itual joy and rejoicing; and fuppofed that neither finnor Satan would have any more power to interrupt their peace. When they are first called out of darkness into God's marvellous light, they experience fo much calmnefs and joy, as to begin to be confirmed in their miftake. But the pleasing scene is foon clouded-they find unexpected corruptions-darkness risesGod is gone. They tremble for fear they have laid hold of a refuge of lies.

bled in view of returning to a flate of carnal and dreadful fecurity, and becoming more hardened than ever. They were ready to cry out; "I wish I could feel as concerned for myself as I have done! but I cannot. What will become of me now!" While in this fituation they have been asked, how the character of God appeared? They readily answered: "Great, excellent and glorious! I wish for no other God to govern the world. There is none like him. I can't wifh for any other Saviour befides Christ-nor any other way to be faved but the gofpel. All feems right. God is fuch a glorious being, that methinks I could praise him, even if he should caft me off." This frame has fometimes continued for feveral days before they dared to hope. They wondered what had become of their burden. In time, however, experience taught them, that this anxious load was taken off in confequence of the heart's being made to love that very God and religion, which before they had been hating and oppofing. Now they stood aftonished, that they never had feen thefe things before; and yet they could stand it out as they had done. It is affecting, to fee how jealous the fubjects of the work have been, left they imbibe a false hope. It has been no uncommon thing for them to think, that their hearts were renewed; then lofe their hope, and refume it again. Some have proceeded thus, till their hopes were renewed feveral times, and ftill were jealous, left, after all they fhould fix down on the foundation of the hypocrite. This ftumbled them. The reafon is, that previous to converfion they drew a fine imaginary picture of It has been common for awakenthe believer, as liberated from finfuled finners to think hard of the depropenfities, and having only fpir- crees, of God, election, and uncon

The doctrines made ufe of in carrying on this work, is another diftinguishing feature of it. These are the foul humbling doctrines of our Saviour which exalt God, and stain all the pride of human glory. The divine fovereigntyhis univerfal government-the holinefs, extent and inflexibility of the moral law-human depravity-our full dependence on God-the fpecial agency of the Holy Spirit in conviction and converfionand mere grace thro' Jefus Chrift as the Mediator, and the only one: Thefe have been kept conftantly in view, more or lefs, and proved like a fire and hammer that breaketh the flinty rock in pieces. I would not be understood, however, to fuggest that such sentiments have been received by all under awakenings with the fame effect. Some perfons were far from being fatisfied. Others did not know but the doctrines might be true. While others appeared to glory in them. Perfons in general were roufed to make fome inquiry into these things. Whereas, the felfjustifying notions of religion appeared to be far from having any effect in promoting the spirit of leriousness and reformation.

There

markable effect, efpecially on their
friends and acquaintance.
have been inftances in the married
ftate, where God has appeared to
take one, and leave the other.
The one left has feemed to have
feelings as tho' a feparation were
begun, which would extend to the
eternal world. Such could not
but have fome forebodings of the
last day, when the finner muft bid
farewel to the faint, and to all
comfort, and fink into endless con
tempt. This has given distress
and fears, of which no one can
form an idea, unless fuch as have
experienced them. The circum-
ftances of the finner are undescrib-
able!

ditional fubmiffion; and to ftruggle | mong us have had a ftill more refor a while to difcard them. They were wont to drefs them up in falfe and miftaken colours, imagining God to be partial, to make them machines, and preclude any ufe of the means of grace. But they were finally brought to athorough conviction, that thefe fentiments which had appeared fo terrible to them were their only hope. If ever they were faved, it would be in the way of fovereign mercy. Their conteft ceafed, and the divine fovereignty and its kindred doctrines became their peculiar joy and fupport. In clofe connection with what has been now mentioned, it was remarked, that the most plain, pungent preaching has been accompanied with far the Finally, as to the abiding ef greatest fuccefs. The more clear-fects of the work, the hopeful conly, pointedly and folemniy, fub- verts appear to exhibit a real change jects were treated, the more hap- of their moral feelings. There py effects they evidently had on has as yet been no inftance of apofthe hearers. Such warnings and tafy among those who have made inftructions feemed to be a lan- profeffion. Among a number of guage that was understood; and others who hope, with whom I the force of which it was hard to have particularly converfed, there evade. Of confequence, the moft has been none in my acquaintance. plain, thoro', experimental preach- This is all of God and a practical ers, have been moft acceptable to demonftration of the truth of the the people in general. gofpel which unbelievers fo foolishNarratives of the work of Godly defpife. We live in a wonder⚫ in one place and another have ap- ful day. We fear, and rejoice peared greatly beneficial to keep with trembling. May Zion profup the attention to religion. Such per, and all the kind, benevolent accounts have been to many, "like purposes of God be accomplished. cold waters to a thirty foul". This is the wish and prayer of your and to thofe under ferious impref- ardent friend and brother in the fions, a folemn fpring to their fears Lord, and exertions. Perfons of all ages would listen to the hiftory of this wonderful work around with the greatest avidity. Is not this an evidence, that the publication of religious facts is one of the most powerful and falutary means of grace, when it is managed with fkill and prudence?

Cafes of hopeful converfion a

ALEXANDER GILLET. Torrington, July 12, 1800.

LETTER VII.
From the Rev. JEREMIAH HAL-
LOCK of Weft Simsbury.

GENTLEMEN,

TH

HROUGH the courfe of twelve tedious years, before

this memorable period, the reli- | the day before, drawn a number of

gion of Jefus gradually declined among us. The doctrines of Chrift grew more and more unpopular; family prayer, and all the duties of the gofpel were lefs regarded; ungodlinefs prevailed, and particularly modern infidelity had made and was making alarming progrefs among us. Indeed it feemed to an eye of fenfe that the Sabbath would he loft, and every appearance of religion vanifh, yea that our Zion muft die, without an helper, and that infidels would laugh at her dying groans. But the God of Zion, who can do every thing, was pleased to appear, and lift up the standard of the omnipotent fpirit against the enemy; and to him be all the glory!

The first appearance of the work
was fudden, and unexpected.
Some particulars of which are as
follows. The second fabbath in
October, I exchanged with a broth-
er in the miniftry. On my return
the next evening, I found a young
perfon under deep impreffions of
mind. She told me, that fhe was
a poor finner, going down to hell:
and that her impreffions began on
the fabbath in the forenoon, but
increased in the afternoon. And
in the evening her concern was
fuch that fhe could no longer keep
it fecret, though it had been her
intention that no one fhould know
it. The next evening, at a con-
ference, there was an unufual fo-
lemnity, and many were in tears.
The morning following-I found
two other youth, with the one first
awakened,
whofe minds were
likewife impreffed. On the even-
ing of this day, a fermon was
preached by a neighbouring mini-
fter. The meeting was uncommon-
ly fall, and the arrows of convic-
tion reached fome hearts.

A
young man told me he had
VOL. I. No. 4.

books, at the library meeting on
profane hiftory; and was deter-
mined to spend the following win-
ter in reading them and the like
books but hearing of this meet-
ing he came thoughtlessly to it, and
foon found he had a greater work
to do than to read profane hiftories.
He faw he was an undone finner;
and muft become reconciled to God
or perish. His diftrefs foon arofe
to that degree that he seemed al-
moft in defpair; but was at length
hopefully brought into God's mar-
vellous, light.

After this meeting, about four-
teen children and youth were found
whofe minds appeared to be im-
preffed. One of them faid, "I
have been over a precipice all my
days, and never faw it until now."
The next day, it was affecting to
fee, by the rifing of the fun, awak-
ened youth coming to my house
to know what they should do to be
faved. In the after part of the
day, I vifited a number of families
in another neighbourhood, where
these things had been hardly known;
and found a remarkable attention.
The tear often flowed on the first
mentioning of eternal things. In
the evening, there were found in
the neighbourhood where the work
first began, at a houfe where a
meeting had been appointed, about
thirty children and youth who ap-
peared ferious, and fome under
deep concern.
It was indeed
an affecting scene; and one par-
ticular fact, will not foon be for
gotten.

Ꮪ

A young woman deeply impreffed, faid to another in the fame fituation, "Do not weep fo, what good can it do? God does not regard fuch felfish tears as you and I fhed." Upon this, the one spoken to, took the other by the hand and faid, "O you are trying to quiet

On the enfuing fabbath, the work was visible in the houfe of God; and the conference in the evening was full and very ferious. But one week before matters never appeared darker but now the marvellous goings of the victorious Lamb were feen and felt. O'how little we know what is in the fecret counfels of Immanuel! The following Monday, when a fermon was preached by a neighbouring minifter, almost the whole parish came to meeting, and the work appeared to be going on. And it was a trembling day, even among profeffors as well as others. It of ten brought these words to mind, But who may abide the day of his coming?"

me, but you tremble yourself," | expreffed himself after this fort which was truly the cafe. "I fee my heart fo opposed to God that I could not be happy were I admitted to Heaven; but fhould choofe rather to be in hell than dwell with God." Indeed this was an hour when all appeared to be shaken. But while fome found no reft, fhort of entirely new hopes, others were confirmed: The next week, on Wednesday, November 1, another fermon was preached by a neighbouring brother, when there was but about half as many prefent as the week before. And we were greatly afraid that all was about to decline and die. This was indeed a trying hour. No fond parent ever watched the fever of his child at the hour of its crifis, when the period of life or death had arrived, with more anxious interefted feelings, than numbers of God's praying friends watched the work of the fpirit at this critical moment. Every fymptom of its being fixed and increasing was as life from the dead,but the thoughts of its going off were more dreadful than the grave. It was not long however, before it appeared that God was in very deed come to carry on his work among us. And the hearts of Zion's friends On were elated with fresh hopes. Thofe Monday night my hope perished." whofe minds were arrested, were I do not know that I ever faw any for the most part, increasingly imonein bodily diftrefs manifeft great-preffed, and there were also inftaner anguish. But before morning ces of new awakenings. The fofhe found relief by having, (as fhe lemnity of this feafon cannot be hoped) her will bowed and fwal- communicated: it is known only lowed up in the will of God. She by experience. told me, the next morning, "I think I can now take care of my family and do all for the glory of God." Before the week was out, anoth-them mortally fick and at the point er came in anguifh of fpirit, who of death; but that the fcene was alfo had been refting on a hope of nothing fo impreffive, as to fee an his good eftate; but now faw him- houfe filled with fouls in diftrefs, felf in the gall of bitterness. He fenfible of impending and eternal

Being called one evening to vifit a neighbour in diftrefs of mind, I received from her the following information. "I was fober and thoughtful when a child, used to attend fecret prayer, thought I loved good people, and finally concluded that I was a Chriftian. But hearing that the work of God had begun among us, I thought it became me to examine on what foundation I ftood; when I found, I was building on the fand.

A brother in the ministry, among whofe people the fame work had begun, told me that he had feen 20 in a room, the most of