower  of  divine  blessing  that  shall 
 then  descend  on  the  earth,  the  spiritual  rain  spoken 
 of,  Isaiah  xliv.  3.  but  God  would  give  them  over 
 to  hardness  of  heart,  and  blindness  of  mind.  The 
 curse  is  denounced  against  such,  in  a  manner  still 
 more  awful,  ver.  12.  "  And  this  shall  be  the  plague 
 wherewith  the  Lord  shall  smite  all  the  people  that 
 have  fou({ht  atjainst  Jerusalem :  their  flesh  shall 
 consume  away  while  they  stand  upon  their  feet,  and 
 
258 
 
 their  eyes  shall  consume  away  in  their  holes,  and 
 their  tongue  shall  consume  away  in  their  mouth." 
 Here  also,  in  all  probability,  is  intended  a  spiritual 
 judgment,  or  a  plague  and  curse  from  God  upon 
 the  soul,  rather  than  upon  the  body ;  that  such  per- 
 sons, who,  at  that  time,  shall  oppose  God's  people 
 in  his  work,  shall,  in  an  extraordinary  manner,  be 
 given  over  to  a  state  of  spiritual  death  and  ruin; 
 that  they  shall  remarkably  appear  dead  while  alive, 
 and  shall  be  as  walking  rotten  corpses,  while  they 
 go  about  amongst  men.  The  great  danger  of  not 
 joining  with  God's  people,  at  that  glorious  day,  is 
 also  represented,  Isa.  Ix.  12.  "  For  the  nation  and 
 kingdom  that  will  not  serve  thee  shall  perish ;  yea, 
 those  nations  shall  be  utterly  wasted." 
 
 Most  of  the  great  temporal  deliverances  wrought 
 for  Israel  of  old,  were  typical  of  the  great  spiritual 
 works  of  God  for  the  salvation  of  souls,  and  the  de- 
 liverance and  prosperity  of  his  church,  in  gospel 
 days ;  and,  especially,  they  represented  that  greatest 
 of  all  deliverances  of  God's  church  in  the  latter 
 days,  which  is,  above  all  others,  the  proper  season  of 
 actual  redemption  of  men's  souls.  But  it  may  be 
 observed,  that  if  any  appeared  to  oppose  God's  work 
 in  those  great  temporal  deliverances;  or  if  there  were 
 any  of  his  professing  people,  who,  on  such  occasions, 
 lay  still,  stood  at  a  distance,  or  did  not  arise  and 
 acknowledge  God  in  his  work,  and  appear  to  pro- 
 mote it ;  it  was  what,  in  a  remarkable  manner,  in- 
 censed God's  anger,  and  brought  his  curse  upon 
 such  persons.  When  God  wrought  that  great 
 work  of  bringing  the  children  of  Israel  out  of  Egypt, 
 (which  was  a  type  of  God's  delivering  his  church  out 
 
S59 
 
 of  the  spiritual  Egypt,  at  the  time  of  the  fall  of 
 Antichrist,  as  is  evident  by  Rev.  xi.  8.  and  xv.  3.) 
 how  highly  did  he  resent  it,  when  the  Araalekites 
 appeared  as  opposers  in  that  affair  ?  and  how  dread- 
 fully did  he  curse  them  for  it?  Exod.  xvii.  14,  15, 
 16.  "  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses,  Write  this 
 for  a  memorial  in  a  book,  and  rehearse  it  in  the  ears 
 of  Joshua  ;  for  I  will  utterly  put  out  the  remembrance 
 of  Amalek  from  under  heaven.  And  Moses  built 
 an  altar,  and  called  the  name  of  it  Jehovah-Nissi. 
 For  he  said,  Because  the  Lord  will  have  war  with 
 Amalek  from  generation  to  generation."  And  ac- 
 cordingly we  find,  that  God  remembered  it  a  long 
 time  after,  1  Sam.  xv.  3.  And  how  highly  did 
 God  resent  it  in  the  Moabites  and  Ammonites,  that 
 they  did  not  lend  a  helping  hand,  and  encourage  and 
 promote  the  affair?  Deut.  xxiii.  3,  4.  "  An  Am- 
 monite or  Moabite  shall  not  enter  into  the  congre- 
 gation of  the  Lord ;  even  to  their  tenth  generation, 
 shall  they  not  enter  into  the  congregation  of  the 
 Lord  for  ever :  because  they  met  you  not  with 
 bread  and  with  water  in  the  way,  when  ye  came 
 forth  out  of  Egypt."  And  how  were  the  children 
 of  Reuben,  and  the  children  of  Gad,  and  the  half 
 tribe  of  Manasseh  threatened,  if  they  did  not  go 
 and  help  their  brethren  in  their  wars  against  the 
 Canaanites?  Num.  xxxii.  20,  21,  22,  23.  "  And 
 Moses  said  unto  them.  If  ye  will  do  this  thing,  if 
 ye  will  go  armed  before  the  Lord  to  war,  and  will 
 go  all  of  you  armed  over  Jordan  before  the  Lord, 
 until  he  hath  driven  out  his  enemies  from  before 
 him,  and  the  land  be  subdued  before  the  Lord; 
 then    afterward    ye   shall  return,    and  be    guiltless 
 
S60 
 
 before  the  Lord,  and  before  Israel;  and  this  land 
 shall  be  your  possession  before  the  Lord.  But 
 if  ye  will  not  do  so,  behold,  ye  have  sinned  against 
 the  Lord ;  and  be  sure  your  sin  will  find  you  out." 
 
 That  was  a  glorious  work  which  God  wrought 
 for  Israel,  when  he  delivered  them  from  the  Canaan- 
 ites,  by  the  hand  of  Deborah  and  Barak.  Almos-t 
 every  thing  about  it,  showed  a  remarkable  hand  of 
 God.  It  was  a  prophetess,  one  immediately  in- 
 spired by  God,  that  called  the  people  to  the  battle, 
 and  conducted  them  in  the  whole  affair.  The 
 people  seem  to  have  been  miraculously  animated  and 
 encouraged  in  the  matter,  when  they  willingly  of- 
 fered themselves,  and  gathered  together  to  the 
 battle  ;  they  jeoparded  their  lives  in  the  high  places 
 of  the  field,  without  being  pressed  or  hired,  when 
 one  would  have  thought  they  should  have  but  little 
 courage  for  such  an  undertaking.  For  what  could 
 a  number  of  poor,  weak,  defenceless  slaves  do,  with- 
 out a  shield  or  spear  to  be  seen  among  forty  thousand 
 of  them,  to  go  against  a  great  prince,  with  his 
 mighty  host,  and  nine  hundred  chariots  of  iron  ? 
 And  the  success  wonderfully  showed  the  hand  af 
 God ;  which  makes  Deborah  exultingly  to  say, 
 Judges  v.  31.  "  O  my  soul,  thou  hast  trodden 
 down  strength  !"  Christ,  with  his  heavenly  host, 
 was  engaged  in  that  battle;  and  therefore  it  is  said, 
 ver.  20.  "  They  fought  from  heaven,  the  stars  in 
 their  courses  fought  against  Sisera^"  The  work 
 of  God  therefore,  in  this  victory  and  deliverance 
 which  Christ  and  his  host  wrought  for  Israel,  was  a 
 type  of  what  he  will  accomplish  for  his  church,  in 
 that  great  last  conflict  of  the  church  with  her  open 
 
261 
 
 enemies,  that  shall  introduce  the  church's  latter-day 
 glory;  as  appears  by  Rev.  xvi.  16.  (speaking  of  that 
 great  battle,)  "  And  he  gathered  them  together  into 
 a  place,  called  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  Armageddon," 
 that  is,  the  mountain  of  Megiddo;  alluding,  as  is 
 supposed  by  expositors,  to  the  place  where  the  battle 
 was  fought  with  the  host  of  Sisera,  Judges  v.  19. 
 "  The  kings  came  and  fought,  the  kings  of  Canaan, 
 in  Taanach,  by  the  waters  of  Megiddo."  Which 
 can  signify  nothing  else  than  that  this  battle,  which 
 Christ  and  his  <jhurch  shall  have  with  their  enemies, 
 is  the  antitype  of  the  battle  that  was  fought  there. 
 But  what  a  dreadful  curse  from  Christ  did  some  of 
 God's  professing  people,  Israel,  bring  upon  them- 
 selves, by  lying  still  at  that  time,  and  not  putting 
 to  a  helping  hand?  Judges  v.  23.  "  Curse  ye 
 Meroz,"  said  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  "  curse  ye 
 bitterly  the  inhabitants  thereof:  because  they  came 
 not  to  the  help  of  the  Lord,  to  the  help  of  the  Lord 
 against  the  mighty."  The  angel  of  the  Lord  was 
 the  captain  of  the  host;  he  that  had  led  Israel,  and 
 fought  for  them  in  that  battle,  who  is  very  often 
 called,  "  the  angel  of  the  Lord,"  in  scripture;  the 
 same  that  appeared  to  Joshua  with  a  sword  drawn 
 in  his  hand,  and  told  him  that  he  was  "  come  as 
 the  captain  of  the  host  of  the  Lord  :"  and  the  same 
 glorious  captain,  who  is  represented  as  leading  forth 
 his  hosts  to  that  battle,  of  which  this  was  the  type, 
 Rev.  xix.  11,  &c.  It  seems  the  inhabitants  of  Me- 
 roz were  unbelieving  concerning  this  great  work  ; 
 they  would  not  hearken  to  Deborah's  pretences;  nor 
 did  it  enter  into  them,  that  such  a  poor  defenceless 
 company  should  ever  prevail  against  those  that  were 
 
^62 
 
 so  mighty.  They  did  not  acknowledge  the  hand 
 of  God,  and  therefore  stood  at  a  distance,  and  did 
 nothing  to  promote  the  work;  but  what  a  bitter 
 ciirse  from  God  did  they  bring  upon  themselves  by 
 it!  It  is  very  probable,  that  one  great  reason  why 
 the  inhabitants  of  Meroz  were  so  unbelieving  con- 
 cerning this  work,  was,  that  they  argued  a  priori ; 
 they  did  not  like  the  beginning  of  it,  it  being  a 
 woman  that  first  led  the  way,  and  had  the  chief  con- 
 duct in  the  affair ;  nor  could  they  believe  that  such 
 despicable  instruments,  as  a  company  of  unarmed 
 slaves,  were  ever  like  to  effect  so  great  a  thing ;  and 
 pride  and  unbelief  wrought  together,  in  not  being 
 willing  to  follow  Deborah  to  the  battle. 
 
 It  was  another  glorious  work  of  God  that  he 
 wrought  for  Israel,  in  the  victory  that  was  obtained 
 by  Gideon  over  the  Midianites  and  Amalekites,  and 
 the  children  of  the  East,  when  they  came  up  against 
 Israel  like  grasshoppers,  a  multitude  that  could  not 
 be  numbered.  This  also  was  a  remarkable  type  of 
 the  victory  of  Christ  and  his  church  over  his  ene- 
 mies, by  the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  with  the 
 preached  gospel;  as  is  evident,  by  the  manner  in 
 which  Gideon  was  immediately  directed  of  God, 
 which  was  not  by  human  sword  or  bow,  but  by  blow- 
 ing of  trumpets,  and  by  lights  in  earthen  vessels. 
 We  read  that,  on  this  occasion,  Gideon  called  the 
 people  together  to  help  in  this  great  affair ;  and  that, 
 accordingly,  great  numbers  resorted  to  him,  and 
 came  to  the  help  of  the  Lord,  Judges  vii.  23,  24. 
 But  the  inhabitants  of  Succoth  and  Penuel  were 
 unbelieving,  and  would  not  acknowledge  the  hand 
 of  God  in  that  work,  though  it  was  so  great  and 
 
^GS 
 
 wonderful,  nor  would  they  join  to  promote  it.  Gi- 
 deon desired  their  help,  when  he  was  pursuing  after 
 Zeba  and  Zalmunna;  but  they  despised  his  pre- 
 tences, and  his  confidence  of  the  Lord  being  on  his 
 side,  to  deliver  those  two  great  princes  into  the 
 hands  of  such  a  despicable  company  as  he  and  his 
 three  hundred  men,  and  would  not  own  the  work  of 
 God,  nor  afford  Gideon  any  assistance.  God  pro- 
 ceeded in  this  work,  in  a  way  that  was  exceedingly 
 cross  to  their  pride.  And  they  also  refused  to  own 
 the  work,  because  they  argued  a  j)riori ;  they  could 
 not  believe  that  God  would  do  such  great  things  by 
 such  a  despicable  instrument,  one  of  such  a  poor 
 mean  family  in  Manasseh,  and  he  the  least  in  his 
 father's  house;  and  the  company  that  was  with  him 
 appeared  very  wretched,  being  but  three  hundred 
 men,  and  they  weak  and  faint.  But  we  see  how 
 they  suffered  for  their  folly,  in  not  acknowledging 
 and  appearing  to  promote  this  work  of  God  :  Gideon, 
 when  he  returned  from  tlie  victory,  "took  them,  and 
 taught  them  with  the  briers  and  thorns  of  the  wil- 
 derness, and  beat  down  the  tower  of  Penuel,"  (he 
 brought  down  their  pride  and  their  false  confidence,) 
 **  and  slew  the  men  of  the  city,"  Judges  viii.  This 
 in  all  probability  Gideon  did,  as  moved  and  di- 
 rected by  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  that  is  Christ, 
 who  first  called  him,  and  sent  him  forth  in  this 
 battle,  and  instructed  and  directed  him  in  the  whole 
 affair. 
 
 The  return  of  the  ark  of  God  to  dwell  in  Zion, 
 in  the  midst  of  the  land  of  Israel,  after  it  had  been 
 long  absent, — first  in  the  land  of  the  Philistines, 
 and  then  in  Kirjath-jearim,  in  the  utmost  borders  of 
 
^64 
 
 tlK)  land  ;  strikingly  represented  the  return  of  God 
 to  a  professing  people,  in  the  spiritual  tokens  of  his 
 presence,  after  long  absence  from  them.  The  at;k 
 ascending  up  into  a  mountain,  typified  Christ's 
 ascension  into  heaven.  It  is  evident  by  the  Psalms 
 that  were  penned  on  that  occasion,  especially  the 
 68th  Psalm,  that  the  exceeding  rejoicings  of  Israel 
 on  that  occasion  represented  the  joy  of  the  church 
 of  Christ  on  his  returning  to  it,  after  it  has  been 
 in  a  low  and  dark  state,  to  revive  his  work,  bring- 
 ing his  people  back,  as  it  were,  from  Bashan,  and 
 from  the  depth  of  the  sea ;  scattering  their  spi- 
 ritual enemies,  and  causing  that  "  though  they  had 
 lien  among  the  pots,  yet  they  should  be  as  the  wings 
 of  a  dove,  covered  with  silver,  and  her  feathers  with 
 yellow  gold ;"  and  giving  the  blessed  tokens  of  his 
 presence  in  his  house,  that  his  people  may  "  see  the 
 goings  of  God  their  King  in  the  sanctuary."  The 
 gifts  which  David,  with  such  royal  bounty,  distri- 
 buted amongst  the  people  on  that  occasion,  [2  Sam. 
 vi.  18,  19.  and  1  Chron.  xvi.  2,  3.)  represent  spiri- 
 tual blessings  that  Christ  liberally  sends  down  on 
 his  church,  by  the  outpourings  of  his  Spirit.  See 
 Psalm  Ixviii.  1,  3,  13,  18 — 24.  And  we  have  an 
 account  how  all  the  people,  from  Shihor  of  Egypt, 
 even  unto  the  entering  in  of  Hemath,  gathered  to- 
 gether, and  appeared  to  join  and  assist  in  that  great 
 affair ;  and  that  all  Israel  "  brought  up  the  ark  of 
 the  covenant  of  the  Lord,  with  shoutings,  and  with 
 sound  of  the  cornet,  and  with  trumpets,  and  with 
 cymbals,  making  a  noise  with  psalteries  and  harps," 
 1  Chron.  xiii.  2,  5.  and  xv.  28.  And  not  only  the 
 men,   but   the  women   of  Israel,   the  daughters  of 
 
^65 
 
 Zion,  appeared  as  publicly  joining  in  the  praises  and 
 rejoicings  on  that  occasion,  2  Sam.  vi.  19.  But  we 
 read  of  one  of  David's  wives,  even  Miclial,  Saul's 
 daughter,  whose  heart  was  not  engaged  in  the  affair, 
 and  did  not  appear  with  others  to  rejoice  and  praise 
 God  on  this  occasion,  but  kept  away,  and  stood  at  a 
 distance,  as  disaffected,  and  disliking  the  manaire- 
 ment.  She  despised  and  ridiculed  the  transports 
 and  extraordinary  manifestations  of  joy;  and  the 
 curse  that  she  brought  upon  herself  by  it  was,  that 
 of  being  barren  to  the  day  of  her  death.  Let  this 
 be  a  warning  to  us :  let  us  take  heed,  in  this  day 
 of  the  bringing  up  of  the  ark  of  God,  that,  while  we 
 are  in  visibility  and  profession  the  spouse  of  the 
 spiritual  David,  we  do  not  show  ourselves  to  be  in- 
 deed the  children  of  false-hearted  and  rebellious 
 Saul,  by  our  standing  aloof,  and  our  not  joining  in 
 the  joy  and  praises  of  the  day,  disliking  and  despis- 
 ing the  joys  and  affections  of  God's  people,  because 
 they  are  so  high  in  degree,  and  so  bring  the  curse 
 of  perpetual  barrenness  upon  our  souls. 
 
 Let  us  take  heed  that  we  be  not  like  the  son  of 
 the  bond-woman,  born  after  the  flesh,  that  perse- 
 cuted him  that  was  born  after  the  Spirit,  and  mocked 
 at  the  feasting  and  rejoicings  that  were  made  for 
 Isaac  when  he  was  weaned;  lest  we  should  be  cast 
 out  of  the  family  of  Abraham  as  he  was.  Gen.  xxi. 
 8,  9.  That  affair  contained  spiritual  mysteries,  and 
 was  typical  of  things  that  come  to  pass  in  these  days 
 of  the  gospel ;  as  is  evident  by  the  Apostle's  testi- 
 mony. Gal.  iv.  22,  &c.  And  particularly  it  seems 
 to  have  been  typical  of  two  things: — 
 
 First,  The  weaning  of  the  church  from  its  milk 
 M  48 
 
266 
 
 of  carnal  ordinances,  ceremonies,  shadows,  and  beg- 
 garly elements,  upon  the  coming  of  Christ,  and 
 pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  in  the  days  of  the  apostles. 
 The  church  of  Christ,  in  the  times  of  the  Old  Tes- 
 tament, was  in  its  minority,  even  as  a  babe;  and  the 
 Apostle  tells  us  that  babes  must  be  fed  with  milk, 
 and  not  with  strong  meat:  but  when  God  weaned 
 his  church  from  these  carnal  ordinances,  on  the 
 ceasing  of  the  legal  dispensation,  a  glorious  gospel- 
 feast  was  provided  for  souls,  and  God  fed  his  people 
 with  spiritual  dainties,  filled  them  with  the  Spirit, 
 and  gave  them  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost.  Ishmael,  in 
 mocking  at  the  time  of  Isaac's  feast,  by  the  Apostle's 
 testimony,  represented  the  carnal  Jews,  the  children 
 of  the  literal  Jerusalem,  who,  when  they  beheld  the 
 rejoicings  of  Christians  in  their  spiritual  and  evan- 
 gelical privileges,  were  filled  with  envy,  deriding, 
 contradicting,  and  blaspheming,  (Acts  ii.  13.  and 
 chap.  xiii.  45.  and  xviii.  6.)  and  therefore  were  cast 
 out  of  the  family  of  Abraham,  and  out  of  the  land 
 of  Canaan,  to  wander  through  the  earth. 
 
 Secondly,  This  weaning  of  Isaac  seems  also  to 
 represent  the  conversion  of  sinners,  which  is  several 
 times  represented  in  Scripture  by  the  weaning  of  a 
 child  ;  as  in  Psalm  cxxxi.  and  Isa.  xxviii.  9.  because, 
 in  conversion,  the  soul  is  weaned  from  the  enjoy- 
 ments of  the  world,  which  are  as  it  were  the  breast 
 of  our  mother  earth ;  and  is  also  weaned  from  the 
 covenant  of  our  first  parents,  which  we  as  naturally 
 hang  upon,  as  a  child  on  its  mother's  breast.  And 
 the  great  feast  that  Abraham  made  on  that  occasion 
 represents  the  spiritual  feast,  the  heavenly  privileges, 
 and   holy  joys   and  comforts,   which  God  gives   to 
 
267 
 
 souls  at  their  conversion.  Now  is  a  time  when 
 God,  in  a  remarkable  manner,  is  bestowing  the  bless- 
 ings of  such  a  feast.  Let  every  one  take  heed  that 
 he  do  not  now  show  himself  to  be  the  son  of  the 
 bond-woman,  and  born  after  the  flesh,  by  standing 
 and  deridinfir,  with  mocking  Ishmael ;  lest  they  be 
 cast  out  as  he  was,  and  it  be  said  concerning  them, 
 "  These  sons  of  the  bond-woman  shall  not  be  heirs 
 with  the  sons  of  the  free-woman."  Do  not  let  us 
 stumble  at  these  things,  because  they  are  so  great 
 and  extraordinary  ;  for  "  if  we  have  run  with  the 
 footmen,  and  they  have  wearied  us,  how  shall  we 
 contend  with  horses?"  There  is  doubtless  a  time 
 coming  when  God  will  accomplish  things  vastly 
 greater  and  more  extraordinary  than  these. 
 
 And  that  we  may  be  warned  not  to  continue 
 doubting  and  unbelieving  concerning  this  work,  be- 
 cause of  the  extraordinary  degree  of  it,  and  the  sud- 
 denness and  swiftness  of  the  accomplishment  of  the 
 great  things  that  pertain  to  it;  let  us  consider  the 
 example  of  the  unbelieving  lord  in  Samaria,  who 
 could  not  believe  so  extraordinary  a  work  of  God  to 
 be  accomplished  so  suddenly  as  was  declared  to 
 him.  The  propiiet  Elisha  foretold,  that  the  great 
 famine  in  Samaria  should  very  suddenly,  even  in  one 
 day,  be  turned  into  an  extraordinary  plenty  ;  but 
 the  work  was  too  great  and  too  sudden  for  him  to 
 believe:  says  he,  "  If  the  Lord  should  make  win- 
 dows in  heaven,  might  this  thing  be?"  And  the 
 curse  that  he  brought  upon  himself  by  it  was,  that 
 he  saw  it  with  his  eyes,  and  did  not  eat  thereof,  but 
 miserably  perished,  and  was  trodden  down  as  the 
 M  2 
 
Q68 
 
 mire  of  the  streets,  when  others  were  feasting  and 
 
 rejoicing  :  2  Kings  vii. 
 
 When  God  redeemed  his  people  from  their  Baby- 
 lonish captivity,  and  they  rebuilt  Jerusalem,  it  was, 
 as  is  universally  owned,  a  remarkable  type  of  the 
 spiritual  redemption  of  God's  church ;  and  particu- 
 larly of  the  great  deliverance  of  the  Christian  church 
 from  spiritual  Babylon,  and  their  rebuilding  the  spi- 
 ritual Jerusalem,  in  the  latter  days  ;  and  therefore 
 they  are  often  spoken  of  as  one  by  the  prophets. 
 And  this  probably  was  the  main  reason  that  it  was 
 so  ordered  in  Providence,  and  particularly  noted  in 
 Scripture,  that  the  children  of  Israel,  on  that  occa- 
 sion, kept  the  greatest  feast  of  tabernacles  that 
 ever  had  been  kept  in  Israel  since  the  days  of 
 Joshua,  when  the  people  were  first  settled  in  Canaan. 
 (Neh.  viii.  16,  17.)  For  at  that  time  happened  that 
 restoration  of  Israel,  which  had  the  greatest  resem- 
 blance of  that  great  restoration  of  the  church  of  God, 
 of  which  the  feast  of  tabernacles  was  the  type,  of 
 any  that  had  been  since  Joshua  first  brought  the 
 people  out  of  the  wilderness,  and  settled  them  in  the 
 good  land.  But  we  read  of  some  that  opposed  the 
 Jews  in  that  affair,  weakened  their  hands,  ridiculed 
 God's  people,  the  instruments  employed  in  that 
 work,  despised  their  hope,  and  made  as  though  their 
 confidence  was  little  more  than  a  shadow,  and  would 
 utterly  fail  them  :  "  What  do  these  feeble  Jews  ? 
 will  they  fortify  themselves  ?  will  they  sacrifice  ? 
 will  they  make  an  end  in  a  day  ?  will  they  revive  the 
 stones  out  of  the  heaps  of  tlie  rubbish  which  are 
 burnt?  Even  that  which  they  build,  if  a  fox  go 
 up,  he  shall  even  break  down  their  stone  wall."    Let 
 
'269 
 
 us  not  be  in  any  measure  like  them,  lest  it  be  said 
 to  us,  as  Neliemiah  said  to  thicm,  (Neh.  ii.  20.) 
 *' Wo  his  servants  will  arise  and  build;  but  you 
 have  no  portion,  nor  right,  nor  memorial  in  Jerusa- 
 lem." And  lest  we  bring  Nehemiah's  imprecations 
 upon  us,  (chap,  iv.  5.)  "  Cover  not  their  iniquity, 
 and  let  not  their  sin  be  blotted  out  from  before  thee ; 
 for  they  have  provoked  thee  to  anger  before  the 
 builders." 
 
 As  persons  will  greatly  expose  themselves  to  the 
 curse  of  God,  by  opposing,  or  standing  at  a  distance, 
 and  keeping  silence  at  such  a  time  as  this ;  so  for 
 persons  to  arise,  and  readily  to  acknowledge  God, 
 honour  him  in  such  a  work,  and  cheerfully  and 
 vigorously  to  exert  themselves  to  promote  it,  will  be 
 to  put  themselves  much  in  the  way  of  the  divine 
 blessing.  What  a  mark  of  honour  does  God  put 
 upon  those  in  Israel,  that  willingly  offered  them- 
 selves, and  came  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  against  the 
 mighty,  when  the  angel  of  the  Lord  led  forth  his 
 armies,  and  they  fought  from  heaven  against  Sisera? 
 Judg.  v.  2,  9,  14 — 18.  And  what  a  great  bless- 
 ing is  pronounced  on  Jael,  tlie  wife  of  Heber  the. 
 Kenite,  for  her  appearing  on  the  Lord's  side,  and 
 for  what  she  did  to  promote  that  work?  *' Blessed 
 above  women  shall  Jael  the  vvife  of  Heber  the  Kenite 
 be  ;  blessed  shall  she  be  above  women  in  the  tent." 
 And  what  a  blessing  is  pronounced  on  those  which 
 shall  have  any  hand  in  the  destruction  of  Babylon, 
 which  was  the  head  city  of  the  kingdom  of  I^atan, 
 and  of  the  enemies  of  the  church  of  God?  Psal. 
 cxxxvii.  9.  "  Happy  shall  he  be  that  taketh  and 
 dasheth  thy  little  ones  against  the  stones."      What 
 
270 
 
 a  particular  and  honourable  notice  is  taken,  in  the 
 records  of  God's  word,  of  those  that  arose  and  ap- 
 peared as  David's  helpers,  to  introduce  him  into  the 
 kingdom  of  Israel  ?  1  Chron.  xii.  The  host  of 
 those  who  thus  came  to  the  help  of  the  Lord,  in  that 
 glorious  revolution  in  Israel,  by  which  the  kingdom 
 of  that  great  type  of  the  Messiah  was  set  up  in 
 Israel,  is  compared  to  the  host  of  God,  ver.  22.  "  At 
 that  time,  day  by  day,  there  came  to  David  to  help 
 him,  until  it  was  a  great  host,  like  the  host  of  God.'* 
 And  doubtless  it  was  intended  to  be  a  type  of  the 
 host  that  sliali  appear  with  the  spiritual  David,  as 
 his  helpers,  when  he  shall  come  to  set  up  his  king- 
 dom in  the  world  ;  the  same  host  that  we  read  of, 
 Rev.  xiv.  14.  The  Spirit  of  God  then  pronounced 
 a  special  blessing  on  David's  helpers,  as  co-workers 
 with  God,  ver.  18.  "  Then  the  spirit  came  upon 
 Amasai,  who  was  chief  of  the  captains,  and  he  said, 
 Thine  are  we,  David,  and  oh  thy  side,  thou  son  of 
 Jesse  :  Peace,  peace  be  unto  thee,  and  peace  be  to 
 thine  helpers  ;  for  thy  God  helpeth  thee."  So  we 
 may  conclude,  that  God  will  much  more  give  his 
 blessing  to  such  as  come  to  the  help  of  the  Lord, 
 when  he  sets  his  own  dear  Son  as  King  on  his  holy 
 hill  of  Zion.  They  shall  be  received  by  Christ,  and 
 he  will  put  peculiar  honour  upon  them,  as  David  did 
 on  those  of  his  helpers;  as  we  have  an  account  in 
 the  following  words,  ver.  18.  "  Then  David  received 
 them,  and  made  them  captains  of  the  band."  It  is 
 particularly  noted  of  those  that  came  to  David  to 
 Hebron,  ready  armed  to  the  war,  to  turn  the  king- 
 dom of  Saul  to  him,  according  to  the  word  of  the 
 Lord,  *'  that  they  were  men  that  had  understanding 
 
271 
 
 of  the  times,  to  know  what  Israel  ought  to  do,"  ver.  23. 
 and  32.  Wherein  they  difFcred  from  the  Pharisees 
 and  other  Jews,  who  did  not  come  to  the  help  of  the 
 Lord,  at  the  time  that  the  great  Son  of  David  ap- 
 peared to  set  up  his  kingdom  in  the  workl.  These 
 Christ  condemns,  because  they  had  not  "  under- 
 standing of  those  times,"  Luke  xii.  56.  "  Ye  hypo- 
 crites, ye  can  discern  the  face  of  the  sky,  and  of 
 the  earth ;  but  how  is  it  that  ye  do  not  discern 
 these  times?"  So  it  always  will  be,  when  Christ 
 remarkably  appears  on  earth,  on  a  design  of  set- 
 ting up  his  kingdom  here ;  many  will  not  under- 
 stand the  times,  nor  what  Israel  ought  to  do,  and  so 
 will  not  come  to  turn  about  the  kingdom  to  David. 
 
 The  favourable  notice  that  God  will  take  of  such 
 as  appear  to  promote  the  work  of  God,  at  such  a 
 time  as  this,  may  also  be  argued  from  such  a  very 
 particular  notice  being  taken  in  the  sacred  records, 
 of  those  that  helped  in  rebuilding  the  wall  of  Jeru- 
 salem, upon  the  return  from  the  Babylonish  capti- 
 vity :  Nehem.  chap.  iii. 
 
 SECTION  IV. 
 
 The  obligations  of  Rulers^  Ministers,  and  all  sorts, 
 to  2n-07?wte  this  Work. 
 
 At  such  a  time  as  this,  when  God  is  setting  his 
 King  on  his  holy  hill  of  Zion,  or  establishing  his  do- 
 minion, or  showing  forth  his  regal  glory  from  thence, 
 he  expects  that  his  visible  people,  without  exception, 
 
272 
 
 should  openly  appear  to  acknowledge  him  in  such 
 a  work,  and  bow  before  him,  and  join  with  him. 
 But  especially  does  he  expect  this  of  civil  rulers  : 
 God's  eye  is  especially  upon  them,  to  see  how  they 
 behave  themselves  on  such  occasion.  When  a  new 
 king  comes  to  the  throne,  if  he  comes  from  abroad, 
 and  enters  into  his  kingdom,  and  makes  his  solemn 
 entry  into  the  royal  city,  it  is  expected  that  all  sorts 
 should  acknowledge  him  ;  but,  above  all  others,  is 
 it  expected  that  the  great  men,  and  public  officers  of 
 the  nation,  should  then  make  their  appearance,  and 
 attend  on  their  sovereign,  with  suitable  congratula- 
 tions, and  manifestations  of  respect  and  loyalty.  If 
 such  as  these  stand  at  a  distance  at  such  a  time,  it 
 will  be  much  more  noticed  ;  and  will  awaken  the 
 prince's  jealousy  and  displeasure  much  more,  than 
 such  a  behaviour  in  the  common  people.  And  thus 
 it  is,  when  that  eternal  Son  of  God,  and  heir  of  the 
 world — by  whom  kings  reign,  and  princes  decree 
 justice,  and  whom  his  Father  has  appointed  to  be 
 King  of  kings — comes  as  it  were  from  far,  and  in  the 
 spiritual  tokens  of  his  presence  enters  into  the  royal 
 city  Zion.  God  has  his  eye  at  such  a  time,  espe- 
 cially, upon  those  princes,  nobles,  and  judges  of  the 
 earth,  spoken  of,  Prov.  viii.  16.  to  see  how  they  be- 
 have themselves,  whether  they  bow  to  Him  who  is 
 made  the  head  of  all  principality  and  power.  This 
 is  evident  by  Psal.  ii.  6,  7,  10 — 12.  "  Yet  have  I 
 set  my  King  upon  my  holy  hill  of  Zion.  I  will  de- 
 clare the  decree  :  the  Lord  hath  said  unto  me.  Thou 
 art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee. — Be  wise 
 now,  therefore,  O  ye  kings  :  be  instructed,  ye  judges 
 of  the  earth.      Serve  the  Lord  with  fear,  and  rejoice 
 
273 
 
 with  trembling.  Kiss  the  Son,  lest  he  bo  angry, 
 and  ye  perish  from  the  way,  when  iiis  wrath  is  kin- 
 dled but  a  little."  Tliere  seems  to  be  in  the  words 
 an  allusion  to  a  new  king  coming  to  the  throne,  and 
 making  his  solemn  entry  into  the  royal  city,  when  it 
 is  expected  that  all,  especially  men  in  public  office 
 and  authority,  should  manifest  their  loyalty,  by  some 
 open  and  visible  token  of  respect  hi)  the  waij^  as  he 
 passes  along  ;  and  those  that  refuse  or  neglect  it, 
 are  in  danger  of  being  immediately  struck  down,  and 
 perishing yJo/;?  the  ztJaj/,  by  whicli  the  king  goes  in 
 solemn  procession. 
 
 The  day  wherein  God,  in  an  eminent  manner, 
 sends  forth  tiie  rod  of  Christ's  strength  out  of  Zion, 
 that  he  may  rule  in  the  midst  of  his  enemies;  the 
 day  of  his  power,  wherein  his  people  shall  be  made 
 willing ;  is  also  eminently  a  day  of  his  vvrath,  espe- 
 cially to  such  rulers  as  oppose  him,  or  will  not  bow 
 to  him.  It  will  prove  a  day  wherein  '*  he  shall 
 strike  through  kings,  and  fill  the  places  with  the  dead 
 bodies,  and  wound  the  heads  over  many  countries," 
 Psalm  ex.  And  thus  it  is,  that  when  the  Son  of 
 God  "  girds  his  sword  upon  his  thigh,  with  his  glory 
 and  his  majesty,  and  in  his  majesty  rides  prosper- 
 ously, because  of  truth,  meekness,  and  righteous- 
 ness, his  right  hand  teaches  hiin  terrible  things." 
 They  were  the  princes  of  Succoth  especially,  who 
 suffered  punishment,  when  the  inhabitants  of  that 
 city  refused  to  come  to  the  help  of  the  Lord.  When 
 Gideon  was  pursuing  after  Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  we 
 read  that  Gideon  took  the  elders  of  the  city,  and 
 thorns  of  the  wilderness,  and  briers,  and  with  them 
 he  taught  the  men  of  Succoth.  It  is  especially  no- 
 lyi  3 
 
274 
 
 ticed,  that  the  rulers  and  chief  men  of  Israel  were 
 called  upon  to  assist  in  the  affair  of  bringing  up  the 
 ark  of  God;  they  were  chiefly  consulted,  and  were 
 principal  in  the  management  of  the  affair,  1  Chron. 
 xiii.  1.  "  And  David  consulted  with  the  captains  of 
 thousands  and  hundreds,  and  with  every  leader." 
 And  chap.  xv.  2b.  *'  So  David,  and  the  elders  of 
 Israel,  and  the  captains  over  thousands,  went  to  bring 
 up  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  the  Lord  out  of  the 
 house  of  Obed-edom  with  joy."  So  2  Sam.  vi.  1. 
 And  so  it  was  when  the  ark  was  brought  into  the 
 temple,  1  Kings  viii.  1,  3.  and  2  Chron.  v.  2,  4. 
 
 And  as  rulers,  by  neglecting  their  duty  at  such  a 
 time,  will  especially  expose  themselves  to  God's  great 
 displeasure;  so,  by  fully  acknowledging  God  in  such 
 a  work,  and  by  cheerfully  and  vigorously  exerting 
 themselves  to  promote  it,  they  will  especially  be  in 
 the  way  of  receiving  peculiar  honours  and  rewards  at 
 God's  hands.  It  is  noted  of  the  princes  of  Israel, 
 that  they  especially  appeared  to  honour  God  with 
 their  princely  offering,  on  occasion  of  setting  up  the 
 tabernacle  of  God  in  the  congregation  of  Israel.  I 
 have  observed  already,  that  this  was  done  at  the  time 
 of  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  and  was  a  type  of  the 
 tabernacle  of  God  being  with  men,  and  his  dwelling 
 with  men  in  the  latter  days.  And  with  what  abun- 
 dant particularity  is  it  noted  of  each  prince,  how 
 much  he  offered  to  God  on  that  occasion,  for  their 
 everlasting  honour,  in  the  seventh  chapter  of  Num- 
 bers !  And  so,  with  how  much  favour  and  honour 
 does  the  Spirit  of  God  take  notice  of  those  princes 
 in  Israel,  who  came  to  the  help  of  the  Lord,  in  the 
 war  against  Sisera?     Judges  v.  9.  "  My  heart  is 
 
towards  the  governors  of  Israel,  that  ofFcred  them- 
 selves wilhngly  among  the  people."  And  (ver.  H.) 
 "Out  of  Machir  came  down  governors;  and  the 
 princes  of  Issachar  were  with  Deborah."  And  in 
 the  account  we  have  of  rebuilding  the  wall  of  Jeru- 
 salem, Nehem.  iii.  it  is  particularly  noted  what  a 
 hand  one  and  another  of  the  rulers  had  in  this  af- 
 fair :  such  a  part  of  the  vvall  was  repaired  by  the 
 ruler  of  the  half  part  of  Jerusalem;  and  such  a  part 
 by  the  ruler  of  the  other  half  part  of  Jerusalem;  and 
 such  a  part  by  the  ruler  of  part  of  Beth-haccerem ; 
 and  such  a  part  by  the  ruler  of  part  of  Mizpah  ;  and 
 such  a  part  by  the  ruler  of  the  half  part  of  Beth-zur  ; 
 and  such  a  part  by  the  ruler  of  Mizpah,  ver.  9 — 19. 
 And  there  it  is  particularly  noted  of  the  rulers  of 
 one  of  the  cities,  that  they  put  not  their  necks  to 
 the  work  of  the  Lord,  though  the  common  people 
 did;  and  they  are  stigmatized  for  it  in  the  sacred 
 records,  to  their  everlasting  reproach,  (ver.  .5.)  "And 
 next  unto  them  the  Tekoites  repaired :  but  their 
 nobles  put  not  their  necks  to  the  work  of  the  Lord." 
 So  the  Spirit  of  God,  with  special  honour,  takes 
 notice  of  princes  and  rulers  of  several  tribes,  who 
 assisted  in  bringing  up  the  ark.  Psalm  Ixviii.  27. 
 
 And  I  humbly  desire  it  may  be  considered, 
 whether  we  have  not  reason  to  fear  that  God  is 
 provoked  with  this  land,  because  no  more  notice 
 has  been  taken  of  the  late  glorious  work  by  the 
 civil  authority ;  that  no  more  has  been  done  by  them 
 as  a  public  acknowledgment  of  God  in  this  work, 
 and  no  more  improvement  of  their  authority  to  pro- 
 mote it.  This  might  have  been  done,  either  by  ap- 
 pointing a  day  of  public  thanksgiving  to  God  for  so 
 
^76 
 
 unspeakable  a  mercy,  or  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer, 
 to  humble  ourselves  before  God  for  our  past  dead- 
 ness  and  unprofitableness  under  the  means  of  grace, 
 and  to  seek  the  continuance  and  increase  of  the 
 tokens  of  his  presence.  Can  it  be  pleasing  to  God, 
 that  the  civil  authority  have  not  so  much  as  entered 
 upon  any  public  consultation,  what  should  be  done 
 to  advance  the  present  revival  of  religion,  and  great 
 reformation  that  is  begun  in  the  land  ?  Is  there  not 
 danger  that  such  a  behaviour,  at  such  a  time,  will  be 
 interpreted  by  God  as  a  denial  of  Christ?  If  but  a 
 new  governor  comes  into  a  province,  how  much  is 
 there  done,  especially  by  those  who  are  in  authority, 
 to  put  honour  upon  him  !  They  arise,  appear  pub- 
 licly, and  go  forth  to  meet,  to  address,  and  congra- 
 tulate him,  and  with  great  expense  to  attend  and  aid 
 him.  If  the  authorities  of  the  province,  on  such  an 
 occasion,  should  all  sit  still,  and  say  and  do  nothing, 
 and  take  no  notice  of  the  arrival  of  their  new  go- 
 vernor, would  there  not  be  danger  of  its  being  inter- 
 preted by  him,  and  his  prince  that  sent  him,  as  a 
 denial  of  his  authority,  or  a  refusing  to  receive  and 
 honour  him  as  their  governor?  And  shall  the  Head 
 of  the  angels,  and  Lord  of  the  universe,  come  down 
 from  heaven,  in  so  wonderful  a  manner,  into  the 
 land;  and  shall  all  stand  at  a  distance,  and  be  silent 
 and  inactive  on  such  an  occasion  ?  I  would  humbly 
 recommend  it  to  our  rulers  to  consider  whether  God 
 does  not  now  say  to  them,  "  Be  wise  now,  ye  rulers; 
 be  instructed,  ye  judges  of  New  England  :  kiss  the 
 Son,  lest  he  be  angry,  and  ye  perish  from  the  way." 
 It  is  prophesied,  Zech.  xii.  8.  that,  in  the  glorious 
 day  of  the  Christian  church,  the  house  of  David,  or 
 
277 
 
 the  rulers  in  God's  Israel,  "  shall  be  as  God,  as  the 
 angel  of  the  Lord,  before  his  people/'  But  how 
 can  such  rulers  expect  to  have  any  share  in  this  glo- 
 rious promise,  who  do  not  so  much  as  openly  ac- 
 knowledge God  in  the  work  of  that  Spirit,  by  whom 
 the  glory  of  that  day  is  to  be  accomplished  ?  The 
 days  are  coming  when  the  saints  shall  reign  on  earth, 
 and  all  dominion  and  authority  shall  be  given  into 
 their  hands:  but  if  our  rulers  would  partake  of  this 
 honour,  they  ought,  at  such  a  day  as  this,  to  bring 
 their  glory  and  honour  into  the  spiritual  Jerusalem, 
 agreeable  to  Rev.  xxi.  24. 
 
 o 
 
 But,  above  all  others,  is  God's  eye  upon  the 
 ministers  of  the  gospel,  as  expecting  of  them  that 
 they  should  arise,  acknowledge,  and  honour  him  in 
 such  a  work  as  this,  and  do  their  utmost  to  encour- 
 age and  promote  it.  For  this  is  the  very  business 
 to  which  they  are  called  and  devoted;  it  is  the  office 
 to  which  they  are  appointed,  as  co-workers  with 
 Christ.  They  are  his  ambassadors  and  instruments, 
 to  awaken  and  convert  "sinners,  and  establish,  build 
 up,  and  comfort  saints;  it  is  the  business  they  have 
 been  solemnly  charged  with,  before  God,  angels,  and 
 men,  and  to  which  they  have  given  up  themselves  by 
 the  most  sacred  vows.  These  especially  are  the 
 officers  of  Christ's  kingdom,  who,  above  all  other 
 men  upon  earth,  represent  his  person ;  into  whose 
 hands  Christ  has  committed  the  sacred  oracles,  holy 
 ordinances,  and  all  his  appointed  means  of  grace,  to 
 be  administered  by  them.  They  are  the  stewards 
 of  his  household,  into  whose  hands  he  has  committed 
 its  provision;  the  immortal  souls  of  men  are  com- 
 mitted to  them,  as  a  flock  of  sheep  are  committed 
 
278 
 
 to  the  care  of  a  shepherd,  or  as  a  master  commits  a 
 treasure  to  the  care  of  a  servant,  of  which  he  must 
 give  an  account.  It  is  expected  of  them,  above  all 
 others,  that  they  should  have  understanding  of  the 
 times,  and  know  what  Israel  ought  to  do ;  for  it  is 
 their  business  to  acquaint  themselves  with  things 
 pertaining  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  to  teach  and 
 enlighten  others  in  the  same.  We,  who  are  em- 
 ployed in  the  sacred  work  of  the  gospel-ministry,  are 
 the  watchmen  over  the  city,  to  whom  God  has  com- 
 mitted the  keys  of  the  gates  of  Zion  ;  and  if,  when 
 the  rightful  King  of  Zion  comes  to  deliver  his  people 
 from  the  enemy  that  oppresses  them,  we  refuse  to 
 open  the  gates  to  him,  how  greatly  shall  we  expose 
 ourselves  to  his  wrath?  We  are  appointed  to  be 
 the  captains  of  the  host  in  this  war ;  and  if  a  general 
 will  highly  resent  it  in  a  private  soldier,  if  he  refuses 
 to  follow  him  when  his  banner  is  displayed,  and  his 
 trumpet  blown,  how  much  more  will  he  resent  it  in 
 the  officers  of  his  army  !  The  work  of  the  gospel- 
 ministry,  consisting  in  the  administration  of  God's 
 word  and  ordinances,  is  the  principal  means  that  God 
 has  appointed  for  carrying  on  his  work  on  the  souls 
 of  men ;  and  it  is  his  revealed  will,  that  whenever 
 that  glorious  revival  of  religion,  and  reformation  of 
 the  world,  so  often  spoken  of  in  his  word,  is  accom- 
 plished, it  should  be  principally  by  the  labours  of  his 
 ministers.  Therefore,  how  heinous  will  it  be  in  the 
 sight  of  God,  if,  when  a  work  of  that  nature  is  be- 
 gun, we  appear  unbelieving,  slow,  backward,  and  dis- 
 affected !  There  was  no  sort  of  persons  among  the 
 Jews  treated  with  such  manifestations  of  God's  great 
 displeasure,  and  severe  indignation,  for  not  acknow- 
 
279 
 
 ledging  Christ,  and  the  work  of  his  Spirit,  in  the 
 days  of  Qirist  and  his  apostles,  as  the  ministers  of 
 religion.  See  how  Christ  deals  with  them  for  it, 
 Matt,  xxiii.  With  what  gentleness  did  Christ 
 treat  publicans  and  harlots,  in  comparison  of  them  ! 
 
 When  the  tabernacle  was  erected  in  the  camp  of 
 Israel,  and  God  came  down  from  heaven  to  dwell  in 
 it,  the  priests  were  above  all  others  concerned,  and 
 busily  employed  in  the  solemn  transactions  of  that 
 occasion,  Levit.  viii.  and  ix.  And  so  it  was  at  the 
 time  of  the  dedication  of  the  temple  by  Solomon, 
 (1  Kings  viii.  and  2  Chron.  v.  vi.  and  vii.)  which 
 was  at  the  time  of  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  the  same 
 as  when  the  tabernacle  was  erected  in  the  wilderness. 
 And  the  Levites  were  primarily  and  most  imme- 
 diately concerned  in  bringing  up  the  ark  into  Mount 
 Zion ;  tlie  business  properly  belonged  to  them,  and 
 the  ark  was  carried  upon  their  shoulders,  1  Chron. 
 XV.  2.  "  Then  David  said.  None  ought  to  carry  the 
 ark  of  God  but  the  Levites  :  for  them  hath  the  Lord 
 chosen  to  carry  the  ark  of  God,  and  to  minister  unto 
 him  for  ever."  "  And  David  called  for  Zadok  and 
 Abiathar  the  priests,  and  for  the  Levites,  for  Uriel, 
 Asaiah,  and  Joel,  Shemaiah,  and  Eliel,  and  Ammi- 
 nadab,  and  said  unto  them.  Ye  are  the  chief  of  the 
 fathers  of  the  Levites:  sanctify  yourselves,  both  ye 
 and  your  brethren,  that  ye  may  bring  up  the  ark  of 
 the  Lord  God  of  Israel  unto  the  place  that  I  have 
 prepared  for  it."  So  we  have  an  account  that  the 
 priests  led  the  way  in  rebuilding  the  wall  of  Jerusa- 
 lem, after  the  Babylonish  captivity,  Neh.  iii. 
 
 Though  ministers  preach  ever  so  good  doctrine, 
 and  be  ever  so  painful  and  laborious  in  their  work, 
 
280 
 
 yet  if  they  sliow  to  their  people  that  they  are  not 
 well-afFected  to  this  work,  but  are  doubtful  and  sus- 
 picious of  it,  they  will  be  very  likely  to  do  their 
 people  a  great  deal  more  hurt  than  good.  For  the 
 very  fame  of  such  a  great  and  extraordinary  work  of 
 God,  if  their  people  were  suffered  to  believe  it  to  be 
 his  work,  and  the  example  of  other  towns,  together 
 with  what  preaching  they  might  hear  occasionally, 
 would  be  likely  to  have  a  much  greater  influence 
 upon  the  minds  of  their  people,  to  awaken  and  ani- 
 mate them  in  religion,  than  all  their  labours  with 
 them.  Besides,  their  ministers'  opinion  will  not 
 only  beget  in  them  a  suspicion  of  the  work  they  hear 
 of  abroad,  whereby  the  mighty  hand  of  God  that  ap- 
 pears in  it,  loses  its  influence  upon  their  minds;  but 
 it  will  also  tend  to  create  a  suspicion  of  every  thing 
 of  the  like  nature,  that  shall  appear  among  them- 
 selves, as  being  something  of  the  same  distemper 
 that  is  become  so  epidemical  in  the  land.  And  what 
 is  this,  in  effect,  but  to  create  a  suspicion  of  all  vital 
 religion,  and  to  put  the  people  upon  talking  against 
 and  discouraging  it,  wherever  it  appears,  and  knock- 
 ing it  in  the  head  as  fast  as  it  rises  ?  We,  who  are 
 ministers,  by  looking  on  this  work  from  year  to  year 
 with  a  displeased  countenance,  shall  effectually  keep 
 the  sheep  from  their  pasture,  instead  of  doing  the 
 part  of  shepherds  by  feeding  them  ;  and  our  people 
 had  a  great  deal  better  be  without  any  settled  minis- 
 ter at  all,  at  such  a  day  as  this. 
 
 We,  who  are  in  this  sacred  office,  had  need  to  take 
 heed  what  we  do,  and  how  we  behave  ourselves  at 
 this  time :  a  less  thing  in  a  minister  will  hinder  the 
 work  of  God  than  in  others.     If  we  are  very  silent, 
 
281 
 
 or  say  but  little  about  the  work,  in  our  public 
 prayers  and  preaching,  or  seem  carefully  to  avoid 
 speaking  of  it  in  our  conversation,  it  will  be  inter- 
 preted by  our  people,  that  we  who  are  their  guides, 
 on  whom  they  are  to  have  their  eye  for  spiritual  in- 
 struction, are  suspicious  of  it ;  and  this  will  tend  to 
 raise  the  same  suspicions  in  them ;  and  so  the  fore- 
 mentioned  consequences  will  follow.  And  if  we 
 really  hinder  and  stand  in  the  way  of  the  work  of 
 God,  whose  business  above  all  others  it  is  to  pro- 
 mote it,  how  can  we  expect  to  partake  of  the  glori- 
 ous benefits  of  it  ?  And,  by  keeping  others  from 
 the  benefit,  we  shall  keep  them  out  of  heaven; 
 therefore,  those  awful  words  of  Christ  to  the  Jewish 
 teachers  should  be  considered  by  us:  "  Woe  unto 
 you,  for  ye  shut  up  the  kingdom  :  for  ye  neither  go 
 in  yourselves,  neither  suffer  ye  them  that  are  enter- 
 ing to  go  in."  If  we  keep  the  sheep  from  their 
 pasture,  how  shall  we  answer  it  to  the  great  Shep- 
 herd, who  has  bought  the  flock  with  his  precious 
 blood,  and  has  committed  the  care  of  them  to  us?  I 
 would  humbly  desire  of  every  minister  that  has  thus 
 long  remained  disaffected  to  this  work,  and  has  had 
 contemptible  thoughts  of  it,  to  consider  whether  he 
 has  not  hitherto  been  like  Michal,  without  any  child, 
 or  at  least  in  a  great  measure  barren  and  unsuccess- 
 ful in  his  work.  I  pray  God  it  may  not  be  a  per- 
 petual barrenness,  as  hers  was. 
 
 The  times  of  Christ's  remarkably  appearing  in 
 behalf  of  his  church,  to  revive  religion,  and  advance 
 his  kingdom  in  the  world,  are  often  spoken  of  in  the 
 prophecies  of  Scripture,  as  times  wherein  he  will 
 remarkably  execute  judgments  on  such  ministers  or 
 
282 
 
 shepherds  as  do  not  feed  the  flock,  but  hinder  their 
 being  fed,  and  so  will  deliver  his  flock  from  them, 
 (Jer.  xxiii.  throughout,  and  Ezek.  xxxiv.  through- 
 out, and  Zech.  x.  3.  and  Isa.  ivi.  7 — 9,  &c.)  I 
 observed  before,  that  Christ's  solemn,  magnificent 
 entry  into  Jerusalem,  seems  to  be  designed  as  a  re- 
 presentation of  his  glorious  coming  into  his  church, 
 the  spiritual  Jerusalem  ;  and  therefore  it  is  worthy 
 to  be  noted,  to  our  present  purpose,  that  Christ  at 
 that  time  cast  out  all  them  who  sold  and  bouxrht  in 
 
 c5 
 
 the  temple,  and  overthrew  the  tables  of  the  money- 
 changers, and  the  seats  of  them  that  sold  doves; 
 signifying,  that,  when  he  should  come  to  set  up  his 
 kingdom  on  earth,  he  would  cast  those  out  of  his 
 house,  who,  instead  of  being  faithful  ministers,  offi- 
 ciated there  only  for  worldly  gain.  Not  that  I  de- 
 termine, that  all  ministers  who  are  suspicious  of  this 
 work  do  so;  but  I  mention  these  things  to  show 
 why  it  is  to  be  expected,  that  a  time  of  a  glorious 
 outpouring  of  the  Spirit  of  God  to  revive  religion, 
 will  be  a  time  of  remarkable  judgments  on  those 
 ministers  who  do  not  serve  the  end  of  their  ministry. 
 The  example  of  the  unbelieving  lord  in  Samaria 
 should  especially  be  for  the  warning  of  ministers 
 and  rulers.  At  the  time  when  God  turned  an  ex- 
 treme famine  into  great  plenty,  by  a  wonderful  work 
 of  his,  the  king  appointed  this  lord  to  have  the 
 charge  of  the  gate  of  the  city,  where  he  saw  the 
 common  people  in  multitudes,  entering  with  great 
 joy  and  gladness,  loaden  with  provision,  to  feed  and 
 feast  their  almost  famished  bodies  ;  but  he  himself, 
 though  he  saw  it  with  his  eyes,  never  had  one  taste 
 of  it :    but,  being   weak  with  famine,   sunk  down  in 
 
283 
 
 the  crowd,  and  was  trodden  to  death,  as  a  punish- 
 ment of  God  for  his  not  giving  credit  to  that  great 
 and  wonderful  work  of  God,  when  sufficiently  mani- 
 fested to  him  to  require  his  belief.  Ministers  are 
 those  whom  the  King  of  the  church  has  appointed 
 to  have  the  charge  of  the  gate  at  which  his  people 
 enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  there  to  be  en- 
 tertained and  satisfied  with  an  eternal  feast ;  that  is, 
 ministers  have  the  charge  of  the  house  of  God,  which 
 is  the  gate  of  heaven. 
 
 They  should  especially  take  heed  of  a  spirit  of 
 envy  towards  other  ministers,  whom  God  is  pleased 
 to  use  for  carrying  on  this  work  more  than  they ; 
 and  that  they  do  not,  from  such  a  spirit,  reproach 
 some  preachers  who  have  the  true  spirit,  as  though 
 they  were  influenced  by  a  false  spirit,  or  were  bereft 
 of  reason,  were  mad,  and  proud,  false  pretenders, 
 and  deserved  to  be  put  in  prison  or  the  stocks,  as 
 disturbers  of  the  peace,  lest  they  expose  themselves 
 to  the  curse  of  Shemaiah  the  Nehelamite,  who  en- 
 vied the  prophet  Jeremiah,  and  in  this  manner  re- 
 viled him,  in  his  letter  to  Zephaniah  the  priest, 
 Jer.  xxix.  26,  27.  "  The  Lord  hath  made  thee 
 priest  in  the  stead  of  Jehoiada  the  priest,  that  ye 
 should  be  officers  in  the  house  of  the  Lord,  for 
 every  man  that  is  mad,  and  maketh  himself  a  pro- 
 phet, that  thou  shouldest  put  him  in  prison,  and  in 
 the  stocks  :  now  therefore,  why  hast  thou  not  re- 
 proved Jeremiah  of  Anathoth,  which  maketh  himself 
 a  prophet  to  you  ?"  His  curse  is  denounced  in  the 
 32d  verse,  "  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord,  Be- 
 hold, I  will  punish  Shemaiah  the  Nehelamite,  and 
 his  seed  ;  he  shall  not  have  a  man  to  dwell  among  this 
 
284 
 
 people;  neither  shall  he  behold  the  good  that  I  will 
 do  for  my  people,  saith  the  Lord;  because  he  hath 
 taught  rebellion  against  the  Lord/*  All  superiors 
 or  elders  should  take  heed,  that  at  this  day  they  be 
 not  like  the  elder  brother,  who  could  not  bear  that 
 the  prodigal  should  be  sumptuously  entertained,  and 
 would  not  join  in  the  joy  of  the  feast.  He  was  like 
 Michal,  Saul's  daughter,  offended  at  the  music  and 
 dancing  that  he  heard ;  the  transports  of  joy  dis- 
 pleased him  ;  it  seemed  to  him  to  be  an  unseemly 
 and  unseasonable  noise  ;  and  therefore  stood  at  a 
 distance,  sullen,  and  much  offended,  and  full  of  in- 
 vectives against  the  young  prodigal. 
 
 It  is  our  wisest  and  best  way,  fully,  and  without 
 reluctance,  to  bow  to  the  great  God  in  this  work, 
 and  to  be  entirely  resigned  to  him,  with  respect  to 
 the  manner  in  which  he  carries  it  on,  and  the  in- 
 struments he  is  pleased  to  use.  Let  us  not  show  our- 
 selves out  of  humour,  and  sullenly  refuse  to  acknow- 
 ledge the  work  in  its  full  glory,  because  we  have 
 not  had  so  great  a  hand  in  promoting  it,  or  have 
 not  shared  so  largely  in  its  blessings,  as  some  others. 
 Let  us  not  refuse  to  give  all  that  honour  which  be- 
 longs to  others  as  instruments,  because  they  are 
 young,  or  are,  upon  other  accounts,  much  inferior 
 to  ourselves  and  others  ;  and  may  appear  to  us  very 
 unworthy  that  God  should  put  so  much  honour  upon 
 them.  When  God  comes  to  accomplish  any  great 
 work  for  his  church,  and  for  the  advancement  of  the 
 kingdom  of  his  Son,  he  always  fulfils  that  Scripture, 
 Isaiah  ii.  17.  "  And  the  loftiness  of  man  shall  be 
 bowed  down,  and  the  haughtiness  of  man  shall  be 
 made  low,  and  the  Lord  alone  shall  be  exalted  in 
 
285 
 
 that  day."  If  God  has  a  design  of  carrying  on  this 
 work,  every  one,  whether  he  be  great  or  small,  must 
 either  bow  to  it,  or  be  broken  before  it.  It  may  be 
 expected  that  God's  hand  will  be  upon  every  thing 
 that  is  high,  and  stiff,  and  strong  in  opposition  ;  as 
 in  Isaiah  ii.  "  For  the  day  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  shall 
 be  upon  every  one  that  is  proud  and  lofty,  and  upon 
 every  one  that  is  lifted  up,  and  he  shall  be  brought 
 low;  and  upon  all  the  cedars  of  Lebanon,  that  are 
 high  and  lifted  up,  and  upon  all  the  oaks  of  Bashan, 
 and  upon  all  the  high  mountains,  and  upon  all  the 
 hills  that  are  lifted  up,  and  upon  every  high  tower, 
 and  upon  every  fenced  wall." 
 
 Not  only  magistrates  and  ministers,  but  every 
 living  soul  is  now  obliged  to  arise  and  acknowledge 
 God  in  this  work,  and  put  to  his  hand  to  promote 
 it,  as  they  would  not  expose  themselves  to  God's 
 curs'e.  All  sorts  of  persons  throughout  the  whole 
 congregation  of  Israel,  great  and  sjuall,  rich  and 
 poor,  men  and  women,  helped  to  build  the  taber- 
 nacle in  the  wilderness :  some  in  one  way,  others  in 
 another  ;  each  one  according  to  his  capacity  ;  every 
 one  whose  heart  stirred  him  up,  and  every  one 
 whom  his  spirit  made  willing  :  all  sorts  contributed, 
 and  all  sorts  were  employed  in  that  affair,  in  labours 
 of  their  hands,  both  men  and  women.  Some  brought 
 gold  and  silver,  others  blue,  purple,  and  scarlet,  and 
 fine  linen  ;  others  offered  an  offering  of  brass ;  others, 
 with  whom  was  found  shittim-wood,  brought  it  an 
 offering  to  the  Lord  ;  the  rulers  brought  onyx-stones, 
 and  spice,  and  oil ;  and  some  brought  goats'  hair, 
 some  rams'  skins,  and  others  badgers'  skins.  And 
 we   are  told,   "  The  children   of  Israel  brought  a 
 
286 
 
 willing  offering  unto  the  Lord,  every  man  and  woman, 
 whose  heart  made  them  willing."  And  thus  it 
 ought  to  be  in  this  day  of  building  the  tabernacle  of 
 God  ;  with  such  a  willing  and  cheerful  heart  ought 
 every  man,  woman,  and  child,  to  do  something  to 
 promote  this  work  :  those  who  have  not  onyx-stones, 
 or  are  not  able  to  bring  gold  or  silver,  yet  may  bring 
 goats'  hair. 
 
 As  all  sorts  of  persons  were  employed  in  building 
 the  tabernacle  in  the  wilderness,  so  the  whole  con- 
 gregation of  Israel  were  called  together  to  set  up  the 
 tabernacle  in  Shiloh,  after  they  came  into  Canaan, 
 Josh,  xviii.  1.  and  the  whole  congregation  of  Israel 
 were  gathered  together  to  bring  up  the  ark  of  God 
 from  Kirjath-jearim.  Again,  they  were  all  assem- 
 bled to  bring  it  up  out  of  the  house  of  Obed-edom 
 into  Mount  Zion  ;  so  again,  all  Israel  met  together 
 to  assist  in  the  irreat  affair  of  the  dedication  of  the 
 temple,  and  bring  the  ark  into  it.  So  we  have  an 
 account,  how  that  all  sorts  assisted  in  the  rebuilding 
 the  wall  of  Jerusalem ;  not  only  the  proper  inhabi- 
 tants of  Jerusalem,  but  those  that  dwelt  in  other 
 parts  of  the  land  ;  not  only  the  priests  and  rulers, 
 but  the  Nethinims  and  merchants,  husbandmen,  and 
 mechanics,  and  even  women,  Neh.  iii.  And  we 
 have  an  account  of  one  and  another,  that  he  repaired 
 over  against  his  house,  and  one  that  repaired  over 
 against  his  chamber.  So  now,  at  this  time  of  the 
 rebuilding  the  wall  of  Jerusalem,  every  one  ought  to 
 promote  the  work  of  God  within  his  own  sphere, 
 and  by  doing  what  belongs  to  him,  in  the  place  in 
 which  God  has  set  him.  Men  in  a  private  capacity 
 may  repair  over  against  their  houses;  and  even  those 
 
287 
 
 that  have  not  the  government  of  families,  and  have 
 but  a  part  of  a  house  belonging  to  thera,  should  re- 
 pair each  one  over  against  his  chamber.  Every  one 
 should  be  engaged  to  do  the  utmost  that  lies  in  his 
 power,  labouring  with  watchfulness,  care,  and  dili- 
 gence, with  united  hearts,  and  united  strength,  and 
 the  greatest  readiness  to  assist  one  another  in  this 
 work;  as  God's  people  rebuilt  the  wall  of  Jerusalem, 
 who  were  so  diligent  in  the  work,  that  they  wrought 
 from  break  of  day  till  the  stars  appeared,  and  did 
 not  so  much  as  put  off  their  clothes  in  the  night. 
 They  wrought  with  great  care  and  watchfulness ; 
 with  one  hand  they  laboured  in  the  work,  and  with 
 the  other  they  held  a  weapon,  besides  the  guard 
 they  set  to  defend  them.  They  were  so  well  united 
 in  it,  that  they  appointed  one  to  stand  ready  with  a 
 trumpet  in  his  hand,  that,  if  any  were  assaulted  in  one 
 part,  those  in  the  other  parts,  at  the  sound  of  the  trum- 
 pet, might  resort  to  them,  and  help  them,  Neh.  iv. 
 Great  care  should  be  taken  that  the  press  should 
 be  improved  to  no  purpose  contrary  to  the  interest 
 of  this  work.  We  read  that,  when  God  fought 
 against  Sisera,  for  the  deliverance  of  his  oppressed 
 church,  "  they  that  handle  the  pen  of  the  writer" 
 c.iiue  to  the  help  of  the  Lord  in  that  affair.  Judges 
 V.  14.  Whatever  sort  of  men  in  Israel  were  in- 
 tended, yet,  as  the  words  were  indicted  by  a  Spirit 
 that  had  a  perfect  view  of  all  events  to  the  end  of 
 the  world,  and  had  a  special  eye  in  this  song,  to  that 
 great  event  of  the  deliverance  of  God's  church  in 
 the  latter  days,  of  which  this  deliverance  of  Israel 
 was  a  type,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  they  have  respect 
 to  authors,    who  should  fight   against  the  kingdom 
 
288 
 
 of  Satan  with  their  pens.  Those  therefore  that 
 publish  pamphlets  to  the  disadvantaf^o  of  this  work, 
 and  tend  either  directly  or  indirectly  to  bring  it 
 under  suspicion,  and  to  discourage  or  hinder  it, 
 would  do  well  thoroughly  to  consider  whether  this 
 be  not  indeed  the  work  of  God;  and  whether,  if  it 
 be,  it  is  not  likely  that  God  will  go  forth  as  fire,  to 
 consume  all  that  stand  in  his' way  ;  and  whether  there 
 be  not  danger  that  the  fire  kindled  in  them  will 
 scorch  the  authors. 
 
 When  a  people  oppose  Christ  in  the  work  of  his 
 Holy  Spirit,  it  is  because  it  touches  them  in  some- 
 thing that  is  dear  to  their  carnal  minds,  and  because 
 they  see  the  tendency  of  it  is  to  cross  their  pride, 
 and  deprive  them  of  the  objects  of  their  lusts.  We 
 should  take  heed  that  at  this  day  we  be  not  like  the 
 Gadarenes,  who,  when  Christ  came  into  their  country 
 in  the  glorious  exercise  of  his  power  and  grace,  tri- 
 umphing over  a  legion  of  devils,  and  delivering  a  miser- 
 able creature  that  had  long  been  their  captive — were 
 all  alarmed,  because  they  lost  their  swine  by  it ;  and  a 
 whole  multitude  of  the  country  came  and  besought 
 him  to  depart  out  of  their  coasts.  They  loved  their 
 filthy  swine  better  than  Jesus  Christ,  and  had  rather 
 have  a  legion  of  devils  in  their  country  with  their 
 herd  of  swine,  than  Jesus  Christ  without  them. 
 
 This  work  may  be  opposed  in  other  ways  besides 
 directly  speaking  against  the  whole  of  it.  Persons 
 may  say,  that  they  believe  there  is  a  good  work 
 carried  on  in  the  country,  and  may  sometimes  bless 
 God,  in  their  public  prayers,  in  general  terms,  for 
 any  awakenings  or  revivals  of  religion  there  have 
 lately  been  in  any  part  of  the  land ;   and  may  pray 
 
289 
 
 that  God  would  carry  on  his  own  work,  and  pour 
 out  his  Spirit  more  and  more ;  and  yet,  as  I  appre- 
 hend, be  in  the  sight  of  God's  great  opposers  of  his 
 work.  Some  will  express  themselves  after  this 
 manner,  who  are  so  far  from  acknowledging  and 
 rejoicing  in  the  infinite  mercy  and  glorious  grace  of 
 God,  in  causing  so  happy  a  change,  that  they  look 
 on  the  religious  state'of  the  country,  take  it  on  the 
 whole,  much  more  sorrowful  than  it  was  ten  years 
 ago;  and  whose  conversation  to  those  who  are  well 
 acquainted  with  them,  evidently  shows  that  they  are 
 more  out  of  humour  with  the  state  of  things,  and 
 enjoy  themselves  less  than  they  did  before  this  work 
 began.  If  it  be  manifestly  thus  with  us,  and  our 
 talk  and  behaviour  with  respect  to  this  work,  be 
 such  as  has  but  an  indirect  tendency  to  beget  ill 
 thoughts  and  suspicions  in  others  concerning  it,  we 
 are  opposers  of  the  work  of  God. 
 
 Instead  of  coming  to  the  help  of  the  Lord,  we 
 shall  actually  fight  against  him,  if  we  are  abundant 
 in  insisting  on,  and  setting  forth,  the  blemishes  of 
 the  woik  ;  so  as  to  manifest  that  we  rather  choose, 
 and  are  more  forward  to  take  notice  of,  what  is 
 amiss,  than  what  is  good  and  glorious  in  the  work. 
 Not  but  that  the  errors  committed  ought  to  be  ob- 
 served and  lamented,  and  a  proper  testimony  borne 
 against  them,  and  the  most  probable  means  should 
 be  used  to  have  them  amended ;  but  insisting  much 
 upon  them,  as  though  it  were  a  pleasing  theme,  or 
 speaking  of  them  with  more  appearance  of  heat  of 
 spirit,  or  with  ridicule,  or  an  air  of  contempt,  than 
 grief  for  them,  has  no  tendency  to  correct  the  errors; 
 but  has  a  tendency  to  darken  the  glory  of  God's 
 N  i8 
 
290 
 
 power  and  grace  appearing  in  the  substance  of  the 
 work,  and  to  beget  jealousies  and  ill  thoughts  in  the 
 minds  of  others  concerning  the  whole  of  it.  What- 
 ever errors  many  zealous  persons  have  ran  into,  yet 
 if  the  work,  in  the  substance  of  it,  be  the  work  of 
 God,  then  it  is  a  joyful  day  indeed ;  it  is  so  in  hea- 
 ven, and  ought  to  be  so  among  God's  people  on 
 earth,  especially  in  that  part  of  the  earth  where  this 
 glorious  work  is  carried  on.  It  is  a  day  of  great 
 rejoicing  with  Christ  himself,  the  good  Shepherd, 
 when  he  finds  his  sheep  that  was  lost,  lays  it  on  his 
 shoulders  rejoicing,  and  calls  together  his  friends 
 and  neighbours,  saying,  "  Rejoice  with  me."  If  we, 
 therefore,  are  Christ's  friends,  now  it  should  be  a 
 day  of  great  rejoicing  with  us.  If  we  viewed  things 
 in  a  just  light,  so  great  an  event  as  the  conversion 
 of  such  a  multitude  of  sinners,  would  draw  and  en- 
 gage our  attention  much  more  than  all  the  impru- 
 dences and  irregularities  that  have  been  ;  our  hearts 
 would  be  swallowed  up  with  the  glory  of  this  event, 
 and  we  should  have  no  great  disposition  to  attend  to 
 any  thing  else.  The  imprudences  and  errors  of  poor 
 feeble  worms  do  not  prevent  great  rejoicing,  in  the 
 presence  of  the  angels  of  God,  over  so  many  poor 
 sinners  that  have  repented  ;  and  it  will  be  an  argu- 
 ment of  something  very  ill  in  us,  if  they  prevent  our 
 rejoicing. 
 
 Who  loves,  in  a  day  of  great  joy  and  gladness, 
 to  be  much  insisting  on  those  things  that  are  uncom- 
 fortable? Would  it  not  be  very  improper,  on  a 
 king's  coronation-day,  to  be  much  in  taking  notice 
 of  the  blemishes  of  the  royal  family  ?  Or  would  it 
 be  agreeable  to  the  bridegroom,   on  the  day  of  his 
 
S91 
 
 espousals,  the  day  of  the  gladness  of  his  heart,  to 
 be  much  insisting  on  the  blemishes  of  his  bride  ? 
 We  have  an  account,  how,  at  the  time  of  that  joyful 
 dispensation  of  Providence,  the  restoration  of  the 
 church  of  Israel  after  the  Babylonish  captivity,  and 
 at  the  time  of  the  feast  of  tabernacles,  many  wept 
 at  the  faults  which  were  found  amongst  the  people, 
 but  were  reproved  for  taking  so  much  notice  of  the 
 blemishes  of  that  affair,  as  to  overlook  the  cause  of 
 rejoicing.  Neh.  viii.  "  And  Nehemiah,  which  is 
 the  Tirshatha,  and  Ezra  the  priest  the  scribe,  and 
 the  Levites  that  taught  the  people,  said  unto  all  the 
 people,  This  day  is  holy  unto  the  Lord  your  God; 
 mourn  not,  nor  weep.  For  all  the  people  wept, 
 when  they  heard  the  words  of  the  law.  Then  he 
 said  unto  them.  Go  your  way,  eat  the  fat,  and  drink 
 the  sweet,  and  send  portions  unto  them  for  whom  no- 
 thing is  prepared:  for  this  day  is  holy  unto  our  Lord  ; 
 neither  be  ye  sorry ;  for  the  joy  of  the  Lord  is  your 
 strength.  So  the  Levites  stilled  all  the  people, 
 saying,  Hold  your  peace,  for  the  day  is  holy;  nei- 
 ther be  ye  grieved.  And  all  the  people  went  their 
 way  to  eat,  and  to  drink,  and  to  send  portions,  and 
 to  make  great  mirth,  because  they  had  understood 
 the  words  that  were  declared  unto  them." 
 
 God  doubtless  now  expects,  that  all  sorts  of  per- 
 sons in  New  England,  rulers,  ministers,  and  people, 
 high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  old  and  young,  should 
 take  great  notice  of  his  hand  in  this  mighty  work 
 of  his  grace,  and  should  appear  to  acknowledge  his 
 glory  in  it,  and  greatly  to  rejoice  in  it,  every  one 
 doing  his  utmost,  in  the  place  where  God  has  set 
 them  in,  to  promote  it.  And  God,  according  to 
 N  2 
 
292 
 
 his  wonderful  patience,  seems  to  be  still  waiting  to 
 give  us  opportunity  thus  to  acknowledge  and  hon- 
 our him.  But,  if  we  finally  refuse,  there  is  not  the 
 least  reason  to  expect  any  other  than  that  his  awful 
 curse  will  pursue  us,  and  that  the  pourings  out  of 
 his  wrath  will  be  proportionable  to  the  despised  out- 
 pourings of  his  Spirit  and  grace. 
 
293 
 
 PART  III. 
 
 SHOWING,  IN  MANY  INSTANCES,  WHEREIN  THE  SUB- 
 JECTS, OR  ZEALOUS  PROMOTERS  OF  THIS  WORK, 
 HAVE  BEEN  INJURIOUSLY  BLAMED. 
 
 This  work,  which  has  lately  been  carried  on  in 
 the  land,  is  the  work  of  God,  and  not  the  work  of 
 man.  Its  beginning  has  not  been  of  man's  power 
 or  device,  and  its  being  carried  on  depends  not  on 
 our  strength  or  wisdom;  but  yet  God  expects  of 
 all,  that  they  should  use  their  utmost  endeavours  to 
 promote  it,  and  that  the  hearts  of  all  should  be 
 greatly  engaged  in  it.  We  should  improve  our  ut- 
 most strength  in  it,  however  vain  human  strength  is 
 without  the  power  of  God ;  and  so  he  no  less  re- 
 quires that  we  should  improve  our  utmost  care,  wis- 
 dom, and  prudence,  though  human  wisdom,  of  itself, 
 be  as  vain  as  human  strength.  Though  God  is 
 wont  to  carry  on  such  a  work,  in  such  a  manner  as 
 many  ways  to  show  the  weakness  and  vanity  of 
 means  and  human  endeavours  in  themselves  ;  yet, 
 at  the  same  time,  he  carries  it  on  in  such  a  manner 
 as  to  encourage  diligence  and  vigilance  in  the  use  of 
 proper  means  and  endeavours,  and  to  punish  the 
 neglect  of  them.  Therefore,  in  our  endeavours  to 
 promote  this  great  work,  we  ought  to  use  the  utmost 
 caution,  vigilance,  and  skill,  in  the  measures  we  take 
 in  order  to  it.  A  great  affair  should  be  managed 
 with  great  prudence.  This  is  the  most  important 
 affair  that  ever  New  England  was  called  to  be  con- 
 
294 
 
 cerned  in.  When  a  people  are  engaged  in  war  with 
 a  powerful  and  crafty  nation,  it  concerns  them  to 
 manage  an  affair  of  such  consequence  with  the  ut- 
 most discretion.  Of  what  vast  importance  then 
 must  it  be,  that  we  should  be  vigilant  and  prudent 
 in  the  management  of  this  great  war  with  so  great 
 a  host  of  subtle  and  cruel  enemies  !  We  must 
 either  conquer  or  be  conquered;  and  the  conse- 
 quence of  the  victory,  on  one  side,  will  be  our  eter- 
 nal destruction  in  both  soul  and  body  in  hell ;  and, 
 on  the  other  side,  our  obtaining  the  kingdom  of 
 heaven,  and  reigning  in  it  in  eternal  glory  !  We 
 had  need  always  to  stand  on  our  watch,  and  to  be 
 well  versed  in  the  art  of  war,  and  not  be  ignorant 
 of  the  devices  of  our  enemies,  and  to  take  heed  lest 
 by  any  means  we  be  beguiled  through  their  subtlety. 
 Though  the  devil  be  strong,  yet,  in  such  a  war  as 
 this,  he  depends  more  on  his  craft  than  his  strength. 
 The  course  he  has  chiefly  taken,  from  time  to  time, 
 to  clog,  hinder,  and  overthrow  revivals  of  religion  in 
 the  church  of  God,  has  been  by  his  subtle,  deceit- 
 ful management,  to  beguile  and  mislead  those  that 
 have  been  engaged  therein;  and  in  such  a  course 
 God  has  been  pleased,  in  his  holy  and  sovereign 
 providence,  to  suffer  him  to  succeed,  oftentimes,  in 
 a  great  measure,  to  overthrow  that  which  in  its  be- 
 ginning appeared  most  hopeful  and  glorious.  The 
 work  now  begun,  as  1  have  shown,  is  eminently  glo- 
 rious; and,  if  it  should  go  on  and  prevail,  it  would 
 make  New  England  a  kind  of  heaven  upon  earth. 
 Is  it  not,  therefore,  a  thousand  pities  that  it  should 
 be  overthrown,  through  wrong  and  improper  manage- 
 ment, which  we  are  led  inlo  by  our  subtle  adver- 
 
295 
 
 sary,  in  our  endeavours  to  promote  it? — My  present 
 design  is  to  take  notice  of  some  things  at  which 
 offence  has  been'taken  beyond  just  bounds. 
 
 I.  One  thing  that  has  been  complained  of  is, 
 ministers  addressing  themselves  rather  to  the  affec- 
 
 o 
 
 tions  of  their  hearers  than  to  their  understandings, 
 and  striving  to  raise  their  passions  to  the  utmost 
 height,  rather  by  a  very  affectionate  manner  of  speak- 
 ing, and  a  great  appearance  of  earnestness  in  voice 
 and  gesture,  than  by  clear  reasoning,  and  informing 
 their  judgment :  by  which  means  it  is  objected  that 
 the  affections  are  moved,  without  a  proportionable 
 enlic^hteninff  of  the  understandinfr. 
 
 To  which  1  would  say,  I  am  far  from  thinking 
 that  it  is  not  very  profitable  for  ministers,  in  their 
 preaching,  to  endeavour  clearly  and  distinctly  to  ex- 
 plain the  doctrines  of  religion,  and  unravel  the  diffi- 
 culties that  attend  them,  and  to  confirm  them  with 
 strength  of  reason  and  argumentation,  and  also  to 
 observe  some  easy  and  clear  method  in  their  dis- 
 courses, for  the  help  of  the  understanding  and  me- 
 mory ;  and  it  is  very  probable  that  these  things  have 
 been  of  late  too  much  neglected  by  many  ministers. 
 Yet  I  believe  that  the  objection  made,  of  affections 
 raised  without  enlightening  the  understanding,  is  in 
 a  great  measure  built  on  a  mistake,  and  confused 
 notions  that  some  have  about  the  nature  and  cause 
 of  the  affections,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  de- 
 pend on  the  understanding.  All  affections  are  raised 
 either  by  light  in  the  understanding,  or  by  some 
 error  and  delusion  in  the  understandinrr .-  for  all 
 affections  do  certainly  arise  from  some  apprehension 
 in  the  understanding;  and  that  apprehension  mu§t 
 
296 
 
 either  be  agreeable  to  truth,  or  else  be  some  mistake 
 or  delusion;  if  it  be  an  apprehension  or  notion  that 
 is  agreeable  to  truth,  then  it  is  light  in  the  under- 
 standing.     Therefore  the  thing  to  be  inquired  into 
 is,  whether  the  apprehensions  or  notions  of  divine 
 and  eternal  things,  that  are  raised  in  people's  minds 
 by  these  affectionate  preachers,  by  which  their  affec- 
 tions are  excited,  be  apprehensions  agreeable  to  truth, 
 or  whether  they  are  mistakes.      If  the  former,  then 
 the  affections  are   raised  the  way  they  should  be, 
 namely,  by  informing  the  mind,  or  conveying  light 
 to  the  understanding.     They  go  away  with  a  wrong 
 notion,  who  think  that  those  preachers  cannot  affect 
 their  hearers  by  enlightening  their  understandings, 
 except  by  such  a  distinct  and  learned  handling  of 
 the  doctrinal  points  of  religion,  as  depends  on  human 
 discipline,    or  the  strength  of  natural  reason,   and 
 tends  to  enlarge  their  hearers'  learning,  and  specu- 
 lative knowledge  in  divinity.    The  manner  of  preach- 
 ing without  this,   may  be  such  as  shall  tend  very 
 much  to  set  divine  and   eternal  things  in  a  right 
 view,  and  to  give  the  hearers  such  ideas  and  appre- 
 hensions of  them  as  are  agreeable  to  truth,  and  such 
 impressions  on  their  hearts  as  are  answerable  to  the 
 real  nature  of  things.      And,  beside  the  words  that 
 are  spoken,  the  manner  of  speaking  has  a  great  ten- 
 dency to  this.      I  think  an  exceedingly  affectionate 
 way   of  preaching  about  the   great  things  of  reli- 
 gion, has  in  itself  no  tendency  to  beget  false  appre- 
 hensions of  them ;   but,   on   the   contrary,   a   much 
 greater   tendency    to    beget   true    apprehensions    of 
 them,    than   a   moderate,    dull,    indifferent  way    of 
 speaking  of  them.      An  appearance  of  affection  and 
 
297 
 
 earnestness  in  the  manner  of  delivery,  though  very 
 great  indeed,  if  it  be  agreeable  to  the  nature  of  the 
 subject — and  be  not  beyond  a  proportion  to  its  im- 
 portance, and  worthiness  of  affection,  and  if  there  be 
 no  appearance  of  its  being  feigned  or  forced — has 
 so  much  the  greater  tendency  to  beget  true  ideas  or 
 apprehensions  in  the  minds  of  the  hearers  concerning 
 the  subject  spoken  of,  and  so  to  enlighten  the  under- 
 standing: and  that  for  this  reason,  that  such  a  way 
 or  manner  of  speaking  of  these  things  does,  in  fact, 
 more  truly  represent  them  than  a  more  cold  and  in- 
 diflPerent  way  of  speaking  of  them.  If  the  subject 
 be  in  its  own  nature  worthy  of  very  great  affection, 
 then  speaking  of  it  with  very  great  affection  is  most 
 agreeable  to  the  nature  of  that  subject,  or  is  the 
 truest  representation  of  it,  and  therefore  has  most  of 
 a  tendency  to  beget  true  ideas  of  it  in  the  minds  of 
 those  to  whom  the  representation  is  made.  And  I 
 do  not  think  ministers  are  to  be  blamed  for  raising 
 the  affections  of  their  hearers  too  high,  if  that  which 
 .they  are  affected  with  be  only  that  which  is  worthy 
 of  affection,  and  their  affections  are  not  raised  be- 
 yond a  proportion  to  their  importance,  or  worthiness 
 of  affection.  I  should  think  myself  in  the  way  of 
 my  duty,  to  raise  the  affections  of  my  hearers  as  high 
 as  possibly  I  can,  provided  that  they  are  affected  with 
 nothing  but  truth,  and  with  affections  that  are  not 
 disagreeable  to  the  nature  of  the  subject.  I  know 
 it  has  long  been  fashionable  to  despise  a  very  earnest 
 and  pathetical  way  of  preaching;  and  they  only  have 
 been  valued  as  preachers,  who  have  shown  the  great- 
 est extent  of  learning,  strength  of  reason,  and  cor- 
 rectness of  method  and  language.  But  I  humbly 
 n3 
 
298 
 
 conceive  it  has  been  for  want  of  understanding,  or 
 duly  considering  human  nature,  that  such  preaching 
 has  been  thought  to  have  the  greatest  tendency  to 
 answer  the  ends  of  preaching ;  and  the  experience  of 
 the  present  and  past  ages  abundantly  confirms  the 
 same.  Though,  as  I  said  before,  clearness  of  dis- 
 tinction and  illustration,  and  strength  of  reason,  and 
 a  good  method,  in  the  doctrinal  handling  of  the 
 truths  of  religion,  is  many  ways  needful  and  profit- 
 able, and  not  to  be  neglected;  yet  an  increase  in 
 speculative  knowledge  in  divinity  is  not  what  is  so 
 much  needed  by  our  people,  as  something  else.  Men 
 may  abound  in  this  sort  of  light  and  have  no  heat. 
 How  much  has  there  been  of  this  sort  of  knowledge, 
 in  the  Christian  world,  in  this  age?  Was  there 
 ever  an  age,  wherein  strength  and  penetration  of 
 reason,  extent  of  learning,  exactness  of  distinction, 
 correctness  of  style,  and  clearness  of  expression,  did 
 so  abound  ?  And  yet,  was  there  ever  an  age  wherein 
 there  has  been  so  little  sense  of  the  evil  of  sin,  so 
 little  love  to  God,  heavenly-mindedness,  and  holiness 
 of  life,  among  the  professors  of  the  true  religion  ? 
 Our  people  do  not  so  much  need  to  have  their  heads 
 stored,  as  to  have  their  hearts  touched;  and  they 
 stand  in  the  greatest  need  of  that  sort  of  preaching 
 which  has  the  greatest  tendency  to  do  this. 
 
 Those  texts,  Isa.  Iviii.  1.  "  Cry  aloud,  spare  not, 
 lift  up  thy  voice  like  a  trumpet,  and  show  my  people 
 their  transgression,  and  the  house  of  Jacob  their 
 sins."  And,  Ezek.  vi.  11.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
 God,  Smite  with  thine  hand,  and  stamp  with  thy 
 foot,  and  say,  Alas  for  all  the  evil  abominations  of  the 
 house  of  Israel !"     I  say,  these  texts  (however  the 
 
299 
 
 use  that  some  have  made  of  them  has  been  laughed 
 at)  will  fully  justify  a  great  degree  of  pathos,  and 
 manifestation  of  zeal  and  fervency  in  preaching  the 
 word  of  God.  They  may  indeed  be  abused,  so  as 
 to  countenance  that  which  would  be  odd  and  unna- 
 tural amongst  us,  not  making  due  allowance  for  dif- 
 ference of  manners  and  customs  in  different  ages 
 and  nations;  but,  let  us  interpret  them  how  we  will, 
 they  at  least  imply,  that  a  most  affectionate  and  ear- 
 nest manner  of  delivery,  in  many  cases,  becomes  a 
 preacher  of  God's  word. 
 
 Preaching  of  the  word  of  God  is  commonly 
 spoken  of  in  Scripture,  in  such  expressions  as  seem 
 to  import  a  loud  and  earnest  speaking;  as  in  Isa.  xl. 
 
 2.  "  Speak  ye  comfortably  to  Jerusalem,  and  cry 
 unto  her,  that  her  iniquity  is  pardoned."      And  ver. 
 
 3.  "  The  voice  of  him  that  crieth  in  the  wilderness, 
 Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord," — ver.  6.  "  The 
 Voice  said,  Cry.  And  he  said.  What  shall  I  cry  ? 
 All  flesh  is  grass,  and  all  the  goodliness  thereof  as 
 the  flower  of  the  field."  Jer.  ii.  2.  "  Go  and  cry 
 in  the  ears  of  Jerusalem,  saying,  Thus  saith  the 
 Lord,"  &c.  Jonah  i.  2.  "  Arise,  go  to  Nineveh, 
 that  great  city,  and  cry  against  it."  Isa.  Ixi.  1,  2. 
 "  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  God  is  upon  me;  because 
 the  Lord  hath  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings 
 unto  the  meek:  he  hath  sent  me  to  bind  up  the 
 broken-hearted,  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives, 
 and  the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are 
 bound;  to  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  tiie 
 Lord,  and  the  day  of  vengeance  of  our  God." 
 Isa.  Ixii.  11:"  Behold,  the  Lord  hath  proclaimed 
 unto  the  end  of  the  world,  Say  ye  to  the  daughter 
 
300 
 
 of  Zion,  Behold,  thy  salvation  cometh,"  &c.  Rom. 
 X.  18.  "  Their  sound  went  into  all  the  earth,  and 
 their  words  to  the  end  of  the  world.'*  Jer.  xi.  6. 
 "  Proclaim  all  these  words  in  the  cities  of  Judah, 
 and  in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem,  saying,  Hear  ye  the 
 words  of  this  covenant,  and  do  them.'*  Prov. 
 viii,  1.  "  Doth  not  wisdom  cry?  and  understanding 
 put  forth  her  voice  ? — She  crieth  at  the  gates,  at  the 
 entry  of  the  city,  at  the  coming  in  at  the  doors. 
 Unto  you,  O  men,  I  call ;  and  my  voice  is  to  the 
 sons  of  men."  And  chap.  i.  20.  "  Wisdom  crieth 
 without;  she  uttereth  her  voice  in  the  streets.'* 
 Chap.  ix.  3.  "  She  hath  sent  forth  her  maidens ; 
 she  crieth  upon  the  high  places  of  the  city."  John 
 vii.  37.  "  In  the  last  day,  that  great  day  of  the 
 feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried,  saying,  If  any  man 
 thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink.'* 
 
 It  seems  to  be  foretold,  that  the  gospel  should  be 
 especially  preached  in  a  loud  and  earnest  manner,  at 
 the  introduction  of  the  prosperous  state  of  religion 
 in  the  latter  days.  *'  O  Zion,  that  bringest  good 
 tidings,  get  thee  up  into  the  high  mountain;  O 
 Jerusalem,  that  bringest  good  tidings,  lift  up  thy 
 voice  with  strength:  lift  it  up,  and  be  not  afraid; 
 say  unto  the  cities  of  Judah,  Behold  your  God  !** 
 "  How  beautiful  upon  the  mountains  are  the  feet  of 
 him  that  bringeth  good  tidings  \ — Thy  watchmen 
 shall  lift  up  the  voice."  "  And  it  shall  come  to 
 pass  in  that  day,  that  the  great  trumpet  shall  be 
 blown,  and  they  shall  come  which  were  ready  to 
 perish."  And  this  will  be  one  way  by  which  the 
 church  of  God  will  cry  at  that  time  like  a  travailing 
 woman,  when  Christ  mystical  is  going  to  be  brought 
 
301 
 
 forth  ;  as  Rev.  xii.  at  the  beginning.  It  will  be  by 
 ministers,  as  her  mouth,  that  Christ  will  then  cry- 
 like  a  travailing  woman,  as  in  Isa.  xlii.  14.  "I  have 
 long  time  holden  my  peace,  I  have  been  still  and 
 refrained  myself:  now  will  I  cry  like  a  travailing 
 woman."  Christ  cries  by  his  ministers,  and  the 
 church  cries  by  her  oificers.  And  it  is  worthy  to  be 
 noted,  that  the  word  commonly  used  in  the  New 
 Testament  which  we  translate  "  preach,"  properly 
 signifies  to  "  proclaim  aloud  like  a  crier." 
 
 II.  Another  thing  that  some  ministers  have  been 
 greatly  blamed  for,  and  I  think  unjustly,  is  speaking 
 terror  to  those  who  are  already  under  great  terrors, 
 instead  of  comforting  them.  Indeed,  if  ministers, 
 in  such  a  case,  go  about  to  terrify  persons  with  that 
 which  is  not  true,  or  to  affright  them  by  representing 
 their  case  worse,  or,  in  any  respect,  otherwise  than 
 it  is,  they  are  to  be  condemned;  but  if  they  terrify 
 them  only  by  still  holding  forth  more  light  to  them, 
 and  giving  them  to  understand  more  of  the  truth  of 
 their  case,  they  are  altogether  to  be  justified.  When 
 consciences  are  greatly  awakened  by  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  it  is  by  light  imparted,  enabling  men  to  see  their 
 case,  in  some  measure,  as  it  is ;  and  if  more  light  be 
 let  in,  it  will  terrify  them  still  more.  But  ministers 
 are  not  therefore  to  be  blamed,  that  they  endeavour 
 to  hold  forth  more  light  to  the  conscience,  and  do 
 not  rather  alleviate  the  pain  they  are  under,  by  in- 
 tercepting and  obstructing  the  light  that  shines 
 already.  To  say  any  thing  to  those  who  have  never 
 believed  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  represent  their 
 case  any  otherwise  than  exceeding  terrible,  is  not  to 
 preach  the  word  of  God  to  them ;  for  the  word  of 
 
302 
 
 God  reveals  nothing  but  truth,  but  this  is  to  delude 
 them.  Why.  should  we  be  afraid  to  let  persons, 
 who  are  in  an  infinitely  miserable  condition,  know 
 the  truth,  or  bring  them  to  the  light,  for  fear  it 
 should  terrify  them  ?  It  is  light  that  must  convert 
 them,  if  ever  they  are  converted.  The  more  we 
 bring  sinners  to  the  light,  while  they  are  miserable, 
 and  the  light  is  terrible  to  them,  the  more  likely  it 
 is  that  afterward  the  light  will  be  joyful  to  them. 
 The  ease,  peace,  and  comfort  which  natural  men 
 enjoy,  have  their  foundation  in  darkness  and  blind- 
 ness;  therefore,  as  that  darkness  vanishes,  and  light 
 comes  in,  their  peace  vanishes,  and  they  are  terrified. 
 But  that  is  no  good  argument  why  we  should  en- 
 deavour to  hold  their  darkness,  that  we  may  uphold 
 their  comfort.  The  truth  is,  that  as  long  as  men 
 reject  Christ,  and  do  not  savingly  believe  in  him, 
 however  they  may  be  awakened,  and  however  strict, 
 and  conscientious,  and  laborious  they  may  be  in  re- 
 ligion, they  have  the  wrath  of  God  abiding  on 
 them,  they  are  his  enemies,  and  the  children  of  the 
 devil ;  (as  the  Scripture  calls  all  who  are  not  sav- 
 ingly converted.  Matt.  xiii.  38.  1  John  iii.  10.)  and 
 it  is  uncertain  whether  they  shall  ever  obtain  mercy. 
 God  is  under  no  obligation  to  show  them  mercy, 
 nor  will  he,  if  they  fast,  and  pray,  and  cry  ever  so 
 much :  and  they  are  then  especially  provoking  God, 
 under  those  terrors,  that  they  stand  it  out  against 
 Christ,  and  will  not  accept  of  an  offered  Saviour, 
 though  they  see  so  much  need  of  him.  And  seeing 
 this  is  the  truth,  they  should  be  told  so,  that  they 
 may  be  sensible  what  their  case  indeed  is. 
 
 To  blame  a  minister  for  thus  declaring  the  truth 
 
303 
 
 to  those  who  are  under  awakenings,  and  not  imme- 
 diately administering  comfort  to  them,  is  like  blaming 
 a  surgeon,  because,  when  he  has  begun  to  thrust  in 
 his  lance,  whereby  he  has  already  put  his  patient  to 
 great  pain,  and  he  shrinks  and  cries  out  with 
 anguish,  he  is  so  cruel  that  he  will  not  stay  his 
 hand,  but  goes  on  to  thrust  it  in  further,  till  he  comes 
 to  the  core  of  the  wound.  Such  a  compassionate 
 physician,  who,  as  soon  as  his  patient  began  to 
 flinch,  should  withdraw  his  hand,  and  go  about 
 immediately  to  apply  a  plaister,  to  skin  over  the 
 wound,  and  leave  the  core  untouched,  would  heal 
 the  hurt  slightly,  crying,  "  Peace,  peace,  when  there 
 is  no  peace." 
 
 Indeed,  something  besides  terror  is  to  be  preached 
 to  those  whose  consciences  are  awakened.  They 
 are  to  be  told  that  there  is  a  Saviour  provided,  who 
 is  excellent  and  glorious;  who  has  shed  his  precious 
 blood  for  sinners,  and  is  every  way  sufficient  to  save 
 them;  who  stands  ready  to  receive  them,  if  they 
 will  heartily  embrace  him ;  for  this  is  also  the  truth, 
 as  well  as  that  they  now  are  in  an  infinitely  dreadful 
 condition.  This  is  the  word  of  God.  Sinners,  at 
 the  same  time  that  they  are  told  how  miserable  their 
 case  is,  should  be  earnestly  invited  to  come  and  accept 
 of  a  Saviour,  and  yield  their  hearts  unto  him,  with 
 all  the  winning,  encouraging  arguments  that  the 
 gospel  affords.  But  this  is  to  induce  them  to 
 escape  from  the  misery  of  their  condition,  not  to 
 make  them  think  their  present  condition  to  be  less 
 miserable  than  it  is,  or  to  abate  their  uneasiness 
 and  distress  while  they  are  in  it.  That  would  be 
 the  way  to  quiet  them,  and  fasten  them  there,  and 
 
304, 
 
 not  to  excite  them  to  flee  from  it.  Comfort,  in 
 one  sense,  is  to  be  held  forth  to  sinners  under 
 awakenings  of  conscience ;  that  is,  comfort  is  to  be 
 offered  to  them  in  Christ,  on  their  fleeing  from 
 their  present  miserable  state  to  him.  But  com- 
 fort is  not  to  be  administered  to  them  in  their 
 present  state,  or  while  out  of  Christ.  No  com- 
 fort is  to  be  administered  to  them,  from  any 
 thing  in  them,  any  of  their  qualifications,  prayers, 
 or  other  performances,  past,  present,  or  future ;  but 
 ministers  should,  in  such  cases,  strive  to  their  ut- 
 most to  take  all  such  comforts  from  them,  though  it 
 greatly  increases  their  terror.  A  person  who  sees 
 himself  ready  to  sink  into  hell,  is  prone  to  strive, 
 some  way  or  other,  to  lay  God  under  some  obliga- 
 tion to  him ;  but  he  is  to  be  beat  off  from  every 
 thing  of  that  nature,  though  it  greatly  increases  his 
 terror,  to  see  himself  wholly  destitute  of  any  refuge, 
 or  any  thing  of  his  own  to  lay  hold  of;  as  a  man 
 that  sees  himself  in  danger  of  drowning,  is  in  terror, 
 and  endeavours  to  catch  hold  on  every  twig  within 
 his  reach,  and  he  that  pulls  away  those  twigs  from 
 him  increases  his  terror;  yet  if  they  are  insufiicient 
 to  save  him,  and,  by  being  in  his  way,  prevents  his 
 looking  to  that  which  will  save  him,  to  pull  them 
 away  is  necessary  to  save  his  life. 
 
 If  sinners  are  in  distress  from  any  error  they 
 embrace,  or  mistake  they  are  under,  that  is  to  be 
 removed.  For  instance,  if  they  are  in  terror,  from 
 an  apprehension  that  they  have  committed  the  un- 
 pardonable sin,  or  that  those  things  have  happened 
 to  them  which  are  certain  signs  of  reprobation,  or 
 any  other  delusion,  such  terrors  have  no  tendency 
 
305 
 
 to  do  them  any  good ;  for  these  terrors  are  from 
 temptation,  and  not  from  conviction.  But  that  ter- 
 ror which  arises  from  conviction,  or  a  sight  of  truth, 
 is  to  be  increased  ;  for  those  who  are  most  awakened, 
 have  great  remaining  stupidity.  It  is  from  remain- 
 ing blindness  and  darkness  that  they  see  no  more, 
 and  that  remaining  bhndness  is  a  disease  which  we 
 should  endeavour  to  remove.  I  am  not  afraid  to 
 tell  sinners,  who  are  most  sensible  of  their  misery, 
 that  their  case  is  indeed  as  miserable  as  they  think 
 it  to  be,  and  a  thousand  times  more  so ;  for  this  is 
 the  truth.  Some  may  be  ready  to  say,  that  though 
 it  be  truth,  yet  the  truth  is  not  to  be  spoken  at  all 
 times,  and  seems  not  to  be  seasonable  then.  But  it 
 seems  to  me,  such  truth  is  never  more  seasonable 
 than  at  such  a  time,  when  Christ  is  beginning  to 
 open  the  eyes  of  conscience.  Ministers  ought  to 
 act  as  co-workers  with  him;  to  take  that  opportunity, 
 and  to  the  utmost  to  improve  that  advantage,  and 
 strike  while  the  iron  is  hot.  When  the  light  has 
 begun  to  shine,  then  they  should  remove  all  obstacles, 
 and  use  all  proper  means,  that  it  may  come  in  more 
 fully.  And  experience  abundantly  shows,  that  to 
 take  this  course  is  not  of  a  hurtful  tendency,  but 
 very  much  the  contrary.  I  have  seen,  in  very  many 
 instances,  the  happy  effects  of  it,  and  oftentimes  a 
 very  speedy  happy  issue;  and  never  knew  any  ill 
 consequence,  in  case  of  real  conviction,  and  when 
 distress  has  been  only  from  thence. 
 
 I  know  of  but  one  case,  wherein  the  truth  ought 
 to  be  withheld  from  sinners  in  distress  of  conscience; 
 and  that  is,  the  case  of  melancholy.  And  it  is  not 
 to  be  withheld  from   them,  as  if  the  truth  tends  to 
 
306 
 
 do  them  hurt;  but  because,  if  we  speak  the  truth  to 
 them,  sometimes  they  will  be  deceived,  and  led  into 
 error  \yy  it,  through  that  strange  disposition  there  is 
 in  them  to  take  things  wrong.  So  that,  though 
 what  is  spoken  is  truth,  yet  as  it  is  heard,  received, 
 and  appHed  by  them,  it  is  falsehood  ;  as  it  will  be, 
 unless  the  truth  be  spoken  with  abundance  of  cau- 
 tion and  prudence,  and  consideration  of  their  dispo- 
 sition and  circumstances.  But  the  most  awful  truths 
 of  God's  word  ought  not  to  be  withheld  from  public 
 congregations,  because  it  may  happen  that  some 
 such  melancholic  persons  may  be  in  it ;  any  more 
 than  the  Bible  is  to  be  withheld  from  the  Christian 
 world,  because  it  is  manifest  that  there  are  a  great 
 many  melancholic  persons  in  Christendom  that  ex- 
 ceedingly abuse  the  awful  things  contained  in  the 
 Scripture,  to  their  own  wounding.  Nor  do  I  think 
 that  to  be  of  weight,  which  is  made  use  of  by  some, 
 as  a  great  and  dreadful  objection  against  the  terrify- 
 ing preaching  that  has  of  late  been  in  New  Eng- 
 land, namely,  that  there  have  been  some  instances 
 of  melancholic  persons  who  have  so  abused  it,  that 
 the  issue  has  been  the  murder  of  themselves.  The 
 objection  from  hence  is  no  stronger  against  awaken- 
 ing preaching,  than  it  is  against  the  Bible  itself. 
 There  are  hundreds,  and  probably  thousands  of  in- 
 stances, of  persons  who  have  murdered  themselves 
 under  religious  melancholy.  These  murders  pro- 
 bably never  would  have  been,  if  the  world  had  re- 
 mained in  a  state  of  heathenish  darkness.  The 
 Bible  has  not  only  been  the  occasion  of  these  sad 
 effects,  but  of  thousands,  and  I  suppose  millions,  of 
 other  cruel  murders  committed  in   the  persecutions 
 
307 
 
 that  have  been  raised,  which  never  would  have  been 
 if  it  had  not  been  for  the  Bible.  Many  whole 
 countries  have  been,  as  it  were,  deluged  with  inno- 
 cent blood,  which  would  not  have  been  if  the  gospel 
 never  had  been  preached  in  the  world.  It  is  not  a 
 good  objection  against  any  kind  of  preaching,  that 
 some  men  abuse  it  greatly  to  their  hurt.  It  has 
 been  acknowledged  by  all  divines,  as  a  thing  com- 
 mon in  all  ages,  and  all  Christian  countries,  that  a 
 very  great  part  of  those  who  sit  under  the  gospel 
 abuse  it.  It  proves  an  occasion  of  their  far  more 
 aggravated  damnation,  and  so  of  eternally  murdering 
 their  souls;  which  is  an  effect  infinitely  more  terrible 
 than  the  murder  of  their  bodies.  It  is  as  unjust  to 
 lay  the  blame  of  these  self-murders  to  those  ministers 
 who  have  declared  the  awful  truths  of  God's  word, 
 in  the  most  lively  and  affecting  manner,  as  it  would 
 be  to  lay  the  blame  of  hardening  men's  hearts,  and 
 blinding  their  eyes,  and  their  more  dreadful  eternal 
 damnation,  to  the  prophet  Isaiah  or  Jesus  Christ, 
 because  this  was  the  consequence  of  their  preaching 
 with  respect  to  many  of  their  hearers;  Isa.  vi.  10. 
 John  ix.  39.  Matt.  xiii.  14.  Though  a  few  have 
 abused  the  awakening  preaching  to  their  own  tem- 
 poral death ;  yet  it  may  be,  to  one  such  instance, 
 there  have  been  hundreds,  yea  thousands,  who  have 
 been  saved,  by  this  means,  from  eternal  death. 
 
 What  has  more  especially  given  offence  to  many, 
 and  raised  a  loud  cry  against  some  preachers,  as 
 though  their  conduct  were  intolerable,  is  their  fright- 
 ing poor  innocent  children  with  talk  of  hell-fire,  and 
 eternal  damnation.  But  if  those  who  complain  so 
 loudly  of  this,  really  believe  what  is  the  general  pro- 
 
308 
 
 fession  of  the  country,  namely,  that  all  are  by  na- 
 ture the  children  of  wrath,  and  heirs  of  hell — and 
 that  every  one  that  has  not  been  born  again,  whether 
 he  be  young  or  old,  is  exposed  every  moment  to 
 eternal  destruction — then  such  a  complaint  and  cry 
 as  this  bewrays  a  great  deal  of  weakness  and  incon- 
 sideration.  Innocent  as  children  seem  to  us,  yet, 
 if  they  are  out  of  Christ,  they  are  not  so  in  the  sight 
 of  God  ;  but  are  in  a  most  miserable  condition,  as 
 well  as  grown  persons,  and  they  are  naturally  very 
 senseless  and  stupid,  being  born  as  the  wild  ass's 
 colt,  and  need  much  to  awaken  them.  Why  should 
 we  conceal  the  truth  from  them  ?  Will  those  child- 
 ren who  have  been  dealt  tenderly  with  in  this  respect, 
 and  lived  and  died  insensible  of  their  misery  till  they 
 come  to  feel  it  in  hell,  ever  thank  parents  and  others 
 for  their  tenderness,  in  not  letting  them  know  their 
 danger  ?  If  parents'  love  towards  their  children  were 
 not  blind,  it  would  affect  them  much  more  to  see 
 their  children  every  day  exposed  to  eternal  burnings, 
 and  yet  senseless,  than  to  see  them  suffer  the  dis- 
 tress of  that  awakening  which  is  necessary  in  order 
 to  their  escape,  and  that  tends  to  their  being  eter- 
 nally happy  as  the  children  of  God.  A  child  that 
 has  a  dangerous  wound  may  need  the  painful  lance, 
 as  well  as  grown  persons ;  and  that  would  be  a 
 foolish  pity,  in  such  a  case,  that  should  hold 
 back  the  lance,  and  throw  away  the  life. — I  have 
 seen  the  happy  effects  of  dealing  plainly  and  tho- 
 roughly with  children  in  the  concerns  of  their  souls, 
 without  sparing  them  at  all,  in  many  instances ; 
 and  never  knew  any  ill  consequence  of  it,  in  any 
 one  instance. 
 
309 
 
 III.  Another  thing,  against  which  a  great  deal 
 has  been  said,  is  having  so  frequent  religious  meet- 
 ings, and  spending  so  much  time  in  religion.  In- 
 deed, there  are  none  of  the  externals  of  religion  but 
 what  are  capable  of  excess ;  and  I  believe  it  is  true, 
 that  there  has  not  been  a  due  proportion  observed  of 
 late.  We  have  placed  religion  too  much  in  the 
 external  duties  of  the  first  table ;  we  have  abounded 
 in  religious  meetings,  in  praying,  reading,  hearing, 
 singing,  and  religious  conference  ;  and  there  has  not 
 been  a  proportionable  increase  of  zeal  for  deeds  of 
 charity,  and  other  duties  pf  the  second  table ;  though 
 it  must  be  acknowledged  that  they  are  also  much 
 increased.  But  yet  it  appears  to  me,  that  this  ob- 
 jection has  been  in  the  general  groundless.  Though 
 worldly  business  must  be  done,  and  persons  ought 
 not  to  neglect  their  particular  callings ;  yet  it  is  to 
 the  honour  of  God,  that  a  people  should  be  so  much 
 in  outward  acts  of  religion,  as  to  carry  in  it  a  visible 
 public  appearance  of  a  great  engagedness  of  mind, 
 especially  at  such  an  extraordinary  time.  When 
 God  appears  unusually  present  with  a  people  in  won- 
 derful works  of  power  and  mercy,  they  should  spend 
 more  time  than  usual  in  religious  exercises,  to  put 
 honour  upon  that  God  who  is  then  extraordinarily 
 present,  and  to  seek  his  face.  Thus  it  was  with  the 
 Christian  church  in  Jerusalem,  on  occasion  of  that 
 extraordinary  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit,  soon  after 
 Christ's  ascension.  Acts  ii.  46.  "  And  they  conti- 
 nued daily  with  one  accord  in  the  temple,  and  break- 
 ing bread  from  house  to  house ;"  and  at  Ephesus, 
 where  the  Christians  attended  public  religious  ex- 
 ercises, every  day,   for  two   years  together,  Acts 
 
310 
 
 xix.  8.  "  And  he  went  into  the  synagogue,  and 
 spake  boldly  for  the  space  of  three  months,  disput- 
 ing and  persuading  the  things  concerning  the  king- 
 dom of  God.  But  when  divers  were  hardened,  and 
 believed  not,  but  spake  evil  of  that  way  before  the 
 multitude,  he  departed  from  them,  and  separated 
 the  disciples,  disputing  daily  in  the  school  of  one 
 Tyrannus.  And  this  continued,  by  the  space  of 
 two  years  ;  so  that  all  they  that  dwelt  in  Asia,  heard 
 the  word  of  the  Lord,  both  Jews  and  Greeks." 
 And  as  to  the  grand  objection  of  "  six  days  shalt 
 thou  labour ;"  all  that  can  be  understood  by  it,  and 
 all  that  the  very  objectors  themselves  understand  by 
 it,  is,  that  we  may  follow  our  secular  labours  in  those 
 six  days  that  are  not  the  Sabbath,  and  ought  to  be 
 diligent  in  them  :  not  but  that  sometimes  we  may 
 turn  from  them,  even  within  those  six  days,  to  keep 
 a  day  of  fasting  or  thanksgiving,  or  to  attend  a  lec- 
 ture ;  and  that  more  frequently  or  rarely,  as  God's 
 providence  and  the  state  of  things  shall  call  us,  ac- 
 cording to  the  best  of  our  discretion. 
 
 Though  secular  business,  as  I  said  before,  ought 
 not  to  be  neglected  :  vet  I  cannot  see  how  it  can, 
 be  maintained,  that  religion  ought  not  to  be  at- 
 tended, lest  it  should  injure  our  temporal  affairs,  on 
 any  other  principle  than  that  of  infidelity.  None 
 object  against  injuring  one  temporal  affair  for  the 
 sake  of  another  of  much  greater  importance;  and 
 therefore,  if  eternal  things  are  as  real  as  temporal 
 things,  and  are  indeed  of  infinitely  greater  impor- 
 tance ;  then  why  may  we  not  voluntarily  suffer,  in 
 some  measure,  in  our  temporal  concerns,  while  we 
 are  seeking  eternal  riqhes,  and  immortal  glory  ?      It 
 
311 
 
 is  looked  upon  as  no  way  improper  for  a  whole  na- 
 tion to  spend  a  considerable  time,  and  much  of  their 
 outward  substance,  on  some  extraordinary  temporal 
 occasion,  for  the  sake  only  of  the  ceremonies  of  a 
 public  rejoicing;  and  it  would  be  thought  dishonour- 
 able to  be  very  exact  about  what  we  spend,  or  care- 
 ful lest  we  injure  our  estates,  on  such  an  occasion. 
 And  why  should  we  be  exact  only  with  Almighty 
 God,  so  that  it  should  be  a  crime  to  be  otherwise 
 than  scrupulously  careful  lest  we  injure  ourselves  in 
 our  temporal  interest,  to  put  honour  upon  him,  and 
 seek  our  own  eternal  happiness?  We  should  take 
 heed  that  none  of  us  be  in  any  wise  like  Judas, 
 who  greatly  complained  of  needless  expense,  and 
 waste  of  outward  substance,  to  put  honour  upon 
 Christ,  when  Mary  broke  her  box,  and  poured  the 
 precious  ointment  on  his  head.  He  had  indigna- 
 tion within  himself  on  that  account,  and  cries  out, 
 **  Why  was  this  waste  of  ointment  made  ?  For  it 
 might  h^ve  been  sold  for  more  than  three  hundred 
 pence,  and  have  been  given  to  the  poor." 
 
 Besides,  if  the  matter  be  justly  examined,  I  be- 
 lieve it  will  be  found,  that  the  country  has  lost  no 
 time  from  their  temporal  affairs  by  the  late  revival 
 of  religion,  but  have  rather  gained ;  and  that  more 
 time  has  been  saved  from  frolicking  and  tavern- 
 haunting,  idleness  and  unprofitable  visits,  vain  talk, 
 fruitless  pastimes,  and  needless  diversions,  than  has 
 lately  been  spent  in  extraordinary  religion  ;  and  pro- 
 bably five  times  as  much  has  been  saved  in  various 
 ways,  as  has  been  spent  by  religious  meetings. 
 The  great  complaint  made  against  so  much  time 
 being  spent  in  religion,  cannot  be  in  general  from  a 
 
312 
 
 real  concern  that  God  may  be  honoured,  and  his 
 will  done,  and  the  best  good  of  men  promoted ;  as 
 is  very  manifest  from  this,  that  now  there  is  a  much 
 more  earnest  and  zealous  outcry  made  in  the 
 country  against  this  extraordinary  religion,  than  was 
 before  against  so  much  time  spent  in  tavern-haunt- 
 ing, vain  company-keeping,  night-walking,  and  other 
 things,  which  wasted  both  our  time  and  substance, 
 and  injured  our  moral  virtue. 
 
 The  frequent  preaching  that  has  lately  obtained, 
 has  in  a  particular  manner  been  objected  against  as 
 unprofitable  and  prejudicial.  It  is  objected,  that, 
 when  sermons  are  heard  so  very  often,  one  sermon 
 tends  to  thrust  out  another;  so  that  persons  lose  the 
 benefit  of  all.  They  say,  two  or  three  sermons  in 
 a  week  is  as  much  as  they  can  remember  and  di- 
 gest.— Such  objections  against  frequent  preaching, 
 if  they  be  not  from  an  enmity  against  religion,  are 
 for  want  of  duly  considering  the  way  that  sermons 
 usually  profit  an  auditory.  The  main  benefit  ob- 
 tained by  preaching  is  by  impression  made  upon  the 
 mind  at  the  time,  and  not  by  an  effect  that  arises 
 afterwards  by  a  remembrance  of  what  was  delivered. 
 And  though  an  after-remembrance  of  what  was 
 heard  in  a  sermon  is  oftentimes  very  profitable;  yet, 
 for  the  most  part,  that  remembrance  is  from  an  im- 
 pression the  words  made  on  the  heart  at  the  time ; 
 and  the  memory  profits,  as  it  renews  and  increases 
 that  impression.  A  frequent  inculcating  the  more 
 important  things  of  religion  in  preaching,  has  no 
 tendency  to  raise  out  such  impressions,  but  to  in- 
 crease them,  and  fix  them  deeper  and  deeper  in  the 
 mind,  as  is  found  by  experience.     It  never  used  to 
 
313 
 
 be  objected  against,  that  persons  upon  the  Sabbath, 
 after  they  have  heard  two  sermons  that  day,  should 
 go  home,  and  spend  the  remaining  part  of  the  Sab- 
 bath in  reading  the  Scriptures  and  printed  sermons ; 
 which,  in  proportion  as  it  has  a  tendency  to  affect 
 the  mind  at  all,  tends  as  much  to  drive  out  what 
 they  have  heard,  as  if  they  heard  another  sermon 
 preached.  It  seems  to  have  been  the  practice  of  the 
 apostles  to  preach  every  day,  in  places  where  they 
 went;  yea,  though  sometimes  they  continued  long 
 in  one  place.  Acts  ii.  42,  46.  Acts  xix.  8^  9,  10. 
 They  did  not  avoid  preaching  one  day,  for  fear  they 
 should  thrust  out  of  the  minds  of  their  hearers  what 
 they  had  delivered  the  day  before;  nor  did  Chris- 
 tians avoid  going  every  day  to  hear,  for  fear  of  any 
 such  bad  effect :  Acts  ii.  42,  46. 
 
 There  are  some  things  in  Scripture  that  seem  to 
 signify  that  there  should  be  preaching  in  an  extra- 
 ordinary frequency,  at  the  time  when  God  should 
 introduce  the  flourishing  state  of  religion  in  the 
 latter  days ;  as  Isa.  Ixii.  "  For  Zion*s  sake  will  I  not 
 hold  my  peace,  for  Jerusalem's  sake  I  will  not  rest, 
 until  the  righteousness  thereof  go  forth  as  bright- 
 ness, and  the  salvation  thereof  as  a  lamp  that 
 burneth.  And  the  Gentiles  shall  see  thy  righ- 
 teousness, and  all  kings  thy  glory."  And,  ver.  5,  6. 
 "  For  as  a  young  man  marrieth  a  virgin,  so  shall 
 thy  sons  marry  thee :  and  as  a  bridegroom  rejoiceth 
 over  the  bride,  so  shall  thy  God  rejoice  over  thee. 
 I  have  set  watchmen  upon  thy  walls,  O  Jerusalem, 
 which  shall  never  hold  their  peace  day  nor  night." 
 The  destruction  of  the  city  of  Jericho  is  evidently, 
 in  all  its  circumstances,  intended  by  God  as  a  great 
 O  4S 
 
314 
 
 type  of  the  overthrow  of  Satan's  kingdom.  The 
 priests  blowing  with  trumpets,  represents  ministers 
 preaching  the  gospel.  The  people  compassed  the 
 city  seven  days,  the  priests  blowing  the  trumpets. 
 But,  when  the  day  was  come  that  the  walls  of  the 
 city  were  to  fall,  the  priests  were  more  frequent  and 
 abundant  in  blowing  their  trumpets;  there  was  as 
 much  done  in  one  day  then,  as  had  been  done  in 
 seven  days  before;  they  compassed  the  city  seven 
 times  that  day,  blowing  their  trumpets,  till  at  length 
 it  come  to  one  long  and  perpetual  blast,  and  then 
 the  walls  of  the  city  fell  down  flat.  The  extraor- 
 dinary preaching  that  shall  be  at  the  beginning  of 
 that  glorious  jubilee  of  the  church,  is  represented 
 by  the  extraordinary  sounding  of  trumpets,  through- 
 out the  land  of  Canaan,  at  the  beginning  of  the 
 year  of  jubilee.  And  the  reading  of  the  law  before 
 all  Israel,  in  the  year  of  release,  at  the  feast  of 
 tabernacles;  and  the  crowing  of  the  cock  at  break 
 of  day,  which  brought  Peter  to  repentance ;  seems 
 to  me  to  be  intended  to  signify  the  awakening  of 
 God's  church  out  of  their  lethargy,  wherein  they 
 had  denied  their  Lord,  by  the  extraordinary  preach- 
 ing of  the  gospel  that  shall  be  at  the  dawning  of 
 the  day  of  the  church's  light  and  glory.  And 
 there  seems  at  this  day  to  be  an  uncommon  hand  of 
 Divine  Providence,  in  animating,  enabling,  and  up- 
 holding some  ministers  in  such  abundant  labours. 
 
 IV.  Another  thing,  wherein  I  think  some  minis- 
 ters have  been  injured,  is  in  being  very  much  blamed 
 for  making  so  much  of  outcries,  faintings,  and  other 
 bodily  effects;  speaking  of  them  as  tokens  of  the 
 presence  of  God,  and  arguments  of  the  success  of 
 
315 
 
 preaching;  seeming  to  strive  to  their  utmost  to  bring 
 a  congregation  to  that  pass,  and  seeming  to  rejoice 
 in  it,  yea,  even  blessing  God  for  it  when  they  see 
 these  effects. 
 
 Concerning  this  I  would  observe,  in  the  first  place, 
 that  there  are  many  things,  with  respect  to  cryings 
 out,  falling  down,  &c.  charged  on  ministers,  that 
 they  are  not  guilty  of.  Some  would  have  it,  that 
 they  speak  of  tiiese  things  as  certain  evidences  of  a 
 work  of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  hearts  of  their 
 hearers,  or  that  they  esteem  these  bodily  effects 
 themselves  to  be  the  work  of  God,  as  though  the 
 Spirit  of  God  took  hold  of,  and  agitated  the  bodies 
 of  men;  and  some  are  charged  with  making  these 
 things  essential,  and  supposing  that  persons  cannot 
 be  converted  witliout  them ;  whereas  I  never  yet 
 could  see  the  person  that  held  either  of  these  things. 
 
 But  for  speaking  of  such  effects  as  probable  tokens 
 of  God's  presence,  and  arguments  of  the  success  of 
 preaching,  it  seems  to  me  they  are  not  to  be  blamed  ; 
 because  I  think  they  are  so  indeed.  And  therefore, 
 when  I  see  them  excited  by  preaching  the  important 
 truths  of  God's  word,  urged  and  enforced  by  proper 
 arguments  and  motives,  or  as  consequent  on  other 
 means  that  are  good,  I  do  not  scruple  to  speak  of 
 them,  and  to  rejoice  in  them,  and  bless  God  for 
 them  as  such  ;  and  for  this  reason,  namely,  that 
 from  time  to  time,  upon  proper  inquiry  and  exami- 
 nation, and  observation  of  the  consequences  and 
 fruits,  1  have  found  that  these  are  all  evidences  of 
 the  persons,  in  whom  these  effects  appear,  being 
 under  the  influences  of  God's  Spirit  in  such  cases. 
 Crying  out,  in  such  a  manner,  and  with  such  cir- 
 o  2 
 
316 
 
 cumstances,  as  I  have  seen  them  from  time  to  time, 
 is  as  much  an  evidence  to  me,   of  the  general  cause 
 it  proceeds  from,  as  language.      1  have  learned  the 
 meaning  of  it  the  same  way  that  persons  learn  the 
 meaning  of  language,  namely,  by  use  and  experience. 
 I  confess,  that  when  1  see  a  great  crying  out  in  a 
 congregation,  in  the  manner  that   I  have  seen  it, 
 when  those  things  are  held  forth  to  them  which  are 
 worthy  of  their  being  greatly  affected  by  them,  I  re- 
 joice in  it,  much  more  than  merely  in  an  appearance 
 of  solemn    attention,    and  a    show   of  affection  by 
 weeping;  and  that  because,  when  there  have  been 
 those  outcries,   I  have  found,  from  time  to  time,   a 
 much  greater  and  more  excellent  effect.     To  rejoice 
 that  the  work  of  God  is  carried  on  calmly,  without 
 much  ado,  is,  in  effect,  to  rejoice  that  it  is  carried 
 on  with  less  power,  or  that  there  is  not  so  much  of 
 the    influence  of   God's    Spirit.      For   though    the 
 degree  of  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,   on 
 particular  persons,  is  by  no  means  to  be  judged  of 
 by  the  degree   of  external  appearances,  because  of 
 the  different  constitutions,  tempers,  and  circumstances 
 of  men;  yet,  if  there  be  a  very  powerful  influence  of 
 the  Spirit  of  God  on   a   mixed  multitude,   it  will 
 cause,  some  way  or  other,  a  great  visible  commotion. 
 And  as  to  ministers  aiming  at  such  effects,  and 
 striving,  by  all  means,   to  bring  a  congregation  to 
 that  pass,  that  there  should  be  such  an  uproar  among 
 them ;  I  suppose  none  aim  at  it  any  otherwise,  than 
 as  they  strive  to  raise  the  affections  of  their  hearers 
 to  such  a  height  as   very   often   appears  in   these 
 effects.      And  if  those  affections  are  commonly  good, 
 and  it  be  found  by  experience  that  such  a  degree  of 
 
317 
 
 them  commonly  has  a  good  effect,  I  think  they  are 
 to  be  justified  in  so  doing. 
 
 V.  Again,  some  ministers  have  been  blamed  for 
 keeping  persons  together,  that  have  been  under 
 great  affections,  which  have  appeared  in  such  ex- 
 traordinary outward  manifestations.  Many  think 
 this  promotes  confusion ;  that  persons  in  such  cir- 
 cumstances do  but  discompose  each  other's  minds, 
 and  disturb  the  minds  of  others;  and  that  therefore 
 it  is  best  they  should  be  dispersed ;  and  that,  when 
 any  in  a  congregation  are  strongly  seized,  that  they 
 cannot  forbear  outward  manifestations  of  it,  they 
 should  be  removed,  that  others'  minds  may  not  be 
 diverted. 
 
 I  cannot  but  think  that  those  who  thus  object  go 
 upon  quite  wrong  notions  of  things.  For  though 
 persons  ought  to  take  heed  that  they  do  not  make 
 an  ado  without  necessity,  (for  tliis  will  be  the  way 
 in  time  to  have  «uch  appearances  lose  all  their  effect,) 
 yet  the  unavoidable  manifestations  of  strong  religious 
 affections  tend  to  a  happy  influence  on  the  minds 
 of  bystanders,  and  are  found  by  experience  to  have 
 an  excellent  and  durable  effect.  And  so  to  contrive 
 and  order  things,  that  others  may  have  opportunity 
 and  advantage  to  observe  them,  has  been  found  to 
 be  blessed  as  a  great  means  to  promote  the  work 
 of  God;  and  to  prevent  their  being  in  the  way  of 
 observation,  is  to  prevent  the  effect  of  that  whicli 
 God  makes  use  of  as  a  principal  means  of  carrying 
 on  his  work  at  such  an  extraordinary  time,  namely, 
 example ;  which  is  often  spoken  of  in  Scripture  as 
 one  of  the  chief  means  by  which  God  would  carry 
 on  his  work  in  the  prosperity  of  religion  in  the  latter 
 
318 
 
 days. — I  have  mentioned  some  texts  already  to  this 
 purpose,  in  what  I  published  before  of  "  the  marks 
 of  a  work  of  the  true  Spirit;''  but  would  here  men- 
 tion some  others: — In  Zech.  ix.  15,  16.  those  that 
 in  the  latter  days  should  be  filled  in  an  extraordinary 
 manner  with  the  Holy  Spirit,  so  as  to  appear  in 
 outward  manifestations,  and  making  a  noise,  are 
 spoken  of  as  those  that  God,  in  these  uncommon 
 circumstances,  will  set  up  to  the  view  of  others,  as 
 a  prize  or  ensign,  by  their  example  and  the  excel- 
 lency of  their  attainments,  to  animate  and  draw 
 others,  as  men  gather  about  an  ensign,  and  run  for 
 a  prize,  a  crown  and  precious  jewels,  set  up  in  their 
 view.  The  words  are  :  **  And  they  shall  drink 
 and  make  a  noise  as  through  wine ;  and  they  shall 
 be  filled  like  bowls,  and  as  the  corners  of  the  altar. 
 And  the  Lord  their  God  shall  save  them  in  that 
 day  as  the  flock  of  his  people;  for  they  shall  be  as 
 the  stones  of  a  crown,  lifted  up  as  an  ensign  upon 
 his  land." — (I  shall  have  occasion  to  say  something 
 more  of  this  scripture  afterwards.) — Those  that 
 make  the  objection  1  am  upon,  instead  of  suffering 
 this  ensign  to  be  in  public  view,  are  for  having  it 
 removed  and  hid  in  some  corner.  To  the  like  pur- 
 pose is  that,  Isaiah  Ixii.  3.  "  Thou  shalt  be  a 
 crown  of  glory  in  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  and  a  royal 
 diadem  in  the  hand  of  thy  God."  Here  it  is  ob- 
 servable, that  it  is  not  said.  Thou  shalt  be  a  crown 
 "  upon  the  head,"  but  "  in  the  hand"  of  the  Lord  ; 
 that  is,  held  forth  in  thy  beauty  and  excellency,  as 
 a  prize  to  be  bestowed  upon  others  that  shall  behold 
 thee,  and  be  animated  by  the  brightness  and  lustre 
 which  God  shall  endow   thee  with.      The  great  in- 
 
319 
 
 fluence  of  the  example  of  God's  people,  in  their 
 bright  and  excellent  attainments,  to  propagate  reli- 
 gion in  those  days,  is  further  signified  in  Isa.  Ix.  3. 
 "  And  the  Gentiles  shall  come  to  thy  light,  and 
 kings  to  the  brightness  of  thy  rising."  With  ver.  22. 
 "  A  little  one  shall  become  a  thousand,  and  a  small 
 one  a  strong  nation."  And  Zech.  x.  8,  9.  "  And 
 they  shall  increase,  as  they  have  increased;  and  1 
 will  sow  them  among  the  people."  And  Hos.  ii. 
 23.  "  And  I  will  sow  her  unto  me  in  the  earth." 
 So  Jer.  xxxi.  27. 
 
 VI.  Another  thing  that  gives  great  disgust  to 
 many,  is  the  disposition  that  persons  show,  under 
 great  affections,  to  speak  so  much  ;  and,  with  such 
 earnestness  and  vehemence,  to  be  setting  forth  the 
 greatness,  and  wonderfulness,  and  importance  of 
 divine  and  eternal  things ;  and  to  be  so  passionately 
 warning,  inviting,  and  entreating  others. 
 
 Concerning  which,  I  would  say,  that  I  am  far 
 from  thinking  that  such  a  disposition  should  be 
 wholly  without  any  limits  or  regulation,  (as  I  shall 
 more  particularly  show  afterwards;)  and  I  believe 
 some  have  erred,  in  setting  no  bounds,  and  indulging 
 and  encouraging  this  disposition  without  any  kind 
 of  restraint  or  direction.  But  yet  it  seems  to  me 
 that  such  a  disposition  in  general  is  what  both  rea- 
 son and  scripture  will  justify.  Those  who  are 
 offended  at  such  things,  as  though  they  were  unrea- 
 sonable, are  not  just.  Upon  examination  it  will  pro- 
 bably be  found,  that  they  have  one  rule  of  reasoning 
 about  temporal  things,  and  another  about  spiritual 
 things.  They  do  not  at  all  wonder  if  a  person,  on  some 
 very  great  and  affecting  occasion,  an  occasion  of  ex- 
 
320 
 
 traordinary  danger  or  great  joy,  that  eminently  and 
 immediately  concerns  him  and  others,  is  disposed 
 to  speak  much,  and  with  great  earnestness,  especially 
 to  those  with  whom  he  is  united  in  the  bonds  of 
 dear  affection,  and  great  concern  for  their  good. 
 And  therefore,  if  they  were  just,  why  would  not 
 they  allow  it  in  spiritual  things?  and  much  more  in 
 them,  agreeably  to  the  vastly  greater  importance  and 
 more  affecting  nature  of  spiritual  things,  and  the 
 concern  which  true  religion  causes  in  men's  minds 
 for  the  good  of  others,  and  the  disposition  it  gives 
 and  excites  to  speak  God's  praises,  to  show  forth  his 
 infinite  glory,  and  talk  of  all  his  glorious  perfections 
 and  works. 
 
 That  a  very  great  and  proper  sense  of  the  impor- 
 tance of  religion,  and  the  danger  sinners  are  in, 
 should  sometimes  cause  an  almost  insuperable  dis- 
 position to  speak  and  warn  others,  is  agreeable  to 
 Jer.  vi.  10,  11.  "  To  whom  shall  I  speak  and  give 
 warning,  that  they  may  hear?  Behold,  their  ear  is 
 uncircumcised,  and  they  cannot  hearken;  behold, 
 the  word  of  the  Lord  is  unto  them  a  reproach  ;  they 
 have  no  delight  in  it.  Therefore  I  am  full  of  the 
 fury  of  the  Lord ;  I  am  weary  with  holding  in :  I 
 will  pour  it  out  upon  the  children  abroad,  and  upon 
 the  assembly  of  the  young  men  together  :  for  even  the 
 husband  with  the  wife  shall  be  taken,  the  aged  with 
 him  that  is  full  of  days."  And  that  true  Christians, 
 when  they  come  to  be  as  it  were  waked  out  of  sleep, 
 and  to  be  filled  with  a  sweet  and  joyful  sense  of  the 
 excellent  things  of  religion,  by  the  preaching  of  the 
 gospel,  or  by  other  means  of  grace,  should  be  dis- 
 posed  to   be   much   in   speaking   of  divine   things, 
 
321 
 
 though  before  they  were  dumb,  is  agreeable  to  what 
 Christ  says  to  his  church,  Cant.  vii.  9.  "  And  the 
 roof  of  thy  mouth  is  like  the  best  wine,  for  my  be- 
 loved, that  goeth  down  sweetly,  causing  the  lips  of 
 those  that  are  asleep  to  speak."  The  roof  of  the 
 church's  mouth  is  the  officers  in  the  church  that 
 preach  the  gospel;  their  word  is  to  Christ's  beloved 
 like  the  best  wine,  that  goes  down  sweetly;  extraor- 
 dinarily refreshing  and  enlivening  the  saints,  causing 
 them  to  speak,  though  before  they  were  mute  and 
 asleep.  It  is  as  said  by  some,  that  the  subjects  of 
 this  work,  when  they  get  together,  talking  loud  and 
 earnestly  in  their  pretended  great  joys,  several  in  a 
 room  talking  at  the  same  time,  make  a  noise  just 
 like  a  company  of  drunken  persons.  On  which  I 
 would  observe,  that  it  is  foretold  that  God's  people 
 should  do  so,  in  that  forementioned  place,  Zech. 
 ix.  15 — 17.  of  which  I  shall  now  take  more  parti- 
 cular notice.  The  words  are  as  follow:  "The 
 Lord  of  hosts  shall  defend  them,  and  they  shall  de- 
 vour and  subdue  with  sling  stones,  and  they  shall 
 drink  and  make  a  noise  as  through  wine,  and  they 
 shall  be  filled  like  bowls,  and  as  the  corners  of  the 
 altar.  And  the  Lord  their  God  shall  save  them  in 
 that  day  as  the  flock  of  his  people;  for  they  shall  be 
 as  the  stones  of  a  crown,  lifted  up  as  an  ensign  upon 
 his  land.  For  how  great  is  his  goodness,  and  how 
 great  is  his  beauty  !  Corn  shall  make  the  young 
 men  cheerful,  and  new  wine  the  maids."  The 
 words  are  very  remarkable.  Here  it  is  foretold,  that 
 at  the  time  when  Christ  shall  set  up  a  universal 
 kingdom  upon  earth,  (ver.  20.)  the  children  of  Zion 
 shall  drink  till  they  are  filled  like  the  vessels  of  the 
 o  3 
 
32^ 
 
 sanctuary.      And  if  we  would  know  with  what  they 
 shall  be  thus  filled,  the  prophecy  does  in    efFect  ex- 
 plain itself;  they  shall  be  filled  as  the  vessels  of  the 
 sanctuary  that  contained    the  drink  offering,    which 
 was  wine.      And  yet  the  words  imply,   that  it  shall 
 not  literally  be  wine  that  they  shall  drink  and  be  filled 
 with,  because  it  is  said,  they  shall  drink  and  make  a 
 noise,    "  as  through  wine,"    as  if  they  had  drank 
 wine ;  which  implies  that  they  had  not  literally  done 
 it.      And  therefore  we  must  understand  the  words, 
 that  they  shall  drink  into   that,    and  be  filled  with 
 that,   which  the  wine  of  the  drink-offering  typically 
 represented,  which  is  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  well  as  the 
 blood  of  Christ,  that  new  wine  that  is  drunk  in  our 
 heavenly  Father's   kingdom.      They  shall  be  filled 
 with  the  Spirit,  which  the  Apostle  sets  in  opposition 
 to   a   being  drunk   with   wine,    Eph.  v.    18.      This 
 is  the  new  wine  spoken  of,  ver.  17.      It  is  the  same 
 with  that  best  wine,  spoken  of  in   Canticles,    "  that 
 goes  down  sweetly,  causing  the  lips  of  those  that  are 
 asleep    to   speak."       It   is  here    foretold,    that   the 
 children  of  Zion,  in  the  latter  days,  should  be  filled 
 with  that  which  should   make  them    cheerful,    and 
 cause  them  to  make  a  noise  as  through  wine,    and 
 by  which  these  joyful  happy  persons  shall  be  as  the 
 stones  of  a  crown  lifted  up  as  an  ensign  upon  God's 
 land,  being  made  joyful  in  the  extraordinary  mani- 
 festations  of  the  beauty  and  love  of   Christ;    as  it 
 follows,  "  How  great  is  his  goodness  !   and  how  great 
 is  his  beauty  !"      And  it  is  further  remarkable  that, 
 as   is    here   foretold,    it   should   be    thus    especially 
 amongst  young  people :  "  Corn  shall  make  the  young 
 men  cheerful,  and  new  wine  the  maids."      It  would 
 
3^3 
 
 be  ridiculous  to  understand  this  of  literal  bread  and 
 wine.  Without  doubt,  the  same  spiritual  blessings 
 are  signified  by  bread  and  wine  here,  which  were 
 represented  by  Melchizedek's  bread  and  wine,  and 
 are  signified  by  the  bread  and  wine  in  the  Lord's 
 supper.  One  of  the  marginal  readings  is,  "shall 
 make  the  young  men  to  speak;"  which  is  agreeable 
 to  that  in  Canticles,  of  the  "  best  wines,  causing  the 
 lips  of  those  that  are  asleep  to  speak." 
 
 We  ought  not  to  be,  in  any  measure,  like  the 
 unbelieving  Jews  in  Christ's  time,  who  were  dis- 
 gusted both  with  crying  out  with  distress,  and  with 
 joy.  When  the  poor  blind  man  cried  out  before  all 
 the  multitude,  "  Jesus,  thou  son  of  David,  have 
 mercy  on  me  !"  and  continued  instantly  thus  doing, 
 the  multitude  rebuked  him,  and  charged  him  that  he 
 should  hold  his  tongue.  They  looked  upon  it  to  be 
 a  very  indecent  noise  that  he  made;  a  thing  very  ill 
 becoming  him,  to  cause  his  voice  to  be  heard  so 
 much,  and  so  loud,  among  the  multitude.  And 
 when  Christ  made  his  solemn  and  triumphant  entry 
 into  Jerusalem,  (which  I  have  before  observed,  wa&a 
 type  of  the  glory  and  triumph  of  the  latter  days,) 
 the  whole  multitude  of  the  disciples,  especially 
 young  people,  began  to  rejoice  and  praise  God  with 
 a  loud  voice,  for  all  the  mighty  works  they  had  seen, 
 saying,  **  Blessed  be  the  King  that  cometh  in  the 
 name  of  the  Lord  !  peace  in  heaven,  and  glory  in 
 the  highest !"  The  Pharisees  said  to  Christ, 
 "  Master,  rebuke  thy  disciples."  They  did  not  un- 
 derstand such  great  transports  of  joy;  it  seemed  to 
 them  a  very  unsuitable  and  indecent  noise  and  cla- 
 mour that  they  made,  a  confused  uproar,  many  cry- 
 
324 
 
 ing  out  together,  as  though  they  were  out  of  their 
 wits;  they  wondered  that  Christ  would  tolerate  it. 
 But  what  says  Christ?  "  I  tell  you,  that  if  these 
 should  hold  their  peace,  the  stones  would  imme- 
 diately cry  out."  The  words  seem  to  intimate,  that 
 there  was  cause  enough  to  constrain  those  whose 
 hearts  were  not  harder  than  the  very  stones,  to  cry 
 out  and  make  a  noise ;  which  is  something  like  that 
 other  expression,  of  "  causing  the  lips  of  those  that 
 are  asleep  to  speak." 
 
 When  many,  under  great  religious  affections,  are 
 earnestly  speaking  together  of  divine  wonders,  in 
 various  parts  of  a  company,  to  those  who  are  next 
 them  ;  some  attending  to  one,  and  others  to  another; 
 there  is  something  very  beautiful  in  it,  provided 
 they  do  not  speak  so  as  to  drown  each  other's  voices, 
 that  none  can  hear  what  any  say.  There  is  a 
 greater  and  more  affecting  appearance  of  a  joint  en- 
 gagedness  of  heart,  in  the  love  and  praises  of  God; 
 and  I  had  rather  see  it,  than  to  see  one  speaking 
 alone,  and  all  attending  to  what  he  says ;  it  has 
 more  of  the  appearance  of  conversation.  When  a 
 multitude  meets  on  any  occasion  of  temporal  rejoic- 
 ing, freely  and  cheerfully  to  converse  together,  they 
 are  not  wont  to  observe  the  ceremony  of  but  one 
 speaking  at  a  time,  while  all  the  rest  in  a  formal 
 manner  set  themselves  to  attend  to  what  he  says. 
 That  would  spoil  all  conversation,  and  turn  it  into 
 the  formality  of  set  speeches.  It  is  better  for  lay  per- 
 sons, speaking  one  to  another  of  the  things  of  God, 
 when  they  meet  together,  to  speak  after  the  manner 
 of  Christian  conversation,  than  to  observe  the  for- 
 mality of  but  one  speaking  at  a  time,  the  whole 
 
325 
 
 multitude  silently  and  solemnly  attending  to  what  he 
 says;  which  would  carry  in  it  too  much  of  the  air  of 
 the  authority  and  solemnity  of  preaching.  The 
 Apostle  says,  I  Cor.  xiv.  29,  30,  31.  "  Let  the 
 prophets  speak  two  or  three,  and  let  the  others  judge. 
 If  any  thing  he  revealed  to  another  that  §itteth  by, 
 let  the  first  hold  his  peace.  For  ye  may  all  pro- 
 phesy one  by  one,  that  all  may  learn,  and  all  may 
 be  comforted  :"  but  this  does  not  reach  the  present 
 case,  because  what  the  Apostle  is  speaking  of  is  the 
 solemnity  of  their  religious  exercises  in  public  wor- 
 ship, and  persons  speaking  in  the  church  by  imme- 
 diate inspiration,  and  in  the  use  of  the  gift  of  pro- 
 phecy, or  some  gift  of  inspiration,  in  the  exercise 
 of  which  they  acted  as  extraordinary  ministers  of 
 Christ. 
 
 VII.  Another  thing  that  some  have  found  fault 
 with  is,  abounding  so  much  in  singing  in  religious 
 meetings.  Objecting  against  such  a  thing  as  this, 
 seems  to  arise  from  a  suspicion  already  established  of 
 this  work.  They  doubt  of  the  pretended  extra- 
 ordinary love  and  joys  that  attend  this  work,  and  so 
 find  fault  with  the  manifestations  of  them.  If  they 
 thought  persons  were  truly  the  subjects  of  an  ex- 
 traordinary degree  of  divine  love,  and  heavenly  re- 
 joicing in  God,  I  suppose  they  would  not  wonder 
 at  their  having  a  disposition  to  be  much  in  praise. 
 They  object  not  against  the  saints  and  angels  in 
 heaven  singing  praises  and  hallelujahs  to  God,  with- 
 out ceasing  day  or  night;  and  therefore,  doubtless, 
 will  allow  that  the  more  the  saints  on  earth  are  like 
 them  in  their  dispositions,  the  more  they  will  be  dis- 
 posed to  do  like  them.      They  will  readily  own  that 
 
326 
 
 the  generality  of  Christians  have  great  reason  to  be 
 ashamed  that  they  have  so  little  thankfulness,  and 
 are  no  more  in  praising  God,  whom  they  have  such 
 infinite  cause  to  praise.  And  why  therefore  should 
 Christians  be  found  fault  with,  for  showing  a  dis- 
 position to  be  much  in  praising  God,  and  manifest- 
 ing a  delight  in  that  heavenly  exercise?  To  com- 
 plain of  this,  is  to  be  too  much  like  the  Pharisees, 
 who  were  disgusted  when  the"  multitude  of  the 
 disciples  began  to  rejoice,  and  with  loud  voices  to 
 praise  God,  and  cry,  Hosanna,  when  Christ. was  en- 
 tering into  Jerusalem. 
 
 There  are  many  things  in  Scripture  that  seem 
 to  intimate,  that  praising  God,  both  in  speeches 
 and  songs,  will  be  what  the  church  of  God  will  very 
 much  abound  in,  in  the  approaching  glorious  day. 
 So  on  the  seventh  day  of  compassing  the  walls  of 
 Jericho,  when  the  priests  blew  with  the  trumpets  in 
 an  extraordinary  manner,  the  people  shouted  with  a 
 great  shout,  and  the  wall  of  the  city  fell  down  flat. 
 So  the  ark  was  brought  back  from  its  banishment, 
 with  extraordinary  shouting  and  singing  of  the  whole 
 congregation  of  Israel.  And  the  jilaces  in  the  pro- 
 phecies of  Scripture,  signifying  that  the  church  of 
 God,  in  the  glorious  jubilee  that  is  foretold,  shall 
 greatly  abound  in  singing  and  shouting  forth  the 
 praises  of  God,  are  too  many  to  be  mentioned. 
 And  there  will  be  cause  enough  for  it :  I  believe  it 
 will  be  a  time  wherein  both  heaven  and  earth  will 
 be  much  more  full  of  joy  and  praise  than  ever  they 
 were  before. 
 
 But  what  is  more  especially  found  fault  with,  in 
 the  singing  that  is  now  practised,  is  making  use  of 
 
327 
 
 hymns  of  human  composure.  I  am  far  from  think- 
 ing that  the  book  of  Psalms  should  be  thrown  by  in 
 our  public  worship,  but  that  it  should  always  be 
 used  in  the  Christian  church  to  the  end  of  the 
 world:  but  1  know  of  no  obligation  vve  are  under  to 
 confine  ourselves  to  it.  I  can  find  no  command  or 
 rule  of  God's  word,  that  does  any  more  confine  us 
 to  the  words  of  the  Scripture  in  our  singing,  than 
 it  does  in  our  praying;  we  speak  to  God  in  both. 
 And  I  can  see  no  reason  vvhy  we  should  limit  our- 
 selves to  such  particular  forms  of  words  that  we 
 find  in  the  Bible,  in  speaking  to  him  by  way  of 
 praise,  in  metre,  and  with  music,  than  when  we 
 speak  to  him  in  prose,  by  way  of  prayer  and  suppli- 
 cation. And  it  is  really  needful  that  we  should 
 have  some  other  songs  besides  the  Psalms  of  David. 
 It  is  unreasonable  to  suppose  that  the  Christian 
 church  should  for  ever,  and  even  in  times  of  her 
 greatest  light,  in  her  praises  of  God  and  the  Lamb, 
 be  confined  only  to  the  words  of  the  Old  Testament, 
 wherein  all  the  greatest  and  most  glorious  things  of 
 the  gospel,  that  are  infinitely  the  greatest  subjects  of 
 her  praise,  are  spoken  of  under  a  vail,  and  not  so 
 much  as  the  name  of  our  glorious  Redeemer  ever 
 mentionpd.  bui  in  some  dark  figure,  or  as  hid  under 
 the  name  ot  some  type.  And  as  to  our  making  use  of 
 the  words  of  others,  and  not  those  that  are  conceived 
 by  ourselves,  it  is  no  more  than  we  do  in  all  our 
 public  prayers;  the  whole  worshipping  assembly, 
 excepting  one  only,  makes  use  of  the  words  that  are 
 conceived  by  him  who  speaks  for  the  rest. 
 
 VJII.   Another  thing  that   many  have  disliked, 
 is  the  religious   meetintjs  of  children  to   read   and 
 
328 
 
 pray  together,  and  perform   religious  exercises  by 
 themselves.      What  is  objected  is  children's  want  of 
 that  knowledge  and  discretion   which  is  requisite  in 
 order  to  a  decent  and  profitable  management  of  re- 
 ligious exercises.      But  it  appears  to  me  the  objec- 
 tion is  not  sufficient.      Children,   as  they  have  the 
 nature  of  men,  are  inclined  to  society;   and  those  of 
 them  who  are  capable  of  society  one  with  another, 
 are  capable  of  the  influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in 
 its  active  fruits.      And  if  they  are  inclined  by  a  re- 
 ligious disposition,  which  they  have  from  the  Spirit 
 of  God,   to  improve  their  society  one  with  another, 
 in    a  religious  manner,    and   to   religious   purposes, 
 who  should  forbid  them  ?      If  they  have  not  discre- 
 tion to  observe  method  in  their  religious  perform- 
 ances,   or   to   speak   sense   in  all    that   they  say   in 
 prayer,    they    may    notwithstanding    have    a    good 
 meaning,   and  God   understands  them,   and  it  does 
 not  spoil  or  interrupt  their  devotion  one  with  an- 
 other.     We    who   are   adults  have    defects  in   our 
 prayers,  that  are  a  thousand  times  worse  in  the  sight 
 of  God,  and  are  a  greater  confusion,  and  more  ab- 
 surd nonsense  in  his  eyes,  than  their  childish  indis- 
 cretions.     There  is  not  so  much  difference  before 
 God,  between  children  and  grown  persons,  as  we  are 
 ready  to  imagine ;  we  are  all  poor,  ignorant,  foolish 
 babes  in  his  sight.      Our  adult  age  does  not  bring 
 us  so  much  nearer  to  God  as  we  are  apt  to  think. 
 God  in  this  work  has  shown  a  remarkable  regard  to 
 little   children ;    never   was    there    such    a    glorious 
 work   amongst   persons  in   their   childhood,   as   has 
 been  of  late  in  New  England.      He  has  been  pleased 
 in  a  wonderful  manner  to  perfect  praise  out  of  the 
 
329 
 
 mouths  of  babes  and  sucklings;  and  many  of  them 
 have  more  of  that  knowledge  and  wisdom  that 
 pleases  him,  and  renders  their  religious  worship  ac- 
 ceptable, than  many  of  the  great  and  learned  men  of 
 the  world  :  it  is  they,  in  the  sight  of  God,  who  are  the 
 ignorant  and  foolish  children ;  these  are  grown  men, 
 and  a  hundred  years  old,  in  comparison  with  them. 
 It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  days  are  coming,  pro- 
 phesied of,  Isa.  Ix.  20.  when  "  the  child  shall  die  an 
 hundred  years  old." 
 
 I  have  seen  many  happy  effects  of  children's  re- 
 ligious meetine[s;  and  God  has  seemed  often  re- 
 markably  to  own  them  in  their  meetings,  and  really 
 descended  from  heaven  to  be  amongst  them.  I  have 
 known  several  probable  instances  of  children  being 
 converted  at  such  meetings.  I  should  therefore 
 think,  that  if  children  appear  to  be  really  moved  to 
 it  by  a  religious  disposition,  and  not  merely  from  a 
 childish  affectation  of  imitating  grown  persons,  they 
 ought  by  no  means  to  be  discouraged  or  discoun- 
 tenanced. But  yet  it  is  fit  that  care  should  be  taken 
 of  them  by  their  parents  and  pastors,  to  instruct  and 
 direct  them,  and  to  correct  imprudent  conduct  and 
 irregularities  if  they  are  perceived,  or  any  thing  by 
 which  the  devil  may  pervert  and  destroy  the  design 
 of  their  meetings.  All  should  take  heed  that  they 
 do  not  find  fault  with  and  despise  the  religion  of 
 children,  from  an  evil  principle,  lest  they  should  be 
 like  the  chief-priests  and  scribes,  who  were  sore  dis- 
 pleased at  the  religious  worship  and  praises  of  little 
 children,  and  the  honour  they  gave  Christ  in  the 
 temple.  We  have  an  account  of  it,  and  of  what 
 Christ  said  upon  it,  in  Matt.  xxi.  15,  16.    "  And 
 
330 
 
 when  the  chief-priests  and  scribes  saw  the  wonder- 
 ful things  that  he  did,  and  the  children  crying  in 
 the  temple,  and  saying,  Hosanna  to  the  son  of 
 David;  they  were  sore  displeased,  and  said  unto 
 him,  Hearest  thou  what  these  say?  And  Jesus 
 saith  unto  them,  Yea:  have  ye  never  read,  Out  of 
 the  mouth  of  babes  and  sucklings  thou  has  perfected 
 praise  ?" 
 
331 
 
 PART  IV. 
 
 SHOWING  WHAT  THINGS  ARE  TO  BE  CORRECTED  OR 
 AVOIDED,  IN  PROMOTING  THIS  WORK,  OR  IN  OUR 
 BEHAVIOUR  UNDER  IT. 
 
 Having  thus  observed,  in  some  instances,  wherein 
 the  conduct  of  those  that  have  appeared  to  be  the 
 subjects  of  this  work,  or  have  been  zealous  to  pro- 
 mote it,  has  been  objected  against  or  complained  of 
 without  or  beyond  just  cause;  I  proceed  now  to 
 show  what  thint^s  ouffht  to  be  corrected  or  avoided. 
 
 Many  who  are  zealous  for  this  glorious  work  of 
 God,  are  heartily  sick  of  the  great  noise  there  is  in 
 the  country  about  imprudences  and  disorders;  they 
 have  heard  it  so  often  from  the  mouths  of  opposers, 
 that  they  are  prejudiced  against  the  sound.  And 
 they  look  upon  it,  that  what  is  called  being  prudent 
 and  regular,  so  much  insisted  on,  is  no  otlicr  than 
 being  asleep,  or  cold  and  dead  in  religion  ;  and  that 
 the  gxeat  imprudence,  so  much  blamed,  is  only  be- 
 ing alive  and  engaged  in  the  things  of  God.  They 
 are  therefore  rather  confirmed  in  any  practice,  than 
 brought  off  from  it,  by  the  clamour  they  hear  against 
 it,  as  imprudent  and  irregular.  And,  to  tell  the 
 truth,  the  cry  of  irregularity  and  imprudence  has 
 been  much  more  in  the  mouths  of  those  who  have 
 been  enemies  to  the  main  of  the  work  than  others; 
 for  they  have  watched  for  the  halting  of  the  zealous, 
 and  eagerly  catched  at  any  thing  that  has  been 
 wrong,  and  have  greatly  insisted  on   it,    made  the 
 
332 
 
 most  of  it,  and  magnified  it ;  especially  have  they 
 watched  for  errors  in  zealous  preachers,  who  are 
 much  in  reproving  and  condemning  the  wickedness 
 of  the  times.  They  would,  therefore,  do  well  to 
 consider  that  scripture,  Isa.  xxix.  20,  21.  "  The 
 scorner  is  consumed,  and  all  that  watch  for  iniquity 
 are  cut  oflP:  that  make  a  man  an  offender  for  a  word, 
 and  lay  a  snare  for  him  that  reproveth  in  the  gate, 
 and  turn  aside  the  just  for  a  thing  of  nought." 
 They  have  not  only  too  much  insisted  on  and  mag- 
 nified real  errors,  but  have  very  injuriously  charged 
 them  as  guilty  in  things  wherein  they  have  been 
 innocent,  and  have  done  their  duty.  This  has  so 
 prejudiced  the  minds  of  some,  that  they  have  been 
 ready  to  think  that  all  which  has  been  said  about 
 errors  and  imprudences  was  injurious  and  from  an 
 ill  spirit.  It  has  confirmed  them,  that  there  is  no 
 such  thing  as  any  prevailing  imprudences;  and  it 
 has  made  them  less  cautious  and  suspicious  of  them- 
 selves, lest  they  should  err.  Herein  the  devil  has 
 had  an  advantage  put  into  his  hands,  and  has 
 taken  it;  and,  doubtless,  has  been  too  subtle  for 
 some  of  the  true  friends  of  religion.  That  would 
 be  strange  indeed,  if,  in  so  great  a  commotion  and 
 revolution,  and  such  a  new  state  of  things,  wherein 
 so  many  have  been  engaged,  none  have  been  guilty 
 of  any  imprudence.  It  would  be  such  a  revival  of 
 religion  as  never  was,  if,  among  so  many  men,  not 
 guided  by  infallible  inspiration,  there  had  not  been 
 many  notable  errors  in  judgment  and  conduct;  our 
 young  preachers,  and  young  converts,  must  in  gen- 
 eral vastly  exceed  Luther,  the  head  of  the  Refor- 
 mation, who  was  guilty  of  a  great  many  excesses  in 
 
333 
 
 that  great  affair  in  which  God  made  him  the  chief 
 instrument. 
 
 If  we  look  back  into  the  history  of  the  church  of 
 God  in  past  ages,  we  may  observe  that  it  has  been  a 
 common  device  of  the  devil  to  overset  a  revival  of 
 religion  ;  when  he  finds  he  can  keep  men  quiet  and 
 secure  no  longer,  then  he  drives  them  to  excesses 
 and  extravagances.  Pie  holds  them  back  as  loner  as 
 he  can ;  but  when  he  can  do  it  no  longer,  then  he 
 will  push  them  on,  and,  if  possible,  run  them  upon 
 their  heads.  And  it  has  been  by  this  means  chiefly, 
 that  he  has  been  successful,  in  several  instances,  to 
 overthrow  most  hopeful  and  promising  beginnings. 
 Yea,  the  principal  means  by  which  the  devil  was 
 successful,  by  degrees,  to  overset  that  grand  religious 
 revival  of  the  world,  in  the  primitive  ages  of  Chris- 
 tianity, and,  in  a  manner,  to  overtlirow  the  Christian 
 church  through  the  earth,  and  to  make  way  for  the 
 great  Antichristian  apostacy,  that  master-piece  of  all 
 the  devil's  works,  was  to  improve  the  indiscreet  zeal 
 of  Christians,  to  drive  them  into  those  three  extremes 
 of  enthusiasm,  superstition,  and  severity  towards 
 opposers;  which  should  be  enough  for  an  everlasting 
 warning  to  the  Christian  church. 
 
 Though  the  devil  will  do  his  dihgence  to  stir  up 
 the  open  enemies  of  religion,  yet  he  knows  what  is 
 for  his  interest  so  well,  that,  in  a  time  of  revival  of 
 religion,  his  main  strength  shall  be  tried  with  the 
 friends  of  it ;  and  he  will  chiefly  exert  himself  in  his 
 attempts  to  mislead  them.  One  truly  zealous  per- 
 son, in  the  time  of  such  an  event,  that  seems  to 
 have  a  great  hand  in  the  affair,  and  draws  the  eyes 
 of  many  upon  him,  may  do  more  (through  Satan's 
 
334 
 
 beino-  too  subtle  for  bim)  to  binder  tbe  work,  tban 
 a  bundred  great,  and  strong,  and  open  opposers. 
 In  tbe  time  of  a  great  work  of  Christ,  bis  hands, 
 with  which  be  works,  are  often  wounded  in  tbe 
 bouse  of  bis  friends,  and  bis  work  hindered  chiefly 
 then.  So  that,  if  any  one  inquires,  as  in  Zecb. 
 xiii.  6.  "  What  are  those  wounds  in  thine  bands?" 
 he  may  answer,  "  Those  with  which  I  was  wounded 
 in  tbe  bouse  of  ray  friends." 
 
 The  errors  of  the  friends  of  the  work  of  God, 
 and  especially  of  the  great  promoters  of  it,  give  vast 
 advantage  to  the  enemies  of  such  a  work.  Indeed, 
 there  are  many  things  which  are  no  errors,  but  are 
 only  duties  faithfully  and  thoroughly  done,  that 
 wound  tbe  minds  of  such  persons  more  than  real 
 errors.  But  yet  one  real  error  gives  opposers  as 
 much  advantage,  and  hinders  and  clogs  tbe  work  as 
 much,  as  ten  that  are  only  supposed  ones.  Real 
 errors  do  not  fret  and  gall  the  enemies  of  rebgion  so 
 much  as  those  things  that  are  strictly  right;  but 
 thev  encourage  them  more,  they  give  them  Hberty, 
 and  open  a  gap  for  them ;  so  that  some  who  before 
 kept  their  enmity  burning  in  their  own  breasts,  and 
 durst  not  show  themselves,  will,  on  such  an  occasion, 
 take  courage,  and  give  themselves  vent,  and  their 
 raoe  will  be  like  that  of  an  enemy  let  loose.  Those 
 who  lay  still  before,  having  nothing  to  say  but  what 
 they  would  be  ashamed  of,  (agreeable  to  Tit.  ii.  8.) 
 when  thev  have  such  a  weapon  put  into  their  hands, 
 will  fight  with  all  violence.  And  indeed  the  ene- 
 mies of  religion  would  not  know  what  to  do  for  wea- 
 pons to  fight  with,  were  it  not  for  tbe  errors  of  its 
 friends;  and  so  must  soon  fall  before  them.      Be- 
 
335 
 
 sides,  in  real  errors,  things  that  are  truly  disagreeable 
 to  the  rule  of  God's  word,  we  cannot  expect  the 
 divine  protection,  and  that  God  will  appear  on  our 
 side,  as  if  our  errors  were  only  supposed  ones. 
 
 Since,  therefore,  the  errors  of  the  friends  and 
 promoters  of  such  a  glorious  work  of  God  are  of 
 such  dreadful  consequence ;  and  seeing  the  devil, 
 being  sensible  of  this,  is  so  assiduous,  watchful,  and 
 subtle  in  his  attempts  with  them,  and  has  thereby 
 been  so  successful  to  overthrow  religion  heretofore ; 
 certainly  such  persons  ought  to  be  exceedingly  cir- 
 cumspect and  vigilant,  diffident  and  jealous  of  them- 
 selves, and  humbly  dependent  on  the  guidance  of  the 
 good  Shepherd.  "  Be  sober,  and  watch  unto  prayer;" 
 and  "  Be  sober,  be  vigilant ;  because  your  adversary 
 the  devil,  as  a  roaring  lion,  walketh  about."  For 
 persons  to  go  on  resolutely,  in  a  kind  of  heat  and  ve- 
 hemence, despising  admonition  and  correction,  being 
 confident  that  they  must  be  in  the  right,  because 
 they  are  full  of  the  Spirit,  is  directly  contrary  to 
 the  import  of  these  words,  "  Be  sober,  be  vigilant." 
 
 It  is  a  mistake  I  have  observed  in  some,  by  which 
 they  have  been  greatly  exposed  to  their  wounding, 
 that  thoy  think  they  are  in  no  danger  of  going  astray, 
 or  being  misled  by  the  devil,  because  they  are  near  to 
 God  ;  and  so  have  no  jealous  eye  upon  themselves, 
 and  neglect  vigilance  and  circumspection,  as  needless 
 in  their  case.  They  say  they  do  not  think  that 
 God  will  leave  them  to  dishonour  him,  and  wound 
 religion,  as  long  as  they  keep  near  to  him.  And  I 
 believe  so  too,  as  long  as  they  keep  near  to  God,  so 
 as  to  maintain  a  universal  and  diligent  watch,  and 
 care  to  do  their   duty,  avoid  sin   and  snares,  with 
 
336 
 
 diffidence  in  themselves,  and  humtle  dependence 
 and  prayerfulness.  But  not  merely  because  they 
 are  receiving  blessed  communications  from  God,  in 
 refreshing  views  of  him,  if,  at  the  same  time,  they 
 let  down  their  watch,  and  are  not  jealous  over  their 
 own  hearts,  by  reason  of  its  remaining  blindness  and 
 corruption,  and  a  subtle  adversary.  It  is  a  grand 
 error  for  persons  to  think  they  are  out  of  danger 
 from  the  devil,  and  a  corrupt,  deceitful  heart,  even 
 in  their  highest  flights,  and  most  raised  frames  of 
 spiritual  joy.  For  persons  in  such  a  confidence,  to 
 cease  to  be  jealous  of  themselves,  and  to  neglect 
 watchfulness  and  care,  is  a  presumption  by  which  I 
 have  known  many  woefully  ensnared.  However 
 highly  we  may  be  favoured  with  divine  discoveries 
 and  comforts,  yet,  as  long  as  we  are  in  the  world, 
 we  are  in  the  enemy's  country  ;  and  therefore,  that 
 direction  of  Christ  to  his  disciples  is  never  out  of 
 date  in  this  world,  "  Watch,  and  pray  always,  that  you 
 may  be  accounted  worthy  to  escape  all  these  things, 
 and  to  stand  before  the  Son  of  man."  It  was  not 
 out  of  date  with  the  disciples  to  whom  it  was  given, 
 after  they  came  to  be  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and 
 "  out  of  their  bellies  flowed  rivers  of  living  water," 
 by  that  great  effusion  upon  them  that  began  on  the 
 day  of  Pentecost.  And  though  God  stands  ready 
 to  protect  his  people,  especially  those  that  are  near 
 to  him,  yet  he  expects  of  all  great  care  and  labour, 
 and  that  we  should  put  on  the  whole  armour  of  God, 
 that  we  may  stand  in  the  evil  day.  To  wliatever 
 spiritual  privileges  we  are  raised,  we  have  no  warrant 
 to  expect  protection  in  any  other  way  ;  for  God  has 
 appointed  this   whole  life,  to  be  all  as  a  race  or  a 
 
337 
 
 battle ;  the  state  of  rest,  wherein  we  shall  be  so  out 
 of  danger  as  to  have  no  need  of  watching  and  fight- 
 ing, is  reserved  for  another  world.  I  have  known 
 it  in  abundance  of  instances,  tliat  the  devil  has  corae 
 in  very  rcynarkably,  even  in  the  midst  of  the  most 
 excellent  frames.  It  may  seem  a  great  mystery  that 
 it  should  be  so ;  but  it  is  no  greater  mystery  than 
 that  Christ  should  be  taken  captive  by  the  devil, 
 and  carried  into  the  wilderness,  immediately  after 
 the  heavens  had  been  opened  to  him,  and  the  Holy 
 Ghost  descended  like  a  dove  upon  him,  and  when 
 he  heard  that  comfortable,  joyful  voice  from  the 
 Father,  saying,  "  This  is  my  beloved  Son,  in  whom 
 I  am  well  pleased."  In  like  manner,  Christ,  in  the 
 heart  of  a  Christian,  is  oftentimes,  as  it  were,  taken 
 and  carried  captive  into  a  wilderness,  presently  after 
 heaven  has  been,  as  it  were,  opened  to  the  soul,  and 
 the  Holy  Ghost  has  descended  upon  it  like  a  dove, 
 and  when  God  has  been  sweetly  ovvning  the  believer, 
 and  testifying  his  favour  to  him  as  his  beloved  child. 
 It  is,  therefore,  a  great  error  and  sin  in  some 
 persons,  at  tiiis  day,  that  they  are  fixed  in  some 
 things  which  others  account  errors,  and  will  not 
 hearken  to  admonition  and  counsel,  but  are  confi- 
 dent that  they  are  in  the  right,  because  God  is 
 much  with  them.  There  were  some  such  in  the 
 apostles'  days.  The  apostle  Paul,  writing  to  the 
 Corinthians,  was  sensible  that  some  of  them  would 
 not  be  easily  convinced  that  they  had  been  in  any 
 error,  because  they  looked  upon  themselves  as  spi- 
 ritual, or  full  of  the  Spirit  of  God  :  "  If  any  man 
 think  himself  to  be  a  prophet,  or  spiritual,  let  him 
 acknowledge  that  the  things  that  I  write  unto  you 
 P  48 
 
338      • 
 
 are  the  commandment  of  the  Lord;  but  if  any  man 
 be  ignorant,  let  him  be  ignorant." 
 
 And  although  those  who  are  spiritual  amongst  us 
 have  no  infallible  apostle  to  admonish  them,  yet  let 
 me  entreat  them,  by  the  love  of  Christ,  ^Imly  and 
 impartially  to  weigh  what  may  be  said  to  them  by 
 one  who  is  their  hearty  and  fervent  friend,  (though 
 an  inferior  worm,)  in  giving  his  humble  opinion  con- 
 cerning the  errors  that  have  been  committed,  by  the 
 zealous  friends  or  promoters  of  this  great  work  of 
 God.  In  speaking  of  past  errors,  and  those  we  are 
 in  danger  of,  I  would,  in  the 
 
 First  place,  Take  notice  of  the  causes  whence  the 
 errors  that  attend  a  great  revival  of  religion  usually 
 arise;  and,  as  I  go  along,  take  notice  of  some  parti- 
 cular errors  that  arise  from  each  of  those  causes. 
 
 Secondly,  Observe  some  errors  that  have  been 
 owing  to  the  influence  of  several  of  those  causes 
 conjunctly. 
 
 The  errors  that  attend  a  great  revival  of  religion 
 usually  arise  from  these  three  things: — 1.  Undis- 
 cerned  spiritual  pride;  2.  Wrong  principles;  and  3. 
 Ignorance  of  Satan's  advantages  and  devices. 
 
 SECTION  I. 
 
 One  cause  of  enws  atteiiding  a  great  Revival  of 
 ReligioUi  is  undiscerned  Sj)intual  Pride. 
 
 The  first  and  the  worst  cause  of  errors,  that  pre- 
 vail in  such  a  state  of  things,  is  spiritual  pride.     This 
 
339 
 
 is  the  main  door  by  which  the  devil  comes  into  the 
 hearts  of  those  who  are  zealous  for  the  advancement 
 of  religion.  It  is  the  chief  inlet  of  smoke  from  the 
 bottomless  pit,  to  darken  the  mind  and  mislead  the 
 judgment.  This  is  the  main  handle  by  which  the 
 devil  has  hold  of  religious  persons,  and  the  chief 
 source  of  all  the  mischief  that  he  introduces,  to  cloor 
 and  hinder  a  work  of  God. — This  cause  of  error  is 
 the  main  spring,  or  at  least  the  main  support,  of  all 
 the  rest.  Till  this  disease  is  cured,  medicines  are 
 in  vain  applied  to  heal  other  diseases.  It  is  by  this 
 that  the  mind  defends  itself  in  other  errors,  and 
 guards  itself  against  light,  by  which  it  might  be 
 corrected  and  reclaimed.  The  spiritually  proud 
 man  is  full  of  light  already,  he  does  not  need  in- 
 struction, and  is  read)'  to  despise  the  offer  of  it. 
 But,  if  this  disease  be  healed,  other  things  are  easily 
 rectified.  The  humble  person  is  like  a  little  child, 
 he  easily  receives  instruction;  he  is  jealous  over  him- 
 self, sensible  how  liable  he  is  to  go  astray;  and  there- 
 fore, if  it  be  suggested  to  him  that  he  does  so,  he 
 is  ready  most  narrowly  and  impartially  to  inquire. 
 Nothing  sets  a  person  so  much  out  of  the  devil's 
 reach  as  humility,  and  so  prepares  the  mind  for  true 
 divine  light  without  darkness,  and  so  clears  the  eye 
 to  look  on  things  as  they  truly  are  :  **  The  meek 
 will  he  guide  in  judgment.  And  the  meek  will  he 
 teach  his  way."  Therefore  we  should  fight,  neither 
 with  small  nor  with  great,  but  with  the  King  of 
 Israel.  Our  first  care  should  be  to  rectify  the  heart, 
 and  pull  the  beam  out  of  our  eye,  and  then  we  shall 
 see  clearly. 
 
 I  know  that  a  great  many  things  at  this  day  are 
 p2 
 
340 
 
 very  injuriously  laid  to  the  pride  of  those  that  are 
 zealous  in  the  cause  of  God.  When  any  person 
 appears,  in  any  respect,  remarkably  distinguished  in 
 religion  from  others ;  if  he  professes  those  spiritual 
 comforts  and  joys  that  are  greater  than  ordinary,  or 
 appears  distinguishingly  zealous  in  religion ;  if  he 
 €xerts  himself  more  than  others  in  the  cause  of  reli- 
 gion, or  seems  to  be  distinguished  with  success,  ten 
 to  one  but  it  will  immediately  awaken  the  jealousy 
 of  those  about  him.  They  will  suspect  (whether 
 they  have  cause  or  not)  that  he  is  very  proud  of  his 
 goodness,  and  affects  to  have  it  thought  that  nobody 
 is  so  good  as  he ;  and  all  his  talk  is  heard,  and  all 
 his  behaviour  beheld,  with  this  prejudice.  Those 
 who  are  themselves  cold  and  dead,  and  especially 
 such  as  never  had  any  experience  of  the  power  of 
 godliness  on  their  own  hearts,  are  ready  to  entertain 
 such  thoughts  of  the  best  Christians ;  which  arises 
 from  a  secret  enmity  against  vital  and  fervent  piety. 
 But  zealous  Christians  should  take  heed  lest  this 
 prove  a  snare  to  them,  and  the  devil  take  advantage 
 from  it,  to  blind  their  eyes  from  beholding  what  there 
 is  indeed  of  this  nature  in  their  hearts,  and  make 
 them  think,  because  they  are  charged  with  pride 
 wrongfully,  and  from  an  ill  spirit,  in  many  things, 
 that  therefore  it  is  so  in  every  thing.  Alas,  how 
 much  pride  have  the  best  of  us  in  our  hearts  !  It  is 
 Ahe  worst  part  of  the  body  of  sin  and  death  ;  the 
 first  sin  that  ever  entered  into  the  universe,  and  the 
 last  that  is  rooted  out :  it  is  God's  most  stubborn 
 enemy  ! 
 
 The  corruption  of  nature  may  all  be  resolved  into 
 two  things,  pride  and  worldly-miudedness,  the  devil 
 
341 
 
 and  the  beast,  or  self  and  the  world.  These  are 
 the  two  pillars  of  Dagon's  temple,  on  which  the  whole 
 house  leans.  But  the  former  of  these  is  every  way 
 the  worst  part  of  the  corruption  of  nature ;  it  is  the 
 first  born  son  of  the  devil,  and  his  image  in  the  heart 
 of  man  chiefly  consists  in  it.  Itxis  the  last  thing  in 
 a  sinner  that  is  overborne  by  conviction,  in  order  to 
 conversion  ;  and  here  is  the  saint's  hardest  conflict ; 
 the  last  thing  over  which  he  obtains  a  good  degree 
 of  conquest,  that  which  most  directly  militates  against 
 God,  and  is  most  contrary  to  the  Spirit  of  the  I.amb 
 of  God.  It  is  most  like  the  devil  its  father,  in  a 
 serpentine  deceitfulness  and  secrecy;  it  lies  deepest, 
 is  most  active,  and  is  most  ready  secretly  to  mix 
 itself  with  every  thing. 
 
 And,  of  all  kinds  of  pride,  spiritual  pride  is,  upon 
 many  accounts,  the  most  hateful ;  it  is  most  like  the 
 devil  ;  most  like  the  sin  he  committed  in  a  heaven 
 of  light  and  glory,  where  he  was  exalted  high  in 
 divine  knowledge,  honour,  beauty,  and  happiness. 
 Pride  is  much  more  difficult  to  be  discerned  than  any 
 other  corruption,  because  its  nature  very  much  con- 
 sists in  a  person's  having  too  high  a  thought  of  him- 
 self. No  wonder  that  he  who  has  too  high  a  thought 
 of  himself,  does  not  know  it;  for  he  necessarily  thinks 
 that  the  opinion  he  has  of  himself  has  just  grounds, 
 and  therefore  is  not  too  high ;  if  he  thought  such  an 
 opinion  of  himself  was  without  just  grounds,  he  would 
 therein  cease  to  have  it.  Those  that  are  spiritually 
 proud,  have  a  high  conceit  of  these  two  things — 
 namely,  their  light  and  their  humility ;  both  which 
 are  a  strong  prejudice  against  a  discovery  of  their 
 pride.    Being  proud  of  their  light,  that  makes  them 
 
342 
 
 not  jealous  of  themselves — he  who  thinks  a  clear 
 light  shines  around  him  is  not  suspicious  of  an  enemy 
 lurking  near  him  unseen — and  then,  heing  proud  of 
 their  humility,  that  makes  them  least  of  all  jealous 
 of  themselves  in  that  particular,  namely,  as  being 
 under  the  prevalence  of  pride.  There  are  many  sins 
 of  the  heart  that  are  very  secret  in  their  nature,  and 
 difficult  to  be  discerned.  The  Psalmist  says,  *'  Who 
 can  understand  his  errors?  Cleanse  thou  me  from 
 secret  faults."  But  spiritual  pride  is  the  most  secret 
 of  all  sins.  The  heart  is  deceitful  and  unsearchable 
 in  nothing  so  much  as  in  this  matter;  and  there  is 
 no  sin  in  the  world  that  men  are  so  confident  in. 
 The  very  nature  of  it  is  to  work  self-confidence,  and 
 drive  away  jealousy  of  any  evil  of  that  kind.  There 
 is  no  sin  so  much  like  the  devil  as  this  for  secrecy 
 and  subtlety,  and  appearing  in  a  great  many  shapes 
 undiscerned  and  unsuspected.  It  appears  as  an  angel 
 of  light;  takes  occasion  to  arise  from  every  thing;  it 
 perverts  and  abuses  every  thing,  and  even  the  exer- 
 cises of  real  grace,  and  real  humility,  as  an  occasion 
 to  exert  itself;  it  is  a  sin  that  has,  as  it  were,  many 
 lives;  if  you  kill  it,  it  will  live  still;  if  you  mortify 
 and  suppress  it  in  one  shape,  it  rises  in  another;  if 
 you  think  it  is  all  gone,  yet  it  is  there  still.  There 
 are  a  great  many  kinds  of  it  that  lie  in  different  forms 
 and  shapes,  one  under  another,  and  encompass  the 
 heart  like  the  coats  of  an  onion  ;  if  you  pull  off  one, 
 there  is  another  underneath.  We  had  need,  there- 
 fore, to  have  the  greatest  watch  imaginable  over 
 our  hearts  with  respect  to  this  matter,  and  to  cry 
 most  earnestly  to  the  great  Searcher  of  hearts  for  his 
 help.      He  that  trusts  his  own  heart  is  a  fool. 
 
343 
 
 God's  own  people  should  be  the  more  jealous  of 
 themselves,  with  respect  to  this  particular,  at  this 
 day,  because  the  temptations  that  many  have  to  this 
 sin  are  exceeding  great.  The  great  and  distinguish- 
 ing privileges  to  which  God  admits  many  of  his 
 saints,  and  the  high  honours  he  puts  on  some  minis- 
 ters, are  great  trials  of  persons  in  this  respect.  It 
 is  true,  that  great  degrees  of  the  spiritual  presence 
 of  God  tends  greatly  to  mortify  pride  and  all  cor- 
 ruption ;  but  yet,  though  in  the  experience  of  such 
 favours  there  be  much  to  restrain  pride  one  way, 
 there  is  much  to  tempt  and  provoke  it  another;  and 
 we  shall  be  in  great  danger  thereby,  without  great 
 watchfulness  and  prayerfulness.  The  angels  that 
 fell,  while  in  heaven,  had  great  honours  and  high 
 privileges,  in  beholding  the  face  of  God,  and  view- 
 ing his  infinite  glory,  to  cause  in  them  exercises  of 
 humility,  and  to  keep  them  from  pride;  yet,  through 
 want  of  watchfulness  in  them,  their  great  honour  and 
 heavenly  privilege  proved  to  be  to  them  an  undoing 
 temptation  to  pride,  though  they  had  no  principle 
 ,of  pride  in  their  hearts  to  expose  them.  Let  no 
 saint,  therefore,  however  eminent,  and  however  near 
 to  God,  think  himself  out  of  danger.  He  that  thinks 
 himself  most  out  of  danger,  is  indeed  most  in  danger. 
 The  apostle  Paul,  who  doubtless  was  as  eminent  a 
 saint  as  any  now,  was  not  out  of  danger,  even  just 
 after  he  was  admitted  to  see  God  in  the  third  hea- 
 vens, 2  Cor.  xii.;  and  yet,  doubtless,  what  he  saw  in 
 heaven  of  the  ineffable  glory  of  the  divine  Being, 
 had  a  direct  tendency  to  make  him  appear  exceed- 
 ing little  and  vile  in  his  own  eyes. 
 
 Spiritual  pride,  in  its  own  nature,  is  so  secret, 
 
344 
 
 that  it  is  not  so  well  discerned,  by  immediate  in- 
 tuition, on  the  thing  itself,  as  by  the  effects  and 
 fruits  of  it ;  some  of  which  I  would  mention,  to- 
 gether with  the  contrary  fruits  of  pure  Christian 
 humility.  Spiritual  pride  disposes  to  speak  of  other 
 persons'  sins,  their  enmity  against  God  and  his  peo- 
 ple, the  miserable  delusions  of  hypocrites  and  their 
 enmity  against  vital  piety,  and  the  deadness  of  some 
 saints,  with  bitterness,  or  with  laughter  and  levity, 
 and  an  air  of  contempt ;  whereas  pure  Christian 
 humility  rather  disposes  either  to  be  silent  about 
 them,  or  to  speak  of  them  with  grief  and  pity. 
 Spiritual  pride  is  very  apt  to  suspect  others ;  where- 
 as an  humble  saint  is  most  jealous  of  himself;  he  is 
 so  suspicious  of  nothing  in  the  world  as  he  is  of  his 
 own  heart.  The  spiritually  proud  person  is  apt  to 
 find  fault  with  other  saints,  that  they  are  low  in 
 grace ;  and  to  be  much  in  observing  how  cold  and 
 dead  they  are ;  and  being  quick  to  discern  and  take 
 notice  of  their  deficiencies.  But  the  eminently  hum- 
 ble Christian  has  so  much  to  do  at  home,  and  sees 
 so  much  evil  in  his  own  heart,  and  is  so  concerned 
 about  it,  that  he  is  not  apt  to  be  very  busy  with 
 other  hearts;  he  complains  most  of  himself,  and 
 complains  of  his  own  coldness  and  lowness  in  grace. 
 He  is  apt  to  esteem  others  better  than  himself,  and 
 is  ready  to  hope  that  there  is  nobody  but  what  has 
 more  love  and  thankfulness  to  God  than  he,  and 
 cannot  bear  to  think  that  others  should  bring  forth 
 no  more  fruit  to  God's  honour  than  he.  Some, 
 who  have  spiritual  pride  mixed  with  high  discoveries 
 and  great  transports  of  joy,  disposing  them,  in  an 
 earnest  manner,  to  talk  to  others,  are  apt,  in  such 
 
345 
 
 frames,  to  be  calling  upon  other  Christians  about 
 them,  and  sharply  reproving  them  for  their  being  so 
 cold  and  lifeless.  There  are  others,  who,  in  their 
 raptures,  are  overwhelmed  with  a  sense  of  their  own 
 vileness ;  and,  when  tHey  have  extraordinary  dis- 
 coveries of  God's  glory,  are  all  taken  up  about  their 
 own  sinfulness  ;  and  though  they  also  are  disposed 
 to  speak  much  and  very  earnestly,  yet  it  is  very 
 much  in  blaming  themselves,  and  exhorting  fellow- 
 christians,  but  in  a  charitable  and  humble  manner. 
 Pure  Christian  humility  disposes  a  person  to  take 
 notice  of  every  thing  that  is  good  in  others,  and  to 
 make  the  best  of  it,  and  to  diminish  their  failings; 
 but  to  have  his  eye  chiefly  on  those  things  that  are 
 had  in  himself,  and  to  take  much  notice  of  every 
 thing  that  aggravates  them. 
 
 In  a  contrariety  to  this,  it  has  been  the  manner 
 in  some  places,  or  at  least  the  manner  of  some  per- 
 sons, to  speak  of  almost  every  thing  that  they  see 
 amiss  in  others,  in  the  most  harsh,  severe,  and  ter- 
 rible language.  It  is  frequent  with  them  to  say  of 
 others'  opinions,  or  conduct,  or  advice — or  of  their 
 coldness,  their  silence,  their  caution,  their  modera- 
 tion, their  prudence,  &c.  that  they  are  from  the 
 devil,  or  from  hell ;  that  such  a  thing  is  devilish  or 
 hellish,  or  cursed ;  and  that  such  persons  are  serving 
 the  devil,  or  the  devil  is  in  them;  that  they  are  soul- 
 murderers  and  the  like ;  so  that  the  words  devil  and 
 hell  are  almost  continually  in  their  mouths.  And 
 such  kind  of  language  they  will  commonly  use,  not 
 only  towards  wicked  men,  but  towards  them  whom 
 they  themselves  allow  to  be  the  true  children  of 
 God,  and  also  towards  ministers  of  the  gospel  and 
 p3 
 
34^6 
 
 others  who  are  very  much  their  superiors.  And 
 they  look  upon  it  as  a  virtue  and  liigh  attainment 
 thus  to  behave  themselves.  "  Oh,"  say  they,  "  we 
 must  be  plain-hearted  and  bold  for  Christ;  we  must 
 declare  war  against  sin  wherever  we  see  it ;  we  must 
 not  mince  the  matter  in  the  cause  of  God,  and  when 
 speaking  for  Christ."  And  to  make  any  distinction 
 in  persons,  or  to  speak  the  more  tenderly,  because 
 that  which  is  amiss  is  seen  in  a  superior,  they  look 
 upon  as  very  mean  for  a  follower  of  Christ  when 
 speaking  in  the  cause  of  his  Master.  What  a  strange 
 device  of  the  devil  is  here,  to  overthrow  all  Christian 
 meekness  and  gentleness,  and  even  all  show  and  ap- 
 pearance of  it,  and  to  defile  the  mouths  of  the  chil- 
 dren of  God,  and  to  introduce  the  language  of  com- 
 mon sailors  among  the  followers  of  Christ,  under  a 
 cloak  of  high  sanctity,  and  zeal,  and  boldness  for 
 Christ  I  And  it  is  a  remarkable  instance  of  the 
 weakness  of  the  human  mind,  and  how  much  too 
 cunning  the  devil  is  for  us  ! 
 
 The  grand  defence  of  this  way  of  talking  is,  that 
 they  say  no  more  than  what  is  true;  they  only  speak 
 the  truth  without  mincing  the  matter ;  and  that  true 
 Christians,  who  have  a  great  sight  of  the  evil  of  sin, 
 and  acquaintance  with  their  own  hearts,  know  it  to 
 be  true;  and,  therefore,  will  not  be  offended  to  hear 
 such  harsh  expressions  concerning  them  and  their 
 sins.  It  is  only  (say  they)  hypocrites,  or  cold  and 
 dead  Christians,  that  are  provoked  and  feel  their 
 enmity  rise  on  such  an  occasion.  But  it  is  a  grand 
 mistake  to  think  that  we  may  commonly  use  all  such 
 language  as  represents  the  worst  of  each  other,  ac- 
 cording to  strict  truth.      It  is  really  true,  that  every 
 
347 
 
 kind  of  sin,  and  every  degree  of  it,  is  devilish  and 
 from  hell,  and  is  cursed,  hellish,  and  condemned,  or 
 damned.  And  if  persons  had  a  full  sight  of  their 
 hearts,  they  would  think  no  terms  too  bad  for  them; 
 they  would  look  like  beasts,  like  serpents,  and  like 
 devils  to  themselves;  they  would  be  at  a  loss  for 
 language  to  express  what  they  see  in  themselves. 
 The  worst  terms  they  could  think  of  would  seem,  as 
 it  were,  faint  to  represent  what  they  see  in  them- 
 selves. But  shall  a  child,  therefore,  from  time  to 
 time,  use  such  language  concerning  an  excellent  and 
 eminently  holy  father  or  mother,  as,  that  the  devil 
 is  in  them ;  that  they  have  such  and  such  devilish, 
 cursed  dispositions;  that  they  commit  every  day  hun- 
 dreds of  hellish,  damned  acts ;  and  that  they  are 
 cursed  dogs,  hell-hounds,  and  devils?  And  shall 
 the  meanest  of  the  people  be  justified,  in  commonly 
 using  such  language  concerning  the  most  excellent 
 magistrates,  or  their  most  eminent  ministers  ?  I 
 hope  nobody  has  gone  to  this  height.  But  the 
 same  pretences  of  boldness,  plain-heartedness,  and 
 declared  war  against  sin,  will  as  well  justify  these 
 things  as  the  others.  If  we  proceed  in  such  a  man- 
 ner, on  such  principles  as  these,  what  a  face  will  be 
 introduced  upon  the  church  of  Christ,  the  little  be- 
 loved flock  of  that  gentle  Shepherd  the  Lamb  of 
 God  !  What  a  sound  shall  we  bring  into  the  house 
 of  God,  into  the  family  of  his  dear  little  children  ! 
 How  far  off  shall  we  soon  banish  that  lovely  appear- 
 ance of  humility,  sweetness,  gentleness,  mutual  hon- 
 our, benevolence,  complacence,  and  an  esteem  of 
 others  above  themselves,  which  ought  to  clothe  the 
 children  of  God  all  over  !     Not  but  that  Christians 
 
348 
 
 should  watch  over  one  another,  and  in  any  wise  re- 
 prove one  another,  and  do  it  plainly  and  faithfully ; 
 but  it  does  not  thence  follow  that  dear  brethren  in 
 the  family  of  God,  in  rebuking  one  another,  should 
 use  worse  language  than  Michael  the  archangel  durst 
 use  when  rebuking  the  devil  himself. 
 
 Christians,  who  are  but  fellow-worms,  ought  at 
 least  to  treat  one  another  with  as  much  humility  and 
 gentleness  as  Christ,  who  is  infinitely  above  them, 
 treats  them.  But  how  did  Christ  treat  his  disciples 
 when  they  were  so  cold  towards  him,  and  so  regard- 
 less of  him,  at  the  time  when  his  soul  was  exceed- 
 ing sorrowful  even  unto  death — and  he,  in  a  dismal 
 agony,  was  crying  and  sweating  blood  for  them — 
 and  they  would  not  watch  with  him,  and  allow  him 
 the  comfort  of  their  company  one  hour  in  his  great 
 distress,  though  he  once  and  again  desired  it  of 
 them  ?  One  would  think  that  then  was  a  proper 
 time,  if  ever,  to  have  reproved  them  for  a  devilish, 
 hellish,  cursed,  and  damned  slothfulness  and  dead- 
 ness.  But  after  what  manner  does  Christ  reprove 
 them  ?  Behold  his  astonishing  gentleness  !  Says 
 he,  "What,  could  ye  not  watch  with  me  one  hour? 
 The  spirit  indeed  is  willing,  but  the  flesh  is  weak." 
 And  how  did  he  treat  Peter  when  he  was  ashamed 
 of  his  Master,  while  he  was  made  a  mocking  stock 
 and  a  spitting  stock  for  him  ?  Why,  he  looked 
 upon  him  with  a  look  of  love,  and  melted  his  heart. 
 And  though  we  read  that  Christ  once  turned,  and 
 said  unto  Peter,  on  a  certain  occasion,  "  Get  thee 
 behind  me,  Satan ;"  and  this  may  seem  like  an  in- 
 stance of  harshness  and  severity  in  reproving  Peter; 
 yet,  I  humbly  conceive  that  tliis  is  by  many  taken 
 
349 
 
 wrong,  and  that  this  is  indeed  no  instance  of  Christ's 
 severity  in  his  treatment  of  Peter,  but,  on  the  con- 
 trary, of  his  wonderful  gentleness  and  grace,  distin- 
 guishing between  Peter  and  the  devil  in  him,  not 
 laying  the  blame  of  what  Peter  had  then  said,  or 
 imputing  it  to  him,  but  to  the  devil  that  influenced 
 him.  Christ  saw  the  devil  then  present,  secretly 
 influencing  Peter  to  do  the  part  of  a  tempter  to  his 
 Master;  and  therefore  Christ  turned  him  about  to 
 Peter,  in  whom  the  devil  then  was,  and  spake  to 
 the  devil,  and  rebuked  him.  Thus  the  grace  of 
 Christ  does  not  behold  iniquity  in  his  people,  im- 
 putes not  what  is  amiss  in  them  to  them,  but  to  sin 
 that  dwells  in  them,  and  to  Satan  that  influences 
 them. 
 
 Spiritual  pride  often  disposes  persons  to  singular- 
 ity in  external  appearance,  to  affect  a  singular  way 
 of  speaking,  to  use  a  different  sort  of  dialect  from 
 others,  or  to  be  singular  in' voice,  countenance,  or 
 behaviour.  But  he  that  is  an  eminently  humble 
 Christian,  though  he  will  be  firm  to  his  duty,  how- 
 ever singular — going  in  the  way  that  leads  to  heaven 
 alone,  though  all  the  world  forsake  him — yet  he  de- 
 lights not  in  singularity  for  singularity's  sake.  He 
 does  not  affect  to  set  up  himself  to  be  viewed  and 
 observed  as  one  distinfjuished,  as  desirinfj  to  be  ac- 
 counted  better  than  others — despising  their  com- 
 pany, or  conformity  to  them — but,  on  the  contrary, 
 is  disposed  to  become  all  things  to  all  men,  to  yield 
 to  others,  and  conform  to  them  and  please  them,  in 
 every  thing  but  sin.  Spiritual  pride  commonly  oc- 
 casions a  certain  stiffness  and  inflexibility  in  per- 
 sons, in  their  own  judgment  and  their  own  ways ; 
 
350 
 
 whereas  the  eminently  humble  person,  though  he  be 
 inflexible  in  his  duty,  and  in  those  things  wherein 
 God's  honour  is  concerned ;  and  with  regard  to 
 temptation  to  those  things  he  apprehends  to  be  sin- 
 ful, though  in  ever  so  small  a  degree,  he  is  not  at 
 all  of  a  yielding  spirit,  but  is  like  a  brazen  wall;  yet 
 in  other  things  he  is  of  a  pliable  disposition,  not  dis- 
 posed to  set  up  his  own  opinion,  or  his  own  will;  he 
 is  ready  to  pay  deference  to  others'  opinions,  loves  to 
 comply  with  their  inclinations,  and  has  a  heart  that 
 is  tender  and  flexible,  like  a  little  child.  Spiritual 
 pride  disposes  persons  to  affect  separation,  to  stand 
 at  a  distance  from  others,  as  being  better  than  they; 
 and  loves  the  show  and  appearance  of  the  distinc- 
 tion. But,  on  the  contrary,  the  eminently  humble 
 Christian  is  ready  to  look  upon  himself  as  not  worthy 
 that  others  should  be  united  to  him — to  think  him- 
 self more  brutish  than  any  man,  and  worthy  to  be 
 cast  out  of  human  society — and  especially  unworthy 
 of  the  society  of  God's  children.  And  though  he 
 will  not  be  a  companion  with  one  that  is  visibly 
 Christ's  enemy,  but  delights  most  in  the  company 
 of  lively  Christians,  choosing  such  for  his  compa- 
 nions, and  will  be  most  intimate  with  them,  not  de- 
 lighting to  spend  much  time  in  the  company  of  those 
 who  seem  to  relish  no  conversation  but  about  worldly 
 things — yet  he  does  not  love  the  appearance  of  an 
 open  separation  from  visible  Christians,  as  being  a 
 kind  of  distinct  company  from  those  who  are  one 
 visible  company  with  him  by  Christ's  appointment; 
 and  will  as  much  as  possible  shun  all  appearances  of 
 a  superiority,  or  distinguishing  himself  as  better  than 
 others.      His  universal  benevolence  delights  in  the 
 
351 
 
 appearance  of  union  with  Iiis  fellow-creatures,  and 
 will  maintain  it  as  much  as  he  possibly  can,  without 
 giving  open  countenance  to  iniquity,  or  wounding  his 
 own  soul.  And  herein  he  follows  the  example  of 
 his  meek  and  lowly  Redeemer,  who  did  not  keep  up 
 such  a  separation  and  distance  as  the  Pharisees,  but 
 freely  ate  with  publicans  and  sinners,  that  he  might 
 win  them. 
 
 The  eminently  humble  Christian  is,  as  it  were, 
 clothed  with  lowliness,  mildness,  meekness,  gentle- 
 ness of  spirit  and  behaviour,  and  wiih  a  soft,  sweet, 
 condescending,  winning  air  and  deportment;  these 
 things  are  just  like  garments  to  him,  he  is  clothed 
 all  over  with  them.  "  And  be  clothed  with  humi- 
 lity." "  Put  on  tli^refore,  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy 
 and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness,  humbleness 
 of  mind,  meekness,  long-suffering."  Pure  Christian 
 humility  has  no  such  thing  as  roughness,  or  con- 
 tempt, or  fierceness,  or  bitterness  in  its  nature;  it 
 makes  a  person  like  a  little  child,  harmless  and  in- 
 nocent, that  none  need  to  be  afraid  of;  or,  like  a  lamb, 
 destitute  of  all  bitterness,  wrath,  anger,  and  clamour; 
 agreeable  to  Eph.  iv.  31.  With  such  a  spirit  as 
 this  ought  especially  zealous  ministers  of  the  gospel 
 to  be  clothed,  and  those  that  God  is  pleased  to  em- 
 ploy as  instruments  in  his  hands  of  promoting  his 
 work.  They  ought,  indeed,  to  be  thorough  in 
 preaching  the  word  of  God,  without  mincing  the  mat- 
 ter at  all ;  in  handling  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  as 
 the  ministers  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  they  ought  not 
 to  be  mild  and  gentle;  they  are  not  to  be  gentle  and 
 moderate  in  searchinj;  and  awakeninor  the  conscience, 
 but  should  be  sons  of  thunder.      The  word  of  God, 
 
352 
 
 which  is  in  itself  sharper  than  any  two-edged  sword, 
 ought  not  to  be  sheathed  by  its  ministers,  but  so 
 used  that  its  sharp  edges  may  have  their  full  effect, 
 even  to  the  dividing  asunder  soul  and  spirit,  joints 
 and  marrow.  Yet  they  should  do  it  without  judg- 
 ing particular  persons,  leaving  it  to  conscience  and 
 the  Spirit  of  God  to  make  the  particular  application. 
 But  all  their  conversation  should  savour  of  nothing 
 but  lowliness  and  good-will,  love  and  pity  to  all  man- 
 kind; so  that  such  a  spirit  should  belike  a  sweet 
 odour  diffused  around  them  wherever  they  go.  They 
 should  be  like  lions  to  guilty  consciences,  but  like 
 lambs  to  men's  persons.  This  would  have  no  ten- 
 dency to  prevent  the  awakening  of  men's  consciences, 
 but,  on  the  contrary,  would  haye  a  very  great  ten- 
 dency to  awaken  them.  It  would  make  way  for  the 
 sharp  sword  to  enter;  it  would  remove  the  obstacles, 
 and  make  a  naked  breast  for  the  arrow.  Yea,  the 
 amiable  Christ-like  conversation  of  such  ministers  in 
 itself,  would  terrify  the  consciences  of  men,  as  well 
 as  their  terrible  preaching  ;  both  would  co-operate 
 to  subdue  the  hard,  and  bring  down  the  proud  heart. 
 If  there  had  been  constantly  and  universally  observ- 
 able such  a  behaviour  as  this  in  itinerant  preachers, 
 it  would  have  terrified  the  consciences  of  sinners  ten 
 times  as  much  as  all  the  invectives  and  the  censorious 
 talk  there  has  been  concerning  particular  persons,  for 
 their  opposition,  hypocrisy,  delusion,  pharisaism,  8i.c. 
 These  things  in  general  have  rather  stupified  sinners* 
 consciences :  they  take  them  up,  and  make  use  of 
 them  as  a  shield,  wherewith  to  defend  themselves 
 from  the  sharp  arrows  of  the  word  that  are  shot  by 
 these  preachers.     The  enemies  of  the  present  work 
 
353 
 
 liave  been  glad  of  these  things  with  all  their  hearts. 
 Many  of  the  most  bitter  of  them  are  probably 
 such  as,  in  the  beginning  of  this  work,  had  their 
 consciences  something  galled  and  terrified  with  it ; 
 but  these  errors  of  awakening  preachers  are  the  things 
 they  chiefly  make  use  of,  as  plasters  to  heal  the  sore 
 that  was  made  in  their  consciences. 
 
 Spiritual  pride  takes  great  notice  of  opposition 
 and  injuries  that  are  received,  and  is  apt  to  be  often 
 speaking  of  them,  and  to  be  much  in  taking  notice 
 of  their  aggravations,  either  with  an  air  of  bitterness 
 or  contempt.  Whereas  pure,  unmixed  Christian  hu- 
 mility, disposes  a  person  rather  to  be  like  his  blessed 
 Lord  when  reviled,  dumb,  not  opening  his  mouth, 
 but  committing  himself  in  silence  to  him  that  judg- 
 eth  righteously.  The  eminently  humble  Christian, 
 the  more  clamorous  and  furious  the  world  is  against 
 him,  the  more  silent  and  still  will  he  be;  unless  it 
 be  in  his  closet,  and  there  he  will  not  be  still. — Our 
 blessed  Lord  Jesus  seems  never  to  have  been  so 
 silent  as  when  the  world  compassed  him  round,  re- 
 proaching, buffeting,  and  spitting  on  him,  with  loud 
 and  virulent  outcries,  and  horrid  cruelties.  There 
 has  been  a  great  deal  too  much  talk  of  late,  among 
 many  of  the  true  and  zealous  friends  of  religion, 
 about  opposition  and  persecution.  It  becomes  the 
 followers  of  the  Lamb  of  God,  when  the  world  is  in 
 an  uproar  about  them,  and  full  of  clamour  against 
 them,  not  to  raise  another  noise  to  answer  it,  but  to 
 be  still  and  quiet.  It  is  not  beautiful,  at  such  time, 
 to  have  pulpits  and  conversation  ring  with  the  sound 
 o£  persecution,  perseaitio?! ;  or  with  abundant  talk 
 about  Pharisees,  carnal  persecutors,  and  the  seed  of 
 
354. 
 
 the  serpent.  Meekness  and  quietness  among  God's 
 people,  when  opposed  and  reviled,  would  be  the  surest 
 way  to  have  God  remarkably  to  appear  for  their  de- 
 fence. It  is  particularly  observed  of  Moses,  on  oc- 
 casion of  Aaron  and  Miriam  envying  him,  and  rising 
 up  in  opposition  against  him,  that  he  "  was  very 
 meek,  above  all  men  upon  the  face  of  the  earth." 
 Doubtless  because  he  remarkably  showed  his  meek- 
 ness on  that  occasion,  being  wholly  silent  under  the 
 abuse.  And  how  remarkable  is  the  account  that 
 follows,  of  God's  being,  as  it  were,  suddenly  roused 
 to  appear  for  his  vindication  I  What  high  honour 
 did  he  put  upon  Moses  !  and  how  severe  were  his 
 rebukes  of  his  opposers  !  The  story  is  very  remark- 
 able, and  worthy  every  one's  observation.  Nothing 
 is  so  effectual  to  bring  God  down  from  heaven  in  the 
 defence  of  his  people,  as  their  patience  and  meekness 
 under  sufferings.  When  Christ  "  girds  his  sword 
 upon  his  thigh,  with  his  glory  and  majesty,  and  in 
 his  majesty  rides  prosperously,  his  right  hand  teach- 
 ing him  terrible  things,"  it  is  because  of  "  truth, 
 and  MEEKNESS,  and  righteousness."  "  God  will 
 cause  judgment  to  be  heard  from  heaven ;  the  earth 
 shall  fear  and  be  still,  and  God  will  arise  to  judg- 
 ment, to  save  all  the  meek  of  the  earth."  "  He  will 
 lift  up  the  meek,  and  cast  the  wicked  down  to  the 
 ground."  "  He  will  reprove  with  equity  for  the 
 meek  of  the  earth,  and  will  smite  the  earth  with  the 
 rod  of  his  mouth,  and  with  the  breath  of  his  lips  will 
 he  slay  the  wicked."  The  great  commendation  that 
 Christ  gives  the  church  of  Philadelphia  is,  "  Thou 
 hast  kept  the  word  of  my  patience."  And  we  may 
 see  what  reward  he  promises  her,  in  the  preceding 
 
355 
 
 verse,  "  Behold,  I  will  make  them  of  the  synagogue 
 of  Satan,  which  say  they  are  Jews,  and  are  not,  but 
 do  lie;  behold,  I  will  make  them  to  come  and  wor- 
 ship at  thy  feet,  and  to  know  that  I  have  loved 
 thee."  And  thus  it  is  that  we  might  expect  to  have 
 Christ  appear  for  us,  if,  under  all  the  reproaches  we 
 are  loaded  with,  we  behaved  ourselves  with  a  lamb- 
 like meekness  and  gentleness.  But  if  our  spirits  are 
 raised,  and  we  are  vehement  and  noisy  with  our  com- 
 plaints, under  colour  of  Christian  zeal,  this  will  be  to 
 take  upon  us  our  own  defence;  and  God  will  leave 
 it  with  us,  to  vindicate  our  cause  as  well  as  we  can ; 
 yea,  if  we  go  on  in  a  way  of  bitterness,  and  high 
 censuring,  it  will  be  the  way  to  have  him  rebuke  us, 
 and  put  us  to  shame  before  our  enemies. 
 
 Here  some  may  be  ready  to  say,  "  It  is  not  in  our 
 own  cause  that  we  are  thus  vehement,  but  it  is  in  the 
 cause  of  God  ;  and  the  Apostle  directeth  the  primi- 
 tive Christians  to  '  contend  earnestly  for  the  faith 
 once  delivered  to  the  saints.'  "  But  how  was  it  that 
 the  primitive  Christians  contended  earnestly  for  the 
 faith  ?  They  defended  the  truth  with  arguments 
 and  a  holy  conversation,  but  yet  gave  their  reasons 
 with  meekness  and  fear.  They  contended  earnestly 
 for  the  faith,  by  fighting  violently  against  their  own 
 unbelief,  and  the  corruptions  of  their  hearts;  yea, 
 they  "  resisted  unto  blood,  striving  against  sin:"  but 
 the  blood  that  was  shed  in  this  earnest  strife  was 
 their  own  blood,  and  not  the  blood  of  their  enemies. 
 It  was  in  the  cause  of  God  that  Peter  was  so  fierce, 
 and  drew  his  sword,  and  began  to  smite  with  it;  but 
 Christ  bids  him  put  up  his  sword  again,  telling  hira, 
 that  they  that  take  the  sword  shall  perish  by  the 
 
356 
 
 sword ;  and  while  Peter  wounds,  Christ  heals.  They 
 contend  the  most  violently,  and  are  the  greatest  con- 
 querors in  a  time  of  persecution,  who  bear  it  with  the 
 greatest  meekness  and  patience.  Great  humility 
 improves  even  the  reflections  and  reproaches  of  ene- 
 mies, to  put  them  upon  serious  self-examination, 
 whether  or  not  there  be  not  some  just  cause;  whether 
 they  have  not,  in  some  respect,  given  occasion  to  the 
 enemy  to  speak  reproachfully.  Whereas  spiritual 
 pride  improves  such  reflections,  to  make  them  the 
 more  bold  and  confident,  and  to  go  the  greater 
 lengths  in  that  for  which  they  are  found  fault  with. 
 I  desire  it  may  be  considered,  whether  there  has 
 been  nothing  amiss  of  late  among  the  true  friends  of 
 vital  piety  in  this  respect ;  and  whether  the  words  of 
 David,  when  reviled  by  Michal,  have  not  been  mis- 
 interpreted and  misapplied  to  justify  them  in  it,  when 
 he  said,  "  I  will  be  yet  more  vile,  and  will  be  base  in 
 mine  own  sight."  The  import  of  his  words  is,  that 
 he  would  humble  himself  yet  more  before  God,  being 
 sensible  that  he  was  far  from  being  sufficiently  abased; 
 and  he  signifies  this  to  Michal,  that  he  longed  to  be 
 yet  lower,  and  had  designed  already  to  abase  himself 
 more  in  his  behaviour.  Not  that  he  would  go  the 
 greater  length,  to  show  his  regardlessness  of  her  re- 
 vilings :  that  would  be  to  exalt  himself,  and  not  to 
 abase  himself,  as  more  vile  in  his  own  sight. 
 
 Another  effect  of  spiritual  pride  is,  a  certain  un- 
 suitable and  self-confident  boldness  before  God  and 
 men.  Thus  some,  in  their  great  rejoicings  before 
 God,  have  not  paid  a  sufficient  regard  to  that  rule 
 in  Psalm  ii.  11.  They  have  not  rejoiced  with  a 
 reverential  trembling,  in  a  proper  sense  of  the  awful 
 
357 
 
 majesty  of  God,  and  the  awful  distance  between 
 him  and  them.  And  there  has  also  been  an  im- 
 proper boldness  before  men,  that  has  been  encour- 
 aged and  defended,  by  a  misapplication  of  that 
 scripture,  "  The  fear  of  man  bringeth  a  snare." 
 As  though  it  became  all  persons,  high  and  low,  men, 
 women,  and  children,  in  all  religious  conversation, 
 wholly  to  divest  themselves  of  all  manner  of  shame- 
 facedness,  modesty  or  reverence  towards  man;  which 
 is  a  great  error,  and  quite  contrary  to  Scripture. 
 There  is  a  fear  of  reverence  that  is  due  to  some 
 men :  "  Fear  to  whom  fear,  honour  to  whom 
 honour."  And  there  is  a  fear  of  modesty  and 
 shamefacedness  in  inferiors  towards  superiors,  which 
 is  amiable,  and  required  by  Christian  rules  :  "  While 
 tliey  behold  your  chaste  conversation,  coupled  with 
 fear;"  and  "  In  like  manner  also,  that  women  adorn 
 themselves  in  modest  apparel,  with  shamefacedness 
 and  sobriety."  The  Apostle  means,  that  this  virtue 
 shall  have  place,  not  only  in  civil  communication, 
 but  also  in  spiritual  communication,  and  in  our  reli- 
 gious concerns  and  behaviour,  as  is  evident  by  what 
 follows:  "  Let  the  women  learn  in  silence,  with  all 
 subjection.  But  I  suffer  not  a  woman  to  teach, 
 nor  to  usurp  authority  over  the  man,  but  to  be  in 
 silence."  Not  that  I  would  hence  infer,  that  wo- 
 man's mouths  should  be  shut  up  from  Christian 
 conversation  ;  but  all  that  I  mean  from  it  at  this 
 time  is,  that  modesty,  or  shamefacedness,  and  re- 
 verence towards  men,  ought  to  have  some  place, 
 even  in  our  religious  communication  one  with  an- 
 other. The  same  is  also  evident  by  1  Pet.  iii.  15. 
 *'  Be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  man, 
 
358 
 
 that  asketh  you  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you, 
 with  meekness  and  fear."  It  is  well  if  that  very 
 fear  and  shamefacedness,  which  the  Apostle  recom- 
 mends, have  not  sometimes  been  condemned,  under 
 the  name  of  a  cursed  fear  of  man. 
 
 It  is  beautiful  for  persons,  when  they  are  at 
 prayer  as  the  mouth  of  others,  to  make  God  only 
 their  fear  and  their  dread,  and  to  be  wholly  forgetful 
 of  men  present,  who,  let  them  be  great  or  small,  are 
 nothing  in  the  presence  of  the  great  God.  And  it 
 is  beautiful  for  a  minister,  when  he  speaks  in  the 
 name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  to  be  bold,  and  to  put 
 off  all  fear  of  men.  And  it  is  beautiful  in  private 
 Christians,  though  they  are  women  and  even  chil- 
 dren, to  be  bold  in  professing  the  faith  of  Christ, 
 in  the  practice  of  all  religion,  and  in  owning  God's 
 hand  in  the  work  of  his  power  and  grace,  without 
 any  fear  of  men  ;  though  they  should  be  reproached 
 as  fools  and  madmen,  frowned  upon  by  great  men, 
 and  cast  off  by  parents  and  all  the  world.  But  for 
 private  Christians,  women  and  others,  to  instruct, 
 rebuke,  and  exhort,  with  a  like  sort  of  boldness  as 
 becomes  a  minister  when  preaching,  is  not  beautiful. 
 Some  have  been  bold  in  things  that  have  really  been 
 errors;  and  have  gloried  in  their  boldness  in  prac- 
 tising them,  though  odd  and  irregular.  And  those 
 who  have  gone  the  greatest  lengths  in  these  things, 
 have  been  by  some  most  highly  esteemed,  as  appear- 
 ing bold  for  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  fully  on  his 
 side ;  while  others,  who  have  professed  to  be  godly, 
 and  who  have  condemned  such  things,  have  been 
 spoken  of  as  enemies  of  the  cross  of  Christ,  or  at 
 least  very  cold  and  dead ;  and  thus  many,'  that  of 
 
359 
 
 themselves  were  not  inclined  to  such  practices,  have, 
 by  this  means,  been  driven  on,  being  ashamed  to  be 
 behind,  and  accounted  poor  soldiers  for  Christ. 
 
 Another  effect  of  spiritual  pride  is,  to  make  the 
 subject  of  it  assuming.  It  oftentimes  makes  it 
 natural  to  persons  so  to  act  and  speak,  as  though  in 
 a  special  manner  it  belonged  to  them  to  be  taken 
 notice  of  and  much  regarded.  It  is  very  natural  to 
 a  person  that  is  much  under  the  influence  of  spiri- 
 tual pride,  to  take  all  the  respect  that  is  paid  him. 
 If  others  show  a  disposition  to  submit  to  him,  and 
 yield  him  the  deference  of  a  preceptor,  he  is  open 
 to  it,  and  freely  admits  it;  yea,  it  is  natural  for  him 
 to  expect  such  treatment,  and  to  take  much  notice 
 if  he  fails  of  it,  and  to  have  an  ill  opinion  of  others 
 that  do  not  pay  him  that  which  he  looks  upon  as  his 
 prerogative.  He  is  apt  to  think  that  it  belongs  to 
 him  to  speak,  and  to  clothe  himself  with  a  judicial 
 and  dogmatical  air  in  conversation,  and  to  take  it 
 upon  him,  as  what  belongs  to  him,  to  give  forth  his 
 sentence,  and  to  determine  and  decide.  Whereas 
 pure  Christian  humility  "  vaunteth  not  itself,  doth 
 not  behave  itself  unseemly,"  and  is  apt  to  "  prefer 
 others  in  honour."  One,  under  the  influence  of 
 spiritual  pride,  is  more  apt  to  instruct  cahers  than 
 to  inquire  for  himself,  and  naturally  puts  on  the  airs 
 of  a  master.  Whereas  one  that  is  full  of  pure 
 humility,  naturally  has  on  the  air  of  a  disciple;  his 
 voice  is,  "  What  shall  I  do  ?  What  shall  I  do  that 
 I  may  live  more  to  God's  honour?  What  shall  I 
 do  with  this  wicked  heart  ?"  He  is  ready  to  receive 
 instruction  from  any  body,  agreeable  to  James  i.  19. 
 "  Wherefore,  my  beloved  brethren,  let  every  man 
 
360 
 
 be  swift  to  hear,  slow  to  speak."  The  eminently 
 humble  Christian  thinks  he  wants  help  from  every 
 body;  whereas  he  that  is  spiritually  proud  thinks 
 that  every  body  wants  his  help.  Christian  hu- 
 mility, under  a  sense  of  others'  misery,  entreats  and 
 beseeches;  but  spiritual  pride  affects  to  command, 
 and  warn  with  authority.  There  ought  to  be  the 
 utmost  watchfulness  against  all  such  appearances  of 
 spiritual  pride,  in  all  that  profess  to  have  been  the 
 subjects  of  this  work,  and  especially  in  the  promoters 
 of  it,  but  above  all  in  itinerant  preachers.  The 
 most  eminent  gifts,  and  highest  tokens  of  God's 
 favour  and  blessing,  will  not  excuse  them. — Alas  ! 
 what  is  man  at  his  best  estate  !  What  is  the  most 
 highly  favoured  Christian,  or  the  most  eminent  and 
 successful  minister,  that  he  should  now  think  he  is 
 sufficient  for  something,  and  somebody  to  be  re- 
 garded; and  that  he  should  go  forth,  and  act  among 
 his  fellow-creatures  as  if  he  were  wise,  and  strong, 
 and  good  ! 
 
 Ministers,  who  have  been  the  principal  instru- 
 ments of  carrying  on  this  glorious  revival  of  religion, 
 and  whom  God  has  made  use  of  to  bring  up  his 
 people,  as  it  were,  out  of  Egypt,  should  take  heed 
 that  they 'do  not  provoke  God,  as  Moses  did,  by 
 assuming  too  much  to  themselves,  and  by  their  in- 
 temperate zeal  to  shut  them  out  from  seeing  the 
 good  things  that  God  is  going  to  do  for  his  church 
 in  this  world.  The  fruits  of  Moses'  unbelief, 
 which  provoked  God  to  shut  him  out  of  Canaan, 
 and  not  to  suffer  him  to  partake  of  those  great  things 
 God  was  about  to  do  for  Israel,  were  chiefly  these 
 two  things: — First,   His  mingling  bitterness  with 
 
361 
 
 his  zeal.  He  had  a  great  zeal  for  God,  and  he 
 could  not  bear  to  see  the  intolerable  stiffiieckedness 
 of  the  people,  that  they  did  not  acknowledge  the 
 work  of  God,  and  were  not  convinced  by  all  his 
 wonders  that  they  had  seen.  But  human  passion 
 was  mingled  with  his  zeal :  "  They  angered  him 
 also  at  the  waters  of  strife ;  so  that  it  went  ill  with 
 Moses  for  their  sakes :  because  they  provoked  his 
 spirit,  so  that  he  spake  unadvisedly  with  his  lips." 
 **  Hear  now,  ye  rebels,"  says  he,  with  bitterness  of 
 language. — Secondly,  He  behaved  himself,  and 
 spake  with  an  assuming  air.  He  assumed  too  much 
 to  himself:  "  Hear  now,  ye  rebels,  must  we  fetch 
 water  out  of  this  rock?"  Spiritual  pride  wrought 
 in  Moses  at  that  time.  His  temptations  to  it  were 
 very  great;  for  he  had  great  discoveries  of  God, 
 and  had  been  privileged  with  intimate  and  sweet 
 communion  with  him,  and  God  had  made  him  the 
 instrument  of  great  good  to  his  church.  But  though 
 he  was  so  humble  a  person,  and,  by  God's  own  tes- 
 timony, meek  above  all  men  upon  the  face  of  the 
 whole  earth,  yet  his  temptations  were  too  strong  for 
 him.  Which  surely  should  make  our  young  minis- 
 ters, that  have  of  late  been  highly  favoured,  and 
 have  had  great  success,  exceeding  careful,  and  dis- 
 trustful of  themselves.  Alas  !  how  far  are  we  from 
 having  the  strength  of  holy,  meek,  aged  Moses  ! 
 The  temptation  at  this  day  is  exceeding  great  to 
 both  those  errors  that  Moses  was  guilty  of.  There 
 is  great  temptation  to  bitterness  and  corrupt  passion 
 with  zeal ;  for  there  is  so  much  unreasonable  opposi- 
 tion made  against  this  glorious  work  of  God,  and  so 
 much  stifFneckedness  manifested  in  multitudes  of 
 Q  48 
 
362 
 
 this  generation,  notwithstanding  all  the  great  and 
 wonderful  works  in  which  God  has  passed  before 
 them,  that  it  greatly  tends  to  provoke  the  spirits  of 
 such  as  have  the  interest  of  this  work  at  heart,  so  as 
 to  move  them  to  speak  unadvisedly  with  their  lips. 
 And  there  is  also  great  temptatiou  to  an  assuming 
 behaviour  in  some  persons.  When  a  minister  is 
 greatly  succeeded  from  time  to  time,  and  so  draws 
 the  eyes  of  the  multitude  upon  him — when  he  sees 
 himself  followed,  resorted  to  as  an  oracle,  and 
 people  ready  to  adore  him,  and,  as  it  were,  to  offer 
 sacrifice  to  him,  as  it  was  with  Paul  and  Barnabas 
 at  Lystra — it  is  almost  impossible  for  a  man  to 
 avoid  taking  upon  him  the  airs  of  a  master,  or  some 
 extraordinary  person ;  a  man  had  need  to  have  a 
 great  stock  of  humility,  and  much  divine  assistance, 
 to  resist  the  temptation.  But  the  greater  our 
 dangers  are,  the  more  ought  to  be  our  watchfulness, 
 prayerfulness,  and  diffidence,  lest  we  bring  ourselves 
 into  mischief.  Fishermen  who  have  been  very 
 successful,  having  caught  a  great  many  fish,  had 
 need  to  be  careful  that  they  do  not  at  length  begin 
 to  burn  incense  to  their  net.  And  we  should  take 
 warning  by  Gideon,  who,  after  God  had  highly 
 favoured  and  exalted  him,  and  made  him  the  instru- 
 ment of  working  a  wonderful  deliverance  for  his 
 people,  at  length  made  a  god  of  the  spoils  of  his 
 enemies,  which  became  a  snare  to  him  and  to  his 
 house,  so  as  to  prove  the  ruin  of  his  family. 
 
 All  young  ministers,  in  this  day  of  bringing  up 
 the  ark  of  God,  should  take  warning  by  the  example 
 of  a  young  Levite  in  Israel,  Uzza  the  son  of 
 Abinadab.      He  seemed  to  have  a  real  concern  for 
 
363 
 
 the  ark  of  God,  and  to  be  zealous  and  engaged  in 
 his  mind  on  that  joyful  occasion  of  bringing  it  up. 
 God  made  him  an  instrument  to  bring  the  ark  out 
 of  its  long-continued    obscurity    in   Kirjath-jearim, 
 and  he  was  succeeded  to  bring  it  a  considerable  way 
 towards  Mount  Zion  ;  but  for  his  want  of  humility, 
 reverence,  and  circumspection,  and  assuming  or  tak- 
 ing too  much  upon  him,  God  broke  forth  upon  him, 
 and  smote  him  for  his  error,  so  that  he  never  lived 
 to  see  and  partake  of  the  great  joy  of  his  church  on 
 occasion    of  the   carrying    up   the   ark  into   Mount 
 Zion,  and  the  great  blessings  of  heaven  upon  Israel 
 consequent  upon  it.      Ministers  employed  to  carry 
 on  this  work,  have  been  chiefly  of  the  younger  sort, 
 who  have  doubtless  (as  Uzza  had)  a  real  concern  for 
 the  ark;  and  it   is  evident  that  they  are  much  ani- 
 mated and  engaged  in  their  minds,  (as  he  was,)  in 
 this  joyful   day  of  bringing  up  the  ark.      They  are 
 afraid  what  will  become  of  the  ark  under  the  con- 
 duct of  its  ministers.     They  see  it  shakes,  and  they 
 are    afraid    these   blundering    oxen    will    throw    it. 
 Some  of  them,   it  is  to  be  feared,  have  been  over- 
 officious  on  this  occasion,  have  assumed  too  much  to 
 themselves,  and  have  been   bold  to  put  forth  their 
 hand  to  take  hold  of  the  ark,  as  though  they  were 
 the  only  fit  and   worthy  persons  to  defend   it.      If 
 young  ministers  had  great  humility,  without  a  cor- 
 rupt  mixture,  it  would  dispose  them  especially  to 
 treat  aged  ministers  with  respect  and  reverence,  as 
 their  fathers,   notwithstanding  that  a  sovereign  God 
 may  have  given  themselves  greater  assistance  and. 
 success :  "  Likewise,  ye  younger,  submit  yourselves 
 unto  the  elder;  yea,  all  of  you  be  subject  one  to 
 S2 
 
364 
 
 another;  and  be  clothed  with  humility;  for  God  re- 
 sisteth  the  proud,  and  giveth  grace  to  the  humble." 
 "  Thou  shalt  rise  up  before  the  hoary  head,  and 
 honour  the  face  of  the  old  man,  and  fear  thy  God  : 
 I  am  the  Lord." 
 
 As  spiritual  pride  disposes  persons  to  assume 
 much  to  themselves,  so  it  also  disposes  them  to  treat 
 others  with  neglect.  On  the  contrary,  pure  Chris- 
 tian humility  disposes  persons  to  honour  all  men, 
 agreeable  to  that  rule,  1  Pet.  ii.  17.  There  has 
 been  in  some,  who  I  believe  are  true  friends  of  re- 
 ligion, too  great  appearance  of  this  fruit  of  spiritual 
 pride,  in  their  treatment  of  those  whom  they  looked 
 upon  to  be  carnal  men;  and  particularly  in  refusing 
 to  enter  into  any  discourse  or  reasoning  with  them. 
 Indeed,  to  spend  a  great  deal  of  time  in  jangling 
 and  warm  debates  about  religion,  is  not  the  way  to 
 propagate,  but  to  hinder  it ;  and  some  are  so  dread- 
 fully set  against  this  work,  that  it  is  a  dismal  task 
 to  dispute  with  them ;  all  that  one  can  say  is  utterly 
 in  vain.  I  have  found  it  so  by  experience.  To 
 enter  into  disputes  about  religion,  at  some  times,  is 
 quite  unseasonable;  particularly  in  meetings  for  re- 
 ligious conference,  or  exercises  of  worship.  But 
 yet  we  ought  to  be  very  careful  that  we  do  not  re- 
 fuse to  discourse  with  men,  with  any  appearance  of 
 a  supercilious  neglect,  as  though  we  counted  them 
 not  worthy  to  be  regarded;  on  the  contrary,  we 
 should  condescend  to  carnal  men,  as  Christ  has  con- 
 descended to  us,  to  bear  with  our  unteachableness 
 and  stupidity.  He  still  follows  us  with  instructions, 
 line  upon  line,  and  precept  upon  precept,  saying, 
 "  Come  let  us  reason  together:"  setting  light  before 
 
365 
 
 us,  and  using  all  manner  of  arguments  with  us,  and 
 waiting  upon  such  dull  scholars,  as  it  were  hoping 
 that  we  should  receive  light.  We  should  be  ready 
 with  meekness  and  calmness,  without  hot  disputing, 
 to  give  our  reasons,  why  we  think  this  work  is  the 
 work  of  God,  to  carnal  men  when  they  ask  us,  and 
 not  turn  them  by  as  not  worthy  to  be  talked  with  ; 
 as  the  Apostle  directed  the  primitive  Christians  to 
 be  ready  to  give  a  reason  of  the  Christian  faith  and 
 hope  to  the  enemies  of  Christianity  :  "  Be  ready 
 always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  man  that  asketh 
 you  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  you,  with  mi^ek- 
 iiess  and  fear."  And  we  ought  not  to  condemn  all 
 reasoning  about  things  of  religion  under  the  name 
 of  carnal  reason.  For  my  part,  I  desire  no  better 
 than  that  those  who  oppose  this  work  should  fairly 
 submit  to  have  the  cause  betwixt  us  tried  by  strict 
 reasoning. 
 
 One  qualification  that  the  Scripture  speaks  of 
 once  and  again,  as  requisite  in  a  minister,  is,  that  he 
 should  be  "  apt  to  teach."  And  the  Apostle  seems 
 to  explain  what  he  means  by  it,  in  2  Tim.  ii.  24,  25. 
 or  at  least  there  expresses  one  thing  that  he  intends 
 by  it,  namely,  that  a  minister  should  be  ready, 
 meekly  to  condescend  to,  and  instruct  opposers: 
 "  And  the  servant  of  the  Lord  must  not  strive,  but 
 be  gentle  unto  all  men,  apt  to  teach,  patient ;  in 
 meekness  instructing  those  that  oppose  themselves, 
 if  God  peradventure  will  give  them  repentance  to 
 the  acknowlednincr  of  the  truth." 
 
366 
 
 SECTION  II. 
 
 Another  cause  of  errors  in  conduct  attending  a  Re- 
 ligious Revival,  is  the  adoption  of  wrong  Prin- 
 ciples. 
 
 One  erroneous  principle,  than  which  scarce  any  has 
 proved  more  mischievous  to  the  present  glorious  work 
 of  God,  is  a  notion  that  it  is  God's  manner  in  these 
 days  to  guide  his  saints,  at  least  some  that  are  more 
 eminent,  by  inspiration,  or  immediate  revelation. 
 They  suppose  he  makes  known  to  them  what  shall 
 come  to  pass  hereafter,  or  what  it  is  his  will  that 
 they  should  do,  by  impressions  made  upon  their 
 minds,  either  with  or  without  texts  of  Scripture; 
 wjiereby  something  is  made  known  to  them,  that  is 
 not  taught  in  the  Scripture.  By  such  a  notion  the 
 devil  has  a  great  door  opened  for  him ;  and  if  once 
 this  opinion  should  come  to  be  fully  yielded  to,  and 
 established  in  the  church  of  God,  Satan  would  have 
 opportunity  thereby  to  set  up  himself,  as  the  guide 
 and  oracle  of  God's  people,  and  to  have  his  word 
 regarded  as  their  infallible  rule,  and  so  to  lead  them 
 where  he  would,  and  to  introduce  what  he  pleased,' 
 and  soon  to  bring  the  Bible  into  neglect  and  con- 
 tempt. Late  experience,  in  some  instances,  has 
 shown  that  the  tendency  of  this  notion,  is  to  cause 
 persons  to  esteem  the  Bible  as  in  a  great  measure 
 useless. 
 
 This  error  will   defend   and    support   all  errors. 
 As  long  as  a  person  has  a  notion  that  he  is  guided 
 
367 
 
 by  immediate  direction  from  heaven,  it  makes  him 
 incorrigible  and  impregnable  in  all  his  misconduct. 
 For  what  signifies  it,  for  poor  blind  worms  of  the 
 dust,  to  go  to  argue  with  a  man,  and  endeavour  to 
 convince  him  and  correct  him,  that  is  guided  by  the 
 immediate  counsels  and  commands  of  the  great  Je- 
 hovah ?  This  great  work  of  God  has  been  ex- 
 ceedingly hindered  by  this  error;  and,  till  we  have 
 quite  taken  this  handle  out  of  the  devil's  hands,  the 
 work  of  God  will  never  go  on  without  great  clogs 
 and  hindrances.  Satan  will  always  have  a  vast  ad- 
 vantage in  his  hands  against  it,  and  as  he  has  im- 
 proved it  hitherto,  so  he  will  do  still.  And  it  is 
 evident,  that  the  devil  knows  the  vast  advantage  he 
 has  by  it,  that  makes  him  exceeding  loath  to  let  go 
 his  hold. 
 
 It  is  strange  what  a  disposition  there  is  in  many 
 well-disposed  and  religious  persons,  to  fall  in  with 
 and  hold  fast  this  notion.  It  is  enough  to  astonish 
 one,  that  such  multiplied  plain  instances  of  the  fail- 
 ing of  such  supposed  revelations  in  the  event,  do  not 
 open  every  one's  eyes.  I  have  seen  so  many  in- 
 stances of  the  failing  of  such  impressions,  that  would 
 almost  furnish  a  history.  I  have  been  acquainted 
 with  them  when  made  under  all  kinds  of  circum- 
 stances, and  have  seen  them  fail  in  the  event,  when 
 made  with  such  circumstances  as  have  been  fairest, 
 and  brightest,  and  most  promising.  They  have 
 been  made  upon  the  minds  of  apparently  eminent 
 saints,  and  with  an  excellent  heavenly  frame  of 
 spirit  yet  continued,  and  made  with  texts  of  Scrip- 
 ture that  seemed  exceeding  apposite,  yea,  many 
 texts    following    one    another,    extraordinarily    and 
 
368 
 
 wonderfully  brought  to  the  mind,*  and  the  impres- 
 sions repeated  over  and  over ;  and  yet  all  has  most 
 manifestly  come  to  nothing,  to  the  full  conviction  of 
 the  persons  themselves.      God  has  in  so  many  in- 
 stances of  late,  in  his  providence,  covered  such  things 
 with  darkness,   that  one  would  think  it  should  be 
 enough  quite  to  blank  the  expectations  of  those  who 
 have  been  ready  to  think  highly  of  such  things.      It 
 seems  to  be  a  testimony  of  God,  that  he  has  no 
 design  of  reviving  revelations  in  his  church,  and  a 
 rebuke  from  him  to  the  groundless  expectations  of  it. 
 It  seems  to  me  that  Zech.  xiii.  5.  is  a  prophecy 
 concerning  ministers  of  the  gospel  in  the  latter  and 
 glorious  day  of  the  Christian  church,  (which  is  evi- 
 dently spoken  of  in  this  and  the  foregoing  chapters.) 
 The  words,  I  apprehend,  are  to  be  interpreted  in  a 
 spiritual   sense :    "  I   am   an  husbandman."      The 
 work  of  ministers  is  very  often,  in  the   New  Testa- 
 ment, compared  to  the  business  of  the  husbandman, 
 that  take  care  of  God's  husbandry,  to  whom  he  lets 
 out  his  vineyard,  and  sends  them  forth  to  labour  in 
 his  field,  where  one  plants  and  another  waters,  one 
 sows  and  another  reaps;  so  ministers  are  called  la- 
 bourers  in   God's   harvest.       And  as   it  is  added, 
 "  Men  taught  me  to  keep  cattle  from  my  youth;" 
 so  the  work  of  a  minister,  is  very  often  in  Scripture, 
 represented  by  the  business  of  a  shepherd  or  pastor. 
 And  whereas  it  is  said,  *'  I  am  no  prophet;  but  man 
 taught  me  from  my  youth  :"  it  is  as  much  as  to  say, 
 I  do  not  pretend  to  have  received  my  skill,  whereby 
 I  am  fitted  for  the  business  of  a  pastor  or  shepherd 
 in  the  church  of  God,  by  immediate  inspiration,  but 
 by  education,  by  being  trained  up  to  the  busin-ess 
 
369 
 
 by  human  learning,  and  instructions  received  from 
 ray  youth  or  childhood,  by  ordinary  means. 
 
 And  why  cannot  we  be  contented  with  the  divine 
 oracles,  that  holy,  pure  word  of  God,  which  we  have 
 in  such  abundance  and  clearness,  now  since  the 
 canon  of  Scripture  is  completed  ?  Why  should  we 
 desire  to  have  any  thing  added  to  them  by  impulses 
 from  above?  Why  should  we  not  rest  in  that 
 standing  rule  that  God  has  given  to  his  church, 
 which,  the  Apostle  teaches  us,  is  surer  than  a  voice 
 from  heaven  ?  And  why  should  we  desire  to  make 
 the  Scripture  speak  more  to  us  than  it  does  ?  Or 
 why  should  any  desire  a  higher  kind  of  intercourse 
 with  heaven,  than  by  having  the  Holy  Spirit  given 
 in  his  sanctifying  influences,  infusing  and  exciting 
 grace  and  holiness,  love  and  joy,  which  is  the  highest 
 kind  of  intercourse  that  the  saints  and  angels  in 
 heaven  have  with  God,  and  the  chief  excellency  of 
 the  glorified  man  Christ  Jesus? 
 
 Some  that  follow  impulses  and  impressions  indulge 
 a  notion,  that  they  do  no  other  than  follow  the  guid- 
 ance of  God's  word,  because  the  impression  is  made 
 with  a  text  of  Scripture  that  comes  to  their  mind. 
 But  they  take  that  text  as  it  is  impressed  on  their 
 minds,  and  improve  it  as  a  new  revelation  to  all  in- 
 tents and  purposes;  while  the  text,  as  it  is  in  the 
 Bible,  implies  no  such  thing,  and  they  themselves 
 do  not  suppose  that  any  such  revelation  was  con- 
 tained in  it  before.  Suppose,  for  instance,  that  text 
 should  come  into  a  person's  mind  with  strong  im- 
 pression, Acts  ix.  6.  "  Arise,  and  go  into  the  city ; 
 and  it  shall  be  told  thee  what  thou  must  do ;"  and 
 he  should  interpret  it  as  an  immediate  signification 
 
 e3 
 
•^  370 
 
 of  the  will  of  God,  that  he  should  now  forthwith  go 
 to  such  a  neighbouring  town,  and  there  he  should 
 meet  with  a  further  discovery  of  his  duty.  If  such 
 things  as  these  are  revealed  by  the  impression  of 
 these  words,  it  is  to  all  intents  a  new  revelation,  not 
 the  less  because  certain  words  of  Scripture  are  made 
 use  of  in  the  case.  Here  are  propositions  or  truths 
 entirely  new,  that  those  words  do  not  contain. 
 These  propositions,  that  it  is  God's  mind  and  will 
 that  such  a  person  by  name  should  arise  at  such  a 
 time,  and  go  to  such  a  place,  and  that  there  he 
 should  meet  with  discoveries,  are  entirely  new  pro- 
 positions, wholly  different  from  those  contained  in 
 that  text  of  Scripture.  They  are  no  more  implied 
 in  the  words  themselves,  without  a  new  revelation, 
 than  it  is  implied  that  he  should  arise  and  go  to  any 
 other  place,  or  that  any  other  person  should  arise 
 and  go  to  that  place.  The  propositions,  supposed 
 to  be  now  revealed,  are  as  really  different  from  those 
 contained  in  that  scripture,  as  they  are  from  the 
 propositions  contained  in  that  text,  Gen.  v.  6.  "  And 
 Seth  lived  an  hundred  and  five  years,  and  begat 
 Enos."  This  is  quite  a  different  thing  from  the 
 Spirit's  enlightening  the  mind  to  understand  the 
 words  of  God,  and  know  wliat  is  contained  and  re- 
 vealed in  them,  and  what  consequences  may  justly 
 be  drawn  from  them,  and  to  see  how  they  are  ap- 
 plicable to  our  case  and  circumstances ;  which  is 
 done  without  any  new  revelation,  only  by  enabling 
 the  mind  to  understand  and  apply  a  revelation  al- 
 ready made. 
 
 Those  texts  of  Scripture,  that  speak  of  the  chil- 
 dren of  God  as  "  led  by  the  Spirit,"  have  been  by 
 
371 
 
 some  brought  to  defend  such  impulses ;  particularly 
 Rom.  viii.  14.  "  For  as  many  as  are  led  by  the 
 Spirit  of  God,  they  are  the  sons  of  God :"  and, 
 Gal.  V.  18.  "  But  if  ye  are  led  by  the  Spirit,  ye  are 
 not  under  the  law."  But  these  texts  themselves 
 confute  those  that  bring  them ;  for  it  is  evident  that 
 the  leading  of  the  Spirit  which  the  Apostle  speaks 
 of  is  peculiar  to  the  children  of  God,  and  that  na- 
 tural men  cannot  have;  for  he  speaks  of  it  as  a  sure 
 evidence  of  their  being  the  sons  of  God,  and  not 
 under  the  law.  But  a  leading  or  directing  of  a 
 person  by  immediately  revealing  to  him  where  he 
 should  go,  or  what  shall  hereafter  come  to  pass,  or 
 what  shall  be  the  future  consequence  of  his  doing 
 thus  or  thus,  if  there  be  any  such  thing  in  these 
 days,  is  not  of  the  nature  of  the  gracious  leading  of 
 the  Spirit  of  God,  peculiar  to  God's  children.  It 
 is  no  more  than  a  common  gift;  there  is  nothing  in 
 it  but  what  natural  men  are  capable  of,  and  many  of 
 them  have  had  in  the  days  of  inspiration.  A  man 
 may  have  ten  thousand  such  revelations  and  direc- 
 tions from  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  yet  not  have  a  jot 
 of  grace  in  his  heart.  It  is  no  more  than  the  gift 
 of  prophecy,  which  immediately  reveals  what  will  be, 
 or  should  be  hereafter;  but  this  is  only  a  common 
 gift,  as  the  Apostle  expressly  shows,  1  Cor.  xiii. 
 2,  8.  If  a  person  has  any  thing  revealed  to  him 
 from  God,  or  is  directed  to  any  thing  by  a  voice 
 from  heaven,  or  a  whisper,  or  words  immediately 
 suETirested  to  his  mind,  there  is  nothing  of  the  na- 
 ture  of  grace  merely  in  this;  it  is  of  the  nature  of  a 
 common  influence  of  the  Spirit,  and  is  but  dross  in 
 comparison  of  the  excellency  of  that  gracious  leading 
 
37^ 
 
 of  the  Spirit  tliat  the  saints  have.  Such  a  way  of 
 being  directed  where  one  shall  go,  and  what  he  shall 
 do,  is  no  more  than  what  Balaam  had  from  God, 
 who  from  time  to  time  revealed  to  him  what  he 
 should  do;  so  that  he  was  in  that  sense  led  by  the 
 Spirit  for  a  considerable  time.  There  is  a  more  ex- 
 cellent way  in  which  the  Spirit  leads  the  sons  of 
 God,  that  natural  men  cannot  have;  and  that  is  by 
 inclining  them  to  do  the  will  of  God,  and  go  in  the 
 shining  path  of  truth  and  Christian  holiness,  from  a 
 holy  heavenly  disposition,  which  the  Spirit  of  God 
 gives  them,  and  which  inclines  and  leads  them  to 
 those  things  that  are  excellent  and  agreeable  to 
 God's  mind,  whereby  they  "  are  transformed  by  the 
 renewing  of  their  minds,  and  prove  what  is  that 
 good,  and  acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of  God." 
 And  so  the  Spirit  of  God  does,  in  a  gracious  manner, 
 teach  the  saints  their  duty;  and  he  teaches  them  in 
 a  higher  manner  than  ever  Balaam,  or  Saul,  or  Judas 
 were  taught.  The  Spirit  of  God  enlightens  them 
 with  respect  to  their  duty,  by  making  their  eye 
 single  and  pure,  whereby  the  whole  body  is  full  of 
 light.  The  sanctifying  influence  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God  rectifies  the  taste  of  the  soul,  whereby  it  savours 
 those  things  that  are  of  God,  and  naturally  relishes 
 and  delights  in  those  things  that  are  holy  and  agree- 
 able to  God's  mind  ;  and,  like  one  of  a  distinguish- 
 ing taste,  it  chooses  those  things  that  are  good  and 
 wholesome,  and  rejects  those  that  are  evil.  The 
 sanctified  ear  tries  words,  and  the  sanctified  heart 
 tries  actions,  as  the  mouth  tastes  meat.  And  thus 
 the  Spirit  of  God  leads  and  guides  the  meek  in  his 
 way,  agreeable  to  his  promises ;  he  enables  them  to 
 
373 
 
 understand  the  commands  and  counsels  of  his  word, 
 and  rightly  to  apply  them.  Christ  blames  the 
 Pharisees  that  they  had  not  this  holy  distinguishing 
 taste,  to  discern  and  distinguish  what  was  right  and 
 wrong:  "  Yea,  and  why  even  ot"  your  own  selves 
 judge  ye  not  what  is  right?" 
 
 The  leading  of  the  Spirit  which  God  gives  his 
 children,  and  which  is  peculiar  to  them,  is  the  teach- 
 iuor  them  his  statutes,  and  causincr  them  to  under- 
 stand  the  way  of  his  precepts,  which  the  Psalmist 
 so  very  often  prays  for,  especially  in  the  119th 
 Psalm;  and  not  in  giving  them  new  statutes  and  new 
 precepts.  He  graciously  gives  them  eyes  to  see, 
 and  ears  to  hear,  and  hearts  to  understand  ;  he  causes 
 them  to  understand  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  so 
 "  brings  the  blind  by  a  way  they  knew  not,  and  leads 
 them  in  paths  that  they  had  not  known,  and  makes 
 darkness  light  before  them,  and  crooked  things 
 straight."  So  the  assistance  of  the  Spirit,  in  pray- 
 ing and  preaching,  seems  by  some  to  have  been  greatly 
 misunderstood,  and  they  have  sought  after  a  mira- 
 culous assistance  of  inspiration,  by  the  immediate 
 suggesting  of  words  to  them,  by  such  gifts  and  in- 
 fluences of  the  Spirit,  in  praying  and  teaching,  as 
 the  Apostle  speaks  of,  1  Cor.  xiv.  14,  26.  (which 
 many  natural  men  had  in  those  days,)  instead  of  a 
 gracious  holy  assistance  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  which 
 is  the  far  more  excellent  way;  as  1  Cor.  xii.  31. 
 and  xiii.  1.  the  gracious  and  most  excellent  assist- 
 ance of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  praying  and  preaching, 
 is  not  by  immediately  suggesting  words  to  the  ap- 
 prehension, which  may  be  with  a  cold  dead  heart ; 
 but  by  warming  the  heart,  and  filling  it  with  a  great 
 
374 
 
 sense  of  things  to  be  spoken,  and  with  holy  aflPections, 
 that  these  may  suggest  words.  Thus,  indeed,  the 
 Spirit  of  God  may  be  said,  indirectly  and  mediately, 
 to  suggest  words  to  us,  to  endite  our  petitions  for 
 us,  and  to  teach  the  preacher  what  to  say :  he  fills 
 the  heart  and  that  fills  the  mouth.  We  know  that 
 when  men  are  greatly  affected  in  any  matter,  and 
 their  hearts  are  very  full,  it  fills  them  with  matter 
 for  speech,  and  makes  them  eloquent  upon  that  sub- 
 ject; and  much  more  have  spiritual  affections  this 
 tendency,  for  many  reasons  that  might  be  given. 
 When  a  person  is  in  a  holy  and  lively  frame  in 
 secret  prayer,  or  in  Christian  conversation,  it  will 
 wonderfully  supply  him  with  matter,  and  with  ex- 
 pressions, as  every  true  Christian  knows;  and  it  has 
 the  like  tendency  to  enable  a  person  in  public  prayer 
 and  preaching.  And,  if  he  has  these  holy  influences 
 of  the  Spirit  on  his  heart  in  a  high  degree,  nothing 
 in  the  world  will  have  so  great  a  tendency  to  make 
 both  the  matter  and  manner  of  his  public  perform- 
 ances excellent  and  profitable.  But,  since  there  is 
 no  immediate  suggesting  of  words  from  the  Spirit  of 
 God  to  be  expected  or  desired,  they  who  neglect 
 and  despise  study  and  premeditation,  in  order  to  a 
 preparation  for  the  pulpit,  in  such  an  expectation, 
 are  guilty  of  presumption;  though  doubtless  it  may 
 be  lawful  for  some  persons,  in  some  cases,  (and  they 
 may  be  called  to  it,)  to  preach  with  very  little  study; 
 and  the  Spirit  of  God,  by  the  heavenly  frame  of  heart 
 that  he  gives  them,  may  enable  them  to  do  it  to  ex- 
 cellent purpose.  Besides  this  most  excellent  way 
 of  the  Spirit  of  God  assisting  ministers  in  public 
 performances,   which   (considered  as  the  preacher's 
 
375 
 
 privilege)  far  excels  inspiration,  there  is  a  common 
 assistance  which  natural  men  may  have  in  these 
 days,  and  which  the  godly  may  have  intermingled 
 with  a  gracious  assistance,  which  is  also  very  dif- 
 ferent from  inspiration,  and  that  is,  his  assisting 
 natural  principles  :  as  the  natural  apprehension,  rea- 
 son, memory,  conscience,  and  natural  affection. 
 
 But,  to  return  to  the  head  of  impressions  and 
 immediate  revelations;  many  lay  themselves  open  to 
 a  delusion  by  expecting  direction  from  heaven  in 
 this  way,  and  waiting  for  it.  In  such  a  case  it  is 
 easy  for  persons  to  imagine  that  they  have  it.  Tliey 
 are  perhaps  at  a  loss  concerning  something,  unde- 
 termined what  they  shall  do,  or  what  course  they 
 shall  take  in  some  affair  ;  and  they  pray  to  God  to 
 direct  them,  and  make  known  to  them  his  mind  and 
 will ;  and  then,  instead  of  expecting  to  be  directed, 
 by  being  assisted  in  considering  the  rules  of  God's 
 word,  his  providence,  and  their  circumstances,  to 
 look  on  things  in  a  true  light,  and  justly  to  weigh 
 them,  they  are  waiting  for  some  secret  immediate 
 influence,  unaccountably  swaying  their  minds,  and 
 turning  their  thoughts  or  inclinations  that  way  in 
 which  God  would  have  them  to  go.  Hereby  they 
 are  exposed  to  two  things:  first,  they  lay  themselves 
 open  to  the  devil,  and  give  him  a  fair  opportunity  to 
 lead  them  where  he  pleases ;  for  they  stand  ready  to 
 follow  the  first  extraordinary  impulse  that  they  shall 
 have,  groundlessly  concluding  it  is  from  God.  And, 
 secondly,  they  are  greatly  exposed  to  be  deceived 
 by  their  own  imaginations :  for  such  an  expectation 
 awakens  and  quickens  the  imagination,  and  that  often- 
 times is  called  an  uncommon  impression  that  is  no  such 
 
S76 
 
 thing ;  and  they  ascribe  that  to  the  agency  of  some  in- 
 visible being,  which  is  owing  only  to  themselves. 
 
 Again;  another  way  that  many  have  been  deceived, 
 is  by  drawing  false  conclusions   from  true  premises. 
 Many  true  and  eminent  saints  have  been  led  into 
 mistakes  and  snares,  by  arguing  that  they  have  prayed 
 in  faith.      They  have  indeed  be^n  greatly  assisted 
 in  prayer  for  such  a  particular  mercy,   and  have  had 
 the  true  spirit  of  prayer  in  exercise  in  their  asking 
 it  of  God  :  but  they  have  concluded  more  from  these 
 premises    than   is   a  just   consequence    from    them. 
 That  they  have  thus  prayed  is  a  snre  sign  that  their 
 prayer  is  accepted  and  heard,  and  that  God  will  give 
 a  gracious  answer  according  to  his  own  wisdom,  and 
 that  the  particular  thing  asked  shall  be  given,   or 
 that  which  is  equivalent ;   this  is  a  just  consequence 
 from  it.      But  it  is  not  inferred  by  any  new  revela- 
 tion now  made,   but  by  the  promises   made  to  the 
 prayer   of  faith  in  the   Holy  Scriptures.      But  that 
 God  will  answer  them  in  that  individual  thing  they 
 ask,  if  it  be  not  a  thing  promised  in  God's  word,  or 
 they  do  not  certainly  know  that  it  is  what  will  be 
 most  for  the  good  of  God's  church,  and  the  advance- 
 ment of  Christ's  kingdom  and  glory,  nor  whether  it 
 will  be  best   for  them,   is  more  than   can  be  justly 
 concluded  from  it.      If  God  remarkably  meets  with 
 one  of  his  children  while  he  is  praying  for  a  parti- 
 cular mercy  of  great  importance,  for  himself  or  some 
 other  person,  or  any  society  of  men,   and  does  by 
 the  influences  of  his  Spirit  greatly  humble  him,  and 
 empty  him  of  himself  in  his  prayer,    and   manifests 
 himself  remarkably  in  his  excellency,   sovereignty, 
 and  all-sufficient   power  and  grace  in  Jesus  Christ, 
 
S77 
 
 and  in  a  remarkable  manner  enables  the  person  to 
 come  to  him  for  that  mercy,  poor  in  spirit,  and  with 
 humble  resignation  to  God,  and  with  a  great  degree 
 of  faith  in  the  divine  sufficiency,  and  the  sufficiency 
 of  Christ's  mediation^that  person  has  indeed  a 
 great  deal  the  more  reason  to  hope  that  God  will 
 grant  that  mercy,  than  otherwise  he  would  have. 
 The  greater  probability  is  justly  inferred,  agreeable 
 to  the  promises  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  in  that  such 
 prayer  is  accepted  and  heard  ;  and  it  is  much  more 
 probable  that  a  prayer  that  is  heard  will  be  returned 
 with  a  particular  mercy  that  is  asked,  than  one  that 
 is  not  so.  And  there  is  no  reason  at  all  to  doubt, 
 but  that  God  sometimes  especially  enables  to  the 
 exercises  of  faith,  when  the  minds  of  his  saints 
 are  engaged  in  thoughts  of,  and  prayer  for,  some 
 particular  blessing  they  greatly  desire;  that  is,  God 
 is  pleased  especially  to  give  them  a  believing  frame, 
 a  sense  of  his  fuhiess,  and  a  spirit  of  humble  de- 
 pendence on  him,  at  such  times.  When  they  are 
 thinking  of,  and  praying  for  such  mercy,  he  gives 
 them  a  particular  sense  of  his  abiUty,  and  oi'  the 
 sufficiency  of  his  power  to  overcome  obstacles,  and 
 the  sufficiency  of  his  mercy  and  of  the  blood  of 
 Christ  for  the  removal  of  the  guilt  that  is  in  the 
 way  of  the  bestowment  of  such  a  m^rcy,  in  particu- 
 lar. When  this  is  the  case,  it  makes  the  probabi- 
 lity still  much  greater,  that  God  intends  to  bestow 
 the  particular  mercy  sought,  in  his  own  time  and 
 his  own  way.  But  here  is  nothing  of  the  nature 
 of  a  revelation  in  the  case,  but  only  a  drawing  ra- 
 tional conclusions  from  the  particular  manner  and 
 circumstances  of  the  ordinary  gracious  influences  of 
 God's  Spirit.      And  as  God  is  pleased  sometimes 
 
378 
 
 to  give  his  saints  particular  exercises  of  faith  in  his 
 sufficiency,  with  regard  to  particular  mercies ;  so 
 he  is  sometimes  pleased  to  make  use  of  his  word  in 
 order  to  it,  and  helps  the  actings  of  faith  with  re- 
 spect to  such  a  mercy.  The  strengthening  of  their 
 faith  in  God's  sufficiency,  in  this  case,  is  therefore 
 a  just  improvement  of  such  scriptures;  it  is  no  more 
 than  what  those  scriptures,  as  they  stand  in  the 
 Bible,  hold  forth.  But  to  take  them  as  new  whispers 
 or  revelations  from  heaven,  is  not  making  a  just  im- 
 provement of  them.  If  persons  have  thus  a  spirit 
 of  prayer  remarkably  given  them,  concerning  a  par- 
 ticular mercy,  from  time  to  time,  so  as  evidently  to 
 be  assisted  to  act  faith  in  God ;  in  that  particular,  in 
 a  very  distinguishing  manner,  the  argument  in  some 
 cases  may  be  very  strong,  that  God  does  design  to 
 grant  that  mercy,  not  from  any  revelation  now  made 
 of  it,  but  from  such  a  kind  and  manner  of  the  ordi- 
 nary influence  of  his  Spirit  with  respect  to  that  thing. 
 But  here  a  great  deal  of  caution  and  circumspec- 
 tion must  be  used  in  drawing  inferences  of  this  na- 
 ture. There  are  many  ways  by  which  persons  may 
 be  misled  and  deluded.  The  ground  on  which 
 some  expect  that  they  shall  receive  the  thing  they 
 have  asked  for,  is  rather  a  strong  imagination,  than 
 any  true  humble  faith  in  the  divine  sufficiency. 
 They  have  a  strong  persuasion  that  the  thing  asked 
 shall  be  granted,  (which  they  can  give  no  reason  for,) 
 without  any  remarkable  discovery  of  that  glory  and 
 fulness  of  God  and  Christ,  that  is  the  ground  of 
 faith.  And  sometimes  the  confidence  that  their 
 prayers  shall  be  answered,  is  only  a  self-righteous 
 confidence,  and  no  true  faith.  They  have  a  high 
 conceit  of  themselves  as  eminent  saints,  and  special 
 
379 
 
 favourites  of  God,  and  have  also  a  high  conceit  of 
 the  prayers  they  have  made,  because  they  were  much 
 enlarged  and  affected  in  them  ;  and  hence  they  are 
 positive  in  it,  that  the  thing  will  come  to  pass.  And 
 sometimes,  when  once  they  have  conceived  such  a 
 notion,  they  grow  stronger  and  stronger  in  it;  and 
 this  they  think  is  from  an  immediate  divine  hand 
 upon  their  minds  to  strengthen  their  confidence  ; 
 whereas  it  is  only  by  their  dwelling  in  their  minds 
 on  their  own  excellency,  and  high  experiences,  and 
 great  assistances,  whereby  they  look  brighter  and 
 brighter  in  their  own  eyes.  Hence  it  is  found,  by 
 observation  and  experience,  that  nothing  in  the 
 world  exposes  so  much  to  enthusiasm  as  spiritual 
 pride  and  self-righteousness. 
 
 In  order  to  drawing  a  just  inference  from  the 
 supposed  assistance  we  have  had  in  prayer  for  a  par- 
 ticular mercy,  and  judging  of  the  probability  of  the 
 bestowment  of  that  individual  mercy,  many  things 
 must  be  considered.  We  must  consider  the  im- 
 portance of  the  mercy  sought,  and  the  principle 
 whence  we  so  earnestly  desire  it ;  how  far  it  is  good, 
 and  agreeable  to  the  mind  and  will  of  God ;  the 
 degree  of  love  to  God  that  we  exercised  in  our 
 prayer;  the  degree  of  discovery  that  is  made  of  the 
 divine  sufficiency;  and  the  degree  in  which  our 
 assistance  is  manifestly  distinguishing  with  respect 
 to  that  mercy.  And  there  is  nothing  of  greater 
 importance  in  the  argument,  than  the  degree  of  hu- 
 mility, poverty  of  spirit,  self-emptiness,  and  resig- 
 nation to  the  holy  will  of  God,  exercised  in  seeking 
 that  mercy.  Praying  for  a  particular  mercy  with 
 much  of  these  things,  I  have  often  seen  blessed  with 
 
380 
 
 a  remarkable  bestowment  of  the  particular  thing 
 asked  for.  From  what  has  been  said,  we  may  see 
 which  way  God  may,  only  by  the  ordinary  gracious 
 influences  of  the  Spirit,  sometimes  give  his  saints 
 special  reason  to  hope  for  the  bestowment  of  a  par- 
 ticular mercy  they  prayed  for,  and  which  we  may 
 suppose  he  oftentimes  gives  eminent  saints,  who 
 have  great  degrees  of  humility,  and  much  communion 
 with  God-  And  here,  I  humbly  conceive,  some 
 eminent  servants  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  we  read  of  in 
 ecclesiastical  story,  have  been  led  into  a  mistake; 
 and,  through  want  of  distinguishing  such  things  as 
 these  from  immediate  revelations,  have  thought  that 
 God  has  favoured  them,  in  some  instances,  with  the 
 same  kind  of  divine  influences  that  the  apostles  and 
 prophets  had  of  old. 
 
 Another  erroneous  principle  that  some  have  em- 
 braced, and  which  has  been  a  source  of  many  errors 
 in  their  conduct,  is,  that  persons  ought  always  to  do 
 whatsoever  the  Spirit  of  God  (though  but  indirectly) 
 inclines  them  to.  Indeed,  the  Spirit  of  God  is  in 
 itself  infinitely  perfect ;  and  all  his  immediate  actings, 
 simply  considered,  are  perfect,  and  there  can  be 
 nothing  wrong  in  them;  and  therefore,  all  that  the 
 Spirit  of  God  inclines  us  to,  directly  and  immediately, 
 without  the  intervention  of  any  other  cause  that 
 shall  pervert  and  misiraprove  what  is  from  him,  ought 
 to  be  done.  But  there  may  be  many  things,  dis- 
 position to  do  which  may  indirectly  be  from  the  Spirit 
 of  God,  that  we  ought  not  to  do.  The  disposition 
 in  general  may  be  good,  and  from  the  Spirit  of  God  ; 
 but  the  particular  determination  of  that  disposition, 
 as  to  particular  actions,  objects,   and  circumstanees, 
 
381 
 
 may  be  from  the  intervention  or  interposition  of  some 
 infirmity,  blindness,  inadvertence,  deceit,  or  corrup- 
 tion of  ours.  So  that  although  the  disposition  in 
 general  ought  to  be  allowed  and  promoted,  and  all 
 those  actings  of  it  that  are  simply  from  God's  Spirit, 
 yet  the  particular  ill  direction  or  determination  of 
 that  disposition,  which  is  from  some  other  cause, 
 ought  not  to  be  followed. 
 
 As  for  instance,  the  Spirit  of  God  may  cause  a 
 person  to  have  a  dear  love  to  another,  and  so  a  great 
 desire  of  and  delight  in  his  comfort,  ease,  and  plea- 
 sure. This  disposition  in  general  is  good,  and  ought 
 to  be  followed ;  but  yet,  through  the  intervention  of 
 indiscretion,  or  some  other  bad  cause,  it  may  be  ill 
 directed,  and  have  a  bad  determination,  as  to  parti- 
 cular acts;  and  the  person  indirectly,  through  that 
 real  love  he  has  to  his  neighbour,  may  kill  him  with 
 kindness;  he  may  do  that  out  of  sincere  good-will  to 
 him  which  may  tend  to  ruin  him.  A  good  dispo- 
 sition may,  through  some  inadvertence  or  delusion, 
 strongly  incline  a  person  to  that  which,  if  he  saw  all 
 things  as  they  are,  would  be  most  contrary  to  that 
 disposition.  The  true  loyalty  of  a  general,  and  his 
 zeal  for  the  honour  of  his  prince,  may  exceedingly 
 animate  him  in  war;  but  this  good  disposition,  through 
 indiscretion  and  mistake,  may  push  him  forward  to 
 those  things  that  give  the  enemy  great  advantage, 
 and  may  expose  him  and  his  army  to  ruin,  and  may 
 tend  to  the  ruin  of  his  master's  interest. 
 
 The  Apostle  does  evidently  suppose,  that  the 
 Spirit  of  God,  in  his  extraordinary,  immediate  and 
 miraculous  influences  on  men's  minds,  may  in  some 
 respect  excite  inclinations,  which,  if  gratified,  would 
 
382 
 
 tend  to  confusion,  and  therefore  must  sometimes  be 
 restrained,  and  in  their  exercise  must  be  under  the 
 government  of  discretion  :  *'  For  ye  may  all  prophesy 
 one  by  one,  that  all  may  learn,  and  all  may  be  com- 
 forted. And  the  spirits  of  the  prophets  are  subject 
 to  the  prophets.  For  God  is  not  the  author  of  con- 
 fusion, but  of  peace,  as  in  all  the  churches  of  the 
 saints."  Here,  by  the  spirits  of  the  prophets,  accord- 
 ing to  the  known  phraseology  of  the  Apostle,  is  meant 
 the  Spirit  of  God  acting  in  the  prophets,  accor-ding 
 to  those  special  gifts  with  which  each  one  was  endued: 
 and  here  it  is  plainly  implied  that  the  Spirit  of  God, 
 thus  operating  in  them,  may  be  an  occasion  of  their 
 having  sometimes  an  inclination  to  do  that,  in  the 
 exercise  of  those  gifts,  which  it  was  not  proper,  de- 
 cent, or  profitable  that  they  should;  and  that  there- 
 fore the  inclination,  though  indirectly  from  the  Spirit 
 of  God,  should  be  restrained  ;  and  that  it  ought  to 
 be  subject  to  the  discretion  of  the  prophets,  as  to 
 the  particular  time  and  circumstances  of  its  exercise. 
 I  make  no  doubt  but  that  it  is  possible  for  a 
 minister  to  have,  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  such  a 
 sense  of  the  importance  of  eternal  things,  and  of  the 
 misery  of  mankind — so  many  of  whom  are  exposed 
 to  eternal  destruction — together  with  such  a  love  to 
 souls,  that  he  might  find  in  himself  a  disposition  to 
 spend  all  his  time,  day  and  night,  in  warning,  ex- 
 horting, and  calling  upon  men;  and  so  that  he  must 
 be  obliged,  as  it  were,  to  do  violence  to  himself  ever 
 to  refrain,  so  as  to  give  himself  any  opportunity  to 
 eat,  drink,  or  sleep.  And  so  I  believe  there  may  be 
 a  disposition,  in  like  manner,  indirectly  excited  in 
 lay  persons,   through  the  intervention   of  their  in- 
 
383 
 
 firmity,  to  do  what  only  belongs  to  ministers;  yea, 
 to  do  those  things  that  would  not  become  either 
 ministers  or  people.  Through  the  influence  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God,  together  with  want  of  discretion,  and 
 some  remaining  corruption,  women  and  children 
 miirht  feel  themselves  inclined  to  break  forth  aloud 
 to  great  congregations,  warning  and  exhorting  the 
 whole  multitude;  and  to  scream  in  the  streest,  or  to 
 leave  their  families,  and  go  from  house  to  house, 
 earnestly  exhorting  others;  but  yet  it  would  by  no 
 means  follow,  that  it  was  their  duty  to  do  these 
 things,  or  that  they  would  not  have  a  tendency  to 
 do  ten  times  as  much  hurt  as  good. 
 
 Another  wrong  principle,  from  whence  have  arisen 
 errors  in  conduct,  is,  that  whatsoever  is  found  to  be 
 of  present  and  immediate  benefit  may  and  ought  to 
 be  practised,  without  looking  forward  to  future  con- 
 sequences. Some  persons  seem  to  think  that  it  suf- 
 ficiently justifies  any  thing  they  say  or  do,  that  it  is 
 found  to  be  for  present  edification  ;  it  assists  and 
 promotes  their  present  affection,  and  therefore  they 
 think  they  should  not  concern  themselves  about  fu- 
 ture consequences,  but  leave  them  with  God.  In- 
 deed, in  tilings  that  are  in  themselves  our  duty,  be- 
 ing required  by  moral  rules,  or  absolute,  positive 
 compiands  of  God,  they  must  be  done,  and  future 
 consequences  must  be  left  with  God;  our  discretion 
 takes  no  place  here.  But  in  other  things  we  are  to 
 be  governed  by  discretion,  and  must  not  only  look 
 at  the  present  good,  but  our  view  must  be  extensive, 
 and  we  must  look  at  the  consequences  of  things.  It 
 is  the  duty  of  ministers  especially  to  exercise  this 
 discretion.     In  things  where  they  are  not  determined 
 
384 
 
 by  an  absolute  rule,  and  not  enjoined  them  by  a  wis- 
 dom superior  to  their  own,  Christ  has  left  them  to 
 their  own  discretion,  with  that  general  rule,  that  they 
 should  exercise  the  utmost  wisdom  they  can  obtain, 
 in  pursuing  that  which,  upon  the  best  view  of  the 
 consequences  of  things,  will  tend  most  to  the  ad- 
 vancement of  his  kingdom.  This  is  implied  in  those 
 words  of  Christ  to  his  disciples,  when  he  sent  them 
 forth  to  preach  the  gospel,  "  Be  ye  wise  as  serpents." 
 The  Scripture  always  represents  the  work  of  a 
 gospel  minister,  by  those  employments  that  especially 
 require  a  wise  foresight  of,  and  provision  for,  future 
 events  and  consequences.  So  it  is  compared  to  the 
 business  of  a  steward,  which,  in  an  eminent  manner, 
 requires  forecast;  as,  for  instance,  a  wise  laying  in 
 of  provision  for  the  supply  of  the  needs  of  the  family, 
 according  to  its  future  necessities.  So  it  is  compared 
 to  the  business  of  a  husbandman,  that  almost  wholly 
 consists  in  things  done  with  a  view  to  the  future  fruits 
 and  consequences  of  his  labour.  The  husbandman's 
 discretion  and  forecast  is  eloquently  set  forth  in  Isa. 
 xxviii.  24 — 26.  "  Doth  the  ploughman  plough  all 
 day  to  sow  ?  doth  he  open  and  break  the  clods  of  his 
 ground  ?  When  he  hatklmade  plain  the  face  thereof, 
 doth  he  not  cast  abroad  the  fitches,  and  scatter  the 
 cummin,  and  cast  in  the  principal  wheat,  and  the  ap- 
 pointed barley,  and  the  rye,  in  their  place  ?  For  his 
 God  doth  instruct  him  to  discretion,  and  doth  teach 
 him."  So  the  work  of  the  ministry  is  compared  to 
 that  of  a  wise  builder  or  architect,  who  has  a  compre- 
 hensive view;  and  for  whom  it  is  necessary,  that, 
 when  he  begins  a  building,  he  should  have  at  once  a 
 view  of  the  whole  frame,  and  all  the  future  parts  of 
 
385 
 
 the  structure,  even  to  the  pinnacle,  that  all  may  be 
 fitly  framed  together.  So  also  it  is  compared  to  the 
 business  of  a  trader  or  merchant,  who  is  to  gain  by 
 trading ;  a  business  that  exceedingly  requires  fore- 
 cast, and  without  which  it  is  never  like  to  be  followed 
 with  success  for  any  long  time.  So  it  is  represented 
 by  the  business  of  a  fisherman,  which  depends  on 
 peculiar  skill ;  and  to  that  of  a  soldier,  which,  per- 
 haps, above  any  other  secular  business,  requires 
 great  foresight,  and  a  wise  provision  for  future  events 
 and  consequences. 
 
 And  particularly,  ministers  ought  not  to  be  care- 
 less how  much  they  discompose  the  minds  of  natural 
 men,  or  how  great  an  uproar  they  raise  in  the  carnal 
 world,  and  so  lay  blocks  in  the  way  of  the  propaga- 
 tion of  religion.  This  certainly  is  not  to  follow  the 
 example  of  the  zealous  apostle  Paul,  who,  though 
 he  would  not  depart  from  his  duty  to  please  carnal 
 men,  yet,  wherein  he  might  with  a  good  conscience, 
 exceedingly  laid  out  himself  to  please  them.  He 
 avoided  raising  in  the  multitude,  prejudices,  opposi- 
 tions, and  tumults  against  the  gospel ;  and  looked 
 upon  it  as  of  great  consequence.  1  Cor.  x.  32,  33. 
 *'  Give  none  offence,  neither  to  the  Jews,  nor  to  the 
 Gentiles,  nor  to  the  church  of  God:  even  as  I  please 
 all  men  in  all  things,  not  seeking  mine  own  profit, 
 but  the  profit  of  many,  that  they  may  be  saved." 
 Yea,  he  declares  that  he  laid  himself  out  so  much  for 
 this,  that  he  made  himself  a  kind  of  a  servant  to  all 
 sorts  of  men,  conforming  to  their  customs  and  vari- 
 ous humours  in  every  thing  wherein  he  might,  even 
 in  things  that  were  very  burdensome  to  him,  that  he 
 might  not  fright  men  away  from  Christianity,  and 
 R  48 
 
386 
 
 cause  them  to  stand,  as  it  were,  braced  and  armed 
 against  it ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  if  possible,  might 
 with  condescension  and  friendship  win  and  draw  them 
 to  it,  1  Cor.  ix.  19 — 23.  And  agreeable  hereto  are 
 the  directions  he  gives  to  others,  both  ministers  and 
 people:  so  he  directs  the  Christian  Romans,  "  not 
 to  please  themselves,  but  every  one  please  his  neigh- 
 bour, for  his  good,  to  edification ;"  and  "  to  follow 
 after  the  things  that  make  for  peace."  And  he  ex- 
 presses it  in  terms  exceeding  strong :  "  If  it  be  pos- 
 sible, as  much  as  lieth  in  you,  live  peaceably  with  all 
 men."  And  he  directs  ministers  to  endeavour,  if 
 possible,  to  gain  opposers  by  a  meek,  condescending 
 treatment,  avoiding  all  appearance  of  strife  or  fierce- 
 ness, 2  Tim.  ii.  24 — 26.  To  the  like  purpose,  the 
 same  Apostle  directs  Christians  to  "  walk  in  wisdom 
 towards  them  that  are  without,"  and  to  avoid  giving 
 offence  to  others,  if  we  can,  "  that  our  good  may  not 
 be  evil  spoken  of."  So  that  it  is  evident,  the  most 
 zealous  and  most  successful  propagator  of  vital  reli- 
 gion that  ever  was,  looked  upon  it  to  be  of  great  con- 
 sequence to  endeavour,  as  much  as  possible,  by  all 
 the  methods  of  lawful  meekness  and  gentleness,  to 
 avoid  raising  the  prejudice  and  opposition  of  the  world 
 against  religion. — When  we  have  done  our  utmost, 
 there  will  be  opposition  enough  to  vital  religion, 
 against  which  the  carnal  mind  of  man  has  such  an  en- 
 mity. We  should  not,  therefore,  needlessly  increase 
 and  raise  that  enmity.  The  Apostle,  though  he  took 
 so  much  pains  to  please  men,  had  persecution  almost 
 every  where  raised  against  him.  A  fisherman  is 
 careful  not  needlessly  to  ruffle  and  disturb  the  water, 
 lest  he  should  drive  the  fish  away  from  his  net ;  but 
 
387 
 
 he  will  rather  endeavour,  if  possible,  to  draw  them 
 into  it.  Such  a  fisherman  was  the  Apostle  :  "  And 
 I  will  very  gladly  spend  and  be  spent  for  you :  though 
 the  more  abundantly  I  love  you,  the  less  I  be  loved. 
 But  be  it  so,  I  did  not  burden  you  :  nevertheless, 
 being  crafty,  I  caught  you  with  guile." 
 
 The  necessity  of  suffering  persecution,  in  order  to 
 being  a  true  Christian,  has  undoubtedly  by  some  been 
 carried  to  an  extreme,  and  the  doctrine  has  been 
 abused.  It  has  been  looked  upon  as  necessary  to 
 uphold  a  man's  credit  amongst  others  as  a  Christian, 
 that  he  should  be  persecuted.  I  have  heard  it  made 
 an  objection  against  the  sincerity  of  particular  per- 
 sons, that  they  were  no  more  hated  and  reproached. 
 And  the  manner  of  glorying  in  persecution,  or  the 
 cross  of  Christ,  has  in  some  been  very  wrong,  bear- 
 ing too  much  the  appearance  of  lifting  up  them- 
 selves in  it,  that  they  were  very  much  hated  and  re- 
 viled, more  than  most,  as  an  evidence  of  their  ex- 
 ceUing  others  in  being  good  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ. 
 Such  an  improvement  of  the  doctrine  of  the  enmity 
 between  the  seed  of  the  woman  and  the  seed  of  the 
 serpent,  and  of  the  necessity  of  persecution,  becom- 
 ing credible  and  customary,  has  a  direct  tendency  to 
 cause  those  that  would  be  accounted  true  Christians, 
 to  behave  themselves  so  towards  those  that  are  not 
 well-affected  to  religion,  as  to  provoke  their  hatred, 
 or  at  least  to  be  but  little  careful  to  avoid  it,  and 
 not  very  studiously  and  earnestly  to  strive,  after  the 
 Apostle's  example  and  precepts,  to  please  them  to 
 their  edification,  and  by  meekness  and  gentleness  to 
 win  them,  and  by  all  possible  means  to  live  peace- 
 ably with  them. 
 
 R  2 
 
388 
 
 I  believe  that  saying  of  our  Saviour,  "  I  came 
 not  to  send  peace  on  earth,  but  division,"  has  been 
 abused ;  as  though,  when  we  see  great  strife  arise 
 about  religion,  violent  heats  of  spirit  against  the 
 truly  pious,  and  a  loud  clamour  and  uproar  against 
 the  work  of  God,  it  was  to  be  rejoiced  in,  because 
 it  is  that  which  Christ  came  to  send.  It  has  almost 
 been  laid  down  as  a  maxim  by  some,  that  the  more 
 division  and  strife,  the  better  sign;  which  naturally 
 leads  persons  to  seek  and  provoke  it,  or  leads  them 
 to  such  a  manner  of  behaviour,  such  a  roughness 
 and  sharpness,  or  such  an  affected  neglect,  as  has  a 
 natural  tendency  to  raise  prejudice  and  opposition  ; 
 instead  of  striving,  as  the  Apostle  did  to  his  utmost, 
 by  all  meekness,  gentleness,  and  benevolence  of  be- 
 haviour, to  prevent  or  assuage  it. — Christ  came  to 
 send  a  sword  on  earth,  and  to  cause  division,  no 
 otherwise  than  he  came  to  send_  damnation ;  for 
 Christ,  that  is  set  for  the  glorious  restoration  of 
 some,  is  set  for  the  fall  of  others,  and  to  be  a  stone 
 of  stumbling  and  rock  of  offence  to  them,  and  an 
 occasion  of  their  vastly  more  aggravated  and  ter- 
 rible ruin.  And  this  is  always  the  consequence  of 
 a  great  revival  of  vital  religion ;  it  is  the  means  of 
 the  salvation  of  some,  and  the  more  aggravated 
 damnation  of  others.  But  certainly  this  is  no  just 
 argument  that  men's  exposedness  to  damnation  is 
 not  to  be  lamented,  or  that  we  should  not  exert  our- 
 selves to  our  utmost,  in  all  the  methods  that  we  can 
 devise,  that  others  might  be  saved,  and  to  avoid  all 
 such  behaviour  towards  them  as  tends  to  lead  them 
 down  to  hell. 
 
 I  know  there  is  naturally  a  great  enmity  in  the 
 
389 
 
 heart  of  man  against  vital  religion ;  and  I  believe 
 there  would  have  been  a  great  deal  of  opposition 
 against  this  glorious  work  of  God  in  New  England, 
 if  the  subjects  and  promoters  of  it  had  behaved 
 themselves  ever  so  agreeably  to  Christian  rules ; 
 and  I  believe,  if  this  work  goes  on  and  spreads  much 
 in  the  world,  so  as  to  begin  to  shake  kingdoms  and 
 nations,  it  will  dreadfully  stir  up  the  rage  of  earth 
 and  hell,  and  will  put  the  world  into  the  greatest 
 uproar  that  ever  it  was  in  since  it  stood.  1  believe 
 Satan's  dying  struggles  will  be  the  most  violent ; 
 but  yet  a  great  deal  might  be  done  to  restrain  this 
 opposition,  by  a  good  conformity  to  that  of  the 
 Apostle,  James  iii.  13.  "  Who  is  a  wise  man,  and 
 endued  with  knowledge  ?  let  him  show  out  of  a  p-ood 
 conversation  his  works  with  meekness  of  wisdom." 
 And  I  also  believe,  that  if  the  rules  of  Christian 
 charity,  meekness,  gentleness,  and  prudence,  had 
 been  duly  observed  by  the  generality  of  the  zealous 
 promoters  of  this  work,  it  would  have  made  three 
 times  the  progress  that  it  has ;  that  is,  if  it  had 
 pleased  God,  in  such  a  case,  to  give  a  blessing  to 
 means  in  proportion  as  he  has  done. 
 
 Under  this  head  of  carelessness  about  future  con- 
 sequences, it  may  be  proper  to  say  something  of  in- 
 troducing things  new  and  strange,  and  that  have  a 
 tendency  by  their  novelty  to  shock  and  surprise 
 people.  Nothing  can  be  more  evident  from  the 
 New  Testament,  than  that  such  things  ought  to  be 
 done  with  great  caution  and  moderation,  to  avoid 
 the  offence  that  may  be  thereby  given,  and  the  pre- 
 judices that  might  be  raised  to  clog  and  hinder  the 
 progres3  of  religion.      Yea,  it  ought  to  be  thus  in 
 
390 
 
 things  that  are  in  themselves  good  and  excellent, 
 and  of  great  weight,  provided  they  are  not  things  of 
 absolute  duty;  which,  though  they  may  appear  to  be 
 innovations,  yet  cannot  be  neglected  without  immo- 
 rality or  disobedience  to  the  commands  of  God. 
 What  great  caution  and  moderation  did  the  apostles 
 use  in  introducing  things  that  were  new,  and  aboHsh- 
 ing  things  that  were  old  in  their  day?  How  gra- 
 dually were  the  ceremonial  performances  of  the  law 
 of  Moses  removed  and  abolished  among  the  Chris- 
 tian Jews  ?  and  how  long  did  even  the  apostle  Paul 
 himself  conform  to  those  ceremonies,  which  he  calls 
 weak  and  beggarly  elements  ?  yea,  even  to  the  rite 
 of  circumcision,  (Acts  xvi.  3.)  that  he  might  not 
 prejudice  the  Jews  against  Christianity?  So  it 
 seems  to  have  been  very  gradually  that  the  Jewish 
 Sabbath  was  abolished,  and  the  Christian  Sabbath 
 introduced,  for  the  same  reason.  And  the  apostles 
 avoided  teaching  Christians  in  those  early  days,  at 
 least  for  a  great  while,  some  high  and  excellent 
 divine  truths,  because  they  could  not  bear  them  yet, 
 1  Cot.  iii.  1,  2.  Heb.  v.  11.  to  the  end.  Thus 
 strictly  did  the  apostles  observe  the  rule  that  their 
 blessed  Master  gave  them,  of  not  putting  new  wine 
 into  old  bottles,  lest  they  should  burst  the  bottles, 
 and  lose  the  wine.  And  how  did  Christ  himself, 
 while  on  earth,  forbear  so  plainly  to  teach  his  dis- 
 ciples the  great  doctrines  of  Christianity,  concerning 
 his  satisfaction,  and  the  nature  and  manner  of  a 
 sinner's  justification  and  reconciliation  with  God, 
 and  the  particular  benefits  of  his  death,  resurrection, 
 and  ascension  ?  because,  in  that  infant  state  of  the 
 disciples,  their  minds  were  not  prepared  for  such  in- 
 
391 
 
 structions;  and  therefore  the  more  clear  and  full 
 revelation  of  these  things,  was  reserved  for  the  time 
 when  their  minds  should  be  further  enlightened  and 
 strengthened  by  the  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  after 
 his  ascension :  John  xvi.  12,  13.  "  I  have  yet  many 
 things  to  say  unto  you,  but  ye  cannot  bear  them 
 now.  Howbeit,  when  he  the  Spirit  of  truth  is 
 come,  he  will  guide  you  into  all  truth."  And 
 Mark  iv.  33.  "  And  with  many  such  parables  spake 
 he  the  word  unto  them,  as  they  were  able  to  bear  it." 
 —These  things  might  be  enough  to  convince  any 
 one,  that  does  not  think  himself  wiser  than  Christ 
 and  his  apostles,  that  great  prudence  and  caution 
 should  be  used  in  introducing  things  into  the  church 
 of  God,  that  are  very  uncommon,  though  in  them- 
 selves excellent,  lest,  by  our  rashness  and  imprudent 
 haste,  we  hinder  religion  much  more  than  we  help  it. 
 Persons  influenced  by  indiscreet  zeal  are  always 
 in  too  much  haste;  they  are  impatient  of  delays, 
 and  therefore  are  for  jumping  to  the  uppermost  step 
 first,  before  they  have  taken  the  preceding  steps; 
 whereby  they  expose  themselves  to  fall  and  break 
 their  bones.  They  are  delighted  to  see  the  build- 
 ing rise,  and  all  their  endeavour  and  strength  is 
 employed  in  advancing  its  height,  without  taking 
 care  proportionably  of  the  bottom ;  whereby  the 
 whole  is  in  danger  of  coming  to  the  ground.  Or 
 they  are  for  putting  on  the  cupola  and  pinnacle  be- 
 fore the  lower  parts  of  the  building  are  done;  which 
 tends  at  once  to  put  a  stop  to  the  building,  and 
 hinder  its  ever  being  a  complete  structure.  Many 
 that  are  thus  imprudent  and  hasty  with  their  zeal, 
 have  a  real  eager  appetite  for  that  which  is  good ; 
 
392 
 
 but  like  children,  are  impatient  to  wait  for  the  fruit, 
 and  therefore  snatch  it  before  it  is  ripe.  Often- 
 times in  their  haste  they  overshoot  their  mark,  and 
 frustrate  their  own  end ;  they  put  that  which  they 
 would  obtain  further  out  of  reach  than  it  was  before, 
 and  establish  and  confirm  that  which  they  would 
 remove.  Things  must  have  time  to  ripen.  The 
 prudent  husbandman  waits  till  the  harvest  is  ripe, 
 before  he  reaps.  We  are  now  just  beginning  to 
 recover  out  of  a  dreadful  disease ;  but  to  feed  a  man 
 recovering  from  a  fever  with  strong  meat  at  once, 
 is  the  ready  way  to  kill  him.  The  reformation 
 from  Popery  was  much  hindered  by  this  hasty  zeal. 
 Many  were  for  immediately  rectifying  all  disorders 
 by  force,  which  was  condemned  by  Luther,  and  was 
 a  great  trouble  to  him.  (See  Sleidan's  '  History 
 of  the  Reformation,'  p.  52,  &c.  and  Book  v.  through- 
 out.)— It  is  a  vain  prejudice  that  son^e  have  lately 
 imbibed  against  such  rules  of  prudence  and  modera- 
 tion ;  but  they  will  be  forced  to  come  to  them  at 
 last;  they  will  find  themselves  unable  to  maintain 
 their  cause  without  them ;  and,  if  they  will  not 
 hearken  before,  experience  will  convince  them  at 
 last,  when  it  will  be  too  late  for  them  to  rectify  their 
 mistake. 
 
 Another  error,  arising  from  an  erroneous  prin- 
 ciple, is,  a  wrong  notion  that  they  have  an  attesta- 
 tion of  divine  Providence  to  persons  or  things.  We 
 go  too  far  when  we  look  upon  the  success  that  God 
 gives  to  some  persons,  in  making  them  the  instru- 
 ments of  doing  much  good,  as  a  testimony  of  God's 
 approbation  of  those  persons  and  all  the  courses 
 they  take.      It  has  been  a  main  argument  to  defend 
 
393 
 
 the    conduct    of  some    ministers,    who    have    been 
 blamed  as  imprudent  and  irregular,   that  God  has 
 blessed  them,   and  given  them  great  success;   and 
 that  however  men  charge  them  as  guilty  of  wrong 
 things,   yet  that  God  is  with  them,   and  then  who 
 can  be  against  them  ?     And  probably  some  of  those 
 ministers  themselves,  by  this  very  means,  have  had 
 their  ears  stopt  against  all  that  has  been  said  to  con- 
 vince them  of  their  misconduct.      But  there  are  in- 
 numerable ways  by  which  persons  may  be  misled,  in 
 forming  a  judgment  of  the  mind  and  will  of  God, 
 from  the  events  of  providence.      If  a  person's  suc- 
 cess be  a  reward  of  something  in  him  that  God  ap- 
 proves,  yet  it  is  no  argument  that  he  approves  of 
 every  thing   in   him.      Who  can  tell   how  far  the 
 divine  grace  may  go  in  greatly  rewarding  some  small 
 good  in  a  person,  a  good  meaning,  something  good 
 in  his  disposition;   while  he,  at  the  same  time,   in 
 sovereign  mercy,  hides  his  eyes  from  a  great  deal 
 that  is  bad,   which  it  is  his  pleasure  to  forgive,   and 
 not  to  mark  against  the  person,  though  in  itself  it 
 be   very    ill?        God    has   not    told    us    after    what 
 manner  he  will  proceed  in   this  matter,  and   we  go 
 upon  most  uncertain  grounds  when  we  undertake  to 
 determine.       It  is  an  exceeding  difficult  thing   to 
 know  how  far  love  or  hatred  are  exercised  towards 
 persons  or  actions,  by  all  that  is  before  us.      God 
 was  pleased  in  his  sovereignty  to  give  such  success 
 to  Jacob,  in  that  which,  from  beginning  to  end,  was 
 a  deceitful  lying  contrivance  and  proceeding  of  his. 
 In  that  way  he  obtained  a  blessing  that  was  worth 
 infinitely  more  than  the  fatness  of  the  earth  and  the 
 dew  of  heaven,  given  to  Esau  in  his  blessing;  yea, 
 
 r3 
 
394^ 
 
 worth  more  than  all  that  the  world  can  afFord.  God 
 was  for  a  while  with  Judas  ;  so  that,  by  God's  power 
 accompanying  him,  he  wrought  miracles  and  cast  out 
 devils;  but  this  could  not  justly  be  interpreted  as 
 God's  approbation  of  his  person,  or  the  thievery  in 
 which  he  lived  at  the  same  time. 
 
 The  dispensations  and  events  of  providence,  with 
 their  reasons,  are  too  little  understood  by  us,  to  be 
 as  our  rule  instead  of  God's  word  :  "  God  has  his 
 way  in  the  sea,  and  his  path  in  the  mighty  waters, 
 and  his  footsteps  are  not  known,  and  he  gives  us  no 
 account  of  any  of  his  matters."  And  therefore,  we 
 cannot  safely  take  the  events  of  his  providence  as  a 
 revelation  of  his  mind  concerning  a  person's  conduct 
 and  behaviour;  we  have  no  warrant  so  to  do.  God 
 has  never  appointed  those  things  to  be  our  rule. 
 We  have  but  one  rule  to  go  by,  and  that  is  his  holy 
 word;  and  when  we  join  any  thing  else  with  it,  as 
 having  the  force  of  a  rule,  we  are  guilty  of  that 
 which  is  strictly  forbidden,  Deut.  iv.  2.  Prov.  xxx. 
 6.  and  Rev.  xxii.  18.  They  who  make  what  they 
 imagine  is  pointed  forth  to  them  in  providence,  the 
 rule  of  behaviour,  do  err,  as  well  as  those  that  follow 
 impulses  and  impressions.  We  should  put  nothing 
 in  the  room  of  the  word  of  God.  It  is  to  be  feared 
 that  some  have  been  greatly  confirmed  and  im- 
 boldened,  by  the  great  success  that  God  has  given 
 them,  in  some  things  that  have  really  been  contrary 
 to  the  rules  of  God's  holy  word.  If  so,  they  have 
 been  guilty  of  presumption,  and  abusing  God's 
 kindness  to  them,  and  the  great  honour  he  has  put 
 upon  them.  They  have  seen  that  God  was  with 
 them,  and  made  them  victorious  in  their  preaching ; 
 
395 
 
 and  this,  it  is  to  be  feared,  has  been  abused  by  some 
 to  a  degree  of  self-confidence.  This  has  much 
 taken  off  all  jealousy  of  themselves ;  they  have  been 
 bold  therefore  to  go  great  lengths,  in  a  presumption 
 that  God  was  with  them,  and  would  defend  them, 
 and  finally  baffle  all  that  found  fault  with  them. 
 
 Indeed  there  is  a  voice  of  God  in  his  providence, 
 that  may  be  interpreted  and  well  understood  by  the 
 rule  of  his  word;  and  providence  may,  to  our  dark 
 minds  and  weak  faith,  confirm  the  word  of  God  as 
 it  fulfils  it.  But  to  improve  divine  providence  thus, 
 is  quite  a  different  thing  from  making  a  rule  of  pro- 
 vidence. Good  use  may  be  made  of  the  events  of 
 providence,  of  our  own  observation  and  experience, 
 and  human  histories,  and  the  opinion  of  eminent 
 men;  but  finally,  all  must  be  brought  to  one  rule, 
 namely,  the  word  of  God,  and  that  must  be  regarded 
 as  our  only  rule. 
 
 Nor  do  I  think  that  they  go  upon  sure  ground,  who 
 conclude  they  have  not  been  in  an  error  in  their  con- 
 duct, because  at  the  time  of  their  doing  a  thing,  for 
 which  they  have  been  blamed  and  reproached  by 
 others,  they  were  favoured  with  special  comforts  of 
 God's  Spirit.  God's  bestowing  special  spiritual 
 mercies  on  a  person,  is  no  sign  that  he  approves  of 
 every  thing  he  sees  in  him  at  that  time.  David 
 had  the  presence  of  God  while  he  lived  in  polygamy; 
 and  Solomon  had  some  very  high  favours,  and  pecu- 
 liar smiles  of  heaven,  and  particularly  at  the  dedica- 
 tion of  the  temple,  while  he  greatly  multiplied  wives 
 to  himself,  and  horses,  and  silver  and  gold  ;  all  con- 
 trary to  the  most  express  command  of  God  to  the 
 king,  in  the  law  of  Moses,  Deut.  xvii.  16,  17.      We 
 
396  -   . 
 
 cannot  tell  how  far  God  may  hide  his  eyes  from  be- 
 holding iniquity  in  Jacob,  and  seeing  perverseness 
 in  Israel.      We  cannot  tell  what  are  the  reasons  of 
 God's  actions,  any   further  than   he  interprets   for 
 himself.      God  sometimes  gave  some  of  the  primitive 
 Christians  the  extraordinary  influence  of  his  Spirit, 
 when  they  were  out  of  the  way  of  their  duty,  and 
 even  while  they  were  abusing  it ;   as  is  plainly  im- 
 plied,  1  Cor.  xiv.  31,  33.      Suppose  a  person  has 
 done  a  thing  for  which  he  is  reproached,  and  that 
 reproach  be  an  occasion  of  his  feeling  sweet  exercises 
 of  grace  in  his  soul,  I  do  not  think  that  a  certain 
 evidence  that  God  approves  of  the  thing  he  is  blamed 
 for ;  for,  undoubtedly,  a  mistake  may  be  the  occasion 
 of  stirring  up  the  exercise  of  grace.      If  a  person, 
 through  mistake,  thinks  he  has  received  some  parti- 
 cular great  mercy,  that  mistake  niay  be  the  occasion 
 of  stirring  up  the  sweet  exercises  of  love,  and  true 
 thankfulness  to  God.      Suppose  one  that  is  full  of 
 love  to   God  should  hear  what  he  deems  credible 
 tidings,    concerning  a  remarkable  deliverance   of  a 
 child  or  a  dear  friend,   or   of  some   glorious  thing 
 done  for  the  city  of  God,  no  wonder  if,  on  such  an 
 occasion,  the  sweet  actings  of  love  to  God,  and  de- 
 light  in    God,   should   be   excited,    though   indeed 
 afterwards   it  should  prove  a  false   report  that   he 
 heard.      So,  if  one  that  loves  God  is  much  maligned 
 and  reproached  for  doing  what  he  thinks  God  re- 
 quired and  approves,  no  wonder  that  it  is  sweet  to 
 such  a  one  to   think  that  God  is  his  friend,  though 
 men  are  his  enemies;  no  wonder  at  all  that  this  is 
 an  occasion  of  his  betaking  himself  to  God  as  his 
 sure  friend,    and  find   sweet   complacence  in  him ; 
 
397 
 
 though  he  be  indeed  in  a  mistake  concerning  that 
 which  he  thought  was  agreeable  to  God's  will.  As 
 I  have  before  shown,  that  the  exercise  of  a  truly 
 good  affection  may  be  the  occasion  of  error,  and  may 
 indirectly  incline  a  person  to  do  that  which  is  wrong; 
 so,  on  the.  other  hand,  error,  or  a  doing  that  which 
 is  wrong,  may  be  an  occasion  of  the  exercise  of  a 
 truly  good  affection.  The  reason  of  it  is  this,  that 
 however  all  exercises  of  grace  be  from  the  Spirit  of 
 God,  yet  he  dwells  and  acts  in  the  hearts  of  the 
 saints,  in  some  measure,  after  the  manner  of  a  vital 
 natural  principle,  a  principle  of  new  nature  in  them ; 
 whose  exercises  are  excited  by  means,  in  some  mea- 
 sure, as  other  natural  principles  are.  Though  grace 
 is  not  in  the  saints  as  a  mere  natural  principle,  but 
 as  a  sovereign  agent,  and  so  its  exercises  are  not  tied 
 to  means,  by  an  immutable  law  of  nature,  as  in  mere 
 natural  principles;  yet  God  has  so  constituted,  that 
 grace  should  dwell  so  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints, 
 that  its  exercises  should  have  some  degree  of  con- 
 nection with  means,  after  the  manner  of  a  principle 
 of  nature. 
 
 Another  erroneous  principle  that  has  been  an  oc- 
 casion of  some  mischief  and  confusion  is,  that  exter- 
 nal order  in  matters  of  religion,  and  use  of  the 
 means  of  grace,  is  but  little  to  be  regarded.  It  has 
 been  spoken  lightly  of,  under  the  names  of  cere- 
 monies and  dead  forms,  &c.  and  is  probably  the  more 
 despised  by  some,  because  their  opposers  insist  so 
 much  upon  it,  and  because  they  are  so  continually 
 hearing  from  them  the  cry  of  disorder  and  con- 
 fusion. It  is  objected  against  the  importance  of  ex- 
 ternal order,  that  God  does  not  look  at  the  outward 
 
398 
 
 form,  he  looks  at  the  heart.  But  that  is  a  weak 
 argument  against  its  importance,  that  true  godUness 
 does  not  consist  in  it;  for  it  may  be  equally  made 
 use  of  against  all  the  outward  means  of  grace  what- 
 soever. True  godliness  does  not  consist  in  ink  and 
 paper,  but  yet  that  would  be  a  foolish  objection 
 against  the  importance  of  ink  and  paper  in  religion, 
 when  without  it  we  could  not  have  the  word  of  God. 
 If  any  external  means  at  all  are  needful,  any  out- 
 ward actions  of  a  public  nature,  or  wherein  God's 
 people  are  jointly  concerned  in  public  society,  with- 
 out doubt  external  order  is  needful.  The  manage- 
 ment of  an  external  affair  that  is  public,  or  wherein 
 a  multitude  is  concerned,  without  order,  is  in  every 
 thing  found  impossible.  Without  order  there  can 
 be  no  general  direction  of  a  multitude  to  any  parti- 
 cular designed  end,  their  purposes  will  cross  and 
 hinder  one  another.  A  multitude  cannot  act  in 
 union  one  with  another  without  order;  confusion 
 separates  and  divides  them,  so  that  there  can  be  no 
 concert  or  agreement.  If  a  multitude  would  help 
 one  another  in  any  affair,  they  must  unite  themselves 
 one  to  another  in  a  regular  subordination  of  mem- 
 bers, in  some  measure  as  it  is  in  the  natural  body; 
 by  this  means  they  will  be  in  some  capacity  to  act 
 with  united  strength.  And  thus  Christ  has  ap- 
 pointed that  it  should  be  in  the  visible  church,  as 
 1  Cor.  xii.  14,  &c.  and  Rom.  xii.  4 — -8.  Zeal 
 without  order  will  do  but  little,  or  at  least  it  will  be 
 effectual  but  a  little  while.  Let  a  company,  how- 
 ever zealous  against  the  enemy,  go  forth  to  war  with- 
 out any  order,  every  one  rushing  forward  as  his  zeal 
 shall  drive  him,  all  in  confusion ;  if  they  gain  some- 
 
399 
 
 thing  at  the  first  onset,  by  surprising  the  enemy,  yet 
 how  soon  do  they  come  to  nothing,  and  fall  an  easy 
 helpless  prey  to  their  adversaries?  Order  is  one  of 
 the  most  necessary  of  all  external  means  of  the  spi- 
 ritual good  of  God's  church;  and  therefore  it  is  re- 
 quisite even  in  heaven  itself,  where  there  is  the  least 
 need  of  any  external  means  of  grace.  Order  is 
 maintained  amongst  the  glorious  angels  there.  And 
 the  necessity  of  it  for  carrying  on  any  design, 
 wherein  a  multitude  are  concerned,  is  so  great,  that 
 even  the  devils  in  hell  are  driven  to  something  of  it, 
 that  they  may  carry  on  the  designs  of  their  kingdom. 
 And  it  is  very  observable,  that  those  irrational  crea- 
 tures, for  whom  it  is  needful  that  they  should  act  in 
 union,  and  join  as  a  multitude  together,  to  carry  on 
 any  work  for  their  preservation — by  a  wonderful 
 instinct  that  God  has  put  into  them — observe  and 
 maintain  a  most  regular  and  exact  order  among 
 themselves,  such  as  bees,  and  some  others.  And 
 order  in  the  visible  church  is  not  only  necessary  for 
 carrying  on  the  designs  of  Christ's  glory  and  the 
 church's  prosperity,  but  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
 its  defence;  without  it,  it  is  like  a  city  without  walls, 
 and  can  be  in  no  capacity  to  defend  itself  from 
 any  kind  of  mischief.  And  so,  however  it  be  an 
 external  thing,  it  is  not  to  be  despised  on  that  ac- 
 count ;  for  though  it  be  not  the  food  of  souls,  yet  it 
 is  in  some  respect  their  defence.  The  people  of 
 Holland  would  be  very  foolish  to  despise  the  dikes 
 that  keep  out  the  sea  from  overwhelming  them, 
 under  the  names  of  dead  stones  and  vile  earth,  be- 
 cause the  matter  of  which  they  are  built  is  not  good 
 to   eat.      It  seems  to  be  partly  on   this  foundation 
 
400 
 
 that  some  have  seemed  to  act  on  that  principle,  that 
 the  power  of  judging  and  openly  censuring  others 
 should  not  be  reserved  in  the  hands  of  particular 
 persons,  or  consistories  appointed  thereto,  but  ought 
 to  be  left  at  large,  for  any  body  that  pleases  to  take 
 it  upon  them,  or  that  think  themselves  fit  for  it. 
 But  more  of  this  afterwards. 
 
 On  this  foundation  also,  an  orderly  attending  on 
 the  stated  worship  of  God  in  families,  has  been 
 made  too  light  of;  and  it  has  been,  in  some  places, 
 too  much  a  common  and  customary  thing  to  be  ab- 
 sent from  family-worship,  and  to  be  abroad  late  in 
 the  night  at  religious  meetings,  or  to  attend  religious 
 conversation.  Not  but  that  this  may  be  done  on  cer- 
 tain extraordinary  occasions.  I  have  seen  the  case  to 
 be  such,  in  many  instances,  that  I  have  thought  did 
 afford  sufficient  warrant  for  persons  to  be  absent  from 
 family  prayer,  and  to  be  from  home  till  very  late  in 
 the  night.  But  we  should  take  heed  that  it  do  not 
 become  a  custom  or  common  practice  ;  if  so,  we  shall 
 soon  find  the  consequences  to  be  very  ill.  It  seems  to 
 be  on  the  same  foundation — the  supposed  unprofitable- 
 ness of  external  order — that  it  has  been  thought  by 
 some,  there  is  no  need  of  religious  services  and  per- 
 formances being  limited  to  any  certain  office  in  tlie 
 church  ;  (of  which  more  afterwards.)  And  also,  that 
 those  officers  themselves,  particularly  that  of  the  gospel 
 ministry,  need  not  be  limited,  as  it  used  to  be,  to  per- 
 sons of  a  liberal  education ;  but  some,  of  late,  have 
 been  for  having  others,  whom  they  have  supposed  to 
 be  persons  of  eminent  experience,  publicly  licensed  to 
 preach,  yea,  and  ordained  to  the  work  of  the  minis- 
 try; and  some  ministers  have  seemed  to  favour  such 
 
401 
 
 a  thing.  But  how  little  do  they  seem  to  look  for- 
 ward, and  consider  the  unavoidable  consequences  of 
 opening  such  a  door.  If  once  it  should  become  a 
 custom,  or  a  thing  generally  approved  and  allowed 
 of,  to  admit  uneducated  persons  to  the  work  of  the 
 ministry,  because  of  their  remarkable  experiences  and 
 good  understanding,  how  many  lay  persons  would 
 soon  appear  as  candidates  for  the  work  of  the  minis- 
 try ?  I  doubt  not  but  that  I  have  been  acquainted 
 with  scores  that  would  have  desired  it.  And  how 
 shall  we  know  where  to  stop  ?  If  one  is  admitted  be- 
 cause his  experiences  are  remarkable,  another  will 
 think  his  experiences  also  remarkable;  and  we,  per- 
 haps, shall  not  be  able  to  deny  but  that  they  are 
 near  as  great.  If  one  is  admitted,  because,  besides 
 experiences,  he  has  good  natural  abilities,  another, 
 by  himself  and  many  of  his  neighbours,  may  be 
 thought  equal  to  him.  It  will  be  found  of  absolute 
 necessity,  that  there  should  be  some  certain  visible 
 limits  fixed,  to  avoid  bringing  odium  upon  ourselves, 
 and  breeding  uneasiness  and  strife  amongst  others: 
 and  I  know  of  none  better,  and,  indeed,  no  other 
 that  can  well  be  fixed,  than  what  the  prophet  Zecha- 
 riah  fixes,  namely,  that  those  only  should  be  ap- 
 pointed to  be  pastors  or  shepherds  in  God's  church, 
 that  "  have  been  taught  to  keep  cattle  from  their 
 youth,"  or  that  have  had  an  education  for  that 
 purpose.  Those  ministers  who  would  break  over 
 these  limits,  and  make  a  practice  of  it,  would  break 
 down  that  fence  which  they  themselves,  after  they 
 have  been  wearied  with  the  ill  consequences,  would 
 be  glad  to  have  somebody  else  build  up  for  them. 
 Not    but    that   there   may  probably    be  some    per- 
 
402 
 
 sons  in  the  land,  who  have  had  ho  education  at 
 college,  that  are,  in  themselves,  better  qualified  for 
 the  work  of  the  ministry  than  some  others  who  have 
 taken  their  degrees,  and  are  now  ordained.  But 
 yet,  I  believe  the  breaking  over  those  bounds  which 
 have  hitherto  been  set,  in  ordaining  such  persons, 
 would,  in  its  consequences,  be  a  greater  calamity  than 
 the  missing  such  persons  in  the  work  of  the  minis- 
 try. Opening  a  door  for  the  admission  of  unlearned 
 men  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  though  they  should 
 be  persons  of  extraordinary  experience,  would,  on 
 some  accounts,  be  especially  prejudicial  at  such  a  day 
 as  this;  because  such  persons,  for  want  of  extensive 
 knowledge,  are  oftentimes  forward  to  lead  others  into 
 those  things  which  a  people  are  in  danger  of  at  such 
 a  time  above  all  others;  namely,  impulses,  vain  ima- 
 ginations, superstition,  indiscreet  zeal,  and  such  like 
 extremes. 
 
 Another  erroneous  principle  that  some  have  been 
 at  least  in  danger  of,  is,  that  ministers,  because  they 
 speak  as  Christ's  ambassadors,  may  assume  the  same 
 style,  and  speak  as  with  the  same  authority  that  the 
 prophets  of  old  did,  yea,  that  Jesus  Christ  himself 
 did  in  the  xxiii.  of  Matthew — "  Ye  serpents,  ye  ge- 
 neration of  vipers,"  &c. ;  and  that  not  only  when  they 
 are  speaking  to  the  people,  but  also  to  their  brethren 
 in  the  ministry.  The  principle  is  absurd,  because 
 it  makes  no  difference  in  the  degrees  and  orders  of 
 messengers,  though  God  has  made  a  very  great  dif- 
 ference;  for  though  they  all  come,  in  some  respect, 
 in  the  name  of  God,  and  with  something  of  his  au- 
 thority, yet  certainly  there  is  a  vast  difference  in  the 
 degree  of  authority  with  which   God   has  invested 
 
403 
 
 them.  Jesus  Christ  was  sent  into  the  world  as  God's 
 messenger,  and  so  was  one  of  his  apostles ;  and  so, 
 also,  is  an  ordinary  pastor  of  a  church  :  but  yet  it 
 does  not  follow,  that  because  Jesus  Christ  and  an  or- 
 dinary minister  are  both  messengers  of  God,  that 
 therefore  an  ordinary  minister,  in  his  office,  is  vested 
 with  an  equal  degree  of  authority  that  Christ  was 
 in  his.  As  there  is  a  great  difference  in  their  autho- 
 rity, and  as  Christ  came*  as  God's  messenger  in  a 
 vastly  higher  manner,  so  another  style  became  him, 
 more  authoritative  than  is  proper  for  us  worms  of 
 the  dust,  though  we  also  are  messengers  of  inferior 
 degree.  It  would  be  strange  if  God,  when  he  has 
 made  so  great  a  difference  in  the  degree  in  which  he 
 has  invested  different  messengers  with  his  authority, 
 should  make  no  difference  as  to  the  outward  appear- 
 ance and  show  of  authority.  Though  God  has  put 
 great  honour  upon  ministers,  and  they  may  speak  as 
 his  ambassadors,  yet  he  never  intended  that  they 
 should  have  the  same  outward  appearance  of  autho- 
 rity and  majesty,  either  in  their  behaviour  or  speech, 
 as  his  Son  shall  have  when  he  comes  to  judgment 
 at  the  last  day,  though  both  come  in  the  name  of 
 the  Lord.  Alas  !  can  it  enter  into  the  hearts  of 
 worms  of  the  dust,  that  it  is  fit  and  suitable  it  should 
 be  so? 
 
404 
 
 SECTION  III. 
 
 A  third  cause  of  errors  in  conduct,  is  bei?ig  ignorant 
 or  unobservant  of  some  things,  by  which  the  devil 
 has  special  advantage. 
 
 And  here  I  would  particularly  notice  some  things 
 with  respect  to  tlie  inward  experiences  of  Christians 
 themselves;  and  something  with  regard  to  the  exter- 
 nal effects  of  experiences. 
 
 I.  Inward  experiences.  There  are  three  things 
 I  would  noticp  with  regard  to  the  experiences  of 
 Christians,  by  which  the  devil  has  many  advantages 
 against  us. 
 
 1.  The  first  thing  is  the  mixture  there  oftentimes 
 is  in  the  experiences  of  true  Christians ;  whereby, 
 when  they  have  truly  gracious  experiences,  and  di- 
 vine and  spiritual  discoveries  and  exercises,  they  have 
 something  else  mixed  with  them  besides  what  is  spi- 
 ritual. There  is  a  mixture  of  that  which  is  natural 
 and  that  which  is  corrupt,  with  that  which  is  divine. 
 The  great  imperfection  of  grace,  the  feebleness  and 
 infancy  of  the  new  nature,  and  the  great  remains  of 
 corruption,  together  with  our  circumstances  in  this 
 world,  where  we  are  encompassed  with  what  tends  to 
 pollute  us,  expose  to  this.  And,  indeed,  it  is  not  to 
 be  supposed  that  Christians  ever  have  any  experi- 
 ences in  this  world  that  are  wholly  pure,  entirely 
 spiritual,  without  any  mixture  of  what  is  natural  and 
 carnal.  The  beam  of  light,  as  it  comes  from  the 
 fountain  of  light  upon  our  hearts,  is  pure ;  but,  as  it 
 
405 
 
 is  reflected  thence,  it  is  mixed.  The  seed,  as  sent 
 from  heaven  and  planted  in  the  heart,  is  pure ;  but, 
 as  it  springs  up  out  of  the  heart,  is  impure;  yea, 
 there  is  commonly  a  much  greater  mixture  than  per- 
 sons, for  the  most  part,  seem  to  imagine.  I  have 
 otten  thought  that  the  experiences  of  true  Chris- 
 tians are  very  frequently  as  it  is  with  some  sorts  of 
 fruits,  which  are  enveloped  in  several  coverings  of 
 thick  shells  or  pods,  that  are  thrown  away  by  him 
 that  gathers  the  fruit,  and  but  a  very  small  part  of 
 the  whole  bulk  is  the  pure  kernel  that  is  good  to 
 eat. 
 
 The  things,  of  all  which  there  is  frequently  some 
 mixture  with  gracious  experiences,  yea,  with  very 
 great  and  high  experiences,  are  these  three  :  human 
 or  natural  affection  and  passions ;  impressions  on  the 
 imagination;  and  a  degree  of  self-righteousness  or 
 spiritual  pride.  There  is  very  often  with  that  which  is 
 spiritual,  a  great  mixture  of  that  affection  or  passion 
 which  arises  from  natural  principles;  so  that  nature 
 has  a  very  great  hand  in  those  vehement  motions 
 and  flights  of  the  passions  that  appear.  Hence  the 
 same  degrees  of  divine  communications  from  heaven 
 shall  have  vastly  different  effects,  in  what  outwardly 
 appears,  in  persons  of  different  natural  tempers.  The 
 great  mixture  of  that  which  is  natural  with  that 
 which  is  spiritual,  is  very  manifest  in  the  peculiar  ef- 
 fects that  divine  influences  have  in  some  certain  fami- 
 lies, or  persons  of  such  a  blood,  in  distinguishing  the 
 operations  of  the  passions  and  affections,  and  the 
 manner  of  their  outward  expressions.  I  know  some 
 remarkable  instances  of  this.  The  same  is  also  evi- 
 dent by  the  different  effects  of  divine  communications 
 
406 
 
 on  the  same  person  at  different  times,  and  in  differ- 
 ent circumstances.  The  novelty  of  things,  or  the 
 sudden  transition  from  an  opposite  extreme,  and 
 many  other  things  that  might  be  mentioned,  greatly 
 contribute  to  the  raising  of  the  passions.  And 
 sometimes  there  is  not  only  a  mixture  of  that  which 
 is  common  and  natural  with  gracious  experience,  but 
 even  that  which  is  animal,  what  is  in  a  great  mea- 
 sure from  the  body,  and  is  properly  the  result  of  the 
 animal  frame.  In  what  true  Christians  feel  of  af- 
 fections towards  God,  all  is  not  always  purely  holy 
 and  divine;  every  thing  that  is  felt  in  the  affections 
 does  not  arise  from  spiritual  principles,  but  common 
 and  natural  principles  have  a  very  great  hand;  an 
 improper  self-love  may  have  a  great  share  in  the 
 efiPect.  God  is  not  loved  for  his  own  sake,  or  for  the 
 excellency  and  beauty  of  his  own  perfections,  as  he 
 ought  to  be;  nor  have  these  things,  in  anywise,  that 
 proportion  in  the  effect  that  they  ought  to  have.  So, 
 in  the  love  true  Christians  have  one  to  another,  very 
 often  there  is  a  great  mixture  of  what  arises  from 
 common  and  natural  principles,  with  grace.  Self- 
 love  has  a  great  hand ;  the  children  of  God  are  not 
 loved  purely  for  Christ's  sake,  but  there  may  be  a 
 areat  mixture  of  that  natural  love  which  many  sects 
 of  heretics  have  boasted  of,  who  have  been  greatly 
 united  one  to  another,  because  they  were  of  their 
 company,  on  their  side,  against  the  rest  of  the 
 world ;  yea,  there  may  be  a  mixture  of  natural  love 
 to  the  opposite  sex,  with  Christian  and  divine  love. 
 So  there  may  be  a  great  mixture  in  that  sorrow  for 
 sin  which  the  godly  have,  and  also  in  their  joys ; 
 natural  principles  may  greatly  contribute  to  what  is 
 
407 
 
 felt,  a  great  many  ways,  as  might  easily  be  shown. 
 There  is  nothing  that  belongs  to  Christian  expe- 
 rience more  liable  to  a  corrupt  mixture  than  zeal. 
 Though  it  be  an  excellent  virtue,  a  heavenly  flame, 
 when  it  is  pure;  yet,  as  it  is  exercised  in  those  who 
 are  so  little  sanctified,  and  so  little  humbled,  as  we 
 are  in  the  present  state,  it  is  very  apt  to  be  mixed 
 with  human  passion,  yea,  with  corrupt,  hateful  affec- 
 tions, pride  and  uncharitable  bitterness,  and  other 
 things  that  are  not  from  heaven,  but  from  hell. 
 
 Another  thing  often  mixed  with  what  is  spiritual 
 in  the  experiences  of  Christians,  are  impressions  on 
 the  imagination  ;  whereby  godly  persons,  together 
 with  a  spiritual  understanding  of  divine  things,  and 
 conviction  of  their  reality  and  certainty,  and  a  deep 
 sense  of  their  excellency  or  great  importance  upon 
 their  hearts,  have  strongly  impressed  on  their  minds 
 external  ideas  or  images  of  things.  A  degree  of 
 imagination,  in  such  a  case,  is  unavoidable,  and  ne- 
 cessarily arises  from  human  nature,  as  constituted 
 in  the  present  state;  and  often  is  of  great  benefit. 
 But,  when  it  is  in  too  great  a  degree,  it  becomes  an 
 impure  nuxture  that  is  prejudicial.  This  mixture 
 very  often  arises  from  the  constitution  of  the  body. 
 It  commonly  greatly  contributes  to  the  other  kind 
 of  mixture  mentioned  before,  namely,  of  natural 
 affections  and  passions;  it  helps  to  raise  them  to  a 
 great  height. 
 
 Another  thing  that  is  often  mixed  with  the  expe- 
 riences of  true  Christians,  .which  is  the  worst  mix- 
 ture of  all,  is  a  degree  of  self-righteousness,  or  spi- 
 ritual pride.  This  is  often  mixed  with  the  joys  of 
 Christians.     Their  joy  is  not  purely  the  joy  of  faith, 
 
408 
 
 or  a  rejoicing  in  Christ  Jesus,  but  is  partly  a  rejoicing 
 in  tliemselves.  There  is  oftentimes  in  their  eleva- 
 tions, a  looking  upon  themselves,  and  a  viewing  their 
 own  high  attainments ;  they  rejoice,  partly  because 
 they  are  taken  with  their  own  experiences  and  great 
 discoveries,  which  makes  them,  in  their  own  appre- 
 hensions, so  to  excel ;  and  this  heightens  all  their 
 passions,  and  especially  those  effects  that  are  more 
 external.  There  is  a  much  greater  mixture  of  these 
 things  in  the  experiences  of  some  Christians  than 
 others ;  in  some,  the  mixture  is  so  great,  as  very 
 much  to  obscure  and  hide  the  beauty  of  grace  in 
 them,  like  a  thick  smoke  that  hinders  all  the  shining 
 of  the  fire. 
 
 These  things  we  ought  to  be  well  aware  of,  that 
 we  may  not  take  all  for  gold  that  ghtters,  and  that 
 we  may  know  what  to  countenance  and  encourage, 
 and  what  to  discourage ;  otherwise,  Satan  will  have 
 a  vast  advantage  against  us,  for  he  works  in  the  cor- 
 rupt mixture.  Sometimes,  for  want  of  persons  dis- 
 tinguishing the  ore  from  the  pure  metal,  those  expe- 
 riences are  most  admired  by  the  persons  themselves 
 and  by  others,  that  are  not  the  most  excellent.  The 
 great  external  effects,  and  vehemence  of  the  pas- 
 sions, and  violent  agitations  of  the  animal  spirits,  is 
 sometimes  much  owing  to  the  corrupt  mixture,  (as  is 
 very  apparent  in  some  instances,)  though  it  be  not 
 always  so.  I  have  observed  a  great  difference  among 
 those  of  high  affections,  and  seem  disposed  to  be 
 earnestly  talking  to  those  about  them.  Some  insist 
 much  more,  in  their  talk,  on  what  they  behold  in 
 God  and  Christ — the  glory  of  the  divine  perfections 
 —Christ's  beauty  and  excellency,  and  wonderful  con- 
 
409 
 
 descension  and  grace — and  their  own  unworthiness, 
 and  the  great  and  infinite  obligations  that  they  tliem- 
 selves  and  others  are  under  to  love  and  serve  God. 
 Others  insist  almost  wholly  on  their  own  high  privi- 
 leges, their  assurance  of  God's  love  and  favour,  and 
 the  weakness  and  wickedness  of  opposers,  and  how 
 much  they  are  above  their  reach.  The  latier  may 
 have  much  of  the  presence  of  God,  but  their  experi- 
 ences do  not  appear  to  be  so  solid  and  unmixed  as 
 the  former.  And  there  is  a  great  deal  of  difference 
 in  persons'  earnestness  in  their  talk  and  behaviour. 
 In  some,  it  seems  to  come  from  the  fulness  of  their 
 hearts,  and  from  the  great  sense  they  have  of  truth. 
 They  have  a  deep  sense  of  the  certainty  and  infinite 
 greatness,  excellency,  and  importance  of  divine  and 
 eternal  things,  attended  with  all  appearances  of  great 
 humility.  In  others,  their  earnestness  seems  to  arise 
 from  a  great  mixture  of  human  passion,  and  an  un- 
 due and  intemperate  agitation  of  the  spirits,  which 
 appears  by  their  earnestness  and  vehemence  not  be- 
 ing proportioned  to  the  nature  of  the  subject  they 
 insist  on  ;  but  they  are  violent  in  every  thing  they 
 say,  as  much  when  they  are  talking  of  things  of 
 smaller  importance,  as  when  speaking  of  things  of 
 greater  weight.  I  have  seen  it  thus  in  an  instance  or 
 two,  in  which  this  vehemence  at  length  issued  in  dis- 
 traction. And  there  have  been  some  few  instances  of  a 
 more  extraordinary  nature  still,  even  of  persons  finding 
 themselves  disposed  earnestly  to  talk  and  cry  out,  from 
 an  unaccountable  kind  of  bodily  pressure,  without  any 
 extraordinary  view  of  any  thing  in  their  minds,  or  sense 
 of  any  thing  upon  their  hearts ;  wherein,  probably, 
 there  was  the  immediate  hand  of  the  devil. 
 
 S  48 
 
410 
 
 2.  Another  thing,  by  which  the  devil  has  great 
 advantage,  is  the  unheeded  defects  there  sometimes 
 are  in  the  experiences  of  true  Christians,  connected 
 with  those  high  affections  wherein  there  is  much  that 
 is  truly  good.  I  do  not  mean  that  defect  or  imper- 
 fection of  degree  which  is  in  every  holy  disposition 
 and  exercise  in  this  life,  in  the  best  of  the  saints; 
 but  I  aim  at  experiences  being  especially  defective 
 in  some  particular  thing  that  ought  to  be  in  them; 
 which,  though  it  be  not  an  essential  defect,  or  such 
 as  is  in  the  experiences  of  hypocrites,  which  renders 
 them  utterly  vain,  monstrous,  and  altogether  abomi- 
 nable to  God,  is  such  as  maims  and  deforms  the  ex- 
 perience. The  essence  of  truly  Christian  experi- 
 ences is  not  wanting;  but  that  is  wanting  which  is 
 very  needful,  in  order  to  the  proper  beauty  of  the 
 image  of  Christ,  in  such  a  person's  experiences. 
 Things  are  very  much  out  of  a  due  proportion:  there 
 is,  indeed,  much  of  some  things;  but,  at  the  same 
 time,  there  is  so  little  of  some  other  things  that  should 
 bear  a  proportion,  that  the  defect  very  much  deforms 
 the  Christian,  and  is  truly  odious  in  the  sight  of 
 God.  What  I  observed  before,  was  something  too 
 much — something  mixed,  not  belonging  to  the  Chris- 
 tian as  such ;  what  I  speak  of  now  is  something  not 
 enough,  something  wanting  that  does  not  belong  to  the 
 Christian  as  such.  The  one  deforms  the  Christian  as 
 a  monstrous  excrescence;  by  the  other,  the  new  crea- 
 ture is  maimed — some  member,  in  a  great  measure, 
 is  wanting,  or  so  small  and  withering,  as  to  be  very 
 much  out  of  due  proportion.  This  is  another  spi- 
 ritual calamity  that  the  saints  are  liable  to,  through 
 the  great  imperfection  of  grace  in  this  life.    Thus  the 
 
411 
 
 chicken  in  the  egg,  in  the  beginning  of  its  formation, 
 has  indeed  the  rudiments  or  lineaments  of  all  the  parts; 
 yet  some  few  parts  only  are  plainly  seen,  when  others 
 are  hid;  so  that,  without  a  microscope,  it  appears 
 very  monstrous.  When  this  deficiency  and  dispro- 
 portion is  great,  as  sometimes  it  is  in  real  saints,  it  is 
 not  only  a  great  deformity  in  itself,  but  has  many  ill 
 consequences.  It  gives  the  devil  great  advantage, 
 leaves  a  door  open  for  corruption,  exposes  to  very  de- 
 formed and  unlovely  actions,  and  issues  oftentimes  in 
 the  great  wounding  of  the  soul. 
 
 For  the  better  understanding  of  this  matter,  we 
 may  observe,  that  God,  in  the  revelation  that  he  has 
 made  of  himself  to  the  world  by  Jesus  Christ,  has 
 taken  care  to  give  a  proportionable  manifestation  of 
 two  kinds  of  excellencies  or  perfections  of  his  nature, 
 namely,  those  that  especially  tend  to  possess  us  with 
 awe  and  reverence,  and  to  search  and  humhie  us; 
 and  those  that  tend  to  win,  to  draw,  and  encourage 
 us.  By  the  one,  he  appears  as  an  infinitely  great, 
 pure,  holy,  and  heart-searching  judge;  by  the  other, 
 as  a  gentle  and  gracious  father,  and  a  loving  friend. 
 By  the  one,  he  is  a  pure,  searching,  and  burning 
 flame  ;  by  the  other,  a  sweet,  refreshing  light.  These 
 two  kinds  of  attributes  are,  as  it  were,  admirably 
 tempered  togetlier  in  the  revelation  of  the  gospel. 
 There  is  a  proportionable  manifestation  of  justice 
 and  mercy,  holiness  and  grace,  majesty  and  gentle- 
 ness, authority  and  condescension.  God  hath  thus 
 ordered,  that  his  diverse  excellencies,  as  he  reveals 
 himself  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ,  should  have  a 
 proportionable  manifestation,  herein  providing  for 
 our  necessities.  He  knew  it  to  be  of  great  conse- 
 s  2 
 
412 
 
 quence  that  our  apprehensions  of  these  diverse  per- 
 fections of  his  nature  should  be  duly  proportioned 
 one  to  another.  A  defect  on  the  one  hand,  namely, 
 having  a  discovery  of  his  love  and  grace,  without  a 
 proportionable  discovery  of  his  awful  majesty,  his 
 holy  and  searching  purity,  would  tend  to  spiritual 
 pride,  carnal  confidence,  and  presumption;  and  a  de- 
 fect on  the  other  hand,  namely,  having  a  discovery 
 of  his  holy  majesty,  without  a  proportionable  disco- 
 very of  his  grace,  tends  to  unbelief,  a  sinful  fearful- 
 iiess,  and  spirit  of  bondage.  And,  therefore,  herein 
 chiefly  consists  that  deficiency  of  experiences  that  1 
 am  now  speaking  of.  The  revelation  God  has  made 
 of  himself  in  his  word,  and  the  provision  made  for 
 our  spiritual  welfare  in  the  gospel,  is  perfect;  but 
 the  actual  light  and  communications  we  have,  are 
 many  ways  exceedingly  imperfect  and  maimed.  And 
 experience  plainly  shows,  that  Christians  may  have 
 high  manifestations  in  some  respects,  and  yet  their 
 circumstances  may  be  unhappy  in  this  regard,  that 
 their  discoveries  are  no  more  general.  Tiiere  is  a 
 great  difference  among  Christians  in  this  respect  ; 
 some  have  much  more  general  discoveries  than  others, 
 who  are,  upon  many  accounts,  the  most  amiable 
 Christians.  Christians  may  have  experiences  that 
 are  very  high,  and  yet  there  may  be  very  much  of 
 this  deficiency  and  disproportion.  Their  high  ex- 
 periences are  truly  from  the  Spirit  of  God,  but  sin 
 comes  in  by  the  defect,  (as  indeed  all  sin  is  origi- 
 nally from  a  defective  privative  cause,)  and,  in  such  a 
 case,  high  discoveries,  at  the  same  time  that  they 
 are  enjoyed,  may  be,  and  sometimes  are,  the  occa- 
 sion, or  causa  sine  qua  non^  of  sin.      Sin  may  come 
 
413 
 
 in  at  that  back  door,  the  gap  that  is  left  open  ;  as  spi- 
 ritual pride  often  does.  And  many  times  the  Spirit 
 of  God  is  quenched  by  this  means,  and  God  punishes 
 the  pride  and  presumption  that  rises,  by  bringing 
 such  darkness,  and  suffering  such  awful  consequences 
 and  horrid  temptations,  as  are  enough  to  make  one's 
 hair  stand  on  end  to  hear  them.  Christians,  there- 
 fore, should  dihgently  observe  their  own  hearts  as  to 
 this  matter,  and  should  pray  to  God  that  he  would 
 give  them  experiences  in  which  one  thing  may  bear 
 a  proportion  to  another,  that  God  may  be  honoured 
 and  their  souls  edified  thereby  ;  and  ministers  should 
 have  an  eye  to  this,  in  their  private  dealings  with  the 
 souls  of  their  people. 
 
 It  is  chiefly  from  such  a  defect  of  experiences  that 
 some  things  have  arisen,  which  have  been  pretty  com- 
 mon among  true  Christians  of  late,  though  supposed 
 by  many  to  have  risen  from  a  good  cause ;  as,  parti- 
 cularly, talking  of  divine  and  heavenly  things,  and 
 expressing  divine  joys,  with  laughter  or  a  light  beha- 
 viour. I  believe,  in  many  instances,  such  things 
 have  arisen  from  a  good  cause,  as  their  causa  sine 
 qua  7ion.  High  discoveries  and  gracious  joyful  af- 
 fectiorts  have  been  the  occasion  of  them  ;  but  the  pro- 
 per cause  has  been  sin,  even  that  odious  defect  in 
 their  experience;  whereby  there  has  been  wanting  a 
 sense  of  the  awful  and  holy  majesty  of  God  as  pre- 
 sent with  them,  and  their  nothingness  and  vileness 
 before  him,  proportionable  to  the  sense  they  have 
 had  of  God's  grace  and  the  love  of  Christ.  And 
 the  same  is  true,  in  many  cases,  of  unsuitable  bold- 
 ness ;  a  disposition  to  speak  with  authority,  intem- 
 perate zeal,  and  many  other  things,  that  sometimes 
 
414 
 
 appear  under  great  religious  affections.  And  some- 
 times the  vehemence  of  the  motion  of  the  animal 
 spirits,  under  great  aflPections,  is  owing,  in  a  con- 
 siderable measure,  to  experiences  being  thus  partial. 
 I  have  known  it,  in  several  instances,  that  per- 
 sons have  been  greatly  affected  with  the  dying  love 
 of  Christ,  and  the  consideration  of  the  happiness 
 of  the  enjoyment  of  him  in  heaven,  and  other 
 things  of  that  nature,  and  their  animal  spirits  at 
 the  same  time  have  been  in  a  great  emotion ;  but, 
 in  the  midst  of  it,  they  have  had  such  a  deep  sense 
 of  the  awful,  holy  majesty  of  God,  as  at  once 
 composed  them,  and  quieted  animal  nature,  with- 
 out diminishing  their  comfort,  but  only  has  made  it 
 of  a  better  and  more  solid  nature.  When  they 
 have  had  a  sense  both  of  the  majesty  and  grace  of 
 God,  one  thing  has,  as  it  were,  balanced  another,  and 
 caused  a  more  happy  sedateness  and  composure  of 
 body  and  mind. 
 
 From  these  things  we  may  learn  how  to  judge  of 
 experiences,  and  to  estimate  their  goodness.  Those 
 are  not  always  the  best  which  are  attended  with  the 
 most  violent  affections,  and  most  vehement  motions 
 of  the  animal  spirits,  or  have  the  greatest  effects  on 
 the  body.  Nor  are  they  always  the  best  that  most 
 dispose  persons  to  abound  in  talk  to  others,  and  to 
 speak  in  the  most  vehement  manner,  though  these 
 things  often  arise  from  the  greatness  of  spiritual  ex- 
 periences. But  those  are  the  most  excellent  expe- 
 riences that  are  qualified  as  follows: — 1.  That  have 
 the  least  mixture,  or  are  the  most  purely  spiritual. 
 2.  That  are  the  least  deficient  and  pattial,  in  which 
 the  diverse  things  that  appertain  to  Christian  expe- 
 
415 
 
 rience  are  proportionable  one  to  another.  And,  3. 
 That  are  raised  to  the  highest  degree. — It  is  no  mat- 
 ter how  high  they  are  raised,  if  they  are  qualified  as 
 before  mentioned ;  the  higher  the  better.  Expe- 
 riences, thus  qualified,  will  be  attended  with  the 
 most  amiable  behaviour,  will  bring  forth  the  most 
 solid  and  sweet  fruits,  will  be  the  most  durable,  and 
 will  have  the  greatest  effect  on  the  abiding  temper  of 
 the  soul. 
 
 If  God  is  pleased  to  carry  on  this  work,  and  it 
 should  prove  to  be  the  dawning  of  a  general  revival 
 of  the  Christian  church,  it  may  be  expected  that  the 
 time  will  come,  before  long,  when  the  experiences  of 
 Christians  shall  be  much  more  generally  thus  quali- 
 fied. We  must  expect  green  fruits  before  we  have 
 ripe  ones.  It  is  probable  that,  hereafter,  the  dis- 
 coveries which  the  saints  shall  have  of  divine  things, 
 will  be  in  a  much  higher  degree  than  yet  have  been; 
 but  yet  shall  be  so  ordered  of  an  infinitely  wise  and 
 all-sufiicient  God,  that  they  shall  not  have  so  great 
 an  effect,  in  proportion,  on  the  body,  and  will  be  less 
 oppressive  to  nature.  The  outward  manifestations 
 will  rather  be  like  those  that  were  in  Stephen,  when 
 he  was  full  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  "  all  that  sat 
 in  the  council,  looking  steadfastly  on  him,  saw  his 
 face  as  it  had  been   the  face  of  an  an^el."      Their 
 
 o 
 
 inward  fulness  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  his  divine, 
 amiable,  and  sweet  influences,  shall,  as  it  were,  shine 
 forth  in  a  heavenly  aspect,  and  the  manner  of  speech 
 and  behaviour. — But, 
 
 3.  There  is  another  thing  concerning  the  expe- 
 riences of  Christians,  of  which  it  is  of  yet  greater 
 importance  that  we  should  be  aware,  than  of  the  pre- 
 
416 
 
 ceding,  and  that  is  the  degenerating  of  experiences. 
 What  I  mean  is,  something  diverse  from  the  mere 
 decay  of  experiences,  or  their  gradually  vanishing, 
 by  persons  losing  their  sense  of  things ;  namely,  ex- 
 periences growing  by  degrees  worse  and  worse  in 
 their  kind,  more  and  more  partial  and  deficient ;  in 
 which,  things  are  more  out  of  due  proportion,  and 
 also,  have  more  and  more  of  a  corrupt  mixture:  the 
 spiritual  part  decreases,  and  the  other  useless  and 
 hurtful  parts  greatly  increase.  This  I  have  seen  in 
 very  many  instances;  and  great  are  the  mischiefs 
 that  have  risen  through  want  of  being  more  aware 
 of  it. 
 
 There  is  commonly,  as  1  observed  before,  in 
 high  experiences,  besides  that  which  is  spiritual,  a 
 mixture  of  three  things  ;  namely,  natural  or  common 
 affections,  workings  of  the  imagination,  and  a  de- 
 gree of  self-righteousness,  or  spiritual  pride.  Now 
 it  often  comes  to  pass,  that  through  persons  not  dis- 
 tinguishing the  vvheat  from  the  chaff,  and  for  want 
 of  watchfulness  and  humble  jealousy  of  themselves 
 and  by  laying  great  weight  on  the  natural  and 
 imaginary  part,  yielding  to  it,  and  indulging  it, 
 whereby  that  part  grows  and  increases,  and  the  spi- 
 ritual part  decreases — the  devil  sets  in,  and  works 
 in  the  corrupt  part,  and  cherishes  it  to  his  utmost. 
 At  length  the  experiences  of  some  persons  who  be- 
 gan well,  come  to  little  else  but  violent  motions  of 
 carnal  affections,  with  great  heats  of  the  ima- 
 gination, a  great  degree  of  enthusiasm,  and  swelling 
 of  spiritual  pride:  very  much  like  some  fruits  which 
 bud,  blossom,  and  kernel  well,  but  afterwards  ar^ 
 blasted  with  an  excess  of  moisture;  so  that  though 
 
417 
 
 the  bulk  is  monstrously  great,  yet  there  is  little  else 
 ill  it  but  what  is  useless  xind  unwholesome.  It  ap- 
 pears to  me  very  probable,  that  many  of  the  heresies 
 t]iat  have  arisen,  and  sects  that  have  appeared  in 
 the  Christian  world,  in  one  age  and  another,  with 
 wild  enthusiastic  notions  and  practices,  began  at  first 
 by  this  means,  that  it  was  such  a  degenerating  of 
 experiences  which  first  gave  rise  to  them,  or  at  least 
 led  the  way  to  them.  Nothing  in  the  world  so 
 much  exposes  to  this,  as  an  unheeded  spiritual  pride 
 and  self-confidence,  and  persons  being  conceited  of 
 their  own  stock,  without  an  humble,  daily,  and  con- 
 tinual dependence  on  God.  And  this  very  thing 
 seems  to  be  typified  of  old,  by  the  corrupting  of  the 
 manna.  Some  of  the  children  of  Israel,  because 
 they  had  gathered  a  store  of  manna,  trusted  in  it; 
 there  being,  as  they  apprehended,  sufficient  in  the 
 store  they  had  gathered  and  laid  up,  without  humbly 
 looking  to  heaven,  and  stooping  to  the  earth  for 
 daily  supplies;  and  the  consequence  was,  that  their 
 manna  bred  worms  and  stank,  Exod.  xvi.  20. ;  pride 
 above  all  things  promotes  this  degeneracy  of  expe- 
 riences, because  it  grieves  and  quenches  the  Spirit 
 of  the  Lamb  of  God;  and  so  it  kills  the  spiritual 
 part,  cherishes  the  natural  part,  inflames  the  carnal 
 affections,  and  heats  the  imagination.  The  unhappy 
 subject  of  such  a  degeneracy,  for  the  most  part,  is 
 not  sensible  of  his  own  calamity;  but  because  he 
 finds  himself  still  violently  moved,  has  greater  heats 
 of  zeal,  and  more  vehement  motions  of  his  animal 
 spirits,  thinks  himself  fuller  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
 than  ever.  But  indeed  it  is  with  him,  as  the  Apostle 
 s  3 
 
418 
 
 says  of  the  Galatians,  "  Having  begun  in  the  Spirit, 
 they  are  made  perfect  by  the  flesh." 
 
 By  the  mixture  there  is  of  common  affection  with 
 love  to  God,  the  love  of  true  Christians  is  liable  to 
 degenerate,  and  to  be  more  and  more  built  on  a  sup- 
 position of  being  his  high  and  peculiar  favourites, 
 and  less  and  less  on  an  apprehension  of  the  excel- 
 lency of  God's  nature  as  he  is  in  himself.  So  the 
 joy  of  Christians,  by  reason  of  the  mixture  there  is 
 with  spiritual  joy,  is  liable  to  degenerate,  and  to  be- 
 come little  else  but  joy  in  self,  joy  in  a  person's  own 
 supposed  eminency,  and  distinction  from  others  in 
 the  favour  of  God.  So  zeal,  that  at  first  might  be 
 in  great  part  spiritual,  yet,  in  a  long  continuance  of 
 opposition  and  controversy,  may  degenerate  more 
 and  more  into  human  and  proud  passion,  and  may 
 come  to  bitterness,  and  even  a  degree  of  hatred. 
 And  so  love  to  the  brethren  may,  by  degrees,  come 
 to  little  else  but  fondness  and  zeal  for  a  party;  yea, 
 through  a  mixture  of  a  natural  love  to  the  opposite 
 sex,  may  degenerate  more  and  more,  till  it  issues  in 
 that  which  is  criminal  and  gross.  And  I  leave  it 
 with  those  who  are  better  acquainted  with  ecclesias- 
 tical history,  to  inquire  whether  such  a  degeneracy 
 of  affections  as  this,  might  not  be  the  first  thing  that 
 led  the  way,  and  gave  occasion  to  the  rise  of  the 
 abominable  notions  of  some  sects  that  have  arisen, 
 concerning  the  community  of  women.  However 
 that  is,  yet  certainly  the  mutual  embraces  and  kisses 
 of  persons  of  different  sexes,  under  the  notion  of 
 Christian  love  and  holy  kisses,  are  utterly  to  be  dis- 
 allowed and  abominated,  as  having  the  most  direct 
 tendency  quickly  to  turn  Christian  love  into  unclean 
 
419 
 
 and  brutish  lust,  which  will  not  be  the  better,  but  ten 
 times  the  worse,  for  being  christened  by  the  name 
 of  Christian  love.  I  should  also  think  it  advisable, 
 that  meetings  of  young  people  of  both  sexes,  in  the 
 evening  by  themselves,  without  a  minister,  or  any 
 elder  people  amongst  them,  for  religious  exercises, 
 should  be  avoided.  For  though  for  the  present, 
 while  their  minds  are  greatly  solemn  with  lively  im- 
 pressions, and  a  deep  sense  of  divine  things,  there 
 may  appear  no  ill  consequence;  yet  we  must  look  to 
 the  further  end  of  things,  and  guard  against  future 
 dangers,  and  advantages  that  Satan  might  gain 
 against  us.  As  a  lively,  solemn  sense  of  divine 
 things  on  the  minds  of  young  per&ons  may  gradually 
 decay,  so  there  will  be  danger  that  an  ill  improve- 
 ment of  these  meetings  may  gradually  prevail ;  if  not 
 in  any  unsuitable  behaviour  while  together  in  the 
 meeting,  yet,  when  they  break  up  to  go  home,  they 
 may  naturally  consort  together  in  couples,  for  other 
 than  religious  purposes ;  and  it  may  at  last  so  ter- 
 minate, that  young  persons  may  go  to  such  meet- 
 ings chiefly  for  the  sake  of  such  an  opportunity  for 
 company-keeping. 
 
 The  defect  there  sometimes  is  in  the  experiences 
 of  Christians,  exposes  them  to  degenerate,  as  well  as 
 the  mixture  that  they  have.  Deficient  maimed  ex- 
 periences do  sometimes  become  more  and  more  so. 
 The  mind  being  wholly  intent  upon  those  things 
 that  are  in  view,  and  those  that  are  most  wanting 
 being  neglected,  there  is  less  and  less  of  them,  and 
 so  the  gap  for  corruption  to  come  in  grows  wider 
 and  wider.  And  commonly  both  these  causes  ope- 
 rate together.      We  had  need  to  be  "jealous  over 
 
4^0 
 
 ourselves  with  a  godly  jealousy,"  as  the  Apostle  was 
 over  the  Christian  Corinthians,  *'  lest  by  any  means, 
 as  the  serpent  beguiled  Eve  through  his  subtlety, 
 so  our  minds  should  be  corrupted  from  the  simplicity 
 that  is  in  Christ."  God  indeed  will  never  suffer 
 his  true  saints  totally  and  finally  to  fall  away,  but 
 yet  may  punish  their  pride  and  self-confidence,  by 
 suffering  them  to  be  long  led  into  a  dreadful  wilder- 
 ness, by  the  subtle  serpent,  to  the  great  wounding  of 
 their  own  souls  and  the  interest  of  religion. 
 
 Before  I  dismiss  this  head  of  the  degenerating 
 of  experiences,  I  would  mention  one  thiiig  more  that 
 tends  to  it;  and  that  is,  persons  aiming  in  their  ex- 
 perience to  go  beyond  the  rule  of  God's  word,  that 
 is,  aiming  at  that  which  is  indeed,  in  some  respect, 
 beyond  the  rule.  Thus  some  persons  have  endea- 
 voured utterly  to  root  out  and  abolish  all  natural  af- 
 fection, or  any  special  affection  or  respect  to  their 
 near  relations,  under  a  notion  that  no  other  love 
 ought  to  be  allowed  but  spiritual  love,  and  that  all 
 other  love  is  to  be  abolished  as  carnal,  and  that  it 
 becomes  Christians  to  love  none  upon  the  account  of 
 any  thing  else  but  the  image  of  God;  and  that, 
 therefore,  love  should  go  out  to  one  and  another 
 only  in  that  proportion  in  which  the  image  of  God  is 
 seen  in  them.  They  might  as  well  argue  that  a 
 man  ought  utterly  to  disallow  of,  and  endeavour  to 
 abolish  all  love  or  appetite  to  their  dinly  food,  under 
 a  notion  that  it  is  a  carnal  appetite,  and  that  no 
 other  appetite  should  be  tolerated  but  spiritual  ap- 
 petites. Why  should  the  saints  strive  after  that,  as 
 a  high  attainment  in  holiness,  which  the  Apostle  in 
 Rom,  i.  31,  mentions  as  one  instance  wherein  the 
 
4^1 
 
 heathen  had  got  to  the  most  horrid  pass  in  wicked- 
 ness, namely,  "  being  without  natural  affection  ?" 
 Some  have  doubted  whether  they  might  pray  for  the 
 conversion  and  salvation  of  the  souls  of  their  chil- 
 dren, any  more  than  for  the  souls  of  others  ;  because 
 the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  others  would  be  as  much 
 to  God's  glory,  as  the  salvation  of  their  children  ; 
 and  they  have  supposed  that  to  pray  most  for  their 
 own,  would  show  a  selfish  disposition.  So  they 
 have  been  afraid  to  tolerate  a  compassionate  grief 
 and  concern  for  their  nearest  friends,  for  fear  it 
 would  be  an  argument  of  want  of  resignation  to 
 God. — It  is  true,  there  is  great  danger  of  persons 
 setting  their  hearts  too  much  upon  their  earthly 
 friends;  our  love  to  earthly  friends  ought  to  be  un- 
 der the  government  of  the  love  of  God,  and  should 
 be  attended  with  a  spirit  of  submission  and  resigna- 
 tion to  his  will,  and  every  thing  should  be  subor- 
 dinated to  his  glory.  But  that  is  no  argument  that 
 these  affections  should  be  entirely  abolished.  The 
 Creator  of  the  world  has  put  them  in  us  for  the  good 
 of  mankind,  and  because  he  saw  they  would  be  need- 
 ful for  them,  as  they  must  be  united  in  society  in  the 
 present  state,  and  are  of  great  use  when  kept  in 
 their  proper  place;  and  to  endeavour  totally  to  root 
 them  out,  would  be  to  reproach  and  oppose  the  wis- 
 dom of  the  Creator.  Nor  is  the  being  of  these  na- 
 tural inclinations,  if  well  regulated,  inconsistent  with 
 any  part  of  our  duty  to  God,  or  any  argument  of 
 a  sinful  selfishness,  any  more  than  our  natural  ab- 
 horrence of  pain,  and  the  natural  inclination  to  ease, 
 that  was  in  the  man  Christ  Jesus  himself. 
 
 It  is  the  duty  of  parents  to  be  more  concerned, 
 
42^2 
 
 and  to  pray  more  for  the  salvation  of  their  children, 
 than  for  the  children  of  their  neighbours  ,*  as  it  is 
 the  duty  of  a  minister  to  be  more  concerned  for  the 
 salvation  of  the  souls  of  his  flock,  and  to  pray  more 
 for  them,  than  those  of  other  congregations,  because 
 they  are  committed  to  his  care.  So  our  near  friends 
 are  more  committed  to  our  care  than  others;  and  our 
 near  neighbours  than  those  that  live  at  a  great  dis- 
 tance; and  the  people  of  our  land  and  nation  are 
 more,  in  some  sense,  committed  to  our  care  than  the 
 people  of  China;  and  we  ought  to  pray  more  for 
 them,  and  to  be  more  concerned  that  the  kingdom  of 
 Christ  should  flourish  amon^  them,  than  in  another 
 country,  where  it  would  be  as  much,  and  no  more, 
 for  the  glory  of  God.  Compassion  ought  to  be  espe- 
 cially exercised  towards  friends,  Job  vi.  14.  Christ 
 did  not  frown  upon  a  special  affection  and  compassion 
 for  near  friends ;  but  rather  countenanced  and  en- 
 couraged it,  from  time  to  time,  in  those  who,  in  the 
 exercise  of  such  an  affection  and  compassion,  appHed 
 to  him  for  relief  for  their  friends  ;  as  m  the  instance 
 of  the  woman  of  Canaan,  Jairus,  Mary  and  Martha, 
 the  centurion,  the  widow  of  Nain,  and  many  others. 
 The  apostle  Paul,  though  as  much  resigned  and 
 devoted  to  God,  and  under  the  power  of  his  love, 
 perhaps  as  any  mere  man  that  ever  lived,  had  a  pe- 
 culiar concern  for  his  countrymen  the  Jews,  the 
 rather  on  that  account,  that  they  were  his  "  brethren 
 and  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh."  He  had 
 very  high  degree  of  compassionate  grief  for  them, 
 insomuch  that  he  tells  us,  that  he  had  great  heavi- 
 ness and  continual  sorrow  of  heart  for  them,  and  could 
 wish  himself  accursed  from  Christ  for  them.     Many 
 
423 
 
 things  are  proper  for  the  saints  in  heaven,  which  are 
 not  suitable  to  our  state  in  this  world;  and  for 
 Christians,  in  these  and  other  instances,  to  affect  to 
 go  beyond  the  present  state  of  mankind,  and  what 
 God  has  appointed  as  fit  for  it,  is  an  instance  of 
 that  which  the  wise  man  calls  "  being  righteous 
 over-much,"  and  has  a  tendency  to  open  a  door  for 
 Satan,  and  to  cause  religious  affections  to-degenerate 
 into  something  very  unbecoming  Christians. — Thus 
 I  have,  as  I  proposed,  taken  notice  of  som.e  things 
 with  regard  to  the  inward  experiences  of  Christians, 
 by  which  Satan  has  an  advantage.  I  now  proceed, 
 II.  To  take  notice  of  something  with  regard  to 
 the  external  effects  of  experiences,  which  also  gives 
 Satan  an  advantage.  What  I  refer  to,  is  the  secret 
 and  unaccountable  influence  that  custom  has  upon 
 persons,  with  respect  to  the  external  effects  and  ma- 
 nifestations of  the  inward  affections  of  the  mind.  By 
 custom  I  mean,  both  a  person's  being  accustomed  to 
 a  thing  in  himself,  in  his  own  common,  allowed,  and 
 indulged  practice;  and  also  the  countenance  and  ap- 
 probation of  others  amongst  whom  he  dwells,  by 
 their  general  voice  and  practice.  It  is  well  known, 
 and  appears  sufficiently  by  what  I  have  said  already, 
 in  this  treatise  and  elsewhere,  that  I  am  far  from 
 ascribing  all  the  late  uncommon  effects  and  outward 
 manifestations  of  inward  experiences  to  custom  and 
 fashion,  as  some  do.  I  know  it  to  be  otherwise,  if 
 it  be  possible  for  me  to  know  any  thing  of  this  na- 
 ture by  the  most  critical  observation,  under  all  man- 
 ner of  opportunities  of  observing.  But  yet  this  also 
 is  exceedingly  evident  by  experience,  that  custom  has 
 a  strange  influence  in  these  things.      I  know  it  by 
 
4^4 
 
 the  different  manners  and  degrees  of  external  effects 
 and  manifestations  of  great  affections  and  high  dis- 
 coveries, in  different  towns,  according  to  what  persons 
 are  gradually  led  into,  and  to  which  they  are  insen- 
 sibly habituated,  by  example  and  custom ;  and  also 
 in  the  same  place,  at  different  times,   according  to 
 their  conduct.      If  some  person  conducts  them,  that 
 much  countenances  and  encourages  such  kind  of  out- 
 ward manifestations  of  great  affections,  they  naturally 
 and  insensibly  prevail,  and  grow  by  degrees  unavoid- 
 able;  but,  when   afterwarcls  they   come  under   an- 
 other kind  of  conduct,  the  manner  of  external  ap- 
 pearances will  strangely  alter.      And  yet  it  seems  to 
 be  without  any  proper  design  or  contrivance  of  those 
 in  whom  there  is  this  alteration  ;  it  is  not  properly 
 affected  by  them;  but  the  influence  of  example  and 
 custom  is  secret  and  insensible  to  the  persons  them- 
 selves.     These  things  have  a  vast  influence  in  the 
 manner  of  persons  manifesting  their  joys,    whether 
 vvith  smiles  and  an  air  of  lightness,^  or  whether  with 
 more  solemnity  and  reverence;   and  so  they  have  a 
 great  influence  as  to  the   disposition  persons  have 
 under  high  affections  to  abound  in  talk ;  and  also  as 
 to  the  manner  of  their  speaking,  the  loudness  and 
 vehemence  of  their  speech.      It  would,  however,  be 
 exceedingly  unjust,  and  against  all  the  evidence  of 
 fact,  and  experience,  and  the  reason  of  things,   to 
 ascribe  to  custom  all  dispositions  to  be  much  in  speak- 
 ing to  others,  and  to  speak  in  a  very  earnest  manner. 
 It  is  manifest  that  example  and  custom  has,   some 
 way  or  other,  a  secret  and  unsearchable  influence  on 
 those  actions  that  are  involuntary,  in  different  places, 
 and  in  the  same  places  at  different  times. 
 
425 
 
 It  would  be  very  unreasonable,  and  prejudicial  to 
 the  interest  of  religion,  to  frown  upon  all  these  ex- 
 traordinary external  effects  and  manifestations  of  great 
 religious  affections.  A  measure  of  them  is  natural, 
 necessary,  and  beautiful,  and  the  effect  in  nowise 
 disproportioned  to  the  spiritual  cause,  and  is  of  great 
 benefit  to  promote  religion.  Yet,  I  think,  they 
 greatly  err  who  suppose  that  these  things  should  be 
 wholly  unlimited,  and  that  all  should  be  encouraged 
 in  going  to  the  utmost  length  that  they  feel  them- 
 selves inclined  to.  There  ought  to  be  a  gentle  re- 
 straint upon  these  things,  and  there  should  be  a  pru- 
 dent care  taken  of  persons  in  such  extraordinary 
 circumstances.  They  should  be  moderately  advised 
 at  proper  seasons,  not  to  make  more  ado  than  there 
 is  need  of,  but  rather  to  hold  a  restraint  upon  their 
 inclinations;  otherwise  extraordinary  outward  effects 
 will  grow  upon  them,  they  will  be  more  and  more 
 natural  and  unavoidable,  and  the  extraordinary  out- 
 ward show  will  increase,  without  any  increase  of  the 
 internal  cause.  Persons  will  find  themselves  under 
 a  kind  of  necessity  of  making  a  great  ado,  with  less 
 and  less  affection  of  soul,  till  at  length  almost  any 
 slight  emotion  will  set  them  going;  and  they  will  be 
 more  and  more  violent  and  boisterous,  and  will  grow 
 louder  and  louder,  till  their  actions  and  behaviour 
 become  indeed  very  absurd.  These  things  experi- 
 ence proves. — TIius  1  have  taken  notice  of  the  more 
 general  causes  whence  the  errors  that  have  attended 
 this  great  revival  of  religion  have  risen,  and  under 
 each  head  have  observed  some  particular  errors  that 
 have  flowed  from  these  fountains. 
 
4^6 
 
 SECTION  IV. 
 
 Some  particular  Errors  that  have  risen  from  several 
 (yf  the  preceding  causes- — Censuring  others. 
 
 In  some  cases,  perhaps,  they  have  been  chiefly 
 owing  to  one,  and  in  others  to  another,  and  in  others 
 to  the  influence  of  several,  or  all  conjunctly.  And 
 here  the  first  thing  I  would  take  notice  of  is,  cen- 
 suring professing  Christians  of  good  standing  in  the 
 visible  church,  as  unconverted.  I  need  not  repeat 
 what  I  have  elsewhere  said,  to  show  this  to  be  against 
 the  plain,  frequent,  and  strict  prohibitions  of  the  word 
 of  God.  It  is  the  worst  disease  that  has  attended 
 this  work,  most  contrary  to  the  spirit  and  rules  of 
 Christianity,  and  of  worst  consequences.  There  is 
 a  most  unhappy  tincture  that  the  minds  of  many, 
 both  ministers  and  people,  have  received  that  way. 
 The  manner  of  many  has  been,  when  they  first  enter 
 into  conversation  with  any  person  that  seems  to  make 
 any  pretences  to  religion,  to  fix  a  judgment  of  him, 
 from  his  manner  of  talking  of  religious  things,  whe- 
 ther he  be  converted,  or  experimentally  acquainted 
 with  vital  piety  or  not;  and  then  to  treat  him  ac- 
 cordingly, and  freely  to  express  their  thoughts  of 
 him  to  others,  especially  those  of  whom  they  have  a 
 good  opinion,  as  true  Christians,  and  accepted  as 
 brethren  and  companions  in  Christ.  Or  if  they  do 
 not  declare  their  minds  expressly,  yet,  by  their  man- 
 ner of  speaking  of  them,  at  least  to  their  friends,  they 
 will  show  plainly  what  their  thoughts  are.    So,  when 
 
427 
 
 tlicy  have  heard  any  minister  pray  or  preach,  their 
 first  work  has  been  to  observe  him,  on  a  dusi»^n  oi 
 disccrninj]f  him  wliether  he  he  a  converted  man  or 
 not;  wliether  he  prays  hke  one  that  teels  the  savin*; 
 power  of  God's  Spirit  in  his  heart;  and  wliether 
 lie  preaches  like  one  that  knows  what  he  says.  It 
 has  lieen  so  much  the  way  in  some  places,  that  many 
 uew  converts  do  not  know  but  it  is  their  duty  to  do 
 so,  they  know  no  other  way.  And  when  once  per- 
 sons yield  to  such  a  notion,  and  ^ive  in  to  such  a 
 liumour,  they  will  quickly  ^'row  very  discernin<^  in 
 their  own  apprehension,  and  think  they  can  easily 
 tell  a  hypocrite.  And  when  once  they  have  jiassed 
 their  censure,  every  thing  seems  to  confirm  it:  they 
 sec  more  and  more  in  the  person  they  have  censured, 
 that  seems  to  them  to  show  plainly  that  he  is  an  un- 
 converted man.  And  then,  if  the  person  censured 
 be  a  minister,  every  thing  in  his  public  performances 
 seems  dead  and  sapless,  and  to  do  them  no  good  at 
 all;  but,  on  the  contraryj  to  be  of  a  deadening  influ- 
 ence, ami  poisonous  to  the  soul;  yea,  it  seeing  worse 
 and  worse  to  them,  his  preaching  grows  more  and 
 more  intolerable;  which  is  owing  to  a  secret,  strong 
 prejudice,  that  steals  in  more  and  more  .upon  the 
 mind,  as  experience  plainly  and  certainly  shows. 
 When  the  Spirit  of  God  was  wonderfully  poured  out 
 in  this  place  more  than  seven  years  ago,  and  near\ 
 thirty  souls  in  a  week,  take  one  with  another,  for 
 five  or  six  weeks  together,  were  to  appearance 
 brought  home  to  Christ,  and  all  the  town  seemed 
 to  be  alive  and  full  of  God,  there  was  no  such  no- 
 tion or  humour  prevailing  here.  When  ministers 
 preached  here,  as  very  many  did  at  that  time,  young 
 
428 
 
 and  old,  our  people  did  not  go  about  to  discern  whe- 
 ther they  were  men  of  experience  or  not ;  they  did 
 not  know  that  they  must.  Mr.  Stoddard  never 
 brought  them  up  in  that  way;  it  did  not  seem  natu- 
 ral to  them  to  go  about  any  thing  of  that  nature,  nor 
 did  any  such  thing  enter  into  their  hearts;  but,  when 
 any  minister  preached,  the  business  of  every  one  was 
 to  listen  and  attend  to  what  he  said,  and  apply  it  to 
 his  own  heart,  and  make  the  utmost  improvement  of 
 it.  And  it  is  remarkable,  that  never  did  there  ap- 
 pear such  a  disposition  in  the  people  to  relish,  ap- 
 prove of,  and  admire  ministers  preaching,  as  at  that 
 time.  Such  expressions  as  these  were  frequent  in 
 the  mouths  of  one  and  another,  on  occasion  of  the 
 preaching  of  strangers  here,  namely,  "  That  they 
 rejoiced  there  were  so  many  eminent  ministers  in  the 
 country  ;  and  they  wondered  they  never  heard  the 
 fame  of  them  before.  They  were  thankful  that 
 other  towns  had  so  good  means ;"  and  the  like.  And 
 scarcely  ever  did  any  minister  preach  here,  but  his 
 preaching  did  some  remarkable  service;  as  I  had 
 good  opportunity  to  know,  because  at  that  time  I 
 had  particular  acquaintance  with  most  of  the  persons 
 in  the  town,  in  their  soul-concerns.  That  it  has 
 been  so  much  otherwise  of  late,  in  many  places  in  the 
 land,  is  another  instance  of  the  secret  and  powerful 
 influence  of  custom  and  example. 
 
 There  has  been  an  unhappy  disposition  in  some 
 ministers  toward  their  brethren  in  the  ministry  in  this 
 respect,  which  has  encouraged  and  greatly  promoted 
 such  a  spirit  among  some  of  their  people.  A  wrong 
 improvement  has  been  made  of  Christ's  scourging  the 
 buyers  and  sellers  out  of  the  temple.      It  has  been 
 
4^29 
 
 expected  by  some,  that  Christ  vvas  now  about  thus 
 to  purge  his  liouse  of  unconverted  ministers  ;  and 
 this  lias  made  it  more  nntiiral  to  them  to  think  that 
 they  should  do  Christ  service,  and  act  as  co-workers 
 witli  !iim,  to  put  to  their  hand,  and  endeavour,  by  all 
 mcnns,  to  cashier  those  ministers  that  they  thought 
 to  be  unconverted.  Indeed  it  appears  to  me  pro- 
 bable, that  the  time  is  coming  when  awful  judgments 
 will  be  executed  on  unfaithful  ministers,  and  that  no 
 sort  of  men  in  the  world  will  be  so  much  exposed  to 
 divine  judgments.  But  then  we  should  leave  tiiat 
 work  to  Christ,  who  is  the  searcher  of  hearts,  and  to 
 whom  vengeance  belongs;  and  not,  without  warrant, 
 lake  the  scourge  out  of  his  hand  into  our  own.  There 
 has  been  too  much  of  a  disposition  in  some,  as  it 
 were,  to  give  ministers  over  as  reprobates,  being 
 looked  upon  as  wolves  in  sheep's  clothing;  which 
 has  tended  to  promote  and  encourage  a  spirit  of  bit- 
 terness towards  them,  and  to  make  it  natural  to  treat 
 them  too  much  as  if  they  knew  God  hated  them.  If 
 God's  children  knew  that  others  were  reprobates,  it 
 would  not  be  required  of  them  to  love  them;  we  may 
 hate  those  that  we  know  God  hates,  as  it  is  lawful  to 
 hate  the  devil,  and  as  the  saints,  at  the  day  of  judg- 
 ment, will  hate  the  wicked.*      Some  have  been  too 
 
 *  111  these  expressions  our  excellent  Author  is  not  sufliciently 
 gu.inltd.  Our  knowing  or  not  knowing  persons  to  be  reprobates, 
 in  any  sense  of  that  term,  is  no  sufficient  srandard  of  obligation 
 to  hate  or  to  love  them,  in  the  way  of  benevolence.  The  obli- 
 gation to  love  or  to  hate  is  founded  on  the  nature  of  the  object, 
 as  good  or  bad.  But  here  we  are  liable  to  err,  for  want  of  discri- 
 miiiating  between  a  person  and  his  criminal  qualities.  Now, 
 every  criminal  object  should  be  regarded  by  us  as  being  possessed 
 of  physical  powers ;  but  this  existence,  and  these  powers,  being 
 the  product  of  divine  bounty,  deserve  our  benevolent  approba- 
 
430 
 
 apt  to  look  for  fire  from  heaven  upon  particular  minis- 
 ters; and  this  has  naturally  excited  that  disposition 
 to  call  for  it,  which  Christ  rehuked  in  his  disciples 
 at  Samaria.  For  my  part,  though  I  believe  no  sort 
 of  men  on  earth  are  so  exposed  to  spiritual  judg- 
 ments as  wicked  ministers,  yet  I  feel  no  disposition 
 to  treat  any  minister  as  if  I  supposed  that  he  was 
 finally  rejected  of  God ;  for  I  cannot  but  hope,  that 
 there  is  coming  a  day  of  such  great  grace,  a  time  so 
 appointed  for  magnifying  the  riches  and  sovereignty 
 of  divine  mercy,  beyond  what  ever  was,  that  a  great 
 number  of  unconverted  ministers  will  obtain  mercy. 
 There  were  no  sort  of  persons  in  Christ's  time  that 
 were  so  guilty,  and  so  hardened,  and  towards  whom 
 Christ  manifested  such  great  indignation,  as  the 
 priests  and  scribes;  and  there  were  no  such  perse- 
 cutors of  Christ  and  his  disciples  as  they.  And  yet 
 in  that  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  that  began  on 
 the  day  of  Pentecost,  though  it  began  with  the  com- 
 mon people,  yet.  in  the  progress  of  the  work,  after  a 
 while,  "  a  great  company  of  priests  in  Jerusalem 
 were  obedient  to  the  faith,"  Acts  vi.  7.  And  Saul, 
 one  of  the  most  violent  of  all  the  persecuting  Phari- 
 sees, became  afterwards  the  greatest  promoter  of  the 
 work  of  God  that  ever  was.  I  hope  vve  sliall  yet 
 see,  in  many  instances,  a  fulfilment  of  that  in  Isa. 
 xxix.  24.  "  They  also  that  erred  in  spirit  shall  come 
 
 tion,  not  our  hatred.  On  the  other  hand,  every  criminal  object, 
 or  agent,  is  chargeable  with  criminal  designs  and  hateful  quali- 
 ties exclusively  his  own;  and  these  alone  deserve  our  hatred. 
 In  no  other  sense  but  this  latter  can  it  be  truly  said  that  God 
 hates  the  workers  of  iniquity,  wicked  men,  or  even  the  devil. 
 But  if  so,  in  no  other  sense  or  degree  ought  we  to  hate  them. — 
 Dr.  Edward  Williams. 
 
431 
 
 to  understanding,    and    they   that    murmured  shall 
 learn  doctrine." 
 
 Nothing  has  been  gained  by  this  practice.  The 
 end  that  some  have  aimed  at  in  it  has  not  been  ob- 
 tained, nor  is  ever  like  to  be.  Possibly  some  have 
 openly  censured  ministers,  and  encouraged  their 
 people's  uneasiness  under  them,  in  hopes  that  the 
 uneasiness  would  be  so  general,  and  so  great,  that 
 unconverted  ministers  in  general  would  be  cast  off, 
 and  then  things  would  go  on  happily.  But  there  is 
 no  likelihood  of  it.  The  devil,  indeed,  has  obtained 
 his  end :  this  practice  has  bred  a  great  deal  of  un- 
 happiness  amongst  ministers  and  people,  has  spoiled 
 Christians'  enjoyment  of  Sabbaths,  and  made  them 
 their  most  uneasy,  uncomfortable,  and  unprofitable 
 days,  and  has  stirred  up  great  contention,  and  set  all 
 in  a  flame.  In  one  place  and  another,  where  there 
 was  a  glorious  work  of  God's  Spirit  be^uii,  it  has  in 
 a  great  measure  knocked  all  in  the  head,  and  their 
 ministers  hold  their  places.  Some  have  aimed  at  a 
 better  end  in  censuring  ministers :  they  have  sup- 
 posed it  to  be  a  likely  means  to  awaken  them;  where- 
 as, indeed,  no  one  thing  has  had  so  great  a  tendency 
 to  prevent  the  awakening  of  disaffected  ministers  in 
 general;  and  no  one  thing  has  actually  had  such  in- 
 fluence to  lock  up  the  minds  of  ministers  against  any 
 good  effect  of  this  great  work  of  God  in  the  land.  I 
 have  known  instances  of  some  who  seemed  to  be 
 much  moved  by  the  first  appearance  of  this  work,  but 
 since  have  seemed  to  be  greatly  deadened  by  what 
 has  appeared  of  this  nature.  And,  if  there  be  one 
 or  two  instances  of  ministers  who  have  been  awak- 
 ened by  it,  there  are  ten  to  one  on  whom  it  has  had 
 
432 
 
 a  contrary  influence.  The  worst  enemies  of  this 
 work  have  been  inwardly  caused  by  this  practice ; 
 they  have  made  a  shield  of  it  to  defend  their  con- 
 sciences, and  have  been  glad  that  it  has  been  carried 
 to  so  great  a  length;  at  the  same  time  that  they 
 have  looked  upon  it,  and  improved  it,  as  a  door 
 opened  for  them  to  be  more  bold  in  opposing  the 
 work  in  general. 
 
 There  is  no  such  dreadful  danger  of  natural  men 
 being  undone  by  our  forbearing  thus  to  censure 
 them,  and  carrying  it  towards  them  as  visible  Ch.ris- 
 tians.  It  will  be  no  bloody,  hell-peopling  charity,  as 
 some  seem  to  suppose,  when  we  only  allow  them  to 
 be  worthy  of  a  public  charity,  on  their  profession  and 
 good  external  behaviour;  any  more  than  Judas  was 
 in  danger  of  being  deceived,  by  Christ's  treating  him 
 a  long  time  as  a  disciple,  and  sending  him  forth  as 
 an  apostle.  Christ  did  not  then  take  it  upon  him 
 to  act  as  the  judge  and  searcher  of  hearts,  but  only 
 as  the  head  of  the  visible  church.  Indeed,  such  a 
 charity  as  this  may  be  abused  by  some,  as  every 
 thing  is,  and  will  be,  that  is  in  its  own  nature  pro- 
 per, and  of  ever  so  good  tendency.  1  say  nothing 
 against  dealing  thoroughly  with  conscience,  by  the 
 most  convincing  and  searching  dispensation  of  the 
 word  of  God.  I  do  not  desire  that  sword  should  be 
 sheathed,  or  gently  handled  by  ministers;  but  let  it 
 be  used  as  a  two-edged  sword,  to  pierce,  even  to  the 
 dividing  asunder  soul  and  spirit,  joints  and  marrow  ; 
 let  conscience  be  dealt  with,  without  any  compli- 
 ments; let  ministers  handle  it  in  flaming  fire,  with- 
 out having  any  more  mercy  on  it,  than  the  furnace 
 has  on  those  metals  that  are  tried  in  it.      But  we 
 
433 
 
 should  let  men's  persons  alone  :  let  the  word  of  God 
 judge  thera,  but  let  us  not  take  it  upon  us  till  we 
 have  a  warrant  for  it. 
 
 Some  have  been  ready  to  censure  ministers,  because 
 they  seem,  in  comparison  of  some  other  ministers,  to 
 be  very  cold  and  lifeless  in  their  ministerial  perform- 
 ances. But  then  it  should  be  considered,  that,  for 
 ought  we  know,  God  may  hereafter  raise  up  minis- 
 ters of  so  much  more  excellent  and  heavenly  qualifi- 
 cations, and  so  much  more  spiritual  and  divine  in 
 their  performances,  that  there  may  appear  as  great  a 
 difference  between  them,  and  those  who  now  seem 
 the  most  lively,  as  there  is  now  between  them  and 
 others  that  are  called  dead  and  sapless.  And  those 
 that  are  now  called  lively  ministers  may  appear  to 
 their  hearers,  when  they  compare  them  with  others 
 who  shall  excel  them,  as  wretchedly  mean,  and  their 
 performances  poor,  dead,  dry  things;  and  many  may 
 be  ready  to  be  prejudiced  against  them,  as  account- 
 ing them  good  for  nothing,  and,  it  may  be,  calling 
 them  soul-murderers.  What  a  poor  figure  may  we 
 suppose  the  most  lively  of  us,  and  those  that  are  most 
 admired  by  the  people,  make  in  the  eyes  of  one  of 
 the  saints  of  heaven,  any  otherwise  than  as  their 
 deadness,  deformity,  and  rottenness,  is  hid  by  the 
 vail  of  Christ's  righteousness  ! 
 
 Another  thing  that  has  been  supposed  to  be  suf- 
 ficient warrant  for  openly  censuring  ministers  as  un- 
 converted, is  their  opposing  this  work  of  God  that 
 has  lately  been  carried  on  in  the  land.  And  there 
 can  be  no  doubt  with  me,  but  that  opposition  against 
 this  work  may  be  such,  as  to  render  either  ministers 
 or  people  truly  scandalous,  and  expose  them  to  pub- 
 T  48 
 
434, 
 
 lie  ecclesiastical  censure  ;  and  that  ministers  hereby 
 may  utterly  defeat  the  design  of  their  ministry,  (as 
 I  observed  before,)  and  so  give  their  people  just 
 cause  of  uneasiness.  I  should  not  think  that  any 
 person  had  power  to  oblige  me  constantly  to  attend 
 the  ministry  of  one,  who  did,  from  time  to  time, 
 plainly  pray  and  preach  against  this  work,  or  speak 
 reproachfully  of  it  frequently  in  his  public  perform- 
 ances, after  all  Christian  methods  had  been  used  for 
 a  remedy,  and  to  no  purpose.  But  to  determine 
 how  far  opposing  this  work  is  consistent  with  a  state 
 of  grace,  is,  as  experience  shows,  a  very  difficult 
 thing.  Who  can  tell  how  far,  and  for  how  long  time, 
 some  persons  of  good  experience  in  their  own  souls 
 may  proceed,  through  prejudices  they  have  received 
 from  the  errors  that  have  been  mixed  with  this  work, 
 or  through  some  peculiar  disadvantages  they  are  un- 
 der to  behold  things  in  a  right  view,  by  reason  of 
 the  persons  they  converse  with,  or  their  own  cold 
 and  dead  frames  ?  I  have  seen  what  abundantly 
 convinces  me  that  the  business  is  too  high  for  me ; 
 I  am  glad  that  God  has  not  committed  such  a  diffi- 
 cult affair  to  me ;  I  can  joyfully  leave  it  wholly  in 
 his  hands,  who  is  infinitely  fit  for  it,  without  med- 
 dling at  all  with  it  myself.  We  may  represent  it 
 as  exceeding  dangerous  to  oppose  this  vvork  ;  for  this 
 we  have  good  warrant  in  the  word  of  God ;  but  I  know 
 of  no  necessity  we  are  under  to  determine  whether  it 
 be  possible  for  those  that  are  guilty  of  it  to  be  in  a 
 state  of  grace  or  not. 
 
 God  seems  so  strictly  to  have  forbidden  our  judging 
 our  brethren  in  the  visible  church,  not  only  because 
 he  knew  that  we  were  infinitely  too  weak,  fallible,  and 
 
435 
 
 blind,  to  be  well  capacitated  for  it,  but  also  because 
 he  knew  that  it  was  not  a  work  suited  to  our  proud 
 hearts ;  that  it  would  be  setting  us  vastly  too  high, 
 and  making  us  too  much  of  lords  over  our  fellow- 
 creatures.  Judging  our  brethren,  and  passing  a  con- 
 demnatory sentence  upon  them,  seems  to  carry  in  it 
 an  act  of  authority,  especially  to  sentence  them  with 
 respect  to  that  state  of  their  hearts,  on  which  depends 
 their  liableness  to  eternal  damnation.  This  is  evi- 
 dent by  such  interrogations  as  the  following;  to  hear 
 which  from  God's  mouth,  is  enough  to  make  us 
 shrink  into  nothing  with  shame  and  confusion,  under 
 a  sense  of  our  own  blindness  and  worthlesness,  Rom. 
 xiv.  4.  "  Who  art  thou  that  judgeth  another  man's 
 servant?  to  his  own  master  he  standeth  or  falleth." 
 And  James  iv.  12.  "  There  is  one  lawgiver  that  is 
 able  to  save  and  to  destroy;  who  art  thou  that  judgest 
 another?"  Our  wise  and  merciful  Shepherd  has 
 graciously  taken  care  not  to  lay  in  our  way  such  a 
 temptation  to  pride  ;  he  has  cut  up  all  such  poison 
 out  of  our  pasture ;  and  therefore  we  should  not  de- 
 sire to  have  it  restored.  Blessed  be  his  name,  that 
 he  has  not  laid  such  a  temptation  in  the  way  of  my 
 pride  !  I  know  that,  in  order  to  be  fit  for  this 
 business,  I  must  not  only  be  vastly  more  knowing, 
 but  more  humble  than  I  am.  Though  I  believe 
 some  of  God's  own  children  have  of  late  been  very 
 guilty  in  this  matter,  yet,  by  what  is  said  of  it  in  the 
 Scripture,  it  appears  to  me  very  likely  that  God  will 
 awfully  rebuke  that  practice.  May  it,  in  sovereign 
 and  infinite  mercy,  be  prevented,  by  the  deep  and 
 open  humiliation  of  those  that  have  openly  prac- 
 tised it ! 
 
 T  2 
 
436 
 
 As  this  practice  ought  to  be  avoided,  so  should 
 all  such  open,  visible  marks  of  distinction  and  sepa- 
 ration, that  imply  it,  (as  particularly,  distinguishing 
 such  as  we  have  judged  to  be  in  a  converted  state 
 with  the  compellations  of  brother  or  sister,)  .any 
 further  than  there  is  a  visible  ecclesiastical  distinc- 
 tion. In  those  places  where  it  is  the  manner  to  re- 
 ceive such,  and  such  only,  to  the  communion  of  the 
 visible  church,  as  recommend  themselves  by  giving  a 
 satisfying  account  of  their  inward  experiences,  there 
 Christians  may  openly  distinguish  such  persons,  in 
 their  speech  and  ordinary  behaviour,  with  a  visible 
 separation,  without  being  inconsistent  with  them- 
 selves. I  do  not  now  pretend  to  meddle  with  that 
 controversy,  whether;  such  an  account  of  experience 
 be  requisite  to  church-fellowship.  But  certainly,  to 
 admit  persons  to  communion  with  us  as  brethren  in 
 the  visible  church,  and  then  visibly  to  reject  them, 
 and  to  make  an  open  distinction  between  them  and 
 others,  by  different  names  or  appellations,  is  to  be 
 inconsistent  with  ourselves.  It  is  to  make  a  visible 
 church  within  a  visible  church,  and  visibly  to  divide 
 between  sheep  and  goats,  setting  one  on  the  right 
 hand,  and  the  other  on  the  left.  This  bitter  root  of 
 censoriousness  must  be  totally  rooted  out,  as  we 
 would  prepare  the  way  of  the  Lord.  It  has  nour- 
 ished and  upheld  many  other  things  contrary  to  the 
 humility,  meekness,  and  love  of  the  gospel.  The 
 minds  of  many  have  received  an  unhappy  turn  with 
 their  religion;  there  is  a  certain  point  or  sharpness, 
 a  disposition  to  a  kind  of  warmth,  that  does  not 
 savour  of  that  meek,  lamb-like,  sweet  disposition, 
 that  becomes  Christians.      Many  have  now  been  so 
 
437 
 
 long  habituated  to  it,  that  they  do  not  know  how 
 to  get  out  of  it:  but  we  must  get  out  of  it;  the 
 point  and  sharpness  must  be  blunted,  and  we  must 
 learn  another  way  of  manifesting  our  zeal  for  God. 
 
 Some  have  a  way  of  reflecting  on  others,  and  cen- 
 suring them  in  open  prayer;  which,  though  it  has  a 
 fair  show  of  love,  is  indeed  the  boldest  way  of  re- 
 proaching others  imaginable;  because  there  is  im- 
 pHed  in  it  an  appeal  to  the  most  high  God,  concern- 
 ing the  truth  of  their  censures  and  reflections.  And 
 some  have  a  way  of  joining  a  sort  of  imprecations 
 with  their  petitions  for  others,  though  but  condi- 
 tional ones,  that  appear  to  me  wholly  needless  and 
 improper.  They  pray  that  others  may  either  be 
 converted  or  removed.  I  never  heard  nor  read  of 
 any  such  thing  practised  in  the  church  of  God  till 
 now,  unless  it  be  with  respect  to  some  of  the  most 
 visibly  and  notoriously  abandoned  enemies  of  the 
 church  of  God.  This  is  a  sort  of  cursing. men  in 
 our  prayers,  adding  a  curse  with  our  blessing  ; 
 whereas  the  rule  is,  "  Bless,  and  curse  not."  To 
 pray  that  God  would  kill  another,  is  to  curse  him,  as 
 Elisha  cursed  the  children  who  came  out  of  Bethel. 
 And  the  case  must  be  very  great  and  extraordinary 
 indeed  to  warrant  it,  unless  we  were  prophets,  and 
 did  not  speak  our  own  words,  but  words  endited  by 
 the  immediate  inspiration  of  the  Spirit  of  God.  It 
 is  pleaded,  that  if  God  has  no  design  of  converting 
 others,  it  is  best  for  them  and  others  that  they  should 
 be  immediately  taken  away,  and  sent  to  hell,  before 
 they  have  contracted  more  guilt.  To  which  I  would 
 say,  that  so  it  was  best  for  those  children  who  met 
 Elisha,    seeing    God  had   no   design  of  converting 
 
438 
 
 them,   to   die  immediately,   as    they    did;    but  yet 
 Elisha's  imprecating  that  sudden  death  upon  them, 
 was   cursing  them;  and   therefore   would   not  have 
 been  lawful  for  one  who  did  not  speak  in  the  name 
 of  the  Lord,  as  a  prophet.      And  then,  if  we  give 
 way  to  such  things  as  these,  where  shall  we  stop?   A 
 child  that  suspects  he  has  an  unconverted  father  and 
 mother,  may  pray  openly  that  his  father  and  mother 
 may  either  be  converted,  or  taken  away  and  sent  to 
 hell  now  quickly,  before  their  guilt  is  greater.      For 
 unconverted  parents  are  as  likely  to  poison  the  souls 
 of  their  family,  in  their  manner  of  training  them  up, 
 as  unconverted  ministers  are  to  poison  their  people. 
 And  so  it  might  come  to  be  a  common  thing  all  over 
 the  country,  for  children  to  pray  after  this  manner 
 concerning  their  parents,  brethren  and  sisters  con- 
 cerning one  another,  husbands  concerning  their  wives, 
 and  wives  concerning  their  husbands ;  and  so  for  per- 
 sons to  pray  concerning  all  their  unconverted  friends 
 and  neighbours.      And  not  only  so,  but  we  may  also 
 pray  concerning  all  those  saints  who  are  not  lively 
 Christians,  that  they  may  either  be  enlivened  or  taken 
 away  ;  if  that  be  true  which  is  often  said  by  some 
 at  this  day,  that  these  cold  dead  saints  do  more  hurt 
 than  natural  men,  and  lead  more  souls  to  hell,  and 
 that  it  would  be  well  for  mankind  if  they  were  all 
 dead. 
 
 How  needless  are  such  petitions  or  imprecations 
 as  these  !  What  benefit  is  there  of  them  ?  Is  it  not 
 sufiicient  for  us  to  pray  that  God  would  provide  for 
 his  church,  and  the  good  of  souls,  take  care  of  his 
 own  flock,  and  give  it  needful  means  and  advantages 
 for  its  spiritual  prosperity  ?     Does  God  need  to  be 
 
43!) 
 
 directed  by  us  in  what  way  he  shall  do  it  ?  What 
 need  we  ask  of  God  to  do  it  by  killing  such  and 
 such  persons,  if  he  do  not  convert  them?  unless  we 
 delight  in  the  thoughts  of  God's  answering  us  in  such 
 terrible  ways,  and  with  such  awful  manifestations  of 
 his  wrath  to  our  fellow-creatures.  And  why  do  not 
 ministers  direct  sinners  to  pray  for  themselves,  that 
 God  would  either  convert  them  or  kill  them,  and 
 send  them  to  hell  now,  before  their  guilt  is  greater  ? 
 In  this  way  we  should  lead  persons,  in  the  next 
 place,  to  self-murder;  for  many  probably  would  soon 
 begin  to  think,  that  what  they  may  pray  for,  they 
 may  seek  by  the  use  of  means. 
 
 Some,  vvith  whom  I  have  discoursed  about  this 
 way  of  praying,  have  said,  that  the  Spirit  of  God,  as 
 it  were,  forces  out  such  words  from  their  mouths, 
 when  otherwise  they  should  not  dare  to  utter  them. 
 But  such  kind  of  impulse  does  not  look  like  the  in- 
 fluence of  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  Spirit  of  God, 
 indeed,  sometimes  strongly  inclines  men  to  utter 
 words ;  not  by  putting  expressions  into  the  mouth, 
 and  urging  to  utter  them,  but  by  filling  the  heart 
 with  a  sense  of  divine  things,  and  holy  affections, 
 whence  the  mouth  speaks.  That  other  way  of  be- 
 ing urged  to  use  certain  expressions,  by  an  unac- 
 countable force,  is  very  probably  from  the  influence 
 of  the  devil. 
 
440 
 
 SECTION  V. 
 
 Of  errors  connected  with  Lay- exhorting. 
 
 Another  thing,  in  the  management  of  which 
 there  has  been  much  error  and  misconduct,  is  lay- 
 exhorting  ;  about  which  there  has  been  abundance  of 
 disputing,  jangling,  and  contention.  In  the  midst 
 of  these  disputes,  I  suppose  that  all  are  agreed  as  to 
 these  two  things;  namely,  1.  That  all  exhorting  one 
 another  by  lay-men  is  not  unlawful  or  improper;  but, 
 on  the  contrary,  that  such  exhorting  is  a  Christian 
 duty.  And,  2.  I  suppose,  also,  all  will  allow  that 
 there  is  some  kind  or  way  of  exhorting  and  teaching, 
 which  belongs  only  to  the  office  of  teachers.  All 
 will  allow  that  God  has  appointed  such  an  office  as 
 that  of  teachers  in  the  Christian  church;  and  there- 
 fore, doubtless,  will  allow  that  something  or  other  is 
 proper  and  peculiar  to  that  office,  or  some  business 
 of  teaching  that  does  not  belong  as  much  to  others  as 
 to  them.  If  there  be  any  way  of  teaching  that  is 
 peculiar  to  that  office,  then  for  others  to  take  that 
 upon  them,  is  to  invade  the  office  of  a  minister; 
 which,  doubtless,  is  very  sinful,  and  is  often  so  re- 
 presented in  Scripture.  But  the  great  difficulty  is 
 to  settle  the  bounds,  and  to  tell  exactly  how  far  lay- 
 men may  go,  and  when  they  exceed  their  limits  ; 
 which  is  a  matter  of  so  much  difficulty,  that  I  do  not 
 wonder  if  many,  in  their  zeal,  have  transgressed. 
 The  two  ways  of  teaching  and  exhorting,  the  one  of 
 which  ought  ordinarily  to  be  left  to  ministers,  and 
 
441 
 
 the  other  of  which  may  and  ought  to  be  practised 
 by  the  people,  may  be  expressed  by  those  two 
 names  of  preaching,  and  exhorting,  in  a  way  of 
 Christian  conversation.  But  then  a  great  deal  of 
 difficulty  and  controversy  arises,  to  determine  what 
 is  preaching,  and  what  is  Christian  conversation. 
 However,  I  will  humbly  offer  my  thoughts  concern- 
 ing this  subject  of  lay-exhorting,  as  follows  : — 
 
 I.  The  common  people,  in  exhorting  one  an- 
 other, ought  not  to  clothe  themselves  with  the  hke 
 authority  with  that  which  is  proper  for  ministers. 
 There  is  a  certain  authority  that  ministers  have,  and 
 should  exercise  in  teaching,  as  well  as  in  governing 
 the  flock.  Teaching  is  spoken  of  in  Scripture  as  an 
 act  of  authority,  1  Tim.  ii.  12.  In  order  to  a  man's 
 preaching,  special  authority  must  be  committed  to 
 him,  Rom.  x.  15.  "  How  shall  they  preach,  ex- 
 cept they  be  sent  ?"  Ministers,  in  this  work  of  teach- 
 ing and  exhorting,  are  clothed  with  authority,  as 
 Christ's  messengers,  Mai.  ii.  7.  as  representing  him, 
 and  so  speaking  in  his  name,  and  in  his  stead,  2  Cor. 
 V.  18 — 20.  And  it  seems  to  be  the  most  honour- 
 able thing  that  belongs  to  the  office  of  a  minister  of 
 the  gospel,  that  to  him  is  committed  the  word  of  re- 
 conciliation, and  that  he  has  power  to  preach  the 
 gospel,  as  Christ's  messenger,  and  speaking  in  his 
 name.  The  Apostle  seems  to  speak  of  it  as  such, 
 1  Cor.  i.  16,  17.  Ministers,  therefore,  in  the  ex- 
 ercise of  this  power,  may  clothe  themselves  with 
 authority  in  speaking,  or  may  teach  others  in  an 
 authoritative  manner,  Tit.  ii.  15.  "  These  things 
 speak  and  exhort,  and  rebuke  with  all  authority:  let 
 no  man  despise  thee."  But  the  common  people,  in 
 t3 
 
442 
 
 exhorting  one  another,  ought  not  thus  to  exhort  in 
 an  authoritative  manner.  There  is  a  great  deal  of 
 difference  between  teaching  as  a  father  amongst  a 
 company  of  children,  and  counselling  in  a  brotherly 
 way,  as  the  children  may  kindly  counsel  and  admo- 
 nish one  another.  Those  that  are  mere  brethren 
 ought  not  to  assume  authority  in  exhorting,  though 
 one  may  be  better,  and  have  more  experience  than 
 another.  Laymen  ought  not  to  exhort  as  though 
 they  were  the  ambassadors  or  messengers  of  Christ, 
 as  ministers  do;  nor  should  they  exhort,  warn,  and 
 charge  in  his  name,  according  to  the  ordinary  import 
 of  such  an  expression,  when  applied  to  teaching.  In- 
 deed, in  one  sense,  a  Christian  ought  to  do  every 
 thing  he  does  in  religion  in  the  name  of  Christ ; 
 that  is,  he  ought  to  act  in  a  dependence  on  him  as 
 his  head  and  mediator,  and  do  all  for  his  glory.  But 
 the  expression,  as  it  is  usually  understood,  when  ap- 
 plied to  teaching  or  exhorting,  is  speaking  in  Christ's 
 stead,  and  as  having  a  message  from  him. 
 
 Persons  may  clothe  themselves  with  authority  in 
 speaking,  either  by  the  authoritative  words  they 
 make  use  of,  or  in  the  manner  and  authoritative  air 
 of  their  speaking.  Though  some  may  think  that 
 this  latter  is  a  matter  of  indifferency,  or  at  least  of 
 small  importance,  yet  there  is  indeed  a  great  deal  in 
 it;  a  person  may  go  much  out  of  his  place,  and  be 
 guilty  of  a  great  degree  of  assuming,  in  the  manner 
 of  his  speaking  those  words,  which,  as  they  might 
 be  spoken,  might  be  proper  for  him.  The  same 
 words,  spoken  in  a  different  manner,  may  express 
 what  is  very  diverse.  Doubtless  there  may  be  as 
 much  hurt  in  the  manner  of  a  person's  speaking,  as 
 
443 
 
 there  may  in  his  looks;  but  the  wise  man  tells  us, 
 that  "  an  high  look  is  an  abomination  to  the  Lord." 
 Again,  a  man  may  clothe  himself  with  authority,  in 
 the  circumstances  under  which  he  speaks;  as  for  in- 
 stance, if  he  sets  himself  up  as  a  public  teacher. 
 Here  I  would  have  it  observed,  that  I  do  not  sup- 
 pose that  a  person  is  guilty  of  this,  merely  because 
 he  speaks  in  the  hearing  of  many.  Persons  may 
 speak  only  in  a  way  of  conversation,  and  yet  speak 
 in  the  hearing  of  a  great  number,  as  they  often  do 
 in  their  common  conversation  about  temporal  things, 
 at  feasts  and  entertainments,  where  women  as  well 
 as  others  converse  freely  together,  in  the  hearing  it 
 may  be  of  a  great  number,  and  yet  without  offence. 
 And  if  their  conversation  on  such  occasions  should 
 turn  on  spiritual  things,  and  they  should  speak  as 
 freely  and  openly,  I  do  not  see  why  it  would  not  be 
 as  harmless.  Nor  do  I  think,  that,  besides  a  great 
 number  being  present,  persons  speaking  with  a  very 
 earnest  and  loud  voice,  is  for  them  to  set  up  them- 
 selves as  public  teachers,  if  they  do  it  from  no  con- 
 trivance or  premeditated  design,  or  as  purposely 
 directing  themselves  to  a  congregation  or  multitude. 
 But  persons  speaking  in  conversation,  or  when  all 
 freely  converse  one  with  another — directing  them- 
 selves to  none  but  those  that  are  near  them,  and  fall 
 in  their  way — in  that  earnest  and  pathetic  manner, 
 to  which  the  subject  naturally  leads,  and  as  it  were 
 constrains  them :  I  say,  that  for  persons  to  do  thus, 
 though  many  happen  to  hear  them,  does  not  appear 
 to  me  to  be  setting  themselves  up  as  public  teachers. 
 Yea,  suppose  all  this  happens  to  be  in  a  meeting- 
 house,  I  do  not  think  that  this  much  alters  the 
 
444 
 
 case,  provided  the  solemnity  of  public  service  and 
 divine  ordinances  be  over ;  and  provided  also  that 
 they  speak  in  no  authoritative  way,  but  in  an  humble 
 manner,  becoming  their  degree  and  station,  though 
 they  speak  very  earnestly  and  pathetically.  Indeed 
 modesty  might,  in  ordinary  cases,  restrain  some  per- 
 sons (as  women  and  those  that  are  young)  from  so 
 much  as  speaking  when  a  great  number  are  present, 
 at  least,  when  some  of  those  present  are  much  their 
 superiors,  unless  they  are  spoken  to.  And  yet,  the 
 case  may  be  so  extraordinary  as  fully  to  warrant  it. 
 If  something  very  extraordinary  happens  to  persons, 
 or  if  they  are  in  extraordinary  circumstances ;  as  if 
 a  person  be  struck  with  lightning  in  the  midst  of  a 
 great  company,  or  if  he  lies  a-dying,  it  appears  to 
 none  any  violation  of  modesty  for  him  to  speak  freely 
 before  those  that  are  much  his  superiors.  I  have 
 seen  some  women  and  children  in  such  circum- 
 stances, on  religious  accounts,  that  it  has  appeared 
 to  me  no  more  a  transgressing  the  laws  of  hu- 
 mility and  modesty  for  them  to  speak  freely,  let 
 who  will  be  present,  than  if  they  were  in  danger  of 
 dying. 
 
 But  then  may  a  man  be  said  to  set  up  himself  as 
 a  public  teacher,  when  in  a  set  speech,  of  design,  he 
 directs  himself  to  a  multitude,  as  looking  that  they 
 should  compose  themselves  to  attend  to  what  he  has 
 to  say.  And  much  more  when  this  is  a  contrived 
 and  premeditated  thing,  without  any  thing  like  a 
 constraint  by  an  extraordinary  sense  of  affection  ; 
 and  more  still,  when  meetings  are  appointed  on  pur- 
 pose to  hear  lay-persons  exhort,  and  they  take  it  as 
 their  business  to   be  speakers,    while   they   expect 
 
44.5 
 
 that  others  should  come,  and  compose  themselves, 
 and  attend  as  hearers.  When  private  Christians 
 take  it  upon  them  in  private  meetings  to  act  as 
 the  masters  or  presidents  of"  the  assembly,  and  ac- 
 cordingly from  time  to  time  to  teach  and  exhort  the 
 rest,  this  has  the  appearance  of  authoritative  teach- 
 ing. 
 
 When  private  Christians,  who  are  no  more  than 
 mere  brethren,  exhort  and  admonish  one  another,  it 
 ought  to  be  in  an  humble  manner,  rather  by  way  of 
 entreaty,  than  with  authority;  and  the  more,  accord- 
 ing as  the  station  of  persons  is  lower.  Thus  it  be- 
 comes women,  and  those  that  are  young,  ordinarily 
 to  be  at  a  greater  distance  from  any  appearance  of 
 authority  in  speaking  than  others.  Thus  much  at 
 least  is  evident  by  1  Tim.  ii.  9,  11,  12.  That  lay- 
 persons ought  not  to  exhort  one  another  as  clothed 
 with  authority,  is  a  general  rule  ;  but  it  cannot  justly 
 be  supposed  to  extend  to  heads  of  families  in  their 
 own  families.  Every  Christian  family  is  a  little 
 church,  and  the  heads  of  it  are  its  authoritative 
 teachers  and  governors.  Nor  can  it  extend  to 
 school-masters  among  their  scholars  ;  and  some  other 
 cases  might  perhaps  be  mentioned,  that  ordinary 
 discretion  will  distinguish,  where  a  man's  circum- 
 stances do  properly  clothe  him  with  authority,  and 
 render  it  fit  and  suitable  for  him  to  counsel  and  ad- 
 monish others  in  an  authoritative  manner. 
 
 II.  No  man  but  a  minister  duly  appointed  to  that 
 sacred  calling,  ought  to  follow  teaching  and  exhorting 
 as  a  calling,  or  so  as  to  neglect  that  which  is  his  proper 
 calling.  Having  the  office  of  a  teacher  in  the  church 
 of  God  implies  two  things :  1.  A  being  invested  with 
 
446 
 
 the  authority  of  a  teacher;  and  2,  A  being  called 
 to  the  business  of  a  teacher,  to  make  it  the  business 
 of  his  life.  Therefore  that  man  who  is  not  a  minister, 
 taking  either  of  these  upon  him,  invades  the  office 
 of  a  minister.  Concerning  assuming  the  authority 
 of  a  minister  I  have  spoken  already.  But  if  a  lay- 
 man do  not  assume  authority  in  his  teaching,  yet  if 
 he  forsakes  his  proper  calling,  or  doth  so  at  least  in 
 a  great  measure,  and  spends  his  time  in  going  about 
 from  house  to  house  to  counsel  and  exhort,  he  goes 
 beyond  his  line,  and  violates  Christian  rules.  Those 
 that  have  the  office  of  teachers  or  exhorters,  have  it 
 for  their  calling,  and  should  make  it  their  business, 
 as  a  business  proper  to  their  office;  and  none  should 
 make  it  their  business  but  such,  Rom.  xii.  3 — 8. 
 "  For  I  say,  through  the  grace  given  unto  me,  to 
 every  man  that  is  among  you,  not  to  think  of  him- 
 self more  highly  than  he  ought  to  think;  but  to 
 think  soberly,  according  as  God  hath  dealt  to  every 
 man  the  proportion  of  faith.  For  as  we  have  many 
 members  in  one  body,  and  all  members  have  not  the 
 same  office ;  so  we,  being  many,  are  one  body  in 
 Christ. — He  that  teacheth  let  him  wait  on  teaching ; 
 or  he  that  exhorteth,  on  exhortation.''  1  Cor.  xii. 
 29.  "  Are  all  apostles  ?  are  all  prophets  ?  are  all 
 teachers  ?"  1  Cor.  vii.  20.  "  Let  every  man  abide 
 in  the  same  calling  wherein  he  was  called."  1  Thess. 
 iv.  11.  "  And  that  ye  study  to  be  quiet,  and  to  do 
 your  own  business,  and  to  work  with  your  own 
 hands,  as  we  commanded  you." 
 
 It  will  be  a  very  dangerous  thing  for  laymen,  in 
 either  of  these  respects,  to  invade  the  office  of  a 
 minister.     If  this  be  common  among  us,  we  shall  be 
 
447 
 
 in  danger  of  having  a  stop  put  to  the  work  of  God, 
 of  the  ark  turning  aside  from  us,  before  it  comes  to 
 Mount  Zion,  and  of  God  making  a  breach  upon  us; 
 as  of  old  there  was  an  unhappy  stop  put  to  the  joy 
 of  the  congregation  of  Israel,  in  bringing  up  the  ark 
 of^od,  because  others  carried  it  besides  the  Levites. 
 And  therefore  David,  when  the  error  was  found  out, 
 says,  1  Chron.  xv.  2.  "  None  ought  to  carry  the 
 ark  of  God  but  the  Levites  only  ;  for  them  hath 
 the  Lord  chosen  to  carry  the  ark  of  God,  and  to 
 minister  unto  him  for  ever."  And  because  one 
 presumed  to  touch  the  ark  who  was  not  of  the  sons 
 of  Aaron,  therefore  the  Lord  made  a  breach  upon 
 them,  and  covered  their  day  of  rejoicing  with  a  cloud 
 in  his  anger. — Before  I  dismiss  this  head  of  lay- 
 exhorting,  I  would  take  notice  of  three  things 
 relating  to  it,  upon  which  there  ought  to  be  a  re- 
 straint. 
 
 1.  Speaking  in  the  time  of  the  solemn  worship  of 
 God ;  as  public  prayer,  singing,  or  preaching,  or  ad- 
 ministration of  the  sacrament  of  the  holy  Supper,  or 
 any  duty  of  social  worship.  This  should  not  be  al- 
 lowed. I  know  it  will  be  said,  that  in  some  cases, 
 when  persons  are  exceedingly  afiPected,  they  cannot 
 help  it;  and  I  believe  so  too;  but  then  I  also  be- 
 lieve, and  know  by  experience,  that  there  are  several 
 things  which  contribute  to  that  inability,  besides 
 merely  and  absolutely  the  sense  of  divine  things 
 upon  their  hearts.  Custom  and  example,  or  the 
 thing  being  allowed,  have  such  an  influence,  that 
 they  actually  help  to  make  it  impossible  for  persons 
 under  strong  affections  to  avoid  speaking.  If  it  was 
 disallowed,  and  persons  at  the  time  that  they  were 
 
448 
 
 thus  disposed  to  break  out,  had  this  apprehension, 
 that  it  would  be  very  unbecoming  for  them  so  to  do, 
 it  would  contribute  to  their  ability  to  avoid  it.  Their 
 inability  arises  from  their  strong  and  vehement  dis- 
 position ;  and,  so  far  as  that  disposition  is  from  a 
 good  principle,  it  would  be  weakened  by  this  thought, 
 namely,  "  What  I  am  going  to  do  will  be  for  the 
 dishonour  of  Christ  and  religion."  And  so  the  in- 
 ward vehemence,  that  pushed  them  forward  to  speak, 
 would  fall,  and  they  would  be  enabled  to  avoid  it. 
 This  experience  confirms. 
 
 2.  There  ought  to  be  a  moderate  restraint  on 
 the  loudness  of  persons  talking  under  high  affec- 
 tions ;  for,  if  there  be  not,  it  will  grow  natural  and 
 unavoidable  for  persons  to  be  louder  and  louder, 
 without  any  increase  of  their  inward  sense  ;  till  it 
 becomes  natural  to  them,  at  last,  to  scream  and  halloo 
 to  almost  every  one  they  see  in  the  streets,  when 
 they  are  much  affected.  But  this  is  certainly  very 
 improper,  and  what  has  no  tendency  to  promote  re- 
 ligion. The  man  Christ  Jesus,  when  he  was  upon 
 earth,  had  doubtless  as  great  a  sense  of  the  infinite 
 greatness  and  importance  of  eternal  things,  and  the 
 worth  of  souls,  as  any  have  now ;  but  there  is  not 
 the  least  appearance  in  his  history,  of  his  taking  any 
 such  course,  or  manner  of  exhorting  others. 
 
 3.  There  should  also  be  some  restraint  on  the 
 abundance  of  talk,  under  strong  affections ;  for, 
 if  persons  gave  themselves  an  unbounded  liberty  to 
 talk  just  so  much  as  they  feel  an  inclination  to,  they 
 will  increase  and  abound  more  and  mo^e  in  talk,  be- 
 yond the  proportion  of  their  sense  or  affection ;  till 
 at  length  it  will  become  ineffectual  on  those  that 
 
449 
 
 hear  them,  and,  by  the  commonness  of  their  abun- 
 dant talk,  they  will  defeat  their  own  end. 
 
 SECTION  VI. 
 
 Of  errors  connected  with  singing  praises  to  God 
 
 One  thing  more  of  which  I  would  take  notice, 
 before  I  conclude  this  part,  is  the  mismanagement 
 of  singing. praises  to  God.  I  believe  it  to  have  been 
 one  fruit  of  the  extraordinary  degrees  of  the  sweet 
 and  joyful  influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  that  there 
 has  appeared  such  a  disposition  to  abound  in  this  di- 
 vine exercise  ;  not  only  in  appointed  solemn  meetings, 
 but  when  Christians  occasionally  meet  together  at  each 
 other's  houses.  But  the  mismanagement  I  have  re- 
 spect to,  is  a  way  of  performing  it,  without  almost 
 any  appearance  of  that  reverence  and  solemnity  with 
 which  all  visible,  open  acts  of  divine  worship  ought 
 to  be  attended.  It  may  be,  two  or  three  are  in  a 
 room  singing  hymns  of  praise  to  God,  others  talking 
 at  the  same  time,  others  about  their  work,  with  little 
 more  appearance  of  regard  to  what  is  doing,  than  if 
 only  singing  a  common  song  for  their  amusement  and 
 diversion.  There  is  danger,  if  such  things  are  con- 
 tinued, that  a  mere  nothing  be  made  of  this  duty,  to 
 the  great  violation  of  the  third  commandment.  Let 
 Christians  abound  as  much  as  they  vvill  in  this  holy, 
 heavenly  exercise,  in  God's  house  and  in  their  own 
 houses;  but  let  it  be  performed  as  a  holy  act, 
 wherein  they  have   immediately   and  visibly  to  do 
 
450 
 
 with  God.  When  any  social  open  act  of  devotion, 
 or  solemn  worship  of  God  is  performed,  God  should 
 be  reverenced  as  present.  As  we  would  not  have 
 the  ark  of  God  depart  from  us,  nor  provoke  God  to 
 make  a  breach  upon  us,  we  should  take  heed  that 
 we  handle  the  ark  with  reverence. 
 
 With  respect  to  companies  singing  in  the  streets, 
 going  to  or  coming  from  the  place  of  public  worship,. 
 I  would  humbly  offer  my  thoughts  in  the  following 
 particulars : 
 
 1.  The  rule  of  Christ,  concerning  "  putting  new 
 wine  into  old  bottles,"  does  undoubtedly  take  place 
 in  things  of  this  nature,  supposing  the  thing  in  it- 
 self is  good,  but  not  essential,  and  not  particularly 
 enjoined  or  forbidden.  For  things  so  very  new  and 
 uncommon,  and  of  so  open  and  public  a  nature,  to  be 
 suddenly  introduced  and  set  up  and  practised  in 
 many  parts  of  the  country,  without  the  matter  being 
 so  much  as  first  proposed  to  any  public  consideration, 
 or  giving  any  opportunity  for  the  people  of  God  to 
 weigh  the  matter,  or  to  consider  any  reasons  that 
 might  be  offered  to  support  it,  is  putting  new  wine 
 into  old  bottles  with  a  witness;  as  if  it  were  with  no 
 other  design  than  to  burst  them  directly.  Nothing 
 else  can  be  expected  to  be  the  consequence  of  this, 
 than  uproar  and  confusion,  great  offence,  and  un- 
 happy mischievous  disputes,  even  among  the  chil- 
 dren of  God  themselves.  Not  that  what  is  good  in 
 itself,  and  is  new,  ought  to  be  forborne,  till  there  is 
 nobody  that  will  dishke  it ;  but  it  ought  to  be  for- 
 borne till  the  visible  church  of  God  is  so  prepared  for 
 it,  at  least,  that  there  is  a  probability  it  will  not  do 
 more  hurt  than  good,  or  hinder  the  work  of  God 
 
451 
 
 more  than  promote  it ;  as  is  more  evident  from  Christ's 
 rule,  and  the  apostles'  practice.  If  it  be  brought  in 
 when  the  country  is  so  unprepared,  that  the  shock 
 and  surprise,  the  contention  and  prejudice  against 
 rehgion,  it  is  like  to  occasion,  will  do  more  to  hinder 
 religion,  than  the  practice  is  like  to  promote  it,  then 
 the  fruit  is  picked  before  it  is  ripe.  And,  indeed, 
 such  a  hasty  endeavour  to  introduce  an  innovation, 
 supposing  it  to  be  good  in  itself,  is  the  likeUest  way 
 to  retard  the  effectual  introduction  of  it;  it  will  hin- 
 der its  being  extensively  introduced,  much  more 
 than  it  will  promote  it,  and  so  will  defeat  its  own 
 end.      But, 
 
 2.  As  to  the  thing  itself,  if  a  considerable  part  of 
 a  congregation  have  occasion  to  go  in  company  to- 
 gether to  a  place  of  public  worship,  and  they  should 
 join  together  in  singing  praises  to  God  as  they  go, 
 I  confess,  that  after  long  consideration,  and  endea- 
 vouring to  view  the  thing  every  way  with  the  ut- 
 most diligence  and  impartiality  I  am  capable  of,  I 
 cannot  find  any  valid  objection  against  it.  As  to 
 the  common  objection  from  Matt.  vi.  5.  "  And  when 
 thou  prayest,  thou  shalt  not  be  as  the  hypocrites  are  ; 
 for  they  love  to  pray  standing  in  the  synagogues,  and 
 in  the  corners  of  the  streets,  that  they  may  be  seen  of 
 men  ;"  it  is  as  strong  against  a  single  person  singing 
 in  the  streets,  or  in  the  meeting-house  by  himself,  as 
 oftering  to  God  personal  worship.  But  as  it  is 
 brought  against  a  considerable  company,  their  thus 
 publicly  worshipping  God,  appears  to  me  to  have  no 
 weight  at  all;  it  is  of  no  more  force  against  a  com- 
 pany's thus  praising  God  in  the  streets,  than  against 
 their  praising  him  in  the  synagogues,  or  meeting- 
 
452 
 
 houses ;  for  the  streets  and  the  synagogues  are  both 
 put  together  in  these  words  of  our  Saviour,  as 
 parallel  in  the  case.  It  is  evident  that  Christ  speaks 
 of  personal,  and  not  public  worship.  If  to  sing  in 
 the  streets  be  ostentatious,  then  it  must  be  because 
 it  is  a  public  place,  and  it  cannot  be  done  there 
 without  being  very  open ;  but  it  is  no  more  public 
 than  the  synagogue  or  meeting-house  is  when  full 
 of  people.  Some  worship  is  in  its  nature  private,  as 
 that  which  is  proper  to  particular  persons,  or  families, 
 or  private  societies,  and  has  respect  to  their  parti- 
 cular concerns :  but  that  which  I  now  speak  of,  is 
 performed  under  no  other  notion  than  a  part  of  God's 
 public  worship,  without  any  relation  to  any  private, 
 separate  society,  and  in  which  every  visible  Chris- 
 tian has  equal  liberty  to  join,  if  it  be  convenient  for 
 him,  and  he  has  a  disposition,  as  in  the  worship  that 
 is  performed  in  the  meeting-house.  When  persons 
 are  going  to  the  house  of  public  worship,  to  serve 
 God  there  with  the  assembly  of  his  people,  they  are 
 upon  no  other  design  than  that  of  putting  public 
 honour  upon  God  ;  that  is  the  business  they  go  from 
 home  upon;  and,  even  in  their  walking  the  streets 
 on  this  errand,  they  appear  in  a  public  act  of  respect 
 to  God ;  and  therefore,  if  they  go  in  company  with 
 public  praise,  it  is  not  being  public  when  they  ought 
 to  be  private.  It  is  one  part  of  the  beauty  of  public 
 worship,  that  it  be  very  public;  the  more  public  it 
 is,  the  more  open  honour  it  puts  upon  God  :  and 
 especially  is  it  beautiful  in  public  praise;  for  the  very 
 notion  of  publicly  praising  God,  is  to  declare  abroad 
 his  glory,  to  publish  his  praise,  to  make  it  known, 
 and  proclaim  it  aloud,  as  is  evident  by  innumerable 
 
453 
 
 expressions  of  Scripture.  It  is  fit  that  God's  hon- 
 our should  not  be  concealed,  but  made  known  in  the 
 great  congregation,  and  proclaimed  before  the  sun, 
 and  upon  the  house-tops,  before  kings  and  all  na- 
 tions, and  that  his  praises  should  be  heard  to  the 
 utmost  ends  of  the  earth. 
 
 I  suppose  none  will  condemn  singing  God's  praises, 
 merely  because  it  is  performed  in  the  open  air;  and, 
 if  it  may  be  performed  by  a  company  in  the  open  air, 
 doubtless  they  may  do  it  moving  as  well  as  standing 
 still.  So  the  children  of  Israel  praised  God,  when 
 they  went  to  Mount  Zion  with  the  ark  of  God;  and 
 the  multitude  praised  Christ,  when  they  entered  with 
 him  into  Jerusalem,  a  little  before  his  passion.  The 
 children  of  Israel  were  wont,  from  year  to  year,  to 
 go  up  to  Jerusalem  in  companies,  from  all  parts  of 
 the  land,  three  times  in  the  year,  when  they  often 
 used  to  manifest  the  engagedness  of  their  minds  by 
 travelling  all  night,  and  manifested  their  joy  and 
 gladness  by  singing  praises  with  great  decency  and 
 beauty,  as  they  went  towards  God's  holy  mountain ; 
 as  is  evident  by  Isa.  xxx.  29.  "  Ye  shall  have  a  song 
 as  in  the  night,  when  a  holy  solemnity  is  kept;  and 
 gladness  of  heart,  as  when  one  goeth  with  a  pipe  to 
 come  into  the  mountain  of  the  Lord,  to  the  mighty 
 one  of  Israel."  And  Psal.  xlii.  4.  "  When  I  re- 
 member these  things,. I  pour  out  my  soul  in  me;  for 
 I  had  gone  with  the  multitude,  I  went  with  them  to 
 the  house  of  God;  with  the  voice  of  joy  and  praise, 
 with  a  multitude  that  kept  holy-day."  Psal.  c.  4. 
 "  Enter  into  his  gates  with  thanksgiving,  and  into 
 his  courts  with  praise."  When  God's  people  are 
 going  to  his  house,  the  occasion  is  so  joyful  to  a 
 
454 
 
 Christian  in  a  lively  frame,  that  the  duty  of  singing 
 praises  seems  to  be  peculiarly  beautiful  on  such  an 
 occasion.  So  that,  if  the  state  of  the  country  were 
 ripe  for  it,  and  there  should  be  frequent  occasions 
 for  a  considerable  part  of  a  congregation  to  go  to- 
 gether to  the  places  of  public  worship,  and  there 
 was,  in  other  respects,  a  proportionable  appearance 
 of  fervency  of  devotion,  it  appears  to  me  that  it 
 would  be  ravishingly  beautiful,  if  such  things  were 
 practised  all  over  the  land,  and  would  have  a  great 
 tendency  to  enliven,  animate,  and  rejoice  the  souls 
 of  God's  saints,  and  greatly  to  propagate  vital  re- 
 ligion. I  believe  the  time  is  coming  when  the  world 
 will  be  full  of  such  things. 
 
 3.  It  seems  to  me  to  be  requisite  that  there  should 
 be  the  consent  of  the  governing  part  of  the  worship- 
 ping societies,  to  which  persons  have  joined  them- 
 selves, and  of  which  they  own  themselves  a  part,  in 
 order  to  the  introducing  of  things  in  public  worship, 
 so  new  and  uncommon,  and  not  essential,  nor  par- 
 ticularly commanded,  into  the  places  where  those 
 worshipping  societies  belong.  The  peace  and  union 
 of  such  societies  seems  to  require  it.  They  have 
 voluntarily  united  themselves  to  these  worshipping 
 societies,  to  the  end  that  they  might  be  one  in  the 
 affairs  of  God's  public  worship,  and  have  obliged 
 themselves  in  covenant  to  act  as  brethren,  mutual 
 assistants,  and  members  of  one  body  in  those  affairs. 
 All  are  hereby  naturally  and  necessarily  led  to  be 
 concerned  with  one  another,  in  matters  of  religion 
 and  God's  worship  ;  and  this  is  a  part  of  the  public 
 worship,  that  must  be  performed,  from  time  to  time, 
 in  the  view  of  the  whole,  being  performed  at  a  time 
 
455 
 
 when  they  are  meeting  together  for  mutual  assist- 
 ance in  worship,  and  therefore  that  which  all  must 
 unavoidably  be  in  some  measure  concerned  in,  at 
 least  so  as  to  show  their  approbation  and  consent,  or 
 open  disHke  and  separation  from  them  in  it.  Hence 
 charity,  and  a  regard  to  the  union  and  peace  of  such 
 societies,  seems  to  require  a  consent  of  the  governing 
 part,  in  order  to  the  introducing  any  thing  of  this 
 nature.  Certainly,  if  we  are  of  the  spirit  of  the 
 apostle  Paul,  and  have  his  discretion,  we  shall  not 
 set  up  any  such  practice  without  it.  He,  for  the 
 sake  of  peace,  conformed  in  things  wherein  he  was 
 not  particularly  forbidden,  to  the  Jews,  when  among 
 them ;  and  so,  when  among  those  that  were  without 
 the  law,  he  conformed  to  them  wherein  he  might.— 
 To  be  sure,  those  go  much  beyond  proper  limits,  who, 
 coming  from  abroad,  do  immediately,  of  their  own 
 heads,  in  a  strange  place,  set  up  such  a  new  and 
 uncommon  practice  among  a  people. 
 
 In  introducing  any  thing  of  this  nature  among  a 
 people,  their  minister  especially  ought  to  be  con- 
 sulted, and  his  voice  taken,  as  long  as  he  is  owned 
 for  their  minister.  Ministers  are  pastors  of  worship- 
 ping societies,  and  their  heads  and  guides  in  the 
 affairs  of  public  worship.  They  are  called  in  Scrip- 
 ture, **  those  that  rule  over  them;"  and  their  people 
 are  commanded  "  to  obey  them,  because  they  watch 
 for  their  souls,  as  those  that  must  give  account." 
 If  it  belongs  to  these  shepherds  and  rulers  to  direct 
 and  guide  the  flock  in  any  thing  at  all,  it,  belongs  to 
 them  so  to  do  in  the  circumstantials  of  their  pubhc 
 worship. — Thus  I  have  taken  particular  notice  of 
 maisy  of  those  things  that  have  appeared  to  me  to 
 
456 
 
 be  amiss  in  the  management  of  our  religious  con- 
 cerns relating  to  the  present  revival  of  religion,  and 
 have  taken  liberty  freely  to  express  my  thoughts 
 upon  them.  Upon  the  whole  it  appears  manifest  to 
 me,  that  things  have  as  yet  never  been  set  a-going 
 in  their  right  channel;  if  they  had,  and  means  had 
 been  blessed  in  proportion  as  they  have  been  now, 
 this  work  would  have  so  prevailed,  as  before  this 
 time  to  have  carried  all  before  it,  and  have  triumphed 
 over  New  England  as  its  conquest. 
 
 The  devil,  in  driving  things  to  these  extremes, 
 besides  the  present  hinderance  of  the  work  of  God, 
 has,  I  believe,  had  in  view  a  twofold  mischief,  in  the 
 issue  of  things;  one,   with  respect  to  those  that  are 
 more  cold  in  religion,  to  carry  things  to  such  an  ex- 
 treme, in  order  that  people  in  general,  having  their 
 eyes  opened  by  the  great  excess,  might  be  tempted 
 entirely  to  reject  the  whole  work,  as  being  all  no- 
 thing but  delusion  and  distraction.      And  another, 
 with  respect  to  those  of  God's  children  who  have 
 been  very  warm  and  zealous  out  of  the  way,  to  sink 
 them  down  in  unbelief  and  darkness.      The  time  is 
 coming,  I  doubt  not,  when  the  greater  part  of  them 
 will  be  convinced  of  their  errors;  and  then  probably 
 the  devil  will  take  advantage  to  lead  them   into  a 
 dreadful  wilderness,  to   puzzle  and  confound  them 
 about  their  own  experiences,  and  the  experiences  of 
 others;  and  to  make  them  to  doubt  of  many  things 
 that  they  ought  not,  and  even  to  tempt  them  with 
 atheistical  thoughts.    I  believe,  if  all  true  Christians 
 over  the  land  should  now  at  once  have  their  eyes 
 opened  fully  to  see  all  their  errors,  it  would  seem 
 for  the  present  to  damp  religion.    The  dark  thoughts 
 
457 
 
 that  it  would  at  first  occasion,  and  the  inward  doubts, 
 difficulties,  and  conflicts  that  would  rise  in  their  souls, 
 would  deaden  their  -lively  affections  and  joys,  and 
 would  cause  an  appearance  of  a  present  decay  of  re- 
 ligion. But  yet,  it  would  do  God's  saints  great 
 good  in  their  latter  end;  it  would  fit  them  for  more 
 spiritual  and  excellent  experiences,  more  humble  and 
 heavenly  love,  and  unmixed  joys,  and  would  greatly 
 tend  to  a  more  powerful,  extensive,  and  durable  pre- 
 valence of  vital  piety.  I  do  not  know  but  we  shall 
 be  in  danger,  after  our  eyes  are  fully  opened  to  see 
 our  errors,  to  go  to  contrary  extremes.  The  devil 
 has  driven  the  pendulum  far  beyond  its  proper  point 
 of  rest ;  and  when  he  has  carried  it  to  the  utmost 
 length  that  he  can,  and  it  begins  by  its  own  weight 
 to  swing  back,  he  probably  will  set  in,  and  drive  it 
 with  the  utmost  fury  the  other  way;  and  so  give  us 
 no  rest;  and  if  possible  prevent  our  settling  in  a 
 proper  medium.  What  a  poor,  blind,  weak,  and 
 miserable  creature  is  man,  at  his  best  estate  !  We 
 are  like  poor  helpless  sheep;  the  devil  is  too  subtle 
 for  us.  What  is  our  strength  !  What  is  our  wis- 
 dom !  How  ready  are  we  to  go  astray  !  How  easily 
 are  we  drawn  aside  into  innumerable  snares,  while, 
 in  the  mean  time,  we  are  bold  and  confident,  and 
 doubt  not  but  we  are  right  and  safe  !  We  are  foolish 
 sheep  in  the  midst  of  subtle  serpents  and  cruel  wolves, 
 and  do  not  know  it.  O  how  unfit  are  we  to  be  left 
 to  ourselves  !  And  how  much  do  we  stand  in  need 
 of  the  wisdom,  the  power,  the  condescension,  patience, 
 forgiveness,  and  gentleness  of  our  good  Shepherd  ! 
 
 48 
 
458 
 
 PART  V. 
 
 SHOWING   positively;    WHAT    OUGHT    TO    BE    DONE 
 TO  PROMOTE  THIS  WORK. 
 
 In  considering  means  and  methods  for  promoting 
 this  glorious  work  of  God,  I  have  already  observed, 
 in  some  instances,  wherein  there  has  been  needless 
 objecting  and  complaining;  and  have  also  taken  notice 
 of  many  things  amiss,  that  ought  to  be  amended.  I 
 now  proceed  to  show  positively  what  ought  to  be 
 done,  or  what  courses  (according  to  my  humble  opi- 
 nion) ought  to  be  taken  to  promote  this  work.  The 
 obligations  that  all  are  under,  with  one  consent,  to 
 do  their  utmost,  and  the  great  danger  of  neglecting 
 it,  were  observed  before. — I  hope  that  some,  upon 
 reading  what  was  said  under  that  head,  will  be  ready 
 to  say,  What  shall  we  do?  To  such  readers  I 
 would  now  offer  my  thoughts,  in  answer  to  such  an 
 inquiry. 
 
 SECTION  I. 
 
 JVe  should  eiideavoiir  to  remove  stumhUng-hlocks. 
 
 That  which  I  think  we  ought  to  set  ourselves 
 about,  in  the  first  place,  is  to  remove  stumbling- 
 blocks.  When  God  is  revealed  as  about  to  come 
 gloriously  to  set  up  his  kingdom  in  the  world,  this 
 is  proclaimed,  '^  Prepare  ye  the  way  of  the  Lord, 
 
459  , 
 
 make  straight  in  the  desert  a  highway  for  our  God," 
 Isa.  xl.  3.  And  again,  Isa.  Ivii.  14.  "  Cast  ye  up, 
 cast  ye  up,  prepare  the  way,  take  up  the  stumbling- 
 block  out  of  the  way  of  my  people."  And,  chap. 
 Ixii.  10.  "  Go  through,  go  through  the  gates;  pre- 
 pare ye  the  way  of  the  people;  cast  up,  cast  up  the 
 highway ;  gather  out  the  stones." 
 
 And,  in  order  to  this,  there  must  be  a  great  deal 
 done  at  confessing  of  faults,  on  both  sides.  For, 
 undoubtedly,  many  and  great  are  the  faults  that  have 
 been  committed,  in  the  jangling  and  confusions,  and 
 mixtures  of  Vicrht  and  darkness,  that  have  been  of 
 late.  There  is  hardly  any  duty  more  contrary  to 
 our  corrupt  dispositions,  and  mortifying  to  the  pride 
 of  man;  but  it  must  be  done.  Repentance  of  faults 
 is,  in  a  peculiar  manner,  a  proper  duty,  when  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand,  or  when  we  especially 
 expect  or  desire  that  it  should  come;  as  appears  by 
 John  the  Baptist's  preaching.  And  if  God" does 
 now  loudly  call  upon  us  to  repent,  then  he  also  calls 
 upon  us  to  make  proper  manifestations  of  our  re- 
 pentance. I  am  persuaded  that  those  who  have 
 openly  opposed  this  work,  or  have,  from  time  to 
 time,  spoken  lightly  of  it,  cannot  be  excused  in  the 
 sight  of  God,  without  openly  confessing  their  fault 
 therein  ;  especially  ministers.  If  they  have  any  way, 
 either  directly  or  indirectly,  opposed  the  work,  or 
 have  so  behaved,  in  their  public  performances  or 
 private  conversation,  as  to  prejudice  the  minds  of 
 their  people  against  the  work;  if  hereafter  they  shall 
 be  convinced  of  the  goodness  and  divinity  of  what 
 they  have  opposed,  they  ought  by  no  means  to  pal- 
 liate the  matter,  or  excuse  themselves,  and  pretend 
 u  2 
 
460 
 
 that  they  always  thought  so,  and  that  it  was  only 
 such  and  such  imprudences  that  they  objected  against. 
 But  they  ought  openly  to  declare  their  conviction, 
 and  condemn  themselves  for  what  they  have  done; 
 tor  it  is  Christ  that  they  have  spoken  against,  in 
 speaking  lightly  of,  and  prejudicing  others  against, 
 this  work;  yea,  it  is  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  though 
 they  have  done  it  ignorantly  and  in  unbelief,  yet, 
 when  they  find  out  who  it  is  that  they  have  opposed, 
 undoubtedly  God  will  hold  them  bound  publicly  to 
 confess  it. 
 
 And,  on  the  other  side,  if  those  who  have  been 
 zealous  to  promote  the  work,  have,  in  any  of  the  fore- 
 mentioned  instances,  openly  gone  much  out  of  the 
 way,  and  done  that  which  is  contrary  to  Christian 
 rules,  whereby  they  have  openly  injured  others,  or 
 greatly  violated  good  order,  and  so  done  that  which 
 has  wounded  religion,  they  must  publicly  confess  it, 
 and  humble  themselves ;  as  they  would  gather  out 
 the  stones,  and  prepare  the  way  of  God's  people. 
 They  who  have  laid  great  stumbling-blocks  in  others' 
 way,  by  their  open  transgression,  are  bound  to  re- 
 move them  by  their  open  repentance. 
 
 Some  probably  will  be  ready  to  object  against  this, 
 that  the  opposers  will  take  advantage  by  this  to  be- 
 have themselves  insolently,  and  to  insult  both  them 
 and  religion.  And  indeed,  to  the  shame  of  some, 
 they  have  taken  advantage  by  such  things;  as  of  the 
 good  spirit  that  Mr.  Whitfield  showed  in  his  retrac- 
 tations, and  some  others.  But  if  there  are  some 
 imbittered  enemies  of  religion,  that  stand  ready  to 
 improve  every  thing  to  its  disadvantage,  yet  that 
 ought  not  to   hinder  doing  an   enjoined   Christian 
 
461 
 
 duty;  though  it  be  in  the  manifestation  of  humility 
 and  repentance,  after  a  fault  openly  committed.  To 
 stand  it  out,  in  a  visible  impenitence  of  a  real  fault, 
 to  avoid  such  an  inconvenience,  is  to  do  evil  in  order 
 to  prevent  evil.  Besides,  the  danger  of  evil  conse- 
 quence is  much  greater  on  the  other  side;  to  commit 
 sin,  and  then  stand  in  it,  is  what  will  give  the  enemy 
 the  greatest  advantage.  For  Christians  to  act  like 
 Christians,  in  openly  humbling  themselves  when  they 
 have  openly  oflPended,  in  the  end  brings  the  greatest 
 honour  to  Christ  and  religion ;  and  in  this  way  are 
 persons  most  likely  to  have  God  appear  for  them. 
 
 Again,  at  such  a  day  as  this,  God  especially  calls 
 his  people  to  the  exercise  of  extraordinary  meekness 
 and  mutual  forbearance.  Christ  appears,  as  it  were, 
 coming  in  his  kingdom,  which  calls  for  great  mode- 
 ration in  our  behaviour  towards  all  men:  "  Let  your 
 moderation  be  known  unto  all  men.  The  Lord  is 
 at  hand.'*  The  awe  of  the  divine  Majesty,  that 
 appears  present  or  approaching,  should  dispose  us  to 
 it,  and  deter  us  from  the  contrary.  For  us  to  be 
 judging  one  another,  and  behaving  with  fierceness 
 and  bitterness  one  towards  another,  when  he  who  is 
 the  searcher  of  all  hearts,  to  whom  we  must  all  give 
 an  account,  appears  so  remarkably  present,  is  exceed- 
 ing unsuitable.  Our  business  at  such  a  time  should 
 be  at  home,  searching  and  condemning  ourselves, 
 and  taking  heed  to  our  ovvn  behaviour.  If  there  be 
 glorious  prosperity  to  the  church  of  God  approach- 
 ing, those  that  are  the  most  meek  will  have  the 
 largest  share  in  it.  For,  when  Christ  "  rides  forth 
 in  his  glory  and  his  majesty,  it  is  because  of  truth, 
 meekness,  and  righteousness  ;'*  and,  when  God  re- 
 
46^ 
 
 markably  arises  to  execute  judgment,  it  is  "to  save 
 all  the  meek  of  the  earth  ;"  and  it  is  the  meek  that 
 "  shall  increase  their  joy  in  the  Lord,"  Isa.  xxix.  19. 
 And,  when  the  time  comes  that  God  will  give  this 
 lower  world  into  the  hands  of  his  saints,  it  is  "  the 
 meek  that  shall  inherit  the  earth  :"  "  but  with  the 
 froward,  God  will  show  himself  unsavoury." 
 
 Those  therefore  that  have  been  zealous  for  this 
 work,  and  have  greatly  erred  and  been  injurious  with 
 their  zeal,  ought  not  to  be  treated  with  bitterness. 
 There  is  abundant  reason  to  think,  that  most  of 
 them  are  the  dear  children  of  God,  for  whom  Christ 
 died;  and  therefore,  that  they  will  see  their  error. 
 As  to  those  things,  wherein  we  see  them  to  be  in  an 
 error,  we  have  reason  to  say  of  them  as  the  apostle, 
 "  If  any  are  otherwise  minded,  God  shall  reveal  this 
 unto  them."  Their  errors  should  not  be  made  use 
 of  to  excite  indignation  towards  them,  but  should 
 influence  all  who  hope  we  are  the  children  of  God, 
 to  humble  ourselves,  and  become  more  entirely  de- 
 pendent on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  when  we  see 
 those  who  are  God's  own  people  so  ready  to  go 
 astray.  And  those  ministers  who  have  been  judged, 
 and  injuriously  dealt  with,  will  do  the  part  of  Christ's 
 disciples,  not  to  judge  and  revile  again,  but  to  receive 
 such  injuries  with  meekness  and  forbearance,  and 
 making  a  good  improvement  of  them,  more  strictly 
 examining  their  hearts  and  ways,  and  committing 
 themselves  to  God.  This  will  be  the  way  to  have 
 God  vindicate  them  in  his  providence,  if  they  belong 
 to  him.  We  have  not  yet  seen  the  end  of  things; 
 nor  do  we  know  who  will  be  most  vindicated,  and 
 honoured  of  God,  in  the   issue. — ''  Better  is  the 
 
463 
 
 eiid  of  a  thing,  than  the  beginning  thereof;  and  the 
 patient  in  spirit  is  better  than  the  proud  in  spirit." 
 Contrary  to  this  mutual  meekness,  is  each  party's 
 stigmatizing  one  another  with  odious  names,  as  is 
 done  in  many  parts  of  New  England;  which  tends 
 greatly  to  widen  and  perpetuate  the  breach.  Such 
 distinguishing  names  of  reproach  do  as  it  were 
 divide  us  into  two  armies,  separated  and  drawn  up 
 in  battle-array  ;  which  greatly  hinders  the  work  of 
 God. 
 
 And  as  such  an  extraordinary  time  as  this  does 
 especially  require  of  us  the  exercise  of  great  forbear- 
 ance one  towards  another ;  so  there  is  peculiarly  re- 
 quisite in  God's  people  the  exercise  of  great  patience, 
 in  waiting  on  God,  under  any  special  difficulties  and 
 disadvantages  they  may  be  under  as  to  the  means  of 
 grace.  The  beginning  of  a  revival  of  religion  will 
 naturally  and  necessarily  be  attended  with  a  great 
 many  difficulties  of  this  nature;  many  parts  of  the 
 reviving  church  will,  for  a  while,  be  under  great  dis- 
 advantages, by  reason  of  what  remains  of  the  old 
 disease,  of  a  general  corruption  of  the  visible  church. 
 We  cannot  expect  that,  after  a  long  time  of  degen- 
 eracy and  depravity  in  the  state  of  things  in  the 
 church,  all  should  come  to  rights  at  once ;  it  must 
 be  a  work  of  time.  And  for  God's  people  to  be 
 over-hasty  and  violent  in  such  a  case,  being  resolved 
 to  have  every  thing  rectified  at  once,  or  else  forcibly 
 to  deliver  themselves  by  breaches  and  separatiq/is, 
 is  the  way  to  hinder  things  coming  to  rights  as  they 
 otherwise  would.  It  is  the  way  to  keep  them  back, 
 and  to  break  all  in  pieces.  Indeed,  the  difficulty  may 
 be  so  intolerable  as  to  allow  of  no  delay,  and  God's 
 
464 
 
 people  cannot  continue  in  the  state  wherein  they 
 were,  without  violations  of  God's  absolute  commands : 
 but  otherwise,  though  the  difficulty  may  be  very 
 great,  another  course  should  be  taken.  God's 
 people  should  have  recourse  directly  to  the  Throne 
 of  Grace,  to  represent  their  difficulties  before  the 
 great  Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  who  has  the  care  of 
 all  the  affairs  of  his  church  ;  and,  when  they  have 
 done,  they  should  wait  patiently  upon  Him.  If  they 
 do  so,  they  may  expect  that  in  his  time  he  will  ap- 
 pear for  their  deliverance :  but  if,  instead  of  that, 
 they  are  impatient,  and  take  the  work  into  their 
 own  hands,  they  will  betray  their  want  of  faith,  will 
 dishonour  God,  and  have  reason  to  fear  that  he 
 will  leave  them  to  manage  their  affairs  for  themselves 
 as  well  as  they  can.  If  they  had  waited  on  Christ 
 patiently,  continuing  still  instant  in  prayer,  they 
 might  have  had  him  appearing  for  them,  much  more 
 effectually  to  deliver  them.  "  He  that  believeth 
 shall  not  make  haste."  And  it  is  for  those  that  are 
 found  patiently  waiting  on  the  Lord,  under  difficul- 
 ties, that  he  will  especially  appear,  when  he  comes  to 
 do  great  things  for  his  church ;  as  is  evident  by  Isa. 
 XXX.  18.  chap.  xl.  at  the  latter  end,  and  xlix.  23. 
 and  Psal.  xxxvii.  9.  and  many  other  places. 
 
 I  have  somewhere,  not  long  since,  met  with  an 
 exposition  of  those  words  of  the  spouse,  several  times 
 repeated  in  the  book  of  Canticles,  "  I  charge  you, 
 O  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  that  ye  stir  not  up  nor 
 awake  my  love,  till  he  please."  It  was  the  only 
 satisfying  exposition  that  ever  I  met  with,  and  was 
 to  this  purpose;  namely,  that  when  the  church  of 
 God  is  under  great  difficulties,  and  in  distress,  and 
 
465 
 
 Christ  does  not  appear  for  her  help,  but  seems  to 
 neglect  her,  as  though  he  were  asleep,  God's  people, 
 or  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem,  hi  such  a  case,  should 
 not  show  a  hasty  spirit,  and,  not  having  patience 
 to  wait  for  Christ  to  awake  for  their  help  till  his 
 time  comes,  take  indirect  courses  for  their  own  de- 
 liverance, and  use  violent  means  for  their  escape, 
 before  Christ  appears  to  open  the  door  for  them ; 
 and  so,  as  it  were,  stir  up,  and  awake  Christ,  before 
 his  time.  When  the  church  is  in  distress,  and 
 God  seems  not  to  appear  for  her  in  his  providence, 
 he  is  very  often  represented  in  Scripture  as  being 
 asleep ;  as  Christ  was  asleep  in  the  ship,  when  the 
 disciples  were  tossed  by  the  storm,  and  the  ship 
 covered  with  waves.  And  God's  appearing  for  his 
 people's  help  is  represented  as  his  awaking  out  of 
 sleep,  Psal.  vii.  6.  xxxv.  S3,  xliv.  23.  lix.  4.  Ixxiii.  20. 
 Christ  has  an  appointed  time  for  his  thus  awaking 
 out  of  sleep;  and  his  people  ought  to  wait  upon 
 him,  and  not,  in  an  impatient  fit,  stir  him  up  before 
 his  time.  It  is  worthy  to  be  observed,  how  strict 
 this  charge  is,  given  to  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  ; 
 it  is  repeated  three  times  over  in  the  book  of  Can- 
 ticles, chap.  ii.  7.  iii.  5.  viii.  4.  In  the  second 
 chapter  and  six  first  verses,  are  represented  the  sup- 
 ports Christ  gives  his  church,  while  she  is  in  a  suf- 
 fering state,  "  as  the  lily  among  thorns."  In  the 
 7th  verse,  is  represented  her  patience  in  waiting 
 for  Christ,  to  appear  for  her  deliverance,  when  she 
 charges  the  daughters  of  Jerusalem  not  to  stir  up, 
 nor  awake  her  love  till  he  please,  "  by  the  roes,  and 
 the  hinds  of  the  field  ;"  which  are  creatures  of  a 
 gentle,  harmless  nature.  They  are  not  beasts  of 
 u  3 
 
466  ' 
 
 prey,  do  not  devour  one  another,  do  not  fight  with 
 their  enemies,  but  flee  from  them ;  and  are  of  a 
 pleasant,  loving  nature,  Prov.  v.  19.  In  the  next 
 verse,  vi^e  see  the  church's  success,  in  this  way  of 
 waiting  under  sufferings,  with  meekness  and  patience ; 
 Christ  soon  awakes,  speedily  appears,  and  swiftly 
 comes :  "  The  voice  of  my  beloved  !  Behold,  he 
 cometh,  leaping  upon  the  mountains,  skipping  upon 
 the  hills  !" 
 
 SECTION  II. 
 
 What  must  be  done  more  directly  to  advance  this 
 Work, 
 
 What  has  been  mentioned  hitherto,  has  relation 
 to  the  behaviour  we  are  obliged  to,  as  we  would 
 prevent  the  hindrances  of  the  work ;  but,  besides 
 these,  there  are  things  that  must  be  done,  more 
 directly  to  advance  it.  And  here  it  concerns  every 
 one,  in  the  first  place,  to  look  into  his  own  heart, 
 and  see  to  it  that  he  be  a  partaker  of  the  benefits 
 of  the  work  himself,  and  that  it  be  promoted  in  his 
 own  soul.  Now  is  a  most  glorious  opportunity  for 
 the  good  of  souls.  It  is  manifestly  with  respect  to 
 a  time  of  great  revival  of  religion  in  the  world,  that 
 we  have  that  gracious,  earnest,  and  moving  invita- 
 tion proclaimed  in  the  55th  of  Isaiah,  "  Ho,  every  one 
 that  thirsteth,"  &c.  as  is  evident  by  the  foregoing 
 chapter,  and  what  follows  in  the  close  of  this.  In 
 the  6th  verse,  it  is  said,  *'  Seek  ye  the  Lord  while 
 
467 
 
 he  may  be  found,  call  upon  him  while  he  is  near." 
 And  it  is  with  special  reference  to  such  a  time,  that 
 Christ  prochiims  as  he  does,  Rev.  xxi.  6.  "  1  will  give 
 unto  him  that  is  athirst,  of  the  fountain  of  the  water 
 of  life  freely."  And  chapter  xxii.  17.  "  And  the 
 Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come  ;  and  let  him  that 
 heareth  say.  Come  ;  and  let  him  that  is  athirst  come: 
 and  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of  life 
 freely."  And  it  seems  to  be  with  reference  to  such 
 a  time,  which  is  typified  by  the  feast  of  tabernacles, 
 that  Jesus,  at  that  feast,  stood  and  cried,  as  we  have 
 an  account,  John  vii.  37,  38.  "  In  the  last  day, 
 that  great  day  of  the  feast,  Jesus  stood  and  cried, 
 saying.  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and 
 drink.  He  that  bclieveth  on  me,  out  of  his  belly 
 shall  flow  rivers  of  living  water."  And  it  is  with 
 special  reference  to  God's  freeness  and  readiness  to 
 bestow  grace  at  such  a  time,  that  it  is  said  in  Isa. 
 Ix.  11.  of  tlie  spiritual  Jerusalem,  "Thy  gates  shall 
 be  open  continually,  they  shall  not  be  shut  day  nor 
 night." 
 
 And  though  I  judge  not  those  vvho  have  opposed 
 this  work,  and  would  not  have  others  judge  them, 
 yet,  if  any  such  shall  happen  to  read  this  treatise,  I 
 would  take  the  liberty  to  entreat  them  to  leave  off 
 troubling  themselves  so  much  about  others,  and  to 
 look  into  their  own  souls,  and  see  to  it  that  they  are 
 the  subjects  of  a  true,  saving  work  of  the  Spirit  of 
 God.  If  they  have  reason  to  think  they  never  have 
 been,  or  if  it  be  but  a  very  doubtful  hope  that  they 
 have,  then  how  can  they  have  any  heart  to  be 
 fiercely  engaged  about  the  mistakes  and  the  sup- 
 posed  false  hopes  of  others?      And  I   would  now 
 
468 
 
 beseech  those  who  have  hitherto  been  somewhat  in- 
 clining to  Arminian  principles,  seriously  to  weigh 
 the  matter  with  respect  to  this  work,  and  consider, 
 whether,  if  the  Scriptures  are  the  word  of  God,  the 
 work  that  has  been  described  in  the  first  part  of  this 
 treatise  must  not  be,  as  to  the  substance  of  it,  the 
 work  of  God,  and  the  flourishing  of  that  religion 
 which  is  taught  by  Christ  and  his  apostles.  Can 
 any  good  medium  be  found,  where  a  man  can  rest 
 with  any  stability,  between  owning  this  work,  and 
 being  a  deist?  If  indeed  this  be  the  work  of  God, 
 does  it  not  entirely  overthrow  their  scheme  of  reli- 
 gion ;  and  does  it  not  infinitely  concern  them,  as 
 they  would  be  partakers  of  eternal  salvation,  to  re- 
 linquish their  scheme?  Now  is  a  good  time  for 
 Arminians  to  change  their  principles.  I  would  now, 
 as  one  of  thfe  friends  of  this  work,  humbly  invite 
 them  to  come  and  join  with  us,  and  be  on  our  side; 
 and,  if  I  had  the  authority  of  Moses,  I  would  say 
 to  them  as  he  did  to  Hobab,  Numb.  x.  29.  "  We 
 are  journeying  unto  the  place  of  which  the  Lord 
 said,  I  will  give  it  you :  come  thou  with  us,  and  we 
 will  do  thee  good;  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  good 
 concerning  Israel." 
 
 As  the  benefit  and  advantage  of  the  good  im- 
 provement  of  such  a  season  is  very  great,  so  the 
 danger  of  neglecting  and  misimproving  it  is  propor- 
 tionably  great.  It  is  abundantly  evident  by  the 
 Scripture,  that  as  a  time  of  great  outpouring  of  the 
 Spirit  is  a  time  of  great  favour  to  those  who  are  par- 
 takers of  the  blessing,  so  it  is  always  a  time  of  re- 
 markable vengeance  to  others.  So  in  Isa.  Ixi.  2. 
 what  is  called  "  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,"  is 
 
469 
 
 called  also  "  the  day  of  vengeance  of  our  God." 
 So  it  was  amongst  the  Jews,  in  the  apostles'  days. 
 The  Apostle,  in  2  Cor.  vi.  2.  says  of  that  time,  that 
 it  was  "  the  accepted  time,  and  day  of  salvation;" 
 and  Christ  says  of  the  same  time,  Luke  xxi.  22. 
 "  These  are  the  days  of  vengeance."  While  the 
 blessings  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven  were  given  to 
 some,  there  was  an  "  axe  laid  at  the  root  of  the 
 trees,  that  those  that  did  not  bear  fruit,  might  be 
 hewn  down,  and  cast  into  the  fire,"  Matt.  iii.  9 — 11. 
 Then  was  glorified  both  the  goodness  and  severity 
 of  God,  in  a  remarkable  manner,  Rom.  xi.  22. 
 The  harvest  and  the  vintage  go  together.  At  the 
 same  time  that  the  earth  is  reaped,  and  God's  elect 
 are  gathered  into  his  garner,  "  the  angel  that  has 
 power  over  fire,  thrusts  in  his  sickle,  and  gathers  the 
 cluster  of  the  vine  of  the  earth,  and  casts  it  into  the 
 great  wine-press  of  the  wrath  of  God,"  Rev.  xiv. 
 So  it  is  foretold,  in  reference  to  the  beginning  of 
 the  glorious  times  of  the  Christian  church,  that  as 
 "  the  hand  of  the  Lord  is  known  towards  hi^  ser- 
 vants, so  shall  his  indignation  be  towards  his  ene- 
 mies," Isa.  Ixvi.  14.  So  when  that  glorious  morn- 
 ing shall  appear,  wherein  "  the  Sun  of  Righteousness 
 shall  arise  to  the  elect  with  healing  in  his  wings,  the 
 day  shall  burn  as  an  oven  to  the  wicked,"  Mai.  iv. 
 1 — 3.  There  is  no  time  like  it  for  the  increase  of 
 guilt,  and  treasuring  up  wrath,  and  desperate  har- 
 dening of  the  heart,  if  men  stand  it  out ;  which  is 
 the  most  awful  judgment,  and  fruit  of  divine  wrath, 
 that  can  be  inflicted  on  any  mortal.  So  that  a  time 
 of  great  grace,  and  the  fruits  of  divine  mercy,  is 
 evermore  also  a  time  of  divine  vengeance,  on  those 
 that  neglect  and  misimprove  such  a  season. 
 
470 
 
 The  state  of  the  present  revival  of  religion  has 
 an  awful  aspect  upon  those  that  are  advanced  in 
 years.  The  work  has  been  chiefly  amongst  the 
 young;  and  comparatively  but  few  others  have  been 
 made  partakers  of  it.  And  indeed  it  has  commonly 
 been  so,  when  God  has  begun  any  great  work  for 
 the  revival  of  his  church,  he  has  taken  the  young 
 people,  and  has  cast  off  the  old  and  stifF-necked 
 generation.  There  was  a  remarkable  outpouring 
 of  the  Spirit  of  God  on  the  children  of  Israel  in  the 
 wilderness,  but  chiefly  on  the  younger  generation, 
 "  their  little  ones,  that  they  said  should  be  a  prey," 
 the  generation  that  entered  into  Canaan  with  Joshua. 
 That  generation  seems  to  have  been  the  most  excel- 
 lent that  ever  was  in  the  church  of  Israel.  There 
 is  no  generation,  of  which  there  is  so  much  good, 
 and  so  little  evil  spoken  in  Scripture,  as  might  be 
 shown.  In  that  generation,  such  as  were  under 
 twenty  years  when  they  went  out  of  Egypt,  was 
 that  "  kindness  of  youth,  and  love  of  espousals," 
 spoken  of,  Jer.  ii.  2,  3.  But  the  old  generation 
 were  passed  by ;  they  remained  obstinate  and  stiff- 
 necked,  were  always  murmuring,  and  would  not  be 
 convinced  by  all  God's  wondrous  works  that  they 
 beheld.  God,  by  his  awful  judgments  executed  in 
 the  wilderness,  and  the  affliction  which  the  people 
 suffered  there,  convinced  and  humbled  the  younger 
 generation,  and  fitted  them  for  great  mercy ;  as  is 
 evident  by  Deut.  ii.  16.  but  he  destroyed  tlie  old 
 generation  ;  "  he  swore  in  his  wrath  that  they  should 
 not  enter  into  his  rest,  and  their  carcasses  fell  in  the 
 wilderness."  When  it  was  a  time  of  great  mercy, 
 and  of  God's  Spirit  on  their  children,  it  was  remark- 
 
471 
 
 ably  a  day  of  vengeance  unto  them ;  as  appears  by 
 the  90th  Psalm.  Let  the  ohl  generation  in  this 
 land  take  warning  from  hence,  and  take  heed  that 
 they  do  not  refuse  to  be  convinced  by  all  God's 
 wonders  that  he  works  before  their  eyes,  and  that 
 they  do  not  continue  for  ever  objecting,  murmuring, 
 and  cavilling  against  the  work  of  God,  lest,  while  he 
 is  bringing  their  children  into  a  land  flowing  with 
 milk  and  honey,  he  should  swear  in  his  wrath  con- 
 cerning them,  that  their  carcasses  shall  fall  in  the 
 wilderness. 
 
 So  when  God  had  a  design  of  great  mercy  to 
 the  Jews,  in  bringing  them  out  of  the  Babylonish 
 captivity,  and  returning  them  to  their  own  land, 
 there  was  a  blessed  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  upon 
 them  in  Babylon,  to  bring  them  to  deep  conviction 
 and  repentance,  and  to  cry  earnestly  to  God  for 
 mercy;  which  is  often  spoken  of  by  the  prophets. 
 But  it  was  not  upon  the  old  generation  that  were 
 carried  captive.  The  captivity  continued  just  long 
 enough  for  that  perverse  generation  to  waste  away 
 and  die  in  their  captivity,  at  least  those  of  them  that 
 were  adult  persons  when  carried  captive.  The  heads 
 of  families  were  exceeding  obstinate,  and  would  not 
 hearken  to  the  earnest  repeated  warnings  of  the  pro- 
 phet Jeremiah;  but  he  had  greater  success  among 
 the  young  people;  as  appears  by  Jer.  vi.  10,  11. 
 "  To  whom  shall  I  speak,  and  give  warning,  that 
 they  may  hear?  Behold,  their  ear  is  uncircumcised, 
 and  they  cannot  hearken;  behold,  the  word  of  the 
 Lord  is  unto  them  a  reproach ;  they  have  no  delight 
 in  it.  Therefore  I  am  full  of  the  fury  of  the  Lord; 
 I  am  weary  with  holding  in :  I  will  pour  it  out  upon 
 
472 
 
 the  children  abroad,  and  upon  the  assembly  of  young 
 men  together;  for  even  the  husband  with  the  vvife" 
 (that  is,  the  heads  of  families,  and  parents  of  these 
 children)  "  shall  be  taken,  the  aged  with  him  that 
 is  full  of  days."  Blessed  be  God  !  there  are  some 
 of  the  elder  people  that  have  been  made  partakers 
 of  this  work.  And  those  that  are  most  awakened 
 by  these  warnings  of  God's  word,  and  the  awful 
 frowns  of  his  providence,  will  be  most  likely  to  be 
 made  partakers  hereafter.  It  infinitely  concerns 
 them  to  take  heed  to  themselves,  that  they  may  be 
 partakers  of  it ;  for  how  dreadful  will  it  be  to  go  to 
 hell,  after  having  spent  so  many  years  in  doing  no- 
 thing but  treasuring  up  wrath  1 
 
 But  above  all  others  does  it  concern  us  who  are 
 ministers  to  see  to  it,  that  we  have  experience  of 
 the  saving  operations  of  the  same  Spirit  that  is  now 
 poured  out  on  the  land.  How  sorrowful  and  me- 
 lancholy is  the  case,  when  it  is  otherwise  !  For 
 one  to  stand  at  the  head  of  a  congregation  of  God's 
 people,  as  representing  Christ,  and  speaking  in  his 
 stead;  and  to  act  the  part  of  a  shepherd  and  guide 
 to  a  people  in  such  a  state  of  things,  whei]  many  are 
 under  great  awakenings,  many  are  converted,  and 
 many  of  God's  saints  are  filled  with  divine  light, 
 love,  and  joy;  to  undertake  to  instruct  and  lead 
 them  all  under  these  various  circumstances;  to  be 
 put  to  it  continually  to  play  the  hypocrite,  and  force 
 the  airs  of  a  saint  in  preaching;  and  from  time  to 
 time  in  private  conversation,  and  particular  dealing 
 with  souls,  to  undertake  to  judge  of  their  circum- 
 stances ;  to  try  to  talk  with  persons  of  experience,  as 
 if  he  knew  how  to  converse  with  them,  and  had  ex- 
 
473 
 
 perience  as  well  as  they ;  to  make  others  believe  that 
 he  rejoices  when  others  are  converted ;  and  to  force 
 a  pleased  and  joyful  countenance  and  manner  of 
 speech,  when  there  is  nothing  in  the  heart.  What 
 sorrowful  work  is  here  !  O  how  miserable  must 
 such  a  person  feel !  What  a  wretched  bondage 
 and  slavery  is  this  !  What  pains,  and  how  much 
 art  must  such  a  minister  use  to  conceal  himself! 
 And  how  weak  are  his  hands  !  What  infinite  pro- 
 vocation of  the  most  high  God,  and  displeasure  of 
 his  Lord  and  Master,  he  incurs,  by  continuing  a 
 secret  enemy  to  him  in  his  heart,  in  such  circum- 
 stances !  I  think  there  is  a  great  deal  of  reason 
 from  the  Scripture  to  conclude,  that  no  sort  of  men 
 in  the  world  will  be  so  low  in  hell  as  ungodly 
 ministers.  Every  thing  spoken  of  in  Scripture,  as 
 that  which  aggravates  guilt,  and  heightens  divine 
 wrath,  meets  in  them.  And  vvhat  great  disadvan- 
 tages are  unconverted  ministers  under,  to  oppose 
 any  irregularities,  imprudences,  or  intemperate  zeal, 
 which  they  may  see  in  those  who  are  the  children  of 
 God,  when  they  are  conscious  to  themselves  that 
 they  have  no  zeal  at  all !  If  enthusiasm  and  wild- 
 ness  comes  in  like  a  flood,  what  poor  weak  instru- 
 ments are  such  ministers  to  withstand  it  !  With 
 what  courage  can  they  open  their  mouths,  when 
 they  look  inward,  and  consider  how  it  is  with  them  ! 
 W^e  who  are  ministers,  not  only  have  need  of 
 some  true  experience  of  the  saving  influence  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God  upon  our  heart;  but  we  need  a  double 
 portion  at  such  a  time  as  this.  We  need  to  be  as 
 full  of  light  as  a  glass  that  is  held  out  in  the  sun  ; 
 and,  with  respect  to  love  and  zeal,  we  need  to  be 
 
474 
 
 like  the  angels,  who  are  a  flame  of  fire.  The  state 
 of  the  times  extremely  requires  a  fulness  of  the  di- 
 vine Spirit  in  ministers,  and  we  ought  to  give  our- 
 selves no  rest  till  we  have  obtained  it.  And,  in  or- 
 der to  this,  I  should  think  ministers,  above  all  per- 
 sons, ought  to  be  much  in  prayer  and  fasting,  both 
 in  secret  and  one  with  another.  It  seems  to  me, 
 that  it  would  become  the  circumstances  of  the  pre- 
 sent day,  if  ministers  in  a  neighbourhood  would  often 
 meet  together,  and  spend  days  in  fasting  and  fervent 
 prayer  among  themselves,  earnestly  seeking  extraor- 
 dinary supplies  of  divine  grace  from  heaven.  And 
 how  desirable  that,  on  their  occasional  visits  one  to 
 another,  instead  of  spending  away  their  time  in  sit- 
 ting and  smoking,  in  diverting,  or  worldly  unprofit- 
 able conversation — telling  news,  and  making  their 
 remarks  on  this  and  the  other  trifling  subject — they 
 would  spend  their  time  in  praying  together,  singing 
 praises,  and  religious  conference  !  How  much  do 
 many  of  the  common  people  shame  many  of  us,  who 
 are  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  in  these  respects  ! 
 Surely  we  do  not  behave  ourselves  so  much  like 
 Christian  ministers,  and  the  disciples  and  ambassa- 
 dors of  Christ,  as  we  ought  to  do.  And,  while  we 
 condemn  zealous  persons  for  censuring  ministers  at 
 this  day,  it  ought  not  to  be  without  deep  reflections 
 upon,  and  great  condemnation  of  ourselves ;  for  in- 
 deed we  do  very  much  to  provoke  censoriousness, 
 and  lay  a  great  temptation  before  others  to  the  sin 
 of  judging.  And  if  we  can  prove  that  those  who  are 
 guilty  of  it  transgress  the  scripture-rule,  our  indigna- 
 tion should  be  chiefly  against  ourselves. 
 
 Ministers  at  this  day,  in  a  special  manner,  should 
 
475 
 
 act  as  fellow-helpers  in  their  great  work.  It  should 
 be  seen  that  they  arc  animated  and  engaged,  that 
 they  exert  themselves  witli  one  heart  and  soul,  and 
 with  united  strength,  to  promote  the  present  glorious 
 revival  of  religion ;  and,  to  that  end,  should  often 
 meet  together  and  act  in  concert.  And  if  it  were  a 
 common  thing  in  the  country  for  ministers  to  join  in 
 public  exercises,  and  second  one  another  in  their 
 preaching,  I  believe  it  would  be  of  great  service.  I 
 mean,  that  ministers,  having  consulted  one  another 
 as  to  their  subjects  before  they  go  to  the  house  of 
 God,  should  there,  (two  or  three  of  them,)  in  short 
 discourses,  earnestly  enforce  each  other's  warnings 
 and  counsels.  Such  appearance  of  united  zeal  in 
 ministers  would  have  a  great  tendency  to  awaken  at- 
 tention, and  to  impress  and  animate  the  hearers;  as 
 has  been  found  by  experience  in  some  parts  of  the 
 country.  Ministers  should  carefully  avoid  weaken- 
 ing one  another's  hands ;  and,  therefore,  every  thing 
 should  be  avoided  by  which  their  interest  with  their 
 people  might  be  diminished,  or  their  union  with  them 
 broken.  Therefore,  if  ministers  have  not  forfeited 
 their  acceptance  in  that  character  in  the  visible 
 church,  by  their  doctrine  or  behaviour,  their  breth- 
 ren in  the  ministry  ought  studiously  to  endeavour 
 to  heighten  the  esteem  and  affection  of  their  people 
 towards  them,  that  they  may  have  no  temptation  to 
 repent  their  admitting  other  ministers  to  preach  in 
 their  pulpits. 
 
 Two  things  exceedingly  needful  in  ministers,  as 
 they  would  do  any  great  matters  to  advance  the  king- 
 dom of  Christ,  are  zeal  and  resolution.  Their  in- 
 fluence and  power,  to  bring  to  pass  great  effects,  is 
 
476 
 
 greater  than  can  well  be  imagined.  A  man  of  but 
 an  ordinary  capacity  will  do  more  with  them,  than 
 one  of  ten  times  the  parts  and  learning  without  them  ; 
 more  may  be  done  with  them  in  a  few  days,  or  at 
 least  weeks,  than  can  be  done  without  them  in  many 
 years.  ThoKe  who  are  possessed  of  these  qualities 
 commonly  carry  the  day,  in  almost  all  affairs.  Most 
 of  the  great  things  that  have  been  done  in  the  world, 
 the  great  revolutions  that  have  been  accomplished  in 
 the  kingdoms  and  empires  of  the  earth,  have  been 
 chiefly  owing  to  them.  The  very  appearance  of  a 
 thoroughly  engaged  spirit,  together  with  a  fearless 
 courage  and  unyielding  resolution,  in  any  person  that 
 has  undertaken  the  managing  of  any  affair  amongst 
 mankind,  goes  a  great  way  towards  accomplishing  the 
 effect  aimed  at.  It  is  evident  that  the  appearance  of 
 these  in  Alexander,  did  three  times  as  much  towards 
 his  conquering  the  world,  as  all  the  blows  that  he 
 struck.  And  how  much  were  the  great  things  that 
 Oliver  Cromwell  did,  owing  to  these  ?  And  the  great 
 things  that  Mr.  Whitfield  has  done,  every  where,  as 
 he  has  run  through  the  British  dominions,  (so  far  as 
 they  are  owing  to  means,)  are  very  much  owing  to 
 the  appearance  of  these  things  which  he  is  eminently 
 possessed  of.  When  the  people  see  these  in  a  per- 
 son to  a  great  degree,  it  awes  them,  and  has  a  com- 
 manding influence  upon  their  minds.  It  seems  to 
 them  that  they  must  yield  ;  they  naturally  fall  before 
 them,  without  standing  to  contest  or  dispute  the 
 matter :  they  are  conquered,  as  it  were,  by  surprise. 
 But  while  we  are  cold  and  heartless,  and  only  go  on 
 in  a  dull  manner,  in  an  old  formal  round,  we  shall 
 never  do  any  great  matters.      Our  attempts,  with  the 
 
477 
 
 appearance  of  such  coldness  and  irresolution,  will  not 
 so  much  as  make  persons  think  of  yielding.      They 
 will  hardly  be  sufficient  to  put  it  into  their  minds ; 
 and  if  it  be  put  into  their  minds,  the  appearance  of 
 such  indifference  and  cowardice  does,  as  it  were,  call 
 for  and  provoke  opposition.      Our  misery  is  want  of 
 zeal   and   courage;   for   not  only,   through   want  of 
 them,  does  all  fail  that  we  seem  to  attempt,  but  it 
 prevents  our  attempting  any  thing  very  remarkable 
 for  the   kingdom  of  Christ.       Hence,    oftentimes, 
 when  any  thing  very  considerable  is  proposed  to  be 
 done  for  the  advancement  of  religion,  or  the  public 
 good,   many  difficulties  are  in  the  way,   and  a  great 
 many  objections  are  started,  and,  it  may  be,  it  is  put 
 off  from  one  to  another;  but  nobody  does  any  thing. 
 And,  after  this  manner,  good  designs  or  proposals 
 have  often  failed,  and  have  sunk  as  soon  as  proposed. 
 When  as,   if  we  had  but  Mr.  Whitfield's  zeal  and 
 courage,  what  could  not  we  do,  with  such  a  blessing 
 as  we  might  expect? 
 
 Zeal  and  courage  will  do  much  in  persons  of  but 
 an  ordinary  capacity;  but  especially  would  they  do 
 great  things  if  joined  with  great  abilities.  If  some 
 great  men,  who  have  appeared  in  our  nation,  had 
 been  as  eminent  in  divinity  as  they  were  in  philoso- 
 phy, and  had  engaged  in  the  Christian  cause  with  as 
 much  zeal  and  fervour  as  some  others  have  done,  and 
 with  a  proportional  blessing  of  heaven,  they  would 
 have  conquered  all  Christendom,  and  turned  the 
 world  upside  down.  We  have  many  ministers  in 
 the  land  that  do  not  want  abilities;  they  are  persons 
 of  bright  parts  and  learning :  they  should  consider 
 how  much  is  expected,  and  will  be  required  of  them, 
 
478 
 
 by  their  Lord  and  Master;  how  much  they  might 
 do  for  Christ,  and  what  great  honour  and  glorious  a 
 reward  they  might  receive,  it  they  had  in  their  hearts 
 a  heavenly  warmth  and  divine  heat  proportionable  to 
 their  light. 
 
 With  respect  to  candidates  for  the  ministry,  I 
 will  not  undertake  particularly  to  determine  what 
 kind  of  examination  or  trial  they  should  pass  under, 
 in  order  to  their  admission  to  that  sacred  work.  But 
 I  think  this  is  evident  from  the  Scripture,  tFiat  an- 
 other sort  of  trial  with  regard  to  their  virtue  and 
 piety  is  requisite,  than  is  required  in  order  to  per- 
 sons being  admitted  into  the  visible  church.  The 
 Apostle  directs,  "  that  hands  be  laid  suddenly  on  no 
 man ;"  but  that  they  should  "  first  be  tried,"  before 
 they  are  admitted  to  the  work  of  the  ministry;  but 
 it  is  evident  that  persons  were  suddenly  admitted  by 
 baptism  into  the  visible  church,  on  profession  of  their 
 faith  in  Christ,  without  such  caution  or  strictness  in 
 their  probation.  And,  it  seems  to  me,  those  would 
 act  very  unadvisedly  that  should  enter  on  that  great 
 and  sacred  work,  before  they  had  comfortable  satis- 
 faction concerning  themselves,  that  they  have  had  a 
 saving  work  of  God  on  their  souls. 
 
 And  though  it  may  be  thought  that  I  go  out  of 
 my  proper  sphere,  to  intermeddle  in  the  affiiirs  of  the 
 colleges ;  yet  I  will  take  the  liberty  of  an  English- 
 man, that  speaks  his  mind  freely  concerning  public 
 affairs,  and  the  liberty  of  a  minister  of  Christ,  (who 
 doubtless  may  speak  his  mind  as  freely  about  things 
 that  concern  the  kingdom  of  his  Lord  and  Master,) 
 to  give  my  opinion,  in  some  things,  with  respect  to 
 those  societies;    the   original    and   main   design   of 
 
479       ♦ 
 
 which  is  to  train  up  persons,  and  fit  them  for  the 
 work  of  the  ministry.  And  I  would  say  in  general, 
 that  it  appears  to  me  care  should  be  taken,  some 
 way  or  other,  that  those  societies  should  be  so  regu- 
 lated, that  they  should,  in  fact,  be  nurseries  of  piety; 
 otherwise  they  are  fundamentally  ruined  and  undone 
 as  to  their  main  design  and  most  essential  end.  They 
 ought  to  be  so  constituted,  that  vice  and  idleness 
 should  have  no  living  there.  They  are  intolerable 
 in  societies,  whose  main  design  is,  to  train  up  youth 
 in  Christian  knowledge  and  eminent  piety,  to  fit 
 them  to  be  pastors  of  the  flock  of  the  blessed  Jesus. 
 1  have  heretofore  had  some  acquaintance  with  the 
 affairs  of  a  college,  and  experience  of  what  belonged 
 to  its  tuition  and  government;  and  I  cannot  but 
 think  that  it  is  practicable  enough,  so  to  constitute 
 such  societies,  that  there  should  be  no  residing  there, 
 without  being  virtuous,  serious,  and  diligent.  It 
 seems  to  me  a  reproach  to  the  land,  that  ever  it 
 should  be  so  with  our  colleges  ;  that,  instead  of  be- 
 ing places  of  the  greatest  advantages  for  true  piety, 
 one  cannot  send  a  child  thither  without  great  danger 
 of  his  being  infected  as  to  his  morals.  It  is  per- 
 fectly intolerable ;  and  any  thing  should  be  done, 
 rather  than  it  should  be  so.  If  we  pretend  to  have 
 any  colleges  at  all,  under  any  notion  of  training  up 
 youth  for  the  ministry,  there  should  be  some  way 
 found  out  that  should  certainly  prevent  its  being 
 thus.  To  have  societies  for  bringing  persons  up  to 
 be  ambassadors  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  lead  souls  to 
 heaven,  and  to  have  them  places  of  so  much  infec- 
 tion, is  the  greatest  nonsense  and  absurdity  imagin- 
 able. 
 
480 
 
 And  as  thorough  and  effectual  care  should  be 
 taken  that  vice  and  idleness  be  not  tolerated  in  these 
 societies,  so  certainly  their  design  requires  that  ex- 
 traordinary means  should  be  used  in  them  for  train- 
 ing up  the  students  in  vital  religion,  and  experimen- 
 tal and  practical  godliness;  so  that  they  should  be 
 holy  societies,  the  very  place  should  be,  as  it  were, 
 sacred.  They  should  be,  in  the  midst  of  the  land, 
 fountains  of  piety  and  holiness.  There  is  a  great 
 deal  of  pains  taken  to  teach  the  scholars  human 
 learning ;  there  ought  to  be  as  much  and  more  care 
 thoroughly  to  educate  them  in  religion,  and  lead 
 them  to  true  and  eminent  holiness.  If  the  main 
 design  of  these  nurseries  is  to  bring  up  persons  to 
 teach  Christ,  then  it  is  of  the  greatest  importance 
 that  there  should  be  care  and  pains  taken  to  bring 
 those  who  are  there  educated  to  the  knowledge  of 
 Christ.  It  has  been  common,  in  our  public  prayers, 
 to  call  these  societies,  "  The  Schools  of  the  Pro- 
 phets ;"  and,  if  they  are  schools  to  train  up  young 
 men  to  be  prophets,  certainly  there  ought  to  be  extra- 
 ordinary care  taken  to  train  them  up  to  be  Christians. 
 And  I  cannot  see  why  it  is  not,  on  all  accounts,  'fit 
 and  convenient  for  the  governors  and  instructors  of 
 the  colleges  particularly,  sing^gi  and  frequently  to 
 converse  with  the  students  about  the  state  of  their 
 souls  ;  as  is  the  practice  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Doddridge, 
 one  of  the  most  noted  of  the  present  dissenting 
 ministers  in  England,  who  keeps  an  academy  at 
 Northampton,  as  he  himself  informs  the  Rev.  Mr. 
 Wadsworth,  of  Hartford  in  Connecticut,  in  a  letter 
 dated  at  Northampton,  March  6th,  1741.  The 
 original  of  which  letter   I  have  seen,  and  have  by 
 
481 
 
 me  an  extract  of  it,  sent  me  by  Mr.  Wadsworth  ; 
 which  is  as  follows  : — 
 
 "  Through  the  divine  goodness,  I  have  every 
 year  the  pleasure  to  see  some  plants  taken  out  of  my 
 nursery,  and  set  in  neighbouring  congregations ; 
 where  they  generally  settle  with  a  unanimous  con- 
 sent, and  that  to  a.  very  remarkable  degree,  in  some 
 very  large  and  once  divided  congregations.  A  cir- 
 cumstance in  which  I  own  and  adore  the  hand  of  a 
 wise  and  gracious  God;  and  cannot  but  look  upon  it 
 as  a  token  for  good.  I  have  at  present  a  greater 
 proportion  of  pious  and  ingenious  youth  under  my 
 care,  than  I  ever  before  had;  so  that  I  hope  the 
 church  may  reasonably  expect  some  considerable  re- 
 lief from  hence,  if  God  spare  their  lives  a  few  years, 
 and  continue  to  them  those  gracious  assistances  which 
 lie  has  hitherto  mercifully  imparted.  I  will  not.  Sir, 
 trouble  you  at  present  witli  a  large  account  of  my 
 method  of  academical  education:  only  would  observe, 
 that  I  think  it  of  vast  importance  to  instruct  them 
 carefully  in  the  Scriptures ;  and  not  only  endeavour 
 to  establish  them  in  the  great  truths  of  Christianity, 
 but  to  labour  to  promote  their  practical  influence  on 
 their  hearts.  For  which  purpose,  I  frequently  con- 
 verse with  each  of  them  alone,  and  conclude  the  con- 
 versation with  prayer.  This  does,  indeed,  take  up 
 a  great  deal  of  time ;  but,  I  bless  God,  it  is  amply 
 repaired  in  the  pleasure  I  have  in  seeing  my  labour 
 is  not  in  vain  in  the  Lord." 
 
 There  are  some  who  are  not  ministers,  nor  are 
 
 concerned  immediately  in  those  things  that  appertain 
 
 to  their  office,  or  in  the  education  of  persons  for  it, 
 
 who  are  under  great  advantages  to  promote  such  a 
 
 X  48 
 
482 
 
 glorious  work  as  this.  Some  laymen,  though  it  be 
 not  their  business  publicly  to  exhort  and  teach,  are, 
 in  some  respects,  under  greater  advantage  to  en- 
 courage and  forward  this  work  than  ministers;  as 
 particularly  great  men,  or  those  who  are  high  in 
 honour  and  influence.  How  much  might  such  do 
 to  encourage  religion,  and  open  the  way  for  it  to 
 have  free  course,  and  bear  down  opposition,  if  they 
 were  but  inclined  !  There  is  commonly  a  certain 
 unhappy  shyness  in  great  men  with  respect  to  reli- 
 gion, as  though  they  were  ashamed  of  it,  or  at  least 
 ashamed  to  do  much  at  it;  whereby  they  dishonour, 
 and  doubtless  greatly  provoke  the  King  of  kings, 
 and  very  much  wound  religion  among  the  common 
 people.  They  are  careful  of  their  honour,  and  seem 
 to  be  afraid  of  appearing  openly  forward  and  zealous 
 in  religion,  as  though  it  were  what  would  debase 
 their  character,  and  expose  them  to  contempt.  But, 
 in  this  day  of  bringing  up  the  ark,  they  ought  to  be 
 like  David,  that  great  king  of  Israel,  who  made  him- 
 self vile  before  the  ark;  and,  as  he  was  the  highest 
 in  honour  and  dignity  among  God's  people,  so  he 
 thought  it  became  him  to  appear  foremost  in  the 
 zeal  and  activity  manifested  on  that  occasion;  there- 
 by animating  and  encouraging  the  whole  congrega- 
 tion to  praise  the  Lord,  and  rejoice  before  him  with 
 all  their  might.  And,  though  it  diminished  him  in 
 the  eyes  of  scoffing  Michal,  yet  it  did  not  at  all 
 abate  the  honour  and  esteem  of  the  congregation  of 
 Israel,  but  advanced  it ;  as  appears  by  2  Sam.  vi.  22. 
 Rich  men  have  a  talent  in  their  hands,  in  the  dis- 
 posal and  improvement  of  which  they  might  very 
 much  promote  such  a  work  as  this,  if  they  were  so 
 
483 
 
 disposed.  They  are  far  beyond  others  in  advantages 
 to  do  good,  and  lay  up  for  themselves  treasures  in 
 heaven.  What  a  thousand  pities  it  is,  that,  for  want 
 of  a  heart,  they  commonly  have  no  share  at  all  there, 
 but  heaven  is  peopled  mostly  with  the  poor  of  this 
 world  !  One  would  think  that  our  rich  men,  who 
 call  themselves  Christians,  might  devise  some  notable 
 things  to  do  with  their  money,  to  advance  the  king- 
 dom of  their  professed  Redeemer,  and  the  prosperity 
 of  the  souls  of  men,  at  this  time  of  such  extraordinary 
 advantage  for  it.  It  seems  to  rae,  that  in  this  age 
 most  of  us  have  but  very  narrow,  penuriods  notions 
 of  Christianity,  as  it  respects  our  use  and  disposal  of 
 our  temporal  goods.  The  primitive  Christians  had 
 not  such  notions ;  they  were  trained  up  by  the  apostles 
 in  another  way.  God  has  greatly  distinguished  some 
 of  the  inhabitants  of  New  England  from  others,  in 
 the  abundance  he  has  given  them  of  the  good  things 
 of  this  life.  If  they  could  now  be  persuaded  to  lay 
 out  some  considerable  part  of  that  which  God  has 
 given  them  for  his  honour,  and  lay  it  up  in  heaven, 
 instead  of  spending  it  for  their  own  honour,  or  lay- 
 ing it  up  for  their  posterity,  they  would  not  repent 
 of  it  afterwards.  How  liberally  did  the  heads  of  the 
 tribes  contribute  of  their  wealth  at  the  setting  up  the 
 tabernacle,  though  it  was  in  a  barren  wilderness  ! 
 These  are  the  days  of  erecting  the  tabernacle  of  God 
 amongst  us.  We  have  a  particular  account  how  the 
 goldsmiths  and  the  merchants  helped  to  rebuild  the 
 wall  of  Jerusalem,  Neh.  iii.  32.  The  days  are  com- 
 ing, and  I  believe  not  very  far  off,  when  the  sons  of 
 '*  Zion  shall  come  from  far,  bringing  their  silver  and 
 their  gold  with  them,  unto  the  name  of  the  Lord 
 x2 
 
484 
 
 their  God,  and  to  the  holy  One  of  Israel;"  when  the 
 merchants  of  the  earth  shall  trade  for  Christ,  more 
 than  for  themselves,  and  "  their  merchandise  and 
 hire  shall  be  holiness  to  the  Lord,  and  shall  not  be 
 treasured  or  laid  up  for  posterity,  but  shall  be  for 
 them  that  dwell  before  the  Lord,  to  eat  sufficiently, 
 and  for  durable  clothing ;  when  the  ships  of  Tarshish 
 shall  bring  the  w^ealth  of  the  distant  parts  of  the  earth 
 to  the  place  of  God's  sanctuary,  and  to  make  the 
 place  of  his  feet  glorious ;  and  the  abundance  of  the 
 sea  shall  be  converted  to  the  use  of  God's  church,  and 
 she  shall  suck  the  milk  of  the  Gentiles,  and  suck  the 
 breasts  of  kings."  The  days  are  coming,  when  the 
 great  and  rich  men  of  the  world  "  shall  bring  their 
 honour  and  glory  into  the  church,"  and  shall,  as  it 
 were,  strip  themselves,  in  order  to  spread  their  gar- 
 ments under  Christ's  feet,  as  he  enters  triumphantly 
 into  Jerusalem;  and  when  those  that  will  not  do  so 
 shall  have  no  glory,  and  their  silver  and  gold  shall  be 
 cankered,  and  their  garments  moth-eaten.  For  the 
 saints  shall  then  inherit  the  earth,  and  they  shall 
 reign  on  it;  and  those  that  honour  God  he  will 
 honour,  and  those  that  despise  him  shall  be  lightly 
 esteemed.  If  some  of  our  rich  men  would  give  one 
 quarter  of  their  estates  to  promote  this  work,  they 
 would  act  a  little  as  if  they  were  designed  for  the 
 kingdom  of  heaven,  and  as  rich  men  will  act  by  and 
 by  who  shall  be  partakers  of  the  spiritual  wealth  and 
 glories  of  that  kingdom. 
 
 Great  thin^rs  miffht  be  done  for  the  advancement 
 of  the  kingdom  of  Christ  at  this  day  by  those  who 
 have  ability,  by  establishing  funds  for  the  support 
 and  propagation  of  religion ;  by  supporting  some  who 
 
485 
 
 are  eminently  qualified  with  gifts  and  grace  in  preach- 
 ing the  gospel  in  certain  parts  of  the  country,  which 
 are  more  destitute  of  the  means  of  grace ;  by  search- 
 ing out  children  of  promising  abilities,  and  their 
 hearts  full  of  love  to  Christ,  but  of  poor  families,  (as 
 doubtless  there  are  such  now  in  the  land,)  and  bring- 
 ing them  up  for  the  ministry ;  and  by  distributing 
 books  that  are  remarkably  fitted  to  promote  vital  re- 
 ligion, and  have  a  great  tendency  to  advance  this 
 work.  Or,  if  they  would  only  bear  the  trouble  and 
 expense  of  sending  such  books  into  various  parts  of 
 the  land  to  be  sold,  it  might  be  an  occasion  that  tea 
 times  so  many  of  those  books  should  be  bought,  as 
 otherwise  would  be — by  establishing  and  supporting 
 schools  in  poor  towns  and  villages;  which  might  be 
 done  on  such  a  foundation,  as  not  only  to  bring  up 
 children  in  common  learning,  but  also  might  very 
 much  tend  to  their  conviction  and  conversion,  and 
 being  trained  up  in  vital  piety.  Doubtless  some- 
 thing might  be  done  this  way  in  old  towns,  and  more 
 populous  places,  that  might  have  a  great  tendency  to 
 the  flourishing  of  religion  in  the  rising  generation. 
 
 SECTION  III. 
 
 Of  some  particulars  that  concern  all  i?i  gejieral. 
 
 And  here,  the  first  thing  I  shall  mention  \s  fast- 
 ing and  prayer.  It  seems  to  me,  that  the  circum- 
 stances of  the  present  work  loudly  call  upon  God's 
 people  to  abound  in   this;    whether   they   consider 
 
486 
 
 their  own  experience,  or  the  riches  of  God's  grace. 
 God  has  lately  given  them  an  experience  of  the 
 worth  of  his  presence,  and  of  the  blessed  fruits  of 
 the  effusions  of  his  Spirit,  to  excite  them  to  pray  for 
 the  continuance,  increase,  and  greater  extent  of  such 
 blessings;  and  they  have  great  encouragement  to 
 pray  for  the  outpouring  of  his  Spirit,  and  the  carry- 
 ing on  of  this  work,  by  the  great  manifestations  he 
 has  lately  made  of  the  freeness  and  riches  of  his 
 grace.  There  is  much  in  what  we  have  seen  of  the 
 glorious  works  of  God's  power  and  grace,  to  put  us 
 in  mind  of  the  yet  greater  things  of  this  nature  that 
 he  has  spoken  of  in  his  word,  and  to  excite  our  long- 
 ings and  our  hopes  of  their  approach.  Beside,  we 
 should  consider  the  great  opposition  that  Satan  makes 
 against  this  work,  the  many  difficulties  with  which  it 
 is  clogged,  and  the  distressing  circumstances  that 
 some  parts  of  God's  church  in  this  land  are  under 
 at  this  day,  on  one  account  and  another. 
 
 So  is  God's  will,  through  his  wonderful  grace, 
 that  the  prayers  of  his  saints  should  be  one  great 
 and  principal  means  of  carrying  on  the  designs  of 
 Christ's  kingdom  in  the  world.  When  God  has 
 something  very  great  to  accomplish  for  his  church, 
 it  is  his  will  that  there  should  precede  it  the  extra- 
 ordinary prayers  of  his  people ;  as  is  manifest  by 
 Ezek.  xxxvi.  37.  "  I  will  yet  for  this  be  inquired 
 of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do  it  for  them  :"  (see 
 the  context.)  And  it  is  revealed,  that,  when  God 
 is  about  to  accomplish  great  things  for  his  church, 
 he  will  begin  by  remarkably  pouring  out  the  spirit 
 of  grace  and  supplication,  Zech.  xii.  10.  If  we 
 are  not  to  expect  that  the  devil  should  go  out  of 
 
487 
 
 a  particular  person,  under  a  bodily  possession,  with- 
 out extraordinary  prayer,  or  prayer  and  fasting,  how 
 much  less  should  we  expect  to  have  him  cast  out  of 
 the  land,  and  the  world,  without  it? 
 
 I  am  sensible  that  somewhat  considerable  has  been 
 done  in  duties  of  this  nature  in  some  places,  but  I 
 do  not  think  so  much  as  God,  in  the  present  dispen- 
 sations of  his  providence,  calls  for.  I  should  think 
 the  people  of  God  in  this  land,  at  such  a  time  as 
 this  is,  would  be  in  the  way  of  their  duty  while  doing 
 three  times  as  much  at  fasting  and  prayer-  as  they 
 do;  not  only,  nor  principally,  for  the  pouring  out  of 
 the  Spirit  ojn  those  places  to  which  they  belong ;  but 
 that  God  would  appear  for  his  church,  and,  in  mercy 
 to  miserable  men,  carry  on  his  work  in  the  land,  and 
 in  the  world,  and  fulfil  the  things  he  has  spoken  of 
 in  his  word,  that  his  church  has  been  so  long  wishing, 
 and  hoping,  and  waiting  for.  They  that  make  mention 
 of  the  Lord  at  this  day,  ought  not  to  keep  silence,  and 
 should  give  God  no  rest,  till  he  establish,  and  till  he 
 make  Jerusalem  a  praise  in  the  earth;  agreeable  to 
 Isa.  Ixii.  6,  T.  Before  the  first  great  outpouring  of  the 
 Spirit  of  God  on  the  Christian  church,  which  began 
 at  Jerusalem,  the  disciples  gave  themselves  to  incessant 
 prayer.  Acts  i.  13,  14.  There  is  a  time  spoken  of 
 wherein  God  will  remarkably  and  wonderfully  appear 
 for  the  deliverance  of  his  church  from  all  her  ene- 
 mies, and  when  he  will  "avenge  his  own  elect;" 
 and  Christ  reveals  that  this  will  be  in  answer  to 
 their  incessant  prayers,  or  "  crying  day  and  night," 
 Luke  xviii.  7.  In  Israel,  the  day  of  atonement, 
 which  was  their  great  day  of  fasting  and  prayer, 
 preceded  and  made  way  for  the  glorious  and  joyful 
 feast  of  tabernacles.      When    Christ  is  mystically 
 
488 
 
 born  into  the  world,  to  rule  over  all  nations,  it  is 
 represented  in  the  12th  chapter  of  Revelations,  as 
 being  in  consequence  of  the  church's  "  crying,  and 
 travailing  in  birth,  and  being  pained  to  be  delivered.'* 
 One  thing  here  intended,  doubtless  is,  her  crying 
 and  agonizing  in  prayer. 
 
 God  seems  at  this  very  time  to  be  waiting  for  this 
 from  us.  When  he  is  about  to  bestow  some  great 
 blessing  on  his  church,  it  is  often  his  manner,  in 
 the  first  place,  so  to  order  things  in  his  providence, 
 as  to  show  his  church  their  great  need  of  it,  and  to 
 bring  them  into  distress  for  want  of  it,  and  so  put 
 them  upon  crying  earnestly  to  him  for  it.  Let  us 
 consider  God's  present  dispensations  towards  his 
 church  in  this  land :  a  glorious  work  of  his  grace  has 
 been  begun  and  carried  on ;  and  he  has  of  late  suf- 
 fered innumerable  difficulties  to  arise,  that  in  a  great 
 measure  clog  and  hinder  it,  and  bring  many  of  God's 
 dear  children  into  great  distress.  And  yet  he  does 
 not  wholly  forsake  the  work  of  his  hand ;  there  are 
 remarkable  tokens  of  his  presence  still  to  be  seen, 
 here  and  there,  as  though  he  was  not  forward  to 
 forsake  us,  and  (if  I  may  so  say)  as  though  he  had 
 a  mind  to  carry  on  his  work,  but  only  was  waiting 
 for  something  that  he  expected  in  us,  as  requisite  in 
 order  to  it.  And  we  have  great  reason  to  think, 
 that  one  thing  at  least  is,  that  we  should  further 
 acknowledge  the  greatness  and  necessity  of  such  a 
 mercy,  and  our  dependence  on  God  for  it,  in  earnest 
 and  importunate  prayers  to  him.  And  by  the  many 
 errors  that  have  been  run  into,  by  the  wounds  we 
 have  thereby  given  ourselves,  and  the  cause  that 
 we  would  promote,  and  the  mischief  and  confusion 
 
489 
 
 we  have  thereby  made,  God  has  hitherto  been  re- 
 markably showing  us  our  great  and  universal  depend- 
 ence on  him,  and  exceeding  need  of  his  help  and 
 grace;  which  should  engage  our  cries  to  him  for  it. 
 
 There  is  no  way  that  Christians  in  a  private  ca- 
 pacity can  do  so  much  to  promote  the  work  of  God, 
 and  advance  tlie  kingdom  of  Christ,  as  by  prayer. 
 By  this,  even  women,  children,  and  servants,  may 
 have  a  public  influence.  Let  persons  in  other  re- 
 spects be  ever  so  weak,  and  ever  so  mean,  and 
 under  ever  so  poor  advantages,  to  do  much  for 
 Christ  and  the  souls  of  men  ;  yet,  if  they  have  much 
 of  the  spirit  of  grace  and  supplication,  in  this  way 
 they  may  have  power  with  him  who  is  infinite  in 
 power,  and  has  the  government  of  the  whole  world. 
 A  poor  man  in  his  cottage  may  have  a  blessed  influ- 
 ence all  over  the  world.  God  is,  if  I  may  so  say, 
 at  the  command  of  the  prayer  of  faith;  and  in  this 
 respect  is,  as  it  were,  under  the  power  of  his  people; 
 "  as  princes,  they  have  power  with  God  and  prevail." 
 Though  they  may  be  private  persons,  their  prayers 
 are  put  up  in  the  name  of  a  Mediator,  who  is  a  public 
 person,  being  the  head  of  the  whole  church,  and  the 
 Lord  of  the  universe.  If  they  have  a  great  sense 
 of  the  importance  of  eternal  things,  and  a  concern 
 for  the  precious  souls  of  men,  they  need  not  regret 
 it  that  they  are  not  preachers;  they  may  go  in  their 
 earnestness  and  agonies  of  soul,  and  pour  out  their 
 souls  before  one  who  is  able  to  do  all  things.  Before 
 him  they  may  speak  as  freely  as  ministers;  they  have 
 a  great  High  Priest,  through  whom  they  may  come 
 boldly  at  all  times,  and  may  vent  themselves  before 
 a  prayer-hearing  Father  vvithout  restraint. 
 X  3 
 
490 
 
 If  the  people  of  God  at  this  day,  instead  of  spend- 
 ing time  in  fruitless  disputing,  in  talking  about 
 opposers,  judging  them,  and  animadverting  upon 
 the  unreasonableness  of*  their  talk  and  behaviour, 
 and  its  inconsistence  with  true  experience,  would  be 
 more  silent  in  this  way,  and  open  their  mouths  much 
 more  before  God,  and  spend  more  time  in  fasting 
 and  prayer,  they  would  be  more  in  the  way  of  a 
 blessing.  And  if  some  Christians  who  have  been 
 complaining  of  their  ministers,  and  struggling  in 
 vain  to  deliver  themselves  from  the  difficulties  com- 
 plained of  under  their  ministry,  had  said  and  acted 
 less  before  men,  and  had  applied  themselves  with  all 
 their  might  to  cry  to  God  for  their  ministers,  had, 
 as  it  were,  risen  and  stormed  heaven  with  their 
 humble,  fervent,  and  incessant  prayers  for  them, 
 they  would  have  been  much  more  in  the  way  of 
 success. 
 
 God,  in  his  providence,  appearing  in  the  present 
 state  of  things,  does  especially  call  on  his  people  in 
 New  England  to  be  very  much  in  praying  to  him 
 for  the  pouring  out  of  the  Spirit  upon  ministers  in 
 the  land.  For  though  it  is  not  for  us  to  determine 
 concerning  particular  ministers,  how  much  they 
 have  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  yet  in  the  general  it  is 
 apparent,  that  there  is  at  this  day  need  of  very  great 
 degrees  of  the  presence  of  God  with  the  ministry  in 
 New  England,  much  greater  degrees  of  it  than  has 
 hitherto  been  granted;  they  need  it  for  themselves, 
 and  the  church  of  God  stands  in  extreme  need 
 of  it. 
 
 On  days  of  fasting  and  prayer,  wherein  the  whole 
 congregation  is  concerned,  if  the  day,  besides  what 
 
491 
 
 is  spent  in  our  families,  was  not  wholly  spent  in  the 
 meeting-house,  but  part  of  it  in  particular  praying 
 companies  or  societies,  it  would  have  a  tendency  to 
 animate  and  engage  devotion,  more  than  if  the  whole 
 day  were  spent  in  public,  where  the  people  are  no 
 way  active  themselves  in  the  worship,  any  otherwise 
 than  as  they  join  with  the  minister.  The  inhabi- 
 tants of  many  of  our  towns  are  now  divided  into 
 particular  praying  societies;  most  of  the  people,  young 
 and  old,  have  voluntarily  associated  themselves  in 
 distinct  companies,  for  mutual  assistance  in  social 
 worship,  in  private  houses.  What  I  intend  there- 
 fore is,  that  days  of  prayer  should  be  spent  partly  in 
 these  distinct  praying  companies.  Such  a  method 
 as  this,  has  been  several  times  proved ;  namely — in 
 the  forenoon,  after  the  duties  of  the  family  and  closet, 
 as  early  as  might  be,  all  the  people  of  the  congre- 
 gation have  gathered  in  their  particular  religious 
 societies;  companies  of  men  by  themselves,  and  com- 
 panies of  women  by  themselves;  young  men  by  them- 
 selves, and  young  women  by  themselves ;  and  com- 
 panies of  children  in  all  parts  of  the  town  by  them- 
 selves, as  many  as  were  capable  of  social  religious 
 exercises ;  the  boys  by  themselves,  and  the  girls  by 
 themselves :  and  about  the  middle  of  the  day,  at  an 
 appointed  hour,  all  have  met  together  in  the  house 
 of  God,  to  offer  up  pubHc  prayers,  and  to  hear  a 
 sermon  suitable  to  the  occasion ;  and  then,  they  have 
 retired  from  the  house  of  God  again  into  their  pri- 
 vate societies,  and  spent  the  remaining  part  of  the 
 day  in  praying  together  there,  excepting  so  much  as 
 was  requisite  for  the  duties  of  the  family  and  closet 
 in  their  own  houses.      And  it  has  been  found  to  be 
 
492 
 
 of  great  benefit,  to  assist  and  engage  the  minds  of 
 the  people  in  the  duties  of  the  day. 
 
 1  have  often  thought  it  would  be  very  desirable, 
 and  very  likely  to  be  followed  with  a  great  blessing, 
 if  there  could  be  some  contrivance  for  an  agreement 
 of  all  God's  people  in  America,  who  are  well  affected 
 to  this  work,  to  keep  a  day  of  fasting  and  prayer; 
 wherein  we  should  all  unite  on  the  same  day,  in 
 humbling  ourselves  before  God  for  our  past  long- 
 continued  lukewarmness  and  unprofitableness  ;  not 
 omitting  humiliation  for  the  errors  that  so  many  of 
 God's  people — though  zealously  affected  towards  this 
 work — through  their  infirmity  and  remaining  blind- 
 ness and  corruption  have  run  into  :  and  together  with 
 thanksgivings  to  God  for  so  glorious  and  wonderful 
 a  display  of  his  power  and  grace  in  the  late  out- 
 pourings of  his  Spirit,  to  address  the  Father  of  mer- 
 cies, with  prayers  and  supplications,  and  earnest  cries, 
 that  he  would  guide  and  direct  his  own  people,  and 
 that  he  would  continue  and  still  carry  on  this  work, 
 and  more  abundantly  and  extensively  pour  out  his 
 Spirit,  and  particularly  upon  ministers;  and  that  he 
 would  bow  the  heavens  and  come  down,  and  erect 
 his  glorious  kingdom  through  the  earth. — Some 
 perhaps  may  think  that  its  being  all  on  the  same 
 day,  is  a  circumstance  of  no  great  consequence;  but 
 I  cannot  be  of  that  mind.  Such  a  circumstance 
 makes  the  union  and  agreement  of  God's  people  in 
 his  worship  the  more  visible,  and  puts  the  greater 
 honour  upon  God,  .and  would  have  a  great  tendency 
 to  assist  and  enliven  the  devotions  of  Christians.  It 
 seems  to  me,  it  would  mightily  encourage  and  ani- 
 mate God's  saints  in  humbly  and  earnestly  seeking 
 
493 
 
 to  God  for  sucli  blessings  which  concern  them  all ; 
 and  that  it  would  be  much  for  the  rejoicing  of  all, 
 to  think,  that  at  the  same  time  such  multitudes  of 
 God's  dear  children,  far  and  near,  were  sending  up 
 their  cries  to  the  same  common  Father,  for  the  same 
 mercies.  Christ  speaks  of  agreement  in  asking,  as 
 what  contributes  to  the  prevalence  of  the  prayers  of 
 his  people:  "  Again  I  say  unto  you.  That  if  any  two 
 of  you  shall  agree  on  earth  as  touching  any  thing 
 that  they  shall  ask,  it  shall  be  done  for  them  of  my 
 Father  which  is  in  heaven."  If  the  agreement,  or 
 united  purpose  and  appointment,  of  but  two  of  God's 
 children,  would  contribute  much  to  the  prevalence  of 
 their  prayers;  how  much  more  the  agreement  of  so 
 many  thousands?  Christ  delights  greatly  in  the 
 union  of  his  people,  as  appears  by  his  prayer  in  the 
 17th  chapter  of  John  :  and  especially  is  the  appearance 
 of  their  union  in  worship  lovely  and  attractive  unto 
 him. 
 
 I  doubt  not  but  such  a  thing  as  I  have  now  men- 
 tioned is  practicable  without  a  great  deal  of  trouble. 
 Some  considerable  number  of  ministers  might  meet 
 together,  and  draw  up  the  proposal,  wherein  a  cer- 
 tain day  should  be  fixed  at  a  sufficient  distance,  en- 
 deavouring therein  to  avoid  any  other  public  day 
 that  might  interfere  with  the  design  in  any  of  the 
 provinces,  and  the  business  of  the  day  should  be 
 particularly  mentioned.  These  proposals  should  be 
 published,  and  sent  abroad  into  ail  parts,  with  a  de- 
 sire, that  as  many  ministers  as  are  disposed  to  fall 
 in  with  them,  would  propose  the  matter  to  their  con- 
 gregations, and,  having  taken  their  consent,  would 
 subscribe  their  names,  together  with  the  places  of 
 which  they  are  ministers,   and  send  back  the  pro- 
 
494 
 
 posals  thus  subscribed  to  the  printer.  The  hands 
 of  many  ministers  might  be  to  one  paper.  The 
 printer  having  received  the  papers,  thus  subscribed, 
 from  all  the  provinces,  might  print  the  proposals 
 again,  with  all  the  names ;  thus  they  miorht  be  sent 
 abroad  again  with  the  names,  that  God's  people 
 might  know  who  are  united  with  them  in  the  affair. 
 One  of  the  ministers  of  Boston  might  be  desired  to 
 have  the  oversight  of  printing  and  dispersing  the 
 proposals.  In  such  a  way,  perhaps,  might  be  ful- 
 filled, in  some  measure,  such  a  general  mourning 
 and  supplication  of  God's  people  as  is  spoken  of, 
 Zech.  xii.  at  the  latter  end,  with  which  the  church's 
 glorious  day  is  to  be  introduced.  And  such  a  day 
 might  be  something  like  the  day  of  atonement  in 
 Israel,  before  the  joyful  feast  of  tabernacles. 
 
 One  thing  more  I  would  mention  concerning  fast- 
 ing and  prayer,  wherein  I  think  there  has  been  a 
 neglect  in  ministers ;  and  that  is,  that  although  they 
 recommend,  and  much  insist  on,  the  duty  of  secret 
 prayer,  in  their  preaching ;  so  little  is  said  about 
 secret  fasting.  It  is  a  duty  recommended  by  our 
 Saviour  to  his  followers,  just  in  like  manner  as  secret 
 prayer  is ;  as  may  be  seen  by  comparing  Matt.  vi. 
 5,  6,  with  ver.  16 — 18.  Though  I  do  not  suppose 
 that  secret  fasting  is  to  be  practised  in  a  stated  man- 
 ner and  steady  course,  like  secret  prayer,  yet  it 
 seems  to  me  a  duty  that  all  professing  Christians 
 should  practise,  and  frequently  practise.  There  are 
 many  occasions,  of  both  a  spiritual  and  temporal  na- 
 ture, that  properly  require  it ;  and  there  are  many 
 particular  mercies  we  desire  for  ourselves  or  friends, 
 that  it  would  be  proper  in  this  manner  to  seek  of  God. 
 
 Another  thing  I  would  also  mention,  wherein  it 
 
495 
 
 appears  to  me  that  there  has  been  an  omission,  with 
 respect  to  the  external  worship  of  God.  There  has 
 been  of"  late  a  great  increase  of  preaching  the  word, 
 of  social  prayer,  and  of  singing  praises.  These 
 external  duties  of  religion  are  attended  much  more 
 frequently  than  they  used  to  be;  yet  I  cannot  under- 
 stand that  there  is  any  increase  of  the  administration 
 of  the  Lord's  Supper,  or  that  God's  people  do  any 
 more  frequently  commemorate  the  dying  love  of  their 
 Redeemer,  in  this  sacred  memorial  of  it,  than  they 
 used  to  do.  I  do  not  see  why  an  increase  of  love 
 to  Christ  should  not  dispose  Christians  as  much  to 
 increase  in  this  as  in  those  other  duties;  or  why  it 
 is  not  as  proper  that  Christ's  disciples  should  abound 
 in  this  duty,  in  this  joyful  season,  which  is  spiri- 
 tually supper-time,  a  feast-day  with  God's  saints, 
 wherein  Christ  is  so  abundantly  manifesting  his  dying 
 love  to  souls,  and  is  dealing  forth  so  liberally  of  the 
 prectbus  fruits  of  his  death.  It  seems  plain  by  the 
 Scripture,  that  the  primitive  Christians  were  wont  to 
 celebrate  this  memorial  of  the  sufferings  of  their  dear 
 Redeemer  every  Lord's  day;  and  so,  I  believe,  it 
 will  be  again  in  the  church  of  Christ,  in  days  that 
 are  approaching.  And  whether  we  attend  this  holy 
 and  sweet  ordinance  so  often  now  or  not,  yet  I  can- 
 not but  think  it  would  become  us,  at  such  a  time  as 
 this,  to  attend  it  much  oftener  than  is  commonly 
 done  in  the  land. 
 
 But  another  thing  I  would  mention,  which  it  is  of 
 much  greater  importance  that  we  should  attend  to, 
 and  that  is,  the  duty  incumbent  upon  God's  people 
 at  this  day,  to  take  heed,  that  while  they  abound  in 
 external  duties  of  devotion,  such  as  praying,  hear- 
 ing, singing,  and  attending  religious  meetings,  there 
 
496 
 
 be  a  proportionable  care  to  abound  in  moral  duties, 
 such  as  acts  of  righteousness,  truth,  meekness,  for- 
 giveness and  love  towards  our  neiglibour;  which  are 
 of  much  greater  importance  in  the  sight  of  God  than 
 all  the  externals  of  his  worship.  Our  Saviour  was 
 particularly  careful  that  men  should  be  well  aware  of 
 this.  Matt.  ix.  13.  "  But  go  ye,  and  learn  what  that 
 raeaneth,  I  will  have  mercy,  and  not  sacrifice."  And 
 chap.  xii.  7.  "  But  if  ye  had  known  what  this 
 meaneth,  I  will  have  mercy  and  not  sacrifice,  ye 
 would  not  have  condemned  the  guiltless." 
 
 The  internal  acts  and  principles  of  the  worship  of 
 God,  or  the  worship  of  the  heart,  in  love  and  fear, 
 trust  in  God,  and  resignation  to  him,  &c.  are  the 
 most  essential  and  important  of  all  duties  of  religion 
 whatsoever;  for  therein  consists  the  essence  of  all 
 relieion.  But  of  this  inward  religion  there  are  two 
 sorts  of  external  manifestations  or  expressions.  To 
 one  sort  belong  outward  acts  of  worship,  such  as 
 meeting  in  religious  assemblies,  attending  sacraments 
 and  other  outward  institutions,  honouring  God  with 
 gestures,  such  as  bowing,  or  kneeling  before  him,  or 
 with  words,  in  speaking  honourably  of  him  in  prayer, 
 praise,  or  religious  conference.  To  the  other  sort 
 belong  expressions  of  our  love  to  God,  by  obey- 
 ing his  moral  commands,  self-denial,  righteousness, 
 meekness,  and  Christian  love,  in  our  behaviour  among 
 men.  The  latter  are  of  vastly  the  greatest  importance 
 in  the  Christian  life;  God  makes  little  account  of 
 the  former,  in  comparison  of  them  ;  they  are  abun- 
 dantly more  insisted  on,  by  the  prophets  of  the  Old 
 Testament,  and  Christ  and  his  apostles  in  the  New. 
 When  these  two-  kinds  of  duties  are  spoken  of  to- 
 gether, the  latter  are  evermore  greatly  preferred;  as 
 
497 
 
 in  Isa.  i.  12 — 18.  and  Amos.  v.  21,  &c.  and  Micah 
 vi.  7,  8.  and  Isa.  Iviii.  5,  6,  7.  and  Zech.  vii.  ten 
 first  verses,  and  Jer.  ii.  seven  first  verses,  and  Matt. 
 XV.  3,  &c.  Often,  when  the  times  were  very  cor- 
 rupt in  Israel,  the  people  abounded  in  the  former 
 kind  of  duties,  but  were  at  such  times  always  noto- 
 riously deficient  in  the  latter;  as  the  prophets  com- 
 plain, Isa.  Iviii.  four  first  verses,  Jer.  vi.  13.  compared 
 with  verse  20. :  hypocrites  and  self-righteous  persons 
 do  much  more  commonly  abound  in  the  former  kind 
 of  duties  than  the  latter ;  as  Christ  remarks  of  the 
 Pharisees,  Matt,  xxiii.  14,  25 — 34.  When  the 
 Scripture  directs  us  to  "  show  our  faith  by  our 
 works,"  it  is  principally  the  latter  sort  are  intended ; 
 as  appears  by  James  ii.  8.  to  the  end,  and  1  John 
 ii.  3,  7 — 11.  And  we  are  to  be  judged,  at  the  last 
 day,  especially  by  these  latter  sort  of  works;  as  is 
 evident  by  the  account  we  have  of  the  day  of  judg- 
 ment, in  the  xxv.  of  Matthew.  External  acts  of 
 worship,  in  words  and  gestures,  and  outward  forms, 
 are  of  little  use,  but  as  signs  of  something  else,  or 
 as  they  are  a  profession  of  inward  worship.  They 
 are  not  so  properly  showing  our  religion  by  our 
 deeds ;  for  they  are  only  showing  our  religion  by 
 words,  or  an  outward  profession.  But  he  that  shows 
 religion  in  the  other  sort  of  duties,  shows  it  in  some- 
 thing more  than  a  profession  of  words;  he  shows  it 
 in  deeds.  And  though  deeds  may  be  hypocritical, 
 as  well  as  words,  yet  in  themselves  they  are  of 
 greater  importance,  for  they  are  much  morepiofitable 
 to  ourselves  and  our  neiijhbour.  We  cannot  ex- 
 press  our  love  to  God  by  doing  any  thing  that  is 
 profitable  to  him  ;  God  would  therefore  have  us  do 
 it  in  those  things  that  are  profitable  to  our  neigh- 
 
498 
 
 hours,  whom  he  has  constituted  his  receivers.  Our 
 goodness  extends  not  to  God,  but  to  our  fellow- 
 Christians.  The  latter  sort  of  duties  put  greater 
 honour  upon  God,  because  there  is  greater  self- 
 denial  in  them.  The  external  acts  of  worship,  con- 
 sisting in  bodily  gestures,  words,  and  sounds,  are 
 the  cheapest  part  of  religion,  and  least  contrary  to 
 our  lusts.  The  difficulty  of  thorough,  external  re- 
 ligion, does  not  lie  in  them.  Let  wicked  men  en- 
 joy their  covetousness,  their  pride,  their  malice,  envy 
 and  revenge,  their  sensuality  and  voluptuousness,  in 
 their  behaviour  amongst  men,  and  they  will  be  will- 
 ing to  compound  the  matter  with  God,  and  submit 
 to  what  forms  of  worship  you  please,  and  as  many  as 
 you  please.  This  was  manifest  in  the  Jews  in  the 
 days  of  the  prophets,  the  Pharisees  in  Christ's  time, 
 and  Papists  and  Mahometans  at  this  day. 
 
 At  a  time  when  there  is  an  apparent  approach  of 
 any  glorious  revival  of  God's  church,  he  especially 
 calls  his  professing  people  to  the  practice  of  moral 
 duties,  Isa.  Ivi.  I.  "  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  keep  ye 
 judgment,  and  do  justice;  for  my  salvation  is  near 
 to  come,  and  my  righteousness  to  be  revealed."  So 
 when  John  preached  that  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven 
 was  at  hand,"  and  cried  to  the  people,  "  Prepare  ye 
 the  way  of  the  Lord,  make  his  paths  straight," 
 Luke  iii.  4.  the  people  asked  him,  "  What  they 
 should  do?"  He  answers,  "  He  that  hath  two 
 coats,  let  him  impart  to  him  that  hath  none ;  and  he 
 that  hath  meat,  let  him  do  likewise."  The  publicans 
 said,  "  What  shall  we  do  ?"  He  answers,  "  Exact 
 no  more  than  that  which  is  appointed  you."  And 
 the  soldiers  asked  him,  "  What  shall  we  do?"  He 
 replies,  "  Do  violence  to  no  man ;  neither  accuse 
 
499 
 
 any  falsely  ;  and  be  content  with  your  wages,"  ver. 
 10—14. 
 
 God's  people,  at  such  a  time  as  this,  ought  espe- 
 cially to  abound  in  deeds  of  charity,  or  alms-giving. 
 We  generally,  in  these  days,  seem  to  fall  far  below 
 the  true  spirit  and  practice  of  Christianity  with  re- 
 gard to  this  duty,  and  seem  to  have  but  little  notion 
 of  it,  so  far  as  I  can  understand  the  New  Testament. 
 At  a  time  when  God  is  so  liberal  of  spiritual  things, 
 we  ought  not  to  be  strait-handed  towards  him,  and 
 sparing  of  our  temporal  things.  So  far  as  I  can 
 judge  by  the  Scripture,  there  is  no  external  duty 
 whatsoever,  by  which  persons  will  be  so  much  in  the 
 way,  not  only  of  receiving  temporal  benefits,  but  also 
 spiritual  blessings,  the  influences  of  God's  Holy 
 Spirit  in  the  heart,  in  divine  discoveries,  and  spi- 
 ritual consolations.  I  think  it  would  be  unreason- 
 able to  understand  those  promises,  made  to  this  duty, 
 in  the  58th  chapter  of  Isaiah,  in  a  sense  exclusive  of 
 spirital  discoveries  and  comforts;  Isa.  Iviii.  7,  &c. 
 **  Is  it  not  to  deal  thy  bread  to  the  hungry,  and  that 
 thou  bring  the  poor  that  are  cast  out  to  thy  house? 
 when  thou  seest  the  naked,  that  thou  cover  him  ;  and 
 that  thou  hide  not  thyself  from  thine  own  flesh  ? 
 Then  shall  thy  light  break  forth  as  the  morning, 
 and  thy  health  shall  spring  forth  speedily  ;  and  thy 
 righteousness  shall  go  before  thee;  the  glory  of  the 
 Lord  shall  be  thy  rere-ward.  Then  shalt  thou  call, 
 and  the  Lord  shall  answer;  thou  shalt  cry,  and  he 
 shall  say,  Here  I  am  :  if  thou  take  away  from  the 
 midst  of  thee  the  yoke,  the  putting  forth  of  the 
 finger,  and  speaking  vanity ;  and  if  thou  draw  out 
 thy  soul  to  the  hungry,  and  satisfy  the  afflicted  soul; 
 then  shall  thy  light  rise  in  obscurity,  and  thy  dark- 
 
500 
 
 ness  be  as  the  noon-day :  and  the  Lord  shall  guide 
 thee  continually,  and  satisfy  thy  soul  in  drought,  and 
 make  fat  thy  bones :  and  thou  shalt  be  like  a 
 watered  garden,  and  like  a  spring  of  water,  whose 
 waters  fail  not."  So  that  giving  to  the  poor  is  the 
 way  to  receive  spiritual  blessings,  is  manifest  by 
 Psalm  cxii.  4,  &c.  "  Unto  the  upright  there  ariseth 
 light  in  the  darkness :  he  is  gracious,  and  full  of 
 compassion,  and  righteous.  A  good  man  showeth 
 favour,  and  lendeth :  he  will  guide  his  affairs  with 
 discretion.  Surely  he  shall  not  be  moved  for  ever: 
 the  righteous  shall  be  in  everlasting  remembrance. 
 He  shall  not  be  afraid  of  evil  tidings :  his  heart  is 
 fixed,  trusting  in  the  Lord.  His  heart  is  estab- 
 lished, he  shall  not  be  afraid,  until  he  see  his  desire 
 upon  his  enemies.  He  hath  dispersed ;  he  hath 
 given  to  the  poor;  his  righteousness  endureth  for 
 ever;  his  horn  shall  be  exalted  with  honour."  That 
 this  is  one  likely  means  to  obtain  assurance,  is  evi- 
 dent by  1  John  iii.  18,  19.  "  My  little  children,  let 
 us  not  love  in  word,  neither  in  tongue,  but  in  deed, 
 and  in  truth.  And  hereby  we  know  that  we  are  of 
 the  truth,  and  shall  assure  our  hearts  before  him." 
 
 We  have  a  remarkable  instance  in  Abraham,  of 
 God  rewarding  deeds  of  charity  with  sweet  disco- 
 veries of  himself.  He  had  been  remarkably  chari- 
 table to  his  brother  Lot,  and  the  people  redeemed 
 out  of  captivity  with  him,  by  exposing  his  life  to 
 rescue  them.  He  had  re-taken  not  only  the  per- 
 sons, but  all  the  spoil  that  had  been  taken  by  Che- 
 dorlaomer  and  the  confederate  kings.  The  king  of 
 Sodom  offered  him,  that,  if  he  would  give  him  the 
 persons,  he  might  take  the  goods  to  himself;  but 
 Abraham  refused  to  take  any  thing,  even  so  much 
 
501 
 
 as  a  thread  or  shoe-latcliet,  but  returned  all.  He 
 might  liave  greatly  enriched  himself  if  he  had  taken 
 the  spoil  to  himself,  for  it  was  the  spoil  of  five 
 wealthy  kings  and  their  kingdoms,  yet  he  did  not 
 covet  it.  The  king  and  people  of  Sodom  were  now 
 become  objects  of  charity,  having  been  stript  of  all 
 by  their  enemies;  therefore  Abraham  generously 
 bestowed  all  upon  them,  as  we  have  an  account  in 
 Gen.  xiv.  and  four  last  verses.  He  was  soon  re- 
 warded for  it,  by  a  blessed  discovery  that  God  made 
 of  himself  to  him;  as  in  the  next  words:  "  After 
 these  things  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto 
 Abraham  in  a  vision,  saying,  Fear  not,  Abraham  : 
 I  am  thy  shield,  and  thy  exceeding  great  reward." 
 "  I  am  thy  shield,"  to  defend  thee  in  battle,  as  I  have 
 now  done  :  and  though  thou  hast  charitably  refused 
 to  take  any  reward  for  exposing  thy  life  to  rescue 
 this  people,  yet  "  fear  not,"  thou  shalt  not  be  a  loser, 
 thou  shalt  have  a  reward  ;  "  I  am  thy  exceeding  great 
 reward." 
 
 When  Christ  was  upon  earth,  he  was  poor,  and 
 an  object  of  charity;  and,  during  the  time  of  his 
 public  ministry  he  was  supported  by  the  charity  of 
 some  of  his  followers,  and  particularly  certain  women, 
 of  whom  we  read,  Luke  viii.  2,  3.  And  these 
 women  were  rewarded,  by  being  peculiarly  favoured 
 with  gracious  manifestations  which  Christ  made  of 
 himself  to  them.  He  discovered  himself  first  to 
 them  after  his  resurrection,  before  the  twelve  dis- 
 ciples. They  first  saw  a  vision  of  glorious  angels, 
 who  spake  comfortably  to  them  ;  and  then  Christ 
 himself  appeared  to  them,  and  spake  peace  to  them, 
 saying,  "  All  hail,  be  not  afraid;  and  they  were  ad- 
 mitted to  come  and  hold  him  by  the  feet,  and  wor- 
 
502 
 
 ship  him,"  Matt,  xxviii.  And  though  we  cannot 
 be  charitable  in  this  way  to  Christ,  who,  in  his  ex- 
 alted state,  is  infinitely  above  the  need  of  our  charity  ; 
 yet  we  may  be  charitable  to  him  even  now,  as  well 
 as  they  then.  For  though  Christ  is  not  here,  yet 
 he  has  left  others  in  his  room,  to  be  his  receivers ; 
 and  they  are  the  poor.  Christ  is  yet  poor  in  his 
 members;  and  he  that  gives  to  them,  lends  to  the 
 Lord :  and  Christ  tells  us,  that  he  shall  look  on 
 what  is  done  to  them,  as  done  to  him. 
 
 Rebekah,  in  her  marriage  with  Isaac,  was  un- 
 doubtedly a  remarkable  type  of  the  church,  in  her 
 espousals  to  the  Lord  Jesus.  She  obtained  her 
 husband  in  doing  deeds  of  charity ;  agreeable  to  the 
 prayer  of  Abraham's  servant,  who  desired  that  this 
 might  be  the  thing  to  distinguish  the  virgin  who 
 was  to  be  Isaac's  wife.  So  Cornelius  was  brought 
 to  the  knowledge  of  Christ  in  this  way.  "  He  was 
 a  devout  man,  and  one  that  feared  God,  with  all  his 
 house;  which  gave  much  alms  to  the  people,  and 
 prayed  to  God  alway.  And  an  angel  appeared  to 
 him,  and  said  to  him.  Thy  prayers  and  thine  alms 
 are  come  up  for  a  memorial  before  God ;  and  now 
 send  men  to  Joppa,  and  call  for  one  Simon,  whose 
 surname  is  Peter,*'  &c.  Acts  x.  at  the  beginning. 
 And  we  have  an  account,  in  the  following  parts  of 
 the  chapter,  how  God,  by  Peter's  preaching,  re- 
 vealed Christ  to  Cornelius  and  his  family,  and  of 
 the  Holy  Ghost  descending  upon  them,  and  filling 
 their  hearts  with  joy,  and  their  mouths  with  praises. 
 
 Some  may  possibly  object,  that  for  persons  to 
 do  deeds  of  charity,  in  hope  of  obtaining  spiritual 
 blessings  and  comforts  in  this  way,  would  seem  to 
 show  a  self-righteous  spirit,  as  though  they  would 
 
503 
 
 offer  something  to  God  to  purchase  these  favours. 
 But,  if  this  be  a  good  objection,  it  may  be  made 
 against  every  duty  whatsoever.  All  external  duties 
 of  the  first  table  will  be  excluded  by  it,  as  well  as 
 those  of  the  second.  First-table  duties  have  as 
 direct  a  tendency  to  raise  self-righteous  persons'  ex- 
 ^pectations  of  receiving  something  from  God,  on  ac- 
 count of  them,  as  second-table  duties;  and  on  some 
 accounts  more,  for  those  duties  are  more  immediately 
 offered  to  God,  and  therefore  persons  are  more  ready 
 to  expect  something  from  God  for  them.  But  no 
 duty  is  to  be  neglected,  for  fear  of  making  a  righ- 
 teousness of  it.  And  I  have  always  observed,  that 
 those  professors  who  are  most  partial  in  their  duty, 
 exact  and  abundant  in  external  duties  of  the  first 
 table,  and  slack  as  to  those  of  the  second,  are  the 
 most  self-riffhteous. 
 
 If  God's  people  in  this  land  were  once  brought  to 
 abound  in  such  deeds  of  love,  as  much  as  in  praying, 
 hearing,  singing,  and  religious  meetings  and  con- 
 ference, it  would  be  a  most  blessed  omen.  Nothing 
 would  have  a  greater  tendency  to  bring  the  God  of 
 love  down  from  heaven  to  earth ;  so  amiable  would 
 be  the  sight  in  the  eyes  of  our  loving  and  exalted 
 Redeemer,  that  it  would  soon,  as  it  were,  fetch  him 
 down  irom  his  throne  in  heaven,  to  set  up  his 
 tabernacle  with  men  on  the  earth,  and  dwell  with 
 them.  I  do  not  remember  ever  to  have  read  of  any 
 remarkable  outpouring  of  the  Spirit,  that  continued 
 any  long  time,  but  what  was  attended  with  an 
 abounding  in  this  duty.  We  know  it  was  so  with 
 that  great  effusion  of  the  Spirit  which  began  at 
 Jerusalem  in  the  apostles'  days.  And  so  it  was  in 
 the  late  remarkable   revival  of  religion  in  Saxony, 
 
504 
 
 which  began  by  the  labours  of  the  famous  professor 
 Franckj  and  has  now  been  carried  on  for  above 
 thirty  years,  and  has  spread  its  happy  influences 
 into  many  parts  of  the  world ;  it  was  begun,  and  lias 
 been  carried  on,  by  a  wonderful  practice  in  this 
 duty.  And  the  remarkable  blessing  that  God  has 
 given  Mr.  Whitfield,  and  the  great  success  with 
 which  he  has  crowned  him,  may  well  be  thought  to 
 be  very  much  owing  to  his  laying  out  himself  so 
 abundantly  in  charitable  designs.  And  it  is  fore- 
 told, that  God's  people  shall  abound  in  this  duty 
 at  the  time  of  the  great  outpouring  of  the  Spirit 
 that  shall  be  in  the  latter  days,  Isa.  xxxii.  5,  8. 
 "  The  vile  person  shall  no  more  be  called  liberal, 
 nor  the  churl  said  to  be  bountiful. — But  the  liberal 
 deviseth  liberal  things,  and  by  liberal  things  shall 
 he  stand." 
 
 To  promote  a  reformation,  with  respect  to  all 
 sorts  of  duties  among  a  professing  people,  one  proper 
 means,  and  that  which  is  recommended  by  frequent 
 scripture-examples,  is  their  solemn,  public  renewing 
 of  their  covenant  with  God.  And,  doubtless,  it 
 would  greatly  tend  to  promote  this  work  in  the  land, 
 if  the  congregations  of  God's  people  could  generally 
 be  brought  to  this.  Suppose  a  draught  of  a  cove- 
 nant be  made  by  their  ministers,  wherein  there 
 should  be  an  express  mention  of  those  particular 
 duties  that  the  people  of  the  respective  congrega- 
 tions have  been  observed  to  be  most  prone  to  ne- 
 glect, those  particular  sins  into  which  they  have 
 heretofore  especially  fallen,  or  of  which  it  may  be 
 apprehended  they  are  especially  in  danger,  whereby 
 they  may  prevent  or  resist  the  motions  of  God's 
 Spirit.      Suppose  the  matter  be  fully  proposed  and 
 
505 
 
 explained  to  the  people,  and,  after  sufficient  oppor- 
 tunity for  consideration,  they  be  led,  all  that  are 
 capable  of  understanding,  particularly  to  subscribe 
 the  covenant.  Suppose  also  all  appear  together  on 
 a  day  of  prayer  and  fasting,  publicly  to  own  it  before 
 God  in  his  house,  as  their  vow  to  the  Lord  ;  hereby 
 congregations  of  Christians  would  do  what  would  be 
 beautiful  in  itself,  what  would  put  honour  upon 
 God,  and  be  very  profitable  to  themselves.  Such  a 
 thuig  was  attended  with  a  very  wonderful  blessing 
 in  Scotland,  and  followed  with  a  great  increase  of 
 the  blessed  tokens  of  the  presence  of  God,  and  re- 
 markable outpourings  of  his  Spirit;  as  the  author 
 of  *  The  Fulfilling  of  the  Scripture'  informs,  p.  186. 
 fifth  edition. — A  people  must  be  taken  when  they 
 are  in  a  good  mood,  when  considerable  religious  im- 
 pressions prevail  among  them ;  otherwise  innumerable 
 will  be  their  objections  and  cavils  against  it. 
 
 One  thing  more  I  would  mention,  which,  if  God 
 should  still  carry  on  this  work,  would  tend  much  to 
 promote  it;  and  that  is,  That  a  history  should  be 
 published  once  a  month,  or  once  a  fortnight,  of  its 
 progress,  by  one  of  the  ministers  of  Boston,  who 
 are  near  the  press,  and  are  most  conveniently  situ- 
 ated to  receive  accounts  from  all  parts.  It  has  been 
 found  by  experience,  that  the  tidings  of  remarkable 
 effects  of  the  power  and  grace  of  God  in  any  place, 
 tends  greatly  to  awaken  and  engage  the  minds  of 
 persons  in  other  places.  It  is  great  pity,  therefore, 
 but  that  some  means  should  be  used  for  the  most 
 speedy,  most  extensive,  and  certain  information  of 
 such  things;  that  the  country  be  not  left  to  the 
 Y  48 
 
506 
 
 slow,  partial,  and  doubtful  information,  and  false  re- 
 presentations of  common  report. 
 
 Thus  I  have  (I  hope,  by  the  help  of  God)  finished 
 what  I  proposed.  I  have  taken  the  more  pains  in 
 it,  because  it  appears  to  me  that  now  God  is  giving 
 us  the  most  happy  season,  to  attempt  a  universal 
 reformation,  that  ever  was  given  in  New  England. 
 And  it  is  a  thousand  pities,  that  we  should  fail  of 
 that  which  would  be  so  glorious,  for  want  of  being 
 sensible  of  our  opportunity,  of  being  aware  of  those 
 things  that  tend  to  hinder  it,  of  taking  improper 
 courses  to  obtain  it,  or  of  not  being  sensible  in  what 
 way  God  expects  we  should  seek  it.  If  it  should 
 please  God  to  bless  any  means  for  convincing  the 
 country  of  his  hand  in  this  work,  for  bringing  them 
 fully  and  freely  to  acknowledge  his  glorious  power 
 and  grace  in  it ;  and  for  bringing  them  to  engage 
 with  one  heart  and  soul,  and  by  due  methods,  to 
 endeavour  to  promote  it,  it  would  be  a  dispensation 
 of  divine  providence  that  would  have  a  most  glorious 
 aspect,  happily  signifying  the  approach  of  great  and 
 glorious  things  to  the  church  of  God,  and  justly 
 causing  us  to  hope  that  Christ  would  speedily  come 
 to  set  up  his  kingdom  of  light,  holiness,  peace,  and 
 joy  on  earth,  as  is  foretold  in  his  word.  Amen ; 
 even  so  come,  Lord  Jesus  ! 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 printed  by  W.  Colling  &  Co. 
 Glasgow. 
 
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