YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Gift of
Dr. Herbert Thomas

EDWARDS ON REVIVALS:

CONTAINING

A FAITHFUL NARRATIVE
OF THE
SURPRISING WORK OF GOD IN THE CONVERSION OF
MANY HUNDRED SOULS IN NORTHAMPTON,
MASSACHUSETTS, A. D. 1735.
ALSO,
THOUGHTS
ON THE
REVIVAL OF RELIGION IN NEW ENGLAND, 1742,
AND THE WAY IN WHICH IT OUtiHT TO BE ACKNOAV-
LEDGED AND- PROMOTED.
BY JONATHAN EDWARDS, A.M.,
PASTOR Q¥ THE CIJURCn OF CHRIST IN NORTHAMPTON; AFTERWARDS .PRESIDENT OF
NASSAU HALL COLLEGE, PRINCETOJI, N. J-
WITH
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, AND A FULL GENERAL INDEX,
PREPARED BY THE PRESENT EDITOR*',

NEW YORK:
DUNNING & SPALDING
1832.

"Entered, according to act of congress, in tlie year 3832, by Charles Spalding, m tie
clerli's office of tho southern diBtrrct of New York." 6. -" ">

nia^U

EcL^G

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SLEIGHT AND ROBINSON, PHINTEIIS.

CONTENTS.

V

ftECOMMENDATIONS OF THE WORft, •¦ - - .
fetroductory remarks by the present editor, - ix

Paithful Narrative of the Surprising Work, &a xvii
Preface by Dr. Watts and Dr. Guyse, xix
Preface by the Boston Ministers, - - . xxvi
Testimony of Ministers in Hampshire county, - xxx
C!hap. I. Introductory statement, - - - - 31
Chap. II. The manner of conversion various, yet bearing a great
resemblance, - - - . 43
Chap. III. Of remarkable impressions on the imagination, 93
Chap. IV. The work farther illustrated in particular instances, 87
Chap. V. Defects and decKne of the work, . 104

THOUGHTS ON THE REVIVAL, &c - 113
Preface, - 115
Part J. Showing that the extraordinary work that has of late been
going on in this land, is a glorious work of God, - - 117
Sect. 1. We should not judge of this work a priori, but by its
effects, - - - 117
Sect. 2. We should judge by the rule of scripture, - 121
Sect. 3. We should not judge of the whole by a part, - - 140
Sect. 4. The nature of the work in general, - 154
Sect. 5. The nature of the work in a particular instance, 162
Sect. 6. This is a glorious work of God, - 174
Part II. Showing the obligations that all are under to acknowledge,
rejoice in, and promote this work, and the great danger of
the contrary, 183
Sect. 1. Thedangerof lying still and keeping long silence respecting
any remarkable work of God, 183
Sect. 2. The lattef day glory is probably to begin in America, 189
Sect. 3, The danger of not acknowledging, and encouraging, and
especially of deriding, this work, 196
Sect. 4. Obhgations of rulers, ministers, and all sorts, to promote this
work, 211

iv CONTENTS.
Part III. Showing, in many instances, wherein the subjects, or zealous
promoters of this work, have been injuriously blamed, 229
Sect. 1. The objection that ministers address themselves lo the affec
tions, rather than the understanding, . . - - 331
Sect. 2. Ministers blamed for speaking terror to those who are already
onder great terrors, - - - * . 236
Sect. 3. The objection of having so frequent meetings, and spending
so much time in reUgion, ^ . « . . 243
¦Sect. 4 Ministers blamed for making much of outcries, -huntings,
and bodily effects, . . ^ . ^ .. 248
Sect. 5. Ministers blamed for keeping persons together that are tlndef
great affections, . ^ -i . w . ^ 250
Sect. 6. Objection against speaking much, and ^ith great earnest
ness, by persons affected, ,..•..- 252
Sect. 7. So'me find fault with so much singing in religious meetings, 257
Sect, 8. Many dislike 'the religious meetings of children, to read and
,pra;y together, ......^»>. 359
Part IV. Showing what things are to be corrected or uvoided in pro
moting this work, or in our behavior under it, - ^ - 2B3
Sict. 1. One cause of errors in a great revival, is spiritual pride, 270
¦Sect. 2. EiTors in a revival arising fi-om the adoption of wrong princi
ples, - - . - . . . 292
Sect. 3. Errors from being unobsert'ant of things by which the devil
has a special advantage, . u » . » .. 324
Sect. 4. Some particular errors that have arisen from these causes, 343
Sect, 5. Of errors connected with lay exhorting, - - - . 354
Sect. 6. Of errors connected with singing praises to God, - . 3ei
Part V. Showing positively what ought to be done lo promote this
work, . w , . - . 37)
Sect. 1. Of removing hindrances to this work, . . - . 371
Sect. 2. Of what must be done directly to promote the Avork, 378
Sect. 3. Duties of ministers, and particular classes of persons, 383
Seel. 4. Of duties that concern all in general, - 394
Sect. 5. Tbe work to bo promoted by attention to moral duties, 403

RECOMMENDATIONS.

The following recommendations have been politely furnished by gentlemen,
whose opinions, we doubt not, are .in unison with tlie body of evangelical
•clergy in the United States.
From the President and Professors at Princeton, J^, J.
We know of no works on the subject of Revivals of Religion, at once so
scriptural, discriminating, and instiTictive, as those of the late illustrious
President Edwards. At the present day, when this subject so justly en
gages a large share of the attention of the religious public, wc should be
¦glad if a copy of the volume proposed to be repubHshed by Dunning and
Spalding, could be placed in every dwelling in the United States. It exhibits
the nature of genuine revivals of religion, the best means of promoting
them, the abuses and dangers to winch they are liable, and the duty of
guarding against these abuses and dangers, witli a degree of spiritual dis-
-cemmont and practical msdom, wliich have commanded the approbation of
¦the friends of Zion for tlie greater part of a century.
SAMUEL MILLER,
A. ALEXANDER,
C. HODGE,
JAMES CARNAHAN,
Princeton, September 21, 1831.

Frcrni the President and Professors at J^eio Brunsioick,J^. J.
Much conversation is had at the present day on the subject of revivals of
Religion in our country.
That there is a difference of opinion among professing Christians, as to
their reahty, their nature, and the modes of action to be adopted in promoting
and conducting them, is also very apparent.
If by a revival of rehgion we understand that operation of the Spirit of
God, which, through the instrumeotality of liis word, produci3s conviction,
agitation, and conversion, in hitherto careless and impenitent sinners — or
excitement, connected with increase of faith, love, zeal, and holy action, in
the people of God, whether it be exhibited on a smaller or larger scale— in
the case of individuals, families, churches, districts of country, or whole na
tions — it is strange that the possibihty or reaUty of such a work should be
called in question by those who are famihar with their Bibles, are acquainted
with church history, or have any con'ect knowledge whatever either of the
¦ordinary or extraordinary operations of the Holy Spirit upon the souls of
men. In such revivals it is true that there is in some instances only a tempo
rary excitement of the passions, without a renewal of the heart, and in others
a human co-oporation which will neither bear the test of enlightened reason
or of the word of God. These circumstances, however, arc precisely what
(from human weakness, and the artifice of Satan to bring the whole work
into disrepute) we have a right to expect. Any judicious publication on re
vivals, a.nd especially Ihat written many years ago by the pious and discrimi-

Vi RECOMIMENDATIONS.
nating Edwards, cannot fail, and especially at the present time, to be read
with more than ordinaiy interest. Considering President Edwards as hana-
ling this subject with great propriety and discretion, I do hereby express my
desire to see his work more extensively circulated through the churches.
PHILIP MILLEDOLER.
College, JVeto Brunswick, Sept. X7th, 1831.
The Works of President Edwards have acquired no ordinary reputation.
His "NaiTative of Surprising Conversions and Thoughts on Revivals of
Rehgion," written after much research and clpse observation of the various
effects produced on the minds of gospel-hearers, in a time of general awa
kening, cannot fail to profit those who read it in a serious temper. I am
•pleased to hear that this Narrative is soon to be pubhshed in a form that will
render it accessible by all, and hope that it may have an extensive circulation.
JAMES S. CANNON.
'Theological Seminary, JVetu Brunswick.
My owri views of the " Narrative," &c., of President Edwards, are ex
pressed in the above favorable notice of Dr. Cannon.
JOSEPH H. JONES.
1 cannot but hope that the work, will receive an extensive and liberal patro
nage. It is the best body of practical theology wdthin the compass of my
knowledge. It is searching, instructive, edifying, scriptural. Let it be
carefully read by every professor of rehgion, and studied and digested by
every student of theology, and every young minister of the gospel. Let me
just mention another desideratiim : the repubhcation of the same unrivaled
author's work on Original Sin. The difiusion of these treatises in separate
forms, would, with the divine blessing, greatly conduce to the increase of
;sound godHness, and check the progress of pernicious errors.
JOHN DE WITT.
J^ew Brunsioick, Sept. 1831.

From Ministers in J^ew Ymlc.
To those who are acquainted with the writings of Pi-esident Edwards, the
highest recommendation of tlie present work is, that it is tlie best of them
all. It is more than. ten years since I first read it, and I well recollect my
Surprise that I had not read it before. I then thought it one of the ricljest
volumes I ever perused. One impression I distinctly remember ; and that is,
that great injustice might be done the venerable and devout author, by viewing
the work in detached parts. As a whole, it cannot be too liiglily valued, nor
too extensively read, especially at the present time.
GARDINER SPRING.
Mw York, September 6, 1831.
The importance of revivals of religlm, is Hterally infijiite : because conver
sions are infinitely important ; and the spread and jurisdiction of the gospel
of God over the minds of men everywhere is properly the grand desideratum
and the destined prospect of tho worid. The discrimination of theoloo-ical
parties (if these must be and have a name) in the Christian world, will soon
bo made extensively by this rriterion of principles and persons — their
KNOWN relation TO REVIVALS OF RELIGION ! At the present time,
all denominations consiiltncd, there are many wliosc ignorance of the whole
matter is their onlv promiiienl rharaiteristii- in vcgnnl to it ; many, as much

KECOMMENDATIONS. VU
distinguished by enmity and an allcclod intelleclual superiority to their theory
and their fruits ; many, by a latent ill-concealed antipathy, Ural affects to
disUke only then' excrescences and occasionally spurious accompaniments ;
and many, I bless God for it, who more and more love them, because they
love Him, see in his light tlieir incomparable worth, and desire them, prayer-
fijlly, practically, zealously, and yet soberly, in their destined universal
prevalence. The age ought not perhaps to be yet dignified as the age of revivals ; be
cause the dawn ought not to anticipate, or perfectly to characterize, the per
fect day. But it is such an age exactly as will more and more demand, and
now also does, revival principles, revival ministers, revival Christians, and
revival scenes and glories multiplied : of course, I thinlt revival publications,
are as appositely needed ; of the right land, and calculated to enlighten, and
guide, and assist the operations of the church of God, in aiming directly ot
the cmiquest of the world to Jesus Christ and his glorious sceptre.
With these views, I think the publication of Edwards on Revivals is'very
timely, judicious, and of excellent promise : I therefore cordially desire and
recommend the extensive circulation and full perusal of that valuable and
singular treatise. SAMUEL H. COX.
Mew York, Jlugust 3, 1831.
I am very glad that we are to have a new edition of " Edwards on Revi
vals," &c. Nothing could be more seasonable at the present day. I have
read the work again and again, and always vrith new advantage.
J. M. MATHEWS.
J^eio York, September 24, 1831.
We woidd cordially recommend to the Christian pubhc the works of
President Edwards on Revivals. These workswerewritteninA.D.1736
and 1742, and contain a faithful nan-ative of the glbrious revival in New
England by the cutpouring of the Holy Ghost in those blessed days, when
clear, pmre, and scriptural views of the doctrines of the gospel, and true
practical godhness, sincerely characterized the cluldren of the puritans. We
could sincerely wish that this work, now about lo be published by Dunning
and Spalding, were in the hands of all our Christian brethren.
W. C. BROWNLEE,
CHARLES G. SOMMERS.
JVeio York, .August 5, 1831.
At the present time, there is no subject of such deep and increasing interest
to the American cburches, as the subject of revivals of religion. It is a sub
ject too on which no uninspired man was ever better qualified to speak or
write than President Edwards — not only on account of his eminently discri
minating and sanctified mind, but also on account of his opportunities of ob
servation resulting from the extensive work of God which occurred under his
own eye. I know of nothing so well calculated to exhibit the blessedness of
such " times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord," and at the same
time to guard against the self-deception and other evils which are then likely
to occur, as his " Narrative," and " Thoughts on the Revival of Religion
in New England, in 1742." On this account, I rejoice in another attempt to
give this work a' more extended circulation. W. D. SNODGRASS.
JVero York, September 22, 1831.
The " Narrative of Surprising Conversions," and " Thoughts on the Re
vival of Rehgion in New England," from the pen of President Edwards, and
originally published, one in 1736, the other in 1742, are works wliich well de-

Viii RECOMMENDATIONS.
serve to be perused and studied by all who feel a concern for the prosperity
of the church, aad who would become acquainted with the various ways in
which the God of grace is pleased to approach the soul with the blessings ot
his salvation. . . ,
At the present time, when the divine influence is m a remarkab e manner
manifesting itself far and wide, it seems to be particularly desirable that the
work shoufd be given to the public in a detached form, so ^V™ accessible
to all. JOHN KNUJS..
JVei» Ym-k, August, 1831.
I am pleased to find that it is proposed to republish the work of President
Edwards on Revivals. The character of the author for intellect and piety,
has its praise in all the churches, and needs no commendation. The work
proposed to be republished, as well as the treatise on the affections by the same
author, contain a clear, discriminating, and searching dehneation of evan
gelical and vital reUgion. At its first publication it was highly useful, during-
a period of extensive revivals, in promoting the work of God, and in pre
venting and removing incident evils. It is hoped that at this period its re
pubhcation will be greatly beneficial. THOMAS DE WITT.
JVeio York, August, 6, 1831.
What President Edwards has written on Revivals, I consider a full and
thorough discussion of tlie whole subject. If ministers of the gospel would
read it once a year, it seems to me that all controversy among the orthodox
with respect to the truths which are to be mainly insisted on, and the means
to be used for giving such truths a free access to men's minds, would come
to an end. If it were circulated among Christians where there is no revival,
it would tend strongly to arouse the church to a sense of the importance of
such a blessing, and lead them to seek successfully to promote the quickening
of God's people, and the conversion of sinners. If read in a tinje of revival,
it might be expected to give increased tone and energy to the fevival feeling,
and at the same time to regulate that feeling when excited. If read by minis
ter and people in the decline of a revival, it might be expected, under God, to
stop the ebbings of spiritual feehng, and bring back a heavier and richer
tide of mercy. I rejoice in its repubhcation, and recommend it to the careful
perusal of all who love the salvation of sinners.
JOEL PARKER.
.ATeto York, September, 1831.
Dear Sir — I consider the proposed publication of Edwards' work on Revi
vals of Religion, as highly important, and, in the present times, specially ap
propriate. The work is fuU of valuable truth,^ instructive experience, and
discriminating observa,tion, well calculated to guard against pernicious per
version, that characteristic spirit of these days, which Satan would so gladly
delude into extravagance and heresy. The publication will riclily merit the
patronage of a Christian public. Yours, &c.
CHAS. P. McILVAINE.
Brooklyn, September 23, 1831.
I concur in the fdregoing recommendations.
JAMES MILNOR.
JVew York, 1831.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.

A REVIVAL OF RELIGION is a subject of great interest and importance. The
phrase has, by common consent, been appropriated to denote a work of the
Spirit of God, turning Uie attention of considerable numbers in a place to
the things of eternity, and bringing many, in a short time, to a saving
knowledge of Christ. It is merely the success of the gospel, unusually in
creased. It is the conversion of numbers of sinners in a short space of time.
Whatever interest is attached to the institutions of religion, whatever pleasure
is felt in the success of a preached gospel, or whatever emotions arise, on
earth or in heaven, at seeing ojie sinner repent and believe in Christ, all these
must be heightened and enhanced abundantly at the multiplication of such
results, which constitutes a revival of rehgion. The Savior himself sees the
travail of his soul, and is satisfied, when converts are multiphed, as trophies
of his grace. It is only through mistake or misinformation, that any who
love our Lord Jesus Christ are grieved or alarmed at a revival of religion.
These seasons are as important as they' are interesting. They constitute
Hot only the glory and the rejoicing of the church, but her safety and Hfe.
In the darkest periods, the chm-ch has been saved from utter extinction by
revivals. The first preaching of the gospel was attended with powerful
revivals. The book of Acts is a histoiy of revivals. The reformation from
popery was almost everywhere accompanied with revivals. There were ex
tensive revivals in the times of the Puritans in England. The early churches
in New England had numerous revivals. Powerful seasons of the same
Idnd were experionoud in Scotland and Ireland, in the former part of the last
century. At a later period, extensive revivals took place in England, under
the preaching of Wesley and Whitefield. The revivals which occurred in Ame
rica, under the ministrations of PresidentEdwards and liis cotemporaries, were
distinguished for striking manifestations of divine power and grace. Numerous
revivals in the United States marked the close of the last and beginning erf"
the present century, both in the east and the west. And from that tinae they
have been regularly growing more frequent, more numerous, more powerful
and rapid, all over our country, to the present time. The last year was un
doubtedly distinguished,,^bove all that have preceded it, since the formation
of the Christian church; Never before has the Holy Spirit been poured out
in so many places at oace ; never before has the Lord Jesus gathered so.
many into his churches, in tlie same space of time, " of such as shall be saved."
2.

X INTRODUCTORT REMARK?.
There is reason to beheve, that these displays of divine grace will continue
to increase, till one general revival shall extend over the habitable globe.
We are assured of the universal extension and final triumph of the gospel m
the whole worid. We know, from tho " sure word of prophecy," that what
we now see of the progress and effects of spiritual rehgion, is only a small
sample of what is yet to be seen. And we thence infer, that all the revivals
which have liitherto taken place, are only the first fruits of the glorious harvest.
It is only by revivals that the work of conversion can overtake the increase of
population in the world. It is only by revivals that the ministers and other
instruments and means for sending out the gospel can be furnished. It is
only in tliis way that infidelity and the love of the world can be made to yield
to the authority of Christ. By no other process can the church gain strength
and numbers fast, enough, to meet the opposition which will inevitably be
provoked by the growing influence and power of rehgion.
It is manifest, therefore, that the church is to calculate upon revivals of re
ligion, as habitual events, and to consider the duties and responsibihties-
incident to revivals as her customary bm-den. Or rather we may say, that the
state of revival, the rapid gathering in of souls to Christ, by the labors of his
people, and in answer to their efficacious prayers, ought to be regarded as
the natural and appropriate state of the church. And by consequence, the
absence of revivals implies something wrong in the church, of declension,
neglect of duty, sinning against the Lord Jesus Christ, desti-oying the souls
of men.
It is incumbent then upon tlie church, to prepare for such a state of revival
as we are thus authorized to anticipate. The subject of revivals must be
more studied, and better understood. And the spirit of revivals must be
more dihgently cultivated. What an impulse would at once be given to the
study of the art of war, if it were anticipated that the country would soon be
involved in such a calamity. Why should not the science of revivals, and;
the course of action required in revivals, become a matter of general study in
the church ? Ministers have doubtless much yet to learn concerning revivals,
the signs of their approach, the means of producing them, the manner of
conductmg them, the way to guard against difficulties, and to secure the
happiest results. And every Christian ought to understand revivals, because
every one has a part to act in relation to them. There is a growing convic
tion in the church, of the responsibility which rests upon every individual pro
fessor of rehgion, in times of revival. In times-of revival it becomes manifest
how much the conduct of each one may help or hinder the effect of divine
truth. But without knowledge on the subject, no one can correctly perform.
his duty in revivals. And imless one understands tire principles that are ap
plicable in them, it is impossible he should be well prepared to act, in the
ever-varying emergencies which a revival does not fail to exhibit. How great
the calamity, to prevent or destroy a revival, fiom not knowing how to act m
regard to it ! Or to resist and extinguish a real revival, under a mistaken
opmion that it is spurious ! Or to encourage and cherish a spurious excitement,
supposing it to be a genuine work of the Spirit of God ! Or to have the'

introductohy remarks. xl
fruits which might have followed a revival stinted or marred, by any imbecile
or ill-judged procedures !
With these views of revivals, and of their importance as a subject of reh-
gious study, when the pubhshers of the present volume applied to me, last
summer, for advice in selecting a book which would be scasonablq and ac
ceptable in the present revived state of things, I could think of no one sq
appropriate as Edwards on Revivals. I was struck also with the coincidence,
when on making inquiry of several individuals, whose opinion in such a case
is of great weight, they spontaneously, and without any suggestion from me,
designated the same work, as one which it was particularly desirable to
have circulated in tlie churches at the present time. If any farther evidence
were needed, it may be found in the testimonials to the value of these writings,
which the publisher has obtained and prefixed to this volume. Coming as
they do, from ministers of different evangelical denomination.=!, and men who
are known to differ in many particulars, the unanimity of their approbation,
and the unqualified terms in which they have given it, are worthy of particu-
and grateful notice. It augurs well for revivals, that a work so full, effi
cient, and thorough, should have united such suffrages in its favor.
Probably no uninsphed man was ever quahfied for such a work, like Presi
dent Edwards. To a very clear, discriminating, and philosophical mind, he
added a habit of patient study and diligent research, excited and governed by a
love of truth. The clearness, which in others is so often cold and dull, in him
was warmed and enhvened by an experience in rehgion, singularly deep and
spiritual. Having been most thoroughly trained in theology, and received
practical instruction from his father, and from his grandfather Stoddard, res
pecting revivals,he was privileged to be the instrument of producing one of the
most genuine and powerful revivals on record in modern times, the first in a
series of revivals, of great extent and power. These things conspired to put
in requisition all the powers of his copious mind, and employ them on the
subject of revivals. His piety, zeal, faith, judgment, courage, integrity, were
all tried, and not found wanting. He wrote these works with all the savor of
the revivals fi-esh upon his soul. His mind was full of revival influence. He
felt tbat revivals were the great interest, which ought to enhst the zeal, and
absorb the sensibilities of the church. Indeed, these writings are so pel vaded
with the revival spirit, that they cannot be properly appreciated, but by one
who partakes of the same heavenly influence. There is spirituality, a
tborouo-hness, a devotedness to the subject, a delicacy of discrimination,
which no man can duly understand; whose mind is in a cold, worldly, unbe-
lieviuff, caviling state. None but a revived Christian can rightly conipre-
hend, or judiciously apply, the various principles and rules which, are here
developed. He who reads this, and does not feel himself moved to prize,
and seek, and pray for revivals, is poorly qualified to use the book, in its
applications to others. ^
The account given by President Edwards liimself, of the work in 1735, in
the first portion of the subsequent volume, is so full and authentic, that it is
only needful to mentjon this as the first in a series or cluster ,of revivals.

xii introductory remarks.
which extended over our whole country during a space of twenty years.
The " Thoughts concerning the Revival," which occupy the principal part
of the book, is a more labored work. It was written in 1742, during the pro
gress of a very extensive revival, which commenced in Connectictit and
Massachusetts, and continued for several years. This is what is generally
known by the name of "the great revival." I gather from TiTimbull's His
tory, that it began in Connecticut, early in the year 1740. Its rise in Massa
chusetts is traced to tbe first visit of Mr. Whitefield, who reached Boston in
September of that year. The Boston ministers seem to have entered zea
lously into the work, with the exception of Dr. Chaunccy, who afterwards
wrote a book against it.* Rev. Gilbert Teiinent, a preacher of great elo-
<jaienco and remarkable success, also visited New England soon after
Mr. Whitefield, and spent upwards of two months in Boston. He
likewise labored' in Connecticut. The work was more powerful in the
years 1740, 1741, and 1742, in Connecticut than in Massachusetts. The
ministers who labored with most extensive effect were Messrs. MUls, Pome-
roy, Wheelock, and Bellanry, who preached in all parts of the colony, and in
Massachusetts, wherever their brethren would admit them. Some of the
leading ministers, however, were bitter enemies of the revival ; and about the
time that this book was written, 1742, their hostility had reached its height.
Dr. Trumbull says, it was the "plan of the old lights, or Aiininians, both
among the clergy and civilians, to suppress, as far as possible, all the zealous
and Calvinistie preachers." The most severe laws were passed against them,
and rigorously executed. As the consequence of this witlidrawment of so
many leading ministers, and the opposition whicb was made to the work,
the -zesl of many degenerated to enthusiasm, discord and fanaticism
crept in, and in the subsequent years, many grievous separations and other
evils took place in the churches. StiU, however, the work of genuine revival
seems to have gone steadily forward, notwithstanding these mixtures of hu
man infirmity, so that by the year 1748, the balance of public opinion was
entirely changed, the oppressive laws were repealed, and the ministers who
had been punished for laboring in revivals, were restored to their rights.
Much iias been said about the disorders which attended these revivals j but
Dr. Trumbull says, " Of these, in most of the churches, there was little or
nothing ; and perhaps they were not greater in any, than were found in the
church at Corinth, even, in the apostohc age." "It was estimated that in two
or three years of the revival, thirty or forty thousand souls were bom into the
family of heaven, in New England, besides great numbers in New York and
New Jersey, and in the more southern provinces."!
'President Edwards wrote liis "Thoughts on the Revival," in 1742 the
most critical period of tliis interesting liistoiy, when the work seemed to bo
balancing, as it were, between the deadly opposition of some, and the extra
vagancies , of others. And how admirably calculated was this m.an, how

* H« subsequcnUy avowed lilniKcll' n believer in univ'cr'salism
J TrumbuIJ, Hist. Conn. Booii II. Cliap. 8.

mTRODUCTORV REMARKS. Xiu
evidently was he raised up, to hold tlie scales in such a juncture. "To be duly
estimated, the work should be judged of in connection Willi the circumstances
under which it was produced. The manner of laying out his plan, andthe
topics introduced, the practices which he either defended or censured, the
wisdom with which he conducted liis subject, are much more apparent, to
those who will make themselves familiar with the historical facts by which it
is illustrated. It would be out of place here, to attempt an e.xtended review of this cele
brated treatise. The general plan will be seen from the table of contents.
He begins his work, by showing very cleariy wliich side he espoused of the
main question at issue, and by avowing his full conviction that tlie excitement
then in progress was a great and glorious work of God. He had no sympa
thy at all with those who doubted on this point, or who were so forever harp
ing upon real or fancied errors, connected with the work, that they had no
heart to rejoice in its blessed results. He explains, in a masterly manneir,
how these errors, so far as they had a real existence, were not only compatible
with a genuine work of grace, but' might well have grown out of the work
itself, from the greatness and the novelty of the excitement, the opposition
(encountered, the weakness of the instruments, (modestly including himself,)
andthe imperfection of knowledge and grace in those who were engaged in
the work. And he expresses, in no measured terms, but with equal kind
ness, his sense of the offensiveness of their conduct, who stood aloof at such a
day of fhe espousals of the church, minding nothing but defects and blemishes.
After all their cry about madness and enthusiasm, the worst madness in the
sight of God, was to remain cold and inactive at such a time. Nothing can
exceed the acuteness with which he handles the objections of those, who
would pretend to judge of revivals by philosophy, or custoiii, or their own shal •
low experience. Would that it might ever be so, that those who feel called
upon to promote the purity of revivals, should begin by such a triumphant vin
dication of them, as the glorious work of God's Holy Spirit. Were the
principles liere laid down duly considered, men would be slower than they are
to discredit the genuineness of a revival, or the piety or orthodoxy of those
who labor in it, merely because it appears to them lo be attended with indis
cretions or irregularities.
Part second, in which he enforces the obhgation of all to be actively en
gaged in promoting the work, is full of the most solemn and weighty
considerations. The principle is fully brought out, that a time of revi
vals calls for special efforts, to fall in with the designs of the Spirit, and pro
mote and extend the work. It is difficult lo conceive how a minister can read
this part, and while revivals are prevailing all around liim, still quiet his con
science without putting forth some special efforts to have his people share
in the passing mercy. There are some passages in this part which have
an awful solemnity, and ought to be deeply pondered by those, who are
not adopting any special measm'es to promote and extend the work of
grace now going on in our land. Those especially, who allow themselves
to speak slightingly <if these excitements, and to deride or abuse the instru
ments that God sees. fit to employ, should take heed to some of the admoni-

Xiv INTRODUCTOHY REMARKS.
tions, which come with so much force, as well as discrimination, from the
pen of Edwards.
Having exhibited the danger of not acknowledging and promoting the
work of revival, in a way calculated to carry trembling to the hearts of those
that stand aloof from revivals, because they are carried on in a way which does
not exactly coincide M'ith their views, he next shows the blessedness that
must necessarily attend a hearty co-operation in the work. Two pnnciples;
are cleariy maintained ; that it is at their peril if men fail to acknowledge a
real revival of religion, through any false notions, or a priori reasonings of
their own ; and that a time of revival imposes a special duty upon ministers
and others, to go out of their ordinary course, and do something more thanr
what is usual, to honor and advance the work. Men may be in fact
opposers of the work, who do not directly speak against it as a whole ; who
even acknowledge, in general terms, that there is a good work carried on in
the country ; but whose' habitual conversation shows that they are in fact
more out of humor with the state of things, and enjoy themselves less than
they did before the work began. Such are known, by being more forward to
take notice of whatis amiss than of what is good in the work. And there can
be no doubt their influence, on the whole, is unfavorable to the revival. If
men viewed things in a just hght, the conversion of numbers of sinners would
so engage their attention, and engross their hearts, that they would not be
in a humor to dwell perpetually upon 1^0 errors of the instruments.
In the third part, we have a very discriminating and hearty defense of the
subjects and zealous promoters of the work, from many groundless charges
which had been brought against them. He vindicates zealous preachers
from the charge of appeaUng exclusively to the passions. There is no dan
ger of raising the affections too high in religion, if they are raised in view of
the proper objects. Neither are ministers to be blamed for preaching terror
to awakened sinners, if it is truth, and if proper pains are taken to enfighten
them, and show them what they must do to be saved. And in regard to fre
quent meetings, and the like, he mentions that it is to the honor of God, when
people are so much employed in outward acts of religion, as to carry a public
appearance of engagedness in it, as the main business of Hfe. And though
it is not true, ordinarily, that the time occupied by rehgious meetings en-
icroaches seriously upon men's worldly business, j'et it may often be highly
proper and useful to do so. And on the subject of frequent preaching, in re
ply to the objection that one sermon will crowd out another from people's
minds, this great niaster of assemblies avers, that the main benefit of preach
ing is by impressions made upon the mind in the time of it, and not by any
«ffect that arises from the subsequent remembrance of it.
Having shown in what way, and to what extent, effects on the body are to
he regarded as probable tokens of God's presence and power ; considered
bow far it is proper to use means for increasing the excitement in an assem-
Tily ; and justified the earnestness of those ^^¦hose hearts are full of the love
¦of Christ, the practice of frequent singing, and the religious meetings of
children, under proper regulations ; he then proceeds, in part fourth, to point

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, X'V
out what tilings ought to be corrected ot avoided, in promoting the revival.
If any evidence were wanting, to prove the remarkable integrity and smgle-
ness of heart of this eminent servant of Christ, it may be fouud m the plain,
pomted, and faithful manner in wliich he has treated this part of tlie subject.
It required no smaU measure of grace to acknowledge, and of firmness to
point out to public notice, tlie faults, errors, and dehnquencies of those whom
he had just been strenuously engaged to uphold and defend.
He begins Avitli remarking, that the last resort of the devil to overthrow
a revival of rehgion, is to corrupt it, or cany it to cextremes ; and that the
errors of its friends and promoters furnish him with his greatest advantage.
It is a great mistake foi- Christians to think, that even in the seasons of their
highest spiritual enjoyment, they are out of danger from the adversary. "JThese-
errors are traced to spiritual pride ; the adoption of some wrong principles,
respecting the guidance of the Spirit, the prayer of faith, or some other point ;
and ignorance of Satan's devices.
No enemy of the revivals could have done this part of the work with
a more unsparing hand than Edwards. Faithfid are the wounds of a
friend. And every one, especially every minister, who is actively engaged in
revivals, and successful in promoting them, should make himself famihar
with this part of the book, as the chart of his constant dangers and easily
besetting sins. He will find many around him, who are fond of tlirowing
these things in his teeth ; aud the only just defense is, so to hve and labor
that they shall not be true. In regard to the use which is lawfully to be
made of this pai-t, it is proper to observe, that the points here agitated, are
points which concern only those who are themselves actively and cordially
engaged in promoting revivals, to be settled among themselves. Those who
are unbeheving and inactive, will find matters enough to occupy their atten
tion, in the previous pages. Indeed, it would be no bad i-ule, and would con
duce much to the peace of the church, to have it understood, that no person
should make use of this part, in discussing points connected with revivals,
until he had read, marked, inwardly digested, and cordially approved and
adopted the previous portions. It would silence many complainers, and
might awaken some sleeping consciences.
In commenting thus freely upon the evils which will sometimes be found
among those who are earnestly engaged in promoting the revival, Edwards
shows that it was no part of his principles to cover up such tilings, or to pal-
Uate them. He does not admit the doctrine, that speaking of these things,
in a friendly way, and for the purpose of correcting Hiem, and of doing good
to those who have fallen into them, will stop the revival. But it ought to be
done by those who are actually engaged themselves in the revival, and not
by those who are looking on, and taking no part nor responsibihty in thework.
The pride, false principles, censoriousness, and other things which he has
pointed out as errors, have not ceased from the church. And this part of tlie
book still needs to be studied. Probably tho views of our most judicious and
warm hearted men are a httle altered in regard to the importance which
should be allotted to strong bodily emotions ; and their ideas considerably

xvi INTRODUCTORY REMARKS.
enlarged, respecting the extent to which the instrumentality of private brethren
can be profitably employed in promoting the revival. The suggestions in
part fifth, of what things should be done directly to promote the work, are
not aU as applicable to the present state of society, as they were when writ
ten ; though they are still valuable, for the developement of important prin
ciples. And the most of them are of universal apphcation. In particular,
it is clearly imphed in what he says, that the means of revival are lo be varied
from time to time, according to the aspects and circumstances of a commu
nity. And every engine-of influence, which can be used consistently with
truth, ought lo be employed in forwarding the work. Ministers should ex
hibit great zeal and resoluteness in pushing the work forward. Mr. White-
field's success was greatly owing to this. Coldness and irresolution in
dealing with worldly, unconverted sinners, only confirm them in then-
course. The importance of external reformation, and of abounding in deeds
of charity, as a means of revivals, is clearly set forth by Edwards, and has
been abundantly evinced in the blessing which has every where followed the
temperance reform, and the unusual displays of Christian benevolence, ia
the last two years.
In short, the work is full of the wisest practical instructions^ based upon
the most profound knowledge of the true principles on which these things
proceed. And the hope is now fondly cherished, that the circulation of a
complete and beautiful edition among the churches, at such a juncture as the
present, will be eminently serviceable, in giving force, consistency, purity,
and permanency, to the revivals now in progress throughout the country.
That the blessing of God, and the enlightening and sanctifying influence of
the Holy Spirit, may secure such a result, is the earnest prayer of
THE EDITOR.
A'eto York, March, 1832.

A FAITHFUL NARRATIVE
OF THE
SURPRISING WORK OF GOD,
IN THE
CONVERSION OF MANY HUNDRED SOULS
IN NORTHAMPTON,
AND THE NKIGHBORING TOWNS AND VILLAGES OF NEW HAMPSHIRE,
IN NEW ENGLAND :
In a Letter to the Rev. Doctor Colman,
At tbat time Pastor of Brattle street Church, Boston.

BY PRESIDENT EDWARDS.

WITH PREFACES,
By the Rev. Dr. Watts and Dr. Guyse of London, and by the Boston Ministers.

PREFACE,
BY DR. WATTS AND DR. GUYSE.

The friendly correspondence which we maintain with our brethren
of New England, gives us now and then the pleasure of hearing some
remarkable instances of divine grace in the conversion of sinners, and
some eminent examples of piety in that American part of the world.
But never did we hear or read, since the first ages of Chistianity,
any event of this kind so surprising as the present narrative hath set
before us. The Rev. and worthy Dr. Colman, of Boston, had given
us some short intimations 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
preaclied in that part of the country during- this season of the glorious
work of God in the conversion of men ; to which Dr. Colman sub
joined a most judicious and accurate abridgment of this epistle : and
a little after, he sent the original to our hands, to be communicated lo
the world under our care here in London.
We are abundantly satisfied with 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, as we are here
informed, wherein there are twelve or fourteen towns and villages,
chiefly situate in the county of Hampshire, near the banks of the river
of Connecticut, within the compass of thirty miles, wherein it pleased
God two years ago to display his free and sovereign mercy in the con
version 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 Oiristian grace, and the powerful prac-

XX PREFACE BY DR. UATTS AND DE. GUVSr,.
tice 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 blessing.
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 lime of the late earthquake there,) that the work of conversion
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 Savior
now and then takes a special occasibn.to manifest the divinity of this
gospel by a plentiful effusion of his Spirit where it is preached : then
sinners are turned into saints in numbers, and there is a new face of
things spread over a'town or country: "The wilderness and the
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 ;
they have Seen the outgoings 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 encou
ragement 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 can-
not'save," but we have reason to fear that our iniquities, our coldness
in religion, and the general carnality of our spirits, have raised a wall
of separation between God and us : and we may add, the pride and
perverse humor of infidelity, degeneracy, and apostasy from the Chris
tian 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, we 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 favor and his image by Jesus Christ, his Son.
We aknowledge that some particular appearances in the work of con
version among men may be occasioned by the ministry which they
¦sit under, whether it be of a more or less evangelical strain, whether
it be more severe and aifrigliting, or more gentle and persuasive-

PREFACE BY DR. WATTS \KD DR. OLVSE XXI
But wheresoever God works with power for salvation upon the minds
of men, there will be some discovery 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 consent
of soul to receive him in the various offices of grace, 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 reformation, without stretching towards
the Antinomians on the one side, or the Arminians on the other,
that the Spirit of God has been pleased to honor with such illus
trious 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 con
cerning his kingdom, and to spread his dominion from sea to sea,
through all the nations of the earth. We see how easy it is for liirn,
with one turn of his hand, with one word of his mouth, to awaken
whole countries of 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 wrath to
come ? And the name of Christ the Savior shall diffuse itself like a
rich and vital perfume to multitudes that were ready to sink and
perish under the painful sense of their own guilt and danger. Sal
vation shall spread through all the tribes and ranks of mankind, as
the lightning from heaven in a few moments would communicate a
living flame througli ten thousand lamps or torches placed in a proper
situation and neighborhood. Thus " a nation shall be born in a day"
when our Redeemer pleases, and his faithful and obedient subjects
shal] become as numerous as the spires af grass in a meadow 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. 'Tis worthy of our obser
vation, that this great and surprising- 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 pestilence or any other sweeping distemper, nor any cruel
invasion by their Indian neighbors, 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
the formal professor and the hypocrite, have inquired, lorrified with

Xxii PREFACE EY DR. WATTS AND DR GUYSE.
the thoughtsof divine wrath breaking in upon them, " Who shalj
dwell with everlasting burnings V But. in the present case the im-
mediate hand of God in the work of his Spirit 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 religion, have been affrighted out
of their present carelessness and stupidity by some astonishing ter
rors approaching them, those religious appearances have not been so
durable, nor the real change of heart so thoroughly effected. Many
of these sort of sudden converts have dropt their religious concerns
in a great measure when their fears of the threatening calamity are
vanished. But it is a blessed confirmation of the truth of this pre
sent work of grace, that the persons who were divinely wrought
upon in this season continue still lo profess serious religion, and to
practice it, without returning to their former follies.
It may not be amiss in this place to take notice, that a very sur
prising and threatening Providence has this last year attended the
people of Northampton, among whom this work of divine grace
was so remarkable : which Providence at first might have been con
strued by the unthinking world to be a signal token of God's dis
pleasure against that town, or a judgment from heaven upon the
people ; but soon afterwards, like Paul's shaking the viper off from
his hand, it discovered the astonishing care and goodness of God
expressed towards a place where such a multitude of his young con
verts were assembled : nor can we give a better account of it than
in the language of this very gentleman, the Rev. Mr. Edwards,
minister of that town, who wrote the following letter, which" was
published in New England. " Northampton, March 19th, 1737.
" We in this town were the last Lord's day the spectators, and
many of us the subjects, of one of the most amazing instances of
divine preservation, that perhaps was ever known in the land : our
meeting-house is old and decayed, so that we have been for some
time building a new one, which is yet unfinished : it has been ob
served of late, tliat the house that we have hitherto met in has
gradually spread at bottom, the cells and walls giving way, especially
in the foreside, by reason of the weight of timber at top pressing on
the braces that are inserted into the posts and beams of the house.
It has so done more than ordinarily this spring ; which seems to
have been occasioned by the licaving of the ground by the extreme
frosts of the winter past, and it is now settling again on that side

PREF.ICE BY DR. WATTS .VND DR. GUVtE X.xili
which is next the sun, by tlie thaws of Uic spring : by this means
the underpinning has been considerably disordered, which people
were not sensible of, till the ends of the joists which bore up tlic
front gallery, by the walls giving way, were drawn off from the girts
on which they rested ; so that in the midst of the public exercise in
the forenoon, soon afler the beginning of the sermon, the whole
gallery full of people, with all the seats and timber, suddenly and
without any warning, sunk, and fell down, with most amazing noise,
upon the heads of those that sat under, to the astonishment of the
cong-regation, the hbuse being filled with dolorous shrieking and
crying ; and notliing else was expected than to find many people
dead, and dashed lo pieces.
" The gallery in falling seemed to break and sink first in the mid
dle ; so that those who were upon it were thrown together in heaps
before the front door ; but the whole was so sudden, that many of
them that fell knew nothing in' the time of it what it was that had
befallen them ; and others in the congregation knew not what it was
that had happened with so great a noise ; many thought it had been
an amazing clap of thunder : the falling gallery seemed to be broken
all to pieces before it got down ; so that some that fell with it, as
well as those that were imder, were buried in the ruins, and were
found pressed under heavy loads of timber, and could do nothing to
help themselves.
" But so mysteriously and wonderfully did it come to pass, that
every life was preserved ; and though many were greatly bruised,
and their flesh torn, yet there is not, as I can understand, one bone
broken, or so much as put out of joint, among them all : some that
were thought to be almost dead at first, are greatly recovered ; and
but one young woman seems yet to remain in dangerous circum
stances, by an inward hurt in her breast ; but of late there appears
more hope of her recovery.
" There is none can give any account, or conceive by what means
it should come to pass, that people's lives and limbs should be thus
preserved, when so great a multitude -were thus imminently exposed :
it looked as though it was impossible it should be otherwise, than
that great numbers should instantly be crushed to death or dashed in
pieces : it seems unreasonable to ascribe it to anything else, but the
care of Providence in disposing the motions of every stick of timber,
and the precise place of safety where every one- should sit and fall,
when none were in any capacity to take care for their own preserva
tion. The preservation seems to be most wonderful, with respect
to the women and children that were in the middle alley, under the

xxiY Preface v,y uu. watts and dr. guyse,
gallery, where it cauje down hrst, and with greatest force, and where
was nothing to break the force of the falling weight.
" Such an event may be a sufficient argument of a Divine Provi
dence over the lives of men. We thought ourselves called to set
apart a day to be spent in the solemn worship of God, lo humble
ourselves under such a rebuke of God upon us in the time of public
service in God's house, by so dangerous and surprising an accident ;
and lo praise his name for so wonderful and as it were miraculous a
preservation ; and the last Wednnsday was kept by us to that end :
and a mercy in which the hand of God is so- remarkably evident,
may be well worthy to affect the hearts of all that hear it."
Thus far the letter.
But it is time lo conclude our preface. If there should be any
thing found in, this narrative of the surprising conversion of such
numbei' of souls, where the sentiments or the style of the relator, 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 particular instances
he would select, from the numerous cases which came before him.
And though he might have chosen others, perhaps,- of more signifi-
cancy in the eye of the world, than the Woman and the Child,
whose experiences he relates at large ; yet it is evident he chose
that of the Woman, because she was dead, and she is thereby inca
pable of knowing any honors or reproaches on this account. And
as for the Child, those who were present, and saw and heard such
a remarkable and lasting change, on one so very young, must neces
sarily receive a stronger impression from it, and a more agreeable
surprise than the mere narration of it can communicate to others at
a distance. Children's language always loses its striking beaiities
at second hand.
Upon the whole, we declare our opinion, that this account of such
an extraordinary and illustrious appearance oiF divine grace in the
conversion of sinners, is very like 6y the blessing of God to have a
happy effect towards the honor and enlargement of the kingdom of
Christ. May the worthy writer of this epistle, and all those his Rev. breth
ren in the ministry, who have been honored in this excellent and
important service, go on to see their labors crowned with daily and
persevering success ! May the numerous subjects of this surprising
work hold fast what they have received, and increase in every Chris
tian grace and blessing ! May a plentiful effusion of the blessed

preface by dr. watts and dr. guyse. XXV
Spirit, also, descend on the British Isles, and all their American
plantations, to renew the face of religion there ! And we intreat
our readers in both Englands, to join with us in our hearty addresses
to the throne of grace, that this wonderful discovery of the hand of
God, in saving sinners, may encourage our faith and hope of the ac
complishment of all his words of grace, which are written in the Old
Testament and in the New, concerning the large extent of this sal
vation in the latter days of the world. Come, Lord Je^us, come
quickly, and spread thy dominion through all the ends of the earth.
Amen. ISAAC WATTS.
JOHN GUYSE.
London, October 13, 1737.

PREFACE,
BY THE BOSTON MINISTERS.

When the disciples of our glorious Lord were filled with sorrow
upon the heavy tidings of his departure from them, he cheered their
drooping spirits with that good word, <" Nevertheless, I tell you the
truth : it is expedient for you that I go away : for if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto yoa ; but if I depart, I will send
him unto you." And afler his ascension, he fulfilled this great and
precious promise by the extraordinary effusion of his Spirit, under
whose conduct and influence the " apostles went forth and preached
every where, the Lord working with them :" so that when we read
the Acts of the Apostles, we must say ; " Not by might, nor by
power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts." And though, soon
afler the first days of Chnstianity, there was a dreadful apostasy,
yet God did not wholly take his Spirit from his people ; but raised
up faithful witnesses, to testify against the heresies and corruptions
of the times wherein they lived. And since Antichrist, that wicked
one, has been revealed, our Lord, according to his word, has been
graduaUy consuming him with the spirit of his mouth, in the- refor
mation. Nor have w« in these remote corners of the earth, where Satan
had his seat from time immemorial, been left without a witness of
the divine power and grace. Very remarkable was the work of God's
Spirit, stirring up our forefathers to leave a, pleasant land, and trans
port themselves over a vast ocean. into this then howling wildefjicss,
that they might enjoy communion with Christ in the purity of his
ordinances, and leave their children in the quiet possession of the
blessings of his kingdom. And God was eminently present with
them by his word and Spirit.
Yea, we need look no higher than our own times, to find abundant
occasion to celebrate the wonderful works of God. Thus when God

preface by the boston ministers. xxvn
arose and shook the earth,-* his loud call to us in that amazing provi
dence was followed, so far as man can judge, with the still voice of
his Spirit, in which he was present to awaken many, and bring them
to say trembling, " What must we do to be saved 3" Yea, as we
hope, to turn not u, few from sin to God in a thorough conversion.
But when the bitterness of death wa? past, much the greater part of
those whom God's terrors affrighted, gave sad occasion to remember
those words, Psalm Ixxviii. 34, 36., " When he slew them, then they
sought him : and they returned and inquired early after God. And
they remembered that God was their Rock, and the high God their
Redeemer. Nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth, and
they lied unto him with their tongue." And there has since been
great reason to complain of our speedy return to our former sins,
notwithstanding some hopes given of a more general reformation.
Yea, when more lately, it pleased God to visit mar>y of our towns
with a very mortal distemper, to. that time in a manner unknown ;
whereby great numbers of our hopeful children and youth have been
cut off, many very suddenly, and with circumstances exceedingly dis
tressing and awful ; yet, alas ! we have not generally seen nor duly
considered God's hand stretched out against us ; but haye given him
reason to complain, as of his ancient people, " Why should ye he
stricken any more 1 ye will revolt more and more." And accord
ingly his anger is not turned away ; but his hand is stretched out still.
A plain proof of this awful truth, that the most awakening dispen
sations can no farther humble and do us good, than as it pleaseth
God to accompany them with his Spirit, and so command his bless
ing upon them. But when the .Almighty will work hy suoh means,
or without them, who can hinder him? He acts with sovereign
liberty and irresistible power. " The wind bloweth where it listeth,
and thou hearest fhe sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh,
and whither it goeth : so, is every one that is born of the Spirit."
John iii. 8. Such was his wonderful work at Northampton, and the
neighboring towns in the county of Hampshire, and some other_j
places. The Holy Spirit was in a plentiful and extraordinary man
ner poured out on persons of every age and condition, without such
remarkable providences going before to awaken them ; as the dew
falls in the night, and yet the effects appeared as the light which—
goeth forth. So that we might well admiring say, what has God
wrought ! Great was the number of them who published the wonders
of the divine power and grace ; declaring with humility what God
, + The Earthquatic of October '29, Anno 1727

xxviii preface ey the doston ministers.
had done for their souls. And others who went among them ac
knowledged that the work exceeded the fame of it.
Now the Psalmist observes that God has made his wonderful works
to be remembered. We therefore apprehend that our Rev. brother
has done well to record and-puhlish this surprising work of God ; and
the fidelity of his account would not have been at all doubted of by
us, though there had not been the concurrent testimony of others to
it. It is also a pleasure to us. to hear what acceptance the following
narrative has found in the other England, where it has had two im
pressions already, and been honored with a jrecommendatory preface
by two divines of eminent note in London, viz. the Rev. Dr. Watts
and Dr. Guyse : after whom it may seem presumption in us to at
tempt any thing of this kind. But it having been thought proper to
reprint this letter here, and disperse it among our our people, we
thankfully embrace this opportunity to praise the Most High for the
exceeding riches of his grace, and earnestly to recommend this
epistle to the diligent reading and attentive consideration of all into
whose hands thesg shall come. - " He that hath an ear, let him hear
what the Spirit saith unto the churches." And indeed, the particu
lar and distinct account which the.author has given of God's dealings'
with the souls of men, at this rernarkable season, in the variety of
cases then set before him, and in many of his observations there-
upony we apprehend are written with that judgment and skill in di
vine things as declare him to be a scribe well instructed unto the
kingdom of heaven ; and we judge may be very useful to ministers
in leading weary souls to Christ for rest, and for the dii-ection and
encouragement of all under "the like operations of the Holy Spirit.
Yea, as the author observes, " There is no one thing I know of, that
God has made siich a means of promoting his work among us, as the
news of others' conversion." We hope that the further spreading
of this narrative may, by the divine blessing, still promote the con
version of souls, and. quicken God's childrento labor afler the clearer
evidences of their adoption, and to bring forth fruits nieet for repent
ance. And as this wonderful work may be considered as an earnest
of what God- will do towards the close of the gospel day, it affords
great encouragement to our faith and prayer in pleading those pro
mises which relate to the glorious extent and flourishing of the kino-.
dom of Christ upon earth, and that have not yet had their full and
final accomplishment. And surely the very threatening degeneracy
of our times calls aloud to i(s all, to bo earnest in prayer for this
most needed blessing, the plentiful efl'usion of the Spirit of truth and
holiness. Nor ought the sense of our awn unworthiness discourage
us, when we go to our heavenly Father in the name of his dear Son,

preface by the boston minister.^ xxix
who has purchased and received this great gift for his people, and
says to us, " Ask, and it shall be given you. If ye then, being evil,
know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more
shall your heavenly Father give the' Holy Spirit to them that ask
him." Luke xi. 9—13.
But we must draw to a close. May the worthy author be restored
to health, and long continue to be a rich blessing to his people ! May
he still see the pleasure of the Lord prospering in his hand ; and in
particular, may the Spirit of grace accompany this pious endeavor
to spread the savor of the 'knowledge of Christ, for the everlasting
advantage of many ! May it please God to revive his work through
out this- land ; and may all the ends of the earth see his salvation !
Boston, November Ath, 1738.
JOSEPH SEWALL,
Minister of Olrl South Church.
THOMAS PRINCE,
Minister of Old South Church.
JOHN WEBB,
Minister of New North Church.
WILLIAM COOPER,
Mioister of BratUe street Church.

P. -S. Since the writing this Preface, one of us has received a
letter from a Reverend and very worthy minister in Glasgow, in
which is the following passage :
" The friends of serious religion here were much refreshed with
a printed account of fhe extraordinary success of the gospel, of late,
in some parts of New England. If you can favor me with more
particular accounts of those joyful events, when ygu have opportunity
of writing to me, it will much oblige me."

REV. B'ENJAMIN -COLMAN, D. .D.

PASTOR OF A CHURCH IN BOSTON.

Westfield, October II, 1738.
Sir, In your letter of August .19, you inform us that the Rev. Dr.
Watts and Dr. Guyse desire that some other ministers, who were
eye and ear witnesses to some of those numerous conversions in the
other towns about Northampton, would attest unto what the Rev.
Mr. Edwards has written of them.
We take this opportunity to assure you, that the account Mr. Ed
wards has given in his narrative of our several towns or parishes is
true ; and that much more of the like nature might have been added
with respect to some of them.
We are. Rev. Sir, your brethren and servants,
WILLIAM WILLIAMS, Pastor of Hatfield.
EBENEZER DEVOTION, " of Suffield.
STEPHEN WILLIAMS, " of Long Meadow.
PETER RAYNOLDS, " of Enfield.
NEHEMIAH BULL, " of Westfield.
SAMUEL HOPKINS, " of West Springfield.

A FAITHFUL NARRATIVE

LETTER TO REV. DR. COLMAN.
Reverend and Honored Sir,
Having seen your letter lo my honored uncle Wil
liams of Hatfield, of July 20, wherein you inform 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. Guyse of London, and the^;ongregation
to which the last of these preached on a monthly day of so
lemn prayer ; as also, of your desire to be more perfectly ac
quainted with it, by some of us on tbe spot ; and having been
since informed by my uncle Williams, that you desiie me to
undertake it, I would now do it, in as just and faithful a
manner as in rae lies.

CHAPTER I.
lutroductory Stateni,ent.
The people of the county, in general, I suppose, are at
sober, and orderly, and good sort of people, as in any part of
New England ; and I believe they have been preserved the
freest by far, of any part of the country, from error, and va
riety of 'sects and opinions. Our being so far within the land,
at a distance from sea-ports, and in a corner of the counti-y,
has doubtless been one reason why we have not beeusomucli

32 INTRODaCTORY STATEMENT.
corrupted with vice, as most other parts. But without
question, the religion and good order of the county, and their
purity in doctiine, has, under God, been very much owing
t/to the great abihties and eminent piety of my venerable and
honored grandfather Stoddard. J suppose we have been the
freest of any part of the land from unhappy divisions, and
quarrels in our ecclesiastical and religious affairs, till the late
lamentable Springfield contention.*
We- being much separated from other parts of the province,
and having comparatively but little intercourse with them,
have from the beginning, till now, always managed our ec
clesiastical 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 gobd
order has hitherto been maintained.
The town of Northampton is of about eighty-two years
standing, and has now about twp hundred families ; which
mostly dwell more compactly together than any town of such
a bigness in these parts of the country ; whichprobably has
been an occasion that both our corruptions, and reforrnations
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
unde islanding a people as most I have been acquainted with :
Many of them have been noted for religion, and particularly,
have been remarkable for their distinct knowledge 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. Eleazer Mather, who was the first, was ordained
in .Tuly, 1669. He was one whose heart was much in his
work, abundant in labors for the good of precious souls : he
* The Springfield contention relates to the settlement of a minister there,
which occasioned too waim debates between some, both pastors and people,
that were for it, and others that were against it, on acconnt of their ditferent
apprehensions about his principles, aud about some steps that were taken to
procure his ordination.

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT, Sit
had tiie high esteem and great love of his people, and was
blest with no small success. The Rev. Mr. Stoddard, who
succeeded him, came first to the town the November after his
death, but was not ordained till September 11th, 1672, and
died February 11th, 1728-9. So that he continued in the
work of the ministry here, from his first coming to town, >neav
sixty years. And as he was eminent and renowned for his
gifts and graces so he was blest, from the beginning, with ex
traordinary 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 ; and 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 are 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 larger part of the young
people in the- town seemed to be mainly concerned for their
eternal salvation.
After the last of these came a far more degenerate time,
(at least among the young people,) I suppose, 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 among some, and a considerable ingathering of souls_
even after I was settled with him in the ministry, which was
about two years before his death ; and I have reason to bless
Grod for the great advantage 1 had by it. In thes3 two years
there were nearly 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 extraordinary dullness in religion : li
centiousness for some years greatly prevailed among the
youth of the town ; they were many of them very much ad-

34 INTROBUtTORY STATEMENT.
dieted to night-walking, and frequenting the, tavern, and lewd
practices, wherein some by theii'exampleexceedingly corrupted
others. It was their manner very freiiiuently to get together, in
conventions of both sexes, for mirth and joUity, which they
called frolicks ; and they would often spend a 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 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 par
ties, into which they had for many years been divided, bj-
which was maintained a jealousy one of the other, and they
were prepared to oppose one another in all public affairs.
But in two or three years after Mr. Stoddard's death, there
gan to be a sensible amendment of these evils ; the young
people showed more of a disposition to hearken to counsel,
and by degrees left off their frolicking, and grew observedly
more decent in their attendance on the public worship, and
there were more that manifested a religious concern than
there used to be.
At the latter end of the year 1733, there appeared a very
unusual fiexibleness, 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 corlipany keeping.
But a sermbn was now preached on the sabbath before the
lecture, to show the evil tendency of the practice, and to per
suade them to reform it ; and it was argued on heads of fa
milies, that it should be a thing agreed upon among them to
govern their families, and keep their children at home at
* It must be noted, that it has never been our manner to observe tbe even
ing that follows the sabbath ; but that which precedes it, as a part of the holy
time.

bei
V^pei

INTROPUCTORY.STATEMEN 1 35
these times ; and withal it was more privately inoved that
they should meet together the next day, in their several
neighborhoods, 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 exer
cise of government in the case ; the young people declared
themselves convinced by what they had heard from the pul
pit, and were willing of themselves ta comply with the coun
sel that had been given ; and it was immediately, and I sup
pose almost universally, complied with ; and there was a
thorough reformation of these disorders thenceforward, which
has continued ever since.
Presently after this, there began to appear a remarkable
religious concern at a little -village, belonging to the congrega
tion, called. Pascominuck, where a few families were settled,
at about three miles distance from the main body of the town.
At this place, a number of persons seemed to be savingly
wrought upon. In the April following, A. D. 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
distress 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
aud moving manner warning and counseling olheis. 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 to the young people, tbat
they should agree among themselves to spend the evenings
after lectures in social religion, and to that end divide them
selves into seA'eral companies, to meet in various parts of the

36 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
town ; which was accordingly dojae, and those meetings
have been since continued, and the example imitated by elder
people. This was followed with the death of an elderly
person, whioh was attended with many unusual circum
stances, by which many were much moved and affected.
About this time began the great noise that was iri this part
of the country about Arminianism, which seemed to appear
with a very threatening aspect upon the interest of religion
here. The friends of vital piety trembled 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 Chri^tless 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 heterodoxy,
and corrupt principles ; and that then their opportunity for
obtaining salvation would" be past ; and many who were
brought a little to doubt about the truth of the doctrines they
had hitherto been taught, seemed to have a kind of a trem
bling fear with their doubts, lest they should be led into by
paths, to their eternal undoing : and they Seemed, with much
concern and engagedness of mind, to inquire what was indeed
the way iii 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, and at that time,
and though it was ridiculed by many elsewhere, yet it
proved a word spoken in season here ; and was most evi
dently attended with a very remarkable blessing of Heaven
to the souls of the people in this town. Tliey received thence
a general satisfaction with respect to the main thing in ques
tion, which they had been in trembling doubts and concern
about ; and their minds were engaged the more earnestly to
seek that they might come to 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 December, that the Spirit of God began extra-

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. 3'/
ordiuai-ily to set in and wonderfully to work among us ; and
there were, very suddenly, one after another, 'five or six
peraons 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 1 had never heard
that she was become in any wise serious, but by the conver
sation 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 ray acquaintance with
her since to confirm it.
Though the work was glorious, yet I was filled with con
cern 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 reli
gion. - 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 conversation with many. The news of itj.^
seemed almost like a flash of lightning upon the hearts of
young people all over the town, and upon many otliers.
Those persons among us who used to be farthest from se
riousness, and that I most feared would make an ill improve
ment of it, seemed greatly to be awakened with it ; many
went to talk with her, concerning what she had met with ;
and -what appeared in her seemed to be to the satisfaction of
all that did so.
Presently upon this, a great and earnest concern about the
great tilings of religion, and the eternal world, became uni
versal in all parts of the town, and among persons of all
degrees, and all ages ; the noise among the dry bones waxed

38 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT.
louder and louder. All other <alk but abouf spiritual and
eternal things was soon thrown by ; all the conversation in
all companies, and upon all occasions, was upon these things
only, unless so much as was necessary for people to carry on
their secular business. Other discourse than of the things
of religion would scarcely be tolerated in any company. The
minds of people were wonderfully taken off from the world ;
it was treated among 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 disposition they had to it. The
temptation now seemed to lie on that hand, to neglect worldly
affairs too much, and to spend too much time in the imme-
-diate exercise of religion ; which thing was exceedingly riiis-
represented by reports that were spread in distant parts of
the land, as though the people here had whoUy thrown by all
worldly business, and betook themselves entirely to reading
and praying,. and such like religious exercises.
But although people did not ordinarily neglect their worldly
business, yet there then was the reverse of what commonly
is : rehgion was with all sorts the great concern, and the
world was a thing only by the by. The only thing in theii-
view was to get the kingdom of heaven, and every one ap
peared pressing into it. The engagedness of their heai-ts in
this great concern could not be hid ; it appeared in their very
countenances. It then was a dreadful thing among us to
lie out of Christ, in danger every day of dropping 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 ver}^ often to meet together in private houses for reli
gious 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 the most disposed to

INTRODUCTORY STATEME.NT, 39
think and speak slightly of vital and experimental religion,
were now generaUy subject to great awakenings. And the
work of conversion was carried on in a most astonishing
manner, and increased more and more ; souls did, as it were,
come by flocks to Jesus Christ. From day to day, for many
months together, might be seen evident instances of sinners
brought " out of darkness into marvelous light," and deh
vered " out of a horrible pit, and from the miry clay, and
set upon a Irock, with a new song of praise to God in their
mouths." This work of God, as it was carried on, and the number
of true saints multiplied, soon made a glorious alteration in
the town ; so that in the spring and summer following, A.
D. 1735, the town seemed to be full of the presence of God.
It never was so full of love, nor so full of 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 the account of salvation being brought
unto them ; parents rejoicing over thek children as new
born, and husbands over their wives, and wives over their
husbands. The goings of God were then seen in his sanc
tuary ; God's day was a delight, and his tabernacles were
amiable. Our public assemblies were then beautiful ; the
congregation was alive in God's ser-vice, 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 con
cern for the souls of their neighbors.
Our public praises were then greatly enlivened ; God was
then served in our psalmody, in some measure, in the beauty
of holiness. It has been observable, that there has been
scarce any part of divine worship wherein good men among
us have had grace so drawn forth, and their hearts so lifted
up in the ways of God, as in singing his praises. Our con-

40 INTEODtrcfORY STATEMENT
gregation excelled all that ever I knew in the external pan
of the duty before, the men generally carrying regularly and
well three parts of music, and the women a part by them
selves; but now they were evidently wont to sing with
unusual elevation of heart and voice, which made the duty
pleasant indeed.
In all companies in other days, on whatever occasions
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, fi-ee, 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, «fcc. And even at weddings,
which formerly were merely occasions of mirth and jollity,
there was now no discourse of any thing but the things of
i-eligion, and no appearance of any but spiritual mirth.
Tho^ among us that had been formerly converted were
greatly enlivened and renewed with fi-esh and extraordinary
incomes of the Spirit of God ; though some much more than
others, " according to the measures of the gift of Christ :"
Many that before had labored under difliculties 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 so extra
ordinarily carried on among us in the winter, others round
about us, seemed not to know what to make of it ; and there
were many that scoffed at and ridiculed it ; and some com
pared what we called conversion, to certain distempers. But
it was veiy observable of many that occasionally came
among us from abroad with disregardful hearts, that what
they saw here cured them of such a temper of mind : Stran
gers Were generally surprised to find things so much beyond
M'hat they had heard, and were wont to tell others that the
state of the town could not be conceived of by those that had

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. 41
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 neighborhood to our public lectures were
for the most part remarkably affected. Many that came to
town, on one occasion or other, had their consciences smitten
and awakened, and went home 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 greatly increased. And there were many
instances of persons that came from abroad, on visits, or on
business, that had not been long here before to all appear
ance 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 begaji'--
to be seized with deep concern about the tidings of religion ;
which very soon became universal. And the work of God
has been very wonderful 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 SuflSeld, (where it has also been very great,)
and it soon spread into all parts of the town. It next ap
peared at Sunderland, and soon overspread the town : and
I believe it was, for a season, not less remarkable than it
was here. About the same time, it began to appear in a part
of Deerfield, called Green river, and afterwards filled the
town, and there has been a glorious work there : it began
also to be manifest in the south part of Hatfield, in a
place called the Hill, and after that the whole town, in the
second week in April, seerlied to be seized, as it were at once,
with concern about the things of rehgion ; and the work of
God has been great there. There has been also a very
general awakening at West Springfield, and Long Meadow ;
6

42 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT.
and in Enfield there was for a time no small concern
among some that before had very loose persons. About the
same time that this appeared at Enfield, the Rev. Mr. Bull,
of Westfield, informed me, that there had been a great altera
tion there, and that more had been done in one week there
than in seven years before. Something of this work like
wise appeared in the first precinct in Springfield, piincipally
in the north and south extremities 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 worth}'- of much notice. For a short time there was
also a very great and general concern of the like nature at
Northfield. And >vherever this conceiTi appeared, it seemed
not to be in vain : but in every place God brought saving
blessings \yith him, and his word attended with his Spirit
(as we have all reason to think) returned not void. It might
well be said at that time in all parts of the country, " Who
aie these that fly as a cloud, and as doves to their win
dows?" As what other towns heard of and found in this, was a
great means of awakening them ; so our hearing of such.
a swift and extraordinary propagation, and extent of this
work, did doubtless for a' time serve to uphold the work among
us. The continual 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 they also
might share in the great 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 have pai--
took in the same njercy : 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 Northampton, while
we had no knowledge of each other's circumstaaces : there
has beon ;i very '4rcut ingathering of souls to Christ in that

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. 43
place, and something considerable of the same work begun
afterwarils in East Windsor, my honored father's parish,
which has in times past been a place favored with mercies
of this nature above any on this western side of New Eng
land, excepting Northampton ; there having 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
among them,
Tnere was also the last spring and summer a wonderful
work of God carried on at Coventry under the mintstry of
the Rev. Mr. Meachani : I had opportunity to converse with
some of Coventry people, who gave me a very remarkable
account of the surprising 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 appear
ance no small ingathering of souls there. And likewise
among many of the young people in the first precinct in
Stratford under the ministry of the Rev. Mr. Gould, where
the 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 has appeared in other towns in
those parts, as I was informed when I was there the last fall.
Aud 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 New Haven, old town, as I was once arid again informed
by the Rev. Mr. Noyes, the minister there, and by others ;
and by a letter which I very lately rsceived from Mr. Noyes,
and also by information we have had otherwise, this flou
rishing of religion still continues, and has lately much in
creased. Mr. Noyes writes, that many this summer haye

44 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT.
been added to the church, and particularly mentions several
young persons that belong to the principal families of that
town. There has been a degree of the same work at a part of
Guilford ; and very considerable at Mansfield, under the
ministry of the Rev. Mr. Eleazer Wilhams ; and an unusual
rehgious concern at Tolland ; and something of it at He
bron, and Bolton. There was also no small effusion of the
Spirit of God in the North Parish in Preston, in the eastern
part of Connecticut, which I was informed of, and saw some
thing of it, when I was the last autumn at the house, and
in the congregation of the Rev. Mr. Lord, the minister there ;
who, with the Rev. Mr. Owen of Groton, came up hither
in May, the 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 tliat 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 congregation of what he had
seen, and that they were greatly affected with it, and that it
proved the beginning of the same work among them, which
prevailed till there was a general awakening, and many in
stances of persons who seemed to be remarkably converted.
I also have lately heard that there has been something of the
same work at Woodbury.
But this shower of divine blessing has been yet more ex
tensive. There was no small degree of it in some parts of
the Jerseys, as I was informed when I was at New York (in
a long journey I took at that time of the year for ray health)
by some people of the Jerseys, whom I saw. Especially the
Rev. WiUiam Tennent, a minister who seemed to have such
things much at heart, told me of a very great awakening of
many in a place caUed the Mountains, under the ministry of
one Mr. Cross ; and of a very considerable revival of religion

introductory STATEMENT 45
in another place under the ministry of his brother, the Rev.
Mr. Gilbert Tennent ; and also at another place under the
ministry 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 dispensa
tion of providence : God has in many respects gone out of,
and much beyond, his usued and ordinary way. The work
in this town, and some others about us, has been extraordi
nary on account of the universality of it, affecting all sorts,
sober and vicious, 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 stir
rings of this nature, the bulk of the young people have beeii"
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
to-wn. A loose, careless person cDuld scarcely find a com
panion in the whole neighborhood ; 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 extraordinary in
the nninlDers 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 almost 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 received 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 Christianity, was very affecting to the congre
gation. I took in hear sixty before the next sacrament day ;
and I had very sufficient evidence of the conversion of their
souls, through divine grace.
I am far from pretending to be able to determine how
many have lately been the subjects of such mercy ; but if I

46 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT.
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
don't guess,) and about the same number of males as females;
whict 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 ways of religion. Those that were
formerly loose young persons, are generally, to all appear
ance, become true lovers of God and Chrast, and spiritual in
their dispositions. And I hope that by far the greater part
of persons in this town abo ,e 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 dispen-
p-ition, in that the Spirit of God has so much extended not
only his awakening, but regenerating influences both to
elderiy persons, and also to those that are very young. It
has been a thing heretofore rarely to be 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 ^nore early
years. I suppose there were upwards of fifty persons con
verted in this town above forty years of age ; and more than
twenty of them above fifty, and above 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 had seemed to be savingly wrought upon, and remark
ably changed in their childhood ; but now I suppose, near
thirty were to appearance so wrought upon, betv/een 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

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT. 47
last will be with most difliculty believed, 1 wiU hereafter give
a particular account of it. The influences of God's' Spirit
have also been very remarkable on chUdren in some other
places, particularly at Sunderland and South Hadley, and
the west part of Suflield. There are several families in this
town that are aU hopefuUy pious ; yea, there are several nu
merous families, in which I think we have reason to hope that
all I he 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 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 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 wonder
ful that persons should be so suddenly, and yet so greatly
chaliged. Many have been taken from a loose and careless
way of living, and seized Yvith strong convictions of their
guUt and misery, and in a very little time old things have
passed away, and aU things have become new with them.
God's work has also appeared vei-y 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 extraordinary 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 is very remarkable, yet it reached
110 further than this town ; the neighboring towns all around
continued unmoved.
The work of God's Spirit seemed to be at its greatest
height in this town, in the former part of the spring, in March
and April, at which time God's work in the conversion of
souls was carried on among us in so wonderful a manner,
that so far as I, by looking back, can judge from the particu-

48 MANNER OF CONVERSION VARlOtTS.
lar acquaintance I have had with souls in this work, it ap
pears 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 an
other, for five or six weeks together. When God in so re
markable 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 endeavors 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, presently to think with
themselves that I am very fond of making a great many con
verts, and of magnifiyiug and aggrandizing the matter ; and
to think that, for want of judgment, I take every religious
pang, and enthusiastic conceit, for sa-ving conversion ; and I
don't inuch wgnder if they should be apt to think so : and
for this reason I have forbgirne to pubUsh an account of this
great work of God, though I have often been put upon it ; but
having now as I thought a special call to give an account of
it, upon mature consideration I thought it might not be be^de
my duty to declare this amazing work, as it appeared to tne, '
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 entertained of me to my disadvantage : but that
distant persons may be under as great advantage as may be,
to judge for themselves of this matter, I would be a little rnore
large and particular.

CHAPTER' II.
The manner of conversion various, yet bearing a great
resemblance.
I THEREFORE proceed to give an account of the manner of
persons being wrought upon ; and here there is a vast variety,

MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS. 49
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 importance to them- that they
speedily escape, and get into a better state. Those that be
fore were secure and senseless, are made sensible how much
tliey were in the way to, ruin in their former courses. Sorhe
are more suddenh^ seized with convictions ; it may be by
the news of others' conversion^ or something they hear in puh-
lic 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 gradu
aUy ; 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 accordingly set
themselves seriously to meditate on those things that have
the most awakening tendency, on^urpose to obtain convic
tions ; and so their awakenings have increased, tUl a sense
of their misery, by God's Spirit setting in therewith, has had
fast hold of them. Others that, before this wonderful time,
had been somewhat rehgious and concerned for their scdva-
tion, have been awakened in a new manner, and made
sensible that their slack and dull way of 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 per
sons, 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 extravagancies. When once the Spirit oi
God began to be so wonderfuUy poured out in a general way
through the town, people had soon done with their old quar
rels, backbitings, and intermeddling with other men's mat
ters ; the tavern was soon Mt eriipty, arid p6r€6m ke"j* vef'y
7

50 MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS.
much at home; none went abroad, unless on necessary
business, or on some religious account, and every day seemed
in many respects like a sabbath day. And the other effect
was, that it put them on earnest application to the means of
salvation, reading, prayer, meditation, the ordinances 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 before they obtain any
comfortable evidences of pardon and acceptance with God :
some are frorri the beginning 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 were in
of damnation, that they could not sleep at night ; and many
have said that when they have latid down, the thoughts of
sleeping in such a condition have 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 distress still abiding on their spirits. It has-been very
common that the deep and fixed concern that has been on
person's minds has had a painful influence on then- bodies,
and has given disturbance to animal nature.
The awful apprehensions persons have had of their mi
sery, have for the most part been increasing, the nearer they
have approached to dehverance ; though they often pass
through many changes and alterations in the frame and cir
cumstances of their minds. Sometimes they think them
selves whoUy senseless, and fear that the Spirit of God has
left them, and that they are given up to judicial hardness ;
yet they appearvery deeply exercised about that fear, and
are in great earnest to obtain convictions again.

MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS. 51
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 happens, the
tempter seems to make great advantage, and puts an un
happy bar in the way of any good effect. One knows not
how to deal with such persons ; they turn every thing that
is said to them the wrong way, and most to their own dis
advantage ; and there is nothing that the devil seems to
make so great a handle of, as a melancholy humor, unless
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 extraordinary 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, for a long
time, been exceedingly extaugled with peculiar temptations,
of%ne sort or other, and unprofitable and hurtful distresses,
were soon helped ovei- former stumbling blocks, that hin
dered any progress toward saving good; and. convictions
have wro^ht more kindly, and they have been successfully
carried on in the way to life. And 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 con
cerned, because they thought they were not awakened, but
miserable, hard-hearted, senseless, sottish creatures stUl, 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 sensi
ble. There have been some instances of persons that have
had as great a sense of their danger and misery as their

62 MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS.
natures could weU subsist under, ^o that a little more would
probably have destroyed -them ; and yet they have expressed
themselves much amazed at their own insensibihty and
sottishness, in such an extraordinary time as it then was.
Persons are sometimes brought to the borders of despair,
and it looks as black as midnight to them a little before the
day dawns in their souls ; some few instances there have
been of persons who have had suoh a sense of God's wrath
for sin, that they have been overborne and made to cry out
under an astonishing sense of their guilt, wondering that
God suffers such guilty wretches to live upon earth, and that
he floth not immediately send them to hell ; and sometimes
their guilt does so glare them in the face that they are in
exceeding terror for fear that God wUl instantly do it ; but
more commonly the distresses under legal awakenings have
not been to such a degree. 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 o.wi universal depravity, and dead-
ness in sin. e
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 something roused by an
enemy, and Satan, the old inhabitant, seems to exert him
self, like a serpent disturbed and enraged. Many in such
circumstances have felt a great spirit of envy towards the
godly, especiaUy towards those that are thought to have been
lately converted, aud most of aU towards acquaintance and
companions, when they are thought to be converted. In
deed, some have, felt many heart-risings against God, and
murmurings at his ways of dealing with mankind, and his
dealings with themselves in particular. It has been much
insisted on, both in public and private, that persons should
have the utmost dread of such envious thoughts, which, if
aUowed, tend exceedingly to quench the Spirit of God, if not

MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS. 53
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 exceedingly to the hindrance of the good of their souls ;
but in some other instances, where persons have been much
terrified At the sight of such wickedness in their hearts, God
has brought good to them out of evU ; and made it a means
of convincing them of their o-wn desperate sinfulness, and
bringing them off fi'ora all self-confidence.
The drift of the Spirit of God in his legal strivings with
persons, has seemed most evidently to be, to make way for,
and to bring to, a conviction of their absolute dependence on
his sovereign power and grace, and a universal necessity of a
Mediator, bv leading them more and more to a sense of their
exceeding wickedness and guiltiness in his sight; the pollu
tion 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 thera, and all that they
do, and in casting them off forever : 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 them
selves to grow worse and worse, harder and blinder, and
more desperately wicked, instead of growing better; they
are ready to be discourged 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
sinfulness, they often think that they differ from all others ;
their hearts are ready to sink withthe thought that they are
the worst of all, and and that none ever obtained mercy that
were so wicked as they.
When awakenings first begin, their consciences are cora-
raonly 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

54 MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS.
nature, their enmity against God, the pride of their hearts,
their unbelief, their rejection of Christ, the stubborn
ness and obstinacy of their wills ; and the like. In
many,_ God makes much u.se of their own experience,
in the course of their awakenings and endeavors after
saving good, to convince them of their own vileness 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 often
times, at first setting out, their affections are moved, and they
are full of tears in their confessions 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 too : and hence tliey are for a while big with expec
tation 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^don't 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 stiU as their attempts are multiphed
so are their disappointments ; all fails, they see no token of
having inclined God's heart to them, they don't see that he
hears their prayers at all, as they expected hewould ; and some
times there have been great temptations arising hence to leave
off seeking, and to yield up thecase. Butastheyare still more
terrified withfears'Of perishing, and theirformerhopesof prevail
ing on God to be merciful to them in a great measure fail; some
times their religious affections have turned into heart-risings

MANNER or CONVERSION VARIOUS. 55
against God, because that he does not pity thera, and seems
to have little regard to their distress, and piteous cries, a nd
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 labored 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 contirtued, and the Spi
rit of God is not provoked utterly to forsake thera, they have
more distressing apprehensions of the anger of God towards
those whose hearts work after such a sinful maner about hira ;
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 pjrhaps, by something
they read or heard of the infinite mercy of God, and all-suf
ficiency 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 were so wicked that Christ
will never accept of them : and then it may be they set them
selves upon a new course of fruitless endeavors in their own
strength to make themselves better,^ and stiU 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 done yet. It may be they hope that 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 go
about to strive to bring themselves off from it, and it may be
think they have done it, when they only do the same thing
under a new disguise, and still find no appearance of any
goo^, but all looks as dark as midnight to them. Thus they
wander about firom mountain to hUl, seeking rest and finding

66 MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS.
none ; when they are beat out of one refuge they fly to an
other, till they are as it were debUitated, broken, and subdued
with legal humblings ;• in whicb God gives them a convic
tion of their own utter helplessness aud insufficiency, and dis
covers the true remedy.
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 bring
ing 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 them
selves clean ; . and they weary themselves in vain, lUl God
shows them tha,t it is in vain, and 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 owri ex
perience will convince them of their insufficiency; and
so it appears not to "be their own experience only, but the
convincing infiuence of God'S Spirit with then- experience,
that attains the effect : and God has of late abundantly
shown that he does not need to wait to have men convinced
by long and often repeated fruitless trials ; for in multitudes
of instances he has 'made a shorter work of it : he has so
awakened and convinced persons' consciences, and made them
so sensible of their exceedingly great vUeness, and given them
such a sense of his wrath against sin, as has quickly over
come all their vain self-confidenee, and borne them down
into the dust before a holy and righteouS^ God.
There have been some who have not had great terrors,
but have had a very quick work. Some of those that have
not had so deep a conviction of these things before their con-
version, have, it m.ny be, much more of it afterwards. God
has appeared far frbrti hmiting himself to any certain method

MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS. 57
in his proceedings with sinners under legal convictions. In
some instances it seems easy for our reasoning powers to dis
cern the methods of Divine Wisdom, in his dealings with the
soul under awakenings : in others his footsteps cannot be
traced, and his ways are past finding out : and some that
are less distinctly wrought upon in \\ hat is preparatory to
grace, appear no less eminent in gracious experiences after-
Nvards. There is in nothing a greater difference, in different per
sons, 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, be
fore this effusion of God's Spirit upon us, for years, and some
for many years, concerned about their salvation ; though
probably they were not thoroughly awakened, yet they -were
concerned to such a degree as to be very uneasy, so as to
live an uncomfortal^le, disquieted, life, and so as to continue
in a way of taking considerable pains about their salvation,
but had never obtained any comfortable evidence of a good
state, who now, in this extraordinary time, have received
hght ; but many of them were some of the l»st. Thej'
first saw multitudes of others rejoicing, and with songs of
deliverance in their mouths, who seemed whoUy 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 little before they were
converted, and grew up to a holy rejoicing in the, infinite
blessings God had bestowed upon them.
And whatever minister has the like occasion to deal with
souls, in a flock under such circumstances as this was in the
last year, I cannot but think he will soon find himself under
a necessity, greatly to insist upon it with them, that God is
under no manner of obligation to show mercy to any natural
man, whose heart is not turned to God ; and that a man can
challenge nothing, either in absolute justice, or by free pro
mise, from any thing he.does before he ha; believed on Je?u.?

58 MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS,
Christ, or has true repentance begun in him. It appears to
me, that if I had taught those that came to me under
troCible, atiy other doctrine, I should have taken a most di
rect course utterly to have undone them. I should have
directly crossed what was plainly the drift of the Spirit of
God in his influence 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 che
rished and established their contention and strife with God,
concerning his dealings with them and others, and blocked
up their way to that humUiation, before the Sovereign Dis
poser of life and death, whereby God is wont to prepare them
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 to bless his own means, that so awa
kenings arid 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 de
spondence, isoth which tend to slackness, arid negligence, and
in the end, to security. I think I have found that no dis
courses have been more remarkably blessed, than those in
which the doctrine of God's absolute sovereignty with re
gard to the salvation of sinners, and his just liberty with
regard to his 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 mea
sure, of any discourses I have offered to my congregation, as
some from those words, Rom. iii. 19. ; " That every mouth
may be stopped ;" endeavorihg to show fiom thence that it
would be just with God forever to reject and cast off mere
natural men.
Iri 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 justice of God in their con-

MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUC 59
demnation, in a sense of their own exceeding sinfulness, and
the vileness of aU their performances. In giving account of
this, they expressed themselves very variously ; some, 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 aU eternity ;
some, that they see that God may justly have no regard to
all the pains they have taken, and aU the prayers they have
made ; some, that they see that if they should seek and take
the utmost pains, all their lives, God might justly cast them
into hell at last, because all their labors, prayers, and tears,
cannot make an atonement for the least sin, nor merit any
blessing at- the hands of God ; some have declared them
selves to be in the hands of God, that he can and may dis
pose of them just as he pleases ; some, that God may glorify
himself in their damnation, and they wonder that God has
suffered them to hve so long, and has not cast them into
heU long ago.
Some are brought to this con-yiction 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 manner set before them, multitudes
of them coming just then fresh to their memories, and being
set before them with their aggravations ; some have their
minds especially fixed on some particular wicked practice
they have indulged ; some are especially convinced by a
sight of the corruption and wickedness of their hearts ; some,
from a view they have of the horri^ness of some particular
exercises of corruption which they, have had in the time of
their awakenings, whereby the enmity of the heart against
God has i>een manifested ; some are convinced especiaUy by
a sense of the sin of unbelief, the opposition of their hearts
to the way pf salvation by Christ, and their obstinacy in re
jecting him and his grace.

60 MA-NNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS.
There is a great deal of difference as to persons' distinct
ness here ; some, that have not so clear a sight of God's jus
tice in their condemnation, yet mention things that plainly
imply it. They find a disposition to ackilowledge 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 beginriing, they have
very clear discoveries of it soon afterwards, with great hum
blings in the dust befoie God.
Comriionly persons' minds immediately before this dis
covery of God's justice, are exceedingly restless, and in a kind
of struggle and tumult, and sometimes in mere anguish ;
but generaUy as soon as they have this conviction, it imme
diately brings their minds to a calm, and a before unexpected
quietness 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
-wUl be gracious, even before any distinct and particular dis
coveries of mercy ; and often they then come to a conclusion
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 the-y
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 itisisted on,- and that others' ex
perience. In many persons, the first conviction of the justice of God
in their condemnation, which they take particulor notice of,
and probably the first distinct conviction of it that they have
is of such a nature as seems to be above any thing merely
legal : though it be a,fter legal humblings, and much of the
sense of ' their own helplessness, and of the insufficiency, of
their own duties ; yet it dbes 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 ;

MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS. 61
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 crj'ing out, '^isjMSi.' 'tis 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 could take part with
God: against themselves, and would glorify his justice therein.
Andwhen it is thus, they commonly have some evident
sense of free and aU-sufficient grace, though they give no
distinct account of it ; but it is manifest by that great degree
of hope and encour-agement that they then conceive, though
they were never .so sensible of their own vUeness and Ul-de-
servings, as they were 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 sinfulness as theirs was, and have
had such a submission of mind in their idea of this attribute,
and pf those exercises of it, together with an exceeding loath
ing of their own unworthiness, .and a kind of indignation
against themselves, that they have sometimes almost caUed
it a wUlingness 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 -have 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's 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 before any special
and delightful manifestation is made to the soul, of the grace
of God, as revealed in the gospel ; but very often some com
fortable, and sweet view of a merciful God, of a sufficient Re
deemer, or of some great and joyful things of the gospel, im-

62 MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS.
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 respects very va
rious ; more frequently Christ is distinctly made the object of
the mind, in his all-sufficiency and wiUingness to save sin
ners : 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 hL« abUity to save them,
and to do all things for them ; and some look most at the
truth and faithfulness of God : in some, the truth and cer
tainty of the gospel in general is the first joyful discovery
they have ; in . others, the certain truth of soine particular
promises ; in some, the grace and sincerity of God in his in-
-vitations, very commonly in some particular invitation in the
mind, and it now appears real to them that God (Joes indeed
invite them. Some, are struck with the glory and wonder-
fulness of the dying fove of Christ ; and some with the suffi
ciency and preciousness of his blood, as offered to make an
atonement for sin ; and others -with the value ajid 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 exceUency of the way of salvation
by Christ, and the suitableness of it to their necessities.
Some have an apprehension cf these things so given, that
it seems more natural to them to express it by sight or dis
covery ; others think what they experience better expressed
by the reahzing conviction, or a lively or feeling sense of
heart ; meaning, as I suppose, no other difference but wliat
is merely circumstantial or gradual.

MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS, 63
There is often in the mind some paiticular text of scripture,,
holding forth some evangelical ground of consolation ; some
times a multitude of texts, gracious invitations, and promises,
flowing in one after another, fiUing the soul more and more
with comfort and satisfaction ; and comfort is given lo some
whUe reading some portion of scripture ; but in some it is at
tended with no particular scripture at aU, either in reading or
meditation. In some, many divine things seem to. be dis
covered to the soul as it were at once ; others have their
minds especially fixing on some one thing at first, and after
wards a sense is. given of others ; in some with a swifter, and
others a slower succession, and sometimes with interrup
tions of much darkness.
The way that grace seems sometimes first to appear, after
legal humUiation, is in earnest longings of soul after God
and Christ, to know God, to love him, to be humbled before
hirii, to have commuuion with Christ in his benefits, which
longings, as they express them, seem evidently to be of such
a nature as can arise from nothing but a sense of the super
lative exceUency of divine things, with a spiritual taste and
relish of them, and an esteem of them as their highest hap
piness and best portion. Such longings as I speak of are
commonly attended with fii'm resolutions to pursue this good
forever, together with a hoping, waiting dispositioti. When
persons have begun in such frames, commonly other expe
riences and discoveries have soon foUowed, which have yet
more clearly manifested a change of heart.
It must needs be confessed that Christ is not always-dis-
tinctly and exphcitly thought of in the first sensible act of
grace (though most commonly he is) ; but sometimes he is
the object of the mind only implicitly. Thus sometimes
when persons have seemed evidently to be stript of all their
own righteousness, and to have stood self-condemned as
guUty 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 never so great, shall be no

64: MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS.
hinderance to 'their being accepted ; thaflthere is" mercy
enough in God for the whole world, and the like, when they
give no account, of any particular or distinct thought of
Christ ; but yet when the account they give is duly weighed,
and they are interrogated about it, it appears that the reve
lation of the mercy of God in the gospel 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, aud
that it is depended on in him, and not in any wise moved by
any thing in them.
So sometimes disoon«olate souls among us have been re
vived and brought to rest in God, by a sweet sense given of
his grace and faithfulness, in some special invitation or pro
mise, in which is no particular 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 invitations or piromises made of God to poor sinners
through his Son Jesus, as it is indeed ; and such persons
have afterwards had clear arid distinct- discoveries of Christ,
accompanied with lively and special actings of faith and love
towards ,him.
It has more frequently been so among us that when per
sons have first had the gospel ground of relief for lost sinners
discovered to them, and have been entertaining their minds
with the sweet, prospect, they have thought nothing at that
time of their being converted ; to sefe that there is such an
all-sufficieucy 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 tq them, as it is in its own nature
glorious, and gives them quite new and more delighful ideas
of God and Christ, and greatly encourages them to seek con
version, and begets in them a strong resolution to give up
themselves, and devote their whole lives to God and his Sop,
and patiently to wait tiU.God shaU see fit to make all effec-

MANNER OF CUNVERSION VARIOUS. 65
tual ; arid very often they entertain a strong persuasion that
he will in liis own time do it for them.
There is wrought in them a holy repose of soul in God
through Christ, and a secret di.sposition to fear and love him,
and to hope for blessings from hira in this way ; and yet
they have no imagination that they are now converted ; it
does not so much as come into thek minds : and very often
the reason is, that they do not see that they, do accept of this
sufficiency of salvation that they behold in Christ, having
entertained a wrong notion of acceptance ; not being sen
sible that the obedient aud joyful entertainment v/hich their
hearts give to this discovery of grace, is a real acceptance of
it. They know not that the sweet coniplacence they feel in
the mercy and complete salvation of God, as it includes par
don 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 expected 1 know not what kind
of act of soxU, 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 conception of before. It is most e-vident,
as they themselves acknowledge, that the expressions that
were used to describe conversion, and the graces of God's
Spirit, such as a spiritual sight of Christ, faith in Christ,
poverty of spirit, trust in God, resignedness to God, (fee, were
expressions that did not cortvej' those special and distinct
ideas to their inintls which they were intended to signify, in
some respects, no more than the names of colors are to con
vey the ideas to one that is blind from his l>iith.
This town is a place where there has always been a great
deal of talk^of conversion and spiritual experiences ; and
therefore people in general had Jjefore formed a notion in
their own minds what these things were ; but when they
come to be the subjects of them themselves, they found them-
9

66 MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS,
selves much confounded in their notions, and overthrown in
many of their former conceits. And it has beeri very ob
servable, that persons of the greatest understanding, and that
had studied most about things of this nature, have been more
confounded than others. Some such persons that have lately
been converted, declared that all their former wisdom is
brought to nought, and 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 circumstances and
difficulties, than they : and it has seemed to have been with
delight, that they have seen themselves thus brought down
and become nothing, that free grace and divine power may
be exalted in them.
It was very wonderful to see after what manner persons'
affections were soraetimes moved and wrought upon, when
God did, as it were, suddenly open their eyes, and let into
their minds a Sense of the greatness of his grace, arid the
fullness of Christ, and his readiness to save ; who before were
broken with apprehensions of divine Wrath, and sunk into
an abyss undei- a sense of guilt, which they were ready to
think was beyond the mercy of God ; their joyfiil 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 hke a flood, and interrainghng a loud
weeping : and sometimes they have not been able to forbear
crying out with a loud voice, expressing their great admira
tion. 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 re
member an instance of one, Who, reading something con
cerning God's sovereign way of saving sinners, as being
self-moved, and having no regard to men's own righteous
ness 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

MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS. 67
he then suspected himself to be in a Ghristless condition,
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 gracious exer
cises and experiences, and do not think themselves to be con
verted, but conclude themselves to be otherwise ; and none
knows how long they would continue so, were they not
helped by particular instruction. There are undoubted in
stances of some that have lived in this way for many years
together; and continuing in these circumstances of being
converted and not believing it, has had various consequences
with various persons, and with the same persons at various
times; some continue in great encouragement and hope, that
they shaU obtain mercy in a steadfast resolution to persevere
in seeking it, and in a hurable waiting for it at God's foot;
but very often, when the lively sense of the sufficiency of
Christ, and the riches of divine grace begins to vanish upon a
withdrawment of the influence,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 before, being
in a new manner sensible of the reahty 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 undeTstanding 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 ranch blamed and censured by many, that I
should make it ray practice, when I have been satisfied con
cerning persons' good state, to signify it to them: which thing
has been greatly misrepresented abroad, as innumerable other
things concerning us, to pi-ejudice the country against the
whole affair. But let it be noted that what I have uriderta-

68 MANNER OF CONVERSION VAPJOUS.
ken to judge of, has rather been qualifications, and declared
experiences, than persons ; not but that I have thought it
my duty as a pastor to assist and- instruct persons in apply
ing 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 plg,in, used freedom in signifying
my hope of them, to others ; but have been far from doing
this concerning -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 circum
stances I have been acquainted with, Yvhen there seems
to be good evidence that ihose 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 forementioned
accounts ; and it has been found to be that which God has
most remarkably owned and blest among us, both to the per
sons themselves and others.
Grace in many persons, through this 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 labored to their utmost to divert their minds
from the pleasing and joyful views they have had, and to sup
press those consolations and gracious affections tbat arose
thereupon. And when it has once come into their minds
to inquire whether or no this was not true grace, they
have been much afraid lest, they should be deceived with
common iUuminations and flashes of affection, and eternaUy
undone with a false hope. But when they have been better
instructed, and so brought to aUow of hope, this has awa
kened the gracious disposition of their hearts into life and
vigor, as the warm beams of the sun in the spring have

MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS 69
quickened the seeds arid 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
sucfr-a means of promoting his work among us as the news
of others' conversion ; in the awakening of sinners, and en
gaging them earnestly to seek the same blessing, and in the
quickening of saints. Though I have thought that a minis
ter's declaring his judgment about particular persons' expe
riences might from these things be justified, yet 1 am often
signifying to my people how unable one man is to know an
other's heart, and how unsafe it is depending merely on the
judgment of ministers or others, and have abundantly in
sisted on it with them, that a manifestation of sincerity i n
fruits brought forth is better than any manifestation they can
make of it in words alone, can be ; and that without this, all
pretenses to spiritual experiences are vain ; as all my congre
gation can witness. And the people in general, in this late
extraordinary time, have manifested a very great dread of
being deceived, being exceedingly fearful lest they should
buUd wrong, and some of them backward to receive hope,
even to a great extreme.
Conversion is a great and glorious work of God's power,
at once changing the heart, and infusing hfe 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 tjme,
(as has already been observed,) that when they have the first
exercises of grace, do not know that it is the grace of con
version, and sometiraes 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

70 MANNER op CONVERSION VARIOUS.
experience in the first exercises of grace, they, are at a loss
whether it was any thing more than a common iUumination ;
or whether some other more clear and remarkable experience
that they had afterwards was riot the first that was of a saving
nature. And the manner of God's work on the soul is (sorae
times especially) very mysterious, and it Is with the kingdom
of God -as to its manifestation in the heart of a convert, as is
said, Mark iv. 26, 27, 28. " So is the kingdom of God, as if
a man should cast seed into the ground, and should sleep,
and rise, night and day, arid the seed should spring, and
grow up he knoweth not how ; for the earth bringetb forth
of herself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full corn in
the ear."
In some, converting light is hke a glorious brightness
suddenly shining in upon a person, and all around him :
they are in a remarkable manner brought out of darkness
into marvelous 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 httle brighter, and gradually- in
creases 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 caUing some more remarkable experience
they had afterwards, their conversion, 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 aU things become
new," or at least froin a false arguing from that doctrine.
P.ersons coraraonly at first conversion, and afterwards,
have had many texts of scripture brought to their minds,
that arQ exceeding suitable to their circumstances, which
often corae with great power, and as the word of God or
Christ indeed ; and raany have a multitude of sweet invita
tions, promises, doxologies, flowing in one after another,

MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS. 71
bringing ^great light and comfort with them, filling the soul
brimfuU, enlarging the heart, and opening the mouth in re
ligion. And it seems to me necessary to suppose that there
is an immediate influence of the Spirit of God oftentimes in
bringing texts of scripture to the mind ; not that I suppose
it is done in a way of immediate revelation, without any
manner of use of the memory, but yet there seems plainly
to be an immediate and extraordinary influence in leading
their thoughts to such arid such passages of scripture, and
exciting them in the ihemory. Indeed, in some God seems
to bring texts of scripture to their minds no otherwise than
by leading thera into such frames and meditations as harmo
nize 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 al
ways obtained the greatest light and comfort ; nor have they
always Ught most suddenly coniraunicated ; but yet,- 1 think,
the time of conversion has generally been most sensible in
such persons. Oftentimes the first sensible change after the
extremity of terrors, is a calmness, and then the light gra
dually comes in ; sinaU glimpses E(t first, after iheir midnight
darknessj and a word or two of comfort, as" it were, softly
spoken to them. Thej"- havs a httle taste of the sweetness
of divine grace, and the love of a Savior, when- terror and
distress of conscience begins to be turned into a humble,
meek sense of their own unworthiness before 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, raore 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 turault of raind, then
God lets in an extraordinary sense of his great mercy
through a Redeemer.
The converting influences of God's Spirit very coraraonly
bring an extraordinary con-viction of the reality and certainty

72 MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS.
of the great things of religidn ; (though in some this is
inuch greater, some time after conversion, than at first ;)
they have that sight and taste of the divinity, or divine ex
cellency, that there is in the things of the gospel, that is
more to convince them than reading many volumes of argu
ments without it. It seeras to rae that in many instances
among us, when the divine exceUency and glory of the
things of Christianity have been set before persons, and they
have at the same time as it were seen, and tasted, and felt
the divinity of them, they have been as far from doubting
of tbe truth of them, as they are from doubting whether
there be a sun, when their eyes are open upon it in the
midst of a clear hemisphere, and the strong blaze of his
light. overcomes all objections against his being. And yet
raany of them, if we should ask- thera why they beheved
those things to be true, would not be able well to express or
communicate a sufficient reason to satisfy the inquirer, and
perhaps would make no other answer but that they see thera
to be true : but a person might soon be satisfied, by a par
ticular conversation -with them, that Yvhat they mean by such
an answer is, ^hat they have intuitively beheld, and- imme
diately felt, most illustrious works,, and powerful evidence of
divinity in thera.
Sorae are thtis convinced of the truth of the gospel in
general, and that the scriptures are the word of God : others
have their minds more especiaUy fixed on sorae 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 por
tion of the scripture. Some have such convictions in a
much more remarkable manner than others ; and there are
sorae that never had such a special sense of the certainty of
divine things impressed upon them with such inward evi
dence and strength, who have yet very clear exercises of
grace, such as love to God, repentance, and holiness. And
if they be more particularly examined, they appear plainly

MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS. 7.3
to have an inward, firm persuasion of the reality of divine
things, such as they did not use to have before their conver
sion. Aud 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 rehsh of the
divine excellency of these things fades, on a withdrawment
of the Spirit of God, they have not the medium of the con
viction of their truth at command : in a dull frame, they
cannot recall the idea and inward sense they had, perfect^y
to mind ; things appear very dim to what they did before j
and though there still remains an habitual strong persuasion,
yet not so as to exclude temptations to unbelief, and all pos
sibUity of doubting, 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 tryth
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 saving conviction from reasoning
which they have heard from the pulpit ; and often in tbe
course of reasoning which they are led into in their own
meditations. The arguments are the same that they have heard hun
dreds of times ; but the force of the arguments, and their
conviction by them, is altogether new ; they come with a
new and before unexperienced power : before, they heard it
was so, and they allowed it to be so ; but now they see it to
be so indeed. Things now look exceedingly plain to them,
and they wonder that they did not see them before.
They are so greatly taken with their new discovery, and
things appear so plain and 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
10

74 MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS,
ready to wonder that their reasonings, seem to make no more
impression. Many faU under such a mistake as to be ready to
doubt of their good state, because there was so much use
made of their own reason in the convictions they have re
ceived : they are afraid that they have no iUuminatibn above
the natural force of their own faculties : arid 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 or 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 before, they say, it seems to them it was because they
never thought of it. But very often these difficulties are
soon removed by those of another nature ; for when God
withdraws, they find themselves as it were blind ag;ain ; they
for the present lose their realizing sense of those thfaigs that
looked so plain to them, and by all that they can do they
cannot recover it, till God renews the influences of his Spirit.
Persons after their conversion, often speak of things of re
ligion as seeming new to them ; that preaching is a new
thing ; that it seems to thera they never heard preaching
befoie ; that the Bible is a new book : they find there new
chapters, new psalms, new liistories, because they see them
in a new light. Here was a remarkable instance of an aged
woman, that had spent most of her days under Mr. Stod
dard's powerful ministry, who, reading in the New Testa
ment concerning Christ's sufferings 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, inso
much 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
that she had often heard of it and read it, but never till now

MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS. 73
saw it as a thing real ; and then cast in her mind how won
derful this was, that the Son of God should undergo such
things for sinners, and how she had spent her time in un-
gratefuUy sinning against so good a God, and such a Savior;
though she was a person, as to what was visible, of a very
blameless and inoffensive life. And she was so overcome
by these considerations that her nature was ready to fail
tinder them. Those that were about her, and knew not
what was the matter, were surprised, and thought she was
dying. Many have spoken much of their hearts being drawn out
in love to Go 1 and Christ ; and their minds being wrapt
up in delightful contemplation of the glory and wonderful
grace of God, and the exceUency 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 willingness
to leave father and mother, and all things in the world, to
go to be with Christ.. Some persons have had longing de-
sii'es after Christ, which have risen to that degree as to take
away their natural strength. Some have been so overcome
with a sense of the dying love of Christ to such poor, wretch
ed, and unworthy creatures, as to v.'eaken the body. Se
veral persons have had so great a sense of the glory of God
and exceUency of Christ, that nature and life have seemed
almost to sink under it; and- in all probability, if God had
showed them a httle more of himself, it would have dissolved
their frame. I ha^^e seen some, and been in conversation
-with thera in such frames, who have- certainly been perfectly
sober and very remote from any thing like enthusiastic wUd-
ness : 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 manner that
cannot be perfectly expressed after them. Their sense of
their exceeding littleness and vileness, and their dispositio.n
to abase themselves before God, has appeared to he great in

T6 MANNER OF CONVERSIOn'vaRIOUS.
proportion' to their light and joy. Such persons among us
as have been distinguished With the most extraordinary dis
coveries of God, have commonly in nowise appeared with the
assuming, and self-conceited, and self-sufficient aks of enthu
siasts, but exceedingly the contrary ; and are eminent for a
spirit of meekness, modesty, self-diffidence, and low opinion
of themselves. No persons seem to be so sensible of their
need of instruction and so eager to receive it as some of thera
are. Those that have been thought to be converted among
us have generally manifested a longing to lie low and in the
dust before God : withal complaining of their not being able
to lie low enough. They very often speak much of their
sense of the excellency of the way of salvation by free and
sovereign grace, through the righteousness of Christ alone ;
and how it is with delight that they renounce their" own
righteousness, and rejoice in having no account made of it.
Many have expressed themselves to this purpose, that it
would lessen the satisfaction they hope for in heaven lo 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 exceeding adrairation of the su
perlative excellency of that pleasure and delight of soul which
they sometimes enjoy ; how a little of it is sufiScient to pay
them for the pains and trouble they have gone through in
seeking salvation, and how far it exceeds all earthly plea
sures ; and some express much of the sense which these
spiritual views give them of the vanity of earthly enjoy
ments, how mean and worthless aU these things appear to
them. Many, while their minds have been filled with spiritual
delights, have as it were forgotten their food ; their bodily ap
petite has failed, while their minds have beien entertained
with meat to eat that others know not of. The light and
comfort which some of them enjoy, gives a new relish to

MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS, . 77
their common blessings, and causes all things about them to
appear as it were beautiful, sweet, and pleasant to them.
AU things abroad, the sun, moon, and stars, the clouds and
sky, the heavens and earth, appear as it wer6 with a cast of
divine glory and sweetness upou them. The sweetest joy
that these good people among us express is not that which
consists in a sense of the safety of their own state, and that
now they are ovit of the danger of hell ; frequently in times
of their highest spiritual entertainment this seems to be as
it were forgotten. The supreme attention of their minds is
to the glorious excellencies of God and Christ which they
have in view ; not but there is very often a ravishing sense
of God's love accompanying a sense of his exceUency, and
they rejoice in a conviction 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, as that to -which
none is to be paralleled, is that which they find when they
are lowest in the dust, emptied most of themselves, as it were
annihilating themselves before God, when they are nothing
and God is all ; thus seeing their own unworthiness, de
pending not at aU on themselves but alone on Christ, and
ascribing 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. Sorae
speak much of the exquisite sweetness and rest of soul that
is to be found in the exercise of a spirit of resignation to
God, and humble submission to his wiU. Many express
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 thera in praising him :
they w^ant to have every one praise God, and are ready to
caU upon every thing to praise him. They express a long
ing desire to live to God's glory, and to do something to his
honor ; but at the same time cry out of their insufficiency
and barrenness ; that they are poor, impotent creatures, can

7S .MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS.
do nothing of themselves, and are utterly insufficient to
glorify their Creator and Redeemer.
While God was so remarkably present among us by his
Spirit, there was no book so dehghted in as the Bible ; es
pecially the book of Psalms, the prophecy of Isaiah, and the
New Testament. Soriie, by reason of their esteem and love
to God's word, have at some times been greatly and wonder
fuUy delighted and affected at the sight of a Bible : and
then also, there was no tirae so prized as the Lord's day,
and no place in this worid so desired as God's house. Our
converts then appeared remarkably united in dear affection
to one another, and many have expressed much of that
spirit of love which they felt toward all mankind ; and par
ticularly to those that had been least friendly to them.
Never, I believe, was so much done in confessing injuries,
and making up differences, 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 wiUing to die for thf^ conversion of any soul,
though oi one of the meanest of their feUow 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 acquainted with,
but more especially two, that belong to other towns, that
have been sjvallowed up exceedingly with a sense of the
awful greatness and majesty of God ; and both of them told
me to this purpose, that if they in the time of it had had the
least fefir that they were, not at peace with this so great a
God, they should instantly have died..
It is to be remarked, that some persons by their conversion
seein to be greatly helped as to their doctrinal notions of
religion ; it was particularly remarkable in one, who having
been taken captive in his childhood, was trained up in
Canada, in the Popish religion ; and some years since re-

MANNER OP CONVERSION VARIOUS, 79
turned 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,
tUl he was converted ; and then he was remarkably altered
in this respect.
There is a vast difference, as has been observed, in the
degree and also in the particular manner of persons' expe
riences both at and after conversion ; some have grace
working raore sensibly in one way, others in another. Some
speak more fully of a conviction of the justice of God in
their condemnation ; others raore of their consenting to the
way of salvation by Christ ; sorae, more of the actings of
love to God and Christ : some, more of acts of affiance, in a
sweet and assured conviction 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 com
munion with him ; others more of their abhorrence of them
selves for their past sins, and earnest longings to live to
God's glory for the time to come. Some have their mind
fixed more on God ; others on Christ, as I have observed
before ; 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 man
ner and circumstances in which persons are wrought on ;
and an opportunity of seeing so much of such a work of
God, wUl show that God is further flora 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 occa
sioned some good people among us, that were before too
ready to make their own experiences a rule to others, to be
loss censorious and more extended in their charity. The
work of God has been glorious in its variety ; it has tbe
more displayed the manifoldness and unsearchableness of

,SU MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS,
the wisdom of God, and wrought raore 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 con
cerning their own state. Some have a high degree of
satisfaction in this raatter alraost constantly ; aud yet it is
rare that any do enjoy so full an assurance of their interest
in Christ, that self-exaraination should seem needless to
them ; unless it be at particular seasons, while in the actual
enjoyment of some great discovery, that God gives of his
gloiy and rich grace in Christ, to, the drawing forth of extra
ordinary acts of grace. But the greater part, as they some
times falL into dead frames of spirit, are frequently exercised
with scruples and feais concerning their condition.
They genei-elly have an awful apprehension of the dread-
fulness and fatal 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 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 cor
rect themselves.
I think that the main ground of the doubts and fears which
persons, after their conversion, have been exercised with about
then- own state, has been that they found so much corruption
remaining in their hearts. At first their souls seem to be aU
alive, their hearts are fixed, and their affections flowing ;
they seem to live quite above the worid, and meet with but
little difficulty in religious exercises ; and they are ready to
think it wUl always be so : though they are truly abased un
der 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
-ft'hen they find that they begin to be in dull and dead frames,
to be troubled with wandering thoughts in the time of public

MANNER OF CONVERSION VAKIOL'S. 81
and private worship, and to be utterly unable to keep them
selves from them ; also when they find thenlselveS unaffected
at seasons' in which they think there is the greatest occasion
to be affected ; and when they feel w jil Jly dispositions work
ing in therii, and it may be pride, and envy, and stirrings of
revenge, or some ill spirit towards some person that has in
jured them, as -well as other workings of indweUing sin :
Their hearts are almost sunk with the disappointment ; and
they are ready presently to think that all which they have
met with is nothing, and that, they are mere hypocrites.
They are ready to argue that if God had indeed done such
great things for them as they hoped, such ingratitude -is in
consistent Yvith it : they cry out of the hardness and wick
edness of their hearts ; and say there is so much corruption,
that it seoms 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 be
fore they were converted ; 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 seeras plainly to
be, that now they feel the pain of their own wound ; they
have a watchful eye upon their hea,rts, that they did not use
to have : they take raore notice what sin is there, and sin is
now raore burthensome to them ; they strive raore against it,
and feel more of the strength of it.
They are somewhat surprised that they should in" this re
spect find themselves so different from the idea that they ge
nerally 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 m.uch less of it, and much
more remaining corruption than they thought. They
never realized it, that personsv/ere 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,
11

82 MANNER OF CONVERSION VARIOUS,
they are commonly 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 them
selves by, they are often so clouded, that they do not know
how to a'pply them : they hardly know whether they have
such and such things in theth or not, and whethei- they have
experienced them oi- not ; that w'hich was sweetest, and best,
and- most distinguishing iri their experiences, they cannot re
cover a sense or -idea of
But on a return of the influences "of the Spirit of God to
revive the lively 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 frairies,
by religious conversation : while they are talking of divine
things, or ever they are aware, their souls are cariied away
into holy exercises with abundant pleasure. And oftentimes
while fheyafe relating their past experiences totheir Christian
brethren, they have a fresh sense of tliehi revived, and the
same experiences in a degree againrenewed. Sometiraes while
persons are exercised in raind -with several objections against
the goodness of their state, they have scriptures,- one afler
another, coming to their rainds, to answer their scruples and
unravel their difficulties, excceditigly apposite and proper to
their circumstances'; by which nieans their darkness is scat
tered ; and often' befoje the bestowment of any new- remark
able comfcrls, especially after lorig continued deadriess and
ill frames, there are renewed humblings in a great sense of
their own exceeding viteriess and unwoithiness, as before
their first comfort? were bestoAved.

tU'- RIVMARKABI.B IMPRESSIOM 83
CHAPTER III.
Of remarkable impressions on the imagination.
Many in the country have entertained a mean thought of
this great work that there has been among us, from What
they havebeard of impressions that have been made on per
sons' imaginations. But there have- been exceedingly great
misrepresentations, and innumerable false reports concerning
that matter. It is not, that I know of, the profession or
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 among us.
I cannot say that tliere have been no- instances of persons
that have been ready to give too much heed to vain and use
less imaginations ; but they have been easily corrected ; and
I conclude it will not be wondered at that a congregation
should need a guide, in such cases to assist them in distin
guishing wheat from chaff. But such impressions on the
imagination as have been more usual, seen'i to me to be plain
ly no other than what is to be expected in human nature in
such circumstances, and what is the natural result of the
strong exercise of the raind, and irapressions on the heart.
I da not suppose that they themselves imagined that they
saw any thing with their bodily eyes ;. but only have had
within tlieni ideas strongly impressed, and as it were lively
pictures in their rainds ; as for instance,- sorae when in great
terrors through fear of hell, have had lively ideas of a dreadful'
furnace. Some, w-hen their heartshave been strongly im
pressed, andtheir affectionsg^i-eally moved with a sense of the
beauty and excellency of Qhrist, it has wrought on their
imaginations so, that, together- -with a serise of his glorious
spiritual perfections, there has arisen in the ihiud an idea of
one of glorious majesty, and of a sweet and a gracious as-

OF P.EMARKABI.E IMPRESSION,?.

pect. So some, when they have been greatly affected with
Christ's death, have at the same time a Uvely idea of Christ
hanging upon the cross, and of his blood running frora his
wounds ; which things will not be wondered at by them that
have observed hov/ strong affections about temporal matters,
will excite lively ideas and pictures of different things in the
mind. But yet the vigorous exetcise of the mind, does doubtless
more strongly im,press it with imaginary ideas in some, .than
in others, which probably may arise from the difference of
constitution, and seems evidently in sorae partly to arise from
their peculiar circumstances. When persons have been ex
ercised with extreme terrors, and-there is a sudden change to
light and joy, the imagination seems more susceptive of strong
ideas, and the inferior powers, and even the frame of the
body, is much more affected and wrought upon, than when
the same persons have as great spiritual light and joy after
wards ; of which it might perhaps be easy to give a reason.
The aforementioned Rev. Messrs. Lord and Owen, who, I
believe, are esteemed persons of learning and discretion, where
they are- best known, declared that they found these im
pressions on persons' imaginations quite different things from
what fame had before represented to them, and that they were
what none need, to wonder at, or be stumbled by, or to that
purpose. There have indeed been some few instances of impressions
on persons' imaginations, that have been something myste
rious to me, and I have been at a loss about them ; ^or
though it has been exceedingly evident to rae by many
things that appeared in thera, botli then (when they related
their.) and afterwards, that they indeed had a great sen§e of
the spiritual excellency of divine things accompanying them ;
yet I have not been able well to. satisfy myself, whether their
imaginary ideas have been raore than could naturally arise
from their spiritual sense of things. However, I have used
the utmost caution in such cases :' great care has been taken

OF REMARKABLE IMPRESSIONS, 85
both in public and in private, to teach persons the difference
between -what is spiritual -and what is merely iinaginao-y. I
have often warned persons not to lay the stress of their hope
on any ideas of any outward glory, or any external thing
whatsoever, and have miet -with no opposition in such instruc
tions. But it is not strange if some weaker persons, in
giving an account of their experienecs, have not so prudently
distinguished between the spiritual and imaginary part;
which sorae that have not been weU affected to religion might
take advantage of.
There has- been much talk iri many parts of the country,
as though the peopI§ have symbolized with -the iliuakers,
and the Gluakers themselves have been moved with such re
ports ; and came here, orice and again, hoping to find good
waters to fish in ; but mthout the least success ; and seem
to be discouraged, and have left off ooming. There have
also been reports spread about the country, as thoiigh the first
occasion of so remarkable a concern on peoples' 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 sorae were. filled with speculation,
what so great a dispensation of divine providence might fore
bode ; and some reports were heard from abroad, as though
certain , divines and others thought the conflagration was
nigh : but such reports were never generally looked upon as
worthy of notice.
The work that has now been wrought on souls is evident
ly the same that was wrought in my venerable predecessor's
days ; as I have had abundant opportunity to know; having
been in the ministry here two years with him, and so con
versed with a considerable number, that ray grandfather
thought to be savingly converted in that time ; and- having
been particularly acquainted with experiences of many that
were converted under his ministry before. And I know no
one of them that in the least doubts of its being of the same

86 OP REMARKABLE IMPRESSIONS.
Spirit, and the same work. Persons have now no otherwise
been subject to impressions. on their imaginations than for
merly : the work is of the same nature, and has not b^en
attended with any extraordinary circumstances, 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 Spi
rit of God, that others have in his conveiting influences ; and
the work here has also been plainly the same v/ith that
which has been wrought in those of other places that have
been mentioned as. partaking of the sarrie blessing. I have
particularly conversed with persons about their experiences
that belong to all parts of the county, and in various parts of
Connecticut, where a religious concern has lately appealed ;
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, con verse freely
one with another cf their spiritual experiences, which is a
thing that many have iDeen disgusted at. But however our
people mayhave in soi-ne respects gone to extremes in it, yet
it is doubtless a practice that the circumstances of this town,
and neighboring towns, has naturally led thera into. What
soever people are'in such circumstances, where all have their
minds engaged to siish a degree, and 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. wiU -soon vanish ; and they wiU riot conceal
from one another what they meet with. And it has been a
practice which.iriilie general has been attended with raany
good effects, and what God has .greatly blest among us: but it
must be confessed there may have been some ill consequences
of U,; which yet are rather to be laid to the indiscreet raa-
nagementof it, than to the practice itself; and none can

TWO PARTICULAR INSTANCES. 87
wonder if among such a multitude some fail of exercising so
much prudence in choosing the tirae^ manner, and occasion
of such discourse as is desirable.

CHAPTER IV.
This work further illustrated in particular instances.
But to give a clearer idea of the nature and manner of the
operations of God's Spirit in this wonderful- 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 select her case especially because she
is now dead, and so it may be more fit to speak freely of her
than of hving instances r though I am under far greater dis
advantages on other accounts to give a full and clear narra
tive 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 sorae others of what they
have heard her express in her lifetime:
She was of a ralionid, understanding family : there could
be nothing in her eJucalion that tended lo enthusiasm, but
ratlier to tlie contrary extreme. It is in no wise the temper
of the family to be ostentatious of experiences, and it was far
from being her temper. She was before her conversion, ^to
theobservation-of liei- neighb.oi-s, of a soberand inoffensive con
versation, and was a still, quiet, reserved person. She had
long been infirm of body, but her infiiniity had never been
observed at all to inclinfr her to be notional or fanciful, or to
occasion any thing of religious -melancholy. She \vas under
awakenings scarely 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

88 CONVERSION OF ABIGAIL HUTCHINSON
being in good earnest in seeking regenerating grace, together
with the news of the- conversion 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 thougbt verv' unworthy of being distin
guished from others by such a mercy ; but .withal it en
gaged' her in a firm resolution to do her utmost to obtain the
same blessing; and considering 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 searcli
the scriptures ; and accordingly iminmediately began at the
beginning of the Bible, intending to read it through. She
continued thus tiU Thursday ; and then there was a sudden
alteration, by a great increase of her concern, in an extraor
dinary sense of her own sinfulness, particularly the sin ful-
neiss 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^ebad begun, and turned
to the New Testament, to see if she coiUd not find some re
lief there for her distressed soul.
Her great terror, she said was, "that she had sinned
against God." Her distress grew more and more for three
days ; until (as she said) she saw nothing but blackness of
darkness before her^ and her very flesh trerabled 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 sinfulness appeared with a very awful aspect to
her, especially in three things, viz. her original sin, and her
sin in inurrauring at God's providence, ih 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

CONVERSION OP ABIGAIL HUTCHINSON. 89
Bible and other books, that she continued in it, searching for
soraething to relieve her, tiUher eyesweresodim, thatshe could
not know the letters. While she was thus engaged in read
ing, prayer, and other rehgious exercises, she thought of
those words of Christ wherein he warns us not to be as the
heathen, that think they shall be heard for their ranch speak
ing ; which, she said, led her to see that she had trusted to
her own prayers and religious perforraances, and now she
was put to a nonplus, and knew not which way to turn her
self, or where to seek relief
WhUe her mind was in this posture, her heart, she said,
seemed to fly to the minister for refuge, hoping that he could
give her sorae relief. She carae the same day to her brother,
with the countenance of a person in distress, expostulating
with hira, why he had not told her raore of her sinfulness,
and earnestly inquiring of him what she should do. She
seeraed that day to feel in herself an enraity against the Bi
ble, which greatly affi-ighted her. Her sense of her own ex
ceeding sinfulness continued increasing from Thursday tiU
Monday ; and she gave this account of it, that it had been
an opinion, which till now she had entertained, that she was
not guUty of Adam's sin, nor any way concerned in it, be
cause she was not active in it ; but that now she saw she
was guUty of that sin, and aU over defiled by it ; and that
the sin which she brought into the world with her, was alone
sufficient to condemn her.
On the sabbath-day she was so Ul that her friends thought
it not best that she should go to public worship, of which she
seemed very desirous : but when she went to bed on the sab
bath-day night, she took up a resolution that she would the
next morning go to the minister, hoping to find sorae relief
there. As she awaked on Monday morning, a httle before
day, she wondered within herself at the easiness and calm
ness she felt in her mind, which was of that kind she never
felt before ; as she thought of this, such words as these were
in her mind : " The words of the Lord are pme words, health
12

90 CONVERSION OF ABIGAIL HUTCHINSON.
to the soul, and marrow to the bones :" and then these words
came to her mind, " the blood of Christ cleanses from all
sin ;" which were accompanied with a lively sense of the
exceUency of Christ, and his sufficiency to satisfy for the sins
of the whole -World. She then thought 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 Je
sus Christ. By these things her mind was led into such
contemplations 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 dis
coveries of Christ three mornings together, that she had on
Monday morning, and much in, the ^ame 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 en
joyment of a spiritual view of Christ's glory and fuUness, her
soul was filled with distress for Christless persons, to consider
what a miserable condition they were in : and she felt in
herself an 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 teUirig 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 repUed, 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 into the door, 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

CONVERSION OP ABIGAIL HUTCHINSON, 91
of_ religion, it was more than she could bear ; they were
obhged to cease on that account. It was a very frequent
thing with her to be overcome with a flow of affection to them
that she thought godlj"^, in conversation with thera, and sorae
times only at the sight of them.
She had many extraordinary discoveries of the glory of
God and Christ ; sometimes in some particular attributes,
and sometimes in many. She gave an account 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 es
pecially the last : Truth, said she, sunk the deepest ! And
therefore, as these words passed, this was repeated, Truth,
Truth ! Her mind was so swallowed 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 ctfter this, she went to a private religious
meeting, and her mind was full of a sense and view of the
glory of God aU the time ; and when the exercise was ended,
some asked her concerning 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 obhged 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."
She had several days together a sweet sense of the excel
lency and loveUness of Christ in his meekness, which dis
posed her continuaUy 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 ranch as her life could
bear. Once, as her brother was speaking of the dying love

92 CONVERSION OP ABIGAIL HUTCHINSON.
of Christ, she told hira that she had such a sense of it, tb^t
the raere mentioning of it was ready to overcome her.
Once, when she carae to me, she told how that at such
and such a tirae she thought she saw as ranch 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
before, yet more clearly, and iri another and far raore excel
lent and delightful raanner, and was filled with a raore ex
ceeding 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 seeraed
to rae she dwelt for days together in a kind of beatific vision
of God ; and seemed to have, as I thought, as immediate an
intercourse with him, as a child with a father : and at the
same time she appeared most remote frora any high thought
of herself, and of her own sufficiency, but Was like a little
child, and expressed great desire to be instructed, telling rae
that she longed very often to come to me for instruction,
and wanted to live at my house, that I ,-might tell her her
duty. 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
iri the middle of the town ; but now, says she, I think it
much moi-e pleasant to sit and see the wind blov^ing the
trees, and to behold what God has made. She had some
times the powerful breathings of the Spirit of God on her
soul, while reading the scripture, and would express a sense
that she had of the certain truth and divinity thereof She
sometiraes would appear with a pleasant sraile on her coun
tenance ; and once when her sister took notice of it, and
asked why she smUed, she replied, I am brimful! of a sweet
feeling within ! She often used to express how good and
sweet it was to lie low before God, and the lower, said she.

CONVERSION OF ABIGAIL HUTCHINSON. 93
the better ! and that it was pleasant to think of lying iri the
dust aU the days of her hfe, mourning for sin. She was
wont to manifest a great sense of her own meanness and
dependence. She often expressed an exceeding compassion
and pitiful love which she found In her heart towards per
sons in a Christless condition, which was sometiraes 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 uiTtil she thought she 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 lorig to die, why do I go to physicians ? Whence she
concluded that her longings for death were not -well regu
lated. After this she often put it to herself which she should
choose, whether to hve or to die, to be sick or to be well ? and
she fouud she could not tell, till at last she found herself
disposed to say these words : I am quite willing to live, and
quite wiUing to die ; quite wilhng to be sick, and quite wil
ling to be weU ; and quite willing for any thing that God
wUl bring upon me ! And. then, said she^I felt myself
perfectly easy, in a fuU submission to thewiU 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 con
tinue in this resigned frame till death.
After this her illness increased upon her ; and once, after
she had before 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 wUhng to suffer for Christ's sake ;
I am wiUing to- spend and to be spent for Christ's sake ; I
am willing to spend ray life, even my very life, for Christ's
sake ! And though she had an extraordinary resignation

94 CONVERSION OF ABIGAIL HUTCHINSON.
with respect to life or death, yet the thoughts of dying were
exceedingly sweet to her. At a tirae when her brother was
reading in .Tob, concerning worms feeding on the dead body,
she appeared with a pleasant sraile ; and being inquired of
about it, she said it was sweet to her to think of her being
in such circumstances. At another tirae, when her brother
mentioned to her the danger there seemed to be that the ill
ness she then laboied 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 tbat
she could swaUow nothing but what was perfectly liquid,
and but very little of that, and with great and long strug-
ghngs and stranglings ; that which she took in flying out
at her nostrU, till she at last could swaUow nothing at aU.
She had a raging appetite to food, so that she told her sister,
when talking with her about her circumstances, 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,
she seemed to be as perfectly contented without it, as if she
had no appetite for it. Others were greatly moved to see
what she underwent, and were fiUed with admiration at her
unexampled patience. At a tirae 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 smUe,
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," said she, "because 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

CONVERSION OP ABIGAIL HUTCHINSON. 93
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 thera. As she lay on
her death-bed, she would often say these words, " God is my
friend !" And once looking up on her sister, with a sraile,
said, " O sister ! how good it is ! how sweet and comforta
ble it is lo consider and think of heavenly things !" and
used this argumerit 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 con
verted, and for the godly, that they raight see and know
raore 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 parUcular, 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 corae any more, because the sight of her
so wrought on her compassion, that it overcame her nature.
The same week that she died, when she was in distressing
circumstances as to her body, some of the neighbors that
came to see her asked if she was wiUing to die ? She re
phed that she was quite wiUing either to' hve or die; she
was wiUing to be in pain ; she was wiUing to be so always
as she was then, if that was . the wUl of God. She wUled
what God willed. They asked her whether she was wiUing
to die that night ? She answered. Yes, if it be Go^'s will.
jfUid seemed to speak all with that perfect composure of
spirit, and with such a cheerful and pleasant countenance,
that it fiUed 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 raind very much by signs.
She said she had matter enough to fiU up all her time with
talk, if she had but strength. A few days before her death,

96 CONVERSION op ABIGAIL HUTCHINSON.
some asked her whether she held her integrity still 1 Whe
ther she was not afraid of death ? She answered' to this
purpose, that she had not the least degree of fear of death.
They asked her why she would be so confident ? She an
swered, If I should say otherwise, I should speak conti'ary
to what I know : there is, says she; indeed a dark entry that
looks something dark, but on the other side there appears
such a bright shining hght, that 1 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 rae4,hat 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 a^ked her, for she
seemed to be dying for three days together ; but seemed to
contiime in an admirably sweet composure of soul, without
any interruption, to the last, and died as a persoa that went
to sleep, without any struggling, about noon, on Friday,
June 27th, 1735.
She had lorig been infirm, and often had been exercised
with great pain ; but she died chiefly of famine. It was,
doubtless, partly owing to her bodily weakness, that her na
ture was so often overcome, 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 present
i'raU 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 among us as a very
erainent instance of Christian experience ; but this is but a
very broken and imperfect account I have given of her.
Her eminenoy -would much more appear, if her experiences
were fuUy related, as she was wont to express and manifest
them, while living. I once read this account to some of
her pious neighbors, who were acquainted with her, who
said, to this' purpose, that the picture fell much short of the
life ; and particularly that it ranch failed of duly represent-

CONVERSION OP FHEBE BARTLET. 97
ing her humUity, and that adrairable lowliness of heart, that
at all tiraes appeared in her. But there are, blessed be God !
many hving instances of much the hke nature, and in some
things no less extraordinary. *
But I now proceed to the other instance that I would give
an account of, which is of the Uttle child before mentioned.
Her name is Phebe Bartlet, daughter of WiUiam Bartlet.
I shall give the account 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 AprU, or the beginning of May, 1735, she was
greatly affected by the talk of her brother, who had been
hopefuUy converted a little before, at about eleven years of
age, and then 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 chU
dren, particularly to direct themselves 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 to listen to the advice they gave
to the other children ; and she was observed very constantly
to retu-e, several tiraes in a day, as was concluded, for secret
prayer, and grew more and more engaged in religion, and
was more frequent in her closet, tiU at last she was wont to
visit it flve or six times in a day ; and was so engaged. in it,
that nothing would at any tirae divert her from her stated
closet exercises. Her mother often observed and watched
hei-, when such things occurred as she thought most likely
to divert her, either by putting it out of her thoughts, or other
wise engaging her inclinations, but never could observe her
to fail. She mentioned some very remarkable instanpes.
She once of her owr^ accord spoke of her unsuccessftUness.
in that she could not find God, or to that purpose. But on
Thursday, the last day of July, about the middle of the day,
the chUd being in the closet, where it used to retire, its mo
ther heard it speaking aloud, which was unusual, and never
1-3

98 CONVERSION OP PHEBE BARTLET,
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 her childish man
ner, but seemed to be spoken with extraordinary earnestness
and out of distress of 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
sat down by her mother, and cried out aloud. Her mother
very earnestly asked her several times, what the matter
waSj before he could 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, whe
ther she was afraid that God would not give her salvation.
She answered, ' Yes, I am afraid I shall go to hell ! ' Her
mother then endeavored to quiet her; and told her she
would not have her cry ; she must be a good girl, and pray
everyday, and she hoped God would give her salvation-
But this did not quiet her at all ; but she continued thus
earnestly crying, and taking on for some time, till at length
she suddenly ceased crying, and began to smile, and presently
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 spoke 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 forever ;' by which it
seems, that when the child said, ' There is three come to
mci' she meant three passages of her Catechism that came to
her mind.
After the chHd had said this, she'retired again into her
closet ; and her mother went over to her brother's, who was
next neighbor ; and when she came back, the child, being
out of the closet, met her mother with this cheerful speech,
' I can find God now ! ' referring to what she had before

CONVERSION OF PHEBE BARTLET, 99
complained of, that she could not find God. Then the child
spoke again and said, ' I love God ! ' Her mother asked her
howwell she loved God, whether she loved God better than her
father and mother, she said, ' yes.' Then she asked her whe
ther she loved God better than her little sister Rachel ? She
answered, ' Yes, better than any thing ! ' Then her eldest sis
ter, 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 whe
ther she was afraid of going to hell, and 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 salvation ; she answered, " yes." Her mother asked her
when. She answered, " to-day." She appeared all the af
ternoon exceedingly cheerful and joyfuL One of her neigh
bors asked her how she felt herself ? She answered, I feel
better than I did." The neighbor asked her, what made
her feel better 7 she answered, " God makes me." That
evening as she lay in bed, she called one of her little cousins
to her that was present in the room, as ha\/iQg 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 her catechisra, 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."
The same day the elder chUdren, when they came home
from school, seemed much affected with the extraordinary
change that seemed to be made in Phebe : and her sister
Abigail standing by, her raother took occasion to counsel her
now to improve her time to prepare for another world : on
which Phebe burst out in tears, and cried outj " Poor Nab-
by !" Her mother told her she would not have her cry, she
hoped that God would give Nabby salvation : but that did

100 CONVERSION or PHEBE BARTLET.
not quiet her, but she continued earnestly crying for some
time ; and when she had in a measure ceased, her sister
Eunice being by her, she burst out again, and cried, " Poor
Eunice !" and cried exceedingly ; and when she had almost
done, she went into another room, and there looked up on
her sister Naomi, and burst out again, crying, " Poor Amy !"
Her mother was greatly affected at such a behavior in the
child, and knew not what to say to her. One of the neigh
bors <;oraing in a little after, asked her what she had cried
for. She seemed at first backward to tell the reason : her
mother told her she might tell that person, for he had given
her an apple ; upon which she said, she " cried because she
was afraid they would go to hell."
At night a certain minister that was. occasionally in the
town, was at the house, and talked considerably with her of
the things of religion ; and after he was gone, she sat leanmg
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
part of the day, to '.>;- in a very affectionate frame, had four
turns of crying, and seemed to endeavor to curb herself and
hide her tears, and was very backward to talk of the occa
sion of it. On the sabbath-day she was asked whether she
believed in God ; she answered '¦' yes :" arid being told that
Christ was the Son of God, she made ready answer, and
said, " I know it."
From this time there has appeared a very remarkable.
abiding change in the child : she has been very strict upon
the sabbath, and seems to long for the sabbath-day before it
comes, and wiU often in the week time be inquiring how
long it is to the sabbath-day, and must have the days par
ticularly counted over that are between, before she will be
contented. And 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

CONVERSION OF PHEBE BARTLET. 101
she is in the place of worship, she is very far frora spending
her time there as chUdren at her age usually do, but appears
with an attention that is very extraordinary for such a child.
She also appears very desirous at aU opportunities to go to
private rehgious meetings ; and is very stiU and attentive at
home in prayer-time, and has appeared affected in time of
family prayer. She seems to delight much in hearing re
hgious 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 earnestly after us, and
said, " I wish ihey 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 following remarkable in
stance. Sorae time in August, the last year, she went with
some larger chUdren to get some p}ums, in a neighbor's lot,
knowing nothing of any harra in what she did ; but when
she brought some of the plums into the house, her mother
mUdly reproved her, and told her that she must not get
pluras without leave, because it was sin : God had com
manded her not to steal. The chUd seeraed greatly sur
prised, and burst out in tears, and cried out, " I wUl not have
these pi ;i s!" and turning to her sistei" Eunice, very ear
nestly said to her, " Why did you ask me to go to that phim-
Iree ? I should not have gone if you had not asked me."
The other chUdren did not seem to be much affected or con
cerned; but there was no pacifying Phebe. Her raother
told her she might go and ask leave, and then it would not
be sin for her to eat them ; and sent one ef the children to
that purpose ; and when she returned, her mother told her
that the owner had given leave, now she might eat them,
aad it woiUd not be stealing. This stUled her a little whUe :
but presently she broke out again into an exceeding fit of
crying : her mother asked her what made her cry again ?

102 CONVERSION OF PHEBE BARTLET.
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 iraswer; 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 hundred times ; and she retained her
aversion to that fruit for a considerable time, under the re-
merabrance of her former sin.
She at sometimes appears greatly affected, and delighted
with texts of scripture that come to her mind. Particularly,
about the beginning of November, the last year, that text
came to her mind. Rev. iii. 20. " 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
overheard her talking very earnestly to the chUdren about it,
arid particularly heard her say to thera, three or four times
over, with an air of exceeding joy and admiration, "Why it
is to sup with God." At some ticrie about the middle of
winter, very late in the night, when all were in bed, her mo
ther 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 voice, so that
her mother could not hear what she said ; but thinking 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 tirae. The next raorn-
ing, she as.ked her whether she did not cry the last night :
Tbe child answered, "Yes, I did cry a httle, for I was think
ing about God and Christ, and they loved rae." 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 manj^ times affectionately

CONVERSION OP PHEBE BARTLET. 103
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 the room by themselves, 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
ordinarily 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 thera thai they must pray, and pre
pare to die, that they had but a little while to live in tins
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 gieat concern of their souls, some
times, so as much to affect them, and set them into tears. She
was once exceedingly importunate with her mother to go
with her sister Naomi, to pray. Her mother endeavored to
put her off ; but she puUed her by the sleeve, and seemed as
if she would by no means be denied. At last her niother told
her that Amy must go and pray herself; " but," says the
child, " she wUl not go ;" and persisted earnestly to beg of
her mother to go with her.
She has discovered an uncommon degree of a spirit of
charity ; particularly on the following occasion : A poor man
that lives in the woods, had lately lost a cow, that the famUy
much depended on, aud 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 exceedingly on her compassion : and after she had
attentively heard him a while, 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 kiUed his cow ; and entreated
him to give him one of theirs. Her father told her that they
could not spare one. Then she entreated hira to let him and

104 DEFECTS AND DECLINE OF THE WORK,
his. family corae and hve 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 frora my long journey for my health, the
last fall. When she heard of it she appeared very joyful at the
news, and told the children of it, with an elevated voicej as
the most-joyful tidings : repeating it over and over, " Mr. Ed
wards is come home ! Mr. Edwards is come home !" She
stiU continues very constant in secret prayer, So far as can be
observed, (for she seems to have no desire that others should
observe her when she retires, but seems to be a child of a re
served temper), and every night before she' goes to bed, will
say her catechism, and will by no means miss of it : she
never forgot it but once, and then after she was in 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 cate
chism as she lay in bed. She sometiraes appears to be in
doubt about the condition of hej- soul, and when asked whe
ther she thinks that she is prepared for death, speaks sorae
thing doubtfoUy about it : at other times seeras to have no
doubt, but when asked, replies yes, without hesitation

CHAPTER Y.
Defects and decline of the work.
In the forraer part of this great work pf God among us,
till it got to its height, we seemed ^o be wonderfully smiled
upon, and blest 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 wonderfuUy to be sei

DEFECTS AND DECLINE OF THE WORK, 105
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 ordinarUy have several biUs put up every sabbath,
for persons that are sick ; but now we had not so much as
one for raany sabbaths together. But after this it seeraed 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 violent
temptations to cut his own throat, and made an attempt, but
did not do it effectuaUy. He after this continued a consider
able time exceedingly overwhelmed with melancholy ; but
has now of a long time been very greatly delivered by the
light of God's countenance Ufted up upon him, and has ex
pressed a great sense of his sin in so far yielding to tempta
tion ; and there are in him aU.hopeful e-videnoes 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 withdrawing from us, and
after this time Satan -seemed to be more let loose, and raged
in 0 dreadful manner. The first instance wherein it ap
peared, was a person's putting an end to his own life, by
cutting his throat. He was a gentleman of raore than com
mon understanding, of strict morals, religious in his beha
vior, and a useful, honorable person in the town ; but was
of a family that are much prone to the disease of melancholy,
and his mother was kUled with it. He had, from the be
ginning of this extraordinary time, been exceedingly con
cerned about the state of his soul, and there were some
things in his experience that appeared very hopefully ; but
he durst entertain no hope concerning his own good state.
Towards the latter part of his time he grew much discou
raged, and melancholy grew amain upon him, tUl he was
v/hoUy overpowered by it, arid was in great measure past a
capacity of receiving advice, or being reasoned with to any
purpose : the devil took the advantage, and drove him into
despairing thoughts. He was kept awake nights, medi-
14

106 DEFECTS AND DECLINE OF THE WORK.
tating terror ; so that he had scarce any sleep at aU, for a long
time together. And it was observed at last, that he was
scarcely weU capable of managing his ordinary business, and
was judged deUrious by the coroner's inquest. The news
of this extraordinarily affected the minds of the 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 persons, that had no special dark
ness, or doubts about the goodness of thek 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 spoken to them, Cut your oion 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, enthusiastic delusions-
one at Suffield, 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 himself
divinely instructed to direct a poor man in melancholy and
despaking 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 raan.. I have, since this error of
his, had a particiilar acqua,intance with hira ; and I believe
none would question his piety, that had such an acquaint
ance. 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 thnes 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

DEFECTS AND DECLINE OP THE WORK. 107
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 dishonor 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 chUd was after this,)
and the Spirit of God not long after this time appeared vei-y
sensibly withdrawing from all parts of the county ; (though
we have heard of its going on in sorae places of Connecticut,
and that it continues to be carried on even to this day.) But
rehgion remained here, and I believe in some otlier places,
the main subject of conversation for several months after
this. And there were some turns, wherein God's work
seeraed soraething 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 rehgion, -n'hich had been before. Several things have
happened -since, that have diverted people's rainds, and
turned their conversation more to others' affairs, particularly
his excellency, the governor, coming to .this place, and the
comraittee of general court, on the treaty with the Indians ;
and afterwards the Springfield controversy ; and since that,
our people in this town have been engaged in the building
of a new raeeting-house ; and some other occurrences raight
be mentioned, that have seemed to have this effect. But as
to those tliat 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 thera since, and they generally
appear to be persons that have a new sense of things, new
apprehensions and views of God, of the divine attributes, and
Jesus Christ, and the great things of the gospel : they have
a new sense of the truth of them, and they ailecl thera in a

108 DEFECTS AND DECLINE OF THE WORK.
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
an inward ardor 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 appe
tites, and a new kind of breathings and pantings of heart,
and groanings that cannot be uUered. There is a new kind
of inward labor and struggle of soul towards heaven and
holiness. Some, that before were very rough in their temper and
manners, seem to be remarkably softened and sweetened.
And some have had their souls exceedingly filled, and over-
Whelmed with light, love, and comfort, long since the work
of God has ceased to be so remarkably carried on in a ge
neral way : and some have had much greater experiences
of this nature than they had .before. And there is stUl a
great deal of religious conversation continued in the town,
among young and old ; a religious disposition appears to be
StUl maintained among our people, by their upholding fre
quent private religious meetings ; and all sorts are generaUy
worshiping God at such meetings, on sabbath-nights, and
in the evening after our public lecture. Many children in
the town do still keep up such meetings among themselves.
I know of no one young person in the town that has re
turned to former ways, or looseness and extravagancy in
any respect ; but we stUl remain a reformed people, and God
has evidently 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 profession ; 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 pass among us for sheep, that are indeed wolves in

DEFECTS AND DECLINE OF THE WORK. 109
sheep's clothing, who probably maj' sorae tirae or other -dis
cover themselves by their fruit. 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 occasion to reproach us and religion : but jn the
main there has been a great and marvelous work of con
version and sanctification among the people here ; and they
have paid aU due respect to those who have been blest 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 ray reproofs from the pulpit.
A great part of the country have not received the most
favorable thoughts of this affak ; and to this day many re
tain a jealousy concerning it, and prejudice against it. I
have reason to think that the meanness and weakness of
tbe instrument that has been made use of in this town, has
prejudiced many against^ it ; it does not appear to me strange
that it should be so : but yet this circumstance of this great
work of God is analogous to other circumstances of it. God
has so ordered the manner of tbfe work in many respects, as
very signaUy and remarkably to show it to, be his own pe-
cuUar and iraraediate work, and to secure the glory of it
wholly to his own almighty 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, Rev. Sir, I have given a large and particular ac
count of this remarkable affair ; and yet, considering how
manifold God's works have been among us, that are worthy
to be written, it is but a brief one. I should have sent it
much sooner, had I not been greatly hindered by illness in
my family, and also in myself. It is, probably, much larger

110 DEFECTS AND-DECLINE OF THE WORK.
th&,n you expected, and it may be than you would have
chosen.- I thought that the extraordinariness of the thing,
and the innumerable misrepresentations which have 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 to your wisdom to make what use of
it you think best, to send a part of it to England, or aU, 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 answerable
to our profession and our raercies, and that our hght raay
shine before men, that others seeing our good works, may
glorify our Father who 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 honored uncle Williams, I read
that part of your letter to the congregation, and labored as
much as in me lay to enforce their duty from it. The con
gregation were very sensibly moved and affected at both
times. I humbly request of you. Rev. Sir, your prayers for this
county, in its present melancholy circumstances, 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

DEFECTS AND DECLINE OP THE WORK. Ill
against it, and hinder the propagation of it. I also ask your
prayers for this to-wn, and would particularly beg an interest
in them for him, who is, Honored sk.
With humble respect.
Your obedient son and servant,
JONATHAN EDWARDS.
Northampton, Nov. 6, 1736.

THOUGHTS
ON
THE REVIVAL OF RELIGION
IN NEW ENGLAND,

THE WAY IN WHICH IT OUGHT TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED
AND PROMOTED.
IN FIVE PARTS.

PASTOR OF THB CHURCH OF CHRIST, AT NORTHAMPTON.

Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for
our God  Isaiah xl. 3.

1.5

PREFACE

In the ensuing treatise, I condemn ministers assuming, or taking
too much upon them, and appearing as though they supposed that they
were the persons 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 I con
demn this in others, that I may have the monopoly of it. I confess
that I have taken a great deal of liberty freely to express my thoughts
concerning alraost every thing appertaining to the wonderful work
of God that has of late been carried on in the land, and to declare
what has appealed to me to be the mind of God, concerning the duty
and obligations of all sorts of persons, and even those that are my su
periors 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.
In a free nation, such liberty of the press is allowed, that every author
takes leavd virithout offense, freely to speak his opinion concerning
the inanagenient of public affairs, andthe duty of the legislature, and
those that are at the head of the administration, though vastly his su
periors : as now at this day, private subjects offer their sentiments
to the public, from the press, concerning the management of the war
with Spain ; freely declaring what they think to be the duty of par
liament, and the principal ministers of state, &c. We in New Eng
land are at this day engaged in a more important war : and I am sure
if we consider the sad jangling and confusion that has attended it,
we shall confess that it is highly requisite that somebody should speak
his mind concerning the way in which it ought to be managed : and
that not only a few of the many particulars, that are the matter of
strife in the land, should be debated on the one side and the other in
pamphlets ; (as has of late been done with heat and fierceness
enough ;) which does not tend to bring the contention in general to

116 PREFACE.
an end, but rather to inflame it, and increase the uproar : but that
something should be published to bring the affair in general, and the
many things that attend it that are the subjects of debate, under a
particular consideration. And certainly it is high time that this was
done. 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 interest 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 more proper ; but I have heard of no such thing a doing,
or like to be done. I hope therefore I shall be excused for underta
king such a piece of work. I think that nothing that I have said can
justly be interpreted, as though I would impose my thoughts upon
any, or did not suppose that others have equal right to think for them
selves, with myself. We are not accountable one to another for our
thoughts ; but we must all give an account to JEim who searches our
hearts, and has doubtless his eye especially upon us at such an extra
ordinary season as this. If I have well confirmed my opinion con
cerning this work, and the way in which it should: be acknowledged
and promoted, with scripture aud reason, I hope others that read it
will receive it as a manifestation of the mind and vyill of God. If
others would hold forth further light to me in any of tliese 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 foUowing discourse,
and have spoken in a manner that savors of a spirit of pride, no won
der 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 tbat I may be favored with
Buch measures of the divine Spirit, as a minister of the gospel stands
in need of at such an extraordinary season.

THOUGHTS ON THE REVIVAL, &c.

PART I.

SHOWING THAT THE EXTRAORDINARY WORK THAT HAS
OF LATE BEEN GOING ON IN THI.S 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, tbat has been car
ried on of late in New England (so far as the ground of such
an error has been in the understanding, and not in the dis
position) seems fundamentally to li& in three things :
First, In judging of this work a friori.
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 v;ork a priori, but hy its
effects.
They have greatly erred in the way in which they have
gone about to try this work, whether it be a work of the
Spirit of God or no, viz. in judging of it a priori ; from the
way that it began, the iastruments that have been employed,
the means that have been made use of, and the methods

118 WE SHOULD JUDGE OF THE WORK
that have been taken and succeeded in carrying it on.
Whereas, if we duly consider the matter, it will evidently
appear that such a work is not to be judged of a priori, but
d posteriori : we are to observe the effect wrought ; and if,
upon examination of itj it be found to be agreeable to the
word of God, we are bound, without more ado, to rest in it
as God's work ; and shall be like to be rebuked for our ar
rogance, 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 and such means in doing it. Those texts are
enough to cause us with trembling to forbear such a way of
proceeding in judging of a work of God's Spirit, Isa. xl. 13,
14. " Who hath directed the Spirit of the Lord, or being, his
counselor hath taught him ? With whom took he counsel,
and who instructed him, and who taught him in the path of
judgment, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him
the way of understanding ?" John iii. 8. " The wind blow
eth 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 frora thence
v^e judge that the wind does indeed blow ; without waiting
before we pass this judgment, first, to be satisfied what should
be the cause of the wind's blowing 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 d priori, is a
a wrong way of judging of any of the works of God. We
are not to resolve that we will first be satisfied how God
brought this for the other effect to pass, and why he hath
made it thus, or why it has- pkased him to take such a
course, and to use such and such means, before we will ac
knowledge 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 an 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

UY ITS EFFECTS. 119
his v/ay, or say unto him what doest thou '! Wc know not
what is the way of the Spirit, nor how the bones do grow
in the womb of her that iti with child ; even so we know not
the works of God who maketh aU." No wonder therefore if
those that go this forbidden way to work, in judging of the
present wonderful 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 gieat 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 his carrying on this work ; so as very much
to show his own glory, and exalt his own sovereignity, power
and all-sufficiency, and pour contempt out all that human
strength, wisdom, prudence, and sufficiency, that men have
been wont to trust, and to glory in ; and so as greatly to cross,
rebuke, and chastise the pride and corruptions of men- ; in a
fulfillment of that, Isa. ii. 17. " And the loftiness of man shall
be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made
low, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day." God
doth thus, in intermingling in his providence so raany stum
bling-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 bestowing his
greatest and highest favors upon them, admitting them nearer
to himself than the great, the honorable, the rich, and the
learned, agreeable to that prophecy, Zech. xii. 7. " 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 that dwelt in the tents of Judah were the common

120 WE SHOULD JUDGE OF THE WOBK
people that dwelt in the country, and were of inferior rank.
The inhabitants of Jerusalem were their citizens, their men
of wealth, and figure : and Jerusalem also was the chief
place of the habitation or resort of their priests, and Levites,
and their officers and judges ; there sat the great Sanhedrim.
The house of David were the highest rank of all; the royal
family, find the great men that were round about the king.
It is evident by the context, that this prophecy has respect to
something further than the saving the people out of the Ba
bylonish captivity.
Grod in this work has begun at the lowei- end, and he has
made use of the weak and foohsh things of the world to car
ry on his work. The ministers that have been chiefly im
proved, some of them have been mere babes' in age and
standing,- and some of them such as have not been so high
in reputation among their fellows 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 lias
pleased God to improve them, and greatly to succeed them,
while he has not. so succeeded others that are generally re
puted vastly their superiors. Yea, there is reason to think
that it has pleased God to make use of the infirmities and
sins of some that he has improved and succeeded ; as parti
cularly their imprudent and rash zeal, and censorious spirit,
to chastise the deadness, negligence, earthly-mindedness, and
vanity that have been found among ministers in the late
times of geiieral declension and deadness, wherein wise vir
gins and foolish, ministers and people, have sunk into such
a deep sleep. These things in ministers of the gospel, that
go forth as the embassadors of Christ, and have the care of
immortal souls, are extremely abominable to God ; vastly
more hateful in his sight than all the imprudence, and intem
perate heats, wildness, and distraction (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
madness and distraction in the sight of God; God may also

BV THE SCRIPTURE ONLV. 121
make use at this day, of the unchristian censoriousness of
sorae 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 eminent service and future
honor that he designs them for.

SECTION II.
We should judge by fhe rule of scripture.
ANOTHERfoundation-error of those that donotacknowledge
ihe divinity of this work, is not taking the iiolyscriptures
as a. wholey SLiid in itself a sufficient rule' to judge of such
things by. They that have one certain consistent rule to
judge by, are like to come to some clear determination ; but
they that have half a dozen different rules to make the thing
they would judge of agree to, no wonder thatinstead of justly
and dearly determining, they do but peiplex and darkeathehi-
selves and others. They that would learn the true measure
of any thing, and will have many different measures to try
it by, aud find in it a conformity to, have a task that they
will not accomplish.
Those that I am speaking of, 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,
diverse and wide from it, to judge of this work by. As par
ticularly, 1. ^ome make philosophy, instead of the holy scriptures,
their rule of judging of this work ; particularly the philoso-
phi6al notions they entertain of the nature of the soul, its fa
culties 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-a-days all runs out into transports
16

122 WE SHOULD JUDGE OF THE WORK
and high flights of the passions and affections." In their
philosophy, the affections of the soul are something diverse
frora the -will, and not appertaining to the noblest part of the
soul, but the meanest principles that it has, that belong to
men as partaking of animal nature, and what he has in com
mon with the brute creation, lather than any thing whereby
he is conformed to angels and pure spirits. And though they
acknowledge that there is a good use may be made of the af
fections in religion, yet they suppose that the substantial part
of religion does not consist in them, but that they are rather
to be looked upon as something adventitious and accidental
in Christianity.
But I cannot but think that these gentlemen labor 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 liigh and raised affec
tions, which must be distiiiguished by the skill of the obser
ver. Some are much more sohd than others. There are
many exercises of the affections that are very flashy, and little
to be depended on ; and oftentimes there is a great deal that
appertains to them, or rather that is the effect of them, that
has its seat in animal nature, and is very much owing to the
constitution and fraraeof 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 diviflity to suppose that
religious affections do not appertain to the substance and es
sence of Christianity : on the contrary, it seeras to me that the
very life and soul of all true religion consists in thera.
I humbly conceive that the affections of the soul are not
properly distinguished from the will, as though they were
two faculties in the soul. All acts of the affections of the soul
are in sorae sense acts of the will, and all acts of the will are
acts of the affections. All exercises of the will are, in some
degree or other, exercises of the soul's appetition or aversion ;

BY THE SCRIPTURE ONLY. 123
or which is the same thing, of its love or hatred. The soul
wills one thing rather than another, or chooses one thing ra
ther than another, no otherwise than as it loves one thing
raore than another ; but love and hatred are affections of the
soul : and 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 op
position, be exercised in a high degree, or, 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 from what has been said already, that it consists
chiefly in holy affections. ¦ The things of religion take place
in, men's hearts, no further than they are affected with them.
The informing of the understanding is all vain, any farther
than it affects the heart ; or which is the same thing, heis
influence on the affections.
Those gentlemen that make light of these raised affec
tions 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. As for instance :
they -will doubtless allow 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 to be exerted in a hundred times so strong and
vigorous exercises of the heart ; and yet be true religion or
holiness still, but only in a high degree. Now therefore I
would ask them, 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 high acts of love ;
strong and vigorous exercises of benevolence and compla
cence ; high, exalting, and admiring thoughts of God and
his perfections ; strong desires after God, (fee. ? And now
what are we come to, but high and raised affections ? Yea,
those very same high and raised affections that before they
objected against, or made light of, as worthy of little
regard.

124 RELIGION ADMITS OF AFFECTIONS.
I suppose furthermore that all will allow that there is no
thing but solid religion in heaven : but that there, religion
and holiness of heart is raised to an exceeding great height,
to strong, high, exalted exercises of heart. Now what other
kinds of such exceeding strong and high exercises of the
heart, or of holiness as it has its seat in their hearts^ can we
devise for them, but only holy affections, high degrees of
actings of love to God, rejoicing in God, admiring of God,
(fee. ? Therefore these things in the saints and angels in
heaven are not to be despised and cashiered by the name of
gieat heats and transports of the passions.
And it will doubtless be yet further allowed, that the more
eminent the saints are on earth, and the stronger their grace
is, and the higher its exercises are, the more they are like
the saints in heaven ; i. e. (by what has been just now ob
served) the more they have of high or raised affections in
religion. Though there are false affections in religion, and affec
tions that in some respects are raised high, that are flashy,
yet undoubtedly there are also true, holy, and solid affec
tions ; and the higher these are raised, the better : arid if
they are raised to an exceeding great height, they are not
to be thought meanly of, or suspected, merely because of
their great degree, but on the contrary to be esteemed and
rejoiced in. Charity, or divine love, is in scripture repre
sented as the sum of all the religion of the heart ; but this is
nothing but a holy affection : and therefore, in proportion
as this is firmly fixed in the soul, and raised to a great
height, the raore eminent a person is in hohness. Divine
love or charity is represented as the sura of all the religion
of heaven, and that wherein raainly the religion of the
church in its more perfect state on earth shall consist, when
knoTivledge, and tongues, and piophecyings shall cease ; and
therefore the higher this holy affection is raised in the church
of Gods or in a gracious soul, the more excellent and perfect
is the state of the church, or a particular soul.

RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS MAY BE HIGH. 125
If we take the scriptures for our rule, then the greater and
higher are the exercises of love to God, delight and compla
cence in God, desires and longings after God, delight in the
children of God, love to mankind,^ brokenness cf heart, ab
horrence of sin, and self-abhorrence for sin ; and the peace
of God which passeth all understanding, and joy in the
Holy Ghost, joy unspeakable and full of glory ; admiring
thoughts of God, exulting and glorying in God ; 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 from no other
ground than this? What is represented in scripture, as
more powerful in its effects, than the Spirit of God ? which
is therefore called " the power of the Highest," Luke i. 35 ;
and its saving effect in the soul called " the power of godh
ness." So we read of the " demonstration of the Spirit, and
of power," 1 Cor. ii. 4. 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,"
Eph. i. 19. So we read of "the effectual working of his
power," Eph. iii. 7. And of the " power that worketh in
Christians," v. 20. And of the " glorious power," of God
in the operations of the spirit, Col. i. 11. And of " the work
of faith," its being wrought "-with power," 2 Thess. i. 11.
And in 2 Tim. i. 7. the Spirit of God is called " the spirit
of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." So the Spirit
is represented by a mighty wind, and by fire, things most
powerful in their operation.
2. Many are guilty of not taking the holy scriptures as a
sufficient and whole rule, whereby to judge of this work,
whether it be the work of God ; in that they judge by those

126 EFFECTS OF RELIGION ON THE BODY.
things which the scripture- does not give as any signs or
marks whereby to judge one way or the other, and therefore
do in no wise belong to the scripture rule of judging, viz.
the effects that religious exercises and affections of mind have
upon the body. Scripture mles respect the state of the mind,
and persons' moral conduct, and voluntary behavior, and not
the physical state of the body. The design of the scripture
is to teach us divinity, and not phj^sic and anatomy. Minis
ters are made the watchraen 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 to the church's safety, he doubt
less would have given ministers rules to judge of bodily
effects, and 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
thdy should tremble, and whether or no they should ever be
faint or ci-y out ; or whether the body should ever be put
into convulsions : he probably would have put sorae 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 over
seers of the state and frame of men's souls, and of their
v6luntary 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, that busy themselves, and are full of concern
about the involuntary motions of the fluids and solids of men's
bodies, and frora 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 behavior is good,
and agreeable to God's word ; I say, such ministers go out
of the place that Ciirist has set them in, and leave their

OP INJURIES TO HEALTH. 127
proper business, as much as if they should undertake to tell
who are under the influence of the Spirit by tlieir 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, viz. the state of person's minds, and their
moral conduct, seeing to it that they raay be maintained in
an agreeableness to the rules that Christ has given us. If
things are but kept right in these respects, our fears and
suspicions arising from extraoiditiary bodily effects seem
wholly groundless.
The most specious thing that is alledged against these
extraordinary effects on the body, is, that the body is im
paired and health wronged ; 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
so pretty commonly, or in multiphed instances (which I do
not suppose 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 while
God was striving with hira, at the same time that he re
ceived the blessing frora God, suffered a great outward ca
lamity from his hand : God impaired his body so that he
never- got over it as long as he lived. He 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
ptfevailed. 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.

128 STRONG RELIGIOUS EXERCISES.
But it has been a thing geneially 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 to hira.
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 raay be discovered, would overpower
the nature of man in its present weak state ; and that there
fore the body, in its present weakness, is not fitted for the
views and pleasures and employments of heaven : and that
if God did discover but a little of that which is seen by the
saints and angels in heaven, our frail natures would sink
under it. Indeed, I know not what persons may deny now,
to defend themselves in a caUtse they have had their spirits
long engaged in, but I know these things did not use to be
denied or doubted of Let us rationally consider what we
profess to believe of the infinite greatness of the things of
God, the divine wrath, the divine glory, and the divine infi
nite love and grace in Jesus Christ, and the vastness aud
infinite importance of the things of eternity ; and how rea
sonable it is to suppose that if it pleases God a little to with
draw the veil, and let in light into the soul, and give some
thing of a view of the great things of another world ia their
transcendent and infinite greatness, that human nature, that
is as the grass, a shaking leaf, a weak withering flower,
should totter under such a discovery ? Such a bubble is too
weak to bear the weight of a view of things that are so vast.
Alas ! What is such dust and ashes, that it should support
itself under the view of the awful wrath or infinite glory
and love of Jehovah ! No wonder therefore that it is said,
" No man can see me and live, a,nd flesh and blood cannot
uiherit 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," Dan. x. 6, 7, 8., a,nd which the apostle
John saw when he fell at his feet as dead, was but an image

OVERCOMING THE BODILY POWERS. 129
or shadow of that spiritual glory and majesty of Christ
which will be manifested in the souls of the saints in another
world, and which is sometimes, in some degree, manifested
to the soul in this world, by the influences of the Spirit of
God. And if the beholding the image and external repre-
sentation of this spiritual majesty and glory, did so over
power human nature, is it unreasonable to suppose that a
sight of the spiritual glory itself, which is the substance of
which that was but the shadow, 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 raight be saved from that wrath, and rest in the day of
trouble, says, Hab. iii. 16. " When I heard, my belly trem
bled, my lips quivered at the voice, rottenness entered into
my bones, I trembled in myself, that I might rest in the day
of trouble." Which is much such an effect as the discovery
of the same majesty and wrath, in the same awful voice
fi'om Mount Sinai, has had upon many in these days, and
to the same purposes, viz. to give them rest in the day of
trouble, and save thera from that wrath. The Psalmist
also speaks of vei-y much such an effect as I have often seen
on persons under religious affections of late, Psalm cxix. 131.
" I opened my inouth and panted, 'for I longed for thy com
mandments." God is pleased sometimes in dealing forth spiritual bless
ings to his people, in some respect to exceed the capacity of
the vessel, in its present scantiness, so that he does not only
fill it full, but he makes their cup to run over, agreeable to
Psalm xxiii. 5., and pours out a blessing, sometimes in such
a manner and measure that there is not room enough to re
ceive it, Mai. iii. 10., and gives them more riches than they
can carry away ; as he did to Jehoshaphat and his people,
in a time of great favor, by the word of his prophet Jeha-
17

130 DISCOVERIES OF GOD IN THE SOUL
ziel, in answer to an earnest prayer, when the people blessed
the Lord in the valley of Berachah, 2 Chron. xx. 25, 26.
It has been with the disciples of Christ, for a long time,, a
time of great emptiness upon spiritual accounts : they have
gone hungiy, and have been toiling in vain, during a dark
season, a time of night with the church of God ; as it was
with the disciples of old, whsn they had toiled all night for
something to eat and caught nothing, Luke v. 5, and John
xxi. 3. 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 some of 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, Luke v. 6, 7, and John xxi. 6.
We cannot determine that God never shall give any per
son so much of a discovery of himself, not only as to weaken
their bodies, but to take away their lives. It is supposed by
very learned and judicious divines, that Moses' life was taken
away after this manner ; and this has also been supposed to
be the case with some other saints. Yea, I do riot 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,
and particularly that part of the body, the brain, 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 spiritual and eternal bless
ings : so it is too much for us to determine, how great an
outward calamity he will bring, If God give a great in
crease of discoveries of himself, and of love to him, the bene
fit is infinitely greater than the calamity, though the life
should presently after be taken away ; yea, though the soul
should not immediately be taken to heaven, but should he
some years in a deep sleep, and then be taken to heaven :
or, which is much the same thing, if it be deprived of the use

MAY TAKE AWAY THE REASON. 131
of Its faculties, and be 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 distraction is,
when considered with all its consequences, and all that might
have been consequent, if the distraction had not happened ;
nor indeed whether (thus considered) it be any calamity at
all, or whether it be not a mercy, by preventing some great
sin, or some raore dreadful thing, if it had not been. It is a
great fault in us to limit a sovereign, all-wise God, whose
judgraents 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 shaU be. It is re
markable, considering in what multitudes of instances, and to
how great a degree, the frame of the body has been over
powered of late, that persons' lives have notwithstanding been
preserved, and that the instances of those that have been de
prived of reason have been so very few, and those, perhaps, all
of thera, persons under the pecuhar disadvantage of a weak,
vapory habitx)f body. A merciful and careful divine hand is
very manifest in it, that in so many instances where the
ship has begun to sink, yet it has been upheld, and has not
totally sunk. The instances of such as have been deprived
of reason are so few, that certainly they are not enough to
cause us to be in any fright, as though this work that has
been carried on in the country, was like to be of baneful in
fluence • unless we are disposed to gather up all that we can
to darken it, and set it forth in frightful colors.
There is one particular kind of exercise and concern of
mind, that raany have been overpowered -by, that has been
especially stumbhng to some ; and that is the deep concern
and distress that they have been in for the souls of others. I
am sorry that any put us to the trouble of doing that which
seems so needless, as defending such a thing as this. It
seems hke mere trifling in so plain a case, to enter into a for
mal and particular debate, in order to determine whether
there be any thing in the greatness and importance of the case,

132 CONCERN FOR THE SOULS OF OTHERS.
that will answer, and bear a proportion to the greatness of
the concern that some have manifested. Men may be al
lowed, from no higher a principle than common ingenuity
and humanity, to be very deeply concerned, and greatly ex
ercised in mind, at seeing others in great danger of no
greater a calamity than drowning, or being burnt up in a
house on fire. And if so, then doubtless it will be allowed to
be equally reasonable, if they saw them in danger of a ca
lamity ten times greater to be still much raoi-e concerned ;
and so much more still, if the calamity was still vastly greater.
And why then should it be thought unreasonable, and looked
upon with a very suspicious eye, as if it must come from
some bad cause, when persons are extremely concerned at
seeing others in very great danger of suffering the fierceness
and wrath of Almighty God to all eternity ? And besides itwill
doubtless be aUowed that those that have very great degrees of
the Spirit of God, that is a spirit of love, raay well be sup
posed to have vastly raore of love and compassion to their
fellow-creatures, than those that are influenced only by com
mon humanity. Why should it be thought strange that
those that are full of the Spirit of Christ, should be proportion-
ably, in their love to souls, hke to Christ ? who had so strong
a love to them and concern for them, as to be wiUing to drink
the dregs of the cup of God's fliry for thera ; and at the
same time that he offered up his blood for souls, offered up
also as their high priest, strong crying and tears, with an ex
treme agony, wherein the soul of Christ was as it were in
travail for the souls of the elect ; and therefore in savino-
thera he is said to. see of the travail of his soul. As such a
spirit of love to and concern for souls was the Spirit of Christ,
so it is the spirit of the church ; and therefore the church,
in desiring and seeking that Christ might be brought forth
in the world, and in the souls of men, is represented. Rev.
xii. as " a woman crying, travaihng in birth, and pained
to be delivered." The ~s[)irit of those that have been in dis
tress for the souls of others, so far as I can discern, seems not

NEW SCENES TO BE EXPECTED. 133
to bo different from that of the apostle who travailed for souls,
and was ready to wish himself accursed frora Christ for
otheiB. And that of the psalmist. Psalm cxix. 53. " Horror
hath taken hold upon me, because of the wicked that forsake
thy law." And v. 136. " Rivers of waters run down mine
eyes, because they keep not thy law." And that of the pro
phet Jeremiah, Jer. iv. 19. "My bowels! my bowels ! lam
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. and xiv. 17. and Isa. xxii. 4; We
read of Mordecai, when he saw his people in danger of being
destroyed with a temporal destruction, Esther iv. 1. that
he " rent his clothes, and put on saekcloth with ashes, and
went out into 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 that are going to eternal
destruction 1
3. Another thing that some make their rule to judge of
this work by, instead of the holy scriptures, is history, or for
mer observation. Herein they err two ways : First, if there
be any thing new and extraordinary in the circurastances of
this work that was not observed in forraer tiraes, that is a
rule with them to reject this work as not the work of God.
Herein they make that their rule, that God has not given
them for their rule ; and limit God, where he has not limited
himself. And this is especially unreasonable in this case :
for whosoever has well weighed the wonderful and mysteri
ous methods of Divine Wisdom, in carrjing on the work of
the new creation, or in the progress of the work of redemp
tion from the first promise of the seed of the woman to this
tirae may easily observe that it has -all along been God's
manner to open new scenes, and to bring forth to view
things nev7 and wonderful,, such as eye hath not seen, nor
ear heard, nor entered into the heart of men or angels, to the

134 MANY EXTRAORDINARY THINGS
astonishment of heaven and earth, not only in the revelation
he makes'of his mind and wUl, but also in the works of his
hands. As the old creation was carried on through six di^ys,
and appeared all complete, settled in a state of rest on the
seventh ; so the new creation, which is immensely the great
est and most glorious work, is carried on in a gradual pro
gress, from the fall of raan to the consummation of all things
at the end of the world. And as in the progress of the old
creation there were still new things accomplished ; new won
ders appeared every day in the sight of the angels, the spec
tators of that work ; while those morning stars sang together,
new scenes were opened.or things that they had not seen be
fore (ill the whole was finished ; so it is in the progress of
the new creation. So that that promise, Isa. Ixiv. 4. " For
since the beginning of the world, men have not heard nor
perceived by the ear, neither hsth the eye seen, O God, be
sides thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for
him ;" though it had a glorious fulfillment in the days of
Christ and the apostles, as the words are applied, 1 Cor. ii.
9. yet it always remains to be fulfilled in the things that are
yet behind, till the new creation is finished, at Christ's deli
vering up the kingdom to the Father. And we live in those
latter days, wherein we ma.y be especially warranted to ex
pect that things will be accomplished concerning which it
will be said. Who hath heard such a thing ? Who hath seen
such things ?
And besides, those things in this work that have been
chiefly complained of as new, are not so new as has been
generally imagined : though they have been much raore
frequent lately, in proportion to the uncoramon degree, extent
and swiftness, and other extraordinary circumstances of the
work, yet they are not new in their kind, but are things of
the same nature as have been found and well approved of
in the church of God before, from tirae to (.irae.
We have a remarkable instance in Mr. BoUon, that noted
minister of the church of England, who, being awakened

FALSELY THOUGHT TO BE NEU 135
by the preaching of the famous Mr. Peikins, minister of
Christ in the University of Cambridge, was subject to such
terrors as threw hira to the ground, and caused him to roar
with anguish ; and the pangs of the new birth in hira were
such, that he lay pale and without sense, like one dead ; as
we have an account in the Fulfilling of the Scripture, the
5th edition, 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 a reraarkable instance in the life of Mr.
George Trosse, written by himself, (who, of a notoriously
vicious profligate liver, became an eminent saint and minis
ter of the gospel) of terrors occasioned by awakenings of
conscience, so overpowering the body as to deprive, for some
time, of the use of reason.
Yea, such extraordinary external effects of inward im
pressions have not only been to be found in here and there
a single person, but there have also before now been times
wherein many have been thus ^ affected, in some particular
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, in a time of great outpouring
of the Spirit of God. It was then a frequent thing for many
to be so extraordinarily seized with terror in the hearing of
the word, by the Spirit of God convincing them of sin, that
they fell down, and were carried out of the church, who af
terwards proved most solid and lively Christians ; as tlie
author of the Fulfilling of the Scripture informs us, p.l85.
The same' author, in the preceding page, informs of many
in France that were so wonderfully affected with the preach
ing of the gospel, in the time of those famous divines, Farel
and Viret, that ibr a tirae they could not follow their secular
business. And p. 186, of many in Ireland, in a time of >
great outpouring of the Spirit there, in the year 1628, that

136 CASES IN FORMER REVIVALS.
were so fiUed with divine comforts, 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 an account of very much such things in Mrs.
Catharine Brettergh, of Lancashire, in England, p. 391,
392, as have been cried out of, here amongst us, as wild and
distracted : how that after great distress, which very much
affected her body, the sweat sometiraes bursting out upon
her, 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 deUghts ray soul ! The taste is pre
cious ; do you not feel it ? O so sweet as it is !" And at
other times, " O my sweet Savior, shaU 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 ! And O that ray 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 ara 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 !" Which last word&. she again
doubled. To a grave minister, one Mr. Harrison, then with
her, she said, "My soul- hath. been compassed with the ter
rors of death, the sorrows of hell were upon rae, and a wU-
derness of wo 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 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 dehghts and joy that I
feel ! O how wonderful !"

EXPERIENCE OF MR. FLAVEL. 137
Great outcries under awakenings were more frequently
heard of in former times in the country, than they have been
of late, as some aged persons now living do testify : particu
larly I think fit here to insert a testimony of my honored
father, of what he remembers formerly to have heard.
" I well remember that one Mr. Alexander AUyn, 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 (as
I remember) in the time of the sitting of the general assem
bly of divines in that kingdom, that so affected the people,
that there was a great and loud cry made throughout the
assembly. I have also been credibly informed, and how of
ten 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
hecurd that very awakening and rousing preacher of God's
word, to make a great cry in the congregation."
TIMOTHY EDWARDS,
Windsor, May 5, 1742.
Mr. Flavei gives a remarkable instance of a man that he
knew, tha^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 traveling alone, with his thoughts
closely fixed on the great and astonishing things of another
world, his thoughts began to sweU higher and higher, like
the water in Ezekiel's vision, tiU at last they became an
overflowing flood. ' Such was the intenseness of his mind,
^uch the ravishing tastes of heavenly joys, and such his full
assurance of his interest therein, that he utterly lost all sight
and sense of this world, and the concernments thereof, and
18

138 RELIGIOUS TRANSPORTS IN NEW ENGLAND.
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 scarce 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 declares he never had a sweeter night's rest in
all his life. Still (adds the story) the joy of the Lord over
flowed him, and he seeraed to be an irihabitant of another
world. And he iised, for raany years after, to call that day
one of the .day.s of heaven ; and professed that he under
stood 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 persons' crying
oiit in transports of divine joy, in New England. We have
an instance in Captain Clapp's memoirs, published by the
Rev. Mr. Prince, not of a silly woman or child, but a man of
solid understanding, that in a high transport of spiritual joy,
was made to cry out aloud on his bed. His words, p. 9, are,
" God's Holy Spirit did witness, I do beheve, together with
my spirit, that I was a child of God, and did fill my heart
and soul with such full assurance that Christ was mine, that
it did so transport tne, as to make me cry out upon my bed,
with a loud voice, He is come, he is corae !"
There has, before now, been both crying out and faUing
down, in this towiij under awakenings of conscience, and in
the pangs of the new birth, and also in some of the neighbor
towns. In one of thera, more than seven years ago, was a
great number together that cried out and feU down, under
convictions ; in most of which, by good information, was a
hopeful and abiding good issue. And the Rev. Mi-. Williams,
of Deerfield, gave me an account of an aged man in that

JUDGING EY THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE. 139
town, many years before that, that being awakened by his
preaching, cried out aloud in the congregation. There have
been many instances in this and sorae naighbor towns, before
now, of persons fainting with joyful discoveries made to their
souls : once several together in this town. And there also
formerly have been several instances here, of persons' flesh
waxing cold and benumbed, and their hands clenched, yea,
their bodies being set into convulsions, being overpowered
with a strong sense of the astonishingly great and excellent
things of God, and the eternal :world.
Secondly, Another way that some err in making history
and former observation their rule to judge of this work, in
stead of the holy scripture, is in comparing some external ac
cidental circumstances of this work, with what has appeared
sometimes in enthusiasts ; and as they find an agreement in
some such things, so they reject the whole work, or at least
the substance of it, concluding it to be enthusiasm. So, great
use has been made to this purpose of many things that are
found amongst the Gluakers ; however totally and essentially
different in its nature this work is, and the principles it is
built upon, from the whole religion of the Q,uakers. So, to
the same purpose, sorae external appearances that were found
amongst the French prophets, and some other enthusiasts in
forraer tiraes, have been of late trumped up with great asni-
rance and triumph.
4. I would propose it to be considered, whether oi- no some,
instead of making the scriptures their only rule to judge of
this work, do not make their ovyn experience the rule, and
reject such and such things as are now professed and expe
rienced, because they never felt them themselves. Are there
not. many, that chiefly on this ground, have entertained and
vented suspicions, if not peremptory condemnations of those
extreme terrors, and those great, sudden, and extraordinary
discoveries of the glorious perfections of God, and of the
beauty and love of Christ ; and such vehement affections,
such high transports of love and joy, such pity and distress

140 WE SHOULD NOT EXPECT PERFECTION.
for the souls of others, and exercises of raind that have such
great effects on persons' bodies, merely, or chiefly, because
they knew nothing about thera by experience ? Persons are
very ready to be suspicious of what they have not felt them
selves. It is to be feared many good men have been guilty
of this error ; which yet does not make it the less unreason
able. And perhaps there are some that upon this ground do
not only reject these extraordinary things, but all such con
viction of sin, and such discoveries of the glory of God, and
excellency of Christ, and inward conviction of the truth of
the gospel, by the immediate influence of the Spirit of God,
that are now supposed to be necessary to salvation.
These persons that thus make their own experiences 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 reflection upon the understanding of the
Most High.

SECTION III.
We should not judge of the whole by a part.
Another foundation error of those that reject this work,
is their not duly distinguishing the good frora the bad, and
very unjustly judging of the whole by a part ; and so reject
ing the work in general, or in the main substance of it, for
the sake of some things that are accidental to it, that are evil.
They look for more in men that are divinely influenced, be
cause subject to the operations of a good spirit, than is justly
to be expected from them for that reason, in this imperfect
state, and dark world, where so much blindness and corrup
tion remains in the best. When any profess to have re
ceived light, and influence, and comforts from heaven, and to
have had sensible communion with God, many are ready to

JUDGING OF THE WORK AS A WHOLE. 141
expect that now they appear 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 Tf sometiraes does, is indeed a mysterious
thing, and always a stumbling-block to the world ; but will
not be so much wondered at by those that are well versed in,
and duly mindful of, two things, viz. First, The word of
God, which teaches us the state of true Christians in this
world ; and Secondly, their own hearts, at least if they have
any grace, and have experience of its conflicts with corrup
tion. They that are trile saints are most inexcusable in
making a great difficulty of a great deal of blindness, and
many sinful errors in those that profess godliness. If all our
conduct, both open and secret, should be known, and our
hearts laid open to, the woi-ld, how should we be even ready
to fly from the light of the sun, and hide ourselves from the
-view of mankind ! And what great aUowances would it be
found that we should need, that others should make for us !
perhaps much greater than we are wiUing to make for others.
The great weakness of the bigger part of mankind, in any
affair that is new and uncommon, appears in not distin
guishing, but either approving or condemning aU in the
lump. They that highly approve of the affair in general,
cannot bear to have any thing at aU found fault with ; and
on the other hand, those that fasten their eyes upon some
things in the affair that are amiss, and appear very disagree
able to them, at once reject the whole. Both which errors
oftentimes aiise from want of persons' due acquaintance with
themselves. It is rash and unjust when we proceed thus in
judging, either of a particular person, or a people, or of such
an affair as the present wonderful influence on tbe minds of
the people of this land. Many, if they see any thing very
iU in a particular person, a minister or private professor, wiU
at once brand him as a hypocrite. And if there be two or
three of a people or society that behave themselves very irre
gularly, the whole must bear the blame of it. And if there

142 GOOD MAY BE ACCIDENTALLY
be a few, though it may be. not above one in a hundred,
that professed, and had a show of beirig the happy partakers
of what are «aUed the saving benefits of this work, that prove
nought, and give the world jiist grounds to suspect them,
the whole work must be rejected on their account ; and those
in general that make the hke profession must be conderaned
for their sakes.
So careful are some persons lest this work should be de
fended, that now they will hardly aUow that the influences
of the Spirit of God on the heart, can so much as indirectly,
and accidentally, be the occasion of the exercise of corrup
tion, and comraission of sin. Thus far is true, that the
influence of the Spirit of God in his saving operations, will
not be an occasion of the increase of the corruption of the
heaj-t in genered, but on the contrary of the weakening of it :
but yet there is nothing unreasonable in supposing, that at
the sarae time that it weakens corruption in general, it may
be an occasion of turning what is left into a new channel,
and so of there being more of some certain kinds of the exer
cise of corruption than there was before ; as that which tends
to hinder and stop the course of a stream, if it does not do it
wholly, may give a new course to so much of the water as
gets by the obstacle. The influences of the Spirit, for in
stance, raay be an occasion of new ways of the , exercise of
pride, as has been acknowledged by orthodox divines in
general. That spiritual discoveries and comforts may,
through the corruption of the heart, be an occasion of the
exercises of spiritual pride, did riot use to be doubted of, tiU
now it is found to be needful to maintain the war against
this work.
They that wiU hardly, allow that a work of the Spirit of
God can be a remote occasion of any sinful behavior or
unchristian conduct, I suppose wiU allow that the truly gra
cious influences of the Spirit of God, yea and a high degree
of love to God, is consistent with these two things, viz. a
considerable degree of remaining corruption, and also many

THE OCCASION OF EVIL. 143
errors in judgment in matters of rehgion, and in matters of
practice. And this is aU that need to be aUowed, in order
to its being most demonstratively evident, that a high degree
of love to God may accidentally move a person to that which
is very wrong, and contrary to the mind and wUl of -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 wiU ;
and therefore, if he be raistaken, and be persuaded that that
is agreeable to the -will of God, which indeed is very contrary
to it, then his love will accidentaUy, but strongly, incline him
to that, which is indeed very contrary to the will of God.
They that are studied in logic have learned tbat the na
ture of the cause is not to be judged of by the nature of the
effect, nor the nature of the effect from the nature of .the
cause, when the cause is only causa sine qua non, or an
occasional cause ; yea, that in such -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 to come down on-the Samaritans,
because they did not receive them. And even so eminently
holy, and great, and divine a saint as Moses, who conversed
vn\h God from time to tirae, as a raan speaks with his friend,
and concerning whora God gives his testimony, that he was
very meek, above any man upon the face of the earth,
yet may be rash and sinful in his zeal, when his spirit is
stirred by the hard-heartedness and opposition of others, so
as to speak very unadvisedly with his lips, and greatly to
offend God, and shut himself out from the possession of the
good things that God is abbut to accomplish for his church
on earth ; as Moses was excluded Canaan, though he had
brought the people out of Egypt, Psalm cvi. 32, 33. And
men, even in those very things wherein they are influenced
by- a truly pious principle, yet, through error aud want of
due consideration and caution, may be very rash with their

144 ERRORS GROWING OUT OF ZEAL.
zeal. It was a truly good spirit that animated that exceUent
generation of Israel that was in Joshua's time, in that affair
that we have an account of in the twenty-second chapter of
Joshua ; and yet they were rash and heady with their zeal,
to go about to gather all Israel together to go up so furiously
to war with their brethren of the two tribes and half, about
their buUding the altar Ed, without first inquiring into the
matter, or so much as sending a messenger to be informed.
So the Christians that were of the circumcision, with warmth
and contention condemned Peter for receiving Cornelius, as
we have account. Acts xi. This their heat and censure
was unjust, and Peter was wronged in it ; but there is all
appearance in the story that they acted from a real zeal and
concern for the wiU and honor of God. So the priraitive
Christians, frora their zeal for and against unclean raeats,
censured and conderaned one another : this was a bad effect,
arid 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 raan,
though the apostle highly commends it, yet he at the same time
saw that they needed a caution, lest they should carry it too
far, to an undue severity, and so as to fell of Christian meek
ness and forgiveness, 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and chap.
vii. 11. tcrthe end. Luther, that great reformer, had a great
deal of bitterness with his zeal.
It surely cannot be wondered at by considerate persons,
that at a time when multitudes aU over the land have their
affections greatly moved, great numbers should run into
many errors and mistakes with respect to their duty, and
consequently into many acts and practices that are impru
dent and irregular. I question whether there be a man in
New England, of the strongest reason and greatest learning,
but what would be put to it to keep master of himself, tho
roughly to weigh his words, and consider aU the conse
quences of his behavior, so as to behave himself in all re-

CONFUSION MAY SPRING FROM S.URPR1SE- 143
^ects piudently, if he were so strongly hnpressed with a
sense of divine and eternal things, and his affections so ex
ceedingly moved, as has been frequent of late among the
common people. How little do they consider human nature
who look upon it so insuperable a stymHing-block when
such multitudes of aU kinds of capacities, natural tempers,
educations, customs, and manners -6f life, are so greatly and
variously affected, that iinprudenoies andirregularities of con
duct shpuld abound ; especially in a' state of things so uncom-
raon,and when the degree, extent, swiftness, and power of the
operaitiori is so very extraordinary,, and so new, that there
has not been time and experience enough to give ^jirth fo
rules for peoples' conduct, and so unusual in times past, that
the writings of divines,.do not afford rules to direct us in such
a state of things.
A great deal of noise and tumult, confusion and uproar,
and, darkness mixed with light, aiid'evil with good, is al
ways to be exjjected in the beginfling of something very ex
traordinary, and v*ry glorious in' the state of things in hu
man society, or the church of God, As after nature has
loiig been shut up in a cold, dead state in time of winter,
when the sun returns in the spring, there is,, together. with
the increase of the light ^nd heat of the sun, very dirty and
tempestuous -weather, hefore 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 firsl
moved upon the face of the waters, which was an occasion
of gi;eat uproar and tumijlt, and /things were gradually
brought to a setlled state, till at length aU stood forth in that
beautiful, peaceful older, whepi the heavens, anil the earth
were finished, and God sawjevery thing that he had m.ade,
and, behold, it w:as very good. - When God is about to bring
to pass something great and glorious in tlie woihl, nature is
in a ferment and struggle, and th^ woild as it were in tra
vail. As-when God was about to introduce the Messiah into
*he world, -and that new and glorious dispensatiou that he
19

IT

146 WEAKNESS 'op HUMAN NATURE
set up, he shookthe heavens andthe earth, and shook all na
tions. There is nothing that the church of God is in scrip
ture riroie frequently represented by than vegetables ; ds a
tree, a vine, corn, <fcc., which gradually bring forth their
fruitj and are first gfeeniiefdre they are ripe. A great revi
val Of religion is expressly compared to this gradual produc-
tiori of vegetables, Isa. Ixi.ll. " 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 righteous-
neiss and praise to spring forth before aU the nations." The
church is in a special raanner compared to a palm-tree, Can-t.
vii. r,'8. Exod. xv. 27. 1 Kings vi.29. Psalraxcii. 12. Of
which tree this pecuhar thing is observed, that the fixdt of it,
though it be very sweet and good when it is ripe, yet, before
it has had time to ripen, has a mixture of poison.
The weakness Of human nature has always appeared in
times of great revival of religion, by a disposition to run to
extreines and get into confusion ; and especiaUy in these three
things, enthusiasrii, super5tition,,and Intemperate zeal. So it
appeared in the time of the "reformation very remarkably ; and
also in the days of the apostles. ; many were then exceedingJj^
disposed to lay weight on those things that were very notional
and chimerical, giving heed to fables and wh-imsies, as appeal's
by 1 Tira. i. 4. andiv.,7. 2 Tira. ii. 16. and v. %% and Tit. i.
14. an_d iii. 9. Many, as ecclesiastical history informs^us, feU off
iuto the iriost wild enthCisiasm, and extravagant nations of
spirituahty, and extraordinary illumination from heaven be
yond others : and many were prone to superstition, wiU-wor-
ship, and a voluntary humility, giviqg heed to the command
ments of men, being fond of an unprofitable bodily exercise,
as appears by many passages in the apostles' -writings : and
what a proneness then appeared among professors to swerve
from the path of duty, and the spirit of the gospel, in the ex
ercises of a rash indiscreet zeal, censuring and condemning
ministers and people ; one saying, I am of Paul, another,
I- of ApoUos, ainother, I of Cephas ; judging one another for

IN TIMES OP GREAT REVIVAL 147
dili'erences of opinion about smaUef matters, unclean meats,
holy days, and holy places, and their different opinions and
practices respecting civU intercourse and communication with
their heathen neighbors ! And how much did vain jang
ling and disputing and confusion prevail through undue heat
of spirit, under the name of a religious zeal ! 2 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 or
der in the churehes ! How often are they mentioning their
iiTegularities ! The prevailing of 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
that was then, and the strong impressions that God's people
were then uu^ier, was under the care of infallible guides, that
watched over them day and night ; but yet so prone were
they, through the weakness and corruption of human na
ture to get out of the way, that irregularity and confusion
rose in some churches, where there was an extraordinary out
pouring of the Spirit to a very great height,, even in the
apostles' lifetime, and under their eye. And though some of
the apostles lived long to settle the state of things, yet pre
sently after they were dead, the Christian church 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.themidstof thedisjiutes
of thc' 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 Ihey had had no inspired guides; and whether or
no it is not probable that the church of Corinth iri particular,
by an increase of their irregularities and contentions, would
not in a little time have broke to pieces, and dissolved in a
state of the utmost confusion i and yet this would have been
no evidence that there had not been a haost glorious and re
markable outpouring of the Spirit in tbat city. But as for

148 HUMAN ERRORS NOT -INCONSIST-ENT
US, wc have no infaUihle apostle to- guide and direct us, to
rectify disorders, and reclaim us when we are wandering ;
hut every one does what is right in his own eyes ; and they
that err in judgment, aud are got into a wrong path, conti
nue to wander, till experience of the inischievous issue con
vinces them of their error.
If w« look over this affair, and seriously weigh it in its cir
cumstances, it wiU 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 great errors, and into just such errors as they
they have. It is known, that some that have been iinproved
as great instruments to promote this work, have been very
young ; and how natural is it for such as ate themselves
newly awaked out of sleep,- and brought out of that state of
darkness, insensibility, and spiritual death, which they had
been in ever since they were born ; and have a new and
wonderful scene opened to them ; and have in view the
reality, the vastness, and infinite importance, and nearness
of spuitnal and eternal things ; and at the same time are
suuprised to see the world asleep about them ; and have not
the advantage of age atjd experience, and haye had but little
opportunity to study divinity, or to converse with aged expe
rienced Christians and divines ; I say, how natural is it for
such to fall into many errors with respect to the «tate of man
kind, with which they are so surprised, and with respect to
the means and methods of their relief? Is it any wonder
that they have not at oncelearned how to make all the aUow
ances that are to be made, and that they do not at once find
out that method of dealing with the world, that is adapted to
the mysterious state and nature of mankind 7 Is it e^ny won
der, that they cannot at once foresee what the consequences
of things will be, what evUs are to be guarded against, and
"what diffi-culties are hke to arise, that are to be provided for?

WITH THE WORK OP THE HOLY SPIRIT. 149
We haye 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 httle taught ;.¦ so that they are in ma
ny respects new to great numbers of those that have lately
faUeu under them. And is it any wonder that they that ne
ver before had oxperience 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 extraordinary new impression from another,
and so (to themselves insensibly) run into enthusiasm, taking
eveiy strongimpulse or impression to be divine 7 How na
tural is it to suppose, that among the multitudes of illiterate
people (most- of which are in their youth) that find themselves
so "wonderfiiUy changed, and brought into such new, and be
fore (to them) almost unheard of circumstances, that many
should pass wrong, and very strange judgments of both per
sons and things that are about them ; and, that now they
behold them in such a new light, they in their surprise
should go further from thejudgment that they were wont to
make of thern than they ought, and in their great change of
sentiments should pass from one extreme to another 7 And
¦why should it be thought strange^ that those, that scai'deever
heard of any such thing as an outpouring of the Spirit of
God before ; or if they did, had no notion of it ; do hot know
how to behave themselves in such a new and strange state
of things? And is it any wohder that they are ready to
hearken to those that have instructed them, that have been
the, means'of dehvering them from such a state of death and
misery as they were in before, or have a name for being the
happy- instruments of promoting the same work among
others? Is it unaccountable that persons in these drcum-
stanees are ready to receive eveiy thing they say, and to drink
down error as weU as truth from themj And why should
there be all indignation and no compassion towards those
that are thus misled 7

150 PAST. COIiDNESS-IN THE OHUECH
When these persons are extraordinarily affected with a
new sense, and recent discovery they have received, of the
greatness arjd; excellency of the Divine Being, the cevtainty
and infinite importance of eternal things, the preciousness of
souls, and the dreadful danger aud madness of mankind,. to
gether, with, a great sense of God's distinguishing kindness
and love- to them ; no wonder tbat now they think they must
exert themselve^s, and do something extraordinary for the ho
nor of God and the good of thesouls of their feUow-creatures,
and know not how to sit still, and forbear speaking and act
ing with uncommon earnestness and vigor. And in these
ehcumstances, if they be not persons of more than, cotnmon
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 wiU,
in the issue, do much more hurt than good.
Censuring others is the worst disease with which this af
fair has been attended,: but yet such a time as this is indeed
a time of great temptation to this, sinful error. When there
has been such a time of great and long continued deadness,
and many are brought ;Out of a state of nature, into a state of
grace, in so extraordinary a manner, and-iiUed with such un
common ..degrees of light, it is natural for such to form their
notions of a slate of grace wholly from what..they experience ;
n^any of them know naother way ;. for they.never have been
taught much about a state of grace, a,nd the different degrees
of grace, and the degi-ees, of darkness and corruption that
grace is consistent with, nor concerning the manner of the
influences of the Spirit in converting a soul, and the variety
of the manner of his operations : they therefore forming, their
idea of a state of grace only by their own experience, no won
der that it appears an insuperable difficulty to them to recon
cile such a state, of which they have this idea, with what they
observe in professors that are about them. It is indeed in it
self a very great mystery, that grace should be consistent
with so much and such Idnd of corruption as sometimes pre-

A REASON FO-R PRESENT EXTREMES. 151
vails -in the truly godly; and no wonder that it especiaUy
appears so to uninstrucled new converts, that have been con
verted in an extraordinary manner.
Though censoriousness be a thing that is very sinful, and
is most commonly found in hypocrites and persons of a
pharasaical spirit, yet it is not so inconsistent with true god
liness as. some imagine. We have remarkable instances of
it in those holy men that we haVe an account of in the book
of Job : not only were Job's three friends, that, seem to have
been eminently holy men, guUty- of it, in very unreasonably
censuring the best man on eai-th,-very positively determining
that he was an unconverted man ; but Job himself, that was
not only a man of true piety, but exceUed all men in piety,
and particularly excelled in a humble, meek, and patient
spirit, was guilty of bitterly censuring his three friends, as
wicked, vile hypocrites. Job xvi. 9, 10, 11. " He teaieth me
in his wrath who hateth me, he gnasheth upon me with his
teeth ; mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon 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." So he is very positive-' in it that they are hypo
crites, and shall he miserably destroyed as such, in the next
chapter, v. 2, '3, 4. "Are there not mockers with rrie? And
doth not mine eye continue in their provocation ? Lay down
now, put me in surety witli th^e, who is he that will strike
Irands with me? For- thou hast hid their heart from under
standing, therefore shaltJ,hou not exalt them." And again,
V. 8,. 9, 1-0. ," Upright men shall be astonished at this, and
tho innocent shall stir up himself against the hypociite : The
righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath- clean
hands shall be stronger and stronger. But as for you aU,
do you return and come now, for I cannot find one wise man
(i. e. one good man) among youl"
Thus I think the errors and iiregularities that attend this'
work, may be accounted for,- from the consideration of the
infirmity and weakness and, common corruption of mankind.

152 GOD PERMITS HUMAN ERRORS-
together with the circumstances of'the work, though we
should suppose itto be the work of God. And it would not
be a just objection in any to say, if these powerful impres
sions and great affections are frora the Spirit of God, why
does not the same Spirit give strength of understanding, and
capacity, in proportion, to those persons that are the subjects
of lh?m ; BO that strong , affections may- not, through their
error, drive them to an irregular, and sinful conduct 7 For I
do.not know;that God has any where obliged himself to doit.
The end of the influences of God's Spirit is to make men spi
ritually knowing, wise to salvation, which is the most excel
lent wisdom ; . and he has ?ilso appointed means for our gain
ing such degrees of other knowledge as we need, to conduct
r ourselves regularly, which means should be carefully ^ised.:
i But the end of the influence of the Spirit of God is not to in-
I crease men's natural capacities, nor has God obliged himself
I iriimediately to increase civil prudence in proportion to the
I degrees of spiritual hght ''¦
If we consider the errprs thajt attend this work, not only
as from man, and his infirmity, but also as from God, and by
his perniission and disposal, they are not strange, upon the
supposition of its being, as to the substance of it, a work of
God. If God intends this great revival of religion to-bs the
dawning, or a forerunner of a happy state of his church on
earth, it may be an instance of the divine wisdom, in the be
ginning of it, to suffer so many irregularities and errors in
conduct, to^ which he knew men, in their present weak state,
were most exposed, under great rehgious affections, and when
anhnated with great zeal. For it ^viU be very likely to be of
excellent benefit to his church, in the continuance and pro
gress of the work afterwards: Their experience in the first
-setting out, of the mischievous consequences of these errorsj
and smarting for them in the beginning, may be a happy, de
fense to them afterwards, for many generations, from these
errors, which otherwise they might continuaUy be exposed to.
As when David and aU'Israel went about to brinff back the

TO TEACH AND HUMBLE THE CHURCH. 153
ark into the midst of the land, after it had been long absent,
first in the land of the Philistine?, and then in Kirjathjearim,
in the utmost borders of the land ; they at first sought not
the Lord after the due order, and they smarted for their error ;
but this put them upon studying the law, and more tho
roughly acquainting themselves with the raind and wiU of
God, and seeking and serving him with great circumspec
tion ; and the consequence was glorious, viz. their seeking
God in such a manner as ivas accepted of hira ; and the ark
of God's ascending into the heights of Zion, with those great
and extraordinary rejoicings of the king and aU the people,
without any frown or rebuke frora God interraixed ; and
God's dweUing thenceforward, in the midst of the people, to
those glorious purposes that are expressed in the 68th psalm.
And it is very analogous to the manner of God's dealing
with his people, to permit a great deal of error, and suffer the
infirraity of his people rauch to appear, in the beginning of a
glorious work of his grace for their felicity, to teach them
what they be, to humble thera, and fit thera for that glorious
prosperity he is about to advance thera to, and the raore to
secure to himself the honor 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 that are guilty of them,
and the band of God in permitting them, so neither shaU
we see cause to wonder at them, if we consider them with
regard to the hand that Satan has in them. For as the
work is much greater than any other outpouring of the
Spirit that ever has been in New England, so no wonder
that the devil is more alarmed and enraged, and exerts him
self more vigorously against it, and does more powerfully
endeavor to tempt and mislead those that are the subjects of
it, or are its promoters. 20

154 THE NATURE OF THE WORK IN GENERAL.
SECTION V.
The nature of the work in general.
Whatever imprudences there have been, and whatever
sinful irregularities ; whatever vehemence of the passions,
and heats of the imagination, transports and ecstasies ; and
whatever error in judgment, and indiscreet zeal ; and what
ever outcries, and faintings, and agitations of body ; yet it
is manifest and notorious, that there has been of late a very
uncommpn influence upon the minds of a very great part of
the inhabitants of New England, from one end of the land
to the other, that has been attended with the following ef
fects, viz. a great increase of a spirit of seriousness and sober
consideration of the things of the eternal world ; a disposi
tion to hearken to any thing that is said of things of this
nature, with attention and affection ; a disposition to treat
matters of religion with solemnityj and as matters of great
importance ;- a disposition to make these things the subject
of conversation ; and a great disposition tohear the word of
God preached, and to take all opportunities in order to it ;
and to attend On the public worship of God, and all external
duties of religion in a more solemn and decent raanner ; so
that there is a reraarkable and general alteration in the face
- of New England in ihese respects : multitudes in aU parts
of the land, of vain, thoughtless, regardless persons, are
quite changed, and become serious and considerate. There
is a vast increase of concern for the salvation of the precious
soul, and of that inquiry, what shall I do to be saved ? The
hearts of rnultitudes have been greatly taken off from the
things of -the world, its profits, pleasures, and honors, and
there has been a great increase of sensibleness and tender
ness of conscience : multitudes in all parts have had their
consciences awakened, and have been made sensible of the

A WONDERFUL CHANGE IN PEOPLE. 155
pernicious nature and consequences of sin, and what a
dreadfrd thing it is to lie under guilt and the displeasure of
God, and to live without peace and reconciliation with him.
They have also been awakened to a sense of the shortness
and uncertainty of life, and the redity of another world and
future judgment, and of the necessity of an interest in
Christ : they are raore afraid of sin, raore careful and inqui
sitive that they may know what is contrary to the mind and
wUl 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 being informed what are the means that God
has directed to for their salvation, and diligent in the use of
the means that God has appointed in his word, in order to it.
Many very stupid, senseless sinners, and persons of a vain
mind, have been greatly awakened. There is a strange al
teration almost all over New England amongst young peo
ple : by. a powerful, invisible influence on their minds, they
have been brought to forsake those things in a general way,
as it were, at once, that they were extremely fond of, and
greatly addicted to, and that they seemed to place the hap
piness of their lives in, and that nothing before could induce
thera to forsake ; as their frolicking, vain company keeping,
night walking, their mirth and jollity, their impure language,
and lewd songs : in vain did ministers preach against those
things before, and in vain were laws made to restrain them,
and in vain was all the vigilance of raagistrates and civil
-officers ; but now they have alraost every where dropped
them, as it weie, of themselves. And there is a great alte
ration amongst old and young as to drinking, tavern haunt
ing, profane speaking, and extravagance in apparel. Many
notoriously vicious persons have been reformed, and become
externally quite new creatures : sorae that are wealthy, and
of a fashionable, gay education ; sorae great beaux and fine
ladies, that seemed to have their minds swallowed up with
nothing but the vain shows and pleasures of the world, have

156 GREAT SERIOUSNESS OP CONDUCT
been wonderfully altered, and have rehnquished these vani
ties, and are becomes erious, mortified, and humble in their
conversation. It is , astonishing to see the alteration that is
in some towns, where before was but little appearance of
religion, or any thing but vice and vanity : and so remote
was all that was to be seen or heard amongst thera from
any thing that favored of vital piety or serious religion, or
that had any relation to it, that one would have thought, if
they had- judged only- by what appeared in them, that they
had been some other species from the serious and religious,
which had no concern with another world, and whose na
tures were not made capable of those things that appertain
to Christian experience, and pious conversation ; especially
was it thus among young persons : and now they are trans
formed into another sort of people ; their former- vain,
worldly, and vicious conversation and dispositions seem- to be
forsaken, and they are, as it were, gone over to a new world :
their thoughts, and their talk, and their concern, affections
and inquiries, are now about the favoi- of God, an interest in
Christ, a renewed, sanctified heart, and a spiritual blessed
ness, and acceptance and happiness in a future world. And
through the greater part of New Eagland, the Holy Bible is
in much greater esteem and use than it used to be ; the
great things that are contained in it are muclxmore regarded,
as things of the greatest consequence, and are much more
the subjects of meditation and conversation ; and other
books of piety that have long been of established reputation,
as the most excellent and most tending to promote true god
hness, have been abundantly raore in use ; the Lord's day
is more religiously and strictly observed ; and abundance
has been lately done at making up differences, and confessing
faults one to another, and making restitution ; probably more
within these two years, than was done in thirty years before :
it has been so undoubtedly in raany places. And surprising
has been the power of that Spirit that has been poured out
on the land, in many instances, to destroy old grudges, and

AND REFORMATION OF MORALS. IST
make up long continued breaches, and to bring those that
seeraed to be in a confirmed irreconcilable, alienation, to em
brace each other in a sincere and entue amity. Great num
bers under this influence have been brought to a deep sense
of their own sinfulness and vileness ; the sinfulness of their
lives, the heinousness of their disregard of the authority of
the great God, and the heinousness of theii- living in con
tempt of a Savior : they have lamented their former negli
gence of their souls, and neglecting and losing precious time.
Their sins of hfe have been extraordinarily set before them ;
and they have also had a great sense of their sins of heart ;
their hardness of heart, -and enmity against that which is
good, and proneness to all evil ; and also of the worthless-
ness of their own religious performances, how unworthy
their prayers, praises, and all that they did in religion, was
to be regarded of God : and it has been a coramon thing
that persons have had such a sense of their own sinfulness,
that they have thought themselves to be the worst of all, and
that none ever was so vUe as they : and raany 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 necessity of mercy,
and that they deserved nothing but eternal burnings ; and
have becR sensible that God would be altogether just and
righteous in inflicting endless damnation upon them, at the
sarae time that they have had an exceeding affecting sense
of the dreadfulness of such endless torments, and have ap
prehended themselves to be greatly in danger of it And
many have been deeply affected with a sense of their own
ignorance and blindness, and exceeding helplessness, and so
of their extreme need of the divine pity and help. And so
far as we are worthy to be credited one by another, in what
we say, (and persons of good understanding and sound mind,
and known and experienced probity, have a right to be be
lieved by their, neighbors when they speak of things that
fall under their observation and experience,) multitudes in.

158 A SAVING KNOWLEDGE OP CHRIST,
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 Savior of the world ; and that
the great doctrines of the gospel touching reconciliation by
his blood, and acceptance in his righteousness, and eternal
hfe and salvation through hira, are matters of undoubted
truth, together -with a most affecting sense of the excellency
and sufficiency of this Savior, 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, and a consequent affiance
and sweet rest of soul in Christ, as a glorious Savior, a strong
rock and high tower, accompanied with an admiring and
exalting apprehension of the glory of the divine perfections,
God's majesty, hohness, sovereign grace, &c. ; with a sensi
ble, strong, and sweet love to God, and delight in him, far
surpassing all temporal delights, or earthly pleasures ; and a
rest of soul in him as a. portion and the fountain of all good,
attended with an abhorrence of sin, and self-loathing for
it, and earnest 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 a most dear
love to aU that are supposed to be the children of God, and
a love to mankind in general, and a most sensible and ten
der compassion for the souls of sinners, and earnest desires
of the advancement of Christ's kingdom in the world. And
these things have appeared to be in many of them abiding
now for raany months, yea, more than a year and half; with
an abiding concern to live a holy life, and great complaints
of remaining corruption, longing, to be more free from the
body of sin and death. And not only do these effects ap
pear in new converts, but great numbers of those that were
foi-merly esteeraed the raost sober and pious people, have,
under the influence of this work, been greatly quickened,
and their hearts renewed with greater degrees of light, re-

AND CONTINUED HOLINESS OF LIFE. 159
newed repentance and humiliation, and raore lively exercises
of faith, love, and joy in the Lord. Many, as I am well
knowing, have of late been remarkably engaged to watch,
and strive, and fight against sin, and cast out every idol, and
sell all for Christ, and give up thernselves entirely to Gpd,
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 sorae places an unusual disposition to bind thera-
selves fo it in a solemn covenant with God. And now in
stead of meeting at taverns and drinking houses, and meet
ings of young people in frolics and vain company, the
country is full of meetings of all sorts and ages of persons,
young and old, men, woraen, and little chUdren, to read and
pray, and sing praises, and to converse of the things of God
and another v/orld. In very many places the main of the
conversation in aU companies turns on religion, and things
of a spiritual nature. Instead of vain mirth amongst 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, 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 abiding on
multitudes all over the land, for a year and half, without any
appearance of a disposition to return to former 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 purpose to use endeavors for their instruction
and awakening, than -with the beasts ; whose minds have
now been strangely opened to receive instruction, and have
been deeply affected with the concerns of their precious
souls, and have refoi-med their lives and forsaken their for
mer stupid, barbarous, and brutish way of hving — and par
ticularly that sin to which they have been so exceedingly
addicted, their drunkenness — and are become devout and

160 STRANGE IT SHOULD BE QUESTIONED
serious persons ; and many of them to appearance brought
truly and greatly to delight in the things of God, and to
have their souls very rauch engaged and entertained with
the great things of the gospel. And many of the poor ne
groes also have been in like manner wrought upon and
changed. And the souls of very raany little children have
been remarkably enlightened, and their hearts wonderfully
affected and enlarged, and their raouths opened, expressing
themselves in a raanner far beyond their years, and to the
just astonishment of those that have heard them ; and some
of them from tune to time, for many months, 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 to and joy in him, and have con
tinued to be serious and pious in^heir behavior.
The divine power of this work has marvelously appeared
in some instances I have been acquainted with, in support
ing aud fortifying the heart under great trials, such as the
death of children, and extreme pain of Ijody ; wonderfully
maintaining, the serenity, calmness, and joy of the soul, in
an immovable rest in God, and sweet resignation to him.
There also have been instances of some that have been the
subjects of this work, that under the blessed influences of it
have, in such a calm, bright, and joyful fi-arae of raind, been
carried through the vaUey of the shadow of death.
And now let us consider : is it not strange that in a Chris
tian, orthodox country, and such a land of light as this is,
there should be raany at a loss whose work this is, whether
the work of God, or the work of the devU 7 Is it not a shame
to New England that siJch a work should be much doubted
of here ? Need we look over the histories of aU past times,
to see if there be not some circurastances and external ap
pearances that attend this work, that have been forraerly
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 inc[uiries. We heed not say, Who

WHOSE WORK IS SUCH A CHANGE. 161
shaU ascend into heaven, to bring us down something
whereby to judge of this work ? Nor does God send us be
yond the seas, nor into the past ages, to obtain a rule that
shaU 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 infaUible marks, sufficient to resolve
VIS in things of this nature ; which book I think we must
reject, not only in some particular passages, but hi the sub
stance of it, if we reject such a work as has now been de
scribed, as not being the work of God. The whole tenor of
the gospel proves it ; all the notion of religion that the scrip
ture gives us confirms it.
T suppose there is scarcely a minister in this land, but from
sabbath to sabbath 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, worldliness, and other sins ; arid we have kept,
from year to year, days of public fasting and prayer to God,
to acknowledge our backalidings, aiid humble ourselves for
our sins, and to seek of God forgiveness and reformation :
and now when so great iind extensive a reformation is so
suddenly and wonderfully accomplished, in those Very things
that we have sought to God for, shall we not ackn6wledge
it ? Or when we do, 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,
cind 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 7 And that because (although in
deed there be such a work attended with all these glorious
effects, yet) the work is attended with a mixture of error,
impradencies, darkness, and sin ; because some persons are
earned away with irapressions, and are indiscreet, and too
censorious with their zeal ; and because there are high trans
ports of rehgious affection ; and because of some effects on
persons' bodies that we do not understand thd reason of 7
21

162 THE NATURE OF THE WORK
SECTION V.
The nature of the ivork in a particular instance.
I have been particularly acquainted with many -persons
that have been the subjects of the high and extraordinary
transports of the present day ; and in the highest transports
of any oFthe instances that I have been acquainted with,
and where the affections of adrairation, love, and joy, so far
as another could judge, have been raised to a higher pitch
than in any other instances I have obsei-ved or been in
formed of, the foUowing things have been rinited, viz. a very
frequent dweUing, for some considerable time together, in such
views of the glory of the divine perfections, and Christ's excel
lencies, that the soul in the mean time has been as it were
perfectly overwhelmed, and swallowed, up with hght and
love and a sweet solace, rest and joy of soul , that was altogether
unspeakable ; and more than once continuing for five or
six hours together, without interruption, in that clear and
lively view or sense of the infinite beauty and amiableness
of Christ's person, and the heavenly sweetness of his excel
lent and transcendent love ; so that (to use the person's own
expressions) the soul remained in a kind of heavenly ely-
siura, and did as it were swim in the rays of Christ's love,
like a little mote swiramihg in the beams of the sun, or
strearas of his hght that come in at a window ; and the
heart Was swallowed up in a kind of glow of .Christ's love,
coining down from Christ's heart in heaven as a constant
stream of sweet hght, 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 soul dwelt
on high, and wag lost in God, and seeraed almost to leave
the body ; dweUing in a pure delight that fed and satisfied
the soul ; enjoying pleasure without the least sting, or any

IN A PARTICULAR INSTANCE. 163
interruption : a sweetness that the soul -was lost in ; so that
(so far as the judgment and word of a person of discretion
may be taken, speaking upon the most deliberate considera
tion) what was enjoyed in each single minute of the whole
space, which was raany houre, was undoubtedly worth raore
than all the outward comfort and pleasure of the whole hfe
put together ; and this without being in any trance, or being
at aU deprived of the exercise of the bodily senses : and the
like heavenly delight and unspeakable joy of soul, enjoyed
from time to time, for years together ; though not frequently
so long together, to such a height : extraordinary views. of
divine things, and religious affections, being frequently at
tended with very great effects on the body, nature often sink
ing under the weight of divine discoveries, the strength of
the body taken away, so as to deprive of aU ability to stand
or speak ; sometimes the hands clenched, and the flesh cold,
but senses still remaining ; animal nature often in a great
emotion and agitation, and the soul very often, of late, so
overcome with great admiration, and a kind of omnipotent
joy, as to cause the person (wholly unavoidably) to leap with
all the raight, with joy and mighty exultation ef soul ; the
soul at the same time being 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, of necessity
mount up, leave the earth and ascend thither. These effects
on the body did not begin now in this wonderful season, that
they should be owing to the influence of the example of the
times, but about seven yaarS ago ; and began iri a much
higher degree, aud greater frequency, near three 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. Tennent, because they began before either of them
came into the country : they began, as I said, near three
years ago, in a great increase, upon an extraordinary
self-dedication, and renunciation of the world and re
signation of all to God, made in a great view of God's

164 THE NATURE OP THE WORK
excellency, and high exercise of love to him, and rest and joy
in hira ; since which tirae they have been very frequent ; and
began in a yet higher degree, and greatei-'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 ; since
which tirae the body has been very often fainting, with the
love of Christ ;, and began in a much higher degree stiU, the
last winter, upon another resignation and acceptance of God,
as the only portion find happiness of the soul, wherein the
whole world, with the dearest enjoyments in it, were re
nounced as dirt aud dung, andall thatis pleasant and glori
ous, and alithat 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 which tirae there have often
been great . agitations of body, and an unavoidable leaping
for joy ; and the soul as it were dweUing alraost without in
terruption, in a kind of paradise; and very often, in high
transports, disposed to speak of those great and glorious
things of God and Christ, and the eternal world, that are in
view, to others that are present, in a most, earnest manner,
and with a loud voice, sp that it is next to impossible to avoid
it,: these effects on the body not arising.fi-om any bodUy dis
temper or weakness, because tbe greatest of all have been in
a good state of health. This great. rejoicing has been a re
joicing with trembling, i. e. attended with a deep and lively
sense of the greatness and majesty of God, and the pereotf s_
own exceeding littleness and vileness. Spiritual joys in this
person never were attended, either formeily or lately, with
the least appearance of any laughter or lightness of counte
nance, or manner of speaking ; but with a peculiar abhorrence
of such appearances in spiritual rejoicings, especially since
joys have been greatest of all : these high transports, when
they have been past, have had abiding effects in the increase
of tbe sweetness, rest, and hurnUity that they have left upon
the soul ; .and a new engagedness of heart to live to God's

IN A PARTICULAR INSTANCE. 165
honor, and watch and fight against sm. And these things
not in one that is in the giddy age of youth, nor in a new
convert, and unexperienced Christian, but in one that )vas
converted above twenty-seven years ago ; and neither con
verted, nor educated in that enthusiastical town of Noilharap-
ton (as sorae rriay be ready to call it) but in a town and fa
mily that none that 1 k-now of suspected of enthusiasm ; and
in a Christian that has been long, aud in an uncommon
raanner, growing in grace, and rising, by very sensible de
grees, to higher love to God, and -weanedness from the world,
and mastery over sin and temptation, thrGugh gieat trials
and conflicts, and long continued struggling and fighting
with sin, and earnest and constant prayer and labor in reli
gion, and engagedness of mind in the use of all means, at
tended with a great exactness of life : which growth has
been attended, not onlyjvith a great increase of religious af
fections, but with a wonderful alteration of outward beha-
vio)-, in many things, visible to those who are most inliiuate-
ly acquainted, so as lately to have become as it were a new
person ; and paiticularly 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, maintaining the Christian
conflict against temptation, and conquering from time to
time under great trials ; persisting in an unmoved, untouched
calra and rest, under the changes and accidents of time.
The person had formerly in lower degrees of giace, been
subject to unsteadiness^ and many nps and downs, in the
frame of mind: the mind being utider great disadvantages,
through a vapory habit of body, and often suiiject to melan
choly, and at times alraost 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 disadvan
tages, and carried the mind in a constant manner, quite
above all such effects of vapors. Since that resignation spo
ken of before, made near three years ago, every thing of
that nature seems to be overcome and crushed by the power

166 THE NATURE OF THE WORK
of faith and trust in God, and resignation to hira ; the per
son has remained in a constant, uninterrupted rest, and hum-
tie joy in God, artd assurance of his favor, without one hour's
melanc^loly or darkness, from that day to this ; vapors 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 ex
treme pain, and apparent hazard of immediate death. What
has been ielt in late great transports is known to be nothing
new in kind, but to be of the same nature with what' was
felt formerly, when ,a little child- of about five or six yeaj's -of
age ; but only in a vastly higlier degree. These transporting
views and rapturous affections are not attended with any en
thusiastic disposition to follow iinpulses,ror any supposed pro
phetical a-evelations ; nor have they been observed to beat-
tended with any apjjearance of spiritualpride, but very much
of a contrary disposition, an increase of a spuit of humility
and meekiress, and a disposition in honor to prefer others.
And it is worthy to be remarked, that at a time remarkably
distinguished from all others, wherein discoveries and holy
affections were evidently at the g-reastest height that ever
happened, the greatness and clearness of divine light being
overwhelming, and the strength and sweetness of divine love
altogether overpowering, which began early in the morning
of the holy sabbath, and lasted for days together, melting all
down in the deepest humilit}' and poverty of spirit, reverence,
and resignafiion, and the sweetest meekness and universal
benevolence; I say, it is v/orthy to be observed, that there
were these two things in a remarkable manner felt at tliat
time, viz. a peculiar sensible aversion to judging others that
were professing Christians of good, standing in the visible
church that they were not converted, or with respect lo their
degrees of grace ; or at all intermeddhng with that matter,
so much as to determine against and. condemn others in the
thought of the heart ; it appearing hateful, as not agree
ing with that lamb-like humihty, meekness, gentleness.

IN A PARTICULAR INSTANCE. 167
and charity, which the soul then, above other times, saw
the beauty of, and felt a disposition to. The disposition
that was 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 affections, there had been felt a disposition
to censure and condemn others. And another thing that
was felt at that time, was a very great sense of'thc import
ance 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 lieen 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 raentioned have been attended also
with the foUowing things, viz. an extraordinary sense of the
awful majesty and greatpess of God, so as oftentiraes to take
away the bodily strength ; a sense of the holiness of God,
as of a flameinfinitely pure and bright, 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, which has very frequently been strongly ini-
pressed on the mind, together with a sense of the ineffable
misery of sinners that are exposed to this wratli, that has
been overbearing : sometimes the exceeding pollution of the
person's own heart, as a sink of all manner of abomination,
and a nes'.^ of vipers, and the dreadfulness of an eternal hell
of God's wrath, opened to view both together ; -with a clear
view of a desert of that misery, without the least degree of
divine pity, and that by the poUution of the best duties ;
yea, only by the pollution and irreverence, and want of hu
mility 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 very often taken away -with a deep
mourning for sin, as committed against so holy and good a

168 THE NATURE OF TIlE WORK
God, -sometimes -with an affecting sense of actual sin. some
times especially indwelling sin, 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
readiness to self denial for God and Christ, that had so denied
himself for us' ; yea, sometiraes the consideration of sin that
was in only speaking one \ve^rd concerning the infinitely
great and' holy God, has been so affecting as to overcome the
strength of nature': 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 redemption, and the way
of salvation by Jesus Christ ; the glorious harmony cf the
divine attributes appearing therein, as that whei'ein mercy
and truth are met together, and righteousness and peace
have kissed each other ; a sight of the fuUness and glorious
sufficiency of Christ, that has been so affecting as to ovel--
corae the body : a constant immovable ti-ust in God through
Christ, with a great sense of his strength and faithfulness,
the sureness of his covenant, andthe imrautability of his
pr&mises-, so that the everlasting mountains and pei-petuul
hills have appeared as raere shadows to these things : some
times the sufficiency and faithfulness of God as the covenant
God of his people, appearhig in these words, I AM THAT
I AM; in so affecting a mariner as to oveicoine the body ¦:
a sense of the glorious, unsearchable, unerring wisdom of
God ill his works, both of creation and providence, so as to
swallow up the soul, and overcome" the strength of the body :
a sweet rejoicing of soul at tlie thoughts of God's being in
finitely aiid unchangeably happy, and an exulting gladness
of heart that Gtfd is self-sufficient, and infinitely above all
dependence, and reigns over aU, and does his wUl with abso
lute and uttcontlroUable power and sovereignty ; a sense of
the' glory of the Holy Spirit, as the great Comforter, so as to
overwhelm both soul and body ; only mentioning the word
Comforter, has immediately taken away all strength ; that
Word, as the person expressed it, seemed great enough to fiU

IN A PARTICULAR INSTANCE. 169
heaven and earth : a raost vehement and passionate desire
of the honor and glory of God's name ; a sensible, clear,
and constant preference of it not only to the person's own
temporal interest, but spiritual comfort in this world ; and a
wiUingness to sufffer the hidings of God's face, and to live
and die in darkness and horror if God's honor should re
quire it, and to have no other reward 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 lowness of the de
gree of love to God, so as to deprive of bodily strength ; and
very often vehement longings and faintings after more love
to Christ, and greater conforraity to hira ; especiaUy longing
after these two things, viz. to be more perfect in humility
and adoration ; the flesh and heart seeras often to cry out
for a lying low before God, and adoring him with greater
love and humihty : 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. A great delight in singing praises lo
God and Jesus Christ, and longing that this present hfe may
be, as it were, one continued song of praise to God ; longing,
as the person expressed it, to sit and sing this hfe away ; and
an overcoming pleasure in the thoughts of spending an
eternity in that exercise : a living by faith to a great degree ;
a constant and extraordinary distrust of our own strength
and wisdora ; a great dependence on God for his help, in
order to the performance of any thing to God's acceptance,
and being restrained frora the raost honid sins, and running
upon God, even on his neck, and on the thick bosses of his
buckler : such a sense of the black ingratitude of true saints'
coldness and deadness in rehgion, and their setting their
hearts on the things of this world, as to overcome the bodily
frame : a 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
22

170 THE NATURE OF THE WORK
it in others, rejoicing so in beholding the pleasing sight, that
the joy of soul has been too great for the body : taking
pleasure in the thoughts of watching and striving against
sin, and fighting through the way to heaven, and fiUing up
this hfe with hard labor, and bearing the cross for Christ, as
an opportunity to give God honor ; not desiring to rest from
labors tiU arrived in heaven, but abhorring the thoughts of
it, and seeming astonished that God's own children should
be backward to strive and deny themselves for God : earnest
longings that aU 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 seems to appear in
any of the children of God, as any bitterness, or fierceness of
zeal, or 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 themselves as in a state of nature,
and to saints under darkness, so as to cause the body to faint :
a universal benevolence to mankind, with a longing, as it
were, to embrace the whole world in the arras of pity and
love ; ideas of suffering from enemies, the utmost conceiva
ble 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 ; fainting with pity to the world that lies in igno
rance and wickedness ; sometiraes a disposition felt to a hfe
given up to mourning alone in a wUderness over a lost and
miserable world ; compassion towai-ds thera 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 that the work of God that is now in the land
may be carried on; and that -with greater purity, and freedom
from aU bitter zeal, censoriousness, spiritual pride, hot dis
putes, &c. ; a vehement and constant desire for the setting
up of Christ's kingdom through the earth, as a kingdom of
holiness, purity, love, peace, and happiness to mankind : the

IN A PARTICULAR INSTANCE. 171
soul often entertained with uns|ieakable delight, and bodily
strength overborne at the thoughts of heaven, as a world of
love, where love shall be the saints' eternal food, and they
shaU dwell in the light of love, and swim in an ocean of
love, and where the very air and breath -svill be nothing but
love ; love to the people of God, or God's true saints, as such
that have the image of Christ, and as those that will in a
very little time shine in his perfect image, that has been at
tended with that endearment and oneness of heart, and that
sweetness and ravishment of soul, that has been altogether
inexpressible : the strength 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 hefore, and be higher in grace and happiness, not by this
person's diminution, but by others' increase : a delight in
conversing of things of rehgion, and in seeing Christians
together, talkuig of the most spiritual and heavenly things
in religion, in a lively and feeling manner, and very fre
quently overcome \vith the pleasure of such conversation :
a great sense often expressed of the importance of the duty
of charity lo the poor, and how much the generality of
Christians corae short in the practice of it : a great sense of
the need God's ministers have of rauch of the Spirit of God,
at this day especially, and raost earnest longings and wrest
lings withf God for thera, so as to take away the bodily
strength : the greatest, fuUest, longest continued, and most
constant assurance of the favor of God, and of a title to fu
ture glory, that ever I saw any appearance of in any person,
enjoying, especially of late, (to use the person's own expres
sion,) the riches of full assurance : forraerly longing to die
-with soraething of irapatience, but lately, since that resigna
tion forementioned about three years ago, an uninterrupted,
entire resignation to God with respect to life or death,, sick
ness or health, ease or pain, which has remained unchanged

172 THE NATURE OP THE WORK
and unshaken, when actually under extreme and violent
pains, and in times of threatenings of immediate death ;
but though there be this patience and submission, yet the
thoughts of death and the day of judgment are always ex
ceeding sweet to the soul : this resignation is also attended
with a constant resignation of the lives of dearest earthly
friends, and sometimes when sorae of their lives have been
imminently threatened ; often expressing the sweetness of
the liberty of having wholly left the World, and renounced
all for God, and having nothing but God, in whom is an
infinite fullness. 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 a.11 the
works of God's hands, the works of nature, and God's daUy
works of providence, all appearing with a sweet smile upon
them ; a wonderful access to God by prayer, as it were,
seeing him, and sensibly 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 to and conversed with ; frequent, plain, sen
sible, and irnmediate answers, of prayer ; all tears wiped
away ; aU former troubles and sorrows of hfe forgotten, and
aU 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 honored in the world, and
a compassionate grief towards fellow-creatures ; a daily sen
sible doing and suffering every, thing forjGod, for a long time
past, eating for God, and working for God, and sleeping for
God, and bearing pain and trouble for God, and doing all as
the service of love, and so doing it with a continual, unin
terrupted cheerfulness, peace, and joy. O how good, said
the person once, is it to work for God in the day-time, and.
at night to lie down under his sraUes ! High experiences
and religious affections in this person have not been attended
with any disposition at all to neglect the necessary business
of a seculai' ¦caUing, to spend the time in reading and prayer.

IN A PARTICULAR INSTANCE. 173
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 is
found to be as good as prayer. These things have been ac
companied with an exceeding concern and zeal for moral
duties, and that all professors may with them adorn the doc
trine of God their Savior ; and an uncomraon care to per
form relative and social duties, and a noted eminence in
thera ; a great inoffensiveness of life and conversation in the
sight of others ; a great raeekness, gentleness, and benevo
lence of spirit and behavior ; and a great alteration in those
things that forraerly used to be the person's failings ; seeming
to be much overcome and swallowed up by the late great
increase of grace, to the observation of those that are most
conversant and most intimately acquainted : in times of the
brightest hght and highest flights of love and joy, finding
no disposition to any opinion of being now perfectly free
from sin, (agreeable to the notion of the Wesleys and their
foUowers, and some other high pretenders to spirituality in
these days,) but exceedingly the contrary : at such times es
pecially, seeing how loathsome and ,polluted the soul is, soul
and. body, and every act and word appearing like rottenness
and corruption in that pure and holy hght of God's glory :
not slighting instruction or means of grace any more for
having had great discoveries ; on the contrary, never more
sensible of the need of instruction than now. And one
thing more may be added, viz. that these things have been
attended with a particular dishke 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 demm-e
and melancholy countenance, or any thing singular and
superstitious.

174 THIS IS THE WORK OP GOD,
SECTION VI.
This is a -glorious work of God.
Now if such things are enthusiasra, andthe fruits of a
distempered brain, let my brain be evermore possessed of that
happy distemper ! If this be distraction, I pray God that
the world of mankind may be aU seized with this benign,
meek, beneficent, beatifical, glorious distraction ! If agita
tions of body were found in the French prophets, and ten
thousand 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 gre|it affections and high transports that others have
lately been under, are in general of the sarae kind with
those in the instance that has been given, though not to so
high a degree, and many of thern not so pure aud 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 beeh a
great mixture of nature with grace, and in some a sad de
generating of religious affections ; yet there is that unifor
mity observable, that it is easy to.be seen that in general it
is the same spirit from whence the work in aU parts of the
land has originated. And what notions have they of reli
gion, that reject what has been described as not true religion ?
What shaU 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 beheving and in
loving an unseen Savior ; aU joy and peace in beheving ;.
God's shining into our hearts, to give the light of the know
ledge 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.

OF WAITING rOR THE FRUITS. 175
even as by the Spirit of the Lord ; haying the love of God
shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost given to us :
having the Spiiit of God, and of glory rest upon us ; a being
caUed out of darkness into marvelous light ; and having the
day-star arise in our hearts :" I say, if those things that have
been mentioned do not answer these expressions, what else
can we find out that does answer them 7 Those that do not
think such things as these to be the fruits of the true Spirit,
would do weU to consider what kind of spirit they are wait
ing and praying for, and what sort of fruits they expect he
should produce when he comes. I suppose it will generally
be aUowed 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 wiU be raised to a great height in true
Christians : but if those things that have been mentioned
be rejected, what is left that we can find wherewith to patch
up a notion, or form an idea-, of the high, blessed, joyful re
ligion of these times 7 What is that any have a notion of,
that is very sweet, excellent, and joyful, of ,a religious na
ture, that is entirely, of a different nature from these things 7
Those that are waiting for the fruits in order to determine
whether this be the Work of God or no, would do well tp con
sider two things : 1. What they are waiting for : whether it
be not this ; to have this wonderful religious influence that
is on the minds of people over and past, and then to see how
they wiU behave themselves? That is, to have grace subside^
and the actings of it in a great measure to cease, and to haf e
persons grow cold and dead, and then to see whether after
that, they will behave themselves with that exactness and
brightness of conversation, that is to be expected of, Uvely
Christians, or those that are in the vigorous exercises of grace.
There are many that will not be satisfied with any exact
ness or laboriousness in religion now, while persons have
their minds much moved, and their affectiohs are high; for
they lay it to their flash of affection, and heat of zeal, as they

176 THIS WORK IS VERY WONDERFUL.
call it : they are waiting tosee whether they wiU cany them
selves as well when these affections are over : that is, they
are waiting to have person^ sicken and lose their strength,
that they may see whether they wUl then hehave them
selves like healthy, strong men. I would desire that they
would also consider whether they be not waiting for raore
than is reasonably to be expected, 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 apostasy, and evi
dences of hypocrisy in professors, and those that for the pre
sent seem to be under the influences of the Spirit, than were
after that great outpouring bf the Spirit in the apostles' days,
or that which Was in the time of the reformation 7 And do
not they stand prepared to make a mighty argument of it
against this work, if thei-e should be half so rriany? And
2. They would do weU to consider how long they wiU wait
to see the good fruit of this work, before they will determine
in favor of it. Is not their waiting unlimited ? 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 reformation has lately been brought to pass in New
England, by this work^ has been before observed : and has
it not continued long enough alread3^, to give reasonable sa
tisfaction ? If God cannot work on the hearts of a people
after such a manner, as to show his hand so plainly,.as rea-
sdhably to expect it should be acknowledged in a year and
a half, or two years time j 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 those things that
have been observed, that this is the work of God, so it is evi
dent that it is a very great and wonderful, and exceeding glo
rious Work of God. This is certain, that it is a great and
wonderful event, a strange revolution, an unexpected, sur-

THIS WORK IS VERV GLORIOUS. 177
prising overturning of things, suddenly brought to pass ; such
as never heis been seen in New England, and scarce ever has
been heard of in any land. Who that saw the state of things
in New England a few years ago, the state tha tit was settled
in, and the way that we had been so long going on in, would
have thought that in so Uttle a lime there would be such a
change ? This is undoubtedly either a very gieat work of
God, or a great -work of the devil, as to the main substance
of it. For though undoubtedly, God and the devil raay work
together at the same time, and in the same land ; and when
God is at work, especially if he be very remarkably at work,
Satan will do his utmost endeavor 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 sarae change in the hearts
and lives of raen. But it is apparent that there are some
things wherein the main substance of this work consists, a
certain effect that is produced, and alteration that is made in
the apprehensions, affections, dispositions, and behavior of
men, in which there is a likeness and agreement everywhere :
Now this, I say, is either a wonderful work of God, or a
mighty work of the devU ; 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 suffi
cient 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 a new creation, that is infinitely more glorious
than the old. I am bold to say, that the work of G(j(i in the
conversion of one soul, considered together with the source,
foundation, and purchase of it, and also the benefit, end,
23

178 THIS WORK IS VERY GLORIOUS,
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 aU 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 ofnnankind ; raore happiness,
and a greater benefit to man, is the fruit of each single drop
of such a shower, than aU the temporal good of the most
happy revolution in a land or nation amomits to, or all that a
people could gain by the conquest of the world.
And as this work is very -glorious in its nature, so it is in
-its degree and circumstances. It wUl appear very glorious if
we consider the unworthiness of the people that are the sub
jects of it ; what obligations God has laid us under by the
special privileges we have enjoyed for our souls' good, and the
-•great things God did for us at our first settlement in the land ;
and 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
liad cast off God, and forsaken the fountain of living waters :
how obstinate we have been under all manner of means that
God has; used with us to reclaim us : how often we have
mocked God with hypocrital pretenses of humiliation, as in
our annual days of public fasting, and other things, while
instead of reforming, we only grew worse and worse ; how
dead a time it -was every where before this work began : If
we consider these things, we shaU be most stupidly ungrateful
if we do not acknowledge God's visiting of 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 extent of it ;
being in this respect vastly beyond any former outpouring of

THIS WORK IS VERY GLORIOUS. 179
the Spirit that ever was known in New England. There
has formerly soraetimes been a remarkable awakening and
success of the means of grace, in some particular congrega
tion ; and this used to be much taken notice of, and acknow
ledged 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 gi-eat work of this na
ture, that has extended from one end of the land to the otlier,
besides what has been wrought in other British colonies in
America. 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 ever
lasting burnings, and made heirs of eternal glory. How
high an honor, and great reward of their labors, have some
eminent 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 : and when there are many
thousands of souls thus converted and saved, shall it be es
teemed worth but little notice, and be mentioned with cold
ness 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, that have been extraordinary,
wherein God has in an uncoraraon raanner made his hand
visible, and his power conspicuous ; as in the extraordinary
degrees of awakening, the suddenness of conversions in in
numerable instances, in whom though the work was quick,
yet the thing -wrought is manifestly durable. How common
a thing has it been for gi-eat 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 7 How

180 THIS WORK IS VERY GLORIOUS.
great an alteration 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 visi
ble, and his work glorious, in the midtitudes of little chUdren
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 raany that have been very ignorant and barbarous, as I
before observed of the Indians and Negroes.
The work is also exceeding glorious in the high attain-
raents of Christians, in the extraordinary degrees of light,
love, and spiritual joy, that God has bestowed upon great
multitudes. In this respect also, the land in all parts has
abounded in such instances, any one of which, if they had
happened formerly, would have been " thought worthy to be
taken notice of by God's people, throughout the British domi
nions. The New Jerusalem in this respect has begun to
corae down frora heaven, and perhaps never were more of
the prelibations of heaven's glory given upon earth.
There being a great raany errors and sinful irregularities
mixed with this work of God, arising from our weakness, dark
ness, and corruption, do not hinder this work of God's power
and grace from being very glorious. Our follies and sins that we
mix, do in some respects manifest the glory of it. The glory of
di-vine power and grace is set off with the greater lustre, by
what appears at the same time of the weakness of the earth
en vessel. It is God's pleasure that there should be some
thing remarkably to manifest the weakness and unworthi
ness of the subject, at the same time that he displays the ex
ceUency of his power, and riches of his grace. And I doubt
not but some of those things that make some of us here on
earth to be out of humor, and to look on this work with a
sour, displeased countenance, do heighten the songs of the

THIS WORK IS VERY GLORIOUS. 181
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 -withal, the devil, and we in hearkening
to him, have done a great deal of mischief

THOUGHTS ON THE REVIVAL, &c.

PART II.

SHOWING THE OBLIGATIONS THAT ALL ARE UNDER, TO
ACKNOWLEDGE, REJOICE IN, AND PROMOTE THIS WORK,
AND THE GREAT DANGER OF THE CONTRARY. '

SECTION I.
The danger of lying still, and keeping long silence re
specting any remarkable work of God.
There are many things in the word of God, that show
that when God remarkably appears in any great work for his
church, and against his eneraies, it is a most dangerous thing,
and highly provoking to God, to be slow and backward to
acknowledge and honor God in the work, and to lie still and
not to put to a helping hand. Christ's people are in scrip
ture represented as his army ; he is the Lord of hosts or
armies : He is the Captain of the host of the Lord, as he
caUed himself when he appeared to Joshua, with a sword
drawn in his hand, Joshua v. 13, 14, 15. He is the Cap
tain of his people's salvation ; and therefoife it may weU be
highly resented if they do not resort to hira when he orders
his banner to be displayed ; or if they refuse to follow hira
when he blows the trurapet, and gloriously appears going
forth against his enemies. God expects that every living
soul should have his attention roused on such an occasion,
and should most cheerfully yield to the call, and heedfuUy

184 THE DANGER OP LYING STILL
and diligently obey it ; Isaiah xviii. 3. " AU ye inhabitants
of the world, and dwellers on the earth, see ye when he lift-
eth up an ensign on the raountains ; and when he bloweth
the trurapet, hear ye." EspeciaUy should aU Israel be ga
thered after their captain, as we read they were after Ehud,
when he blew the trumpet in mount Ephraim, when he had
slain Eglon, king of Moab, Judg. iii. 27, 28. How severe
is the martial law in such a case, when any of an army re
fuses to obey the sound of the trumpet, and follow his gene
ral to the battle ? God at such a time appears in peculiar
manifestations of his glory ; and therefore not to be affected
and aniraated, and to lie still, and refuse to follow God, will
be resented as a high contempt of him. If 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 peiish by the authority of
the prince that he refuses to honor 7
At a time when God manifests himself in such a great
-work for his church, there is no such thing as being neuters ;
there is a necessity of being either for or against the King
that then gloriously appears. As when a king is crowned,
and there are public manifestations of joy on that occasion,
there is no such thing as standing by as an indifferent spec
tator ; all must appear as loyal subjects, and express their
joy on that occasion, or be accounted enemies: so it always is
when God, in any great dispensation of his providence, does
reraarkably set his King on his holy hUl of Zion, and Christ
in an extraordinary raanner comes down from heaven to the
earth, and appears in his visible church in a great work of
salvation for his people: so it was when Christ came down
from heaven in his incarnation, and appeared on earth in his
human presence ; there was no such thing as being neuters,
neither on his side nor against him : those that sat stiU and
said nothing, and did not declare for him, and come and

AT SUCH A Tl.^IEAS THIS. 185
join with him, after he, by his word and works, had given
sufficient evidence who he was, were justly looked upon as
his enemies ; as Christ says. Matt. xii. 30. " He that is not
with me, is against me ; and he that, gathereth not with
me, scattereth abroad." So it is in a time when Christis re
markably spirituaUy present, as well as when he is bodily
present ; and when he comes to carry on the work of re
demption in the application of it, as well as in the revelation
and purchase. If a king should corae into one of his pro
vinces, that had been oppressed by its foes, where some of
his subjects had faUen off to the enemy, aud joined with them
against their lawful sovereign and his loyal subjects ; I say,
if the lawful sovereign himself should come into the province,
and should ride forth there against his enemies, and should
call upon all that were on his side to come and gather them
selves to hira; there would be no such thing, in such a
case, as standing neuter : they that 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 present as being of neither party,
all must be on one side or the other ; and they that be 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.
When God manifests himself witli such glorious power in a
work of this nature, he appears especially determined to put
honor upon his Son, and to fulfill his oath that he has sworn to
him, that he would make every knee to bow, and every tongue
to confess to him. God hath had it much on his heart, from
all eternity, to glorify his dear and only begotten Son ; and
there are some special seasons that he appoints to that end,-
wherein he comes forth with omnipotent power lo fulfill his
promise and oath to him : and these times are times of re
markable pouring out of his Spirit, to advance his kingdom ;
such a day.is a day of his power, wherein his people shall be
made wiUing, and he shall rule in the midst of his enemies;
24

186 THE DANGER OF LYING STILL
these especiaUy are the times wherein God declares his firm
decree that his Son shall reign on his holy hiU of Zion : and
therefore those that at such a lime do not kiss the Son, as
he then manifests himself, and appears iii the glory of his
majesty and grace, expose themselves to pterish from the
tvay, and to be dashed in pieces with a rod of iron.
As such a time is a time wherein God eminently sets his
King on his holy hill of Zion,- so it is a tirae wherein he re
markably fulfills that in Isa. xxviii. 16. " Therefore thus saith
the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation, a
stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure founda
tion." Whi;h the two apostles, Peter and Paul (1 Pet. ii.
6, 7, 8, and Rom. ix. 33) join with that prophecy, Isa. viii-
14, 15. " And he shaU be for a sanctuary ; but for a stone
of stumbling, arid for a rock df offense to both the houses of
Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusa
lem : and many among thera shall sturable and fall, and be
broken, and be snared, and taken." As signifying that both
are fulfilled together. Yea, both are joined together by the
prophet Isaiah hiraself ; as you rruiy see in the context of
that forementioned, Isa. xxviii. 16. In v-. 18. preceding it
is said, " But the word of the Lord was unto them precept
upon precept, precept upon precept ; line upon line, line upon
line ; here a little and there a little, that they raight go and
faU backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken." And
accordingly it always is so, that when Christ is in a peculiar
and erainent raanner manifested and magnified, by a glori
ous work of God in his church, as a foundation and a sanc
tuary for some, he is remarkably a stone of stumbling and a
rock of offense, a gin and a snare to others. They that
continue long to stumble, and be offended and ensnared in
their rainds, at such a great and glorious work of Christ, in
God's account, stumble at Christ and are offended in jiim ;
for the work is that by which he makes Christ manifest,
and shows his glory, and by which he makes the -Stone that
the builders refused, to become the head of the corner.

AT SUCH A TIME AS THIS. 187
This shows how dangerous it is to continue always stum
bling at such a work, for ever doubting of it, and forbearing
fully to acknowledge it, and give God the glory of it : such
persons 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 lo others a sanctuary, and a sure foundation.
The prophet Isaiah, Isa. xxix. 14. speaks of God's pro
ceeding lo do a marvelous work and a wonder, which should
stumble and confound the wisdora of the wise and prudent ;
which the apostle, in Acts xiii. 31. applies to the glorious
work of salvation wrought in those days by 'the redemption
of Christ, and that glorious outpouring of the Spirit to apply
it that followed ; the prophet in the context of that place in
Isa. x.xix. speaking of the same thing, and of the prophets
and rulers and seers, those wise and prudent whose eyes God
has closed, says to thera, v. 9. Stay yourselves and wonder.
In the original it is, be ye slow and wonder. I leave it to
others to consider whether it be natural to interpret it thus,
" Wonder at this marvelous 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 lo come to a determination concerning it." And
what persons are in danger of, that wonder, and are thus
slow to acknowledge God in such a work, we learn by that
of the apostle in that forementioned Acts xiii. 41. " Behold,
ye despisers, and wonder and perish ; for I work a work in
your days, a work in which you shaU in no wise believe,
though a man declare it unto you."
The church of Christ is called upon greatly to rejoice, when
at any time Christ remarkably appears, coining to his church,
to carry on the work of salvation, to enlarge his ovVn king
dom, and to dehver poor souls out of the pit wherein there is
no water, in Zech. ix. 9, 10, 11. " Rejoice greatly, O daugh
ter of Zion, shout O daughter of Jerusaleiri ; behold thy
King cometh unto thee ; he is just and having salvation, his

188 THE DANGER OP LYING STILL
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 symbolical representation of such a great event as is
spoken of in that prophecy in his solemn entry into the literal
Jerusalem, which was a type of the church or daughter of Zi
on, there spoken of ; probably intending it as a figure and pre
lude of that great actual fufillment of this prophecy, that was to
be after his ascension, by the pouring out of the Spirit iri the
days of the apostles, and that raore full accoraplishraent that
should be in the latter ages of the Christian church. We
have an account, that when Christ made this his solemn en
try 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 Pliarisees frora among
the multitude said to Christ, Master, rebuke thy disciples ;
but we are told, Luke xix. 39, 40. Chrisc '¦ 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 acknow
ledge and rejoice in the glory of God therein appearing, it
would manifest such fearful hardness of heart, so exceeding
that of the stones, that the very stones would condemn them.
Should not this make those consider, who have held their
peace so long, since Christ has corae to our Zion, having sal
vation, and so wonderfully manifested his glory in this
mighty work of his Spirit, and so many of his disciples have
been rejoicing and praising God with loud voices 7
It must be acknowledged that so great and wonderful a
work of God's Spirit, is a work wherein God's hand is re
markably lifted up, and Wherein he displays his majesty,
and shows great /az^or and mercy to sinners, in the glorious
opportunity he gives them; and by which he makes our
land to become much more of a land of uprightness ; there
fore that place, Isa. xxvi. 10, 11, shows the great danger of

AT SUCH A TIME AS THIS.

189

not seeing God's hand, and acknowledging his glory and
majesty in such a work: "Let favor be showed to the
-wicked, yet he will 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
wUl not see ; but they shall see, and be ashamed for their
envy at the people ; yea, the fire of thine enemies shaU de
vour them."

SECTION II.
The latter-day glory is probably to begin in America.
It is not unlikely that this work of God's Spirit, that is 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 progress and issue of it, shall renew the
world of mankind. If we consider how long since, the things
foretold, as what should precede ibis gi-eat event, have been
accomplished ; and how long this event has been expected
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 world of rriankind, we
cannot reasonably think otherwise, than that the beginning
of this great work of God must be near. And there are
raany things that make it probable that this work wUl begin
in America. It is signified that it shall begin in some very
remote part of the world, that the rest of the v/orld have no
communication with but by navigation, in Isa. Ix. 9. " Sure
ly the isles shaU 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 prosperity of the church, in
its most glorious state on earth, in the latter days : and I can-

190 THE GLORIOUS TIMES ARE PROBABLY
not think that any thing else can be 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 spieading of the gospel that
should be soon after Christ's time, because it was far sepa
rated from that part of the world where the church of God
had till then been, by the sea. But this prophecy cannot
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 fulfiUed then : the isles and ships of
Tarshish, thus understood, 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 wonderfuUy carried
on in Asia, before it reached Europe. And as it is not that
work of God that is chiefly intended in this chapter, but that
raore glorious work that should be in the letter ages of the
Christian church, therefore some other part of the world is
here intended by the: isles, that shoidd be as Europe then
was, far separated from -that part of the world where the
church had before been, by the sea, and with which it can
have no coniraunication 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
distance frora that part of the world where the church had
till then been. This prophecy, therefore, seeras plainly to
point out America, as the first fruits of that glorious day.
God has made as it were two worlds here below, the old
and the new (according to the names they are now called by)
two great habitable continents, far separated one frora the
other ; the latter is but newly discovered, it was formerly
wholly unknown, from age to age, and is as it were now but
newly created : It has been, till of late, wholly the possession
of Satan, the chiuch of God having never been in it, as it has
been in the other continent, from the beginning of the world.
This new worid is probably now discovered, that the new

TO BEGIN IN AMERICA. 191
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, wiien he creates the new heavens and new
earth. God has already put thai honor upon the other continent,
that Christ vras born there literally, and there made the pu7'-
chase of redeinption : so, as Providence observes a kind of
equal distribution of things, it is not unlikely that the great
spiritual birth of Christ, and the most glorious application
of redemption is to begin in this : as the elder sister brought
forth Judah, of whom came Christ, and so she was the rao
ther or Christ ; but the younger sister, after long barrenness,
brought forth Joseph and Benjamin, the beloved children :
Joseph, that had the most glorious apparel, the coal of raany
colors, who was separated from his brethren, and was exalted
to such glory out of a dark dungeon, and 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, arid was
blessed with aU manner of blessings and precious things of
heaven and earth,, through the good will of Him that dwelt
in the bush ; and was, as by the horns of a unicorn, to push
the people together, to the ends of the earth, i. e. conquer the
world. See Gen. xlix. 22, &c. and Deut. xxxiii. 13, &c. :
And Benjamin, whose mess was five limes 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. xiv. 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 therefore probably reserved the honor of buUding the
glorious temple to the daughter, that has not shed so rauch
blood, when those limes of the peace and prosperity, and
glory of the church shall commence, that were typified by
the reign of Solomon.

192 THE GLORIOUS TIMES ARE PROBABLY
The Gentiles first received the true religion from the Jews ;
God's church of ancient times, had been among them, and
Christ was of fhem': but that there raight be a kind of equa
lity in the dispensations of providence, God has so ordered it,
that when the Jews corae lo be adraitted to the benefits of
the evangelical dispensation, and to receive their highest pri
vileges of all, they should receive the gospel from the Gen
tiles : though Christ was of them, yet they have been guilty
of crucifying him ; it is therefore the will of God, that that
people should not have the honor of coraraupicating the
blessings of the kingdom of God in its most glorious state,
lo the Gentiles, but on the contrary, they shall receive the
gospel in the beginning of that glorious day, from the Gen
tiles. In sorae analogy to this, I apprehend God's dealings
will be with the two continents. America has received the
true religion of the old continent; the church of ancient
tinjes has been there, and Christ is from thence : but that
'there raay be an equality, and inasmuch as that continent
has crucified Christ, they shall not have the honor of com
municating religion in its raost glorious state lo us, but we
to thera.
, The old continent has been the source and original of
mankind, in several respects. The first parents of mankind
dwelt there ; and there dwelt Noah and his sons ; and there
the second Adam was born, and was CTUcified, and rose
again : and it is probable that, in some rfieasure 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 frora hence.' And so it is probable that that
will come to pass in spirituals, that has in temporals, with
respect to America ; that wheieas, 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 wiU be in like man
ner turned.

TO BEGIN IN AMERICA. 193
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
apostasy. So that as soon as this new world is (as it were)
created, and stands forth in view, God presently goes about
doing some great thing to make way for the introduction of
the church's latter day glory, that is to have its first seat in,
and is to take its rise frora that new world.
It is agreeable to God's manner of working, when he ac
complishes any glorious work in the world, to introduce a
new and more excellent state of his church, to begin his
work where his church had not been till tjien, and where
was no foundation alread-y 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 no
thing ; agreeable to Hos.. i. 10. "And it shall come to pass
that in the place -where it was said unto thein, 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 a wilderness, where nothing
grows, and nothing is to be seen but dry sand and barren
rocks ; that the hght may shine out of darkness, and the
world be replenished from emptiness, and the earth watered
by springs from a droughty desert ; agreeable to many pro
phecies of scripture, as Isa. xxxii. 15. " Until the Spirit be
poured from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful
field ;" and chap, xviii. 19. " I wiU 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 wiU plant in the wilderness the cedar,
the shittah-tiee, and the myrtle and oil-tree ; I wiU set in
the desert the fir-tree, and the pine, and the box-tree to-,
gether ;" and chap, xliii. 20. " I wiU give waters in the wil-
25

194 THE GLORIOUS TIMES ARE PROBABLY
deiness, and rivers in the desert to give drink to my people,
my chosen." And many other paraUel scriptures might be
mentioned. I observed before, that when God is about to do some great
work for his church, his manner is lo begin at the lower
end ; so when he is about lo renew the whole habitable
earth, it is probable that he wiU begin in this utmost, mean
est, youngest, and weakest part of it, where the church of
God has been planted last of all ; and so the fiist shall be
last, and the last first ; and that will be fulfilled in an emi
nent 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 argue, that
when the Sun of Righteousness, the sun of the new hea
vens and new earth, comes to rise,. and " comes forth as the
bridegrooin" of his church, . " rejoicing as a strong man to
run his race, having his going forth from the end of heaven,
and his circuit to the. end of it, that nothing may be hid
from the light and heal of it ;"* that the sun shaU rise in
the west, contrary to the course of this world, or the com'se
of thipgs in the old heavens and. earth. The course of God's
providences 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 God
changed the course of nature, and caused the sun to go fi'om
the west to the east, when Hezekiah was healed, and. God
promised to do such great things for his church, to deliver it
out of the hand of the king of Assyria,, by that mighty
slaughter by the angel, which 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 of He-
* It is evident that the Holy Spirit, in those expressions in Psalm xix. 4, 5,
6., has respect to something dse besides the natural sun ; and that an eye is
had to the Sun of Righteousness, that by his .light converts the soul, malies
wise the simple, enlightens' the eyes, and rejoices the heart; and by his
preached gfispel enlightens and warms the world of mankind j by the
psalmist's own application, in v. 7., and the apostle's application of v. 4. in
Rom. X. IP.

TO BEGIN IN AMERICA. 195
zekiah, the king and captain of the church, (as he is called,
2 Kings XX. 5.) as it were, from the dead, is given as an
earnest of the church's resurrection and salvation, Isaiah
xxxviii. 6., and is a type of the resurrection of Christ. At
the same tirae 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, which probably
brought it to the meredian. The Sun of Righteousness has
long beeri going down from east to west, and probably when
the time comes of the church's deliverance from her enemies,
so often typified by the Assyrians, the light will rise in the
west, tiU it shines through the World, like the sun in its me
ridian 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 undoubtedly represent the Holy
Spirit, in the progress of his saving inlluences, in the latter
ages of the world ; for. it is manifest that the whole of those
last chapters of Ezekiel, are concerning the glorious state of
the church that shall then be.
And if we may suppose that this glorious work of God
shaU begin in any part of America, I think, if we consider
the circumstances of the settlement of New England, it must
needs appear the most likely of all American colonies, to be
the place whence this work shaU principaUy take its rise.
And if these things are so, it gives us most abundant rea
son 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 ahd
events of this work, seem to me strongly to argue that God
intends it as the beginning or forerunner of something
vastly great.

196 THE DANGER OF NOT AOKNOWLEDGI.VC

SECTION HI.
The danger of not acknowledging, and encouraging,
and especially of deriding, this work.
I HAVE thus long insisted on this point, because if these
things are so, it greatly manifests how much it behooves us
to encourage and promote this work, and how dangerous it
wiU be to forbear to do so.
It is very dangerous for God's professing people to lie still,
and not lo come lb the help of the Lord, whenever he re
markably pours out his Spirit, id carry on the wqrk of re
demption in the application of it ; but above aU, when he
comes forth in that last apd greatest outpouring of his Spirit,
to introduce that happy day of God's power and salvation,
so often spoken of. That is especially the appointed season
of the application of the- redemption, of Christ ; it is the
proper lime of the kingdom of heaven upon earth, the ap
pointed time of Christ's reign ; the reign of Satan as god
of this world lasts till then : this is the proper time of actual
redemption, or new creation, as is evident by Isa. Ixv. 17,
18., and Ixvi. 12., and Rev. xxi. 1. AU the outpourings of
the Spirit of God that are 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, that
began at Jerusalem on the da}"^ of peniecosl ; but that was
not the proper time of ingathering ; it was only, as it were,
the feast of the first fruits ; the ingathering is at the end of
the year, or in the last ages of the Christian church, as is
represented. Rev. xiv- 14, 15, 16., and wiU probably as much
exceed what Was in the first ages of the Christian church,
though that filled the Roman empire, as that exceeded all

AND ENCOURAGING THIS WORK. 197
that had been before, under the Old Testament, confined
only to the land of Judea.
The great danger of not appearing openly to acknowledge,
rejoice in, and promote that gieat work of God, in bringing
in that glorious harvest, is represented in Zech. xiv. 16, 17,
18, 19. " And it shall come to pass, that every one that is
lefl; of all the nations which come tip against Jerusalem,
shaU even go up, from year to year, to worship the King,
the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.
And it shall be that whoso will not come up, of all the
famUies of the earth, unto Jerusalem, to worship the King,
the Lord of hosts, even upon thera shaU be no rain. And
if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have
no rain, there shaU 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 corae not up to keep the
feast of tabernacles." It is evident 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
shaU then make for his church, the same that is spoken of
Isa. XXV. 6., and the gieat spiritual rejoicings of God's peo
ple at that time. There were three great feasts in Israel, at
which all the raales were appointed lo 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, viz. the feast of the passover, was represented the pur
chase of redemption by Jesus Christ, the paschal lamb, that
was slain at the time of that feast. The other two that fol
lowed it, were to represent the two great seasons of the ap
phcation of the purchased redemption : in the former of
them, viz. the feast of the first fruits, which was called the
feast of pentecost, was represented that time of the outpour
ing of the Spirit that was in the first ages of the Christian

198 THE DANGER OF NOT ACKNOWLEDGING
church, for the brining in the first fruits of Christ's ledemp •
tion, which began at Jerusalem, on the day of pentecost :
the other, which was the feast of ingathering, at the end of
the year, which the children of Israel were appointed to keep
ou occasion of their gathering in their corn, and their wine,
and all the fruit of their land, and was caUed the feast of ta
bernacles, represented the other more joyful and glorious
season of the application of Christ's redemption, which is to
be in the latter days ; 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 rejoicing in this feast, than any
other : the people then dwelt in booths of green boughs,.and
were commanded to take the boughs of goodly trees, branches
of palm-trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of
the brook,_and to rejoice before the Lord their God : which
represents the flourishing, beautiful, pleasant state the church
shall be in, rejoicing in God's grace and love, triumphing
over all her enemies, at the time typified by this feast. The
tabernacle of God -was fifst 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 wUl, above all
other times, set up his tabernacle amongst men. Rev. xxi. 3.
" And 1 heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, The ta
bernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with thera,
and they shall be his people, and God himself shaU be with
them, and be their God." The world is supposed lo have
been created about the time of year wherein the feast of ta
bernacles 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 taberna
cles, when God descended in a pillar of cloud, and dwelt in
the temple ; so at this happy time, the temple of God shall

AND REJOICING IN THIS WOKE. 199
be gloriously built up m the world, and God shaU, in a won
derful manner, come down from heaven to dwellwith his
church. Christ is supposed to have been born at the feast of
tabernacles ; so at the commencement of that glorious day,
Christ shaU be born ; then, above all other times, shall " the
woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet,
that is in travaU, and pained to be delivered, bring forth her
son, to rule aU nations," Rev. xii., at the beginning. 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 ; preseiitly after the rejoicings of that feast were past,
a tempetuous season began. Acts xxvii. 9. " SaUing 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 wiU 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 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 of trumpets, and the day of atonement, both on
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, and deep repentance and
humihation for past sins, and 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 hira come unto roe and
drink : he that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said,
out of his belly shaU flow rivers of hving waters :" signify
ing the extraordinary freedom and riches of divine grace
towards sinners at that day, and the extraordinary measures
of the Holy Spirit that shall be then given, agreeable to Rev.
xxi. 6., and xxii. 1 7.
It is threatened here in this fourteenth chapter of Zecha-
riah, that those who at that tune shaU not come to keep this

200 THE DANGER, OP OPPOSING
feast, i. e. that shaU not acknowledge God's glorious works,
and praise his name, and rejoice with his peoplfe, but should
stand at a distance, as unbelieving and disaffected, upon
them shall be no rain ; and that this -shall be the plague
wherewith they shall aU be smitten ; that is, they shall have
no shai'e in that shower of divine blessing that shaU then
descend on the earth, that spiritual rain spoken of, Isa* xliv.
3. But God -would give them over to hardness of heart,
and. blindness of raind.
The curse is yet in a more awful manner denounced
against such as shall appear as opposers at that time, v. 12.
"And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord shall
smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem, their
flesh shall consume away, while they stand upon their feel,
and their eyes shaU, consume away in their holes, and their
tongue shall consume away in, their mouth." Here also in
all probabihty it is a spiritual judgment, or a plague and
curse from God upon the soul, rather than upon the body,
that is intended ; that such persons, who at that time shall
oppose God's people in his work, shaU; 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
beaswalking rott-en corpses, whUethey goabout 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 that were wrought
for Israel of old, as divines and expositors observe, were
typical of ' the great spiritual works of God for the salvation
of men's souls, and the- deliverance and prosperity of his
church, in the dciys of the gospel ; and especially did they
represent , that greatest of all deliverances of God's church,
and chief of God's works of actual salvation, that shall bo
in the latter days, which, as has been observed, isahove all
Others, the appointed time, and proper season of actual re-

THB DANGER OF LVING STILL. 201
demption 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,
that on such occasions lay still, and stood at a distance, and
did not arise and acknowiedge God in his work, and appear
to promote it ; it was what in a remarkable manner incensed
God's anger, and brought his curse upon such persons.
So when God wrought that great work of bringing the
children of Israel out of Egypt (which was a t5'pe of God's
delivering his church out of the spiritual Egypt, at the tirae
of the faU of Antichrist, as as evident by Rev. xi. 8., and
XV. 3.), how highly did God resent it, when the Amalekites
appeared as opposers in that affair ! And how dreadfully did
he curse them for it ! Exod. xvii. 14, 15, 16. " And the
Lord said unto Moses, write this for a raeraorial in a book,
and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua ; for I will utterly put
out the remembrance of Amalek frora under heaven. And
Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-
Nissi ; for he said, because the Lord wiU have war with
Amalek, from generation lo generation." And accordingly
we find that God remerabered it a long tirae after, 1 Sara.
XV. 3. And how highly did God resent it in the Moabites
and Aranionites, that they did not lend a helping hand, and
encourage and promote the affair ! Deut. xxiii. 3, 4. " ^n
Amraonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation
of the Lord ; even to their tenth generation, shall they not
enter into the congregation of the Lord forever ; because
they met you not with bread and with water, in the way
when ye came forth out of Egypt." And how were the
chUdren 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, Deut.
xxxii. 20, 21, 22, 23., " And Moses said unto thera, if ye
wiU do this thing, if ye wiU go armed before the Lord to
war, and will go aU of you arraed over Jordan, before the
Lord, untU he hath driven out his enemies from before him,
26

202 THE DANGER OF LTING STILL.
and the land be subdued before the Lord, then afterward ye
shall return and be guiltless before the Lord, and before
Israel, and this land shall be your possession before the Lore} ;
but if ye wUl not do so, behold, ye have sinned against the
Lord, and be sure your sin will find j'ou out."
That was a glorious work of God that he wrought for Is
rael, when he delivered them from the Canaanites, by the
hand of Deborah and Barak : almost every thing about it
showed a remarkable hand of God. It was a prophetess, one
immediately inspired 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 offered 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, defenseless slaves do, without a shield or
spear to be seen among forty thousand of them, to go
against a great prince, with his raighty host, and nine hun
dred chariots of iron. And the success did wonderfully show
the hand of God ; which raakes Deborah exultingly to say,
Judg. V. 21. "O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength !"
Christ with his heavenly host was engaged in that battle ;
fmd therefore it is said, v. 20, " They fought from heaven,
the stars in their courses fought against Sisera." The work
of God, therefore, in this victory and deliverance that Christ
and his host wrought for Israel, was a type of that victory
and deliverance which he wUl accomplish for his church in
that great battle, that last conflict that the church shall have
with her open enemies, that shall introduce the church's lat
ter 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," i. e. the moun
tain of Megiddo ; alluding, as is supposed by expositors, to
the place where the battle was fought with the host of Si-

THE DANGER OF LYING STILL. 203
sera, Judg. 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 church shaU 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 themselves, by lying sliU at that time, and not
putting to a helping hand 7 Judg. 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 sarae 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 sarae glorious Captain that we have an account of,
as leading forth his hosts to that battle, of which this was
the type. Rev. xix. 11, &c. It seeras the inhabitants of Me
roz were unbelieving concerning this great work, nor would
they hearken to Deborah's pretenses, nor did it enter into
them that such a poor defenseless company should ever pre
vail against those lhat^were so mighty ; they did not acknow
ledge the hand of God, and therefore stood at a distance, and
did nothing to promote the work : but what a bitter curse
from God, did they bring upon themselves by it !
It is very probable that one great reason why the inhabit
ants of Meroz were so unbelieving concerning 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
conduct in the affair; nor could they believe that such des
picable instruments, as a company-of unarmed slaves, were
ever hke to effect so great a thing ; and pride and unbelief
wrought together, in not being willing to follow Deborah to
the battle.

204 THE DANGER OF LYING STILL,
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 mul
titude that could not be numbered. This also was a re
markable type of the victory of Chiist and his church over
his eneraies, by the pouring out of the Spirit with the
preached gospel, as is evident by the manner of it, which
Gideon was immediatel}'^ directed to of God ; which was not
by human sword or bow, but only by blowing of trumpets,
and by lights in earthen vessels. We read on this occasion,
Gideon caUed the people together to help in this great affair ;
and that accordingly, great numbers resorted to him, and
carae to the help of the Lord, Judg. vii. 23, 24. But there
were sorae also at that time, that were unbelieving, and
would not acknowledge the hand of God in that work, though
it was so great and wonderful, nor would they join to pro
mote it ; and they were the inhabitants of Succoth and Pe-
nuel : Gideon desired their help, when he was pursuing after
Zeba and ZEdmuna ; but they despised his pretenses, and
his confidence of the Lord's being on his side, to dehver those
two great princes into the hands of such a despicable cora-
pany, as he and his three hundred raen, and would not own
the work of God, nor afford Gideon any assistance : God
proceeded in this work in a way that was exceeding cross to
their pride. And they also refused to own the work, because
they argued a priori ; they could not beheve that God would
do such great things by such a despicable instrument ; one
of such a poor mean faraUy in Manasseh, and he the least
in his father's house ; and the company that was with him
appeared very wf etched, being but three hundred men, and
they weak and faint : but we see how they suffered for their
foUy, in not acknowledging, and appearing to promote this
work of God. Gideon when he returned from the victory,
took them, and taught them with the briers and thorns
of the wilderness, and beat down the tower of Penuel,

THE DANGER OF LTING STILL. 206
(he brought down their pride, and their false confidence) and
sleio the men of the city, Judg. viii. This, in all proba
bility, Gideon did, as moved and directed by the Angel of the
Lord, that is, Christ, that 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 PhUistines, and then in Kiijath-jeaiim,
in the utmost borders of the land, did livelily represent the
return of God to a professing people, in the spiritual tokens
of his presence, after long absence from them ; as weU as
the ark's ascending ,up into a mountain typified Christ's as
cension into heaven. It is evident by the psalms that were
penned on that occasion, especially the sixty-eighth psalm,
that the exceeding rejoicings of Israel, on that occasion, re
presented 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, bringing his people back, as it were, from Bashan,
and from the depth of the sea, scattering their spiritual
eneraies, and causing that though they had lien among
the pots, yet they shoidd 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 his
sanctuary ; and that the gifts which David, with such royal
bounty, distributed amongst the people on that occasion, (2
Sam. vi. 18, 19, and 1 Chron. xvi. 2, 3.) represent spiritual
blessings, that Christ liberally sends down on his church, by
the outpourings of his Spirit. See Psalm Ixviii. 1, 8, 13,
18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. And we have an account how
that aU the people, from Shilior, of Egypt, even unto the
entering in of Hemath, gathered together, and appeared lo
join and assist in that great affair ; and that aU Israel
" brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord, with
shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets,

206 THE' DANGER OF DERIDING.
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 Zion, appeared as
publicly joining in the praises and rejoicings that were on
that occasion, 2 Sam. vi. 19. But we read of one of David's
wives, even Michal, Saul's daughter, whose heart was not
engaged in the affair, and did not appear with others lo re
joice and praise God on this occasion, but kept away, and
stood at a distance, as disaffected, and disliking, the^nanage-
meiits ; she despised and ridiculed the transports and extra
ordinary manifestations of joy that then were ; and the curse
that she brought upon herself by it, was that of being barren
to the day of her death. Let tliis 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 indeed
the children of false hearted and rebeUious Saul, by our
standing aloof, and not joining in the joy and praises of the
day, and disliking and despising the joys and affections of
God's people, because they are to so high a degree, and so
bring the curse of peipetual barrenness upon our souls.
Let us lake heed thai we be not like the son of the bond
woman, that was born after the flesh, that persecuted 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 famUy of Abra
ham, 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 testimony. Gal. iv. 22. to the end. And particu
larly it seems to have been typical of two things. 1. The
weaning of the church from its mUk of carnal ordinancss,
ceremonies, shadows, and beggarly 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 Testament, was in its minority, and was a babe ; and

THE DANGER OF DERIDING. 207
the apostle teUs 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, and fiUedthem
with the Spirit, and gave them joy in the Holy Ghost. Ish-
raael, in raocking at the time of Isaac's feast, by the apostle's
testiraony, represented the carnal Jews, the children of the
literal Jerusalem, who when they beheld the rejoicings of
Christians, in their spiritual and evangelical privileges, were
fiUed with envy, deriding, contradicting and blaspheming.
Acts ii. 13. and chap. aiii. 45. and x% iii. 6. And therefore
were cast out of the family of Abraham, and out of the land
of Canaan, to wander through the earth. 2. This weaning
of Isaac's seeras also lo 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 enjoyraents of the
world, which are as it were the breast of our raother 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
breasts : and the great feast that Abraham raade oh that
occasion represents the spiritual feast, the heavenly pri-vi-
leges, and holy joys and comforts, w-hich God gives souls at
their conversion. Now is a^ime when God is in a remark
able raanner bestowing the blessings of such a feast. Let
every one take heed that he does not show himself to be the
son of the bond-woman, and born after the flesh, by standing
and deriding, with raocking Ishraael ; lest they be cast out
as he was, and it be said concerning thera, these sons of the
bond-woman shall not be heirs with the sons of the free-
woraan. Do not let us stumble at the things that have
been, 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 7 There is doubtless a time

208 TO PROMOTE THIS WORK THE WAY
coming when God wUl accomplish things vastly greater and
more extraordinary than these.
And that we may be warned not to continue doubting
and unbelieving concerning this work, because of the extra
ordinary degree of it, and the suddenness and swiftness of
the accoraplishraent of the great things that pertain to it ;
let us consider the example of the unbelieving lord in Sa
maria, who could not believe so extraordinary a work of
God lo be accomplished so suddenly as was declared lo him ;
the prophet Elisha foretold that the great famine in Samaria
should very suddenlj', even in one day, be turned into an
extraordinary plenty ; but the work was loo great, and too
sudden for him to believe ; says he, if the Lord should
make windows in heaven, might this thing be 7 And
the curse that he brought upon hiraself by it, was that he
saw it with his eyes, and did not eat thereof, but miserably
perished, and was trodden down as the mire of the streets,
when others were feasting and rejoicing. 2 Kings, chap.
VU. When God I'edeemed his people frora their Babylonish
captivity, and they rebuilt Jerusalem, it was, as universally
owned, a remarkable type of the spiritual redemption of
God's church ; and particularly, was an eminent type of the
great dehverance of the Christian church frora spiritual
Babylon, and their rebuilding the spiritual Jerusalem, in the
latter days ; and therefore they are often spoken of under
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 "occasion,
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.) ; because at
that time happened that restoration of Israel, that had the
greatest resemblance 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

TO A PECULIAR BLESSING 209
of the wilderness, and settled them in the good land. Bui
we read of some that opposed the Jews in that affair, and
weakened their hands, and ridiculed God's people, and the
instruments that were improved in that work, and despised
their hope, and made as though their confidence was little
more than a shadow, and v/ould utterly faU them : "What
do these feeble Jews 7 (say they) Will they fortify them
selves 7 WUl they sacrifice 7 WiU they make an end in a
day 1 WiU they re-vive the stones out of the heaps of the
rubbish which are burnt 7 Even that which they buUd, if
a fox go up, he shall even break down their- stone-waU."
Let not us be in any measure like them, lest it be said to us,
as Nehemiah said to them, Neh. ii. 20., " We his servants
¦wUl arise and buUd ; but you have no portion, nor right, nor
memorial in Jerusalem," And lest we bring Nehemiah's
imprecation upon us, chap. vi. 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 buUders."
As persons wiU 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, and honor him in such a work,
and cheerftiUy 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 honor does God put upon those
in Israel, that wiUingly offered "themselves, and came to the
help of the Lord against the mighty, when the angel of the
Lord led forth his armies, tmd they fought from heaven
against Sispra? Judg. v. 2, 9, 14, 15, 17, 18. And what a
great blessing is. pronounced on Jael, the wife of Heber, the
Kenite, for her appearing on the Lord's side, and for what
she did to promote this work? v. 24. Which was no less
than the curse pronounced in the preceding verse, against
Meroz, for lying stiU : Blessed above women, shall Jael,
the wife of Heber the I^enite, be, bUssed shall she be
above ieo?n en in fhe tent. And what a blessing is pro^
27

210 TO PROMOTE THIS WORK THE WAY, ETC.
nounced on those which shaU have any hand in the de
struction of Babylon, which was the head city of the king
dom of Satan, and of the enemies of the church of God ?
Psalm cxxxvii. 9. "Happy sliall he be that taketh and
' dasheth thy little ones against the stones." What a parti
cular and honorable notice is taken, in the records of ,God's
word, of those that arose and appeared as David's helpers,
to introduce him into the kingdom of Israel, in the 1 Chron.
xii. The host of those that thus came to the help of the
Lord, in that work of his, and 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, v. 22. " At
that time, day by day, there, came to David, to. help him,
untU it was a great host, hke the host of God." And doubt
less it -was intended to be a type of that host of God, that
shall appear with the spiiitual David, as his helpers, wheji
he shall come to set up his kingdom in the world ; the same
host that we read of. Rev. xix; 14. The Spirit of God then
pronounced a special blessing on David's helpers, as those
that were co-workers with God, v. 18. " Then the Spirit
came upon Amasai,.who was Chief of the captains, and he
said, thine are we David,, and on 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, whenhe sets his own dear Son as
King on his holy liiU of Zion ; and the^ shaU be received
by Christ, and he wiU put peculiar horior upon them,, as
David did on those his helpers : as we have an account, in
the following -words, v. 18. " Then David, received them,
and made them captains of ,the band." It, is particularly
noted of those that caane 10 David lo Hebron, ready armed
to the war, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according
to the word of the Lord, that " they were men that had
understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought , to
do," V. 23. and 32. Herein they differed from the Phari-

OBLIGATIONS OF ALL TO THE WORK. 211
^ees and other Jews, that did not corae to the help of the
Lord, at the lime that the great Son of David appealed to
set up his kingdom in the worid, whom Christ condemns,
that they had not understanding of those times, Luke xii.
56. " Ye hypocrites, 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 selling up his kingdom
here, there wiU be many that will not understand the times,
nor what Israel ought to do, and so wiU not corae to turn
about the kingdom td David.
The favorable notice that God will take of such as appear
to promote the work of God, at such a lime as this, may
also be- argued from such a very particular notice being
taken in the sacred records, of those that helped m rebuilding
the wall of Jerusalem, upon t,he return from the Babylonish
captivity, Nehem. in.

SECTION IV.
Obligations of rulers, ministers, and all sorts, , to pro
mote this work.
At such a time as Ihis^ when God is setting his King on
his holy hill of Zion, or estabUshing his dominion, or show
ing forth his regal glory from thence, he expects t,hat his
visible people, . without exception, should openly appear to
acknowledge him in such a work, and bow befoi-e -him, a/ud
join with him. But especially does he expect this of civil
ralers : God's eye is especially upon them, to see how they
behave themselves on such an occasion. If a new king
comes lo the throne, when he coraes frora abroad, and enters
into his kingdora, and makes his solemn entry into the

212 OBLIGATIONS OF RULERS
royal city, it is expected that aU sorts should acknowledge
^him ; but above aU otheis is it expected that the great men
?and public oflScers of the nation should then make their
,; appearance, and attend on their sovereign, with suitable con-
•j gratulations, and manifestations of respect ahd loyalty : if
such as these stand at a distance, >at such a time, it wiU be
much more taken notice of, and will awaken the prince's
jealousy and displeasure much more, than such a behavior
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, whom his Father has appointed
to be King of kings, comes as it were from afar, and in the
spiritual tokens of his presence, enter? into the royal city
Zion ; God has his eye at such a thne, especially upon those
princes, nobles, and judges of the earth, spoken of, Prov. viii.
16., to see how they behave themselves, whether they bow
to him, that he has made the head of all principality and
power. This is, evident by Psalm ii. 6, 7, 10, 11, 12. " Yet
have I set my King upon my holy hill of Zion. I will
declare the decree ; the Lord hath said unto me, thou art
my Son, this da.y have I begotten thee. Be wise now there
fore, O ye kingSj be instructed ye judges of the earth ; serve
the Lord with fear, -and rejoice with trembhng ; kiss the
Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when
his wrath is kindled but a little." There seems to be in the
words an aUusion to a new king's coming to the throne, and
making his solemn entry into, the royal city ; (as Zion was
the royal city in Israel;) when it is expected tliat all, espe-
cia-Uy men in pubhc oflSce and authority, should manifest
their loyalty by some open and :visible token of respect, by
the way, as he passes along ; and those that refuse oi: ne
glect it are in danger of being imiQediately struck down,
and perishing from the way,,hy which the, king goes in
solemn procession. ^
The day wherein God does in an eminent manner send
forth the rod of Christ's strength out of Zion, that he raay

TO PROMOTE THIS WORK 2\:i
rule in the midst of liis enemies, the day of his power wherein
his people shaU be made wUhng, is also eminently a day of
his wrath, especiaUy to such rulers as^ oppose him, or wUl
not bow to him ; a day wherein, he " shall strike through
kings, and fill the places with the dead bodies, ahd 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 ma
jesty rides prosperously, because of truth, meekness, and
righteousness, his right hand teaches him, terrible things.
It was the princes of Succoth especially, that suffered punish
ment, when the inhabitants of that city refused to come to
the help of the Lord, when Gideon' was pursuing after Ze-
bah and Zalmunna ; we read that Gideon took the elders
of the -city, and ihorns of the wilderness, and briers, and
with them he taught the-men of Succoth. It is especially
taken notice of that the rulers and chief men of Israel, were
caUed upon to assist in the affair of bringing up the ark of
God ; they were chiefly consulted, and were principal iri the
management of the affair. 1 Chron. xiii. 1. " And David
consulted with the captains of thousands and hundreds, and
with every leader." And xv. 35. ""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. arid 2 Chron. v. 2, 4. .
And as IrulersJ by neglecting their duty at such a tirae, will
especiaUy expose themselves to God's great displeasure, so by
fuUy acknowledging God in such a work, and by cheerfuUy
and vigorously exerting themselves to promote it, they will
especially be in the way of receiving peculiar honors and re
wards at God's hands. It is noted of the princes of Israel,
that they especially appeared to honor God with their princely
offering, oh oocasrion of _the setting up the tabernacle of God
in the congregation of Israel (which I have observed already

214 OBLIGATIONS OP RULERS
Was done at the time of the feast of tabernacles, and was a
type of the tabernacle of God's being with men, and his
dweUing with men in the latter days). x\nd with what
abundant particularity is it noted of each prince hoW much
he offered to God on that occasion, for then everlasting
honor, in Num. vii.? And so with how much favor and
honor does the Spirit of God take notice of those princes in
Israel that carae to tlie help of the Lord in the war against
Sisera 7 Judg. v. 9. " My heart is towards the governors of
Israel, that offered themselves wiUingly among the people."
And V. 14. " Out of Machir cauie down governors^" v. 15.
" And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah." And in
the account that we have of the rebuilding the wall of Jeru
salem, in Nehera. iii., it is particularly noted what a -hatid
one and another of the rulers had hi this affair ; we have
ah account that such a part of the wall 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-haccerera, and such a part by
the ruler of part of Mizpah, and such a part by the ruler of
the half .part of Bethzur, and such a part, by the ruler of
Mizpah, V. 9, 12, 14, 15, 16; 19. And there it is particu
larly noted of the rulers of one of the cities, that they put
not their necks to the work of the Lord, though the coramon
people did ; and they are stigmatized for it in the sacred re
cords, to their everlasting reproach, y. 5. " And next unto
them the Tekoites repaired ; but their nobles put not their
necks to. the work of the Loid." -So the Spirit of God, with
special honor, takes notice of princes and rulers of several
tribes, that assisted in bringing up the ark, Psalra Ixviii^ 27.
And I humbly desire that it may be considered whether
we have not reason to fear that God. is provoked with this
land, that no more notice has been taken of this glorious
work of the Lord, that has been lately carried on, by the civil
authority ; that there has iio more been done by them, as a
public acknowledgment Of- God in this worir, and no more

TO JROMOTE THIS WORK. 21-5
improveraeiit of their authority to promote it, either by ap
pointing a day of public thanksgiving to God, for so un
speakable a mercy, or a day of fasting and prayer, to hurable
ourselves before God, for our past deadness and unprofitable
ness under the means of grace, and to seek the continuance
and increase of' the tokens of his presence ; or so much as
to enter upon any public consultation, what should be done
to advance the present revival of religion, and great reforma
tion that is begun in the land. Is there not danger that such
a behiavior, at such a time, will be interpreted by God, as a
denial of Christ 7 If. but a new governor comes into a pro
vince, how much is there done, especially by those that are
in authority, to put honor upon hira, lo arise, and appear
publicly, and go forth to meet hira, to address and congi-atu-
late him, and with great expense to attend upon him, and
aid hini 7 If the authority of the province, on such an oc
casion, should all sit stiU,-and say and do nothing, and take
no notice of the arrival of thek new governor, would thei-e
noL be danger of its being interpreted by hira, and his prince
that sent him, as a denial of his authority, or a refusing to
receive him, and honor hira as their go"vernor 7 And shall
the head of the angels, and Lord of the universe, come down
from heaven, in sa wonderful a manner; into the land, and
shaU aH stand at a distance, and be silent and inactive on
such an occasion 7 I would humbly reQoraraend it to our ru
lers, to consider whether God does not say to them, be wise
now ye rulers, be instru^cted ye judges sff- 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 the rulers in
God's Israel, shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord,
before his peopile. But how can such rulers expect lo have
any share in this glorious promise, that do not so much as
openly acknowledge God in the work of that Spirit, by
wliich the glory of that day is lo be accomplished 7 The

21t> SPECIAL DUTY OP MINISTERS
days are coming, so often spoken of, when the saints shaU
reign on earth, and aU dominion and authority shall be given
into their hands : but if our rulers would partake of this
honor, they ought, at such a day as this, 10 bring their glory
and honor into the, spiritual J-erusalem, agreeable to Rev.
xxi. 24.
But above all others, is God's eye upon ministers of the
gospel, as expecting of them that they should arise and ac
knowledge and honor him in such a work, as. this, and do
their utmost to encourage arid promote it: for to promote
such a work, is the very business which they are called and
devoted to ; it is the office to which they are appointed, as
co-workers with' Christ, and as his embassadors and instru
ments, tp awaken and convert sinners, and establish, build
up,, and comfort saints ; it is the husiness they have been
solemnly charged with, before God, angels, and men, and
that they have given up themselves to, by the most sacred
TfOWB. These especiaUy are the ofiicers of Christ's kingdom,
that above all other men upon earth, do represent his person,
into whose - hands. Christ has eommitted the sacred oracles,
and holy ordinances^ and alhhis appointed means of, grace,
to be administered by them ; they are the stewards of his
household, into whose hands he has comrailte'd its provision ;
the immortal souls of men are coraraitled tothem, as aflock
of sheep are committed to the care of a shepherd, or as a
master comihits- a treasure to -Ihe 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 lo
acquaint themselves with things pertaining to the king^dom
of God, and to teach and enlighten others in things of this
nature. We that are.eraployed in -the sacred work of the
gospel ministry, are the watchmen over the city, to whom
God has coraraitled the keys of the ga.tes of Zion ; and if
when the rightful King of Zion comes to deliver his people
from the enemy that oppresses them; we refuse td open the

TO PROMOTE THIS WORK, 217
gates to him, how greatly shall we expose ourselves lo his
wrath 7 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 hira when his banner is dis
played, and his trurapet blown, how much more wUl he re
sent it in the officers of his array 7 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 accomplished, it should be principally by the labors of his
ministers ; and therefore how heinous wHl it be in the sight
of God, if when a work of that nature is begun, we appear
unbelieving, slow, backward, and disaffected 7 - There was
no sort of persons among the Jews that was in any measm-e
treated with such manifestations of God's great displeasure,
and severe indignation, for not acknowledging Christ, and
the work of his Spirit, in the days of 'Christ and his apostles,
as the ministers of religion : see how Christ deals with them
for it, in the twenty-third chapter of Matthew ; with what
gentleness did Christ treat publicans and harlots, in com
parison of them 7
When the tabernacle was erected in the camp of Israel,
and God came down from heaven to dwell in it, the priests
were, above aU others, conterned 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 of
Solomon, 1 - Kings viii, and 2 Chron. v. and vi. and vii.,
which was at the lime of the feast of tabernacles, at the
same lime that the tabernacle was erected in the wilderness :
and the Levites were primarily and raost imraediately con
cerned in bringing up the ark into mount Zion ; the busi
ness properly belonged to thera, 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
28

218 LIABILITY OF MINISTERS
hath the Lord chosen to carry the ark of God, and to minis
ter unto hira forever." And v. 11, 12. " And David called
for Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, and for the Levites, for
Uriel, Asaiah, and Joel, Sheraaiah, and Ehel,and Arainadab,
and said unto them, ye are the chief of the fathers of the
Levites ; sanctify yourselves, both ye and your brethren, that
you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto
the place that I have prepared for it." So we have an ac
count that the priests led the way in rebuilding the waU of
Jerusalem, after the Babylonish captivity, Neh. iii., at the
beginning. _
If ministers preach never so good doctiine, and are never
so painful and laborious in their work, yet, if at such a day
as this, they show lo their people, that they are not well af
fected to this work, but are very doubtful and ^suspicious 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 ex
traordinary work of God, if their people were suffered lo be
lieve it lo be his work, and the example of other towns, toge
ther with what preaching they might hear occasionally, would
behkelylo have a much greater influence upon the minds of
their people, to awaken them and animate them in religion,
than all their labors with thera : and besides their rainster's
opinion would not only beget in them a suspicion of the work
they hear of abroad, whereby the raighty hand of God that
appears in it, loses its influence upon their rainds, but it will
also tend to create a suspicion of every thing of the like na
ture, that shall appear araong themselves, as being soraething
of the same distemper that is become so epidemical in the
land ; and that is, in effect, to create a suspicion of all vital
religion, and to put the people upon talking against it, and
discouraging it, wherever it appears, and knocking it in the
head, as fast as it rises. And we that are ministers, by look
ing on this work, from year to year, with a displeased coun
tenance, shaU effectuaUy keep the sheep frora their pasture,
instead of doing the part of shepherds to thera, by feeding

TO HINDER THIS WORK. 219
them ; and our. people hod a great deal belter be without any
settled minister at aU, at such a day as this.
We that are in this sacred oifice, had need lo take heed
what we do, and how we behave ourselves at this time : a
less thing in a minister wiU hinder the work of God, than in
others. If we are very silent, 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, and justly
may be interpreted by our people, that we who are their
guides, to whora they are lo have their eye for spiiitual in
struction, are suspicious of it ; and this wiU tend to raise the
same suspicions in them ; and so the fore-mentioned conse
quences will follow. And if we really hinder, and stand in
the way of the work of God, whose business above all others
it is lo promote it, how can we expect lo partake of the glo
rious benefits of it 7 And by keeping others frora the benefit
of it, we shall keep them out of heaven ; therefore those aw
ful words of Christ to the Jewish teachers sliould be consi
dered by us, Mat. xxiu. 13. " Wo unto you, for j'ou shut
up the kingdom of heaven ; for ye neither go in yourselves,
neither suffer ye them that are entering, to go in." If we
keep the sheep frora their pasture, how shaU we answ^er it to
the great Shepherd, that has bought the flock with his pre
cious blood, and has coraraitled the care of thera to tis 7 I
would hurably desire of every minister tlial has thus long re
mained disaffected to this work, and has had contemptible
thoughls of it, to consider whether he has not hitherto been
like Michal without any child, or at least in a great measure
barren and unsuccessful in his work : I pray God it raay not
be a perpetual barrenness as hers was.
The tiraes of Christ's reraarkably appearing in behalf of
his church, and to revive religion, and advance his kingdom
in the world, are often spoken of in the prophecies of scripture,
as times wherein he wiU remarkably execute judgments on
such ministers or shepherds, as do not feed the flock, but
hinder their being fed, and so deliver his flock frora them, as

220 WARNING TO MINISTERS
Jer. xxiii. throughout, and Ezek. xxxiv. throughout, and
Zech. X. 3, and Isa. Ivi. 7, 8, 9, (fee. I observed before,
that Christ's solemn, magnificent, entry into Jerusalem,
seeras to be designed as a representation of his glorious
coraing into his church, the spiritual Jerusalem ; and
therefore it is worthy lo be noted, to our present pur
pose, that Christ at that time, cast out all thera that sold
and bought in the teraple,, 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 out those out of his house, who, in
stead of being faithful ministers, ofiicialed there only for
worldly gain ;, not that I determine that all ministers that are
suspicious of this work, do so ; but I mention these things to
show that it is to. be expected, that a time of a glorious out
pouring of the Spirit of God to revive religion, will be a time
of remarkable judgments on those ministers that do not serve
the end of thejr 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 exlrerae faraine into a great
plenty, by a wonderful work of his, the king appointed this
lord to have the charge of the gale 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 the crowd, and was trodden to
death, as a punishment of God, for his not giving credit to
that great and wonderful work of God, when sufficiently
manifested to him, to require his behef Ministers are (hose
that the King of the church has appoimed to have the charge
of the gate, at which his people enter into the kingdom of
heaven, there to be entertained and satisfied with an eternal
feast ; ministers have the charge of the house of God, which
is the gate of heaven.

TO TAKE HEED OP ENVY. 221
Ministers should especially take heed of a spirit of envy to
wards other rainisters, that God is pleased to raake raore
use of to carry on this work, than they ; and that they do
not, from such a spirit, reproach some preachers, that have
the true spirit, as though they were influenced by a false spi
rit or were bereft of reason, and were raad, and were proud,
false pretenders, and deserved lo be put in prison, or the
slocks, as disturbers of the peace ; lest ihey expose thsraselves
to the curse of Shemaiah, the Nehelamite, who envied the
prophet Jeremiah, and in this manner revUed hira, in his let
ter 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 prophet, that thou
shouldst put him in prison, and in the stocks. Now there
fore, why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anatholh,
which maketh himself a prophet to you?" His curse is de
nounced in V. 32. " Therefore, thus saith the Lord, behold,
I wiU punish Shemaiah the Nehelaraite, and his seed ; he
shall not have a raan to dwell among his people, neither
shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith
the Lord, because he hath taught rebeUion against the
Lord." AU those that are others' superiors or elders, should
take heed that at this day they be not like the elder brother,
who could not bear it, that the prodigal should be raade so
much of and should be so sumptuously entertained, and
would not join in the joy of the feast : was like Michal,
Saul's daughter, offended at the music and dancing that he
heard ; the transports of joy displeased him ; it seemed to
him lo be an unseemly and unseasonable noise and ado, that
was made; and therefore stood at a distance, sullen, and
much offended, and full of invectives against the young
prodigal. It is our wisest and best way, fully, and without reluc
tance, to bow to the great God in this work, and to be en
tirely resigned to him, with respect to the manner in which

222 OBLIGATIONS OF ALL CLASSES.
he carries it on, and the instruments he is pleased to make use
of, and not to show ourselves out of humor, and sullenly to re
fuse to acknowledge the work, in the full glory of it, because
we have not had so great a hand in promoting it, or have
not shared so largely in the blessings of it, as sorae others ;
and not to refuse lo give all that honor that belongs lo others,
as instruments, because they are young, or are upon other
accounts much inferior lo ourselves, and many others, and
may appear to us very unworthy, that God should put so
rauch honor upon Ihem. When God comes to accomplish
any great work for his church, and for the advancement of
the kingdom of his Son, he always fulfills that scripture, Isa.
ii. 17. " And the loftiness of raan shall be bowed down, and
the haughtiness of raen shall be made low, and the Lord
alone shall be exalted in 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 wUl be upon every thing that is
high, and stiff, and strong in opposition, as in Isa. ii. 12, 13,
14, 15. "For the day of the Lord of hosts, shall be upon
every one that is proud and lofty, and. upon everyone 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 hiUs- that are lifted up, and upon every high
tower, and upon every fenced wall."
Not only magistrates and ministers j but every living soul,
is now obhged to arise and acknowledge God in this work,
and put to his hand to promote it, as they would not expose
themselves lo God's curse. AU sorts of persons, throughout
the whole congregation of Israel, great and small, rich and
poor, men and women, helped to build the tabernacle 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 wUling; all sorts
contributed, and all sorts were employed in that affair, in la-

ALL MAY BE EMPLOYED, 223
bors 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 whora
was found shittim-wood, brought it an offering to the Lord :
the rulers brought onyx-stones, and spice, and oil ;" and sorae
brought goats' hair, and sorae raras' skins, and others badgers'
skins. See Exod. xxxv. 20, &c. And we are Idd, v. 29.,
" The children of Israel brought a wUling offering unto the
Lord, every raan and woman,^ whose heart raade thera will
ing." And thus it ought to be in this day of building the
tabernacle of God ; with such a willing and cheerful heart
ought every raan, woraan, and chUd, to do something lo
promote this work : those that - have not onyx-stone, or are
not able to bring gold or silver, yet may bring goats' hair.
As all sorts of persons were employed in building the ta
bernacle in the wUderness, so the Whole congregation of
Israel were called together to set up the tabernacle in Shiloh,
after they came into Canaan, Josh, xviii. 1. And so again
the whole congregation of Israel were gathered together, to-
bring up the ark' of God frora Kirjalh-jearira ; and again,
they were all asserabled lo bring it up out of the house of
Obed-edora into raount Zion ; so again, all Israel raet to
gether to assist in the great affair of the dedication of the
temple, and bringing the ark into it : so we have an account
how that aU sorts assisted in the rebuilding the wall of Jeru
salem, not only the proper inhabitants of Jerusalem, but
those that dwelt in other parts of the land ; not only the
priests and rulers, but the Nethinims and merchants, hus
bandmen and mechanics, and Women, Neh. iii. 5, 12, 26,
31, 32. And we have an account of one and another, that
he repaired over against his house, v. 10, and 23, 28., and of
one that repaired over against his chamber, v. 30. So now,
at this time of the rebuUding the walls of Jerusalem, every
one ought to promote the work of God within his own
sphere, and by doing what belongs lo him, in the place in
which God has set hira : men in a private capacity may re-

224 THE PRESS SHOULD BE IMPROVED IN IT.
pair over against their houses ; and even those that have
not the government of families, and have but part of a house
belonging to thera, should repair, each one, over against his
chamber : and every one should be engaged lo do the ut
most that hes in his power, laboring with the utmost watch
fulness, care, and diligence, with united hearts, and united
strength, and the greatest readiness, to assist one another in
this work : as God's people rebuUt 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, and wrought with that care
and watchfulness, that with one hand they wrought in the
work, and with the other hand held a weapon, besides the
guard they set to defend thera, and were so well united in it,
that they took care that one should stand ready, with a
trurapet in his hand, that if any were assaulted in one part,
those in the other parts, at the sound of the trurapet, raight
resort to ih.era, and help thera, Neh. iv-, at the latter end.
. Great care should be taken that the press should be im
proved lo no purpose contrary to the interest of this work.
We read that when God fought against Sisera, for the de
liverance of his oppressed church, they that handle the pen
of the writer carae tothe help of the Lord in that affair,
Judg: V. 14. Whatever sort of men in Israel they were that
were intended, yet as the -words were indited 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 de
liverance 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, those that should fight against the
kingdom of Satan, with their pens. Those therefore that
publish pamphlets lo the disadvantage of this work, and
tending either directly or indirectly lo bring it under suspi-
ciouY 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

WHO ARE OPPOSERS, 225
fire, to consume all that stands in his way, and so burn up
those pamphlets ; and whether there be not danger that the
file that is kindled in them, wUl scorch the authors.
When a people oppose Christ in the work of his Holy
Spirit, it is because it touches thera in something that is dear
to their carnal minds, and because they see the tendency of
it is lo 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 coun
try in the exercise of his glorious power and grace, triumph
ing over a legion of devils, and dehvering a miserable crea
ture, that had long been their captive, were all alarmed,
because they lost their swine by it, and the 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, not only by directly speaking
against the whole of it : persons raay say that they believe
there is a good work carried on in the country, and raay
sometiraes bless God, in their public prayers, in general terras,
for any awakenings or revivals of religion there have lately
been in any part of the land, and may pray-- that God
would carry on his own work, and pour out his Spirit
more and more ; and yet, as I apprehend, be in the sight
of God great opposers of his work : some will express
themselves after this manner, that are so far frora acknow
ledging and rejoicing in the infinite raercy and glorious
grace of God, in causing so happy a change in the land.
that they look upon the religious state of the country, take
it in the whole of it, much raore sorrowful than it was ten
years ago, and whose conversation, to those that are well ac
quainted with thera, evidently shows that they are raore out
of humor with the state of things, and enjoy theAselves
less, than they did hefore ever this work began. If it be
manifestly thus with us, and our talk and behavior with
90

226 OP INSISTING ON IMPRUDENCIES.
respect to this work be such as has (though but) an indirect
tendency to beget iU thoughts and suspicions in others con
cerning it, we are opposers of the work of God.
Instead of coraing to the help of the Lord, we shaU act
ually fight against him, if we are abundant in insisting on
and setting forth the blemishes of the work, 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 that are coraraitled, ought to
be observed and laraented, and a proper testimony borne
against them,. and the most pi-obable raeans should be used
to have them amended ; but an insisting rauch upon them,
as though it were a pleasing theme, or speaking of them with
more appearance of heal of spii'it, or with ridicule, or an air
of contempt, than grief for thera, has no tendency to. correct
the errors, but has a tendency to darken the glory of God's
power and grace, appearing in the substance of the work,
and to beget jealousies and ill thoughls in the minds of others
concerning the whole of it. Whatever errors many zealous
persons have run into, yet if the woik, in the substance of it,
be the work of God, then it is a joyful day indeed ; it is so
in heaven, 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 him
self : the good Shepherd, when he finds his sheep that was
lost, lays it on his shoulders rejoicing, and calls together his
friends and neighbors, saying. Rejoice with me : if we there
fore are Christ's friends, now it should be a day of great re
joicing 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 engage our attention much more than aU
the imprudencies and irregularitie.s that have been ; our
hearts would be swallowed up with the glory of this event,
and w» should have no great disposition to attend to any
thing else. The imprudencies and errors of poor feeble
worms, do not hinder or prevent great rejoicing, in the pre
sence of the angels of God, over so many poor sinners that

UF INSISTING ON IMPRUDENCIES 227
have repented, and it will be an argument of something verj-
ill in us, if they prevent our rejoicing.
Who loves, in a day of great joy and gladness, lo be much
insisting on those things that are uncomfortable 7 Would it
not be very improper, on a king's coronation daj', lo be ranch
in taking notice of the blemishes of the royal family 7 Or
would it be agreeable lo the bridegroom, on the day of his
espousals, the day of the gladness of hi.? heart, to be much
insisting on the blemishes of his bride ? Wc have an account
how that, at the (irae of that joyful dispensation of Provi
dence, the restoration of the church of Israel after the Ba
bylonish captivilj', and at the lime of the feast of taberna
cles, many wept at the faults that were found amongst the
people, but were reproved for taking so rauch notice of the
blemishes of that affair, as lo overlook the cause of rejoicing.
Neh. viii. 9, 10, 11, 12. " And Nehemiah, which is the Tir-
shatha, 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 nothing is
prepared, for this day is holy unto our Lord ; neither be you
sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. So the Le
vites slUled all the people, saying, hold your peace, for the
day is holy, neither be ye grieved. And all the people went
their way, to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to
raake great mirth, because they had understood the words
that were declared unto them."
God doubtless now expects that aU sorts of persons in
New England, rulers, rainisters and people, high and low,
rich and poor, old and young, should take great notice of his
hand in this raighty work of his grace, and should appear
lo acknowledge his glory in it, and greatly to rejoice in it,
every one doing his utmost, in the place that God has set
thera in, to promote it. And God, accorduig lo his wonder-

228 DANGER OF NOT PROMOTING THIS WORK.
ful patience, seems to be still waiting to give us oppoitunity
thus to acknowledge and honor him. But if we finally re
fuse, 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. wiU be proportionable to the despised out
pourings of his Spirit and grace.

THOUGHTS ON THE REVIVAL, &c.

PART 111.
.-HOWING, IN MANY INSTANCES, WHEREIN THE SUBJECTS,
OR ZEALOUS PROMOTERS OF THIS WORK, HAVE BEEN
INJURIOUSLY BLAMED.
This work that 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 strengih oi- wisdom ; but yet God ex
pects of all, that they should use their utmost endeavors to pro
mote it, and that the hearts of all should be greatly engaged in
this affair, and that we should improve our utmost strengih in
it, however vain human strength is without the power of God ;
and so he no less requires that we should improve our utmost
care, wisdom, 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 en
deavors 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 endeavors, and to punish the
neglect of thera. Therefore, in our endeavors to promote
this great work, we ought to use the utmost caution, vigi
lance, and skiU, 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 concerned in. When a people are engaged in war

230 THE NEED OF CARE AND DISCRETION.
with a powerful and crafty nation, it concerns them to ma
nage an affair of such consequence with the utmost discre
tion. Of what vast importance then must it be, that we
should be vigUanl and prudent in the management of this
great war that New England now has, with so great a host
of such subtle and cruel enemies, wherein we must either
conquer or be conquered, and the consequence of the victory
on one side, will be our eternal destruction, in both soul and
body in hell, and on the other side, our obtaining the king
dora of heaven, and reigning in it in eternal glory 7 We
had need always to stand on our watch, and to be well
versed in the art of war, and not to be ignorant of the de
vices of our enemies, and lo 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 : and the course
he has chiefly taken, from tinie' to lime, to clog, hinder, and
overthrow revivals of religion in the church of God, has
been by his subtle, deceitful manageraent, to beguUe and
raislead those that have been engaged therein ; and in such
a course God has been pleased, in his holy and sovereign
providence, to suffer hira to succeed, oftentiraes, in a great
measure, to overthrow that which, in its beginning, appeared
most hopeful and glorious. The work that is now begun in
New England, is, as I have shown, eminently glorious, and
if it should go on apd prevail, would raake New England a
kind of heaven upon earth : is it not, therefore, a thousand
pities, that it should be overthrown, through wrong and im
proper manageraent, that we are led into by our subtle ad
versary, m our endeavors to promote it 7
In treating of the methods that ought to be taken to pro
mote this work, I would.
First, Take notice, in some instances, wherein fault has
been found with the conduct of those that have appeared to
be the subjects of it, or have been zealous to promote it (as
I apprehend) beyond just cause.

OF ADDRESSES TO THE AFFECTIONh 231
Secondly, I would show what things ought to be cor
rected or avoided.
Thirdly, I would show positively what ought to be done
to promote this gloiious work of God.
I. I would take notice of some things at which offense has
been taken without, or beyond just cause.

SECTION L
The objection that ministers address themselves to the
affections, rather than the understanding.
One thing that has been coraplained of, is ministers' ad
dressing themselves rather to the affections of their hearers,
than to their undei standings, and striving to raise their pas
sions to the utmost height, rather by a very affectionate
manner of speaking, and a great appearance of earnestness,
in voice and gesture, than by clear reasoning, and informing
thek judgment ; by which means it is objected that the af
fections are raoved without a proportionable enlightening of
the understanding.
To which I would say, I am far from thinking that it is
not very profitable for ministers, in their preaching, to en
deavor clearly and distinctly to explain the doctrines of reli
gion, and unravel the difficulties that attend them, and to
confirm them with strength of reason and argumentation,
and also to observe some easy and clear method and order in
their discourses, for the help of the understanding and me
mory ; aud it is very probable that these things have been
of late too rauch neglected by many ministers ; yet I believe
that the objection that is made, of affections raised without
enlightening the understanding, is in a great measure buUt
on a mistake, and confused notions that some have about
the nature and cause of the affections, and the manner in

232 OF VERY EARNEST PREACHING
which they depend on the understanding. All affections are
raised either by light in the understanding, or by sorae er
ror and delusion in the understanding ; for all affections
do certainly arise from some apprehension in the understand
ing, and that apprehension must either he agreeble to truth,
or else be sorae mistake or delusion ; if it be an apprehen
sion or notion that it is agreeable to truth, then it is light in
the understanding. 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 af
fectionate preachers, whence their affections are excited, be
apprehensions thai are agreeable to truth, or whether they
are mistakes. If the forraer, then the affections are raised
the way they should be, viz. by. informing the raind, or con
veying light to the understanding. They go away with a
wrong notion, that think that those preachers cannot affect
their hearers by enlightening their understanding, that do
not do it by such a distinct and learned handling of the doc
trinal points of religion as depends on huraan discipline, or
the strength of natural reason, and tends to enlarge their
hearers' learning and speculative knowiedge in divinity.
The raanner of preaching without this raay be such as shall
tend very much lo set divine and eternal things in a right
view, and to give the hearers such idejas and apprehensions
of them as are agreeable to truth, and such irapressions on
their hearts as are answerable to the real nature of thing-s :
and not only the words that are spoken, but the manner of
speaking, is one thing that has a great tendency to this. T
think an exceeding affectionate way of preaching about the
great things of religion, has. in itself no tendency to beget
false apprehensions of thera ; but- on the contrary, a much
greater tendency to beget true apprehensions of them, than
a moderate, duU, indifferent way of speaking of them. An
appearance of afiection and earnestness in the manner of
delivery, if it be very great indeed, yet if it be agreeable to
the nature of the subject, and be not beyond a proportion to

KNOWLEDGE ALONE NOT SUFFICIENT. 233
its importance and worthiness of affection, and 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 of the subject spoken of, and so to en-
hghten the understanding ; and that for this reason, that
such a way or manner of speaking of these things does in
fact raore truly represent thera, than a more cold and indif
ferent way of speaking of them. If the subject be in its
own nature worthy of very great affection, then a speaking
of it with very great affection is most agi'eeable to the nature
of that subject, or is the truest representation of it, and
therefore has most of a tendency lo beget true ideas of it in
the rainds of those to whora the representation is raade.
And I do not think rainisters are lo 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 beyond a proportion to their
importance or worthiness of affection. I should think my
self in the way of my duty to raise the affections of my
hearers as high as possibly I can, provided that they are af
fected with nothing but truth, and with affections that are
not disagreeable to the nature of what they. are affected- with.
I know it has long been fashionable to despise a veryearnest
and palhetical way of preaching ; and they, and they only,
have been valued as preachers, that have shown the greatest
extent of learning, and strength of reason, and correctness
of method and language ; but I humbly conceive it has
been for want of understanding, or duly considering human
nature, that such preaching has been thought lo have the
greatest tendency lb answer tbe ends of preaching ; and the
experience of the present and past ages abundantly confirms
the sarae. Though, as I said before, clearness of distinction
and illustration, and strength^of reason, and a good raethod,
in the doctrinal handling of the truths of religion, is many
ways needfuland profitable, and not to be neglected, yet an
increase in speculative knowledge in divinity, is not what is
30

234 OP AFFECTIONATE AND
SO much needed by our people, as soraething else. Men
raay abound in this sort of hght, and have no heat. How
rauch has there been of this sort of knowledge, in the Chris
tian world, in this age ! Was there ever an age wherein
strength and penetration of reason, extent of learning, ex
actness of distinction, correctness of style, and clearness of
expression, did so abound 7 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 rehgion? 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 that has the greatest tendency lo do this.
Those texts, Isa. Iviii. 1. " Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy
voice hke a trumpet, aud show my people their transgres
sion, and the house of Jacob their sins." And Ezek. vi. 11.
"Thus saith the Lord God, Sraile with thine hand, and
stamp with thy foot, and say, Alas, for all the eviiabomina-
tion of the house of Israel !" I say these texts (however
the use that some have made of thera has been laughed at)
wUl fully justify a great degree of pathos, and manifestation
of zeal and fervency in preaching the word of God : they
may indeed be abused, to justify that which would be odd
and unnatural, amongst us, not mjiking due allowance for
difference of raanjiers and custora, in, different ages and na
tions ; but let us interpret thera how we wil], they at least
imply, that a most affectionate and earnest manner of deli
very, in raany cases, becomes a preacher of God's word.
Preaching of the word of God is coraraonly spoken of in
scripture in such expressions as seem lo import a loud and
earnest speaking ; as in Isa. xl, 2- " Speak ye corafortably
to Jerusalera, and cry unto her, that her iniquity is par
doned." And V. 3. " The voice of him that crielh in the wil
derness, prepare ye the way of the Lord." v. 7. " The voice
said cry. And he said, what shall I cry ? AU flesh is grass,
and aU .the goodliness thereof, as the flower of the field." Jer.

EARNEST PREACHING. 235
ii. 2. " Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus
saith the Lord, (fee." 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
rae, to preach good tidings to the meek, to proclaim liberty
to the captives, and the opening of the prison to thera that
are bound, lo proclaira the acceptable year of the Lord, and
the year of vengeance of our God." Isa. Ixii. 11. "Behold,
the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world, Say ye
to the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy slavation cometh, &c."
Rom. X. 18. " Their sound went into all the earth, and their
Words to the end of the world." Jer. xi. 6. " Proclaira all
these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jeru
salem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do
them." So chap. xix. 2. and vii. 2. Prov. -viii. 1. " Doth not
wisdom cry, and understanding put forth her voice 7" v. 3, 4.
" She crielh at the gales, at the entry of the city, at the com
ing in at the doors ; unto you, O men, I caU, and ray voice
is lo the sons of raen ?" And chap. i. 20. " Wisdom crielh
without, she utterelh her voice in the streets." chap. ix. 3.
" She hath sent forth her maidens, she crielh 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 corae unto rae and drink."
It seeras to be foretold, that the gospel should be especially
preached in a loud and earnest raanner, at the introduction
of the prosperous stale of rehgion, in the latter days. Isa. xl.
9. " O Zion, thai bringeth good tidings, get thee up into the
high raountain ! O Jerusalem, that bringeth good tidings,
lift up thy voice with strength ! lift up and be not afraid !
Say unto the cities of Judah, behold your God !" Isa. Iii. 7,
8. " How beautiful upon the mountains, are the feet of him
that bringeth good tidings ! Thy watchmen shaU hft up the
voice." Isa. xxvii. .13. " And it shaU come to pass, in that
day, that the great trumpet shaU be blown, and they shall
come which were ready to perish." And this wiU be one

236 OF PREACHING TERROR
way, that the church of God wiU cry at that ti.ine, hke a
travaihng woraan, when Christ ' mystical is going to be
brought forth ; as Rev. 12. at the beginning. It wiU be by
ministers, that are her mouth : and it will be this way that
Christ wiU then cry, like a travaUing woman, as in Isa. xhi.
14. " I have long time holden ray peace : I have been stiU
and refrained rayself ; now will I cry, hke a travailing wo
man." Christ cries by his ministers, and the church cries
by her oflScers. And it is worthy to be noted, that the word
commonly used in the new testament, that we translate
preach, properly signifies to proclaim aloud like a crier.

SECTION II.
Ministers blamed for speaking terror to those who are
already under great terrors.
Another thing that some ministers' have been greatly
blamed for, and I think unjustly, is speaking terror to them
that 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 than it is, or in any respect
otherwise than it is, they are to the condemned ; but if they
terrify them only by still holding forth more light to thera,
and giving them to understand raore of the truth of their
case, they are altogether to be justified. When sinners' con
sciences are greatlj^ awakened by the Spirit of God, it is by
light imparted lo the conscience, enabling them to see their
case to be, in some measare, as it is ; and if raore light be
let in, it wiU terrify thera slUl raore : but ministers are not
thei-efore to be blamed that they endeavor to hold forth more
hght lo the conscience, and do not rather alleviate the pain
they are under, by intercepting and obstructing that light

TO THE DISTRESSED. 237
that shines already. To say anything to those who have
never believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, to represent their
case any otherwise than exceeding tenible, is not to preach
the word of God to thera ; for the word of God reveals no
thing but truth, but this is to delude thera. Why should we
be afraid lo let persons that are in an infinitely miserable
condition, know the truth, or bring thera into the light, for
fear it should terrify them 7 It is light that must convert thera,
if ever they are converted. The more we bring sinners into
the light, whUe they are miserable, and the light is terrible
to thera, the raore hkely it is, that by and by the light wiU
be joyful to thera. The ease, peace, and corafort, that natu
ral men enjoy, have their foundation in darkness and bhnd-
ness ; therefore as that darkness Vanishes, and light
comes in, thek peace vanishes, and they are terrified : but
that is no good argument why we should endeavor to hold
their darkness, that we may uphold their comfort. The
truth is, that as long as men reject Christ, and do not saving
ly believe in him, however they may be awakened, and how
ever 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 chUdren of the devil ; (as the scripture
calls aU that be not savingly converted. Mat. xiii. 38. I John
iii. 10.), and it is uncertain whether Ihey shall ever obtain
mercy : God is under no obligation to show thera raercy,
nor will he be if they fast and pray and cry never so rauch ;
and they are then especially provoking God under those ter
rors, that they stand it out against Christ, and will not ac
cept of an offered Savior, though they see so much need
of hira : and seeing this is the truth, they should be told so,
that they may be sensible what (heir case indeed is.
To blame a minister for thus declaring the truth to those
who are under awakenings, and not immediately administer
ing corafort lo them, is like blaniing 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

238 TRUTH TERRIBLE TO THOSE
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 imraediately to apply a plaster, to
skin over the wound, and leave the core untouched, would
be one that would heal the hurlshghlly, crying Peace, peace,
when there is no peace.
Indeed something else besides terror is to be preached to
thera, whose consciences are awakened. The gospel is to be
preaclied to thera : they are to be told that there is a Savior
provided, that is excellent and glorious, who has shed his
precious blood for sinners, and is every way sufficient to save
thera, that stands ready to receive thera, if they will heartily
erabrace 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 ease is, should be earnestly invited to come
and accept pf a Savior, and yield their hearts unto him, with
all the winning, encouraging arguraents, for them so to do,
¦that the gospel affords : but this is to induce thera to escape
frora the misery of the condition that they are now in : but
not to rnake them think their present condition less misera
ble than it is, or at all to abate their uneasiness and distress,
while ihey are in it : that would be the way to quiet them,
and fasten thera in it, and not lo excite them lo fl}' from it.
Comfort, in one sense, is to be held forth, to sinners under
awakenings of conscience, i. a comfort is to be offered to them
in Christ, on condition of their flying from their present
miserable state, to him r but comfort is not to be adminis
tered to them, in their present state, as any thing that they
have now any title to, or while out of Christ. No comfort is
lo be administered to thera, frora any thing in them, any of
their qualifications, prayers, or other perforraances, past, pre
sent, or future ; but ministers should, in such cases, strive to
their utmost to take all such comforts from them, though it

WHO REJECT CHRIST. 239
greatly increases their terror. A person that sees himself
ready to sink into hell, is ready to strive, some way or other,
to lay God under some obhgation to him ; but he is to be
beat off from every thing of that nature, though it greatly in
creases his terror to see hiraself wholly destitute, on every
side, 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 ter
ror, and endeavors to catch hold on every twig within his
reach, and he that pulls away those twigs frora him, increases
his terror ; yet if they are insufficient to save hira, and by
being in his way, prevent his looking to that which wUI save
him, to pull thera away is necessary to save his life.
If sinners are in any distress, from any error that they era-
brace, 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 unpardonable sin, or that those things
have happened to thera that are certain signs of reprobation,
or any other delusion, such terrors have no tendency to do
thera any good ; for these terrors are frora teraptation, and
not from conviction : but that terror which arises from con
viction, or a sight of truth, is to be increased ; for those that
are most awakened, have great i-emaining stupidity, they
have a sense of but httle of that which is ; and it is from re
maining blindness and darkness, that they see no rnore ; and
that remaining blindness is a disease, that we ought to en
deavor lo remove. I ara not afraid to tell sinners, that are
raost sensible of their raisery^ that.their case is indeed as mi
serable as they think it to be, and a thousand times more so ;
for this is the truth. Sonie may be ready to say (hat though
it be the truth, yet the truth is not to be spoken at all times,
and seems not to bs seasonable then : but it seems to me,
such truth is never more seasonable than at such' a time,
when Christ is beginning lo open the eyes of conscience.
Ministers ought lo act as co-workers with hiin ; lo take'that
opportunity, and lo the utmost lo improve that advantage,
and strike while the iron is hot, and when the light has be-

240 THE CASE OP MELANCHOLY,
gun to shine, then to remove aU obstacles, and use aU proper
means, that it may come in more fully, and the work be done
thoroughly then. 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 frora sinners in distress of conscience, and that is
the case of melancholy : and it is not to be withheld from
them then, because the truth tends to do them hurt, but be
cause if we speak the truth to them, sometimes they will be
deceived, and led into error' by it, through that strange dispo
sition there is in them, to take things wrong. So that that
which, as it is spoken, is truth ; as it is heard and received,
and apphed by thera, is falsehood ; as it will be, unless the
truth be spoken -with abundance of caution and prudence,
and consideration of their disposition and circumstances. But
the most awful truths of God's word ought not lo be with
held frora pubhc congregations, because it may happen that
some such melancholic persons may be in it ; any more than
the Bible is 10 be withheld from the Christian world, because
it is manifest that there are a great many melancholic per
sons in Christendom, that exceedingly 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 terrifying
preaching that has of late been in New England, viz. that
there have, been some instances of melancholic persons that
have so abused it, that the issue has been the murder of
themselves. The objection from hence is no stronger against
awakening preaching, than it is against the Bible itself
There are hundreds, and probably thousands of instances,
might be produced, of persons that have murdered thera-
selves, under religious melancholy : these murders probably

OF FRIGHTENING CHILDREN. 241
never would have been, if it had not been for the Bible, or if
the world had remained 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 mur
ders, that have been coraraitled, in the persecutions that have
been raised, that never would have been, if it had not been
for the Bible. Many whole countries have been, as it were,
deluged with innocent 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 common in all ages, and all Chris
tian countries, that a very great part of those that sit under
the gospel, do so abuse it, that it only proves an occasion of
their far raore aggravated damnation, and so of men's eter
nally murdering their souls ; which is an effect infinitely
more terrible than the murder of their bodies. It is as un
just 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 raanner they were capable of, as it
would be to lay the blame of hardening men's hearts, and
blinding their eyes, and their more dreadful eternal damna
tion, to the prophet Isaiah, or Jesus Christ, because this was
the consequence of their preaching, with respect lo many of
their hearers. Isa. vi. 10. John ix. 39, Mat. xiii. 14.
Though a very few have abused the awakening preaching
that has lately been, to so sad an Teffect as to be the cause of
their own temporal death; yet it may" be, lo one such in
stance, there have been hundreds, yea, thousands, that have
been saved, by this raeans, from eternal death.
What has more especiaUy given offense to many, and
raised a loud cry against some preachers, as though their
conduct were intolerable, is their frighting poor innocent
children, with talk cf hell-fire, and eternal damnation. But
if those that complain so loudly of this, really believe,
what is the general profession of the country, viz. that all
31

242 OF PREACHING TERROR TO CHILDREN.
are by nature 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 lo eternal destruction,
under the wrath of Almighty God : I say, if they really be
lieve this, then such a complaint and cry as this betrays a
great deal of weakness and inconsideration. As innocent as
children seem to be lo us, yet, if they are out of Christ, they
are not so in God's sight, but are young vipers, and are infi
nitely more hateful than vipers, and are in a most miserable
condition, as well as gi'own persons ; and they are naturally
very senseless and stupid, being born as the wild ass's colt,
and need rauch to awaken them. Why should we conceal
the truth from them 7 Will those children that have been
dealt tenderly with, in this respect, and lived and died insen
sible of their misery, tiU they come lo feel it ih hell, ever
thank parents, and others, for their tenderness, in not letting
thera know what they were in danger of? If parents' love
towards their children was not blind, it would affect them
much more, lo see their chUdren every day exposed to eter
nal burnings, and yet senseless, than lo see thera suffer the
distress of that awakening, that is necessary in order totheir
escape from them, and that tends to their being eternally
happy, as the chUdren, of God. A child that has a danger
ous wound, raay 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-
rougVily with children, in the concerns of their souls, without
sparing them at all, in raany instances ; and never knew^
any iU consequence of it, in any one instance.

SPENDING MUCH TIME IN RELIGION. 243

SECTION III.
The objection of having so frequent religious meetings,
and spending so much time in religion.
Another thing, that a great deal has been said against,
is having so frequent religious meetings, and spending so
rauch time in religion. And indeed there are none of the
externals of religion, but what are capable of excess : and I
beheve it is true, that there has not been a due proportion ob
served in religion of late. We have placed religion too much
in the external duties of the first table ; we have abounded in
religious meetings, and in praying, reading, hearing, singing,
and religious conference ; and there has not been a propor
tionable increase of zeal for deeds of charity, and other duties
of the second table ; (though it must be acknowledged that
they are also much increased,) But yet it appears to me,
that this objection of persons' spending too much time in re
ligion, has been in the general groundless. Though worldly
business must be done, and peisons ought not to neglect the
business of their particular callings, yet it is to the honor of
God, that a people should be so much in outward acts of re
ligion, as to carry in it a visible, pubhc appearance, of a great
engagedness of mind in it, as the main business of life : and
especially is it fit, that at such an extraoidinary lime, when
God appears unusually present with a people, in wonderful
w^orks of power and raercy, that they should spend raore time
than usual in religious exercises, to put honor upon that God
that is then extraordinarily present, and to seek his face ; as
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 continued daily,
with one accord, in the temple, and breaking bread from
house to house." And so it was at Ephesus, at a time of

244 SECULAR BUSINESS SHOULD SOMETIMES
great outpouring of the Spirit there ; the (Jhristians there at
tended public religious exercises, every day for two years to
gether. Acts xix. 8, 9, 10. " And he went into the syna
gogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, dis
puting and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of
God : but when divers were hardened, and believed not, but
spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from
them, and sepaiated the disciples, disputing daily in the
school of 9ne Tyrannus. And this continued by the space
of two years ; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the
word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks." And as to
the grand objection of six days shalt thou labor, all that
can be understood by it, and all that the very objectors them
selves understand by it, is that we may follow our secular la
bors in those six days, that are not the sabbath, and ought to
be diligent in thera : not but that soraetimes we may turn frora
them, even within those six days, to keep a day of fasting, or
thanksgiving, or to attend a lecture; and that more fre
quently or rarely, as God's providence and the stale of things
shaU call us, according to the best judgment of our discre-
tioiii Though secular business, as I said before, ought not to be
neglected, yet I cannot see how it can be maintained, that
religion ought not to be attended, so as in the least to injure
our temporal affaks, on any other principles than those of in-
fideUty.' ;No one objects against injuring one temporal affair
for the sake of another temporal affair of inuch greater im
portance ; and therefore, if eternal things are as real as tem
poral things, and are indeed of infinitely greater importance ;
theci why may we not voluntarily suffer, in some measure,
in our temporal concerns, while we are seeking eternal riches,
and immortal glory 7 It is looked upon no way improper
for a whole nation to spend considerable time, and much of
their outward substance, on some extraordinary temporal oc
casions, for the sake only of the ceremonies of a pubhc re
joicing; and it would be thought dishonorable to be very

GIVE WAV TO RELIGION. 246
exact about what we spend,- or careful lest we injure our es
tates, 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 honor upon him, and seek our
own eternal happiness 7 We should take heed that none of
us be in any wise hke -Judas, who greatly complained of
needless expense, and waste of outward substance, to put ho
nor upon Christ, when Mary broke her box,- and poured the
precious ointment on his head : he had indignation within
himself on that account, and cries out, " Wliy was this waste
of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for
more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the
poor." Mark xiv. 3, 4, 5, (fee, and John xii. 4, 5, (fee.
And besides, if the raatter be justly considered and ex
amined, I beheve it wUl be found, that the country has lost
no time from their temporal affaks by the late revival of reli
gion, but have rather gained time ; and that more time has
been saved from frolicking and tavern haunting, idleness, un
profitable visits, vain talk, fruitless pastimes, and needless
diversions, than has lately been spent in extraordinary reli
gion ; and probably five tiraes as rauch has been saved in
persons' estates, at the tavern, and in their apparel,' as has
been spent by rehgious meetings.
The great complaint that is made against so rauch time
spent in religion, cannot be in general from a real concern
that God raay be honored, and his will done, and the best
good of raen proraoted ; as is verj^ raanifest from this, that
now there is a much more earnest and zealous outcry raade
in the country against this extraordinary religion, than was
before against so much time spent in tavern haunting, vain
company keeping, night walking, and other things which
wasted both our tirae and substance, and injured our moral
virtue. The frequent preaching, that has lately been, has in a par
ticular manner been objected against as unprofitable and pre-

246 OF FREQUENT PREACHING.
judicial. It is objected that when sermons are heard so very
often, one sermon tends lo thrust out another ; so that persons
lose the benefit of aU : they say two or three sermons in a
week is as much as they can remember and digest. Such
objections against fcequent 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 that is obtained by preaching, is by impression made
upon the raind in the time of it, and not by any effect that
arises afterwaids by a -remembrance of what was delivered.
A^nd 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 impression the words made on
the heart in the lime of it ; and the memory profits as it re
news and increases that impression ; and a frequent inculca
ting the more important things of rehgion in preaching, has
no tendency to rase out out such impressions, but lo increase
them, and fix thera deeper and deeper in the raind, as is
found by experience. It never used to be objected against,
that persons, upon the sabbath, afler they have heard
two sermons that day, should go home, and spend the re
maining part of the sabbath in reading the scriptures, and
printed sermons ; which, in proportion as it has a tendency
to affect the mind at all, has as much of a tendency
lo drive out what they have heard, as if they heard, another
sermon preached. It seems lo 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 and 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 be
fore ; nor did Christians avoid going every day to hear, for
fear, of any such bad effect, as is evident by Acts ii. 42, 46.
There are some things in scripture that seem lo signify as
much, as that there should be preaching in an extraordinary

FREQUENT PREACHING FORETOLD. 147
frequency, at the time when God should be about to inti-o-
duce that flourishing state of religion that should be in the
latter days ; as that in Isa. Ixii. at the beginning : " For
Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, for Jerusalem's sake
I will not rest ; untU the righteousness thereof go forth as
brightness, and the salvation thereof, as a lamp thatburneth :
and the Gentiles shaU see thy righteousness, and all kings thy
glory." And ver. -5, 6. " For as a young man raarrielh a vk-
gin, so shall thy sons marry thee : and as the bridegroom re-
joiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. I
have set watchmen upon thy waUs, O Jerusalem, which shall
never hold their peace, day nor night." The destruction of
the city of Jericho, is evidently, in all its circumstances, in
tended by God as a great type of the overthrow of Satan's
kingdom ; the priests blowing with trumpets at that time,
represents ministers preaching the gospel ; the people com
passed the city seven days, the priests blowing the trumpets ;
but" when the day was come that the walls of the city were
to faU, the priests were more frequent and abundant in blow
ing 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 came to one long and perpetual blast, and then the
walls of the city feU down flat. The extraordinary preach
ing, that shall be at the beginning of that glorious jubilee of
the church, is represented by the extraordinary sounding of
trumpets throughout the land of Canaan, at the beginning
of the year of jubilee ; and by the reading of the law before
aU Israel, in the year of release, at the feast of tabernacles.
And the crowing of the cock, at the break of day, which
brought Peter lo 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
preaching of the gospel that shall be at the dawning of the
day of the church's light and glory. And there seems at

248 OP MAKING MUCH OP OUTCRIES.
this day to be an uncommon hand of Divine Providence, in
animating, enabling, and upholding sorae ministers in such
abundant labors.

SECTION IV.
Ministers blamed for making much of outcries, faintings,
and bodily effects.
Another thing wherein I think some ministers have
been injured, is in being very rauch blamed for making so
much of outcries, faintings, and other bodily effects ; speak
ing of them as tokens of the presence of God, and arguments
of the success of preaching; seeming lo strive- to their ut
most 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 T would observe, in the first place, that
there are many things,, with respect to cryings out, falhng
down, (fee, that are charged on rainisters, that they are not
guUty of Some -ti'ould have it that they speak of these
things as certain evidences of a work of the Spirit of God on
the hearts of their hearers, or that they esteem these bodUy
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, aud
supposing that persons cannot be converted without thera ;
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 bf the success of preaching, it seems
lo me they are not to be blamed ; because I think they are
so indeed : and therefore when I see them excited by preach
ing the important truths of God's word, urged and enforced

OUTCRIES MAT SHOW GOD's PRESENCE. 249
by proper arguments and motives, or as consequent on any
other means that are good, I do not scruple to speak of them,
and to rejoice in them, and bless God for thera as such ; and
that for this (as I think) good reason, viz. that frora tirae to
time, upon proper inquiry and examination, and observation
of the consequences and fruits, I have found thai these are
all evidences that the persons in whom these effects appear,
are under the influences of God's Spirit in such cases. Cry-
rags out, in such a manner, and with such circumstances as
I have seen them from tirae to tirae, is as rauch an evidence
lo me, of the general cause it proceeds from, as language :
I have learned the meaning of it the same way that persons
learn the meaning of language, viz. by use and experience.
I confess that when I see a great crying out in a congregation,
in the manner that I have seen it, when those things are
held forth to them that are worthy of their being greatly af
fected by, I rejoice in it much more than merely in an ap
pearance of solemn attention, and a show of affection by
weeping ; and that because when there have been those out
cries, I have found from time to tirae a much greater and
more exceUent effect. To rejoice that the work of God is
carried oh calmly, without much ado, is in effect to rejoice
that it is can-ied on with less power, or -that there is not so
rauch of the influence of God's Spirit : for though the de
gree of the influence of the Spirit of God on particular per
sons is by no means to be judged of by tbe degree of exter
nal appearances, because of the different constitutions, tem
pers, and circumstances of men ^ yet if there be a very pow
erful 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 aU raeans to bring a congregation lo that pass, that^there
should be such an uproar among thera ; 1 suppose none aim
at it any otherwise, than as they strive to raise the affections
of thek hearers to such a height as very often appears in
these effects ; and if it be so, that those affections are com-
32

250 OF KEEPING THE AFFECTED TOGETHER.
monly good, and it be found by experience that such a de
gree of them coraraonly has a good effect, I think they are
to be justified in so doing.

SECTION V.
Ministers blamed for keeping persons together that are
under great affections.
Again, some ministers have been blamed for keeping per
sons together, that have been under great affections, which
have appeared in such extraordinary outward manifestations.
Many think this promotes confusion, that persons in such
circumstances do but discompose each others' minds, and dis
turb 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 mani
festations of it, they should be removed that others' minds
may not be diverted.
But I cannot hut think that those that 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 this will be the way in time to have such appearances
lose -all their effect ; yet the unavoidable manifestations of
strongs rehgious affections tend to a happy influence on the
minds of by-standers, and are found by experience to have
an exceUent 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 which God
makes use of as a principal means Of carrying on his work
at such an extraordinary, time, viz. example ; which is often

THE HAPPY INFLUENCE OF EXAMPLE. 251
spoken of in scripture as one of the chief means by which
God would carry on his work, in the time of the prosperity
of religion in the latter days : I have raentioned sorae texts
already to this purpose, in what I published before, of the
m,arks of a work of the true Spirit ; but would here raen-
tion some others. In Zech. ix. 15, 16., those that in the
latter day should be fiUed in an extraordinary manner with the
Holy Spirit, so as to appear in outward manifestations, and
making a noise, are spoken of as those thai God, in these
uncommon circumstances, will set up to the view of others,
as a prize or ensign, by their example and the excellency of
their attainments, lo 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 raake a noise, as through wine ; and they
shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar : and
the Lord their God shaU 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." (But I shall have
occasion to say something more of this scripture afterwards.)
Those that make the objection I ara upon, instead of suffer
ing this prize or ensign to be in pubhc view, are for having
it reraoved, and hid in some corner. To the hke purpose is
that, Isa. Ixii. 3. " Thou shalt be a crown of gloi-y in the
hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem, in the hand of thy
God." Here it is observable, that it is not said. Thou shalt
be a crown iipon the head, but in the hand of the Lord, i. e.
held forth in thy beauty and excellency, as a prize, to be be
stowed upon others that shall behold thee, and be animated
by the brightness and lustre which God shall endow thee
with. The great influence of the example of God's people,
in thek bright and exceUent attainments, to propagate reli
gion in those days, is further signified in Isa^ Ix. 3. " And the
Gentiles shaU come to thy hght, 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.

252 OF M^CH AND EARNEST SPEAKING.
X. 8, 9. '¦'¦ And they shall increase, as they have increased ;
and I will sow them among the people." And Hos. u. 23.
" And I wiU sow her unto me in the earth." So Jer. xxxi.
27.

SECTION VI.
Objection against speaking much, and with great ear
nestness, by persons affected.
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 impor
tance of divine and eternal things, and lo be so passionately
warning, inviting, and entreating others. Concerning which
I would say, that I am far from thinking that such a dispo
sition should be wholly without aUy limits or regulation (as
I shall more particularly show afterwards) ; and I beheve
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 reason and scripture will justify. Those
that are offended at such things, as though they were unrea
sonable, are not just : upon examination it wiU probably be
found that they have one rule of reasoning about temporal
things, and another about spiritual things. They wiU not
at aU wonder, if a person, on soine very great and affecting
occasion of extraordinary danger or great joy, that eminently
and iraraediately concerns him and others, is disposed to
speak much, and with .great earnestness, especially to those
to whom he is united in the bonds of dear affection, and
great concern for their good. And therefore if they were

OP EARNEST AND MUCH TALKING. 253
just, why would not they allow it in spiritual things ? And
rauch m^ore in thera, agreeably to the vastly greater irapor-
tance, aud 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 aU his glorious perfections and works 7
That a very great sense, of the right kind, of the impor
tance of the things of rehgion, and the danger sinners are
in, should sometimes cause an almost insuperable disposition
to speak and warn others, is agreeable lo Jer. vi. 10, 11.
" To whora shall I speak and give warning, that they may
hear 7 Behold, their ear is unciroumcised, and they cannot
hearken : behold, the word of the Lord is unto them a re
proach'; they have no dehghl in it. Therefore I am fuU of
the fury of the Lord ; I ara weary with holding in ; I wiU
pour it out upon the chUdren abroad, ahd Upon the assembly
of the young raen together ; for even the husband with the
¦wife shall be taken, the aged, with hini"'that is fuU of days."
And that true Christians, when they come to be, as it werej
waked out of sleep, and to be filled with a sweet and joyful
sense of the exceUent things of religion, by the preaching of
the gospel, or by other means of grace, should be disposed to
be much in speaking of divine things, though before they
were dumb, is agreeable to what Christ says to his church.
Cant. vn. 9. " And the roof of thy mouth is like the best
wine, for my beloved, that _goeth down sweetly, causing the
lips of those that are asleep lo speak." The roof of the
church's mouth, is the ofiicers of the church that preach the
gospel ; their word is to Christ's beloved, hke the best wine,
that goes down sweetly,; extraordinarfly refreshing and en
livening the saints, causing them to speak, though before
they were mute and asleep. It is said by sojne that the
people, that are the subjects of this work, when they get to
gether, talking loud and earnestly in thek pretended great
joys, several in a room talking at the same tirae, make a

254 OP THE NOISE PERSONS MAKE
noise just like a company of drunken persons; On which I
would observe, that it is foretold that God's people should do
BO,' in that forementioned place, Zech. ix. 15, 16, 17., which
I shall now take more particular notice of: the words are as
follows : " The Lord of hosts shall defend them ; and they
shall devour and subdue with sUng stones ; and they shall
drink, and rnake a noise, as through -wine, and they shall be
fiUed like bowls, and as the corners of the altar : and the
Lord their Gpd shall save thera 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 good
ness ! and how great is his beauty ! Corn shall raake the
young raen cheerful, and new wine the raaids." The words
are very remarkable : here it is foretold, that at the time
when Chiist shall set up a universal kingdom upon eai'th,
ver. 20., the chUdren of Zion shall drink tiU they are filled
like the vessels of the sanctuary ; and if we would know
what they shaU be thus -fiUed with, the prophecy does in ef
fect explain itself : they shall he fiUed as the vessels of the
sanctuary that contained the drink offering, which was wine ;
and yet the words imply that it shall not hteraUy be -wine
that they shaU drink and be filled with, because it is said
Ihey shall drink and make a noise, as through wine, as if
they had di'ank wine ; which imphes that they had not
literally done it, and therefore we must understand the words,
that they shaU drink into that, and be fiUed with that, which
the wine of the drink offering represented, or was a type of,
which is the Holy Spirit, as well as the blood of Christ, that
new wine that is drank in our heavenly Father's kingdom :
they shaU be fiUed 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 tl^e lips of those that are asleep to speak. It is
here foretold that the children of Zion, in the latter days,
should be fiUed with that which should make them cheerful.

WHEN TOGETHER UNDER GREAT AFFECTIONS, 255
and cause them to make a noise as through wine, and by
which these joyful, happy personsj that are thus filled, shaU
be as the stones of a crown hfted up as an ensign upon God's
land, being raade joyful in the extraordinary manifestations
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 it is here foretold that it should
be thus especiaUy araongst young people ; Corn shall make
the young men cheerful, and new wine the maids. It
would be ridiculous to understand this of hteral bread and
wine : without doubt, the same spiritual blessings are signi
fied by bread and wine here, which were represented by
Melchizedeck'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
agi-eeable to that in Canticles, of the best wine's 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 disgusted both with crying
out with -distress and with joy. When the poor bhnd man
cried out before aU 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, Mark x. 46, 47, 48., and Luke xviii. 38, 39.
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 araong the multitude. And
when Christ made his solemn and triumphant entry into
Jerusalem, (which, I have before observed, was a type of the
glory and triumph of the latter days,) the whole multitude
of the disciples, of aU sorts, especially young people, began
to rejoice and praise God, with a loud v(Sice, for aU the
mighty works that 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-

256 OP MANY SPEAKING TOGETHER,
derstand such great transports of joy ; it seemed to them a
very unsuitable and. indecent noise and clamor that they
raade, a confused uproar, raany crying out together, as
though they were out of their wits ; tliey wondered that
Christ would tolerate it. But what says Christ ? 1 tell you,
that if these should hold their peace, the stones would im
mediately cry out. The words seera to intiraate as much
as that there was cause enough to constrain those whose
hearts were not harder than the very sloiieg, 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 that are next to thera ; some attending
to what one says, and others to another, there is something
very beautiful in it, provided they do not speak so many as
to drov/n each others? voices, that none can hear what any
say ; there is a greater and more affecting appearance of a
joint engagedness 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 conversatiout When a multitude meets on any occasion
of lempor^ rejoicing, freely and cheerfully to converse to
gether, ihey be not wont to observe the ceremony, of but one
speaking at a lime, whUe 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,
and the solemnity of preaching. It is better for, lay persons,
when Ihey speak one lo another of the things, of God, when
they meet together to speak, after the manner of. Christian
conversation, than., to observe the formality of but one speak
ing at a lime, the whole multitude silently and solemnly
attending to what he says ; which would carry in, it loo
much of the air of the authority and solemnity of preaching.
What the apostle says, 1 Cor. xiv. 29, 30, 31.^ " Lei the
prophets speak, two, or three, and let the other judge : if any

OF FREtiUENT SINGING. 257
thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold
his peace ; for ye may all prophesy, one by one, that all
may learn, and aU may be comforted ;" I say, this does not
reach this case ; because what the apostle is speaking of, is
the solemnity of their rehgious exercises, in public worship,
and persons speaking in the church by immediate inspira
tion, and in the use of the gift of prophecy, or sorae gift of
inspiration, in the exercise of which they acted as extraordi
nary ministers of Christ.

SECTION vn.
Some find fault with so onuch singing in religious
meetings.
Another thing that some have found fault withj is
abounding so much in singing in religious meetings. Ob
jecting against such a thing as this, seems to arise from a
suspicion already established of this work : they doubt of
the pretended extraordinary 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 extraor
dinary degree of divine love, and heavenly rejoicing in God,
I suppose they would not wonder at thek having a disposi
tion to be much in praise. They will not object against the
saints and angels in heaven singing praises and baUelujahs
to God, without ceasing, day or night ; and therefore doubt
less wiU allow, that the raore the saints on earth are like
thera in their dispositions, the more they wUl be disposed to
do hke them. They wiU readily own that the generality of
Christians have great reason to be ashamed that they have
so Utile thankfulness, and ai'e no more in praising God,
whom they have such infinite cause lo praise : and why
therefore should Christians be found fault with for showing
33

258 OF HYMNS OF HUMAN COMPOSURE.
a dispdsition to be much in praising God, and manifesting a
delight in that heavenly exercise ? To complain of this, is
to be too much hke the Pharisees, who were disgusted when
the multitude of the disciples began lo 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 wiU very much abound in, in the ap
proaching glorious day. So on the seventh day of com
passing 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 ex
traordinary shouting and singing of the whole congregation
of Israel. And the places in the prophecies of scripture,
that signify that the church of God, in that glorious jubilee
that is foretold, shall greatly abound in singing and shouting
forth the praises of God, are too raany lo be mentioned.
And there wiU be cause enough for it : I believe it wiU be a
lime wherein both heaven and earth wiU be much more fuU
of joy and piraise than ever they were before.
But what is more especially found fault with in the sing
ing that is now practiced, is making use of hymns of human
composure. And I am far from thinking that the book of
psalms should be thrown by in our pubhc vvorship, but that
it should always be used in the Christian church, to the end
of the world : but I know of no obligation we are under lo
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 r and I can see no reason why we
should limit ourselves 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 supplication. And it is really needful

OF CHILDRENs' MEETINGS. 259
that we should have some other songs besides the psalms of
David : it is unreasonable lo suppose that the Christian
church, should forever, 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 raost glorious things of the gospel, that are infinitely
the greatest subjects of her praise, are spoken of under a
veil, and not so rauch as the narae of our glorious Redeemer
ever raentioned, but in sorae dark figure, or as hid under the
narae of 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
-worshiping assembly, excepting one only, makes use of the
words that are conceived by him that speaks for the rest.

SECTION vni.
Many dislike the religious meetings of children, to read
and pray together.
Another thing that many have disliked, is the rehgious
meetings of chUdren, to read and pray together, and perform
religious exercises by themselves. What is objected, is chil
dren's want of that knowledge and discretion that is requisite
in order to a decent and profitable management of rehgious
exercises. But it appears to rae the objection is not sufficient :
chUdren, as they have the nature of raen, are inclined to
society ; and those of them that 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 inchned by a reli
gious disposition that they have from the Spirit of God, to
improve their society one -with another, in a religious man
ner, and to religious puiposes, who should forbid them ? If
they have not discretion to observe method in their religious

260
performances, or to speak sense in all that they say in prayer,
they may, notwithstanding, have a good raeaning, and God
understands them, and it does not spoU or interrupt their de
votion one with another. We that are grown persons, have
¦defects in our prayers, that are a thousand times worse in
the sight of God, and are a greater confusion, and raore ab
surd nonsense in his eyes, than their childish indiscretions.
There is not so rauch difference before God, between chUdren
and -grown persons, as we are ready to- imagine ; we are aU
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 araongst
persons in their childhood, as has been of late in New Eng
land : he has been pleased in a wonderful manner to perfect
praise out of the tnouths of habes and sucklings ; and many
of them have more of that knowledge and wisdom, that
pleases him, and renders their religious worship acceptable,
than many of the great and learned men of the world : it
is they, in the sight of God, are the ignorant and foohsh
chUdren : these are giown men, and a hundred years old,
in comparison with them ; and it is to be hoped that the
days are coming, prophesied of Isa. Ixv. 20., when " the
child shall die a hundred years old."
I have seen many happy effects of children's rehgious
noeetings ; and God has seemed often reraarkably to own
them in their meetings, and really descended frora heaven to
be aanongst them : I have known several probable instances
of chUdren being converted at such meetings. I should
therefore think, that if chUdren appear to be reaUy moved to
it, by a religious disposition, and not merely from a chUdish
affectation of imitating grown persons, they ought by no
means to be discouraged or discountenanced : but yet it is
fit that care should be taken of thera, by their parents, and
pastors, to instruct and direct them, and to correct imprudent
conduct and irregularities, if they are perceived ; or any

OF cmLDRENs' MEETINGS. 261
thing by wliich the devU may pervert and destroy the design
of their meetings. AU should lake heed that they do not
find fault with, and despise the religion of children, from an
evU principle, lest they should . be like the chief priests and
scribes, who were sore displeased at the religious worship and
praises of little chUdren, and the honor they gave Christ in
the temple. We have an account of it, and of what Christ
said upon it, in Mat. xxi. 15, 16. " And when the chief
priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and
the chUdren 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 7 And Jesus saith unto
them. Yea, have ye never read. Out of the mouths of babes
and sucklings, thou hast perfected praise ?"

THOUGHTS ON THE REVIVAL, &c.

PART IV.

SHOWING WHAT THINGS ARE TO BE CORRECTED OR
AVOIDED IN PROMOTING THIS WORK, OR IN OUR BE
HAVIOR 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 promote it, has been objected
against, or complained of, without or beyond just cause, I
proceed now, in the
Second place, to show what things ought to be corrected
or avoided.
Many that 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 raouths of opposers, that they are prejudiced against
the sound ; and they look upon it that that which is called
a being prudent and regular, which is so rauch insisted
on, is no other than being asleep, or cold and dead in reli
gion, and that the great iraprudence that is so much cried
out ofy is only being ahve, and engaged in the things of God :
and they are therefore rather confirmed in any practice, than
brought off frora it, by the claraor they hear against it, as
iraprudent and iiTegular. And to tell the truth, the cry of
irregularity and iraprudence has been rauch more in the
mouths of those that have been enemies to the main of the
work, than others ; for they have watched for the halting of

264 THE ART OP THE DEVIL
the zealous, and eagerly catched at any thing that has been
wrong, and have greatly insisted on it, raade the raost of it,
and magnified it ; especially have they watched for errors
in zealous preachers, that are much in reproving and con
demning 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
off, 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 rauch in
sisted on, and raagnified 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 rainds of some, that they have been ready lo think that
aU that has been said about errors and imprudences, was in
jurious, and from an ill spirit ; and has confirmed thera in
it, and there is no such thing as any prevailing irapru-
dences ; and it has raade thera less cautious and suspicious
of theraselves, lest they should err. Herein the devil has had
an advantage put into his hands, and has taken the advan
tage ; and, doubtless, has been loo subtle for sorae of the
true friends of religion. That would be a strange thing
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 unprudence ; it would be such
a revival of religion as never yeas yet, if among so many
men, not guided by infallible inspiration, there had not been
prevailing a pretty many notable errors in judgment and
conduct : our young preachers, and young converts, must in
general vastly exceed Luther, the head of the reformation,
who was guUty of a great many excesses in that great af
fair in which God raade hira 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 to drive

TO DRIV& MEN TO EXTREMES. 265
them to excesses and extravagances. He holds them back
as long as he can, but when he can do it no longer, then he
will push thera on, and if possible, run ihera upon their
heads. And it has been by this means chiefly, that he has
been successful, in several instances, to overthrow rnost hope
ful and promising beginnings : yea, the principal means by
which the devil was successful, by degrees, to overset that
grand religious revival of the world, that was in the primi
tive ages of Christianity, and in a manner to overthrow the
Christian church through- the earth, and to make. way for,
and. hring on the great Antichristian apostasy, that raasler-
piece of aU the devil's works, was to improve the indiscreet
zeal of Chrisrians, to drive them into those three extreraes,
of enthusiasm, superstition, and severity towards oppo
sers ; which should be enough for an everlasting warning
to the Christian church.
Though the devU wiU do his dUigence to stir up the open
eneraies of religion,, yet he knows what is for his interest so
well, that in a tirae of revival of religi(3n, his raain strength
shall be tried with the friends of it, and he wiU phiefly exert
himself in his attempts upon thera, to raislead them. One
truly zealous person, in the time of such an event, that seeras
lb have a great hand in llie affair, and draws the eyes of
raany upn him, may do more (through Satan's being too
subtle for him) to hinder the work, than a hundred great, and
strong, and open, opposers.
In the tirae of a great work of Christ, his hands, with
which he works, are often wounded in the house of his
friends ; and his work hindered chiefly by them : so that if
any one inquires, as in Zech. xiu. 6., " What are those
wounds in thine hands ?" He may answer, those with which
I was wounded in the house of my friends.
The errors of the friends of the work of God, and especially
of the great promoters of it, give vast advantage to the ene
mies of such a work. Indeed there are raany things that are
no errors, but ai-e only duties faithfuUy and thoroughly done,
34

266 OF THE ILL eoNSEClUENCES OP ERUORS.
that wound the rainds of such persons more, and are more
cross to them, than real errors : but yet one real error ^ves
opposersas much advantage, and hinders and clogs the work,
as much as ten that are only supposed ones. Real errors do
not fret and gaU the enemies of reUgion, so much as those
things that are strictly right ; but they encourage thera raore ;
they give them liberty, and open a gap for them ; so that
some that befoie kept their enmity burning in their own
bowels, and durst not show theraselves, wiU on such an oc
casion lake courage, and give themselves vent, and their
rage wiU be hke that of an enemy let loose ; and those that
lay StUl before,- having nothing to say, but what they would
be ashamed of, (agreeable to Tit. ii. 8.), when they have
such a weapon put into their hands, wiU fight with all vio
lence. i\nd, indeed the enemies of religion would not know
what to do for weapons lo fight with, were it not for the er
rors of the friends of it^ and so must soon fall before them.
And besides, in real errors, things that are truly disagreeable
tb the rules of God's word, we cannot expect the divine pro
tection, 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 conse
quence ; and seeing the devil, being sensible of this, is so as
siduous, and watchful, and subtle, in his attempts with them,
and has thereby been so successfril to overthrow religion
heretofore, certainly such persons ought to be exceeding cir
cumspect and vigilant, diflident and jealous of themselves,
and hurably dependent on the guidance of Ihe-good Shep
herd. 1 Pet. iv. 7., " Be sober, and watch unto prayei."
And -chap. v. 8., " Be sober, be vigilant ; because your ad
versary the devil, as a roaring" lion, walketh about.'' For per
sons lo go on resolutely, in a kind of heat and vehemence,
despising- admonition and correction, being confident that
they must be in the right, because they are full of the Spirit,

OF NEED OF CIRCUMSPECTION. 207
is directly contrary to the import of these words, be sober, be
vigilajit. It is a mistake, I have observed in sorae, by which they
have been greatly exposed, lo their wounding, that they
think they are in ho danger of going astra}^, or being misled
by the devU, because they are near to God ; and so have no
jealous eye upon themselves, and neglect vigUance and cir
cumspection, as needless in their case. They say, they do
not think that God wUl leave them to dishonor him, and
wound religion, as long as they keep near to hira : and I be
lieve so too, as long as they keep near to God in that respect,
that they maintain a universal and diligent watch, and care
to do their duty, and avoid sin and snares, with diflidence in
theraselves, and hurable dependence and prayeifulness : but
not raerely because they are near to God, in that respect, that
they now are receiving blessed comraunicationsfrom God, in
refreshing views of him ; if at the same lime they lei 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 of 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 lo
be jealous of themselves, and to neglect watchfulness and
care, is a presumption by which I have known many wofully
ensnared.- However highly we may be favored 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 lo his disciples, is never out of date in this world ;.
Luke x-xi. 36., " Watch and pray always, that ye may be
accounted worthy to escape all these -things, and to stand be
fore the Son of man." It was not out of date with the dis
ciples, lo whora it was given, after Ihey.carae -to be fiUed so
fuU of the Holy Ghost, and out of their bellies flowed rivers
of living water, by that great effusion of the Spirit upon thera,
that began on the day of pentecost. And though God stands

268 DANGER OF FALLING INTO ERRORS,
ready to protect his people, especially those that are near lo
him, yet he expects great care and labor of aU ; and that we
should put on the whole armor of God, that we raay stand in
the evU day : and whatever spiritual privileges we are raised
to, we have no warrant to expect pioteclion in any other
Way ; for God has appointed this whole life as a slate of la
bor, to be all as a race or a battle ; the state of rest, wherein
we shall be so out of danger, as lo have ho need of watching
and fighting, is reserved for another world. I have known
it in abundance of instances, that the devil has come in very
rferaai'kably, even in the midst of the most exalted, and upon
some accounts excellent frames : it may seera a great rays-
tery that it should be so ; but it is no greater mystery, than
that Christ should be taken captive by the devU, and carried
into the wUderness, iminediately after the heavens had been
opened to him, and the Holy Ghost descended like a dove
upon him; and he heard that comfortable, joyful voice fi-ora
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 by the devil, and car
ried captive into a wilderness, presently after heaven has been,
as it were, opened to the soul, and the Holy Ghost has de
scended upon it like a dove, and God has been sweetly own
ing the behever, and testifying his favor to him as his be
loved child.
It is therefore a great error and sin in some persons, at this
day, that they are fixed in their way, in sorae things that
others account errors, and wUl not hearken to adraonition
and counsel, but are confident that they are in the right of
it, in those practices that they find theraselves disposed to,
because God is much with them, and they have great de
grees of the Spirit of God. There were some siich in
the apostles' days : the apostle Paul, writing to the Corin
thians, was sensible that some of thera would not be easily
convinced that they had been in any error, because they
looked upon theraselves spiritual; or full of the Spirit of

IN TIMES OF HIGH EXPERIENCE, 269
God. 1 Cor. xiv. 37, 38. " If any man think himself to be
a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things
that I write unto you, are the comraandment of the Lord ;
but if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant."
And although those that are spiritual araongst us have no
infaUible apostle to adraonish thera, yet let rae entreat thera,
by the love of Christ, calmly and impartially to weigh what
may be said to them, by one, that is their hearty and fervent
friend (though an inferior worm)' in giving his humble opi
nion concerning the errors that have be.en committed, or that
we may be exposed to, in methods or practices (hat have been,
or may be fallen into by the zealous friends or promoters of
this great work of God.
In speaking of the errors that have been, or that 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 rehgion usually arise ; and as
I go along, take notice of sorae particular errors that arise
frora each of those causes.
Secondly, Observe sorae errors that sorae have lately gone
into, that have been owing to the influence of several of those
causes conjunctly.
As to the first of these, the errorrthat attend a gi-eat revi
val of religion, usuaUy arise from these three things. 1. Un-
discerned spiritual pride. 2. Wrong principles. 3. Igno
rance of Satan's advantages and devices;

270 OP SPIRITUAL PRIDE.

SECTION I.

One cause of errors in a great revival, is spiritual
pride.
The first, and th-e worst cause of errors, that prevail in
such a stale of things, is sjnritual pride. This is the main
door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those that are
zealous for- the advancement of religion. Ills the chief inlet
of smoke from the bottomless pit, to darken the raind, and
raislead the judgraenl : this is the main Jiandle by which
the devil has hold qi religious persons, and the chief source
of all the miscliief that he introduces,- to clog and hinder a
work of God. This cause of error is the raain spring, or at
least the main support of all the rest. TUl this disease is
cured, medicines are in vain applied lo heal other diseases. It
is by this that the raind 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 hght
already, he does not need instruction, and is ready to despise
the offer of it. But if this disease be healed, other things are
easily rectified. The humble person is like a httle child, he
easily receives instruction ; he is jealous over himself, sensi
ble how liable he is to go astray ; and therefore if it be sug
gested to him that he does so, he is ready most narrowl}^ and
impartiaUy to inquire. Nothing sets a person so much out
of the devil's reach, as humUity, and so prepares the mind
for true divine light, without darkness, and so clears the eye
to look on things as they truly are. Psalra xxv. 9. " The
meek wiU he guide in judgment, and the meek he wUl teach
his way.^' Therefore we should fight neither with sraall
nor -with great, but with the king of Israel : our first care
should be lo rectify the heart, and puU the bdfera out of our
eye, and then we shall see clearly.

SPIRITUAL PRIDE UNDISCERNED. 271
I know that a great many things at this day are very in
juriously 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 pro
fesses those spiritual comforts and joys that are greater than
ordinary, or if he appears distinguishingly zealous in religion,
if he exerts himself more than others do in the cause of reli
gion, or if he seeras .to be disting-uished with success, ten to
one but it will iraraediately awaken the jealousy of those
that are about hira ; and they wiU suspect (whether they
have cause or no) that he is very proud of his goodness,
and that he affects to have it thought that nobody, is so good
as he ; and all his talk is heard, and all his behavior beheld,
with this prejudice. Those that-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
thoughls of the best Christians, which arises from a secret
enraity against vital and fervent piety.
But then those that are zealous Christians should take
heed that this injuiiousness of those that are cold in reli-
ligion, do not prove a snare to them, and the devil do not
take advantage from it, to blind their eyes frora beholding
what there is indeed of (his nature in their hearts, and raake
thera think, because they are charged with pride wrongfuUy,
and frora an Ul spirit, in raany things, that therefore it is so
in every thing. Alas, how much pride have the best of us
in our hearts ! It is the worst part of the body of sin and
death. It is the first sin that ever entered into the universe,
and the last that is rooted out ; it is God's raost stubborn
enemy !
The corruption of nature may aU be resolved into two
things,- pride and worldly-mindedness, the devil and the
beast, or self and the world. These are the two pUIars of
Dagon's teraple, on which the whole house leans. But the
forrner of these is every way, the worst part of the corruption of
nature ; it is the first born son of the devU, and his image in

272 SPIRITUAL PRIDE MOST HATEFUL.
the heart of man chiefly consists in it : it is the last thing in
a sinner that is overborne by conviction, in order to conver
sion ; and hore is the saint's haidest conflict ; it is the last
thing that he obtains a good degree of conquest over, and
liberty from ; it is that which most directly militates against
God, and is most contrary tothe Spirit of the Lamb of God ;
and it is most like the devil its father, in a serpentine deceit-
fulness and secrecy ; it lies deepest, is raost active, and is
most ready secretly to mix itself with every thing.
And of all kinds of pride^ spiritual pride is, upon many ac
counts, the most hateful ; it is most like the devil ; it is most
like the sin he committed in a heaven of light and glory,
where he was exalted high in divine knowledge, honor, beauty,
and happiness. Pride is much more dUficultly discerned
than any other corruption, for that reason, that the nature of
it does very much consist in a person's having too high a
thought of himself: but no wonder that he that^has too high
a thought of himself, does not know it ; for he necessarUy
thinks that the opinion he has of himself, is what he has just
grounds for; and therefore not too high ; if he thought such
an opinion of himself was without just grounds, he would
therein cease to have it. But of aU kinds of pride, spiritual
pride is the most hidden, and difiicullly discovered ; and that
for this reason, because those thai are spiritually proud, their
pride consists much in a high conceit of those two things,
viz. 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 not jealous of themselves ; he
that thinks a clear light shines around him, is not suspicious
of an enemy lurking near him, unseen: and then being proud
of their humility, that raakes thera least of all jealous of
themselves in that particular, viz. as being under the preva
lence of pride. There are many sins of the heart that are
very secret in their nature, and diflScultly discerned. The
psalmist says. Psalm xix. 12., " Who can understand his
errors 7 Cleanse thou rae from secret faults." But spiritual

SPIRITUAL PRIDE DECEITFUL. 273
piide is the raost secret of all sins. The heart is so deceitful
and unsearchable in nothing in the world, as it is in this
matter, and there is no sin in the world, that men are so con
fident in, and so difiicultl}' convinced of: the very nature of
it is to work self-confidence, and drive away self-difiidence,
and jealousy of any evil of that kind. There is no-sin so
much hke the devil, as this ; for secrecy and subtlety, and ap
pearing in- a great many shapes, undiscerned and unsus
pected, and appearing as an angel of light : it takes occasion
to arise from every thing ; it perverts and abuses every thing;
and even the exercises of real grace, and real humility, as an
occasion to exert itself : it is .a sin that bas, as it were, many
lives ; if you kill it, it will hve still ;. if you 'mortify and sup
press it in one. shape, it rises, in another ; if you think it is
aU -gohe, yet it is there stiU : there are a great many kinds
of it, that lie in different forms and shapes, one under an
other, and encompass the heart like the coats of an onion ; if
you pull off one there is anothei: underneath. We had need,
therefore, lo have the greatest watch imaginable over our
hearts, -with respect to this matter, and lo cry most earnestly
lo the .great. Searcher of , hearts for his help- He. that trusts
his own heart is a ibol.
God's own people should be the more jealous of themselves
with respect to -this particular, at this day, because the tempta
tions that many have to this sin are. exceeding great : the great
and distinguishing privileges lo which God. admits many of
his saints, and the high honors that 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 aU corruption ; but yet, though, in the
experience of such favors there be much to restrain pride one
way, there is much lo tempt and provoke it another ; and we
shall be in great danger thereby, without great watchfulness
and prayerfulness. There was much in the circumstances
that the angels that fell were in, in heaven, in their great
honors and high privileges, in beholding the face of God, and
35

274 THE NATURE AND EFFECTS
view of his infinite glory, to cause in them exercises of hu
mUity, and to keep them from pride ; yet through want of
watchfulness in thera, liieir great honor and'heavenly privi
lege proved to be, to them, an undoing temptation to pride,
though they had no principle of pride in their hearts, lo ex
pose thera. Let no saint, therefore, however erainent, and
however near to God, think' hiraself out of danger of this :
he that thinks hiraself raost Out of danger, is incieed most in
danger. The apostle Paul, who doubtless was as eminent
a saint as any are now, was not out of danger,, even just
after he was admitted to see God in the third he.avens, by the
information he himself gives us, 2 Cor. xii. And yet doubt
less, what he saw in heaven of the ineffable glory of the Di
vine Being, had a direct tendency to make him appear- ex
ceeding little and vile in his own eyes.
Spiritual pride ih its own nature is so secret, that it is not
so well discerned by immediate intuition on the thing it
self, as by the effects and fruits of it ; some of which I would
mention, together with the contrary fruits of pure Christian
humUity. Spiritual pride tJisposes to speak of other persons'^ sins,
their enmity against God and his people, the mis^able delu
sion of hypocrites, and theif 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,.£itlier to be silent about them, or to
speak of them with grief and pity.
Spiritualpride is very apt to suspect others; whereas a
hunible saint is raost jealous of himself ; he is so suspicious of
nothing in the world- as he is of his own heart. The spirit
ually 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 be, and crying out of them for it, and to be
quick to discern and take notice of thek deficiences : but the
eminently humble Christian has so rauch to do at horae, and
sees so much evil in his own heart, and is so concerned about

op SPIRITUAL P-RIDE. 275
it, that he is not apt to be very busy with others' hearts' ; he
complains most of hiraself, and cries out of his own coldness
and lowness in grace, and is apt lo esteem others better than
hiraself, and is ready lo hope that there is nobody but what
has raore love and thankfulness lo God than he, and cannot
bear to think that others should bring forth no more fruit to
God's honor than he. Some that have spiritual pride mixed
with high discoveries and great transports of joy, that dispose
them in an earnest manner to talk to others, are apt, in such
frames, to be callmg upon other Christians that are about
them, and sharply reproving them fortheir being so cold and
lifeless. And there are some others that behave themselves
very differently from these, who in their raptures are over
whelmed with a sense of their own vileness ; and when they
have extraordinary discoveries of God's glory, are all taken
up about thek own sinfulness ; and though they also are
disposed to speak much and very earnestly, yet it is very
much in crying out of themselves, and exhorting fellow-
Christians, but in a charitable and hiimble manner. Pure
Christian humility disposes a person to take notice- of every
thing that is in any respect good in others, and to make the
best of it, and lo diminish theii-~ failings ; but to have his eye
chiefly on those things that are bad in himself, and to take
much notice of every thing that aggravates thera.
¦ In a contrariety to this, it has been the raanner in some
places, or at least the raanner of some persons, to spealt of
alraost every thing that they see amiss in others, in the raost
harsh, severe, and terrible language. It- is frequent with
them to say of others' opinions, or conduct,'or advice, or of
their coldness, their silence, their caution, their moderation,
and their prudence, and many other things that appear in
thera, that they are from the devil, or from hell 5~-that such a
thing is devilish, or heUish, or cursed, and that- such persons
are serving the deVil, or the devil is in them, and they are
soul-murderers, and the like ; so that the words devil and-
hell are alraost continually in their mouths. ,Vnd such kind

276 op HARSH AND TERRIBLE LANOUACE
of language they wUl commonly use, . not only towards
wicked men, but towards them that they themselves aUow
to be the true children of God, and also towards rainisters of
the gospel, and others that are very much their superiors.
And they look upon it a virtue and high attainment thus to
behave themselves. " O, (say they,) we must be plain
hearted and bold for Christ, we must' declare war against sin
wherever we see il,>wemusl notinince the matter in the
cause of God, and when speaking for Christ." And to make
any distinction in persons, or to speak the raore 'tenderly,
because that which is araiss 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 raeekness and genlle^ness, and even all show
aud appearance of it, and to defile tlie raouths "of the chU
dren' of God, and lo introduce the language of coramon
saUors among the followers of Christ, under a cloak of high
sanctity, and zeal, and boldness for Christ ! And it is a re
markable instance of "the w^eakness of the human mind,
and how much too cunning the devil is for us !
The grand defense of this way of talking is, that they
say no raore:than what is true ; they only speak the truth
without mincing the matter ; and that true Christians that
have a great sight of the evU of sin, and acquaintance with
their own hearts, know it to be true, and therefore wUl not
be offended to hear such harsh expressions made use of con
cerning them and ther sins ; it is only (say ihey) hypocrites,
or cold and deajl Christians, that are provoked,- and feel their
enmity rise on such an occasion.
But it is a grand mistake to think that we raay commonly
use, concerning one another, aU such language as represents
the worst of each other, according lo strict truth. It is reaUy
true, that every kind of sin, and every degree of it, is devUish,
and frora hell, and is cur§ed, heUish, and condemned or
damned : and if persons had a full sight of their hearts.

AMONG CHRISTIANS, 277
they would think no terms too bad for. them ; they would
look hke beasts, like serpents, and lilce devils, lo themselves ;
they would be at a loss for. language to express what they
see in themselves ; the worst terms they could think of
would seera, as it were, faint to represent what they see in
themselves. But shaU a chUd, therefore, frora time to time,
use such language concerning an exceUent and erainently
holy father or mother, as that the devil is in them, that th6y
have such and such de-vihsh, cUrsed dispositions, that they
comrait, every d&y, hundreds of hellish, daraned acts, and
that they are cursed dogs, hell-hounds, and devils ? And
shaU the raeanest of the people be justified, in coraraonly
using such language concerning the raost exceUent raagis
trates, or their raost erainent ministers ? I hope nobody has
gone to this height : but the same pretenses of boldness,
plain heartedness, and declared war against sin, -will as' well
justify these things, as the things they are actually raade use
of to justify. If we proceed in such a manner, on such
principles as these, what a face will be introduced upon the
church of Christ, the little belovecj flock of that gentle
Shepherd, the Lamb of Goii 7 What a sound shall we bring
into the house of God, into the famUy of his dear little chil
dren 7 How far off shaU we soon banish that lovely appear
ance of humihty, sweetness,- gentleness, mutual honor,
benevolence, complacence, and an esteera of others above
themselves, which ought to clothe the children of God all
oyer 7 Not hut that Christians should watch over one an
other, and in any wise reprove one another, and be much in
it, and do it plainly and faithfuUy ; 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, that are but fellow-worms, ought at least to
treat one another with as much humility and gentleness as
Christ, that is infinitely above them, treats them. But how
did Christ treat his disciples when they were so cold towards

27S HARSHNESS AND SEVERITY
hira, and so regardless of hira, at the tirae when his soul
was exceeding sorrowful even unto death, and he in a dismal
agony was crying, and sweating blood for them, and they
would not watch with him, aud allow hira the comfort of
their company one hour in his great distress, though he once
and again desired it of thera 7 One would think, that then
was a proper tirae, if ever, to have reproved thera for a devil
ish, hellish, cursed', and damned slothfulness and deadness.
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 wiUing,.but
the flesh is weak." And how did he treat. Peter when he
was ashamed of his Master, whUe he was made a mocking-
slock, 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 m,e, Sa
tan ; and thismay seem hke an instance of harshness and
severity in reproving Peter, yet I humbly conceive that this
is by many taken wrong, and that this is indeed no instance
of Christ's severity in his treatraenl of Peter, but on the
contrary, of his wonderful gentleness and grace, ^distinguish-
ing between Peter -and the devil in hira, not laying the
Warae of what Peter had then said, or imputing it to him,
but to the devU that, influenced hira. -Christ saw the devil
then present, secretly influencing Peter to do the part of a
tempter to his Master ; and therefore Chiist turned him
about to Peter, in whom the devil then was, and spake lo
the devil, and rebuked him. Thus the grace of Christ does
not behold iniquity in his people, imputes not what is amiss
in them to thera, but to sin that dwells in them, and to
Satan that influences them.
But to return : spririlual pride often disposes persons to
singularity in external appearance, to affect a singular way
of spealdng, to use a different sort of dialect from others,. or
to be singular in voice, or air of countenance or behavior ;

OF REPROOF AMONG CHRISTIANS. 279
but he that is an eminently humble Cbristian, though he
wiU be firm to his duty, however singular he is in it, he will
go in the way that leads lo heaven alone, though aU the
world forsakes him ; y^t he delights not in singularity for
singularity's sake, he does not affect to set up himself to be
viewed and observed as one distinguished, as desiring- to be
accounted belter than others, or despising rheir company, or
a union and conforraity to thera ; but on the contrary, is
disposed to becorae all things to aU men, and to yield to
others, and to conform to thera, a;nd please thera, in every
thing but sin. Spiritual pride commonly occasions a certain
stiffness and inflexibUity in persons, in their own judgment,
and their o-wn ways ; whereas the eminently humble person,
though he:be inflexible in his duty, and in those things
wherein God's, honoi'v is concerned ; and with regard to temp
tation to those things he apprehends to be sinful, though in
never so small a degree, he is not at all of a yiel4able spirit,
but is hke a brazen waU ; yet in other things he is of a pha-
ble disposition, not disposed, to set Up his own opinion, or his
own wiU ; he is ready to pay deference to others' opinions,
and loves to comply with thek inclinations, and has a heart
that is tender and flexible, like a little ohild. •
Spiritual pride disposes persons to affect separation, to
stand at a distance from others, as better than they, and
loves the show and appearance of the distinclion : but on the
(xintrary, the eminently humble Christian is ready to look
upon himself as not worthy that others should be united to
him, to think himself raore brutish than any man, and wor
thy to be cast out of human society, and especially unworthy
of the society of God's children ; and though he wUl not be
a companion with one that is visibly Christ's enemy, and
delights most in the company of lively Christians, wiU choose
such for his companions, and will be most intiraate with them,
and does not at all delight lo spend away much tirae in the
company of those that. seem to relish no conversation but
about worldly things j yet he does not love the appearance

280 ZEALOUS MINISTERS SHOULD ABOUND
of an open separation frora visible Christians, as being a kind
of distinct corapany from them, that are one visible company
withjiim by Christ's appointraent, and wUl as much as pos
sible shun aU appearances of a superiority, or distinguishing
hiraself as better than others : his universal benevolence de
hghts in the appearance of union with his feUow-creatures,
and will maintain it as much as he possibly can, without
giving open countenance to inicjuity, 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, mUdness, raeekness, gentleness of spirit and
behavior, and with a soft, sweet, condescending, winning air
and deportraent ; these things are just like gannents to him,
he is clothed all over, with them. 1 Pet. v. S. "And be
clothed with humility^" Col. ih. 12. " Put on, therefore, as
the elect of God, holy and beloved^ bowels of mercies, kind
ness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long suffering."
Pure Christian hnmUity has no such- thing as roughness,
or conterapt, or flerceness, or bitterness in its nature ; it makes
a person like a little chUd, harmless and innocent, and that
none need to be afraid of; or like a lamb, destitute of aU
bitterness, wrath, anger, and clamor, agreeable to Eph. iv. 31.
With such a spiVit as this ought especially zealous minis
ters of the gospel to be clothed, and those that God is pleased '
to improve as instruments in his hands of promoting his
work : they oUghl indeed to be thorough in preaching the
word of God, without mincing the matter at all ; in band-
ling 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 searching an(L awakening the
conscience, but should be sons of thunder : the word of God,
which is in. itself sharper than any two-edged sword, ought
not to be sheathed by its ministers, but so us(;d that its sh^arp

IN HUMILITY AND LOVE. 281
edges may have their full effect, even to the dividing asun
der soul and spirit, joints and marrow (provided they do it
without judging particular persons, leaving it to conscience
and the Spirit of God to raake the particular application) :
but all their conversation should savor of nothing but lowh-
ness and good wUl, love and pity lo all mankind ; so that
such a spirit should be like a sweet odor diffused around
them wiierever they go, or hke a hght shining about thera,
their faces should, as it were, shine with it ; they should be
like lions to guilty consciences, but like larabs to raen's per
sons. This would have no tendency to prevent the awa
kening of raen's consciences, but on the contrary, would
have a very great tendency to awaken thera ; it would make
way for the sharp sword lo enter ; it would remove the ob
stacles, and make a naked breast for the arrow. ' Yea, the
amiable, Christ-like conversation of such ministers, in itself
would terrify the consciences of raen, as well as their terrible
preaching ; both would co-operate one with another, to sub
due the hard, and bring down the proud heart. If there
had been constan(ily and universally observable such a be
havior as this in itinerant preachers, it would have terrified
the consciences of sinners, ten times as rauch as all the in
vectives, and the censorious talk there has been concerning
particular persons, for their opposition, hypocrisy, delusion,
pharisaisra, <kc. These things in general have rather stu-
pified sinners' consciences ; they take them up, and raake
use of thera as a shield, wherewith to defend theraselves
frora the sharp arrows of the word, that are shot by these
preachers : the eneraies of the present work have been glad
of these things with all their hearts. Many of the raost
bitter of thera 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. 36

282 MEEKNESS THE SUREST WAT
Spiritual pride takes great notice of opposition and inju
ries that are received, and is apt lo be often speaking of
them, and to be much in taking notice of the aggravations
of thera, either with an air of bitterness or contempt : where
as pure, unmixed Christian humility, disposes a person rather
to be like his blessed Lord, when reviled, dumb, not opening
his mouth, but corarailling himself in silence to Hira that
judgcth righteously. The erainently hurable Christian, the
more clamorous and furious the world is against hira, the
raore sUent and stiU wiU 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 sOent as when the world compassed
hhn round reproaching, buffeting, and spitting upon him,
with loud and virulent outcries, and horrid cruelties.
There has been a great deal too much talk of lata araong
many of the true friends of rehgion about opposition and per
secution. It becomes the followers of the Lamb of God,
when the world is in an uproar about them, and full of cla
mor against them, not lo raise another noise to answer it,
but to be still and quiet : it is not beautiful, at such a tirae,
to have pulpits and conversation ring with the sound, perse
cution, persecution, or with abundant talk about Pharisees,
carnal persecutions, and the seed of the serpent.
Meekness and quietness araong God's people, when op
posed and revUed, would be the surest way to have God re
markably to appear for their defense. It is particularly ob
served of Moses, on -the occasion ^of Aaron and Miriam their
envying him, and rising up in opposition against hira, that
he "was very meek, above aU men upon the face of the
earth," Numb. xn. 3., doubtless because he remarkably
showed his meekness on that occasion, being wholly si
lent under the abuse. And how remarkable is the ac
count that follows, of God's being, as it were, suddenly
roused to appear for his vindication 7 And what high honor
did he put upon Moses 7 And how severe were his rebukes
of his opposers ? The story is very remarkable, and worth

TO OBTAIN god's FAVOR. 283
every one's observing. Nothing is so effectual to bring God
down frora heaven in the defense of his people, as their pa
tience and raeekness under sufferings. "When Christ " girds
his sword upon his thigh, with his glory and majesty, and in
his majesty rides prosperously, his right hand leaching him
terrible things, it is because of truth and raeekness and light-
eousness." Psalm xiv. 3, 4. " God wiU cause judgment to be
heard frora heaven ; the earth shall fear and be still, and
God wiU arise lo judgment, to save all the meek of the earth."
Psalm Ixxvi. 8, 9. " He' wiU lift up the meek, and cast the
wicked down to the ground." Psalm cxlvn. 6. " He wUl
reprove with equity, for the meek, of the earth, and will
smite the earth with tbe rod of his mouth, and with the
breath of his lips will he slay the wicked." Isa. xi. 4. The
great coraraendation that Christ gives the church of Phila
delphia, is, that " Thou hast kept the word of my patience.''
Rev. ni. 10. And we may see what reward he promises her,
in the preceding verse, "Behold, I will make them of the syna
gogue of Satan, which say the}' are Jews and are not, but do
lie ; behold, I will make them to come and worship 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
reproaches we are loaded with, we behaved ourselves with a
lamblike meekness and gentleness ; but if our spirits are
raised, and we are vehement and noisy with our complaints
under color of Christian zeal, this will be to take upon us our
own defense, 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 bit
terness, and high censuring, it wUl be the way to have him
rebuke us, and put us lo shame before our enemies.
Here some may be ready lo say, " it is not in our own
cause that we are thus vehement, but it is in the cause of
God ; and the apostle directed the primitive Christians to
contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints."
But how was it that the primitive Christians contended ear
nestly for the faith ? They defended the truth with argu-

284 VEHEMENCE IN THE CAUSE OF GOD.
ments, 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 uiibehef and
the corruption 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 smile with it ; but
Christ bids him put up his sword again, telling him that
they that take the sword shall perish by the sword ; and
while Peter wounds, Christ h^als. - They con(end the most
violently, and are the greatest conquerors in a time of perse
cution, who bear it with the greatest meekness and patience.
Great humility improves even the reflections and re
proaches of enemies, to put upon serious self-examination,
whether or no there be not some just cause, whether they
have not in sorae respect given occasion lo the eneray to
speak reproachfully : whereas spiritual pride improves such
reflections lo make thera the raore bold and confident, and to
go the greater lengths in that for which they are found fault
with. I desire it raay be considered whether there has been
nothing araiss of late, araong the true friends of vital piety
in this respect ; and whether the words of David, when re
viled by Michal, have not been misinterpreted and misapplied
to justify them in it, when he said, I wUl be yet raore vile,
and wUl Uj base in mine own sight. The import of his
words is that he would humble himself yet raore before
God, being sensible that he was far frora being sufficiently
abased ; and he signifies this to Michal, and that he longed
to be yet lower, and had designed already to abase himself
more in his behavior -. not that he would go the greater
length, to show his regardlessness of her revilings ; that
would be to exaU himself, and not more to-abase himself, as
more vile in his own sight.
Another effect of spiritual pride is a certain unsuitable and
self-confident boldness before God and men. Thus some in

'¦ OP THE FEAR OP MAN. 285
their great rejoicings before God, have not paid a suflicicnt
regard to that i-ule, in Psalm ii. 11. They have not re
joiced with a reverential trembling, in a proper sense of the
awful majesty of God, and the awful distance between God
and them. And there has also been an improper boldness
before men, that has been encouraged and defended, by a
misapplication of that scripture, Prov. xxx. 25. " The fear
of man bringeth a snare." As though it became all persons,
high and low, raen, woraen, and children, in all religious
conversation, wholly lo divest theraselves of all raanner of
sharaefacedness, raodes(y, or reverence towards]man ; which
is a great error, and quite contrary to scripture. There is a
fear of reverence that is due to sorae raen. Rom. xiii. 7.
" Fear to whom fear, honor to whora honor." And there is
a fear of raodesty and shamefacednes?, in inferiors towards su
periors, that is amiable, and required by Christian rules. 1
Pet. iii. 2. " While they behold our chaste conversation, cou
pled with fear." And 1 Tim. h. 9. " In like raanner also,
that women adorn themselves in raodest apparel, with sharae
facedness and sobriety." And the apostle means that this
virtue shall have place, not only in civil coraraunicalion, but
also in spiritual coraraunicalion, and in our religious con
cerns and behavior, as is evident by what follows. Ver. 11,
12. " Let the woraen learn in silence, with all subjection.
But I suffer not a woman lo teach, nor to usurp authority over
the raan, but lo be in silence." Not that I would hence infer
that woraen's mouths should be shut up from Christian con
versation ; but aU that I raean from it at tiiis time is, that
modesty or sharaefacedness, and reverence towards raen,
ought to have sorae place, even in our religious coraraunica
lion one with another. The sarae is also evident, by 1 Pet.
iii. 15 " Be ready always to give an answer, to every raan
that asketh you a. reason of the hope that is in you, with
meekness and fear." It is well if that very fear and sharae
facedness, which the apostle recommends, has not sometimes
been condemned, under the name of a cursed fear of man.

286 OF AN ASSUMING AIR. "' •
It is beautiful for persons when they are at prayer as the
mouth of others, lo raake God only their fear and their dread,
and to be wholly forgetful of raen that are present, who, let
thera be great or small, are nothing in the presence of the
great God. And it is beautiful for a rainister, when he speaks
in the narae of the Lord of hosts, to be bold, and put off'.all
fear of men. And it is beautiful in private Christians, though
they are women and children, to be bold in professing the
faith of Christ, and in the practice of all religion, and in
owning God's hand in the work of his power and grace,-
without any fear of raen, though they should be reproached
as fools and raadmen, and frowned upon by great raen, and
cast off by parents and all the world. But for private Chris
tians, Woraen and others, to instruct, rebuke, and exhort, with
a like sort of boldness as becomes a minister when preaching,
is not beautiful.
Sorae have been bold in sorae things that have really been
errors ; and have gloried in their boldness in practicing them,
though cried out of as odd and irregular. And those that
have gone the greatest lengths in these things, have been by
sorae raost highly esteeraed, as those that corae out, and ap
pear bold for the Lord Jesus Christ, and fully on his side ;
and others that have professed to be godly, that have con
deraned such things, have been spoken of as eneraies of the
cross of Christ, or at least very cold and dead ; and raany
that of theraselves were not inclined lo such practices, have
by this raeans been drivsn on, being ashamed to be behind,
and accounted poor soldiers for Christ.
Another effect of spiritual pride is assuming : it often
times raakes it natural lo persons so to act and speak, as
though it in a special raanner belonged to thera to be taken
notice of and rauch regarded. It is very natural to a person
that is rauch under the influence of spiritual pride, to take
all that respect that is paid him : if others show a disposition
to submit to him, and yield hira the deference of a preceptor,
he is open to it, ahd freely admits it ; yea, it is natural for

MINISTERS SHOULD NOT BE ASSUMING. 287
him to expect such treatraenl, and to take much notice of it
if he faUs of it, and to have an ill opinion of others that do
not pay him that which he looks upon as his pierogative :
he is apt to think that it belongs to him to speak", and to
clcthe hiraself with a judicial and dogmatical air in conver
sation, and lo take it upon hira as what belongs lo 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
honor. One under the influence of spiritual pride, is raore
apt lo instruct others, than to inquire for himself, and natu
rally 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 raay
live more to God's honor ? What ^hall I do with this wicked
heait ?" He is ready to receive instruction from any body,
agreeable to James i. 19. " Wherefore, my beloved brethren,
let every raan be swift lo hear, slow to speak." The emi
nently hurable Christian thinks he wants help from every
body, whereas he that is spiritually proud, thinks that every
body wants his help. Christian humility, under a sense of
olheirs' misery, entreats and beseeches ; spiritual pride affects
to coraraand, and warn with authority.
There ought to be the utmost watchfulness against aU
such appearances of spiritual pride, in all that profess to have
been the subjects of this work, and especiaUy in the promo
ters ol it, but above all, in itinerant preachers : the most
eminent gifts, and highest tokens of God's favor and bless
ing, wUl not excuse them : alas ! what is raan at his best
estate ! What is the most highly favored Christian, or the
most erainent 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 araong his fel
low-creatures, as if he -were wise, and strong, and good !
Ministers that have been the principal instruments of car
rying on this glorious revival of religion, and that God has

288 ministers' temptations to ASSUMING,
made use of, as it were, to bring up his people out of Egypt,
as he did of Moses, should take heed that they do not pro
voke God as Moses did, by assuming too much lo themselves,
and by their intemperate zeal, to shut thera 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 hira out of Canaan, and not lo suffer hira lo
partake of those great things God was about to do for Israel
on earth, were chiefly these two things : First, his mingling
bitterness with his zeal : he had a great zeal for God, and
he could not bear to see the intolerable stiff-neckedness 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. Psalm cvi.
32, 33. " They angered'him also at the waters of strife ; so
that it went Ul 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 lan
guage. Secondly, he behaved hiraself, and spoke with an
assuming air : he assumed too much to luraself : hear now,
ye rebels, must ice fetch water out of this rock ! Spirit
ual pride wrought in Moses at that time : his temptations lo
it were very great, for he had 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 ; and though he was so humble a person,
and, by God's own testimony, meek above all raen upon the
face of the whole earth, yet his teraplations were too strong
for him : which surely should make our young ministers,
that have of late been highly favored, and have had great
success, exceeding careful, and distrustful of themselves.
Alas ! how far are we frora having the strength of holy,
meek, aged Moses ! The temptation at this day is exceed
ing 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 opposition raade

OF THE EXAMPLE OF UZUA, 289
against thk glorious work of God, and so much stiff-neck
edness manifested in multitudes of this generation, notwith
standing all the great and wonderful works in which God
has passed before thera, that it greatly tends to provoke the
spkits of such as have the interest of this work at heart, so
as to move them to speak unadvisedly -with thek lips, And
there is also great, temptation to an assuraing behavior in
some persons : when a minister is greatly succeeded, from
time to time, and so draws the eyes of the multitude upon
hira, and he sees hiraself flocked afler, and resorted to as an
oracle, and people are ready to adore hira, and to offer sacri
fice to hira, OS k was -with Paul and Barnabas, at Lystra, it
is alraost impossible for a man to avoid taking upon him the
airs of a master, or some extraordinary person ; a raan had
need to have a great stock of humility, and much divine as
sistance, lo resist the temptation. But the greater our dan
gers are, the more ought to be our watchfulness and prayer-
fulness, and diffidence of ourselves, lest we bring ourselves
into mischief Fishermen that have been very successful,
and have caught a great many fish, had need to be careful
that they do not at length begin to burn incense to thek net.
And we should take warning by Gideon, who, after God had
highly favored and exalted him, and raade him the instru
ment of working a wonderful deliverance for his people, at
length made a ,god of the spoils of his enemies, which be
came a snare to hira and to his house, so as lo prove the
ruin of his famUy.
All young ministers, in this day of the bringing up the ark
of God, shoidd take warning by the example of a young
Levite in Israel, viz. Uzza, the son of Abinadab. He
seemed to have a real concern for the ark of God, and to be
zealous and engaged in his mind, on that joyful occasion of
bringing up the ark, and God raade hira an instrument to bring
the ark out of its long continued obscurity in Kirjalh-jearira,
and he was succeeded to bring it a considerable way towards
Mount Zion ; but for his want of humUity, reverence, and
37

290 DEFERENCE TO THE AGED
circumspection, and assuming to himself, or taking too much
upon him, God broke forth upon hira, 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, that were consequent upon it. Ministers that have
been improved 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
animated and engaged in their minds '(as he was) in (his joy
ful day of bringing up the ark ; and they are afraid what
will become of the ark under the conduct of its ministers
(that are sometiuies in scripture corapared to oxen) ; they
see the ark shakes, and they- are afraid these blundering
oxen will throw it ; and some of thera, it is to be feared,
have been over officious on this occasion, and have assumed
loo rauch to themselves, and have been bold to put forth
their hand to take hold of (he ark, as though they were the
only fit and worthy peisons to defend it.
If young rainisters had great huraihly, without a raixtm-e,
it would dispose thera especially to treat aged ministers
with respect and reverence, as their fathers, notwithstanding
that a sovereign God raay have given them greater assist
ance and success than they have had. 1 Pet. v. 5. " Like
wise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder ; yea, all
of you, be subject one to another ; and be clothed with hu
mihty ; for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the
humble." Lev. xix. 32. " Thou shall rise up before the
hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and fear thy
God ; I am the Lord."
As spiritual pride disposes persons to assume much lo
themselves, so it also disposes them to treat others with neg
lect: on the contrary, pure Christian humUity disposes per
sons to honor aU men, agreeable to that mle, 1 Pet. ii. 17.
There has been in some, that I beheve are true friends of
rehgion, too much bf an appearance of this fruit of spiritual

TREATMENT OF THE UNCONVERTED. 291
pride, in their treatment of those that they looked upon to be
carnal men ; and particularly in refusing to enter into any
discourse or reasoning with them. Indeed lo spend a great
deal of time in jangling and warm debates about reUgion, is
not the way to propagate religion, but to hinder it ; and some
are so dreadfully set against this work, that it is a dismal
task lo dispute with them, all that one can say is utterly in
vain ; I have found it so by experience ; and to go to enter
into disputes about religion, at some tiraes, is quite unseason
able, as particularly in meetings for religious conference, or
exercises of worship. But yet wc ought to be very careful
that we do not refuse lo discourse with men, with any ap
pearance of a supercilious neglect, as though we counted them
not worthy to be regarded ; on the contrary, we should conde
scend to carnal raen, as Christ has condescended lo us, to
bear with our unteachableness and stupidity, and stUl to fol
low us with ins(ructions, line upon line, and precept upon
precept, saying, Corae let us reason together ; setting light
before 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 priraitive Christians
to be ready to give a reason of the Christian faith and hope,
to the eneraies of Christianity. 1 Pel. iii. 15. " Be ready al
ways to give an answer lo every man that asketh you a rea
son of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear."
And we ought not lo condemn all reasoning about things of
rehgion, under the narae of carnal reason. For my part, I
de=ire no better than that those that oppose this work, should
corae fairly to 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

292 WRONG PREMISES LEAD TO ERROR,
teach, 1 Tim. iii. 2. And the apostle seems to explain what
he means by it, in 2 Tim. u. 24. 25. ; or at least there ex
presses one thing he intends by it, viz. (hat a rainister should
be ready meekly lo condescend to and instruct opposers.
" And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle
unto all men, apt lo teach, patient, in meekness instructing
those that oppose themselves, if God peradventure will give
them repentance, to the acknowledging of the truth."

SECTION II.
Errors in n. revival, arising from the adoption of wrong
principles.
Secondly, Another thing from whence errors in conduct,
that attend such a revival of religion, do arise, is wrong
principles. And 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 raanner, now in these days, to
guide his saints, at least sorae; that are raore erainent, by in
spiration, or immediate revelation, and to make known to
thera what shall corae lo pass hereafter, or what it is his will
that they should do, by irapressions that he by his Spirit
makes upon their rainds, either with or without texts of
scripture ; v;hereby something is made known to (hem, thai
is not taught in the scripture as the words lie in the Bible.
By such a notion the devil has a great door opened for hira ;
and if once this opinion should corae to be fully yielded to,
and established in the church of God, Satan would have op
portunity thereby to set up hiraself as the guide and oracle
of God's people, and to have his word regarded as their in
fallible rule, and so to lead them where he would, and to in
troduce wiiat he pleased, and soon to bring the Bible into

• IMPRESSIONS AND IMPULSE,^. 293
neglect and conterapt. Late experience in sorae instances,
has shown that the tendency of this notion is to cause per
sons to esteera the Bible as a book that is in a great measure
useless. This error will defend and support all errors. As long as
a person h^s a notion that he is guided by iramedialc direc
tion frora heaven, it raakes hira incorrigible and impregnable
in all his misconduct : for what signifies it, for poor blind
worms of the dust, logo to argue with a raan, and endeavor
to convince him and correct him, that is guided by the im
mediate counsels and comraands of the great Jehovah ?
This great work of God has been exceedingly 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 with
out great clogs and hinderances. But Satan will always
have a vast advantage in his hands against it, and as he has
improved it hitherto, so he will do still : and it is evident that
the devil knows the vast advantage he has by it, that makes
hira exceeding loath to let go his hold.
It is strange what a disposition there is in raany well-dis
posed and rehgiou.s persons, to fall in with and hold fast this
notion. It is enough to astonish one that such raultiplied,
plain instances of the failing of such supposed revelations, in
the event, do not open every one's eyes. I have seen so
raany instances of the failing of such irapressions, that would
alraost furnish a history : I have been acquainted with them
when made under all kinds of circurastances, and have seen
thera fail in the event, when made with such circumstances
as have been fairest and brightest, and most pioraising ; as
when they have been made upon the rainds of such, as there
was aU reason lo think were true saints, yea, eminent saints,
and at the very tirae when they have had great divine dis
coveries, and have been in the high exercise of true commu
nion with God, and made with great strength, and with great
sweetness accompanying, and 1 have had reason to think
with an excellent heavenly frame of spirit, yet continued,

294 SUFFICIENCy op the SCRIPTURES.
and made with texts of scripture, that seemed to be exceed
ing apposite, yea, raany texts following one another, extra
ordinarily and wonderfuUy brought to the raind, and with
great power and majesty, and the impressions repealed over
and over, after prayers to be directed ; and yet all has most
manifestly come to nothing, to the full conviction of the per
sons themselves. And God has in so many instances of late
in his providence, covered such things .with darkness, that
one would think it should be enough quite to blank the ex
pectations of such as have been ready lo think highly of such
things ; it seems to be a testimony of God, that he has no
design of reviving revelations in his cliui;ch, and a rebuke
from him to the groundless expectations of it.
It seems to me that that scripture, Zech. xiii. 5., is a pro
phecy concerning ministers of the gospel, in the latter and
glorious day of the Christian church, which is evidently
spoken of in this and foregoing cha|iters ; the words are, " I
am no prophet ; 1 am a husbandn)an : for raan taught me
to keep cattle from ray youth." The words, I apprehend,
are to be interpreted in a spiritual sense ; I am a husband
man. The work of ministers is very often in the New Tes
tament, corapared to the business of the husbandman, that
take care of God's husbandry, lo whom he lets out his vine
yard, and sends (hem forth to labor in his field, where one
plants and another waters, one sows and another reaps ; so
rainisters are called laborers in God's harvest. And as it is
added, man 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 m,e from my
youth : it is as much as to say, I do not pretend to have re
ceived ray skill, whereby I am fitted for the business of a pas
tor or shepherd in the chuich of God, by imraediate inspira
tion, but by education, by being trained up to the business
by huraan learning, and instructions I have received frora
my youth or childhood, l^y ordinary means.

knowledge alone not sufficient. 295
And why caunol we be contented with the divine oracles,
that holy, pure word of God, that we have in such abun
dance, and such clearness, now since the canon of scripture
is completed ? Why should we desire to have any thing
added to them by impulses from above 7 Why should not
we rest in that standing rule that God has given to his
church, which the apostle teaches us is surer than a voice
from heaven 7 And why should we desire to make the scrip
ture speak more to us than it does ? Or why should any
desire any higlier kind of intercourse with Heaven, than thai
which is by having the Holy Spirit given in his sanctifying
influences, infusing and exciting grace and hohness, love
and joy, which is the highest kind of intercourse that the
saints and angels in heaven liave with God, and the chief
excellency of the glorified man Christ Jesus 7
Some that follow impulses and impressions, go away with
a notion that they do not ether than follow the guidance of
God's word; and make the scripture their rule, because the
impression is raade with a text of scripture that comes to
their mind, though they lake that text as it is impressed on
their minds, and improve it as a new revelation, to all intents
and purposes, or as the revelation of a particular thing, that
is now newly made, while the text in itself, as it is in the
Bible, implies no such thing, and they themselves do not
suppose that any such revelation was contained in it before.
As for instance, suppose that text should come into a person's
mind w ith strong impression, Acts ix. 6., " Arise, and go
into the city ; and it sliall be told (,hee what thou must do."
And he should interpret it as an immediate signification of
the will of God, thai- he should now forthwith go lo such a
neighbor town, and as a revelation of that future event, viz.
that there he should meet with a further discovery of his
duty. If such things as these are revealed by the impres
sion of these words, it is lo 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,

296 IMPRESSIONS WITH TEXTS OF SCRIPTURES,
that are supposed now to be revealed, that those words do
not contain in themselves, and that till now there was no
revelation of any where lo be found in heaven or earth.
These propositions, that it is God's mind and wiU that such
a person by name, should arise at such a lime, and go from
such a place lo such a place, and that there he should meet
with discoveries, are entirely new propositions, wholly differ
ent from the propositions contained in that text of scripture,
no raore contained, or consequently 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 lo 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 a hun
dred and five years, and begat Enos."
This is quite a different thing from the Spirit's enlighten
ing the mind to understand the precepts or propositions of
the word of ¦ God, and know what is contained and revealed
in them, and what consequences raay justly be drawn from
them, and to see how they are applicable to our case and
circumstances ; which is done without any new revelation,
only by enabling the mind lo understand and apply a reve
lation already raade.
Those texts of scripture that speak of the chUdren of God
as led by the Spirit, have been by sorae brought to defend
a being guided by such irapulses ; as particularly, those
Rom. viii. 14., " For as many as are led by the Spkit 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 them that bring them ; for it
is evident that the leading of the Spirit that the apostle
speaks of is a gracious leading, or what is peculiar lo the
children of God, and that natural raen 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 a

HOW THE SAINTS ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT. 297
person, by immediately reveahng to him where he should
go, or what shall hereafter corae 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, that is peculiar to God's
chUdren ; it is no more than a common gift ; there is no
thing in it but what natuial men are capable of, and many
of them have had in the days of inspiration : a raan raay
have ten thousand such revelations and directions from the
Spirit of God, and yet not have a jot of grace in his heart :
it is no raore than the gift of prophecy, which iraraediately
reveals what will be, or should be hereafter ; but this is but
a coramon gift, as the apostle expressly sho\ys, l;^Cor. xiu. 2,
8. If a person has any thing revealed to him from God, or
is directed lo any thing by a voice from heaven, or a whis
per, or words immediately suggested and put into his mind,
there is nothing of the nature of grace merely in this ; it is
of the nature of a coramon influence of the Spkit, and is
but dross and dung, in (Comparison of the exceUency of that
gracious leading of the Spirit that the saints have. Such a
wayof being directed where one shall go, and what he shall
do, is no more than what Balaam had frora God, who from
lime to time revealed to him what he should do, and when
he had done one thing, then directed him what he should
do next ; so that he was in this sense led by the Spiiit, for a
considerable tirae. . There is a.rnore. excellent way that the
Spiiit of God leads the sons of God, that natural men can
not have, ancl that is, by inclining them to do the will of
God, and go in the shining path of truth and Christian ho
liness, from a holy, heavenly disposition, which the Spirit of
God gives them, and enlivens in thera, which inclines thera,
and leads them to those things that are excellent, and agree
able to God's mind, whereby they ?' are transformed, by the
renewing of their minds, and prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and' perfect wiU of God," as in Rom. xii. 2. And
so the Spirit of God does in a gracious manner teach the
38 "

298 ASSISTANCE OF THE SPIRIT ,
saints their duty ; and teaches them in a higher manner
than ever Balaam, or Saul, or Judas were taught, or any
natural man is capable of whUe such. The Spirit of God
enlightens them with respect to their duty, by making their
ej'e single and pure, whereby the whole body is fuU of light.
The sanctifying influence of the Spirit of God rectifles the
taste of the soul, whereby it savors those things that are of
_God, and naturally relishes and delights in those things that
are holy and agreeable to God's mind, and like one of a dis
tinguishing taste, chooses those things that are good and
wholesome, and rejects those things that are evil ; for the
sanctified ear'tries words, and the sanctified heart tries ac
tions, as the mouth tastes meat. And thus the Spirit of God
leads and guides the raeek in his way, agreeable lo his pro
mises ; he enables them to understand the commands and
c(punsels of his word, and rightly to apply them. Christ
blames the Pharisees that they'had not this holy distinguish
ing taste, to discern and distinguish what was right and
wrong. Luke xii. ,57. " Yea, and why, even bf your own
selves, judge ye not what is right ?"
The leading of the Spirit which God gives his children,
which is peculiar to them, is that teaching thera his statutes,
and causmg thera to understand the way of his precepts,
which the psalmist so very often prays for, especially in the
119th psalm ; and not in giving of thera new statutes, and
new precepts.: he graciously gives 4,"hem eyes to see, and
ears to hear, and hearts to understand ; he causes them to
understand the fear of the Lord, and so brings J;he blind by
a way they knew not, and leads them in paths that they had
not known, and makes darkness hght before them, and
crooked things straight.
So the assistance of the Spirit in praying and pr(3aching,
seems by sorae to have been greatly raisunderstood, and they
have sought afler a rairaculous assistance of inspiration, by
imraediate suggesting of words to thera, by such gifts and
influences of the Spirit, in praying and teaching, as the

IN PRAYER AND PREACHING. 299
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 xoay
(as 1 Cor. xii. 31., and xiii. 1). The gracious and raost ex
ceUent kind assistance of the Spirit of God in praying and
preaching, is not by immediate suggesting of words to the
apprehension, which may be with a cold, dead heart, but by
warming the heart, and fiUing it with a great sense of those
things that are to be sp(3ken of and with holy aflfections, that
that sense and those affections may suggest wordp. Thus
indeed the Spirit of God may be said indirectly and medi
ately to suggest words to us, to indite our petitions for us,
and to teach the preacher what to say ; he fills the heart,
ahd that -fills the mouth ; as 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 elo
quent upon that subject ; and much more have spkitual af
fections this tendency, for many reasons ,that might be
given. When a person is in a holy and lively frarae in se
cret prayer, it wUl wonderfully supply hira with matter, and
with expressioris, as every true Christian knows ; and so it
will fiU his mouth in Christian conversation, 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 la make both the raatter and
manner of his public performances excellent and profitable.
But since there is no imraediate suggesting of words from
the Spirit of God to be expected oi- desired, they who neglect
and despise study and premeditation, in order to a prepara
tion for the pulpit, in such an expectation, are guilty of pre
sumption ; though doubtless it raay be lawful for sorae
persons, in sorae 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 excellent purpose.

300 IMPRESSIONS AND REVELATIONS.
Besides this most excellent way of the Spkit of God, in
assisting ministers in public perforraances, which (considered
as the preacher's 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 different from inspira
tion, and that is his assisting natural principles ; as his as
sisting the natural apprehension, reason, memory, conscience,
and natural affection.
But to return to the head- of impressions and immediate
revelations ; many lay themselves open to a delusion by ex
pecting 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. They are perhaps at a loss concerning something,
undetermined what they shall do, or what course they should.
take in sorae affair, and they pray to God to direct thera, and
raake known to thera his mind and will ; and then, instead
of expecting to be directed, by being assisted in consideration
of the rules of God's word, and their ckcumstances, and
God's providence, and enabled to look on things in a Irae
light, and justly to weigh thera, they are waiting for some
secret immediate influence on their- minds, unaccountably
swaying their minds, and turning their thoughts or inchna-
tions that way thai God would have them go, and are ob
serving their own minds, to see what arises there, whether
some texts of scripture do not corae into the mind, or Avhe-
iher sorae ideas, or inward motions and dispositions do not
arise in something of an unaccountable manner, that Ihey
may caU a divine direction. Hereby they are exposed tb
two things. First, they lay themselves open to the devU,
and give him a fair opportunity to lead them where he
pleases ; for they stand ready to follow the first extraordinary
impulse that Ihey shall have, groundlessly ccDUcluding it is
from God. And secondly,, they are greatly exposed to be
deceived by their own imaginations ; for such an expecta
tion awakens and quickens the imagination ; and that often-

PRAYING IN FAITH. 301
times is caUed an uncommon impression, that is no such
thing ; and they ascribe that to the agency of some invisi
ble being, that 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 too much from that, that they have prayed in
faith ; and that oftentimes when the preraises are true, they
have indeed been greatly assisted in prayer for such a par-
tic;ular mercy, and have had the liue spirit of prayer in ex
ercise, 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 sure sign that their
prayer is accepted and heard, and that God wiU give a gra
cious answer, according to his own wisdom, and that the
particular thing that was asked shall be given, or that which
is equivalent ; this is a just consequence 4i-om it j but it is
not inferred by any new revelation now raade, but by the
revelation that is made in God's word, the promises made to
the prayer of faith in the holy scriptures : but that God wUl
answer them in that individual thing that they ask, if it be
not a thing promised in God's word, or they do not certainly
know that it is that which -will be most for the good of God's
church, and the advancement of Christ's kingdom and glory,
nor whether it wiU be best for them, is raore than can be
justly concluded frora it. If God remarkably meets with
one of his chUdren while he is praying for a particular mercy
of great importance, for himself, or sorae other person, or any
society of raen, and does by the influences of his Spirit
greatly hurable him-, and empty him of himself in his prayer,
and manifests hiraself reraarkably in his exceUency, sove
reignty, and his all-sufiicient power and grace in Jesus Chiist,
and does in a remarkable manner enable the person to come
lo him for that mercy, poor in spirit, and with humble resig
nation to God, and with a great degree of faith in the divine
sufficiency, and the -sufficiency of Christ's mediation, that

302 PRAYING IN FAITH FOR
person has indeed a great deal the raore reason to hope that
God will grant that raercy, than otherwise he would have ;
the greater probability is justly inferred from that, agreeably
lo the promises of the holy scripture, that the prayer is ac
cepted and heard ; and it is much more probable that a
prayer that is heard will be returned with the particular
mercy that is asked, than one that is not heard." And there
is no reason at all to doubt, but that God does sopfietimes
especially enable to the exercises of faUb, when the minds
of his saints are engaged in thoughts of and prayer for some
particular blessing they greatly desire ; i. e. God is pleased
especially lo give them a believing frame, a sense of his fuU
ness, and a spirit of humble dependence on him, at such
tiraes as when they are thinlqng of and praying for that
mercy, more than for other mercies ; he gives them a par
ticular sense of his ability to do that thing, and of the suffi
ciency of his power to overcome such and such 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 bestow
ment of such a- raercy in particular. When this is the case,
it makes the probability still much greateiV.that God intends
to bestow the paiticular mercy sought, in his own time, and
his own way. But here is nothing of the nature of a reve
lation in the case, but only a drawing, rational conclusions
from the particular manner and circumstances of the ordi
nary gracious influences of God's Spirit. And as God is
pleased sometimes to give his saints particular exercises of
faith in his sufficiency, with regard to pai-ticular raercies they
seek, so he is soraetimes pleased to make use of bis word in
order to it, and helps the actings of faith with respect to such
a mercy, by texts of scripture that do especially exhibit the
sufficiency of God's power or mercy, in such a like case, or
speak of such a manner of the exercise of God's strength
and grace. The strengthening of their faith- in God's suffi
ciency in this case is therefore a just improvement of such
scriptures ; it is- no more than what those scriptures, as they

A PARTICULAR MERCV. 303
stand in the Bible, do hold forth just cause for. But to take
them as new whispers or revelations from heaven, is not
making a just improvement ^f them. If persons have thus
a spirit of prayer remarkably given thera, concerning a par
ticular mercy, from time to lime, so as evidently to be assisted
to act faith in God, in that particular, in a very (hstinguish-
ingmanner, 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 aud manner
of the ordinary influence of his Spirit, with respect to that
thing. But .here a great deal of caution and circuraspection must
be used in drawing inferences of this nature : there are many
ways persons may be misled and deluded. The ground on
'which sorae expect that they shall receive the thing they have
asked for, is rather a strong imagination, than any true hum
ble faith in the divine sufficiency. They have a strong per
suasion that the thing asked shall be granted, (which they
can give no reason for,) without" any reraarkable discovery
of that glory and fuUness of God and Christ, that is the
ground of faith. And sometimesthe confidence that persons
have that their prayers shaU be answered, is only a self-
righteous confidence, and no true faith : they have a high
conceit of themselves as erainent saints, and special favorites
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
wiU come to pass. And sometimes -when once they have
(jonceived such a notion, they grow stronger and stronger in
it ; and -this they think is from an immediate divine hand
upon their rainds to strengthen their confidence ; whereas it
is only by thek dweUing in thek rainds on their own excel
lency, and high experiences, and great assistances, whereby
they look brighter and brighter in their own eyes. Hence it
is fovind^by observation and experience, that nothing in the

304 OP BEING MOVED BY THE SPIRIT OP GOD,
world exposes so much to enthusiasm, as spiritual pride and
self-righteousness. In order to drawing a-just inference from the supposed as
sistance we have had in prayer for a particular naercy, and
judging of the probability of the besi^wment of that indivi
dual mercy, many things must be considered. We must
consider the importance of the raercy sought, and the prin
ciple whence we so earnestly desire it ; how far it is good,
and agreeable to the mind and will of God ; thfe degree of
love to God that we exercised in our prayer ; the degree of
discovery that is made of the divine sufficiency, and the. de
gree in which our assistance is manifestly distinguishing
with respect to that raercy. And tliere is nothing of greater
importance in the argument than' the degree of humility, pp-
verty of spirit, self-eraptiness, and resignation to the holy
wiU of God, which God gives us, the exercise of in our seek
ing that mercy : praying for a paWiculaj.- mercy with much
of these things, I have often seen blessed with a remarkable
bestowment of the particular. thing asked for.
From what has been saiid, we may see which way God
may, only by the ordinary gracious influences of his Spirit,
sometimes give his saints special reason to hope for the be
stowment of a particular mercy ihey desire and have prayed
for, and which we raay suppose he oftentiraes gives eminent
saints, that have great degrees of humility, and much com
munion yvith God. And here, I humbly conceive, some
eminent servants of Jesus Christ that have appeared in the
church of God, 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, h-ave thou.ght
that God has favored thera, in sorae instances, with the same
kind of divine influences -that the apostles and prophets had
of old.
Another erroneous principle that some have embraced,,
that has been a source of many errors in their conduct,, is,
that persons ought always to do whatsoever the Spiiit of

YET NOT SECURED FROM ALL MISTAKES, 305
God (though but indirectly) inclines them to. Indeed the
Spirit of God in itself is infinitely perfect, and all his imme
diate actings, simply considered, are perfect, and there can be
nothing wrong in thera ; and therefore all that the Spirit of
God inclines us to directly and iraraediately, without the in
tervention of any other cause that shall pervert and raisim-
prove what is from the Spirit of God, ought to be done ; but
there raay be many things that we may be disposed lo do,
which disposition raay indirectly be from the Spirit of God,
that we ought not to do. The disposition in general may
be good, and be frora the Spirit of God, but the particular de-
terraination of that disposition, as to particular actions, objects,
and circumstances, raay be ill, and not from the Spirit of
God, but may be from the intervention or interposition of
some infirmity, blindness, inadvertence, deceit, or corruption
of ours ; so that although the disposition, in general, ought
to be allowed and promoted, and all those actings of it that
are simply frora God's Spirit, yet the particular ill direction, or
deterraination of that disposition which is frora some other
cause, ought not to be followed.
As for instance : the Spirit of God raay cause a person to
have a dear love to another, and so a great desire of delight
in his comfort, ease, and pleasure : this disposition, in general,
is good, and ought to be followed ; but yet through the in
tervention of indiscretion, or sorae other bad cause, it may be
ill directed, and have a bad determination, as to particular
acts ; and the person indirectly, through that real love that
he has to his neighbor, may kUl hira with kindness ; he
raay do that out of sincere good will to him, that may tend
to ruin him. A good disposition may, through some inad
vertence or delusion, strongly incline a person to that, which
if he saw aU things as they are, would be raost contrary to
that disposition. The true loyalty of a general, and his zeal
for the honor of his prince, may exceedingly animate him
in war ; but yet this that is a good disposition, through in
discretion and mistake, may push him forward to those things
39

306 TRUE ZEAL MUST BE REGULATED.
that give the eneray great advantage, and raay expose hira
and his army to ruin, and may tend to the ruin of his mas
ter's interest.
The apostle does evidently suppose that the Spirit of God,
in his extraordinary, immediate, and rairaculous influences
on men's minds, may in some respect excite inclinations in
men, that if gratified, would tend lo confusion, and therefore
must sometimes be restrained, and in their exercise, must be
under the governraent of discretion. 1 Cor. xiv. 31, 32, 33.
" For ye may all prophesy, one by one, that all may learn,
and all may be comforted. 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 sjnrits of the prophets, according to the known
phraseology of the apostle, is meant the Spirit of God acting
in the prophets, according to those special gifts with which
each one was endowed. And here it is plainly implied that
the Spirit of God, thus operating in thera, raay be an occa
sion of their having soraetiraes an inclination lo do that, in
the exercise of those gifts, which it was not proper, decent,
or profitable that they should ; and that therefore the inclina
tion, though indirectly from the Spirit of God, should be re
strained, and that it ought to be subject to the discretion of
the prophets, as to the particular time and circumstances of
its exercise.
I can make no doubt but that it is possible for a minister
to have given him by the Spirit of God, such a sense of the
importance of eternal things, and of the misery of mankind,
that are so raany of them exposed to eternal destruction, to
gether with such a love to souls, that he might find in hira
self a disposition to spend aU his time, day and night, in
warning, exhorting, and calling upon men, and so that he
must be obliged, as it were, to do violence to hiraself ever to
refrain, so as to give hiraself any opportunity to eat, drink, or
sleep- And so I beheve there raay be a disposition in hke
manner, indirectly excited in lay persons, through the inter-

WE MUST LOOK AT TIIE C0NSE(1UENCES. 307
vention of their infirmity, to do -ndiat only belongs to minis
ters. Yea, lo 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 raight feci themselves in
clined to break forth and scream aloud, to great congrega
tions, warning and exhorting the whole multitude, and to go
forth and halloo and scream in the streets, or lo leave the fa
mUies they belong to, 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
imraediate benefit, raay and ought to be practiced, without
looking forward to future consequences. Some persons seem
to think that it sufficiently justifies any thing that they say
or do, that it is found to be for their present edification, and
the edification of those that are with them ; it assists and
promotes their present affection, and therefore they think they
should not concern theraselves about future consequences,
but leave them with God. Indeed, in things that are in
theraselves our duly, being required liy moral rules, or abso
lute positive commands of Gpd, they must be done, and fu
ture consequences must be left with God ; our election and
discretion lakes no place here : but in other things we arc
to be governed by discretion, and must not only look at tlie
present good, but our view must be extensive, and we must
look at the consequences of things. It is the duty of minis
ters especially to exercise this discretion : in things wherein
they are not determined by an absolute rule, and ihatare not
enjoined thera by a -wisdora 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 conse
quences of things they can get, wUl tend most to the ad-

308 WE MUST LOOK AT THE C0NSE4UENCES,
vancement of his kingdora. This is iraplied in those words
of Christ to his disciples, when he sent thera forth to preach
the gospel, Mat. x. 16. " Be ye wise as serpents." The
scripture always represents the work of a gospel minister by
those employments that do especially requke a wise foresight
of and provision for future events and consequences. So it
is corapared lo the business of a steward, that is, a business
that in an eminent manner requires forecast, and a wise
laying in of provision, for the supply of the needs of the
family, according to its future necessities ; and a good rainis
ter is called a wise steward : so it is compared to the business
of a husbandman, that almost wholly consists in those things
that are done with- a view to the future fruits and conse
quences of his labor : the husbandman's discretion and
forecast is eloquently set forth in Isa. xxvUi. 24, 25, 26.
"Doth the ploughman plough all day to sow 7 Doth he open
and break the clods of his ground ? When he hath made
plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad the fitches,
and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheal, and
the appointed barley, «ind the rye, in their place 7 For his
God doth instruct him lo discretion, and doth leach him."
So the work of the ministry is corapared to that of a wise
buUder or architect, who has a long reach, and coraprehen-
sive view ; and for whom it is necessary, that when he be
gins a building, he should have at once a view of the whole
frame, and all the future parts of the structure, even to the
pinnacle, that aU may be fitly framed together. So also it
is compared to the business of a trader or merchant, who is
to gain by trading with the money that he begins with :
this also is a business that exceedingly requires forecast, and
without it, is never like to be foUowed with any success, for
any long lime : so it is represented by the business of a fish
erman, which depends on craft and subtlety : it is also com
pared to the business of a soldier that goes to war, which is
a business that perhaps above any other secular business.

BEHAVIOR TOWARDS THE IMPENITENT. 309
requires great foresight, and a wise provision for future
events and consequences.
And particularly ministers ought not to be careless how
much they discompose and ruffle the minds of those that
they esteem natural men, or how great an uproar they raise
in the carnal world, and so lay blocks in the way of the
propagation of religion. This certainly is not to follow the
example of that zealous apostle Paul, who, though he would
not depart from his enjoined duly lo please carnal men, yet
wherein he might with a good conscience, did exceedingly
lay out himself to please thera, and if possible to avoid
raising in the raultitude prejudices, oppositions, and tumults,
against the gospel ; and looked upon it that it was of great
consequence that it should be if possible avoided. 1 Cor. x.
32, 33. " Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the
GentUes, nor to the church of God : even as I please all
men, in aU things, not seeking raine owh profit, but the
profit of raany, that they may be saved." Yea, he declares
that he laid hiraself out so rauch for this, that he made him
self a kind of a servant lo all sorts of men, conforming to
thek customs and various humors, 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
cause them to stand, as it were, braced and arraed against
it, but on the contrary, if possible, raight with condescension
and friendship win and draw thera lo it ; as you raay see,
1 Cor. ix. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. And agreeable hereto, are
the dkections he gives to others, both ministers and people :
so he directs the Christian Romans "hot to please them
selves, but every one please his neighbor, for his good, to
edification," Rom. xv.* 1, 2. " And to foUow afler the things
that make for peace," chap. xiv. 19. And he presses it in
terms exceeding strong, Rom. xu. 18. " If it be possible, as
much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." And
he directs ministers to endeavor if possible to gain opposers
by a meek condescending treatment, avoiding aU appearance

310 NECESSITY OF SUFFERING PERSECUTION.
of Strife or fierceness, 2 Tim. ii. 24, 25, 26. To the hke
purpose the same apostle directs Christians to " walk in wis
dom towards them that are withoul," Eph. iv. 5. And to
avoid giving offense to others, if we can, " that our good
raay not be evil spoken of," Rora. xiv. 16. So that it is
evident that tbe great and most zealous and raost successful
propagator of vital religion that ever was, looked upon it to
be of great consequence to endeavor, as much as possible, by
aU the methods of lawful meekness and gentleness, to avoid
raising the prejudice and opposition of the world against re
ligion. When we have done our utmost tlieie will be oppo
sition enough against vital religion, against which the carnal
mind of raan has such an enmity ; (we should not therefore
needlessly increase and raise that enmity) as in the apostle's
days, though he took so much pains to please men, yet be
cause he was faithful and thorough in his work, persecution
almost every where was raised against hira.
A fisherraan is careful not needlessly to ruffle and disturb
the water, lest he should drive the fish away from his net ;
but he wUl rather endeavor, if possible, to draw them into
it. Such a fisherman was the apostle. 2 Cor. xu. 15, 16.
" 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 necessary to uphold a raan's credit amongst
others as a Christian, that he should be persecuted. I have
heard it made an objection against th^ sincerity of particular
persons, 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, so as has had too much an
appearance of hfting up themselves in it, that they were very
much hated and revUed, more than most, as an evidence of

NECESSITY OF SUFFERING PERSECUTION. 311
their excelhng 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, becoming credible and custo
mary, 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) lo please them to their edifi
cation, and by meekness aud gentleness to win them, and
by aU possible raeans to live peaceably with them.
I beheve that saying of our Savior, I came not to send
peace on earth, but division, has been abused ; as though
when we see great strife and division arise about religion,
and violent heats of spirit against the truly pious, and a loud
claraor and uproar against the work of God, it was to be
rejoiced in, because it is that which Christ carae to send. It
has alraost been laid down as a raaxira by sorae, that the
more division and strife, the better sign ; which naturally
leads persons to seek it and provoke it, or leads thera to and
encourages thera in such a manner of behavior, such a
roughness and sharpness, or such an affected neglect, as has
a natural tendency lo raise prejudice and opposition ; instead
of striving, as the apostle did to his utmost, by all meekness,
gentleness, and benevolence Of behavior, to prevent or as
suage 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 faU of others, and to be a stone of stumbling, and
rock of offense to them, and an occasion of their vastly more
aggravated and terrible damnation ; and this is always the
consequence of a great outpouring of the Spirit and revival
of vital religion ; it is the means of the salvation- of some,
and the raore aggravcited damnation of others. But cer
tainly this is no just argument, that raen's exposedness to

312 OF NEW AND STRANGE MEASURES.
daranalion is not to be lamented, or that we should not exert
ourselves to our utmost, in all the methods that we can
devise, that others might be saved, and to avoid all such
behavior towards them as tends to lead thera down to hell.
I know there is naturally a great enmity in the heart of
raan 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 theraselves never 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 dreadfuUy stir up the rage of earth and hell, and wiU
put the world into the greatest uproar that ever it was in
since it stood ; I believe Satan's dying struggles will be the
most violent : but yet I believe a great deal might be done
to restrain this opposition, by a good conformity lo that of
the apostle James, Jam. in. 13. " Who is a wise raan and
endued with knowledge 7 Let hira show out of a good con
versation, his v/orks, with raeekness of wisdora." And I
also believe that if the rules of Christian charity, raeekness,
gentleness, and prudence, had been duly observed by the
generality of the zealous promoters of this work, it would
have raade three tiraes the progress that it has ; i. e. 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 of the future consequences
of things, it raay be proper lo say something of introducing
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 lo be done with great caution and raoderation, to avoid
the offense that raay be thereby given, and the prejudices
that raight be raised, to clog and hinder the progress of reli
gion : Yea, that it ought to be thus in things that are in
theraselves good and exceUent,andof great weight, provided
they are not things that are of the nature of absolute duty.

op NEW AND STRANGE MEASURES. 313
which, though they raay appear to be innovations, yet can
not be neglected without iraraoralily or disobedience to the
commands of God. What great caution and moderation
did the apostles use in introducing things that were new, and
abolishing things that were old, in their day 7 How gradual
were the ceremonial performances of the law of Moses re
moved and abolished among the Christian Jews ? And how
long did even the apostle Paul himself conform to those
ceremonies which he calls weak and beggarly elements ?
Yea, even the rile pf circumcision, (Acts xvi. 3.) that he
speaks so rauch in his epistles of the worlhlessness of, that
he might not prejudice the Jews against Christianity 7 So it
seeras to have been very gradiiaUy.tbat the Jewish sabbath
was abolished, and the Christian sabbath introduced, for the
same reason. And the apostles avoided teaching the Chris
tians in those early days, at least for a- great while, some' high
and excellent divine truths, because they could not bear them
yet. 1 Cor. iu. 1, 2. Heb. v. 11. lo 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. A-ud how did
Christ himself while on earth, forbear so plainly to leach his
disciples the great doctrines of Christianity, concerning his
satisfaction, and the nature and manner of a sinner's justi
fication and reconciliation with God, and the particular bene
fits of his death, resurrection, and ascension, because in that
infant slate the disciples were then, in, their minds were not
prepared for such instructions ; and therefore the more clear
and fuU revelation of these things was reserved for the tirae
when their rainds should be further enlightened and strength
ened by the outpouring of the Spirit after his ascension.
John xvi. 12, 13. " I have yet raany things to say unto you,
but ye cannot bear thera 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 thera, as they were able lo bear it." These
40

314 INDISCREET AND HASTY ZEAL.
things might be eniough lo convince any one,. that does not
think himself wiser than Christ and his apostles, that - great
prudence and caution shoiild be used in introducing things
into the church of God, that are very uncomraon, though in
theraselves they raay be very excellent, lest by our rashness
and iraprudent haste we hinder reUgion rauch raore than we
help it.
Persons that are influenced by an indiscreet zeal arealways
in too rauch haste ; they are irapatienl of delays, and there
fore are for jumping lo the uppermost step first, before they
have taken the preceding steps ; whereby they expose them
selves to faU and break their bones. It is a thing yery taking
with thera lo see the building rise very high, and all their en
deavor and strength is employed in advancing the building
in height, without taking care withal proportion ably to.enlarge
the bottom ; whereby the whole is in danger of coraing to the
ground ; or they, are for putting on the cupola and pinnacle
before they are come lo it, or before the lower parts of the
building ai-e done; which tends at once to put a stop lo the
building, and hinder its ever being a complete structure.
Many that are thus, impi-udent and hasty with their zeal,
have a real eager appetite for that which is good ; . but are, like
chUdren, that are impatient to wait for the fruit tUlthe proper
season of it, 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 fur
ther out of reach than it was before, and estabhsh and
confirm that which they would remove. Things must have
lime to ripen : - The prudent husbandman waits tUl he has
received the former and the latter rain, and tUl the harvest is
ripe, before he reaps. We are now just as it were beginning
to recover out of a dreadful disease that we have been long
under ; and to feed a man recovering from a fever with strong
meat at once, is the ready way to kUl him. The reforma
tion from popery was much hindered by this hasty zeal ;
Many were for immediately rectifying aU disorders by force,

WRONG NOTION OF ATTESTATIONS OF PROVIDENCE. 315
wiiich were conderaned by Luther, and were a great trouble
lo him. See Sleiden's history of the reformation, p. 52, &c.
and book v. throughout. It is a vain prejudice (hat some
have lately imbibed against such rules of piudence and mo
deration : they wiU be forced lo come to them at last ; they
will find theraselves that they are not able to maintain their
cause without them ; and if they wUl not hearken before, ex
perience will con-vince thera at last, when it will be too late
for them lo rectify their mistake.
- Another error, that is of the nature of an erroneous princi
ple, that some have gone upon, is a wrong notion that they
haveof an attestationof DivineProvidence lo persons or things.
We go loo far when we look upon the success that God gives
to some persons, in making them the instruments of doing
much good, as a testimony of God's approbation of those per
sons and all the courses they lake. It is a main argument
that has been made use of to defend the conduct of some. of
those ministers, that have been blamed as imprudent and ir
regular, that God has smUed upon thera and blessed them,
and given them great success, and that however raen charge
them as guilty of many wrong things, yet it is evident that
God is with them, and then who can be against thera ? And
probably some of those ministers themselves, by this very
means, have had their ears stopped against all that has been
said to convince them of their misconduct. But there are in
numerable ways that persons may be misled, in forming a
judgraenl of the mind and will of God, from the events of
Providence. If a person's success be a reward of something
that God sees in him, that he approves of, yet it" is no argu
ment that he approves of every thing in him. Who can tell
how far the divine grace may go in greatly rewarding some
small good that he sees in a person, a good meaning, some
thing good in his disposition, whUe he at the same tirae, in
sovereign raercy, hides his eyes frora a great deal that is bad,
that 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

316 PROVIDENCE NOT OUR RULE.
after what manner he will proceed in this matter, and we go
upon raost uncertain grounds when we undertake to deter-
raine. 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 lo give
such success to Jacob in that, which from beginning to end,
was a deceitful, lying contrivance and proceeding of his, that
in- that way he obtained that blessing that was worth infi
nitely more than the fatness of the earth, and-the dew of hea
ven, that was given to Esau, in his blessing, yea, worth more
than all that the world can afford. God was for a while
with Judas, so that he, by God's power accompanying him,
wrought miracles and cast out devils ; but this could not
justly be interpreted as God's approbation of his person, or
his thievery, that he lived in at the same lime.
The dispensations and events of Providence, with their
reasons, are too little understood by us, to be improved by us
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 per
son's conduct and behavior, we have no warrant so to do,
God has never appointed those things, but something else 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, v/e are guilty of that which is strictly for
bidden, Deut. iv. 2. Prov. xxx. 6. and Rev. xxii. 18. They
who make what they imagine is pointed forth to thera in pro
vidence, their rule of behavior, do err, as well as those that
follow impulses and impressions : we should put nothing in
the room of tbe word of God. It is to be feared that some
have been greatly confirmed and emboldened by the great
success that God has given thera, in some things thai have
really been contrary to the rules of God's holy word. If it
has been so, they have been guilty of presumption, and

TIME OP INWARD COMPORTS NO RULE. 317
abusing God's kindness to them, and the great honor he has
put upon thera : they have seen that God was with thera, and
made thera victorious in their preaching ; and this it is lo be
feared has been abused by some to a degree of self confidence ;
it has much taken off all jealousy qi 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 raay
be interpreted and well understood by the rule of his word ;
and providence raay to our dark minds and weak faith, con
firm i;he word of God, as it fulfills it : but to improve Divine
Providence thus, is quite a different thing frora making a
rule of providence. There is a good use may be made of
the events of providence, of our own observation and expe
rience, and human histories, and the opinion of the fathers,
and other eminent men ; but finally aU must be brought tb
one rule, viz. the word of God, and that must be regarded
as our only rule.
Nor do I think that they, go upon sure ground, that con
clude that they have- not been in an error in their conduct,
because that at the tirae of their doing a thing, for whioh they
have been blaraed and reproached by others, they were fa
vored with special comforts of God'a Spirit. God's bestowing
special spiritual mercies on a person at such a lime, is no sign
tbat he approves of every thing that he sees in hira at that
tirae. David had very much of the presence of God whUe
he lived in polygamy : and Solomon had some very high
favors, and peculiar sraUes of Heaven, and particularly at the
dedication of the teraple, while he greatly multiplied wives to
himself, and horses, and sUver, and gold ; all contrary to the
most express coraraand of God to the king, in the law of
Moses, Deut. xvii. 16, 17. We cannot tell how-far God raay
hide his eyes from beholding iniquity in Jacob, and seeing
perverseness in Israel. We cannot teU what are the reasons
of God's actions any further than he interprets for himself

318 TIME OF INWARD COMFORTS NO RULE,
God sometimes gave some of the primitive Christians, the ex
traordinary mflusnce of his Spirit, when they were out of the
way of their duty ; and continued it, while they were abusing
it ; as is plainly implied, 1 Cor. xiv. 31, 32, 33.
Yea, if aperson has done a thing for whichhe is reproached,
and that reproach be an occasion of his feeling sweet ex
ercises of grace in liis soul, and that frora time to tirae, I do
not think that is a certain evidence that God approves of the
thing he is blaraed for. For undoubtedly a mistake may be
the occasion of stirring up the exercise of grace, in a raan that
has grace. If a person, through raislake, thinks he has re
ceived some particular great raercy, that mistake may be the
occasion of stirring up the sweet exercises of love lo God, and
true thankfulness and. joy in God. As for instance, if one
that is full of love of God should hear credible tidings, con
cerning a remarkable- deliverance of a child, or other dear
friend, or of some glorious thing done for the city of God, no
wonder if, oh such an occasion, the sweet actings of love to
God, and deligVit in God should be excited, though indeed
afterwards it should prove a fal?e report that he heard. So if
one that loves God, is rauch maligned and reproached for
doing that which he thinks God required 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, as it were, leaving the world,
and sweetly betaking himself to God, as his sure friend, and
finding sweet complacence in God ; 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 the Spirit of God dwells and acts in
the hearts of tbe saints, in some raea?ure after the manner of

DISREGARD OF EXTERNAL ORDER. 319
a vital, natural principle, a principle of new nature in thera ;
whose exercises are excited by means, ia some measure as
other natural principles are. Though grace be 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 exercise should have sorae degree of connec
tion with raeans, after the manner of a principle of nature.
Another erroneous principle that there has been something
of and that has been an occasion of some mischief and con
fusion, is that external order in matters of religion, and use of
the raeans of grace, is but little to be regarded ; it is spoken
lightly of under the iiaraes of cererabnies and dead forms, (fee.
And is probable the more despised by sorae because their
opposers insist so rauch upon it, and because they are so con.
tinually hearing frora them the cry of disorder and' confu
sion. It is objected against the iraportance of external order
that God does not look at the outward form, he looks at the
heart : but that is a. weak argument against its importance,
that true godliness does not consist in it; for it may be equal
ly made use of against aU the outward iheans of grace what
soever. "True godliness does not consist in ink and paper,
but yet that would be a foolish objection against the import
ance 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 outward actions of a public nature, or wherein
God's people are jointly concerned in- public society, without
doubt external order is needful : the management of an ex
ternal affair that is public, or wherein a multitude is con
cerned without order, is in every thing found impossible. With
out order there can .be no general direction of a raultitude to
any particular designed end, their purposes wiU cross one ano
ther, and they will not help but hinder one another. A mul
titude cannot act in union one with another without order ;
confusion separates and divides them, so that there can be no

320 IMPORTANCE OF EXTERNAL ORDER.
concert or agreement. If a multitude would help one anor
ther in any affair, they must unite themselves one to another
in a regular subordination of merabers, in sorae raeasure as it
isi in the natural body ; by this means they will be in some
capacity lo act with united strength : and thus Christ has
appointed that it should be in the visible church, as 1 Cor.
xu. 14. to the end, and Rom- xh. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Zeal with
out order will do but little, or at least it wUl be effectual but a
little while. Let a corapany that are very zealous against
the enemy, go foi'th to war, without any manner of order,
every one rushing forward as his zeal shall drive him, all in
confusion, if they gain something at first onset, by surprising
the eneray, yet how soon do they come.lo nothing, and fall
an easy, helpless pi;ey lo their adversaries 7 Order is one of
the most necessary of all external raeans of the spiritual good
of God's church ; and therefore it is requisite even in heaven
itself where there is the least need of any external raeans of
grace ; order is maintained amongst the glorious angels there.
And the necessity of it in order to the 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 car
ry on the designs of their kingdom. And it is very observa
ble, that those kinds of irrational creatures, for whom it is
needful that they should act in union and join a multitude
together, to carry on any work for thek preservation, they do
by a wonderful instinct that God has put into thera, observe
and raaintain a most regular and . exact order among them
selves ; such as bees and sorae others. And order in the visi
ble church is not only, necessary to the carrying on tbe designs
of Christ's glory and the church's prosperity, . but it is abso
lutely necessary lo its defense; 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, yet is not to be despised on that account ; for though it
be not the food of souls, yet it is in some respect their defense.
The people of Holland would be very foolish ,to despise the

ABSENCE FROM FAMILY -W-ORSHIP. 321
dikes that keep out the sea from overwhelming them, under
the names of dead stones and vile earth, because the matter
of which they are built is not good to eat.
It seems to be partly on the foundation of this notion of
the worlhlessness of external order, 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 par
ticular 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 theraselves fit for it ; but raore 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 of a coraraon and cus-
toraary thing to be absent frora family worship, and to be
abroad late in the night at religious meetings, or to attend reli
gious conversation. Not but that this may be, on certain
extraordinary occasions ; I have seen the case to be such in
many instances, that I have thought did afford sufficient war
rant for persons to be absent frora faraUy prayer, and to be
from horae tiU very late in the night : but we should take
heed that this does not become a custom or common practice;
if it should be so, we shaU soon find the consequences to be
very Ul.
It seeras lo be on the same foundation of the supposed un
profitableness of external order, that it has been thought by
some, that there is no need that such and such religious ser
vices and performances should be limited to any certain office
in the church ; (of which more afterwards.) And also that
those offices themselves, as particularly that of the gospel mi
nistry, need not be limited as it used to be, to personsof a
liberal education; but some of late have been for having
others that they have supposed to be persons of eminent ex
perience, publicly licensed to preach, yea, and ordained to the
work of the ministiy ; and some rainisters have seeraed to
favor such a thing : but how little do they seera lo look for*
41

322 LICENSING UNLEARNED MEN TO PREACH.
ward, and consider the unavoidable consequences of opening
such a door ? If once it should become a custora, or a thing
generally approved and allowed of, lo admit persons to the
work of the ministry that have had no education for it, be
cause of their remarkable experiences, and being persons of
good understanding, how many lay persons would soon ap
pear as candidates for the work of the ministry ? I doubt
not but that I have been acquainted with scores that would
have desired it. And how shall we know Avhere to stop 7
If one is adraitted because his experiences are -reraarkable,
another will think his experiences also remarkable ; and we
perhaps sliall not be able, lo deny but that (hey are near as
great ? if one is admitted because, besides experiences, he has
good natural -abilities, another by himself and many of his
neighbors, may be thought equal to him. It will be found
of absolute necessity that there shouldbe some certain, visible
limits fixed, to avoid bringing odium upon ourselves, and
breeding uneasiness and strife araongst others ; and I know
of none better, and indeed no-Other that can welhbe fixed,
than those that the prophet Zechariah fixes, viz. that those
only should be appointed 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 >
rainisters that have a disposition to break over these limits,
if they should do so, and make a practice of it, would break
down that fence, which they themselves afler a while, after
they have been wearied with the ill -consequences, would be
glad lo have somebody else build up for them. Not but that
there may probably be somci persons in the land, that have
had no education at C(jllege, that are in themselves better
qualified for the ^vork of the ministry than sorae others that
have taken their degrees, and are now oraained. But yet I
beheve the breaking over those bounds that have hitherto
heen set, hi ordaining such persons, would in its conse
quences be a greater calamity, than the missing such persons
in the work of the ministry. The opening a door for the

USING THE STYLE OF CIIRIST AND THE PROPHETS. 323
admission of unlearned men to the work of the, ministry,
though they should be persons of extraordinary experience,
would, on sorae accounts, be especially prejudicial at such a
day as this ; because such persons, for want of an extensive
knowledge, are oftentimes forward to lead others into those
things, which a people are in danger of at such a lime, above
aU other times, viz. impulses, vain imaginations, superstition,
indiscreet zeal, and such like extremes ; instead of defend
ing thera from theni, for which a people especially need a
shepherd, at such an extraordinary, season.
Another erroneous principle that it seeras to me sorae have
beeuj at least, in danger of, is, that ministers,, because they
speak as Christ's embassadors, may assume the same style,
and speak as with the same authority (hat the prophets of
old did, yea, that Jesus Christ hiraself did in Mat. xxiu., "Ye
serpents, ye generation of vipers," &c., and other places; and
that not only when they are speaking to the people, but also
to their brethren in the ministry ; -\vhicli principle is absurd,
because it makes no difference in the different degrees and
orders of messengers that God has sent into the world, though
God has made a very great difference : for though they all
come, in some, respect, in the name of God, and with some
thing of his autliority, yet certainly there is a vaat difference
in the degree of authority with which God has invested
ihein. Jesus Claibt was one that was sent into the worid
as God's messenger, and so. was one of his apostles, and;so
also is an ordinary pastor of a church; but yet k does not
foltow, that because Jesus- Christ and an ordinary ministsr
are bolh messengers of God, that therefore an ordinary mi
nister in his office, is vested w.ith an equal degree of authority,
that Christ was in his. As there is a great diflerence iirtheir
authority, and as tJkrist came as God's messenger, in a vastly
hin-her manner, so another style became him, more authorita
tive than is proper, for us worms of the dust, though we also
are messengers of inferior degree. It would be strange if
God, whou lie has made so great a difference in the degree

324 MIXTURES IN EXPERIENCES.
in which he has invested different messengers with his au
thority, should make no difference as to the outward appear
ance and show of authority, in style and behavior, which is
proper and fit to be seen in them. Though God has put
great honor upon ministers, and they may speak as his em
bassadors, yet he never intended that they should have the
sarae outward appearance of authority and majesty, either in
their behavior or speech, that his Son shall have, when he
comes to judgment, at the last day ; though both come, in
different respects and degrees, in the name of the' Lord.
Alas ! can any thing ever make it enter into the hearts of
wor-ms of the dust, that it is fit and suitable that it should be
so? Thus I have considered the two first of those three causes
of error in conduct that were raentioned.

SECTION m.
Errors from being ignorant or unobservant of things, by
which the devil has a special advantage.
I COME now to the third and last cause of the errors of
those that have appeared to be the subjects or zealous pro
moters of this work, viz. a being ignorant or unobservant of
some particular things, by which the devil has special ad
vantage. And here I would particularly lake notice, 1. Of some
things with respect to the inward experiences of Christians
themselves. And 2. Something with regard to the external
effects of experiences.
I. There are three things I would take notice of with re
gard to the exjperiences of Christians, by which the devil has
raany advantages against us.

WHAT THINGS ARE MINGLED IN EXPERIENCES. 325
1. The firS^t thing is the mixture there oftentimes is in the
experiences of true Christians ; whereby when they have truly
gracious experiences, and divine and spiritual discoveries
and exercises, they have something else mixed with them,
besides what is spiritual : there is a mixture of that which is
natural, and that which is comipt, with tbat which is divine.
This is what Christians are hable to in the present exceeding
imperfect state : the great imperfection of grace, and feeble
ness and infcuicy of the new nature, and the great remains of
corruption, together with the circurastances we are in in this
world, where we are encorapassed alf round -with what tends
to poUute us, exposes lo this. And indeed it is not to be sup
posed that Christians ever have any experiences in this world
that are wholly pure, entirely spiiitual, 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 itis
reflected thence, it is mixt : 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 mix
ture, than persons for the raost part seera to have any iraa-
gination of ; I have often thought that the experiences of
true Christians are very frequently as it is with sorae sorts of
fruits, that are enveloped in several coverings of thick, shells
or pods, that are thrown away by hira that gathers the frait,
and but a very small part of the whole bulk is the pure ker
nel, that is good to eat.
The things, of aU which there is frequently sorae mixture
-with gracious experiences, yea with very great and high ex
periences, are these three, htwian, or natural affection and
passion ; 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 de
grees of divine communications frora heaven, shall have
vastly different effects, in what outwardly appears, in persons

326 HUMAN PASSIONS MIX-ED WITH EXPERIENCES,
of different natural tempers. - The great mixture of that
which is natural with that which is spiritual, is very manifest
in the peculiar effects that divine influences have in some
certain families, or persons of such a blood, in a distinguishing
raanner of the operating of the passioiisand affections, and the
manner of the outwafd expressions of them. I know some
remarkable instances of this. The same is also -evident by
the different effects of divine communications on fhe same
person at diflferent times, and in different circumstances :
The novelty of things, or the sudden transition frora an op
posite exlrerae, and many other things that might be raen
tioned, greatly contribute lo the raising of the passions. And
soraetimes there is not only a mixture of that which is com
mon and natural with gracious experience, but even that
which is animal, that which is in a great raeasure frora the
body, and is properly the result of the animal frame. ~In what
true Christians feel of affections towards God, all is not always
purely holy and divine ; every thing that is felt in the affec
tions does not arise from spiritual principles, but common and
natural principles have a very great hand ; an improper self-
love mayhave a great share in the effect. God is not loved
for his ow-n sake, or for Ihe^ excellency and beauty of his own
perfections as he ought to be ; nor have these things in any
wise, that proportion in the effect that they ought to have.
So in that love that true Christians have one to another, very
often there is a great mixture of what arises from common
and natural principles, with grace ; and self love has a great
hand : the children of God be not loved purely for Christ's
sake, but there may be a great mixture of that natural love
that raaijy sects of heretics have boasted of who have been
greatly united one to another, because tliey were of their
corapany, on their side, against the rest of the wqii-d ; yea,
there raay be a mixture of natural love lo the opposite sex,
with Christian and divine love. So there may be a great
raixture in that sorrow for sin tiiat the godly have ; and also
in their joys; natural principles may greatly contribute to

IMPRESSIONS ON THE IMAGINATION. 327-
whal is felt, a great many ways, as raight easily be shown,
would it not raake ray discourse too lengthy. There is no
thing that belongs to Christian experience that is more liable
lo a corrupt raixture than zeal ; though it be an excellent
virtue, a heavenly flame, when it is pure : but as it is exer
cised in those who are so little sanciified, and so little hum
bled, as we are in the present state, it is very apt to be mixed
with human passion, yea with corrupt, hateful affections,
pride and uncharitable bitterness, and other things that are
not from heaven but from hell.
Another thing that is often mixed with what is spiritual
in the experiences of Christians, are, impressions on the ima
gination ; whereby godly persons, together with a spiritual
understanding of divine things, and con-viction of their reality
and certainty, and a strong and deep sense of their excellency
or great iraportance upon their hearts, have strongly im
pressed on their minds external ideas or images of things. A
degree of miagination in such a case, as I have observed else
where, is unavoidable, and necessarily arises from human
nature, as constituted in the present stale ; and a degree of
imagination is really useful, and often is of great benefit •
but when it is in too great a degree, k becornes an impure
mixture that is prejudicial. This mixture very often arises
from the constitution of the body. It commonly greatly con
tributes to the other kind of mixture mentioned before, viz.
of natural affections and passions ; it helps to raise thera to a
great height.
Another thing that is often mixed with the experiences of
true Christians, which is the worst mixture of all, is a degree
of self-righteousness or spiritual pride. This is often mixed
with the joys of Christians : the joy that they have is not
purely the joy of faith, or a rejoicing in Christ Jesus, but is
partly a rejoicing in theraselves : there is oftentimes in their
elevations a looking upon theraselves, and a viewing their
own high attainments ; they rejoice partly because they are
taken with-their own experiences and great discoveries, which

328 MIXTURES IN HIGH AFFECTIONS.
makes them in their own apprehensions 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 sorae the
mixture is so great, as very rauch to obscure and hide the
beauty of grace in thera, like a thick sraoke that hinders all
the shining of the fire.
These things we ought to be well aware ef, that we raay
not take all for gold that glistens, and that we raay know
what lo countenance and encourage, and what to discourage;
otherwise Satan will have a vast advantage against us, for
he works in tbe corrupt raixture. Soraetiraes for want of
persons distinguishing the ore from the pure metal, those ex
periences are most admired by the persons themselves that
are the subjects of them, and by others, that are not the most
excellent. The great external effects, and vehemence of the
passions, and violent agitations of the animal spirits, is some
times much owing to the corrupt mixture' (as is very appa
rent in some instances), though it be not always so. I have
observed a great difference araong those that are under high
affections, and seera disposed lo be earnestly talking to those
that are about thera ; some insist rauch more, in their talk,
on what they behold in God and Christ, the glory of the
divine perfections, Christ's beauty and- excellency, and won
derful condescension and grace, and their own unworthiness,
and the great and infinite obhgations that they theraselves
and others ave under to love and serve God : some insist al
raost wholly on their own high privUeges, their assurance of
God's love and favor, and the weakness and wickedness of
opposers, and how rauch they are above their reach. The
latter Inay have much of the presence of God, but their ex
periences 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 behavior ; in some it seems to
come indeed from the fuUness of their hearts, and frora the

DEFECTS IN EXPERIENCES. 329
great sense they have of truth, 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 lo arise from a
great mixture of human passion, and an undue and intem
perate agitation of the spirits, which appears by their ear
nestness and vehemence not being proportioned lo the nature
of the subject they insist on, but they are violent in every
thing they say, aa much when they are talking of things of
smaller iraportance, 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 distraction. . And there
have been some few instances of a more extraordinary nature
stUl, 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. II. Another thing by which the devil has great advantage,
is the unheeded defects there sometimes - are in the experi
ences of true Christians, and those high affections wherein
there is much that is truly good;
What .1 now have respect to is something diverse from
that defect, or imperfection of degree, which is in every holy
disposition and exercise in this life, in the best of the saints.
What I aim at is expeiiences being especially defective in
some particular thing, that ought lo be in them ; which,
though it be not an essential defect, or such a defect as is in
the experiences of hypocrites, which renders IhenL utterly
vain, monstrous, and altogether abominable to God, yet is
such a defect as raairas and deforms the experience ; (he
essence of truly Christian experiences is not wanting, but
yet that is wanting that is very needful in order tothe proper
beauty of the image of Christ in such a person's experi
ences ; but things are very much out of a due proportion.
42

330 DISPROPORTION IN THE EXPERIENCES,
There is indeed rauch of some things, bnl at the sarae tirae
there is so little of some other things that should bear a pro
portion, that the defect very much deforms the Christian,
and is truly odious in the sight of God.
What I observed before was something that deformed the
Christian, as it was too m,uch, something -mixed, that is not
belonging to the Christian as. such ; what I speak of now is
something that deforms the Christian the other way, viz. by
there not being enough, something wanting, that does be
long to the Christian as such : the one deforms the Christian
as a monstrous excrescence, the other as thereby the new
creature is maimed, and some member in a great measure
wanting, or so small and withering as lo be very much out
of due proportion. This is another spiritual calamity that
fhe saints are liable to through the great imperfection of
grace in this life ; like the chicken in the egg, in the begin
ning of its formation, in wliich, though there are indeed the
rudiments Or lineaments of all the parts, yet some few parts
are plain to be seen, when others are hid, so that without a
microscope it appears very monstrous.
When this deficiency and disproportion is great, as some
tiraes 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, and leaves a door open for corruption, and
exposes to very deformed and unlovely acUons, and issues
oftentimes in the great wounding of the soul.
For the better understanding of this raatter, we raay ob
serve that God, in the revelation that he has raade of hira
self to the world by Jesus Christ, has taken care to give a
proportionable manifestation of two kinds of excellences or
perfections of his nature, viz. those that especiaiUy tend to
possess us with awe and reverence, and to search and hura
ble us, and those that tend to win, and draw, and encourage
us ¦.hy the one, he appears as an infinitely great, pure, holy,
and heartsearching Judge ; by the other, as- a gentle and
gracious Father and a loving friend : by the one he is a

OF MANY TRUE CHRISTIANS, 331
pure, searching, and burning flame ; by the other a sweet,
refreshing hght. These two kinds of attributes are, as it
were, admirably tempered together in the revelation of the
gospel : there is a proportionable manifestation of justice and
.mercy, holiness and grace, majesty and gentleness, authority
and condescension. God hath thus ordered that his diverse
excellences, as he reveals himself in the face of Jesus Christ,
should have a proportionable raaiiifestalion, herein providing
for our necessities : he knew it to be of great consequence that
our apprehensions of these diverse perfections of his nature
should be duly proportioned one to another ; a- defect on the
one hand, viz. having rauch of a discovery of his love and
grace, without a proportionable discovery of his awful ma
jesty, and his holy and searching purity, would tend to spi
ritual pride, carnal confidence, and presumption ; and a de
fect on the other hand, viz. having rauch of a discovery of
his holy majesty, without a proportionable discovery of his
grace, tends to unbelief a sinful fearfulness, and spirit of
bondage : and therefore herein chiefly consists that defi
ciency of experiences that I ara now speaking of The
revelation God has raade of hiraself in, his word, and the
provision made for our spiritual welfare in the gospel is per
fect, but yet the actual light and communications we have,
are not perfect, but many" ways exceeding imperfect and
maimed. And experience plainly shows that Christians
may have high experiences in some respects, and yet their
circumstances may be unhappy in this regard, that their ex
periences and discoveries are no raore general. There is a
great difference araong Christians in this respect ; some have
much more general discoveries than others', who are upon
many accounts the raost amiable Christians. Christians
may haf e experiences that are very high, and yet there may
be very rauch of this deficiency and disproportion : their
high experiences are truly frora the Spiiit of God, but sin
coraes in by the defect ; (as indeed all sin is originally from
a defective, privative cause ;) and in such a case high dis-

332 DEFECTIVE EXPERIENCES ARE CAUSES OF SIN,
coveries, at the sarae lime that they are enjoyedj may be,
and sometimes are, the occasion, or ea^sa sine qua non of
sin ; sin may come in at that back door, the gap that is left
open ; as spiritual pride often does : and raany limes the
Spirit of God is quenched by this nieans, and God punishes.
the pride and presumption that rises, by bringing such.dark-
ness, and suffering such awful consequences and horrid
temptations, as are enough lo raake one's hair stand on end
to hear thera. Christians therefore should dihgently observe
their own hearts as to this matter, and should pray lo God
that lie ^vould give them experiences in which one thing
may bear a proportion to another, that God may be honored,
and their souls edified thereby-; and ministers should have
an eye lo this, in their private dealings with the souls of
their people.
It is chiefly from such a defect of experiences that sorae
things have arisen thai have been pretty common among
true Christians of late, that have been supposed by raany to
have risen from a good cause ; as particularly talking of di
vine and heavenly things, and expressing divine joys with
laughter, or a light behavior I believe in many instances
such things have arisen from a good cause, as their causa
sine qua non, that high discoveries and gracious joyful af
fections have been the occasion of them ; but the proper
cause has been sin, even that odious defect in their expe
rience, whereby there has been wanting a sense of the awful
and holy majesty of God as present with thera, and their
nothingness and vUeness before hira, 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 persons' unsukable
boldness, their disposkion to speak with authority, intempe
rate zeal, and many other things that soraetimes afppear in
true Christians, under great religious affections.
And sometimes the vehemence of the motion of the animal
spkits, under great affections, is owing in considerable mea
sure, to experiences being thus pai-tial. I have known it in

WHAT ARE THE BEST EXPERIENCES, 333
several instances, that persons have been greatly affected with
the dying love of Christ, and the consideration of the happi
ness of the enjoyment of hira in heaven, and otlier things of
that nature, and their animal spirits at (he same time have
have been in a great emoti(3n, but ki the midst of it have had
given them a deep sense of the awful, holy majesty of God,
and it has at once composed thern, and quieted animal na
ture, without diminishing their comfort, but only has made
it of a better and more solid nature ; wlsen they have had a
sense both of the majesty and grace of God, one thing has,
as it Avere, balanced another, and caused a more happy sedate-
ness and composure of body and mind.
Frora these things we may learn how to judge of expe
riences, and to estimate their goodness. Those are not al
ways the best experiences, that are attended with the most
violent affections, and most vehement motions of the animal
spirits, or that have the greatest effects on the body ; nor are
they always the" best, that do most dispose persons to abound
in talk to others, and to speak in the most vehement man
ner ; (though -lliesa things often arise from the greatness of
spiritual experiences ;) -but those that are the most excellent
expeiiences that are quahfied as follows: 1. That have the
least mixture, or are the most purely spiritual. 2. That are
the least deficient and partial, in which the diverse things that
appertain to Christian experience are proportionable one to
another. And 3. That are raised to the highest degree. It
is no matter how high they are raised, if they are quahfied as
before mentioned, the higher the better. Experiences thus
qualified, will be attended with the most amiable behavior,
and will bring forth the raost solid and sweet fruits, and will
be the raost durable, and will have the greatest effect on the
abiding temper bf the soul.
If God. is pleased to cany on this work, and it should prove
to bethe dawning of a general, revival of the Christian church,
it. may be expected that the time wiU come, before long,
when the experiences of Christians shall be much raore ge-

334 THE DEGENERATING OF EXPERIENCES.
neraUy thus qualified. We must expect green fiuits before
we have ripe ones. It is probable that hereafter the disco
veries which the saints shall haveof divine things, wUl be in
a rauch higher degree than yet have been ; but yet shall be
so ordered of an infinitely wise and all-sufficient God, that
they shall not have so great an effect, in proportion, on the
body, and will be less oppressive 16 nature ; and that the out
ward 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 angel. Their in
ward fullness of the Spirit of God, in his divine, araiable, aud
sweet influences, shall, as it were, shine forth in a heavenly
aspect, and manner of speech and behavior. But,
III. There is another thing concerning experiences of Chris
tians, of which it is of yet greater importance that we should
be aware; than either of the preceding, and that is the dege-
nerating of experiences. What I mean, is soraething di
verse from the mere decay of experiences, or their gradually
vanishing, by persons' losing their sense-of things : it is per
sons' experiences 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 raore of a corrupt mixture, the spiritual part decreases,
and the -other useless and hurtful parts greatly increase.
There is such a thing, and it is very frequent, as experi
ence abundantly evidences : I have seen it in very raany in
stances ; and great are the mischiefs that have risen through
want of being liiore aware of it.
There is commonly, as I observed before, in high expe
riences, besides that which is spiritual, a raixture of three
things, viz. natural or coraraon affections and workings of
the imagination, and a degree of self righteousness or spiri
tual pride. Now it often comes lo pass, that througli persons'
not distinguishing the wheat from the chaff, and for want of
watchfulness and hurable jealousy of theraselvfes, and laying

THE DEGENERATING OF EXPERIENCES. 335
great weight on the natural and imaginary part, and yielding
to it, and indulging of it, that part grows and increases,
and the spiritual part decreases ; the devil sets in, and
works in the corrupt partj and cherishes it to his- utmost ;
till at length the experiences of some persons, who began
well, come lo but Utile else, but violent motions of carnal af
fections, with great heats of the imagination, and a great de
gree of enthusiasm, and swelhng of spiritual pride; very
much like sorae fruits which bud, blossom, and kernel well,
but afterwards are Masted with an excess of moistuVe ; so
that though the bulk is monstrously great, yet there is httle
else in it but what is useless and unwholesome. It appears
lo rae very probable, that raany of the hei-esies that have
arisen, and sects. that have appeared in the Christian world,
in one age and another, with wild enthusiastical notions and
practices, began at first by this raeans, that it was such a de
generating of experiences that firsl gave rise to them, or at
least led the way to thera.
There is nothing in the world that does so much expose
to this degenerating of experiences,- as an unheeded spiiitual
pride and self-confidence, and persons' being conceited of their
own stock, without a humble, daUy and continual depend
ence on God. And this very thing seeras to be typified of
old, by the corrupting of the maana. Some of the children
of Israel, because they had gathered a store of nianna, trusted
in it, there being as they apprehended, sufficient in the store
they had gathered and laid up, without hurably looking to
heaven, and stonpiug 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 dege
neracy of experiences, because, it grieves and quenches the
Spirit of the Lamb of God, and so kills the spiritual part ;¦
and it cherishes the natural part, it inflames the carnal affec
tions, and heats the imagination.
The unhappy person that is the subject of such a degene
racy of experiences, "for the raost part, is not sensible of his

336 PRODUCED BY MIXTURES. T
own calamity ; but because he finds himself stUl violently
moved, and 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
says of the Galatians, Gal. iii 3. " Having begun in the
Spirit, they are made perfect by the flesh."
By the mixture there, is of common affection with love lo
God, the love of true. Christians is liable to degenerate, and
to be more and more built on the foundation of a supposition
of being his high and peculiar favorites, and less and less on
an apprehension of the excellency of God's nature, as he is
in himself So the joy of Christians, by reason of the mix
ture there is with spiritual joy, is liable to degenerate, and to
come to that at last, as to be but little else but joy in self joy
in a person's own supposed eminency, and distinction from
others in the favor of God. So zeal, that at first might be in
great part spiritual, yet through the mixture there is, in a long
continuance of opposition and controversy, may degenerate
moreand more into human and proud passion, and raay corae
to bitterness, and even, a degree of hatred. And so love to
the brethren raaj'' by degrees corae to little else but fondness,
and zeal for a parly ; yea, through a raixture 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 k
with those who are better acquainted with ecclesiastical his
tory, to inquke whether such a degeneracy of affections as
this raight not be -the firsl thing that led the way, and gave
occasion to the rise of the abominable notions of some se(;ts
that have arisen, concerning the community of women. How
ever that is, .yet certainly the mutual embraces and. kisses of
peisons of different .sexes, under the notion of Christian love
and holy kisses, are utterly lo be disallowed and abominated,
as .having the raost direct tendency quickly to turn Christian
love unto, unclean and brutish lust, which wiU not be the
belter, but ten times the worse, for being christened by the
name of Christian love. I should also think it advisable.

DEGENERATING OF EXPERIENCES PRODUCED BY DEFECTS. 337
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, whUe their minds are greatly solemnized with
lively impressions, and a deep sense of divine things, there may
appear no Ul consequences ; yet we must look to the further
end of things, and guard against future dangers and advan
tages tbat Satan might gain against us. As a lively, solemn
sense of divine things on the minds of young persons may
graduaUy decay, so there will be danger that an ill improve
ment of these meetings may graduaUy prevail ; if not in any
unsuitable behavior whUe together in the meeting, yet when
they break up to go home, they may naturally consort toge
ther in couples, for other than religious purposes ; and it may
at last come to that, that young persons may go to such meet
ings, chiefly for the sake of such an opportunity for company-
keeping. The defect there sometiraes is in the experiences of Chris
tians exposes them to degenerate, as Well as the raixture that
they have. Deficient, maimed experiences do sc^Oietiraes be
come more and more so : the mind being whoUy intent on
those things that are in view, and those that are most want
ing being neglected, there is less and less of thera, and so the
gap for corruption to come in grows -wider and wider. And
commonly both these causes of the degenerating of experi
ences operate together.
We had need to be jealous over ourselves with a godly jea
lousy, as the apostle was over the Christian Corinthians, lest
by any means, as the serpent beguUed Eve through his sub-
telty,so om- rainds should be corrupted frora the siraphcity that
is in Christ. God indeed wiU never suffer his true saints to-
taUy and finaUy lo faU away, but yet may punish their pride
and self-confidence, by suffering them to be long- led into a
dreadful wUderness, by the subtle serpent, to the great wound
ing of their own souls, and the interest of religion.
43

338 NATURAL AFFECTIONS
And before I dismiss this bead of the degenerating of ex
periences, I would mention one thing more that tends to it;
and that is persons' aiming in their experience to go beyond
the rule of God's word, i. e. aiming at that, which is indeed,
in some respect, beyond the rule. Thus some persons have
endeavored utterly to root out and abolish all natural affec
tion, or any special affection or respect to their near relations,
under a notion that no other love ought to be aUowed, 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 lo one and another only in thai
proportion in which the image of God is seen in them. They
might as well argue that a man ought utterly to disaUow of
and endeavor to abohsh all love or appetite to their daily food,
under a notion that it is a carnal appetite, and that no other
should be tolerated but spiritual appetites. 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 heathen had got to the most horrid pass in wick
edness, viz. a being without natural affection 7
Some have doubled whether they raight pray for the con
version and salvation of the souls of their children, 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 sal
vation of thek chUdren ; and they have supposed that to pray
raost 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 argu
ment of want of, resign alien to God.
And k is true, there is great danger of persons' setting their
hearts too much upon thek earthly friends ; our love to earthly
firiends ought to be under the government of the love of God,
and should be attended wkh a spirit of submission and resig
nation to his will, and every thing should be subordinated to
his glory : but that is no argument that these affections should
be entirely abolished, which the Creator of the world has put

SHOULD NOT BF DF.STROYFD. 339
-within mankind, for the good of mankind, and because he
saw they would be needful 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 endeavor totaUy to root
them out, would be lo reproach and oppose the wisdora of
the Creator. Nor is the being of these natural inclinations,
if well regulated, inconsistent with any part of our duty to
God, or any argument of a sinful selfishness, any more than
the natural abhorrence that there is in the human nature of
pain, and natural inclination to ease that was in the man
Christ Jesus himself
It is the duty of parents lo be raore concerned, and to pray
more for the salvation of their chUdren, than for the chUdren
of their neighbors ; as rauch as it is the duty of a rainister to
be more concerned for the salvation of the souls of his flock,
and to pray more for thera, than those of other congregations,
because they are coraraitled to his care ; so our near friends
are more committed to our care than others, and our near
neighbors, than those that live at a great distance ; and the
people of our land and nation are more, in sorae sense, com
mitted to our care, than the people of China, and we ought
to pray more for them, and to be raore concerned that the king
dom of Christ should flourish araong them, than in another
country, where it would be as much, and no raore for the
glory of God. Compassion ought to be especially exercised
towards friends. Job vi. 14. Christ did not frown upon a
special affection and compassion for near friends, but coun
tenanced and encouraged it from time to tirae, ih those that,
in the exercise of such an affection and compassion, applied
(.0 him for relief for their friends ; as in the instance of the
woman of Canaan, Jaiius, Mary and Martha, the centurion,
the widow of Nain, and many others. The apostle Paul,
though a man as much resigned and devoted to God, and
under the power of his love, perhaps as any mere raan that
ever lived, yet had a peculiar concern for his countrymen the
Jews, the rather on that account, that thev were his brethren

340 EXTERNAL EFFECTS OF APPEARANCES.
and kinsmen according in the flesh ; he had a very high
degree of compassionate grief for them, insomuch that he
tells us he had great heaviness and continual sorrow of heart
for them, and could wish himself accursed frora Christ for
them. There are many things that are proper for the saints in
heaven, that are not suitable lo the slate God has set us in,
in this world : and for Christians, in these and other in
stances, 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 a being righteous overmuch, and
has a tendency to open a door for Satan, and lo cause reli
gious affections to degenerate into something very unbecoming
of Christians.
Thus I have, as I proposed, taken notice of sorae things
with regard to the inward experiences of Christians, by which
Satan has an- advantage. I now proceed in the
II. place, to take notice of something with regard to the
external effects of experiences, which also gives Satan an ad
vantage. What I have respect to, is the secret and unac
countable influence that custora has upon persons, with re
spect to the external effects and manifestations of the inward
affections of the mind. By custora, I raean bolh a person's
being accustomed to a thing in himself in his own coramon,
allowed, and indulged practice, and also the countenance and
approbation of others araongst whom he dwells, by their ge
neral 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 uncom
mon efffects and outward manifestations of inward expe
riences to custora and fashion, as some do ; I know it to
be otherwise, if it be possible for rae to know any thing of
this nature by the raost critical observation, under all niannei-
of opportunities of observing. But yet, this also is exceeding
evident by experience, that custom has a strange influence
in these things : I know it by the different manners and de-

INFLUENCE OP EXAMPLE AND CUSTOM. 341
grees of external effects and manifestations of great affections
and high discoveries, in different towns, according to what
persons are gradually led into, and insensibly habituated to,
by example and custom ; and also in the same place, at dif
ferent times, according to the conduct that they have : if
some person is among them to conduct them, that much coun
tenances and encourages such kind of outward manifesta
tions of great affections, they naturaUy and insensibly pre
vail, and grow by degrees unavoidable : but when afterwards
they come under another kind of conduct, the manner of ex
ternal appearances wUl strangely alter: and yet it seems to
be without any proper design or contrivance of those in whora
there is this alteration ; it is not properly affected by thera,
but the influence of example and custom is secret and insen
sible to the persons theraselves. These things have a vast
influence in the raanner of persons' raanifesting their joys,
whether with smiles and an air of hghtness, or whether With
more solemnity and reverence ; and so they have a great
influence as to the disposition persons have under high affec
tions to abound in talk ; and also as to the manner of their
speaking, the loudness and vehemence of their speech ;
(though it would be exceeding unjust, and ' against all the
evidence of fact and experience, and the reason of things, to
lay aU dispositions persons have to be much in speaking to
others, and to speak in a very earnest manner, to custom.) It
is raanifest that exaraple and custora has, sorae way or other,
a secret or unsearchable influence on those actions that are
involuntary, by the difference that there is in different places,
and in the sarae places at different times, according to the
diverse examples and conduct that they have.
Therefore, though k would be very unreasonable, and pre
judicial to the interest of religion, to frown upon aU these ex-
Iraordinaiy external effects and manifestations of great reli
gious affections (for a raeasure of them is natural, necessary,
and beautiful, and the effect in no wise disproportioned to the
spkitual cause, and is of great benefit to promote religion ;)

342 INFLUENCE OP EXAMPLE AND CUSTOM.
yet I think they greatly err who think that these things
should be whoUy unhraited, and that all should be encou
raged in going in these things to the utraost length that they
feel theraselves inclined to : the consequence of this wUl be
very bad : there ought to be a gentle restraint held upon
these things, and there should be a prudent care taken of
persons in such extraordinary cir(^urastances, and they should
be moderately advised at proper seasons, not to make raore
ado than there is need of, but rather to hold a restraint upon
their incUnations ; otherwise extraordinary outward effects
wUl grow upon them, they wUl be raore and more natural
and unavoidable, and the extraordinary outward show wUl
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, tiU at length
almost any slight emotion wiU set thera going, and they
wiU be more and more violent and boisterous, and wiU grow
louder and louder, tiU their actions and behavior becorae
indeed very absurd. These things experience proves.
Thus I 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.
I now proceed, as I proposed, in the
Second place, to take notice of some particular errors that
have risen frora several of these causes ; in sorae perhaps
they have been chiefly owing to one, and in others to another,
and in others to the influence of several, or aU conjunctly.

OF CENSURING MINISTERS,

SECTION IV.

343

Some particular errors that have arisen from these
causes.
And here the first thing I would take notice of, is cen
suring others that are professing Christians, in 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, and frequent, and strict prohibitions of the word of
God : it is the worst disease that has attended this work,
most contrary to the spkit and rules of Christianity, and of
worst consequences. There is a most unhappy tincture
that the minds of many, both rainisters and people, have
received that way. The manner of many has been, when
they first enter into conversation with any person, that seems
to have any show, or raake any pretenses tb religion, to dis
cern him, or to fix a judgment of him, from his- manner of
talking of things of religion, whether he be converted, or ex-
perinientaUy acquainted with vital piety or not, and then to
treat him accordingly, and freely to express their thoughts
of him to others, especially those that they have a good
opinion of as true Christians, and accepted as brethren and
companions in Christ ; or if they do not declare their rainds
expressly, yet by their manner of speaking- of them, at least
to their friends, they wUl show plainly what their thoughts
are. So when they have heard any minister pray or preach,
their first work has been to ohserve him on a design of dis
cerning him, whether he be a converted raan or no ; whe
ther he prays like one that feels the saving power of God's
Spirit in his heart, and whether he preaches lUie one that
knows what he says. It has been so much the way in
some places, that many new converts do not know but it is
their duty to do so ; they know no other way. And when

344 A DISPOSITION TO PROFIT BY PREACHING.
once persons yield to such a notion, and give in to such a
humor, they will quickly grow very discerning in their own
apprehension, they think they can easUy teU a hypocrite :
and when once they have passed their censure, every thing
seeras to confirm it, they see raore and more in the person
that they have censured, that seems to them lo show plainly
that he is an unconverted man. And then, if the person
censured be a minister, eveiy thing in his public perform
ances seeras dead and sapless, and lo do thera no good at aU,
but on the contrary, to be of deadening influence, and poi
sonous to the soul ; yea, it seems 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 Spiiit 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 aU
the town seeraed to be alive and full of God, there was no
such notion or humor prevailing here ; when ministers
preached here, as very many did at that time, young and
old, our people did not go about to discern whether 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 natural lo 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 iraproveraent of it. And it is
remarkable, that never did tlieie appear such a disposition in
the people, to relish, approve of and admire ministers'
preaching as at that time : such expressions as these were
frequent in the raouths of one and another, on occa
sion of the preaching of strangers here, viz. that they re
joiced that titer c loerc so many such eminent ministers in
the country ; and theij wondered they never heard the

OF ministers' censuring other MINISTERS. 345
fame of them before : they icere thankful that other towns
had so good means ; and the like. And scarcely ever did
any minister preach here, but his preaching did some re
markable service ; as I had good opportunity lo know, be
cause at that time I had particular acquaintance with raost
of the persons in the town, in their soul concerns. That it
has been so much otherwise of late in raany places in the
land, is another instance of the secret and powerful influ
ence 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 expected by sorae, that Christ was now
about thus to purge his house of unconverted ministers, and
this has made it raore natural to thera to think that they
should do Christ service, and act as co-workers with hira, to
put to their hand, and endeavor by all raeans to cashier those
ministers that they thought to be unconverted. Indeed, it,
appears to rae probable that the tirae is coming, when awful
judgments wUl be executed on unfaithful ministers, arid that
no sort of raen in the world will be so rauch exposed to di
vine judgments ; but then we should leave that work to
Christ, who is the Searcher of hearts, and lo whom ven
geance belongs ; and not without warrant take the scourge
out of his hand into our own. There has been too much
of a disposition in sorae, as it were, to give ministers over as
reprobates, that have been looked upon as wolves in sheep's
clothing ; which has tended to promote and encourage a spirit
of bitterness towards them, and to make it natural to treat
them too rauch as if they knew God hated them. If God's
children knew that others w6re 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 devU, and as
the saints at the day of judgment wUl hate the wicked.
44

346 OP CENSURING MINISTERS.
Some have been too apt to look for fire from heaven upon
particular ministers ; and this has naturaUy excited that dis
position to caU for it, that Christ rebuked in his disciples at
Samaria. For my part, though I believe no sort of men on
earth are so exposed to spiritual judgments as -wicked minis
ters, yet I feel no disposition to treat any minister as if I sup
posed 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 ap
pointed for the magnifying the riches and sovereignty of
divine mercy, beyond what ever Was, that a great number of
unconverted ministers will obtain mercy. There was n¥
sort of persons in Christ's time, that were so guilty, and so
hardened, and towards whora Christ manifested such great
indignation, as the priests and scribes, and there were no
such persecutors 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 coramon people,
yet in the progress of the work, after a while, " a great com
pany of priests in Jerusalem were obedient to the faith,"
Acts vi. 7. And Saul, one of the raost violent of aU the
persecuting Pharisees, became afterwards the greatest pro
moter of the work of God thai ever was. I hope we shall
yet see in many instances a fulfillment of that in Isa. xxix.
24. " They also that erred in spirit shall come to under
standing, and they that murraured shall learn doctrine."
Nothing has been gained by this practice. The end that
some have aimed at in it has not been obtained, nor is ever
hke lo be. Possibly some have openly censured rainisters,
and encouraged their people's uneasiness under them, in
hopes that it would soon come to that, that the uneasiness
would be so general, and so great, that unconverted minis
ters in general would be cast off, and that 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 unhappiness among rainisters and people, has spoiled
Christians' enjoyment of sabbaths, and made them their

OP CENSURING MINISTERS. 347
most uneasy, uncomfortable, and unprofitable days, and has
stiri'ed up great contention, and set aU in a flame ; and in
one place and another where there was a glorious work of
God's Spirit begun, it has in a great measure knocked all in
the head, and their rainisters hold their places. Some have
aimed at a better end in censuring ministers ; they have
supposed it to be a likely means to awaken them : whereas,
indeed, there is no one thing has had so great a tendency to
prevent the awakening of disaffected ministers in general ;
and no one thing has actuaUy had such influence to lock up
the minds of ministers against any good effect of this great
work of God in the land, upon their minds, in this respect :
I have known instances of some that 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 muiisters
that have been awakened by it, there are ten to one on whom
it has had a contrary influence. The worst enemies of this
work have been inwardly eased by this practice ; they have
raade a shield of it to defend their consciences, 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's being
undone by our forbearing thus to censure them, and carrying
it towards them as visible Christians ; it wUl be nq bloody,
hell-peopling charity, as some seem to suppose, when it is
known that we do not treat them as Christians, because we
have taken it upon us to pass a judgment on their state, on
any trial, or exercise of our skUl in examining and discern
ing them, but only as allowing them to be worthy of a public
charity, on their profession and good external behavior ; any
more than Judas was in danger of being deceived, by Christ's
treating him a long time as a disciple, and sending hira forth
as an apostle (because he did not then take it upon him to

348 MINISTERS CENSURED AS UNCONVERTED OR DEAD.
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 wiU be, that
is in its own nature proper, and of never so good tendency.
I say nothing against dealing thoroughly with' conscience,
by the most convincing and searching dispensation of the
word of God : I do not desire that 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 compliments ; let ministers handle it in
flaming fire, without having any raore raercy on it, than the
. furnace has on those metals that are tried in it. But let us
let men's persons alone : let the word of God judge them,
but do not let us take it upon us tiU we have warrant for it.
Some have been ready to censure ministers because they
seera, in comparison of some other ministers, to be very cold
and hfeless in their ministerial perforraances. But then it
should be considered that for aught we know, God raay here
after raise up rainisters of so rauch raore excellent and hea
venly quahfications, and so much more spiritual and divine
in their performances, that there raay appear as great a differ
ence between them, and those that now seem the most lively,
as there is now between them, and others that are caUed dead
and sapless ; and those that are now caUed lively ministers
may appear to their hearers, when they compare them with
others that shall excel them, as wretchedly raean and their
performances poor, dead, dry things ; and raany raay be ready
to be preju(hced against them, as accounting them good for
nothing, and it may be caUing thera soul-raurderers. What
a poor figure raay we suppose, the raost lively of us, and those
that are raost admired by the people, do make in the eyes of
the saints of heaven, any otherwise than as their deadness,
deformity and rottenness is hid by the veil of Christ's right
eousness.

OP CEl^SURING BECAUSE OF OPPOSITION. 349
Another thing that has been supposed to be sufficient war
rant for openly censuring ministers as unconverted, 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 oppo
sition against this work raay be such, as to render either
ministers or people, truly scandalous, and expose them to
public ecclesiastical censure ; and that ministers hereby rruty
utterly defeat the design of their ministry (as I ohserved be
fore) ; 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 tirae, plainly pray and preach against this work, or speak
reproachfuUy of it frequently in his public performances, after
jjl Christian methods had been used for a remedy, and to no
purpose. But as to determining how far opposing this work is con
sistent with a state of grace, or how far, and for ho'.V long
time, some persons of good experience in their own souls,
through prejudices they have received from the errors that
have been mixed with this work, or through some pecuhar
disadvantages they are under to behold things in a right view
of them, by reason of the persons they converse with, or their
own cold and dead frames, is, as experience shows, a very
difficult thing ; I have seen that which abundantly convinces
me that the business is 'too high for rae ; I ara glad that God
has not coraraitled such a' (hfficult affair to me ; I can joy-
fuUy leave it whoUy in his hands, who is infinitely fit for it,
without raeddhng at aU with it myself We raay represent
it as exceeding dangerous to oppose this work, 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 guUty of it to be in a state of giace or no.
God seems so strictly to have forbidden this practice, bf
our judging our brethren in the visible church, not only be
cause he knew that we were too rauch of babes, infinitely too
weak, fallible und Wind, to be weU capacitated for it, but also

350 THE DANGER OP CENSURING.
because he knew that it was not a work suited to our proud
hearts; that k would be setting us vastly too high, and
making us too much of lords over our feUow-creatures.
Judging our brethren and passing a condemnatory sentence
upon them, seems to carry in it an act of authc)rity, especially
in so great a case, to sentence them -with respect to that state
of thek hearts, on which depends thek hableness to eternal
damnation ; as is evident by such interrogations as those (to
hear which from God's mouth, is enough to make us shrink
into nothing with shame and confusion, and seinse of our own
bUndness and worlhlessness), Rom. xiv. 4. " 'Who art thou
that judgest another man's servant 7 To his own master he
standeth or falleth." And James iv. 12. " There is one Law
giver that is able to save and to destroy ; who art thou that
judgest another ?" Our wise and merciful Shepherd has gra
ciously 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 desire to have it restored.
Blessed be his narae 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 raore knowing, but
more humble than I am.
Though I believe sorae of God's own chUdren have of late
been very guilty in this matter, yet by what is said of it in
the seripture, it appears lo me very hkely, that before these
things which God has lately begun have an end, God wUl
awfully rebuke that practice ; may it in sovereign and infi
nite mercy be prevented, by the deep and open humUiation
of those that have openly practiced it.
As this practice ought to be avoided, so should aU such
open visible marks of distinction and separation that imply
it : as particularly, distinguishing such as we have judged to
be in a converted state with the corapeUations of brother or
sister, any further than there is a visible ecclesiastical dis
tinction. In those places where it is the manner to receive
such, and such only to the communion of the visible chiucb,

CENSURlNO IN OPEN PRAYER. 351
as 'recommend themselves by giving a satisfying account
of thek inward experiences, there Christians may openly dis
tinguish such persons, in their speech and ordinary behavior,
with a visible separation, without being inconsistent with
themselves : and I do not now pretend to meddle with that
controversy, whether such an account of experience be requi
site to church-feUowship : 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 appeUations,
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 totaUy rooted
out, as we woidd prepare the way of the Lord; It has nou
rished and upheld many other things contrary to the humi
lity, meekness, and love of the gospel. The minds of many
have received an unhappy turn, in sorae respects, with thek
religion. There is a certain point or sharpness, a disposition
to a kind of warmth, that does not savor of that meek, lamb
like, sweet disposition that becomes Christians. Many have
now been so 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.
There is a way of reflecting on others, and censuring them
in open prayer, that sorae have ; which, though it has a fair
show of love, yet is indeed the boldest way of reproaching
others imaginable, because there is imphed in it an appeal to
the Most High God, concerning the truth of their censures
and reflections.
And here I would observe by the way, that some have a
way of joining a sort of imprecations with their petitions for
others, though but conditional ones, that appear to rae wholly
needless and improper : they pray that others may either be

352 op PRAYING THAT OTHERS MAY
converted or removed. I never heard nor read of any such
thing practiced in the church of God tUl now, unless it be
with respect to some of the most visibly and notoriously aban
doned enemies of the church of God. This is a sort of
cursing men in our prayers, adding a curse with our bless
ing; whereas the rule is bless and curse not. To pray
that God would kUl another, is to curse him with the hke
curse wherewith Elisha cursed the chUdren that came out of
Bethel. And the case must be very great and extraordinary
indeed to warrant it, unless we were prophets, and (hd not
speak our own words, but words indited by the iraraediate
inspiration of the Spirit of God. It is pleaded that if God
has no design of converting others, is is best for thera, as weU
as best for others, that they should be iraraediately taken
away and sent to hell before they have contracted raore guilt.
To which I would say, that so it was best that those chil
dren that raet Elisha, seeing God had no design of convert
ing them, should die iraraediately as they did ; but yet Eli-
sha's iraprecating that sudden death upon them, was cursing
them ; and therefore would not have been lawful for one that
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 chUd that suspects he has an unconverted
father and mother, may pray openly that his father and rao
ther may either be converted, or taken away and sent to hell
now quickly, before their guilt is greater. (For unconverted
parents are as Ukely to poison the souls of their famUy in
their raanner of training them up, as unconverted ministers
are to poison thek people.) And so it come to that, that it
raight be a common thing aU over the country, for chUdren
to pray after this manner concerning thek parents, and breth
ren and sisters concerning one another, and husbands con
cerning their wives, and wives concerning husbands ; and so
for persons to pray concerning all thek unconverted friends
and neighbors ; and not only so, but we raay also pray con
cerning all those saints that are not lively Christians, that

BE CONVERTED OR REMOVED 353
they may either he enlivened or taken away ; if that be true
that is often said by some at this day, that these cold, dead
saints do more hurt than natural men, and lead more souls
to heU, and that it would be well for mankind if they were
aU dead.
How neeclless are such petitions or imprecations as these 7
What benefit is there of them ? Why is it not sufficient for us
lo pray that God would provide for his church, and the good
of souls, and take care of his own flock, and give it needful
nieans and advantages for its spiritual prosperity? Does
God need to be directed by us in what way he shall do it?
What need -we ask of God to do it by kilhng such and such
persons, if he does not convert theni ? unless we dehght in
the thoughts of God's answering us in such terrible ways,
and with such awful manifestations of his wrath to our fel
low-creatures. And why do not ministers direct sinners to pray for them
selves, that God would either convert them or kUl thera, and
send them to heU now, before their guiU is greater ? In this
way we should lead persons in the next place to self mm-der:
for many probably would soon begin to think that that which
they may pray for, they raay seek, and use the nieans of
Some with whom I have discoursed about this way of
prayiiig, have said that the Spirit of God, as k Were, forces
them to utter tliemselves thus, as -it were forces out such
words from their mouths, when otherwise they should not
dare to utter them. But such a kind of impulse does riot
look like the influence of the Spirit of Go~d. The Spirit of
God sometimes strongly inclines men to utter words ; but
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 ; and those affections and that
sense inchnes the mouth to speak. That other way of men's
being urged to use certain expressions, by an unaccountable
force, is very probably from the influence of the spirit of the
devU. 45

354

OF LAY EXHORTING,

SECTION V.
Of errors connected with lay exhorting.
Another thing I would take notice of in the manage
ment 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 aU the disputes that have been, I suppose
that all are agreed as lo these two things, viz. 1. That all
exhorting one another of laymen is not unlawful or impro
per ; but on the contrary, that sorae exhorting is a Christian
duty. And 2. I suppose also, aU will aUow that there is
soraething that is proper only for ministers ; that there is
some kind or way of exhorting and teaching or other, that
belongs only to the office of teachers. All will allow tbat
God has appointed such an office as that of teachers in the
Christian church, and therefore doubtless will allow that some
thing or other is proper and peculiar to that office, or some
business of teaching thai belongs to it, 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 thera, is to invade
the office of a minister : which doubtless is very sinful, and
is often so represented in scripture. But the great difficulty
is to settle the bounds; and to tell exactly how far laymen
may go, and when they exceed their limits : which is a raat
ter of so rauch difficulty, that 1 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 the other of which may and ought lo be
practiced by the people, may be expressed by those two names
oi preaching, and exhorting in a way of Christian con
versation. But then a great deal of difliculty and contro-

WHAT IS PROPER FOR LAYMEN, 355
versy arises to determine what is preaching, and what is
Christian conversation. However I wUl humbly offer ray
thoughts concerning this subject of lay exhorting, as follows.
I. The common people in exhorting one another ought
not to clothe themselves with the like authority with that
which is proper for ministers. There is a certain authority
that ministers have, and should exercise in leaching, as weU
as governing the flock. Teaching is spoken of in scripture
as an act of authority, 1 Tira. u. 12. In order lo a man's
preaching, special authority must be committed to him. Rora.
X. 15. " How shall they preach, except they be sent 7" Mi
nisters in this work of teaching and exhorting are clothed
with authority, as Christ's messengers, Mai. u. 7. and as re
presenting him, and so speaking in his name, and in his
stead, 2 Cor. v. 18, 19, 20. And it seems to be the most
honorable thing that belongs to the office of a rainister of the
gospel, that to him is committed the word of reconciUation,
and that he has power to preach the gospel, as Christ's mes
senger, and meaking in his name. The apostle seems to
speak of it as such, 1 Cor. i. 16, 17. Ministers therefore in
the exercise of this power, may clothe theraselves with autho
rity in speaking, or may teach others iu an authoritative
manner. Tit. ii. 15. " These things speak and exhort, and
rebuke, with ah authority : let no man despise thee.'' But
the common people, in 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 com
pany of children, and counseling in a brotherly way, as the
children may kindly counsel and adraonish one another
Those that are mere brethren ought not to assume authority
in exhorting, though one may be better, and have more ex
perience than another. Laymen ought not to exhort as
though they were the embassadors or messengers of Christ
as ministers do; nor should they exhort, and warn, and
charge, in his name, according to the ordinary import of
such an expression, when applied to teaching ; indeed in one

356 OF EXHORTING WITH AUTHORITY.
sense, a Christian ought to do every thing he does in reli
gion in the name of Christ, i. e. he ought to act in a depend
ence on him as his Head and Mediator, and do all for his
glory : but the expression as it is usually understood, when
applied to teaching or exhorting, is speaking in Christ's stead,
and as ha-ving a message from hira.
Persons may clothe themselves with authority in speak
ing, either by the authoritative words they raake use of, or
in the manner, and authoritative air of thek 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 raanner of his speaking
those words, which as they raight be spoken, raight be pro
per for him : the same words spoken in a different manner,
may express what is very diverse : doubtless, there may be
as much hurl in the manner of a person's speaking, as there
may in his looks ; but the wise raan teUs us, that '' a high
look is an abomination lo the Lord," Prov. X3». 4. Again, a
man may clothe himself with authority, in the circurastances
under which he speaks : as for instance, if he sets himself
up as a 2)rtblic teacher. Here I would have it observed, that
I do not suppose that a person is guilty of this, merely be
cause he speaks in the hearing of, many : pei'sons raay speak,
and speak only in a, way of conversation, and yet speak in
the hearing of a great number, as they often do in their com
mon conversation about temporal things, at feasts and enter
tainments, wiiere woraen, as well as others, do converse free
ly together about woridly things, in Ihehearing of a considera
ble number ; and it may liappen to be in the hearing of a
great number, and yet without offense : and if their conver
sation on sucli occasions sliould turn on spiritual things, ahd
they should speak as freely and openly, I do not see why it
would not be as harmless. Nor do I think, that if besides a
great number being present, persons speak with a very ear
nest and loud Vdii'c. this is for lliem lo '^et up themselves as

op EXHORTING WITH AUTHORITY 357
public teachers, if they do it from no contrivance or premedi
tated design, or as purposely directing themselves to a con
gregation or multitude, and not speaking to any that are com
posed to the solemnity of any public service ; but speaking
in the time of conversation, or a time when all do fi-eely con
verse one with another, they express what they then feel, di
recting themselves to none but those that are near them, and
faU in their way, speaking in that earnest and palhetical
manner, lo which the subject they are speaking of, and the
affecting sense of their souls naturally leads thera, and as it
were constrains thera : I say, that for persons to do thus,
though raany happen to hear thera, yet it does not appear to
me to be setting themselves up as public teachers : yea, if
this be added to these other circurastances, thai all this hap
pens to be in a raeeting-house ; I do not think that merely
its being in such a place, much alters the case, provided the
solemnity of pubhc service and divine ordinances be over, and
the solemn assemlsly broke up, and some stay in the house
for mutual religious conversation ; provided also that they
speak in no authoritative way, but in a humble raanner,
becoming their degree and station, though they speak very
earnestly and pathetically.
Indeed modesty might in ordinary cases restrain sorae per
sons, as women, and those that are young, from so much as
speaking, when a great number are present ; at least, when
sorae of those present are much their superiors, unless they
are spoken to : and yet the case may be so extraordinary, as
fuUy to w^ai'rant it. If something very extraordinary hap
pens lo 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 hes a dying, it appears to none any viola-
lion of modesty for him to speak freely, before those that are
much his superiors. I have seen some woraen and chUdren
in such circumstances, on religious accounts, that it has ap
peared to me no more a transgressing the laws of humility

358 OF EXHORTING AS A PUBLIC TEACHER.
and inodes(,y, for thera to speak fieely, let who will be present,
than if they were dying.
But then may a man be said to set up himself as a public
teacher, when he in a set speech, of design, directs himself
to a raultitude, either in the meeting-house, or elsewhere, as
looking that they should compose themselves to attend to
what he has to say ; and much more when this is a con
trived and premeditated thing, without any thing like a con
straint, by any extraordinary sense or affection that he is
then under ; and more still, when meetings are appointed
on purpose lo hear lay persons exhort, and they lake it as
their business lo be speakers, while they expect that others
should corae, and compose theraselves, and attend as hearers ;
when private Christians take it upon thera in private meet
ings, lo act as the masters or presidents of the assembly, and
accordingly from time to tirae to leach and exhort the rest,
this has the appearance of authoritative teaching.
When private Christians, that are no raore than mere
brethren, exhort and admonish one another, it ought to be
in a humble manner, rather by way of entreaty, than with
authority : and the more, according as the station of persons
is lower. Thus it becomes w^omen, and those that are young,
ordinarily to be at a greater distance frora any appearance of
authority in speaking than others : thus rauch at least is
evident by that in 1 Tim. n. 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 fiimilies in their own
famihes. Every Christian family is a little church, and the
heads of it are its authoritative teachers and governors. Nor
can it extend to schoolmasters among their scholars ; and
some other cases might perhaps be mentioned, that ordinary
discretion will distinguish, where a man's circumstances do
properly clothe him with authority, and render it fit and
suitable for him to counsel and admonish otheis in an au
thoritative mannei-.

OF EXHORTING AS AN OFFU C. 3b9
11. No man but only a minister that is duly appointed lo
that sacred calling, ought to follow teaching and exhorting
as a calling, or so as lo neglect that which is his proper
calling. A having the office of a teacher in the church of
God imphes two things : 1, a being invested with the au
thority of a teacher ; and 2. a being called to the business
of a teacher, to make it the business of his hfe. Therefore
that man that is not a minister, that takes either of these
upon hira, invades the office of a minister. Concerning
assuming the authority of a minister, I have spoken already.
But if a layman does 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
hue, 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. xu. 3, 4, 5, 7, 8. " For I say, through the grace
given unto me, lo every raan that is among you, not to think
of hijnself more highly than he ought to think ; but to think
soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the pro
portion 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
hira 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 raan abide in the
same calhng wherein he was called." 1 Thes. iv. 11. "And
that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own- busines.s, and
to work with your own hands, as we comraanded you."
It wiU 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 in danger of having a slop
put to the work of God, and the ark's turning aside frora us,
before it comes to Mount Zion, and of God's making a

360 OF RESTRAINTS ON LAY EXHORTING.
breach upon us ; as of old there was an unhappy stop put
lo the joy of the congregation of Israel, in bringing up the
ark of God, because others carried it besides the Levkes :
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 lo minister unto him forever." And
because one presumed to touch the ark that was not of the
sons of Aaron, therefore the Lord raade 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 restraint.
1. Speaking in the time of the solemn worship of God,
as public prayer, singing, or preaching, or administration of
the sacrament of the holy supper ; or any duty of social
worship : this should not be allowed. I know it wiU be
said, that in sorae cases, when persons are exceedingly af
fected, they cannot help it ; and I believe so loo : but then
I also believe, and know by experience, that there are several
things that contribute to that inability, besides raerel^i and
absolutely the sense of divine things they have upon their
hearts. Custom and example, or the thing's being allowed,
have such an influence, that Ihey actuaUy help to raake it
impossible for persons under strong affections to avoid speak
ing. If it was disallowed, and persons at the time that they
were thus disposed lo break out, had tliis apprehension, that
it would be a very unbecoming, shocking thing for thera so
lo do, it would be a help to Ihem as to their abUity lo avoid
it : their inability arises from their strong and vehement
disposition ; and so far as that disposition is from a good
principle, it would be weakened by the coming in of this
thought lo their minds, viz. " What I am going lo do, wiU
be for the dishonor of Christ and religion :" and so that in
ward vehemence, that pushed theni forwaid to speak, would

OF ERRORS CONNECTED WITH SINGING. 361
faU, and they would be enabled to avoid it. This experi
ence confirms.
2. There ought to be a moderate restraint on the loudness
of persons talking under high affections ; for if there be not,
it wUl grow natural and unavoidable for persons to be louder
and louder, without any increase of their inward sense : tUl
it becomes natural to thera, at last, to scream and halloo to
alraost every one they see in the streets, when they are rauch
affected : but this is certainly a thing very iraproper, and
what has no tendency to promote religion. The raan Christ
Jesus, when he was upon earth, had, doubtless, as great a
sense of the infinite greatness and iraportance of eternal
things, and the worth of souls, as any have now-a-days ; but
there is not the least appearance in his history, of his taking
any such course, or raanner of exhorting others.
3. There should also be some restraint on the abundance
of persons' talk, under strong affections ; for if persons give
themselves an unbounded liberty, to talk just so much as they
feel an inclination to, they wiU increase and abound more
and more hi talk, beyond the proportion of their sense or affec
tion ; till at length it wiU becorae ineffectual on those that
hear them, and by the commonness of their abundant talk,
they will defeat tlieir own end.

SECTION VI.
Of errors connected with singing praises to God.
One thing raore I would take notice of before I conclude
this part, is the raisraanagement that has been in some places
of the duty of singing pi-aises to God. I believe it to have
been one fruit of the extraordinary degrees of the sweet and
joyful influences of the Spirit of God that have been lately
given, that there has appeared such a disposition lo abound
46

362 SINOIN-G IN' THE STP.EETS,
in that duty, and frequently to faU into this divine, exercise ;
not only in appointed soleran meetings, but when Christians
occasionally meet together at each other's houses. But the
mismanagement I have respect to, is the gelling into a way
of performing it, without alraost any appearance of that reve
rence and solemnity with which all visible, open acts of di
vine worship ought to be attended ; it may be two or three
in a roora singing hyrans of praise to God, others that are
present talking at the sarae tirae, others about their work,
with little raore appearance of regard to wiiat is doing, than
if some were only singing a coramon song, for thek amusement
and diversion. There is danger, if such things are continued,
of its coming to that by degrees, that a mere nothing be made
of this duty, to the great violation of the third commandment.
Let Christians abound as much as they will in this holy,
heavenly exercise, in God's house, and in their own houses ;
but when it is perforraed, let it be perforraed as a holy act,
wherein they have iraraediately and visibly to do with God.
When any social, open act of devotion, or soleran worship of
God ie perforraed, God should be reverenced as visibly pre
sent,, by those that are present. As we would not have the
ark of God depart from ii.s, nor provoke God to make a
breach upon us, we should take heed that we handle the ark
with reverence.
Wkh respect to companies singing in the streets, going to,
or coraing from, the place of pubhc worship, I would humbly
offer my thoughts in the following particulars.
1. The rule of Chiist concerning putting new wine into
old bottles, does undoubtedly take place in things of this na
ture, supposing k to be a thing that in kself is good, but nOt
essential, and not particularly enjoined or forbidden. For
things, so very new and uncommon, and of so open and pub
hc a nature, to be suddenly introduced and set up and prac
ticed, in raany parts of fhe country, without the raatter being
so rauch as first proposed to any public consideration, or
giving any opportunity for the people of God to weigh the

NOT TO EE INTRODUCFD SUDDENLY. 363
matter, or to consider any reasons that might be offered to
support it, is putting new Avine into old bottles with a wit
ness ; as if it were with no other design than to burst them
dkectly. Nothing else cian be expected to be the consequence
of this, than uproar and confusion,^ and great offense, and
unhappy mischievous disputes, even among the children of
God themselves : not that that which is good in itself, and is-
new, ought to be forborne, till there is nobody that wUl dis
hke it ; but it ought lo be forborne lUl the visible church of
God is so prepared for it, at least, thai there is a probability
that it will not do more hurt than good, or hinder the work
of God raore than promote it ; as is most 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 on
persons' minds, and the contention and prejudice against reli
gion, thai it is like to be an occasion of wiU do raore to hinder
rehgion, than the practice of it is like to-do to proraole it,
then the fi-uit is picked before it is ripe. And indeed, such a
hasty endeavor to introduce such' an innovation, supposing
it to be good in itself is the likeliest way to retard the effec
tual introduction of it ; it wiU hinder 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 cojisiderable part of a congre^
gallon have occasion to go in company together lo a place of
public worship, and they should join together in singing
praises to God, as they go, I confess; that after long considera
tion, aud endeavoring to view the thing every way, with the
utraost dUigence and impartiality I am capable of, I cannot
find any valid objection against it. As to the common ob
jection frora Matt. vi. 5. "And when thou prayest, thou shalt
not be as the hypocrites are ; for th^y love-to pray standing
in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they
may be seen of men ;" it is- strong agaiusl a single person's
singing in the streets, or in the raeeting-house, by himself as
.offering to God personal worsliip; but as it is brought against

364 SINGING IN THE STREETS
a considerable company, their thus publicly worshiping God,
it appears to me to have no weight at aU ; to be sure it is of
no more force against a company's thus praising God in the
streets, than against their praising him in the synagogue or
meeting-house, for the streets and the synagogues are both
put together in these words of our Savior, as paraUel in the
case that he had respect to. It is evident that Christ speaks
of personal, and not public worship. If to sing in the streets
be ostentatious, then it must be hecause it is a public place,
and it cannot be done there without being -very open ; but it
is no raore pubhc than the synagogue or raeeting-house is
when" full of people. Some worship is in its nature private,
as that which is proper lo particular persons, or faraUies, or
private societies, and has respect to their particular concerns :
but that which I now speak of is performed under no other
notion than a part of God's public worslup, without any rela
tion to any private, separate society, or any chosen or picked
number, and in which every visible Christian has equal liber
ty to join, if it be convenient for hira, and he has a^ disposi
tion, as in the worship that is performed in the raeeting-house.
When persons are going to the house of pubUc worship, to
serve God there With the assembly of his people, they are
upon no other design than that of pulling public honor 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 cora
pany with public praise, it is not a being public when they
ought to be private. It is one part of the beauty of public wor
ship, that k be very public; the raore public it is, the raore open
honor it puts upon God; and especially is it beautifLdinthat part
of public worship, viz. public praise : for the very notion of
public praising of God, is to declaie abroad his glory, to pub
lish bis praise, to raake it kiaown, and proclaira it aloud, as
is evident by innuraerable expressions of scripture. It is fit
that God's honor should not be concealed, but raade known
in the great congregation, and proclaimed before the sun, and

NOT WHOLLY OBJECTIONABLE, 365
upon the house-tops, before kings, and aU nations, and that
his praises should be heard to the utmost ends of the earth.
I suppose none wiU condemn singing God's praises,
merely because it is performed in the open air, and not in a
close place : and if it may be performed by a company in
the open ak, doubtless they raay do it moving, as well as
¦ standing slUl. So the chUdren of Israel praised God, when
they went to Mount Zion, with the ark of God ; and so the
multitude praised Christ, when they entered with him into
Jerusalem, a httle before his passion ; and so the chUdren of
Israel were wont, from year to year, lo go up to Jerusalem,
when they went in companies, from aU parts of the land,
three times in a year, when they often used to manifest the
engagedness of their minds, by traveUng aU night, and ma
nifested thek joy and gladness, by singing praises, with great
decency and beauty, as they went towards God's holy moun-
tahi ; 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
Psalm xhi. 4. " When I reraeraber 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." Psalm, c. 4.
" Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts
wkh praise." When God's people are going to his house,
the occasion is so joyful to a Christian in a lively frame, (the
language of whose heart is, Corrie, let us go up to the
house of the Lord, and who is glad when it is so said to
him,) that the duty of singing praises seems to be pecu-
Uarly beautiful on such an occasion. So that if the state of
the countiy was ripe for it, and it should be so that there
should be frequent occasions for a considerable part of a con
gregation to go together to the places of public worship, and
there was in other respects a ptoportionable appearance of
fervency of devotion, it appears to me that it would be ra-

366 IT SHOULD DE DONE EY CONSENT,
vishingly beautiful, if such things were practiced all over
the land, and would have a great tendency lo enliven, ani
mate, and rejoice the souls. of God's saints, and greatly to
propagate vital religion. I believe the time is coming when
the world wUl be fuU of such things.
3. It seems to me lo be requisite that there should b^
the consent of the governing part of the worshiping socie
ties, to which persons have joined themselves, and of which
they own themselves a part, in order lo the introducing of
things in public worship, so new and uncommon, and not
essential, nor particularly commanded, into the places where
those worshiping societies belong : the peace and union of
such societies seems to require it ; seeing they have volun
tarily united themselves to these worshiping societies, lo that
end, that they might be one ih the affaks of God's pubhc
worship, and obliged themselves in covenant to act as breth
ren and mutual assistants, and merabers of one bodj^, in
those affairs, and all are hereby naturally and necessarUy led
to be concerned with one another, in matters of religion and
God's worship ; and seeing that this is a part of the pubhc
w^orship, and worship that must be perforraed from time to
tirae in the view of the whole, being performed at a lime
when they are meeting together for mutual assistance in
worship, and therefore that which all must unavoidably be
in some measure concerned in, so at least as to show their
approbation and consent, or open dislilie and separation from
them in it ; I say, it. being thus, charity, and a regard to the
union and peace of such spcieties, seems to require a consent
of the governing, part, in order to the introducing any thing
of this nature (unless they think those, societies unworthy
that they should be joined to them any longer, and so first
renounce them, as the worshiping societies of which they
are members). 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, con
formed, in things wherein he was not particularly forbidden.

EVIL ISSUE or THESE EXTREIMES. 367
to the Jews, when araong them ; and so when among those
that were without the law, conformed to thera, wherein he
might. To be sure those go rauch beyond proper hraks,
who, coraing frora abroad, do iminediately of their own
heads, in a strange place, set up such a new and uncoraraon
practice among a people.
In introducing any thing of this nature araong a people,
their rainister especiaUy ought to be consulted, and his voice
taken, as long as he is owned for their rainister. Ministers
are pastors of worshiping societies, and their heads and guides
in the affaks of public worship. They are caUed in scrip
ture, those that rule over them,, and their people are cora-
maiided to obey them, 'because they watch for their souls,
as thosi that must give account. If it belongs lo these
shepherds and mlers to direct and guide the flock in any
thing at all, it belongs to them, so to do, in the circumstan
tials of their public worship.
Thus I have taken particular notice of raany of those
things that have appeared to me lo be amiss, in the manage
ment of our religious concerns, relating tothe present revival
of rehgion, 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 agoing in
thek right channel ; if they had,' and raeans had been
blessed in proportion as they have been now, this work would
have so prevaUed, as before this time to have cariied all afore
it, and have triumphed over New England as its conquest.
The devil, in driving things to these extremes, besides the
present hindrance of the work of God, has, I believe, had in
view a twofold mischief hereafter, in the issue of things ;
one with respect to those that are more cold in religion • to
carry things to such an extreme, that people in general, at
length having their eyes opened, by the grjeat excess, and
seeing that things must needs be wrong, he might take the
advantage to tempt them entirely to reject the whole work,
as being all nothing but delusion and distraction. And

368 OUR NEED oF Christ's help.
another is with respect to those that have been very warm
and zealous, of God's own children that have been out of
the way, lo sink them down in unbelief and darkness.
The tirae is coming, I doubt not, when the bigger part of
them wiU be- convipced of their errors ; and then probably
the devil wUl lake advantage to lead them into a dreadful
wilderness, and fo puzzle and confound thera about their
own experiences, and the experiences of others ; and to
raake them to doubt of raany things that they ought not to
doubt of, and even to tempt them with atheistical thoughts.
I believe if all true Christians all 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; that k would at first be an occasion of, 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 reli
gion. But yet it would do God's saints great good in their
latter end ; it would fit them for more spiritual and excellent
experiences, raore hurable and heavenly love, and unraixed
joys, and would greatly tend lo a raore powerful, extensive,
and durable prevalence of vital piety.
I do not know but we shaU be in danger, by and by, after
our eyes are fully opened lo see our errors, to go to contrary
extremes. The devil has driven the pendulum far beyond
ks proper point of rest ; and when he has carried it to the
utraost length that he can, and it begins by its own weight
to swing back, he probably wiU set in, and drive it -with the
utnaost fury the other way, and so give us no rest, and if pos
sible prevent our settling in a proper medium. What a poor,
bUnd, weak, and miserable creature is man, at his best es
tate t We are hke poor, helpless sheep ; the devil is too
subtle for us. What is our strength ! What is our wisdom !
How ready are we to go astray ! How easUy are we drawn
aside, into innuraerable snares, whUe we in tbe mean time

OUR NEED OF CHRISt's HELP. 369
are bold and confident, and doubt not but that we are right
and safe ! We are foolish sheep, in the midst of subtle ser
pents, and cruel wolves, and do not know it. O how unfit
are we to be left to ourselves ! And howmuch do we stand
in need of the wisdom, the power, the condescension, patience,
forgiveness,- and gentleness of our good ohepherd !

47

THOUGHTS ON THE REVIVAL, &c.

PART V.

SHOWING POSITIVELY, WHAT OUGHT TO BE DONE TO
PROMOTE THIS WORK.
In considering of means and methods for promoting this
glorious work of God, I have already observed, in some in
stances, wherein there has been needless objecting and com
plaining, and have also taken notice of raany things araiss,
that ought to be amended : I now proceed in the
Third and last place, to show positively, what ought to
be done, or what courses (according lo my humble opinion)
ought to be taken to proraote 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 -wh-at -was said under that head,
will be ready to say. What shall we do ? To such readers
I would now offer ray thoughts, in answer to such an in
quiry.

SECTION. I.
Of removing the hindrances fo this work.
Anp 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 kingdOra

372 OF confessing faults. '
in the worid, this is proclaimed, " Prepare ye the way of the
Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God,"
Isa. xl..3. And again, Isa. Ivn. 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 ; prepare you 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 commkted, in the janghng
and confusions, and mixtures of light and darkness, that
have been of late. There is hardly any duty mere contrary
to our corrupt dispositions, and mortifying to the pride of man ;
but k must be done. Repentance of faults is, in a pecuhar
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 repent
ance. I am persuaded that those that have openly opposed
this work, or have frora time to time spoken lightly of it,
cannot be excused in the sight of God, without openly con
fessing their fault therein ; especially if they be 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 has prejudiced 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 raeans to palliate the matter, and excuse them
selves, and pretend that Ihey 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 ; for it is
Christ that they have spoken against, in speaking hghtly of,
and prejudicing others against this work ; yea, worse than
that, it is the Holy Ghost. And though they have done it

OF MUTUAL iPORBEARANCE. 373
ignorantly, and in unbelief yet when they find oul who itis
that they have opposed, undoubtedly God will hold them
bound publicly to confess it.
(ind on the other side, if those that have been zealous to
promote the work, have in any of the forementioned in
stances openly gone much out of the way^and done tbat
which is contrary lo Christian rules, wiiereby 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 other's way, by their open
transgression, are bound to remove theni, by their open re
pentance. Some probably. wiU be ready to object against this, that
the opposers will tak& advantage by this to behave theraselves
insolently^ and to insult both them and religion. And in
deed, to the shame of some, they have taken advantage by
such things ; as of the good spirit ihatMr. Whitefield showed
in his retraction^, and some others. But if there are some
imbittered enemies of religion, tliat stand ready to improve
every thing to its disadvantage, yet that ought not to hinder
doing an enjoined Christian duty ; though it be in the mani
festation of humihty and repentance, . after a . fault openly
committed. To staiid it out, in a visible impenitence of a
real fault, to avoid such an.inconvenience'j is to do evU to
prevent evU. And besides, the danger of an evU consequence
is much greater on the other side : to commit sin, and then
stand in. it, is what wiU give the enemy the greatest advan
tage. For Christians to act hke Christians, in openly hum
bling themselves, when they have openly offended, in the
end brings the greatest honor to Christ and rehgion ; and in
this way are persons most likely to have God appear for
them. ' ; ,
Again, at such a day ,as this, God does especially call his
people to the exercise of extraordinary meekness and mutual

374 OF MUTUAL FORBEARANCE.
forbearance : for at such a tirae, Christ appears as it were
coraing in his kingdom, which calls for great raoderation in
our behavior towards all men ; as is evident Phil iy. 5., "Let
yoin- moderation be known unto all raen : the Lord is at
hand." The awe of the divine raajesty that appears present
or approaching, should' dispose us to it, aud 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 exceeding un
suitable. Our business at sUch a time should be at horae,
searching ourselves, and condemning ourselves, and taking
heed to our own behavior. If there be glorious prosperity to
the church of God approaching, those that are the most meek,
will have the largest share in it : for when Christ " rides
forth, in his glory and majesty, it is because of truth, meek
ness, and righteousness." Psalra xiv. 3, 4. And when God
reraarkably " arises, to execute judgment, it is to save all the
raeek of the earth." Psalra Ixxvi. 9. And it is " the meek
that shall increase their joy in the Lord." Isa. xxix. 19.
And when the tirae coraes that God will give this lower world
into the hands of his saints, it is " the raeek that shall inherit
the earth." Psalm Xxxvii. 11. and Mat v. 9. "But with
the froward, God will show himself unsavory."
Those, therefore, that have been zealous for this work,
and have greatly erred and been injurious in their zeal, ought
not to be treated with bitterness. There is abundant reason
lo think, that raost of them are the dear chUdren of God,
for v.iiora Christ died ; and therefore that they wilLsee their
error. As lo those things, wherein we see thera to be in an
error, we have reason to say of thera as the apostle, Phihp.
iu. 15., " If any are otherwise rainded, God shall reveal this
unto ibem." Their errors should not be made use of by us,
so much to excite indignation towards them, but should in
fluence all of Us, thai hope that we are the children of God,
to humble ourselves, and become raore entirely dependent on

OF WAITING ON GOD. 375
the Lord Jesus Christ, when we see those, that are God's
own people, so ready to go astray. And those rainisters
that have been judged, and injuriously dealt with, will do
the part of Christ's disciples, not to judge and revile again,
but to receive siich injuries with meekness and forbearance,
and making a good improvement of thera, more strictly ex
amining their hearts and ways, and comiiiilling theraselves
to Gbd. This wUl be the way to have God vindicate th,em
in his providence, if they belong lo him. We have not yet
seen the end of things ; nor do we know who will be most
vindicated, and honored of God, in the issue. Eccl. vii. 8.
" Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof ;
and the patient in spirit is better than the prpud in spirit."
' Contrary to this rautual meekness, is each party's stigma
tizing one another with odious names, as is done in many
parts of New England, which lends greatly to widen and
perpetuate the breach. Such distinguishing naraes of re
proach, do, as it were, divide us into two armies, separated,
and drawn up in batde array, ready to fight one with another,
which greatly hinders the work of God,
And as such an extraordinary time.as this does especially
require of us the exercise of a great. deal of forbearance, one
towards another ; so there is peculiarly requisite in God's
people, the exercised of great patience, \n waiting on God:,
under any special difficulties and disadvantages they raay be
under, as to the raeans of grace. .The beginning of a re-
-vival of rehgion wUl natUraUy and necessarily be attended
-with a great inany difficulties of this nature ; many parts of
the reviving church wUl, for a whUe, be under great disad
vantages, by reason of what reraains of the old disease, of a
general corruptioufof the visible church. We cannot expect
that, after a long time of degeneracy and depravity in the
state of things in the church, things shoiald aU 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 de-

376 OF WAITING ON GOD.
livef themselves, by, breaches and separations, is the way to
hinder things coming to rights as they otherwise would, and
to keep thera back, and the way to break all in pieces. Not
but that the case may be such, the difficulty inay be so in
tolerable, as to aUow of no delay, and God's people cannot
continue in the slate wherein they were, without violations of
absolute commands of God. But otherwise, though the dif
ficulty may be very great, another course should be taken.
God'-s people should have their recourse dkectly to the throne
of grace, to represent their difficulties heiqre the great Shep-
herd'of the sliesp, that has the care of aU the.affaij-s of his
church; and when they have don6, they should wait pa
tiently upon him : if they do so, thpy may es;pect that in his
lime, he "WiU appear 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, and will dishonor
God; aud cannot have such reason to hope that Christ will
appear for, them, as, they have desired, but have reason to
fear that he will leave them .to manage their a^airs for thera
selves, as well as. ihey can : when otherwise, if they had
waited on Christ patiently,. continuing stiU instant in prayer,
they might have had an appearing for them, much more
effectuaUy to deliver them. "He thai , believeth shaU not
make haste-;" and itis for those that are found patiently
wailing on the Lord, under difficulties, that he.will especially
appear, when he coraes" to do' great things for his church, as
is evident by Isa. xxX. 18. and chap, xli at the latter ,£nd,
and xlix. 23., and P's. xxxvu. 9., and raany. other places.
I have somewhere, not long singe, met with an exposition
of those words of the. spouse, that, we have several times
repeated in the book of Canticles, " I charge you, O daugh
ters of Jerusalem, that ye. stir not up, nor awake .ray love,
tiU he please," which, is ihe only satisfyipg exposition that
ever I met with ; which was to this- purpose, viz. that when
the church of God is under great difficulties, and in distress,
and Christ does hot appear for her help, but seeras to neglect

OF PATIENT WAITING ON GOD. 377
her, as though he were asleep, God's people, or the daugh
ters of Jerusalem, in 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 coraes, take indiiect courses for
their own dehverance, and use violent means for thek es
cape, 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 ap
pear 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 afterwards
for his people's help, is represented as his awakuig out of
sleep. Psalra vii. 6. and xxxv. 23. and xhv. 23. and lix. 4.
and Ixxiii. 20. Christ has an appointed time for his thus
awaking nut 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 Jerusalera, which is repeated three
tiraes over in the book of Canticles, chap. ii. 7. and iii. 5.
and viii. 4. In the second chapter and six first verses, is
represented the supports Christ gives his church, whUe she
is in a suffering state, as the lily among thorns : in the
seventh 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, are not
beasts of prey, do not devour one another, do not fight with
their enemies, but fly from them ; and are of a pleasant,
loving nature, Prov. v. 19. In the next verse, we see the
Church's success, in this way of waiting under sufferings,
with raeekness 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 !. 48

378 OF TAKING CARE OF OUR OWN SOULS.
SECTION II.
Of what must be done directly to promote the work.
What has been mentioned hitherto, has relation lo the
bebavioi- we are obliged to, as we would prevent the hin
drances of the work ; but besides these, there are things that
must be done, raore difectly 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 proraoted in his own soul.
Now is a raost glorious opportunity for the good of souls.
It is raanifestly with respect to a lime of great revival of re
ligion in the world, that we have that gracious, earnest, and
moving invitation proclaimed in Isa. Iv., "Ho, every one that
thirsteth !" &c. as is. evident by what precedes in the fore
going chapter, and" What follows in the close of this. Here,
in the sixth verse, it is said, " Seek ye the Lord, while he
raay be found ; call upon hira, whUe he is near." And it is
with special reference to such a tirae, that Christ proclaims
as he does, Rev. xxi. 6., "IwiU give unto him that is althirst,
of the fountain of the water of life, freely." And chap. xxu.
17. "And the Spirit and the bride say, come ; and let hira
that heareth say, corae ; and let hira that is athirst, corae ;
and whosoever wiU, let hira take the water of life freely."
And it seems lo be with reference to such a tirae, which is
typified by the feast of tabernacles, that Jesus, at that feast,
stood and cried, as we have an acccount, John vii. 37, 38.,
" In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and
cried, saying, If any raan thirst, let hira colne unto rae and
drink. He that believeth on rae, out of his belly shaU flow
rivers of hving water." And it is with special reference to
God's freeness and readiness to bestow grace at such a tirae,
that it is said in Isa. Ix. 11., of the spirkual Jerusalem, "Thy

TO OPPOSERS AND ARMINIANS. 379
gates shall be open continually, they shall not be shut day
or night." -
And though I judge not those that have opposed this
work, and would not have others judge thera, yet, if any
such shall happen to read this treatise, I would take the
liberty to entreat them to leave off concerning themselves so
much about others, and 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 it be but a very doubtful hope that they have,
then how can they have any heart to be busily and fiercely
engaged about the mistakes, and the supposed false hopes of
others ? And I would now beseech those that have hitherto
been something inclining lo Arminian principles, seriously
lo Weigh the raatter 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 needs be, as to the substance of it, the work of God, and
tbe flourishing of that rehgion, that is taught by Christ and
his apostles ; and whether any good mediura can be found,
where a raan can rest, with any stability, between owning
this work, and being a deist ; and also to consider whether
or no, if it be indeed . so, that this be the worlc of God, it
does not entirely overthrow their scherae of religion ; and
therefore whether it does not infinitely concern them, as they
would be partakers of eternal salvation, to relinquish their
scheme. Now is a good time for Arminians to change their
principles. I would now, as one of the 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
lo them as he didlo Hobab, Num.x. 29., " We are journey
ing 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 iraproveraent of
such a season, is extraordinary great ; so the danger of neg-

380 DANGER or NEGLECTING THIS SEASON,
lecting and raisiraproving it is proportionably great. It is
abundantly evident by the scripture, that as a tirae of great
outpouring of the Spirit is a time of great favor lo those that
are partakers of the blessing ; so it is always a tirae of re
raarkable vengeance to others. So in Isa. Ixi. 2. the sarae
that is called " the acceptable year of the Lord," is 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 lime, that it was " the accepted tirae, and day of sal
vation ;" and Christ says of the sarae tirae, Luke xxi. 22,
" These are the days of vengeance." At the sarae tirae that
the blessings of the kingdom of heaven were given lo sorae,
there was an " axe laid at the root of the trees, that those
that did not bear fruit raight be hewn down, and cast into
the fire," Matt. iii. 9, 10, 11. Then was glorified, both the
goodness and severity of God, in a remarkable raanner. Rora.
xi. 32. The harvest and the vintage go together : at the
sarae time that the earth is reaped, and God's elect are ga
thered into the garner of God, " 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. at the latter end. So it is foretold,
that at the beginning of the glorious times of the Christian
church, at the same lime that "the hand of the Lord is
known towards his servants, so shall his indignation, towards
his enemies," Isa. Ixvi. 14. So when that glorious morning
shall appear, wherein " the Sun of Righteousness shall arise
lo the elect, with healing in bis wings, the day shallburn as
an oven to the wicked," Mai. iv. 1, 2, 3.
There is no time hke such a time, for the increase of guUt,
and treasuring up wrath, and desperate hardening of heart,
if raen stand it out ; which is the most awful judgraenl, and
fruit of divine wrath, that can be inflicted on any raortal.
So that at a time of great grace, and pouring out of the Spirit,
and the fruits of divine mercy, is evermore also a time of

TO AGED PERSONS. 381
great outpouring of soraething else, viz. divine vengeance
on those that neglect and misimprove such a season.
The state of the present revival of rehgion, has an awful
aspect upon those that are advanced in years. The work
has been chiefly amongst thosethat are yoUng ; and compa
ratively 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 gene
ration. There was a reraarkable outpouring of the Spirit of
God on the children of Israel in the wilderness, on the younger
generation, their little ones, that they said shoidd be a
prey, the generation that entered into Canaan with Joshua ;
which is evident by raany things in scripture. That gene
ration seeras to have been the most excellent generation that
ever was in the church of Israel. There is no generation,
of which there is so much good, and so little hurt spoken in
scripture, as might be shown, if it would not be loo long. In
that generation that were under twenty years, when they
went oul of Egypt, was that kindness of youth, and love of
esjjousals, spoken of, Jer. ii. 2, 3. But the old generation
Were passed by, and 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 judg
ments that he executed in the wilderness, and the afiliction
that the people suffered there, convinced and humbled the
younger generation, and fitted them for great raercy, as is
evident by Deut. ii. 16, but he destroyed the 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 raercy, and pouring out of -God's Spirit on their
children, it was reraarkably a day of vengeance unto thera,
as appears by Psalra xc. Let the old generation in this land
take warning from hence, and take heed that they do not re
fuse to be convinced, by all God's wondei-s that he works be
fore their eyes, and that they do not continue forever object-

382 GREAT DANGER OF AGED PERSONS.
ing, raurrauring, and caviling against the work of God, lest
while God is bringing their children into a land flowing -with
railk and honey, he should swear in his wrath concerning
thera, that their carcasses shall fall in the wilderness.
So when God had a design of great raercy to the Jews, in
bringing them oul of the Babylonisli captivity, and return
ing thera to their own land, there was a blessed outpouring
of the Spirit upon thera in Babylon, lo bring thera to deep
conviction and repentance, and. to a spiiit of prayer, lo cry
earnestly to God for raercy ; which is often spoken of by the
prophets : hut 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 thera that were adult persons,
when carried captive. The old generation, and heads of
faraUies, were exceeding obstinate, and would not hearken
to the earnest repeated warnings of the prophet Jereraiah ;
but he had greater success araong the young people ; as ap
pears by Jer. vi. ,10, 11. " To whom shall I speak and give
warning, that they may hear ? Behold, their ear is uncircum-
cised, and they cannot hearken : Behold, the word of the
Lord ig unto thera a reproach : they have no delight in it.
Therefore I ara full of the fury of the Lord ; I am -weary
with holding in ; I wiU pour it out upon the chidren abroad,
and upon the assembly of the young raen together ; for even
the husband with the wife (i. e. the heads of faraihes, and
parents of these children) shall be taken, the aged, with hira
that is fuU of days." Blessed be God ! there are some of
the elcler people, that have been raade partakers of this work;
and those that are raost awakened by these warnings of God's
word, and the awful frowns of his providence, will be raost
likely to be made partakers hereafter. It infinitely concerns
thera to take heed to theraselves, that they may be partakers
of it ; for how dieadful will it be to go to heU, after having
spent so many years in doing nothing, but treasure up
wrath !

DUTIES OF MINISTERS.

383

SECTION III.
Duties of ministers and particular classes of persons.
But above all others whatsoever, does it concern us that
are ministers, lo see lo it that we are partakers of this work,
or that we have experience of the saving operations of the
Samfe spirit, that is now poured out on the land. How sor
rowful and melancholy is the case, when it is otherwise ?
For one to stand at the head of a congregation of God's peo
ple, as representing Christ and speaking in liis stead, and to
act the part of a shepherd and guide to a people, in such a
slate of things, when many are under great awakenings, and
many are convei-ted, and many of God's Saints are filled with
divine hght, love, and joy, and to undertake lo instruct and
lead them all, under all these various circumstances, and to
be put to it, continually to play the hypocrite, and force the
airs of a saint in preaching, and from tirae to tirae, in private
conversation, and particular deaUng with souls, lo undertake
to judge of their circumstances, to try to talk with thosethat
corae to him, as if he knew what they said ; to try to talk
with persons of experience, as if he knew how to converse
with them, and had experience as well as they ; to raake
others believe that he rejoices when others are converted, and
to force a pleased and joyful countenance and raanner of
speech, when there is nothing in the heart, what sorrowful
work is here ! O how miserably must such a person feel I
What a wretched bondage and slavery is this ! What pains,
and how rauch art must such a. rainister use to conceal him
self! And how weak are 'his hands! Besides the infinite
provocation of the Most High God, and displeasure of his
Lord and Master, that he incurs, by continuing a secret
enemy to him in his heart, in such circumstances, I think
there is a great deal of reason, from the scripture, to conclude,

384 MINISTERS NEED MUCH OF THE SPIRIT.
Ihat no sort of men in the world, wUl be so low in hell, as
ungodly ministers : every thing that is spoken of in scrip
ture, as that which aggravates guilt, and heightens divine
wrath, raeets in thera ; however sorae particular persons, of
other sorts, may be raore guilty than som.e of these.
And what great disadvantages are unconverted rainisters
under, to oppose any irregularities, or imprudences, or intem
perate zeal, that they raay see in those that are the children
of God, when they are conscious to theraselves, that they
have no zeal at all ? If enthusiasra and wildness coraes in
hke a flood, what poor weak instruraents are such ministers
to. withstand it? With what courage can they open their
raouths, when they look inward, and consider how it is with
them ?
We that are ministers, not only have need of sorae true
experience of the sa\ing influence of the Spiiit of God upon
our heart, but we need a double portion of the Spirit of God
at such a time as this ; we had need to be as full of light, as
a glass is, that is held out in the sun ; and with respect to
love and zeal, we had need at this day, to be like the angels,
that are a flame of fire. Tyhe slate of the times extreraely
requires, a fullness of the divine Spiiit in rainisters, and we
ought lo give ourselves no rest till we have obtained it. And
in order to this, I should think rainisters, above all persons,
ought lo be rauch in secret prayer and fasting, and also much
in praying and fasting one with another. It seems to me it
would be becoraing the circumstances of the present day, if
ministers in a neighborhood would often meet together, and
spend days in fasting and fervent prayer araong theraselves,
earnestly seeking for those extraordinary supphes of divine
grace frora heaven, that we need at this day : and also if, on
their occasional visits one to another, instead of spending Eiway
their time in sitting and smoking, and in diverting, or worldly,
unprofitable conversation, lelling news, and making their re
marks on this and the other trifling subject, they would spend
their tirae in praying together, and singing praises, and reli-

OF MINISTERS HELPING ONE ANOTHER. 385
gious conference. How much do many of the common
people shame many of us that are in the work of the ministry,
in these respects ?, Surely we do not behave ourselves so
much like Christian ministeis, and the disciples and embas
sadors of Christ, as we ought to do. And while we condemn
zealous persons for their doing so much at censuring rainis
ters at this day, it ought not to be without deep reflections
upon, and great condemnation of, ourselves : for indeed, we
do very much to provoke censoriousness, and lay a great temp
tation, before others, to the sin of judging : and if we can
prove, that those that are guilty of it do transgress the scrip
ture rule, yet our indignation should be chiefly against our
selves. Ministers, at this day in a special manner, should act as
feUow-helpers, in thek great work. It should be seen that
they are animated and engaged, and exert themselves with
one heart and soul, and with united strength, to promote the
present glorious revival of religion : |p.nd lo 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 the subjects of their discourses
before they go to the house of God, should there speak, two
or three of them going, in short discourses, as seconding each
other, and earnestly enforcing each others' warnings and
counsels. Only such an appearance of united zeal in rainis
ters, would have a great tendency to awaken attention, and
much lo impress and animate the hearers ; as has been found
by experience, in some parts of the country. ¦
Ministers should carefully avoid weakening one another's
hands. And therefore every thing should be avoided, by
which their interest with, their people raight be diminished,
or their union with them broken. On the contrary, if minis
ters have not forfeited their acceptance in that character, in
the visible church, by their doctrine or behavior, thek brethren
49

386 OF ZEAL AND RESOLUTION IN MINISTERS,
in the ministry ought studiously to endeavor to heighten the
esteem and affection of their people towards them, that they
may have no temptation lo repent their admitting other mi
nisters to come and preach in their pulpits.
Two things that are exceeding needful in ministers, as they
would do any great matters, to advance the kingdora of Christ,
are Zealand resolution. The influence and power of these
things, to bring to pass great effects, is greater -than can weU
be imagined : a man of but an ordinary capacity, wUl do more
with them, than one of ten times the parts and learning,
without thera : more may be done with thera, in a few days,
or at least weeks, than can be done without them in many
years. Those that are possessed of these qualities, commonly
carry the day, in almost aU affairs. Most of the great things
that have been done in the world of mankind, the great revo
lutions that have be6n accomplished in the kingdoms and
empkes of the earth, have been chiefly owing to these things;
The very sight or appe^anqe of a thoroughly engaged spkit,
together with a fearless courage and unyielding resolution,
in any person that has undertaken the managing any affair
amongst raankind, goes a great way towards accomplishing
the effect aimed at. Itis evident tbat the appearance of these
things 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 Ohver GromweU did,
owing lo these things ? And the greater things that Mr.
Whitefield has done, every where, as he has run through the
British dominions (so far as they are owing to raeans), are
very rauch owing to the appearance of these things, which
he is eminently possessed of When the people see these
things apparently in a person, and to a great degree, it awes
them, and has a coraraanding influence upon their rainds ;
it seems to them that they must yield ; they naturaUy fall
before them, without standing to contest or dispute the matter ;
they are conquered as k were by surprise. But while we are
cold and heartless, and only go on- in a duU manner, in an

¦whitefield's ZEAL AND RESOLUTION 387
old formal round, we shall never do any great matters. Our
attempts, wkh the appearance of such coldness and irresolu
tion, wiU 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 opposi
tion. Our misery is want of zeal and courage ; for not only
through want of them, does all faU that we seem to attempt,
but it prevents our attempting any thuig very rernarkable,
for the kingdom of Christ. Hence, oftentimes it has been,
that when any thing very considerable, that is new, is pro
posed to be done for the advancement of rehgion, or the
public good, raany difficulties are found out, that are in the
way, and a great many objections are started, and it may
be, it is put off from one lo another ; but nobody does any
thing. And after this manner good designs or proposals
have oftentiraes failed, and have sunk as soon as proposed.
Whereas, if we had but Mr. Whkefield's zeal and courage,
what could not we do, with such a blessing as we might
expect 7
Zeal and courage wiU do rauch in persons ftf but an ordi
nary capacity ; but especiaUy would they do great things, if
joined with great abilities. If sorae gi'eat men, that have ap
peared in our nation, had been as , erainent in divinity, as
they were in phUosophy, and had engaged in the Christian
cause, with as much zeal and fervor as some others have
done, and with a proportionable 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 for abilities; they are personsof bright parts and
learning ; they shoiild consider how rauch is expected, and
wiU be required of thera, by thek Lord and Master, and how
much they raight do for Christ, and what great honor and
how glorious a reward they might receive, if they had in
their hearts a heavenly warmth, and divine heat, proportiona
ble to theirlight.

388 OF candidates for the ministry.
With respect to candidates for the ministry, I would not
undertake particulariy to determine what kind of examina
tion or trial they should pass under, in order to their admis
sion to thai sacred work : but I think this is evident from
the scripture, that another sort of trial, with regard to their
virtue and piety is requisite, than is required in order lo per
sons being admitted into the visible churoh. The apostle di
rects, that hands be laid suddenly on no man ; hut that
they should ^rs^ 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, from tirae to
time, on their profession of their faith in Christ, without such
caution and strictness in their probation. And it seeras to
me, those would act very unadvisedly, that should enter on
that great and sacred work, before they had corafortable sa
tisfaction concerning themselves, that they have had a saving
work of God on their souls.
Aijd though: it may be thought, that I go out of ray pro
per sphere, to intermeddle in the affairs of the colleges, yet I
will take the liberty of an Enghshman (that speaks his mind
freely, concerrting public affairs), ^nd the liberty of a minister
of Christ (who, doubtless, may speak his mind as fi-eely about
things that concern the kingdom of his Lord and Master), to
give ray opinion, in, some things, with respect to those socie
ties ; the original and main design of which ig to train up
persons, and fit them for the work of the ministry. And I
would say in general, that it appears lo rae that care should
be taken, some way or other, that those societies should be
so regulated, that they should, in fact, be nurseries of piety.
Otherwise, they are fundamentally ruined and undone, as to
their raain design, and most essential end. They ought to
be so constituted, that vice and idleness should have no living
there : they are ir^tolerable in societies, whose main design is
to train up youth in Christian knowledge and erainent piet)'-,
to fit thera to be pastors of the flock of the blessed Jesus. I
have heietofore had some acqaintance with the affairs of a

OP THE REGULATION OP COLLEGES. 389
college, and experience of what belonged to ks tuition and
government ; and I cannot but think it is practicable enough,
so to constitute such societies, that there should be no being
there, without being virtuous, serious, and dUigent. It seems
to me to be a reproach to the land, that ever it should be so
with our colleges, that instead of being places of the greatest
advantages for true piety, one cannot send a chUd thither
without great danger of his being infected, as to his morals ;
as it has certainly soraetimes been with these societies : it is
perfectly 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 sorae way found out that should certainly
prevent its being thus. To have societies for bringing per
sons up lo be erabassadors of Jesus Christ, and to lead souls
to heaven, and to have thera places of so rauch infection, is
the greatest nonsense and absurdity iraaginable.
And, as thorough and effectual care should be taken that
vice and idleness be not tolerated in these societies, so cer
tainly, the design of thera requires, that extraordinary raeans
should be used in thera, for training up Ihe students in vital
rehgion, and experimental and practical godliness, so that
they should be holy societies, the very place should be as it
• were sacred: they shQuld.be in the, midst of the land foun
tains of piety and hohness. There is a great deal of pains
taken to teach the scholars huraan learning ; there ought to
be as much, and more care, thoroughly to educate them in
religion, and lead thera to true and eminent holiness. If the
raain design of these nurseries is to bring up persons to teach
Christ, then it is of greatest importance that there should be
care and pains taken to bring those that are there educated
to the knowledge of Christ. It has been common in our
pubhc 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 lo be extraordinary care there
taken to train them up to be Christians.

390 DR. Doddridge's method.
And I cannot see why it is not on aU accounts fit and con
venient for the governors and intruclors of the coUeges, parti
cularly, singly and frequently to converse with the students
about the stale of their souls. As is the practice of the Rev.
Dr. Doddridge, one of the most noted of the present dissent
ing ministers in England, who keeps an academy at North
ampton, as he hiraself informs the Rev. Mr. Wadsworth, of
Hartford, in Connecticut, in a letter, dated at Northampton,
March 6, 1740 — 41. The original of which letter I have
seen, and have by rae an extract of it, sent to rae by Mr.
Wadsworth, which is as foUows :
" Through the divine goodness, I have every year the plea
sure lo see sorae plants taken out of my nursery and set in
neighboring congregations, where they generally settle with
a unanimous consent, 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 butlook upon it as a token for good.
I have at present a greater proportion of pious and ingenious
youth under ray care than I ever before had. So that I hope
the church may reasonably expect some considerable relief
from hence, if God spare their lives a few years, and continue
to them those gracious assistances which he has hitherto rner-
cifuUy imparted. I will not, sir, ti-ouble you at present with .
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 endeavor to
establish them in the great truths of Christianity, but to labor
lo promote their practical influence on their hearts. For which
purpose I frequently converse with each of them alone, and
conclude the conversation with prayer. This does indeed
take up a great deal of lime ; but I bless God it is amply re
paired, in the pleasure I have in seeing ray labor is not in vain
in the Lord."
There are some that are not rainisters, nor are concerned
immediately in those things that appertain to their office, or in

duties of great MEN. 391
the education of persons for k, that are under great advan
tages to proraote such a glorious work as this. Some lay
men, though it be not their business publicly to exhort and
teachj yet are in some respects under greater advantage to en
courage and forward this work, than ministers. As particu
larly gi'eat men, or men that are high in honor 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 inchned 7 There is commonly a certain
unhappy shyness in great raen with respect to rehgion, as
though they were ashamed of it, or at least, asharaed to do
very ranch at it ; whereby they dishonor, and doubtless,
greatly provoke the King of kings, and very much wound
reUgion among the coraraon people. They are careful of
their honor, and seera to be afraid of appearing openly for
ward 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 Da
vid, that great king of Israel, who made himself vile before
the ark ; and as he was the highest inhonor and dignity araong
God's people, so thought it became him to appear foremost in
the zeal and activity he manifested on that occasion ; there
by animating and encouraging the whole congregation to
praise the Lord, and rejoice before him, with all their might :
and though it dirainished him in the eyes of scoffing Mi
chal, yet it did, hot at all abate the honor and esteem of the
congregation of Israel, but advanced it ; as appears by 2 Sam.
vi. 22.
Rich mpn have a talent in their hands, in the disposal and
improvement of which, they might very much promote such
a work as this, if they were so disposed. They are far be
yond others under advantage to do good, and lay up for them
selves treasures in heaven. What a thousand pities is it,
that for want of a heart, they have commonly no share at all
there, but heaven is peopled mostly with the poor of this
world 7 One would think that our rich men, that caU thera-

392 DUTIES OP RICH MEN TO ADVANCE
selves Christians, might devise some notable things, to do
with their money, lo advance the kingdom of their professed
Redeemer, and the prosperity of the souls of raen, at this
time of such extraordinary advantage for it. It seeras to rae,
that in this age, most of us have but very narrow, penurious
notions of Christianity, as it respects our use and disposal of
our temporal goods. The primitive Christians had not such
notions ; they were ti-ained up by the apostles in another
wayj God has greatly distinguished ^ome of the inhabitants
of New England, from others, in the abundance that he has
given thera of the good things of this life. If they could now
be persuaded lo lay out sorae considerable part of that whkh
God has given thera, for the honor of God, and lay it up. in
heaven, instead of spending it for their own honor, or laying
it up for their posterity, they would not repent of it after
wards. How liberaUy did the heads ef the tribes contribute
of their wealth, at the setting up of the tabernacle, though it
was in a barren wUderness ? - These are the days of the
erecting the tabernacle bf God araongst us. We have a par
ticular account how the goldsraiths and the merchants helped
to rebuild the wall of Jeiusalem, Neh. iu. 32. The days
are coming spoken of in scripture, 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 Ihe nanle of
the Lord their God, and to the Holy One of Israel ; and
when the merchants of the earth shaU trade for Christ, more
than for themselves, and their merchandise and hire shalt
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 sufficieritly, and for durable clothing :
and \^hen the ships of Tarshish shall bring the wealth of
the distant parts of the eai-th, to the place of God's sanc
tuary, 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 Gen
tiles, and suck the breasts of kings. The days are

THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST. 393
coming, when the great and rich men of the world shall
bring their honor and glory into the church, and shall, as
it were, strip themselves to spread their garments under
Christ's feet, as he enters triumphantly into Jerusalein ; and
when those that wiU not do so shaU have na glory, and their
sUver and gold shaU be cankered, and their garments moth-
eaten : for the saints shaU then inherit the earth, and they
shall reign on earth, and those that honor God he will honor,
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 kingdora of heaven, and a little as rich
men will act by and by, that shall be partakers of the spiri
tual wealth and glories of that kingdom.
Great things raight de done for the advanceraenl of tlie
kingdora of Chiist, at this day, by those that have ability,
by establishing funds for the support and propagation of re
ligion ; by supporting some thai are eminently qualified with
gifts and grace, in preaching the gospel in certain parts of
the country,. that are more destitute of the- means of grace;
in searching out children of promising abUities, and their
hearts fuU of love to Christ, but of poor families, (as doubtless
there are such now in the land,) and bringing them up for
the ministry ; and ia distributing books that are remarkably
fitted to proraote vital rqligion, and have a great tendency to
advance this work ; or if they would only bear the trouble, ex
pense, and loss of sending such books into various parts of the
land to be sold, it might be an occasion that ten time^ so many
of those books should be bought, as otherwise would, be ; and
in estabhshing and supporting schools in poor towns and
villages ; which raight be done on such a foundation, as not
only to bring up children in coraraon learning, but also,
might very much tend to their conviction and conversion,
and being trained up in vital , piety ; and doubtless something
might be done this way, in old towns, and raore populous
50

394 OF FASTING AND PRAYER-
places, that might have a great tendency to the flourishing
of religion in the rising generation.

SECTION IV.
Of duties that concern all in general.
But I would now proceed lo mention sorae things, that
ought to be done, at such a day as this, that concern all in
general. And here, the first thing I shall mention, is fasting and
prayer. It seems to rae, that the circurastances of the pre
sent work do loudly caU God's people to abound in this ; whe
ther they consider the experience God has lately given them,
of the worth of his presence, and of the blessed fruits of the
effusions of his Spirit, to excite them lo pray for the continu
ance and increase, and greater extent of such blessings ; or
whether they consider the great encouragement God has
lately given thera lo pray for the outpourings of his Spkit,
and the carrying on this work, by the great manifestations
he has lately made of the freeness and riches of his grace ;
and how rauch there is in what we have seen of the glorious
works of God's power and grace, to put us in raind of the yet
greater things of this nature, that he has spokeh of in his
word, and lo excite our longings for those things, and hopes
of their approach ; or whether we consider the great opposi
tion that Satan raakes against this work, and lh6 many diffi
culties with which it is clogged, and the distressing circum
stances that sorae parts of God's church in this land are under
at this day, on one account and another.
So it is God's wUl, through his wonderful grace, that the
prayers of his saints should be one great and principal raeans
of carrying on the designs of Chrisl's kingdora in the world.
When God has something very great to accomplish for his

OF PASTING AND PRAYER. 395
church, it is his wiU that there should precede it the extra
ordinary prayers of his people ; as is manifested by Ezek.
xxxvi. 37. " I wUl yet, for this, be inquired of by the house
of Israel, to do it for them ;" together with 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 supphcation, Zech. xu.
10. If we are not to expect that the devil should go out of
a particular person, that is under a bodily possession, without
extraordinary prayer, or prayer and fasting ; how much
less, should we expect to have liira cast out of the land, and
the world, without it.
I am sensible that considerable has been done in duties of
this nature, in sorae places ; but I do not think so rauch as
God, in the present dispensations of his providence, calls for.
I should think the people of God in this land, at such a tirae
as this is, would be in the way of their duty, to do three
times so much at fasting and prayer as they do ; not only,
nor principally, for the pouring out of the Spirit on those
towns or places where they belong ; but that God would ap
pear for his church, and in meroy to miserable nien, to carry
on his work in the land, and in tlie world of mankind, and
to fulfiU the things that he has spoken of in his word, that
his church has been so long wishing and hoping and wait
ing 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, agreeably to lea. Ixu. 6, 7. Before the first
great outpouring of . the Spirit of God, on the Christian
church, which began at Jerusalem, the church of God gave
themselves to incessant prayer, Acts i. 13, 14. There is a
time spoken of, wherein God will remarkably and wonder
fully appear, for the dehverance of his 'church fi-om all her
enemies, and when he wiU avenge his own elect and
Christ reveals that this wUl be in answer to their incessant
prayers, or crying day and night, Luke xviii. 7. In Israel,

396 GOD IS NOW WAITING FOR SOMETHING.
the day of atonement, which was their great day of fasting
and prayer, preceded and radde way for the glorious and
joyful feast of tabernacles. When Christ is raystically born
into the world, to rule over all nations, it is represented in
Rev. xii. 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 ago
nizing in prayer.
God seems now, at this very tirae, to be waiting for this
frora us. When God is about to bestow sorae great bless
ing on his church, it is often his raanner, in the first place,
so lo 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 thera upon crying earnestly to hira for it.
And let us consider God's present dispensations towards his
church in this land : a glorious work of his grace has been
begun and carried oh ; and God has, of late, suffered innu
merable difficulties to aris.e, that do in a great raeasure clog
and hinder it, and bring many of God's dear children into
great distress ; and yet does not wholly forsake the work of
his hand ; there are remarkable tokens' of his presence stiU
to be seen, here and there ; as though he was not forward
lo forsake us, and (if I may so say) as though he had a
mind lo carry on his work ; but only was waiting for some
thing that he expcQted in us, as requisite in order, to it. And
we have a great deal of reason to think, that one thing at
least is, that we sliould further acknowledge the greatness
and necessity of such a raercy, .and our dependence on
God for. it, hi earnest and importunate prayers to him. And
by the many errors that have been run into, and the wounds
we have (hereby given ourselves and the cause that we w^ould
promote, and the mischief and confusion w.e have thereby
made, God has hitherto been remarkably showing us Our
great and universal dependence on him, and exceeding need
of his help and grace ; v/hich should engage our cries to
him for it.

ALL CAN AID BY FASTING AND PRAYER. 397
There is no way that Christians, in a private capacity,
can do so much to promote the work of God, and advance
the kingdora of Christ, as by prayer. By this, even women,
children, and servants, may have a public influence. Let
persons be never so weak, and never so mean, and under
never so poor advantages lo do rauch for Christ, and the
souls of raen, otherwise ; yet, if they have rauch of the
spiiit of grace and supplication, in this way, they raay have
¦power with Hira that is infinite in power, and has the go
vernraent of the whole world : and so a poor man in his
collage may have a blessed influence 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 narae of a Mediator, that is a public per
son, being the Head of the whole church, and the Lord of
the universe : and if they have a great sense of the impor
tance of eternal things, and concern for the precious souls of
men, yet they need not regret it, that they are not preachers ;
they ruay go in their earnestness and agonies of soul, and
pour out their souls before one that is able to do aU things ;
before him they may speak as freely as rainisters ; they have
a great High Priest, through whom they may come boldly
at all times, and may vent themselves before a prayer-hear
ing Father, without any restraint.
If the people of God, at this day, instead of spending tirae
in fruitless disputing, and talking about opposers, and judging
of thera, and animadverting upon the unreasonableness of
their talk and behavior, and its inconsistence With true ex
perience, would be more silent in this way, and'open their
mouths much raore befoie God, and spend more tirae in
fasting and prayer, they would be more, in the way of a
blessing. And if some Christians in the land, tbat have
been complaining of their ministers, and slrugghng in vain
to dehver themselves from the difficulties they have com-

398 METHOD OF FASTING AND PRAYER.
plained of under their ministry, had said and acted less be
fore men, and' had applied theraselves with aU 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 rauch raore in the
way of success.
God, in his providence, appearing in the present slate of
things, does especially call on his people in New England lo
be very rauch in praying to him for the pouring out of the"
Spirit upon ministers in the land. For though it is not for
us lo determine, concerning particular rainisters, how rauch
they have of the Spirit of God ; yet in the general, it is
apparent that there is, at this day, need of very great de
grees of the presence of God with the rainistry 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.
In days of fasting and prayer, wherein the whole church
or congregation is concerned, if the whole day, besides what
is spent in our families, was not 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 pubhc, where the
people are no way active themselves in the worship, any
otherwise than as they join with the minister. The inha-,
bitanls of many of our towns are now divided into particular
praying societies, most of the people, young and old, have
voluntarily associated theraselves in distinct companies, for
mutual assistance, in social worship, in private houses :
What I intend therefore is, that days of prayer should be
spent partly in these distinct praying companies. Such a
method of keeping a fast as this, has several limes been
proved, viz. in the forenoon, after the duties of the family
and closet, as early as might be, all the people of the con
gregation have gathered in their particular religious socie
ties ; companies of raen by themselves, and companies of

CONCERT OF FASTING AND PRAYER 399
women by themselves ; young men by themselves, and
young women by themselves ; and companies of children,
in all parts of the town, by themselves, as many as were
capable of social religious exercises ; the boys by themselves,
and girls by themselves : aud about the middle of the day,
at an appointed hour, aU, have met together in the house of
God, to offer up public prayers, and to hear a sermon suita
ble to the occasion : and then, they have retked from the
house of God again, into their private societies, and spent
the remaining part of the day in praying together there, ex
cepting so rauch as was requisite for the duties of the famUy
and closet, in their own houses. And it has been found to
be of great benefit, to assist and engage the minds of the
people in the diities of the day.
I have often thought it would be a thing very desirable,
and very hkely to be followed with a great blessing, if there
could be some contrivance that there should be an agreement
of aU God's people in America, that are well affected to this
work, to keep a day of fasting and prayer to God ; Wherein
we should all unite on the sarae 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 that have been zealously af
fected- towards this work, through their infirmity and re
maining blindness and corruption, have run into ; and to
gether with thanksgiving to God, for so glorious and won
derful a display of his power and grace, in the late outpour
ings of his Spirit, to address the Father of mercies, with
prayers and supphcations, and earnest cries, that he would
guide and direct his own people, and that he would con
tinue, and StiU carry ou his work, and more abundantly and
extensively pour out his Spirit ; and particularly that he
would pour out his Spirit upon ministers ; and that he would
bow the heavens and come down, and erect his glorious
kingdom through the earth. Sorae perhaps raay think that
its being aU on tbe same day, is a circurastance of no great

400 OF FASTING AND PRAYER,
consequence ; but I cannot be of that mind : such a cir
cumstance makes the union and agreement of God's people
in his worship the more visible, and puts the greater honor
upon God, and would have a great tendency lo assist and
enUven the devotions of Christians : it seems to me it would
mightily encourage and animate God's saints, in humbly
and earnestly seeking lo God, for such blessings which con
cerns thera all ; and that it would be rauch for the rejoicing
of aU to think, that at the sarae time, such raultitudes of
God's dear chUdren, far and near, were sending up their cries
to the sarae common Father, for the same raercies. Christ
speaks of agreement in asking, as what contributes to the
prevalence of the prayers of his people, Mat. xvUi. 19.
" Again, I say unto you, that if any two of you, shall agree
on earth, as touching any thing tbat-the)'^ shaU ask, it shaU
be done for thera of my Father which^is in heaven." If the
agreement, or united purpose and appointment of but two of
God's chUdren, would contribute much to the prevalence of
their prayers, how rauch raore the agreement of so many
thousands 7 Christ dehghts greatly in the union of his peo
ple, as appears by his prayer in John xvii. And especially
is the appearance of their union in worship lovely and at
tractive unto hira.
I doubt not but such a thing as I have now mentioned is
practicable, without a great deal of trouble : some fconsider-
able number of ministers might meet together, and draw up
the proposal, wherein a certain day should be pitched upon,
at a sufficient distance, endeavoring therein to avoid any other
pubhc day, that might interfere with the design, in any of
the provinces, and the business of the day should be parti
cularly mentioned ; and these proposals should be published
and sent abroad, into all parts, with a desire, that as raany
rainisters as are disposed lo faU in with ihehi, would propose
the matter to their congregations, and having taken their
consent, would subscribe their naraes, together with the places
of which they are ministers, and send back the proposals thus

BY A GENERAL AGREEMENT. 401
subscribed, to the printer ; (the hands of raany rainisters
raight be to one paper) ; and the printer having received the
papers, thus subscribed, from all the provinces, might print
the proposals again, with aU the names ; thus they might be
sent abroad again, with the names, that God's people might
know who are united with them in the affair : one of the
rainisters of Boston might be desired to have the oversight of
the printing and dispersing the proposals. In such a way,
perhaps, might be fulfilled, in some raeasure, such a general
raourning 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 sorae
thing hke the day of atonement in Israel, before the joyful
feast of tabernacles.
One thing more I would mention concerning fasting and
prayer, wherein I think there has been a neglect in rainisters ;
and that is, that although they recommend, and much insist
on the duty of secret prayer, iu their preaching, so little is
said about secret fasting. It is a duly recommended by our
Savior to his followers, just in like manner as secret prayer
is ; as may be seen by comparing ver. 5, 6. of Matt. vi. with
ver. 16, 17, 18. Though I do not suppose that secret fast
ing is to be practiced in a stated manner, and steady course,
as secret prayer, yet it seems lo me, it is a duly that all pro
fessing Christians should practice, and frequently practice.
There are many occasions, of both a spiritual and temporal
nature, that do properiy require it ; and there are many par
ticular mercies, that we desire for ourselves or friends, that it
would be pioper, in this manner, to seek of God.
Another thing I would also mention, wherein it appears to
me that there has been an omission, iWith respect to the ex
ternal worship of God. There has been of late, a great in
crease of preaching the word, and a great increase of social
prayer, and a great increase of singing praises : these exter
nal duties of rehgion are attended, much more frequently
than they used to be ; yet I cannot understand that there is
51

402 OF MORAL DUTIES,
any increase of the administration of the Lord's supper, or
that God's people do any more frequently comraemorate the
dying love of their Redeeraer, in this sacred raeraorial of it,
than they used to do : though I do not see why an increase
of love to Christ, should not dispose Christians, as rauch to
increase in this, as in those other duties ; or why k is not as
proper, tbat Chrisl's disciples should abound in this duty, in
this joyful season, which is spirituaUy supper-time, a feast-
day with God's saints, wherein Christ is so abundantly mani
festing his dying love lo souls, and is dealing forth so liberaUy
of the precious 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 at
tend this holy and sweet ordinance so often now, or no, yet I
cannot but think it would becorae us, at such a tirae as this,
to attend it rauch oftener than is coraraonly done in the land.

SECTION V.
The work to be promoted by attention to moral duties.
But another thing I would raention, which it is of much
greater importance, that we should attend to : and that is
the duty, that is incumbent upon God's people at this day,
to take heed, that while they abound in external duties of
devotion, such as praying, hearing, singing, and attending
religious raeetings, there be a proportionable care to abound
in raoral duties, such as acts of righteousness, truth, meek
ness, forgiveness and love towards our neighbor ; which are
of much greater importance in the sight of God, than all the
externals of his worship ; which our Savior was particu
larly careful, that men should be weU aware of Matt. ix.

OF MORAL DUTIES. 403
13. " But go ye, and learn what that meaneth, I wUl 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 guUtless."
The internal acts and principles of the worship of God, or
the worship of the heart, in the love and fear of God, trust in
God, and resignation to God, &c., are the most essential and
important of aU duties of religion whatsoever ; for therein
consists the essence of all religion. But of this inward reli
gion, there are two sorts of external manifestations or ex
pressions. The one sort are outward acts of worship, such
as meeting in religious assemblies, attending sacraments, and'
other outward institutions, and honoring God with gestures,
such as bowing, or kneeling before hira, or with words, in
speaking honorably of hira, in prayer, praise, or religious
conference. And the other sort, are the expressions of our
love to God, by obeying his moral commands, of self denial,
righteousness, meekness, and Christian love, in our behavior
among men. And the latter are of vastly the greatest ira
portance in the Christian life. God makes little account of
the forraer, in comparison of thera. They are abundantly
raore insisted on, by the prophets, in the old testaraent, and
Christ and his apostles, in the new. When these two kinds
of duties are spoken of together, the latter are evermore greatly
preferred. As in Isa. i. 12 — 18. and Araos v. 21. &c., and
Mic. vi. 7, 8. and Isa. Iviu. 5, 6, 7. and Zech. vii. ten first
verses, and Jer. ii. seven first verses, and Matt. xv. 3., &c.
Often, when the limes were very corrupt in Israel, the people
abounded in the former kind of duties, but were at such
times, always notoriously deficient in the latter ; as the pro
phets complain, Isa. Iviu. four first verses, Jer. vi. 13. com
pared with ver. 20. Hypocrites and self righteous persons,
do much more commonly abound in the forraer kind of
duties, than the latter; as Christ reraarks of the Pharisees,
Malt. xxiu. 14, 25, 34. When the scripture directs us to
show our faith by our works, it is principally the latter sort

404 IN A REVIVAL OF RELIGION GOD CALLS
are intended ; as appears by Jaraes ii. frora ver. 8. to the
end, and 1 John ii. 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. And we are to be
judged at the last day, especially by these latter soit of works ;
as is evident by the account we have of the day of judgment,
in Matt. xxv. External acts of worship, in words and ges
tures, and outward forms, are of little use, but as signs of
something else, or as they are a profession of inward wor
ship : they are not so properly showing our religion by our
deeds ; for they are only a showing our rehgion by words,
or an outward profession. But he that shows religion in the
other sort of duties, shows it in something- more than a pro
fession 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 more pro
fitable to ourselves and our neighbor. We cannot express
our love to God, by doing any thing that is profitable to God ;
God would therefore have us to do it in those things that are
profitable to our neighbors, whom he has constituted his re
ceivers : our goodness extends not lo God, but to our fellow-
Christians. The latter sort of duties puts greater honor upon
God, because there is greater self denial in them. The exter
nal acts of worship, consisting in bodUy gestures, words and
sounds, are the cheapest part of rehgion, and least contrary
to our lusts. The difficulty of thorough, external religion
does not lie in them. Let wicked men enjoy their covetous-
ness and their pride, their malice, envy and revenge, and
their sensuality and voluptuousness, in their behavior amono-st
men, and they wiU be wUhng lo compound the matter with
God, and submit lo what forms of worship you please, and as
raany as you please ; as is raanifest in the Jews of old, in
the days of the prophets, and the Pharisees in Christ's time
and the Papists and Mahometans, at this day.
At a lime'when there is an appearance of the approach of
any glorious revival of God's church, God does especially
caU his professing people to the practice of moral dulies. Isa.
IvL 1. "' Thus saith the Lord, keep ye judgment, and do

TO DEEDS op CHARITY. 405
justice ; for my salvation is near to come, and ray righteous
ness to be revealed." So when John preached, that " the
kingdom of heaven was at hand," and cried to the people,
"Prepare ye the waj;- of the Lord, make his paths straight,"
as we have an account, Luke iii. 4., the ] ouple asked him,
'-' What they should do?" he answers, '¦ He that hath two
coats, let him impart lo him that hath none, and he tliat
hath meat, let him do hkewise. The publicans said, " What
shall we do?'' He answers, "Exact no more than that
which is appointed you.'' And the soldiers asked him, " What
sliaU we do ?" He replies, " Do violence to no man ; neither
accuse any falsely ; and be content with your wages." ver.
10, 11, 12, 13, 14.
God's people, at such a time as this, ought especially to
abound in deeds of charity or ahns-giving. We generally,
in these days, seera to fall far below the true spirit and prac
tice of Christianity, with regard lo this duty, and seera to
have but little notion of it, so far as I can understand the
New Testament. At a tirae when God is so liberal of spi
ritual things, we ought not to be straight-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 rauch in the way, not only of receiv
ing temporal benefits, but also spiritual blessings, the influ
ences of God's Holy Spirit in the heart, in divine discoveries,
and spiiitual consolations. I think it would be unreasona
ble to understand those promises made to this duty, in Isa.
Iviii. in a sense exclusive of spiritual discoveries and comforts.
Isa. Ivin. 7, &c. " Is it not to deal thy bread lo the hungry,
and that thou bring the poor that are cast out, to thy house 7
When thou seest the naked that thou cover him, and that
thou hide not tiiyself frora thine own flesh ? Then shall
thy light break forth as the raorning, and thy health shall
spring forth spsedily, and thy righteousness shall go before
thee, and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rere-ward : then
shall thou caU, and the Lord shall answer, thou shalt cry.

406 DEEDS OF CHARITY SHOULD ABOUND
and he shalt say, Here I ara. If thou lake away frora the
midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and
speaking vanity ; and if thou draw out thy sOul to the hun-
grj', and satisfy the afflicted soul ; then shall thy light rise
in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday : and the
Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in
drought, and make fat thy bones ; and thou shall 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 spi
ritual blessings, is manifest by Psalm cxii. 4, (fcc. " Unto tbe
upright, there ariseth light in the darkness ; he is gracious,
and full of compassion and righteous : a good raan show-
eth favor and lendeth, he will guide his affairs with discre
tion ; surely he shall not be raoved forever ; 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 established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his
desire upon his enemies : he hath dispersed, he hath given to
the poor ; his horn shall be exalted with honor." That this
is one likely means (o obtain assurance, is evident by 1 John
in. 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 shaU assure our hearts
before him."
We have a remarkable instance in Abraham, of God's re
warding deeds of charity with sweet discoveries of himself,
when he had been remarkably charitable to his brother Lot,
and the people that he had redeemed out of captivity with
him, by exposing his life lo rescue them, and had retaken not
only the persons, but aU the goods, the ^oil that had been
taken by Chedoilaomer, and the kings that were with hira,
and the king of Sodora offered him, that if he would give him
the persons, he raight lake the goods to himself, Abrahara
refused lo lake any thing, even so rauch as a thread or shoe-
latchet, but returned aU. He raight have greatly enriched
himself, if he had taken the spoils lo himself, for k was the

IN TIMES OF REVIVAL. 407
spoils of five wealthy kings, and their kingdoms, yet he co
veted it not ; the king and people of Sodom were now be
come objects of charity, having been stripped of all by iheir
enemies, therefore Abraham generously bestowed all upon
them ; as we have an account in Gen. xiv. and four last
verses. And he was soon rewarded for it, by a blessed dis
covery that God made of himself to hira; as we have an ac
count in the next words : " After these things, the word of
the Lord came unto Abram, in a vision, saying. Fear not,
Abram, 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 lake any
reward, for exposing thy life, lo rescue this people, yet fear
not, thou shalt not lose, 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 par
ticularly certain women, of whora we read Luke viii. 2, 3.
And these woraen were rewarded, by being peculiarly favor
ed with gracious raanifestations, which Christ made of hira
self to them. He discovered himself first to them after his
resurrection, before the twelve disciples : they first saw a vi
sion of glorious angels, who spake corafortably to thera ; and
then Christ appeared to thera, and spake peace lo thera,
" saying. All hail, be not afraid ;" and they were admitted to
come, and hold hira by the feet, and worship hini. Matt.
xxviii. And though we cannot now be charitable in this
way, to Christ in person, who, in his exalted state, is infi
nitely above the need of our charity ; yet we raay be chari
table to Christ now, as well as they then ; for though Christ
is not here, yet he has left others in his roora, lo be his re
ceiver's ; and they are the poor. Christ is yet poor in his
raembers, and he that gives to them lends to the Lord : and
Christ tells us that he shall look on what is done to thera, as
done to him.

408 DEEDS OF CHARITY NEED NOT
Rebekah, in her marriage with Isaac, was undoubtedly a
remarkable type of the church, in her espousals to the Lord
Jesus. But she found her husband, in doing deeds of cha
rity, agreeable to the prayer of Abraham's servant, who prayed
that-this might be the thing that might distinguish and mark
out the virgin, that was/lo 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 al-
wny. 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 foUowing parts of the chapter,
how God, by Peter's preaching, revealed Christ to Cornehus
and his family, and of the Holy Ghost descending upon them,
and filhng their hearts with joy, and their mouths with
praise. Some may possibly object, that for persons to. do deeds of
charity, in hope of obtaining spiritual blessings and comforts
ill this way, would seem lo show a self righteous spirit, as
though they would offer something to God, to purchase these
favors. But if this bo 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' expectations of receiving something from God, on
account of them, as second table duties ; and on some ac
counts more, for those duties are more immediately offered
to God, and therefore persons are raore ready to expect sorae
thing /roi?* God for them. But no duty is to be neglected,
for fear of making a righteousness of it. And I have a.lways
observed, that those professors that 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-righteous.

LEAD TO SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 40S
If God's people in this land, were once brought to abound
in such deeds of love, as much as in praying, hearing, sing
ing, and religious meetings and conference, it would be a
raost blessed omen : there is nothing would have a greater
tendency to bring the God of love down from heaven to the
earth : so amiable would be the sight, in the eyes of our
loving and exalted Redeemer, that it would soon as it were
fetch hira down fi-om his throne in; heaven, to set up his
tabernacle -^vith men on the earth, and dweU with thera. I
do not remember ever to have read of any remarkable out
pouring of the spirit, that continued any long time, but what
was attended with an abounding in this duty. So we know
it was w'lth that great effusion of the Spirit that began at Je
rusalem in the apostles' days : and so in the late reraarkable
revival of religion in Saxony, which began by the labors of
the famous professor Franck, and has now been carried on
for above thirty years, and has spread its happy influence into
raany parts of the world ; it was begun, and has been car
ried on, by a wonderful practice of this duty. And the re
markable blessing that God has given Mr. Whitefield, 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 foretold, that
God's people shaU abound in this duty, in the time of the
great outpouring of the spirit that shaU 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 tilings shaU he stand."
To proraote a reformation, with respect to all sorts of duties,
among a professing people, one proper raeans, and that which
is recoraraended by frequent scripture examples, is their so
lemn, public renewing their covenant with God. And doubt
less it would greatly tend to promote this work in the land,
if the congregations of God's people could generaUy be brought
to this. If a draft of a covenant should be raade by their
ministers, wherein there should be an express mention of
52

410 OF RENEWING, THE COVENANT.
those particular duties, that the people of the respective con
gregations have been observed to be most prone to neglect,
and those particular sins that they have heretofore especially
faUen into, or that it may be apprehended they are especially
in danger of, whereby they raay prevent or resist the inotions
of God's Spkit, and the raatter should be fully proposed and
explained to the people, and they have sufficient opportunity
given them for consialeration, and then Ihey should be led,
all that are capable of understanding, particularly to subscribe
the covenant, and also should 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 copgregations Of
Christians would do that which would be beautiful, and would
put honor upon God, and be very profitable to theraselves.
Such a thing as this 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 remarkable
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 rehgious irapressions are prevaUing araong
them ; otherwise they will hardly be induced lo this ; but
innumerable wUl be their, objections and cavUs against k.
One thing more I would raention, v/hich if God should
StiU carry on this work, would tend rauch to promote it, and
that is, that a history should be published once a month, or
once a fortnight, of the progress of it, by one of the ministers
of Boston, who are near the press, and are most conveniently
skuated, to receive accounts frora all parts. It has been found
by experience, that the tidings of remarkable effects of the
power and grace of God, in any place, tend greatly to awaken
and engage the rainds of persons, in other places. It is great
pity therefore, but that sorae means shquld be used, for the
most speedy, raost extensive and certain giving information
of such things, and that the country be not left only to the

THE CONCLUSION. 411
slow, partial, and doubtful information, and false repre
sentations 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 ap
pears lo me, that now God is giving us the most happy sea
son lo 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 gloiious, for want of being sen
sible of our opportunity, or being aware of those things that
tend to hinder it, or our taking improper courses to obtain it,
or not being sensible in what way God expects we should
seek it. If it should please God lo bless any raeans, for the
convincing the country of his hand in this work, and bring
ing thera fully and freely to acknowledge his glorious power
and grace in it, and engage with one heart and soul, and by
due methods, to endeavor to promote it, it would be a dispen
sation of Divine Providence that would have a raost glorious
aspect, happUy signifying the approach of great and glorious
things to the church of God, and justly causing us to hope
that Christ would speedUy come, to set up his kingdora of
light, holiness, peace and joy on earth, as is foretold in his
word. Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus !

INDEX

Abuse no argument against -what is
good, 241
Admonition should be listened to, 268
Advantages of the devil, 324
Affectation a proof of spiritual pride,
278
Affections not diverse from the -will,
122
 •  , distinction in them, 122
• essential to religion, 123

124

— , high, prevail in heaven,
•, high, to be desired and che

rished, 125
 should be addressed, 231
¦ depend on theunderstand-

should be regulated, 342

ing, 232

Aged persons cuuvertoi, 4R
— , their pecaliar danger,

soon left in a revival,

381

381

Authority not to be assumed, 32.'!
 , how assumed, 356
of ministers, 367

Awakenings, manner of, 49
 , effects of, 49
 , degree of, 50
 increased before deliver

ance, 50
 , duration of, 57
B.
Bartlet, Phebe, her case, 97
 , her secret prayer, 97
 , finding God, 98
 ,happiness in religion,99
-, concern for her friends,

.o.ln«Ts. .-ter.

102

Agreement in prayer, benefits of, 400
^.—  —  , arrangement for,
400
America, millenium to begin here, 189
Animal feeling from defects in expe
rience, 332
Apostles practiced Sequent . preach
ing, 246 ¦
..J? priori judgment of the work, 117
 wrong to judge of the works
of God, lis
Arminians 'esiiorted to change their
principles, 379
Arminianism, progress of, 36
•  successfully opposed, 36
Assuming airs of ministers, 387
Assurance enjoyed, 171

100 -, manifest change of
100
-, dread of sin, 101
— , love for the scriptures,
— , concern for sinners,102
 , spirit of charity, 102
 , love to her minister, 104
Bible remarkably valued in the revi
val, 78
 has been a means of great evils,
249 ¦ S .
 not blamable for being abused,
241- , ^
Bitterness should not be shown to op
posers, 374
Blessedness of joining in the work, 209
Blessings promised to charity, 406
Bodily effects of religious exercises,126
Body affected by divine love, 75
Boldness the effect of pride, 284
Boston ministers, their preface, xxvi
Business should sometimes give way
to religion, 344

414

Business not injured by revivals, 345
Busybodies, false concern of, 126
C.
Candidates for the ministry, 388
 should be
thoroughly tried, 383
Censoriousness, means of good to
others, 121
 , sinfulness of, 151
 , not inconsistent with
true godliness, 151
 must be rooted outbe-
fore revivals, 351
Censuring, great temptations to, in
revival?, 150
 ministers destroys the good
of their preaching, 348
 by other ministers, 345
¦ not a means of good to the

Compassion due to young converts,
149
Complaints about spending time in
religion, 245
 cannot be from good motives,
245
Concern, for the soul, prevailing, 38
for others, reasonable, 132

unconverted, 346
 '—^— for coldness, 348
- in pubhc prayer, 351

Concert of action, by ministers, 385
of prayer for revivals, 399

Confession of faults, duty of, 372
necessary to the revival, 372

Confession by opposers of the work,
372
 of disorderly or unkind pro
cedures, 373
 honorable to religion, 373
 should be public, 373
Confusion not the necessary effect of
strong feehng, 250
 vfill stop the work, 360
Connecticut, revivals in, 42
., places -visited, 43

Character of the people in Northamp
ton, 30
Charity, a duty in re-vivals, 405
 , pleasing to God, 405
 ' does not lead to self-righteous
ness, 408
Children, many converted, 46
 need regeneration, 242
 should be awakened, 242
Children's meetings objected against,
259
. — ¦ — —  iiuL to be found
fault with, 261
 may be acceptable
to God, 260
Christ, the theme of conversation, 40
 not always thought of in the

Consequences not to be disregarded,
307 •, not a rule of duty, 307

Controversy about Arminianism, its
good effects, 36
Controversies hinder (he work, 107
Conversion, first in the re-rival, 37
 — , various manner of, 48
 , imperfect ideas off 65
 , often not thought of at

first act of grace, 63
 ¦- glorifiedin revivals, 186
 should judge the heart, 345
- assisted in his members, 407

Christians have many faults, 143
Church order necessary, 320
 offices preserved, 321
Coldness in ministers, the worst mad
ness, 120
 , censuring for, 348
Colleges should be nurseries of piety,
388
Colman, Dr., letter to, 31
Comfort, not to be too hastily admi
nistered, 237
Communion, frequent in revivals, 401
Companie.=: formed for snrial prayer, 35

the time, 67
 , suddenness of, 66
—  , time of, not always
known, 69
 , compared to light, 70
 by texts of scripture, 70
Conversions daUy, 39
Conversation, rehgious, its utility, 82,
86
Converts, their number, 45
— '¦  , aged persons, 46
 , children, 46
often need encouragement.

57

, characteristics of, 73
- remain steadfast, 107

Convictions, legal, described, 52
Corruption of tne heart discovered, 52
 , remaining after conver-

, allowance to be made for,

sion, 81

140
Covenant renewed, 409
should be full and specific,

409

415

267

Crying out, not a novelty, 134, 138
Custom, its influence, 340
 , should restrain feehng, 360

Daily meetings proper, 243
Danger of doubting the work, 187
 of not acknowledging the re
vival, 197
 of opposing it, 200
 of not joining in it, 200
 of despising the instruments,
204
 of ridiculing the work, 206
 of continued unbelief, 208
¦ of error, when near to God,
¦ of misimpro-ring the season of
revivals, 379
Days of fasting and prayer, 398
Defects of the revival, 107
 in experiences, 329
 cause of error, 332
Degenerating of experiences 334
 caused by spiritual pride, 335
 not readily perceived, 336
 caused by their mixture, 336
'  by their defectiveness, 337
 by extravagance, 338
Despair, before deliverance, 52
Devil promotes defective experiences,
335
 wishes to drive to extremes, 367
 , his advantages, 324
Difficulties in conversion, less than
usual, 51
Disaffection of ministero to. the -work,
218
Discoveries of God enjoyed, 62
Discretion should be exercised, 308
Disgust at revivals, shows unbehef
and pride, 255
Disorder to be expected in extraordi
nary times, 145
in the primitive churches,

Doubling of tlic work, its absurdity,
160 danger of, 187

Duration bf awakenings, 57
E.
Earnest speaking, natural effect of
deep feeling, 252
not an objection to revivals, 253

146

- easily accounted for, 148

Disproportion in rehgious exercises,
330
Distress of sinners not a reason for
comforting them, 239
Distinction in affections, 122
Dirisions not to be aimed at, 311
 cannot be wholly avoided, 312
Doddridge's school, 390
Doubts and fears, causes of, 80
Doubters, what are they -n-aiting for,
175

Earnestness of contention consistent
\vith meekness, 284
Education of muiisters, 321
Effects of conversion, 62
 of the revival, 158
prove its genuineness, 161

Encouragement often necessary to
converts, 68 to labor inrevivals, 209

Enlightening of the Spirit, 296
Enthusiasm, how resisted, 384
Enthusiastic delusions, cause of, 106
Envy in ministers, hatefulness of, 221
Errors of those who thinlt ill of the
work, 117
 , God's permission of them, 152
 , Satan's agency in them, 153
., not to be too much dwelt up

on, 226
-, in revivals, should be corrected

or avoided, 263
should be freely pointed out.

have been too much insisted

263

on, 264
 give advantage to the enemies,

furnish weapons for opposers,

266

, causes of, 270
- produced by spiritual pride, 270
, the effect of wrong principles.

292
— • — , caused by defects in experi
ences, 332
Example, happy effect of, 250
Excitement necessary to tlie power of
the work, 249 not a ground of objection

or alarm, 249
Exhorting and preaching distinguish
ed, 354
Experience of Mr. Fiavel, 137
, past, not a rule for judg

ing, 130
 of Mi-g. Edwards, 162
Experiences, varieties of, 79
 remarkable cases, 134

416

Experiences, high, may produce spi
ritual pride, 273
 , mixture in, 324
 , defects in, 329
 , proportion in, 330
 , now to be judged, 333
— ^^  , will grow better, 334
 , degenerating of, 334
influence of custom on,

340

-, external effects of, 340
External fruits of the revival, 154
 order should be regarded, 319
 rehgion of little worth, 404
Extraordinary nature of revivals, 149
Extravagantpretensions expose to de
generacy, 337
Extremes, tendency to, in revivals, 146
 , the work of the devil, 367
 , danger and e-rils of, 367
F.
Faijji in prayer, 301
 , reasonableness of, 302
 , to be shown by works, 403
Falsehood may excite gracious feel
ings to action, 318
Family worship should not be cus
tomarily neglected, 321
Fasting and prayer, for a revival, 394
 , private, recommended, 401
Faults occasioned by the novelty of
the work, 144
Fear of God, how exhibited, 286
Fears of self-deception, 68
PitnoBs tn Pome to Chl-icst, ^^
.Fiavel, his experience, 137
Fleming's Fulfilling of the Scripture,
quoted, 135
Forbearance, a means of revival, 374
 '¦ — , calls for, in a revival, 375
Forgiveness of sins, sense of, 64
Frequency of communion proper* in
revivals, 401
Frequent meetings, propriety of, in
revivals, 243
 , not an objection, 243
G.
Galleries, fall of at Northampton, xxii
Gentleness, a Christian duty, 277
 exemplified by Christ, 278
Genuineness of the revival proved by
its effects, 161
Glorying in irregularities, 286
God to be submitted to in the work,
221

Gospel should be fully preached, 238
Grace manifested in submission, 61
Great men ought to promote the revi
val, 391
Guilt of passing a revival, 380
H.
Hampshire ministers, their attesta
tion, xxx towns where there were

revivals, 41
Hardness of heart, sense of it under
awakenings, 51
Harshness and severity the fruit of
pride, 275
 , a de-vice of the devil, 276
 , its odiousness, 277
tends to harden sinners, 281

Harvest, rerival compared to, 380
Haste, danger of, 314
Health may be impaired by religious
exercises, 127
Heaven, order in, 320
Hindrances to be removed, 371
History not a rule for rerivals, 133
 of revivals useful, 410
—  , good effects of, 410
Holy Spirit, how he enlightens, 296
 , his leading, 298
 , his promptings, 305
¦, his teachings needed, 334

Human nature easily overcome by the
things of God, 128
Humihty after conversion, 76
produces the highest joys, 77
to be learned from errors in

revivals, ib'S
 leads to self-distrust, 274
 becoming in Christians, 277
 , beauty of it, 280
 needful in revivals, 280
gives force to divine ti-uth.

281

tion, 284

makes good use of opposi-

290

, needful for young ministers.

Hutchinson, Abigail, case of, 87
 , character of, 87
 , awakened, 87
 , sense of sin against God,

ry, 91

jects, 92

- obtains peace of mind, 89
— , compassion for sinners, 90
-, discoveries of God's glo-
, enjoyment of natural ob-

INDEX.

417

Hutchinson, Abigail, longing to die, 93 I Judging the wliole by a part, 142
 , distressing- sickness, til |  ^^ others, forbidden, 349

verted, 95

an.xiety for the

-, peaceful death, 96
I.
Idleness should be driven from col
leges, 389
Imagination, impressions on, 83
Impatience and haste, evils of, 376
Impenitent, not to be needlessly of
fended, 309
Imperfection, allowance for, 140
Impressions of the imagination, what
tliey are, 83
 produced by a strong
sense of divine things, 83
 greatly misrepresented, 84
 somewhat mysterious, 85
 of scripture texts, 295
 , danger of trusting to, 300
 , mixed with expenences
327
Imprudences should be freely confess
ed, 373
Impulses, not a guide, 295
Inclinations, good, not a guide, 305
Indiscreet zeal leads to baste, 314
Inferiority of ministers and converts
made use of, 120
Information of revivals should be
spread, 410
Ingratitude, cause of doubts, 81
Innovations, moderation in, 313
 , Christ'a manner in, 313
 , how to be introduced, 363
 should be by common
consent, 366
 with approbation of pas
tors, 367
Injuries confessed and repaired, 78
Inquirers should receive instrirction,
238
Instruction, eagerness to receive, 76
lustruments of revival chosen by God,
119
 , their imperfection, 120
Insufficiency of human efforts, 55
Irregularity, too much clamor about
it, 264 J.

 ought to be aioided, 350
 will bring dow ii judgments if
persisted in, 350
Justice of God, convictions of, 58
 •, submission to, 60

Jealousy of ourselves recommended,
337
Judgments to be expected by minis
ters who oppose, 219 53

K.
Kindness to sinners, 327
Knowledge, speculative, not what is
most needed, 233
 not to be undervalued, 233

Late meetings not to be common.
Laymen, exhorting by, 354
 , not unlawful, 354

321

 , may speak in pubhc, 356
 , allowance for strong feel
ings, 357
¦  — not set up for pubhc teachers,
358
 not to assume authority, 358
 not to follow teaching as a
business, 359
 should govern their strong
feelings, 360
Leadings of the Spirit, what they are,
298
Legal teiTors, not always followed by
the greatest comfort, 71
Life may be destroyed by rehgious
discoveries, 130
Lignt, not su llluoU nocdocl a» Ileal, 234
 , terrible to the impenitent, 237
Lightness in religion, sign of defect
iveness, 332
Longings of the soul after God, 63
Love to God and Christ, in great de
grees, 75 M.
Marks of spiritual pride, 274
Means should be used to the utmost,
229
 , skiU required in, 229
for promoting the work, 371

Measures not wholly judged by their
success, 315
Meekness, the severest rebuke of op
posers, 283
 gives force to argumptits, 284
especially called for in revi

vals, 373

418

Melancholy, difficult to deal with, 51
 , effects of, 105
 , caution to be used in, 240
 j perverseness of, 240
Meroz, the curse of, 203
 , argued a priori, 203
Millenium, to commence in America,
189
Ministers, their responsibility, 216
 , officers in Christ's king
dom, 216
 , pecuhar guilt of neglect,
217
 should not show disaffec
tion, 218 -, disaffected are worse than

none, 219
 may expect judgments, 219
 , danger of unbelief, 220
should guard against envy.

should endeavor to excite

Ministers should be zealous, 385
should strengthen each

other's hands, 385
 should be resolute, 386
 should be prayed for, 39S
Misimproveraent of revival, 379
Misrepresentations of the revival, 109
Mixtures, in experiences, 324
 , occasioned by corruption,
325
 of natural feehngs, 325
 ¦ of irapressions on the ima
gination, 327
 of self-righteousness, 327
give advantage to Satan,

328

221

the affections, 231
should preach terror to the

impenitent, 237
should instruct inquirers.

238

should be faithful to chil
dren, 242 should aim at great effects.

249
 , need great humility in revi
vals, 280
 , their dangers from success.

288

 ¦, young, their dangers, 289
 ehnnlfi bo trained Tor LUcir
work, 294
 , education of, 321
— :  , not to be denomiced on

slight grounds, 344
-, cold and formal, to be treat

ed gently, 348
 , opposing the work, a great
scandal, 349
-, their office and authority.

Modesty, an ornament to rehgion, 285
Morals, -\vonderfuI reformation of, 154
Moral duties promote revivals, 402
¦, better evidence than rehgious

355

should partake much of the
revival, 383
, unconverted, hypocrisy of.

383

-, wretched condition, 383
 , guilt in God's sight, 383
 , their great need of spiritu
ality, 384
 , need of divine aid, 384
 should pray together, 384

observances, 403
Mrs. Edwards, her experience, 162
N.
Natural objects, enjoyment of, 76
Natural feelings mixed with experi
ences, 325
Natural affections not to be sup
pressed, 338
Nearness to God does not preclude
error, 267
Neuters, not tolerated in revivals, 184
New Jersey, revival there, 44
New measures not to be introduced
suddenly, 363
—  , should not provoke prejudice
rashly, 363
New things always accompany great
events, 193
News of conversion promotes the re-
-rival, 67
Noise inseparable from powerful ex
citement, 251
Northampton, character of, 30
 , population, 32
 , ministers in, 32
 , revivals in, 32
 , degeneracy, 33
Novelty in revivals not an objection,
134
 , not so common as is sup
posed, 134
Novelties, falsely so called, 135
should be used with cau

tion, 312
Numbers converted in the revival, 45

i^-DEX.

419

O.
¦Objections examined, 229
Obligations of all to promote the
work, 211
Occasion of sin, from good influences,
142
Offense not to be given needlessly, 309
Office of ministers, 355, 359
Opportunities to be improved for re-
¦vivals, 411
Opposers aided by errors in the w-ork,
266
 should look to their own
state, 379
 should not be treated with

bitterness, 374
 and Arminians invited to

join the -Work, 379
Opposition, ways of manifesting, 225
 by appearing discontented,
225 -bv insisting much on the

blemishes, 226
 , unrighteousness of, 227
 too much thought of, 23-2
 ¦  not to be met w-ith noise.

282

ness, 283

¦ best put down by meek-

- should be publicly retract
ed, 372
Order, its importance, 319
 , means to an end, 320
 prevails in heaven, 320
 in famihes, 321
Outcries and faintings cono-idoioa, 24S
 , not the work of God's
Spuit, 248
 ; may show the power of the
work, 249
Outward reformation under awaken
ings, 54
Parents should feel most for their
children, 339
Passions mixed with religion, 326
Pastors, their authority, 367
People may all help in revivals, 222
Persecution should be met with meek
ness, 283
¦  , how to be expected, 310
 , how misimproved, 310
Personal preparation for a revival, 378
Perversion of Spirit's influences, 142
Philosophy,no standard ofrevivals, 121
 of opposers, false, 122

Power of revival desirable, 249
Prayer of faith described, 301
— , wrong inferences from,

-, different from imagi-

301

nations, 303
 , censuring in, 351
 , conditional imprecations in,
351
 , that God would convert or re
move, 352
 , teachings of the Spirit in, 353
 , a remedy for impatience, 376
 , efficiency of, 394
 , importunate, 395
 , God waits for it, 396
 , the weakest may aid, 397
 , bettor than disputings, 397'
 , for ministers, 398
 , method in, 398
 , concert in, 399
jeneral arrangement for, 400

Preaching should be instructive, 231
 , impressive, 232
 , scripture account of, 234
 should be correct, 235
 , ten-or to the awakened, 236
 , instructive to inquirers, 238
 , frequent, justified, 245
Preface by Drs. Watts and Guyse, xviii
 by tlie Boston ministers, xxvi
 to the " Thoughts," &c., 115
Prejudices against the work, 109
Preservation, remarkable, xxii
Press should promote revivals, 223
Pride, spiritual, its effects, 270
 , a great source ot sin, 271
remains in Christians, 271

Principles, wrong, effects of, 292
Private fasting recommended, 401
Property should be employed for
Christ, 392
Prophecy of the millenium, 190
 ^ inferior to grace, 297
Proportion in experiences, 330
Providence, not an attestation, 315
 , not understood by us, 316
¦, how interpreted, 317

Provoking of opposition, 312
Prudence, excessive, rebuked, 187
 required in revivals, 308
PubUc speaking, how lawful, 357
a.
GLuakers, had no success among the
converts, 85
Cluickness of the work, glorious, 179

420

IiVDEX.

R.
Rashness and censoriousness made
useful, 120
Reality of rehgion greatly felt, 71
Reason sometimes made use of in con
version, 73
Reformation by the revival, 154
 must take time, 314
Rejoicing in revivals, duty of, 187
Rehgion consists in affections, 124
-, worthy of strong affections.

233

-, its social nature, 259
, a warfare, 268

Renewing covenant, importance of,
409
Resolution, effects of, upon others, 386
 , needful in revivals, 387
ResponsibUity, connected with revi
vals, 212
Rest of the soul in God, 65
Restraint, needful for strong emotions,
361
Revelations not now enjoyed, 292
 , supposed, a support for
all errors, 293
 perpetually faU, 293
 , scripture does not coun
tenance, 293
 , not an evidence of grace,
296
Reverence in approaching God, 2S5
Revihng to be received meekly, 375
Revival in 1735, narrative of, xvii
'  , signs of its approach. 34
.  , commencement of, 37
 , rapid progress of, 38, 47
.  , joyful effects of, 39
 , influence upon singing, 39
 , influence upon conversation,
40
 extending to other towns, 41
.  reaches Connecticut, 42
.  , unusual character of, 45
 , extraordinary for numbers, 45
 promoted by the circulation of
intelligence, 69
 , misrepresentations of, 83
.  . — , simUar to other revivals, 85
- — . — , Ulustrated by instances, 87
 . — , defects and decline, 104
.  hindered by controversies, 107
 , good effects permanent, 107
-, jealousies and misrepresenta

tions of it, 109
Revival, tune for personal piety, 378
iRevival spirit, beauties of it, 409

Revivals under Mr. Stoddard, 33
-, to be judged by their fruits,
instruments employed by

118

God, 119
 , subjects selected by him, 120
to be judged by the rule of

scripture, 121
, not to be judged by philoso

phy, 121
 not to be judged by bodily
effects, 126
 not to be judged by their no
velty, 133
 , effects of,informertime3, 135
-, effects of, in Scotland and

France, 135
 , effects of, in America, 138
 not to be compared with en
thusiasts, 139
 not to be judged by experi
ence, 139
 not to be judged by parts, 140
 , faults in, explained, 143
 tendency to extremes, 146
 , extraordinariness of, 149
 , Satan alarmed by, 153
 , their general nature, 154
 , visible effects, 154
 , spiritual conversation, 1 56
 , durabUity of the change, 160
 show the work of God, 160
- have always been prayed for,

161

175

vii, 177

Ulustrated by an instance,
, a gloiioua w-ork of God, 174
, fruits should be recognized,
, a work of God, or of the de-

177

211

-, most glorious ofGod's works,
-, ah bound to ackno wl edge, 1 83
-, no neutrals in, 184
-, Christ glorified in, 186
-, beginning of millenium, 189
-, danger in neglecting, 197
-, danger in opposing, 200
-, danger in deriding, 206
-, blessedness in joining, 209
-, obligations of all to promote,
-, rulers should promote, 213
should be acknowledged pub-

hcly, 214
 , duty of ministers in, 216
—  , all may help in, 222

INDEX.

421

Re-vivals, the press should be employ
ed, 223
 , how opposed, 225
 are the work of God, not of

man, 229
- require the most earnest use

of means, 229
 shouldbe managed withskUl,

229

, objections answered, 231
 , frequent meetings in, 243
 not mjurious to temporal af
fairs, 245
 , much preaching in, 246
 ,-, bodUy effects in, 24S
 , excitement desirable in, 249
-s  , earnest speaking in, 252
 , disgust at them, 255
 , singing useful in, 257
 , children's meetings in, 259
 , errors should be corrected.

263

-, watchfulness needed in, 267
 , causes of error in, 270
 , spiritual pride in, 270
 , humUity needed in, 280
 , opposition how met, 282
 , young ministers employed
in, 290
 , wrong principles in, 292
 , consequences regarded, 307
 , external order in, 319
-, advantages of the devU in,

334

-, experiences in, 334
-, custom in, 341
— , particul-di <=rror=i ix^ 343
-, judging in, 343
— , laymen useful in, 354
— , extremes injurious to, 367
— , confessing of faults in, 372
-, mutual forbearance, means

of, 373
 , time to renounce errors, 379
 , danger of neglecting, 380
 , duties of ministers in, 383
 , zeal needful in, 386
 , colleges should promote, 388
 , fasting and prayer for, 394
-, charity a means of, 402

Satan alarmed at re-rivals, 153
 relies more on skill than
sti-ength, 230
 pushes things to extremes, 264
 delights in excesses, 265
 , fiis advantages in regard to
rerivals, 324
Schools a means of rerival, 393
Scotland, rerivals in, 135
Scripture the only standard, 121
 not superseded by revela
tions, 294
Self-confidence in prayer, 284
Self-examination, duty of, 374
Self-ignorance, under awakenings, 56
Self-nghteousness ineffectual, 54
mixed with expe

rience, 327
Separation springs from spiritual
pride, 279
Sermons, frequent, useful, 246
Singing enjoyed in the revival, 39
 much used in revivals, 257
 abounds in heaven, 257
 wUl increase in the milleni

um, 258
 , errors connected -vrith, 361
• should be with reverence and

solemnity, 362
should abound in revivals,

362
 in the streets, 362
 , not to be in
troduced suddenly, 363 , not wholly ob

jectionable, 364
-, honorable to God, 364

Rich men may do much to promote
the work, 391
Righteous, over much, 340
Rulers bound to promote revivals, 213
Rules, scripture, sufficient, 126

Singularity the fruit of pride, 278
Sinners, aged, their danger, 381
Sins of the hfe, conriction of, 59
SkUl and prudence in the use of means,
229
Smoking by ministers, 384
Social nature of religion, 259
Solemnity of a rerival, 212
Sovereignty of God inculcated in the
revival, 57
.  , in the instruments heuses, 118
 , in the subjects he selects, 120
 , not to be limited, 131
 , in permitting errors and dis
orders, 152
Special comforts not a defense from
blame, 317
Spirit's influences may injure the
health, 127

422

INDEX.

Spiritual blessings fiasUy exceed our
capacity, 129
Spiritual pride, a source of error in re
vivals, 270
 lays the mind open to tempta
tion, 271
 , often falsely charged, 271
-, zealous Christians liable to,

271

, hatefulness of, 272
 , difficult to detect, 272
 should be watched against, 273
 may grow out of high religious
experiences, 273
 , its effects, 274
¦ produces suspicion of others.

274

- produces harsh language, 275
 disposes to singularity, 277
 takes great notice of opposi
tion, 282
- produces unsuitable boldness,

shows an assuming temper,

284

286
 , successful ministers exposed
to, 288
Stoddard, Mr., his harvests, 33
Strangers, how affected by the reri
val, 41
Stumbling blocks, removal of, 371
Submission to God's justice in con
version, 60
 to the will of God in the
work, 221
Success in revivals, temptations of, 2S8
 , not a cntenon of propriety,
315
 , no eridence ofGod's appro
val, 315
Sudden death, influence of, 36
Suicide, cases of, 105
Suspicion, how created, 218
-, caused by spiritual pride,

274

T.

Teaching, the business of ministers,
359 ,
 of the Holy Spirit, needful
for ministers, 384
Tenderness of the Sarior. 278
Tennents, Messrs. W. & G., then-
ministry, 45
Terror, the necessary effect of light,
237
 , not an objection to revivals, 239
Testimony of Hampshire ministers,
xxx

Texts impressed on the mind, 295
Thoughts on the revival, &c. 113
Time of conversion not alwaysknown,
69
 reasonably spent in religion, 243
 needful in reformation, 376
Travail for souls notunreasonable,131
Truth, of the scriptures, sense of, 72
 should not be kept back, 237

U.
Unbehef, conriction of, 59
in revivals, the fruit of pride,

203
 , danger of, in ministers, 220
Unconverted ministers, 343
Union among ministers, 385
V.
Varieties in experience, 79
Vaunting, an effect of pride, 287
Violent affections not always the best,
333 W.
Waiting for a decline to judge the
work, 175
Waiting on God, duty of, 375
 , how intended, 375
, happy effects of, 377

Watchfulness needed in rerivals, 267
against spiritual pride,

273, 287
Watts and Guyse, their preface, xviii
Weakness, human, under riews of
etemitj, 199
of Christians, 368

Whitefield's frankness in confession,
373
 , his resolution, 386
Wildness, how controUed, 384
Wilhngness to be damned, not re
quired in the Bible, 61
Wisdom of submitting to God, 221
Women, their speaking, 357
Y.
Young people, their lightness, 34
 , tenderness among, 35
Young ministers employed in revival,
120
 , their dangers, 289

Z.
Zeal and resolution, duty of ministers,
386
 necessary to great results, 386
Zealous persons do hurt by excess, 265

A TABLE OF SCRIPTURE TEXTS,
CITED Oil ILLUSTBATEO IN THIS VOLUME.

Genesis.
V. 6. page 296 iv. 1.
xxi. 8, 9. 2U6
xxxii. 24. 127
xiv. 22. 191
xUx. 22. 191
Exodus.
xvi. 20. 335
xvii. 14—16. 201
xxxv. 20, 29. 223
Leviticus.
xix. 32. 290
Numbers.
vii. 214
X. 29. 379
xiii. 3. 282
Deuteronomy.
ii. 16. 381
iv. 2. 316
xvii. 16, 17. 317
xxiii. 3, 4. 201
xxxiii. 13. 191
xxxiii. 20-23 2U1
Joshua.
xviii. 1. 223
Judges.
V.9.

2142-24
203202
203, 209
204

Esther. Job.

V. 2—4.
vi. 14.
xvi. 9—11. Psalms.
ii. 6—12.
vii. 6.
xii. 6.
xxv. 9.
xxxvii. 9.
— 11.
xiii. 4.
xliv. 23.
xiv. 3, 4.
lix. 4.
ixvi. 9.

133151
339 151212 337 89
27U376374365377
283, 374
377 374

Ixviii. 1, 8, 13, 18, 24. 205

— 14.
— 19.
- 20, 21.
— 23.
vii. 23, 24.
viii. 17. 1 Samuel.
XV. 3. 2 Samuel.
vL 6.
vi. 19, 19.
— 22. 1 Kings.
vi.29.viii 1—3.
— 3—8. 2 Kings.
vi. 20.
XX. 5. 1 Chronicles.
xiii. 2, 5.
xiv. 19—32.
xiv. 28.
XV. 2.
— 2.
— 35. 2 Chronicles.
V. 2— 4.
XX. 25, 26.
Nehemiah.
ii. 20.
Ui. 214, 218, 223
— 32. 392
vi. 5. 208
viii. 9—12. 227
— 16, 17. 208

205201 289
205, 206 391 146
213 217

208 195206 210206 360205213 213 130208

27.
Ixxiii. 20.
Ixxvi. 8, 9.
Ixxviii. 34, 36.
xcii. 12.
xcix. 9.
cvi. 32, 33.
ex. 6.
cxii. 4.
cxvi. 4.
cxix. 5.
-53.
— 136.
cxxxi. 2.
cxxxvii. 9.
cxlvii. 6. Proverbs.
i. 20.
V.19. viii. 1 — 4.
ix. 3.
xxx. 6.
xxx. 25. Ecclesiastes.
vii. 8.
Solomon's Song
ii. 7.
iii. 5.
viii. 4. Isaiah.
i. 12—18.
ii. 12—15.
ii. 17.
vi. 10.
viii. 14, 15.
xi. 4.
xviii. 19.
xxii. 4.
xvi. 10, 11.
xxvii. 13.
xxviii. 9.
— 24-26.
— 13, 16.
xxix. 20, 21.

214
377283
xxvii 146
381
143, 288213

xxix 24.
xxx. 18.
xxx. 29.
xxxi. 15.
xxxviii. 6.
xl. 2, 3, 7.
— 19.
— 13, 14.
— 31.
xUii. 14.
— 20.
xliv. 3.
xlix. 23.
Iii. 7.
liii. 11.
Iv. 1.
Ivi. 1.
— 7-9.
Iviii. 1.
Ix. 1^.
-5-7.

406 106129133 133
207210 283
235 •377235 235316 285375 377377377

403 222
119, 222241 186283193133 188
235 207
308 186
264

-9. — 11.
— 12.
Ixi. 1, 2.
— 11.
Ixii. 1.
3,22.
-6,7. — 11.
Ixiv. 4.
Ixv. 17.
— 20.
Ixvi. 12.
— 14. Jeremiah
11. 2.
— 1—7.
iv. 19.
vi. 10, 11.
— 13.
vii. 2.
ix. 1.
xi. 6.
xiii. 17.
xiv. 17.
xix. 2.
xxix. 26, 27.
xxxi. 27. Ezekiel.
vi. 11.
xxiv.xxxvi. 37.
xlvii. 5. Daniel.
X. 6, 7, 8. Hosea.
1.10.ii. 23. Amos.
V.21.

346
376 365193 195
234 235
118 376236 193 20
376235 132
378 404220234
403, 404 403 42
189
378 200
235, 380 146
247 251395 235 134 196
260 196
380

235, 381 403 133
253, 382403
235 133
235133 133
235221252 234220395
137, 195 28
193262 403

424

SCRIPTURE TEXTS.

Habakkuk.
iii. 16. Micah.
vi. 7, 8. Zechariah.
vii. 1—10.
ix. 9—11.
— 15, 16
— 15-17.
X. 3.
— 8,9.
xii. 7.
— 8.
xiii. 5.
— 6.
xiv. 16-19.
— 17. Malachi.
ii. 7.
iii. 10.
iv. 1—3. Matthew.
iii. 9, 10.
V. 19.
v. 14.
vi. 5, 6. 16-13.
ix. 13.
x._16.
xii. 7.
xiii. 14.
XV. 3.
xvi. 23.
xviii. 19.
xxi. 5.
— 15, 16.
xxii.xxiii. 13.
— 14. 25, 34.
xxv. 31 — 46.
xxvi. 38, 41.
xxviii. 9. Mark.
iv. 33.
X. 46-48.
xiv. 3—5. Luke.
i. 35.
iii. 4, 10—14.
v. B, 6, 7.
xii. 56.
— 57.
xviii. 18.
• 38, 39.
xix. 39, 40.
xxi. 22.
xxi. 36. John.
iii. 8.
vii. 37.
— 38.
ix. 39.
xii. 4, 6.
xvi. 7.

1 xvi. 12. 13.

313

v. 8. 254

129 xvii. 22, 23.

400

— 20. 125

xxi. 3, 6.

130

Philippians.

408

Acts.

iii. 15. 374

i. 13, 14.

395

Colossians.

303

ii. 13.

207

i. If. 125

187

— 42.

246

iii. 12. 280

251

— 46.

243

1 Thessalonians.

254

vi. 7.

346

iv. 11. 359

220

X. 4.

408

2 Thessalonians.

252

xi.2.

144

i. 11. 125

119

xiii. 31.

187

1 Timothy.

215

— 45.

207

1.4. 146

35, 401

xvi. 3.

313

ii. 9, 11, 12. 285

294

xviii. 6.

207

- 12. 355, 358

265

xix. 8-10. 244, 246

iii. 2. 392

197

xxvii. 9.

199

iv. 7. 146

200

Romans.

V. 22. 388
i. 31.
338
2 Timothy.
355
iii. 9.
58
i. 7. 125
129
viii. 14.
296
ii. 16. 146
380
ix. 33.
186
— 24, 25. 292, 311
X. 15.
320
V. 23. 146
380
xii. 3—3.
359
vi. 4. 147
374
-4-8.
320
Titus.
110
— 18.
309
i. 14. 146
401
xiii. 7.
285
ii. 8. 266
402
xiv. 4.
350
— 15. 355
308
— 6.
144
iii. 9. 146
403
— 19.
309
Hebrews.
241
— 16.
310
V. U. 313
403
XV. 1, 2.
309
James.
278
1 Corinthians
i. 19. 287
400
i. 16,17.
355
ii. 8—26. 404
91 Iii. 4.'
125
iii. 13. 312
261!— 9.
134
iv. 12. 350
323
iii. 1, 2.
313
1 Peter.
219
vii. 20.
359
ii, 6—8. 186
403
ix. 19—23.
309
— 17. 290
404
X. 32, 33.
309
Hi. 2, 15. 285
278
xii. 29.
359
— 15. 291
407
— 31.
299
iv. 7, 8. 266
-51.
299
V. 5. 280, 290
313
xiii. 8.
297
1 John.
255
xiv. 14, 26.
299
ii.3,7— 11. 404
246
— 31-33. 306, 318
iii. 18, 19. 406
— 37, 38.
269
Revelation.
125
2 Corinthians.
i. 17. 128
405
ii. 6—11.
144
iii. 10. 283
130
V. 17.
70
— 20. 102
211
— 18-20.
355
xi. 8. 201
298
vi. 2.
380
xii. 2. 132, 199, 236
395
vii. 11.
144
xiv. 14-16. 196
255
xii. 15, 16.
310
— 20. 380
188
Galatians.
XV. 3. 201
380
iii. 3.
336
xvi. 16. 202
267
iv. 22.
206
xix. 4. 210
V. 18.
296
— n. 203
xxvii
Ephesians.
xxi. 1. 196
235
i. 19.
125
- 3. 198
378
iii. 7.
125
— 6. 199, 378
241
iv. 4.
310
xxii. 17. 199, 378
245
— 7.
40
- 18. 316
xxvi
— 31.
280
3 9002 00517 3373